.said.Angelina,.pocketing.her.parchment,..but.then.I.was.always.surprised.Derrick.and.Bole.managed.to.find.their.way.on.to.the.pitch.without.signposts...
.Crabbe.and.Goyle.are.in.the.same.mould,..Harry.assured.her..
They.could.hear.hundreds.of.footsteps.mounting.the.banked.benches.of.the.spectators..stands..Some.people.were.singing,.though.Harry.could.not.make.out.the.words..He.was.starting.to.feel.nervous,.but.he.knew.his.butterflies.were.as.nothing.compared.to.Ron.s,.who.was.clutching.his.stomach.and.staring.straight.ahead.again,.his.jaw.set.and.his.complexion.pale.grey..
.It.s.time,..said.Angelina.in.a.hushed.voice,.looking.at.her.watch...C.mon.everyone….good.luck...
The.team.rose,.shouldered.their.brooms.and.marched.in.single.file.out.of.the.changing.room.and.into.the.dazzling.sunlight..A.roar.of.sound.greeted.them.in.which.Harry.could.still.hear.singing,.though.it.was.muffled.by.the.cheers.and.whistles..
The.Slytherin.team.was.standing.waiting.for.them..They,.too,.were.wearing.those.silver.crown‐shaped.badges..The.new.Captain,.Montague,.was.built.along.the.same.lines.as.Dudley.Dursley,.with.massive.forearms.like.hairy.hams.
.Behind.him.lurked.Crabbe.and.Goyle,.almost.as.large,.blinking.stupidly.in.the.sunlight,.swinging.their.new.Beaters..bats..Malfoy.stood.to.one.side,.the.sunlight.gleaming.on.his.white‐blond.head..He.caught.Harry.s.eye.and.smirked,.tapping.the.crown‐shaped.badge.on.his.chest..
.Captains,.shake.hands,..ordered.the.referee.Madam.Hooch,.as.Angelina.and.Montague.reached.each.other..Harry.could.tell.that.Montague.was.trying.to.crush.Angelina.s.fingers,.though.she.did.not.wince...Mount.your.brooms…..
Madam.Hooch.placed.her.whistle.in.her.mouth.and.blew..
The.balls.were.released.and.the.fourteen.players.shot.upwards..Out.of.the.corner.of.his.eye.Harry.saw.Ron.streak.off.towards.the.goalhoops..Harry.zoomed.higher,.dodging.a.Bludger,.and.set.off.on.a.wide.lap.of.the.pitch,.gazing.around.for.a.glint.of.gold;.on.the.other.side.of.the.stadium,.Draco.Malfoy.was.doing.exactly.the.same..
.And.it.s.Johnson.‐Johnson.with.the.Quaffle,.what.a.player.that.girl.is,.I.ve.been.saying.it.for.years.but.she.still.won.t.go.out.with.me.‐..
.JORDAN!..yelled.Professor.McGonagall..
.‐.just.a.fun.fact,.Professor,.adds.a.bit.of.interest.‐.and.she.s.ducked.Warrington,
.she.s.passed.Montague,.she.s.—.ouch.‐.been.hit.from.behind.by.a.Bludger.from.Crabbe….Montague.catches.the.Quaffle,.Montague.heading.back.up.the.pitch.and.‐.nice.Bludger.there.from.George.Weasley,.that.s.a.Bludger.to.the.head.for.Montague,.he.drops.the.Quaffle,.caught.by.Katie.Bell,.Katie.Bell.of.Gryffindor.reverse‐passes.to.Alicia.Spinnet.and.Spinnet.s.away.‐..
Lee.Jordan.s.commentary.rang.through.the.stadium.and.Harry.listened.as.hard.as.he.could.through.the.wind.whistling.in.his.ears.and.the.dinof.the.crowd,.all.yelling.and.booing.and.singing..
.‐.dodges.Warrington,.avoids.a.Bludger.‐.close.call,.Alicia.‐.and.the.crowd.are.loving.this,.just.listen.to.them,.what.s.that.they.re.singing?..