𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐬

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎

Ron, Ginny, Hermione and I ran to Harry. Harry looked like he was unconscious. 

"Okay," Madam Pomfrey, who had just run over with Dumbledore, said. "Miss Fortescue, help me get Mr.Potter to the clinic!"

 I flushed. "B-but," I protested. 

"Come on, Miss Fortescue!" Madam Pomfrey said impatiently. Dumbledore held Harry.

 "Poppy, get a stretcher!" he said. 

Madam Pomfrey whispered softly, "Accio stretcher!" The stretcher came toward us. 

"Help," I said to Wood. Wood hauled Harry onto the stretcher. 

"Locomotor Stretcher!" Dumbledore said angrily. I shot Katie, Alicia, and Angelina a worried look. None of us had ever seen Dumbledore so angry. The stretcher lifted into the air as Dumbledore pointed. We all sat up and followed Dumbledore inside. 

As we came into the clinic, Madam Pomfrey pulled me aside. 

"You are going to help me," she said. 

"What?" I sputtered. 

"You are going to help me," Madam Pomfrey repeated. I shook my head. 

"I'm not a Healer," I protested.

 I could hear Ron call, "Madam Pomfrey!" Madam Pomfrey shot Ron a look. 

"Would you give me a minute please?" she snapped at him. Dumbledore was back in his office. Ron even told Ginny to go to one of her friends. 

"That was the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life," I heard Angelina say. I went over to the bed to see Harry awake.  

"Harry!" said Fred, who looked extremely white underneath, the mud. "How're you feeling?" 

I was looking desperately at him. 

"What happened?" Harry said, sitting up so suddenly we all gasped. 

"You fell off," said Fred. "Must've been — what — fifty feet?" 

Katie shuddered. 

"We thought you'd died," said Alicia, who was shaking. Hermione made a small, squeaky noise. Her eyes were extremely bloodshot. 

"But the match," said Harry. "What happened? Are we doing a replay?" 

No one said anything. "We didn't — lose?" he asked. 

 "Diggory got the Snitch," said George. "Just after you fell. He didn't realize what had happened. When he looked back and saw you on the ground, he tried to call it off. Wanted a rematch. But they won fair and square... even Wood admits it." 

Harry looked around.

 "Where is Wood?" asked Harry, suddenly realizing he wasn't there.

 "Still in the showers," said Fred. "We think he's trying to drown himself." Harry put his face to his knees, his hands gripping his hair. Fred grabbed his shoulder and shook it roughly. 

"C'mon, Harry, you've never missed the Snitch before," he said. I took Fred's hand off Harry's shoulder. 

"He's still hurt!" I snapped at Fred. 

"There had to be one time you didn't get it," said George, ignoring me. 

"It's not over yet," said Fred. "We lost by a hundred points." 

George snorted.  

"Right? So if Hufflepuff loses to Ravenclaw and we beat Ravenclaw and Slytherin..." Fred's voice trailed off. 

"Hufflepuff'll have to lose by at least two hundred points," said George. 

"But if they beat Ravenclaw..." Fred's voice now trailed off. "No way, Ravenclaw is too good. But if Slytherin loses against Hufflepuff."  I rolled my eyes. 

"It all depends on the points — a margin of a hundred either way —" George said. Harry lay there, not saying a word.

After a few minutes, Madam Pomfrey came us. 

"Leave him in peace," she said. "You, Selene, I need your help." Fred winked at Harry. 

"We'll come and see you later," Fred told him. "Don't beat yourself up Harry, you're still the best Seeker we've ever had." T

he team trooped out, trailing mud behind them. Madam Pomfrey shut the door behind them,looking disapproving. Ron and Hermione moved nearer to Harry's bed as I walked toward Madam Pomfrey's potion notes and rummaged through them. 

"Dumbledore was really angry," Hermione said in a quaking voice. "I've never seen him like that before. He ran onto the field as you fell, waved his wand, and you sort of slowed down before you hit the ground. Then he whirled his wand at the Dementors. Shot silver stuff at them.They left the stadium right away... He was furious they'd come onto the grounds. We heard him—" Hermione stopped. 

"Then he magicked you onto a stretcher," said Ron. "And walked up to school with you floating on it. Everyone thought you were..." His voice faded. 

"Did someone get my Nimbus?" asked Harry. I looked up. I remember seeing it hit the Whomping Willow. Ron and Hermione looked quickly at each other. "

Er —" Ron started. 

"What?" said Harry, looking from one to the other.

 "Well... when you fell off, it got blown away," said Hermione hesitantly. 

"And?" Harry asked. 

"And it hit — it hit — oh, Harry — it hit the Whomping Willow!" 

"And?" he said, dreading the answer. 

"Well, you know the Whomping Willow," said Ron. "It — it doesn't like being hit." 

"Professor Flitwick brought it back just before you came around," said Hermione in a very small voice. Slowly, she reached down for a bag at her feet, turned it upside down, and tipped a dozen bits of splintered wood and twig onto the bed, the only remains of Harry's faithful, finally beaten broomstick.