Unexpected | Bill Weasley

~36~ Ron & Hermione's Feud

The next morning, Katie was removed to go to St. Mungo's, and everyone had heard that Katie was cursed, but everyone seemed confused with the details. Since Draco wasn't taking History of Magic anymore, I could only see him during mealtimes and sometimes when he was walking around the castle, but I noticed that he was very silent, and barely talked to anyone. He was looking pale, and ill. He would only give me small smiles in passing, but he stopped visiting me and seemed to be almost avoiding me.

A few days later, I was invited to Slughorn's Christmas party.

"I do hope you join us!" said Slughorn, when he handed me and Snape our invitations when we were on our break in the staffroom.

"I'll be there Horac." I said with a forced smile.

Snape merely grimaced and looked at his invitation. 

When Slughorn left, I turned to Snape. "Are you going Severus?"

"Most likely."

I was glad to hear that Harry and Hermione were invited too.

A few days after that, was the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin. I sat in the stands with Filius and Pomona and the teams walked out onto the pitch. The whistle sounded, and everyone shot into the air.

"Well, there they go, and I think we're all surprised to see the team that Potter's put together this year. Many thought, given Ronald Weasley's patchy performance as Keeper last year, that he might be off the team, but of course, a close personal friendship with the Captain does help..."

I bristled. I very much disliked Zacharias Smith, who was commentating the match.

"Oh, and here comes Slytherin's first attempt on goal, it's Urquhart streaking down the pitch and-"

I sat forward in my seat.

"Weasley saves it, well, he's bound to get lucky sometimes, I suppose..."

I cheered with the other Gryffindor's.

"Go Ron!" I yelled. "You got this!"

"Calm down Fawn!" said Pomona laughing.

"He's my soon to be brother!"

With half an hour of the game gone, Gryffindor were leading sixty points to zero, Ron having made some truly spectacular saves, some by the very tips of his gloves, and Ginny having scored four of Gryffindor's six goals. This effectively stopped Zacharias wondering loudly whether the two Weasleys were only there because Harry liked them, and he started on Peakes and Coote instead.

"Of course, Coote isn't really the usual build for a Beater," said Zacharias loftily, "they've generally got a bit more muscle-"

"Hit a Bludger at him!" I heard Harry yell at Coote.

Coote grinned and flew off to hit a Bludger at an oncoming Slytherin player.

It seemed as though Gryffindor could do no wrong. Again and again they scored, and again and again, at the other end of the pitch, Ron saved goals with apparent ease. He was actually smiling now, and when the crowd greeted a particularly good save with a rousing chorus of the old favorite "Weasley Is Our King," he pretended to conduct them from on high.

I saw Harper collide with Harry and we all booed, but Madam Hooch's back was turned and she didn't see, and when she turned around, Harper had already sped off. Harry looked angry and continued looking for the snitch.

"And I think Harper of Slytherin's seen the Snitch!" said Zacharias Smith through his megaphone. "Yes, he's certainly seen something Potter hasn't!"

I gasped as I saw Harper speeding towards the Snitch.