𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹, draco malfoy

˗ˋ 25

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
✧
-: third year :-

── IN WHICH THEY PLAY

. . .

Marlie was right, and neither of the twins slept very well that night, tossing and turning until they were forced into it, and it was rather dreamless, but not beneficial. 

However, the stress seemed worth it because as Marlie, Harry and the rest of the Gryffindor team entered the Great Hall the next day to enormous applause. They couldn't help grinning broadly as they saw that both the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables were applauding them too. The Slytherin table hissed loudly as they passed.

Marlie barely ate, but all the same Wood spent the whole of breakfast urging his team to eat, while touching nothing himself. Then he hurried them off to the field before anyone else had finished, so they could get an idea of the conditions. As they left the Great Hall, everyone applauded again.

"Okay — no wind to speak of — sun's a bit bright, that could impair your vision, watch out for it— ground's fairly hard, good, that'll give us a fast kickoff —" Oliver paced along the fields, staring around with the team behind him. Finally, they saw the front doors of the castle open in the distance and the rest of the school spilling onto the lawn. "Locker rooms," He instructed them.

None of them spoke as they changed into their scarlet robes, and almost in no time at all, everyone was ready and Wood was saying, "Okay, it's time, let's go-"

They walked out onto the field to a tidal wave of noise. Three quarters of the crowd was wearing scarlet rosettes, waving scarlet flags with the Gryffindor lion upon them, or brandishing banners with slogans supporting their house. 

Behind the Slytherin goal posts, however, two hundred people were wearing green; the silver serpent of Slytherin glittered on their flags, and Professor Snape sat in the very front row, wearing green like everyone else, and a very grim smile.

"And here are the Gryffindors!" yelled Lee Jordan, commentating as usual. "Potter, Potter, Bell, Johnson, Weasley, Weasley, and Wood. Widely acknowledged as the best team Hogwarts has seen in a good few years-" He was interrupted by a loud chorus of boos from the Slytherin end. 

"And here come the Slytherin team, led by Captain Flint. He's made some changes in the lineup and seems to be going for size rather than skill." More boos came from the Slytherin crowd - but Lee had a point. Everyone other than Malfoy were simply enormous, towering above the blond third year.

"Captains, shake hands!" Madam Hooch instructed, and Flint and Wood approached each other and grasped each other's hand very tightly; it looked as though each was trying to break the other's fingers. "Mount your brooms!" said Madam Hooch. "Three... two.. one..."

Marlie had left the floor before Madam Hooch's whistle to signal the start of the match had ended. Katie was in possession, as pointed out by Lee but was soon intercepted by Warrington. Warrington of Slytherin tearing up the field — WHAM! — nice Bludger workthere by George Weasley, Warrington drops the Quaffle, it's caught by — Potter, Gryffindor back in possession, come on, Marlie." Lee said, and the girl drew her attention away from the commentating.

Montague was heading straight at her and glancing to her side she saw Warrington having managed to catch up with her, and she spiralled downwards, the two Slytherins crashing into each other. Almost brushing the ground, she flew back upwards, ducking as a bludger sped past her.