Harry Potter 03 - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

team, led by captain Flint. He’s made some changes in the line-up and seems to be going for size rather than skill –’
    More boos from the Slytherin crowd. Harry, however, thought Lee had a point. Malfoy was easily the smallest person on the Slytherin team; the rest of them were enormous.
    ‘Captains, shake hands!’ said Madam Hooch.
    Flint and Wood approached each other and grasped each other’s hands very tightly; it looked as though each was trying to break the other’s fingers.
    ‘Mount your brooms!’ said Madam Hooch. ‘Three … two … one …’
    The sound of her whistle was lost in the roar from the crowd as fourteen brooms rose into the air. Harry felt his hair fly back off his forehead; his nerves left him in the thrill of the flight; he glanced around, saw Malfoy on his tail, and sped off in search of the Snitch.
    ‘And it’s Gryffindor in possession, Alicia Spinnet of Gryffindor with the Quaffle, heading straight for the Slytherin goalposts, looking good, Alicia! Argh, no – Quaffle intercepted by Warrington, Warrington of Slytherin tearing up the pitch – WHAM! – nice Bludger work there by George Weasley, Warrington drops the Quaffle, it’s caught by – Johnson, Gryffindor back in possession, come on, Angelina – nice swerve round Montague – duck, Angelina, that’s a Bludger! – SHE SCORES! TEN–ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!’
    Angelina punched the air as she soared round the end of the pitch; the sea of scarlet below was screaming its delight –
    ‘OUCH!’
    Angelina was nearly thrown from her broom as Marcus Flint went smashing into her.
    ‘Sorry!’ said Flint, as the crowd below booed. ‘Sorry, didn’t see her!’
    Next moment, Fred Weasley had chucked his Beater’s club at the back of Flint’s head. Flint’s nose smashed into the handle of his broom and began to bleed.
    ‘That will do!’ shrieked Madam Hooch, zooming between them. ‘Penalty to Gryffindor for an unprovoked attack on their Chaser! Penalty to Slytherin for deliberate damage to their Chaser!’
    ‘Come off it, Miss!’ howled Fred, but Madam Hooch blew her whistle and Alicia flew forward to take the penalty.
    ‘Come on, Alicia!’ yelled Lee into the silence that had descended on the crowd. ‘YES! SHE’S BEATEN THE KEEPER! TWENTY– ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!’
    Harry turned the Firebolt sharply to watch Flint, still bleeding freely, fly forwards to take the Slytherin penalty. Wood was hovering in front of the Gryffindor goalposts, his jaw clenched.
    ‘’Course, Wood’s a superb Keeper!’ Lee Jordan told the crowd, as Flint waited for Madam Hooch’s whistle. ‘Superb! Very difficult to pass – very difficult indeed – YES! I DON’T BELIEVE IT! HE’S SAVED IT!’
    Relieved, Harry zoomed away, gazing around for the Snitch, but still making sure he caught every word of Lee’s commentary. It was essential that he hold Malfoy off the Snitch until Gryffindor was more than fifty points up …
    ‘Gryffindor in possession, no, Slytherin in possession – no! – Gryffindor back in possession and it’s Katie Bell, Katie Bell for Gryffindor with the Quaffle, she’s streaking up the pitch – THAT WAS DELIBERATE!’
    Montague, a Slytherin Chaser, had swerved in front of Katie, and instead of seizing the Quaffle, had grabbed her head. Katie cartwheeled in the air, managed to stay on her broom but dropped the Quaffle.
    Madam Hooch’s whistle rang out again as she soared over to Montague and began shouting at him. A minute later, Katie had put another penalty past the Slytherin Keeper.
    ‘THIRTY–ZERO! TAKE THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING –’
    ‘Jordan, if you can’t commentate in an unbiased way –!’
    ‘I’m telling it like it is, Professor!’
    Harry felt a huge jolt of excitement. He had seen the Snitch – it was shimmering at the foot of one of the Gryffindor goalposts – but he mustn’t catch it yet. And if Malfoy saw it …
    Faking a look of sudden concentration, Harry pulled his Firebolt round and sped off towards the Slytherin end. It worked. Malfoy went haring after him, clearly thinking Harry had seen the Snitch there …
    WHOOSH.
    One of the Bludgers came streaking past Harry’s right ear, hit by the gigantic Slytherin Beater, Derrick. Next moment –
    WHOOSH.
    The second Bludger had grazed Harry’s elbow. The other Beater, Bole, was closing in.
    Harry had a fleeting glimpse of Bole and Derrick zooming towards him, clubs raised –
    He turned the Firebolt upwards at the last second, and