hey were off
Harry rose fast； but his Nimbus was swerving slightly with the wind。 He held it as steady as he could and turned； squinting into the rain。
Within five minutes Harry was soaked to his skin and frozen； hardly able to see his teammates； let alone the tiny Snitch。 He flew backward and forward across the field past blurred red and yellow shapes； with no idea of what was happening in the rest of the game。 He couldn't hear the mentary over the wind。 The crowd was hidden beneath a sea of cloaks and battered umbrellas。 Twice Harry came very close to being unseated by a Bludger； his vision was so clouded by the rain on his glasses he hadn't seen them ing。
He lost track of time。 It was getting harder and harder to hold his broom straight。 The sky was getting darker； as though night had decided to e early。 Twice Harry nearly hit another player； without knowing whether it was a teammate or opponent； everyone was now so wet； and the rain so thick； he could hardly tell them apart。。。。
With the first flash of lightning came the sound of Madam Hooch's whistle； Harry could just see the outline of Wood through the thick rain； gesturing him to the ground。 The whole team splashed down into the mud。
〃I called for time…out！〃 Wood roared at his team。 〃e on； under here 〃
They huddled at the edge of the field under a large umbrella； Harry took off his glasses and wiped them hurriedly on his robes。
〃What's the score？〃
〃We're fifty points up；〃 said Wood； 〃but unless we get the Snitch soon； we'll be playing into the night。〃
〃I've got no chance with these on；〃 Harry said exasperatedly； waving his glasses。
At that very moment； Hermione appeared at his shoulder； she was holding her cloak over her head and was； inexplicably； beaming。
〃I've had an idea； Harry！ Give me your glasses； quick！〃
He handed them to her； and as the team watched in amazement； Hermione tapped them with her wand and said； 〃Impervius！〃
〃There！〃 she said； handing them back to Harry。 〃They'll repel water！〃
Wood looked as though he could have kissed her。
〃Brilliant！〃 he called hoarsely after her as she disappeared into the crowd。 〃Okay； team； let's go for it！〃
Hermione's spell had done the trick。 Harry was still numb with cold； still wetter than he'd ever been in his life； but he could see。 Full of fresh determination； he urged his broom through the turbulent air； staring in every direction for the Snitch； avoiding a Bludger； ducking beneath Diggory； who was streaking in the opposite direction。。。。
There was another clap of thunder； followed immediately by forked lightning。 This was getting more and more dangerous。 Harry needed to get the Snitch quickly …
He turned； intending to head back toward the middle of the field； but at that moment； another flash of lightning illuminated the stands； and Harry saw something that distracted him pletely ； the silhouette of an enormous shaggy black dog； clearly imprinted against the sky； motionless in the topmost； empty row of seats。
Harry's numb hands slipped on the broom handle and his Nimbus dropped a few feet。 Shaking his sodden bangs out of his eyes； he squinted back into the stands。 The dog had vanished。
〃Harry！〃 came Wood's anguished yell from the Gryffindor goal posts。 〃Harry； behind you！〃
Harry looked wildly around。 Cedric Diggory was pelting up the field； and a tiny speck of gold was shimmering in the rain…filled air between them …
With a jolt of panic； Harry threw himself flat to the broornhandle and zoomed toward the Snitch。
〃e on！〃 he growled at his Nimbus as the rain whipped his face。 'Taster！〃
But something odd was happening。 An eerie silence was falling across the stadium。 The wind； though as strong as ever； was forgetting to roar。 It was as though someone had turned off the sound； as though Harry had gone suddenly deaf what was going on？
And then a horribly familiar wave of cold swept over him； inside him； just as he became aware of something moving on the field below。。。
Before he'd had time to think； Harry had taken his eyes off the Snitch and looked down。
At least a hundred dementors； their hidden faces pointing up at him； were standing beneath him。 It was as though freezing water were rising in his chest； cutting at his insides。 And then he heard it again。。。。 Someone was screaming； screaming inside his head。。。 a woman。。。
〃Not Harry； not Harry； please not Harry！〃
〃Stand aside； you silly girl。。。 stand aside； now。。。。〃
〃Not Harry； please no； take me； kill me instead 〃
Numbing； swirling white mist was filling Harry's brain。。。。 What was he doing？ Why was he flying？ He needed to help her。。。 She was going to die。。。。 She was going to be murdered。。。。
He was falling； falling through the icy mist。
〃Not Harry！ Please。。。 have mercy。。。 have mercy。。。。
A shrill voice was laughing； the woman was screaming； and Harry knew no more。
〃Lucky the ground was so soft。〃
〃I thought he was dead for sure。〃
〃But he didn't even break his glasses。〃
Harry could hear the voices whispering； but they made no sense whatsoever。 He didn't have a clue where he was； or how he'd got there； or what he'd been doing before he got there。 All he knew was that every inch of him was aching as though it had been beaten。
〃That was the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life。〃
Scariest。。。 the scariest thing。。。 hooded black figures。。。 cold 。。。 screaming。。。
Harry's eyes snapped open。 He was lying in the hospital wing。 The Gryffindor Quidditch team； spattered with mud from head to foot； was gathered around his bed。 Ron and Hermione were also there； looking as though they'd just climbed out of a swimming pool。
〃Harry！〃 said Fred； who looked extremely white underneath； the mud。 〃How're you feeling？〃
It was as though Harry's memory was on fast forward。 The lightning the Grim the Snitch and the dementors。。。
〃What happened？〃 he said； sitting up so suddenly they all gasped。
〃You fell off；〃 said Fred。 〃Must've been what fifty feet？〃
〃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。 The horrible truth sank into Harry like a stone。
〃We didn't lose？〃
〃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。〃
〃Where is Wood？〃 said 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。〃
〃There had to be one time you didn't get it；〃 said George。
〃It's not over yet；〃 said Fred。 〃We lost by a hundred points〃
〃Right？ So if Hufflepuff loses to Ravenclaw and we beat Ravenclaw and Slytherin 。〃
〃Hufflepuff'll have to lose by at least two hundred points；〃 said George。
〃But if they beat Ravenclaw。。。〃
〃No Way； Ravenclaw is too good。 But if Slytherin loses against Hufflepuff。。。〃
〃It all depends on the points a margin of a hundred either way。〃
Harry lay there； not saying a word。 They had lost。。。 for the first time ever； he had lost a Quidditch match。
After ten minutes or so； Madam Pomfrey came over to tell the team to leave him in peace。
〃We'll e and see you later；〃 Fred told him。 〃Don't beat yourself up； Harry； you're still the best Seeker we've ever had。〃
The 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。
〃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 e onto the grounds。 We heard him 〃
〃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； but Harry hardly noticed。 He was thinking about what the dementors had done to him。。。 about the screaming voice。 He looked up and saw Ron and Hermione lookin； at him so anxiously that he quickly cast around for something matter…of…fact to say。
〃Did someone get my Nimbus？〃
Ron and Hermione looked quickly at each other。
〃Er 〃
〃What？〃 said Harry； looking from one to the other。
〃Well。。。 when you fell off； it got blown away；〃 said Hermione hesitantly。
〃And？〃
〃And it hit it hit oh； Harry it hit the Whomping Willow。〃
Harry's insides lurched。 The Whomping Willow was a very violent tree that stood alone in the middle of the grounds。
〃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。
CHAPTER TEN
THE MARAUDER'S MAP
Madam Pomfrey insisted on keeping Harry in the hospital wing for the rest of the weekend。 He didn't argue or plain； but he wouldn't let her throw away the shattered remnants of his Nimbus Two Thousand。 He knew he was being stupid； knew that the Nimbus was beyond repair； but Harry couldn't help it； he felt as though he'd lost one of his best friends。
He had a stream of visitors； all intent on cheering him up。 Hagrid sent him a bunch of earwiggy flowers that looked like yellow cabbages； and Ginny Weasley； blushing furiously； turned up with a get…well card she had made herself； which sang shrilly unless Harry kept it shut under his bowl of fruit。 The Gryffindor team visited again on Sunday morning； this time acpanied by Wood； who told Harry （in a hollow； dead sort of voice） that he didn't blame
him in the slightest。 Ron and Hermione left Harry's bedside only at night… But nothing anyone said or did could make Harry feel any better； because they knew only half of what was troubling him。
He hadn't told anyone about the Grim； not even Ron …and Hermione； because he knew Ron would panic and Hermione would scoff。 The fact remained； however； that it had now appeared twice； and both appearances had been followed by near…fatal accidents； the first time； he had nearly been run over by the Knight Bus； the second； fallen fifty feet from his broomstick。 Was the Grim going to haunt him until he actually died？ Was he going to spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder for the beast？
And then there were the dementors。 Harry felt sick and humiliated every time he thought of them。 Everyone said the dementors were horrible； but no one else colla