ryffindor back in possession； e on； Angelina nice swerve around Montague duck； Angelina； that's a Bludger！… SHE SCORES！ TEN…ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR！〃
Angelina punched the air as she soared around the end of the field； 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！〃
A moment later； Fred Weasley 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 then。 〃Penalty shot to Gryffindor for an unprovoked attack on their Chaser！ Penalty shot to Slytherin for deliberate damage to their Chaser！〃
〃e off it； Miss！〃 howled Fred； but Madam Hooch blew her whistle and Alicia flew forward to take the penalty。
〃e 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 forward to take the Slytherin penalty。 Wood was hovering in front of the Gryffindor goal posts； 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 mentary。 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 field THAT WAS DELIBERATE！〃
Montague； a Slytherin Chaser； had swerved in front of Katie； and instead of seizing the Quaffle had grabbed her head。 Katie cart wheeled 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 Seeker。
〃THIRTY…ZERO！ TAKE THAT； YOU DIRTY； CHEATING 〃
〃Jordan； if you can't mentate 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 goal posts but he mustn't catch it yet and if Malfoy saw it …
Faking a look of sudden concentration； Harry pulled his Firebolt around and sped off toward 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。 Then again
WHOOSH。
The second Bludger grazed Harry's elbow。 The other Beater； Bole； was closing in。
Harry had a fleeting glimpse of Bole and Derrick zooming toward him； clubs raised
He turned the Firebolt upward at the last second； and Bole and Derrick collided with a sickening crunch。
〃Ha haaa！〃 yelled Lee Jordan as the Slytherin Beaters lurched away from each other； clutching their heads。 〃Too bad； boys！ You'll need to get up earlier than that to beat a Firebold And it's Gryffindor in possession again； as Johnson takes the Quaffle Flint alongside her poke him in the eye； Angelina！ it was a joke； Professor； it was a joke oh no Flint in possession； Flint flying toward the Gryffindor goal posts； e on now； Wood； save ！〃
But Flint had scored； there was an eruption of cheers from the Slytherin end； and Lee swore so badly that Professor McGonagall tried to tug the magical megaphone away from him。
〃Sorry； Professor； sorry！ WoiA happen again！ So； Gryffindor in the lead； thirty points to ten； and Gryffindor in possession 〃
it was turning into the dirtiest game Harry had ever played in。 Enraged that Gryffindor had taken such an early lead； the Slytherins were rapidly resorting to any means to take the Quaffle。 Bole hit Alicia with his club and tried to say he'd thought she was a Bludger。 George Weasley elbowed Bole in the face in retaliation。 Madam Hooch awarded both teams penalties； and Wood pulled off another spectacular save； making the score forty…ten to Gryffindor。
The Snitch had disappeared again。 Malfoy was still keeping close to Harry as he soared over the match； looking around for it once Gryffindor was fifty points ahead …
Katie scored。 Fifty…ten。 Fred and George Weasley were swooping around her； clubs raised； in case any of the Slytherins were thinking of revenge。 Bole and Derrick took advantage of Fred's and George's absence to aim both Bludgers at Wood； they caught him in the stomach； one after the other； and he rolled over in the air； clutching his broom； pletely winded。
Madam Hooch was beside herself
〃YOU DO NOT ATTACK THE KEEPER UNLESS THE QUAFFLE IS WITHIN THE SCORING AREA！〃 she shrieked at Bole and Derrick。 〃Gryffindor penalty！〃
And Angelina scored。 Sixty…ten。 Moments later； Fred Weasley pelted a Bludger at Warrington； knocking the Quaffle Out of his hands； Alicia seized it and put it through the Slytherin goal seventy…ten。
The Gryffindor crowd below was screaming itself hoarse Gryffindor was sixty points in the lead； and if Harry caught the Snitch now； the Cup was theirs。 Harry could almost feel hundreds of eyes following him as he soared around the field； high above the rest of the game； with Malfoy speeding along behind him。
And then he saw it。 The Snitch was sparkling twenty feet above him。
Harry put on a huge burst of speed； the wind was roaring in his ears； he stretched out his hand； but suddenly； the Firebolt was slowing down
Horrified； he looked around。 Malfoy had thrown himself forward； grabbed hold of the Firebolt's tail； and was pulling it back。
〃You 〃
Harry was angry enough to hit Malfoy； but couldn't reach Malfoy was panting with the effort of holding onto the Firebolt； but his eyes were sparkling maliciously。 He had achieved what he'd wanted to do the Snitch had disappeared again。
〃Penalty！ Penalty to Gryffindor！ I've never seen such tactics。〃 Madam Hooch screeched； shooting up to where Malfoy was sliding back onto his Nimbus Two Thousand and One。
〃YOU CHEATING SCUM！〃 Lee Jordan was howling into the megaphone； dancing out of Professor McGonagall's reach。 〃YOU FILTHY； CHEATING B 〃
Pprofessor McGonagall didn't even bother to tell him off She was actually shaking her finger in Malfoys direction； her hat had fallen off； and she too was shouting furiously。
Alicia took Gryffindor's penalty； but she was so angry she missed by several feet。 The Gryffindor team was losing concentration and the Slytherins； delighted by Malfoy's foul on Harry； were being spurred on to greater heights。
〃Slytherin in possession； Slytherin heading for goal Montague scores 〃 Lee groaned。 〃Seventy… twenty to Gryffindor。。。〃
Harry was now marking Malfoy so closely their knees kept hitting each other。 Harry wasn't going to let Malfoy anywhere near the Snitch。。。。
〃Get out of it； Potter！〃 Malfoy yelled in frustration as he tried to turn and found Harry blocking him。
〃Angelina Johnson gets the Quaffle for Gryffindor； e on； Angelina； E ON！〃
Harry looked around。 Every single Slytherin player apart from Malfoy was streaking up the pitch toward Angelina； including the Slytherin Keeper they were all going to block her
Harry wheeled the Firebolt around； bent so low he was lying flat along the handle； and kicked it forward。 Like a bullet； he shot toward the Slytherins。
〃AAAAAAARRRGH！〃
They scattered as the Firebolt zoomed toward them； Angelina's Way was clear。
〃SHE SCORES！ SHE SCORES！ Gryffindor leads by eighty Points to twenty！〃
Harry； who had almost pelted headlong into the stands； skidded to a halt in midair； reversed； and zoomed back into the middle of the field。
And then he saw something to make his heart stand still。 Malfoy was diving； a look of triumph on his face there； a few feet above the grass below； was a tiny； golden glimmer …
Harry urged the Firebolt downward； but Malfoy was miles ahead …
〃Go！ Go！ Go！〃 Harry urged his broom。 He was gaining on Malfay Harry flattened himself to the broom handle as Bole sent a Bludger at him he was at Malfoy's ankles he was level
Harry threw himself forward； took both hands off his broom。 He knocked Malfoy's arm out of the way and
〃YES！〃
He pulled out of his dive； his hand in the air； and the stadium exploded。 Harry soared above the crowd； an odd ringing in his ears。 The tiny golden ball was held tight in his fist； beating its wings hopelessly against his fingers。
Then Wood was speeding toward him； half…blinded by tears； he seized Harry around the neck and sobbed unrestrainedly into his shoulder。 Harry felt two large thumps as Fred and George hit them； then Angelina's； Alicia's； and Katie's voices； 〃We've won the Cup！ We've won the Cup！〃 Tangled together in a many…armed hug； the Gryffindor team sank； yelling hoarsely； back to earth。
Wave upon wave of crimson supporters was pouring over the barriers onto the field。 Hands were raining down on their backs。 Harry had a confused impression of noise and bodies pressing in on him。 Then he； and the rest of the team； were hoisted onto the shoulders of the crowd。 Thrust into the light； he saw Hagrid； Plastered with crimson rosettes 〃Yeh beat 'em； Harry； yeh beat 'em！
Wait till I tell Buckbeak！〃 There was Percy； jumping up and down like a maniac； all dignity forgotten。 Professor McGonagall was sobbing harder even than Wood； wiping her eyes with an enormous Gryffindor flag； and there； fighting their way toward Harry； were Ron and Hermione。 Words failed them。 They simply beamed as Harry was borne toward the stands； where Dumbledore stood waiting with the enormous Quidditch Cup。
If only there had been a dementor around。。。。 As a sobbing Wood passed Harry the Cup； as he lifted it into the air； Harry felt he could have produced the world's best Patronus。
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
PROFESSOR TRELAWNEY'S PREDICTION
Harry's euphoria at finally winning the Quidditch Cup lasted at least a week。 Even the weather seemed to be celebrating； as June approached； the days became cloudless and sultry； and all anybody felt like doing was strolling onto the grounds and flopping down on the grass with several pints of iced pumpkin juice； perhaps playing a casual game of Gobstones or watching the giant squid propel itself dreamily across the surface of the lake。
But they couldn't。 Exams were nearly upon them； and instead of lazing around outside； the students were forced to remain inside the castle； trying to bully their brains into concentrating while enticing wafts of summer air drifted in through the windows。 Even Fred and George Weasley had been spotted working； they were about to take their O。W。L。s （Ordinary Wizarding Levels）。 Percy was getting ready to take his N。E。W。T。s （Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests）； the highest qualification Hogwarts offered。 As Percy