Brighter Than the Sun

Chapter Seventeen

"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.

"And it's Gryffindor in possession, Alicia Spinner of Gryffindor with the Quaffle, heading straight for the Slytherin goal posts, looking good, Alicia!"

I swerved under her to provide some backup.

"Argh, no — Quaffle intercepted by Warrington, Warrington of Slytherin tearing UP the field — WHAM! —"

George hit a bludger at Warrington, making his mark.

"Nice one, George!" I shouted, and he gave me a thumbs up.

"Warrington drops the Quaffle, it's caught by — Johnson, Gryffindor back in possession, come 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 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!"

"Come off it, Miss!" howled Fred, but Madam Hooch blew her whistle and I flew forward to take the penalty.

"Come on, Ash!" yelled Lee into the silence that had descended on the crowd.

I grinned, sped toward the goal, and hurled the Quaffle through the left hoop.

"YES! SHE'S BEATEN THE KEEPER! TWENTY-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"

I turned 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!"

I sighed with relief and hurried to get the Quaffle.

"Gryffindor in possession, no, Slytherin in possession — no! Gryffindor back in possession and it's Ash McKeon, Ash McKeon for Gryffindor with the Quaffle, she's streaking up the field —"

Montague sped toward me. I adjusted my grip on the Quaffle, but instead of trying to grab it, he seized me by the head and tried to throw me off. I yelped as I nearly fell, grabbing for the handle of my broom.

"THAT WAS DELIBERATE!" Lee bellowed.

I cartwheeled through the air, barely managing to stay on my broom. I righted myself, but I'd dropped the Quaffle.

Madam Hooch's whistle rang out again as she soared over to Montague and began shouting at him. A minute later, I'd put another penalty past the Slytherin Seeker.

"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 went barrelling past me, followed by Malfoy. He'd probably seen the Snitch. Both Bludgers whooshed past, headed for Harry. I dared not call out, worried that I would distract Harry and cause him to get hit.