Chapter 406: The Match Begins
Chapter 406: The Match Begins
The previous crushing defeat by Slytherin had left the Gryffindors in low spirits for quite some time, and for a long while, they avoided discussing anything related to Quidditch.
But Harry's Firebolt had undoubtedly boosted their confidence and rekindled their passion.
And this fervor only intensified as time went on.
By Friday, just in the morning, Gryffindor's hourglass had dropped significantly, falling directly from second place back to the bottom of the rankings once more.
They were so excited that they couldn't help but discuss Quidditch during class, earning them point deductions from exasperated professors.
Snape was the most diligent in this regard, responsible for half of the points deducted.
It was only then that the Gryffindors came to their senses and realized their house had lost nearly two hundred points... This outcome also served to rein in their enthusiasm somewhat.
The next morning, Kyle headed to the Great Hall for breakfast with Cedric and Connor.
Today was the day of the match, and from the moment they entered the Hall, many eyes turned towards them, especially Cedric.
As the first team to face the Firebolt, they were drawing just as much attention as Harry.
This was especially true for the Ravenclaws, as more than half the students at their table were watching them intently.
"Davis thinks this is a great opportunity to observe the performance of the Firebolt," Autumn said, hunching down as she sat next to Connor. "Also, he can't think of any strategy against it, so he wants to see what you guys will do. Are you sure you'll be okay? If Gryffindor gains too many points, we won't stand a chance later on."
"Don't worry, leave it to us," Cedric said, patting his chest confidently. "We've trained for a long time, and I'm going to show Wood that he celebrated too early."
At quarter past ten, Hufflepuff made their way to the changing rooms.
Today's weather was pleasant—clear skies, a cool breeze, and a gentle wind that felt comfortable against the skin.
To be honest, this wasn't the best news for Hufflepuff, as Kyle's various gadgets gave them an advantage in relatively harsh weather conditions.
Unfortunately, this wasn't something they could control.
From outside, they could hear the sound of the entire student body pouring into the stadium, a cacophony of voices that indicated a large crowd had gathered.
"Don't be nervous," Cedric said as they prepared to leave the changing room. "We've trained for this many times, and we'll definitely be fine!"
As they stepped out onto the pitch, the cheers were deafening.
But when the Gryffindor team, clad in their red robes, emerged, the cheers seemed to grow even louder.
The two teams met in the center of the pitch.
"Digory, Wood, shake hands!" Madam Hooch said crisply, and Cedric shook hands with Wood.
"Mount your brooms and wait for my whistle. Three... two... one..."
Kyle felt a rush of wind as he heard a whistle.
The Firebolt was faster than any other broom, and it darted forward in an instant, with Cedric close behind. The two circled the pitch, squinting as they searched for the Golden Snitch.
From the stands, the commentator's voice could be heard.
"The match has begun, and the biggest highlight is Harry Potter riding the Firebolt," the commentator said. "'The Comprehensive Guide to Brooms' mentions that the Firebolt is the national team's top choice for the upcoming Quidditch World Cup..."
"Jordan, can you give us an overview of the match situation?
"Jordan!"
"Okay, okay. Hufflepuff is in control of the Quaffle now. This move looks familiar... Harris must have taught Kyle his ball-stealing technique... He's about to throw... Can Wood..."
"Oh... Wood missed, and Hufflepuff scores!"
Harry waved his arm in frustration in the air, searching more carefully for the Golden Snitch, but when he turned his head, he found Cedric right on his tail.
Every time he tried to change direction, Cedric would get ahead, forcing him to alter his course.
Harry felt that Cedric wasn't concerned about the Golden Snitch at all; he was just intent on disrupting him.
"Show him your acceleration, Harry!" Fred yelled, sending a Bludger towards Kyle.
Kyle had just performed a nimble flip to snatch the Quaffle from Angelina, and he was now accelerating towards the Gryffindor goal posts.
Facing the incoming Bludger, he had no intention of dodging.
The next second, Mick flew in from the side and swung his arm, deflecting the Bludger away.
"Just focus on flying forward!" Will flew in from the other side, blocking the second Bludger.
"... Leave the rest to us!"
With their help, Kyle smoothly made his way towards the goal posts and then threw the Quaffle... not towards the goal but to Grace on his right.
"Diagonal pass... Kyle's most commonly used feint!"
Jordan commented loudly, "But it's effective... Wood's attention is all on Kyle, and Grace scores... She's the new Beater for Hufflepuff this year... What a charming lady!"
Wood stared at Kyle, panting heavily, looking like an enraged bull.
Kyle shrugged and high-fived Grace before returning to the middle of the pitch.
In less than five minutes, the score was 20-0, and Gryffindor was already at a disadvantage.
In the stands, Hufflepuff's cheers nearly drowned out Lee Jordan's commentary.
"Fred, George, what are you doing!" Wood roared. "Get him off his broom!"
"We... We've been trying!" Fred shouted as he hit a Bludger towards Kyle. "But their two Beaters seem to have made a home next to Kyle... Damn, blocked again!"
At this point in the game, Kyle wasn't the only one with company; Harry was in a similar situation.
Harry felt that Cedric was almost glued to him, and no matter what he did, he couldn't shake him off. This was because he couldn't keep accelerating indefinitely; he had to slow down occasionally to search for the Golden Snitch.
Whenever he did so, Cedric would catch up and continue to interfere.
Once, he had even seen the glint of gold, the tiny wings flapping behind Angelina Johnson's ear... But just as he was about to accelerate and rush over, Cedric blocked his view.
Although he quickly circled around from another direction, the Snitch had disappeared in those crucial few seconds.
"Harry, now is not the time to be friendly." Wood, who had also spotted the Golden Snitch, shouted loudly. "If necessary, knock him off his broom!"
...
(End of Chapter)
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