"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to this passion-filled stadium! Today, we're about to witness a thrilling Quidditch showdown between two powerhouse teams—Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff!" Lee Jordan stood at the commentator's podium, his voice brimming with excitement as he shouted into the microphone.
"From what I've heard, both teams have brought in quite a bit of fresh blood this term. Over on the Gryffindor side, second-year student Ginny Weasley has stepped in to replace last year's temporary Seeker, Katie Bell. I've got to say, Ginny Weasley is hands-down the prettiest girl I've ever seen—any lads looking to ditch the single life better take note…" Lee Jordan's voice cut off abruptly as he caught the warning glares from the Weasley twins on the field. Clearing his throat, he quickly shifted gears.
"Meanwhile, Katie Bell has taken up the role of Chaser. And down on the sidelines, Ron Weasley is standing by as a reserve, ready to sub in for any injured players. I've got to admit, having a bench is one of the best ideas I've ever seen. After all, if a player goes down and there's no substitute, the team's left in a seriously tough spot."
"Then we've got the Hufflepuff team, led by Cedric Diggory. Word is, their strategy this year is completely different from before. I don't have the specifics, but Cedric's entrance has definitely sparked some serious heat among the ladies in the crowd…"
Lee Jordan's commentary was drowned out by the deafening cheers of nearly every girl in the school, all directed at Cedric, who merely gave a shy wave in response.
"Ahh! Cedric waved at me! I'm in his heart!" a third-year Gryffindor girl in front of Hermione squealed, hugging her own arms in bliss. Hermione, overhearing this, rolled her eyes so hard they nearly disappeared into her head.
"Now, the team captains are shaking hands. The Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff Quidditch match is about to kick off—let's see who'll dominate the pitch today!"
With the sharp blast of the referee's whistle, the game began.
"Gryffindor takes the first move! Angelina Johnson snags the Quaffle and rockets toward the opposite goalposts, flanked tightly by Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell on either side—a flawless Hawkshead Attacking Formation! These three girls are charging in like an unstoppable force. Gryffindor's already pushing into Hufflepuff's defensive zone. On a side note, I've been trying to ask Angelina Johnson out for ages, but she doesn't seem too keen on me…"
"Jordan! Focus on the match, not your personal commentary!" Professor McGonagall's stern voice cut in from beside him.
"Right, Professor… Oh! Gryffindor with a brilliant pass—there's the shot! Katie Bell takes it! Let's see what Hufflepuff's Keeper, James, does… Oh! He guesses the Quaffle's trajectory and dives for it! He's just a split second too slow—the Quaffle grazes his fingertips and sails through! Goal! Gryffindor takes ten points!"
Lee Jordan tapped the scoreboard, shifting the tally from 0:0 to 10:0.
"Great! Now, back to the restart! Oh! Hufflepuff's Mary snatches the Quaffle! She's charging solo toward Wood's goalposts! Let's see how Gryffindor handles this… Nice one, Weasley twins! A thunderous Bludger strike breaks Mary's advance! Now Alicia's got the Quaffle—no! Hufflepuff's Lucy swoops in at the last second and grabs it! She's barreling toward Gryffindor's hoops! Nothing's in her way—it's a clear shot! She throws—and Wood pulls off a tail-swing save, batting the Quaffle back!"
"But Hufflepuff isn't backing down! Look at this—two Hufflepuff Chasers and a Beater are closing in fast on Gryffindor's defense! They're moving at breakneck speed—Gryffindor's Beaters need to stay sharp… Oh, a gorgeous feint! Mary spins a full three-sixty, dodging the Gryffindor Chaser's block! She's got two options now: shoot or… she passes! Lucy catches it! She shoots—Wood dives! Too bad, he misjudges the angle, and the Quaffle slips past him into Gryffindor's hoop! It's ten to ten!"
Lee Jordan tapped the scoreboard again, updating it from 10:0 to 10:10.
"Now Gryffindor's got control of the Quaffle, and they're pressing into Hufflepuff's defensive zone… Beautiful! Angelina drifts past Mary's tackle with ease… and a lightning-fast juke dodges a Bludger from Hufflepuff's Beater! She's closing in on the hoops! She shoots—a long-distance throw! Will it go in…? Oh, it sails just over the top of the hoop! Angelina looks furious, shaking her fist in frustration… Gotta say, if she'd just say yes to me—"
"Jordan!!" Professor McGonagall's furious roar blasted through the megaphone.
"Just kidding, Professor! Lightening the mood a bit… Alright, the Quaffle's passed to…"
The match raged on with ferocious intensity, both teams locked in a fierce struggle for dominance.
Gryffindor's defense stood like an iron wall, while Hufflepuff's offense moved with meticulous coordination. The back-and-forth had the crowd on edge, their enthusiasm fully ignited as they shouted themselves hoarse for their teams. Despite the torrential rain pouring from the sky and the dark clouds sinking lower, the icy downpour couldn't quench the fiery passion of the young witches and wizards.
Amid the chaos of the Quidditch pitch, the only ones still holding onto their composure—aside from Hermione—might've been the two Seekers hovering above the field on their brooms. (Yes, even Harry, who usually wasn't all that into Quidditch, found himself utterly engrossed.)
Then, about fifteen minutes into the match, Cedric made his move. He suddenly crouched low, flattening himself against his broom, and shot toward a patch of grass like an arrow loosed from a bow.
Lee Jordan, up in the commentary box, caught it immediately: "Hufflepuff's Cedric's on the move! He's spotted something! Is it the Golden Snitch? Oh! Gryffindor's Ginny Weasley's giving chase! They're neck and neck—maybe Ginny's got a shot at catching up? They're getting closer to the ground, and neither of them's slowing down! Wait—Cedric pulls up at ten feet! It's a Wronski Feint! Ginny… Ginny nails it too, stopping just before she hits the turf!"
The young witches and wizards leapt to their feet, clapping and cheering wildly.
Finally, after the Chasers, Beaters, and Keepers had their time to shine, the Seekers' duel kicked off, sending the crowd's excitement to a fever pitch.
As the match wore on, the clouds on the horizon sank lower and drew nearer. At the same time, a bone-chilling cold began creeping from the edges of the stands, seeping into the hearts of the young spectators.
"Harry, I feel… something's off. It's too cold…" Hermione tugged her raincoat tighter. "Even with the rain, it shouldn't be this cold…"
"You're right, it's strange…" Harry reached out, casting Warming Charms on both himself and Hermione. Their raincoats instantly grew cozy. "And this chill… why does it feel so familiar?"
The crowd's ecstatic shouts snapped Harry out of his thoughts. Ginny and Cedric were rocketing straight upward, chasing a faint golden glimmer flickering through the storm.
"It's the Golden Snitch! Ginny and Cedric have spotted it at the same time!" Lee Jordan's thrilled voice boomed through the megaphone.
The spectators watched, breathless, as Ginny and Cedric climbed higher and higher. The red and yellow streaks of their robes gradually vanished into the storm and clouds. Then, just as everyone craned their necks in tense anticipation, a red figure emerged from the haze—followed closely by Cedric in his yellow robes. But this time, neither of them was diving back on their brooms.
"They're not on their brooms!" Lee Jordan's panicked shout rang out.
The moment Ginny and Cedric plummeted unconscious from the clouds, Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, Snape, and Sprout sprang into action from the stands.
Professor Flitwick whipped out his wand faster than ever before, pointing it at the falling pair. "Arresto Momentum!" he cried.
Professor McGonagall gave a grand sweep of her wand, and the grass below transformed into a massive pile of soft cotton.
Meanwhile, Professor Sprout pulled a small green lump from her pocket and tossed it over the edge of the stands. Then, with a vault, she leapt after it. The lump expanded midair, ballooning into a giant green net by the time it hit the ground, catching Sprout—and Snape, who'd jumped right after her—safely.
At the same time, Ginny and Cedric crashed into McGonagall's cotton pile. With both Seekers down, the match ground to a halt. The players dismounted their brooms and rushed across the grass toward the two figures sprawled where the cotton had vanished.
Sprout and Snape, having leapt straight down, were the first to reach them. After Snape carefully examined Ginny and Cedric, he exchanged a few words with Sprout—whatever he said, both their faces turned grim as they looked skyward. Flitwick and McGonagall arrived moments later, checked on the fallen students, and joined them in staring upward with the same grave expressions.
At first, the watching students were puzzled—why were their professors staring at the sky so warily? But then, one by one, dark shapes began emerging from the clouds, swooping toward the stands.
"Dementors…"
Screams of panic erupted as the dense swarm of Dementors descended. The stands erupted into chaos.
The young witches and wizards surged toward the stairs leading down, some so terrified they leapt straight off the dozens-of-feet-high stands. Amid the pandemonium, the professors threw everything they had into protecting the scrambling students. From Sprout's pockets, green vines shot out, catching every jumper midair. Above, a cat, a heron, and a hummingbird—Patronuses—battled to fend off the overwhelming horde of Dementors. The frenzied crowd scattered Harry and Neville in an instant, leaving only Hermione, who'd stuck by Harry's side from the start, still clinging to him.
"Harry! Watch out!" As Harry ducked his head, pulling Hermione through the throng, her urgent cry rang out behind him.
"Huh?" Harry glanced up, confused—and came face-to-face with a Dementor gorging itself amid the crowd.
In an instant, a searing pain tore through his soul, as if a bulldozer were ripping it apart. Every second, chunks of happy memories were gouged from his mind, replaced by an endless void and crushing exhaustion. His body felt like it had just run ten miles—no strength left to move a muscle.
Harry watched helplessly as he toppled backward, slamming onto the wooden steps. He tried to stand, but his limbs refused to obey. The Dementor he'd collided with turned, as if it had found a delicacy too delicious to resist, and drifted slowly toward him.
"Get away, you monster!" Harry saw Hermione step between him and the Dementor, wand raised. He watched her wave it again and again, spells bursting from its tip—only to pass harmlessly through the creature and vanish into the distance. He saw the Dementor glide up to her, take a long, deep breath, and watched her collapse limply to the ground. He saw it lower itself, lift its hood, and lean in as if to kiss her.
Then, two blinding Patronus lights erupted across the Quidditch pitch, outshining even those of the three Heads of House.
One was a great bird wreathed in blazing flames. The other, a dragon roaring to the heavens.
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