到了十一月的时候，天气开始变寒冷。环绕着学校的山峰变得灰冷冷的而湖水冻得像冰冷的钢铁。每天清晨，地面都覆盖着白雪。透过楼上的窗口，可以看见哈格力，他裹着鼹鼠皮大衣，戴着兔毛手套，脚穿着极大的海狸皮长靴。

　　快迪斯赛季快要来临了。这个周末，经过几周刻苦训练的哈利就要参加他的第一场比赛：格林芬顿队对史林德林队，如果格林芬顿队能胜出的话，他们将进人豪斯杯锦标赛的下一轮比赛。

　　几乎没有任何人见过哈利在场上训练过，因为伍德想把他当作他们的秘密武器，先把他保密起来。但是，关于哈利是搜索员的消息却已泄漏了出来。而哈利现在不知怎么办才好--一些人对他说他聪明极了，而有些人则说要在他下面抬着床垫，防止他跌下来。

　　庆幸的是哈利有荷米恩这个好朋友。如果没有她，哈利真的不知道怎样完成伍德教练在快迪斯训练结束后布置的家庭作业，她还借给他《快迪斯大观》这本书，哈利读得简直是津津有味。

　　哈利知道有700余种在比赛中犯规的手段，并且这些方法都在1473年世界杯赛中被用上了。然而，搜索员通常是最小最敏捷的选手，几乎最严重的比赛事故都发生在他们身上。虽然说快迪斯比赛中很少会出人命，但过去有些裁判曾在赛后失踪，几个月后才在撒哈拉抄漠被人找到。

　　自从哈利和罗思把荷米恩从洞窟巨人手中救出来后，她对犯校规已不那么紧张了。在哈利比赛的前一天，他们三个在冰冷的后院待到天亮。她为他们变出一束蓝色光亮的可以装在果酱瓶里提着的火。他们背着火取暖，哈利发现史纳皮已进入院子，正一瘸一拐地向他们走过来。他们连忙靠拢起来，把火挡住。但是，他们心虚的表情引起了史纳皮的注意。他跛行过来，虽然没有看到那束火，但好像要找借口斥责他们一顿。

　　"你们在那里捣什么鬼，藏着什么东西，波特？""《快迪斯大观》这本书。"哈利把书拿给他看。

　　"图书馆的书是不准带出学校的，"史纲皮说，"快给我，扣你们格林芬顿五分。""那条规矩真是无中生有，"史纳皮走后，哈利生气地咕哝着，"奇怪，他的腿怎么啦。""不知道，不过我希望这次有得他消受。"罗恩憎恨地说。

　　那天晚上，格林芬顿的公共休息室热闹极了。哈利、罗恩和荷米恩在靠窗的位置上坐在一起，荷米恩正在检查他们两个的符咒功课。她从不让他们抄袭。但是叫她检查过之后，哈利和罗恩却总是能得到正确答案。

　　哈利觉得很烦躁，他想将《快迪斯大观》要回来。不然的话，他明天就会整天记挂的。为什么要害怕史纳皮呢？他站起身，告诉罗恩和荷米恩，他想把书要回来。

　　"我们想法与你的一样。"他们俩异口同声地说。哈利有个主意，如果到时有其他老师在旁的话，史纳皮应该是不会拒绝的吧。

　　他向教工房屋方向走去。敲了敲史纳皮的门，没人应答。他再敲一下，难道房间里没人？

　　说不定史纳皮将书留在里面呢？值得试一试，他把门推开一条细缝，眯着眼睛往里面看--一幕恐怖的情景摄入他的眼帘。

　　只有史纳皮和费驰在里面。史纳皮把他的长袍拉高至膝盖。他的一条腿受伤了，正不断地流着血，费驰在旁递绷带给他。

　　"该死的，"史纳皮说，"你怎么会认为你看得住那只三头狗呢？"哈利试图轻轻地掩上门，但--"波特！"

　　史纳皮迅速放下他的长袍藏住腿伤，他的脸因愤怒而扭曲着。

　　哈利紧张地咽着口水。

　　"我只是想知道能否要回我的书。"

　　"滚！滚！"

　　趁着史纳皮还没来得及再扣格林芬顿分数以前，哈利迅速地离开，冲回楼上。

　　"你拿回书了吗？"哈利一回来，罗恩就问，"你怎么回事啦？"哈利低声告诉他们所看到的一切。

　　"你知道这意味着什么吗？"哈利上气不接下气地说，"他试图在万圣节的时候蒙过那只三头狗！我们那晚看到他时，他要去的正是那里。他在寻找那只狗守卫的东西！我以我的扫帚打赌，他一定是先让那个洞窟巨人进去，分散其注意力！"荷米恩的眼睛睁得大大的。

　　"不，他不会，"她说，"我知道他人不太好，但他是不会想偷丹伯多保护得很安全的东西的。""老实说，荷米恩，你是不是认为全部老师都是圣人或什么的，"罗恩打断她说，"我和哈利一样，认为史纳皮会做出些不寻常的事来。但他在找什么？那条狗又在守卫着什么呢？"哈利满头嗡嗡声，带着罗恩的问题上了床。尼维尔鼾声如雷，而哈利则无法入睡。他告诉自己不要再胡思乱想了--他需要睡眠，几小时后，他就将要参加他的第一次快迪斯比赛--但是哈利难于忘记当他看见史纳皮的伤腿时他脸上所显露的表情。

　　第二天早晨，天亮得早而且天气非常冷。学校大厅充满了美味的油炸香肠的味道，兴奋地喋喋不休的人们正期待着一场精彩的快迪斯比赛。

　　"你必须吃些早餐。"

　　"我不想吃任何东西。"

　　"就吃一口吐司吧。"荷米恩哄着他说。

　　"我不饿。"哈利觉得很害怕。一个小时后，他就要上场了。

　　"哈利，你要振作起来，"谢默斯说，"搜索者总是那个被别队算计的对象。""谢了，谢默斯。"哈利说，望着他把善茄酱堆在香肠上。

　　十一点钟左右，整个学校的学生好像都集中到快迪斯比赛场的看台上了，许多人还带着双简望远镜。座位好像升高了一点，但由于人太多，有时还是很难看到赛场上的情况。罗恩和荷米恩坐在一起，而谢默斯和迪姆则坐在最上层的一排。使哈利惊讶的是，他们在一张破纸上画了一支大旗，上面写着"波特必胜"。画画高手迪恩还在旗下画了一只巨大的格林芬顿雄师。然后荷米恩施了一个小魔咒，使图画闪烁着不同的颜色。

　　同时，在更衣室里，哈利和他的队友们换上鲜红的战袍（史林德林队将穿绿色的）。

　　伍德清了清喉咙，示意大家安静。

　　"好吧，先生们。"他说。

　　"还有女士们。"女捕手安戈琳娜。约翰逊说。

　　"对，还有女士们。"伍德同意。

　　"大的那个。"弗来德。威斯里说。

　　"我们都在等待着的那个。"乔治说。

　　"我们牢记奥利佛的话，"弗来德对哈利说，"我们去年在同一队里。""你们两个闭嘴！"伍德说，"我们是格林芬顿几年来最棒的一支队。我肯定我们会赢。"他瞪着队员好像在说，"否则......"

　　"时间到了，祝大家好运！"

　　哈利跟着弗来德和乔治走出更衣室，他双脚无力，几乎就要瘫倒在地，他们走上球场，迎来阵阵欢呼声。

　　胡施夫人是这次比赛的裁判。她站在赛场中央，手中握着扫帚，等着两队队员。

　　"现在，你们听着，我要一个公平的比赛。"当队员全部集合在她身旁时，她说道。哈利觉得她好似特意对史林德林的队长，马库斯说的。马库斯是一个十五岁左右的人，看起来好似有些精灵的血统。这时，哈利觉得视线边缘有一面高高摆动的旗帜，上面写着"波特必胜"，他的心剧烈跳动着，浑身充满了力量。

　　"请骑上你们的扫帚。"

　　哈利骑上他的"灵光2000"。

　　胡施女士用银色的哨子吹了一下。

　　十五支扫帚升了起来，高高耸起，比赛开始了。

　　"可尔夫球突然被格林芬顿的安戈琳娜。约翰逊抢到--那女孩真是个厉害的捕手，而且还很标致呢。""乔丹。"

　　"对不起，教授。"

　　威斯里兄弟的朋友李。乔丹正在为比赛作解说，而麦康娜在旁紧紧地盯着他。

　　"她行动真是迅速，巧妙地过了爱丽莎。史宾提，真是奥利怫。

　　伍德的健将，她是去年约翰逊的唯一后备人--不好，史林德林队长马库斯抢到了可尔夫球，他像一只雄鹰般飞了起来，他要......

　　啊！不好，格林芬顿队的守门员一个漂亮的拦截制止了他。可尔夫球重新回到格林芬顿队的手中--格林芬顿的捕手凯提。贝尔敏捷地在夫林特旁边穿过去，他从地面升起了--哎哟，那边可能有人受伤了，被一个布鲁佐球从头后击了一下--史林德林又拿到了可尔夫球，亚德里思。佩西向着得分点加速冲击，但被另外～个布鲁佐球挡住--不知是弗来德还是乔治。威斯里撞了他一下--格林芬顿的后卫打得太棒了。约翰逊又控制了可尔夫球，她向前方的空档飞去--她真的飞了起来，躲开快速冲来的布鲁位球，得分点就在前面--快点！安戈琳娜--对方的守门员布莱施利插进来拦截，哦，漏了人--格林芬顿队得分。"格林芬顿派兴奋地欢呼着，对着史林德林派高声地叫嚣着，呼啸着。

　　"向那边挤一挤！"

　　"哈格力！"

　　罗恩两人挤了挤，空出座位给哈格力。

　　"我本可在我的小屋里看，"哈格力轻拍着挂在脖子上的一副大型的双筒望远镜说，"但这里的气氛就是不一样，还没有史尼斯球的踪迹哦？""不，"罗恩说，"哈利还没有怎样发挥呢。"

　　"别烦了，晦，那边有事发生了。"哈利力说着，举起他的双筒望远镜，盯着上空，哈利在空中成了一个小黑点，他在上空滑翔着，眯着眼寻找史尼斯球的踪迹。

　　这是他和伍德比赛计划中的一部分。

　　"如没有见到史尼斯球，就问到一边不要冒然出击。"伍德曾对他说，"我们不想让你那么快就受到注意。"安戈琳娜得分后，哈利翻了几个厅斗来表达他的兴奋，现在他又回到原位，等待史尼斯球，哈利看见了一道金色的闪光，但那只不过是威斯里双胞胎兄弟之一的手表在阳光下的反射而已。这时，布鲁位球像炮弹一样向他冲来，哈利躲过了它，弗来德。威斯里则在背后紧紧追赶。

　　"还好吧，哈利？"当他猛烈追击着布鲁佐球时，还有时间回头来对哈利大喊。

　　"现在是史林德林控制着球，"李。乔丹解说道，"捕手佩西闪过两个布鲁位球，威斯里两兄弟和一个捕手球，加速向前--等一等--那是史尼斯球呢？"一道金光从亚德里恩。佩西的左耳边擦过，但由于他正在忙着传可尔夫球没有注意到，人群即时骚动了起来，发出嗡嗡声。

　　哈利看到了，他兴奋地向下俯冲，追赶着那道金光。对方的守门员德伦斯。希格也发现了目标，立即向下猛冲--所有的捕手好像忘记了他们正在比赛，只是停住在半空中观看。

　　哈利比希格速度快--他看见了那个圆球，拍打着翅膀，在前面飞奔着--他加快速度......

　　砰！从格林芬顿派下面传来愤怒的咆哮声--原来对方的马库斯。夫特林故意挡住了哈利的去路，哈利的扫帚偏离了原来飞行的方向，差点没出人命。

　　"犯规！"格林芬顿人尖叫着。

　　胡施夫人斥说着夫特林，并给格林芬顿一个罚球，但在混乱中，史尼斯球当然消失得无影无踪了。

　　在看台上，迪恩。托马斯喊叫着，"罚他出场！红牌！""这可不是足球，迪恩。"罗恩提醒他说，"在快迪斯比赛中，你不能罚任何人出场--哪来的红牌？"但哈格力支持迪恩。

　　"他们必须改变一下规则，夫特林不能那样撞击哈利。"李。乔丹发觉很难表态支持哪一边。

　　"因此--明显而又让人厌恶的作弊后......"

　　"乔丹！"麦康娜教授大声喊道。

　　"我的意思是，在明显而使人憎恶的犯规后......""乔丹！我警告你......"

　　"好吧，好吧。夫特林几乎杀了格林芬顿的搜索员，相信这种事可能发生在任何人的身上。史林德林队已受到惩罚，没问题，开始比赛，格林芬顿队继续控制着可尔夫球。"哈利闪过另外一个危险地从他头上飞过的布鲁佐球。但这时，他的扫帚突然可怕地倾斜了一下，他觉得快要掉下来了，忙用双手和膝盖紧紧地夹住扫帚，还是第一次发生这种事。

　　又来了，好像扫帚要将他抛下来，而又好像不让他掉下去。哈利试着转向自己的球门柱；他有点想要求伍德叫暂停，因为他觉得好像失去了对扫帚的控制，他不能使唤它了。扫帚在空中曲折而行，剧烈震动，并发出巨大的专用音，几乎要把哈利摔下来。

　　李仍在作着解说。

　　"史林德林的夫特林控制着可尔夫球，越过斯冥尼和贝尔，但可尔夫球打在他的脸上，哈！希望打破他的鼻子--笑话而已，教授--史林德林得分了，噢......"史林德林人欢呼着。好像没有人发现哈利的扫帚举动异常，它把他慢慢地抬高，远离赛场，在途中还不断猛晃乱颤。

　　"不知道哈利在捣什么鬼，"哈格利用双筒望远镜盯着他，咕饿着说，"我怀疑他的扫帚失控了......但应该不会吧？"突然间，看台上的人们全指着哈利，他的扫帚开始往下掉，观众们屏住呼吸。

　　哈利的扫帚又滚动了起来，他勉强地扶着，摇摇欲坠。下面的观众们倒吸了～口冷气。这时，扫帚又剧烈地颠簸了起来，把哈利摇摆出去，现在他只有一只手抓住扫帚，悬吊在那里。

　　"当夫特林拦截他的时候，发生了什么事吗？"谢默斯低声问。

　　"不会的，"哈格力说，"除了黑巫术外，没有什么能干扰扫帚--没有人能对'灵光2000'作出这样的影响。"听了这话，荷米恩夺过哈格力的双筒望远镜，她不是向空中望哈利，而是紧张地搜查着观众群。

　　"你在干什么？"罗恩咕哝着，灰沉着脸。

　　"我知道了，"荷米恩大声说，"史纳皮--看！"罗恩夺过望远镜。史纳皮正坐在对面看台中，他的眼睛锁住哈利，喃喃地念着什么。

　　"他在给扫帚施咒语。"荷米恩说。

　　"我们该怎么办？"

　　"看我的。"

　　还未等罗思开口说话，荷米恩便跑开了。罗恩把望远镜再次对着哈利，发现他的扫帚震动得更加厉害，他就要掉下去了。所有的人都站了起来，担心地观望着。

　　真是太惊险了。威斯里兄弟飞上前去试图将哈利拉到他们的一支扫帚上，但没有成功--每次当他们靠近时，扫帚便会升高一点。他们下降到哈利的下方，如果他掉下来的话，大家便能接住他。这时，趁他们注意力分散，对方的马库斯、夫特林又得了五倍的分数。

　　"快点，荷米恩。"罗思绝望地轻声低语。

　　荷米恩向着史纳皮背后的座位冲去，她在他的后一排快速行进着，如此匆急，甚至碰倒了屈拉教授也没停下来道歉。接近史纳皮时，她蹲伏了下来，拉出她的魔杖，对着他念了念咒语，一束光亮的蓝色火焰从她的魔杖喷出来，射到史纳皮的下摆上。

　　大约过了三十秒，史纳皮才发现他身上着火了。他嗥叫了一声。荷米恩成功了，她把火收回一个瓶子里放在口袋，沿着座位跑回去--史纳皮还不知发生了什么事呢。

　　在空中的哈利突然间能够攀回他的扫帚了。

　　"尼维尔，你看！"罗恩说，尼维尔激动得扑在他的皮夹上哭了五分钟。

　　哈利快速地向地面降落。他双手捂着嘴巴，好像病了。他四脚朝天地跌了下来，咳嗽着。这时，一块金色的东西掉进他的手里。

　　"我抓住史尼斯球了！"他大叫着，手在头上挥舞，比赛结束了，人们仍然迷惑不解。

　　"他不可能抓住史尼斯球！"二十分钟后，夫特林还在号叫着，但却无济于事--哈利没有任何犯规，李。乔丹正在高兴地大声宣布比赛结果：格林芬顿以170：60的优势赢了史林德林。然而，哈利却没有听结果，他和罗恩、荷米恩回到哈格利的小屋，享受一杯浓茶。

　　"是史纳皮在捣鬼，"罗恩解释说，"荷米恩和我看见他一直盯着你，他在诅咒你的扫帚。""胡说，"哈格力说，他根本不知道台上发生过什么事。"史纳皮为什么要做这样的事呢？"哈利，罗思和荷米恩面面相觑，不知该怎样告诉他。哈利决定告诉他事实。

　　"我发现他的一些秘密，"他告诉哈格力，"他设法想在万圣节绕过那只三头狗，但是被它咬了。我们认为史纳皮一定是想方设计想偷那条狗守卫的东西。"哈格力放下茶壶。

　　"你们知道弗拉菲的事吗？"他说。

　　"弗拉菲？"

　　"是的--他是我去年在一问酒吧从一个希腊人那里收买来的，我把它借给丹伯多守卫那......""守卫什么？"哈利殷切地想知道。

　　"好了，不要再问我了，"哈格力粗暴地说，"那是绝密。""但史纳皮企图把它偷走。"

　　"胡说，"哈格力又说，"史纳皮是霍格瓦彻的教授，他才不会干那种事。""但为什么他要谋害哈利呢？"荷米恩笑着说。

　　下午比赛的事使她对史纳皮的看法完全改变了。

　　"我一眼就可以看出是不是有人在施咒语，哈格力，恶咒的书我全都看过！施咒语的时候你的眼睛必须紧盯住目标不放，连一刻也不能停，而史纳皮完全没有眨过眼，我看得非常清楚。""我告诉你，你错了！"哈格力怒气冲冲地说，"我不知道哈利的扫帚是怎么回事。但史纳皮是不会想要谋害一个学生的。听我说，你们--你们三个现在正在干预不关你们的事。这是很危险的，你们忘了那条狗，忘了它在守卫着什么。这是关于丹伯多教授和尼可拉斯。弗兰马尔教授两人之间......""啊哈，"哈利说，"哦，与一个叫尼可拉斯。弗兰马尔的人有关，是吗？"哈格力很为自己说漏了嘴生气。

As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy gray and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost. Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs windows defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaverskin boots.

The Quidditch season had begun. On Saturday, Harry would be playing in his first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the house championship.

Hardly anyone had seen Harry play because Wood had decided that, as their secret weapon, Harry should be kept, well, secret. But the news that he was playing Seeker had leaked out somehow, and Harry didn't know which was worse - people telling him he'd be brilliant or people telling him they'd be running around underneath him holding a mattress.

It was really lucky that Harry now had Hermione as a friend. He didn't know how he'd have gotten through all his homework without her, what with all the last-minute Quidditch practice Wood was making them do. She had also lent him Quidditch Through the Ages, which turned out to be a very interesting read.

Harry learned that there were seven hundred ways of committing a Quidditch foul and that all of them had happened during a World Cup match in 1473; that Seekers were usually the smallest and fastest players, and that most serious Quidditch accidents seemed to happen to them; that although people rarely died playing Quidditch, referees had been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara Desert.

Hermione had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules since Harry and Ron had saved her from the mountain troll, and she was much nicer for it. The day before Harry's first Quidditch match the three of them were out in the freezing courtyard during break, and she had conjured them up a bright blue fire that could be carried around in a jam jar. They were standing with their backs to it, getting warm, when Snape crossed the yard. Harry noticed at once that Snape was limping. Harry, Ron, and Hermione moved closer together to block the fire from view; they were sure it wouldn't be allowed. Unfortunately, something about their guilty faces caught Snape's eye. He limped over. He hadn't seen the fire, but he seemed to be looking for a reason to tell them off anyway.

"What's that you've got there, Potter?"

It was Quidditch Through the Ages. Harry showed him.

"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."

"He's just made that rule up," Harry muttered angrily as Snape limped away. "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?"

"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," said Ron bitterly.

The Gryffindor common room was very noisy that evening. Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat together next to a window. Hermione was checking Harry and Ron's Charms homework for them. She would never let them copy ("How will you learn?"), but by asking her to read it through, they got the right answers anyway.

Harry felt restless. He wanted Quidditch Through the Ages back, to take his mind off his nerves about tomorrow. Why should he be afraid of Snape? Getting up, he told Ron and Hermione he was going to ask Snape if he could have it.

"Better you than me," they said together, but Harry had an idea that Snape wouldn't refuse if there were other teachers listening.

He made his way down to the staffroom and knocked. There was no answer. He knocked again. Nothing.

Perhaps Snape had left the book in there? It was worth a try. He pushed the door ajar and peered inside - and a horrible scene met his eyes.

Snape and Filch were inside, alone. Snape was holding his robes above his knees. One of his legs was bloody and mangled. Filch was handing Snape bandages.

"Blasted thing," Snape was saying. "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"

Harry tried to shut the door quietly, but -

"POTTER!"

Snape's face was twisted with fury as he dropped his robes quickly to hide his leg. Harry gulped.

"I just wondered if I could have my book back."

"GET OUT! OUT!"

Harry left, before Snape could take any more points from Gryffindor. He sprinted back upstairs.

"Did you get it?" Ron asked as Harry joined them. "What's the matter?"

In a low whisper, Harry told them what he'd seen.

"You know what this means?" he finished breathlessly. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween! That's where he was going when we saw him - he's after whatever it's guarding! And I'd bet my broomstick he let that troll in, to make a diversion!"

Hermione's eyes were wide.

"No - he wouldn't, she said. "I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."

"Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something," snapped Ron. "I'm with Harry. I wouldn't put anything past Snape. But what's he after? What's that dog guarding?"

Harry went to bed with his head buzzing with the same question. Neville was snoring loudly, but Harry couldn't sleep. He tried to empty his mind - he needed to sleep, he had to, he had his first Quidditch match in a few hours - but the expression on Snape's face when Harry had seen his leg wasn't easy to forget.

The next morning dawned very bright and cold. The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match.

"You've got to eat some breakfast."

"I don't want anything."

"Just a bit of toast," wheedled Hermione.

"I'm not hungry."

Harry felt terrible. In an hour's time he'd be walking onto the field.

"Harry, you need your strength," said Seamus Finnigan. "Seekers are always the ones who get clobbered by the other team."

"Thanks, Seamus," said Harry, watching Seamus pile ketchup on his sausages.

By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The seats might be raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes.

Ron and Hermione joined Neville, Seamus, and Dean the West Ham fan up in the top row. As a surprise for Harry, they had painted a large banner on one of the sheets Scabbers had ruined. It said Potter for President, and Dean, who was good at drawing, had done a large Gryffindor lion underneath. Then Hermione had performed a tricky little charm so that the paint flashed different colors.

Meanwhile, in the locker room, Harry and the rest of the team were changing into their scarlet Quidditch robes (Slytherin would be playing in green).

Wood cleared his throat for silence.

"Okay, men," he said.

"And women," said Chaser Angelina Johnson.

"And women," Wood agreed. "This is it."

"The big one," said Fred Weasley.

"The one we've all been waiting for," said George.

"We know Oliver's speech by heart," Fred told Harry, "we were on the team last year."

"Shut up, you two," said Wood. "This is the best team Gryffindor's had in years. We're going to win. I know it."

He glared at them all as if to say, "Or else."

"Right. It's time. Good luck, all of you."

Harry followed Fred and George out of the locker room and, hoping his knees weren't going to give way, walked onto the field to loud cheers.

Madam Hooch was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the field waiting for the two teams, her broom in her hand.

"Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," she said, once they were all gathered around her. Harry noticed that she seemed to be speaking particularly to the Slytherin Captain, Marcus Flint, a sixth year. Harry thought Flint looked as if he had some troll blood in him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the fluttering banner high above, flashing Potter for President over the crowd. His heart skipped. He felt braver.

"Mount your brooms, please."

Harry clambered onto his Nimbus Two Thousand.

Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle.

Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor - what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too-"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."

The Weasley twins' friend, Lee Jordan, was doing the commentary for the match, closely watched by Professor McGonagall.

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve - back to Johnson and - no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes - Flint flying like an eagle up there - he's going to sc - no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle - that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and - OUCH - that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger - Quaffle taken by the Slytherins - that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger - sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which - nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes - she's really flying - dodges a speeding Bludger - the goal posts are ahead - come on, now, Angelina - Keeper Bletchley dives - misses - GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins.

"Budge up there, move along."

"Hagrid!"

Ron and Hermione squeezed together to give Hagrid enough space to join them.

"Bin watchin' from me hut," said Hagrid, patting a large pair of binoculars around his neck, "But it isn't the same as bein' in the crowd. No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?"

"Nope," said Ron. "Harry hasn't had much to do yet."

"Kept outta trouble, though, that's somethin'," said Hagrid, raising his binoculars and peering skyward at the speck that was Harry.

Way up above them, Harry was gliding over the game, squinting about for some sign of the Snitch. This was part of his and Wood's game plan.

"Keep out of the way until you catch sight of the Snitch," Wood had said. "We don't want you attacked before you have to be."

When Angelina had scored, Harry had done a couple of loop-the-loops to let off his feelings. Now he was back to staring around for the Snitch. Once he caught sight of a flash of gold, but it was just a reflection from one of the Weasleys' wristwatches, and once a Bludger decided to come pelting his way, more like a cannonball than anything, but Harry dodged it and Fred Weasley came chasing after it.

"All right there, Harry?" he had time to yell, as he beat the Bludger furiously toward Marcus Flint.

"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the - wait a moment - was that the Snitch?"

A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle, too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear.

Harry saw it. In a great rush of excitement he dived downward after the streak of gold. Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs had seen it, too. Neck and neck they hurtled toward the Snitch - all the Chasers seemed to have forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in midair to watch.

Harry was faster than Higgs - he could see the little round ball, wings fluttering, darting up ahead - he put on an extra spurt of speed -

WHAM! A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors below - Marcus Flint had blocked Harry on purpose, and Harry's broom spun off course, Harry holding on for dear life.

"Foul!" screamed the Gryffindors.

Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goal posts for Gryffindor. But in all the confusion, of course, the Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight again.

Down in the stands, Dean Thomas was yelling, "Send him off, ref! Red card!"

"What are you talking about, Dean?" said Ron.

"Red card!" said Dean furiously. "In soccer you get shown the red card and you're out of the game!"

"But this isn't soccer, Dean," Ron reminded him.

Hagrid, however, was on Dean's side.

"They oughta change the rules. Flint coulda knocked Harry outta the air."

Lee Jordan was finding it difficult not to take sides.

"So - after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating-"

"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.

"I mean, after that open and revolting foul..."

"Jordan, I'm warning you-"

"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinner, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."

It was as Harry dodged another Bludger, which went spinningdangerously past his head, that it happened. His broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch. For a split second, he thought he was going to fall. He gripped the broom tightly with both his hands and knees. He'd never felt anything like that.

It happened again. It was as though the broom was trying to buck him off. But Nimbus Two Thousands did not suddenly decide to buck their riders off. Harry tried to turn back toward the Gryffindor goal-posts - he had half a mind to ask Wood to call time-out - and then he realized that his broom was completely out of his control. He couldn't turn it. He couldn't direct it at all. It was zigzagging through the air, and every now and then making violent swishing movements that almost unseated him.

Lee was still commentating.

"Slytherin in possession - Flint with the Quaffle - passes Spinnet - passes Bell - hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose - only joking, Professor - Slytherins score - A no..."

The Slytherins were cheering. No one seemed to have noticed that Harry's broom was behaving strangely. It was carrying him slowly higher, away from the game, jerking and twitching as it went.

"Dunno what Harry thinks he's doing," Hagrid mumbled. He stared through his binoculars. "If I didn' know better, I'd say he'd lost control of his broom... but he can't have..."

Suddenly, people were pointing up at Harry all over the stands. His broom had started to roll over and over, with him only just managing to hold on. Then the whole crowd gasped. Harry's broom had given a wild jerk and Harry swung off it. He was now dangling from it, holding on with only one hand.

"Did something happen to it when Flint blocked him?" Seamus whispered.

"Can't have," Hagrid said, his voice shaking. "Can't nothing interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark magic - no kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand."

At these words, Hermione seized Hagrid's binoculars, but instead of looking up at Harry, she started looking frantically at the crowd.

"What are you doing?" moaned Ron, gray-faced.

"I knew it," Hermione gasped, "Snape - look."

Ron grabbed the binoculars. Snape was in the middle of the stands opposite them. He had his eyes fixed on Harry and was muttering nonstop under his breath.

"He's doing something - jinxing the broom," said Hermione.

"What should we do?"

"Leave it to me."

Before Ron could say another word, Hermione had disappeared. Ron turned the binoculars back on Harry. His broom was vibrating so hard, it was almost impossible for him to hang on much longer. The whole crowd was on its feet, watching, terrified, as the Weasleys flew up to try and pull Harry safely onto one of their brooms, but it was no good - every time they got near him, the broom would jump higher still. They dropped lower and circled beneath him, obviously hoping to catch him if he fell. Marcus Flint seized the Quaffle and scored five times without anyone noticing.

"Come on, Hermione," Ron muttered desperately.

Hermione had fought her way across to the stand where Snape stood, and was now racing along the row behind him; she didn't even stop to say sorry as she knocked Professor Quirrell headfirst into the row in front. Reaching Snape, she crouched down, pulled out her wand, and whispered a few, well-chosen words. Bright blue flames shot from her wand onto the hem of Snape's robes.

It took perhaps thirty seconds for Snape to realize that he was on fire. A sudden yelp told her she had done her job. Scooping the fire off him into a little jar in her pocket, she scrambled back along the row - Snape would never know what had happened.

It was enough. Up in the air, Harry was suddenly able to clamber back on to his broom.

"Neville, you can look!" Ron said. Neville had been sobbing into Hagrid's jacket for the last five minutes.

Harry was speeding toward the ground when the crowd saw him clap his hand to his mouth as though he was about to be sick - he hit the field on all fours - coughed - and something gold fell into his hand.

"I've got the Snitch!" he shouted, waving it above his head, and the game ended in complete confusion.

"He didn't catch it, he nearly swallowed it," Flint was still howling twenty minutes later, but it made no difference - Harry hadn't broken any rules and Lee Jordan was still happily shouting the results - Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty. Harry heard none of this, though. He was being made a cup of strong tea back in Hagrid's hut, with Ron and Hermione.

"It was Snape," Ron was explaining, "Hermione and I saw him. He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off you."

"Rubbish," said Hagrid, who hadn't heard a word of what had gone on next to him in the stands. "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at one another, wondering what to tell him. Harry decided on the truth.

"I found out something about him," he told Hagrid. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding."

Hagrid dropped the teapot.

"How do you know about Fluffy?" he said.

"Fluffy ?"

"Yeah - he's mine - bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year - I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the-"

"Yes?" said Harry eagerly.

"Now, don't ask me anymore," said Hagrid gruffly. "That's top secret, that is."

"But Snape's trying to steal it."

"Rubbish," said Hagrid again. "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do nothin' of the sort."

"So why did he just try and kill Harry?" cried Hermione.

The afternoon's events certainly seemed to have changed her mind about Snape.

"I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid, I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!"

"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" said Hagrid hotly. "I don' know why Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student! Now, listen to me, all three of yeh - yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel-"

"Aha!" said Harry, "so there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"

Hagrid looked furious with himself.
关键字:哈利波特与魔法石
生词表: