Professor Snape was indeed furious. His brow was furrowed, and wearing the darkest expression he'd exhibited all term, he barked impatiently, "Mount your brooms."
The Ravenclaw players leaped onto their Nimbus brooms, moving with a noticeable, synchronized efficiency. Professor Snape blew his whistle loudly, and fifteen broomsticks soared into the air. The match was officially on.
Then, the silver whistle shrieked again almost immediately. Snape unfairly awarded Ravenclaw a penalty, citing the Gryffindor team's failure to respond to his initial whistle with sufficient urgency.
This blatant bias infuriated the commentator, Lee Jordan, but a sharp jab in the ribs from Professor McGonagall silenced him before he could utter a curse. Superficially, at least, Snape ensured he maintained a shred of refereeing neutrality.
The small incident at the start left the Ravenclaw team momentarily stunned. Knowing that such an obvious display of partiality was disruptive regardless of the points scored, Allen, instead of taking the penalty shot himself, ceded the scoring opportunity to a teammate.
He had no intention of imitating the unnecessary chivalry of Cedric Diggory—in such a scenario, Cedric would have probably missed the free throw on purpose.
Ravenclaw took the lead: 10-0.
Only then did the match truly begin. Snape's initial attitude, however, shattered Gryffindor's last vestiges of hope. They realized with horror that the Slytherin Head of House's deep-seated hatred for Gryffindor had completely eclipsed any strategic desire to see Slytherin win the House Cup.
It was at this point that the importance of equipment became brutally apparent.
Aided by their new Nimbus brooms, the Ravenclaws were blindingly fast in every position, able to execute rapid maneuvers and hover effortlessly. Gryffindor, in contrast, was at a crushing speed disadvantage; their older Comet series brooms were simply outclassed.
Allen quickly proved that he deserved accolades beyond academics, dominating the pitch as the leading Chaser in his Number 3 jersey.
Boosted by the speed of his improved teammates, Allen was like a raptor, fearlessly charging the Gryffindor goals. His attacking runs were unstoppable, easily breaking through single-man marking. Even when double-teamed, he could effortlessly flick the Quaffle to open teammates.
Despite the best efforts of Gryffindor Captain and Keeper Oliver Wood, who made several desperate saves, Ravenclaw capitalized on Gryffindor's early shock to push the score to a commanding 70-0.
Inspired by the mounting pressure, the Gryffindors grew bolder and more aggressive. They began to adapt to the speed mismatch, exploiting the Ravenclaw players' more academic and somewhat timid nature by engaging in highly physical play, which temporarily stalled Ravenclaw's scoring momentum. However, their newfound aggression also made their actions more reckless.
The Beater, George Weasley, slammed a Bludger hard toward Allen, who was slightly off the Quaffle, as if trying to vent his frustration at the team's crushing failure.
Just as the Bludger was about to strike him, Allen suddenly leaned sharply to the left, spinning awkwardly on his broomstick. His flowing riding cloak brushed against George's Beater bat. George's ill-aimed Bludger sailed past Allen but struck Angelina Johnson, the Gryffindor Chaser chasing the Quaffle, with tremendous force. The impact sent Angelina spiraling out of the sky!
"Whoa!" The crowd gasped. Dumbledore quickly cast a spell to slow Angelina's descent. Professor Snape blew his silver whistle again—but not for the injured Gryffindor Chaser. The game would not be halted for a single player. Instead, because Allen's cloak had brushed George's bat, a technical foul had occurred. Snape used the rule violation to award Ravenclaw another penalty.
As the penalty shot was taken (and scored), Allen glanced up at the Seekers. In the preceding frantic play, he hadn't had time to track Harry and Cho Chang's movements. Unlike Cho, who was still systematically searching for the Snitch, Harry looked incredibly tense.
Harry had noticed a flash of gold near his ear and was just about to dive when Angelina was hit. By the time he turned his head, the Golden Snitch was gone!
In the audience stands, Ron complained bitterly to Hermione: "A professional club team's equipment, plus Snape… If Harry doesn't catch the Snitch soon, even if he does… oh my God!"
Someone jabbed Ron hard in the back of the head. It was Draco Malfoy.
"Ah, sorry, Weasley, I didn't see you there… You sound jealous of other people's money. Have you forgotten that your precious Potter was the first at Hogwarts—in all four Houses—to get a broomstick far superior to everyone else's?" Malfoy offered a mock-apology with a sneer, then turned to his cronies, Crabbe and Goyle, grinning derisively. "I wonder how long Potter will keep his first-ever Nimbus 2000 hovering over Hogwarts? Anyone want to place a bet? What about you, Weasley?"
Ron flushed crimson and didn't reply, distracted as Angelina Johnson, the fierce Gryffindor Chaser with her long, black hair tied back in a braid, returned to the pitch after a quick treatment. The game resumed.
"Our Angelina has returned bravely to the pitch! Oh, what did I just see? She immediately goes on the offensive! The magnificent Angelina bursts through the midfield! Her return is definitely a boost for Gryffindor!" Announcer Lee Jordan finished his commentary, briefly checking on Professor McGonagall's finger movements before focusing back on the Gryffindor players.
"But, much as I hate to admit it, the current situation leaves Gryffindor at a massive disadvantage. 80-10! Ravenclaw's equipment is ridiculously powerful—six Nimbus 2000s and a Neptune! Gryffindor's only hope is to catch the Golden Snitch as quickly as possible. Come on, Harry!"
Fearing McGonagall's wrath, Lee Jordan suppressed his urge to directly attack the referee, instead focusing his anger on the equipment disparity.
Hermione dug her fingers into her knees, narrowing her eyes as she watched Harry intently. Harry, too, was beginning to feel the strain. Utilizing the speed of his Nimbus 2000, which was still a top-tier broom, and his superior flying ability over Cho Chang, he swept across the arena faster and faster, desperately searching for the Golden Snitch.
Ravenclaw Captain Roger Davies was also on high alert, focusing his energy on protecting Allen from the increasingly erratic runs of Fred and George. Roger realized that victory was tipping almost entirely in Ravenclaw's favour, the score now rapidly climbing to 150-20. Indeed, Allen, the Number 3 Chaser, seemed tireless; he was undeniably the central mind controlling Ravenclaw's entire offensive strategy.
Soon, they would be able to cheer and celebrate, regardless of whether Cho Chang caught the Snitch.
Harry, facing the collective gaze and desperate hope of all Gryffindors, pulled himself together. He resolved that he had to catch the Golden Snitch immediately. But Ravenclaw's Seeker, Cho Chang, was working diligently, albeit slightly slower than Harry. They were locked in a circular chase high in the air.
"Do you know how Gryffindor picks its members?" Draco Malfoy shouted again a few minutes later, seeing that no Gryffindor was paying him the slightest attention.
"They only pick people they think are poor! Just like the orphan Potter and the destitute Weasley boys… You should join in, Neville Longbottom, because you're brainless and only know how to hang out with Muggles like the Weasleys… Oh, where's your boyfriend Fleg? Did they run off to play in the mud because they couldn't possibly understand this glorious sport?"
Neville's face turned bright scarlet. He turned in his seat to face Malfoy.
"I'm better than twelve of you, Malfoy," he stammered out. "Fleg loves Quidditch! He just went to the bathroom!"
"You're not even going to deny he's your boyfriend?!" Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle howled with derisive laughter. "That low-life Harris, who protected you last time, is currently soaring in the heavens!"
"Give him a piece of your mind, Neville," Ron muttered, his eyes still glued to the pitch.
"Longbottom, if brains were gold, you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something."
Ron's nerves snapped. His patience was shredded. "I'm warning you, Malfoy… if you say one more word…"
"Ron!" Hermione suddenly screamed. "Harry…!"
"What happened? Where is he?"
Harry executed a spectacular, vertical dive directly above them, drawing gasps and cheers from the crowd. Cho Chang followed closely behind, and everyone's heart leaped into their throat.
They were heading toward a spot not far from Allen. Seeing Harry pull ahead, Allen paused his attack on the Quaffle. He lunged forward on his broomstick, throwing a tight, deliberate punch directly toward Harry's nose.
The punch was powerful, cutting the wind with a sharp whoosh. Knowing Allen's strength from training, Harry instinctively flinched, causing him to pause his dive for a crucial second. Cho Chang surged ahead of him.
"That foul, shameless scoundrel…!" Lee Jordan was cut off by Professor McGonagall, who, being a veteran fan and former Gryffindor Quidditch player, knew the rules better than anyone. But as Jordan continued to rant, many eyes turned to Professor Snape, wondering how he would dare officiate this clear physical assault.
Professor Snape remained utterly silent until he heard the renewed commotion in the stands. As if oblivious to everyone's questioning stares, he waved his hand, signaling the game to continue: "Play on." The stadium, especially the Gryffindor stands, erupted in howls of protest. Ron looked ready to jump down and demand an explanation, but someone beat him to the punch.
"Zzz—Zzz—Zzz…" Lee Jordan furiously pounded the microphone, letting out a shrill feedback squeal. After a brief pause, he shouted again, unable to contain himself. He addressed the Slytherin Head of House: "Professor Snape, I believe the entire stadium requires an explanation!"
Before Snape could stop him, Professor McGonagall leaned into the commentator's microphone, her grave voice echoing across the arena: "Mr. Allen Harris executed a Transylvanian Feint; his fist did not make contact with anyone, therefore there is no foul."
"Ah, right! The Transylvanian Feint! Allen's fake-out successfully stalled Harry! Harry, you're flying so fast, there was no way he could have hit you anyway!" Lee Jordan's anger instantly evaporated upon hearing his Head of House's voice. He then added, a touch carelessly, "My apologies, Mr. Harris, I apologize for my inappropriate words earlier. I shouldn't have taken it out on you."
Though a reckless Gryffindor, Lee Jordan was, at least, willing to admit his mistakes.
Allen waved dismissively; he had achieved his goal. It was a slight disappointment that Cho Chang hadn't managed to catch the Snitch, but Professor Snape's deliberately biased officiating throughout the match had genuinely surprised Allen.
He had initially assumed Snape was there solely to ensure Harry's safety, but on reflection, it made sense. Given Snape's meticulous personality, the new referee would surely learn everything there was to know about his opponent, including obscure fouls and feints.
"Oh, if Spinnet had thrown that Quaffle any higher, only the Gamekeeper Hagrid could have possibly caught it!"
Alicia Spinnet was a Gryffindor Chaser. Ravenclaw was now leading by 160 points. They were growing impatient. Even if Harry caught the Snitch now, Gryffindor would still lose the match unless they scored a few more goals to narrow the margin, as their overall House Points were lower than Ravenclaw's.
But according to Murphy's Law, if there's a chance for something to go wrong, no matter how small, it will.
Harry noted the movements of the Golden Snitch he had spotted earlier. He silently calculated the scores, trying to stall and wait for his teammates to see if they could possibly turn the score around even slightly.
But Cho Chang finally spotted the elusive golden dot. Her face lit up with pure joy, and she accelerated toward the Snitch with reckless speed.
At this point, Harry had no choice but to intervene. If he couldn't intercept Cho, the only way to make the outcome less humiliating was to catch the Golden Snitch before her.
They engaged in a frantic chase. Cho Chang hesitated for a moment, fearing she might be hit by a Bludger sent by Fred. This slight pause allowed Harry to capitalize on his natural flying talent, making a sudden, perilous maneuver with barely a meter of clearance.
He grabbed the broom handle with one hand, hooked one foot around the stick, and caught the Golden Snitch, which was skimming low over the grass, with his broom parallel to the ground and his body at a ninety-degree angle to the surface.
Harry's magnificent, single-handed effort was met with enormous cheers from the stands. Ravenclaw celebrated their guaranteed victory, while Gryffindor, despite losing the match 160-170, were proud that Harry's outstanding individual performance had helped them salvage some reputation.