11. Quidditch
- Quidditch
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As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy grey 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 pitch, bundled up in a long mole skin 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 got 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 learnt 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
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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 which 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.
'Rather you than me[1],' 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 staff room 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[2]. Filch was handing Snape bandages. 'Blasted[3] thing,' Snape was saying. 'How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?'
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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 Hallowe'en! That's where he was going when we saw him - he's after whatever it's guarding! And I'd bet my broomstick[4] he let that troll in, to create 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[5] Ron.
'I'm with Harry. I wouldn't put anything past Snape[6]. 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[7] Hermione.
'I'm not hungry'
Harry felt terrible.
In an hour's time he'd be walking on to the pitch.
'Harry, you need your strength,' said Seamus Finnigan. 'Seekers are always the ones who get nobbled[8] by the other team.'
'Thanks, Seamus,' said Harry, watching Seamus pile ketchup on his sausages.
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By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands[9] 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[10] 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 colours. Meanwhile, in the changing rooms, 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.
'OK, 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 in 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[11] 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 changing room and, hoping his knees weren't going to give way[12], walked on to the pitch to loud cheers.
Madam Hooch was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the pitch, 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 fifth-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[13] banner high above, flashing[14] Potter for President over the crowd. His heart skipped[15]. He felt braver.
'Mount your brooms, please.'
Harry clambered [16]on to his Nimbus Two Thousand.
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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[17] 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, Slytherin 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 Gryffindor 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 Slytherin - that's Adrian Pucey speeding off towards the goalposts, 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 goalposts are ahead - come on, now, Angelina - Keeper Bletchley dives - misses – GRYFFINDOR SCORE!'
Gryffindor cheers[18] filled the cold air, with howls[19] and moans[20] from the Slytherins.
'Budge up[21] there, move along.'
'Hagrid!'
Ron and Hermione squeezed[22] together to give Hagrid enough space to join them.
'Bin watchin' from me hut,' said Hagrid, patting a large pair of binoculars round 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 skywards at the speck[23] that was Harry.
Way up above them, Harry was gliding over the game, squinting
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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[24] to let out 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[25]his way, more like a cannon ball 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[26] the Bludger furiously towards Marcus Flint.
'Slytherin in possession,' Lee Jordan was saying. 'Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys and Chaser Bell and speeds towards 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 downwards after the streak[27] of gold. Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs had seen it, too. Neck and neck[28] they hurtled towards the Snitch - all the Chasers seemed to have forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in mid-air to watch. Harry was faster than Higgs - he could see the little round hall, wings fluttering[29], darting [30]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 span[31]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 goalposts 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!' 'This isn't football, Dean,' Ron reminded him. 'You can't send people off in Quidditch - and what's a red card?' But Hagrid was on Dean's side. 'They oughta change the rules, Flint coulda knocked Harry outta the air.'
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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 Spinnet, who puts it away[32], no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession.'
It was as Harry dodged another Bludger which went spinning dangerously past his head that it happened[33]. His broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch[34]. 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 towards the Gryffindor goalposts; he had half a mind to ask Wood to call time out[35] - and then he realised that his broom was completely out of his control. He couldn't turn it. He couldn't direct it at all. It was zig-zagging through the air and every now and then making violent swishing movements which 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 - Slytherin score - oh 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[36] 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[37] and Harry swung[38] 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.
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'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, grey-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 non-stop 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 were on their feet, watching, terrified, as the Weasleys flew up to try and pull Harry safely on to 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 any one 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[39] 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 on to the hem[40] of Snape's robes. It took perhaps thirty seconds for Snape to realise that he was on fire. A sudden yelp[41] told her she had done her job. Scooping[42] 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 towards the ground when the crowd saw
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him clap his hand to his mouth as though he was about to be sick - he hit the pitch 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 result - 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[43], 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 each other, wondering what to tell him. Harry decided on the truth.
'I found out something about him,' he told Hagrid. 'He tried to get past [44]that three-headed dog at Hallowe'en. 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[45] I met in the pub las' year -I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the -'
'Yes?' said Harry eagerly.
'Now, don't ask me any more,' said Hagrid gruffly[46].
'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[47] 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[48].
'I don' know why
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Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student! Now, listen to me, all three of yeh - yer meddlin' [49]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.
[1] ☆Rather you than me. / Better you than me.は「あなたでよかった。私はやりたくない。」という意味の決まり文句です。
[2] ☆mangled = damaged badly / injured badly / cut up badly「めった切りにされた」
[3] ☆blasted : used to express annoyance and anger = bloody 「いまいましい」
- “I wish that blasted dog would stop barking.”
- “I’ve forgotten my blasted keys!”
[4] ☆I’d bet my broomstick…「ぼくのホウキを賭けてもいいが、、、」I betだけでも使う。
[5] ☆snap : say something angrily 「きつく言う」「かみつく」
[6] ☆I wouldn’t put it past sb (to do sth) : you wouldn’t surprised if sb did sth bad.「やりかねない」
[7] ☆wheedle: persuade sb to do sth by saying pleasant things that you don’t really mean 「甘言を弄してだます」wheedle sb into doing
- She wheedled him into buying her a mink coat.
[8] ☆nobble: to make something fail, especially to make a horse in a race fail by giving it drugs馬に薬を飲ませて勝たせないようにする
[9] ☆the stands: the place where people sit to watch a sports game.競技場などの段々になった観客席、スタンド。
- There were over 40,000 people in the stands.
[10] ☆fan up:
[11] ☆glare: look angrily にらみつける。他に「ぎらぎら光る」という意味もある。
[12] ☆give way: to break, especially when under pressure from strong forces
[13] ☆flutter: to make a series of quick delicate movements up and down or from side to side, or to cause something to do this:
- Brightly coloured flags were fluttering in the breeze.
- Leaves fluttered down onto the path.
- Butterflies fluttered about in the sunshine.
[14] ☆flash (SHOW QUICKLY) to show something for a short time
- He flashed a smile and offered to buy me a drink.
[15] heart skips: used to say that someone is suddenly very surprised, excited, or nervous about something.
- When I learned I was on live television, my heart skipped a beat.
- The shocking news made her heart skip a beat.
[16] clamber: to climb or move in an awkward and laborious way, typically using both hands and feet.
- I clambered out of the trench.
[17] quaffle
[18] ☆cheer: a loud shout of approval or encouragement:
Her speech was received with cheers and a standing ovation.
His victory in the 400 metres earned him the biggest cheer of the afternoon.
[19] ☆howl: a long, loud, sad sound:
the howl of the wind in the trees
He leaves his dog shut up in the house all day, and we can hear its howls.
She let out a howl of pain.
[20] ☆moan: a long, low sound of pain, suffering, or another strong emotion:
We could hear the moans of someone trapped under the rubble.
moans of ecstasy/agony
[21]☆budge up : said to someone in order to ask them to move so that there is room for you
[22]☆squeeze: 席を詰める
[23]☆speck: a very small mark, piece, or amount:
There are paint specks all over the floor.
These small islands are just specks on the map.
There’s not a speck of dust in their house.
[24]☆loop the loop: to fly in the shape of a loop in the sky
[25] to run fast:
The children pelted down the bank.
[26] to HIT repeatedly:
They saw him beating his dog with a stick.
The child had been brutally/savagely beaten.
[27] a long, thin mark that is easily noticed because it is very different from the area surrounding it:
The window cleaner left dirty streaks on the windows.
I dye my hair to hide my grey streaks.
Meteors produce streaks of light as they burn up in the earth's atmosphere.
[28] neck and neck: very close or equal:
The two boys ran toward the finish line neck and neck.
[29] flutter (MOVE) to make a series of quick delicate movements up and down or from side to side, or to cause something to do this:
Brightly coloured flags were fluttering in the breeze.
Leaves fluttered down onto the path.
Butterflies fluttered about in the sunshine.
A white bird poised on a wire and fluttered its wings.
[30] dart: to move quickly or suddenly:
I darted behind the sofa and hid.
[31] span: spin-spun-spun / spin-span-span (UK)
[32] ?
[33] It was …. that の強調構文。
[34] lurch: a sudden movement or change that is not smooth or normal:
The truck gave a sudden lurch as it was hit by a strong gust of wind.
The party's lurch (= sudden change) to the left will lose it a lot of support.
[35] call time out: タイムをとる
[36] swish: to move quickly through the air making a soft sound: = swoosh
I heard the rope swish through the air.
The horses swished their tails to get rid of the flies hovering around them.
[37] jerk: a quick sudden movement:
She pulled the bush out of the ground with a sharp jerk.
The alarm went off and he woke up with a jerk.
[38] swing: move in a circular motion. swing-swung-swung
He swung off the bed.
[39] headfirst: with your head in front of the rest of your body while you move forward:「頭から」
She dived headfirst into the pool.
[40] hem: the edge of a piece of cloth, such as the bottom edge of a skirt or dress, that is folded over and sewn so that it does not develop loose threads:
I took the hem up/let the hem down.
[41] yelp: to make a sudden, short, high sound, usually when in pain:
I accidentally stepped on the dog's foot and it yelped.
She yelped, as if being punched in the stomach.
[42] scoop: to move something with a scoop or with something used as a scoop:
He scooped the sand into a bucket with his hands.
[43] mutter: to speak quietly and in a low voice that is not easy to hear, often when you are worried or complaining about something:
Stop muttering and speak up!
He was muttering (away) to himself.
Laurence muttered something about his wife and left.
He muttered something under his breath to the person next to him.
[44] get past: 通過する。そばを通り抜ける。
He get past the man at the gate into the warehouse.
We won’t get it past the security desk.
I want to get this past Customs.
I’m not sure if this letter will get past the military censors.
Make sure no misprints get past you!
[45] chappie = chap (UK INFORMAL OLD-FASHIONED) : a man:
He's a friendly sort of a chap.
[46] gruffly: low and unfriendly voice / unfriendly behavior / showing no patience:
"Yeah, so what?" came the gruff reply.
He's quite a sweet man beneath the gruff exterior.
- hoarse: having a rough voice, often because of a sore throat or a cold:
a hoarse voice
She sounded a bit hoarse.
You'll make yourself hoarse if you keep shouting like that!
[47] jinx: bad luck, or a person or thing that is believed to bring bad luck:
There's a jinx on this computer – it's crashed three times this morning!
= hex: an evil spell, bringing bad luck and trouble:
Someone's put a hex on my computer this morning - it keeps crashing.
[48] hotly: in an angry or excited way:
She hotly denied having taken the money.
[49] meddle: to try to change or have an influence on things that are not your responsibility, especially by criticizing in a damaging or annoying way:
My sister's always meddling in other people's affairs.
People shouldn't meddle with things they don't understand.
