The Quidditch match commenced with Slytherin facing off against Hufflepuff in the morning game. Tom, seated in the stands, watched with a detached expression. He held no particular affection for Quidditch, but his apprentice had been insistent on his attendance. He glanced sideways at Cassandra Vole, who was subtly leaning in his direction, and sighed inwardly.
Unbeknownst to him, Cassandra's interest in Quidditch was equally feigned; she was simply using the match as an excuse to be near Tom Riddle.
As the players entered the pitch, excitement rippled through the crowd. Quidditch was undeniably the most popular sport in the wizarding world, revolving around three types of balls: the Quaffle, used for scoring; the Bludgers, which relentlessly attacked players; and the elusive Golden Snitch, small and swift, worth a staggering 150 points upon capture.
Tom found one aspect of the game particularly vexing: the match officially ended only when the Golden Snitch was caught. He had heard tales of Snitches remaining uncaught for days, leaving players unconscious from exhaustion.
The sport consisted of four player roles: the Goalkeeper, defending the goals; the Chasers, scoring by throwing the Quaffle; the Beaters, deflecting Bludgers; and the Seeker, tasked with catching the Golden Snitch.
Another of Tom's grievances: if the Seeker caught the Golden Snitch too early, the efforts of the other players became irrelevant. The opposing team would be unlikely to score 150 points quickly enough, and the current point totals became meaningless.
How had this ridiculous sport gained such popularity? Tom wondered.
But it was too late to ponder now, as the game was underway.
"Whoosh!!!"
The crowd roared as Malfoy, playing Chaser, seized the Quaffle. He had originally desired the Seeker position, believing it better suited his talents. However, Harry Potter had won out, relegating Malfoy to Chaser. The original Seeker and the Chaser displaced by Malfoy now warmed the bench, since the team had been outfitted with Nimbus 2000s.
Malfoy, Quaffle in hand, surged toward the Hufflepuff end. Their players attempted to intercept him, but Malfoy deftly evaded them all, drawing a deafening cheer from the Slytherin section.
"Cunning Slytherin!" Lee Jordan, the commentator, exclaimed from the stands. "Dodging them all! Infuriating! But Hufflepuff still has a chance to recover; I'm sure they'll seize it."
Tom was bewildered as to how someone with such blatant bias and mediocre commentary skills could hold such a position. He paid little attention, regardless.
Malfoy weaved through the Hufflepuff defense and approached the goal. The Hufflepuff goalkeeper braced himself, but Malfoy faked him out, scoring the first 10 points for Slytherin.
"Whoosh!!!"
The stands erupted again. High above the pitch, Harry, frantically searching for the Golden Snitch, spurred his broom faster, fueled by Malfoy's impressive play. He wouldn't allow Malfoy to steal the spotlight.
Fortunately, no one fouled him, though such tactics were more common for Slytherin. Harry felt a twinge of embarrassment at the thought.
A blur of Hufflepuff robes zipped past him. Harry estimated the player to be two or three years older than himself, and skilled from the look of his flying posture.
Then, Harry spotted it: the Golden Snitch, glinting above him! He urged his broom faster, quickly overtaking the Hufflepuff Seeker. They climbed, neck and neck, until Harry reached out to grasp the Snitch. Abruptly, his broom shuddered and plummeted downwards.
"Damn it! Malfoy, you didn't mention the Nimbus 2000 having quality issues!!!" Harry shrieked, plummeting towards the ground, clutching his broom.
The Hufflepuff Seeker, startled, lost sight of the Snitch.
The crowd gasped, certain of Harry's imminent demise.
"Interesting. So this is the correct way to play Quidditch?" A glint of green flashed in Tom's eyes. Silently, he cast a counter-spell, instantly dispelling the curse on Harry's broom.
Regaining control, Harry felt a wave of relief as his broom leveled out. Spotting the Snitch, he renewed his pursuit.
In the stands, Severus Snape and Quirinus Quirrell stared in shocked disbelief. Snape had been ready to intervene, but Quirrell's curse was too complex to immediately break.
Quirrell, also, was flabbergasted. He had believed he could finally kill Harry Potter, only for the boy to survive through sheer luck. Moreover, it had become increasingly difficult to maintain the curse, as if an invisible force was actively dispelling his magic.
Meanwhile, Harry, unimpeded, used the Nimbus 2000's speed to seize the Golden Snitch.
Rolanda Hooch announced, "Harry Potter has caught the Golden Snitch! Slytherin wins!"
"Whoosh!"
The Slytherin students brandished dark green snakeskin banners.
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