ach through the ages back,

  to take his mind off his omorrow. why should he be

  afraid of siold ron and hermione he was going

  to ask snape if he could have it.

  ”better you thaogether, but harry had an idea

  that snape wouldhere were other teachers listening.

  he made his way dowaffroom ahere was

  no answer. he kno. nothing.

  perhaps s the book i was worth a try. he

  pushed the door ajar and peered inside -- and a horrible se met

  his eyes.

  snape and filside, 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!”

  snapes face ith 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 sake as from

  gryffied back upstairs.

  ”did you get it?” ron asked as harry jois

  the matter?”

  in a low whisper, harry told them what hed seen.

  ”you know what this means?” he fihlessly. ”he tried

  to get past that three-headed dog at halloween! thats where he was

  going him -- hes after whatever its guarding! and id

  bet my broomstick he let that troll in, to make a diversion!”

  hermiones eyes were wide.

  ”no -- he wouldnt, she said. ”i know hes not very nice,

  but he wouldnt try ahing dumbledore ing safe.”

  ”holy, hermiohink all teachers are saints or

  something,” snapped ron. ”im with harry. i wouldnt put anything

  past s whats he after? whats that d?”

  harry weh his head buzzing with the same

  question. neville was sn loudly, but harry t sleep. he

  tried to empty his mio sleep, he had to, he had

  his first quidditch mat a few hours -- but the expression on

  snapes fa harry had seen his leg waset.

  the m daw and cold. the great hall

  was full of the deliell of fried sausages and the cheer

  ful chatter of everyone looking food quidditch match.

  ”youve got to eat some breakfast.”

  ”i dont want anything.”

  ”just a bit of toast,” wheedled hermione.

  ”im not hungry.”

  harry felt terrible. in an hours time hed be walking onto

  the field.

  ”harry, you rength,” said seamus finnigan. ”seekers

  are always the o clobbered by the other team.”

  ”thanks, seamus,” said harry, watg seamus pile ket

  his sausages.

  by eleven oclock the whole sed to be out iands

  arouch pity students had binoculars. the seats

  might be raised high i it was still difficult to see

  what was goiimes.

  ron and hermione joined neville, seamus, ahe west ham

  fan up iop rorise for harry, they had painted

  a large banhe sheets scabbers had rui said

  potter for president, and dean, who was g, had done

  a large gryffindor liohen hermione had performed a

  tricky little charm so that the paint flashed different colors.

  meahe lo, harry ahe team

  were g into their scarlet quidditch robes (slytherin would

  be playing in green).

  wood cleared his throat for silence.

  ”okay, men,” he said.

  ”and women,” said gelina johnson.

  ”and women,” wood agreed. ”this is it.”

  ”the big one,” said fred weasley.

  ”the one weve all been waiting fee.

  ”we know olivers speech by heart,” fred told harry, ”we were

  oeam las