Kapitel 198: The Song

"Snap out of it, Ron," Chris said quietly but firmly.

Ron looked startled but slowly turned to look at Chris.

"Look, I know you are nervous," Chris continued. "Everyone is, before their first game. I was, Ginny was, even Harry was."

"But you all are so good," Ron whispered looking desperate. "I'm lousy, I can't — Wood was great. I'm just going to embarrass —"

"Ron, you are not Wood, we all know that, and no one expecting you to be," Chris hissed. "You are Ronald Weasley. Be yourself."

The Slytherin team were standing waiting for them. They too were wearing those silver crown-shaped badges.

"If you let the Slytherins get you then they will tip you apart, Ron. But if you want to prove them wrong then just believe you can do this." Chris patted on Ron's arm and he slightly nodded.

"Captains shake hands," ordered the umpire, Madam Hooch, as Angelina and Montague reached each other. Chris could tell that Montague was trying to crush Angelina's fingers, though she did not wince. "Mount your brooms . . ."

Madam Hooch placed her whistle in her mouth and blew.

The balls were released and the fourteen players shot upward; Angelina swooped and caught the Quaffle first. Chris dodged a Bludger from Goyle and flew with Angelina, in case she needs to pass the Quaffle. And soon she was hit from behind by a Bludger from Crabbe. Montague caught the Quaffle and flew back to the other end of the pitch. George signed Chris and hit him with Bludger, Chris dived and caught the Quaffle. She served back to the pitch, dodged two Slytherin players and confused the Slytherin Keeper, then;

"Goal!" Lee Jordan roared. "That's ten-nil to Gryffindor. Cheers for Chris."

Chris could hear Luna's ludicrous lion hat roaring amidst the Gryffindor cheers. Ginny caught the Quaffle this time. Goyle almost knocked Ginny from her broom she managed to dodge it but Warrington snatched the Quaffle from her. Warrington zigzagged between Angelina and Chris, and that's when the song started:

Weasley cannot save a thing,

He cannot block a single ring,

That's why Slytherins all sing:

Weasley is our King.

Weasley was born in a bin,

He always lets the Quaffle in,

Weasley will make sure we win,

Weasley is our King.

The song rose loud and clear from the sea of green and silver in the Slytherin section of the stands.

"Damn it!" Chris muttered and followed Warrington, who dodged another Bludger from Fred. But it was too late.

"— and it's Warrington with the Quaffle, Warrington heading for goal, he's out of Bludger range with just the Keeper ahead —" Lee shouted over the crowd.

A great swell of the song rose from the Slytherin stands below:

Weasley cannot save a thing,

He cannot block a single ring . . .

"— so it's the first test for new Gryffindor Keeper, Weasley, brother of Chaser, Ginny and the Beaters, Fred and George, and promising new talent on the team — come on, Ron!"

But the scream of delight came from the Slytherin end: Ron had dived wildly, his arms wide, and the Quaffle had soared between them, straight through Ron's central hoop.

"Slytherin score!" came Lee's voice amid the cheering and booing from the crowds below. "So that's ten-ten —"

The Slytherins sang even louder:

WEASLEY WAS BORN IN A BIN,

HE ALWAYS LETS THE QUAFFLE IN . . .

Chris caught the Quaffle from next and passed it to Ginny, who missed. The Gryffindors groaned. The Slytherin player caught the Quaffle.

"— but nice Bludger from Fred Weasley, I mean, George Weasley, oh who cares, one of them anyway, and Warrington drops the Quaffle and Angelina — er — drops it too — so that's Montague with the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Montague takes the Quaffle, and he's off up the pitch, come on now Gryffindor, block him!"

But there was no blocking, Montague scored before Ron could reach the left hoop.

There was a terrible groan from the Gryffindor end, coupled with fresh screams and applause from the Slytherins. Looking down, Chris saw Pansy Parkinson right at the front of the stands, her back to the pitch as she conducted the Slytherin supporters who were roaring:

THAT'S WHY SLYTHERINS ALL SING:

WEASLEY IS OUR KING.

The Gryffindors were getting desperate as Ron let in two more goals. But soon Ginny got in her full form and showed how good Chaser she actually was.

"— Ginny Weasley dodges Pucey, ducks Montague, nice swerve, Ginny, and she throws to Johnson, Angelina Johnson takes the Quaffle, she's past Warrington, she's heading for goal, come on now Angelina — GRYFFINDOR SCORE! It's forty-twenty, forty-twenty to Slytherin and Pucey has the Quaffle . . ."

Fred's Bludger knocked Pucey and Angelina took the Quaffle and passed it Ginny, who scored with a great move. But the Pucey took the Quaffle next.

"— Pucey throws to Warrington, Warrington to Montague, Montague back to Pucey — Johnson intervenes, Ginny Weasley takes the Quaffle, Weasley to Johnson, this looks good — I mean bad — Johnson's hit by a Bludger from Goyle of Slytherin and it's Pucey in possession again . . ."

Chris dived in front of Pucey to catch him by surprise and she did but as soon as she caught the Quaffle a Bludger hit her on the head. Chris dropped the Quaffle but remained on her Firebolt.

WEASLEY WAS BORN IN A BIN,

HE ALWAYS LETS THE QUAFFLE IN,

WEASLEY WILL MAKE SURE WE WIN —

Suddenly the song turned into scattered screams, Chris looked down and saw Pansy Parkinson and few other Slytherins were clutching their throats, unable to speak. Someone had put Silencing charm on them. Looking around Chris saw Colin grinning wildly as he disappeared into the Hufflepuffs crowd who were near the Slytherins.

"CHRIS! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" screamed Angelina, soaring past her.

Chris hid her smile and zoomed to catch up with Ginny, who had the Quaffle at that moment. But before Ginny could score the Gryffindor spectators screamed and Chris realized Harry has caught the Snitch.

Angelina beckoned them to get down. Ginny suddenly sped very fast towards the Slytherin crowd and with an almighty crash, she knocked out Pansy Parkinson and her few girlfriends who were trying to reverse her Silencing charm.

"GIN!" Chris flew towards her. But again, it was too late Umbridge had seen her and something in her nasty sweet smile told Chris that there was something new in her twisted methods.

______________________________

To be continued...