C H A P T E R E L E V E N
QUIDDITCH
A
s they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The
mountains around the school became icy gray and the
lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered
in frost. Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs windows defrost-
ing broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled up in a long
moleskin 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
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