Adelaide

Ch 43- Victory & The Reply

Harry went down to breakfast the next morning with the rest of the boys in his dormitory, all of whom seemed to think the Firebolt deserved a sort of guard of honour. As Harry entered the Great Hall, heads turned in the direction of the Firebolt, and there was a good deal of excited muttering. Harry saw, with enormous satisfaction, that the Slytherin team were all looking thunderstruck.

Adelaide was giggling all the time. The sight was hilarious.

"Did you see his face?" said Ron gleefully, looking back at Malfoy. "He can't believe it! This is brilliant!"

Wood, too, was basking in the reflected glory of the Firebolt.

"Put it here, Harry,Addy" he said, laying the brooms in the middle of the table and carefully turning them so that their name faced upward. People from the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables were soon coming over to look.

Cedric Diggory came over to congratulate Harry & Adelaide on having acquired such a superb replacement for his Nimbus, and then he smiled at Adelaide and went back to his table.

Percy's Ravenclaw girlfriend, Penelope Clearwater, asked if she could actually hold the Firebolt.

"Now, now, Penny, no sabotage!" said Percy heartily as she examined the Firebolt closely. "Penelope and I have got a bet on," he told the team. "Ten Galleons on the outcome of the match!"

Penelope put the Firebolt down again, thanked Harry, and went back to her table.

"Harry — make sure you win," said Percy, in an urgent whisper. "I haven't got ten Galleons. Yes, I'm coming, Penny!" And he bustled off to join her in a piece of toast.

"Sure you can manage that broom, Potter, Gracia?" said a cold, drawling voice.

Draco Malfoy had arrived for a closer look, Crabbe, and Goyle right behind him.

Adelaide stayed quite; she wasn't ready for this.

"Yeah, reckon so," said Harry casually.

"Got plenty of special features, hasn't it?" said Malfoy, eyes glittering maliciously. "Shame it doesn't come with a parachute — in case you get too near a dementor."

Crabbe and Goyle sniggered.

"Pity you can't attach an extra arm to yours, Malfoy," Harry said coolly. "Then it could catch the Snitch for you." 

The Gryffindor team laughed loudly. Adelaide put her goblet down on the table as she shook with giggles.

Oh, she remembered this scene from the books too. This was one of the "Harry Sassy Potter" moments. The best one, as far as she was considered, was the one in first year in the train and the one he was going to tell in sixth year to Snape; 'There's no need to call me sir, professor,'...Oh, how she would love to get it printed on a t-shirt...Maybe she would.

Malfoy's pale eyes narrowed, and with one seething look at them, he stalked away. They watched him rejoin the rest of the Slytherin team, who put their heads together, no doubt asking Malfoy whether Harry's  & Adelaide's brooms really were a Firebolt.

A few hours later, fourteen brooms were in the air. Adelaide had groaned when she realized that Cho Chang was the seeker for Ravenclaw. She hoped Harry would keep his head.

The game was, by far, one of the best games they had played.

"They're off, and the big excitement this match is the Firebolt that Harry Potter and Adelaide Gracia are flying for Gryffindor. According to Which Broomstick, the Firebolt's going to be the broom of choice for the national teams at this year's World Championship —" Lee Jordan said cheerfully.