Both Hufflepuff and Gryffindor were present.
Neither team had lifted the cup in years. Whoever won would make history; whoever lost would be consigned to the pillar of shame.
Even though Hufflepuff and Gryffindor traditionally had a good relationship, at this moment, no one was feeling particularly friendly.
Fortunately, both sides were restraining themselves and hadn't come to blows yet. But it was clear that the students supporting Hufflepuff outnumbered those supporting Gryffindor.
The Slytherins would rather see the Hufflepuffs win than let Gryffindor take the championship.
As for Ravenclaw students, they were mostly indifferent, with support split between both sides.
Marietta, for example, was openly supporting Gryffindor. She preferred showy boys to the quiet ones at Hufflepuff—definitely not her type.
Of course, Cho was rooting for Hufflepuff.
After all, Cedric was there, and she wasn't particularly close with any Gryffindors. She wore a cap with a small badger pinned to it as a show of support.
William, however, was feeling torn.
Hufflepuff or Gryffindor—it was a tough call. Which choice would be safer: enduring Cedric's constant monologues or the endless pranks from the Weasley twins?
Caught between a rock and a hard place, William decided to play both sides and pinned badges from both houses to his clothes!
By nine o'clock, everyone was making their way to the Quidditch pitch.
Three-fifths of the crowd wore pale yellow chrysanthemums and waved yellow flags with Hufflepuff's little badger emblazoned on them, while some shook small flags that read "Hufflepuff for the Win!"
Behind the Gryffindor goals stood two hundred students wearing red roses. The Gryffindor lion roared fiercely on their banners.
Professor McGonagall stood by the commentator's stand, waving a huge lion with great enthusiasm.
"The Gryffindor team is here!" Lee Jordan shouted excitedly. As promised, he'd gone for the commentator position.
"This Gryffindor lineup includes the Weasley trio, Johnson, Spinnet, Neuman, and Wood."
"Although the Weasley twins and Angelina Johnson are only second-years, they're without a doubt talented players!" Lee introduced each player with gusto.
Grabbing the microphone, he shouted, "This Gryffindor team is widely regarded as the Golden Generation, the best team Hogwarts has seen in recent years…"
The Slytherins began to boo loudly in protest, insisting that their house had actually won the most Quidditch Cups in recent years.
"And here comes the Hufflepuff team, led by Captain Truman. He looks like he's taken a growth potion, standing a full head taller than last year and with a stronger build. It seems he's going for strength over technique."
"And they have a new Seeker, Cedric Diggory."
Cedric's face turned red.
But Lee Jordan had no compliments to offer, saying instead, "Although Cedric's my friend, I have to say—he's nowhere close to Charlie!"
The boos from the other three houses drowned out his commentary, with students flipping him off en masse.
William shook his head. Lee Jordan had a knack for getting under people's skin.
And the game hadn't even started yet—his psychological warfare was already in full swing.
"Captains, shake hands!" Madam Hooch commanded.
Charlie and Truman walked toward each other, gripping hands tightly. Both had flushed faces as if each were trying to crush the other's fingers. The air around them was thick with tension.
As the game was about to begin, William noticed something strange.
Headmaster Dumbledore was absent, and so were Professors Snape and Tywin.
This was odd.
It was possible that Snape, being from Slytherin and with his team out of the running, had simply chosen not to attend.
But Professor Tywin never missed a Quidditch match. Like Professor McGonagall, he was a die-hard Quidditch fan.
And today was the final. Dumbledore's absence was almost unimaginable.
Yet, here it was.
Where could they have gone?
William patted his pockets and realized he'd forgotten his Marauder's Map… of all times!
"What's up, William?" Hagrid asked, setting down his binoculars.
They were sitting together in the Ravenclaw section, with Hagrid taking up three seats by himself. Not wanting to block the view for the younger wizards, they'd settled in the back row, where binoculars were necessary to see the action on the pitch.
"I noticed that Headmaster Dumbledore isn't here," William shouted.
Amidst the crowd's loud boos and cheers, he had to yell just to be heard.
"Strange," Hagrid muttered, glancing around and confirming Dumbledore's absence. "He's rarely late. Maybe he got held up. Don't worry."
Hagrid replied cheerfully, then reached into his pocket and took out a handful of walnuts.
Though Hagrid's rock cakes were notorious for being harder than bricks, he had a knack for roasting walnuts. They were perfectly seasoned and roasted to a fine crunch.
With a gentle squeeze in his gloved hands, he cracked the walnuts in half and handed them to William.
"Thank you, Hagrid." William decided not to dwell on it, accepting the snack and focusing on the game.
Cho was utterly absorbed in the match, as she planned to join the Ravenclaw Quidditch team next year. The teams on the field were her future competition.
"They're off!" Lee Jordan's voice cracked with excitement.
"The Quaffle is in Gryffindor's possession! Gryffindor's Alicia Spinnet dives toward the Hufflepuff goals.
"She maneuvers past two players… an amazing start for Alicia!"
"But wait—the Quaffle is intercepted by Warrington of Hufflepuff, now charging forward on the pitch—oh no!
"He's trying to draw a foul! Shameless!
"And here comes a well-timed Bludger, courtesy of George Weasley.
"George, you genius! Win us the cup, and I'll wash your socks for a month!"
"Lee Jordan! Focus!" Professor McGonagall's voice echoed.
"Oh, sorry, Professor—Warrington loses the Quaffle to Angelina Johnson with a brilliant steal! That's bound to make the highlight reel, without a doubt!
"And the Quaffle is back with Gryffindor.
"What? Angelina's going for a fast break?
"So fast, Angelina! Keep going, dodge around Cadwallader—go for it, Angelina!"
Lee's voice rose to a fever pitch, followed by loud banging noises coming through the microphone.
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