Mudbloods and Murmurs
HarryspentalotoftimeoverthenextfewdaysdodgingoutofsightwheneverhesawGilderoyLockhartcomingdownacorridor. HardertoavoidwasColinCreevey,whoseemedtohavememorizedHarry’sschedule. NothingseemedtogiveColinabiggerthrillthantosay,"Allright,Harry?"sixorseventimesadayandhear,"Hello,Colin,"back,howeverexasperatedHarrysoundedwhenhesaidit.
HedwigwasstillangrywithHarryaboutthedisastrouscarjourneyandRon’swandwasstillmalfunctioning, surpassingitselfonFridaymorningbyshootingoutofRon’shandinCharmsandhittingtinyoldProfessorFlitwicksquarelybetweentheeyes,creatingalarge,throbbinggreenboilwhereithadstruck. Sowithonethingandanother,Harrywasquitegladtoreachtheweekend. He,Ron,andHermionewereplanningtovisitHagridonSaturdaymorning. Harry,however,wasshakenawakeseveralhoursearlierthanhewouldhavelikedbyOliverWood,CaptainoftheGryffindorQuidditchteam.
"Whassamatter?"saidHarrygroggily.
"Quidditchpractice!"saidWood."Comeon!"
Harrysquintedatthewindow.Therewasathinmisthangingacrossthepink-and-goldsky.Nowthathewasawake,hecouldn’tunderstandhowhecouldhavesleptthroughtheracketthebirdsweremaking.
"Oliver,"Harrycroaked."It’sthecrackofdawn."
"Exactly,"saidWood.Hewasatallandburlysixthyearand,atthemoment,hiseyesweregleamingwithacrazedenthusiasm."It’spartofournewtrainingprogram.