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.