The Midnight Duel

           HarryhadneverbelievedhewouldmeetaboyhehatedmorethanDudley,butthatwasbeforehemetDracoMalfoy. Still,first-yearGryffindorsonlyhadPotionswiththeSlytherins,sotheydidn’thavetoputupwithMalfoymuch. Oratleast,theydidn’tuntiltheyspottedanoticepinnedupintheGryffindorcommonroomthatmadethemallgroan. FlyinglessonswouldbestartingonThursday—andGryffindorandSlytherinwouldbelearningtogether. 

           "Typical,"saidHarrydarkly. "JustwhatIalwayswanted. TomakeafoolofmyselfonabroomstickinfrontofMalfoy." 

           Hehadbeenlookingforwardtolearningtoflymorethananythingelse. 

           "Youdon’tknowthatyou’llmakeafoolofyourself,"saidRonreasonably. "Anyway,IknowMalfoy’salwaysgoingonabouthowgoodheisatQuidditch,butIbetthat’salltalk." 

           Malfoycertainlydidtalkaboutflyingalot. HecomplainedloudlyaboutfirstyearsnevergettingonthehouseQuidditchteamsandtoldlong,boastfulstoriesthatalwaysseemedtoendwithhimnarrowlyescapingMugglesinhelicopters. Hewasn’ttheonlyone,though: thewaySeamusFinnigantoldit,he’dspentmostofhischildhoodzoomingaroundthecountrysideonhisbroomstick. EvenRonwouldtellanyonewho’dlistenaboutthetimehe’dalmosthitahangglideronCharlie’soldbroom. EveryonefromwizardingfamiliestalkedaboutQuidditchconstantly. RonhadalreadyhadabigargumentwithDeanThomas,whosharedtheirdormitory,aboutsoccer. Roncouldn’tseewhatwasexcitingaboutagamewithonlyoneballwherenoonewasallowedtofly. HarryhadcaughtRonproddingDean’sposterofWestHamsoccerteam,tryingtomaketheplayersmove.