"Shut up!" Angelina turned and shouted.
At that moment, Slytherin launched a defensive counterattack.
Gryffindor kicked off, and Angelina, with the ball tucked under one arm, began to charge at the Slytherins.
The Slytherin players formed a triangle, closing in on Angelina.
Crabbe also swung his bat, sending a Bludger towards Angelina's sole escape route.
Her path was blocked, and Angelina had no choice but to grit her teeth and fly forward.
But the Slytherin captain's broom speed was too fast; he quickly caught up with Angelina, continuously bumping into her with his burly body.
Not stealing the ball, just knocking people around for fun.
"This guy..." George angrily swung his bat, flew to the side of the Bludger, and fiercely struck towards the Slytherin captain.
But while the force was strong, the aim was off, and he hit an unlucky Chaser nearby instead of the Slytherin captain.
"That counts as scoring," Fred whistled.
Slytherin also swapped in their last substitute player, and players on both sides were now fighting with all they've got.
And so were the students below, each one screaming crazily, cheering on their own team.
Luna's hat kept making shouting noises, drawing attention amidst the cheers and encouragement.
At that moment, Worlington intercepted the ball Angelina was holding.
He and two other Chasers swiftly reversed their brooms and launched one final assault on Gryffindor's goal!
They were naturally aware of Harry and Draco's movements, they had to score before those two settled their contest!
At this point, the Gryffindor players trying to stop those three rapidly flying brooms were already too late; the long flight and the high-intensity defense with one less person had exhausted them.
The three formed a triangle, constantly passing the Quaffle amongst themselves, attempting to disrupt Ron's sight.
Ron hovered in mid-air, totally focused, staring fixedly at those three players.
And then, the ball was passed to Worlington.
Feigning a pass, he threw a decisive shot towards the goal just as Ron turned his broom.
The entire stadium went silent, no more noise; everyone held their breath, staring fixatedly on this one critical equalizing shot.
Will it go in?
However, Ron, at an almost impossible angle, leapt forcefully from his broom, his hands forming fists, punching that certain-to-score Quaffle beyond the goal frame.
This first-time Gryffindor goalkeeper, whom the Slytherins considered a rookie, had now become a wall of sighs in front of the Slytherin people.
At the same time, Harry caught the Golden Snitch.
"Toot-toot--toot!"
Mrs. Hooqi blew the whistle to signal the end of the match.
"Oh my, what's this!" Jordan yelled hysterically, his voice hoarse: "The save! World-class save! Weasley scored! Don't give Slytherin any more chances! The great Gryffindor goalkeeper! He inherited the glorious tradition of Gryffindors! Oliver Wood, Charlie Weasley at this moment have possessed him! He is not fighting alone! Harry! Harry Potter caught the Golden Snitch! The match is over! Gryffindor team defeated Slytherin 220 to 210! Long live Gryffindor!"
Professor McGonagall had no mind to reprimand Jordan, she had stood up long ago—before Ron completed that century save.
At this moment, she seemed like a young girl, hands clasped together, standing on tiptoe cheering jubilantly.
How wonderful! These children!
After Ron made the save, he was pulled up by Fred who rushed over, landing on his broom.
"Well done!" Fred shouted, "Merlin's smelly socks! How did you do that! Such a beautiful save! Without a doubt, you're today's hero! Ron!"
"I'd really like to see the faces of the Slytherins." Ron, sitting on his broom, said with a grin, "I wonder if that crown-shaped badge will become their disgrace—Weasley is their king, ha!"
"Today we must celebrate!" Angelina, with her face glowing red, said, "We must celebrate our victory, and our valiant goalkeeper! Our agile Seeker! You are the greatest contributors to our victory!"
"Actually, I didn't contribute much." Harry waved his hand, "The Golden Snitch disappeared somewhere that by the time I discovered it, the score had already grown terrifyingly large."
"Haha." They laughed as they returned to the locker room, changing into regular clothes.
And the spectators around the pitch also began to leave, eagerly discussing the match—except for Slytherin.
When they returned to the hall, Harry and his teammates were laughing and discussing visiting the school hospital to see Katie Bell and Alicia Spinnet.
However, the students ahead of them were gathering around the notice board in the hall.
"What's going on?" Harry leaned in and asked.
"It's the 'Twenty-Fifth Education Order,'" Hermione said, staring at the education order with a complicated expression, "My gosh, I really didn't think Umbridge would ruin the moment like this—she's so disgusting, isn't she?"
"What's written on it?" Ron couldn't see the education order, surrounded by people.
Hermione read it out to him: "The Senior Investigator henceforth has the highest authority over all matters of punishment, discipline, and deprivation of rights involving Hogwarts students, and has the right to amend such punishments, disciplines, and deprivations made by other faculty."
"Signed: Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, Merlin Order First-class Medal, and so forth..."
"Is she sick in the head?" Ron looked like he thought it was nuts, "Gotta stir things up at Hogwarts, doesn't she?"
"I think she's sick too." Harry patted Ron's shoulder, "Don't worry, she won't last much longer; let's go into the hall and eat something, aren't you hungry?"
"I'm starving." Ron nodded, "Let's go, have a couple of butter beers first, I'm really thirsty."
They walked into the hall, while at the staff table, Professor McGonagall was having a somewhat unpleasant chat with Umbridge.
"Yet another one!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed vehemently.
"Indeed," Umbridge maintained her patronizing smile, "Minerva, actually, you're the one who showed me we need a new decree... Remember when you overturned my decision? Back then, I disagreed with the Gryffindor Quidditch team's reformation, but you found Lady Swedding at the school board, who insisted on having the team play. And I can't tolerate this, so I immediately contacted the Minister of Magic, and he agreed that the Senior Investigator must have the right to revoke student privileges; otherwise she—that is, I—would have less power than an ordinary teacher!"
"Sooner or later, you will make Hogwarts a mess!" Professor McGonagall struggled to hold back her anger as she shouted.
"But frankly, you have already made Hogwarts a mess." Umbridge still smiled falsely, "Just look, what a savage game Quidditch is? In a single match, four players were seriously injured; my previous consideration to ban Quidditch matches was partly for this reason... for the health and safety of the students."
"That's none of your concern, Lady Umbridge." Professor McGonagall replied impassively.
"Oh, I think it should be my concern." Umbridge said with a false smile, "You see, Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge has authorized me some privileges; I have the right to make the changes I want at Hogwarts!"