"Dean, why is no one going to the Forbidden Forest today?"
Not long after Cedric's Thunderbird "landed," Hagrid arrived. Pomona glanced back at the excited children. Like prisoners, they were endlessly curious about what was happening in the "outside" world and chased Cedric around with question after question.
"Do you still have any Blast-Ended Skrewts?" Pomona asked Hagrid.
"Of course I do."
"Catch some and bring them over. Make them big ones," Pomona said.
"Can I ask why?" Hagrid asked.
Because I want them to see just how wide the gap is between their magic and real combat.
She thought darkly, but did not say it aloud. Hagrid would be heartbroken if he knew his carefully raised Blast-Ended Skrewts were being used as targets.
"I need to run a test," Pomona said.
"Right, Dean," Hagrid replied at once. "Do you need them right away?"
Pomona looked at the sky and nodded.
Hagrid then headed toward his Forbidden Forest.
After Hagrid left, Pomona entered the tent. She could clearly feel that, though it was not as silent as Snape's classroom, the atmosphere had suddenly grown much colder.
"Want to play some Quidditch?" Pomona asked.
"Yes," Cedric answered immediately.
"Then let's go."
At her command, most of the boys grabbed their brooms and raced toward the pitch next door. The girls walked over while chatting. By the time they entered the field, the boys were already mounted on their brooms, passing the Quaffle through the air.
"Should we release the Golden Snitch?" Cedric asked Pomona from the ground.
"You're not playing?" Pomona asked.
"I think being the referee is pretty good," Cedric said.
Pomona shook her head. "The Golden Snitch can only be used once. It would be too wasteful to use it just for fun."
"Then without the Golden Snitch, when