3032. Turning the Tide
"??"
Even after the score between Gryffindor and Slytherin had reached 330:530, Slytherin's star Chaser, Al'ar, was still dazed, unable to understand what had just happened.
He only seemed to remember charging forward with the ball when a dark blur had flashed in from his blind spot. By the time he'd come to his senses and realized something had hit him, the ball had vanished from his hands.
Then, when he looked back, he saw a small figure toss the ball through Slytherin's goal hoop.
"Referee!"
"Referee! She fouled!"
Slytherin's Seeker and captain, Marcus Flint, shouted at Madam Hooch at once, hoping she would rule the goal invalid.
"..."
"..."
"..."
After the match was briefly paused, Snape, McGonagall, and Hooch—the three referees—huddled together to discuss the matter. Then Madam Hooch announced loudly:
"Goal stands!"
"The rules of Quidditch only state that the Seeker is responsible for catching the Snitch, and that the match ends once it's caught!"
"But nowhere do the rules say a Seeker can't touch the Quaffle and score!"
"So, after discussion among the referees, the goal stands!"
"Resume play!"
Speaking through the Sonorus charm, Madam Hooch paid no heed to the Slytherin captain's frustration. She ordered the match to resume, with Slytherin taking possession.
And Madam Hooch was right. The rules of Quidditch stated that two teams competed in the air on flying broomsticks, with seven players on each team: one Keeper, three Chasers, two Beaters, and one Seeker.
As a ball game, Quidditch used three different balls. The red one, about the size of a football, was called the Quaffle. Chasers passed it between one another and tried to throw it through the opposing team's hoops, earning ten points for each goal.
The rules said the Quaffle could be thrown, kicked,