Unlike Ravenclaw, whose morale had soared, the Gryffindor players looked utterly dejected. They believed Professor Snape would certainly find every possible way to deduct Gryffindor's points and would never referee fairly.
"Snape as the referee?" George Weasley was so startled that he actually fell off his broomstick. Spitting mud from his mouth, he asked, "When has he ever refereed a Quidditch match? He has always hated Gryffindor. He definitely won't judge fairly."
"Not necessarily. In the House Cup, Ravenclaw has more gems than Slytherin. If Snape wants Slytherin to win the House Cup, he will surely suppress Ravenclaw's scoring opportunities." This came from one of the optimists on the Gryffindor team.
"Not necessarily! Ravenclaw's Allen Harris is the only student Snape has never criticized. Allen is a Chaser, so perhaps Snape will favor him!"
"Besides, his dislike of Harry is obvious!"
"The only thing to be thankful for is that Allen is only a Chaser, not a Seeker."
The Gryffindor players also landed beside George. Some complained incessantly, while others still clung to hope.
"No matter what," Wood said, "as long as we follow the rules during the match, Professor Snape will have no excuse to make trouble for us."
By the time the Gryffindor team finished training and left the pitch, every one of them wore a terrifyingly dark expression.
After finishing Quidditch practice, Allen washed up in the bathroom and headed straight for the library. He had grown accustomed to doing his homework in that secluded spot. From a distance, Allen saw Malfoy of Slytherin at the library entrance, lecturing Gryffindor's Neville and—Flag!
"One fool and one weakling. What a perfect match! Why not give us a little entertainment?" At that moment, Malfoy's delicate, charming face had turned utterly sinister. He pointed his wand at Neville and Flag.