"You didn't sleep last night?"
"I did," Harry said.
"You look like you didn't." Wood's gaze moved from the dark circles beneath his eyes to his hands, watching the way he gripped the broomstick handle, the creases his grip had pressed into his gloves. "You don't need to risk your life today. Angelina and the others are in good form; we can widen the score gap. You just need to keep an eye on the Golden Snitch. Don't clash head-on with Diggory. He's steadier than you. You're not as steady as him. But you're faster. Use your speed to suppress him."
Harry nodded. Wood looked at him, his lips moving as though he wanted to say something, but in the end, he said nothing. He patted Harry on the shoulder. His hand was not heavy, but it was steady. Then he turned and flew away.
Before the match began, McGonagall rose from the teachers' stand and tapped her throat with her wand. Her voice was amplified by an Amplifying Charm, loud enough for the entire stadium to hear. "Players from both teams, please enter the field. Gryffindor—Wood, Johnson, Spinnet, Bella, Weasley, Weasley, Potter." When she read out "Potter," her gaze lingered on Harry for a moment.
The Hufflepuff players entered from the other side. Cedric Diggory led them. His hair was dark brown, his eyes gray, his lips pressed together slightly. His steps were steady; as his boots trod the grass, every stride was exactly the same length. He nodded to the Gryffindor students waving flags at him from the Gryffindor stands, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly. It was not a smile, but the sort of polite expression that said, "I know you aren't cheering for me, but I won't be angry about it."
Madam Hooch held the