The Bats' head coach left Hogwarts in disappointment.
But Gryffindor's celebration had only just begun. In fact, Ron's popularity had risen even further because he had turned Colin down. This was not because Colin was unpopular in Quidditch circles.
Rather, the thought that one of their own classmates had actually turned down an offer from a professional team felt incredibly satisfying all by itself.
Had anyone else done it, some people might have made snide remarks about not knowing what was good for them. But Ron's performance in the match that had just ended had truly won everyone over.
"Ron certainly has the right to choose his team. In fact, with his performance, he could be a starter on any team and lead them to victory," Oliver Wood said of Ron.
At the very least, Ron's performance in the last match deserved such praise.
Although they had only won a single match against Ravenclaw, the atmosphere in the Gryffindor Common Room felt as though they had already won the Quidditch Cup.
Even Oliver was no exception.
It could not be helped. This match had been far too great a boost to their spirits! And it really had established an overwhelming advantage for Gryffindor.
Gryffindor had not merely won this match; they had won by a landslide. Their three-hundred-and-thirty-point margin had brought their total point differential straight up to eight hundred and twenty. Although Ravenclaw also had six hundred points, they would need to win their next match by at least two hundred and twenty to have much chance of turning things around.
And judging by Ron's performance in today's match, even if he could only manage half as well in the next one, it would still be impossible for Ravenclaw to win by two hundred and twenty points.
Not to