HARRY POTTER and the Chamber of Secrets Chapter Eight
Chapters 1-8
Chapter Eight
MUDBLOODS AND RUMORS
During the next few days, Harry tries to avoid Gilderoy Lockhart as much as possible. But he cannot avoid little Colin Creevey. Colin seems to know exactly where Harry will be all the time. And Ron’s wand is still broken and causing all kinds of chaos. So, Harry is happy that the week is almost over. He and his friends are going to visit Hagrid on Saturday. But in the middle of the night, someone wakes Harry up.
It is Oliver Wood, captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. “Wake up, sleepyhead!” whispers Oliver. “It’s time for Quidditch practice! Up you go!” Harry looks out the window. It is still dark outside. “But Oliver, it’s not even dawn yet,” says Harry sleepily. “That’s right!” Oliver says excitedly. “The earlier you wake up for practice, the faster you catch the Snitch!”
“Come on, get your broom. Let’s go! None of the other teams are training yet. We’re going to be the first this year!” Harry yawns and gets out of bed. He looks for his Quidditch robes in the dark room. “Off we go!” says Wood. Harry thinks Wood is too excited so early in the morning.
As he is leaving the dormitory, little Colin Creevey says, “I thought I heard you wake up, Harry! Look what I have!” Colin shows him a black and white photograph of Gildelroy Lockhart. Harry recognizes his own arm in the picture. “Will you sign it?” asks Colin.
“No,” answers Harry simply. “I don’t have time. I’m going to Quidditch practice.” “Oh, fantastic!” cries Colin. “I’ll come with you! I’ve never seen Quidditch before. You were the youngest house player in a hundred years, weren’t you? You must be amazing!” Harry does not know how to escape Colin. He is like a shadow that does not stop talking.
When Harry arrives at the practice field, the team is waiting in the changing room. But everyone looks like sleeping zombies, except Oliver Wood. He looks like he will explode with energy! “Look, all of you,” Wood says. “We were the best team last year, but we lost.” Harry feels very guilty. He was not at the last game last year.
He was in the Hogwarts infirmary, after the attack he suffered from Voldemort. “So, this year, we’re going to train harder than any other house. Let’s get out there and get to work!” As Harry practices with his team, he can see Ron and Hermione in the stands. He can see Colin, too. Colin is taking many pictures of the practice.
Oliver thinks Colin is a spy for Slytherin. But Harry explains that Colin is just a big fan from Gryffindor house. Oliver looks down and says, “Well, we don’t need spies from Slytherin. Look. They’re already here.”
Harry looks down at the field. There are several children in green robes on the field. They have broomsticks in their hands. “I don’t believe it!” Wood yells. “I reserved the field for us today! I’m going to see what’s going on here.” He flies quickly down to the grass. Harry, Fred and George follow him.
“What’s going on here, Flint?” says Oliver Wood to the Slytherin captain, Marcus Flint. Flint is bigger than Oliver, and looks very much like a troll. The entire Slytherin team forms a wall next to Flint. “I have special permission from Professor Snape. He says we have to train our new Seeker,” says Flint.
“You have a new Seeker?” says Oliver. “Who?” A small boy behind Flint walks forward. He has a mean smile on his pale face. It is Draco Malfoy! “You’re Lucius Malfoy’s son,” says Oliver. “That’s right,” says Flint. “And he gave us these.” All the Slytherin players hold up their broomsticks.
