Chapter 92: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good
"The game is over," Kyle muttered to himself, observing the shift on the pitch.
He could guess what was going on. Maybe it was the commentator's enthusiasm or the fact that Snape had shown up to watch, but for those first twenty minutes, the Slytherin team had given it everything, hoping for a miracle. They played with unrestrained intensity, holding onto their ambition tightly. But once they realized they couldn't outscore Hufflepuff, no matter how hard they pushed, that intense drive seemed to vanish.
It became clear to them that their own house wouldn't win the championship, but they were even less willing to see Gryffindor take the cup. Since Slytherin couldn't surpass Hufflepuff's 300 points, they chose to give Hufflepuff an easier win. If Hufflepuff could rack up more goals now, those points might be the very thing to shatter Gryffindor's championship dreams in the final match. That, for Slytherin, was a victory in itself.
But Slytherin was subtle. They weren't outright throwing the game, just easing up at critical moments. Most of the younger wizards in the stands didn't catch on; to them, it looked like Slytherin had just run out of steam or hit a streak of bad luck. But a few sharper eyes saw through the act.
"From the Gryffindor stands, Charlie angrily pounded his fist against the stairs. 'Curse you, Rosier! I thought they'd learned a bit of integrity!'
"It's rigged!" Fred and George yelled, their faces red with frustration. "They're throwing the game! Slytherin should be disqualified!"
Despite their loud protests, their voices were lost amid the thunderous cheers filling the stadium. Only a few students around them could hear their complaints. Realizing that yelling wasn't getting them anywhere, Fred and George exchanged a look and started toward the commentary booth. They couldn't stop the game, but they hoped they could at least get the commentator to expose Slytherin's blatant cheating.
As they neared the booth, they were intercepted.
"Weasley, what are you doing here?" Professor McGonagall's stern voice halted them. "This isn't the place for you. Go back and watch the match."