Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Slugs Mudbloods and Murmurs

I spent the summer devising a whole new Quidditch programme. We're going to train earlier, harder, and longer. What? I don't believe it. Where do you think you're going, Flint? Quidditch practice? I booked the pitch for Gryffindor today. Easy would. I've got a note. Uh-oh. I smell trouble. I, Professor Severus Snape, do hereby give the Slytherin team permission to practice today, owing to the need to train their new seeker. You've got a new seeker. Who? Malfoy. That's right. And that's not all that's new this year. Those are Nimbus 2001s. How did you get those? A gift from Draco's father. You see, Weasley, unlike some, my father can afford the best. At least no-one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in. They got in on pure talent. No-one asked your opinion, you filthy little mudblood. You'll pay for that one, Malfoy. Eat slugs! You okay, Ron? Say something! Wow! Can you turn him around, Harry? No, Colin, get out of the way. Let's take him to Hagrid. He'll know what to do. This calls for specialist equipment. Nothing to do but wait till it stops, I'm afraid. Better out than in. Who's Ron trying to curse, anyway? Malfoy. He called Hermione... Well, I don't know exactly what it means. He called me a mudblood. He did not. What's a mudblood? It means dirty blood. Mudblood's a really foul name for someone who was muggle-born. Someone with non-magic parents. Someone like me. It's not a term one usually hears in civilised conversation. See, the thing is, Harry, there's some wizards, like the Malfoy family, who think they're better than everyone else because they're what people call pure blood. That's horrible. It's disgusting. And it's cod's wallop to birds. Dirty blood. Why, there isn't a wizard alive today that's not half-blood or less. More to the point, they've yet to think of a spell that our Hermione can do. Come here. Don't you think on it, Hermione. Don't you think on it for one minute. All right, Harry. Grab your broomstick, and we'll begin the training. Welcome to Quidditch training. In a Quidditch match, whichever Seeker catches the golden snitch scores their team 150 points. Which is why Seekers tend to get fouled so much, and also why we need to keep training. Get ready, Potter. Three, two, one. Release the snitch, Colin. Brilliant. For that performance, you've earned your gold wings and 25 heist points for Gryffindor. In a Quidditch match, whichever team's Seeker catches the golden snitch scores 150 points for their team. This often results in that Seeker's team winning the match. Good session, Harry. The Quidditch training doors are always open for you. Have you heard that Slytherin have a new Seeker? I wonder who it could be. It's me. And look at what my father has brought the whole Slytherin team. Very latest model. Only came out last month. I believe it considerably outstrips the old 2000 series. At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in. No one asked your opinion, you filthy little mudblood. You'll pay for that, Malfoy. Ron, are you all right? I don't feel so good. Ron, you'd better get to Hagrid's quick. Follow Ron, Harry, and don't let him out of your sight. Right, Harry. We gotta let these slugs run their course. I'll give you Fang's bowl to catch them in. Move the bowl under Ron to catch them. Try and empty the slugs into the barrel as often as you can using the square button or it'll overflow. Hurry up, Harry. Good luck. Well done, Harry. That was a great effort. How are you feeling, Ron? I never want to see another slug as long as I live. Next time I'll get Malfoy for sure. How can he call Hermione a mudblood? Ron, it's only a word. Yeah, but that word's the most insulting thing he could think of. Mudblood is a really unpleasant name for someone whose parents are non-magical. There are some wizards who think they're better than everyone else because they're pureblood. Thanks for defending me, Ron. Especially the way your wand's been behaving. Yuck. I can still taste the slugs. I think I need to go and brush my teeth again. Harry, there you are. Glad I found you. Hello, Wood. Time for Quidditch practice, Harry. None of the other teams have started training yet so we'll have a good head start. But I haven't had lunch yet. You can eat later. Follow me to the Quidditch pitch. Listen up, Harry. We're going to make sure we win the Quidditch Cup this year and the way we're going to do that is practice, practice, practice. First, a quick recap of what we learned last year. Of course you already know that the red ball is called the Quaffle and it's the job of the three chasers to get it past the enemy keeper and into one of the goal posts. But you don't need to concern yourself with that. There are also two bludgers flying around which you don't want to get hit by. But don't worry. Each team has two beaters who try to keep them away from you. Last, and most importantly, it's your job as our seeker to catch the golden snitch before the enemy seeker does. Since you've been off all summer, let's start out easy. I'm going to throw up a snitch for you and I want you to try to catch it. Sounds easy enough? Now the rest of the Gryffindor team is here, let's play a mock game of Quidditch. Avoid the bludgers and the other seeker. I'm going to have a Gryffindor standing as an enemy seeker You'll need to make sure she's out of the way before you can catch the snitch. Don't worry, they'll take it easy on you. Excellent work, everyone. You're back on form, Potter, which means we've got a great chance of winning the cup this year. Aren't you finished yet, Harry? Don't look now, but here comes the Slytherin team. I don't believe it! I booked the pitch for today. Hey, they've got new brooms and they look like... Yes, they are! They're Nimbus 2001s! Yeah, I know. Apparently Lucius Malfoy made a very generous donation. Like our new brooms, Weasley? What are you doing here, Malfoy? I'm the Slytherin seeker now. Didn't you know? Perhaps someday Gryffindor will be able to afford new brooms. Well, at least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in. They got in on pure talent. No one asked your opinion, you filthy little mudbloods. You'll pay for that one, Malfoy! Well, at least I could afford it, Weasley. Unlike you. Leave it, Ron. He's not worth the trouble. Mudblood. The nasty name some wizards use for other wizards who were born to non-magical parents. And speaking of mud, October arrived damply at Hogwarts, spreading a soggy chill over the grounds and into the castle. A different kind of chill would soon set in as well. Ah, Potter! Ready to continue our winning streak from last year? I'm certain we're good enough, but we're definitely going to have to practice a lot harder. No time like the present, so let's have a run-through of the basics. Looks like you've improved on last year, Potter. With this lineup, Gryffindor are a dead cert for the Quidditch Cup again. That'll really get up Snape's nose. Incredible flying, Potter. Even Madame Hooch would have to give you a good grade. Don't let Professor McGonagall find out, but here, take this broom and get in as much practice as you can. Hello there! Hermione? What's the matter? Malfoy showed up while you were practicing in the Quidditch Stadium. He's been made Seeker, after his dad brought his way onto the team with a whole set of Nimbus 2001s. Hermione said something about it, and he called her a filthy Mudblood. A what? A Mudblood? It's a really disgusting name for someone who was born of non-magical parents. There are some wizards, like Malfoy's family, who think they're better than everyone else. Anyway, it's a horrible thing to say. If it hadn't been for Hagrid showing up, I'd have cursed him. He's not worth the trouble, Ron. I suppose you're right. Anyway, I'm tired and I'm off to bed. Let's go. Hats!