Harry bit back the retort he was longing to utter: did she imagine for a second that he did not regret his expulsion from the team a hundred times more than she did?
'And what about the Beaters?' he asked, trying to keep his voice even.
'Andrew Kirke,' said Alicia without enthusiasm, 'and Jack Sloper. Neither of them are brilliant, but compared to the rest of the idiots who turned up…'
'I can't come into Hogsmeade at all; Angelina wants a full day's training. Like it's going to help; we're the worst team I've ever seen. You should see Sloper and Kirke, they're pathetic, even worse than I am.' He heaved a great sigh. 'I dunno why Angelina won't just let me resign.'
'It's because you're good when you're on form, that's why,' said Harry irritably.
'It's over,' said Ginny. 'Ron had to take Jack Sloper up to the hospital wing.'
'Why?'
'Well, we're not sure, but we think he knocked himself out with his own bat.' She sighed heavily. 'Anyway… a package just arrived, it's only just got through Umbridge's new screening process.'
She hoisted a box wrapped in brown paper on to the table; it had clearly been unwrapped and carelessly re-wrapped. There was a scribbled note across it in red ink, reading: Inspected and Passed by the Hogwarts High Inquisitor.