At the end of a narrow and dimly lit alleyway, Professor Shackleton stands looking anxiously for Gryffindors and Slytherins. She whispers to those who pass by, "Secret Gobstones Club match down the alley. If Cooper wants to disband my club and forbid them from the schools, I'll just have to hold them on neutral territory in Hogsmeade! Hurry! We don't want to draw unneccessary attention!"

After collecting a sufficient amount of students, Professor Shackleton explained, "Everyone come near the Gobstones circle. I've constructed us a new court for Gobstones. I apologize that it is in this rather small alley, but we needed a place somewhere off the beaten path. There have been some changes from last year - we're playing a different version of Gobstones this term, a variant of Classical in which the winning house will knock more Gobstones OUT of the circle than their opponent. Also, since there is a bit more risk in this term's matches, I will award 50 points to the House who wins the championship match! So good luck to all of you! Be sure to read the posted rules before playing! Have fun!"