The Broomstick
A Harry Potter Fanfic by Arrows' Biggest Fan
DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter, etc., doesn't belong to me. The stories and characters belong to Joanne Rowling, and I am making no profit whatsoever. Please don't send me to Azkaban.
This short story is intended to be a prequel to Harry Potter and the Orb of Light, which you are invited to read as well.
It had been a hard first week back at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry Potter was beginning to study for his NEWTs, but now he wanted nothing more than to sit back and read the Autumn/Winter 1996 edition of Which Broomstick?:
EDITOR'S CHOICE: THE NIMBUS TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED
A Broom To Rival Even The Firebolt
Quidditch teams up and down the country, and even the world, will be clamouring to get their hands on this new broomstick: the Nimbus 2500. The American-produced Firebolt galvanized the broomstick world three years ago, but now it seems that Nimbus Racing Broom Ltd. has regained its position as best of the best. The new broom can achieve speeds never reached by commercially available brooms before – over two hundred M.P.H. in good conditions. Developments on the Horton-Keitch braking charm mean that the Nimbus can slow from full speed to a stop in just ten seconds. It has acceleration that is just as quick. With brilliant streamlining and charmed to minimise damage, the new Nimbus will be the broom of choice at next year's European Cup and probably the World Cup the year after. Montrose Magpies Seeker Steve O'Leary says of the broom: "Brilliant handling, speed and resilience – all a Quidditch player could ask for. Let the US keep their Firebolt for Quodpot – the Nimbus 2500 is a true Quidditch broom."
A large picture of the gleaming broomstick followed the piece, underneath the price flashed different colours: 2500 Galleons. Harry stared at it – a broom even better than the Firebolt, which had never lost him a Quidditch match!
Neville Longbottom was standing beside him. He had received an 'Outstanding' grade in his OWL for Defence Against the Dark Arts, to the surprise of everyone who knew him. "Wow!" he breathed. "Look at it! But you don't need it do you Harry – you've got your Firebolt – wish I had one – did you really get it from Sirius Black?"
Harry felt as if a weight had dropped in his stomach. Sirius Black – his godfather who had died last summer. Yes, he had given Harry the broom. He couldn't bear to think about it – was he going to have to bear this every time he played Quidditch. He knelt down and opened his trunk, pulling the broomstick out, while Neville looked on. "Here," he almost shouted, tears running down his face. "Take it! Learn to play Quidditch! Try out for Gryffindor!" And he flung himself on the bed, and pulled the curtains around him, leaving Neville looking shocked and muttering, "You don't have to Harry, I'm sorry!"
Harry turned to the order form at the back of the catalogue. Nimbus 2500, he wrote, ID Number 499. Quantity 1, Price per item 2500 Galleons, total price plus taxes 3000 Galleons. Postage and packing: Free (Order over 100 Galleons). I do not want to receive any advertising from third party companies. Choice for free Quidditch action figure: Chudley Cannons. He would give the figure to Ron. He decided to send the order off in the morning and rolled over and went to sleep.