Chapter 1: Quidditch
Harry Potter stood in front of an old and raggedy looking broomstick, it had twigs sticking out of it at odd angles and didn't seem too reliable. Still, it was better than some of the other ones that the less fortunate students got, Harry thought, feeling a smirk growing on his face as he saw that Malfoy's goons had gotten even worse brooms than him.
Malfoy's own broomstick was in roughly the same quality as his though, but Harry guessed that he couldn't have it all.
"Stick your right hand over your broom and say 'Up!'" Madam Hooch called up from the front.
"Up!" The students chorused.
Harry's broom shot into his hand and he grasped it firmly before turning to see how his peers had done, grinning when he realized that he was one of the few students successful. Hermione Granger's broom only rolled on the ground a little and poor Neville didn't even get a reaction from his broom.
Madam Hooch started walking down the rows and correcting their grips on the broomsticks, Harry savored the look on Malfoy's face when he was told that he had been doing it wrong for years.
"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard." Madam Hooch instructed. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle - three - two -"
And that was when things went wrong, Neville suddenly kicked off the ground and went soaring into the air before the whistle even touched Hooch's lips.
"Come back boy!" The professor shouted, but it was useless and Neville continued to rise steadily. Harry caught sight of Neville's face and saw that it was completely white, the timid boy looked down and gasped.
That was enough for Harry, he kicked off the ground went flying towards Neville. Below him, the students and Madam Hooch screamed and gasped as they watched the Boy-Who-Lived speed towards the Longbottom scion.
Harry ignored the rush of wind and held on tightly to his broomstick, switching to a one handed grip so that he could catch Neville.
Luckily, Neville hadn't gotten too far and Harry managed to catch up to the panicking boy just as he slipped off his broom. Harry extended his left hand and caught Neville by one of his flailing arms.
Harry almost fell off his broom right then, Neville was heavy! But he took a deep breath and steadied himself on the broom.
"Don't let go Neville! I'll get us down!" Harry exclaimed, trying to reassure the clumsy boy. Now, where was the 'down' button on this contraption again?
Harry eventually figured it out, angling the broom downwards and making a slow loop back towards the class. He and Neville touched the ground with shaky legs, Harry from the exhaustion of holding the heavier boy up with just a single arm and Neville from terror.
The class around him burst into cheers and Harry found himself clapped on the back by Ronald Weasley.
"That was amazing mate!" The red haired boy whooped, other male Gryffindors crowding around him excitedly.
Harry grinned, "Thanks, I really don't know how I did that, but that was pretty fun."
They were interrupted by a loud whistle, everyone settled down immediately and turned to Madam Hooch, who had an unreadable expression on her face.
The gray haired teacher walked over to Harry, the other Gryffindors scattering to let her pass.
"Mr Potter, let me start things by saying that that was one of the most daring and heroic things that I've seen a student do in all my years of teaching. A first-year, who doesn't even know how to ride a broom racing off to help a friend in need. For this, I award ten points to Gryffindor." Madam Hooch said, pride evident in her voice.
Harry took this to be a good sign and smiled, but his hopes were dashed when a stern look came over Madam Hooch's face.
"However, you still disobeyed one of my instruction and I will have to punish you for that. I believe that a detention with your head of house will suffice. Professor McGonagall will fetch you for your detention after dinner tonight." Madam Hooch said, writing a note on a piece of parchment before stowing it away in her robes.
"Now, let us continue with the class, and Mr Longbottom, please do not start flying before I blow the whistle this time."
Professor McGonagall had come into the common room after dinner and pulled him and a fifth-year named Wood. She didn't say a word until they reached her office and shut the door behind them.
"Mr Potter, this is Oliver Wood. Wood, I've found you a new candidate for Seeker." Professor McGonagall said.
Oliver Wood's confused expression morphed into delight, "Are you sure, Professor?" The fifth-year asked eagerly, walking around and examining Harry, nodding in satisfaction at what he saw.
"Quite so, Mr Wood. I witnessed him flying today, the boy's a natural. Was that your first time on a broomstick Mr Potter?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"Yes it was, Professor." Harry replied, nodding his head with a confused expression, what was going on? Wasn't he supposed to be having detention?
"Excellent! He's just the build for a Seeker too." Wood crowed. "We have to get him a decent broom, Professor. A Nimbus Two Thousand or a Cleansweep Seven maybe."
"I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore about that and see if we can't bend the first-year rule." Professor McGonagall reassured. "Heaven knows, we need a better team than last year. Flattened in that last match by Slytherin, I couldn't look Severus Snape in the face for weeks. . . ." The strict Transfigurations Mistress muttered.
Harry had caught on by now, "You know, it only says that first-years can't own a broomstick." He spoke up, gaining Wood and Professor McGonagall's attention.
Encouraged by the attention, Harry let a devious smile grow on his face, it reminded Professor McGonagall of James Potter, when she taught the man all those years ago.
"We could just have Oliver keep the broom under his name and loan it to me for Quidditch practice and matches." Harry suggested smugly.
"An excellent idea, Mr Potter." Professor McGonagall nodded, "I expect to you to work hard Mr Potter, do not disappoint me."
"You have nothing to worry about, Professor McGonagall." Harry nodded and flashed a confident and reassuring smile.
"I hope not. That will be all for tonight, bring him back to the Common Room, Wood." Professor McGonagall dismissed them, was it just his eyes playing tricks on him or did he see a smile on his stern head of house's face? Harry shook off the thoughts and turned to leave the office, only to be stopped by his professor's voice. "And Mr Potter? Your father would have been proud of you. Keep up what you're doing, everything."
There was an unidentifiable emotion in Professor McGonagall's voice, Harry gave a shy smile and nodded back at his head of house. "I won't disappoint you." Then he turned and left.
In her office, Minerva McGonagall had a wistful expression on her face. "He reminds me so much about you James, and I'm not entirely sure if that's a good thing." Just the thought of another prankster at James's level made her shudder, especially if he made friends with the Weasley twins like she thought he would.
Could Hogwarts survive both the Weasley twins and the second coming of James Potter? Minerva wasn't sure.
A/N: This is going to be a series of one shots, depicting how Harry Potter's adventures in the Wizarding World would have gone if he took after James Potter more.