Disclaimer: Everything you recognize from Harry Potter is property of J.K. Rowling. The characters Professor Enyami, Professor June, and Raven are mine.
Chapter 9 - Quidditch
The next few days went by relatively easy. Snape supplied Harry with dreamless sleep potions each night after his "detention", which allowed him, more or less, a peaceful sleep. Snape didn't mention what else he expected Harry to learn; all they worked on was Occluemency. Afterwards, Harry usually helped with a few potions.
It was Saturday, and they were getting ready for the Quidditch game against Slytherin. Since Harry was feeling good, he had a very good feeling about the game, also.
"Okay, This game may be our first, but it is also the most important." Harry took in the weather. "It's not too sunny, but it is a little cool. I suggest everyone wear gloves. And remember, they will probably play dirty. They will probably do their best to irritate us. Ignore it. Anything thing else, I've said it a zillion times. So let's play!"
"Yeah!" shouted the other six players. They walked out of the dressing room together, brooms in hand and grins on their faces. The Slytherins were doing the same, only they had smirks on their faces instead of grins.
"I wonder what they have up their sleeves?" Ron said into Harry's ear quietly.
"I don't know," he answered, glaring at the opposing team.
"Okay, everyone! I shouldn't have to remind everyone to play fair!" Everyone mounted their brooms and waited. Then Hooch blew the whistle. Harry moved to his usual lookout and started looking for the snitch, keeping bare minimum attention on the game. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Raven, also attentively looking for the snitch, and he quickly wondered if he should try to feint her later.
Gryffindor scored, and everyone but the Slytherins cheered. Harry's eye caught the snitch, and he was off on impulse. Both Harry and Raven were coming in from opposite directions toward the snitch, so Harry knew that if one of them didn't give up, they'd crash. Closer and closer they got, but then the snitch took a sudden turn and both seekers lost it. As if rehearsed, Harry pushed his broom upwards, while Raven lowered her's and they both narrowly missed each other.
The two glared at each other, briefly taking each other in, then both nodded. They somehow understood that they were both there to win fairly, and fairly it would be done. They would both give the game their best.
Snape watched the odd interaction between the two seekers from the professors' stand. They both seem to nod to each other, then flew in opposite directions, looking for the snitch. For the next half in hour, it was more interesting watching the two seekers test each other's skills, both attempting to feint and out-maneuver the other.
Harry was having fun. The other seeker knew how to fly and was quite skilled. He went into a dive, reaching out for an invisible snitch. Raven followed, not sure of whether it was real or not. But then Harry, diving at almost top speed, spotted the snitch far to his left. He immediately turned and went after it, leaving behind an utterly confused Raven.
Harry reached for it. He was so close! The snitch seemed quicker then usual, and kept just out of reach. Although Harry believed he was going as fast as he could, he urged the broom to go even faster, not wanting to lose the snitch. Amazingly, he did. He grabbed the snitch, started slowing down, and too late saw the blundger coming right at him.
The ball hit Harry hard behind his left shoulder, both knocking him off the broom and making him go ever fast than he was through the air. The last thing he remembered was the ground coming at him way too fast.
Snape saw what was going to happen a second before Potter did. As the whole crowd followed Potter's attempt to grab the snitch, no one noticed the blundger that one of the Slytherin's threw Potter's way. It went way to quickly to take in at once: Potter caught the snitch, the blundger hit the boy on his back, and then he was on the ground. Everyone was stunned, but a second later, everyone seemed to be rushing toward the boy crumpled up on the floor. The teachers, being the closest, were there first, and while most of them kept the crowd of children back, Snape, McGonagall, and Pomfrey were hovering over the boy. When they were sure he was breathing and his heart was still going, Snape conjured a stretcher and they got the boy to the infirmary as quickly as they could.
Pomfrey did a quick stand and noted that his right arm and leg were severely broken in many places, it being the side he landed on. His other side was much better off, but his left shoulder was broken and bleeding. Those were just the basic injuries.
As Pomfrey attended the task of healing Harry, Snape and McGonagall gave small sighs of relief that they boy was going to live. With that fall, he was extremely lucky he didn't break his neck. Snape watched the mediwitch administered potions and activated healing spells on the boy, muttering under her breath about how dangerous quidditch is.
Snape shook his head. A year didn't go by that Potter wasn't in the hospital wing for some reason or other. Actually, a year didn't go by that he didn't end up in the hospital wing several times. Well, at least it wasn't because of his heroics this time. Only quidditch. Although Potter seemed to be injured in the sport more often than most other players.
After what seemed like hours, Potter was looking healed, sleeping on one of the middle hospital beds. Pomfrey was packing everything, then turned to Snape.
"Severus. I am going to be gone during the evenings for the next week. Starting today, actually. I need someone to watch over the infirmary for me. I know you probably have lots to, but you could bring your work up here." Snape thought about this.
"Why me?"
"Because you know how to administer the healing potions. And you would be able to chase away unwanted visitors. Harry isn't to have any visitors until Tuesday, unless I deem him well enough."
"Tuesday? How long is he going to be in here?"
"Probably until Friday, if I am guessing correctly. I was able to fix most of the damage, but some of the internal problems have to heal on their own." Snape thought over this information.
"All right, I'll watch over during the evenings. What time?"
"Starting after dinner. Well, today, starting now. I must be going. Good bye, Severus."
"Good bye Poppy." After the witch left, Snape looked down at the unconscious boy. He wasn't going to admit it to anyone, but he was worried about Potter, which was part of the reason he agreed to take a temporary shift in the hospital.
Harry felt odd. He didn't know where he was. He was slowly waking up, but it seemed so quiet around him. He slowly opened his eyes, but shut them immediately. It was way too bright. Behind his eyelids, he could sense the light fading, and he slowly opened them once again. This time, the light was bearable.
He looked around, and knew instantly where he was.
"What happened?" He slurred.
"What do you remember?" a voice from his left asked. Snape! Harry thought. He turned his head around and narrowed his eyes.
"Um. . . I don't know."
"Does quidditch ring any bells?" Harry thought about this, then it hit him
"Who won? I did get the snitch, right?" Snape sneered.
"Gryffindor won, Potter," he said, which got a smile from Harry. "Don't you care about why you are in the hospital wing again, boy?" Snape said sarcastically. Harry winced at the word boy.
"Well, I figured that since I'm here, I got hurt." Harry was just as sarcastic back to his teacher. Then looked away, expecting to be reprimanded.
"Yes, you were hurt. Do you remember how?"
"Um. . . I remember grabbing for the snitch, then . . . The bludger. I was going pretty fast. I thought I was going to die," harry admitted, admiring the sheets on the bed. Snape smirked.
"Yes. And if you had broken your neck, you surely would have been. Fortunately, you didn't."
"Yeah. I guess I'm lucky," Harry thought out loud, then a thought came to him. "Sir? What are you doing here? Where is Madame Pomfrey?" Snape sighed.
"She has business to attend to in the evenings. She will be here during the day, and I will be watching the infirmary during the evenings."
"Oh," stated Harry, and Snape raised an eyebrow.
"I suppose I should ask you how you feel."
"I've been worse. I feel kind of nauseated. And I have a headache. And I'm tired. Other than that, I think I'm fine. Can I go?" Snape raised an eyebrow again.
"What? Don't want to laze around for the rest of the day? No, you can't go. You will stay here until you are fully recovered," Snape replied, getting two potions from the medicine cabinet.
"Which will be how long?"
"You'll have to talk to the nurse for that," he said, walking back. "Drink these. They'll help." Harry looked at the vials of potions that Snape as handing him. He recognized them, so he took them and downed the quickly, as to not taste them as much as he could. The taste was worse than he remembered, and Harry made a face and stuck out his tongue.
"Now, if you don't have anymore questions, you should go back to sleep," he told Harry, pulling a potion from his robe. Dreamless sleep potion. Harry took it, and quickly feel into a restless but quiet sleep.
Harry awoke, and he guessed it was the next morning. Reaching for his glasses, he eventually found them on the table at his bedside. Along with his glasses, though, he also found piles of cards and gifts. He sat up slowly, as to not make his head spin, and looked at the huge pile.
"All this for falling off my broom?" He asked himself.
"It would appear so, Potter. Now image what would happen if you actually did something worthwhile," a sarcastic voice came from behind him. Harry got back in bed and glared at Snape.
"Well, obviously quidditch is more important than saving people's lives," Harry drawled back. "Otherwise, I would be getting more piles like this." He turned his head back toward the pile, and didn't know whether to be happy about it or not. "Sir, what time is it?"
"Seven in the morning."
"Then what are you doing here?" Snape looked at the boy. He wasn't expecting a question like that. Actually, he didn't expect the boy to be awake. Drat that boy.
"I don't know. Paying a visit, I guess," he said, more to himself than to Potter. Potter heard, obviously, because he answered.
"Oh." Why am I here? Do I really care for the child? He asked himself. He didn't have an answer to that, and it bugged him.
"I must be going," Snape said quickly, then left before Potter could say anything.
Harry was confused. Snape seemed to care at times, and at other, just the opposite. Why would he visit if he didn't care? Harry asked. Does he want me to be his son? The more Harry thought about it, the more confused he got. Yes, they weren't fighting all the time now, but it was for sanity's sake. Right? Harry shook his head, then decided to distract himself with his gifts.
By four in the afternoon, Harry was extremely bored. Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let him eat any of his candy but the jelly beans, so he was also hungry.
"I'm fine, Madame. I feel really good. Why can't I just go?" Harry lowered himself to whining. He didn't like it, but he was willing to do anything to get out of there. His next idea was to just leave, but Harry didn't know which was more dangerous: leaving under Pomfrey's care or Snape's care. Both would probably end up with consequences he didn't like.
"You will not leave until I am sure that you are in perfect condition, Harry Potter," she replied. Harry sighed.
"What about classes?"
"Your homework will be brought to you." Harry didn't know what other excuse to use. Everything he thought up, the mediwitch already had an answer to. He was about to complain once again when Snape walked in. Madame Pomfrey gave the man an aghast look.
"I don't know if I should leave you in charge today, Severus, since it seems that Mr. Potter hates it here as much as you do." Snape gave Harry an amused look at this, then turned back to the witch.
"You would not have to worry about that, Poppy. I will make sure that Mr. Potter will not leave," he replied, and Potter seemed to slump into his bed even more. A strange noise came from the boy, and both adults looked at him.
"What was that, Mr. Potter?" Pomfrey asked.
"Nothing, Ma'am," was his reply. Snape wasn't sure, but he was sure it was hissing that came from the boy. Parsletongue, he thought and shook his head. The boy could have said anything. "I feel fine, though," he grumbled.
"You feel fine because you haven't moved much all day. If you walk around, you would probably start to feel ill," answered Poppy, like this was the hundredth time she went over this.
"But how do you know that if you won't let me out of bed?" Snape raised an eyebrow at the boy's tactics. It was strangely Slytherin. Maybe the hat was right.
"Mr. Potter . . ."
"I mean, you could just let me out of bed to walk around a little bit. If I start feeling sick again, I'll go back to bed."
"Mr. Potter, I know very well that in the past you have covered up your injuries to get out of here sooner, which only led to back here. Not this time, young man. This time, you will stay in bed until I say so." Potter just glared at his current caretaker. Alright, then. If he chooses to act like a Slytherin, he will be treated as so, Snape made his decision.
"I don't want to be here. I'm bored," Harry said, changing his tactics. Maybe if he kept up, he'd get his way.
"Potter!" Snape reprimanded, startling both the witch and the young wizard. "You will stay where you are until you are told to do so, without complaining, or you will receive a detention when Madame Promfrey lets you out." Harry looked at the man who threatened him with a detention and slumped back into his bed. He knew Pomfrey well enough, but not Snape. What he did know about Snape, though, was that he didn't go back on his word, at least when it came to handing out detentions (well, except for that last detention . . .), so Harry gave up. Instead he ducked his head under the covers and started cursing in Parsletongue at the two adults again, angry.
He must have fallen asleep, though, because Harry was being awakened by Ron, who decided the best way to do so was to shake him.
"What!" he yelled, startled at being awakened so suddenly. Hermione glared disapprovingly at Ron, then looked at Harry.
"We brought you your homework, and Professor Snape said we could stay for awhile," she said to him.
"Snape let you stay?" Harry asked, surprised.
"Yeah," Ginny answered. "We were just as surprise as you are." Harry shrugged.
"He probably didn't want to take the chance of me complaining again. Earlier he threatened me with a detention if I tried to get out earlier than Madame Pomfrey said I should."
"Which is how long, mate?" Ron asked. "Oh, by the way, we won!"
"Yeah, I know. I don't know how long. No one will tell me anything!"
The next three days went by in a very unsettling routine for Harry. He'd wake up, eat, read whatever book Hermione decided to bring the previous day, wait for his friends to come with his homework, then they'd work and talk until Snape kicked them out. By the fourth day, Harry was starting to think of ways to sneak out of the infirmary without being caught, when Madame Pomfrey came to check up on him.
"Well, everything seems to be fine. You may leave. And please, do be careful, Harry," she said after the checkup.
"Of course, Ma'am," he answered, then got dressed and left as soon has he packed. He checked his watch and he saw he had enough time to rush to the tower and eat breakfast in the Great Hall. Unfortunately, Harry never made it to the Gryffindor tower before breakfast. Instead, he ran right into Snape because he wasn't watching where he was going.
"Finally out of the hospital wing, Potter?" sneered Snape. Harry looked at him, not knowing how to answer. It was the first sneer that the man gave him since he'd been in the hospital, and didn't know why he was getting it now.
"Yes, sir," he settled on.
"You better get going, Potter. You wouldn't want to be late for your first class," he said, a little softer, but still with the signature sarcasm.
"No, sir," he said, and headed off to his room to get his stuff. By the time he did, breakfast was over, and Harry had to rush to his class. He did end up being late, but Flitwick didn't seem to mind since he did just get out of the hospital.
"Harry, you're finally out!" Hermione said after Charms. "It's a good thing, too! Snape would have completely taken over the meeting tonight!" Harry laughed at this.
"Yeah, it's good, then. He would probably scare away most of the members."
"Do you think you are up for it, Harry? You did just get out of the hospital. . ."
"Yes, Hermione. I haven't been dead for the past few days. Just under Pomfrey's and Snape's eyes. You seriously don't know how annoying that is."
"Well, I need to get to class, Harry, so I'll see you later."
"Okay," he replied, then headed off to the common room since he had a free period.
Harry walked to the Room of Requirement, thinking about dinner. Dumbledore announced the second ball of the year, this time a Yule ball. It was to be a formal ball, like the one from his fourth year, and everyone was encouraged to find a date. Harry had groaned at this. Last time he had to find a date, it went terrible.
So, Harry walked right passed Snape, who was waiting for Harry in front of the room, thinking about who he could ask. He didn't even realize he did so until he was pulled out of his reverie by Snape grabbing his shoulders roughly. This started Harry, and his reflexes were to cringe, expecting to be hit.
Snape realized the mistake he made by startling the boy. He seemed as if he was expecting to be hit, and Snape cursed himself for this. He should have known better. He didn't know much of how his family treated him, only that he was beaten and starved, and Snape figured that how he approached the boy was somehow similar to how the Dursley's approached him.
"You passed the room," Snape said to the boy, pretending to not notice the earlier reaction. "Are you that daft?"
"Sorry, sir. I was just thinking." Snape shook his head and lead the way back to the room, and they entered together.
Harry didn't know who he could ask. Just about every girl he knew was already paired with someone. Hermione was dating Ron, Ginny was asked out by some Hufflepuff right after dinner, and the other Gryffindor girls always seemed to giggle too much for his taste. Harry was busy thinking of the girls he knew when he realized that the room was full. Snape didn't approve of starting the meetings even a minute late, so Harry rushed to the platform. Instead of the usual hush that settled over the room, most of the students started congratulating him and stating they were glad he was better. The caused him to give an exasperated look at his teacher, who was looking like he was somewhere between amused and annoyed.
"Thank you, everyone. Now, we must get started. The shields last week were good, but I Professor Snape and Professor Enyami believes sixth years need more practice on their's. Fourth and Fifth years will be working on what they learned in class today," he said, glaring at the fourth years, a few blushing, "and nothing else until Professor Snape or I say so. Seventh years will be learning a new stun spell since their classes were canceled this week. Professor Snape will be doing this while I check on the rest of you."
Harry jumped off the platform and headed over to the fourth years. Enyami, seemingly unwillingly, informed Harry that the fourth years have been attempting to practice other hexes on each other instead of the ones they were to be practicing in class, landing two in the hospital week earlier that day.
Walking through the group of fourth years, Harry's mind wandered back to the ball and to possible girls to ask. He made a major mistake fourth year, and wanted to make sure he asked someone who he could actually talk with. And he didn't want a girlfriend, so it would have to be someone he could convince that it was a "just friends" thing. Positive that none of the young students were doing something they weren't suppose to, he moved to the fifth years, more set on the idea of looking for someone to ask.
Then his eye caught the Slytherin seeker. She'd probably say no, Harry thought. And would I really want to go to the ball with a Slytherin? Something inside his head kept saying "of course, your father is a Slytherin", but he pushed it out before it could grab on to anything in his mind. Harry compared why he should ask her to why he shouldn't.
Let's see. She's Slytherin. But of course, she has to like quidditch. She is their seeker. That's one thing we'll have in common. She seems good in defense, also. We'd have a lot to talk about. Harry found out before that if you don't have anything good to talk about on a date, the date will somehow go wrong. Harry quickly made up his mind. What, do I have to lose? Well, actually, Harry could think of a lot of things he could lose, but he went over to her anyway, ignoring those thoughts. At least I'll get it over with.
Harry just watch Raven and her partner for a minute, trying to figure out what to say. He didn't want to ask her in front of the whole room, so it would have to be afterwards.
"Nice, Raven," he commented after she successfully stunned her partner. "Um . . . Would you mind staying after for a few minutes?" Harry asked. Raven narrowed her eyes, like she didn't trust him.
"Sure," she answered slowly. Harry just nodded and walked away quickly before a blush could reach his cheeks. The rest of the hour went by pretty quickly. He joined Snape with the seventh years before Snape went off to supervise the rest, and they continued the rest of the time like that.
Soon, though, everyone was gone but Raven and a boy Harry knew was in his class. Great, he thought. She already has a boyfriend.
