When the next morning arrived Ronald Weasley and Seamus Finnegan could barely believe their eyes when a tired but otherwise hapy Harry and Draco made their way over to the Slytherin table with Blaise, eager to discuss their midnight adventure with Pansy all morning. Harry had decided to fill each and every one of his friends on the package from Gringotts, and they spent a lot of time wondering what could possibly need so much heavy protection.
Hermione had decided not to talk to them and between both Draco and her throwing each other hateful looks between classes, she avoided all four Slytherins the whole day and dragged Neville around with her. It was clear to Harry that unlike himself and his friends, Neville and Hermione had no interest in what lay beneath the mysterious three headed dog on the third floor corridor.
The group had established that the object was one of two theories. One being it was extremely dangerous or two; It was very valuable.
"It must be valuable," Pansy concluded during their lunch break "no one would dare break into Gringotts unless for good reason."
"She's right." said Harry "That package must have been what the theif was looking for."
"Of course!" Draco exclaimed "No wonder that vault was broken into, they thought the package was still there when you and Hagrid came and took it."
"Exactly,"
"I hope they don't come here." Blaise said fearfully "What if they're still looking for it?"
There was a silence, none of the four had ever considered this. It was a frightful thought to think that someone who clearly would go as far as to breaking into a bank to get what they want, was seeking an object that lay only a few floors up from where they slept.
"I think they'll have a job getting it, Merlin knows how you could get past a beast like that." Said Draco.
"A Cerberus," Blaise corrected.
"Whatever," He sneered. "Point is that thing is vicious."
"There must be a way to get past it or calm it down." Blaise said thoughtfully "There's always a way to tame most magical creatures."
"Why don't you just go in there with a nice juicy bone – maybe it'll give you the package in exchange." Pansy spat.
"There is no need to be sarcastic," said Blaise. "And a bone wouldn't work."
"I was joking Blaise!" Pansy sighed "Merlin If you had a brain you'd be dangerous sometimes."
"What if we for look for a book?" Came Harry suddenly "A book on magical creatures and see if we can find out more about that kind of animal?"
"Why do we want to know?" Draco challenged "For all I care that thing can stay there – I'm not going near it. All I want to know is how we can get back at Weasley for giving us the slip last night!"
"We'll think of something." Harry answered.
As if Merlin himself was listening to the children's words, the very next week their answer came along with the morning mail one cold autumn morning. As the owls flooded into the Great Hall as usual, everyone's eyes were drawn to a long, thin package carried by six large screeching owls.
Harry was just as interested as everyone else to see what was in this large parcel, and was amazed when the owls swooped down to the Slytherin table down and dropped the parcel right in front of him, knocking his fellow classmates food to the floor and across the table. They had hardly fluttered out of the way when another owl dropped a letter on top of the parcel.
"Is this...for me?" Came Harry.
"Well it isn't exactly for the bloody Barron is it?" said Draco with a smile "Open it."
Harry did just that, and ripped open the letter first. Pansy and Blaise stepped to the other side of the table, the four crowding around him and looking at the letter Harry pulled out.
DO NOT OPEN PARCEL AT THE TABLE It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everybody knowing you've got a broomstick or they'll all want one. You may practice later today on the grounds, I have arranged with Professor Dumbledore that you will be allowed to make team try outs as a first year.
Professor McGonagall
At once the four pulled back, amazed and mesmerized all at once.
"My own broomstick." Harry breathed.
"Not just any broomstick – A Nimbus Two Thousand!" Draco moaned "That's the fastest model broomstick in the world, not even a Comet Two Sixty can touch that thing."
"Jealous Draco?" Pansy and Blaise took their seats again.
"No," He said defiantly "...Maybe. I've never even held one of those things."
"You can have a go at it sometime if you like." Harry said kindly "I'm not going to be using it all the time."
Draco gawked at him happily "Really? Thanks Harry!"
"Your welcome." He answered.
"Hey tell you what," Pansy said eagerly "this will be the perfect revenge tactic to get back at Weasley for stiffing us the other night." The three boys grinned.
"Good idea Pansy," said Draco "he'll be so jealous."
"Mr Potter," Came a voice.
Harry turned and was surprised to see Professor McGonagall behind him, her usual stern look still upon her features as she regarded the four sitting at the table and pushed her rounded spectacles further up her nose.
"I just wanted to inform you about your Quidditch game that will be in a couple of weeks. Gryffindor will be going against Slytherin and Flint wants as much practice as possible from you as possible." She said.
Harry was at a loss for words. The game was only in a week or so? How could Marcus have missed this tiny detail?
"But Professor, Harry doesn't know how to play yet." Draco said "And the first Quidditch game isn't very far away."
"I am well aware of the circumstances Mr Malfoy thank you very much," She looked back to Harry "and as for the broom – consider it something of a small token of my generosity."
Harry stared up at her, clutching the package. Harry had never received gifts in his life. The only prized possessions he had ever been presented with was food and the occasional new scraps of clothing that were too small on Dudley or torn beyond repair.
"Thank you," He said heartily, then his eyes began to fill with doubt "But Professor, I still don't think Professor Snape will-"
"I can guarantee you Mr Potter that by the time of your practice, the whole matter with your Professor will be resolved by the time I'm done with him."
Blaise and Pansy exchanged brief looks. That sounded like a meaningful threat, an no one ever dared cross Minerva McGonagall – not even Severus Snape.
"I will see you in Transfiguration later today. Do not let me down Mr Potter." With a swish of her cloak she turned and strolled out the Hall, her robes billowing out behind her.
"Don't worry," Draco gave Harry a nudge with his elbow "Uncle Sev has this really big ego, if he doesn't want his house to loose again this term he'll let you on."
"Good to know I'm only getting on because the Deputy Headmistress forced him." Harry said bitterly.
"No don't worry about it," Draco said "I bet if he saw you fly he'd take you on in a heartbeat."
"He did see him fly." said Blaise "The whole school did."
"Thanks Blaise," Harry said sardonically.
"Hey I don't know why your being so modest Harry," Pansy leant forward "If I could fly like you I would be doing it everyday and creating my own flying classes just to rub it in everyone's faces."
This made Harry crack a small smile "Of course you would Pansy – your you."
"And that's why you all love me," She smirked.
Harry rolled his eyes and the others continued their breakfasts in peace, occasionally laughing and joking when Harry and Draco left the table, eager to unwrap Harry's broomstick. They were just half way down the long marble corridor when another group of boys began making their way towards them in the opposite direction. Harry and Draco almost simultaneously grimaced as the figures of Ron, Seamus and Dean made their way up the hall, blocking their way.
"Morning chaps," said Draco sweetly "sleep well?"
"Where were you snakes last night? Me and Seamus waited ages but you never came." Ron lied.
"Correction, you two never came." Draco said "And we were waiting for ages."
"Yeah so where were you guys then?" Harry joined "I was rather looking forward to the idea of duelling you."
"We got caught up." Ron sneered "We still went to the trophy room."
"Uh huh, sure you did." Draco nodded. The three Gryffindors stood silently with clenched fists and bubbling anger. Draco moved to pat Harry on the shoulder.
"Now if you'll excuse us me and my best mate here have somewhere better to be than with you dipsticks."
They moved to walk past them when Dean's hand suddenly reached out and snatched the package from Harry's hands. "What's that you got there Potter?"
"Hey give that back!" Harry reached to grab it but Dean quickly threw it to Ron who caught it in his hands and felt the long thin package with a frown. "Thats a broomstick that is." He threw it back to Harry harshly, an envious and malicious look upon his face "Don't know why Potter – first years never make it on the team with some crappy broomstick."
"Nimbus Two Thousand." Harry stated with his chin raised.
Ron blinked "What?"
"Nimbus Two thousand." Harry plainly, unable to resist being arrogant just this once "Just got it from a kind admirer of mine called Professor McGonagall who's arranging to have me put on the Slytherin team."
Draco smirked at the look on Ron's face whilst Harry looked from the broomstick straight at Ron "Actually Weasley I want to thank you." He said.
"Thank me?" Ron gawked.
"Well I mean if it hadn't been for you taking Neville's Remembrall and making me chase it out on the courtyard I never would have been noticed by Professor McGonagall and put on the team." Harry said, resisting the urge to laugh at Ron's bright red face.
"You okay there Weasley?" Draco giggled "You look a little flushed."
Before Ron could scream in reply, Professor Flitwick suddenly appeared behind the three students.
"Not arguing I hope boys?" He squeaked.
"Of course not Professor. Weasley and his friends were just congratulating Harry on his new broomstick." Draco said, itching his nose to cover his grin at Ron's enraged face.
"Yes, yes, that's right," said Professor Flitwick, smiling at Harry. "Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances, Potter. And what model is it?"
"A Nimbus Two Thousand, Sir," said Harry, fighting not to laugh at the look of horror on Ron's face. "And it's really thanks to Weasley here that I've got it," he added.
"Well I'm glad to see that the five of you are getting along well." Flitwick said cheerily.
"You could say that." Draco smiled, looking to the others challenging them to disagree.
"Sorry Professor but we have to get back to our Common Room before classes start and open my Broomstick – we'll see you guys later." Harry nodded to the other boys as they began walking past them.
Draco gave them a little wave as he moved past Weasley.
Harry and Draco ran from the corridor, making sure they were out of sight and earshot before bursting into a fit of laughter.
"I can't believe you had the guts to say that," Draco said through his laughter, holding his stomach "And it's all thanks to Weasley here." He imitated.
"Well its true," Harry chortled as they walked together, "If he hadn't stolen Neville's Remembrall I wouldn't be on the team..."
"So I suppose you think that's a reward for breaking rules?" came a resentful voice from just behind them.
Hermione Granger came storming down the corridor, looking distastefully at the package in Harry's hand.
"I thought you weren't speaking to us?" said Harry.
"Yes, don't stop now," said Draco irritably, "I was rather enjoying it."
Hermione huffed loudly and stomped away with her nose in the air.
"Bye," Draco added. "C'mon Harry lets open this." He took his arm and the pair made their way down the long marble staircases until they reached the bottom of the school and the black brick wall.
"Pureblood," Draco said eagerly. The wall rumbled and moved to the side allowing the boys to slip in and make run up to their dormitory to unwrap Harry's parcel.
"Woah," Draco sighed, as the broomstick lay across Harry's bed. Even Harry, who knew nothing about broomsticks, thought it looked magnificent. The polished shiny wood with a mahogany handle, a perfectly neat form of twigs shaped almost to look like the flame of a candle at the bottom and the words Nimbus Two Thousand engraved in gold near the top.
"I can't believe McGonagall gave me this." He said in wonder.
"So the old witch does have a soft spot after all." Draco smirked.
Harry took the broom and put it under his bed, making sure to pull the sheets over so the space underneath the bed was concealed. They left their common room and proceeded back to the Hall with Blaise and Pansy until classes started.
Harry had a lot of trouble keeping his mind on his lessons. His thoughts kept wandering back to the dormitory where his new broomstick was lying under his bed and the wonderful things he could do with it. Throughout the day Harry partly listened to his lessons and copied dozens of things into his textbook. When lunch finally arrived all Harry could thing about was his flying lesson with Marcus, and in a few hours he would be flying on his new broomstick for all the world to see.
It was at that exact time in the Great Hall, that Draco realized he had left his Potions book in his class and quickly excused himself from Harry and the others to go and get it before his next class started. He made his way out the hall and walked down the corridors to his Potions class.
Severus Snape was in a foul mood – not that this wasn't a rare occurrence in the least, but this time he was in a mood that no one dared even crossed.
His day had started normally and somewhat pleasantly, that was, until only a moment ago when McGonagall had spoken to him in the staff room about Harry Potter being on Quidditch team. Their talk had descended into an argument with neither Professors backing down. Snape couldn't have been more infuriated with McGonagall even if he tried. As Head of Slytherin House it was he who was to determine whom could be on the team. Not his old transfiguration teacher.
The matter had ended with him storming out the room and declaring that he would be finding Mr Flint after lessons and stopping Harry from training. There was no way in hell he was letting an immature brat like Potter onto the team for breaking the rules. He would rather have thrown himself to the giant squid than let Potter on his Quidditch team.
So when a small knock on his door sounded, Snape instantly snapped "What?"
The door opened and in stepped Draco in his long Slytherin robes looking slightly meek "Sorry sir,"
Snape's face immediately softened at the young boy and he put down his quill on his desk and sat forward.
"Oh Draco," He gave a small attempt at a smile "It's good to see you. How are you?"
"Fine Professor," He wandered into the room. Snape shook his head with a small chuckle.
"You don't have to address me as Professor when we're alone Draco. You should know that by now you are an exception compared to the other students."
"Because I'm your Godson?" He asked.
"Because your a Slytherin and one of the best students in your year." He replied "What can I do for you?"
"I lost my potions book," Draco stepped up to the desk "I think I left it here."
Snape pointed to the end of his desk "Its there – I kept it on the side for you."
"Thanks," He took the book from the desk and flicked some of the pages. It was still fully intact with the name Draco Lucius Malfoy written in his handwriting at the top and the occasional scribbles and doodles on the sides.
Draco looked back up to Snape. He was continuing to mark what must have been essays or papers in the most impatient manner. Hard long crosses, deep scratches over wrong answers, and somewhat violent quill movements for ticks.
"Someone's annoyed." Draco said boldly.
Snape raised his head, regarding the boy with a sigh "Am I ever not?"
Draco shook his head with a small smile and he stared at him for a moment. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Must you?" Snape said with a moan. "I am a little busy."
"Well I'm going to ask it anyway so..." Draco trailed. Snape gave a small chortle.
"You are your Father's son alright. Fine, what is the question?"
Draco leant on the desk with his arms "Do you like Harry Potter?"
Snape was a little taken aback by the question. He shuffled back into his seat looking at him for a moment before answering. "No. Not particularly."
"Why?"
"I dislike like his attitude."
Draco looked confused "Well that's not an answer."
"It is and it's the answer you've been given." He said firmly.
"It doesn't make sense then."
"And why is that?"
"Because Harry doesn't have an attitude." He answered "So whats the real reason?"
"Why must children be so infuriating?" Snape sighed.
Draco shrugged "I dunno, cause we're curious?"
"Curiosity killed the cat, Draco."
"Yeah but I'm not a cat, I'm a snake." He said proudly. Snape couldn't help but smirk slightly, admiring the boys wit and fearlessness. He was indeed a Slytherin at heart.
"I fail to understand what you see in him Draco," Snape said after a moment "From what I can gather he is an arrogant boy who has become blinded by the fame of Being The Boy Who Lived."
"Well actually that's the thing. Harry never knew about Magic, and I don't think he even knew that he was a wizard, let alone The Boy Who Lived. His family never told him anything – don't sound like the nicest bunch if you ask me." He added disdainfully.
Snape stared at him, a look of surprise over his stony features "He never knew about Magic?"
"No. Not to mention about Quidditch, can you believe that? After how good his father was." Draco exasperated "Oh well, at least he'll make up for it now that he's on the team."
Snape drew in a breath, preparing for what was likely heading for an argument with his Godson. "Harry Potter will not be joining the Slytherin Quidditch team. I will be speaking to Marcus Flint later about revoking his position as Slytherin seeker."
Just as he had expected, Draco's mouth fell open and an outrageous look came over his face "What? Why?!"
"Because he is not worthy of playing for our House and because I said so." He answered simply.
"But that's not fair! Harry's one the best flyer's in Slytherin – and he's only in first year!"
"I am sure that even the likes of you could top him Draco." said Snape "Now I know that if it was you we were talking about I would agree because you are a very dedicated and smart boy, Potter is merely a troublesome brat who McGonagall decided to reward when putting the safety of himself and others in danger."
"Harry is twice the flyer I am and twice the Wizard!" Draco argued "And he only did it because he was trying to stop Weasley picking on Neville and that Granger girl. Have you not ever been picked on before?"
There was a moment of uncomfortable silence. Yes, he had. In fact the very reminder of his years of constant bullying and humiliation was the same boy in question's pig of a father.
"He had good intentions." Draco persisted.
"That is not the point Draco," Snape growled. "He broke school rules and for that he needed to be punished, yet the stupid old goat decided to give him a broomstick and have him meet with my Prefect behind my back."
"She probably knew you'd say no." He said "Is that why you were all moody?"
Snape gave him a glare "I was not moody. I was just irked."
"Can you at least see him fly? He's really good Uncle Severus, trust me."
"I still find it hard to believe you are so willing to have him on the team in the first place. Are you not jealous Draco? I know how much you love Quidditch."
"Well yeah obviously," He stated, although it was the most obvious thing in the world "but I'm not going to say that to him. He's my friend and he doesn't really have that much confidence in himself, but this whole Quidditch thing means a lot to him – I can tell."
"As it does to you." He pointed out.
"Not as much as it does to Harry. It's like his eyes light up every time he talks about Quidditch. Like it's one of the most important things to him..."
"Humph," Snape lowered his head back to his work. "Well that is a shame."
Draco stood still. His feet not moving as he looked at the Professor with sad puppy dog eyes that he knew always worked on his mother and father for anything.
Snape briefly looked up from his papers and then back down again. Draco still stood there, his gaze not faltering from the Professor. Snape raised his eyes again when he realized Draco had not moved.
"The door is there Draco," He told him.
Draco continued to look at him, making the Potions Master feel extremely uncomfortable for the first time in years. As far as Draco was concerned he was not leaving until he would get his own way.
"I'll not say it again Draco," said Snape.
"Please Uncle Severus," Draco begged "let him on the team just this once. I'll do anything you want and I'll love you forever and ever, even when you're mean." He added, hopefully making him feel a little guilty. "At least see him play one game. He'll win us that Quidditch cup I know it, trust me."
Snape rolled his eyes, he could kill his nephew sometimes. He dropped his quill, unable to concentrate while he brought his long thin finger's up to rub his temples as if he had a massive headache, which technically he did. He heaved a great sigh and looked up to a still standing Draco who looked at him imploringly, like a dog begging for a treat.
Snape pointed a finger at him, his face hard as stone "If he messes up one game for my teammates," He said slowly "shows any signs of acting up or flaunting off to the others, know that I will not hesitate to throw him off the team – one game."
"So is that a yes?" Draco beamed.
"It is a compromise," He said defiantly.
"It's a good compromise." Draco said happily.
"And as for you – I expect every homework piece in on time with good grades and marks for the rest of year, because I swear to Salazar Draco, I will be writing to your father. Do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal." He nodded eagerly.
"Fine," Snape snapped, looking to his desk like a sulky child "He may join the team." He muttered lowly.
"Thanks," Draco spun round and hopped from the steps to the desk onto the floor, hurrying his way to the class door.
"Draco?" Snape called irritably, holding out his potions textbook book.
"Oh," Draco ran back up the steps and took the book from his hand "Thanks." With that he jumped back down the steps and made his way out and down the corridors, a small skip in his step as he went.
~•0•~
When seven o'clock finally came Harry left the castle and set off towards the Quidditch field with his broom in hand. He had never been inside the Quidditch stadium before, and ir was quite a sight.
Hundreds of seats were raised in stands around the field that rose by over twent feet in the air with various flags and old banners still on them, blowing in the wind. At both ends of the field stood three golden poles with hoops, the biggest being the one in the middle while two smaller and shorter hoops stood either side of the centre pole.
Sneaking a glance around the pitch Harry checked to see if anyone was watching. There was no one, and Marcus had not arrived yet.
Unable to resist temptaion, Harry mounted his broomstick and kicked off from the ground, soaring high into the air and flying around the pitch with the speed of a cheetah and the grace of deer. The feeling was incerdible and the Nimbus Two Thousand turned wherever he wanted at the smallest of movements and touches.
Harry was suddenly snapped out of his dreamworld when a loud clapping sounded from the ground bellow. Harry turned to look down and see the tall and extremely impressed figure of Marcus Flint looking at him from the ground.
"Potter, come on down!' He yelled, under his arm Harry could see was a large wooden crate. Harry landed next to him, blushing madly.
"Not bad at all" said Marcus, with a large nod. "I see now what McGonagall meant... you really are a natural – perfect for Slytherin. I'm just going to teach you the basic's today, then you'll be joining team practice three times a week with us."
He opened the crate. Inside were four different-sized balls.
"So," said Marcus. "Now, Quidditch is easy enough to understand, you should be able to grasp it after a while – it's one of the bloody most stupid sports out there but easy enough to learn. There are seven players on each side. Three of them are called Chasers."
He bent down and took out a bright red ball about the size of a soccer ball. He threw it to Harry who caught it in both hands, feeling the heaviness.
"This ball's called the Quaffle," Marcus. "The Chasers, which is me, Adrian and Terrence throw the Quaffle to each other and try and get it through one of the hoops to score a goal. Do you follow me so far?"
"The Chasers throw the Quaffle and put it through the hoops to score," Harry recited. "So – that's sort of like basketball on broomsticks with six hoops, isn't it?"
"Basketball?" said Marcus frowned.
"Uh never mind," said Harry quickly.
"Now, there's another player on each side who's called the Keeper – for us we have Miles Bletchley. He has to fly around our hoops and stop the other team from scoring."
"Three Chasers, one Keeper," said Harry, who was determined to remember it all. "And they play with the Quaffle. Okay, got that. So what are they for?" He pointed at the three balls left inside the box.
"I'll show you now," said Marcus "Oh and you might want to take this." He handed Harry a small wooden bat, capable of doing some damage if it hit you hard enough.
"These two are the Bludgers."
He showed Harry two identical balls, jet black and a ittle smaller than the red Quaffle. Harry noticed with some confusion that they seemed to be straining to escape the straps holding them inside the box.
"You might wanna stand back," Marcus warned. He bent down and unstrapped one of the Bludgers. Almost immediately, the black ball shot up in the air and then headed at Harry's face.
Harry swung at it with the bat to stop it and sent it high into the air - it shot around their heads and then flew straight at Marcus, who dived on top of it and managed to pin it to the ground before wrestling it back into the box and strapping it down.
"See what I mean?" He panted, "The Bludgers rocket around, trying to knock players off their brooms. That's why you have two Beaters on each team – Miles's brother Kevin and Tracy Davis are ours – it's their job to protect our side from the Bludgers and try and knock them toward the other team. Have tou got all that?"
"Three Chasers try and score with the Quaffle; the Keeper guards the goal posts; the Beaters keep the Bludgers away from their team," Harry said.
"Good," Marcus smiled.
"Er - have the Bludgers ever killed anyone?" Harry asked, hoping he didn't sound afraid.
"Never at Hogwarts. We've had a couple of broken boned and fractured jaws. The worse was in the 1970's when one cracked a players skull – I'm pretty sure she was in Slytherin now you mention it, but that's very unlikely, you don't have to worry about it."
Harry resisted a gulp. He tried not to think about it, but the idea of a cracked open skull was horrifying.
Marcus reached into the crate once more and took out the fourth and final ball. In contrast with the Quaffle and the Bludgers, this ball was tiny and appeared very light, it was bright gold and had a pair of small silver wings.
"This is the ball you need to worry about," said Marcus, passing it to him, "The Golden Snitch,"
Harry took it in his hand, scrutinizing it curiously "I like this ball."
"Yeah well while it may look pretty it's the most important ball in Quidditch. It's dam hard to catch and difficult to see. As seeker it's your job to catch it before the other team's Seeker can. Whichever Seeker catches the Snitch wins their team an extra hundred and fifty points, so nearly every game is won by the seeker that catches it. A game of Quidditch only ends when the Snitch is caught."
Harry nodded his head, showing that he understood everything and that he was eager to start.
"Now," Marcus clapped his hands together "Is there anything you want to ask me before we start?"
Harry shook his head.
"Right, we won't practice with the Snitch just yet – I want you to get used to seeing and catching small things," He said.
He pulled a bag of golf balls from his trouser pocket and a few moments later, Harry found himself up in the air with Marcus throwing the golf balls as hard as he could in every direction for Harry to catch. Harry swooped back and forth on his broom, not missing a single one.
"That Quidditch cup'll have our name on it this year," said Marcus happily "That was brilliant."
When night was beginning to fall he and Harry decided to call it quits and together they both trudged their way back up to the castle and to the Slytherin common room.
"I'll see ya round later Potter, don't forget to practice."
"See ya Marcus," Harry watched as the Prefect made his way up to his own dormitory with the trunk still in hand and dissapeared.
Harry heaved a sigh and made his way up to his own dormitory, giving a brief nod to a Crabbe and Goyle who sat enloped in a game of what looked to be chess. Harry made his way up the stairs with his broom and entered the dormitory quietly.
Blaise and Draco were already there, Blaise dozing as usual and Draco propped up with a book in hand. Draco peeked up at him from over the book.
"So how'd it go?" He asked cheerily.
"Good – brilliant actually." said Harry.
Draco nodded and smiled, feeling extremely happy with himself for saving Harry's place from his miserable Godfather.
Harry gave him a peculiar look as he put down his broom "What you smiling to yourself about?"
"Oh..nothing." He answered smirking.