I still don't own anything from the books!
Keep your eyes on the snitchSorry for taking some time updating, I've had a really nasty cold. Sniff…sniff… Hope you enjoy! It's kind of fluffy, I guess…
The weather was turning wetter as they neared the Christmas holidays. Harry couldn't really say that he looked forward to his first game against Slytherin by the end of the week, if the rain and the cold wind continued.
James and Sirius had launched into what they called their mission to spread joy. They had so far pranked three of the teacher and Merlin knows how many of the student.
As such they had constant detentions and angry glares sent their way, much to their amusement.
Harry had noticed that both boys had a small notebook in their pockets, were they wrote down their detention and the reason behind and how they had gotten caught.
Lily was constantly teasing them about getting caught and they had vowed to figure out a way to prank undetected.
Harry was actually surprised that they had yet to find any secret pass ways, to sneak into.
At the moment the two troublesome boys were sitting eating their breakfast in a rush.
"Are you two going to cause more trouble today?" Lily asked loudly, making both boys turn towards her.
"We'd never!" Sirius said offended, smiling cheekily.
"You'll just get caught again, you know that don't you?" She said in a smug voice. Sirius glared at her before eating the last bit of breakfast from his plate and started pulling on James to hurry up.
"Mate I'm starving!" James complained, grumbling when Sirius grabbed a sandwich roll and stuffed it in his pocket. They were soon out of sight, making some of the students fidget in worry.
"Do you think Professor Slughorn will mind that I wrote four inches more on that essay?" Lily asked Harry who shrugged.
"How many inches did you write Harry?" She asked again, looking down towards her bag on the floor.
"I don't know a couple." Lily sighed at his offhand comment and turned to Remus instead. When Lily and Remus rose to walk to class Harry followed them slowly, thinking about the up coming Quidditch game. He did feel a little exited at the prospect of a real game, even with the weather.
SMACK! His books fell down on the floor in a heap, someone had just run into him.
"Sssorry…"Harry grumbled at his luck, he'd been glad when James had said that Peter still was sleeping.
"It's fine." Harry snapped, grabbing his books from the floor. Peter who'd helped pick up some of the notes handed them over nervously before scampering of.
"Potter!" Harry almost groaned in defeat.
"What do you want Malfoy?" He asked rudely.
"You gone from this school! But I can't have everything, can I?" Malfoy drawled, smirking at his laughing crowd of friends
"Clever…" Harry said unimpressed, even Malfoy Jr could have come up with a better insult.
Malfoy stiffened, looking offended.
"You think that you're so special, don't you Potter?" Harry raised an eyebrow, not even bothering to answer to that statement.
"I have Potions next so if you have something intelligent to say, then by all means, speak." Harry said, enjoying the look of irritation on Malfoy's face, his friends waited for a comeback.
"Good luck with potions, I've heard all about your family's lack of talent." Harry couldn't help but smile.
"Oh I don't know, what do you think Professor Slughorn?" Malfoy turned quickly looking worried. Slughorn who had come up behind him was reading through a pile of essays.
"I'm sorry my boy, what was that?" Slughorn asked, looking fondly at Harry.
"My talent in potions?" Harry asked.
"Oh, one of my best students in a long time you are! Must be from your father. Mighty good Potions Master he was, regretfully never meet him. Heard of him of course, very famous in France!" Slughorn said as a matter of fact.
"I my self have an estate there, given to me by Partridge Winterborn, you know. The famous Botanic, taught him here at Hogwarts…" Harry smirked at Malfoy's furious face as Slughorn slung an arm over his shoulder and proceeded to lead him towards the dungeon. Harry was sure that he'd be smiling the whole day thanks to Malfoy.
Lily looked stunned at Harry's entrance, when he and the Professor arrived to the classroom together.
"Thank you my boy, always nice to catch up with ones students!" Slughorn boomed before sitting down at the teacher's desk.
"So tell me, who here has finished their essay?" He asked rubbing his hands together as if expecting some fascinating reading material and not just first year essays.
Lily and a surly looking Snape were the first to hand in their essays. Harry noticed that Snape looked gleeful when seeing Harry's thin roll.
"Ah Mr Potter. Been looking forward to your essay I have! Let's see then." Harry almost jumped out of his seat to take his essay back. The man wasn't going to read his essay out loud was he?
Not that Harry hadn't worked hard on it, he'd been surprised at the subject they were working on. They had all received a stack of papers which they had to fill out.
The question had been quite hard to answer.
Why must one never mix Knotgrass and Lionfish spine in a boiling cauldron of water?
It had taken him ages to find the right books and then longer to write it all out on the paper. It had been interesting though.
He'd found out that Knotgrass was used as a sweetener in potions but turned poisonous if mixed with water, not leading to death but working just as the draught of living dead only without any cure.
"Just as I thought! A perfect O, wish I could take the credit for teaching you."
Slughorn stated looking proudly at Harry, the other student just shrugged. With the exception of Lily and Snape.
"Right then, Partner up!" Harry was surprised when Snape sat down next to him, and sent Lily a shrug. She had just been about to move over to him.
"Any particular reason for honouring me with your presence?" Harry asked nonchalantly, whilst setting up his cauldron. He was curious, Snape had made no moves to offer his friendship since the school started.
"I like this subject and you're acceptable at brewing." Snape said putting his own things in order.
Always one for compliments, Snape was. Harry thought to himself.
"Good set up boys! I'm expecting a good potion from the pair of you." Slughorn said nodding to himself.
"What would you like us to brew, sir?" Snape asked, eager to start.
"Oh just surprise me." Harry smirked at the slightly panicky look on Snapes face.
"Let do a wit-sharpening potion." Harry suggested, making Snape discreetly look through the contents list in their book whilst Harry got the required ingredients.
"Oh it's not in there!" Harry offered as he sat down. He handed the blushing Snape the scarab beetles and dug through his book bag.
"Crush them finely and then add two drops of humid water." Harry ordered feeling extremely happy with himself, he was the boss this time. Snape sent him a glare but started working nevertheless. Harry found himself explaining the potion to a note taking Snape, having read through the potion on his hunt for essay answers.
"So, where are you celebrating Christmas?" Harry started at the question and looked suspiciously at Snape. Snape, who'd been very quiet so far, looked uncomfortable as if he'd forced himself to ask the question.
"With my relatives." Harry answered, slowly lifting the cauldron of the fire to have it cool down.
"Are you going anywhere special?" Snape asked, counting how many times Harry stirred the potion.
"I don't know? James mentioned Hogsmead, but I'm not so sure." Snape darkened at the mention of James who was sitting at the back of the room giggling with Sirius and Peter.
"How about you?" Harry asked once he'd added some more chopped up ginger root.
"I'm staying here!" Snape said forcefully and Harry nodded, remembering some of the things he'd seen in Snapes memories.
"James wanted to do that too." Snape looked horrified at the prospect of celebrating at the same place as James.
"Don't worry! He's not." Harry laughed, making Snape send him a mild glare. James and Sirius had pranked Snape a couple of days earlier, soaking him in water just before his lesson had started.
"Time's up! Hands away from your cauldrons." Slughorn ordered, Snape eyed their potion worriedly.
Slughorn walked around the room sometimes nodding and sometimes shaking his head. He came last to Snape and Harry, smiling even before he looked into their cauldron.
"What do we have here then? Very good boys! Not that the two of you would have the need for this particular potion, eh!" He said before patting Harry on the shoulder and nodding at Snape.
Snape almost sagged in relief.
"What? You thought we'd fail?" Harry teased Snape in a good mood.
"Well a Potter did choose it, I would have been able to fix it if wrong, no doubt." Snape said in a proud tone.
"Sure you would!" Harry said standing up. He had charms next and Lily was already tapping her feet impatient to be on her way.
"Harry what did you brew? Remus and I tried to brew a healing paste, but the Professor said we'd added to little Murtlap." Lily said sadly.
"A simple Wit-sharpening potion. Were you trying to brew essence of Murtlap?" Harry asked, making Lily eye him in awe.
"You're so good at potions Harry! When do you have time to read up on it all?" She exclaimed making him blush. James who was walking besides them at the moment sent Harry a hurt look, looking as if he was about to cry.
"Oh, for the love of…Lily! James likes you!" Harry said, making James squeak and drop his books on the floor in chock. Lily stopped walking and blushed crimson refusing to look up from the floor.
"Harry!" James hissed angrily, whilst Sirius eyed him with big eyes.
"Yes James?" Harry asked tilting his head sideways innocently.
"Oh, that was funny Harry!" Lily said faking a laugh.
"Now we really need to be on our way or we'll be late for charms and you know how I hate being late." Lily said hurrying past them.
"Now look what you did!" James snapped looking after Lily unhappily.
"She didn't even believe you." He added as an after thought.
"She probably likes you more than me. You're much more of a bookworm than me." Harry rolled his eyes at James's statement and started walking after Lily.
"I guess you'll just have to find her a better Christmas present than mine." Harry said as they got near the classroom.
"You've got her a present already? What is it? Did you get me one" James demanded to know.
"You'll just have to wait and see." Harry said entering the charms classroom. Lily appeared to be reading her book as they sat down but a small blush still lingered on her cheeks.
Harry reached over for the book she was reading so intently and turned it the right way round.
"Don't know how you can read upside down." He whispered to her, making her giggle.
"Harry!" James cried outraged. Harry turned and eyed James curiously. Lily all the while continued to giggle silently.
"You…you…" Harry smiled at James cheekily before noticing that Flitwick was waiting for them to calm down. Harry motioned for James to be quiet and pretended to be waiting for the lesson to start.
Harry was the first one out of the room when the bell rang. He was genuinely hungry and as the charms classroom was close to the Great Hall he could smell the food already.
"Are you serious?" Harry smiled at Lily's nervous face as she caught up with him.
"You haven't noticed that he likes you?" Harry asked lifting an eyebrow. Lily blushed and bit her bottom lip.
"But he's so rowdy and he gets into all kinds of trouble." She rambled, before shutting her mouth nervously. Harry heard approaching steps and was joined at the other side by a furious James.
"That wasn't fair! You…you're playing with my emotions!" James snapped not looking at Lily.
"I thought we were brothers?" Harry stopped walking.
"Look if you don't tell her that you like her someone else will take her!" Harry said making James darken in anger.
"Who's been asking her?" He demanded, before remembering that she was there besides him.
"Eh…I mean…" James blushed and Lily smiled shyly at him.
"I…I do like you too." She said quickly before loosing her courage and running towards the Great Hall. James looked as if he'd been hit by a Hippogriff. He was gob smacked.
"Harry? Did she just…" Harry nodded and James Whopped in joy.
"She's my girlfriend now!" James was smiling like a loon.
"Really? I didn't hear you ask her to be your girlfriend." Harry said making James eye him in horror.
"But…Why would?" He turned and ran towards the Great Hall, leaving Sirius to stare after him in wonder.
"That is just disgusting. He actually likes her, she's going to hang with us and everything." Sirius said earning himself an eye roll from Remus. Sirius hit him on the arm in fake annoyance.
Remus winced in true pain making both Harry and Sirius eye him worriedly.
"You alright mate? You look a little pale." Sirius asked, worried he might of hurt the quieter boy.
"I'm fine, just got a cold." Remus said wringing his hands together.
"Er, you might want to know that I'm going home to see my aunt tonight. She's sick again and asked if I could come and see her. The Headmaster said that I could, I'll be back in two days." Remus suddenly rambled. Harry nodded not wanting Remus to feel pressured.
"She…she was si…sick last month as well wa…wasn't she?" Harry almost growled at Peter's stuttered question.
"Yes, Peter! Some people get sick more than once." Harry snapped making Peter flinch.
Sirius looked as if he was about to berate Harry for his harshness but a gloomy looking James exited the Great Hall just as they were about to enter.
"She said no." He whispered sadly, looking crushed. Harry eyed him in pity and curiosity.
"Do you mind if James and I take a walk?" Harry asked the others. They shook their heads looking worriedly at James.
"You going to sit with Lily?" Harry asked Remus who nodded.
"Come on, I know of a place." Harry led the morose James down to the kitchen.
"Where…How?" James was amazed, looking at the houself's bustling about around them.
"So, what did she say?" Harry asked once they'd been served ridiculously big portions of food.
"She said she was too young to have a boyfriend and that she wanted to wait until she was older." James said moving his food around on his plate.
"I don't get it. I mean she said that she liked me." Harry nodded, thinking hard.
"See it this way. She wants you to ask her again when you're a little older." James eyed Harry confused.
"She didn't say never did she?" James shook his head, looking hopeful.
"You're right! I just have to ask again." He started eating slowly, looking around the room.
"How did you find this place anyway?" he asked, Harry shrugged vaguely.
"I didn't know there was a kitchen down here." James commented eating some more.
"I bet there are loads of other rooms in Hogwarts that we don't know of. Secret rooms even!" James definitely looked happier than when they had entered.
"We should make a map of all the rooms!" James suddenly exclaimed excitedly, he gobbled the rest of the food down quickly.
"I have to tell Sirius." He muttered as they exited the kitchen.
"Sirius!" James practically ran towards the dark haired boy with a gleeful look on his face.
"I've had the best idée ever!" He announced before smiling at Lily.
"Are we older yet?" Lily shook her head in bemusement, and James sighed theatrically before pulling on Sirius.
"What did you say to him? He was really sad when I said we were too young to have a serious relationship." Lily said seriously.
"Nothing really." Harry smiled walking towards the Gryffindor tower.
"But you haven't had any lunch!" Lily exclaimed when they walked past the Great Hall.
"Sure I did! I had loads." Lily and Remus looked at each other confused.
"Come on! Don't you want to finish that essay on quadruple wand movements?" Harry asked making Lily hurry ahead.
After an agonising two hours of writing down the uses of quadruple wand movements, Harry felt relieved when they were approached by a grinning James and Sirius.
"Look! Look what I found!" James slammed a heavy book down on the table.
"You've discovered the uses of a book. Congratulations!" Harry said seriously making Lily giggle and James glare.
"No! It's a book on how to make magical maps." James stated proudly.
"Why do you need a book on how to make maps?" Lily asked confused, opening the cover of the thick book to reveal small spidery letters. Sirius eyed the text in horror, as if just noticing what James was asking him to read.
"You didn't tell them about the idée?" James asked in annoyance, Harry shook his head.
"I came up with the idée to make a map over all the rooms in Hogwarts." Lily still didn't look as if she understood.
"Why do you need a map over Hogwarts?" she asked, James looked at her in wonder.
"To be able to quickly get away if we're about to get caught after a prank, of course." He said as if it was the most usual usage of a map.
"And you're telling me this because?" Lily asked with a wicked glint in her eyes. James eyed her looking hurt.
"Because you're going to be my girlfriend of course. We don't have secrets from each other!" Lily blushed and couldn't hide the fact that she was smiling.
"Oh, that's why." She mumbled pulling out her Astronomy book. Sirius snorted at James smiling face.
"Well anyway, we thought we should make it special. We should charm it so that the names of everyone appear on it. So that we know who's approaching." Lily put her book down on the table.
"That kind of sounds interesting." She admitted making James smile.
"See I'm already rubbing of on her!" He laughed at Sirius surprised look.
"I wonder what charms you need to put on it." Lily then said pulling James's new found book over, making Sirius roll his eyes.
"She just wants to learn something new." He muttered, making James narrow his eyes.
"There's nothing wrong with that! I like a woman with brains!" He stated making Lily blush and the rest laugh.
In between reading the thick book for directions on how to make a map and doing their usual homework load, the week went by without them noticing.
Finally it was Friday, the day before the big game. Harry was actually feeling a little nervous, he'd just been told that Malfoy was one of the beaters in the Slytherin team. Feeling certain that he would be visiting the hospital wing before the Saturday was over he'd jokingly asked Lily to prepare a hospital bag just in case. She had of course burst into tears telling him that it was really dangerous and that he shouldn't play at all. She had then produced a Quidditch book and pointed out that the seekers were among the worst injured players in the teams.
The boys had all groaned and Sirius had told James to explain the game to his girlfriend before she poisoned Harry in order to keep him of the pitch. Lily had then turned towards him looking scandalised and told him just how much she liked Harry and that she wouldn't even dream of poisoning him.
Peter just went on about what a shame it was that Remus would miss the game. Harry was feeling murderous. The boy was either stupid or trying to tell them that he knew something about Remus.
"What is it with you and Remus? You just won't shut up about him being away, it's not as if you spend time together or anything!" Harry finally snapped after once again hearing Peter mention Remus absence.
Peter looked shaken and excused himself and left the room. Sirius sent Harry a glare and went after him.
"Eh, mate? What is it with you and Peter? You're really mean to him." James said once they were alone.
"I've told you! I don't trust him." Harry said in annoyance, he did feel a little bad after yelling at Peter but he wasn't about to tell anyone that.
They were interrupted by a knock on the door, McGonagall stood outside looking grim.
"Mr Potter I've been told that you've broken a school rule." She looked very imposing taking up the doorway.
"I didn't do anything! I swear, I've been here with Harry the whole time." James said worriedly, he'd laid of pranking as he didn't want to risk getting a detention during the game.
"Well I did look the girls' toilet, but they opened it after awhile!" He said looking at her with begging eyes.
"Please don't give me detention, please! I promise I won't do it again!" James pleaded. McGonagall looked thoughtful.
"Well as I wasn't her to berate you this time Mr Potter, I guess you'll get away with that little prank." James looked relived until he realised that she was there to talk to Harry.
"You broke a rule? When? And why didn't you bring me along?" James asked looking surprised and hurt.
"Oh, never mind that Mr Potter! Here you go, it came with the post. I just had to clear it out with the headmaster." Harry and James got big eyes as she pulled out a brand new broom and handed it to Harry.
"Do try to catch the snitch, I've been told that you are rather good." Harry smiled at her and nodded.
"It's from dad! He says that he arrested a thug the other day, oh and mum wants to know what kind of flavour she should make the Christmas pudding." James said reading the attached letter.
"Yes! We're going to the Christmas market here in Hogsmead on the 22nd. They have a real Hippogriff pulling a sleigh along." Harry eyed James confused.
"You know the animal that pulls Father Christmas along!" Harry felt a smile blossom out. So that's how he did it.
"Oh, wow! It's a Nimbus 1001! They're brand new, can I try it Harry? Please?" James was jumping up and down after finally focusing on the broom. He was still begging when Sirius and Peter entered the room, since Harry pretended to be too immersed in the letter to answer.
"Wow! Where did you get it from? What brand is it?" Sirius looked awed at the gleaming broom.
"It's a Nimbus 1001! And Harry's going to let me try it. Right Harry?" James pleaded.
Harry nodded making James whop in joy.
"Can I try it to?" Sirius asked looking excited at the prospect. Harry nodded again and James burst into a tirade on how important the broom was and how careful they had to be when flying it. Harry smirked at the thought of flying carefully tomorrow. James would no doubt cover his eyes in worry over the brooms safety.
That night Harry felt just as nervous as the first time he flew a broom, what if he didn't catch the snitch.
Morning arrived too soon in Harry's opinion, he'd had a hard time falling a sleep thinking of all the humiliating Malfoy could bring him.
"Come on Harry just a little bit of toast. You need the energy or you'll fall of the broom!" James was trying unsuccessfully to get Harry to eat something before the game whilst Lily looked as pale as Harry himself.
Malfoy who was seated on the other side of the room eating his breakfast slowly was smirking at Harry and laughing with his friends.
"Don't let him get to you Harry! You're ten times better than him!" Lily said after noticing Malfoy and his fellow Slytherins.
"Time to go Potter." Finally it was time to prepare for the game and Harry followed the team captain out of the Hall and out to the changing rooms feeling a little queasy.
"This it is guys. It's the squirts first game and Malfoy's rumoured to have chosen him as his practising target. I want all bludgers' to stay away from Harry! Got it?" The team mates all nodded and after giving Harry a comforting pat on the shoulder they entered the pitch.
"AND HERE'S THE GRYFFINDOR TEAM WITH THEIR NEW SEEKER POTTER. LOOKS A BIT SMALL, HE SHOULD! THE GRYFFINDORS ARE PUTTING THEIR HOPES ON A FIRST YEAR!" Harry glared at the girl commenting the game. He spotted James, Sirius and Lily up in the stands waving wildly at him. He gave them a small wave before positioning himself.
"Ah, how sweet, little potty thinks he actually has a chance." Malfoy taunted laughing with his fellow team mates.
One of the Gryffindor beaters raised her bat in warning, making Malfoy snort in amusement.
"Wow, you really have the girls fighting for you Potter!" He smirked. Harry just shrugged, Miranda was a really good beater and could probably knock Malfoy of his broom if she wanted to.
Finally the whistle blew and Harry dived to get away from the bludger hit straight at him. He groaned in annoyance as Malfoy gave him a wave.
Slytherin scored the first goal, making the stands erupt in cheers and groans.
"LOOKING BAD FOR THE GRYFFINDOR TEAM, LOOKS LIKE POTTER IS IN FOR A HARD FIRST GAME. THE SLYTHERINS ARE RUTHLESS TODAY!"
Harry was busy avoiding bludgers and Slytherins' at the same time as looking for the snitch. He spotted it once near the Gryffindor hoops but missed it after getting hit by the quaffle and saving a goal.
"POTTER'S WORKING AS A GOAL SAVER IN BETWEEN LOOKING FOR THE SNITCH." The Gryffindor stands erupted in cheers and laughter.
"Good catch mate! Have you spotted the snitch yet? We don't have to be in a lead so just catch it when you see it!" Steven said flying past Harry who nodded looking around trying to spot the snitch.
Suddenly the world turned a darker shade of grey as the heaven opened up and heavy rain soaked them. Harry quickly cast an Impervius on his glasses to see better thanking Hermione for teaching him the spell.
He felt a sudden gush of wind and realised that he'd nearly been hit by a stray bludger, looking around he saw Malfoy smirking at him once again.
And that's when he spotted it, a glint of gold next to Malfoy's right ear.
Harry accelerated and headed straight for Malfoy who started to fidget, when Harry didn't veer away from the collision path Malfoy was forced to roll over to avoid a crash. The snitch made a sharp turn downwards and Harry dived sharply after it getting closer and closer to the ground.
The snitch finally evened out and Harry barely managed to straighten out much to the crowds' relief. There was a collective intake of breath when Harry veered out of the way of a bludger sent by the other Slytherin beater still eager to get a hit.
The Slytherin seeker had finally made it down to Harry's level, to join the chase and they were now head to head.
Harry grunted in annoyance when the other boy tried to push him of course and he made a sharp turn upwards when the snitch suddenly decided to change direction. It was obvious to all that Harry was the better flyer as the other seeker failed to follow Harry's sharp turn.
After avoiding a near collision with the Gryffindor beater, Harry finally stretched out a hand and slowly his fingers inched closer to the madly fluttering snitch.
The stands erupted in deafening cheers as Harry's hand closed around the snitch.
Harry turned with a triumphant smile only to double over in pain as a bludger connected with his stomach.
Perfect timing was all Harry thought before letting the world turn black. He could bet all the money in the world that the bludger had been in contact with Malfoy's bat the last before hitting him.