Chapter Ten; The Qudditch Match
Gee thanks everyone for your wonderful comments! I've been trying really hard to make this story my own even though there are still some similarities between this and The Sorcerer's Stone so I'm glad you've been enjoying it so far. By the way, the name Gianna Crystal will come into play again later on in the series so remember it later on when it happens! Alright here's the next chapter and I hope you enjoy it!
"Is it dead?" Hermione questioned as Cowboy finally stopped barking and eagerly looked up at his master.
"I don't think so," Harry began before he walked over to the monster's body. "just knocked out." He said while he started removing his wand out of the creature's nostril. "Ugh,.." he began.
"That's utterly disgusting,.." Ron began before Harry started wiping his wand off. "troll boogies." He said when suddenly Professor McGonagall and Snape quickly hurried into the room. She caught sight of the troll before looking over at Harry and Ron.
"What on earth happened here!?" she exclaimed.
"Explain yourselves," Snape began. "both of you!" he snapped as Harry and Ron both started talking at once.
"Well you see, what it is_" they began before Hermione quickly interrupted them.
"It's my fault Professor McGonagall." She began as Harry and Ron exchanged glances. "I went looking for the troll. I've read about them before and I thought I could handle it. But I was wrong. If Harry and Ron and Cowboy hadn't have found me, I'd probably be dead." She told her while Harry and Ron suddenly couldn't believe their ears.
Not only was Hermione covering for them, but she was telling a downright lie to a teacher. McGonagall gave out a loud and astonished gasp. "Miss Granger!" she snapped. "I am highly disappointed in you! Not only was that a foolish thing for you to do, but you went against the Headmaster's orders!" she exclaimed. "Ten points from Gryffindor for your behavior and poor lack of judgement!" she scolded before turning to look over at Harry and Ron.
Harry bent down and hoisted Cowboy back inside his arms. "As for you two gentlemen, I don't think you realize how lucky you are. After all, not many first year wizards are able to take on a full sized mountain troll and live to tell the tale. Twenty points are award to each of you for sheer dumb luck." She told them before she left the room.
"I'm sorry Father." Harry began.
"You aren't mad at us are you?" Ron asked him.
"Well yes actually, I'm furious with all three of you. However, I'm also relieved to see that you're all alright. And Harry, I promise that I won't mention this to your mother if you go straight to bed this instant." He told him.
"But what about Cowboy? I haven't let him out yet." Harry said.
"Don't worry about that I'll take care of him. Leave him here with me. I don't want to risk you getting in danger again." His father replied as Harry slowly handed his dog over to him. "Oh and one more thing, remember to stay away from the third corridor on the right hand side on the third floor." He told them as Harry nodded before all three of them walked out of the room.
Snape glanced down at Cowboy who turned to look up at him. "Don't look at me so innocently, you're just as at fault as they are." He began. "But thank you for watching over my son for me." He told him as Cowboy started wagging his tail and nuzzling against his cheek before starting to lick it. Snape smiled slightly before scratching him behind the ears and carrying him away.
….
After the troll incident, Harry, Ron, and Hermione became inseparable friends. After all, it wasn't really possible not to be after experiencing something like that together. When Harry woke up that morning he barely could contain himself. For not only was today his first Qudditch match, but that also meant that he would be seeing his mother, brother, and sister again. Sure enough after breakfast they met him down at the pitch.
Lily smiled at her son and bent down while Harry simply just grinned at her as he flung his arms open and ran into them. Lily wrapped her arms around him tightly and embraced him before slowly letting go of him. "There you are, I missed you so much." She told him.
"I know, I missed you too." He told her before turning around to face his friends. "Mum, you remember Hermione Granger don't you?" he questioned her.
"Sure, how could I possibly forget Hermione? It sure is nice to see you again." She replied.
"It's nice to see you too Mrs. Snape." Hermione said as Harry introduced her to his brother and sister while his father started walking over to them carrying his broomstick inside his right hand.
"Here, I do believe that you're forgetting something very important." He told him before giving him his new Nimbus 2,000.
"Awe man! It's so unfair!" Tobey cried. "When do I get a broom!?" he exclaimed.
"When you're at least eleven years old." His mother told him. "Right, you better get changed then Harry, and good luck out there." She said as Harry beamed proudly at her before turning to run away while she turned her attention back to her other two children. "Before we find our seats, does anyone have to use the bathroom first?" she questioned as Tobey and Eve both shook their heads. "Are you sure?" she questioned them again and when they told her that they were they walked over to the bleachers.
Snape began to smile at them as he watched them before turning his attention back down to Ron and Hermione. "Look, I can't believe I'm saying this but considering the fact that you are my son's best friends, you're welcome to sit with us if you'd like." He told them.
"Really? Thanks Professor!" Hermione exclaimed excitedly. "Tobey and Eve are so cute!" she cried before she turned around and ran after them.
…..
"Welcome to Qudditch! I am your commentator Lee Jordan!" he shouted later on as the crowd roared with screams and cheers. "Today's match is Slytherin verses Gryffindor!" he cried as the Gryffindors and Slytherins continued to scream excitedly. Meanwhile Harry had finished changing into his scarlet robes and paced the changing room nervously when all of a sudden his father appeared.
Harry suddenly glanced up at him unexpectedly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He began while Harry put on his dragonhide leather gloves. "I just wanted to wish you good luck." He explained.
"Oh, gee, thanks." Harry said not really sure about what else to say.
"And I also wanted to let you know that no matter what happens out there today I'll be proud of you. Even though I decided to sit with Malfoy and his family instead." He said before he turned around and walked away. That's when Harry had understood that his suspicions about his father had indeed been correct. He was disappointed him for being in Gryffindor instead of his own house Slytherin. Harry took a deep breath and sighed heavily. He would have thought that he would have at least been happy for him that he was in his mother's house.
Harry grabbed ahold of his broomstick and mounted it before rushing onto the playing field with the rest of the Gryffindors. Ron and Hermione stood up and cheered the loudest for him with the rest of his family while the Slytherins flew onto the field as well from the opposite side. Harry noticed that the cheering from that side was even louder as he suddenly brought his broomstick to an abrupt stop.
"I sure wish Severus would have decided to sit with us." Lily said before the noise died down and Madam Hooch stepped out onto the field carrying the wooden box with all the different balls inside of it. First she released the Bludgers and then Harry watched intensely as she released the Snitch.
"This is your commentator Lee Jordan again, Madam Hooch has just stepped out onto the field to begin the game. The Bludgers have already been released which are heavy balls that can knock you off your broomsticks, and so has the Snitch. Just a reminder, the Snitch is worth a hundred and fifty points, and whoever catches it first wins the game." He said.
"Now I want a nice clean game from all of you." Madam Hooch warned while the captains shook hands.
"The Quaffle is released, and the game begins!" Jordan cried after Madam Hooch had thrown the reddish orange ball up into the air. Harry watched the chaos that erupted as all six chasers took after it and the screaming grew louder. "Bell grabs ahold of the Quaffle but then it's stolen from Marcus Flint, Bell grabs it back from him and she shoots and she scores! Ten points to Gryffindor!" he cried as the Gryffindor supporters started to cheer.
Harry grinned as they were already in the lead. That's when he saw a glinting shimmering object out of the corner of his eye and dove down after it. "Snape sees something glittery, could that possibly be the Snitch?" Jordan questioned loudly. "Snape's got his work cut out for him, as you may already know, the Snitch is wicked fast and impossible to see." He said.
"Come on Harry." Hermione whispered.
"Mummy, I have to go potty!" Eve cried.
"Me too!" Tobey echoed as Lily suddenly rolled her eyes at them.
"I thought you said that didn't!?" she exclaimed before she took a deep breath and sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, I have to go. Keep a close eye on the game for me please." She told Ron and Hermione before lifting both of her children up inside her arms and carrying them away. As soon as she had made it down the steps and halfway into the yard, Harry suddenly felt a gigantic jolt.
Slytherin scored ten points while his broomstick continued trying to buck him off of it. The crowd gasped as Hagrid looked up and pointed at him. "There's something wrong with Harry's broom!" he cried with a horrified gasp of disbelief while Slytherin scored another ten points. Hermione quickly dug out her binoculars while Ron worriedly watched his friend fall off his broom and hold onto it with a single hand.
Her eyes quickly darted over to Snape as she kept the binoculars close to her face. Snape, Harry's own father had been staring up at him unblinkingly and mouthing an incantation. Hermione quickly dropped her binoculars in complete horror.
"What is it, what did you see?" Ron asked her anxiously. (Gryffindor was up another ten points which meant that the game was tied so far.
"I can't believe it! Harry's father was jinxing his broom!" she exclaimed with a gasp of astonishment and bewilderment.
"Jinxing the broom!? Of his own son!?" Ron cried with just as much astonishment as she had. "Well what are we going to do!?"
"Leave it to me!" Hermione whispered before she quickly ran down the steps.
"Hurry up Hermione!" Ron squeaked shakily as Hermione went behind the stands of the Slytherins and withdrew her wand.
"Incendio!" she whispered as a jet of fire shot out from the tip of her wand and lit the hem of Snape's robes on fire. Lucius Malfoy quickly pointed out what had happened to him as Hermione quietly snuck away while he began to stomp it out. Harry finally managed to swing both legs back over his broomstick before he soared away again with the crowd cheering for him.
"Boy that was an awful scare for Snape that was!" Jordan exclaimed while Hermione, Lily, Tobey, and Eve went to go rejoin the rest of the Gryffindor crowd.
"What happened?" Lily questioned but Ron and Hermione had no time for explanations. For Harry had caught sight of the Snitch again and he dove after it faster and faster until he finally grabbed it inside his hand and all of the other Gryffindors roared with excitement.
"Harry Snape has caught the Snitch! Gryffindor wins!" Lee Jordan yelled as Harry quickly landed his broomstick and looked down upon the tiny golden winged object inside the palm of his hand. A great big wide grin stretched a crossed his face before he held it up and waved it proudly.