The next day, we all were in the Great Hall at morning, eating breakfast, well, except me. I didn't feel hungry, and it was probably because of the game today. It was my first time and I was nervous. I was sitting with Hermione, and across Harry and Ron.

"Take a bit of toast, go on," Ron told me, placing his toast on my plate.

"Ron's right, Clare," Harry said.

"You're gonna need your strength today," Hermione told me.

"I'm not hungry," I said, shaking my head.

"Is it because of the game?" Harry asked.

"Maybe," I said, shrugging.

"Good luck today, Potter." We all looked to my side and up at Professor Snape, who looked down at me, "Then again, now that you've proven yourself against a troll, a little game of Quidditch should be easy work for you . . . even if it is against Slytherin." With that said, he walked away, limping.

"Why he's limping?" I whispered and Hermione shrugged.

"That explains the blood," Harry said suddenly.

"Blood?" Hermione asked.

Harry leaned forward and looked at the three of us as he whispered, "Listen, last night, I'm guessing Snape let the troll in as a diversion so he could try and get past that 3 headed dog. But, he got himself bitten, that's why he's limping."

"But why would anyone go near that dog?" Hermione asked, frowning.

"Wait, the day Harry and I were at Gringotts, Hagrid took something out of one of the vaults," I whispered, "He said it was Hogwarts' business, very secret."

"So you're saying . . ." Ron trailed off.

"That's what the dog's guarding," I said.

"That's what Snape wants," Harry added.

An owl screeched turning our attention away from our conversation. We looked up to see it was my brown feathered friend, Ava. She was carrying a very large, long parcel and drop it in front of me, which I caught.

"Bit early for mail, isn't it?" Hermione asked.

"But I-I never get mail," I said and looked at Harry.

"Let's open it," Ron said.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and I opened it to reveal a broomstick. "It's a broomstick!" Harry said.

Ron smiled, "That's not just any broomstick, Harry. It's a Nimbus 2000!"

I frowned, "But who . . ." I looked around before my eyes landed on the main table to see Professor McGonagall up at the head table, stroking Ava. She looked at me and smiled. I smiled and nodded as a 'thank you'.

... ...

I was heading to the Quidditch tower with my team. We walked in and stopped behind a closed double door. Oliver was standing beside me, "Scared, Clara?"

"A little bit," I admitted.

"That's all right," He said, "I felt the same way before my first game."

"What happened?" I asked.

"Er, I don't really remember," He answered, "I took a bludger to the head 2 minutes in. Woke up in the hospital a week later."

I nodded, "That's great," I said sarcastically, "Hope it will happen to me too." He chuckled before we looked back forward as the doors opened. We mounted our brooms and zoomed out onto the enormous pitch as everyone cheered.

The commentator, Lee Jordan spoke from a tower with the teachers, "Hello, and welcome to Hogwarts' first Quidditch game of the season! Today's game Slytherin versus Gryffindor!"

Everyone started to cheer as loud as possible as we all took our positions. I was position above everyone and looked down. "The players take their positions as Madam Hooch steps out onto the field to begin the game."

Madam Hooch looked at all of us, "Now, I want a nice clean game . . ." She looked at the Slytherin, "From all of you." She looked at the trunk and kicked it open, and the bludgers zoomed out.

"The bludgers are up followed by the Golden Snitch," Lee said, "Remember, the Snitch is worth 150 points." The Snitch flew around me and the Slytherin's Seeker. "The Seeker who catches the Snitch ends the game." Madam Hooch took out the Quaffle. "The Quaffle is released, and the game begins!"

Angelina Johnson, our Chaser, got possession of the ball and zoomed past the Slytherins and made a score.

"Angelina Johnson scores!" Lee said as everyone cheered. Well, my house did., "10 points for Gryffindor!"

"Yes," I whispered with a smile.

"Slytherin takes possession of the Quaffle. Bletchley passes to Captain Marcus Flint," Lee said.

Flint dodged everyone and threw for the Gryffindor hoops. Oliver appeared and whacked the ball away with his broom. I smiled and he smirked at Flint, who glared. Johnson and Katie Bell passed the Quaffle back and forth as they strategize to score. Johnson took it, threw, and once again score as everyone cheered.

"Yes!" I said.

"Another 10 points to Gryffindor!" Lee called.

The Slytherins decide to get messy; they dodged, kicked, and try to score, but once again, Oliver blocked. Flint grabbed one of his Beaters' bat from one and whacked a bludger right at Oliver. It hit Oliver in the stomach and he fall to the ground.

I gasped and my house was booing while the Slytherin house laughed. We got tied now and I was visibly upset. Then I looked around and the Snitch caught my eye.

I went after the Snitch before suddenly my broom started going bucking and turning, "Whoa! Whoa!" I fell and hung onto the broom with one arm. The broom suddenly stopped bucking and I pulled myself up. I looked down and saw the Slytherin Seeker chasing the Snitch so I proceeded to do the same.

I rammed into the Seeker, who then butted out. I moved back toward him and smashed him too as the Snitch dived. We both followed the Snitch but came too close to the ground. The Seeker glanced at me before he backed away. I pulled up my broom and followed the Snitch. I stood up on my broom trying to grab the Snitch which only led me to fall off the broom, and felling to the floor.

I heard the crowd gasping and sat up before making gagging movements. "Looks like she's gonna be sick!" I heard Hagrid saying. I opened my mouth and the snitch fell out, landing in my hands.

"She's got the Snitch!" Lee said, "Clara Potter receives 150 points for catching the Snitch!"

Madam Hooch blew her whistle, flying around, "Gryffindor win!" Everyone cheered except from Slytherin.

"Yes!" Hagrid cheered with my house.

I smiled as I got up and hold up the Snitch as my team flew around me, clapping.

"Go, go Gryffindor! Go, go Gryffindor!" My house cheered, "Go, go Gryffindor! Go, go Gryffindor!"

... ...

After the game, Hermione, Ron, Harry and I were walking with Hagrid on a path to his little house after Hermione told us that Professor Snape was the one that made my broom get crazy at the game and almost caused me to fell to the ground before Hermione made him stop with a fire spell on his cloak.

"Nonsense," Hagrid said, "Why would Snape put a curse on Clara's broom?"

"Who knows. Why was he trying to get past that 3 headed dog on Halloween?" Harry asked.

"Who told you 'bout Fluffy?" Hagrid asked.

"Fluffy?" Ron asked.

"That thing has a name?" Hermione asked.

"Well, of course he's got a name," Hagrid answered, "He's mine. I bought him off an Irish feller I met down at the pub last year. Then I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the -"

"Yes?" Harry asked.

"Shouldn'ta said that," Hagrid said, "Don't ask any more questions. That's top secret, that is."

"But Hagrid, whatever Fluffy's guarding, Snape's trying to steal it," I said.

"Codswallop," Hagrid said as we all stopped, "Professor Snape is a Hogwarts teacher."

"Hogwarts teacher or not, I know a curse when I see one," Hermione said, "I've read all about them. You have to keep eye contact. And Snape wasn't blinking."

Hagrid sighed, "Now, you listen to me, all four of you. You're meddlin' in things that ought not to be meddled in. It's dangerous. What that dog is guarding is strictly between Professor Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel."

I exchanged a look with my brother and friends, "Nicholas Flamel?" I asked.

Hagrid's eyes grew wide, "I shouldn't have said that. I should not have said that. I should not have said that." He continued to walk away while we stayed.

"Nicholas Flamel . . . Who's Nicholas Flamel?" Harry asked.

Hermione shook her head, "I don't know."