Surprise Seeker

After nearly a week in the hospital wing, James was up and ready to go. Not only had he missed all his potions classes for the week, he had the upcoming Quidditch match that was to take place on Saturday to look forward to. To top it all, the Slytherin keeper had had a bludger to the head on Thursday and apparently was in no fit state to play. James was positively exploding with happiness by the time all the news had reached his ears, so that he was no longer troubled by Naomi, and when Rose questioned him about it he simple regarded it as a minor issue and thought they should leave it at that. Rose looked absolutely gob-smacked. "I thought YOU said you wanted to find out everything, and now YOU'RE saying we should just forget it? I spent three hours researching in the library." And when he waved her away, she refused to talk to him for the rest of the morning.

Unfortunately, his high spirits only lasted till noon; as James trudged towards the Quidditch pitch with the rest of his team, he came face to face with Ralf Quiddins, the Slytherin team captain who was gloating loudly about how brilliant the team was; "Oh yes, you should have seen our new seeker," he taunted, "he could have even outrun Potter, 'though that wouldn't take much doing." James clenched his fist as the Slytherins surrounding Quiddins cackled with laughter. James turned to face the rest of the team as Quiddins began to throw more insults at the Gryffindor team. Every one of their faces was flushed with anger. "I hate those slime balls." Mia growled as a Slytherin said something along the lines of 'the only way Mia could catch the ball is if someone stuck it to her head.' Adam grunted with approval. After a second of silent communication between the six of them, they sped down towards the Quidditch pitch.

The team barged their way into the changing room and began to discuss what they had heard; oblivious of the fact Sam was trying to talk to them. Jared, Adam and Charlie were having a heated discussion about where they would stuff Quiddins' bat if they got the chance, whilst Mia and Naomi were talking about what curses they'd do if they ever cornered any member of the Slytherin team. James sat quietly, watching Sam become purple in the face. He plugged his ears, ready for the explosion and he was not disappointed. "WHAT IN THE NAME OF MERLIN'S PANTS IS GOING ON HERE?" she roared. They all fell silent. Charlie put up a shaking hand. "YES?" she snarled, glaring at him. Charlie gulped. "Well…the Slytherins said their team was the best ever and," he hesitated, "They insulted us." Sam looked ready to kill, "IS THAT ALL?" she snarled so viciously it made the hairs on the back of James' neck stand on end. "DO ANY OF YOU ACTUALLY HAVE ANY EVIDENCE THAT PROVES THEIR SUPPOSED BRILLIANCE?" James hung his head. He had been foolish to believe what Quiddins had said, he had probably been trying to provoke them. James glanced around and was shocked to see Naomi with her hand up. Sam nodded at her "I've seen their seeker play he's…uh excellent." Naomi whispered. The team was silent. "Well…we'd better get practicing then." Said Sam who was obviously taken aback by the facts she'd been presented with. James sighed and hauled his broom over his shoulder and walked out onto the pitch.

James strolled up to the Gryffindor common room, with what remained of his happiness draining out of him. Practice had gone so badly, they gave up after only an hour, ten minuets of which the team spent trying to stop Sam from crying. For only fifty minuets of practice, an awful lot of things had gone wrong; He'd crashed his broom, been winded by a bludger, lost the snitch three times, flown into the goal post, some how mistaken Jared's watch for the snitch and tried to yank it of his hand and…well you get the picture.

As he walked towards the portrait of the Fat Lady, he spotted Rose and Jacob hurrying towards him. He stopped and waited for them but what they had to say was something he most certainly didn't want to hear; " Fraton knows the cloak's yours, James, and he is going to burn it!" panted Rose, who reached him first. It felt as if a lead weight had been dropped in his stomach. That cloak had belonged to his family for generations; if it was destroyed….

"Who told him?" James asked. "Malcolm, he went to Fraton just now, we heard him say he was going to destroy it tonight!" said Jacob anxiously.

Anger boiled up inside him. He couldn't let Fraton destroy it.

"Well then," he said "I'm going to have to get it."

Jacob looked mortified;

"Now?" he whispered

"Yes now."

"But what if you're caught?"

"So?"

"You can't go now!"

"Why not?"

"Because," Jacob looked up at James, "Fraton's keeping it in his room and he won't leave until Dinner. Besides, he isn't disposing of it 'til after he runs tonight's detention which ain't until seven." James sighed. He knew Jacob would not change his mind and he couldn't go alone. "Ok. I suppose we can go during Dinner." Jacob smiled and turned to Rose who was listening intently. She stared at him for about a second until she caught on.

"No way, you can't expect me to come!"

"Why not?"

"Cause you'll be breaking loads of rules!"

Jacob opened his mouth to argue but James shook his head; there was no point in arguing with Rose, besides, he had a hunch about what would happen. Jacob glared at her but didn't argue. James smiled "Do you want to get going? Dinner starts in twenty minuets." Jacob nodded and followed but as soon as they got out of ear shot, Jacob lowered his voice, "Why'd you stop me talking?" James smirked "You'll see."

James counted down in his head. 5….4….3…2…1….

"Wait!"

Rose came hurrying down the corridor. "I've decided I'll help…besides, if I don't, you'll end up getting caught." James grinned triumphantly. As Rose walked ahead, Jacob again lowered his voice "How?" he began, but James cut across; "You see, I understand the female mind." And he walked off chuckling as Jacob stared with his mouth hanging open.

"Do you know the plan?"

"YES, for the millionth time!"

It was two minutes to six, and after Rose's persistent complaints, they'd formed a plan, but it had left them stretched for time. Silently, they crept towards the dungeon door; the glorious smell of food drifted towards them from the great hall, James' stomach rumbled.

Jacob, who was in the lead, shoved at the door, but it was locked. He muttered a spell and no sooner did the words leave his mouth, the door swung open. They shuffled inside. Unlike the rest of the castle, the dungeon was absolutely freezing. James shivered but did not complain. The three of them huddled together for warmth and plunged deeper into the perishing passage-way.

They came across many doors and a majority of them were locked, not even Alohamora could open them. Water dripped from the ceiling, giving James the impression they were under the lake. Although there were no windows, a greenish glow illuminated the corridor. The glow gave James the creeps, so, to distract himself, he tried a door which, to his astonishment, opened with ease. Signalling to the other two to follow him he stepped inside.

It had to be Fraton's room. Pictures of people in terrible pain hung from the wall whilst shrunken heads floated hauntingly around the room. Feeling revolted, he decided to examine the rest of the room. Chains hung from the wall, grotesque body parts stood on the shelves and seemed to be highly prized as if they were trophies. James could hardly think of a more sickening room.

Shaking himself back to reality, he began to search for his cloak as Rose declared herself look out. James and Jacob searched the room, throwing books of the shelves, pulling the covers off the bed and moving the horrible body parts. Jacob began to search a second shelf of books. "James, I don't think your cloaks here." He said as he sifted through the books. James saw him pick up a book which seemed to be covered in blood and flesh. As soon as he realised what was on the book, Jacob threw it away in disgust. The book bounced of a shelf and hit a partially ugly head. The head instantly began to glow, aimed its self at James and flew towards him.

Completely stunned by this sudden attack, James had barely jumped out the way as the head rocketed to the place where he had been standing and exploded.

It was as if a chain reaction had occurred. One by one the heads fired themselves at James and Jacob. Twisting and turning they managed to avoid them. As James launched himself out the way as had number ten came at him he caught a glimpse of a silvery material poking out of a crack in the wall. He ran to it and dragged the cloak from its hiding place as Rose burst through the door. "Hurry! Fraton will be here any moment!" she cried. James tugged more urgently at the cloak and finally it slipped free.

James threw the cloak over the three of them and headed for the exit. They barely made it as a second later, Fraton appeared in the door way, his face livid. They silently slipped past him and scooted along the corridor, avoiding passing Slytherins.

Feeling immensely tiered not to mention hungry, James was most relieved to reach the boys dormitory and even more so when he was insight of his bed.

His warm comfortable bed…

James was woken the next day by being whacked over the head. He looked up to see Peter, who seemed quite angry. "It's about time!" he yelled "I thought you'd died! You better get moving, it starts in ten minutes!" For a moment, James had no idea what was going on, then it dawned on him,

Quidditch

James moved at top speed and was out of the door in seconds. He hurtled down the stairs, broom in hand and raced for the Quidditch.

With only minutes to spare, he entered the changing room where the rest of his team stood. The looked relieved that he turned up.

As soon he was dressed, Sam turned to them. "I know we played badly yesterday but we are a fantastic team." She gulped "and I'm sure we can beat them and…" but they never found out what she was going to say next as the commentator called them onto the pitch.

James walked with his team. He could tell they were all nervous, he himself could hardly stand up he was that nervous. The team stood in a line as the Slytherins walked onto the pitch.

"And on the Slytherin team which is obviously the better team…"

Anger burned in James. He looked up to see Malcolm commentating. He clenched his fists but his anger was quickly forgotten as the team names were called out,

"Quiddins, Nelver, Perkins, Smith, Trevors, Grey and Potter!"

James' jaw dropped as Albus walked onto the pitch. He was even more shocked when he noticed the fact he was wearing Seeker robes.

James mounted his broom as Madam Hopkins released the Snitch. He could see determination etched into his team's faces. She blew her whistle and James bolted into the air. What he needed was a quick catch so the Slytherins didn't have chance to get a lead. He swooped around the goalpost, searching for a glint of gold. Gryffindor were in the lead from the looks of it. He watched gleefully as Malcolm found fewer things to abuse the Gryffindors about. Unfortunately, his happiness didn't last long.

Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Albus streaking towards a speeding golden ball. Panic began to set in but James did not give in, he still had a chance…

James sped towards Albus, clutching onto his broom. He reached him quickly and soon they were neck and neck, battling for the snitch.

Naomi had not been exaggerating, Albus was an excellent flyer and they were pretty evenly matched. Albus was leaning forward, trying desperately to get the snitch but he was not tall enough. James knew who was going to win. He lent as far forward as he could and grabbed the snitch in a forward roll.

Cheers erupted from the Gryffindor stand and James was soon buried under Sam, Jared, Charlie, Mia, Adam and Naomi. They all hugged him and as soon as they reached the ground, hoisted him onto their shoulders. The entire Gryffindor house had flooded onto the pitch and was cheering. As they carried him up to the castle, he notice Rose was helping a small figure in Seeker robes upto the castle.

He also noticed the person had been severely beaten.