A/N: I'm going to make this clear. I don't own the Harry Potter series or it's characters. That right goes to JK Rowling
Harry's First Quidditch Match
As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy gray and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost. Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs windows defrosting the broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundle up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaverskin boots.
With the weather change, Harry found himself even more grateful for his prescription magical goggles during Quidditch practice, which a good thing because the Quidditch season had begun and Harry had his first match this Saturday against Slytherin House. If Gryffindor won, they would move up in second place in the House Championship.
Wood had tried to keep Harry a secret weapon, but since every house captain wanted Harry on their team before Harry was sorted into Gryffindor House. Soon word got out that Harry was playing Seeker, and everyone was either looking forward to seeing Harry play, or in the case of Malfoy and his goons seeing Harry fall off his broom.
If it wasn't for Hermione making a study schedule for Harry so he won't get too caught up in last minute Quidditch practices, Harry's grades might have started slipping. In fact, with Hermione's help, Harry was able to move up to second best in both Transfiguration and Charms class in Gryffindor House (after Hermione of course). Hermione even scheduled to study and do homework during Harry's visits with his dad on weekends. In fact, James had allowed Hermione Ron and Neville visit along with Harry so the have a private place to work on their homeworks.
James was actually glad Harry befriended Hermione. Like Neville and Ron, James could tell Hermione was nothing like Peter.
Ever since the Troll incident, Hermione had become a bit more relaxed about breaking the rules, and she been nicer around Harry Neville and Ron. In fact, Neville often paired up with Hermione (much too Seamus' relief) during potions, which help prevented many accidents in the class and saved Gryffindor House many points from Snape finding some reason to blame Harry for it.
Harry even lend Hermione his own copy Quidditch Through the Ages, so Hermione could return her library book.
The day before Harry's first match, the four of them were out in the freezing courtyard during break. Hermione had conjured them a bright blue fire that could be carried around in a jam jar. They were standing with their backs to it, keeping warm and keeping it out of teacher's view. Which was hard when Snape almost caught them when he passed by.
That evening the Gryffindor's common room was too noisy for the four of them, so they went to James' room to study in peace. Hermione was checking on Ron's and Neville's Charm work, not letting them copy off her's or Harry's. Ever since Hermione helped Harry improved in Charms and Transfiguration, Harry had stopped needing Hermione to check on his work.
Harry had finished his homework before Ron and Neville cause of it and was reading his copy of Quidditch Through the Ages, hoping it would ease his nerves about tomorrow.
James came into the room and saw two of the four of them finishing up their homework.
"How's it going?" James asked.
"Difficult," Hermione said, "Harry seem to understand more about this stuff than Ron and Neville."
James chuckled. "Harry always seemed to have a bit of his mother's wisdom."
James headed to his room.
"What does your dad mean?" Hermione asked Harry.
"My mum was the top student of their class," Harry said. "She even beat my dad's and uncle Padfoot's scores in their best topic: Transfigurations."
"I never said that!" James hollered from his room.
…
The next morning dawned a bright and cold day. The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match.
Harry was practically enhaling every food he can get his hands on.
"Hungry much?" Dean Thomas asked.
"I need my strength if I'm going to last out there," Harry said. "Seekers are the most targeted players in Quidditch by Beaters."
"Not to mention there's no telling how the Slytherin's Seeker plans to win," Seamus said.
"Terence Higgs? I wouldn't worry about him," Harry said. "He's cunning, but his record is clean. He plays the position Seeker fairly within the rules. I'm more worried about Marcus Flint."
"The Slytherin Team Captain?" Hermione asked.
Harry nodded. "Where Higgs plays fairly, Flint makes it up with making foul moves to make sure the other team's seeker fails to catch the snitch. One time he took his Beater's club and used it to hit a bludger to knock out a Ravenclaw's Seeker right off their broom just when they were about to grab the snitch."
Most Gryffindors wined at the thought, including the Gryffindors that saw that match.
…
By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The seats might be raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes.
Ron Hermione and Neville joined Seamus and Dean at the top row, waiting to see Harry off.
In the staff section of the stands, James sat with his fellow co-workers, waiting anxiously for the game to start and praying that Harry would be okay. James knew better than anyone who never played Quidditch that the first game is the hardest for any new player. And the fact that Harry was only eleven years old would make him look like a bigger target to a tricky bunch of cunning players on the opposite team like Slytherin House.
Meanwhile, in the locker room, Harry along with the Weasley twins were changing in the males locker room into scarlet Quidditch robes and in Harry's case: strapping on his goggles. Wood, being the team captain, has his own section of the locker room to change, and the rest of the team—who were girls—were changing in the girl's lockerroom.
Harry already knew each player on the team, including the three female teammates who makes up the Chasers for the Gryffindor team.
First there was Katie Bell, a second year Gryffindor who, like Harry, started playing this year, but was one of the best choices for Chaser. She was fast and agile, and she almost never misses a hoop when throwing the Quaffle (unless it's blocked by a good Keeper). The fact that Katie was also a rookie eased Harry's nerves as it made him feel better that he wasn't the only new player on the team.
The other two girls were third year chaser. One was Angelina Johnson, who joined the team last year the same time as Fred and George, but you would think the way she helped Wood come up with game plays, she was the team captain. She was smart but at the salme time bossy, and not the type of person you want to cross.
Finally, there was Alicia Spinnet. Although this is year was her first year as a full time player for the Gryffindor Team, today wasn't her first time playing. Last year she earned the spot on the reserve team and played the final match last year when one of the Chasers was sick.
From the team practices Harry had with them, he knew everyone was good at the positions they were in, which made him slightly worried. True he wasn't the only newbie on the team and he wasn't the only playing for the first time today, but due to Harry's age, he was still the underdog who just so happens to have the most important position in the whole game—and not just because of the hundred and fifty points catching the snitch is worth (although most of the time it is important to a team's victory to catch it).
If the Seeker isn't able to catch the snitch, the game can go on for days. The longest record was three months with the team having to substitute their players with their reserves just so they can sleep.
That's why it's important for the Seeker to be small and fast. If they can't keep up with the Snitch in order to catch it, then it wouldn't matter if they could find the Snitch or not, because unless they catch it, the game will never end.
When the whole team had gathered in the locker room, Wood cleared his throat for silence.
"Okay, men," he said.
"And women," said Angelina Johnson.
"And women," Wood agreed. "This is it."
"The big one," said Fred Weasley.
"The one we've all been waiting for," said George.
"We know Oliver's speech by heart," Fred told Harry.
"Shut up, you two," said Wood. "This is the best team Gryffindor had in years. We're going to win. I know it."
He glared at them all as if to say, "Or else."
"Right. It's time. Good luck, all of you."
Harry followed Fred and George out of the locker room, carrying one of the school's Nimbus Two Thousand. Most of the other teammates were relying on their own brooms that they been playing with before Harry's dad made the donation. As useful as the donation was, Wood insisted to keep the school's new brooms on reserve incase one of their brooms become unusable. Unfortunately, Harry was an exception due to him not allowing to have his own broom.
They walked out of the locker room onto the field to loud cheers.
Madam Hooch was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the field waiting for the two teams, her broom in her hand.
"Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," she said, once they were all gathered around her. Harry noticed that she was speaking particularly to the Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint. Flint was a fifth year, who looked as if he must have some troll blood in him.
"Mount your brooms, please."
Harry clambered onto the Nimbus Two Thousand.
Madam Hooch blew a blast out of her silver whistle, and fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air.
…
James watched from his binoculars as Harry rose higher from the rest of the teams—besides Slytherin's Seeker Terrance Higgs who rose to the same height.
As James waited from the game to start, he couldn't help but be amaze by how much Harry had grown as a flier since Harry rode his first toy broom that Sirius got him for his birthday and smashed into a vase Lily got from her sister and scaring off their house cat that died sometime after Voldemort killed Lily and tried to kill Harry.
James could tell from here that Harry had the first-game-jitters, and yet Harry was handling his broom with ease—not letting the broom react to his emotions. The broom may not choose it's owner like a magical wand, but a flying broom can still sense when it's user is nervous or scared, and it affects how the broom reacts to the rider movements.
That's why Quidditch Players need calm steady minds even under the stress of the game. If they can't control their broom stick's actions in the middle of the game, it can cost the team both in points and in lives if not careful.
At that moment Madam Hooch threw the Quaffle which started the game.
…
The moment the game started, the Weasley Twin's friend Lee Jordan started doing his commentary for the match while being watch by Professor McGonagall for any biased or rude comments or comments unrelated to the game. "And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor—what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too—"
"JORDAN!"
"Sorry, Professor. And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve—back to Johnson and—no, the Slytherins have taken the Quafle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes—Flint flying like an eagle up there—he's going to sc—no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and Gryffindor take the Quaffle—that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor, two of Gryffindor's newest player, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and—ouch—that must have hurt, bit in the back of the head by a Bludger—Quaffle taken by Slytherins—that's Adrian Pucey speeding toward the goalpost, but he's blocked by a second Bludger—sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which—nice play by Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes—she's really flying—dodges a speeding Bludger—the goalposts are ahead—come on now, Angelina—Keeper Bletchley dives—misses—GRYFFINDOR SCORE!"
Gryffindors cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins. Although the staff box couldn't hear any of it because James was cheering the loudest.
…At the Gryfindor's stand…
"Budge up there, move along."
"Hagrid!"
Ron Hermione and Neville squeezed together to give Hagrid enough space to join them.
"Been watching from my hut," said Hagrid, patting a large pair of binoculars around his neck, "But it isn't the same as being in the crowd. No sign of the Snitch yet?"
"Nope," said Neville.
"Harry hadn't had much to do yet," Ron explained. "Except maybe being embarrassed by his dad's loud cheering."
"Oh, yeah. I heard James on the way here," Hagrid said. "Better for Harry to keep out of trouble, though."
Hagrid raised his binoculars and peering skyward at the speck that was Harry.
Way above them, Harry was gliding over the game, squinting for some sign of the Snitch. This was part of Oliver's plan to keep Harry safe until the snitch was found.
When Angelina had scored, Harry felt like doing some loop-the-loops to let off his feelings until he heard his dad yelling and cheering. That happens every time James takes Harry to see a Quidditch Game.
Once Harry caught sight of a gold flash, but it turned out to be just one of the Weasley Twin's watches reflecting off the son. That almost cost Harry a Bludger to the head if it wasn't for Fred beating it out of the way and at Marcus Flint.
"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the—wait a moment—was that the Snitch?"
A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle, too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that passed his left ear.
Harry saw it before Lee Jordan mentioned it as he dived downward after the streak of Gold. Terrence Higgs saw it too and was racing neck to neck with Harry for the Snitch. All the Chasers seemed to have forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in midair.
Harry was faster than Higgs as he headed toward the little round ball with silvery wing fluttering as it darted up ahead. Harry was about to gain extra speed when—WHAM!
A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors bellow as Marcus Flint had blocked Harry on purpose, sending Harry's broom spinning of course. Harry manage to keep on it as he regain control.
"FOUL!" James yelled. "Come on Hooch! Flint almost knock my son off his Broom!"
Professor Sprout had to pull James down before he did something he regret, much to Harry's embarrassment.
Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goalpost for Gryffindor. But in all the confusion, of course, the Golden Snitch had disappeared.
"You okay, Harry?" Higgs asked.
"Yeah, thanks, Higgs," Harry responded. "But next time I'll get the Snitch."
"Not before I do," Higgs said as he flew off.
Harry shook his head with a smirk. He could never understand how Flint became Quidditch Captain when Higgs would have been a fair choice.
…
Down in the stands, Dean Thomas was yelling in agreement to Professor Potter in his own soccer fan way. "Send him off, ref! Red card!"
"What are you talking about, Dean?" said Ron.
"Red card!" said Dean furiously. "In soccer you get shown the red card and you're out of the game!"
"But this isn't soccer, Dean," Ron reminded him.
"They ought to change the rules." Hagrid agreed with Dean. "Flint could of knocked Harry out of the air."
…
Lee Jordan was finding it difficult to remain neutral.
"So—after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating—"
"Jordan!" growl Professor McGonagall.
"I mean, after that open revolting foul—"
"Jordan, I'm warning you—"
"Try 'purposely knocking my son spinning out of control'!" James yelled.
"Professor!" McGonagall yelled earning laughs.
"All right, all right," Lee Jordan took McGonagall's side. "Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinnet, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue to play, Gryffindor still in possession."
…
Fortunately, at the same time James made that comment, Harry was too busy dodging yet another Bludger too pay attention to what his dad said. Unfortunately, that's when things went wrong. His broom gave a sudden lurch. Harry gripped the broom with both his hands and feet to keep himself from falling off.
Then it happened again. It was as if the broom decided to buck its rider off. Harry tried to regain control, but his broom wouldn't let him as it zigzagged through the air, violently swishing around, trying to buck unseat Harry.
Lee was still commentating.
"Slytherin in Posession—Flint with the Quaffle—passes Spinnet—passes Bell—hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose—only joking, Professor—Slytherin score—"
The Slytherins were cheering as no one seemed to notice what was going on with Harry and his broom. Hagrid did.
"Don't know what Harry thinks he's doing," Hagrid mumbled as he stared through his binoculars. "If I didn't know better, I'd say he'd lost control of his broom… but he couldn't have…"
People started noticing Harry struggling to stay on his broom as it started rolling over and giving wild jerks. It's only a miracle that Harry was staying on.
"Did something happen when Flint blocked him?" Seamus whispered .
"Can't have," Hagrid said, his voice shaking. "Can't nothing interfere with a broomstick except powerful dark magic—no kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand."
Suddenly there was a gasped from the teacher's stand as Harry's broom started steadying itself.
"What happened?" Ron asked.
Hermione took Hagrid's Binoculars and looked at the staff stand and saw what appears to be Professor Quirrel had knocked into Snape as the two started getting up. She saw James behind them trying to hide a smirk like he just done something that saved Harry.
"Harry's dad did something," Hermione said.
…
What happened was that James noticed his son's situation the same time Hagrid did, and was scared for his sons life.
James looked around and saw that both Quirrell and Snape chanting something while keeping eye contact on Harry. James figured one was jinxing the broom while the other was counter jinxing it. Not knowing who was doing what and still suspicious about what the two might have done to cause Harry's scar to hurt the first night at Hogwarts, James decided to take action.
Just as the students started realizing something was wrong with Harry's Broom—James flicked his wand, using a little hex that cause someone to loose balance on Quirrell, who was in front of Snape. With success Quirrell lost balance and fell right onto Snape, forcing the two to hit the ground. James quickly put away his wand before anyone noticed.
…
As soon as Harry regained control, he sped down toward the ground. The crowd saw him clapped his hand to his mouth as though he was about to be sick—he hit the field on all fours—and coughed up the Golden Snitch that somehow flew into his mouth when he was trying to stay on his broom into his hands.
"I've got it!" Harry shouted, waving it above his head. "I got the snitch!"
There was confusion at first, but then the whole Gryffindor House cheered loudly.
"He didn't catch it, he nearly swallowed it," Flint was howling, but it made no difference. Harry didn't break any rules, and Gryffindor won a hundred and seventy points to sixty.
…
Later Harry, Ron, Hermione, James, and Hagrid were having tea.
"James saved you!" Neville said. "He did something to stop Snape from Hexing the broom."
"What?" Harry asked.
"I didn't say it was Snape," Hermione said.
"Oh come on, Hermione. I don't see Quirrell jinxing Harry's broom," Ron said.
"James do you know something about this?" Hagrid asked.
"No, actually. I'm as surprise as you are," James lied.
"This can't be coincidence," Harry said. "Maybe whoever was jinxing my broom is the reason why my scar was hurting the during the first feast—and maybe behind the theft in Gringotts."
"Okay, stop right there," James intervene. "I don't care what you might think of either professors. But I doubt Quirrell or Snape would go after what was in vault seven hundred and thirteen."
"Why, Professor Potter?" Neville asked.
"Because it's none of your business." James said.
"That's right. The only ones who should be concern is Professor Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel!"
There was a moment of silence as James slapped his forehead.
"I shouldn't have said that," Hagrid said.