The Bonds That Shape Us
CHAPTER ELEVEN
TERRIBLY KEPT SECRETS
Routine returned to everyone's lives for the next three weeks. Classes, homework and Quidditch practice filled out their schedules. Evelyn and Hermione continued to excel in their classes, with them both being number one and two in their entire year. They were closely followed by Draco who was always third behind them.
The day before Harry's first Quidditch match which was against Slytherin House, the Hogwarts Four were out in the bone-chilling courtyard during break. Hermione had her jar of bluebell flames with her so that they would be somewhat warmer.
Harry suddenly jerked when something across the yard caught his attention. Professor Snape, who seemed to be limping towards them, obviously looking for a way to tell them off.
"What's that you've got there, Potter."
Evelyn looked over to Harry, as she had one of her notebooks in her lap and notebooks were most definitely not against any school rules. He had a book in his lap, Quidditch Through the Ages. Evelyn still wasn't exactly sure why Harry had taken that particular book from the library when he had been playing Quidditch for years now, but she just chalked it down as nerves.
Harry cautiously showed Professor Snape the book.
"Library books are not to be taken outside the school." Professor Snape sneered. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."
Everyone stared in shock as Professor Snape took the book and limped away.
"He just made up that rule!" Hermione muttered angrily. She then blinked in confusion before tilting her head to the side. "I wonder what's wrong with his leg."
"I hope it's really hurting him." Harry muttered, bitterly.
With her brother's nerves as high as they were already, Evelyn was forced into action. She set off through the dungeons hoping to find her Head of House, but he was nowhere to be found. After almost thirty minutes of searching, Evelyn finally pulled out her wand and cast the point me spell to locate the Potions Professor, who was surprisingly enough in the staffroom.
Professor Snape was never in the staffroom.
Evelyn then straightens her back, held her head up high, and gently but loudly knocked on the wooden door, only to receive no answer. She tried once again but nothing changed.
Making sure to keep her posture in a proper pureblood fashion, Evelyn turned the doorknob and opened the door ajar. "Professor Snape?" she asked politely. When she received no reply, she pushed open the door further and her eyes widen slightly at what she saw.
Professor Snape was not alone. Argus Filch was also with him, trying to help him bandage the bloody and mangled mess which was Professor Snape's leg.
"Blasted thing," Professor Snape growled. "How are you supposed to keep your eye on all three heads at once?"
Evelyn slowly took a step backwards, having heard enough after three heads, but unfortunately, her foot smacked into the door, which made a loud, echoing noise.
"Potter!" Professor Snape spat angrily.
Evelyn titled her head slightly as Professor Snape dropped his robes quickly to hide his leg. The blood was already seeping through his newly wrapped bandages and Evelyn had noticed that it did not, in fact, look properly and thoroughly cleaned.
"You have not cleaned the wound properly, sir. May I receive my brother's book?"
With narrowed eyes, Professor Snape grudgingly mentioned for Evelyn to take the book that was sat on the table. With a nod of thanks, Evelyn left, quickly closing the door behind her, almost sprinting back towards the courtyard.
"Did you get it?" Harry asked eagerly as soon as he spotted her.
Nodding her head, Evelyn handed her brother his library book back, before dropping down to sit next to Hermione. Hermione, of course, seemed to know something was on Evelyn's mind and demanded to know what was going on.
To which of course, Evelyn relayed her suspicions.
True to her nature, no one was surprised that Evelyn had looked into the forbidden corridor during one of her morning jogs. What they were surprised and shock about was the three-headed dog, the hellhound, that she had found guarding a trap door there.
The hellhound that Professor Snape was just talking about.
"Do you think Professor Snape was the one who had let the troll in on Hallowe'en?" Hermione asked worriedly, her hands slightly shaking as she recalled that day.
"I don't know, Hermione." Evelyn admitted. "Harry, Neville, who wasn't in the Great Hall when the troll was first discovered."
Neville and Harry exchanged looks briefly before turning to think back to Hallowe'en and the chaos the day had ended up becoming in such a small period of time.
"Professor Vector, Madam Pomfrey and of course, Professor Quirrell."
"Madam Pomfrey was in the Hospital Wing, treating a second year who had a mishap with some Mandrake during their Herbology lesson." Neville said at once.
"What about Professors Vector? Professor Vector is the Arithmancy Professor. Arithmancy studies the magical properties of numbers, including predicting the future with numbers and numerology. Professor Vector couldn't have let the troll in! It is illogical!"
Evelyn looked at Hermione, who was nervously playing with strands of her hair, still trying to deny the possibility that a professor had let in a dangerous and murderous beast. One that had almost killed Evelyn and herself.
"Harry, Neville, you said that Professor Quirrell came running into the Great Hall, frantic about the troll, yes?" the boys nodded in agreement, not quite seeing where Evelyn was going.
"It makes no sense. No sense at all. Professor Quirrell is the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. Anyone who practices in Defense knows at least the basics of defending or even killing any and all beasts and beings. It's their job." Evelyn then paused, rubbing her forehead as she tried to sort through all her theories and information, trying to connect them together.
She didn't have much time to think about this new information, however, as she soon found herself in the Gryffindor tower viewing stood between Hermione and Neville. Hermione had a pair of binoculars hanging from her neck and two Gryffindor boys – Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan – were holding a banner high in the air that said 'Potter-Black for President' in large, bold letters and there was even a large drawing of a Gryffindor lion underneath.
Evelyn grinned and cheered along with the Gryffindors as Harry shot out into the field, wearing his scarlet Quidditch uniform. He looked almost exactly like their biological father in that moment except for his green eyes and the fact that Harry was a Seeker and not a Chaser.
Stood in the middle of the field was Madam Hooch, broom in hand.
"Now, I want a nice fair game, all for you," she said, her voice booming across the field. Evelyn noticed that she was mostly speaking particularly to Slytherin's team captain, Marcus Flint, who was a sixth-year student.
"Mount your brooms, please."
Harry clambered onto his Number Two Thousand with a nervous but excited grin.
Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle, threw the Quaffle up into the air and fifteen brooms rose up high in the air and then they were off, shooting across the field.
"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor, what an excellent Chaser that girl is. She is rather attractive too –"
"Jordan!"
"Sorry, Professor."
The commentator was definitely a Gryffindor. A Slytherin wouldn't have openly said that a Gryffindor was excellent and also attractive. Well, not most Slytherins anyway. Some would say it as a joke to hurt someone else's feelings.
Evelyn then remembered the conversation her brother had had with the Weasley twins and realised that this Jordan was probably the Lee Jordan that they had been talking about when they had left the Great Hall.
"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."
Evelyn watched closely as Marcus Flint got the Quaffle and was about to score when it was blocked by Gryffindor's Keeper, Oliver Wood. The Slytherins grunts and moans were heard from all across the pitch.
"That's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and… Ouch. That must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger."
The Quaffle was once again taken by her House and Chaser Adrian Pucey was speeding towards the goal posts.
"He's blocked by a second Bludger – sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which – nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson is back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes, she's really flying, dodges a speeding Bludger, the goal posts are ahead, come on now, Angelina. Keeper Bletchley dives, misses… Gryffindor scores!"
Gryffindor cheers filled the cold window air whilst howls and moans left the mouths of Slytherins.
"Budge up there, move along."
"Hagrid!"
Neville and Hermione squeezed together to give Hagrid enough space to join them, Evelyn slightly moved out of the way, so Hagrid could slip in between the rows of seats, before returning to her position at the front of the viewing stands.
"Bin watchin' from me hut," said Hagrid, patting a large pair of binoculars around his neck, "But it isn't the same as bein' in the crowd. No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?"
"No," Neville said. "Harry hasn't had much to do yet. Think he's getting a bit bored."
Evelyn nodded in agreement. Harry was indeed extremely bored. After the game had started, he had done a few loop de loops but that was about it. A Bludger had decided to come pelting his way, more like a cannonball than anything, but thankfully Harry had dodged it and one of the Weasley twins had come chasing after it and then hit it with their bat so it went flying furiously towards Captain Flint.
"Slytherin in possession," said Lee Jordan. "Chaser Pucey ducked two Bludgers, two Weasleys and Chaser Bell, he's speeding towards the, wait a moment, was that the Snitch?"
A murmur ran through the crowd as Chaser Pucey dropped the Quaffle, too busy looking over his shoulder as a flash of gold flew past his left ear.
Everyone knew the moment Harry had spotted the Snitch. He had dived downward like a bolt of lightning. Sadly – as Evelyn had wanted her brother to get the Snitch – Slytherin's Seeker, Terence Higgs had seen it too. Neck and neck, the two Seekers hurtled towards the Snitch although everyone could see that Harry was going faster than Terence and all the Chasers had seemed to have forgotten what they were meant to do as they all just hung in mid-air to watch the two Seekers.
Evelyn's eyes widen as Captain Flint blocked Harry on purpose and his broom spun off course, with Harry holding onto his broom for dear life.
"Foul!" screamed the Gryffindors surrounding Evelyn.
They all watched as Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Captain Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goal posts for Gryffindor. In the confusion and anger, the Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight once again.
"Send him off, ref! Red card!"
"What are you talking about? What's a red card?" said Neville, confusion was written all over his face as he turned slightly to look at Dean Thomas.
"Red card!" Dean said furiously. "In football, you get shown the red card and then you're out of the game!"
"But this isn't football." Neville frowned.
Hagrid, however, was on Dean's side and Evelyn did see the appeal of a red card in Quidditch. But then again, her House was highly unlikely to win the Quidditch cup again if that ever happened.
"So, after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating…"
"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.
"I mean, after that open and revolting foul…"
"Jordan, I am warning you!"
"All right, all right! Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone. I'm sure. So, a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinner, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue to play, Gryffindor still in possession of the Quaffle."
It was then that Harry had to dodge another Bludger which had flown spinning dangerously past his head. Evelyn leant forward to grasp at the wall of the viewing stand as Harry's broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch. For a split second, it looked like he was going to fall off his broom and Harry had to grip his groom tightly with both his hands and his knees.
He couldn't control his broom; it was completely out of control. It was zigzagging through the air and every now and then it would make a violent swishing movement that almost unseats him from his broom completely.
Jordan was still commentating up in the professors viewing stand, to absorbed in commentating the match and oblivious to what was happening to Harry.
"Slytherin in possession, 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 scores, a no…"
Evelyn's House was cheering. No one even seemed to notice that Harry's broom looked like it was trying to kill him. It was carrying him slowly higher away from the game, jerking and twitching as it went.
"Dunno what Harry think he's doing," Hagrid mumbled as he stared through his binoculars. "If I didn' know better, I'd say he'd lost control of his broom, but he can't have…"
Suddenly, people were pointing up at Harry from almost all of the stands.
His broom had started to roll over and over, with him only managing to hold on. Then the whole crowd gasped and Evelyn's heartbeat quickened rapidly. Harry's broom had given a wild jerk and he had swung off it.
He was now dangling from his broom, only holding on to it with one hand.
"I knew it," Hermione gasped suddenly, "Professor Snape, look."
Evelyn grabbed the binoculars from her grasp. Professor Snape was in the middle of the stands opposite them. He had his eyes fixated on Harry and was muttering nonstop under his breath. As Evelyn moved the binoculars, she caught Professor Quirrell looking fixated on Harry as well.
"He's doing something, jinxing the broom." Hermione said, shoving her binoculars back into her bag, which was dangling off her shoulder.
"Professor Quirrell is fixated on Harry as well. One of them is doing the jinx, whilst the other is probably doing the counter of it."
Everyone around Evelyn looked at her for a moment until Hermione disappeared with her words echoing around them, "I'll deal with this."
Harry's broom was vibrating so hard in his grip that it was almost impossible for him to hold on to it any longer. The whole crowd was on their feet, watching terrified as the Weasleys flew up to try and pull Harry safely onto one of their own brooms, but it was no good.
Every time they would get near him, his broom would jump higher. They then dropped lower and circled beneath him, obviously hoping to catch him if he fell. Captain Flint had seized the Quaffle and scored five times but no one had noticed.
"Come on, Hermione." Neville and Evelyn both muttered desperately.
Suddenly, Harry was able to clamber back onto his broom and Evelyn groaned, placing her head into her hands. Watching her brother almost fall to his death was much scarier than the mountain troll had been.
Harry was suddenly speeding towards the ground when the crowd saw him clasp his hand around his mouth as though he was about to be sick and when he hit the field on all fours, Evelyn almost ran straight to him, until he gagged and coughed up something golden and winged into his hands.
"Harry Potter-Black has caught the Snitch! Gryffindor wins!"
The entire game ended in complete and utter confusion, although none of the small group of friends were there to see it as they headed off to Hagrid's hut, who was making them a cup of strong tea – Evelyn loved tea.
"It was Professor Snape," Neville muttered, "Hermione and Evelyn saw him. He was cursing your broomstick, muttering. Hermione said he didn't even blink."
"I also said that Professor Quirrell was-"
"Rubbish," Hagrid said, interrupting Evelyn. Even though he had stood directly behind them in the stands, apparently he hadn't heard a single word of the conversation between Hermione and Evelyn. "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"
Harry and Hermione exchanged looks before Harry decided to tell Hagrid what they knew.
"We found out something about him, about Snape," he told Hagrid. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him! We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding in that corridor!"
The teapot in Hagrid's hands dropped to the floor and a piece of the teapot chipped off on contact, rolling across the floor.
"How'd you know about Fluffy?" he said.
Evelyn frowned into her cup of tea, Fluffy? Apparently everyone else had the same train of thought as Harry looked up at Hagrid in disbelief.
"Fluffy?"
"Yeah, he's mine, bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year. I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the-" Hagrid stopped, realising what he was about to say.
"Yes?" Harry said eagerly.
"Now, don't ask me anymore," Hagrid said, gruffly, as he picked up the chipped piece of the teapot that was still on his wooden flooring. "That's top secret, that is."
"But Snape's trying to steal it!"
"Rubbish," Hagrid said again, causing Harry to huff and cross his arms over his chest. "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do nothing' of the sort."
"So why did he just try and kill Harry?" Hermione cried.
Evelyn sighed, placing her cup onto the wooden table in front of her. "Professor Quirrell was staring at Harry just as much as Professor Snape was, Hermione."
"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" Hagrid said hotly. "I don't know why Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student! Now, listen to me, all three of yeh, yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel-"
"Aha!" Harry yelled, jumping from his seat, "so there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved is there?"
Hagrid looked furious with himself whilst Evelyn stared down at her now cold cup of tea, miserably. She hated wasting a perfectly good cup of tea.