Chapter Eleven: Of Broomsticks and Quidditch:
Even with the somber news that the Chamber of secrets was opened the students refused to let this get them down. In fact Mrs. Norris had been un-petrified a week after she had been petrified and so far there had not been any more attacks. It was a bright clear day when the Gryffindors went out to the Quidditch pitch very early to practice. Wood had gone over the plans and strategies they would use for the next year. After an hour of this they finally got onto the Quidditch pitch and managed to get in some practice before they saw the Slytherin team march onto the pitch. All seven Gryffindors landed and Wood stormed up to Flint anger in his eyes to confront the Slytherin captain.
"What are you doing here?" Wood demanded of him.
"We have permission to use the Quidditch pitch." Flint said taking out a bit of parchment, "this is from professor Snape."
"But we booked the pitch weeks ago!" Wood protested.
"Yea well professor Snape's note over rides that." Draco said smugly.
"Since when did you lot get Nimbus 2000s?" Harry asked looking at the brooms the Slytherins had.
"My father bought them for the team." Draco said smugly.
"Oh well I guess that is alright," Fred said grinning.
"Seeing as how Harry's father got us our own Nimbus 2000s." George added.
"Why must you always outdo me Potter?" Draco said looking annoyed.
"Because it annoys you." Harry said grinning, "and it's fun to annoy you."
"Besides I heard that Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw got new brooms too." Harry said.
"But I booked the pitch!" Wood shouted at Flint and Fred and George looked at each other and stepped up.
"We could let them have it Wood." Fred said.
"Yes, we could practice elsewhere." George said.
They led Wood away from Flint and spoke to him for a few minutes and he actually grinned. The Slytherins watched as the Gryffindors left the pitch leaving it to them. A few minutes later seven students on brooms could be seen flying over the school, around the many towers, down over the courtyard and as near the forbidden forest as they could get. Fred and George were practicing hitting the bludger back and forth and all three chasers were trying to get the quaffle by Wood. Harry did not have much to do but fly as no-one wanted to let a snitch go outside the Quidditch pitch. The last time someone had done that muggle Britton had had a UFO alert that lasted months before the wayward snitch could be found. The professors had not been amused.
Professor Snape was having a fine day thank you very much. He had heard the Gryffindors would have the Quidditch pitch today and of course he could override a student's request for the pitch. So that is what he had done though he was sure when McGonagall found him he was in for a chewing out. He was in the courtyard when two things happened, McGonagall found him and he heard laughter overhead. Looking up he saw seven Gryffindors on brooms practicing, outside the Quidditch pitch! He went very white, a vein throbbing in his forehead. McGonagall looked up her mouth thinning to a very thin line as she watched her lions flying over the school. Before she could say a think Severus actually puffed up and did something he rarely did, he shouted, no yelled at the top of his lungs.
"WEASLEYS YOU GET YOUR TEAM DOWN HERE NOW!" Severus roared.
"Really I don't think you need to yell at them that loud!" McGonagall said.
"Um why does he always blame us for everything?" Fred asked.
"Yea it's not like we stole the pitch and had to practice over the castle."
"GET DOWN HERE NOW I WILL NOT WARN YOU AGAIN!" Severus roared.
"We are dead." Harry said looking a bit fearful.
"No he stole the pitch, we will be fine." Wood said.
He led his team to land in front of Severus and by that time a small crowd had gathered, mostly first years as they had just got back from broom practice. Ginny was grinning from ear to ear at what her brave brothers had done even though Snape looked really upset. As he was not mad at her she found the whole thing very funny as did Luna who was standing by her good friend. The seven Gryffindors landed and looked at Severus with the most innocent faces they could muster. Severus towered over most of the students and Wood faced him very calmly though deep inside he was quivering in fear.
"What is the meaning of this?" Severus said coldly.
"Your snakes sir took over the Quidditch pitch with your permission." Wood said, "we needed to practice."
"So you used the castle for practice?" McGonagall said a look of alarm coming over her face, "where is the snitch? Oh if you released it outside the pitch I will put all of you in detention!"
"No professor we just used the bludger and quaffle." Angelica replied.
"Even if the snitch had been released I would have caught it within a few seconds." Harry said.
"Ten points from each of you for showing off!" Severus snapped. "Take your equipment back to the shed now!"
"Five points each for good flying." McGonagall replied.
The students fled as they did not want to face Snape anymore as he was clearly not amused by what they had done. However Fred and George ended up as celebrities throughout the school for their suggestion for the practice. Unfortunately two students were petrified just outside the Ravenclaw common room, Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood. Luckily the Mandrake Potion was able to revive them in a few minutes and though a bit shaken they were able to go back to their common room relatively unharmed.
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Harry finished putting on his uniform and grabbed his broom, he was looking forward to this match as he headed to the field and looked up to see a sea of Red and Gold with only two hundred or so supporters for Slytherin at the south end clad all in green. Of course that did include professor Severus Snape in regal robes of emerald green trimmed in the finest sliver braid. Surrounded like he was he looked like a nobleman from long ago as he surveyed the crowd and field. Even Lucius Malfoy could not pull off the haughty nobleman look like Severus and speaking of which Harry saw him sitting right by Severus. He ignored the man and walked onto the pitch right behind Wood the twins flanking him like bodyguards. The team captains shook hands and Madam Hooch blew her whistle and the teams took off into the sky and Harry started to look for the snitch right away.
"This should be a great match today." Lee Jordan said, "nice save by Wood….Why you that was a foul you stinking…."
"Mr. Jordan!" McGonagall's voice came over the magical megaphone.
"Sorry professor, look at how well the Gryffindors are flying on their new brooms, the Nimbus…."
"Mr. Jordan you get back to the game now!"
"Sorry professor oh my look at Draco Malfoy he has seen something as has Harry they are going into a dive and oh Draco may have it….no wow that was close to the ground my they are brave to fly like that! Then again they have the best brooms out there, t….:"
"Mr. Jordan we are not selling brooms here commentate the game please!" McGonagall snapped.
"Sorry professor, oh wow I think I see the snitch!"
Harry turned sharply and saw the snitch at the same time as Draco and they went for it at the same time. Unfortunately at this time a bludger came and smacked Draco right in the face. Harry turned from the snitch and saw Draco was about to faint, forgetting the snitch he caught Draco before he could fall and helped him to the ground. A roar came up from the crowd and Lee's "such chivalry" was barely heard. Harry didn't care what anyone thought of him after that, a game was not worth someone dying over. He flew back into the sky searching for the snitch while Draco was cleaned up and declared fit to fly. He got on his broom and took to the sky with a roar of approval from the south stands.
"Fell better?" Harry asked him grinning.
"Did until I saw your ugly face Potter." Draco shot at him.
"See you later then." Harry said taking off as he saw the snitch again Draco right behind him.
"Why did you save me?" Draco said as they lost sight of the snitch once more.
"It was the right thing to do." Harry said scanning for the snitch. "Besides the game would not have been any fun without a challenge and you provide the challenge."
"So all for the challenge I provide in the game then is it?" Draco said.
"That is correct Malfoy, see you later!"
He went into a steep dive and Draco thinking he saw the snitch went after him. At the very last moment he knew Harry had not seen it and he pulled up sharp before he hit the ground. Harry was right he did want a challenge and he was going to get it. The game meantime had gotten very ugly. Flint had got a bludger to the face and was bleeding badly and both Fred and George had been battered about a bit. But that was nothing compared to Wood. He had been hit twice "accidentally" with a bludger and was bleeding and a bit dazed, however he was also very, very angry and one thing he was when he got this angry was very focused. He shook off his dazed state and continued to block the Quaffle, wiping blood out of his eyes as he did so.
"Oliver Wood is an amazing keeper." Severus said impressed at the state of Wood.
"Yes how he can see that way is a mystery to me." Lucius added, "are you sure we were this violent when were in school?"
"Far worse, you remember my tales of how the games after you left the school." Severus replied.
"Yes I am surprised any of your survived." Lucius added.
Back on the Quidditch field the violence was getting to a fever pitch. Both sides had racked up some impressive penalties and the game had to be stopped to tend to the wounded, Wood was forced to come down when Poppy threatened to drag him down via a spell and get patched up. Still there were several black eyes and cuts to deal with and the game just got worse as the score racked up on each side. Fred and George were just as destructive as any of the Slytherins and even Harry did not back down from violence and got a penalty for elbowing Flint nearly knocking him off his broom. He retaliated a few minutes later by sending a bludger straight at Wood breaking his nose. Wood roared in pain and swore violently at Flint who grinned nastily at him and went back to the game. He got a penalty but did not care it had been worth it, until Harry called him something he never would have if her mother had been there.
"I have never seen such destruction!" Lee said over the battle over his head, "such brutal force…Marcus Flint that was a stinking low down rotten thing you don't hurt Angelica!" Lee screamed as Angelica got "accidentally" hit in the shoulder with a bat.
"Mr. Jordan I am warning you!" McGonagall said.
"A yes Madam Hooch saw that." Lee said much quieter. "Take that you great cheating baboon's…"
"Mr. Jordan!!"
"Sorry professor, ah I think Harry has seen, yes he has seen the snitch!"
It was true, far below him Harry saw the tell tale sign of gold and he went into a dive, Draco saw this at the same time and he was diving for it. The boys were neck and neck and the ground and snitch were getting closer. Each reached out a hand, Harry willed his broom to go that much faster and his hand closed on the snitch and he pulled up just in time as did Draco. He held up the snitch a grin spreading across his face and SIX blurs descended on him catching him in an embrace. Laughing and whooping they landed patting Harry on the back and grinning as they did so.
"So you managed to win, pure luck that." Flint said and the team turned.
"Let me take care of this." Harry said to his team mates and he walked up his hand out. "Great game Flint, we need to do that again."
"What so you can loose?" Flint shot back.
"Well that was really close, tied until Harry caught the snitch." Wood said, still bloody and battered "it was a fun game, want to play again sometime?"
"Let's go." Flint said just as bruised and battered.
"Really Mr. Flint that last bludger to the head must have addled you, wanting to play more." Poppy said coming up. "All of you what am I to do with you?"
The fourteen teens were about to say something but they saw Snape and McGonagall walking down to the pitch. Both had realized that the violence of the game could extend to after the game and were going to stop it now. Harry grinned and looked at Severus and McGonagall and then at the Slytherins, Fred and George had already got the idea and the Slytherins did too. However so did Severus and he narrowed his eyes and drew his wand lazily twirling it between long slender fingers.
"It would be most beneficial to your health if you refrain from any activity you were planning." Severus said silkily.
"Um we wanted to show inner house cooperation sir?" Harry said innocently.
"Mr. Potter would you like me to turn all of you to toads and starting with you use your internal organs in my potions?"
"No sir not really sir." Harry said grinning he turned to McGonagall.
"Do not even think of it or Aberforth will have fourteen new goats!" She said primly.
The teens walked up to the school, after Poppy had patched up several of them and the Gryffindors went to their common room they started a party that would last into the night. Fred and George left for a bit and came back loaded down with lots of food and sweets and the teens did not even need to go down to dinner. They were having too much fun after Harry had proven in one game he was the number one seeker of the school, a title he would have to fight for this year against the other seekers on the other two teams. Yet he was looking forward to the rest of the year and of course solving the mystery of who had opened the chamber but for now Harry was having the time of his life with his fellow housemates.
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A bit of humor there yes but when the pitch was given to the Slytherins in cannon I was wondering why the Gryffindors did not take their practice elsewhere. I will give you a clue to the chamber, Ginny did not open it but it is a student. No it is not a Slytherin either and it's not Harry either.