Chapter 11
Disclaimer: I own nothing
As they enter November, the weather turns very cold. The mountains around the school become icy gray and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground is covered in frost. Hagrid can be seen from the upstairs windows defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaverskin boots.
The Quidditch season has begun. On Saturday, Harriet will be watching her first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor wins, they will move up into second place in the House Championship.
Hardly anyone has seen Harriet coach because Wood decided that, as a secret weapon, Harriet should be kept, well, secret. But the news that she was coaching the Gryffindor team had leaked out somehow, and Harriet doesn't know which is worse – people telling her the Gryffindors will be brilliant or people telling Neville they'd be running around underneath him holding a mattress.
It is really lucky that Harriet now has a solid friendship with Hermione. She doesn't know how she'd have gotten through all her homework without her, what with all the last-minute Quidditch practice Wood was making them do on top of the daily detentions with Snape. She also lent her Quidditch Through the Ages, which turned out to be a very interesting read.
Harriet learned that there are seven hundred ways of committing a Quidditch foul and that all of them had happened during a World Cup match in 1473; that Seekers are usually the smallest and fastest players, and that most serious Quidditch accidents seem to happen to them; that although people rarely die playing Quidditch, referees have been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara Desert.
Hermione has become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules since Harriet had saved her from the Mountain Troll, and she is much nicer for it. The day before Gryffindor's first Quidditch match the three of them are out in the freezing courtyard during break, and she has conjured them up a bright blue fire that can be carried around in a jam jar. They are standing with their backs to it, getting warm, when Snape crosses the yard. Harriet notices at once that Snape is still limping from an injury gained around Halloween. Neville, Ron, and Hermione move closer together to block the fire from view; they are sure it isn't allowed. Unfortunately, something about their guilty faces catches Snape's eye. He limps over. He hasn't seen the fire, but he seems to be looking for a reason to tell them off anyway.
"What's that you've got there Potter?"
It is Quidditch Through the Ages. Harriet shows him.
"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," says Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."
"He's just made that rule up," Harriet mutters exasperatedly as Snape limps away. "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?"
"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," says Ron bitterly.
The Gryffindor common room is very noisy that evening. Harriet, Ron, Neville, and Hermione sit together next to a window. Hermione is checking Neville and Ron's Charms homework for them. She will never let them copy ("How will you learn?"), but by asking her to read it through, they get the right answers anyway.
Harriet feels restless. She wants Quidditch Through the Ages back, to take her mind off Neville's nerves about tomorrow. Why should she be afraid of Snape? He'd probably just request another round of shagging even though he blew five loads in her during her regular detention. Getting up, she tells Ron, Neville and Hermione she is going to ask Snape if she can have it.
"Better you than me," they say together, but Harriet has an idea that Snape wouldn't refuse if there are other teachers listening.
She makes her way down to the staffroom and knocks. There is no answer. She knocks again. Nothing.
Perhaps Snape had left the book in there? It is worth a try. She pushes the door ajar and peers inside – and a horrible scene meets her eyes.
Snape and Filch are inside, alone. Snape is holding his robes above his knees. One of his legs is bloody and mangled in a way that she should have noticed during her detentions. Filch is handing Snape bandages.
"Blasted thing," Snape is saying. "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"
Harriet tries to shut the door quietly, but –
"POTTER!"
Snape's face is twisted in fury as he drops his robes quickly to hide his leg. Harriet gulps.
"You might want to bring along something to scare the dog next time."
"I'LL TEACH YOU A LESSON YOU WON'T FORGET!"
Ignoring Filch's presence, Snape force feeds his manhood into Harriet's mouth and empties a few loads down her throat. Luckily for the greasy-haired Potions master, Filch takes the opportunity to shoot a few loads of his own up Harriet's backdoor while she rides out the rougher than normal treatment. She shadow travels back to Gryffindor tower when they are done with her.
"Did you get it?" Ron asks as Harriet joins them. "Is something the matter?"
In a low whisper, Harriet tells them what she'd seen.
"You know what this means?" she finishes breathlessly. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween! That's where he was going when you saw him – he might be after whatever it's guarding if he isn't trying to catch whoever is! And he might be the one to let that troll in, to make a diversion!"
Hermione's eyes are wide.
"No – he wouldn't," she says. "I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore is keeping safe."
"Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something," snaps Ron. "I'm with Harriet. I wouldn't put anything past Snape. But what's he after? What's that dog guarding?"
"I'm not so sure Snape is the bad guy Ron. I have some dirt on him and he knows I'm a Royal Banshee, so he won't do anything major to get on my bad side," Harriet says.
Harriet goes to bed with her head buzzing with questions. Neville is snoring loudly, but that's not the reason she couldn't sleep. Nor is Neville's penis inside her the problem. She tries to empty her mind – she needs to sleep, she has to, she has her first Quidditch match in a few hours and needs to be alert even if she isn't playing – but the expression on Snape's face when Harriet had seen his leg isn't easy to forget.
The next morning dawns very bright and cold. The Great Hall is full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match.
"You've got to eat some breakfast."
"I don't want anything."
"Just a bit of toast," wheedles Hermione.
"I'm not hungry."
Neville looks terrible. In an hour's time he'll be walking onto the field.
"Neville, you need your strength," says Seamus Finnigan. "Seekers are always the ones who get clobbered by the other team."
"Thanks, Seamus," says Neville, watching Seamus pile ketchup on his sausages.
By eleven o'clock the whole school seems to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students have binoculars. The seats might be raised high in the air, but it is still difficult to see what is going on sometimes.
Ron and Hermione join Harriet, Seamus, and Dean the West Ham fan up in the top row. As a surprise for Neville, they had painted a large banner on one of the sheets Scabbers had ruined. It says Longbottom for President, and Dean, who was good at drawing, had done a large Gryffindor lion underneath. Then Hermione had performed a tricky little charm so that the paint flashes different colors.
Madam Hooch is refereeing. She stands 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 says, once they are all gathered around her. Even up in the stands, Harriet notices that she seems to be speaking particularly to the Slytherin Captain, Marcus Flint, a fifth year. Having had sex with both Flint and a Troll at separate occasions, Harriet thought Flint doesn't just look like he has some Troll blood in him.
"Mount your brooms, please."
Neville clambers onto his Nimbus Two Thousand. Madam Hooch gives a loud blast on her silver whistle.
Fifteen brooms rise up, high, high into the air. They are off.
"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."
The Weasley twins' friend, Lee Jordan, is doing the commentary for the match, closely watched by Professor McGonagall.
"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 Quaffle, 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 the Gryffindors take the Quaffle – 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 – Quaffle taken by the Slytherins – that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goalposts, but 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 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!"
Gryffindor cheers fill the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins.
"Budge up there, move along."
"Hagrid!"
Ron and Hermione squeeze together to give Hagrid enough space to join them.
"Bin watching from me hut," Hagrid says, 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?"
"Nope," says Ron. "Neville hasn't had much to do yet."
"Kept outta trouble, though, that's somethin'," says Hagrid, raising his binoculars and peering skyward at the speck that is Neville.
Way up above them, Neville is gliding over the game, squinting about for some sign of the Snitch. This was part of Harriet and Wood's game plan.
"Keep out of the way until you catch sight of the Snitch," Wood had said. "We don't want you to be attacked before you have to be."
When Angelina had scored, Neville had done a couple loop-the-loops despite his nervousness. Now he is back to staring around for the Snitch. Once a Bludger decided to come pelting his way, more like a cannonball than anything, but Neville dodged it and one of the Weasley Twins came chasing after it.
"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan is saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds towards the – wait a moment – was that the Snitch?"
A murmur runs through the crowd as Adrian Pucey drops the Quaffle, too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear.
Neville sees it. In a great rush of excitement he dives downward after the streak of gold. Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs has seen it, too. Neck and neck they hurtle toward the Snitch – all the Chasers seem to have forgotten what they are supposed to be doing as they hang in midair to watch.
Neville is faster than Higgs - he puts on an extra spurt of speed -
WHAM! A roar of rage echoes from the Gryffindors – Marcus Flint has blocked Neville on purpose, and Neville's broom spins off course, Neville holding on for dear life.
"Foul!" scream the Gryffindors.
Madam Hooch speaks angrily to Flint and then orders a free shot at the goalposts for Gryffindor. But in all the confusion, of course, the Golden Snitch has disappeared from sight again.
Down in the stands, Dean Thomas is yelling, "Send him off, ref! Red card!"
"What are you talking about, Dean?" says Ron.
"Red card!" says Dean furiously. "In soccer you get shown the red card and you're out of the game!"
"But this isn't soccer, Dean," Ron reminds him.
Hagrid, however, is on Dean's side.
"They oughta change the rules. Flint coulda knocked Neville outta of the air."
Lee Jordan is finding it difficult not to take sides.
"So – after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating –"
"Jordan!" growls Professor McGonagall.
"I mean after that open and revolting foul –"
"Jordan, I'm 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 Spinnet, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."
It is as Neville dodges another Bludger, which goes spinning dangerously past his head, that it happens. His broom gives a sudden, frightening lurch. It happens again. It is as though the broom is trying to buck him off.
Lee is still commentating.
"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 – Slytherins score – oh no . . ."
The Slytherins are cheering. Harriet notices that Neville's broom is behaving strangely and scans the crowd for the cause.
Just as Harriet spots both Snape and, oddly enough, Quirrell staring at Neville while mumbling under their breathes, Neville falls from his broom. Before he can hit the ground, Harriet sends a shadow out from the stadium wall that swallows Neville before spitting him out a different section off wall.
As he tumbles to a stop, the crowd sees him clap his hand to his mouth ass though he is about to be sick – he hits the field a few times – coughs – something gold falls into his hand.
"I've got the Snitch!" he shouts, waving it above his head, and the game ends in complete confusion.
"This is why I didn't want him on a broom," a Witch with a familiar vulture-topped hat says.
"He'll be fine. I'm sure his father didn't hide in a safe place every time something looked risky." Harriet says as Flint can be heard howling that Neville didn't catch the snitch, he nearly swallowed it.
"You're right Lady Potter. My son and his wife were tortured into insanity because he stood for what is right despite it being dangerous. I'm Madam Augusta Longbottom." The Witch says as Lee Jordan happily shouts the results of the Quidditch match – Gryffindor won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty.
"A pleasure to meet you outside the Wizengamot Madam Longbottom. I find it odd that Neville hasn't been given a properly matched wand. Curious about his poor wand skill, I once gave him an Elder wand to test, and he got better results from the borrowed Elder wand than the wand he says was his father's." Harriet says somewhat diplomatically.
After discussing a trip to Olivander's in the near future, Harriet follows Ron, Hermione and Neville to Hagrid's for a cup of tea.
"It was Snape," Ron explains, "Hermione and I saw him. He was cursing your broomstick and wouldn't take his eyes off you."
"Rubbish," says Hagrid, who hadn't seen what had happened around him in the stands. "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"
Harriet glared at Ron and Hermione, wondering how much to tell Hagrid. Harriet decided on the truth up to a limit.
"I found out something about him," she tells Hagrid. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him. Ron and Hermione think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding, but I saw Quirrell acting the same as Snape during the game and his stutter is a little suspicious."
Hagrid drops the teapot.
"How do you know about Fluffy?" he says.
"Fluffy?"
"Yeah – he's mine – bought him off a Greek chappie I met at the pub las' year – I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the –"
"Yes?" says Harriet eagerly.
"Now, don't ask me anymore," says Hagrid gruffly. "That's top secret, that is."
"But Snape or Quirrell are trying to steal it."
"Rubbish," says Hagrid again. "They are both Hogwarts teachers, they'd do nothin' of the sort."
"So why did one or both of them just try and kill Neville?" cries Hermione.
The afternoon's events certainly seem to have changed her mind about Snape.
"I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid, I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!"
"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" says Hagrid hotly. "I don' know why Neville's broom acted like that, but Snape and Quirrell wouldn' try an' kill a student! Now, listen to me, all four 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!" says Harriet, "so there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"
Hagrid looks furious with himself.
AN: Thanks for reading and please review. expect the next update in a week and a half at the latest. Not sure when the next Alola Adventure update will be because I need to advance my play through of Pokemon Moon to catch up.
