Beta: Demos, and all he mentioned was that dialogue was weird and that there is too much exposition.

Release date: 6/8/2014

Disclaimer: I do not own anything in the Harry Potter universe.

Chapter 11 – Bright Idea


/* after an evening practice with Wood*/

Later that evening, Harry trudges into the dormitory where Neville exclaims, "Harry, where have you been?"

Sitting down on his bed, Harry groans while rubbing his back before replying, "Been doing some practice with Oliver Wood, captain of the Quidditch team. Apparently I'm seeker now."

A pause in conversation occurs in the room, before Ron blurts out, "But first years aren't allowed to play…are they?"

Smirking, Harry replies, "Normally first years aren't considered for their house's Quidditch team because they lack the skill, however, according to Professor McGonagall and Wood, I have natural talent that Professor McGonagall thinks is enough to persuade Dumbledore to allow me to play on the team."


/*the next day/Saturday*/

Sitting down to breakfast, Harry begins to tuck into his porridge when the owls begin to swoop overhead, when a tidy dark brown owl comes to rest in front of Harry, a package and letter waiting to the leg. Removing his mail, Harry opens the letter and begins to read it.

Harry,

In the package is a mirror. All you have to do is state my name or Sirius's name, and one of the two of us will answer, and you will come face to face with whoever answers. Think of it as a faster way to communicate with us.

Remus

Opening the package, Harry takes the mirror out and examines it. "Hmm, pretty nifty." Tucking the mirror into a pocket in his robe, Harry turns back to continue his porridge when a screeching sound is heard, and a mass of feathers lands in Harry's porridge, with a letter addressed to Harry attached to the leg of the owl.

"Errol?" exclaims Ron.

Harry takes the letter off of Errol's leg, and then helps the owl out of the porridge, before holding Errol out to Ron, "Here's your owl then, Ron."

"Hey, why did you take my letter?" exclaims Ron.

Harry shows the letter to Ron, and points to his name on the envelope, before opening it and reading it.

"Neville, do you think I should let Ginny keep my old Nimbus 1700?"

Pausing to finish his mouthful of pancake, Neville replies, "I don't see why not. Why?"

"Because she just sent me a letter stating that I left my old broom there and wanted to know when I wanted to get it back. I'll just send her back a letter with Hedwig, stating that she can keep it."

"Heya Harry" starts Fred

"Wood told us to tell you" continues George

"That today we're having a full team practice after lunch" states Fred

"And that includes you." finishes George.

With a wide eyed look on his face, Ron slowly turns to face Harry and asks slowly, "You're on the Quidditch team?"

Harry nods, and Ron continues, "That never happens with first years. You must be the youngest House player in a-"(*)

"A century, yes. But it doesn't matter about age, just how well I play the game." replies Harry wearily.

"Looks like a call on this mirror to Sirius or Remus needs to be made, if I'm to get my broom here in time for lunch" states Harry, pulling out his mirror, and saying Remus's name, which causes the mirror to become warm and within seconds Remus's face appears.

"Yes Harry, what is it?" queries Remus, a confused look on his face.

"Well, this may come as a shock, but I need my broom as I'm on the Quidditch team, and we're having a full team practice after lunch today. Is that possible?" queries Harry.

Conflicting emotions fly across Remus's face, before he smiles and replies, "Congratulations to you for somehow making the team. I'm busy here at the store, but I'll send Sirius over with your broom in a bit."

"Thanks." replies Harry, smiling.


/*just before lunch*/

"Where is he? Remus stated that Sirius should be here by now." comments Harry, worry laced through his voice.

"He'll show up, but he may be wanting to make you anxious by being late." replies Neville, hiding a smile.

Rolling his eyes, Harry places some mashed potatoes on his plate when the Great Hall doors open with a thunderous bang, and Hagrid walks in, with Sirius hanging upside down from one of Hagrid's hands.

"Professor McGonagall, I caugh' this scallywag outside the main gates. What shoul' I do wit him?" booms Hagrid.

"I'm here only to deliver some last minute stuff to Harry, who told Remus that he needs it before lunch ends." shouts Sirius.

Professor McGonagall stands from her position at the staff table and strides down to where Hagrid and Sirius are. "Let him down, Hagrid."

Snorting, Hagrid releases Sirius, who does a wonderful faceplant onto the floor, before jumping to his feet, and dusting himself off.

In a quiet whisper, Professor McGonagall asks Sirius, "Did you bring Mr. Potter's broom for Quidditch?"

Unable to conceal the smile that is growing from ear to ear, Sirius replies, "Yes, and then something. Let's take a walk, and Harry will need to hear this as well."

Eyes flashing dangerously, Professor McGonagall says shortly, "Mr. Potter, your presence is requested."

Harry stands up from the table, and follows Sirius and Professor McGonagall out of the Great Hall and into a nearby empty classroom.

"Now, Mr. Black, why did you want to talk with Mr. Potter and myself?" begins Professor McGonagall.

"For one thing, I brought Harry's broom for Quidditch practice, and second, I brought him the newest pieces of equipment for him to test for our business" says Sirius, pulling out the Nimbus 2000 followed by what looks like a chest plate, some elbow pads, and some knee pads "these are our test line of Quidditch gear that have built in featherweight charms, so it's lighter than normal Quidditch gear, is made of a hardened plate of metal, with cushioning charms when hit."

Seeing Professor McGonagall opening her mouth to speak, Sirius jumps in with, "Basically this is a stronger, lighter, and more protective gear that Harry, and hopefully others, will get to use in a game of Quidditch."

"Why would Quidditch players need this…level of protection, Mr. Black?"

Laughing, Sirius replies, "Minnie, err, Professor McGonagall, you know how some players are hit by bludgers and are thrown off of their brooms? This gives them a better level of protection by being able to make bludgers and anything else that hits the new gear bounce off, within reason of course, and if a player is knocked off of their broom and hits the ground, the chest plate will protect the internal organs of the player, at least to a better degree than some pieces of cloth will do."

With a contemplative look on her face, Professor McGonagall asks, "How much would it cost to get a full team out fitted?"

"Uh, we're not certain. Like I said, Remus and I have been developing this, and now it is time for Harry to test it out and see if it is worth mass producing."

"How much would it cost to get another six sets of gear for Gryffindor to use to help speed along your testing?"

"Well, normally we'd let you test out the gear for free, and then charge you if you decided you wanted to keep it/get the updated version. But as it costs money to get the metal from the non-magical world, I'd have to say probably one galleon a uniform for now, and then Remus and I can figure out costs and get back to you once our testing is done, and a more refined product is made for sale. With a cut in price for the Gryffindor team for being testers."

"As much as I'd like to wipe the smirk off of Professor Snape's face with newer gear, I have to insist that every house team be guaranteed the same quality gear for the same price, as to make the game as fair as possible."

Sirius opens his mouth to talk, with Professor McGonagall butts in, "So when could we get a full house set for testing or possibly four teams, minus one for Mr. Potter's personal set, for now, for use in games?"

Gulping, Sirius says, "Let me get a hold of Moony, and we'll see what we can do for you", before pulling out his mirror and saying Remus's name. Within seconds, Remus's face appears, and with a concerned look too.

"Sirius, what's happened? You look like you've seen a ghost?"

"Remus, I'm here, and Professor McGonagall wants to know when we could get four full sets of our Quidditch gear for the house teams" before facing the mirror towards Professor McGonagall, and then saying, "How about you two talk numbers, and I go watch the Quidditch practice?"


/*at dinner that evening*/

"Potter, what was your punishment for flying?" sneers Malfoy.

Without turning around, Harry replies, "Punishment? Nothing really. Just a stern talking to."

"I challenge you to a Wizard's duel, top of the Astronomy Tower tonight, shortly before curfew." states Draco.

Snorting, Harry turns around and says, "Sounds good. Neville's my second. Who's yours?"

Draco looks over his pseudo bodyguards and replies, "Goyle. Don't be late Potter, I hate to be kept waiting", before striding off.

"Harry, you can't be serious about dueling Malfoy." States Hermione.

Harry opens his mouth to reply when Neville jumps in, "Hermione, Harry and I have been training in hand to hand combat, some minor dueling with swords, and some combat with our wands for a few years now. My parents are Aurors and they think what Harry and I have been through is great for any potential conflict."

"But what about being caught out after curfew? You'll lose house points for us." objects Hermione.

Waving his hand dismissively, Harry resumes his meal. Arriving at the first year boy's dormitory, Harry goes to his bed and grabs his mirror when Neville enters and comments, "You know that Malfoy might not show up just to get you and I into trouble."

"I'm aware. Therefore, I show up seemingly alone, and you take my invisibility cloak and follow me quietly behind."

Murmuring Sirius's name into the mirror, Harry waits a few seconds before Sirius's face appears. "Sirius, Malfoy challenged me to a Wizard's duel."

A few seconds of silence ensue, followed by a bark of laughter from Sirius. Wiping his eyes, Sirius replies, "Go for it. Wipe the floor with him, and don't forget to take the invisibility cloak, so you aren't caught just in case a professor happens by."

"Neville is to be under the invisibility cloak tailing me to make Malfoy overconfident."

Sirius smiles and says, "Good thinking. Then have Neville take a map and watch out for professors, and then have a signal or something to let you know that someone is coming, so you can disappear and leave Malfoy behind. I recommend using 'lumos maxima' to blind Malfoy and so you and Neville can disappear under the cloak."

"Thanks."

"No problem. When is the duel?"

"Tonight, shortly before curfew at the top of the Astronomy Tower."

"Good luck. And call me via mirror when you're safely back in the tower, please."

"Will do."

A few hours later, Neville and Harry disappear under the invisibility cloak and quietly disappear out the portrait hole. Nearing the stairwell to the top of the tower, Neville nudges Harry, and Harry gets out from under the cloak, and begins his trek up the stairwell, with Neville not too far behind him.

"Potter, I was beginning to wonder if you'd chicken out." comes a drawling voice as Harry exits the stairwell.

"Afraid that I wasn't going to show up to demonstrate that you can't beat me?" replies Harry.

"Unless that mud—"

"Silencio! You won't talk about Hermione in such a crude manor, understand?"

Draco opens and closes his mouth, but to no avail. "I'll take your silence as an agreement. Seeing as Goyle seems to be frothing at the bit, I'll release the silencing charm, and then you and I can get to this duel you seem to want to have."

As Harry lifts the silencing charm, a tripping jinx comes out of nowhere, and Harry falls flat on his back, a dull metallic sound heard as he lands.

"Brought me some gold for my winnings eh, Potter? Or did you think you could bribe me to not hurt you too badly?"

Snorting, Harry replies, "You wish. Let's see if you can handle something a bit more powerful", before murmuring and sending a few stinging hexes followed by a tripping jinx.

Draco yelps in surprise, trips, and falls on his hindquarters, before standing, and gives Goyle a nod, and both Slytherins begin their assault on Harry.

Smiling, Harry moves to the side to miss one spell and erects a shield for the other, before rolling and popping up to their right. Neville meanwhile snarls as quietly as he can under the cloak, while keeping out range and checking the map.

A few minutes later Harry is still standing, looking like he has barely begun, with Goyle and Malfoy hunched over, breathing heavily.

"Give up yet, Malfoy? Even two on one and you haven't been able to do much to me." states Harry calmly.

Taking a few more breathes, Malfoy shouts "Diffindo" and Harry is thrown across the tower to the edge of the wall, followed by "LUMOS MAXIMA!", and a familiar cloak is thrown across Harry.

"Nev?" murmurs Harry as quietly as he can.

"Don't worry Harry, I sent a few full body binds his way. Now, let's go! Snape is on his way here."

Harry and Neville make their way down the stairwell as quickly and quietly as they can, before stopping suddenly, and Snape, cloak billowing out behind him storms up the stairwell, slowing down as he nears Harry and Neville's position, before continuing his way to the top of the tower. Jogging down the corridor, Neville pushes Harry towards a door, tries to open it, before murmuring "alohamora", and shoving Harry inside quickly, before shutting the door.

"Neville, what—"

"Sssh."

The sound of footsteps and words being spoken come by, "But professor, I'm telling the truth, Potter was at—"

"Enough Draco. He is not there, so we shall go fetch Minerva to let us into the Gryffindor's common room and see if they are there or not…"

The voices and footsteps recede, and Neville murmurs, "Let's go, Harry. Harry?"

Neville turns around and sees what has Harry gobsmacked about; a three headed dog standing, with what looks like a trap door under one foot.

The two exit the room at speeds that would make NASCAR drivers look like slugs. Arriving at the portrait hole, they mutter the password and enter, and head to a room off to the side made for students who need to brew potions. "Take off your shirt, so I can see if I can heal that severing spell that Malfoy hit you with."

Harry looks down and notices that his shirt has been cut, but sees something shiny underneath it. Taking off his shirt, Harry spots the Quidditch gear from earlier that day underneath, with a scratch above where his heart was.

"In second thought, just wear your shirt backwards and let's start a fire to make it seem like we were brewing a potion for the past hour or so."

Harry nods his head, and together they start a fire under a cauldron that someone had left behind, and as Harry casts an aguamenti charm on the fire, the door to the common room bursts open, with Professors McGonagall and Snape standing there, with Malfoy and Goyle behind them.

"You, Potter, where have you been for the past hour?" accuses Professor Snape.

"I've been here with Neville for the past hour or so, brewing a Forgetfulness potion." calmly states Harry.

"What for, Potter?" spits out Snape.

"Because I wanted to return the favor of having a couple of bludgers hit at me during practice to the Weasley twins."

"Then where is this…potion you claim you made?"

Harry and Neville look at each other in surprise, and Harry hangs his head and replies morosely, "We didn't bottle it. There goes our hour of work."

Professor Snape strides over to the cauldron, examines it, and then the remains of the fire underneath it, before saying, "Your wands, both of you."

"Severus, what are you doing?"

"I'm checking to see what spells they did last. Prior Incantato!", before seeing the fire making spell and the aguamenti spell pop out of Neville's and Harry's wand respectively. Professor Snape narrows his eyes, throws the wands back at their owners, and says on his way out, "Five points apiece for malicious intent against fellow students", with Professor McGonagall, Malfoy, and Goyle following behind.

Finally alone, Harry gets out his mirror, and calls for Sirius.

"So how did it go you two?"

"Decently, although I think some more combat spells should be added to our repertoire." States Harry.

"I assume you two didn't get caught?"

"Nope, but I had to throw a lumos maxima to blind the Slytherins before putting them in full body binds."

Sirius chuckles, and then gets serious, have you two put up any privacy charms so you don't have any eavesdroppers?"

"No, we haven't learned any."

"Quietus. Use that now before we continue our conversation."

Harry casts the quieting charm, and then resumes, "We did find out that the Quidditch gear is good to help protect against severing spells."

Sirius gasps, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just fine. There's just a thin scratch above my heart in the armor."

"Good. Remus would kill me if he found out that I agreed that you should face Malfoy in a duel."

"Sure glad that I decided to stop by then." comes Remus's voice dryly.

"Oh, there you are Remus." somes Sirius voice, face pointed away from the mirror.

"You two should get to bed. Oh, and Harry? You, Sirius, and I will be having a talk about the duel, at a later time of course." States Remus, coming into view on the mirror.

"Night then, Remus, Sirius." choruses Harry and Neville.


Author note: (*) detonates a quote from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. J.K. Rowling gets credit for that, and I do not. I just felt that the quote was better than what I wanted to write. Thinking back through the private messages and reviews, I can't seem to find where someone suggested that Harry let Ginny keep his old broom, but I thank you for that, and I give you credit for that piece in this fanfic.

I have also begun an online calculus course for the entire summer, so that will be taking up a lot of my time, but I do plan on releasing chapters on a more regular basis, until August begins, then which I take my vacation and then normal classes start back up.

Two more things, yes, some of the spells used in the duel weren't taught until later on at Hogwarts, but this is an Alternate Universe fanfic, so why not spice things up a bit? The room off of the common room for potion brewing is like a miniature dungeon, but only big enough to have two or three people brewing at any given time. I read from another fanfic about the idea of having a place to actually brew potions other than in the dungeons with Snape in a room off of the common room, and decided it was and is a good idea. So I can't claim credit for that idea, but I'll see if I can find the fanfic where I first read it in.

Kairan1979 – Amelia being head of the DMLE probably has her learning more about the muggle world than most of the wizarding world, so I should have expected and written it that way.