CHAPTER 11:

GREAT HALL, BREAKFAST

"It is with a heavy heart that I tell you that Professor Quirrell has disappeared. He left without a note, and we can only assume that he is dead or doesn't want to be found. Let us have a moment of silence for him" Dumbledore spoke to the Great Hall. So they had finally discovered his disappearance, Harry thought. The entire hall was silent for a couple of moments before Dumbledore spoke again.

"However, on a much more happy note, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor is none other than our very own, Lily Potter!" as Lily walked in, the great hall gave a round of applause. Harry smiled. Lily sat down at the staff table, and Harry noticed Snape's look of envy and lust, both directed at her. "Now, without further ado, Dig In!"

Now the Great Hall was noisy as ever, with people speculating at how the new DADA professor was going to be like. Some boys were, like Snape, throwing her looks of lust that Lily ignored.

Their first class was DADA, so after breakfast they headed to the classroom.

Lily was waiting for them at the teacher's desk. She smiled when they came in. they took their seats, and once everyone else had filled in, Lily began.

"As you all know by now, my name is Lily Potter, but you may call me professor Potter. Today we will be discovering new ways to defend yourself with your wand. Now, who can name a couple of defensive spells? Yes, Ms.?" "Johnson, Ma'am. Angelina Johnson. There is the shield spell, and the incantation is Protego"

"Well done, Ms. Johnson. Take five points for Gryffindor. Can anyone tell me another one? Yes Mr.?" "Weasley. Fred Weasley. There is also the disarming charm, and it's incantation is Expeliarmus" "Good, good. Take another five points for Gryffindor, Mr. Weasley. Those are the two main defensive spells. Now, pair up, and we will begin with the shield charm. First, say it with me. Protego!" the class repeated the incantation, and they got into pairs to practice. Harry, Alyssa, Fred, George, and Angelina were the only people able to cast the spell successfully during the class.

Their next class was their first flying lesson with the Gryffindors again. They all headed out onto the Quidditch pitch and saw brooms all lined up.

"Hello, class. My name is Madam Hooch and I will be your flight instructor for your first year at Hogwarts. Now, to start off, everyone put your hand over your broom and say UP!" Harry's broom and a couple of others shot up immediately, and the others just wavered a bit. Hooch told them to pick them up. "Now, mount your brooms. On the count of three, you will all kick off. 1, 2" but before she could finish Neville kicked of hard, and he started to quickly rise. Harry could see that the boy was very frightened and scared. "Get back down here, Boy!" Madam Hooch yelled. "I can't!" Neville yelled back, his voice quavering with fear. Neville's broom finally shook him off, and he fell to the ground with a thump and a CRACK! His leg was broken. Madam Hooch rushed to his side and picked up the boy in her arms. "NO one leaves the ground until I get back! If I see any one of you in the air, you will be out of this school before you can say 'Quidditch'!" "Yes Ma'am!" the class chorused. She rushed off to the hospital wing with Neville in her arms.

A Gryffindor boy whose name Harry didn't know picked something off the ground. "Look! It's Longbottom's rememberall!" Harry calmly said, "Give it here. I'll give it back to him at lunch" "HA! Give me one reason why I would give this to YOU, a slimy snake?" the unnamed Gryffindor boy said. "I'll race you for it" Harry confidently said. The boy smirked. "Alright, you're on. If I win, you have to apologize for being an idiot in front of the school." "Accepted. If I win, you have to go to Neville, give him back his rememberall, and tell the school how you lost to a slimy snake who has never ridden a broom before" "deal!" the boy gave the rememberall to one of his friends and said, "finish line is the opposite goalpost!" they got on their brooms and lined up at the start. One of the boy's friends said, "GO!" and they sped off.

The boy was far ahead of Harry at first, but they quickly became neck-at-neck. The Gryffindor looked at Harry in shock, and started to speed up. Harry was closing in on him, and by the time they reached the other goalpost, Harry was far ahead of the flabbergasted Gryffindor. Harry went through the pole first, turned around with a smirk on his face, until he saw Snape storming down the field. "POTTER! MCCAIN! Get down here this instant! FIFTY points from Gryffindor!" the Gryffindor boy, now known as McCain, went pale, while the other Gryffindor started yelling that he take away points from Slytherin as well. . They rushed down to the floor, and Harry politely asked, "yes, Professor?" "Come with me, Mr. Potter. McCain, when Madam Hooch comes back, tell her that I told you to go to the Headmaster's office."

Snape led Harry into the castle, and said, "Have you ever heard of Quidditch, Mr. Potter?" "Yes, Sir"

"Good. I think that you would do great as a chaser on the Slytherin team. We are going to see Flint now to tell him that we found a replacement chaser, unless you have any objections? The other option is detention for the rest of the week" Harry smirked. "No, Professor. But I thought that first-years weren't allowed to be on a team, Sir?" "the rule is actually only that they can't own their own brooms. Says nothing about trying out and making the team and using a school broom" Harry was liking him more and more.

Flint was currently in charms class, so Snape knocked on the door and opened it. "Professor Flitwick, would you mind if I borrowed Carrow for a second?" "No, not at all Severus" a lean man with black hair stood up from his chair. "Carrow, meet your new chaser, Harry Potter" Snape said. "Isn't he too young, professor?" "Carrow, if you had seen his speed on the school brooms, than you wouldn't doubt it either."

Carrow grinned and patted Harry's shoulder. "If Snape is complementing you, then we are going to win the cup this year, Potter!" Harry just grinned. "Tryouts are this earning. Be there"

After dinner, Harry was walking to the quidditch pitch for tryouts. As they had walked, Daphne had explained the rules to him. When they got there, they sat down in the stands.

It turned out that there were only four other chasers trying out. Two third years, one second year, and a fourth year. They all looked at Harry in fear. They had clearly heard or been in the common room that night.

"Alright, you guys are going to try to score ten shots on me. If you make 6 of these, then you will try five shots with beaters trying to stop you. Whoever scores the most points get the chaser spot. You, yeah you. You first." the third year stepped up. He scored five of the ten goals. He hung his head down in disappointment and walked into the stands to watch the rest.

The next person up was the fourth year, and he scored seven goals. He would be moving on. Then came one of the second years. He scored six, just staying on. The next one up didn't make it, scoring only four shots. Harry was the last one up.

He mounted his broom, Quaffle in hand, and sped towards the goal. He threw the Quaffle in a way that it changed directions mid-air, making Carrow dive to the wrong side of the goal, and Harry scoring. He pulled the same tick of nine times. Carrow looked at him in shock.

They made their way to the ground, and the three boys remaining lined up again. It was him, the fourth year, and the second year. "Alright. Now since Mr. Potter scored the most points, he gets to try first. Come on Potter." Harry mounted his broom again and flew up, Quaffle in hand. This time, two strong looking beaters were in front of him. One of them batted a ball at him, but he dodged it easily. He rushed up towards the beaters, making them scatter. Then he scored his eleventh goal. He beat the beaters again four more times, never missing.

The other boys didn't do nearly as well. When they were on the ground, Carrow gave him a pat on the shoulder. "With the team we have and you, Slytherin will win the cup seven years in a row!" he gave Harry a big smile and started laughing his head off. "Were going to keep this a secret, eh Potter? You'll be our secret weapon. I'll be sure to contact Professor Snape about getting you a new broom. Perhaps a Nimbus? Or a Cleansweap?" Harry left for the stands to his cheering girlfriend, and left Carrow muttering to himself.

Back in the Common Room, Harry and Alyssa were snogging in his private room. They wouldn't be out for a while.

AN:

WHEW! Sorry for the long update, this chapter really didn't want to come out. Next chapter will be my first Quidditch match, so it'll probably be another short one. Sorry!

Still looking for a Beta. Someone who is good with dialogue, and is knowledgeable with the Harry Potter universe would be great. I think my PM outbox might not be working, so please email me personally at xray75654 . Reviews are always welcome, and I apologize for any spelling/grammar errors.

Word count: 1506 words, without AN

Stay healthy,

Xray75