Harry woke the next morning just as the sun was rising. He sneaked over to Ron's bed and shook him awake. They dressed and grabbed their brooms and headed out to the Great Hall for breakfast. Angelina and Katie were already there.
"Have you seen Fred or George? We're gonna be late!" Katie was in a fit. This was only her second Quidditch match as the captain, and they had barely won the one against Hufflepuff in October. Just then, Ginny walked into the Great Hall and sat across from Ron and Harry.
"Hey guys! I am so pumped. This is going to be great!" she was in a fit of ecstasy. Harry smiled at her and began munching on his scrambled eggs. Katie drilled on about tactics and moves while Ron and Harry made scrambled egg mountains and snickered. After breakfast, the group started out of the Great Hall, but bumped right into the last group they wanted to see. The Slytherin Team.
"Well, well, well," Draco sneered, "If it isn't the glee club?"
"Come on, guys," Fred sneered back, "We don't need to speak to this trash."
"Fine, whatever you say Weasley," said Slytherin captain Terrence Higgens, "I wouldn't be so snide if I knew I was going to be slaughtered in the next couple hours." Fred flew at him, but Angelina stopped him, with her nose in the air, and they headed out for the field to get ready. Everyone that passed by seemed to be wishing them good luck. They headed out on to the locker rooms and got into their Quidditch robes.
"Man, am I nervous," Ron whispered to Harry. Harry, who had been slightly distracted as Ginny brushed her hair in the far corner, came back to life and nodded his head. He knew that Ron was thinking about their last game where he hadn't done very well.
"You'll do fine, Ron. Just concentrate." Harry was half saying these words to himself. He knew that today would be the day he was most likely to get distracted.
"All right. It's time," Katie sighed nervously, "Let's go." The crew trudged behind Katie, each as nervous as the other. Ginny was extra pale.
The crowd cheered as they entered the stadium. The cheers grew louder when Slytherin followed. Harry looked in the Slytherin seats and saw them all wearing the color green. Most everyone else wore red. Madam Hooch told them to mount their brooms as Lee Jordan's voiced resonated off of the walls, "Welcome to the fourth Quidditch match of Hogwart's 1995 season! Gryffindor against Slytherin!" Cheers followed each name as Harry steadied his breath and looked over at the rest of the team.
"Good luck everyone," he murmured. The team all nodded and readied themselves for take-off. Madam Hooch blew a whistle and Harry rose into the air as the four balls shot out. The snitch was already out of site. Harry peered around for the Snitch. Draco flew by and sneered at Harry. Harry had never seen Draco so determined. He knew he wanted the snitch badly. Harry was just as determined. He swooped around to avoid Malfoy and frantically searched for the snitch. He looked into the crowd and saw Hermione cheering him on. He glanced at Ron just as he blocked a hit. Ginny stole the ball. Harry looked away quickly. He couldn't watch. He had to concentrate.
Twenty minutes passed, and according to the little Harry heard Lee say, Slytherin was ahead by 20. Harry couldn't concentrate. If Draco found the snitch, everything would be over. They would lose. He stared desperately at Ginny, and watched as she made her fourth goal. Cheers arised from the crowd and Harry nearly fell off his broom cheering for her. 10 minutes passed and Ginny made a spectacular pass to Angelina, who used the chance to zoom by the Slytherin keeper and make enough goals to make a tie. Harry had to concentrate! He zoomed gracefully around on his firebolt and whirred close to the goal. Then he heard it.
"Pssst, Harry," It was Ron, "Over there Harry." He sounded frantic. Harry looked where Ron was pointing and it took him a couple minutes to see the snitch gliding effortlessly around a pole. Harry zoomed for the snitch. He felt a drift as Draco tried to catch up. But Malfoy was too late. Harry caught the snitch and flew to the middle amid cheers. He landed and the whole team ran to him and patted him on the back. Another win, Harry thought.
The team went back to the locker room after much celebration and got into their normal robes. It hadn't been a very long game, considering their other games they had had. Everyone congratulated Ginny on making four goals. Harry sneaked over to Ron.
"You saved us out there you know," he whispered in Ron's ear. Ron looked confused, "If it weren't for you I wouldn't have seen the snitch. Thanks."
"Ah, c'mon!" Ron replied, "You're the one who caught it!"
"No, you're the one who saw it. You're the better Quidditch player." Ron's tongue was tied as he tried to reply, but he couldn't. Katie began talking before Ron could reply.
"Great job, team!" She beamed, "It was an excellent win, and I would like to give extended congratulations to Ginny for an excellent save!" Everyone cheered as Ginny blushed. Katie continued, "Now, I thought maybe we could go visit Alicia as a team and tell her the details. She should be out of the hospital tomorrow, I hear from Madam Pomfrey!" The team followed her as they headed for the hospital wing, among jabbering conversations. They gave Alicia a call and each relived the game. Alicia was thrilled, but at the same time upset to have missed the action. Everyone comforted her and they left within an hour to go and attend a party in the Gryffindor common room.
Harry and Ron were quite hyper as they ran around happily enjoying the win. Yet, that happiness stopped when Ron bumped into Hermione. It was the first time they had been face to face for a very long time. Harry felt the tension build the second they made eye contact.
"Yeah, well, I'll be going now," Harry murmured and walked away. He was cut short from his fast stride when Collin and Dennis Creevey caught up with him.
"Harry," Dennis squeaked, "You were spectacular."
"Yeah, really Harry!" Collin cried.
"Heh, thanks," Harry mumbled. The brothers told Harry all about the game while Harry politely listened and nodded periodically. He couldn't help but peer out the corner of his eye at Hermione and Ron, who were in a corner quietly fighting about something.
"...And then, you saw the snitch somewhere over by the pole and you flew straight to it! That Slytherin seeker didn't have a chance! See, I told you I watch every move you made!" Collin rambled.
"Thanks for the devotion Collin," Harry concluded, "Now, I must be going. See you guys later." Harry sped off and met up with Fred and George to watch them play jokes on Angelina. Anything to get as far away from his two best friend's fight, Harry thought.
The next week was wonderfuln. Cho, arm in arm with George, actually came up to Harry and congratulated him. Harry wasn't quite sure if she was just trying to make him jealous, but he was happy either way just to finally be able to talk to her again. The only bad thing about the whole experience was that he knew he had barely done anything in the win. Ron had been the one who had seen the snitch. Was he no longer the best Quidditch player? Harry couldn't be sure.
O.W.L.S got harder and harder. Professor Binns, who was doubling his job as History teacher and substituting for Snape, took many points off of Gryffindor when both Dean and Neville fell asleep in Potions. Professor McGonagall was almost as strict as Binns was. She demanded that everyone could turn their fish into stingrays by the end of the year. It was very tough and things got even worse when Neville accidentally turned his fish into a shark. The whole class was on their desks in minutes. Professor McGonagall finally came to the rescue and turned the shark back into a fish, berating Neville in the process.
Professor Flitwick had obviously finished his task for Dumbledore, because they were back on schedule. All the students were disappointed, especially Seamus and Lavender. Practice on tough Charms was often given, though. Ron still couldn't get the Summoning Charm, despite Harry's assistance.
Harry soon began to realize how good he was in Defense Against the Dark Arts. His dueling lessons were the best. But his work in Potions and Divination continued to be bad.
Things were the same with Hermione and Ron. Bad. Harry was still having to choose whom he would walk with to classes and sit with a lunch.
His dreams were still quite questionable too. Soon a time came where he saw the dream less and less. In fact, he would wake up with vague images of new dreams, containing different things. It wasn't until a night in mid-March when he was able to see one clearly.
It had been a long Sunday. Harry had decided to eat breakfast with Hermione that morning. Harry tried to keep up with Hermione, who seemed in a particularly bad mood that morning. Then Ron came around the corner, apparently already finished with his breakfast and going to get his broom for Quidditch practice. Hermione saw him coming down the halls; all of a sudden, she started giggling like Harry had told her a funny joke. Harry just gave her a look and waved at Ron. Ron scowled back at Harry and briskly passed him. Harry couldn't figure out what had made Ron so upset, but he let it pass figuring it was nothing important.
Quidditch practice didn't go very well for Harry. He had a tough time looking for the snitch. Ron had a wonderful practice; but then again, he had been having wonderful practices all month. Harry didn't think it should bother him that Ron was getting really good, but it did. He thought that if anything, it should make him happy, but all he felt was a tinge of jealousy. After practice, Harry and Ron were walking up to the castle together. Harry decided to bring up the subject.
"Ron, you sure are getting very good at Quidditch!"
"Oh, thanks Harry!"
"Not to sound rude or anything, but how are you doing it?" Harry realized that it did sound rude the moment it left his lips. Ron looked a little peeved.
"How do you think I'm doing it? All that time you spend with certain people in the library at free hour, I have to find something to do!"
"What are you talking about?" Harry chided.
"I come out here to practice Quidditch, of course! I sure have a lot of time since you never spend any time with me!"
"Now, wait a minute! I spend plenty of time with you--"
"Psh...yeah, between classes!"
"Well I have other friends, Ron. Hermione and I are just as good friends--"
"Friends? I think not!"
"Of course we are friends!"
"Not by the looks of how you guys act around each other!"
"What ARE you getting at Ron?"
"You know exactly what I'm talking about! Don't deny it! Well, she doesn't deserve to have friends! She is too selfish!"
"Excuse me, Ron! She is my friend. And why are you so mad at her? I thought she was mad a you!"
"That isn't any of your business, Harry! Now, since your mood is so bad, why don't you go and hang out with your so called other best friend!"
"Fine, I think I will!"
"Fine!"
Harry, who was very confused, stormed ahead and headed for the library, where Hermione would most likely to be. And, there she was. Harry didn't mention his tiff with Ron as he sparked conversation with Hermione. Times with Hermione were different now for Harry. She acted strange at certain times. That day, one of those times came when she and Harry walked down to the lake after she had finished in the library.
"Hermione, maybe I should go practice Quidditch." Harry stated as he skipped a rock perfectly across the lake. He had been practicing since that day he spent with Ginny, but he hadn't mentioned why to anyone.
"Why is that, Harry?" Hermione asked, while watching the squid steal the rock in the middle of a skip.
"Because my game isn't as good anymore. I don't think I did very well on the last game. I think I am slacking." Harry slouched against a tree and put his chin in his hands. Hermione sat down next to him and put her arm on his shoulder.
"Well, I think that you were wonderful out there, Harry."
"Oh, well, thanks Hermione--"
"In fact, I couldn't take my eyes off you." Hermione smiled slightly at this, and Harry gave her a confused look. He changed the subject to their upcoming History of Magic test, although the odd behavior of Hermione stuck in his mind.
Around sunset, the two friends headed back to the castle. They stopped in front of Hagrid's hut and sighed deeply. The dusty windows still showed no sign of inhabitants.
"He sure has been gone for a long time, hasn't he Harry?"
"Yeah." Harry mumbled. He missed Hagrid so much, and couldn't believe how long his mission was taking. They trudged on and went back to the common room in silence.
Harry went up to bed that night, relieved to have finished such a long day. He settled into bed, and then the dream came.
He was sitting in an old shack, and he heard voices down the hall. Harry sneaked down to the door and peeked through the crack. Then he felt his scar singe with pain. He clutched his forehead, sure that the people inside were bound to hear his pain. But, then he realized these people could neither see nor hear him. He managed to make out the people in the room. It was Voldemort. Harry went white at the site of the evil being, the first in a long time. He looked nearly the same as he had when Harry had last seen him in the graveyard, except a lot healthier and more powerful. Harry was numb and frozen in surprise. Yet, he managed to move his eyes to the other occupant in the room. Severus Snape was kneeling at Voldemort's heels, looking very frightened and weary. Harry was in shock, to find Snape was in any way involved with Voldemort. He grew angry that Snape had actually betrayed Dumbledore, but held it back when Voldemort began to speak.
"So, try to foil my plans, have you?"
"No, your honor! It was all a mistake!" Snape begged in pure terror. Harry ignored the pain, trying his best to catch every word and watch the two talk. He had never seen Snape so frightened, in fact, he had never seen him frightened at all, except the last time he had seen him, when he had left to do Dumbledore's mission for him. All Harry could think of was that Snape was after all, a traitor.
"I don't see any mistake in your method. If I hadn't come when I did--"
"No, your honor! Forgive me!" Snape was shielding his head with his arms and crumpled himself into a ball.
"Ah, you have read my thoughts, have you Severus? Well, I will not punish you to the extreme. Every death eater is valuable at this time, despite the fact that our numbers are rising. I will spare you again--"
"Thank you, your honor." Snape kissed the filthy hems of Voldemort's robes in mercy.
"But you shall not go unpunished for nearly foiling my plans!" At this, Voldemort's face contorted into a look mixed with joy and hate as he raised his wand; Snape's expression was one of shock as his face paled even more. Harry could only hear the words "Crucio" before his forehead brought unbelievable pain to him. He awoke from the dream in a start and clutched his burning forehead.
As soon as the pain subsided enough that he could sit up in bed, Harry pulled his curtains aside and made sure he hadn't awaken anyone. None of the boys' curtains were pulled aside and their breathing was still steady. Harry breathed a sigh of relief and stared at his clock. It was 4:30 in the morning. Was there a chance that Dumbledore was awake? He had to tell him. Harry put on a bathrobe over his pajamas and sneaked out into the common rooms and into the halls. The Fat Lady berated him as he walked down the halls, but Harry knew that Dumbledore would understand why he had come. He walked rather slowly, since the pain was still extreme. Then the questions started pouring into his head. Was the dream real? He knew it was most likely real, since the last time he had had dreams where his scar had ended up burning in pain they had been real. Although Snape wasn't the friendliest person, Harry couldn't figure out why he had betrayed Dumbledore. He had been sure he was loyal to the Headmaster. A ludicrous, but highly intriguing thought crossed his mind. Where was Peter Pettigrew? He had almost always seen Voldemort followed by the evil Wormtail, that it brought foreboding thoughts to Harry as to why he hadn't been there. Then the most foreboding thought was brought to his mind. What was the plan Snape had almost foiled? Chills streamed down Harry's back as the thoughts filled his mind. Could he be coming to Hogwarts? Was the Order of Phoenix ready for him? Harry sped up at this thought and in no time reached the end of the hall, where Dumbledore's office was. When he reached the gargoyles that stood before Dumbledore's office, he remembered that he would have to figure out the password.
"Cockroach Clusters?" Harry questioned the gargoyles. To Harry's surprise, the doors burst open. Why hadn't Dumbledore changed his password this year? Harry climbed the steps and peered into the hall. His bewilderment grew when he saw that light was pouring out of the crack under the door. Voices could be heard in the room. What was Dumbledore doing at this hour? Harry hesitated at the door. Should he knock? He couldn't be sure it was the best time to interrupt the Headmaster. But this was too urgent to worry. He knocked. The mumbling voices stopped all of a sudden and a minute or two passed before the door cracked open. A head peered out of the crack and Harry was face to face with Mundungus Fletcher.
"Harry Potter. What brings you here at this hour?" Fletcher interrogated in alarm.
"What are you doing here Professor?" Harry was in as much alarm as Mundungus was.
"I have business with the headmaster," Fletcher mumbled, without looking at Harry, "Look, Harry, right now is not a good time--"
"But Professor! This is urgent! I need to talk--"
"Well, I'm afraid it will have to wait--"
"Let him in Mundungus." Dumbledore's voice approved.
"But Professor, are you sure he should see--"
"It's about time Harry is given an explanation. Let him in." Dumbledore assured Fletcher, and despite a look of disapproval, he opened the door. Harry walked in; his jaw immediately dropped at the first site he saw. It was a beaming Hagrid.
***Don't forget, I love getting reviews, so I know what you enjoyed the most! Thanks for those who have been so loyal, I truly appreciate it! Please keep coming back for more!
Disclaimer- The characters, setting, etc. belong to the most talented writer in the world (JK Rowling), yet the plot was developed, with inspiration from the greatest writer in the world, by yours truly ;o)
