Chapter 6- Rallying Up The Snitch Search Party
As they approached the window, Dumbledore shooed Snape out of the room and beckoned them to come in.
"Uh, Sir? Through the, the window?" Oliver asked.
"Yes, Wood, my dear lad, you'll be fine. Those two Firebolts of yours should keep you up." Harry and Wood climbed through the window and stepped inside. "I hear they're very fine brooms, eh?"
"Yes Sir, the best as of now. I'm just lucky to have gotten one."
"And through what strange circumstances you've come across it! I'm sure you've told Harry already, haven't you?"
"Um, well, no sir," Wood gave a sideways glance to Harry, "but I was planning to tell him tonight."
"Wonderful. Alright then, so what Snitch business did you two have that required you to be staring into my window?"
"Well, excuse us Professor, no offense to you," said Harry with a slight grin, "but we just couldn't help passing up a chance to see our most-hated Potions professor crying."
"Ah I see, you got a good laugh out of it did you?" Dumbledore smiled. "I'm sure many a Gryffindor would love to have witnessed it," he said, "but I still should punish you a slight bit…you were snooping where you shouldn't have after all. One point each will be taken from Gryffindor. I'm sorry for such a loss. I'm sure the points will lose you the house cup!" Dumbledore laughed, and Oliver smiled at Harry.
"Professor, what are we going to do about the Snitch?" Harry was worried. "I didn't see it anywhere, and you know I can see it from a ways off. I'm not sure it's even out there anymore."
"We'll either find it or get a new one. I have the Ministry working on it as we speak. I think we'll have to postpone the match a few days until we get another one sent to us." Oliver went pale, but didn't want to interrupt. "Meanwhile, I think we should get a search party going."
"Yes sir! Harry and I will get every Quiddich Player in this castle out and searching, and you said the Ministry's getting us a new Snitch?"
"Yes. One way or another, they will get one. It's a shame though, we've had that Snitch for ages, ever since I've worked here! I'm not sure how they're going to take the disappearance."
"We'll get one thought, right??"
"Yes Wood, we'll get one. I promise you that. Now I suggest you two round up a search party for this Snitch of ours, it could still be out there!" Oliver ran to the door, but Harry stopped at the threshold and asked, "Professor? Is there any chance that Snape's, well, no longer working here?"
"Oh yes Potter there's a chance. Not much of one, but a chance." With that Dumbledore turned and Harry realized that was the end of the conversation. He quickly followed Wood down the stairs, and they began to gather Quiddich players.
"Do you know where the Hufflepuff common room is Harry? I know where Slytherin's is, and I think I know Ravenclaw's, but I have no idea where Hufflepuff goes!"
"I don't know either. Maybe we should go ask Professor Lupin. They go by his door every day. Besides, he's leaving soon, and I want to see him before he goes. I wonder who's replacing him?" They walked to Lupin's room, and he gave them directions to all three common rooms. They visited with him for a short while and then said that they had to be on their way. Harry went to the Ravenclaw common room and Wood said he would attack the Slytherins.
***
As Wood knocked on the common room door, he heard all the voices die down, and then a loud scraping as the door opened a few inches. It was Marcus Flint.
"What do you want?" exclaimed Marcus in outrage.
"Your just the person I wanted to see, for once. Something has happened to the Snitch. It's nowhere to be seen. I have special orders from Dumbledore to rally up all the Quiddich players and construct a search party. So please get all your filthy rats and their brooms out to the Quiddich field. Now. I'll meet you there as soon as we have everyone else." Flint's eyes widened, and quickly closed the door. Wood heard him yelling for his team to get out to the Quiddich field, pronto. Good, Wood thought, he's actually listening to me for once. I suppose I better go get the Hufflepuffs as well. Wood talked Cedric into getting their team out there, and was relieved that everyone was getting along.
***
Harry was very nervous as he knocked on the common room door of the Ravenclaws. Just as he had feared, Cho answered.
"Well, hello Harry! What can I do for you?" Harry, being proud of himself, calmly asked her to get the team out to search for the Snitch. She kissed him on the cheek and closed the door. He went to find Wood.
***
They met at the castle doors leading out to the grounds, and walked out together. Wood was very silent, and Harry wondered what had been on his mind.
"I can't tell you now Harry," Wood said, seeming to read his mind, "because I want it to be kept a secret. I'm not even sure this is going to work out yet and Dumbledore's the only one that knows. You're second."
"I understand, Oliver, really I do. I'm glad we've become such good friends. Oh look!" Harry said as they approached the field. "Flint actually decided to help huh?"