A/N: Well I decided to start the next chapter now that it's been almost a
week since I posted the last one and I think I've gotten over my semi-
writer's block. Saavik, you're going to have to wait and see who wins the
quidditch match because that's what this chapter is. Silvermoon I said
that Lei would not find out about Dumbledore being her father in this fic,
At some point I'll write a fic for that but not right now, I want to
concentrate on getting this fic done. I'm one of those people who can't
write more than 1 story at a time, I get confused so you'll just have to be
a little patient with me. Alright, now that that's done and overwith I
guess I'll start this chapter since I'm sure that's what you all want if
you've stuck with me this long.
Chapter 40 (*shudders*)
Harry spent a peaceful weekend with his father and brother and then the next week flew by in a flurry of last minute training sessions for saturday's match. Slytherin was leading by exactly 170 points. This would prove to be a very close match because it was a well established fact that Slytherin players cheated and played as dirty as possible.
The night before the match was almost an exact mirror of Harry's 3rd year but without Harry bent over a mini quidditch pitch going over plays. Everybody was nervous but not as nervous as Ron and Ginny were because this was the first time that they'd ever had to do this.
Harry and the rest of the quidditch team went to bed early that night. Harry thanked Merlin that he was going to take the nightmare potion that night or else he would've never fallen asleep. Harry woke up the next morning to Ron pacing the hallway muttering the next morning. After placating Ron and getting dressed the two made their way into the common room where Harry kissed Ginny and the three made their way down to the Great Hall.
Once there Ron and Ginny didn't hardly touch anything though Harry finally got the two to eat something while the rest of the team was busy shovelling food in their mouths. They knew that this was going to be a rough game and would need all the energy they could get.
Just before it was time Harry and the rest of the team went down to the locker rooms to get changed. When everybody had changed Harry knew exactly why Oliver didn't give a speech in his third year because if he was feeling as nervous as he was at that moment, he wouldn't be able to give one either. It also didn't help that Harry really wasn't very good at pep talks or speeches anyways.
Before they knew it it was time and the Gryffindor Quidditch team was walking onto the field. Ron and Ginny looked like they were about to pass out from fear but clearly had enough control of their nerves.
The two captains shook hands and the whistle was blown and the game began.
(a/n: I already said it before that I am no good at writing quidditch games so I'm sorry!!!!)
The Slytherins, as per the norm, were playing very dirty. Ron had been almost taken off of his broom by a bludger and came pretty close to getting hit directly with a few bludgers directed at him by the Slytherin beaters.
Harry was being gone after mercillously. The beaters were being relentless. Also the Slytherin chasers weren't making it easy either. Ginny was easily the smallest chaser on the team and they were constantly going after her, trying to knock her off her broom.
The score was tied up at 40 and there had been no sign of the snitch. Draco had taken to marking Harry instead of actively searching for the snitch himself. Draco and Harry were all about business at this point. Both boys wanted the cup and wanted it bad. Harry wanted it to show the Slytherins that it would take more than they could dish out to get rid of him. Draco wanted it to get the Slytherins slightly off his back and to prove them wrong.
The Slytherins were being relentless in their attacks and tactics. It was obvious that the Gryffindors were getting a bit tired but were not going to back down. Fred and George were playing almost as dirty as the Slytherin beaters and Alisha, Katie and Ginny were getting more and more aggressive in their tactics. Soon the score was 90 to 60 in favor of Gryffindor and Harry had seen a glint of the snitch but it had disappeared before he could get to it.
After Katie had scored another goal Harry saw the snitch. It was hovering just above the lowest of the Slytherin goal posts. Harry tore off after it and Draco, seeing what his brother was doing, took off after him.
Just as Harry stretched out his hand to capture the tiny golden ball a bludger came out of nowhere and smashed into his hand. Harry felt his hand and wrist bones break but put the pain out of his mind and stretched out his left hand and caught the tiny ball just before Draco did.
If Draco hadn't been there the second Harry caught the snitch Harry would've fallen off of his broom because now that he had what he was after the pain was blinding and boarderline unbearable. Draco easily grabbed Harry and directed both of their brooms to the ground where Harry promptly sank onto the grass drawing his hand into his body.
As soon as Harry had been hit Severus got up out of his seat and bolted down the stairs and got there as Draco and Harry did. He ran over to his 2 sons and gently took Harry's hand and easily healed the bones. After he was done Harry said,
"Thanks Dad."
"You're welcome Harry and you're lucky that that bludger didn't take your hand off." Severus said with a slight smirk.
Harry smiled back and then stood up and said,
"You put up a valiant fight brother, you almost had it there."
"Yeah, it's okay. It's just a game and besides I know that if you didn't win that Wood would have your head."
Harry smiled and threw his arm around his brother's shoulder and said,
"Yeah, you're probably right."
Just then Ginny attached herself to Harry and they full out kissed again not caring and lost in their own world. They still hadn't broken the kiss when Harry started feeling slaps on the back from his teammates. They only broke it when they heard the Headmaster clear his throat and handed Harry and Ginny the gleaming quidditch cup.
Harry knew that he would have to make an appearance at the party in the common room. He promised his father and Draco that he'd be down in the rooms right after dinner at the latest.
To say that the party in the common room was raging would be a severe understatement. Fred and George had disappeared again and brought back butterbeer and sweets from Honeydukes. Harry didn't even have to ask how they got it because he fully well knew. Before Harry realized it it was dinnertime and he successfully detached himself from the partyers and went down to the Great Hall to eat with Ginny and Ron. After dinner Harry went down to his father's rooms and Ginny and Ron returned to the party.
Harry got down there and stepped inside the rooms and said,
"Didn't I tell you I'd be here right after dinner?"
Severus and Draco snorted into the books that they were reading from their positions in the armchair and laying on the couch respectfully. Harry strode over to Draco and put his arms around his brother from behind in a sort of hug and said,
"I hope you're not mad at me for beating you."
Draco turned around and said,
"Why would I be mad at you? You played a good game and you said that I did too. Besides I said that it didn't matter, it's only a game. And besides I'm not captain like you are. We both tried our hardest and the better man won."
Harry grinned and gave his brother a quick hug. After he plopped down and said,
"Good book?"
"Yes, it's one that father gave me for christmas."
"Good." Harry replied then grimaced slightly as his knee gave a healthy reminder of what it thought of being bent on a broom all that time. Severus caught Harry's grimmace and said,
"Your knee still bothering you?"
Harry nodded and said,
"Yeah, it's not happy about me being on my broom that long."
"Have you iced it?"
"Yeah, a bit but it's really been bothering me lately. It'll just start hurting at random and it's really starting to get annoying."
"Well Harry as soon as term is over we'll take a little trip to Saint Andrews and get it fixed. All right?"
Harry nodded, smirked and said,
"All right."
The rest of the evening was spent in companionable silence with Harry starting his reading and studying for the O.W.L.s and Severus and Draco simply reading for fun.
***********************************************************************
The end of term was rapidly approaching and Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco and the rest of the fifth years were busy studying for their O.W.L.s
Hermione had long since color coded and categorized all of her notes with Ron kicking himself (literally) for not starting sooner. Harry was in between the two. He had started studying earlier than Ron but later than Hermione and didn't put in Hermione's effort in studying. More often than not Harry was found down in his father's rooms with Draco begging for help.
The friday night before exams Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were bent over a table in the common room trying to bully their brains into concentrating. Ginny felt fairly confident about her exams because she was pretty smart and very high up in her classes but even she wanted to be sure.
Ron looked as if he was about to scream because he was so frustrated. His flaming red hair was sticking up worse than Harry's used to look before it'd grown out. Hermione was also looking fairly sure and confident but there was no need to ask why. Harry for the most part was feeling good but nervous.
Lei had all but become a ghost in the common room and prefects area. She spent all of her time outside of classes and meals in the library, catching a few hours of sleep a night. Lei was about to take her N.E.W.T.s and even though she was one of the top students in her year she needed to do a good job on the tests. Whenever she wasn't studying she was dashing off to rehersals for her spring ballet production. They were doing Swan Lake and she had the lead.
Harry and his father sometimes had to leave the grounds some evenings to go speak to an orthopaedic specialist at Saint Andrews about Harry's knee. The doctor had come up with the same conclusion as Severus. The day after term was over Harry would be in Saint Andrews having reconstructive knee surgery.
Harry, Draco and his friends didn't have time to worry about that though.
Harry was snapped out of his reverie by Ron throwing his quill down and said,
"That's it! I can't concentrate! I give up!" He then plopped his head into his arms and Hermione put a gentle hand on his back and said,
"Oh come on Ron. Just take a break! You're brain's in overload. Just do as the muggle americans say and chill out!"
Harry, Ginny and Ron couldn't help but laugh at Hermione's attempt at muggle american slang. But the good thing is is that the tension was broken in the group and over the room.
The rest of the weekend was spent studying. Monday began exams for everybody. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco had their Potions and DADA exams while Ginny had Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures and Charms.
Tuesday Harry and Hermione had Study of Ancient Runes and Ron had Divination then Herbology. Draco had his Ancient Runes and Charms exam. Ginny had her Potions and DADA exams.
Wednesday brought on Care of Magical Creatures for Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco in the morning. Ginny had her Divination and Astronomy exam.
Thursday was Arithmancy for Hermione and Draco, Charms in the afternoon and that night was the trio and Draco's Astronomy exam. Ginny had her Transfiguration exam.
Friday, the final day of exams brought the Trio and Draco's Transfiguration exam then everybody was done. After lunch the two Snapes and Weasleys plus Hermione went outside into the courtyard and plopped down and let out a huge collective sigh of relief. Draco voiced what everybody was thinking,
"My brain feels like a wrung sponge."
"Here here." piped Ron.
"At least we have a week to do absolutely nothing until the results come out for you Gin." Harry said
"Yeah that's true Harry. When will you guys find out your results?" Ginny asked
"Around Harry's birthday probably." Hermione supplied tiredly
The rest of the afternoon was whiled away by moaning and groaning about their exams, harmless banter and teasing and the occasional chase around the courtyard.
The next week Harry alternated between spending time down in his father's rooms with Draco and his father. Then spending time with Ginny, Ron and Hermione up in the common room. Ginny's results came out and she had earned herself very good marks and knew that her parents would be pleased.
Before Harry knew it it was the night of the Leaving Feast amist red and gold decorations again because Gryffindor had won the house cup for the 5th year in a row. That night was a whirlwind of packing for the whole school. Harry and Draco were meeting Severus after the students left to go to the manor.
The next morning Harry and Draco were down in the entrance hall saying goodbye to everybody. Harry and Ginny gave eachother an extra long kiss and promises that he would owl all the time. Hermione had given Harry an extra tight squeeze of a hug and Ron gave Harry a hearty handshake and thump on the back telling him to not go too insane that summer.
Fred and George told Harry to try and stop by the shop sometime that summer. They had made enough money from Harry's 'donation' and sales from students this year to buy a small shop in Diagon Alley. They had come up with several more products to put in the store. Now that they were done with their education they were free to do what they wanted.
Harry and Draco said their final goodbyes and the Weasleys and Hermione made their way to catch a quick carriage before they left them behind. Harry levitated his trunk and Draco grabbed Hedwig in her cage and the two Snapes made their way down to Severus' rooms ready to begin their summer holidays.
A/N: All right I am calling it quits for this fic right there! I'm stopping at a clean 40 chapters! But don't you guys worry if I'm going to continue or not, I'll have the sequal posted in a day or two tops so don't worry. I just wanted to stop it here since that seems to be my pattern. I mean I stopped the prequal at the end of the summer so it's only logical that I would end it at the end of term. Now push that button and tell me what you think but please don't flame me, you all know the deal. I think that chapter was kind of weak but I'm suffering from kind of a writer's block. It always happens to me, I get close to the end of a story and my brain just freezes and I have no idea what to write. So I seriously hope this chapter didn't suck and don't worry about the sequal it'll be up and running in a few days tops. Oh and thanks to all of you guys that ever left a review for me, I really appreciate it, I don't think I'm that good of a writer, I've never done anything like this before so you guys really kept me going and writing with all your nice comments and ideas and such. So this is Lei signing off for this fic to start the next one! TTFN!!
Chapter 40 (*shudders*)
Harry spent a peaceful weekend with his father and brother and then the next week flew by in a flurry of last minute training sessions for saturday's match. Slytherin was leading by exactly 170 points. This would prove to be a very close match because it was a well established fact that Slytherin players cheated and played as dirty as possible.
The night before the match was almost an exact mirror of Harry's 3rd year but without Harry bent over a mini quidditch pitch going over plays. Everybody was nervous but not as nervous as Ron and Ginny were because this was the first time that they'd ever had to do this.
Harry and the rest of the quidditch team went to bed early that night. Harry thanked Merlin that he was going to take the nightmare potion that night or else he would've never fallen asleep. Harry woke up the next morning to Ron pacing the hallway muttering the next morning. After placating Ron and getting dressed the two made their way into the common room where Harry kissed Ginny and the three made their way down to the Great Hall.
Once there Ron and Ginny didn't hardly touch anything though Harry finally got the two to eat something while the rest of the team was busy shovelling food in their mouths. They knew that this was going to be a rough game and would need all the energy they could get.
Just before it was time Harry and the rest of the team went down to the locker rooms to get changed. When everybody had changed Harry knew exactly why Oliver didn't give a speech in his third year because if he was feeling as nervous as he was at that moment, he wouldn't be able to give one either. It also didn't help that Harry really wasn't very good at pep talks or speeches anyways.
Before they knew it it was time and the Gryffindor Quidditch team was walking onto the field. Ron and Ginny looked like they were about to pass out from fear but clearly had enough control of their nerves.
The two captains shook hands and the whistle was blown and the game began.
(a/n: I already said it before that I am no good at writing quidditch games so I'm sorry!!!!)
The Slytherins, as per the norm, were playing very dirty. Ron had been almost taken off of his broom by a bludger and came pretty close to getting hit directly with a few bludgers directed at him by the Slytherin beaters.
Harry was being gone after mercillously. The beaters were being relentless. Also the Slytherin chasers weren't making it easy either. Ginny was easily the smallest chaser on the team and they were constantly going after her, trying to knock her off her broom.
The score was tied up at 40 and there had been no sign of the snitch. Draco had taken to marking Harry instead of actively searching for the snitch himself. Draco and Harry were all about business at this point. Both boys wanted the cup and wanted it bad. Harry wanted it to show the Slytherins that it would take more than they could dish out to get rid of him. Draco wanted it to get the Slytherins slightly off his back and to prove them wrong.
The Slytherins were being relentless in their attacks and tactics. It was obvious that the Gryffindors were getting a bit tired but were not going to back down. Fred and George were playing almost as dirty as the Slytherin beaters and Alisha, Katie and Ginny were getting more and more aggressive in their tactics. Soon the score was 90 to 60 in favor of Gryffindor and Harry had seen a glint of the snitch but it had disappeared before he could get to it.
After Katie had scored another goal Harry saw the snitch. It was hovering just above the lowest of the Slytherin goal posts. Harry tore off after it and Draco, seeing what his brother was doing, took off after him.
Just as Harry stretched out his hand to capture the tiny golden ball a bludger came out of nowhere and smashed into his hand. Harry felt his hand and wrist bones break but put the pain out of his mind and stretched out his left hand and caught the tiny ball just before Draco did.
If Draco hadn't been there the second Harry caught the snitch Harry would've fallen off of his broom because now that he had what he was after the pain was blinding and boarderline unbearable. Draco easily grabbed Harry and directed both of their brooms to the ground where Harry promptly sank onto the grass drawing his hand into his body.
As soon as Harry had been hit Severus got up out of his seat and bolted down the stairs and got there as Draco and Harry did. He ran over to his 2 sons and gently took Harry's hand and easily healed the bones. After he was done Harry said,
"Thanks Dad."
"You're welcome Harry and you're lucky that that bludger didn't take your hand off." Severus said with a slight smirk.
Harry smiled back and then stood up and said,
"You put up a valiant fight brother, you almost had it there."
"Yeah, it's okay. It's just a game and besides I know that if you didn't win that Wood would have your head."
Harry smiled and threw his arm around his brother's shoulder and said,
"Yeah, you're probably right."
Just then Ginny attached herself to Harry and they full out kissed again not caring and lost in their own world. They still hadn't broken the kiss when Harry started feeling slaps on the back from his teammates. They only broke it when they heard the Headmaster clear his throat and handed Harry and Ginny the gleaming quidditch cup.
Harry knew that he would have to make an appearance at the party in the common room. He promised his father and Draco that he'd be down in the rooms right after dinner at the latest.
To say that the party in the common room was raging would be a severe understatement. Fred and George had disappeared again and brought back butterbeer and sweets from Honeydukes. Harry didn't even have to ask how they got it because he fully well knew. Before Harry realized it it was dinnertime and he successfully detached himself from the partyers and went down to the Great Hall to eat with Ginny and Ron. After dinner Harry went down to his father's rooms and Ginny and Ron returned to the party.
Harry got down there and stepped inside the rooms and said,
"Didn't I tell you I'd be here right after dinner?"
Severus and Draco snorted into the books that they were reading from their positions in the armchair and laying on the couch respectfully. Harry strode over to Draco and put his arms around his brother from behind in a sort of hug and said,
"I hope you're not mad at me for beating you."
Draco turned around and said,
"Why would I be mad at you? You played a good game and you said that I did too. Besides I said that it didn't matter, it's only a game. And besides I'm not captain like you are. We both tried our hardest and the better man won."
Harry grinned and gave his brother a quick hug. After he plopped down and said,
"Good book?"
"Yes, it's one that father gave me for christmas."
"Good." Harry replied then grimaced slightly as his knee gave a healthy reminder of what it thought of being bent on a broom all that time. Severus caught Harry's grimmace and said,
"Your knee still bothering you?"
Harry nodded and said,
"Yeah, it's not happy about me being on my broom that long."
"Have you iced it?"
"Yeah, a bit but it's really been bothering me lately. It'll just start hurting at random and it's really starting to get annoying."
"Well Harry as soon as term is over we'll take a little trip to Saint Andrews and get it fixed. All right?"
Harry nodded, smirked and said,
"All right."
The rest of the evening was spent in companionable silence with Harry starting his reading and studying for the O.W.L.s and Severus and Draco simply reading for fun.
***********************************************************************
The end of term was rapidly approaching and Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco and the rest of the fifth years were busy studying for their O.W.L.s
Hermione had long since color coded and categorized all of her notes with Ron kicking himself (literally) for not starting sooner. Harry was in between the two. He had started studying earlier than Ron but later than Hermione and didn't put in Hermione's effort in studying. More often than not Harry was found down in his father's rooms with Draco begging for help.
The friday night before exams Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were bent over a table in the common room trying to bully their brains into concentrating. Ginny felt fairly confident about her exams because she was pretty smart and very high up in her classes but even she wanted to be sure.
Ron looked as if he was about to scream because he was so frustrated. His flaming red hair was sticking up worse than Harry's used to look before it'd grown out. Hermione was also looking fairly sure and confident but there was no need to ask why. Harry for the most part was feeling good but nervous.
Lei had all but become a ghost in the common room and prefects area. She spent all of her time outside of classes and meals in the library, catching a few hours of sleep a night. Lei was about to take her N.E.W.T.s and even though she was one of the top students in her year she needed to do a good job on the tests. Whenever she wasn't studying she was dashing off to rehersals for her spring ballet production. They were doing Swan Lake and she had the lead.
Harry and his father sometimes had to leave the grounds some evenings to go speak to an orthopaedic specialist at Saint Andrews about Harry's knee. The doctor had come up with the same conclusion as Severus. The day after term was over Harry would be in Saint Andrews having reconstructive knee surgery.
Harry, Draco and his friends didn't have time to worry about that though.
Harry was snapped out of his reverie by Ron throwing his quill down and said,
"That's it! I can't concentrate! I give up!" He then plopped his head into his arms and Hermione put a gentle hand on his back and said,
"Oh come on Ron. Just take a break! You're brain's in overload. Just do as the muggle americans say and chill out!"
Harry, Ginny and Ron couldn't help but laugh at Hermione's attempt at muggle american slang. But the good thing is is that the tension was broken in the group and over the room.
The rest of the weekend was spent studying. Monday began exams for everybody. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco had their Potions and DADA exams while Ginny had Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures and Charms.
Tuesday Harry and Hermione had Study of Ancient Runes and Ron had Divination then Herbology. Draco had his Ancient Runes and Charms exam. Ginny had her Potions and DADA exams.
Wednesday brought on Care of Magical Creatures for Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco in the morning. Ginny had her Divination and Astronomy exam.
Thursday was Arithmancy for Hermione and Draco, Charms in the afternoon and that night was the trio and Draco's Astronomy exam. Ginny had her Transfiguration exam.
Friday, the final day of exams brought the Trio and Draco's Transfiguration exam then everybody was done. After lunch the two Snapes and Weasleys plus Hermione went outside into the courtyard and plopped down and let out a huge collective sigh of relief. Draco voiced what everybody was thinking,
"My brain feels like a wrung sponge."
"Here here." piped Ron.
"At least we have a week to do absolutely nothing until the results come out for you Gin." Harry said
"Yeah that's true Harry. When will you guys find out your results?" Ginny asked
"Around Harry's birthday probably." Hermione supplied tiredly
The rest of the afternoon was whiled away by moaning and groaning about their exams, harmless banter and teasing and the occasional chase around the courtyard.
The next week Harry alternated between spending time down in his father's rooms with Draco and his father. Then spending time with Ginny, Ron and Hermione up in the common room. Ginny's results came out and she had earned herself very good marks and knew that her parents would be pleased.
Before Harry knew it it was the night of the Leaving Feast amist red and gold decorations again because Gryffindor had won the house cup for the 5th year in a row. That night was a whirlwind of packing for the whole school. Harry and Draco were meeting Severus after the students left to go to the manor.
The next morning Harry and Draco were down in the entrance hall saying goodbye to everybody. Harry and Ginny gave eachother an extra long kiss and promises that he would owl all the time. Hermione had given Harry an extra tight squeeze of a hug and Ron gave Harry a hearty handshake and thump on the back telling him to not go too insane that summer.
Fred and George told Harry to try and stop by the shop sometime that summer. They had made enough money from Harry's 'donation' and sales from students this year to buy a small shop in Diagon Alley. They had come up with several more products to put in the store. Now that they were done with their education they were free to do what they wanted.
Harry and Draco said their final goodbyes and the Weasleys and Hermione made their way to catch a quick carriage before they left them behind. Harry levitated his trunk and Draco grabbed Hedwig in her cage and the two Snapes made their way down to Severus' rooms ready to begin their summer holidays.
A/N: All right I am calling it quits for this fic right there! I'm stopping at a clean 40 chapters! But don't you guys worry if I'm going to continue or not, I'll have the sequal posted in a day or two tops so don't worry. I just wanted to stop it here since that seems to be my pattern. I mean I stopped the prequal at the end of the summer so it's only logical that I would end it at the end of term. Now push that button and tell me what you think but please don't flame me, you all know the deal. I think that chapter was kind of weak but I'm suffering from kind of a writer's block. It always happens to me, I get close to the end of a story and my brain just freezes and I have no idea what to write. So I seriously hope this chapter didn't suck and don't worry about the sequal it'll be up and running in a few days tops. Oh and thanks to all of you guys that ever left a review for me, I really appreciate it, I don't think I'm that good of a writer, I've never done anything like this before so you guys really kept me going and writing with all your nice comments and ideas and such. So this is Lei signing off for this fic to start the next one! TTFN!!