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As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy grey and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost.

Hagrid, who the trio had found out worked as the groundskeeper, could be seen from the upstairs windows, defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch pitch, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit-fur gloves and enormous beaverskin boots.

The Quidditch season had begun. On Saturday, Jane would be playing in her first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the House Championship.

Hardly anyone had seen Jane play because Wood had decided that, as their secret weapon, she should be kept, well, secret.

But the news that Jane was playing Seeker had leaked out somehow, and Jane didn't know which was worse, people telling her she'd be brilliant or people telling her they'd be running around underneath her, holding a mattress like a crash pad.

It was really lucky that Jane and Ron had Jack for their friend. For didn't know how they would have gotten through all their homework without him. They seemed to be getting homework in every lesson now, as just like their actual classwork their homework had also gotten more difficult and challenging as their grasp of the basics had been established they were now starting to get into the more intricate, detailed and complex elements.

Jane also had to deal with all the last-minute Quidditch practices Wood was making them do, but thankfully Ron and Jack would sit with her late in the evening either in the library or common room and together they held each other accountable for ensuring the daily homework tasks were completed on time.

Jane had also borrow QuidditchThrough the Ages, from the library. It had turned out to be a very interesting read.

Jane learnt that there were seven hundred ways of committing a Quidditch foul and that all of them had happened during a World Cup match in 1473.

She now also knew that Seekers were usually the smallest and fastest players and that most serious Quidditch accidents seemed to happen to them.

And that although people rarely died playing Quidditch, referees had been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara Desert.

The day before Jane's first Quidditch match the trio were out in the freezing courtyard during break, huddled together around a bright blue fire, which Jack had conjured for them. They had been caring it around in a jam jar all morning.

They were standing with their backs to it, getting warm, when Snape crossed the yard.

Jane noticed at once that Snape was still limping. Jane, Ron and Jack moved closer together to block the fire from view; they were sure it wouldn't be allowed.
Unfortunately, something about their faces caught Snape's eye, aybe they looked guilty, he limped over.

Snape hadn't seen the fire, but he seemed to be looking for a reason to tell them off anyway.

"What's that you've got there, Potter?"

Jane showed him the book she was holding, it was quidditch through the ages.

"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."

"He's just made that rule up," Jack muttered angrily as Snape limped away.

"Wonder what's wrong with his leg?" mused Jane

"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," said Ron bitterly.

The Gryffindor common room was very noisy that evening. Jane, Ron and Ron sat together next to a window. Jack was checking Jane and Ron's Charms homework for them. He never let them copy ('How will you learn?' he would scoff in a very impressive mock teacher's voice), but he always read through their eassays, ensuring they got the right answers anyway.

Jane felt restless, as she sat their waiting for Jack to hand back her essay so she could edit it. She really wanted Quidditch Through the Ages back, to take her mind off her nerves about tomorrow.

Why should she be afraid of Snape? Getting up, she told Ron and Jack, she was going to ask Snape if she could have it.

"Rather you than me," they said together, but Jane had an idea, she didn't think Snape wouldn't refuse if there were other teachers listening.

Jane made her way down to the staff room and knocked. There was no answer, so she knocked again. Nothing. Perhaps Snape had left the book in there? It was worth a try. Jane pushed the door ajar and peered inside – and a horrible scene met her eyes.

Snape and Filch were inside, alone. Snape's trousers were around his ankles and he was holding his robes above his knees for modesty. One of his legs was bloody and mangled. Filch was handing Snape bandages.

"Blasted thing," Snape was saying. "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"

Jane tried to shut the door quietly, but –

"POTTER!"

Snape's face was twisted with fury and Filch quickly moved so that Jane could no longer see anything of Snape.

"I just wondered if I could have my book back." Jane squeaked.

"GET OUT!" roared Filch

"OUT!" ordered Snape in a shout

Janeleft, before Snape could take any more points from Gryffindor. She sprinted back upstairs and practically flung herself into the common room.

"Did you get it" Ron asked as Jane slumped into one of the chairs around the round table they were working at.

"What's the matter?" Jack asked, looking at Janes' flushed face. In a low whisper, Jane told them what she'd seen.

"You know what this means?" she finished breathlessly. "Snape tried to get past that three-headed dog at Hallowe'en! That's where he was going when we saw him – he's after whatever it's guarding! And I'd bet my broomstick he let that troll in, to create a diversion!"

Jack's eyes were wide.

"No – he wouldn't, would he?" he said. "I mean I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe. Right?"

"Honestly, Jack sometimes i honestly think that you think all teachers are saints or something," snapped Ron. "I'm with Jane. I wouldn't put anything past Snape."

"Neither would I" agreed Jane "But what's he after? What's that dog guarding?"

Janewent to bed with his head buzzing with the same question. Hermione was snoring loudly, but Jane couldn't sleep. She tried to empty her mind – she needed to sleep, she had to, she had her first Quidditch match in a few hours – but the expression on Snape's face when Jane had seen his leg wasn't easy to forget.

The next morning dawned very bright and cold. The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match.

"You've got to eat some breakfast." chided Jack

"I don't want anything."

"Just a bit of toast," suggested Ron

"I'm not hungry." Jane felt terrible. In an hour's time she'd be walking on to the pitch.

"Oy Jane, you need your strength," said Seamus Finnigan.

"Seamus is right, you need to eat up" Piped Neville

"Yes because apparently seekers are always the ones who get, whats the term you use Seamus, nobbled, yes nobbled by the other team."

"Thank you Hermione" said Jane as sarcastically as she could, while watching Ron place two slices of toast on Jane's plate before Jack added a mountain of scrambled egg to each slice. Jane smiled weakly, picked up her fork and tentatively began eating, hoping very much that she kept it down.

By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The seats might be raised high in the air but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes.

Ron and Jack joined Neville, Seamus and Dean the West Ham fan up in the top row. As a surprise for Jane, they had painted a large banner on one of the sheets Seamus had ruined by burning a couple of holes in one end with his wand.. It said 'Potter for President' and Dean, who was good at drawing, had done a large Gryffindor lion underneath. Then Jack had performed a tricky little charm so that the paint flashed different colours.

Meanwhile, in the changing rooms, Jane and the rest of the team were changing into their scarlet Quidditch uniforms. Gold knickerbockers, scarlet knee high socks (with gold stripes) and a screlet sailor style jumper with gold trims. A scarlet and gold trimmed robe went over the top adn fastened over the chest with toggles. Brown boots and matching fingerless gloves, completed the uniform. (Slytherin would be playing in green and silver).

After everyone was changed, Wood cleared his throat for silence.

"OK, men," he said.

"And women," said Chaser Angelina Johnson.

"And women," Wood agreed. "This is it."

"The big one," said Fred Weasley.

"The one we've all been waiting for," said George.

"We know Oliver's speech by heart," Fred told Harry.

"We were in the team last year." added George

"hut up, you two," said Wood. "This is the best team Gryffindor's had in years. We're going to win. I know it." He glared at them all as if to say, 'Or else.'

"Right. It's time. Good luck, all of you."

Jane followed Fred and George out of the changing room and, hoping her knees weren't going to give way, walked on to the pitch to loud cheers.

Madam Hooch was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the pitch, waiting for the two teams, her broom in her hand.

"Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," she said, once they were all gathered around her. Jane noticed that she seemed to be speaking particularly to the Slytherin captain, Marcus Flint, a fifth-year. Jane thought Flint looked as if he had some troll blood in him.

Out of the corner of her eye Jane saw the fluttering banner high above, flashing Potter for President over the crowd. Her heart skipped. Jane felt braver.

"Mount your brooms, please."

Jane clambered on to his Nimbus Two Thousand. Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle. Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor – what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too –"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."

The Weasley twins' friend, Lee Jordan, was doing the commentary for the match, closely watched by Professor McGonagall.

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve –back to Johnson and – no, Slytherin have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes – Flint flying like an eagle up there – he's going to sc– no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and Gryffindor take the Quaffle – that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and – OUCH – that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger – Quaffle taken by Slytherin – that's Adrian Pucey

speeding off towards the goalposts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger – sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which – nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and

Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes – she's really flying – dodges a speeding Bludger – the goalposts are ahead – come on, now, Angelina – Keeper Bletchley dives – misses – GRYFFINDOR SCORE!"

Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins.

"Excuse me." huffed Hermione Bishop in her usual shrill voice as she pushed her along the row of seats where Jack and Ron were sat.

"What you doing here?" asked Ron as he and Jack squeezed together to give Hermione enough space to join them.

"I was in the library studying, but Madam Pince threw me out of the library, apparently ive been spending too much time in there and need to get a life" Hermione said shrilly, those who had heard Hermione laughed.

"So whats the point of the game?" Hermione asked and Neville sighed before launching into a brief explanation.

"So any sign of the Snitch yet" Hermione asked

"Nope," said Ron. "Jane hasn't had much to do yet."

"Kept outta trouble, though, that's somethin" Jack added with a grin, raising his binoculars and peering skywards at the speck that was Jane.

Way up above them, Jane was gliding over the game, squinting about for some sign of the Snitch. This was part of her and Wood's game plan.

"Keep out of the way until you catch sight of the Snitch," Wood had said. "We don't want you attacked before you have to be."

When Angelina had scored, Jane had done a couple of loop-the-loops to let out her feelings. Now she was back to staring around for the Snitch. Once she caught sight of a flash of gold but it was just a reflection from one of the Weasleys' wristwatches, and once a Bludger decided to come pelting his way, more like a cannon ball than anything, but Jane dodged it and Fred Weasley came chasing after it.

"All right there, Harry?" he had time to yell, as he beat the Bludger furiously towards Marcus Flint.

"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying. "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys and Chaser Bell and speeds towards the – wait a moment – was that the Snitch?"

A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle, too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear.

Jane saw it. In a great rush of excitement she dived downwards after the streak of gold. Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs had seen it, too. Neck and neck they hurtled towards the Snitch – all the Chasers seemed to have forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in mid-air to watch.

Jane was faster than Higgs – she could see the little round ball, wings fluttering, darting up ahead – she put on an extra spurt of speed – WHAM! A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors below – Marcus Flint had blocked Jane on purpose and Jane's broom spun off course, Jane holding on for dear life.

"Foul!" screamed the Gryffindors.

Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goalposts for Gryffindor. But in all the confusion, of course, the Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight again.

Down in the stands, Dean Thomas was yelling,

"Send him off, ref! Red card!"

"This isn't football, Dean," Jack reminded him. "

Yeah you can't send people off in Quidditch" Ron said, then he turend to look at Jack and asked "what's a red card?"

But Hermione was on Dean's side.

"They oughta change the rules, Flint could have knocked Jane out of the air."

Lee Jordan was finding it difficult not to take sides.

"So – after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating –"

"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.

"I mean, after that open and revolting foul –"

"Jordan, I'm warning you –"

"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinnet, who puts it away, no trouble, and

we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."

It was as Jane dodged another Bludger which went spinning dangerously past her head that it happened. Her broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch. For a split second, she thought she was going to fall. Jane gripped the broom tightly with both her hands and knees. never felt anything like that.

It happened again. It was as though the broom was trying to buck her off. But Nimbus Two Thousands did not suddenly decide to buck their riders off. Jane tried to turn back towards the Gryffindor goalposts; she had half a mind to ask Wood to call time out – and then she realised that her broom was completely out of his control. Jane couldn't turn it, in fact she couldn't direct it at all.

It was zigzagging through the air and every now and then making violent swishing movements which almost unseated her.

Lee was still commentating.

"Slytherin in possession – Flint with the Quaffle – passes Spinnet – passes Bell – hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose – only joking, Professor – Slytherin score – oh no"

The Slytherins were cheering. No one seemed to have noticed that Jane's broom was behaving strangely. It was carrying her slowly higher, away from the game, jerking and twitching as it went.

"What is Jane doing?" Hemrione asked

"Dunno" Jack mumbled. He stared through his binoculars.

"If I didn' know better, I'd say she's lost control of his broom … but she can't have …" Ron said concern and confusion ettched into her face.

Suddenly, people were pointing up at Jane all over the stands. Jane's broom had started to roll over and over, with her only just managing to hold on. Then the whole crowd gasped.

Jane's broom had given a wild jerk and Jane swung off it. She was now dangling from it, holding on with only one hand.

"Did something happen to it when Flint blocked her?" Dean whispered.

"Can't have," Ron said, his voice shaking. "Can't nothing interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark Magic"

At these words, Jack seized his binoculars, but instead of looking up at Jane, he started looking frantically at the crowd.

"What are you doing?" moaned Ron, grey-faced.

"I knew it," Jack gasped. "Snape – look."

Ron grabbed the binoculars. Snape was in the middle of the stands opposite them. He had his eyes fixed on Jane and was muttering non-stop under his breath.

"He's doing something – jinxing the broom," said Jack.

"What should we do?" asked a fearful Ron

"Leave it to me." Jack said and before Ron could say another word, Jack had disappeared.

Ron turned the binoculars back on Jane. Jane's broom was vibrating so hard, it was almost impossible for her to hang on much longer. The whole crowd were on their feet,

watching, terrified, as the Weasleys flew up to try and pull Jane safely on to one of their brooms, but it was no good –every time they got near her, the broom would jump higher

Still.

They dropped lower and circled beneath her, obviously hoping to catch her if she fell. Marcus Flint seized the Quaffle and scored five times without anyone noticing.

"Come on, Jack", Ron muttered desperately.

Jack had fought his way across to the stand where Snape stood and was now racing along the row behind him; he didn't even stop to say sorry as he knocked Professor Quirrell headfirst into the row in front. Reaching Snape, he crouched down, pulled out his wand and whispered a few, well chosen words. Bright blue flames shot from his wand on to the hem of Snape's robes.

It took perhaps thirty seconds for Snape to realise that he was on fire. A sudden yelp told Jack he had done his job. Scooping the fire off Snape and into a little jar in his pocket he scrambled back along the row – Snape would never know what had happened.

It was enough. Up in the air, Jane was suddenly able to clamber back on to her broom.

"Neville, you can look!" Ron said. Neville had been sobbing into Seamus's jacket for the last five minutes.

Jane was speeding towards the ground when the crowd saw her clap her hand to her mouth as though she was about to be sick – she hit the pitch on all fours – coughed – and something gold fell into her hand.
"I've got the Snitch!" Jane shouted, waving it above her head, and the game ended in complete confusion.

"She didn't catch it, she nearly swallowed it," Flint was still howling twenty minutes later, but it made no difference. Jane hadn't broken any rules and Lee Jordan was still happily

shouting the result – Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty.

Jane heard none of this, though. She was being given a large glass of butterbear by Fred as she stood in the Gryffindor common room with Ron and Jack waiting for the party to start, Jane was still wearing her quidditch uniform as were the rest of the team.

"It was Snape," Ron was explaining. "Jack and I saw him. He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off you."

"Rubbish," said Nearly Headless Nick who had floated over and overheard their conversation, "Why would Professor Snape do something like that?"

Jane, Ron and Jack looked at each other, wondering what to tell him. Jane decided on the truth.

"I found out something about him," she told him. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Hallowe'en. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding."

Nearly Headless Nick's head gave an alarming wabble

"How do you know about Fluffy?" he gasped

"Fluffy?"

"Yes. She belongs to Hagrid's. Apparently he bought her off a Greek fellow he met in a pub last year. Then this year he leant her to Dumbledore to guard the –"

"Yes?" said Jane eagerly.

"Now, don't ask me any more," said Nick gruffly. "That's top secret, that is."

"But Snape's trying to steal it."

"Rubbish," said Nick again. "Professor Snape is a Hogwarts teacher, he would do nothing of the sort."

"So why did he just try and kill Jane?" cried Jack The afternoon's events certainly seemed to have changed his mind about Snape. "I know a jinx when I see one, Nick, I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!"

"I'm telling you now you are wrong!" said Nick hotly. "I do not know why Jane's broom acted like it did, but Professor Snape would not try to kill a student! Now, listen to me, all three of you– you are meddling in things that do not concern you. It's dangerous. You would be wise to forget that dog, and what it is guarding, that is strictly between Professor

Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel –"

"Aha!" said Jane. "So there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"

Nearly Headless Nick looked furious with himself and he swiftly floated away.