Disclaimer: I assure you that the fact that my muse has returned at the same time that J. K. Rowling sent HP:OTP to publish is a coincidence. I unfortunately have no claim to Harry Potter or Hogwarts or any of that wonderful stuff. I can however say that I created Ryan Argano, the Loranciados, the Bremus, and Martin Diggory. But it's no sweat off my back if you want to use them in one of your stories.
14. The Phantom Snitch
"So what are we going to do?" Ron asked later that night as they sat in a corner of the Gryffindor common room with their Defense Against Dark Arts books spread open around them.
"Do?" Hermione looked up sharply, "We're going to do our work, that's what."
Ron rolled his eyes, "A Death Eater professor has disappeared without a word, people can now apparate at will within school grounds, our new professor has shown a predilection for shooting things at Harry and you're worried about our next History of Magic essay? Don't you think surviving this year is a bit more important than whatever it was that Wendell the Wacky did in 1296?"
"I should hope the two of you would be a bit more concerned about your History of Magic essays considering you both failed the last one. And it's Wedge the Wacky, not Wendell."
Ron shook his head, "Look, we failed because the Library's been burned down, and unlike Professor Blinns, who has literally nothing better to do, we can't remember every inane and obscure fact from the entire History of Magic."
"Why are we arguing about History of Magic," Harry began after flipping through his book in frustration, "when we still haven't finished our Defense Against Dark Arts homework?"
Hermione sighed, "My point is that, just like the Staff Draconis, we can't do anything about it, nor do we have the time to try. It's not as if we can just up and leave to go looking for Malfoy and furthermore, I don't know what Sideson and the rest are trying to accomplish by telling us this."
Harry glanced at his watch and groaned. "I'll see you later, let me know if you figure out what spell he's talking about."
"You can't have practice now, it's eight o'clock at night."
"Angelina inherited Oliver's love for practices at odd hours. We've got a match this Saturday and we don't know anything about Hufflepuff's new keeper. Ron can I see your Herbology notes when I get back?"
"Sure, but I don't see what you need them for, we don't have Herbology 'till Wednesday."
Harry shrugged, "Thanks." He then gathered his books together and trudged up to his dormitory. After grabbing his broom and shrugging on his practice robe he descended again, passed the corner where Hermione and Ron had started arguing again, and headed out through the Portrait Hole.
"Headed for the library dear?" The fat lady asked as the portrait swung closed.
"Nope, Quidditch practice."
"At this hour?" The fat lady shook her head, "My, my, my."
Harry offered a smile and then made his way down through the twisting corridors and stairways and out the front entrance. Once outside, he hopped onto his broom and swooped over to the Quidditch green. Fred and George were hovering there waiting with Beater clubs in hand. Katie Bell and Alicia Spinnet had graduated the year before and their Chaser positions had been filled by a third year boy named Matthew and a second year girl named Johanna. Replacing Oliver Wood as Keeper was a silent dark haired fourth year named Lindsey. The three of them were clumped together on the ground idly waiting for practice to start. Harry dropped in beside Fred and they chatted until Angelina herself walked out of the locker room entrance pulling the box containing each of the necessary balls behind her, then she climbed onto her broom and rose up to meet them. Matt, Johanna and Lindsey all mounted their brooms as well. When they were hanging in a loose circle above the center of the field Angelina pointed out the Weasley brothers and ordered sharply, "Ok, you two, I want you to start drilling your Bludger Ballistic maneuver, I wan it ready for Saturday."
Fred raised a hand and smiled, "Before we do, I have a question."
"What?"
It was George who answered, "It's dark, we play in the daytime, why are we practicing now?"
"Because," she snapped, "Slytherin managed to book all the scheduled practice time for this week and this is the only time we get," she glared at them both. "Now get going!"
Harry spent the next half hour tearing after the snitch, catching it several times with no problem. After that he simply hovered and watched the other players chase each other through the gloom. Finally, Angelina called them all down and informed them that practice was over. With that, they trouped up to the castle and back to the common room.
* * *
That Saturday dawned cold and gusty, well befitting the beginning of October. Dying leaves rustled discontentedly in the trees while the sun broke over a sullenly frosted castle. There was the usual clamor during breakfast time as everyone got ready for the game. Harry ate a light breakfast amid the backslapping and encouragement, then he and the rest of the team made their way to the locker room to change.
Once they were all gathered in their Crimson Gryffindor robes, Angelina pulled up the blackboard and began her pre game speech. Or at least she tried. "Ok team…" was as far as she got before both Weasley twins had their hands in the air. "what do you two want?"
George smiled innocently, "Please tell us that you are not planning on giving us any of Oliver's speeches."
"Or strategy sessions." Fred piped up.
"And lets not have any encouragement."
"Or criticism."
She shook her head, "Are you two done?"
"Oh I suppose so."
"As I was saying, It's been a rough week and we're playing a more established team, still I'm confident that our three newest players will make us all proud out there today." Harry glanced over to where Johanna, Matt, and Lindsey were sitting, all looking as if they hadn't gotten any breakfast and a bit sick with nerves. "We've worked hard on these strategies so I'm confident we'll be able to pull through. Beaters, are you two ready?" Fred and George flashed identical grins and nodded. "Great, how about you, Harry? Ready to get the season started?"
Harry nodded and Angelina clapped her hands together. "Right, let's go!"
The team headed out of the room and out onto the sunlit Quidditch pitch. The elevated stands were thronged with students and faculty, most of whom were swathed in the colors of their house. The red mass in the Gryffindor's stands roared their approval as their team mounted and flew to the center of the field where Madame Hooch was circling. A few moments later, the roar was answered from the Hufflepuff stands as their yellow robed team zoomed out to rank opposite the Gryffindors. Madame Hooch nodded to each Captain and both teams lowered to the ground. She grinned in the crisp autumn wind and kicked open the box. The bludgers and snitch blasted free and zoomed into the bright sky. Madam Hooch whipped the red Quaffle into the air and blasted her whistle.
Both teams tore into the air, whirling about, trying to get a position on the Quaffle as it fell. Harry rolled away from the developing hair-ball and looped higher above the field. He saw Hufflepuff's seeker dodge low and head for the Hufflepuff stands. After a quick glance around, Harry saw that the snitch had not appeared yet. Meanwhile Lee Jordan was bawling play-by-play into the megaphone.
"Hufflepuff in possession! Jack Mayers is showing some incredible moves as he heads for the Gryffindor goal! A pass to their newest chaser Christina Tasca!" The nimble third year looped behind the Gryffindor and spun her broom for a crushing shot towards the lowest goal. A blur of red blasted past and punted the Quaffle up over the goal.
"Fantastic Save! In case you missed her, that was Lindsey Kline, Gryffindor's newest Keeper. She's just proved her worth. Angelina Johnson seizes the Quaffle and heads for the Hufflepuff Goal! And we seem to have some activity with the Gryffindor Beaters!"
Indeed there was, Fred and George had rounded up both Bludgers and were smashing them back and forth between themselves as they raced up the field. Angelina dove and swooped beneath the crossing balls. The two Hufflepuff Chasers on the other hand, tried to loop above the barrier but were slowed too much to have any hope of catching up with Angelina. Fred and George rolled away at the exact same moment and the Bludgers rocketed away in opposite directions, then started homing in on the Hufflepuff Chasers pursuing Angelina.
"Amazing Maneuvers! Johnson has a clear shot at the goal!" Angelina made for the center goal but rolled at the last minute to lob it through the lower left. "GRYFFINDOR! A classic feint by Captain Angelina Johnson puts Gryffindor on the board ten to nothing!"
As one of Hufflepuff's Chasers spiraled down to receive the Quaffle, Harry thought he caught a glimpse of gold at the opposite end of the field. Hufflepuff's Seeker was circling higher above the field and hadn't seemed to notice it yet. Harry tightened his grip on his Firebolt and rocketed toward the Gryffindor Goal. The snitch was buzzing around near the leftmost goal post. Harry urged the Firebolt to greater speed and the snitch seemed to catch note of him as it swooped up and away towards the Gryffindor stands.
Harry barely heard Lee Jordan call out "HUFFLEPUFF!" as they scored, he was too intent on capturing the snitch. It wound its way through the air, looping just out of reach whenever Harry closed on it. Harry could feel the eyes of the crowd slowly coming to focus on him as people began to realize what he was doing.
Just then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Hufflepuff seeker roll into a steep dive towards another snitch! Harry lunged forward to grab the snitch and just as his fingers were about to close over it, it vanished with a pop. Harry cried out in surprise and his broom unbalanced from his leaning so far forward.
Harry felt his head spinning as he righted himself and circled high above the crowd. The other snitch seemed to have gotten away from Hufflepuff's chaser. Both houses had managed to score respectably in a short time and the score stood 30 - 20 Gryffindor. Each house scored twice more before Harry caught sight of the snitch again.
This time it was high above the Slytherin stands, circling and darting back and forth. Harry pulled up and gave chase and soon found himself wheeling crazily to and fro near the surface of the field. The grass was a revolving green blur beneath him as he tried to close in on the snitch, and once again he heard a familiar buzz in his ear, and a golden snitch blew by with Hufflepuff's seeker in hot pursuit.
The crowd was beginning to notice something wrong and Harry pulled up short as a whistle blasted for a time out. Lee Jordan's voice echoed out over the arena. "Madame Hooch has called a referee's time out and both teams are making their way to the center of the field. There appear to be two snitches!"
Harry and the Gryffindor's dropped to the field and stood in a semi-circle around Madame Hooch. The Hufflepuffs landed and circled up opposite of them. Madame Hooch nodded to Harry and the Hufflepuff Seeker, "Harry, Ila, what's going on up there?"
Harry shook his head, "I see a snitch and I go after it."
"Same here," the Hufflepuff Seeker shrugged as well.
There was a whistling sound and a bludger dropped towards them, Fred batted it away and turned to Madame Hooch. "I'd recommend we not drag this out, ma'am, the Bludgers are getting antsy."
Madame Hooch nodded. "Right then, this game isn't over until the right snitch gets caught. If either you grabs a hold of one, the rest of you are to stay in the air until I confirm it's real. Good luck to you all." With that she blasted her whistle again and both teams rose into the air once more.
"We're getting underway again with the score standing at 80 - 60, Hufflepuff. A consensus seems to have been reached and both teams are off!"
Harry and the Ila circled for quite some time waiting for a glimpse of gold among the flashing colors below. Harry felt a buzz past his ear and saw a glint of gold in the corner of his eye, he rolled downward and dove after the tiny ball. He closed quickly stretching his fingers to capture the snitch, but something about it caught Harry's eyes. It was just a flicker, but for the barest moment, it was no longer a golden snitch but something black and cold and malevolent, lying in wait to spring and attack. Harry gasped and wheeled away to where he could see Ila pursuing the other snitch, what Harry was sure was the real one.
"Both Seekers seem to be after the same snitch now, with Gryffindor's Potter giving up on the one he was pursuing! But it seems to be following him!"
Harry spared a glance over his shoulder and sure enough, the golden impostor was buzzing madly after him. Harry and Ila were about the same distance from the snitch, and Harry was closing faster. He gripped his broom handle as tight as he could and the Firebolt accelerated in magnificent stride. Harry shot out his hand and grabbed the snitch, looping high over the center of the field with his hand raised in triumph.
The stands exploded into roars of cheering as Madame Hooch flew up to inspect the snitch. She took it and held it above her head to signify that it was indeed the true snitch. But then she paled and gasped "Harry!"
Harry spun around and saw the fake snitch closing fast. It's golden exterior exploded away and revealed a twisting black thing that was all wings and claws and gnashing teeth, Harry ducked but felt something tearing through his shoulder. He dove knowing that his Firebolt would be able to outstrip the monster, whatever it was. When he was a mere five feet above the pitch, something slammed into him from behind and threw him sprawling from his broom. A buzzing filled his ears and he rolled over to see the thing streaking down towards him, blades whizzing in anticipation of slashing and tearing through flesh.
Then Harry felt something long and slender drop into his right hand that was sprawled beside him. Not sure what he was doing, he whipped it upward and yelled, "Petrificus Totalus!"
The thing froze and dropped. Harry rolled away as it landed with a thud. He starred at what appeared to be nothing but gears and knives and dragonfly wings jumbled together by insanity when it was crushed by a heavy boot. Ryan Argano was looking down at the thing with great distaste, then he reached down and pulled Harry to his feet. "We'd best get that shoulder looked at Potter." Harry glanced at his left shoulder and saw that it was indeed bleeding terribly, then he looked dumbly at his right hand, for though he knew what it was, he couldn't understand how it got there.
He was looking at Hermione's wand.
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Author Note: I just want to say how great it is to be writing again, even if it does appear that no one is reading this… Oh well, 's my own fault for having writer's block for so long. If you read, please review, I do hope you're enjoying this as much as I'm enjoying writing it.
Questions, Comments, and Honorary Degrees are to be sent to Sechsmarquise@hotmail.com.
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