"Harry!" Rona and Hermione rushed up to him.
"Did you have a good Christmas?" Ron asked. Harry nodded and took a seat
between the two of them.
"Do you know who those blokes in the funny uniform up at the high table
are?" Ron asked after a few minutes of silence.
Harry grinned. "You'll find out later."
"So you do know?" Ron said indignantly. Harry hastily changed the subject.
"Did you know the Durmstrang team are here?" Ron scowled. "When are you playing?" Hermione asked. "Tomorrow," Harry said. "So soon?" "Yeah, Dumbledore wants to get it over quickly. All the security is a big headache for him. They're not coming in here till after the match, though. I expect their busy with last minute practices and stuff." "Heaps of people are coming to watch," Ron said. "Mum and Bill and Charlie are all coming - Charlie had this mad idea about bringing the coach of the English side a long but mum wouldn't let him." Harry pulled a face. "Thank the stars! With my luck, Dementers would've turned up." Ron scowled. "Something nearly as bad as Dementors is coming." Harry grinned. "What, Percy?" Ron didn't smile. "No. Malfoy's dad and Fudge. Fudge was coming anyway, of course, it's an international event, and then Malfoy decided to come. His exact words were 'everyone's raving about Potters skills, but I won't believe it till I see it." Harry groaned. "Great. Death Eaters at the Quidditch maths. Old Moony was right, its" "Moony?" Fred said, sticking his head across the table. George looked up. "As in the Marauders Moony?" Harry nodded. "Yeah." The twins looked ecstatic. "Who is he? How do you know him?" they chorused. Harry grinned. "I know all four. But I'm not saying who they are..yet. I'll tell you at the end of the year if you can swear to secrecy and if they will let me." The twins were about to protest, when Dumbledore stood.
"Welcome to the second term at Hogwarts!! As most of you are aware, the Durmstrang Quidditch team arrived last night, but are staying in their own private quarters until the match tomorrow. I think that is all..No, it isn't. As you have all probably noticed, we have two strangers in our midst. They are both here for security purposes, and because of that must remain anonymous so that their lives are not endangered. I trust you will behave yourselves around them, as they will not hesitate to hex you with some extremely unpleasant curses. Now that is all!! Sweet Dreams, everyone!"
Slowly, the Hogwarts students began to file out of the great hall. "Harry!" someone whispered. Harry spun around. Remus was grinning at him from under his Order robes. "Over here!" Harry pulled at his friends sleeves and steered them into the room off the Great Hall. "Professor Lupin!" Hermione gasped. "Snuffles!" Ron appeared to be speechless. Sirius laughed. "Nice to see you to," he said. "Have you got the-"he began, but broke off abruptly when Harry fixed him with a death glare, inclining his head towards Ron and Hermione. Ron looked disgruntled. "Well, if you're gong to keep things from us, your best friends!" Hermione frowned at him. "Ron, secrets are secrets for a reason. Harry doesn't have to tell us - I'm sure you have lots of secrets. And unless you both want detentions from Snape, we should head towards the common room now." Sirius puled a face t her. "Now, Hermione, you are with to members of the Order. We are above the Professors and can escort you back to Gryffindor towe4r." Remus glared daggers at him. "Members of the Order?" Hermione repeated, intrigued. "Err, oops?" Sirius said sheepishly. "Never mind the Order," Harry said impatiently, "Theres going to be Death Eaters at the Quidditch match tomorrow." Sirius frowned. "Harry, perhaps Remus or I'd better cast a shield around you." Harry shook his head vehemently. "No way. The only way I'd catch the Snitch with a shield around me would be if it flew down my throat again. Besides, I don't think he would attack right under Dumbledore's nose." Sirius still looked unconvinced. "Aww, Padfoot, stop worrying!! You can run around under me on the pitch to catch me if I fall. Behave like Moody - Stun everyone!!1 Then there will be noone conscious to harm me." Ron laughed. Remus smiled. "Sirius, he has a point. Now let Harry go back to his common room, he has a big day tomorrow."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Harry had Quidditch practice first thing. Davies looked extremely nervous, he was pacing up and down, talking strategy and making Harry feel sorry for the Ravenclaws - he was nearly as bad as Wood! The Gryffindors were mucking around, mostly, that was the twins way of letting off nerves. "So, Harry, how do you know those hex-happy babysitters Dumbledore's hired?" George asked. Harry smiled. "Their old friends of my dads - I've known them since I was born" "Cool!" Fred exclaimed. ":Imagine all the curses they could teach you to use on Malfoy...or Snape!" "Will you three concentrate??" Davies bellowed. The twins grinned at him while Harry flushed.
Harry sprinted into his room, slightly out of breath. He'd been training on his Firebolt, trying to keep his Lightningbolt a secret, but he need a really good broom for the actual match. Carefully picking up his beloved broom, he headed down to breakfast. Everyone was in th4e Great Hall - even some parents - when Harry got there. AS couple of people glanced at him, then stared. A disbelieving muttering began to fill the room, people standing on their stools to get a better look. Harry slipped into a seat near Remus and Sirius, who still had their hoods pulled over their face. IT was then he noticed Hrs Weasly, Bill and Charlie sitting across the table. "Hello!" He said cheerfully. "Mrs Weasly, Bill, Charlie, these are the new security measures Dumbledore's hired. Sorry I can't introduce them by name, but that's not allowed. But they're both friends of mine" The three of them simply stared at Harry's broom, awestruck. Finally Charlie broke the silence. "Hell, Harry," he said weakly. "Did you know that not even the international teams have brooms like that??" Harry nodded. "It's a present from a friend of mine." He said shortly. "Are they the Hogwarts Quidditch Robes?" Bill asked curiously. Harry nodded, glancing at them. They were purple, with the Hogwarts crest on the back. "Durmstrang have red and black stripes," he said, "So it should be easy to tell us apart." He felt a tap on his shoulder. "Time for the teams to go," Davies said. Fred, George, Angelina Katie and Alicia rose and picked up their broomsticks. Then the Hogwarts team walked silently out of the hall.
"Did you know the Durmstrang team are here?" Ron scowled. "When are you playing?" Hermione asked. "Tomorrow," Harry said. "So soon?" "Yeah, Dumbledore wants to get it over quickly. All the security is a big headache for him. They're not coming in here till after the match, though. I expect their busy with last minute practices and stuff." "Heaps of people are coming to watch," Ron said. "Mum and Bill and Charlie are all coming - Charlie had this mad idea about bringing the coach of the English side a long but mum wouldn't let him." Harry pulled a face. "Thank the stars! With my luck, Dementers would've turned up." Ron scowled. "Something nearly as bad as Dementors is coming." Harry grinned. "What, Percy?" Ron didn't smile. "No. Malfoy's dad and Fudge. Fudge was coming anyway, of course, it's an international event, and then Malfoy decided to come. His exact words were 'everyone's raving about Potters skills, but I won't believe it till I see it." Harry groaned. "Great. Death Eaters at the Quidditch maths. Old Moony was right, its" "Moony?" Fred said, sticking his head across the table. George looked up. "As in the Marauders Moony?" Harry nodded. "Yeah." The twins looked ecstatic. "Who is he? How do you know him?" they chorused. Harry grinned. "I know all four. But I'm not saying who they are..yet. I'll tell you at the end of the year if you can swear to secrecy and if they will let me." The twins were about to protest, when Dumbledore stood.
"Welcome to the second term at Hogwarts!! As most of you are aware, the Durmstrang Quidditch team arrived last night, but are staying in their own private quarters until the match tomorrow. I think that is all..No, it isn't. As you have all probably noticed, we have two strangers in our midst. They are both here for security purposes, and because of that must remain anonymous so that their lives are not endangered. I trust you will behave yourselves around them, as they will not hesitate to hex you with some extremely unpleasant curses. Now that is all!! Sweet Dreams, everyone!"
Slowly, the Hogwarts students began to file out of the great hall. "Harry!" someone whispered. Harry spun around. Remus was grinning at him from under his Order robes. "Over here!" Harry pulled at his friends sleeves and steered them into the room off the Great Hall. "Professor Lupin!" Hermione gasped. "Snuffles!" Ron appeared to be speechless. Sirius laughed. "Nice to see you to," he said. "Have you got the-"he began, but broke off abruptly when Harry fixed him with a death glare, inclining his head towards Ron and Hermione. Ron looked disgruntled. "Well, if you're gong to keep things from us, your best friends!" Hermione frowned at him. "Ron, secrets are secrets for a reason. Harry doesn't have to tell us - I'm sure you have lots of secrets. And unless you both want detentions from Snape, we should head towards the common room now." Sirius puled a face t her. "Now, Hermione, you are with to members of the Order. We are above the Professors and can escort you back to Gryffindor towe4r." Remus glared daggers at him. "Members of the Order?" Hermione repeated, intrigued. "Err, oops?" Sirius said sheepishly. "Never mind the Order," Harry said impatiently, "Theres going to be Death Eaters at the Quidditch match tomorrow." Sirius frowned. "Harry, perhaps Remus or I'd better cast a shield around you." Harry shook his head vehemently. "No way. The only way I'd catch the Snitch with a shield around me would be if it flew down my throat again. Besides, I don't think he would attack right under Dumbledore's nose." Sirius still looked unconvinced. "Aww, Padfoot, stop worrying!! You can run around under me on the pitch to catch me if I fall. Behave like Moody - Stun everyone!!1 Then there will be noone conscious to harm me." Ron laughed. Remus smiled. "Sirius, he has a point. Now let Harry go back to his common room, he has a big day tomorrow."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Harry had Quidditch practice first thing. Davies looked extremely nervous, he was pacing up and down, talking strategy and making Harry feel sorry for the Ravenclaws - he was nearly as bad as Wood! The Gryffindors were mucking around, mostly, that was the twins way of letting off nerves. "So, Harry, how do you know those hex-happy babysitters Dumbledore's hired?" George asked. Harry smiled. "Their old friends of my dads - I've known them since I was born" "Cool!" Fred exclaimed. ":Imagine all the curses they could teach you to use on Malfoy...or Snape!" "Will you three concentrate??" Davies bellowed. The twins grinned at him while Harry flushed.
Harry sprinted into his room, slightly out of breath. He'd been training on his Firebolt, trying to keep his Lightningbolt a secret, but he need a really good broom for the actual match. Carefully picking up his beloved broom, he headed down to breakfast. Everyone was in th4e Great Hall - even some parents - when Harry got there. AS couple of people glanced at him, then stared. A disbelieving muttering began to fill the room, people standing on their stools to get a better look. Harry slipped into a seat near Remus and Sirius, who still had their hoods pulled over their face. IT was then he noticed Hrs Weasly, Bill and Charlie sitting across the table. "Hello!" He said cheerfully. "Mrs Weasly, Bill, Charlie, these are the new security measures Dumbledore's hired. Sorry I can't introduce them by name, but that's not allowed. But they're both friends of mine" The three of them simply stared at Harry's broom, awestruck. Finally Charlie broke the silence. "Hell, Harry," he said weakly. "Did you know that not even the international teams have brooms like that??" Harry nodded. "It's a present from a friend of mine." He said shortly. "Are they the Hogwarts Quidditch Robes?" Bill asked curiously. Harry nodded, glancing at them. They were purple, with the Hogwarts crest on the back. "Durmstrang have red and black stripes," he said, "So it should be easy to tell us apart." He felt a tap on his shoulder. "Time for the teams to go," Davies said. Fred, George, Angelina Katie and Alicia rose and picked up their broomsticks. Then the Hogwarts team walked silently out of the hall.