A\N: Before you start shouting – I was on a school trip, so I couldn't write. If you want to know (And even if you don't) – yes, it was fun (Let's ignore the fact that 90% of the students got drunk, and everything'll be fine. Why am I telling you this, for crying out loud??)

Also, many many many thanks to those of you who reviewed – especially StarRuby, who reviewed every single chapter, and became my 100th reviewer! I still can't believe that I have 126 reviews! Thank you all, you're the best!!!!!

Anyway, on to the chapter – which, I must say, was unplanned, and I got the idea for it only five minutes ago. (Note to myself: Stop telling them unimportant details!!)

***This chapter is dedicated to StarRuby, the 100th reviewer of this story!***

Chapter 15: Detention and Quidditch

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"I can't believe it! I just can't believe it! That stupid git! And he's not even my teacher!" said Ron angrily, as the continued walking to the common room.

"We did curse Malfoy, you know, it's not exactly following the rules," said Hermione reasonably.

"So what? He got what he deserved! Besides, his little friends were this close to killing us, why didn't they get a detention??"

"Ron, you know it's useless, stop it," said Hermione.

"Harry, what do you think?" asked Ron, hoping to find support.

"I'm trying to guess just how bad this detention would be," said Harry bitterly. "Then again, can't be as bad as Umbridge, can it? Come to think about it, when was the last time we had a detention with Snape?"

"Er… fourth year, you know, when we…"

"Weren't talking, yeah," Harry completed the sentence. "It wasn't too hard then. Maybe it won't be that bad after all…"

But it was. Their detention was on Sunday ("Is it even legal?" cried Ron indignantly), and they approached Snape's dungeon uneasily, hoping for the best. "Enter!" sounded the cold voice when they knocked on the door. When they entered, he was sitting at his desk, checking homework. Harry could see a large "D" written on the topmost piece of parchment. Not even raising his head, Snape commanded them – "Granger, start cleaning the cauldrons; Weasley – you can do the tables. When you finish, proceed to the floor. I want it gleaming. Hand me your wands, you won't be needing them during the next few hours. Potter, come with me." He stood up, and led the way out of the class. With a last glance at his friends, Harry followed. They went all along the corridor, until they came to a halt in front of one of the dungeons, where Harry had never been before. He followed Snape inside the dungeon, which looked like a particularly large storage room. All around it were large cabinets. There was a single desk, without any chairs, and upon it was a massive cauldron, full of some hissing liquid. Next to the desk stood a tall pile of large boxes that contained, as far as Harry could see, lots of small glass phials. One of those phials was already on the desk, full of the same hissing liquid.

"Your job is to fill every single phial with this potion, in the exact amount. You have a sample here, and I want them all to be identical to the sample – not a single drop more or less. In the end, all of the phials should be in perfect order in this cabinet," Snape indicated the furthest cabinet, which was open. "Here's a dropper you can use. Now, give me your wand, and start working – I won't let you out until you've finished."

Harry took out his wand, and asked, trying to be as polite as possible, "Please, Sir, can I have a chair?"

"No," was the answer, and a second later he was locked alone in the cold dungeon.

A few hours later, Harry was sure that he must have become a zombie. He spent all that time transferring the unknown purple liquid from the cauldron to the phials, checking and double-checking that the amount was right, and then moving the full phials to the far cabinet. He was numb from the cold air and from the tiring work, not to mention the fact that he did it all standing. Eventually, he took the last phial, and filled it with the potion. Just as he started walking towards the cabinet, the last bottle in his hands, the door suddenly opened. Not expecting it, he flinched, and the bottle of potion fell on the floor and shattered to pieces.

"Five points from Gryffindor, Potter – no one told you to shatter the bottle, quite the contrary," sounded Snape's voice behind him. "Evanesco." The bottle and its spilled contents disappeared. "And you can thank me for not making you clean it up yourself. Take your wand – you're dismissed."

Grabbing the wand, Harry went wordlessly out of the dungeon and started dragging himself in the direction of the Gryffindor common room. There, he found Ron and Hermione who were as exhausted as he was. Throwing himself on the couch, he closed his eyes and groaned.

"What did he make you do?" asked Hermione, struggling for breath. When he told them what he was doing these hours, she gasped. "He's crossing all the lines, it's impossible. You should have seen what he did to us, he made us polish the same things ten times." It was quite unusual to see Hermione complaining about a teacher, and that proved to Harry just how bad that detention was. All of them went to bed early that evening, not able to do anything else.

The next week passed quietly enough, without any special incidents. A vicious plant almost bit Hermione during Herbology; Ron accidentally transfigured his own bag on Transfiguration, and Prof. Ostir started teaching them shield charms on Defence Against the Dark Arts. In fact, Harry thought that she was one of the best Defence teachers he has ever had – apart from Lupin and Moody (Who turned out to be an imposter, but taught them well anyway). He decided that he didn't need to set up the DA once more, as she taught them everything they needed anyway.

"You're probably right," said Hermione, when he told her and Ron about his decision.

"Yes, and we'll have more time to dedicate to Quidditch practice," added Ron.

"Speaking of which, I'm thinking about doing a first practice this Thursday, what d'you think?" asked Harry.

"Sure!" said Ron enthusiastically. "Let's go and tell everyone about it!"

~*~*~*~

That Thursday, the team, including the substitute players, assembled in the Quidditch pitch, under the (not so) watchful eye of Madam Hooch.

"OK, everyone, let's start with a warm-up – let's just throw the Quaffle between us," called Harry as everyone mounted his or her brooms. After the warm-up, he called them down. "Well done, and now let's start playing for real. Let me think for a moment… Ok, we'll split into two teams again – Ron, Dora, Natalie and Jerry will be on one team, playing their normal positions, and Ginny, Christopher and Simon will be on the other team, while Triny will be the Keeper for this team for a while. So each team will have two Chasers, a Beater and a Keeper. I'll watch you for a while and then maybe I'll look for the Snitch, we'll see. Are we fine with that?" When everyone agreed, he took off and called, "What're you waiting for? Let's go!" Madam Hooch released the balls and they started playing. Harry hanged in the air for a few minutes, watching the game, but it was obvious that the players didn't need his supervision – they were playing good, and were enjoying it. Triny was, just like she said, able to play any position – she was good as a Keeper. Harry had a feeling that if Ron could, he'd fly closer to the opposite hoops, to try and glimpse her more, but he kept this thought to himself, smiling. At some point, he started looking for the Snitch. Half an hour later, after he caught it, the practice ended, and everybody went off to the changing rooms.

~*~*~*~

Finished. This chapter went better than I expected – once I started writing, it sort of flowed.

Now, I know that I'm repeating myself, but I'd like to thank again to my reviewers: Rathien1, Kemenran, Mahikah, StarRuby, HPFreak, PrincessSkywalkerOrgana, Queen Cari, I love Sirius73, Susan B, Elviriel, Sasinak, Iniysa, Chiliz, Aliba (Where did I add a new Gryffindor girl??), Remus J Lupin. THANK YOU!

See you in the next chapter (Can't promise when it'll be)!!

Anna.