A/N: Just to give you a head's up, go back to chapter nine and read the author's note. I probably should have saved this for when I uploaded chapter eleven, but oh well. I'm much to impatient for that sort of thing. Common sense and all that rot!
I'll probably be putting one of these in chapter eleven as well, but ah well. Just skip over it. I'm off for vacation in a couple days, and when I get back I'll be gone on another trip, but I will try and upload chapter eleven whenever possible. Golley, Quidditch is a hard sport to type out, but oh well. Some of you might enjoy it. Makes me sound long winded, but oh well. Hope you enjoy!
Alternate Reality: Simply Slytherin
Chapter Ten
November turned very cold during the next few days. The mountains turned icy grey and the lake developed a thin layer of ice on its surface. The groundskeeper, Hagrid could often be seen from the windows defrosting broomsticks, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaverskin boots.
The Quidditch season had also begun. On Saturday, the Slytherin team would be matched against Gryffindor. If they lost Gryffindor would be in first place. Harry didn't really understand the particulars of it but often heard the Gryffindor Dean Thomas compare it to the muggle game soccer.
"Don't be ridiculous!" said Morag when Harry went to her with this bit of information. "A wizards sport compared to a muggle activity? That half-wit Gryffindor hasn't a clue what he's talking about. Quidditch is played on broomsticks; it has four balls and played with seven players. Don't worry you'll see soon enough on Saturday." The dark haired girl then went back to her reading.
Realising that he wasn't going to get any more information from Morag Harry checked out Quidditch Through the Ages from the library and read it cover to cover. The four balls were the Quaffle, used to score points; the two Bludgers, used to create mayhem and distraction; and lastly the Golden Snitch, the smallest of the four and used to end the game giving the winning team an extra hundred and fifty points.
The players consisted of the Chasers, Beaters, Keeper, and Seeker. The Chasers were three individuals who passed around, stole, passed and scored with the Quaffle. They made points while weaving in and out of the way of bludgers and ensured that their team won the game whether or not the seeker caught the snitch.
The Beaters controlled the direction the Bludgers went. They aimed for the opposite team's three chasers in order to give their own team-mates the room and time to make points.
The Keeper watched the goal posts against the opposing team's chasers. And the Seeker spent his time trying to catch the near impossible to see Snitch.
Morag had taken to spelling several quidditch posters in his dorm room and Harry watched with amusement as the Scottish team zoomed around the open space and flashed smiles, waving enthusiastically.
Since his involvement with the mountain troll Harry's popularity marginally improved within the Slytherin House. The majority of the Slytherins-save Draco and his posse- seemed to find defeating a troll reason enough to leave him alone. Draco however had become enraged even further with this and went out of his way to find a weakness in Harry's armour.
Every morning, the sight of half-awake students eating breakfast was met with the arrival of the mail. The owls that delivered the mail were given explicit instructions to deliver the mail only in the mornings. This of course was broken occasionally when something of great importance had to be sent or received. In the mornings almost everyone got mail, the Daily Prophet itself was delivered to more or less every person, including muggle borns. Harry, though, never got any mail, and it was with this revelation that Draco found a way in.
Wednesday morning found the first years eating breakfast quietly, the rift between the two groups blindingly evident. With the customary fluttering of wings the owls swooped through an open window and glided through the rafters searching for their human. The Malfoy's eagle owl was an imposing creature with sharp talons and glowering face. It landed in front of Draco, picking up pieces of meat off of the surrounding plates. With a terrible screech it took flight and was gone.
Harry, having witnessed this spectacle many times in the company of his former comrade gave an irritated scowl after the bird that had stolen half his breakfast. His hand was halfway to the steaming plate of bacon when Draco's voice cut through his thoughts and snared his attention.
"Why don't your parents ever write, Potter? You never get any mail." Draco's false thoughtfulness grated on Harry's nerves as he tried desperately to come up with an answer. Harry mentally chided himself when he realised several minutes later that his hand remained frozen halfway to the bacon. Carefully pulling it back he met Draco's cool grey eyes.
"So you've taken a keen interest in my mail have you? How thoughtful."
"Puzzling thing is, you'd expect that the Boy-Who-Lived would get some mail…Who do you live with anyway? No one that I've heard of, shame that the Saviour of the wizarding world isn't with purebloods. Or are you?" Draco's cold voice was almost laughing at the predicament he had placed Harry in. Surrounded with people who valued purity of blood, the dark haired boy was now forced to admit he lived with half-breeds or worse, muggles. What acceptance he had gained with the troll incident could be utterly obliterated with the news that he lived with muggles. Draco was in his element.
By now several of the Slytherins were listening intently to every word and not all of them were first years. Feeling his neck begin to flush he forced himself to look away casually and take a sip of pumpkin juice. Inside his mind was panicking, did Draco know? Harry seriously doubted it but he was still faced with the idea of admitting this to the whole school, and that was not an option. Harry knew well the implications if he admitted to living with muggles, bane of Slytherin House. A quick glance at Theo and Morag revealed their own burning curiosity. Meeting Draco's own eyes he knew the pale boy was also curious as to whom the Boy-Who-Lived actually lived with.
At Harry's obvious lack of response Draco continued in his drawling tone, "No one to see him off at the train station either, usually first year parents are incredible over zealous concerning their children. Where were yours, Potter?"
"They were busy," said Harry. He was beginning to really not like the way Draco was steering the conversation. "As am I, if I were you, Malfoy, I'd spend more time finishing breakfast than sticking my nose into other people's business. Curiosity killed the cat, you know."
With that Harry made a quick retreat out of the Great Hall and fled up the stairs to Transfiguration. Later that same day Harry was sitting with Morag and Theo in History of Magic. Hermione Granger was sitting with them as well, her own classmates not finding her presence to their liking.
"So what was Draco on about at breakfast this morning?" Morag asked.
Harry sighed. "I live with my aunt and uncle. They're…" he sighed glumly, wishing this whole topic had never been brought up. "They're muggles." He whispered quickly. "After my parents died I guess they were the next choice." He shrugged.
Theo stared at him confusion, "But any wizard from our world would have been more than willing to take you in."
"Maybe not, whoever placed me in their care might've already tried to get me into a home."
"Who would leave a wizard child in the care of muggles? It's absurd! Any where is better than that." Morag seemed very insulted that her friend had been subjected to muggles at such as young age when he obviously didn't have to.
Hermione sniffed from her place at the end of the row, "I live with muggles, and my parents are perfectly fine thank you very much!"
"Yea, whatever." Morag muttered. "So why don't they send you mail? Even Hermione gets mail."
Hermione gave Morag an odd look. "How did you know?"
"There is no way you got this book in Diagon Alley, it's a muggle book. The pictures don't move, it's in that weird text and is published by no one in the wizarding world." Theo picked out a book from her book bag and placed it on the table.
"Oh." Hermione closed her mouth but still looked a bit put out that they had obviously been going through her things. Little dots of fury were making themselves evident on her cheeks.
Theo turned back to Harry, "So? Why don't you get mail?"
"Well, they don't like me very much. When I got the letter they were furious and even more so when professor McGonagall came to my house. They don't like magic, they think it odd and strange." Harry finally confessed.
Morag and Theo looked stunned; Hermione was scribbling furiously on a piece of parchment, trying desperately to catch up on all the note taking she had missed during their little discussion. But as the words left his mouth she too paused and gave him sympathetic look.
"Perhaps, they are afraid of what they can't understand." She said. Harry nodded his head but wasn't so sure. The Dursley's had proven that they knew what magic was, Harry doubted their behaviour had anything to do with fear. Soon the subject was dropped and they listened while Binns droned on, his silver form floating in front of a large blackboard.
Harry was relieved when his friends hadn't pressed the issue. He knew they were curious but they didn't think much of it, which was what he wanted. Draco had already come to close for comfort and he didn't want anyone else to touch on the subject if he could help it.
Professor Snape wasn't making his life any easier either. The morning before the quidditch match he had limped up behind him, glowering. "I trust you will all endeavour to stay out of trouble? Slytherin can't afford to lose any more points." He had addressed the table as a whole but Harry could feel a pair of glittering black eyes drilling holes into his head.
Watching as he continued on down the line Harry growled, "I hope he trips."
"Harry, he's your Head of House!" Hermione had come over seeing as the Hall was almost completely empty except for a few scattered students. "I wonder how he got that limp." She mused.
Harry then filled her in about seeing him on their way towards the girls' bathroom. He had been heading toward the third floor corridor, Harry was sure of it.
Hermione paled, "He must've had a run in with that horrible dog! Oh, I do hope he is all right."
"Dog? What dog?" Harry and his friends listened as Hermione explained that Weasley and Thomas had been chased by Filch earlier that week and had ended up hiding behind a door. When they turned around they had seen a giant three-headed dog."
"Merlin, a three headed dog!" Morag sat back in her place her eyes wide as saucers.
Hermione nodded as if to accentuate the point.
"Maybe we should pay a visit to the professor?" Morag was studying the Head of Slytherin's back much more closely now. But Theo shook his head before the words were fully out of her mouth.
"What if there's something else going on here?" he reasoned, nibbling on a piece of toast thoughtfully.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Enough with the cloak and dagger already. Look, Theo, nobody is out to get you!"
Theo glared at him. He opened his mouth to protest but two voices interrupted.
"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Morag and Harry chorused, with their right hand up in the air; index finger pointing to the ceiling, righteous looks set on their faces. Several other students in the great hall turned in their seats to give them annoyed glares. They righteously leered back, making odd faces and strange gurgling noises. Hey, if the rest of the school thought they were mad, it was their solemn duty to make sure they kept on thinking it!
Growling something foul Theo threw his hands in the air in defeat and made a dramatic sigh. "What fools have I for friends!"
"Prat," Morag shoved him.
"It still remains that something else could be going on here. That dog has to be here for a reason. Flint was complaining that whatever reason the Headmaster has for blocking off the third floor corridor it must be big, or he would have warned the Prefects otherwise. I say it's guarding something."
"Why do you say that?" started Harry but Hermione was already nodding her head in agreement.
"Of course! It must be something big though, something dangerous. Remember? He said 'the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death.'"
"Granger, I would think the three-headed dog would be enough of a danger!" Morag said sarcastically. "How do you know it would be anything else?"
"Why would he put a three-headed dog in a corridor in the school? And for that matter, why the third corridor in the west wing?" said Harry, causing the group to fall into silence.
After Hermione left, promising that she would come to one of them (in private mind you) if she thought of anything, the rest of the Slytherin first years puzzled over what could be going on.
Before they left to get ready for the game in their dorm rooms a school owl flew in and dropped a short note on Harry's plate. Staring at it, perplexed, Harry picked it up and opened it while his friends peeked over his shoulder.
"It's from Hagrid! He wants me to come to tea after the Quidditch match."
"You, aren't going to go are you?" asked Theo incredulously.
"Why not?" Harry had plenty to thank Hagrid for; he was after all, the one who took him to get his school supplies.
"Do you hear yourself, mate? That oaf isn't fit to have tea with. He's a drunken lout! I hear that every night he drinks, and then goes wandering about on the grounds until Filch has to take him back to his hut. That's why he lives out there, because the Headmaster doesn't want him near the students." Morag wrinkled her nose as she finished.
"But he took me away from the Dursleys, to get my school supplies and stuff. He even got me my owl, Caesar, for my birthday. I owe him at least one afternoon. Can't hurt much, can it? And besides!" he added after a moments thought, "Maybe I can get some information out of him concerning that dog and what it's guarding."
The two Slytherins pondered over it and shrugged. It was evident that there was something going on after all. Perhaps he could get some information out of him. Who would suspect the Boy-Who-Lived? And a first year no less!
Harry and his friends, minus Hermione of course, each took their seats in the Slytherin stands later that afternoon. Each wearing their school scarves, banners clutched in gloved hands. Despite the season it was quite cold and more than one person was wearing a winter cloak and hat.
Each team mounted their brooms, and after a small briefing from Madam Hooch who was refereeing the game, they took flight. Harry loved the feeling of flying on his broom, the brooms from the school shed were quite old and if he didn't choose carefully, they were liable to twitch or shake him off if he went to fast. With all fifteen players in the air the game was quickly underway and Harry quickly learned what captivated the members of his house so much.
"The Quaffle is taken first by Angelina Johnson from Gryffindor-quite a good Chaser that girl, and not a bad looker either-"
"JORDAN!"
"Sorry, Professor."
Lee Jordan, a Gryffindor that was always with the Weasley twins was doing the commentary for the match. Harry and his friends, as well as most of Slytherin House, made booing and hissing noises whenever he made a biased comment against the Slytherin team. Professor McGonagall was keeping a close watch, though Harry swore he saw her fighting a smile every once in a while.
"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 – oh no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes, he's going to sco-no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors 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 the Slytherins- that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts – he's really flying there- Keeper Wood dives for it-misses-, Slytherin scores."
The Slytherin stands erupted into cheers and whistles that were almost drowned in the Gryffindor's boos and howls.
"Slytherin in possession," Lee was saying amidst the mixture of cheers and wails, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and-YES! Bludger hits the Slytherin Seeker, that's Terence Higgs, Slytherin seeker for five years, he's fallen from his broom." Harry could see the Gryffindor dancing just out of McGonagall's reach. "Flint has called for a time out. Excellent aiming by the Weasley twins, there – just joking, professor, just joking – Madam Pomfrey is down there now, looks like they've conjured a stretcher. Hold on, here's the word. Sorry mates, but it looks like the game's going to be cancelled and rescheduled. The game ends. Slytherin holds ten to one. A rematch is going to be scheduled at a later date."
The crowd watched as Terence Higgs was floated away on a stretcher and with the Slytherin team trailing after it, and Professor Snape crossing the field after them.
The rest of the day was rather sombre; Higgs had been hit rather forcefully and had broken a couple ribs and his collar bone. He was on his way to a full recovery, but until he was let out of the infirmary, the Slytherin team would have to either find another Seeker, or forfeit their next two games until the fifth year recovered.
"Oh honestly, it isn't the end of the world." Said Hermione Granger, joining them on their way back into the castle.
Morag had been particularly put out and hadn't stopped complaining that the Gryffindor twins were completely to blame. She wouldn't hear any other argument and kept ranting whenever someone tried to say anything otherwise. She seemed highly offended that Hermione couldn't grasp the importance of winning the Quidditch and the House cup.
"Well, I'm off for tea. I'll meet you in the library afterwards?" They agreed and Harry wandered across the grounds to Hagrid's hut where a tendril of smoke was rising from the chimney. He suddenly felt very alone and wondered if it wouldn't have been such a bad idea to bring someone along. Safety in numbers and all that rot.
Knocking on the door he nearly jumped back when a loud barking sounded from inside and the Hagrid's booming voice sounded. "Back, Fang, back! BACK! Oh, hullo there, Harry, come in. Don' mind Fang, he's harmless ifn' he is a bit highly strung." A large boarhound with sharp teeth was barking excitedly and Harry nervously petted his large head to placate him.
"Did you catch the game, Hagrid?" The giant of a man was ladling water from a boiling cauldron over fire into two cups and didn't answer right away.
"Yep, pity that boy got hurt like he did." Hagrid seemed to hesitate and taking a bite of one of the cauldron cakes said, "Do you like bein' in Slytherin, Harry? Does it suit you? Are they treatin' yeh good?" He seemed quite anxious about something, as if fearing Harry's answer.
Harry accepted the mug of tea and sipped it thoughtfully. "I suppose. Theo and Morag aren't so bad, but Draco hasn't been happy with me since I took Longbottom's side over his during our first flying lesson. That girl from Gryffindor, Hermione, she isn't so bad either." Harry took another sip, and accepted a cauldron cake from the heap in front of him. Hagrid took another and chewed on it for a moment.
"Malfoy's are a dangerous family, Harry, got to be careful with them lot." Harry, who had taken a bite, or rather- tried to take a bite of the rock hard cauldron cake, just nodded his head and worked his jaw for a few moments silently.
"Hagrid?" he said after a while of idle chitchat. "Have you ever owned any other animals besides Fang?" Hagrid's fascination with wild and, often times, dangerous animals had led Harry to figure out that the three headed dog had probably been his at one point in time.
Hagrid seemed delighted to tell Harry about every type of creature he had ever run across, as well as those as he had owned. "…and then of course there was Fluffy-"
"Fluffy? You had a cat?"
"Nah, cats- they make me sneeze. But fluffy warn't no cat to be sure, no Fluffy was a three headed dog. I bought him of a Greek chappie down at the Leaky Cauldron. He's quite temperamental and the only way to calm him was to play him a piece of music. He likes music; it's what led me to take up the flute. I'm quite good at it, ifn' I do so say myself." Hagrid took another cake and took a big bite of it, downing it with another sip of tea.
"Where is Fluffy now?" Harry asked, taking another sip of tea and avoiding the cauldron cakes altogether.
"Oh, I lent him to Dumbledore, wonderful man Dumbledore. You see, Lucius Malfoy- he's on the board of directors for Hogwarts see, he had a problem with my keepin' Fluffy on the grounds, so Dumbledore asked to borrow him to guard-"
Harry had unconsciously edged forward till he was at the edge of his seat, leaning in eagerly. But Hagrid seemed to think he had said to much and took another sip of tea, hastily averting his eyes from Harry's.
"Now see here, Harry, don't go tellin' every one about Fluffy. Why don't we forget this whole thing all together?" He took another cauldron cake.
"That Weasley, the tall one with blue eyes, him and Dean Thomas saw Fluffy a while ago."
"WHAT?" Hagrid seemed quite alarmed at his and his tea went sloshing around the edges of his teacup.
"Oh, don't worry, they don't know anything, but I think someone is trying to steal whatever Fluffy's guarding." Harry spoke in smooth, casual tones but Hagrid was getting more worked up by the minute.
"No need to worry about any o' that, Harry, there are plenty more things besides Fluffy, guarding the- Now see here, Harry, it's nothing to be concerned about. 'Nother cauldron cake?" Hagrid was getting quite angry, if it was with himself or with Harry, wasn't as obvious.
Something suddenly occurred to Harry. "It's that package that you took from Gringotts that day isn't it, Hagrid?" The giant man paled. "The day the same vault was robbed!" Harry couldn't believe he had forgotten about that.
"I think you best be getting' back inside Hogwarts, Harry," Hagrid's hand was shaking and he seemed very much distressed that Harry was talking so much about a topic he really hadn't wanted to discuss. "It's getting' dark out, and you'll be needin' to get inside afore curfew…"
"Snape is trying to steal that package, Hagrid! We saw him on Halloween night, sneaking up to the Third floor corridor, and later, he had a mangled bloody leg. He was trying to get pass Fluffy! What's he trying to get, Hagrid?"
Hagrid was standing now, ushering the excited first year towards the door. When Harry was outside he cut off his questions and said gruffly, " That's none, o' yer concern. Snape wouldn't want to steal the stone, he's one them protectin' it! You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel – "
"Aha!" said Harry, "So there's a stone, and someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"
Hagrid looked beside himself. The door was promptly closed.
"Nicolas Flamel? Never heard of him, have you?" After Harry had left Hagrid's hut, he had gone strait to the library to find his friends and tell them of what he had heard. The name didn't mean anything to any of them but Hermione had gone straight to a section of magical stones and pulled out various tomes on famous wizards and witches that had created or studied different magical stones.
She didn't find much, though she came up with loads of magical properties on diamonds and other precious gems. "Did you know that the garnet has the power to cast out demons? At least I think…"she trailed off as she opened another thick book. Harry and Morag completely ignored the both of them, as Theo had taken a sudden interest in several of the books she had pulled from the shelf.
Just as Morag started to suggest they go back to the Slytherin Common room to get his chess set, Marcus Flint stepped over, glaring at Hermione. Sniffing, she put her nose in the air and carried the book she had been reading to anther desk across the room. Once she was gone he turned his look turned calculating as he studied Harry.
"You, Potter. Hooch says you're a natural on the broom. True?" Harry suspected that Marcus had a bit of troll blood in him. He had a fierce scowl and his skin was rather thick, giving him a rather bulky look.
"I gue-"
"YES!" chorused Morag and Theo, giving him meaningful looks to stay silent.
"Very well then, try outs for the Reserve Seeker are tomorrow at seven sharp. If you're not there, you won't have a chance to try out again later. This is a one-time thing, Potter, so you better be thanking whatever god is looking out for you." Madam Pince came by and gave them all a scowl for being so noisy. "Right, remember, Potter, seven sharp." And then he was gone.
Noticing that he was gone Hermione came back over, a new book was under her arm, and her nose was still in the first one. "What was that all about?" she asked absently. Without looking up from her book she made to sit down but when he had come over, Flint had moved the chair aside, leaving the spot empty. Giving a strangled yelp Theo pushed it back behind her, side stepping away quickly. Harry and Morag immediately started laughing at the red flush creeping up his neck. Marking her place with a finger, Hermione looked up and gave them all a puzzled, slightly annoyed look, "What's so funny?"
Reviews
Avemtilla: Severus just wouldn't be Severus if he wasn't the chap that he was…eh. Is!
Padawan Jan-AQ: Yeah…Isn't it a pity? I had hoped he was going to go a few more chapters without friends, but I guess we can't have everything.
Chibi Snape: I'll say!
Oh do shut up.
Guava-juice: Wow, another author alert! That makes me happy! Glad you're enjoying the fic, I hope you aren't disappointed in anything as it goes on. I seriously doubt Harry would ever become Draco's friend in any reality for the simple fact that Draco is just the wizarding version of Dudley. Only worse. It just isn't going to happen.
Blip-dragon: Thanks for your review, I'm glad you like what I've done with the characters.
HecateDeMorte: Thanks again for your review.
GeminiDragon: Yes, I suppose the truce will last. For now anyway.
Niftysweet: Thanks for your review.
Fluffylittledragon: I actually have you to thank for something. I got your review then I went on Fiction Alley and reviewed for a fic over there. Without really thinking about it, I started to review in two persona's my own and that of my own little Chibi Snape. So thanks, he's been loads of help in entertaining the authors I review for.
Chibi Snape: So that's all I am? Entertainment? You just wait…some day…some day!
Oh course, dear, now hush. You're fogging the screen again.
Eav: Thanks bunches!
Chad Simmons: I actually have a plan for a bat to make an entrance though I'm not sure which of the series to put it in. Oh well, I'll figure something out.
Azntgr01: Thanks! Yes, Snape can be such a bother sometimes.
Chibi Snape: Hey! I resent that!
You resent everything! Now, for the last time! Hush!
Linky2: Ummmm….yep. Glad you've learned to tell the chapters apart.
Kaaera: Different! Oh so VERY different!
Dius Corvus: Hm, lol. Commandeers, huh? I doubt very much anyone short of his own father and the Dark Lord could commandeer Draco.
Coriel: Updated! Glad you like it so far, hope that continues!
Dana: I actually have been considering stopping that one (Weathered Creed) altogether because when I wrote it, I was, well. There's nothing for it. I was a moron. So I'll try, but there will be a definite shift in writing ability and perhaps even plot. But I suppose I'll try to continue it.