As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. Clouds hung low and the lake froze over. The ground was covered in frost every morning, making it very hard to walk on.
"Wonderful time fer the new season, eh Epona?"
"Oh yes indeed," she replied ruffling her own fur, "But that is not why I am here."
"Yeah I know lern yer language 'cause what's-his-name is back."
"Not only that…" her voice trailed off and her face filled with concern, "Just make sure you go to the Quidditch match."
"Why?"
Epona smiled and walked out of the hut. Off in the distance the mountains were starting to turn grey under the sun's light. Lights in the castle were starting to flicker on as students awoke for school.
"I have a feeling that – something will happen."
Hagrid fidgeted under her gaze, feeling as if it was searching his soul for something. Eventually the feeling ceased and he felt normal again. Epona nodded and walked towards Hogwarts.
"Something wicked this way comes," she sang.
ooOOoo
"Harry, you have to eat," protested Yugi.
/aibou, I don't think he's hungry/
/He has to eat Yami. If not he could loose strength or…/
Harry looked from Yugi's pleading face and thought back to the injury on Snape's leg. Of course he told everyone else but Hermione protested a teacher wouldn't do that. But everyone was concerned; Snape wasn't exactly their favorite teacher and they weren't exactly his favorite students.
"Hello Harry! Ready for that Quidditch game today?" shouted Malik.
"Yeah," Harry mumbled, but Malik took no notice of his attitude.
By eleven the whole school was in the stands, eagerly awaiting the opening game. Hermione, Ron, and Malik were seated with Neville, just above a bed sheet that said "Potter for President!" Above them Saren, Ryou, Yugi, and Seto sat with binoculars. Bakura and Yami were behind them, thankful they couldn't be seen.
Off on the far end, the red and gold Gryffindor team flew onto the field, followed by a green and silver team. The Slytherin house cheered loudly as their names were called off, and booed just as loudly when Lee Jordan announced the Gryffindors.
Madam Hooch stood in the middle of the field; by her feet was a wooden box that was shaking violently. "I want a good clean game, all of you," she said, looking at the Slytherin captain Marcus Flint, "Mount your brooms."
"And they're off!" shouted Lee, "The quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor! Rather attractive too,"
"Lee!" shouted Professor McGonagall.
"Boys," muttered Saren.
Gryffindor scored first by the time Hagrid arrived. After much squeezing, they managed to fit him between Ron and Neville.
"Bin watchin' from me hut," he said, "Decided ter come watch the game. Seen the snitch yet?"
"No," said Yugi, "Harry hasn't done much, but the rest of the team is really good."
Harry spent most of his time hovering above the field. Once he saw gold but it was one of the Weasley's watches. The Slytherin beaters also kept sending bludgers his way. Twice he's had to duck because of them.
"Slytherin in possession," said Lee Jordan, "Chaser Pucey ducks two bludgers, two Weasleys, and chaser Bell, and speeds towards the – wait, was that the snitch?"
Harry's heart stopped for a moment as he saw a glitter of gold next to the Slytherin chaser. He dived towards the snitch as the other seeker, Terence Higgs, chased it. Soon they were neck and neck, both arms outstretched.
The chasers stopped what they were doing and watched the seekers go on. Harry was closest—only a few inched away until—Flint blocked his way and sent his broom off spinning.
Seto stood up and shouted as loud as he could, "CHEATER! YOU DIRTY FOUL LITTLE PIECE OF—"
"Whoa Seto, calm down." said Saren as Yugi and Ryou struggled to pull the oldest teen down, "What the hell?"
Harry's broom had started jerking in mid-air. For a second it seemed as if he was going to fall but he managed to hold tighter. "What's happening Hagrid?" asked Ron. Hagrid shrugged and looked at Harry through his binoculars.
Nobody else seemed to notice that Harry's broom was taking him higher and higher. It seemed he couldn't even control it; all it did was zigzag through the air.
"Don't know what he thinks he's doin'," mumbled Hagrid, "I'd say he can't control his broom but…that's not possible."
Eventually people began to notice Harry and his broom rolling over in the air. The crowd gasped as the broom gave a lurch and Harry began to swing from it with one hand.
"Do you think that crash into Flint did something to the broom," whispered Malik.
"No, only dark magic should be able to do that," whimpered Saren, her eyes never leaving Harry's form.
"There," exclaimed Hermione, "Snape!"
Hagrid didn't take notice but everyone else looked at Snape. He was staring intently at Harry, muttering non-stop underneath his breath.
"He's jinxing the broom, the bastard," whispered Seto.
"What can we do?" sighed Hermione.
"Shouldn't we stop him? Like, confuse! I know the spell!" yelled Bakura.
"Are you ok Ryou?" asked Ron.
"Duh,"
"Well let's go Ryou. I think I have a plan," said Yami.
"Baka Pharaoh, always ruining my plans," Bakura muttered before running after 'Yugi'.
"Pharaoh?" questioned Hermione.
"It's a nickname. You know since he's the king of games we call him pharaoh," said Malik glaring darkly at Bakura's back.
Hermione watched Ryou and Yugi run until they disappeared around the corner. Something's different with them. I could have sworn Yugi got taller, and Ryou's eyes seemed different. It could just be my imagination.
Ron watched through the binoculars as Snape jumped up and started to stomp on something. He even laughed when poor professor Quirrell was knocked down when Snape started thrashing his arms about.
Eventually Yugi and Ryou made it back before anyone noticed they were gone. Actually their attention was still on Harry, except this time he had control of his broom and was diving for a small glint of gold.
He missed. He fell to the floor and got up shakily, his hand went to his mouth, as if we was going to be sick. The crowd watched with growing interest as something fell into Harry's hand. It was the snitch!
"I got it!" he shouted, "I've got the snitch!"
On the way too school Flint was still arguing that Harry had nearly swallowed the snitch, not catch it. Truly it made no difference, Madam Hooch declared it a Gryffindor victory.
Back in Hagrid's hut Ron and Hermione were telling Hagrid about Snape.
"I saw him," started Hermione, "He was muttering an incantation and never leaving his eyes off the broom."
"Rubbish, why would Professor Snape do anything like that?" said Hagrid.
The eight looked at each other, wondering if they should tell Hagrid about the three-headed dog.
"Well," started Saren, "Harry found out that he tried to get past that three headed dog on the third floor corridor. Apparently it bit him, we think he was trying to steal something."
Hagrid's eyes nearly bulged out of his head, "How do you know about Fluffy?"
Malik fell out of his chair in laughter, "FLUFFY? Is that it's name? Oh my Ra…"
"Yes Fluffy, He's mine-bought him off some Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year. I lent him to Dumbledore so he could guard the—"
"The what?" asked Harry.
"Don't ask me no more! That's top secret that is! What that dog is guardin' is between Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel—"
"Flamel eh?" said Seto, "So he has something to do with this?"
Hagrid stammered with his words, "Don't go tellin' anybody, yeh' hear!"