Chapter 32: Eskimo?

November came, and the season was changing. The coolness of autumn was leaving, replaced by the freezing of winter. The mountains surrounding the school were graying. Snow would soon fall on them. The lake held icy cold water. It too would soon freeze and layer with frost. The sky had turned a dullish grey, giving a chill to the wind and the prospect of snow. The grass held a chilled, glassy look with the frost falling every morning.

Quidditch season had begun. Hagrid could be seen defrosting the broomsticks on the Quidditch field from the upstairs windows, bundled up in his long moleskin overcoat with rabbit fur gloves and enormous beaver skin boots. The first match would be held on Saturday: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, they would move up to second place in the house championship. Talk was around the school wondering about which team would win.

Phoenix was one of very few seeing Harry play. Wood was pushing the team to keep the knowledge of Harry being Seeker a secret. He was their secret weapon. Somehow, though, the secret leaked out. Phoenix would walk down the hall hearing the whispering and gossip of Harry and her being on the team. She heard crazy things. Some thought Harry would be brilliant. Others said they would happily run around underneath him holding a mattress.

On herself, she heard people say she got the position because she was Harry's friend. Others said it was because she was as brilliant as Harry, and therefore Wood wanted to have her on the team as soon as possible. Either way, Phoenix brushed them off, not allowing anyone to get under her skin. She knew the real reason she was on the team, and that was all that mattered.

Harry and Ron took the liking of having Hermione being a friend now that everything was patched up between them. Because Wood had been giving them last-minute Quidditch practice, Harry didn't know how he would have gotten through all of his homework without her. Phoenix had no problem keeping everything balanced. She was used to the craziness of homework and practice (along with the unexpected demon attacks). Phoenix liked the last-minute practices; it meant game time was almost near. Harry did not understand how she balanced everything. In some ways, he was jealous.

Hermione lent Phoenix Quidditch Through the Ages, hoping it would help her. Phoenix glanced through it. She learned there were seven hundred ways of committing a Quidditch foul. She laughed when all of them had happened during a World Cup in 1473. She read that even though people had rarely died playing, referees had been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara Desert.

'I would have loved to have that happen to some of those umps and refs that cheated us at home.'

Not interested in anything else in the book, Phoenix gave it to Harry.

It was the day before Harry and Phoenix's first Quidditch match. The four of them, followed later by the Weasley twins, were on their way to the courtyard.

"Hey Phoenix, are you cold or something?" asked Fred, pointing at her bulky form.

"Uh, no Fred, I enjoy wearing layers of clothing." Phoenix replied.

"Phoenix, if you don't have winter clothes, you can borrow some of mine until you get some." Hermione offered.

"I have winter clothes, thank you."

"Really, it doesn't look like you do." George said.

"Yeah, you look scary. I mean, waddling around like you are." Fred snickered.

Phoenix gave a glare at the twins, which made them laugh even more.

"Seriously Phoenix, you can borrow some of mine."

"Hermione, I am fine. I have winter clothes." Phoenix muffled as she buried her nose into her gold and red scarf. She didn't want to admit she was freezing. She was wearing three layers of clothes along with her scarf, two layers of gloves, and three layers of socks, and still freezing. She would have loved to put more on, but she wouldn't have been able to walk. Her winter clothes didn't match up with Scotland's cold weather. Her mother and she didn't think about buying winter clothes. Now she was regretting every minute.

"Do they have winters in San Francisco?" Ron asked.

"Ron!" yelled Hermione.

"What? I was only asking. I mean from the way she is dressed it almost seems as if she had never seen the cold."

"He has a point, Hermione. She looks like an Eskimo." Laughed Harry.

"She does not!" said Hermione, trying to keep hold of her giggling.

"What is an Eskimo?" Ron asked, looking at his brothers who looked just as puzzled as him.

"You know, I am still here!" Phoenix yelled. "I don't like it when people talk as if I am not around them."

"Sorry Phoenix, it's nothing personal. We just don't see someone have so much layers of clothing all the time." stated Harry.

"You know if you keep putting on more layers, you wouldn't be able to walk." Fred and George snickered. "Or shall I say waddle?"

"Well, if you can convince her to borrow some of my clothing, she wouldn't have too." Hermione said.

"Never mind Phoenix, you can keep piling on clothes. Just remember not to pile too much on for tomorrow's game or your broom would snap." The twins told her.

"Awww man! You ruined my master plan!" She stated laughing along with the twins.

"Well, we need to go. Lee Jordan is meeting up with us. See ya!" The twins said, then left in a hurry, leaving Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Phoenix in the freezing courtyard.

Hermione took out her wand and conjured up a bright blue fire that could easily be carried in a jam jar. The four of them were standing with their backs to it, getting warm, when Snape crossed the yard. Noticing Snape limping, Phoenix was curious. 'I wonder why he is limping.'

"Hey scoot in closer. Let's make sure Snape doesn't see the fire." Phoenix whispered. The four of them moved closer together to block the fire's view. Phoenix was sure it was not allowed, and if it was, Snape would find a way. But it was the guilty faces that caught Snape's eye, making him limp over towards them. He didn't see the fire. He was looking for some reason to tell them off.

"What's that you've got there, Potter?" It was Quidditch Through the Ages. Harry showed him. "Library books are not to be taken outside the school," Snape said. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."

"He's just made that rule up," Harry muttered angrily as Snape limped away. "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?"

"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," said Ron bitterly.

"Maybe we should go." Hermione suggested. Being around Ron and Harry more, Hermione was more relaxed on breaking the rules. She even noticed Phoenix being more of a troublemaker. So she rolled with the flow, but not too much.

"I'm with Hermione. It is too cold to be out here, and I'm freezing." Phoenix agreed.

"I don't know how you can feel the cold with the piles of clothes on." Ron stated.

"Are we going to go through that again?" Phoenix asked, looking at Ron.

"I'm with Hermione and Phoenix. I'm ready to go inside. I don't want another reason for Snape to come over and take points off." Harry said looking around the corner to make sure Snape was not around.

Evening came, and the Gryffindor common room was very noisy. Sitting next to the window, Phoenix was finishing up her homework, checking to see if she could add or change anything. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting beside her. Hermione was checking Harry and Ron's Charm's homework for them. She would never let them copy ("How would you learn?"), but by asking her to read it through, they got the right answers, anyway.

They would have rather Phoenix "check" their homework. They knew she would have allowed them to copy off of her, though she taught them to change the wordings and change the paragraphs around so none of them would get caught, she never really cared ("I did back home with my other friends").

When Phoenix finished her homework, she sensed Harry's restlessness. 'What is wrong with him? He almost looks as if he is nervous about something,'

"Harry, are you okay?" she asked low enough so the others could not hear.

"I'm just nervous about tomorrow."

"You need something to get your mind off of the game. You'll be fine. Don't worry about it." Phoenix assured him.

"Thanks, but I would really like Quidditch Through the Ages back. It helped me clear my mind and settle my nerves."

"Well, why don't you ask Professor Snape if you could have it back?" Phoenix suggested.

"Why don't you ask him?" Harry said.

"You want it, not me. Besides, you shouldn't be afraid of him."

"Okay then, I'll go, but on one condition."

"What is that?"

"You go with me. I won't get into trouble if he sees you with me."

"What are you, chicken? And what was that supposed to mean?"

"No, just you are the only one who might be brave enough to go with me." Harry said.

Phoenix was not convinced. "Okay, fine, I'll go with you."

Getting up, the two told Ron and Hermione they were going to ask Snape if Harry could have his book back.

"Better the two of you than us." They said in unison, but Phoenix had an idea. Snape wouldn't refuse Harry if there were other teachers listening.

They made their way down to the staff room. Phoenix walked up to the door and knocked. No one answered. Phoenix looked back at Harry who walked up and knocked again. There was still no answer.

"Maybe he left the book in there?" Harry said.

"I don't know, Harry. Why would he leave it in there when he could have taken it into his office?"

'I feel someone behind that door. So, someone has to be in there. But it feels as if they are hiding something.'

"Phoenix, what are you doing?"

Phoenix, being her nosey self, pushed the door in a little, allowing Harry and her to peek inside. What they saw inside was not what Phoenix expected.

Snape and Filch were inside. Phoenix could sense they were alone. She saw Snape holding his robes above his knees. One of his legs was bloody and mangled, while Filch was handing bandages to Snape.

Phoenix couldn't help but listen in and could feel Harry leaning in closer himself.

"Blasted thing." Snape was saying. "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"

'Three heads at once! Did Snape try to get pass that three- headed dog they were talking about!'

Feeling Harry tugging her back, the two of them tried to shut the door quietly, but

"POTTER, MISS MATTHEWS!"

Snape's face was twisted with fury as he dropped his robes quickly to hide his leg. Harry gulped, but Phoenix stayed calm.

'How does she do that?' Harry thought.

"Harry was wondering if he could have his book back." She asked.

"No, Miss Matthews, he may not. Now GET OUT!"

Before Snape could take more points off, Phoenix and Harry sprinted back upstairs.

"Did you get it?" Ron asked as the two joined them. "What's the matter?"

In a low voice, Harry and Phoenix told them what they saw.

"You know what this means?" Harry finished breathlessly. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween! That's where he was going when Ron and I saw him- he's after whatever it's guarding! And I bet my broomstick he let that troll in, to make a diversion!"

Hermione's eyes went wide and Phoenix shook her head in disbelief.

"No-he wouldn't," she said. "I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try to steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."

"I agree. I don't think he would try to steal anything. Maybe he was trying to stop someone else from stealing whatever that dog is guarding."

"Honestly Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something." Ron snapped. "And Phoenix, who else would try to steal whatever that dog is hiding?" Phoenix shrugged at the question.

The only person she had in mind was Professor Quirrell, but they would laugh. The only thing she had were the strange feelings she got every time she looked at him. "Right, no one. I'm with Harry. I wouldn't put anything past Snape. But what's he after? What's that dog guarding?"

The four of them went to bed with the same question buzzing in their heads. Phoenix looked at the ceiling. 'What is that dog guarding? Am I wrong in thinking Professor Quirrell was the one after it? Was it really Snape?'

Phoenix shifted onto her stomach and drifted off to sleep, knowing her first Quidditch match was hours away.