Chapter 3: Halosar Trap
Even though Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, and Pansy Parkinson had saved Hermione Granger from the troll, the Gryffindors were still nasty and awful towards them and the other Slytherins.
On 2 November 1991, Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy discussed the situation in the Slytherin Common Room.
"I can't believe it", Draco said. "You would think the Gryffindors would be thankful we rescued that mud-I mean, Muggleborn", he corrected himself while rolling his eyes. "Yet Weasley still keeps acting like a wanker."
"What do you expect from Gryffindors", Harry said. "They never seem to give Slytherins credit for anything good they do."
"Anyway, let's play another game of chess, Harry", Draco said.
"Sure", Harry said. Harry and Draco walked over to the chessboard. Draco had the white pieces and Harry had the black pieces.
"Pawn to d4", Draco said. The white pawn on d2 moved to d4.
"Pawn to d5", Harry said. The black pawn on d7 moved to d5.
"Pawn to e4", Draco said. The white pawn on e2 moved to e4. The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit, Draco thought.
Harry seemed surprised by this move. The white pawn was undefended on e4. The black pawn on d5 could simply capture it. Did Draco make a mistake?
"Pawn to e4", Harry said. The black pawn stabbed the white pawn on e4 with one motion of his sword. I'm one pawn ahead, Harry thought. So far, so good.
"Knight to c3", Draco said. The white knight on b1 moved to c3, attacking the black pawn on e4.
"Knight to f6", Harry said. The black knight on g8 moved to f6, defending the black pawn on e4.
"Pawn to f3", Draco said. The white pawn on f2 moved to f3.
"Pawn to f3", Harry said. The black pawn on e4 smashed the white pawn on f3 to bits, then occupied the f3 square.
Harry expected Draco to capture the black pawn on f3 with the white kingside knight on g1. Instead, Draco said, "Queen to f3."
The white queen moved from d1 and demolished the black pawn on f3. This move left the white pawn on d4 undefended. The black queen on d8 was attacking that pawn.
Harry was surprised. Draco was sacrificing another pawn? This looked way too good to be true.
Meanwhile, Draco was thinking, The Ryder Gambit.
"Queen to d4", Harry said. The black queen moved from d8 and destroyed the white pawn on d4. I'm two pawns ahead, this is great, Harry thought.
"Bishop to e3", Draco said. The white bishop on c1 moved to e3. This move attacked the black queen on d4. Harry knew he had to move the black queen somewhere, but where? Harry then decided to move the black queen to b4. This would attack the white pawn on b2, and if Draco decided to castle queenside, Harry would then skewer the white queen against the white queenside rook with the black queenside bishop on c8.
"Queen to b4", Harry said. The black queen on d4 moved to b4.
Harry was sure Draco would not castle queenside. But Harry was astonished when Draco said, "Castle Queenside."
The white king moved from e1 to c1, and the white queenside rook moved from a1 to d1.
This is perfect, Harry thought. Harry then said, "Bishop to g4."
The black bishop moved from c8 to g4, attacking the white queen on f3. Harry knew that if the white queen moved out of the way, the black bishop would be able to capture the white rook on d1. It seemed like Harry had a huge material advantage.
But Draco had other plans.
"Knight to b5", Draco said. The white knight on c3 moved to b5. Harry wasn't sure why Draco decided to play this move. His queen was left undefended on f3, and Harry could simply capture it with the black bishop on g4.
"Bishop to f3", Harry said. The black bishop on g4 smashed the white queen on f3 to bits.
Draco smiled as he said, "Knight to c7."
The white knight on b5 moved to c7, capturing the pawn that occupied the c7 square.
"Checkmate", Draco said.
Harry was shocked. But it was true. The black king on e8 was attacked by the white knight on c7 and had no squares to flee to.
"Good game", Harry said, shaking hands with Draco but feeling disappointed at the same time. He thought he was winning. What went wrong?
Draco seemed to know what he was thinking. "The trap you fell into in this game is known as the Halosar Trap. It was named after Hermann Halosar. When I sacrificed those two white pawns, I was playing the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit and the Ryder Gambit. The trap was to offer the queen in exchange for instant checkmate."
"I had a feeling it was too good to be true", Harry said.
"Don't worry", Draco said. "By losing, you learn how to play the game better. I can see your improvement."
"Thanks, Draco", Harry said.
For the next eight days, Marcus Flint had grueling practice sessions for the entire Slytherin Quidditch Team. Even though both Harry and Draco both loved Quidditch and were skilled at it, they both agreed the practices were exhausting.
On 10 November 1991, just one week before the match against Gryffindor, Marcus Flint seemed to be energized and determined. Flint had all six chasers on the team-including himself-try to score as many goals against the Slytherin Keeper, Miles Bletchley, as possible. Flint and Draco had the most goals after 45 minutes.
"C'mon, Flint, let us have a break!", Linus Urquhart complained. Urquhart was a second-year and one of the substitute chasers for the Slytherin Quidditch Team.
"Urquhart, this is why you're not in the starting lineup!", Flint snapped. "We need to prepare for the match against Gryffindor. Oliver Wood is determined to defeat us. The Weasley twins are excellent beaters. Angelina Johnson can score pretty well. Although their seeker, a third year named Leo Dalton, is not really someone to be afraid of. My point is, we need to be able to prevent Gryffindor from having an advantage. Do you see Warrington, Pucey, Montague, Malfoy, or Potter complaining? Now get on with it."
Practice resumed. Then Flint had the Slytherin beaters, Peregrine Derrick and Lucian Bole, aim bludgers at the chasers. Despite this, Draco still managed to score five times against Bletchley.
"Brilliant, Malfoy!", Bletchley said. "Wood doesn't stand a chance."
"I'm releasing the snitch", Flint said. "Potter, try to catch it as quickly as possible. Bole and Derrick, you two try to stop him. I suspect this is what the Weasley twins will try to do during the match. You know the pranks they pull. And they say only Slytherins play dirty."
Harry chased after the golden snitch on his Nimbus 2000. Derrick and Bole tried to stop Harry with the bludgers, but each one of the bludgers missed Harry. 40 seconds later Harry caught the snitch.
"Great work, Potter! I smell a victory next Sunday."
"Yeah", Terence Higgs said. Terence Higgs was a fourth-year who had been the starting seeker on the team the previous school year. Even though Higgs was now a substitute seeker, Higgs didn't mind that Harry had replaced him. Like most of the Slytherins, Higgs admired and respected Harry.
"All right, team! Back to the common room."
Pansy Parkinson was watching the practice. She smiled at Draco and smiled even wider at Harry when the two first-year boys met her in the stands.
"Great work, you two! Amazing how you scored all those goals, Draco. And I saw that amazing catch of the snitch, Harry!"
"Thanks, Pansy", Harry said. "Gryffindor don't stand a chance."
The three friends walked back to the common room through the greenhouses. When they reached the entrance courtyard, Harry heard the voice of his rival.
"Well, well, if it isn't the evil Dark Lord Potter and his ugly minions!", Ronald Weasley sneered.
Harry turned around at Weasley.
"Piss off, Weasley. Leave me alone."
Harry, Draco, and Pansy began walking away.
"Yeah, I'll leave you alone, just like your stupid and ugly mudblood whore mother did when she died", Weasley sneered, laughing.
Harry turned around and probably would have attacked and beaten the crap out of Weasley if Draco and Pansy didn't hold Harry back. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Professor Snape arrived on the scene.
"Weasley, how dare you insult Lily Evans. She was a brilliant witch and an excellent mother. For insulting Potter's mother and provoking him, I am taking thirty points from Gryffindor House."
Ron gave Snape a disgusted look.
"Shut the fuck up, you ugly-long haired bat, this has nothing to do with you!", Ron shouted.
The anger on Snape's face made Harry flinch.
"Gryffindor will lose eighty more points because you said that, Weasley. In addition, you'll serve three weeks of detention every night in my office."
Ron gave Harry, Draco, and Pansy looks filled with hatred before storming off.
Severus Snape then turned to Harry, Draco, and Pansy.
"Sixty points each to Slytherin for keeping Potter under control, Malfoy and Parkinson", Snape said. "Also, five points to Slytherin for not attacking Weasley for his insolence and perversity, Potter."
"Wait, Professor, you knew my mother?", Harry asked.
Snape sighed before he answered Harry's question.
"Yeah, we were in the same year at school. Now I have some business to attend to."
As Snape walked off, Harry rejoiced with Draco and Pansy about the 125 points Slytherin had gained. Harry knew that as long as his fellow Slytherins had his back, everything would be fine.
For the next week, Harry continued attending his classes and completing his homework, still proving himself to be a smart and clever student.
Finally, on 17 November 1991, Slytherin's match against Gryffindor took place at 11 AM. In the Slytherin common room, Pansy Parkinson, Theodore Nott, Blaise Zabini, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Millicent Bulstrode, Tracey Davis, and Daphne Greengrass wished Harry and Draco good luck before the match.
Pansy hugged Harry tightly.
"We'll be cheering for you in the stands", Theodore Nott said.
Harry and Draco ate breakfast in the Great Hall with the rest of the team. Then they all went to the Slytherin changing rooms.
Marcus Flint showed the lineup on the noticeboard:
The 1991-1992 Slytherin Quidditch Team
Match vs. Gryffindor
Chasers: Marcus Flint (captain)
Draco Malfoy
Graham Montague
Beaters: Peregrine Derrick
Lucian Bole
Keeper: Miles Bletchley
Seeker: Harry Potter
Substitute Players: Linus Urquhart (Chaser)
Adrian Pucey (Chaser)
Cassius Warrington (Chaser)
Terence Higgs (Seeker)
"All right, Slytherins! Time to make an example out of the Gryffindors!", Marcus Flint shouted.
The rest of the Slytherins roared with approval.
The Slytherin Quidditch Team flew out to the pitch.
"Here come the Slytherin Quidditch Team", third-year Gryffindor Lee Jordan said in an obviously disgusted tone. "Flint, Malfoy, Montague, Potter, Bletchley, Derrick, and Bole. Let's see how they will cheat this year."
Harry rolled his eyes. Typical Gryffindor bias, he thought.
"And the Gryffindor Team!", Lee said in an ecstatic tone. "Johnson, Spinnet, Bell, Dalton, Wood, Weasley, and Weasley! Let's do this, Gryffindor!"
"Captains, shake hands", Madam Hooch ordered. "I want a nice fair game", she added, looking at Flint with a pointed look. Harry couldn't believe it. Why did everyone think all Slytherins were evil?
Marcus Flint shook hands with Oliver Wood. They both looked disgustedly at each other.
"Mount your brooms!", Madam Hooch said.
Madam Hooch released the Quaffle.
"And they're off! Angelina Johnson has the Quaffle and is heading to score against Bletchley! She is so good-looking…"
"JORDAN!", yelled Professor McGonagall.
"Sorry, professor."
"Bole, hit a bludger at her!", Flint ordered.
Lucian Bole obliged and smacked a bludger with his beater's bat at Angelina Johnson. Johnson wasn't knocked off her broom, but the impact of the bludger caused her to drop the Quaffle. Draco grabbed it and zoomed towards the Gryffindor goal posts. Draco threw the Quaffle into the hoop on the right. Oliver Wood couldn't stop Draco.
"Malfoy scores", Lee Jordan said with no excitement or happiness. "Ten points to Slytherin."
"Nice shot, Draco!", Harry said, who was looking for the snitch.
"Thanks, Harry!", Draco shouted back.
Katie Bell grabbed the Quaffle and tried to carry it to the Slytherin goal posts and score against Miles Bletchley. But Peregrine Derrick shot a bludger at her, causing her to drop the Quaffle. Draco then grabbed the Quaffle again and headed towards the Gryffindor goal posts. Oliver Wood did his best, but Draco still managed to score against him.
"Malfoy scores. Twenty-Zero, Slytherin", Lee Jordan announced into the microphone.
Fred Weasley then tried to launch a bludger at Draco Malfoy, but the bludger missed Draco. Fred cursed in anger.
For the next twenty minutes, the Slytherin chasers were having an excellent time. Oliver Wood was looking miserable. When twenty-five minutes had passed in the game, the score was 350-0 in favor of Slytherin. Draco had scored 17 of Slytherin's goals.
Harry Potter was still looking for the snitch and he was getting frustrated. Third-year Gryffindor seeker Leo Dalton seemed to be feeling the same way. Dalton was terrified of Draco's movements on the pitch. When Draco wasn't scoring, he was breaking up the formation of the Gryffindor chasers and zooming at Dalton just to keep him nervous.
All of a sudden, Harry felt he had been thrown off his broom. Harry tried to hold on to the broom with all of his might. Then the broom lurched again. Harry tried to regain control of the broom, but the Nimbus 2000 kept trying to buck him off. Harry was confused and terrified. Nimbus 2000s-or any broom in general-normally would not do this. Harry could not direct the broom to move in any direction. Harry was then hanging from the broom with both hands a few seconds later.
How was this happening? Harry felt like the black king in the Halosar Trap, exposed and vulnerable to attack.
Theodore Nott was watching the match with his binoculars when he spotted Harry hanging on the broom.
"What's happening with Harry? Seems like he's having trouble with his broom", Theo said observantly.
Pansy Parkinson looked panicked as she grabbed the binoculars. She shrieked in horror as she saw Harry hanging on to his broom with both of his hands.
"He's an excellent flyer", Millicent Bulstrode said. "How can this be happening?"
The score was now 370-0. Now everyone was watching Harry as he struggled to hold on to the broom.
As the Slytherins were worrying for their beloved seeker, the Gryffindors were laughing at and taunting Harry.
"Potter, are you training for the ballet or playing Quidditch? You suck at being a seeker", Ron Weasley yelled.
Leo Dalton was also laughing at and taunting Harry, not even paying attention to where the snitch might be. Draco Malfoy was worried for his best friend, but he didn't know how to react or what to do. Marcus Flint tried to help the team and scored 7 times as everyone was focused on Harry, even Oliver Wood, who didn't even attempt to block Flint's shots. The score was now 440-0.
"Bole, Derrick, try to catch Potter if he falls", Graham Montague yelled.
Peregrine Derrick and Lucian Bole hovered under Harry in the hope that if he did fall, one of them would catch him. Meanwhile, George Weasley had an idea.
"Hey, Fred, let's see if we can knock Potter out of the game", George said.
Fred Weasley shot a bludger at Potter's broom, but Bole knocked the bludger in Alicia Spinnet's direction. She barely dodged the shot.
George shot another bludger at Harry, but Derrick knocked it towards Dalton, who was still making fun of Harry. Dalton managed to dodge the Bludger.
"Knock it off, assholes!", Bole yelled. "Harry is in danger!"
"We don't give a fuck", George snarled.
Meanwhile, Blaise Zabini looked through his binoculars and noticed something.
"Professor Quirrell is casting a jinx on Harry's broom!", Blaise shouted.
"What?", Pansy shouted as she grabbed the binoculars and saw that Quirrell was indeed, pointing his wand at Harry and muttering something. "What do we do?", Pansy shouted.
"I've got an idea!", Vincent Crabbe shouted. Crabbe then ran towards the section where all the teachers and staff members of the school were sitting. Crabbe then sneaked behind Professor Quirrell.
"Incendio", Crabbe whispered. Crabbe then ran back to the other Slytherin first-years.
"Quirrell, you're on fire", someone shouted. This distracted Quirrell and took his attention away from the game as Professor Flitwick extinguished the flames after yelling, "Aquamenti!"
Harry then noticed his broom was no longer shaking and resisting. Harry then pulled himself onto the broom and pursued the snitch, which he had just saw at the other side of the stadium. Harry had regained control of his broom.
"And Potter seems to be fine", Jordan said. "Apparently the debacle with an evil Slytherin and that Nimbus 2000 has apparently been taken care of."
"Jordan!", snapped Professor McGonagall.
Leo Dalton had been so busy making fun of Harry and insulting Harry that he didn't notice what Potter was chasing after until it was too late. Dalton went after Harry, but Harry was too fast for him.
Harry was only inches away from the snitch. Harry reached out…and it entered his mouth. Harry then spat it out into his hands. Harry then clenched the Snitch tightly.
"I've caught the snitch!", Harry yelled, showing the snitch for everyone to see. The Slytherin Quidditch Team and all of the Slytherin supporters roared with approval.
Harry was mobbed by all of his teammates, even the substitutes.
"I knew you could do it, buddy!", Cassius Warrington shouted.
"Way to go, Potter!", exclaimed Linus Urquhart.
"Excellent work, Potter!", Marcus Flint shouted.
"He didn't fucking catch it, he nearly swallowed the snitch", Fred Weasley yelled in outrage.
"He almost got bucked off of his broom! He got lucky", George Weasley said in disgust.
Lee Jordan announced the final score in a clearly disappointed mood, 590-0.
The Gryffindor Quidditch Team headed back to the castle in disappointment, along with the Gryffindor students. Harry and Draco went to the locker room and changed out of their Quidditch robes into their regular Slytherin uniforms.
"What happened to your broom?", Draco asked.
"I don't know, Draco", Harry said. "It was like it had a mind of its own."
Harry and Draco headed to the Slytherin Common Room. When the two friends reached the boys' dormitory, Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini ran to Harry.
"Harry, we saw what happened to your broom", Theodore said. "It was Quirrell, he was jinxing your broom."
"I should have known something was off with that guy", Harry said.
The girls then entered the room. Pansy ran to Harry and hugged him so hard.
"I was so worried! We were so afraid that you would fall to your death!", Pansy sobbed as she held on to Harry. Harry hugged her back, feeling relieved that the tension was over.
Then Daphne Greengrass, Tracey Davis, and Millicent Bulstrode joined in the hug, forming a group hug. Draco, Theodore, Crabbe, Goyle, and Blaise joined in as well.
How could anyone say all Slytherins were cruel, uncaring, and evil? How could anyone say that they were all ruthless, that they were all nefarious? His friends in Slytherin were the most caring people he knew. They were the family he never had.
"We need to make an example of Quirrell!", Goyle said.
"Right!", Crabbe said. "Let's teach him a lesson."
"I wouldn't mind getting revenge", Harry said with anger in his eyes.
"Guys, wait!", Theodore said. "I agree that the git needs to be taught a lesson, but it wouldn't be smart to fight against him alone. That's what a pathetic and idiotic Gryffindor would do."
"Let's talk to Professor Snape", Blaise said.
So, the ten first-year Slytherins, along with the entire Slytherin Quidditch Team, went to Professor Snape to tell him what had happened.
Severus listened attentively. "First, I will award all of you Slytherin first-years twenty points each to Slytherin for looking out for Harry. Also, an extra ten points to Slytherin, Crabbe, for setting fire to that bastard Quirrell."
"Professor, would it be okay if I don't attend any more of Quirrell's classes? I don't want to give the asshole another chance to kill me."
Snape nodded. "That's fine, Harry. You will come to my office and I will show you defensive spells there."
"Thank you, professor", Harry said.
"Meanwhile, I'll have to talk to Professor Dumbledore, get him to comprehend what a dangerous man he hired as a Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor", Snape said. "Also, I'll need all of you to be near Harry at all times for the next few weeks."
Harry nodded. One hour later, he fell asleep, exhausted from the day's events.