Chapter 17

Flying With The Birds

Harry came back from St. Mungo's the following day. He attended quidditch practice and acted normal as ever.

No one actually knew what happened at the hospital. Harry, only being back for a couple of hours, refused to talk about it. He had a determined look on his face and would shake his head before going back to what he was doing or plainly leaving.

One thing was for sure, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were going find out.

Harry was sitting in the common room on Sunday doing his weekend homework. The two Weasley's and Hermione crept up to Harry and sat at the table with him.

He looked up and smiled before returning to the essay.

"So, Harry. How's it going?" Ron asked trying to act as if nothing was going on.

Harry looked up again and smiled at him.

"Harry what happened at St. Mungo's?" Ginny said bluntly. He looked up again but did not smile at her.

His face slackened a bit before he put down his quill and got up to leave.

"Harry, you will not leave. Tell us please," Hermione pleaded with him. He looked at her for a moment before sitting back down.

"Dumbledore told me that my aunt, uncle, and cousin were attacked. They killed Uncle Vernon and Dudley on the spot and tortured my aunt. I went to see her but when I got there she had been dead for almost ten minutes," he said scanning his friend's faces. Ginny looked at him straight in the eyes while he said it. His eyes were not filled with the sadness that she had expected but with anger.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Harry!" Hermione said. Ginny nodded in agreement along with Ron.

"Look, I don't want to talk about it anymore okay? Let's just say it never happened okay?" Harry asked his friends. They looked a bit perplexed but agreed otherwise.

As the month's passed up until Christmas Break, the students had their hands full.

Harry now received weekly letters from Sirius who still did not disclose when he was going to be back or where he was but the letter's satisfied Harry.

Along with piles of homework and essays, Harry was on a full schedule. He had Occlumency and Legillmens at least three times a week now, quidditch practices were a big part of his schedule now and he was planning on starting wandless magic training over Christmas since most of the order members and the Weasley's were staying at Hogwarts for the holidays.

The first quidditch match was only a week before the up coming break. Harry's team was practicing furiously for weeks to win against Ravenclaw.

Much to Harry's dismay, Cho Chang was the team's captain this year and was seeker as well, just like Harry.

All anyone could hope was that this game was going to be interesting.

"HERE WE ARE AT THE FIRST QUIDDITCH GAME OF THE SEASON! GRYFFINDOR VERSUS RAVENCLAW!" Seamus screamed into the magically enhance mega phone.

Harry and his team were waiting at the edge of the locker room with their brooms ready and willing to go out on the pitch. They waited and waited until Harry heard Seamus about done yelling out the Ravenclaw team member's names.

"Okay team. I personally don't think we even need a pep talk. We are ready for this game and I am confident. Win or lose, we are a great team. Do your best!" Harry yelled and his team began to cheer.

"But winning would be way better!" Ron added and the team laughed.

In the distance, they could hear Seamus. They mounted their brooms and they were off and onto the field.

"AND HERE WE HAVE THE GRYFFINDOR QUIDDITCH TEAM LED BY THEIR SEEKER AND CAPTAIN, HARRY POTTER AND THEIR KEEPER AND CO-CAPTAIN RON WEASLEY! HERE COME THE CHASERS, BELL, WEASLEY, AND THOMAS! AND FINALLY WE HAVE STEMAN AND CREEVEY AS BEATERS!" Seamus was going all out on this match.

The two house teams flew to the middle of the pitch and Cho and Harry shook hands. As Madame Hooch threw the quaffle up into the air, Cho winked at Harry. He ignored it and with the back of his broom he hit the quaffle to this team mate's side.

The game continued for about another two hours. Rain had begun to fall profusely and the teams were cold and wet.

The score was 100-90 in favor of Ravenclaw. They had been scoring none stop but there was still no sign of the snitch.

Harry was flying around, slightly above the clouds with Cho hovering close behind. Ron was watching the team down low.

From what Harry could see the quaffle was being held by Katie and passed to Dean. They scored ten points and brought the score up to an even 100-100.

Just as Ravenclaw grabbed the quaffle again, a glint passed by Harry's eye a long with a rush of purple. Harry turned his firebolt abruptly and saw that Cho Chang was flying straight for the golden snitch.

Harry urged his broom forward and it flew at top speed towards Cho and the snitch. The crowds grew immediately quiet and the game below became slower. They were all watching.

Harry kept his attention ahead of him. Cho was growing closer to him and she frantically looked back. As she saw Harry come closer, she pulled her broom forward. Harry's firebolt was gaining speed and he was soon on Cho's left. She glared at him before bashing into him angrily. Harry did the same.

The snitch took an unexpected turn upward. Harry and Cho flew up at a vertical angle into the rain. Their goggles were fit with a water-resistance charm and the rain fell back into their face.

Harry could hear the cheers and boo's from the different houses but pushed them out of his mind. All he wanted was the snitch.

As they grew higher and higher, the noise became farther away; all the two seekers could hear was the thumping of the rain. They were now what seemed like hundreds of feet above the stadium. The snitch was still going straight up but in a mill-second changed its direction downward and once again the seeker's turned down and flew towards the pitch.

They grew closer and closer and Cho gave Harry a scared glance as the approached the grass below. In a matter of minutes, they were forty feet above the ground. Cho gave him another nervous glance before pulling out of the dive.

Harry did not notice but just kept following the snitch. As he got closer he saw the snitch just beyond arm's length. With a desperate attempt to get the snitch, Harry jumped forward off of his broom and stuck his arm out. He hand grazed the exterior of the snitch when he heard someone screaming for him.

Before Harry had any time to react, he felt something heavy hit him right on his hip. With a sickening crack, Harry flew to the side, his hands closed tightly.

He fell to the ground and he could hear the crowd grow deafly quiet. His team flew frantically to him and Ron fell to his knees next to him.

"Harry! Oh god, are you okay? Can you answer me?" He yelled through the rain.

Harry's eyes were extremely blurred and he could feel the darkness coming. With a last attempt to stay conscious, Harry pushed up slowly and stood much to the surprised of his team mates.

He swayed and held his arm up triumphantly. The crowd erupted into loud cheers as they noticed that Harry was not just holding up his arm to say he was alright but to show that he had caught the snitch.

As Harry swayed once again he fell to the ground and darkness overcame him.