Harry Potter and the Armies of the Dark Future Chapter 7: Brooms and other Mischief
By Thursday morning Neville and Harry were feeling pretty confident that they would make a good showing during the flying lessons.
As soon as they sat down the morning post arrived. Dozens of owls of every size and color swooped in to drop their packages and letters before flying off again.
One package landed in Neville's lap. He opened it to find a note from his grandmother and a large marble that appeared to be filled with white smoke."I can't believe this." He said.
"What is that thing?" Harry asked.
"It's a Remembrall. When the smoke turns red it means you've forgotten something." Neville said.
"But I've never known you to be too forgetful." Harry said.
"I was up until about three years ago. Then I spent a summer learning to play 40K. After that the most I ever forgot was to say hello when gran came in the store."
"So why the Remembrall?" Ron asked.
"She still worries about me forgetting something." During the entire conversation the smoke in the little ball had remained white.
"Well, it looks like she is worrying for no reason." Hermione said, trying to cheer him up for the thousandth time that week.
ooo000OOO000ooo
That afternoon all the Gryffindor first years made their way down to the practice lawn. Harry was only slightly worried about the breeze which was making the grass shift rhythmically.
The Slytherins were already there, clustered into tight groups. Malfoy looked up and smirked at Harry before returning to his conversation.
The teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived a moment later, taking a position next to a broom that looked considerably better kept than the rest.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Take your positions." She asked.
The class quickly assumed their places and she continued,"Now hold your hand over your broom and say UP."
Her broom shot into her hand. The class followed suit but most of the brooms did not cooperate. Neville found, to his surprise, that the broom appeared in his hand. Hermione looked annoyed at hers as it simply rolled over. Malfoy looked smug when his broom instantly responded.
After all of the students had their brooms in hand Madam Hooch continued,"Now mount your broom." She went around correcting grips and positions. Malfoy had the arrogant look on his face wiped away as she informed him that despite his years of experience he was doing it wrong.
"Now, on my whistle, kick off, raise a few feet, then come back down and land. Three. Two. One." She blew the whistle and the class lifted. They all hovered a few feet off the ground and then started back down. Just before Goyle's feet touched the ground his broom started jumping and jinking randomly.
"Lean forward Mr. Goyle. Bring it back down." The teacher's instructions only served to unbalance the large boy and cause him to fall off his broom. The broom flew away and shattered into splinters as it slammed into the castle wall. Goyle flailed out and tried to stop himself as he hit the ground with a sickening crunch.
Madam Hooch hurried over, inspecting the boy as she helped him to his feet. His arm was bent at an odd angel,"Looks like a broken arm." She looked over the rest of the class,"I want the rest of you to stay here while I take him up to the hospital wing. If any of you leave the ground, you'll be out of here before you can say Quidditch."
Goyle followed her while cradling his arm.
Malfoy bent over and picked something up off the ground."Maybe I should get Goyle one if these." He showed Neville's Remembrall around,"He might remember how to deal with a bucking broom."
Neville stepped up,"Go ahead. I don't need it."
"Nah, I'll just get rid of it." Malfoy threw the glass ball into the air on a high arc toward the school. Just before it struck the wall a streak slid past it and swung around toward the crowd. Harry stopped right in front of the group and touched down lightly on the grass. The Gryffindors cheered and clapped, clustering around him. He tossed the smoke-filled marble to its proper owner and was walking out of the group when...
"Harry Potter!"
'Oh Crap' Harry thought as he saw Professor McGonagall running down the lawn toward him.
"Never...in all my time at Hogwarts" She was speechless, whether from anger of running was unclear."How dare you...might have broken your neck."
"It wasn't his fault.." Parvati Patil, a fellow Gryffindor, started.
"Be quiet, Miss Patil..."
"But Malfoy..." Ron tried.
"That's enough, Mr. Weasley." She turned to Harry."Potter follow me, now." Malfoy looked smug as Harry followed McGonagall off the field. Harry so wanted to wipe that smile off his face, but decided to wait and do it later. If he was still at school.
As he followed the teacher into the school he tried to think of something he could use as a defense. But the truth was that he had known exactly what he was doing, and hadn't cared that he was breaking the rules. He relived the brief experience on the broom in his mind, wallowing in the exhilaration of being in the air. It was like he was almost as at home on a broom as he was on the ground.
McGonagall stopped at a door and pulled it open,"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?"
Harry thought,'Well, I guess a paddling is better than being expelled'
But Wood turned out to be a fifth-year boy. They followed the professor into an unused classroom where the poltergeist Peeves was writing obscenities on the board. Minerva ordered him out and then rounded on Harry."Potter, this is Oliver Wood. Wood, I've found you a Seeker."
Wood looked like Christmas had come early."Are you sure, Professor?"
"Absolutely, the boy's a natural. He plucked a Remembrall out of the air less than a foot away from a wall." She addressed Harry again,"Was that your first time on a broomstick, Potter?"
"Yes, ma'am. Dose this mean I not getting expelled?" He asked with a straight face.
"Not for the moment. But don't always expect such leniency when you break the rules."
"I won't, ma'am. But why?"
"Wood here is the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team and they are desperately in need of a seeker. You are a natural seeker, just like your father. The last seeker, Charlie Weasley, your friend Ronald Weasley's older brother, wasn't even that good."
"Um, ma'am. What is Quidditch?"
She smiled at him,"I'll let you and Wood discuss that. But remember that this is not the usual consequence for violating the rules around here. If you do anything out of line again, I may have to reconsider."
"No you won't ma'am,"Harry said,"because I won't be breaking any more rules." He knew it was probably a lie, but he would give it his best. 'Or at least I won't get caught' He thought.
"Good to hear." She walked out and Wood led Harry back to the Gryffindor common room.
ooo000OOO000ooo
That night at dinner Harry was getting grilled by his friends. He was deliberately being less than informative with them all, partially because Wood wanted to keep it a secret. The other part was his own pleasure. He found that he enjoyed watching them try to guess at every point. Just as he was admitting that he was not being expelled, Fred and George walked up.
"Brilliant mate." Fred said to Harry.
"From the way Wood is acting you must be something good." George said.
"He looked like he was about to float off, he was so high."
"But how did you get McGonagall to make you Seeker?"
"Seeker?" Hermione, Ron and Neville all asked at once.
"Shhhhh!" The three members of the Quidditch team responded.
"Try to keep it down,"Harry said."Wood wants it to be a surprise."
"But Seeker?" Ron started."I mean, first years are never chosen for the house teams."
"Yeah, I know. Wood told me that I'm the youngest in a century." Harry said.
"This actually makes sense." Hermione observed, absently.
"How's that?" Harry asked.
"Your father was Gryffindor Seeker when he was here. If memory serves, they took the cup almost every year he was with the team."
"Woah. I never knew your dad was a Seeker?" Neville said.
Harry answered,"Neither did I. I never heard about my parents."
"Well, I hope you don't think you are being rewarded for breaking rules." Hermione admonished.
"Hermione, you should know that breaking rules is its own reward." George said.
"And as long as you get away with it, its okay" Fred said.
"I understand that if I put one toe out of line, McGonagall will throw the book at me." Harry said.
Malfoy entered the great hall and looked surprised to see Harry sitting there. He made his way over to the Gryffindor table with Crabbe in tow. When he got there he sneered,"So Potter, having one last meal before you catch the train?"
"Why don't you go spend some time in the forest Malfoy." Fred growled back.
"Maybe find a unicorn to give you an attitude adjustment from behind." George said.
"What's wrong Potter? Can't you speak for yourself?" Malfoy asked with that smug tone, knowing that he would catch it bad if he did anything wrong.
"Draco,"Harry said with a chilling calm in his voice,"what do you want? Are you still not satisfied with the way I have humiliated you so far?"
"Listen to me Potter."Malfoy hissed,"I would take you easy in a fair fight."
"That sounds like a good idea, if you have the balls to show up." Harry replied.
"That's it Potter. Wizard's Duel, midnight, trophy room."
"What, you don't want anyone to see you getting your butt handed to you?"
"Ahhhh!" Draco snapped and drew his wand, pointing it at Harry's face.
"Mr. Malfoy!" The voice of Prof. McGonagall rang through the great hall. "What exactly do you think you are doing?"
Malfoy turned pale,"I was, uh..."
"Draco came over here and started harassing Harry." Hermione started explaining,"Then when Harry responded in a civil voice he got angry and challenged Harry to a duel at a time that would get Harry in trouble. When Harry refused to break the rules he got even madder and drew his wand."
None of the students could believe the careful half truth that had come out of the mouth of the girl that they all considered too straight laced. Malfoy realized how much his frozen stance, wand still in hand, made the story seem that much more credible.
"Ten points from Slytherin for attempting to get another student in trouble Mr. Malfoy. Now get back to your seat and leave Mr. Potter to his meal." McGonagall turned around and went back to the head table.
"Lying Filthy Mudblood." Malfoy hissed out just before turning around. What he didn't see was Harry grab Ron and force him to stay put. He may not have completely understood the insult, but he figured it was not a nice thing to call someone. No one saw his own wand held under the table, ready just in case Malfoy had actually done something.
"Chill out little bro." George said.
"We'll get him." Fred said. The twins then turned to the girl,"And don't let that prick get to you."
"We have a new spell we want to try on him." George grinned.
Hermione smiled and wiped her eyes,"Thanks. I appreciate it." She turned to Ron,"And thanks Ron, I almost wish you had done something to him."
"He would have gotten it five times as bad if we weren't around so many teachers." Harry placed his wand back in his pocket to emphasize his point."But I think we should leave it to the professional trouble makers."
"We thank you Mr. Potter." The twins chorused.
"Now what do you know about that corridor on the third floor?" Harry asked the twins.
The group leaned in closer,"We found a back way into the area." Fred said.
"But it's one of the variable stair cases." George continued.
"It is only available between two and three in the morning." Fred finished the report.
"So, how do we get in there? Filch and Norris patrol the halls at random all night." Harry thought out loud.
"Not quiet at random."
"They meet in several places at specific times."
"At that time," Fred said, pulling a piece of paper out of his pocket,"They will be around the front door."
"How do you know that?" Neville asked."Have you followed them all over the school?"
The twins looked at each other, then looked back at Neville,"Noooot exactly."
"Okay,"Harry interrupted,"So we need to leave the dorm about one-thirty. Get to the entrance just as the stair changes." He continued to detail the plan, knowing that it would probably not survive contact whatever was supposed to kill them.
Hermione cleared her throat,"Just to CMA, we really shouldn't be out that late." The others waited."But I think we will need a diversion."
The twin flame tops grinned,"Leave that to us. It should be the perfect time to try that new thing." Fred said.
"Just the right situation, indeed." George finished.
Harry basked in the glow of the fear caused by the two redheads. He wished it could continue, but it was getting late. He stretched and suggested an early bed, so they could be up on time.
ooo000OOO000ooo
The group stopped at the top of the stairs and Harry checked his watch. Fred and George were looking at an old piece of parchment when they grinned,"No one around but us."
Just as his watch ticked over to two there was a shimmering around the door. When it settled he reached for the handle and was unsurprised to find it locked. He pulled out his wand and tapped the lock,"Alohomora." he whispered.
The latch clicked and the door swung open. Inside they could only see the dimly lit walls of the corridor. But as their eyes adjusted they started making out a furry shape facing the other way. Chains scraped on the stone floor as it turned to see who had dared to intrude on it's assigned patrol. As it's three heads came around red eyes scanned the group before it started growling at them. The low rumbling reached into their hearts and caused some interesting reactions.
Ron, Hermione and the twins backed away from the slowly advancing beast. Harry could feel the fear radiating from the others and let it wet his appetite for cruelty. He wanted to torture something, and this beast was just asking for it. Neville on the other hand could feel the courage of having his best friend beside him as though he had an entire hive at his back. He was ready to tear the three headed dog to shreds and drink it's blood.
The two boys raised their wands as one and pointed them directly into two sets of eyes. For a long moment they just stared at each other, determining what kind of threat the other represented.
Finally the dog gave a small whimper and lowered its heads into a submissive position. The two brave ones pointed their wands at the beast and said,"Stupefy!" The dog slid back along the floor and thudded to a halt against the regular entrance.
They had manic grins on their faces as they turned to each other and spoke their usual battle cries. When they turned back to the spot where the beast had stood they spotted a trap door. Pulling it open the rest of the group joined them to peer into the darkness below.
"I wonder what could be down there?" Ron asked.
"We can find out some other time, people are coming to investigate the noise." Fred said as he examined the parchment.
"Let's go then. We can always set off the diversion if we need to." George said, waving everyone to the door.
ooo000OOO000ooo
With the use of the parchment the twins had, they had managed to get back to the Gryffindor common room without being spotted. As the portrait swung closed Fred pointed his wand out the hole and a low thud was felt through the stone floor.
George looked at the map for a few seconds and then touched his wand to it and whispered something. "Got away with it."He said as he put the parchment away.
"As always." Fred said.
"What was the diversion?" Hermione asked.
"Just a small boom in one of the bathrooms." George said.
"On the opposite end of the castle." Fred said.
Harry stretched,"Think it's time for bed. We can talk about everything tomorrow."
The others nodded groggily as they made their way toward the stairs.
ooo000OOO000ooo
Hope that helps satieate the desire for violence, at least for a while. It will get nastier at it progresses.
Thanks to my wife for reviewing for me.