In early November, the first Quidditch match of the year rolled around. The match was between Slytherin and Gryffindor, so the friend group was very divided.
-Look, all I'm saying is that we have won for years on end, there is no way you'll win this year! - Millicent pointed out.
-Yeah, but this year we have Harry! - a very red-faced Ron replied - He's the youngest seeker in a century, we'll surely win!
-Guys, can you please shut up? - Hermione pleaded - Harry has enough pressure on him already without you guys talking about it all the time.
-Yeah, and we keep having to leave the library because you two don't shut up about it - Blaise commented.
-But-
-No buts, Slytherins root for Slytherins, Gryffindors root for Gryffindors, Harry don't break any bones please - Leandra stated.
No one dared object. Leandra had been snappy ever since she had talked to her godfather, and although none except Jackson knew what was bothering her, everyone noticed there was something going on.
They left Harry with his team and went to the stands, Slytherins and Gryffindors separating to opposite sides of the stadium.
-He'll be fine, Leandra, no one has died in school quidditch in ages - Millicent commented upon looking at Leandra's frowning face.
-People have died in school quidditch? - Jackson asked.
-Well, it's not the safest of sports-
-Yeah, but dying in a school competition?
-You should read about the Triwizard Tournaments, that was a school competition as well, and now it isn't done anymore because it was a massacre.
-At school?
-I have given up on trying to understand the dynamics of this world when it comes to keeping their students' safe and you should too, Jackson - Leandra said.
They settled down next to their peers, Leandra rubbing her hands together and pinching the skin between her index finger and thumb. The match started within a few moments and at first everything seemed to be going fine. Slytherin took the lead and most students in the benches seemed pretty upset about it except for the wave of green and silver on one of the far ends of the stadium.
About thirty minutes into the game, Harry started acting weird. At first it seemed he was trying to imitate one of those infinite techniques he'd read about in Quidditch books. Then it was clear he had lost control of his broom. After a while it seemed to go away, but then the broom started shaking again. Almost as if it wanted to throw Harry off of itself.
-This is why first years should not be allowed on the field - Millicent remarked.
-No, that's not his fault - Jackson retorted - Harry has never been unsteady on his broom in class.
-Maybe he's nervous - Daphne commented - It is his first Quidditch match.
-He's been jinxed - Leandra stated - Or better yet, his broom is being jinxed. It's a wonder he's still holding on to it.
-How do you know?
-Have all death eaters gone to jail, Jackson?
-That is a good point.
-What do we do, then? - Blaise asked, frowning as Harry's broom gave one particularly mighty pull.
-I'm thinking.
-How do you cast a jinx like that? - Daphne asked.
-Staring directly at the target - Millicent answered - Over there!
She was pointing at the professor's cabinet. Both uncle Severus and professor Quirrell were staring directly at Harry. Uncle Severus seemed to be muttering under his breath.
-That explains why he hasn't yet fallen off - Jackson commented - Professor Quirrell is protecting him!
Everyone looked at him wide eyed.
-What?
Before anyone could respond, there was a commotion on the professors' cabinet. When they looked back, uncle Severus was extinguishing flames from his robes and professor Quirrell had been knocked over. Whatever had caused such a commotion (and Leandra believed there were a few names to the what) was enough for Harry to gain back control long enough to catch the snitch. The Slytherin group was not even mad that their team had lost the game.
-Do we all agree that joining the Quidditch team was a bad idea now? - Leandra asked as soon as she saw the Gryffindors.
-I caught the snitch! - Harry smiled.
-You almost died.
-Yeah, but that's only because professor Snape was jinxing his broom!
-See?! She gets it!
The Slytherins, except Jackson, all sighed.
-Hermione, tell me, do you think a wizard as skilled as my godfather would need to be muttering under his breath to complete a simple jinx?
-Maybe he was trying to overpower himself!
-If he was trying to overpower himself, he would have thrown Harry off his broom in one second - Blaise commented.
-You know who else was looking directly at Harry without blinking, though? - Millicent continued - Quirrell.
-Oh! - Jackson exclaimed - So I got it mixed up? Quirrell was trying to throw Harry off and Snape was trying to protect him?
-But that makes no sense! - Ron exclaimed - Snape has had it out for Harry since the first day of classes! And he was a death eater back when You-Know-Who was still alive. Maybe he was overpowering himself because he wasn't able to throw Harry off because Quirrell was protecting him!
-That makes less sense - Leandra deadpanned - Why would my godfather, who knows I'd kill him in his sleep if he ever touched a hair on Harry's head, try to kill him in an open field. Also, why would a man known to have been a spy for the Order try such a stupid stunt in such a public setting?
-The Order? - Harry asked.
-Not important right now - Ron said.
-Yes, important right now! - Millicent exclaimed - No one told you about the Order of the Phoenix?
-Focus, Milly, we can tell him later - Blaise said - I'll make a note for it. But Leandra is right. It does not fit in professor Snape's character to do this. Quirrell, on the other hand… What do we know about him?
-He went on various adventures this summer, and came back very scared - Ron explained - I mean, have you looked at him? That man has seen things no one would want to see, he wouldn't kill someone!
-And professor Snape had hurt his leg on Halloween! - Hermione added - It was probably with Fluffy!
-Exactly! - Ron agreed.
Before any of the Slytherins could say anything, the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team appeared and dragged Harry, Ron and Hermione off to celebrate the victory. All the Slytherin group could do was watch in astonishment as they went off, fully convinced professor Snape had tried to kill Harry Potter in public.
-Merlin, I thought Hermione was smart - Millicent commented.
As they went on their way to their own common room, Jackson asked the question most of them were thinking about:
-Who the hell is Fluffy?