(A/N: Parts of this story come straight from the Harry Potter books by J K Rowling and I do not take credit for them.)

The day of their first Quidditch match was cold. The mountains around the school became icy grey and the lake like chilled steel. The ground was covered in frost and the wind whipped harshly around the school.

The Great Hall, however, was warm and full of the delicious smell of breakfast.

"You've got to eat some breakfast," Neville told Harry and Hermione.

"I don't want anything," Harry said.

"Me neither," agreed Hermione.

"Just a bit of toast," wheedled Neville.

"We're not hungry," Harry and Hermione said together.

They both felt terrible. In an hour's time they would be walking on to the pitch.

"Harry, Hermione, you need your strength," said Seamus Finnigan, one of Harry's dorm mates. "Especially you, Harry. Seekers are always the ones who get targeted by the other teams."

"Fine," Harry groaned and took a nibble of his toast. Hermione ate a spoonful of cereal. Then they both got up at the same time and walked out of the Great Hall.

"That's weird. Have you seen they sometimes do things at exactly the same time? First, they said, 'We're not hungry' together at the same time, then they both got up at the same time," Neville told Seamus.

"Yeah, it's weird," Seamus agreed.

At eleven o'clock just about the whole school were at the stands of the Quidditch pitch for the first Quidditch match of the year- Gryffindor versus Slytherin. Meanwhile, in the Gryffindor tent, Oliver Wood gave his speech to his team.

"OK men," he said.

"And women," Wood agreed. "This is it."

"The big one," said Fred Weasley.

"The one we've all been waiting for," said George.

"We know Oliver's speech by heart," Fred told Harry and Hermione. "We were in the team last year."

"Shut up, you two," said Wood. "This is the best team Gryffindor's had for years. We're going to win. I know it." He paused and listened to the whistle outside. He picked up his broom. "Right. It's time. Good luck, all of you."

Madam Hooch was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the pitch, with a broom in her hand. The Slytherin team went in first. Then the Gryffindor team came in. Lee Jordan was refereeing.

"Chasers: Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell, and Gryffindor's new surprising addition: Hermione Granger! Beaters: my good old friends, Fred and George Weasley! Keeper: our team captain, Oliver Wood! And last, but not least, seeker: our famous boy who lived, Harry Potter!"

The two captains shook hands and shot up in the air. Both Harry and Hermione felt nervous as Harry flew away, looking for the snitch and while Hermione chased after the quaffle.

(A/N: Most of this part comes from Chapter eleven of 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone.)

"And the quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor- what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive too-"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Katie Bell, a good find of Oliver Wood- back to Johnson and- no, Slytherin have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes- Flint flying like an eagle up there- he's going to sc- no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor keeper Wood and Gryffindor take the Quaffle- that's Hermione Granger of Gryffindor there, nice dive around flint, off up the field- Wait- Quaffle taken by Slytherin- Don't know how that happened- Adrian Pucey speeding off towards the goalposts, but he's blocked by a bludger- sent his way by Fred or George Weasley- Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead- she reaches the goalposts- come on, now Angelina- Keeper Bletchy dives- misses- GRYFFINDOR SCORE!"

Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherin. Harry glided across the pitch, looking for the snitch, when suddenly-

"Harry!" Hermione shouted. "What are you doing?"

Harry's broom was carrying him slowly higher, away from the game, jerking and twitching as it went. His broom rolled over and over. The whole crowd gasped. His broom gave a jerk and Harry swung off it. Fred and George Weasley hovered beneath him, hoping to catch him if he fell.

Hermione's eyes swooped across the stands. They finally rested on the teachers' stands. She flew to Neville and whispered something into his ear. He looked confused for a moment but then he nodded and left the stands. Ron saw him leave and followed him.

"Longbottom! Where are you going?" said Ron when Neville was right underneath the teacher's stands.

"I'm helping Harry," said Neville and pointed his wand up towards the tip of Snape's robes. Ron realised what he was doing. He shoved Neville who fell over and missed Snape. Instead the fire Neville had tried to send to Snape was heading towards Quirrell. The tip of Quirrell's robes set on fire. Ron sent another flame of fire towards Snape. Quirrell noticed his robes first and fixed his robes, breaking his eye contact with Harry. Neville was already gone when Snape had noticed the fire on his robes. However, Ron wanted to see the look on Snape's face. Ron was grinning when Quirrell and Snape looked down and saw him.

"Detention for one month everyday at seven, Potions classroom," said Snape.

"And another m-month with m-me in the defence classroom," said Quirrell.

Ron headed back to the stands where there was a lot of cheering. Harry was speeding towards the ground when the crowd saw him clap his hand to his mouth as though he was about to be sick. He hit the ground on all fours, coughed, and something gold fell into his hand.

"I've got the snitch!" Harry shouted, waving it above his head, and the game ended in complete confusion. Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty. Harry and Hermione made their way to the changing rooms where Ron and Neville were waiting for them.

"Hermione!" said Ron. "Neville is waiting too. Am I forgiven?"

"Ronald, just because you are calling him by his first name, it does not mean you can be forgiven," said Hermione.

"Oh, come on," whined Ron. "I saved Harry's life!"

"I thought Neville did. How did you save Harry's life, then?"

"I followed Neville because I knew he was going to get it wrong. He shot fire at Quirrell because he did it wrong, then ran away. I had to do all the work. I set Snape's robes on fire then even got a detention," boasted Ron.

"Ron, a detention is not something you boast-" Hermione stopped. Suddenly the love potion kicked in. "Ron! You are a hero! You saved Harry's life! Let's go to Hagrid's!" squealed Hermione. Ron didn't look surprised and instead looked smug. He followed Hermione out, leaving Harry and Neville with their mouths agape. They looked at each other before following Ron and Hermione to Hagrid's hut.

"It was Snape," Ron was explaining. "Hermione and I saw him. He was cursing Harry's broom, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off Harry."

"Rubbish," said Hagrid. "Why would Snape do something like that?"

"I found out something about him," Harry told Hagrid. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding."

Hagrid dropped a teapot.

"How do you know about Fluffy?"

"Fluffy?"

"Yeah, he's mine. Bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub last year. I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the-"

"Yes?" said Hermione eagerly.

"It's top secret."

"But Snape's trying to steal it."

"Nonsense," said Hagrid. "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do nothing of the sort."

"Then why did he just try and kill Harry and give Ron detention?" cried Hermione. "I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid, I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!"

"Don't ask me anymore. It's all between Professor Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel-"

"Aha!" said Neville. "So there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"

Hagrid looked furious with himself.