Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. That privilege solely belongs to JK Rowling.

Chapter 7 The Quidditch Match

Dear Amy, Robert, Danielle, and Emily

Thank you for your letter. School is going well. The weather has gotten much colder since the beginning of November. For being made of stone and located high in the Scotland mountains, the school is pretty warm. Well, except for the dungeon – that's what the students call the basements. They're so drafty and chilly, almost like a real castle dungeon! Luckily though the only class that I have down there is my science class. And to make it worse, our science professor is awful! He's always mean to the students except for a few that he really likes. He seems to really dislike me for some reason even though I hadn't done anything to him…well not at that point at least. The rest of the professors seem alright and classes are pretty interesting so that helps.

I've managed to make some nice friends named Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Hermione and I met at the start of the year banquet. She's really smart and likes to read all the time. I think she's already read all of our textbooks twice! We just became friends with Harry and Ron though. They were a bit mean to Hermione at first but we got stuck together for a project and they ended up helping me and Hermione out of a tight spot. We were about to get into trouble but Hermione stood up for them and we've been friends since then. Ron and I still have a bit of a hard time getting on since he was the one usually making fun of Hermione, but we are working on getting along better. He can be really funny though and he's really good at chess. He's been teaching me and Harry how to play but he's loads better than the both of us. Harry's really nice too. He plays on a team for our school's sport. And he's only a first year! First year students aren't normally allowed to play, but Harry's so good that they made an exception. The school made up the games years and years ago. It's a bit like handball and dodgeball put together. Everyone at school loves it. In fact, the first match is coming up soon!

I hope everything is going well for you. Remus says that we'll be able to come visit sometimes during the Christmas holidays. I can't wait to see all of you!

Yours,

Vesper Black

The morning of the first Quidditch match was cloudless and bright, if a bit cold. Vesper, along with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, entered the Great Hall filled with energetic students all merrily talking about the upcoming match.

Well, most of them were.

"Go on, mate. Have something to eat."

"I don't want anything."

"Just a bit of toast, Harry."

"I'm not hungry."

Vesper glanced at Harry. Dark circles were painted under his eyes, and he nearly looked ready to use the plate Hermione had pushed in front of him as a pillow. His color was also bordering on turning green.

"Good luck today, Potter."

All four of them jumped and turned to look at the speaker of such sportsmanship. It was Snape looming over them, a slightly haughty smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth.

"Then again," Snape continued, "now that you've proven yourself against a troll, a little game of Quidditch should be easy work for you...even if it is against Slytherin."

Snape gave them all one last look before walking out of the Great Hall, a slight limp to his step.

"That explains the blood."

Vesper looked at Harry curiously. "Blood?"

"Listen," Harry whispered, motioning them closer, "on Halloween, I'm guessing Snape let the troll in as a diversion to get past the three-headed dog. Ron and I saw him going to the third floor. But, he got himself bitten and that's why he's limping!"

"But why would anyone go near that dog?" asked Hermione.

"You said so yourself that the dog was guarding something," Ron pointed out.

"The day I was at Gringotts, Hagrid took something out of one of the vaults," Harry explained. "He said it was Hogwarts' business, very secret."

Vesper's eyes widened. "So you're saying –"

"That's what the dog's guarding! That's what Snape wants!"

Hermione didn't seem entirely convinced. "You don't really think Professor Snape would try to steal whatever Professor Dumbledore is keeping safe, do you? I mean, I know he's not very nice, but –"

"Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something," said Ron, rolling his eyes. "I'm with Harry. I wouldn't put anything past Snape."

Hermione, Ron, and Harry all turned towards Vesper. She shifted awkwardly in her seat, refusing to meet her friends' expecting eyes. Vesper wasn't sure what to believe just yet. On the one hand, Snape seemed like the perfect fit. Out of all the teachers at Hogwarts, Snape was the one she could see trying to steal some sort of important object. But on the other hand, they really had no evidence that Snape had been trying to steal whatever the dog was guarding. There were too many holes in the story. Still avoiding answering her friends, she glanced around the rapidly emptying Great Hall. "We should get going," she finally said. She rose from her seat. The others followed and they made their way down to the Quidditch pitch. Harry bid them a quiet goodbye before heading to the changing rooms.

The Gryffindor section of the stands was a mess of red and gold. Bright and flashing signs fluttered in the gentle breeze, pre-match cheers creating a constant hum in the air. Excitement coursed through Vesper's veins. She had never been to a Quidditch match before; just listened to it on the radio. The sensation of actually being here, of actually being in the stands was absolutely intoxicating.

Vesper, Ron, and Hermione slipped into their seats at the very top row along with Neville, Seamus, and Dean. Dean pulled out the large bed sheet they had decided to make for Harry. Dean had drawn a large Gryffindor lion with the words Potter for President below it. Hermione had found a spell to make the paint change different colors.

It wasn't long before Ron was shouting, "Look! It's getting ready to start!" as Madam Hooch walked to the center of the pitch, broom in hand.

From the teachers' section Lee Jordan began his commentary which the twins assured Vesper would be almost as entertaining as the match itself.

"Hello, and welcome to Hogwarts' first Quidditch game of the season! Today's game: Slytherin versus Gryffindor!"

Vesper could barely make out the mop of black hair that was Harry as the players gathered around Madam Hooch and mounted their brooms.

"The Bludgers are up...followed by the Golden Snitch. Remember, the Snitch is worth 150 points. The Seeker who catches the Snitch ends the game."

With a blast from Madam Hooch's whistle, the players shot up into the air.

"The Quaffle is released...and the game begins! The Quaffle is taken by Gryffindor's Angelina Johnson – what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive too –"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."

Vesper giggled. It seemed like the twins were right.

"And she is really belting along up there. A neat pass to Alicia Spinnet last year's reserve Chaser – back to Johnson and – no, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint with the interception – off he goes and he's going to sc- nope, stopped by an excellent move from Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take back the Quaffle – Chaser Katie Bell dives around Flint and heads up the field and – OUCH – hit in the back of the head with a Bludger, that must've hurt – Adrian Pucey of Slytherin takes the Quaffle, but is blocked by the second Bludger – sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which – Johnson has possession of the Quaffle – dodges a Bludger – the goalposts are just ahead – come on, now, Angelina – Keeper Bletchley dives – misses – GRYFFINDOR SCORE!"

The entire Gryffindor section of the stands filled with cheers and screams.

"Budge up there, move along."

"Hagrid!"

Vesper, Ron, and Hermione scooted closer together to make enough room for Hagrid to join them.

"Bin watchin' from me hut," he said, nodding back towards its general direction, "but it ain't the same as bein' in the crowd. No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?"

"Nope," said Ron. "Harry hasn't had much to do yet."

"Keepin' outta trouble, though, that's somethin'," said Hagrid, pulling out a pair of binoculars and peering up at the sky.

The match continued on as usual for a few minutes when it appeared that Harry had caught sight of the Snitch. The entire Gryffindor side held its breath. Harry was faster than the Slytherin Seeker. A cheer was on the tip of Vesper's tongue. Harry reached out to grab the Snitch -

WHAM!

Vesper's cheer turned into a disbelieving cry. Marcus Flint had purposefully blocked Harry and in the ensuing chaos the Golden Snitch had disappeared.

Lee was having a difficult time pretending to be neutral.

"So – after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating –"

"Jordan!" shouted Professor McGonagall.

"I mean, after that open and revolting foul –"

"Jordan, I am warning you –"

"Alright, alright. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker which could've happened to anyone, I'm sure, a penalty is rewarded to Gryffindor, taken by Spinnet, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue the game with Gryffindor still in possession."

"Dunno what Harry thinks he's doing" Hagrid mumbled some time later.

"What's he doing?" Vesper asked, not taking her eyes off the Slytherin Chaser still in possession of the Quaffle.

"If I didn' know better, I'd say he'd lost control of his broom...but he can't have..."

Suddenly it seemed like everyone had noticed something odd about Harry. His broom had started to buck and twist violently. The broom gave a wild jerk and the entire stadium gasped as Harry was swung off of the broom. He was now dangling from it, holding on with only one hand. Vesper thought she was going to be sick.

"Did something happen to it when Flint knocked into him?" Seamus whispered.

"Can't have," said Hagrid, his voice shaking. "Can't nothing interfere with a broomstick 'cept powerful Dark magic – nothing a kid could do."

At Hagrid's words, Hermione grabbed the discarded binoculars and started using them to scan the crowd.

"What are you doing?" Ron moaned, ashen-faced.

"It's Snape!" gasped Hermione. "He's the one jinxing the broom!"

"What should we do?"

Grabbing Hermione's hand, Vesper shouted, "We'll think of something!" before shoving her way though the crowd to the stairs. By the time they reached the staircase, Vesper had forced all thoughts of Harry clinging to his broom over twenty meters up in the air to the very back of her mind. Instead, she focused to the fastest way to where all the teachers were seated.

"Okay, so what's the plan?" Vesper asked as she and Hermione raced down the wooden stairs. Their feet barely touched one step before moving on to the next. "What do we need to do?"

"Eye contact," Hermione puffed. "You need to keep eye contact for a spell like this to work. Break Snape's eye contact and the spell stops."

Vesper could think of several ways to break Snape's eye contact. Unfortunately, they would also get her kicked out of school.

A loud gasp came from the crowd sitting above them. Vesper put on an extra burst of speed ignoring the burning in her lungs.

"Oh, that's perfect," she said to herself. One more turn and – ah, there it was: the staircase that led to where the teachers sat.

"Hermione," Vesper whispered as they ran up the stairs. "Remember that spell we read about a couple days ago?"

Hermione's eyes widened like saucers. "You mean – ?"

"That's the one. Think now's a good time to try it out?"

Vesper was a little surprised by the glint in Hermione's eyes. It was the kind of look the twins got before they pulled an especially impressive prank.

"Let's," said Hermione, determination flashing across her face.

From underneath the seats they identified Snape's black robes and shared one last look with each other. Hermione gave Vesper a nod.

"Lacarnum Inflamarae," they whispered in unison.

It took someone shouting for Snape to realize that his robes had been set alight. Vesper couldn't help the smug smile as she and Hermione dashed back toward the Gryffindor section. Loud, joyous cheering filled the stands. Harry must have regained control of his broom.

"Wait, wait," said Vesper, coming to a stop. There was a break in-between the stands with a good view of the pitch. From where they were standing Vesper could see Harry gliding along the ground, his hand outstretched.

Harry lept from his broom and tumbled to the ground. Hermione winced at the impact. "Is he alright?" she asked as Harry started pressing against his stomach.

"I've got the Snitch!" Harry shouted, holding the tiny golden ball above his head, and the game ended in a mess of confusion.

After the game Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Vesper found themselves settling into Hagrid's hut for a strong cup of tea.

"It was Snape," Ron was explaining. "Hermione, Vesper, and I all saw him cursing Harry's broom."

"Nonsense," said Hagrid, who hadn't heard a word of what had happened next to him in the stands. "Professor Snape is a Hogwarts teacher. Why would he want to curse Harry's broom?"

"We saw it with our own eyes, Hagrid," said Hermione. "For a curse to work you have to keep eye contact and Snape wasn't blinking."

"He also tried to get past that three headed dog on Halloween, too," Harry added. "We think he's trying to steal whatever that dog is guarding."

"How do you know about Fluffy?"

Vesper chocked on her tea. "Fluffy?"

"That thing has a name?" Ron said incredulously.

" 'Course he does, he's mine ain't he?" Hagrid said, sounding slightly offended. "I got him down the pub last year from some Greek bloke. I'm lending him to Dumbledore to help guard the -"

"Yes?" asked Harry.

"No more questions. Don't ask anymore questions!" said Hagrid hotly. "You kids are diggin' in things that ought teh be left alone. Whatever Fluffy is guarding is strictly between Professor Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel."

"Who's Nicholas Flamel?"

Hagrid opened and closed his mouth several times before finally muttering "I shouldn't have told you that" into his teacup.

AN- I'm so so so sorry about the wait for this. College English courses have been eating up all my writing time and enjoyment of writing. My schedule for this semester allows for more writing time so hopefully the wait for the next chapter won't be so long. Once again, sorry about that.

It amazes me that even after a year and a half of silence that I'm still getting alerts and favorites for this story. I truly mean it when I say you are the best readers I could ask for.

And don't fear, I will never abandon this story, no matter what.

Please review and let me know what you think of the chapter.

Love, Lora