Chapter 7

As Hogwarts enter November, the weather got really cold, but not as cold as it is in Skive, Denmark. Åsa started to wear her cloak more often since the weather was turning into winter. In the morning, the grass was covered in frost and the lake was a chilled steel color. The mountains around the school became the icy gray color as well.

Åsa could sometimes see Hagrid defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field, just like people did with cars. This meant that there would be more Quidditch talk in her group that their use to be. Since Ron was fanatic about Quidditch and being friends with a Seeker on the Gryffindor Team, it could only get annoying after about two days.

Both Hermione and Åsa gave Harry the Quidditch book called Quidditch Through the Ages, which to the two bookworms it was interesting. Harry agreed with them as he started to read through it like promised.

Åsa was happy when Hermione relaxed about breaking rules when Harry and Ron saved the two from the giant mountain troll. Hermione was being nicer about it and it relaxed Åsa that her friends were friends themselves. She didn't have to hang out with one group one day and then another the next day.

Yesterday they went out to the courtyard during the break and Hermione conjured a bright blue fire that was being carried in a jam jar. All four of them were standing with the backs towards everyone so no one could tell that they had a fire. Suddenly Snape was limping across the yard, so the four scooted closer so they could block the fire. The four knew that it was probably breaking the rules by doing this.

Snape limped over towards them and said, "What's that you've got there, Potter?"

Harry showed him the book Quidditch Through the Ages.

"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."

"He's just made that rule up," Harry mumbled angrily after Snape was out of the speaking zone. "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?"

"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," Ron said, bitterly.

The next day Hermione and Åsa were out of bed, with their winter uniform on, and running towards the Great Hall to get some food. Harry and Ron were sitting there, eating. Well, Ron was nearly choking himself as he drowned himself with food. Hermione sat next to Harry as Åsa sat next to the red head.

"You need to eat to keep energy." Åsa stated as she grabbed some muffins. Gulping down her goblet of water, she listened in on the conversation her friends where having.

"Åsa's right, you've got to eat some breakfast."

"I don't want anything. "

"Just a bit of toast," Hermione tried to bargain.

"I'm not hungry." Harry said.

"Harry, you need your strength," Seamus joined in. "Seekers are always the ones who get clobbered by the other team."

"Thanks, Seamus," Harry said as all of them watched Seamus pile Ketchup on his sausages.

Around eleven o'clock Ron, Hermione, and Åsa joined Seamus and Dean on the top row of the seats. Ron and Åsa held up a ruined sheet that said Potter for President with a Gryffindor lion on it that Dean drew. Hermione cased a tricky spell that made the sign flash different colors.

Soon the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams were walking out of their locker rooms and onto the field, which was easy to see front the top row. Åsa conjured Wingardium Leviosa on the banner and it fluttered in the air, high enough that Harry could see it from the ground. The Danish witch saw Madam Hooch speak and then all the players got onto their broomsticks. Then the referee blew her whistle and the game started.

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

"JORDAN!" Professor McGonagall shouted.

"Sorry, Professor." Lee Jordan stated. "And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinner, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve – back to Jonson and – no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gins 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 Keep Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle – that's Chaser Katie Ball of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and – OUCH – that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger – Quaffle taken by the Slytherins – that's Adrian Pucey speeding off towards the goalposts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger – sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which – mice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Jonson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes – she's really flying – dodges a speeding Bludger – the goalposts are ahead – come on, now, Angelina – Keeper Bletchley dives – misses – GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

The Gryffindors cheer and the Slytherins howl and moan in distaste.

"Budge up there, move along!" Hagrid's voice stated, making the three squeeze together so Hagrid could fit next to them.

"Hagrid!"

"Bin watchin' from me hut," Hagrid said, pointing to his giant binoculars, "But it isn't that same as bein' in the crow. No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?"

"Nope," Åsa replied.

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

"Kept outta trouble, though, that's somethin'," Hagrid stated, putting his binoculars and looking at the speck that was Harry.

"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan said, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the – wait a moment – was that the Snitch?"

Everyone looked at the flash of gold near Adrian Pucey, who nearly dropped the Quaffle. Harry and the Slytherin Seeker, Terence Higgs, started towards the gold. The two were neck and neck but then Marcus Flint blocked Harry on purpose, and Harry's broom spun off course.

"Foul!" All the Gryffindors, but Åsa and Dean were yelling something else.

"Send him off, ref! Red card!" Dean shouted.

"Red card!" Åsa yelled down.

"What are you two talking about?" Ron questioned.

"Red card! In soccer you get shown the red card and you're out of the game!" Dean explained.

"But this isn't soccer," Ron reminded the two.

"They oughta change the rules. Flint coulda knocked Harry outta the air." Hagrid stated, agreeing with the two soccer people.

"So – after that obvious and disgustin' bit of cheating—"

"Jordan!"

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

"Jordan, I'm warning you—"

"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinner, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."

Åsa watched as Harry's broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch. The Nimbus Two Thousand was acting like a bull trying to buck off Harry. As she watched, she listened to Lee Jordan commentating.

"Slytherin in possession – Flint with the Quaffle – passes Spinnet – passes bell – hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his now – only joking, Professor – Slytherins score – oh no. . . ."

"Dunno what Harry thinks he's doing," Hagrid muttered, finally noticing it like Åsa. "If I didn' know better, I'd say he'd lost control of his broom . . . but he can't have. . ."

Soon many people were pointing at Harry and as he held onto his wild broom as if his life depended on it, which it mostly did. It started to roll over and over, with him barely hanging on. The broom gave a wild jerk and Harry flew off it, only dangling by his hands.

"Did something happen to it when Flint blocked him?" Åsa heard Seamus whisper.

"Can't have," Hagrid's voice shook. "Can't nothing interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark magic – no kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand."

Åsa's head quickly turned to the teacher's area and noticed that Snape was muttering things, but also noticed that Quirrell was doing it too. One of them was probably muttering the dark magic while the other was trying to save the boy. Hermione also noticed this, but only noticed Snape and Åsa didn't correct her.

"I knew it," Hermione gasped. "Snape – look."

"He's doing something – jinxing the broom," Hermione said as Ron looked through the binoculars.

"What should we do?"

"Leave it to me." Hermione said starting to leave but Åsa grabbed her.

"Let me come too." Åsa demanded, which Hermione allowed. The two ran through the crowd and got to the stand that Snape and Quirrell was at. They went to the row behind him, knocking Professor Quirrell down in the process. When that happened Åsa looked up at the problem on the field and noticed that Harry's broom was stopping. Then Hermione, before Åsa could stop her, set fire to Snape's cloak.

After a yelp was heard, Hermione scooped the fire into the jam jar they had earlier and the two ran back to their original seats. When they got to their seats, Harry fell to the ground with his hand covering his mouth. He coughed and something gold fell into his hand.

"I've got the Snitch!" Harry shouted, which made all the Gryffindor shout and cheer in happiness but confusion. Lee Jordan was still shouting out that his House won and soon everyone went to celebrate.

Hermione, Åsa, Ron, and Harry all caught up with each other and went to Hagrid's hut to have a cup of strong tea.

"It was Snape," Ron was explaining, "Hermione, Åsa, and I saw him. He was curing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off you."

"Rubbish," Hagrid said, "Why would Snape do somethin' like that."

The three others looked at each but before they could talk, Åsa spoke up, setting her cup on the table.

"It wasn't Snape, but if I told you who it was you wouldn't believe me." Åsa stated, but no one heard her but Hagrid.

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

"How do you know about Fluffy?" Hagrid asked, dropping his teapot.

"Fluffy?" Ron and Åsa said in synced, confused.

"Yeah – he's mine – bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year – I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the—"

"Yes?" Harry questioned eagerly.

"Now, don't ask me anymore," Hagrid said. "That's top secret, that is."

"But Snape's trying to steal it."

"Rubbish," Hagrid repeated himself. "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher; he'd do nothin' of the sort."

"So why did he just try and kill Harry?" Hermione cried, making Åsa roll her eyes in annoyance.

"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!"

"So was Quirrell." Åsa mutter before sipping some tea.

"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong! I don't know why Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student! Now, listen to me, all three of yeh – yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' forget what I's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel—"

"Aha!" Harry exclaimed, "so there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"

Hagrid looked angry and ashamed of himself.