EPISODE 3:

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITIES

A learning experience is one of those things that say, "You know that thing you just did? Don't do that."

-Douglas Adams

CHAPTER 11:

SEEKING TROUBLE

If there was one person that Harry grew to hate more than anyone else in Hogwarts, it was Draco Malfoy. Despite Harry and Jenova's offer of an alliance, he took their rejection of his friendship as a snub. And Slytherin was definitely a House divided.

Harry may not have noticed it had he not gone through his experiences on the Planet, but he did notice that there were, very roughly speaking, two factions within Slytherin. The first was composed mainly of the children of former (well, they claimed former) Death Eaters, with the worst of Pureblood attitudes (even if more than a few in this camp were Halfbloods: Harry knew that Snape was a Halfblood, thanks to his mother). Those were the ones Harry reckoned followed the 'slimy Slytherin' stereotype. They took their cue from Draco, who had plenty of ambition, but little cunning, just a conviction that his blood purity views were supreme. The second were those who came from families who were more neutral. A few held the blood purity views, like Blaise Zabini, but Harry noted Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis were less like this(1). They held a more pragmatic view of the world and how to advance in it. The second faction were far less likely to engage in Potter-baiting, as it was becoming known, despite the fact that his name-change was meant to be well-known.

Of course, Cait Sith helped. Despite being made by Muggles, the toy was a hit at meal times, sometimes singing and dancing for the entertainment of the Houses. Even Slytherin, for the most part, enjoyed the cat's antics, which allowed him to eavesdrop on conversations: he was adapted to be a spy after all. And he reported his findings to Harry. He also warned Harry to be careful if he ever explored the castle: the third-floor corridor had a Cerberus hiding behind it. Harry nodded, but he also filed away the information. He still remembered Aerith and Hagrid being secretive about what was targeted by the Gringotts break-in, and something told him that the Cerberus was related. After all, Dumbledore's warning, and the response of others, suggested that this was something that was arranged now. And if they needed to keep it a secret…then Voldemort, or one of his followers, may very well be involved.

What did that mean, though? From what Harry had learned about horcruxes from Sirius, Dumbledore and Snape, it meant that Voldemort was currently a wraith of some kind. There were means he could get a new body, but all of them were difficult, from what Harry learned.

In any case, Draco and his circle of 'friends' (Harry wondered how many were just sticking around because of either the Malfoy fortune, or else mutual loathing of the vanquisher of Voldemort) gave Harry trouble, and it was all he could do not to react. Ron tended to react more, being somewhat hot-headed. Harry pointed out to him that a good Slytherin (Ron snorted at what he thought was an oxymoron) would be a good example: do not rise to the bait, and plan your retaliation covertly. He pointed out that they had allies in Ron's brothers, the twins. True bravery, Harry knew, was understated in most cases.

Unfortunately, the first flying lesson, which Gryffindor was sharing with Slytherin, proved to be a flashpoint. On the morning of it, Malfoy bragged about how good he was on a broom, and how he had escaped from helicopters. If his story was true, then he was an irresponsible little braggart. The Statute of Secrecy did exist here for a reason, after all. And on the morning of the day of the first flying lesson, he took a rather sinister interest in Neville's new Remembrall, a crystalline ball that was meant to remind someone that they had forgotten something (even if they couldn't remember what they had forgotten).

Hermione still tended to pelt them with facts and figures, but Harry knew that she was nervous about flying. And when he came to think about it, before he got to try flying on broomsticks at the Weasleys', the nearest thing he came to flying without an aircraft was when Scarlet had grabbed him in the claws of the Proud-Clad, and flew off. That was not a pleasant experience.

He remembered Jenova's wings, as well as those on Sephiroth and Genesis. Given that he himself had Jenova cells in him, would he be capable of the same thing? Of course, it would make him even more conspicuous than he was already.

Once they had arrived at the flying lesson, the distinctive figure of Madam Hooch strode forward, a striking woman with short, grey hair and yellow, hawk-like eyes. She had a no-nonsense demeanour, though, and had them all standing next to a broom very swiftly. She then told them to stick their right hand over their broom and say 'Up!'

Harry didn't know whether it was luck or preternatural skill, but his broom was one of the few that leapt into his hand at once. Hermione's simply rolled over like a playful dog, and Neville's, possibly in response to the fear in his voice, hadn't moved.

After everyone got the brooms in hand, Hooch then showed them how to mount them. Harry was amused to note that Hooch corrected Malfoy's grip, but kept the smile off his face.

And then, things went wrong. As Madam Hooch prepared to have them kick off, Neville kicked off too early, and began floating into the air, scared out of his wits. He then fell, landed on his arm, and broke his wrist.

Harry hurried over. When Madam Hooch asked what he was doing, he tapped the bangle on his wrist. He decided to use White Wind from the Enemy Skills Materia: Full-Cure was generally at its best on the grievously injured and would waste magical reserves. And sure enough, Neville was soon mended, though shaken.

Hooch nodded. "Five points to Gryffindor, Mr Gainsborough, though that was rather unusual magic." She looked around in the sky for Neville's broom, only to sigh in annoyance. "Unfortunately, Mr Longbottom's broom has drifted to the Forbidden Forest. I'm sorry, but we will have to continue the lesson without it. We'll arrange for another one later."

"We'll take turns," Harry said quietly to Neville, though Neville, understandably, seemed to want nothing to do with a broomstick ever again. Neville had opened up to Harry and the others since Hagrid's hut, and spoke of some of the things his uncle would do to try and get him to do magic. Harry thought the behaviour abusive: after all, who dangles their child out of a window to try and scare him into accidental magic? The fact that Uncle Algernon dropped him when distracted, and Neville was only saved by his magic only served to anger Harry more.

Come the summer holidays, Harry knew that he wanted to bring Neville over to the Planet. He was already considering bringing Ron, Ginny, and the twins to a day-trip to the Golden Saucer. Neville looked like he badly needed some good times in his life. Then again, the boy seemed at his happiest when dealing with Herbology. It was a shame he wasn't in Hufflepuff: for all some people's sneering that it was a House of 'duffers', the truth was, hard work and loyalty were amongst the best qualities of all, and Sprout would have loved to have Neville there, Harry was sure.

It was while they were finally in the air that disaster struck. Harry enjoyed flying, with or without a broomstick, his bad experience being snatched up by the Proud-Clad notwithstanding. While Hooch was distracted, answering questions from the effusive Hermione, Harry saw that Draco was, with the one hand not on his broom, idly throwing an object and catching it. Harry recognised the Remembrall.

"Draco," Harry called out. Draco looked briefly startled, before giving his customary sneer at Harry. "That's not yours. That's Neville's. You'll need to give it back."

Draco scoffed. "No. Maybe I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to collect. Maybe up a tree?"

Harry scoffed back. "So is that the extent of your ambition, Slytherin? Being a bully against those who can't fight back? Daddy would be so proud."

Harry's words were calculated. Had Snape heard them, he would have considered them worthy of a student of Salazar himself, although he would have to wonder whether Harry was channelling or rejecting his own father, a bully. And the Daddy remark, of course, stung at Draco's pride in his father. The blonde bastard often boasted about his father. For all of Lucius Malfoy's nastiness, Sirius had to concede that the man's intelligence and political acumen was good. Draco, however, had little of either. His best subjects were Potions and Defence Against the Dark Arts, and Harry suspected that Snape had a hand in tutoring Draco in the former at least.

Draco seemed to consider something, even as anger twisted at his features. Crabbe and Goyle weren't nearby, and Draco could at least see when he was outmatched for the moment. He sneered, before saying "Go on then. CATCH!" He then hurled the Remembrall away from him, and Harry, as hard as he could.

Harry watched as the ball curved through the air. He remembered, not so long ago, catching the Knights of the Round Summon Materia when it had bounced on the ground, and Sirius had told him that he had the reflexes of a Seeker. He remembered games of Quidditch, of a sort, that he had played in the backyard of the Burrow. And he didn't want Neville to suffer because of the petty cruelty of Draco Malfoy. So, without much thought, he zoomed forward, past a startled Draco, and began to dive, steeply.

A foot from the ground, he barely managed to catch the Remembrall and pull out from the dive. His elation and relief lasted all of ten seconds when he heard McGonagall yell his name.

His misery and conviction that he was going to be expelled from Hogwarts (at least he could get Sirius and Jenova to tutor him) lasted somewhat longer, at least until McGonagall brought him and a fifth-year student by the name of Oliver Wood into a classroom (evicting Peeves in the process, who had been writing words that would have made Cid or Barrett blush on the blackboard), and told the older boy that she had found him a Seeker.

"What?" Harry asked, blinking.

"Are you serious, Professor?" Oliver asked, ignoring Harry.

McGonagall nodded. "Absolutely. The boy's a natural on a broom. Was that your first time on a broomstick, Gainsborough?"

He shook his head. "But I haven't been using them long. The first time was in the week before school, at the Burrow."

"But to have such skill and only flying for a short time…" McGonagall said, trailing off. "He caught the thing in a fifty-foot dive and with not a scratch to show for it. Not even Charlie Weasley could have done it."

Wood was elated, and then turned to Harry. "Ever seen a game of Quidditch, Harry?"

"I've played a modified game at the Burrow," Harry said (after McGonagall explained that Wood was Gryffindor's Quidditch Captain), "and I've read about it in Kennilworthy Whisp's book. A friend of the family said I had the reflexes of a Seeker some time ago. But I haven't seen or played a real game."

Wood began pacing around him. He began murmuring about how Harry had the right build for a Seeker too, and made a recommendation for a Nimbus Two Thousand or a Cleansweep Seven for Harry.

McGonagall nodded, and said something about getting Dumbledore to bend the first years' rule. Which was when Harry spoke up. "Professor," he said, quietly, "is that about bringing a broom, or being on the Quidditch team? The rule I mean?"

McGonagall frowned. "Strictly speaking, the rule means the broom, though it is generally considered to mean that first years are not generally allowed to try out for Quidditch. This is partly because the positions are usually meant for older students. First years, for example, generally do not have the upper-body strength to be Beaters."

"Professor…while I would like to be on the team, I don't want to be seen as an exception to the rules," Harry said. "Is it okay if first year tryouts were done, for all Houses? I want to show my skill first."

McGonagall pursed her lips, before nodding, albeit with some reluctance. "I'll see what I can do. But when you do get on the team, Gainsborough, and I have little doubt that you can, I want to hear that you are training hard, or I may change my mind about punishing you."

"Yes, Professor," Harry said. He had dodged a bullet, and he knew it. "I just don't want Professor Snape saying I used my fame to get where I wanted."

"Severus," she sighed quietly, a lot of meaning going into a single, three-syllable name. "But yes, I understand your concern." And then, she smiled. "Your father would have been proud, though. He was an excellent Quidditch player himself."

"I know," Harry said, smiling himself. Sirius had told him, after all.

Harry's position as Seeker was all but assured, regardless, and he was told to keep it quiet. Aerith and Jenova would be informed, and Harry decided Ron was trustworthy enough. Hermione, however, was close by, and pestered him for what had happened. After extracting a promise from her to remain quiet (using McGonagall's name helped immensely), Harry quietly told them about the events after the flying lesson.

Hermione seemed torn between berating Harry for being rewarded for breaking the rules, and praising him for thinking of others by getting McGonagall to agree to tryouts for the first years. Ron was amazed that Harry had become the youngest Seeker in over a century. And the twins, who turned out to be Gryffindor's Beaters, came over and quietly congratulated him, having been informed by Wood.

Unfortunately, things went sour when Malfoy, along with his minions, approached. "Having a last meal, Potter?" he sneered, deliberately using Harry's old name. "When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?"

"I don't know," Harry said coldly. "When are you going to stop hiding behind your goons and your father?"

"I'd take you on any time, Potter," Draco sneered. "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel."

Harry's eyes flickered up. Sirius had warned him that someone from a Death Eater family might try this, and had brought him up to speed on duelling rules. "Magic, then?"

"Of course. Wands only."

"Actually, I have a better idea. As I'm the challenged party, according to the rules, I choose the time, place, and means of duelling." He noticed Draco's eyes widen. This clearly wasn't part of Draco's plan. "You can use a wand. That is, after all, your strongest weapon." He slid his robe's sleeve up, revealing the bangle with Materia inset. "I will use Materia. And we will do this right here, and right now, with a teacher being a referee."

"Those baubles?" Draco sneered. "What can they do?"

"You'll see," Harry said. And he would have to avoid enjoying this.

CHAPTER 11 ANNOTATIONS:

The first flying lesson and Draco's challenge, both done differently. And the duel with Malfoy is gonna happen next chapter.

1. I've decided to include some fanon, at least where it won't completely contradict canon. Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis are often portrayed as Slytherin's more sane members, so I'm doing that here. Blaise Zabini is also often portrayed in fanfic as a more pragmatic Slytherin, but canon states that he still buys into the blood purity BS.

No soundtrack suggestions this chapter. However, I will repost the character themes from Birthday.

The Melancholy of Albus Dumbledore: Secure Place (Save Room Theme), from Resident Evil 2, composed by Masami Ueda, Shusaku Uchiyama, and Syun Nishigaki. This one is for Dumbledore's more melancholy or dark moments.

The Boy Who Lived (Harry's theme):Terra, from Final Fantasy VI, composed by Nobuo Uematsu.

The Potions Master (Snape's theme): Amarant's Theme, from Final Fantasy IX, composed by Nobuo Uematsu.

The Flower Girl (Aerith's Theme):Flowers Blooming in the Church (FTG).

Jenova: TRUE: Succession of Witches, from Final Fantasy VIII, composed by Nobuo Uematsu.

Ron: Lazy Afternoons, from Kingdom Hearts II.5, composed by Yuko Shimomura.

Hagrid, the Lover of Beasts: Steiner's Theme, from Final Fantasy IX, composed by Nobuo Uematsu.