Chapter Nineteen.
Broomstick Jinxing.
The weather turned bitterly cold as we entered November, the large mountain peaks around the school had become icy grey and the Black Lake had frozen over like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost and Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs classroom defrosting broomsticks on the Quiddich pitch, wrapped up in a long moleskin overcoat and fluffy gloves and enormous boots to keep his feet warm.
November also meant it was the beginning of Quidditch season which meant not only is Saturday was the first match of the season, its also Harry's first match after weeks of training in secret, I'm not surprised that Harry being the new Gryffindor Seeker wasn't kept a secret for long with Ron and his brothers knowing. Most people from his house told him he was going to be brilliant whilst members of Slytherin tell him they are going to run beneath him with a mattress. The first Quidditch match was Gryffindor versus Slytherin so the question of who I will be supporting has come up in conversation far too much in the last few weeks.
Harry was very lucky to now have Hermione as a friend because I'm not sure how he would have gotten through all of his homework without her, especially with all the last minute Quidditch practice Wood is making the Gryffindor team undertake. Hermione had read a lot about Quidditch so it was her that informed me that it was a game between two teams made up of seven players and four balls – three Chasers who use a Quaffle to score points by throwing this ball through one of three of the other teams hopes, two Beaters who protect the other players from balls called Bludgers, one Keeper who protects their keeps hopes and one Seeker – Harry! – who must catch the Golden Snitch, a golden ball with wings no bigger than a golf ball around the pitch, according to Wood, is the quickest thing on the pitch and Harry or another teams Seeker must capture the Snitch in order to win the game.
Hermione had also given me and Harry a copy of Quidditch through the Ages to share which turned out to be very interesting. We both learnt that there are seven hundred ways of committing a Quidditch foul and that all of them had happened during a World Cup match in 1473; that Seekers were usually the smallest and fastest players and that most serious accidents seem to happen to them a lot however people rarely died playing Quidditch – which didn't put either Harry or I at ease.
It had become noticeable that Hermione had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules since Harry and Ron had saved us from the troll and she had eased up on being a know-it-all and as the winter crept in, Hermione had her advantages as she could conjurer up a bright blue flame which would be carried around in a jam jar so we were able to take it out when we adventured outside.
The day before Harry's first Quidditch match, the four of us were out in the freezing courtyard during break with the blue flame in the center with our backs to the courtyard when the echoing footsteps catch our attention, we all turn to see Snape crossing the year, I noticed immediately that he was limping, I nudge Harry and then we all cuddle in closer to conceal that fire; we weren't sure if we were actually allowed the fire but unfortunately, something about our guilty looks caught Snape's eye and he limps over, his eyes burning into the back of Harry's head which means that he wasn't looking at the fire which gave Hermione the chance to extinguish it.
"What have you got there, Potter?" Snape snaps.
Both Harry and I turn to look at him sharply, "Pardon?" we said in unison.
Professor Snape's eyes flicker between me and my brother, "Not you Grace, Mr Potter what have you got there?" he questions. It was Quidditch through the Ages, Harry showed him the harmless item.
"Library books are not to be taken outside the school." said Snape.
I snatched the book from my brother, "It's my book, Professor."
There is a glimmer of an emotion in Snape's eyes that I couldn't pinpoint but for a second he hesitates and then takes the book off me in a somewhat gentle manor. "It's lovely that you want to protect your brother, Miss Potter but he must learn to take the blame for his own mistakes." orders Snape before eyeing up the rest of us, "Give points from Gryffindor." he snarled before limping away.
"He just made that rule up," Harry muttered angrily, "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?"
"It was bleeding on Halloween night." I inform them in a hushed voice in case Snape's hearing was better than I expected, Harry and Ron look at each other with the same questioning gaze. I'm not sure why I hadn't told Harry sooner, I guess I never throught it meant anything, I still don't but it is suspicious that on the same night a mountain troll entered the castle, Hagrid's words echo through my mind "there's no safer place than Hogwarts." Then how did the troll get in on its own? Or maybe someone let it in? Snape, possibly.
We all turned back inwards towards the jar which was now flickering with life again, consuming us all with warmth.
"I hope it's really hurting him," I heard Ron mumble bitterly.
The Slytherin common room – like usual – was buzzing with life that night. I put my stuff away up stairs before Mae and I go through our Charms homework whilst Misty chirps happily on her stand but then I notice that Milo is missing, he usually wanders about in the common room when its empty and around the ground during the day but he is usually on my bed when I get back however today is isn't.
Downstairs, Marcus Flint who is the Quidditch Captain for Slytherin, introduced himself and the rest of the team to the first years but my eye was immediately draw to Terence Higgs, he was the Seeker for the team and I knew him and Harry would be going head-to-head for the Snitch.
"Isn't that your cat?" Mae asks me, pointing towards the circle of boys in the corner of the common room, all sitting on push sofa's made into a horseshoe shape with two arm chairs sealing in group. I look over to see a group of snotty older looking students with Draco, Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle seated in the center and curled up on Draco's lap was Milo.
I gasp, "Oh, that traitor!" I say sarcastically before marching over, Blaise notices me first and nudges Draco who looks up at me and smiles warmly which is a strange look on the Malfoy but I like it, Crabbe and Goyle say nothing whilst Draco and Blaise greet me warmly, then I notice Pansy sitting on the lap of an old Slytherin that happens to be the boy who was sat up late on the night I returned back after hours, he smirked at me like he knew me but didn't say anything, instead every now and again I felt him watching me, he couldn't be more than a fourth year.
"Ah I see, trying to steal my cat?" I say pretending to be angry.
Draco's face dropped, "Oh no, I'm sorry, he just climbed on my lap and I didn't have the heart to push him off." He tries to explain getting more and more flustered which makes me smile and the rest of the group look at him suspiciously.
"I'm kidding Draco, just look after him okay?" I say leaning into the group to rub my cat between the ears, Draco nods frantically brushing Milo as well, gently gliding our fingers against each other, "Because I'll kill you if you hurt him."
The boy who was acting as a seat for Pansy, raised an eyebrow at me with a smirk. Draco promised that he was going to return Milo later safety and I turned back to Mae who was talking to a brown haired boy so I leave her to it.
In the dorm, Misty was still there but she was nipping at the bars, so I open her cage and the window letting her go for a fly and fresh hair however once Misty was gone, Hedwig appeared with a note clasped in her beak.
"Hey girl." I coo taking the note from her beak and rewarding her with a small treat, she hooted and flew off, I sat down on my bed, immediately recognising the handwriting as Harry's and open the letter to find it incredibly blunt.
Grace,
Meet us at the staircase now, very important.
Stuffing the note beneath my pillow, I snatched my robe and headed downstairs into the common room and exited the common room as some other student's. Mae was still talking to the boy she was beforehand and Pansy seemed to still believe the older boy was a chair. I half jog, half walk down the corridors before I come in contact with Harry, Ron and Hermione who were all bickering amongst themselves.
"What's wrong?" I question.
Hermione speaks first, "Harry and Ron think that Snape is after the package the three-headed dog is protecting."
"So do I," I reply with a shrug,
"What?!" Hermione practically yells in my face.
Harry, Ron and I all jump at her voice.
"Come on Hermione," Harry speaks, "I just heard him tell Filch, 'How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?' He tried to get past the dog on Halloween – Grace even said his leg was bleeding!"
"Grace doesn't know what she saw," Hermione insisted.
I felt myself get angry, "I know exactly what I saw, Snape was bleeding and no doubt from trying to get past that weird, three-headed dog thingy."
"And I'll bet my brothers that he let that troll in to create a diversion!" Ron explodes.
Hermione's eyes grew wide, "No – he wouldn't." she stammered, "I know that he isn't very nice but he wouldn't try steal something from Dumbledore was keeping safe."
The rest of us all roll our eyes at Hermione, honestly she must think that all teachers are saints or something.
"Look, Hermione, I wouldn't put anything past Snape," Ron explains almost softly, "But you got to think about it logically."
Oh, Ron is smart, almost immediately you could see the wheels in Hermione's head begin to turn and her eyes go all squinty like they do in class when she's thinking. Harry and Ron high-five silently whilst I smirk. Harry then lets me know that this was all he wanted to speak to me about and says I can leave which irritates me, couldn't he of put this in his letter.
"But what was he after? What's the dog guarding?" I ask before I head back to the dormitory, there was no point accusing Snape of trying to steal something when we don't even know what it is but as I entered the common room, it was emptier than beforehand, Draco was absent therefore I assume he went to bed or out. Mae is in bed but Pansy is not but Milo is curled up just below my pillow but with an added accessory – a collar with a note attached. I gently removed the note from Milo's collar and smoothed out the piece of parchment.
Noticed that Milo didn't have a collar and felt it would be safest for people to know that he belongs to you. Hope you don't mind – Draco.
A stupid grin settles on my face as I looked at the collar, it was a dark green collar and a small tag with his name and mine along with information of where to return if found injured or lost. I put Draco's note in my trunk and reminded myself to thank him in the morning however as my head touches my pillow, I feel restless, worried about Harry as tomorrow was his first match I can only imagine how he is feeling right now. And then I think of Snape – odd, I know – but, what if he was trying to steal something from Dumbledore? Does the headmaster know? What was the package he was trying to take?
It's going to be a long night, I muse to myself as I listen to Mae's gentle yet irritating snores, willing my body to sleep.
The next morning, everyone was dressed in their house colours with pride. It was no secret that today was going to be cold so I made sure I bought me hat and scarf to breakfast. I will be supporting Slytherin this Quidditch match. The Great Hall was filled with delicious food such as fried sausages and cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to the first Quidditch match of the season. Despite wearing green and silver, the Gryffindor's allowed me to sit with my brother with minimal sneering.
"You have to eat something." said Hermione as we watch Harry poke his food around on the plate in front of him.
My brother frowned, "I don't want anything."
"Just a bit of toast." I tried to persuade.
But Harry was having non of it as he continued to shake his head and tell us he wasn't hungry but I knew Harry better, he was just nervous because in an our he'd be walking on to the pitch with the rest of the Gryffindor team. But no one else on the table seemed to want to help, Seamus informed Harry that Seekers are the one who get assaulted by the other teams to ensure that their Seekers get the Golden Snitch and the Weasley twins informed Harry that they couldn't make any promises to keep him completely safe from Bludgers.
At twenty to eleven, Blaise collected me from the Gryffindor table informing me that I had spent enough time with the opposition, but he said it with laughter so no one felt uncomfortable. I left with Mae, Blaise and Draco as Pansy was still clinging to the arm of the older boy from the common room. By eleven, the entire school seemed to be out in the stands around the huge Quidditch pitch and some students have binoculars. The seats in the stadium where raised high in the air – which meant a long climb to them – but it was still difficult to see as everyone crowed to the front.
"You know the Quidditch pitch used to be on the cliff on the other side of school." a rich voice echoed in my ear, I turn to see the black haired boy with Pansy on his arm, I just nod with a faint smile before turning back to Mae who hands me a flag on a wooden stick.
"Why did they move it?" you question but the boy was gone leaving Pansy who looked at you confused. You turn back to the pitch as the Slytherin team swooped out of the changing rooms on the right side and did several laps around the pitch, high-fiving bystanders. The Gryffindor supports where beside us and I could see Ron and Dean holding up a large banner that read: Potter for President and Hermione had performed a charm to make it flash different colours.
Then Lee Jordan, the commentator and one of the Weasley twins' friend, announced that Gryffindor team and they came flying out of the changing room one by one. Harry was the last to exit the changing room and they did several laps of the pitch, Harry high-fived me which earned me a few disapproving looks.
Madam Hooch was refereeing which meant it would be a very clean game, Marcus Flint was sneering at Oliver Wood as they go to shake hands – its mandatory for captains – before Hooch takes the Quaffle in her hand and counts back from three before throwing the ball into the air, the Chasers go for the ball whilst the Keepers shoot backwards to defend their hoops.
"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor – what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive too –"
"JORDON!" Professor McGonagall shrieked, she was sat beside Lee watching him closely.
"Sorry, Professor." Lee apologises,
The Quidditch players are zooming around and the balls become almost a blur but thank god for the commentator because otherwise I'd have no idea what was happening in this game.
"Neat bass to Alica Spinnet, a good fine 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 is flying like an eagle up there – he's going to sco – no, excellent intercept by Gryffindor Keeper Oliver Wood and Gryffindor takes the Quaffle – Chaser Katie Bell swoops round Flint, off up the field – OUCH – Bludger to the back of the head, that must of hurt – Slytherin take the Quaffle – that's Adrain Pucey speeding towards the goalposts but he's blocked by the second Bludger – sent by either Fred or George Weasley – " the entire Slytherin crowd gasp and groan. "– Johnson is in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead an off she goes – come on now Angelina – Keeper Bletchley dives – misses – GRYFFINDOR SCORE!"
Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air whilst howls and moans echo from the Slytherins' including myself. Then I heard a gruff voice and turned to see Hagrid squeezing into the back of the Gryffindor stand next door. I move from the Slytherin section to the opposite team to see Hagrid who was already stood with Hermione and Ron. A few Gryffindor's give me odd looks and I'm surprised they didn't hiss at me but I guess because I'm Harry's sister I have some sort of pass within the Gryffindor crowd.
"Grace!" Hagrid boomed before taking in my outfit, "Oh, supporting Slytherin this match, eh?"
I blush, Hermione gasped whilst Ron chuckled.
"Hagrid, Slytherin is her house but Harry is her brother, she's supporting both houses." Hermione said to Hagrid in a firm voice that made Hagrid look rather sorry for his accusation.
"Bin watchin' from the hut," said Hagrid, patting a large pair of binoculars around his neck, "Not the same as bein' in the crowd. Any sign of the Snitch, yet?"
I shake my head, "No, Harry hasn't had must to do." I tell Hagrid who huffed in disappointment, it was true, Harry had been gently floating round the pitch for the duration of the game. We had waved to each other a few times but for the most part – Harry kept his eyes squinted looking for the snitch but of course, the Slytherin Beaters were using every chance they get to knock Harry from the game.
Then Harry saw it, a flash of gold before diving downwards after it. My house Seeker – Terence – had also seen the Snitch. The both followed the pattern of the Snitch and the Chasers even seemed to have forgotten what they suppose to be doing as they floated in mid-air to watch. Harry was faster than Terence then suddenly, a roar echoed from the Gryffindors as Flint deliberately blocked Harry with his broom causing my brother to spin off course and hold onto his broom for dear life.
Once he'd gotten his bearings, Harry dodged another Bludger which went spinning past his head, getting very dangerously close to my brothers head when suddenly his broomstick made a frightening lurch. He gripped the broomstick tightly before it happened again, it was as though the broom was trying to buck him off. No one was helping but from the seats I could see the terrified expression on Harry's face as he looked over at Wood in desperation. Lee continued to commentate but Harry didn't have any luck with directing the Nimbus.
Slytherin was in procession of the Quaffle and then they score, you find yourself screaming and cheering along with the rest of your house whilst Ron and Hagrid look at me with a hint of loathing whereas Hermione grins at my enthusiasm..
Harry's broom then rolled over to throw him off, then I witness my brother dangling in the air, clutching onto his flying broomstick. Join the magic school they said, I thought as I moved closer to Hermione, it'll be fun they said.
"Harry's broom has been tampered with!" Hagrid accuses.
Hermione looked from Hagrid, snatching his binoculars before looking around the stadium, "Snape – look, he's jinxing the broom!" she hissed at Ron and myself, I snatched the binoculars from Hermione before staring at Snape through them. He was sat in the teachers box, his eyes pinned on Harry and he looked as though he was mumbling words but I couldn't make them out.
"Cheating Slytherins!" Ron hissed angrily. I almost snarled at him which made the Gryffindor step back. "What now?"
"Leave it to us," Hermione tells him before taking my hand, I watch as Harry attempts to pull himself up onto his broom but the stick jerked throwing him off again, the Weasley twins attempted to help pull him onto one of their broomsticks but every time that George or Fred got close, the broom would leap higher into the air. Hermione kept a tight hold of my hand as we descended onto the stairs within the stadium, my heart racing as we sprinted through the wooden corridors.
We got to the section beneath the seats and located Snape, Hermione kept me on lookout in case one of the teachers left the stand. She then pulled out her wand and placed it on the bottom of Snape's black robe, I listen as she whispers a few words causing blue flames shot from her wand onto the hem of Snape's robe, it took about thirty seconds for someone to realise that Snape is on fire.
Rushing back to the stands, we saw Harry back on his broomstick without an issue, suddenly Terence and Harry were again in a head-to-head race for the small golden ball. They dove towards the ground but as the solid ground got closer and closer, Terence looked from Harry to the ground before eventually pulling up.
The tip of Harry's broom hits the floor sending him flying, as the entire crowd watched as he clapped his hand to his mouth as though he was about to be sick – he couched on the pitch on all fours – coughed – and then something golden fell into his hands.
"Harry Potter has caught the snitch!" Lee announced as the small golden object closed its wings.
Madam Hooch blew the whistle, "GRYFFINDOR WINS!"
"He didn't catch it, he nearly swallowed it." Flint argued – well howled – but no one was listening, like many other Gryffindor's, I stood up and screamed with cheers. In fact I was allowed to rush into field and engulf my brother in a hug, I could feel his strong and frantic heartbeat against me. As I look at Snape, I felt hatred, trying to kill an innocent boy. Protecting my brother was a natural instinct and I felt ashamed to have even felt a likeness for my head of house.
But Harry had won the match and for now, I will celebrate like a Gryffindor.
A/N: I hope you all had a fantastic christmas and your new years were amazing! I'm sorry this took me so long to do, again it's a long chapter and I've been having relationship issues. I hope you enjoy this chapter! Review and follow/favourite.