I'm not going to go into too much detail with the actual quidditch match because the match itself isn't important to the plot; the interaction between James and Harry is the main thing.
I also want to point out that characters birth information and years at Hogwarts are based around those from Pottermore. I'm doing this in an attempt to keep things as accurate as possible. If you have any questions or notice a lack of consistency or something that doesn't line up with the original plot, please feel free to let me know so I can either correct it or state whether or not such change was intentional. There are some changes that I have made intentionally for the sake of the plot.
I also wanted to state that for now, I will not be pairing Harry up with anyone because he's eleven right now and I feel he's got too much on his plate without worrying about dating.
As Severus promised, Harry's wounds were treated without too many questions and Harry couldn't believe how much better his back felt now that his clothes didn't stick painfully to his back. Harry was shocked to discover that his back had been healed with almost no scarring and it brought a smile to Harry's face to see the last evidence of the Dursleys disappear from his back. Harry sagged in relief as the persistent stinging and burning faded into blissful numbness; Harry knew he'd actually get to sleep tonight.
"Feeling better?" Severus asked as he watched the ugly marks fade and disappear. Severus and Harry were making their way back to the Slytherin common room from the hospital wing. The two had been walking in silence for a little while, neither boy was sure what to say to each other. Harry was enjoying the way his shirt wasn't sticking painfully to the sensitive flesh on his back. Harry still couldn't believe how smooth his skin felt against his shirt. It would be nice to not dread getting dressed in the morning, or waking up early just to get dressed or shower so nobody would see his injuries.
Severus and Harry were making their way back to the Slytherin common room from the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey had been shocked to see Harry's back and chest in such condition; it had taken an hour to heal everything and Harry was tired from the treatments and staying up so late. Madam Pomfrey had given them a note to explain why they were out past curfew and sent them back to their common room.
"Yes! I didn't know it was possible for my skin not to hurt," Harry sighed. There wasn't much point trying to hide the truth from Severus since clearly, he was able to figure out what had happened. It would be pointless to make it sound like the injuries were a one-time occurrence because of how old some of the welts looked much older than others.
The details that had bothered Severus the most was Harry's more serious past injuries; concussions, poorly healed broken bones and a long history of malnourishment. Harry could hear him muttering under his breath about Petunia and Harry decided he would have to remind him that she hasn't done anything wrong yet and how pointless it would be to plot revenge against her new.
"I can imagine but why didn't you say anything?" Severus said, unsure what Harry would have had to fear by revealing the abuse here. It's not like his relatives could or would do anything to him here. They didn't even know who he was and even if they did, they were only kids who couldn't really do anything to him anyway. Severus didn't like the idea that Harry had been in pain for so long without saying anything and wished he had have known so something could have been done sooner.
"I was so used to never telling anyone that I didn't think to tell anyone. I'm sorry," Harry said, frowning as he thought about how upset Severus might be that Harry hadn't trusted him with something like this. The older boy didn't look angry, just conflicted; like he was trying to figure out what to say next.
"I understand but you should know that you should never remain quiet about something like this. If anyone mistreats you, you need to tell someone right away," Severus said with a strong and passionate tone. "My father used to mistreat me quite similarly and I regret not telling someone before he left because then I wouldn't have had to put up with it for so long."
"They always told me that nobody would believe me," Harry said, realising that they had only said that to keep him from trying. Harry wondered what would have actually happened if he had gone to someone for help.
Would Harry have had to stay with the Dursleys? Would he have been sent to a new home with people who actually cared and wanted him? Would the Dursleys have gotten into trouble? Perhaps Dudley would have been sent to parents who would actually teach him right from wrong. Harry wondered what Dudley would be like if he wasn't spoiled rotten.
"My father said the same thing and I believed him but now I know better," Severus said. "And I'm sure, one day, you will too."
Harry stared at Severus confused for a few seconds.
"At least I don't have to go back to their care. Are you sure your mum is okay with me staying with you over summer holidays? I know taking in an extra child is expensive; my relatives told me how much I cost them every chance they could. I don't want to be a bother."
"Don't you worry about that. We can afford to care for one extra child. My mother wouldn't have offered if we couldn't," Severus told Harry with a small smirk. "Besides, we snakes need to look out for each other. You do know the way your relatives spoke to you and treated you was wrong, don't you?"
Harry nodded and looked into Severus' eyes. The boy clearly knew what he was talking about and Harry could tell by the way he spoke that he was speaking from experience.
"I know that it was wrong, I just wish I had done something about it so I didn't have to live like that," Harry said, watching as Severus' carefully help expression cracked and revealed an emotion that Harry could relate to.
"So do I, Harry. I had reported my father last year when Madam Pomfrey noticed my injuries. My father ran away before the trial and before he could be punished. He was a coward," Severus said, finally feeling comfortable enough with Harry to reveal this part of his past.
"Isn't anyone who hits a child a coward?" Harry asked.
Later that evening, as Harry lay in his bed, he realised that he no longer believed a single word the Dursleys had ever said to him and for the first time in his life, Harry felt truly free.
The next two weeks went by quickly and Harry found himself in a familiar routine of going to class, studying with Alex and Severus and secretly practising Quidditch. It was a nice routine and Harry found himself doing really well in his classes and improving on the broom as well. Severus had told Harry that his marks were at around the same as his had been during his first year.
Harry wanted to say that it was no big deal but the other first-years asking him questions after certain classes told him otherwise. For the first time, Harry felt proud of himself because he was allowed to do his best in classes and wasn't punished for it. It was nice not having to play dumb in class and for once, Harry got to see how smart he actually was.
The first Quidditch match was the next day and Harry felt like he was ready but still quite nervous.
"What if I lose?" Harry asked Severus. Harry didn't want to let down Slytherin by losing, especially to Gryffindor. The last thing that house needed was a boost to their ever-growing ego. Harry wondered how the Gryffindors fit their monster-sized egos through to doors. Maybe that was why the doors were all so large.
"I'm sure you'll be fine. You've been training hard and Michael says you catch caught the snitch five times in one evening!" Severus told Harry who was lounging in the common room before he went to bed.
"Besides, it's your first match, putting too much pressure on yourself won't help," Alex said. "Just relax and go into the same frame of mind you use when training. Ignore the audience, ignore the other players and just focus on the snitch."
As Harry warmed up with the Slytherin team before the match, the seventh-year keeper Narcissa Black approached Harry with a serious look on her face. Harry tensed nervously as he tried to figure out what she might want. Narcissa had a reputation for being a bit scary when she wanted to be and Harry did not want to wind up on her bad side.
"I heard good things about you kid. I hope you lead us to victory," she said as she mounted her broom. Harry could hear the threat in what she was saying and it went without saying, that she was demanding victory. Harry gulped; as if he wasn't nervous enough without this added pressure.
Harry followed her lead and waited to start the match. Harry could hear the Gryffindor team being announced and began doing deep breathing to bring his nerves down and keep himself braced for the rush of noise and adrenaline that was about to come. The last thing Harry needed to do was pass out in the middle of the match because he couldn't calm down.
When the Slytherin team was announced, Harry flew out with the rest of the team; the crowd went wild as they flew out in their green and silver quidditch robes. Slytherins all clapped while the Gryffindor house booed loudly.
Harry flew across the pitch and stopped in front of James; just like he was supposed to. James gawked at Harry for a few seconds before regaining the ability to talk.
"What are you doing here? First-years don't play quidditch for their house teams," James demanded, his expression showing obvious intimidation. Harry smirked to himself and decided to take advantage of this.
"And yet, here I am. Are you afraid to loose to a first-year?" Harry taunted, watching as James' face turned pink with anger.
"Don't think I'll be going easy on you just because you're younger," James sneered as Madam Hooch blew her whistle. Harry rolled his eyes at James' attempt to get under Harry's skin. He wondered if James actually thought that was intimidating.
Following Alex's advice really helped. Harry managed to ignore James constantly bumping into him and the various cries from the audience and was able to catch the snitch in fifteen minutes. The Slytherin house went completely wild in the stands as Harry held up the snitch and flew proudly around the pitch. James Potter glared at Harry with a look of anger. Harry simply waved at James, whose face reddened before he turned around and stomped off the Quidditch pitch.
Later that evening, in the Slytherin common room, Narcissa informed Harry that he had broken a school record today.
"Up until today, the fastest catch was twenty minutes and you caught the snitch in fifteen!" Harry could see the thrill of a victory in her eyes and Harry was sure his face was showing the same emotions as the rest of the team. "Actually, it was my boyfriend who set the record last year."
Harry could tell that Narcissa had finally found an excuse to brag about her boyfriend, Lucius Malfoy, who had graduated the previous year and had already landed a high-end job within his family's firm. Narcissa was known for constantly bragging about how smart, talented and amazing he was.
"Man, Harry! First, you become Hogwarts youngest seeker and then you break a school record! You are on fire!" Alex said when he found Harry talking to Narcissa a few minutes later.
"He sure is! Keep playing like you did today and the house cup will be ours!" Narcissa said as she went to get some food.
"You were brilliant, Harry," Severus said as he approached Harry with a plate of food. "Mum said to make sure you eat a healthy meal after the match."
Harry took the food and followed Severus and Alex to one of the couches and sat down. Harry began eating the grilled chicken and veggies while he told Severus and Alex all about what James had said before the match.
"And you should have seen his face when he realised I had caught the snitch. I thought he was going to cry," Harry said, laughing as he once again remembered the look on James' face. He wondered briefly how the game would have gone if Harry hadn't sent himself back here. Would Gryffindor have won or would Slytherin have still crushed them like bugs.
"Hey, it's a good thing! It's about time somebody brought that boy's ego down a bit!. He was getting too full of himself," Severus said.