Chapter Six: More Questions than Answers
"Take a bit of toast, mate." Ron encouraged Harry. "Go on."
He, Hermione, and Riley had sat at the Gryffindor House's table during breakfast with Harry, and had been trying to get him to eat. Today would be his first ever Quidditch match, and the young boy was nervous about the whole thing.
"Ron's right, Harry." Hermione agreed, pleadingly. "You're gonna need your strength today."
"I'm not hungry." Harry told them.
"It's just the jitters." explained Riley. "Harry, you're gonna do just fine. We got faith in ya."
This seemed to cheer Harry up a little, but he still refused to eat. Then to the four Gryffindors' surprise, Prof. Snape strode over to them.
"Good luck today, Potter." he greeted.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Riley looked up at him, and saw a smirk on his face.
"Then again, now that you've proven yourself against a troll, a little game of Quidditch should easy work for you." the potions professor continued. "Even if it is against Slytherin."
He looked between the four, then limped away, leaving them staring at him from their seats.
"That was nice of him." said Riley.
Ron slowly turned to look at him with a stunned expression like he could not believe Riley had said that.
"Prof. Snape? Nice?" he repeated. "Did that troll hit you over the head or something?"
"He wasn't being sarcastic, he was being a good sport." Riley answered, before lifting up his goblet to take a drink.
"How can you tell?"
"I'd be more interested why he's limping." said Harry. "At least it explains the blood."
The others looked at him, confused.
"Blood?" Hermione repeated.
"Listen, last night, I'm guessing Snape let the troll in as a diversion, so he could get past that three-headed dog." Harry whispered to her and his other two friends. "But he got himself bit, that's why he's limping."
"But why would anyone go near that dog?"
"Death wish?" guessed Riley.
Hermione looked over at him with a scowl, and elbowed him in the ribs, making him give a sharp grunt of pain.
"Anyway, the day I was at Gringotts, Hagrid took something out of one of the vaults," Harry continued, looking from Riley and Hermione to Ron. "Said it was Hogwarts business, very secret."
"So, you're saying...?" Hermione realized, her eyes widening a little in surprise.
"That's what the dog's guarding. That's what Snape wants."
"But what is it exactly?" asked Riley. "A weapon? Some sort of rare item?"
"I don't know."
Suddenly, the four of them heard an owl screeching, and looked up. Hedwig, Harry's snowy owl, soared into the window, carrying a long package in her talons. Shadow, Riley's owl, was assisting her and carried the back of the package. Once they were over the spot where Harry and his friends were sitting, they dropped the package in front of Harry, and flew off as Harry caught it with both hands.
"Bit early for mail, isn't it?" Hermione wondered aloud.
"But I...I never get mail." Harry whispered, stunned.
"Let's open it." Ron declared, smiling.
The three of them and Riley worked together to unwrap the package, and within it was a broomstick with neatly trimmed twigs, and a polished wooden handle.
"It's a broomstick." Harry whispered, awed.
But he was not as in awe as Ron, who had a smile on his face.
"That's not just a broomstick, Harry," he corrected him. "It's a Nimbus 2000!"
"The fastest model yet." Riley nodded, looking up at him.
"But who...?" Harry wondered, as he looked around the Great Hall.
His eyes scanned the whole room quickly until they rested on the staff's table, where Prof. McGonagall sat, petting Hedwig's feathers. Seated beside Hedwig was Riley's owl, Shadow. Harry saw her smiling at him, and realized that she was the one who sent the broom, and gave her a grateful smile in return. Time passed on, and then Harry set off with the Gryffindor Quidditch team to the locker rooms. Ron, Hermione, and Riley took off to get some good seats to cheer their team and friend on, and along the way, they met up with Tony.
"Hey, guys!" Tony greeted, cheerfully.
"Tony, what are you doing here?" asked Ron.
"I'm gonna cheer on my friend."
"Your Housemates are going to kill you."
"What's your point? They already hate me 'cause I'm Muggleborn."
Ron was about to argue, then they were joined by another supporter in the form of Hagrid.
"Hello there!" he greeted, smiling down at them.
"Hi, Hagrid!" Ron greeted back, looking up at him.
"Afternoon!" said Riley.
Hagrid looked down at him and chuckled.
"Now let me see if I got this right," he said, smiling. "Riley Cross, the kid who carries those little books around with him?"
"Yep!" Riley nodded, grinning. "And they're Superman comic books, my grandpa from America gave them to me so I wouldn't forget him!"
"But you're focusing on your school work, right?"
"Yes, sir. Mom's rules are that homework comes first before fun, unless she or the teachers say otherwise."
Hagrid chuckled again and turned his attention to Tony.
"And you're Tony Gabriel, I heard you helped break Mr. Longbottom's fall during flying lessons." he continued. "I was surprised when they told me a Slytherin did that, but then Harry explained it all to me. You're alright in my book."
"Thanks, sir." grinned Tony.
Then Hagrid's eyes fell on Hermione, who looked back up at him, nervously.
"Unless I'm mistaken, you must be...Hermione Granger," the giant said, smiling. "I've heard many great things about you, young lady. Around the first week of school, I've heard Prof. McGonagall talking to Prof. Dumbledore about you, said you were the brightest witch of your age."
Hermione blushed in response, and looked at the floor, shyly. Then the sound of rushing footsteps and kids cheering and yelling snapped the five back to attention, and Hagrid led the four first years to the bleachers. They gathered by the front in the Gryffindor's box, where several other students of the Gryffindor house were standing, some with red and orange flags or banners, and others with binoculars. The playing field was decorated beautifully. There was a ring of sand around the grassy oval-shaped field. On each side of the field were the three ring-shaped hoops, which looked like bubble wands of different sizes, and they were surrounded by a bigger sandy field.
"Where are the players?" asked Tony.
"They'll be out in a moment." replied Ron.
Sure enough, the crowd's cheers started getting louder and suddenly fourteen people flew out onto the field on their broomsticks. Seven of them were dressed in the Gryffindor's red and gold colors, and seven were in Slytherin's emerald green and silver.
"Hello, welcome to Hogwarts' first Quidditch game of the season!" Lee Jordan, a Gryffindor student who was working as the commentator, greeted the crowd. "Today's game: Slytherin vs. Gryffindor!"
The crowd exploded into cheers, but none more louder than the Gryffindor and Slytherin Houses.
"Go, go, Gryffindor! Go, go, Gryffindor!" most of the students had chanted.
Tony dug out his binoculars, and peered around the field for any sign of Harry, and finally spotted him hovering high above the field.
"Potter ho!" he shouted, pointing at Harry.
"He still looking nervous?" asked Riley.
"Doesn't look like it."
The players then started flying towards the center of the field, and stared off at each other. Harry floated just overhead the other Gryffindors. Another Slytherin player floated just overhead the other Slytherins, indicating that he was the other team's Seeker.
"Show no fear, Harry!" shouted Tony.
"Knock 'em dead, just not literally!" agreed Riley.
While the players gathered, Madam Hooch started walking out toward the field, where below the players, another broomstick, and a trunk lay waiting.
"The players take their position, as Madam Hooch steps onto the field to begin the game." Lee announced, over the microphone.
Madam Hooch stopped next to the trunk, and looked up at the players above her.
"Now, I want a nice clean game...from all of you." she declared.
The Quidditch coach looked down at the trunk, and knelt down to open it. Two darker balls shot up into the air like they were shot out of cannons, and through the eyes of those who were peering into their binoculars, a much smaller golden ball flew into the air a little.
"The Bludgers are up, followed by the Golden Snitch," Lee announced, watching the balls fly into the air. "Remember, the Snitch is worth 150 points. The Seeker who catches the Snitch ends the game."
It was at this point that Riley and Tony had noticed that the crowd had become deadly quiet. They saw that their friends were staring down at Madam Hooch with quiet intensity. Madam Hooch picked up the last ball, a much larger ball than the others that could fly, and looked up at the players, then threw it up into the air as high as she could throw it.
"The Quaffle is released!" Lee shouted, excitement in his voice. "And the game begins!"
Immediately three players on each team began scrambling forward into the air on their broomsticks, trying to get the ball, while the other players separated. The students exploded into cheers again, cheering on their favorite teams. A Gryffindor girl who was in possession of the Quaffle flew into the air, dodging the Slytherins gunning for her, and was nearly tackled by a male Slytherin player, who nearly hit a box full of adults sitting higher above the students' bleachers. The girl made her way for the Slytherin team's hoops and threw the ball into the highest one as soon as she was close enough. The moment the Quaffle went through it, a bell rang, indicating that the Gryffindor team scored, causing many students to cheer.
"Angelina Johnson scores!" Lee announced, excitedly, while the girl high-fived another Gryffindor player. "Ten points for Gryffindor!"
The Gryffindors cheered in celebration, and Tony turned to Ron and Riley and high-fived them.
"Yes!" he exclaimed.
"We're in the lead!" Ron cheered, clapping happily.
"Well done!" roared Hagrid, who eagerly shook his fist in the air.
"Slytherin takes the Quaffle." Lee commentated from his seat. "Bletchley passes to Captain Marcus Flint."
The audience watched as a taller Slytherin male held the Quaffle under one arm, while piloting his broom with the other hand, and weaved in and out of the players and bludgers in his way. He saw Angelina coming his way, and kicked her when she got close enough, stunning her, while he flew on ahead.
"Hey, that was foul!" Tony shouted, stomping his foot on the ground, angrily. "Are you blind, ref?!"
"Relax, Tony!" Riley said, elbowing him. "Look!"
Tony looked up to see Oliver Wood, the Gryffindor Keeper, flying up to knock the Quaffle that Flint had thrown towards a hoop away. A Gryffindor Chaser had caught it, while the Slytherin captain snarled at his opponent.
"Hah!" cheered Tony. "Cheaters never prosper!"
"Isn't he supposed to be cheering for his team?" Seamus asked, looking at Ron.
"Oh, let him be." Ron told him. "Tony's on our side, and he's Harry's friend."
Back in the game, two of the Gryffindor Chasers were passing the Quaffle between each other, as they dodged the Slytherin Chasers, until one of them passed it around the hoops to Angelina, who threw it into the center hoop, earning another ten points for the Gryffindor team. Most of the crowd burst into cheers yet again, while the Slytherin students groaned in disappointment.
"Another ten points to Gryffindor!" shouted Lee.
In the bleachers, Tony could hardly contain his excitement, as he cheered on the opposing team.
"Yeah!" he roared, happily. "Yeah! How do you like that?!"
"Whoo-hoo!" cried Riley.
A Slytherin Chaser regained possession of the Quaffle, and elbowed Angelina, who was passing by him, and started making his way to the Gryffindor team's hoops. He threw the ball, only for Oliver to catch it, and throw it back towards his teammates. Unfortunately, this would be the last save he'd make for this game, as Marcus Flint snatched the bat from one of his team's Beaters, and smacked a Bludger at Oliver. Oliver hits the hoop hard, and started plummeting toward the ground, while the crowd groaned and booed at the cheap shot.
"Aw, come on!" shouted Riley. "That's against the rules!"
"I can't believe that's how my House plays." muttered Tony. "Dishonorable!"
"It's about to get worse, too." said Ron. "Now nobody's protecting the goals."
"Can't anyone else do it?" asked Riley.
Ron just shook his head, indicating that was just not possible. They resumed watching the match, and Flint had just scored a goal for his team. It was now twenty to ten, and the worst was yet to come. Flint and another player were gunning for one of the Gryffindor Chasers, Angelina, who was in possession of the Quaffle.
"Look out!" Tony shouted, as they drew closer and closer to the Chaser.
Too late. Angelina was now boxed in by the two Slytherins, and they pushed her towards a much taller box covered in Gryffindor decor. Angelina fell to the ground, and was now unable to play. Meanwhile, one of the other Slytherin Chasers regained possession of the Quaffle, and was now headed for the unguarded Gryffindor hoops. He knocked the ball into the goal with the end of his broom, and scored. It was now all tied up.
"I wonder if this is how they won seven years in a row." Tony said, disgusted. "When I get the chance to play on the team, I'm not goin' to tolerate this stupid cheating."
"Good luck." said Ron.
"Look!" Hagrid said, pointing upward. "Harry's on the move!"
Riley and Tony, who had taken out his own binoculars at this point, peered into their own binoculars, and saw that Harry was chasing after something. Suddenly, Harry's broom stopped in it's tracks, and started bucking around wildly.
"What's goin' on with Harry's broomstick?" Hagrid asked, concerned.
Hermione looked up at Harry through her binoculars, then began to scan the area to see what could be causing the malfunction. Then she stopped, and her jaw slowly dropped in horror. She looked at her friends, worry written on her face.
"It's Snape!" she told them. "He's jinxing the broom!"
"Jinxing the broom?!" Ron repeated, horrified. "What do we do?!"
"Leave it to me!"
Ron, Riley, and Tony watched as the Gryffindor female hurried off, shoving her binoculars into the former's hands. The three of them then continued to look at Harry through their own binoculars, but Riley decided to look back at where Prof. Snape was sitting. However, something interesting caught his attention. Not only were Prof. Snape's lips moving, but Prof. Quirrell's lips were moving as well.
"Tony, look over at where Snape's sitting." Riley told his friend.
Tony did as he was told, and his eyes narrowed from what he saw.
"What's Prof. Quirrell doing?" asked Tony.
"Good question." agreed Riley.
Suddenly, several gasps and screams were heard from around the two boys, and Riley switched his focus back to Harry, and saw he was now hanging off his broomstick by a hand.
"Come on, Hermione!" Ron pleaded, panicking.
Riley and Tony went back to watching the two professors, and mentally prayed that whatever Hermione was up to would happen soon. Suddenly, Prof. Snape had broke eye contact with Harry, and was turning his attention to something else, knocking over various people in the box in the process. Prof. Quirrel was one of those people, and he got back up just as Prof. Snape looked back at the match.
"Harry's back on his broom!" shouted Neville.
He and the other students, minus most of the Slytherins, started cheering Harry on, with Hagrid joining in. Harry chased after the Slytherin Seeker, who was chasing after the Golden Snitch, and tackled into him. A tackling match ensued between them, until the Slytherin Seeker knocked Harry further away, but Harry swooped around a box, and resumed chase. The two players started diving down, towards the ground, with the Slytherin Seeker pulling up before Harry did, and Harry pulled up after a close shave of nearly hitting the ground. He was now slowly standing up on his broomstick, reaching out for the Golden Snitch in front of him, and took a step forward. He tumbled off his broom, and onto the ground, causing the crowd to gasp sharply. Several people started gasping and oohing as Harry started to retch.
"What's wrong with him?" asked Riley.
"Looks like he's gonna be sick." replied Hagrid.
"Oh, this can't be pretty." muttered Tony.
Just as he said that, Harry coughed up the Golden Snitch into his hands.
"On the other hand." Tony said, with a shrug. "Or I guess in this case, in his hand."
"He's got the Snitch!" Lee shouted through his microphone. "Harry Potter receives 150 points for catching the Snitch!"
As soon as he completed that sentence, Madam Hooch rose into the air on her broomstick and blew into her whistle loudly, signaling the end of the game.
"Gryffindor wins!" she declared.
The audience burst into cheers, while the students and staff in the Slytherin stands groaned and moaned. Riley and Tony turned to each other and high-fived each other.
"He did it!" yelled Riley.
"Harry did it alright!" screamed Tony. "His first game! He got the Snitch and won the game for his team on his first game!"
They watched as Harry raised the Golden Snitch into the air for all to see, while the crowd began to chant in excitement.
Later on, Ron, Hermione, and Riley were talking to Hagrid about what had happened during the Quidditch match, and what they thought was causing Harry's broom to act so violently.
"Nonsense!" Hagrid said, as he and the four Gryffindors walked outside. "Why would Snape put a curse on Harry's broom?"
"Who knows, why was he trying to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween?" asked Harry.
Hagrid looked at him, surprised.
"Who told you about Fluffy?" he interrogated.
"'Fluffy'?" Ron repeated, in disbelief.
"That thing has a name?" asked Hermione.
"Of course he's got a name. He's mine."
"I like it." said Riley. "Think about it, guys. Would you be scared of a dog named 'Fluffy'?"
"He's got a point." Harry agreed.
Hagrid smiled at Riley in appreciation before continuing.
"Thanks, I bought him off an Irish feller I met at the pub last year." he went on. "Then I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the-"
"Yes?" Harry pressed on.
Hagrid then realized that he was spilling confidential information.
"Shouldn't have said that." he muttered, before rounding on the kids. "No more questions! Don't ask anymore questions! That's top secret, that is."
"But Hagrid, whatever Fluffy's guarding, Snape's trying to steal it." Harry argued.
"Codswallop! Prof. Snape is a Hogwarts teacher!"
Hermione then faced him, as the group came to a halt.
"Hogwarts teacher or not, I know a spell when I see one." she explained. "I've read all about them."
"She's not yanking your chain, sir." Riley agreed, jerking a thumb at her.
"Anyway, you've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking."
"Exactly." agreed Harry.
Then a look of remembrance dawned on Riley's face. He was about to tell the others about Prof. Quirrell doing the same thing as Prof. Snape did, when Hagrid got on the students' cases.
"Now listen to me, all four of you, and you can tell little Tony this, too." Hagrid began, looking between them. "You're meddling in things that ought not to be meddled in. It's dangerous. What that dog is guarding is between Prof. Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel."
The moment those words came out of his mouth, the four students looked at him in confusion and interest.
"'Nicholas Flamel'?" Harry repeated, curiously.
Hagrid's face paled, and he walked away muttering to himself that he should not have told them that.
"Nicholas Flamel." Harry repeated the name again to his friends. "Who's Nicholas Flamel?"
Hermione, for the first time as far as her friends knew, could not provide an answer. Meanwhile, Riley was looking back at Hagrid, who was still quietly berating himself for telling such private information.
"Anyone else feeling bad about this?" he asked.
"Kind of." replied Ron.
So, Harry's won his first Quidditch match, and Riley and Tony discover that all might not be as it seems after all. Now they've got more questions than answers when Hagrid discloses some very interesting information to them.