AN:

Hey everyone. I'm sorry this has taken some time. I've been dealing with some medical issues in the family, as well as having a busy life.

Here's another chapter that I hope you'll enjoy. Thanks again to all of you who point out spelling mistakes, it is greatly appreciated. I really should look in to finding a beta reader lol.

Chapter 07, Consequences, Good and Bad

Harry and Malfoy followed Madam Hooch to the Headmaster's office. He knew he would be in trouble, and that there would be consequences for his actions. He was willing to accept that, but he was still proud of what he did. Neville was his friend, and friends were something he didn't have a lot of. He may not have a lot of experience to draw on, but something at the core of his being wouldn't let him do what was wrong if it sacrificed the need of someone else.

"When my father hears about this," said Malfoy as they walked through the castle. "He'll-"

"Shut up Malfoy, I could care less what your father thinks," snapped Madam Hooch.

Soon, they arrived at a large stone gargoyle.

"Apple Pie," said Madam Hooch to the gargoyle, which began to move, as did the wall behind it.

The wall soon split in two, and a stair case was revealed. The three of them mounted the stair case. Harry was about to start climbing up the stairs, when they began to move upwards. The stairs soon stopped in front of an elegant wood door, adorned with a large gold griffin shaped knocker which Madam Hooch used to knock.

"Enter," came a voice from the office, and the door opened on it's own.

The headmaster's office was a large room full of shelves of books, and many small tables holding some rather unusually shaped instruments. Some of these instruments staid quiet and still, while others moved, shot out smoke, or changed colours.

"Headmaster, I've never been so upset with first years ever in my time here at Hogwarts. After explicitly telling the class that there was to be NO flying, I come back to find Mr. Potter landing from a dive that should have killed him, and that Mr. Malfoy's broom had been flown while I was in the castle dealing with a medical situation."

"Mr. Malfoy, please explain," said Professor Dumbledore.

"Well Sir, I only wanted to show Potter here a move. He was curious about diving, and I thought I could better demonstrate than explain it. Potter soon followed me in to the air. I told him he'd better get back down before Madam Hooch came back, but he wouldn't listen. Now, we're here," said Malfoy.

"That's not true!" said Harry.

"Please Mr. Potter, wait your turn. I will ask you your side of the story in just a moment," said Professor Dumbledore quietly.

"Sorry Sir. Sorry Malfoy," said Harry.

"Is that all you have to say for yourself then Mr. Malfoy?" asked the headmaster.

"That's it Sir," said Draco.

"Funny, I wonder why I'm not sensing the whole truth," said Dumbledore. "How about your side Mr. Potter?"

Harry told the headmaster everything. How Neville had fallen during the flying lesson, how Madam Hooch did say not to fly while she was away, how Malfoy had gotten a hold of Neville's dropped wand, how Malfoy had tried to fly away with it, and how Harry had followed him and retrieved it as it was falling. The headmaster listen quietly to everything that Harry had to say. "I know I was wrong to disobey Madame Hooch's order to stay on the ground, but Neville is my friend, and I'd like to think that any decent wizard would do the same for a friend."

"Very well," said the headmaster after Harry had finished. "Mr. Malfoy, you are lying, and it's obvious."

"How dare you!" said Malfoy. "If my father learns you used-"

"I've used nothing, the lie is clear on your face. You are a Slytherin Mr. Malfoy, I suggest you work on skills even the newest Slytherin has perfected. You will loose 50 points from Slytherin for your disrespect and lying, and Madam Hooch can punish you further in what ever way she sees fit. I will not hear a word from you Mr. Malfoy, including the commentary I'm sure you'll want to make about your oh so useful father."

"Yes headmaster," said Draco, ashamedly.

"There is one way to find the truth of the matter. Have you heard of a pensieve Mr. Potter?" asked Professor Dumbledore, reaching in to a cabinet behind his desk.

"No Sir, I haven't," said Harry intrigued.

"A pensieve allows one or more people to view a person's memory. It's a simple thing to extract from one's head, and I'd like to view your memory of what happened on the quidditch pitch."

"Sure headmaster," said Harry.

The headmaster put a large stone bowl on his desk. The pensieve was covered in strange symbols, and had a shiny smooth interior. The headmaster pulled out his wand, and turned to face Harry.

"Think of what happened in your flying lesson clearly. I'm going to touch my wand to your head, and pull a copy of your memory from your mind. We can then all watch it in the pensieve," instructed Professor Dumbledore.

Harry did as instructed, and soon the headmaster was pulling a long thing silver strand of something out of Harry's head, which he then turned and, with a flick of his wand, dropped in to the stone basin. The old wizard prodded the silver puddle with his wand, and they were soon watching Harry's recollection of the events on the pitch.

"Well Madame Hooch, I think it is clear who's story is correct" said the old wizard after they'd all finished watching Harry's memory. "I leave it to you to deal with Mr. Potter's punishment as well."

"Right you are Headmaster," said Madame Hooch turning her hawk like gaze to both boys. "Mr. Malfoy, you will loose an additional 50 points from Slytherin. I can't stand liars, as well as those who are disgraceful enough to bully other's when they aren't present to defend themselves. Also, you will have a month's detention with the caretaker. I'm sure he'd love your help cleaning the castle lavatories without the use of magic."

"Are you Serious Madame Hooch? Neville's just a squib," said Malfoy irately.

"Silence!" said Madame Hooch glaring at him. "If I wanted an opinion from you Mr. Malfoy, I'd beat it out of you with a beater's bat!"

Malfoy closed his mouth and sat back in his conjured chair looking furious.

"Now Mr. Potter. You're a difficult case. I can't take points from you, as you are of no house, yet I can't leave you unpunished. You will serve detention with Hagrid, and help him look after the quidditch pitch for the rest of the term. He will be expecting you at 6:00 A.M. every morning, accept for Sundays."

"Yes Madam Hooch," said Harry knowing that it would be unwise to think that this was a very light punishment.

"However, you've done a great service for Mr. Longbottom, and that must also be taken in to account. Professor McGonagall is looking for a seeker for the Gryffindor team. Your seeker forms though instinctive, were flawless. I dare say Mr. Wood will be quite pleased, as would your father, who played as a chaser while he was here."

"What's a chaser, and a seeker?" asked Harry.

"I don't' have the time to give you an overview of quidditch right now Mr. Potter, but I'm sure Mr. Wood will be happy to give you a quite detailed take on the ins and outs," said Madame Hooch smiling slightly at Harry's enthusiasm. "Report to Professor McGonagall at dinner, and tell her that I sent you."

"I will, thanks Madame Hooch," said Harry.

The two boys were then dismissed and left the office. Once off the moving staircase, Malfoy stopped walking to the dungeons.

"You'll pay for this Potter. The professors may dismiss my father, but you'd be wise to take me seriously. He'll hear of this, and not even your undeserved fame will protect you," said Draco glaring at Harry.

"I did ask you nicely Malfoy to return the wand to me. It's your own arrogance that got you in to the mess you're in now. Go cry and whine to your father if it makes you feel better, but while you're doing that, I'll be working on improving myself. I could have asked for our other classmates to support me when Madame Hooch came back to the class, but I didn't. I could have waited for her to come back and deal with you herself, but I didn't. These are just a couple of ways I could have dealt with the situation myself, but I chose to deal with you one on one. I accepted both consequences. The thing that matters most to me though is that I feel great for helping out a friend. Can you say the same?"

Turning his back on Malfoy's sputtering protests, Harry walked towards the great hall for lunch, politely asking portraits and ghosts alike when he needed directions.

Harry was happy to find Neville seated at the Hufflepuff table when he came down from afternoon's classes. He quickly sat down beside his friend.

"Are you all fixed up now?" he asked.

"Yeah, Madame Pomfrey fixed me up in about 5 minutes, but had me stay for the afternoon to make sure I was completely fine," said Neville smiling at Harry.

"That's great! Oh yeah, and I have this for you," said Harry setting Neville's wand on the table in front of him. "Malfoy thought he'd be cute and try to leave it for you up a tree, but I put the little git in his proper place."

"Wow, thanks Harry. I wondered where it had gotten too. I was going to see if a prefect could try that summoning charm again, but I don't need to now thanks to you. How did you get it back from him?"

Neville sat entranced as Harry told his story of trying to be diplomatic with Malfoy, out-flying him on the broom, catching the wand before it had hit the ground, and his punishment and reward.

"Wow!" said Neville. "I really mean it, wow! I'm not sure what I would have done if I had lost the wand. It was my Dad's, and Gran said I should I should use it to honour his memory. My parents were … mortally injured right after the dark lord fell, and so Gran raised me for basically my whole life. I'm going to write to her because house Longbottom owes house Potter a debt."

"There is no debt between friends," said Harry. "I'm sorry to hear about your parents too."

"I still go and see them during holidays, but they don't really recognize me. Still, it's the thought that counts right?"

"It sure is, and your loyalty is why you're a great Hufflepuff," said Harry squeezing his friend's shoulder.

After dinner, Harry presented himself to Professor McGonagall at the head table.

"Ah yes, Mr. Potter. Madame Hooch has had a word with me about your flying skills. I am quite impressed! I've seen the memory in Professor Dumbledore's pensieve, and there is no doubt, you would make a great quidditch player. I'll let you know what my decision is."

"Decision? I thought it was a forgone conclusion already?" said Harry with a confused look on his face.

"It would have been, had Professor Snape minded his own business. We're calling a meeting of the house heads just after dinner to discuss the matter. I'll find you in your quarters when we've made a decision," said Professor McGonagall.

"Okay Professor, I'll make sure I'll be there. I have some homework to finish off in any case," said Harry.

"Very good. Now, off with you then Potter," said the professor, turning back to her dinner.

Harry wish Neville good evening and was soon comfortably working at the beautiful mahogany desk in his suite of rooms. He was just putting the final touches on his transfiguration essay when there came a knock at his door.

"Come in," said Harry hoping it was professor McGonagall.

It was, and the severe professor was soon seated facing him.

"We've come to a decision Mr Potter. You will be aloud to play for Gryffindor, but not all of the time. You not being properly sorted in to a house makes this difficult, but we've found a way I think to make this all work."

"That's fantastic Professor," said Harry. "How will this work?"

"You will play for any team who either requests you, or has an open spot with no candidates. You'll need to try out with the captain of course, but I don't think that will be a problem for you judging by your performance this afternoon."

"Wow, I can't wait! When are tryouts? Will I need a broom?" asked Harry enthusiastically.

"Tryouts are this coming Saturday with Oliver Wood. He will meet you down at the Quidditch pitch at 7:00 P.M.. You will indeed need a broom, I've sent a message on your behalf to Quality Quidditch Supplies for one that should be quite a good one for years to come. I'll just need you to sign something so that the goblins can withdraw the pepper amount of gold from you vault," said the professor, pulling out an order form.

Harry looked over the order form, and saw that he would soon be the owner of a Nimbus 2000 broomstick. He signed where he needed too, and imprinted his key on the proper spot.

"Very good," said Professor McGonagall when Harry handed her back the order form. "Your father would be quite proud, he captained the quidditch team his last 3 years here at Hogwarts."

"Yeah, Madame Hooch said he played here. I'm glad to be following in his footsteps," said Harry.

"Well then Potter, I'll wish you a good evening. Don't forget, Saturday at 7," said Professor McGonagall smiling at him.

"Don't worry Professor, I won't forget," said Harry, escorting her to the door.

Harry went to bed that evening feeling quite proud of himself. Sure he had to get up at a slightly ungodly hour to help Hagrid on the quidditch pitch until the end of term, but he would be playing quidditch for Gryffindor, and he cemented his friendship with Neville, and had gotten one up on Malfoy. Life couldn't get much better.

AN2:

I've done it, I've finally solved my quidditch dilemma. I was hanging out with a friend the other week, and he even suggested that Harry fill in as a seeker on teams who needed him. I figure if two of us Harry Potter Nerds thought of the same idea, than it must be good.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I'm going to start moving things along now that I've gotten a lot of the stuff for first year out of the way. I've got big plans for this story, so stay tuned.