The Firebolt's First Quidditch Match

Summary: Harry gets a new broom in time for the Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw match. Not just any broom. A Firebolt.

AN: Contains content from the Prisoner of Azkaban book.

December 1993

Christmas morning in the Potter household was loud and chaotic. Sirius and Remus had spent the night with the Potters. They gathered in the sitting room in front of the tree. It was hard to tell who was excited to open presents more, Sirius or James. Harry, once woken up a little more, joined in on the excitement.

"Alright, let's start with Harry," Lily said, handing Harry his first present. Harry tore off the paper to discover his first present was a new Ludo game. He had one when he was younger. Over time, parts of the game went missing. Lily decided to buy him a new one. James had gotten Harry a new Wizard's Chess set. Other gifts from James and Lily included an assortment of clothes, some new Quidditch books, some movies that Harry mentioned he wanted to see, and a video game system, complete with two controllers and an assortment of video games. Harry opened a few more board games. He got new Exploding Snap cards and a Muggle deck of cards.

After Harry had finished the pile from James and Lily, he moved on to Remus's presents. Remus had gotten him The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, and the first book in the Sherlock Holmes series: A Study in Scarlet.

"I thought you might like them," Remus said.

"Thanks, Remus," Harry said to the man he thought of as an uncle.

There were a few more presents from James and Lily. They were technically for Hedwig. She needed a new cage, as hers was getting too small for her to stretch in, and a new perch for when she was home in Potter's Bar.

Sirius handed Harry his first present. To his horror, it was a broom servicing kit. Before Harry could remind him of his destroyed broom, Sirius pointed to a package behind the tree.

"I think there's something over there for you," he said, winking at Harry.

Confused, Harry pulled out the package from behind the tree. Realizing the shape meant it could only be one thing, Harry tore off the paper to reveal a brand new broom. Not just any broom.

"A Firebolt!" Harry and Lily exclaimed in unison. Lily's tone sounded more in dismay than Harry's excited tone.

James smiled at the look on his son's face. He had gone with Sirius to look at the broom. Being a loyal customer of Quality Quidditch Supply meant that James knew everyone who worked there, even the owner. James was even able to speak with the creator of the Firebolt brooms, who happened to be in the store at the same time James and Sirius were shopping for a new broom for Harry.

"I thought it was only fitting as I had bought the kid every broom he has ever."

He then met with a black blur, nearly knocking him over.

"Thank you, Sirius!" Harry exclaimed, hugging him tightly. Remus chuckled at the scene as he glanced over at Lily. She was still staring wide-eyed at the broom in her son's hand.

Was it his imagination, or was her eye twitching?

After breakfast and everyone cleaned up for the day, Harry asked if he could go out and try his new broom.

"I'm surprised you haven't asked sooner," James said, chuckling.

"I figured Mum would have wanted me to eat first and then get dressed. Can I go flying, please?"

James chuckled when Harry gave him the puppy dog eyes. He nodded.

"Thanks, Dad! I'm heading out back!" He shouted as he ran to the scullery and pulled on his boots and coat. Grabbing his new broom, he headed out the door.

"Put on your hat and gloves before….." The back door shut before Lily finished her sentence. Turning around, she approached Sirius.

"If anything happens to him while on that broom, I will kill you."

Sirius nodded, assuring Lily that Harry would be fine. The look on Harry's face was worth it. He, James, and Remus all headed outside. They watched Harry on his new broom, the smile practically glued to his face.

James smiled, patting Sirius's shoulder.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

February 1994

Harry invited Ron to the Gryffindor team's final practice before the Ravenclaw match scheduled to take place the following day. Ron had admired the broom when they returned to school after Christmas break. The Weasleys and the Potters usually get together on Boxing Day.

They had canceled this year due to Harry coming down with the Wizard's Flu.

Since Ron hadn't had a chance to ride the Firebolt, Harry invited him to practice with the plan of staying after to allow Ron to fly the broom. It was something they did after Harry was giving the Nimbus.

"Can I try and shoot a few goals with it?" Ron asked as they headed to the Quidditch field together.

"Sure."

Sirius watched from the stands as Harry and Ron entered the pitch. He wanted to watch Harry on the broom again.

"Do they remind you of anyone?" Remus asked who was sitting beside him.

"Yes, me and James," Sirius chuckled. "When the two of them get together…" he trailed off.

"I feel sorry for Lily and Molly. They'll be gray before it's all over."

Ron climbed up into the stands, sitting down beside Sirius.

"Is Harry letting you ride the Firebolt after practice?" Sirius asked.

Ron nodded. "Yes."

They looked down at the pitch where the team had gathered around Wood for his final instructions for tomorrow's match.

"Harry, I've just found out that Cho Chang is well enough to play in tomorrow's match. I was hoping she wouldn't be fit as she's has some problems with injuries. On the other hand, she rides a Comet Two Sixty. Compared to the Firebolt, it will look like a joke." He swung his leg over his broom. "Okay, everyone, let's go."

Harry mounted his Firebolt and kicked off from the ground.

He had taken it out before and after lunch on Christmas Day to try it out. It was better than he could have dreamed. The Firebolt turned with the lightest touch, seemingly obeying his thoughts rather than his grip. It sped across the field as Harry put it through its paces.

Sirius smiled as he watched the utter glee on Harry's face, the same look he had when he flew it the first time on Christmas Day. Lily would poke her head out the kitchen door long enough to shout for Harry to slow down while James, Sirius, and Remus watched in amazement.

Harry had turned so sharply that Alicia Spinnet screamed. He went into a perfectly controlled dive, brushing the grassy field with the toe of his boots before he rose in the air again. Lily would be shouting if she was there watching.

"I swear, he's going to give me cardiac arrest," Lily said once while watching Harry on a broom.

"Harry, I'm letting the Snitch out," Wood called.

Harry turned, racing a Bludger toward the goalposts, outstripping it easily. He saw the Snitch dart out from behind Wood. Ten seconds later, he had caught tightly in his hand.

The team, who had stopped to watch the Firebolt at work, cheered madly. Sirius, Remus, and Ron, also cheered from the stadium. Sirius's the loudest of the three.

Harry let the Snitch go again, giving it a minute's head start before he tore after it, weaving in and out of the others. He spotted it lurking near Katie's knee. He easily looped around her as he caught it again.

Practice went on smoothly, some proclaiming it was the best practice ever.

They had performed each of their best moves faultlessly. By the time they hit the ground again, Oliver didn't have a single criticism to make. It was like the presence of the Firebolt made all the difference.

"That's a first," George pointed out.

"I can't see what's going to stop us tomorrow!" Oliver exclaimed excitedly.

Harry missed Fred's comment about what could stop them but caught Oliver's final words to the team.

"Good work, everyone," Oliver had said, heading to the tent that housed the Quidditch locker rooms.

Harry motioned for Ron to come as George asked Harry, "Are you coming?"

"Ron wants a go on the Firebolt," Harry said just as Ron approached his brother and best mate. He had raced down the stairs, much to the amusement of Sirius and Remus.

"Here you go," Harry said, handing Ron the Firebolt. With an expression of absolute glee, Ron mounted the broom and zoomed off.

Sirius remained sitting in the stands, watching Ron on the broom and Harry on the ground. He had kept his distance but wasn't far away to get to Harry if something happened.

Ron landed after about ten laps around the pitch, bragging about how good the broom was. He handed it back to Harry as they both headed towards Sirius.

"I'll walk back to the castle with you," Sirius said, getting up.

Harry shouldered the broom as he had been keeping it in Lily's private quarters to keep anyone from jinxing the broom or doing something else it. James had promised Harry he would teach him the wards he could put in his locker to ensure that no one but Harry and anyone Harry permitted to get in Harry's locker in the Gryffindor locker room.

Sirius walked along with Harry and Ron as they left the shadowy stadium. Night had fallen as Ron was flying on the broom. He landed near the locker room, handing the broom back to Harry. They walked over to where Sirius was waiting. He smiled and joined in on the conversation about the Firebolt's superbly smooth action. The phenomenal acceleration and its pinpoint turning.

He planned on telling James in the morning once more they had made a good decision.

The smile on Harry's face was worth the cost of the broom.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

It was the morning of the Gryffindor/Ravenclaw Quidditch match.

Harry went down to breakfast with Ron, Hermione, and the rest of the boys in the dormitory. They were a little disappointed that Harry didn't have the Firebolt with him, as he had taken it back to Lily's quarters the night before. He had stayed until a few minutes before curfew when Sirius walked with him to Gryffindor tower.

Harry had thanked Sirius a million times over for the broom, to which Sirius replied with a smile and ruffled his hair.

"You're welcome, Pup," He'd said.

"Do you want me to keep it until it's time to head to the pitch, or do you want it now?" Lily asked.

"I'll take it now," Harry replied as James handed Harry the broom.

Lily approached her son. She whispered, "Do you need a stomach soother?"

Since Harry's first match, he would get a nervous stomach before a Quidditch match. It was all because it was all on his shoulders if they won or lost.

"Thanks, Mum," Harry whispered.

Discreetly, she leaned over and pressed a kiss to the top of Harry's head.

"At least have some toast," she murmured. "You need some strength for today."

"I will," Harry replied, nodding once more.

James patted his shoulder as he said, "Good luck, Son."

Harry head into the Great Hall, Firebolt in hand. Heads turned, jaws dropped. Harry saw with enormous satisfaction that the Slytherin team was all looking at the broom, thunderstruck.

"Did you see his face?" Ron asked with absolute glee. He looked over at Malfoy as Harry sat down beside him. "This is brilliant. He can't believe it!"

Oliver was also basking in the reflected glory that was the Firebolt. He glanced at the Ravenclaw Captain. He was sitting there with a shocked expression plastered on his face. Oliver smiled brightly. He quirked an eyebrow in his 'what do you think about that?' expression towards the Ravenclaw table, totally basking in the dumbstruck captain and his seeker.

Flitwick turned to James and Sirius. He asked, "Which of you bought him that broom?"

Before he could answer, Remus, James, and Lily pointed to Sirius.

Sirius smiled as Professor Flitwick commented he made a good choice and continued with his breakfast.

He glanced at Remus, who shook his head, and then back at James, who shared the absolute glee of the anticipation of waiting for the game to start and to watch the Firebolt in action. James was sad that he had missed out on the test try during practice as it was the first time Harry had flown the broom with others besides himself and Sirius in the air.

Sirius turned to his breakfast when he felt a hand grip the collar of his shirt. A voice hissed in his ear. "If my baby gets hurt on that broom, I will use you for potion ingredients. Do you understand?"

"I understand," Sirius said in a monotone voice.

Lily nodded and returned to her seat.

Oliver stood up as he had finished breakfast, telling the team they had ten minutes to finish eating their breakfast before heading down to the pitch. Lily noticed that Harry, as usual, swallowed thickly and was one of the first of the team after Oliver to leave the Great Hall. Hermione and Ron followed behind him.

It was a clear day with a light cool breeze. Completely different than when they played Hufflepuff. There should be no visibility problems this time. Despite the nerves, Harry was starting to feel the excitement that only a Quidditch match could bring. As they moved around the locker room, they could hear the rest of the school moving into the stadium.

Harry changed into his Quidditch uniform, removing his wand from his pocket. He slipped it under his Quidditch top, putting it in the sewed-in pocket for reasons like this. He hoped he didn't need it, but he knew Remus might be at the match in the crowd with his parents and Sirius.

Oliver began his speech.

"You know, what we've got to go. If we lose this match, we're out of the running. Just fly like you did at practice yesterday. We'll be okay."

They left the locker room and out onto the field, greeted with thunderous applause. The Ravenclaw team was already standing in the middle of the pitch. Their Seeker, Cho Chang, was the only girl on their team. She was about a head shorter than Harry.

Harry swallowed. He had never played against a girl before.

"Wood, Davies, shake hands," Madam Hooch said briskly. Wood shook hands with the Ravenclaw Captain. "Mount your brooms. On my whistle….three…..two…one." She blew her whistle.

Harry kicked off into the air, the Firebolt zooming higher faster than any other broom. He soared around the stadium, beginning to look around for the Snitch, all the while listening to the commentary provided by Fred and George's friend Lee Jordan. It was well known he had gotten the job because he could tell Fred and George apart.

"And they're off. The big excitement for this match is Gryffindor seeker Harry Potter is flying on a Firebolt. According to Which Broomstick? The Firebolt is the broom of choice for the national teams in this year's World Championship."

"Jordan!" McGonagall called. "Would you please go back to telling us about the match?!"

"Gryffindor is in possession. Katie Bell, a chaser for Gryffindor, has the quaffle, heading for the goal."

Harry looked around for the glint of gold, noticing Cho Chang was tailing him. She was undoubtedly a very good filer. She kept cutting across him, forcing him to change directions. He urged the Firebolt forward as they rounded the Ravenclaw goal posts. Cho fell behind.

"She shoots, she scores. Ten points for Gryffindor!"

Katie scored the first goal of the match, thus causing the Gryffindor end of the field to go wild. It was as Harry scanned the barriers he saw the Snitch.

It was close to the ground, flittering near the barriers.

He dived.

Cho saw what he was doing. She tore after him. Harry sped up, the excitement flooding him. Dives were his specialty, despite the dozens of panic attacks he caused Lily.

He was just ten feet away from the snitch.

Suddenly, a Bludger, hit by one of the Ravenclaw Beaters, came pelting out of nowhere. Harry veered off course, avoiding it by an inch. In those few crucial seconds, the Snitch had vanished.

There was a sound of disappointment from the Gryffindor supporters. Applause and cheers from the Ravenclaw supporters for their beater. George vented his feelings by hitting the second Bludger directly at the offending beater. He had to roll right in midair to avoid the bludger.

"Gryffindor leads by eighty points to zero, and look at the Firebolt go! Potter's putting it through its paces now. Look at that turn. Chang's Comet is no match for it."

Ravenclaw was pulling back now they had scored three goals, putting Gryffindor only fifty points ahead. If Cho got the Snitch before him, Ravenclaw would win. Harry dropped lower, narrowly avoiding a Ravenclaw Chaser. He scanned the field frantically for a glint of gold, fluttering wings.

There it was. The Snitch was circling the Gryffindor goal post.

Harry accelerated, eyes fixed on the speck of gold ahead, but just then, Cho appeared out of thin air, blocking him.

"HARRY, THIS NO TIME TO BE A GENTLEMAN!" Wood roared as Harry swerved to avoid a collision. "KNOCK HER OFF HER BROOM IF YOU HAVE TO!"

When Harry turned around, he caught sight of Cho. She was grinning.

The Snitch had vanished again. Harry turned his Firebolt upward, soon twenty feet above the game. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cho following him. She decided to mark him rather than search for the Snitch for herself.

"Alright, then," Harry thought. "Want to tail me, do you? Then you will have to take the consequences."

He dived again. Cho thinking he'd seen the Snitch, she tried to follow. Harry pulled out of the dive very sharply. She hurled downward. He rose fast as a bullet once again. Then he saw it for the third time. The Snitch was fluttering way above the field at the Ravenclaw end.

He accelerated many feet below. So did Cho. He was winning, gaining on the Snitch with every second.

"Oh!" Cho screamed, pointing.

Harry looked down.

Three Dementors, three tall, black, hooded Dementors, were looking up at him.

He didn't stop to think. Plunging a hand down the neck of his Quidditch top, he whipped out his wand.

"Expecto Patronum!"

Something silver-white, something enormous, erupted from the end of his wand. He knew it had shot directly at the Dementors but didn't pause to watch. His mind was still miraculously clear. He looked ahead. To his relief, he was nearly there.

He stretched out the hand, still grasping his wand, just managing to close his fingers over the small, struggling Snitch.

Madam Hooch's whistle sounded. Harry turned around in midair as six scarlet blurs bore down on him. The next moment, the whole team was hugging him so hard he nearly was pulled off his broom. Down below, he could hear the roars of the Gryffindors in the crowd.

"That a boy!" Wood kept yelling. Alicia, Angelina, and Katie had all kissed Harry. Fred had him in a grip so tightly Harry felt as though his head would come off. The team somehow managed to land back on the ground in complete disarray. Harry got off his broom just as a gaggle of Gryffindor supporters sprinted onto the field, Ron in the lead.

Before he knew it, Ron plowed into him.

"Yes!" He yelled, yanking Harry's arm into the air.

"Ruddy brilliant!" Hagrid boomed over the heads of the milling Gryffindors.

"That was quite the Patronus," a voice said from behind Harry. Harry turned around to see Remus, who looked pleased. Sirius was following Remus with Lily and James not far behind him. His father looked stunned.

"The Dementors didn't affect me at all!" Harry said excitedly. "I didn't feel a thing!"

Remus chuckled. "Well, that would be because they weren't exactly Dementors." He pointed to the edge of the field.

Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Marcus Flint, the Slytherin team captain, lay in a crumpled heap on the ground. They were struggling to remove themselves from long, black, hooded robes. It looked as though Malfoy had been standing on Goyle's shoulder. Professor McGonagall stood over them with an expression of the utmost fury on her face.

"An unworthy trick! A low and cowardly attempt to sabotage the Gryffindor Seeker! Detention for all of you, and fifty points from Slytherin! I shall be speaking to Professor Dumbledore about this. Make no mistake!"

This sealed Gryffindor's victory. It was the icing on the cake for Harry and Ron.

Ron, who had been standing beside Harry, doubled over with laughter as they watched Malfoy fighting to extricate himself from the robe Goyle's head was still stuck inside.

"Come on, Harry!" George called, fighting his way over. "Party! Gryffindor common room, now!"

"He'll be along, George," James called. Turning back to his son, he pulled him into an embrace. "That was impressive."

"We're very proud of you, Sweetheart," Lily said, reaching over to push back his hair.

"Very impressive Patronus charm. Did you notice what it looked it?" Sirius asked.

James shook his head. "Did it make a form?"

Sirius nodded. "I think so. Do the charm again, Harry," he directed.

Harry turned around. He thought of the feeling he had winning the match. "Expecto Patronum."

A white form came out of his wand. James gasped when he realized what form it was. It was a stag.

James's jaw dropped.

Sirius's eyes widen.

Remus and Lily smiled knowingly.

"Harry, that's the same patronus I have." James pulled out his wand. "Expecto Patronum."

Sure enough, a Stag burst out of James's wand. There was a flash of light, and a doe joined the two Stags.

Harry turned to his mother. "Mum?" Lily nodded.

"You are so much like your father."

James reached over, squeezing Harry's shoulder. "Now, I think you got a party to get to."

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

It felt as though they had already won the Quidditch Cup. The party went on all day, well into the night. Fred and George disappeared for a couple of hours, returning with armfuls of bottles of Butterbeer, Pumpkin Fizz, and several bags of Honeydukes sweets. Elves sent up sandwiches to add to the growing pile of food.

Harry had made a pit stop after showering and changing in the locker room to his mother's quarter to drop off his broom. James was going to show him how to put wards on his locker to keep his broom safe tomorrow before he returned home to Potter's Bar. Before leaving to head back to Gryffindor tower, Lily gave him a small bag. Inside were potions he started in his dorm.

"I included some extra stomach soothers," She said when she handed him the bag. "Go easy on the sweets.

Once he returned to the tower, Ron and Neville pulled him over to their little corner, where Ron recounted the story of seeing Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle get scolded by Professor McGonagall.

"I wish I could have seen it," Neville said.

The party ended an hour after curfew when Professor McGonagall came to check on the Gryffindors. Before she left the tower, she congratulated the team on their win again.

Harry, Ron, and Neville walked up to their dorm, Dean and Seamus behind them.

"Mum gave me more potions when I dropped off the Firebolt."

"Please tell me she sent extra….." Ron trailed off when Harry handed him a familiar pink vial. "I love your Mum."

"I know," Harry said as he handed one to Neville before taking one himself.

"You know what? With the Firebolt, we could win the finals."

Harry threw a pillow at Ron. "You're sounding like Oliver."

It was true. With the Firebolt, Oliver had felt more confident that they would win the Quidditch final. It would be against Slytherin. With this being his last year, he wanted nothing more but to win the final for McGonagall to have the Cup in her office.

"Good night Harry," Ron said as he threw the pillow back.

"Good night Ron. Good night Neville."

"Good night Harry."

As Harry drifted to sleep, he felt relieved that the first Quidditch match with the Firebolt was behind them. He couldn't believe he owned one.

He wanted a Firebolt since they came out, but since the Nimbus still worked well, there was no reason to get him a new one. He couldn't thank Sirius enough for the broom he wanted.

If Sirius was honest, he and James had seen Harry's face when they were looking at the broom when it first came out. They knew he would get one someday, even chancing Lily's wrath.

Now he owned one, had played a Quidditch match with it, and couldn't wait until the next one. He couldn't have been happier than he was at this moment.