Chapter 6 – Out of the Woodwork
The next morning, Harry woke up at the break of dawn. As he'd become accustomed, he quickly showered and changed before slipping out of the common room just after curfew ended. Normally, he would find an abandoned classroom and work on his occlumency. Then he'd go down to the Great Hall and eat something before his housemates arrived. Today, however, he had different ideas.
With his invisibility cloak returned to him, Harry was emboldened to check out the third-floor corridor. He took a side staircase there before slipping into an alcove, donning his cloak, and entering the corridor.
The forbidden corridor on the third floor looked like every other corridor in the castle. Harry silently crept through, straining his senses for anything of interest. He tried to keep his eyes open while activating his mage sight. What had happened naturally twice the previous night seemed so difficult now that he was attempting it consciously.
He concentrated on the feeling of the markings on his body and screwed his eyes shut. It might have been counterproductive, but he needed to focus.
His senses dulled as he let himself be swallowed by the feeling of clarity that had enveloped him last night as the magic that surrounded him finally revealed itself.
He opened his eyes and looked down at his palms. The glowing marks shone as clear as day. Harry looked up at the corridor before him. He paced through it once more. This time he searched for any magical traces.
One of the doors had a slight blue tinge on the knob. Harry shuffled over and looked curiously at the blue and orange tendrils of magic that slid across the doorknob and into the keyhole.
He placed his hand on the knob and felt a sensation like the flame of a candle prickling against his hand. It wasn't painful, just uncomfortable. He twisted the knob, but it wouldn't budge. He pulled out his wand and tapped it against the door, "Alohomora."
Harry watched in fascination as his red-and-green magic left his wand and unravelled the strands binding the doorknob. He heard an audible click and pushed the door open while pulling his arm back under the cloak.
A loud snoring sound was the first thing Harry noticed. Next was the smell of wet fur – like the time he'd forgotten to take Aunt Petunia's fur coat out of the washer. He'd been locked in his cupboard for a week after that. Sight finally caught up and Harry's eyes bugged out as he stared at a ginormous three-headed dog.
It was asleep as the door swung open, but in his shock, Harry let it slam against the wall with a loud clang. The beast was roused from its slumber, and he watched it stand up and look around. A part of him watched in awe as he employed his mage sight on his first magical creature. The three-headed dog glowed with magic in a way he'd never seen. Last night, in the mirror, his magic had primarily been focused on his extremities. But the dog was covered in magic from head to toe. Its matted hair shimmered with magic and the very air around it sparkled with energy.
Harry had been so preoccupied with his mage sight that he didn't notice the three-headed dog begin sniffing. Then it turned and looked directly at him. He blinked, and his vision returned to normal. The three-headed dog snarled, and Harry reacted instinctively, grabbing the door and slamming it shut. He felt the giant beast slamming against the wood, but miraculously, it held. He scrambled to grab his wand and tapped the doorknob.
"Colloportus. COLLOPORTUS," he nearly yelled. The door clicked and he twisted it tentatively. It didn't budge. Harry brought his arm back under the cloak just in time for Filch to turn the corner.
"Students in the abandoned corridor?" Filch looked at his cat. "Perhaps we'll see an expulsion today, my sweet. Assuming they haven't been eaten."
Harry slipped past the caretaker and his cat, who sniffed at the spot he'd been in but didn't follow. He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
Harry entered an adjoining corridor, found an abandoned classroom, and pulled off his cloak. He stuffed it into the bottom of his bag before smoothing out his robes. He went downstairs to the ground floor, thinking about the dog he'd just escaped.
Harry was confident anyone would have a difficult time sneaking past the giant, slobbering beast. But Voldemort was supposed to be one of the most feared dark wizards of the age, would he be able to get around the three-headed dog? The unicorns already told Harry that Voldemort wasn't afraid of killing beasts that were in his way. Harry hoped it would be enough.
Still, his thoughts drifted to the only magical signature he'd noticed other than the three-headed dog. Harry saw a plain wooden trapdoor underneath the dog. It had some kind of spell on it, so its blue and orange magic stood out to him. The same signature that was on the doorknob.
Harry arrived at the doors to the Great Hall. He planned to go inside, grab an apple, and retreat before the rest of the school woke up. He didn't run into many people on the stairs or the corridors, so he assumed it was still early.
He pushed open the giant door and entered the hall. He blanched. He must've spent more time in the forbidden corridor than he thought. The Great Hall was packed. The team sat together, and Alicia looked up and saw him walk in. Her eyes narrowed as she beckoned him over. Harry gulped and complied.
He hid his shaking hands in his pockets as he approached his teammates. Alicia was glaring at him. Angelina looked between him and her best friend with an amused look – it was good to know at least one thing hadn't changed. The twins waved, and Harry waved back. He'd run into them between classes one day, and they'd treated him the same as usual, so Harry assumed they weren't mad at him. Oliver waved and patted an empty spot between him and Katie, who still hadn't looked up at him. Harry didn't think much of it – extricating Katie from her plate was difficult even on the best days.
Harry claimed the seat, realising too late that he was sat opposite a glaring Alicia.
"Hi," Harry said.
"Hi?" Alicia hissed and Harry blanched. "You avoid us for a whole week, and that's all you have to say for yourself? Hi?"
"Sorry," Harry mumbled. "I thought you'd be mad at me for losing all those points."
"Oh, we are," Alicia said, and Harry flinched. "But I'm angrier that you decided to avoid us. I thought we were friends, Harry."
"We are!" Harry insisted.
"Friends don't ignore each other," Alicia retorted. George coughed and she glared at him. Harry spared the redhead a glance before turning back to Alicia.
"I'm sorry, I was just scared you'd ignore me," Harry mumbled.
"So, you ignored us instead?" Angelina asked dubiously. "You didn't think that through, did you?"
Harry shrugged.
"What did you do?" Katie asked, and Harry was startled to hear how cool her tone was. "To lose us all those points, that is."
"I got caught coming back from the Astronomy Tower after curfew," Harry said quietly.
"Why were you at the Astronomy Tower?" Alicia asked.
"I-I can't say," Harry wouldn't rat out Hagrid.
Katie huffed and stood up abruptly, her food forgotten, and stormed out of the Great Hall. Harry looked back to see everyone frowning at him.
"I wish I could say, but if I do, Hagrid could get in trouble," he pleaded.
Alicia sighed and shook her head. "Did you have a good reason, Harry?"
"Yes," Harry said firmly.
"Good enough for me," Alicia sighed, and Angelina looked at her best friend with a raised eyebrow. The two girls seemed to have a silent conversation before Angelina shrugged.
"Well, help us earn those points back with the Quidditch cup, and we'll call it even," Oliver gave Harry a pat on the back. "Deal?"
"Deal," Harry said, feeling a bit better, though his heart felt heavy at the thought of Katie.
Oliver watched the glaring contest between Alicia and Katie with apprehension. The latter hadn't talked to Harry in three days and the former was livid.
"A hundred and fifty points, Alicia!" Katie yelled with her fists clenched in her lap. "All thrown away because he just couldn't stay in bed. We were so close to beating Slytherin, and now it's all gone! You know how hard I had to work in Potions and Transfiguration to get us some of those points? I got us points from Snape, Alicia!"
"Who cares about the House Cup, Katie?" Alicia snapped. Her bandanna lay crushed and crumpled in her hands. "He's our friend. You don't just abandon friends like that."
"I'm not abandoning him, Alicia," Katie snapped right back. "I just don't feel like talking to him right now."
"Tell that to Harry," Alicia growled, and Oliver prepared to intervene if the situation escalated further. "You remember how he was when we first met him. You know how insecure he can be. He thinks you hate him."
"I don't hate him. He's still my friend."
Alicia let out a harsh laugh. "Well, then you're doing a pretty cock-up job of being his friend right now."
Katie opened her mouth to retort before shutting it with a snap. The two girls sat in silence until the portrait hole opened. Harry entered, to snide remarks and glares from the occupants of the common room. Katie glared at Alicia before getting up and brushing past Harry, right through the common room.
Oliver noticed Harry looking wistfully at the empty seat next to Alicia before turning toward an empty chair in the corner.
"Harry!" Oliver called out, and the first-year boy turned around with the look of someone expecting to be yelled at. He saw Harry flinch at the fuming Alicia, who was glaring holes into the back of Katie's head. Oliver gestured for him to sit with them.
Hesitantly, Harry sat down.
"'Licia, you okay?" He asked tentatively. Oliver watched his gaze follow Alicia's. Harry shrunk when he realised who she was glaring at. "Is Katie still cross with me?"
Alicia turned around and nodded sadly. She put an arm around Harry and squeezed him.
"She'll come around," Oliver patted his seeker on the shoulder.
"Are you two still fighting?" Harry looked at Alicia, who nodded again. Some of the anger had returned to her expression when she looked at the guilt in Harry's eyes.
"If you want," Harry swallowed and turned sorrowful. "I can resign from the team – if that would make Katie happy. I just don't want you two to fight." He looked at Alicia, who looked enraged.
"Absolutely not," Alicia snapped, and Harry flinched slightly. Oliver nodded resolutely when Harry turned to him. "You won't be quitting just because she's got her head up her arse."
"Katie's problem is her own," Oliver agreed. "She would never ask me to boot you from the team, and even if she did, I would never listen. You're just as much a part of this team as she is, Potter."
Harry smiled gratefully, and Oliver returned it.
The next day, Oliver and the team assembled at the lockers for Quidditch practice. The atmosphere was tense. The bench closest to the entrance, unofficially claimed by Harry and Katie, was empty. Harry stood awkwardly by his locker while Katie stewed silently on Oliver's bench. Alicia stared at her feet while Angelina looked at the whole situation with exasperation.
Oliver met Angelina's gaze from across the room, and she gave him a look saying, "Can you believe this shite?" Oliver's lips quirked and he shook his head as Angelina mimed hanging herself.
"All right, team. Gear up. Let's get out there," Oliver clapped his hands. He watched the last-minute gear scramble with fond exasperation. Harry and the chasers were fishing in their lockers for their goggles. Oliver was just beginning to think his team might have the professionalism to get through the practice when Alicia turned to Katie.
"I see you won't even talk to Harry, but you'll still use his goggles," Alicia sneered. Oliver blanched and made to intervene. Angelina shook her head and grabbed Alicia by the shoulder. Oliver saw Alicia wince as Angelina muttered something.
Katie, who'd been wiping her goggles on the sleeve of her robes, froze at the older girl's words.
"Alicia don't –" Harry began but faltered when both witches turned their heated gaze on him.
"Fine," Katie tossed the goggles back into the locker roughly. Harry looked as if he'd been slapped. Neither girl looked at anyone else before stalking out of the locker room.
That day's practice was somehow even worse than the one before their match against Hufflepuff. Alicia and Katie would barely even look at each other. They still passed to each other and didn't show any of their anger on the pitch – Oliver supposed he should be grateful for small mercies – but their communication was so bad that half the passes turned into airballs that Angelina had to recover. Speaking of Angelina, the lead chaser struggled to bring her fellows together to even a shadow of their former selves. Harry seemed hesitant to even fly near Katie, to the point that he wouldn't even try to run interference against her when she had the quaffle. He also just seemed generally distracted.
After practice, an angry Alicia walked back to the castle, and Angelina shot Oliver an apologetic look as she followed her best friend. He hadn't even seen Katie leave. Harry approached him as he thanked Fred and George for good effort – the only two team members he could say that to and not be lying through his teeth.
"Oliver," Harry hesitated.
"Harry."
"This is all my fault. I never meant to cause problems between Alicia and Katie. Please let me quit, I can't watch them be like this," Harry pleaded.
Oliver sat down and beckoned Harry to join him.
"Harry, listen to me. You are a member of this team, just as much as Katie and Alicia are," he said patiently. "This is not the first time Alicia and Katie have argued," he neglected to mention that their fights had never lasted this long. "And this won't be the last. They'll be fine."
"I saw how they played together today," Harry argued. "They barely spoke. I've never seen them like this. If I can fix things, Oliver, I've got to try to help. After all you've done for me, I want to see Gryffindor win the cup. We can't do that without our chasers. If Katie doesn't want to play with me anymore, I can handle it."
"We'll win the Cup, Harry. They'll figure things out and we'll be back to normal," Oliver said, hoping he sounded surer than he felt. "Just be patient, okay? And, for the record, Katie doesn't want you off the team. I don't think she's still even that mad about the points. She's just hurt because she thinks you don't trust her enough to tell her what happened in the Astronomy Tower."
Harry looked on the verge of a retort but stopped himself. He looked thoughtful as Oliver shooed him off with a reassuring pat on the shoulder. The captain looked at the retreating form of his seeker, convincing himself to believe the words he'd just told the younger boy.
Four days later, Oliver felt a sense of déjà vu as he watched Katie and Alicia yell at each other. He glanced at Angelina, who was watching the exchange tiredly. Oliver knew if this argument was about anything else, she probably would've found it hilarious, but no one was taking the brunt of their feud more than Angelina. The three chasers were once thick as thieves, and now Katie and Alicia didn't speak to each other, leaving Angelina caught in the crossfire.
Katie was still giving Harry the cold shoulder. In return, Alicia hadn't spoken to her either. Even during practice, Alicia and Katie would only speak in short, clipped sentences. It was really mucking up the teamwork that the Gryffindor chasers were known for.
"He cares about you, Katie," Alicia said. "That's why he's so hurt. Have you seen him lately? He's been beating himself up every waking minute."
"If he cared, then he would've told us before wandering the castle at night for no reason," Katie said coolly.
"He said he had a good reason."
"Can't be that good if he won't tell us. Clearly, he doesn't care enough to tell us the truth."
"Doesn't care? He offered to quit the team!" Alicia spat. Her face was nearly purple with apoplectic rage. Angelina gasped and Katie looked shocked. "Last week, he said he'd quit the team if it made you feel better."
"But Harry loves Quidditch," Katie whispered. Oliver realised this was the first time she'd said his name in a week.
"And he was still willing to resign because he thought that if he left, you and I would stop fighting," Alicia glared at the younger girl, whose anger was starting to fade into shock. "That's how much he cares about us, and you want to question that?"
"I didn't know…"
"Because you never spoke to him," Alicia said reproachfully. "If you'd spoken to him but once, instead of listening to the whining gits who don't even know him," She gestured around the common room. "You'd know how bad he felt about all of this."
"He offered to quit again a few days ago, after practice. Damn near begged me to kick him if it meant you'd stop fighting," Oliver interjected. "Just speak to him, Katie. He's trying to make amends, so just give him the chance. I don't want this to turn into something you'll regret."
Katie remained silent as she stood and walked up to her dorm. While Alicia couldn't see her retreating face, Oliver glimpsed at her expression. He was happy that she seemed more contemplative than angry.
He really hoped they'd gotten through to her.
"Harry, can I speak with you?" Katie asked stiffly the next day at practice. Harry nodded meekly and followed her outside the locker room. Alicia and Oliver looked at each other with a shared sliver of hope.
A few minutes later, Harry and Katie walked back inside. Harry looked happier than Oliver had seen him all week. Katie walked to her locker and pulled out her goggles before slipping them around her neck.
Alicia and Oliver shared a grin. While Harry and Katie still seemed tense and timid around each other, they seemed to have buried the hatchet. The following practice was the best in a while, and Oliver was confident that the team would quickly go back to the way they'd been before, both on and off the pitch.
As March rolled into April then May faded into June, students were painfully reminded of their upcoming exams. Oliver, being a fifth year, was preparing to take his OWLs.
Oliver's dream since he was a toddler was to play Quidditch. He knew it was his calling, and he knew that he was good enough to get scouted for a reserve position at the least. However, as his mum (and Katie) would often remind him, he needed a second choice. So, as the term came to a close, he hunkered down and got studying.
Oliver sat in the common room with his friends-slash-teammates. Their exams were set to begin in two days and Oliver had been forced to cancel Quidditch practice to study. Alicia, Angelina, and even the twins were leaning over a set of Ancient Runes notes (though the latter had to be forced into joining). Katie was writing a transfiguration essay and would occasionally turn to Oliver or Alicia to ask a question. Harry was memorising the twelve uses of dragon's blood with Ron and Hermione.
The trio seemed inseparable these days. Oliver's lips twitched as he watched Hermione mouth each use as Harry recited them to her, not realising she was giving away the answer. Ron was doodling on a piece of parchment.
What combination of ingredients can be used to cure werewolf bites? Oliver read the question off the parchment. If he remembered correctly, a mixture of dittany and silver would cure the bite, but not the lycanthropy. He tapped his wand to the question and watched as the answer appeared. He grinned when his answer matched the key.
Once again, he thanked Penny in his head. She'd sought him and Percy out after charms last week and gave them both a copy of the practice test. She explained that she'd gotten some Ravenclaws to help her charm a parchment to cycle through different questions that would give the answers when tapped. The muggleborn witch had called them magical flashcards, and she'd given him and Percy five each – one for each core class.
"You know," said Fred, looking at Angelina and Alicia. "I think this is the longest I've ever seen Oliver go without bringing up Quidditch."
"And you just ruined that streak, piss-for-brains," Angelina rolled her eyes. Oliver snorted before turning his attention back to the flash card.
A few hours later, Oliver was snapped out of his notes by a loud grumbling. Laughter spanned the group as Ron's ears burned red.
"Can't lie, I'm starving too," Oliver said. It was true. Now that he snapped out of his flow state, he felt famished. "Anyone coming with?"
Alicia, Katie, Hermione, and surprisingly, the twins, stayed behind. The rest strolled down to the Great Hall. Oliver winced as they passed the large hourglass showing Gryffindor's points.
Harry's gaze followed Oliver's, and the younger boy frowned. Oliver patted Harry on the shoulder in consolation. At least now everyone had made up again, for the most part.
A few days after Katie started speaking to Harry again, Alicia dragged him to a seat and made him spill the beans. Harry told them the story of Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback and how Harry and Hermione had gone to hand him off to Charlie's friends. He recounted how they'd gotten caught on their way back down. Katie didn't look surprised, leading Oliver to the conclusion she knew the story already. That only made him more certain that the team would be back to normal.
They'd need it for their game against Ravenclaw in three weeks.
Before that, they would need to conquer their exams. Before that, Oliver was going to conquer a big slice of shepherd's pie. But before even that, Oliver really needed to conquer his bladder.
Before they entered the Great Hall, Oliver excused himself to use the bathroom. He separated from the group and walked towards the first-floor boys' loo.
He heard a loud screech from within the bathroom, and recognising Peeves' handiwork, decided to take the nearest staircase away from the poltergeist. He took the steps down into the dungeons and sought out the nearest bathroom.
A minute later, he walked out of the bathroom, whistling as he strolled to the staircase where he heard a stray giggle. The sound was familiar, and a curious Oliver approached the source.
He saw a blonde walking with a tall boy with bright red hair. Oliver thought it was a little early for prefects to do their rounds but assumed that was what Penelope Clearwater and Percy Weasley were up to. He thought they were standing a little too closely but didn't think too much of it.
Oliver was about to turn around and head back to the Great Hall when they kissed, and Penelope let out the same giggle he'd heard earlier.
Ah.
Angelina Johnson was starting to get worried. Oliver said he was going to the bathroom. That had been twenty minutes ago. She watched the door restlessly as she ate.
Angelina watched that one Ravenclaw prefect Oliver fancied walk into the hall. She noticed with a smirk that the girl in blue-trimmed robes looked rather flushed. She wondered if she'd run into Oliver and the two had snogged it out.
Immediately after, Percy, the twins' older brother walked in and gave what he probably thought was a subtle glance at Penelope. Angelina had spent most of her life training to read people – usually in the context of Quidditch – but it had made her more perceptive than most. She knew a look of longing when she saw it. She thought perhaps Oliver had competition in the form of his roommate.
Then Penelope had returned his gaze, and her eyes lit up. Angelina felt sympathy swell within her. She wondered the best way to tell Oliver that the girl he fancied was taken by his roommate of all people.
Then she connected the missing Oliver to the lovey-dovey couple and her heart sank.
Angelina waited another twenty minutes before concluding that Oliver wasn't coming back. She excused herself and left the Great Hall.
If I was Oliver Wood, where would I go?
Immediately, Angelina walked to a window and looked outside at the Quidditch pitch. Indeed, it was lit up against the night sky. Angelina opened the doors to the castle and half-jogged across the grounds.
Nearing the pitch, she saw a lone figure darting amid the lights. Grabbing her broom from the lockers, she stepped out onto the grass. Oliver was a talented flyer. He darted back and forth in a zig-zag pattern before ending in a corkscrew. Being the keeper, Angelina never saw him pull off these fancy manoeuvres. Oliver's flying on the pitch was precise, functional, and controlled. That night, Oliver wasn't practising. No, this flying was his attempt at releasing pent-up emotion.
Angelina kicked off into the air and floated near him. He didn't notice her trailing him.
"Fancy some company?" Angelina yelled over the rushing wind. Oliver pulled to an abrupt stop and turned around to look at her, surprise etched on his face.
"'Lina? What're you doing here?" Oliver looked lost. It was a far cry from the carefree, easygoing captain she'd come to know.
"Thought you could use some company," Angelina shrugged. "I saw Clearwater and Weasley," Oliver's expression closed off and his face became a blank slate. Angelina knew her theory had been vindicated, but she didn't feel better for it. "If you wanted to talk…"
Angelina wasn't the best with feelings and emotions – Alicia and Katie outstripped her by a long shot – but she wanted to help. Oliver was her captain and friend. He'd taken her under his wing when she joined as a reserve last year. She owed him for that. It was through Quidditch she'd met most of her friends, including her best friend, Alicia.
Oliver shook his head. "Not really up for conversation. I could use a flying partner though."
"You're on," Angelina grinned, and Oliver returned a weak smile. "Two laps around the stands while looping each post. Loser buys butterbeer next Hogsmeade visit."
"You better have that butterbeer money saved up, Johnson," Oliver retorted with a wide grin.
Meanwhile, Harry made the trek back up to Gryffindor Tower.
"I can't lie, mate. There's no way I'll be able to remember all these different creatures," bemoaned Ron, who walked by his side. "How am I supposed to remember what a Gytrash is? Or how to kill a zombie –"
"Fire," Harry interjected.
"- and don't even get me started on the spells. How am I supposed to remember the difference between the red and green sparks spells?"
"Vermillious for red, Verdimillious for green," Harry answered absently. He found his memory had improved significantly over the past few months, courtesy of the occlumency training he was still undergoing with Flitwick. His mage sight was also coming along nicely. Sometimes, though it was inconsistent, he'd feel the magic in an object he was touching even when he wasn't concentrating. Harry could feel the ability become more and more instinctual as the days went by. He couldn't wait until he was ready for the next step.
The tome he'd found in the restricted section explained that Occlumency would help Harry accustom his mind to Sensomagy, which would help him process the magic, but that was only the first step. The rest, he knew, Flitwick couldn't help him with. He would need to integrate his Sensomagy into each of his senses, allowing him to perceive magic through them, allowing his regular vision and mage sight to work simultaneously. He had long since decided to begin with touch, as that had come first naturally.
Before long, the two Gryffindors were back among their friends in the common room. Harry could only shrug when Katie asked about Angelina and Oliver. Harry and Hermione tried to explain to Ron the difference between flame-making and blue-bell flame charms.
"Honestly, Ronald, I don't get what is there to be confused by," Hermione chastised, turning Ron's ears red. "The flame-making charm is cast with Incendio and creates a flame that can be as big or as small as you want depending on the amount of power you put into it. Whereas the blue-bell charm is cast with Ignis Frigus and trades power for more control since you can make a heatless flame or one that doesn't burn things."
Ron only looked more lost, and even Harry, who fully understood the two spells, felt confused by Hermione's spiel. Fred snorted at Ron's confusion and Alicia gave him an expression of sympathy.
"Maybe you should go talk to your teachers," she suggested, and Ron looked appalled at even the thought. "They're the ones making the exams, maybe they could be of some help."
"This is Defense," Ron pointed out. "Quirrell's useless, remember?" Harry thought he had a point.
"Couldn't hurt to ask," Alicia shrugged. "No offence to Hermione, but you're clearly having trouble following her explanations. Might as well ask the person who's teaching you the material. Besides, Quirrell's not that bad once you get past the stutter."
"Getting past the stutter is the hard part," Ron grumbled, and Alicia rolled her eyes.
"I'll come with you, Ron. I've got some questions to ask him too," Harry offered, and Ron gave him a look of betrayal.
"It's almost curfew," Ron tried. "Don't fancy getting caught after hours like you two. Let's go tomorrow."
Harry made a rude gesture and Ron snickered.
"It's only eight, I'm sure we can go to Quirrell's office and be back in an hour. Besides, I guarantee you'll forget tomorrow," Harry argued and watched with satisfaction as Ron nodded begrudgingly.
"All right, let's go then."
The two boys left the common room and down the main staircase to the Defense Against the Dark Arts corridor. They walked past the classroom and knocked on the door to Professor Quirrell's office.
Harry heard some muffled voices before a strained "Come in!" prompted them to open the door.
"P-Potter, Weasley. W-What can I do f-for you?" Professor Quirrell sat at his desk. He looked a little dishevelled and out of breath, and his desk was a mess. Harry wondered whether they'd interrupted the Professor in the middle of something important.
"Is now a good time, Professor?" Harry asked awkwardly. "We can come back later."
Ron nodded vehemently.
"No, no," Professor Quirrell said, and Harry couldn't tell if the man was being dramatic or stuttering again. "I always have t-time for my s-students."
"Well then, Professor, Ron here had a question about the flame-making charm, and I was wondering about vampires." Quirrell looked as though he'd faint at the mention of the undead creatures.
"W-well then. A-ask away."
Harry found that Alicia had been correct. Once he got past the stutter, Quirrell was actually quite competent. Even the stutter was less pronounced, and Harry wondered if it was because he was teaching two students instead of an entire class. Harry's scar, which normally burned in Defense, didn't hurt now when Quirrell sat directly across from him.
The more they spoke to him, the more questions Harry found himself asking. By the end of their conversation, Harry found he had a much more solid grasp of the subject, and Ron too looked less confused.
"W-well, boys," Quirrell clapped his hands together nervously. "I-It looks like we're p-past curfew, so you m-must head back to your d-d-dorms."
"Oh, I didn't notice," Harry said, looking up at the clock, which read five-past-nine. "Thanks for the help, Professor."
"M-my pleasure," Quirrell inclined his head, and his turban teetered slightly forward. "L-let me w-write you a n-note, in case you get c-caught by a p-p-prefect."
"Thanks," Ron said as the Professor handed him a slip of parchment. Harry inclined his head in gratitude.
The two boys left the office and made it back to Gryffindor Tower without running into any prefects or teachers. Soon after they returned to the common room, Harry and the others decided they'd studied enough for the day. The twins left while Harry and Ron were with Quirrell, and Katie had fallen asleep in her chair. Angelina, who returned with Oliver while Harry was out, picked up the sleeping Katie like a sack of potatoes and hauled her up the stairs to the girls' dorms.
Harry looked at Oliver, noticing the tired look in his eyes that hadn't been there when they'd gone down to dinner. Harry wondered where he and Angelina had disappeared to.
Ron left saying he was going to crash for the night, and Hermione soon followed saying she was going to continue studying in her dorm. Alicia also left, leaving Harry, who'd switched from schoolwork to reading his Sensomagy book, and Oliver, who was still staring into the fireplace with a forlorn look.
"You all right, Oliver?" Harry asked, marking the page in his book before shutting it.
"All right, Harry. You?" Oliver looked at him with an easy grin that made Harry wonder if he'd imagined the sadness on the older boy's face. Perhaps it was a trick of the firelight.
Harry shrugged.
"All this studying is kicking my butt, but my mum was a top student. I want to make her proud, you know?" Harry said, and Oliver gave him a proud smile. He wondered if his mum was somewhere giving him a similar look. "Where'd you and Angelina go off to at dinner earlier?"
Oliver's smile faltered for a split second. "Nowhere, really. Ran into some friends and lost track of time. 'Lina came to find me. We came back to the Hall, but you and Ron left already."
Harry nodded. He felt like Oliver was omitting something but decided it wasn't any of his business.
"I think I'll turn in for the night," Oliver yawned and stretched. "You should too, Harry, we've got classes tomorrow."
Harry grunted his assent and turned back to his book. Oliver snorted before entering his dorm. After a few minutes of reading the same line three times, Harry decided he was too tired to continue. He packed up his belongings, wiping away any spilt ink and crumpling up any loose parchment. He reached for a small scrap of parchment and looked it over, intending to ball it up and trash it. It was the note that Quirrell had given him and Ron. It had a little scrawled signature and an annotation saying that the students were returning from a professor's office.
His finger brushed the ink, and he gasped as a cold tingle ran up his arm. As his finger pressed further into the signature, the ink seemed to emanate wisps of smoke. The black wisps of smoke were wrapped in strands of silver that snaked across the page and reached out to his fingers. A sharp sensation coursed through Harry, culminating in a burning pain in his scar.
He cried out and dropped the note. His blood ran cold as realisation struck.
It was Quirrell.
Quirrell had cursed his broom.
A/N: Something of a shorter chapter this time around but I had to leave it on that note, you know? The insane plot twist that would have been surprising if this wasn't a fanfic lol. Anyway, I've sort of revised my upload schedule to dropping chapters once a week instead of twice. This way I can work on some other (Lightningbell) stories I have on the drawing board. Right now I'm drafting up one where Katie is a seer (its better than it sounds I swear). I guess we'll see where that one goes.
Anyway, same old same old. Do tell me your thoughts in the form of a review. I love reading those and its such a great motivation when I have writers block.