A/N- Sorry I forgot to update on Sunday!
Chapter Ten
The first of November brought a cold frost on the ground; it also had Pansy, Daphne, Harry and Draco huddled round the breakfast table talking quietly.
"Did you see Professor McGonagall's leg last night?" Pansy asked them, "She was injured and her robes all torn. I'm sure I saw blood."
"She arrived after the others as well." Harry added, "You don't think?"
"Think what?" Daphne asked, after apologising a lot for getting swept back to the great hall in the crowd last night.
"That she went to that dog, Fluffy." Harry said.
Draco looked at him shocked, "Harry I know she's rather….strict… but do you really think she spends her time fighting wild animals for fun?"
"I think she wanted to get whatever 'Fluffy' is guarding." Harry whispered.
"I still think that that name sounds familiar, Nicholas Flamel..." Daphne said thinking over the name.
"What are you four up to?" Professor McGonagall snapped from behind them.
"We were talking about..." Harry said his eyes floating down to her right leg that she wasn't putting any weight on.
"Homework." Pansy said with a charming smile, "I most enjoyed your assignment for the week."
Professor McGonagall sneered at them and swept up to the teachers table.
"She's definitely limping." Draco said, "What the hell could be so important under that trap door?"
"Harry. I'm so glad you're OK." Harry felt Snape's arms wrap around him, "Your mother was so worried when were heard but Dumbledore said I didn't need to come back and..."
"I'm fine dad." Harry said wriggling free and standing up to give him a proper hug.
"I was so worried."
Harry looked into his dead eyes and smiled, "I'm OK really."
Snape breathed a sigh of relief, "First Quidditch game of the year. Slytherin vs Gryffindor." changing the subject to stop himself from apologising yet again.
"Yeah I'm looking forward to it." Harry grinned, "Their new seeker doesn't look up to much."
"Towler was brought in last minute; Wood had been looking for a replacement for a while and then ended up with whoever he could get when McGonagall got frustrated." Snape smirked, "I'm disappointed I'm going to miss it."
"You're not coming?" Harry asked
"No. I have some business outside Hogwarts today; Danica has a dentist appointment. I just came in to make sure you were OK." Snape explained before making his way up to the staff table after another hug.
Harry sat back down and glanced up to the staff table. He clutched at his forehead as a burning pain raced across his scar.
"Harry? Are you OK?" Daphne asked pulling his hand way from his head.
"Yeah I was just, I was just looking at McGonagall and my scar started to hurt." He whispered.
"Are you sure? She's talking to Quirrell." Draco pointed out.
"No I looked right in her eyes when it happened. And look she's glaring at me now."
They looked over to where Professor McGonagall was staring angrily at them.
"Try not to think about it for now." Pansy told them, "Lets just go and get ready for the match."
They finished their breakfasts and headed back to the common room. They wrapped up warm and met Neville by the main entrance.
"Hey guys." Neville grinned as they walked over, "Looking forward to the game today?"
"Definitely. Slytherin win for sure!" Harry laughed.
"You wish. We've been training really hard." Neville grinned.
"You need it." Draco teased before making their way out to the stands.
They managed to get a row of seats to themselves and sat down as the rest of the stands filled up. Daphne pulled a book out of her bag and started reading.
"Still not interested in watching Quidditch Daph?" Harry asked trying to see what the book was called.
"Nope not a bit; I love flying and would happily join in but watching other people zoom about while I'm stuck on the ground? Nope. Especially when I can't even have a broom. But it's nice to be out with everyone in the fresh air."
Draco shook his head and laughed a little. It wasn't long before Madam Hooch stepped forward and mounted her broom hovering up into the air. Harry looked hopefully over to the teachers box hoping that Snape would be there. He wasn't and Harry knew he wouldn't be. It took a lot of persuading to get Danica into the dentist, especially from Snape and Sirius. Professor McGonagall was there though, along with Professor Dumbledore and most of the other teachers. Harry could see Quirrell looking like he'd rather be anywhere else in the world than watching the game.
Madam Hooch hovered up to where she could be seen easily by all the spectators, Quaffle tucked safely under her arm.
The two teams stood facing each other and the crowd cheered for a few minutes until Madam Hooch blew her whistle for them to be quiet.
"Captains please shake hands." She ordered.
Marcus flint and Oliver Wood walked reluctantly towards one another and shook hands. Madam Hooch blew her whistle and the teams mounted their brooms and took off into the air. Madam Hooch glided smoothly back to the ground opening the box that released the Quidditch balls that immediately flew into the air.
Harry caught sight of the Snitch for a few seconds before it flew to high. Madam Hooch rose to the level of the players again and through the Quaffle into the air.
It was caught quickly by one of the Gryffindor players much to Lee Jordan's delight. Harry watched the game continue cheering loudly at every Slytherin goal. Slytherin had a good lead after about an hour.
"Next year I'm so trying out for Seeker." Harry said to Draco, "I've seen it several times when they've missed it."
Draco nodded, "Yeah. The Gryffindor one missed it going right by his head before."
Daphne tapped them on the shoulders, "I've finished my book, I'm going to grab another one. I'll be back in a few minutes."
"Do you want some company?" Pansy asked before cheering at yet another Slytherin goal.
"No it's fine." Daphne grinned, "You stay here and have fun. I left my bag in the Slytherin changing rooms so I'll only be two minutes."
Daphne made her way down the stand steps and into the changing room to find her bag in the giant pile.
Harry threw himself back in his seat as the Slytherin Seeker came within a few centimetres of catching the Snitch before it darted away.
"Did you feel that?" Harry asked Draco as he felt the seat shift underneath him.
"Feel what?" Draco asked.
"My seat just moved." Harry said, "There it just did it again."
"Ok I felt that one." Pansy said, the colour draining from her face slightly, Draco nodded in agreement.
Harry opened his mouth to say something when a violent shake threw them to the floor. The stand ground and seat around Harry began to shake badly, forcing Harry to stay on the ground. Pansy was able to pull herself to her feet before falling over again.
"It's coming from around me." Harry shouted. He could see that the shock waves petered out seven or eight seats away from where he was laying, "You have to get away!"
Draco shook his head, "Take my hand!" He shouted.
There was a fair amount of attention from the people around them now. The game ground to a halt and many of the teachers were making their way out of the teacher's box. Harry could see McGonagall staring at him; she wasn't even blinking.
Harry felt his back slamming against the barrier that stopped them from falling to the ground. He held on to a seat leg and managed to pull himself away from the edge just before the thin bars that formed the barrier fell away.
Patches of the floor also started to crumble away under the never ending shaking.
"You guys have to go!" Harry shouted at them.
Draco took hold of Pansy's hand and helped her to get away from Harry. The shakes got worse and Harry felt tears drip down his face as his hands began to loose grip, his leg falling off the edge. It was a long way down.
Daphne was just about to climb the steps when she saw the game had stopped. She put the book down and drew her wand before slowly walking round towards the pitch. She could see the seats where she'd been sitting shaking violently and Harry's legs falling off the damaged stands.
She looked over to the teachers box. Professor McGonagall was staring at Harry intently, her lips moving slightly.
Daphne had seen her parents preform enough magic to know what a spell looked like. She was sure the Professor would have her wand out, hidden in her open robe sleeves. Daphne saw Harry slip slightly further and made up her mind.
She moved quickly and quietly forward and up to underneath the teachers seats. She recognised Professor McGonagall's robes and tapped the wooded bench with her wand.
"Quarta rursus." She whispered causing the bench to tip forward spilling the teachers into the foot well.
Daphne had just enough time to see that the stand where Harry was had stopped shaking before she ducked back out to go to her friends before the staff spotted her and kicked her out the school for leaving the teachers in an undignified pile.
Draco and Pansy pulled Harry back to safety. He looked down at the ground and took a few deep breaths.
"Thanks guys. That was a bit close!" he breathed calming down slowly.
" 'Arry are you a'right?" Hagrid asked pulling him to his feet.
Harry nodded, "I don't know what happened."
"I'm sure it was an accident." Daphne said arriving, a fixed smile on her face.
"And accident?!" Draco spat, "Are you mad?"
Pansy elbowed him in the side and glared between him and the group of teachers that had arrived, including Professor McGonagall, her hat slightly squint.
Draco smoothed back his hair, "Well you might be right. An accident."
"Don't worry. Rest assured there will be a full investigation." Professor Dumbledore informed them, "For now I think-"
A loud cheer interrupted him as the Gryffindor Seeker landed on the ground, Snitch in hand. Flint landed as well and stormed over.
"Bloody cheat!" He shouted in Wood's face, "There was a little bit going on if you didn't see!"
Wood pushed Flint away slightly, "Yeah I saw but the rules are the rules. I'll do you a favour if you want and call it a draw." he said rather patronisingly, before looking around worriedly at the boos and hisses coming from three of the houses and even a few Gryffindors.
Flint glared at him up and down, "Thanks but we don't need any favours from you."
"Well it's been an interesting game." Dumbledore smiled slightly, he placed his wand to his throat to project his voice, "Game won by Gryffindor! Everyone back to you dorms."
Harry rubbed the back of his head; his scar felt like it was on fire.
"Come on Harry." Draco said pulling him towards the exit of the stand. Neville hurried over as soon as he could.
"Harry are you OK? What the hell happened?" he asked helping Draco to prop Harry up.
"My head is killing me." Harry groaned.
"We can take you to Madam Pomfrey." Pansy suggested worried about how pale Harry had become, pushing past the teachers.
"No." Harry shook his head, "I'll be OK. I just need to get to my room."
They made their way to the Slytherin common room, letting Neville sneak in with them. Pansy sat down on Harry's bed, next to Daphne, crossing a leg underneath her.
Daphne had always looked graceful when she sat or walked or breathed but it was not a talent that Pansy had ever been able to master.
"So I think we can all agree that that was no accident." Draco said making himself comfortable on his own bed, "Any idea?"
"I think I know what happened." Daphne said slowly, "But it sounds kinda crazy."
"More crazy than the seats coming alive and having a serious hatred of Harry?" Draco asked, rolling his eyes.
"I think that Professor McGonagall was cursing him." Daphne looked around at the stunned faces, "She was staring at Harry, not even blinking, then she was muttering and then I tipped the seat and she fell forward, breaking the connection and the benches stopped moving. Straight away."
Pansy shook her head, "There were other teachers on that bench though. We can't be sure it was McGonagall."
"Yeah but the other teachers didn't go to that mutt on Halloween." Harry pointed out, "And she doesn't exactly make a secret of how much she hates us."
"You're talking about a teacher trying to kill you though." Neville pointed out, "That seems a little excessive."
Harry rubbed his scar it still ached. His mother was going to flip when she found out what happened; again.
"Dad was away again." Harry pointed out, "He was at Halloween as well. We should go talk to Hagrid."
"I still haven't been able to find anything on a stone. I'm sure I've heard the name Flamel before though." Pansy said standing up with the others, "I'll keep looking."
The door flew open. Crabbe and Goyle filled the doorway, glaring.
"You shouldn't be here Longbottom." Crabbe sniffed, making it very clear he was unwelcome.
"Don't worry we're just leaving." Daphne said pushing them apart to let the group through. They trudged back outside; passing the house point hourglasses in time to see twenty house points leave Gryffindor and Slytherin.
"Wonder what happens when you hit minus points." Neville sighed with a smile.
"The rest of the house doesn't find your little experiment so funny Mr Longbottom." A voice snapped from behind them.
They turned to see Percy Weasley and Ron glaring angrily.
"I was just informed that you have been trespassing in the Slytherin common room; what do you have to say for yourself?" Percy demanded.
"I wasn't trespassing Percy I was with my friends." Neville said as calmly as he could.
"That is no reason to be breaking the rules!" Percy snapped, "Your actions are reflecting badly on the entire house. You need to chose your friends more wisely and hang around with a better calibre of student. You should be more respectful of her family."
"Come on Percy; some people are just bad fruit, as mum says." Ron said smugly.
Harry rolled his eyes, and marched out the door, "That kid is going to be spewing slugs if he's not careful."
They made their way to Hagrid's hut and knocked on the door, they heard fang bark once before flopping back down on the floor. Harry knocked again but there was no answer.
"Maybe he's still out with the teachers?" Pansy suggested, "Professor Dumbledore did say there would be an investigation."
Harry nodded, he scribbled a note and shoved it under the door hoping Fang wouldn't eat it before Hagrid got back.