Harriet Potter and the New Fangs
Chapter 8: Quidditch
No matter how much she attempted to focus on the upcoming game, Harriet just couldn't seem to get her mind off of the events of the past few weeks.
She, Hermione and Ron had lost track of time whilst writing a potions essay in the library, and had been accosted by Peeves on their way back. The poltergeist had chased them with water balloons and, since the trio didn't want the fate worse than death that Madam Pince would unleash upon them if they were to return wet library books, they had sprinted through the castle's halls in a desperate bid to escape, only to find themselves cornered against a locked door, Peeves cackling maniacally as he searched for them.
"Bloody hell, we're trapped!" Ron yelled.
"Madam Pince will kill us if we return these books wet!"
Harriet's words seemed to motivate Hermione more than the prospect of themselves getting soaked, as she quickly pushed her friends out of the way.
"Alohomora!"
With a quick yell and flourish of her wand, Hermione rapidly yanked the door open and almost bowled the others over as she entered the next chamber.
"Geez, Hermione. Did you have to run into us like a bloody hippogriff?" Ron moaned as he regained his balance, the bushy haired girl shushing him as she pressed her ear to the door.
"Where are you, ickle firsties? Don't you want to have some fun with Peevesey?" the poltergeist teased in a sing-song voice. But Harriet had other issues right now.
"Um, guys?" she squeaked, tugging on their robes.
"Not now, Harriet, I need to listen!" Hermione shushed again.
"Guys, seriously," she'd wondered why she could hear breathing from the other side of the door.
"Harriet!" Hermione whisper shouted.
"Guys, turn around!"
Finally, blessedly, they saw what Harriet had been trying to alert them of. A monster far worse than Harriet could ever be.
They stared into the six eyes of a monstrous dog that stood even taller than the troll from Halloween. Six eyes, because, well, it had three bloody heads! All of which had angrily sniffing noses aimed directly at the first years, not to mention bared yellowish fangs from which thick strings of saliva hung.
The students screamed. The dog (dogs?) barked.
They exited the corridor in a tangle of limbs, leaving in a much less organised fashion than they had entered as they slammed the door shut and ran for the common room.
Safest place in Magical Britain her ass!
"Why the bloody hell would they keep that thing in a school!?" Ron exclaimed as they approached the portrait of the fat lady.
"You don't… use your eyes… do you?" Hermione panted, bracing her hands on her knees as she fought to regain her breath. "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"
"No!" Ron thundered. "I was a bit preoccupied with its heads! You may not have noticed, but it had three of them!"
Hermione huffed. "For your information, Ronald, it was standing on a trap door. It's guarding something!"
Harriet came back from the memory and into her thoughts as she threw her Quidditch robes on. Sure, it was all well and good to know that thing was guarding something, but now she wanted to know what.
Then again, there was that newspaper article she'd seen at Hagrid's whilst waiting for McGonagall that one time. Something about a break in at Gringotts the same day Hagrid had taken her there? The giant man had also removed something from another vault that day, quoting official Hogwarts business.
What was the vault number again? 713? Hadn't the target of the break in been vault 713?
So, what was in that small brown package? And why was someone so desperate for it that they'd break into Gringotts for it?
"Potter, I need your head in the game!"
She was snapped out of her thoughts by Oliver Wood as he called the team for a final speech before the game began. That was right, she was about to play in her first ever Quidditch match! She couldn't afford to get lost in thought.
One quick bout of slapping herself later, she joined the rest of the team as they huddled around Wood.
"Alright guys, this is it-" the captain began, only to get cut off by the twins.
"The big one," from Fred.
"The one we've all been waiting for," then George.
"He always uses the same speech," back to Fred.
"Enough of that, you two!" Wood snapped, bringing their attention back to him as he tried to school his face and hide the flush on his cheeks. "I'm being serious. Now that we've got a great Seeker with Harriet, we actually have a shot at the cup this year. I need you all in top form."
"Remember, this is Slytherin we're playing, so be on the lookout for dirty tricks. Don't rise to their baits, that's what they want," the boy continued, before turning to face the twins. "Fred, George, keep those bludgers off of us. If you can, try to disrupt their chaser formation so the girls can score. Otherwise, I want you focused on their Seeker."
"We got it, cap'n," "We've done this before, you know," the twins intoned at the same time, saluting before hitting their bats together.
"Angelina, Katie, Alicia, I need you to hit them hard and fast. If we can get an early lead we can focus on defence so Harriet has the best chance we can give her."
"We know, Oliver. We've only been playing together for the past three years," Angelina said in an exasperated tone.
"Katie may be new, but she'd better than our old chaser," that was Alicia.
Katie only nodded in determination, the nerves clearly getting to her as well.
"And that brings us to Harriet," Oliver said as he looked her straight in the eye. His gaze somehow managed to be both encouraging and intimidating at the same time. "I know this is your first game, and you're nervous. Don't be. We've all seen you in practice. You've got this," the rest of the team nodded as one, the twins placing supportive hands on her shoulders as they grinned wildly at her. "I want you scanning as soon as we get up there. You're our wildcard, they don't know what you can do. Slytherin will think you to be unskilled. Use that against them. Feint their Seeker as much as you can whilst looking for the Snitch. Make them doubt themselves."
Harriet nodded in affirmation as the twins' grin spread throughout the locker rooms.
"We've got an amazing team this year, guys. I know we can do this. Give 'em hell. GRYFFINDOR!" Oliver cheered as he pumped his fists in the air.
"GRYFFINDOR!" they all mirrored.
"Now, let's get out there and show them what we can do."
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"Now, I want a nice, clean game, all of you," Madam Hooch instructed once all the players were gathered around her, though the comment seemed almost entirely directed at the Slytherin team, especially their captain, sixth year Marcus Flint. Honestly speaking, the boy looked to have a close family relation to the Halloween troll. Rumour had it he matched that with his brains, as he'd apparently been held back a year or two.
As Harriet climbed on to her Nimbus Two Thousand, feeling it ready to move at a moment's notice beneath her, she looked up at her friends in the crowd once more. It would seem that the Gryffindor first years had conspired together to make a truly awesome banner for her, which they were hoisting over the crowd and waving about.
Upon it was emblazoned the proud words 'Potter for President', with a large Gryffindor lion drawn beneath. It even flashed between red and gold, a nifty little bit of spell work that had surely come from Hermione.
Seeing her friends' support for her so blatantly on display seemed to fill Harriet with newfound determination. She could feel her bravery welling up within her. Oliver was right. She could do this.
The whistle blew and fifteen brooms rose high into the air.
The game had begun.
XXX
"And the Quaffle is immediately taken possession of by Gryffindor Chaser Angelina Johnson, a rather excellent player – and rather attractive, too-"
"JORDAN!" the commentary from the twins' friend, Lee Jordan, was cut off by Professor McGonagall, who watched the boy carefully.
"Sorry, professor. Anway, Angelina Johnson in possession, really belting it down the pitch, oh nice pass to Alicia Spinnet from last year's reserve team, back to Johnson, then to Bell – no, intercepted by Slytherin captain Marcus Flint, who's flying like an eagle up there. He's got a straight shot to the goal posts, he shoots! And great save from Gryffindor captain Oliver Wood! With Gryffindor back in possession, that's Bell streaking down the pitch like a – OUCH! That's gotta hurt! Hit in the back of the head with a bludger! Pucey has the Quaffle, he passes to Montague, back to Flint, then Pucey, intercepted by a bludger from one of the Weasleys, can't tell which. Spinnet takes the Quaffle, Johnson back in possession with a clear field, dodges a bludger, come on now, Angelina, she shoots, keeper Bletchley dives for it, misses, GRYFFINDOR SCORES!"
Cheers erupted from the lions, filling the cold air with their roars of triumph for the first points of the game.
"Come on then, budge along you lot."
"Hagrid!" Ron and Hermione yelled together, not expecting their friend to join them.
"What, didn't think I'd miss Harriet's first match, did'ya? I was watching from me hut, but it jus' ain't the same. No sign of the snitch yet?"
"Nah, Harriet's not had much to do yet, unfortunately," Ron said.
"Bin keeping outta trouble, though. Tha's something," Hagrid pointed out, as he levelled his binoculars on the only first year on the pitch, who was flying well above the game and was only a speck without them.
XXX
As great as the rush of flying was, Harriet was starting to get antsy up here. It was admittedly much harder to find that tiny glint of gold amidst the chaos of an actual game than it was in practice, even without having bludgers pelted at her. Still, she had to do her part and keep her attention on locating it, even though she allowed herself to celebrate any Gryffindor goals with a roll or loop of some kind.
That was when she saw it, a small flash of light reflected off a golden ball directly beneath her. She allowed herself a smirk as she began her dive, plunging straight towards the ground. For a few precious moments, she was alone on the chase before Slytherin's Seeker, Terence Higgs, finally took notice of her and began his own dive. But those precious moments were all it took, and it was clear Harriet would reach it first. She stretched out her hand to grab the thing, just a few more meters!
But then Marcus Flint suddenly pulled in front of her, filling her vision as she was forced to swerve around him as she quickly tried to regain control. By the time she did a few seconds later, all traces of the snitch had disappeared and Flint was smirking at her in a manner that made her blood boil with righteous fury.
"Oh come on!" she could have sworn she heard Ron yell from the crowd. That reminded her of her team's resident beaters, and the terror twins of Gryffindor, and her own smirk blossomed over her face. She knew exactly what to do.
"So, after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating-"
"Jordan!"
"I mean, after that blatant and egregious foul-"
"Jordan, I swear to Merlin…"
"Fine, fine, the Slytherin captain almost kills Gryffindor's Seeker, a completely understandable and everyday occurrence, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinnet who neatly puts it away. 40-0, Gryffindor!"
Harriet continued her search, with Higgs now trailing her every move and Flint eyeing her as he played. With her opponents now so firmly focused on her, she had a small opening to execute her plan.
The Slytherin chasers once more had possession of the Quaffle, Flint flanked by his fellows to form a 'v' shape. Schooling her features into a mask of intense focus and determination, she dove straight for the formation of players in silver and green, closely pursued by their seeker.
For this to work, she had to let him stay close, but also had to keep up enough speed. Higgs made several attempts to weave around her, but Harriet made sure to stay in the centre of his vision.
"The Slytherin chasers streak down the pitch and towards the Gryffindor goals, closely followed by chasers Johnson and Spinnet, pass to Pucey, Montague, back to Pucey, Flint, he's closing in on the posts – OH! Potter baits Higgs into ramming into his own teammate, with Flint nearly being unseated from his broom! Possession goes back to Gryffindor, Johnson passes to Bell, who takes the shot and scores! Excellent play from Gryffindor! 50-0!"
Even as she weaved around retaliatory bludgers from the Slytherin beaters, Harriet allowed a wide grin to plaster itself over her face. That was, of course, until her broom suddenly gave an awful lurch beneath her. Then another, and another, as the Nimbus 2000 began to act like a wild bull; swerving this way and that whilst making repeated forceful attempts to buck her off of it.
What the hell was happening? Top of the line racing brooms did not suddenly try to impersonate a trebuchet with their riders as the ammunition! Any attempts to steer herself back towards the ground were futile, the broom wasn't responding to her commands at all, and it was all she could do to hold on for dear life, because, well, her life was on the line! It was as if the spirit of Neville's broom from flying lessons had come back with a vengeance!
XXX
"Wha's goin' on with Harriet's broom?" Hagrid asked in the stands. By this point, Fred and George had repeatedly attempted to fly up to the girl and pull her off the broom, only for it fly even higher above the ground and force them to circle underneath her in case she fell. With Gryffindor's beaters otherwise occupied, Slytherin were able to claim control of the pitch and even out the scores in a matter of minutes.
Hermione took her eyes off of her friend for a moment to wipe her brow and brush her hair out of her face, but when she raised her binoculars again and panned back to the broom taking the girl on a rollercoaster ride straight from hell, she momentarily passed over the teachers' stands, only to see their potions professor staring straight at Harriet.
Snape had an intense look of concentration on his face as he chanted without ever taking his eyes off of the school's resident vampire, not even to blink, so the reason for the broom's behaviour quickly became obvious to Hermione.
"Ron! It's Snape!" she exclaimed.
"What about Snape?"
"He's jinxing her broom!"
Ron's face turned as red as his hair as he snatched the binoculars from Hermione's hands and took his own look at the dungeon bat.
"That cheating prick!" he yelled. "What are we supposed to do now!?"
"I'll take care of it!" Hermione snapped as she got out of her seat and started running as fast as she could, right as the crowd let out a horrified gasp as Harriet was finally thrown over the front of the broom, barely managing to catch herself with one arm.
Once Hermione reached the underside of the teachers' stands, she paused for a moment, gasping for breath as she desperately scoured her mind for a solution.
"Oh, screw it!" she huffed, pulling out her wand and pointing it at the bottom of Snape's robes. "Incendio!"
XXX
Finally, blessedly, Harriet's broom stopped moving, allowing her a moment to breathe before swinging herself back into proper position atop it. She didn't know what had changed, but had no time to ponder it as she saw Higgs belting down the pitch in pursuit of the snitch, already dangerously close to securing a Slytherin victory.
She immediately flattened herself to the broom, determined to win even if she had to impersonate a pancake, and pushed the Nimbus to its limits, not even registering the bludgers that scarcely missed her head in her chase.
Then, just as she came level with Higgs, the snitch entered into a nosedive, the two seekers following suit. It immediately became obvious to them that he who lost his nerve first would lose, so neither was willing to give up any space as they flew neck and neck.
With the ground rapidly approaching, the Slytherin boy spared a passing glance for Harriet, eyes wide with fear as he bailed on the dive, knowing from the girl's face that she was absolutely unwilling to give an inch. He, wisely (or so he thought) abandoned his plunge, certain his quarry would soon find herself on the ground.
However, Harriet pulled up at the very last second, her feet grazing the grass she now flew parallel to, and stretched out her hand, even as the snitch danced just out of reach. Finally, she threw herself forwards on her broom, causing her to tumble the short distance to the ground just as her hand clenched.
The crowd watched with baited breath, unsure if the game was over, when Harriet raised her balled fist, revealing the small golden ball held within.
"That's it! Harriet Potter has caught the snitch, ending the game and securing 150 points for her team!" Lee called over the deafening roar from the house of the brave. "Gryffindor wins 200-70!"
The Gryffindor team landed around Harriet, Fred and George hoisting her onto their shoulders even as the others clapped her on the back and their housemates flooded the pitch in a sea of red and gold.
Harriet soon found herself wearing the 'Potter for President' banner as a cape as they were paraded off the field, marching onwards to the twins' victory party, and, for the first time in a while, finally allowed herself to completely relax.
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Hey everyone, I hope you enjoyed this newest chapter! As of when I wrote this, it's been quite a while since I wrote chapter 7, so hopefully it was up to par!
As always, please leave any feedback in the reviews, I love hearing it and improving my writing!
Have a good one!