Maya Grey (Book One)

6. Let The Games Begin

6. Let the Games Begin

The four of us were the best of friends. When it was cold Hermione would cast this blue flame into a jar and we'd wander about the school chatting while everyone else stayed inside from the cold. But it wasn't cold now, it was rather nice. Everything was perfect. I even got my sling off. I couldn't have asked for better friends. I got so caught up with my Gryffindor friends and end of year exams that I hardly had any time with Draco. We talked and hung out sure but he wasn't happy I was spending so much time with Harry, Ron and Hermione.

Harry was even busier because he had Quidditch. He was brilliant! He even got the newest broomstick: a Nimbus 2000 from Professor Mcgonagall. I was sitting with Ron and Hermione. Hagrid the groundskeeper, who was a good friend of Harry's, joined us just as the match began. Harry had been working so hard and this was going to be another great game. I watched all the players swerve and dive, they were amazing! It was Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff. Hufflepuff were pretty good and even managed to hit a bludger towards Harry before Fred swung the bat and it went the opposite way. Both scores were climbing up and then I saw Harry going up. "Where's he going?" Hagrid asked looking through his binoculars at Harry. Even without the binoculars I could see Harry was just as confused as all of us. "It takes really dark magic to tamper with a Nimbus 2000." I said to Hermione and Ron. Hermione took a sharp breath and asked for Hagrid's binoculars. She scanned the stands. I followed her lead and saw the snow start to fall.

I heard her gasp and she leaned away from Hagrid, who was still paying attention to Harry. He was dangling from his broom which was swinging like mad. "It's Snape!" She whispered and the three of us ran behind the stands until we could see the back of Snape's cloak. Hermione pushed Quirrell out of the way and set a blue flame on Snape's cloak. I looked at Harry, his broom was still, he pulled himself up. Snape finally noticed the flames and we took off running.

Gasping for air we got back to Hagrid, "He's fine now see?" He pointed to Harry who was zooming about after the snitch. Hermione and Ron looked pleased... But it couldn't have been Snape, he hadn't noticed the fire until after the enchantment stopped. I tried telling Hermione this but get distracted by Harry's daring dive so close to the ground. He stood up on his broom and had his hand outstretched for the snitch... Then I blinked and he was rolling across the field. He jumped up and looked ready to vomit. He coughed and the golden snitch fell into his hand. Gryffindors went mad. We won the match! I forgot all about Snape and the enchantment. I just relaxed and cheered along with my house.

We went down to Hagrid's to celebrate and he gave us these horrible 'rock cakes' which if you threw could easily break a window. "We know about the three headed dog." Harry said suddenly, I was surprised he trusted Hagrid with something like this. I kept my head down looking at the scratches in the large wooden table. "Who told you about Fluffy?" Hagrid asked and Hermione joined in on the conversation, "That things got a name?" She said sounding horrified, which made sense considering the thing had been horrifying. "Course he does! He's mine. Said Dumbledorecould use 'em to guard the-" I kept my head down waiting to hear what he said next but Harry interrupted.

"To guard the what?" He asked desperately. "That's too secret, that is. What Fluffy's guarding is between Professor Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel." He put a hand to his mouth. "I should not have said that!" He said looking angry with himself. I recognized the name, something my mother had said. Not specifically just something to do with history. "Whatever it is Snape is trying to steal it!" Ron said adding himself in on the conversation. "Snape is one of the teachers trying to protect it. He's not about to steal it. He's a Hogwarts professor." Hermione shifted in her seat, "Hogwarts professor or not Snape tried to kill Harry. He jinxed his broom. I know a spell when I see one- you have to keep eye contact and Snape wasn't blinking." I kept my eyes on the table but clenched my jaw, they were wrong. I don't know what Snape was trying to do today but he wasn't trying to kill Harry. Hagrid made excuses and Ron and Hermione told him why it had to be Snape. Harry followed my lead and sat there quietly. My mind wandered to Nicholas Flemel and what he had to do with History. "Why would Snape want to kill me, Hagrid?" Hagrid stood up and I lifted my head when Harry spoke. "He wouldn't. You all should get up to the castle. Come on." And so we left. About a week passed and we searched endlessly for Nicholas Flemel. I told them I thought my mom had told me about him an Harry said he recognized the name from somewhere. Ron suggested I write to my mom and I changed the subject, saying it just sounded familiar. After a long day of searching in books for Flemel we called it a day.