The New Marauders and the Trickster God

Chapter 28: End of the First Year

It was about two and half an hour later that Harry woke up suddenly feeling a bit cold. Opening his eyes, he saw that a relatively large cloud had pushed itself in front of the sun. It didn't look like it would vanish any time soon again. With a sigh, he picked up the Snitch that was still lying on his chest so that it wouldn't fall when he sat up.

Once he was fully awake, he looked down to see how the rest of the game was going, realising that he must have slept for quite some time. Gryffindor was falling behind a bit with 320 to the 380 points that Hufflepuff had scored. He stretched a bit, popping his joints and stifling a yawn.

"Want to end the game?" he asked the Snitch that was now laying in his open palm.

When the little ball buzzed positively, Harry smiled and angled his broom so that he flew down to where Madame Hooch was supervising the game. Once he reached her, he let the golden ball fall into her hand.

"Here, it seems the game is over," he just told her.

Madame Hooch stared at him as if he lost it. It took her a few moments to remember what the delivery meant. She blew her whistle announcing that Gryffindor won the match with 480 to 400.

Harry just wanted to leave her to get back to the changing room when the Snitch again came to life and quickly trailed after him. Not knowing what that was supposed to be, he first looked questioningly at the Snitch and then to Madame Hooch. Still, the woman seemed equally confused, she had never seen a Snitch behaving that way.

"Mr Potter, what did you do with the Snitch?" she asked him sternly.

He put his hands up, showing that he had no idea. "I swear that I didn't do anything, the thing behaved strangely for the entire time."

Hooch flew over to him and wanted to grab the Snitch to store it with the other balls but the thing shifter behind Harry, looking around his shoulders tentatively.

"This is bizarre behaviour," she said.

"It seems to me that he doesn't want to leave my side," Harry mused, and the golden ball nodded so rapidly that had it been a human it certainly would have gotten whiplashed. "I can't keep you," he added.

If asked, Harry would have vehemently denied that a small golden ball could look pleadingly or sad. But this Snitch just proved him wrong. The little thing seemed too sad that Harry couldn't leave it behind.

"Madame Hooch, would it be possible that I keep it?" he asked the women. "I will buy you a new one if necessary," Harry added when it became apparent that Hooch wanted to deny him his request.

Hooch looked at Harry and the Snitch, which stayed close to the boy the entire time. In the end, she nodded with a sigh.

"Very well," she said while shaking her head.

You could tell that the Snitch was exceedingly happy with how it fluttered around Harry who couldn't help himself and started to snicker.

"Well then, I need a shower," he told the thing descending towards the changing rooms.

When he arrived there, he was instantly greeted by Wood who wanted to light into Harry for how he handled the game when he became aware of the Snitch that now buzzed between them agitatedly.

"What's with that Snitch?" he asked Harry warily looking between the both of them.

"I don't know, it doesn't want to leave my side anymore," Harry shrugged and walked over to where the showers were leaving behind a confused Wood.

Harry quickly took a shower and soon emerged again, fully clothed in some casual clothes. Accompanied by the twins, he made his way outside and over to where Sam, Loki, Neville and Hermione were waiting, closely followed by his new little friend. The friends were excitedly chattering about the game and how again Harry was so lazy as to sleep all through it. When they became aware that Harry was coming, they greeted him with recollections about stunts and manoeuvres the player had flown. Sam especially was smitten with the sport played on brooms.