For You I Will #1- The Philosopher's Stone

Quidditch

A week had passed since the troll incident and it had been hard on Y/N. He was still wracked with guilt for killing the troll. Not only that, but Smoky has disappeared. She hadn't been seen since Halloween eve, when she was laying on Y/N's bed. He'd searched the castle high and low, even resorting to putting up reward posters around the castle but to no avail. This had all led to Y/N being in one hell of a pissed off mood.

When he found out who had brought the troll into the castle he was gonna punish them. There would be no holding back. The anger stewed in him, something in his mind seeming to push his thought back to it constantly, making him dwell on the anger and pain. One thing was sure, whoever was responsible would feel pain for what he'd had to do.

Many other students were giving him somewhat of a wide berth, his glares alone being enough to put the fear of Merlin into people. As he was so far ahead of his classes McGonagall and Flitwick had allowed him to read while they taught their respective classes, just until he had an understanding of his 'Beast Whisperer' ability. He'd sit alone in classes reading, oblivious to what was going on around him.

He was currently reading Magical Creatures and the People Who Could Hear Them. There had been an ancient family in Britain named the McNairs, from whom the ability originated. The MacNair family, who were still extant in Britain, were an offshoot of the family and descended from an ancestor, Fergus McNair, who had been born without the ability and had subsequently become a fervent hunter of Magical Creatures and ostracised from the family.

The McNairs had married into the Gryffindor line but the direct McNair family line of succession had died out in the late tenth century. Since then there had only been sporadic cases of beast whispering for the better part of the last 1000 years.

Y/N discussed his findings at great length with Hermione. He thanked her again for the enchanted notebook. It made note taking and cross referencing a lot simpler and streamlined the whole research process. Hermione was over the moon that her present had been so useful for Y/N. He had taken over a corner of the Gryffindor common room, charts and family trees lining the walls, an ever larger pile of books growing around him as he worked like a man possessed. He had utilised his considerable bank vault to purchase many books, sending order after order to Flourish & Blotts. It's owner, Madam Villanelle, was handling his account personally, tracking down numerous obscure and aged texts as owls flew in and out of Gryffindor tower at all hours. Y/N was nothing if not rigorous and extensive in his research.

Hermione had watched him in awe.

—~—

It was Saturday morning and the day of the big Quidditch match and tensions were high. The traditional season opener between Gryffindor and Slytherin was always a bitter and spiteful affair. Despite Oliver Wood's best efforts word had spread throughout Hogwarts- Gryffindor had three players making their debuts. Katie Bell was making her debut as a Chaser, but Gryffindor's newest golden boys had also made the team- as first years. Three houses offered the two boys luck, one didn't, but that houses reaction to the two boys couldn't be further apart.

As Harry walked through the halls of Hogwarts alone Slytherin students would happily remind him that he would fall to his death during the match, that he would embarrass himself in front of the whole school or that he would need, in Draco's words, his 'Gryffindor cheer squad to follow him round with a mattress'. Y/N meanwhile hadn't heard a peek from any of them.

The four friends were sitting at breakfast with the rest of the Gryffindor team and Harry was beside himself with nerves. Y/N was beside himself with excitement. Harry hadn't eaten yet and was pushing a piece of bacon around his plate.

"Go on Harry have a bit of toast" Ron said, trying to encourage him.

"I'm not hungry" Harry replied looking down at his plate.