Melanie Granger?

Chapter 8: Quidditch

Disclaimer I don't own Harry Potter.

I heard her sigh and she left, I closed my eyes and listened to her soft footsteps on the carpet before hearing the click as she gently closed the door behind her. I could feel her sadness and frustration searing off of her, but what she did that day was inexcusable and I wasn't going let her forget how she changed my life and not for the better. It was with that thought in my mind that I changed into my pyjamas, got into bed and fell into a deep sleep.

I honestly wish I hadn't.

I could smell an all too alluring smell wafting through the window, but I had promised myself to never leave the tower at night after what happened to that Ravenclaw girl. I didn't want to end up like that. No one does. So I simply rolled over and focussed on wrapping myself in the blackness of sleep.

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The news was all over the castle the next morning: someone else had been found. This time it was a boy, with the same symptoms as the girl, pale, cold, the picture of a corpse, yet still with a pulse and the same two puncture marks in the neck. Of course while the majority of the girls were talking about the new victim, the boys were more concerned with the upcoming quidditch game.

'Come on Harry eat, you're going to need your strength for today.' Hermione tried to get Harry to eat at least some of his breakfast, but Harry wasn't have a bar of it and personally I couldn't blame him. I turned as Snape approached us. Yes us Harry and Ronald have decided that I'm their friend and want me to hang out with them while Jane and Paisley talk with other students.

'Good luck today Potter.' Snape said stopping behind him and the others looked up at him. 'Then again, now that you've proven yourself against a troll, a little game of Quidditch should be easy work for you........even if it is against Slytherin....' Then he left, I stared after him noticing his limp.

'That explains the blood.' Harry murmured.

'Blood?' I asked sitting up.

'Listen, last night, I'm guessing Snape let the troll in as a diversion so he could try and get past that three headed dog, but he got himself bitten, that's why he's limping.' Harry reasoned.

'Indeed I noticed that his leg was wounded and bleeding last night.' I replied remembering the terrifying night before.

'But why would anyone go near that dog?' Hermione asked.

'You said it yourself last night; the dog is obviously guarding something, the only question is what.'

'The day I went to Gringotts, Hagrid took something out of one of the vaults. He told me it was Hogwarts' business, very secret.'

'That's what the dog's guarding, that's what Snape wants.' I deduced.

We looked up to the ceiling as an owl screech sounded through the hall, it was Harry's owl, Hedwig and she was carrying a long parcel. Harry stood up to catch it as the owl dropped in into his hands.

'Bit early for mail isn't it?' Hermione asked.

'But I never get mail.' Harry noted confused as he set it on the table.

'Let's open it.' Ronald suggested and we started unwrapping it. Once the package was open and the mystery was revealed we were all left standing shocked.

'It's a broomstick.' Harry stated dumbfounded.

'That's not just any broomstick; that's a Nimbus 2000.' Ronald grinned admiring it as he pointed out the small Nimbus 2000 written on the tip of the handle in gold. I then glanced up and spotted Professor McGonagall gently stroking Harry's owl and it was clear what had happened.