Not the Boy who lived

10. Halloween

"A Nimbus 2000, sir." I dip my head with a smile. "It's all thanks to Malfoy here that I got it." I add laughingly.

We race up past Malfoy and his goons, as we pass I twirl my wand a little in my sleeve. I cast a small charm that caused Malfoy to start hiccupping, and with his obvious rage the hiccups only became more aggravated.

"Did you do that?" Ron asks at the top of the stairs with smothered laughter.

"Do what?" I ask back with a sharp grin. This only sends Ron into another laugh as he pats me on the back. "If he never stole the Remembrall and tried to get us in trouble I never would've gotten on the team." I say with an excited tone.

"So you think that's a reward for breaking the rules?" Hermione chimes in. She stomped beside us and glared at the parcel in my hands.

"I thought you weren't speaking to us?" Ron asks, "don't stop now it was doing us so much good." He adds making her walk off in a huff.

"She wasn't speaking to you, Ron, just you." I say plainly. "Me and her have actually had a few conversations over homework." I said as we were entering the Gryffindor common room. I should find her later to apologize.

We moved quickly to the dorm and unwrapped the broom. It was nearly as tall as me with a rich brown mahogany handle and thin straight branches at the end that came to a point. Nimbus Two thousand was written in neat swirling cursive on the top of the handle. 7'oclock was nearing and I made movement to leave the castle for the Quiddicth pitch like directed.

The stadium towered over me and hid the setting sun behind its size. When I got inside I couldn't wait before I mounted my broom and began to examine the arena from a higher perspective. Doing one lap around the seats and then around the goalposts, swerving in and out of the holes at the top. The Nimbus 2000 turned far easier than the practice brooms and I grew excited before trying more daring turn and spins. Holding one arm away from the broom I grabbed the rim of the goalpost and the force made me swing through the hole with excess speed. I let loose a carefree yelp of excitement. 

"Potter, come down!" Oliver Wood shouted from the ground, he had arrived with a large brown chest covered in many buckles. I landed a few feet away and walked toward him, a slight feeling of vertigo but I pushed it aside. "Very nice indeed," Wood said. His eyes glinted something fierce. "I see what McGonagall meant...you really are a natural. For now we'll just be going over the rules today, then you'll be joining team practices three times a week." 

Opening the crate he revealed four different sized balls. Mentally I had hit myself in the head for not asking to read Ron's copy of Quidditch Through the Ages while I waited till seven. "Right, Quidditch is easy enough understand, even if it's not easy to play. There are seven players on each team. Three are chasers." Wood reached down to take a bright red ball out of the chest. "This is a Quaffle, the Chasers throw the Quaffle to each other and try to get it through one of the hoops to make a goal. Ten points every time the quaffle goes through the hoops. Are you following?" Wood said, pausing.

"The Chasers juggle the Quaffle and put it through the hoops and make ten points. It's a little like basketball, isn't it?" 

Wood's face shift to confusion, "What's basketball?"

"Never mind," I wave off. "Continue."

"Now theres another player on each side called a Keeper,"

"Do they keep the ball out of the goals?" I interrupt.

"Yes, that's my job. Very good, Harry." Wood praised while putting the quaffle back. 

"And what are those?" I point toward the two identical black balls as they move erratically under their restraints.