Harry Potter and the Year of Surprises by erinpotter

A Great Match

Harry walked out of the captain’s office and forced a smile at his six team mates. ‘Right,’ he said. ‘Everyone ready to kick some Slytherin butt?’

There were shouts of ‘Yeah!’ and Ginny shouted (so loudly that everyone stared at her) ‘Of course!’

‘Okay then guys. I know it’s boring but I feel duty bound to give you a little pep talk.’ Everyone groaned. ‘I know this is the first match for most of you, that’s you four, and there is a little pressure because we’re playing Slytherin but I know we can do it. We’ve got Ron as keeper, who I think is as good as Oliver Wood, we’ve got two fantastic beaters who are almost as good as the Weasley twins, and three superb chasers and. . . me.’

‘You’re the best seeker ever, Harry! I think you’re better than Victor Krum!’ Seamus said.

Ron’s ears turned red at the mention of Krum. ‘Are we ready to go then Harry?’

‘No, not quite. Look guys, I don't want to put any more pressure on you but I really want to win this, I need to. So try your best. Oh yeah, and McGonagall said that she has become used to seeing the quidditch cup in her office and if she had to give it to Snape, I won't use her exact words but, well, she’d rather resign.’

Everyone laughed and Harry was glad he had lightened the mood after getting all serious. As he walked out he put his team into ‘walking out positions’. Ron was first on his own, then Dean and Seamus, then the three chasers and Harry himself at the back. As they were waiting for the signal to fly out, Ginny took a step back to talk to Harry.

‘Harry, we are going to win. Sure, it’s not the best team we’ve ever had but neither is Slytherins. And anyway, I think you scared them all into winning back there.’ she chuckled.

Harry didn’t laugh. ‘Do you know what it would mean if Slytherin did win? You would have to spend at least two hours with Malfoy, alone. Ginny, his dad is one of the darkest wizards in the country; you can't think that he doesn’t know a spell or two to get you to like him.’

‘Harry, I'm not worrying about it because I know we’re going to win and it’s about time you took up the same attitude.’

The signal for them to go went and Ron led them all out.

‘And for Gryffindor it’s Weasley, Thomas, Finnegan, Patil, Brown, Weasley aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand POTTER!’

Most of the crowd were cheering and Harry could see all of the teachers (except Snape) cheering as well. 

This made Harry feel good. To a normal person, the whole crowd depending on him would make them feel nervous, but Harry wasn’t a normal person. He thought that he played better in a favourable crowd because he felt that he couldn’t let everyone down.

Harry overtook the rest of his team and zoomed up to the height where Malfoy was already sitting.

‘Alright Potter? Worried.’

‘Nope, but you should be. Malfoy, I'm warning you, stay away from Ginny. ‘

‘Or what?’

‘Or, Malfoy, I’ll kill you. Or even worse, I'll kill your dad, and his precious master Voldemort. Not that I'm not going to anyway, of course.’

‘Don't you dare say his name! You aren’t fit to lick the dog shit off his boots, you filthy half-blood. You wait, you just wait till I'm old enough to join and then the Dark Lord will have enough information to defeat you.’

‘Actually, Malfoy, I don't think that’s gonna happen. See, I've been gathering a bit of inside information on Voldemort myself and it seems that you have to be at least twenty to join. Am I right?’

‘Yeah, so what?’

‘So by the time you’re twenty, your dear old friend Voldy will be long gone.’

‘And when do you plan to kill him.’

‘As soon as possible, just the same as when he is planning to kill me.’

‘You don't know what the Dark Lord is up to.’ Malfoy said half-confidently. 

‘Don't I? Think about it. I'm much more powerful than him.’

‘No you’re not. That’s not possible.’

‘Okay, maybe I'm not now. But I will be soon. Very soon. See, I have worked out, although it wasn’t too hard that your dear old daddy is second in command. (Malfoy almost nodded) but I recently kicked his ass and sent him off with the aurors. So if he is next in power to Voldy, then I must almost be there.’ 

Malfoy shot Harry the dirtiest look he could muster and flew away. Harry thought that their chat had given them an excellent head start. Malfoy would be too busy worrying about what Harry had said he won't be really bothered about the game. 

How very wrong he was. 

It made Malfoy even more determined to win a night with Ginny. He sped down to his end of the pitch before the starting bell went and shouted, keep to the plan. Harry heard it and wondered what it meant, but settled (uncomfortably) that it was a series of moves they had planned, however he had a sinking feeling in his stomach that it was something worse, something really nasty. But he knew he had to get on with the game, trying to keep his eye open for the snitch and for anything which might indicate that Malfoy was up to something. 

The day Harry heard that Draco Malfoy had been made captain of the Slytherin quidditch team, his heart sank. Sure, the Slytherins had never actually played fair, but know that Malfoy was in charge, there would be complete chaos every time they played Gryffindor. Harry knew, somehow, that Malfoy would try everything possible to try for the quidditch cup. 

‘AND WEASLEY HAS GOT THE BALL! SHE’S HEADING STRAIGHT FOR THE GOAL AND SHE SHOOTS! NO, WAIT SHE DOESN’T, SHE’S PASSED IT TO PATIL WHO HAS SCORED!!!!!’

Harry came back to reality. He did a little lap of the pitch in celebration. Getting the first goal was always good. It made the other team nervous. Harry scanned the pitch from high above, looking for a short way out of the game. He couldn’t detect it. He glanced at Malfoy who didn’t look in the least bit bothered about finding the snitch.

‘Maybe he doesn’t want to go out with Ginny…’ he said quietly. But then there was an almighty scream from far below him and Harry saw a trail of blazing red hair falling. Something in his brain clicked and he sped after her long before anyone else had caught on that she could die. His Firebolt was belting towards the ground a split second faster than Ginny. Her facial features we’re coming into Harry’s view…if he could just reach her…his arm stretched forward…it was a hundred feet drop…

‘Ginny. Just reach for my hand.’ he cried.

Ginny’s hand flew up in desperation and Harry grabbed her in a wristlock and pulled her up onto the back of his broom. The crowd Harry had forgotten about let out a sigh of relief and then the largest cheer erupted that Harry had ever heard inside the Hogwarts grounds. He could feel Ginny's hands lock around his stomach and he smiled. He looked around at Malfoy who was in such a bad temper that he didn’t notice the small, golden winged ball fluttering just about his head. Harry instinctively rushed forward, careful not to put his hand out in case Malfoy realised. Malfoy did realise that Harry was zooming towards him and he swerved out of the way just before Harry reached him…and the snitch.

An even louder cheer boomed around him and Harry could hardly hear the commentator’s voice say, ‘And Harry Potter settles the game with an absolutely superb move with Ginny Weasley on the back of his excellent broom. I think it’s his best one ever!’