Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
————————————
Aurora Areli
THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER had soon come around, and the weather became very cold. The mountains surrounding the school became an icy gray and the lake reminded me of chilled steel.
Every morning, much to my excitement, the ground was covered in frost. Winter (my favorite season) was approaching, which also meant that Christmas was drawing nearer as well.
In addition to this, the Quidditch season had begun. After many weeks of training, Harry would be playing in his first match, which was Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, we would move up into second place in the house championship.
Harry had been named Gryffindor's secret weapon, although somehow the news of his place on the team had leaked out. People had taken to either telling him he'd be brilliant, or that they'd be running around underneath him with a mattress.
Although I wouldn't admit it, I was nervous for my green-eyed friend. Quidditch was not a kind game, and Seekers were the ones who had it worst of all.
Because Harry had practices three days a week (although now Wood had been calling many last minute practices on top of that), Hermione and I had been helping him get through his homework. Hermione had also let him read Quidditch Through the Ages, a book she had gotten from the library.
Ever since Harry and Ron had saved us from the troll, Hermione had become a little more relaxed about breaking the rules, and was much nicer to them.
It was the day before Harry's first Quidditch match, and the four of us were outside in the freezing courtyard during break. Hermione had conjured up a bright blue fire that could be carried around in a jam jar.
We were huddled around the flames with our backs facing it, trying to get warm, when a limping Snape came over to us. He must've caught our guilty expressions, because we were sure that the jar wouldn't be allowed.
I didn't think he actually saw the fire, since we had moved closer together to block it from view, but the greasy-haired Potions teacher was always looking for reasons to tell us — especially Harry — off.
"What's that you've got there, Potter?" he sneered.
Harry reluctantly showed him the copy of Quidditch Through the Ages he was holding.
"Library books are not to be taken outside of the school," said Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."
My mouth dropped open, but I closed it as soon as Snape looked in my direction. I was also holding a book, and he hadn't said anything to me.
With that he snatched the book out of Harry's hands and limped away.
"He just made that rule up," Harry muttered angrily, scowling at Snape's retreating figure.
