November marks the start of Quidditch season -- and also the start of very cold weather. According to Dean, the mountains around the school are now an icy gray and the lake is completely frozen over.
On Saturday, Harry will play his first Quidditch match against the Slytherin team. If Gryffindor wins, they'll be second place in the House Championship.
Nobody has really seen Harry play, Wood telling him that he's their secret weapon, but the news that he would be the Seeker this year ("And hopefully for years to come!" Angelina Johnson had told him one practice) had somehow leaked. Nobody except the first-year Gryffindors, plus the rest of the team, believe Harry will play well. If anything, they think he'll fly around like mad and somehow manage to lose them points. It doesn't help ease Harry's nerves at all but the few people that do believe in him every day that he'll be wonderful.
Harry, between the last minute Quidditch practices and classes in general, has no idea how he's managed to keep up with his homework. He does, though, much to Ron's disbelief. Ron tells him daily how impressive Harry is to be playing Quidditch, be second in the class in Charms, Transfiguration, and DADA, be doing his homework, and still have time to get a full night's rest in. Harry thinks it's pretty impressive too but he doesn't want to sound arrogant so he doesn't say this out loud.
Hermione had lent him Quidditch Through the Ages to read before the game, too. He learns that books do actually change into braille when their reader needs it and figures that sweets are just sweets, that you don't need to read the label of a sweets package to want to eat it. He asks Hermione about it and she rushes off to the library the second he finishes his question, coming back and telling him that magical books accommodate themselves for their reader and that sweets don't for the same reason he originally thought. All this just means that Hagrid didn't specifically buy books in braille for Harry but still.
Hermione has also become more lax on the breaking of rules ever since the troll incident. On Friday, the three don't want to stay in the common room for the whole afternoon after Potions so they head out to the courtyard to get some air. Hermione, being Hermione, conjures a fire inside of a jar for them to sit around which is surely against the rules but Harry can't bring himself to care, considering it's warming him up.
"Snape," Ron hisses. "Get closer, don't let him see it."
Harry does as Ron asks, scooting closer to the jar-fire. His fingers are running across the pages of Quidditch Through the Ages because it really is an interesting read and he hasn't really had the time to read it in the past few days.
"I don't understand -- how do you do it?" Hermione whispers, wonder in her voice.
Harry hums, "What?"
"Read like that."
Harry snorts, "Very carefully. I took classes. I spent a year in something called pre-braille training, where they sensitized and strengthened my fing--"
"What have you got there, Potter?"
Harry blinks. His mood instantly darkens at being interrupted and he sighs quietly, holding the book up to show Snape.
"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," he says. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."
"What?" Harry says incredulously. "Sir, that's not a rule, you're making that up!"
"Excuse me?"
Harry hugs the book close to his chest, "I'm not giving it to you, it's mine . Madam Pince doesn't care where the books go as long as you don't damage them in the process of taking them places."
"Harry, no--"
"That's ten more points from Gryffindor, Potter. Keep arguing and you'll get another detention. Tomorrow, during the Quidditch game," Snape interrupts Hermione.
"Harry, c'mon," Ron urges quietly. "It's not worth it."
Harry, in a move that destroys half his pride, thrusts his arm out and turns his head away. Snape snatches the book out of his hand, "Another five for the attitude. You're lucky."
Harry grits his teeth so he doesn't say anything back. He doesn't want to get detention during his first Quidditch game. Not only will it make everyone else think he's scared, it'll make Wood angry enough to kill him, probably.
Snape leaves and Harry scowls, "Bloody git ."
"Wonder what's wrong with his leg?" Hermione says quietly.
"Whatever it is, I hope it's hurting him," Harry says bitterly, despite not having known Snape's leg was even hurt in the first place.
Later, when Hermione is checking over Ron and Harry's Charms homework, (Harry didn't want her to but she had forced him to hand it over) Ron is the first to notice his leg bouncing up and down.
"Okay?" he asks.
Harry sighs, "I want my book back. I need something to keep my mind off the game tomorrow -- off of everybody telling me I'm rubbish."
"Snape's not going to give it back," Hermione says. "You argued with him and were winning , that's why he kept taking points off and threatening you with detention. He knows he's wrong, he's just too mean to admit it."
"He can't refuse if other teachers are around," Harry says reasonably. "C'mon, Ron, we'll go to the staff room. You can wait outside while I ask him."
Ron, very begrudgingly, agrees. He leads Harry to the staff room and knocks for him. When nobody answers, Harry steps up and knocks. Again, nothing.
"Just open it," Harry shrugs.
Ron sighs and does so, the hinges creaking slightly as he does. He gasps quietly.
"Blasted thing," Harry hears Snape say. "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"
Ron, Harry assumes, tries to shut the door but --
"WEASLEY!"
Ron stumbles back into Harry but Harry won't be deterred from getting his book.
"I was wondering if I could have my book back, Professor," he says.
"GET OUT! OUT!"
Ron grabs Harry's arm and starts running back to the common room.
"Ron, there's no reason to be so scared of him," Harry says as they join Hermione again.
"Harry, his leg was all bloodied," Ron says. "And he was talking about three heads -- the dog? Harry, do you know what this means?"
Hermione gasps, "He tried to get past the dog on Halloween! You said you saw him go toward the third-floor didn't you?"
"Yeah," Harry says seriously.
"Harry," Hermione says exasperatingly and Harry grins. "Anyway, it obviously didn't work. It explains the limp."
"I'll bet he let the troll in as a distraction," Ron says.
"Ronald, no," Hermione says quickly. "He's mean but he wouldn't do that . I can believe trying to get past the dog to get to whatever it's guarding but doing that doesn't put anybody but himself in danger -- setting a troll loose puts everybody and himself in danger."
"Hermione, have you not seen how he acts around me? Around Neville? I'm pretty sure he doesn't care for the students' safety," Harry says.
"Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something," Ron adds.
"Whatever," Hermione mutters.
Harry goes to sleep that night wondering why exactly Snape would want to steal whatever the dog is guarding and wondering what the dog is guarding in the first place.
Harry, the next morning, is so nervous he can barely eat, though he does manage to get some eggs down.
By eleven o'clock, it sounds like the whole school is in the stadium. As a surprise for Harry, apparently, the boys in his dorm and Hermione had used one of the sheets Scabbers chewed up to make a banner that says Potter for President with a drawing of a lion on it. While Harry can't see it, the knowledge that it's there (and the sound of the Gryffindor first years chanting those same words) gives him the courage he needs.
In the locker rooms, Harry and the rest of the team is changing into their Quidditch robes. Wood clears his throat for silence.
"Okay, men," he says.
"And women," Angelina Johnson says. She's a Chaser and pretty close with Harry, calling him her little brother on multiple occasions. Fred and George coo audibly anytime she says it but shut up when she yells at them for acting like they don't think of Harry as their little brother too.
"And women," Wood agrees. "This is it."
"The big one," Fred says. Harry has memorized the two twins' voices thanks to Quidditch practice and, according to them, is one of the very few people who can tell them apart. Harry thinks the difference between the two's voices is obvious but apparently, other people don't.
"The one we've all been waiting for," George continues.
"We know Oliver's speech by heart," Fred tells Harry, "we were on the team last year."
"Shut up, you two," Wood says. "This is the best team Gryffindor's had in years. We're going to win. I know it."
There's a moment's pause.
"Right. It's time. Good luck, all of you."
Harry follows Fred and George out of the locker room, his heart racing. He hears Madam Hooch say, "Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," and thinks that might be directed at the Slytherins more than anything. He hears the first-year Gryffindors chanting, "Potter for President!" and feels a little braver.
"Mount your brooms, please."
Harry does so. He's glad for the practice with the Crowd-Cheering-Charm (as the team has taken to calling it) because without it, he's not sure he'd be able to hear the Snitch over the sound of the students. He wonders briefly where Wood found out about the charm.
Madam Hooch blows her whistle loudly and Harry kicks off, immediately focusing on attempting to hear the Snitch more than anything else.
"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor — what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too —"
"JORDAN!"
"Sorry, Professor."
Lee Jordan, a friend of the Weasley Twins, is the one doing commentary.
"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve —back to Johnson and — no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes — Flint flying like an eagle up there — he's going to sc- no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle — that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and — OUCH — that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger — Quaffle taken by the Slytherins — that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger — sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which — nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes — she's really flying — dodges a speeding Bludger — the goal posts are ahead — come on, now, Angelina — Keeper Bletchley dives — misses — GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"
Gryffindor cheers fill Harry's ears, as well as moans and groans from the Slytherins.
Harry is flying in circles above the stadium. It's all part of his and Wood's game plan, they've been practicing it ever since the start of practice. Without fail, Harry always manages to hear the Snitch from somewhere as he flies over the stadium like he is now. A Bludger comes flying toward him shortly after Angelina scores but he dodges it easily. Fred hits it back down and yells, "All right there, Harry?" before flying off.
"Slytherin in possession," Lee is saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the — wait a moment — was that the Snitch?"
Harry lowers himself back into the stadium, straining his ears and -- yes! It is the Snitch! Harry smirks and immediately shoots after it, Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs flying to his left, yelling insults at Harry to try and throw him off. Harry is faster than him though and easily tunes out the insults, focusing solely on the sound of the Snitch. He gets closer and closer and stretches his hand out, ready to close his fist around the tiny ball and then --
WHAM!
Harry spins out of the way and the Gryffindors let out roars of rage, screaming, "Foul!" at Madam Hooch. Harry steadies his broom and shakes his head slightly, a small sigh leaving him. He can't hear the Snitch anymore. Cursing whoever just knocked him out of the way, he rises back up. Lee is having a hard time containing his own anger.
"So — after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating —"
"Jordan!" Professor McGonagall growls.
"I mean, after that open and revolting foul —"
"Jordan, I'm warning you —"
"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinnet, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."
Marcus Flint. Harry scowls, directly his curses at Marcus Flint now.
A Bludger flies dangerously close to his head but he dodges it and that's when it happens. His broom gives a sudden lurch and Harry tightens his grip so he doesn't fall off. It happens again, almost as if it's trying to buck Harry off like a horse or a bull. He opens his mouth to try and ask Wood to call a time-out -- which he doesn't think is even a thing in Quidditch -- but all that comes out is a small scream as his broom zigzags through the air and sometimes makes violent moves that almost knock him off.
"Slytherin in possession — Flint with the Quaffle — passes Spinnet — passes Bell — hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose — only joking, Professor — Slytherins score — oh no..."
Nobody seems to have noticed Harry's broom trying to kill him. It's taking him higher, judging by the way the cheers and Lee's voice is getting steadily quieter, though still very loud. Very suddenly, his broom starts to roll over and over in a circle. He only barely manages to keep his grip on it. Harry hears everybody gasp when it jerks violently and he flies off of it, only holding with one hand.
Harry holds on for dear life and after only a minute of hanging on, his broom stops. He clambers back on and -- clasping a hand over his mouth -- zooms toward the ground. He hits the ground on all fours and coughs into his hand, a miserable laugh leaving him when the Snitch falls into his hand. He shakes his head before lifting his hand high and yelling, "I've got the Snitch!"
Harry doesn't hear the Slytherins outrage or Lee shouting the results for twenty minutes after, seeing as he's whisked away to Hagrid's for tea as soon as the game ends.
"It was Snape," Ron explains. "He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, wouldn't take his eyes off you. Hermione and I saw him."
"Rubbish," Hagrid says. "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"
"We found out something about him," Ron says. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding."
"How do you know about Fluffy?"
"Fluffy?" Harry repeats.
"Yeah — he's mine — bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year — I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the —"
"Yes?" Harry leans forward slightly, eager to hear about the dog.
"Now, don't ask me anymore," Hagrid says. "That's top secret, that is."
"But Snape's trying to steal it."
"Rubbish," Hagrid says again. "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do nothin' of the sort."
"So why did he just try and kill Harry?" Hermione cries. "I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid, I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!"
"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" Hagrid says vehemently. "I don' know why Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student! Now, listen to me, all three of yeh — yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel —"
"Aha!" Harry grins madly. "So, there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"
Later, Ron will tell Harry that Hagrid looked extremely angry with himself for ever even opening his mouth.