Quaffles, Anyone? 2: Dive Into Spirit

Chapter One

The Alpha

Harry unloaded his trunk from the Dursley's car and sighed at the sight of number four, Privet Drive in front of him.

“What are you waiting for, boy?” Uncle Vernon snarled behind him “Get in!”

Harry entered the edifice and climbed up to his room. He opened it to see that it was still the same as he left it last year.

“We're back Hedwig” Harry said calmly putting Hedwig's cage on the desk “And I doubt it will be a happy one”

Hedwig gave a feeble hoot before she drifted to sleep. Harry sat on the foot of his bed and looked out the window

He only realized that an hour ago he was in the magical world with his friends. It seemed nothing at first on the trip to Surrey but ones he pressed the matter, like every year, it feels sad and kind of left out.

Harry laid his back on the bed and ran a hand through his jet black hair. He ran through it again and remembered his haughty father doing this and ceased himself.

Last year began unexpectedly, Harry thought his sixth year would be very sad since his godfather died but during the summer that followed after his fifth year, his friends were there to set his mind straight by being positive.

Sixth year was a very eventful one, considering many surprises like his sudden feelings for Hermione, Alex, mummies, quaffles, Hermione's natural ability in Quidditch, Fiyuna, sabers that glow red, jazz music, angst, romance, etcetera.

His sixth year also marked the arrival of Rapticon Sr., Harry's Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. In Harry's opinion, he was the next best thing to Lupin. He knew his subject well and was very optimistic at all times. Harry remembered Rapticon Sr.'s incident with Bumblefoot, a severe dinosaur disease which Rapticon Sr. had since he was a raptor.

Rapticon Sr. wasn't just a teacher per se. He was a soldier and a good one considering the sword which hung on his classroom wall. Harry's memory swirled as he saw Rapticon Sr. slashing dementors near the Whomping Willow months ago as he was trying to save him, Ron and Hermione.

Rapticon Sr. wasn't alone though, he had companions and they were a motley band. On top of the list Harry could pick out was Fiyuna. Rapticon Sr.'s enigmatic assistant. She was very friendly and timid at times but was very polite especially to Harry who shared a brother and sister relationship with her.

Other than that, there was the dynamic duo of Figment and Elvis. Harry smiled when he recalled their funny antics and arguments. Elvis was such a child and Figment was like the guy who warned him when Elvis would act childish.

But apart from all those things, Harry's sixth year was solely base on Hermione. Harry began the sixth year totally normal. He didn't ask for it. He didn't see it coming but his feelings toward her elevated when he saw her going with another boy but in the end, Harry won her heart but he never knew what will happen if they meet again. They didn't even express their affection for each other through words. Harry touched his lips and remembered kissing her in front of the whole school in the Great Hall and his last one which was in the Quidditch pitch. It was much unexpected. Harry would get nervous when he thought of Hermione since his platonic relationship with her did a very fast turn when he admitted that he loved her more than a friend. Harry was already thinking on what he will do if he met her again after summer.

Harry's thoughts decided to explore Hermione. How he met her since his first year in Hogwarts, how he saw her petrified body at the hospital wing, when he and her ventured with the mysterious powers of Time-Turner, when she stood by him when every turned away from him, when she fell in the Department of Mysteries, when she joined the Quidditch team and how he and her realized they cared for each other in a less platonic way.

The thought of Hermione becoming petrified, being wounded in the Department of Mysteries, almost being hit by the Whomping Willow and nearly losing her in their Quidditch matches made Harry feel a weird reaction towards her.

“I have to protect her” Harry muttered to himself

If Harry will pursue his relationship with Hermione even further then that means he has to protect her more than anyone else since he will be seeing Hermione in a new light than a friend.

“Then that means…” Harry's voice faded when he thought of the worst scenario ever.

Harry didn't want to think of it at the time being. He just arrived and now he is thinking that he just brought Hermione to a danger zone.

“No” said Harry to himself “Hermione's safe… I didn't bring her to any trouble… yet”

Harry turned to his side and saw the broom kit Hermione sent him during their third year. Harry remembered the dementors trying to get Sirius. Hermione was there too. Harry reminded himself that Hermione was in trouble, they were going for Sirius, his deceased godfather.

Sirius… that name still pains Harry… the day he fell into the veil was one of the heart stopping moments of Harry's life. He just lost the next best thing to a father and he lost it all because of one person… Bellatrix Lestrange.

At first, Harry would blame himself for Sirius' death but during the time, his friends would tell him otherwise. Harry was in his worst that time but it all changed when Ron and Hermione talked to him when he reached Grimmauld Place before his sixth year.

Harry was very touched that they would do anything to make him think straight and try to put it behind him. Hermione did most of the comforting when she would give him hugs while Ron supported her speeches about that Harry was just doing what he needs to do and that is seeing that Sirius was safe even if he is in the Department of Mysteries or not.

His thoughts brought him back to Hermione. How she comforted him when he was depressed. He didn't notice before but he liked everything about her. The way she worries too much, the way she babble about facts and figures in the books she has read.

Everything that she does seem very attractive to Harry since the incident last year which brought them closer than ever before and thanks to Rapticon Sr., Harry realized he liked Hermione more than a friend.

But something has been bothering him.

If he liked Hermione more than a friend that meant she could be in danger than ever before. Harry felt a twinge of guilt when he remembered Hermione being almost attacked by the Whomping Willow again. But what if Voldemort, the most feared wizard in the entire world, gets her? A thought that stayed idle in Harry's mind since.

During the summer before Harry's fifth year in Hogwarts, he always pictured him and Voldemort fighting and he would imagine Voldemort attacking his friends before him. The consequences would be horrifying if Voldemort found out that Harry and Hermione share a special relationship with each other. The dangers in that scenario are almost inevitable.

Another thing has prodded Harry's brain slightly during his sixth year. Why hasn't Voldemort attacked yet? He has grown to full power two years ago and during Harry's fifth year, he was able to thwart Voldemort's plans but why was he silent last year? There were two encounters that possibly involved the Dark Lord.

One was when the dementors attacked during last Halloween and somehow in the midst of the commotion, Rapticon Sr. didn't attended the Halloween feast but rather pursued the dementors, which Harry thought that would possible since the second encounter was similar. The second was when, as Rapticon Sr. elucidated, Voldemort possessed the Whomping Willow. The reason why Voldemort did that is still unknown.

Harry clapped his forehead. The pain in his scar was coming back again but somehow, Harry was getting used to this. Rubbing his scar, Harry was thinking where was Voldemort and what was he doing… maybe, just maybe he might be planning his biggest onslaught ever but that was near impossible since the Order will be there before he does such a thing.

Harry turned to the ceiling and scratched his ribs. He looked to his right and saw a snow globe which he found during his third year. The contents inside was Santa Clause giving gifts to a child. Harry smiled remembering the Christmas Ball last year. It was such a pretty sight, the music, the decorations and his dance with Hermione and the other girl.

Who was that girl? Harry thought. She was very pretty and she looked exactly like the girl he saw in Fiyuna's pictures in her room. Whoever that girl was, Harry knew she could possibly be Fiyuna but Rapticon Sr. and Fiyuna said that she was a friend, that's all. But why does she act so much like Fiyuna? Was it her?

Then something in Harry's mind when he saw the snow globe made his stomach lurch uncomfortably. The snow globe reminded him of the prophecy… the prophecy that said that Harry could be a murderer or be murdered… Harry can't escape it… the future has been set.

One bad thing was that he still never told the others about it. He doesn't want them to feel shocked at the news and he is also afraid of Hermione's reaction if she did find out. They just took their friendship, if they call it a friendship, to the next level and now he will make her worry too much and also that Harry made her a prime target for Voldemort…

Harry shook his head and sat up. All these thoughts were making him think too much of what's going to happen. Voldemort doesn't know about his relationship about Hermione, he was safe here in Privet Drive, the prophecy will be fulfilled and Harry will stop at nothing to defeat Voldemort. It may make some sacrifices but Harry will try his best to do it.

Then he heard a tapping noise, Harry turned to the window to see a small owl tapping on the window with a letter clamped on its beak. It was Pig, Ron's owl.