Chapter Eleven
All Harry heard from the other first years for the next week was how they were great flyers. Ron kept telling anybody who would listen how he used to practice with his brother Charlie, who was previously the Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. He also told people how he had had a near accident when he almost hit a hand glider, but that he used his flying skills to avoid being hurt or killed. Seamus, who was from a wizarding family, seemed to have been flying before he could walk. The worst was Malfoy. He would tell long bragging stories about him flying around, messing with muggles and shooting spells at helicopters. He also complained in arrogance that the school brooms were too old and that it was stupid that first years weren't allowed a place on their house Quidditch team.
Only when Hermione pointed out that he would have been reprimanded by the Ministry if he was caught shooting spells at Muggles, did people stop listening to him. On Thursday morning, Harry was incredibly nervous. He was going to make a fool of himself, he knew it. He didn't have an appetite for breakfast and didn't eat anything, he just listened to Neville talk about the Remembrall that his grandmother had sent him. He had a terrible memory and the Remembrall was supposed to help him remember what he had forgotten.
Harry regretted not having breakfast, because his stomach spent the day growling in protest. At three thirty, he made his way out into the grounds. It was a cool, breezy day and the sun was shining in his eyes as he took his place among the broomsticks that were placed neatly on the ground. He saw Hermione standing across from him. She also looked very nervous so he gave her an encouraging smile. She smiled back which for some reason made him extremely happy. Probably because she hasn't spoken to me for ages, he thought. Neville looked as if he was about to throw up. His grandmother was very protective of him and didn't allow him to fly a broomstick as he was extremely clumsy. Harry secretly agreed with her.
Malfoy looked very smug as he took his place beside his broomstick. Ron also didn't seem bothered. He was talking animatedly to Seamus who was standing beside him. Madam Hooch made her way across the grounds to them. She had short grey bristly hair and her eyes reminded Harry of a hawk. "Well, what are you waiting for? One hand over the broomstick and say `UP'."
Harry stretched his hand out and said `up'. The broomstick leapt into his hand and he closed his fist over it. Malfoy got it a few seconds afterwards and then scowled when he realized he wasn't the first one to get it. Many people were struggling. Ron was nearly shouting at his broomstick, he was very hot-headed. Harry saw Hermione was also straining to get her broomstick to jump into her hand. He thought she must find it hard not to achieve something. It hadn't taken Harry long to realize that Hermione was very intelligent and that she worked extremely hard when it came to her studies. She always answered the teachers questions immediately and took pride in being right. This must be killing her, Harry thought.
He noticed she didn't have her hand fully outstretched and it seemed that deep down she wasn't too pushed to climb onto a broomstick. Harry put his broom on the ground and walked over to help her. "There's nothing to be afraid of," he said softly. "We probably wont leave the ground far behind." She turned to him, her brow furrowed. "I am NOT afraid," she said annoyed. She tried the broom once again, but to no avail. "Here," Harry said walking over to her side. He placed his hand over hers and stretched out his arm so hers' did the same. He then made her open her palm wider. "Now, say it again. But be more commanding." She swallowed and then said "UP"
The broom jumped into her hand and she caught it. She smiled and thanked Harry, who made his way back to is own broom wondering why his throat had gone dry. For the next few minutes they practiced their grip on the broomsticks. Madam Hooch corrected a lot of people's grips and told a furious Malfoy he had been holding his broom wrong for years. When everybody was in place she said "Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard." But Neville who was nervous and jumpy pushed off the ground too hard and he was launched into the air. He rose straight up and at twenty feet he gasped and slipped from the broom. He hit the ground with considerable force.
Neville lay sprawled on the ground; Harry could hear him whimpering in pain. Madam Hooch made her way over to him. She bent down and then said "Broken wrist- come on, Hospital Wing. Thank Merlin, its nothing worse." She helped him up off the ground and walked him past the other students.
"If I catch anyone on a broomstick, they'll be immediately expelled." She warned.
Soon after she had left, Malfoy burst out laughing. His cronies followed his lead. "Did you see the fat lumps face." Ron stepped forward with Seamus and Dean. "Shut up, Malfoy."
"Why should I? What are you going to do?" he sneered. Ron once again progressed towards Malfoy. Crabbe threw a punch at him surprisingly. Harry, who had been standing to the side of them, caught Crabbe's fist and held it in a vice like grip. Crabbe let out a very girlish squeal and Harry let go of him. All the Gryffindors were laughing now.
Harry's face remained impassive.
Suddenly Malfoy bent down and scooped something up off the low blades of grass. "It's Longbottom's Remembrall." "Give it here, Malfoy," Harry asked quietly. Malfoy smirked at him and then went over and retrieved a broom from the ground. He leapt onto the broomstick and smiled nastily at Harry. "I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to collect- up a tree? He took off and Harry registered that he could actually fly quite well. "What's the matter Potter, a bit beyond your reach?"
Harry thought about his options for a moment before he stretched out his hand and his broom, which he had dropped earlier on, flew a few feet into his hand. He caught it and mounted it. "No!" Hermione shouted. "You could get hur…you could get into trouble."
But Harry was so angry he didn't hear her. All that was going through his mind now, was that he had to get that Remembrall back. He kicked hard off the ground and soared into the air. He had never felt so alive as he realized that he loved flying. The air rushed through his hair and his robes whipped out behind him. He drew level with Malfoy who wore a look of complete shock on his face. He heard screams coming from the ground below him and recognized Ron giving an admiring whoop. Harry gave Malfoy a look of pure loathing. "You're alone now. There's no one to help you up here." The same thought had just struck Malfoy who quickly regained some of his arrogance. "If you want it come and get it." Harry pointed the front of the broom stick in Malfoy's direction. He then shot towards him like a javelin. Malfoy moved a bit and stuck his leg out, which connected with Harry's chest and winded him.
Harry was knocked back off his broom. Just at the last minute he grabbed the edge of the broomstick. He was now hanging off the broom, swing precariously. Using all his strength he clambered back onto the broom to see Malfoy's stunned face which contorted with fury. "Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted throwing the small glass ball high into the air.
It hung in the air for a moment before it fell slowly back toward the ground. Harry followed it and dived towards the ground. His speed was increasing with every second but he didn't stop or slow down. He was gaining on the small ball. He cautiously took one hand off the front of the broom and closed his hand over the Remembrall. He then pulled his broom up so that he swerved out of the way of the ground. He jumped off his broomstick, his legs feeling a bit like jelly.
"HARRY POTTER' his heart plummeted as he recognized Professor McGonagall's voice. "Come with me-now!" Harry followed her silently. The other students, well Gryffindors, protested against his unknown punishment. Harry saw Malfoy wearing a triumphant grin as he trailed behind Professor McGonagall.
He was going to be expelled, he knew it. He hadn't even lasted a month. He tried taking deep breaths but McGonagall was walking so fast he didn't even have time to breathe. He followed her through corridors and up flights of stairs. He kept trying to will himself to say something, anything. You idiot Harry. You great big stupid idiot. She told you not to, didn't she? Madam Hooch told you not to, but no. You just had to disobey her. You prat. He thought.
Suddenly McGonagall stopped walking and Harry nearly collided with her. She knocked on the door of what Harry recognized as the Charms room. "Pardon me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment," she asked politely. Harry heard Flitwick answer her and they were soon joined by a burly fifth year. If Harry was confused before he was well beyond that now. Bewildered would have been an understatement. She walked them into an empty classroom and then shouted at Peeves for writing rude words on the blackboard with the chalk. Peeves gave her an evil grin but stopped when he saw Harry. His grin vanished to be replaced by a slightly apprehensive look. He then zoomed out of the classroom and McGonagall slammed the door behind him. Wood looked curiously at Harry, who in turn looked away.
"Wood, I have found you a seeker," McGonagall said excitedly. Wood's expression immediately turned into delight. `Are you serious Professor?"
"He caught a small transparent ball after a fifty foot dive. Charlie Weasley couldn't have done it. Potter," she turned to Harry "this is Oliver Wood. He is Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team." Harry didn't really know where this was going, but he was certain of one thing, he wasn't getting expelled.
"Have you ever seen a game of Quidditch, Potter?" Wood asked positively jumping up and down. Harry shook his head. "He's just the build of a seeker too. Light-speedy." Wood said circling Harry. Harry didn't dare believe what his head was telling him. "He needs a good broom. A Cleansweep or something," Wood was now saying.
"I'll speak to Professor Dumbledore. He should be able to do something. We'll keep it quiet for a while, our secret weapon," she said smiling. "I want to hear you're training hard or I may just change my mind. Your father would be proud. He was an excellent Quidditch player himself," she said before leaving the class with Wood.
Harry didn't tell Ron about being appointed Gryffindor seeker. One, he feared that he would get all weird around him and two because he might tell Seamus or someone. Harry ate dinner with the rest of the Gryffindors. They were all relieved Harry didn't get expelled and when Malfoy saw him he gave him malevolent grin and made his way towards him. `Having a last meal Potter?"
"You're a lot braver you have your little friends back," Harry said pointing his fork at Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy narrowed his eyes. `I'd take you on anytime on your own," Malfoy said coolly. "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel." Before Harry could answer Ron said "I'm his second. Who's yours?" Malfoy seemed to be sizing up his cronies before answering "Crabbe. Trophy Room. Midnight." He then left.
Harry rounded on Ron. "What are you doing? Are you crazy?
"Listen Harry, you don't want to back down, especially in front of a Malfoy. He gets one over on you and he'll never let it go."
Harry thought for a moment. He agreed with Ron but he didn't want to be in another situation where there was a good chance he was going to be caught and expelled. "Alright," he decided. "We'll go. But we're not staying long."
"Excuse me," said a voice from behind them. They both looked up to see Hermione Granger. She was looking very annoyed about something. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with Malfoy-"
"Bet you could," Ron muttered.
"-and you can't go running around the school at night. You'll get caught, you're bound to be. And doing this for someone like Malfoy is really pathetic in my opinion."
"What make you think we care about your opinion?" Ron asked snidely. Harry elbowed him in the stomach. When he turned back around he saw Hermione leaving the Great Hall in a hurry.
"Why did you say that?' Harry asked annoyed. "Because she's always interfering in other peoples business," Ron exclaimed.
The rest of the day passed without incident and at half past eleven Harry and Ron got ready to leave Gryffindor tower. Ron just put on a dressing gown over his pajamas while Harry was fully dressed in his school robes. "Ready?" Ron asked. "Yeah," Harry sighed. He was expecting a trap, it seemed just like Malfoy.
As they walked through the common room a lamp flickered on and Hermione stepped out from behind an armchair. "I can't believe you're going to do this. It's just so selfish." She was wearing a pink dressing gown but Harry noticed she was wearing a pair of runners as well which made him think that she wasn't interested in going to bed at the moment. "You," Ron said infuriated. "Go back to bed and stop interfering." Hermione crossed the common room and, ignoring Ron, she stood in front of Harry. `Listen to me. You know that what you are doing is wrong and still you're set on doing it anyway. Why don't you care? Just think of all the points you'll lose," she added pleadingly.
Harry thought about the situation. He couldn't not show up, but what if it was a trap, what if Malfoy wasn't going to show up. "We won't be long. And we wont be caught," Harry said with a tone of finality. Ron and Harry made their way outside the portrait hole, but Hermione wasn't finished there, she followed them out as well hissing like an angry goose. "Don't you care about anything but yourselves?" "Go away!" said Ron.
They then heard a groan and turned to see what was wrong with Hermione. The portrait of the Fat Lady was empty and she was locked out of the tower. Hermione then walked up to them and stood beside them as they peered around a corner. "I'm coming with you," she said bossily. "No, go back and wait outside the portrait hole. There's less risk of being caught," Harry said desperately. He didn't want Hermione to get in trouble. "If Filch catches us I'll tell him the truth that I was trying to stop you." Ron was about to argue but Harry just decided to say "Fine."
They crept through the silent corridors making sure there was no one behind them or ahead of them. They made sure to maintain the silence.
Soon Harry could hear a weird sort of snuffling and nearly died of shock when he realized there was a student lying on the ground. It was Neville. He had forgotten the password into the tower. Harry told him the password and started down the corridor again. "Don't leave me! I don't want to stay here on my own. The Bloody Baron's been past twice."
So now they started off again, four of them all staying close to each other, terrified they would be seen. When they got to the trophy room, Harry walked in first. One scan of the room told him Malfoy hadn't been here. The trophies seemed to watch them as they tip-toed through the room.
Just then Harry heard a noise. "Did you hear that?" he asked quickly. It seemed very low and far away. Footsteps. "No," the other replied. Harry wondered whether his acute hearing was helping again. "We have to go, now," he said imploringly. "No," said Ron. "What if Malfoy comes and we aren't here. He'll never let it go Harry!"
"Ron, I don't care. If we get caught he'll never let it go either. Now, I'm going. You can either stay here and wait for Filch or come with me, I know the quickest way back to Gryffindor tower."
Suddenly they heard footsteps in the next room and they all stopped breathing their hearts in their mouths. "Sniff around, my sweet. We'll catch them. Oh yes we will." It was Filch talking to Mrs. Norris.
Harry grabbed Hermione by the arm and motioned to Ron and Neville to follow him. They crept down a long corridor that had many suits of armour and huge portraits hanging from the walls. Suddenly they heard a yell from one of the portraits. `Hey there. What are you doing out at this time of night?"
"RUN?" Harry shouted and they all ran as fast as they could down the corridor. Harry burst through the door at the end of the corridor and lead them down another one. They galloped through what seemed hundreds of corridors, Harry trying his best to keep his bearings of the layout of Hogwarts, but it was almost pointless. He led them through a tapestry out onto yet another corridor. Then Harry spotted the Charms classroom. "We're ages away from the trophy room," he panted. They were all breathing heavily. Hermione was clutching a stitch in her chest. "It was a trap. Malfoy, he tricked you. He was never going to be there. He must have tipped Filch." Suddenly Peeves burst out from a classroom, spotted them and with an evil grin approached them. But once again he saw Harry and stopped dead in his tracks.
Then they heard Filch give a shout. They stood there petrified wondering what was going to happen. "Go now! I'll take care of filthy Filch,' Peeves cackled. They started off once more but Hermione moaned in pain, the stitch in her side stopped her from running. Harry grabbed her and threw her arm over his shoulder and half-carried her down the corridor. The corridor ended in a door which was locked. "This is it!" Ron moaned, as they pushed helplessly at the door. "We're done for! This is the end" Harry grabbed his wand and pointed it at the door. "Alohomora!" They heard a lock click, Harry opened the door and all four of them rushed inside slamming the door behind them.
Harry put his ear to the door to listen to what was happening outside. "Which way did they go Peeves?" Filch was saying. "Say please," said Peeves cackling some more.
"Listen, I'll have you thrown out if you don't tell me where they went!" screamed Filch.
"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please," sang Peeves. He was clearly enjoying this. Harry ignored Neville who was tugging at his robe.
"All right-please," conceded Filch.
"NOTHING! Ha haaaaaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please."
Harry heard Filch cursing and Peeves laughing his head off. Neville was still tugging at his robe.
"What Neville?" He turned around to look at Neville. Neville was staring white faced at something in front of him. Harry turned fully around and nearly fainted from shock. They hadn't run into a room, they had run into yet another corridor. The forbidden corridor. And now they knew why it was forbidden.
Standing at the other end of the corridor was a huge three headed dog. It filled the corridor with its enormous size. Drool was hanging from its mouths, splaying across the floor puddles of spit. Its six eyes were fixed on the four strange intruders into their corridor. Harry knew the reason they were not already dead was because they had taken it by surprise. Soon they could hear thunderous growls and Harry knew it was time to leave. Harry grabbed the doorknob-praying Filch had left the other corridor. They all ran into the Charms corridor and Harry slammed the door shut. They flew back to Gryffindor tower. Hermione was capable of running, the three headed dog had driven the stitch out of her mind.
The Fat Lady was quite mystified to see them, but allowed them in nonetheless. They collapsed into the armchairs all panting from their flat out running. Hermione was once again gripping the stitch in her chest. They sat there for a few moments, the shock still silencing them until
"WHAT are they thinking about, keeping something like that in a school!" Ron exclaimed.
Harry thought about what he had said for a few seconds. Then Hermione said what Harry was thinking. "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"
"Yeah, it was standing over a trapdoor," Harry replied. "It must be guarding something," he said speaking more to himself than anyone else.
"I hope you're happy," she said standing up. "We could all have been killed- or worse, expelled. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to bed.'
Ron looked at her incredulously. Harry then felt extremely guilty for everything that had happened that night.
As he climbed into his bed he began wondering about the three headed dog and what it was guarding. Hagrid had said Gringotts was the safest place to hide something except perhaps Hogwarts. Harry wondered whether he had just found out where the package from vault seven hundred and thirteen was.
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