Hello!

Mr. Guy (Guest): I've gotten into no trouble as of yet, so I'm continuing this.

Guest I: Did you mean you'd like to see a new Chapter or that you like the new Chapter? (If you answer this, please be so kind and refer to yourself as Guest I, okay?)

Guest II: Theoretically, yes it could. Pratically however, as you may have noticed the length of the 'BEEEP' varies in the number of letters used. Each letter actually stands for a letter, like the above could mean 'Magic' but not 'Gryffindor'.

This Chapter is dedicated to:

icecatfire because he/she was the 300th person who favorited this,

ssj3gohan007 because by my count he/she was the 100th reviewer and

The American Psycho because by my count he/she was my 400th follower!

You guys (and everyone else reading this) rock!

Also as of now, this story is in 8 communities (one of them my own but who cares) and has 61,566 views! And I broke 150 pages in Open Office writer!

Luke Amranvor honest thanks yet again for betaing this.

On with the Chapter!

"Chapter 11", Bruce read, "Quidditch"

As they entered November, the weather turned very cold.

"No, really?" Regulus commented sarcastically, "It's only the Scottish winter."

The mountains around the school became icy gray and the lake like chilled steel.

"Sounds beautiful", Jane sighed, "especially in comparison to my school in winter..."

Darcy nodded in agreement.

Every morning the ground was covered in frost. Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs windows defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field,

"Why would anyone leave their brooms anywhere but in their room in autumn or winter?" James asked.

bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaver skin boots.

The Quidditch season had begun.

The Quidditch fans cheered. As did the muggles who thought that they are going to be counted in that group soon.

On Saturday, Harry would be playing in his first match after weeks of training:

"Gryffindor versus Slytherin", chorused everyone who had spent enough time at Hogwarts to notice the pattern.

Gryffindor versus Slytherin.

Bruce interrupted himself: "I assume this combination is always the first?"

Everybody who knew confirmed.

If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the House Championship.

The Gryffindors – who weren't mature – cheered.

Hardly anyone had seen Harry play

"Keyword", Fred started.

"Seen", George finished.

because Wood had decided that, as their secret weapon,

"I still say you can't keep a secret in Hogwarts!" Regulus stated, the (former) students who failed doing this nodding along.

The Marauders, Weasley Twins and both Trios however disagreed, so that Bruce hurried to continue reading so that no fight would break out.

Harry should be kept, well, secret.

"No, really! Tasha, we should take notes from Wood!" Clint joked.

But the news that he was playing Seeker had leaked out somehow, and Harry didn't know which was worse — people telling him he'd be brilliant

"Why would that be bad?" Sirius asked confused.

"Because", James explained, "If he would not be brilliant, which is totally impossible, but Harry didn't know that, he'd feel like he let them down and they'd all be disappointed.

"Exactly", approved Harry.

or people telling him they'd be running around underneath him holding a mattress.

"I can see what you mean", Tony said, but to himself he thought I've been at similar points countless of times.

It was really lucky that Harry now had Hermione as a friend. He didn't know how he'd have gotten through all his homework without her,

"Which was by far not the only reason I was happy for your friendship and is way farther from being the truth now."

what with all the last-minute Quidditch practice Wood was making them do.

"Compared to later"

"It was nothing"

She had also lent him Quidditch Through the Ages,

"Sirius, think we may have found a book for you to read...when it's published in our time", Remus told his friend.

"I quite agree with you Remi."

"Siri, don't call Remus Remi."

"Silence on the cheap seats Jamie."

which turned out to be a very interesting read.

"It was", Ron agreed.

"If Ron has read something, it's gotta be about Quidditch", Ginny laughed. Then she high fived her older brothers.

Harry learned that there were seven hundred ways of committing a Quidditch foul

"Really?", Sirius wondered, "I only know 215 and I'm not even allowed to use most of them as Beater."

"There are some really weird, disturbing and/or violent ones like 'Beheading the Keeper with a sword', 'Transforming the Seeker into a goldfish' or 'Accio Snitch'. Which is why weapons and wands are now forbidden on the pitch."

"I can understand why", Jane squeaked.

and that all of them had happened during a World Cup match in 1473;

"There were probably several dozen deaths during that match", Bruce assumed.

"42 people died. Not all of them were playing", Teddy answered.

"How on earth can you remember such things?" Betty wondered.

"I study. And I've got a good memory. Also it's Quidditch."

The last part caused all Quidditch addicts to nod along in agreement.

that Seekers were usually the smallest and fastest players,

"But not always", corrected every Seeker.

"I knew. It said usually", Tony chuckled.

and that most serious Quidditch accidents seemed to happen to them;

"They do?" Lily questioned worried.

"I'm fine."

"That means no permanent physical injuries", Ron translated.

that although people rarely died playing Quidditch,

"...now that swords and wands are forbidden", finished Clint.

referees had been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara Desert.

"...What?" Pepper inquired, "How did this happen?"

"No one knows", Regulus answered, "Not even the guy who went missing."

Hermione had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules since Harry and Ron had saved her from the mountain troll,

"You are bad influences on her." Tony announced.

"Like you can talk", Pepper snorted.

"What are you talking about? I'm an amazing role model...nowadays."

and she was much nicer for it. The day before Harry's first Quidditch match

If you looked at James, you could see him grinning as wide as...as wide as...as wide as Steve did when he first saw homosexual and interracial relationships or people with dark skin sitting in front of the bus. So big that you could have used it as replacement for the sun.

the three of them were out in the freezing courtyard during break,

"Why didn't you just go inside?" Tonks wondered.

"Different reasons", Hermione replied.

and she had conjured them up a bright blue fire that could be carried around in a jam jar.

All muggles looked stunned.

"Awesome..." Dudley gasped.

They were standing with their backs to it, getting warm, when Snape crossed the yard.

Everyone, yes even Loki and Severus himself, groaned.

Harry noticed at once that Snape was limping.

"Why is my future self limping? And was it permanent?" Severus wanted to know.

"You'll see and no", Ginny answered.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione moved closer together to block the fire from view; they were sure it wouldn't be allowed.

"They weren't, but are now", Percy stated.

"Good. So at least from whenever-this-was-changed on no one will freeze to death", Remus

Unfortunately, something about their guilty faces caught Snape's eye.

"He would have done it anyway", Sirius growled.

He limped over. He hadn't seen the fire, but he seemed to be looking for a reason to tell them off anyway.

"See?"

"What's that you've got there, Potter?"

It was Quidditch Through the Ages. Harry showed him.

"That's nothing you could get in trouble for", Lily said relieved.

"Library books are not to be taken outside the school,"

"You just made a rule up just so you could get my son in trouble!?" Lily shrieked.

The Marauders growled and looked like they wanted to attack him.

said Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."

"Again this little points?" Ron asked confused.

"He's just made that rule up," Harry muttered angrily as Snape limped away. "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?"

"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him", said Sirius bitterly.

"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," said Ron bitterly.

"Hey, Hermione is like Remus, Harry like me and Ron's like Sirius. You just need someone like Peter and then you'll have your own BEEEEEEEP."

Everyone who knew what happened growled: "We / they do not need someone like Peter."

The Gryffindor common room was very noisy that evening.

"Excuse me, but 'that' evening?" Remus argued, "More like 24/7! Especially with these two."

Sirius and James whistled innocently.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat together next to a window. Hermione was checking Harry and Ron's Charms homework for them.

"Thank you for that, even if it's several years too late", Harry said.

"You're welcome."

She would never let them copy ("How will you learn?"),

"Good", answered every brainiac but Hermione herself.

but by asking her to read it through, they got the right answers anyway.

"Wait...Harry you almost never asked me for my notes, History of Magic excluded, and if you did, you did not have notes yourself, because you were absent, couldn't sleep at all in that night due to your-worse-than-your-normal nightmares or were too worried about something to concentrate. Why did you say this?"

"Let me guess", Bruce growled with a hint of green in his eyes, "His stupid parents", he gestured to Dudley, "forbid you from doing better than him and his grades were bad."

Harry and Dudley nodded slowly, very slowly.

The Marauders, Trios and Lily got up and hexed some newly made Vermin Dursley Dummies TM. Teddy looked like he was seriously considering joining them.

Harry felt restless. He wanted Quidditch Through the Ages back,

"I would too", James admitted – if you could call it that.

to take his mind off his nerves about tomorrow. Why should he be afraid of Snape?

About twenty-five reasons were yelled by different people and none of them appeared to have bothered Harry. Of course that did not mean his eleven-year-old version would have reacted the same.

Getting up, he told Ron and Hermione he was going to ask Snape if he could have it.

"Better you than me," they said together,

Everyone laughed.

but Harry had an idea that Snape wouldn't refuse if there were other teachers listening.

"That might work..." Lily thought out loud.

He made his way down to the staffroom and knocked. There was no answer. He knocked again. Nothing.

Perhaps Snape had left the book in there? It was worth a try. He pushed the door ajar and peered inside – and a horrible scene met his eyes.

"Snape and Filch doing it", Darcy yelled.

The majority of the room pretended to gag. Severus blushed and Harry and Bruce (who had read ahead) had a hard time controlling his laughter.

Snape and Filch were inside, alone.

Everyone but Bruce and Harry either paled or laughed. Severus looked beyond horrified.

Snape was holding his robes above his knees.

"MY POOR POOR MIND!" complained Sirius.

One of his legs was bloody and mangled. Filch was handing Snape bandages.

"Next time", James commanded, "You better start with this part!"

"Blasted thing," Snape was saying. "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"

"Why were you near that dog?" James asked eying Severus suspiciously.

"How exactly am I supposed to know?"

Harry tried to shut the door quietly, but —

"He – or they – caught you?" Tony predicted.

"POTTER!"

Snape's face was twisted with fury as he dropped his robes quickly to hide his leg. Harry gulped.

"I just wondered if I could have my book back."

"That's true Gryffindor courage!" James yelled with pride.

Neville whereas stammered: "You...you did...you actually"

"GET OUT! OUT! "

Harry left, before Snape could take any more points from Gryffindor. He sprinted back upstairs.

"You got some stamina there", Natasha complimented.

"You managed to get the Black Widow to compliment you. That's a huge achievement", Clint grinned. Natasha immediately slapped him.

"Did you get it?" Ron asked as Harry joined them. "What's the matter?"

In a low whisper, Harry told them what he'd seen.

"In the censored version", Ron clarified.

"You know what this means?" he finished breathlessly. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween! That's where he was going when we saw him — he's after whatever it's guarding! And I'd bet my broomstick he let that troll in, to make a diversion!"

Ron and Hermione turned to Harry, but didn't say anything in favor of not spoiling. Had they said something, it would have been: 'You owe me a broomstick.'

Hermione's eyes were wide.

"No — he wouldn't," she said. "I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."

There was some disagreement caused by this statement. The Marauders, Tonks and Fred were sure Hermione was wrong, Regulus, Lily and Severus were sure she was right, the Golden Trio and Ginny said nothing and the others were in between.

"Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something," snapped Ron. "I'm with Harry. I wouldn't put anything past Snape.

"Sorry", Ron apologized. The muggles and time travelers wondered why.

But what's he after? What's that dog guarding?"

Tony and Bruce grinned at each other, while Tonks commented, "That's the million Galleon question, isn't it?"

Harry went to bed with his head buzzing with the same question.

"If I was in your place, it would be the same for me", James smiled with Lily nodding along.

Neville was snoring loudly, but Harry couldn't sleep. He tried to empty his mind

Ron grinned at him and opened his mouth, but he was stopped by Harry's glare.

— he needed to sleep, he had to, he had his first Quidditch match in a few hours–

"Sleep", the Quidditch addicts commanded.

"He's trying to", Lily defended her son.

but the expression on Snape's face when Harry had seen his leg wasn't easy to forget.

"I can imagine", Regulus laughed.

The next morning dawned very bright and cold.

"Please tell me you slept", Lily pleaded.

"Yeah, a bit", Harry replied.

The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match.

"You've got to eat some breakfast."

"Yes, you need to", Lily insisted.

"I don't want anything."

"Just like Jamsie here", Sirius mocked, "He would never eat something before a match either."

"Just a bit of toast," wheedled Hermione.

"I'm not hungry."

Harry felt terrible. In an hour's time he'd be walking onto the field.

"Harry, you need your strength," said Seamus Finnigan. "Seekers are always the ones who get clobbered by the other team."

"That's not what you're supposed to tell someone", Coulson frowned.

"That's Seamus though."

"Thanks, Seamus," said Harry, watching Seamus pile ketchup on his sausages.

By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch.

"As always", chorused the (former) Hogwarts students.

Many students had binoculars. The seats might be raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes.

"Oh, yes it is."

Ron and Hermione joined Neville, Seamus, and Dean the West Ham fan up in the top row. As a surprise for Harry, they had painted a large banner on one of the sheets Scabbers had ruined.

Those who knew growled. Those who didn't yet again wondered what the heck caused them to hate a rat like this.

It said Potter for President, and Dean, who was good at drawing, had done a large Gryffindor lion underneath. Then Hermione had performed a tricky little charm so that the paint flashed different colors.

"Did I ever thank you for that?"

"Yes, you did Harry. Several dozen times."

Meanwhile, in the locker room, Harry and the rest of the team were changing into their scarlet Quidditch robes (Slytherin would be playing in green).

Wood cleared his throat for silence.

Those who were at the Quidditch team that year glanced at each other

"Okay, men", Harry started.

"And women", added Katie Wood.

"And women", Harry agreed. "This is it."

"The big one", said Fred Weasley.

"The one we've all been waiting for", said George.

"We know Oliver's speech by heart", Fred told the room, "We were on the team last year."

"Shut up you two", said Harry. "This is the best team Gryffindor's had in years. We're going to win. I know it."

Harry glared at the room as if to say "Or else."

"Right. It's time. Good luck, all of you."

Everyone but Bruce (who again had read ahead) smiled. Bruce laughed.

"Okay, men," he said.

"And women," said Chaser Angelina Johnson.

"And women," Wood agreed. "This is it."

"The big one," said Fred Weasley.

"The one we've all been waiting for," said George.

By now the pranksters were laughing and everyone else either giggling or chuckling.

"We know Oliver's speech by heart," Fred told Harry, "we were on the team last year."

"Shut up, you two," said Wood. "This is the best team Gryffindor's had in years. We're going to win. I know it."

He glared at them all as if to say, "Or else."

"Right. It's time. Good luck, all of you."

By now everyone was outright laughing. The Weasley twins, Katie and Harry stood up and bowed.

Harry followed Fred and George out of the locker room and, hoping his knees weren't going to give way, walked onto the field to loud cheers.

"I felt the same", James admitted.

"Really?" Lily questioned, "I thought you were being Mr. Overconfident back then."

"That was just an act."

Madam Hooch was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the field waiting for the two teams, her broom in her hand.

"Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," she said,

"She realizes that that's Slytherin and Gryffindor playing, doesn't she?" Tonks wondered.

"She can still wish for a game with little to no injuries", Pepper defended Madam Hooch.

once they were all gathered around her. Harry noticed that she seemed to be speaking particularly to the Slytherin Captain, Marcus Flint, a sixth year.

"She was", confirmed everyone who had attended that game and / or previous games with Flint involved.

Harry thought Flint looked as if he had some troll blood in him.

"He has", Regulus said.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw the fluttering banner high above, flashing Potter for President over the crowd. His heart skipped. He felt braver.

"That's what friends are for."

"Mount your brooms, please."

Harry clambered onto his Nimbus Two Thousand.

James looked like Easter, Christmas, his Birthday and Halloween were moved to be all on a single day.

Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle.

Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor — what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too —"

"Just like Remus' comments", Sirius laughed, "He's the reason why McGonagall sits next to the commentator."

"Luna's are better", Harry argued.

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."

The Weasley twins' friend, Lee Jordan, was doing the commentary for the match, closely watched by Professor McGonagall.

"Not that that stopped him from giving an awesome commentary", Katie smiled.

"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!"

The less mature Gryffindors cheered loudly.

"That game sounds exciting", Darcy said.

Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins.

"Budge up there, move along."

"Hagrid!"

Ron and Hermione squeezed together to give Hagrid enough space to join them.

"There was also an empty seat next to us", Hermione added, seeing the confused faces.

"Bin watchin' from me hut," said Hagrid, patting a large pair of binoculars around his neck, "But it isn't the same as bein' in the crowd. No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?"

"Nope," said Ron. "Harry hasn't had much to do yet."

"Good, so he can't get hurt", Lily let out some of the air she was holding.

"Kept outta trouble, though, that's somethin'," said Hagrid, raising his binoculars and peering skyward at the speck that was Harry.

Way up above them, Harry was gliding over the game, squinting about for some sign of the Snitch. This was part of his and Wood's game plan.

"Keep out of the way until you catch sight of the Snitch," Wood had said. "We don't want you attacked before you have to be."

"Thank your husband from me", Lily told Katie.

"Will do", Katie replied.

When Angelina had scored, Harry had done a couple of loop-the-loops to let off his feelings. Now he was back to staring around for the Snitch. Once he caught sight of a flash of gold, but it was just a reflection from one of the Weasleys' wristwatches, and once a Bludger decided to come pelting his way, more like a cannonball than anything, but Harry dodged it and Fred Weasley came chasing after it.

"Thank you!" Lily told Fred.

"Nothing. Harry's like my unofficial second little brother. Who still needs to give a reason why he does not seem to age.." Fred said as he stared at Harry queryingly.

"All right there, Harry?" he had time to yell, as he beat the Bludger furiously toward Marcus Flint.

Nearly everyone (all but Loki, Coulson, Natasha and Severus) cheered. Yes, even Regulus. Sirius was by far the loudest, causing Remus to smack him.

"How many times am I going to have to tell you to take my hearing into account?"

Indeed, all people with above average hearing had more or less painful expressions on their faces.

"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys,

Molly glanced at the twins who held their hands up defensively.

and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the — wait a moment — was that the Snitch?"

"Great job announcing this to the whole stadium", Regulus snorted.

A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle, too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear.

"Great Chaser", James applauded sarcastically.

Harry saw it. In a great rush of excitement he dived downward after the streak of gold. Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs had seen it, too.

The Gryffindors groaned.

Neck and neck they hurtled toward the Snitch — all the Chasers seemed to have forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in midair to watch.

THUMP

"No..don't do this, don't do this", James told...the table.

Harry was faster than Higgs — he could see the little round ball, wings fluttering, darting up ahead — he put on an extra spurt of speed —

Every Gryffindor fan cheered and chanted some variation of: "Go Harry!"

WHAM! A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors below — Marcus Flint had blocked Harry on purpose, and Harry's broom spun off course, Harry holding on for dear life.

"FOUL!" everyone yelled.

"Foul!" screamed the Gryffindors.

Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goal posts for Gryffindor. But in all the confusion, of course, the Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight again.

Down in the stands, Dean Thomas was yelling, "Send him off, ref! Red card!"

The purebloods were confused.

"What is a red card?" Sirius asked.

"I thought you take Muggle Studies", Severus sneered.

"Yes, I do. And yes, I pay attention. We haven't had sports yet."

"It's explained in the book", Bruce answered before continuing.

"What are you talking about, Dean?" said Ron.

"Red card!" said Dean furiously. "In soccer you get shown the red card and you're out of the game!"

"But this isn't soccer", Severus argued.

"They ought to change the rules", Lily disagreed.

Regulus however was on Lily's side. "It would really be a good thing and it would reduce the number of fouls."

"I agree", James said.

"But this isn't soccer, Dean," Ron reminded him.

Hagrid, however, was on Dean's side.

"They oughta change the rules. Flint coulda knocked Harry outta the air."

"Did anyone else notice that this seems to be happening a lot?" Betty wondered.

Everyone raised their hand.

Lee Jordan was finding it difficult not to take sides.

"So — after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating —"

"Go Lee!" the Weasley twins cheered for their friend.

"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.

"I mean, after that open and revolting foul…"

"GO LEE!" the pranksters yelled.

"Jordan, I'm warning you—"

"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure,

"Gotta love Lee's commentary", Fred smiled.

"Remus can you do something like this next time?" Sirius pleaded.

"You mean in the game against Ravenclaw? Sure, if the opportunity presents itself."

so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinner, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."

It was as Harry dodged another Bludger, which went spinning dangerously past his head, that it happened. His broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch.

"What?" everyone who had not attended the game yelled.

The Marauders and Lily were as white as a sheet.

For a split second, he thought he was going to fall. He gripped the broom tightly with both his hands and knees. He'd never felt anything like that.

"And never again...after that game."

It happened again. It was as though the broom was trying to buck him off.

"Brooms don't do that! Why does your broom do that?", if possible James paled even further, "Is someone cursing it?"

But Nimbus Two Thousands did not suddenly decide to buck their riders off. Harry tried to turn back toward the Gryffindor goal-posts — he had half a mind to ask Wood to call time-out —

"DO IT!" everyone told him.

and then he realized that his broom was completely out of his control.

James and Lily were hugging each other whispering: "He's here" repeatedly.

He couldn't turn it. He couldn't direct it at all. It was zigzagging through the air, and every now and then making violent swishing movements that almost unseated him.

Lee was still commentating.

"Remus wouldn't...if he noticed."

"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…"

The Slytherins were cheering. No one seemed to have noticed that Harry's broom was behaving strangely.

Remus and Sirius growled animal-like.

It was carrying him slowly higher, away from the game, jerking and twitching as it went.

"Dunno what Harry thinks he's doing," Hagrid mumbled. He stared through his binoculars. "If I didn' know better, I'd say he'd lost control of his broom… but he can't have…"

No one dared to speak.

Suddenly, people were pointing up at Harry all over the stands. His broom had started to roll over and over, with him only just managing to hold on. Then the whole crowd gasped. Harry's broom had given a wild jerk and Harry swung off it.

"No", Lily breathed.

He was now dangling from it, holding on with only one hand.

Her boyfriend (or nearly boyfriend, no one knew what was currently the case) copied Lily's actions.

"Did something happen to it when Flint blocked him?" Seamus whispered.

"Not possible", Regulus whispered.

"Can't have," Hagrid said, his voice shaking. "Can't nothing interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark magic — no kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand."

"No kid", Tony emphasized.

At these words, Hermione seized Hagrid's binoculars, but instead of looking up at Harry, she started looking frantically at the crowd.

"What are you doing?" moaned Ron, gray-faced.

"I knew it," Hermione gasped, "Snape — look."

Severus paled.

"WHAT!?" James and Sirius stood up and had his wand ready to curse Severus.

"WAIT!" Harry stopped him, and hurrying to think of a reason to explain what he was doing without spoiling everything, "First, he technically hasn't done it yet. Second I think you'll approve of Hermione's punishment for him."

Grudgingly, they sat down again.

Ron grabbed the binoculars. Snape was in the middle of the stands opposite them. He had his eyes fixed on Harry and was muttering nonstop under his breath.

Severus shrank in his seat, while it seemed to take the Marauders all self-control to stay seated.

"He's doing something — jinxing the broom," said Hermione.

"What should we do?"

"Leave it to me."

"Uhhh, what is Hermione planning?" Fred wondered.

Before Ron could say another word, Hermione had disappeared. Ron turned the binoculars back on Harry. His broom was vibrating so hard, it was almost impossible for him to hang on much longer.

"Please hurry Hermione", pleaded Lily

"I did, Lily"

The whole crowd was on its feet, watching, terrified, as the Weasleys flew up to try and pull Harry safely onto one of their brooms,

"Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you..."

but it was no good – every time they got near him, the broom would jump higher still. They dropped lower and circled beneath him, obviously hoping to catch him if he fell. Marcus Flint seized the Quaffle and scored five times without anyone noticing.

"Wow. That's unheard of."

"Come on, Hermione," Ron muttered desperately.

Hermione had fought her way across to the stand where Snape stood, and was now racing along the row behind him; she didn't even stop to say sorry as she knocked Professor Quirrell headfirst into the row in front.

Hermione looked at the other members of the Golden Trio.

"Do you think he remembered?"

"Don't think so. Good it did happen though."

Remus, Regulus, Loki, Tony, Jane and Bruce took their suspects something was wrong with Quirrell as confirmed. Betty and Natasha began suspecting it too.

Reaching Snape, she crouched down, pulled out her wand, and whispered a few, well-chosen words. Bright blue flames shot from her wand onto the hem of Snape's robes.

"You set him on fire? You were right, Harry, I like it", Sirius laughed.

It took perhaps thirty seconds for Snape to realize that he was on fire. A sudden yelp told her she had done her job. Scooping the fire off him into a little jar in her pocket, she scrambled back along the row — Snape would never know what had happened.

Someone said: "Had this not happened", but no one knew who (excluding the person who said this).

It was enough. Up in the air, Harry was suddenly able to clamber back on to his broom.

Everyone, but Severus who did not dare to and those mature enough who had been there, cheered.

"Neville, you can look!" Ron said. Neville had been sobbing into Hagrid's jacket for the last five minutes.

Neville blushed.

"I think it's sweet", Darcy commented.

Harry was speeding toward the ground when the crowd saw him clap his hand to his mouth as though he was about to be sick

"I probably would be too", Lily said relieved.

— he hit the field on all fours — coughed — and something gold fell into his hand.

"No way!"

"I've got the Snitch!" he shouted, waving it above his head, and the game ended in complete confusion.

"I can imagine. Catching the snitch with one's mouth. Unheard of!" complimented Regulus.

"He didn't catch it, he nearly swallowed it," Flint was still howling twenty minutes later, but it made no difference — Harry hadn't broken any rules and Lee Jordan was still happily shouting the results — Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty.

"Did this score include Flint's points?" James asked.

"Yes", Percy confirmed.

Harry heard none of this, though.

"Why?" Remus wondered, "And how?"

He was being made a cup of strong tea back in Hagrid's hut, with Ron and Hermione.

"Ah, that's why...and how."

"It was Snape," Ron was explaining, "Hermione and I saw him. He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off you."

"Rubbish," said Hagrid, who hadn't heard a word of what had gone on next to him in the stands. "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"

"Cause of me", James pointed to himself.

"And me. Wherever I am" Sirius added.

"And me", Remus finished.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at one another, wondering what to tell him. Harry decided on the truth.

"Usually the best"

"I found out something about him," he told Hagrid. "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."

Hagrid dropped the teapot.

"Poor teapot", Fred sniffed.

"How do you know about Fluffy?" he said.

"Fluffy?"

"The three-headed dog is called Fluffy? Are you kidding me?" Tony exclaimed.

"Yeah — he's mine — bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year

"That's ironic", Tony snorted.

"How so?" Tonks wondered.

"In Greek Mythology, a three-headed dog guards the main entrance to the underworld", Teddy replied, "And Hagrid brought the three-headed dog from a Greek."

— I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the —"

"Yes?" said Harry eagerly.

"You should have let him talk", Natasha advised.

"Now, don't ask me anymore," said Hagrid gruffly. "That's top secret, that is."

"But Snape's trying to steal it."

"Rubbish," said Hagrid again. "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do nothin' of the sort."

The Golden Trio and Ginny snorted.

Those who were suspecting Quirrell thought it referred to the teacher part of the sentence while the rest thought it was about Severus.

"So why did he just try and kill Harry?" cried Hermione.

The afternoon's events certainly seemed to have changed her mind about Snape.

"Yes, yes it seems so", Clint said pompously. Or as I call it, Percy-like.

"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 can't believe I'm saying this, but that's also for counter curses", Remus commented.

James pointed at Severus. "You get the benefit of doubt."

"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" said Hagrid hotly. "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 —"

"So there's someone named Nicolas Flamel involved..." Betty said thinking hard.

"Aha!" said Harry, "so there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"

Hagrid looked furious with himself.

"As he should!"

"That is the end of the Chapter who's gonna read next?"

Disclaimer: (I used to make jokes based on thing we're currently doing in history here, but there's no way I'm gonna make a joke about the Third Reich and everything associated, so I'm doing Musics instead) If I own this, the first known melody was composed yesterday.

Marvelgeek42