Harry Potter - Series Fan Fiction ❯ Harry Potter and the Bad Wish ❯ Never Give Up ( Chapter 12 )

Chapter 12: Never Give Up

 

 

Quidditch practice had taken on a whole new meaning for Gryffindor, a loss to Hufflepuff had them training as hard as possible when they were on the field. If Harry could he would have had them training more but the new rules kept him from doing that. The Slytherin never let him hear the end of it, to lose to Hufflepuff was worse then anything Harry had ever done in Quidditch, or so he felt. Yes Ginny had been having some snit over not making Captain but he let that distract him, he should have stayed in the game. But what if she had been hurt? Harry wished he could get his hands on a time turner just so he could go back and fix it, even after all the hell he had gone through because of them.

 

Harry was eating breakfast, the next Gryffindor Quidditch match was the next day and if he could just get another day of training in, even just the starters, it would help. Ravenclaw absolutely destroyed Slytherin, apparently without the gifts from Lucius Malfoy the Slytherin team couldn't beat anyone, maybe not even Hufflepuff, who they played today. But Ravenclaw, even if Slytherin was weak, was a team that Gryffindor would have to fear. They played with such fierce power, after dedicating this year to Cho Chang; they did not want to lose, to anyone. Harry knew that with him as Seeker again they would probably win, but they were in third place for the Quidditch Cup, they needed points, lots of them. Ravenclaw lead Hufflepuff by 40 points, Hufflepuff lead Gryffindor by 30 points, and Gryffindor lead Slytherin by 130 points. When the owls came in with the mail Harry wasn't surprised to get nothing, with Sirius gone he didn't have anyone who would write him, but Ginny got upset by something that was sent to her and left the Great Hall. Monica ran after her leaving some very confused people behind. “Harry do you think we should see what's wrong?” Hermione was worried; Ginny had written to her parents and had been worried about their response.

 

“I don't know, maybe.” If Ginny was upset would she pull another one of her snits at their game tomorrow? “If she wants to talk to someone Monica is there.” Harry shook his head, how could he have thought that? He lost a game to make sure Ginny was ok, now he was thinking like that? It was his fault that she acted like that, if he hadn't made that stupid bet and just kept things the way they were. “If you want go talk to her, this might be a girl thing.” It was the best excuse he could come up with, he felt bad for thinking like that.

 

“Ok, I'll be in the library before the game starts if she doesn't want to talk to me.” They were going to support Hufflepuff, they had to beat Slytherin, it would be to humiliating to have Slytherin beat Hufflepuff after Hufflepuff beat Gryffindor. Hermione kissed Harry on the cheek and left.

 

Harry waited nearly an hour before heading to the library from the Common Room. Hermione wasn't there, no one was, the game was starting in an hour and some people were actually out at the stadium, causing problems for McGonagall. The security the Order had set up was trying to keep the students who were out there under control while trying to keep track of new students showing up. The Hufflepuff students were excited, they had beaten Gryffindor, and now they were playing against Slytherin who were horrible at the last game. This weekend would be the last weekend for Quidditch until April; they could go in to the long break in 2nd, maybe even 1st place! They hoped that Gryffindor and Ravenclaw the next day would keep each other busy without scoring too many points. They had been finishing in last place for years and now had a chance to be the best.

 

Harry went back to the Common Room and headed for his dorm room to get the Marauders Map. Using it he saw Hermione was in Dumbledore's office, why didn't she just tell him she was going there? Maybe it wasn't planned, or was by Dumbledore, Harry didn't know. Sitting on his bed Harry kept staring at the Marauders Map with nothing else to do until Hermione was done with what ever she was doing with Dumbledore. “Hey Harry.” Neville came in dumping off some books on his bed. “What you doing? I figured someone like you would have been down at the Quidditch Field by now.”

 

“I'm waiting for Hermione.” Harry kept the Marauders Map out not caring if Neville saw it. If Harry had been good friends with Neville instead of Ron, Harry knew Neville wouldn't go to Voldemort, even if Neville was weak at school work he was too strong to join Voldemort, if only things had been different.

 

“Oh, well, what's that?” Neville looked at the piece of paper in Harry's hands trying to figure out what it was.

 

“Something from my Dad.” Kind of, he got it from the Twins, but it was his Father's originally.

 

“Cool, better then what I get.” He stopped talking, his parents were not well, he couldn't remember a time they were, he was too young when it happened.

 

“Maybe, you live with your grandmother right? Not your fault if your dad isn't here anymore.” Harry wasn't sure what had happened to Neville's parents, he had read books and read that the Longbottom Aurors had been tortured by Death Eaters, but never said what had happened afterwards.

 

“Well I guess I'll see you at the game, go Hufflepuff.” Neville was going to sit with a couple friends he had from Hufflepuff, so doubted he would actually see Harry. Neville put his books away and got a Hufflepuff flag out and left Harry, who was still staring at the Marauders Map. Harry watched as Hermione and Dumbledore moved around the DADA office, not sure what they were doing. Harry lost track of time as he watched, finally seeing Hermione leave Dumbledore's office heading for the library. Harry headed to the library and got there just as Hermione sat down.

 

“Hi Harry, ready for the game?” She got back up and went over to Harry.

 

“What were you doing?” Harry looked in her eyes hoping she would tell the truth.

 

“Nothing Harry, waiting for you.” She did.

 

“Nothing? For an hour in Dumbledore's office you did nothing?”

 

“How did you know I was there?” Hermione bit her lip in concern over Harry's reaction.

 

“Well I went to the library and you weren't there, and you weren't in the Common Room, so I used the Marauders Map to find you.” Harry was miffed by Hermione lying.

 

“I'm sorry Harry but Dumbledore wanted to, I can't say!” Hermione frustrated with her situation sat down. “Dumbledore told me not to tell anyone, especially you, incase…” She stopped, she couldn't say anything about it, and Dumbledore told her not to.

 

“Mione, I don't keep anything from you, anything, I tell you everything, even when I know it will make you mad.” Harry stood over her. “Yet you keep everything from me, you say you love me, but keep everything from me.”

 

“I do love you Harry but Dumbledore told me not to tell anyone, and Ginny did to, I wanted to tell you about that but they asked me not to.” Hermione wanted to tell Harry, but she had to follow the rules, she tried to follow them as well as she could. “I'm sorry Harry; please don't get mad at me, or Dumbledore, or anyone. If I could tell you I would but Dumbledore is worried…” She shut up again, she couldn't say anything about that, the whole point of what she was doing was to make sure nothing like that happened.

 

“Fine Mione, don't tell me, don't talk to me, I'll just go to the game while you decide what is more important to you.” Harry walked away his head in his hands trying to make the thoughts in his head go away. How could a relationship be so hard? His parents weren't like this, they were so happy, they didn't know what was going to happen, they didn't care, they were just so happy together, why couldn't Harry have that? Harry skipped the game and went to the Common Room to distract himself, he still needed to figure out how to get his team more practice for tomorrow's game against Ravenclaw.

 

 

 

The game had ended 210-40; Hufflepuff won and was currently in the lead for the Quidditch Cup, Hufflepuff was excited and were having a party in their Common Room. Gryffindor was happy for them, they beat Slytherin, but now Gryffindor need to score 250 points at tomorrow's game to take the lead, and it would be against Ravenclaw, not a push over team. Harry had been thinking about how to get more practice in, he thought the Great Hall would be big enough, but then the other teams would complain about Gryffindor getting extra practice. They couldn't do it outside, not even if the team snuck out since by then it would be to dark to practice. He needed a place that would be big enough to fly around, with enough light to see to different balls, and without getting caught. Harry thought of it when he saw Hermione walk in, the room would be perfect, even if his last time there hadn't been pleasant. Harry went over to Monica and Ginny and told them what he wanted to do.

 

“I don't know Harry, we practiced hard last weekend, and we aren't like Slytherin, we have been winning by skill all these years, not by broom price.” Ginny wasn't feeling like practicing, not after the letter she had gotten, she didn't really feel like doing much more then going to bed, but it was to early for that.

 

“Yes but we need to score a lot of points if we want to get the lead from Hufflepuff. Ravenclaw has skill, and most of their brooms are newer, but they have something else on their side.” Their determination to win the trophy for Cho made them try harder, motivated them more then anything else could. “We need it if we want to score the points we need, and keep Ravenclaw from scoring too many points on us; they could take the lead easily.”

 

“We need to get the other members, just starting though, the less people the better.” Monica thought this might help cheer Ginny up, Quidditch always made her feel good and distracted her from other problems.

 

A few minutes later the starting Gryffindor Quidditch team was meeting outside of the Common Room entrance with their brooms. A couple was mumbling about what was going on but figured that if they didn't show up for this extra practice they would be replaced by someone on the secondary team. “Ok, we are going to a special room, only a few people know about it, and while it is amazing I must ask you not to tell anyone else about it.” The Room of Requirements was something that as far as Harry knew only him, Hermione, and Dumbledore knew about. They walked to the room, Harry peeking at the Marauders Map in his pocket to make sure they wouldn't be seen. Getting to the room Harry thought of what he wanted, a Quidditch field, enough light to see, all the balls they would need, but a warm, breezeless environment. Harry opened the door that appeared and walked through.

 

“Whoa.” Everyone was amazed by what they were seeing, a Quidditch field inside the school, with a mysterious light that came from nowhere but lighted everything.

 

“I didn't know there was a practice field in the school.” Neville looked around amazed by not only what he saw, but what he could smell, fresh grass. “Why do they keep it maintained but make us train on the Quidditch field outside?” He wasn't asking Harry directly but the air around him, the strangely warm air.

 

“It isn't, really, this room is magical.” Harry didn't want to go to in depth about the room; he didn't need someone abusing the powers of the Room of Requirements. “Ok get your brooms ready, we will go with scoring first, then blocking, and if we have time have some fun.” Harry figured giving them an incentive would help. “Monica, you will have to block against our Chasers, who will be unblocked for now.” Harry went over to a box that held the different balls and got out the Quaffle and the Snitch, leaving the Bludgers for later. “Well you have five minutes to score as many points as possible.” He threw the Quaffle to Ginny who took off towards Monica and the three rings.

 

Five minutes later Harry flew down and grabbed the Quaffle in the middle of a pass. “Good job everyone, I can't believe this, either Monica is really good or you all need more practice.” Six scores in five minutes, they were free from Beaters and Bludgers, but Monica was able to stop them at six scores. “Well now Beaters, I am going to release the Bludgers, the Chasers will just fly around passing the Quaffle back and forth while Monica takes a break.” Monica flew down and sat on the ground a little tired from blocking so many shots. “Ok, when I release the Bludgers you will have to stop them from hitting the Chasers, you don't have other Beaters hitting them at the Chasers but now you have to go ten minutes, good luck.” Harry released them and flew off himself catching the Snitch while the Beaters and Chasers flew around during their practice. He didn't really get a workout as the room wasn't an open field; the Snitch was confined to the room, and made it easy for him to catch the Snitch.

 

After ten minutes Harry stopped the practice and got all the balls together. “Okay now you will have to deal with everything, like a real game. Monica stop the Chasers from scoring, Beaters block the Bludgers, and Chasers try to score without getting hit, say twenty minutes?” Harry released the balls again and went off catching the Snitch while the rest of the team played hard.

 

Again after the time set Harry stopped the practice. “Alright team if you want fly around for a bit, or head back to the Common Room, please don't stay up to late though we have a game tomorrow, we have to score at least 250 points or Hufflepuff will be leading until April.” Harry hoped this would motivate the team enough to get them riled up. He couldn't go two games in a row with a loss, he just couldn't. Harry flew around for another half hour just enjoying the feeling of flying through the air. Getting hungry Harry left for the Great Hall to eat dinner. Hermione tried to talk to him but he ignored her, until she was ready to tell him what she was doing he wasn't going to talk to her. Other people came and went, Harry waited for Hermione to leave before getting up and going back to the Room of Requirements to make sure no one was still there.

 

Getting back to the Common Room Harry saw that almost everyone had gone to bed except for Hermione. “I don't want to talk to you Mione.” Harry headed for the stairs to go to his room but Hermione stepped in front of him.

 

“Harry stop acting like this, if Dumbledore told you not to tell anyone, especially me, would you?” Hermione bit her lower lip hoping Harry would say something.

 

“Yes! If it involved you of course I would, even if I didn't want to. I told you about what Ron did to us, I didn't want to, but you asked me to, so I did! But I ask you to tell me something and you won't.” Harry didn't want to force his way through, he didn't want to touch Hermione.

 

“Damn it Harry I can't!” She knew Harry would, he trusted her, with Ron betraying him Harry trusted her more because she didn't betray him. “Why can't you ignore it? I'm sure I can tell you sometime, but right now I can't.”

 

“It's about Voldemort isn't it? Dumbledore is worried I will join him, that I will betray everyone, he's training you to kill me isn't he? That's why you don't want to tell me isn't it?”

 

“No! Not really, kind of.” Dumbledore was worried that Harry would take Voldemort's deal, but wasn't training her to kill Harry, or anyone.

 

“Really? Think you could do it?” Harry got his wand out. “Think you could even beat me in a duel? Hermione I have gained power that very few could get, I don't even know all of it. According to Dumbledore, Voldemort is part of me so I have his power.” Harry felt something inside of him raise, hatred, evil, something, like the power he was talking about, wasn't from him.

 

“Harry calm down I won't kill you, it isn't that!” Hermione was scared, even without the necklace she could feel something come off of Harry. “Please Harry don't do this.”

 

“What Mione, you haven't had enough training yet? Not getting around to the killing curse until next lesson?” The feeling grew, Harry felt his body tingle, his fingers holding his wand begin to burn. “Well Mione are you able to kill me?”

 

“No Harry, Stupefy!” Hermione stuck her hand out and hit Harry with the spell but did little to him.

 

“I can't believe you did that Mione that was pretty good.” Harry felt the darkness shrink, the anger, the hatred, the evil leave him. “I'm sorry Mione.” Harry shook his head, what had he been doing? Why had he gotten so angry?

 

“Shut up!” Hermione had just gotten her wand out pointing it at Harry. “What the hell is wrong with you Harry.”

 

“Mione I'm sorry I didn't mean it, it wasn't me!”

 

“Don't say that Harry, all you say is you're sorry, why don't you stop doing the shit in the first place!”

 

“I, damn it Mione!” Harry clenched his fists trying to keep calm. “I didn't mean it, I couldn't hurt you Mione, I'm sorry.”

 

“Harry that is why I have been doing special classes with Dumbledore, that's why!” Hermione stopped herself from saying anything else about the classes.

 

“Why? I didn't do anything I just lost my temper.”

 

“No, I felt it from you, that evil, it was Voldemort. Dumbledore believes that Voldemort will be able to control you when you let go of your emotions, and like now your anger turned into something more. I have to tell Dumbledore, you need to come with me, Dumbledore needs to know.”

 

“No Mione, I just lost my temper, nothing to bother Dumbledore with.”

 

“No Harry this was more, it was what Dumbledore told me about. Look maybe…”

 

“NO!” Harry went around Hermione and went up to his room to get to bed.

 

“Harry come back! Dumbledore needs to know about this, what you felt, how it happened.” Harry ignored her and closed the door behind him hoping Hermione wouldn't come up the stairs, Devin and Neville were already asleep, and didn't want to wake them up. She didn't so Harry got changed and went to bed hoping to get enough sleep for tomorrow's game and that Hermione wouldn't bother him about what happened.

 

 

 

That morning Harry got up early and went running still angry at Hermione about the night before. Harry got lost in thought and nearly ran down Monica and Ginny on there way to breakfast. “Sorry.”

 

“Harry don't get too tired we have the game today.” Monica had talked to Hermione but wasn't going to say anything about it. “Come eat, can't play on an empty stomach.” Monica smiled at Harry trying to get him to join her and Ginny.

 

“It's ok I'll eat later.” Harry took off running his laps. Harry got as many as he could before grabbing some food and eating on his way to the Prefect bathrooms to take a shower. After the shower Harry went to the Common Room to work on homework, he hadn't gotten around to it on Saturday and had a couple hours until the game would start. Harry got through most of it when Hermione sat down next to him.

 

“Harry I didn't go to Dumbledore, yet, I want you to come with me though.”

 

“Not now Mione, when I get done with this will need to get ready for the game.” Harry wasn't about to go to Dumbledore over something he thought wasn't important; Dumbledore was too busy to be bothered by what happened last night.

 

“Harry you know you should go see him, that wasn't normal, wasn't you last night. If we go then maybe Dumbledore will let me tell…”

 

“I don't care.” Harry was stuck on the last couple potions, he didn't know what to make if someone was poisoned by a Baskerfeild Hound.

 

“You do to Harry or you wouldn't be acting like this, Julei Potion counter acts their poison.” Hermione had her homework done, of course, and just gave Harry the answer to try and get him to talk.

 

“I don't need your help.” Harry wrote the answer down thankful for the help but wasn't going to show it. “Gee Mione here's an idea next time I ask you to tell me something just tell me instead of waiting for me to get mad at you. How would you like it if I kept everything from you? If I never told you what Ron told me, or about Amelia, or about the dreams, or about my parents?”

 

“I'd get worried Harry, that so much was going on that I didn't know.” Hermione bit her lip knowing that Harry was right to be mad at her, but how he got mad concerned her more.

 

“How about I finish my homework, play a game of Quidditch, then maybe you can tell me what's been going on.”

 

“If you win I'll tell you everything, if you lose I'll still tell you everything but you come with me to Dumbledore.” Hermione crossed her fingers not sure if she wanted Harry to take the deal or not, but this way she would have a reason to tell Harry, even if Dumbledore told her not to tell Harry.

 

“So you think I'm going to lose? Thanks for the support…” Harry answered the last questions then rolled up the parchment and got up. “I have a game to get ready for Mione; even though you think I'm going to lose.”

 

“I didn't mean it like that Harry I just, fine! Take the deal or not Harry and good luck at the game.” Hermione walked off angry at Harry and herself, why did everything have to be this hard? Why weren't there books out there on stuff like this? Hermione could feel the headache coming so she went to her room to lie down.

 

Harry and the rest of the starting team were ready and were waiting in the Quidditch locker room for the signal to come out. “Ok some of us had extra practice last night so we should be ready for today's game, and in case of any injuries player from the second team will take over, any questions?” No one raised a hand. “Good, also, Ravenclaw is playing for Cho, and while I want them to do well for her I don't want to lose, Cho Chang was a good, a great Quidditch player, I competed against her many times and she was a good friend. She did something for me last year that helped me a lot, even though she was…” Harry remembered sitting in the hospital room with Cho, how when he got mad she calmed him down, she held him, let him cry on her shoulder, she even fought off the Imperious Curse by putting herself at risk by not eating. “She was a great person but this is a Quidditch game and we will play to win.” The signal was given for the two teams to go out onto the field for the leaders, not Captains as none had been made Captain this year, to shake hands.

 

“I'm sorry about Cho but I'm not about to let you win Delpois.” Harry shook Delpois's hand thinking of how it should have been Cho; this would be her last year here if she had lived.

 

“Let us win? Sorry Harry but we don't need to be given a win we will win on our own, for Cho.”

 

“Good luck then, for Cho.” They let go and mounted their brooms ready for the whistle. When it blew both teams took off Gryffindor getting the Quaffle.

 

“They're off!” Will Flitwick was announcing the game with passion. His team had won yesterday and was still excited over it.

 

Harry flew around looking for the golden flash of the Snitch as the game went on. Soon both teams had scored four goals, Ravenclaw playing more aggressively then usual taking some cheap shots on the Gryffindors with less experience. Several times there should have been a foul called, if the referee had seen it. “Close game so far, if they keep this up it will come down to whether or not Harry, or Delpois, catches the Snitch.” In that amount of time both teams had scored two more goals each. Harry saw that he would need to slow Ravenclaw down if Gryffindor wanted to take the lead in overall points and flew down as though he was going after the Snitch, cutting off a Ravenclaw player who had the Quaffle. “Does Harry have the Snitch?” Harry had stopped his dive after cutting off the Ravenclaw Chaser and flew back up above the stands. “Guess not.” Harry had done what he needed, Ginny and another Gryffindor player caught up and were able to get the Quaffle back heading to the Ravenclaw goals. Delpois, seeing what had happened flew up to Harry.

 

“Nice job Harry, but if you want to play dirty we are more then willing to do so. If we have to we'll go lower then Slytherin to win this game.”

 

“Don't think anyone could do that but I won't do it again, alright?” Ravenclaw was already playing rough and Harry did not need to see what would happened if they decided to play even harder.

 

“Fine Harry, by the way, is that the Snitch?” Harry turned where Delpois was looking just in time to get hit in the face by a Bludger nearly knocking him off his broom.

 

“Harry takes a hard hit but stays on his broom!” The crowd winced in pain wondering if Harry had broken anything or just got a bruise. Harry shook it off glad he didn't wear his glasses anymore. Looking around Harry was looking for the Snitch and Hermione, he didn't expect her to come out after what she said, and he didn't know if he wanted to either. “And they score again! 80-90 Ravenclaw gets the lead again.” This brought Harry back to looking solely for the Snitch, they needed the Snitch, to win and to try and get the point lead for the Quidditch Cup from Hufflepuff. Problem was the Snitch didn't seem to be anywhere, there was nothing for Harry to do, he was starting to miss being Chaser, at least then he could be in the action the whole time.

 

“Harry watch out!” Neville tried to warn Harry but just as Harry turned around a Bludger hit him in the back.

 

“Foul!” Harry trying to catch his breath wondered why the foul had been called; he got hit with a Bludger, not another player. “Roughing a Chaser, Penalty Shot Gryffindor.” The Ravenclaw team had hoped Harry getting hit would distract the referee long enough for them to get another hit on Ginny who was getting beaten by Chasers and Beaters. Ginny got the Quaffle and took her shot just getting it past the Keeper for Ravenclaw.

 

“100-110 Ravenclaw still has the lead but it just got cut down.” Yesterday's game had been exciting watching Hufflepuff beat Slytherin in a blowout but this was far better, this was a match that would be won by the team that took the most sweat and blood from the other team and not by broom price. Harry was concerned, Ravenclaw had been leading by twenty points and were still playing rough to get the Quaffle back, what would happen if Gryffindor got the lead? Harry decided to look elsewhere for the Snitch as he couldn't see it from the sky. Flying down he went under the stands dodging posts and cross beams reminding him about the time he flew down here in a game against Slytherin, against Malfoy. Flying out the other side he still did not see the Snitch, where had it gone? Did they forget to release it? Harry shook his head that was a stupid thought, of course they released it. “140-170 Ravenclaw is starting to pull away but the Snitch will change all that!”

 

“Thanks Will.” Harry didn't need to be told that, he had to find and catch the Snitch, if Ravenclaw got it he would lose two games in the same season, being left in third place. Harry couldn't see the Snitch, but if he couldn't then Delpois couldn't either. Harry kept flying around diving every now and then acting as though he had seen the Snitch to keep Delpois on his toes. Harry was getting bored and worried, Ravenclaw was now leading 170-210, if he was the Chaser he could just score and pass and be in the action and wouldn't be losing to Ravenclaw.

 

“Mary has the Quaffle and is charging down the field with, no!” Ginny had just been knocked off her broom by a Ravenclaw Beater.

 

“Foul!” Mary was lying on the ground hurt; she didn't look like she could get back up to Harry, this was his chance.

 

“Ginny you take my spot, I'll replace you and we can have Cissy take Mary's place.” Ginny stared at Harry, she had been scoring all but three of the goals for Gryffindor, why was Harry replacing her? “Ginny you need to be Seeker, you're the only one who can match me as a Seeker, and while I'm not as skilled as you at Chaser but my broom does give me an advantage.” They flew down to Madam Hooch to explain what they would do since Mary was hurt.

 

“What's going on? It looks like Mary is being carried off the field and someone else is coming on the field. A replacement, she looks like someone who played during the last Gryffindor game. Wait, Harry is taking the spot of lead Chaser, and Ginny's gone up top, what a change! Gryffindor team can't beat Ravenclaw with the current set up so now they are changing it up.” Will Flitwick and others were confused but maybe this is what was needed to win the game for Gryffindor.

 

“Alright, I know this sounds bad, but give me the Quaffle, I will score, again and again, we will win.” Harry didn't care it sounded like he was a Quaffle Hog he wasn't going to lose. Madam Hooch started the game again and the two teams took off, Harry grabbing the Quaffle and scoring within seconds of the restart.

 

“They score! 180-210, will Harry be able to save Gryffindor, I don't know, but if he is able to score like this again…” Harry had before Will could finish his sentence. “190-210 Gryffindor is catching up!” Harry was going after the Ravenclaw Chaser getting the Quaffle back and heading back towards the Ravenclaw goals. “And just like that Gryffindor has scored again! 200-210 and this may get out of hand if Ravenclaw can't slow Harry down!” Harry was having a great time now, he wasn't worried about the Snitch, which was Ginny's job now, it was now his job to score as many points as possible.

 

“Come on people we need to keep scoring if we want to win! Let's make the Snitch irrelevant.” Harry lead the Gryffindor Chasers down the field scoring again and again, a couple times letting the other two score to change things up and keep the Ravenclaw Keeper guessing who was going to score. Soon the score was 270-210, Ravenclaw couldn't score as Gryffindor, mainly Harry on the best broom in the game, kept the Quaffle for themselves.

 

“Earlier I said this was going to be a match of skill but with Harry as Chaser it has become a broom game.” The excitement of the match had gone down now that Harry, and his Firebolt, was dominating the competition. “I know Harry has skill, but how good would he be on his old Nimbus 2000 or on an old Cleansweep? This is just turning into yesterday's game, unless Ravenclaw can get the Snitch they are done for in this match.” Harry had scored again, and again, making it 290-210.

 

“Foul!” Madam Hooch blew the whistle as a Beater slammed into Harry stopping him from scoring. Harry was getting ready for his penalty shot when something caught his eye, a flash of gold.

 

“Ginny!” Harry pointed at it and saw Ginny look in the direction to see the Snitch. She dove towards it but as she had seen it so had Delpois. The game stopped, the penalty shot was forgotten as the two Seekers dove for the Snitch, Ginny had the lead but Delpois on his Nimbus 2001 was cutting the lead down with every second. The Snitch moved farther away then shot up catching the Seekers off guard.

 

“Delpois now has the advantage! With that move the Snitch has gotten away from the Gryffindor Seeker and has left her on a slower broom farther away.” Ginny wasn't going to let her broom keep her from the Snitch as she shot up towards the Snitch nearly running into Delpois on her way up. “Is that a foul? No it looked like it was an accident, but now you can see where Delpois's broom gives him the upper hand as he pulls away from Ginny.” Skill had nothing to do with the game now, whoever was faster would get the Snitch. “But Ginny grabs the back of Delpois' broom and pulls him back, or herself up, oh no!” As no one had been doing their job, just watching the Seeker race, the Bludgers were flying unblocked by any Beaters and one slammed into Ginny knocking her off her broom. Harry seeing this dove towards Ginny and caught her before she hit the ground not hearing the crowd of Ravenclaw students explode in cheer as Delpois caught the Snitch.

 

“Yes! I know I may not be as great as Cho but I wasn't going to lose to Gryffindor, I was going to win this no matter what, for Cho.” Delpois had flown up to Will and spoke to the crowd, still with the Snitch in his hand. “But sorry to say Ginny got hurt, did someone get Madam Pomfrey?” Ginny was on the field breathing hard, her side hurt badly. Madam Pomfrey was in the stands watching the game, both because it was a school game and because she was part of the security set up, and was on the field as soon as she could get through the crowd.

 

“Let her have room students, she probably just cracked a couple of ribs nothing I can't handle.” Madam Pomfrey had gotten use to repairing a Gryffindor Seeker but it was always Harry she had to patch up after a game, not Ginny. “Mobilicorpus.” Ginny lifted off the ground as though held up by invisible strings. Don't worry she will be fine I just need to get her to the hospital room, move out of the way.”

 

“Can I come?” Harry was worried about Ginny and feeling guilty, if he had been Seeker he would have been faster then Delpois, he would have been hit by the Bludger, he would have broken his ribs, not Ginny.

 

“You've seen the hospital enough Harry, go to your Common Room I need to get to work.” Madam Pomfrey takes Ginny to the castle and heads for her office.

 

 

 

Gryffindor was somber; they had just lost two games in a row, and were now in second place for the Quidditch Cup, as they had scored enough points to pass Hufflepuff. Harry felt horrible, he had lost two games as Captain and it was his decisions that caused them. If he had kept Ginny at Chaser he could have seen the Snitch, and being faster then Delpois caught it, but no he put her in as Seeker and made himself Chaser because he was bored. When he got back to the castle he couldn't talk to Hermione as they were still fighting, and no one else wanted to talk to him as he had just lost the game. Harry didn't want to go to the Common Room for fear of the other students and what they would say or do, and didn't want to go to the Great Hall since there might have been Gryffindor students, or worse Slytherin students ready to insult him for losing two games in a row even though they had to. Harry walked the halls of Hogwarts before going outside to Hagrid's new cabin. “Hagrid?” Harry knocked on the door.

 

“Come in `Arry.” Hagrid was sitting in a new chair with a new pet on his lap.

 

“Sorry it took me awhile to come down and visit you Hagrid, I was busy with things.” Harry now had another reason to feel guilty; he hadn't visited Hagrid at all, except for classes.

 

“Is ok `Arry, I have been plenty busy to making new work for students and training Snowie.” Hagrid lifted a large black cat from his lap. “A Liger, she just a kitten now but she will get bigger when she gets older.” He scratched Snowie on her head getting a purr from her. “What happened?”

 

“On what?” Harry wasn't sure exactly what Hagrid meant by what happened, did he mean the game?

 

“Over the summer, you were attacked in Diagon Alley, I wanted to be there but was helping Dumbledore with other things, he built this place and even though I wanted to pay him for it he wouldn't let me, great man Dumbledore is.” Hagrid let Snowie get down and go over to a bowl filled with raw meat. “Remus said you and Hermione became invisible for a second and when you came back your hair was brown. Do you know the name of my pet from school?” Harry was confused, was Hagrid talking about Fluffy? “From when I was in school.” Now Harry knew what he was talking about, Aragog.

 

“You mean Aragog?” Was Hagrid trying to see if he was really Harry?

 

“Good memory, I know Dumbledore made sure you were the real `Arry but it just seemed queer that happened.”

 

“I know Hagrid, and I would tell you but Dumbledore said not to tell anyone.” Isn't that the excuse Hermione used to not tell Harry what was going on? Harry knew he was being a hypocrite using that same excuse to not tell Hagrid something but him and Hagrid was different from him and Hermione.

 

“Is ok `Arry I understand, there are things Dumbledore has told me I can't tell anyone else. Where's Hermione, she not mad at you about the game is she?”

 

“No, just something stupid going on with us.” Harry didn't want to talk about that with Hagrid. “Are you mad at me about the game?”

 

“Of course not `Arry, it was a good game even if you did lose, quite exciting, but why did you switch with Ginny?”

 

“I was bored.” Harry mumbled it not proud of his actions.

 

“What was that?” Hagrid used a pinkie to clean his ear thinking that was the problem.

 

“I was bored, I, well I can't talk about it but I was bored as Seeker, I wanted to be Chaser, be in the action, so I switched Ginny with me.”

 

“Well `Arry you weren't bored with Seeker before were you?” Harry shook his head. “What changed about it? Not that I would know, aren't exactly giant sized brooms.”

 

“I can't say, part of the thing Dumbledore told me not to talk about.”

 

“An attack in Diagon Alley makes you bored with Seeker? What was the name of the three headed dog I let Dumbledore borrow to guard the Stone?”

 

“Fluffy, I am me Hagrid, although both of those questions could have been answered by Ron, I don't know of anything he doesn't know that I do.” Ron had been such a good friend then, helped with Fluffy, went with him to find Aragog even though he was afraid of spiders.

 

“You just don't sound right `Arry, and fighting with Hermione, you never did that before, her and Ron did but not you two.”

 

“Well we kind of have a different situation then before, being friends and being more brings new problems.” And Voldemort doing things to him didn't help. “I better get back, it's getting late and maybe I can get back to my dorm room without getting jinxed or hexed.” Harry stood up and left Hagrid's cabin getting into the castle without seeing any students. Getting to the Common Room there were a couple people their but none of them drew their wand, or even looked at him. Getting to his room Neville wasn't there but Devin was. “Whatever you have to say shove it.” Harry went to his bed realizing how tired he was.

 

“Hey don't get pissy with me loser.” Devin didn't care that Harry lost, Quidditch wasn't a big deal to him, but Harry had been rude to him first.

 

“Whatever, are you going to hex me or anything?”

 

“No Harry, I'll just smother you in your sleep.” Devin uncrossed his legs and got off his bed. “I was trying to meditate but if you want to get in a rude match I will gladly let you win.”

 

“Sorry, but I am going to sleep and really killing me while I sleep might save me from tomorrow.” Devin left letting Harry lay down on his bed staring at the ceiling, not looking up when Neville came in for bed.