Start of Suspicions
Harry
"Harry!"
Harry turned and saw Oliver Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, running towards him. Harry resisted the urge to groan. It was only their first day! Wood, in his own way, was just as annoying and persistent as Percy.
"D'you think I should keep tryouts?" Oliver asked. "I mean, the girls say I should. But my team is already quite solid..."
"I don't think tryouts are required." Harry admitted. "You're right; the team is strong the way it is. The girls are terrific and in sync. With the twins, no worries about the beaters too. I'm the seeker already, and you're the keeper. No need."
Oliver grinned. "Thanks, Harry. First practice is next week, Wednesday at five."
With that, Oliver was off. Beside Harry, Jéricho snickered. "That boy..."
"Tell me 'bout it!" Harry groaned.
Their classes were over for the day, and Harry was roaming the grounds with Jéricho, waiting for Adrian and Sera. As if on cue, the two appeared, laughing on some joke. Harry's heartbeat increased, just as it always did with Sera around. He knew he liked her a lot, but had never had the courage to say it out loud.
"What's up?" Jéricho asked. "The others not coming?"
"Nope." Adrian shrugged. "Studying already."
"So," Sera rubbed her hands together. "We just saw Oliver leave. Was he pestering you again, Harry? Want me to hex him?"
Harry laughed. "It's alright, Sera."
"By the way, did you guys notice something up with Quirell?" Adrian asked.
Harry frowned. "Yeah, he was stuttering a lot."
Quirell had been their Muggle Studies Professor earlier, but had taken a break for a year. He had been liked, and Harry had heard upper years praising him before. Now, he had become a mockery. Harry wondered what had happened to make such a jolly man into a stuttering fool.
Slytherins and Gryffindors had had their first lesson today with him, and Harry was appalled. The man was a mess, and teaching practically nothing. Defence was ruined for them. The man seemed to be scared of his own shadow, and the class reeked of garlic.
"Well," Jéricho frowned. "We haven't had a class with him yet, but I think I heard he went to Albania and ran into some trouble with a vampire clan and something. But this is the rumor mill we're talking about, so it may be false..."
"That would explain the garlic..." Adrian mused.
"And he didn't wear a turban before, did he?" Sera pressed. "That's a new development."
"Well, one thing's for sure." Adrian shrugged. "Defence is a game this year."
Harry frowned. "I think something's off about this, though, don't you?"
The others too frowned in thought. There was something definitely off about this situation. Something didn't just sit right.