Extraordinary

As they entered November, the weather turned very chilly. The mountains surrounding the school became an icy grey and the lake like chilled steel. It was not yet frozen over but very close. At night, most things frosted over so you could usually see Hagrid from the upstairs windows defrosting the brooms on the Quidditch pitch, bundled up in his long moleskin overcoat, fur gloves, and enormous beaverskin boots.

The Quidditch season was upon them and Wood had Harry training three times a week since he joined the team. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw had already played, Em had gone to cheer for her new found friend who happened to be Hufflepuff's seeker. She had to say that he was pretty good. Harry would have his first match on Saturday and it was against her own house. She had no idea who to cheer for but she wouldn't miss it for the world. She had to be there to watch Harry's first match to tell Remus, Sirius, James and Lily about it.

Hardly anyone had seen Harry play because Wood wanted to keep him a secret. The few that had were certain that the Gryffindors were almost unbeatable with him on their team. It seemed as though the few people that had seen him play couldn't keep their mouths shut, however, because almost the whole school knew that he was their Seeker and had been bombarding him with encouragement.

The three were lucky to have finally befriended Hermione because she allowed them to use her notes. Of course, Emeelia didn't need her notes for anything except History of Magic because Merlin does Binns drone on and on. Even insomniacs were sure to fall asleep in his lessons. Hermione and Em had to help the boys a lot with homework, whether it be proofreading or just doing it for them, the boys' homework always got done.

Hermione had become more lenient about breaking the rules after the bathroom incident and was nicer for it. The day before the Slytherin vs Gryffindor match the four of them were out in the freezing courtyard during a break they shared, and she had conjured a small blue flame that gave off heat but didn't burn that she kept in a jar. Em suspected it was just Incendio with a modification or something. They were huddled around with their backs to it warming up when Snape crossed the yard. He looked to be... limping? They slid closer together to block the fire from his gaze; they were sure it would be against the rules. Unfortunately, something about their 'act natural' expressions had caught the potion master's eye. He hadn't seen the fire, but was looking for a reason to tell them off anyway. Why wouldn't he? His least favourite students doing suspicious things? Just a fucking delight for Snapey.

"What've you got there, Potter?"

Harry showed him Quidditch Through the Ages.

"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."

"That's not an actua-" Em began before Ronald elbowed her in the ribs.

Snape turned to glare at her before limping away.

"He just made that rule up," Harry muttered angrily.

"I know. I was going to say something..."

"You didn't want a detention, did you?" explained Ron.

"Wonder what's wrong with his leg?" said Hermione.

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

Emeelia joined them in their very noisy common room that evening. They were sat together next to a window. Hermione and Em were checking the boys' Charms homework for them. Though Hermione refused to let them copy, Em would usually let the boys magpie a few things from her work. Their usual method was to read it through and correct it for them.

Harry got up and told them he was going to ask Snape for his book back to which they replied: "Better you than me."

Emeelia finished checking Ron's work and asked if he wanted to play Gobstones. He didn't by the way so they ended up playing Exploding Snap with the twins. She was just about to call 'Snap' when Harry came running through the portrait.

"Did you get it?" Ron asked as he packed away the game. "What's the matter?"

In a low whisper, Harry told them that he'd seen Filch bandaging Snape's leg talking about the dog guarding the trap door.

"You know what this means?" he finished breathlessly. "He tried to get past the 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 the troll in, to create a diversion!"

Hermione's eyes were wide.

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

"Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something," snapped Ron.

"I'm with Harry," Em chimed in. "I wouldn't put anything past Snivellus. But what's he after? What's the dog guarding?"

Em had to leave only an hour after the conversation so that she wasn't caught out of bed after curfew. She kept the question in her mind. Maybe I could ask Merlin? She tried to sleep but found she couldn't so she decided to read through her own homework again. If she could get her mind off of whatever is being kept here maybe she could sleep.

The next morning dawned brightly but coldly. Em woke to find her head stuck to the charms book that she was checking her work against. The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and cheerful chatter from the students that were looking forward to the Quidditch match, which was mostly everyone.

"You've got to eat some breakfast."

"I don't want anything."

"Just a bit of toast," wheedled Hermione.

"I'm not hungry."

"I'm not letting you onto that pitch if you don't eat your eggs."

The game was in an hour and he was obviously nervous. He needed to eat something.

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

Em sent him a glare. Not helping, Finnigan.

"Thanks, Seamus," said Harry, Em almost gagged at how much ketchup he put on his sausages.

At eleven o'clock almost the whole school were sat in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars and a few had their astronomy telescopes. The seats may be raised high in the air but it was still difficult to see what was happening sometimes.

Ron, Hermione and Em had joined Neville, Seamus and the muggle football lover Dean up in the top row. As a surprise for Harry, they had painted a large banner on ruined paper. It said Potter for President, and Dean, who was good at drawing, had painted a large Gryffindor lion underneath. Then Em did the Colovaria Charm to make the paint flash different colours.

They all sat impatiently waiting for the teams to come out onto the pitch. Em had decided to cheer for Gryffindor because a) she knows the players, b) she heard that Slytherin cheat. The stands erupted in noise when the teams walked onto the pitch, it was almost deafening. She could see Harry standing nervously next to the twins. She noticed him look towards their banner and he smiled widely. She gave him a thumbs up, hoping that he'd seen it.

The teams shook hands and then mounted their brooms. Madam Hooch's whistle sounded and they kicked off from the ground. Fifteen brooms rose up 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 -"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."

Fred and George's partner in crime, Lee Jordan, was the commentator for the match, closely watched by McGonagall.

"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!"

Cheers from the Gryffindor's side of the stand fill the cold air, with groans and howls from the Slytherins.

"Budge up there, move along."

"Hagrid!"

Em told people to scoot so they could squeeze together and give Hagrid enough space to join them.

"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."

"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, out of the way of Bludgers. Good plan, Wood

When Johnson had scored he'd done a couple of loop-the-loops in celebration. He then went back to looking for the snitch. A Bludger flew his way once but he dodged it and one of the twins chased after it. He stopped by Harry for a second, presumably to talk to him, as he hit the Bludger towards Flint.

"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the - wait a moment - was that the Snitch?"

A murmur ran through the crowd as Pucey dropped the Quaffle, too busy looking behind him at the shimmer of gold that had passed his left ear.

Harry had seen it. He dived after it and so did the Slytherin Seeker. Neck and neck they hurtled towards the Snitch - everyone else had forgotten their roles and just hung in midair to watch.

Harry was much faster than Higgs - he accelerated -

"HARRY WATCH OU-" Em was a little too late. Or Harry was too fast.

WHAM! A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors. Flint had blocked Harry purposefully, knocking him off course. Harry was clinging to his broom for dear life.

"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.

Next to Seamus, Dean Thomas was yelling, "Send him off, ref! Red card!"

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

"Dean, this isn't football!" Em reminded him.

But Hagrid, however, was on Dean's side.

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

Lee Jordan was finding it difficult not to take sides.

"So - after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating."

"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.

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

"Jordan, I'm warning you -"

"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills Gryffindor Seek, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinnet, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."

Harry just dodged another Bludger when his broom suddenly lurched. He tensed, gripping onto his broom and it seemed it was only Emeelia who noticed.

She kept her eyes on Harry, only paying attention to the game when someone scored. It happened again. It looked like the boom was trying to buck him off like a horse. Brooms don't buck riders, or at least she'd never seen it happen before. He was trying to control it but it was taking no mind. It was zigzagging through the air and making violent swishing movements.

Lee was still commentating.

"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 else had noticed Harry. She tapped Ron's arm and pointed to Harry. He was slowly rising away from the game, his broom sometimes jerking and twitching.

"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...."

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

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

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, grey-faced.

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

Emeelia 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.That little...

"He's jinxing it," Em said sharply, handing Ron the binoculars.

"What should we do?" he said, lowering them.

"Leave it to me."

Em grabbed onto the back of Hermione's coat as to not lose her in the crowd. She looked back up at Harry. His broom was vibrating. She knew he wouldn't last much longer. The twins flew to him to try and pull him onto one of their brooms but it was no good. Whenever they got close the broom would jump higher. They settled for circling below him just in case he fell.

Flint took this opportunity to score five times.

"Hurry up, Mione," Em said, pushing her further along.

The two had fought their way across to where Snape stood, and was now racing along the row behind him; Em said a quick 'Sorry' before being dragged along by Hermione as they knocked Quirrel headfirst into the row in front. Upon reaching Snape, Hermione crouched down and whispered the spell that Em recognised as the same one she used for the jar-flame. Bright blue flames shot from her wand onto the hem of Snape's robes.

Surprisingly, it took about thirty seconds for the usually perceptive Snape to realise that he was on fire. His sudden yelp told them that they'd successfully distracted him. Em scooped the fire into a jar that Hermione gave to her and then they scrambled back to their seats. He would never know what happened. The two let out a little giggle and high-fived each other.

Luckily, it was enough as up in the air, Harry was able to clamber back on top of his broom.

As they took their seats again Ron told Neville that he could look again. Neville had been sobbing into Hagrid's coat for the last five minutes.

Harry was speeding towards the ground when he clapped a hand to his mouth as though he were about to be sick. He landed on the grass on all fours - coughed - and something gold fell into his hand.

The whole crowd was silent.

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

Flint was still howling about technicalities twenty minutes later, but it made no difference. He hadn't broken any rules and Jordan was still happily shouting the results - Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy to sixty. They didn't have to listen to any of this, though. They were all in Hagrid's hut, drinking tea and refusing his cooking.

"It was Snape," Ron was explaining, "we saw him. He was cursing you 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 so somethin' like that?"

The four looked at one another, wondering what to tell him.

"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 in surprise.

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

"Fluffy?" Em asked incredulously.

"Yeah - he's mine - bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year - I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the -"

"Yes?" Harry said eagerly.

"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."

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

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

"I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid, I've read all about them. You've got to keep eye contact, which Snape was undoubtedly doing, I saw him," Em reasoned.

"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 four 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 -"

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

Hagrid looked furious with himself.