Chapter 14

I had just opened my book when Ron came bursting in. He saw me and looked relieved. I sighed as he quickly pulled up a chair to the table I was at. He pulled out his Potion's homework and put in front of me over my open book.

"I knew I would find you in here."

I looked up at him and rolled my eyes. "Great, now I have to find a new place to hide." I pulled out my quill from my bag and we got to work on finishing his homework.

About an hour later, Ron rolled up his homework and left with a quick "Thanks".

Not a moment later, Hermione slipped in. As she sat down next to me, I narrowed my eyes. This seemed a little too much like a coincidence.

Hermione saw my suspicious gaze and sighed. "Fine, I knew he was going to find you and bother you until you helped him. In my defense," she quickly continued, as I began to open my mouth. "I helped him last time. It was your turn."

"Next time, we help him together."

"Deal."

We spent the rest of the day going over various theories and reading through various subjects.

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The week was pretty uneventful and it was finally Friday afternoon. For Harry, this mean the eve of his first Quidditch match. We were all outside standing in the courtyard. Hermione had put a bright blue fire in a jam jar and we were all warming our backs against it. Snape limped by and spotted us all standing there. He of course thought we looked guilty and limped over.

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

It was my copy of Quidditch Through the Ages. Harry showed Snape what it was.

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

"But Professor,"

"Quiet, Blake. Five more points for talking back."

He limped away with my book, leaving me seething. Nobody messed with my books. Not even Professor Snape.

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That night, Hermione and I had split the work. I was checking Harry's Charm homework and Hermione was checking Ron's. Harry made a comment on how he was going to ask Snape for my book. Hermione and Ron answered, "Better you than me."

"You better get my book back."

A few minutes later, Harry entered breathless from running away from Snape. He quickly told us all about how he was sure it was Snape that had tried to get past Fluffy on Halloween and let the troll in.

"No -- he wouldn't," Hermione said with wide eyes. "I know he's not very nice, 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. I wouldn't put anything past Snape. But what's he after? What's that dog guarding?"

"Listen, Snape is terrible," I stated. "He's unfair and hates children. Even so, he isn't so horrible that he would try to steal from Dumbledore."

Ron simply rolled his eyes at me.

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At breakfast the next morning, Hermione and I tried to get Harry to eat something without much results. Before the Gryffindor team went to the locker room, I wished Fred, George, and Harry good luck.

"Don't get yourself killed, alright?"

"No promises," Fred winked.

After I finished, I joined Ron, Hermione, Seamus, Dean, and Neville the up in the top row. We had all painted a large banner that said Potter for President. Dean had drawn a large Gryffindor lion underneath. Hermione had charmed the banner so the paint flashed different colors and I charmed the lion's tail to look like it was flicking back and forth. It took quite a while, but I'd been able to figure it out by the end of the week.

As we all gathered to watch the game, I made sure I was far away from Neville. I knew I would just end up getting flustered if we ended up next to each other. The game started, and all was going as I knew it would. It was a bit boring, knowing everything that was going to happen. No huge surprises in this Quidditch match.

Harry got fouled by Flint, just like I knew he would, and Gryffindor got a free shot. I couldn't help giggling a bit at Jordan's commenting.

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

"Jordan!" Professor McGonagall growled.

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

"Jordan, I'm warning you ---"

I stopped paying attention to the commenting after that, more focused on Harry slowly losing control of his broom. I nudged Hermione and she looked up at the out of control broomstick. People began to start pointing at Harry from all around the stadium.

His room was rolling and eventually he swung off. He was just barely able to hold on with 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."

Hermione snatched Hagrid's binoculars and looked for Snape in the crowd.

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

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

I didn't have to look to know that she was looking at Snape performing the only thing that was keeping Harry alive.

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

"What should we do?"

"Leave it to me."

I ran with Hermione, knowing that she was actually going to set the wrong person on fire. I, of course, wasn't going to stop her from setting Snape on fire. I was, however, going to make sure the right person got set on fire as well.

As Hermione knocked Professor Quirrel in to the row in front of us, I crouched down and carefully aimed my wand. I was able to set the end of Quirrel's robe on fire just as he finished his fall. I, unlike Hermione, didn't give him the courtesy of putting the fire out. I quickly ran back to the stands and let Quirrel figure out how to put it out.

Harry was able to climb back on his broom and cough up the Golden Snitch. Harry, Hermione, Ron, and I all slipped back to Hagrid's hut through the commotion to give Harry a cup of strong tea. Ron started to go on about how it was Snap who was trying to kill Harry.

I obviously agreed with Hagrid since I knew the truth.

"Rubbish," said Hagrid. "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"

Harry then went on about how he overheard Snape talking about the three-headed dog.

Hagrid dropped the teapot as he said. "How do you know about Fluffy?"

"Fluffy?"

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

"Yes?" said Harry eagerly.

On and on the argument went. Hermione even joined with Harry and Ron. I stubbornly stayed out of it, refusing give in to Hermione pleading looks.

"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 ---"

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

Hagrid looked furious with himself.

As we all left, Hermione began, "Really, Kendra, how can you go against all this proof? You know as well as me that you have to keep eye contact for a jinx and it was pretty clear Snape wasn't blinking."

"It's not just jinxing that you have to not blink for. Now I'm going to make sure all my homework is done."

I quickly pulled ahead of the three, with plans of talking to the Weasley twins forming in my head.

I'm sorry I publish so irregularly, but honestly, I'm probably not going to get any better. Thanks for being patient with me, though! I love you all!