All the good times pass in a hurry, that is one true saying. It seemed like it was just yesterday when the Christmas break started yet now Hogwarts was flooding with students as usual.

Which means that the Quidditch match paranoia is back with full force.

Both the teams were lined up on the pitch, brooms by their side waiting for the whistle. Oliver's face was tensed while the Ravenclaw captain appeared quite calm as usual.

Let's see, we may have a fair chance at catching the Snitch early but nevertheless the tension was still hanging over us like a cloud of doom.

The defeat from Hufflepuff had rather had an adverse effect on us and if we lost from Ravenclaw too (Heaven forbid), there will be absolutely no chance for us to get a shot at the Quidditch Cup.

The whistle sounded and we all mounted our brooms. This is going to be the final decider of which house is staying in the tournament and which isn't.

Us Chasers knew that this once we had to play our very best because we also needed a certain amount of points as well as the bonus snitch to finally be qualified for the next match.

Throughout the match, we had eyes only for the Quaffle because it all depended on the lead and we knew Harry was waiting for us to gain the lead and then he'd catch the snitch.

Luckily, the opponent seeker Chang didn't spot the snitch either so it was all going in our favour. A lead gaining goal by Katie and at last, it's time for the snitch to be caught.

Thankfully, Harry caught the snitch right in the nick of time propelling us to second position as we won the match. Now the only match to look out for is the final which will be held between Gryffindor and Slytherin.

But first and foremost, a much deserved celebration is due.

Oliver was right over the moon and the whole team had been washed in relief at meeting the target. Trust me when I say that this would be the most remembered match Gryffindor ever has won in the years to come.

And as it was our Captain's final chance to score the Cup, he was no doubt very ambitious about it.

However, we managed to persuade him for the celebration. After all the tough winter practices and stress, we truly needed a break, rightfully deserved it to be precise.

***

I decided that instead of wasting my time twisting and turning in the bed, it would be loads better if I did something useful such as reading the book I had borrowed recently from the Library.

To think that all the tough match plus celebration would have worn me out is a total understatement. But then what can we possibly do about this case of sleeplessness that has been stuck with me from as long as I can remember? Downright annoying, that's all I've got to say about it.

Picking up the book and slipping on my jacket, I crept out of the dorm as silently as possible. Everyone else had gone off to bed as expected and the common room was completely empty. Well, that's good enough for me.

I started the fire in the hearth and soon there was enough light and warmth for me to read comfortably. Flopping down on the couch, I took out the page I had been on and began to read.

A History Of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot. It's quite an interesting book really and the current paragraph was about flame freezing charms as well as Wendelin the Weird's 47 self planned captures.

Truly weird, I see the name fits her perfectly. And for women in the 14th Century, such mindset was clearly different and hard to believe. But then she must have had some of those beautiful gowns and hoods I had read and fantasized about back when I had just a limited source of knowledge of the outer world.

However, the sound of the portrait hole swinging aside shook me out of my reverie. "Off you go, good Sir," ah well, substituting Sir Cadogan for the Gryffindor Entrance is undoubtedly a mistake.

I still can't forget how he made our Quidditch team go on a fake quest just because we came up after curfew and he had some sort of punishment in mind for us.

While at this hour of the night, who could enter the Gryffindor tower except my dear lovely brothers? Definitely either one of Fred or George. So there really is absolutely nothing to worry about.

But then it is quite cold out here and I could definitely do well with a blanket. "Hey Fred, would you bring e back a blanket from your dorm? It's freezing out here."

He stopped at the stairs to the boys dorms and I couldn't really see whether he heard me or not due to the darkness. But whatever, it seemed like he did anyway. Ah good.

Wonder which cat got his tongue though. Or maybe they are both up to something really secretive. But he would be back with the blanket so I'll ask him then.

I went back to reading where I had left off. Shortly afterwards, someone came scrambling down the stairs in a hurry and a blanket was thrown at me. Fred, I guess?

"Hey, wait a second, why are you going out again?" I had put down the book by now and approached the darkened figure standing by the portrait hole.

Wait... That's not Fred nor George.The person in front of me spun around and in a flash I was pinned to the wall with a rough bony hand clamped tightly over my mouth.

Not again... I so hate it when people do that! And it unwillingly reminds me of the broom closet encounter I had with a 15 years younger Snape.

Ugh.

I tried to break free but the grip was quite strong making it hard to even struggle against the hold. His eyes pierced right through me and a chill went down my spine. That deeply lined face was unnervingly familiar. And those gray eyes...

Sirius.

His eyes were not emotionless as I had seen in those magazines earlier. True, the humorous spark was gone, the chilling hollowness was there in those once sparkling irises but other than that there was concern and distress reflected clearly.

Not the eyes of a murderer. It just can't be.

I had stopped struggling against his hold long before and my heart was beating so hard that it was painful. But I couldn't totally ignore the sharp knife in his pocket and the wand pointed straight at me.

My own wand.

I don't even recall when it got switched from my hand to his.

I tried to speak but couldn't. Wow, exactly wow. I can literally see he has no idea who I am and he wouldn't hesitate in using the wand and yet... How in the world can I possibly tell him if he doesn't let me speak!

Panic attack, now of all times...

A hustle was going on in the dorms. People were waking up probably. And then his voice came out in a raspy whisper, "Obliviate."

***