An American at Hogwarts

Lockhart Strikes Again

Eventually, the day of the first quidditch match came. I woke up early that morning and went for a practice flight. Frankly, the whole situation was rather intimidating. I'd be playing my first game in front of the entire school! What if I messed up? What if I was bad? What would people think of me? What if someone tried to curse my broom like Quirrell had done to Harry's? I was woken from my slight daze by someone calling me from the ground.

"Y/N! You've got to eat!"

I flew down to Marie, who was holding a plate of eggs and bacon.

"Sorry darling, I should have told you where I was going."

"Well it was rather obvious. This was the first place I looked. How are you feeling?"

I sighed. "Well now I know how Harry felt last year. It was a lot easier for me to tell him not to worry back then than it is to convince myself of that now."

"Let me try then. You'll do great. I know it. I think the others are heading over to the dressing room now, you'd probably best go see them."

I wiped a bit of bacon grease off my face and gave Marie a quick kiss. "Thanks dear! Love you!"

With that, I flew off to the dressing room, where the others were already getting ready. Harry gave me a smile as I came in and I decided now was as good a time as any to tell them.

"Guys, can I have a moment of your time?"

Wood and the others glanced at me with a mixture of confusion and intrigue, but nodded.

"So. I was talking to my mother, and I got an idea. She's willing to finance it, so long as you all are fine with it. I was thinking that, if we win today, I could perhaps get you all Nimbus 2001s."

The entire team's eyes went wide.

"Are... are you sure?" Said Wood, stuttering."

I nodded "Well, I can't get back at Malfoy the tradition way, right? So I though, what better way to get to him than for us to beat him with our, as he put it, ratty old brooms, and then for me to match the so called gift his bastard of a father gave their team? You saw how smug he was about it, I think it's time I show him that he isn't as special as he thinks he is. Lord knows he deserves it."

George stood up slowly. "I mean, it sounds good, but we can't rightly expect for you to pay..."

"The money really isn't a problem. Trust me on that, my mom knows the people who make the damn brooms, she can get them at a discount. I just wanted to make sure that you all are fine with changing brooms. If any of you are more comfortable with what you've got now and would rather not change that's fine, just let me know. I don't want to get the thing for you and make you feel like you have to use it because it's a gift or anything."

The team shared a quick glance and smiled back to me. Wood nodded.

"Alright, we'll take them then! Let's get out there and win this bloody thing!"

My first match was going well, at least at first. I scored early, which certainly alleviated a lot of the nerves, and the bludgers weren't really bothering me that much, which surprised me. Then I looked over towards Harry and saw why they weren't bothering me. He had one on him and he just could not shake the damned thing. It was absolutely locked onto him, and it was frankly a miracle he was still on his broom. I rushed over to Madam Hooch and tried to argue my case. The thing was blatantly being messed with somehow, but she assured me that wasn't possible and shooed me away. I tried flying up towards Harry, but whenever I got close, the second bludger would shoot my way and prevent me from getting there. Suddenly, Harry rushed off, darting down towards the floor. Before I knew it, he had caught the snitch, ending the game! But before we could so much as celebrate, the bludger flew at him once again. Expecting it to stop now that the game was over, Harry had let his guard down, and he had no chance of avoiding it. He was hit square in the shoulder, and fell to the ground with a sickening crunch. I rushed down to him and drew my wand, keeping an eye out for the rogue bludger. Sure enough, as I expected, it came for him once again. This time, though, I was ready.

Expulso!

The bludger blew into a thousand tiny pieces, almost disintegrating as my spell hit it. I let out a relieved breath as Ron, Hermione, Marie, and... Lockhart, all came running up to me. Lockhart ran straight past me and over to Harry.

"Ah, his arm is broken! Don't you worry, I know just the spell to fix it!"

"Don't you dare..."

Before I could even start my sentence, Lockhart waved his wand, and Harry's arm fell limp. Harry shrieked in horror as he tentatively lifted his arm.  It flopped around like jello.

"Ah, that can sometimes happen. But don't worry! I know..."

Expelliarmus!

Lockhart looked over in shock at me as I lowered my wand. "Oh no, you aren't trying anything else with him."

I was a bit worried for a moment I'd get in trouble. I had technically just attacked a teacher, even if it was just disarming him. However, I quickly saw McGonagall shoot me an approving, and somewhat amused, glance, and I knew I'd be fine. Hermione and Ron quickly lifted Harry off, and rushed him off to the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey was incensed at what Lockhart had done when we told her. Thankfully, regrowing bones was something she could do, but it was apparently horribly painful, much more than simply fixing them would have been. As the others finished speaking with Harry and went to leave, I went back over to him.

"Hey. I'm sorry about that. I tried to get up to you, but..."

"It's ok mate. You did well today! I'll be fine by tomorrow!"

I frowned slightly. "You sure dude? That was a nasty fall, and a nastier spell. You sure you don't want someone to stay with you? Not even for a bit?"

"I'm sure. Go enjoy the party, I'm sure they're celebrating the win right now. Just promise me I'll get my new broom first."

I smirked at that. "Deal. I'll duplicate my notes for you if you miss any classes. Enjoy whatever that bone stuff Pomfrey is gonna give you, I bet it tastes horrific."

With that, I walked off, angrier at Lockhart than ever. I couldn't believe that Dumbledore would keep him around after what happened, but I knew he had to have his reasons. Still, I could probably teach better than that bastard.