Harry Potter and the Prince of Slytherin

Chapter 4: Meet the Weasleys (Pt 1)

9 July 1992

"You have got to be joking," said Harry as he surveyed the majestic wreck that was the Weasley Burrow.

"Of course, Mr. Potter," drawled Snape. "I am, after all, known across the length and breadth of Magical Britain for my comedic stylings. Now come along." With that, Snape started down the pathway towards the house.

Harry followed, ignoring the man's sarcasm. "And I'll really be safer here than, say, a wooden crate in the alleyway back behind the Leaky Cauldron?"

"Despite its ... eccentric design, you will find that the Burrow's protections are much more potent than they would appear. The eldest Weasley son, William, is an accomplished curse-breaker for Gringotts, and he has installed state-of-the-art wards of his own design. Which reminds me: You should probably consult with your tutors and add magical sensory training to your tutoring schedule. Had you taken time to develop magical awareness – admittedly something usually well beyond the First Year curriculum – you might have noticed that we have already passed through three layers of wards powerful enough to incapacitate us both were we not already keyed into them. You will also be pleased to know that the Burrow's wards, according to Arthur Weasley, include one which blocks uninvited house elves from entering the grounds. The house also has a Floo connection, so you will be able to resume your tutoring schedule tomorrow by traveling directly to the Leaky Cauldron. However, your next Occlumency session has been pushed back a week due to your time spent recuperating. Finally, the grounds are large enough to accommodate a full-sized Quidditch pitch. Mr. Flint is quite eager to see what you can do in tryouts this September, and since the Weasley Terrors are also the Gryffindor Beaters, I expect you to return with at least some facility at dodging them."

Harry glanced up at his mentor with a measure of surprise. Snape merely looked down his nose at the boy. "I have grown ... accustomed to that trophy sitting in my office, Potter."

"To be honest, sir, I would never have pegged you for a Quidditch fan."

"I'm not. It's a ridiculous and insipid game made worse by the fact that our national obsession with it ensures that out of a student body of nearly 300, only twenty-eight students per year can participate in any organized sport." He sneered. "That does not prevent me, however, from taking pleasure out of winning at that insipid game."

"Particularly in light of my father's notorious skill at it?" Harry asked mildly.

"Particularly."

"Mm-hmm. Out of curiosity, sir, do you have a favorite sport?"

"Duelling, though the Headmaster has declined my requests to restart the old dueling club which was discontinued during the later days of the War. His understandable concern is that in light of my personal reputation and background only Slytherin Purebloods would sign up for it, and he is loathe to allow potential future Death Eaters to receive combat training under the school's auspices. As a child, I enjoyed soccer during the summers but never at Hogwarts. It would have been unthinkable for a Slytherin in those days to have professed a fondness for any Muggle sport, even the most popular one on Earth. That said, I do recall that when I first started at Hogwarts, there was a brief fad for cricket which even attracted Purebloods. Lucius Malfoy had organized a student cricket league which was still active during my first year, but it fell apart after he graduated."

"Lucius Malfoy is a cricket fan?!" asked Harry in disbelief.

"At seventeen, Lucius Malfoy was not yet caught up in the Dark Lord's orbit and was rather more open-minded about such things, much to the disappointment of his odious father, Abraxas Malfoy. Though to be completely honest, I always suspected he liked cricket simply because he thought the uniforms made him look dashing."