𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙨 (𝖽𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗈 𝗆𝖺𝗅𝖿𝗈𝗒 𝗑 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋)

chapter three

We fell into a routine of breakfast, classes, lunch, classes, then dinner, and I honestly loved being at this school. Anything beat being with the Dursleys, though. One day, I walked with Harry, Ron, and Hermione to the Quidditch pitch for our flying lesson with Madam Hooch.

Madam Hooch walked out and started explaining everything. "And to get your broom, you say 'Up'!"

There was a chorus of "Up!"s, and I was the first one to get my broom. Harry was second, then Malfoy, who stood across from you.

After we all mounted our brooms, Madam Hooch started the countdown to hover slightly above the ground. "3 . . . 2 . . ."

Then Neville lost control of his broom and he flew up into the air. A few moments later, he was on the ground, lying there, clutching his wrist. Fear rushed through me. What if that happened to me?

"Oh, my, a broken wrist! Let's get you to the hospital wing," the professor turned to us, yellow eyes fierce. "Absolutely no one will leave this ground until I return, or you will be expelled before I can say Quidditch.

Draco Malfoy picked something up from the ground and flew up into the air. I watched as Harry immediately followed him, and I decided to as well. I jumped on the back of my broom and started zooming over my peers.

"Ha! Catch this, Potter!" Malfoy yelled, throwing the ball into the air and away from me and Harry.

I chased after it, and speeding up on your broom as I did. My eyes locked onto the small ball, and I held out my hand in time to catch it swiftly. Victorious, I landed smoothly back on the ground, handing the ball to Harry. He tapped my shoulder and I turned around to be faced with Professor McGonagall. Her eyebrows were knitted together, and her eyes showed something terrifying.

"You two are coming with me!" she shouted and grabbed my arm, pulling me and Harry into the castle.

Fear flooded through me as she dragged us through the hallways. What if we get expelled? We'll have to go back to the Dursleys. I can't go back.

Professor McGonagall stopped in front of a classroom. "Professor Quirrell, may I please have Oliver Wood and Marcus Flint?"

Professor Quirrell nodded and two boys walked out of the classroom.

"Boys, I may have just found your new seekers for Quidditch," Professor McGonagall said excitedly.

One of the boys, the Slytherin, looked at me, and the other, a Gryffindor, looked at Harry.

"So we're not expelled?" I asked, excitement spilling in my voice.

"Of course not. I haven't seen flying that perfect on the first try since your dad," Professor McGonagall said happily.

~~~

I took a deep breath. It was almost time for my first Quidditch match, which was Slytherin against Gryffindor. That meant that I was playing against my brother. I smoothed down my green uniform, grabbed my broom, and walked onto the bright Quidditch field. The rest of my team filed out and soon, everyone was out of the locker rooms. While we walked to the middle of the field to meet Madam Hooch and the Gryffindor team, I looked at the stands, which were filled with people. I saw Star, standing in the Slytherin side, holding a sign that said, "Go Y/n!"

"I want a nice, clean match," Madam Hooch said. We mounted our brooms, and she threw up the Quaffle. Marcus Flint, the Slytherin team captain, had informed me about all of the different types of balls, and how to score points. I'm a seeker, which means I'm supposed to find the Snitch, which is a small, hard-to-find golden ball.

I flew up above the other players, searching for the Snitch. A sharp, tiny movement dashed in my peripheral vision and I dashed for it. Harry saw it too, and we were both chasing after it.