Harry's Godfather (A Father and Son Fanfic) Book 3

Chapter 5: Hogsmeade Weekend and the Fat Lady

Quidditch was played with seven people on a Quidditch team. 3 Chasers, whose job it was to score goals by putting the Quaffle (a red, soccer-sized ball) through one of the hoops at each end of the field. 2 Beaters, who were equipped with heavy bats to repel the Bludgers (two black balls that zoomed around trying to attack the players and knock them off of their brooms). A Keeper, who defended the hoops and the Seeker, who had the hardest job of all, catching the Golden Snitch, (a tiny, winged, walnut-sized ball). Once the snitch was captured, the game ended. The Seeker's team would earn an extra 150 points. Oliver Wood, the Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, called a meeting on a Thursday evening to discuss tactics for the new season. Oliver was a 17 year old boy, who was in his 7th and final year at Hogwarts. There was a bit of desperation in his voice, as he talked to his team in the changing room. He said, "This is our last chance, my last chance, to win the Quidditch Cup. I'll be leaving at the end of this year. I'll never get another shot at it. Gryffindor hasn't won for seven years now. Okay, so we've had the worst luck in the world. Injuries, then the tournament getting called off last year, but we also know we've got the best ruddy team in the school!" He says the last 3 words by punching his fist into the palm of his hand after each word. Oliver said, "We've got 3 superb chasers." He points to Angelina, Alicia and Katie, who smile at him. Oliver points to Fred and George, "We've got 2 unbeatable beaters." Fred and George pretends to blush as they said in unison, "Stop it, Oliver, you're embarrassing us." Oliver said as he looks with pride at Harry, "And we've got a Seeker who has never failed to win us a match!" Harry smiles at Oliver. Oliver said, "And, of course, me." George said, "We think you're very good too, Oliver." Fred said, "Spanking good Keeper." Oliver said, "The point is, the Quidditch Cup should have had our name on it these last two years. Ever since Harry joined the team, I've thought the thing was in the bag. But we haven't got it, and this year's the last chance we'll get to finally see our name on the thing." Fred and George look sympathetically at Oliver. Fred said, "Oliver, this is our year." George said, "We'll do it, Oliver!" Harry said, "Definitely!" With the team filled with determination, they started training sessions. They practiced 3 evenings a week. The weather continues to get colder and now, wetter. The nights started to become darker and longer. But no amount of mud, wind, or rain could ruin Harry's vision of finally winning the huge, silver Quidditch Cup. Harry returns to the Gryffindor common room one evening after training. He was cold and stiff, but happy with the way practice went. He found his fellow Gryffindors talking excitedly. Harry sits with Ron and Hermione by the fire. He said, "What happened?" Ron points to the notice on the bulletin board and said, "First Hogsmeade weekend at the end of October, Halloween." Fred said, "Excellent! I need to visit Zonko's. I'm nearly out of Stink Pellets." Harry grins, "Great! I can't wait for Hogsmeade Weekend!" Ron grins, "You're dad signed your form?" Harry nods, grinning, "On one condition, that you two are with me, when we go there." Ron grins, "Easy Peasy." Hermione said, "I can't believe Snape is letting you go to Hogsmeade, knowing that Black is after you." Ron said, "Snape said as long as you and I are with him, that it's fine, ok Hermione?" Hermione frowns slightly, but nods, "Ok, Ron." Suddenly, Crookshanks jumps lightly onto Hermione's lap. A large, dead spider was in his mouth. Ron said, "Does he have to eat that in front of us?" Hermione smiles as she said, "Clever Crookshanks, did you catch that all by yourself?" Crookshanks slowly eats the spider, his yellow eyes fixed on Ron. Ron said, irritably, "Just keep him over there, that's all." He turns back to his star chart, "I've got Scabbers asleep in my bag." Harry gets to work on his star chart. Ron said, "You can copy mine, if you like." He labels his last star and shoves the chart to Harry, smiling. Harry smiles, takes it and starts copying.

Suddenly, without warning, Crookshanks pounces on Ron's bag. Ron roars, "OY! GET OFF, YOU STUPID ANIMAL!" Crookshanks sinks his claws deep into the bag and begins tearing at it, like a mad animal. Ron tries to pull the bag away from Crookshanks, but Crookshanks clings on, spitting and slashing at the bag. Everyone in the common room was watching now. Hermione shouts, "Ron, don't hurt him!" Ron whirls the bag around, trying to get Crookshanks off of his bag. Crookshanks was still clinging to it, as Scabbers comes flying out of the top. Crookshanks frees himself from what was left of the bag and gives chase. He springs over the table and chases after the terrified Scabbers. Ron roars, "CATCH THAT CAT!" George make a lunge for Crookshanks, but misses. Scabbers streaks through several pairs of legs and runs under a chest of drawers. Crookshanks skids to a halt and crouches low on his legs. He starts making swipes beneath it with his front paw. Hermione and Ron run over. Hermione grabs Crookshanks around the middle and picks him up, while Ron goes flat on his stomach to retrieve his rat from under the drawers. After a minute or 2, Ron pulls Scabbers out by his tail. Ron dangles Scabbers in front of Hermione. He said furiously, "Look at him, Hermione! He's skin and bone! You keep that cat away from him!" Hermione said, angrily, "Crookshanks doesn't understand it's wrong!" Ron said, "There's something funny about that animal. It heard me say that Scabbers was in my bag!" Ron tries to make his rat to go into his pocket. Hermione said, "Oh, what rubbish! Crookshanks could smell him, Ron, how else d'you think...." Ron cuts her off and said, "That cat's got it in for Scabbers! Scabbers was here first, and he's ill!" Ron marches through the common room and up the stairs to the boys' dormitories. Ron was still in a bad mood with Hermione the next day. He barely talked to her all through Herbology! Even though he, Harry, and Hermione were working together on the same puffapod. Hermione said timidly, "How's Scabbers?" Ron said, angrily, "He's hiding at the bottom of my bed, shaking." He misses the pail and scatters beans all over the greenhouse floor. Sprout said, "Careful, Weasley, careful!" As the beans bloom before their very eyes. They leave the greenhouse and wash up at the castle. They had Transfiguration next. As he stands outside the classroom with the other students, he hears someone crying. It was Lavender. Parvati had her arm around her, comforting her, and explaining something to Seamus and Dean, who were looking serious and concerned. Hermione said, "What's the matter, Lavender?" Harry and Ron went to join the group. Parvati said, "She got a letter from home this morning. It's her rabbit, Binky. He's been killed by a fox." Hermione said, "Oh, I'm sorry, Lavender." Lavender said as she cried, "I should have known! You know what day it is? The sixteenth of October! 'That thing you're dreading, it will happen on the sixteenth of October!' Remember? She was right, she was right!" The whole class had gathered around Lavender now. Hermione hesitates, then said, "You.... You were dreading Binky being killed by a fox?" Lavender said, "Well, not necessarily by a fox, but I was obviously dreading him dying, wasn't I?" Hermione said, "Oh." She pauses again, then said, "Was Binky an old rabbit?" Lavender sobs, "He.... He was only a baby!" Parvati tightens her arms around Lavender's shoulders. Hermione said, "But then, why would you dread him dying?" Parvati glares at her. Hermione said, "Well look at it logically, I mean, Binky didn't even die today, did he? Lavender just got the news today. She can't have been dreading it, because it's come as a real shock...." Ron cuts her off and said, "Don't mind Hermione, Lavender, she doesn't think other people's pets matter very much." Hermione glares at Ron.