The Philosopher's Stone (A Harry Potter Rewrite)

SNAPE

"I just can't get the hang of this!", Ron complained with a grimace.

He had been trying to use the flying charm on his book with not very good results.

"Oh shut up!", Hermione said frowning. "You knocked out a twelve feet mountain troll with that charm! You are just not concentrating!"

"Well, practicing a charm isn't really as exciting as knocking out a troll, is it?", Ron asked brooding.

"Come on!", Ria said getting up to her feet all of a sudden.

"Where?", Harry asked looking confused.

"I have an idea!", she said with a bright smile. "Just bring a piece of parchment. All of you."

Ria took a parchment herself and made her way into the grounds. November had had a drastic effect on the surroundings. The green mountains were now a dull grey and there was a constant chill in the wind. The ground was covered in frost and Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs windows defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaverskin boots.

Once they were under a tree, Ria turned to the others.

"Know how to make paper planes?", Ria asked with a bright smile.

"What do you need paper planes for?", Harry asked.

"And what are those anyways?" Ron added.

"I just thought we could make charms homework a bit fun."

"Oh!", Hermione said, realisation dawning on her face. And then with a smile she sat down to fold her parchment into a plane. They were done within five minutes (Hermione insisted on teaching Ron who to make the plane).

"Now," Ria said, "we fly them and try and knock each other out of the air"

"How?", Ron asked still looking confused.

"Like this", Ria said. "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Her plane rose into the air and she made it fly around their heads in circles. Hermione joined and then Ron and Harry. A few minutes later the other Grifindor first years joined them, Dean claiming to have observed them from the dormitory window, and soon even some older kids were joining in. Ria managed to knock both Fred and George out of the air but then got knocked out by Wood, who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Neville and Hermione had a sensational plane duel (the sensational part being that Hermione lost).

"That was the best homework assignment I'd ever do in my entire life", Ron said back in the dormitory an hour later.

"I wouldn't be so sure brother", said Fred appearing behind Ria. "This brilliant lady here might just come up with some other cheeky trick"

"Like casting rainbows with Lumos", said George, appearing behind his twin.

"Professor Flitwick'd  better be careful" said Fred

"Or he might end up loosing his job." George added.

"Make sure you fly as well as your plane, Harry", Alicia said with a wink while passing them.

Harry's face instantly lost some of it's colour. The Quidditch season had begun. On Saturday, Harry would be playing in his first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the house championship.

Hardly anyone had seen Harry play because Wood had decided that, as their secret weapon, Harry should be kept, well, secret. But the news that he was playing Seeker had leaked out somehow. Some people told him he'd be brilliant. Some said they'd be running around underneath him holding a mattress. Harry didn't seem to like either.