𝐋𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐝 {𝐇. 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫}

7

Malfoy couldn't believe his eyes when he saw that Harry and Johnny were still at Hogwarts the next day, looking tired but perfectly cheerful. The next morning Harry, Ron and Johnny thought that meeting the three-headed dog had been an excellent adventure, and they were quite keen to have another one. And it turns out now, Johnny and Ron were actually friends.

In the meantime, Harry filled Ron and Johnny in about the package that seemed to have been moved from Gringotts to Hogwarts, and they spent a lot of time wondering what could possibly need such heavy protection.

"It's either really valuable or really dangerous," said Ron.

"Or both," Johnny suggested with a shrug, taking a hash brown that laid on Harry's plate. But all they knew for sure about the mysterious object was that it was about two inches long, they didn't have much chance of guessing what it was without further clues. The boys also filled Johnny in about the trapdoor that Johnny didn't notice last night. Neither Neville or Hermione showed the slightest interest in what lay underneath the dog and the trapdoor. All Neville cared about was never going near the dog again.

Hermione was now refusing to speak to Johnny, Harry and Ron, but she was such a bossy know-it-all that Harry and Ron saw this as an added bonus. Johnny on the other hand was very upset that his first friend wasn't talking to him. But all they really wanted now was a way of getting back at Malfoy, and to their great delight, just such a thing arrived in the mail about a week later.

As the owls flooded into the Great Hall as usual, everyone's attention was caught at once by two long, thin packages carried by six large screech owls. Harry and Johnny was just as interested as everyone else to see what was in these large parcels, and was amazed when the owls soared down and dropped them right in front of the boys, knocking their plates to the floor. They had hardly fluttered out of the way when another owl dropped two letters on top of the parcel.

Johnny ripped open the letter first, which was lucky, because it said:

DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE.

It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everybody knowing you've got a broomstick or they'll all want one. Marcus Flint will meet you tonight on the Quidditch field at seven o'clock for your first training session.

Professor S. Snape

Johnny had difficulty hiding his glee as he and Harry handed the notes to Ron to read.

"Nimbus Two Thousands!" Ron moaned enviously. "I've never even touched one."

They left the hall quickly, wanting to unwrap the broomsticks in private before their first class, but halfway across the entrance hall they found the way upstairs barred by Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy seized the package from Harry and felt it.

"They're broomsticks," he said, throwing it back to Harry with a mixture of jealousy and spite on his face. "You'll be in for it this time, Potter, Mudblood, first years aren't allowed them."

Ron couldn't resist it.

"It's not any old broomsticks," he said, "they're Nimbus Two Thousands. What did you say you've got at home, Malfoy, a Comet Two Sixty?" Ron grinned at Harry and Johnny. "Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same league as the Nimbus."

"What would you know about it, Weasley, you couldn't afford half the handle," Malfoy snapped back. "I suppose you and your brothers have to save up twig by twig."

Before Ron could answer, Professor Flitwick appeared at Malfoy's elbow.

"Not arguing, I hope, boys?" he squeaked.

"Potter and Scaletta has been sent broomsticks, Professor," said Malfoy quickly.

"Yes, yes, that's right," said Professor Flitwick, beaming at Harry and Johnny . "Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape told me all about the special circumstances. And what models are they?"