What if Sirius Black didn't die?

Chapter 38: Quidditch with McLaggen

INTRODUCTION TO QUIDDITCH- John Williams

HARRY POV:

I had never been less interested in Quidditch.

Malfoy was now vanishing from the Marauder's Map even more often, and as I walked down to the Quidditch pitch just a while ago, I saw him and two girls walking back up towards the castle looking rather uninterested. With Quidditch practice, Homework, and classes, I had no time to look into it, but maybe if I could find the snitch fast enough today, I could run after Malfoy and see what he was up to.

What made things even worse was McLaggen.

As soon as I exited the Hospital Wing the evening after the situation with Ron, he cornered me in the Gryffindor common room about filling in for Keeper and hasn't left me alone since then. Every day he would find some way to rave about his skills, criticize the other players, and discuss tactics with me.

Ron was also even more annoyed. Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let him come to the match feeling it would "aggravate him," so I dropped by the Hospital WIng this morning to have a chat with a very agitated Ron.

"So how's McLaggen shaping up?" Ron asked nervously for the third time.

"I told you, he could be world-class and I wouldn't want to keep him," I scoffed.

"He keeps trying to tell everyone what to do, he thinks he could play every position better than the rest of us!" I sighed.

"I can't wait to be short of him and- speaking of getting short of people," I added, getting up and collecting my firebolt.

"Will you stop pretending to be asleep when Lavander comes to see you? She's driving me mad as well!"

Yes well, McLaggen wasn't the only one who's cornered me the past few days.

You would think Lavender got the message from Ron avoiding her and all, but she kept cornering me and asking me weird relationship questions which I barely got out of each time.

Anyways, Luna Lovegood was commentating on the current match, and it would usually be the funniest thing to listen to, but I was too focused on trying to find the snitch and keeping McLaggen out of trouble, to mind.

"McLaggen, will you pay attention to what you're supposed to be doing and leave everyone else alone?!" I yelled after he had shouted criticism at Ginny for losing the Quaffle while Hufflepuff's score soared straight past him.

"You're not setting a good example!" McLaggen shouted back furiously.

"And Harry Potter's now arguing with his keeper, I don't think that'll help him find the snitch," Luna's voice was heard loudly around the Quidditch pitch.

I spun around furiously and started to search for the snitch again as the crowd jeered and cheered.

No sign of the snitch anywhere.

"70-40 to Hufflepuff!" Professor McGonagall barked into Luna's megaphone.

"Is it already?" Luna said in her dreamy voice.

"Oh look! The Gryffindor's keeper's got hold of one of the beater's bats!" Luna exclaimed.

I spun around in midair and instantly located McLaggen, who indeed had taken Peakes' bat and appeared to be demonstrating how to hit a bludger towards an upcoming Hufflepuff chaser.

"Will you give him back his bat and get back to the goalposts?!" I roared as I raced towards him, just as he miss-hit the bludger and sent it straight racing towards me.

The last thing I felt was pain, surrounded by a whole lot of darkness, and the next thing I knew, I was lying in a soft warm Hospital bed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As I groggily opened my eyes, my head felt heavy, and the grinning Ron beside me didn't help.

"Nice of you to join me," Ron smirked as I slowly sat up and remembered everything that had happened.

"Quidditch! Oh no- what was the ending score?" I groaned, not even wanting to hear.

"290- 60," Ron sighed.

"I could hear Luna's commentary from here you know, she's brilliant! She should be the commentator for every-" Ron started, laughing as I heard a few doors open and close near the entrance to the hospital wing, but I didn't bother to look, as I was trying to get out of the blanket sheets I was covered in.

"Mr. Potter!" I heard Madam Pomfrey start, running towards my bed

"You must rest! You-" She exclaimed, reaching me as I was about to get up.

"I am NOT resting! I want to find McLaggen, and kill him!" I retorted just before I tried to get up, only to be pushed back onto the bed by Madam Pomfrey as she tried to explain to me why I had to stay in bed.

"No such acts of aggression will be taking place on my watch, so I suggest you-"

"I am not sitting in this bed after what that dungbrain did!" I yelled, trying to get up again, only to be pushed back onto the bed again.

"Mr. Potter! You WILL rest and recover these next few days whether you like it or not, and if you refuse, I shall call the headmaster," She threatened, making me huff and collapse on my bed in yet another loss.

She scurried off instantly, and I immediately heard a new voice.

"Giving up that easily?" A familiar voice asked, with humor in his voice.

My head whipped around once again, but not as quickly as it did earlier on the quidditch pitch as it was now wrapped up with bandages I had just noticed.

"Sirius?" I said, as my vision started to go blurry.

"Don't encourage him!" Madam Pomfrey scolded, scurrying back to me.

"AND SIT DOWN bOy!" She demanded, pushing me back onto my bed.

"You've cracked your skull-

"Oof!" Sirius winced.

"And beating up that bloody beater won't help, so I suggest you sit comfortably and recover TODAY Mr. Potter!" And with that, she disappeared, shooting an innocent Sirius one last glare.

"What happened to you two?" Sirius frowned, even though we could see a small smirk creeping in.

"It's a long story," I sighed in defeat.