Charmolypi

Chapter 16

The Gryffindor quartet were sitting in the great hall, Harry picking at his food, as Thea munched on a boiled egg and some fruits.

"Take a bit of toast, mate. Go on." Ron urged him as he tried to feed him.

"Ron's right, Harry. Look at Thea. You're both going to need your strength today." Hermione insisted.

"I'm not hungry." Harry said, barely looking at his friends. Thea slipped him some fruits, and he smiled in response.

Professor Snape came up to the group, looking directly at the twins. "Good luck today, Potters. Then again, now that you've proven yourselves against a troll, a little game of quidditch should be easy work for you... even if it is against Slytherin." Snape turned around and walked away with a slight limp, which both Potters noticed.

Some people, including Sirius, were sending dirty looks towards Snape. The young boy just sat in his place, trying his hardest to look unbothered.

"That explains the blood." Harry said lowly, causing Thea to whip her head in her brother's direction, with a questioning look. Hermione looked at Harry, just as confused as Thea.

"What is he talking about?" Barty asked loudly.

"Blood?" The bushy haired girl asked.

Harry leaned forward. "Listen. Last night, I'm guessing Snape let the troll in as a diversion so he could try and get past that three-headed dog. But he got himself bitten. That's why he's limping." He whispers to the group.

"Why would anyone go near that dog?" Ron asked, munching on his food.

"The day we were at Gringotts, Hagrid took something out of one of the vaults. Said it was Hogwarts business, very secret."

"So you're saying..." Hermione trailed off.

"That's what the dog 's guarding. That's what Snape wants." Harry said firmly. Before Thea could express her disagreement, owl screeching was heard. Hedwig and Athie swooped down, delivering two broom shaped packages in front of both Potter children.

"Bit early for mail, isn't it?" Hermione asked as the Potters placed their packages on the table in front of them.

"I never get mail." Harry says, and he looked at Thea.

"Not from my friends back home, that's for sure." Thea says.

"Let's open them!" Ron said excitedly and the quartet start to unwrapping the packages, only to find two brooms.

"They're broomsticks." Harry stated the obvious.

"These are not just broomsticks. These are-" Ron gushed but got interrupted.

"Nimbus 2000" Thea says in awe, remembering how people were acting about the broom back in Diagon Alley. When she looked closer at the handle, she saw that there was a blue and gold lightning bolt, similar to the ring she had found in the vault.

"Bloody hell!"

"It looks so much nicer outside the case it was in!"

"It looks so cool!"

"But who would send them?" Harry asked. The siblings looked around the Hall, their eyes landing on their head of house. McGonagall was shown petting Hedwig with a small smile on her face, which the young Potters returned.

Without a word, James got up from his seat and walked straight to McGonagall. He threw himself at her and hugged her tightly. McGonagall patted his back, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Thank you for everything you're doing for them Minnie. I don't know how I could ever repay you." James whispered.

Thea turned and was met by Oliver Wood's amazed face, causing her to chuckle. "What do you say, Wood, are our chances getting better?" the boy wasn't able to form a proper sentence, causing him to nod his head frantically, much to Thea's entertainment.