The Raven's Call

Lacarnum Inflamari

Friday, November 1st 1991

The school is loud today. I make my way to the Great Hall for breakfast with the book under my arm, hearing a constant reminder from anyone who passed by that today was Harry Potter's first quidditch match. I take a seat at the Ravenclaw table, watching as a fluffy Alex pup trotted in and over to the Gryffindor table before transfiguring back to his normal state. "Are you gonna cheer for Gryffindor or Slytherin?" Asked a familiar voice to my left. It was Padma Patil. "I'm going to cheer for Gryffindor, that's my sister's house." She says with a bright smile. "Neither." I reply, taking a bite of my toast soldiers, dipped in a runny egg yolk. "Neither?" Cho Chang speaks up across from me, raising a brow. "You can't not go, literally everyone else will be there." I sigh softly at her persistence. "I'll go, but I'm not gonna be happy about it." I say with a pout, the two girls giggling at my enthusiasm. I hear a squawk above the Gryffindor table as a snowy owl dropped Harry some mail. Looked in the shape of a broom, and not just any broom. A Nimbus two-bloody-thousand. Of course. Special treatment for The Boy Who Lived. I roll my eyes and get back to my soldiers.

***

The time had come; The Quidditch Match. While the students and teachers alike file into the stands, I take the opportunity to slip unnoticed behind the bleachers, using Lumos for light. There I find my way to a quieter area, seemed to be underneath the Professors. Fine by me. I take a seat and continue reading over the spells I had begun reading about the night before. I study up on a few different spells, namely Expulso, the Jelly Legs Jinx, in which I giggle at the name of, and this last one I come across, the most fascinating. Something named Legilimency. I try to read more, but am continuously distracted by the Quidditch commentator, Lee Jordan. 

"Angelina Johnson scores! 10 points for Gryffindor!"
"Slytherin takes possession of the Quaffle. Bletchley passes to Captain Marcus Flint."
"Another 10 points to Gryffindor!"

I swear my eyes are going to permanently be at the back of my head with the amount of times I've rolled them today, then I hear the shuffle of footsteps and quickly shut the book. I see a familiar frizzy haired Gryffindor, but am shushed before I can even say anything. She walks up to Professor Snape's feet, whispers the incantation, "Lacarnum Inflamari", and sets his cape ablaze. She then takes my hand and drags me away, as to not get me into trouble. She leads me behind the stands, explaining the situation to me. "Are you sure Snape was the one jinxing his broom?" I ask, quickly becoming short of breath. "I know a spell when I see one. You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking." The two of us pop our heads around the bottom of one of the tower stands to see Harry toppling to the ground. He stands up, clutches his stomach and retches, looking like he was about to be sick. He coughs something up, whatever it is lands in his hands. Something golden. "He's got the Snitch! Harry Potter receives 150 points for catching the Snitch!"  Lee announces. "Gryffindor win!" Madam Hooch calls after blowing her whistle, the stands erupting with cheer. Hermione had a bright smile on her face. "Congrats to Gryffindor." I say before she begins dragging me along to congratulate her friend. 

***

A few hours later, Hermione had dragged me along to talk to Hagrid about what they had witnessed during Quidditch. "Nonsense! Why would Snape put a curse on Harry's broom?" Hagrid asks, his voice was booming, yet still as cheerful as ever. "Who knows? Why was he trying to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween?" Harry asks, which grabs my attention. "Three-headed what-now?" I ask, my eyes wide. "Who told you 'bout Fluffy?" Hagrid asks, turning towards us suspiciously. "Fluffy?" Ron almost shrieks. "That thing has a name?" Hermione asks in bewilderment. "Well, of course he's got a name. He's mine. I bought him off an Irish feller I met down at the pub last year. Then I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the-" Hagrid's voice trails off. "Yes?" Harry asks, raising his brows. "Shouldn't have said that." Hagrid mumbles. "No more questions! Don't ask any more questions. That's top secret, that is." "But, Hagrid, whatever Fluffy's guarding, Snape's trying to steal it." Harry pleads. "Codswallop. Professor Snape is a Hogwarts teacher." "Hogwarts teacher or not, I know a spell when I see one. I've read all about them. You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking." Hermione explains, saying what she had explained to me. "Exactly." Harry agrees.

Hagrid sighs. "Now, you listen to me, all three of you. You're meddling in things that ought not to be meddled in. It's dangerous. What that dog is guarding is strictly between Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel-" "Nicholas Flamel?" I ask, processing as much of this new information as I can. "I shouldn't have said that. I should not have said that.." Hagrid begins muttering before walking away, mumbling more 'I should have not said that's. "Nicholas Flamel." Harry says, turning towards Hermione and me. "Who's Nicholas Flamel?" "I don't know." Hermione sighs, shaking her head. I grin. There is finally something that Hermione Granger doesn't know.

And I do.