ADOMANIA [harry potter]

07 - hopefully not your last

Mara was the last of her friends to join in on breakfast in the Great Hall. She gave everyone a small smile as she sat down next to Hermoine.

"Take a bit of toast, mate," Ron poked Harry. It was Harry's big day today. It was his first official quidditch game. Gryffindor was playing Slytherin.

"Ron's right, Harry," Hermoine agreed, looking worriedly at the boy. Harry was staring blankly at his food, his fork moved pieces of his toast to either side of his plate.

"Oh," Mara said suddenly, "Potions teacher incoming,"

Behind Harry, Mara could see the limping teacher dressed in black robes. Everyone lowered their eyes, trying to not make any eye contact.

"Good luck today, Potter," Snape came to a standstill in front of Mara. He paid no attention to anyone but Harry. "Then again, now that you've proven yourself against a troll, a little game of quidditch should be easy work for you. Even if it's against Slytherin." After the questionable words of reassurance, Snape limped out of the Great Hall.

"Teacher like that should be fired," Mara spoke with an annoyed look on her face, eyes glued to her breakfast as she twirled her fork around in her hand. Ron chuckled at her comment.

"That explains the blood," Harry said. His face had suddenly regained its colour.

"What blood?" Hermoine asked him, her eyes following Snape.

"Listen," Harry leaned over the table so that only the other three could hear him. "Last night, I'm guessing Snape let the troll in as a diversion so he could try and get past that 3 headed dog. But, he got himself bit, that's why he's limping."

"What's so special about whatever is under that trapdoor?" Mara asked, confused. "I mean, It must be worth millions if it is guarded by not just any dog, but a three-headed one."

"The day I was at Gringotts," Harry explained. "Hagrid took something out of one of the vaults. He said it was Hogwarts business, very secret."

"So you're saying," Hermoine asked.

"That's what the dog is guarding," Harry said, certain of his point.

"But why?" Mara asked, all eyes were on her. "If Dumbledore is such a brilliant wizard, why would he move such an important thing to Hogwarts? Where teachers like Snape teach?"

Before anyone could talk about Mara's point, mail had arrived. The entire great hall was filled with different shapes and sizes of owls. All swooping over people's heads to find their owner. A white snowy owl, carrying a rather large package, was headed right for them. The owl landed right in front of the four people. After they had double-checked that it was indeed for the boy who never received mail, Ron and Harry hurried to open it.

"It's a broomstick," Harry said excitedly.

"That's not just any broomstick!" Ron said, eyes wide as he couldn't take his gaze off it. "It's a Nimbus 2000!"