MAGIC AND MYSTERY

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Part 4

Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter were enemies. It was obvious how much the two despised each other. A blind person could see it.

Luckily, Gryffindor and Slytherin only had Potions together.

Or at least, they did until a notice was pinned up in the Gryffindor common room which made all the first years groan. Flying lessons would be starting on Thursday – and Gryffindor and Slytherin would be learning together.

"Typical," Harry grumbled darkly. "Just what I always wanted. To make a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy."

"Says the youngest Seeker in a century," Halley teased, elbowing Harry playfully.

"My son is the youngest seeker in a century!" James grinned, and Harry went red.

"We've been through this like twenty times, Potter, you already knew," Lily sighed.

"You don't know you'll make a fool of yourself," Ron said reasonably. "Anyway, I know Malfoy's always going on about how good he is at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk."

"It is," Maliana ducked, dodging the pillow her brother had thrown at her head.

Malfoy certainly did talk about flying a lot. He complained loudly about first-years never getting in the house Quidditch teams and told long, boastful stories which always seemed to end with him narrowly escaping Muggles in helicopters.

He wasn't the only one, though: the way Seamus told it, he'd spent most of his childhood zooming around the countryside on his broomstick. Ron would tell anyone who'd listen about the time he'd almost hit a hang-glider on Charlie's old broom. Everyone from wizarding families talked about Quidditch constantly. Ron had already had a big argument with Dean Thomas, who shared their dormitory, about football. Ron couldn't see what was exciting about a game with only one ball where no one was allowed to fly. Harry had caught Ron prodding Dean's poster of West Ham football team, trying to make the players move.

Neville had never been on a broomstick in his life, because his grandmother had never let him near one. She'd had good reason, because Neville managed to have an extraordinary number of accidents even with both feet on the ground.

The hall burst into laughter, and Neville sunk in his seat.

Harry hadn't had a single letter since Hagrid's note, something that Malfoy had been quick to notice, of course. Malfoy's eagle owl was always bringing him packages of sweets from home, which he opened gloatingly at the Slytherin table. Maliana, however, didn't receive nearly as much, explaining to Hermione and Halley that it was because she wasn't sorted into the 'right house.'

Maliana shrunk in her seat and, risking a glance at her mother, saw a flash of shame flicker across her face

A barn owl brought Neville a small package from his grandmother. He opened it excitedly and showed them a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke.

"It's a Remembrall!" he explained. "Gran knows I forget things –this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red – oh ..." His face fell, because the Remembrall had suddenly glowed scarlet. "... you've forgotten something ..."

Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten when Draco Malfoy, who was passing the Gryffindor table, snatched the Remembrall out of his hand.

Harry and Ron jumped to their feet. They were half hoping for a reason to fight Malfoy, but McGonagall, who could spot trouble quicker than any teacher in the school, was there in a flash.