Star-Crossed

Chapter Eighteen: The Golden Snitch

The next morning proved to be even more stressful than fighting a troll. It was the morning of mine and Harry's first ever Quidditch match and the both of us were stressing far more than we'd expected.

The both of us were sitting at breakfast, only picking at our plates, hardly touching anything. Harry was twirling his fork in his eggs as I merely stared off into space, blanking out as I looked at my plate.

"Oi, take a bit of toast, mate." Ron reached over the table and shoved Harry's shoulder.

Beside me, Elena nudged me, "You too, Nat, you've got to eat something."

"They're both right, you two, you're gonna need your strength today." Hermione chided, pushing my plate closer to me as I clenched my jaw, my stomach turning over nervously.

I shook my head as Harry softly answered, "Not hungry."

Out of nowhere, Snape appeared behind us, his voice making both Harry and I flinch, "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 house."

Then, without another word, he limped off, leaving us with our thoughts. Among all of them whirling around in my head, I made a connection to the troll attack, Snape's odd disappearance from the Great Hall, and the gash on his shin from last night.

Beside me, Harry straightened up as I sent the thought to him, "That explains the blood." He noted, aloud.

"Blood?" Hermione paused, looking up to us quizzically.

"Listen, last night, I'm guessing Snape let the troll in as a diversion so he could try and get past the three-headed dog." I decided, leaning in further to the table, resting my red and yellow clad arms onto the table, "But, instead, he got himself bitten, that's why he's limping."

Hermione frowned, "But why would anyone go near that dog."

Elena and Dahlia looked between the four of us, confusion written on their faces, "What are you guys talking about?"

"Look, the day we were at Gringotts, Hagrid took something out of one of the vaults." Harry remarked, "He said it was Hogwarts' business, very secret."

"So you're saying..." Hermione prompted us, moving her hand in a 'keep-going' motion.

"That's what the Dog's guarding," I connected, "That's what Snape wants."

Suddenly, two shrieks snatched our attention. Signy and Hedwig had flown into the hall, neck and neck, both carrying large, wrapped parcels. The two of them dropped the two packages onto the table between the group of us.

"Bit early for mail, isn't it?" Elena remarked, peering at the two packs inquisitively.

"But we...we never get mail," I noted as Harry stared between the two unknown packages in confusion.

Then the two of us looked up to Professor Mcgonagall, where both Signy and Hedwig were perched, accepting treats and pets from the transfiguration professor.

"Let's open it." Ron decided quickly.

Dahlia looked at him, "Are you sure we should?"

I grinned and nodded, "Let's do it,"

The group of us immediately began to shred apart the wrapping. Revealing two sleek broomsticks confined within.

"They're broomsticks," Harry exclaimed excitedly.