𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝; 𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐡.𝐩

𝓨𝓮𝓪𝓻 3, 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 12: 𝓣𝓱𝓮 Patronus

~ chapter twelve: the patronus ~

fun fact: originally, i wasn't going to have harry receive the firebolt, since his broom wasn't destroyed by the whomping willow, but then it didn't make sense to me, so i decided to let him have it.

Y/N knew that Hermione had meant well, but that didn't stop her from being angry with her. She and Harry had been the owners of the best brooms in the world for a few short hours, and now, thanks to her, she wasn't sure if she or Harry would ever see them again. At least Harry had his Nimbus Two Thousand, should they never see them again, but what about her? She needed her broom for the Quidditch match. She was positive that there had been nothing wrong with the Firebolts now, but what sort of state would they be in once they had been subjected to all sorts of anti-jinx tests? Would it be destroyed beyond repair? What was she going to use in Quidditch matches now?

Ron was furious with Hermione too. As far as he was concerned, the stripping-down of a brand-new Firebolt was nothing less than criminal damage. Hermione, who remained convinced that she had acted for the best, started avoiding the common room. Y/N, Harry and Ron supposed she had taken refuge in the library and didn't try to persuade her to come back. All in all, they were glad when the rest of the school returned shortly after New Year, and Gryffindor Tower became crowded and noisy again.

Wood sought Y/N out on the night before term started.

"Had a good Christmas?" he said, and then, without warning for an answer, he sat down, lowered his voice, and said, "I've been doing some thinking over Christmas, Y/N. After the last match, you know. If the dementors come to the next one . . . I mean . . . we can't afford you or Harry to—well—"

Wood broke off, looking awkward.

"I'm working on it," said Y/N quickly. "Professor Lupin said he'd train Harry and I to ward off the dementors. We should be starting this week. He said he'd have time after Christmas."

"Ah," said Wood, his expression clearing. "Well, in that case—I really didn't want to lose you as Chaser, Y/N. And have you ordered a new broom yet?"

"No," said Y/N.

"What! You'd better get a move on, you know—you can't ride that Shooting Star against Ravenclaw!"

"She got a Firebolt for Christmas," said Ron. "So did Harry."

"Two Firebolts? No! Seriously? Two—two real Firebolts?"

"Don't get excited, Oliver," said Y/N gloomily. "We haven't got them anymore. They were confiscated." And she explained all about how theFirebolts were now being checked for jinxes.

"Jinxed? How could they be jinxed?"

"My so-called 'father,'" said Y/N wearily. "Sirius Black. He's supposed to be after us. So McGonagall reckons he might have sent them."

Waving aside the information that a famous murderer was after his Chaser and Seeker, Wood said, "But Black couldn't have bought a Firebolt, more or less two! He's on the run! The whole country's on the lookout for him! How could he just walk into Quality Quidditch Supplies and buy a broomstick?"

"I know," said Y/N, "but McGonagall still wants to strip them down—make sure they're safe enough, I suppose, although there isn't really a point, seeing as how they're brand-new and all. . . ."