The Gift From Death

Chapter 16: First year Part 7

6th, August, 1998...

"Okay we were talking earlier," Harry started pointing to himself, Ron and Hermione. "and we've decided were just going to show you the key points from now as there is a lot left to cover and still 7 more years to show you." he explained putting a memory in the pensive. "We're starting with my first Quidditch match as it come's up in our 7th year."

"Yay, Quidditch." James and Sirius cheered enthusiastically.

On Saturday, Harry would be playing in his first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor versus Slytherin.

"Ah, the best team to beat!" said James happily. The people who had been, or still were, in Slytherin glared at him as Lily smacked the back of his head.

If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the House Championship.

"Well, of course you'll win!" said Sirius.

"How are you so sure?" asked Dora.

"Simple. Harry's on the team!" James answered for him.

Hardly anyone had seen Harry play because Wood had decided that, as their secret weapon, Harry should be kept, well, secret.

But the news that he was playing Seeker had leaked out somehow, and Harry didn't know which was worse - people telling him he'd be brilliant or people telling him they'd be running around underneath him, holding a mattress.

"For once it actually wasn't me." Draco said happily.

"Who would of thought." Astoria commented. "Daphne did say in her letter's home that it was you who kept spreading rumors around. Not always about Harry or the other two though." she added smirking as Draco went pink.

It was really lucky that Harry now had Hermione as a friend.

Harry smiled at Hermione who smiled back.

He didn't know how he'd have got through all his homework without her, what with all the last-minute Quidditch practice Wood was making them do.

"Just like his father, then!" moaned Sirius.

"Exactly like his father! Roger drove us crazy with all the bloody practicing! Every damn night, right?" questioned James.

"Yeah." Remus answered.

She had also leant him Quidditch Through the Ages, which turned out to be a very interesting read.

"It is." the Quidditch fan's agreed.

Harry learnt that there were seven hundred ways of committing a Quidditch foul and that all of them happened during a World Cup match in 1473; that Seekers were usually the smallest and fastest players and that most serious Quidditch accidents seemed to happen to them;that although people rarely died playing Quidditch, referees had been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara Desert.

"That was once!" James said.

"Twice." Sirius corrected.

"Fine... That was twice!" he said.

"Still... twice is enough!" Lily added.