meant to be (1)

17

Malfoy couldn't believe his eyes when he saw that we were still at Hogwarts the next day, looking tired but perfectly cheerful. Indeed, by next morning we thought that meeting the three-headed dog was an excellent adventure and we were quite keen to have another one.

In the meantime Harry had told us about the package that seemed to have been moved from Gringotts to Hogwarts and we spent a lot of time wondering what could possibly need such heavy protection.

"It's either really valuable or really dangerous" suggested Ron.

"Or both" said Harry.

But all we know was, that the mysterious object was two inches long. We didn't have much of a chance guessing what it was without further clues.

Neither Hermione or Neville showed the slightest interest in what lay underneath the trapdoor. Hermione wasn't even talking to either me or Harry and Ron and all Neville cared about was never going near the dog again.

All we wanted now was a way of getting back at Malfoy, and to our great delight, just such a thing arrived with the post about a week later.

As the owls flooded into the Great Hall as usual, everyone's attention was caught at once by two long thin packages, each carried by six large screech owls.

I was just as interested as everyone else to see what was in these large parcels and I was amazed when the owls soared down and dropped on of them right in front of me and the other one in front of Harry. Another owl dropped us one letter each on top of the parcel. They were identical.

DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE
It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everybody knowing you've got a broomstick or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you tonight on the Quidditch pitch at seven o'clock for your first training session.

Prof. M. McGonagall

Harry handed Ron his note to read.

"A Nimbus Two Thousand!" Ron moaned enviously. "I've never even touched one."

We left the hall quickly, wanting to unwrap our broomsticks in private before our first lesson, but halfway across the Entrance Hall we found the way upstairs barred by Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy seized the package from Harry and felt it.

"That's a broomstick" he said, throwing it back to Harry, with a mixture of jealousy and spite on his face. "You'll both be for it this time! First-years aren't allowed to have them."

Ron couldn't resist it. "The're not any old broomsticks" he said. "they're Nimbus Two Thousands. What did you say you've got at home, Malfoy, a Comet Two Sixty?" Ron grinned at us. "Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same league as the Nimbus."

"What would you know about it Weasley, you couldn't afford the handle" Malfoy snapped back. "I suppose you and your brothers have to save up, twig by twig."

I was about to yell back at him, when Professor Flitwick appeared at Malfoy's ellbow. "Not arguing, I hope?" he squeaked.

"Potter and Clarke have been sent broomsticks" said Malfoy quickly.

"Yes, yes, that's right" said Professor Flitwick, beaming at Harry and I. "Professor McGonagall told me about the special circumstances. And what model are they?"

"Nimbus Two Thousands, sir" Harry said.

"And it's really thanks to Malfoy here that we've got them" I added, trying not to laugh at the look of horror on his face.

We headed upstairs, smothering our laughter at Malfoy's obvious rage and confusion.

"Well, it's true" Harry chortled, as we reached the top of the marble staircase. "If he hadn't stolen Neville's Rememberball, we wouldn't be in the team.."

"So I suppose you think that's a reward for breaking the rules?" came an angry voice from just behind us. Hermione was stomping up the stairs looking disapprovingly at the packages in our hands.

"I thought you weren't speaking to us?" said Harry.

"Yes don't stop now" said Ron. "it's doing us so much good."

Hermione marched away with her nose in the air.

I had a lot of trouble keeping my mind on my lessons that day. I kept thinking about ny broomstick, lying under my bed or about the quidditch pitch where I'd be leaning how to play that night.

We ate dinner very quickly, before running upstairs to unwrap our broomsticks.

"Wow" Ron sighed as he held one of our broomsticks. I thought it looked wonderful. Sleek and shiny, with a mahogany handle, it had a long tail of neat, straight twigs and Nimbus Two Thousand written in gold near the top.