Love at First Sight (Harry Potter)

Quidditch

|ALEXANDRIA WEASLEY'S P.O.V|

As we entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy gray and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost.

Hagrid, the groundskeeper, could be seen from the upstairs windows defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaverskin boots.

The Quidditch season had begun. On Saturday, Harry Potter and I would be playing in our first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, we would move up into second place in the House Championship.

Hardly anyone had seen Potter and I play because Oliver Wood had decided that, as Gryffindor's secret weapon, we should be kept in the utmost of secrecy.

Despite this, news of the infamous Harry Potter playing as the teams' Seeker and of me as one of the three Chasers, had been somehow leaked. It was hard to decide which was worse: the people that boasted their faiths of the Potter boy and I being brilliant, or the people that openly told us we would do horrible.

I was very proud of myself, thankful that I had stumbled into Hermione Granger's compartment on the Hogwarts Express at the beginning of the school-year. She helped me through all of my schoolwork, as I unwillingly spent most of my free-time annoyed by Potter as we attended the last-minute Quidditch practices Oliver was scheduling.

Hermione was also more in favor of the two boys, my brother and his mate. She did not mind spending time with them, them being in her presence.

The day before Potter and I's first Quidditch match, the four of us could be seen out in the freezing courtyard during break. Hermione had conjured up a bright blue fire that we could carry around with us in a jam jar.

We were standing with our backs to it, getting warm, when the Potions professor crossed the yard near us.

"The fire!" I whispered harshly, my eyes darting toward the blue flame flickering inside its glass confinement on the frosty grass behind us.

Potter, who had earlier taken to standing beside me despite my wishes, stepped closer in hopes of blocking the light from view. We all pressed together, watching the teacher as he glanced over in our direction. He seemed suspicious upon the single glance, and limped his way over causing us all to groan.

"What's that you've got there, Potter?"

Fulfilling the request, Ron's mate closed the book Hermione had leant him and held it up so Professor Snape could view the cover: Quidditch Through the Ages.

"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," The greasy-haired man said. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."

"He's just made that rule up," The 'Chosen One' muttered angrily as Professor Snape limped away. "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?"

"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," Ron said bitterly.

—————

The Gryffindor common room was very noisy that evening. Ron, Hermione, Harry, and I sat together next to a window. Hermione was checking Harry and Ron's Charms homework for them, correcting the assignments aloud. I ignored the other three in the small group, my chin placed in the palm of my hand with my elbow situated on the old wood of the table as I gazed out of the window near us.