Evelyn Riddle and the Philosopher's Stone

Chapter 6: The Quidditch Match Drama

As it passed into November, it got really cold, and I started to see Harry less and less. Not only because of his Quidditch practice, but also because he and Ron have been a lot less talkative lately. I mean, they'll still have conversations with me, but they're a lot shorter than usual. At first, I just assumed they weren't in a talking mood — but now I'm not so sure. They still talk to Dean and Seamus and Neville, and they've even started to talk with Hermione.

It's very strange — and honestly, a little annoying.

On a happier note, the first Quidditch Match is coming up, this Saturday — Gryffindor versus Slytherin. I'm pretty excited to watch, since I've never seen a Quidditch Game. They sound really fun though — maybe one day I'll even try out for the Gryffindor team!

The day before the Match, my friends and I were sitting out in the courtyard. The ground was lightly dusted with frost, and there was a November chill in the air. I was reading a book about Charms, while Harry and Ron had their noses in Quidditch Through the Ages. Hermione was correcting their homework. In the middle of the four of us sat a jar, filled with a blue fire Hermione had conjured up to keep us warm.

I glanced up from my book to study our surroundings, and in doing so made eye contact with Professor Snape, who had been walking —more so limping— across the courtyard.

"Snape alert," I whispered to my friends as he started coming toward us.

We moved closer together to block the fire from Professor Snape's eyes. He didn't seem to notice it.

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

Harry showed him Quidditch Through the Ages.

"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor." He took the book and limped away.

I stared after him curiously.

"He just made that rule up," Harry muttered.

"What's up with his leg?" I said.

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

After dinner, Hermione and I walked back to the common room alone, since Harry and Ron were still eating.

"Are they still being weird around you?" she said as we climbed up the last staircase leading to Gryffindor Tower.

"Yeah — dunno what's up with them," I said.

We said the password to the Fat Lady, then stepped inside the noisy common room. We sat on a window seat and I started on my Charms homework, while Hermione checked Harry and Ron's work.

Soon, the boys came into the common room. They looked around a little, before spotting Hermione and me. They sat down between us. Harry looked like he was worrying about something.

"I'm going to ask Snape if I can have Quidditch Through the Ages back," Harry said suddenly, getting up.

"Better you than me," Ron, Hermione, and I said in sync.

Harry looked at me for a moment, and then left.

He came back a few minutes later, bookless and looking shocked. He made a beeline for us.

"Did you get it?" Ron asked.

If he got the book back, wouldn't he be carrying it?

Instead of answering Ron's question, Harry explained to us that he saw Professor Snape talking to Filch about what happened to his leg — and that he mentioned a "three-headed beast." Harry came to the conclusion that this meant that Snape tried getting past the three-headed dog at Halloween — which would explain why we saw him heading to the third floor corridor...