Lionheart (A Harry Potter Fanfic)

Chapter 16: Showtime

Chapter 16: Showtime

I broke down today. The stress and the fear were too much. McGonagall found me in an unused classroom. She didn't say a word just... came over and hugged me. It was shocking at first but... then it became warm and comforting. That just made me cry all the harder.

**

"Are you sure you're ready for this, Black?"

It was two days after the incident with Quirrell, and Madam Pomfrey had reluctantly allowed him to leave the Hospital Wing and participate in the final Quidditch match of the season. Wood was so delighted that they wouldn't be Seeker-less for their final match that he was willing to overlook almost any lingering problems Leo may have had as a result of the many Cruciatus Curses inflicted upon him. Not that Leo would ever admit to having any sort of problem.

"I'm riding a broom, not running a marathon, Wood," Leo rolled his eyes as they strolled out onto the pitch with the rest of the team.

"That's the ticket," Wood grinned, clapping him on the shoulder and ignoring Leo's wince.

They stood opposite the Ravenclaw team as they mounted their brooms. Madam Hooch blew the whistle and they took off, the balls releasing as well. Leo caught the eye of the Ravenclaw Seeker, a pretty Asian girl who gave him a small smile. Leo gave a short nod in return before soaring up higher, hoping to have a higher vantage point.

For the most part, he ignored the commentary and the players, focusing on locating the Snitch and dodging the occasional Bludger. After fifteen minutes, he spotted a glint of gold near the teachers' stand. Leo did a loop before falling into his patent-pending corkscrew dive, barely acknowledging the Ravenclaw Seeker in hot pursuit. He chased after the Snitch for a good bit before his hand firmly wrapped around it and he pulled up, holding the ball in the air as the stadium cheered wildly.

He slowly floated down to the ground, where he was engulfed in hugs from all sides by the rest of his team. They carried Leo into the stands where Dumbledore presented them with the Quidditch Cup. Amidst the cheering, Dumbledore leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "I need a word with you later, Mr. Black."

**

Leo slowly followed Ron and Hermione as they dashed into the hospital wing, yelling Harry's name. He kept his hands in the pocket of his dark grey hoodie, tightly gripping his wand as he walked over to Harry's bed and sat on its edge.

"Oh, Harry, we were sure you were going to — Dumbledore was so worried —"

"The whole school's talking about it," said Ron. "What really happened?"

Leo had refused to talk about what had happened and had even taken to walking out of the room any time they brought it up. That left Harry as their only option for information.

Harry told them everything: Quirrell; the mirror; the Stone – or lack thereof, considering Leo had essentially destroyed it whilst it had been trapped in the mirror; and Voldemort. Ron and Hermione were a very good audience; they gasped in all the right places, and when Harry told them what was under Quirrell's turban, Hermione screamed out loud.

"So the Stone's gone?" said Ron finally. "Flamel's just going to die?"

"That's what I said, but Dumbledore thinks that — what was it? — 'to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.'"

"I always said he was off his rocker," said Ron, looking quite impressed at how crazy his hero was.

"So what happened to you two?" said Harry.