survivor | HARRY POTTER

-Chapter 10-

They knew Hermione meant well, they really did, but that didn't stop Harry and Ron from being pissed off at her. In fact, it seemed that the only ones that weren't acting like complete assholes about the situation were Alyssa, Millie, and Jess. Yes, Jess had been salty at first and had held one hell of a grudge, but that didn't last long at all. Especially when she saw how poorly Harry and Ron were treating her. Millie simply didn't understand it. So what if Harry had been the owner of the best broom in the world for a few short hours? You would have thought he'd value his friend far more than a piece of enchanted wood.

They had no doubt that there was nothing wrong with the Firebolt, and the only thing Jess seemed to be in a bit of a state with was the condition that the broomstick would be in after it had been stripped down and been subjected to all sorts of anti-jinx texts. Ron was beyond furious with Hermione. As far as he was concerned, apparently the stripping down of a brand new Firebolt was nothing less than criminal damage or murder of the first degree. He was being ridiculous.

Hermione, who remained convinced that she had acted for the best, had started avoiding the common room, which meant that Alyssa, Millie, and Jess had to do the same. She had taken refuge in the library, most of the time, and only returned to the Gryffindor tower late at night with Jess to sleep whilst Alyssa and Millie camped out in the Ravenclaw common room.

All in all, they were rather pleased when the rest of the school returned shortly after New Year and the Gryffindor tower became crowded and noisy again. This also meant that Fred and Cedric had returned, so Jess and Millie spent most of their time with their boyfriends whilst Alyssa and Hermione ran the 'single squad.'

The night before term started, Wood sought out Harry and Jess and didn't even give them a chance to speak before going off in a rant. "I've been doing some thinking over Christmas, Harry, Jess. After the last match, you know. If the Dementors come to the next one... I mean... we can't afford to - well-" Wood gulped as he broke off, looking as if the words were too painful for him to say. "I'm working on it. Professor Lupin said he'd train me to ward the Dementors off. We should be starting this week; he said he'd have time after Christmas."

"Ah." Wood beamed, his expression clearing. "Well, in that case - I really didn't want to lose you as a Seeker, Harry. And have you ordered a new broom yet?"
"No." Harry said firmly, stamping slightly on Jess's foot when she opened her mouth to respond. "What?! You'd better get a move on, you know! You can't ride that shooting star against Ravenclaw, not after Alyssa won last time- Jess, perhaps he'd better borrow your broom and you ride the shooting star." Wood suggested.

Jess opened her mouth furiously to argue, when Ron, who had been eavesdropping from the other side of the common room, decided to step in. "He got a Firebolt for Christmas."
"A Firebolt?! No! Seriously? A real Firebolt?" Wood looked ecstatic as he bounded to his feet. Jess sighed and thwacked Ron upside the head, mumbling about him being an absolute idiot.

"Don't get excited, Oliver. I haven't got it anymore. It was confiscated." Harry began, and explained all about how the Firebolt was now being checked for jinxes. "Jinxed? How could it be jinxed?" Wood gasped, looking as if his entire world had came crumbling down in the space of 0.001 seconds. "Sirius Black. He's supposed to be after Harry. McGonagall reckons he might've sent it." Jess explained as Harry shook his head hopelessly.

Waving aside the information that a notorious mass murderer was after his prized Seeker as if it was nothing more than an annoying fly, Wood began to pace around the room. "But Black couldn't have brought a Firebolt! He's on the run! The whole country's after him! How could he just walk into Quality Quidditch Supplies and buy a broomstick?"

"I know, but McGonagall still wants to strip it down-" Harry began, and Wood went a startling pale shade of white. "I'll go talk to her, Harry. I'll make her see reason... a Firebolt... a real Firebolt, on our team... she wants Gryffindor to win just as much as we do... I'll make her see sense... a Firebolt!"