Brave [Harry Potter OC]

Chapter 6

Curse

The previous night, the quartet had decided to keep their encounter with the troll a secret, much to Ron's dismay. They've attracted enough attention already. Hermione pointed out that it could give the students the wrong idea about how dangerous trolls are. With this new secret, they had felt closer than before. They felt unstoppable as a team. There was no doubt in Hermione's mind that she had made new friends.

After a deep sleep from their tiring night, the four met up in the great hall for breakfast. While the others were chowing down, Harry was only nudging at his breakfast sausage.

"Well, eat up Harry!" Ron scolds him.

"I'm not hungry," he replies sullenly picking at his food. Something was on his mind. Alice, being a bit too curious, decides to take a look. He's afraid for the match today. But there's a darker fear in the back of his mind. He believes all of this trouble regarding the troll and the Cerberus revolves around him. He senses Snape is up to something.

"Good luck today, Potter. Then again now, that you've proven yourself against a troll, a little game of Quidditch should be easy work for you. Even if it is against Slytherin." Professor Snape's voice makes a chill run down their spines. He swishes his cape and walks away.

"Even if it is against Slytherin," Alice mocks, "does he have nothing to do except pick on children? Honestly, it's sad."

Harry mutters something odd, "That explains the blood."

"Blood?" Hermione asks.

"Listen, last night I'm guessing Snape let the troll in as a diversion so he could try to get past the three-headed dog. But he got himself bit, that's why he's limping," he explains.

Alice now understands his suspicion of Snape.

"But why would anyone go near that dog?!?" Hermione whispers.

"The day I was at Gringotts, Hagrid took something out of one of the vaults. Said it was Hogwarts business, very secret," he explains.

"So you're saying—"

"That's what the dog's guarding. That's what Snape wants."

An owl flies through the windows with a screech. It is carrying a rather long, thin package. It drops the package down on the table in front of Harry. Harry stares at it wide-eyed. Now in front of them, they could all clearly tell what it was.

"Bit early for mail isn't it?" Hermione ponders.

"But I never get mail," Harry says with a bit of hope in his voice.

"Let's open it!" Ron says with an excited gasp. Harry and Ron rip open the brown wrapping covering the item. The sleek golden-brown wood shines in the light. The bristles on the end of it are neatly grouped together. The labeling on the end of the stick reads Nimbus 2000.