We had almost given up hope of ever finding Flamel in a library book, even though Harry still insisted that he had read the name somewhere. Once term had started, we were back to skimming through books for ten minutes during their breaks. Harry and I had even less time than the other two, because Quidditch practice had started again.
Wood was working the team harder than ever. Even the endless rain that had replaced the snow couldn't dampen my spirits. The Weasleys complained that Wood was becoming a fanatic, but Harry was on Wood's side. If they won their next match, against Hufflepuff, they would overtake Slytherin in the house championship for the first time in seven years also I kept insisting that no one would win if their teammates are exhausted the day of the game.
Then, during one particularly wet and muddy practice session, Wood gave the team a bit of bad news. He'd just gotten very angry with the Weasleys, who kept dive-bombing each other and pretending to fall off their brooms.
"Will you stop messing around!" he yelled. "That's exactly the sort of thing that'll lose us the match! Snape's refereeing this time, and he'll be looking for any excuse to knock points off Gryffindor!"
"Snape's refereeing?" he spluttered through a mouthful of mud. "When's he ever refereed a Quidditch match? He's not going to be fair if we might overtake Slytherin."
The rest of the team(I didn't) landed next to George to complain, too.
"It's not my fault," said Wood. "We've just got to make sure we play a clean game, so Snape hasn't got an excuse to pick on us."
"Yeah, even if he picks on us, the rest of the school will be there, so we had more of an advantage than he does." I agreed/
The rest of the team hung back to talk to one another as usual at the end of practice, but Harry and I headed straight back to the Gryffindor common room, where he found Ron and Hermione playing chess. Chess was the only thing Hermione ever lost at, something Harry, Ron, and I thought was very good for her.
"Don't talk to me for a moment," said Ron when Harry sat down next to him, "I need to concen --" He caught sight of Harry's face. "What's the matter with you? You look terrible."
Speaking quietly so that no one else would hear, Harry told the other two about Snape's sudden, sinister desire to be a Quidditch referee while I stood beside them.
"Don't play," said Hermione at once.
"Say you're ill," said Ron.
"Pretend to break your leg," Hermione suggested.
"Really break your leg," said Ron.
"I can't," said Harry. "There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all."
"You break your leg? Ron, don't you know how painful it is to break your leg?"
"I don't, but have you."
"Yeah, about 10 times at this point..."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione both stared at me, shocked.
"10 times...."
"How many bones have you broken in your whole life?"
At that moment Neville toppled into the common room. How he had managed to climb through the portrait hole was anyone's guess, because his legs had been stuck together with what we recognized at once as the Leg-Locker Curse. He must have had to bunny hop all the way up to Gryffindor tower.
Everyone fell over laughing except Hermione, who leapt up and performed the countercurse. Neville's legs sprang apart and he got to his feet, trembling. "What happened?" Hermione asked him, leading him over to sit with Harry and Ron.
"Malfoy," said Neville shakily. "I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice that on."
"Go to Professor McGonagall!" Hermione urged Neville. "Report him!"
Neville shook his head.
"I don't want more trouble," he mumbled.
"You've got to stand up to him, Neville!" said Ron. "He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier."
"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that," Neville choked out.
I placed my hand in the pocket of my robes and pulled out a Chocolate Frog, the very last one from the box Hermione had given me for Christmas. I gave it to Neville, who looked as though he might cry.
YOU ARE READING
Rowan Haywood
FanficNEXT BOOK IS OUT IN 1/15/2021(sry, I need more time) Rowan Haywood is a 1st year student at Hogwarts with Harry Potter, she are a animagus who is also lesbian. She's named after her mother's late best-friend, Rowan Khanna(female). She is also the mo...
