Quaffles, Anyone?

Summary:

THE QUIDDITCH FINALS…

Are up next in Harry's sixth year in Hogwarts! But its twenty four hours before the big event so Harry recounts the events on what made this day happened. From mummies, his Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, the mysterious girl, some new surprises and a special someone's new “after-school activity”… Let the games begin!

Chapter One

A Journey to The Past

“Potter!”

Harry woke with a start. He looked down at his empty parchment where an essay about King Tut should be at. He looked up and saw Professor Raptor looking at him…

“Sorry Professor…” said Harry looking red

“Don't worry Harry, I know what you are feeling” said Rapticon Sr. with a smile as he walked back to his desk “tension… that's what you are feeling” he sat down behind his desk and started ruffling some parchment papers “The Quidditch Finals are up and you feel like you need to run across the corridor of Sir Cattisburg on the third floor naked, right?” he said smiling.

“No” said Harry

“I'm just kidding. Besides, I feel kinda happy right now…” Professor Raptor said as he placed the parchment inside the drawer, stood up and sat on the table fumbling with some marbles “Oh what the heck! Put those away, that will be your homework!” he said as the class shouted “Hear! Hear!” when they removed their parchment and put it inside their bags

“Tomorrow is the Quidditch Finals! Even though your teams will be hauling their asses up there, we should support them and to do that we should -” he goes behind his desk and grabs two Quaffles and tosses it to the class “pass these quaffles to anyone - don't drop them or you'll lose points!”

They consumed the whole time by passing the two quaffles around the classroom. After minutes of fun, Prof. Raptor ended the period.

“Good catch Dean! Anyway, due to the euphoria of the Quidditch Finals I will cancel the scheduled quiz for the sake of all of you and in three seconds it will be lunch time so let's get up and going then! See ya next week!”

“C'mon Harry!” Ron called from the door with Hermione as Harry fixed his things “I'm starving”

“Don't pressure him, Ron” said Rapticon Sr. placing the two Quaffles inside a cabinet “You know that the Seeker must be relaxed at all times or otherwise, Harry here” he said pointing to Harry “will lose concentration”

“Thanks for the support” said Harry smiling to Rapticon Sr.

“No problemo… now go on you three or lunch might be over”

- - -

“That” Harry said as he, Ron and Hermione went outside of the oak doors of Hogwarts “was a great lunch”

They walked down the lake as they passed lots of students talking, laughing, arguing over on who is a lot better in the Finals, swimming in the lake with the giant squid and just reading their books. They found the beech tree where Harry found his father and his friends hanging out last year in the Pensieve. They sat under it and just waited for the bell to ring for the afternoon classes to start.

“Hey look Harry. It's your friend” said Ron smirking as he pointed to the other side of the lake, there was a hooded girl reading a book under a tree.

“That's rubbish Ron, you know Harry might fancy someone else” said Hermione smiling at Ron and to Harry “Right, Harry?”

Harry looked at Hermione and smiled at her.

“I'm not sure if I it's someone I know” he said

The rest of the time under that tree, Ron and Hermione talked about Quidditch while Harry stayed deep in thought... Tomorrow was the day, it will the first Quidditch Final that he will be with them. Last year, he was banned by Professor Umbridge but now, everything has come to this and Harry smiles at the thought. He looked up at the sky and saw Hedwig pass by with a dead rat clamped to her beak. He looked around and saw Hagrid chopping wood outside of his hut. He turned and saw the hooded girl reading her book which she borrowed from the library. He started thinking all of the events that happened to him which started on September first on Platform nine and three-quarters…

“Five Minutes! Ok. Ron, Harry, you go first!” shouted Mr. Weasley from behind. Harry followed Ron to the barrier, he did that and after going through the barrier he saw the scarlet engine of the Hogwarts Express. He never felt happy in his life to see the train again. He felt movement behind him and saw Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, Tonks, Moody, Fred and George come in.

“Ok, this is it. You lot try to behave yourselves, Fred and George aren't there to watch over you” said Mrs. Weasley kissing Ron, Ginny and Harry.

“You hear that George? Mom says we are the watchers of these tykes” said Fred

“It makes it sound we are the `R' word” said George shuddering playfully

“Oh shut up you two” said Mrs. Weasley smiling at them “You could be responsible if you make your joke shop more efficient”

“Mum” Fred said “Ever since we opened the joke shop, the family hasn't seen this much Galleons in years!”

Mrs. Weasley just shrugged and smiled at them afterwards

“Taker care!” said Tonks

“Don't put your wand in your back pocket!” said Moody with his magical eye spinning on its socket

“Don't worry we won't!” said Ron as he boarded the train

They waved to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Tonks, Moody, Fred and George as the train started to go in motion. They stopped when the train took a turn and once again, leaving the muggle world far behind.

“Let's stay here” said Ron. Harry and Ron stayed at the compartment; it was just the two of them. This reminded Harry of the first time he met his best friend… They have grown a lot already. They talked about stuff like Quidditch and some stuff, even braved themselves to talk about girls

“How was your relationship with Cho look like?” Ron asked

“Wet” said Harry laughing

“Wow” Ron said “Er - did you ever crushed on someone apart from her?”

Harry looked out the window thoughtfully

“Nope”

“Not even Parvati?” Ron asked

“No”

“Lavender?”

“No”

“Ginny?”

“Nope”

“Hermione?”

“Ron, Hermione's our best friend. I have no business to have a crush on her”

“I see”

Before they could go with the subject any further the lady with the sweet cart came

“Anything from the trolley boys?”

“Just a few chocolate frogs, a box of Bertie Bott's and of course some pepper imps” said Harry giving some sickles to her “Thank you”

They opened there newly bought snacks when the door to their compartment opened.

“Have anyone of you seen a toad? Neville's lost one” the person who opened the door said. She had a bossy sort of voice but had a little sarcasm in it too

“You're late” said Harry smirking at the person who is none other than Hermione Granger. Harry's other best friend

“So I have” said Hermione smiling at both of them

“Where were you? We thought Malfoy did you in” said Ron

“I was in the Prefects compartment. I came here to find you” said Hermione doing that know-it-all tone she usually does.

“Hey, I didn't ask for it” said Ron biting off a pepper imp

“Well, then I will just have to dock points of off you when we get to Hogwarts”

“You can't do that” said Ron

“Oh yes I can! Don't you read the Prefect handbook?” said Hermione

“Alright, alright! I'll meet you a little later on. Harry and I were talking before you came in.

“I bet it is Quidditch” said Hermione sitting beside Harry, he noticed that Hermione's hair was less bushy and it was shoulder length.

“Nope” said Harry “But I got good news”

“What is it?” said Ron

“Okay. During the summer I receive a letter from Hogwarts and… well, take a look”

He took out the letter with the Hogwarts seal on it. He opened it and showed it to Hermione and Ron.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF

WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

Dear Mr. Potter,

We have reached to a decision and have finally agreed to reinstate you to the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. Your position in the team will be decided when you and Madam Hooch meet on the first weekend of term. We are also making you captain of the House team which is part of this reinstating of your Quidditch privileges. Your broom will be returned to you somewhere this week. We are glad to have you back in the Quidditch House Team.

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

“That's great Harry!” said Ron punching the palm of his hand “With me, you and Ginny, we are unstoppable!”

“I know but remember we are two chasers short” said Harry “Angelina's gone… so is Alicia”

“Katie Bell is still with us though… and those two blokes are still the beaters but they did a good job in the Finals last year. Ginny told me she would play Chaser since she was confident that you will be lifted from the ban” said Ron

“Which only leaves us one Chaser” said Harry

“I know, lets have Chaser tryouts!” said Ron excitedly

“We have to wait till Saturday though” said Harry “by that time, we will know what to do”

The trip continued for hours and hours. They passed the time by telling which subjects they chose for their N.E.W.T.s.

“I received 12 O.W.L.s all in all” said Hermione “How many did you receive, Harry?”

“Seven” Harry said “I didn't make it with Divination though. Besides, if I want to be an Auror -“

“You want to be an Auror!” said Ron with widened eyes

“Why? Is it bad?”

“It's just that you need Potions to go with that”

“I know. I'm taking the risk” Harry said “I chose it together with Transfiguration, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts and Care of Magical Creatures… I want to be with Hagrid, you know” Harry added when he mentioned Care of Magical Creatures

They talked about N.E.W.T.s the whole trip. They finally changed into their Hogwarts robes when nightfall came. When the train finally stopped in Hogsmeade Station, they joined the throng of students so they can leave the train.

“Firs' years this way!” called a familiar voice as Harry jumped out of the door and into the damp atmosphere. Harry saw Hagrid calling the first years so he can lead them to a steppe narrow path which leads to the boats. Harry wanted to greet him before he rides the carriages but something stopped him. Why did he stop? Then Harry realized why, he was looking at two shady characters sitting at the benches near the exit of the station. He could tell one was a woman due to the womanly figure. She had her hood up though so her face was still concealed. Her companion was a man, since he sat like a one. He had his hood up too, except his robe was darker looking than the woman's who was wearing lighter colors. Harry felt Hermione nudging him to move since he was blocking the way.

He moved forward and rode the carriages which were carried by Thestrals. Thestrals are known to be seen by people unless that certain person saw death with their own eyes. Harry tried to ignore them by just thinking of the feast and the year ahead. He saw the vast castle of Hogwarts with its battlements, statues and towers. It was great to be back at home.

“It's great to be back” said Ron looking at the castle “I bet this will be a great year for all of us”

They reached the giant oak doors of the castle when they got off the carriages. They climbed the stone steps and entered the castle. The entrance hall was ablaze with torches and echoing footsteps of students who were crossing the flagged stone floor for the double doors to the right, which lead to the Great Hall where the start-of-term feast started usually.

The Great Hall was filled with talking and laughter, Harry, Ron and Hermione walked along the aisle so they can get their seats in the Gryffindor table.

“Oy! Harry seat here!” called the Creevey brothers, it was somehow their ambition to let Harry sit with them before he leaves Hogwarts and Harry somehow felt flattered but kind of uninterested at their offers so he just mouthed a `no thank you' to them and followed Ron.

“If Dean leaves Ginny, I bet she would go to Colin” said Ron, taking a seat beside Neville Longbottom, a round faced and forgetful boy.

“Hullo Neville” said Harry

“Hello Harry, nice to see you, how's your summer?” said Neville gingerly

Harry could tell that Neville's emotions were cautious since the incident two months ago in his fifth year.

“Whatever you do Neville, just drop whatever your feeling. I'm fine with it” said Harry

After this, Neville felt like a ten pound block was lifted from his shoulders since he was talking to Ron about his Mimbulus Mimbletonia without difficulty.

“I wish the sorting would start, I'm starving!” said Ron after he and Neville talked, Harry was surprised that Ron was interested with the subject.

“Hmm… the faculty looks the same” said Ron, trying to make an attempt to make himself busy from the food by looking at the High Table.

Harry followed his gaze and saw the High Table, over there, he saw Hagrid having a conversation with Professor Vector, he even saw Professor Flitwick talking to Madam Hooch, and beside Professor Flitwick was Professor Snape, the dreaded Potions Master of Hogwarts, except to the Slytherins. He admires his students in his House more than anything in the school. After seeing Professor Snape listening to Professor Sprout, Harry moved his gaze to the center of the High Table, and there he was, Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard since Merlin, even though Dumbledore left Harry in the dark last year, he felt an impressive energy surrounding him, though very outgoing, Dumbledore was just sitting, with head resting on his hands, and looking up at the ceiling where the starry skies lay. Harry looked up and remembered what Hermione said during their first year about these magical ceilings.

“Finally!” said Ron

The double doors of the Great Hall opened when Professor McGonagall came followed by timid looking eleven year olds. Harry saw the kids. He just realized that he was that small when he entered Hogwarts five years ago…

“Now, when I call your names, you will come up and sit on this stool. Wear this hat” she gestured to the battered looking hat, which was the beloved Sorting Hat of Hogwarts, on the stool “and by that time, you will know your respected Houses”

“You forgot my number” growled the hat

“Oh yes! And a word from the Sorting Hat” said the professor

- - -

Everyone ate to their heart's content and drank till their thirsts are quenched. And again, the start-of-term feast is a success like last. Dumbledore stood up from his throne chair.

“By now the Hogwarts veteran knows what will I say… but for the sake of everyone I will have to say it… for the first years and the one who suffers deafness or was willingly keen to not listen to what I said in the past years the forbidden forest and the Hogwarts graveyard¹ is strictly restricted to all students and as for the Zonko's or Weasley Wizarding Wheezes (Ron and Ginny smirked at the name) patrons, it is prohibited to use such contraptions between classes. If you want to know the list of such items then you are free to go to Argus Filch's office to see the list pinned on front of his door. Anyway, due to a misfortunate delay, our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor isn't present at the moment… If he is to be absent tomorrow, Professor Snape will be substituting his classes till his arrival and another - “

Thud

Dumbledore paused at the sound. Harry heard a loud thudding noise… He looked around to see where it came from.

Thud, thud, thud…

Harry saw Ron looking up, he followed his gaze and saw the tall window behind the High Table. He could tell someone was there since a shadow was present.

Thud, thud, thud, thud

Now everyone in the Great Hall was looking up at the window, Professor McGonagall was standing up with her wand at ready but Dumbledore ceased her by holding out his hand still looking at the window.

There was a silence… then -

BASH!

Harry jumped so did the others except Dumbledore, who was still looking up at the window which, right now, has a hole in it after the person on the other side punched it. The hole got bigger when a man in a black cloak which Harry recognize since he was the same person he saw at the Hogsmeade station climbed in, he jumped and landed in front of the High Table where the Sorting Hat's stool usually stays. The man just stayed enigmatic for a while by looking down at the floor with his hood up…

Harry looked around for facial reactions, he saw Hermione looking a bit aghast at the sudden entrance of this person, Ron however was looking at the cloaked man with an awed expression.

The silence broke when the man removed his hood and called out

“Welcome! Welcome! I'm sorry for the delay! But now I'm - uh… alright… why are you all lookin' at me?” said the man… well to Harry… he was far from human.

He was a raptor… well a humanoid raptor… he stands like one, has a human's body language and wears robes. He had an orange head with black stripes on the back and on his snout… he wasn't wearing any foot wear, his raptor claws - especially the large one which is saved for a raptor's prey - were just moving idly on his feet. His eyes had slits and his tail was idly swinging behind him. Why would everyone look at him?

“Okay…” said the raptor a matter-of-factly “I get it… you've seen centaurs, hippogriffs and giants but you've never seen a raptor” he shook his head. Harry noticed his American-accent very clearly

Harry looked at Ron and Hermione, they still had their same expressions except they looked baffled. Harry looked at Dumbledore, to his great surprise, he was smiling.

“Oh yeah… I forgot” said the raptor fumbling around his clothes “Darn… where was it… Excuse me? Fiyuna?” he said looking up at the broken window.

Harry looked at the window and saw a girl in pure white clothes climbing out of the hole… she was hooded except her hood had blue lineage on the edges. She jumped down and landed with no difficulty. Harry looked at her, she was tall, had white skin (though her hood covered her face, her mouth and nose was still visible) and what appears to be strands of brown hair hanging on her forehead.

“Here” she said rather lazily handing out a wand to the raptor “thirteen inches, sequoia and hair of a rare animal as wand core”

“Thank you” said the raptor

“Reparo!”

The raptor pointed at the broken window, all the shards that were scattered fell back into place as if someone hit the rewind button.

“There!” he said putting his wand into his pocket “That's better”

“Ah yes!” said Dumbledore looking jolly as ever

“This year our Defense Against the Dark Arts class will be headed by none other than Professor Rapticon D. Raptor Sr. or Professor Raptor for short. I hope you will enjoy him” he gestured Rapticon Sr. to his seat.

“Thanks to that little interruption we kind of got out of hand… Let's see… where were we…? Ah yes… I feel like we are full after the great feast, you may go back to your dormitories so you can get prepared for your first day of term. Chop! Chop!”

Harry walked up the Grand Staircase with Seamus, Dean and Neville at his tail. They reached at the seventh landing where the portrait of the Fat Lady stood.

“Password?” asked the Fat Lady

“Er - does anyone know?” asked Harry looking at Dean

“Sorry, mate. Don't have a clue”

“Let's look for Ron or Hermione, they have the passwords” suggested Dean looking down at the staircases, one of them moved which stopped a group of Ravenclaws from continuing.

Harry looked down and saw Prof. Raptor walking up the staircase with the girl named Fiyuna tailing him. He walked up and passed by, the moment he passed them Neville was thinking what password the Fat Lady was holding then Prof. Raptor said “St. Petersburg. A girl in your colors told me… Well, good day. C'mon Fiyuna” he said taking another step up.

Harry's gaze followed both of them till Neville told him the portrait opened. He followed them inside and climbed up to the boy's dormitory.

“Ah! Great to be back” said Seamus as he went to his usual spot.

“Hey Harry” said Dean “what do you think of the new professor's assistant?”

“Why would you ask that?” said Harry suspiciously

“I dunno, she looks attractive” said Dean loosening his tie

“She looks like bad news if you tell me” said Seamus

“She's not” said a voice from the door. Ron came back from prefect duties.

“man, I hope you become head boy next year Harry, if I did, then looks like I have to do that thing the Healer in St. Mungo's told me to do”

Harry could recall a portrait of a Healer telling Ron to stand naked on a full moon in a barrel of slugs.

“Wait a minute” said Seamus “how did you know she isn't bad news?”

“Duh” said Ron “while me and Hermione were trying to assemble the midgets, Professor Raptor came to us with that Fiyuna girl. He complimented on my prefect skills” he paused for a while and grinned “anyway, he then introduced me and Hermione to Fiyuna. She's nice and she said - “

“Ooooh! Looks like ickle Ronnie has a crush!” teased Dean and Seamus

“Shut it you two or I'll dock points of you - I can do that you know” he added when Neville opened his mouth.

“Just kidding Ron” said Dean

“Besides, if she did like me then why did she ask me when she can meet Harry?”

Harry, whose back was facing to them, was just getting ready for bed when he felt four pairs of eyes looking at him

“Aha!” said Seamus triumphantly “I knew Harry would still have it!”

“Shut up” said Harry playfully and tossed a pillow at him

Even though they were teasing him, Harry felt good that it was better than last year. After some arguments, they all fell asleep, getting ready for a new school term in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.