The Legend of the Phoenix Well

AmethystPhoenix

Story Summary:
Normal people have unexciting school lives. Harry's not a normal person. His seventh year may be the most chaotic of all. First, Voldemort is immortal. Second, he's got a necklace everyone wants, but he doesn't want at all. Third, he just might be becoming more Slytherin... over a girl! What's Harry to do?

Chapter 07

Chapter Summary:
Normal people have unexciting school lives. Harry's not a normal person. His seventh year may be the most chaotic of all. First, Voldemort is immortal. Second, he's got a necklace everyone wants, but he doesn't want at all. Third, Romance problems ahead! What's Harry to do? In this chapter, we have escapes, Quidditch, and gasp! someone Harry thought was dead!
Posted:
11/21/2003
Hits:
1,962
Author's Note:
I have been very busy lately, so I haven't updated in a while. Here's the seventh chapter. Hope you enjoy!


Chapter Seven: Spiders and Surprises

"Er... Hermione?" Harry repeated nervously. Hermione began to advance on Harry, the same empty look in her eyes. "Oh, no," Harry said, realizing what was wrong with Hermione.

Hermione reached out towards the necklace. Harry could see the fear behind the emptiness. "Hermione, fight it!" he said.

Slowly, Hermione reached forward jerkingly, as if she were a puppet on a string. Her hand reached forward, and dropped. Gasping, she clutched her arm. "I'm sorry, Harry... I was under the Curse, wasn't I?"

Harry nodded. "Do you know who put it on you?"

"I-I don't remember..." Hermione said. "I-I remember... oh... I don't know!" she wailed. "There-there were just a few times when I got glimpses... the forest, and the car, and that's it..."

Harry, however, had his wand out, and was listening intently to the sounds of the forest. "Shh... I think I heard something..."

"Harry, where are we?"

Harry gulped. "I've been here before..." he said again.

"You don't think Grawp's here, do you?" Hermione whispered. Grawp, Hagrid's younger brother, had been allowed to roam the forest.

"No, Grawp would make more noise. Besides, he's... er... friendly," Harry said.

Hermione let out a nervous giggle. "If picking me up and calling me Hermy at the volume of a train whistle were friendly..."

Harry jolted as the leaves around them crunched again. "Your wand. Take it out," he hissed.

"What is it?" Hermione whispered back, clutching her wand tightly.

Harry bristled as something came out onto the path. He relaxed a little when he saw it was a small snake, hissing something.

"Gotsss to getsss away from itssss..." it hissed.

"From what?" Harry hissed back. Hermione watched, eyes wide, as he hissed in Parseltongue.

The snake looked surprised that a human was speaking to it. "Can'tssss talk. Mustsss leavesss now, humansssss! Dangerssss issss comingsssss!" It slithered away faster than Harry had ever seen a snake move.

"What did it say?" Hermione said.

"There's danger coming," Harry said blankly. "Come..." he stopped. Standing on eight legs in front of him was a giant spider.

"Acromantulas," Hermione whispered in awe. "They're supposed to live in distant lands... I thought Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them said they were extinct... but I must be wrong..."

"No! Run!" Harry said. He turned sharply, only to find that he and Hermione were enclosed in a circle of giant spiders. "Let us go," he said calmly.

"You trespassed on our land, human," the spider in front of him said in a rough voice. "We did not ask you to come."

"Well, we were being chased by centaurs," Harry said.

"We do not mind the centaur's business," the spider said. "It is not our concern. However, you are on our lands. It is up to my grandfather to decide what happens to you."

"Your grandfather let us go before," Hermione lied. Harry turned in surprise.

"He may have changed his mind," the spider said.

"Orinak, Grandfather will not be pleased if we wake him without reason," another spider said. Harry knew that this one was female.

"Wyanag, Grandfather wishes for us to bring all trespassers..." Orinak said.

"He..." Wyanag said.

"I decide what happens. If Grandfather is not pleased, it is my fault, not yours or the rest of our siblings," Orinak said.

"You and your lies," Wyanag said. "The last time, Yvorhog was killed by Honog."

"Grandfather did not mean for that to happen." Harry looked at Hermione, who motioned that they should try to get away. Quietly, they began to edge off towards a space between two of the spiders.

"...Grandmother was not pleased last time either!" Wyanag was arguing. Harry and Hermione were close to the gap.

"Ahhhh!" Hermione screamed as one of the spiders picked her up and slung her upside down. Harry felt himself being turned upside down, and then the spiders started to move.

"He will not be pleased," Wyanag said.

"Silence!" Orinak said. "Go!"

The spiders scuttled quickly through the forest, sounding like a group of wild horses clomping through leaves. Harry was amazed at how they had been able to keep so quiet before.

Tiny spiders were hurrying along the forest floor. The acromantulas stormed carelessly through them, until stopping in a clearing. Harry and Hermione were dropped unceremoniously on the ground.

Brushing dirt off himself, Harry got up and pointed his wand at Orinak. Hermione did the same. Orinak, however, grasped their wands with amazing speed, and threw them behind him to two of his siblings.

"Stupefy!" Harry yelled. A jet of red light flew from his hand, and his Orinak. Orinak didn't budge. He was simply too big.

"Harry?" Hermione said. "You can..."

"What is it?" an old rustling voice said from the shadows.

"Grandfather. We have brought trespassers," Orinak said.

"Is it Hagrid?" the voice said.

Hermione gasped, and looked at Harry, who nodded. "No," Orinak said. "Young humans."

There were loud steps as Aragog made his way up to the light. His milky white eyes roamed aimlessly as he sniffed.

"One of them has been here before," he said finally.

"I have," Harry said. "Now let us go, Aragog. They know it wasn't you who opened the Chamber... it's been killed, the bas..."

"Do not speak its name!" Aragog hissed loudly.

"All right. But you have to let us go."

"Why should I?" Aragog said.

"Because... because then Hagrid won't be happy," Hermione said. "We're his best friends."

Aragog laughed a mirthless laugh. "Hagrid would not kill me, human girl. He raised me. Now. The light is bothering me. Kill the boy first, then the girl, Orinak."

Orinak picked Harry up deftly, and turned him upside down, ready to smash him on something. Harry felt his necklace slip out so that it was hanging out from his shirt.

It was glowing red. Dimly, at first, but in a matter of seconds, it had become unbearingly bright. A tune was also coming from it; Harry recognized it as phoenix song.

Harry felt himself rushing down...

"Stop!" Arogog yelled. Harry stopped abruptly. He heard a chink as the tip of the phoenix hit the rock. "Let him go."

"Why, Granfather?" Orinak said, dropping Harry on the leaves. Harry scrambled up.

"He carries the necklace."

"The necklace, Grandfather?"

"It is none of your concern. It is thought to be a legend, handed down the generations. Your grandmother told it to me many years ago. And today, I have seen it. Let the humans go."

Harry and Hermione stood dumbly, shocked.

"You heard my Grandfather. Go!" Orinak said, as if he had been denied a treat. "GO!"

Their wands were thrown back at them. They caught them, and left quickly.

"You can do wandless magic?" Hermione said as soon as they had gotten far away.

"Don't tell anyone," Harry said.

"And what's with the necklace?" Hermione said.

"Nothing," Harry said quickly. He couldn't tell Hermione.

"Harry, did Dumbledore tell you not to tell anyone?" Hermione said. "Because I've already seen it."

"Oh. Right," Harry said sheepishly. "Look. I'll tell you and Ron, but that's it. After all, I'm not supposed to tell anyone about it."

"I guess so," Hermione said, frowning. "Why did Aragog get scared when you mentioned the basilisk?"

"They're afraid of them. I thought you would know that, seeing how you found the page from the book on the basilisk," Harry said.

"But it said spiders," Hermione said.

"Acromantulas are spiders," Harry said.

"No they're not! That book was totally wrong, it should have said spiders and acromantulas..." They stepped out of the forest. From the smoke coming from the chimney, Harry could tell Hagrid was back in his cabin.

"Hermione, they didn't think a basilisk and an acromantula would ever exist near each other, since they're both almost extinct," Harry snickered.

Hermione huffed, and walked ahead. "Boys," Harry heard her mutter.

Shaking his head, he walked to Hagrid's door, deciding to pay a proper visit. Hagrid opened the door, and let him in.

"Harry! Yer a mess! It's way past curfew! It's midnigh'! Yer Head Boy!" he said, all in one breath.

"Nice to see you too, Hagrid," Harry said dryly.

Hagrid moved aside. "Well, come in... have a cuppa while yer at it, and then yer goin' straigh' back to the school, ye hear?"

"Of course, Hagrid," Harry said, grinning.

Hagrid led him to the table, where he plunked two mugs down. "Have ye been wanderin' the forest?" Hagrid said suspiciously.

"No," Harry said quickly.

"Where did all these twigs an' things come from?"

"I... fell."

Hagrid didn't say anything else. "So, did yer class like the griffin I brough'?" he said.

"Er... yes," Harry said. Hagrid had brought in a golden griffin for their first Care of Magical Creatures class.

"Tha'..." Hagrid started. There was the sound of someone knocking on the door. Fang stirred from his place on the floor.

"Hagrid?" a muffled girl's voice said.

Hagrid got up, and opened the door. "Come in," he said, moving aside. A girl moved in, holding her head in her arms, sobbing.

"Hagrid, Colin and Ron said it was my fault, since I should have known it would happen, and Hermione wasn't there..."

Harry got up quickly.

"Oh, dear," Hagrid said. "Now, Ginny, it's not yer faul'... I'm here for yer... Harry's here..."

"Potter?" Ginny said quickly, looking up.

Harry cleared his throat. "I have to go now, Hagrid," he said. "See you tomorrow." He swept out and slammed the door behind him.

"I wonder what's wrong wi' him today... stress probably got to him..." he heard Hagrid say. Harry strode away quickly, anxious to get away from Ginny.

Harry barely noticed when he got to the front doors. He couldn't help but feel a little sorry for Ginny, even though he was trying to hate her as much as possible. It wasn't really her fault...

"Why, it's ickle Potty!" a voice cackled. Peeves was hovering in front of Harry, wearing a maniacal grin.

"Oh, Potter, you rotter, you're out after curfew... Potter, you rotter, you're subject to goo..." He pulled a pail of green goo from behind him.

"Get away!" Harry said.

"Oh Potter, you rotter, you won't let Peeves have fun..." Peeves sang in his toneless voice.

"Move, Peeves, or I'll set the Bloody Baron on you," Harry said. Peeves blew a loud raspberry, dumped the goo on a nearby statue, and disappeared.

Figuring he should leave before Filch got to the scene, Harry left the hall and ran up the stairs to the seventh floor.

"Alohomora," he said to the Fat Lady.

"And what do you think you're doing out this late? The Prefects came back two hours ago saying they were done patrolling!" the Fat Lady scolded.

"Really, Potter, what do you think you're doing out here after midnight?" a cold, sneering voice said. Snape stood behind Harry.

"Professor," Harry said.

"Well?"

"I... er..."

"Detention, Potter. And five points from Gryffindor." Snape sneered. "And a Head Boy too. Tut, tut, Potter, what a bad example to set for the first years."

"Professor, I had to..."

"Potter, I would prefer if you didn't argue."

"But sir, I had to..."

"Potter, I'm warning you."

Harry fell silent. However, it wasn't because of Snape. He heard footsteps, and someone sniffling. A moment later, Ginny rounded the corner, drying her eyes on her sleeve. She almost bumped into Harry.

"Well, well, well, Miss Weasley," Snape said, his sneer growing wider as he looked between Harry and Ginny. "Is this what I think it was? Don't tell me... you broke up with her? You chose Miss Velour?"

"No, sir, that article was..." Harry was livid inside. Snape knew fully that the article was total trash.

"Up in the Astronomy Tower, Potter?" Snape smirked.

"No, sir... we weren't together..." Harry said.

"Really, Potter? Weasley, you can join Potter in detention, and another five points from Gryffindor for staying out past curfew."

Harry turned around. The Fat Lady gave him an "I told you so" look, and swung open. Without looking back, he walked inside the Common Room. He heard Ginny go in after him, and the portrait closed.

"What took you so long?" Hermione said.

Ron looked between Harry and Ginny, gasped, and fell out of his chair. "You were in the Astronomy Tower, weren't you?" he said triumphantly.

Ginny scowled. "No, Ron," Harry ground out. "Snape was giving us detention outside of the Portrait Hole..."

"What was Snape doing out there? Near Gryffindor Tower?" Hermione said.

Harry thought. "I don't know," he said finally. "Suspicious, really."

"Oh, probably patrolling," Ron said breezily. "Hermione said you had something to tell us... Ginny, go away, will you?"

Ginny glared at him, but stormed up the girl's staircase.

"Ron, why were you so mean?" Hermione said.

"Mean? I always act that that to her," Ron said. "She acts like that to me when she's talking to dear old Colin..." Ron suddenly scowled, as if he had thought of a potential romantic relationship.

"She and Colin don't like each other that way, if that's what you're thinking," Harry said.

Ron shrugged. "So, what were you going to tell us about? I heard you and Hermione saw..." he shuddered, "...Aragog again."

Harry pulled the necklace out, and told them what he knew about the necklace. "So Aragog pretty much worships this thing?" Ron said when he finished.

"Yeah... I mean, Dumbledore told me to keep it safe..."

"Quick! Put it back!" Hermione whispered as someone came down the stairs. Neville plodded down the staircase, looked at the three, and grabbed his Herbology book.

"Erm... well, good night," Ron said as soon as Neville had gone back up the stairs.

"See you tomorrow," Hermione said.

***

Hermione was waltzing with Malfoy. "Come on, Harry, join us!" Malfoy said.

"No thanks," Harry said. "I'd rather dance with the giant squid."

Ginny stood in the corner, playing the record. Suddenly, the giant squid appeared. "Dance with me, Ginny," it said in a dramatic voice. "I'd rather dance with you than with Harry."

"Ladeeladeeda..." Ron sang. "Old McDonald had a farm..."

Behind him, Justin Finch-Fletchley and Ernie McMillian were dressed up as Batman and Robin. "Wheeee!" Ernie said as they picked Harry up and flung him out the window.

Harry landed in a dark forest. It was suddenly eerie, and the forest was unfamiliar. Suddenly, the trees ended. Harry knew the forest had been the Forbidden Forest, yet Hogwarts was not in view. All he could see were cliffs, ending in a churning sea.

He turned, and went back into the forest, where there was a path different than the one he had come from. Slowly, he followed the path. Suddenly, Ginny appeared in front of him.

"Wake, up, Potter!" she yelled.

"Ginny?" Harry said.

"Yeah, it's me, get up!"

"Ginny, what are you doing here in this forest?"

"What forest, Potter? Get up!"

Harry's eyes snapped open. Ginny was standing over him, looking annoyed. For some reason, she was wearing a Wand Girls T-shirt and jeans. "What are you doing here?" Harry asked.

"Ron and Hermione had to escort two of the third years to the Hospital Wing, so they made me come up and get you."

"You didn't have to come, you know," Harry said icily. Why did his day have to start off like this? It was a Saturday again, which meant no Snape or Cho. Harry had been looking forward to Quidditch Practice.

Ginny stiffened. "And Snape said our detention was today. All day. We have to clean the entire Hospital Wing without magic. And he says you can't use your other way, whatever that is."

Harry groaned. No magic, not even wandless. And Snape probably knew they had been planning a practice. He looked up. Ginny hadn't moved. "You can leave now," he said.

Ginny sniffed, as if she had been expecting something else. "What did she want? An apology? Not until she does," Harry thought. Now thoroughly annoyed, he got up, put on a random shirt, pants, and his shoes and socks, and walked out of his room.

Fuming, he grabbed some toast from the Great Hall, and made his way to the Hospital Wing. He smiled when Snape scowled at his T-shirt, which was the one Tonks gave him for his birthday.

"Mr. Potter, I would like it if next time you do not wear a house-degrading shirt," Snape said before sweeping away.

Harry, however, was the one scowling when he scanned the Hospital Wing. The two third years had obviously caused a lot of damage to each other, since the floor was covered in slugs and vomit. Ron, who was at the other end of the infirmary, was looking ill as he watched over the third year belching up slugs.

Ginny came a minute later, looking revolted, and holding some of Filch's supplies. She muttered something that reminded Harry of Ron.

"Telling the mess to do something virtually impossible will not clean it up," Harry said dryly. Ginny told him to do the same thing she had told the mess to do. "I can't do that either, Ginny, dear," Harry said. Ginny looked angry at the "dear" part.

"Move. Do you want to finish this before Quidditch practice or not?" she snarled.

"I thought we were here for the whole day?" Harry said.

"Well... I... he said... you know what I mean!" Ginny said. "As soon as we're done, we can leave! Of course, with you, it probably means the whole day!"

"Are you willing to bet?" Harry said.

"Move!" Ginny said.

Harry began to mop the floor.

An hour later, Ginny was staring disbelievingly at Harry. The Hospital Wing was now empty of all students and teachers, and it was clean.

"You used magic," she said finally.

"Or I'm used to it after living with the Dursleys," Harry retorted heatedly. "Just because you never had to do work like this at age seven does not mean that I didn't." He was about to walk away when he felt a searing pain in his scar, and he felt extremely happy, though he didn't know why because of Occlumency...

"What happened?" Ginny said, and for the first time in weeks, Harry could detect a hint of concern in her voice.

"Excuse me," he said. "Need to see Dumbledore..."

Harry ran through the corridors until he got to the gargoyle. "Canary Cream," he said. The gargoyle didn't move. "That's not the password?" Harry said in confusion.

"Mr. Potter, what are you doing?" McGonagall said.

"Professor, where's Professor Dumbledore?" Harry said.

McGonagall looked surprised. "He was taken to St. Mungo's yesterday. He took ill again. Surely you heard at breakfast?"

"He's ill?" Harry heard himself say.

"Yes. What did you want to see him about?"

Harry had to tell McGonagall instead. "Voldemort's happy about something, I don't know what since I'm blocking it."

"I... I see," McGonagall. "Well. We'll do what we can. As for you, I suggest you act normally, and not worry about it too much."

"I'll try," Harry said.

***

November soon came, and the morning of the first Quidditch match of the season dawned on them quickly. Ron was poking at his breakfast like he usually did before the first match of each year. Harry looked at the empty seat next to McGonagall at the Head table, and looked back down to his plate. He, Ron, and Hermione had spent hours talking about it that day he had spoken to McGonagall.

"Good luck, Mark," Harry said to Mark, who was paler than usual and poking at his eggs like Ron was. Mark could only nod.

"Why did I join the team?" Ron whispered in a strangled voice for the tenth time. "Why did you join the team, Harry?"

Harry was about to respond when a familiar, jovial voice sounded behind them. "Hello, Harry! Today's the first Quidditch game of the season!"

"Wood?" Harry said incredulously. Oliver Wood was Keeper for Puddlemere United, and was supposedly in the States.

Oliver shrugged. "The New York Newts canceled the invitational. Said that they were having a dispute with the San Francisco Spells. So I thought I would come here, you know, watch the first game... How is the team? You know, Fred, George, Angelina, Alicia, Katie... how are they? Fred and George still unbeatable? Who's captain? And you, Harry, how are you? You're in fifth year, right? O.W.L.S. coming up?"

Harry could only stare at Oliver slack-jawed until Ron started snickering. "Er... Oliver... I'm in seventh year..." Harry said slowly.

Oliver slapped his hand to his forehead. "Oh, yes! Anyway... how are Fred and George and the girls? Who's the new Keeper?"

Harry and Ron looked at each other. "Oliver, Fred, George, Alicia, and Angelina graduated two years ago," Hermione said sourly. "If you paid any attention to anything but Quidditch..." she muttered.

Oliver didn't hear her. "Oh!" he looked like he felt stupid.

"'S all right, Wood," Harry said. "You've just been busy..."

"Right..." Oliver said dazedly. "Wow... time sure flew... I could have sworn you were a first year yesterday... Good luck!"

"Thanks," Mark said in a strangled voice, as if he were trying to not vomit.

"Can we go down to the pitch now?" Ron said in the same strangled voice. "I can't eat anymore."

"Let's go," Harry sighed.

"Ginny, we're leaving," Ron called. Ginny didn't hear him, though. She was protesting about something to Colin, who was grinning wickedly. "Okay, we'll leave without her," Ron said. Suddenly, his face clouded. "Harry... you don't think..."

"Ginny is not dating Colin," Harry said dully. "Colin is two inches shorter than her."

"Oh, all right," Ron said. Harry caught him throwing a nasty glance in Colin's direction and couldn't help feeling sorry for Colin.

The Slytherins were already in the changing rooms when the Gryffindor team got there. Malfoy sneered as he led his team into the Slytherin room, slamming the door behind him.

A few moments later, Ginny came in, surrounded by Colin, Luna, and a bunch of giggling sixth year girls. "What are they doing in here?" Ron hissed.

"I wanted them to come," Ginny said coolly. "Sod off, Ron, I can make my own decisions."

Euan and David looked at Ginny with puppy-dog eyes. It was well-known that about half of the boys at Hogwarts fancied Ginny Weasley. Harry looked at the two, shaking his head. He reached over and closed Euan's mouth for him. Euan turned red and fumbled with his gloves.

Ron was scowling as he looked over at the two Chasers. Harry sensed tension, and cleared his throat. "Okay... this is the first game of the season..."

Colin was whispering something to Ginny, who shook her head. He said it again, and she sighed. "All right, Oliver Wood's out there, and we want to show him that we're better than before," Harry continued. Ginny had moved next to Ron, who moved over to give her room. She looked over at Colin, who nodded. Harry saw her put something down next to the door.

"Yeah!" Natalie said energetically. Suddenly, something exploded, and the door to the Slytherin rooms was blasted off, revealing the entire Slytherin team in their underwear. Except for Malfoy, who looked livid.

"What is going on here?" Malfoy said, poking his head into the room. "I'm trying to talk! I'm telling Snape on you, Weaslette!"

"Well, drone on, then, Malfoy, this is none of your business," Harry said.

Ron looked furious. "I'm going to get you for that, Creevey! You got my sister in trouble!" he said. He turned on Harry, who was having difficulty trying not to roll his eyes. Ron blushed.

"Oh... c'mon, we'd better get out there," Ron said. He picked his Cleansweep up and tossed Harry's Firebolt to him.

The stands were full. Harry was surprised to see Oliver up in the top stand, the magical megaphone in his hand. "Welcome to the first Quidditch match of the season!" he said. "I'm Oliver Wood, your guest announcer for today!"

Many of the girls in the stands cheered. Oliver sounded angry as he announced the Slytherin team. "Here comes the Slytherins, yadayadayada... Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle... big bunch of losers..."

Malfoy scowled. McGonagall glared at Wood, who didn't pay attention. "And here's the Gryffindor team!" he said in an excited voice. "Here's Potter, the only member I know, sorry, the rest of you... Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, MacDonald, Gordon, Abercrombie, and their newest member, Evans!"

The Gryffindors cheered. Harry and Malfoy stepped up to each other. "Well, good luck, you're going to need it!" Malfoy said nastily.

"Better keep the luck for yourself," Harry retorted. "As you have none."

"Captains, shake hands," Hooch said.

"The captains are shaking..." Oliver said. Harry gripped Malfoy's hand and dug his nails in. Malfoy responded by twisting Harry's arm. Harry twisted back. Malfoy twisted harder. To an outsider, it would look like they were trying to kill each other.

"Stop! Let go, you two! So immature!" Hooch said. Malfoy just twisted harder.

"Well, the game's gotten off to a good start," Oliver said in an amused voice.

"STOP!" Hooch yelled. Harry and Malfoy scowled and released each other, both nursing their arms. Ron snickered as Harry came back into the line, earning him a glare.

Hooch glared at the captains, then released the balls. Fourteen players flew into the air.

"And the Quaffle is taken by Weasley... Ginny, that is..." Oliver began. Malfoy knocked into Ginny on purpose.

"Whoops... sorry," he said as Ginny dropped the Quaffle.

"Hey!" Oliver said indignantly. "Watch it, Malfoy!"

Mark caught the Quaffle, though, and rushed off towards to the Slytherin Keeper, who seemed unintimidated by the small twelve-year old. He didn't pay attention, and looked around confusedly when Mark scored.

"Ha! 10-0, Gryffindor!" Oliver said. "Thought the little guy couldn't get past you, eh?"

David caught the Quaffle and began to move towards the Keeper again, Mark nearby in case the Quaffle needed to be passed. Harry quickly dodged a Bludger, and went on in circles.

Suddenly, Crabbe and Goyle swung their bats, and hit both Bludgers towards the chasers. The two dodged them, but the balls curved and hit them both. Before anything else could be done, Natalie and Euan hit the Bludgers towards the Slytherin chasers with the Quaffle. The same thing happened. Harry called a time-out.

"Okay... Mark, David, are you okay?" he said.

Mark groaned. "My arm's broken," he coughed out.

Natalie was handing David tissues to put over his bloody nose. "He's not too good, either," Natalie said.

"Dat Bludger came out ob nowhere!" David said.

Harry looked across the field, where the Slytherins were. One Chaser had been knocked out, while another was limping on a broken leg from his fall. "Looks like we'll cancel," Harry said.

Hooch seemed to think the same thing. Harry nodded in assent to stop the game and continue later. Malfoy, however, smirked and shook his head. Hooch looked surprised. Malfoy shook his head again.

"We're continuing? Minus two Chasers?" Ron said. "Malfoy's crazy! He can't think we can substitute...he's going to have to play Chaser!"

"It's official! They're actually continuing the game!" Oliver said in disbelief. The rest of the team mounted their brooms. Hooch's whistle blew, and the Quaffle was released again.

Smirking more widely, Malfoy grabbed it.

Harry shook his head. Quidditch Through the Ages had never said Seekers couldn't become Chasers... but this was crazy. Harry had never played as Chaser in a match... he wasn't sure he was even good, as he had only thrown practice throws for Ron.

Ginny rushed by Malfoy and grabbed the Quaffle. Malfoy turned angrily, and Harry smirked at him. Malfoy rushed after and grabbed the Quaffle again. This time, he threw it towards Ron...

...Only to have it caught right away. Malfoy scowled.

"Can't even throw a Quaffle?" Ron said as he threw the Quaffle to Ginny.

"Ha! Malfoy can't even through past Ron! Didn't come close!" Oliver crowed. Suddenly, Ginny was surrounded by Crabbe and Goyle. She threw the Quaffle to Harry, who caught it.

"And Potter has the Quaffle!" Oliver said. "Wow... this is weird..."

Harry rushed past Crabbe and Goyle, who sat dumbly on their brooms. "Let's see you throw, Potty," Malfoy said. Harry grinned at him.

"All right, Malfoy, let's see me throw. It'll be better than yours." Harry threw the Quaffle, hoping that his father's Chaser genes had been passed to him. The Slytherin Keeper was furious as the Quaffle slipped past.

"20-0 to Gryffindor! Well... a Seeker hasn't scored as Chaser for a while now!" Oliver said.

"Told you," Harry said as Malfoy scowled.

Ginny took the Quaffle. Harry looked at Malfoy, who was rushing at him all of a sudden. The snitch wasn't anywhere near.

"Malfoy? What..." Harry looked for the snitch again. It had come up near them while he had been looking at Malfoy. Relieved that Malfoy wasn't charging towards him, Harry flew in pursuit of the snitch. He and Malfoy were soon neck-to-neck. Malfoy reached out, but instead of grabbing for the snitch, he grabbed at the phoenix necklace, which had come out during the match.

"What are you doing?" Harry said as Malfoy abandoned the snitch for the necklace.

"Give it to me!" Malfoy demanded, pulling on the necklace.

"No!" Harry said. The snitch was in reach... if he didn't catch it, it would disappoint the team...

"Got it!" Harry said, closing on the snitch. Malfoy pushed him hard off the broom, and toppled off his own broom in the process. Harry was now fully concentrated on Malfoy, who seemed to have gone mad. Harry felt his arm snap as they hit the ground. "You idiot! You knew it would hurt us both!" Harry said through the pain. Malfoy was clutching his own arm, wincing and looking confused.

"What happened..." he muttered. Harry stared at him before Ron helped him up.

"Excellent!" Oliver said, wringing Harry's broken arm.

"Ow!" Harry said. Oliver looked sheepish.

"Sorry," he said. "Great game... wow..."

The remainder of the team, except for Ginny, congratulated him. Ginny stood to the side. Harry couldn't see the expression on her face as he walked back to the castle and into the Hospital Wing.

"Did we win?" Mark asked as soon as the team walked in.

"Yeah," Harry winced. "And then Malfoy pushed me off my broom and fell off his in the process."

"Dangerous games," Pomfrey muttered as she tapped the arm. "Right, then, you'll have to wear a cast for tonight, like Mr. Evans here," she said.

Hermione rushed into the Hospital Wing. "You're all right, Harry!" she said in relief.

McGonagall came into the room after Hermione. "Poppy, may I take Harry?" she said.

Pomfrey hmmphed, but nodded. "Mr. Potter? Come with me..." McGonagall said.

"What is it, Professor?" Harry said. "Nothing bad?"

McGonagall turned. "Partially, Potter. But first, there's someone I'd like you to meet..."

She opened the door to her office. "Anne, he's here." Harry stepped in. McGonagall offered him a Ginger Newt. Harry took one.

A thin, regal looking woman sat in the chair in front of McGonagall's desk. Harry supposed she was Anne. She had gray hair with some black hair remaining tied back in a bun like McGonagall's, and looked to be in her late fifties. Harry could tell that she had been quite beautiful in the past, but something had happened that aged her.

"Er... hello," he said uncertainly.

"Don't 'hello' me, young man... I want a 'good afternoon, Grandmother' at least!" Anne said. "And fix your hair! It looks like you just stepped off a broom! And you're covered in mud!"

"W-what?" Harry said. "G-grandmother?"

"Yes, you heard right," his grandmother snapped. "I want you to go change into decent robes, comb your hair, and put those glasses on! I don't care if you corrected your vision... you will look like your father and that's that!"

Harry backed away before she could say anything else. His mind was still reeling. Number one: he had a grandmother. Number two: she reminded him of Mrs. Longbottom, Neville's grandmother. Number three: she was totally batty.

Quickly, he changed into his robes, pinned his badge down, tried to flatten his hair, and put his useless glasses on.

"What are you doing with glasses?" Ron said. "What's wrong?"

"I died and went to hell," Harry groaned.

"Was it McGonagall?" Hermione asked.

"No... it was..."

"HENRY JAMES POTTER, STAND UP RIGHT NOW!" came his grandmother's voice.

"My name's not Henry," Harry mumbled as he stood.

"Speak up!"

"I said my name's not Henry!"

"It is now! I don't know why your parents named you Harry... such a common name... now sit!"

Harry sat. His grandmother walked away. "Please tell me that this is just a nightmare, and that my relatives are all dead," Harry said to Ron.

"She's your grandmother?" Ron said.

"Please tell me that's your grandmother, and McGonagall heard wrong..." Harry said.

"It can't be that bad," Ron said. "My grandmother makes us cookies."

"I'd be scared if mine started baking cookies," Harry said.


Author notes: Yeah, I know that it says in the books that all his relatives are dead, besides the Dursley's, but you'll find out next chapter!

Thanks to Malfoys Mistress2, JenPotter, Favrielle, jgwatsonjg, Dean Ahlberg, DarkWitch13, Nonya, blackeaerials, dellmarch, D2Diamond, gemto, and Harry_Potter for reviewing!

C'mon, R/R!