A Different Life

On Monday evening was the first meeting of the study group. Students trickled in starting at five o'clock and stopped coming by six-thirty. The Head Boy and Girl and prefects helped organize things. Students working on spells went to the cleared area, which had a Silencing Charm so that the noise of people saying spells wouldn't disturb those that were studying or doing homework. Older students that were available for giving tutoring help added their names to a list.

Beth worked on her homework, occasionally asking Julie or Daniel for help. Then she joined the group working on spells. She practiced the Color-Changing Charm, and after helped Neville with his Transfiguration. When he had successfully transfigured a toothpick into a pin, Beth spent some time with Draco, helping each other with Potions for half an hour. After that, the younger students left for their respective common rooms, and the older students followed half an hour later.

On Thursday was the first flying class, Gryffindors with the Slytherins. Beth was very excited, for she loved flying and had inherited her father's talent. Neville, on the other hand, was very nervous about it. His grandmother had never let him a broom before, which Beth privately thought made some sense, for Neville had accidents even when he was on the ground.

At mail time, Neville received a small parcel from his grandmother. It contained a Rememberall, a small ball that would turn red when you forgot something. As he showed it to his friends, it turned red. "Oh no," he muttered, and tried to think of what he could have forgotten. Pansy Parkinson and Tracey Davis swept by then.

Pansy snatched the Rememberall out of Neville's hand and sniffed loudly. "What's this?"

Beth jumped to her feet and opened her mouth to say something, but Neville spoke first. "Return my Rememberall, Pansy."

"Make me," said Pansy nastily.

"Do it, Pansy," said Draco, appearing behind her. "You don't want to start something in front of the teachers."

Pansy glanced at the staff table, then dropped the Remembrall on the table. With another sniff, she and Tracey left.

"Thanks, Draco," said Neville. He stowed the Remembrall in his pocket.

Draco shrugged. "No need for thanks. See you guys later." He left the Great Hall as well.

That afternoon, the Gryffindors walked out to the Quidditch pitch. It was a clear, breezy day, perfect flying conditions. The Slytherins were already there and about twenty brooms were laid out in two rooms. The instructor, Madam Hooch, walked out onto the pitch a minute later and ordered everyone to stick their hand over their broom and say "Up!"

Beth's broom jumped into her hand at once, but it was one of the few to do so. Hermione had to say "up!" several times, because while she knew how to fly, she wasn't very comfortable with it. Neville's broom refused to move at all.

Finally everyone had a broom and Madam Hooch showed how to mount. Then she raised her whistle and said, "On my count, take off. Three - two - one -" Before her lips touched the whistle, Neville took off, nervous and afraid about being left behind.

"Come back, boy!" Madam Hooch shouted as Neville's broom flew higher. His face was pale and frightened. Without even thinking about it, Beth took off after Neville to rescue him. She soon reached him and just as he was about to fall off, she managed to grab his sleeve. She then somehow managed to get him on her broom in front of her and she flew to the ground.

"Are you all right?" demanded Madam Hooch, rushing over to them. Neville nodded and got shakily off the broom. Madam Hooch then turned to Beth. "I'm amazed that you were able to rescue him like that, Miss Potter-Black. Take ten points for Gryffindor. I shall speak to Professor McGonagall about this." Neville was then told to sit out the lesson and class resumed.

A Slytherin named Theodore Nott picked up the Remembrall, which had fallen out of Neville's pocket. Ron asked for it back, but Theodore just smiled nastily and said, "Hmm, maybe I'll leave it for Longbottom to find up in a tree."

Daphne Greengrass flew over and said, "Return it, Theodore. It's not yours, and you'll get in trouble if Madam Hooch hears of it."

"All right then," said Theodore. "Catch if catch can!" He tossed the Remembrall high into the air. Beth went diving after it as it fell and managed to catch it two feet above the ground.

The Gryffindors who were watching cheered, and Madam Hooch, who had seen Beth diving after the ball, said, "Very impressive, Miss Potter-Black. You have Seeker potential."

An hour after the class, Beth was called to see Professor McGonagall. "Madam Hooch informed me of what went on during flying class, Beth. She was very impressed and said that your talent has increased from the last time she saw you fly. In any case, Gryffindor needs a Seeker, and you are the best person suited to fill the position. I've just spoken to Oliver Wood, the captain of the Gryffindor team, and he'll try you out tomorrow evening."

"I'm going to be Gryffindor's new Seeker?" asked Beth, looking shocked. "But first-years aren't allowed to -"

"Actually, the rule is that first-years aren't allowed to bring a broom of their own," interrupted McGonagall. "There's no rule that says first-years can't be on the house teams. In any case, you will show Wood your skill and he will then make you Seeker. I will speak to Professor Dumbledore about bending the first-year rule regarding brooms for you. Do you have a decent broom?"

"Yes, I got a Nimbus Two Thousand from Sirius for my birthday," answered Beth.

"Good," said McGonagall, smiling. "Now, I want to hear that you're training hard, Beth. It's time that Gryffindor broke Slytherin's winning streak in Quidditch. Oh, and please don't spread it around that you're Seeker. You may go now."

"Thank you, Professor," replied Beth. "See you later."

At dinner, Beth told her friends about her being made Seeker and told them to keep it a secret. Fred and George turned up a few minutes later and congratulated Beth, adding that Wood told them and they were Beaters for the team. When the twins had left, Alicia Bell, Katie Spinnet, and Angelina Johnson, the Chasers, congratulated Beth at well. She thanked them and recalled seeing them at the study group. Two days ago, Alicia had helped her with her Charms homework.

On the way back from the study group that evening, Beth and her friends made a wrong turning. They reached a door that was locked. Ron pulled at the door. "Why is this locked?" he wondered. "I thought it was a shortcut to the common room."

"Move aside," ordered Hermione. "I'll take care of this. Alohomora!" The lock clicked and she opened the door. They went inside, but then froze. Neville let out a squeak of terror.

Hermione and Ron backed out of the room. Neville was completely frozen in fear and Beth had to drag him out. Once the door shut, Hermione locked it and they hurried away.

"I can't believe we ended up in the third-floor corridor!" exclaimed Beth. "How stupid were we?"

"Well, what is a three-headed dog doing in the castle?" demanded Ron. "It could have killed us!"

"At least that explains why the corridor is forbidden," said Hermione. "Did you guys see what it was standing on?"

"The floor?" asked Ron sarcastically. "I wasn't occupied with its feet, I was more worried about its heads and getting out of there."

"Yes, it was standing on the floor, but there was a trapdoor in the floor!" exclaimed Hermione impatiently.

Neville, who had finally recovered from his fright, said in a tiny voice, "Then the dog is guarding something."

"I think you're right, Neville," said Beth. "When Hermione and I went to Diagon Alley, we met Hagrid there. He was removing something from Gringotts for Dumbledore, and other than the bank, Hogwarts is the safest place to hide something. Maybe whatever was removed from Gringotts is being hidden here. And I read in the Daily Prophet a couple of weeks ago that there was a break-in at Gringotts that occured the day I was in Diagon Alley, but nothing was taken since the vault had already been emptied. But if I'm right, then what object would Dumbledore have hidden here?"

"Beats me," said Ron, shrugging. "But I suppose it's something that's either really valuable or really dangerous."

"Or both," said Neville.

"Well, we can think about it tomorrow," said Hermione. "It's getting late, and we should go to bed soon."