Harry POV
Winter had finally come to an end in the Scottish Highlands, and Harry was grateful for that. Snow was nice and all, but the piercing cold and howling wind got old really quick. There were of course other reasons to appreciate the approach of spring. But he just really liked not having to wear two extra sets of warm clothes underneath his robes to stay warm in the dungeons during potions or when they ventured up to the Astronomy Tower.
As it was now the first week of March, besides the change in weather, it was also important because the second to last Quidditch game was upon them.
'Hard to believe I'm the youngest Seeker in Hogwarts's history,' Harry mused to himself at the Gryffindor table within the Great Hall.
Honestly, he sometimes forgot about that fact, what with trolls, mysterious corridors, researching Nicholas Flamel, and homework to do.
Admitting as such to Wood, the aptly named captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, would have gotten him a look of disbelief. The older student lived and breathed the sport!
'At least I don't have to listen to another one of his lectures about the game and its rules,' Harry thought with a sigh. Don't get him wrong, he liked the game plenty, but he really preferred flying to playing sports.
'And don't even get me started on the rules! Who thought it was a good idea to have the end of the game decided by catching a tiny golden ball? Or that doing so would grant over a hundred points?' Harry just shook his head at the silliness of the rules. No matter how many times Wood, Ron, or his older brothers tried to tell him why said ridiculousness was integral to the sport, he just couldn't wrap his head around it.
Still, at least it was fun. Some of the attempts to pander to him had made Harry uncomfortable, though. McGonagall had even offered to buy him a fancy new broom to play on, but while the Boy-Who-Lived was okay with joining the team as a First Year, he wasn't going to flaunt the rules about First Years not being allowed to own or bring their brooms. Instead, he'd declared he would just fly on one of the school's broom.
There had been protests from his team and friends (and even Madam Hooch) about that decision, but thrashing the Hufflepuffs in the first game of the year on the back of one of the schools old Cleansweeps had shown that he didn't need a fancy broom to be a Seeker. It also shut up all the rumors some of the pettier students (mainly Slytherins) had spread about Harry needing special privileges, or that he'd only play so well on a fancy new broom.
As he thought about the upcoming game, Ron scooted over to him at the table and leaned in.
"Are you excited, Harry?" Ron asked eagerly. "Today's the big day!"
"Yup," Harry said as he ate breakfast.
"Good! Wipe that smug look off of Malfoy's face when you crush the Slytherin team!" Ron urged. They should have played against the green themed House sooner, but Flint, the Slytherin captain, had had a Transfiguring accident the day before their match, and so they had played against Hufflepuff instead as the first match of the year.
"Ron! It's just a Quidditch game!" Hermione said in exasperation. "Right, Neville?"
She looked over to the quiet pudgy boy for back-up, but found he was nodding along with Ron, a surprisingly stern look on his face.
"Not you too!" Hermione gasped in shock.
"Sorry, Hermione, but I really want Harry to give Snape a real reason to frown, and kicking some arse at the Quidditch match today is the best way to do it," Neville said fiercely.
"See? Neville agrees with me!" Ron said with a nod.
"Honestly, I kinda want to do it for that reason too," Harry admitted, causing Hermione to just gawk at him.
"Oh, come on, lighten up! It's Snape!" Ron said with a shake of his head at their bookish friend's expression.
"Well, yes, I know that, but still!" she spluttered.
"What are we talking about? Making Snape angrier than usual?" Hannah asked brightly, popping up next to Hermione with Susan at her side. "I say go for it, Harry!"
"Indeed. I'm not happy you beat Hufflepuff, but you can make that up to us by making sure Slytherin doesn't take home the cup again," Susan said, sitting down next to Harry with a chuckle.
"I'll do my best," Harry said dryly. "Speaking of, I better get down to the field. Wood wants us to warm up before the match."
He got up, said a quiet 'thank you' to the House Elves for the food, and then headed down to the Quidditch pitch. He found Wood already there (no surprises in that regard) but also found the rest of the team minus the Weasley twins.
"Harry! Glad you're here on time!" Wood said cheerfully as he stretched. Stretching was surprisingly important. It helped to be flexible and loose while playing Quidditch.
"Hi, Oliver. Alicia, Katie, Angelina," Harry greeted politely. The three Chasers all smiled and waved at him.
"Where are Fred and George?" Oliver Wood demanded, looking frustrated at the lack of Weasley.
"I didn't see them in the Great Hall," Harry replied.
"Fine. Do your warm-up stretches before they arrive, Potter!" Wood asked, and Harry nodded, getting loose and limber alongside the female members of the team.
The Weasley Twins did show up a few minutes later, and got chewed out by Wood, but neither looked put off by it. Afterwards, Wood somehow managed to smoothly transition from his rant into a speech about teamwork and victory.
"Is it okay not to listen?" Harry asked in a low voice to the nearest red-headed twin who was looking away as he did his own warm-ups.
"We know Oliver's speech by heart," Fred claimed. Or was it George? "We were on the team last year."
"Shut up, you two!" Wood shouted at them. "This is the best team Gryffindor's head in years. We're going to win. I know it!"
"Sure, sure, but seriously… same speech, every time," George (or maybe Fred?) replied with a snicker.
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