What I'm Looking For...

Malfoy couldn’t believe his eyes when Ron, Harry and I still walked around Hogwarts the next day, tired but perfectly cheerful. Actually this morning I realized that coming face to face with a three headed dog had been an excellent adventure indeed, and I was keen to have another one.

In the mean time, Harry was telling us about a package Hagrid had gotten from Gringotts the day I had met him. It had been a small package, and Harry had been told to tell no one about it. We couldn’t figure out why a small package would need such heavy protection.

“It’s either really valuable or really dangerous,” said Ron.

“Or both” I said.

But all we knew for sure about the mysterious object was that it was about two inches long, and we didn’t have much chance of guessing what it was without further clues.

Neither Neville nor Hermione showed the slightest interest in what lay underneath the dog and the trapdoor; all Neville cared about was never going near that dog again. Hermione was now refusing to speak to Harry and Ron, but talked to me on occasions, like in the dormitories, but she was such a bossy know-it-all that we saw this as an added bonus.

All we really wanted now was a way of getting back at Malfoy, and to our great delight, just such an opportunity came with the post about a week after the original adventure.

As the owls flooded into the Great Hall as usual, everyone’s attention was caught at once by a long thin package carried by six large screeching owls. I was just as interested as everyone else to see what was in this large parcel and I was just as amazed as Harry, who was sitting next to me, when the owls soared down and dropped it right in front of Harry, knocking his bacon to the floor.

“Not the bacon!” I said, while the owls fluttered out of the way, before another owl dropped a letter on top of the parcel. Harry ripped open the letter, and had trouble hiding his glee while handing me the letter for both Ron and I to read, as he was sitting on my other side.

It read:

‘DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE.
It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand,
but I don’t want everybody knowing you’ve
got a broomstick or they’ll all want one.
Oliver Wood will meet you tonight on the
Quidditch pitch at seven o’clock for you
first training session.
Professor M. McGonagall’

“A Nimbus Two Thousand!” Ron moaned enviously. “I’ve never even touched one.”

“Oh come on then, what’re we waiting for?” I said, standing up, while the Harry and Ron followed; carrying the broom. I led them threw the entrance hall, but when we got about halfway, we found the way upstairs barred by Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy seized the package from Harry and felt it.

“That’s a broomstick,” he said, before throwing it back to Harry with a mixture of jealousy and spite on his face.

“Oh, no Malfoy, I was thinking it was a book or a necklace.” I said bluntly, earning myself a glare from him.

“You’ll be for it this time, Potter, first years aren’t allowed them.”

“It’s not any old broomstick” Ron said; he just couldn’t help himself, could he? “It’s a Nimbus Two Thousand. What did you say you’ve got at home, Malfoy, a Comet Two Sixty?” Ron grinned at Harry and I, “Comets look flashy, but they’re not in the same league as the Nimbus.”

“What would you know about it, Weasley, you couldn’t afford half the handle,” Malfoy snapped. “I suppose you and your brothers have to save up twig by twig.”

I stepped forward; my robe sleeves already rolled up, ready to threaten Malfoy again, but Professor Flitwick, our charms teacher, appeared at Malfoy’s elbow.

“Not arguing, I hope, boys?” He squeaked, I snapped my stare onto him and he quickly added, “And girl”

“Potter’s been sent a broomstick, Professor,” Said Malfoy.

“Yes, yes, that’s right,” said Professor Flitwick, beaming at Harry. “Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances, Potter. And what model is it?”

“A Nimbus Two Thousand, sir” said Harry, and I fought the urge to laugh at the look of horror on Draco’s face.

“And it’s really thanks to Malfoy here that he’s got it,” I added, beaming at him.

Harry and Ron followed me up the stairs, smothering our laughter the whole time, at Malfoy’s obvious rage and confusion.

“Well it’s true,” I said as we reached the top of the marble staircase. “If he hadn’t stolen Neville’s remembrall than he wouldn’t be on the team...”

“So I suppose you think that’s a reward for breaking the rules?” Hermione’s angry voice came from behind us. She was stomping up the stairs, looking disapprovingly at the package in Harry’s hand.

“I thought you weren’t speaking to us?” said Harry.

“Yes, don’t stop now,” Said Ron, “You were doing us so much good.”

At that, Hermione marched away; her nose in the air.

----

We ate our dinner really fast that night, as we all wanted to look at the broom. We quickly rushed upstairs and un-wrapped the Nimbus Two Thousand at last.

“Wow,” Ron sighed as the broom rolled out onto Harry’s bed.

It was sleek and shiny, with a mahogany handle; it had a long tail of neat, straight twigs and Nimbus Two Thousand written in gold near the top.

----

I sat on the floor next to the fire; my legs pulled to my chest, my head lying on my knees. Harry had left just before seven o’clock to go meet Wood, Ron had gone to his dormitories to try and study, but I somehow doubt he’s still doing that.

The twins walked into the common-room and sat down on two armchairs closest to the fire. I’m not quite sure where everyone was; maybe they were just all coming back from dinner. I turned my head and smiled at them.

“Hey guys” I said.

“Hey Blondie,” Fred replied.

“How’s it going?” I asked absent-mindedly while staring into the fire.

“Pretty good,” George said. I could feel their eyes burning on the back of my head, but didn’t turn. I watched the flames dance around in the stone fireplace, the ends of the flames fading away. It was quiet for a while before anyone said anything.

“What’s got you down, Samuels?” George asked.

“Nothing, it’s just... nothing” I said. For a moment I had actually thought of telling them about the dog, but decided that it should stay between Harry, Ron, Neville, Hermione and I. I took a deep breath, regaining myself, before turning around and giving them the best smile I could.

“It doesn’t look like nothing, Blondie; what’s bothering you?”

“It’s nothing guys, trust me, I’ve got this one.” They nodded unsurely. I turned my back to the fire and quickly changed the subject.