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Author: Gridley Story: Harry Potter and the Grand Alliance Rating: Young Teens Setting: Pre-HBP Status: Completed Reviews: 3 Words: 33,314
Chapter 8 Blood in the Snow November, 1996 "Introducing the Gryffindor team! Bell, Creevey, Weasley, Kirke, Sloper, Weasley, and Potter! Four-year veterans Bell and Potter provide some experience to this team, most of whom have never played a full season before. Captain Ron Weasley has been drilling his team extensively," Or perhaps insanely, Harry thought to himself, "for this day." "Here comes the Slytherin team! Ashot, Blair, Stebbins, Bulstrode, Nott, Baddock, and Malfoy! Captain Draco Malfoy is the most experienced player on his team, with three full seasons in play. Scouting reports say that the Slytherin Beaters may be the best Hogwarts has ever seen, with the exception of Gryffindor's Fred and George Weasley, who, ah, left Hogwarts last year. We'll find out today. The teams are forming up and Madam Hooch is approaching the center of the pitch. There go the balls! Chaser Weasley grabs the Quaffle right off, passes to Bell, who does a nice spin there to avoid Blair, back to Weasley, who takes a shot. Goal! Keeper Baddock misses entirely, faked out by a nice move on Weasley's part. Ten points to Gryffindor. Ashot recovers, rolls right over to dodge a Bludger, good avoidance there, passes, but the Quaffle is nabbed by Creevey, who takes it back down the field." Harry stayed high over the action, searching for the Snitch. So far he hadn't been the target of a single Bludger, and that worried him. If Malfoy wasn't after him, he must be up to something. "Bell takes a Bludger to the side and loses the Quaffle, which is recovered by Ashot. Bulstrode knocks away both Bludgers in succession, Ashot passes to Blair, Blair heading for the goal, Keeper Weasley manages to knock the Quaffle away but misses the catch, Ashot recovers, nice dive there, and takes another shot, and the score is tied at ten points each." Harry could see that Kirke and Sloper were no match for Bulstrode and Nott. The Slytherin Beaters lacked the Weasley's near-telepathic communication, but they were easily as accurate and swung their bats with more power. "Creevey recovers and takes off down the pitch, passes to Bell, to Weasley, who is hit by a Bludger but keeps her hold on the Quaffle, and passes back to Creevey. Creevey dodges Blair and Stebbins, assisted by a Bludger, and takes a shot, twenty-ten Gryffindor!" For the next half hour, the score slowly mounted, Gryffindor maintaining a slight, but noticeable, lead. Harry searched for a gleam of gold against the white blanket of snow covering the pitch. Malfoy was focusing on his team, sparing only a few minutes here and there to search for the Snitch. The first sign of trouble came almost forty minutes in. Nott swung at a Bludger, but instead of aiming at one of the Gryffindor team, he shot it straight at Bulstrode. She had apparently be watching for just such a maneuver, for she confidently swung at it herself, lending it additional force and sending it straight at Katie Bell. Katie tried to roll, but the Bludger came in too fast and struck her on the shoulder, knocking her briefly out of control. She spiraled to the ground and landed awkwardly, but on her feet. The Gryffindor team's attention was fixed on Katie. They never saw Nott hit the second Bludger, nor Bulstrode give it a fierce whack that boosted it to a terrifying speed, sending it straight towards Ron. Ron was trying to attract Madam Hooch's attention for a time-out, but he must have caught a glimpse of the Bludger at the last second. He frantically tried to swing his broom out of the way, and instead of striking his face, the Bludger connected solidly with the right side of his chest. Ron was thrown completely off his broom, his arms instinctively spreading as he tried to reach for anything to stop his fall, but finding nothing but air. Harry caught sight of him just as he hit the ground and dove for him with every bit of speed his broom could manage. Madam Hooch's whistle called a time-out, but Harry didn't notice. He landed hard next to Ron and was horrified to see the snow beneath his friend turning pink. "Ron!" Ginny landed next to him, and within moments, half a dozen Gryffindors had raced down from the stands, Hermione leading the pack. "Don't touch him!" Hermione's wand was out, but she didn't cast a spell, she just knelt next to Ron and gently touched his face. "Ron, can you hear me?" Ron's eyes opened, but he didn't seem able to focus, saying blearily, "Hermione? Where's Harry?" "I'm here, Ron." Harry took Ron's left hand. "Harry. Don't let ‘em get away with it. Don't let those bloody bastards win." Harry gulped. "I won't, mate." "Out of the way!" Madam Pomfrey pushed her way past the rapidly expanding circle of students around Ron. She cast several charms in quick succession, conjured a stretcher and then levitated Ron onto it and set off back towards the castle. Hermione had taken Ron's left hand from Harry and walked along side, and Katie followed them, half-supported by Neville. Harry turned around and found four angry faces. His teammates' anger wasn't directed at him, Harry knew, but they were looking to him to channel it. He took a deep breath. He would make Slytherin pay for this. His eye caught Ginny. He had to protect the rest of the team. He wouldn't let anyone else get hurt. "Andrew, you cover Ginny. Jack, cover Colin. Don't let any Bludgers get them, and don't get distracted by anything else." Ginny protested immediately, "Harry, that leaves you undefended! They're bound to go after you next!" "I can stay high until I spot the Snitch. I've dodged a rogue Bludger; I can dodge normal ones!" Madam Hooch had come over. "Do you wish to continue?" "YES!" Five voices spoke as one. Madam Hooch was taken aback. She paused, then nodded and blew her whistle again. The tide turned against the outnumbered Gryffindors. Ginny and Colin were targeted several times by the twin-Beater hits of Nott and Bulstrode, but with Andrew and Jack flying in close escort they were safe enough. Safe enough, but the scoring turned heavily against them. Gryffindor was over a hundred points down when Harry spotted a glint of gold. He dove for it, throwing his anger and determination into speed. He was only inches from the Snitch when Malfoy turned away from coordinating another attack and spotted it. Harry closed his glove on the Snitch and wheeled around to face the Slytherins. He reached for his wand, hoping that they would try something now that the game was over. "Potter grabs the Snitch! Final score, two hundred and ninety to two hundred sixty, Gryffindor wins!" The Slytherins slumped and began to descend. Harry whipped around and zoomed for the castle. He jumped off his broom at the doors, swinging it over his shoulder before running up the stairs for the hospital wing. He stopped at the door, finding Hermione just leaving. "How is he?" Hermione was trying to dry the tears off her face. "Madam Pomfrey says he broke eight ribs. One of them punctured his lung. She says he'll be fine, but he'll be there for days. Oh, Harry!" Harry found himself with a double armful of crying Hermione. He tried to awkwardly pat her, and hastily dropped his broomstick and the Snitch when they got in his way. He was still holding her when the rest of the Gryffindor team came clattering up the stairs behind him. The next evening found Harry, Ginny, Neville, Hermione, and most of the other students above second year going down to Hogsmeade for the first rebuilding session. Ron had flatly insisted his friends go even though he was trapped in the Hospital Wing. Hermione and Harry had taken some convincing, but had given in when Ron reminded them that Honeydukes was still standing, and that "he would need lots of energy to heal." Harry looked around at the organized chaos outside the site where the Three Broomsticks had stood. Madam Rosmerta was consulting with Professor Flitwick, who had conjured a glowing model of what the rebuilt structure should look like. "Harry! Help!" Harry turned to see Neville, sweat beading on his forehead, his wand arm trembling as he pointed it at a giant roof joist that was hovering in the air. Harry quickly pulled out his own wand and helped Neville guide the piece of debris towards the bonfire that had been set up to one side. "I thought Hermione was helping you." Harry said after they had set the beam down. "She was, but she said I was doing fine, and that she wanted to pick something up for Ron." Neville went pink and hastily added, "I was doing fine too, really I was, but that last beam was a lot bigger than it looked and, err, it got away from me." "That's alright, Neville. Hey, Ginny! How about Neville and I lift, and you steer?" Night had fallen by the time Hermione made her decision. Initially she'd thought of chocolate frogs, but she wanted to show Ron that she listened to him, and she remembered him commenting about sugar quills more than once. Hermione heard the screams start as she walked out of Honeydukes with a huge box of sugar quills. She drew her wand immediately, pressing her back to the building as her eyes darted around, looking for trouble. She cast a Shield Charm, just in case. There was no one nearby she could see; everyone must still be working over near the Three Broomsticks. A figure came dashing around the corner, stopping against a wall on the opposite side of the street from Hermione. She snapped her wand up, but recognized him as a Ravenclaw seventh year by the light from his wand. He glanced around, and some instinct made her push herself further into the shadow of the wall. Apparently deciding he was alone, he said "Nox", then "Disperso," as his wand, trailing sparks, made a circular motion Hermione had never seen before. Hermione wondered what spell that was, and wondered still more as she heard the rustle of clothing and a metallic click. The Ravenclaw began speaking, and she slid herself along the wall towards him, trying to hear what he said. "Clipper Base, Clipper Base, this is Eagle Five, Priority Red." He paused, listening, and Hermione heard faint words answering from somewhere. He continued, "Hogsmeade under attack by at least ten werewolves, centered on the Three Broomsticks. Lightning Rod is here. I say again, werewolves in Hogsmeade, Lightning Rod is here." As if his words had summoned it, Hermione saw a wolf stalking down the street towards them in the moonlight. Its eyes were fixed on the boy and it was growling softly. Hermione had no idea what the boy was doing, but she wasn't about to let anyone get bitten by a werewolf. Aiming carefully, she shouted "Stupefy" and threw all her power into the stunner. The wolf was knocked over as the spell hit it, but stood and shook itself, and then it turned its gaze on her. Its own magic was too powerful in this state. She turned and ran, hastily throwing an "Impedimentia" over her shoulder. She heard the Ravenclaw shout something, but she could hear all too clearly the pounding of feet as the werewolf ran after her. She turned and aimed another "Impedimentia" at the charging beast, this time catching it. It slowed but didn't halt, and she ran on. Scent. It could still track her, even if it lost sight of her. She had to find help. She turned a corner, the werewolf falling back but still after her. She was running toward the Three Broomsticks. That was where the other werewolves were, according to the boy, but that was where Harry was, and Ginny, and Neville, and help would come there first. Help would come. Two figures appeared on the street in front of her with the suddenness of Apparition. Their helmets and bulky camouflaged clothing reminded her of Muggle soldiers, and to complete the picture one of them carried a Muggle automatic rifle in his hands. The other had a wand out, his rifle slung over his shoulder. The one with the rifle brought it up, and Hermione looked in horror down the barrel. "GET DOWN!" Hermione realized the man with the wand was shouting to her. Half obeying, half in reflex, she threw herself down on her face. The rifle spat flame and thunder, and behind her Hermione heard a canine yelp of pain. She rolled over and looked back to see the wolf lying still in the street. Shaking in fear, she sat up and managed to stand. A hand touched her shoulder, and she spun around to see the man with the wand at her side, his eyes sweeping the street. "Stay down, miss." The rifleman advanced carefully on the wolf. He stopped twenty feet away and carefully fired three single shots into the werewolf. Another sound of pain followed the first shot, and then, nothing. The man with the wand suddenly shouted, "Stupefy!" Hermione turned back again in time to see the spell strike a man in the uniform of an Auror, and she realized with renewed horror that while they had saved her from the werewolf, these men were not on her side. "Down!" The wand man commanded again. Hermione was forced to her knees. The man started to cast a spell, but before he could finish it, a hurtling shape knocked him to the ground. Another werewolf, Hermione saw, though she had no idea where it had come from. She was frozen to the spot. The man with the wand screamed, and then the wolf was on top of him, turning its head to bite…. The thunder of the rifle came again, and the wolf was knocked off the man as his companion advanced, slowly firing five single shots. He pointed his rifle at the sky in one hand and raced to crouch at his comrade's side, sparing one quick glance at the claw marks that had ripped through his clothes and into his chest before reaching with his free hand for the man's belt. He twisted something, then stood back quickly. He turned to Hermione as the man vanished. "You'll have to come with me, Miss Granger. It isn't safe here." Hermione was shaken out of her fear just far enough to realize that she was about to be taken away by these men who had attacked an Auror. Desperately, she pointed her wand at his chest and gasped out "Stupefy!" The force of the spell knocked the man backwards, but for the second time that night failed. The man didn't even seem dazed as he dropped his rifle and pulled a wand out of his belt. "Wait! I don't want to…" Dorfomt's voice rang in her head: If your opponent's body is shielded, strike at the head. Hermione aimed right between the man's eyes and half screamed "STUPEFY!!" The man was knocked flat on his back, where he lay still, his helmet rolling off into the darkness. A trickle of blood came from a cut on his forehead where the spell had struck him. Hermione gasped for breath, on her knees in the street surrounded by the four unmoving bodies. It was there that Professor Flitwick, Harry, Neville, and Ginny found her ten minutes later. After hearing her brief account of what had happened, Professor Flitwick revived the Auror, then checked the werewolves, both of which were dead. Harry stood staring at the rifleman Hermione had stunned, incomprehension on his face. Ginny had her arms around Hermione, who was still shaking. "What is it, Mr. Potter?" the Auror asked as he came over. "I know him. But it can't be, he wouldn't betray…he…." "Who is he?" "David Rene." Author's Note: Oh come now. You didn't think I was going to write a story entirely lacking in cliffhangers, did you? Anyway, this chapter has both the second and the last scene written for this story. Can anyone spot which is which?
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