Chapter3: Skirmish in the Quidditch Field

Edward saw Harry spent a lot of time over the next few days dodging out of sight whenever he saw Gilderoy Lockhart coming down a corridor. He laughed even harder when he saw Harry escaping from Collin.. Nothing seemed to give Colin a bigger thrill than to say, "All right, Harry?" six or seven times a day and hear, "Hello, Colin," back, however exasperated Harry sounded when he said it.

Early in the morning, Edward woke up in his bed and saw a note left for him by Harry.

It read,' Edward, I'm training in the quidditch practice ground. Bring Ron and Hermione with you once you wake up.'

Edward got ready and took Ron and Hermione to the stands. He watched Oliver Wood do the drills and make everyone fly laps in the cold weather. Once Harry walked to the stands for a break, he met up with them.

"Aren't you finished yet?" called Ron incredulously.

"Haven't even started," said Harry, looking jealousy at the toast and marmalade Ron and Hermione had brought out of the Great Hall.

"Wood's been teaching us new moves." Harry mounted his broomstick and kicked at the ground, soaring up into the air.

Edward looked around for his future investment, and there he was. Colin was sitting in one of the highest seats, his camera raised, taking picture after picture, the sound strangely magnified in the deserted stadium. "Look this way, Harry! This way!" he cried shrilly.

"Its boring. I wish we could be in the warmth of the common dorms, not the cold weather," muttered Ron.

Edward smacked his head. "Be careful what you wish for Ron."

"What do you mean."

"Look," pointed Hermione.

Several people in green robes were walking onto the field, broomsticks in their hands. Wood shot toward the ground, landing rather harder than he meant to in his anger, staggering slightly as he dismounted. Harry, Fred, and George followed. Edward, Ron, and Hermione ran in to join the fun.

"Flint!" Wood bellowed at the Slytherin Captain. "This is our practice time! We got up specially! You can clear it off now!"

Marcus Flint was even larger than Wood. He had a look of trollish cunning on his face as he replied, "Plenty of room for all of us, Wood."

Angelina, Alicia, and Katie had come over, too. There were no girls on the Slytherin team, who stood shoulder to shoulder, facing the Gryffindors, leering to a man.

"But I booked the field!" said Wood, positively spitting with rage. "I booked it!"

"Ah," said Flint. "But I've got a specially signed note here from Professor Snape. 'I, Professor S. Snape, give the Slytherin team permission to practice today on the Quidditch field owing to the need to train their new Seeker'. "

"You've got a new Seeker?" said Wood, distracted. "Where?" And from behind the six large figures before them came a seventh, smaller boy. It was Draco.

"Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's other son?" said Fred, looking at Malfoy with dislike Unlike Edward, who the Weasely's talked to frequently, they had a smaller opinion about Draco.

"Funny you should mention Draco's father," said Flint as the whole Slytherin team smiled still more broadly. "Let me show you the generous gift he's made to the Slytherin team."

All seven of them held out their broomsticks. Seven highly polished, brand-new handles and seven sets of fine gold lettering spelling the words Nimbus Two Thousand and One gleamed under the Gryffindors' noses in the early morning sun.

"Very latest model. Only came out last month," said Flint carelessly, flicking a speck of dust from the end of his own. "I believe it outstrips the old Two Thousand series by a considerable amount. As for the old Cleansweeps" — he smiled nastily at Fred and George, who were both clutching Cleansweep Fives —" sweeps the board with them." None of the Gryffindor team could think of anything to say for a moment. They knew very well the advantage the quality of a broom had.

Ron then looked at Edwad," Can you believe him?"

Edward winced," Yeah, I wasn't happy either, but Draco really wanted to win. He would probably not compromise in quidditch."

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to rely on superior tools," said Hermione sharply. "They got in on pure talent."

The smug look on Flint's face flickered. "No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood," he spat.

There was an instant uproar at his words. Flint had to dive aside to escape from Fred and George jumping on him, Alicia shrieked, "How dare you!" and Ron plunged his hand into his robes, pulled out his wand, yelling, "You'll pay for that one, Bastard!" and pointed it furiously at Flint's face.

A loud bang echoed around the stadium and a jet of green light shot out of the wrong end of Ron's wand, hitting him in the stomach and sending him reeling backward onto the grass.

"Ron! Ron! Are you all right?" squealed Hermione. Ron opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Instead he gave an almighty belch and several slugs dribbled out of his mouth onto his lap. The Slytherin team were paralyzed with laughter. Flint was doubled up, hanging onto his new broomstick for support. Only Draco ran over to check on Ron. The Gryffindors were gathered around Ron, who kept belching large, glistening slugs. Nobody seemed to want to touch him.

"We'd better get him to Hagrid's, it's nearest," said Harry to Hermione, who nodded bravely, and the pair of them pulled Ron up by the arms.

"Draco," whispered Edward," Go with them."

Draco hesitated, but he also went along with them. Edward then faced the Slytherin team that was slowly backing away.

"Now where do you think you are going."

Marcus Flint stopped in his tracks. "Master Malfoy. You are also a pure-blood. Remember where your loyalties lie."

The other Slytherins nodded, but they also pulled out their wands getting ready for a fight. They were arrogant by nature and only held back due to Edward's family background.

"Oh, you see," said Edward," when you hurt my friends, you hurt my interests. Therefore, you will face the consequences."

Edward was not too angry with them. They didn't hurt Hermione physically, so he did not care. But, Edward felt the need to fight them a little bit so that they would not bother others again. Thinking of a menacing creature, he decided to recreate it using alchemy.

Edward took out his wand and used phoenix flames to surround the Slytherin team in a large circle, cutting off their escape path. These flames spread, forming a large alchemy inscription. Using this alchemy inscription, the ground rose up to form a large cat statue with two tails about ten feet tall. It was pitch black with glowing eyes. The phoenix fire spread onto the statue, giving it a feeling like it was burning in flames. YesThen, Edward used the float-float fruit to let it fly up. Everyone on the court was stunned. Was this really a first year student? Even some of the sixth year students could not do that.

Edward felt his magic draining at an alarming rate, so he decided to give a final scare. The cat figure opened its mouth and on the tongue of the cat, another alchemy circle was there. The oxygen levels concentrated there increased rapidly and a spark caused it to burst into a fireball. The fireball shot towards the quidditch team quickly.

"Dammit, Scatter!" shouted Marcus Flint while he ordered the rest of the quidditch team to also run away. If he was a second late, Edward was sure that he would be smoking, but luckily, he escaped. Edward was about to fire another shot when a hand was placed on his shoulders.

"That should be enough, don't you think young Malfoy." said Dumbeldore.

Edward felt like this was an opportunity to give in, so he stopped the flames from spreading. He turned towards the Slytherin team and said," Consider this a lesson. Never go against me!" saying so, Edward walked towards Hagrid's hut.

Watching Edward leave, Dumbeldore sighed," Minerva, what do you think."

Ms Mcgondall morphed from her cat form into human size," I told you from the start headmaster, this Malfoy is still an arrogant pure-blood. Its in his family history. If we leave him like this, he will become more terrifying than the Dark Lord.

Dumbeldore nodded," Although what you say is correct, let me remind you that he has no chance of becoming like Voldemort. Voldemort turned out the way he did because he did not value trust and love, while Edward values his friends. What I am more concerned about is the fact that he is much closer to resembling a much more terrifying wizard.

Ms.Mcgondall widened her eyes," You don't mean-"

"I'm afraid so Minerva," Dumbeldore said solemnly," It appears that we may have a new Grindelwald in our hands.