Chapter 71 : Quidditch Dilemma

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"And Fluffy…" Harry's eyes lost some of their fire which was replaced instead by that watery quality and subtle sparkle, accompanied with the pleading look that he had come to associate with what the boy called 'puppy eyes'. Oh no… "Fluffy attacked you didn't he? I saw your right leg was…" The boy trailed off, his eyes wide and pleading. Severus's heart melted into a puddle of goo at the sight; Harry could be right down adorable if he felt like it. Or maybe it was unintentional. Yeah, right…

"Look, Harry, I…"

"Don't try to hide it if you're hurt, okay Dad?" Severus sighed with a smile.

"I could have been hurt; that bloody dog almost got my right leg, but it seems swordfight practice has been good for my reflexes." And to stress his point, he showcased said leg which was skinny and overly pale due to the glamour charms but otherwise completely unharmed. "I moved out of the way on the last second but he managed to tear my trousers with his claws; a small price to pay if you ask me!"

"So you're not hurt?" Harry asked smiling wide.

"Nope!" Severus offered as the boy hugged him with a loud 'Yay!'.

"And, besides almost being clawed by a Cerberus, how did your night turn out?" Harry asked, his curiosity returning now that he knew Severus was unharmed.

"You mean, did I get sight of anyone coming for the Stone?" Severus guessed taking a seat opposite of the boy.

"I was going to ask, if you caught a sight of Quirrell coming for the Stone, but okay." The potions master's eyes widened for a second before he started laughing.

"So I'm not the only one who noticed the convenience of a troll, a troll of all things, breaking into the school while everybody was gathered together for the feast?" Severus asked after sobering up.

"You mean nobody else did notice?" Harry asked confused. "But… but trolls are stupid! And Quirrell is the Defence against the Dark Arts teacher and he conveniently passed out when the rest of the school was rushing either towards the dungeons or the dormitories!" The boy vented as he paced the room. "And we know -you said- Voldemort will seek inside help to get the Stone!" He finally exclaimed and sat back down on his chair exhausted as if he had run a few miles; his mind was spinning and his breath was coming out fast. He was close to hyperventilating and the potions master jumped to his rescue.

"Harry! Calm down please." And with a wave of his wand, he summoned two cups of hot chocolate from the kitchens, passing one to the worried boy in front of him.

"Thanks, Sev." Harry mumbled and took a small gulp of the warm liquid. He would need to keep his excitement in check, it seemed.

"Now think about it a little, Harry; the rest of the student body doesn't know about the Philosopher Stone being in the school. The teachers have no way of knowing why the Stone is here; I only know because of Nicholas and because, well, I actually pressured Albus into telling me, just for the kicks of it." Harry chuckled at the thought. "And even if they did about Voldemort being after the stone, do you think it would be Quirrell they suspected? Stuttering and afraid of his shadow Quirrell?" The potions master asked as Harry stared at his cup.

"I guess not." He looked up back into Severus' eyes. "But what about Professor Dumbledore? Doesn't he suspect Quirrell?" Severus sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Dumbledore has the habit of allowing people the benefit of a doubt; sometimes that holds more danger than it does good, but he's unshakable on the subject." He looked at Harry who was considering the latest details. "I will try to broach the subject with him, but he can be quite stubborn."

"I see." Harry stated blankly, the sparkle in his eyes dimming.

"But enough of that for a night!" Severus declared, his smile widening at the confused look he received from the boy.

"What?"

"I said enough of that; nobody got closer to the Stone than I did tonight, nobody got hurt and you managed to bring a troll to its knees with a single curse." Severus explained. "I believe we should look at the bright side of the night's shenanigans, don't you?" Harry burst out laughing, which had been the point all along.

"Shenanigans, Sev?" He asked amidst laughter. "Really?"

"Why yes, really." The potions master nodded once seriously, waving his wand to take off the concealing charms from his appearance. "That's better." He admitted while Harry followed his example. "Now, I would like to hear what really happened tonight." Severus prompted and so Harry explained. The night passed quite calmly after that, both wizards doing their best to push any unwelcome thoughts to the back of their minds.

And in such a way, November started, bringing along the usual cold Harry had gotten used to around this time of the year and the beginning of the Quidditch period. Now that, in dire contrast to the cold weather, Harry had never faced before and, as a result, was at loss as to how he should deal with it. On the one hand, he had always wanted to play in a real Quidditch game and Wood was running around the school singing praises of the green eyed boy's abilities, boosting his confidence and making him eager for the first mach. On the other hand, never having played an actual game of Quidditch before meant he couldn't know how he was going to react during a real match while under pressure, that simple fact leaving him filled with dread. Not knowing which of the two contrasting feelings he should follow -dread or excitement- Harry did a little bit of both, his predicament causing Severus to secretly chuckle with mirth.

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