kbinnz - Harry's New Home

"Miss Granger, can you please explain тАУ briefly тАУ what transpired?" Dumbledore requested. "It would be very helpful to understand matters from your vantage point."

Hermione thought for a moment. "Harry and I were watching the match, then all of a sudden he was falling."

"Do you mean he lost his balance on the railing and slipped?" McGonagall asked sharply.

"No, it was as if someone had crept up behind him and pushed him. I mean, Harry didn't just fall off the railing тАУ it was as if he were launched. That's why he was so far out over the Quidditch pitch. He was pushed."

Or pulled, Snape thought sourly, wondering where Quirrell had slunk off. The man had vanished in all the excitement.

"And what did you do then?"

"I cast Wingardium. I thought that if I made Harry light enough, he could just float over the pitch," Hermione explained. "But then something broke my spell and pulled Harry towards the ground. I just kept casting, but I wasn't strong enough to hold onto him."

Flitwick looked thoughtful. "That's not really the way Wingardium works," he mused, exchanging a meaningful glance with the Headmaster.

"By the end there, I wasn't really casting the spell," Hermione confessed tiredly. "It was more like I was just wishing for Harry to stop falling and be safe." That statement caused another round of elevated eyebrows among the faculty. Such powerful wish magic was very unusual in all but the most powerful witches and wizards, and even then, to manifest it at such an early age was almost unheard of. No wonder the child had nearly drained her core.

McGonagall put her arm around Hermione's shoulders. "It's off to the Infirmary with you, Miss Granger. Come along now."

"Thanks, Hermione!" Harry called after his friend as Hermione was unresistingly led away.

"Right!" Hooch strode up to the Headmaster, cheeks pink from shouting. "Need to replay the game," she announced. "Too much interference тАУ bodies plummeting through the field of play. Can't have spectators grabbin' the snitch, y'know!" she said, with a stern look at Harry. He blushed and stared at his toes. "No point in tryin' to start over now. Too much excitement тАУ everyone runnin' around. Play it again next week maybe. Have to check the calendar."

"An excellent idea," Dumbledore said soothingly. "I suggest that both teams have cause for celebration today, as I will be awarding both 50 points for their efforts to rescue Mr Potter, and another 75 to Miss Granger for her assistance." Student faces perked up at the news. "And another 10 points to Mr Malfoy for helping a fellow student without regard to House affiliation."

Flint thumped Draco on the shoulder. "Good going, Firstie!"

Draco managed to suppress his wince at the blow тАУ Flint was as bad as Hagrid at not knowing his own strength!

"I will inform the elves to set up a celebratory feast in the Great Hall," Dumbledore continued, "commemorating how inter-House cooperation averted today's tragedy." He sent a sly look at Snape as he said this, and the younger wizard gritted his teeth. As if saving Gryffindors was something to be proud of!

"Party in the Great Hall!" Wood yelled. "Let's get cleaned up!"

Both teams sprinted for the changing rooms, while the rest of the school hurried up to the castle. Snape made a long arm and snatched Harry by the back of the robes when the boy would have headed off with the others. "Oh, no, Mr Potter. You are in no condition to glut yourself on sweets. You must recuperate from your Ordeal," he informed the brat sternly.

"Oh, Pr'fessor!" Harry groaned in disappointment. "It wasn't that bad. Honest!"

"Madam Pomfrey will be the judge of that," he retorted, unmoved. "If she provides you with a clean bill of health, then you may attend the party but тАУ" he held up an admonitory finger "- only for two hours, after which I expect you to rest quietly in your room. You may do your homework until nine, when you will go to bed."

Harry scowled and kicked at the grass. ""S not fair," he grumbled. "Wasn't my fault that someone tried to pull me off the railing. Don't see why I have to miss the party. I caught the snitch an' everything!"

Snape took him by the shoulder and marched the unwilling boy towards the infirmary. Surely the brat couldn't face another attempt on his life with such aplomb? Was he merely in shock and denial? Better to let the medi-witch check him over.

"After such a fright, your body needs rest," he informed the little monster icily. "Overstimulation at a party is hardly conducive to recovery."

Harry heaved a great sigh, clearly feeling much put-upon. "It wasn't that scary, Pr'fessor," he argued. "I mean, it's not like it hurt or anything. It actually felt kinda fun тАУ y'know, scary-exciting. At least, it did until I started to feel like I was gonna sick up."

Snape rolled his eyes. Were all children this foolish? Concentrating on the physical sensations rather than the actual threat? "Potter, you will drive me mad," he scolded. "Are you not even the slightest bit concerned about who did this to you?"

Harry blinked up at him in surprise. "No." At Snape's stunned expression, he explained with childlike conviction, " 'Cause you'll find out and take care of it, just like you did last time."

There was a lump in his throat that made it difficult for Snape to reply immediately.

After clearing his throat uncomfortably, he managed to say, "Well, yes, Potter. You are correct." He allowed the hand that rested on the boy's shoulder to gingerly pat him a few times. "You may leave all that to me."

Harry beamed up at his professor, reveling in the warm hand on his shoulder. Professor Snape might be a bit of a worry wart at times, but as much as Harry might chafe at the examination and the early bedtime (to say nothing of only being allowed a few hours at what promised to be quite a party!), he was still more than delighted at having an adult look after him. It meant that he could concentrate on taking good notes for Hermione тАУ and preventing Ron and Draco from outright warfare тАУ rather than having to solve a huge mystery about who was out to get him this time. He figured that Professor Snape was way sneakier than he was тАУ not to mention more powerful тАУ so he'd not only figure it out quicker, but also be able to exact revenge upon his attacker much better than Harry ever could.

Harry remembered those four Ravenclaw boys. Snape had gotten them expelled before breakfast the next day! Harry could never have managed anything like that тАУ at best he might have been able to stay out of their way, or maybe think of some way to prank them. Professor Snape wasn't limited to schoolboy revenges like that тАУ he was a lot nastier than Harry could ever be. In fact, Harry felt rather sorry for whoever had tried to hurt him today. Professor Snape was going to kill them. And with a happy grin on his face and his guardian by his side, Harry walked unafraid through the doors of Hogwarts.

TBCтАж

*Chapter 27*: Chapter 27

Snape glared at the grey stone wall of his dungeon classroom and contemplated banging his head against it. Much against his will, he was spending his evening supervising Harry, Hermione, and Ron, along with two of his own little snakes who had managed to earn a detention with Sprout. (Sprout! What were they thinking? A furious Snape had given each one a second detention for being so inept as to infuriate the normally placid Herbology professor. What kind of Slytherins couldn't handle a Hufflepuff, for Merlin's sake? Well, two nights copying "Slytherins are not dunderheads" over and over should help remind them that their House prided itself on out-thinking the rest of the school. If they couldn't even manage the Head of Hufflepuff, they deserved every hex their Housemates sent their way.)