A few days had gone by with Harry dodging Lockhart whenever he could. One of these occasions had led him to run into Wood the captain of the Quidditch team. Wood however looked to be annoyed as he paced up and down.
"What's wrong Wood?" Harry asked him.
"It's Alicia Spinnet... she's quit the team." Wood told him annoyed.
"She's what?" Harry asked surprised.
"Said she had others commitments to worry about, as if there is anything more important than Quidditch...This is just what we need before our first training starts, to be looking for a new chaser." Wood rambled.
It was then that Harry remembered the conversation from the burrow a few weeks ago. "Uhh Wood. I might know of someone who could try out at least."
"You do?" Wood said immediately seizing Harry's arms excitedly. "Who?"
"My friend Y/n. We played Quidditch together over the summer with the Weasley's. Fred and George said he should try out for the team."
"Fred and George?" Wood said surprised. "Well they are beaters, but I can't imagine they would suggest something like that if it would hurt the team even if they do joke around in practice sometimes." Wood said as he seemed to be in thought for a moment. "Alright, can you get your friend to come down to the Quidditch pitch in an hour?"
"I can try." Harry said with an unsure shrug.
"See you in an hour then Harry." Wood said as he rushed off to make some arrangements.
Harry himself rushed back to the common room where to his luck he found Y/n sat down in an arm chair reading.
"Y/n I need you to come with me." Harry blurted out.
"Why, has something happened?" Y/n asked him slightly worried as he closed his book.
"No, I might have just gotten you a place on the Quidditch team though." Harry told him now and it got the attention of Ron and Hermione.
"No way..." Ron said envious.
"But Harry... I have never played Quidditch for a team before..." Y/n started.
"Neither had I before I joined." Harry cut him off.
"But I do not have a broom..." Y/n continued.
"You can borrow mine for today I won't need it. Then if you make the team you can order one." Harry counter-jected.
"I do not know..." Y/n said still unsure.
"Oh go on on mate." Ron said now grabbing Y/n's shoulder. "You'll get on the team for sure. Even George and Fred think you're decent enough, they've never praised me for me quidditch skills... and they're my brothers." He added a little bitterly.
"I think you should at least try, otherwise you might regret not doing so later." Hermione pointed out now.
Y/n tried to think of another reason but he sighed unable to think of one. "Alright, alright...I will give it a go. But if I am bad at it then it never gets brought up again okay?" He said.
"Excellent." Harry grinned.
Y/n and Harry were walking down to the Quidditch pitch now as they could see Wood, Fred and George waiting with two other students.
"Harry good you've brought him." Wood called out as he spotted them but Wood seemed to size Y/n up now. "Hmm a bit small, looks like you could knock him off his broom easily." He said cautiously. "But that's what these tryouts are for. To find the best for the team. I'm sure you've watched us play before but we'll introduce ourselves none the less. You know Harry who's our seeker. I'm Oliver Wood Captain and Keeper of the Gryffindor Quidditch team." He said proudly.
"Fred Weasley."
"George Weasley."
"The twins said winding Y/n up seeing as he already knew them. "We're the beaters."
"Katie Bell, Chaser." One of the other students introduced herself.
" Angelina Johnson, The other chaser."
"I am Y/n Grindelwald. It is nice to meet you." Y/n said introducing himself to them.
"So it's true...You're really a Grindelwald." Wood said surprised.
"Come on Wood we're here to play not to talk about his name." Fred reminded him.
"Right you are." Wood said nodding as if he remembered their purpose. "I see Harry's lent you his Nimbus 2000." He indicated to the broom in Y/n's hands. "That broom's one of our secret weapons so don't damage it alright." He said and Y/n just nodded.
"You'll also need some Quidditch robes. Harry can you take him to get some, don't worry about the sizes they'll adjust themselves to fit you. We'll see you on the pitch in a few minutes." He dismissed Y/n and Harry before turning to the others. "Right you lot flying Practice get to it!"
Y/n was quick to notice the difference in a practice session compared to the tame game he had played back at the Burrow. He was quick to adapt however and used his small frame to dodge and weave though the Bludgers that Fred and George launched at him to try stop him.
"Hmm.. Not bad." Wood commented. "Alright Johnson, Bell. Bring the Quaffle in to play. Let's see how he handles the pressure while having to score." He said to his two chaser who nodded.
"Y/n!" Wood called out to him. "The chasers are going to pass the Quaffle too you, You're job is too try score through one of the rings I'm defending."
Y/n just nodded as he got ready. He moved forward on his broom and immediately dived to the side as he spotted a Bludger aimed his way followed by a wink from George. Y/n didn't stop though as he saw Johnson throw the Quaffle towards him. Y/n reached one of his arms up and managed to stop it before bringing it down under his arm. With the Quaffle now in his possession he sped towards the goal only to lean back and avoid another well aimed Bludger. Y/n wound his arm back before thrusting the Quaffle forward and it soared just past Woods fingertips straight through the hoop.
"Nice work Grindelwald." Wood said impressed. "You might just make a decent chaser after all. So...do you want to join the team?"
Y/n just looked to see Fred and George giving him a thumbs up while the other two chasers smiled and nodded in approval.
"Yeah...I really do..." Y/n said feeling excited about Quidditch for the first time in his life.
"Well congratulations Y/n welcome to the Gryffindor Quidditch team!" Wood said and Y/n was unable to keep away the smile that had formed on his his face.
When he had returned to the Gryffindor common room with Harry later on he found Ron and Hermione who were both sat waiting anxiously to hear the news.
Y/n just looked at them for a moment when an idea formed in his head. "May I borrow your owl Harry?" He asked as he sat down beside Ron and Hermione who looked at him confused.
"Of course Y/n, but what do you need it for?" Harry asked sensing Y/n was up to something.
"I will need to send a letter to my Grandmother tonight if I am going to be able to get a new broom in time for the first real training session." Y/n then said.
"Does that mean..." Ron blurted out.
"Yes, I made the team. I am the new Gryffindor's chaser." Y/n smiled.
"Oh Y/n congratulations!" Hermione said while she was still annoyed with the way he behaved around Professor Lockhart she was still happy for her friend.
That night Y/n sent off Hedwig with a letter to tell his Grandmother how sorry he was for his part in the car and that he had now earned the place of Chaser on the Gryffindor team and would require a broom.
Friday morning came and Ron's wand was still malfunctioning, surpassing itself by shooting out of Ron's hand in Charms and hitting tiny old Professor Flitwick squarely between the eyes, creating a large, throbbing green boil where it had struck. Y/n was quite glad to reach the weekend. He, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were planning to visit Hagrid on Saturday morning. Y/n however, was shaken awake several hours earlier than he would have liked by Oliver Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team.
"Y/n! Harry! Get up!" He called out both their names.
"Whassamatter?" said Harry groggily.
"Morning Wood...What are you doing here?" Y/n asked rubbing his eyes.
"Quidditch practice!" said Wood. "Come on!"
Y/n just looked out the window to see there was a thin mist hanging across the pink and gold sky. Now that he was awake, he couldn't understand how he could have slept through the racket the birds were making.
"Oliver." Harry croaked looking out the window as well now. "It's the crack of dawn."
"Exactly." said Wood. He was a tall and burly sixth year and, at the moment, his eyes were gleaming with a crazed enthusiasm. "It's part of our new training program. Come on, grab your brooms, and let's go." said Wood heartily. "None of the other teams have started training yet, we're going to be first off the mark this year..."
Yawning and shivering slightly, both Y/n and Harry climbed out of their beds and tried to find their Quidditch robes.
"Good." said Wood. "Meet you on the field in fifteen minutes." He then said leaving the room.
"Harry." Y/n called out to him quietly as he started to change into his new Quidditch robes that adorned his last name on the back of them in gold lettering.
"Yeah." Harry said as he continued to look for his own Quidditch robes.
"I think I regret joining the team now..." Y/n sighed at being woken up so early.
"Yeah...me too." Harry groaned.
When they were both changed into their Quidditch robes, Harry scribbled a note to Ron explaining where he and Y/n had gone and went down the spiral staircase to the common room, A pair of Nimbus Two Thousand's sat on their shoulders. While Y/n had considered getting the newer 2001 model he had decided against it when he realised that the model Harry used was adequate enough. Y/n's grandmother had written back to tell him that while she was vey proud of him and had bought the broom he had asked for it would come out of his vault's account as punishment for the car incident. Something he felt he could not argue with and decided to accept.
Y/n and Harry had just reached the portrait hole when there was a clatter behind them and Colin Creevey came dashing down the spiral staircase, his camera swinging madly around his neck and something clutched in his hand.
"I heard someone saying your name on the stairs, Harry! Look what I've got here! I've had it developed, I wanted to show you..."
Harry looked bemusedly at the photograph Colin was brandishing under his nose.
A moving, black and white Lockhart was tugging hard on an arm Harry recognized as his own. He was pleased to see that his photographic self was putting up a good fight and refusing to be dragged into view. As Harry watched, Lockhart gave up and slumped, panting, against the white edge of the picture.
"Will you sign it?" said Colin eagerly.
"No." said Harry flatly, glancing around to check that the room was really deserted. "Sorry, Colin, We're in a hurry...Quidditch practice." He told him and climbed through the portrait hole with Y/n following.
"Oh, wow! Wait for me! I've never watched a Quidditch game before!" Colin scrambled through the hole after them.
"It will be really boring Colin." Y/n said trying to dissuade him but Colin ignored him, his face shining with excitement.
"You were the youngest House player in a hundred years, weren't you, Harry? Weren't you?" said Colin, trotting alongside them. "You must be brilliant. I've never flown. Is it easy? Are these your own brooms? Is that the best one there is?"
Y/n just looked at Harry a little annoyed look. He didn't dislike Colin but it was far too early for him to want to deal with a person this energetic.
"I don't really understand Quidditch." said Colin breathlessly. "Is it true there are four balls? And two of them fly around trying to knock people off their brooms?"
"Yes." said Harry heavily, resigned to explaining the complicated rules of Quidditch. "They're called Bludgers. There are two Beaters on each team who carry clubs to beat the Bludgers away from their side. Fred and George Weasley are the Gryffindor Beaters."
"And what are the other balls for?" Colin asked, tripping down a couple of steps because he was gazing open mouthed at Harry.
"Well, the Quaffle, that's the biggish red one is the one that scores goals. Three Chasers on each team throw the Quaffle to each other and try and get it through the goal posts at the end of the pitch they're three long poles with hoops on the end. Y/n here is the teams newest chaser." Harry said hoping to shift some of the excitement onto Y/n.
"And the fourth ball." Colin asked instead.
"Is the Golden Snitch." said Harry. "And it's very small, very fast, and difficult to catch. But that's what the Seeker's got to do, because a game of Quidditch doesn't end until the Snitch has been caught. And whichever team's Seeker gets the Snitch earns his team an extra hundred and fifty points."
"And you're the Gryffindor Seeker, aren't you?" said Colin in awe.
"Yes." said Harry as they left the castle and started across the dewdrenched grass. "And there's the Keeper, too. He guards the goal posts. That's it, really."
But Colin didn't stop questioning Harry all the way down the sloping lawns to the Quidditch field, and Harry and Y/n only shook him off when they reached the changing rooms. Colin called after Harry in a piping voice, "I'll go and get a good seat!" and hurried off to the stands.
"What on earth are his family feeding him to be that full of energy this early..." Y/n complained.
"Come on, with luck this won't take too long and we can go get breakfast ourselves." Harry said back and they entered now.
The rest of the Gryffindor team were already in the changing room. Wood was the only person who looked truly awake. Fred and George Weasley were sitting, puffy eyed and tousle haired, Y/n saw his fellow Chasers, Katie Bell and Angelina Johnson, were yawning side by side opposite them.
"There you are, Harry, Y/n, what kept you?" said Wood briskly. "Now, I wanted a quick talk with you all before we actually get onto the field, because one we've got a new chaser and two I spent the summer devising a whole new training program, which I really think will make all the difference..."
Wood was holding up a large diagram of a Quidditch field, on which were drawn many lines, arrows, and crosses in different coloured inks. He took out his wand, tapped the board, and the arrows began to wiggle over the diagram like caterpillars. As Wood launched into a speech about his new tactics, Fred Weasley's head drooped right onto Angelina Johnson's shoulder and he began to snore.
The first board took nearly twenty minutes to explain, but there was another board under that, and a third under that one. Y/n sank into his seat more and more as Wood droned on and on.
"So..." said Wood, at long last, jerking the team from a wistful fantasy about what they could be eating for breakfast at this very moment up at the castle. "Is that clear? Any questions?"
"I've got a question, Oliver." said George, who had woken with a start. "Why couldn't you have told us all this yesterday when we were awake?"
Wood wasn't pleased. "Now, listen here, you lot." he said, glowering at them all. "We should have won the Quidditch cup last year. We're easily the best team. But unfortunately...owing to circumstances beyond our control..."
Harry shifted guiltily in his seat. He had been unconscious in the hospital wing for the final match of the previous year, meaning that Gryffindor had been a player short and had suffered their worst defeat in three hundred years.
Wood took a moment to regain control of himself. Their last defeat was clearly still torturing him.
"So this year, we train harder than ever before... Okay, let's go and put our new theories into practice!" Wood shouted, seizing his broomstick and leading the way out of the locker rooms. Stiff legged and still yawning, his team followed.
They had been in the locker room so long that the sun was up completely now, although remnants of mist hung over the grass in the stadium. As Y/n walked onto the field, he was surprised to see Ron and Hermione sitting in the stands.
"Aren't you both finished yet?" called Ron incredulously.
"We haven't even started." said Harry, looking jealously at the toast and marmalade Ron and Hermione had brought out of the Great Hall. "Wood's been teaching us new moves."
Y/n mounted his broomstick now for the first time and kicked at the ground, soaring up into the air. The cool morning air whipped his face, waking him far more effectively than Wood's long talk. on Wood's instructions the team began to fly a lap of the field but Y/n and Harry began to race one another with determined grins on their faces.
"What's that funny clicking noise?" called Fred as they hurtled around a corner.
Harry looked into the stands. 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.
"Who's that?" said Fred.
"No idea." Harry lied, putting on a spurt of speed that took him as far away as possible from Colin.
"That is Harry's number one fan!" Y/n called out to Fred.
"What's going on?" said Wood, frowning, as he skimmed through the air toward them. "Why's that first year taking pictures? I don't like it. He could be a Slytherin spy, trying to find out about our new training program."
"He's in Gryffindor." said Harry quickly.
"And the Slytherins don't need a spy, Oliver," said George.
"What makes you say that?" said Wood testily.
"Because they're here in person." said George, pointing.
Several people in green robes were walking onto the field, broomsticks in their hands.
"I don't believe it!" Wood hissed in outrage. "I booked the field for today! We'll see about this!"
Wood shot toward the ground, landing rather harder than he meant to in his anger, staggering slightly as he dismounted. Y/n, Harry, Fred, and George followed.
"Flint!" Wood bellowed at the Slytherin Captain. "This is our practice time! We got up specially! You can clear 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 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, smirking all over his pale, pointed face. It was Draco Malfoy.
"Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's son?" said Fred, looking at Malfoy with dislike.
"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. Malfoy was smirking so broadly his cold eyes were reduced to slits.
"Oh, look." said Flint. "A field invasion." Y/n turned to see Ron and Hermione were crossing the grass to see what was going on.
"What's happening?" Ron asked him and Harry. "Why aren't you playing? And what's he doing here?" He was looking at Malfoy, taking in his Slytherin Quidditch robes.
"I'm the new Slytherin Seeker, Weasley." said Malfoy, smugly. "Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's bought our team."
Ron gaped, open mouthed, at the seven superb broomsticks in front of him.
"Good, aren't they?" said Malfoy smoothly. "It was Atticus who suggested I 'try' out for the team. I really have to thank him."
Y/n knew what Malfoy had meant by the word try and it didn't surprise him. He was just glad he had chosen a Nimbus 2000 now he would have felt dirty riding the same broom as the Slytherin's.
"I am surprised Atticus did 'not try out for the team as well." Was all Y/n said now.
"I have better things to do then play Quidditch." Atticus's voice sounded out and he appeared from behind the Slytherin team and slowly strode forward to stop in front of Y/n. Both boys stared at one another. "When I heard you had been made a chaser for Gryffindor I suggested Malfoy should join our house team and give it the upgrade it deserves." He hinted to the brooms behind him.
"You mean... you did all of this just to spite me?" Y/n asked but the sly grin on Atticus's face was all the answer he needed.
Malfoy enjoyed watching Atticus treating his brother poorly and decided to join in now. "Perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms, too. You could raffle off those Cleansweep Fives, I expect a museum would bid for them." The Slytherin team howled with laughter.
"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in." said Hermione sharply. "They got in on pure talent."
The smug look on Malfoy's face flickered and Atticus's own grin disappeared only to be replaced with a look of disgust.
"We did not ask for the opinion of a filthy Mudblood..." Atticus said viciously.
Harry knew at once that Atticus had said something really bad because in an instant Y/n had dropped his broom and punched his brother straight in the face, knocking him to the ground.
The Slytherin team immediately moved forward towards Y/n but to his luck the Gryffindor team had also moved to defend him.
Y/n just looked at his now shaking fist before he looked down at Atticus who was getting up with a angry look on his face, he reached up to his lip which was bleeding heavily. Y/n had cut his lip with the punch. "I always said you were a blood Traitor!" Atticus spat as he drew his wand now.
Ron however plunged his hand into his robes, pulled out his wand and pointed it furiously under Flint's arm at Atticus'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! Are you alright?" Harry called out him.
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. Malfoy was on all fours, banging the ground with his fist. The Gryffindor team however had to hold back Atticus who was still fuming.
Y/n, Harry and Hermione 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 Y/n and Hermione.
Y/n just nodded wanting to get out of here for now.
"Here, give me your brooms." Hermione said to Y/n and Harry and the pair of them handed their brooms to her and then pulled Ron up by the arms.
"What happened, Harry? What happened? Is he ill? But you can cure him, can't you?" Colin had run down from his seat and was now dancing alongside them as they left the field. Ron gave a huge heave and more slugs dribbled down his front.
"Oooh." said Colin, fascinated and raising his camera. "Can you hold him still, Harry?"
"Get out of the way, Colin!" Y/n said angrily. He and Harry supported Ron out of the stadium and across the grounds toward the edge of the forest.
"Nearly there, Ron." said Hermione as the gamekeeper's cabin came into view. "You'll be all right in a minute...almost there..."
They were within twenty feet of Hagrid's house when the front door opened, but it wasn't Hagrid who emerged. Gilderoy Lockhart, wearing robes of palest mauve today, came striding out.
"Quick, behind here." Harry hissed as he and Y/n dragged Ron behind a nearby bush. Hermione followed them, somewhat reluctantly.
"It's a simple matter if you know what you're doing!" Lockhart was saying loudly to Hagrid. "If you need help, you know where I am! I'll let you have a copy of my book. I'm surprised you haven't already got one, I'll sign one tonight and send it over. Well, good bye!" And he strode away toward the castle.
They waited until Lockhart was out of sight, then pulled Ron out of the bush and up to Hagrid's front door. They knocked urgently.
Hagrid appeared at once, looking very grumpy, but his expression brightened when he saw who it was. "Bin wonderin' when you'd come ter see me, come in, come in, thought you mighta bin Professor Lockhart back again..."
Harry and Y/n supported Ron over the threshold into the one roomed cabin, which had an enormous bed in one corner, a fire crackling merrily in the other. Hagrid didn't seem perturbed by Ron's slug problem, which Harry hastily explained as he lowered Ron into a chair.
"Better out than in." he said cheerfully, plunking a large copper basin in front of him. "Get 'em all up, Ron."
"I don't think there's anything to do except wait for it to stop." said Hermione anxiously, watching Ron bend over the basin. "That's a difficult curse to work at the best of times, but with a broken wand..."
Hagrid was bustling around making them tea. His boarhound, Fang, was slobbering over Harry. Y/n himself was stood by the window as he looked out it with a solemn look.
"What did Lockhart want with you, Hagrid?" Harry asked, scratching Fang's ears.
"Givin' me advice on gettin' kelpies out of a well." growled Hagrid, moving a half plucked rooster off his scrubbed table and setting down the teapot. "Like I don' know. An' bangin' on about some banshee he banished. If one word of it was true, I'll eat my kettle."
It was most unlike Hagrid to criticize a Hogwarts' teacher, and Harry looked at him in surprise. Hermione, however, said in a voice somewhat higher than usual. "I think you're being a bit unfair. Professor Dumbledore obviously thought he was the best man for the job."
"He was the on'y man for the job." said Hagrid, offering them a plate of treacle fudge, while Ron coughed squelchily into his basin. "An' I mean the on'y one. Gettin' very difficult ter find anyone fer the Dark Arts job. People aren't too keen ter take it on, see. They're startin' ter think it's jinxed. No one's lasted long fer a while now. So tell me." said Hagrid, jerking his head at Ron. "Who was he tryin' ter curse?"
"Atticus called Hermione something..." Harry started as he looked up to Y/n by the window. "It must've been really bad, because...."
"I punched him..." Y/n admitted now as he brought a hand to his face and rubbed his eyes. "I was just so angry... He called Hermione...a Mudblood."
Ron dived out of sight again as a fresh wave of slugs made their appearance. Hagrid looked outraged. "He didn'!" he growled at Hermione.
"He did." she said. "But I don't know what it means. I could tell it was really rude, of course."
"It's about the most insulting thing he could think of." gasped Ron, coming back up.
"Hermione." Y/n got her attention. "The name Mudblood is a really disgusting name for someone who is Muggle born. There are some wizards, like the Malfoy family and some of my own...who think they're better than everyone else because we have what people call pure blood." Y/n explained to her.
Ron gave a small burp, and a single slug fell into his outstretched hand. He threw it into the basin. "The rest of us know it doesn't make any difference at all. Look at Neville Longbottom, he's pure blood and he can hardly stand a cauldron the right way up."
"An' they haven't invented a spell our Hermione can' do." said Hagrid proudly, making Hermione go a brilliant shade of magenta.
"It's a disgusting thing to call someone." said Ron, wiping his sweaty brow with a shaking hand. "Dirty blood, see. Common blood. It's ridiculous. Most wizards these days are half-blood anyway. If we hadn't married Muggles we'd've died out." He retched and ducked out of sight again.
"Well, I don' blame yeh fer tryin' ter curse him, Ron," said Hagrid loudly over the thuds of more slugs hitting the basin. "Bu' maybe it was a good thing yer wand backfired. Least yer not in trouble. Y/n on the other han..."
Y/n just sat down on a chair now. "I should not of hit him..."
"Why did you then?" Hermione asked him. She had to admit that now the fight was over she was surprised that Y/n had reacted in such a way.
"Because he insulted you." Y/n said as he looked the others. "I do not care what Atticus does nor says to me. He has not had anything nice to say to me years...but I will not just sit by let him insult any of my friends." Y/n said resolute.
Harry and Hermione couldn't help but smile at their friend even Ron tired too before another slug came up.
"Harry." said Hagrid abruptly as though struck by a sudden thought. "Gotta bone ter pick with yeh. I've heard you've bin givin' out signed photos. How come I haven't got one?"
"I have not been giving out signed photos." Harry said hotly. "If Lockhart's still spreading that around..." But then he saw that Hagrid was laughing.
"I'm only jokin'." he said, patting Harry genially on the back and sending him face first into the table. "I knew yeh hadn't really. I told Lockhart yeh didn' need teh. Both Yerself and Y/n an more famous than him without tryin'."
"I can only imagine he did not like that." Y/n said as he looked at Hagrid now.
"Don' think he did." said Hagrid, his eyes twinkling. "An' then I told him I'd never read one o' his books an' he decided ter go. Treacle fudge, Ron?" he added as Ron reappeared.
"No thanks." said Ron weakly. "Better not risk it."
"Come an' see what I've bin growin'," said Hagrid as Harry, Y/n and Hermione finished the last of their tea.
In the small vegetable patch behind Hagrid's house were a dozen of the largest pumpkins Harry had ever seen. Each was the size of a large boulder.
"Gettin' on well, aren't they?" said Hagrid happily. "Fer the Halloween feast... should be big enough by then."
"What've you been feeding them?" said Harry.
Hagrid looked over his shoulder to check that they were alone. "Well, I've bin givin' them, you know, a bit o' help..."
"An Engorgement Charm, I suppose?" said Hermione, halfway between disapproval and amusement.
"Well, you have done a good job on them." Y/n said but he remembered how Harry had told him that Hagrid wasn't supposed to use magic. He had been expelled from Hogwarts in his third year, but Harry had never found out why, any mention of the matter and Hagrid would clear his throat loudly and become mysteriously deaf until the subject was changed.
"That's what yer little sister said." said Hagrid, nodding at Ron. "Met her jus' yesterday." Hagrid looked sideways at Harry, his beard twitching. "Said she was jus' lookin' round the grounds, but I reckon she was hopin' she might run inter someone else at my house." He winked at Harry. "If yeh ask me, she wouldn' say no ter a signed..."
"Oh, shut up." said Harry. Y/n just chuckled at this and Ron snorted with laughter and the ground was sprayed with slugs.
"Watch it!" Hagrid roared, pulling Ron away from his precious pumpkins.
It was nearly lunchtime when the group said goodbye to Hagrid and walked back up to the castle, Ron hiccoughing occasionally, but only bringing up two very small slugs.
They had barely set foot in the cool entrance hall when a voice rang out. "There you are, Potter, Grindelwald, Weasley." Professor McGonagall was walking toward them, looking stern. "You three will do your detentions this evening."
"You mean... Atticus has not mentioned me?" Y/n asked surprised.
"What are you talking about Mr Grindelwald?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"Nothing Professor." Y/n shook his head. "What will we doing for detention?" He asked instead changing the topic.
"Mr Weasley you will be polishing the silver in the trophy room with Mr. Filch," said Professor McGonagall. "And no magic, Weasley, elbow grease."
Ron gulped. Argus Filch, the caretaker, was loathed by every student in the school.
"And you two, Grindelwald, Potter, will be helping Professor Lockhart answer his fan mail." said Professor McGonagall.
"Oh no, Professor, can't I go and do the trophy room, too?" said Harry desperately.
"Literally anything else would be better..." Y/n added.
"Certainly not." said Professor McGonagall, raising her eyebrows. "Professor Lockhart requested you both particularly. Eight o'clock sharp, all of you."
Y/n, Harry and Ron slouched into the Great Hall in states of deepest gloom, Hermione behind them, wearing a well-you-did-break-school-rules sort of expression. Harry didn't enjoy his shepherd's pie as much as he'd thought "Why do you think Atticus didn't tell a teacher?" He asked Y/n pushing his plate away.
"I can only imagine it is pride. Not wanting to admit that he was hit by his brother. He will no doubt try to get me back for this." Y/n said as he thought about Atticus now.
"Filch'll have me there all night." said Ron heavily now. "No magic! There must be about a hundred cups in that room. I'm no good at Muggle cleaning."
"I'd swap anytime." said Harry hollowly. "I've had loads of practice with the Dursleys. Answering Lockhart's fan mail... he'll be a nightmare..."
Saturday afternoon seemed to melt away, and in what seemed like no time, it was five minutes to eight. Both Y/n and Harry were dragging their feet along the second floor corridor to Lockhart's office.
Harry looked at Y/n if trying to tempt him to talk him out of this.
Y/n just shook his head. "Let us just get this over with."
Harry sighed and knocked.
The door flew open at once. Lockhart beamed down at them.
"Ah, here's the scallywags!" he said. "Come in, Harry, Y/n come in..."
Shining brightly on the walls by the light of many candles were countless framed photographs of Lockhart. He had even signed a few of them. Another large pile lay on his desk.
"You can both address the envelopes!" Lockhart told the two, as though this was a huge treat. "This first one's to Gladys Gudgeon, bless her, huge fan of mine."
The minutes snailed by and Y/n just let Lockhart's voice wash over him not taking anything in, Harry appeared to be be doing the same while at least occasionally saying, "Mmm" and "Right" and "Yeah."
Now and then Y/n caught Lockhart saying phrase like, "Fame's a fickle friend." or "Celebrity is as celebrity does, remember that."
The candles burned lower and lower, making the light dance over the many moving faces of Lockhart's watching him. Y/n had looked at the large stack of envelopes now and figured it must have been time they were done surely, but just as he was about to say something Harry gave a huge jump and a large lilac blot appeared on a letter.
"What?" Harry said loudly.
"I know!" said Lockhart. "Six solid months at the top of the bestseller list! Broke all records!"
"No." said Harry frantically. "That voice!"
"Sorry?" said Lockhart, looking puzzled.
"Harry, What voice?" Y/n asked him worried, He had not heard a voice.
"That, that voice that said...didn't you hear it?"
Lockhart was looking at Harry in high astonishment. "What are you talking about, Harry? Perhaps you're getting a little drowsy? Great Scott...look at the time! No wonder we've been here nearly four hours! I'd never have believed it, the time's flown, hasn't it? Come on boys off to bed."
Y/n stood up now as he felt how stiff his legs were he looked to the side to see Harry who appeared to be straining his ears to hear the voice again, but Y/n could still hear no sound except for Lockhart telling them they mustn't expect a treat like this every time they got detention.
"Come on Harry. Let us go." Y/n said wanting to be out of Lockhart's office.
Harry got up now and the two left Lockhart's office.
"What voice were you talking about?" Y/n asked Harry now.
"You didn't hear it at all?" Harry asked.
"I am sorry Harry but no. I hate to say this but...maybe Lockhart's right for once, you are probably just tired."
"We'll talk to Ron about it. See if he heard it." Harry said moving ahead. Y/n remained sceptical but followed behind.
It was so late that the Gryffindor common room was almost empty. Y/n and Harry went straight up to the dormitory but Ron wasn't back yet. Not saying a word to each other the two boys changed into their pyjama's and climbed into beds. Half an hour later, Ron arrived, nursing his right arm and bringing a strong smell of polish into the darkened room.
"My muscles have all seized up." he groaned, sinking on his bed. "Fourteen times he made me buff up that Quidditch cup before he was satisfied. And then I had another slug attack all over a Special Award for Services to the School. Took ages to get the slime off... How was it with Lockhart?"
Keeping his voice low so as not to wake Neville, Dean, and Seamus, Harry told Ron and Y/n exactly what he had heard now.
"It said, 'Come... come to me... let me rip you... let me tear you... let me kill you...'"
"I said it before Harry, but I did not hear a voice." Y/n said concerned.
"And Lockhart said he couldn't hear it?" said Ron. Harry could see him frowning in the moonlight. "D'you think he was lying? But I don't get it, even someone invisible would've had to open the door."
"I know." said Harry, lying back in his four-poster and staring at the canopy above him. "I don't get it either."