Investigation is the Name of the Game!

You find it hard to balance the Investigation with your schoolwork and the Chess Society, and Jennifer has signed up for the Intermural Quidditch society. Before you know it weeks have passed and you have made little appreciable progress into the Forbidden Corridor. That being said you have been doing terrific in your classes, and realize that perhaps this level of engagement has been what you have been missing in your life.

Between Snape's increasingly difficult potions regimen, and McGonagall's strict practicals, you find yourself completely enthralled in your schoolwork. You haven't been socializing that much with anyone besides your roommates, and the Chess Society. The other students in Ravenclaw seem to accept you, but you've heard a few complaining about how you cost your house as many points as you make.

Late in November, about a week or two into the Quidditch season, Jennifer closes the book you were reading in the Common Room. It was the only potions book in your skill level that you hadn't read yet; "Emotions and Potions." You look up at Jennifer, who is looking down at you with her arms crossed.

"Are you coming or not?" She asks. Her tone was cold, to say the least.

"I mean, I like Quidditch as much as the next bloke, but I'm really ... really busy."

"Yeah, I see that."

"No, really, I-"

"Listen just because their Seeker is that one boy, doesn't mean you have to avoid it."

"I'm not avoiding Harry."

"Prove it."

You sigh. Tidying up your books, you gather your stuff and head up to your dorm room. You carefully place your books back where they belong, grab your heavy cold-weather robes, and head back downstairs. Jennifer is waiting for your impatiently at the bottom of the stairs, and practically pushes you out of the Common Room.

As you approach the Quidditch field you guess that the rest of the school has turned out to watch the game. Ravenclaw's first game against Hufflepuff had been the previous week, and not even half this many people showed up to that game. Perhaps it was the Gryffindor's new seeker, or perhaps it was because the two teams were closest and strongest of the two house teams last term.

As you wind through the crowd Jennifer points out to a set of the bleachers. You see the seats draped in Ravenclaw blue, and filled with your fellow first years. As you climb the bleachers you find yourself sitting with Ezra and Raj. Ezra's face lights up as he sees you approach, and he waves you over.

"I didn't think you could make our hermit come to the game!" Ezra said surprised to Jennifer.

"And I told you, 'you just have to be firm'" She laughs back.

"Hey, I like Quidditch as much as anyone else." You mutter.

"Yet you were going to skip the most exciting game of the season! Potter's reveal!" Raj says laughing too.

The conversation devolves into small talk as the Quidditch teams ready themselves for the first game. Scanning around the bleachers you see that, indeed, most of the school has turned out to watch the game. All of the faculty has turned out and everyone has signs and favorite players. Even the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw houses have favorites among the players. You look over to the Gryffindor bleachers and you are surprised to see Hermione sitting with Ron, your chess buddy.

"Huh," You say "I'm kinda surprised to see Ron and Hermione sitting next to each other."

"Why?" asks Jennifer "It makes perfect sense to me, same house, same year. They're bound to spend time together."

"But Ron can't stand Hermione," you protest. "He complains about her all the time!"

Jennifer looks at you as if you have said something incredibly stupid. "Marvolo Gaunt, for someone so bright, you are dim. He clearly fancies her."

"No way," you sputter. "That's ridiculous."

She laughs and shakes her head. In the Quidditch field Madam Hooch, and the 14 players rise into the center, and the game begins. SLytherin and Gryffindor play a relatively amazing game. Each team is moving decisively, and Lee Jordan was commentating on the match. For a brief moment you lose yourself in the game. From Kingsley and Dawlish to your Half-mad Father and the Portraits, everyone in your pre-school life adored Quidditch, and you can see why. In fact if you had more skill on a broom you probably would have signed up for the Intramural Quidditch team. You find yourself watching plays and measuring players' abilities -trying to figure out who had the better chance- when suddenly Jennifer and Ezra gasped.

You look up where they are looking and see Harry Potter bucking around on his broom. You see him thrashing about, like he lost control of his broom. Something clicks in your brain. You see Harry valiantly fighting his broom as it rises ever higher away from the ground.

If he were to just fall...

"This has got to stop," you say to yourself, you Jennifer and Ezra watching in horror as the Potter boy climbs ever higher. He hangs perilously by a foot and hand as the broom attempts to buck him off. He is too high up, and even Madam Pomfrey couldn't get him safe in time if he were too fall. Suddenly, and seemingly for no reason, Harry regained control of his broom and shot towards the bottom. When the clamor stops you hear Lee Jordan announce that Harry Potter had caught the snitch with his mouth!

"Wow, that must have been it!" Jennifer says looking to Ezra, "The snitch must have flown into his mouth causing him to panic and lose control of his broom!"

"I don't think so." You say softly.

"Marvolo, you can't think he caught it in his mouth after he lost control of his nimbus!" Jennifer responds

"I can and do." You turn to her. "Remember how I said that wands were semi-sentient?" She nods slowly. "The Snitch is like that. It doesn't want to be caught. It wouldn't just fly into his mouth. He had to catch it after he flew off."

Ezra whistled "I think he's right, this is the strangest catch I've ever heard of."

"I think its worse than that," you whisper to Jenny. "Harry's broom is a nimbus, they are notoriously calm brooms, they are fast but, steady. The school wouldn't give Harry a broom that was likely to get him killed."

Jennifer's eyes widen, and then narrow. "What are you saying?"

"I think there is a good chance that Harry's broom, or the snitch was sabotaged, and since the broom was the thing that acted strangely..." you think aloud.

"But could a student do that?" Jen asks, getting excited.

"No, they couldn't, especially not without everyone noticing." You say.

"So what's the answer?" Jen asks afraid to admit what she is thinking.

"I think its a clue," you say smiling despite yourself.