Harry told Ron all about becoming Gryffindor's new Seeker during super in the Great Hall and Harry was happy to see that his new best friend was chuffed for him.

"But first-years never get to join the House teams," Ron said in awe.

"I know," Harry said as he jabbed his fork into a large banger. He took a too-big bite and nearly choked it down so he could finish what he had to say. "Oliver Wood told me this afternoon. We've already sorta had our first Quidditch lesson." Harry took a large swallow of pumpkin juice. "But don't tell anyone yet. Wood wants to keep it secret until my first official practice next week."

Ron couldn't answer because he was too busy trying to swallow a piece of chicken, so he just nodded his head vigorously in agreement. When Ron did finally manage to swallow his food, he turned to Harry and said "I wonder how Professor McGonagall got permission from your relatives so quickly. Didn't you say they were Muggles?"

Harry's fork stopped in mid-air. Ron was right. Even in primary, no one was ever allowed to try out for a team or go on a school outing without the express permission of a parent or guardian. Harry's relatives hated magic. They hated him. The Dursley's had never given permission for Harry to do anything fun at school. He was always left behind during school outings and he was never allowed to try out for a team. Who could have given him permission to play Quidditch?

"Hey!" Harry said, turning excitedly towards Ron.

Ron swallowed a mouthful of food hard and looked at Harry with expectation. "What?" he asked.

Harry said, "I just remembered. The Headmaster told Professor McGonagall there was someone at the school they could ask." Harry looked up at the teacher's tables and thought about Professor Snape. The dark professor was eating and seemed to take no notice of Harry. Harry leaned over to his best mate and whispered. "You don't suppose it was Professor Snape, do you?"

Ron looked up at the teacher's table as well and seemed to consider the austere Potion's Master. "I don't know, Harry," he said sceptically. "I know he's not as bad as everyone says, but do you really think he'd give you permission to play against his own House?"

Harry's heart sank a little. Ron was right. There was no way Snape would give Harry permission to play against his House. But if it wasn't Snape, who was it?

Harry wondered which teacher could possibly be his mysterious relative, but nobody else seemed any more likely than Snape.

Harry could barely pay attention in his classes the next day as he contemplated who his anonymous benefactor might be. Even Professor Sprout threatened to dock Harry a point if he didn't get his head out of the clouds and back into the greenhouse.

His secret was almost let out of the bag when on their way back up to the Great Hall for super, Ron's twin brothers, Fred and George came up to congratulate Harry on making the team.

"If you're as good as Wood says you are...," said Fred or George. "We have a real chance winning the Cup this year," his double finished.

Apparently, Wood couldn't keep his own secret. If the twins knew he was Gryffindor's new Seeker, surely it wouldn't be long before the rest of the school knew.

"Not so loud," Harry said with a panicked whisper as he looked over his shoulder to see if anyone was in listening distance. Luckily everyone was more interested in getting to where they had to go than to pay attention to Harry. "Wood doesn't want anyone to know yet."

"Don't worry, Harry-your secret is as safe as Gringott's," the twins assured him as they raced off to wherever they had to go. Harry thought he heard one of them say something about a secret passage.

As Harry watched the twins leave, Ron turned to him and said, "At least they didn't tell you horror stories like people vanishing for months on end or how it's been years since someone d..."

Harry never did hear how long it's been since someone did what, because just at that point Ron was interrupted.

"There you are, Potter!"

Harry and Ron turned. They both knew that contemptuous voice. Sure enough, there was Draco Malfoy flanked by his two sycophants, Crabb and Goyle. Harry wondered if Hogwarts had any educational standards at all when it came to picking its students. Crabb and Goyle just stood there looking gormless next to Malfoy. Harry doubted the two could read. Neither of them spoke much.

Goyle was the largest of the three. At the age of eleven he looked as though he could squash any third-year and would be more than happy to do it if Malfoy told him to. Crabb reminded Harry of a fatter, meaner Dudley which he hadn't thought possible until he first laid eyes on Crabb during the train ride from London.

Malfoy wasted no time in having a go at Harry about getting in trouble during the flying lesson. "I thought that old cat, McGonagall, would have had you on the train back to London by now. Guess you got off easy. What's she got you doing instead, Potter? Scrubbing the boy's toilet with your own toothbrush?"

Harry shrugged indifferently. It was none of Malfoy's business if McGonagall punished Harry or not, and he certainly didn't want the smarmy Slytherin to know about his appointment to the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Not yet, anyway.

Harry's nonchalant reaction seemed to take some of Malfoy's fight away until Ron's ginger temper reared its head. "You shouldn't try to think so much, Malfoy. You might end up hurting yourself," Ron said derisively.

Draco's eyes narrowed with unfettered contempt. "That's it, Potter. I challenge you to a Wizard's duel. Crabb here will be my second. Weaselby, the blood-traitor, can be yours."

Normally, Harry would have backed away from Malfoy's challenge. He couldn't understand how Ron's insult equated to a duel with him. Malfoy must have been looking for any reason to challenge Harry. Under ordinary circumstances, Harry would have considered whatever animosity there was between Ron and Malfoy to be their business. But Harry didn't like the way Malfoy glared at Ron and called his new best friend a blood-traitor. Ron's face had turned as red as his hair with anger. Harry wasn't even sure what a blood-traitor was, but from Ron's reaction it obviously wasn't nice. Plus, he didn't want to look like a coward in front of the school bullies. He might as well put a target on his back. Before he knew what he was saying he heard his own voice say, "You're on!"

A sly grin came across Malfoy's face as he looked up to his two goons. "Fine! Tonight at midnight in the trophy room. That room is always unlocked."

Before Harry could protest the time, or even had a chance to ask the Slytherin how he knew the room would be unlocked, Malfoy and his entourage stalked away. Harry sighed. He was committed now. He looked to Ron and regretted his own thoughtlessness. "I'm sorry I got you involved, Ron. I don't even know what a Wizard's duel is."

"That's okay," Ron said as he glared down the direction Malfoy and his gang had left. "I wouldn't let you go by yourself. I would have offered to be your second, anyway."

"What's a second?" Harry asked as they began to continue their way to the Great Hall.

"Well...er...a second is there to take your place if you get killed in the duel."

Harry stopped and looked at his friend with disbelief. "If I get killed?!"

"No, no," Ron assured Harry. "Only grown up wizards or witches get seriously hurt in a duel. Kids can't do the really dangerous spells. The worst Malfoy can do is give you zits. And the school matron can cure those quick with a potion."

"Whew," Harry sighed in relief. "What happens if I wave my wand and nothing happens?"

"Chuck it on the ground and tackle him," Ron replied with a laugh.

During super, Harry and Ron delved excitingly through their spell books, trying to come up with a strategy for the upcoming duel.

They finished their super and got up from the table. They were in a hurry to get back to Gryffindor Tower so they could practice their spell casting. Harry heard quickening footsteps behind them. Someone had followed them out of the Great Hall. Harry knew it was a girl because he could hear the distinct sound of her Mary Janes clicking on the stone floor.

"You really shouldn't go mucking about in the castle at night. If you get caught, you will cost us house points. It's not a very smart thing to do," Hermione Granger hissed at them as she picked up her pace and walked past them. Harry figured she must have overheard him and Ron talking during super.

Harry watched her pass and for a fleeting moment thought she might have a point.

"Don't listen to her," Ron said as he took Harry by the arm and pulled him along. "She's a girl. What does she know about these things?"

Much later that night, Harry lay in bed thinking about the events of the previous days. It was as close to perfect that he had ever remembered having it. He had made friends, he had a very soft warm bed to sleep in, and he could have his fill of any food that struck his fancy at meal times. For as long as he could remember, Harry had been consigned to a lumpy mattress in a dank, dusty cupboard and threadbare blankets. The bed he had been given in Dudley's second bedroom recently wasn't much of a step up. And meals...well, he was lucky if he had three full meals a day. Harry's aunt and uncle always found some fabricated reason or another to deny him at least one meal a day. Snacks and sweets were practically unheard of for Harry.

As Harry laid there and thought of his good fortune, he smiled when he remembered the generic duelling advice that Ron had spent most of the evening lecturing him about. Truth be told, Harry did not want to break the rules or get himself and his new best friend in trouble. However, whenever he thought about facing Malfoy's smug face in the morning at breakfast, Harry could already hear the Slytherin boy crowing about how cowardly 'The-Boy-Who-Lived' turned out.

"It's almost time," Ron muttered from his bed. "We don't want to be late."

They pulled on their robes and trainers and grabbed their wands. Harry was glad the castle was made of stone. They didn't have to worry about creaking floors as they crept as stealthily as cat burglars across the crimson and gold carpet in the dorm room. Slowly, Ron opened the door. He and Harry both stopped in panic and held their breath as the old brass hinges squeaked. They looked back and only released their breath when it was obvious none of their dorm mates so much as stirred. Sean, Dean and Neville were still fast asleep. Neville had returned to the common room hours ago after Madam Pomfrey had fixed his broken arm in a thrice.

Silently, Harry led their way down the stairs. It wasn't easy navigating the stairs in the dead of night. None of the sconces were lit and the way was as dark as pitch. Harry wished they had already learned how to light their way with their wands, or that they at least had a small flashlight. When they finally reached the bottom of the stairs, Harry stopped to look around the common room. He let his eyes adjust to the scant moonlight shining through the tower window. No one was there.

"Oof... sorry," Ron said as quietly as he could. He had bumped into Harry at the bottom of the stairs, nearly knocking Harry off his feet in the process.

Harry regained his balance quickly. "It's okay," he whispered. He looked around once more and said, "The coast is clear. Let's go."

They were nearly to the rounded portrait hole, when a dark figure stepped from the shadows. At first, Harry thought it might have been one of the many school ghosts. But it wasn't a ghost. To his annoyance, it was Hermione Granger again. She was wearing a housecoat over her night clothes and her bushy hair was wilder than usual.

"Go back to bed. This doesn't concern you," Ron snapped crossing his arms.

The two boys moved past her, but she didn't give up.

"It concerns me when you get docked House points." Harry and Ron ignored her. She followed them outside the portrait hole despite her state of undress.

"I'll tell your brother," Hermione said in a hushed threat as the portrait door closed behind her. She turned to go back into the common room, but the Fat Lady was gone.

"Doesn't look like you're telling anyone," Harry said slyly, arching an eyebrow. "You'll be in trouble as well."

Harry and Ron began walking toward the trophy room. Hermione marched along behind them.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ron asked incredulously. "You're not even dressed."

"I'm coming with you, of course," she said determinably. "Someone has to be the responsible party, and if you get caught- which you will, I can hopefully explain and try to keep us out of detention."

"Here. At least put this on!" Ron pulled off his robe and threw it over Hermione's shoulders, leaving him in his jeans and jumper. "You're going to embarrass us in front of the Slytherins dressed like that. It's indecent."

Harry noticed that Hermione blushed as she fastened the hooks and eyes of Ron's robe over her housecoat. The sleeves were long, and the robe fell over her bed slippers, dragging the floor by about an inch. But at least it was difficult to see she was in her bedclothes. She mumbled an embarrassed, "Thanks," and the trio continued on their way.

Harry and Ron, with Hermione tagging along after them, quietly made their way to the trophy room. Hermione would occasionally whisper directions through the corridors or argue with the Harry and Ron about proper duelling etiquette. She had read about it in a book.

As they rounded the corner that led to the Trophy Room, Harry thrust out his arm and stopped Ron and Hermione in their tracks.

"What is it?" Ron asked with a hushed voice.

Harry looked back at his companions. "It's Peeves. He's circling around in front of the door."

Ron and Hermione peeked around the corner with Harry. The apparition of a squat little man with a bell hat and orange bow tie seemed to be busying himself around the door. They couldn't tell what he was doing, but he seemed to be humming a rather satisfied tune.

"I don't like this," Hermione said in a shaky whisper.

"Me neither," Ron unexpectedly agreed.

"Malfoy and his friends must not be here yet," Harry said. "Wouldn't Peeves be pranking them if they were?"

"Unless the Slytherins encouraged him to prank us first," Ron suggested.

Hermione chimed in, "It must be a trap. I bet you're right, Harry. They aren't even here."

Harry closed his eyes in frustration. It seemed as if he had dragged Ron and Hermione out of bed and risked detention for nothing. But, what if Malfoy and his gang were just running late? Harry's better judgment told him that they should go back to bed, but he didn't want to be branded a coward if the Slytherins showed up and he wasn't there.

Harry sighed heavily. "What do we do now?"

"I would suggest that you go back to bed."

Harry turned with a start as Hermione squeaked and Ron yelped. Towering over them in robes as dark as the shadows, stood Professor Snape. His arms were crossed and he had a very annoyed look on his face. Then again, Snape always had an annoyed look on his face.

Harry was the first to try to speak, but he could only stutter, "I...I...I...."

Harry's heart sank. Professor Snape was the last teacher he wanted to get in trouble with, and it wasn't because he was afraid of him like the other students. Harry just didn't want to disappoint the man. From the stern glare coming from the professor, Harry knew he had done just that.

"Speak up, Mr Potter," Professor Snape said darkly. "Cat got your tongue? Now tell me-why would three young Gryffindors, such as yourselves, be strolling about the castle at midnight?"

Harry desperately searched his mind for a plausible answer. Ron seemed to be struggling just as much as he was. To Harry's astonishment, it was Hermione who spoke up with a halfway believable explanation.

"I was sleepwalking, sir" she spouted. "Ron and Harry were studying late when they saw me leave the tower and came out after me."

Harry gulped as Snape raised an eyebrow. He looked over them suspiciously, taking notice of Ron's overly-large robes on Hermione. They were slightly open were one could just see her bedclothes. For a fleeting moment, Harry thought Hermione's explanation might work. "I see," the professor said slowly. "Would anyone care to explain why you are heading in the opposite direction from Gryffindor Tower?"

"We were locked out," Ron said, quickly expanding on Hermione's lie. "The Fat Lady disappeared and we were just trying to find the Headmaster's office so he could let us back in." Ron tried to give Snape an innocent look, but to Harry it looked unconvincing.

For a second, Harry thought it had worked because Snape gave a slight nod, as if he believed Ron, but his hopes deflated quickly. "Bravo, Mr Weasley, Ms Granger. Your quick and plausible explanations are worthy of a Slytherin, but a lie is still a lie."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione dropped their mouths at once. Harry couldn't believe it. They were in big trouble. He just knew it. They had been caught lying to a teacher. True-Harry hadn't done the lying, but he had dragged his classmates out well after curfew, and he said nothing to contradict Ron and Hermione's quickly concocted story.

"You see, I had overheard Mr Malfoy and his friends fabricate their little plot, and just as expected from a Gryffindor, you fell for it." Professor Snape tutted, "Typical."

"Please, sir," Harry pleaded. "It's my fault. It's because of me Ron and Hermione are out here. Ron wasn't about to let me go alone and Hermione tried to stop us when she got locked out."

An odd look came over Professor Snape as he looked down at Harry with his fathomless, black eyes. Harry thought he might be debating something, but there was something else behind them that seemed sad.

"Be that as it may, Mr Potter, you are still out of bed after curfew," Snape said. "I'm afraid that it's fifteen points from Gryffindor and a week's detention for each of you is in order."

Harry and Ron groaned. Hermione looked as if she might faint. But Harry thought that in the long run, they might have got off easy considering who it was doling out the punishment.

Harry hung his head in shame. It was the first time he had been in trouble at Hogwarts and it was with Professor Snape. He would have rather endured Malfoy's taunting.

Harry felt a gentle hand push into his back. "Come along, you three. Your night time adventuring has come to an end."

Professor Snape frog-marched Harry, Ron, and Hermione back to Gryffindor Tower. The corridors were dark and empty, and their footfall echoed off the stone walls. It only added to Harry's sensation of impending doom.

When they reached the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, the fat lady in the pink dress had returned to her portrait. "Oh, my!" She exclaimed. "What are you three doing out here so long after curfew?"

Professor Snape looked down at Ron grimly and said, "It seems as though Mr Weasley told me at least one truth. My question is, where were you when they sneaked out?"

The Fat Lady looked abashed when she said to Snape, "Well...I...It's none of your business where I've been!"

Without hearing the password, the Fat Lady allowed the portrait to fly open. It opened with such force, it banged as it bounced off the stone wall.

Snape ushered Harry and his friend through the revealed passage while he remained outside. "Expect my owl tomorrow morning detailing your punishments. If I catch you out of bed again, you'll end up spending your evenings with Mr Filch for a month. Now straight to bed with you."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione all murmured a dejected, "Yes, sir." Before the portrait shut, Harry turned back and said, "Thank you for walking us back, Sir."

Professor Snape's face was still and unreadable when he answered, "You're welcome, Harry."

The portrait door clicked shut and the passageway was dark again, but this time the sconces had flickered on, as if expecting them.

"I hate that we got in trouble, but at least we won't have to spend detention with Filch," Ron said with relief.

"I can't believe we lied to a teacher," Hermione said in exasperation. "We're lucky we weren't expelled."

Slowly they began climbing the spiralling staircase that led to the dorm rooms.

"I bet the teachers are used to kids lying to them all the time to stay out of trouble," Ron said.

"Still, it's bad enough," Harry said. "Everyone's going to be pretty miffed when they see fifteen points gone at breakfast."

"Well, it could have been worse," Hermione said as they stopped at the top of the landing. She unhooked Ron's borrowed robe and handed it back to him. "If it were anyone else but you, Harry, it would have been."

Ron looked back and forth between Harry and Hermione with confusion. Harry gave Hermione the same look. "Why do you say that?" Harry asked.

"Because he called you by name."

Harry stood dumbfounded as Hermione turned and made her way to her dorm.

Ron slapped Harry on the shoulder and turned him around, "She's got a point, you know," Ron said as he led an astonished Harry back to their room.