7

Chapter 7

A Jinx

The first Quidditch match was coming and Harry seemed really nervous.

"Have a bite of toast, mate, go on." Ron said.

"Ron's right, Harry. You're gonna need your strength for today." Hermione agreed.

I nodded.

"I'm not hungry."

I saw dad walking towards us. He was limping and I frowned.

"Good luck today, Potter. Now that you've proven yourself against a troll a game of Quidditch should be easy work for you. Even if it is against Slytherin." Dad said.

He looked at me and I smiled a bit. He smiled a little and then kept walking.

"That explains the blood." Harry said.

We all looked at him.

"Blood?" Hermione asked.

Harry looked at me sympathetically.

"Last night, I'm guessing Snape let the troll in so he could get past that three headed dog. But he got himself bitten, that's why he's limping."

I scowled.

"My father would never do such a thing!" I snapped.

"Lily look at the facts." Harry said.

"Why would anyone go near that dog?" Hermione asked.

"The day I was at Gringott's, Hagrid took something out of one of the vaults. He said it was Hogwart's business, very secret." Harry said.

"So you think…"

"That's what the dog's guarding, that's what's under the trap door, that's Snape wants."

I shook my head and left angrily. I knew my dad would never do something like this.

Draco's POV

I heard someone crying in the corridor. I was curious so I went to see who it was. My eyes went wide.

"Lily?! What's wrong?"

I sat down next to her and she looked at me. She told me everything and I frowned.

"Do you think your dad did that?"

She shook her head.

"Then that's all that matters."

"But even I have to admit that it's suspicious."

I didn't really know what to say to that.

"Maybe the quidditch game with take your mind off things." I said.

"Maybe." She said.

I smiled a bit and put my hand on her shoulder.

"Come on, I have an idea."

I took her hand and pulled her up.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"You'll see."

I led her up the stairs to the Astronomy Tower. You could see everything from up there. She smiled when we reached the top.

"Whoa."

I smiled and looked out.

"You can see almost everything from up here. We should make this our spot."

"Definitely." She said.

I smiled and she smiled back. Lily was my best friend, I'd do anything to help her.

Lily's POV

I stood with Hermione and Ron in the stands. The teams flew out and we all started to clap and cheer. I saw Harry and smiled. About half way into the game, Harry's broom started to act up.

"It's Snape! He's jinxing the broom!"

I glared at her.

"Will you stop! My dad wouldn't do that!"

She handed me the binoculars. Dad was muttering something and he wasn't blinking. I refused to believe it. However, Quirrel wasn't blinking either. When I looked back, Hermione was gone. I ran after her, knowing she was going to do something to my dad.

"Hermione!"

I ran towards the teacher's stands. I didn't make it in time, she set my father's cloak on fire. The teachers started to fall down and I saw Harry get back on his broom. I smiled and Hermione came up next to me.

"I told you!"

I scowled.

"Quirrel wasn't blinking either, genius." I said.

She didn't say anything else on the subject after that.

Draco's POV

Potter caught the snitch in his mouth. I was upset that my team didn't win, but seeing the smile on Lily's face made it a little better. I'd noticed the commotion in the teacher's stands. Whatever happened to Potter's broom wasn't an accident. Which meant Potter, Granger and Weasley would think it was Snape. I planned to find Lily after the match and make sure she was alright.

Lily's POV

Harry, Hermione, Ron and I were walking with Hagrid after the match.

"Nonsense! Why would Snape put a curse on Harry's broomstick?" Hagrid asked.

"Who knows. Why was he trying to get past that three headed dog on Halloween?" Harry asked.

I growled in frustration.

"That's enough!" I shouted.

They all looked a little guilty.

"My father is a good man and a great wizard. He would never try to harm a student and least of all one of my friends. Did it ever occur to you that maybe he was trying to help? Stop trying to make my dad the bad guy!" I shouted.

"Lily, we-"

I ran off, fighting tears the whole way. I went down to the dungeons and into my father's office. I was always able to get in there. I started to cry when I got in. Dad wasn't there, but this was the only place I felt safe enough to cry. Everyone here seemed to hate my dad, and some of them even seemed to hate me. I wished my mum was there. I pulled my knees to my chest and cried, I didn't even hear my dad come in.

"Lily?!"

He ran over and knelt down.

"Lillian what in Merlin's name is going on?"

I hugged him and told him everything.

"Oh Lily, you know I would never do that."

"I know. But I don't lie hearing them say those things."

He sighed.

"I'm sorry, Lily."

I looked at him in confusion.

"What for?"

"I know that most of the students hate me. And I was trying to save him. I'd never hurt one of your friends."

I smiled and dried my eyes.

"Always remember, you're a Snape. Life might knock us down, but we always get back up. You remember that. Now, where is the smile?"

I smiled and he nodded.

"There. Now run along."

"I love you daddy."

"And I you."

I smiled one more time before leaving the room.

Harry's POV

Ron, Hermione and I were called into Snape's office. As always, he looked angry.

"Sit down. Now."

We all sat down and he stood up.

"Before we begin, you need to know that my daughter knows nothing of this. She came to me, crying hysterically because her friends had upset her greatly. She also told me what you said. About me."

Ron looked terrified. He down and put his hand on the desks.

"If this ever happens again, there will be a punishment. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, sir." We said.

"Now go."

We left a quickly as we could.

"She snitched on us!" Ron hissed.

I shook my head.

"Lily wouldn't do that. And even if she did, we deserved it. Her dad is all she has. We owe her an apology. She's our friend." I said.

They both agreed and we went to find her. We looked in the library first, but she wasn't there. We found her in Gryffindor tower.

"Lily?"

She looked at us. It was obvious she'd been crying.

"We owe you an apology." Hermione said.

I nodded and Lily smiled a bit.

"Thanks guys. And dad was trying to save you, Harry. He told me so himself."

I smiled a bit. I felt bad for assuming the way I had. Lily was his daughter, and he'd raised her well.