How It All Goes Down
The Firebolt
- Harry returns to the castle in shock over what he's heard.
- He's angry that no one ever told him the full story.
- Harry goes up to his room to look at the photo album Hagrid made for him, full of old pictures of his parents.
- He searches through it until he finds his parents' wedding photo. And standing next to his dad is none other than a young and happy Sirius Back.
- Harry has nightmares all night about Black.
- The next day is the start of the holiday break and the three friends go visit Hagrid.
- Harry plans to angrily confront Hagrid about Black.
- But Hagrid is so upset when they arrive that Harry doesn't have the heart to do it.
- Turns out, Buckbeak has to go on trial for his attack on Malfoy, and Hagrid is really upset.
- They agree to help Hagrid with his case, and the project helps distract Harry.
- On Christmas morning, the gang check out their presents.
- Harry has an anonymous gift that turns out to be a Firebolt broomstick.
- The boys flip out in excitement, but Hermione finds the whole thing shifty.
- That night, they head down for Christmas dinner with the few other students still at the castle and the professors.
- Professor Trelawney decides to join them, after having a vision where she did just that. How convenient.
- McGonagall and Trelawney provide the dinner entertainment as they proceed to bicker.
- Snape glares at everyone and Dumbledore acts cheerfully oblivious to everyone.
- Finally, the world's most awkward dinner ends and Hermione stays behind to chat with McGonagall.
- The boys go back to the common room to gaze at the Firebolt some more.
- They're about a few minutes away from composing sonnets to it.
- But then McGonagall arrives to break up the love fest. She's come to confiscate the Firebolt.
- The boys are furious with Hermione and McGonagall.
- Hermione defends herself: "Because I thought – and Professor McGonagall agrees with me – that the broom was probably sent to Harry by Sirius Black!" (11.2.204).