Training for the ballet, Potter?

Hpov:

(Flashback: "training for the ballet Potter?" Malfoy had yelled to me hovering higher than me on his broom during the first match of our second year at Hogwarts.)

I sighed and leaned back against the wall. Though I didn't let it show during that match, what Malfoy said kind of hurt, because I actually was in ballet training. Yes, I know it sounds weird but since one of aunt petunia's friends insisted that her 'cute little nephew' come along on a trip to see a ballet, I was instantly fascinated. I knew since that moment, that I wanted to do ballet, to learn the graceful dace movements and become a professional. Mind you, Aunt Petunia never talked to her again.

I practiced everyday at the Privet drive, in my room where they hardly ever ventured. I currently practice whenever I can here at Hogwarts. I go to the room of requirement to dance; it's where I am currently sitting. I sighed again, I have to be extra careful now, since Sirius was cleared of charges, and living with Remus, he currently writes to me freely asking what I' m doing, and I usually reply saying I miss Hogwarts and quidditch, which brings up another problem because I need all the practice I can get to audition for a part coming up, and quidditch is getting in the way. I smirked briefly, I think wood would die on the spot if I quit the team, but sooner or later, I'll have to. I stood up from the wall and adjusted my ballet slippers. I stretched my arms, and moved to the center of the room, I did an open side leap and landed gracefully back into first position. I smiled to myself and put my regular shoes and cloths on. I put my ballet things in my bag and walked out of the room and back to the Gryffindor common room it was ten past curfew, so everyone was in bed. I crept up to my dorm quietly to encounter my fellow Gryffindor's sleeping peacefully. I sighed with relief and climbed into my bed and fell asleep.

The next morning I woke up to a loud voice screaming at me. "WAKE UP HARRY!!!" I shot up in my bed, wand at the ready, and then I looked around. "What is it Ron?!" I asked annoyed. I had had the most wonderful dream. Me, onstage in front of thousands as the Nutcracker prince. "Breakfast is in ten minutes! We're almost late!" he exclaimed. I groaned and got up. I put my robes on for the day and followed Ron into the great hall. We took our seats at the Gryffindor table next to Hermione; we sat at the table closest to the professors. I looked over at them, Sirius and Remus smiled at waved at me, I waved back in response. I'm glad they are the new defense professors, I am, but it makes me dancing that much harder. The morning owls swooped in and delivered the mail. But what I was not expecting was that an unfamiliar owl dropped a letter in front of me. I raised an eyebrow and shot a quick glance at Ron and Hermione, they looked at me curiously. I opened the seal and took the letter out.

'Dear Harry,' it read. 'I have such great news for you! You won't believe it! I got my owl this morning telling me I got the role of Clara in the ballet! Isn't that brilliant?! I don't think you'll be too unpleased to get your news… YOU GOT THE NUTCRACKER PRINCE!!!! Oh, God Harry, congratulations! If you still don't believe me see the other parchment enclosed. I can't wait to start rehearsal with you, write soon, Love, Phoebe'.

I stared at the letter dumbstruck. That was amazing news for Phoebe, but I didn't believe that I got the part. I quickly took the other piece of parchment out of the envelope and read it, 'Dear Mr. Harry Potter, we are pleased to inform you that you have received the role of the nutcracker prince in our upcoming recital of the nutcracker. You will be able to start rehearsal with Miss. Hummel as soon as you would please, Congratulations Mr. Potter, Sincerely Miss. Ophelia Darlington-Casting director.'

I felt my jaw literally drop open. "Harry! Harry? Are you alright? What did the letter say?" I heard a familiar girl's voice ask but I was too deep in thoughts to answer. 'Oh my god! This is amazing, it's incredible! I …I can't believe I got the part! And I also can't believe that I get to spend all that time dancing with Phoebe! Oh, right an explanation, Phoebe is my friend who goes to Beauxbatons, we met on platform 9 ¾ when her brother was late picking her up. He turned up to be about three hours late so we got to talking; she is really nice, really funny, and really, really pretty. She has a skinny body, and long straight black hair with big black eyes. Her pale skin makes her bottomless eyes glitter and when she smiles at me, I have this uncontrollable need to smile back at her, even when I don't want to smile. Her sweet girly laughter sends shivers up my body, and I have never felt this way before, about anyone. I felt my eye twitch involuntarily, Sirius and Remus would have afield day, and blackmail with that one.

"-arry! Hello?" I heard. My head snapped up to meet the voice, it was Ron.

"Yes?" I asked. He stared at me with a confused expression. "We've been calling you for like five minutes, what was in your letter?" he said and reached for my letters, but I smacked his hand away, he flinched. I smiled up at them, "Nothing to worry about, you guys, I just have some stuff to take care of." I said, not answering the obvious unasked questions. "Well, who was it from?" 'Mione asked.

"Huh? Oh! It was from my fried Phoebe, she goes to Beauxbatons." I said shortly. Immediately Hermione looked exited about me having a French friend she could meet. I smiled back at her, "questions at lunch, okay Hermione?" I said. She nodded reluctantly. As we ate our breakfast a spasm of horror washed through me, 'Oh Merlin, I am going to have to quit the quidditch team, oh Merlin, they'll all kill me! What's Sirius going to say?' I thought quickly. I gave a frustrated sigh. I looked down the table to see wood talking to Fred and George, about game strategy's no doubt. 'At today's practice,' I thought. And nodded to myself. "right." I said out loud.

(TIME JUMP – to Quiddicth practice)

I made my way over to the quiddicth pitch in my regular school clothes, I didn't bother to put on my uniform, I had I folded and tucked under my arm. I heard the team's voices getting louder, "- minutes into the game, alright?" Wood's voice announced. I took a deep breath as I lingered in the doorway of our team's tent. I went inside confidently and smiled to Fred and George when I saw them. Wood turned around and ushered me into the front of their circle, "so Harry, we… wait, why aren't you in uniform?" he asked slowly. I looked around nervously. "Uh, Wood can I talk to you alone for a minute?" I asked cautiously. He raised an eyebrow and told the team to go fly laps, when they left he stood in front of me. "What's going on Harry, practice is from five til' seven and you must be in uniform." he said. I looked right up into his eyes. "Wood, I'm quitting the team." I said bluntly. He stared at me silently for what seemed to be like an hour, he blinked at me several times and then made an odd noise from the back of his thought. He blinked at me again, and them he gave me an uneasy smile. "Did the Weasley's but you up to this? They know how important you are to the team, they... You… are just pulling my broom, right?" he asked. "No, it's not a joke, I'm quite serious, I'm quitting so you'll have to find a new seeker, I'm sorry, is there anything you want to say?" I told him. I went into momentary shock as he actually had tears building in his eyes. "Why, why what why?!?!" he yelled and then calmed down and said "If we don't win without you, Harry, you'll have the beaters to answer to." And he walked out onto the pitch. I gave a small smile, 'that went well.'

I climbed through the portrait hole and into the common room; I was met with a sharp blow to my shoulder. "Ouch! What the hell?!" I exclaimed.

"You know the bloody hell what!" Ron yelled at me, I looked around to see Hermione, Fred and George standing by the couch we usually sat on. Ron pulled me over to them.

"How could you quit the quiddicth team?" Ron asked in a low voice. I felt the heat rise to my cheeks. "Well, you see… I … I want to do better in my classes, so I need extra time to study… 'Mione you understand, don't you?" I said and turned to Hermione hopefully. She gave me a big smile of that to rival the Cheshire cat. "Of course! Harry, I perfectly understand and I think you're making a great decision." At that, Ron gave her a shocked look. "I'd be perfectly happy to help you with potions." She said seriously. I paused then nodded at her, "yeah sure, 'Mione, thanks, I'll just go then…" I said and tried to turn around and leave but the twins caught my arms. "Guys…" I said warningly. They gave me mischievous looks. "Sirius knows." They said together. Just then my body temperature seemed to drop. "W…what?" I asked quietly. They smirked and pushed me out the door of the common room. I ran a hand through my messy raven-colored hair. I started to walk to the great hall.

I didn't look up until I was half way inside the hall, when I did look up to the head table; all of the professors were staring at me in shock or confusion. I slowly turned to meet Sirius's face he was kind of pale and his hands were twitching and he seemed to be mumbling something to Remus, who was in pure shock. 'Yeah, I bet they didn't see that one coming, imagine their reactions if they found out the actual reason why I quit.'

I slowly walked over to where Sirius and Remus were sitting; ignoring the looks I got from the other professors. "Hey Sirius, Remus… is everything okay?" I said innocently. They looked up at me. "Why did you quit quidditch, Harry?" Sirius asked slowly. I sighed and again ran a hand through my hair. "I have my reasons, Sirius; it's not what I really… love to do." I said. "But why?" he said probably more to himself than me.

"I had to ok?" I said started to get worried for his sanity. "Give me one actual reason why Harry, why did you end the legacy?" he said with pleading eyes. I looked into his eyes.

"You wouldn't understand." I said in my best angst-ing – teenager voice. He looked kind of worried, a look he's never given me before, like the realization hit him that I'm a teenage guy. I gave an over-dramatic sigh and turned to walk away. I saw Snape give me a smirk before I sat down at the Gryffindor table.

I rested my head on the table and looked up to go back to my dorm, when I saw the very person I wanted to be dancing with. "Phoebe!" I yelled in delighted surprise. She scanned the room and when her eyes met mine, we both beamed at eacth other and I got up and ran over to meet her, "Harry! I can't believe that…" but I cut her off when I swept her into a hug and spun her around, she giggled her laugh that made me smile even brighter. I took her hand- I wasn't aware that almost every eye was on us- and turned to sit with her at the table when I noticed Remus, Sirius AND Snape smirking at me. Oh Merlin.