A/N - This story is slightly AU (for everyone out there that hasn't read the summary ;) ). Thanks so much to KD for being my beta and I apologise right now for the ending of this chapter. But chapter 2 should be out soon! Anyway, read on and let me know what you think about it...

Oh, and guys, it's called fanfiction . net. So if you recognise anything, it's not mine (hence the 'fan' in 'fanfiction'). And as I tend to read a lot, I think that this disclaimer shouldn't be limited to J.K. Rowling. So really, if you recognise anything, it's not mine!

Percy the Prat

I looked at the letter in my hand. This couldn't be happening, could it? I mean…I know I tried out. I know I had been flying in the sky with loads of other girls who also wanted to become a Chaser. Bloody hell! I even know some girls were worse than me! But what I couldn't understand was why I was the one with a letter in my hand. Perhaps I didn't understand Gwenog Jones when she told us that only the best would receive an owl within a week to return for a next tryout. I swallowed hard and turned the letter again to take a better look at the address. Ginevra Weasley. Yep, definitely me. The Burrow. Last time I checked, I still lived there…perhaps I should move out? Well, that could wait… Ottery St. Catchpole. Yeah…that hadn't changed during the months since Easter, had it?

I took a deep breath and opened the letter carefully. It was now or never.

Dear Miss Weasley,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been chosen for the second round of Chaser tryouts. We will be expecting you on Sunday the 22nd of August at noon.

If there is a problem, please inform us, but we will be holding the try-outs at this moment. If you are not able to attend, we will be obliged to pull you out of try-outs. You could of course try again next year.

Yours truly,

S.J.R. Abbey

Sara Abbey, manager of the Holyhead Harpies

Right…so I only had to be at the tryouts on the 22nd. That shouldn't be…bugger!

Bugger, bugger, bugger!

Percy's birthday was on the 22nd! And even if he had been a stupid, idiotic prat for the last couple of years, he had apologized now. I owed it to him (and Mum…) to show up on his first birthday he'd spent with his family since ages.

Bugger, bugger, bugger!

I couldn't ask Mum to help me go to the tryouts; she would be furious! I hadn't told her yet that I wanted to play Quidditch (she still thought I had applied for Healer training). To be honest, I hadn't told anybody yet because I didn't reckon I had a chance. Come on, I was fresh out of Hogwarts! My only experience was playing with the Gryffindor team for four years! And one of those years wasn't even as a Chaser!

The main reason I did this was because I really wanted to get over Harry once and forever. And with Healer training, I would be in the same building as the Auror training he would attend. The last time I gave up on him, it didn't really work because I still saw him every day. Being the best mate of my brother does that to people.

But then I got used to the idea of being a professional Chaser. And being up there, all day, in the sky, suddenly seemed perfect. Like it was the only right career choice.

And I was hoping like hell that I would get through the try-outs.

Percy was reading in the garden while Mum kept running in and out of the kitchen to make all of the last arrangements, finishing the cake and such stupid things. Well, she wasn't really to blame…she loves large families and the whole Percy-being-a-stupid-prat-situation had deprived her of that for four years.

I bit my lip and went to the broom shed. My broom was still there. But the party would start at two o'clock and even with all the magic in the world I wouldn't be able to be both at the party as well as at the tryouts.

"Something is bothering you," I heard Percy say from his chair. I had been walking around in the garden, which I always did when something bothered me.

I bit my lip again and looked at him. He had closed his book and was looking back at me. "I know I've been a prat," he sighed, "Fred and George were quite clear about that. But I'm also still your brother. The brother you could talk to when you were little."

Right. He was right. As always.

"You're going to hate me," I said softly.

"Try me," he said and for the first time in my life he really looked like my brother. That sentence was something Fred would have said. Or Bill. Even Ron, but not Percy.

So I did the only thing possible. "I have Quidditch tryouts at noon," I blurted out and as soon as it had left my mouth, I slapped my hand against it, "I'm so sorry, I don't want to ruin your party, but I got this letter which said that today would be my only chance to be allowed to the Harpies and I have been selected out of hundreds of other girls to reappear today and I really really really want to go, but this is the first party in ages for you and I can't do that to you. I just can't."

"Why do they have tryouts on a Sunday?" Percy asked, a little bemused. "Well, it doesn't matter, because you can go."

I looked at him like he had grown three heads.

"You love to fly, Ginny," Percy continued, "Just go. I'll figure something out to tell them. By the way, it's my party. So if I say you can go, just go. Merlin, I'm only turning 23!"

Bugger, I was running out of excuses. "But…but…" I spluttered, "I missed your 19th and your 20th and your 21st and your 22nd and now this one!"

"Well, then you just have to give me the best present by becoming a Holyhead Chaser."

"But…but…Mum will be fuming!"

He only looked at his watch, "It's eleven thirty, Ginny. I would hurry if I were you. And knowing Mum there will be entirely too many people at this party, so nobody will miss you."

I should have been outraged by this comment, but now I couldn't think of anything else but throwing my arms around his neck. "I already prepared all my stuff. Thanks Perce!"

"Percy," he grinned as he let me go. Suddenly feeling overly happy, I ran towards the broom shed, grabbed my broom and my Quidditch outfit and apparated to the Quidditch pitch.

"I'm glad I'm not the only one who is late," a petite girl with long dark brown hair said near the entrance of the locker rooms.

"Late?" I groaned.

"Didn't you get the note?" she asked, "We had to be at the pitch at eleven thirty."

"No!" My eyes widened and I grabbed my letter out of my pocket, "No, no, no," I said while reading, "Look, it says here that Chasers are expected at noon."

"You're a Chaser," the girl said understanding, "I'm Tamar Romeijn, Seeker."

"Ginny Weasley, Chaser…or at least, I hope so…"

"Of course you are," Tamar smiled, "They only asked two or three back to see how we work with the resident players. The ones that don't get chosen now, will be reserves. But I really have to run now, seeing as I'm the only Seeker who is late."

I followed her to the locker rooms and saw three other girls sitting there. Right, these were my rivals.

"Chaser or Seeker?" a girl with almost white hair asked.

"Seeker," Tamar said while changing out of her day robes into her Quidditch robes.

"Chaser," I said.

"Right," the girl looked at a notice board, "I suppose you're Tamar Romeijn? You should hurry; the other girl is already out there. And then you are…?"

"Ginny Weasley," I said while dropping my bag on a bench.

She looked up, "You can fly."

"Er…thanks, I guess." I said confused. Another girl was looking at me with a venomous glare. No…these were my rivals indeed.

"Well, we're only waiting for the last Chaser," the blonde girl said to a woman in professional work robes. Probably this Sara Abbey person.

I hate waiting.