Hufflepuff
Seventh Year
Additional
Prompt: 1056-1065 words, must be related to Quidditch in some way
Word Count: 1065 (when paragraph break is removed)
The day she was picked as a starting Chaser for the Holyhead Harpies was one of the happiest of Ginny's life. She honestly thought that she would be a stand-in but no, the owner of the team had seen her play for Gryffindor and one of the Chasers had received an offer from another team. It was rather intimidating to be the only new player on a team of well-seasoned athletes, but she was not about to get shy.
The Captain of the Holyhead Harpies, Gwenog Jones, was the oldest of the players but still a strong Beater. Ginny was absolutely thrilled to meet her hero.
"Welcome to the team, Weasley," said Jones presenting her with the green uniform. "We're excited to have you."
"I had your poster!" Ginny blurted.
Jones threw back her head and laughed. "Yeah, you and the other two Chasers on the team! Your locker is beside Griffiths and practice begins at eight o'clock tomorrow. Don't be late."
"Yes, Captain," said Ginny, spotting Wilda Griffiths.
The locker room for the Holyhead Harpies was rather big since they not only had the main team but reserves as well. Everything was painted green, though the benches were yellow and faded in the areas where players sat down. Ginny went to the far end and opened the tall locker finding enough space for two uniforms and her broom. She got a snazzy Chaser's broom for her birthday, so she was on par equipment wise with the other women.
"Hey, Weasley," said Griffiths. "I know Jonesy said that practice was at eight, but what she really meant was you need to be in your uniform and on the field at eight. I recommend coming at seven- thirty."
"Oh." Ginny nodded, making a mental note to set her alarm. "Thanks."
"No, problem." Griffiths smiled. "Listen, I know you've probably heard stories about Quidditch Teams hazing their new players and pulling pranks on them, but we don't do that here. Jones thinks things like that cause discord between players and if we're not harmonious then we've already lost."
"Well, that's good," said Ginny. "I grew up with pranksters for brothers and I think it could get messy because my immediate reaction to having a prank pulled on me is to hex the prankster and ask questions later."
Griffiths laughed. "We might not pull pranks but there are ranks here. Since you're new you're on broom duty."
"What's that mean?"
"It means," said Valamai Morgan, "that I don't have to polish and fix broom twigs after practice anymore! Thanks, Weasley."
Figures that there would be grunt work pushed on the newbies. Who cared? She was on the Holyhead Harpies! They were quickly becoming the best team in Great Britain and Ginny dared to dream that with her on the team, they'd become the best in Europe if not the world.
She looked down at her uniform, caressed her thumb over the claw made of golden thread, and didn't bother suppressing the smile that pulled at her lips.
~o0o~
Captain Jones pushed her team in a way that matched her brothers' stories of Oliver Wood. Practice was always held rain or shine, snow or sleet, day or night. Ginny didn't know there were so many ways to warm-up for flying. It wasn't just an endless game of pick-up Quidditch like in school or at home. This was on a new level.
Her first day, Ginny showed up at 7:15 just to be safe and arrived at the Practice Arena at the same time as Jones which already gained her an approving smile.
"Alright, Weasley," she said. "You can help me set up the obstacle course."
"Obstacle course?"
"How else are you supposed to get agile?"
Using their wands, Ginny and Jones levitated rings, vertical bars, and player silhouettes that she and the other Chasers would have to practice maneuvering around. By the time that was set up, the other players had arrived. Jones tweeted her whistle and the women fell into a block with their brooms at their sides.
Unsure of what to do, Ginny picked up her broom and stood next to Griffiths.
"Fifteen minute workout ladies!" Jones shouted. "Follow my lead!"
Ginny was just a few seconds behind of everyone. Having to look at Jones or Griffiths to make sure she was doing the exercises right slowed her down. When Jones blew her whistle, Ginny was panting lightly and trying to wipe the sweat that beaded her forehead.
Griffiths shot her a smile. "It gets easier, I promise."
"Does it? Does it really?"
"Chasers, begin obstacle course," Jones ordered. "I want you to practice ten formations, make sure the new girl is well-versed in them by the end of the day."
"Yes, Captain," Griffiths and Morgan chorused.
Ginny followed them to the middle of the field and mounted her broom. When they reached the height of the obstacle course, Griffiths and Morgan worked through a medium speed of the first formation. Once they had that down, they worked on the second.
"Pick up the pace ladies!" Jones shouted. "My grandmother could fly faster than you - God rest her soul."
"I can work faster," said Ginny.
"You sure?" said Morgan. "This is the professionals, we fly much faster than we would at school."
"I can handle it," Ginny assured her.
"Alright, if you insist."
By the end of the day, Ginny was nursing bruises from her collisions with the obstacles and her teammates.
"Time for laps!" Jones shouted. "I want twenty around the Arena, when you're done do your chores and then you can go home."
She landed and went to the locker room, no doubt to come up with a strategy to accommodate their bumbling new Chaser.
Flying laps felt like the only thing Ginny did right that day. She kept up with everyone except Martina Martinez, the Seeker, who was almost lapping them entirely.
"How'd you like your first day, newbie?" Morgan asked when they landed.
"I think I could sleep for a week," said Ginny with a weak laugh.
"No such luck, chuckaboo," said Martina. "You're on broom duty."
"That's an actual thing?" Ginny asked before she stopped herself.
"Sure is," said Lyon, the other Beater. "The tools are in the cabinet next to the spare broom rack."
Within seconds, Ginny had her arms full of brooms.
"Oh, joy," she said with a heavy sigh.