Hey guys! Been awhile, huh? So here's the new one--we went back to book 1! Embrace the nostalgia!--and just read it, I guess! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I am J.K. Rowling. Ha, yeah right. I'm a kid with a laptop and these characters do not belong to me, not even a single little Mary-Sue to call my own :'( I'll deal, though.
An Odd Feeling
Harry winced, biting his tongue accidentally in order to keep from crying out loud, as another Bludger 'accidentally' caught his arm, leaving what was sure to be a large, purple and green bruise on his forearm. Blimey, he had already accepted that he was a sodding git for losing his House 150 points! Besides, if only they knew; it was not as if Harry wanted to stroll around after hours.
So far, the practice had been rapid, silent, intense, and not at its best. Most players spent too much time glowering at Harry to even bother with the practice or Wood, preferring to play their current favorite game: "Who-Can-Make-Potter-Cry-First". Harry shuddered to think what would happen if any of them had their wands with them.
"Water, team!" Wood barked, dismissing them for approximately 45 seconds. Harry walked over to the benches near the locker rooms, where he had brought some water. Gulping it down, Harry contemplated his new position amongst his fellow Gryffindors.
It was an interesting feeling, it was. No, not interesting, exactly; one of the most unpleasant points in his Hogwarts' career, actually, as he would agree to later. But it was very odd. Odd, knowing that the same people he relied on during a game, people he worked seamlessly with, hated his guts with a passion. To know that every person around him on the large, grassy field, had wished a slow and painful death on him sometime during the week. It was very odd indeed.
Harry didn't regret it. If he, Harry, hadn't sent the dragon to Charlie, Hagrid might even be Azkaban by now! And Ron had informed Harry that this was a very bad place to be. And Hagrid had rapidly become a good friend of Harry's; he shuddered to think of the loveable, if slightly mad, Game Keeper in prison or worse. It wasn't entirely Hagrid's fault, he just had a different view of what people define 'normal' and 'safe'. Though the loss of respect and amiability from the Gryffindors had seemed a steep price to pay at first, Harry would do it a thousand times again, to keep Hagrid legally free.
Suddenly, he went flying and was suddenly introduced to the ground in a very abrupt, painful way. Sadly, this wasn't altogether too unfamiliar by this point. Spitting rather unappetizing grass out of his mouth, he craned his neck to find the leg that had tripped him, and by extension, the face.
"Oops. Sorry." A cold voice spoke, not sounding very sorry at all. It was Alicia, Alicia Spinnet. She had 'accidentally' tripped him while he was walking back to his broom and was now laughing with Angelina.
"No problem," Harry bit out, trying to keep his frustration and anger under check. Thanks, mate. No, really. Good one. Ha.
Alicia sniggered nastily, pointedly stepping over him as she and Angelina sauntered back over to the broomsticks.
Harry sighed, getting up and brushing the grass off his clothes before walking, head down, eyes averted, back to the broomsticks.
"Alright, everyone! We've got a week and a half till the match against Hufflepuff and I will personally hunt you down and destroy you if we lose to bloody HUFFLEPUFF! I want a quick, hard game, team, and that's it! Now, try the Half-Loop drill, I want to use that in the game." Oliver Wood ordered, his face intense, sweat practically dripping off his face.
The team nodded once collectively and mounted their broomsticks. Getting in position, they launched the drill. It was a very simple drill, really. A month or so ago, Harry would've deemed this a very non-violent drill; easy as 1,2,3. Worthy of those Muggle Peace Corps. Now, Harry was wondering why he had ever thought he could survive Quidditch for a week, let alone 7th year. At this rate, with these same rock hard balls and hateful team mates, they may as well just invite Voldemort to conquer the Wizarding World. Blimey, just throw him a tea party and shake hands, because Harry knew he was going to be long gone before he could ever hope to defeat him. Reason? Quidditch. Bloody Quidditch. As if to emphasize his point, another Bludger came and knocked him right in the thigh. That was actually brilliant, really. Hit the same thigh twice and ensure double the pain. Brilliant.
Gits.
This must've continued for another thirty minutes or so before Wood finally called them back down. He looked less than pleased, though that wasn't exactly new, now was it? "We have practice again day after tomorrow. I expect better performance from you lot, then. Practice over."
Harry sighed in relief. Any longer and he would become The-Boy-Who-Twitched, because he was pretty sure he had an eye twitch coming on. Creepy.
The rest of the team muttered apologies and excuses, while Harry just shrugged in regret, then headed back up to the castle. Normally, he went to the locker room after practice, so he could get clean and change, but he didn't want to risk it. They were, after all, very irritated with him, and Harry wasn't really looking for another scar. One was definitely enough.
Pushing his bangs back from his glasses, he trudged up a hill to reach the castle, still sweaty from practice, regrettably.
An odd feeling, indeed.
Nothing personal against Alicia and Angelia, by the way. They're just pissed. And violent. Let's say that Alicia's kitten died that day ='( Either way, I like Alicia. She's just not a big Potter fan at the moment. And let's face it, we all have those moments. Pubescent little bugger :P Just kidding, I really do like all HP characters, even the weird ones. And Harry deserves a little love, no? ;)
OK, thanks for reading! PLEASE tell me what you think? Love it? Hate it? Think Harry was a macho little manchild who is too insenstive to the trauma he just faced? Think Harry is an angsty little pubescent whiner queen? TELL ME! =) God bless, have a good day!
