Title: Corrupted Pawn
Chapter 2: Riddle me this, Riddle me that
Disclaimer: We don't own.
A/N: *sighs* it's taken Han an age to get round to editing this stuff. I wrote 3 chapters in under a week then sat around waiting for the edit. She's terrible at deadlines. (Lau)
Anyone who spots the House references rule! (Tell us in a review if you find any) And Lau, I know I'm rubbish at deadlines, but Miss K wanted that plot profile and she's scary! (Han)

Harry, Ron and Hermione sat around the fire in the Gryffindor common room. It was strangely empty; most people busy IM-ing each other. Hermione had abandoned the wonders of Muggle technology (normal to her, of course) for a thick dusty book titled 'Rulers of the wizarding world'. Ron was swearing under his breath at a particularly difficult Potions essay, and Harry was IM-ing Ginny about Quidditch practice the next day. Hermione suddenly stood up, slamming the book shut excitedly.

"I have to go to -" she began.

"The library" Harry and Ron chorused, rolling their eyes.

Hermione blinked at them before running out, the boys already back on their respective tasks

The-boy-who-survived-mouldyshorts has entered the chat room.

Gin-n-tonic: Hey Harry. What's with the user name?

The-boy-who-survived-mouldyshorts: *shrugs* seemed a good idea at the time. Quidditch try outs tomorrow, 10am spread the word.

Gin-n-tonic: kay, I'll be there... reckon Ron'll actually get on the team?

The-boy-who-survived-mouldyshorts: I don't know if I actually want him too, for the good of the team. Plus he's got his hands full with Mione & 'lavlav'.

Gin-n-tonic: Totally true. I have to go, see you tomorrow.

Gin-n-tonic has left the chat room.

Riddlemethis has requested private chat: accept?

What the hell? Harry thought. He hadn't seen anyone called Riddlemethis anywhere, never heard the name. He shrugged and clicked accept.

The-boy-who-survived-mouldyshorts: Okay, who are you?

Riddlemethis: You can call me Tom.

The-boy-who-survived-mouldyshorts: Okay... Tom?

Riddlemethis: Yes?

The-boy-who-survived-mouldyshorts: Why did you want to talk to me?

Riddlemethis: You intrigue me.

The-boy-who-survived-mouldyshorts: Okay...

Riddlemethis: So, why do you fight you know who?

The-boy-who-survived-mouldyshorts: That was an overly personal opener.

Riddlemethis: I apologize. I didn't mean to offend.

The-boy-who-survived-mouldyshorts: Don't worry, you get used to it. I don't know why, I suppose it seems like 'the right thing'.

Riddlemethis: The old coot controlling you huh?

The-boy-who-survived-mouldyshorts: %"*(^$! if Mione saw that she'd explode.

Riddlemethis: who is this …. Mione?

The-boy-who-survived-mouldyshorts: ... a friend.

Riddlemethis: so she believes him completely?

The-boy-who-survived-mouldyshorts: I don't know... she should be clever enough to see that he's manipulating us all, but he is only doing it to defeat Lord Voldemort, and Voldemort's evil. So I guess it wouldn't matter whatever she believed.

Riddlemethis: You admitted he's manipulating!

The-boy-who-survived-mouldyshorts: Yeah, but he's manipulating us for the greater good.

Riddlemethis: Yet you still defend him, golden boy.

The-boy-who-survived-mouldyshorts has left the chat room.

Harry glared at the screen. Riddlemethis, whoever he was, was annoying. Probably a cleverer version of Malfoy, an older Slytherin perhaps. He glanced up at the time, shocked to discover it was nearly midnight. Ron had left without him noticing, probably to find Lavender. Hermione hadn't returned as far as he knew. She was currently trying to pretend like nothing ever happened with Ron and Lavender - no more public snogging scenes yet, so she could pretend easily. She was however a little sharper with Ron, less likely to let him copy homework or notes perhaps. Harry would have suffered this too, because she knew he would lend them to Ron, but his summer had proved uneventful enough he had nothing to do but read. He had spent a few days in Diagon Alley when the Dursleys went on holiday, researching and relaxing at the same time, amazingly.

When Hermione had run off the other night she had locked herself in the girl's bathroom, so Harry had left Ginny to deal with her. He may be better than Ron, but he still didn't understand girls at all sometimes.

Harry glanced back down at the screen, jumping slightly as he realised one room was occupied:

Slytherin Prince has entered the chat room.

Sarcasm's Oracle has entered the chat room.

Sarcasm's Oracle: So, how's it going with Pansy?

Slytherin Prince: Oh god, don't talk to me about that girl...

Salazar's Queen has entered the chat room.

Slytherin Prince: Oh! Err, hi Pansy.

Sarcasm's Oracle: *Smirks*

Salazar's Queen: Where have you been Draco darling? I've been looking all over for you!

Slytherin Prince: Shut it Blaise. And I was busy.

Salazar's Queen: You can't be too busy for me!

The-boy-who-survived-mouldyshorts has entered the chat room.

Sarcasm's Oracle: ...

Slytherin Prince: W.T.F. Potter?

Salazar's Queen: Oh, is this what's so much more important than me? Well, I'm leaving. *crying*

Slytherin Prince: You do that...

You think you've had it bad Potter? You've never had to put up with her.

Sarcasm's Oracle: Did I miss something? I went to the loo.

The-boy-who-survived-mouldyshorts: ... Yeah, with your friends, Voldy seems like a walk in the park.

Sarcasm's Oracle: Yeah, you wanna walk in Voldy's park any day don't you Potter?

The-boy-who-survived-mouldyshorts: Please. Just eww.

Slytherin Prince: What? … Okay, why are we all being nice? AVADA KEDAVRA!

The-boy-who-survived-mouldyshorts has left the chat room.

Sarcasm's Oracle: Hate to break it to you Draco, but that won't have killed him.

Slytherin Prince: He's gone hasn't he?

Sarcasm's Oracle: You really are a bit dim today aren't you Drakie-poo?

Slytherin Prince: ADAVE KEDAVRA!

Sarcasm's Oracle: -_- *not impressed*

Slytherin Prince: WHY WON'T IT WORK!

Sarcasm's Oracle: *shakes head*

Sarcasm's Oracle has left the chat room

Slytherin Prince: nobody loves me :'(

Salazar's Queen: I LOVE YOU DARLING!
Slytherin Prince: I thought you buggered off.

Salazar's Queen: … I LOVE YOU!

Slytherin Prince has left the chat room

*The next morning*

Harry stood shivering in the morning air. Summer appeared to have buggered off for good now, and at 8 in the morning it was freezing. However, it was perfect quidditch conditions. He had come down here early to think and clear his mind, and to avoid Hermione. Her and Ron had had an explosive (literally) argument at about 6 this morning, when Hermione woke early to go to the library and Ron snuck out to see his darling Lav-lav, and Harry hadn't been able to sleep since. He paced up and down irritably, jumping slightly as Ginny tapped him on the shoulder.

"Thought you might want this." She muttered, holding out a sheet of paper covered in names. "The people who should be coming?" She answered Harry's blank expression. He nodded in understanding, flicking through all 5 sheets of paper. Written on both sides. "Sorry, it would have been shorter, but I didn't have time to get rid of the names of people who aren't in Gryffindor." He nodded again, scanning the sheets for familiar names. Ginny, Katie Bell and Ron were all there, along with Dean Thomas, but he didn't recognise any others. They all appeared to be from younger years.

Harry sighed and walked onto the pitch, noticing the stands already filling up slightly. He sent away any non Gryffindors in the stands, he didn't want spies. He knew he was being overly serious about it, but he wanted to lead them to victory... okay, he knew that sounded cheesy. By that time all the people trying out had arrived, and he had to do the same with them. A bunch of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw 6th year girls ran off giggling, and a second group of dejected 1st years followed. He was left with about 25 people, most clutching school brooms. The new-ish broom Ron had received for becoming a prefect was shaking in his hands. A tall, strong looking 7th year held a gleaming broom, a Nimbus 2001 - no longer the best, but still brilliant. Two other people had decent looking brooms, a tall slim 4th year girl and... Luna?

"Luna, you're in Ravenclaw." Harry pointed out. She looked around, a little confused, before nodding dreamily and wandering over to the stands, vaulting the railings with apparent (and surprising) ease. He didn't have the heart to make her leave, and he couldn't imagine anyone less likely to spy on them anyway.

"Right. Now that's sorted out, could I have everyone fly two laps around the field and then land back here." It was a good idea - he sent off about 5 more who almost fell out of the air a few seconds in. The 7th year led all the way perfectly. The rest blobbed together a few feet behind him, some racing each other, others were concentrating hard.

"Good, could I have the chasers over here please?" Harry called, hoping they would get done fast. Ginny, Katie, the 4th year and 4 others gathered round as Madam Hooch arrived, volunteering to play keeper for the tests. He had the 7 hopefuls try to score a goal 5 times, watching as they attempted every tactic possible to get it through one of the golden hoops. Katie and Ginny each scored 5, as he had expected. The others scored 3's mostly, but the 4th year, who was called Ivy Jones, scored 4. He tried a similar exercise with the beaters, and ended up with Sam (a 5th year with an impressively good aim) and Denise Mayfield (another 5th year with black hair and pale skin). Finally it was time for the keeper trials, which Harry had not been looking forward to. The only people left were Ron, the 6th year (Cormac McLaggen) and one other named Gregory Wilson. He had the chasers take it in turns, throwing the quaffle 6 times to each person. Ron scored only 3, an exceptionally cocky Cormac scored 5, and Gregory amazingly managed to block all of them.

Harry dismissed the people who didn't get in and headed to the changing rooms with this years team: Ginny, Katie, Ivy, Sam, Denise and Gregory. He was actually quite impressed. This team was almost as good as when he first joined, with Oliver, Gred and Forge.

Now he just had to train them. Sounded… fun?