Chapter 9
Someone was shaking her. Sarah swatted at the offending hand and groaned, "Leave me alone. Five more minutes, Jareth."
"Jareth?", she heard someone who was definitely not Jareth asked.
Sarah opened an eye and looked up at Harry. "Where'd he go?", she asked.
"Who?", Harry asked.
Sarah sighed. "Never mind. Why are you waking me up?"
"It's Quiddtich tryouts today. You said you wanted to tryout."
Sarah sat bolt upright. "Am I late?"
"I'm the Quidditch Captain. You're only late when I say you are." He grinned.
Sarah got up and ran up to her dormitory. Hermione greeted her with a sleepy smile. "Good luck, Sarah."
Sarah simply nodded, got dressed, grabbed her broom, and ran back downstairs.
"Ready?", Harry asked.
"Yup."
"You're sure?"
"Yes."
"Got your wand?"
"Yeah. I slept with it. Don't remind me."
"What happens when you hold your wand with your bare hand?"
Sarah looked down at her hands and cursed. She quickly ran back upstairs, grabbed her gloves, and ran back down, tugging them on. "Okay. I'm ready."
Harry nodded and led the way out of the portrait hole.
"Mr. Potter. Where is your girlfriend, Ms. Granger?", the Pink Lady asked.
Sarah giggled. Harry glared at the portrait and walked rather quickly away, making it hard for Sarah to keep up.
They stopped by the Great Hall for a few moments to grab a piece of toast, then headed out of the castle.
"Harry, do you think I'll be any good?", she asked.
"Of course.", said a smooth voice at her left.
Sarah looked and groaned. "What are you doing here, Jareth?"
"Two reasons.", Jareth replied. "I wanted to see the tryouts. I've never actually seen anyone flying on a broom. Sounds interesting. The other reason is that I wanted to apologize."
Sarah looked at him in surprise. "For what?"
"I have a list, actually."
Sarah raised an eyebrow. "This is killing you, isn't it?"
"Very much so, yes. It's a very severe blow to my ego."
"Well, perhaps my services aren't needed, then. You are quite capable of killing you yourself."
"Oh, I need very different services from, you love."
"No, you don't."
"Would you two get a room?", Harry asked. "You guys bicker like a married couple."
"Well, I hope so.", Jareth replied, then gasped in pain and held his side where Sarah's elbow had temporarily resided.
"I wish you would stop this, Harry. I will never admit that I love the bloody Goblin King.", Sarah said firmly.
"But you just did.", Harry pointed out.
"No, I didn't."
"You said you wouldn't admit it. Well, it means you have something to admit."
Sarah glanced at the Goblin King. He was looking at Harry with interest. "Stop twisting my words, Potter."
"No, please, Potter. Go on.", Jareth said.
Sarah glared at him. "We can't take any advice from him. He has his own love problems to sort out?"
"We, Sarah?"
"Great. You too. Stop finding double meanings in what I say."
"Well, of course, me too. I'm the one who wants you to love me."
Sarah opened her mouth, then shut it again. "Potter, tell him you mistook me so he'll leave me alone."
Jareth wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Sarah, you know I don't believe you."
Sarah grabbed his arm in a firm grip and threw it off of her shoulders. "Now, then. What's at the top of that list you were talking about?"
"Last night.", he replied.
"What happened last night?", Harry asked suspiciously.
Sarah glared at him. She said, "He wishes.", at the same time Jareth said, "I wish."
Harry laughed, then looked at Jareth. "Continue."
"Thank you.", Jareth said. "I'm sorry. I took advantage of the fact that you were tired and virtually defenseless against me."
Sarah gaped at him. "I was tired because I think you were weaving a spell over me."
Jareth looked at Harry. "Clever lass, isn't she?"
Harry shrugged. "Hermione would like to learn that spell."
"Here were go with Hermione again.", Sarah sighed. "Harry, why don't you just admit it?"
"I'll admit I love Hermione the day you admit you love Professor Shae."
"Who?", Sarah asked.
"Me. I'm your teacher.", Jareth reminded her.
"Oh. Right. Anyway, Harry, that's a good idea. I'll admit I love the Goblin King, even though I don't, the day you admit you love Hermione." She stuck out her hand. "Deal?"
Harry shook her hand. "Deal.", he agreed.
"Harry, hurry up and get over your denial, please.", Jareth said. There was a flash of bright light and he turned into his owl form and flew off.
"Damn. Now you've got his hopes up. Great job, Harry. I don't suppose there's a reverse love potion out there is there so I can force him to drink it."
"Hermione's the one to talk to about that."
"There you go again."
Harry glared at her. "And, anyway, how would you force him to drink it? Flashing him, I suppose?" Sarah punch him on the arm, rather hard. "Ow. That hurt." He rubbed his bruised arm as they entered the Quidditch Pitch.
After about fifteen minutes, everyone was there, along with half the school in the bleachers. Jareth was perched on one of the goal posts. Sarah hoped she got a chance to throw the Quaffle at him. But it was an accident, I swear.
"Harry, there are so many people. Why?", Sarah asked.
"I'm the so-called 'Chosen One'.", he answered. "They probably came to gawk."
The tryouts actually weren't as bad as Sarah expected them to be. The new Chasers were herself, Katie, who returned, Sarah, and Ginny. Harry was quite proud of his beaters, as well. One was a boy named Roger Winters who had managed to raise a lump the size of an egg on the back of Harry's head; and David Jones, who was tall, thin, and pale but had good aim. The returning Keeper was Ron, who had nearly got on after Cormac McLaggen nearly out-saved him.
Harry beamed at his new team. They all beamed back, except Sarah, who was staring intently at the familiar owl perched on one of the goalposts. "Sarah, this way.", Harry said, waving a hand in front of her face.
Sarah jumped. "What?", she asked.
"Let's not think about our new teacher and how you're going to torture him when you get your hands on him, Sarah.", Harry replied. Ron snorted. "Now, then. I think this team is going to be great this year. Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, we will win the Cup!"
"Harry, please, stop.", Sarah begged.
"Sarah, it's just a book.", Harry told her.
"Harry, don't get me started on that damned book."
Harry grinned. "Fine. Then I won't say anything about how we'll be generous at first, then we'll be cruel."
"No, you bloody well won't." Her hand was in her pocket. Harry suspected she was gripping her wand.
"All right, I give. You have no power over me."
She let go of her wand and lunged at him. Harry closed his eyes, waiting for the collision, but it never came. He opened his eyes. Jareth had grabbed her wrists and he was... kissing her? He pulled away and nodded. "There. No fighting, Ms. Williams.", he told her in a scolding voice. Sarah stared at him in shock for a few moments before her eyes rolled in the back of her head and she fainted. Jareth caught her and picked her up. Harry was glad that the only people left in the stadium, besides him, was the team and Hermione and Jareth. "I'll take her to the hospital wing, Mr. Potter.", Jareth told him formly and walked away.
Hermione giggled. Harry shot her a look. "It isn't funny, Hermione.", he said seriously.
"Oh, I know, Harry. I'm worried, too. But what happened before she fainted was funny."
Harry shook his head and ran after the Goblin King.
Here we go. Next chapter, wand lessons, and more about how the heck Voldemort became Jareth's old man. Next chapter after that, more love potions. Hehe. I'm look forward to that. Oh, and, probably about chapter 12 or 13 or 14, we find out about the connection between Harry and Sarah. Some of you might love it... Some of you may kill me. Either way, it's quite a good twist, if I do say so myself.
Jareth: *looking around* How did I get here?
Lp: Jareth, this is a completely different story.
Jareth: *sigh* How are you torturing me this time? PLEASE tell me I don't have kids that make me feel small and inferior.
Lp: No... Sarah and Harry and Dumbledore make you feel small and inferior.
Jareth: Damn...
