(Disclaimer: This is not my world, my situations or my characters, they all
belong to JK Rowling and are protected by copyright!)
(Author's Note: This is one of my favourite chapters so far, it does get a bit slow at times, stay with my please, and thanks once again for reading! Love you all so much!)
(Moony, Padfoot, and Prongs are my FAVORITE characters, oh, and as for Wormtail: DIE!)
'Wow, good job mate.' Said Ron a bit sadly. It seemed as if he had wanted the position of team captain to. But seeing as how Harry had been the youngest seeker in a century, there wasn't a lot of chance.
'Thanks!' said Harry. He still couldn't believe that he had gotten captain. He was so used to Wood always telling him what to do, and then Angelina. But now he would be the one to devise the training plan and choose the team. He was ecstatic.
'Well done Harry,' said Hermione, 'But remember, we have N.E.W.T.s coming up next year. If you want to be an Auror, don't let your training stand in way of your school work.'
'Hermione!' said Ron, shocked, 'can't you just let him be, or be happy for him at least! But I suppose with you I should've expected that.'
'What's that supposed to mean?' asked Hermione sharply putting down a potions pamphlet.
'Just that, well, you need to focus on something outside your little world of grades and proper manners, I mean, you can't act like this. Harry got Quidditch captain for crying out loud!' He was turning very red and started looking frightened of Hermione as she got up and started yelling. Harry was thinking about getting some fresh air and avoiding Ron and Hermione's fight when he realized that he only had two hours left in break. Two hours to decide his courses for the next two years. He grabbed some of the pamphlets advertising different courses and why they were useful, and ran upstairs to his dormitory. Harry encountered Neville lying on his bed as he opened the door. But he didn't even notice that Harry had entered, for he was fully immersed in a Transfiguration leaflet. He sprawled out on own bed and started looking. What had McGonagall told him he had needed to be an Auror, if that was even what he wanted to be? If he was just going to die anyway, then what was the point of picking a career? Basically what Dumbledore had said was that his life's ambition was to defeat Voldemort and save the world. He should be training instead of picking out courses. But still, he was positive that he would die. A scrawny sixteen year old against a sixty- something year old. The most powerful sixty-something year old wizard in the world. But, he told himself, he would probably be better off to start Auror training now, by taking the right courses. He sighed aloud and Neville gave a little squeak.
'Sorry.' Mumbled Neville, 'I didn't realize anyone else was in here.'
'No problem.' Said Harry, turning back to a list he was making. A thought had occurred to Harry. What did Neville want to do after Hogwarts?
'Neville,' Harry started, 'what are your plans for after Hogwarts?' Neville mumbled something from his side of the room.
'Pardon?'
'Auror.' He said shortly. Harry was shocked. He had pictured Neville becoming the next Professor Sprout, but an Auror? Even if his parents had been great ones, it didn't necessarily mean that he would be. But there had to have been a reason of why he was put in Gryffindor.
'Nice choice,' said Harry, trying to sound supportive. From the 5 years that he had known Neville, he knew that he needed the utmost encouragement in ninety percent o his choices.
'Really?' Neville perked his head up from the opposite direction and turned to face Harry.
'Yeah,' said Harry trying to sound casual, 'I've been looking into that as well.' A couple moments of silence followed.
'Do you- Do you think I would be able to? I mean, when I went for my careers appointment, Umbridge was in the room and she told me that my dreams would be crushed, and I hadn't even said what I wanted to do yet.'
'Don't worry Neville. She said the same to me.' Said Harry quietly, was Neville taking Umbridge seriously? 'Want to look over our classes together?' Neville seemed eager at the idea and jumped onto Harry's bed. Harry looked up at him. He looked very stressed and tired, not to mention scared. Last years fight against Voldemort and his Death Eaters must have changed Neville's world. But it seemed to have given him more confidence.
'Let's see . . .' started Harry, 'We'll need Transfiguration, advanced, Potions, advanced, and Charms of course.' He scanned down the list he had made.
'I remember McGonagall saying that we needed . . .er . . . ' Neville looked at some class pamphlets, 'Defence against the Dark Arts, obviously, and, wow, I that's it! Four classes, mind you they're all advanced.'
'What'd you get on your O.W.L.s?' asked Harry, he wondered whether Neville had he marks to become an Auror, he felt bad for him. But Neville reached for the gold piece of parchment and handed it over proudly. Harry looked at it.
Ordinary Wizarding Level results for Mr. Neville A. Longbottom, approved by Beatrice Evans
Charms: Exceeds Expectations
Transfiguration: Outstanding
Defence Against the Dark Arts: Outstanding
Divination: Poor
Potions: Outstanding
Astronomy: Acceptable
Care of Magical Creatures: Poor
'It's great isn't it!' said Neville beaming, ' I don't any of the subjects I got bad on!'
'Great!' said Harry. And he truly meant it, he knew how it felt to never have anything, and Neville deserved these O.W.L.s more than anyone.
*
The sixth year students had all handed in their class choices by eight that evening. Some were smiling as they handed them in, some were grimacing, and some (like Seamus) were cursing.
Harry was relatively pleased with his results, as they allowed him to take the Auror classes, however, he felt reasonably bad about Hagrid. Almost all of his fifth years had gotten Acceptable or worse. Harry made a point to go visit him that night. So at nine o'clock, he met Ron and Hermione in the common room with the invisibility cloak, the three huddled under it with quite a bit more difficulty than they had there first time. Ron glanced at Harry.
'I think we're getting to big for this.' Silently, Harry agreed, but not by his own will. He wished that he could have remained that eleven -year old boy forever. Just having fun with his friends, not having to worry every night about how he would have to defeat Voldemort, or about saving the world. Only if Mrs. Norris would be hiding around the next corner. They stepped out into the chilly September air. They hadn't talked much since they had arrived at Hogwarts; they all still seemed to be touched on the events of the previous year. And weren't really sure if Harry was ready to talk about it yet. They knocked three times on Hagrid's door. They could see his shadow moving past the window as it came to the door.
'Who are ye?' he asked cautiously. Almost as if he were expecting Aragog again. 'It's us!' said Hermione frantically looking behind her; she seemed rather jumpy, as if something was after her.
Hagrid made a motion with his shadow that suggested he was opening the door, and shortly after they were sitting on one his enormous couches under the bright light of his cabin.
'How are yeh?' He asked, simply beaming at the sight of them.
'Just fine, how are you Hagrid? And how's Grawp?' asked Hermione politely, although Harry could see that she could have cared less.
'We're great, thanks fer askin!' So how are yeh all comin' along in yer career choices.'
Hermione said that she'd rather not talk about it, and Ron sat there delightedly telling Hagrid about his dream to become an Auror. Harry didn't really feel like talking. After a couple of stone cakes and pots of tea, they left and went back to the warm of their beds.
*
Quidditch trails were being held that night, and two weeks of classes and homework was starting to catch up on Harry, he was exhausted by the time he walked out onto the pitch. He saw what was left of his team standing in the sidelines. They looked a pretty sorry bunch. And to be honest, Harry felt that thy should have to try out to. So he put all of his team (except Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell who would stay as it was their last year at Hogwarts, and they were some of the best players) onto the field. He still had no idea how he would run this trail. Ron and Ginny looked rather hurt and annoyed at the aspect of having to try out again. But he had assured them that they would be put back on the team. This was just to make the beater's that he was thinking of replacing feel better.
'This year we have the positions of Chaser, two Beaters, and one Keeper open. If the team from last year has kept its shape up, then they might beat you all to it. But not to worry, because this year, we are planning on having reserve chasers and a reserve keeper on the team. This means that they would be attending all practises, but unless their partner is sick, they won't be playing.' Harry found how easily it was to say all this. He thought that he would have messed up before he could say 'Quidditch' but it never happened. He pulled out some pennies from the Quidditch tent and divided the group into two. He told them to work it out who would play what, that way, he could supervise their teamwork. All this time he had been expecting to slip on a Hinkypunk from some mud, and go falling flat on his face. But that didn't happen. Everyone did as he had instructed, and soon, up in the air were the first two teams. They played well enough, Ron played Keeper on one side and Ginny played Chaser on the other. The two Beaters Gryffindor had had from the previous year looked as if they had lost some smarts over the summer. They kept looking as if the bludgers would mortally injure them if they hit them, and ducked every time they came near them. But when the second teams came onto the pitch a third year girl caught his eye. She was playing Beater and had one of the most determined plays that he had ever seen since the time of Fred and George Weasley. She had reddish brown hair and flew through the air towards the bludgers with no fear whatsoever. She moved through the air as if she was gliding across it. When the teams finished he intercepted her as she was going back into the tents, talking to Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell (both of whom seemed quite intimidated by her).
'Excuse me!' Harry ran up to her.
'Yes?' she looked up to him, with no expression on her face whatsoever.
'I was wondering if you could give me some information on yourself.' Harry knew it sounded stupid from the moment the words left his mouth.
'Information?' she raised her left eyebrow.
'Yes, you know, how long you've been playing, your preferred position, etc.'
'Well shall we start with my name?' she asked. Harry was rather taken aback, he had gotten used to being treated with so much respect this practise.
'Sure.' He said, trying to sound casual.
'Amanda, Amanda Riga,' she held out her hand and Harry shook it, 'Beater, and six years, since I was seven, well I played with my brothers.'
'So you're only in third year?' Harry asked sceptically.
'Yes, and so what? You started when you were eleven, don't look at me like that.' Harry quickly wiped the expression of power and rudeness off his face.
'Well, I saw you play tonight, and I think you have the potential to become a good beater. We shall see at the next practise, shall we?' Harry couldn't believe he had just said 'shall'; he was talking to Hermione too much. Amanda walked past him and into the tent.
As the Gryffindor team and hopefuls left the pitch they encountered the Ravenclaw team coming in. Harry saw the newly appointed captain, Cho Chang gaze at him and shortly say 'hello.' But this time, unlike last year. . . his stomach didn't give an unpleasant lurch. He smiled back. He was over her.
(Author's Note: This is one of my favourite chapters so far, it does get a bit slow at times, stay with my please, and thanks once again for reading! Love you all so much!)
(Moony, Padfoot, and Prongs are my FAVORITE characters, oh, and as for Wormtail: DIE!)
'Wow, good job mate.' Said Ron a bit sadly. It seemed as if he had wanted the position of team captain to. But seeing as how Harry had been the youngest seeker in a century, there wasn't a lot of chance.
'Thanks!' said Harry. He still couldn't believe that he had gotten captain. He was so used to Wood always telling him what to do, and then Angelina. But now he would be the one to devise the training plan and choose the team. He was ecstatic.
'Well done Harry,' said Hermione, 'But remember, we have N.E.W.T.s coming up next year. If you want to be an Auror, don't let your training stand in way of your school work.'
'Hermione!' said Ron, shocked, 'can't you just let him be, or be happy for him at least! But I suppose with you I should've expected that.'
'What's that supposed to mean?' asked Hermione sharply putting down a potions pamphlet.
'Just that, well, you need to focus on something outside your little world of grades and proper manners, I mean, you can't act like this. Harry got Quidditch captain for crying out loud!' He was turning very red and started looking frightened of Hermione as she got up and started yelling. Harry was thinking about getting some fresh air and avoiding Ron and Hermione's fight when he realized that he only had two hours left in break. Two hours to decide his courses for the next two years. He grabbed some of the pamphlets advertising different courses and why they were useful, and ran upstairs to his dormitory. Harry encountered Neville lying on his bed as he opened the door. But he didn't even notice that Harry had entered, for he was fully immersed in a Transfiguration leaflet. He sprawled out on own bed and started looking. What had McGonagall told him he had needed to be an Auror, if that was even what he wanted to be? If he was just going to die anyway, then what was the point of picking a career? Basically what Dumbledore had said was that his life's ambition was to defeat Voldemort and save the world. He should be training instead of picking out courses. But still, he was positive that he would die. A scrawny sixteen year old against a sixty- something year old. The most powerful sixty-something year old wizard in the world. But, he told himself, he would probably be better off to start Auror training now, by taking the right courses. He sighed aloud and Neville gave a little squeak.
'Sorry.' Mumbled Neville, 'I didn't realize anyone else was in here.'
'No problem.' Said Harry, turning back to a list he was making. A thought had occurred to Harry. What did Neville want to do after Hogwarts?
'Neville,' Harry started, 'what are your plans for after Hogwarts?' Neville mumbled something from his side of the room.
'Pardon?'
'Auror.' He said shortly. Harry was shocked. He had pictured Neville becoming the next Professor Sprout, but an Auror? Even if his parents had been great ones, it didn't necessarily mean that he would be. But there had to have been a reason of why he was put in Gryffindor.
'Nice choice,' said Harry, trying to sound supportive. From the 5 years that he had known Neville, he knew that he needed the utmost encouragement in ninety percent o his choices.
'Really?' Neville perked his head up from the opposite direction and turned to face Harry.
'Yeah,' said Harry trying to sound casual, 'I've been looking into that as well.' A couple moments of silence followed.
'Do you- Do you think I would be able to? I mean, when I went for my careers appointment, Umbridge was in the room and she told me that my dreams would be crushed, and I hadn't even said what I wanted to do yet.'
'Don't worry Neville. She said the same to me.' Said Harry quietly, was Neville taking Umbridge seriously? 'Want to look over our classes together?' Neville seemed eager at the idea and jumped onto Harry's bed. Harry looked up at him. He looked very stressed and tired, not to mention scared. Last years fight against Voldemort and his Death Eaters must have changed Neville's world. But it seemed to have given him more confidence.
'Let's see . . .' started Harry, 'We'll need Transfiguration, advanced, Potions, advanced, and Charms of course.' He scanned down the list he had made.
'I remember McGonagall saying that we needed . . .er . . . ' Neville looked at some class pamphlets, 'Defence against the Dark Arts, obviously, and, wow, I that's it! Four classes, mind you they're all advanced.'
'What'd you get on your O.W.L.s?' asked Harry, he wondered whether Neville had he marks to become an Auror, he felt bad for him. But Neville reached for the gold piece of parchment and handed it over proudly. Harry looked at it.
Ordinary Wizarding Level results for Mr. Neville A. Longbottom, approved by Beatrice Evans
Charms: Exceeds Expectations
Transfiguration: Outstanding
Defence Against the Dark Arts: Outstanding
Divination: Poor
Potions: Outstanding
Astronomy: Acceptable
Care of Magical Creatures: Poor
'It's great isn't it!' said Neville beaming, ' I don't any of the subjects I got bad on!'
'Great!' said Harry. And he truly meant it, he knew how it felt to never have anything, and Neville deserved these O.W.L.s more than anyone.
*
The sixth year students had all handed in their class choices by eight that evening. Some were smiling as they handed them in, some were grimacing, and some (like Seamus) were cursing.
Harry was relatively pleased with his results, as they allowed him to take the Auror classes, however, he felt reasonably bad about Hagrid. Almost all of his fifth years had gotten Acceptable or worse. Harry made a point to go visit him that night. So at nine o'clock, he met Ron and Hermione in the common room with the invisibility cloak, the three huddled under it with quite a bit more difficulty than they had there first time. Ron glanced at Harry.
'I think we're getting to big for this.' Silently, Harry agreed, but not by his own will. He wished that he could have remained that eleven -year old boy forever. Just having fun with his friends, not having to worry every night about how he would have to defeat Voldemort, or about saving the world. Only if Mrs. Norris would be hiding around the next corner. They stepped out into the chilly September air. They hadn't talked much since they had arrived at Hogwarts; they all still seemed to be touched on the events of the previous year. And weren't really sure if Harry was ready to talk about it yet. They knocked three times on Hagrid's door. They could see his shadow moving past the window as it came to the door.
'Who are ye?' he asked cautiously. Almost as if he were expecting Aragog again. 'It's us!' said Hermione frantically looking behind her; she seemed rather jumpy, as if something was after her.
Hagrid made a motion with his shadow that suggested he was opening the door, and shortly after they were sitting on one his enormous couches under the bright light of his cabin.
'How are yeh?' He asked, simply beaming at the sight of them.
'Just fine, how are you Hagrid? And how's Grawp?' asked Hermione politely, although Harry could see that she could have cared less.
'We're great, thanks fer askin!' So how are yeh all comin' along in yer career choices.'
Hermione said that she'd rather not talk about it, and Ron sat there delightedly telling Hagrid about his dream to become an Auror. Harry didn't really feel like talking. After a couple of stone cakes and pots of tea, they left and went back to the warm of their beds.
*
Quidditch trails were being held that night, and two weeks of classes and homework was starting to catch up on Harry, he was exhausted by the time he walked out onto the pitch. He saw what was left of his team standing in the sidelines. They looked a pretty sorry bunch. And to be honest, Harry felt that thy should have to try out to. So he put all of his team (except Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell who would stay as it was their last year at Hogwarts, and they were some of the best players) onto the field. He still had no idea how he would run this trail. Ron and Ginny looked rather hurt and annoyed at the aspect of having to try out again. But he had assured them that they would be put back on the team. This was just to make the beater's that he was thinking of replacing feel better.
'This year we have the positions of Chaser, two Beaters, and one Keeper open. If the team from last year has kept its shape up, then they might beat you all to it. But not to worry, because this year, we are planning on having reserve chasers and a reserve keeper on the team. This means that they would be attending all practises, but unless their partner is sick, they won't be playing.' Harry found how easily it was to say all this. He thought that he would have messed up before he could say 'Quidditch' but it never happened. He pulled out some pennies from the Quidditch tent and divided the group into two. He told them to work it out who would play what, that way, he could supervise their teamwork. All this time he had been expecting to slip on a Hinkypunk from some mud, and go falling flat on his face. But that didn't happen. Everyone did as he had instructed, and soon, up in the air were the first two teams. They played well enough, Ron played Keeper on one side and Ginny played Chaser on the other. The two Beaters Gryffindor had had from the previous year looked as if they had lost some smarts over the summer. They kept looking as if the bludgers would mortally injure them if they hit them, and ducked every time they came near them. But when the second teams came onto the pitch a third year girl caught his eye. She was playing Beater and had one of the most determined plays that he had ever seen since the time of Fred and George Weasley. She had reddish brown hair and flew through the air towards the bludgers with no fear whatsoever. She moved through the air as if she was gliding across it. When the teams finished he intercepted her as she was going back into the tents, talking to Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell (both of whom seemed quite intimidated by her).
'Excuse me!' Harry ran up to her.
'Yes?' she looked up to him, with no expression on her face whatsoever.
'I was wondering if you could give me some information on yourself.' Harry knew it sounded stupid from the moment the words left his mouth.
'Information?' she raised her left eyebrow.
'Yes, you know, how long you've been playing, your preferred position, etc.'
'Well shall we start with my name?' she asked. Harry was rather taken aback, he had gotten used to being treated with so much respect this practise.
'Sure.' He said, trying to sound casual.
'Amanda, Amanda Riga,' she held out her hand and Harry shook it, 'Beater, and six years, since I was seven, well I played with my brothers.'
'So you're only in third year?' Harry asked sceptically.
'Yes, and so what? You started when you were eleven, don't look at me like that.' Harry quickly wiped the expression of power and rudeness off his face.
'Well, I saw you play tonight, and I think you have the potential to become a good beater. We shall see at the next practise, shall we?' Harry couldn't believe he had just said 'shall'; he was talking to Hermione too much. Amanda walked past him and into the tent.
As the Gryffindor team and hopefuls left the pitch they encountered the Ravenclaw team coming in. Harry saw the newly appointed captain, Cho Chang gaze at him and shortly say 'hello.' But this time, unlike last year. . . his stomach didn't give an unpleasant lurch. He smiled back. He was over her.