Captain Weasley.

The fire in the Gryffindor common room was burning fiercely when the students returned from the feast. With no work to do, Hermione felt relaxed enough to laze on the sofa with Ron while Harry decided to service his broom, so it would be ready for the start of Quidditch practice.

"Excuse me," a quiet voice whispered into Harry's ear.

Harry spun round and saw a small boy bouncing on the balls of his feet, holding a piece of parchment in his hand.

"Are you Harry Potter?" the first year asked excitedly.

"Yes, can I help you with something?" Harry tried to avoid looking at Ron who was taking the mickey out of the poor boy by swooning at Harry's name.

"Professor McGonagall asked me to give you this." The boy handed over the parchment but remained firmly rooted to the spot.

"Oh okay… Erm… Was there anything else?" Harry asked wondering why the kid hadn't moved.

"Well, it's just there's a rumour going round that you're going to be the new Quidditch Captain this year and, well, we were wondering if first years would be allowed to try out for the team?"

Harry peered behind the boy to see a group of anxious first years smiling eagerly back at him. "Erm, well, I don't know who's been spreading that rumour, because I certainly haven't been asked to do it, but I'm sure that whoever does take up the position will be happy to let first years try-out."

"Okay, thanks!" The boy quickly turned to his friends and gave them the thumbs up as he returned to their group.

Ron was now rolling about on the floor clutching his sides with Hermione glaring at him disapprovingly. Harry stuck out his tongue and opened the letter from McGonagall.

Dear Mr Potter,

Please, could you report to my office as soon as you receive this note? I have a very important matter I need to discuss with you.

With regards,

Professor McGonagall.

Harry packed away his servicing kit and headed towards the door. Ron stopped laughing long enough to shout, "Where are you going, mate?"

Harry waved the note towards him, "Professor McGonagall wants to see me in her office. I'll tell you about it when I get back!" then he disappeared through the portrait hole.

Ron shrugged and rejoined Hermione on the sofa.

"Harry's only just got here – he can't be in trouble already, can he?"

"Ron think about it, now that Angelina's left there's no-one to captain the Quidditch team. I'd bet a galleon that she's going to ask him to be the new captain." Hermione said knowingly.

"Yeah, I suppose, I mean it's not like they'd ask me to do it whilst Harry is around!" Ron sulked.

Hermione swung her legs off the arm and sat upright to face Ron. "You can't seriously be jealous of Harry becoming Quidditch Captain, Ron?"

"No, I'm not jealous, but I guess I'd never really thought about it until now. Well, I mean I should've expected it, but still…" he trailed off as Hermione squeezed him into a hug.

"Ah, but think about it this way, if they had asked you to do it, you wouldn't have been able to spend as much time with me." Hermione said teasingly.

Ron smiled goofily, "Oh well I knew there had to be a downside somewhere along the line… Ouch!"

Hermione punched him hard on the arm, before settling back into his chest where she began to doze.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, just the person I was looking for. Please take a seat. I'll be with you in just a moment."

The stern-looking professor was sat behind a pile of books on her large desk. She put down her quill and carefully sealed the roll of parchment she had been writing on before handing it to the waiting post owl.

"Now Mr. Potter, as you may have realised the Gryffindor Quidditch team is without a captain this year," she said peering over her small spectacles.

Harry wasn't sure whether she expected him to answer her or not, so he simply nodded in agreement.

She continued, "However, I realise that with recent events you may feel that you are not up to the task, it is my intention therefore that both you and Miss Weasley should share the captaincy."

Harry thought he must have misheard, "Sorry Professor, but did you just say Miss Weasley? As in Ginny Weasley?"

"Well, unless the Weasley's have another daughter I don't know about, then yes I said Ginny Weasley. Why is there a problem, Mr. Potter?" Professor McGonagall asked impatiently.

"No, it's just I thought you might have offered the position to Ron, Professor." Harry said cautiously, thinking about the look on Ron's face when he found out his sister was given the captaincy over him.

"I did consider Mr. Weasley for a moment, and I have absolutely no doubt that he would have been perfectly capable to do the job. However, since you and Mr. Weasley will be leaving us in next year, I felt it would be foolish to appoint both of you and face the same problem once you have graduated."

Harry pondered this for a moment and was about to offer another objection when he was silenced by a knock on the door.

"Come in," Professor McGonagall commanded.

"Sorry Professor, I didn't realise you were with… oh!"

Harry turned to see a rather flushed-looking Ginny standing in the doorway.

"Don't be silly Miss Weasley, please take a seat, we've only just started."

Ginny entered the room and closed the large wooden door. She pulled up a chair next to Harry and looked perplexed, "I'm sorry Professor, but I don't understand why I've been called here."

"I was just telling Mr. Potter that I have decided you both will take up the position of Quidditch Captain this year."

"But Professor, why me? I've only been on the team for a year and I'm sure there are other players more suitable for the job," Ginny protested.

Professor McGonagall sighed at having to repeat herself, "As I have just told Mr. Potter, you will be with the team for at least another three years which gives me plenty of time to look for a new captain. In the meantime, if you could work on some practise schedules and let me know when you will need the pitch, I can ensure it will be free for you. Now, if that's everything you'd better be returning to the common room."

Both Ginny and Harry were about to protest but the Professor waved her hand at them signalling it was time for them to go. When they got outside Ginny groaned. "Ron's going to kill me!"

Harry smiled, "Yeah, I thought the same, but you know once he's calmed down he'll see it does make sense. I mean we'll be off in two years time and there's no way we could put our full attention to it whilst we're doing our NEWT finals."

"Hmm, well knowing Ron it'll take him some time to get over this… I wonder if Fred and George ever found a way of bunging up your ears so you didn't have to listen to someone yelling at you."

"The number of times they've been in Filch's office, I'd be surprised if they hadn't but why don't you just use ear plugs?"

"What's an ear plug? It's not one of those electric things that Dad collects, is it?" Ginny looked puzzled.

Harry laughed, "Don't worry; I'll see if I've got a spare pair you can have -- I used to use them all the time at home."

Ginny giggled but was surprised to see they had already made it back to the common room. Harry muttered the password, Droobles, and the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open to admit them.