Two weeks into the year at breakfast on a particularly warm Monday , Professor
Mogonagall stood up.
"Ahhmm," she cleared her throat, just loudly enough to silence the noisy hall, which was a feat
in itself, given that three-quarters of the Gryffindor table was screaming because of the
magically enlarging mice the Weasley twins had just set loose. The rats, of course, disappeared
with a *pop* after about fifteen to twenty seconds, but nevertheless the sight of a score of rats
continuously growing till they were about two feet high was plenty enough to petrify more than a
few Gryffindors.
"Weasley!" she shouted after realizing the cause of all the petrified shrieks. Pulling out her wand
she quickly deleted every rat from the hall.
"Sorry professor," George shouted across the hall jovially. She returned the apology with a
reproving look, then continued on to what she was originally intending to say.
"Your attention please," she called to the entire hall. "I'm sure you are all eagerly awaiting the
start of the quidditch season, as are a large part of the teaching staff. You will not have to wait
much longer, I am pleased to say, as all those who wish to play for their house teams should
assemble at the pitch tomorrow at three for tryouts with Madam Hooch. The first game of the
season will be this Saturday. Ravenclaw versus Gryffindor."
Cheers erupted in the Great Hall. Many people at Hogwarts shared Harry's first love, in
fact, just about the entire wizarding world loved quidditch. Harry's heart leaped when he heard
Magonagall's words, and soared for a wonderful three seconds before falling as fast as it had
risen, down, down till it landed with a thunk at the bottom of Harry's stomach. He had
completely forgotten about quidditch. It wasn't hard, being with Noelani all the time. Over the
past two weeks their friendship had flourished into something wonderful. Harry was always with
Noelani, from the minute he stepped out of the boy's dorm in the morning until the moment he
stepped into it at night. And even when he was lying in his bed trying to get to sleep at night (or
back to sleep in the morning) he couldn't tear his thoughts away from her. Maybe that was why
he hadn't had any time to think of quidditch, though now that he thought about it, Harry thought
that was probably for the better. What would happen? Would she be better than him at seeker?
Would he lose his spot on the Gryffindor team? Or would he win out, and keep his position?
Would it ruin their relationship-Harry coughed-friendship? Harry's worrying jolted to a sudden
stop, and he rewinded back to his last question, the one he had tripped over mid-thought.
Relationship. That was a strange word. It cold be the same as friendship Harry supposed,
or it could be a family thing. . . or it could b so much more. Were he and Noelani. . . could they
be, er, or maybe become. . . Hmmm. Thoughts flooded Harry's mind, and he sat at the
Gryffindor table in a daze for a while after the cheers had been brought to an end by Magonagall.
He finally snapped out of it, however, and continued to eat his scrambled eggs.
When breakfast was over, Harry reluctantly made his way out of the Great Hall. He had
divination first (ugh) and needed to get his books. As he rounded the corner out the doorway,
someone brushed past his shoulder. Looking up, Harry was startled to recognize Noelani. He
hadn't looked her way since Prof. Mogonagall had made her announcement concerning the
quidditch season. He gulped, and managed a small smile.
"Good luck tomorrow at tryouts," she said nonchalantly. "How many years have you played for
Gryffindor?"
"F-four," Harry stammered nervously. Afraid he looked nervous to go up against her, he repeated
himself, this time more boldly and confidently. "Four."
"Oh. Well, Harry, can we try not to let this ruin our relationship?" She asked with a broad smile.
Harry just stared back dumbly into her perfect face. What? Had she just said the word he thought
she had said? The "r" word? Harry felt like he might faint. "Well. . ." Noelani looked curiously
at Harry's lack of any expression. "I'll take that as a yes. See you at divination."
Harry didn't know what to think. Noelani was all of a sudden looking extremely pretty.
Mogonagall stood up.
"Ahhmm," she cleared her throat, just loudly enough to silence the noisy hall, which was a feat
in itself, given that three-quarters of the Gryffindor table was screaming because of the
magically enlarging mice the Weasley twins had just set loose. The rats, of course, disappeared
with a *pop* after about fifteen to twenty seconds, but nevertheless the sight of a score of rats
continuously growing till they were about two feet high was plenty enough to petrify more than a
few Gryffindors.
"Weasley!" she shouted after realizing the cause of all the petrified shrieks. Pulling out her wand
she quickly deleted every rat from the hall.
"Sorry professor," George shouted across the hall jovially. She returned the apology with a
reproving look, then continued on to what she was originally intending to say.
"Your attention please," she called to the entire hall. "I'm sure you are all eagerly awaiting the
start of the quidditch season, as are a large part of the teaching staff. You will not have to wait
much longer, I am pleased to say, as all those who wish to play for their house teams should
assemble at the pitch tomorrow at three for tryouts with Madam Hooch. The first game of the
season will be this Saturday. Ravenclaw versus Gryffindor."
Cheers erupted in the Great Hall. Many people at Hogwarts shared Harry's first love, in
fact, just about the entire wizarding world loved quidditch. Harry's heart leaped when he heard
Magonagall's words, and soared for a wonderful three seconds before falling as fast as it had
risen, down, down till it landed with a thunk at the bottom of Harry's stomach. He had
completely forgotten about quidditch. It wasn't hard, being with Noelani all the time. Over the
past two weeks their friendship had flourished into something wonderful. Harry was always with
Noelani, from the minute he stepped out of the boy's dorm in the morning until the moment he
stepped into it at night. And even when he was lying in his bed trying to get to sleep at night (or
back to sleep in the morning) he couldn't tear his thoughts away from her. Maybe that was why
he hadn't had any time to think of quidditch, though now that he thought about it, Harry thought
that was probably for the better. What would happen? Would she be better than him at seeker?
Would he lose his spot on the Gryffindor team? Or would he win out, and keep his position?
Would it ruin their relationship-Harry coughed-friendship? Harry's worrying jolted to a sudden
stop, and he rewinded back to his last question, the one he had tripped over mid-thought.
Relationship. That was a strange word. It cold be the same as friendship Harry supposed,
or it could be a family thing. . . or it could b so much more. Were he and Noelani. . . could they
be, er, or maybe become. . . Hmmm. Thoughts flooded Harry's mind, and he sat at the
Gryffindor table in a daze for a while after the cheers had been brought to an end by Magonagall.
He finally snapped out of it, however, and continued to eat his scrambled eggs.
When breakfast was over, Harry reluctantly made his way out of the Great Hall. He had
divination first (ugh) and needed to get his books. As he rounded the corner out the doorway,
someone brushed past his shoulder. Looking up, Harry was startled to recognize Noelani. He
hadn't looked her way since Prof. Mogonagall had made her announcement concerning the
quidditch season. He gulped, and managed a small smile.
"Good luck tomorrow at tryouts," she said nonchalantly. "How many years have you played for
Gryffindor?"
"F-four," Harry stammered nervously. Afraid he looked nervous to go up against her, he repeated
himself, this time more boldly and confidently. "Four."
"Oh. Well, Harry, can we try not to let this ruin our relationship?" She asked with a broad smile.
Harry just stared back dumbly into her perfect face. What? Had she just said the word he thought
she had said? The "r" word? Harry felt like he might faint. "Well. . ." Noelani looked curiously
at Harry's lack of any expression. "I'll take that as a yes. See you at divination."
Harry didn't know what to think. Noelani was all of a sudden looking extremely pretty.