Im on a writing spree today, so here is the next installment

Im on a writing spree today, so here is the next installment. I can't use my dads computer anymore cause he's always on it, so I have to use mine... which is without spellcheck. Im trying to get everything right, so bear with me. Anyway... just as a side note. The many of the quidditch team members name are taken from the books of Jane Austen. Elizabeth, Lydia, Lucas, Hurst, Bennett and Collins are all from Pride and Prejudice. Brandon, Marrianne and Edward are from Sense and Sensability. Bertrum and Price are from Mansfeild Park. And Emma is from Emma. (wow!) I just thought I'd point that out incase anyone noticed that... If you're a romantic type like I am, give those books a read cause they are very good. (Or just... rent the movies...)

Anyway, once again HP is not mine, but the Salem people are... pretty obvious. EnjoyJ

Lauren

That night, Harry and the other 5th year boys went off to the Quidditch tryouts leaving the girls back in the dorm. All except Lizzy who claimed she was trying out for the team as well. That seemed to surprise Heather, who said Lizzy had never shown any interest in the sport whatsoever. Michelle suspected it was only so the lovestruck girl could be around Steve, and she might of well been right.

Hermione sat studying in one of the large chairs near the fire, enjoying the feeling of warmth in an otherwise chilly room. When she had finished, she looked up and saw kate sitting in the chair beside her.

"Kate?" She asked, "I've heard many people talking about he Halloween festival... what is it exactlly?"

The girls turned to her with a look of astonishment. "You don't know what it is? Then I've certainly got a lot to tell you!"

She started by explaining the tradition of trick-or-treat. This was when all the students of the school dress up in silly costumes and participate in a muggle event or the same name. All the children knock on the doors and receive candy. It was great fun, and an eagerlly awaited event for all the students. After that, all the children return back to the school, where there is a great party. There is music and dancing, and a contest to deceide which students had the very best costumes.

"So that was why we learned that spell in transfiguration!"

"Yes," Kate explained. "They teach it to all the 5th years and up. Before that we had to make them on our own and it's much more difficult."
Hermione was intrigued. This whole festival sounded quite fun and she couldn't wait for it to arrive. She stayed up until Harry returned from tryouts to tell him all about the festivities, and then, quite drowsy, retired to her room alone. When she entered, she found the window beside her bed open, and a very large parcel rested on her pillows.

Curiouslly she unwrapped it to find a large brown box. She opened it cautiously and discovered a letter.

Hermione,

I'm so sorry I haven't been able to write to you in so long. I made the Gryffindor Quidditch team! Im the new keeper. Lavendar brown is playing Chaser and Seamus was appointed the position of Seeker. Its so different without Harry though. Fred and George have been named joint captains, because if we gave the position to only one of them, they fight about it.

Anyway, Happy Birthday! I know this will arrive a few days late, but thats because I had to wait to find a larger owl to carry this package. As you have probably already guessed... This is your Birthday present. It's from all of us Weasleys. I was just the only one to write a letter along with it.

I hope you like it.

Ron (and Ginny, Fred & George)

P.S. I was finally able to get the pictures of Draco's little mishap earlier this year. Enjoy!

Hermione folded the fetter and placed it in her nightstand drawer along with all the others she had received from home. She then carefully took out the contents of the package. It was a rather large book. The Encyclopedia of Spells, 1st Edition. It looked very expensive and Hermione wondered how the Weasleys could of possibly afforded it.

Hermione placed her gift inside her Trunk at the foot of the bed, and then retreived some parchment so she could write a reply.

~*~

The tryout list was posted two days later inside the common room. What seemed like the entire house crowded around it, trying to see who would be representing them in the tournament this year. The head of house, Michelle's siter Laura, came dashing over trying to break up the group.

"Now now everyone! No need to crowd around the list, someone could get hurt."

Harry could hear Michelle muttering something behind him, but he couldn't figure out what.

"I will read to you the results of this years tryouts! The Chasers this year will be Elizabeth Brandon, Steven Shepherd, and Emma Burtrum. Our Beaters will be Christopher Bennett and Jason Collins. Our keeper is Team captain Lydia Price, and playing seeker... Harry Potter. Reserves will be Edward Hurst and Marrianne Lucas."

Harry received congratulations from all around the room, most from people he dind't even know. Steve, Jason and Chris were all very delighted to make the team. They hadn't been able to for the last four years as the spots were always filled by the older students.

None of them could be happier.

After the commotion died down, Harry found Hermione at a table in the corner of the room, surrounded by a myriad of paints and pieces of Parchment.

"What are you up to?" He asked, peering over her shoulder.

Frustrated, she crumpled up the parchment and threw it to the floor. "I'm trying to think of a costume for the halloween festival. Most of the girls already know what their going as... but I haven't the slightest idea!"

"I was thinking about going as a knight... you know, like from King Arthur?"

Hermione's eyes lighted up, as she was struck with a genius idea. "Harry I've got it!"

"Got what?"

"An idea for a costume! And It's sure to win us the prize!" She took a deep breathe, "We can go as Sir Lancelot and Lady Guinevere! Wouldn't that just be so much fun?"

Harry agreed, but was pulled away from Hermoine seconds later by the other boys who wanted to get to work making up some plays for Quidditch.

As the four boys headed to the opposite corner of the room, the passed by the 5th year girls who were scattered around in the the center of the room doing what else... gossiping.

Today's current topic? Lizzy and her Quidditch aspirations. They knew she only tried out to be around Steve... but miraculously she had made the team, and as a starter too! No one could understand how she managed to pull that off, cause was she not only broom-less, but she had never played quidditch beofre in her entire life...

"Hey Liz! Come on over here, we need your opinion!" The said girl jumped up instantly, not even knowing who had adressed her through the commotion of the common room. "Liz Brandon? Earth to Liz!" She froze when she realized it was Steve, and when the other girls realized as well, they broke out into fits of giggles.

Lizzy walked over to the table in the corner were Harry, Steve, Chris and Jason were situated. "We got this excellent play! What do you think of it?" The girl picked up the paper and nodded dumbly, hardly even looking at it. Steve took it from her, and looked over it once more befoer putting it back on the table. "So you wanna go broom shopping with us on Saturday? Our Cleansweep 5's are gettin' pretty worn." Once again the girl gave a nod.

"Sure Steve, uh... no problem."

Behind her she could here the others still laughing. Leaving the boys to there work, she headed towards Hermione, not wishing to return to her harassing friends. Hermione waas hard at work on her costume drawing, and though her artistic skills weren't exactlly top notch, the costume didn't look half bad.

"Lizzy?" She asked, not looking up from her work. "Do you know how to do the backside of the costume? We didn't exactelly ahve time to cover that in class."

"Draw it on the other side of the parchment." She said immediatly.

Hermione thanked her, and as Lizzy walked away she inquired about her own costume choice.

"I'm not really sure." Was her reply. "I was thinking of going as an Egyptian princess, but im not sure anymore. What are you going as? A Princess?"

"Lady Guinevere. And Harry is going as Lancelot."

"It sounds amazing... if only i could think of an idea as good as that." She sat down in a chair beside Hermione as the latter passed over a large black book.

"Read this," she said. "I found it on the bookshelf over there, it might give you some ideas." Lizzy took the book, and opened it, finding it to be a muggle book of myths and legends. She skimmed through the pages and eventually found the Legend of King Arthur, where Harry and Hermione were deriving their costumes from. She began to skim through it, refreshing herself on the muggle story she had not heard since childhood. One part in particular intrigued her.

"Hermione? Would you mind If I had a costume in the same theme as yours?"

"Of course not, why?"

Lizzy slid the book to the other girl, showing her the page about the origin of the legendary sword Excaliber, and how it was a gift from the lady of the lake. "its the lady you see? I could go as the Lady of the Lake! Imagine... and white gown with blue trimmings... and pearls.. and oh! I could dye my hair too! Doesn't it sound exquisite?"

Hermione agreed with her friend and handed her a piece of parchment. "You might as well get to work."

~*~

That weekend harry and the rest of the Quidditch team traveled to the village in search of new supplies. Apparently they needed a new set of practice balls because the old one belonged to a student who graduated the year before. Other then the balls, almost half the team needed new brooms, or just a broom in the first place.

Lizzy looked over the supply of brooms before settling on an American brand called the Pegasus IX. From what Harry had read, it was similar to the Nimbus 2001 model back home. In fact, most of the team ended up with IX's except Lydia Price, who had the money for her very own Firebolt.

Harry bought a few book on the newest techniques and manuevers.

That afternoon they held their very first practice. Most of the time was spent listening to Lydia's long speach, which 6th year Emma Bertrum said was the the same one as last year. This reminded Harry very much of Oliver Wood back home.

When they got to the skies, everyone spent most of their time testing the next equipment. Jason and Chris could be seen doing quick loop-dee-loops around each other high obove the ground. And Harry even saw Lizzy blush when Steve asked her to a race from one side of the feild to another.

By the time Lydia removed the Quaffle from its case, it was growing dark, and Eddie Hurst had to go find Groundskeeper Joe to turn the Stadium lights on.

When he returned, they took to the air again. Lizzy, Marri, Steve and Emma took turns taking shots on Lydia. Jason, Eddie and Chris could be seen abtting the bludgers back and forth to each other. And Harry? Harry joined the Chasers, because Lydia felt it was took dark to remove the snitch. It was an expensive piece of equipment and she wasn't to keen on the idea of loosing it so soon.

When the sounds of wolves could be heard in the distance, Lydia deceided it was time for her team to head in. They knew it was getting late, and everyone was exhausted after their eventful day.

When the team returned to the Dorms, they found that Hermione was the only one still down stairs. Lizzy and Harry told her about their wonderful days. Together the three went upstairs. Hermione and Harry bid each other good night at the top and went their separete days.

To be continued...