Chapter 7: The Chancery Ball
There was one last bit of excitement for the seventh years before the Christmas holidays, Gryffindor's second Quidditch match of the year. This time they faced Ravenclaw.
As before Harry came up to Hogwarts the night before, this time Ron joined him. They followed Hermione and the other Professors to the stadium. "Welcome everyone, to another exciting game of Quidditch at Hogwarts. Today, defending champions Gryffindors take on. Ravenclaw!" The students roared.
Good luck darling. said Harry.
Thanks.
"Starting for Gryffindor today is slightly different line-up. May I present.? Weasley, Kenton, Johnson, Doyle, Lamina, Monk and Aquanis!"
"That's an interesting move." commented Ron.
"Yeah. Tom reckoned they could afford to field some of the newer players, Ravenclaw never play very hard against us." Harry told them.
"For Ravenclaw. Gorman, Dirking, Swift, Quirke, Lacey, Peach and SHARMA!" announced Ward. "The Quaffle is in the air and they're off. Weasley as usual, immediately gets the Quaffle. Flying fast for the Ravenclaw goal, ducks a Bludger from Sharma, shoots, saved by Quirke. Ravenclaw in possession, Swift has the Quaffle, wait - he loses it Kenton, long pass to Weasley, she shoots and scores for Gryffindor. Gryffindor still in possession, Johnson with the Quaffle."
"Kenton and Carolina are doing pretty well." observed Ron, "Their teamwork isn't as seamless as the girls' but they're good." Harry and Hermione nodded.
"Kenton scores! Gryffindor now lead 30-0!"
Gorman snatched the Quaffle from Johnson and shot for the goal. Roger hit a Bludger hard towards him and he ducked, dropping the Quaffle to Swift. "Swift scores! Ravenclaw now trail only 10-40! Gryffindor now in possession Weasley with the Quaffle."
"Doyle better watch himself." Harry said, "That was an easy one. Gorman can be much sneakier than that."
"Weasley scores again for Gryffindor and they now lead 50-10! They are still in possession. Kenton has the Quaffle, passes to Johnson, intercepted by Dirking. She's on a break away and flying hard." Ward told them. Shouting over the Ravenclaws' cheers. "Aquanis cuts her off and knocks the Quaffle out her hand. Weasley captures it and heads back for the goal. Pulls up to avoid Swift, drops it to Kenton. He scores! 60-10, Gryffindor!"
The next hour or so of play was brisk, if one-sided. Swift scored twice more and Gorman once to take Ravenclaw's score to 40. With Roger and Tom's help, the Gryffindor Chasers scored another dozen times in quick succession, bringing the score to 180-40.
"Well, it looks like Tom could have made worse decisions. Gryffindor are still flattening them, even without Bird and the girls." noted Ron.
"Nice Starfish and stick there by Quirke. Ravenclaw have the Quaffle. Gorman takes the Quaffle, loses it to Kenton. Gryffindor scores, making it 190-40! Unless Lacey can get the Snitch, I don't see any way that Ravenclaw can win this!"
He had to mention that. thought Harry. Sonja does not need reminding of what's at stake.
"Weasley scores again for Gryffindor. They now lead 200-40!"
Try to keep scoring, Mare. Sonja needs the pressure taken off her.
I know love. But you're not on the team anymore so shut up.
Okay sorry.
"Kenton scores again for Gryffindor. Gryffindor still in possession. Wait is that the Snitch?!"
It was. Growling angrily, Sonja put her broomstick into a steep dive. The air screamed around her. Harry could see the Ravenclaw Seeker closing fast on an intercept course. "Will she make it?" asked Hermione.
"Maybe." said Harry grimly, "Sonja's closer but Lacey's Cleansweep Seven has more speed. It's going to be tight."
"The two Seekers are closing fast on the Snitch, Lamina is in lead, but Lacey is closing fast. Weasley has the Quaffle, reserve pass to Johnson, she scores. Gryffindor are now 180 points ahead. Even if Lacey gets the Snitch, they've lost the match." Sonja and Lacey got to the Snitch within a breath of each other. Sonja grabbed the Snitch, but that split second of lost control cost her. Lacey had been going to fast to stop and she collided with her just as her fingers closed around the Snitch. She fell off sideways and her broom flew away out of control. Fortunately, she was only a few feet from the ground, so she wasn't too badly hurt. "Lamina gets the Snitch! Gryffindor wins 370- 40!"
Harry hurried down out of the stand onto the pitch while the Gryffindor supporters were still cheering. As he reached to her, Sonja got up, shook her head vigorously to clear it and then looked at the tiny golden ball in her hand. "I did it." she said quietly, it almost sounded like a question. So he decided to answer it. "You did it, Sonja. Quite well too."
"Thanks Harry." she said and smiled.
The other members of the team including the ones that had sat it out, flooded onto the pitch. Tom was the first to reach her and gave her a congratulatory hug. "Good job, Sonja."
"We would have...." He pressed his fingers on her lips and she fell silent.
"If you were about to say, we would have won anyway. Well, you're right. This game. But 620 points is a much stronger position to in than 470 points and we do want to win the Cup. Don't we?" she nodded. "Now go get changed, I want my dinner."
Ginny and Harry shared a brief moment together, before she headed back to the changing rooms for fresh robes and a shower. "You did pretty good to- day yourself. Eight goals. Not your best, but still pretty good. Have you ever thought about playing Quidditch professionally after this year? I know Charlie would quite like to recruit a Chaser for the reserve team. Jessie's been having some health problems recently and doesn't want to continue next season."
Ginny shook her head, "No. I like the game and I admit I'm pretty good at it. But, after this year, I'll be happy enough playing for fun."
"Fine. It was just a thought."
"And it was a good one. But not for me. Why don't you see if Peter'd be interested? She plays Keeper mostly of course, but she's been borrowing Hermione's Firebolt for practice sessions occasionally lately to give Meg a chance to practice as Keeper. She pretty good at it."
"I might do that. When's your next practice?"
"Not till after Christmas." Harry nodded. "Now, if you'll excuse me. I need a shower."
"Okay." said Harry, breaking their embrace. "Although you smell fine to me."
"You're biased." accused Ginny jokingly and walked over to the door to the changing room.
"True." admitted Harry. "See you at dinner."
"Sure." said Ginny, "Give me about half-an-hour."
"I'll be waiting."
----
True to her word, Ginny joined Harry in the Great Hall exactly thirty minutes later, he was sitting alone at the top end of the Gryffindor Table, Ron sat between Hermione and Sirius at the Staff Table. She sat down beside him and they began to eat in companionable silence. The cousins, Roger and Sonja soon joined them and they began chatting amongst each other. After a while the talk inevitably turned to Quidditch and Gryffindor and the Cannons' chances of winning their Cups.
"Well, we're two-for-two." commented Tom, "Hufflepuff'll bury Slytherin next weekend, so that'll be them out of the running. If we can beat Hufflepuff, which we nearly always do, we'll be in the finals. In fact, with the margin we've got we'll probably go through anyway. Ravenclaw's 400 points behind us and Hufflepuff's 520 points behind, I doubt they'll catch us."
"That is true. But we shouldn't be complacent cousin."
"I know. We won't be. What about you Harry. Do you think you'll be playing in Europe next session?"
"We've got a good chance." said Harry cautiously, "We've already beaten a couple of good teams, but the real test's the Bats on the 21st January and the Magpies in April. Though I must admit I'm not looking forward to playing the Wanderers on the 1st of April."
"Why?"
"Mark Caine's one of their Beaters. A Bludgers from him would take my head off."
"Good luck for then."
"I'll need it. Fortunately though, none of the rest should present much off a problem." Harry said, "They lost their best Chaser Larson, to the Bats and their Seeker, McGill, flies a Cleansweep Eight. Fast, but nowhere near as manoeuvrable as my Firebolt. I'll run ring 'round him."
After dinner, they headed up to their sitting room to play games or study as they wished. Hermione and Peter sat down with two copies of a particularly large and thick book on human transfiguration and were soon engrossed in studying it. Roger perched on the broad mantelpiece and a small Potions text he'd borrowed from the library, occasionally glancing over it at Tom and Sonja who were playing chess against Ron, although Sonja's 'assistance' was actually more off a hindrance, she kept reaching over from the chair arm she was sitting on and ticking the back off his neck. Harry and Ginny snuggled up on one of the sofas, Harry brought out his new scrapbook and showed her some of the photos and press cuttings he'd collected over the last few months, many of them from foreign wizarding papers.
"You're getting even more famous Harry." noted Ginny, glancing at a picture of him that had appeared in The Daily Oracle, a Greek newspaper.
"Yeah. I know." admitted Harry ruefully. "But at least it's for something I've accomplished, something I chose to do, not got forced into by chance or deception. I must admit it is satisfying now."
They stayed like that for a few hours, enjoyed the closeness of each other after weeks apart. Their feeling of contentment was so complete that Ron actually managed to persuade them to play him a game of chess. They lost of course, neither of them were that bad at chess and between them they probably could have beaten most of their other friends, but not Ron.
At eleven o'clock, they said goodbye to their friends and went into Harry's room to get some sleep. Hermione scowled and looked about to say something, but a nudge from Ron made her change her mind.
----
The next morning only a few of the students; mostly first, second and third years left Hogwarts for Christmas and joined Harry, Ron, Hermione, the two Marauders and their friends on the Hogwarts Express as it puffed its way to London, the prospect of another Christmas Ball had kept most of the older students at the castle.
Worthington and another Ministry driver picked them up at King's Cross and drove them to Chancery House. Mrs Weasley had persuaded Harry and Ron to stay there over Christmas instead of at their flat. That evening was spent catching up on the news of the other Weasleys, Bill reported that at Dumbledore's request, he had resigned from his work at Gringotts and was now working for the Department of Magical Catastrophes.
In the morning, they drove the Leaky Cauldron and visited Diagon Alley. They all bought Christmas presents for each other and Hermione and the girls went into Madame Malkin's and bought new dress robes for the Ball. After lunch and a few drinks at the Leaky Cauldron, they headed back to Chancery House, stopping off at the Eyrie so that Harry and Ron could pick up their dress robes and some extra clothes. That night, both couples retired to their shared rooms too sleep.
----
It was an even better Christmas than the year before for Harry, his friends and extended family surrounded him and he was looking forward to escorting Ginny to the Ball the next day. He and Ginny rose late and joined Hermione, the Weasleys and the others in the big drawing room to open their presents. Harry had thought very hard about all his gifts and they were well received. His favourite gifts were an autographed copy of the new edition of Quidditch through the Ages from Ron and a group sculpture of the four Bestia, Padfoot and Moony in bronze from Ginny.
After they were finished, they moved into the drawing room for breakfast, then after a short rest they moved out to the back and played a game of Quidditch: Charlie, Fred, George, Bill, Angelina, Alicia and Ron on one team; Harry, Ginny, Sirius, Sonja, Tom, Roger and Peter on the other team and Lupin was referee. The game went on for about three hours and only ended when Harry beat Charlie to the Snitch and his team won 200-50. "Good one Harry." Charlie told him, "I think you've improved since last year."
Harry nodded, "Playing against Canada and Bulgaria and in the League over the last four months have really honed my skills. Getting past Cho last week was a challenge, she's improved since the last time we played and her Nimbus 2500 gave her a bit of an edge too. We're ranked in fifth place now, with three good wins."
"You've played the Catapults, the Arrows, the Tornadoes and the Harpies?" asked Charlie.
"Yeah. The next match is against the Ballycastle Bats, they'll be challenge with John Larson, Alan Barks and Günter Stahl as Chasers."
"You'll manage Harry. You've got a pretty strong front line too and you'll get the Snitch." Ginny assured him.
"You're probably right, but enough about me. How have you been doing Charlie?"
"Keeping busy. Orion's been covering my classes so I could been help out my old friends in the Beasts Department. Hadrian MacFusty, the head of the Dragon Restraint and Research Bureau, has got me working down in Wales with one of his cousins, finishing up re-establishing the sanctuary near Snowdon."
"Female cousin?" asked Ron.
Charlie nodded and grinned. "You're right. Her name's Julia, she's coming down tomorrow morning after the traditional family Christmas Feast at MacFusty Manor. We're going to the Ball together tomorrow."
"Charlie's got a girlfriend. Charlie's got a girlfriend."
"Shut up Fred." growled Charlie.
"Why? Charlie's got a girlfriend. Ouch!" he exclaimed and scowled at Angelina who had elbowed him in the ribs.
"It's nothing to make fun of him about." she told him. "After all you've got me."
"Yeah. But we've been dating since we were sixteen. Charlie's nearly thirty and she's his first."
"Still. No mocking."
"But." Angelina started to raise her arm again. "Okay. Okay. Sorry Charlie." Fred said to him.
Harry bent over and whispered in Ginny's ear, "Is it compulsory that Weasley men argue with their girlfriends?"
Ginny grinned. "Probably. Ron and the twins do, Percy and Penny argue sometimes as well. Dad and Mum always seem to get on, but maybe that's just because they've been together for so long, but maybe that's just because they've been together for so long and have run out of arguments."
"Well. I hope we never argue Ginny." Harry told her. "I don't think I could bear it."
"Me neither." she assured him and snuggled into the crock of his arm, her head resting on his collarbone.
----
At ten-to-eight pm the next evening, Harry and Ron were just finishing dressing in Harry's room. Harry pulled on his long black over-robe and then reached for his box and took out his medals. Ron took his foxes' head cufflinks and phoenix pin from a small box in his robe pocket and pinned them to the brown cloth and turned back to Harry. "You look great mate." He told his best friend, taking in the maroon robes over a white shirt and black tie, the phoenix pin and lions-head cufflinks and his two medals hanging from their short ribbons at his chest, the Gryffindor award gleaming gold on red and the Order of Merlin shining silver from a black ribbon.
"You too Ron." Harry told him, "Let's go get Ginny and Hermione."
Ron shook his head. "We're supposed to wait for them on the first landing."
"Let's go anyway." said Harry, he checked his watch. "It's almost eight."
"Okay." Ron moved to open the door, but Dobby beat him to it. "Allow Dobby to open the door sir." The tiny elf opened the door and bowed. Ron nodded and walked out the door, Harry following right behind him, he paused and turned. "Stay here unless Boric or I call for you Dobby."
"Of course Harry Potter sir." confirmed Dobby, bowing again, "Dobby will do as you say sir."
Harry nodded and then headed down the stairs. He paused at the first landing with Ron. Five minutes later, Ginny and Hermione walked down the stairs to them. "Hi guys, you look great." Ginny told them, taking Harry's proffered arm.
Harry kissed her on the cheek. "You look positively radiant, love." he told her, "You too 'Mione."
"Thanks Harry." replied Hermione, "Shall we head down?"
"Might as well." Harry told her, grimly.
"You sound ecstatic at the idea." observed Ginny, sounding slightly hurt.
"It's not you darling. I just don't like public occasions. People stare so." admitted Harry.
"It'll be fine Harry." Ginny told him, squeezing his arm reassuringly, "We'll get through it together." She pulled on his arm and guided him down the stair. Harry sighed and submitted. Ron and Hermione followed them after they had gone down a couple of steps.
When they arrived at the Banqueting Hall, Boric bowed to them and opened the large doors. "Mr Harry Potter and Miss Virginia Wheezey." He announced as Harry walked into the huge room. "Mr Ronald Wheezey and Professor Hermione Granger."
The assembled guests paused briefly and then returned to their conversations, Ron dragged Hermione off to meet Wisp and other members of his Department that had been invited, while steering clear of Bagman.
Harry was just trying to decide who to talk to first, when people wanting to greet him surrounded him. After a while, he managed to escape the throng and took Ginny over to the huge trestle tables where the banquet was set up. "Don't like all the attention Potter?" growled a voice behind him. Harry turned and grinned. Standing at one end of the table were two familiar, unsociable, faces. "Mr Moody, Orion. I would have thought you guys would have skipped out of this?"
"What? And miss all the free beer?" asked Howlett. "Besides, Mari wanted to come."
"That's about why I'm here." admitted Harry, "I'd have skipped it too, but Ginny wanted to come and we were staying here anyway."
"Tough luck." Moody observed. "At least the food's good."
"True." admitted Harry, grabbing couple of plates and starting to fill them. "Dobby and Winky've been helping Rison and Slinky do the work for the last couple of days. They've out done themselves and Rison's cooking is usually superb." Harry passed one loaded plate to Ginny and handed her a Gillywater. He nodded goodbye to the two men, and a bottle of beer in one hand and the second plate in the other he wandered off to find other people to talk to, Ginny paused for a moment and then followed him. Harry and Ginny ended up staying at the Ball for most of the evening despite Harry's discomfort. As before Harry danced a few dances with his other female friends and also a few people he had never met, Ginny danced with Tom, Roger, her brothers that were at the party and a couple of others. Eventually, at about one-thirty, they said goodbye to their friends and their dates, including Sirius' date Wendy Rivers and Lupin's date Talia Porter, and somewhat befuddled by drink, very full stomachs and worn out from dancing, they stumbled off to bed. "That was a great Christmas." Harry declared as they laid in bed about half-an-hour later.
"That it was." Ginny mumbled in agreement as she drifted off to sleep.
----
Two days later, Harry, Ron and Worthington drove Sirius, Hermione, Ginny and the other students to King's Cross to catch the Hogwarts Express back to Hogwarts. Harry followed his friends onto the platform and stopped Ginny just as she was about to get on the train. "I'll see you in a few weeks. I'm coming up for the next Quidditch game."
"I'll be expecting you." Ginny told him and tilted her head back so that Harry could kiss her on the lips. He did, wrapping his arms around her, after a minute or two they broke apart and Harry kissed her on the forehead. "Bye Harry. Good luck for the next match."
"Thanks. I'll need it." He told her and stood watching as the train puffed out of the station. After a moment Ron came up to him and gripped his shoulder. "Let's go Harry. We can't stay here all day."
Harry nodded and followed his friend back through the barrier back into King's Cross. They walked out to the car park and Harry got behind the wheel of his car, Ron got in beside him. "The Eyrie?" he asked.
"Yep. Let's go home." confirmed Harry and pulled out onto the road and drove off.
A/N: Read and Review.
There was one last bit of excitement for the seventh years before the Christmas holidays, Gryffindor's second Quidditch match of the year. This time they faced Ravenclaw.
As before Harry came up to Hogwarts the night before, this time Ron joined him. They followed Hermione and the other Professors to the stadium. "Welcome everyone, to another exciting game of Quidditch at Hogwarts. Today, defending champions Gryffindors take on. Ravenclaw!" The students roared.
Good luck darling. said Harry.
Thanks.
"Starting for Gryffindor today is slightly different line-up. May I present.? Weasley, Kenton, Johnson, Doyle, Lamina, Monk and Aquanis!"
"That's an interesting move." commented Ron.
"Yeah. Tom reckoned they could afford to field some of the newer players, Ravenclaw never play very hard against us." Harry told them.
"For Ravenclaw. Gorman, Dirking, Swift, Quirke, Lacey, Peach and SHARMA!" announced Ward. "The Quaffle is in the air and they're off. Weasley as usual, immediately gets the Quaffle. Flying fast for the Ravenclaw goal, ducks a Bludger from Sharma, shoots, saved by Quirke. Ravenclaw in possession, Swift has the Quaffle, wait - he loses it Kenton, long pass to Weasley, she shoots and scores for Gryffindor. Gryffindor still in possession, Johnson with the Quaffle."
"Kenton and Carolina are doing pretty well." observed Ron, "Their teamwork isn't as seamless as the girls' but they're good." Harry and Hermione nodded.
"Kenton scores! Gryffindor now lead 30-0!"
Gorman snatched the Quaffle from Johnson and shot for the goal. Roger hit a Bludger hard towards him and he ducked, dropping the Quaffle to Swift. "Swift scores! Ravenclaw now trail only 10-40! Gryffindor now in possession Weasley with the Quaffle."
"Doyle better watch himself." Harry said, "That was an easy one. Gorman can be much sneakier than that."
"Weasley scores again for Gryffindor and they now lead 50-10! They are still in possession. Kenton has the Quaffle, passes to Johnson, intercepted by Dirking. She's on a break away and flying hard." Ward told them. Shouting over the Ravenclaws' cheers. "Aquanis cuts her off and knocks the Quaffle out her hand. Weasley captures it and heads back for the goal. Pulls up to avoid Swift, drops it to Kenton. He scores! 60-10, Gryffindor!"
The next hour or so of play was brisk, if one-sided. Swift scored twice more and Gorman once to take Ravenclaw's score to 40. With Roger and Tom's help, the Gryffindor Chasers scored another dozen times in quick succession, bringing the score to 180-40.
"Well, it looks like Tom could have made worse decisions. Gryffindor are still flattening them, even without Bird and the girls." noted Ron.
"Nice Starfish and stick there by Quirke. Ravenclaw have the Quaffle. Gorman takes the Quaffle, loses it to Kenton. Gryffindor scores, making it 190-40! Unless Lacey can get the Snitch, I don't see any way that Ravenclaw can win this!"
He had to mention that. thought Harry. Sonja does not need reminding of what's at stake.
"Weasley scores again for Gryffindor. They now lead 200-40!"
Try to keep scoring, Mare. Sonja needs the pressure taken off her.
I know love. But you're not on the team anymore so shut up.
Okay sorry.
"Kenton scores again for Gryffindor. Gryffindor still in possession. Wait is that the Snitch?!"
It was. Growling angrily, Sonja put her broomstick into a steep dive. The air screamed around her. Harry could see the Ravenclaw Seeker closing fast on an intercept course. "Will she make it?" asked Hermione.
"Maybe." said Harry grimly, "Sonja's closer but Lacey's Cleansweep Seven has more speed. It's going to be tight."
"The two Seekers are closing fast on the Snitch, Lamina is in lead, but Lacey is closing fast. Weasley has the Quaffle, reserve pass to Johnson, she scores. Gryffindor are now 180 points ahead. Even if Lacey gets the Snitch, they've lost the match." Sonja and Lacey got to the Snitch within a breath of each other. Sonja grabbed the Snitch, but that split second of lost control cost her. Lacey had been going to fast to stop and she collided with her just as her fingers closed around the Snitch. She fell off sideways and her broom flew away out of control. Fortunately, she was only a few feet from the ground, so she wasn't too badly hurt. "Lamina gets the Snitch! Gryffindor wins 370- 40!"
Harry hurried down out of the stand onto the pitch while the Gryffindor supporters were still cheering. As he reached to her, Sonja got up, shook her head vigorously to clear it and then looked at the tiny golden ball in her hand. "I did it." she said quietly, it almost sounded like a question. So he decided to answer it. "You did it, Sonja. Quite well too."
"Thanks Harry." she said and smiled.
The other members of the team including the ones that had sat it out, flooded onto the pitch. Tom was the first to reach her and gave her a congratulatory hug. "Good job, Sonja."
"We would have...." He pressed his fingers on her lips and she fell silent.
"If you were about to say, we would have won anyway. Well, you're right. This game. But 620 points is a much stronger position to in than 470 points and we do want to win the Cup. Don't we?" she nodded. "Now go get changed, I want my dinner."
Ginny and Harry shared a brief moment together, before she headed back to the changing rooms for fresh robes and a shower. "You did pretty good to- day yourself. Eight goals. Not your best, but still pretty good. Have you ever thought about playing Quidditch professionally after this year? I know Charlie would quite like to recruit a Chaser for the reserve team. Jessie's been having some health problems recently and doesn't want to continue next season."
Ginny shook her head, "No. I like the game and I admit I'm pretty good at it. But, after this year, I'll be happy enough playing for fun."
"Fine. It was just a thought."
"And it was a good one. But not for me. Why don't you see if Peter'd be interested? She plays Keeper mostly of course, but she's been borrowing Hermione's Firebolt for practice sessions occasionally lately to give Meg a chance to practice as Keeper. She pretty good at it."
"I might do that. When's your next practice?"
"Not till after Christmas." Harry nodded. "Now, if you'll excuse me. I need a shower."
"Okay." said Harry, breaking their embrace. "Although you smell fine to me."
"You're biased." accused Ginny jokingly and walked over to the door to the changing room.
"True." admitted Harry. "See you at dinner."
"Sure." said Ginny, "Give me about half-an-hour."
"I'll be waiting."
----
True to her word, Ginny joined Harry in the Great Hall exactly thirty minutes later, he was sitting alone at the top end of the Gryffindor Table, Ron sat between Hermione and Sirius at the Staff Table. She sat down beside him and they began to eat in companionable silence. The cousins, Roger and Sonja soon joined them and they began chatting amongst each other. After a while the talk inevitably turned to Quidditch and Gryffindor and the Cannons' chances of winning their Cups.
"Well, we're two-for-two." commented Tom, "Hufflepuff'll bury Slytherin next weekend, so that'll be them out of the running. If we can beat Hufflepuff, which we nearly always do, we'll be in the finals. In fact, with the margin we've got we'll probably go through anyway. Ravenclaw's 400 points behind us and Hufflepuff's 520 points behind, I doubt they'll catch us."
"That is true. But we shouldn't be complacent cousin."
"I know. We won't be. What about you Harry. Do you think you'll be playing in Europe next session?"
"We've got a good chance." said Harry cautiously, "We've already beaten a couple of good teams, but the real test's the Bats on the 21st January and the Magpies in April. Though I must admit I'm not looking forward to playing the Wanderers on the 1st of April."
"Why?"
"Mark Caine's one of their Beaters. A Bludgers from him would take my head off."
"Good luck for then."
"I'll need it. Fortunately though, none of the rest should present much off a problem." Harry said, "They lost their best Chaser Larson, to the Bats and their Seeker, McGill, flies a Cleansweep Eight. Fast, but nowhere near as manoeuvrable as my Firebolt. I'll run ring 'round him."
After dinner, they headed up to their sitting room to play games or study as they wished. Hermione and Peter sat down with two copies of a particularly large and thick book on human transfiguration and were soon engrossed in studying it. Roger perched on the broad mantelpiece and a small Potions text he'd borrowed from the library, occasionally glancing over it at Tom and Sonja who were playing chess against Ron, although Sonja's 'assistance' was actually more off a hindrance, she kept reaching over from the chair arm she was sitting on and ticking the back off his neck. Harry and Ginny snuggled up on one of the sofas, Harry brought out his new scrapbook and showed her some of the photos and press cuttings he'd collected over the last few months, many of them from foreign wizarding papers.
"You're getting even more famous Harry." noted Ginny, glancing at a picture of him that had appeared in The Daily Oracle, a Greek newspaper.
"Yeah. I know." admitted Harry ruefully. "But at least it's for something I've accomplished, something I chose to do, not got forced into by chance or deception. I must admit it is satisfying now."
They stayed like that for a few hours, enjoyed the closeness of each other after weeks apart. Their feeling of contentment was so complete that Ron actually managed to persuade them to play him a game of chess. They lost of course, neither of them were that bad at chess and between them they probably could have beaten most of their other friends, but not Ron.
At eleven o'clock, they said goodbye to their friends and went into Harry's room to get some sleep. Hermione scowled and looked about to say something, but a nudge from Ron made her change her mind.
----
The next morning only a few of the students; mostly first, second and third years left Hogwarts for Christmas and joined Harry, Ron, Hermione, the two Marauders and their friends on the Hogwarts Express as it puffed its way to London, the prospect of another Christmas Ball had kept most of the older students at the castle.
Worthington and another Ministry driver picked them up at King's Cross and drove them to Chancery House. Mrs Weasley had persuaded Harry and Ron to stay there over Christmas instead of at their flat. That evening was spent catching up on the news of the other Weasleys, Bill reported that at Dumbledore's request, he had resigned from his work at Gringotts and was now working for the Department of Magical Catastrophes.
In the morning, they drove the Leaky Cauldron and visited Diagon Alley. They all bought Christmas presents for each other and Hermione and the girls went into Madame Malkin's and bought new dress robes for the Ball. After lunch and a few drinks at the Leaky Cauldron, they headed back to Chancery House, stopping off at the Eyrie so that Harry and Ron could pick up their dress robes and some extra clothes. That night, both couples retired to their shared rooms too sleep.
----
It was an even better Christmas than the year before for Harry, his friends and extended family surrounded him and he was looking forward to escorting Ginny to the Ball the next day. He and Ginny rose late and joined Hermione, the Weasleys and the others in the big drawing room to open their presents. Harry had thought very hard about all his gifts and they were well received. His favourite gifts were an autographed copy of the new edition of Quidditch through the Ages from Ron and a group sculpture of the four Bestia, Padfoot and Moony in bronze from Ginny.
After they were finished, they moved into the drawing room for breakfast, then after a short rest they moved out to the back and played a game of Quidditch: Charlie, Fred, George, Bill, Angelina, Alicia and Ron on one team; Harry, Ginny, Sirius, Sonja, Tom, Roger and Peter on the other team and Lupin was referee. The game went on for about three hours and only ended when Harry beat Charlie to the Snitch and his team won 200-50. "Good one Harry." Charlie told him, "I think you've improved since last year."
Harry nodded, "Playing against Canada and Bulgaria and in the League over the last four months have really honed my skills. Getting past Cho last week was a challenge, she's improved since the last time we played and her Nimbus 2500 gave her a bit of an edge too. We're ranked in fifth place now, with three good wins."
"You've played the Catapults, the Arrows, the Tornadoes and the Harpies?" asked Charlie.
"Yeah. The next match is against the Ballycastle Bats, they'll be challenge with John Larson, Alan Barks and Günter Stahl as Chasers."
"You'll manage Harry. You've got a pretty strong front line too and you'll get the Snitch." Ginny assured him.
"You're probably right, but enough about me. How have you been doing Charlie?"
"Keeping busy. Orion's been covering my classes so I could been help out my old friends in the Beasts Department. Hadrian MacFusty, the head of the Dragon Restraint and Research Bureau, has got me working down in Wales with one of his cousins, finishing up re-establishing the sanctuary near Snowdon."
"Female cousin?" asked Ron.
Charlie nodded and grinned. "You're right. Her name's Julia, she's coming down tomorrow morning after the traditional family Christmas Feast at MacFusty Manor. We're going to the Ball together tomorrow."
"Charlie's got a girlfriend. Charlie's got a girlfriend."
"Shut up Fred." growled Charlie.
"Why? Charlie's got a girlfriend. Ouch!" he exclaimed and scowled at Angelina who had elbowed him in the ribs.
"It's nothing to make fun of him about." she told him. "After all you've got me."
"Yeah. But we've been dating since we were sixteen. Charlie's nearly thirty and she's his first."
"Still. No mocking."
"But." Angelina started to raise her arm again. "Okay. Okay. Sorry Charlie." Fred said to him.
Harry bent over and whispered in Ginny's ear, "Is it compulsory that Weasley men argue with their girlfriends?"
Ginny grinned. "Probably. Ron and the twins do, Percy and Penny argue sometimes as well. Dad and Mum always seem to get on, but maybe that's just because they've been together for so long, but maybe that's just because they've been together for so long and have run out of arguments."
"Well. I hope we never argue Ginny." Harry told her. "I don't think I could bear it."
"Me neither." she assured him and snuggled into the crock of his arm, her head resting on his collarbone.
----
At ten-to-eight pm the next evening, Harry and Ron were just finishing dressing in Harry's room. Harry pulled on his long black over-robe and then reached for his box and took out his medals. Ron took his foxes' head cufflinks and phoenix pin from a small box in his robe pocket and pinned them to the brown cloth and turned back to Harry. "You look great mate." He told his best friend, taking in the maroon robes over a white shirt and black tie, the phoenix pin and lions-head cufflinks and his two medals hanging from their short ribbons at his chest, the Gryffindor award gleaming gold on red and the Order of Merlin shining silver from a black ribbon.
"You too Ron." Harry told him, "Let's go get Ginny and Hermione."
Ron shook his head. "We're supposed to wait for them on the first landing."
"Let's go anyway." said Harry, he checked his watch. "It's almost eight."
"Okay." Ron moved to open the door, but Dobby beat him to it. "Allow Dobby to open the door sir." The tiny elf opened the door and bowed. Ron nodded and walked out the door, Harry following right behind him, he paused and turned. "Stay here unless Boric or I call for you Dobby."
"Of course Harry Potter sir." confirmed Dobby, bowing again, "Dobby will do as you say sir."
Harry nodded and then headed down the stairs. He paused at the first landing with Ron. Five minutes later, Ginny and Hermione walked down the stairs to them. "Hi guys, you look great." Ginny told them, taking Harry's proffered arm.
Harry kissed her on the cheek. "You look positively radiant, love." he told her, "You too 'Mione."
"Thanks Harry." replied Hermione, "Shall we head down?"
"Might as well." Harry told her, grimly.
"You sound ecstatic at the idea." observed Ginny, sounding slightly hurt.
"It's not you darling. I just don't like public occasions. People stare so." admitted Harry.
"It'll be fine Harry." Ginny told him, squeezing his arm reassuringly, "We'll get through it together." She pulled on his arm and guided him down the stair. Harry sighed and submitted. Ron and Hermione followed them after they had gone down a couple of steps.
When they arrived at the Banqueting Hall, Boric bowed to them and opened the large doors. "Mr Harry Potter and Miss Virginia Wheezey." He announced as Harry walked into the huge room. "Mr Ronald Wheezey and Professor Hermione Granger."
The assembled guests paused briefly and then returned to their conversations, Ron dragged Hermione off to meet Wisp and other members of his Department that had been invited, while steering clear of Bagman.
Harry was just trying to decide who to talk to first, when people wanting to greet him surrounded him. After a while, he managed to escape the throng and took Ginny over to the huge trestle tables where the banquet was set up. "Don't like all the attention Potter?" growled a voice behind him. Harry turned and grinned. Standing at one end of the table were two familiar, unsociable, faces. "Mr Moody, Orion. I would have thought you guys would have skipped out of this?"
"What? And miss all the free beer?" asked Howlett. "Besides, Mari wanted to come."
"That's about why I'm here." admitted Harry, "I'd have skipped it too, but Ginny wanted to come and we were staying here anyway."
"Tough luck." Moody observed. "At least the food's good."
"True." admitted Harry, grabbing couple of plates and starting to fill them. "Dobby and Winky've been helping Rison and Slinky do the work for the last couple of days. They've out done themselves and Rison's cooking is usually superb." Harry passed one loaded plate to Ginny and handed her a Gillywater. He nodded goodbye to the two men, and a bottle of beer in one hand and the second plate in the other he wandered off to find other people to talk to, Ginny paused for a moment and then followed him. Harry and Ginny ended up staying at the Ball for most of the evening despite Harry's discomfort. As before Harry danced a few dances with his other female friends and also a few people he had never met, Ginny danced with Tom, Roger, her brothers that were at the party and a couple of others. Eventually, at about one-thirty, they said goodbye to their friends and their dates, including Sirius' date Wendy Rivers and Lupin's date Talia Porter, and somewhat befuddled by drink, very full stomachs and worn out from dancing, they stumbled off to bed. "That was a great Christmas." Harry declared as they laid in bed about half-an-hour later.
"That it was." Ginny mumbled in agreement as she drifted off to sleep.
----
Two days later, Harry, Ron and Worthington drove Sirius, Hermione, Ginny and the other students to King's Cross to catch the Hogwarts Express back to Hogwarts. Harry followed his friends onto the platform and stopped Ginny just as she was about to get on the train. "I'll see you in a few weeks. I'm coming up for the next Quidditch game."
"I'll be expecting you." Ginny told him and tilted her head back so that Harry could kiss her on the lips. He did, wrapping his arms around her, after a minute or two they broke apart and Harry kissed her on the forehead. "Bye Harry. Good luck for the next match."
"Thanks. I'll need it." He told her and stood watching as the train puffed out of the station. After a moment Ron came up to him and gripped his shoulder. "Let's go Harry. We can't stay here all day."
Harry nodded and followed his friend back through the barrier back into King's Cross. They walked out to the car park and Harry got behind the wheel of his car, Ron got in beside him. "The Eyrie?" he asked.
"Yep. Let's go home." confirmed Harry and pulled out onto the road and drove off.
A/N: Read and Review.