This chapter should be shorter than the last- I hope!
1 Try-outs
"So how does this work then?" Hermione asked Harry as they walked through the grounds towards the quidditch pitch. It was Monday evening, and keeper trials were about to start.
"Well, each of the candidates does some tests. So that means the chasers will shoot from all different places and we'll observe." Answered Harry. "At the end, the team and McGonagall will all get together and we'll choose the best one."
"Why Professor McGonagall?" Asked Hermione.
"Because she's head of Gryffindor house. That makes her like the manager of the team." Harry said, shrugging.
"How come you didn't have to try-out?" Asked Ron, who was walking just behind them.
"I asked about that actually." Said Harry. "McGonagall told me that if they see someone who's the best one they've seen, even without a try-out, they can be on the team, if they have her permission. After seeing you on Saturday, Ron, I would have just put you on the team without a trial, but the try-outs were already scheduled, so it wouldn't be fair." Harry grinned at his best- friend, who looked extremely uneasy. He had told them the day before that he hadn't put his name down in the first place because he didn't do well under pressure. He did actually looked quite ill.
When they reached the pitch, they found that the team were already there, Fred and George sitting in the stands cracking jokes, and the three chasers soaring around in the air. A group of nervous looking Gryffindors clutching broomsticks stood to one side of the pitch, and they all stopped talking when they saw Harry come into the stadium. He and Hermione went to join Fred and George, while Ron perched himself on the rail surrounding the pitch.
Harry stood up and held a roll of parchment in front of him. "Right." He said, as Angelina, Alicia and Katie came down to hover a few feet from the ground, listening. "I'm gonna call a register, just to make sure that everyone who put there name down is here." He cleared his throat. "Colin Creevey, Seamus Finnegan, Tessa Roberts, Joanne Strepfield, Fred Barry, and Ron Weasley." Everyone answered "here!" when their name was called; all except Ron, who rolled his eyes and looked away.
At that moment, Professor McGonagall arrived, carrying a large notebook. "Everyone here Potter? Good, let's get on with it then." She sat down next to Harry, behind Fred and George, who stopped cracking jokes and turned to look with interest at the candidates, all of whom looked extremely excited. All except Ron, that is, who just looked annoyed at having to be there.
They were going in register order, so Fred Barry was first. As he flew up into the air, Fred Weasley turned to Harry. "I think we should pick him. I mean, he's got such a great name…" He said with a grin. Professor McGonagall frowned. "Be quiet Weasley. You should be paying attention." She snapped. Fred shrugged and turned around. By the end of Fred Barry's turn though, the Fred Weasley had changed his mind. Barry wasn't keeper material- he kept batting the quaffle, which would usually go straight through the hoop. Harry noted that he would make a good beater, though, and he said so.
Next was Colin Creevey. Harry was surprised at how good Colin was, he was a muggle-born and Harry had never seen him fly before. Out of the ten shots the chasers threw at him, Colin caught seven and narrowly missed the other three. When he landed, and Harry shouted out "Well done Colin!" Colin flushed a deep red and looked very pleased with himself. He had always idolised Harry.
Next up was Seamus Finnegan. He flashed Harry a grin before he started. Harry tried to keep a straight face throughout Seamus' turn. He knew full well that the only reason Seamus was there was because Dean had dared him to go along and make a fool of himself. And he did it superbly. Seamus didn't catch one quaffle, even when Angelina threw one a foot away from him and it passed through his hands. When Seamus landed, he fell off his broom on purpose.
By this time, Fred and George were in fits of laughter and Hermione was laughing quietly so Professor McGonagall wouldn't see her. Even Ron, who had been looking gloomy as hell, cracked a smile. Harry grinned and called up Tessa Roberts.
Tessa Roberts was also very good. She and her friend Joanne Strepfield both caught seven quafles, the same as Colin, but Colin was still looking the best by far.
When it came to Ron's turn, it looked as though he had fallen asleep. Harry, Fred and George had to yell his name together to get his attention. (He had been staring wistfully back up at the castle). He shot them an annoyed look and Harry gave him a sarcastic wave. He opened his mouth to say something, probably along the lines of "Do I have to?" but Harry silenced him with a glare and pointed at the goal hoops. Ron picked up his broom with a sulky look on his face and flew up into the air.
"What's up with him?" It was Seamus, who had climbed up into the stands and sat down behind Harry without him noticing. Harry shook his head with a grin on his face. "He doesn't really want to try-out, to tell the truth." He said. Professor McGonagall turned to Harry with a confused look on her face. "Then why…?" she started to ask, before George answered her question.
"Because he's actually really good. We should know, we've lived with him for fifteen years." He said with a grin.
"Fifteen years!" Said Fred. "They grow up so quickly." He and George pretended to wipe their eyes.
Harry and Seamus laughed, while Professor Mcgonagall gave the twins an exasperated look and turned to watch Ron, only to find he was already on something like the fifth shot. "We haven't been watching! Oh you two are…" she started to tell off Fred and George, but Hermione interrupted her.
"Please Professor, I've been watching, and he hasn't missed any yet." She said to her favourite teacher, who smiled graciously. "Thank you Miss Granger, I'm glad someone was paying attention." She shot a nasty look at the twins and turned her attention back to Ron. George looked over his shoulder at Hermione and mouthed "teacher's pet " at her. She stuck her tongue out at him and then looked over Harry's shoulder to see what he was writing on the parchment. He wasn't writing anything, she found, he was playing noughts and crosses with himself. Shaking her head slightly, Hermione looked up just in time to see Ron make his tenth save. He looked incredibly bored.
It was hardly surprising at the end of the try-outs when Ron was announced the new keeper for Gryffindor. The other candidates applauded him and Colin Creevey pulled out his camera to take a picture of his shocked, and still slightly annoyed face. Everyone started to drift off up to the castle and Harry and Hermione walked over to Ron, who was standing in the middle of the field waiting for them, his arms crossed and looking as though he was going to explode.
"I can't do it! I can not be keeper!" He hissed as they approached. He looked very put down. Hermione rolled her eyes. "Stop being so noble. You were the best out there and you know it." She said defiantly. Ron looked at her in surprise when he heard her cold tone of voice. "Sorry." He said sarcastically.
Harry pulled out a set of blood red Quidditch robes from a bag he was holding and chucked them at Ron. "Congratulations." He said with a grin, before starting to make his way back up to school.
1 Try-outs
"So how does this work then?" Hermione asked Harry as they walked through the grounds towards the quidditch pitch. It was Monday evening, and keeper trials were about to start.
"Well, each of the candidates does some tests. So that means the chasers will shoot from all different places and we'll observe." Answered Harry. "At the end, the team and McGonagall will all get together and we'll choose the best one."
"Why Professor McGonagall?" Asked Hermione.
"Because she's head of Gryffindor house. That makes her like the manager of the team." Harry said, shrugging.
"How come you didn't have to try-out?" Asked Ron, who was walking just behind them.
"I asked about that actually." Said Harry. "McGonagall told me that if they see someone who's the best one they've seen, even without a try-out, they can be on the team, if they have her permission. After seeing you on Saturday, Ron, I would have just put you on the team without a trial, but the try-outs were already scheduled, so it wouldn't be fair." Harry grinned at his best- friend, who looked extremely uneasy. He had told them the day before that he hadn't put his name down in the first place because he didn't do well under pressure. He did actually looked quite ill.
When they reached the pitch, they found that the team were already there, Fred and George sitting in the stands cracking jokes, and the three chasers soaring around in the air. A group of nervous looking Gryffindors clutching broomsticks stood to one side of the pitch, and they all stopped talking when they saw Harry come into the stadium. He and Hermione went to join Fred and George, while Ron perched himself on the rail surrounding the pitch.
Harry stood up and held a roll of parchment in front of him. "Right." He said, as Angelina, Alicia and Katie came down to hover a few feet from the ground, listening. "I'm gonna call a register, just to make sure that everyone who put there name down is here." He cleared his throat. "Colin Creevey, Seamus Finnegan, Tessa Roberts, Joanne Strepfield, Fred Barry, and Ron Weasley." Everyone answered "here!" when their name was called; all except Ron, who rolled his eyes and looked away.
At that moment, Professor McGonagall arrived, carrying a large notebook. "Everyone here Potter? Good, let's get on with it then." She sat down next to Harry, behind Fred and George, who stopped cracking jokes and turned to look with interest at the candidates, all of whom looked extremely excited. All except Ron, that is, who just looked annoyed at having to be there.
They were going in register order, so Fred Barry was first. As he flew up into the air, Fred Weasley turned to Harry. "I think we should pick him. I mean, he's got such a great name…" He said with a grin. Professor McGonagall frowned. "Be quiet Weasley. You should be paying attention." She snapped. Fred shrugged and turned around. By the end of Fred Barry's turn though, the Fred Weasley had changed his mind. Barry wasn't keeper material- he kept batting the quaffle, which would usually go straight through the hoop. Harry noted that he would make a good beater, though, and he said so.
Next was Colin Creevey. Harry was surprised at how good Colin was, he was a muggle-born and Harry had never seen him fly before. Out of the ten shots the chasers threw at him, Colin caught seven and narrowly missed the other three. When he landed, and Harry shouted out "Well done Colin!" Colin flushed a deep red and looked very pleased with himself. He had always idolised Harry.
Next up was Seamus Finnegan. He flashed Harry a grin before he started. Harry tried to keep a straight face throughout Seamus' turn. He knew full well that the only reason Seamus was there was because Dean had dared him to go along and make a fool of himself. And he did it superbly. Seamus didn't catch one quaffle, even when Angelina threw one a foot away from him and it passed through his hands. When Seamus landed, he fell off his broom on purpose.
By this time, Fred and George were in fits of laughter and Hermione was laughing quietly so Professor McGonagall wouldn't see her. Even Ron, who had been looking gloomy as hell, cracked a smile. Harry grinned and called up Tessa Roberts.
Tessa Roberts was also very good. She and her friend Joanne Strepfield both caught seven quafles, the same as Colin, but Colin was still looking the best by far.
When it came to Ron's turn, it looked as though he had fallen asleep. Harry, Fred and George had to yell his name together to get his attention. (He had been staring wistfully back up at the castle). He shot them an annoyed look and Harry gave him a sarcastic wave. He opened his mouth to say something, probably along the lines of "Do I have to?" but Harry silenced him with a glare and pointed at the goal hoops. Ron picked up his broom with a sulky look on his face and flew up into the air.
"What's up with him?" It was Seamus, who had climbed up into the stands and sat down behind Harry without him noticing. Harry shook his head with a grin on his face. "He doesn't really want to try-out, to tell the truth." He said. Professor McGonagall turned to Harry with a confused look on her face. "Then why…?" she started to ask, before George answered her question.
"Because he's actually really good. We should know, we've lived with him for fifteen years." He said with a grin.
"Fifteen years!" Said Fred. "They grow up so quickly." He and George pretended to wipe their eyes.
Harry and Seamus laughed, while Professor Mcgonagall gave the twins an exasperated look and turned to watch Ron, only to find he was already on something like the fifth shot. "We haven't been watching! Oh you two are…" she started to tell off Fred and George, but Hermione interrupted her.
"Please Professor, I've been watching, and he hasn't missed any yet." She said to her favourite teacher, who smiled graciously. "Thank you Miss Granger, I'm glad someone was paying attention." She shot a nasty look at the twins and turned her attention back to Ron. George looked over his shoulder at Hermione and mouthed "teacher's pet " at her. She stuck her tongue out at him and then looked over Harry's shoulder to see what he was writing on the parchment. He wasn't writing anything, she found, he was playing noughts and crosses with himself. Shaking her head slightly, Hermione looked up just in time to see Ron make his tenth save. He looked incredibly bored.
It was hardly surprising at the end of the try-outs when Ron was announced the new keeper for Gryffindor. The other candidates applauded him and Colin Creevey pulled out his camera to take a picture of his shocked, and still slightly annoyed face. Everyone started to drift off up to the castle and Harry and Hermione walked over to Ron, who was standing in the middle of the field waiting for them, his arms crossed and looking as though he was going to explode.
"I can't do it! I can not be keeper!" He hissed as they approached. He looked very put down. Hermione rolled her eyes. "Stop being so noble. You were the best out there and you know it." She said defiantly. Ron looked at her in surprise when he heard her cold tone of voice. "Sorry." He said sarcastically.
Harry pulled out a set of blood red Quidditch robes from a bag he was holding and chucked them at Ron. "Congratulations." He said with a grin, before starting to make his way back up to school.