Instead of going straight up to bed, Sophie sat with Harry, Ron and
Hermione in the common room. The moment Harry came through the portrait
hole he was cornered by the Gryffindor quidditch team.
"Harry!" the sixth year keeper, Brent Brooks said, nearly running Sophie over in his haste to get at the captain. "Harry, what are we going to do? Were short a beater! Ron can't do it all alone!"
"Calm down Brent I.." But Harry was cut off by an over excited Seamus.
"Yeah, there's no one left that's really any good."
"We can't give up the cup." Cut in fifth year chaser, Annie McDonald. "It was a stretch bringing in Natalie!"
"Oy! I am just as every bit as good as you Annie Marie McDonald! Are you putting down your own kin now?" Annie's little fourth year sister Natalie put in.
"I was only teasing, Nattie. No need to get in a huff." Annie said, smiling. "You're a wonderful chaser."
"Ladies? Can we please stay on task?" Brent asked, more than a little annoyed.
"As I was saying.." Harry tried again.
"We could try your sister, Ginny, Ron. You and your brothers talent may have rubbed off on her."
"Nah, she doesn't like playing."
"Hey, you guys?" Hermione said loudly.
"What?" Brent, Natalie, Annie and Ron chorused.
"I think Harry was trying to say something." Hermione said, smiling.
Everyone turned to look at Harry.
"Did you forget whose little sister is sitting right among you?" Harry asked, pointing to Sophie, who blushed.
"Do you play, Sophie?" Brent asked.
"Keeper, Seeker and Beater. I was Keeper for my school team, well, before I was home schooled. My brother says I have a wicked arm and a great right hook, but that's beside the point. Nathaniel and the rest of my brothers taught me everything-well almost everything- I know about quidditch. Oliver.well," she said looking thoughtful. "You know Oliver, Harry."
"Wood?"
Sophie nodded. "He taught me a few things this past summer. He was on my brother's quidditch team." Sophie didn't elaborate and didn't think she should.
Harry thought perhaps there was more to her story, but he didn't ask. "Here's your new beater!" Harry told the team.
Brent swooped Sophie up in a big bear hug. He was a bit over eccentric about the team. Once he put her down Harry introduced everyone.
"These are our three wonderful chasers: Seamus Finnigan, Natalie McDonald and Annie McDonald, our keeper: Brent Brooks and our other beater Ron Weasley, but you know him."
"Yes, its wonderful to meet you all, it really is but I'm very tired. Would you please excuse me?"
The team nodded.
"We have practice tomorrow afternoon." Harry reminded everyone.
"Harry! It's the second day of school! Don't be ridiculous!" Natalie complained.
Harry shrugged. "We need to practice and get to know Sophie. It won't be a long practice, I promise."
Hermione wanted to stay in the common room for a few minutes to talk to Ron and Harry, so Sophie waited for her. Hermione didn't notice, but she was only talking to Ron. Harry came over to sit with Sophie.
"You should get to bed, you know." He said by way of greeting.
"Maybe, but I wanted to wait for Hermione." She said, finishing with a yawn. Two minutes later, she was sound asleep.
"Hermione?" Harry asked. She turned to look at him. "I'm taking her up to bed." He told her. She nodded and turned back to Ron. Harry carefully picked Sophie up and headed to the girls dormitories. He found the one marked "Seventh Years" and walked in. Lavender and Parfait were still in the common room so thankfully the room was empty.
Each bed had a trunk at its foot except one. It had an overnight bag, a long wrapped package and a note laying on it. Harry picked up the note. It was from Dumbledore.
Sophie,
Your school things will be here tomorrow afternoon. This is your bed and your Aunt Rosalia is sending your trunk full of things, but I thought you might want this now. Goodnight!
Albus Dumbledore
'The package must be a broom.' Harry thought. He moved the things from her bed, pulled back the covers and laid her down. She rolled on her side, facing him. He covered her up and on impulse leaned down and kissed her forehead. She smiled and snuggled contently under the covers.
Harry walked out thinking about how cute she was when she was sleeping.
"Harry!" the sixth year keeper, Brent Brooks said, nearly running Sophie over in his haste to get at the captain. "Harry, what are we going to do? Were short a beater! Ron can't do it all alone!"
"Calm down Brent I.." But Harry was cut off by an over excited Seamus.
"Yeah, there's no one left that's really any good."
"We can't give up the cup." Cut in fifth year chaser, Annie McDonald. "It was a stretch bringing in Natalie!"
"Oy! I am just as every bit as good as you Annie Marie McDonald! Are you putting down your own kin now?" Annie's little fourth year sister Natalie put in.
"I was only teasing, Nattie. No need to get in a huff." Annie said, smiling. "You're a wonderful chaser."
"Ladies? Can we please stay on task?" Brent asked, more than a little annoyed.
"As I was saying.." Harry tried again.
"We could try your sister, Ginny, Ron. You and your brothers talent may have rubbed off on her."
"Nah, she doesn't like playing."
"Hey, you guys?" Hermione said loudly.
"What?" Brent, Natalie, Annie and Ron chorused.
"I think Harry was trying to say something." Hermione said, smiling.
Everyone turned to look at Harry.
"Did you forget whose little sister is sitting right among you?" Harry asked, pointing to Sophie, who blushed.
"Do you play, Sophie?" Brent asked.
"Keeper, Seeker and Beater. I was Keeper for my school team, well, before I was home schooled. My brother says I have a wicked arm and a great right hook, but that's beside the point. Nathaniel and the rest of my brothers taught me everything-well almost everything- I know about quidditch. Oliver.well," she said looking thoughtful. "You know Oliver, Harry."
"Wood?"
Sophie nodded. "He taught me a few things this past summer. He was on my brother's quidditch team." Sophie didn't elaborate and didn't think she should.
Harry thought perhaps there was more to her story, but he didn't ask. "Here's your new beater!" Harry told the team.
Brent swooped Sophie up in a big bear hug. He was a bit over eccentric about the team. Once he put her down Harry introduced everyone.
"These are our three wonderful chasers: Seamus Finnigan, Natalie McDonald and Annie McDonald, our keeper: Brent Brooks and our other beater Ron Weasley, but you know him."
"Yes, its wonderful to meet you all, it really is but I'm very tired. Would you please excuse me?"
The team nodded.
"We have practice tomorrow afternoon." Harry reminded everyone.
"Harry! It's the second day of school! Don't be ridiculous!" Natalie complained.
Harry shrugged. "We need to practice and get to know Sophie. It won't be a long practice, I promise."
Hermione wanted to stay in the common room for a few minutes to talk to Ron and Harry, so Sophie waited for her. Hermione didn't notice, but she was only talking to Ron. Harry came over to sit with Sophie.
"You should get to bed, you know." He said by way of greeting.
"Maybe, but I wanted to wait for Hermione." She said, finishing with a yawn. Two minutes later, she was sound asleep.
"Hermione?" Harry asked. She turned to look at him. "I'm taking her up to bed." He told her. She nodded and turned back to Ron. Harry carefully picked Sophie up and headed to the girls dormitories. He found the one marked "Seventh Years" and walked in. Lavender and Parfait were still in the common room so thankfully the room was empty.
Each bed had a trunk at its foot except one. It had an overnight bag, a long wrapped package and a note laying on it. Harry picked up the note. It was from Dumbledore.
Sophie,
Your school things will be here tomorrow afternoon. This is your bed and your Aunt Rosalia is sending your trunk full of things, but I thought you might want this now. Goodnight!
Albus Dumbledore
'The package must be a broom.' Harry thought. He moved the things from her bed, pulled back the covers and laid her down. She rolled on her side, facing him. He covered her up and on impulse leaned down and kissed her forehead. She smiled and snuggled contently under the covers.
Harry walked out thinking about how cute she was when she was sleeping.
