Chapter 7
The day dragged by for Harry and the Gryffindor Quidditch team, not to mention the other teams. Harry hardly heard a word in his classes, couldn't choke down a thing for lunch, and not even the fun of learning the monkey could occupy his thoughts. Finally, classes were over and Harry ran to the Common Room, almost tripping over his robes countless times. There was already a huge crowd gathered in front of the schedule, but Harry forced his way to the front of the group.
'Ravenclaw! We're playing Ravenclaw first!' Ron shouted as he had got there before the other 7th years.
Harry didn't know whether he was happy about that or not. He'd beat Ravenclaw many times before, but now Cho was coaching. Harry got to the front and examined the schedule. The actual schedule was quite amazing. Beside every game listing, little quidditch players from the specified houses were playing a mini game. In the game that appeared to be Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff, he caught a glimpse of a player who resembled him. It waved to him, and Harry waved back. Examining the game postings, Harry noticed that they were playing Ravenclaw first on a Saturday a month away. IT was the first game of the In-house tournament, so it was one of the most important. Gryffindor played Slytherin in their 2nd game, and luckily had two weeks between the previous games for practice.
'Accio Quidditch schedule!' A voice came from behind the group. They all turned around to see the schedule in the hands of Professor McGonagall.
'Excellent! Slytherin is not your first or last game. I am very pleased.' She was obviously lying, as on her face was an expression that probably appeared on the face of the doctor that had birthed Draco Malfoy. 'Anyway, moving on. I have a message from Oliver Wood. The Quidditch team shall meet with him and Felicia Ledger here in the Common Room at 11:00 PM tonight. The rest of you better not be here then! What are you all staring at? Homework! Now!' Professor McGonagall gave them all the evil eye. Everyone quickly got their books and set up or went to their rooms.
'Man, what's up her ass?' Ron whispered to Harry, as they appeared to be taking Divination notes.
'What's that, Weasley?' Professor McGonagall said, as she appeared right behind the pair.
'Uh, I said… um… what was the spell we learn in class?' Ron said quickly, after fumbling for the answer.
'Yes, I'm sure you did. Well, I'll let it go. I know I've been a bit of a grump today. Carry on,' she said, and walked out of the room.
'Grump? Who uses the word grump anymore?'
***~~~***
The Gryffindor Quidditch team gathered together at 11:00 and waited for Wood and Felicia. And waited. And waited. And waited. At midnight, Amare Bell stretched, got up and said 'Guys, they're obviously not coming. I don't know about you, but I am going to fall asleep on my feet, plus I have a Potions test tomorrow. I suggest we go to bed.' Her idea was met with approval. People slowly got to their feet and had walked halfway across the Common Room to their respective staircases, when they heard heavy pounding in the hall, as if someone or something was sprinting towards the Portrait Hole.
'Dilly of a pickle,' was heard muffled amid giggles outside and the portrait swung open to admit a laughing, red Felicia and Wood.
The team turned around and stared.
'Sorry we're late,' gasped Wood.
'If you knew the time, why did you even show up?' said Ron, getting angry. He hated missing sleep.
'Ya! We've been waiting for over an hour. What were you two doing?' asked Harry.
'We were, ah, busy,' Felicia said, and then looked at Wood. The two broke down laughing again.
'Screw this! I'm going to bed,' Ron said, then turned and started for the boys staircase.
'No! Come back Rusty. We'll calm down, I swear. This won't take that long,' Felicia said as she rushed to Ron, and pulled him back to the group.
'Ok, I'll stay. But why did you call this meeting? And why is it so late?'
'We just didn't want the rest of the Gryffindors to hear us,' replied Wood.
'Oooh, secret stuff. Will we be discussing some illegal activity? Heh heh!' Ron jabbed Wood in the ribs.
'No. Felicia and I just want to go over some secret tactics for the game vs. Ravenclaw. We found out from Dumbledore that the whole round-robin tournament has to be pushed up a few weeks. You game vs. Ravenclaw has been scheduled for a week Saturday.'
'What? That gives us like no time to prepare! I mean we just got back to school. We're still getting into our groove!' cried Harry.
'I know, I know. I can't believe you said 'groove'! Sorry. That just means that we have to practice more.' The whole team groaned. 'No, I said no more early morning practices and I meant it. You all and I need sleep, and you still have school and homework. We have scheduled time on the pitch for after dinner every night this week. We'll divide you into special teams. The teams will rotate between Felicia and I. I'll teach quidditch and Felicia will teach acrobatics. Got that?' The team nodded, although some were yawning.
'Ok, Ravenclaw. What do we know about them?' Wood asked, as he found a seat on a sofa beside Felicia. The rest of the team found seats as well.
'Cho Chang is their coach. She's really good, not only as a seeker, but she knows good tactics too. Man, I thought it would be easier this year for me now that she had graduated, but oh no, she's back!' Harry said, and then slumped in his chair.
'True. I remember her. Now, Harry, she's known you since you started playing Quidditch which means she knows all your moves,' Wood answered.
'Oooh! Good fun! That means I get to teach you new ones. Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun!' Felicia was bouncing up and down.
'That's true, but calm down. Its too late for bouncing, Felicia. What else do we know about Ravenclaw?'
The team all chimed in with ideas and points at once.
'Hey, kids! Calm down! We have time! Why don't you go one at a time? Rusty, what do you think?' Felicia said as she pointed to him.
As time passed, the team all gave their ideas. They got more and more excited, and didn't notice as the time crept past one o'clock. At 1:30 AM, the team was still going strong, when Wood interrupted.
'Whoa, ok. I think we have enough to publish a whole book on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. Ok, Felicia and I are going to take this info and concentrate on it. I want to have these little meetings every day after practice. They will have a definite time limit. You still have homework to do,' Wood said.
'What? We still have to do homework? Can't our teachers leave off sometimes?' Ron cried.
'You're Quidditch players, not royalty.'
'Wouldn't that be cool!' Ron whispered to Harry. 'But then, you sort of are royalty in the wizarding world, aren't ya, Harry?'
'Dude, now you shut up!' Harry whisper-yelled at Ron, punching him on the arm.
'Sorry! Sorry! Oy, sod off!'
'I see that this meeting is unofficially over. Alright, everyone to bed!' Wood watched as everyone sleepily walked to their rooms, and then left with Felicia.
