Chapter 7
The Replacement
The day had finally arrived; the day that the Ravenclaw trial team would chose the First year they wanted to join the team. Ever scene BJ became the back up Beater for the Quidditch team Joseph thought he disserved the position on the trial team. Joseph was thinking about the trial team during Muggle Studies, he had a lot of spare time in Muggle Studies because he knew everything that Professor Carroll was going to teach them. "Hey Joe," Joseph looked back to see Louis whispering to him. "What?" Joseph said feeling annoyed that Louis interrupted his train of thought. "Are BJ and you going to the Trials announcements tonight during dinner?" Louis was leaning in to Joseph from his desk. "Yes we want to know who is going to be picked." Joseph started to turn around back to his seat, "Hey but Joe," Joseph turned back. "Do you want me to come?" Louis said. Joseph thought for a second, "Well isn't the whole House going to come?" Professor Carroll looked up and them, and Joseph quickly turned back to the front of the room. "A second year student said that they don't cancel dinner on Trial announcement night because the fact that the trials is such an unpopular thing." Louis said quickly hoping that Carroll wouldn't see him. "Well you can come if you want I don't really care." Respond Joseph, though on the inside he wanted Louis to come, but didn't want to force him to do anything he didn't want to do. "I'll probably not come then," Louis sounded relived. Joseph went back to thinking, this time he was thinking about the recent dreams he has had. "Both of them are very weird, but the one with Satan's sign scared me," he thought, "man I wish I knew what those dreams mean, it would let me relax for awhile." Professor Carroll stood up and walked in front of the class. "Now before I let the you guys out for lunch, I wanted to tell you that Christmas break is coming up and I am going to give you a huge project over it so I don't want you to think that Christmas break is going to be fun and happy." And with that speech she walked back to her desk and then the bell rang. Joseph got up and moved towards BJ and Louis. "Man my head is killing me," BJ said as they moved down stairs to lunch. "Well you shouldn't have slept on the couch last night." Joseph said. "How did you know I slept on the couch last night?" BJ asked in a freaked out tone. "I got up to take a walk last night and saw you sleeping on the couch." Joseph looked over at Louis to see he had vanished. "Must have gone with some of his friends." Said Joseph. BJ and Joseph sat down at a table and started to eat lunch. "Last night when I was walking I saw the awards that all the Houses have. Gryffindor and Slytherin each have twice as many as both Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw combined. And I also saw the special service awards for the school, and Professor Krum has three of them. She, Harry Potter, and some guy named Arnold Weasley got them all. I wonder why they got them?" Joseph took a bite out of the sandwich he picked up. "Well perhaps you should ask Professor Krum," BJ said. "I don't think anyone has asked her anything about her past or about Harry Potter, you could be the first Joe." BJ gulped down some pumpkin juice. "What is up with pumpkin juice? I hate this stuff but it is all they serve." Joseph just shrugged not give much thought to BJ pumpkin juice question. "I'll think I will ask Professor Krum about the special services awards." Joseph blurted out. "I'll just wait till after our lesson then I'll ask her how she got them. You want to come with me BJ?" Joseph looked at BJ to see his mouth stuffed with food, but he did nod his head. "OK then after class we will ask her."
Potions class was extremely boring but Joseph had new resolve to get through it. "Ready to go BJ?" Joseph said right before the bell rang. "Yup I just need to copy down the homework." BJ responded. Professor Krum was a good professor but she did seem to give a huge amount of homework. When the bell rang Joseph and BJ approached Professor Krum's desk. "Excuse me professor." Joseph said nervously. Professor Krum looked up at them and smiled, "What is it boys?" Joseph took a deep breath and began. "Well last night I noticed that out of all the special service awards in the school your name is on more then half of them." Joseph took another deep breath. "And we were wondering how you got them?" She looked at Joseph then at a nodding BJ. "Well boys I have to admit I was wondering if anyone was going to ask me about the awards or at least about the past. But I am more then happy to tell you," Professor Krum said with a smile on. "And before I tell you boys the story I have to say that I never did anything to earn those awards, it was my friends Harry and Ron that did all the work, all I did was worry about them." Joseph had a puzzled expression on his face. "Excuse me Professor, who is Ron, there was no Ron on those awards." He said. "Well Ron was what we called Arnold, we never used his first name." She responded. "Anyway the awards are for all the thing we did to help stop Voldimort and his cronies. I don't really have time to tell you Boys the stories but someday in class I will tell you some of them, but right now Headmaster Dumbledore wants to have a meeting with the entire staff, something about a new Professor coming to teach at the school." She smiled as she stood up and acoumpiened BJ and Joseph back to Ravenclaw common room. "What a jip," BJ said later that night. "We wanted to hear stories not excuses." Joseph and BJ were sitting in the meeting room waiting to hear the announcements for the First year that is going to be on the Trials team. The room had hardly anyone in it, Joseph wondered if any even cared if the team existed or not. There were only eight people who where in the room, and only four of them were First years. The stage in the front of the room had 6 members on it, meaning that one more was needed to complete the team. Joseph was hoping he would be the one that was chosen to the team. But he knew that he made up at least two of the answers on the paper test they gave them. He sat there looking glum; on the other hand BJ was smiling happily he must have gotten all the right answers on the test. "Lets get this show on the road," said a blonde girl in the front row, the whole room shared her sentiments. "Ok people welcome to the third annual Wizard and Witch trial announcements, my name is Percy Stevenson I am the 7th year team member for the Wizard/Witch Trial team. Before I announce the 1st year member, I would like to introduce the Ravenclaw team. The 6th year member, Hermione Terea. The 5th year member Jim Donaldson, the 4th year member Heather Micksen, the 3rd year member Oliver Mead, and finally the 2nd year member Mariano Luna." Joseph remembered Mariano from a couple nights ago and was hoping he took his advice and put a good word for him. "And now I would like to introduce you to the new member of the wizard trial team." Joseph's heart was pounding against his chest, this is what he has been waiting for would he make it or not. He glanced over at BJ who looked as cool as a cucumber. "BJ Thomas." Percy finished his sentence. Joseph's mouth just hung open as BJ stood up and strode up to the front of the room and joined the team. "BUT HOW?" Joseph asked himself. Joseph was speechless and felt like crap.
Later that night after much of the House had gone to sleep, Joseph sat up looking out the window, BJ had to go to a special meeting for new Trial members. "I hope he gets injured during the games," Joseph thought bitterly. "That lousy jerk took Quidditch and he also took the trials." Joseph just looked and starred out at the moon. "I need to blow some steam." Joseph said out load and got up to take a walk around the school. The hallways were much like they always where during the nighttime. But that is when it happened; Joseph was heading around the corner when he spotted Snape coming down the hallway. "Oh crap if I am caught then I will get a detention." Joseph said to himself. Joseph looked around and saw the statue of a Knight and jumped behind it to wait until Snape passed. "Professor Snape," It was the Janitor Mr. Filch. "Yes what is it?" Snape said as he turned to Filch. "I heard a rumor or two from a couple students that there is going to be a change in the leadership of Hogwarts. And I have been dieing to know if it is true." Filch said as he looked nervously around. Snape also looked around to see if anyone was listening, luckily for Joseph they didn't notice the knight statue in the corner. "Well, Mr. Filch the rumor is true there is going to be a change in leadership," Snapes voice lowered down to a whisper. "After all that has happened in the last 10 year, Dumbledore feels that all is safe again in the world. And now he has decided that he take a brake, a long brake from being headmaster." Filch eyes widened as Snape said this. "Well who is going to lead the school?" Filch managed to spit out. "Dumbledore said he would name his successor as well as a public announcement that he is going to leave after winter brake." Snape flashed an evil smile as he said this. "But we all know who is going to replace him. It's going to be Minerva and most likely Hermione will take over Transfiguration. I have no idea who is going over Potions. But as long as I am still in charge of defense against the dark I don't care." Snape's smile intensified and it made him look eviler then Joseph had ever seen him before. "Well Professor it's a shame that we must lose Dumbledore, he is the best Headmaster we have ever had here at Hogwarts." Filch wiped an away a tear as he said this. Joseph was finding it harder to stay scrunched up behind the statue and decided to move his legs. He slowly moved out his right leg to make room for his other leg. "Slam!" Joseph left leg slipped out from underneath him hit the statue. The sound echoed through the halls. Snape turned almost immediately and pulled out his wand. "Oh crap I am screwed." Joseph thought as he heard Snape walking over to his position. Joseph looked up wards to see an evil grin on Snapes face change to a look of anger. "Well if it isn't Mr. Masa on a late night stroll, are we. Come with me boy." Joseph got up and went with Snape.
Joseph was in Snapes office looking directly at Snape in the eyes. "Well Mr. Masa can you explain you late night expedition?" Snape said slowly so Joseph wouldn't make any mistake on what he was saying. Joseph just sat there in a chair not able to speak. "WELL ANSWER ME BOY." Snape yelled. "Ua well you see Professor.. I was.walking and I came along.." Joseph began to say. "So you out taking a stroll after the curfew hours of a First year, well sounds like a good excuse to me Mr. Masa," Snape said sarcastically. "This isn't the bloody United States of America, we don't break the rules and expect everyone to forgive us, nope, here we do things a little differently." Snape walked over to his book self and pulled out a particularly thick book and opened it. "Lets see here.." he flipped through a few pages before he settled on the one he wanted. "Ah here we are detention punishments, oh it seems you are in luck Mr. Masa I am booked solid through the Christmas break, I'll just pencil you in the week after we come back. And until then Mr. Masa I suggest you don't take any more late night walks." Snape slammed the book shut and put it back in the book self. "Now go back to your common room." Joseph started to head out the door. "Oh one more thing Mr. Masa, 20 points from Ravenclaw." Snape said, the smile returned back to his face. Joseph hurried up and left Snape office before he took off more points from Ravenclaw. Joseph hurried down the hallway to Ravenclaw Common room. At this point in his life he never hated someone as much as he hated Snape. As Joseph ran threw the hallway he glanced at the beautiful moon that seemed to haunt him. Joseph then stopped, and glared at the house that he saw the ghost like apparition in. "It's time I get proof," he said out loud. "I need to get a camera and take a picture of the creature so people will believe me." Joseph though for a second and then finished his journey to the Ravenclaw common room. He just knew exactly what he was going to he was going to barrow Chris Mulky's instant photograph camera. Chris was a tall blond haired, blue-eyed boy, who had quite a love for photography and brought a camera with him to the school. Joseph quietly snuck his way up into the sleeping quarters, everyone had gone to sleep already, even BJ was there, and Joseph figured the meeting with the trial team was over. Joseph walked slowly over to Chris's stuff, Chris was asleep on the top bunk, snoring loudly as usual. Joseph opened Chris trunk, Joseph thought that it might be locked but Chris hardly ever remembered anything. Joseph searched through Chris's stuff, most of the stuff was sleeping clothes and music CDs. "Ah ha," Joseph quietly said as he grasped Chris's automatic flash, top of the line camera, probably very expensive. Joseph had to remind himself that it wasn't a toy and not meant to be messed around with it. Joseph made his exit from the common room. The hallways were being patrolled at nights and he didn't want to lose any more points for Ravenclaw. He had to make it out to the cabins before any one sees him. Joseph walked slighlently and quickly down the hallway, taking the fastest way he knew down to the lake. As he made the final turn to outside he could feel the cool air on his face. It definitely was almost Christmas time; the air was very cold. Joseph walked out towards the cabin, no longer in a hurry, Joseph started to crouch to the ground, as he approached the cabin he got the camera ready. He was right under the window, getting ready to look in. Joseph felt the butterflies in his stomach. He slowly lifted himself up and looked into the window, there it was the creature glowing like never before. It was in some sort of trance. Its eyes were closed and it was floating in mid-air, it looked like a yoga master in one of his positions. Joseph quickly moved the camera upwards and snapped a shot or the creature. Joseph ducked down again, hoping the creature didn't see him. Joseph counted to ten and then set off across the field at the top speed he could run. He quickly jumped up stairs and sped back to the common room. As he jumped through the hole to Ravenclaw common room, the reality of the situation hit him. He just got proof that the creature no one else could see, existed. "Yes!" he let out a yell. Then realized everyone is asleep and he didn't want to wake anyone up. Joseph climbed up the stairs to the sleeping quarters; Joseph sat down on his bed and slide the side of the camera and pulled out the picture. The waved it around for a few seconds before the picture started to appear on it. Joseph could make out the chair on the side of the cabin room. Now he could see the window on the other side of the cabin, "Wait a minute," Joseph thought. "The creature wasn't in the middle of the room it isn't anywhere." Joseph looked at the picture horrified, "Where is it?" he couldn't find it in the picture. It was nowhere to be found the picture. Joseph just sat there with his jaw dropped, starring at the picture hope that it was some kind of wizard magic that would change in a few seconds. But it wasn't and Joseph finally gave up and threw the picture on the floor, lay down on the bed and closed his eyes. "I can't be crazy, can I?" Joseph thought. But soon his thoughts were cancelled out by the need for sleep and he feel asleep.
The next morning was Saturday, and it was a cold and gray one. Joseph woke up really late; no one else was in the room sleeping he was the last one up. Joseph got up and started his morning routine. Took a shower and got dressed. He was on his way to breakfast when he looked out the window to see Josh and Jessica walking near the lake. Joseph stopped to watch them walk, secretly hoping that the squid in the lake out come out and eat them both. But when they passed out of view Joseph continued his journey to the breakfast table. He walked into the room to see that there wasn't any one in there. Joseph looked around and scratched his head. "Damn I am having one of those days all week long," he said out loud. Joseph walked over to the Ravenclaw table and sat down. There was no food on the table so Joseph just sat there wondering where everyone was. "I hope this isn't a horrible dream," thought Joseph. "Maybe I should look around the school." Joseph got up and left the room and went to several popular places. He tried the library but it was closed, he went back to the common room hoping someone would be in there but nobody was. Joseph then thought, "I'll find Josh and ask him." He rushed out to the lake but wasn't able to find him. Then as Joseph was about to give up and go back to the common room, he saw the stadium. "The Quidditch match!" He shouted out loud, and ran his fastest to the stadium. Joseph wondered why no one had bothered to wake him for it. Today's match was the beginning of the Quidditch season, and it was supposta be a good one. It was Ravenclaw V.S. Slytherin. Joseph hurried up and walked into the stadium and looked for his friends. "LOOK OUT!" Joseph looked upwards to see a little golden ball and then right behind it was two people riding on broomsticks. Joseph jumped on the ground and covered his head. The two broomstick riders zoomed over his head. "What an amazing display of sportsmanship," Joseph heard a loud voice booming. "With the golden snitch almost caught the score is Ravenclaw 70, Slytherin 50, it sure is a high scoring game today." Joseph let a smile on his face, "At least Ravenclaw was winning," he thought. Joseph walked up into the Ravenclaw section of the stadium and began to look for BJ and Louis. But he was beginning to realize that Ravenclaw had more people in it then Joseph had ever thought. He weighted his way through the crowd looking for any sign of BJ or Louis. But that is when he saw Louis, sitting next to Miguel, in the second to front row. Joseph shoved his way up to Louis. "Hey Louis how come you didn't wake me up?" Joseph asked while breathing a little harder then usual. "Well Joe I was going to but then something amazing happened," Louis responded. Joseph rolled his eyes, when Louis said something amazing happened that meant they served to servings at breakfast. "You see Tim York, the Beater for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team woke up this morning and fell all the way to the bottom of the stairs. A shame really, but guess who gets to replace him?" Joseph mouth dropped wide open, "BJ!" Joseph yelled. Joseph looked upward with out even waiting to see Louis response. His eyes scanned the sky. "There he is!" Joseph excitedly pointed upward at the sky, he could make out that BJ was hiding towards the back of the stadium. "Perhaps BJ is a tad scared of his position." Joseph said as he watched BJ fly away from the Bludger as it came near him. Joseph grabbed a free seat next to Louis. "But why would they pick BJ to fill in the position of Beater if he is on the Trial team and they had another guy to fill in?" Asked Miguel. Both Louis and Joseph were fixated on BJ and couldn't take their eyes off him. "Well the other guy Mat Adams wussed out and said he didn't want to be a beater, so they asked BJ, and he accepted." Louis said without taking his eyes off BJ. Joseph took his eyes of BJ and looked at Louis, "Wait a minute doesn't that mean he can't be on the Trial team?" Joseph said as he glared at Louis. Louis took his eyes of BJ and thought for a second, "Guess so, it's the rules after all. I wonder who will replace him?" Louis said. But Joseph had already left and was off looking for Mariano. "Maybe I'll be the runner up guy, they will choose." Joseph thought as he made his way through the crowd. "Oh and the last minute replacement Thomas makes a smashing attempt at stopping the Bludger." Joseph looked upwards to see BJ smashing the beater at the opposite member of Slytherin team. A smile broke across Josephs face. Joseph then continued his search for Mariano. He looked through row after row and finally spotted him in the back row with a bunch of papers in his hands. "Mariano," Joseph yelled out. Mariano turned and looked at him. Joseph ran forward to Mariano. "Mariano who is going to replace BJ on the Trial team?" Joseph said to a dumbstruck Mariano. "Well a let me check. He said. Mariano searched threw a bunch of papers before settling on the correct one. "Here we go," he said "someone named Joseph Masa, he received the second most votes." Joseph looked at him square in the eyes. "YES!!!" Joseph screamed. "That's me I am Joseph Masa." Mariano looked at him for a second or two. "Oh pleased to meet you," Mariano said as he extended his hand. Joseph took his hand and gave it a good shake before he returned to his seat next to Louis. "Louis, I am the replacement for the Trial team." Joseph announced. "Good for you Joe, now leave me alone the seekers are going crazy and chasing something." Joseph looked up and saw the Ravenclaw seeker speeding through the stadium. "The Seekers are going crazy are they chasing something or is it a fake out?" Announced the announcer. "Wait a minute folks someone has got the snitch. It looks like.David King has it, RAVENCLAW WINS!" The Ravenclaw side of the stadium burst into wild mayhem. "This is the first year in five years that Ravenclaw has beaten Slytherin." The announcer said but couldn't be heard because of the noise. "KING KING KING." The crowd started to chant.
In just one hour another party had started in the Ravenclaw common room, this time though the party was so wild it had spilled out into the hallway. "That was the coolest thing I have ever done," said BJ during the party. "When Mat chickened out I just stepped up and said 'I'll do it' I mean I didn't even think about it." BJ took a giant swig out of the carbonated pumpkin juice bottle. "You looked scared at the beginning but then you smashed that Bludger so hard you could hear it in the U.S." Joseph said while taking his turn at the pumpkin juice. "Man I hate this stuff." Joseph spit out the juice that was in mouth. "Hey don't do that." BJ said with a smile on his face. He grabbed the bottle from Joseph and put his thumb over the top and shook the bottle up. "Now this is how you do it, Joe" BJ said as he sprayed the juice all around the room. Just then the Captain of the Quidditch team, Robert, stood up on the couch and cleared his throat. "QUIET IT PLEASE." He yelled out. The room hushed up and focused their attention on him. "First over all lets give a hand for the entire team for training so hard for this match." The audience let loose and started cheering and screaming. "Now a special hand for BJ Thomas for filling in at the last minute when Tim York took that horrible fall." The audience continued their wild cheering. "Hopefully Tim will be able to compete after the Christmas Brake, but BJ we still want you to practice with us, you have the potential to become a great Beater. Now give a hand for the man who is responsible for getting us the victory today, DAVID." The room exploded in a cacophony of cheering. "We beat Slytherin and after the brake, we show Gryffindor how to really play Quidditch." Robert screamed over the noise. Ravenclaw continued to party into the night, and for the first time in a long while Joseph was able to forget his problems.
Next, Chapter 8: The Trials Begin
The day had finally arrived; the day that the Ravenclaw trial team would chose the First year they wanted to join the team. Ever scene BJ became the back up Beater for the Quidditch team Joseph thought he disserved the position on the trial team. Joseph was thinking about the trial team during Muggle Studies, he had a lot of spare time in Muggle Studies because he knew everything that Professor Carroll was going to teach them. "Hey Joe," Joseph looked back to see Louis whispering to him. "What?" Joseph said feeling annoyed that Louis interrupted his train of thought. "Are BJ and you going to the Trials announcements tonight during dinner?" Louis was leaning in to Joseph from his desk. "Yes we want to know who is going to be picked." Joseph started to turn around back to his seat, "Hey but Joe," Joseph turned back. "Do you want me to come?" Louis said. Joseph thought for a second, "Well isn't the whole House going to come?" Professor Carroll looked up and them, and Joseph quickly turned back to the front of the room. "A second year student said that they don't cancel dinner on Trial announcement night because the fact that the trials is such an unpopular thing." Louis said quickly hoping that Carroll wouldn't see him. "Well you can come if you want I don't really care." Respond Joseph, though on the inside he wanted Louis to come, but didn't want to force him to do anything he didn't want to do. "I'll probably not come then," Louis sounded relived. Joseph went back to thinking, this time he was thinking about the recent dreams he has had. "Both of them are very weird, but the one with Satan's sign scared me," he thought, "man I wish I knew what those dreams mean, it would let me relax for awhile." Professor Carroll stood up and walked in front of the class. "Now before I let the you guys out for lunch, I wanted to tell you that Christmas break is coming up and I am going to give you a huge project over it so I don't want you to think that Christmas break is going to be fun and happy." And with that speech she walked back to her desk and then the bell rang. Joseph got up and moved towards BJ and Louis. "Man my head is killing me," BJ said as they moved down stairs to lunch. "Well you shouldn't have slept on the couch last night." Joseph said. "How did you know I slept on the couch last night?" BJ asked in a freaked out tone. "I got up to take a walk last night and saw you sleeping on the couch." Joseph looked over at Louis to see he had vanished. "Must have gone with some of his friends." Said Joseph. BJ and Joseph sat down at a table and started to eat lunch. "Last night when I was walking I saw the awards that all the Houses have. Gryffindor and Slytherin each have twice as many as both Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw combined. And I also saw the special service awards for the school, and Professor Krum has three of them. She, Harry Potter, and some guy named Arnold Weasley got them all. I wonder why they got them?" Joseph took a bite out of the sandwich he picked up. "Well perhaps you should ask Professor Krum," BJ said. "I don't think anyone has asked her anything about her past or about Harry Potter, you could be the first Joe." BJ gulped down some pumpkin juice. "What is up with pumpkin juice? I hate this stuff but it is all they serve." Joseph just shrugged not give much thought to BJ pumpkin juice question. "I'll think I will ask Professor Krum about the special services awards." Joseph blurted out. "I'll just wait till after our lesson then I'll ask her how she got them. You want to come with me BJ?" Joseph looked at BJ to see his mouth stuffed with food, but he did nod his head. "OK then after class we will ask her."
Potions class was extremely boring but Joseph had new resolve to get through it. "Ready to go BJ?" Joseph said right before the bell rang. "Yup I just need to copy down the homework." BJ responded. Professor Krum was a good professor but she did seem to give a huge amount of homework. When the bell rang Joseph and BJ approached Professor Krum's desk. "Excuse me professor." Joseph said nervously. Professor Krum looked up at them and smiled, "What is it boys?" Joseph took a deep breath and began. "Well last night I noticed that out of all the special service awards in the school your name is on more then half of them." Joseph took another deep breath. "And we were wondering how you got them?" She looked at Joseph then at a nodding BJ. "Well boys I have to admit I was wondering if anyone was going to ask me about the awards or at least about the past. But I am more then happy to tell you," Professor Krum said with a smile on. "And before I tell you boys the story I have to say that I never did anything to earn those awards, it was my friends Harry and Ron that did all the work, all I did was worry about them." Joseph had a puzzled expression on his face. "Excuse me Professor, who is Ron, there was no Ron on those awards." He said. "Well Ron was what we called Arnold, we never used his first name." She responded. "Anyway the awards are for all the thing we did to help stop Voldimort and his cronies. I don't really have time to tell you Boys the stories but someday in class I will tell you some of them, but right now Headmaster Dumbledore wants to have a meeting with the entire staff, something about a new Professor coming to teach at the school." She smiled as she stood up and acoumpiened BJ and Joseph back to Ravenclaw common room. "What a jip," BJ said later that night. "We wanted to hear stories not excuses." Joseph and BJ were sitting in the meeting room waiting to hear the announcements for the First year that is going to be on the Trials team. The room had hardly anyone in it, Joseph wondered if any even cared if the team existed or not. There were only eight people who where in the room, and only four of them were First years. The stage in the front of the room had 6 members on it, meaning that one more was needed to complete the team. Joseph was hoping he would be the one that was chosen to the team. But he knew that he made up at least two of the answers on the paper test they gave them. He sat there looking glum; on the other hand BJ was smiling happily he must have gotten all the right answers on the test. "Lets get this show on the road," said a blonde girl in the front row, the whole room shared her sentiments. "Ok people welcome to the third annual Wizard and Witch trial announcements, my name is Percy Stevenson I am the 7th year team member for the Wizard/Witch Trial team. Before I announce the 1st year member, I would like to introduce the Ravenclaw team. The 6th year member, Hermione Terea. The 5th year member Jim Donaldson, the 4th year member Heather Micksen, the 3rd year member Oliver Mead, and finally the 2nd year member Mariano Luna." Joseph remembered Mariano from a couple nights ago and was hoping he took his advice and put a good word for him. "And now I would like to introduce you to the new member of the wizard trial team." Joseph's heart was pounding against his chest, this is what he has been waiting for would he make it or not. He glanced over at BJ who looked as cool as a cucumber. "BJ Thomas." Percy finished his sentence. Joseph's mouth just hung open as BJ stood up and strode up to the front of the room and joined the team. "BUT HOW?" Joseph asked himself. Joseph was speechless and felt like crap.
Later that night after much of the House had gone to sleep, Joseph sat up looking out the window, BJ had to go to a special meeting for new Trial members. "I hope he gets injured during the games," Joseph thought bitterly. "That lousy jerk took Quidditch and he also took the trials." Joseph just looked and starred out at the moon. "I need to blow some steam." Joseph said out load and got up to take a walk around the school. The hallways were much like they always where during the nighttime. But that is when it happened; Joseph was heading around the corner when he spotted Snape coming down the hallway. "Oh crap if I am caught then I will get a detention." Joseph said to himself. Joseph looked around and saw the statue of a Knight and jumped behind it to wait until Snape passed. "Professor Snape," It was the Janitor Mr. Filch. "Yes what is it?" Snape said as he turned to Filch. "I heard a rumor or two from a couple students that there is going to be a change in the leadership of Hogwarts. And I have been dieing to know if it is true." Filch said as he looked nervously around. Snape also looked around to see if anyone was listening, luckily for Joseph they didn't notice the knight statue in the corner. "Well, Mr. Filch the rumor is true there is going to be a change in leadership," Snapes voice lowered down to a whisper. "After all that has happened in the last 10 year, Dumbledore feels that all is safe again in the world. And now he has decided that he take a brake, a long brake from being headmaster." Filch eyes widened as Snape said this. "Well who is going to lead the school?" Filch managed to spit out. "Dumbledore said he would name his successor as well as a public announcement that he is going to leave after winter brake." Snape flashed an evil smile as he said this. "But we all know who is going to replace him. It's going to be Minerva and most likely Hermione will take over Transfiguration. I have no idea who is going over Potions. But as long as I am still in charge of defense against the dark I don't care." Snape's smile intensified and it made him look eviler then Joseph had ever seen him before. "Well Professor it's a shame that we must lose Dumbledore, he is the best Headmaster we have ever had here at Hogwarts." Filch wiped an away a tear as he said this. Joseph was finding it harder to stay scrunched up behind the statue and decided to move his legs. He slowly moved out his right leg to make room for his other leg. "Slam!" Joseph left leg slipped out from underneath him hit the statue. The sound echoed through the halls. Snape turned almost immediately and pulled out his wand. "Oh crap I am screwed." Joseph thought as he heard Snape walking over to his position. Joseph looked up wards to see an evil grin on Snapes face change to a look of anger. "Well if it isn't Mr. Masa on a late night stroll, are we. Come with me boy." Joseph got up and went with Snape.
Joseph was in Snapes office looking directly at Snape in the eyes. "Well Mr. Masa can you explain you late night expedition?" Snape said slowly so Joseph wouldn't make any mistake on what he was saying. Joseph just sat there in a chair not able to speak. "WELL ANSWER ME BOY." Snape yelled. "Ua well you see Professor.. I was.walking and I came along.." Joseph began to say. "So you out taking a stroll after the curfew hours of a First year, well sounds like a good excuse to me Mr. Masa," Snape said sarcastically. "This isn't the bloody United States of America, we don't break the rules and expect everyone to forgive us, nope, here we do things a little differently." Snape walked over to his book self and pulled out a particularly thick book and opened it. "Lets see here.." he flipped through a few pages before he settled on the one he wanted. "Ah here we are detention punishments, oh it seems you are in luck Mr. Masa I am booked solid through the Christmas break, I'll just pencil you in the week after we come back. And until then Mr. Masa I suggest you don't take any more late night walks." Snape slammed the book shut and put it back in the book self. "Now go back to your common room." Joseph started to head out the door. "Oh one more thing Mr. Masa, 20 points from Ravenclaw." Snape said, the smile returned back to his face. Joseph hurried up and left Snape office before he took off more points from Ravenclaw. Joseph hurried down the hallway to Ravenclaw Common room. At this point in his life he never hated someone as much as he hated Snape. As Joseph ran threw the hallway he glanced at the beautiful moon that seemed to haunt him. Joseph then stopped, and glared at the house that he saw the ghost like apparition in. "It's time I get proof," he said out loud. "I need to get a camera and take a picture of the creature so people will believe me." Joseph though for a second and then finished his journey to the Ravenclaw common room. He just knew exactly what he was going to he was going to barrow Chris Mulky's instant photograph camera. Chris was a tall blond haired, blue-eyed boy, who had quite a love for photography and brought a camera with him to the school. Joseph quietly snuck his way up into the sleeping quarters, everyone had gone to sleep already, even BJ was there, and Joseph figured the meeting with the trial team was over. Joseph walked slowly over to Chris's stuff, Chris was asleep on the top bunk, snoring loudly as usual. Joseph opened Chris trunk, Joseph thought that it might be locked but Chris hardly ever remembered anything. Joseph searched through Chris's stuff, most of the stuff was sleeping clothes and music CDs. "Ah ha," Joseph quietly said as he grasped Chris's automatic flash, top of the line camera, probably very expensive. Joseph had to remind himself that it wasn't a toy and not meant to be messed around with it. Joseph made his exit from the common room. The hallways were being patrolled at nights and he didn't want to lose any more points for Ravenclaw. He had to make it out to the cabins before any one sees him. Joseph walked slighlently and quickly down the hallway, taking the fastest way he knew down to the lake. As he made the final turn to outside he could feel the cool air on his face. It definitely was almost Christmas time; the air was very cold. Joseph walked out towards the cabin, no longer in a hurry, Joseph started to crouch to the ground, as he approached the cabin he got the camera ready. He was right under the window, getting ready to look in. Joseph felt the butterflies in his stomach. He slowly lifted himself up and looked into the window, there it was the creature glowing like never before. It was in some sort of trance. Its eyes were closed and it was floating in mid-air, it looked like a yoga master in one of his positions. Joseph quickly moved the camera upwards and snapped a shot or the creature. Joseph ducked down again, hoping the creature didn't see him. Joseph counted to ten and then set off across the field at the top speed he could run. He quickly jumped up stairs and sped back to the common room. As he jumped through the hole to Ravenclaw common room, the reality of the situation hit him. He just got proof that the creature no one else could see, existed. "Yes!" he let out a yell. Then realized everyone is asleep and he didn't want to wake anyone up. Joseph climbed up the stairs to the sleeping quarters; Joseph sat down on his bed and slide the side of the camera and pulled out the picture. The waved it around for a few seconds before the picture started to appear on it. Joseph could make out the chair on the side of the cabin room. Now he could see the window on the other side of the cabin, "Wait a minute," Joseph thought. "The creature wasn't in the middle of the room it isn't anywhere." Joseph looked at the picture horrified, "Where is it?" he couldn't find it in the picture. It was nowhere to be found the picture. Joseph just sat there with his jaw dropped, starring at the picture hope that it was some kind of wizard magic that would change in a few seconds. But it wasn't and Joseph finally gave up and threw the picture on the floor, lay down on the bed and closed his eyes. "I can't be crazy, can I?" Joseph thought. But soon his thoughts were cancelled out by the need for sleep and he feel asleep.
The next morning was Saturday, and it was a cold and gray one. Joseph woke up really late; no one else was in the room sleeping he was the last one up. Joseph got up and started his morning routine. Took a shower and got dressed. He was on his way to breakfast when he looked out the window to see Josh and Jessica walking near the lake. Joseph stopped to watch them walk, secretly hoping that the squid in the lake out come out and eat them both. But when they passed out of view Joseph continued his journey to the breakfast table. He walked into the room to see that there wasn't any one in there. Joseph looked around and scratched his head. "Damn I am having one of those days all week long," he said out loud. Joseph walked over to the Ravenclaw table and sat down. There was no food on the table so Joseph just sat there wondering where everyone was. "I hope this isn't a horrible dream," thought Joseph. "Maybe I should look around the school." Joseph got up and left the room and went to several popular places. He tried the library but it was closed, he went back to the common room hoping someone would be in there but nobody was. Joseph then thought, "I'll find Josh and ask him." He rushed out to the lake but wasn't able to find him. Then as Joseph was about to give up and go back to the common room, he saw the stadium. "The Quidditch match!" He shouted out loud, and ran his fastest to the stadium. Joseph wondered why no one had bothered to wake him for it. Today's match was the beginning of the Quidditch season, and it was supposta be a good one. It was Ravenclaw V.S. Slytherin. Joseph hurried up and walked into the stadium and looked for his friends. "LOOK OUT!" Joseph looked upwards to see a little golden ball and then right behind it was two people riding on broomsticks. Joseph jumped on the ground and covered his head. The two broomstick riders zoomed over his head. "What an amazing display of sportsmanship," Joseph heard a loud voice booming. "With the golden snitch almost caught the score is Ravenclaw 70, Slytherin 50, it sure is a high scoring game today." Joseph let a smile on his face, "At least Ravenclaw was winning," he thought. Joseph walked up into the Ravenclaw section of the stadium and began to look for BJ and Louis. But he was beginning to realize that Ravenclaw had more people in it then Joseph had ever thought. He weighted his way through the crowd looking for any sign of BJ or Louis. But that is when he saw Louis, sitting next to Miguel, in the second to front row. Joseph shoved his way up to Louis. "Hey Louis how come you didn't wake me up?" Joseph asked while breathing a little harder then usual. "Well Joe I was going to but then something amazing happened," Louis responded. Joseph rolled his eyes, when Louis said something amazing happened that meant they served to servings at breakfast. "You see Tim York, the Beater for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team woke up this morning and fell all the way to the bottom of the stairs. A shame really, but guess who gets to replace him?" Joseph mouth dropped wide open, "BJ!" Joseph yelled. Joseph looked upward with out even waiting to see Louis response. His eyes scanned the sky. "There he is!" Joseph excitedly pointed upward at the sky, he could make out that BJ was hiding towards the back of the stadium. "Perhaps BJ is a tad scared of his position." Joseph said as he watched BJ fly away from the Bludger as it came near him. Joseph grabbed a free seat next to Louis. "But why would they pick BJ to fill in the position of Beater if he is on the Trial team and they had another guy to fill in?" Asked Miguel. Both Louis and Joseph were fixated on BJ and couldn't take their eyes off him. "Well the other guy Mat Adams wussed out and said he didn't want to be a beater, so they asked BJ, and he accepted." Louis said without taking his eyes off BJ. Joseph took his eyes of BJ and looked at Louis, "Wait a minute doesn't that mean he can't be on the Trial team?" Joseph said as he glared at Louis. Louis took his eyes of BJ and thought for a second, "Guess so, it's the rules after all. I wonder who will replace him?" Louis said. But Joseph had already left and was off looking for Mariano. "Maybe I'll be the runner up guy, they will choose." Joseph thought as he made his way through the crowd. "Oh and the last minute replacement Thomas makes a smashing attempt at stopping the Bludger." Joseph looked upwards to see BJ smashing the beater at the opposite member of Slytherin team. A smile broke across Josephs face. Joseph then continued his search for Mariano. He looked through row after row and finally spotted him in the back row with a bunch of papers in his hands. "Mariano," Joseph yelled out. Mariano turned and looked at him. Joseph ran forward to Mariano. "Mariano who is going to replace BJ on the Trial team?" Joseph said to a dumbstruck Mariano. "Well a let me check. He said. Mariano searched threw a bunch of papers before settling on the correct one. "Here we go," he said "someone named Joseph Masa, he received the second most votes." Joseph looked at him square in the eyes. "YES!!!" Joseph screamed. "That's me I am Joseph Masa." Mariano looked at him for a second or two. "Oh pleased to meet you," Mariano said as he extended his hand. Joseph took his hand and gave it a good shake before he returned to his seat next to Louis. "Louis, I am the replacement for the Trial team." Joseph announced. "Good for you Joe, now leave me alone the seekers are going crazy and chasing something." Joseph looked up and saw the Ravenclaw seeker speeding through the stadium. "The Seekers are going crazy are they chasing something or is it a fake out?" Announced the announcer. "Wait a minute folks someone has got the snitch. It looks like.David King has it, RAVENCLAW WINS!" The Ravenclaw side of the stadium burst into wild mayhem. "This is the first year in five years that Ravenclaw has beaten Slytherin." The announcer said but couldn't be heard because of the noise. "KING KING KING." The crowd started to chant.
In just one hour another party had started in the Ravenclaw common room, this time though the party was so wild it had spilled out into the hallway. "That was the coolest thing I have ever done," said BJ during the party. "When Mat chickened out I just stepped up and said 'I'll do it' I mean I didn't even think about it." BJ took a giant swig out of the carbonated pumpkin juice bottle. "You looked scared at the beginning but then you smashed that Bludger so hard you could hear it in the U.S." Joseph said while taking his turn at the pumpkin juice. "Man I hate this stuff." Joseph spit out the juice that was in mouth. "Hey don't do that." BJ said with a smile on his face. He grabbed the bottle from Joseph and put his thumb over the top and shook the bottle up. "Now this is how you do it, Joe" BJ said as he sprayed the juice all around the room. Just then the Captain of the Quidditch team, Robert, stood up on the couch and cleared his throat. "QUIET IT PLEASE." He yelled out. The room hushed up and focused their attention on him. "First over all lets give a hand for the entire team for training so hard for this match." The audience let loose and started cheering and screaming. "Now a special hand for BJ Thomas for filling in at the last minute when Tim York took that horrible fall." The audience continued their wild cheering. "Hopefully Tim will be able to compete after the Christmas Brake, but BJ we still want you to practice with us, you have the potential to become a great Beater. Now give a hand for the man who is responsible for getting us the victory today, DAVID." The room exploded in a cacophony of cheering. "We beat Slytherin and after the brake, we show Gryffindor how to really play Quidditch." Robert screamed over the noise. Ravenclaw continued to party into the night, and for the first time in a long while Joseph was able to forget his problems.
Next, Chapter 8: The Trials Begin