Chapter Nine: Team-mates and Trials

The weekend passed in a flash for Harry; Quidditch practice, homework and just being with his friends taking up so much of his time. Finding a new Keeper to replace Wood had been the most gruelling task of all. Not only had half of Gryffindor Tower tried out (or at least, that's how many it seemed) but most were proving as good as the previous captain. Teaming up with the Weasleys, they and Harry had formed a second trio of Chasers to put potential Keepers through their paces. By the end of the morning Harry swore his arms would fall off, unlike the rest of the team he had never needed to handle the ball so often. After lunch, the whole team went down to Hogsmeade after getting Harry permission from Professor McGonagall. Crowding into the Three Broomsticks, the team soon had half the pub to themselves as George, Fred and Angelina began arguing. Eventually, with Katie and Alicia pulling apart the mob of three, they decided on what drinks to order, and began to discuss the replacement Keeper. Fifteen Butterbeers, three arguments and one bruised forehead later they finally reached their decision. 'Right,' Fred continued, rubbing his forehead with a glare at Angelina, 'so who's their reserve?' Before anyone could draw back for another argument, Harry put in his only suggestion: 'Ron.' 'It speaks!' George yelled, faking a spring away from Harry. 'It pushes!' Harry retorted, overbalancing George so that he landed on the floor in an undistinguished bundle of robes. 'It punches!' Fred mimicked, aiming a nick at Harry's chin, 'but only in aid of the delightful Weasley family of course.' 'Or at least in aid of the female Weasley variety,' Katie quipped, shooting a cheeky grin at Harry, who found his face reddening uncomfortably. 'What's there to save about their ugly mugs?' Angelina asked, nodding at Fred and George. 'Ugly mug?' Fred spluttered indignantly, 'That's not what you said after the Yule Ball last year!' Several more arguments and two slapped foreheads later, the team made their way back up to Hogwarts, the twins leaning against each other to walk in a straight line. Inside the Entrance Hall they found an unwanted surprise waiting for them in the form of Draco Malfoy, with Crabbe and Goyle flanking him. Harry couldn't help but notice the rather large bruise that covered most of Malfoy's jaw where his fist had met it. Despite the obvious swelling, Malfoy still managed to drawl around the bruise in his normal manner. 'Out of grounds without permission?' Twitching his robes aside there was a flash of metal, but as Harry flinched the Prefect badge became clear. 'That'll cost you some points,' he continued with a spiteful grin, 'and so early on in the term.' 'Go eat some more knuckles,' George replied with a grin, prompting Malfoy to scowl, 'we were having a team meeting.' 'That won't stop me taking points off Potter, he's not quite a seventh year.' 'Neither are you,' Angelina replied evenly, 'which means you can't do a thing about it.' 'Oh really?' Malfoy snarled, tapping his badge, 'Five points from Gryffindor.' 'Five points from Slytherin,' a muffled voice commented, 'five points to Gryffindor.' With a suitable flourish, Angelina removed the parchment McGonagall had given them for Harry. 'Try and reverse a teacher's decree, it'll just take your points,' she continued primly. Then, flicking her head upwards she led the team away leaving Malfoy to stand fuming, swearing nastily under his breath. A few seconds later a shadow detached itself from the wall, forming into a figure who stalked over to Malfoy. 'Ignore the insult, you played your part well young master.' 'I'll feel better when you've sorted Potter out, why can't you just do it now? Why not just go after him?' 'That,' the hooded figure replied, their voice a chilling whisper, 'would spoil the fun.' Shadows suddenly shifted around them, and in a few seconds they were gone, leaving Malfoy alone once more.

* * *

As soon as the Fat Lady swung forwards the team could hear the rush of feet towards the portrait hole, then the cheer as Angelina emerged. Pushing forwards they all managed to eventually cram into the packed common room, Fred and George clearing a path for their captain to the fireplace. Detaching from the small group, Harry meandered through the crowd to the chairs Ron, Hermione and Ginny occupied. Ducking around Seamus and Lavender, he slid onto the arm beside Ginny, flashing her a covert grin as Angelina drew herself up to announce the new players. 'Firstly,' she began, then realised no one could hear her over the chatter in the room. 'OI!' Fred yelled, hushing the room, then grandly gesturing towards Angelina. In response she raised the roster threateningly but unfurled it instead of bashing Fred with the parchment. 'Firstly, as Gryffindor's reserve Keeper we have decided to go for.Ron Weasley!' A cheer erupted throughout the common room and Harry thought their chairs took on a distinctly redder aura. Ron's face then took on an even redder hue when Hermione let out her own cheer and pulled him into a hug, trying to hide a grin Harry offered Ron his hand. 'Congratulations,' Harry said, in more ways then one, he added in the privacy of his own head, but he was sure he must be grinning like an idiot at Ron. After a few minutes of general merriment the common room remembered that Ron was only the reserve, turning back to Angelina expectantly. 'Right then, the name you have all been waiting for, and just so everyone who tried out knows, this was a very difficult choice.' 'Get on with it!' piped up one of the sixth years, before ducking as Angelina aimed a glare at him. 'As I was saying, thank you to everyone, but this year's Keeper will be.Dean Thomas!' Another huge cheer sounded through out the common room, this time directed towards the chair where Dean sat looking dumbfounded, halfway through a conversation with Seamus. He didn't even notice that his friend was pumping his hand exuberantly. Angelina continued shouting over the cheering as people continued offering Dean congratulations. 'Dean was chosen for his prowess in handling the Quaffle, although we'll just say we'd prefer if he didn't dive without his broomstick during the matches.' She added the last part with a grin and wink that sent the whole room into an uproar of laughter. Harry found himself grinning as he recalled Dean's final attempt to save the Quaffle, which to his credit he did manage. The trouble was he did this by diving off his broomstick and only a host of six year students had stopped his plummet to the ground successfully. When the commotion had just about died down Fred and George chose that moment to let off a set of Filibuster's that doused the room in smoke and stars. Amidst all the cheers and joyous shouts that followed, Harry's ears, and eventually everyone else's picked out a high pitched wailing. Among a cluster of fourth years, Harry saw Colin Creevey shoot up with a yell of agony, red blood stark against his robes. Reaching into his robes, Harry closed his hand over his wand when the culprit burst from the crowd to cannon into Ron. Claws extended, fur on end and mouth yowling away, Crookshanks attempted to scale Ron and grab his head while scratching at the limbs pushing him away. 'Gethimoffgethimoffgethimoff!' Ron yelled, then a yelp of pain escaped him as the agitated cat sank his teeth into his hand. Hermione snaked her arms around Crookshanks but instead of settling down he only seemed more frantic, demonstrating this by leaping off her, aiming directly at Harry. 'No you don't!' Harry thought and yelled, using his perch to duck into the stairwell that lead up to the girl's dormitories. A shredding noise told Harry the Crookshanks had instead bounced off one of the tapestries that hung behind the chairs. Another tearing of cloth followed by a shriek told him that the frenzied cat had aimed himself at Ginny as a target instead. Looking around the corner Harry had the wind knocked out of him as Ginny repeated his trick, ducking into the stairwell. Falling backwards, Harry steadied himself, putting an arm out to catch Ginny as she fell around the entrance as well. Holding Ginny steady, the both of them looked up in time to see Crookshanks spring past the archway, jumping onto another wall hanging, swiftly pursued by a red-faced Ron and cooing Hermione. 'Harry?' Ginny's voice crept into Harry's ears, softly against the laughter echoing in from the common room. Looking down, Harry found he still held her gently, perched on his lap. Feeling his face start to burn, he quickly unclasped his hands, only to find that she had left hers around him. An impish grin lit her face as he stared into her soft eyes, 'Carry me upstairs, running from Crookshanks is too much exercise.' Matching the grin, Harry cradled her back and legs to lift her, surprised at how light she felt in his arms. A few years back he doubted he could have held Crookshanks securely. Walking up the stairs he followed her directions to the floor that belonged to the fourth year girls. Letting Ginny down at the door, Harry brushed aside a few strands of her hair with a warm smile. 'Good night,' she said, standing on her toes to kiss him on the cheek. 'Night Ginny,' he replied, brushing his lips against her cheek as she settled back down. With another smile she opened the door and slipped into her room, pushing it to a close, keeping eye contact with Harry until the wooden partition slid into the frame. Walking back down the stairs, Harry could feel a smile tugging at his face, and the surprising lack of reddening cheeks. Absentmindedly swinging his Liefgema, Harry didn't notice the colours swirling inside once more. On the other side of the door, Ginny looked into a mirror to find her own face smiling back, warmth flowing from her heart, a wave of bliss passing through her.