{A/N: Sorry it took so long. I had a *major* case of writer's block. What
better way to cure that than read others stories? But once you get into the
habit... it's an addiction, I tell you, an addiction. To cure the blockage
in my brain, I also wrote a quick ficlet 'In the Dark'. It's very good, if
I do say so myself... just kidding. But, truly, I do like it a lot. Look it
up if you feel like it! It's H/G, of course... I'll do requested pairings,
for the most part. It just has to be all Gryffindor... you'll see why when
you read it. Cannon! Anyway, I'll be able to devote more time to this story
once school is out on the 10th. I'd better hurry up.
Elvish Fairy: Sadistic or Sarcastic? "Sardistic" isn't a word.
Pegasus: Thank you for your help. I think you'll know soon enough whether I used your "suggestion" or not... don't tell anyone!
Emerald Dream: I always love your reviews. But if I take long to update... you take Uforever/U! I'm waiting... :-) Well, at least update for me. Please...?
Eedoe: Thanks for the review. I'm glad you liked both my stories!
On with the show!!}
Harry could barely stay awake in Potions class. Whatever Snape was saying about Pepperup Potions... Harry did not want to hear it. He let his mind freely wander, and he remembered Quidditch tryouts were that evening. He wondered who would get keeper. Ron-
"Mr. Potter!" Snape growled abruptly. "What is the answer to my question?"
"Erm..." Harry knew he was in trouble. However, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Neville holding up three fingers. "Three?" he chanced, hoping against hope he had not incurred more of the Potion Professor's wrath than usual.
Snape scowled even more, but nodded curtly. Harry rejoiced, and made a mental note to thank Neville later. Then he decided to try to pay attention from that point on.
***
The Gryffindor Common Room was alight with excitement. Defense against the Dark Arts classes were cancelled for Friday afternoon ("because the new Professor has not arrived yet" Hermione told the boys), so the fifth years had plenty of time to get ready for the moment of truth. Today they would find out who would get the coveted Keeper position.
Harry got out his Firebolt and headed toward the pitch. He had decided to warm up a bit while he had a few minutes. Ron was coming out soon, so they could go over some drills before try-outs.
When Harry kicked off, he suddenly remembered, in a rush, why he loved flying so much. The air zipping past, seeing how high he could go, how fast...the thrill was incomparable to anything else.
Harry flew around for about ten minutes until he spotted Ron's vibrant hair approaching. He flew down to meet him.
"I'm-SO-bloody-nervous, I might very well faint," Ron stammered quickly, dropped his Shooting Star to wring his hands.
"You'll be fine," Harry voice in a way he hoped was reassuring. "Let's go up there and practice!"
The two boys flew up towards the goal posts.
"You're not very good at this, Harry," Ron said after a half-hour of Ron stopping Harry's weak attempts at the goal. "I guess that's why you're Seeker!"
Harry scowled at Ron's smirk. "Want to go to dinner then?" Sensing Ron's hesitation, Harry added, "Try-outs aren't for three hours. It'll be quick."
"I plan to be here, ready, at six-thirty."
"Two and a half hours it is then."
Ron frowned. "I doubt I could eat dinner, anyway."
At this, Harry had to laugh. "I'm finally going to get you back, after all these years of you forcing me to eat before Quidditch games! So do you want to pack it in for an early tea, or what? We can practice some more afterwards."
Ron shrugged. "Why not?"
***
"Maybe we can find someone better at being a Chaser than you," Ron suggested to Harry, "to help me practice."
They sat alone in the Great Hall, eating sandwiches pensively. Suddenly, Ginny Weasley appeared.
"Hey, Ronnie, nervous?" She walked toward her brother.
"You shouldn't have reminded me," he said, pushing the large remainder of his sandwich toward her. "Want it?"
Ginny shrugged. "Sure, I haven't eaten anything since I stopped by the kitchen between classes today. I had to skip lunch." She frowned, and Harry spoke up.
"Do you like Quidditch, Ginny?"
She choked a little on the sandwich and gulped. "A little, why?" Ron snickered.
"Want to help Ron practice?"
Ginny relaxed. "Yeah, sure, you want me to throw a Quaffle at Ron?"
The boys nodded.
"Okay. But what broom should I use? Can I borrow one from Madame Hooch? Do you think-"
Harry held out his Firebolt, and smiled encouragingly. "You can use mine."
***
Ginny was a good enough Chaser. Ron blocked the majority of the goals, but she still snuck a few past him. Seeing some other candidates approaching, Harry waved the two Weasleys down.
"At least nobody trying out will be on a Firebolt," Ron grumbled, still upset about the last save that nearly went through.
Ginny scowled. "I was just trying to give you a run for your sickles...besides," she smirked, "if it was too easy, ickle Ronniekins wouldn't be able to impress his beloved He-"
"Ginny!" Ron turned a deep shade of red, a mixture between embarrassment and anger. "I thought we agreed... we had an agreement..." he sputtered almost incoherently.
Ginny looked down. "Sorry," she spoke softly, then looked up defiantly, straight into Ron's face, which faintly smiled. She whispered into Ron's ear and smiled. Ron laughed, and the two looked at Harry expectantly.
"What?" he asked, eyeing their amused faces.
"Nothing, Harry, nothing," Ron said.
***
"As team captain, I will reveal our newest Keeper," Angelina announced to the large group of students assembled. Ron had done very well, but so had the other contenders. Harry glanced his way, and saw a pale Ron clutching his broomstick with a vengeance.
"You all were spectacular," she continued. "But the newest position goes to Ronald Weasley." Most of the group clapped, but the team itself was loudest. Fred and George joined in with cheers.
The troop began to dispel soon later. Many students congratulated Ron, and Harry waited for them to leave. Before long, they were the last two on the pitch.
Harry smiled at his friend, who grinned back.
"Welcome to the team."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
{A/N: This was going to be a LOT longer. But I decided to break the Chapter up now, it seemed like a good spot. On the bright side, I already have half the next chapter written, it shan't be as long as it took last time. Sorry about that. Anyway... make sure to check out my weblog on Blurty.com! I put my thoughts, and updates on the stories. I would love to hear your comments about Harry Potter in general on it. :-) The link is in my profile. Catch you on the flip side!}
Elvish Fairy: Sadistic or Sarcastic? "Sardistic" isn't a word.
Pegasus: Thank you for your help. I think you'll know soon enough whether I used your "suggestion" or not... don't tell anyone!
Emerald Dream: I always love your reviews. But if I take long to update... you take Uforever/U! I'm waiting... :-) Well, at least update for me. Please...?
Eedoe: Thanks for the review. I'm glad you liked both my stories!
On with the show!!}
Harry could barely stay awake in Potions class. Whatever Snape was saying about Pepperup Potions... Harry did not want to hear it. He let his mind freely wander, and he remembered Quidditch tryouts were that evening. He wondered who would get keeper. Ron-
"Mr. Potter!" Snape growled abruptly. "What is the answer to my question?"
"Erm..." Harry knew he was in trouble. However, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Neville holding up three fingers. "Three?" he chanced, hoping against hope he had not incurred more of the Potion Professor's wrath than usual.
Snape scowled even more, but nodded curtly. Harry rejoiced, and made a mental note to thank Neville later. Then he decided to try to pay attention from that point on.
***
The Gryffindor Common Room was alight with excitement. Defense against the Dark Arts classes were cancelled for Friday afternoon ("because the new Professor has not arrived yet" Hermione told the boys), so the fifth years had plenty of time to get ready for the moment of truth. Today they would find out who would get the coveted Keeper position.
Harry got out his Firebolt and headed toward the pitch. He had decided to warm up a bit while he had a few minutes. Ron was coming out soon, so they could go over some drills before try-outs.
When Harry kicked off, he suddenly remembered, in a rush, why he loved flying so much. The air zipping past, seeing how high he could go, how fast...the thrill was incomparable to anything else.
Harry flew around for about ten minutes until he spotted Ron's vibrant hair approaching. He flew down to meet him.
"I'm-SO-bloody-nervous, I might very well faint," Ron stammered quickly, dropped his Shooting Star to wring his hands.
"You'll be fine," Harry voice in a way he hoped was reassuring. "Let's go up there and practice!"
The two boys flew up towards the goal posts.
"You're not very good at this, Harry," Ron said after a half-hour of Ron stopping Harry's weak attempts at the goal. "I guess that's why you're Seeker!"
Harry scowled at Ron's smirk. "Want to go to dinner then?" Sensing Ron's hesitation, Harry added, "Try-outs aren't for three hours. It'll be quick."
"I plan to be here, ready, at six-thirty."
"Two and a half hours it is then."
Ron frowned. "I doubt I could eat dinner, anyway."
At this, Harry had to laugh. "I'm finally going to get you back, after all these years of you forcing me to eat before Quidditch games! So do you want to pack it in for an early tea, or what? We can practice some more afterwards."
Ron shrugged. "Why not?"
***
"Maybe we can find someone better at being a Chaser than you," Ron suggested to Harry, "to help me practice."
They sat alone in the Great Hall, eating sandwiches pensively. Suddenly, Ginny Weasley appeared.
"Hey, Ronnie, nervous?" She walked toward her brother.
"You shouldn't have reminded me," he said, pushing the large remainder of his sandwich toward her. "Want it?"
Ginny shrugged. "Sure, I haven't eaten anything since I stopped by the kitchen between classes today. I had to skip lunch." She frowned, and Harry spoke up.
"Do you like Quidditch, Ginny?"
She choked a little on the sandwich and gulped. "A little, why?" Ron snickered.
"Want to help Ron practice?"
Ginny relaxed. "Yeah, sure, you want me to throw a Quaffle at Ron?"
The boys nodded.
"Okay. But what broom should I use? Can I borrow one from Madame Hooch? Do you think-"
Harry held out his Firebolt, and smiled encouragingly. "You can use mine."
***
Ginny was a good enough Chaser. Ron blocked the majority of the goals, but she still snuck a few past him. Seeing some other candidates approaching, Harry waved the two Weasleys down.
"At least nobody trying out will be on a Firebolt," Ron grumbled, still upset about the last save that nearly went through.
Ginny scowled. "I was just trying to give you a run for your sickles...besides," she smirked, "if it was too easy, ickle Ronniekins wouldn't be able to impress his beloved He-"
"Ginny!" Ron turned a deep shade of red, a mixture between embarrassment and anger. "I thought we agreed... we had an agreement..." he sputtered almost incoherently.
Ginny looked down. "Sorry," she spoke softly, then looked up defiantly, straight into Ron's face, which faintly smiled. She whispered into Ron's ear and smiled. Ron laughed, and the two looked at Harry expectantly.
"What?" he asked, eyeing their amused faces.
"Nothing, Harry, nothing," Ron said.
***
"As team captain, I will reveal our newest Keeper," Angelina announced to the large group of students assembled. Ron had done very well, but so had the other contenders. Harry glanced his way, and saw a pale Ron clutching his broomstick with a vengeance.
"You all were spectacular," she continued. "But the newest position goes to Ronald Weasley." Most of the group clapped, but the team itself was loudest. Fred and George joined in with cheers.
The troop began to dispel soon later. Many students congratulated Ron, and Harry waited for them to leave. Before long, they were the last two on the pitch.
Harry smiled at his friend, who grinned back.
"Welcome to the team."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
{A/N: This was going to be a LOT longer. But I decided to break the Chapter up now, it seemed like a good spot. On the bright side, I already have half the next chapter written, it shan't be as long as it took last time. Sorry about that. Anyway... make sure to check out my weblog on Blurty.com! I put my thoughts, and updates on the stories. I would love to hear your comments about Harry Potter in general on it. :-) The link is in my profile. Catch you on the flip side!}
