THREE
That afternoon, Oliver Wood snagged Harry in a hallway as he was making his way up to Gryffindor Tower with his friends.
"Listen, don't forget about practice tonight, okay?" Wood said enthusiastically. "It's going to be our most important yet!"
"Do I ever forget about practice?" Harry said witheringly, looking helplessly at Ron, Hermione, and Mary Sue, who were disappearing down the corridor.
"Well . . . no," said Wood reflectively. "But listen, be thinking about speed maneuvers . . . we're playing against Hufflepuff this week, and Diggory's good. But you can outstrip him, if you watch out for his . . ."
"Oliver, listen," Harry snapped. "I know there's practice tonight. I know we're up against Hufflepuff. I know Diggory's good! Now can I please catch up with my friends?"
Wood glanced in the direction of Mary Sue's rapidly disappearing figure. "That's that new girl, isn't it," he said with admiration. "She's great."
"Yeah," said Harry tightly. "See you tonight." Without another word, he ducked away from Wood and fled up the corridor.
He found his friends in the Common Room. Ron and Hermione were both concentrating on homework for Charms, while Mary Sue chatted with a fifth-year boy Harry didn't recognize.
"Harry! Hi!" Mary Sue said as Harry entered the portrait hole. She gestured to an armchair nearby, which Harry obligingly took. "Oh, what a lovely place this is!" she smiled, her dimples evident in the flickering light. "Harry – this is Jonathan Griegs, he's been telling me about Hogwarts Quidditch." She smiled again, and Harry felt his insides writhing.
"Hi," he said to Jonathan Griegs without taking his eyes off of Mary Sue. "So – what about Quidditch?" he was aware that he must sound like an idiot, but he couldn't seem to stop talking. "I mean – I play, and I just . . ." he stopped, aware that Mary Sue was laughing at him.
"Of course you play!" she said, her blue eyes sparkling. "I was just asking Jon if there was a position open on the Gryffindor team," she added seriously. "I adore Quidditch."
"I wasn't sure," Jonathan added casually.
"There are – I mean, there aren't any right now," Harry stammered. "But – er – I could talk to Oliver Wood and see if we can – er – find a spot."
Mary Sue's eyes widened. "Oh, you shouldn't do that," she exclaimed. "Really, it doesn't matter. But I would so love to watch a practice. When is your next practice?"
"We practice almost every day," Harry replied. "We – er – I mean, we practice tonight."
"Oh, really?" Mary Sue's eyes lit up excitedly. "Could I – I mean, would you mind if I were to watch you practice?"
"Not at all," said Harry fervently.
---------------------------------------------------
That evening, Mary Sue and Hermione accompanied him down to the Quidditch field. Ron, though he'd looked longingly after them, had been obliged to stay and complete his Potions homework.
Clutching his Firebolt, Harry made a beeline for the field as Mary Sue and Hermione went off to sit in the stands. The rest of the Gryffindor team were already there. The moment Harry's feet touched the grass of the Quidditch Field, Wood shouted for the players to mount their brooms and take off.
Half-running with his broom under him, Harry kicked off the ground and rose a few feet into the air. "I'm going to let out the balls!" Wood, who was the only team member still on the ground, called out. Harry nodded along with the rest of the group as Wood unlatched the balls and stood quickly out of the way as they shot into the air.
The tiny Snitch darted out of sight immediately, but the Bludgers did not. One spun madly toward Harry as the other headed to Katie Bell, who was tossing the Quaffle with her fellow chasers. Harry rose a few feet, easily evading the Bludger, but Katie Bell was not so quick. Alicia Spinnet screamed as the large black ball slammed into Katie's left arm. Harry watched in horror as Katie let go with both hands, overbalanced, and fell off her broom.
The other Gryffindors hurriedly returned to earth as well and crowded around Katie, who looked ready to pass out. Worried queries of "Are you all right?" and "Oh…" and "She's got to get to the Hospital Wing" filled the air. Katie didn't answer, but lay there looking very dazed. One arm was twisted under her at a very abnormal angle.
Someone tapped Harry lightly on the shoulder. Looking around, he saw Hermione and Mary Sue standing behind him, both looking extremely worried.
"What happened?" Hermione mouthed.
"Not sure," Harry replied.
"She's got to go to the hospital wing," Wood was saying. "The problem is, we still have to practice . . . who could take her?"
"I will," Angelina volunteered. "I'll be quick."
Wood frowned worriedly. "But we can't do anything with just one Chaser," he said.
"I'll take her," Hermione said from behind Harry. Wood looked around in surprise.
"Great!" he said when he spotted Hermione and Mary Sue. "Thanks so much, Hermione." Hermione conjured Katie onto a stretcher and set off in the direction of the school.
"Now what are we going to do with two Chasers?" Wood moaned after Hermione had gone.
"We can do it, Oliver," said George Weasley bracingly. "We'll do little things . . ."
"But the match is in three days!" Wood said. "What if she's not back by then?"
There was a pregnant pause.
Suddenly, Harry had an inspiration. He turned surreptitiously to Mary Sue. "Didn't you say you played Quidditch?" he asked quietly.
Mary Sue nodded, her brow furrowed slightly. "Yes," she replied.
"Which position?" Harry queried urgently.
"Well . . ." she hesitated. "All of them."
Harry gaped for a moment. Then, collecting himself, he asked, "Could you play here? I mean – er – if Oliver says it's okay?"
Mary Sue nodded enthusiastically. "I'd love to!"
"Oliver!" Harry called. Wood didn't notice him for a moment, so intense was his worried concentration. "Oliver!" Harry yelled again, louder this time. Wood snapped back to reality and looked at his Seeker quizzically.
"Er – Mary Sue could fill in as Chaser," Harry suggested ineptly. "Um – she said she can play and –,"
Mary Sue hung back politely, her long blonde hair blowing slightly in the gentle breeze. Wood looked confusedly at her for a moment, and then shrugged.
"Well," he said, "I guess. It can't hurt."
Though this wasn't much of a vote of confidence, Mary Sue eagerly appropriated Katie's Nimbus. When Wood gave the call to take off again, she flew expertly into the air and began to practice a series of complicated maneuvers faultlessly. When she had finished, she was slightly flushed and smiling. The rest of the Gryffindor team applauded loudly.
"Good girl, Mary Sue!" Wood yelled, beaming as if it had all been his idea. "You're better than all of us!"
Mary Sue lowered her eyes modestly, flying closer to the rest of the team. "I wouldn't go that far," she said sincerely. "Everyone looked pretty good before."
Wood shook his head in disbelief before releasing the balls again.
The rest of the practice flew by. Heartened by Hermione's message that Katie was safely in the hospital wing a few minutes later, they executed all of their moves without error. Mary Sue proved excellent as a Chaser, dodging in and out between the other six players and scoring innumerable goals.
After practice, the seven players and Hermione trooped up to the hospital wing to check on Katie. She was still very pale, but she smiled weakly as her teammates approached.
"Hi," she said softly. "I tore a muscle in my arm and . . ." she stopped. Madam Pomfrey stuck her head around the curtain and informed the team curtly that they were not to stay too long, Katie had several injuries, among them a concussion, and was in desperate need of rest.
"Uh, I'm sorry, Katie," said Wood awkwardly. "I shouldn't've let the balls out without a better warning."
"No, it's my fault," said Angelina Johnson contritely. "If I'd have paid better attention –,"
Katie looked slightly dazed. "It's okay," she said thickly. "Um – it was probably my fault."
"She can't remember what happened very well," Hermione explained in a whisper to Harry. "She hit her head pretty hard."
"Three more minutes," came Madam Pomfrey's voice from the other side of the curtain.
"Listen, Katie," said Wood urgently, "Are you going to be able to play in the match on Friday? Because if you're not . . ."
"I don't know," said Katie. "Sorry."
"No!" snapped the disembodied voice of Madam Pomfrey. "No Quidditch matches! Absolutely not! And your time is up! Leave the girl alone, she needs rest!"
Madam Pomfrey's face appeared around the end of the curtain again, here eyes flashing dangerously.
The eight of them hurried back out of the hospital wing and up to Gryffindor Tower. Wood hung back at the rear of the group with Harry, Hermione, and Mary Sue. The Weasleys, Angelina, and Alicia had all gone ahead, eager to get to the Common Room fire. Several times Wood seemed about to say something, but stopped himself.
Finally Harry, driven to the point of distraction, snapped "What is it, Oliver?"
Wood reddened. "Well," he said after a moment, "It looks as though we'll have to give up the match on Friday or . . . find a replacement Chaser." He looked meaningfully at Mary Sue.
"Yeah," said Harry. He hesitated as well.
Mary Sue's chime-like laugh pealed off suddenly. "I'd love to," she said sweetly.
Wood gave a triumphant whoop.
