Chapter 11 ~ The All-Star Team

"Good morning, Love," Anistasia said, kissing Harry on the cheek and sitting beside him.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Love," Harry replied, handing her a pink rose and a heart shaped box of candy.

It is the morning of February the fourteenth – Valentine's Day. The posse was sitting at breakfast in the Great Hall, which was decked out in red and white. Pink rose petals covered the floor.

"God, things haven't been this snazzy since Lockhart was here," Ron said, shivering.

"Wait…Gilderoy Lockhart," Ani gasped, "Oh, he is so wonderful ---"

Hermione stuffed a cream cheese bagel in Ani's mouth, "Stop there. He's a wonderful liar, that's exactly what he was."

Ron laughed, "I do recall a time when a certain person I know kept a get well card, signed by him, under her pillow…"

Hermione couldn't reply before Professor McGonagall tapped on the side of her glass. Dumbledore stood.

"I would like to wish you all a wonderful Valentine's Day. I would also like to announce that after careful consideration, the Hogwarts All Star Quidditch Team has been formed. The names of the team members will be posted in the entrance hall at noon. That is all."

Harry looked over at Anistasia, "Bloody hell! I'll never be able to wait that long…ooh, cream cheese…"

Harry licked the cream cheese of Anistasia's nose as Ani, in complete awe, told him, "Don't worry, Harry. All we have to do is survive Potions and Horticulture…and what is up with your tongue? Its like, crazy!"

Harry backed away and laughed, "It is going to be a long day."

The bell rang and they trotted off to Potions. As the last of the class was sitting down, Professor Wall emerged from her office.

"Good morning everyone," she exclaimed, "Today we are going to begin a month long project. It was requested by Professor McGonagall that we do this considering you are learning about transfiguring yourselves. We are going to begin making Polyjuice Potion."

Harry smiled and turned back to Ron and Hermione. They had successfully brewed a batch of this potion in their second year in order to transform themselves into Crabe and Goyle to try to weasel the name of the Heir of Slytherin out of Malfoy.

"With this potion," Wall continued to explain, "you will have the ability to transform yourself into a single person for an hour. I must emphasize that this potion is for human transformation only and if used to transform into a different object, it can have devastating results. At the end of this potion making process, you and your partner will trade a single hair and transform into each other."

Ani smiled at Harry. She wondered what it would be like to be Harry James Potter, even for only an hour. In one month's time, she would know. Professor Wall helped the class begin their potions.

"NEVILLE," Professor Wall screeched as hot liquid rapidly covered the dungeon floor beneath her, "That is the sixth cauldron that you have melted this year!"

"Sixth cauldron? My, my, that would be number thirty seven since the time you began at Hogwarts, would it not, Mr. Longbottom?"

Harry gasped at the sound of the familiar voice. He turned towards the door to see the towering figure walk into the room. His long, black robes swept behind him, his hooked nose was up in the air and his pale skin was more pale than Harry could remember.

Severus Snape swept into the dungeon, up to Professor Wall and bowed to her deeply, "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Severus Snape, Potions Master. You are, my dear?"

Professor Wall was taken back by the dark, velvet sound of his voice, "I am Lauren Wall. A pleasure it is to meet you."

Snape turned to Neville, "What do you have to say for yourself?"

He blinked and looked up at his teacher, "I refuse to say a word."

Snape scowled, "Twenty points from Gryffindor for absentmindedly melting a school cauldron and ten more points for your smart mouth towards a teacher."

Neville kept his head held high. No one seemed to care how many points were taken – they were just in complete awe that Neville stood up to Snape. Harry took out a piece of parchment, his ink that he had gotten from Hermione on his birthday and wrote Ron a note. He said the password and the ink went invisible. He was passing it to Ron when Snape looked over and saw it.

"Well, well, well," he said, picking up the roll and opening it, "What might we have here? A love note from Potter to Weasley maybe?"

"That would be thoroughly impossible, Professor, seeing as how I am Harry's one and only," Ani said, speaking up.

Snape sneered, "You must be Anistasia Willow, the new fifth year. Potter seemed to jump quickly at you did he not? No matter, let us see what this says," he looked down at the parchment and saw that it was blank, "Ah, this must be the new disappearing ink…let us find the password," he pulled out his wand, "Show me what you hide!"

As predicted, a stream of ink came out of the paper and hit Snape in the eye. He dropped both the paper and his wand and held his eye. With the other, he looked evilly at Harry and the other Gryffindors, who were trying hard not to laugh. Snape picked up the parchment, threw it at Harry and stomped away into his office.

 On their way to horticulture, all of the Gryffindors congratulated him and Neville for making Snape's welcoming hell.

"So, that is Snape," Anistasia asked Harry after she had patted Neville on the back.

"Yes," Harry said glumly, "and I cannot believe that he is back…why…why?"

"Don't worry about it. Just think of the All Star team."

Harry's face brightened a bit. Horticulture was so long to him – he could hardly sit still. Once the bell rang, he and Anistasia ran up to the castle as quickly as they could. There, in the entrance hall, was a group of students crowded around a piece of parchment hung on the wall."

"Congratulations, Harry," Katie said, patting him on the shoulder, "Well, congrats for the most part."

"What do you mean," Harry asked her.

"Try to get up to the list. Then, you'll know."

Harry and Anistasia pushed up to the front of the group. This is what the list said:

Hogwarts All Star Quidditch Team

Captain: Harry Potter (Gryffindor)

Asst. Captain: Marcus Flint (Slytherin)

First String

Seeker: Harry Potter (Gryffindor)

Keeper: Anistasia Willow (Gryffindor)

Head Chaser: Marcus Flint (Slytherin)

Second Chaser: Angelina Johnson (Gryffindor)

Third Chaser: Adrian Pucey (Slytherin)

Head Beater: George Weasley (Gryffindor)

Second Beater: Derrick Bole (Slytherin)

Second String

Seeker: Draco Malfoy (Slytherin)

First Chaser: Katie Bell (Gryffindor)

Second Chaser: Bradford Montague (Slytherin)

Beater: Fred Weasley (Gryffindor)

"Harry," Anistasia exclaimed, "You're the captain!"

"Yes, though, I have to work with Flint. You're the Keeper! Congratulations!"

Ani smiled as Harry put his arm around her waist. They walked into the Great Hall together. Dumbledore was in there, waiting to greet them.

"Congratulations, my dears," he said handing them a roll of parchment, "I hope you enjoy your experience on the team."

"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore," Ani said.

They went to the Gryffindor table and unrolled their letters. Harry's said:

Mr. Potter,

Congratulations on making the Hogwarts All Star Quidditch Team. You have been awarded with both Captain and Seeker positions. I am sure that you will manage the team and represent your school well.

The Assistant Captain is Marcus Flint, the Captain and Chaser of the Slytherin team. You both should meet at least once a week to discuss how to manage the team and to work practices. You are the one to finalize the decisions for the team.

If, for any reason, you are injured or unable to play, Draco Malfoy will take your position as Seeker.

Here is a list of games that will be played:

2/22 – Hogwarts vs. Beauxbatons

2/23 – Hogwarts vs. Beauxbatons

           *2/24 – Hogwarts vs. Beauxbatons

            3/8 – Hogwarts @ South Gravewitch

            3/9 – Hogwarts @ South Gravewitch

           *3/10 – Hogwarts @ South Gravewitch

            3/15 – Hogwarts vs. Durmstrang

            3/16 – Hogwarts vs. Durmstrang

           *3/17 – Hogwarts vs. Durmstrang

*The third game of every tournament will only be played if both teams have won each one game.

After this series of tournaments, further tournaments will be played, and then sometime in May, championships will be played to award the Minor League Quidditch World Cup.

Please note that you are responsible for making up any work that you missed due to your dedications to the team. Being on this team is an honor – an honor that not many people can say that they have been a part of. Good luck, and God speed.

Again, congratulations,

Albus Dumbledore

Harry rolled up his letter and stuck it into the pocket of his robes.

"Excuse me," he said to his friends and walked over to the Slytherin table.

He spotted Flint and walked over to him.

"Congratulations," Harry told him.

Flint faced him and grumbled, "Same to you."

"Since we have to work as a team to make this work and win the Cup for our school, I would like to ask you if we can put our differences aside, at least until this is over, and call a truce."

Flint stood up and faced Harry, "Yes, I suppose so."

In front of the entire Great Hall and Dumbledore himself, a truce was called between Slytherin and Gryffindor, for the first time in over a thousand years.