Chapter 15, Beaters, Chasers, and Bludgers

Ron Weasley was no ordinary boy. Ron's entire family ate, slept, and breathed Quidditch. He was up bright-eyed and bushytailed and in his Chudley Cannons sweatshirt. Ron was in the Common Room eagerly awaiting Harry and the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch hopefuls. He knew he would get the open post of keeper. There was nothing else that could stop him. He had all the confidence in the world he would that he would get the job.

A chipper Angelina Johnson, sleepy Katie Bell, and an obviously grumpy Alicia Spinnet came down the stairs into the common room waiting for the other quidditch players.

"Why is it that we need to attend selection process?" Katie Bell yawned and scratched her head.

"I think its just plain ridiculous. Why do I need to loose an hour of sleep when I'm already on the team." Alicia Spinnet snipped. "How does my sweat suit look? Does it make me look fat?"

Ron was staring in disbelief. His essence, his soul was quidditch. His heroes were former quidditch players who had been tragically hurt in the past. How could these women be so nonchalant about his favorite sport. How dare they.

Angelina noticed Ron's stare and said, "Ron, close your mouth you're trolling for flies." Spinning around to Katie and Alicia she fired off, "Katie, drink some coffee. Alicia, your sweat suit looks good and those pants do enhance your figure." She then added almost patriotically and addressed all three of them, "We do this ever year for the greater good. The glory of a house cup. Now I can't speak for you two, but I graduate this year and I want to win another cup. Don't you?"

"Yesss." Katie and Alicia cheered out. Ron looked on in amazement and awe.

"Good. Now Ron, care to accompany us to breakfast? I hear your trying out for keeper this year."

Ron felt his skin rise with warmth as he realized this was his chance to pour on some of that Weasley charm.

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Harry entered the common room in the same clothes he had on for a few days. He looked around and went straight up to the bathroom and decided a shower was just what he needed in order to start out his day right.

His clothes felt like they could walk from the smell of days of wear and countess rewear. After his shower, Harry felt refreshed. His scar hurt less then earlier that morning. His mind seemed almost clearer. Remembering the last few day's events, Harry pulled out clean sweats and took his broom into the common room to find Hermione and Lavender waiting for someone before they went to breakfast.

Hermione was the first to notice Harry. "Harry! When on earth did you get out of the hospital. I thought they would keep you there for a few more days."

"Glad to see you up and moving again Harry. You gave us all quite a scare for a while." Lavender added.

Harry thought about telling Hermione about "Well, I umm, decided that this was better for me. You know, getting back into the swing of things again and my summer not being all that. I thought being normal would be the right thing to do."

Hermione walked over to Harry and hugged him tightly. Then she whispered, "Midnight tonight meet me with your cloak. I want to see you." Then more loudly she said, "Glad your feeling better mate."

Ginny came into the common room also wearing sweats only her look was one of shock when she saw Harry.

Harry decided to make things easier for her and him as well. "Ginny, care to get some breakfast with me. I have something to talk to you about."

An uneasy Ginny Weasley said, "Sure." And tuned around and shot an "oh my god" look to Hermione.

The walk to breakfast was uneasy at first but Harry decided to break the ice after the first hallway.

"Ginny, there just isn't a nice way to say this other than I know you're not in love with me anymore."

Ginny was shocked as she locked eyes with Harry realizing she needed to hear what he had to say.

"I have treated you like a brat. I don't understand why I have done this, but I am thinking we should cool it for now and just be friends."

Ginny was taken back by Harry's forwardness, but managed to say, "Can I ask you a question Harry?"

Harry knew she was going to ask if there was another. She had that inner inquisitiveness that made her like Rita Seeker. Harry also knew he couldn't lie about his true feelings about Hermione either. He was just hoping she wouldn't ask.

"Why didn't you just tell me we needed to break up as opposed to me writing it on a piece of paper." Ginny asked maturely.

Harry looked shocked at Ginny's retort, "Ginny I still love you, but the problem is that I am so screwed up right now. I feel like my whole world is closing in on me and I so don't understand why this year is so different from all the others. Why all the sudden am I the eligible bachelor? I saw another student get killed for Christ's sake."

Harry's eyes started to blur with emotion as he realized he was at the door of the hall, "For what its worth. I am so sorry about all this and I still want to be friends."

Ginny looked into those deep green eyes of Harry's and said, "I wouldn't have it any other way."
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Ron was in the middle of a thoroughly engaging conversation of the Chudley Cannon's with Angelina.

"Wow I didn't realize that so many great players came from the Cannon's." Angelina stated while stuffing her face with food.

Ron was in mid chomp as he blushed and said, " Thanks. You know Hermione doesn't think much about quidditch."

Angelina swallowed, "Ron, no offense, but I think Hermione is nice and all, but not quite your league now is she?"

Ron sat in his seat too terrified to move after that comment and took up conversation with Dean Thomas just to avoid another one of Angelina's comments.

Just when Ron thought he would have to speak to Angelina again, Ginny & Harry arrived just in time to save him I conversation. The whole dining hall went silent as Harry sat down next to Dean Thomas and Jon Clift.

"Great now I'm on parade. I should have just stayed in bed or something today." Harry grunted. "I feel like an animal at the zoo."

Jon looked at his friend who was now sulking in the corner and decided to do something about it. He stood up and announced to the table, "Ladies, Gentlemen. I have an announcement to make, FOOD FIGHT!"

The entire great hall erupted into a food flying frenzy. Fred and George conjured giant cereal bowls and turned over on Draco Malfoy's head and for one brief moment, everything seemed like fun again. Even the house ghosts were getting into the spirit of things. The Bloody Baron and Sir Nicholas pelted peeves with ectoplasm goo.

The professors' even got into the fun as well. Professor Anaranë had taken a cheese strudel and smeared it all over Professor Twealeny. "Bet you didn't predict that one!" Professor McGonagall laughed so hard her uptight and stiff personality seemed to soften instantly. Everyone had a great time until Professor Dumbledore had decided he had seen enough. "WASH OFF!" He had yelled from the headmaster's table and a magical rain shower fell from the enchanted ceiling and had cleaned off all the food from everything and everyone. Even the picture of Merlin had been scrubbed clean magically by Dumbledore's rain.

Harry stood up and stretched his legs. Jon put his arm on Harry and said, "Tonight maybe we can start?"

Harry was still laughing from Jon's food fight. "Jon. You can pick anytime you want and I would so be there. You're a great person and a good friend. I'll see you at 6 tonight."

And then Harry and all the Gryffindor hopefuls walked outside and decided to play some quidditch.

The air was still soggy and wet from the evening dew. The 7-houseteam hopefuls trudged outside thru the muck to the quidditch stadium. Full with an air of confidence seen by many as their bravery and ready to face the unknown, Harry called everyone currently on the house team into a tight huddle and asked everyone else to stand back from the group.

"Harry, what are we going to do for the trials?" Angela Johnson asked.

Harry was about to motion for the team to vote a captain when Fred and George interrupted him.

"Well, first things first," Fred Weasley stated.
"We need a new Captain." George completed his thoughts.

Harry saw the intent looks everyone was giving each other in the tight huddle. He felt the uncomfortable stares at him knowing some would like to give the Captainship to the future of the team while others felt the seniors needed tight consideration. Watching moments turn into what felt like hours Harry stood up and announced, "Seniority rules. I nominate Angelina."

As if taking cues from Harry, Fred and George looked at each other; "We don't want that responsibility anyway." Fred grinned.
"The captainship is yours for the taking Angela. We're bastards to keep in check." George smiled.

Alicia and Katie both giggled and agreed thus making the voting unanimous. Angelina Johnson was the new Gryffindor Captain.

"Now captain what should we do with them?" Fred asked.

"Well, I umm…" Angelina was still taken back by the nomination let alone the election.

"Bloody them up right!" George chimed in.

"You boys are so boyish and rude!" Alicia fired back.

"Well you girls are so woozy and undeceive." Fred shot back

"Who are you calling indecisive, Fred the joke Weasley!"

Angelina watched everyone begin to have a heated argument and Harry felt caught in the middle. The house team hopefuls were beginning to loose confidence in their leader as she listened to the petty squabbling. Mass chaos was swarming the team as they stood there in heated toe. Then something happened. Something snapped and changed inside of Angelina. She rose up from having her head pointed down and put her foot down.

"ENOUGH!" Angelina roared.

Harry was taken back by Angelina's presence.

"Harry, I want you to take the team and fly around the school 30 times, by then we will be ready for them."

Fred, George, Katie, and Alicia all had the look of a deer caught in headlights.

"Well, what should I tell them we're doing?" Harry asked.

"Cardiovascular training, first round elimination. Harry we will be giving you a signal once you can come into the stadium." Harry stared at her with the same blank eyes that filled his teammates heads, "Play follow the leader Harry. Now move it!" she barked out. "The rest of you to the stadium! We have work to do."

"Okay captain…" Harry mumbled as he approached the hopefuls.

"All right. We are going to play a game called follow the leader. We all need to line up in a v formation. We are flying around the school grounds at least 30 times. And good luck keeping up with me. This is first found elimination."

"Right this should be easy…" a cocky Ron mouthed off to Ginny.

Harry kicked off the ground leading the group into the air. The sweet feeling of a damp and cool autumn morning was misleading, as Harry knew this day would bring sweet sunshine and sweat as the morning burned off.

"Well let's go then. Follow me if you can."

"Fine, catch me if you can!"

And they were off. Ron kept trying to catch up to the speeding blurs in the distance. They were ducking and weaving heavily as they spun and turned themselves in and around the castle grounds. The other 4 hopefuls finally finished their 30 laps and landed exhausted to watch the excitement as Ginny was gaining ground on Harry.

"I don't believe it." Ron told Jack Sloper, "She is going to catch him."

Ginny was matching Harry's every move. Every dive, every climb Harry pulled out all the stops sensing she truly wanted his job.

Ginny was neck and neck with Harry as they rounded McGonagall's office for the 58th time. Finally it happened. Ginny misjudged the curve roll under the bridge and her broomstick clipped the support to the bridge sending her into a dangerous spin out over the lake.

"Ginny noooo!" Ron yelled out from the ground.

Harry felt his pulse race as he watched his Ginny fly over the water. The group of Gryffindors who had come out to watch the day's events also let out a gasp from the stadium. Harry pulled his Firebolt into a 90-degree vertical dive to save his Ginny.

Seeing her fall dangerously closer to the water, Ron couldn't help but be frozen in time as he watched his best friend try to save his sister. Harry pushed his broom faster, harder in towards the water. He could see the fish in the water as he pulled Ginny and the broom up less then 3 inches from the water. This caused a dangerous spectacle for all to hold their breath. The water formed two perfectly formed walls like a tunnel around them. Harry sped up and gained some altitude as the walls of water came thundering down on them.

"Hold tight!" Harry yelled as he pulled towards the heavens with Ginny on his broom.

Cheers and elation filled the stadium and a stunned Ron Weasley. Once they landed everyone ran to them to see if they were alright. Harry was exhausted and fell down on the ground holding his arm, which was now searing with pain. He gritted his teeth and said, "It's my shoulder. It's pulled out."

Madam Pomfrey was already on the scene with Professor McGonagall.

McGonagall wasted no time in pushing thru the crowd that was now watching Harry closely. "Potter, what the hell were you trying to prove up there!" McGonagall asked exasperated and yet relieved both of them were in one piece.

"Well Professor, I was trying to save her." Harry winced as the nurse popped his shoulder back into place and began to immobilize it for moving.

McGonagall straightened up and asked Ginny if she was all right, Then the relaxed but firm professor said, "50 points, will be awarded to you Harry for your bravery and saving another." Sensing her work as a disciplinarian was done, she spun around on her heals and asked the nurse about Harry's condition.

"He can't fly until I release him. He tore his rotator cuff and dislocated his shoulder as well. He will miss the first game for sure."

Cries of "No" and "Not against Slytherin" could be herd as a heartbroken and disappointed Harry looked like he would cry. Harry knew though that Ginny would be his replacement on the team, but his only thought was of getting better so he could come back. Harry asked, "Madam Pomfrey, can I watch the practice. I will come up once their done."

Madam Pomfrey began to say, "I dunno, that arm needs tending to…" Professor McGonagall gave her a look and placed an arm on her shoulder. Sensing that she had lost the argument before it had begun, "Well, Mr. Potter since your such a frequent visitor. You can come up when practice is over."

Harry said thanks and took some pain medicine the nurse gave him. Walking back to the stadium Ginny helped Harry move towards the stadium and carried his broom.

Harry locked eyes with her as the tension rose between them, "Ginny, Will you be my replacement as seeker? I can't think of anyone better qualified."

Getting lost in those dreamy green eyes again, "Sure harry. For you I would do anything."

"Hey Harry!' Fred Weasley said flying over the quidditch stadium.

Harry nodded back. "All ready up there?"

"Yep!" George chimed out, "Blimey Harry! What happened to ya!" a freaked out George yelled back.

Harry lied and said, "It's nothing don't worry about it."

"Right then, send them in." Fred appeared above the stadium stands now mounted on his broom.

"Right." Harry said quietly as he did his best to wave at Katie and Alicia thru the pain.

Angelina had just finished wrapping up her final preparations for second round elimination and saw Harry was hurt.

Angelina began her conversation quite erratically from across the field, "Harry what happened! Your our best seeker since Charlie Weasley! WE CANNOT AFFORD T-O L-O-O-S-E Y-O-U!" An out of breath Angelina finally made it over to Harry.

"Angelina relax. Just go ahead and do the trials today. I can stay, watch and observe."

"But for Merlin's sake Harry! Your Hurt!" She yelled back concerned.

"I know that… and I will miss first game also." Angelina looked like she was going to throw-up at any second. "But hey," Harry put his good arm on Ginny's shoulder, "I found you a seeker."

Angelina was flustered, "That's just bloody great Harry! I'm tickled pink!" Turning her reaction towards a blushing Ginny Weasley, "So how good are you? Can you at least fly? We know your brothers all can."

Ginny felt her temper rise inside of her. She wanted to spit in Angelina's face for insulting her but most importantly because she did this in front of Harry and the rest of the hopefuls.

Sensing that it was a now or never situation Harry squeaked out, "Of course she is the best fit for the job Angelina." Casting a don/'t you trust me glance towards her, "Do you honestly think I would put someone in my position who couldn't do the job the way I can?" Angelina was speechless at Harry tone with her. "Well do you?"

Sensing defeat with her seeker, Angelina answered, "No, I guess you wouldn't…but you need to train her to replace you for the time being."

"Fine. Done then." Harry shifted his glance to Ginny; "We will go over the playbook later tonight okay?"

Ginny was shocked Harry stood up for her, "Umm… yeah that's fine with me."

Angelina was satisfied with her conversation turned her attention to the other recruits.

The rest of the players began to speak among themselves in a hurried whisper. "I wonder what's up?" Ron asked Andrew Kirke.

Angelina asked to them to line up in attention, "Okay. Here is the deal. You three are going in there except for Ginny." Each of us is going to differ in what we feel makes a good and a bad quidditch keeper. The rest of the team has set up an obstacle course to weed out those who have no stamina. They have asked if for each of you please line up and get ready for the start of the test.

Andrew walked to the front of the line full of libido; "Well here I go…"

The quidditch stadium doors flew open and all the three hopefuls could do was stand and stare at what lay in front of him.

The mid morning sun was beginning to beam loudly in the sky as Andrew flew into the stadium and took his place in the center arena.

Other House cup hopefuls came out to see the selection process the Gryffindor team could muster. Andrew awaited his instructions as Angelina turned the trials over to Fred and George.

George was holding a Quaffle as Fred yelled out, "'Ey Andrew! Your job is to fly up in the center of the pitch and catch this Quaffle if you can. It is a bit like wizard in the middle." Andrew nodded and rose up to the center of the pitch as he waited for what would come at him first. The whistle blew and George took out his bludger bat and smashed it hard at Andrew's head, "Oh and we forgot to mention… we complicated things for you just a bit."

Andrew felt the burn of the bludger buzz by his ear as he barley dove down to look for the Quaffle. He only managed 3 minutes in the air before the second bludger managed to strike the school broom hard in the front handle shattering the broom in half sending Andrew into a spiraling decent towards the ground. Professor Lupin who was watching the malay screamed, "Wingardium Leviosa!" and guided the shaken Gryffindor to the soft earth.

Angelina flew over to the stadium doors and let in Ron Weasley.

Ron looked horrified as he saw the shattered broom on the pitch. Angelina looked at Ron and gestured him into the air. 'Right then. Here we go.' Ron thought as he lifted the Comet 360 into the blazing sun.

Ron looked horrified as he saw the shattered broom on the pitch. Angelina looked at Ron and gestured him into the air. 'Right then. Here we go.' Ron thought as he lifted the Comet 360 into the hot blazing sun.

Fred and George explained the trial to Ron. Ron nodded silently waiting for the first sign of movement from Fred and George. Small beads of sweat fell off of Ron's face as George fired the first shot off to Ron's body. Ron knew that they would spare him no mercy because he was their brother. Ron was a born natural at avoiding his brother's shots so he soared upwards to avoid the first Bludger.

Ron avoided the bludger pounding fairly well. For the first 2 minutes, 30 seconds, he pulled his broom into tight dives and elevations avoiding the Bludgers and just barely missing the Quaffle. Then Ron decided to just go for it. He dove really fast at the Quaffle in the hopes of making the grab. At 2 minuets 56 seconds, Ron began a headstrong decent towards the Quaffle. Pulling his broom tight to his chest he flattened his back to his broom as he began to reach for the Quaffle. A rebounding Bludger slammed hard into Ron's body.

Ron cried out in pain as he reached his hands around the Quaffle. The Bludger hurled Ron spiraling just like Andrew towards the earth. Ron gritted his teeth and held tight to his Quaffle. He was able to pull his broom up just before slamming into the ground and rolled hard onto the pitch. Ron had tears in his eyes as he rolled three times head over heals on the rough turf in pain hoping that he would stop soon. He pulled himself to his knees as he felt the air in his chest drawl out of himself. Gasping for breath he crawled over to Jack Sloper who was waiting for his turn to compete and rolled the bludger over to his feet with a smirk.

Jack looked at Ron and helped him to his feet. Ron had dirt and grass stuck to his ear and Jack pulled the turf out of it. "Ron, in the true spirit of competition and house fellowship, you have earned the right to be the new Keeper." Then Jack announced loudly, "I resign from competing in this competition. Ron Weasley should be your new keeper."

Ron couldn't feel his ribs as he looked like he was going to vomit on Jack. He hugged Jack and held up the Quaffle to the thunderous applause that filled the Quidditch Stadium.

Harry came over to Angelina while Ron was still holding the Quaffle, "Well, I don't think we have to worry about making the decision Angelina. It looks like it was made for us." Harry said.

The entire house help to hoist Ron onto its shoulders and Ron was carried off into the castle where a celebration would be held for the new Keeper and Seeker of the House Team. The Weasley had succeeded in having everyone in their family skilled enough to play Quidditch and that was something even the Slytherins couldn't do.

Harry came over to Angelina while Ron was still holding the Quaffle, "Well, I don't think we have to worry about making the decision Angelina. It looks like it was made for us." Harry said.

The entire house help to hoist Ron onto its shoulders and Ron was carried off into the castle where a celebration would be held for the new Keeper and Seeker of the House Team. The Weasleys had succeeded in having everyone in their family skilled enough to play Quidditch and that was something even the Slytherins couldn't do.

Harry tuned away from the cheers and the crowd and began his long painful walk up to the infirmary. Sensing Harry was missing; Ginny searched the crowd for Harry and found him walking slowly with his broom over his good shoulder towards the castle. She would have rushed over to help him, but she saw Hermione had beaten her to him.

Ginny muttered to herself, "Figures. Well good for you Harry. I hope you open up better for her." And with a smirk on her face she turned to her concentration to the crowd of Gryffindors all chanting Ron's name.