If Wishes Were Snitches


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Chapter 5 Invisibility Incompatibility


"Percy a professor? Here? At Hogworts? Neville are you sure. Maybe you heard him wrong. Oh, please tell me you heard wrong." Begged Ron slumping back down in his chair.


"No Ron. I mean yes. I mean yes Ron he said here at Hogworts."Said Neville.


"And by him you meant my brother Percy. Percy the wanker who managed to muck up my morning in all of two minutes. Oh bollocks! This is awful."Ron groaned.


"Ron," said Ginny "I'm glad he is back. It was breaking Mums heart to have him acting so coldly."


"Well, I'm going to miss Professor Binns. Neville, he hasn't completely faded yet has he?" Asked Luna


Neville shrugged while Ron glared at the three of them.


"I believe you three have completely missed the point. We need to find out what is going on. Something is rather off about this whole development. Harry. I need to borrow something from you."


Hermione perked up and smiled. "Ron is right. Something is strange about this. I want to come with you."


Ginny frowned. "Fine, you go off and play tag along with Percy. I'm heading for the Quidditch pitch. I told Luna and Neville I'd go over the rules. Bill and Charlie will be meeting us there."


Ron groaned. " Oh . . . Quidditch"


Hermione anxiously pulled on his arm "Ron, we had better hurry if we want to catch up to Percy."


Harry studied Hermione's face, her eyes glittered and there was a flush on her cheeks. She was behaving very strangely. " I'll get you two what you need but I think I'll go with Ginny to the Pitch."


Ginny smiled and stuck out her tongue at Ron.


Upstairs in Ron's room Harry dug in his chest for the invisibility cloak and handed it to Ron. Ron and Hermione pulled it over their heads.


"Ron! Stop squirming. You're stepping all over my feet."


"Hermione, you've got to do something about your hair I can't breathe with it plastered all over my face." Spat Ron.


There were more sounds of shuffling and grunting from under the cloak. "Hold still Hermione, quit it!"


"RON! That had better be your elbow poking me in the back."


The cloak came flying off. "Oh this is not going to work. We can't sneak around quarreling like this!"


Hermione tried to smooth her hair down. Switching to logic she said firmly, "Ron, listen. I'll go alone. I know you would rather be playing Quidditch. I'll let you know what I find out. Research is my specialty. Now I've got to hurry if I'm going to catch up to Percy." She pulled the robe over her head and quietly the door opened and she was gone.


"Was it just me or did you think she was acting odd?" Queried Ron.


Harry and Ron grabbed their brooms and ambled over to the pitch where they were soon deep in discussion about the upcoming season and Percy and Hermione were forgotten for the moment. Harry thought Ron had done an awful lot of work on various tactics and went on about practice schedules in an eerie echo of Oliver Wood.


Fred and George joined them as they neared the field, their broom sticks slung over their shoulders. " Well, we're back, in school at least. Apparently our status on the Quidditch team depends on a probationary period."


Ginny, Neville and Luna were on the pitch. Ginny and Neville were wrestling with returning the bludgers to the box while Bill stood with his arms crossed over his chest shaking with laughter. Charlie and Luna turned lazy circles around on their brooms slowing to a stop as Harry and company arrived.


Ron started barking out orders. "Right, ok. Ginny, I want you on my team, I'll see how you do as chaser. Harry, you're my seeker. I'll take Fred and George as beaters. Bill you take Charlie, Luna and Neville. We'll play with only one chaser. Gryffindors, take your brooms."


Bill shot Ron a dirty look but rounded up Charlie, Luna, and Neville and huddled for a few minutes to select positions. Bill opted for keeper and Charlie beater, leaving Neville to be chaser and Luna, who was looking up at the Quidditch stands, to play seeker.


The two teams kicked off, Fred stayed behind to release the bludgers, quaffle and snitch, then also mounted his broom and rose into the air.


Harry felt the wind on his face and the warm sun warm on his head and took in a deep and satisfied breath. He heard the familiar chatter as the players vied for position then slowly scanned the field for a glimpse of the tiny fluttering golden snitch. He pulled his broom up and turned slow circles around the field. Harry looked over to where Luna sat astride her broom, Luna was looking off toward the Forbidden Forrest, hovering in one spot.


Harry pulled up to her "You're supposed to look for the snitch"


Luna smiled. "I'm listening for it." She tipped her head.


A bludger hit off Georges' bat went whizzing by between Harry and Luna. Harry ducked his head. She hadn't reacted. "Well at least look out for other flying objects." He felt a bit alarmed for her safety.


"There it is, the snitch. Do you hear it? Over there."


Now Harry was smiling "I don't think you are required to share that." And with that they both bore down on their brooms and shot toward the snitch laughter bubbling up.