Chapter 8: A Surprising Thought or Two?
*~*~*
Look at the clouds,
Look at the earthquakes,
Look at the moon that the light from the sun makes,
Look at the wind, how it's loose and free,
Look at these tiny things bothering me.
*~*~*
"Hey Mione?"
"Yeah Ron?"
"You ok? You look like your fading into oblivion today." Ron pulled his girlfriend closer to him.
"I'm just thinking about things, that's all. Like, do you think Crookshanks needs a brushing? That's been bothering me for a while." Hermione rolled around and looked at Ron very seriously.
"Jeez Hermione, I don't know. That's what's pulling you away like this? Sheesh, I'd hate to tell you what I think about when my mind wanders."
"Ron dear, you shouldn't let your mind wander. It's much to small to be out by itself." Hermione's face broke into a grin.
A strong laugh came from the door. Ron and Hermione didn't even bother to look up to see who it was.
"Oh bugger off Harry, you gigantic prat." Ron flopped over onto his other side away from his friends.
Harry dropped Ginny's hand and ran for the bed. Hermione rushed out of the way as Harry launched himself onto Ron's bed, making Ron fly at least 4 feet in the air.
"Come on Ron, my boy, it's time for Quidditch practice."
Ron got up and mumbled something about a bludger to the head of a certain black haired seeker. He grabbed his broom, gave Hermione a quick kiss, and walked after Harry and his sister.
Hermione flopped on her bed. Why was she the only one who couldn't fly and play Quidditch? Oh, wait, she hated heights, that was why, duh. She pushed her head back into her pillow and began to think about tiny little things that really were insignificant.
*~*
'There's no greater feeling than flying,' the young Quidditch captain thought as he flew through the air. He looked down at his team. 'Oh wait. There is. Being with Ginny Weasley.' He watched Ginny's bright red hair flying behind her as she smoothly executed one of Gryffindor's more complicated chaser moves. The other two chasers worked with almost the same flawlessness, but no one was near as good as Gin. But he was biased. His team was the best Hogwarts had seen in a long time. They were unbeatable. Even Slytherin had trouble even scoring against them and they frequently cheated.
But the biggest wonder was it was by far the youngest. Besides Gin, Ron and himself, no one on the team was higher than fourth year. His star beater, Hermione's little brother Jeffry, was a first year. Harry marveled at his flying ability. Both of his parents were muggles, and Hermione, well Hermione was bloody afraid of heights. He may have had a hand in training when he and Hermione were together a couple years ago, but Jeff had a striking natural talent.
And the twins. James and Lily Black, none other than Sirius and Arabella Figg's children, were only in their second year here. Oh, those two were the spitting image of Sirius. James, the other beater, was quite as impressive as his father was. Lily, another chaser, moved flawlessly on a broom and had taken Ginny in as her role model. Harry teared a little at the names that had been chosen in remembrance of his parents.
And Harry had followed the Oliver Wood legacy, having three girls as his chasers. Katie Bell's younger sister, Sarah, was his other choice, and had many of the same chaser qualities as her sister.
Harry was totally lost in a daydream about his team and their unbeatable chances at the Cup this year, when he was tilted slightly from the back of his broom. Ginny was trying to get his attention.
"Uh, Captain Potter, you've been sitting around up here for about three hours and the rest of us are getting kinda tired." Ginny laughed as Harry shook himself back into reality. "Come on."
Harry followed Ginny back down to the ground. "Ok team, we rock. If we all didn't love this so much, I'd say we should postpone practice all together. But, as some of our upper year players are getting some attention," Harry looked to the stands where quite a few International Quidditch scouts were sitting near Dumbledore, "I think it only fair that we show off a little here and there. Let's see, next practice next week, same time?" Everyone nodded and walked back to the castle.
"Mr. and Ms. Weasley, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore called. The three turned around. Ginny looked beat as did Ron, but Harry had hardly worked up a sweat. "Some people would like to talk to you. May I introduce Nicholas Fletcher, head coach of the Chudley Cannons, and Jeremy Flint, head coach of the English National team?"
Ron gaped at Fletcher. The Cannons were Ron's favorite team.
Ginny blushed. "I don't know if you know, but I'm only a sixth year."
"Oh, Ginny, we would never take you away from school. We're going to be losing a chaser next season, the one after you graduate. And a seeker this year," Flint smiled at Harry.
"And Ron, we're in the process of looking for a new keeper. We have a feeling that our present one may not make it through next season. We've seen the way you play, and we like it. All of you."
Ron stood flabbergasted. Harry answered for all of them. "As much as we're honored to have you ask us all, we really need to think about it. Can Ron and I get back to you soon? I'm Gin has a little more time to think about it, but we'll be able to answer soon."
Flint studied Harry with interest. "Smart boy. Very smart. So much like his father." Harry beamed as he did every time someone said that. "The offer will stand until we have your answers. No deadline or anything. We're willing to wait for you all." Flint extended his hand to the three.
Harry took it and shook it with confidence. Ginny still blushing, shook it a little timidly, but with the confidence she always showed to the world. Ron just stood there open mouthed. He finally shook both Flint and Fletcher's hands and followed Harry and Ginny back to the castle dazed.
*~*~*
Look at the clouds,
Look at the earthquakes,
Look at the moon that the light from the sun makes,
Look at the wind, how it's loose and free,
Look at these tiny things bothering me.
*~*~*
"Hey Mione?"
"Yeah Ron?"
"You ok? You look like your fading into oblivion today." Ron pulled his girlfriend closer to him.
"I'm just thinking about things, that's all. Like, do you think Crookshanks needs a brushing? That's been bothering me for a while." Hermione rolled around and looked at Ron very seriously.
"Jeez Hermione, I don't know. That's what's pulling you away like this? Sheesh, I'd hate to tell you what I think about when my mind wanders."
"Ron dear, you shouldn't let your mind wander. It's much to small to be out by itself." Hermione's face broke into a grin.
A strong laugh came from the door. Ron and Hermione didn't even bother to look up to see who it was.
"Oh bugger off Harry, you gigantic prat." Ron flopped over onto his other side away from his friends.
Harry dropped Ginny's hand and ran for the bed. Hermione rushed out of the way as Harry launched himself onto Ron's bed, making Ron fly at least 4 feet in the air.
"Come on Ron, my boy, it's time for Quidditch practice."
Ron got up and mumbled something about a bludger to the head of a certain black haired seeker. He grabbed his broom, gave Hermione a quick kiss, and walked after Harry and his sister.
Hermione flopped on her bed. Why was she the only one who couldn't fly and play Quidditch? Oh, wait, she hated heights, that was why, duh. She pushed her head back into her pillow and began to think about tiny little things that really were insignificant.
*~*
'There's no greater feeling than flying,' the young Quidditch captain thought as he flew through the air. He looked down at his team. 'Oh wait. There is. Being with Ginny Weasley.' He watched Ginny's bright red hair flying behind her as she smoothly executed one of Gryffindor's more complicated chaser moves. The other two chasers worked with almost the same flawlessness, but no one was near as good as Gin. But he was biased. His team was the best Hogwarts had seen in a long time. They were unbeatable. Even Slytherin had trouble even scoring against them and they frequently cheated.
But the biggest wonder was it was by far the youngest. Besides Gin, Ron and himself, no one on the team was higher than fourth year. His star beater, Hermione's little brother Jeffry, was a first year. Harry marveled at his flying ability. Both of his parents were muggles, and Hermione, well Hermione was bloody afraid of heights. He may have had a hand in training when he and Hermione were together a couple years ago, but Jeff had a striking natural talent.
And the twins. James and Lily Black, none other than Sirius and Arabella Figg's children, were only in their second year here. Oh, those two were the spitting image of Sirius. James, the other beater, was quite as impressive as his father was. Lily, another chaser, moved flawlessly on a broom and had taken Ginny in as her role model. Harry teared a little at the names that had been chosen in remembrance of his parents.
And Harry had followed the Oliver Wood legacy, having three girls as his chasers. Katie Bell's younger sister, Sarah, was his other choice, and had many of the same chaser qualities as her sister.
Harry was totally lost in a daydream about his team and their unbeatable chances at the Cup this year, when he was tilted slightly from the back of his broom. Ginny was trying to get his attention.
"Uh, Captain Potter, you've been sitting around up here for about three hours and the rest of us are getting kinda tired." Ginny laughed as Harry shook himself back into reality. "Come on."
Harry followed Ginny back down to the ground. "Ok team, we rock. If we all didn't love this so much, I'd say we should postpone practice all together. But, as some of our upper year players are getting some attention," Harry looked to the stands where quite a few International Quidditch scouts were sitting near Dumbledore, "I think it only fair that we show off a little here and there. Let's see, next practice next week, same time?" Everyone nodded and walked back to the castle.
"Mr. and Ms. Weasley, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore called. The three turned around. Ginny looked beat as did Ron, but Harry had hardly worked up a sweat. "Some people would like to talk to you. May I introduce Nicholas Fletcher, head coach of the Chudley Cannons, and Jeremy Flint, head coach of the English National team?"
Ron gaped at Fletcher. The Cannons were Ron's favorite team.
Ginny blushed. "I don't know if you know, but I'm only a sixth year."
"Oh, Ginny, we would never take you away from school. We're going to be losing a chaser next season, the one after you graduate. And a seeker this year," Flint smiled at Harry.
"And Ron, we're in the process of looking for a new keeper. We have a feeling that our present one may not make it through next season. We've seen the way you play, and we like it. All of you."
Ron stood flabbergasted. Harry answered for all of them. "As much as we're honored to have you ask us all, we really need to think about it. Can Ron and I get back to you soon? I'm Gin has a little more time to think about it, but we'll be able to answer soon."
Flint studied Harry with interest. "Smart boy. Very smart. So much like his father." Harry beamed as he did every time someone said that. "The offer will stand until we have your answers. No deadline or anything. We're willing to wait for you all." Flint extended his hand to the three.
Harry took it and shook it with confidence. Ginny still blushing, shook it a little timidly, but with the confidence she always showed to the world. Ron just stood there open mouthed. He finally shook both Flint and Fletcher's hands and followed Harry and Ginny back to the castle dazed.
