Quidditch Tryouts
"Today we will be doing blocking charms." Said Professor Flitwick. "It will be a useful defense skill if you are ever in the situation of using it. Oh yes, and Professor Dumbledore has asked me to tell you that a dueling club will be started back up again. Professor Moody and Snape will be teaching that. Anyone who wants to join it starts next week on I think Tuesday. Anyways blocking charms. As I was saying this charm will put a defensive shield-like substance around you. It will only protect you for twenty seconds, if you make one strong enough. We will be practicing this charm until each and every one of you gets it. This is one of the more crucial charms that you need to know for this year. You will hold your wand straight up, and roll your wrist 360 degrees counterclockwise and then curve it back in a straight line before flicking your wrist straight. Like so," Professor Flitwick showed them the motion that their wrist needed to take before teaching them any more. "The bring back of your wrist after the circle should be done at a slow smooth pace, and when you flick it has to be very snappy. All right, well, that is the movement of the wrist; I would like you all to try it. The movement is very important for the charm. If you rotate it clockwise you are doing a spell to put the shield on the other person, and I don't think you really want someone who is trying to hurt you be the protected one. So go on, get in partners and try it." Harry turned to Ron as they both took their wands into their hands.
"Well that's a bit confusing. I think you should do it first, you need the charm more than any of us here."
"Well you are usually with me in these situations—"
"Bloody Hell! Look who Hermione is working with." Ron pointed out to Harry. Harry turned around to see her helping out a pretty girl with deep blue eyes.
"So she's working with Jenna, it's not like she's going to say—"
"Harry you don't understand, while you were gone I didn't have you to talk to girls about so I told Hermione all of my feelings! What if she's going to tell Jenna everything I said! Maybe since we've been fighting Hermione is just going to get back at me by being partners with her. Her and her evil scams. She thinks she's so smart, well not this time! I'm already one step ahead—"
"RON! You know Hermione would never do anything like that. Plus you guys always fight anyways; you're just being paranoid. Now come one we should practice the wrist movement. Have you ever even talked to her yet?"
"Well every time I see her my throat turns dry and my voice gets all squeaky. I'm just not as natural when it comes to girls as you are."
"All right Ron, now you are talking crazy, let's not discuss this now. All right, so how did the wrist movement go again? Oh yes, it was 360 degrees clockwise- I mean counterclockwise, and then a bring back slowly in a straight line, and then a snappy flick. Okay." And with that Harry tried the wrist movement several times before getting a full feel for it. Ron tried it too, but his wrist just kept going all over the place. "Ron, Ron, Ron, it's not like you are trying to stab someone, it's more like a jolt."
"Look at her, thinks she can just go and do that to me. I'm going to get her for this. Being partners with her, what does she want me to be like this! Of course she does, she planned this, how could she! Oh when I—"
"RON! Pay attention would ya! This charm is more important than being paranoid about some girl whom you don't even talk to! We are talking about your life at risk here."
"Great now I have two Hermione's! You've been acting a lot more like her. More concerned about school and getting things right, now you take notes in every subject and not you some and me some, you get mad at me for feeling certain things! Harry I thought we could talk about things like this."
"Ron we can, just not now. Hermione just happened to sit next to Jenna and probably didn't want to be partners with Sabby, so yea, I would think she would be partners with Jenna. And Ron, now I have to put more into my schoolwork because this is Voldemort we are talking about getting at us here, not some creature that we can easily defeat, no, but the most evil wizard in the world. Now please don't give me a hard time about these things. And we are going to be able to have fun all night, Quidditch Tryouts!"
"Oh yea! Alright Harry, is this motion right?" And Ron then tried the motion for the defending charm again.
"Ron you still look like you want to stab someone. Don't think of Hermione when you do this." Harry joked. Ron was only able to try the charm's motion twice more before Professor Flitwick carried on with his lesson.
"Ok, now I want to all try the movement all together. Ready? 1…2…3" Then the whole class moved their wrists as best they could to the motion they were taught. "Well it's getting there. It might be easier to the words, you won't be concentrating too much on the movement and then it'll just come naturally. Start saying these words, as you are 90 degrees into your circle. PROTIELDIO! Now repeat after me, don't do the motion just yet, I want you to just say the words with me. 1…2…3… Protieldio!" The class mumbled these words with him. "Oh come now, you can do it louder than that! Again, Protieldio!" This time the class was a little louder. "Alright, alright, that's better. Now I want you to see what this charm is going to look like if you do it right." Professor Flitwick then started to motion his wand as he said Protieldio, and a red looking substance started as a bubble around him and then quickly formed into his skin. He now looked normal, but had the charm surrounding him.
"Now that you see what it looks like I want you to try this spell. Remember it's counterclockwise, not clockwise. We will learn the clockwise charm after you can master this one, for if a friend is in need of one and doesn't have any time or energy to conjure it, you can do it for them. Anyway, let's not get off topic. Try the motion with the words and hopefully you will see a red bubble come to form your skin. The brighter the red the bubble starts out as, the stronger that your shield is going to be. Alright, go on, try it with your partners."
"Ok Ron, no distractions. I'll go first. Protieldio!" The faintest red outline of a bubble formed around Harry. All around the classroom he could hear people shouting Protieldio and he saw that many of the people's bubbles were so faint that they couldn't even be seen. Harry tried again and again, but his bubble wasn't getting too much darker in color.
"Oh yea, this thing is going to protect me from Voldemort." Just as Harry was saying Voldemort the whole class went quiet for some reason. The whole classroom flinched and squeaked at the sound of his name.
"Harry, I would like if you didn't say his name in my classroom please." Professor Flitwick warned.
"Sorry Professor, I'm just so used to saying it."
"Very brave…" Professor Flitwick mumbled as he went around the classroom to see how everyone else was coming along.
"Smooth Harry, real smooth." Ron laughed.
"Shutup." Harry laughed with him. "Great timing huh? Sheesh, every time I have something bad to say the room just has to go quiet."
"I know! Great now I can't stop thinking about Quidditch! AHH! I can't wait!"
"You can't wait! Aww man when I get my hands on my broomstick…" Harry went into thought.
"Alright class, time's about up. I think I have you again on Friday, until then I want you to practice this charm until you are able to see a bubble form around you. I will know if you practiced or not. See you on Friday." Professor Flitwick bid goodbye. Harry started up for Hermione and Jenna when Ron held him back.
"Harry," he squeaked, "Harry why don't we just wait for Hermione here—"
"Ron, you have to be able to talk to this girl sooner or later, now come on get up and stop being such a coward." Ron squeaked once more before they headed up the rows to Hermione and Jenna. As they made their way up to them they started to laugh hysterically about something.
"Oh hey Ron and Harry, oh man Harry, you are so lucky you have her as a partner in Moody's class, she's so funny!" Hermione laughed.
"Hey Harry, and Ron is it? Well I best be going, Hannah is probably waiting for me outside. Oh and Hermione, we definitely have to hang out next Hogsmead visit." Jenna said.
"Oh Ron didn't they tell us last night that we are going to be having out first Hogsmead visit in like two weeks?" Hermione asked Ron.
"Uh…" was the only word that came out of Ron's mouth.
"Oh I'm sure they said that, anyway yeah you should come hang out with us, we are usually in the three broomstick's or something." Hermione assured.
"Sounds like fun," Jenna smiled and Harry could've sworn that he saw her shoot a look at him. "See you at Quidditch tryouts." And with that she made her way back down the rows of seats and out the door to meet Hannah.
"What did you tell her?" Ron shouted as soon as he heard the door slam shut.
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked him.
"Don't what do you mean me! You know exactly what I'm talking about!"
"Hermione just don't listen to him, he's paranoid that you told Jenna his feelings for her." Harry jumped in.
"Oh Ron don't be silly, anyways I got her to join us at Hogsmead!"
"Yea I know! How am I going to be able to talk if no words come out of my mouth when I'm around her?"
"Ron you have to get over this phase, but don't worry, everyone goes through it, I mean I remember Harry and Cho, he couldn't even do anything but gaze blankly at her for the longest time." Hermione joked.
"Yeah I remember, it's not fun… but Ron you actually were able to not squeak today around her, maybe it's just better when I'm there." Harry tried to make Ron feel better.
"Oh yea and how's this? Oh Harry I'm not too sure if I have the courage to kiss her when I'm just alone with her, can you join us so I feel better?" Ron joked.
"Whoa buddy one step at a time!" Harry laughed jealously at these words.
"Oh man, but Moody said he wanted to see me today at class, he said to meet him at lunchtime, so I better go there now. He probably has a real dementor for me. I can't help that my biggest fear is and always will be spiders!" Ron shook his head and shuddered at the thought of them. "Well I'll try to be fast so I can still eat lunch. Later."
"See ya." Said Harry as Ron made his way down the rows and out the door. "Shall we go to lunch now?"
"Yea sure," Hermione agreed as she picked up her books and followed Harry to the door. "Harry, can I ask you something?"
"Shoot."
"Well I know you might not admit it to me, but do you have a little thing for Jenna, I mean you should see yourself in DATDA, I try to have Ron's attention every time you talk to her!"
"Err… Hermione you can't tell Ron."
"I know. I'm so exited! She couldn't stop talking about you today, man you are funnier with her than you ever are to me and Ron!"
"She what! She was talking about me?"
"Yea, I think she might like you too, man what is it with your "charm?" I mean you are getting really pretty girls, Cho and now her!"
"What are you saying Hermione? I don't have the looks to be with one of them?"
"No, NO! I'm not saying that at all!"
"Hermione calm down I know, haha, I'm just kidding around. But what should I do about Ron?"
"I don't know. He really likes her—"
"But he can't even talk to her! I already have had many conversations with her."
"I know, but this is Ron we're talking about here. He needs experience with girls. He's not too familiar with the subject."
"Well you're a girl, teach!"
"It's not going to be that easy, I mean he's known me since our first year here, someone new, someone he likes is so much different."
"Wow now that I think about it, we never really ever talk about relationships."
"Well Harry, we are getting to that age where these things happen. My advice is go with your feelings; make your own choice no matter how hard it is."
"Hermione how do you know all this?"
"Oh Harry, girls are not only smarter than boys, they also mature faster than boys do." Hermione told him.
"Sure they do."
"Hey you ask questions and I give answers." Hermione told him as they made their way into the Great Hall. They sat down next to Lee and his gang.
"Quidditch tryouts today ey Harry?" Lee asked him as he sat down.
"Yea I can't wait! Shane, Niko, you guys still trying out?"
"Yea, Harry you won't regret choosing us to be your beaters!" Shane told Harry.
"I told you I still have to see everyone else."
"Oh man Harry that was so awesome how you beat Malfoy like that last weekend. People are still talking about it. Malfoy can't even deny it either because everyone basically saw him loose miserably to you." Niko laughed.
"Yea I know. Well that's not the only time that he's going to loose. This year I hope to have Gryffindor be undefeated."
"I think you guys can do it. Me and my loud speaker will always route you guys on!" Lee shouted.
"Until then, I'm going to stuff my face with all this food!" Harry shouted exited as ever for the Quidditch tryouts to start.
"Alright, how many are trying out for our new positions? Twelve? Wow, uh okay everyone who wants to try out to be beaters go over there, (Harry pointed to his right) and everyone who wants to try out to be chasers go over there. (Harry pointed to his left)." The twelve split into an even number, six and six.
"Alright, uh we're going to substitute for the people who want to try out to be on the team. First Niko and Shane play beaters, and Ginny and Colin play chasers." Oh great Colin Creevy's trying out. If I pick him he won't leave me alone. Harry you have to give him a try. Yeah, no kidding.
"Alright everyone else go somewhere in the stands as we try these people out and then after a while I'll be substituting." Everyone who wasn't picked made his or her way to the stands. Harry made his way to the other side of the field and asked the Hufflepuff's who were trying out if they were ready to start. When they said that they would be ready in five minutes Harry flew back over to his team.
"Harry, I-I'm so nervous." Colin already started talking to Harry.
"Well don't be, we're about to start. I expect everyone knows how to play their positions and knows what to do, so everyone get in positions, except for the beaters, come here and get your whacking sticks." Harry handed Niko and Shane sticks and they both winked at him before getting on their brooms and taking their positions. As soon as Niko and Shane were in their position's Hufflepuff came over and took theirs. Chris, the Hufflepuff captain came over and shook hands with Harry before starting. Madam Hooch then released the two bludgers, and then the snitch. Harry's eyes followed it when he realized he was going to be fighting for the snitch with Jenna. When she caught his eye she gave him a dirty smile as though she thought she was going to beat him. Madam Hooch still had to release the Quaffle. She grabbed it and threw it into the air; the tryouts were about to begin.
Harry sped his way up to the top of the field to get a better view of the field. Usually the other team's seeker would follow him, but to his surprise Jenna didn't. He didn't care; all he had to do was look for the Snitch. Just as his eyes were scanning the field he saw that Jenna was racing her broom around the field and right in front of her was a golden ball with wings. Harry couldn't believe his eyes as he raced his way to the snitch.
"About time." Jenna laughed as she tried to fly her way to the snitch.
"Have you done this before?"
"Yea Harry, didn't you know I was seeker on one of the Drumstrang teams?"
"Well I don't think you can out fly my firebolt." And with that Harry made his broom go as fast as it could and grabbed the golden snitch. Madam Hooch blew her whistle and said, "Reset, this time no seekers, just play till my whistle." Harry let go of the snitch and flew to the top of the field to see how the other's played. Jenna for some reason followed him.
"Chris asked me to check out the rest of the people trying out. He wants me to tell them who does best."
"So are automatically on the team?" Harry asked her as his eyes followed his teammates. Colin kept dropping the ball, but Ginny was always there to save it. Wow Ginny's really good. Harry thought.
"Well no offense to Dan, but I think Chris is going to definitely going to pick me, I mean I have the experience he doesn't."
"Yea."
"Wow that little red-haired girl is really good." She commented also noticing Ginny's talent.
"Yeah I see, I think she's going to be on my team. That's Ron's little sister."
"Oh yeah your friend Ron is a strange one."
"What do you mean?"
"He's a squeaky fellow." She laughed.
"Oh he's not usually like that, only when he's nervous."
"Why would he be nervous around me?"
"Oh no reason." Harry tried to cover as his eyes now followed Niko and Shane.
"Well you don't get nervous around me."
"That's because I like you, I mean I like to talk to you, you know?"
"I like to talk to you too Harry," she chuckled. Just as she said that Shane raced to a bludger about to hit shaken up Colin. He hit it so far that is almost hit Chris, Hufflepuff's keeper.
"Yeah sure." Harry said sort of shrugging her off as he became more into the game.
"Boys and their sports." Jenna sighed.
"Hmm…" Harry mumbled, as he became so into the game now.
"Never mind, I should be watching anyways." Jenna's eyes now followed the players. Harry now noticed that Niko and Shane were madmen flying around the stadium and making their own game of getting the bludgers to stay on the other side of the field. They were actually doing really good. All right, I don't think anyone can top Ginny or Shane and Niko. So I got three positions down, one to go. Harry thought as now the shaken up Colin dropped the Quaffle again.
Madam Hooch then blew her whistle and yelled, "SWITCH IT UP CAPTIANS!" Harry raced over to the stands and put in new substitutes for the other positions. The two chasers were two first years trying out and Harry noticed one as Kate and figured the other as Carolyn. Harry noticed a first year going in for Hufflepuff too, he remembered him as being Dom. Seamus and Dean were also trying out to be beaters.
"Alright, we'll start out with seeker's and once one of them catches the snitch, other's continue to play and I want the seekers to again go above." Madam Hooch said as she blew her whistle to start the next round of tryouts. Harry's eyes scanned the field. He then wanted to have fun and just started to race around. The other seeker Dan thought that Harry was onto something and tried to follow him, but Harry's broom was too fast. Harry then after about five minutes of having fun started to look for the snitch. He saw it flying down by Ron at the goalposts. Harry raced to it and snatched the snitch as he made his way to the top of the field to watch. Seamus and Dean weren't too bad, but they also weren't as good as Niko and Shane had been. The two first years trying out weren't too bad, they weren't as good as Ginny, but they weren't as bad as Colin. When Harry had to put in his last team of substitutes he noticed that Neville was trying out to be a chaser.
After Harry once again beat out Jenna in getting the snitch, for there were only two trying out on their team to be seeker, he went above and noticed that Neville was actually really good at catching and passing the ball. He wasn't the best shooter, but there were two other chasers for that. He was definitely better than the first years that tried out. Madam Hooch then blew her whistle.
"Alright, I don't think there are anymore substitutes. Originals go into your locker rooms and discuss about whom to cut. Meet back in ten-fifteen minutes. Everyone else, you can fly around or sit on the bleachers, whatever you want." Harry called his team and they followed him into the locker room.
"Alright, from watching I saw that Ginny was awesome, she was the best one that tried out for chaser. I think that the first year chasers were okay, and Colin and Christian weren't good at all. No offense to them. Dean and Seamus are good, but I don't think that they are as good as Niko and Shane. So I feel that the team would be good with Shane and Niko as beaters, and Ginny and Neville as chasers. What do you think?" Harry asked his team.
"I played well with both Ginny and Neville, although it's not the same as Alicia and Angela, but Ginny and Neville I agree were the best ones out there." Katie told Harry.
"Yea and I saw Niko and Shane they were so on top of the bludgers, not one came near any of us." Ron put in.
"So do you guys agree with me in picking Niko and Shane as beaters, and Ginny and Neville as chasers?" Harry asked his teammates.
"Yea I'm with ya on that one." Said Katie cheerfully.
"Me too." Said Ron.
"Man it's going to be hard telling the other's they didn't make it." Harry told Katie and Ron.
"Well that's why you're the captain, and not me." Katie said regrettingly, for she was in her last year at Hogwarts.
"I'm sure Dumbledore had his reason's, besides, you don't have to be the one that the Gryffindor's who didn't make it hate. I do. So let's go tell them." Said Harry trying to cheer Katie up a bit. Harry, Katie, and Ron all flew into the field. The Hufflepuff original team was already out and waiting for Gryffindor. Madam Hooch blew her whistle and signaled for the two teams to tell the ones who tried out who made it and who didn't. Harry flew over to one side of the goal posts as ever Gryffindor followed.
"Alright, this wasn't easy, but Katie, Ron and myself all came to a decision. You are all talented in your own way, and if you didn't make it this year, I encourage you to try out next year, if you can. Please don't be too upset with our decision for we think that it's the best with the people we picked to beat the other teams. So the ones who made it are as follows:
The beaters will be Shane and Niko.
And the chasers will be Ginny and Neville
I'm sorry to those who didn't make it. No hard feelings, plus next year there will be three open spots, one to a chaser, and two for the beaters, for we have three seven years on our team. Congratulations to those who are now part of our Gryffindor team. I think we are going to face Hufflepuff one more time in our new teams. The ones who didn't make it are welcome to watch and cheer us on! Alright so, I'm going to go over to Madam Hooch to see what's going on."
With that Harry flew down to Madam Hooch where Chris already was.
"Hello Potter, Chris is going to be going against Ravenclaw tomorrow for their tryouts seeing as Slytherin has all their positions. Is that alright?" Madam Hooch wondered.
"Yea fine, but are we going to face each other one more time?" Harry wondered.
"POSITIONS!" Madam Hooch yelled. Harry and Chris once again shook hands before flying themselves back into the air. Harry saw that Jenna was the other new seeker. You're going down Jenna, and don't even try to beat me. Harry thought. As soon as Madam Hooch sounded the whistle to start and Harry and his new team started their game Harry felt like he somewhat matured in some new way, telling the others about who made the team and who didn't. Harry flew around in the air and caught site of the snitch, but wanted his team to play for a little while so he led Jenna in the other direction to distract her from finding it. After about ten minutes of doing this Harry refound the snitch and grabbed it before Jenna knew it happened. Madam Hooch blew the whistle to indicate that the game was over.
"Good game Harry." Said Jenna.
"And to you." Harry replied.
"Harry I scored!" Screamed Ginny as they all made their way into the locker rooms.
"Harry I had an assist!" Screamed Neville.
"Harry we wouldn't let the bludgers on our side!" Shane told Harry in a voice just like Neville and Ginny used. Harry assumed he was making fun of the way they said it.
"Great job, you guys are really awesome beaters, a great replacement for the Weasly's." Harry told Shane and Niko.
"We know, we know." Niko joked as everyone changed and made their way back to the castle and into the common room. Harry was so tired that he went right upstairs and got into his pj's. Harry took off his glasses and placed them on his nightstand as he tried to clear his mind, when he noticed that three out of the five people who share this room are on the Quidditch team, and two of the five people tried out and didn't make it. Tomorrow's going to be a hard day. Harry thought, as he was able to then clear his mind before drifting off into sleep.
Author's note: how'd you like that long chappie? GOOD! 8 PAGES!!!! This took me a pretty long time to write, and I did it instead of studying for my bio test, THANX! Hehe anyways I hope you enjoyed this chappie, and Ron and Harry are finally at the age of being girl crazy. AND OVER ME! Hehe but don't think of the Jenna girl as me, think of her as another character in this book for again I don't think of myself as pretty, but my character is! So I want to be able to compliment this girl for she is going to be really hot baby ya! And now we have the Gryffindor Quidditch team and yes Alicia Angela and Katie are really in the other books, I had to look it up for u people! And the charms spell I just made up so yea HA. Ne who I'm going to go now, REVIEW PLEASE! ENJOY!