Alesco
Chapter Eight---Trying it Out
*
It was 9 September, a Saturday. It was the day Harry and Ron had set for Quidditch try-outs.
It was going to be a very difficult, yet exciting day. Harry and Ron might need to choose replacements for the bulk of their team (chasers and beaters). The prior year's replacement beaters, Andrew Kirke and Jack Sloper told Harry and Ron at breakfast on Friday it was only fair that a full try-out for beaters and chasers take place for the new school year. They said they felt they'd only taken on the positions temporarily, but they did say they would show up to try out. As far as Harry was concerned, they were going to need all the help they could get.
Lying on his bed, as the early morning sun began to beam through his curtains, Harry moved to get up and take a shower. They had set the try-outs early in the morning, in order to use the morning to decide which players they wanted to keep...well, if the choice would be difficult. Harry hoped they'd be able to announce the new players during lunch.
Taking off his clothes inside the privacy of his curtained-off bed, he tugged a dressing robe around him and trudged to the showers. As he was showering, he let his mind wander to yesterday morning....the day he'd nervously asked Susan to go with him during the next Hogsmeade visit. They'd kept each other company each morning for the last couple of weeks, and Harry had somehow developed the guts to reach over and hold her hand. It had been a rather quiet, uncomfortable minute for Harry. He'd been scared because he didn't know she would appreciate his boldness. Instead of pulling her hand back, she had finally tangled her fingers into his. That was when Harry felt an uncomfortable heat forming inside his trousers. He had gulped in astonishment, and pulled his hand gently away. At least he was clever enough to give her a smile, to let her know he didn't find her repulsive. Then, he had blurted, "Do-you-want-to-go-with-me-to-Hogsmeade-next-time?"
Susan had blushed, but eagerly nodded her head and said, "I would love to."
He now realized he would eventually need to tell Ron and Hermione what he planned to do. Since the first Hogsmeade visit of the year would be in late November, Harry had plenty of time. They all normally went together, and now he was inviting someone to Hogsmeade that he was sure they hardly knew. It was going to be hard for them, but he hoped they would understand.
When he was done with his shower, he walked back into the dormitory. Ron was still snoring softly, curled up in quilts. Harry dressed, and then leaned over and nudged Ron hard in the shoulder. "Hey, Ron, get up."
"Oh, Harry...you interrupted..." Ron stopped, and then groaned. He pushed himself up on his elbow, his face very red. A huge smiled formed there, and he sighed in contentment. Harry ignored him as he put on his Quidditch gear. Ron was humming oddly as he rushed into the shower room. Harry shook his head, not even wanting to know what Ron had been dreaming about.
~*~
Harry and Ron walked together to the Quidditch pitch, brooms in hand. After a few moments, they saw a group of Gryffindors walking toward them from the castle--Ginny, Neville, Dennis, Colin, Seamus, Parvati, Lavender, Dean, Andrew, Jack, and several other students he didn't know very well. Harry was a little upset when he saw that Hermione wasn't with them, but she had already told him she couldn't make it. She said she had prefect's duties, and then was going to study.
Harry and Ron got organized and began to ask who wanted to try out.
Dennis stepped forward. "I'm trying out for chaser." He said, in a very quiet voice. Harry grinned and looked at Ron, who was trying not to laugh.
"So am I." Seamus said loudly, giving Dennis a superior look. Dennis just looked at his feet and shrugged.
Harry saw Ginny whispering to Neville while Andrew and Jack said they were trying out for beater positions. Another Gryffindor, Natalie McDonald, stated she wanted to try out for beater, too.
Then Ginny stepped up, pulling Nevile with her. "I'm trying out for chaser." She pinched Neville.
"Ow!" Neville uttered, before saying softly, "I'm trying out for beater."
"Hah!" Ron laughed outright. Harry turned back to him. Harry had been trying to hold back laughter, and was about to laugh himself when he caught a look from Ginny. The laughter drained out of him when he saw her piercing, angry gaze. Ron quieted as well, faster than Harry could have ever dreamed. When he looked back at Ron, Ron was scowling.
Now Ginny was saying angrily, "You too had better watch Neville closely up there. He's good, he's been practicing all summer. His flying is excellent now. Just because he had one bad experience on a broom doesn't mean-" Neville was blushing furiously.
"Okay, we've got the picture, Ginny." Harry tried not to let the side of his mouth twitch with mirth. He held up his hand and said loudly, "Anyone else for chaser? We've got three trying out. We've also got four trying out for beater."
Another Gryffindor, Mitch Holmes, said he wanted to try out for chaser. Nobody else was trying out for beater.
Ron raised an eyebrow toward Harry. They truly had their work cut out for them.
~*~
Dennis Creavey was only in the air for two minutes and Harry knew he was not fit for the team. His flying was terrible, and he kept dropping the quaffle. When he landed, tears were streaming down his face. Harry caught a dark look on Ron's face.
Seamus was next, and his flying was very good. He even tried out some moves Harry and Ron hadn't seen before. Harry and Ron congratulated him for his technique when he landed.
Next was Mitch Holmes. He was a third year, like Dennis. He was a very good flyer, but a drawback was his passing ability. None of the five passes he made seemed to land in Ron's arms. Ron was even flying stationary near the goal rings.
Finally, the last chaser to try out was Ginny. Harry wasn't surprised at her natural abilities. She was just as good, if not better, than Seamus.
Harry pulled Ron away from the others. "So, what do you think?"
"Seamus is great. Ginny is great, too. I suppose having the Weasley brothers around was a good thing?" Ron smiled.
"That's what I'm thinking, too. So Seamus and Ginny it is?"
"We won't announce until lunch, right? Let's do it in the Great Hall, so that everyone will find out at once." Ron said, looking excited.
"Don't get too anxious. We need to pick beaters." Harry muttered, noticing Neville and Ginny milling about together behind Ron.
"Oh, right. Why can't we just have Andrew and Jack do it?" Ron whined, tugging at his hair.
"Because I have a feeling they don't want to be on the team. Hermione told me that Andrew and Jack are seventh-years. I know they didn't come out and tell me their reasons for not wanting to be on the team, but it seems from what Hermione said, they need time for study."
"Study-schmudy. That's all Hermione ever talks about." Ron growled.
Harry shook his head and shrugged. "Okay, beaters next. Andrew, you're up." Harry released a single bludger.
Andrew was less than enthusiastic in the air, but he wasn't terrible.
Next was Natalie. She was stronger and more agile on the broom than Harry could have ever dreamed. She hit the bludger with such a force, it was across the pitch before it started zooming back again. Ron gave a Harry an excited nod and smile.
Jack took to the air and did moderately well...again, like Andrew, it appeared his heart wasn't in it. Harry sighed. Neville was next--it would be either him and Natalie, or either Natalie and Andrew or Jack.
The moment Neville took to the air, Harry's mouth went open. Neville did several dives and turns around the goal rings and then flew straight toward the bludger. His club wasn't even out until just before reaching it, then BAM.
The bludger bounced off Neville's club and flew toward one of the opposing goal rings. It flew straight into a hoop.
The group of Gryffindor students, which had now grown in numbers, were looking up in awe. Harry turned to Ron. His mouth was wide open, gazing on in surprise. He looked like Harry felt.
"Well, I know who I'm picking for the team." Harry said, he voice thick with glee.
"Uh, yeah." Ron was looking at Ginny, who had her arms crossed and was grinning smugly. "You were right, sis." Ron said numbly.
When Neville landed, he looked very pleased. Harry was about to come and tell him what a good job he'd done, when he saw Neville peel off with Ginny and walk toward the Gryffindor "ready room." They were smiling at each other and embracing enthusiastically. Harry started toward Ron, when something else caught his eye. Ron walked after Ginny, just before Crabbe, Goyle, Malfoy, and several other Slytherins came up to Harry.
"Oy, Potty, your Weasel's walking off. I wanted to talk to him, too, but I guess I'll just have to tell him later." Malfoy snarled, his upper lip curled up. "Saw your try-outs, I think it's a joke. Your team will be flattened by Slytherin this year." On an apparent silent cue from Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle stepped up and flanked Malfoy, and then grimaced. They cracked their knuckles.
Harry snorted. Frankly, he was amused by this show of stupidity. Did they not realize the large about of Gryffindors that were now crowded around them? "Is that so, Malfoy?" Harry said, tough in cheek.
"Yeah." Crabbe muttered huskily.
"My dad's in Azkaban because of you." Goyle said, pounding his fist in his other palm.
Harry pointed at Malfoy...not with his finger, but with his wand. "I asked that filthy Malfoy, not you two goons."
Malfoy angrily pulled out his wand and said, "Expelia-"
Over a dozen Gryffindors had their wands raised, and a dozen had cast several hexes toward Malfoy's entourage at that exact moment. None of the hexes appeared permanently damaging, and Malfoy got up.
"You'll pay, Potter. Mark my words. You, the Mudblood, and the Weasel...will all pay." Malfoy said in Harry's face, and then turned to drag Crabbe and Goyle toward the castle.
Harry watched them hobble away for a moment before he heard loud shouting coming from the Gryffindor ready room. He ran over and into the ready room.
Ron was shouting into a small outbuilding attached to the ready room. As Harry came closer, and could see around Ron's tall figure, he noticed Neville panting, lying flat on his back, and Ginny screaming at her brother. Ron and Ginny were both talking so fast and so loudly, Harry couldn't understand a word of what was being said. Finally, Ron yelled, "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing, Longbottom? Why are you in here snogging my sister?"
Chapter Eight---Trying it Out
*
It was 9 September, a Saturday. It was the day Harry and Ron had set for Quidditch try-outs.
It was going to be a very difficult, yet exciting day. Harry and Ron might need to choose replacements for the bulk of their team (chasers and beaters). The prior year's replacement beaters, Andrew Kirke and Jack Sloper told Harry and Ron at breakfast on Friday it was only fair that a full try-out for beaters and chasers take place for the new school year. They said they felt they'd only taken on the positions temporarily, but they did say they would show up to try out. As far as Harry was concerned, they were going to need all the help they could get.
Lying on his bed, as the early morning sun began to beam through his curtains, Harry moved to get up and take a shower. They had set the try-outs early in the morning, in order to use the morning to decide which players they wanted to keep...well, if the choice would be difficult. Harry hoped they'd be able to announce the new players during lunch.
Taking off his clothes inside the privacy of his curtained-off bed, he tugged a dressing robe around him and trudged to the showers. As he was showering, he let his mind wander to yesterday morning....the day he'd nervously asked Susan to go with him during the next Hogsmeade visit. They'd kept each other company each morning for the last couple of weeks, and Harry had somehow developed the guts to reach over and hold her hand. It had been a rather quiet, uncomfortable minute for Harry. He'd been scared because he didn't know she would appreciate his boldness. Instead of pulling her hand back, she had finally tangled her fingers into his. That was when Harry felt an uncomfortable heat forming inside his trousers. He had gulped in astonishment, and pulled his hand gently away. At least he was clever enough to give her a smile, to let her know he didn't find her repulsive. Then, he had blurted, "Do-you-want-to-go-with-me-to-Hogsmeade-next-time?"
Susan had blushed, but eagerly nodded her head and said, "I would love to."
He now realized he would eventually need to tell Ron and Hermione what he planned to do. Since the first Hogsmeade visit of the year would be in late November, Harry had plenty of time. They all normally went together, and now he was inviting someone to Hogsmeade that he was sure they hardly knew. It was going to be hard for them, but he hoped they would understand.
When he was done with his shower, he walked back into the dormitory. Ron was still snoring softly, curled up in quilts. Harry dressed, and then leaned over and nudged Ron hard in the shoulder. "Hey, Ron, get up."
"Oh, Harry...you interrupted..." Ron stopped, and then groaned. He pushed himself up on his elbow, his face very red. A huge smiled formed there, and he sighed in contentment. Harry ignored him as he put on his Quidditch gear. Ron was humming oddly as he rushed into the shower room. Harry shook his head, not even wanting to know what Ron had been dreaming about.
~*~
Harry and Ron walked together to the Quidditch pitch, brooms in hand. After a few moments, they saw a group of Gryffindors walking toward them from the castle--Ginny, Neville, Dennis, Colin, Seamus, Parvati, Lavender, Dean, Andrew, Jack, and several other students he didn't know very well. Harry was a little upset when he saw that Hermione wasn't with them, but she had already told him she couldn't make it. She said she had prefect's duties, and then was going to study.
Harry and Ron got organized and began to ask who wanted to try out.
Dennis stepped forward. "I'm trying out for chaser." He said, in a very quiet voice. Harry grinned and looked at Ron, who was trying not to laugh.
"So am I." Seamus said loudly, giving Dennis a superior look. Dennis just looked at his feet and shrugged.
Harry saw Ginny whispering to Neville while Andrew and Jack said they were trying out for beater positions. Another Gryffindor, Natalie McDonald, stated she wanted to try out for beater, too.
Then Ginny stepped up, pulling Nevile with her. "I'm trying out for chaser." She pinched Neville.
"Ow!" Neville uttered, before saying softly, "I'm trying out for beater."
"Hah!" Ron laughed outright. Harry turned back to him. Harry had been trying to hold back laughter, and was about to laugh himself when he caught a look from Ginny. The laughter drained out of him when he saw her piercing, angry gaze. Ron quieted as well, faster than Harry could have ever dreamed. When he looked back at Ron, Ron was scowling.
Now Ginny was saying angrily, "You too had better watch Neville closely up there. He's good, he's been practicing all summer. His flying is excellent now. Just because he had one bad experience on a broom doesn't mean-" Neville was blushing furiously.
"Okay, we've got the picture, Ginny." Harry tried not to let the side of his mouth twitch with mirth. He held up his hand and said loudly, "Anyone else for chaser? We've got three trying out. We've also got four trying out for beater."
Another Gryffindor, Mitch Holmes, said he wanted to try out for chaser. Nobody else was trying out for beater.
Ron raised an eyebrow toward Harry. They truly had their work cut out for them.
~*~
Dennis Creavey was only in the air for two minutes and Harry knew he was not fit for the team. His flying was terrible, and he kept dropping the quaffle. When he landed, tears were streaming down his face. Harry caught a dark look on Ron's face.
Seamus was next, and his flying was very good. He even tried out some moves Harry and Ron hadn't seen before. Harry and Ron congratulated him for his technique when he landed.
Next was Mitch Holmes. He was a third year, like Dennis. He was a very good flyer, but a drawback was his passing ability. None of the five passes he made seemed to land in Ron's arms. Ron was even flying stationary near the goal rings.
Finally, the last chaser to try out was Ginny. Harry wasn't surprised at her natural abilities. She was just as good, if not better, than Seamus.
Harry pulled Ron away from the others. "So, what do you think?"
"Seamus is great. Ginny is great, too. I suppose having the Weasley brothers around was a good thing?" Ron smiled.
"That's what I'm thinking, too. So Seamus and Ginny it is?"
"We won't announce until lunch, right? Let's do it in the Great Hall, so that everyone will find out at once." Ron said, looking excited.
"Don't get too anxious. We need to pick beaters." Harry muttered, noticing Neville and Ginny milling about together behind Ron.
"Oh, right. Why can't we just have Andrew and Jack do it?" Ron whined, tugging at his hair.
"Because I have a feeling they don't want to be on the team. Hermione told me that Andrew and Jack are seventh-years. I know they didn't come out and tell me their reasons for not wanting to be on the team, but it seems from what Hermione said, they need time for study."
"Study-schmudy. That's all Hermione ever talks about." Ron growled.
Harry shook his head and shrugged. "Okay, beaters next. Andrew, you're up." Harry released a single bludger.
Andrew was less than enthusiastic in the air, but he wasn't terrible.
Next was Natalie. She was stronger and more agile on the broom than Harry could have ever dreamed. She hit the bludger with such a force, it was across the pitch before it started zooming back again. Ron gave a Harry an excited nod and smile.
Jack took to the air and did moderately well...again, like Andrew, it appeared his heart wasn't in it. Harry sighed. Neville was next--it would be either him and Natalie, or either Natalie and Andrew or Jack.
The moment Neville took to the air, Harry's mouth went open. Neville did several dives and turns around the goal rings and then flew straight toward the bludger. His club wasn't even out until just before reaching it, then BAM.
The bludger bounced off Neville's club and flew toward one of the opposing goal rings. It flew straight into a hoop.
The group of Gryffindor students, which had now grown in numbers, were looking up in awe. Harry turned to Ron. His mouth was wide open, gazing on in surprise. He looked like Harry felt.
"Well, I know who I'm picking for the team." Harry said, he voice thick with glee.
"Uh, yeah." Ron was looking at Ginny, who had her arms crossed and was grinning smugly. "You were right, sis." Ron said numbly.
When Neville landed, he looked very pleased. Harry was about to come and tell him what a good job he'd done, when he saw Neville peel off with Ginny and walk toward the Gryffindor "ready room." They were smiling at each other and embracing enthusiastically. Harry started toward Ron, when something else caught his eye. Ron walked after Ginny, just before Crabbe, Goyle, Malfoy, and several other Slytherins came up to Harry.
"Oy, Potty, your Weasel's walking off. I wanted to talk to him, too, but I guess I'll just have to tell him later." Malfoy snarled, his upper lip curled up. "Saw your try-outs, I think it's a joke. Your team will be flattened by Slytherin this year." On an apparent silent cue from Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle stepped up and flanked Malfoy, and then grimaced. They cracked their knuckles.
Harry snorted. Frankly, he was amused by this show of stupidity. Did they not realize the large about of Gryffindors that were now crowded around them? "Is that so, Malfoy?" Harry said, tough in cheek.
"Yeah." Crabbe muttered huskily.
"My dad's in Azkaban because of you." Goyle said, pounding his fist in his other palm.
Harry pointed at Malfoy...not with his finger, but with his wand. "I asked that filthy Malfoy, not you two goons."
Malfoy angrily pulled out his wand and said, "Expelia-"
Over a dozen Gryffindors had their wands raised, and a dozen had cast several hexes toward Malfoy's entourage at that exact moment. None of the hexes appeared permanently damaging, and Malfoy got up.
"You'll pay, Potter. Mark my words. You, the Mudblood, and the Weasel...will all pay." Malfoy said in Harry's face, and then turned to drag Crabbe and Goyle toward the castle.
Harry watched them hobble away for a moment before he heard loud shouting coming from the Gryffindor ready room. He ran over and into the ready room.
Ron was shouting into a small outbuilding attached to the ready room. As Harry came closer, and could see around Ron's tall figure, he noticed Neville panting, lying flat on his back, and Ginny screaming at her brother. Ron and Ginny were both talking so fast and so loudly, Harry couldn't understand a word of what was being said. Finally, Ron yelled, "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing, Longbottom? Why are you in here snogging my sister?"