"Are you going to be at the pitch tomorrow?" Katie Bell asked Harry the
next day during breakfast.
"What for" Harry asked through a mouthful of oatmeal.
"Quidditch tryouts, of course. We have to get started early this year; we need to find people good enough to fill in for Fred and George and Angelina. The ones who were filling in for Fred and George last year quit. They didn't think that they were up to snuff, and they weren't to be truthful." She added before she left.
Ron handed Harry a schedule that Professor McGonagall just handed him. He took a quick glance at it; noting that he had Defense first thing this morning and it was a double class, he finished his breakfast and went to wait outside the door for class to start. Ron, Hermione, and Nikki soon joined him in his waiting as they compared classes. They all had Care of Magical Creature after lunch and Harry and Ron had a free period where as Hermione had Arithmancy and Nikki had Healing. Celine came strolling up the hall and opened the door letting them in. She ignored Hermione as she laid her things on her desk and began to root through her bag. They picked their seats as Hermione went to talk to her cousin who seemed to be trying to ignore her only giving her two word answers.
The rest of the class showed up as the bell rang and Hermione sat down between Nikki and Harry angrily as Celine stated class.
"Okay, can you tell me where you are in your studies; I'm not sure if you're on the same plan as Canada. Actually, I doubt that you're on the same plan." She requested as she sat on her desk.
"We're not sure ourselves where we are at, Miss" Hermione said with her hand up. "Our previous Professor wasn't very adequate. All we did was read from a book; we didn't practice anything at all."
"Nothing" Celine gasped. "As in rien"
"Yeah," Hermione nodded. "She didn't believe in using magic."
"Oh," Professor Soleil breathed as if something dawned on her. "Umbridge?"
"Yeah," Ron confirmed. "How'd you know?"
"I had her as substitute once; we were supposed to give oral presentations on a spell we learned on our own and then we had to demonstrate it but she wouldn't let us. So; before we begin do you have any questions?"
"Professor Soleil, where from Canada are you from?" Parvati asked.
"Cape Breton. I grew up in Port Hawkesbury and they get some of the worse snow storms and snow drifts but the best summers and I have a summer house at the Mira. Yes, Dean."
"What's on your ankles Miss," He asked trying to peer at them.
"Oh, it's just my tattoos," She said as she pulled up her red robe to reveal a tattoo of a sun on one of her ankles and one of a moon on the other. "It's for my name. Celine is a French name meaning 'Moon' and Soleil is French for 'Sun'."
"Professor," Harry said with his hand raised. "Are we going to get to DO magic?"
"Of course, but please don't call me Professor. We never did in Port Hawkesbury, it just seemed too formal. We would either call them by their first names or say Miss Soleil, or whatever their last name was. And the teachers never did call us Miss or Mister.... It's just seems odd; we used first names. Makes the teacher/student age gap seem smaller. Now let's get started. Who can tell me the incantation for a freezing spell?"
*
"Gather round everybody." Katie commanded the next night in the Quidditch pitch. "Now, everybody trying out for Beaters, go to the right; everyone that wants to be a Chaser goes to the left."
Harry and Ron watched as the hopefuls were given a pep talk about what they were expected to do in order to be chosen. The chasers were first to fly, Ron took his place in front of the goal post as Ginny took the Quaffle. Ginny was doing much better then the other two she had to work with; they descended after five minutes as the other group tried. Katie buried her face in her hands as they continuously dropped the Quaffle and tried to throw it from half way across the pitch.
"This is hopeless; might as well try the Beaters." She sighed as she beckoned to the Chasers to come back down. She pointed to two of the five Beaters indicating to them to try their luck. The first three Beaters were almost as pathetic as the Chasers although the fourth was exceptionally good.
"Your turn," Katie sighed as she pointed to Nikki who was pulling her hair back out of her face. "We'll just give you one Bludger...."
"Why" Nikki asked as she picked up one of the school's brooms.
"Because there's only one of you" Katie pointed out.
"Point being" Nikki asked as she mounted her broom. "I'm sure that I'll be fine."
"Fine," Katie said as Nikki flew up with the bat in her hands. Katie released the two Bludgers as Nikki batted them away from her and hit the designated targets. Harry saw Katie nodding in approval as Nikki moved one of the Bludgers away from her as she swung backwards and hit the other one as she turned back around, swinging forwards. Katie called her down, saying that she was done.
"What's your name?" Katie asked as she surveyed her.
"Nikki Bella," Nikki told Katie as she bit her bottom lip.
"Bella.... Bella... That sounds familiar; do I know your parents?"
"I doubt it; they're dead" Nikki said blankly as Katie gasped and cover her mouth in embarrassment.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't know.... When did it happen?" She asked a bit more tenderly.
"Its okay, how could you have known? They died when I was little; I was raised in a Muggle orphanage ever since." Nikki told her as Katie nodded in acknowledgement and Nikki went back to going the group of people who tried out.
Katie called over what was left of her team as the deliberated on who should join them on the team.
"I liked Swami and Nikki, they were great Beaters." Katie said almost immediately.
"What Swami the one with the streaked hair?" Ron asked as he looked back over at the other group.
"Yeah," Alicia confirmed. "And I liked Ginny for our other Chaser. She was the only one who kept hold to the Quaffle, let alone scored."
"Harry," Katie asked, seeing if he agreed. He nodded back to her as she clapped her hands. "It's unanimous then."
They followed her towards the group of people laughing amongst them selves as Katie took a deep breath.
"We've decided that our new Chaser would be Ginny Weasley," the failed chasers applauded her as she grinned, "and our new Beaters will be Swami Peterson and Nikki Bella. Thank you everybody for trying out; you're free to leave but I'd like the team to stay behind for a minute."
The Stadium quickly cleared as the seven formed a circle in the middle of the pitch.
"Well," Katie said as she drew her robe around her, "Congratulations. Um... Nikki is there anyway that you can get a broom of your own, if you can't its okay, it's just that our school brooms are pretty horrible."
"Yeah, I can, just give me a day or so to find a good one. I'll just have to go to my vault at Gringotts, and take out a bit more."
"Are you sure" Katie asked worriedly.
"I'm an orphan, not poor." Nikki reassured. "Heck, I'm not even an orphan anymore. Or at least not now, we'll see how long this one last."
"Alright, Swami; is there anyway that you can work on you aim just a bit more? You were hitting the targets but not dead on."
"I know how she can improve on her aim," Nikki said, "Just leave it to me."
"Alright then, I can't think of anything else we have to go over so let's just go back in." Katie proposed as everyone started to leave.
"Harry, can I talk to you for a second." Nikki requested as he waved to Ron and Ginny to go ahead.
"Sure, what is it?" He asked as she wringed her hands.
"Can you help me fly? That was my second time on a broom and I'm sure if you noticed but I just flew up and then back down, that's all that Mike taught me to do. And I know that you're good at it...."
"Sure Nikki," Harry said, cutting her off. "Meet here tomorrow night okay."
*
Harry sat in the Defense classroom coping down the notes on the board from what they have been doing this class. It was the last class of the day and he was to help Nikki with her flying after supper. He finished scribbling as the bell range indicating them to leave.
"Don't for get to bring you wands on Monday; we're going to start with a few evasive techniques. Hermione, can you stay for a minute?" Celine asked as the class filed out. Harry and Ron rushed to pack their stuff in their bags as Nikki went to drop off her stuff. "You can stay. I know that you're her best friends; besides it's not like it's something life threatening."
The three sat back down in their desk as Celine paced the front of the classroom; thinking of what she should say.
"So, how are you and Jake?" Hermione asked as Celine turned towards her with a pained look in her eyes.
"That's what I want to talk to you about." She said as she rooted through her bag and pulled out a piece of white folded paper and handed it to Hermione.
"It's a wedding invitation," Hermione remarked as she looked at it, "And it's tomorrow."
"It was supposed to be tomorrow, but it got called off."
"Why?" Hermione asked sadly.
"You can't marry a man in Azkaban." Celine said blankly as Hermione gasped.
"Why is he in Azkaban?" She screamed.
"He's a Death Eater. He tortured Mom and Dad for information about InterMin; they didn't make it." Celine's voice broke as Hermione took to crying. "They're getting buried tomorrow if you want to come. Your parents didn't want me to tell you until the day before, they were afraid it would distract you from your studies."
Hermione nodded through her tears as Celine pulled her into a sobbing hug. "Are you going to be okay?" Celine asked her little cousin who was crying and nodding in her shoulders. "I'll pick you up tomorrow morning."
Hermione murmured an 'okay' as she walked out the room with Harry and Ron's help. They brought her up to the Common Room, deserted thanks to supper, as she tried to calm herself down.
"You alright," Ron asked as he sat beside her, she shuddered a yes. "Do you want to stay up here for a bit?" She nodded as a few more tears fell.
"I can't believe that they're dead." She cried. "I mean, I just saw them in July. And they were alive."
"That's what it felt like with Sirius" Harry remarked.
"How did you get over it" She asked through bloodshot eyes.
"Making peace with it; life isn't meant to be dreaded but to be lived. The only way you can do it is by accepting it and start focusing on the future."
"Or Nikki," Ron said as he shot Harry an accusing look, causing Hermione to laugh.
"I don't think that Nikki's Hermione's type." Harry smirked as Hermione smiled.
"I'm sure that I'll be fine next week, I just have to get over the shock." She assured as the got up to go to the Great Hall to eat.
*
A/N: (looks outside) Oh Look! MORE SNOW! Good, because I was getting worried that we wouldn't have any after that five day weekend that the snow storm caused. Thank goodness, after all I'm able to walk through the giant snowdrifts so they mustn't be deep enough. (Ends rant)
Sorry 'bout that; just a little snowbound. Anyways, here's a longer chapter like I promised. (Poe, I'm sorry about the lack of Shanna) I should have the next chapter up soon after I update Nothing's Fair again. But first; I must celebrate Dad's birthday (CAKE!)
Heero's Girl – I'm glad that you understand the past thing now, I know it was confusing. I'll fix that later. I'll try not to have so many short chapters for your reading pleasure.
"What for" Harry asked through a mouthful of oatmeal.
"Quidditch tryouts, of course. We have to get started early this year; we need to find people good enough to fill in for Fred and George and Angelina. The ones who were filling in for Fred and George last year quit. They didn't think that they were up to snuff, and they weren't to be truthful." She added before she left.
Ron handed Harry a schedule that Professor McGonagall just handed him. He took a quick glance at it; noting that he had Defense first thing this morning and it was a double class, he finished his breakfast and went to wait outside the door for class to start. Ron, Hermione, and Nikki soon joined him in his waiting as they compared classes. They all had Care of Magical Creature after lunch and Harry and Ron had a free period where as Hermione had Arithmancy and Nikki had Healing. Celine came strolling up the hall and opened the door letting them in. She ignored Hermione as she laid her things on her desk and began to root through her bag. They picked their seats as Hermione went to talk to her cousin who seemed to be trying to ignore her only giving her two word answers.
The rest of the class showed up as the bell rang and Hermione sat down between Nikki and Harry angrily as Celine stated class.
"Okay, can you tell me where you are in your studies; I'm not sure if you're on the same plan as Canada. Actually, I doubt that you're on the same plan." She requested as she sat on her desk.
"We're not sure ourselves where we are at, Miss" Hermione said with her hand up. "Our previous Professor wasn't very adequate. All we did was read from a book; we didn't practice anything at all."
"Nothing" Celine gasped. "As in rien"
"Yeah," Hermione nodded. "She didn't believe in using magic."
"Oh," Professor Soleil breathed as if something dawned on her. "Umbridge?"
"Yeah," Ron confirmed. "How'd you know?"
"I had her as substitute once; we were supposed to give oral presentations on a spell we learned on our own and then we had to demonstrate it but she wouldn't let us. So; before we begin do you have any questions?"
"Professor Soleil, where from Canada are you from?" Parvati asked.
"Cape Breton. I grew up in Port Hawkesbury and they get some of the worse snow storms and snow drifts but the best summers and I have a summer house at the Mira. Yes, Dean."
"What's on your ankles Miss," He asked trying to peer at them.
"Oh, it's just my tattoos," She said as she pulled up her red robe to reveal a tattoo of a sun on one of her ankles and one of a moon on the other. "It's for my name. Celine is a French name meaning 'Moon' and Soleil is French for 'Sun'."
"Professor," Harry said with his hand raised. "Are we going to get to DO magic?"
"Of course, but please don't call me Professor. We never did in Port Hawkesbury, it just seemed too formal. We would either call them by their first names or say Miss Soleil, or whatever their last name was. And the teachers never did call us Miss or Mister.... It's just seems odd; we used first names. Makes the teacher/student age gap seem smaller. Now let's get started. Who can tell me the incantation for a freezing spell?"
*
"Gather round everybody." Katie commanded the next night in the Quidditch pitch. "Now, everybody trying out for Beaters, go to the right; everyone that wants to be a Chaser goes to the left."
Harry and Ron watched as the hopefuls were given a pep talk about what they were expected to do in order to be chosen. The chasers were first to fly, Ron took his place in front of the goal post as Ginny took the Quaffle. Ginny was doing much better then the other two she had to work with; they descended after five minutes as the other group tried. Katie buried her face in her hands as they continuously dropped the Quaffle and tried to throw it from half way across the pitch.
"This is hopeless; might as well try the Beaters." She sighed as she beckoned to the Chasers to come back down. She pointed to two of the five Beaters indicating to them to try their luck. The first three Beaters were almost as pathetic as the Chasers although the fourth was exceptionally good.
"Your turn," Katie sighed as she pointed to Nikki who was pulling her hair back out of her face. "We'll just give you one Bludger...."
"Why" Nikki asked as she picked up one of the school's brooms.
"Because there's only one of you" Katie pointed out.
"Point being" Nikki asked as she mounted her broom. "I'm sure that I'll be fine."
"Fine," Katie said as Nikki flew up with the bat in her hands. Katie released the two Bludgers as Nikki batted them away from her and hit the designated targets. Harry saw Katie nodding in approval as Nikki moved one of the Bludgers away from her as she swung backwards and hit the other one as she turned back around, swinging forwards. Katie called her down, saying that she was done.
"What's your name?" Katie asked as she surveyed her.
"Nikki Bella," Nikki told Katie as she bit her bottom lip.
"Bella.... Bella... That sounds familiar; do I know your parents?"
"I doubt it; they're dead" Nikki said blankly as Katie gasped and cover her mouth in embarrassment.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't know.... When did it happen?" She asked a bit more tenderly.
"Its okay, how could you have known? They died when I was little; I was raised in a Muggle orphanage ever since." Nikki told her as Katie nodded in acknowledgement and Nikki went back to going the group of people who tried out.
Katie called over what was left of her team as the deliberated on who should join them on the team.
"I liked Swami and Nikki, they were great Beaters." Katie said almost immediately.
"What Swami the one with the streaked hair?" Ron asked as he looked back over at the other group.
"Yeah," Alicia confirmed. "And I liked Ginny for our other Chaser. She was the only one who kept hold to the Quaffle, let alone scored."
"Harry," Katie asked, seeing if he agreed. He nodded back to her as she clapped her hands. "It's unanimous then."
They followed her towards the group of people laughing amongst them selves as Katie took a deep breath.
"We've decided that our new Chaser would be Ginny Weasley," the failed chasers applauded her as she grinned, "and our new Beaters will be Swami Peterson and Nikki Bella. Thank you everybody for trying out; you're free to leave but I'd like the team to stay behind for a minute."
The Stadium quickly cleared as the seven formed a circle in the middle of the pitch.
"Well," Katie said as she drew her robe around her, "Congratulations. Um... Nikki is there anyway that you can get a broom of your own, if you can't its okay, it's just that our school brooms are pretty horrible."
"Yeah, I can, just give me a day or so to find a good one. I'll just have to go to my vault at Gringotts, and take out a bit more."
"Are you sure" Katie asked worriedly.
"I'm an orphan, not poor." Nikki reassured. "Heck, I'm not even an orphan anymore. Or at least not now, we'll see how long this one last."
"Alright, Swami; is there anyway that you can work on you aim just a bit more? You were hitting the targets but not dead on."
"I know how she can improve on her aim," Nikki said, "Just leave it to me."
"Alright then, I can't think of anything else we have to go over so let's just go back in." Katie proposed as everyone started to leave.
"Harry, can I talk to you for a second." Nikki requested as he waved to Ron and Ginny to go ahead.
"Sure, what is it?" He asked as she wringed her hands.
"Can you help me fly? That was my second time on a broom and I'm sure if you noticed but I just flew up and then back down, that's all that Mike taught me to do. And I know that you're good at it...."
"Sure Nikki," Harry said, cutting her off. "Meet here tomorrow night okay."
*
Harry sat in the Defense classroom coping down the notes on the board from what they have been doing this class. It was the last class of the day and he was to help Nikki with her flying after supper. He finished scribbling as the bell range indicating them to leave.
"Don't for get to bring you wands on Monday; we're going to start with a few evasive techniques. Hermione, can you stay for a minute?" Celine asked as the class filed out. Harry and Ron rushed to pack their stuff in their bags as Nikki went to drop off her stuff. "You can stay. I know that you're her best friends; besides it's not like it's something life threatening."
The three sat back down in their desk as Celine paced the front of the classroom; thinking of what she should say.
"So, how are you and Jake?" Hermione asked as Celine turned towards her with a pained look in her eyes.
"That's what I want to talk to you about." She said as she rooted through her bag and pulled out a piece of white folded paper and handed it to Hermione.
"It's a wedding invitation," Hermione remarked as she looked at it, "And it's tomorrow."
"It was supposed to be tomorrow, but it got called off."
"Why?" Hermione asked sadly.
"You can't marry a man in Azkaban." Celine said blankly as Hermione gasped.
"Why is he in Azkaban?" She screamed.
"He's a Death Eater. He tortured Mom and Dad for information about InterMin; they didn't make it." Celine's voice broke as Hermione took to crying. "They're getting buried tomorrow if you want to come. Your parents didn't want me to tell you until the day before, they were afraid it would distract you from your studies."
Hermione nodded through her tears as Celine pulled her into a sobbing hug. "Are you going to be okay?" Celine asked her little cousin who was crying and nodding in her shoulders. "I'll pick you up tomorrow morning."
Hermione murmured an 'okay' as she walked out the room with Harry and Ron's help. They brought her up to the Common Room, deserted thanks to supper, as she tried to calm herself down.
"You alright," Ron asked as he sat beside her, she shuddered a yes. "Do you want to stay up here for a bit?" She nodded as a few more tears fell.
"I can't believe that they're dead." She cried. "I mean, I just saw them in July. And they were alive."
"That's what it felt like with Sirius" Harry remarked.
"How did you get over it" She asked through bloodshot eyes.
"Making peace with it; life isn't meant to be dreaded but to be lived. The only way you can do it is by accepting it and start focusing on the future."
"Or Nikki," Ron said as he shot Harry an accusing look, causing Hermione to laugh.
"I don't think that Nikki's Hermione's type." Harry smirked as Hermione smiled.
"I'm sure that I'll be fine next week, I just have to get over the shock." She assured as the got up to go to the Great Hall to eat.
*
A/N: (looks outside) Oh Look! MORE SNOW! Good, because I was getting worried that we wouldn't have any after that five day weekend that the snow storm caused. Thank goodness, after all I'm able to walk through the giant snowdrifts so they mustn't be deep enough. (Ends rant)
Sorry 'bout that; just a little snowbound. Anyways, here's a longer chapter like I promised. (Poe, I'm sorry about the lack of Shanna) I should have the next chapter up soon after I update Nothing's Fair again. But first; I must celebrate Dad's birthday (CAKE!)
Heero's Girl – I'm glad that you understand the past thing now, I know it was confusing. I'll fix that later. I'll try not to have so many short chapters for your reading pleasure.