Chapter XII: An Unforeseen Occasion
The Quidditch Team tryouts for the Gryffindor House were in the afternoon, and Harry had not practiced at all since last year. He had awoken to the cries of Neville who was still mourning his grandparents' passing. Ron was still in the hospital, and Cho couldn't try out this year with her broken and bruised body.
After a couple of hours of classes, some better than others of course, Harry had to visit Dumbledore again. This time, Harry actually felt like telling him something. It wasn't about his visions, Cho, Ron or Malicia at all.
"Is it wrong to feel happy about someone else's sadness?"
Dumbledore stared at Harry, trying to figure him out. "Maybe if you explain the situation to me."
"Well… When I found out it was Neville's grandparents that died, I felt really happy. Don't get me wrong. It's just that I thought it might have been Ron or Cho. I still feel rotten though."
"Of course you were relieved, Harry. Anyone would. There's nothing wrong with that. But I sense you are holding something back. You know you can and should tell me anything."
Harry couldn't tell him about the pendant! Dumbledore would think he hurt Cho, and he hurt Ron, and he would be expelled for sure. There was something else he could talk about though.
"Actually, about the Medieval Dragons class. Charlie mentioned earlier today that the dragons might be taken away because of the incident."
Dumbledore nodded. "They are dangerous, no doubt. You can understand the Ministries' concern about it."
"Yes, but Charlie can handle them. The other day wasn't his fault. Please let the dragons stay. At least for a few more weeks."
"We'll see. Our time is almost up," Dumbledore said.
And so, they finished up their 'shrink' session, and Harry ran off to his other classes. Each minute seemed like forever to Harry, as all he could think about was the Quidditch tryouts.
After his last class, Harry grabbed Malicia from his room and hurried to the fields. He had to practice a good hour before he tried out for Seeker again. Ginny was Seeker two years ago, and she was a chaser last year. This year, however, she was trying out for Seeker again, so Harry had to make sure she didn't get the position.
When he arrived, only two other people were there. Ginny of course showed up, and surprisingly, he saw Hermione. He hadn't spoken to her in what seemed like a while but didn't know she was interested in Quidditch at all.
"Don't get any ideas," Hermione hollered as she approached Harry. "I'm not trying out."
"Then why are you here?"
"Because I'm worried about you. I know Ron's ill, but I also know you and him had come to blows. It doesn't take a genius to figure that you two fought the other day."
"You don't know what you're talking about, Hermione. Now, I have to practice. Are you going to stay and bug me or watch me?"
"Neither. I'm going to visit Ron. Good day, Harry," she said and left.
"Fine with me!" Harry shouted. Just as he did, Fly walked onto the field holding a Nimbus 2000. He seemed concerned about Harry and Hermione's relationship as he glared at both of them.
"Trouble with the ladies?" He asked in his French accent.
"Oh, shut up," Harry barked and rolled his eyes.
They both mounted their broomsticks and flew off above the Quidditch fields. After about ten minutes of just practicing how to fly, Harry stopped in mid-air and looked down to the lady who was right underneath him.
"Elise?" Harry shouted down.
Immediately, Fly stopped short and looked down. His face froze, and he started gulping loudly.
"You two want a friendly scrimmage? Two Gryffindor boys against one Slytherin girl?"
"But this is time for us to practice, not you!" Harry yelled, unhappy that she had time yesterday and now wanted to take up more time out on the field.
"Of course!" Fly said and smiled.
In a second, Elise was on her broomstick, another Nimbus, and flying toward Fly and Harry. As she got closer, Harry noticed her cheeks were very red, and she batted her eyelashes each time she looked at Fly. Puppy love, Harry thought and laughed to himself.
"We don't have any quaffels or anything up here," said Harry.
"I have a snitch!" Elise said proudly and extended her hand. "Since both of you are trying out for Seeker, we can all practice our eye sight and try to catch the darn thing."
Fly was trying out for Seeker? No! Harry shouted in his mind. Now I have to worry about both Ginny and Fly? This isn't fair. There are open positions in Chasers and Beaters! Why does he have to choose Seeker? Damn him!
"Fine with me," Fly said and waited for Harry's approval.
"Yes," Harry agreed, trying to control any anger in his voice.
All three of them formed a triangle with their broomsticks. Harry didn't even think about his Driveller. He assumed the Ministry put some sort of spell to shut her up. In any case, what harm could she really do?
Elise turned her eyes to Fly and then to Harry. She then extended her right arm as she steadied herself with her left. In her hand was a silver snitch. She gently opened up her hand and two shiny wings jolted out from the metal ball. After she blinked once, it disappeared. All three looked around and didn't move at all. If they moved, someone else would see it too and rush over to it.
Where are you? Come on now…Where… There!
Harry spotted a glimmer far off to the north end of the field. He had to make a move then and there. And so, he pushed forward on Malicia, and they were off. Of course, Fly and Elise followed him and were not too far behind him.
As he halted to a complete stop, Harry realized the snitch was gone. Fly and Elise assumed Harry was tricking them and turned around. They split up across the field. Now, only the south end was left unguarded. If the snitch showed up there, Fly and Elise would be much closer to it…
And Fly was off! He jolted toward the south end of the field. Elise waited behind; perhaps thinking it was a trick. However, Harry didn't think so. The look on Fly's face…
"Fast! Let's go!" Harry shouted, knowing fully well Malicia could hear him. He leaned forward on the Firebolt and flew quickly. Luckily, Fly's Nimbus was no match for his Malicia. In a matter of seconds, Harry was only a few feet away from Fly.
A small glimmer revealed the snitch to be right near the middle hoop. As both of them approached it fast, Harry knew Fly actually had a chance of getting it.
"Malicia, please get me to that snitch," Harry whispered to his Firebolt. Just as he said it, he found himself in front of the hoop, and the snitch in front of him.
Harry slowly extended his hand, somewhat in shock of how quickly he got there. Just then, another hand swept in front of his eyes and almost grabbed the snitch.
Fly.
At that time, Harry heard a small whisper; suddenly, a dash of yellow light streaked straight at Fly and hit him right in the chest. His body lifted off the Nimbus and almost floated in the air before it started to descend.
"Ah!" Elise screamed from across the field as she started to race downward in hope of catching Fly.
SLAM.
A pool of blood swarmed around Fly disfigured body. His leg was twisted upward in an unnatural way. His head was hidden, smashed into the ground. He didn't move. Didn't move at all.
"Oh Merlin, no, oh no, no," Elise chanted the word 'no' over several times. She landed next to the very bloody Fly and fell to her knees. She motioned her hand to roll over Fly's body.
Harry couldn't look. He cupped his hands over his eyes, but the horrendous screams echoing from down below told him all he needed to know for sure. Fly was dead.
***
Elise did not move for at least one hour until the Ministry's Morticians arrived. Harry had called for Madame Pomfrey whom after seeing Fly immediately knew he was not alive. At least two-dozen Gryffindors saw his body as they approached the field all-smiling, excited about Quidditch Team tryouts.
After they took his body away, Dumbledore called for an emergency meeting of all the houses. However, Harry already knew what he was going to say. Many students had heard the speech about death before, when Cedric died.
When Hermione heard the news, she broke down in tears and left the Great Hall immediately. Several other Gryffindor girls joined her. Elise didn't even show up to the meeting, too shocked at what she had seen.
What if they question me? Harry thought to himself as Dumbledore concluded his speech. Where did that light come from? Was it my imagination, and he just fell? That must have been it… It was an accident. He fell! I didn't do a damn thing. Stop thinking that. Oh, people are leaving.
"It's awful!" Ginny moaned as she hugged Harry from behind.
"Yeah."
"It must be so terrible for you! First Cho, then Ron and now Fly! And you witnessed it all!"
"What do you mean? I wasn't there when Ron got hurt! I wasn't!"
Ginny's face froze, and she took a step back. In a soft voice she replied, "Sorry, I didn't mean it that way. I have to go. I just can't believe…"
Ginny ran off in front of Harry and wiped a tear from her cheek. Harry sighed to himself. The funeral would be the next the day. Fly's parents were notified at the Ministry Morgue and had requested it immediately. They probably wanted it over with.
However, Harry did not feel as upset as he had been with Cedric's death. Maybe it was because he didn't know Fly as well, or maybe it was because he knew he had less competition now…