Chapter 34
Student Tryouts
Harry awoke, finding himself laying in a bed in the hospital wing. He fetched his glasses from the nightstand beside his bed, and put them on...just before Madame Pomphrey appeared at his bedside.
"Ah, Mr. Potter...back with us again? How are you feeling, dear?" she asked.
"Fine, thanks. But, what happened? Why am I here?" Harry asked, confused.
"From what the Headmaster said, it appears you passed out upon learning that Minerva is your great grandmother," she informed him in a kindly voice.
Harry said nothing, but looked thoughtful.
"Is anything wrong, dear?" Pomphrey asked solicitiously.
"No. Well, maybe. You see, I learned about the McGonnagal family in History of Magic class. I went over the whole family tree, Madam Pomfrey...and, well, I never saw myself there at all." He looked up at the kindly nurse, awaiting some sort of answer.
"You didn't? Hmm. Well, I suppose that when Minerva married Garrett, she took the name Evans. That might explain it," Madam Pomfrey deduced.
"Ah, so what you're saying is that since my mother was born an Evans, they were never considered a part of the McGonnagals then?" Harry asked, trying to comprehend.
"Most likely, yes, dear," Pomphrey said, smiling. "But, let's not worry about that just yet. Now, how are you feeling?"
"Well, truth be known, I'm...well, frustrated," Harry admitted in a quiet voice. "Because Dumbledore left me to live with the Dursleys, when I might of lived with Professor McGonnagal and her family."
"That's not precisely what I meant, but I do suppose that's most understandable," she replied. She then looked him over. "Well, you certainly do appear to be just fine," Pomfrey declared.
"So...just how long have I been here then?" Harry wanted to know.
"Nearly an hour, Mr. Potter," a voice behind him said. He turned around and saw it was Professor McGonnagal.
"Thank you, great Grandmother," Harry said, giving her a clever smile.
"Always an amusing boy," McGonnagal remarked acerbically, especially when she looked over to see Madame Pomfrey working very hard to contain her laughter. "Something the matter, Doctor Florence?" McGonnagal said dryly, but there was no missing the warning in her voice.
"My apologies, great Grandmother," Pomfrey laughed softly, her eyes twinkling.
"Mr. Potter...I mean, Harry...much as I am thrilled to have you as my great grandson, I would prefer it if you didn't make that fact common knowledge."
Harry nodded, "Sure. I understand, Professor." McGonnagal left then, and after a few more minutes, Harry was allowed to leave as well. He made his way back up to the common room, where he meet with Ron and Hermione.
"Harry! Where have you been, mate?" Ron asked, a bit concerned.
"Well, after class, I went to see Dumbledore to ask him about the match," Harry explained.
"Blimey! I hope I can make the team," Ron declared fervently. "You're a shoe in, Harry, you being the youngest Seeker in a decade and all."
Hermione chimed in, saying, "I don't think I'd like to play against our teachers, mind. They're so much older and...well, I just wouldn't feel right about it."
Later that day, they headed off to their Defense against the Dark Arts class. Once there, even Professor Bat seemed a bit nervous, thinking obviously about the upcoming Quidditch match, as she was constantly casting glances out the window where she could see the Quidditch pitch.
Come Saturday, Harry headed down early, trying to get their before all the others wishing to tryout for the student squad. To Harry's surprise, Professor Dumbledore was already there.
"Ah. Hello there, Harry," Dumbledore said, moving over to greet him. "You may take a few laps about the field, if you like, before the others arrive."
"Thanks, Professor. I think I will," Harry said, then flew about the inside of the pitch a few times, trying to warm up. Eventually, he spotted the others filing in, and flared to a landing next to the Ravenclaw seeker, Hector Anin.
"Gather round. Gather round, everyone," Dumbledore counseled. "Now, it's wonderful to see all of you show up to try out. I suppose it will be best to segregate you all by position. Therefore, I shall begin with tryouts for the Seekers first. So, if all of you candidates for Seeker could line up over there... Ah, very good then."
Dumbledore then bent down and quickly nabbed something from the leather case before his feet. He then held up the Golden Snitch, whose feathery wings fluttered helplessly in his grasp. "Observe, all of you. I shall call upon you, one at a time. Whomever catches the Snitch after the shortest amount of time shall be your squad's new Seeker," he explained. He then looked over his half-moon spectacles, and smiled. "Ah, Mr. Malfoy, I think I shall have you have the first go-round. If you would, kindly tell when you are ready."
Malfoy mounted his broom, and nodded. Dumbledore released the Snitch, and activated a stud on the big pocket watch in his other hand at the same time. Malfoy was very quick and efficient, managing to capture the Snitch in just thirty seconds time.
"Ha! Beat that time, Potter!" he boasted.
"Harry? If you please..." Dumbledore prompted, taking the Snitch from Malfoy's fingers.
Harry smirked, then mounted his Firebolt in determination to make Malfoy eat his words, if he could. Dumbledore released the Snitch, which dashed off in a flash. Harry jetted forward as quick as he could, cornering on his quarry, and managed to snag the struggling sphere in a mere eleven seconds time. Dumbledore confirmed this a moment later, looking up from his magical watch. "Nicely done, Harry," he observed. "Next! Mr. Anin...if you'd be so kind..."
Harry stayed to watch the remaining Seeker candidates tryout, and smiled in satisfaction when none were able to best his time.
"It appears," announced Dumbledore after the last candidate had finished. "That your Seeker will be Harry Potter...with a time of eleven seconds."
The other Seeker wannabees cheered---with the exception of Malfoy, of course. Harry looked forward to having the chance to besting the teachers in a Quidditch match. However, unbeknownst to him, the faculty was following everything from a behind the window of their lounge.
"Potter. It had to Potter now, didn't it?" Minerva observed wryly, her lips thinning.
"It should prove most exciting! I can´t wait," Xiomara Hooch proclaimed. "This will certainly be a match to remember! Why, even if not for the match, how about the Weasley twins being both judge and commentator? Even if the game's a bust, it shall still be most entertaining, I think!"
"Could someone please make her shut up?" Snape growled irately. "Before I up the number of vampires on the faculty to three, that is." The pale Potions Master's dark eyes glittered dangerously.
"Please do, Xiomara. I do think he´s serious, Hawkeye dear," Sprout observed a bit excitedly. She could see Snape curl his lip, exposing a fine set of long fangs.
"Just you try it, Severus," Xiomara challenged, balling her leather gauntleted fists defiantly, her golden hawk-like eyes shining dangerously.
"That's quite enough...from the both of you," McGonnagal then announced, glaring at the both of them. Snape theatrically crossed his arms, his dark robes fluttering, while Hooch frowned and went back to watching out the window.
"While I'm not certain, I'm fairly sure that Potter is the student's Seeker," Minerva said. "The boy managed to catch the Snitch after only 11 seconds time."
"Just as we are all fairly certain who's going to get that position on the faculty squad, Minerva," Xiomara said.
"Oh, splendid," McGonnagal groused.
"Well, McGonnagal, you have no one to blame but yourself. It was you and Jakob that were the biggest reasons Gryffindor won all those trophies over the years," Snape stated, somewhat sullenly.
"Thank you. You know, Severus, you were a fairly decent Keeper, if I remember correctly," McGonnagal said. Snape bowed his head at her compliment briefly.
By the time the tryouts came to a close, it had become rather late. Batilda Bat looked outside to where the moon had begun to rise. "Severus? We must be going," she informed him, getting to her feet. "Good night, everyone."
She and Snape then transformed into bats and dashed out the now open window.
"Good night. See you tommorow," McGonnagal said to Professor Sprout and Madame Hooch, taking her leave and heading back to her room.
Once there, she was met by the animated cuddly lion the Trouble Trio had given her, which was sleeping on the middle of her bed. "Leon, you know the rules...down you go," she said firmly. The plush lion stretched once, then jumped down to snuggle down on the rug beside her bed.
"That's a good lad," she told him, as she began to change into her night clothes. The trouble Trio, she mused as she dressed. The teachers had started calling them that ever since that incident with the Sorcerer's Stone. It somehow befitted them, really. Every single year, they managed to get into trouble of some kind. She gave Leon a loving pat good night, before laying down to sleep. The lion yawned languidly and jumped back on to the bed and laid itself firmly beside McGonnagal before falling to sleep himself...
Student Tryouts
Harry awoke, finding himself laying in a bed in the hospital wing. He fetched his glasses from the nightstand beside his bed, and put them on...just before Madame Pomphrey appeared at his bedside.
"Ah, Mr. Potter...back with us again? How are you feeling, dear?" she asked.
"Fine, thanks. But, what happened? Why am I here?" Harry asked, confused.
"From what the Headmaster said, it appears you passed out upon learning that Minerva is your great grandmother," she informed him in a kindly voice.
Harry said nothing, but looked thoughtful.
"Is anything wrong, dear?" Pomphrey asked solicitiously.
"No. Well, maybe. You see, I learned about the McGonnagal family in History of Magic class. I went over the whole family tree, Madam Pomfrey...and, well, I never saw myself there at all." He looked up at the kindly nurse, awaiting some sort of answer.
"You didn't? Hmm. Well, I suppose that when Minerva married Garrett, she took the name Evans. That might explain it," Madam Pomfrey deduced.
"Ah, so what you're saying is that since my mother was born an Evans, they were never considered a part of the McGonnagals then?" Harry asked, trying to comprehend.
"Most likely, yes, dear," Pomphrey said, smiling. "But, let's not worry about that just yet. Now, how are you feeling?"
"Well, truth be known, I'm...well, frustrated," Harry admitted in a quiet voice. "Because Dumbledore left me to live with the Dursleys, when I might of lived with Professor McGonnagal and her family."
"That's not precisely what I meant, but I do suppose that's most understandable," she replied. She then looked him over. "Well, you certainly do appear to be just fine," Pomfrey declared.
"So...just how long have I been here then?" Harry wanted to know.
"Nearly an hour, Mr. Potter," a voice behind him said. He turned around and saw it was Professor McGonnagal.
"Thank you, great Grandmother," Harry said, giving her a clever smile.
"Always an amusing boy," McGonnagal remarked acerbically, especially when she looked over to see Madame Pomfrey working very hard to contain her laughter. "Something the matter, Doctor Florence?" McGonnagal said dryly, but there was no missing the warning in her voice.
"My apologies, great Grandmother," Pomfrey laughed softly, her eyes twinkling.
"Mr. Potter...I mean, Harry...much as I am thrilled to have you as my great grandson, I would prefer it if you didn't make that fact common knowledge."
Harry nodded, "Sure. I understand, Professor." McGonnagal left then, and after a few more minutes, Harry was allowed to leave as well. He made his way back up to the common room, where he meet with Ron and Hermione.
"Harry! Where have you been, mate?" Ron asked, a bit concerned.
"Well, after class, I went to see Dumbledore to ask him about the match," Harry explained.
"Blimey! I hope I can make the team," Ron declared fervently. "You're a shoe in, Harry, you being the youngest Seeker in a decade and all."
Hermione chimed in, saying, "I don't think I'd like to play against our teachers, mind. They're so much older and...well, I just wouldn't feel right about it."
Later that day, they headed off to their Defense against the Dark Arts class. Once there, even Professor Bat seemed a bit nervous, thinking obviously about the upcoming Quidditch match, as she was constantly casting glances out the window where she could see the Quidditch pitch.
Come Saturday, Harry headed down early, trying to get their before all the others wishing to tryout for the student squad. To Harry's surprise, Professor Dumbledore was already there.
"Ah. Hello there, Harry," Dumbledore said, moving over to greet him. "You may take a few laps about the field, if you like, before the others arrive."
"Thanks, Professor. I think I will," Harry said, then flew about the inside of the pitch a few times, trying to warm up. Eventually, he spotted the others filing in, and flared to a landing next to the Ravenclaw seeker, Hector Anin.
"Gather round. Gather round, everyone," Dumbledore counseled. "Now, it's wonderful to see all of you show up to try out. I suppose it will be best to segregate you all by position. Therefore, I shall begin with tryouts for the Seekers first. So, if all of you candidates for Seeker could line up over there... Ah, very good then."
Dumbledore then bent down and quickly nabbed something from the leather case before his feet. He then held up the Golden Snitch, whose feathery wings fluttered helplessly in his grasp. "Observe, all of you. I shall call upon you, one at a time. Whomever catches the Snitch after the shortest amount of time shall be your squad's new Seeker," he explained. He then looked over his half-moon spectacles, and smiled. "Ah, Mr. Malfoy, I think I shall have you have the first go-round. If you would, kindly tell when you are ready."
Malfoy mounted his broom, and nodded. Dumbledore released the Snitch, and activated a stud on the big pocket watch in his other hand at the same time. Malfoy was very quick and efficient, managing to capture the Snitch in just thirty seconds time.
"Ha! Beat that time, Potter!" he boasted.
"Harry? If you please..." Dumbledore prompted, taking the Snitch from Malfoy's fingers.
Harry smirked, then mounted his Firebolt in determination to make Malfoy eat his words, if he could. Dumbledore released the Snitch, which dashed off in a flash. Harry jetted forward as quick as he could, cornering on his quarry, and managed to snag the struggling sphere in a mere eleven seconds time. Dumbledore confirmed this a moment later, looking up from his magical watch. "Nicely done, Harry," he observed. "Next! Mr. Anin...if you'd be so kind..."
Harry stayed to watch the remaining Seeker candidates tryout, and smiled in satisfaction when none were able to best his time.
"It appears," announced Dumbledore after the last candidate had finished. "That your Seeker will be Harry Potter...with a time of eleven seconds."
The other Seeker wannabees cheered---with the exception of Malfoy, of course. Harry looked forward to having the chance to besting the teachers in a Quidditch match. However, unbeknownst to him, the faculty was following everything from a behind the window of their lounge.
"Potter. It had to Potter now, didn't it?" Minerva observed wryly, her lips thinning.
"It should prove most exciting! I can´t wait," Xiomara Hooch proclaimed. "This will certainly be a match to remember! Why, even if not for the match, how about the Weasley twins being both judge and commentator? Even if the game's a bust, it shall still be most entertaining, I think!"
"Could someone please make her shut up?" Snape growled irately. "Before I up the number of vampires on the faculty to three, that is." The pale Potions Master's dark eyes glittered dangerously.
"Please do, Xiomara. I do think he´s serious, Hawkeye dear," Sprout observed a bit excitedly. She could see Snape curl his lip, exposing a fine set of long fangs.
"Just you try it, Severus," Xiomara challenged, balling her leather gauntleted fists defiantly, her golden hawk-like eyes shining dangerously.
"That's quite enough...from the both of you," McGonnagal then announced, glaring at the both of them. Snape theatrically crossed his arms, his dark robes fluttering, while Hooch frowned and went back to watching out the window.
"While I'm not certain, I'm fairly sure that Potter is the student's Seeker," Minerva said. "The boy managed to catch the Snitch after only 11 seconds time."
"Just as we are all fairly certain who's going to get that position on the faculty squad, Minerva," Xiomara said.
"Oh, splendid," McGonnagal groused.
"Well, McGonnagal, you have no one to blame but yourself. It was you and Jakob that were the biggest reasons Gryffindor won all those trophies over the years," Snape stated, somewhat sullenly.
"Thank you. You know, Severus, you were a fairly decent Keeper, if I remember correctly," McGonnagal said. Snape bowed his head at her compliment briefly.
By the time the tryouts came to a close, it had become rather late. Batilda Bat looked outside to where the moon had begun to rise. "Severus? We must be going," she informed him, getting to her feet. "Good night, everyone."
She and Snape then transformed into bats and dashed out the now open window.
"Good night. See you tommorow," McGonnagal said to Professor Sprout and Madame Hooch, taking her leave and heading back to her room.
Once there, she was met by the animated cuddly lion the Trouble Trio had given her, which was sleeping on the middle of her bed. "Leon, you know the rules...down you go," she said firmly. The plush lion stretched once, then jumped down to snuggle down on the rug beside her bed.
"That's a good lad," she told him, as she began to change into her night clothes. The trouble Trio, she mused as she dressed. The teachers had started calling them that ever since that incident with the Sorcerer's Stone. It somehow befitted them, really. Every single year, they managed to get into trouble of some kind. She gave Leon a loving pat good night, before laying down to sleep. The lion yawned languidly and jumped back on to the bed and laid itself firmly beside McGonnagal before falling to sleep himself...