Chapter 14
Just like James
The remainder of Harry's stay in the infirmary was uneventful and he was soon back in the Gryffindor common room with his friends. He had missed charms that morning, but it had been a practical lesson, and the homework to practice a spell Harry was already quite accomplished at: the 'Reductor Curse', which left Harry with the afternoon free. He would normally be in the Room of Requirement but this break gave him chance to start training for another one of his plans, that of becoming a chaser. Admittedly he was not Quidditch captain to make the decision automatic but he thought if he was any good at chaser that the captain would agree anyway, it would certainly confuse the opposition. Harry wanted to keep the idea from Ron a bit longer so he told Ron that Dumbledore had booked the pitch for him that afternoon to get some physical training and would Ron be keeper while he shot a few goals, cause it was more interesting than chasing practice snitches?
The first part of plan was successful and Ron practically bounded up the dormitory stairs to retrieve their Quidditch kit and brooms, while Harry almost had to hold the back of his robes to stop him bolting. Hermione, watching the scene from behind a book, smiled warmly at Harry and winked. Hermione was intuitive, thought Harry, but there was no way she knew what he was planning, but maybe she thought this was a calculated move to relax Ron, whose stress levels over the lack of Seeker candidates were tottering very close to the sort of levels only previously reach by Oliver Wood.
Ron and Harry spent several hours in the air practising; as Harry had been banned from playing last year and only gotten his broom back at the end of the year, this was the first time he had flown in almost a year. The instant he kicked off he realised how much he missed it. Chaser was not a position that you where natural at like Seeker but Harry's years on the Gryffindor team meant he had watched Chasers play a lot; that, combined with the fact he was a natural flier meant he was picking up the finer points pretty quickly and was scoring quite regularly against Ron, much to his friend's annoyance. Apparently when he had practised with Ginny over the summer she could very rarely score against him and he insisted they must practice more in the future because he was rusty.
Harry was secretly very pleased about this for two reasons; the first was he didn't think Ron was rusty but it gave him a chance to practice against a keeper, second was that Ginny, he was sure, would be happier as the Seeker, which she had played the previous year, as opposed to the Chaser position Ron had been grooming her for that summer. Harry did try to consciously ignore how his reasons of late tended to always included that it would make Ginny happy; she was after all seeing another of his friends and at that moment in time she was still mad at him.
Harry's second week at Hogwarts started to settle down; he found he was not falling behind in Charms as he was quite competent with the spells being covered, and sometimes during the practical lessons Professor Flitwick would leave the class practising and discuss more advanced methods with Harry. Transfiguration was going well, being exempt from performing transfigurations, it left Harry with extra time to work on the theory, which was where his weakness lay anyway, but he did miss the Animagus lessons. These had been exchanged for practising Quidditch with Ron, who was getting more frustrated as Harry was quickly becoming a proper Chaser; he had never played with Chasers and Beaters, but his skill on a broom and his balance meant he was learning quickly and he was deadly accurate shooting to the point that Ron had to do something spectacular to save a shot from Harry. Harry had still kept his intentions quiet but Ron would find out on Saturday, when the try-outs would be held. As Potions was the only lesson where Harry could still do the practical aspect of the lessons, the class had become more enjoyable. Thanks to his working friendship with Hannah they had managed to keep ahead of the remainder of the class by using the Room of Requirement to experiment with complicated substitutions and more extreme ingredients when Harry wasn't holding DA study groups. The DA Society had been a massive success, teachers had commented on various occasions of the improvement in their classes of their members as they helped each other through their courses. Harry had become a moderator, making sure the students behaved and sometimes offered advice on study topics for groups. This, combined with working with Hermione on the rules, worked so well that the Society was practically self-supporting already.
Come Saturday morning there was a notice on the board for potential candidates of the Quidditch trials. On the top of the list was a list of the team members with their position; seeing Ron had already written Harry's name as Seeker and Ginny's as reserve Seeker, Harry crossed his name from the team, then wrote his name in the column for Chaser try-outs.
Ron cornered him after breakfast, demanding "Did you do this?" as he waved the try-outs notice under his nose.
"Yep, anything wrong?" asked Harry innocently.
"Wrong! Wrong? No, just the team's Seeker has decided he doesn't want to play that position anymore."
"Ginny decided she doesn't want to play Seeker?" said Harry, starting to get a little bit annoyed at his friend.
"Ginny's not the Gryffindor Seeker."
"She was last year, and you won the Cup if I remember rightly."
"Look Harry, I know Ginny did well last year but you're better and I want to have the best player in the most important position." said his friend, almost pleading with him.
"You're wrong Ron; what happened to Bulgaria in the World Cup?"
"They lost. You were there", said the red-head, getting frustrated.
"But they have the best Seeker in the world?" said Harry feigning innocence. "I'm sorry Ron it's not up for discussion. I don't think I'm the best choice for Seeker, I'm too big for one thing, so I'm going to try out for Chaser, like I've been practising and if I'm good enough I'll get on the team, if not I'll have to wait till next year."
Ron looked dejected, as if his one chance of winning the Quidditch Cup had slipped through his fingers. He went and sat at the Gryffindor table next to Ginny and started talking to her; Harry, feeling totally justified in his choices, sat further down next to Hermione, who had a book out in front of her.
"What was that all about?" asked the girl, barely looking up from the book.
"I told Ron I wasn't playing Seeker this year." replied Harry, completely dead pan, as he speared a kipper with his folk and transferring it to his plate.
"Why? You love playing Quidditch."
"I'm too big for Seeker now, I'm going to try out for Chaser, and then Ginny can play Seeker."
"Are you sure you're doing it for the right reasons?"
"What does that mean?" asked Harry confused. "It's for the good of the team. Better to have two people who want to play their positions than two who don't."
"So it has nothing to do with making Ginny happy?"
"It's irrelevant." To his own surprise he meant it, it was a bonus she might be, but the team needed to have lots of good players. One or two super stars who would always lose if isolated was not what the team needed.
It was at this point that Ginny came over looking quite serious. "If this is your idea for not making me mad at you, it hasn't worked!"
Harry had had enough, and got good and mad. "When did you get a big head Ginny? This is about me and the team, if you don't want to play Seeker, fine! Ron will have to find someone else but I'm trying out for Chaser and I promise you whoever is Keeper against me will lose count of the number of times they collect the Quaffle after I score." And with that he grabbed a piece of toast and walked straight past the girl who was floored by his response.
Harry stormed to the dorms, his robes bellowing behind him. Anyone who saw him thought he was Professor Snape, from the look on his face and the speed of his long gate. He went up to the sixth year room and put on his practice Quidditch robes, not wanting to wear the team colours today, gathered his pads and grabbed his Firebolt and left to go to the Quidditch pitch.
News of the scene in the Great Hall had spread round like wild fire and the stands where filling rapidly with students and a few staff wanting to see what would happen.
Harry stood in the middle of the pitch waiting; the rest of the Gryffindor team and the hopefuls arrived shortly there after and soon there were fourteen people in total. Ron announced that the tryouts would consist of a mock game to try the paces of the hopefuls. He divided the group into two teams by calling the remnants of last year's team over to him as well as the three seventh years he obviously thought would make good Chasers. Harry thought Ron was trying to embarrass Harry back to his Seeker position by annihilating the other side but Harry was possessed. Walking to the other six hopefuls Harry asked them what positions they would most like to play; two twins stepped forward together and said they had always wanted to be Beaters, so that position was instantly sorted, Dean Thomas now stepped forward and told Harry that Keeper in football wasn't too different to that in Quidditch and he wouldn't mind being reserve keeper this year and added quietly to Harry that apparently Lavender Brown had a thing for Quidditch players. As this left four players to be Chasers and Seeker, a timid second year boy stepped forward and said that since Harry would be Seeker, they would be Chasers. Harry told him he didn't think he could play Seeker because he was too big now, and the boy asked if he could try it instead. So the team was settled and the rag tag bunch took up positions in the centre of the pitch. Harry had a quick word with the Beaters telling them to ignore the Seeker and pelt the opposition Chasers with everything they could and they both nodded; he then told Dean to always throw the easy pass, you can't afford to give away one-on-ones in Quidditch. Dean nodded and said, 'just like footy, the attackers normally score them'.
Madame Hooch had agreed to referee the practice game and after a shrill blow of her whistle to get their attention she kicked the box containing the Quaffle the Bludgers and the tiny Golden Snitch and the game was underway.
One of the seventh year Chasers Ron had chosen got the Quaffle almost immediately and sped past the Chaser on Harry's team. The instructions to Harry's Beaters had not fallen on deaf ears, however, and they seemed to be pretty good because the Chaser was forced to roll away as a Bludger flew at his head making him drop the Quaffle which was picked up by his team mate. The drop had given Harry time to reposition and he flew head-long at this Chaser, swerving an instant before making contact and taking the red ball from under the boy's arm on the way. He easily avoided the third of the opposing Chasers and accompanied by his other Chaser, a fourth year girl Harry half recognised from DA named Claire, they attacked Ron's goals. Harry turned slightly as he approached the scoring area, then, seeing a Bludger heading at his from the side, he performed a sloth grip roll still holding the Quaffle. Ron had followed him, narrowing the angle between attacker and goal, but Harry had no intention of shooting and backhand passed to Claire, who entered the scoring zone uncontested and slipped the ball through the goal furthest from Ron, making it 10-0 for the rookies.
Over the next thirty minutes, the game continued in a similar vein, Harry playing hard but fair. Years of watching three brilliant Chasers in the Gryffindor girls had given him an understanding of the tricks and techniques needed and Harry used every one. Harry scored or set up his team-mates repeatedly, scoring on almost every possession against Ron. The opposing Beaters were useless; Harry was gone before they even knew where he was, and he never stayed still. The score was completely one sided; Ron's team had scored three breakaway goals, so the score currently stood at 130-30, when Harry, in possession of the Quaffle again, saw Ginny diving from high above at a glint of gold about thirty feet from the ground almost directly ahead of him. While the rest of the players watched, Harry was having none of it. "This game wasn't finished yet", he thought, as, holding the red ball in one hand, he flattened on his broom directing his line to cross Ginny's path about five yards in front of her and shot forward like a bullet.
Ginny was diving uncontested with a clear view of the Snitch only thirty or so yards ahead of her and she would have it in a second or two when a blur flew right in front of her. Panicking she pulled out of her dive, losing the Snitch in the process. She looked to see where the Bludger had gone, only then recognising it had not been a Bludger but Harry, and she realised what he had done. Ron had convinced her to say something to Harry when secretly she was overjoyed at being the Gryffindor Seeker; but she had agreed with her brother that Harry was the best Seeker. She had done it for the good of the team, but, it was suddenly dawning on her, they had both been totally wrong, Harry wasn't just a brilliant Quidditch Seeker, he was the ultimate competitor and he wanted to be Chaser. He had realised that you don't have to be Seeker to win a match, you can do it from any position and as she watched him a little longer, he hurtled towards the rings. As he entered scoring zone, he did the most convincing little jink, which sent Ron flying towards the right ring, only to have Harry toss the ball up slightly and dive causing the tail of his broom to smash into the ball through the centre ring with such velocity that it slowed only when the charm that kept the ball from exiting the field activated.
Harry's team continued to score frequently but, as they were tiring slightly, they had allowed several more one on ones with Dean, a couple of which he had saved quite acrobatically. Harry had smiled when, after making the simple pass to one of the Chasers, he had waved in the direction of Lavender who was sitting next to Parvati smiling at him. The score stood at 210-60 when Harry heard a gasp that he knew only too well signalled a Seeker diving for the Snitch. At the same time, his Beaters who had taken to Harry's prompting of never stopping and watching, pummelled both steel balls at a Chaser who had just taken the ball from Ron and flown forty yards from the rings. The inexperienced Chaser reacted late and had to drop the Quaffle to grab his broom with both hands to pull it up out of the way. This was all the chance Harry needed and he flattened on his broom, rocketing towards the falling ball. Catching it in one hand he levelled his flight out, as, just outside the scoring area he brought his arm back as if to hurl the ball at a ring and, once again, Ron came forward to intercept. Harry instead simply lobbed the ball ten yards straight up and came to a stop in front of Ron; the ball had all the forward velocity of Harry on his broom, throwing it straight up meant it just travelled in a perfect arc, straight over Ron's head and through the centre ring.
Ginny had known if she caught the snitch it was a tied game, but considered it better than losing, especially as Harry was playing as if possessed. He was out-flying everyone and was as determined as anybody she had ever seen. Fortunately he was at the other end of the pitch, so when she had seen the fleck of gold she had dived hard. The small second year had been with her at the time and followed, flying neck and neck; then, she got lucky and the Snitch had darted sideways, favouring her side and her sharp turn had cut off her opponent and had a free path to it, especially as she was flying a fast new broom, the same model as Ron's which the twins had treated her to, for being their favourite sister (she didn't argue she was their only sister because it was her first broom of her own). Ginny caught up to the Snitch quickly and stretching a hand from the handle, she reached out and plucked the fluttering golden ball from the sky. Holding it aloft she wheeled round to face the rest of her players.
It took a second to sink in that her team mates look dejected, especially Ron, who looked like he had just kissed Draco Malfoy. Harry was sitting on his broom applauding, he wore an unreadable mask on his face, as if he was deep in thought, while the rest of his team were giving each other high-fives. It was only when she returned to the ground and caught up with Ron that she discovered what had happened. She asked him why he was so upset with a draw, and was shocked by the fact that they hadn't drawn, they had lost. Ron lamented that when she had dived for the Snitch, Harry had intercepted the Quaffle and lobbed him from forty five yards and that he really was a terrible keeper and didn't deserve to be Quidditch captain.
Ginny understood his look now and couldn't help but feel sorry for him. She felt that she had to snap him out of the spiral of self-loathing, though being his younger sister gave her special permission to do it bluntly: "Ron, as usual you have got it completely wrong you idiot. You think we lost because you're a bad Keeper? That's absolute rubbish and you know it, you're a great Keeper. We lost because Harry was incredible and we were both stupid and forced him to make a point. Before you go thinking this is the end of the world, you better remember that this is the last time we will ever have to play against Harry, and be glad of it. Harry is a Gryffindor and he wants to be on the team, but he wants to be Chaser and we were both idiots for even arguing with him, so I think we both owe him an apology and you have to ask him nicely to be Chaser for the team."
Her little speech had the desired effect and after a moment's thought he replied, "You're right with Harry, you and me on the team the Quidditch Cup's in the bag." Then his grin melted slightly, "I've been so stupid, I knew how good Harry was, I've been practising with him as Chaser. I feel like such an idiot."
"You and me both, I should have known when it comes to Quidditch, Harry is just too good to argue with. Bill always said James Potter was the best Chaser he's ever
seen play the game."
The brother and sister walked back to the common room together their expressions flickering between happiness, deep thought and dread at the thought of the grovelling they may well have to do to Harry. They were, after all, both too proud to enjoy apologising, even to Harry.
**********
A/N Massive thanks to Dice who has undertaken the enormous task of making my mindless rambling readable.
Just like James
The remainder of Harry's stay in the infirmary was uneventful and he was soon back in the Gryffindor common room with his friends. He had missed charms that morning, but it had been a practical lesson, and the homework to practice a spell Harry was already quite accomplished at: the 'Reductor Curse', which left Harry with the afternoon free. He would normally be in the Room of Requirement but this break gave him chance to start training for another one of his plans, that of becoming a chaser. Admittedly he was not Quidditch captain to make the decision automatic but he thought if he was any good at chaser that the captain would agree anyway, it would certainly confuse the opposition. Harry wanted to keep the idea from Ron a bit longer so he told Ron that Dumbledore had booked the pitch for him that afternoon to get some physical training and would Ron be keeper while he shot a few goals, cause it was more interesting than chasing practice snitches?
The first part of plan was successful and Ron practically bounded up the dormitory stairs to retrieve their Quidditch kit and brooms, while Harry almost had to hold the back of his robes to stop him bolting. Hermione, watching the scene from behind a book, smiled warmly at Harry and winked. Hermione was intuitive, thought Harry, but there was no way she knew what he was planning, but maybe she thought this was a calculated move to relax Ron, whose stress levels over the lack of Seeker candidates were tottering very close to the sort of levels only previously reach by Oliver Wood.
Ron and Harry spent several hours in the air practising; as Harry had been banned from playing last year and only gotten his broom back at the end of the year, this was the first time he had flown in almost a year. The instant he kicked off he realised how much he missed it. Chaser was not a position that you where natural at like Seeker but Harry's years on the Gryffindor team meant he had watched Chasers play a lot; that, combined with the fact he was a natural flier meant he was picking up the finer points pretty quickly and was scoring quite regularly against Ron, much to his friend's annoyance. Apparently when he had practised with Ginny over the summer she could very rarely score against him and he insisted they must practice more in the future because he was rusty.
Harry was secretly very pleased about this for two reasons; the first was he didn't think Ron was rusty but it gave him a chance to practice against a keeper, second was that Ginny, he was sure, would be happier as the Seeker, which she had played the previous year, as opposed to the Chaser position Ron had been grooming her for that summer. Harry did try to consciously ignore how his reasons of late tended to always included that it would make Ginny happy; she was after all seeing another of his friends and at that moment in time she was still mad at him.
Harry's second week at Hogwarts started to settle down; he found he was not falling behind in Charms as he was quite competent with the spells being covered, and sometimes during the practical lessons Professor Flitwick would leave the class practising and discuss more advanced methods with Harry. Transfiguration was going well, being exempt from performing transfigurations, it left Harry with extra time to work on the theory, which was where his weakness lay anyway, but he did miss the Animagus lessons. These had been exchanged for practising Quidditch with Ron, who was getting more frustrated as Harry was quickly becoming a proper Chaser; he had never played with Chasers and Beaters, but his skill on a broom and his balance meant he was learning quickly and he was deadly accurate shooting to the point that Ron had to do something spectacular to save a shot from Harry. Harry had still kept his intentions quiet but Ron would find out on Saturday, when the try-outs would be held. As Potions was the only lesson where Harry could still do the practical aspect of the lessons, the class had become more enjoyable. Thanks to his working friendship with Hannah they had managed to keep ahead of the remainder of the class by using the Room of Requirement to experiment with complicated substitutions and more extreme ingredients when Harry wasn't holding DA study groups. The DA Society had been a massive success, teachers had commented on various occasions of the improvement in their classes of their members as they helped each other through their courses. Harry had become a moderator, making sure the students behaved and sometimes offered advice on study topics for groups. This, combined with working with Hermione on the rules, worked so well that the Society was practically self-supporting already.
Come Saturday morning there was a notice on the board for potential candidates of the Quidditch trials. On the top of the list was a list of the team members with their position; seeing Ron had already written Harry's name as Seeker and Ginny's as reserve Seeker, Harry crossed his name from the team, then wrote his name in the column for Chaser try-outs.
Ron cornered him after breakfast, demanding "Did you do this?" as he waved the try-outs notice under his nose.
"Yep, anything wrong?" asked Harry innocently.
"Wrong! Wrong? No, just the team's Seeker has decided he doesn't want to play that position anymore."
"Ginny decided she doesn't want to play Seeker?" said Harry, starting to get a little bit annoyed at his friend.
"Ginny's not the Gryffindor Seeker."
"She was last year, and you won the Cup if I remember rightly."
"Look Harry, I know Ginny did well last year but you're better and I want to have the best player in the most important position." said his friend, almost pleading with him.
"You're wrong Ron; what happened to Bulgaria in the World Cup?"
"They lost. You were there", said the red-head, getting frustrated.
"But they have the best Seeker in the world?" said Harry feigning innocence. "I'm sorry Ron it's not up for discussion. I don't think I'm the best choice for Seeker, I'm too big for one thing, so I'm going to try out for Chaser, like I've been practising and if I'm good enough I'll get on the team, if not I'll have to wait till next year."
Ron looked dejected, as if his one chance of winning the Quidditch Cup had slipped through his fingers. He went and sat at the Gryffindor table next to Ginny and started talking to her; Harry, feeling totally justified in his choices, sat further down next to Hermione, who had a book out in front of her.
"What was that all about?" asked the girl, barely looking up from the book.
"I told Ron I wasn't playing Seeker this year." replied Harry, completely dead pan, as he speared a kipper with his folk and transferring it to his plate.
"Why? You love playing Quidditch."
"I'm too big for Seeker now, I'm going to try out for Chaser, and then Ginny can play Seeker."
"Are you sure you're doing it for the right reasons?"
"What does that mean?" asked Harry confused. "It's for the good of the team. Better to have two people who want to play their positions than two who don't."
"So it has nothing to do with making Ginny happy?"
"It's irrelevant." To his own surprise he meant it, it was a bonus she might be, but the team needed to have lots of good players. One or two super stars who would always lose if isolated was not what the team needed.
It was at this point that Ginny came over looking quite serious. "If this is your idea for not making me mad at you, it hasn't worked!"
Harry had had enough, and got good and mad. "When did you get a big head Ginny? This is about me and the team, if you don't want to play Seeker, fine! Ron will have to find someone else but I'm trying out for Chaser and I promise you whoever is Keeper against me will lose count of the number of times they collect the Quaffle after I score." And with that he grabbed a piece of toast and walked straight past the girl who was floored by his response.
Harry stormed to the dorms, his robes bellowing behind him. Anyone who saw him thought he was Professor Snape, from the look on his face and the speed of his long gate. He went up to the sixth year room and put on his practice Quidditch robes, not wanting to wear the team colours today, gathered his pads and grabbed his Firebolt and left to go to the Quidditch pitch.
News of the scene in the Great Hall had spread round like wild fire and the stands where filling rapidly with students and a few staff wanting to see what would happen.
Harry stood in the middle of the pitch waiting; the rest of the Gryffindor team and the hopefuls arrived shortly there after and soon there were fourteen people in total. Ron announced that the tryouts would consist of a mock game to try the paces of the hopefuls. He divided the group into two teams by calling the remnants of last year's team over to him as well as the three seventh years he obviously thought would make good Chasers. Harry thought Ron was trying to embarrass Harry back to his Seeker position by annihilating the other side but Harry was possessed. Walking to the other six hopefuls Harry asked them what positions they would most like to play; two twins stepped forward together and said they had always wanted to be Beaters, so that position was instantly sorted, Dean Thomas now stepped forward and told Harry that Keeper in football wasn't too different to that in Quidditch and he wouldn't mind being reserve keeper this year and added quietly to Harry that apparently Lavender Brown had a thing for Quidditch players. As this left four players to be Chasers and Seeker, a timid second year boy stepped forward and said that since Harry would be Seeker, they would be Chasers. Harry told him he didn't think he could play Seeker because he was too big now, and the boy asked if he could try it instead. So the team was settled and the rag tag bunch took up positions in the centre of the pitch. Harry had a quick word with the Beaters telling them to ignore the Seeker and pelt the opposition Chasers with everything they could and they both nodded; he then told Dean to always throw the easy pass, you can't afford to give away one-on-ones in Quidditch. Dean nodded and said, 'just like footy, the attackers normally score them'.
Madame Hooch had agreed to referee the practice game and after a shrill blow of her whistle to get their attention she kicked the box containing the Quaffle the Bludgers and the tiny Golden Snitch and the game was underway.
One of the seventh year Chasers Ron had chosen got the Quaffle almost immediately and sped past the Chaser on Harry's team. The instructions to Harry's Beaters had not fallen on deaf ears, however, and they seemed to be pretty good because the Chaser was forced to roll away as a Bludger flew at his head making him drop the Quaffle which was picked up by his team mate. The drop had given Harry time to reposition and he flew head-long at this Chaser, swerving an instant before making contact and taking the red ball from under the boy's arm on the way. He easily avoided the third of the opposing Chasers and accompanied by his other Chaser, a fourth year girl Harry half recognised from DA named Claire, they attacked Ron's goals. Harry turned slightly as he approached the scoring area, then, seeing a Bludger heading at his from the side, he performed a sloth grip roll still holding the Quaffle. Ron had followed him, narrowing the angle between attacker and goal, but Harry had no intention of shooting and backhand passed to Claire, who entered the scoring zone uncontested and slipped the ball through the goal furthest from Ron, making it 10-0 for the rookies.
Over the next thirty minutes, the game continued in a similar vein, Harry playing hard but fair. Years of watching three brilliant Chasers in the Gryffindor girls had given him an understanding of the tricks and techniques needed and Harry used every one. Harry scored or set up his team-mates repeatedly, scoring on almost every possession against Ron. The opposing Beaters were useless; Harry was gone before they even knew where he was, and he never stayed still. The score was completely one sided; Ron's team had scored three breakaway goals, so the score currently stood at 130-30, when Harry, in possession of the Quaffle again, saw Ginny diving from high above at a glint of gold about thirty feet from the ground almost directly ahead of him. While the rest of the players watched, Harry was having none of it. "This game wasn't finished yet", he thought, as, holding the red ball in one hand, he flattened on his broom directing his line to cross Ginny's path about five yards in front of her and shot forward like a bullet.
Ginny was diving uncontested with a clear view of the Snitch only thirty or so yards ahead of her and she would have it in a second or two when a blur flew right in front of her. Panicking she pulled out of her dive, losing the Snitch in the process. She looked to see where the Bludger had gone, only then recognising it had not been a Bludger but Harry, and she realised what he had done. Ron had convinced her to say something to Harry when secretly she was overjoyed at being the Gryffindor Seeker; but she had agreed with her brother that Harry was the best Seeker. She had done it for the good of the team, but, it was suddenly dawning on her, they had both been totally wrong, Harry wasn't just a brilliant Quidditch Seeker, he was the ultimate competitor and he wanted to be Chaser. He had realised that you don't have to be Seeker to win a match, you can do it from any position and as she watched him a little longer, he hurtled towards the rings. As he entered scoring zone, he did the most convincing little jink, which sent Ron flying towards the right ring, only to have Harry toss the ball up slightly and dive causing the tail of his broom to smash into the ball through the centre ring with such velocity that it slowed only when the charm that kept the ball from exiting the field activated.
Harry's team continued to score frequently but, as they were tiring slightly, they had allowed several more one on ones with Dean, a couple of which he had saved quite acrobatically. Harry had smiled when, after making the simple pass to one of the Chasers, he had waved in the direction of Lavender who was sitting next to Parvati smiling at him. The score stood at 210-60 when Harry heard a gasp that he knew only too well signalled a Seeker diving for the Snitch. At the same time, his Beaters who had taken to Harry's prompting of never stopping and watching, pummelled both steel balls at a Chaser who had just taken the ball from Ron and flown forty yards from the rings. The inexperienced Chaser reacted late and had to drop the Quaffle to grab his broom with both hands to pull it up out of the way. This was all the chance Harry needed and he flattened on his broom, rocketing towards the falling ball. Catching it in one hand he levelled his flight out, as, just outside the scoring area he brought his arm back as if to hurl the ball at a ring and, once again, Ron came forward to intercept. Harry instead simply lobbed the ball ten yards straight up and came to a stop in front of Ron; the ball had all the forward velocity of Harry on his broom, throwing it straight up meant it just travelled in a perfect arc, straight over Ron's head and through the centre ring.
Ginny had known if she caught the snitch it was a tied game, but considered it better than losing, especially as Harry was playing as if possessed. He was out-flying everyone and was as determined as anybody she had ever seen. Fortunately he was at the other end of the pitch, so when she had seen the fleck of gold she had dived hard. The small second year had been with her at the time and followed, flying neck and neck; then, she got lucky and the Snitch had darted sideways, favouring her side and her sharp turn had cut off her opponent and had a free path to it, especially as she was flying a fast new broom, the same model as Ron's which the twins had treated her to, for being their favourite sister (she didn't argue she was their only sister because it was her first broom of her own). Ginny caught up to the Snitch quickly and stretching a hand from the handle, she reached out and plucked the fluttering golden ball from the sky. Holding it aloft she wheeled round to face the rest of her players.
It took a second to sink in that her team mates look dejected, especially Ron, who looked like he had just kissed Draco Malfoy. Harry was sitting on his broom applauding, he wore an unreadable mask on his face, as if he was deep in thought, while the rest of his team were giving each other high-fives. It was only when she returned to the ground and caught up with Ron that she discovered what had happened. She asked him why he was so upset with a draw, and was shocked by the fact that they hadn't drawn, they had lost. Ron lamented that when she had dived for the Snitch, Harry had intercepted the Quaffle and lobbed him from forty five yards and that he really was a terrible keeper and didn't deserve to be Quidditch captain.
Ginny understood his look now and couldn't help but feel sorry for him. She felt that she had to snap him out of the spiral of self-loathing, though being his younger sister gave her special permission to do it bluntly: "Ron, as usual you have got it completely wrong you idiot. You think we lost because you're a bad Keeper? That's absolute rubbish and you know it, you're a great Keeper. We lost because Harry was incredible and we were both stupid and forced him to make a point. Before you go thinking this is the end of the world, you better remember that this is the last time we will ever have to play against Harry, and be glad of it. Harry is a Gryffindor and he wants to be on the team, but he wants to be Chaser and we were both idiots for even arguing with him, so I think we both owe him an apology and you have to ask him nicely to be Chaser for the team."
Her little speech had the desired effect and after a moment's thought he replied, "You're right with Harry, you and me on the team the Quidditch Cup's in the bag." Then his grin melted slightly, "I've been so stupid, I knew how good Harry was, I've been practising with him as Chaser. I feel like such an idiot."
"You and me both, I should have known when it comes to Quidditch, Harry is just too good to argue with. Bill always said James Potter was the best Chaser he's ever
seen play the game."
The brother and sister walked back to the common room together their expressions flickering between happiness, deep thought and dread at the thought of the grovelling they may well have to do to Harry. They were, after all, both too proud to enjoy apologising, even to Harry.
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A/N Massive thanks to Dice who has undertaken the enormous task of making my mindless rambling readable.