Ch 12: - Practice makes Perfect

As the start of the lesson drew nearer, Harry's confidence slowly trickled away. He sat at the desk, watching the third year Gryffindors and Slytherins file in and sit down. The Slytherins were obviously fresh from a talk by Malfoy, chattering and throwing casual insults at the Gryffindors. They hadn't started to insult Harry yet but he knew it was a matter of time.

The Gryffindors were beginning to respond. Dennis Creevey looked about to explode and Alison Linney and Natalie McDonald were looking nervously from Harry to the Slytherins and back.

Harry muttered 'Silencio', waving his wand over the class and concentrating on producing sufficient power to stop them all talking.

Ah - blessed silence, he thought, as the spell took effect.

The class looked at him and at each other, the Slytherins angry at having their plans thwarted and the Gryffindors angry at having been silenced as well. One or two Slytherins had risen to their feet before Harry muttered 'Immobilus' and concentrated his power just as he had for the silencing charm.

Harry studied the statues for a few seconds. That part had worked perfectly, Immediately he felt a little confidence returning. He waved his wand at the desk and quietly said 'Registratus' The attendance register gently lifted off his desk and floated up and down the rows of desks, pausing over each student. It floated back to his desk and settled in front of him.

'Hmmm, good, you're all here, at least' he murmured.

Opening one of the drawers of his desk, Harry scanned the Marauders' Map within for signs of Malfoy. In fact, Malfoy wasn't in evidence, but the name of Gregory Goyle appeared just outside the door of the classroom.

Harry shut the drawer, picked up his wand and strolled to the door. Wrenching it open, he pointed his wand at the frozen form of Goyle, almost sticking it in his ear in the process. He hadn't realised he'd used so much power. 'Finite', he muttered releasing a trickle of power into the stationary form. Immediately Goyle came alive and jumped back, eyes wide.

'Heard enough?' asked Harry, calmly. 'Sorry, that's not a question. You've heard enough. Now push off back to dragon boy and tell him to keep out of my hair!'

Goyle turned awkwardly and hurried off down the corridor, looking back fearfully every so often. Harry closed the door and strolled back to the front of the class.

'Right you Slytherin lot' he growled, in his best impression of Moody. 'Especially you, Pritchard, and you Baddock. You can either stop the nonsense and try to learn something, or you can get out, losing ten points each and getting a detention each for disruption.' He glowered at the Slytherins.

'I don't mind either way, but you've got to decide who you're more afraid of, Malfoy and his playmates, or Professor Snape when he finds out you've disrupted a lesson personally instigated by the Headmaster. I doubt he'll care a great deal about the detentions, but you won't enjoy them one bit; I'll make sure of that!'

He paused, looking round at the frozen forms.

'Now, I'm going to unfreeze you. If you want to walk, fine. The silence spell will wear off before you report back to Malfoy in your common room. Immobilus Finite.'

The students all slumped back in their seats, looking variously triumphant, ruefull or truculent. Harry watched them carefully. Graham Pritchard was looking round at his house mates, as if hoping for support. The rest of the Slytherins just glanced at him before returning their attention to Harry.

'Nobody wants to leave? – you're all sure?'

Various heads nodded on the Slytherin side.

'Good – Silencio Finite.'

'You can't do that to us Potter!' raged Pritchard, immediately, 'We'll be reporting you to – '

Harry waved his wand nonchalantly again.

'- Professor Snape.' he finished for the now silent Pritchard. 'Yes, I'm sure you will. You can also report the ten points from Slytherin for failing to address me as Mr Potter. Now are you going to stop threatening me?'

Pritchard slowly wilted under Harry's gaze. Eventually, he nodded slightly.

'Good. You may speak when I tell you to, and say what I tell you to say; and that goes for the rest of you too, understand?'

The classroom looked like a nodding dog factory in an earthquake for a second or two.

'Now then, I have a list of spells you apparently know and I intend to work through them with you, checking your wand work and pronunciation. The first one will be the expelliarmus spell, which is for what?' Harry hesitated before pointing at a Slytherin girl, 'Miss Bryant?'

The girl looked round helplessly before glancing at Pritchard. She drew herself up and said. 'I don't know, Mr. Potter.'

'Hmmm. Professor Snape will be so disappointed. Mr. Creevey?'

'Disarming opponents, Har – Mr.Potter.'

'Very good, and a perfectly timed kick there, Miss McDonald.'

There was a slight chuckle from various students, including a few Slytherins, Harry was pleased to see.

Now, would you all please stand.'

All the Gryffindors stood, and about half the Slytherins.

Harry stared at them for about ten seconds then asked 'Are you sure?'

They remained seated defiantly, only to collapse backwards as Harry ended the spell maintaining the shape of the desks. They struggled to their feet on the shifting cushions, to the sound of the derisive hoots of the Gryffindor students.

'That's enough, you Gryffindors! There will be no favouritism.'

Alison looked at Harry like a freshly smacked puppy. Harry nodded slightly in her direction, which appeared to cheer her up slightly.

'You will pair up and practice disarming each other alternately; you will not use any other spells, is that clear?'

Silence

'You may answer!'

'Yes, Mr. Potter' they chorused raggedly.

'Good, carry on!' he instructed, then turned back to the desk.

The voice began almost immediately in his head. A cold clear voice which, though not loud, cut through all the other sounds.

'Impedim-'

Harry whirled round, holding his hand palm out in front of him and snarling 'Protego' as quickly as he could. He saw the spell bounce off his hand and rebound at the student who had cast it.

Graham Pritchard dropped his wand and toppled backwards into Malcolm Baddock, knocking them both into a struggling heap on the cushions. Harry picked up his own wand and pointed it at Pritchard's wand, as the rest of the class stood in stunned amazement.

A whispered, 'he didn't use his wand!' escaped from the gaggle of students.

'Accio wand' Harry intoned, snatching the wand as it flew towards him. He stood above the struggling pair and pointed both wands at them.

'Keep still!'

Both froze.

'Baddock! Get up slowly and stand back! Keep your wand in your pocket!'

Baddock did as he was told, moving away from his prone friend, to stand by the wall. Pritchard lay on his back, looking up at Harry with a look of hatred on his face.

'Creevey, keep your eye on Baddock' ordered Harry. Dennis Creevey pointed his wand at Baddock and looked threatening. 'and don't stand so close to him!'

Harry stood back slightly, 'Alright, the rest of you, move back please, towards the other wall.' The rest of the class stumbled obediently back over the cushions. He pointed Pritchard's wand at its owner and muttered, 'Finite Impedimenta Incantatem.'

'Now get up, Pritchard!' he ordered.

'Make me!'

Harry sighed. 'Alright! The rest of you, you heard that?' Three or four Gryffindors muttered agreement.

'Good. Petrificus Totalis!' murmured Harry. The rest of the class gasped as Pritchard's legs and arms straightened and his body became rigid.

'Locomotor Body!' Harry instructed. Pritchards body rose gently to a height of about three feet from the ground then, under Harry's direction, it floated over to the door. Harry opened the door guided the body into the corridor and lowered it to the flagstones.

'Finite' he whispered. Pritchard's form relaxed. 'Now stand up! Good! Since you're so good at defensive spells, you can skip this one. I'll even ask the Headmaster if you can skip them all.' He smiled nastily 'You can ask him if he'll let you, when you go to collect your wand, later.' Pritchard looked horrified at the thought. 'I'll also let him decide what other punishments you get. Now, get back to your common room until your next class!'

Pritchard slunk away, muttering under his breath, as Harry began to relax slightly. All his hours of planning and running through scenarios had paid off handsomely. He re-entered the classroom and stared at Baddock.

'Are you going to behave? Or are you going to follow your friend?'

'I'll stay - Mr. Potter' he said hesitantly.

Harry smiled thinly at him. 'Good. You'll have to make up a threesome with Miss Bryant and Mr. Jennings.' Harry noted a smirk on Jennings' face. Baddock was in for a rough ride.

The rest of you, back into your pairs, and lets see how good you are at disarming - each other!'

- o -

As the class filed out at the end of the lesson, Harry allowed himself a sigh of relief. On the whole the lesson had gone really well - once they'd got started. He'd even found he was enjoying himself at times. He was just starting his lesson report when Alison Linney looked hesitantly round the door again. She walked slowly towards him, between the lines of reformed desks.

'Um - that was really good lesson, Harry' she said carefully.

He waited as she stopped in front of him.

'I - er - I knew I wasn't using my wand right, - I -'

Harry smiled at her gently, 'Yes?'

'I - we thought you were – um - well - how did you manage to use a spell without your wand?' she finally managed.

'Something you'll learn one day, perhaps, Miss Linney'

She flushed and drew back from the desk slightly 'Do you have to be so formal, Harry, even after the lesson?'

Harry regarded her thoughtfully. 'Yes, - I think so, - in here, anyway.'

'But - but I thought w-we were friends.'

Harry sighed. 'Being friends with me isn't always good for the health. You've seen how Draco Malfoy's been causing trouble. Well, my friends tend to get the same treatment. They're older than you, though, and they can look after themselves.'

'Meaning I can't' she said, in a small voice.

'No. - Not yet. So, outside Gryffindor house, I think you'd be better off keeping your distance; that goes for Natalie McDonald as well.'

Alison looked down sadly. 'Katie Bell asked me to try out for the Quidditch team. I suppose I'd better tell her I can't join in, since you're in the team.'

Harry smiled at her. 'You just turn up! Quidditch is different, you'd be one of the team, not your teacher's friend. Besides, Katie would kill me if you told her that, I'm the one who suggested she should ask you! Now, you'd better get going, or you'll miss your next lesson.'

Alison's face burst into a radiant smile. 'Yes Mr. Potter.' she said, then she turned and almost ran from the room, pausing to grin at him before closing the door behind her.

Harry decided the lesson report would have to wait and began collecting up his books for his own next lesson. It looked like his premonition had been right, Alison Linney was going to be trouble; mainly to herself.

- o -

'So, you considered that ejecting Pritchard from the class was your only option, Harry?'

It was after lunch, and Harry had been called to see the Headmaster immediately. The message had prised him away from a rowdy Common Room discussion on his treatment of Pritchard. Harry had been glad to get away, Alison Linney, Natalie McDonald and Denis Creevey had almost convinced the rest of the house to erect a statue in his honour.

Professor Dumbledore sat at his desk, holding Pritchard's wand between finger and thumb and looking at Harry over the top of his spectacles.

'My best option, Professor.' said Harry, carefully.

'And the others were?'

'Ignoring his attempt and failure and just keeping going, I suppose, or - well - just giving him a detention and taking points off Slytherin, then trying to continue the lesson.'

'Yet you chose differently.'

'I - I saw the hate in his eyes, Professor.' Harry hesitated, trying to express his instinctive decision of that morning. 'I just knew he wasn't going to sit quietly, whatever I did.'

'Have you any idea why he should hate you, Harry?'

Harry looked round the room, trying to gain some time to think. He just knew Malfoy was behind it all, but there was no way to prove it. It would just sound like he was whining. Harry's encounter with Malfoy suddenly played itself through in his mind.

'Harry?'

'No, Professor.'

'Not even a suspicion?'

Harry hesitated. 'No – er – no, Professor.'

The Headmaster considered for a moment. Harry noticed a movement in one of the pictures of previous headmasters. As he looked more closely, he noticed that they were all present, a most unusual occurrence.

'Harry, I must tell you that Professor Snape and Pritchard were in this office earlier, complaining about your behaviour.'

Harry was hardly surprised, but even so he felt slightly sick.

'Pritchard was trying to convince me that it was you who attacked him first, by silencing him and immobilising him.'

Harry's breath caught in his chest, for a second he couldn't answer

'But I did that to the whole class Professor,' he said finally.

Dumbledore seemed amused. 'The whole class, Harry? Even Professor Snape has never gone quite that far! Perhaps you could explain?'

'The - the Slytherins were insulting the Gryffindors as they came in, Professor, and things were beginning to get out of hand before the lesson even started! I just wanted to – nip it in the bud.'

'Why the whole class, though?'

'I didn't want to look like I was favouring Gryffindor students, Professor.' Harry decided to be totally honest, 'and I'm not good enough to be able to pick out just some of a group.'

This time Dumbledore smiled openly. 'Perhaps that is a good thing, in this case, Harry.' He stood and turned to look out of the window at the clouds scudding across the sky. 'Very well, I can find no fundamental fault with your actions, though I feel they were a little drastic. I imagine the rest of the lesson was more productive?'

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. 'Definitely, Professor.'

'Good. Well, I have deducted fifty points from Slytherin and suspended Pritchard for a month.'

Harry gasped. Suspension! It might be a deterrent to further trouble, but it would do nothing for Pritchard's progress in his other subjects.

'Isn't that just a bit – um - harsh, Professor?'

Dumbledore's eyebrows rose in surprise.

'You don't feel that a short sharp lesson will encourage the rest of your students to cooperate?'

'Well – yes, Professor, - but – well, - won't Pritchard miss out on his other subjects?'

Dumbledore sat down again and looked at the desk in front of him. 'Your concern does you credit, Harry, however, all is not quite as it seems.'

The Headmaster continued to speak distantly, almost as if he were dissociating himself from what he was relating.

'I took the liberty of applying my legilimens abilities to Pritchard, whilst he was in my office. Whilst some of his antipathy was engendered by, elements, shall we say, within the school, part at least was due to the fact that he had to return to school almost immediately after his father was arrested as a suspected supporter of Lord Voldemort. His mother is distraught, as is his little sister. It seems he blames you, for having exposed the return of Lord Voldemort and prompted the investigation.'

Dumbledore looked at Harry, who was now sitting with his mouth open.

'A month at home will allow Pritchard to comfort his mother and sister during the trial, Harry. His various teachers will be providing tasks for him to carry out at home.

'And when he returns, Professor?' asked Harry

'I have been in contact with Kingsley Shacklebolt, who is privy to the evidence - and I have no doubt that Mr.Pritchard is innocent. However, I will have a talk with Pritchard when he returns, whatever the verdict.'

'Thank you, Professor.' murmured Harry, 'I bet Professor Snape wasn't too pleased though.'

'Professor Snape's reaction is not something you should concern yourself with, Harry. ' said the Headmaster sternly, 'He has accepted my judgement of the matter, as must you.'

'Yes, Professor.'

'Good. I believe lessons will be restarting shortly, so a rapid return to your common room would seem to be in order, Harry. We will no doubt speak again shortly - and Harry?'

'Yes, Professor?'

'What I have told you is to go no further, you understand?'

'Yes, Professor.'

Harry left the headmaster's study at high speed, his brain working almost as fast as his legs. He had come to the inescapable conclusion that Dumbledore had in fact use Legilimancy on him during that interview. The way the meeting with Malfoy had suddenly played itself through in his head had been quite uncanny. The difference between the Headmaster's use of the spell and that of Snape was astounding.

Harry could only assume Snape had been brutal simply because he hated Harry. More importantly, and possibly embarrassingly, Harry wondered just how much information the Professor had gained. He assumed the Headmaster could only pick up the thoughts and memories which he, Harry, consciously saw, so he spent the next ten minutes trying desperately to remember everything he had thought of during the meeting!

- o -

By the evening, the story had circulated twice round the school, and Harry was hearing stories of mass riots, mass detentions and even mass expulsions. The whole of the Great Hall had fallen silent when he'd gone in for dinner, with the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw second years looking quite terrified. They were to be his next class, the following morning.

Harry was still the hero of the Gryffindor common room, with Pritchard the evil henchman of Malfoy and Professor Snape, but the attention rapidly became a nuisance and then an annoyance, particularly as the truth was far from clear cut.

Hermione and Ron were nowhere to be seen and Ginny was talking to Dean in one corner. Harry decided that he was superfluous to requirements and left for Classroom fourteen whilst a particularly boisterous discussion was in progress between the third and fourth years about the relative merits of detentions and suspensions.

- o -

It was getting late when Harry completed his homework and his report for that morning's lesson. The report skipped the disturbance and concentrated on the abilities of each pupil. Although most of them needed some remedial teaching, Harry was proud to note that Dennis Creevey, who had attended the DA the previous year, was almost perfect in his defensive spell work.

On his way back to the Gryffindor tower, two things caught Harry's attention. The first was Mrs. Norris, Filch's huge cat, slinking away at the sight of him, a reaction he had hoped for, in vain, for years.

The second was a tall willowy figure glimpsed at the end of the corridor as he left his classroom. The figure turned the corner and had disappeared completely when Harry reached it. The cross corridor stretched away on both sides, completely empty.

Harry's puzzlement was twofold. He hadn't heard any footsteps past the classroom door, and the figure had looked disturbingly like Professor Trelawney.

Back in the common room, the only people left were Ron and Hermione, who were sitting quietly together on the sofa. Ron had his arm round Hermione and she had her head on his shoulder. They both had dreamy looks on their faces, which seemed familiar from the last week Hermione had stayed at Grimmauld Place.

'Where've you been Harry?' asked Ron.

'Doing homework in classroom fourteen. I could ask you two the same question, you'd disappeared before I left.'

Ron grinned at Harry. 'We went for a – walk.'

Harry grinned back. 'The seventh floor, perhaps?'

'Er – yeah – well, you know, it had to be – '

'Tried out?'

'Er – yeah.'

'And?'

'It worked!'

'That's pretty obvious from your faces. Lucky you. Good job I wasn't in contact with the school this evening, I might have been able to sense you!'

Hermione twitched as if Harry'd stuck a pin in her.

'What d'you mean, in contact with the school, Harry?'

'Didn't I tell you? Funny, I thought I had.'

'Tell us what, Harry!'

The first morning I got here, I managed to get into the mind of the building. Well – sort of. More like it told me where to go, then got in touch with me.'

'What did it say?' asked Hermione, awestruck.

'It didn't say anything, it just – showed me – itself, I suppose. Absolutely amazing, feeling the school all around'

'And that's it?'

'I got the impression it was waiting for all the students to come back.'

'Oh.'

'What were you expecting? Hogwarts, A History : From the House's Mouth?'

'No, just – well – I don't know, really.'

Harry smiled ruefully and headed for the dormitory. 'Not the best time to tell you, I guess. I'll see you in the morning. Hope those second years are less trouble than today's lot.'

Hermione chuckled. 'From the way they looked at dinner, I reckon they'll wet themselves if you just glare at them.'

'Or worse' added Ron.

'Ron!'

Harry grimaced. 'I'd better brush up on my scourgify spell then, I suppose, G'night'

'G'night Harry.' they chorused, then turned to each other and smiled. Harry looked resolutely away and began to climb the stairs to the dorm, and the haven of his memories of Dora.

- o -

The rest of Harry's teaching activity that week passed uneventfully. Both sets of second years were obviously in awe of his reputation and behaved impeccably - even the Slytherins. Harry wondered exactly what Professor Snape had been told by the Headmaster but, whatever it was, he'd obviously given his students explicit instructions not to cause trouble. The Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw third years had been almost as awed as the second years.

Harry hadn't even seen Professor Snape during the week, except at some meals. Snape's glare was as fierce as ever, though there was still no corresponding pain in his scar.

Malfoy also seemed to be keeping out of Harry's way. They only shared two NEWT subjects, Transfiguration and Charms, but Crabbe and Goyle weren't taking any subjects at NEWT level, so Malfoy seemed to be staying in the background. It didn't stop him from glaring coldly at Harry and miming a throat being cut or some other gruesome ending, whenever they passed in the corridor. Malfoy was really quite inventive, Harry was beginning to look forward to seeing each new way in which he could die.

- o -

By Friday evening, Harry had settled back into the rhythm of school life. He was already spending at least part of each evening studying in classroom number 14. Somehow the common room held little appeal now. Just as at the beginning of term, Harry felt apart from the rest of the house. He felt alien; the games of exploding snap, or wizards chess, the magazines and sweets, they all seemed part of another existence. The classroom was beginning to feel like home.

The chance to get onto his broom again drove Harry to finish his dinner in record time, grab his firebolts and head for the quidditch pitch at maximum speed. He was busy practising aerobatics as the rest of the team began to gather. Katie turned up first, with the beaters, Andrew Kirke and Jack Sloper.

'What in Merlin's name are you playing at, Harry?' yelled Katie, as he tore across the pitch upside down.

'Aerobatics!' shouted Harry, beginning to circle to land. 'Haven't you heard? It's the latest thing'

'For what? making you sick?'

'Making everyone who watches sick. Great secret weapon. A bit of team aerobatics before the match to put the other team off! – No? –'

'No.'

'You've got no imagination, Katie.'

Katie ignored Harry's jibing and turned to watch the rest of the team and a few spectators trailing over the grass to the pitch. Ron and Hermione were first, with Ginny and Dean following at a little distance. Alison Linney, Colin Creevey, Natalie McDonald and Stephanie Linney arrived together in a noisy group with Alison and Colin proudly carrying their brooms.

'OK' said Katie, when they'd all gathered. 'As you can see there's eight of us for seven places. I know I asked both of you,' she looked at Alison and Colin, 'but I wasn't intending to chose between you. I want you to try for seeker, Alison, and I'd like you to try for chaser and beater, Colin.'

Harry and Ginny looked at one another. Ginny bared her teeth at him in a mock snarl, then grinned.

'Before the rest of you start fighting over the other places,' continued Katie, 'I've decided we need a reserve player this year. Jack tells me he's not sure if he can keep up the practice regime, what with taking a bizarrely large number of NEWTs, 'she stopped and pretended to glare at him. 'and I'm not sure we can put someone as small as Alison up against Malfoy.' She looked round, but no one was even attempting to disagree. 'We need flexibility, and I'm hoping we can get that by having an extra team member and all knowing more than one discipline.'

'Sounds good, Katie' said Ginny, 'but maybe it depends on how we all perform in the various positions.'

'Good point, so the first thing is to see if Alison and Colin have what it takes to start learning, then we can decide who's going to know what, OK?'

'OK.'

'Right, we'd better get started. First off, can you, Alison, and you Harry, do a couple of quick agility circuits to see how you compare?'

Harry smiled at Alison. 'Its up to the north end, round the lefthand post, zigzag through the gaps, down to the south end, same manoeuvres then back to the north, circle it twice, back to the south, circle twice, then back here, OK'

Alison shook her head.

Harry sighed.

'Just follow me' he muttered, climbing aboard his older firebolt.

After the first circuit, Alison began to speed up, passing Harry on the first run down the pitch. Harry responded, with Alison repassing him once again on one of the circles of the posts. Katie blew her whistle as they headed up the field again; immediately they circled and landed.

'Were you flat out there?' she asked Alison, receiving a nod in reply.

'And you Harry?'

'Could have gone faster on the straights, but not much quicker round the corners. Those Nimbus 2000s have always had good balance.' Alison beamed at him.

Katie looked thoughtful. 'I know it's a bit of a cheek Harry, but would you lend her your older Firebolt and use your new one, for a second go?'

Harry and Alison grinned at each other, Harry handed her his broom and took his GTA from Hermione. 'No problem, Katie. Ready, Speedy?'

'Ready.'

'3 – 2 – 1 – GO!'

This time Harry was really trying, but Alison kept close till the end of the second circuit. She was not much more than ten yards behind him as they shot past the motionless group. They circled to land.

'That was superb, young lady.' enthused Harry.

The rest of the group were looking suitably stunned as well.

'Very good indeed' said Katie, happily. 'Now can you and Ginny try the same thing, Alison? You'd better go back to your own broom, though, - unless,' Katie put on her best pleading voice, 'unless Harry's going to lend Ginny his GTA?'

Harry and Ginny looked at one another. Ginny glanced at Dean, who just shrugged, then she tilted her head at Harry and raised her eyebrows questioningly. Harry sighed and handed his GTA to her.

Ginny smiled slightly smugly at Alison.

'Ready? What was it? - Speedy?'

Alison glared at Ginny.

'3 – 2 – 1 – GO!'

By the end of the first circuit, Alison was half the length of the pitch ahead. Ginny had been thoroughly bewildered by the speed of the GTA, overshooting twice on the zigzag. She lost no more time though and had caught up slightly by the end of the test.

As they landed, Alison was grinning from ear to ear and Ginny was a good deal less smug. 'I'd have won if I'd practised on that broom!' she grumbled.

'Maybe,' chuckled Harry, throwing petrol on troubled waters.

'You just can't handle powerful brooms,' added Ron, throwing down the lighted match.

Before the resulting explosion could lay waste to a large part of the neighbourhood, Katie leapt into action.

'Enough! Desist! Cease! Stop! – Please boys, stop and think! Do you really think batwing bogies enhance your looks?' There was silence for a second or so as Harry and Ron took in Ginny's ferocious glare, her poised wand - and the possibility of a night in the hospital wing.

Harry cracked first. 'No, er – no, of course not, silly us, we were only joking Gin, really, heh heh – er -'

'Yeah, just joking!' added Ron in a strangled voice. 'Honest! Would we be so stupid as to insult you, Ginny? Well – Would We?'

Ginny's face broke into a smile at their grovelling apologies. The rest of the team and the spectators burst out laughing at the look of panic on Harry and Ron's faces.

Katie had to shout to regain their attention.

'OK team, I think we can say Alison is good enough to try for seeker, now, how about you Colin? Follow me round a couple of times, then we'll see how you are at rapid manoeuvres.'

After Colin had proved himself a more than competent flier, Katie split them up so she could try out some quaffle work with Ginny and Ron, Harry could give Alison some experience with the snitch and Jack and Andrew could show Colin a few of the tricks of controlling bludgers.

The spectators went back to the school - whilst the trials began in earnest.