Chapter 3: Quidditch Try-Outs

The rest of the week went smoothly for the most part. The homework load wasn't too heavy as of yet, and Brianne was quickly getting to know Hermione, Ron, Harry, and even Ginny. She enjoyed spending time with her new friends, and she was even beginning to love England. She still hated Snape's class, but she found that if she avoided eye contact as much as possible, he didn't bother her too much. Draco teased Harry quite a bit during the week, saying, "Aww, look at this! Harry fancies American birds, now! What's wrong Potter, did your precious Cho dump you last year?" just before Potions class had started up on Wednesday. Harry gave him an annoyed look, and muttered, "Well, at least I don't fancy girls who have a pig's schnoz for a nose!" He was of course, referring to Pansy Parkinson, who was always flirting with Draco any chance she could get. Malfoy was furious, but before he could say anything back, Snape had begun the class. Brianne, Harry and Ron practiced for Quidditch try-outs every day. Brianne was a bit nervous about Friday--she really hoped to make it on the team. She longed to play sports again. She had to miss out on half of the Beatball season last year because she broke her arm during a game. Magic medicine in the States wasn't as advanced as Britain's was, so it took weeks for her broken arm to heal.

Try-out day finally came along, and a shaking Brianne was nervously stretching out her muscles before going out onto the field to try out for a Beater position. She went to the mirror with a brush and hairtie and pulled her hair up out of her face. Seamus Finnigan waved hello to Brianne as he left the locker room. That meant she was next. Okay... I think I'm ready, she thought, taking a big sigh. Harry then came into the locker room and walked up to Brianne. "You're up," he said. "Ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

"Good luck--I know you'll do great."

"Thanks," Brianne said, facing the floor to grab her brand new Bluebottle (She saved up for it for ages). She walked up to the archway leading to the Quidditch field, mounted her broom and flew out before the House players: Harry, Ron, and Katie, the captain. Brianne flew in front of them and hovered in the air. Katie stood up and spoke. "Okay, Brianne Lecktor, correct?" Brianne nodded. "Okay, what we want you to do is hit ten bludgers through the three hoops across the field. As you know, normally bludgers are not meant to be aimed at the hoops, but we are judging on accuracy." Brianne nodded again. Katie counted to three and released the first bludger. Brianne glided through the air, hitting the bludgers with her beater and aiming them at the hoops. She did better than anyone else who tried out for the position, making 9 out of 10 hoops. Brianne flew back over to the Gryffindor team to hear what they had to say. As she was about to leave, Katie said to Brianne "Great job, and thank you for trying out. You will have notice on Monday on the results." Brianne thanked her and flew down to the ground, walking back through the arch to the locker room. Harry went back down to the locker room to inform the next person it was their turn. Before he did that, he walked to Brianne. "You did amazing."

"Thanks," Brianne said modestly.

"I just know you'll make the team. Katie was just out there saying you're the best we've seen since Fred and George were on the team."

"Well, I hope I make it. It'd be a lot of fun getting to hang out with you and Ron at practices and games. And the game just looks like so much fun! I can't wait to aim a bludger at one of them Slytherins!"

"You've only been here two weeks and you already hate the Slytherins? That was quick."

"Oh Malfoy and his gang has been giving me hell all week! I finally just had to cast a silencing charm on their mouths because I was pissed off enough--"

"Pissed? Since when did you drink?" Harry asked, looking kind of surprised. Brianne gave him a bewildered look. Where did he get that from? she thought. She kept forgetting that Britain's slang was much different than in the States. "Pissed... meaning angry?" she said. Harry finally realized what she was talking about. Damn American slang, he thought. "Oh, okay! I feel like a bloody idiot now. Pissed means 'drunk' here."

"I'll remember that for future reference," Brianne said laughing. "You better get out there. Katie will be furious!"

"Oh man! See you in a bit!" Harry said, running off to tell the next person to go out on the field to try out. Ginny Weasley was up next. Brianne gathered her bag filled with her old Beatball practice clothes and beater, wished Ginny good luck, and walked back to her dorm in Gryffindor tower. She met up with Hermione, who was working on her Arithmancy charts. Luckily, Brianne had finished her homework before going to Quidditch try-outs, so she decided it would be a good night to relax. "So how did the try-outs go?" Hermione asked.

"Pretty good! Harry told me I did well. Apparentely, Katie and Ron thought so too. Harry thinks I'll make the team!"

"That's great, Brianne!" Hermione said, with a beaming smile. Brianne thanked her bashfully. Hermione turned back to her homework, so a bored Brianne hung out with some of the boys she met during her first two weeks at Hogwarts. She was finally turning back into her spunky old self she always was at her old school. Her two best friends back home were both girls, but other than that, most of her closest friends were always boys, so she got along well with Seamus, Neville, and Dean (besides Harry and Ron, of course). She spent a lot of the night hanging out with her three newest guy friends before Harry and Ron made it back. She had a ball with them playing Exploding Snap and trying out some of Fred and George's prankster toys that some of them got over the summer in Hogsmeade village. After hearing some of the stories about these twins, she became very anxious to meet them. Ron had told her once that they had turned into quite the party animals after getting out of Hogwarts. They would work a 9-5 shift at the joke shop they owned, and then would spend the rest of the night with the guys at the Three Broomsticks for drinks. This would usually happen a couple times a week--normally on Friday and Saturday nights. Ron mentioned that one time they apparated home after drinking all night at the bar, and Mrs. Weasley was still up doing some knitting. She gave them such a scolding, but apparentely they didn't care, as they had burst out laughing when she was finished. Needless to say, Mrs. Weasley wasn't very happy about that.

Just as Harry, Ron and Katie were walking through the portrait into the common room, Brianne was wrestling Seamus Finnigan because he had given her an Every Flavor Bean flavored as a rotten egg and told her it was really lemon mirang. Dean and Neville told Harry and Ron this story as they walked in, and they doubled over laughing. They wern't sure what was more funny--Seamus' prank, or the fact he was getting his butt kicked by a girl---the new girl, no less. Ron thought he would have a little fun playing Prefect with the two wrestling 6th years. "Hem hem," Ron cleared his throat, making his best impersonation of Professor Umbridge. "I'd hate to take away house points, you two." Ron tried his best to hold in his laughter. Brianne and Seamus' eyes shot up at Ron, remembering he had the power to get them in trouble, even if he was their friend. "Ron, we wern't fighting, I swear!" Brianne pleaded.

"Oh I wasn't going to take away points for the fighting. I was going to take points from Seamus for getting his arse kicked by a girl half his size!"

"What? You don't think I could take him?" said Brianne, with a resentful tone.

"It's pretty clear you can. I just think it's bloody brilliant!"

"Oh piss off, Weasley!" said Seamus, struggling from Brianne's headlock. Brianne then turned him on his back and pinned his shoulders to the ground. Ron and Harry were now in hysterics, along with a few others that were in the common room. Brianne finally gave in and let him up. She walked over to Harry and Ron, who were still standing close by to the portrait. "You know I really wouldn't have taken points, right?"

"Of course I know that, silly!" Brianne said, giving him a playful punch. "So," she continued. "How did the rest of the try-outs go?"

"Not bad," Harry said. "We found a couple of pretty good chasers. You were one of the best beaters we had at the try-outs, although there were a couple others that wern't bad."

"Cool... I just may have a little bit of a chance, then!"

"Yep, just a little," Ron teased.

"So, you guys want to play some Exploding Snap, or would you rather go to bed a little early?" Brianne asked.

"Since we did we ever go to bed early? Let's play!" said Ron. They played quite a few rounds until very late. It was around midnight when they finally decided to turn in. She got back to her room to find an owl waiting to deliver her some mail. It must be from Mel and Dana! she thought. She quickly retrieved the letter from the owl and sat down on her bed to read it.

Dear Brianne,

You got kissed by THE Harry Potter??!! Oh my God, that is so awesome! He must be a hottie now that he's 16. You'll have to send me some pictures! So you're trying out for Quidditch, huh? Well, I wish you the best of luck. I know you'll do good though. You've always been a bit of a jock.

Glad to hear you're making new friends and having a good time there. Just don't forget about us, because we still love you! All of the guys miss you here and they've been asking about you. They told us to tell you they said hi. Alright, Mel wants to say a few words. (she's been pestering me since I began the letter!)

Hey girl, Mel here! I thought I'd add to the letter, because what kind of letter would it be without me? Anyway--Harry Potter kissed you, huh? Lucky girl! Give me all the details! Is he a good kisser? Is he as gorgeous as he looks in the Daily Prophet? Did he slip in some tongue? Come on, girl, kiss and tell!!

Speaking of which, when are you guys gonna hook up anyway? How long is it going to take before you two become an item? I know you want to take it slow, but don't wait too long! There's plenty of girls that like him as well, so don't let him lose interest!

Anyway, good luck with Quidditch. I know you'll do fine. Let us know if you made the team! Glad to hear you're making new friends. You'll have to tell us all about them when you get back here for summer. They sound like fun---we'll have to pay a little visit there, sometime. If there's any cute, single boys, send 'em our way!

Okay, Dana here again. She's such a spaz as always. Just wanted to say that we hope you're doing well out there, and hope to hear from you soon.

Love you lots!

Dana & Mel

Brianne laughed reading the letter from her best friends. They were the same crazy girls they always were. She knew they would ask for details about that kiss. Not that she minded--she was used to it by now. Brianne loved her new friends at Hogwarts, but after reading that later, she felt a little aching in her heart for her friends. She missed Mel and Dana very much, and she wished the two of them could be going to Hogwarts with her. Brianne just knew they would have loved this place. Brianne placed the letter from her friends into the drawer on her nightstand, and crawled into her bed to go to sleep.