Chapter Ten: Tryouts and Trip-ups

The first week passed by them quickly, much more so than in previous years, Harry thought. And Ginny agreed. She and Harry were waiting on the quidditch pitch for Ron to start the tryouts. Ginny chewed her fingernails nervously while Harry whispered to her soothingly.

"It's Ron, after all. He won't turn you down."

"He will if there's someone better – I'd make him."

"There's not likely to be anyone better than you, Gin. You did great at all our practices this week. You were right up there with Angelina and Alicia. They would've been proud to fly with you. If we could have you and the two of them back, we'd be a shoe-in for the cup."

"Is Katie staying on the team?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, here she comes now. I wonder why she turned down the captaincy though." Harry watched Katie greet Ron and then turn her attention to him. She walked over and sat beside Harry and Ginny.

"So, you two gonna join us then?" she asked lightly.

"We sure hope so," Harry returned.

"Don't be daft, Harry. No one can seek like you can. We'd be off our rockers not to have you back. We only wish we could have kept you last year."

"Well, thanks to Ron and Ginny, it didn't hurt our winning streak," Harry reminded.

"No kidding. McGonagall wanted me to be captain, but I told her Ron was a better choice. He and Angelina worked together a lot before that last game. He had all kinds of ideas and strategies. Then he was brilliant in that game…" Katie trailed off and followed Ron's gate across the pitch as he planned out his tryout strategy. Harry wondered if Hermione didn't have a bit of competition. Ginny's raised eyebrow told him she was thinking along the same lines.

"'Course nothing was so spectacular as Ginny's catching the snitch right under Cho's nose. That was some pretty terrific flying if I ever saw any." Katie turned her gaze on Ginny's blushing face and smiled.

"She wasn't even paying attention," Ginny said. "Anyone could have done that."

"You were half way across the field. It's amazing you made it around all those players to catch it before it flew off again!" Katie nearly shrieked her excitement. Harry grinned proudly and Ginny turned a deeper shade of scarlet.

"You see, Gin, I told you you'd do fine!" Harry reminded her jovially.

The rest of the Gryffindor team wannabes had arrived and Ron called them all to attention.

"All right," he began, "We have two chaser positions, two beater positions, and the seeker position to fill."

"What happened to Sloper and Kirke?" Harry asked.

"They quit," Ron answered flatly, clearly not disturbed by this fact.

"All those who are trying for chaser, go to the far end of the pitch with Katie Bell."

A line of students began to move in that direction. "Well, that's me," Ginny said, and she kissed Harry's cheek and stood up.

"Good luck," he called as she walked away.

"Not that she'll need it," said Katie.

"Why's that?" Harry asked.

"You should have seen her, Harry. She's got my vote already!" Katie turned and followed the chaser wannabes to the other end of the pitch and Harry smiled after her. Playing quidditch with Ron and Ginny on the team was going to be way too much fun!

"Beaters, please choose a partner. I'll let loose one bludger and you take turns sending it toward each other through the hoops on this end. If you miss the bludger or it doesn't go through the hoop, or if it doesn't go toward your partner, you'll be disqualified. Mount your brooms and come with me."

The rest of the students stood and followed Ron and Harry noticed he was left by himself. 'Guess no one else wanted to be seeker,' he thought.

They all know you're the best.

'Keep your mind on that quaffle!' Harry scolded, but realized then how unnecessary it was for her to do so. She was spinning, quaffle tucked under her left arm, reeling headlong toward the far end goal posts. The quaffle sailed past Katie as though she were not even there, and Harry cheered and whistled.

Why thank you!

'You deserve it.'

Here it comes again! Watch this!

Harry laughed aloud as she stole the quaffle from another person and sailed away. Three others tried to catch up with her but she dove and twirled, sending them crashing into the ground, grass stains sprouting up on their robes. She swerved past another would-be opponent and tossed the quaffle in again. It soared over Katie's head and Harry let out another whoop of applause. Ginny grinned and fell back a bit from the others.

I wonder who else is any good

'Check out Abercrombie! He's little, but he's fast!'

Wow, no kidding! But he's only a second year.

Euan Abercrombie zoomed past Ginny just then, nearly throwing her off balance as he cornered around her. He hovered over her head a moment, holding the quaffle out as though daring her to try and get it from him. She took the bait and chased after him as he climbed higher. They whizzed around the pitch, leaving the others in their wake unable to catch up. Euan swished back and forth, to and fro like a little waterfall dancing over the rocks in its upturned riverbed. Ginny crossed his path several times, trying to upset his balance, but couldn't touch him. Finally Euan approached the hoops at break-neck speed and tossed in the quaffle. Ron, having finished with the beater tryouts, noticed this last goal and blew his whistle.

"Chasers please return. Beaters take your seats," he called.

When everyone had gathered again, Ron split them up into groups of five, three chasers, two beaters each, and set them to play games against each other. He observed the mini-games while Katie came and sat by Harry again.

"It's gonna be like a whole new team," she said.

"Yeah, but a good one by the looks of it," he replied.

"Did you see Abercrombie?" she asked.

"Sure did! He's really good."

"Small though."

"Who cares? I was a first year when I started, and no one gets beat up more than the seeker! Besides they can't hurt him if they can't catch him, can they?"

"You're right there, Harry. Did you see any others you thought were good?"

"There were a couple of fourth year boys, I think their names are Morley and Lamb, but they weren't nearly as good as Ginny and Euan. They are bigger, though, and didn't drop the quaffle like some of the others." Harry hoped he was convincing Katie to recommend Ginny without sounding like he was doing it only out of loyalty to his girlfriend.

"You're right," Katie agreed. "They are bigger, and not total idiots," Harry panicked a bit, and Katie laughed at the worried expression on his face, "But Ginny and Euan are unbeatable. And they'll have a time catching up with either of them! I think my mind's made up."

"What about the beaters? I didn't watch that at all," Harry admitted.

"Had your eyes on a pretty little red-head the whole time, did ya?" Katie teased, and Harry blushed in spite of himself. He grinned lazily at Ginny as she worked with her temporary teammates, and then dragged his attention back to Katie.

"I guess I can't help myself. Anyway, what about them?" He tilted his head toward the players and Ron.

"I have my money on Lincoln Portman and Anthony Dearborn. They at least hit the bludger consistently back and forth to each other without missing. The others all had to stop and run after the bludger at least once."

"Hmm, is that them on Ginny's team?" Harry asked.

"Yes, as a matter of fact. What do you think?"

"So far so good. They haven't let the bludger hit her yet, or Euan either."

Katie grinned and turned to watch the mini-game that was in progress. Ginny and Euan and their third chaser, whose name Harry didn't know, swerved and swished gracefully through the sky. Portman's bat connected with the bludger and sent it toward the opposing team. One of their chasers dodged past it, but the one with the quaffle turned away from it too late and she was caught by it on one leg. She dropped the quaffle and Ginny swooped down to catch it. Ginny tucked the quaffle under her left arm again and shot toward the goal posts. She feigned left, dodged another player as she swerved right, then ducked under Dearborn as his bat caught the bludger and sent it away again. She passed the quaffle to Euan then, and he instantly scored since Ron had been preparing for Ginny and not Euan.

Harry and Katie cheered and Ron blew his whistle. One of the players that Harry didn't know picked up the quaffle and brought it back. Then Ron changed the teams and started again. This time Ginny was paired with Seamus and Dean with two third years as beaters. Her team was sent up to play against Euan's. Portman and Dearborn were among the spectators. Harry worried about Ginny getting hit without them there, but his worries were soon abated. Whether her beater teammates hit the bludgers away or not, Ginny seemed to swerve past them with ease. The game ended at Ron's whistle with the two teams tied at forty points each. Ron directed the players to return to the bleachers and Harry soon found himself surrounded by them all. He looked around for Ginny and spotted her talking with Euan. He made his way through the crowd so he could congratulate her.

"You did really well," she was saying to Euan.

"Not as well as you, though. You're amazing."

Ginny blushed and grinned. She turned to Harry and smiled as he approached her.

He took her hand in his and whispered in her ear, "Looks like you've got an admirer there."

"You're not jealous are you?" Ginny whispered back.

"Only of your flying! Where'd you learn to do all of that? I thought you were good in practice, but that was amazing!"

Ginny smiled but turned her attention toward Ron who was concluding the tryouts with a nice little speech.

"…You all did just fine. I'll be posting the results in the common room in one week. Please don't ask me before then." The players all groaned and stood to leave. Harry, Ginny, and Katie held back, intending to help Ron put away the ball crate and brooms.

"You didn't test me," Harry said as Ron came over to them.

"There was no one for you to compete against. Don't worry Harry. You're in."

"Thanks, Ron," Harry chuckled, and he helped him lift the ball crate into the broom shed. They deposited it on the floor and went to gather the brooms. When they had finished the four of them walked back to the castle together. Katie waved goodbye to them at the Entrance Hall and Harry, Ron and Ginny went in search of Hermione.

"She'll be in the library," Ron said knowingly. "She always sits in there when we have quidditch practices. She watches from the window and pretends to read." They turned down the corridor and headed into the library, and sure enough, there she sat, a book in one hand, the other absently playing with her hair as she read.

"Hermione," Harry called, and she looked up suddenly, as though startled to see them there.

"Oh, are you done already?" she asked.

"Mione, I saw you watching from the window." Ron looked fit to burst with laughter. Hermione feigned an offended look.

"I only watched for a moment," she huffed. Ron's smile grew wider and he took a step closer to Hermione. He put one arm around her waist and the other he used to tickle her ribs. "Stop Ron…oh gosh, no, stop!"

Madame Pince came by then and sent them all out. They laughed when they reached the corridor, and Ron continued his tickle torture.

"OK, Ok," Hermione gasped. "I admit it. I watched the whole thing."

"So what do you think?" Ron asked her pointedly.

"I think Ginny and that second year are your best bets. The beaters, though, I don't know their names. They were fourth years I think."

"Portman and Dearborn?" Harry offered.

"Yes, I think that's them," Hermione agreed.

"Then it looks like we're all in agreement," Ron shrugged, then added, "I hope we win this year."

"Did any of you notice," Harry asked thoughtfully, "that the Slytherin team didn't show up to taunt us this time? When has Malfoy ever missed an opportunity to throw insults at us?"

"Maybe we just caught him by surprise," Ron suggested. "He probably wasn't expecting us to hold tryouts so soon."

"That wouldn't have stopped him last year," Ginny remarked.

"Maybe he's sick or something," Hermione mused. "Perhaps we should check the hospital wing?"

"Let's just count our lucky stars he wasn't there and leave it at that," Ron said.

"I'm with Hermione," Harry said, suddenly stopping in front of them and causing Ron to run into his back.

"Oof! Hey, what are you…" Ron began, but Harry had already turned left and was headed toward the hospital wing. "Harry, where are you going?"

"Come on. Let's find out what that slime ball is up to!" Harry replied, almost running now in his haste, hoping to discover the cause of Malfoy's non-appearance. 'Maybe he's…."

The four friends rounded the last corner into the hospital wing and peered in through the windows on the main door. It seemed to be empty but for a first year who looked more homesick than anything. Disappointed, Harry skulked back down the hallway toward the Great Hall for dinner.

"Oh, Harry, you're being just like him, hoping to catch him up to something," Ginny scolded. Harry knew she was right, but he still resented being compared to Malfoy.

"I'm not trying to catch him up to something," Harry lied.

"Ok and I'm not the first Weasley girl in several generations either," she reprimanded him.

"All right, I admit it, but…" But he really could not think of a decent excuse. He scowled at the floor and continued onward.

"Harry, look," Ron suddenly stopped and pointed down a passing corridor. Harry looked up searching for what Ron had spotted.

"What?" he asked irritably, not seeing what Ron was getting at.

"Malfoy…" Ron said in a low quiet voice.

Harry looked closer. A wisp of white blonde hair poked out from behind a large statue. Harry raised one finger to his lips and motioned for the others to stay where they were. He inched his way quietly toward the wisp of hair. As he got closer he could eventually make out Malfoy's cheek and shoulder, a foot, and then the left leg. He suddenly realized that Malfoy wasn't moving at all. He seemed to be stunned or something. 'Probably tried to duel someone and got the unlucky end of it,' he thought.

Is he ok, Harry?

"I think you guys better come down here," Harry said, unable to conceal the worry in his voice. "We better get him to Madame Pomfrey."

He heard Hermione gasp as she approached the still and battered form of their long time enemy. Ron muttered something unintelligible under his breath, for which Hermione elbowed him in the ribs, and Ginny stooped down to survey the damage more carefully.

"This doesn't look like the sort of thing a student would do," she said, her mouth turned down in a frown as she lifted one of Malfoy's arms and placed it on her own shoulder. Harry did the same on Malfoy's other side, and together they hoisted him up.

"We'll take him down there and meet you two in the Great Hall," Harry told Ron and Hermione.

"Are you sure you don't want us to come along, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"We'll be fine. What can he do to us if he isn't even conscious?" Hermione still looked worried, but Harry shrugged her off. "If we're not back to the Great Hall in twenty minutes, come look for us."

"All right, Harry," Ron said, taking Hermione's arm and steering her away. "See ya down there."

Harry and Ginny pulled the unconscious Malfoy down the corridor and into the hospital wing. Ginny levitated him up onto a bed while Harry went to find Madame Pomfrey. She clucked and tisked all the way from her office to Malfoy's bedside.

"Dueling in the corridors again I suppose. I should get the headmaster down here to deal with the two of you."

"We just found him like that, honest," Ginny defended, "We were just on our way down to the Great Hall from the library when we saw him. Besides, dueling wouldn't do that to his face!"

Madame Pomfrey took a closer look at the bruises and scrapes on Malfoy's pale face and drew in her breath a bit. "I don't know what happened here, but I think one of you had better go and get Professor Dumbledore."

"I'll go," said Harry. He dashed up the stairs to the gargoyle statue, tossed out a few sweet names and finally managed to reveal the staircase when he said "Canary Creams." Harry bounded up the spiral steps and rapped on the door at the top.

"Come in," he heard Professor Dumbledore say.

Harry stepped in quietly. He surveyed the office quickly, taking notice that all of Dumbledore's little silver instruments had been repaired and placed on the desk as before. "Professor, Madame Pomfrey needs to see you," Harry finally explained, "We found Malfoy in a corridor near the Great Hall. He doesn't look too good. We don't know what happened."

"Let's go and see," the aged headmaster said, and they walked in silence back to the hospital wing.

"May I be of some assistance to you, Madame Pomfrey?" Dumbledore said as they entered the room.

"I've given him noni juice and some willow bark, but I need some phoenix tears for the face, Professor," she responded, not looking away from the injured Slytherin.

"You're in luck. I just collected some this morning," Dumbledore smiled and pulled a crystal vile out of his robes. "I was going to bring this by after dinner. It should be enough."

"Thank you, Albus," she said, and promptly opened the vile and spread a few drops of the milky liquid on her fingers before smoothing it carefully over Malfoy's face.

"Now there's just the matter of how Mr. Malfoy came to be in this condition in the first place," said the wise old professor. "Can you enlighten us any, Harry?"

"We found him this way," Harry said, "I have no idea what happened. We had just been talking about how he didn't show up to taunt us at our quidditch tryouts. We were on our way to dinner. He was just lying there, behind that big statue of Uric the Oddball."

"I see. Well, perhaps Mr. Malfoy can enlighten us more," said the professor, and then he turned his wand on the prone boy. "Enervate," he muttered. Malfoy's eyes fluttered open and he suddenly sat up. His face was contorted in rage and fear and his eyes held a fire Harry had never seen before.

"What happened, where is Parvati?" Malfoy asked.