Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Madam Pomfrey had assured the Gryffindor Quidditch team that Ginny would make a full recovery, but that she was also likely to miss their final match against Ravenclaw. Harry couldn't help feeling sorry for the team as he left the hospital wing with Katie and Bailey. But Harry knew they must be feeling far worse than he did.

"It'll be my fault if we lose won't it?" said Bailey "Great player I am. Putting one of my team mates in the hospital wing so she can't play"

"Madam Pomfrey didn't say Ginny was definitely going to miss our match against Ravenclaw. She might be OK" said Katie without any conviction in her voice.

"You might be able to win without a Seeker" said Harry in the same non convincing tone Katie had used. "I mean it's possible. Ireland did it at the World Cup"

"Yeah we'll just make sure we stay a hundred and sixty points instead of Ravenclaw" said Katie in a tone of voice that indicated such a thing was impossible. "Whoever made up the rules..."

"Rowling" Bailey interrupted her.

"What?" said Katie.

"Rowling" said Bailey "She invented Quidditch so she made up the rules didn't she?"

"Yeah well she should change the rule that says you can't have substitutes" said Katie "Well, I have homework to do". Katie stalked off in the direction of the Gryffindor common room. Bailey wandered off a few seconds later leaving Harry alone.

"Hey, Harry!"

Ron and Hermione were coming down the corridor.

"Harry, Hermione said you were looking for me in the kitchens" said Ron "said you were hungry"

"I changed my mind" said Harry, silently thanking JK Rowling for giving him the ability to lie quickly as he did so. "I thought I'd go and watch Gryffindor's Quidditch practice"

"So you saw what happened to Ginny" said Ron.

"Sort of" said Harry "How do you know anyway?"

"McGonagall just told me" said Ron pushing open the double doors of the hospital wing. Harry and Hermione followed him in.

"I want to see my sister" said Ron as Madam Pomfrey came bustling up to the three of them.

"Not now, Weasley" said Madam Pomfrey in a firm but friendly voice. "Come back after dinner. She should be awake then"

"Why'd Rowling make Ginny get knocked out?" questioned Ron as they walked away from the hospital wing.

"She'll have her reasons" said Hermione logically.

It seemed that JK Rowling did, indeed, have her reasons for Ginny's accident as Harry found out when he entered the Great Hall for dinner that evening. He had barely sat down when he was almost yanked out of his seat by Katie Bell.

"Harry, come with me. I want to talk to you"

"What's she got to say to me that she can't say here?" thought Harry as Katie dragged him out of the hall. He was so confused that he didn't even notice Pansy Parkinson and her gang of Slytherin girls whispering and pointing. Katie found an empty classroom and half threw Harry inside. She had the same look in her eyes that Hermione often had when she got started on something like S.P.E.W

"I've just been to see McGonagall to tell her about Ginny's accident" said Katie excitedly

"Right" said Harry.

"Well you know she wants Gryffindor to win the cup, but obviously we don't have much chance if we haven't got a Seeker" said Katie

"Er" said Harry wondering why Katie was possibly telling him this.

"Anyway" she went on "I asked if I could use another player..."

"But substitutes aren't allowed" said Harry.

"It's not a substitute, it's just a change to the line up" said Katie "There's a difference. Well anyway, I asked McGonagall if we could have you and she agreed"

"YOU'RE JOKING!" shouted Harry.

"No I'm not" said Katie. "So, Harry, will you play?"

"Course I will"

The Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw took place a week later. Harry was feeling confident as he marched onto the pitch. The Ravenclaw team approached from the other side. Harry spotted Cho Chang among them. He had forgotten that she would be playing. She seemed to be taken aback by the sight of Harry on the pitch and avoided looking at him. Harry was not bothered in the least by this. In fact, it had it's advantages. Cho appeared to be so intent on avoiding him, that Harry was able to look for the Snitch with very little interference. He caught it after about ten minutes securing the Quidditch cup for Gryffindor. Cho threw Harry a dirty look as the rest of the Gryffinor team converged on him. As they landed more Gryffindors were sprinting onto the pitch. Harry was almost flattened by people rushing to shake his hand. Five minutes later the cup had been awarded and the crowd was slowly returning to the castle.

"Congratulations, Harry" said a voice behind him.

Harry turned around. Luna Lovegood was standing there. "You played a really good game" she said.

"Er thanks, Luna" said Harry. It felt strange to be congratulated by a Ravenclaw when he had just beaten them. But the day's surprises were not over. At dinner that evening Professor Dumbledore made an announcement.

"There will be one more Quidditch match this year"

Whispering broke out among the students. When it stopped Dumbledore continued. "The match will take place at two o'clock one week from tomorrow. Tryouts begin at eight o'clock tomorrow morning. Anyone who wishes to try out is welcome to do so"

"I'm going for it" whispered Harry. Next to him Ron nodded vigorously.

The next morning it seemed as if every student in the school who owned a broomstick was at the tryouts. Several others had turned up just to watch. Harry spotted the Gryffindor Beaters, Bailey and Kirby. But when he looked at them again Bailey had vanished. Madam Hooch had asked everyone trying out to indicate which postion they wished to play and was now calling people at random to try out. Ron was among the first to be called.

"If you're playing we might as well forfeit now" said Malfoy loudly as Ron stepped into the middle of the pitch. Ron's ears turned red. Ron missed his first goal causing the Slytherins, led by Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson, to sing a loud chorus of Weasley is our King. Ron left the pitch not much later. As much as Harry hated to admit it, Malfoy flew quite well when he got his turn to try out. Crabbe was hopless. About half an hour later Harry's name was called with a group of others including Goyle. Harry saw Malfoy whisper something to Goyle which he felt could not be good. Sure enough no sooner were they in the air when Goyle swung at Harry's head with his club. Harry ducked just in time and Madam Hooch blew her whistle. After speaking very sternly to Goyle and taking ten points from Slytherin she ordered him to leave the pitch.

"The team will be posted in the entrance hall later today" said Madam Hooch when tryouts had finished. Several students found excuses to walk across the entrance hall that day. Finally a notice appeared in the late afternoon. Harry, Ron and Hermione went to read it.

SEEKER: Harry Potter

KEEPER: Ian

CHASERS: Katie Bell

Lucas Mitchell

Zacharias Smith

BEATERS: Martin Kirby

T

Please see Madam Hooch.

Harry ran upstairs to Madam Hooch's office. Zacharias Smith was already there along with another Hufflepuff player whose name Harry didn't know.

"Congratulations, all of you" said Madam Hooch when everyone had arrived. "Now as you know you will be playing in a Quidditch match one week from today. It will be up to you to choose your team captain and organise practices. You'll also have to think of a team name and give me a design for your robes by the end of the day. Any questions?"

"Yeah who are we playing against?" asked Zacharias.

"Some of our former students have put a team together" said Madam Hooch "You'll find out who they are on the day of the match. If there are no further questions you may go"

"Former students, that could mean anyone" said Kirby just after they left Madam Hooch's office "I mean Barry Ryan and Aidan Lynch went to Hogwarts didn't they"

"Probably, but I don't think that's who she means" said Harry. "Well should we get started?"

"What do you mean get started?"

"You know decide on a name, work out what design we want for our robes, choose a captain. That sort of thing"

The rest of the team nodded and they agreed to meet in the library in ten minutes time. Harry collected some quills, ink and parchment and went to meet his team mates. They decided to choose a name and pick their robes first.

"Any ideas?" asked Harry. "Has anyone got a favourite animal or something"

"Well I er I like Salamanders" said Mitchell hesitantly. "I mean they're interesting. But it doesn't sound right for a Quidditch team"

"We might as well write it down" said Harry unscrewing the lid on his ink bottle. He dipped his quill into the bottle accidentally spilling a few drops on the table as he pulled it out. "Won't be a second. I'll clean this up first"

Harry pulled out his wand and pointed it at the ink spots. "Scourgify" The ink vanished Harry went to put his wand back in his pocket and was struck by a sudden thought "Phoenixes!" he said.

"That's good, Harry said Ian. "How did you think of that one?"

"My wand has a phoenix feather core" Harry explained. They agreed to call themselves the Phoenixes and settled on black robes with a phoenix surrounded by flames on the back and a smaller phoenix on the front. But none of them was particularly good at drawing.

"We could ask someone" said Harry.

"What about Dean Thomas in your year, Harry? He's good at drawing isn't he?" asked Kirby.

"Yeah I'll ask him" said Harry "Well I s'pose we need to choose a captain. Do you want to vote for it?"

"I vote for Harry" said Zacharias quickly. "Anyone else?"

To Harry's great surprise five hands shot into the air. Organising practices was easy. They just agreed to practice every evening between five and six for the next week and all day on Saturday. Harry was so excited about this upcoming match that he forgot to worry about something bad happening.