Disclaimer: Everything in the following chapter belongs to J.K. except for the plot and the "Allucionas" spell.
Author's Note: My thanks goes out to "ifeelsmart" and "TuxedoMac" for your reviews. If anyone sees something that could be improved, send me some constructive criticism
Ch.3: Quidditch and Hogsmeade
"It's good to have you all back." Dumbledore greeted them, "and Harry, I'm glad to welcome you back as part of the staff." Dumbledore smiled at Harry, "I would have Professor McGonagal instruct you on the fine points of teaching our craft, but she's out on business for the Order. So, I'm having Professor Flitwick teach you. You will report to him on Monday morning. Seeing as it's Friday, I expect Hogsmeade would be an exceptionally good place to be for three students such as yourselves, or perhaps on the Quidditch pitch." Dumbledore smiled brightly. "Today though, you may get settled in your dormitories. Lunch is waiting for you in the Gryffindor common room." House-elves came in and grabbed their trunks. Hermione looked agitated. Dumbledore continued, "Dinner will be sent up at 7:30. I'll be seeing you around the school I suppose?" He stated his question with finality so that the students turned to walk out. "Oh, and I almost forgot. The new password is 'may-we-remember-Padfoot'." Dumbledore looked at Harry to see if he was okay. Harry just nodded and turned to walk out the door.
Hermione didn't feel like going to Hogsmeade, so Ron and Harry went down to the Quidditch pitch. Harry got out a Quaffle from the locker room and set it down in the middle of the pitch. "Let's do some warm up flight patterns, and then we'll start training your keeping skills." They took off from the ground. Harry felt like a god when on his broom. When he was on the Quidditch pitch, he was unstoppable. They fell into steep dives and sharp turns. They quickly started playing a friendly game of tag. "Better get to your rings Ron!"
"What?" But Harry wasn't there to answer. He had dove toward the Quaffle. Ron raced back to his rings, but it didn't look like he was going to make it in time. Harry had reached the Quaffle, and Ron wasn't even halfway to his goal rings. Harry started racing towards the same objective as Ron's. Harry threw the Quaffle towards the top ring. Ron heard it flying through the air and knew he didn't have time to turn around and catch it. He pulled into a tight back flip, and the tail of his broom hit the Quaffle, deflecting it into Harry's arms who had dropped down, pretending to be a Chaser. "Nice save Ron."
"You really caught me off guard there!"
"Well, as our friend, Mad-Eye would say: 'constant vigilance, Ron, constant vigilance'." The two friends shared a laugh. They practiced for a few more hours before they called it quits. "You're getting better Ron. I'm pretty sure I've improved on my Chasing skills, but you still blocked most of my shots today."
"Well, when you're in good hands." They talked all the way to the common room where the Fat Lady asked, "Password?" "May-we-remember-Padfoot," Ron answered promptly. Harry then, very solemnly, added, "May we indeed." The picture swung open, and the boys crawled through the hole that it concealed for some lunch. They devoured it ravenously. "Slow down guys," Hermione was saying, "remember, the house-elves will make more."
"Bloody hell, Hermione! Can't we lay off Spew for one year?"
"How many times do I have to tell you, it's S.P.E.W., not Spew." Harry chuckled pleasantly. "WHAT!" Ron and Hermione screamed simultaneously. "Oh nothing," Harry responded, "It's just good to be back." They stayed up late that night talking. They decided that they would visit Hogsmeade tomorrow before Harry had to start his training. All three of them fell asleep by the fire in their favorite armchairs.
When Harry woke the next morning, Ron and Hermione were already up. Breakfast appeared on the tables, and they ate hurriedly. They got ready and told Dumbledore where they were going. Once they were in Hogsmeade, they headed toward the local candy store and loaded up on their favorites. Then they went to Zonko's, but it was nothing compared to Weasly's Wizarding Wheezes. Once all their shopping was done, they resigned to the Three Broomsticks for some butterbeer. They got a cozy table in the corner and started talking as the bartender took their orders. "So how do you think your going to like teaching," Ron asked. "I think I'll like it alright, but I'm afraid that some students wont listen to me. Especially Slytherins and seventh years."
"Get rough with them. Take away points if you have to."
"Ron's right Harry. You need to be stern with them." Ron and Harry stared disbelieving at her.
"What?"
"Well," Ron replied, "it's just that .er. you never agree with me on anything." Harry nodded his agreement. "Well, Ronald, I've agreed with you every time you have been right." She got up and walked out. "Blimey, she sounds like my mother!" Harry laughed as they got up and followed Hermione.
On the way back, Harry said to Ron, "I found a spell that will help us in your Quidditch training. Maybe we could work on it for an hour or two before we go to bed? If it's okay that we leave you again Hermione." Before Hermione could answer, Ron spoke up, "I was kind of wanting to visit Hagrid tonight, Harry." "He's gone," Hermione interjected, "I checked the last time you two practiced Quidditch. And it's okay Harry, I need to go to-," "The library?" Ron asked sarcastically. "As a matter of fact, Ronald, yes. I'm dreadfully behind on the History of Magic text for this year." Ron and Harry sniggered.
15 minutes later, they were on the Quidditch pitch. "So what's this new spell you've got, Harry?"
"It's a spell that will make you see anything that I want you to see. You know how to tend the rings exceptionally. That's not your problem. Your biggest problem is performing in front of a crowd, so I'll make you see a crowd when we practice."
"So this spell makes me see things?"
"Yes. ALLUCIONAS People!" Ron started looking around. "I'm guessing that the spell worked?"
"Yes!"
"Then let's do some warm-ups." Harry threw down the Quaffle and then took off. Ron quickly followed. Harry noticed that Ron backed off quite a bit from his usual level of performance during the warm up session. Soon though, Ron was back up to speed. Harry dove for the Quaffle , but Ron was ready this time and was at his goal rings before Harry scooped up the red ball. As Harry was approaching the rings, he feinted left, rolled, then threw for the right ring. Ron made a horrible dive and completely missed the Quaffle. Ron's dive threw him off balance, and he slipped from his broom. Harry had to dive steep and hard to catch Ron in time to keep him from hitting the ground from a fifty foot fall. "That was a close one!"
"I just can't do it when people are watching."
"That's what the spell is for. That way you don't cost us points when there are real people watching."
"I guess we should run it again then."
"That's the way." They practiced for a while longer, and it got to where Ron wasn't bothered by the people anymore. Harry made it where the people sang "Weasley is Our King", but that really messed up Ron. "Alright, alright! We'll practice that another day," Harry said after Ron's pleas for mercy.
They headed off toward the castle and met Hermione on her way back from the library. All three of them got to the Gryffindor common room just in time to see food appear on the tables. The boys ate eagerly to the sounds of Hermione mumbling under her breath about house-elves. They truly were back at Hogwarts.