Author: Lenuvira Dostar
R-English-Romance/Adventure Pg. 11
Summary of events: So far Harry spent the summer with the Dursley's. The Order members came to visit him once and left. On the way to Hogwarts Harry had a fight with Draco on the Hogwarts Express. Ron, Hermione and Draco got made Head Boy and Girl of their house. Ginny has been training to be chaser on the house team and Draco's father is in Azkaban along with other death eaters. Let the adventure continue;)
Chapter two-Falling through the rising odds
Someone I am,
is waiting for my courage.
The one I want,
the one I will be come will catch me…
So let me fall,
if I must fall.
I won't heed your warnings,
I won't hear them.
-Let me fall, Josh Groban
Much had happened since Harry had left the Dursley's and had gone home to Hogwarts. Ron, Hermione and him, where kept busy for a while ever since they had gotten back. Ron and Hermione where constantly occupied with their Head Boy and Girl duties, just as Fred and George had predicted. Harry on the other hand, had been extremely busy with Quidditch.
After the Dursley's had been forced to let Harry out of his room, Harry had gotten a big package from the Weasley's, they had taken the freedom of sending him his books for the term, along with a good amount of money from his vault in Gringotts. Attached to the package was a congratulations letter from the whole family, on what, Harry didn't have the slightest idea, until a handsome screech owl arrived a day later with a letter from Professor McGonagall, Head of his house.
Dear Mr. Potter,
I am extremely pleased to have the privilege of informing you that you have been chosen to be the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain. With this enormous honor, comes the ability to schedule team practices, come up with plays for the team and enforce the rules to your team members. Also there is need for two more Gryffindor chasers, consequently you will then need to head the tryouts and see to it that the best possible candidate is chosen to fill these positions, the team as of now stand as such,
Captain & Seeker Harry Potter
Keeper Ronald Weasley
Chasers Katie Bell, (two positions open)
Beaters Jack Sloper & Andrew Kirke
You will also take note that you have the option of choosing a Co-Captain to help you with any of the things necessary for the teams' success in this up coming term. Once again I congratulate you and hope that you will exercise this privilege with responsibility.
Deputy Head Mistress, & Head of Gryffindor House-
Minerva M. McGonagallHarry had been completely taken aback by this, considering the fact that last year he had been placed under a life time ban of quidditch. Yet seeing the roster of this year made him remember that Ginny had resigned her post on the team, and was to be trying out for the chaser position, and that had left the seeker position open for him once more.
The rest of the vacation he had spent working out plays for the team and contacting all the team members, with the help of Hedwig. Each member of the team had congratulated him as well, and was looking forward to the start of the school year. Ron had confirmed that yes, Ginny had quit the seeker position and that him, Fred and George where now training her to be a chaser. Harry wished her the best of luck and had taken the time to ask Ron if he would like to be Co-Captain of the team.
He hadn't gotten a reply back from his friend until his birthday, the gifts of his friends arriving by owl in the middle of the night. First came Ron and Hermione's gift, they had both pitched in and bought Harry a quidditch playbook. Inside the cover of the black leather binding was the roster of the team, with Co-Captain written next to Ron's name. The sight of that making Harry feel more at ease with the decision that had made him Captain. Just knowing that his friend would be by his side helping him out, made things a whole lot better.
The next gift to arrive was Hagrid's, it was a small birthday cake and a good-sized carving knife. Once again the note attached congratulated him on his new position on the team, and wished him a Happy Birthday. The Weasley's had sent him a small birthday cake as well and to his dismay the other Order members had sent him gifts also.
Tonks had sent him a book of spells to keep his Firebolt in the best condition possible, and a copy of Quidditch through the ages. Remus, a Defense against the Dark arts book, for advanced levels. Harry didn't know why, since most of the books he would need for school would have these spells in it. However once he looked at the schoolbook list he noticed that the book for Defense against the Dark arts, was the one that Remus had given him and that coincidentally, the Weasley's hadn't gotten him a copy of this book. Guessing correctly he assumed that Dumbledore had hired Remus for the job of Professor again. It was really no surprise to Harry, considering the fact that he was the only teacher to have made it through one year in that position with out being traumatized out of there wits, being given permanent amnesia, locked in a trunk for the whole year, or killed. It made sense for Remus to come and teach that class, apart from the fact that he was the best teacher any of them had ever had.
The next gift that had come for Harry was from Moody, it was a small glass sphere that hung by a thick gold chain. Attached to it was not a congratulations note or even a Happy Birthday, but rather something Moody would call, useful. The small sphere was about the size of a marble, clear glass that was warm to the touch. The note read,
Potter,
This is an allemotion globe, it's small I know, but highly useful. You can find better use for it when you start training to be an auror, if that is still what you want. There are only two in existence, I was owner of both at one time, currently Dumbledore has one and you the other. What it does, is glow with different colors according to the emotion someone is feeling. It's magic is centered around empathy, and you might say it senses the auras of the people around you and analyzes them, as well as your own. Use it wisely and exercise caution with it. Don't let anyone but your most trusted friends know about it, and even that I would warn you against. Good luck at school, and use your head.
Moody
Placing it around his neck Harry had observed it for a long time and noticed that it glowed at the moment with a faint pink light. Hedwig was perched on his shoulder, and rubbing herself on his cheek, he guessed that the pink color might be because of what Hedwig was feeling. What the other colors that it might change to where and stood for, Harry didn't know, Moody hadn't said anything about that.
Getting up from his bed, he put away his gifts and cards in his school trunk. Digging deeper he got out a bit of parchment, ink and a quill and started to write back to Moody asking him, what the different colors where and what they stood for. Once he was finished and the ink had dried up, he felt Hedwig beat her wings in anticipation of another delivery and fastened the note to her outstretched leg. Opening the window he watched as the snowy owl disappeared into the night sky. It wasn't long before she came back with an extremely short note from Moody saying,
Potter
Well use your head boy, didn't I tell you that already? That's for you to figure out, even if I did know all the emotions and it's colors I wouldn't tell you. I will tell you this, the more intense the emotion the brighter the glow.
Moody
"Thanks Moody, load of help that was."
Grumbling about what Moody had written, he looked once more at the marble like sphere that hung at his neck. It was glowing dimly at the moment, so faint he could barely make out that it was a hue of purple.
Tucking it under his shirt he had kept it close to him at all times, not telling a soul of what he had and who had given it to him. As far as he knew, only Moody, him and possibly Dumbledore knew about this.
Across the time he had left at the Dursley's, he had copied down his plays for quidditch in his new play book, kept a piece of parchment in his pocket with a list of all the colors he could think of, and the emotions he thought they might be, as the globe sparkled to each of his own feelings.
As time passed, Harry had started to forget that he was wearing something so rare and special right above his heart. The faint weight of the globe had become so much a part of him, that he didn't even feel the faint burning of the marble size glass ball when a faint emotion was spreading over him or someone near him. He only remembered that he wore it when it blazed with an intense feeling along with the strong emotions it was sensing, like he was feeling it now.
Looking under his robes, his eyes where flooded with a golden light coming off of the sphere above his chest. Placing his hand over it he knew what that emotion was, pride. Looking up into the air he took the whistle in his left hand and brought it up to his lips. Giving it a sharp blow every broom in the air halted, and the quaffle dropped through the air. Harry was right under it and reaching out his hand, he grasped it with a firm grip in his right hand. Motioning to everyone in the air to come down, he stood waiting for them in the center of the quidditch pitch.
He was proud of everyone that had come out to tryout for the two chaser positions, especially Ginny, she had shown great skill and talent at handling the quaffle and shooting through the other players. Her maneuvering skills where impeccable and her small size was used as an advantage to her. The rest of those that had tried out where not that bad, but some could use all the help they could get.
Among those that had turned up to tryout for the Gryffindor quidditch team, had come as quite a surprise to Harry, such as Neville. No offense to his friend, but Harry thought he should stick to Herbology. Another one of his dorm mates that had shown up and demonstrated great promise was Seamus.
The boy had also maneuvered well through the air on his broom, handling the quaffle with easy. He wasn't as agile as Ginny, but he had more strength than her, and together, Harry thought they would be quite good indeed. There where others though had to be taken into consideration of course, but none really compared to Seamus and Ginny.
What Harry really was curious about though, was why Neville had come to try out in the first place. He knew the boy didn't really like flying, and after the first years flying lessons, Harry honestly couldn't blame him at all. Remembering the first time he had ridden on a broom brought another feeling over him, as he went through the moment when Malfoy had thrown Neville's rememberall and had in a way, gotten Harry to be on the team in the first place, speaking of the Slytherin.
At the opposite end of the field as Harry was congratulating every one on there good efforts and telling them that the decision would be posted on the weekend in the bulletin board, a small wave of green was approaching the gathering of the Gryffindors. At the head of the Slytherin mass was Draco Malfoy, the Slytherin Quidditch Captain. They where also having chaser tryouts and where scheduled to be right after the Gryffindors. Harry immediately saw that Malfoy was headed straight towards them and stepping through the assembled housemates, Harry placed himself in between the Slytherin and his own house members, Ron at his side.
The Slytherins stayed behind Draco as he approached Potter and stopped right in front of the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain. A hush fell upon the entire crowd as the two boys faced off once more, just like they had on the train. A warm almost burning feeling was flowing over Harry starting from the middle of his chest and radiating out. He could feel the small sphere glowing brightly underneath his quidditch robes, and assumed that it was the anger and hatred that he felt for the other boy.
The two Captains didn't say a word but started to herd there charges around each other as the Gryffindors left the field and the Slytherins took to the air. Harry looked at Draco with a piercing gaze, and with one swift and sharp movement threw the quaffle over at the other boy. Draco caught it with an equal amount of dexterity and raised an eyebrow at his opponent. Turning around Harry started to lead the Gryffindors out and towards the castle. A sharp blow of another whistle told Harry that the quaffle had been released by Draco, and that their tryouts had begun. With each step he took he felt the heat of the sphere recede as he put more distance in between him and the Slytherin. With out warning, he suddenly stopped on the steps towards the castle, he felt Neville slam into him and fall back, hitting the ground,
"Oooff."
Turning around he saw Ron lend a hand to help his dorm mate up as Harry looked at the small crowd, then back at the quidditch pitch saying,
"I've changed my mind, the list of the two that made it to the team will be up tomorrow. We need to start practices as soon as possible if we want to beat Slytherin in our first match. Is that ok by every one?"
Everyone in front of Harry gave an eager and excited nod, as he smiled at them, still keeping his eyes on the swooping figures of those in the quidditch pitch. Spinning around on his heels Harry started to head back up to the Gryffindor tower, his quidditch robes waving behind him a bit with each step he took.
Flipping through the notes on each player that he had taken through out the tryouts, he didn't notice that he was walking straight at Professor Lupin, who was walking down the halls and smiling at the figure of Harry, immersed in his notes. Hitting the man square in the chest as he walked right into him, Harry staggered back a bit and was received by a warm smile from his teacher. Returning the gesture, the rest of the Gryffindors, lead by Ron started to disperse, seeing that Harry would probably want to talk a bit with the Defense against the Dark arts Professor. Not noticing that the people around him where leaving, Harry nodded at Professor Lupin and said,
"Sorry Re…I mean Professor. I was reading through my notes and, didn't notice where I was going."
The smile on the tired young face widened a bit as Lupin looked down at Harry.
"That's quite alright Harry, what notes where you reading through? Not potions for my guess, I dare say you're not that eager to be reading through them in the middle of the hall."
Laughing at the teacher's comment he nodded and started to walk in the opposite direction, beside Remus.
"No, not potions, I was just coming back from the quidditch team tryouts. I was looking over the notes I took on each persons performance and such."
Nodding at Harry with a faint and distant look in his eyes, he was sharply reminded of the boy's father and how he too had been just like the boy in front of him. Always immersed in something, and more often than not, quidditch. Lupin motioned for Harry to enter his office as he held the door open for the Gryffindor. Going through the door Harry looked around at the room as he made his way to one of the comfortable chairs in front of Lupin's desk. Remus busied himself with a pot of tea and after a while, started to pore some for Harry as the boy looked through his notes once more.
They both sat down and started to drink the warm liquid in each others company, while Harry described each persons performance and who would probably be best for the team, Remus giving his input here and there. They both sat there for a good amount of time discussing quidditch and the quidditch plays Harry had planed out. The hands in the clock swiftly passed by, and the two in the room continued to laugh and debate with each other over the notes on the parchment in Harry's script.
The roar of the excited crowd outside flowed through the air and met Harry's ears inside the quidditch changing rooms while he gave his team the pre-game pep talk. Ginny and Seamus shifting eagerly and excitedly next to each other in between Ron and Andrew, one of the beaters.
They had both been ecstatic in being placed into the team, and Neville had readily congratulated Ginny and Seamus as there names where placed on the bulletin board by Ron in the house common room.
The practices that followed had been vigorous and tiring, but very good nonetheless. Ginny and Seamus worked in perfect harmony with Katie as they passed the quaffle here and there making there way towards the goal posts, only to be blocked by Ron.
Harry had started to feel hopeless with the beaters as they kept coming up on the bludgers clumsily and hitting them in incorrect angels towards their targets. Harry didn't know how to train them, so he had owled Fred and George for help. Instead of an owl however, they came in person, saying that they needed to make the trip anyways, since they where opening another one of there joke shops at Hogsmead.
They had helped Harry train the two current beaters as best they could, with the approval of Dumbledore and McGonagall of course. Consequently Jack and Andrew got more practice than the rest of the team, but the hard work paid off in the end. Sure they where nowhere near as good as Fred and George had been, but they where getting better. They now where cleaner on their brooms as they flew at the bludgers, and now they hit them accurately in the direction they intended them to go in, instead of at their own chasers.
Harry ended his talk and wished his team the best of luck. He had no worries with his team now really, Ron had over come his fear of the crowd entirely, and Ginny, Seamus and Katie had been good under pressure. Harry was a bit anxious with Jack and Andrew but after remembering that they where against Crabbe and Goyle, he started to feel much better. As they made there way to the door of the pitch, the noise started to rise outside as they waited behind the field opening. Ginny and Seamus at Harry's sides, smiling at both of them he whispered,
"You'll be perfectly fine. Just do what you do best."
He received a warm appreciative smile from Ginny and a relaxed grin from Seamus. Mounting their brooms the doors burns open and the roar of the crowd blasted to its full volume. Harry pushed off the ground and went soaring into the clear blue sky, the voice of the new announcer, Colin Creevey, booming through the air proclaiming their names to everyone in the stands,
"Here they are ladies and gentlemen, the Gryffindor quidditch team. Chasers are Ginny Weasley, Seamus Finnigan, and Katie Bell. Keeper and Co-Captain, Ron Weasley, Beaters Jack Sloper and Andrew Kirke, and the one, the only, the best Captain Gryffindor has ever had and will ever have….
"Creevey! Honestly your just as bad as Jordan."
McGonagall's stern voice cut through Colin's ranting of his idol before he continued,
"Sorry Professor…Harry Potter. Also the best seeker ever to have played in …."
"Creevey, the Slytherin team!"
Harry couldn't help but laugh at the voices of his Head of house and his housemate as they where magically magnified so that the whole stands could hear them. At the bottom of the pitch Harry saw Madam Hooch come out with the case of the different quidditch balls as he and his team made a couple of laps around the pitch for warm up. The Slytherin team was announced with less enthusiasm from Harry's fellow Gryffindor, and the air was now filled with scarlet and emerald robes waving like banners on the speeding brooms.
A whistle blew and Madam Hooch motioned to the teams in the middle of the pitch, her broom in one hand and the whistle in the other. The fourteen players touched down on opposite sides of the referee. Looking at the two teams, Madam Hooch reminded them of the rules and such as she kicked the crate on the floor open. The bludgers flew out immediately as the lid popped open. The snitch joined them as it fluttered for a moment in front of Harry and then Draco. The two seekers looked at the golden walnut sized ball as it sped off into the air. Madam Hooch stooped down and picked up the quaffle, turning to both the captains of the team as she said in a slightly tense voice,
"Now, shake hands, and mount your brooms. On my whistle the game will begin."
Harry looked at the steely eyes across from him and he felt the small orb under his chest glow intensely once more. Tentatively reaching out his hand it was as if the whole stadium had been put on mute. Everyone was holding their breaths as the two captains reached out towards each other and grasped each other's hands. A heat was washing over Harry as he tried not to break the other boys hand in his grip, the sphere was glowing so intensely under his robes that it almost burned his skin.
Releasing his opponents hand Harry mounted his Firebolt with out taking his eyes off of Malfoy. The volume had returned to normal all around the stands and as the two teams mounted their brooms, following there captains lead they got ready to take off.
A sharp blast of the whistle went off and Harry knew no more as he pushed off from the ground. He saw Ginny weave in and take hold of the red quaffle first, as it was thrown high in the air by Madam Hooch. Speeding through the other chasers she passed to Seamus who was ahead of her a bit. Ron was already at his post by the goal and Harry hovered high up in the air away from the chaos of the two teams attempting to fight over the quaffle.
A bludger came his way from Crabbe but was hit back by one of his own beaters. Smiling at the swift reaction of the beater Harry nodded in compliment to him, as Jack looked back at his captain. The game was going well, Ginny had scored the first goal and was making very good passes to Seamus and Katie. So far the Slytherin team had only gotten possession of the quaffle twice. Both times being stopped from making a goal by Ron, who reacted with a swift confidence and agility.
"Gryffindor in possession once more, Weasley weaving in and out through the other team. Aaahhh watch out, the bludger the bludger…"
Colin's voice ran out in panic as a bludger came speeding at Ginny, being sent her way from Goyle. She rolled over in the air avoiding the canon like ball, but loosing her grip on the quaffle. The Gryffindor crowd booed as the quaffle fell and was caught by one of the Slytherin chasers.
"Slytherin team in possession now, moving swiftly towards the goal…"
The bludger however had changed its course as it was hit by Andrew. It now sped through the air straight at the chaser who was oblivious to it. A dull thud was heard as the black speeding ball made contact with the chasers arm.
"Nice hit by Kirke from Gryffindor, you deserved that you…."
"Creevey!"
"Sorry Professor."
The quaffle was now falling once more, this time it was Seamus who caught it and tossed it up to Ginny who was speeding towards the other end of the pitch. The Slytherin chaser appeared to be Ok, but looked sore as he rubbed his arm forcefully.
"Gryffindor in possession once more and its Finnigan to Weasley, to Bell. There they go…. coming upon the goal post now!"
They where speeding towards the goal, all three in the formation Harry recognized immediately to be one of his trick plays, the Slytherin chasers right on their tail. Katie was still holding the quaffle as she got closer and closer to their destination; Seamus dropped back and Ginny speed up as Katie pretended to drop the quaffle on accident,
"Oh, no…. that was ……hang on, yes. YES!"
Ginny had grabbed the quaffle and had put it through the bottom hop effortlessly at the last moment. Speeding back towards her teammates Ginny flew in the opposite direction ready for the quaffle once more.
"The score is, Gryffindor 50, Slytherin 0!"
At that moment of joy and pride at his team Harry saw it. The crowd was not paying attention, the Gryffindors where shouting with joy and the Slytherins booing in anger. To his right Harry saw the gold flash by the base of the Hufflepuff stands. The snitch was hovering calmly among the yellow of the house colors, and if the sun hadn't made it sparkle, Harry honestly wouldn't have seen it. Looking around Harry saw that Malfoy was a good distance away from him, yelling orders at his team. Harry's own team was looking at him, and giving them the thumbs up he started to dive, going into a free fall as he speed through the air heading towards the walnut sized ball.
There was a sharp intake from the crowd as Harry plummeted and a cheer rang through the Gryffindor crowd. Draco had noticed the Gryffindors sharp move and was leaning his whole body on the broom handle, urging his broom to go faster at the other seeker, his team completely forgotten.
The rest of the Gryffindor team took advantage of the distraction and started to pass the quaffle with ease through the Slytherins and coming upon the goal post just as Harry was reaching his hand out towards the snitch.
"Gryffindor in possession of the quaffle and Potter right on the tail of the snitch. Malfoy is way behind, honestly he needs to wake up and see….."
"Creevey one more time and I'll!"
Actually Malfoy was right on Harry's tail, and gaining ground. Harry could hear the other boys' breath and his broom coming closer to him. The sphere started to burn once more underneath Harry's robes, as Malfoy got closer. Just as the snitch switched direction and started to go straight across and away from both seekers, a roar went up at the other end of the field as Colin called out once more,
"Another ten points for Gryffindor! That makes it Gryffindor 60 and Slytherin 0! Potter and Malfoy are neck and neck right now, come on, come on…."
They where at each other's sides now, both having pulled out from the dive and following the snitch. Even though the beaters from either side wanted to hit the bludgers at the opposite seeker, they where each afraid of hitting there captain and suffering their wrath. All motion from the other players stopped as Harry reached out towards the snitch, Malfoy not far behind. It was just out of his reach and he was already going at full speed, at the same level as the top of the stands slowly inclining up towards the clear sky. Malfoy was still not relenting and each of their desires to catch the snitch first burned deeply in them. The glow of the orb on Harry chest feeling like it was going to explode. Suddenly Harry felt a shove from the side and his body flew farther forward, his hand clasping around the fluttering golden orb that was the snitch, as he fell.
Draco had become frustrated and had attempted to push Potter out of the way, but only succeeded in pushing his opponent towards his prize. The shove however had also pushed the Gryffindor off his broom, slipping forward and off. His hand tried to keep a hold of the slick wood, but failed. There was a flutter of scarlet and gold robes as Harry fell through the sky towards the ground, his broom following lead. His raven colored hair blowing around with the long robes that flapped at his side, like long elegant and broken wings falling in a graceful arch. Harry kept a hold of the snitch as his limbs moved up wards against the pull of gravity.
He was vaguely aware of a swooshing sound of another broom, gaining speed trying to reach him as he turned to face the earth that was coming to meet his body. His torso made contact with the earth first and he felt a wave of intense pain course through his body as he heard someone above him yell out,
"Nooo!"
The crowd above his was also yelling, but Harry couldn't hear them anymore. He couldn't feel the soft grass under his body, or the struggling snitch in his right hand. He couldn't see Malfoy touch down and attempt to run over to him, only to be stopped by Ron. He wasn't aware of anything anymore as he shut his eyes, and his world went black.