They arrived at the Quidditch field for a surprise Harry hadn't been expecting. He almost skipping with joy as he saw the original Gryffindor Quidditch team. Oliver Wood was a little stockier than Harry remembered, and apparently still playing for Puddlemere United, as that was the uniform he was wearing. Fred and George Weasley were of course still booming with business at their joke shop, though had toned down into regular clothes that they could fly in. Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, and Katie Bell were smiling at him, in jeans and t-shirts. Harry wasn't sure what had become of them after Hogwarts, but here they were.
"W-what's all this?" Harry asked.
"I dunno," Ron said, though smiling.
"You organized all this," Harry accused.
"No, actually, I didn't," Ron said. "They just showed up. Said they had orders from an anonymous person that a Gryffindor Quidditch Team Reunion was in order."
"And if we didn't come we would be beaten to a pulp," Wood said. His voice had deepened a bit since Harry last spoke with him.
"And you just dropped what you were doing…?" Harry asked.
"Well, yeah," Fred said. "We left the new kid at the shop. We'll see if he's worthy to be our apprentice when we get back."
Alicia came up and gave Harry a hug. "We, er, also heard about that girl."
Reality sharply came back. The deep hole Harry had been trying to avoid was back.
"Harry, I'm really sorry," Angelina said. "I know what it's like to lose someone you love."
"So now we're in the same boat, Harry," someone said from behind him.
Harry turned. Cho Chang had spoken, leading the Ravenclaw Quidditch Team.
"Now we understand each other," Cho continued. "I lost… Cedric. You lost Kelly."
Harry mutely nodded. He sensed the lack of emotion in her at Katie's death.
"What's all this?" Katie asked, nodding toward them.
"This I did arrange," Ron said. "To help Harry get his head back straight, the old Gryffindor team is gonna play against Ravenclaw. It's not exactly fair, but--"
"It's fine," Cho said. "We've been practicing and strategizing. Even with all but one of you having left school, only one of you has taken a career in Quidditch, and we've been studying him very closely."
Ron looked slightly taken aback. "Okay… well, I'll be in the stands with Dean, trying to learn from Wood. The rest of you… just play."
Ron mounted his broom and flew up into one of the highest stands with the microphone where Dean was patiently waiting. Dean gave Harry a thumbs up and Harry smiled.
"You ready to finally lose, Gryffindor?" Cho asked the team at random.
"You ready to take another Gryffindor old-fashioned whoop-yours?" Fred asked.
"Mum would kill you if she heard you say that," George said.
"I know," Fred said, smirking mischievously. "Brings back memories."
"And today's match, Ravenclaw versus Gryffindor!" Dean shouted into the mike.
With the two teams exchanging smirks, both thinking the other didn't stand a chance, they mounted their brooms. Ron, realizing Madam Hooch wasn't there, sped down to grab the trunk of balls. After releasing the Bludgers and the Snitch, he chucked the Quaffle in the air, creating a mass of color below Harry.
The good thing was that Ron's plan worked. While Harry had a real team to go against, his mind was completely thrown from Katie or the events of the day before. Ron got a few shots at commentating and seemed to find a new liking for it. Oliver's keeping abilities had done nothing but improved, and with the old team back, Gryffindor won the match. It had been tied, but Harry saw the Snitch streaking across the grass, trying to get to the other side of the field inconspicuously. He had caught it soon afterward.
"Good game," Cho said as the teams were shaking hands and she had reached Harry.
"Yes," Harry agreed. "That was an excellent match, one of the most challenging I've ever played."
"You must have watched tons of re-runs," Wood commented to her. "To know how I was going to move to the extent you did. I must say, you really had me going."
"Good," Cho said. "I swear, if we're not careful, we'll be your biggest fans."
"If you keep that up you certainly will." Wood smiled.
"Think you're ready to face the Tornadoes?" Cho asked.
"We'll whoop them no problem," Wood said confidentially.
"We'll just see about that on Saturday, won't we?" Cho challenged.
"… So you go up to that hag and say 'Dissendium' and it'll open. That takes you straight into--"
Harry coughed forcefully.
"What?" George asked, standing amongst a group of Ravenclaws. "Just passing on our knowledge."
Harry rolled his eyes and smiled.
"You got the real knowledge, don't complain, Harry," Fred said, winking. "So you open it and it'll take you straight into Honeydukes. I know the guy who lives there, though. He and his wife are going through there all the time, so you've gotta be careful, even at midnight. And don't forget…."
"Yeah, we gotta hurry, then," Angelina said.
"Harry!" Katie exclaimed.
"Oh, Harry, I'm really sorry, but I have to go," Alicia said. "My boss is going to be a nightmare when I get back. 'Blah, blah, blah! And therefore blah, blah, blah!' That's all he ever says."
"Hey, thanks for coming to play," Harry said, taking the cue that all three of them had to leave.
"It wasn't a problem, Harry," Angelina said, giving him a hug. "Anytime. I just realized how much I missed this game."
"Yeah, I know," Katie said, giving him a hug, too. "Talk about memories."
"Yeah…" Angelina agreed. She suddenly snapped back. "Oh! Well, see you again, Harry?"
Harry nodded. "Definitely."
"Goodbye, then!"
The three x-Chasers walked toward the castle, apparently leaving from there somehow.
"Yeah, about time I took my leave, too," Wood said, waving goodbye to Cho, who headed toward the castle. "I gotta get back. Hank's gonna kill me if I'm late for practice."
"So you're doing all right as their Keeper?" Harry asked conversationally.
"Fine. I think," Wood said. He suddenly looked unnerved. "What if I'm not…?"
Harry laughed. "I'm sure you're doing fine."
"Yeah…" Wood said distractedly. "Yeah… well, see you around, Harry."
"See ya," Harry said.
Ron and the Ravenclaw Chasers were paying close attention to Fred and George, who were now avidly describing the best ways to get on McGonagall's nerves just to the edge and not get a detention.
"Do you two have to go?" Harry asked when they finished their list.
"Nah. We're sticking around for a week," George said. "'Course, Dumbledore doesn't know yet, but I'm sure he'll be fine with it…."
"But knowing him, he somehow knows already," Fred commented.
"Yes…" George mused.
They headed off toward the castle, leaving Harry to his thoughts as he was not required to join the conversation anymore. Fred and George were staying for a week. Peeves would be pleased. McGonagall would be in the Hospital Wing within the hour after a heart attack at hearing. Gryffindor Common Room would be a party room at the least. Snape's wardrobe would be pink by dawn. Malfoy would have one hair permanently sticking up and would refuse to come to classes until he could get it down. There were few flaws in this plan, as far as Harry was concerned.
Harry climbed through the portrait hole, now smiling. Hermione looked concerned.
"Harry, what's happened?"
"What d'you mean?" Harry asked.
"You're smiling."
"What, is it a crime to smile now?" Harry asked.
"Well, no," Hermione admitted, "but you haven't smiled for a while."
"Eh, you just don't pay attention," Harry said dismissively.
Hermione smiled at him and sat back down in her seat. A loud raspberry came from that area. Hermione went pink and Fred and George burst out laughing.
"The things these muggles come up with!" Fred exclaimed, holding his stomach. "We got goodie-goodie-Granger!"
"FRED AND GEORGE WEASLEY!" Hermione yelled, standing promptly to her feet.
The two were still laughing hysterically and paying no attention to her furious look. She lifted up a whoopee-cushion from where she had been sitting a moment before.
"WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING HERE!"
George vaguely got out through laughs the answer to her question.
Hermione went still.
"What?" Ron asked, hurrying over to her.
"A… a week?" Hermione asked disbelievingly.
"A week," Ron confirmed.
Hermione put her head in Ron's shoulder. "Oh, God."