Part 8
Kyle joined Ron on an aisle that featured lots of brooms. Ron stood in front of a Firebolt display.
"Look at it," Ron said in awe, "A Firebolt. My friend Harry has one. They are a dream to fly." He sighed as he left the display and studied the rest of the models on the broom aisle.
"Do you mean these really fly?" Kyle asked as he followed Ron down the aisle.
"Of course," said Ron incredulously. "How else would we play quidditch?"
"What's quidditch?"
"You don't know quidditch?" cried Ron in a voice that implied a crime had taken place. "It's only the best sport ever played. There are seven players per team using four balls and its played in the air on brooms. The games can last any where from a few minutes to months all depending on when they catch the golden snitch."
"The golden snitch?"
"That is one of the balls and it is the seeker's job to catch it. Harry, the same one who has the Firebolt, is the seeker on our house quidditch team."
"So the seeker catches the golden snitch and the game ends," Kyle repeated then asked, "What about the other player and the other balls, how do they fit?"
"Two of the balls are bludgers which soar around trying to knock players off their brooms. Two players called beaters use clubs to redirect the bludgers towards the other team. My brothers Fred and George are our beaters.
"The last ball is called a quaffle and three players called chasers pass it back and forth and try to score points by throwing it through three gold hoops mounted on posts fifty feet in the air. The keeper tries to prevent that by blocking the quaffle. Each quaffle through a hoop is ten points and the golden snitch is one hundred and fifty points," Ron finished.
"Uh huh," Kyle replied still a bit unsure. "If I understand right, quidditch sounds about like soccer and basketball."
"That's what Dean said," Ron said but seemed confused by the reference.
"So do you play for team?"
"No, but we have a couple of openings this year and I plan to try out. I can't figure out whether I'd rather be a keeper or a chaser," Ron chuckled as he moved to the next group of brooms.
"It can be dangerous too. Harry fell from his broom when these Dementors came around. And then there were people enchanting his broom or the balls. Once he had his arm shattered by a bludger and it got worse when an incompetent teacher with false credentials tried to heal it. I can't wait to play."
"At home I play football and basketball and nothing that exciting ever happens. Um, will I need a broom?"
"I think it says on your list that you may bring your own since you are doing three years of work this summer. So if you want, you can get one, but if not then you don't have to. I'm bringing mine though," Ron replied in a tone that suggested that only the insane would choose not to have a broom.
"I wouldn't know what to get so what do you suggest. Are they expensive and if so do they have trade-ins?"
"They aren't too expensive. Are you wanting one for sports or just general use?"
"Sports, of course."
"Firebolts are the best but they're expensive, about 200 galleons. The next best are the Nimbus brooms, still expensive though. In the not too expensive and still handles well, category is the Cleansweep Seven. It's around 35 galleons."
Kyle calculated the conversion in his head and realized that at about $175.00 it was roughly half the price of a good mountain bike. He smiled and nodded. "I'm going to get it. Who knows, maybe I can learn to play quidditch too."
"I'll help you, if you want. I'm going to be one of your tutors this summer."
"Cool."
"Come on, let's pay for your trunk and broom. I have a craving for Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans."
"Ok."
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Liz took two deep breaths and a gulp before looking up at Ginny. "Fly?!!"
Merriment danced in Ginny's eyes as she said, "It's lovely to fly. You mount the broomstick and kick off. The breeze blows through your hair and you feel like you've left all your troubles on the ground."
"Until a bludger arrives to try and knock you from your broom." A voice behind Ginny said.
Liz looked up and saw a boy about her age wearing glasses. He had ruffled black hair and startling green eyes. She looked at Ginny, whose eyes were even brighter than before as she shouted, "Harry!"