A/N: Well I found out we aren't supposed to reply to reviews…so I guess that's done. Well thank you to the three people who reviewed this chapter! You're the greatest and truly made my day, especially after HBP came out. I read it of course…I thought it was good but perhaps a little boring at times. In response to finishing it, I wrote a one-shot fic called A Malfoy's Redemption. It may turn out to be a two-shot fic if I get around to writing the second half! Also I am working on a seventh year fic, but probably won't post it until I get a lot more of it done and the plot all figured out. That leads to this fic. I want to keep writing it, and probably will, but the updates will come at longer intervals. We'll see how much more I do on it. Today's update is short, but I felt I needed to give you something because it's been so long. Now I'll stop rambling…enjoy!
CHAPTER 16: Quidditch Tryouts
The next two days flew by in a whirlwind of homework. In fact the whole weekend flew by in a whirlwind of homework. It was Wednesday again and Harry had another Occlumency lesson later that night with Snape. He was not looking forward to it.
The sixth years were being loaded with as much homework as they could handle; it was worse than O.W.L.'s. Plus, Harry had just been made Quidditch Captain and had to schedule tryouts.
"Ron," he was saying exasperatedly, "You're going to have to help me with this. I don't know how I'll handle the stress!"
"You'll do fine!" said Ron, thumping him on the back at the news. It was just before dinner and he and Ron were putting up try-out notices for that Saturday morning. Katie Bell was the only remaining Chaser on the team, and Harry had a feeling that Kirke and Sloper, the two beaters they had gotten last year, were not the best they could find. That would leave Ron as Keeper, though technically under the rules they still had to try out for it. Ginny wanted to try for chaser and Harry was almost sure she would get one of the spots.
Finishing up, the two left for dinner. It was the usual affair, but Dumbledore did as he promised Harry and mentioned the D.A. club as running again and anyone was invited to join. Professor Zeller would be the supervising teacher, but Harry would basically run it as he had last year, only this time it would be held in the Great Hall to accommodate all the people interested.
A sign up sheet had been sent around and nearly 150 students had signed up. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were looking at the list in disbelief. It was one thing to teach 20 or so people defensive spells, but 150?
"Bloody hell," whispered Ron. "What are we going to do?"
"Well," said Harry, thinking hard. "I suppose we'll split them up by year. Ginny can take the first years; Ron, you take the second years; Hermione the third and fourth; Professor Zeller and I will take fifth through seventh I suppose. We can get Neville and Luna to help too."
"Yes," said Hermione, watching as the list continued to grow, "We can all help each other learn; if some other people in the group know how to do the spell already, they can help teach the others. It will work well that way. Good thinking Harry!"
They continued making plans until Harry had to leave at quarter to eight to make it down to Snape's in time for Occlumency. He did better, able to concentrate on the image of his friend's faces for much longer than before, but when Snape did slip through his defenses; he saw torturous images of Lestrange taunting him, causing the rage to build up inside him once again. It then took several minutes until he had calmed down enough to continue.
The nights after Occlumency lessons his scar throbbed painfully, nothing a good headache potion wouldn't cure to some extent. The following two days flew by quickly and the next thing Harry knew it was Saturday morning and time for Quidditch try-outs.
At 10:00, Ron and Ginny joined Harry down at the Quidditch Pitch to find maybe two dozen people there to try out.
"All right," said Harry, standing in front of the group gathered in the stands. "I want everyone to take a warm up lap around the pitch so I can see how well you fly and you can—well—warm up."
Everyone took off except Harry. His eyes were scrutinizing every person, examining their flying skills and separating the good from the bad. Finally they flew back down to join him. "Okay, everyone who wants to try out for Chaser step forward! The rest of you can sit back and watch!"
About a dozen people stepped forward, including Katie Bell, who was almost insured a spot on the team with her previous years' playing, and Ginny, looking confident and smiling. Harry split them into groups of three and played Keeper as they tried to score on him.
A second year boy, who looked like someone he knew, managed to get the Quaffle past him every time but one. He found out from Ron that it was Shane Liegel, brother of the Cannons' Steven Liegel, whom he had met at the game. Katie was by far the best and most experienced, and Ginny after her.
Once everyone had gone through, he announced that Katie, Ginny and Shane would be the chasers and invited the people who didn't get it to try out for Beater.
Jack Sloper and Andrew Kirke tried out again, along with about six others. Harry had the chasers fly around and had the Beaters try to unseat them. He chose Sloper and a burly fifth year named Jonathon Flaggstaff.
Keeper try-outs didn't last long; Ron and one other were the only ones who tried out. Ron was feeling very confident today and saved every shot except two of Ginny's. The other, a fourth year girl, went into tears after she missed two in a row. She flew off and her friend ran to comfort her. Harry felt sorry for her, but he now had his team.
"Thanks for trying out everyone!" said Harry after he had announced the team. "Keep practicing and maybe you'll make it next year. Team, stay behind so we can organize practice!"
They arranged for practices to be Saturday and Wednesday nights with more to be scheduled closer to game time. "Our first match is Hufflepuff," said Harry. "From what I've see we can take them easily; but no slacking! I want the Quidditch Cup this year and we better get it! If you have time grab a friend and practice on your own. Until next Saturday then."
Harry left with Ginny and Ron back to the castle. He looked wistfully at Hagrid's hut, now empty of everything. Hagrid had left a few days before and had been in a big hurry so they hadn't been able to say a proper good-bye. He would miss the visits to Hagrid's.
Classes were going very well for the Gryffindors; Professor Zeller seemed a very adept Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and they were now continuing on in their studies to wandless and nonverbal magic.
"Very good Ms. Granger," said Professor Zeller warmly. As usual, Hermione was the first to successfully perform wandless magic. They were trying to light a candle without wands, and Harry and Ron were having a very hard time at it.
"Light…you…stupid…thing," panted Ron exasperatedly, screwing up his face, causing it to bloom into a flower.
"Well," said Harry glumly, "at least you got it to do something."
"Yeah," said Ron, brightening up a bit before seeing Hermione's candle lit perfectly on the other side of him.
The bell rang and next period Harry had a break while Ron went to Divination and Hermione to Arithmancy. "Harry?" asked Professor Zeller before Harry could leave the room, "Can I talk to you for a minute?"
Harry said goodbye to Ron and Hermione and winked at Draco as he passed. He really needed to talk to that guy.
"Yes, Professor?" he asked, striding up to Professor Zeller's desk.
"We need to make plans," she said, filing some papers away before turning to him, hands clasped in front of her.
She motioned Harry to a seat before continuing. "Professor Dumbledore went over a lot of things he would like you to be able to do, but I need to know what you have already learned. There are also likely to be a lot more people in it than last year, so I'm going to need everyone who was in it last year to help with the younger students."
"No need, Professor," said Harry, smiling at the look on her face. "We have it planned out how we are going to work with all the different students." He went on to explain what he, Ron and Hermione had come up with.
She nodded in approval. "Very good, Harry. Then I believe we will be able to start soon. What days would be best do you think?"
"Well," said Harry, deliberating carefully. "We have Quidditch on Saturdays and Wednesdays, so how about Tuesday?"
"I think I can work that out," she said. "Alright, that will be all for now, Harry. If I need anything else I'll send a message."
"Goodbye Professor," said Harry, getting up and leaving the room.
Draco was waiting for him down the hall a ways, scaring the daylights out of him when he jumped out from behind a statue. Harry just shook his head at Draco's grin, shoving him a little bit as he made to walk past him.
"Oh no you don't," he said, pulling Harry back behind the statue with him. "We need to talk."
"Ah, yes, we do don't we Draco," said Harry, rubbing his neck where his robes had been yanked against him. "Just why does it have to be behind a statue of a half-naked Gorgeous Gargantuan Georgia?"
Draco looked at the statue in amusement. "Fine, we can walk," he pulled Harry out again and began walking.
"You're mental," Harry mumbled to himself.
"What was that, Potter?" said Draco loudly as they passed a few fourth year girls who were giggling and saying things behind their hands as they watched them pass.
"Nothing," said Harry loudly, rolling his eyes. He then overheard what some of the girls were saying.
"Did you sign up for the DA club, Amy?" asked one girl excitedly.
"Of course!" said Amy, sneaking a look at Harry and Draco out of the corner of her eye. "Who didn't?" She leaned in closer to the other girl and Harry just barely caught what she said next. "He's got to be the best-looking guy in the school! That Draco Malfoy is next after that on my list. I don't know who would miss a chance to be taught by Potter."
Harry groaned loudly when he heard this. He had wondered why so many people had signed up. Ginny speculated it was because of the war and people were scared and everyone else had believed it. Now he knew.
Draco had heard as well and was now strutting around like a duck on display and he turned and grinned at the girls. Harry jabbed him hard in the ribs. "What are you doing, you prat?" he hissed.
"Well, now, might as well take advantage of it," he said brightly. "And now you know why so many people signed up for the DA."
"Still, you're sickening," said Harry as they turned the corner and left the sight of the girls.
"No," he said, "I'm available."
Harry just looked at him in disgust. "So, gotten over Lexy have you Draco?"
Draco went a bit red and mumbled, "No but I can't do anything about it," then, more sharply, "So I'm available are right!"
"Okay, okay," said Harry hastily. "So, anything new from Estonia?"
"No," said Draco. "I thought I would write to the Queen, but who knows if she is even the one who sent me the pendant. I can't very well write to her if she didn't."
"No, suppose not," said Harry disappointedly.
"Have you been checking in the library at all?" asked Draco, referring to references of Half-Blood Prince and Draco's bloodlines.
"No, I haven't," said Harry. "We've been so busy; the teachers are bloody mad to be giving us this much work. I'll get on it soon."
They entered the Entrance Hall together, Harry intent on going off to finish up some homework and Draco planned to do the same. They both had off this period.
"Hey, Harry, why don't we just study together then?" asked Draco, as Harry was about to walk off towards the Gryffindor Common Room.
"Sure," said Harry, eager for company and always willing for help. He quickly went up to Gryffindor Tower to grab some of his work and Artemis before sprinting back down to join Draco outside.
He flopped down beside him on the same rock he and Ginny had been sitting on earlier in the summer, along with him and Snape. Artemis immediately bounded off into the water, chasing water bugs that were skimming across the water like ice skaters on an ice rink.
It was a beautiful fall day; the leaves were just starting to get hints of yellow, orange, and reds in them, and the sun was sparkling off the water in bright rays of rainbow colors. It seemed a shame to be doing homework.
"So, potions first?" asked Draco, pulling out his copy of Advanced Potions and a long sheet of parchment.
"Alright," Harry grudgingly agreed. They had to write two sheets of parchment on the properties, uses, and antidotes to several different poisons.
After working for half an hour, Harry's mind started to drift. He reached down the front of his shirt and pulled out the necklace he had gotten from Aunt Petunia. His mother's necklace.
He opened it and stared at the place where a picture was supposed to be. He blinked and then someone was there. He looked more closely. He should have known! Pictures in the wizard world could leave their frame and move around, that is what this must have done and he hadn't even realized it!
"Mom?" he asked quietly, causing Draco to look up. Then another figure came into the locket on the other side. "Dad?" They were both nodding and smiling.
"Harry are you okay?" asked Draco, leaning closer to see what was occupying his attention.
"Yeah," Harry whispered. How could he have been so stupid? This was the first time he had looked in the locket since he had received it. He handed it to Draco so he could look at it and stared numbly off across the lake.
He missed his parents fiercely; but right now he was angry at Dumbledore. Why hadn't the old man told him about Aunt Petunia's death earlier? And why had they cut out the part about the half-blood prince? What did Snape and McGonagall know of the prince? He closed his Potions book in anger, startling a few school owls that were perched in a tree near by. They flapped off, hooting angrily.
Draco handed him the locket back, then retreated a few feet to give Harry space. He didn't press Harry to find out why he was so angry; he just waited for Harry to tell him on his own. Of that Harry was grateful.
Finally Harry explained in detail about what he was thinking. "I'm just so frustrated with everyone," he said angrily. "Dumbledore won't tell me anything, even after I destroyed half of his belongings in his office last summer. I believe there is something big that involves you and me somehow," said a frustrated Harry. He scowled out at the lake. "That has to be why they are keeping it all from me."
Draco said nothing before glancing down at his watch. "It's almost time for class, Harry," he said, starting to pack up his things. Harry sat on the rock broodingly before finally gathering up his own things.
The rest of the day dragged by slowly. Harry could not keep his mind off the half blood prince, Aunt Petunia's will, and his mother's necklace. He kept fingering it reassuringly during class, but had to stop once Ron asked him what was wrong with his neck for the fifth time.
Harry checked the library for any books on family trees during the 10 minute break they had before dinner. He found a few promising ones and checked them out to read later. Madam Pince gave him an odd look when she saw what he was checking out, but Harry ignored her and left for dinner.
Meals had gotten a lot more fun since the houses all had to eat together. People made more friends and everything was much more boisterous. Seeing a spot near Draco, Harry took a seat and filled his plate with food. Ginny came in looking flustered and kicked a first year out of the seat next to Harry.
"Hey Harry," she said, unhappily. He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss.
"What's wrong?" he asked, concerned.
"What? Oh, it's nothing," said Ginny, filling her plate up with food. "Nothing at all."
Harry wasn't too sure he believed her but didn't push it. Ron and Hermione were sitting some ways down the table, sitting very close and eating off the same plate. He looked sideways at Ginny. He wasn't too sure he could eat off the same plate as her. That was just weird.
Ginny wasn't eating very much. That was weird. Usually she was like Ron and stuffed her face with as much as she could every meal. How those two managed to stay skinny, Harry would never know. At the present she was pushing her food around and around in circles, completely ignoring everyone around her.
Harry handed Draco one of the books he had gotten and told him to search through it before taking Ginny's arm and leading her out of the Great Hall. Oddly enough she came willingly.
Once in the Entrance Hall, he led her through a secret passage and up a few staircases. Harry was sure she had no idea where she was when they stopped.
"This is a secret room I found this summer," he said when she looked around in confusion. "I don't think anyone knows of it. Now tell me what's wrong."
He pulled Ginny to him and held her in his arms as he sank to the ground and leaned against the wall. Ginny didn't say anything for some time, and Harry was content to sit there with her in his arms.
Finally Ginny tried to speak, but instead just broke into tears. Harry stroked her hair and waited for her to stop and be able to continue.
"Harry, I'm so sorry," she said finally, struggling to push the tears away. "I'm just so stressed out. And worried for you."
"You shouldn't be worried for me, Gin," said Harry, taken aback. He thought back to the conversation they had had after he told them of the prophecy. He thought she was over it. Apparently she wasn't.
"Oh, but I am," she said, looking up at him. "Harry, I heard something dreadful yesterday. I should have told you right away, but I was scared."
"What is it, Ginny? There's nothing to be afraid of."
"Harry…I…I don't trust Malfoy. I'm scared of him hurting you. There's something fishy about him."
"Ginny, he's my friend!" said Harry, upset that she wouldn't trust Draco. He had had too many warnings telling him not to trust him, but he kept finding himself more and more trusting. And now for Ginny to be against him in this too…it was too much.
"Harry, listen to me!" she said forcefully. "Twice now I've seen him slinking away from everyone else in the hallways between classes. Both after his Potions class."
"So what?" asked Harry. "We've snuck away from everyone else plenty of times before. Maybe he has a girl."
"Harry you know perfectly well he doesn't," said Ginny, looking at him with a glare. "Do you think he would forget Lexy that quick?" Harry shook his head. "I think he was sneaking off to see Snape."
Harry looked down at her in disbelief. "Okay, so he snuck off to talk to Snape. What of it? Snape's on our side."
"How do you know that for sure? How do you know Draco is on our side? Harry, please, I'm begging you to remember all this. You might think you can save them by converting them away from Voldemort, but who knows if they're playing you?"
Harry knew she had a point, even if she was wrong. "Okay, Gin, I'll watch them more closely from now on. Thanks for telling me. Are you okay now?"
"No," she whispered in his ear, after turning to face him. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him gently. Harry was pulled into the kiss, and was soon oblivious to the world around him.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed it and please review!