Disclaimer: See Chapter One.
A/N: Hey there everyone, I am so sorry about the lack of updates but a lot has happened to me over the past couple of months. Along with my grandmother's death, my laptop also died on me and I lost all of my files up until just recently. So once again, I am so sorry about the delay. Thank you all so much for your reviews and sticking with me. A huge thank you goes to my ever patient beta enb2004. Thank you so much girl! I love you! So, as promised, here is Chapter 14. Enjoy!
------------------------------------------------------------------
As Harry walked out onto the Quidditch pitch, he was at first overcome by memories of the 3rd task. He swallowed heavily as everyone else went on. There it was, the beautiful pitch he loved. The last time he had seen it though, it had still be a maze, a maze which had killed Cedric in the end.
"Hey Harry! "You coming or what?" Ron said as Hermione rolled her eyes at his improper grammar.
"Yeah, just give me a sec," Harry whispered feeling the beginning of tears burning behind his eyes. No, he would not give into his feelings here! Not with everyone around! He would not be weak around them, not again!
So caught up in his mental anguish, Harry never saw Ron and Hermione come back over to him and became quite startled when Hermione gently touched his arm.
"Harry?" she asked softly, feeling him recoil under her touch, something he had never done before. At least, not with her. If she ever got a hold of that fat muggle, well, the consequences wouldn't be pretty. No one harmed Harry and got away with it. Hermione Granger was not a witch one wanted to cross paths with when she was very angry.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
Ron and Hermione exchanged concerned and puzzled glances. "Sorry for what Harry? You haven't done anything, at least, not that I know of anyway," Ron said trying to lighten the moment.
"I... I don't know if I can go onto the pitch," Harry whispered, his thoughts not truly in the present but in the past.
"Why not Harry?" Ron asked puzzled. Never before had Harry been reluctant to go the Quidditch pitch. Normally, one couldn't get him away from it!
"Oh Ron, don't you know anything?" Hermione said unknowingly bringing a smile to Harry's otherwise solemn and grief stricken face. "It's all right if you don't want to go back onto the pitch just yet Harry. If I were in your shoes, I'm not sure I would want to either," she said sympathetically.
That's when it clicked for Ron just why Harry seemed to be so afraid of going on the pitch. The Third Task of course. How could he have been so stupid! "Oh Harry, I'm sorry mate. I didn't realize that you would still associate the pitch with the maze," Ron said while gently patting Harry on the back.
Harry again winced but didn't pull back this time, having seen Ron's movements. "It's just... it's just so hard," he whispered.
"Ah! There you are Harry," Dumbledore said from behind them. "Now, why aren't you three on the pitch already getting warmed up? I'm sure you could use a little bit of practice after not having played all year," he said cheerfully.
"Um sir, Harry's not sure if he wants to go back onto the pitch right now," Hermione said.
"Why ever not Ms. Granger?" McGonagall said truly puzzled until she realized the last time Harry had been on the pitch had been during the Third Task. And then, like it had with Hermione, it dawned on her. "Mr. Potter, Harry, I can't say I understand what you have been through for I have not. There is one thing I do know however," she said gently.
"What's that Professor?" Harry said tiredly.
"Harry, you have a gift for Quidditch that I haven't seen in many many years. Oliver was right when he said you could play for England one day. However, by not walking onto that pitch right now Harry, you are letting Voldemort win, even if it is unintentional on his part. Quidditch in one of the things that defines who you are, it's one of the things you love to do most. By giving that up, you're letting him win," she said softly.
Harry's emerald eyes hardened at the thought. McGonagall was right. Quidditch was one of the things he loved most. Was he truly willing to give it up because of his lingering fear and guilt about what happened in the maze? The Quidditch pitch and the maze weren't one and the same. The maze had just happened to have been located on the pitch. No, he would not let his fear and guilt rule him, not when it came to Quidditch. "You're right Professor. Let's go," he said before walking off with Ron and Hermione following besides him.
McGongall shook her head in wonder as she watched Harry walk onto the pitch for the first time since that fateful June day. "That boy will never cease to amaze me with his courage and wisdom that goes far beyond his age."
"Ah, but what of your own wisdom Minerva? I could not have said what you did any better myself. You have a way with him Minerva, a connection if you will. I do believe we should encourage that connection," Dumbledore said.
"It was the same with his mother," she said wistfully. "Lily was truly a special child. It makes sense that her son is as well. Come though, there's a Qudditch match to watch and I for one am looking forward to watching Harry squash Charlie like a bug!"
Dumbledore laughed heartily. "Oh? And what makes you so sure that Harry will beat Charlie?"
Minerva glared at him. "I know every seeker that my Quidditch team has ever had. I know their strengths, their weaknesses, and the range of their talent. While Charlie certainly is brilliant, he has nothing on Harry. Harry was born to fly and you know that as well as I Albus Dumbledore!"
"Perhaps," he acknowledged. "But I do so love riling you up my dear," he said before walking slightly ahead of her.
"Men," she scoffed and proceeded to catch up with Dumbledore.
-------------------------------------------------------
"Harry are you sure you're ready for this?" Hermione said pacing worriedly while Harry put on his Quidditch robes. "You can take your time you know, no one would blame you."
"Hermione! If Harry say's he's ready, he's ready. Right mate?" Ron asked, though he was trying to hide the note of uncertainty in his voice.
Harry noticed it of course but didn't say anything. He knew that his friends were just worried about him. "I'll be fine you guys. Professor McGonagall was right. I won't let Voldemort rule my life, well, the social part of my life anyway," he said noticing his friends disbelieving glances.
"That's the attitude I want to hear!" Fred said coming up from behind Harry.
"Who cares about that slimy old git anyway? He's got nothing on you!" Fred said.
Harry smiled at the twins which soon turned to a frown when he noticed they were suited up for a game. "Hey! Why aren't you guys suited up for the game!"
"Ah, well, we have a little problem with the numbers you see. Not enough people to have a real game. So, we decided for you and Charlie to have a little seeker match all on your own. We'll release the snitch and whoever catches it first, wins," Fred explained.
Harry frowned but accepted it. "All right, but I was really looking forward to a real game of Quidditch."
The twins laughed as they led the way out onto the pitch. "Trust me Harry, by the time Christmas comes you'll be up to your ears in Quidditch," George said grinning at Fred.
Harry looked suspiciously from twin to twin. "What do you two know that I don't?" he said accusingly.
"Why nothing little brother," Fred said.
"Nothing much that is!" George said before running off to the stands with Fred right besides him.
"Mental those two," Hermione said borrowing Ron's favorite phrase. "What? They are!" Hermione said noticing Ron's expression of shock before she too walked over to the stands to grab a good seat.
Harry and Ron looked at each other and shrugged. "Women," they muttered together.
"You had better go grab a seat Ron," Harry said. "Looks like Charlie's just been informed about the change of plans too."
"Good luck! I'll be rooting for you!" Ron said as he quickly headed for the stands.
Harry nodded and then looked back over at Charlie who nodded at him. Together, they both walked out to the pitch and met in the middle of the field where Professor McGonagall now stood.
"All right gentlemen, are you ready for this seeker competition?" she asked.
"Yes," Harry and Charlie answered together.
"Good. Weasley! Release the snitch!" she said.
For a second, the snitch buzzed around Harry and Charlie before disappearing into the pitch.
"On my whistle then gentlemen," McGonagall said.
Seconds later the whistle blew and Harry flew up into the air. He did a quick loop around the field enjoying the rush of flying again before going into a steep dive.
"HARRY!" he heard Hermione shout worriedly but he paid her no mind. He had a snitch to find. Almost lazily, he circled around the pitch looking for the flash of gold he knew to be the snitch. Charlie though was actively searching and going into dives and loops searching for it.
Harry went a bit higher up knowing that he had a better chance of seeing the snitch from a higher vantage point. Sure enough only seconds later, he saw a flash of gold right beside Ginny in the stands. The only problem though was that Charlie had noticed it only second later and he was much closer.
Without a second thought, Harry aimed the Firebolt straight down and dived for the snitch which was still hovering only inches in front of Ginny. Seeing that Charlie was getting even closer, Harry put all his will power into making the Firebolt go faster as he dove.
Just when Charlie was about to reach for the snitch, Harry flew even faster and dived right in front of Charlie and grasped the snitch just as Charlie's hand brushed by him. Breathing heavily, he dropped out of the dive and held up the snitch triumphantly before looking around for the first time since the match had begun. Everyone's mouths were open and Ginny looked as though she was going to faint.
"Ginny, are you all right?" Harry asked as he pulled up in front of her on his broom.
"Yeah, sure," she said in an odd, high pitched voice.
"Congratulations Harry! Now I know what Ron and the twins have been talking about all this time. Man, I knew you could fly after watching you go up against that dragon, but wow!" Charlie said shaking his head in wonder.
"Thank you Charlie," Harry said blushing fiercely.
"Still, I know you wanted to win but did you have to prove your skills by scaring us all half to death!" Charlie said suddenly as he hugged Harry in mid air. "I don't think anyone here thought that you'd be able to pull out of that dive!"
"What? I wasn't going that fast or that steep," Harry said.
Charlie just laughed though as he and Harry traveled back down to the ground. "Oh Harry, ever the modest one. Come on, time for you to face the music," he said as they landed.
"Huh?" was all Harry had time to say before Professor McGonagall, Hermione, Ginny, and Molly converged on him in one huge group hug.
"HARRY POTTER! Do you have any idea of how badly you just scared us all!" Molly said with a hand on her chest.
"Um, no, not until just now anyway," Harry said sheepishly. He hadn't meant to scare anyone with his dive. What was the big deal anyway? It was only a little dive if from rather high up.
"Ah, don't listen to them Harry. They worry to much," Ron said jumping into the group.
"Where in the hell did you learn to dive like that Harry!" George said practically jumping up and down with glee.
"I've always done dives, you know that George. Oliver showed me back in my first year," Harry said.
"Regular dives that normal people make, yes, but not the one you just did! Hermione, did you record that?" Fred asked.
"Yes," Hermione squeaked still in shock somewhat from Harry's dangerous move.
"Wicked!" George and Fred said together. "We'll have to send Oliver a copy and England too! Harry, obviously you don't realize this, but you're better than Krum! The Quidditch teams are going to be swarming all over you for you to join them!" George said.
"They're right Harry," Professor Dumbledore said moving in to join the group. "I've seen many fantastic Quidditch players in my life but you my dear boy beat them all."
"That's an understatement," McGonagall said speaking for the first time since Harry had initially landed.
"Really, I can't be that good," Harry said quite shyly.
"Oh Harry, yes, you are that good!" Sirius said sweeping his godson in to a hug.
"One day, you'll see it for yourself," Remus said quietly. He knew what Harry was thinking as he himself had had similar thoughts many years ago.
"If you say so," Harry said.
Sirius, Remus and Dumbledore laughed. "Yes Harry, we say so. Now, let's get back inside before Madame Pomfrey finds out what all the fuss is about." Dumbledore said.
Everyone laughed and headed inside with their spirits high. For the first time since the Third Task, the upcoming war and the Dursley's were forgotten about in light of happier events. For every calm in the storm, however, the true inferno lies just behind it, bidding it's time and waiting for the precise moment to strike, and strike it would.
TBC