Last Chapter
The parchment rolled itself up and floated back into the awaiting hands of Professor Shacklebolt. "Very good everyone. Now please help yourselves to some lunch and when you are done will you please retire outside for some games and fun.
There was a grand clamor as the food appeared and the students began to eat. As the students ate and began to disperse outside or up to their common rooms a few of the teachers began to clean the Great Hall and put up a few decorations. When the last student was finally ushered out the door the doors were shut and locked again.
Harry, Hermione, Draco, Ginny, Ron and Lavender, along with several other Gryffindor's plus students from the three remaining houses went down to the Quidditch pitch. When Harry, Draco, Ginny and Ron got onto the pitch there was a group of about 15 students standing in the middle arguing. Harry and Draco walked closer to see what all the fuss was about.
"We were down here first so I think it's only fair that we get to play first." A fifth year from Hufflepuff said. Her friends standing behind her nodded their heads.
"But there are only four of you. Why can't we play at one end and you and your friends can play at another. It's not like we can't compromise." A boy, who looked like he was in his third year stated from the back of the group. A few people nodded in agreement.
"Or we could have one house play for half an hour then another until we all play."
Suddenly everyone started talking at once. Nobody seemed to like this idea.
Draco tapped Harry's shoulder. "Harry why don't we see if they want to have a match. Have two captains who pick their team and play like that, then everyone can play. Look there are only 14 of us, excluding the first year's girls standing off to that corner without brooms." Harry nodded.
"Hey Dean!" Dean didn't respond. Harry looked at Draco, "Got an idea on how to get their attention?" Draco smiled.
"I think I might." Draco reached into his pocket and pulled out what looked like a rubber bouncy ball.
"What is that?" Harry looked at the blue ball he held up.
"You'll see in a second." Draco pulled his wand out of his inside pocket and placed the little ball on the ground. "Wingardium Leviosa" The ball levitated above the heads of the students a few feet. Draco gave his wand a little flick and the ball dropped in amongst them. Suddenly every person threw their hands over their heads screaming and ducking for cover. The ball had grown to the size of a beach ball when it hit the ground and was spraying water in every direction.
Malfoy gave his wand a modest flick and the ball zoomed back into his hands. "I got it at Fred and George's joke shop." He turned to face Harry. "I think we got their attention."
Harry smiled in spite of himself. "Why are you all fighting over who gets to play first? Why can't we all play? We could have a match. We could select two captains and let them pick their teammates."
The fifth year girl from Hufflepuff took a few steps towards Harry and Draco. "I agree with Harry, but who do we determine who is going to be the captain of the two teams and who is going to be on each team? There are too many of us to play a real game."
"Well," Harry thought for a moment. "We could put everyone's name in a hat or bag and draw two names like that."
The girl looked back at everyone, then back at Harry. "But there are still too many of us and some people don't have brooms. She looked back at the first year girls, who were standing a few feet behind the rest of the group, talking eagerly to one another.
Harry walked over to them. He recognized one of the girls immediately as Ginny's friend. "Hello Roberta."
"Hi Harry." Roberta's face went as red as the Quaffle. "How have you been?"
"Good. Listen we have too many people who want to play and I was wondering if you wouldn't mind not playing this game."
"Sure, we just came down here anyways to see why everyone else was standing around here." Roberta waved to her friends and the followed her out of the stadium and up into the stands.
Harry walked back to Draco. "Ok we now have 14 people and 14 brooms. Now let us pick the captains. If you want to be captain place you name on a piece of parchment and place it into…" Harry looked around him to see what they could place the names in.
"Here Harry you can use my purse." A fifth year girl from Ravenclaw handed Harry a bright pink purse with a white bunny on it.
"Thanks." Harry took pieces of parchment from six people, including himself and Draco. He zipped the purse and turned it upside down and shock it. "We should have someone who didn't place their name in purse pick out two names. A small boy was standing at the back of the group. "How about you?"
The little boy stumbled as he walked quickly up to the front of the group. Harry unzipped the purse and held it a few inches above the boys head. "No peaking he said as the boy stood on his tippy toes. The boy reached up and into the bag and pulled out a slip.
"Ernie Macmillan."
Several of the Hufflepuff students clapped and cheered for Ernie.
The boy reached back up into the bag and pulled out..."Harry Potter."
Draco, Dean, Ginny and a few others joined in the applause. Harry waved his wand, vanishing the paper then handed the purse back to the girl from Ravenclaw.
"Fair enough. Ernie and I will stand here and the rest of you can line up 5 feet from where you are and when your ready Ernie and I will then pick our teams." Harry took a few steps away from Ernie. "You can choose first Ernie."
Ernie looked out at the students standing in front of him.
"Jimmy Peakes."
A short and broad chested, third year Griffindor walked out of the line and stood beside Ernie.
Harry looked around at the other students.
"Ginny."
After ten minutes they had there teams formed and were deciding who was going to play in what position.
"Alright I want Ginny, Demelza and Draco to play Chasers. Summerby and Ritchie you'll play Beaters. Bradley you'll be our keeper. I'll play Seeker. Now when you're up their keep your eyes open and use the sun to your advantage. Let's go." Harry walked out to the middle of the pitch and waited for Ernie and his team.
Harry looked around him. Word had traveled that there was going to be a quidditch game and over half the students and a few teacher had shown up for the game.
Ernies team was still standing on the sideline trying to organize his team but Cormac McLaggen was trying to play captain as well.
"No I think Ron should be a Chaser and I shouold be the Keeper. I'm the better player."
"McLaggen shut up or get off the field." Roger Davies had had enough. "Ernie is the captian and if you don't like it get out of here."
McLaggen looked as if someone had slapped him. He opened his mouth to retourt but Jimmy was to quick. "I agree with Ernie. Ron should play Keeper and the rest of us should play the positions we were handed." Jimmy glared up at McLaggen. "Now lets play."
"Alright, Ron your Kepper. Roger, Cadwallader, Zacharias you three will be our Chasers. Jimmy you're Seeker. McLaggen and I will be Beaters. Now lets get out there and play."
Harry and Ernie shook hands. "I'll count down from three and then we'll play. Deal?"
"Deal." Ernie and Harry took their places in their team lines. Harry held up a fingure and said, "One." He held up another. "Two." Suddenly a whistle blew. Harry, Ernie and everyone else turned their heads to see Madam Hooch flying towards them on her broom.
"There is not going to be a game here boys." Madam Hooch landed between Harry and Ernie.
"And girls." Ginny added with her hands on her hips. "And what do you mean we can't play? Everyone has already agreed to the rules of the game and we've got our teams. Why can't we play?"
"You can not play this game without a referee, and since I have nothing else to do I will be more then happy to be your referee for this game."
Harry and Ernie looked at each other. "Ok. They both said and shook hands again.
"On my whistle," said Madam Hooch. "Three…two…one…"
With a roar from the crowd , the fourteen players rose up towards the leaden sky. Harry flew higher than the rest of them, squinting around for the Snitch, while twenty feet below him Ginny, Demelza and Draco where passing the Quaffle between Roger, Cadwallader, Zacharias. Harry's team was up twenty-zero.
As Demelza passed the Quaffle to Draco, Roger ducked inbetween them and stoled the Quaffle. Roger raced up the pitch dodging Bludgers and players. He was now ten feet from the goal posts…Goal. The score was now twenty to ten with Harry's team on top.
Fourty-five minutes later Ernie's team was up 190 to 170. Harry had seen the Snitch twice but was unsucessful at retreiving it. Ginny scored a goal five minutes later followed by an attempt from Zacharias Smith which was blocked and the Quaffle was passed to Draco. The Quaffle exchanged hands a number of times before Draco came up with it again. He scored, they were tied again. Suddenly Harry saw the Snitch floating just below Ron's knee at the opposite end of the pitch. This suited Jimmy better as he was closer to Ron than Harry was.
Harry made a mad dive for the ground, hoping to distract Jimmy long enough to get him away from Ron and the Snitch. It worked, Jimmy, thinking that Harry spotted the Snitch dove too. Five feet from the ground Harry spun his Firebolt around and back up towards Ron. The Snitch was just inches below Ron's left knee when Harry made a mad grab for it, his fingures closing around the small golden ball. the crowd erupted into appaluse and somewhere in the stands Harry could hear Luna's giant lions head roaring above the cheers.
Harry and his team landed in the middle of the pitch closley followed by Ernie and his teamates.
"That was a great catch Harry." Jimmy came up and slapped Harry's shoulder. "For a second I really thought that you had seen the Snitch, then you turned around and started heading back towards Ron. I can't believe I didn't see the Snitch by his ankle; I was looking right at him before you dove. I feel like an idiot! All well it was a fair game. Let's play again sometime." Jimmy turned and started to congratulate the rest of Harry's team.
Suddenly there were a series of loud cracks and two tables appeared out of thin air at the far end of the field. The house elves had been told about the match and had sent out an assortment of goodies, pumpkin juices and a cake that said "Congratulations," in red and gold.
Harry's team was allowed to be the first ones in line, but Harry insisted that Ernie, Roger, Cadwallader, Zacharias, McLaggen, Ron and Jimmy go first. "You earned it."
"Thanks Harry." Ron walked up and grabbed his plate and filled it as high as he could without spilling any, then went to find a nice shaded place on the pitch.
A short time later Professor McGonagall came walking down from the castle.
"Can I have your attentions please."
Everyone went silent and looked up at Professor McGonagall. She held in her hand a piece of rolled up partchment. She broke the seal and unrolled it.
"'Please assemble outside the Great Hall at six o'clock. I ask that you please wear Muggle cloths and shoes that are comfortable (or none at all if you would like)'" Several people looked around at their friends and started laughing.
'"Please leave all your school materials and other possessions in your common rooms as there will be no need for them. See you all at six, Headmaster Shacklebolt.'"
Professor McGonagall rolled the parchment back up. "You have exactly half an hour before you need to report to the Great Hall. Good day."
She turned and headed back up to the castle.
"Well, Ginny and I had better go so we have time to get ready. See you in the Entrance Hall." Hermione stood and hocked arms with Ginny and together they walked up to the castle.
Author's Note
Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up and that it is not that exciting but things are getting really rough here at home. (Divorce) I should have the next chapter up within 48 hours. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed my story and I'm sorry if I have a lot of misspelling but my spell check is not working. LOL! See u all soon.
Kristina
