A/N: Thanks to psychonerd 5 and Kchan88
Chapter 16
The New Seeker
It wasn't long before Professor McGonagall came out onto the Quidditch field from the castle, also gaping at Harry. "Oh my! In all my time at Hogwarts!"
"I'm sorry Professor. I . . ."
"Come with me, Raoul, I'd like to have a word with you."
As the Slytherins chuckled, Raoul walked toward Professor McGonagall, and soon both were heading back toward the castle. They walked through many hallways, Raoul's stomach feeling as though it had been tied in knots. He could see himself being expelled, but the image soon went away when they stopped in front of the Charms classroom. Professor McGonagall put her foot over the threshold, then interrupted Professor Nitpick in the middle of a statement. "Professor, may I borrow Mr. Plywood for a minute?"
"Sure," the professor replied. A tall boy stood up and walked over to Professor McGonagall. "Plywood," she began, "I think I've fond you a seeker!"
"Really?" Plywood exclaimed.
"A what?" Raoul asked.
"A seeker. What, you've never heard of Quidditch?"
"Well, I've heard of it, but I don't know anything about it."
"I'm Oliver Plywood, the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. I'll explain it all to you later, but it's nice to meet you, er . . . oh, I see the scar, nice to meet you, Raoul. So, Professor, what makes you so sure he's good for the job?"
"He caught a small ball in the air with much skill flawlessly. He also rode his broomstick wonderfully, too. First time, wasn't it?" Professor McGonagall asked. Raoul nodded.
"He also looks the right size and weight for a seeker. Can we bend the 'first-years can't have a broom' rule?" Plywood inquired.
"I'll ask Dumbledore about it. Now, I want to hear that you're training hard, Raoul, or I might change my mind about punishing you. But I bet your father is smiling down on you. He would have been proud."
That night at dinner, everyone was excited for Raoul. "You have to be joking!" Gilles had exclaimed when he had learned. "A seeker. But first-years never play Quidditch. You have to be the youngest seeker in a - in a - in a . . ."
"Like, a millennium, like!" Christine finished for him. "I, like, read that in this book, like, about Quidditch."
"Wow! That's really amazing! So, when do you start training?"
"Next week. Plywood is going to help since I don't know much about it."
Soon enough, Frank and Greg came running up to Raoul. "Good job! Plywood just told us! We're on the team too - beaters!" Frank told him.
"Yeah, and I'm sure with you, we'll win! He says that you're good," Greg continued on. "We have to go, though. Our friend, Lee Gordon found a secret passage. Don't tell anyone." The two scurried out of sight as Raoul heard a voice from behind him. "Hey, Raoul! Are you going back to those Muggles tonight?" Buquet taunted.
"No, but I got on the Quidditch team, so I wouldn't be talking!" Raoul yelled back at him. "Anyway, I caught the ball from you, so you aren't all that great. And Madam Hoot told you that you had always rode your broom wrong."
"Oh, please! So what if you caught that stupid ball from me! How about we have a duel tonight? Wands only."
"Fine!" Gilles told him. "And I'm his second."
"Midnight okay? Or is it too late for a bunch of Gryffindors?"
"Midnight works," Raoul replied slyly.
"Okay, we'll meet in the trophy room. Always unlocked, always deserted."
The minute Buquet turned away, Raoul looked over at Gilles and asked, "What does he mean, duel with wands?"
"He means that you'll be having a duel with magic."
"And what does it mean that you'll be my second?"
"That means that if you die, I take over, but I doubt Buquet can do any real damage. He'll just send some sparks."
"Like, you aren't thinking about sneaking out, like?" Christine suddenly asked.
"Of course," Gilles responded.
"That's, like, so totally selfish! Like, your risking so many, like, points for Gryffindor, like!"
"And it's none of your business, like girl!" Raoul told her sternly, walking away with Gilles.
