Arnold's Wizarding World
Chapter 6: Tryouts, Dinner, and Detention
Wow! I love the response I got from the last chapter! Keep it up everyone! I have my midterm this week, wish me luck, I'm posting this before attending a review session so send in your feedback so that I can have something to read when I come out of my review session. Enjoy this chapter!
It was like someone had pressed a reset button.
When I returned to Hogwarts, we were no longer doing Flying lessons, it was dinner time, and I was alone in the infirmary. The reason? No idea.
"Oh, good. You're awake," Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, said as she approached me. "I'm glad, that was a pretty nasty fall young wizard."
"Fall?" I asked.
"Yes, you fell off your broom while you were racing Helga Pataki. Thankfully Professor Draco Malfoy saved you before you were truly injured, you must have gone unconscious from the excitement."
"Fall?" I asked her. "I never fell!"
She seemed taken aback by my outburst, but it was true!
I didn't fall! I was home! And, And Eduardo was there! And the cloaked figure!
"I was home!" I cried. "And I'm sick of being in this world, I want to go home, right now!"
"Goodness, you must have hit your head, I'll grab you something that can make you feel better."
"No! I want to speak with Professor Boris! He's the only one who understands me!"
I punched my bed with my fists. I was so close!
She stuttered, "V-Very well then, if it'll make you feel better."
She left the room, leaving me alone to my thoughts.
Who was that cloaked figure? And why did they bring me back?
Was it La Sombra?
I shivered, I hope not.
Wait a minute, didn't Madam Pomfrey say Professor Malfoy "saved" me?
I gasped, but I waited until Boris walked into the room to address my concerns to him, who didn't seem taken aback when I told him everything.
"Yes, that all happened Arnold. You didn't fall off your broomstick."
"I knew it!" I exclaimed. "What happened?"
"There's been a glitch, someone is trying to destroy this world to get you out of it."
"The Green Eyes!" I exclaimed. "It has to be them!"
"No, the Green Eyes wouldn't have been able to decipher the foundations of this world. It had to have been someone with more power, and more knowledge."
"Like who?" I asked.
Boris stayed silent, contemplating before speaking again, "I think it's the Ministry of Magic. They've found out you're stuck in here, and they're trying to get you out."
"But how could they have found out?" I asked. "Only you, the Green Eyes, and Eduardo know that I'm stuck in here."
And I highly doubt the Green Eyes told them.
Boris looked over his shoulder, almost nervously, "Arnold, I don't think we're the only ones here from the real world."
I gasped, "I-If that's true, then who—"
"Shhh," he whispered. "Now more than ever we need to be careful."
"But shouldn't we be looking for that person? Maybe they could help."
"No, we don't want to blow their cover. We also need to remind ourselves that La Sombra and his minions are here as well, and if they find the person who is trying to help you, you may never get out."
I nodded, agreeing to stay silent if it meant getting out faster.
"I think I know someone from the real world who could be working for La Sombra," I whispered.
"Who?" Boris asked.
"Professor Malfoy," I answered. "Madam Pomfrey told me that he was the one who saved me from supposedly falling off my broomstick. I think he was the one under the cloak."
"You know kid, you're not far off, I've been suspicious of Draco Malfoy myself. And it wouldn't be the first time he played for the wrong team. Rumour in Britain has it that he's currently trying to find ways to protect his father from being imprisoned again in Azkaban for working with Voldemort. He could be working with La Sombra in exchange for his father's protection."
"What do I do?"
"Nothing, act like you don't know a thing. You don't want him to suspect anything."
"Man I wish I had your guts Arnold!" Gerald exclaimed. "If I would have fallen off my broom in the middle of class, I'd be too scared to try out for quidditch."
"We can't live life letting our fears consume us Gerald," I informed.
"Amen!"
After leaving the hospital wing, I went to dinner and acted like nothing happened, ignoring the stare I knew Professor Malfoy was sending me.
All I had to do was act like I didn't know anything, and it must've worked, because I got through the rest of the week unscathed.
"Arnold, you're trying out?" Ginny asked.
"Yeah, can I?"
"Well sure, if you promise to be careful and not fall off your broomstick," she giggled. "C'mon, let me teach you how the game is played."
We both walked over to a chest filled with different equipment. She first pointed to a red rubber ball. "That's a quaffle. If you become Chaser, you'll be using these a lot. Harry likes to compare it to a muggle football, but instead of using your legs, you're using your hands."
"So like Soccer but with your hands?" I asked.
She rose an eyebrow, "Soccer? Since when is it called soccer? I thought it was football."
"It's— you know what? Never mind, it's an American thing. You were saying?"
She grinned, "The purpose of the quaffle is to pass it around and throw it into one of the three hoops. Your opponent can take the quaffle away from you and throw it into their own hoops. Each goal scored is worth ten points. There are three chasers in each team. And it is the Keeper's job to act as a goalie, and prevent the other team's quaffle from going through their hoops."
I nodded, understanding the rules clearly.
"Now, these bad boys right here," she said as she pointed to two jet black iron balls. "Are called bludgers. Be careful around these, they're bewitched, and their purpose is to knock players off their broom."
I gulped, "That doesn't sound safe."
"It isn't, but don't worry. Madam Pomfrey already has specific healing charms ready and set for players who encounter injuries, but that's only if the Professors can't save you on time before falling."
Wow, we need healing charms in the real world, especially when it comes to people like Eugene.
"So do they just fly around for the whole game?" I asked. "Is there a way to get away from them?"
"That's the Beater's job!" she exclaimed as she pointed to two bats. "There are two beaters in each team, and their job is to use these beater's bats to hit the bludgers and prevent them from hitting their own teammates. They can also aim the bludgers towards their opponents, so be careful."
I nodded, suddenly seeing a small golden ball in the middle of the chest. "What is that?"
"That, is the golden snitch," she said as she picked it up. "This is the most important piece of equipment. It's worth 150 points, and it is the Seeker's job to catch it before the Seeker from the opposing team gets it. Whoever catches it wins the whole game for the team."
"Why is it worth so much?" I asked.
"Because it's hard to find, you gotta be someone who's really good at paying attention to detail to be Seeker. Harry was our Seeker for the years prior to the Wizarding War, but he's long gone now, so we're looking for a new one," she explained. "Well, those seem to be all the instructions, did everything make sense?"
I nodded, allowing her to smile.
"Great! Time to try out!"
The new Quidditch Team list was going to be posted in the Gryffindor Common Room, and everyone was aching to see whether or not they made it on the team.
Gerald and I managed to squeeze ourselves in the front, seeing the list with curious eyes.
Gryffindor Quidditch Team
Keeper: Harold Berman
Chasers: Ginny Weasley (captain), Jamie O Johanssen, Gerald Johanssen
Beaters: Jimmy Peakes and Nadine Lowenthal
Seeker: Arnold Shortman
"Woah! Arnold, you got Seeker! Just like Harry Potter!" Sid exclaimed.
I frowned, Ginny must have done it on purpose. I played well, but I was expecting to get Chaser.
"Hey fellas! I got a copy of the Slytherin Quidditch Team! Take a look!" Stinky exclaimed as we all looked over his shoulder.
Slytherin Quidditch Team
Keeper: Patricia "Big Patty" Smith
Chasers: Urquhart (captain), Thaddeus "Curly" Gammelthorpe, Vaisey
Beaters: Sean von Scheck and Harper
Seeker: Helga G Pataki
"Oof," Jamie O shuttered. "They got a good team. Urquhart, Vaisey, and Harper played back during the Harry Potter days."
"And Big Patty is the Keeper!" Gerald exclaimed. "It's going to be hard for us Chasers to get a quaffle through her."
And Helga was the Seeker! Why was no one bringing that up?
"Well, now that the quidditch teams are out, you squirts better be careful," Jamie O warned.
"Why?" Gerald asked.
I did not expect myself to get tapioca pudding slammed in my face during dinner, no siree.
And who did it? Who else?
"Ha ha ha, you got a little something on your face football head!" Helga laughed, causing Sean, Curly, and a few other Slytherins to laugh along with her.
"Oh man," she chuckled. "If that's how off guard he's going to be during the game, winning is going to be easier than taking candy from a baby."
"Why don't you take this candy?" Gerald challenged as he threw pudding at Helga, causing it to land on her robe.
She gasped, causing Sean to scowl.
"Hey! Back off my girlfriend!" he yelled as he threw a muffin at Gerald, who dodged it, causing it to land on Harold.
"Hey!" Harold exclaimed, who threw a goblet filled with pumpkin juice at Sean, but landed on Rhonda.
She squeaked, "My hair! Oh, now you're going to get it!"
And just like it would in PS 118, another food war started between the Gryffindors and the Slytherins.
Now this was something I was used to, and I did what I usually did during these occasions.
I watched and tried to stop people from fighting, only resulting in more tapioca pudding getting thrown at me.
I noticed Professor Malfoy and Professor Simmons stomp toward us, with Simmons begging us to stop and Malfoy threatening to hex us if we didn't stop immediately.
"Sean von Scheck, I swear to Merlin, if you don't put that goblet down where it belongs I will personally remove your organs and force feed them down your throat!" Professor Malfoy threatened.
Sean shivered and set the goblet down, "Yes Professor Malfoy."
"Now Draco, I don't think threatening is a healthy way to—" Simmons started, only to receive a glare from Professor Malfoy.
Simmons cleared his throat, "Now students, fighting will not resolve anything. Remember, we're all a tribe, and if there is a disagreement within the tribe, we must come together and talk about it, as a tribe."
"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my entire life," Professor Malfoy grumbled. "Just stop wasting the food, unless you want to be expelled from Hogwarts. Who started it?"
Everyone pointed at me, Helga and Gerald.
Great, I always get dragged into everything.
"Pataki, detention," Professor Malfoy commanded. "Fifty points will be taken from Slytherin."
"And 100 points will be taken from Gryffindor for Arnold and Gerald's misconduct," Simmons scolded. "The two of you will be joining Helga for detention."
Gerald groaned, I sighed, and Helga growled.
"You will be meeting Filch in the Charms classroom tonight, don't be late, I will not hesitate to take more points from both your houses," Malfoy threatened. "And Pataki, one more misconduct like this and I will have you removed from the quidditch team, understood?"
"Yes, Professor," Helga spat.
Simmons stuttered, trying very hard to be tough too, "A-And that goes for you and Gerald too, Arnold. Okay?"
Gerald and I nodded, allowing both Professors to turn on their heel and head back to the head table.
I hardly ever got detention back at PS 118, and all of a sudden I come to a wizard school and it's all game over. Good grief.
Filch was sitting on the teacher's desk and was watching over us like a hawk. The three of us were sat far away from each other to avoid conversation.
I took this time to think about my parents, how were they doing? Were they scared?
I thought about my friends back home, did the real Gerald and Helga know I was here? Were they worried?
Did my grandparents or the boarders know I was here?
Wait a second. I'm missing school! Aw man, and Mr. Frank was supposed to go over ratios and proportions this week! Catching up on school work is going to be a pain!
I sulked, thinking about the piles and piles of homework I was going to have to complete when I returned to PS 118. Oh, I got a headache just thinking about it.
I noticed Boris enter the room, sending me a hidden smile, "Filch, the headmistress would like to see you."
Filch grumbled and glared at us, "Don't move, I will be back, and I will know if you moved."
Then, he and Boris left the room, leaving us alone.
"This is all your fault, football head," Helga accused.
"My fault?" I asked. "You're the one who threw the tapioca pudding in my face."
"Arnold."
I sat straight, and Helga continued to ramble, but I tuned her out.
"Arnold, we're here—"
"SHHH!" I shushed. "Do you guys hear that?"
"Hear what?" Gerald asked.
"Arnold, come find us…"
"My parents!" I exclaimed as I stood up quickly. "I hear their voices!"
"Arnold, have you gone mad?" Gerald asked.
"Arnold…"
"No, I hear them!" I exclaimed, heading towards the exit.
"Arnold, where are you going?" Gerald asked, following me out of the room.
"Hey! If you two morons think you're going to leave me here alone with Filch the Grumpy you got another thing coming!" Helga exclaimed, following us out of the room.
"The Corazon, Arnold."
I ran and followed the voices, with Gerald and Helga hot on my trail.
"Keep talking Mom and Dad," I whispered. "I'm coming."
"The Corazon."
I stopped and stood in front of a locked door, realizing that I was taken back to the Room of Requirement.
Gerald and Helga stopped behind me, panting furiously.
"Arnold," Gerald whispered, nearly out of breath. "What, are you doing?"
"My parents are in there," I told him. "And I think the Corazon is too!"
"The Cora—what?" Helga asked.
I turned to look at them, "Well, the truth is—"
"What did I say about showing your bloody face here?" Professor Malfoy scolded as he approached me, grabbing my arms roughly and pulling me away.
"Let me go! My parents are in there, and I'm going to save them."
Professor Malfoy looked at Gerald and Helga for a few seconds before scowling, "Can you two do me the honours of leaving me alone with Shortman?"
Gerald and Helga hesitantly left the room, leaving me at the clutches of this evil man.
Some friends, the real Gerald and Helga would have never abandoned me!
Malfoy grabbed my wrist and forced me to look into his cold, grey eyes, "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
"I only want to find my parents and the Corazon, so that I can go home."
"And you think going into the Room of Requirement is going to help you?" Malfoy asked, unimpressed.
"They're in there!" I spat back. "I heard their voices again!"
Malfoy frowned, before scowling again. "Let me tell you something, Potter. Your parents are gone, get that through your head!"
I felt a lump in my throat, "No… y-you're lying!"
"Face the facts!" he scolded, throwing me against the wall. "Someone is tricking you into going inside that room!"
"No, you just don't want me to find my parents!" I retorted. "I know you work for La Sombra!"
Malfoy blinked, and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "What?"
"I know you're working for La Sombra so that he can protect your father and your family from being imprisoned. I know everything, Professor Malfoy!" I challenged, glaring at him angrily.
Malfoy's expression darkened, "Who told you that?"
"Does it matter?" I retorted. "Please, just let me find my parents."
I noticed him clench his teeth, his knuckles growing white as he tightened his grip on me, "You insufferable, ungrateful PRAT! You truly are just like him! You filthy little mudb—"
He stopped himself, letting out a sigh and dropping me onto the floor, causing me to fall with an oof.
"Go back to detention, before I inform the headmistress and have you expelled from the school. Because quite frankly, Shortman, it's what you deserve!"
Draco: Why are you still writing this trash?
Chloe: Because the nine people who are reading this are counting on me to finish
Draco: Pathetic, nobody even reviews, you must be some authoress
Chloe: Hey! Crossovers are hard to sell, everybody knows that! And I brought you here to bring more reviewers, not to bash me and eat all my Sugar Wafers!
Draco: Sugar Wafers are the one good thing you muggles know how to make. As for reviews, dear reviewers, keep the lack of attention up, I enjoy watching Chloe drown herself in hot cheetos while rocking herself back and forth like a bloody baby
Chloe: Rude!
Arnold: That's not very nice, Draco
Draco: Shut up and get me more wafers before I hex you
Arnold: *runs away*
Chloe: *sighs*