Ginny and Hermione went to Hermione's dorm to change and grab a bite before they had a meeting with McGonagall. They were fast and left less than twenty minutes after walking in. Once they were sitting in front of the Headmistress they went over the events of the morning. Hermione admitted to using the invisibility cloak at breakfast and over hearing the three students talking about Nathanial. She skipped the part about the map and made it seem like she had happened to get lucky when she ran across him and omitted the silencing spell. She told them of pulling his memory and sending it because she knew he would be devastated if he missed his tryout. To Nathanial, it was most important to have his fair shot, just like everyone else deserved.
"I am extremely appalled that this event took place, this morning," Headmistress McGonagall seethed. "I will make sure this problem is taken care of to the highest degree. I have made it very clear that I will not put up with any kind of bullying, this year.
Let's go ahead and take a look at the memory before we take any actions, just so that we have the absolute proof of what happened.
The three entered the memory and watched as Nathanial was yanked to the side through the entry of the fifth floor, while he was on his way to breakfast, and shoved into an empty room. It was very clear who his attackers were.
"Well, I am glad that there is no question of who did it," McGonagall admitted. "I will be calling everyone in for a meeting as soon as I can get everyone's parents in. If you want to go on about your day, I will send you an owl before the meeting. Are any of the three candidates for the team?"
"Absolutely not," Ginny answered. "In fact, Nathanial will be playing chaser for the team as will Arura. They will be the best players on the team in a couple years, they were amazing, today.
"They really were, I hear bells again." Hermione grinned.
"I wouldn't be surprised." Ginny agreed.
"Do I want to ask?" McGonagall asked the girls.
"Wedding bells. They are both very sweet and I think they could grow up to get married. I know I've barely seen them together, but they worked flawlessly together and I think they both already have small crushes on each other. Obviously, the chances are actually really slim, but I think they will end up being close friends."
"Sometimes I think watching the students grow is the best part of teaching. Seeing how they learn all about life, the study part is important, but the life stuff is the most important." McGonagall admitted. "I will get everything set up, though, and let you know when I come up with a time."
"Alright, well probably be in the Gryffindor common room, I have a team list to post and I think I will drag it out slowly," Ginny grinned. "I think I will post the keeper and then a while later post the beaters… and so on," She laughed a bit evilly "You don't mess with my team and you sure don't bully around me."
"See you later," Hermione smiled at McGonagall as they left.
They stopped by Hermione's dorm to grab Ginny's things and headed up to Gryffindor tower. As soon as the girls walked in, it was easy to tell that the whole common room had their eyes secretly… ish on Ginny. Everyone wanted to know who was on the team. Whether they wanted to know if they had made the team, their friends had made it, or just to satisfy their curiosity. Ginny went for the table in the corner of the common room and Hermione followed her without a word, they gave nothing away. They settled in and Ginny pulled out her quidditch things. Her papers were organized in a notebook and she had different plays drawn out and animated. Hermione was impressed with what she had accomplished.
"What are these plays?"
"I haven't given them names, for the most part, but they are just things I have thought up in the last couple weeks. I have a lot that I want to implement but it's really going to take a lot of work and a dedicated team. That's why I'm implementing the grade rule. I won't accept failure on my team, it's one thing to lose but it's another thing completely to fail," Ginny told her.
"Just because you lose doesn't mean you haven't tried your best." Hermione nodded her head in agreement.
"Exactly, I just want my team to give their best. I understand that today's best for someone may not be the same best as their tomorrow's best, or their yesterday's best, but as long as they give their best that they can each day I will be happy."
"That makes sense. Some days are easier, and some harder, for us. Have you decided on anyone so far?" Hermione asked loud enough for the common room to overhear if they were specifically listening to them.
"I think I might have, I keep playing it over and over in my head and going over stats and weaknesses versus strengths that everyone had." Ginny said seriously.
"How about we take a paper and write it down as you decide. What position is it for?" Hermione asked as she pulled out a piece of parchment.
Maybe it was mean for Hermione to egg Ginny's idea on but she thought it quite funny to torture someone mentally when they had tortured someone physically. She wrote 'Gryffindor Quidditch Team' at the top and waited for Ginny to tell her the position.
"I have the Keeper picked out," Ginny was aware that they were being eavesdropped on and silently took the paper from Hermione and wrote a name down, slowly. When she finished, Ginny held her quill for a moment as if she was indecisive and looked up at Hermione with a uneasy look. "That's it, so far. Now what?"
"I could hold this for you," Hermione toyed with the room, "or I could go hang it up for you, if you're sure…"
With a sigh Ginny gave a nod and Hermione left to pin the paper up. Every pair of eyes in the room were on her, other than Ginny who was observing the room. After Hermione pinned the notice up and started to walk away the whole room tried to nonchalantly check at the paper, like it didn't matter, and they weren't interested.
"Rodger made it!" Sarah Parker was a second year that also happened to be Rodger's little sister. Jumping around in excitement she ran off to find her brother with her girlfriends.
Hermione and Ginny spent some time quietly at the table, Ginny worked on some quidditch maneuvers and Hermione read her potions books while deciding what to teach and what to focus on per grade for the next school year. She made notes and checklists while writing down which books could be the most important for her to use and which ingredients she may need to acquire. Lost in thought, Hermione jumped when Ginny sprang from her seat. Ginny walked over to it and added to it before nodding her head and walking away.
The common room was less secretive about looking to see who made it, this time. When they got their first look the commotion was bigger than before, Matthew and Michael were well known and well liked so the whole of Gryffindor house was celebrating the news. Ginny smiled down at her notebooks as she listened to the joyous ruckus going on around her. It was getting closer and closer to time for the meeting and Ginny was enjoying the suspense she was creating with the room. She had watched Nathanial's tormentors since she had walked in and they were sticking close to him, making sure he couldn't leave their sight. He got up once for the loo and was followed. Ginny had also been watching the others that would be joining the team. Rodger had been the only absentee, but Ginny knew he had friends in other houses, he had probably been trying to stay busy until he knew the list was posted or until his sister came to find him. Arura was in an armchair near the fireplace reading a book. Derrick was playing chess and Nathanial was trying his best to ignore everything except his book on the couch in front of the fire
A while later, Ginny leaned over to Hermione and asked if she should wait a little longer to post the seeker. The meeting surly couldn't be much further off.
"I would post it when they get a note to leave or would pretend to be ready to post the Chasers and then dilly dally around and see if you can make them late," Hermione snickered. Maybe she was being mean, but she did not like the group or their tactics.
A little owl flew in the window and over to the group, Ginny knew it was time for them to go to McGonagall's office. She walked up to the bulletin board and wrote the word chaser three times in a column, but she didn't write anything else other than that she just stood there like she was thinking for a moment before she walked back to leaf through her notes. If she put the seeker up, then it would be obvious that at least one of them didn't make the team.
Ginny slowly walked back over to the board and stood with her quill in her hand, poised to write. An owl landed on her shoulder and waited patently for her to take a note from him. Ginny opened it and read it. It was time to get a move on. Ginny pretended to forget the list all together and went to show Hermione the note. Ginny grabbed her things to run them upstairs and raced back to Hermione, who was already packed up. The three bullies left the common room right as Ginny was coming back down, apparently, they had given up trying to wait her out.
With the bullies out the portrait hole, Ginny waited a few minutes to give them a head start and went to write down the remaining names but was once again stopped by an owl. The same owl, with another note.
"Ginny, I need you to let Nathanial and Arura know that they are needed in this meeting. I have all of the parents in the office and I am expecting your arrival very soon."
Ginny gave Hermione a quick glance that would be invisible to any onlookers but to Hermione would be a signal that it was time to get a move on. After going over to Nathanial and Aroura Ginny told them that they were wanted for a meeting with one of the professors, not technically a lie but also more discreet than saying the Headmistress wants to see you. They met Hermione a little down the corridor, Hermione had taken her leave as soon as Ginny had given her the look.
"Is this about this morning?" Nathanial asked.
"Yes," Ginny told him honestly, "We are heading into a meeting with everyone's parents, we are going to resolve this issue."
"Whatever Headmistress McGonagall says or does, just know she has a plan. You may not see it until she sneaks up and smacks someone upside the head, but she will have complete control of what is going on. Don't say anything unless she addresses you and answer completely and honestly, that is what she will expect. After the meeting is over you can say whatever whenever around her just wait until everything has been doled out. This is a very important meeting for many reasons." Hermione told them "this isn't just about the bulling you had to deal with, this has to do with setting the standard about how it will be dealt with I the future and it is something that needs to be nipped in the bud now so Headmistress McGonagall is going to come out really strong on this to set a tough example."
"I'm glad, really, I put up with a lot in primary because I was different, but I don't think it right. Something should be done to set an example. I'm glad it's me, and it's now, I don't want to be the weird kid anymore. I don't want to be the one that's too little or too smart or too anything; I just want to be myself, now, and I want everyone else to get to be their selves as well." Nathanial told them as they came to a stop at the Headmistresses office.
"It'll be okay, I promise." Hermione told Aroura, she hadn't said anything since they left the common room.
The four walked into the office with Nathanial leading the way followed by Aroura and then Ginny and Hermione. They took the available seats and waited for the meeting to begin.
"It has been brought to my attention that there was a bit of bullying this morning." McGonagall stated. "Ginny, I'm really disappointed with the news I received this morning about the tryouts for Gryffindor."
McGonagall gave her a piercing look and Hermione would have been fooled if she had not known. She looked around and saw that the head boy was also in the meeting.
"Ms. Weasley, can you tell me what you did at the tryouts, today?"
"I started out by letting everyone know what we would be doing and started them off for a run to start conditioning." Ginny told her, "then I had everyone divide up depending on what position they wanted to play-"
"You had players that got to try out for multiple positions, though, didn't you?"
"Kind of, Nathanial and Arura didn't know what position they would want to play because they are first years that haven't played before. I let them try each position to see what they liked or were good at. Other than that, everyone already knew what they wanted to play."
"would you say that was fair?" McGonagall asked, "I only want to know because it's your captaincy that we are talking about."
"I don't think it's fair or unfair. I just want the best team for my house. I wanted anyone who was unsure of where they wanted to play or would be good at to get to explore their talents and it was open for anyone that was trying out today. I made it very clear if someone wasn't sure of where they wanted to be to stand in one place and another for each position. Anyone could have stood there and tried every position, today."
"I'm glad to hear that. Also, what was discussed very heavily the night that we got back, Ms. Granger?"
"I believe you are referring to all of the measures we are taking against bullying. From now on it is zero tolerance. One strike and you are out, kind of thing." Hermione stated unsurely
"I am. I was informed, this morning, about some bullying that we need to address, pertaining to this morning's practice. A few of the students that were at the tryouts found a few things unfair and I have to agree with them. I have already discussed the punishment we will be doling out today with the minister of magic, himself. I talked extensively about the view the school would be taking when we had our welcoming feast, I have also made sure that all the professors have touched on in in your lessons. This school will not tolerate bullying and unfair treatment at all. Is this understood?"
All the students in the room nodded their heads.
"As I said the punishment has already been decided. The punishment is expulsion from Hogwarts.
The group looked at each other with a small smile on their faces, Hermione realized they thought they were in the clear.
"I received a letter about the unfairness of the two students that were allowed to try out for all of the positions. I agree that there was a hefty amount of unfairness this morning. I can see why some might think it unfair. Mr. Allen, Mr. Jeffrey and Mr. Cass, you three had an issue with this and are calling for the captaincy of Ms. Weasley to be revoked. Do you think that is a fair thing to ask or do you think it too strong of a punishment after hearing her reasoning?" McGonagall sounded perfectly inquiring.
"Honestly I find it to be a fitting if not light punishment, playing favorites is nothing short of bullying and I think she's just trying to cover her rear." Mr. Allen stated almost sounding bored.
"Is there a punishment you think would fit better?" McGonagall asked.
"All we have heard this week is that bullying will result in the highest punishment and I feel like expulsion has been implied by that. I'm not going to call for that, but I believe this should be taken seriously. What happened today was not fair, but I am not completely heartless." Allen was fighting a smirk. Hermione could tell that he was, in fact, completely heartless.
"So expulsion is something that should be considered but loss of captaincy should be the lowest form of punishment?" McGonagall clarified.
"I do believe so." Allen, obviously the leader, mused.
"After all I have learned today expulsion is the answer to the crime." There were audible gasps heard around the office. "I don't however believe that the issue to be addressed is this one. The issue I believe that I need to address is the one pertaining to Mr. Galton. Mr. Galton, what happened this morning after you left your common room?"
"I was ambushed, thrown into a room and locked in before breakfast. I was trying to get an early start so that I could get down to the pitch, I didn't want to be late for tryouts. Being a first year I already have only the slightest chance at making the team. Being a muggle born made it a smaller chance, even, but I still wanted to take my chance. I wanted to find something I'm good at and can actually make friends with. I want to find out who I am and to find what I like and I'm good at. Those three right there tried to take away the little bit of chance I had. They tried to hold me down and keep me back but thankfully they failed at that." Nathanial was fully honest.
"I am glad they did, had they succeeded there is no telling what would have happened." McGonagall told him before turning the three boys. "As I was saying expulsion is the answer. You three will be leaving immediately. I will not say that you cannot finish your schooling or that your wands will be snapped. I will however, say, you will not finish your schooling here in my school." McGonagall turned back to Nathanial and Arura, "Also I believe congratulations are in order for you two.."
"What do you mean?" Nathanial was confused.
"Am I mistaken?" McGonagall asked Ginny.
"No, they just were not informed yet."
"Are you saying what I think you are saying?" Arura asked excitedly, leaning forward in her seat.
"You are both the two new Chasers for the Gryffindor house team." Ginny smiled broadly.
"I apologize that this chapter took so dad gum long, Comp two sucked away my creativity and then between this semester's classes and starting a business it has been rough finding my will and want to write again (along with finding time.) However, let me know what you think and what you would like to see. I'm going to try to update a few times over the next couple weeks. I'm trying to get back into this because free writing helps me not hate life so feel free to keep me accountable by reminding me how long it has been since my last update, I do see all of the reviews.