Chapter 14

Normal

The next week leading up to the quidditch trials were quick and easy. Most teachers had piled up on the homework for the sixth and seventh year students while all fifth year students were being told about their OWL's. Harry and Hermione having almost all NEWT level classes were given more homework than Ron and spent nights up together reading and writing. Harry and Ron posted signs of the bulletin board for the quidditch try-outs and already ten people had decided to try-out. By far, the best class was Defense against the Dark Arts with Professor Hund. He had a certain familiarity and made everyone more relaxed.

But Harry was becoming anxious. He hadn't heard from Sirius in weeks and wasn't sure what had happened to him. Order members that were seen around school wouldn't answer his questions and damn Dumbledore would only say that he was fine and would be in touch with Harry as soon as possible. Even Remus seemed uneasy when Harry would ask him a question about Sirius. He would tell him the same thing as Dumbledore and the close their connection through Sirius' mirror which for some reason was in his possession.

Occlumency lessons were becoming easier and easier for Harry and he now enjoyed his time practicing the technique. Although, he was still beyond angry with Dumbledore Harry tolerated the time they spent together.

The morning of Quidditch try-outs came bright and early. Harry and Ron decided to take a different approach to the try-outs this year and at exactly 7:00 they yelled up the stairs from the trainee quidditch players were to be dressed and out on the field in ten minutes or wouldn't be able to try-out. Immediately, they heard a clutter and laughed. They went on their way to the field talking happily about strategies and such.

"Okay we need two really good chasers of course and two beaters, right? Wait, if we don't get enough people to try-out what will we do! Arg, this is so frustrating" Ron was talking a mile a minute. You could see and feel his nerves a mile away.

"You're right Ron okay. We will get enough people to try-out so don't worry. Now settle down," Harry told him exasperated. For the past hour, he had been jabbering about how we should do things and so on.

"You're right. Okay, hey you know what? You haven't gotten your apparition license. I got mine over the summer while… err… you were on vacation," Ron frequently used the phrase "when you were on vacation" when he would talk about Harry's death .

Harry's eyes went wide. He had forgotten about apparition completely. It was a side thought yes but he never thought about it much.

"I guess I'll have to get one soon enough, tests are over break I think," Harry said thoughtfully.

"Yeah, Hermione can't get hers until Easter break though. She's a bit huffy when you mention it. It's sort of funny when you do though, she looks at you with wide eyes then they narrow and then she snaps saying that if she was allowed she would have her license right now and then she walks away. She's an interesting one," Harry smiled at Ron's comment.

He and Ron made it to the field and immediately mounted their brooms. Harry had received his firebolt back at the start of the year. Remus told him that it was tied to a wall with to other empty spots next to it that seemed to be fitted for two other brooms. Harry couldn't help but laugh when he remembered Fred and George's great escape the year before.

As they flew up in the air, they saw the "potentials" as Ron and Harry called them walking towards the field. Harry saw on Ron's Wizarding wristwatch it was 7:08.

"Good timing," he thought.

"That was a great try-out you guys! We'll have the sheet up on the bulletin board tomorrow morning to say who made the team! Thanks for trying out, all of you," Ron yelled authoritatively. Ron, Harry, and Katie were the only team members left now. They had headed the practice and were pleased to see the choices were obvious.

Ginny Weasley of course was an amazing chaser and team player. She was definitely on the team a long with a surprisingly good Colin Creevey who tried out for beater. An unknown fellow sixth year came out to try-out for a beater; Andrew Steman was a superb addition to the team a long with Dean Thomas who was a surprisingly good chaser. The team was filled up and they were ready for another year of winning the cup.

September soon fell into October. There was still no word from Sirius and day by day Harry would grow more worried and scared that something had happened to him. Quidditch practices came frequently and the team seemed to finally fit together. Class work was growing heavier and heavier as the days rolled by. Every night the trio would get at least two rolls of parchment for potions, DADA, and transfiguration. Hogsmeade trips were cancelled until further notice and every other day or so Harry would attend occlumency lessons. He had become better at it and was now excelling in Legillmens much to Dumbledore's and Remus' surprise and Snape's dismay.

Cho Chang had become an on going problem as the days passed. Harry, having no desire to speak to the now seventh year Ravenclaw spent a lot of his lunch and free periods trying to avoid her. It was not as easy as it seemed.

Harry had become closer to his friends as the month wore on. They were all with him whenever he went to a class so no one from the HPFC (Harry Potter Fan Club) would follow him or so Malfoy and his cronies wouldn't try and trip Harry or hex him on sight. Only Ron, Hermione, and Ginny knew about the prophecy and steered clear of the conversation of it. For once in his life, Harry Potter felt like a normal kid.