Chapter 3 Harry Front and Center
For what seemed like the first time in his life Harry Potter was doing something selfish for himself. He still didn't know how Ron and Ginny had convinced him to come down to the Open English Quidditch Tryouts, but the fact remained that he was currently wearing a muggle ski cap, color contacts and registering under a false name so that he could try out for the team. Behind him Ron was humming the tune to 'Weasley is Our King' and rocking back on his heals nervously.
After writing the name J.P. Harrison on the register under seeker auditions, Harry went and sat down in the empty bleachers to wait. Ron joined him there a moment later.
"So… no need to be nervous Harry; we're both going to be great." Ron was clearly trying to convince himself more than Harry with what he was saying. When Harry didn't answer Ron continued rambling: "What name did you register under?"
"J.P. Harrison. I thought it best to stick as close to my real name as possible so I won't be taken off guard when it's called."
"Oh. That was smart. I should have done something like that. I think I wrote Charlie West or something similar. I used one of my brother's names, but I can't remember for sure which one. And it was definitely West as the last name…. I think… Or was it Walt. Oh bloody Hell! I forgot my name. What if they call my name and I don't remember that it's mine. Or what if there really is a Charlie West here and I signed up under Bill Walt and then I go to try out and there's already someone there? They're going to think I'm completely nuts. I won't even get a chance to mount the broom. They'll be shipping me off to St. Mungo's…
"Relax Ron." Harry interrupted laughing. "Go with your first instinct. You probably signed up as Charlie West. Don't lose your focus over something that stupid."
"Yeah… Yeah. You're right, I need to focus. Charlie West. That's it. Three hoops block center fake right, lunge left. Keep focused." Ron muttered to himself.
"Of course they probably will cart you off to St. Mungo's after they get to know you better. I've been considering it for years. Anyone who supports the Chudley Cannons, and worries about forgetting his name can't be completely sane don't you think?"
Harry laughingly dodged as Ron aimed a punch at his arm. "I don't see why we don't just try out as ourselves. It would be one less thing we have to worry about." Ron replied bitterly. "Especially for you Harry, you know that any team in the world would be jumping at the chance to have you play for them, even if you were the worst player in the history of Quidditch."
Harry's laugh died on his face and was replaced by a grimace. "And that is exactly why we aren't trying out as ourselves. I refuse to be put onto a professional Quidditch team unless I make it with talent alone. I won't use my fame, or people's hero worship for defeating Voldemort as a boost. If I'm not good enough as J.P. Harrison then I'm not good enough, and that's the end of it. It's because of you and Ginny that I'm here in the first place Ron. If you're going to grumble about my conditions then we can leave now."
"Okay. Okay! Don't get you're knickers in a twist. I get it. I won't bring it up again. Anyway, you don't have anything to worry about. Chosen one or not you'll make it. Me on the other hand… Look I get why you're going with the cloak and dagger routine but I don't see why I have to do it too." Ron said anxiously while yanking on his dyed brown hair.
"Ron my friend," Harry said with a cheeky smile, "You are exceptionally famous now. People recognize you on sight, just like me. And they know that we are usually together. I refuse to be found out because of your bloody popularity."
"Fine, but if it turns out that I did sign up as Bill Walt, and there is another Charlie West here I'll get Ginny to bat boggy you when we get home."
Both friends laughed together. As the head coach of England's National Quidditch team began the tryouts.
In just a few minutes everyone was being separated into different groups depending on the position they were trying out for.
The head Coach, who Harry soon learned was called Coach Riley, took the group of seekers, while a pretty female assistant who Ron goggled at, took the keepers. Riley turned out to be a stout gruff kind of man who easily might have been a long lost relative of Mad-eye Moody. In little to no time he had them all running drills that made all of them sore and tired
After only two times through various obstacles around the field, Coach Riley had already sent four players off the field and had the remaining players begin simple flying dives, swerving drills, and bludger dodging exercises. An hour and twenty minutes later an exceptionally tired Harry was left seated on his broom with only three other Seeker candidates. It was at this time that the assistant coach and trainers brought their remaining players to the middle of the field as well. Harry was thrilled to see an equally tired but obviously excited Ron in the remaining Keeper potentials.
As the coaches began the final tryouts for the chaser and beater positions Harry allowed his mind to wander. There were seven openings on the team (The war had not been kind to muggle born Quidditch stars.) Harry knew that the open positions were: two reserve Chasers, one starting and one reserve Beater, both a starting and a reserve Keeper, and a reserve seeker. The idea of going out for the reserve team had not appealed to Harry. It seemed stupid, but according to Ron England's currant reserve was terrible and if Harry wanted to be the starting Seeker all he'd have to do was outperform the current reserve seeker.
"You watch Harry." Ron had told him, "After they see you they're going to leap at the chance to put Hawkins on reserve again. He's terrible. Lost nine games straight after the starting seeker disappeared."
Harry who hadn't bothered catching up on all the Quidditch games of the last year that he had missed only shrugged and decided to take Ron's word about the matter.
The four coaches watched the Chasers first and then the beaters. Harry didn't really pay attention beyond noticing that most of those trying out were in their mid-twenties early thirties. 'If Ron and I do make it were going to be the youngest members of the team.' He thought.
All too soon it was the Keeper's turn. As the remaining keepers each took their turns blocking the hoops, Harry couldn't help but be a bit biased towards Ron. To Harry, it seemed, Ron was really in top form. He had definitely stopped worrying about his name and was throwing himself into every save with a skill that Harry had never imagined he had before. The last year had certainly helped his confidence and his dodging skills. Harry cut off this thought before it could go any further. He did not want to be thinking about the war now.
After all the Keepers had taken their turns the coaches took a long time debating before finally announcing that Charlie West would be the starting keeper. Ron's face dropped into a depressed frown upon hearing this. Several seconds passed before recognition hit him. The look on his face was beyond funny. Harry tried not to laugh at his friend as Ron started doing flips on his broom while whooping like an idiot. Making a note to never let him live this down, Harry took his position in line with the other seekers.
Harry could immediately tell which player was the reserve Seeker. The man with a snarl seemed to scream out that he thought the position was his. He looked as though he resented having to try out at all. Harry shook his head and concentrated instead on the Head Coach who was explaining that they were going to release ten snitches and that the player who caught the most would earn the starting position, while the person with the second most would get to be the reserve.
As soon as the whistle blew Harry tore off in search of the snitches.
In less than a minute of searching he discovered one at the base of the goal post. He raced after it and snatched it after a shallow dive. The snitch froze midair and turned red. Harry left it and began looking again. Five minutes later he saw one of the other players diving towards the ground and followed after him. As Harry caught up he saw that there were two snitches close together that the competing seeker was aiming for. Harry leaned into a steep dive. Feet from the ground he swerved in front of the other seeker blocking his catch. Letting go with both hands he simultaneously caught both snitches in both hands while pulling up with his legs. The other seeker wasn't so lucky. He crashed into the ground and had to have a healer come assist him off the field. Harry didn't give him a side glance. He was too busy racing towards the West bleachers where he had spotted a forth snitch. He grabbed it effortlessly, and within a few more minutes grabbed a fifth.
Looking around Harry could see that besides the five snitches he had caught there were four other red snitches on the field. There was only one snitch left. And if a single player had caught the other four snitches then he would have to catch the last one to ensure his victory. As if sensing that the tryouts had reached their climax the final snitch appeared right next to the Head Coach who was watching with his clipboard from the ground.
Harry and the reserve player spotted it at the same time. They both aimed their brooms at the ground and raced towards it. Pushing his Firebolt to its top speed, Harry pulled inches in front of the reserve player. As if sensing that Harry was going to get to the snitch first, the reserve player rammed into Harry's broom causing Harry to flip over the front and fall forwards.
Knowing he only had a moment to act Harry quickly grabbed hold of the reserve player's broom tail with both hands as it passed him by midair. Then, timing it so he was only five feet from the ground, Harry flung himself towards the snitch catching it while knocking the reserve seeker's hand out of the way. Landing with a crunch Harry knew that he had gotten the position and a broken arm.
Harry grimaced to himself as the team healer and coaches ran towards him, not because of the pain but more at the thought of Mrs. Weasley and how she was going to react when she found out why he had been ordered to keep his arm in a sling for the next 24 hours. He and Ron really shouldn't have lied and told her they were going to Diagon Alley for the day.
Coach Riley blew his whistle and smiled. The last snitch Harry was holding turned red, and soon after all of the other snitches around the field flew towards their Seekers. The six snitches he had caught hovered over Harry's head. Looking around Harry saw that both the reserve Seeker and another player he didn't know had two snitches above them.
After the team healer had finished fixing his arm all the while ignoring mutters about having to sleep at Grimmauld Place for the night to avoid Molly, the Coach called all the remaining players together. Harry was broken out of his daze by Ron's shout of "I told you you'd make it, I told you! That was Bloody Amazing." Coach Riley didn't bother consulting his associates. He gruffly announced that J.P. Harrison would be England's starting Seeker.
The reserve player seemed to have reached his limit at seeing his teammates cheer so exuberantly at the announcement. With a snarl he said. "Why did you have to show off at the end? You already had the position; I don't know why you had to make the rest of us look like idiots by catching the last snitch. You bloody showoff."
Harry was speechless. He hadn't done it to show off! Shocked at how much this snarling man resembled the late Professor Snape Harry couldn't think of anything to say back.
Luckily Coach Riley had it covered. "Hawkins, taking nothing for granted is what separates a good Seeker from a great one; something you don't seem able to pick up on. As your contract has expired, we will not be signing you for another year. "Walton," here Coach Riley pointed at the other Seeker who had been trying out, "you will be our reserve." Leaving an outraged and screaming Hawkins behind, Coach Riley led the new English International Team to the locker room for a team meeting.
Sitting side by side, Ron and Harry listened as Coach Riley spoke with the team. "Welcome aboard everyone. I am very pleased with the results of the tryouts. Truth be told I wasn't too hopeful of getting any descent players with an open tryout. Congratulations on surpassing my expectations. My compliments go to all of you, but especially to Mr. Harrison. Never in all my life have I seen such reckless and amazing skill." Here the entire team once again gave Harry a round of applause, while Ron slapped him on the back.
Coach Riley didn't let them have more than a few seconds before he continued his speech. "This team is going to be like the family you can never escape from so before we get going on our journey to Hell, I want us to open up a bit and get to know one another. Mr. Harrison why don't you start since we're all anxious to know where you learned to fly like that."
Frozen in place Harry began a stammered introduction before cutting off. Looking at Ron who in turn nodded, Harry started again. "Coach Riley, my friend and I haven't been completely upfront with you. We wanted to try out for the team and make it on based on talent alone so we entered ourselves under false names and with altered appearances. My name isn't J.P. Harrison, and my friend isn't Bill West."
"Charlie West." Ron muttered as he looked tensely at Coach Riley.
Coach Riley meanwhile was frowning. He looked from Harry to Ron before barking "I don't care if you two are Merlin himself and Harry Potter. Whoever you are, you're two of the best flyers I've seen. You wanted to make it on the team with skill and you have. So out with it; what's with the cloak and dagger?"
Harry, who had paled at the mention of his name, sighed before reaching up and removing his ski cap revealing his messy black hair and his all too recognizable scar. The entire team froze at the sight. With a shrug Harry said "I'm Harry Potter and this is my best friend Ron Weasley and both of us learned to fly at Hogwarts."
It was a long time before either Harry or Ron were able to return home and tell a very impatient Ginny, a very angry Mrs. Weasley, and a very excited family that they were England's newest Quidditch players.
"Honestly Ron, chew and swallow your food before you open your mouth to speak" an exasperated Hermione told Ron as he once again began expressively telling everyone at the table how he and Harry had made the English International Team.
Ron swallowed and grinned sheepishly at his girlfriend before continuing on. Harry tuned him out and focused instead on something much more interesting and wonderful, his girlfriend Ginny Weasley who was smiling at him with arched eyebrows as Ron's embellishment went on to include ten quaffles being shot at the goals at once, and how he was able to block them all by jumping off his broom. Putting on a very serious face Harry gave her a look that said 'Every word is true' while nodding. Ginny, who had just taken a drink, started laughing, spraying Harry with pumpkin Juice.
"Yuck, Gin" Harry exclaimed, with a mock look of disgust. Everyone at the table from George to Mrs. Weasley started laughing.
Ginny kept on laughing a few seconds after everyone else before gasping out "It's your own fault Potter. How you keep a straight face and defend Ron's exaggerations is beyond even mine and George's talents." And at that she and everyone else set off into another gale of laughter.
"I think I accept that challenge ickle Gin Gin" George said in a mock offended tone. "I happen to be the master at deception. Plus I've had years more training than Harrykins over there."
'This is perfect' Harry thought while laughing and looking around at the people surrounding him. 'I didn't think life would ever return to this.'
It had been two and a half months since the defeat of Voldemort and the final battle at Hogwarts. Looking at the mounted picture of Fred above the family clock that had been put up after the funeral, Harry couldn't help but think that if Fred was alive, this is how he'd want to see his family: everyone laughing.
Ginny followed his eyes to the picture of Fred and her smile froze. It still hurt to remember, but with each passing day it hurt a little bit less. Fred had not died so that they would grieve; he'd fought and died so that people could laugh. Ginny's smile turned a bit sad as she looked at the picture but she didn't stop smiling either.
Unnoticed by the rest of the family Harry gently grabbed her hand underneath the table and squeezed it. After everything bad that had happened with the war, life was finally turning around and becoming good again. Ginny and He had finally gotten back together with the start of the summer holiday. They still had a few things that they hadn't told each other, and there were still memories that crept up unexpectedly to haunt them, but the relationship they were building now was stronger than before because of the trials they had had to undergo to finally get to have it.
As Ron went on about how England's Team was going to be unbeatable Ginny finally interrupted his vast embellishments. "Maybe this year Ron, but next year, when I make it on the Harpies you and Harry are going down."
Ron sputtered and started trying to talk with half a roll in his mouth until he saw Hermione's glare and promptly decided to swallow before retaliating. Mrs. Weasley however had nothing stopping her. "You'll do no such thing Ginny. If Harry and Ron hadn't already signed a contract I'd have them off that team this minute. Quidditch is dangerous and violent and I won't have any daughter of mine risking her neck for a game."
"Oh come on mum. Bill said looking away from a very pregnant Fleur. You haven't approved of any of your kid's professions except for Percy's. Let her go for a Quidditch team; she'll be amazing."
Seeing Mrs. Weasley about to start arguing and sensing the need to intervene Hermione interrupted the conversation. "Harry I've finished the modifications on your invisibility cloak."
The entire table turned to stare at her Quidditch forgotten. Ron asked the question that was on everyone's lips "You messed with the Hallow? How could you… when… err…What did you do to it Hermione?"
Hermione gave him a withering glare "I didn't mess with it Ronald. I just enhanced it a bit. Harry and I were talking after the incident at the ministry about how it would be nice to have the cloak act interchangeably so that one way it was just a normal cloak while the other way it was the same invisibility cloak. That way you could wear it at all times and be seen when you wanted to be seen and disappear with a swish of the cloak, before anyone could figure out what was happening."
"But you didn't say what you did to it."
Well isn't it obvious? I added a visible layer to one side. I also added a few charms and modifications so you won't lose it Harry. Like a permanent shield charm, an anti-theft charm, anti-summoning charm and a non-removable charm so that only the person wearing it can take it off. Oh I even added a hood; that was the easiest bit after all those house elf hats I knitted in our fourth year."
Hermione paused looking quite excited… waiting to see if anyone would ask her how she had done it. However no one seemed able to think of anything to say. Indeed Ron's face looked as though he was going to begin burping up slugs again.
"Don't worry Ron!" Hermione said at his disbelieving look, "everything I modified can be taken off. It was all done to the visible side anyway. You would not believe how hard it was to get anything to stick to an invisibility cloak at all let alone coming up with a way to keep something visible on a cloak that makes everything invisible."
Harry nodded at this pretending he could understand the complex nature of the topic which frankly he knew he never would.
Harry sighed to himself thinking of why he had had to ask Hermione to help with this in the first place.
With the aftermath from Voldemort's defeat Harry had had a difficult time going out into the public without being mobbed by fans and people who seemed to have to personally thank him for defeating 'you-know-who.'
Three weeks earlier at the Ministry Harry had literally been backed into a wall by over a hundred people demanding his signature, the right to shake his hand, to hug and/or kiss him. It had taken twenty minutes, thirty Aurors, and a large display of Fireworks (courtesy of George) to make it possible for him to escape without having to start cursing his fan club.
The mob like atmosphere had finally driven Harry to constantly carry his invisibility cloak with him wherever he went. When Hermione had thought up the idea of making it possible to have it on hand in a moment's notice while still being able to be physically present, he had leapt at the idea.
Smiling Harry said "You're brilliant Hermione. How can I ever thank you enough?"
"You could start by helping me beat some manners into Ron." Hermione replied as Ron shoved three-fourths of a baked potato into his mouth. Everyone turned to look at Ron and then started laughing again. When everyone had calmed back down Hermione continued "I also added a pocket for your wand."
"Hermione you think of everything" Harry responded in a complimentary voice.
"Of course she does," Ron replied with a full mouth, "How else do you think she could keep up with my amazing awesomeness."
As Hermione grabbed a roll and threw it at Ron's head sending everyone once again into laughter, Harry thought to himself how wonderful life was.
On July 30th Harry, Hermione, and Ron found themselves walking through Hogsmeads towards the Hogwarts grounds. Headmistress McGonagall had asked them to come and speak with her.
While Hermione and Ron had used disillusionment charms on themselves Harry had donned his invisibility cloak. They made it to the castle with no one noticing them. When they reached the great doors, Harry flipped his invisibility cloak to the seeable side while Hermione and Ron removed their spells.
"Do you think McGonagall is still going to let us attend Hogwarts this year even though we have weekly practices and games with England?" Ron asked worriedly.
"I don't think it will be a problem. Durmstrang managed to work around Krum while he was in school."
Hermione was nervously twisting her wand. "I hope the research project I agreed to work on for the department of Law Enforcement won't detract from my studies. NEWTS are the most important exam we take at Hogwarts. It's virtually impossible to get a good career without high NEWT scores. Maybe I could ask someone at the ministry for a time turner. But then I'd have to worry about keeping everything straight and…
"Hermione you're going be fine. Relax. We'll take this year one day at a time, and I'm sure once you've drawn up study timetables for yourself and the two of us you'll feel much better about everything." Harry said.
And with that he said the password (Quidditch) to the newly repaired griffin blocking the stairs and the three of them took the moving stairs to the Headmistress' office.
It was strange seeing a beaming Dumbledore behind the headmistress' chair as well as dozens of other previous headmasters and headmistresses who were grinning and waving as they entered the office.
Harry had to think that it had been easier to concentrate and be at ease when you were only facing one Headmaster instead of fifty. Maybe that was why they all usually pretended to be asleep.
Professor McGonagall was seated in the headmistresses chair looking her regular stern self. However on seeing Harry Ron and Hermione her generally stern face allowed a thin lipped smile to creep onto it.
"Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter thank you for coming, would you care for a biscuit and some tea?" McGonagall inquired in a Dumbledore like manner.
At receiving three negative shakes of heads she paused and pursed her lips in thought. She seemed a bit undecided as to how to begin, but in typical McGonagall fashion she didn't beat around the bush.
"I'll get right to the point then. I am curious to know the reason the three of you are returning to Hogwarts this year. While I did extend the offer, I have to admit that I didn't expect you to accept it. I would have thought you three would get started in your careers. With the defeat of he-who" she paused at the disbelieving looks Harry and portrait Dumbledore were giving her, "Sorry old habit, Voldemort, I was led to believe that you would have no trouble getting into your desired fields regardless of your lack of NEWT scores. Indeed I read in last week's paper that you and Mr. Weasley had already managed to make your way onto the English International Quidditch Team, and that Ms. Granger had accepted a research project from the Ministry." McGonagall inquired with what almost appeared to be a proud smile.
Ron and Hermione looked at Harry, clearly expecting him to act as spokesman for the three.
"Professor McGonagall, we have the rest of our lives to worry about getting jobs and working. We talked it over and decided that what we really want is a year away from all the stress and worry of Dark Lords and Death Eaters. We want a year to relax, hang out, play pranks, get detentions, and maybe cram a bit of education in if there's time."
Harry ignored the scandalized look Hermione was giving him and continued on.
"We know we can get any job we want right now, and that's part of the reason why we want to come back to Hogwarts. If we apply for a job now we'll be given them regardless of whether or not we deserve them. Professor, err Headmistress, none of us wants to be given anything. We want to work for it. Plus if we attend Hogwarts this year things can continue cooling down in the wizarding world. Right now everyone is far too excited about the death of Voldemort for my taste, and their excitement is making life for me, Ron and Hermione a living nightmare. So yeah, um that's why we've decided to come back this year."
Professor McGonagall's lips spread into a full smile as Harry finished explaining. "Well Mr. Potter I'm happy to see you've thought this through. If you and Mr. Weasley wouldn't mind owling me your team practice and game schedule I will make sure we get everything worked out for the school year.
"It won't be a problem then?"
"Well there is one problem…"
Ron and Harry both froze. What if they had to give up their positions?
After allowing the boys a stressful moment McGonagall continued.
"Quite a big problem I should say. You see the board has decided that International Quidditch players are not allowed to play on their house teams… and I am afraid that Griffindor's team is going to suffer quite a bit this year without you."
Everyone, portraits, professors and students laughed. It was nice to have something like the school Quidditch cup be a 'big problem.'
"Did you remember your trunk Ron? I don't think we have enough time to go back to the Burrow and get it. We're supposed to be meeting the team for the Portkey to Ireland in ten minutes." Harry asked as he pulled on the hood of his cloak.
Ron who was in the middle of casting a notice me not charm on himself growled "I have it shrunk in my pocket same as you Harry. Honestly, between you and Hermione you'd think I constantly forget my own name."
"Actually Ron, I seem to recall a time not so long ago, that…" Harry jokingly began before he cut off with a painful gasp and dropped to the ground clutching his head.
"Harry? Harry! What's wrong?" Ron and Hermione began screaming, but Harry was in far too much pain to respond.
It felt like he was being pulled in two, ripped down the middle. Every part of his body was engulfed in agony. He couldn't think to scream. His body started twitching and convulsing on the ground.
Ron and Hermione were panicking. The last time something like this had happened had been when Voldemort was near Harry. But that couldn't be the case now. Voldemort was dead, wasn't he? They didn't have time to find someone or to cast a Patronus to summon help from the castle. In less than a minute after the attack began, Harry had disappeared.
Questions for Reviewers
In this Chapter I wished to show the contrast between the 'old' Order's world and Harry's world. This was done to make Harry's displacement even more traumatic. What did you feel while reading? Was it well done?
For those of you who read the original version of this chapter you will notice that the Quidditch part was dramatically reduced. Good thing or Bad? Why?