Chapter XI: Fire in the Skies

AN from SonofLuffy: Detention ensues and more AVPM references. :3
Warning: Mild Sexual Adult Humor.
Disclaimer: Do not own Harry Potter or anything relevant or recognisable.

After Potions class, and Incantations, and then Herbology, Harry went to Lunch. He sat with Draco and the other first years, and Draco had now switched his braggart rhetoric from "I saved the half blood!" to "I am going to be Professor Snape's apprentice!" with peppered tangents about something named "Rumbleroar" and Mars. A few minutes had passed when some of the older Slytherin boys walked over, shoved Blaise, Pansy, and Rockwell out of the way; and sat down besides Harry and Draco.

"We have heard all about your little stunt the other day, boys," The most snarly of the jackals snapped, "Though, I am sure you already know, I am Marcus Flynn, captain of the Slytherin house Quidditch team; and we find ourselves in need of some new talent. Not starters obviously, but bench warmers and toadies, for sure, and you will be in ripe position to be full members next year." Harry had a confused look on his face, but Draco, and the misplaced Blaise, and Rockwell-who was still on the floor-all lit up.

Rockwell, got to his feet, and pushed his brother, who was the one who had uprooted him, out of his seat. Draco jumped up, with a fist in the air, screaming "Yes! We will do it! Right, Harry? We will be famous!"

There was the magic word. Harry also lit up at this point, and nodded like a bobble-head. He was still confused what it meant, but that was not at the front of his mind. Flynn barked at them "Very good, boys, you will barely live to regret this!" to which his jackals all started to howl. Harry and Draco were unnerved, but not deterred. Flynn continued, "Meet me at the pitch after class tomorrow, and I will put the cudgel to you boys. We will get you initiated good and proper!" Flynn and his pack all tore apart the chicken that sat before the first years, taking its meaty bits, and walked from the hall, cackling.

The rest of the day passed smoothly, and in detention later, Mister Filch was hanging them all upside down, cuffed at the ankle. Harry saw Draco, while they were waiting to be chained, inch himself closer to Hermione. When it came time for them to be hung up, Draco was right next to her, and so they were hung next to each other. After Filch left, Draco started chatting her up.

"I do not suppose you have heard that Professor Snape has taken a special interest in my potions' study, have you?" Draco said, coyly to her.

"Would you say he has decided to, because you have 'special needs'?" She replied, laughing at him.

"I would have you know that I am from a most prestigious family, and am well on my way to being captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team!" He replied, obviously having missed the insult.

"Well, to quote a colonial-muggle sport, it would seem you have no balls and two strikes. How about you keep swinging there, slugger?" She scoffed, trying her best to be rude, but not quite knowing how.

"Care to join me for a little broom-ride? My Father will likely buy me the new 'Nimbus Two-Thousand' for my amazing achievements in such a short amount of time!" Draco fancied, he had stopped looking at her, and truly, was now off in his own head somewhere.

"Achievements?" she asked, "You mean like making an arse of yourself while hanging from chains in detention? Yes, I would surmise such a thing would make him so proud, he would simply have to spend enough money to convince a girl to willingly ride your broom."

One of the older boys over heard this bit and began to laugh hilariously. Hermione and Draco however, were too young to understand why.

"You know!" fumed Draco, "I did not have to save your life, the other day. You could stand to be grateful!" Harry was rather uncomfortable, but was enjoying the two bicker.

"Yes, well! I am not the one running about, bragging to every girl in school about it, and referring to me as 'that half-blood'-I have a name, you know!" She was furious. Then she saw harry out of the corner of her eye, as he snickered; and the flood gates opened upon him. "And you! Apparently, you are good at catching balls-"

She was cut short by Filch, who walked back in, barking "Stop shouting in here! This is quiet time, my pretties…"

And all three of them remained quiet the rest of the hour.

Harry and Draco arrived at the Quidditch Pitch the next day after class, ready to be inducted. Flynn and his jackals were already there, two of them carrying bats, which Harry had a bad feeling about. They all stood around a trunk which was richly decorated. As the boys walked up, one of Flynn's men bent down and opened the trunk. Inside were three balls and the trunk seemed to jump and squirm a bit.

"What you see before you is the necessary equipment to play Quidditch. The large red ball is called a quaffle. Three 'Chasers' will attempt to take the quaffle and score ten points every time they are able to put it through any of the three hoops on the opposing team's side of the field. Two 'Beaters' take the cudgels and defend our team from the 'bludgers', the two smaller black balls. They also try to hit the other team with the bludgers. The 'Keeper' guards the hoops from the other team. And lastly, the 'Seeker' attempts to catch the golden snitches." As he said this, he unlocked a secret panel in the trunk to reveal three golden balls. "Each is worth thirty points. When they are all caught, the game is over."

The elder Rockwell tossed a cudgel to each of the boys, and said "Which of you wants it more?" and they looked at each other, and at their bats. "I am kidding, boys, no need to brain each other…yet!" He was joined in a howling cackle by the older Slytherins. "No, no, the object here is that we want you to score a combined one hundred points… using bludgers in place of the quaffle. It does not matter how they go through, so long as a bludger passes through a hoop ten times." Two other team members handed them brooms, and Rockwell continued, "Ok, now mount your brooms. You fail the test if you touch the ground before the tenth hoop. On three- One…THREE!" He surprised them, as two others loosed the bludgers. Harry and Draco took off in opposite direction, each being pursued by a bludger.

Harry was noticeably swifter, but Draco was more precise in his movements. Harry flew past Draco, smashing his club in the bludger tailing his friend, sending it back, and into a hoop. The other one then began to pursue Draco, and followed him right through another hoop. Harry darted back, but barely missed being struck in the shoulder by his bludger. The other one then came up from underneath him, but was batted away, and through a hoop, by Draco. Turning about, Harry caught the other one, and tossed it above his head, hammering back down on it with the cudgel, serving it through a hoop. Draco swiftly darted around to the opposite side, and struck it back through the hoop, towards Harry. With a nice backhand, Harry returned Draco's parry, which was sent sailing back to him again. They continued to close in, making the shots easier and easier until, with one hoop left to score, the other bludger struck the tail-end of Draco's broom stick. The broom smashed, and Draco was toppled over, falling quickly. Harry dropped his bat and sped towards his friend- They had to be at least thirty feet up, the fall would kill him. He heard the team cheer, which made him look back at the hoop, and to his surprise, one had followed him, and went through the hoop.

It was not long, however, that they cheered, as Harry had taken his eyes away for too long, and when he turned back around, he collided with Draco, and both of them struck the sand.

-end-of-chapter-

What do you think of the new Quidditch rule? How do you like Harry as a Slytherin so far? What about the other characters? Please leave a review with questions, comments, concerns, etc in the review box below. Thanks for reading!