As promised, the key unlocked the broom shed, and they grabbed three broomsticks in the gathering dusk. James and Fred both were up in the air in seconds, passing the Quaffle to and fro. Meanwhile Lucy just held her broomstick staring at it in bewilderment. James swooped over her and smiled. "Just try it."
She did, looking at the broomstick in disbelief. She managed to make it hover about three foot off of the ground and very slowly began going around in circles with it. The boys watched her for a moment, then Fred started showing off, doing a few loops. "You can go higher if you want," James suggested.
"Er no thanks," she said. "I think this is high enough. If I fall I won't break any bones from this distance." She kept to her word, but after a while she gripped the broomstick handle tighter and she started going faster and faster until she was whizzing underneath them, as fast as she could go and thoroughly enjoying herself.
It was only when Fred accidentally dropped the Quaffle and much to her own surprise as anyone else's, she caught it under her right arm that she stopped hovering a few feet from the ground. She looked at both boys in shock at the red ball and then zoomed upwards without even thinking about it.
The laughter from the three of them reached two silent spectators, standing in front of Hagrid's house. As the darkness gathered, they stopped being able to see them, but could hear their squeals of excitement and peals of laughter.
"You know who they remind me of?" McGonagall said quietly.
"I know exactly who they remin' you of," Hagrid said, amusement in his voice. "It could be twen'y years ago, and you'd not know the difference."
Professor McGonagall smiled. "Well, you would never get Hermione Granger on a broomstick, but apart from that…"
Hagrid smiled at them, then coughed. "What 'appened to Harry?"
"I don't know," McGonagall said. "But whatever it was, whoever killed him… it's a power I'd rather not face. I'm old Hagrid." He sniffed uncomfortably but said nothing. "If something is brewing, and the Ministry thinks it is… I can't do it all over again."
"Are you leaving Professor?"
"I might," she said. "At the end of the school year. But I want to know what shape this threat is taking."
"You don' think… You know who?"
"No I don't," McGonagall said firmly. "I didn't anyway, but I went and checked. His body's still where we buried it. The grave hasn't been disturbed."
"Oh," Hagrid said quietly. "That's good." Minerva sighed. "Isn' it?"
"Well, if it were him we would at least know what we're up against. At the moment we have no information. I'm not sure which is worse." She shook her head and paid attention to the first years flying on the pitch, even though she couldn't see them any longer. "I should put them in detention. Breaking into the broom cupboard, flying on the Quidditch pitch without permission, plus they should be back in their dormitories by now."
Hagrid smiled at them. "You have a Fred Weasley and a James Potter over there. D'you really think detention will make much diff'rence?"
"No," Minerva said. "I don't." She smiled at them again. "I'm going to the Ministry. Can you keep an eye on the school over the weekend?"
"O' course professor," he said. "G'night."
"Goodnight Hagrid." Professor McGonagall went back to the castle, ignoring the cluster of owls that flew overhead on their nightly prowl. Hagrid watched the three first years until they put the brooms away and vanished up to the main castle, laughter drifting back to him. Hagrid went into his hut and sighed. Were dark times coming once more?
Saturday afternoon saw James on the Quidditch pitch and Lucy in the stands watching. While she had had fun last night, she was not going to get on a broomstick with loads of better fliers than herself watching. No, she'd rather sit safely in the stands.
James on the other hand was waiting for the beaters try outs. The seekers had been first and Robyn Saunders, the captain of the Hufflepuff side had picked her choice. Daniel Mex, a light and speedy third year. The chasers were flying around in groups of five, passing the Quaffle between them as the captain watched critically.
On the other hand, James was looking at the Bludgers, straining against the chains tying them in the box. This was a stupid idea. He could never measure up to his father, so why bother trying?
"Right, the chasers are going to fly and try and score, while the beaters try to knock them off of their brooms," Robyn said loudly. She looked at the parchment list and called out four names to go first, one of which was "Potter." James was relieved he could go early. It would stop him obsessing over the reasons he was doing this for.
He swung his leg over his broom (one of the school ones. His own Dynamo 210 was still at home) and kicked off from the pitch. Once he was in the air, he remembered why he was doing this. It was fun. With the club in hand, he looked around as Robyn unleashed both bludgers, watching the four hovering broomsticks with interest.
One of the bludgers came straight towards James as soon as it was released. He took aim with the bat, and then swung it with all his might as a Chaser, Jenny Nocks, thirty feet above him. James flew slowly around the pitch, keeping an eye on the other bludger as the first one hit the chaser directly on the back of the head. James smiled with triumph, then gasped as the chaser wobbled and then fell off of her broomstick, clearly unconscious. James flew forward quickly, unsure if this gave him bonus points or ruined his chances for the Quidditch team, and miraculously caught her on his broom. He had a fistful of her canary yellow Quidditch robes, trying to pull her to safety.
The old school broom, couldn't cope with the weight of an extra person though and started to sink towards the ground. Slowly, then much faster, and James could see the ground getting closer. Both of them fell off in an ungraceful heap onto the pitch with a thump.
James watched as Jenny started to open her eyes, and put a hand to her head.
"Potter, you can hit a bludger," she said, wincing at the lump. He grinned apologetically.
"I didn't mean to knock you out."
"Isn't that the name of the game?" she asked. "Where's my broom?" James looked around bewildered and saw the broom in question hovering about fifty feet in the air. Robyn Saunders flew to the empty broom, grabbed it and dived to the ground. She handed the broom to Jenny and then looked at James.
"Are you all right Jenny?" she asked. The girl nodded. "Potter, can you really hit bludgers like that all the time, or was that a fluke?" Robyn asked. James smiled and grabbed his bat.
"Give me five minutes and I'll have someone else off their broom," he said confidently. Robyn looked at him critically.
"Go on then," she said. "I've told the Chasers to watch out for you." James took one last look at the girls and then took off, seeing a black spot on the horizon. He flew towards it, took aim at the bludger and hit it with all his might.
"Well?" Fred asked at dinner that night, hoping over to the Hufflepuff table, wanting to know how try outs had gone.
"He's on the team," Lucy said succinctly as James swallowed his mouthful of roast potatoes. "After one chaser was knocked unconscious, two broken arms, one fractured ankle and knocking the seeker through the goal post so he fell onto the pitch."
James felt embarrassed by the amount of damage he'd done in one afternoon.
"The broken bones were fixed in a few seconds by Madam Merryweather in the hospital wing."
"Even so," Lucy said. "That's a lot of damage!"
James shrugged, helping himself to some ice cream. "But I'm on the team," he said with a grin. "Anyway, causing damage is what I'm supposed to be doing as a beater."
Lucy shook her head. "I don't think a game where there are two balls trying to unseat players and knock them out of the air throughout the entire sport is a game for me," she said.
"Muggle upbringing," Fred said wisely. "Give it a year, you'll have a different opinion." Lucy elbowed him in the ribs. James smiled, the only feeling he had was an ache in his right arm from where he'd hit the bludgers. It was a satisfying ache.
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