Chapter Five

"Ok, for today's scrimmage we've got teams of two." Coach Rickman stood in the middle of the field with his Assistant Coach Dennis. "A beater and a chaser. The extra chaser will rotate out to go one on one with Weasley at the hoops. Gregori!" Harry flew down to him. "Alright, listen up Daniel-"

"No, I'm Harrison. Don't make that mistake again cuz I'm really sensitive about it."

The coach nodded. "You and Ferris are a team. You take the right, inside... Harrison."

"Ok boss," Harry flew off down the pitch.

Rickman turned to Coach Dennis and shrugged. "Unique."

Draco loved to fly. As soon as he climbed on his broom he couldn't help but grin. As he soared into the sky the bat felt natural in his abnormally beefy arm because he and Potter had trained with their new physiques. On the other side of the pitch he could see Potter and Ferris lining up to try and block his team's maneuver. The coach blew the whistle and they were off. Draco raced up the pitch, intent only on watching for Potter's bludgers, but something caught his eye. He risked a glance down and saw Granger seated in the stands with a book. Frankly, he was surprised to see her there, only a few other wives came to practices. Even out of her element, she was still reading. The same wind on his face fluttered her pages and blew her short hair into her eyes. Every now and then she would reach up and brush it away with her hand...

A second later he was on the ground. His vision was fuzzy, but he could make out the shape of his twin leaning over him with a grin. He had a vague memory of a bludger flying toward his head, but nothing else. He shoved Potter away. "What the hell is your problem?"

Harry just smiled wider. "Nothin. I feel fine, Daniel." Rather than help him up he gave his shoulder a slap that sent him back into the dirt. Ron sniggered into his sleeve.

Coach Dennis leaned over to Rickman and asked, "That's the way he hits his twin brother?"

Rickman responded with a smile. "Yup. And he LIKES his brother."

After practice, Draco and Harry went back to the ministry to be debriefed and restock on polyjuice potion. Outside Jenkin's office, Draco started in on his partner. "Hey man, I didn't get put on the team to be a casualty."

Harry wasn't impressed. "Oh? You can't take it?"

"I'm supposed to make you look good, remember? You don't think I could have sent it right back at you if I wanted to?"

"No I don't."

"No you don't?"

"Excuse me gentlemen?" Jenkin's opened his door. "My office. Now."

Draco mumbled, "You're a dead man, Potter," then shuffled in behind him. Inside was Luna Lovegood. Draco used to think she was insane (Ok, maybe he still did) but after working a couple cases with her he saw there was method in her madness. He didn't understand her process, but she was one of the best aurors on the force and that said a lot.

"Hello Harry," she said in her dreamy voice. "Ah, Draco, nice to see you. How is your snargle problem?"

"Huh?" Draco stammered, "Oh, uh, just fine thank you."

"I'm glad to hear it. Last time I went to your office it was infested. Did you use the incense I gave you?"

Luckily, Jenkin's interrupted. "What have you got Lovegood?"

"My sources have seen Coach Rickman purchasing illegal herbs in Knockturn Alley. According to my research, his father was a well known Alchemist and he certainly would have access to his library. It is my belief that he is trying to summon the spirits of the dead to interfere with his players."

"Interfere?" Potter looked unsure. "Why would he want his own players distracted?"

Jenkins shook his head sadly. "Not with the intent to harm, Potter. The spirits of the dead can also magnify a person's abilities, or even take over a person's body if it's powerful enough. If he's controlling them, he can make his players do anything he wants, like puppets."

"Why not just use the Imperious curse?"

"Too obvious. There are checks against that kind of thing, wards put up in the stadiums. He's found another way." He stood and walked Luna to the door. "Good work Lovegood." The way he closed the door made it clear he was not finished with them. Slowly, he turned and folded his arms. "Okie dokie. You two want to tell me what's going on?"

Draco looked at Harry. Harry looked at the ground. "There's nothing going on, sir."

Jenkins' didn't buy Draco's brush off, but he moved on. "Any first impressions of Rickman?"

Draco sighed. "Well based on practice, I didn't see any of the amazing plays we've been hearing about. The players seem pretty average."

"Well I think he's one hell of a coach," Potter growled. "He taught me more in one day than I learned playing for Gryffindor."

"They didn't teach you cheap shots in Gryffindor?"

"That was a clean hit, Daniel."

"Hey," Jenkins felt like he was refereeing a match instead of holding a meeting, "I put Malfoy in there so you wouldn't hurt anybody Potter. The last thing I need is you injuring some well connected pro player OR your partner in your quest for glory."

Potter steamed for a second, then said, "Well I gotta go all out if I expect not to get hurt myself." He turned to Draco, "If you can't take it, you shouldn't go crying to Jenkins."

After a slight pause, Draco said coldly, "I can take anything you can dish out."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really."

"Hey excuse me," Jenkins stood up. "I thought there was no problem here?"

Draco punched his fist into his hand. "There's not."

"Rickman is a great coach. He teaches you how to stay in the game mentally and physically. He's a winner... who wins."

Jenkins sat down again. "I know Potter, but at what cost? I want to know how far he'll go to win."

"Gregori, you got a minute?"

Harry looked up to see Coach Rickman leaning against the locker with a smile on his face. "Sure coach. Is something wrong?"

"No, no. You and your brother are doing great. Well, I should say HE'S doing great, you're doing SPECTACULAR. It's easy to see where the talent really lies. That's why I'd like to make you my Defense Captain."

Harry's face must have lit up because the coach laughed and slapped him on the shoulder. "Thought you'd like that. I'm not afraid to recognize potential when I see it. You like playing for me, Gregori?"

Harry was torn. He was here to put this man behind bars, but he really was a great coach. "I really do," he answered truthfully, "My brother and I both do."

"I'm glad. But remember Gregori. You don't have just one brother out there now. You have six."

"Yes sir."

As the coach walked away, Harry groaned and put his head in his hands.

"You want a little piece of advice?"

He looked up to see his twin suiting up a few lockers down. "Nope." He tried to busy himself in his own locker.

"Too bad, you're gonna get it anyway." Draco looked around the locker room to make sure they were alone, then leaned in and whispered, "I think you better remember you're investigating a case, not trying to get to the World Cup."

"Yeah, I know." Harry knew he was right.

Something was bothering the golden boy and it made Draco anxious. After all, it wasn't as if he could pretend he wasn't connected to his own TWIN if his partner did something rash. "So what are you? Living out some fantasy?"

Harry almost denied it. He almost brushed it aside as some ploy Draco was using to get under his skin. But then, "Maybe. I was a good player, but then life happened and because of who I am I had to make sacrifices. Now," he touched his uniform almost lovingly, "Now I'm getting this rush. I'm feeling good about myself. I know what winning in the pros LOOKS like, but I wanna know what it FEELS like."

Draco shook his head. "You're taking this too seriously. It's just Quidditch, I mean have some fun. Hit somebody. All I'm saying is, you gotta keep your head in the game. The RIGHT game. The one that ends with us making the case against Rickman and putting him away for a long time."

Harry watched his twin leave and looked down at his shoes. "I SAID I didn't want any advice," he mumbled.