"Okay, team. This is it," Ryan said when they had gathered around him, the tip of their broomsticks making contact.

"The big one," Ginny joked, reminiscing about when Fred and George imitating Oliver Wood before a game.

Everyone just stared.

"Never mind," she said quickly.

Ryan gave her a how-dare-you-interrupt-me look and proceeded in the game planning.

Ginny's palms were getting awfully sweaty, and she was afraid of slipping off her broom. She was dying to wipe them on her trousers, but- afraid that the others would realize she was the panicky kind of nervous- kept her hands glued to the Firebolt. Her eyes wandered towards the packed stands and she envisioned Bill in the front row cheering her on. Her daydream was swiftly shattered by Ryan's authoritative voice saying,

"Got that, Weasley?"

"Wha- yeah, I got it."

"So repeat it to me."

"What?"

"Tell me what I just said."

Despite the fact that she was in the wrong, Ginny felt affronted rather than unnerved. It was the summer, and she was with kids her age, not taking an exam in Professor Snape's dungeon.

"If I said I got it than I did. I don't need a comprehension test, if you don't mind."

Ryan looked as though he had been slapped. Did him good, Ginny thought defensively. Good-looking Quidditch captains always give themselves airs. Then with a pang she realized she had just been referring to Cedric Diggory. Ryan mistook the remorseful expression on her face, thinking her apologetic for her remark, and consequently said nothing.

"A'right, mates," Ryan told the team, his deep blue eyes alive once again with fierce determination. "If we beat them today, we're not just one step closer to winning the cup. We're showing Aus that losing Nikki has only made us stronger. That though the Prices' believe they throw the weight around in this community, they do not and will never control Quid. So, lemme hear you say it- who'll win the cup?"

"AIRBORNES!"

"'Can't hear a bloody thing!"

"AIRBORNES!"

"One more time, mates!"

"AIRBORNES!"

The team turned their brooms upwards and shot up towards the sky, getting 25 feet above ground before breaking apart simultaneously and into their designated posts. Ginny, not in the habit of doing this, flew up by herself and hovered a little bit higher than the rest, but was quickly joined by Ryan, who stopped his broom directly in front of hers.

"Fly high and forget about bludgers. If you see the snitch, go in the opposite direction to fool Jo, then go catch it. I don't know if you can play or not, practice not being that ace and all, but I've seen that broom fly and it's three times as fast as any of ours."

Ginny was stung by his words, but refused to let him know it.

"Sure, I got it."

"You mean it?"

"Yeah, I'm not deaf," she replied angrily.

Ryan gave her a cold look.

"Funny, cause you hadn't heard it the first time."

Before Ginny could say anything he zoomed back to his position as keeper, leaving Ginny more perturbed than ever.

The referee, a boy around Bill's age, flew up to them and said,

"When I blow my whistle. One, two, three…"

The whistle was blown, and a split second later the players were off and soaring.

"And the game's begun!" the commentator shouted, his wand set to 'sonorous'. "Predictably, the 'Bornes' chaser Danny Maguire immediately gets the Quaffle and is on a breakaway towards keeper Catie Grant. This is gonna be a tough game for the 'Bornes, as the unforeseen departure of seeker Nikki Price required them to find another at the last minute...OH! Danny's breakaway spoiled by a bludger fired at her by beater Cameron Thatcher. Anyway, it's peculiar that captain and keeper Ryan Buchanan didn't use his back-up, but considering Benjy Cunningham's share of accidents I guess I shouldn't be too surprised…"

"Hey!" Benjy shouted from the side.

"Sorry 'bout that, mate," the commentator mused. "Anyway, I'm sure all Aussies here today are wondering what magic tricks Ryan's got up his sleeve this time. No, ref, I don't mean that literally. Whoa! Nice dive, Wirinun Khoo, narrowly escaping an oncoming bludger. He's approaching the goal posts, being tailed by Chloe O'Brien, Grant dives- misses- Airbornes SCORE!"

Ginny heard the crowd below her break out into applause, along with shouts of, "Go Airbornes!" Instead of making her happy the sight made her nervous. What if I lose it for the team? They'll be behind and they won't win the cup and they'll hate me.

The game resumed faster than ever. Ginny could only make out blurs of blue and orange (Airbornes were in robes of sky-blue; Mobs wore orange) below her. She cupped one hand over her eyes to shield them from sunlight and looked for the golden snitch. Ryan wasn't kidding, she thought after a while of passive searching. I never once had to avoid a bludger; Tommy and Wirruna are almost as good as Fred and George.

When a quarter of an hour went by and still no sign of the snitch, Ginny began tensing up again. The score was 40-30 Airbornes in the lead, but the Mobs were catching up too rapidly for any Airbornes' taste.

Practice not being that ace and all… You're going to prove Ryan right, said an unpleasant voice inside her head. Even if you find the snitch, you'll never catch it. You've never played a real match before. Oh, shut up, Ginny told the voice. Just focus…focus!

Just as she finished telling herself this, a flash of gold streaked by her. She jerked her head around to see where Joseph was: hovering only a few feet away from her, searching for the snitch in the wrong direction. He hasn't seen it, she thought wildly. She advanced towards the snitch but Joseph quickly glanced up and sped after her.

No time to make a turn.

Ginny performed a back flip and began leading Joseph off the snitch's trail, and on to…well, she had no idea. She didn't hear the entire Airbornes crowd cheering her on. She could only think,

Lead him off. Lead him off.

Joseph didn't hesitate and hurled himself after her. He hadn't been bluffing. He had sharp reflexes and he was fast- but at that moment, of all things to pop into Ginny's head right then, was an image of Ron holding the Firebolt and saying with awe and conviction, "All the best broomsticks ever made combined still only make ½ a Firebolt". She also heard Ryan saying, "I've seen that broom fly and it's three times as fast as any of ours".

Well I'm flying fast, all right…but where am I going?

She was approaching the ground at an alarming rate, not sure what she was planning to do when she reached it. Her heart felt lodged in her throat.

I'm gonna crash!

A few inches before she hit the firm ground, Ginny jerked the handle upwards, and the Firebolt soared into the air as the crowd of spectators whooped and cheered uncontrollably. Ginny heard none of it; She was frantically searching the sky.

Where's the snitch? Where is it?

The she spotted it, ten feet away, fleeing from her. Eyes fixated on the snitch, Ginny sped towards it. She had her hand stretched out before her, her hands almost clutched around the snitch when it happened. A bludger. Pelted straight at her. She heard Ryan yell, "Watch out!" and instantly turned the broom upside down, but her hands slipped off the Firebolt and left her with only her feet wrapped around the handle. Finding the bludger an inch away from her face, she made another bracing discovery.

The Airbornes rushed over and surrounded her.

"Ginny, you okay?" Danny asked, concerned.

"Didja catch the snitch?" Ryan blurted.

"You'll be apples, right Ginny?" inquired Tommy.

Wirinun peered into her face.

"I'll betch she don't like hangin' like a monkey like that. Whatchoo say we give her a boost?" he told the others.

Immediately, all six players rushed to help Ginny clamber back unto her broom.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," she insisted, her face scarlet from hanging backwards so long. "Ryan, you were right, I'm not a good player," she rambled on, panting, "and I know the only reason you let me play was because I have a Firebolt and you know my brother, but-"

"Hey!" the commentator shouted from below. "I SAID, WHO'S GOT THE BLOODY SNITCH?"

Her teammates turned back to her with hopeful faces and an apprehensive look in their eyes. Ginny's face broke into a huge grin.

"YOU MEAN THIS ONE?" she yelled back, thrusting her hand forward to reveal the tiny, golden snitch trapped in the palm of her hand.

I could describe to you the scene that took place right then; how Ginny's teammates cheered themselves hoarse and leaped on top of each other the second they reached the ground- how Ginny became greatly admired amongst her new peers, how she finally felt like she belonged…all true events. Only then it would seem as though I were relating Harry's story, and Ginny's is quite different (despite the above-mentioned similarities). For while Ginny was engaged in laughing with and hugging her teammates, she heard a familiar voice behind her say,

"Can I have your autograph, Ms. Weasley?"

Ginny spun around. It was Bill. He wore his signature dragon-tooth necklace, a white tank, faded jeans and dragon-hide sandals. His ponytail was gone; it seemed he'd taken his mother's advice to the extreme and had cut his hair as near to his scalp as he could. All description aside- Ginny didn't even notice it initially- Ginny threw herself into her brother's open arms and began to cry. When they finally broke apart, Bill put his arm around her.

"I can't believe you're here, Gin. And that you're alive."

She laughed, looking up at him, her face glistening with tears.

"Me neither."

"Weasley!" Ryan shouted, moving through the throng of people to come say hello. Ginny quickly wiped her eyes with her sleeve. When he approached them you could remark the blissfully happy expression on his face, his eyes shining, and he slapped Bill's hand in greeting with a cheery, "Where you been, mate? I hope you were here to see your sister on fire."

Ginny blushed, but was angry at herself for it. Not that it mattered, but she didn't want him to think his compliment pleased her.

"Do I ever miss a 'Borne match?" Bill said with a grin. "I flew over here." He nodded his head in the direction of sleek motorcycle parked right outside the pitch. "Literally, of course."

"She beat a record, you know," Ryan informed Bill. "First thirteen-year-old girl to execute a successful Wronsky Feint."

"Fourteen," Ginny corrected him loudly, hating the fact that she was being praised and spoken about as if she weren't there. "Anyway, that was pure luck, considering it's the first decent match I've ever played."

"What!" Ryan yelled, looking scandalized. "You never said that!"

"You never asked."

"Yeah, but we could've lost," Ryan said resentfully.

"You didn't," Ginny retorted.

Ryan seemed to be slowly absorbing the shock.

Piqued, Ginny added, "Anyways, it was either luck, or Ryan's really inspiring speech he gave me before the game."

This time, Ryan went red.

"Listen, about that," he said awkwardly, running his fingers carelessly through his hair. "I hope you'll forget what I said. But under the circumstances...What I mean is..." the end of his sentence was inaudible.

"What?" Bill and Ginny asked simultaneously.

"You're invited to join the team for the rest of the summer," Ryan humbly finished off.

Ginny became small and introverted again, and she fiddled with her broom and cast her eyes to the ground as she said,

"You-you know that was just beginner's luck. I don't reckon the team will want me either, what with me being new, and a "Pommy" and everything…"

At that second, Benjy ran towards them and fell on his knees in front of Ginny.

"Pleeeeeease teach me," he moaned, bowing repeatedly at her feet. "I'll be your faithful servant. Pleeeeeease!"

Ginny stood still in shock, while Ryan forced Benjy back on his feet.

"Where's your sense of pride, mate," he scolded Benjy good-humouredly. He turned to Bill and Ginny. "Benjy's been trying some tricks in the air ever since he started playin' Quid and he always ends up on the ground- and in a hospital bed."

Benjy scowled at him, but then looked at Ginny with a look of reverence and worship.

"If you teach me the Wronsky I will engrave your name on my broomstick," he swore vehemently.

"On second thought, I take back that last thing I said," Ginny told Ryan.

"So can we count you in?"

Ginny shook her head.

"Um, not yet," she replied, looking at Bill. "I'd prefer to discuss it with my brother first."

She took Bill's hand and went to thank and say goodbye to the Airbornes, leaving behind a perplexed Ryan and a star-struck Benjy. She was walking with Bill to his flying motorcycle when she heard a soft voice call out,

"Wait! Bill, Ginny! Hold on!"

It was Lauren, hurrying towards them.

Oh blast, Ginny realized. In all the excitement I completely forgot about her. She was about to start apologizing when she noticed Lauren wearing an enormous smile on her face.

"What a game, Ginny!" she said enthusiastically. "You've got a great sense of timing, coming to the Airbornes now. And that dive! I'm impressed, mate."

"The Weasley Quidditch genes," Bill put in, proudly. "Charlie, Fred and George, and now Ginny."

"And you. Funny that Percy can't play for beans though," Ginny wondered.

Bill laughed.

"I wouldn't bet on that," he warned his sister. "If he'd take some time off his "Broomstick Insurance" report and play a little, he might prove you wrong."

Ginny sighed, though it changed into a yawn.

"I'm so happy, "she said. "But I'm twice as exhausted."

"No worries," Bill reassured her. "I've put this spell on my bed that makes you feel like your either on water, on a cloud, or getting your back rubbed- your pick. Besides, Ren is right, your timing is scary. My roomie's on holiday till September, so you'll be comfy, I promise."

Ginny smiled gratefully at him.

"Brilliant. Uh, Lauren?"

"Mmhmm?"

"Can I get together with you tomorrow?"

"You came all the way here to spend time with Ren? Hell, I thought you'd come to see me," Bill teased.

"Yes, but don't you work all day?"

"Not when my little sister's visiting. I'm due for a day off anyway, so tomorrow I get to show you around Oz."

"I'm not little," Ginny interjected mechanically.

"I'm starting to notice," he said. "We'll come pick you up at the shop tomorrow, Ren. By the way, need a lift?"

"I'm good, thanks," Lauren replied. "Jo threatened to let himself be attacked by bludgers next game if I don't let him take me home."

"Tell me he was kidding."

"I wish I could, but on my honour as an Aussie," she swore, then rolled her eyes at Ginny who'd been attacked with fit a giggles. "I wouldn't laugh so fast, Ginny, or I'll start on what a cute couple you and Ryan would make."

It worked. Ginny's fit ended at once.

"Me and Ryan? No way!" Ginny scoffed. "Ryan can't stand me. He only asked me on the team because he thinks I can help him win the cup."

"He asked her to join the team," Lauren sang as Ginny cringed.

"Oh, shut up."

"Alright then. But you stop teasing about Jo. That kid drives me crazy, I don't need anyone teasing me about him."

They bid each other farewell again, and Ginny approached her brother's gleaming motorcycle. She let out a short whistle.

"Fab wheels, bro," she complimented him.

She received no reply.

"Bill."

"Huh?"

"I said I like your bike."

"Oh, thanks! You really like it?" he asked, rushing forward excitedly, much like a proud child showing off a new toy. But Ginny knew why he'd been distracted; he'd been watching Lauren return to the Quidditch pitch. Ginny smiled slyly to herself. She was going to be in Australia a while, might as well do some good. And as for Ryan, forget it. Certainly, he was the best-looking chap she'd ever met, but please, I mean, come on, no way! …Right?