When You Wasn't Famous
By: Sam Lincoln
Disclaimer: The characters from Harry Potter belong to JK Rowling and are used here without permission.
"When you're a famous boy/it's gets really easy to get girls/It's all so easy you get a bit spoiled/but when you try to pull a girl who is also famous too/It Feels Just Like When You Wasn't Famous
-When You Wasn't Famous, The Streets
Chapter 11: Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living
When Harry walked into the main classroom of the English training facility for the daily morning meeting between Cabbock and the team. He was not surprised to find that Ginny had beaten him there. Nor was he surprised that she paid him no mind when he entered the room and slouched into his customary place in the back of the room. The meeting was a standard affair where the manager would go over what he expected the side to work on that day and review scouting reports on their possible opponents.
"So Ginny," Westerman said in a voice loud enough to be heard by the rest of the team. "Why exactly did the Leaky Cauldron send me an owl this morning asking where a case of Ogden's ran off to?"
"I paid for those bottles fair and square. It's not my fault you slackers didn't drink them," Ginny said.
"Most people leave the drink they don't drink behind," Westerman said.
"I'm just a simple country girl from Devon," Ginny said, placing a heavy emphasis on her accent. "My mum raised me not to let anything go to waste. So thanks for keeping my brothers in Firewhisky whenever they come to visit for a long time."
"I'd say she pulled one over on you Westy," Shetley said with a chuckle. "But she is the one who paid for all that Firewhisky."
Howse turned around in his seat and looked back at Harry. "I don't know chaps, how do we know Ginny did pay for it? Seems to me like it'd be right up Harry's alley to pay a pretty girl's tab."
"Not me," Harry said. He held his hands up defensively. "I know Ginny too well to even think of suggesting such a thing. She'd hex me for sure if I tried."
"Listen to Harry boys," Ginny said. "He speaks from experience."
"Oh ho!" Prentiss said. "It sounds like there's a story there."
Harry gave a shrug. "Not really, I was mates with one of her brothers at Hogwarts so I quickly learned what not to do around Ginny if you don't want to have your own bogeys attack you."
"Really now, and would you mind sharing that information?" Shetley asked as a mischievous grin broke out on his face. "I'm asking for a friend."
Harry leaned back in his chair and stole a glance over at Ginny. He flashed her a lazy grin when he saw the thunderous expression on her face. "When it comes to surviving Ginny the first thing to remember is that she doesn't suffer fools well, so you lot are starting on the wrong foot." The rest of the team chuckled and tossed scraps of parchment at Harry. "Second, she hates it when a bloke tries to treat her like a girl. That's a sure way to earn a kick to the testicles."
"And don't forget it either!" Ginny said.
Shetley made a show of writing notes down on the scroll in front of him. "Kick to the bollocks," he said. "Got it. What else?"
"I'm a little confused Shets," Ginny said as she leaned over and looked at his scroll. "Are you making a list of things to do, or not to do?"
Shetley gave Ginny a smug grin. "That my dear is for me to know and you to find out. Now please continue Harry."
"Actually Harry I have a question," Prentiss said. "If you and Ginny were at Hogwarts at the same time. How did the two of you not date?" He waved a finger between Ginny and Harry.
"Who's to say we didn't?" Ginny asked. Her tone was light, but Harry could see the anger flashing in her eyes. "Or maybe I had better sense than to go out with the ladykiller of Gryffindor."
"That's not really our business if they did or didn't," Westerman said in his typically quiet voice. "It has no bearing on what they do on the pitch now does it?"
"It does if they don't get along," Prentiss said.
"Does it look like they don't get along?" Colbourn asked.
"Now that you mention it, they were sitting pretty close together last night," Howse said.
"That they did, didn't they mate," Shetley said. He quickly caught on to the Keeper's new line of fun. "But they don't exactly act all chummy most days. You chaps don't think?"
"That they're secretly shagging behind our backs?" Howse asked. "No I think Ginny has more sense than that." The rest of the squad laughed as Ginny and Harry did their best not to act relieved.
"Believe me," Ginny said after punching Shetley in the shoulder. "If I was shagging Harry you'd know it."
"And why's that?" Shetley asked. He leaned in closer to Ginny, his eyes alight with anticipation at what Ginny was about to say.
"Because if we had Harry wouldn't be capable of walking for at least two days." The rest of the room erupted into laughter. Ginny winked at Harry, daring him to contradict her.
Harry waited until the room had settled down before speaking. "Now that I do not doubt. I know when I'm out of my league."
"Never thought I'd see the day when Harry Potter says a bird is out of his league," Prentiss said.
"Harry's just not up to the challenge is all," Ginny said to the Beater in a sickly sweet voice.
"Are you going to let her abuse you like that?" Prentiss asked as he looked back at Harry.
"Yes," Harry said with a grin. "Because like I said, I know better than to pick a fight with Ginny Weasley."
"Harry Potter, are you afraid of little old me?" Ginny asked.
"Yes," Harry repeated to the delight of the room.
The chuckles died down as Cabbock strode into the room. The manager was dressed casually in team training apparel and held a small piece of parchment in his hand. He walked up to the podium at the front of the room and rapped on it lightly. "Ok team listen up. I hope you all enjoyed your party last night; because with two weeks to go until the first match it's now time to get serious. Starting today we'll be running scrimmages with the reserve squad, full contract," He said over the groans of the team. "And don't forget, the blokes in the reserves get your spot if anything happens to you. So while I gave them clear instructions not to maim anyone, well, accidents happen."
"Now before you all suit up. Potter remember your job is to hold off on catching the Snitch for as long as you can. IThis is just a scrimmage and the rest of the squad needs time to get their reps in." Harry nodded his understanding. "Chasers, I want end-to-end control of the Quaffle with good strong movement. And when the other side has possession maintain defensive pressure. Don't let them make any uncontested shots. Beaters, I want Harry in the lineup for France so keep the Bludgers away from him. And Howse?"
"Yes boss?" Howse asked.
"Just do your job."
"Sure thing boss," Howse said as the rest of the room chuckled.
"Ok go get your gear on and head out onto the pitch. The scrimmage starts in fifteen." The team stood up and started to shuffle out of the room. "Oh, Potter and Weasley, can I talk to you in my office for a moment?"
Harry glanced over at Ginny and shrugged. He knew the management for the team had an impressive intelligence gathering operation that rivaled anything the Aurors were capable of. So it wasn't outside the realm of possibility that Cabbock knew that the two of them had slept together last night. And if he did, well Harry would just have to deal with that. "You wanted to talk to us sir?" He asked when they entered the small, but lavishly appointed office of the English manager.
"Yes I did, shut the door and have a seat," Cabbock said, motioning to the pair of chairs that sat across from the cluttered desk. "I don't have to tell you that once we get to Atlantica the press scrutiny on the team is going to increase a hundred fold. Harry, of course, knows what's coming, but Ginny I cannot stress enough how crazy it will be."
"I appreciate the warning sir, but if I may ask why are you telling me this?"
Cabbock nodded. "Let me get to the point then. Three of the members of this squad I trust implicitly. Another I know has his heart in the right place, and won't step too far out of line. The fifth will be okay so long as we keep him off the sauce. Now I hope I don't have to put names to any of them so as not to embarrass anyone."
"No I think we know who you're referring to sir," Harry said.
"Good, so that just leaves me with the two of you, and I'll be honest, I'm a little concerned." He held up a hand to quell Ginny and Harry's protests. "I know you both have an extraordinary will to win, but Mr. Potter here, has in the past shown a rather blasé attitude towards his public image."
"Sir, like you said, I'm well aware of the atmosphere at an event like this," Harry said.
"I know you do Harry, and I also know you don't give a damn about it, and why should you? Top Seekers are accountable to no one, we all know that's the nature of the modern game. But let me tell you a little secret; however much pressure you think you're under to perform out there I'm under at least twice that. I've been given the reigns of the most talented English side in over a century, which means my job is simple. Either I win or get fired."
Harry leaned forward in his chair. "And even if we do win you won't get any credit because of course you're supposed to win with Harry Potter as your Seeker."
Cabbock nodded. "That is about it."
"Begging your pardon sir," Ginny began to say. Cabbock and Harry both turned to look at her, and to Ginny's mortification she realised that she had raised her hand.
"What does this have to do with you?" Cabbock asked, cutting off Ginny's question. Ginny simply nodded in reply. "I was getting to that. First of all, I wanted to warn you about the dangers on Atlantica, specifically the nightlife. If I had my way the whole lot of you would be trussed up and locked away in your hotel rooms for the duration and only allowed out for practice and matches. Sadly that's not allowed, so instead I have to trust that you won't get into any trouble when you're out at the bars and clubs. You can do that can't you?"
Ginny nodded frantically. "Absolutely sir. I won't be going anywhere without my manager, and she is great at keeping me out of bad situations."
"That's good hear. I'd hate to have to send you home because you hexed some idiot Bulgarian fan." Cabbock paused a moment to clear his throat. "Now, for the second item. We, myself and the rest of the team's management, are aware of the history between the two of you." He held his hand back up to quiet the protestations from Harry and Ginny. "I know it's none of my business, and rest assured it had nothing to do with the selection of either of you to the squad. However, I have to ask, is this going to be a problem for either of you?"
Harry glanced over at Ginny before speaking. "I have to ask sir, why are bringing this up now? Why not ask us before we were even placed on the roster?"
"Because now that you've had a chance to fly together you should know if it will be a problem or not. So Ginny, will it be a problem?"
Ginny wet her lips, then quickly looked over at Harry before speaking. "I don't know how much you know about the history, as you called it, between me and Harry but if you go back and check the records you'll see my scoring went up the year after Harry ended things between us. So if you think I'd let a little thing like my personal feelings get in the way of my Quidditch you don't know me very well at all." When Ginny finished speaking she realised she had gripped the armrests of her chair. She forced herself to release her grip on the chair and took a deep breath.
Cabbock gave Ginny a small smile. "It's a shame you don't play for Puddlemere. That's exactly the sort of attitude I want from my players."
"And it won't be a problem for me either," Harry said. "Ginny is too valuable to the team for me to let any personal feelings get in the way. Not that I have any mind you. Will that be all then sir?" He asked as he started to stand up from his chair.
"Actually Harry there is one other thing." Cabbock held out a hand to stop Harry. "I'm sure by now you've both been made aware of the code of conduct you agreed to?"
"I'm, er, aware of it," Harry said while Ginny merely nodded her head.
"Good, I won't say those rules were written with precisely you in mind Harry, but you are the key to our success and I wouldn't put it past the Bulgarians to try everything in their power to knock you off your game. These rules are there for your protection and I hope you understand that."
"I, uh, appreciate the concern," Harry said with as much neutrality as he could muster. He actually thought the code of conduct was a gigantic pain in his arse, but if it gave him an excuse to shag Ginny who was he to complain?
"Now far be it from me to suggest either of you be celibate for the entire run of the tournament, and however you choose to solve that problem without violating your contracts I don't especially care. Just be sure you don't wind up splashed across the front of the gossip pages."
"Whatever we, er, I do or don't do," Ginny started to say. "Getting the papers involved in my personal life is the last thing I want and I'm sure the same goes for Harry."
Cabbock nodded. "I'm glad we've got that settled then. That's all I wanted to talk to you about," Cabbock said as he stood up from his desk. "I'll see you out on the pitch." He walked out of the office leaving Harry and Ginny behind to gawk at each other.
Author's Notes: And so we've defused yet another source of "conflict" for our heroes. Also, more time with the English National Team! Starting in the next chapter, Quidditch, so much Quidditch, oh why so much Quidditch? Thanks for reading.
-sam