Yes, I know, there is no excuse for being so late with this update, so I won't even try, but... Here's the newest chapter for the "Harry Potter: the Serpent Lord", enjoy!

* Review response:
magical fan18, actually, I think, there was at least a couple of stories where the teams trained during the fourth year. But in general (and canon)... I think this can be attributed to the wizards being so bad at doing anything logical.
Naginator, ElfenSky, reven228, Zarosian Chaos, Lord Xantos A. Fowl, Penny is wise, The Swordslinger, Danget the critic, nopparitari, ElementalMaster16, pandora vanity, Artela, Dudtheman, thanks for your reviews, folks!
JPElles, lol, but that is something that will really suit this version of Harry.
death5367, Hichitsuki-hime, and it still won't for quite some time. But in the end, it will be used and it will save Harry's life (most likely).
dragoon109, replied via PM.
Guest 8/23/12 : I can try doing fem-Fawkes, but I generally fail at writing dark Harry. Gray - maybe. But, believe me, I have enough ideas to keep me occupied for quite some time. Still, if I get any inspiration, I'll write this one (once I'm finally finished with Violet :-\ )
fires of orion, I read that story, as I read others by Driftwood1965, and while I will eventually bash Ron, it won't be as much, and it will still take some time, before he's 'corrupted' by him fame to any significant degree.
61394, better yet, imagine his face when he learns that lord Slytherin is no one other than Harry Potter!

* Disclaimer: I DO NOT own "Harry Potter" and its characters in any shape or form.

"human speech"
"wraith speech"
'human thoughts'
"powered speech / true prophecies by the seer"
"spells / parseltongue"
messages

This chapter is not beta-read yet.

chapter 54: Reforming the team

Monday: DADA (S) – Herbology (R) – lunch – double Potions (all) – Astronomy (all) at 11 pm.
Tuesday: free period – Transfiguration (H) – lunch – Herbology (S) – DADA (R) – Arithmancy (all)
Wednesday: double Care for Magical Creatures (all) – lunch – Ancient Runes (all) – Charms (R).
Thursday: Potions (S) – Charms (H) – lunch – double Transfiguration (R) – DADA (H).
Friday: double Charms (H) – lunch – Arithmancy (all) – Herbology (R) – Ancient Runes (all).

Sighing, Harry looked up from his timetable for this school year. No, it was a pretty good one, and he had no problems with it; other things were frustrating him. Earlier this morning, he decided to have a brief talk with his now ex-teammates about what was going on in the Gryffindor quidditch team, but it appeared that they had overslept a bit and so they arrived to the Great hall only minutes before professor McGonagall started handing out the timetables. Thus, right now the young Potter wasn't sure that he had enough time for anything more than warning the vixens and the Weasley twins that he'll want to talk to them later on today...

Oh well, there is always lunch or even dinner for that. So, with his timetable still in his hands, Harry hurried after Hermione and Neville, who already left the table and started on their way back to the Gryffindor common room.

Even though normally Charms were one of his favorite subjects, today the lesson dragged on and on for the green-eyed teen. Maybe, this was just because professor Flitwick decided that they needed entire double period for the revision of what they had studied the previous school year, but most likely this was caused by the young Potter's desire for this all to end quickly, so that he could finally tell his ex-teammates the news.

At long last, the bell, signifying the start of the lunch break, rang, and Harry, along with the rest of the Lion and Badger fourth years headed to the Great hall... Apparently, though, he needn't going down there so fast, as no members of the Gryffindor quidditch team could be seen sitting at the house table. Then again, the dark-haired wizard thought, Charms classroom was pretty close to the Great hall and for all he knew, their classes could have been in the other end of the castle...

Alicia, Angelina and the twins, along with the rest of the Gryffindor sixth years, arrived to the Great hall only several minutes later, and Katie, who came with a small group of fifth year students from all houses – apparently, they had an elective as their second lesson today – joined the Lions at their table in another couple of minutes... Seeing that now everyone he needed was there, Harry quickly finished his lunch, just in case Fred and George wouldn't stick around for too long wanting to prepare one of their pranks or something, and headed to where his ex-teammates were sitting. And even though they were sitting further down the table, he was going to talk to the twins first.

"Gentlemen." The young Potter said, as he stood behind the prankster duo. The said duo eating their lunches quickly (apparently, they indeed had some plans for this lunch break) at the rate that could only be matched by their younger brother. Glancing to where Ronald was sitting, the dark-haired teen couldn't help but make a wry face: the youngest of the Weasley brothers, unlike all of his siblings that he had met, had absolutely no table manners...

"Why, if it isn't lord Potter?!" The twins said simultaneously as they turned look at him. "What brings you to our end of the table this fine day, Harrikins?" Sighing at their antics, the green-eyed youth went straight to the business:

"Well, guys, yesterday evening I had talk with professor McGonagall which affects the Gryffindor quidditch team greatly. So, sometime before dinner tonight, I'd like to talk to you and the girls about it, alright?" Fred and George looked at each other, as if communicating silently, before nodding.

"Alright, Harry, we'll be there." They replied. The green-eyed Potter nodded back, before leaving the duo to their own devices as he headed back to where the vixens were sitting. And as he approached them, the girls saw him and waved to him. And when he got nearer, Katie moved to the side slightly, giving him a place to sit, which he gratefully accepted.

"Thank you." He said, but the brunette just waved her hand dismissively. Sighing lightly, the dark-haired wizard continued. "If you don't mind, ladies, I'll get straight to the point." All three girls nodded almost simultaneously. "Well, you see, I had a talk with professor McGonagall yesterday, which was of a great importance to our quidditch team, and so, later today, sometime before the dinner, I'm holding a small meeting to pass this information to you and the twins."

"Alright, Harry, we will be there." Alicia said, while first Angelina and then, a couple of moments later, Katie too, nodded. Of course, the young Potter could see it in their eyed that they'd rather he share the news now, but the sight of the Weasley twins leaving the Great hall – to work on one of their newest pranks, most likely – was enough to convince them to wait for now.

"Thanks." The green-eyed wizard said with a small smile. Then he tried to stand up and leave, but he was quickly stopped by Katie's hand on his knee. He looked at her.

"Tss..." The brunette breathed out. "Why don't you tell us about your summer in the meantime, Harry? I'm sure it was quite interesting." The green-eyed Potter sighed, while thinking of how much he could tell the vixens about his summer adventures, and how much of it he should keep a secret...

For Harry, the classes in the afternoon didn't seem to drag on as much as Charms in the morning did, though h couldn't say that the time flew by either... Eventually, though, the bell from his final lesson that day rang, and the dark-haired teen quickly made his way back to the Gryffindor common room. Not really surprisingly the Weasley twins were already there – after all, as they had earned only so many OWL, they couldn't have continued with more than a handful of courses. Katie, who had only four lessons on Fridays, was there as well, but Alicia and Angelina were yet to return to the tower after their fifth lesson.

Exchanging a nod with them, Harry went upstairs to the fourth-year boys' dormitories to change into something more comfortable than the Hogwarts uniform. And even though he was quite quick about this, by the time he returned to the common room, the two vixens that were 'missing' previously, had finally arrived.

"Thank you all for coming." The young Potter said as he took a seat in the armchair next to his now ex-teammates. "But I'm afraid, I'll have to start with bad news: I'm leaving the team." Of course, he knew that this piece of news will not be received with enthusiasm by the quintet, and so he braced himself for their reactions.

"But, Harry!" The Weasley twins protested loudly. "You can't! You're the best seeker Gryffindor had had in the last years!" The vixens weren't as loud about this, but they definitely agreed with Fred and George.

"Well..." The dark-haired teen started rather weakly. "According to what professor McGonagall said to me yesterday, I can't play on the house team anymore because of this." He said, while pointing to his right eye. "Apparently, even if it has no special features, it is still considered as artificial enhancement." There was a round of 'oh'-s. "But to be honest.." Harry continued. "... I was planning to leave the team after this year regardless. I'm not even a heir, but a full-time lord, remember?" It was a couple of seconds before Katie and then the other two vixens nodded.

"Alright..." Angelina said with a sigh. "We will have to find a decent seeker as well next year..." Here, the young Potter shook his head.

"And this is when I announce the second piece of news. Professor McGonagall said that while the staff is too busy with the tournament to run the school quidditch cup this year, she also said that we are free to use the pitch at least till early spring. In other words, we can have the try-outs and train new seeker and new keeper this year." A pause, before he continued: "And maybe you should start looking for the new chasers and beaters as well. No offense, but everyone but Katie here will be graduating next year." One by one, the members of the Gryffindor quidditch team nodded.

"So, do we hold the tryouts as soon as possible?" Alicia asked after several seconds of silence.

"Actually, I think it'd be better if we wait until after the first years have their flying lessons." Angelina replied. "They will be allowed to play and have their own brooms the next year." Then the dark-skinned witch looked pointedly at the Weasley twins. "And since you two don't have that many classes, I'm sure, you can find some time to observe those flying lessons. Who knows, there may be some firstie that is really good."

"Sure, Angie, we will." The twins replied quickly and simultaneously, though, how much of their enthusiasm about this was real wasn't clear... From this point on the meeting morphed into a planning session of what the team was to do this school year, and aside from promising to help training the new seeker, Harry barely participated in this, letting his ex-teammates to work the things out themselves.

~/ *** \~

The next two weeks weeks passed without anything noteworthy happening. Well, that wasn't truth, as professor Moody's DADA classes so far had been anything but normal, as the retired auror captain was using quite unorthodox methods to bring his point – one's safety was most dependent on one's vigilance – across...

At the beginning of the September's third week the flying lessons for the firsties were finally announced through a note on the bulletin board in the common room. And for the next several days the youngest Lions split into two main groups: those braggin about their supposed skills and those afraid of making fools of themselves... Damn, the young Potter thought, were he and his year-mates just like this three years ago?

Friday morning that week – the flying lessons for the first years took place on Thursday – saw the entire population of the Gryffindor house clustering around the bulletin board after the breakfast. Of course, Harry knew the reason for that – after all, he was among those who will be testing the new players for the team, including his own replacement – but he decided to play a role of an innocent 'bystander' and too joined the people crowding around the announcement about the tryouts for the house quidditch team.

Wizards and witches of Gryffindor! The note posted by the Weasley twins read. The illustrious quidditch team of yours faithfully is looking for new talents. If you feel that you are up to the challenge of protecting the honor of your house on the pitch as the keeper or the seeker, come to the tryouts that will commence at the quidditch pitch at 10am on this Sunday, September 25th.
P.S. We ask the seventh year students not to bother coming as there will be no games played this year. The first years, on the other hand, are welcome to try for the team.

Having finished reading the note, the young Potter made his way out of the crowd, which seemed to have grown only larger in the last couple of minutes, and headed upstairs to the fourth year boys' dormitories to pick the textbooks for the day: it was Friday, and no one had canceled the classes, so... And if his dorm-mates wanted to be late for the first lesson, that was their problem.

The news that Harry Potter was no longer a part of the Gryffindor quidditch team spread through the castle like a wildfire and by the lunchtime entire school knew about him suddenly leaving the team. This had some unfortunate consequences for the green-eyed youth as now he had to dodge those who wanted to interrogate him about this: even most of his haters wouldn't deny that he had some skills on the broom.

And while houses Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw were more or less calmly celebrating the news while hoping that whoever was chosen as the Gryffindor new seeker wasn't as good, the house of Snakes wasn't as quiet. Some of the more spiteful Slytherins even started rumors that Potter got kicked out of the team because he no longer had enough fame to be there. Unfortunately for them, these rumors were so baseless that only select few even pretended to believe them; and Harry himself didn't even bother to feel offended by these, so by the end of the day, these rumors died out.

~/ *** \~

Much like it was expected, at least a third of the Gryffindor students that weren't in their final year came to the tryouts. And almost all of them, the new boy #1 of the magical Britain included, wanted to be tried for the position of the seeker. Ginny, who looked like the twins had more or less dragged her here by force was in this group as well...

Harry once again observed those aspiring to become the new seeker for the team. There were so many of them that he, being the one orchestrating this part of the tryouts, was facing a problem: he had only so many many fake snitches prepared. Sure, he could always change the task, but he wasn't sure that anything he could think up as the replacement will be as fair to everyone as the original one... In the end, he decided to just an extra round in the beginning and quickly eliminate those who couldn't fly well enough. And the twins were more than happy to help him with this.

"Alright." The young Potter said, looking between nineteen Gryffindors he was supposed to test and ten old Comet 260 broomsticks lying on the ground. "Since there are so many of you, we'll have additional round. You will be separated into two groups and fly five laps around the pitch while Fred and George here will do anything they are allowed as the beaters to make it harder for you. Five best fliers from each group will continue onto the next round of tryouts. Any questions?"

Unfortunately, there was a question, and it was not a 'good' one: apparently, being Dumbledore's poster boy went to young Ronald's head more than Harry had expected, and the redhead wanted to fly a better broom, and thus gain an advantage over other competitors by default, because he was the chosen one, blah, blah, blah... It took the green-eyed Potter more than five minutes and quite a few nerve cells, but in the end he managed to make the redhead see the things his way. And so the decisively unhappy 'chosen one' mounted one of the offered school Comet 260s, as did the rest of the first group to be tested for their flying skills.

And, as it turned out, with a broom no better than any other, Ron had great troubles when it came to racing against other seeker-hopefuls. Actually, he finished only seventh in his race, and so he couldn't advance into the next round of the tryouts. And no matter how he tried to throw around his name to change that, it didn't help him: Harry stood firm on what he had said earlier. In the end, the redhead 'accepted' his defeat and stomped away angrily, muttering something about having words with professor Dumbledore... Shrugging, the young Potter turned to the second group of the seeker-hopefuls and told them to mount the brooms...

The rest of the tryouts – at least the part that Harry was handling – went without anything really outstanding happening. Once those that couldn't fly good enough were weeded out, the second phase began. During it, the ten remaining potential seekers were hunting twenty-five fake snitches that the green-eyed teen had released. And while it took the seeker-hopefuls over two hours to catch them all, the young Potter didn't really have much problem with it: after all, it gave him some time to ponder on the other, and more important, things.

Eventually, all of the fake snitches for this round were caught, and the three aspiring seekers that had caught the most went into the final round of the tryouts. Which was more or less the same as the previous one, though this time Harry himself was hunting the fake snitches – there were just five of those now – himself, playing the role of the other team's seeker. Of course, it was a bit unfair, seeing that he was using his Nimbus 2000, but, well, life wasn't fair, and whichever seeker got chosen in the end must understand that sometimes he will have his skills as the only chance to win against the better equipped opponent...

It took another hour of flying to determine the best seeker hopeful among the three remaining, who, somewhat unexpectedly, was Arnold Simmons, a half-blood second year boy. He, despite scoring the lowest of the three in the previous round, was the only one who managed to catch a snitch with Harry in the air, and it was not by blind luck either – the young Potter could attest to that.

Once done with his half of the tryouts, the green-eyed teen decided to greet the new keeper of the team – the vixens had finished their own tests at least a couple of hours ago. And again, it wasn't someone, whom Harry would have expected: almost ethereally thin Lucy Browning from the third year below didn't look like someone capable of keeping the ring safe. But looks can be very deceiving, as the little witch had proven...

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen." Katie, who was trying to get used to her soon-to-be captaincy began, once only the team plus Harry were in the hearing range. "This is how we will train during this year..." And then she proceeded to tell everyone her plans for the team training...

That's all, folks!
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