Harry asked Ron about the duelling training in a week or so, knowing Neville's answer already. Ron looked indecisive.
"Learning duelling sounds cool," he said, "but...how often would it be?"
Harry shrugged. "I dunno, how often you wanted, I guess?"
"I think it should be at least once a week," Neville interjected. "I remember how you said you lost your touch when Maurice was cancelling your classes last year."
Harry conceded that was true, and Ron grimaced. "Once a week's a lot," he said. "I barely have enough time for everything now, with the chess club and the Quidditch strategy planning..."
Harry shrugged again. "Really, I'm not forcing you. It's something Neville asked me for, and so I thought I'd offer it to you as well, but I won't be offended if you say no."
"I have less work than you do," Neville conceded, "with no Quidditch strategies to plan."
Harry privately thought the main difference was that Neville had much better work ethics – after all, Neville had quite a lot of work with preparing the Herbology club – but saw no reason to say so out loud in front of Ron. After all, it wasn't like Harry's work ethics would be anything to write home about if it wasn't literally his letters home that were keeping him on track. Alduin never let little things like distance stop him from making sure Harry didn't slack off. "All right then," he simply said, then turned to Neville. "I think I'll have to think about how to do it for a bit – I can't do all the things Snape does to train me – but maybe we could start next month or something?"
Neville gratefully agreed, and so Harry tried to fit planning lessons for him into his schedule.
Not that he had much free time at the moment either. He was continuing his correspondence with Sirius – after another, rather more forcefully stated, assurance that he liked Alduin and liked living in Travers Manor, his godfather fortunately dropped the issue and instead, they discussed chiefly Harry's training for the upcoming Quidditch match, because it was the main thing on Harry's mind, as well, and the main thing occupying him at the moment, with the date rapidly approaching.
"We have seen Chang play twice," Ron said on the day of the match, as the Gryffindor team sat in the dressing rooms while the rest of the school gathered in the stands. "It's not enough to give us a perfect idea of how she plays, and Fred and George's spying missions didn't exactly bring back details."
His brothers scowled at him. "Try it yourself, then!" Fred said, offended.
Ron shook his head. "It's too late now, anyway," he said. "We'll have to trust in Harry's skill, and his incredible broom. They have good Chasers, and I'd even go as far as to say that Davies is really excellent. They also have a relatively decent Keeper, though so far, in the previous matches, their defence was built chiefly on their Chasers keeping possession of the Quaffle. Their main weakness is their Beaters."
Fred and George gave identical wolfish grins.
"We've discussed this," Wood took the word, "and we think that given this, Fred and George should focus on absolutely pummelling their Chasers."
"If Harry catches the Snitch-" Katie started.
"Even if he does," Wood replied sharply, "we need to work on our score, and the Ravenclaw beaters are not dangerous. There's no need to focus on protection. We have to milk that for all it's worth. They managed to score twelve goals on Slytherin in a match that wasn't all that long, and I know their Keeper is worth sh- nothing much, but even on Hufflepuff they scored nine, and their Keeper actually is halfway decent." Ron made a scoffing sound at that, and Oliver repeated: "I said halfway. Anyway, I will do my best, of course, but we can't just rely on me catching everything. If there was ever a chance to lose while still catching the Snitch, this is it, and I'm not allowing that, do you hear me?"
They all nodded meekly, faced with the fanatical glint in Wood's eyes. This was his last year at Hogwarts, and he was determined to end with a Quidditch cup in his hands.
"Be careful around Chang, Harry," Ron added to him. "You saw how she tracked Diggory throughout the game and then snatched the Snitch from under his very nose. She didn't do that with Malfoy and she lost, so you can bet she'll keep to that strategy with you. Just watch her. And not in the way you have before," he added, his tone a mix of amusement and frustration.
He hadn't been too thrilled when, at his questions regarding what Harry had learned about her flying patterns, Harry'd mostly only been able to blush.
Now, as Harry stood at the pitch facing her, he realized that she was even prettier when seen up close. Was this how Lavender had seemed to Seamus? If so, it explained a lot.
Harry was distracted throughout the game. As Ron had predicted, Cho flew right behind him and blocked him twice as he tried to get to the Snitch, realizing that with his broom, she couldn't outfly him. Luckily for him, she at least didn't seem to realize the advantage she had in how Harry just wanted to watch her.
After a particularly brutal manoeuvre from her that harry couldn't help but admire, he heard some frustrated shouts from his teammates.
"Knock her off the broom, Harry!" Wood shouted at him.
Harry had no intention of doing that, but it did help him determine that he had to concentrate on the game properly, otherwise they'd be there forever. So he did, and he caught the Snitch to his team's enthusiastic cheers. However, to his own embarrassment, that catch wasn't what he thought about the most that night.
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Alduin had actually watched Harry's game with interest. There was no rain pouring down, which certainly helped, and Gryffindor was playing Ravenclaw, which also made him a little more interested, but mostly, it was the tactic of the Ravenclaw Seeker that caught his attention. It was interesting to see how Harry dealt with it, and Alduin felt it allowed him to learn something new about his ward. It was intriguing, how Harry was chivalrous up to a point...and then he wasn't.
Alduin briefly congratulated him and then he left him to his friends, heading to the castle instead. He would try and find the Gray Lady on his own first – it was Ravenclaw business, after all – and only if he failed would he involve Dumbledore.
He walked in the direction of Ravenclaw tower, meandering through corridors and trying to glimpse her anywhere. When he reached his old House still unsuccessful, he turned around and, meandering again, headed towards Dumbledore's office. Before he got there, however, he met another ghost. He didn't know who it was, but thinking it worth the chance, he said: "Excuse me, sir, but have you seen the Gray Lady anywhere?"
The ghost looked at him for a moment. "Why do you need her?" He asked then.
"I am afraid that is not public information," Alduin said apologetically. "However, it is rather urgent."
The ghost frowned at him. "She does not like being disturbed."
"I understand that, but this truly is crucial." Alduin hesitated for a moment, then added: "I wished to avoid having to contact the Headmaster, since I believe she would prefer to discuss the matter in privacy, but I will ask for his assistance if necessary."
The ghost stared at him for a moment. "Very well," he said then, "wait here."
He disappeared into the wall and Alduin waited patiently, trying to arrange his case in his head as well as he could, until the Gray Lady appeared.
She gave him a searching look. "I seem to remember you," she said then. "You were a Ravenclaw student once, were you not?"
"Indeed, my lady," Alduin confirmed with a slight bow. "My name is Alduin Travers."
"Oh!" Her face brightened. "You're the one who asked me about my experience of the passage of time in detail for a research project of yours, are you not?"
Alduin nodded. That had, indeed, been him.
"It was a good paper," she said. "It was interesting to read about other ghosts' experiences. It's not something we usually discuss. What did you need?"
He looked around to make sure they were alone. They were, in an abandoned stretch of corridor. "The topic is a little uncomfortable," he said, "and I apologize in advance, but...Miss Brigit, our family ghost, told me of your identity when you were still alive. I understand from it not being widely known that you wish it to remain private, by and large?"
She gave a stiff nod.
"Then I will not share this information with anyone," Alduin promised. "But I needed to speak to you. My request may seem strange, but...I suspect that your mother's diadem might have been found and used to a very dark purpose. I need to find it and make sure. Do you have any idea where it could be?"
She gave him a long, searching look. "The last I knew," she said then, "it was hidden in a forest in Albania."
Albania. The country Riddle, for some reason, chose as his place of hiding. Given that he had no personal ties to it in his history, Alduin seriously doubted that was accidental.
"Have you told anyone about the diadem? Perhaps one Tom Riddle, a Slytherin student, some fifty years ago?"
She seemed surprised by his question. "I did," she admitted. "How do you know?"
He sighed. "Tom Riddle," he said, "is now known as Lord Voldemort, and I suspect he used the diadem to make it into a Horcrux of his."
She recoiled, and hissed in anger.
"Yes, I know," Alduin said with a sigh. "I am sorry to be the bearer of such news. Did he hide it in Albania, or did you tell him about it and he found it there?"
"I told him about it," she admitted, her voice full of cold fury.
"Then in all likelihood he would hide it somewhere else, since you know about that location," Alduin concluded. "In any case I cannot check there now, because he is widely believed to be hiding there. If the diadem is still there, unlikely as it is, it will have to wait for a time."
She gave a tense nod, then said: "I understand that, but if I could ask you – I assume your goal is destroying the Horcrux?"
"The Horcrux, yes," Alduin confirmed. "The diadem, certainly not. Some of my associates and I have discovered a method of removing the soul fragment without destroying the object in which it is hidden, and that is what we intend to do."
Some of the tension seemed to leave her, and she even gave him a small smile. "I am grateful to hear that," she said. "And may I ask – if you do find it – would you return it to me?"
"Most certainly, my lady. It would be my pleasure."
She accepted this with a regal nod. "Was that all?" She asked then.
"Yes, my lady. Thank your for your assistance, it has been crucial. And please, if I may beg of you, do not share the information about the Horcrux. We are trying to keep their existence a secret."
"As long as you return the diadem to me, you have my word," she promised, and floated away through the wall, while Alduin slowly left the castle, deep in thought.
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Another Hogsmeade weekend was to take place the weekend after the match, so on the Sunday before that, in the evening as the Gryffindor third years were all sitting together, Seamus gave Harry a sneaky look and said: "So, who are you gonna ask?"
Everyone beside Harry laughed.
"Turnabout is fair play," Sophie agreed. "And you should absolutely ask Cho, given how you almost lost the match because you couldn't take your eyes off her."
Harry blushed. "It wasn't like that," he protested.
"Harry, mate, it absolutely was like that," Dean corrected. "So...are you going to?"
"I don't know…" The idea still terrified him, but it was also true that he had been thinking about Cho rather more often than not, lately, and it did seem like Luna had been right about him.
"You fairly bullied me into asking Lavender," Seamus pointed out, "so don't think I'll just let you get out of this."
"It's different!" Harry insisted. "Lavender is in our year and we know her, and besides, Sophie asked for you. I don't have anyone to ask for me, and Cho's older..."
"You could try and get Katie's or Kiara's help – maybe they have some classes in common?" Neville suggested.
"In any case, what are you afraid of?" Dean added. "That she'll refuse you? You're Harry bloody Potter."
Sophie rolled her eyes, but they did pester him long enough that he went to speak with the fourth year girls.
"Er, can I have a word?" He asked, shuffling his feet next to the sofa they sat on.
"Sure," Kiara replied, turning to him with a smile. "What is it?"
Harry blushed a little, and thought about asking for having that word in privacy for a moment, but it seemed it would just prolonged him embarrassment. He could just speak quietly, he decided, and took a deep breath and said: "Um...you know how Sophie asked Lavender and Parvati out for Seamus and Ron?"
"Yeah?" Kiara said, raising her eyebrows.
"Could you..." he glanced towards his friends, and Ron gave him an encouraging thumbs up, though all of their eyes on him made him rather more nervous than giving him any confidence. "Could you maybe ask Cho Chang out for me?"
Kiara gave him a long look. "As a fellow fourth year," she said then, "I guarantee you that Cho wouldn't appreciate it if I asked for you. You'll have to do it yourself."
Harry groaned.
"I've never spoken to her in my life!" He protested.
Kiara rolled her eyes. "Why is that a problem?"
Harry gave an awkward shrug. "I don't know...isn't it weird?"
"No," Kiara insisted.
"She's right," Katie supported her friend. "No girl older than fourteen really appreciates not being asked in person."
"I don't even know where to find her," Harry tried objecting.
"Well, there I can help you," Kiara said cheerfully. "I don't have any classes with her, but I know that they have Runes when we have Creatures. Monday after lunch."
And so Monday after lunch found Harry lurking in front of the Runes classroom, his stomach in knots and regretting eating anything. Finally, the small group of five Ravenclaw girls and one boy appeared, all giving him strange looks.
Harry almost lost his nerve, and it was only the idea of returning to his friends empty-handed that made him go on.
"Um, Cho?" He said. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"
She seemed surprised, but walked with him a little away from her friends. "Sure. What is it?"
"Would you...wouldyougotoHogsmeadewithme?"
She blinked at him for a moment. "Um...what?"
"I'm sorry." Harry took a deep breath. "Would you go to Hogsmeade with me?"
Cho's expression turned into a surprised smile. "Oh! Sure...I mean, I'd love to."
Harry couldn't believe his luck. "Really? I mean, um, great!" He floundered for a bit. "So...meet you in the Great Hall?" He suggested then.
"Sure," Cho said again.
Harry skipped away, and not even Professor McGonnagal's scowl when he came late to Transfiguration could ruin his mood.