Flying for Fun

18th of March, 1995.

Finally, they had a day with relatively good weather. The Gryffindor Quidditch team had been trying to get a day of flying in for weeks, but the weather had been horrible. Windy or rainy. As much as they enjoyed flying and Quidditch, they didn't want to fly in storms just because Wood had forced them to do so last year.

They had put up lists for all those who were interested in applying for the team a few weeks ago and loads of students had signed up. They had booked the quidditch pitch for the day and Madam Hooch was glad they would be flying even though there wouldn't be any games. For the first two hours, it was just them. Harry was soaring high in the air. He was living life. He loved flying. He dove down and pulled up right before he hit the grass-covered ground.

"Whoa, Harry! What have you been up to lately?" Angelina asked.

"I've just been flying around whenever I needed to clear my mind," Harry said as he shrugged his shoulders. "I like flying." He looked down at the ground where students were gathering. "So how are we going to do this?" he asked.

"Let us handle that," Alice said. "You just deal with your Seeker prospects."

"You remembered to add that they should be in their third year or under right?" Harry asked. "Older students would only get a chance to play if something happened to me."

"We remembered. Just remind them before you start," Angelina said.

Harry nodded. He walked over to a free spot on the field as Angelina walked up to the group of students that had gathered.

Angelina placed her wand against her throat and cast a spell that would carry the sound of her voice to everyone there. "Now if you would all please split up according to the positions that you want to play as. Chasers with Alicia." Alicia waved at the group of younger students. "Keepers with Katie and beaters with Fred and George." Everyone waved and students started walking towards them. "And lastly, seekers with Harry," Angelina finished. "If you are only here to spectate please head for the stands."

Harry looked at the group of students that made their way up to him. "Hello everyone," he said. He studied their faces and his eyes narrowed as he saw a few that weren't in their third year or younger. "If you are in your fourth year or above please leave. You do realise that I will still be playing Seeker, and I want to give my second a chance to play. If you are in my year or older that isn't likely to happen. You can still join any other group since most of them will leave us after next year." He could hear grumbling, but thankfully no one felt like challenging him. The rumours that he was getting elite training from Moody seemed to have circulated in the school and made an impact. Harry hoped that Moody wouldn't get in trouble. Of course, knowing him he wouldn't care what anyone thought.

"There now we can start," Harry said. "To be a seeker you have to be nimble and quick. You have to be ready to fly like no one else on the field." He looked at each and every one of them. "You don't have to have the best broom. If you are more skilled than your opponent, then you can win anyway." He held his Firebolt out next to him and levelled it with the ground. "Since I want to measure skill today and not how good your broom is I will allow each of you to use my broom for this exercise." He let go of his broom and summoned a ball of light slightly larger than the snitch. "I want you to do your best to follow this ball of light without crashing into anything. Form a line and let's get started." He could tell that the children were excited to fly on a Firebolt. He helped the first boy onto the broom. "Okay, I want you to take two laps around the pitch and then come back here so you have an idea of how the Firebolt handles. Then I will release this orb and you will chase after it. Ready?"

"Ready," the boy said.

"Go," Harry said as the boy took off. Harry followed the boy with his eyes. He could tell from the test lap already that this kid was not going to cut it. He wouldn't stop him from trying though so when the boy came back Harry released the ball of light and the chase began.

Harry watched as the students tried his broom out one after another. Some were pretty good, and others tried the test lap and jumped off the broom. He didn't care. He was nice to them and thanked them for trying.

Harry played with them. Since he controlled the target ball he could make them go anywhere. Between other players, straight up in the air or down towards the ground but never so close they would get hurt.

A smile spread over Harry's lips as he led a small dark-skinned girl attending her first year around with his little ball of light. She had been a little nervous at first and struggled a bit, but now she flew like she had never done anything else. When she landed next to him she had a big smile on her face. She handed his broom back and the next kid got a chance to go.

Once everyone had gone around on a wild ball chase, Harry gathered them together. "Now I don't like picking someone over everyone else," he said. "But this is a team and we can't train everyone. I just want you to know that if you want to fly then don't stop flying. It doesn't matter if you didn't make the team. If playing Quidditch is what you really want to do then you can still go big. You just have to train hard." He smiled at all of them. "Now I want Miss Hope, Mr Tyler and Mr Free to come with me," Harry said. "The rest of you. Thank you for trying. I hope to see great things from you in the future, but for now, I must turn you away." He could see the disappointment on their faces, but he couldn't pick everyone. He just didn't have the time.

Now that Harry knew what their flying skills were like he needed an exercise in teamwork. Even though the seeker was the most solo player on the field they needed to be able to work with their team. It didn't take him long to send Mr Free along. He wouldn't cut it. The other two were harder to tell and without actually trying them with the other youngsters he wasn't willing to choose. He sent the two seekers he had left to join up with the other young players before he went to speak to Angelina.

"We have our Beaters Peakes and Coote," Fred said. "They work well together. They need to learn how to read each other better but," "they have a pretty good aim," George picked up.

Angelina nodded. "We have Chasers as well," she said. "Weasley, Robins and Whispers. They are decent. We give them some practice and they'll get better. They work alright together and have a good flow."

"We're thinking Chace Andrews for a Keeper so far. He's no Wood but you've gotta start somewhere," Alicia said. She looked at Harry. "How about you?" she asked.

"I got two potentials," Harry said. "I want to know how they work with the rest of the team though so if everyone else has decided that would be good."

"How about we gather everyone for lunch?" Angelina said.

The others nodded. "Dobby," Harry called.

"What can Dobby do for the great Harry Potter?" Dobby asked.

"We would like a big picnic blanket and picnic for fourteen people, please," Harry said.

"Dobby will fix right away," Dobby said. He disappeared and then he returned with a big blanket. Then several elves showed up with food in baskets. They settled down to eat and Harry watched his two seekers. Miss Hope seemed a little apprehensive to get closer to the rest of the team. That didn't bother him. He had been uncomfortable around people too. He grimaced. That was not a good comparison to make though. He had been apprehensive because he had been mistreated. He hoped that wasn't the case for her.

Mr Tyler was talking to people, but if Harry knew how to read body language at all, the people he was talking to did not seem comfortable. Harry waved Ginny over as the elves packed the picnic away. "People don't seem to like Tyler," he said.

"He's pretty gross," Ginny said bluntly.

"How about Hope?" Harry asked.

"She is quiet, but I don't think anyone minds her," Ginny said. "I can tell you that we would rather play with her than him no matter how much better a team player he might be."

Harry nodded. "I see," he said. "Let's have you run a game with both of them in the air. You will play us. You get the keeper. It isn't about which team is best. We just want to see how you play together."

Ginny nodded. "Sounds good," she said.

They took to the air and Harry spent most of the game watching the players. Tyler was arguing with people while they were in the air while Hope kept mostly to herself. She was looking for the snitch. Harry smiled as she saw it and flew after it. Tyler hadn't noticed he was too busy telling Whispers what to do. Harry shook his head. Tyler wasn't going to do their team any good.

Hope caught the snitch and they headed over to the showers.

"Harry!"

"Yes, Gin," Harry said.

"We can't play with Tyler. Kyle is ready to punch him in the face by now. Please pick Hope just so we can play," Ginny said. "He's a bit of a bully, you know. He doesn't show it to the older students, but when he is alone with the youngsters then he is pretty mean to them."

Harry nodded. "I see," he said. He found Tyler and started walking towards him. The temper tantrum was spectacular, but it didn't matter to Harry how much the boy raged. He wasn't about to change his mind.

Ginny walked up to Hope. "You are in Hope," she said. "Seeker, that is pretty good."

Tanya smiled. "Thank you," she said.

19th of March, 1995.

Harry was out early that morning. He was joined by Fleur and the two of them took a run around the lake. Soon enough they could go swimming in the lake too without freezing to death afterwards. Harry smiled at Hope as he entered the common room. "Ready for breakfast?" he asked.

"Yeah," Tanya said as she nodded.

"Waiting for someone?" Harry asked.

"Natalie," Tanya said. "She'll be here soon."

"Do you want to fly a little today, just us?" Harry asked.

"For a little bit sure," Tanya said. "Natalie and I need to do our DADA homework. Professor Moody asked us to write an essay on how everyday spells can be dangerous and we aren't even sure where to start."

"I can give you a push in the right direction," Harry said.

"Yeah?" Tanya said.

Harry nodded.

"Is it true that you fire spells at Professor Moody at random?" Tanya said.

"I fire spells at him just like he fires spells at me," Harry said. "It is all about doing it in a way that is risk-free and never using a spell that is dangerous."

"Natalie, Harry says he will help us with the essay. Is it alright if we do a little flying first?" Tanya asked as Natalie came walking down the stairs.

"For how long?" Natalie asked while yawning.

"Just an hour or so," Harry said. "I can set a timer if you want."

"Sounds alright," Natalie said.

The three of them headed down to breakfast and sat down. Harry asked the girls what their favourite subjects were and what they thought of the castle. He smiled as they started talking. They were so excited and happy.

He looked up as Hedwig came flying in. "Have you had a good flight?" he asked as he offered her some chicken. Hedwig hooted and ate the chicken. She had brought him a letter and a parcel from Remus. Harry opened the letter.

Hi Cub,

I hope Quidditch is going to go well.

I think it is a smart move to put a team

together now that you have some

spare time. Don't forget to practise.

You still have a task to go.

Lana and I have been dating for a

little over a week now. She is amazing.

I don't think I have ever felt this happy.

A few days ago we went to a quiet little

restaurant.

She loves history. We have been talking

about how the history books for learning

aren't that good. I'm thinking that maybe

I should do something about that.

I hope you are doing well and that

you are having fun too.

Love,

Moony

Harry smiled. That was good. He was happy that Remus was happy. Remus certainly deserved it after living in fear of himself for as long as he had. He opened the parcel and brought out the book that Sirius had been talking about. There was a note with it.

Use it well.

Harry shook his head. He would have to get this to Fred and George.

Tanya and Natalie followed Harry outside after breakfast. Harry got up on his broom and motioned for Tanya to join him. She grabbed onto his belt and they were off. At first, Harry just flew them around. He wanted her to get a feel for what could be done on a broom.

"You need to become one with the broom and move seamlessly with it," Harry said. "I love flying. The first time I sat on a broom, I felt like I had come home."

"This is amazing," Tanya said. "The wind in my hair and the freedom to go anywhere, but what I really like is the chase."

Harry smiled. "I see," he said. "Then being a seeker is a very good position for you." He created a ball of light and sent it ahead of them. "Catch it, Tanya," he said. He played with her. Just as her fingers were about to close over the orb it would dart off. She got just as frustrated each time he did it.

"You're doing that on purpose," Tanya said.

Harry chuckled. He wondered if having a younger sibling might feel like this. He darted after the orb again and this time he let Tanya catch it.

"Can I go alone once?" Tanya asked as they landed.

"Sure, go ahead," Harry said. He gave her the broom and he made a new orb and sent it off.

"It is nice to see Tanya laugh," Natalie said. "She is always so serious."

Harry nodded. "Sometimes all we need is something that relaxes us. I love flying and it would seem that Tanya enjoys the chase," he said.

"You won't just give up on her will you?" Natalie asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Tanya gets attached to people she likes. I have been friends with her for years. When we got our Hogwarts letters we were thrilled, but we lost our other friends. Tanya got really depressed. It has taken her months to get back to her normal self," Natalie said. "I'm glad she is laughing." She watched her friend fly around. "If you continue like this then she will get attached to you. Will you just abandon her?" she asked.

Her tone was so severe Harry was taken aback. "No I won't," he said. "If she needs me I'll be here." Natalie was a very serious little girl. He liked that she was looking out for her friend.

Natalie smiled. "That is good to hear," she said.

Tanya came back with the orb triumphantly held in her right hand. "I got it," she said.

"Good job," Harry said. "You continue like that and you'll be better than me in no time."

Tanya blushed not that it was very visible, but Harry could tell anyway.

They headed up towards the Common Room.

"How about you list the spells you know while we walk," Harry said. "You were supposed to describe and argue for and against non-defence spells right?"

The girls nodded and they started listing spells they knew. Some they had learnt that year. Some they knew anyway and some they had just heard of. Harry wrote them all down in a notebook. Then he split the list between them. "Then you write about different spells and no one can accuse you of copying each other," he said.

They sat down on one of the sofas in the Common Room.

"So the levitation spell," Tanya said. "How can that be dangerous?" She looked at Harry.

"Oh, I don't know," Harry said and then he smirked as Ron came walking down the stairs from the boy's dorm. "Hey, Ron, how can a levitation spell be dangerous?" Harry called.

Ron turned around and blinked.

"The girls need to know for an assignment and I thought we would ask the master," Harry said.

Ron's ears turned red and Harry threw him a small dose of confidence. "Well, I did use it to knock out a mountain troll with his own club in our first year," Ron said. Then he threw himself into a somewhat altered version of the events that happened that day that got him to look somewhat better than he had at the time, but Harry didn't mind and the girls had fun.

"Thank you, Ron," Harry said.

"No problem buddy," Ron said. "Now I need to refuel or who knows what might happen." He headed down to the great hall for some much-needed breakfast. He felt good about himself. Today was going to be a good day.

Harry stayed and helped Natalie and Tanya until Hermione showed up. "Ah, now I will have to leave you two lovely maidens fore I hath been called upon by the great Lady Hermione to aid her in her quest to finish our homework. As her most valiant of knights, I will do what I must to see her quest through." He took Hermione's hand and she rolled her eyes.

"You are impossible, Harry," Hermione said.

"I do try," Harry answered. "I'll see you, girls, later." He waved to them before disappearing through the portrait so that Hermione and he could go to the library.