Chapter 61. Gates Leading into the Storm
After dinner, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and several other Gryffindors gathered in the living room by the fireplace.
"Well, it seems like we've got the coolest Quidditch team now!" Ron said, settling into a chair. "Thanks to you, Harry, you picked some great players."
"Yeah, McLaggen clearly went overboard with his showboating," Hermione snorted. "Remember how he was fawning over Jeanne?"
"Yeah, it's still hilarious to think about his face after her response!" Ron laughed.
"Yeah, jokes aside, Jeanne won the Tournament with Harry and Cedric two years ago, so she definitely isn't someone that show-off can handle!" Neville added.
Everyone laughed together. Harry smiled and looked at Jeanne. I wonder what she's thinking right now?
"Alright, enough laughing at that braggart," Jeanne said, although the corners of her lips twitched slightly. "Let's discuss the upcoming practice instead."
"Oh, right!" Ron remembered. "Tomorrow is the first practice with the new team. Do you think we'll gel quickly?"
"Of course, we will! We have a great team!" Agatha exclaimed. "I'll be cheering for you from the stands!"
"Thanks, Agatha! The support of the fans will definitely come in handy," Harry smiled.
After everyone had a good laugh at McLaggen's awkward attempt to impress Jeanne, the conversation smoothly transitioned into discussing the upcoming practice.
Hermione neatly arranged scrolls and an inkwell on the table, intending to finish her Transfiguration essay. Ron lazily flipped through a book on the history of magic, yawning and scratching his head.
Gradually, the group started dispersing to their respective bedrooms. Hermione carefully packed her study materials into her bag and wished everyone a good night as well.
Harry and Jeanne remained by the fireplace in the now empty Gryffindor living room. The dying embers still flickered, occasionally crackling.
Harry stared thoughtfully at the fire, tapping his fingers on the page of the book open on his lap. Jeanne neatly turned the pages of her folio on combat magic.
Finally, Harry tore his gaze away from the fireplace and quietly said, "You know, I've been thinking more and more about what's happening beyond the castle walls..."
He looked at Jeanne, searching for an answer in her eyes. She nodded thoughtfully, setting aside her book.
Jeanne turned to face Harry. The fire cast glimmers in her amber eyes.
"Yes, events are rapidly unfolding outside Hogwarts," she said quietly. "The New Holy Grail War is already in full swing."
Harry frowned, trying to understand the hint.
"What do you mean? What makes this War different?"
Jeanne smirked slightly and shook her head.
"You have no idea how little you know about what's really happening... I learned something this summer."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, furrowing his brow. "What did you find out?"
Jeanne smiled mysteriously and tilted her head slightly.
"I can't reveal all my secrets, Harry. I'll just say that this War will be unlike anything before. Too many forces are involved."
She looked into his eyes intently.
"You'll have to quickly catch up and learn a lot. Otherwise, you're not prepared for what's coming. Even for an experienced Master, it will be difficult to win this War."
Harry frowned and looked away. Jeanne's words sounded mysterious and unsettling. What was she trying to achieve? He looked at her suspiciously.
"Why are you telling me all this? Whose interests do you represent in this War?"
Jeanne only smiled enigmatically in response to his question. She gave him a meaningful look, and Harry felt like he recognized something familiar deep within her gaze.
Harry didn't break his gaze from Jeanne's face, trying to understand the expression in her eyes. She looked directly and honestly, without a trace of insincerity.
He noticed a faint smile briefly flash across the corners of her lips. Jeanne tilted her head slightly, just as she did in his dreams, marching fiercely through battlefields... But now she stood before him as a completely different girl - mysterious and sincere in her concern for him. And there was nothing ominous in this gesture now. Harry stared into her eyes, trying to find an answer.
Harry saw her gaze soften and warm for a moment. It seemed like Jeanne wanted to convey something important without words...
Suddenly, she slowly reached out and neatly adjusted the collar of his shirt. The touch was as light as a feather, but Harry felt the warmth of her fingers.
Then Jeanne nodded slightly, motioning with her eyes behind him, and quietly stood up, never taking her eyes off Harry. Her gaze spoke volumes. Darkness fell outside the window. It was time to rest.
Harry watched her leave, and he felt like he was finally beginning to grasp the hidden meaning behind her silent words. As he watched her go, he also stood up from the cozy couch in the Gryffindor common room. Tomorrow, new challenges awaited them. And for now, the night remained for reflection on spoken and unspoken words.
The next day, Harry walked into the living room and found Ginny reading a book by the window.
"Good morning," he greeted her. "Early bird, as always."
Ginny smiled and set aside her book.
"Hey, Harry! Yeah, I decided to enjoy the morning sun. How did you sleep?"
"Not bad, thanks," he nodded as he approached her. "What are your plans for today?"
"Well, I was thinking of practicing some new Quidditch tricks," Ginny said. "I want to be in top form for the first match!"
"Great idea! I can join you if you don't mind," Harry offered. "Training together is more fun."
Ginny happily nodded in agreement. They arranged to meet on the field after breakfast. Harry thought that joint training would be a great way to spend time alone with Ginny.
"I'm glad you decided to train together," Ginny said with a smile. "Your advice as the team captain will come in handy."
"Well, I'm also looking forward to training with such a talented Chaser," Harry responded.
Ginny blushed slightly at his words.
"Thanks... so, we'll meet on the field after breakfast?" she asked.
"Deal," Harry nodded. "We'll practice a tactic I came up with over the summer. It'll be great!"
They exchanged friendly smiles. Harry realized he definitely enjoyed spending time with Ginny.
On the field, the Gryffindor team appeared in full strength. Harry nervously looked over his numerous team. It was his first time as captain, and he felt a huge responsibility for the upcoming match. Ron was also nervous - he had to prove that he deserved to be in the goalposts. The rest of the players eagerly awaited instructions.
For training purposes, the Gryffindor team split into two groups. On one half of the field stood Ron, Katie, Ginny, Demelza, Richie, and Sam. They represented the main Gryffindor team.
On the other side, Cormac stood in the goal, with Harry, Dean, Jimmy, Dudley, and Jeanne. They played the roles of opponents.
At Harry's whistle, the game began. Katie swiftly ran towards the ball, outpacing her opponents. Once in possession of the ball, she held it close to her chest and raced towards the goal. Her eyes were focused on the target. Cormac stood in the goal, showily snapping his gloves - he clearly wanted to impress the small audience.
The spectators held their breath. Katie sprinted towards the goal, skillfully dodging the defenders. Getting closer, she forcefully launched the ball towards the left hoop. Cormac lunged across, but miscalculated by a fraction of a second. The ball whistled through the hoop! The stands exploded with joyful cries from the few Gryffindor students who had come to watch their team practice.
After Katie scored, Cormac gritted his teeth and angrily punched the goal post.
Harry and Dean exchanged a glance and charged towards the attack, aiming to score a point. They expertly evaded the defenders, passing the ball to each other. Reaching the goal, Dean took a powerful shot at it. Ron swiftly dove to his right and deflected the ball at the very last moment, right on the goal line.
Harry immediately caught the ball and tried to catch Ron off guard, striking from the left flank. But Ron somehow guessed his intention and once again kicked the ball away. His posture radiated confidence and composure.
Jeanne played the role of the beater, trying to intercept all the bludgers to protect her team. One of the balls flew towards Sam at full speed, but Jeanne quickly reacted and forcefully hit it with her bat. The bludger veered off to the side, missing Sam by just a few inches.
However, a minute later, another bludger attacked from an unexpected direction. Jeanne sprinted across, but this time she didn't make it in time - the ball zoomed dangerously close to Dean's head. For a moment, disappointment flashed in Jeanne's eyes at her mistake.
But she immediately composed herself and continued the game with renewed energy, preparing to defend her teammates from the next attack. Her movements were coordinated and precise, but she clearly held back, not wanting to harm the players with her strength.
With confidence in his voice, Harry gave optimal passing routes, game strategies, and field positioning. He instructed Demelza on how to better control the ball for a precise and dangerous shot against the opponents. He also directed Dean, Jimmy, and Dudley to create blocks and obstacles for the opponents, hindering their attack.
Another attempt to score behind Ron's back ended in failure - Ron intercepted the Quaffle from the opponents and, together with Katie, they quickly passed it between themselves to prevent the opponents from gaining possession until another chaser arrived. When Sam joined them, Ron returned to his position. Katie and Sam were extremely focused on their actions, rapidly passing the Quaffle to each other mid-flight, but they faced strong defense from the opponents.
Dean almost intercepted the ball flying between them. But as soon as Sam and Katie changed their tactics, Dudley almost snatched the ball from Sam. A giant charging at Sam almost caught him off guard, almost making him drop the Quaffle. Barely regaining his balance, Sam and Katie realized they were in a difficult position, and the team needed to do something to penetrate the defense. Dean, closely watching the game, noticed that they had a chance to play against Sam and Katie. Understanding that a secret play could be the solution, he signaled to Jeanne.
She nodded in agreement. Dean flew closely behind Jeanne, and at the moment of her next throw, he grabbed onto both ends of her broomstick. Rising above the saddle, she forcefully pushed off with her feet and detached herself from the broom using her entire body. Soaring in the air for a few meters, she deftly caught the ball mid-flight. Her agility and quick reaction made her an excellent choice for jumping and intercepting the ball. Dean continued to follow just below Jeanne, and after descending a dozen meters, he caught her on his broom's saddle. Now all they had to do was throw the Quaffle into the opponents' goal.
This action came as a complete surprise to their opponents. The collaboration between Dean and Jeanette demonstrated an incredible level of trust between them, strong teamwork, and a willingness to take risks for the sake of victory. Their seamless work allowed their team to gain an advantage in this match.
All the Gryffindor players, including Harry, watched this situation with a mix of admiration, excitement, fear, and respect. Later, Harry would scold both of them for taking an unnecessary risk, but at the same time, he would acknowledge their excellent work. But that would be later, for now, the two brave daredevils deserved praise. Something stirred deep in his soul as he saw this seemingly fragile girl fall down with the Quaffle in her hands. And why did he agree to take her as a Chaser? Why not as a Seeker? Why did he even think of including her in the team? What if next time Dean doesn't catch her in time? What if even for a Servant, a fall from such a height could be deadly? As the captain of his team, Harry realized that unexpected collaborations and creative solutions, even in practice matches, could be decisive factors for winning a real game.
In the middle of the game, the main Gryffindor team found themselves in a difficult position when the score was tied and the opponents were attacking persistently. At this moment, Demelza sent the Quaffle towards the opponents' goal with a strong hit. However, her shot was slightly off target.
Suddenly, Ginny, displaying incredible agility and speed, covered a vast distance in an instant on her broomstick. She instantly realized that the Quaffle was dangerously close to their goalposts and made the leap to catch it near the edge of the goal area. Thanks to her skill, she prevented a potential goal against her team.
Her teammates attempted to break through the opponents' defense and headed straight for the goal. However, Harry, Dudley, and Jimmy quickly formed a collective shield, with Dudley as the lead Beater. They were ready to protect their goal at any cost.
Dudley positioned himself on the field near the goalkeeper, always ready to charge forward and distract the opposing team. With his good broomstick, he could move swiftly across the field, dodge opponents, and block their shots. His strength allowed him to aggressively attack and push opponents out of his way.
Jimmy, on the other end of the field, maneuvered quickly to block and intercept shots, thus preventing goals. He also didn't stay in one place, maintaining his position, and readily rushing to aid his teammates at any distance to stop the opponent's attack. Thanks to his defensive skills, many goals were prevented, and the team maintained their position.
Ginny played as a Seeker and, as always, demonstrated excellent flight technique and ball control. She skillfully intercepted the ball, bypassed defenders, and passed the ball accurately at the right angle to Katie and Sam.
After gaining possession of the ball, Ginny dashed towards Cormac's goal. Two defenders rushed towards her, but she cleverly lured them aside and then sharply shifted and made a powerful shot from a tight angle. Cormac didn't have time to react, and the ball flew straight into the hoop.
Ginny smiled happily, catching Harry's approving gaze. Her game was aggressive and decisive, and with every intercepted ball and scored goal, Ginny solidified her position as a strong player. Her outstanding performance only improved throughout the training session, and in the end, it helped the team snatch and maintain the advantage on the field.
In the end, Ron's team emerged victorious. The players were pleased with the game's outcome and shook each other's hands with joy, understanding that not only victory mattered, but also the fact that they had done a lot for their team and surpassed themselves in this training session.
Shaking each other's hands, Harry and Ginny stood side by side, their gazes meeting, and for a moment they seemed to communicate silently. Joy of victory and deep understanding of each other reflected in their eyes.
Jeannette, who was watching Harry and Ginny from the sidelines, noticed a subtle moment between them. She saw how they looked at each other with such understanding. Her usual self-satisfied grin became sinister at that moment.
Looking at Harry and Ginny once more, who continued to communicate without words, Jeannette simply smiled and, along with the other team members, left the stadium without showing any sign.