Here is the Tenth chapter. Do let me know your thoughts, feedback, and any suggestions for improvement. Your support means a lot!

Posted: October 25 2024

Chapter 10: Game is on

It was a couple of days after Harry's confrontation with Weasley, Granger, and Longbottom, and the memory still left a sour taste in his mouth. The air in the Astronomy Tower was crisp and cool as he stood there alone, waiting for his friend. The silence was soon broken as the familiar shimmering form of the Grey Lady, Helena Ravenclaw, drifted through the stone walls, her ethereal figure bathed in moonlight.

"So, tomorrow's my first patrol with Umbridge's squad," Harry said, glancing at her with a half-smile, though the excitement he tried to project was more out of mischief than genuine enthusiasm.

Helena raised a ghostly eyebrow, her translucent gaze resting on him with a trace of amusement. "And are you looking forward to it, or simply scheming about how to make it difficult for her?"

Harry chuckled, shaking his head. "A bit of both, I think. I have a few ideas to keep it... entertaining. Umbridge doesn't know it yet, but she's invited the wrong person to her little Inquisitorial Squad."

Helena allowed herself a small, knowing smile. "That sounds unlike you, Harry—planning mischief under the guise of duty. But be cautious. Umbridge is shrewder than she looks."

"Don't worry, I'm keeping my head down," Harry assured her. "Mostly. But it's hard to resist the urge to... stir things up a bit."

Helena floated closer, her gaze softening. "You Ravenclaws and your schemes," she murmured, though there was a trace of approval in her tone. Before Harry could reply, a sudden noise echoed up the staircase leading to the tower.

Harry froze, and before he could think, he instinctively threw his invisibility cloak over himself. Helena drifted silently into the walls, her form vanishing completely. He held his breath as the faint sounds of footsteps grew louder, and moments later, a group of figures emerged, their faces faintly visible in the moonlit glow of the tower.

Harry squinted through the shadows, recognizing each one as they appeared. There was Longbottom, holding a piece of worn parchment in his hands, scanning it with a serious look. Behind him followed Ronald Weasley, Granger, and the Weasley twins, their faces determined.

"Are you sure he's here?" Ronald asked, his voice low but impatient.

"He's here," Longbottom drawled, his voice oddly confident. "The map doesn't lie."

'They can see me?' Harry thought, questions racing through his mind. 'What kind of map is that?'

One of the twins looked around, a smirk stretching across his face. "We know you're here, ickle-bickle Potter," he called, his tone taunting.

Harry didn't budge, keeping himself as still as possible under the cloak.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are," the other twin added in a sing-song voice, still grinning as he scanned the empty space before him.

Suddenly, one of the twins, looking directly at the parchment in Longbottom's hands, raised his wand and fired a red spell in Harry's direction. Harry dodged, the spell narrowly missing him as he shifted to the side.

"I said no spells! You agreed!" Granger hissed, throwing the twin a furious glare.

The twin who had cast the spell shrugged, feigning innocence. "Oops, slipped my mind."

Harry, realizing he'd been found, let out an exasperated sigh. He dropped the invisibility cloak, eyeing the group warily. "What do you want?"

The other twin's smirk deepened. "Ooh, an invisibility cloak. Someone's carrying restricted items," he drawled, a gleam in his eye as he looked pointedly at the shimmering fabric.

Harry narrowed his eyes, glancing at the old parchment in Longbottom's hands. "I could say the same about that little map you're carrying. Doesn't look like it's from the library."

Weasley stepped closer, his wand raised, his face twisted in a scowl. "There's nowhere to hide now, Potter."

Harry met his glare, unfazed. "You really think so?" he replied, slipping his own wand into his hand.

"Hold on," Granger interrupted, stepping forward and throwing Weasley a stern look. "We're not here to fight. We're here to talk."

Harry raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "About what?"

Granger hesitated for a moment, then pressed on, "We heard you talking to someone just now. A woman's voice. Who was it?"

Harry's face hardened. "That's none of your business."

Weasley's face darkened as he stepped closer. "You can't talk to her like that," he snapped, flashing the prefect badge pinned to his robes. "You're out of bounds, Potter. I can deduct points for this."

Harry let out a dry laugh. "Oh, really? And what if I go straight to Umbridge and tell her you're bullying me? I'm sure she'd be thrilled to hear about this little 'patrol' of yours."

Granger's eyes flashed, a hint of disappointment in her voice. "You really have fallen, haven't you, Harry?"

"Is that what this is about?" he shot back. "Look, Granger, Umbridge offered me a chance for extra grades. I took it."

Longbottom clenched his fists, stepping forward with his wand drawn. "So that's it? You sold us out for grades?"

Harry raised his chin, his face a mask of defiance. "Why not? Everyone's looking out for themselves, right?"

Granger's voice softened, almost as if she were pleading with him. "You haven't told her about our club, have you?"

Harry's face remained impassive. "Maybe I have. Maybe I haven't."

One of the twins spoke up, the mischievous edge gone from his voice. "Listen here, Potter…"

"If our secret's out…" the other twin continued.

"…you'll regret it," the first finished, his tone deadly serious.

Harry's lips twisted into a smirk. "Oh, so you're blackmailing me now?"

The twins didn't break their gaze. "Consider this your only warning," one of them said, his voice cold.

"If our club is exposed," the other added, "you'll have the worst time at Hogwarts until we're gone."

Harry held his ground, his expression daring them. "Sounds like a challenge."

The standoff continued, tension crackling in the air between them, but Granger finally stepped back, gesturing for the others to follow. Reluctantly, they turned, leaving Harry alone once more in the empty tower.

As their footsteps faded, Harry exhaled, a half-smile playing on his lips. "That was an interesting little map," he muttered to himself, turning his attention back to the shadows.

The familiar shimmer of Helena's form reappeared beside him, her cool gaze resting on him with amusement. "Hogwarts is full of mysteries," she remarked, watching him with a knowing expression.

Harry crossed his arms, feigning hurt. "So you deserted me, hmm? Some friend you are."

Helena shook her head, her expression calm. "You don't need to act so antagonistic with them, you know."

Harry scoffed lightly, looking away. "They started it, not me."

Helena's lips curled into a faint smile. "Perhaps. But you don't have to meet them with the same fire. You're smart enough to know when to play their game."

Harry grinned, leaning closer. "What's this, Helena? Are you saying you're worried about me?"

She fixed him with a stern look. "Don't flatter yourself, Harry. I simply don't want you making unnecessary enemies. Hogwarts can be… unforgiving."

He smirked, winking at her. "You wound me, my lady. Here I thought you'd come to enjoy my company."

She let out a quiet, ghostly sigh. "You're impossible," she said, shaking her head, though there was a glimmer of amusement in her eyes.

Harry chuckled, undeterred. "So, do ghosts go for bad boys, or is that just a rumor?"

Helena's face didn't change, though a flicker of exasperation passed through her eyes. "Harry, I am several centuries older than you. This… flirting will get you nowhere."

Harry raised his hands in mock surrender, still grinning. "Worth a try."

With an exasperated smile, Helena drifted a few paces away. "Focus on your responsibilities, Harry. You're clever, but even you have limits."

He gave her a small nod, knowing she was right, as always. "Yes, ma'am. But you can't blame a guy for trying," he said with a playful wink.

Helena just shook her head, her form fading back into the wall. "Goodnight, Harry. And remember—Hogwarts has eyes everywhere."

Harry watched her disappear, the faintest hint of a smile lingering on his face. Helena was right, as usual. Hogwarts was full of secrets, and he was just beginning to unravel a few of them.

The next day, Harry found himself feeling a bit emboldened. His late-night chats with Sirius had done their work over the years, shaping his sense of mischief and sparking a curiosity that only seemed to grow. And after Sirius's recent "advice" about girls and the power of playing the bad-boy role, he found himself leaning into it, intrigued to see just how far he could take it. So, when he noticed the Gryffindor Quidditch team practicing after classes, an idea began to take shape.

Normally, he had little interest in Quidditch—it wasn't exactly his thing. But today, he felt like creating a bit of mischief, and who better to target than the Weasley twins? They were the best messer here at Hogwarts, and Harry couldn't resist the chance to mess with them, especially after the way they'd cornered him the previous night.

As he walked down toward the Quidditch pitch, he took in the scene. The Gryffindor team was flying in perfect formation across the field, the twins darting in and out of the air, each wielding Beater's bats with a practiced ease. What caught his eye next made him raise an eyebrow: there was Ronald Weasley, red-faced and attempting to guard the goalposts as keeper. He seemed determined but not exactly... skilled. Watching his struggle, Harry couldn't help the smirk that crept onto his face.

Down in the stands, he spotted Granger and the youngest Weasley, Ginny, sitting with Longbottom nearby as he observed a few trial candidates warming up nearby.

One of the twins spotted him from above, squinting before nudging the other and pointing Harry's way. As both twins looked down at him, Harry gave them an innocent smile and a casual wave, as if he had just happened to be passing by.

Harry made his way to the stands, spotting Granger and Ginerva Weasley seated together. As he reached them, Granger looked up, her face instantly shifting to a guarded, almost hostile expression. She crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing slightly in a silent warning that he wasn't exactly welcome.

"What are you doing here, Harry?" she asked pointedly, her tone as cool as her gaze.

He didn't bother meeting her eyes, letting his gaze drift past her to Ginny instead. "Hello to you too, Granger," he replied, his tone casual, almost dismissive. He flashed a quick, teasing smile as he finally looked at her. "Good to see you're still as friendly as ever."

Granger huffed, not dropping her defensive posture. "You don't usually care about Quidditch practice," she pressed, her arms tightening across her chest. "So why are you here now?"

Harry shrugged, giving her a dismissive glance before turning his attention to the female Weasely. "Oh, just thought I'd come to check out Gryffindor's practice, Maybe seeing if Gryffindor's up to standard this year" he said casually,his voice light but laced with mischief.

His eyes linger on Ginny. "Didn't know you'd be here Ginerva, though. Lucky me." he added with a small smile.

Ginny blinked, her cheeks turning pink as she looked at him. "Er… well, uh…"

Hermione, catching the direction of his attention, narrowed her eyes further, suspicion flashing in her gaze. "Ginny's here to support her brother. You'd know that if you were paying any attention," she said, her voice edged with irritation.

"Support, huh?" Harry replied, raising an eyebrow as he looked back at female Weasley. "Maybe that's why you're here, Granger, but it doesn't look like Ginerva needs anyone telling her who she can or can't talk to."

Ginny blinked, her cheeks flushing slightly at the unexpected attention. "Uh… Yes, we're just watching Ron try out," she managed, a bit flustered as she met his gaze. Unbeknownst to Harry, she had always found his quiet, mysterious persona intriguing, especially after the summer they'd spent at Grimmauld Place. She and Hermione had spoken about him on more than one occasion, wondering what went on behind those calm, observant eyes.

Harry smiled, leaning just a little towards to her. "Well, I suppose the practice is interesting... but it just got a lot more worth watching."

Ginny's face turned a deeper shade of pink as she tried to find a response. "Erm... Yes, I'm here for support, yes… but it doesn't hurt to have a bit of company" She laughed nervously, brushing back a strand of hair.

Harry smirked, leaning in a bit more. "I can understand that. Lucky team, to have you cheering them on." He glanced up at the players on the field, catching sight of Ron nearly missing a shot at the goal. "Though from what I can see, some of them might need more than just cheering."

Ginny stifled a laugh, her blush deepening. "Yeah, Ron's still getting used to playing Keeper," she said with a hint of pride, though her smile suggested she knew her brother's skills had room for improvement.

"Oh, I'm sure he'll figure it out eventually," Harry said, a glint of amusement in his eyes. "But if he doesn't, well, maybe you'll have to step in and save the team." He gave her a wink, clearly enjoying the way she seemed flustered.

From the other side, Granger gave Harry a hard look. "I'm not sure why you're here," she said, her tone clipped. "Quidditch isn't usually your thing."

"Oh, lighten up, Granger. Just wanted to see the Gryffs in action," Harry replied smoothly, though he barely looked her way, keeping his focus on Ginny.

"So, Ginny, I call you Ginny right ?" he said as she nodded he continued, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "Have you ever thought about playing for the team? Or are you more of a supportive fan?"

Ginny gave him a smile, trying to play it cool despite her blush. "Well, I had tried out, as a Chaser and the Seeker, but spots were already filled. So I'm a reserve. But right now, I'm just here to, um... support."

"Well, lucky team, then," Harry said, flashing her a grin. "I'd probably try out for the Ravenclaw team if I knew I'd have someone like you cheering me on."

Ginny blushed again and laughed nervously, glancing away as she fidgeted with a strand of her hair. "I'm sure you would," she replied, her tone half-joking but her smile unmistakably pleased.

Hermione cleared her throat pointedly, her gaze shifting between them. "Harry, maybe you should just… move along if you're not here to actually support the team."

Harry just gave her a shrug, his smirk never fading. "I'll move along when I'm ready, Granger," he replied, his tone light but unyielding. He turned his attention back to Ginny, ignoring Hermione's scowl. "So, Ginny," he said, his voice softer, just for her, "do you ever get up there and show them how it's done?"

Ginny's eyes sparkled with a mix of nerves and excitement. "Yes, one day. For now, I'm just… waiting for my turn."

"Well," Harry replied with a grin, "when that day comes, invite me over, I'll be there to watch. Wouldn't want to miss seeing you show them all up."

Unknown to Harry, his attention was not going unnoticed. From up in the air, the Weasley twins exchanged glances, their brows furrowing. They nudged each other, and as they looked down, Ron's face turned a deeper red than usual as he noticed Harry standing close to Ginny, clearly chatting her up.

Just as Ginny was about to respond, Longbottom, who had been sitting on her other side, leaned forward, his face a mixture of frustration and confusion. "Potter," he said, his voice tense, "what are you doing here?"

Harry turned his attention to Longbottom, feigning innocence. "Doing ? I was just saying hello to Ginny."

Longbottom's frown deepened, but before he could respond, the Weasley twins swooped down, landing on either side of him with matching expressions of disbelief.

"Oi, what's going on here?" Fred demanded, his eyes narrowing as he looked between Harry and Ginny.

"Yeah, ickle-Ginnykins here doesn't need any... distractions," George added, crossing his arms and giving Harry a pointed look. As Ginny's face turned red.

Harry just smiled, unfazed by their arrival. "Just saying hello. No harm in that, right?"

Ron descended from his place at the goalposts, storming over with a scowl. "You can keep your 'hellos' to yourself, Potter," he snapped. "She doesn't need you hanging around."

Harry raised an eyebrow, glancing over at Ginny, who looked thoroughly embarrassed by her brothers' interference. "Last I checked, Ginny could speak for herself," he said calmly, then turned to her. "Is that right, Ginny?"

Ginny hesitated, glancing between Harry and her brothers, caught in the middle of the brewing tension. "I don't mind him stopping by," she said, her voice a bit timid but with a hint of annoyance.

Harry flashed her a charming smile. "See? No harm done."

Fred and George exchanged looks, clearly unimpressed by Harry's confident, almost playful demeanor. Fred leaned in, his voice dropping lower, though the tense edge remained. "Look, Potter, we don't care what you're up to. But Ginny's our sister, and you stay away from her."

"Yeah," George added, his tone hardening as he crossed his arms. "If you're here to mess around, you can find someone else to bother."

Ginny's expression darkened, her cheeks flushing not from Harry's attention this time, but from her growing anger at her brothers' interference. "I can talk to whoever I want," she snapped, her voice sharp as she glared at the twins. She turned to Harry, her face softening a bit as she apologized. "I'm sorry about them, Harry. They tend to act like they're in charge of my life whenever they feel like it."

Harry's smirk softened into a more genuine smile. "No need to apologize, Ginny. I get it. They're just looking out for you." He paused, his playful smile returning as he glanced at the twins, his voice dropping just enough for only them to hear, adding a touch of mischief. "I'll keep that in mind."

The twins bristled at his response, but before they could say anything, Harry took a step back from Ginny and turned to them, lifting his hands in a mock gesture of surrender. "I just came to say hi and check out your practice. Didn't realize it was a private, Gryff only thing."

Turning back to Ginny, he added casually, "Guess I'll see you at the next Defense session, then."

As he began to walk away, Ron's angry voice called after him, "You're not invited there anymore, you git!"

Harry didn't turn around, merely letting his smirk grow wider as he walked off, knowing he'd struck a nerve. Whatever Ronald Weasely thought, they couldn't exactly stop him from joining the DA meetings. He'd made his point, and as he left, he couldn't help but feel a small sense of satisfaction.

So, this was for the Tenth chapter.

So what should I do? Continue teasing Ginny or tease Granger more ? or have some Slytherins into mix ?

I appreciate any feedback and constructive criticism you can offer. Thank you for taking the time to read my story!