Complete and Utter Hogwash (Book 5)

Chapter 5: Hermione's Helping Hand

Chapter 5: Hermione's Helping Hand

During sometime at break, Harry let me borrow his Potions book so I could make a copy of my own with my magic. I had compared his book with the one I bought and it turned out Harry's was much more accurate as I tried a few simple potions in the Gryffindor common room. Hermione just didn't understand it while Ron couldn't read it. I, on the other hand, found amusement in it and decided to use my magic to create a second book for myself entirely made out of ice. It worked wonderfully.

Hermione and I were watching Harry's try outs today on the Quidditch field to see who would make it on the team. We sat together on the bleachers as Harry instructed someone to sit on the bleachers to wait.

He felt with some first years who seemed to have never flown a broom before as they all failed miserably. The second group was a bunch of girls who kept giggling. It was awful one after another with their broomsticks or who just were from Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff.

After several hours of complaints, arguments, and tantrums, it ended up with Katie Bell, Demelza Robins, and Ginny as the keepers. The beaters were Jimmy Peajes and Ritchee Coote. When Cormac McLaggen went for his turn, he was getting nearly all of them right. He knocked away bludgers from the goal post, but I saw Hermione whispering into her coat with her wand. Cormac shot off completely in the wrong direction.

"I saw that," I whispered in her ear. "Someone's on team Ron."

"Shut up," she whispered back. Ron's turn was next as he grabbed his Cleansweep Eleven and headed towards the field.

"Good luck!" I turned to see Lavender Brown beaming at Ron.

"Someone's got competition," I whispered as we watched Ron save five penalties in a row. "He did it! Come on, let's go!" Hermione and I got off from the stands to head to the field and the new team.

"You did brilliantly, Ron!" said Hermione as we ran towards them.

"You didn't choke up at all! Nicely done!" I laughed.

After practice, we over to Hagrid's house for the evening.

"I thought I was going to miss that fourth penalty," Ron said happily. "Tricky shot from Demelza, did you see, had a bit of a spin on it —"

"Yes, yes, you were magnificent," said Hermione amused.

"I was better than that McLaggen anyway," said Ron in a highly satisfied voice. "Did you see him lumbering off in the wrong direction on his fifth? Looked like he'd been Confunded." I glanced at Hermione who looked pink in the face. I smirked at the irony.

I ran up to the hut when I saw Buckbeak as we bowed before I began to pet him lovingly. I rested my face against his, my eyes feeling warm as if I was about to cry.

"I know. . . I miss him too. . . ." I whispered to the hippogriff.

"Oi!" said a loud voice. I knew it was Hagrid so I didn't bother to turn and look at him. "Git away from him! He'll have your fingers — oh. It's Aquila and yeh lot."

I heard the door slam which made me flinch. He's mad at them, I know it.

"Hagrid! Open up, we want to talk to you!" said Harry as he knocked on the door loudly. I quit petting Buckbeak as I followed my friends at the door. There was no sound. "If you don't open the door, we'll blast it open!" He pulled out his wand.

"Harry! No way!" I shouted at him.

"I will!" said Harry. "Stand back —"

But before he could say anything else, the door flew open again. Hagrid was glowering down at him.