Crookshanks | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 158

    As it seemed, Harry had decided to start with a basic test, asking all applicants for the team to divide into groups of ten and fly once around the pitch.

   Jenna was actually finding the tryouts hilarious. The first ten was made up of first years and it could not have been plainer that they had hardly ever flown before. Only one boy managed to remain airborne for more than a few seconds, and he was so surprised he promptly crashed into one of the goal posts.

     The second group was made of ten of the silliest girls Harry had ever met, who, when he blew his whistle, merely fell about giggling and clutching one another. When he told them to leave the pitch, they did so quite cheerfully and went to sit in the stands to heckle everyone else.

     The third group had a pileup halfway around the pitch. Most of the fourth group had come without broomsticks. The fifth group were Hufflepuffs.

     "If there's anyone else here who's not from Gryffindor," roared Harry, who was starting to get seriously annoyed, "leave now, please!"

    There was a pause, then a couple of little Ravenclaws went sprinting off the pitch, snorting with laughter.

     At last after two hours, Harry had found himself three Chasers: Katie Bell, Demelza Robins, and Ginny Weasley, who had outflown all the competition and scored seventeen goals to boot. Although Jenna was pleased to see Harry tell off the complainers who were annoying him.

"That's my final decision and if you don't get out of the way for the Keepers I'll hex you," Harry bellowed.

"That's my boy," Jenna muttered to herself with a proud grin.

Harry had deliberately left the trial of the Keepers until last, hoping for an emptier stadium and less pressure on all concerned. Although to his great dismal, all the rejected players and a number of people who had come down to watch after a lengthy breakfast had joined the crowd by now, so that it was larger than ever.

As each Keeper flew up to the goal hoops, the crowd roared and jeered in equal measure. Jenna noticed that Ron was a little green in the face, and he was extremely nervous. Although his opponent, Cormac McLaggen, seemed way too confident in himself as he smirked proudly.

Ron looked ready to pass out as he mounted his Cleansweep Eleven when Harry called him up.

"Good luck!" Lavender Brown cried out from the stands.

For a quick moment, Jenna caught Hermione glaring at the girl's direction, but when Hermione saw Jenna grinning at her, she shifted uncomfortably on her seat and looked away.

"What?" Hermione said awkwardly, avoiding Jenna's knowing look.

"Nothing," said Jenna as her grin widened, turning her gaze back on the field.

Despite how nervous Ron seemed to be, he did a great job on saving the penalties, five times in a row. It was then McLaggen's turn to guard the hoops. Hermione kept looking around nervously, clutching her hands into fists and keeping them on her lap.

McLaggen saved the first four penalties, but then, one of the chasers flew forward to throw the Quaffle for the fifth time. Everyone held their breath, watching the ball as it flew toward him. He seemed as though he was going to catch it.

But then, Jenna suddenly heard Hermione whisper under her breath, "Confundo!"

The next moment, McLaggen's broom shifted to the right, and he missed the Quaffle by inches. He looked around in confusion, having no idea what had happened.

At the end of the tryouts, Harry landed on the ground along with the other players. With a satisfied smile, Harry then turned to McLaggen to tell him that, most unfortunately, Ron had beaten him, only to find McLaggen's red face inches from his own. He stepped back hastily.

"His sister didn't really try," said McLaggen menacingly. There was a vein pulsing in his temple. "She gave him an easy save."

"Rubbish," said Harry coldly. "That was the one he nearly missed."

McLaggen took a step nearer Harry, who stood his ground this time. Jenna suddenly tensed up, her stern glare on the boy, as though she was ready to pounce and punch him if he dared to cross the line.

"Give me another go," McLaggen demanded with authority.

"No," said Harry firmly. "You've had your go. You saved four. Ron saved five. Ron's Keeper, he won it fair and square. Now get out of my way."

It looked for a moment that McLaggen might punch him, but he contented himself with an ugly grimace and stormed away, growling what sounded like threats to thin air.

"I better go and congratulate them," Hermione said hastily with a happy smile, getting to her feet. "I'll see you later —"

But Jenna quickly got a hold of her wrist, holding her back.

"Don't think I didn't notice," said Jenna with a grin, winking at her as Hermione blushed, before letting her go.

Without saying another word, Hermione left Jenna's side and went down to the field to join the boys and to congratulate them.

Jenna looked back at Harry, a warm smile on her lips as she watched how happy he was. She wanted to go to him more than anything, to hug him and pat him on the back, telling him how proud she was. But she held herself back.

All in good time, she promised herself.