Sirius's son

Felix Felicius

Harry groaned. Meanwhile, Ron, who was attempting toburst the pod in the bowl by putting both hands on it,standing up, and squashing it as hard as he could, saidangrily, "And this is another party just for Slughorn'sfavorites, is it?" 

The pod flew out from under Rigel's fingers and hit the greenhouse glass, rebounding on to the back of professor Sprout's head and knocking off her old patched hat. Rigel went to retrieve the pod; when he got back, Hermione was saying, 'Look, I didn't make up the name "Slug Club" –' 

'"Slug Club",' repeated Ron with a sneer worthy of Malfoy. 'It's pathetic. Well, I hope you enjoy your party. Why don't you try getting off with McLaggen, then Slughorn can make you King and QueenSlug –' Ron stopped when Eliza swung a kick at him from across the table.

We're allowed to bring guests," said Hermione, who forsome reason had turned a bright, boiling scarlet, "and I wasgoing to ask you to come, but if you think it's that stupid thenI won't bother!" 

'You were going to ask me?' asked Ron, in a completely different voice.

'Yeah since you were feeling a bit put out.' Rigel said as he tried to punch the pod. 'We thought of inviting you but if you don't want to go. . ."

'No,' said Ron, in a very quiet voice.

'That's what I thought then.' said Rigel in a dangerous tone. Thinking that a fight would come, Eliza said 'Hand that over, Rigel, it says we're supposed to puncture them with something sharp ...'

Rigel had known all along that Ron was an inconsistent player who suffered from nerves and a lack of confidence, and unfortunately, the looming prospect of the opening game of the season seemed to have brought out all his old insecurities. After letting in half a dozen goals, most of them scored by himself and Ginny, his technique became wilder and wilder, until he finally punched Rigel in the mouth.

"It was an accident, I'm sorry, Rigel, really sorry!" Ron shouted after her as he zigzagged back to the ground, dripping blood everywhere. "I just —"

"Panicked," Ginny said angrily, landing next to Rigel and examining his fat lip. "You prat, Ron, look at the state of her!"

"I can fix that," said Harry, landing beside the two, pointing his wand at Rigel's mouth, and saying "Episkey."

Rigel signed. "Thanks, mate."

"And Ginny, don't call Ron a prat, you're not the Captain ofthis team —"

"Well, you seemed too busy to call him a prat and I thought someone should —"

Rigel and Harry forced themselves not to laugh.

"In the air, everyone, let's go. . . ."

Overall it was one of the worst practices they had had all term.

"Good work, everyone, I think we'll flatten Slytherin," he said bracingly and the Chasers and Beaters left the changing room looking reasonably happy with themselves.

"I played like a sack of dragon dung," said Ron in a hollow voice when the door had swung shut behind Ginny.

"No, you didn't," said Rigel firmly. "You're a good Keeper, Ron. Your only problem is nerves."

The two chasers and seeker gave Ron a relentless flow of encouragement all the way back to the castle, and by the time they reached the second floor, Ron was looking marginally more cheerful. When Rigel pushed open the tapestry to take their usual shortcut up to Gryffindor Tower, however, they found themselves looking at Dean and Ginny, who were locked in a close embrace and kissing fiercely as though glued together.