Fulfilling Obligations (Harmione)

Chapter 44: A Beginning and An Ending

August 31, 2016

Harry almost fell from his broom as a particularly hard throw of a Quaffle knocked him off balance.

"Come on, Dad! I thought you were supposed to be good at Quidditch!" James shouted, his shaggy black hair whipping about in the brisk wind.

"Just trying to even the playing field," Harry yelled back to his eldest son, angling his broom toward the assigned goal of the Burrow's makeshift Quidditch pitch. "If I let all my prowess come out at once the other team wouldn't stand a chance."

"That's the point, though - to make sure the other team doesn't stand a chance."

"But where's the fun in that?" Harry quipped, speeding his broom towards the end of the pitch.

"Winning!" James said with a grin, evading Teddy and Hugo with relative ease.

Harry threw the Quaffle towards James and he snatched it from the air, hugging it to his side as he raced towards his brother, who was the acting Keeper for the opposite team.

Albus seemed to grimace at his brother's quickly approaching form. Harry watched as James zoomed in closer to the hoops, Teddy and Hugo in hot pursuit. Before either could catch him, James hurled the Quaffle forcefully towards the left hoop. Albus managed to zip over and catch the ball just before it entered the hoop, but the force of it almost sent his small frame through the hoop instead.

"Good one, Al!" Rose shouted from the other end of the field, where she was also Keeping.

"You looked nervous for a second there," James said. "And you're not supposed to compliment the opposing team!" he added in a shout to Rose.

"That wouldn't be very sportsmanlike," Rose called back. "You're just sore that he blocked another one!"

"Hey, I've gotten as many as he's blocked," James grumbled.

"How about we just say you're both excellent players and call it a day?" Harry said.

Despite his somewhat scolding tone, Harry was truly quite proud at how adept they were at Quidditch. James was shaping up to be an impressive Chaser, while Albus had shown a good instinct for Keeping. And while Hugo hadn't quite developed enough grace to determine if he'd be a help or hindrance to a Quidditch team, Rose's innately observant nature gave her a natural ability for Seeking (a fact that never ceased to please Harry).

"Ruddy brilliant if you ask me," Teddy said. "Toss it here, Al."

Albus threw the Quaffle to Teddy, who caught it and began bouncing it between his palms. Teddy was a decent Chaser as well, although he had decided against playing for the Ravenclaw House team during his seven years at Hogwarts.

"So are you going to try out when you get to school?" Teddy said.

James paled slightly at Teddy's question, and gave a small shake of his head. "I don't think so," he said. "Not this year, at least. I don't think I'm good enough for the House team yet."

"If you're fishing for compliments it's not going to work," Albus said.

"I'm not!" James said defensively. "I know I'm pretty good, but I don't think I'll be able to compete with a bunch of sixth or seventh years!"

"It's still worth a shot," Harry said. "You should try out anyway. Even if you don't make the team, you'll still be in the players' radar for next year."

"That's easy for you to say, Dad. Not everyone can make Seeker in their first-year without even trying out," James said.

"He's got a point," Teddy said, sweeping his teal bangs away from his eyes.