CONFUNDUS; harry potter [UNDER EDITION]

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Madam Hooch stares down at him, impatiently tapping the quill on her clipboard. Lucca takes another deep breath, raising his hand to ask her to please wait.

He woke up that morning with Aurora slamming the door of his bedroom to order him to request the Quidditch field for the try outs. And Lucca, too scared to face her rage, changed into his uniform and dashed down the stairs. He didn't even have time to comb his hair but seeing it continues raining outside, he doesn't bother, the humid of the rain brings his curls back. Lucca doesn't quite like them.

"Can I help you Mr. Sallow?" she says again when he straightens his back.

"I need the Quidditch pitch for tryouts," Lucca says. "Please."

"Sure, when?"

"Friday."

Madam Hooch shakes her head. "Not possible, Angelina Johnson booked it after the lessons."

"Then Saturday," Lucca mumbles, his eyes wandering to the Gryffindor table. Harry is not up yet.

"You've until two o'clock," Madam Hooch says. Lucca frowns. "Gryffindor."

"Fine. Yes, I take the morning," he says and Madam Hooch gives him the permit.

Giving a last look to the Gryffindor table, Lucca goes to where his friends are waiting, everyone looking down to their schedules.

"I got yours here," says Aurora, waving it in the air. "It's quite a schedule. Before you say anything. But I think we can manage to sneak to the pitch at night to solve your problem."

Lucca frowns, "what's my problem?"

Aurora nods, very serious. "I spoke with Cho a little bit last night. I didn't like that Elmer said you can't manage a team."

Lucca avoids his friends' eyes, studying his own schedule. At his silence, Terry says. "It's not because you're not capable. They just don't know it because..."

"Because I was cursed? Because I'm an idiot?"

Aurora scoffs. "No, Lucca. Elmer had the idea to be captain so he can use you like Davies did. You never repeated positions in all the matches you played, right?"

Lucca gapes, he thinks he understands what Aurora is pointing out.

"Against Gryffindor you played Seeker. Against Hufflepuff you were chaser. Against Slytherins you played Keeper, do you see what I mean?" she says. Lucca nods, and Aurora smiles. "Captains can't switch places, that's the thing. You're an amazing flyer and you play any position perfectly. But you must stick to one for three years."

"So, your idea is to find out what position suits me the best before the try-outs?"

"Exactly," Aurora says and pulls out a notebook from her school bag. "I also found some interesting strategies in my dad's journal. He never performed them with his team and I'm sure he forgot, but here —" she extends it to Lucca. "It's yours now. He gave it to me the other day when he came to visit, he was hoping I'd finally get in the team and show interest in Quidditch."

Terry beams at her. "Rory, you must join the team. You're also an amazing player and none knows that. You take Lucca's place as the joker."

"I can't. This year we take the O.W.Ls and there is a lot to study," Aurora says, her face sour while still looking at her schedule. "From our first year to now. I want to have as many O.W.Ls as possible. I asked Milan what subjects the Auror Program requires and it's a lot! I'm sure the teachers are going to give us loads of homework, and I have the prefect duties and the Chess Club and the Book Club — it's too much!"