Friendless » Fred Weasley

cxxxvii. the first quidditch practice

The Slytherins, led by Malfoy, roared and screamed with laughter. Ron, who had pelted towards the ground to catch the Quaffle before it landed, pulled out of the dive untidily, so that he slipped sideways on his broom, and returned to playing height, blushing. Tori noticed Fred and George exchange looks, but uncharacteristically neither of them said anything, for which she was grateful.

''Pass it on, Ron," Angelina called, as though nothing had happened.

Ron threw the Quaffle to Tori, who passed back to Harry, who passed to George...

''Hey, Potter, how's your scar feeling?" called Malfoy. ''Sure you don't need a lie-down? It must be, what, a whole week since you were in the hospital wing, that's a record for you, isn't it?"

George passed to Angelina; she reverse-passed to Harry, who had not been expecting it, but caught it in the very tips of his fingers and passed it quickly to Ron, who lunged for it and missed by inches.

''Come on now, Ron," Angelina said crossly, as he dived for the ground again, chasing the Quaffle. "Pay attention."

It would have been hard to say whether Ron's face or the Quaffle was a deeper scarlet when he again returned to playing height. Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherin team were howling with laughter.

On his third attempt, Ron caught the Quaffle; perhaps out of relief he passed it on so enthusiastically that it soared straight through Katie's outstretched hands and hit her hard in the face.

''Sorry!" Ron groaned, zooming forwards to see whether he had done any damage.

''Get back in position, she's fine!" barked Angelina. ''But as you're passing to a teammate, do try not to knock her off her broom, won't you? We've got Bludgers for that!"

Katie's nose was bleeding and Tori rushed over to her. Down below, the Slytherins were stamping their feet and jeering. Fred and George converged on Katie.

''Here, take this," Fred told her, handing her something small and purple from out of his pocket, "It'll clear it up in no time."

''Alright," called Angelina, ''Fred, George, go and get your bats and a Bludger. Ron, get up to the goalposts. Harry, release the Snitch when I say so. We're going to aim for Ron's goal, obviously."

Tori stretched her arms, shaking any tense muscles she felt. When Angelina blew her whistle, Harry released the Snitch, and Fred and George let fly the Bludger.

Tori took the quaffle from Katie, throwing it towards Angelina. The roar of the wind filled Tori's ears, making her shiver. But too soon, the whistle brought him to a halt again.

''Stop — stop  —  STOP!" screamed Angelina. "Ron — you're not covering your middle post!"

Tori looked around at Ron, who was hovering in front of the left-hand hoop, leaving the other two completely unprotected.

''Oh... sorry ..."

''You keep shifting around while you're watching the Chasers!" Angelina yelled. "Either stay in center position until you have to move to defend a hoop, or else circle the hoops, but don't drift vaguely off to one side, that's how you let in the last three goals!"

''Sorry..." Ron repeated, his red face shining like a beacon against the bright blue sky.

''And Katie, can't you do something about that nosebleed?"

''It's just getting worse!" Katie shouted thickly, attempting to stem the flow with her sleeve.

Tori glanced round at Fred, who was looking anxious and checking his pockets. She saw Fred pull out something purple, examine it for a second, and then look round at Katie, evidently horror-struck.

''Well, let's try again,"  Angelina said. She was ignoring the Slytherins, who had now set up a chant of ''Gryffindor are losers, Gryffindor are losers," but there was a certain rigidity about her seat on the broom nevertheless.

This time they had been flying for barely three minutes when Angelina's whistle sounded.
Harry, who had just sighted the Snitch circling the opposite goalpost, pulled up feeling distinctly aggrieved.

''What now?" He said impatiently to Tori, who was nearest.

''Katie," She said shortly.

Harry turned and saw Angelina, Fred, and George all flying as fast as they could towards Katie. Harry and Tori sped towards her, too. It was plain that Angelina had stopped training just in time; Katie was now chalk white and covered in blood.

''She needs the hospital wing," said Angelina.

''We'll take her," Fred said quickly. "She — er — might have swallowed a Blood Blisterpod by mistake—"

''Well, there's no point continuing with no Beaters and a Chaser gone," Angelina sighed glumly as Fred and George zoomed off towards the castle supporting Katie between them. "Come on, let's go and get changed."

The Slytherins continued to chant as they trailed back into the changing rooms. Tori changed quickly, rushing out in hopes to catch up with the twins.

"Victoria." Dove's voice called over to her but Tori just ignored her. But she called once more.

"Victoria..." Dove had come over towards her, but Tori, filled with anger, just yelled at her. "Stay the hell away from me!" and stormed away.

doves standing there like 👁👄👁