Graciela's POV
It's been two weeks since we returned to Hogwarts. Things are going well, nothing out of the ordinary has happened. Harry has had a secret lesson with Dumbledore. Don't know what it was about. He doesn't want me involved. I did well on the test Snape had set. Only about a quarter of the class got detentions for getting Acceptable or lower. Potions is going well, it's different having a teacher who isn't biased to Slytherins teaching the lesson.
Harry got detention his first lesson with Snape. For speaking during a non-verbal lesson. Those is their sixth years have started to learn non-verbal spells. Hermione explained the theory to me. Now Luna, Micheal, Ginny and I practice them in secret. Knowing how to do spells non-verbally could be useful. Especially against Voldemort and his death-eaters.
Anyway, today Harry is holding quidditch tryouts. For chasers, beaters and a new keeper. I'm watching with Hermione and the dogs. Micheal is with us also. He has his arm around me, keeping me warm. Harry loves his new quidditch robes.
"Who's Slytherin's new captain?" I ask Micheal.
"Urquhart, never been on the team before" he states.
"And he made captain? Must be good or rich" I state.
"Don't know, though he s having tryouts tomorrow. If the time actually played fair, I'd tryout" he tells me.
"Draco still on the team?" I ask.
"As far as I know, though was a rumor going around of them trying out for a reserve seeker. No idea why, though Draco has been acting weird since school started" he tells me.
"Shush guys, it's starting" Hermione tells us. We focus on the field. Harry has them do a basic test first. Had every fly once around the pitch. This was a good decision: 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 comprised of ten of the silliest girls Harry had ever encountered, who, when he blew his whistle, merely fell about giggling and clutching one another. Romilda Vane was amongst them. 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 pile-up 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, leave now. Please" Harry says sounding stressed. There was a pause, then a couple of little Ravenclaws went sprinting off the pitch, snorting with laughter.
Micheal chuckles. I smile resting my head on his shoulder. After two hours, many complaints, and several tantrums, one involving a crashed Comet Two Sixty and several broken teeth, Harry had found himself three Chasers: Katie Bell, returned to the team after an excellent trial; a new find called Demelza Robins, who was particularly good at dodging Bludgers; and Ginny Weasley, who had outflown all the competition and scored seventeen goals to boot. Pleased though he was with his choices, Harry had also shouted himself hoarse at the many complainers and was now enduring a similar battle with the rejected Beaters.
"That's my final decision and if you don't get out of the way of the Keepers I'll hex you!" Harry snaps. Neither of his chosen Beaters had the old brilliance of Fred and George, but he was still reasonably pleased with them: Jimmy Peakes, a short but broad-chested third-year boy who had managed to raise a lump the size of an egg on the back of Harry's head with a ferociously hit Bludger, and Ritchie Coote, who looked weedy but aimed well. They now joined Katie, Demelza, and Ginny in the stands to watch the selection of their last team member.
The keeper tryouts weren't so bad. Cormas saved 4 out 5 goals. I heard Hermione mutter something beside me as the last quaffle was thrown his way. Micheal and I chuckle as it's finally Ron's turn to tryout.
Though Ron looked ready to pass out as he mounted his Cleansweep Eleven. Lavender Brown wished him good luck. Ron managed to save all five goals. Though he nearly missed the one Ginny threw. Cormac was not happy about not getting the position. But Harry is captain and his decision is final. Besides no one else complained. And Ron was one the reasons we won the quidditch cup last year.
"You did brilliantly, Ron!" Hermione cheers as she runs onto the pitch. The dogs following her barking happily. As Micheal and I walk over casually. Ron looked extremely pleased with himself and even taller than usual as he grinned at the team and at Hermione
"I think Ron and Hermione are crushing on each other" Micheal whispers in my ear.
"I think you're right" I agree. "So what now?" I ask Harry.
"We're going to see Hagrid, to try explain why we aren't in his classes this year" he says sheepishly.
"Oh, good luck with that" I tell him.
"You don't want to come?" he asks.
"Ginny and I are going to study with Luna and Micheal. Feel free to take the dogs, they'd love seeing Fang and Fang Jr" I tell him. He nods his head and they leave. Micheal and I walk back to the castle with Ginny congratulating her.
"Thanks guys" she says with a smile.
"You know one person from your family has played every quidditch role for nearly ten years. Charlie a seeker, the twins beaters, Ron keeper and now you a chaser" Micheal states.
"Coincidence" she tells us.
"Still, it's a surprise none of you have considered being a professional quidditch player" I tell her.
"Actually I have and Professor Slughorn says he may introduce me to Gwenog Jones, demanding on how well I play" she tells us. "She'll be coming to his next dinner" she states.
"Good for you" Micheal says.
"I know you'll do great" I tell her and she smiles. We reach the library and sit beside Luna. We start to do our homework. We stay there until we had to go down to the great hall for dinner. As we enter the great hall, Ginny, Micheal and I are invited to dinner by Slughorn. We agreed to go as we had no excuse not too. Hermione is going also, though Harry was invited. He got out of it due to his detention with Snape.
A/N
Picture above Cormac McLaggen.