Potter's Eleven

Potter's Eleven

Chapter 2

Ron stood outside a large building eating an ice cream cone. Looking displeased as he saw Hines, the newest Auror recruit, running towards him, he threw down the ice cream cone and wiped his hands on his jacket.

"What do you want Hines?" he asked in an irritated voice.

"Well, Ron, you see the boys and I are going down to town tomorrow night, you know, seeing as it is our night off, and we thought that we'd try and impress the ladies and show off our poker skills...and...," Hines faded off.

"And what?" asked Ron as he started back towards the door.

"Well, seeing as I'm not that good of a player, I was wondering if you could, you know, give me a private lesson or something.."

"What did I say when I first started teaching you blokes how to play poker?" Ron asked as he reached for a door.

Hines didn't answer.

"I said no private lessons. I just don't do private lessons," Ron said as he opened the door and walked inside towards a table with eight people seated by it. "OK, we're going to play five card poker. You guys all remember right? Bailey, you deal," he said as he threw the pack of cards to a slim male.

Bailey dealt the cards and Ron, looking around at his neighbor's cards.

"Get rid of that card," he said Mouse, a petite female sitting next to him. She threw the card he pointed to towards Bailey and said, "Hit me!"

"This is blackjack, Mouse, it's poker," Ron said firmly. She blushed and as everyone traded in their cards, he looked around at everyone. Sighing, he said, "Hines, this is a five card game, why do you have six cards?"

"Hit me!" Mouse called out again.

"I bet 1000 galleons, that's right Ron?" Bailey asked.

Ron sighed. He needed a drink. Fast.

****

Twenty minutes later, when Ron retuned, he noticed there was a new player at the table. All of the recruits were staring at him in awe, but none of them could seem to say anything.

Bailey was the first to speak up, "Boss, we ahh got a new player, if that is ok with you?"

Ron looked at Harry, wondering why he'd be here of all places and said, "Yeah, Bailey, he's fine. Deal him in too."

As Bailey dealt the cards, Hines worked up enough courage to say," Mr. Potter, why are you here?"

Harry smiled as he looked at his cards and put down a 100 galleon piece, "I'm visiting my best friend, Ron. I haven't seen him in a while. What is it, a month, two?"

Ron looked at Harry, and choosing not to answer his question said, "Look at how high he's betting. He trying to scam us. You guys fold if you want to, but I'm going to keep playing. I'm betting that he doesn't have anything higher than a pair of face cards."

Mouse and Hines folded, but the rest stayed in as the betting got higher and higher. Finally, everyone had folded but Harry and Ron. Ron said, "Let me see your hand," as he held out the three fives he had.

"Well I don't know about you, but I do believe that four nines does beat three fives," Harry said with a smirk. "Now I really got to talk to you. Alone."

The others took a hint and picked up and left

"What is it?" Ron asked, "Rogue Death Eaters?"

"No, Roger Davies," Harry said with a smile.