The Traitor's Blood

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

"Come in," McGonagall's voice called from the other side of her office door.

Harry edged quietly into the room and closed the door behind him. McGonagall was sitting at her desk with several large stacks of files piled up in front of her. She pushed some of the dusty files aside and motioned for Harry to sit down, which he did silently.

"What can I do for you today, Potter? You haven't fallen out with another teacher have you?"

Harry saw that McGonagall was smiling. He remembered the times he had been sent to see her last year by Professor Umbridge.

"No," Harry let out a small, strained laugh. "I just wanted to ask you about my timetable."

"Ah, I see," replied McGonagall, her face now as stern and serious as usual. "You're wondering why you have so many Potions classes."

"Yeah, I am," Harry replied. He had been hoping the extra classes where a mistake but it was beginning to look as though he was wrong.

"I am afraid that I am partly to blame for that. You remember our discussion last term about your career as an Auror?"

"Yes." Harry remembered the meeting vividly. McGonagall had promised Harry that she would do everything in her power to help him become an Auror. But Harry had assumed at the time that she was only saying it to infuriate Umbridge, who was determined to see Harry fail at everything.

"Well, as I told you then, Professor Snape refuses to accept students into his NEWT class unless they achieve Outstanding in their OWL. Unfortunately, you only achieved Exceeds Expectations."

"So why have I now got twice as many Potions lessons," Harry interrupted.

"You were very lucky that the Headmaster spoke to Professor Snape and managed to convince him to accept you. But he would only do so on one condition - that you also re-take your Potions OWL."

Harry's face dropped immediately.

"If you do not achieve Outstanding in your second OWL exam, you will not be allowed to continue with the NEWT next year. Then you can say goodbye to your ambition of becoming an Auror."

"So I have to attend OWL classes and NEWT classes this year?" Harry could not understand how Snape would agree to this.

"You should consider yourself extremely lucky," replied McGonagall. "These kinds of exceptions are not usually made. Be sure that you appreciate what Professor Snape is willing to do for your career."

Harry could not help laughing. Snape would normally revel in the idea of Harry missing out on something he really wanted. He could not see Snape being easily convinced into spending twice as much time with him this year.

McGonagall began shuffling through some of the files and papers on the desk in front of her. Harry took this to indicate that the conversation was over. He was about to leave the office when McGonagall said:

"This is for you, Potter. I forgot to give it to you yesterday." She reached into a drawer and produced from inside it a small pin, similar to Ron and Hermione's prefect badges, which she held out to him.

Harry reached across the desk and took it from her. It was indeed a small, red badge with the words 'Quidditch Captain' written on it in gold.

"I will expect you to begin organising Quidditch practices by next week. You will also need to hold try-outs for the positions which have become available this year. Let me know when you need the Quidditch Pitch booked and I will see to it." She turned back to the papers on her desk.

"Thanks, Professor," Harry grinned at the badge in his hands.

"Good day, Mr Potter."

"Oh yeah, see you later." He slipped quickly out of McGonagall's office and headed straight back to the common room to show Ron and Hermione his badge. He was so preoccupied with thoughts of Quidditch practices and try-outs that he almost walked straight passed Ginny in the corridor without noticing.

She was standing against the wall, just a few feet from the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom.

"Ginny? Why aren't you in class?"

She looked extremely embarrassed when she saw Harry. "Professor Whiting sent me out," she sighed.

"Why?" Harry could not imagine Ginny misbehaving enough to be sent out of a class. She had become a lot more confident over the last year or so, but she was not a trouble-maker.

Ginny sighed again. "I had a stupid argument with him."

"It must've been serious if he sent you out of the class."

"Well, it was about you, actually." Ginny looked away.

Harry was slightly taken-aback. "Me?"

"It was stupid," repeated Ginny. "Whiting was asking us about what we had been taught last year. I told him that Umbridge hadn't taught us anything useful, but that you had taught me a lot."

Harry blushed. "So, why did that make him angry?"

"He said that you were too young to be able to teach anyone anything. I told him that I'd used some of the spells you'd taught me in real-life and he just laughed at me. He didn't even believe me when I told him about the Death Eaters we fought."

"Whiting's an idiot," Harry growled. He had been unsure about Whiting before, but now he was convinced. "I'll go in there and tell him right now."

Ginny grabbed hold of Harry's arm to stop him. "No, don't. It's not worth it." As she pulled him back, the badge in his hand fell to the ground with a clink which resounded along the empty corridor.

"What's that?" Ginny asked. She bent down and picked it up. Harry noticed a wide grin spread across her face as she handed the badge back to him. "You should put that on before you lose it."

Harry felt his cheeks burning again as he pinned the shiny badge to his robes. Just then the bell for lunch rang loudly throughout the castle. The door to the Defence Against the Dark Arts class swung open and a hoard of fifth year students came bustling out into the corridor. Some of them gave Harry strange looks, but he was used to this.

"I'd better go back in and get my bag," said Ginny, turning towards the classroom.

"Do you want me to come in with you?" asked Harry, but he immediately wished he had not said it. It sounded as though he thought Ginny needed protection or something.

Ginny laughed. "No thanks, I'll be alright." She gave him another little grin and disappeared through the doorway.

Harry hung back and waited until all the students had left the classroom. Then he peered around the doorframe. Ginny was at the back of the room, in front of Whiting's desk. He was sitting on the edge of his desk talking to her so quietly that Harry could not hear what he was saying. Ginny appeared to be listening to him silently. Whiting laughed suddenly and Harry was shocked to feel a sharp pain sear across his scar. He clamped one hand to his forehead and the other across his mouth to stop himself from yelling. He turned away from the doorway and flattened himself against the wall. The pain had gone as quickly as it had come but Harry's mind was reeling. Had it been Whiting's laugh that had triggered the pain? Or was it just a coincidence?

He heard Ginny's footsteps approaching on the stone floor of the classroom. He did not want her to think he was spying on her. He turned quickly and headed straight for the Great Hall to find Ron and Hermione.

*****

"I think you're overreacting, Harry," said Hermione as she began cutting neatly through her sausages.

"It was probably just a coincidence," Ron agreed, through a mouthful of fish. "Maybe You-Know-Who was angry or happy or something at that moment. That's what usually causes it, isn't it?"

"Most of the time," Harry mumbled in reply. "But I don't trust Whiting. He's ... he's ..."

"He's what?" asked Hermione, raising her eyebrows. "You don't know, do you? You're making assumptions based on very little evidence."

Harry could not think of a good come-back, so he pulled a face childishly and ate his lunch in silence.

"Harry! You've got your badge!" Hermione gushed suddenly.

Harry had almost forgotten about it. He could not help grinning again as Hermione took a closer look at it.

"So, when's Quidditch Practice?" Ron smirked.

"I hope you're going to treat Harry with respect when he's captaining you," Hermione said bossily to Ron.

"I always treat Harry with respect," Ron winked at Harry across the table.

"Have you thought about try-outs for the available positions?" Hermione began. "I think it would be a good idea to get them out of the way as soon as possible. Then you can start practising with a full team."

"Why don't you do the job for him?" Ron mumbled under his breath.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at Ron but continued as if she had not heard him. "I also think you should consider timetabling the practices now so you can be sure that you'll fit it all in. I'll help you if you like."

"Er, thanks," said Harry awkwardly. "I haven't really thought about it yet. I only got the position yesterday."

"It's never too early to start planning ahead," said Hermione matter-of-factly.

"You should have that sewn on a pillow or something," Ron muttered, but this time only Harry heard him.