The Keeper's Curse

Note: This is my first fan-fic, hope you like it! I'm open for comments/questions/suggestions/flames (heh heh...)
Chapter One

Percy the Perfect

As the sun lingered lazily over the castle, the students themselves became lazier, the sun-drenched stone walls of the castle meant one thing, the summer holiday was approaching soon.

"And one more note before we start eating, the All-School Quidditch Team Tryouts will be held next Saturday at the Quidditch Pitch, until then the Quidditch Pitch will be opened to those wishing to practice. House players are most encouraged to try out," exclaimed Madame Hooch.

The students, who were all placed at their House tables in the Great Hall, let out whispers which eventually led into uproars about who was going to try out and who would be expected to make the team.

"Hey, Harry." Harry Potter felt a tap on his shoulder. "Harry, you're going to try out right? We have to get the most Gryffindor players in the Hogwarts team as possible this year. We've worked far too hard to not make it into the team. I'll be expecting you and the rest of the team to practice bright and early every morning this week." It was Oliver Wood, the Captain and Keeper of the Gryffindor Team and a huge Quidditch aficionado, who told Harry. Harry cringed and rolled his eyes, he loved Quidditch, but sometimes Wood just took the game way too seriously.

Meanwhile at the other side of the table, Percy Weasley, Ron's "perfect" brother was listening in on their conversation. He was contemplating the idea of trying out for the team himself. Being a Head Boy just wasn't enough for him anymore, you can only polish the Prefect badge so many times before you lose interest in it. "Hmmm… Can't hurt to try. I mean look at Charlie! For the sake of Penelope, I'll do it!" he thought to himself. He shouted across the room to the Ravenclaw table, "Hey Penny! I'll see you at the Quidditch Pitch after Transfiguration class today!"

"What? Percy? WHY?" she replied in a puzzled manner.

"Hee hee hee, I'll tell you later!"

"Percy Weasley! You're not thinking of trying out for the Hogwarts Quidditch Team are you? Do you remember what happened in Madame Hooch's flying class two months ago? Are you crazy!?"

"Hey! I thought you wouldn't talk about that anymore!" replied a nervous-looking Percy. The Gryffindor table quieted down, some stared at Percy with a look of curiosity, some with a look of terror.

Percy had endured a horrible accident in one of his flying lessons with his 7^th year classmates two months ago. He seemed to have kicked off the ground in a jaunty irregular manner which propelled him into the air like helicopter wings gone berserk. He wouldn't stop spinning on his broom for what seemed like hours. The broom kept trying to throw Percy off like a cowboy in a rodeo. Madame Hooch knew that brooms took on their own personalities, but a broom turning on its rider rarely, if ever happened. This boy must have done something especially disagreeable for this to occur. And Madame Hooch finally managed to tame the wildly spinning broom with a sedative charm, "Tranquilis!"

Percy landed with an earth-shaking thud on the Hogwarts lawn. But the chaos didn't end there. It was one of the most horrible sights the 7^th years have ever seen, his face was a putrid shade of puce green, and there were large purple spots speckled over his face. His cheeks were swollen like a balloon about to burst, and his eyes looked as if a slap on the back would cause them to pop straight out of his sockets! A second later, the freshly cut green grass became a swamp of chunky khaki-colored vomit.

But, a week after the "incident" when Percy Weasley returned from the hospital wing, he returned to his authoritative post as Head Boy. No one spoke of the "incident" again, Percy made sure of it. His Head Boy badge basically gave him the power to snitch on whoever, whenever he wanted to. Just last week he took 5 points off from Gryffindor after Fred and George mentioned the words "flying class."

"Hey Perce! You're trying out for the Quidditch Team?" Oliver Wood broke the silence of the Gryffindor Table.  "Ha! I thought you vowed never to mount on a broom again! Didn't you get Prof. McGonagall to cancel your flying classes?" asked Oliver Wood, unaware of the shocked looks of the other 7^th years and the dreadfully sinister look on Percy Weasley's face.

"Hmmmph… I hope you don't realize who you're talking to, Wood. 10 points from Gryffindor!" Percy replied haughtily while whipping out his checklist.

"Oh, Percy! Come on! I was just playing around with you!" Oliver gently nudged him in the shoulder.

"Ouch! And another 10 points from Gryffindor for attacking a Head Boy," he remarked casually.

"I don't see how this is funny to you, Wood; I do remember that time in Potions Class where you dropped your test beetle into your cauldron of enlarging potion and Prof. Snape spent the whole class trying to pry your head out of the beetle's mouth…" remarked Percy slyly.

Oliver Wood blushed, scrunched his nose, and slid down into his chair slowly.

Percy walked out of the Great Hall with a smirk on his face. Penelope Clearwater followed her boyfriend out. "Percy! That wasn't fair!"

"What are you talking about, Wood openly disrespected a Head Boy."

"You can't hold a grudge like this Percy. It was only a joke. You can't blame others for your faults because—"

"My what? I'm sorry Penelope but I think you're mistaken; I'm a Head Boy; I have no faults. That'll be 5 points from Ravenclaw, Miss Clearwater."

"Don't you dare Percy, I didn't even do anything! You can't do this to me! They'll take my Prefect badge from me!" Penelope stomped out of the hall.

"Penny? Where are you going, Penny? Penny, are you going to Charms class?" said Percy is a regretful tone, "I'm really sorry…"

Penelope turned around, "You're such a snothead Percy! You just don't get it do you? You'll just have to accept the fact that you're not PERFECT!" She stomped away again.

Percy heaved a great sigh, "She's in a bad mood, but it'll clear up by the end of the day." And he marched up to Gryffindor Tower to get his new broom that his parents gave him for becoming Head Boy, (which didn't make any sense since Percy doesn't play Quidditch, and Fred and George still have their antiques for Quidditch.)

Percy was determined to prove once and for all that he was perfect in every way imaginable, even if this meant having to conquer the wayward broomstick, or stand up to his girlfriend Penelope Clearwater, the Ravenclaw prefect. Nothing was going to stop him from his everlasting goal.