Revelations and Romance

Revelations and Romance chapter 6

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6: Quidditch Beater trials

January 12th

On Wednesday morning, Harry practically had to pull Ron out of his bed. 'Come on, Ron, today shouldn't be too bad.' They got down to the common room later than usual. Hermione was still waiting for them, but was growing anxious. Ron apologised for delaying and worrying her, and the three of them went down to the Great Hall. Ginny was just finishing her breakfast, and the Great Hall was emptying.

'Where have you been all this time?' she asked them.

'I suddenly felt I couldn't face the day,' admitted Ron. 'They were waiting for me.'

'Today's not too bad though,' said Harry. 'Herbology and ... well, Divination's not that bad for you, is it?'

'But then it's Dark Arts after lunch, and Neville beating down all my blocks,' said Ron.

'Didn't McCardle switch you round? I thought you were going to be duelling with Lavender the no-goals wonder today.'

'No, it's Parvati,' Ron grinned. 'But that still sounds better.'

'Eat something,' said Ginny. 'You've only got about ten minutes before class.'

After a very brief breakfast, the trio went to Herbology. Hannah and Ernie both congratulated Hermione as soon as she entered the greenhouse.

Following the break, Hermione went to Arithmancy while the boys went to Divination. As soon as Professor Trelawney sounded as if she was about to predict Harry's death, he poised his hands over his ears to avoid listening. She faltered, glared at him again, and changed the subject. Harry grinned at Ron. 'It's working!'

At lunch, Fred and George were sitting some way away from them, talking to Angelina. The boys sat next to Hermione and Ginny. Professor McGonagall had been standing by the Gryffindor table, and congratulated the two girls on becoming the new Chasers, before going up to the staff table for her own meal.

'Raine just told me Malfoy has detention today, as well, so he won't be watching the Beater trials,' said Ginny.

'Good,' said Ron. 'If I win a place, I'd like him to be watching, but after yesterday, I really don't think I'm going to. So I'd rather he didn't watch.'

Ginny and Hermione both started to apologise to Ron, but he interrupted, 'No, I don't blame you for wanting to be in the trials, and I'd rather you two won than someone like Lavender. At least we're guaranteed one Weasley still on the team next year. We just might have two.'

Ginny frowned.

'What's the matter?' asked Harry.

'She doesn't want me on the team, stopping her from Chasing after you,' teased Ron.

'No, it's not that. The twins won't be here next year. Two years later, you won't be here either,' said his sister.

'That's true, but it's not a big surprise,' said Ron.

'I hadn't really thought about it. Ever since Bill came here, there's been at least one Weasley at Hogwarts. And I've always had brothers here since I started -- four, then three. Next year it'll only be one, and then soon I'll be the only Weasley here, and the last.'

'Well, that happens,' said Harry. 'We all get older.'

'Bill could have had a kid by now -- who wouldn't start here before Ginny leaves, but there'd be another Weasley on the way here.'

'But he and Charlie don't seem to want to settle down with anyone. Percy does, but he keeps upsetting Penny, so who knows if they'll ever get married,' said Ginny.

'I don't even know if Fred and George have regular girlfriends,' said Ron.

'But you did say you thought they ...' Hermione faltered, looking at Ginny, then decided to continue, '... had slept with girls here at school.'

'Not in front of Ginny!'

Ginny laughed. 'Don't be naive.'

'What?' asked Ron.

'You just had a Divination lesson. Doesn't Trelawney talk about Fred and George in your lessons?'

'Oh, she's not reduced to gossiping about pupils' love-lives, is she?' asked Hermione. 'I suppose I'd believe that of her.'

'No. Why would she talk about them? They don't even do Divination,' said Ron.

'She doesn't know what she's actually talking about,' replied Ginny.

'I'd definitely believe that of her,' Hermione said with a grin.

Ginny laughed. 'No, seriously, she tells us about these spirit voices she hears.'

'Oh, we get that,' said Harry. 'She gets all excited about imaginary voices sending her messages.'

Ginny looked round belatedly to make sure nobody else could hear her. Many pupils had finished their lunch and drifted off somewhere else, so she decided it was safe. 'The voices aren't imaginary. Does she tell you what they say?'

'I think she got fed up with telling most of us, because we didn't believe her,' said Harry. 'I expect she tells Lavender and Parvati, though.'

'She tells us, too. According to her, the voices talk about doom.'

'Of course they do. Everything prophesies death and doom -- usually mine.'

'But it's when she tells us what they say, not what they mean, that it gets interesting. She says the voices are moaning, "Oh, Fred, oh ... oh ... oh ..." or the same but with George instead of Fred.'

Silence followed this news. Ginny grinned. 'You're stunned.'

'But how is she hearing them?' asked Hermione.

'I think they're taking it in turns to use a disused classroom near her rooms -- near enough for her to hear them.'

'That's incredible. We're getting gossip from teachers now!' said Ron.

'Oh, no,' said Harry. 'You know what this means?'

'That Fred and George do have girlfriends?' said Ron.

'No, that we could have learnt something in Divination if we'd been listening to her!'

The other three laughed.

Ginny looked at her watch. 'Oh. It's almost time you went to your next class. I wanted to say something else.'

'We've got a free period now, but you'd better go,' said Hermione.

'Oh,' said Ginny. 'So have I. I usually spend this one in the library, though. We might as well go up to the common room then, and I'll tell you the other bit.'

The four of them returned to the common room, where Crookshanks was pleased to see them. He didn't move from the chair he was on next to Ginny though.

'Is that a nice warm chair now?' she asked him.

'What was this other thing?' asked Harry.

'Oh, yes. I don't know who George's girlfriend is, but why do you think Angelina wanted lessons in being rude to Fred?'

'Fred and Angelina?' echoed Ron in disbelief. 'I suppose they did go to the Yule Ball together, but I didn't think it meant much to them.'

'One hundred and twenty-eight!' Ginny and Hermione had spoken at the same time.

'Oh, shut up, both of you!'

'You mentioned Fred and Angelina the other day -- as a couple, I mean,' said Hermione.

'I was just using her name as an example. I didn't know they were still together.'

'I wonder where this room is,' mused Hermione.

'I think I've worked it out, and I've got Divination next anyway, if you've got time to get back to your next class,' said Ginny.

'We have if we go now,' said Hermione. 'Ron? Harry? Do you want to have a look?'

Harry shook his head. 'I'm not that interested.'

'I am,' said Ron, standing. 'Shall we go and look?'

'OK,' said Ginny.

'We'll meet you in DADA, Harry,' said Hermione, picking up her bookbag.

The three of them left Harry alone. 'They're all obsessed, Crookshanks. I wish Voldemort would drop dead, then I could be obsessed too. It sounds like fun.' He stroked the cat, who closed his eyes and purred at him. Harry found this relaxing, and continued stroking him.

'You're going to miss Dark Arts, Harry,' said Seamus behind him. Harry jumped up and looked round; the other fifth-years were all leaving the common room.

'Where are Ron and Hermione?' asked Seamus.

'Ginny wanted to show them something she found,' said Harry. He thought, 'Great, they've finally got an innocent reason -- a fairly innocent reason -- to be off somewhere with Ginny, and it still sounds as if I'm giving them alibis!'

Ron and Hermione were already in the DADA classroom when the others got there. The Gryffindors paired off as McCardle had told them to, and waited for her to arrive. When she did, she seemed slightly out of breath.

'Now, where were we? Good, you've paired off. The newly-switched pairs will continue with the Tickling Charm, Finnigan and Thomas will continue to work through the more advanced curses from last time, and Potter and Miss Granger may as well continue in their murder attempts.'

'You're quite sure you want to continue doing this,' Harry asked Hermione.

'We've already discussed it. Yes.'

The two of them continued using the serious curses they'd been using before. Meanwhile, Seamus and Dean were mostly managing to block each other's curses, and were looking quite happy. Neville and Lavender were both having trouble blocking the Tickling Charm, and Ron finally seemed to be enjoying himself, as he was blocking almost all of Parvati's attacks, and she was only succeeding in blocking some of his.

Hermione looked over at Ron duelling with Parvati, and a thought occurred to her. Harry's Jelly-Legs Jinx hit her, and she staggered momentarily, before performing the counter-jinx on herself.

'Are you all right?' asked Harry, concerned. 'Should we go back to the simpler ones?'

'No, I was just distracted for a moment. It's OK, we can carry on.'

'You're sure? Because it's just luck that was one of the milder ones. If that had been Reducto ...'

'It wasn't, though. I'm OK, we can continue.'

Professor McCardle came over to them. 'What happened then?'

'I just got distracted. I'm all right, it won't happen again.'

'I think we should stop using Reducto, though,' said Harry.

'No!' she hissed, not wanting the rest of the class to hear. 'Harry, you can't stop practising just because I wasn't paying attention! You know you're in danger.'

'So that is why you started using stronger curses? Because Potter might be attacked by Voldemort?' asked McCardle.

Hermione nodded. 'I didn't know if you'd guessed that or not.'

'I didn't even realise until you told me the other day,' said Harry. 'But you're not in as much danger, so why don't you keep using Reducto, but I'll stop?'

'That isn't what you said at Christmas,' said Hermione. 'You were worried that any girl you got close to might be a target. I think you're right.'

'Unfortunately, so do I,' said McCardle. 'Albus did tell me about your last Dark Arts teacher, and about your confrontation with Voldemort. If Miss Granger is sure she won't be distracted again, and can continue to block your curses, it is probably best that you continue as you have been.'

The rest of the class had stopped to watch them. Professor McCardle clapped her hands. 'Come on! Keep practising!'

She turned back to Harry and Hermione. 'Albus also told me at Christmas about Potter's fears for your safety, Miss Granger. He suggested that both of you might need extra training, or more guidance, which we may provide, but it appears at the moment as if you are doing quite well.'

Hermione smiled back at her. 'Thank you.'

McCardle went over to Seamus and Dean, to check on their progress.

'How about a compromise?' asked Harry. 'I won't use Reducto unless you manage to block ten other curses with no problem.'

'All right,' sighed Hermione. 'But I was just distracted by a birthday idea for Ron. I've had the idea, I'll be concentrating now.'

Harry looked round. Everyone was busy, especially Ron, casting Finite Incantatem on Parvati yet again. 'Are you going to tell me what it is?'

'Not until I've had more time to work out the details.'

'Ah. In that case, maybe it's something I don't want to know.'

Hermione grinned. 'En garde, anyway!'

They continued to duel, and Harry was soon using Reducto again, although somewhat nervously at first. However, Hermione had been right, and they soon settled down into the rhythm of alternating curses again. All too soon, the lesson ended.

McCardle gave Lavender, Neville and Parvati some homework, reading up on blocking in duels. She praised Ron for his improvement, and gave him five points, to his delight and Parvati's annoyance. Seamus and Dean were also awarded five points, and she then dismissed the six she'd spoken to. Ron waited outside again as she came over to Harry and Hermione.

'I have two things to say to you. Firstly, I am still not entirely happy about the level at which you are duelling, despite what Albus said. However, you are clearly able to cope, if you don't get distracted.'

Harry tried to work out if they were being told off or praised.

She handed them a piece of parchment each. 'There is little point in your spending each lesson using the same curses. Your homework is to read about the curses on this list. Albus trusts you to decide which of them you will use to duel in the next lesson.'

She hesitated. 'He also gave me a message just before the start of this class, to give to you, Potter. I don't know if you would want Miss Granger to hear it too.'

'I'll probably tell her later anyway,' he said.

'Very well. I believe you are friends with Rubeus Hagrid?'

'We both are,' said Hermione.

'Is he coming back soon?' asked Harry.

'Not very soon. He is at present in St Mungo's recovering from severe injuries.'

'No!' said Hermione. 'What happened?'

'I don't know the details. I know that he is recovering, and Albus expects him to be able to teach again next term, and perhaps to be back here before the end of this term. However, he is not presently allowed visitors.'

'Thank you for telling us,' said Harry, feeling numb. Had the giants he'd been sent to get help from attacked him? What about Mme Maxime?

The same thought had occurred to Hermione. 'Do you know what happened to Mme Maxime? I think they were working on something together.'

McCardle shook her head. 'I don't know her, or anything about her.'

Harry and Hermione looked at each other, then at Ron, waiting outside. McCardle said gently, 'I believe you have more Quidditch trials to go to?'

'Oh! Yes, we do. Thanks,' said Harry. The two of them hurried out to where Ron was waiting.

'I thought you were never going to leave,' he complained. 'What was happening?'

'We'll tell you later,' said Hermione. 'You've got to get to the Beater trials.'

'Oh, no,' groaned Harry, as they hurried along the corridors and down the stairs. 'I forgot to bring the Firebolt!'

'That's OK,' said Ron. 'If I use a school broom, I won't get corrected off the list.'

'I should have remembered though. Sorry. Oh -- did you see the room Ginny wanted to show you?'

'We found the room. It had seven different Locking Charms on it.'

'So you don't know what it's like inside?' asked Harry, as they hurried down the castle's steps and towards the pitch.

'Harry, you know Hermione wanted to look at the room!' said Ron.

Harry laughed. 'Five seconds to unlock it?'

'Ten. She's slowing up as she gets older.'

'Hey!' protested Hermione as they got to the stands and found the seats Ginny had been keeping for them.

'You're almost late,' said Ginny severely. 'Did you forget the trials?'

'Of course not,' said Hermione. 'McCardle gave us extra homework.'

'You didn't look too unhappy about that from where I was,' said Ron. 'Then she said something else which seemed to upset you both. What was it?'

Hermione hesitated, and looked at Harry, who said firmly, 'We're not going to tell you.'

'What sort of secret is it then?' asked Ron, annoyed.

'The sort that we can only tell the new Beater,' answered Harry with a grin.

Ron laughed. 'So you might tell me, but only after the trials.'

The two of them nodded.

'Did they tell you about the room we found?' asked Ginny, as Angelina, Fred, George, McGonagall, Flitwick, Lee and Orla came out onto the pitch and were cheered.

'They got as far as Hermione needing ten whole seconds to open the door,' replied Harry.

'Who's going to be the first to have a trial?' asked Hermione, ignoring the other two.

Ron shrugged. 'I think we have to wait until Orla announces us.'

Harry remembered his headband, and pulled it out of his pocket to put it on. Ginny grinned at him. 'Raine's right, it does suit you. You should wear it more often.'

'If you insist.' He grinned back.

The two teachers, with Lee and Orla were now in the commentator's box. Orla lifted the megaphone to her mouth.

'Welcome to the second trials -- today we find out which players will be Beaters on the team that will be beaten by Ravenclaw next year!'

Most of the crowd were Gryffindors, so the boos outweighed the few cheers. This didn't seem to bother Orla.

'This is also the first time for years that Lee hasn't been allowed to say anything!'

'She's overdoing it,' said Ginny. 'She was better yesterday.'

'The first pair of candidates, since Beaters have to work in pairs, are COLIN and DENNIS CREEVEY!'

'They're too small,' said Ron, as the brothers went down onto the pitch and were handed a broom and a bat each by Angelina. Fred and George were already in the air.

The Creevey brothers rose to the same height, and Angelina released the Bludgers. She watched the four of them through a pair of Omnioculars, as Orla tried to commentate on the action. Unlike Lee, she had the disadvantage of not being able to tell the Weasley twins apart, nor the Creevey brothers, and was soon reduced to saying either 'Weasley' or 'Creevey' every time a player hit a Bludger. She announced when the five minutes were up, and the Creevey brothers landed and handed the brooms and bats back to Angelina. Flitwick sent the Bludgers back to the chest with a wave of his wand.

'How is Angelina going to judge that?' asked Ginny.

'She's probably going to play the game back in slow-motion,' said Hermione.

'I was wondering why she needed Omnioculars to see a game in a pitch this small,' said Harry.

'Our second pair of candidates are DARREN NOBLE and DELAMARE SMETHLEY!' announced Orla. The two boys collected the equipment and rose into the air. Ginny, Shona, Fen and Raine were among those cheering. Ginny noticed Ron's expression, and explained, 'Delamare's in our year. I still want you to win though.'

Again, the Bludgers were released, and the four players hit them back and forth for the five minutes.

'It's fun to watch, but I've got no idea who is in the lead,' said Harry.

'The third pair of candidates are OWEN and OLWEN EMRYS! What is this, a family business?' Orla announced.

Ginny and her friends cheered again.

'One of them's in your year?' asked Hermione.

'They both are,' said Fen. 'They're twins.'

They didn't look much like twins, or even relatives, thought Harry as he watched them collect their equipment. Owen was a stocky and muscular boy, Olwen a taller and more slender girl. The only thing they had in common was blond hair.

Orla did better at commentating their trial than she had with the Creeveys, as the Emrys twins looked less alike than the two Creevey brothers.

'I really don't envy Angelina's job judging these,' said Hermione as they landed. 'How many candidates are there anyway?'

'I've no idea,' said Harry. 'Ron, do you know?'

Ron shook his head, nervously waiting his turn. 'I don't even know who I'm supposed to be sharing my trial with.'

'The fourth pair of candidates are RON WEASLEY and FENELLA MARIS!' said Orla. 'Please tell me you aren't cousins who look alike!'

'No chance of that,' said Fen, heading down to the pitch. Ron followed her.

'At least he knows who she is,' said Ginny. 'They could have practised together if they'd known.'

'Fen's hair is slightly reddish,' said Hermione. 'I suppose Orla didn't guess right?'

'I don't think so. Fen's Muggle-born like you, so I don't think she can be related to us.'

'And they're ready to start -- here come the Bludgers! And it's Weasley first, then -- why is the air full of Weasleys? I don't believe this!'

Harry could see Lee laughing and trying to take the megaphone. Orla gave in and let him.

'Normal service is resumed, folks! Fen -- George and Fred in a coordinated attack -- which Fen and Ron return! Good work, the candidates! Fred -- Ron again -- Fred and Ron seem to be playing against each other -- look, forget about that teddy bear!'

'What teddy bear?' asked Raine, puzzled.

'Fred turned Ron's teddy into a spider when they were both young,' said Ginny. 'Lee must have heard about it.'

'Fen and George have each hit a Bludger at Fred and Ron,' continued Lee, 'and they're forced to play as two teams of two Beaters again! And they're both doing well -- Ron and Fen launch a two-pronged attack and -- Fred! You missed it! George hit his, and Fred's too -- Ron and Fen return them, and -- the five minutes are up! We now interrupt our normal service!'

Lee handed the megaphone back to Orla, who was giggling.

'And with that overwhelming display of Weasleys -- just as well Ginny wasn't playing again, though at least I can tell her apart from her brothers -- we reach the end of the first heat of the Beater trials! As should be obvious to everyone, the winner of the trials ...'

Harry frowned. How could Orla have disentangled the complicated play to spot an obvious winner?

'... is completely unknown except maybe to Angelina.'

Harry grinned.

'She's back,' said Ginny, smiling.

Ron and Fen returned to their seats, both very much out of breath. Angelina was looking through the Omnioculars at the ground.

'She must be reviewing the trials now,' said Ginny. 'Orla said it was the first heat. I wonder who's going to be in the second one.'

Ron panted, 'Hope I get ... some breath back ... before playing again.'

Angelina was now walking over to the commentator's box. She levitated a piece of parchment up to Orla, who caught it and read it, then resumed announcing.

'The second heat is only to remove some ambiguity. Can we have OWEN EMRYS and DARREN NOBLE again, please?'

The two boys climbed down to the pitch and were soon ready again.

'I can't see Olwen being a Beater,' said Harry. 'She doesn't look strong enough, and she didn't seem to be keeping up with her brother before.'

'I think they were hoping that twins might have an advantage, since that's what you've got now,' said Raine.

Harry looked around while waiting, and noticed Grocyn, who was sitting behind the goals. 'I've never seen Slytherin have a trial. Do they happen in secret?'

'I don't think many people would want to watch candidates queuing up with bags of Galleons,' said Raine with a smile. 'It's just not much of a spectator sport.'

The others laughed. 'And that's the opinion of a loyal Slytherin,' said Ginny, teasing her friend. 'I wish you could change houses.'

'Well, the Sorting Hat put me there, and there I stay,' said Raine, shrugging. 'Next term, Defence Against the Dark Arts changes to just Dark Arts, and we all get a membership form to apply to be Death Eaters.'

'Don't joke about it!' said Ginny in horror. 'Harry was nearly killed by them last year!'

'Oh, Harry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you.'

'It's OK, I know you were just joking,' he reassured her.

'We're missing the trial,' said Ginny.

Orla had been commentating throughout their conversation, although they hadn't been listening. She announced the end of the five minutes shortly after they started paying attention to the play.

'Next, can we have OLWEN EMRYS and DELAMARE SMETHLEY, please?'

The two of them climbed down, Olwen patting Owen on his back as they passed.

'They're ready -- the Bludgers are released again; it's more of a trial for them than the players! -- It's Weasley to Smethley and Weasley to Emrys -- Emrys returns it -- no, she doesn't, didn't hit it hard enough -- Smethley returns his -- Weasley to Emrys -- oh, that's got to hurt! Angelina's signalling -- this heat's over.'

All four players landed, and the Weasley twins hurried over to Olwen. Owen jumped down into the pitch, and ran over to his twin. Owen and Olwen left, Olwen clutching her arm in obvious pain.

'That's a shame,' said Ginny. 'I was hoping the trials wouldn't hurt anyone.'

'Did she say the heat's over, or just their heat?' asked Ron. 'I didn't get a second chance to play.'

'I don't think we can have any more trials tomorrow,' said Harry. 'It's our training time.'

Angelina had gone up into the commentator's box, and was talking to Orla. 'That's it for today,' announced Orla. 'Olwen has gone up to the hospital wing with a broken arm, so we all wish her well. Angelina has enough to decide who's going to be the new Beaters, and the Gryffindors will hear her decision later this evening in the common room. The rest of us will have to ask Grocyn Balfour.'

Raine laughed, and looked over at Grocyn, who looked angry at being mentioned.

'Why do they have to ask him?' asked Fen.

'Because he's the Slytherin spy,' said Harry. 'Raine likes us too much to spy on us.' Raine smiled at him.

'So,' continued Orla, 'it's time for everyone to go back to the castle for their dinner. Good-night, everybody!'

The audience headed back toward the castle and the Great Hall. 'We'll be too early for dinner, but there's not much point going upstairs and back down again,' said Shona.

'Oi! Dunsmuir!' someone shouted behind them. Raine sighed. 'You go on. I bet he wants to yell at me.'

'Are you going to be OK?' asked Fen.

'Yeah, and it won't help me if I'm with all of you anyway,' she said. She stopped and waited for Balfour to catch up with her, while the others continued up to their castle. At the steps, they looked back. The two Slytherins were walking slowly up to the castle, and Balfour seemed to be very unhappy about something. Reluctantly, the Gryffindors continued into the Great Hall.

'You can tell me about that room,' said Harry as they sat down at the Gryffindor table.

'Oh, yes,' said Ron. 'Hermione unlocked it, and we looked inside, and there was a very nice-looking divan in there. It's definitely wide enough for two people to lie on and still be able to move around.'

'Of course, I don't know why anyone would want to do that,' said Ginny primly. 'Maybe when I'm older, I'll understand it.'

'What, Sunday?' asked Hermione. Ginny grinned.

'Then we locked it again and the two of us came to meet you in DADA,' said Hermione. 'Oh, Ron, we didn't want to tell you before the trials -- Hagrid's in hospital.'

'What?' he asked in alarm.

Harry and Hermione told him what they'd heard.

'Oh, poor Hagrid!' said Ginny.

They thought about Hagrid and what might have happened to him, until the food appeared on the table. The four of them ate little that evening.

After dinner, they went up to the common room, which soon filled up as much as on Tuesday. Seamus and Dean sat next to the trio and Ginny, forcing Crookshanks to jump up onto Ginny's lap.

'You're my cat, you know!' said Hermione.

'He doesn't want to go further than he has to, do you?' said Ginny, stroking him.

'He did at Christmas. He came to visit our dorm instead,' said Harry.

'Did you get bored with the same old room, and go exploring?' asked Ginny.

'Who do you think won?' asked Seamus.

Dean shrugged. Harry, Hermione and Ginny all admitted not knowing.

'Thanks for not telling me that message before the trials, anyway,' said Ron. 'It would have put me off. But Angelina didn't ask me to play twice, so she must have ruled me out already. It's going to be the four in the second heat.'

'I don't think so,' said Dean. 'Olwen broke her arm; I know that happens, and Harry broke his, but I can't see Angelina picking her over you.'

'It's no good trying to cheer me up. Even without her, there were three others in that heat -- I might just manage to be a reserve reserve Beater,' said Ron. 'At least when the twins go, Ginny will be on the team, so there'll still be a Weasley on it.'

'Is that some sort of family tradition?' asked Seamus. 'Oh, was Charlie Weasley your brother?'

'Of course!' said Ginny.

'I thought he might have been a cousin or something.'

'I've got six older brothers,' she told him. 'Percy's the only one not to have been on the team.'

'And me,' said Ron glumly.

'I'm not counting you out until Angelina says it officially,' she retorted.

The portrait hole opened, and they looked to see who wasn't already in the common room. Owen was helping Olwen into the room. She was obviously being cautious with her newly-healed arm, but seemed to be trying to avoid her brother's help.

Harry and Hermione got out the new spells lists for DADA, but were both wondering about Ron's chances too much to concentrate much.

Hermione looked up. 'I haven't even heard of most of these. We've got to go to the library for them.'

'They're bound to be restricted,' Harry said. 'I don't know if McGonagall's permission note from last year is still valid. I've got it in my trunk though, if it is.'

'It doesn't matter. You haven't looked at this properly, have you? McCardle's given us permission to use the Restricted Section.'

Harry looked at the bottom of the parchment. 'Oh! No, I hadn't read that far.'

'What sort of homework did she give you?' asked Seamus in surprise. 'All our new curses are in our textbooks. We definitely don't have to go to the Restricted Section!'

Harry handed him his list. Seamus looked at it, whistled in surprise, and returned it to Harry, his eyes wide. 'Is she serious?'

Ron answered for him. 'Remember when she said they wanted to kill each other? They're already up to curses that aren't in any of our books.'

'I thought she was joking then.'

'So did I,' admitted Ron. 'I didn't find out until Sunday what they'd been throwing at each other.'

'Have you looked at that list?' asked Seamus. 'I've heard of some of those, and I don't even want to be in the same room if you're going to be duelling with them!'

Harry looked at the list. 'I don't know what they do, though I can guess at some. Aphasic? Ankinaesthesia? Pyroderm?'

'We found Aphasic last year, researching curses for your third task, but it didn't sound very useful in a maze,' said Hermione. 'It stops the target talking.'

'That doesn't sound too serious,' said Harry with a laugh.

'It could kill you in a real duel,' she said seriously. 'You wouldn't be able to cast any curses, even Expelliarmus, or end any spells on yourself.'

'Oh,' was all he could say. 'I hadn't thought of that.'

'Do you know what Pyroderm is?' asked Seamus. The other two shook their heads. 'It makes you feel as if you're on fire all over. One of my uncles was murdered with that curse.'

'McCardle's really trusting you to use curses like this?' asked Ginny, amazed. 'And she's expecting you to be able to block them?'

'She gave us the list to read up on,' said Harry. 'I didn't realise quite what sort of curses they were.'

'We did realise they weren't likely to be any easier on the target than some of the ones we've been using, though,' said Hermione. 'And we don't have to use them all -- she said we should choose the ones we felt we could use safely.'

Seamus shook his head in disbelief. 'We've just had Petrificus added to our list.'

Ron laughed.

'What's so funny?' asked Seamus.

'Hermione used that when Neville tried to stop us getting the Philosopher's Stone in our first year.'

Seamus glared at him. Ron shrugged. 'Don't blame me. I'm still using the Tickling Charm. I'm not a menace to every wall in sight like these two. I don't even have permission to use Petrificus on Parvati.'

'Do you want a Prefect's permission to use it on her and on Lavender?' offered Hermione. 'McGonagall didn't tell us you couldn't cast spells on them.'

'Never mind that, Angelina's coming downstairs,' interrupted Dean. The other five all turned to look, and wait for the results to be announced.

Ginny said softly, 'In ten minutes, Seamus will be the only one at this table not on the team.'

Ron grinned. 'Thanks, Ginny. But not even I believe that now. I didn't have to do the second heat, so I know I'm out.'

Harry turned back to look at Hermione, who was frowning. He was sure she'd only taken a trial so that she and Ron would be on the team together, but her flying skill had kept him from being made a Chaser, and it didn't look as if he was going to become a Beater either. He hoped she didn't decide to drop out of the team for Ron's sake, as her skill would be very useful in real matches. He turned again to look at Angelina.

The room was quiet, everyone waiting for her announcement. She began, 'I'm sorry, Olwen -- this may seem harsh, as Quidditch players do get injured, but it's important for Beaters to hit the Bludgers and not the other way around. I have to rule you out of the trial.'

'At least that means there's only six others I have to beat,' said Ron. 'I don't think it'll make enough of a difference, though, unless she wants four reserve Beaters.'

'Of the other seven candidates,' Angelina continued, 'two will be on the team next year, two will be reserves, and three, I'm afraid, will be disappointed. In fourth place, and therefore the second reserve Beater, we have Owen Emrys. Owen? Do you still want to be on the team, if Olwen isn't? I'll understand if you don't.'

Owen hesitated, then nodded.

'Another chance gone,' muttered Ron.

'OK, so the third place, and the position of first reserve Beater, goes to Delamare Smethley. Second place, and a position on the team next year, goes to Fen Maris.'

'Fen?' said Ron, startled. 'But she didn't do the second heat either! Does that mean ...' he fell silent, and listened.

'First place, and the other Beater position on next year's team, goes to Ron Weasley, whose family is new to the game.'

A big cheer rang out, especially from Fred and George, and from the other five sitting near Ron. Ron was now blushing.

'Told you so!' said Ginny. 'I should have bet ten Galleons instead of just telling you!'

'You don't have ten Galleons,' protested Ron.

'I would have by now if I'd bet, though.'

'You wouldn't. Not from me, I don't have it either. I bought too much in Hogsmeade.'

Angelina was talking to Fen Maris.

'Is it too late to put a bet on you?' asked Harry, grinning.

'I'll bet you,' said Seamus. 'Thirty Galleons says that Ron makes the team.'

'Doesn't anyone want to bet against him?' asked Harry.

'Should've asked before Angelina came down. Did any of you except Ginny think I'd be in the team? I didn't think I would!' said Ron.

Angelina came over to them, and hesitated. 'Now, which one is Ron Weasley?' she asked with a smile.

'What's all this "the family is new to the game" then?' demanded Ginny.

'I know that Percy wasn't in the team,' replied Angelina. 'Has anyone else been in it?'

'And I thought you'd remember Fred,' retorted Ginny, grinning.

Angelina blushed. 'OK, so I wanted to make some sort of joke. I looked back through the list, looking for Weasleys who've been on the House Quidditch team, and stopped counting when I got up to about a dozen. Anyway, Ron, you were here yesterday when I told Hermione and Ginny about next year's players practising with the main team for the rest of the year, weren't you? So you already know about that.'

Ron nodded. 'I'll see if I can find anyone around here who knows when Quidditch practices are. Seamus? Do you know?'

'Not me,' said Seamus with a grin.

Angelina frowned for a moment, then realised. 'Is this the Quidditch table, or something? Ron, you're still the fourth reserve Chaser, as well as a reserve Beater for this year. Katie's going to wait and see what happens next year before deciding what to do about that. Well, see you at practice tomorrow after lessons.' She went back to where Katie was sitting.

'No homework before dinner tomorrow,' Harry teased Hermione.

'We'll have to go to the library at lunchtime then. We've got those curses to read up on,' she replied.

'I forgot about those,' he said with a frown.

'You forgot that she's going to set your skin on fire in Friday's lesson, while the rest of us all hide in Hagrid's hut?' asked Seamus in disbelief.

Harry frowned at Seamus' casual mention of Hagrid, but then realised Seamus hadn't heard what had happened to him. Since McCardle hadn't told the whole class, and wasn't even sure about telling Hermione, he supposed that it wasn't something that was going to be widely known. Perhaps he shouldn't even have told Ginny. 'I was thinking about Ron becoming Beater!' he said.

'I'm not going to set his skin on fire, either. He'll block it,' said Hermione confidently.

'Why will you be in Hagrid's hut?' asked Ginny.

'I really don't want to be in the same classroom as these two, if they're using the curses on that list!' answered Seamus.

Ginny giggled. 'What's the time, anyway? Whoa! Angelina must've taken ages deciding -- I've got to go to bed! Come on Crookshanks, go to Hermione.' She gently pushed him until he jumped down, then grabbed her things and hurried off to her dormitory.

Hermione looked at her watch. 'It's nearly midnight. I suppose it's not that surprising -- I don't even know how you'd choose between the candidates.' She gave Ron a good-night kiss and followed Ginny, with Crookshanks following her.

'Mmm, a kiss good-night,' said Ron with a grin. 'Perfect after winning the trials. But I do wish Malfoy hadn't had detentions. It would have been so much fun to see his reaction when he found Hermione and I were both on the team!'