ARCHIVES: Harry Potter | With a Girl Like You - Chapter 6
A/N: This fic was originally published on FFnet in 2002. It has now been back-posted here for archival purposes.
With a Girl Like You
Chapter 6 - Anyone Up For Some Quidditch?
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. ^.~
[a/n: Umm…I just started writing…and it kept going, and going, and going…ANY and ALL comments are welcome, even flames! So, R&R! THANKS!]
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The weeks really flew by for students at Hogwarts. Before they knew it, Quidditch tryouts were upon them, and for some, that meant hours of pre-tryout jitters.
These very same weeks had been fabulous for Acacia Elcombe. Apart from one tiny detail.
Malfoy.
The result of their confrontation (on that fateful Sunday a few weeks back) determined Acacia's well-being during her stay at Hogwarts. Not that she wasn't already in grave danger, but…well, having Malfoy as an enemy just didn't improve her chances of enjoying a peaceful life.
So, what really happened? Of course, it began with Malfoy himself. After making several snide remarks about Acacia's new acquaintances, who, I might add, were all in her own house, Malfoy noticed that it had very little outward effect on Acacia. Then he tackled her family, and what he knew about her. That definitely sparked her wrath.
FLASHBACK
"Shut your trap, Malfoy," Acacia hissed, edging nearer.
He smirked. "Just what are you going to do to me?" he taunted, wand at ready.
Acacia leaned back, her wand also in the ready position. She smiled sweetly.
Too sweetly.
"It's a pity, Malfoy. Pity you can never accomplish anything. You can't even set your own goals, Daddy's boy!" she spat, then screamed, "LIQUIDUS!" A blue stream shot from the tip of her wand before Malfoy could even react. That was all Madame Hooch, returning from the now broken-up fight, needed to see.
"MISS ELCOMBE! Do I have to remind you that hexing other students is forbidden?" she demanded, staring at the puddle of slimy liquid on the ground. Suddenly, something in her mind registered and she realized that the spell was not just some childish hex. "You aren't supposed to know that spell," Madame Hooch said, suspiciously narrowing her eyes as Acacia conjured a black container and filled it with the liquid.
"I'm sorry, Madame Hooch. He was insulting me." She looked down at the ground where the puddle had been. "Should I take this to the infirmary?" Acacia asked, quietly. Even though Malfoy had really gotten on her nerves, she still felt bad…to a little extent.
"Absolutely!" she barked. "I can't believe this; a fight on your first day at Hogwarts! You will serve detention with Malfoy tomorrow, directly after your last class. Go."
Acacia shuffled away, clutching her broom tightly, hoping her chances of making the Quidditch team weren't dashed. She slipped the black container in her pocket. She was in no hurry to get to the infirmary. The longer Malfoy remained in a liquid state, the better.
END OF FLASHBACK
Alas, Malfoy claimed his revenge every time he saw Acacia: in Potions, Care of Magical Creatures, in the hallways…the list could go on and on. She told her story to Hermione and Ginny, and the latter related the tale to her brother and Harry. All four were equally enraged.
"You did WHAT?" Hermione had gasped. Then she lifted, with some difficulty, an enormous volume with a torn leather cover from her bag and deposited it on the table with a great THUMP. She promptly began leafing through it. "I know I saw that spell in here somewhere. Liquidus…liquidus…I just saw it this morning!"
The group had sighed. Hermione always read everything.
That was over two weeks ago. Acacia shook her head, as if to clear her thoughts. She had to concentrate on her Transfiguration homework, or she would never complete it. The Gryffindor common room was cozy and quiet, since everyone else was still at supper.
She found that her best classes were Charms and, rather surprisingly, Potions. Snape despised her, though for more than just excelling in his class. Most Slytherins hated her because they thought she should've been sorted into Slytherin, as most of her family had. She had talent and intelligence, but not the power-hungry, ambitious personality of a true Slytherin.
To tell the truth, she was a terrific student, rivaling even Hermione. She did not, however, spend as much time studying, considering she practiced flying nearly every day and had other skills to attend to.
Acacia looked up when she heard the Fat Lady talking to someone at the door. It opened, but no one was there.
"Who's there?" she whispered, a little nervous. It was completely dark outside, and the room was growing chilly.
No one answered.
I wonder if my so-called rescuer can perform the invisibility spell, Acacia thought. I could do it myself, but it wouldn't help me now. I'll have to be more careful. If it's a student, though, if I wait and watch everyone else come in, then I can figure out who is missing.
Pleased with her conclusion, she resumed her reading. The particular Transfiguration chapter she was reading was strangely boring. More boring than usual, that is. The door opened again.
"Hi, Hermione, Ginny. How was supper?"
"Why weren't you there? Everyone was looking for you," Ginny inquired, trying to see what Acacia was doing. "Oh," she remarked, wrinkling her nose. "Transfiguration. Not my best subject."
Acacia laughed. "Hermione can help you-it's her best subject."
"Hermione's good at everything," Ron contradicted, coming up behind the two girls. Hey, maybe Hermione won't be mad at me anymore.
That earned him a light smack on the head.
"Ow, what was that for?" he whined. Guess she still is…
The girls laughed. Acacia noticed someone was missing. "Where's Harry?" I wonder if the "invisible person" was him. How does he know the spell? That's one of the last spells 7th years learn. Gryffindors were streaming through the portrait hole, returning from the Great Hall.
Does she like Harry? Hermione thought for the tenth time that day, glancing casually at Acacia.
"He said he had to talk to Professor Lupin. The Professor was one of Harry's dad's best friends." That much is true, Hermione realized. Harry left the Great Hall early to see the Professor.
Acacia looked surprised. "Really? I didn't know that. He's a great DADA teacher."
Ron agreed. "Yeah. He taught for a year before, then had to leave. You're lucky you came this year because the last teacher was a positive horror. Didn't know what she was doing, and petrified of everything to do with the Dark Arts." Harry's in here. I know he is. Professor Lupin wasn't even at the Head Table during supper.
"You have to give her some credit, Ron!" Ginny protested.
"Just because you were teacher's pet doesn't make her a good teacher," her brother retorted.
Ginny bit her lip. "I'm tired. I'm going to take a shower." She dashed up the stairs.
"That wasn't very nice, Ron," Hermione admonished. He's always hurting Ginny. He has to learn to think of other people's feelings.
He sighed. "I know, but that teacher was horrible."
"You didn't have to get her upset! She's your sister, for goodness sakes, and believe it or not, she has feelings!" Hermione snapped, stomping after Ginny to the girls' dormitories.
"What have I done?" Ron moaned, turning around. I just know he's in here somewhere. Probably spying on Acacia. "I'm going to look for Harry," he said, rather loudly. Acacia noticed that he swept the room with his eyes before heading to the portrait hole.
"Bye, Ron," Acacia said, watching him depart through the portrait hole. For some odd reason, the door seemed to remain open for longer than usual.
"Hmm," she murmured, still staring at the portrait hole.
She monitored the Gryffindors going in and out of the portrait hole. Around 11pm, the flow ceased completely. After all, it was Thursday, and all students had classes the next day. Thirty minutes later, two boys rushed through the portrait hole, one with bright red hair and the other with messy black hair.
"Harry! Ron! Do you know what time it is!" a voice shrieked from the stairwell. Acacia turned abruptly. She hadn't expected someone to still be awake and in the common room.
"Ginny! Why aren't you in bed?" her brother bellowed, rushing up to her. She was sitting on the steps, hugging her knees. She looked rather pathetic in her thin flower-printed pajamas. "Mum's going to have my head!"
"Mum isn't going to do anything to you!" she rejoined bluntly, obviously still angry with him. Then, "Where were you two?" she asked, curiously.
"That's none of your business. Now go to bed," Ron answered vaguely.
"I'm not going anywhere till you say where you were," Ginny said, folding her arms across her chest. For a fifth year, Acacia had to agree with the looks on Ron and Harry's faces. Her behavior was rather…well, more suitable for a first or second year.
"Come on, Ginny," her brother groaned. His sister was going to spill the beans.
He was right. "No. I see the something in Harry's pocket, and you aren't about to tell me that isn't his invisibility cloak. Now, where were you?" she demanded.
Invisibility cloak? So that's how he was able to come in. He doesn't know the spell; he just has the cloak. Then again, those are hard to come by… Acacia's mind was whirling. She was exhausted, and Quidditch tryouts were tomorrow. She stood up slowly.
"Sorry to disturb your argument, guys, but I think I'm going to bed. If you'll let me pass, Ginny, I'll walk up to the room with you," Acacia suggested. That way, the sibling war could end for the night and they could all get some rest.
Whoa, where did she come from? Ron wondering, beginning to panic. Was she here the whole time? I thought for sure she already went to her room. It's nearly bloody midnight!
Harry had seen her, unlike his redheaded friend, but was still startled when she spoke. He assumed that she had fallen asleep on the comfortable sofa in front of the fire. She looks beautiful, even now. I hope she doesn't find out I was in here earlier, with the invisibility cloak. He knew, though, that she would figure it out. She was a very smart witch.
Quidditch tryouts are tomorrow, and it's almost midnight… I hope she does well; it would be really nice if she made the Quidditch team. Harry had stopped cursing himself for these thoughts-it was useless, he found, after a few days. The thoughts never stopped coming.
"I don't know about you, but I have Quidditch tryouts to attend tomorrow." Acacia was relieved when Ginny finally relented.
"Goodnight, guys," she said, trudging up the stairs.
"Night!" they called.
o0o0o0o
"Mount your brooms!" Harry called. There were at least thirty Gryffindors trying out for Quidditch this year. They were organized by their preferred position, and Keeper was, by far, the most popular. He noted, rather satisfactorily, that Acacia chose to tryout for a Chaser position. Nine people-four boys and five girls-were trying out for Chaser, six boys and one girl for Beater, and fifteen total for Keeper. It would be a tough call.
Turning to Seamus Finnigan, a Chaser on the Gryffindor team, he said softly, "Do you want to call the plays?"
The boy shook his head. "You can. I'm not good at it."
"Where is Colin?"
"Creevy? Why do you want him?"
"McGonagall appointed him as announcer," Harry replied, his voice devoid of any emotion.
"NO way," Seamus breathed, looking out across the pitch.
A girl's angry voice reached their ears. "Hey! Are we going to start?"
"Okay! The first three in line for Chaser and two beaters, go to the right end of the field. A Keeper goes on each end of the field!" Harry yelled. He felt a tap on his shoulder.
Dark hair and hazel eyes flashed before him. Whoa…that's…
"Why don't you use the sonorus charm?" the girl suggested.
"Er, right. Sonorus," he muttered, pointing his wand at his throat. "THANKS!"
"Hey, loverboy, the whole field heard you," Seamus laughed.
Harry couldn't say anything without being super-loud, so he just made a face. Am I that obvious? Does the whole school know? Ahh…oh well, back to Quidditch…
"ALRIGHT, EVERYONE! I'M GOING TO RELEASE THE QUAFFLE AND BLUDGERS. ON THE COUNT OF THREE: ONE…TWO…THREE!"
The Gryffindor team was set up on the left end of the field. Everyone snapped into motion. Harry just watched from a lofty height, since he hadn't released the Snitch. In any case, the Seeker position was his. On Sunday, they would have the reserve team tryouts, and his skill would be tested. While he was thinking about all this, he saw a third-year whack Ginny in the head with his arm.
"FOUL! YOU KNOW THE RULES; STICK TO THEM!" he yelled. The boy smirked and flew off in the opposite direction.
"They play as nasty as the Slytherins," Dean Thomas commented, flying level with Harry's broom. Dean had decided that Quidditch was too dangerous, and resigned his position as Keeper on the Gryffindor team for the year.
Harry nodded. He wasn't going to be able to hold a proper conversation with the sonorus charm.
"The chasers aren't doing too well," Dean continued, watching the game play with a critical eye. He loved soccer, a muggle sport, as much (or more) than Quidditch. "That second-year girl-the one with the pigtails-can hardly stay on her broom."
Harry saw a beater attempt to clobber the keeper on one side of the field and interrupted his friend. "FOUL! FOUL FOUL FOUL!" he screamed. "KEEP IN MIND THAT SPORTSMANSHIP IS SIGNIFICANT IN THE SELECTION!"
"Geez, Harry, that charm really…" Dean was drowned out once again. The poor guy covered his ears with two hands, moving a few feet away from Harry.
"FOUL! STOP THE GAME!" Harry yelled one last time. The pig-tailed second-year had fallen off her broom, and her friend, who was trying out for beater, sped towards her, crashing into Ron, who was also trying to catch her. All three tumbled through of the air at am alarming rate when Ginny whipped out her wand and slowed their descent.
"Whew, that was close," someone said, whizzing around Harry and Dean. They saw it was Seamus. "These guys really can't play. Should we switch players?"
"OKAY!" Harry agreed. "DEAN, TAKE THOSE THREE TO THE INFIRMARY."
"You got it, capt'n," he replied, zooming away.
"SEAMUS!"
"Take that damn charm off."
"DON'T FEEL LIKE IT. ANYWAY, GET TWO MORE CHASERS, TWO BEATERS, AND A KEEPER FOR THE TRYOUT TEAM. PUT ONE OF THE TRYOUT CHASERS, KEEPER, AND ANOTHER BEATER ON THE GRYFFINDOR TEAM. AND GET THAT CHASER FROM BEFORE-THE ONE WITH THE BLONDE HAIR-AND PUT HIM ON THE TRYOUT TEAM. GOT IT?"
Seamus didn't answer. But mentally, he was thinking nooo…
What ended up happening was he chose whomever he wanted to be wherever he wanted. He, along with the blonde-haired boy from before and a tryout Chaser, went to the left field, while Acacia, Ginny, and a tryout Chaser went to the right. All the beaters were new, and obviously the Keepers were, as well.
"OKAY, EVERYONE. LET'S TRY THIS AGAIN. REMEMBER THE RULES AND-"
"Just release the quaffle already!"
"ONE…TWO…THREE!"
The teams looked much better. Harry noticed that Ginny and Acacia worked really well together. In the span of five minutes, they had scored seven goals. Then again, the Keeper wasn't very good. "TIME OUT! TIME OUT!" he called, flailing his arms to get everyone's attention. "KEEPERS, SWITCH SIDES!" They did so, but it took a while because the bludgers kept going after them. Once they reached their respective hoops, play recommenced. This Keeper was a much better player, but Ginny and Acacia were still able to score four more goals. And, to Harry's surprise, there weren't any fouls.
"OKAY! CATCH THE BLUDGERS AND PUT THEM BACK! HANG ON TO THE QUAFFLE!"
The players hurried to follow his instructions.
"TWO NEW KEEPERS! YOU-KID WITH THE ORANGE HOOD! GO TO THE LEFT FIELD! NEXT BEATER! FOLLOW HIM! TWO MORE BEATERS GO TO THE RIGHT FIELD!" He waited for them to move, pondering the Chaser arrangement.
"SEAMUS! GINNY!" He paused. "KID WITH THE BLONDE HAIR!" Is this the right decision? This will really test Acacia's skills. "GO TO THE LEFT FIELD! ACACIA! TWO MORE CHASERS! GO TO THE RIGHT FIELD!"
"ONE…TWO…THREE!" The bludgers were re-released, and the game began. To Harry's dismay, the Keeper on Acacia's team was having trouble steering his broom, and the two beaters kept crashing into each other. The team was crushed at 70 to 30 in three minutes flat. At least Acacia got a few quaffles in. She's a terrific flyer.
"NEW KEEPERS!" he finally bellowed, just as the kid with the orange hood rammed into one of them. The poor keeper doubled over.
"Looks like Harry has the hots for a certain Chaser-to-be."
Before Harry could stop himself, he yelled, "SHUT UP!"
"Eh, no need to get angry. Just stating the facts." Dean had returned from his trip to the infirmary, a place he hated. He spent much of last year's season confined to a curtained bed.
Harry frowned, but he couldn't do anything. I guess it really is obvious. Have to be more careful. Waaaiitt a minute… He suddenly sat up. The game had gotten very interesting.
The new Keeper on Acacia's team was very, very good. And Acacia herself was very, very good. One of the beaters seemed to have potential. Here was the competition the Gryffindor team had been waiting for.
"TAKE THAT, YOU LOUSY-" the orange-hooded beater on the Gryffindor side suddenly screeched, sending a bludger directly at an opposing fourth-year Chaser.
"FOUL! KEEP YOUR WORDS TO YOURSELF!"
The beater scowled, and sent a bludger at an opposing Beater. The poor girl was knocked unconscious. Dean rushed out to rescue her, and proceeded to the infirmary without Harry's prompt.
"NEXT BEATER!"
The game continued. The score was 40 to 30, advantage to Acacia's team.
"NEXT KEEPER ON LEFT FIELD!" Harry yelled for the fifth time. He never made any changes on the right field. Soon, all the players had had their chance to play. Dean and Harry correlated their thoughts, and they finally decided that one more play was necessary.
"Okay," Harry began, before he noticed that he took off the sonorus charm. "Oh well," he muttered, pointing his wand at Dean's throat. "Sonorus."
"HEY!" he protested, but stopped, since everyone could hear him.
Harry smirked. "Here's what you say. Tell Ginny, Seamus, and Acacia to take left field. The blonde-haired kid and those two girls can take right field, along with the two look-alikes as beaters. The boy with the orange hood-"
"Can I join in?" a voice asked.
Harry turned to see his best friend. "Yeah! Perfect. Take left field, with the kid with the orange hood…How are those two girls?"
"They're fine. Madame Pomfrey was furious," Ron said.
"She would be."
"HEY! Are you going to appoint players or what?" Ginny yelled.
"OKAY, OKAY!" Harry yelled back.
"Put that amazing Keeper from before on left field, and…can you play right for now?"
Dean looked at Harry like he had gone mad.
"Just this once…" Harry removed the sonorus charm.
Dean grunted. "Okay, but I swear, if I get killed, you owe me big…"
Harry grinned. "Sure. Least I could do."
"READY EVERYONE? ONE…TWO…THREE!"
The game went very well. Ginny and Seamus already worked well together, after two years on the team. Acacia adapted very well. Harry knew she would get the position, not only by his decision, either. The Keeper was extraordinary, even better than Oliver Wood, captain and Keeper for the Gryffindor team a few years back. He would certainly make up for their loss of Dean. The beaters, however, were not showing their best sportsmanship. By the time the score reached 20 to 20, Ron had nearly fallen off his broom four times because the orange-hooded kid seemed to want his death.
"KID WITH THE ORANG-" Harry began to yell, when suddenly, a huge roar filled his ears and he swayed on his broom.
BANG!
All players on the pitch were thrown outwards towards the stands, many of them hitting posts or landing on the bleachers. Harry himself flipped over a few times, but since he was so high up, the air turbulence had little effect on him. He flew around through the stands, looking at all the players. No one seemed to be really hurt.
"IS EVERYONE ALRIGHT? WHAT HAPPENED?"
He heard a lot of moans and groans.
"HARRY!"
He turned around. Ginny was crying, flying blindly around on her broom.
"What's wrong?" he asked, concerned for his friend.
"RON'S GONE!" she screamed, nearly flipping off her broom in her agitation.
Harry stared at the sobbing girl.
Gone?
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A/N: PLEASE, I'm begging you once again! You've already read it, so REVIEW!
Okay…really drawn out on the Quidditch tryouts. Sorry about that! If I went as planned, it was supposed to be short and sweet and the party was supposed to be in this chapter too, but that'll have to be next time. Keep on reading! REVIEW! Thanks! ^_^