A/N: New chapter finally, and it'll be the last one for a while unless I do a lot of writing over the next two days, though I'm not sure if I'll have practice or not for track, and actually I'm leaving Friday, so, yeah, uh, don't expect anything until probably Tuesday or Wednesday at the earliest.
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Chapter 32
Quidditch tryouts were fast approaching, and Harry was as eager as anyone else for them to arrive. Although they already knew that they had a seeker, Harry, a keeper, Ron, and one chaser, Katie, they still needed two beaters (both Kirke and Sloper had called it quits) and two chasers.
Harry was fairly confident that Ginny Weasley would take one of the open chaser positions, but he wasn't sure about any of the other positions. He knew that Dean and Seamus were going to be going out for the beater positions, and both Creevey's were trying out for chaser.
The day of tryouts, Harry was astonished to see the massive turnout. Aside from Dean and Seamus, there were six other hopefuls for the beater positions, none of which Harry knew very well. A further ten students had shown up for the position of chaser. There were also a select few kids going out for the reserve keeper and seeker positions.
"Okay," Ron said, speaking to all of the hopefuls. "My name is Ronald Weasley, and I'm the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain this year." A surprised murmur came from the crowd, they had obviously been expecting Harry as captain.
"There are only three of the seven positions on the team that are currently filled. Seventh year Katie Bell is our lead chaser, Harry Potter will be our seeker, and I am the keeper. The rest of the spots are up for grab."
Excited whispering broke out yet again. "Before we get started, I will be telling you exactly what we are looking for. From the chasers, speed and agility are of the foremost concern, while you need to have very good accuracy and vision as well. From the beaters we expect accuracy, strength, and also great field vision. The best players will not necessarily make this team."
The crowd looked at him in confusion. "Teamwork is of the utmost importance in these positions. Alone, my brothers Fred and George would be solid beaters, but nothing more. As a team, they were the most exceptional beaters that Gryffindor has seen in many years. It takes more than talent to make this team, there is no room for arrogance, we win as a team, and we lose as a team, there is no other outcome. If you are a brilliant chaser, but do not play well together with the other chasers, I am sorry but you will be put in the reserve squad, which will consist of the same amount of players as the full squad."
He clapped his hands together as he let this all sink in. "Now, all chasers will please go over with Katie Bell, while all of the beaters will go with Hermione," He motioned at her. "Hermione is one of the best flyers in the school, but she will not be joining the team, she has better things to do with her time, but she will help occasionally. The beaters job will be to try and hit Hermione with a bludger, no small feat, believe me. Everyone will be paired with every tryout before the day is done, and we will select the best tandem as the new beaters. Off you go then."
He watched as the beaters took off after Hermione, then returned his gaze to the chaser. "You lot will be doing the same thing, being paired in every possible combination, and will attempt to score against me and those trying to snag the reserve position. So go on up there and warm up."
After they left, Ron turned to Harry and the three kids that would be trying out for backup seeker. "You lot will be put through a series of tests by Harry here," He grinned at his best friend. "Do not feel bad when Harry beats you badly, and he will, mind you, he is one of, if not the best seeker in all of England, and he also commands the fastest known broom to wizard-kind, it is of his own creation. Being a seeker is not all about catching the snitch, as you will soon find out."
Ron nodded and left, leaving Harry to smirk at the seeker hopefuls. "Come on, we're going to be having some…fun." The others gulped and kicked off the ground with Harry, heading up towards the goal posts.
When they had all arrived at the goal posts, Harry turned, smiled, and said, "Follow me."
With that, he took off like a rocket at the ground, pulling up in plenty of time for the others to make it out of the dive, immediately going into a corkscrew towards the other side of the pitch. Not bothering to look back, Harry dove again, this time cutting it a closer to the ground, but pulling up easily nonetheless.
He then flew straight towards where Hermione was dodging two beaters, who looked like a horrible team, and literally flew a circle around one beater before spiraling back down towards the ground.
After this Harry zoomed directly towards Ron's goal hoops, and did an easy figure eight through each loop before heading off towards the stands. Harry swerved in and out of the grandstands, then swooped down and into the construction area below.
He popped up and down through the wooded area, easily dodging the wooden support beams. He heard a loud snapping noise and a muffled yelp from far behind him, and smiled sadly, knowing that one seeker hopeful had just bit it.
Finally Harry pulled out of the supports and flew back to where he originally started at the far-side goalposts. He sat there, straddled on his broomstick, for about forty seconds before the first seeker hopeful made it back, then a further minute until the next came, and third did not come at all, he was being attended to by Madam Pomfrey at the point where he had run into the wooden support beams and fell off his broom.
"Okay, very good so far, I only lost one of ya," They both smiled wearily, sweat glistening on their foreheads as they panted breathlessly.
"Your next test will be with the bludgers. We're gonna give Hermione a short break and have the beaters give us their best shot," He paused for dramatic effect. "All at once. There'll be ten bludgers out there, and all the hits will be aimed at you two while Hermione and I watch and laugh at your unfortunate position. Don't worry though, you'll only be in the flying zone for a few minutes. That last test was to show your agility and endurance, this one tests your agility and your ability to cope with being hit. If you are hit with a bludger, I want you to continue flying like nothing happened. I have had to catch the snitch with a broken arm before, and if you want to be a seeker, you'll do the same."
They both gulped and Harry caught Hermione's eye, motioning for her to start the exercise. She grinned and complied, then flew over to hover next to Harry, kissing his cheek.
"So how go the beaters Scarlet?"
Hermione shrugged. "Dean and Seamus are probably the best pair. Nothing like Fred and George, but good, nonetheless. Only one other pair hit me, but that was by chance. I got this really nasty bruise on my - OH!"
Harry winced as he watched one of the young seekers take a bludger to the family jewels. The boy looked about ready to pass out, but he continued. "Wow, that sucks," Harry said, shifting himself uncomfortably. "That hurt me just watching it. I can't imagine what - OUCH!"
Harry exclaimed as the other seeker took a bludger to the jugular. He looked at Hermione who was wincing and rubbing her neck softly. She turned to Harry. "I think we should call this before someone gets killed, Harry."
He shook his head sadly for a moment. "No, I wanna see them go a few more minutes in pain, and then I'm going to release a few snitches for them." Hermione gave him a stern look, but nodded anyways.
About five minutes later, Harry called a stop to the slaughter and beckoned the two boys over to him. "You guys tired, hurt, and hungry?" They both nodded, and Harry grinned, emptying his pockets of ten golden snitches. "Good, you can rest after all of these are caught. They're charmed so that once you catch them they'll turn a color, Blue for Brian, Red for Greg, and fall to the ground. Let's see who can catch the most."
The two boys nodded and took off after the elusive snitches, leaving a chuckling Harry in their wake. After about an hour of flying between the different areas, checking to see how everyone else was doing, Harry saw that there were only two snitches left, both boys had caught four apiece.
He flew over to where Hermione was still training the beaters. "Oi! Dean! Seamus! Get two bludgers and your bats and start pelting them at those seekers out there, work together!"
They both nodded and eagerly set off to beat up on the little kids, seeing as the two that were left were both mere third years. Harry watched with great interest as both seekers dove after the same snitch - neither realizing that there were now two beaters gunning for them - and then laughed as they veered apart in fear when a bludger came zooming through the middle of them, nearly hitting the snitch.
One of the boys though, was able to twist around on his broomstick and continue his dive for the snitch, snagging it a few feet off the ground. Harry had little time to admire the catch when his attention was turned to the other seeker pursuing the snitch by the short side left goal hoop, catching it as he flew through and out of the hoop.
Harry groaned, realizing that they had tied. They both flew up to him now, looking very nervous. "Okay, I dunno who it'll be yet, it'll go up on the common room board along with the rest of the team next week. But know this, you two could easily be the starting seeker in at least two of the other three houses."
Harry smiled as he saw their faces light up at this, and watched them take off to go get changed so they could eat and rest, wondering how he could ever choose between them.
Harry flew over to the other side of the pitch where Ron and Katie were overseeing the chaser and keeper tryouts. "How's it looking over here?" Harry asked, hoping for some good news. Katie spoke up first. "Well, Ginny Weasley is a lock, she's been excellent, and works well with everyone. I do like her partnership with Luna Lovegood, they've made some great plays together, but on the whole I don't think Luna is really into the game much, she just sits there in this dreamy state all of the time. So I think I'll be putting her in the reserves and Ginny will fly with Colin Creevey and I on the first team. Dennis Creevey will be another reserve, as well as Mark Evans, he's fairly good for a first year." She paused. "Nothing on you, of course."
Harry nodded and turned to Ron. "How goes the keeper tryouts captain?" Ron shook his head in disgust. "Terrible, a few noteworthy tryouts, but none that I would want on a first team. I'll go with Brianna Scurry probably, she's a fourth year, and she was most likely the best, and she also has nothing else that conflicts with quidditch in her schedule."
Harry nodded, covering his mouth with one gloved hand to stifle a yawn. "Sounds good. I'm gonna go fetch Hermione and turn in. oh yeah, looks like Dean and Seamus for the new beaters, just to let you know."
Ron nodded and patted his best friend on the back, casting a nervous glance at Katie. "Alright, get out of here, we'll all be done relatively soon. We've got cards with the guys tonight, Room of Requirement. Right?"
Harry nodded and gave a thumbs up as he spun The Marauder around and headed towards Hermione, who was busy struggling with the bludgers, trying to force them back into their cages.
"Well what do we have here?" Harry asked in a mocking tone, trying not to laugh at Hermione as she writhed on the ground as a bludger attempted to buck her off so that it could be free. "The smartest student in Hogwarts wrestling on the ground with a bludger? What they would say."
Hermione managed to get the maniacal ball into the box before turning at Harry. "Yeah, well that bludger sure can be a pain sometimes."
"Yeah," Harry responded, smirking. "But you like the challenge, don't you?"
She grinned at him. "Yeah, I like constantly showing it who's boss."
Harry grimaced a little before retorting. "Hmm, you know, some bludgers don't like it when they're manhandled like that."
"Yes, but this one will put up with it no matter what."
Harry took a step closer to her. "And why is that?"
Hermione smiled as she closed the distance between them, catching his palm and rubbing circles on it with her thumb. "Because without me, it would have no direction, no discipline, it would never knock another person off their broom, it would just be constantly beaten on."
Harry smiled as he placed his forehead on her's, savoring the feeling of her hot breath on his lips. "It can't survive without you."
She brushed her lips against his for the briefest of seconds. "No, it can't. and I'd be lost without it as well."
Finally they kissed deeply, loving the fact that they would always be there for each other, that they completed one another. They had not only passionate love, but companionate love as well. They completed each other. And they both knew it.
*****
'Come on, Harry, focus, you can do this…' Harry told himself repeatedly as he once again tried to transform nothing but his eyes into those of a basilisk. Harry felt his head begin to grow, and he cut off with a groan, allowing his head to return to its normal size.
"Potter, maybe, well, just maybe this idea is not possible?" Professor McGonogall said, eying Harry wearily. It was late at night, and Harry had been continuing his attempts at partial transformation. Neville and Hermione were watching in interest, neither voicing their opinions.
Harry shook his head violently. "One more try, and then I'll call it a night." McGonogall sighed in defeat and waved her hand at him.
"Go on then,"
Harry nodded and scrunched his face up in concentration. 'Don't imagine the basilisk, but just the eyes, come on, get that image out of your head, just imagine the eyes, imagine the stare, the petrifaction, you can do it…'
Harry realized as he coaxed himself that possibly if he thought not only of the basilisk's eyes, but also of the after effects, the petrifaction, the fear, everything.
Slowly, Harry felt his eyes twitching, not growing, but shifting, becoming stronger, not in a vision sense, but in a sense of power. He was doing it, he could feel it. Slowly his eyes completed their transformation.
Harry snapped his head up and opened his eyes. McGonogall gasped along with Hermione, while Neville looked at Harry with a grin. "I guess it is possible Professor," Harry said before reverting himself back to normal. He was grinning broadly now, knowing that he could now do this at will, it was just a matter of perception.
"That was brilliant Harry!" Hermione squealed as she flung herself in his arms, holding him tight. "Your eyes, they were amazing! They were positively glowing green! But the wards flicked, like they were protecting us from the glare! You did it!"
Harry held Hermione tightly and proudly, but internally frowning to himself. 'My eyes stayed green? But the basilisk's eyes were red? Is there more to my eyes than I thought? Maybe this transformation was only the beginning!'
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A/N: Okay, not really a cliff-hanger, just a sort of makes-you-think kinda thing. So please R/R! all comments, good and bad, are welcome!