Title: Harry Potter and the Girl Who Lived
By: S'Eleene Paris <torres_01@yahoo.com>
Disclaimer: you know the routine...see chapter one.
Author's notes:
*Crickets chirp*
*****
Chapter Seven
Dinner and A Tryout.
The Great Hall at Hogwarts buzzed with excitement as the students piled into the room for dinner and live entertainment provided by the Chicago Institute of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Granger took their usual place toward the front so they could see the entertainment more easily and the three of them could keep on an eye on the first years.
The first thing the group noticed was the teacher's table had been removed from the front end completely and instead a muggle sound system stood in it's place to amplify the music for the teams. Hermione seemed confused over this as she looked over at Heather Potter, along with whom she assumed to be the other house's dance team captains, stood up front. Hermione knew, being the only one out of the three of them who had read Hogwarts: A History knew there were muggle protecting spells placed all over the grounds of school and knew that no muggle device can be operated on Hogwarts grounds. Professors Dumbledore and Gaddis walked up front and announced the proceedings for the evening. "Greetings, Hogwarts." Professor Gaddis began. "Tonight during dinner you will be graced by the wonderful, beautiful, and the graceful talents of the many school teams the Chicago Institute of Witchcraft and Wizardry has to offer to its students. I have talked with Professor Dumbledore and he has agreed to continue most of the activities."
"I want to encourage the Hogwarts students to get involved with these activities. For whichever house participates the most in these activities, will receive 150 points toward the house cup." Professor
Albus Dumbledore claimed and the room filled with exclamations of excitement. Once they hushed down once more, Dumbledore continued. "Now on with the teams." Dumbledore adjusted his half moon shaped glasses and read from the piece of parchment. "The first teams are the dance teams. They will perform in this order: Western House, Sifto-Salt House, Franklin House, and finally Milner House."
A bunch of girls stood up from the Slytherin table to claim the stage. Heather walked passed them to join Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny at the Gryffindor table. As she did, Danielle MacNeal hit her shoulder against Heather's arm. "Sifto Slut." she chastised.
"Western whore." Heather shot back as she sat down across from Harry and next to Hermione. Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Ginny looked at her, shocked at her use of language. Heather explained to them. "It's an on going feud, Western house doesn't like Sifto-Salt and we reciprocates their feelings." Once Western House arrived on stage, the group began to dance to "Wild Wild West" by Will Smith. Their team uniform consisted of a black tank top with sprinkles of glitter in shape of fire works. The shirt carried down to their lower abdomen and ended with a dangling set of beads. The beads barely covered their navel because of their low-rise black dress pants. Heather rolled her eyes at them...Western Whores...the nickname fit.
"Hey, Harry." a voice called over his shoulder and when he turned around, he found his cousin sporting his Hufflepuff uniform. Dudley (Dursley) Evans-Snape appeared to the group and he smiled at all of them. "I know I'm not suppose to be over here, but do you mind if I join you?"
"Yeah, actually, we do." Ron declared and Dudley sulked away.
"Why did you do that for?" Harry asked him, his temper flaring a little. "He just wanted to feel accepted. This is all new to him."
"But he is your evil cousin Dudley!" Ron protested. "He's the one who tormented you all these years! Now that you're the big fish, he needs to understand that you will not put up with his childish behavior!"
"Put a sock in it, Ron!" Heather looked at him and rolled her eyes in disgust.
Harry decided Heather's blunt approach worked on Ron, but decided to add for good measure. "He's changed, Ron." Harry stated his defense for his cousin. "It's almost as if he is a completely different person. He must have felt he no longer needed to find attention anymore now that my Uncle Vernon is no longer his father. He's actually decent to me lately." Harry looked over his shoulder at his cousin, whose head rested on top of his hands. "Besides, he's part of the only family I have." Harry paused and then declared. "I'm going to invite him over here."
"But, Harry!" Ron muttered.
"Good for you, Harry!" Heather cheered him on.
"Why are you cheering?" Hermione asked her. "You don't know what he and his stupid family have done to Harry every year. It's terrible! Just plain awful!"
"The one thing I have learned over the years is people change.
Danielle and I use to be friends and now we're archrivals. You always need to give people a chance to change." Heather preached, and then turned to Harry. "Go ahead, Harry. Invite him over here. I'll be the supportive friend when these two aren't."
Harry stood up and went over to the Hufflepuff table. He tapped his cousin on the shoulder and invited him over. "But what about your friends? What will they have to say?"
"Dudley, I honestly don't know and I don't frankly care. You're the only family I have, Duddikins." Harry grinned at the pet name his aunt use to call him by. This proved to get a reaction out of him. "Come on, come sit by us."
Dudley stood up and walked over to the Gryffindor table. He took a seat next to his cousin and Ron. "So, how goes your day?" He politely began to make conversation to the group.
Before anyone could answer, a loud applause resounded through out the Great Hall. "I have to go up there now. Don't get into anything important until I get back. I have to go set up, see ya." Heather called over her shoulder as she began to walk away, but the sound of Ron's voice made her turn back.
"Answer me one question."
"Yes, Ron."
"How can you be using a muggle artifacts here at Hogwarts? They are not allowed because they won't work."
"That is because any muggle artifacts you see are usually enchanted, Ron."
"Oh." a light of realization over came upon him as if someone turned a light on.
Professor Gaddis stood up to announce the next group. "The next group has held five consistent National titles, seven consistent state championships, and two International honors at the French-Marx Competition in Bourbonnais, France. Please welcome the Sifto-Salt Dance team," he allowed the applause to die down before he announced the routine in which they would be performing. "They are going to be performing the routine that won them this past years' national title."
When Heather and the rest of the girls heard this, they all turned pale and their eyes grew large. Heather stood up from her crouched position on the floor and went over to talk to the professor about the routine. "Um, Professor, you didn't say the national title did you?" she whispered to him.
"Yes, I did."
"Not the recent state title nor last year's French title, right?"
"You heard the correct, Heather. I said the national title."
"That's what I thought. " she paused as to think about her wording.
"I don't think these Brits could handle the piece we did. This is even so since we have the edited version of the songs. Considering our audience, I think everyone would be much happier with another piece."
"Now, Heather. I'm sure the piece will be fine. I trust your concern, but I'm sure it is not that bad."
Heather turned to get back into her position on the floor, much like her teammates. "Okay," she sighed and she whispered to him under her breath. "Don't say I did not warn you."
Suddenly, Limp Biskit's "Nookie" came over the sound system and after several seconds of the piece being played, Professor Gaddis gave her the signal to cut the music. Heather quickly did as what she was told and muttering came from the audience in the Great Hall. Professor Gaddis stalked over to Heather and demanded an explanation from her. "I thought you said this was the edited version of the song!"
"It is."
"And you performed it in front of all those judges?"
"Yes, Professor. That is how we won."
"Really?"
"Hey, I tried to warn you."
Professor Gaddis ignored her last comment and asked her. "Is there another show your team could perform instead?"
"Yeah, there is. There is another show we could do. We'll need another few moments to set it all up."
"That is fine. Take your time." Professor Gaddis turned around to walk away toward Professor Dumbledore. Gaddis whispered an apology and Dumbledore put the other man to ease.
After thee crew set up, the team transfigured their costumes from the red leather pants and silver halter top to muggle bongo style blue jeans and a red t-shirt with white lettering. The words on the front of the shirt read: Got Salt? On the back, it listed the team and the song:
Sifto-Salt House Dance Team
Chicago Institute of Witchcraft
"Since You Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson
Heather "Chaos" Potter- Team Captain
Rachel "Black Widow" Wido- Assistant Team Captain
Celeste Alexandra Jasmine Brown Courtney Callman
India Jade Andrea Jacquline Sarah Johnstone
Amber Miller Amanda Miller April Miller
Sandra Miner Opal Opera Shavon O'Brian
Sima Peacock Moria Orenda Robin Yakira
Nadine Nokimis Michelle Mercedes Lillian Elwood
Kimberly Wyatt Mika Salena Nora Zita
A total of twenty-three-member team, but from what Hermione could determine only about fifteen girls survived the attacks. So, the team had about eight spaces to fill. After the Sifto-Salt dance team finished, the team stood off to one side and cheered on the Franklin house and Milner house teams. After the other two teams finished their routine of their songs: Blue by Eiffel 65 (Franklin house) and a compilation of Jock jams (Milner house), the three teams joined forces to perform the final piece for the evening. Blaring enough to make the school vibrate, played the song from the movie most of the witches at the Chicago Institute adored, "Miss Congeniality" 's Anywhere USA by PYT.
The teams magically transfigured their uniforms, again, into black dress pants with a boot-cut style leg. The Sifto-Salt team wore a red midriff shirt, Franklin house wore a blue shirt of the same style, as did Milner house, but Milner's was white.
When the song ended, everyone at the tables, except Slytherin and Western houses, applauded for the three teams as they came off the stage. Heather rejoined her group at the Gryffindor house table. "That was awesome!" Ron exclaimed as if her was captivated by a veela's charms like he did with Fleur Declure in their fourth year.
"Thanks." Heather smiled, but humbly mentioned it was just not her who worked hard on the piece. "Granted, I did write the routine, but the other girls worked as hard preparing the piece, if not harder."
"What other kinds of things do you guys have at the Chicago Institute?" Harry asked trying to make conversation.
"WE have a lot for the students to do, and I do mean a lot! For example, I was involved with the dance team, but my school color guard, choir, theater, and clubs. I was involved in the Defense Against the Dark Arts and Muggle Studies clubs."
"What would you do in those clubs?" Ron asked, his attention belonging to her only.
"DADA club is really just a dueling club, but Muggle Studies club we would apply what we have learned in class, but you will learn about it in our Muggle Studies class on Thursday."
"Thursday? You mean we go back to classes on Monday?" Dudley's eyes seemed to grow wide almost in horror. "You know what that means."
"Yeah, you get more tutoring from Hermione?" Ron grinned knowingly at Dudley. He knew very well Hermione's study habits and could see them bleeding over to her tutoring.
Hermione glared at him, but before she could comment, Dudley came to her defense. Dudley shook his head and commented on Ron's statement. "No, Hermione is a good tutor. I'm actually ahead in my classes for a change." Hermione blushed at his statement.
"Then what is the matter, Dudley?" Heather inquired to what the problem was. "Who's giving you such a hard time?"
"It's the potion's master."
"Professor Snape? He gives everyone who is not in Slytherin a hard time." Hermione told him.
"Well ever since he found out that I am a seventeen year old first year and that I'm related to Harry, it has been a constant thing. He's been giving me a rougher time than normal." Dudley's eyes seemed to express his exact feelings toward their potions master.
"Your Aunt Petunia must not have told him, yet." Ron Whispered to Harry, but the rest of the group heard it.
"Told me what?" Dudley asked.
"Not you. Snape." Ron, Harry, and Hermione answered in unison.
"What is going on?" Heather asked. "You guys better tell me."
"I'll tell you later." Harry told her.
Heather suddenly smacked her head in realization she forgot
Something. "Oh, Damn! I forgot to announce when the tryouts are and the retreat! How could I be so stupid?" she turned then once she realized
Harry was about to answer her. "Wait, don't answer."
"A retreat? To where?" Hermione asked her somewhat interested in what she had to say. "London perhaps?"
"It's a two week bonding session for the dance team at my house.
It's not going to be all fun. We have to practice the new routine and go shopping for new uniforms."
"Bloody hell! But you only just got here! Is that safe? Wicked! So, can I try out?" Ron asked.
"Can pigs fly?"
"They can if you enchant them to."
"Well, if you can magically turn yourself into a girl, then no."
Ron cringed at the thought, but said nothing more about joining the team.
"When are try-outs?" Hermione asked, trying to change the topic.
"Tomorrow morning before breakfast on the Quidditch field."
"Quidditch pitch." Harry corrected.
"Whatever."
*****
The next morning on the Quidditch Pitch, Heather strolled on to it and was greeted by the site of twelve girls wanting to join the dance team. Her old teammates were dressed in matching windbreaker tear-a-way pants and a matching top.
"Good morning, Heather." triplet girls with their natural brown hair and blue eyes greeted her and even the girls where duplicates of one another, the three of them were completely different. Amanda Miller was the oldest and would often wear bright and cheery colors. She defined the word "Preppy" with her designer jeans and latest hairstyles. Amanda's hair was streaked blonde and it lay flat to frame her face.
Amber, the middle of the three, was a lot more rebellious. With her blue spiked hair and preferred the classic punk style with the fishnet nylons, dog collared necklace and bracelets, and black leather combat boots. She had several body piercing including her lip, eyebrow, navel, nipples, and nose besides the ones in her ear, in which she had every available space there taken up by an earring of some sort.
April Miller did not fill either one of her sister's ways, but decided on the skater look herself, which seemed to match Heather's group perfectly well. April was the happy medium between her sister's extremes. Even though she had her nose and ears pierced, although not as much as her sister Amber, she did enjoy a nice pair of Old Navy jeans now and again. April decided she would be the only one to keep their natural hair color, saying it was "too beautiful to change."
April handed Heather a clipboard. "They're twelve all together. We showed them a routine to perform and we rated them for you. All you need to do is interview them and then decide. Simple and easy."
"Well, let's see what kind of talent is here at Hogwarts, shall we?" Heather flipped through the list of names of the Gryffindor girls. The names appeared in the order in which they came down and it also showed them their grades.
1. Patil, Parvati - 7th
2. McDonald, Natalie - 4th
3. Brown, Lavender - 7th
4. Weasley, Virginia "Ginny" - 6th
5. Carmen, Blythe - 1st
6. Brook, Carla - 2nd
7. Farr, Sandra - 5th
8. Eden, Emma - 1st
9. Ebony, Fiona - 2nd
10. Anastasia, Simone - 3rd
11. Tatum, Violet - 3rd
12. Granger, Hermione -7th
Heather stared at the last name on the list. Hermione Granger, the one girl who she thought hated her most here at Hogwarts, besides Danielle MacNeal was trying out for the dance team. India Jade, a fifth year member of Sifto-Salt with deep sea- green eyes, interrupted her thoughts. "I just wanted to let you know, the girls are ready for their interview."
"Thanks, India."
"Heather."
"Yes, Jasmine, what is it?" she turned to greet the girl who had come up from behind her.
"Do me a favor and let my cousin, Lavender on the team. She's really good."
"Not to mention first and foremost, she is your cousin." India spat at her.
"India, Jasmine. Cool it. I'm going to pick people I deem worthy."
Heather told them before Jasmine could retort. "Now, do me a favor and shoo so I can interview the girls."
Once she had made it down the list, dismissing them after the interview was over, she finally was down to the last person. Hermione
Granger came forward and sat down with Heather on the Quidditch pitch stands."
"Let's see. Hermione Marie Granger." Heather flipped the page over and read through her biography, in which she was required to submit. "It says under 'previous experience' you were a gymnast. How long?"
"Since I could walk. I gave it up when I came here."
"It also says you have a double black belt in Karate...and you know kickboxing."
"I sensei over at a gym over the summer."
"I see. Thank you, Miss Granger." and Heather dug back into the information as got up to leave. "You will know by curfew if you made the team via letter. If you made it, I want to see you in my room after lunch tomorrow."
Hermione exited the stadium and headed off to breakfast, knowing full well Harry and Ron were wondering where she was. The moment of truth came after dinner when the girls who attended the dance team try-out received their letters. Beside the letters that lay on their pillows lay either a red or a gold rose, which by the time the first few girls opened their letters, they figured out if you received a red rose: you made the team, but if you received a gold rose: you did not and better luck next time.
Hermione drummed her fingers on the table, trying to decide when she wanted to go into her room and find out if she made the team or not. As she reclined in her and Harry's common room, trying to desperately work on her Herbology paper on 'magical medical herbs and their usages in the Wizarding World', her mind drifted off to other things than the task at hand. "I have to make the team other wise I cannot show Harry I can be more than just his best bookworm friend. Maybe then he will notice me." Hermione grinned and closed her book deciding now she had the nerve, she would be able to take any disappointments.
"Going to bed, Hermione?" Harry asked from the couch.
"Yeah, I think so, I'm a little tired. My eyes are hurting way too much for me. Good night." Hermione picked up her book and headed across the room, with Harry watching her every move as she did so.
After she closed her door and put her books away, she changed into her nightgown and went to climb into bed as she came out from her personal bathroom. As she began to tear down the bedding, she found a red rose laying on her bed and a note on the side in which read: Hermione Granger, in red ink. Hermione shook as she opened the letter and to her great relief, she liked what she read in the short message.
Hermione Granger.
Congratulations! You made the dance team! There will be a meeting, as I told you earlier today on the pitch, in my room in the Prefect dorm after lunch tomorrow. The prefect's door is located next to the statue of Godric Gryffindor in the Gryffindor Common room. The password is: Kneazle.
-Heather Potter
Captain
*****
Author's sub notes: Just FYI: I don't think most of the British public takes on the stereotype the Americans have for them. In general, people think the British may have book learning, but no-way-in-hell have any street smarts. I don't think like this, at all. I am playing on the stereotype and in no way am trying to offend people with this piece. My own ancestors come from Ireland, England, Wales, and Scotland mostly (There is some German and American Indian in there too.) and they would be rolling in their graves if I didn't put this little note here. Any flames about this topic, it is obvious you didn't read this section, so go ahead and flame, but I will just laugh at you.
-->