The Apprentice Piece
by Jardyn39
Part One of "The Apprentice Piece"
Chapter 13: The First Match
Harry rushed into the Hospital Wing, looking around. He saw Hermione sitting on the end of the bed chatting happily to Patrick Stephens who was being fussed over by Madam Pomfrey.
"What happened?" gasped Harry, skidding to a stop.
Patrick was smiling but had a rather flushed face. His arm was in a sling.
"Hi, Harry," said Hermione, smiling at him. "Patrick should be fine, just so long as he stops diving off the tops of staircases. I found him in a heap when I was coming back from the library."
She turned back to Patrick, "Well if you're okay, I'll be going. See you later." Patrick blushed as she turned and went.
"I just slipped," said Patrick, his eyes following Hermione out of the door.
"He'll be fine. That was a nasty sprain as well as a couple of breaks," Madam Pomfrey. "Five minutes only, Potter."
Harry sat down. "You'll be fine. Madam Pomfrey can fix anything," he said smiling.
"Er, I might have to miss a couple of training sessions," said Patrick.
"Take as long as you need but I'd get back up there as soon as I could. I always feel like I leave my troubles on the ground when I fly."
Patrick grinned but then his smile faltered. Harry was about to ask him if anything was wrong when a large and rowdy group of Second Years came to visit.
Harry bid him goodnight as Madam Pomfrey began shouting at the visitors. Just as he closed the Wing doors, Harry found himself facing the Headmaster and stopped abruptly.
"Good evening, Harry," said Dumbledore smiling, "It sounds like Madam Pomfrey is busy at the moment. Perhaps I'll visit Mr Stephens later."
"Yes, Sir," Harry said smiling and they both turned to walk back along the corridor. "Professor Dumbledore, could you tell me about my apprentice piece? Mr Ollivander only said it was a wand and that I may not be it's true bearer."
Dumbledore stopped a moment and gave Harry a searching look before speaking.
"Where is the piece now, Harry?" he asked.
"Here Professor," and Harry drew it from his pocket, "I can't explain why but I keep carrying it around with me. What George, Mr Hellar, said was true. I've never made anything like this."
"Do you need to carry it to remind you of your pride?"
"No," Harry replied a little indignantly. "It's more like I'm afraid that I'll have to surrender it eventually."
Dumbledore smiled and nodded.
"Sir, why couldn't Mr Ollivander touch this?"
"He probably just didn't want to hold it," said Dumbledore. "Harry, that wand was carved from a branch that came from a particularly old holly tree. That tree also yielded a branch from which a rather similar wand was made a very long time ago. That wand was destroyed and its bearer is long gone, but the bearer was a particularly Dark wizard. Legend has it that it was the wand that drove the wizard towards dark magic."
"So why have me make another?" asked Harry. "Aren't you afraid of the bearer turning towards dark magic."
"Well, the bearer was Grindelwald and he was unfortunately evil enough not to need any assistance," Dumbledore said grimly. "Besides, it wasn't I that had you make that piece."
Harry looked at the Headmaster curiously.
"George's wife was given the branch and a prophecy several years before her death. I only learned of it when George told me he intended to ask you to make the piece. He asked me for some rather specific details and I became curious and questioned him further."
"And still allowed him to have me make it? That's why the Death Eaters attacked, isn't it? They weren't after me at all. They wanted the branch to make this. What if they had succeeded?"
"Voldemort couldn't have made that, Harry, no more than Grindelwald could have. It's far more likely he wanted to stop the wand being made."
"So, who made the last one?"
"I did. I also destroyed it."
"But if Voldemort gets this and it's that powerful …"
"It would destroy him," Dumbledore said simply. "You made that wand, Harry. It doesn't have a core. Instead it has something much more powerful. You put a lot of feeling into that piece. A good deal of your feelings are concerned with the defeat of Voldemort and his followers. That wand will never allow itself to be used for anything else."
Harry looked at the wand in his hand and frowned.
"Were you the bearer of the wand you made?"
"No. I wasn't ready. I made it not knowing that the tree was special and not knowing anything about dark wizards. I didn't put enough into the wand."
Dumbledore sighed. "When I was a boy, my brother and I were homeless. We would resort to any means to feed and clothe ourselves. At the time it was much more difficult to catch underage magic. One day we had the misfortune of stealing some clothes and books from a wizard. He recognised us as wizards and caught us easily. He turned out to be Grindelwald. He persuaded me to cut a branch from a particular tree and make myself a wand. He assured me I would then be able to perform the complex magic that he could. Unfortunately he stole the wand as soon as it was completed. He disappeared for many years but when he re-emerged he was wielding my wand."
"I was only nine years old when I made it and it took a long time for me to rectify my mistake."
They were quiet for a moment and then Harry said, "Shacklebolt wasn't told how important this wand might be, was he? How many Order members were there as well?"
"Everyone. We left the Ministry to be responsible for watching over George, much to my regret. If Kingsley knew anything he would have behaved differently. You needed to concentrate on the piece. The Order was present to provide protection, obviously, but we each wanted to be there. Just being present felt like being part of the creation something special."
"This will really be that important?" Harry asked, more to himself.
"No, Harry. George told you. The piece had nothing to do with it."
"So when will the wand choose the wizard?" asked Harry, not really taking in Dumbledore's answer.
"Hold that wand properly, Harry."
Harry held the wand in his right hand and extended it out as we would his wand. This time it felt different. There was a warmth and a feeling of power that he could feel through his hand.
"No magic in the corridors, Harry," said Dumbledore winking before walking away leaving Harry deep in thought.
*
"That was a really good training session! I think we're ready to take on anybody," Harry told the team after their last practice before Saturday's match against Slytherin.
"Ron, I need a favour."
"What?" Ron asked defensively. Ron's play was getting worse and his frustration was getting the better of him. Harry was pleased that the rest of the team had taken his wish to lay off Ron.
"I'd like you to talk to Patrick Stephens. He hasn't been to any of the practices for ages."
"I can't make him play."
"I don't want him to play if he doesn't want to. I just want you to talk to him and see if anything is wrong. I've tried to talk to him but he's being evasive."
"Okay, I'll try," said Ron
*
Harry felt himself jostled as he sat at the House table trying to eat his breakfast. He didn't mind at all though.
A little way down the table, Ginny was surrounded by a large group of students who were admiring the brand new racing broom she had just unwrapped. She sat there looking quite stunned, staring at the note attached to the parcel.
Harry knew that the broom was from Fred and George. He had written to them telling them that Ginny was the new Gryffindor lead chaser and asked them to get her a new broom, promising that he would repay them. Harry knew that not only would Fred and George ensure that Ginny's broom was up to scratch, but also they would negotiate a far better price than he ever could.
Harry had no idea what model it was. From all the fuss it certainly seemed a good one.
*
Harry changed quietly out his Quidditch robes and looked on as his team yelled themselves hoarse. They had won by 450 points to 10. As the score-line suggested, everyone had played superbly. Ron had made some simply impossible saves and the Chasers had played like the opposition had been left on the ground.
When the snitch made its last appearance Harry was half tempted to let it fly away again. It was only after Malfoy started after it that Harry decided he would rather catch the snitch, even if it meant bringing the match to a close.
Harry put his hand on Ron's shoulder to keep him back before they all went up to the common room for a celebration party.
"You played brilliantly today, Ron," he said smiling. Ron grinned back. "Actually I was hoping you wouldn't."
Ron's grin faded.
"It's just that if you'd played badly you'd have proof that your place on the team is secure. I know you've been worrying about your play."
Ron nodded slightly, looking down.
"Ron, please believe me. For the last time, I don't care how many goals we let in so long as we all try out best and enjoy ourselves," Harry said earnestly.
Ron's head was still a little down as Harry and he slowly made their way back up to the castle. He really hoped Ron would believe him this time.
*
They were greeted by a wall of noise as they entered the common room. Ron was immediately grabbed and Harry looked around for a drink.
As Ron, now safely the centre of attention, embarked on a re-enactment of his best saves, Harry wondered where the rest of the team were. He scanned the room and saw a couple of them, smiling and watching Ron's antics.
Just as he wondered where Ginny, Colin and Denis had got to, a note was thrust into his hands from out of the crowd.
Harry,
Please come back down to the changing rooms. Colin and Denis are here.
Come alone.
Ginny
*
Harry entered the changing room and found his three missing players, all wearing very serious expressions.
As soon as she saw him, Ginny leapt up. She started to say something, but then burst into tears. Harry held his hands out in confusion and she hugged him, now crying uncontrollably.
Harry was at a loss for words. "What's happened?" he asked the other two over Ginny's shoulder.
"You should hear it from Ginny," said Denis.
"Yes," agreed Colin, "give her a moment."
*
Gradually Ginny calmed down and eventually pulled herself away from Harry. He had felt that it would be best to wait, especially as none of them appeared to be physically hurt.
He looked at Ginny, who looked finally prepared to talk.
"I, I had a word with Patrick after the match. I thought I would drag him away from the party and get him to tell me why me didn't want to play anymore," she said thickly. "He admitted his fall wasn't an accident. He said he was threatened at the top of the stairs. He stepped backwards and fell. He doesn't think he was actually pushed."
"Who was it?" Harry asked as calmly as he could.
"He said it was Ron."
Harry stood there stunned, refusing to believe what he was hearing. Stephens must have lied, he told himself.
"I'm afraid there's more," said Colin. He opened Ron's locker and put on Ron's pair of goalkeeping gloves. Denis held up a quaffle and Colin raised his hands. The quaffle immediately flew towards Colin but fell just short.
"The charm is losing its effect. When we tried earlier it flew right into Colin's hands."
Denis picked up the quaffle and they tried again. This time the quaffle did not move at all.
Harry stood there quite unable to move or speak.
*
Ron was the last to enter the dark and almost empty classroom. He looked around and did not look entirely surprised to see the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team present.
Harry stood, carried a chair to the front of the room and said, "Thanks, for joining us, Ron, I've a couple of questions for you."
Ron hesitated but the shrugged and went over the chair and sat.
"Ron, I saw the strangest thing just after the match. I saw these gloves, your gloves, summon a quaffle right towards them. How could that be?"
"Show me," said Ron.
"I can't, Ron, the charm wore off soon after."
"So what's the problem? If there's no evidence …"
"Do you have anything else to say to us about this?" Harry struggled to ask, still reeling inside from Ron's answer.
"No."
"Tell us what happened with Patrick Stephens. Did you threaten him?"
Ron shifted in his seat and said, "That was an accident. I did speak to him a bit aggressively, but he was trying to take my place. I didn't push him or anything."
"But why didn't you help him after he fell?"
"I was going to but Hermione got there first," Ron said looking down. "I was afraid of being accused of something."
Harry closed his eyes for a moment. He sighed heavily.
"Very well. Professor McGonagall," began Harry and Ron's head shot up. He had no idea she was present. "Gryffindor won the match by unfair means and I'd like the result reversed. Slytherin should be awarded the win and the house points. I take full responsibility and I'll offer my resignation shortly. I give you my word that no-one else knew about this and I'd like the others on the team not to receive punishment. Gryffindor will withdraw from the Cup competition this year. Ron, you are dropped from the House Team and banned from all Rebel training."
"Professor, there's no evidence," Ron said at once, "you can't punish us if there's no evidence. Besides we scored loads more times than I even touched the quaffle."
"There is evidence, Ron," Harry said angrily. "I witnessed what those gloves could do."
"Four of us witnessed it," said Denis quietly.
"We can't win by cheating, Ron," said a tearful Ginny, "I feel so ashamed."
Professor McGonagall stood up and looked down at Ron who just looked back at her defiantly.
"Go to my office, Weasley, now. I will deal with you after I have spoken to the others," she said. Ron stood and left, not looking at anyone.
"First of all," said the Professor, her voice a little softer, "I'd like to assure you all that I accept that none of you knew nothing about this. I'm also very pleased that you brought this to my attention rather than trying to hide it. Madam Hooch had suspected something during play and the match quaffle showed signs of having been charmed when we examined it after the game."
"The match result will be reversed but because of your honesty you will continue in the competition. Other than Ronald Weasley, none of you will receive punishment. Potter, I'd like you to re-consider your resignation," she finished and left the room.
"Please don't quit, Harry," said Colin.
Harry wasn't listening. He looked at Ginny who shook her head and said the very thing he was thinking.
"He didn't even say he was sorry."
*
The next few days were hard for Ron. He had been stripped of his prefect badge and had been given two weeks worth of detentions. He had to endure the cheers of the Slytherins every time he passed and a whispering campaign by the other Houses.
Harry had quickly quashed any open remarks made by the Rebels and fortunately everybody else followed suite. He told them Ron made a mistake and had been punished for it. It wasn't up to them to punish him any more.
The first thing Ron said to Harry after several days of silence between them was that Harry shouldn't stand up for him.
"Why are you defending me, anyway?" Ron asked one evening after Harry had found him hiding up in the dormitory.
"Come and play a game of chess and we'll talk about it," Harry said. They played down in the common room but didn't talk. People were clearly surprised that Harry had apparently forgiven Ron so quickly, but seemed to accept it. Hermione looked particularly relieved.
In the early hours of the morning, the two of them were alone when Ron said quietly, "I'm sorry, Harry."
"Sorry you got caught?" Harry asked coldly.
"No, I'm sorry I let you down," he said quickly. When he saw Harry smile, Ron added "Prat," and smiled back.
"I want you to come down to the changing rooms next practice and apologise to the team properly," said Harry, "then you had better get to work earning that badge back."