HP-Hogwarts Story So Far

Transcript One

Quidditch Trials

 

Egreen was storming down the corrior with a large lump under his robes. He steped round a corner and thump, triped over two Griffyndors; Marvo and Madison.

"You mud*%$$£ idiots" he yelped as he goes flew through the air. As he landed with a thump the lump in his robe escaped and span across the floor. It was a large black ominous looking book.

Egreen managed to scuffle across and hid it under his robes just as Snape came round the corner. "What's going on here?"

"These two Grfyindors tripped me sir" said Egreen

Snape turned his eyes on Mavro and Madison. "Well? What are you doing in this part of the castle?" he questions.

"Please sir we were lost."

Just then Professor McGonagall walks round from the opposite corner. "Ah professor snape you have found my wayward house memebers. In times like these we can't have people getting lost! Come along children, the common room is this way"

Marvo and Maddison breathed a sigh of relief and left with Prof McGonagall. Snape turned to Egreen, but he had already gone.

"What is that boy up to" said Snape just load enough to hear.

Madison looked back and made sure she was out of earshot before speaking. "Professor, who were those guys?" she asked. "Hope I don't meet up with them again."

Marvo stares at Egreen as he walks away and a strange, sly smile crosses his face.

Marvo leaned over and whispered to Madison, "Did you see that book? It REEKED of Dark Arts! But I guess that's what to expect from that lot.... And what about this 'forbidden forest ban'? I'm not worried about that though. I wasn't planning on going NEAR that place! I hear there are some really, REALLY bad er, 'things' in there."

Marvo looked up to Ms. McGonagall.

"What class do we have next Miss" He asked.

"I hope that man back there isn't one of our professors," Madison whispered to Marvo, then she smiled. "And I don't know about that 'forbidden forest ban'. I'm kinda curious about that forest." Suddenly, she had a thought. "Aren't Quidditch trials today?" she asked. "Do you know where they are? I'd like to see what it's about...and maybe try out for Seeker."

"Oh no! Not 'Quidditch' again!" Mavro exclaimed "I don't see what people see in it! Its so boring and can go on forever! But I suppose it helps the 'school spirit' I think it's this way." He lea the way to the trials

"Er, did you have any strange dreams the other night?" Mavro asked as they are walked.

Madison followed Marvo, who led her along. "Strange dreams?" she asked. "What kind of dreams?" She had been having some weird dreams, but she never thought they meant anything.

Marvo looked at Madison as if weighing her up and deciding if he should tell her or not. He sighed and took a deep breath. "Well Madison, it seems a lot of people dreamed about the same sort of thing on the first night. A big metal door at the end of a corridor with no door knob...." Marvo Frowns. "But that could have been symbolic of a protection charm. Then there was the forest, a strange orange glow, and a unicorn with a horn of pure gold, possible some centaurs too. And the chants, sounded scary, but I'm not sure. Oh yes and the knocking. I don't think that was in the dreams, I think someone... or something was trying to get in Hogwarts that night. And I think old 'Bumbles' protection kept whatever it was out."

As Mavro finished explaining they arrived at the Quidditch trials. "Here we are. Look at them? All eager to pop on their brooms and make fools of themselves!" Mavro looks at Madison and smiles. "Not that its a bad thing, I mean I KNOW people like Quidditch. It's just, well. It seems so easy to me."

Morticia who was heading for the Quidditch field to try out for the team almost ran into Snape as she was so busy remembering all the tricks she's trained during the holidays.

"You there! Lagrand! Watch where you're going, will you?" Snape snapped at her.

She 'woke up' from her thoughts and blushed. "Uhm, sorry, Professor, it's just..."

"Quidditch, I suppose?" A smile crept onto Snape's face. "Of course, I forgot. Well, you'd better be going then. We need a good team this year! I don't want the Gryffindors to beat us again."

"I'll do my best." Morticia is about to hurry along when Snape calls her back.

"Oh, Lagrand, this boy, Gedward - has he been behaving strangely lately?"

Morticia smileed, but the smile was very strained, and she became a bit red in the face. "Egreen? Well... Not really. No. He's decided to get better grades this year, that's why he studies a lot, but no, that's all, I think."

"I see." Snape smirked. "You may go, Lagrand."

Morticia hastened forward as fast as she could and hoped she had not revealed too much.

Ceridwyn, who was struggling to put on a green robe, hold her broom and run at the same time caught up with Morticia. "Hey, so are you excited about the quidditch trials today?", Ceridwyn gasps. "I'm hoping to be the new keeper, you're wanting to be a beater right? Wonder who'll get the seeker position?" Ceridwyn finally gets her robe on all the way and resumes her normal gait. "Like my robe, bought it in Diagon alley?"

"Nice robe!" Morticia looked down at her own, which looked quite old, and the colour had faded away a bit. "I have a new one in my room, but... well, I thought the Trials could be messy, and I don't want to spoil my new robe. So, you want to be a Keeper? It must be difficult for you to practice at home, what with the Muggles that could see it and all. I spent half my holidays hitting the training-Bludgers my mother bought me... I hope that'll do. I hope we'll smash the Gryffindors to pieces this year!"

Ceridwyn thought about the fact that the robe was new, then shruged jovially and said, "Sometimes it is hard to get practice time, but luckily there's plenty of thick forest surrounding my neighborhood. Anyway, I get the practice at keeping the quaffle away by playing soccer. It's the muggle version of quidditch, without broomsticks and bludgers. I was the keeper on a team back home, I've played since I was 5 years old. The broom is what I could use more practice at, but I think I'll do all right."

"Oh, yes, I've heard about so-quer. Must be strange, running after one single ball... but I think it could be fun... it is, right?" Morticia bent forward and whispered, "Are you going home for Christmas? Could you sneak a soquer-ball back? I'd LOVE to try it!"

Ceridwyn smiled brightly. "Sure, I'll bring back a soccerball. It's enormously addictive ya know. It's just as big in the muggle world as quidditch is in the wizard world. Bet you'd make a great defender, that's kindof the equivalent of a beater."

Winifred noticed Ceridwyn and Morticia walking by as she emerged from the library. Seeing their brooms and robes, Winifred panics. "Qudditch trials are today? I must have been spacing out when they were announced. I'm gonna run back to our room and get my stuff and I'll meet you guys out there, okay?" Winifred speeds off in the direction of the common room.

Ceridwyn, smiled to see Winifred and called after her, "Sure, we'll be waiting for ya!"

Morticia shouted after her: "Hey! You could have at least told us what you want to become!!!"

"OK, Kat, JB, I PROMISE that I'll catch up to you two later at the common room but right now i *really* need to go!" Joss ran like mad backwards. It was a good thing she'd long ago learned to run almost as fast that way as forwards, an almost useless talent but it had it ups.

"OH!" She said remember one last thing. "Don't either of you say anything about *That* wait til-- OAF!" Joss fell to the ground. Looking up she tried desperately to not laugh or scream, both of which she felt like doing. The person she had run into was in fact Professor Vanraved the enchantment's teacher, which was peculiarly Josslin's favorite subject, with her wand and all. While he was particularly tall something about his face and posture didn't look all that intimidating, even when standing eye to eye. What did worry Joss was that even if he didn't look that part, once you knew him long enough you knew that, he had an atrocious temper and right now he looked to be way past his limit of patience!

"Going somewhere in a hurry?" He said his voice tight.

"Quitdich Professor, it's tryouts." She said surprising herself with her calm.

"Your late." He said simply.

"Yes."

"So why, are you just sitting there!" He said his voice almost a roar.

"Sir? Ok, bye Professor!" She called and ran, forwards this time, down to the quitdich field.

After the first few days of confusion, Perenelle was settling in. The first night of strange dreams was almost forgotten, as she was busy learning to find her way around the castle. She found it fairly strange that all students in the same year take classes together, but she was looking forward to the wand design subject and hoped that there would not be too many students there.

Perenelle was especially interested in Herbology and Charms. So far the classes had been OK, although she thought that the greenhouses were a bit small for so many students.

Now Perenelle was thinking about the Quidditch Trials. She had played Seeker in her school team in the Norwegian school she had previously attended and she was ready to try out for the Gryffindor team. She got her broomstick and hurried down to the Quidditch pitch where lots of other students were already assembled.

Lorien arrived at the field, and asked, "Who all is looking to be Chasers? That's what I'm going for!"

Winifred arrived looking slightly disheveled. "I'm going for chaser too. I think that makes two of us. So far we have two trying for beater, two for chaser, and one for keeper. No one wants to be seeker? I suppose we still haven't heard from Arivel or Egreen yet, so we don't know what they want to be. I wonder where they are?" Winifred looked back in the direction of the school.

"Well, I think half the house is trying to get into the team! The trials will be tough... but I think most want to become a Chaser or a Seeker, so I guess I'm off quite well as a Beater. And there are two of them, that'll help..." said Morticia.

Morticia grined. "I bet Egreen will try for Seeker. He's that type, don't you think? Always running as fast as he can to get out of trouble's way..."

"Oy! I heard that," said Egreen. "Yes I'm trying out for seeker, and with this new broom prototype my mother got me, because she owns half of one of the irish manaufacturers, i cant see anyone stooping me!"

Marvo looked around, wondering if there was anyone apart from Slytherin's here.

Morticia heard Marvo complaining about Quiditch being too easy and grimaced at him. "Marvo, just because you're too much of a coward to get into a Quidditch battle - and this year we WILL have battles against Gryffindor! - doesn't mean Quidditch is stupid. My dad played Quidditch in the Youth Championship in France, and if you don't stop putting it down, you might well wake up one day and find -" She stops as Madam Hooch gives her a very stern look. "... and find you're just totally jealous" she ended lamely and angrily, grabed her broom and marched away.

"COWARD!!!" shouted Mavro. He taked a small toy broomstick from his pocket and waves his wand over it. "RECURSUS-AUCTUS" The broom shimmered and became a full sized Nimbus 2002!

No one had heard this spell before. It seemed rather complicated and Mavro's voice seemed rather harsh when he said it.

"Okay! Who's in charge? What do you need?" Mavro asks. He glared at Morticia, then smiled.

Morticia replied with a smile. She did not seem to be impressed at all. "Well, it appears we've changed our mind about Quidditch, have we?" She grined at the other Slytherins. "Isn't it interesting that Marvo is so eager to please others that he does everything they want him to do?"

All of a sudden, Arivel came sprinting toward them, her broom in her hand. "Sorry I'm late! I got held back in Defense against the Dark Arts" She lowered her voice to say, "I'll tell you guys about it later." "We haven't started yet have we? I really hope to be seeker - what about you?" She became quiet when she realised that Mavro and Morticia were having some sort of disagreement.

Madam Hooch approached the group. "Now, now, Mr Ward, I know the 2002 is a nice broom, but if you want to be in the trials, you'll have to use one off the school's broomsticks like everyone else."

"What?" gasps Morticia.

Madam Hooch smiles. "Yes, you know, I had a long talk with Professor Dumbledore. He agrees that it's unfair to judge the players by their broomsticks. Poor wizards and witches can't afford a Nimbus 2000 or the likes, so EVERY player that takes part in the trials will have to use one of the school broomsticks. That means, Ms Lagrand, that you can leave your Firebolt over here with the other broomsticks."

"But I-" Morticia began, but was interrupted by Madam Hooch.

"No arguments! It's a new school-rule. You'll be allowed to fly anything in training and in the matches, but not in the trials. So either grab one of the school-broomstick or leave the field."

Morticia stared at Madam Hooch sulkily, then droped her Firebolt and grabed one of the better-looking broomsticks that did not look too damaged.

Madam Hooch smiled. "There you go, my dear, that's the spirit. How about you, Mr Ward?"

Marvo glared at Morticia, then smiled as Madam Hooch explained about the brooms. "ABHORREO" And he placed his now toy sized broom back into his pocket.

He walked over to the school brooms and frowning picked up a rather tatty looking one. He steped back, swirling the broom around in one hand like a quaterstaff and smiles. "Come on then lets see what your made of."

"I'd rather wait for further instructions." Morticia smiled. "Might be we fly within the houses first..." Then she walked over to the other Slytherins, leaving Marvo where he was.

Ceridwyn seeing this disdainfully put her Firebolt aside also, and quickly picked up one of the better looking brooms she saw. She shook it, seemed satisfied with the result and turned to Morticia, "This really stinks that we can't use our own brooms, I mean I understand what Madam Hooch was saying, but I've kindof taken a special liking to my broom." Ceridwyn sighed and waited for the trials to begin.

"I think it's just - I - I lack words!" Morticia hissed. "I mean, well, the poor guys could just BORROW one of the good broomsticks! We're not going to be up in the air at the same time, are we?"

Winifred looked disdainfully at the Firebolt she received for her birthday, then picked up the nicest school broom she could find. She found the label and read it. "Cleansweep 6! Those are just so... inferior!" She heads to the group of Slytherins. "Can you guys believe this? But, at least we can use our own brooms for the games. That's where it really matters." Winifred turned her head as she heard Madame Hooch announcing something.

"Feel free to begin practicing now while we wait for anyone else to show up. Try-outs will begin shortly."

Winifred turned back to the group. "Let's see how these things run." Winifred pushed off and ascended into the air.

"Sounds fair to me", said Matt, dropping his Comet and picking up another broom at random. "Ready Morticia? If no-one else wants to be a beater there shouldn't be too many problems..."

Morticia sighed. "Yes... I guess. Come on, let's fly a few rounds and get used to the broomsticks while the others are still picking theirs."

"Jeez! I cannot beleive that we have to use these" Arivel said as she glanced disgustedly at her own Cleansweep 6. She pushed off into the air along with the other Slytherins. The warm-up laps around the stadium were extrememly slow, everyone was leaning forward urging their brooms onward.

Lorien picked up a random broom. "Hey this is a nimbus 1990. That was the first I ever flew on. I wanted a Firebolt but my mom works at Nimbus so I've got a Nimbus 2002, but I guess I can deal for the trials."

Madison was quietly watching these procedings. "Excuse me," she called to anyone who would listen. "I'm here to try out for Gryffindor Seeker."

"A seeker?" asks Mavro. "Wonderful, just what we need to show these Slytherin 'people' how Quidditch should really be played."

Madison grabbed a broom, then turned to Marvo. "Are we the only Gryffindors here?" she asked. She looked at the broom in his hand. "I thought you said Quidditch was 'boring and can go on forever'," she teased. "What position are you trying for?"

"Just because it's boring doesn't mean I'm not any good at it, Maddy" Mavro smiled at Madison. "My Father used to make me practice for HOURS at a time! As for position.... Whatever is Needed. Our Family Motto is 'Dis Ward abunde pervigil accingo concido' Which means 'A Ward is always Ready'"

"Actually," Madison started. "I don't really play much, but I really want to be Seeker." Josslin found that she could not possibly help herself any longer, and simply let go and laughed. She startled both Madison and Marvo, because she was almost only 2 feet behind them and they had not even noticed! "Ha Ha, sorry Marvo" she said trying to withhold her sluicing chucking. She looked at Madison for a second because she did not recognise her "and you...I'm sorry i don't know your name."

Madison introduced herself and then Joss went back to Marvo. "Well Marvo, i would REALLY enjoy playing you in a quitdich game." Marvo started to speak, but Joss held up a hand. "No, don't get me wrong but even if you don't like the game you could still play it a least once! And besides if its easy for you, you should be a tough opponent and i could use the practice!" Joss finished with a mischievous smile edging through her lips.

Madison turned around and was startled by a girl, who introduced herself as Joss. Madison watched as Joss challenged Marvo to a game of Quidditch. "Sounds like everyone here is better at Quidditch than I am," she observed. She turned to Marvo. "Hey, I know you don't really like the game, but do you think you could help me practice or something?"

"Ahem sorry correction I never said I was good. I said I'd play HIM any day. There's a difference! One way I'm good, one way I'm just better. But I'm sure you're not the only one." Joss said

Marvo regained his composer from Josslin's fly by. "It's not that I don't like the game Maddy, It's just 'some' of the people who play it I'm not keen on. And some people just take it WAY too seriously. It IS just a game after all. But it you want, I'm sure I can give you some hints, I'd love to help." Mavro seemed genuinely touched at being asked.

"Come on lets see what we can do. Can I just see your Broom for a moment?"

Before Madison could say no Marvo took her broom and stood it ready in mid air. It shuddered slightly as it floated there and Marvo let go and stood back, hands in the pockets of his robes. "mmmm. This won't do."

He took his hands out of his pockets and looking around to make sure he is not being overly observed he ran his hands over the broom, as if inspecting it carefully. When he took his hands away the broom stood firmly and without a waver.

"Here you go Maddy, try that," he said handing the broom back.

"Alright, here goes nothing," Madison replied, mounting her broom. She felt a rush of adrenaline as she rose off the ground. She soared high into the air, surprised at how easily flying came back to her. 'Now let's see if I can still catch from up here,' she thought.

Marvo then took his own broom, and after examining it the same way lept onto it and before he was even fully seated, he was flying high in the air, chasing Josslin.

He pulled up from directly behind her. He laughed at her wavering as he passed mere feet from her head. He swept around and hovered a few feet in from of her, flying backwards. "Well Joss? Ready to see want to play?"

Josslin stuttered for a few moments, it was the first time she had ever seen someone fly backwards at the school. But she regained her composure quickly. "An'time!" Moving away slightly, she performed a fancy move that she had been working on since she saw it in the world cup last year. The spin, which goes directly into a dive that she pulls out of so smoothly she doesn't touch the grass but manages to cause a huge wind behind her. And then comes up back to Marvo.

After a while, when Morticia met Ceridwyn in midair, she flew beside her. "Sheeesh, I hope nobody tells my dad I'm going to play soquer!" she giggles. He'd get fits! Really! He thinks wizards should mix up with muggles, he says it's bad for both sides... you know, what with Muggles getting caught up in our wars, and wizards being persecuted by them, and that. I've been trying to tell him nobody's trying to burn witches nowadays, but he just doesn't listen."

Morticia span down, almost touching the ground, and flew back to Ceridwyn. "Sorry, had to do that, missed flying the past few days! Don't get my dad wrong, though. He's really a nice guy. It's just that he's never really been in the Muggle world. By the way, your name is very un-Muggle-like, you know? It's very wizardy, I think... what do your parents do? I mean, what do they do at work?"

She glanced down to Marvo. "What do you think of our bored bigmouth down there? I mean, honestly! 'Quidditch is soooo boring'" she giggled, mocking Marvo. "You know what I do if something bores me? I just don't do it if I don't have to..."

Ceridwyn swooshed back and fort a couple of times swerving left and right a bit too. "I think I've got the feel of this broomstick, seems to be not a bad pick, especially for as old as it is." Ceridwyn, seeing Morticia do the dive laughed and then when she reappears said, "My name, well we live in Bradford, West Yorkshire, but my family's originally from Ireland. That's where the wizard-like name comes from. The celts and druids come very close to wizards. And in Ireland, if you're truly Irish, then you're one or the other, or some of both. Ireland is a very interesting country, ever been there? Oh, to answer your question, my mom is an writer, and dad is a history professor at Oxford." Ceridwyn smiled, then said to Morticia, "Betcha can't catch me!", and sped away laughing.

Morticia headed after Ceridwyn, muttering complaints about the slow broomstick. "Must be interesting, your mom as a writer. My mom ist just a mother." She grinned. "But then I guess that with 7 children there isn't much of a choice... I think she used to work for the Ministry before she married dad, but that's like ages ago." She slows down and sighs. "You know, sometimes I miss the lot of them. My older brother and my twin sister are both at Beauxbatons, and the young ones aren't at school yet. Well, maybe next year Nimue will join me here, I'm hoping to make her go to Hogwarts..."

"Hey Morticia, what do your parents do for a living?" Lorien asked as he drew nearer to her.

"My mom's at home, trying to raise us kids." She grins. "We're seven, so that's quite a lot of work, and shortly before I went to Diagon Alley I heard her and dad talking about getting another kid... My dad is an ambassador for the French Ministry of Magic. My grandparents are from France, you know, and dad went to Beauxbatons although he was born in England. I was supposed to go there, too, but my mom convinced me to try out Hogwarts." Morticia smiled. "Mom's a very convincing person. I was actually thinking I'd end up in Ravenclaw because it was her house, but - well, here I am in Slytherin."

She looped into the sky and span back. "How about your family? Do you have any siblings?"

"My mom works in PR for Nimbus. We used to live in America but she got promoted to the main office. My dad works at Gringotts. I have a three year old brother named Alex and a twin brother named Thorin. He stayed back in America because he didn't want to leave his school, but he's coming over for Christmas." Lorien told her.

Morticia laughed. "Another twin then! But at least you only have two brothers and nothing else. I got my twin Morgaine and then there's Nathan, Nimue, Clarice, Armand and Raphael. Rafe is our youngest one, he's almost 3 now, and Nat is the oldest with 15 years."

Kat had heard Joss talking about Quidditch. 'Oh no!' Kat had thought. 'I kept thinking it was tomorrow not today.' She had rushed back to her room. On the way she had passed Madison and Mavro talking about the meaning of the dreams. She thought to herself "Umm... That's a good idea, dream diagnosis..... Maybe I'll go look that up some things in the library later..."

Back in her room she had thrown on her robes. Mulder and Scully were sat by her broom, waiting for her. She ran to the window and looked out. No one in sight. Good. She knew she shouldn't, but she opened the window and jumped onto the broom. "Coming?" she asked the two cats. Both jumped up on the bristles. Mulder curled up to sleep and Scully nonchalantly washed a paw. She crouched to miss the window frame and zoomed out towards the Quidditch field, and into the ground. Hopefully no-one would notice. She span down to the stand and stared pointedly at the cats. "Come-on off!"

She noticed Proff Hooch was waving everyone back down "Ok everyone. Off your brooms, lets see who we've got... OK, Slytherin: Ceridwyn Lindsley, Keeper; Morticia Lagrand, Beater; Mathias Lazili, Beater; Lorien Johnston, Chaser; Winifred Fanel, Chaser; Egreen Gedward, Seeker; and Arivel, Seeker. Ravenclaw: Josslin Relumes, Seeker or Beater; Kathryn Black, Kat, You've not registered yet... What were you trying for?"

"Seeker," she said "or Chaser"

"That's not your own broom is it?" Madam Hooch asked.

"Yes."

"Weren't you listening to anything? You need a school broom. New rule, no personal brooms allowed for try outs. Go and change it!"

Kat skulked off to change her nice speedy Nimbus 2002 for a Nimbus 1980 as Madam Hooch carried on.

"Ok are there anymore Ravenclaws? No? Gryffindor: Perenelle Tusindfryd, What are you trying for? You've not registered either?" Perenelle mumbles something that not every one else can hear, and Madam Hooch scribles a note as she continues her list.

"Madison Avalon, Seeker; Marvo D. Ward, anything? Ok."

"OK, Let's start with the Seekers. Can you all demonstrate a double loop at 100m up and then dive to pick up one of these bludger bats from the ground without landing... Off you go."

Kat was unsteady on her broom as she had not had time to try it out. 'Fancy making us use school brooms!' she thought.

Marvo smileed hearing the request from Madam Hooch and did a loop. He picked a snitch and looking at it, fumbled it and it droped from his hand heading straight down. Then his broom seemed to lose all power and he started to plummet to the ground. Spectators gasped expecting the first casualty this year, but just a few feet from the ground Marvo swooped up once more, hovered and smiles snitch in hand.

"MARVO! Down here at ONCE!" yells Madam Hooch. Marvo, looking slightly worried came back to the ground and walked slowly over to Madam Hooch. Fortunately for Marvo the wind carried her voice away from the others and only the odd word such as 'reckless' 'silly boy' and 'careful' are heard. Then she walked back to the slitherings, and Marvo, looking a cross between relieved and embarrassed returned to the other Gryffindor.

Joss had been trying out different flashy moves to out smart Mavro. But just then Madame Hooch announced that Seeker's should do there manovers to try out. Since she was trying for one of either two places she had to try out for both and see what was better for her. Seeker was one of them. "Looks like postponement of our little game. Later!" She smiles to Mavro and races off to the center of the field.

Kat jumped on and pointed her broom up in the sky. She really wanted to be seeker, she hoped she still had the skill on this old thing. Up she went into the sky and did the double loop then shot down towards the ground again. She felt the rush of the air and the thrill made her push faster still. Suddenly she thought that maybe she should have practiced on the broom first, she didn't know if she could pull out of this. She leant down and grabbed the bat, and pulled up again with all her might, terrified of hitting the ground at this speed. Phew, she'd made it. She was way up above the ground again. She did several more loops at the elation she felt from having pulled such a dangerous stunt. Next time she'd have to be more careful!

From up in the air, Madison faintly heard Madam Hooch's orders. 'Great,' she thought. She soared up higher and did a double loop easily, then began to dive. 'Here comes the hard part...' She flew low and grabbed a bludger bat, then soared up again, without touching the ground. 'Whew,' she thought. 'That wasn't as bad as I made it out to be...' She turned to Madam Hooch to see if she was done.

Marvo smiled at Madison as she came back to ground and then clapped. "Well done!" He looked over to Kat. "mmm. That Ravenclaw is pretty good too."

Kat over heard the last comment. A hot flush came over her and she felt all shy and embarrassed. Maybe that fear at the stunt she had pulled was worth the attention, she was not quite sure.

Madam Hooch looks at the Slytherins. "Say, if one of you Seekers would become a Chaser, we'd already have a team without having to try out too much. Remember that we need 1 Keeper, 3 Chasers, 2 Beaters and 1 Seeker on each team. Most of the Slytherin team left last year after finishing school, and yesterday our Chaser Rose Wandman told me she couldn't play this year because her grades are so bad, so we'll have to make up a new team anyway. Of course, I'll have to see you all flying, but" she smiles, "what I've seen already up there while you were getting used to your broomsticks looked very fine to me." She seems to be thinking. "We also need a new captain... I think it's best if you choose one among yourselves instead of me pointing out one."

"OK-I'll try for chaser, although I'm not all that great at it." Arivel consented, touching down softly on the ground. She turned to the rest of the Slytherins "So, who do you think should be captain? If no one else wants to, I will."

"Do you know anything at all about tactics and stuff like that?" Morticia grined. "If you do, it's fine with me if you're captain."

"Yeah. I know quite a few drills and plays and things like that. I bought Quidditch books from Diagon Alley and they have some great things in them. Also, my uncle used to coach the Egyptian Quidditch team, so he's told me lots!" Arivel replied.

"I know Arivel said she wanted to be captain, but what about you Morticia?" asks Ceridwyn. "Or maybe Egreen, he's definitely crafty enough, I'm sure we could come up with gameplans that couldn't lose."

"I? Captain?" Morticia laughed. "Why, just because I'm a bigmouth and mad about Quidditch? I hardly think that's enough. Seriously, I think captain should be whoever knows most about tactics and stuff. I know bits and pieces, of course, I mean, I grew up with Quidditch, but captain... I'm not sure."

"It was just a suggestion," Ceridwyn smiled and chuckled. "To be taken seriously or not, your choice. Just to let you know, I often say things without really thinking them through. They just pop into my head and out of my mouth... so guess you'll just have to decipher what I say to see if it was serious or just a flop. Usually it's not too hard to figure it out once you get to know me."

Egreen swoops down on his less than trusty school broom. "I'm not so bothered. i've got lots of reading to do so perhaps someone else ought to be captain of the Slytherin team."

Morticia frowned. "I still don't like that thing" she mumbled to Ceridwyn. "I still think he shouldn't spend so much time with it."

Egreen swooped off to try and impress Mme Hooch. As she throws up a golden snitch shaped ball he performed a double corksrew and catches it behind his back. Unfortunately he was not looking where he was going and almost knocked Arivel off her broom!

Arivel lost her balance then quickly regainsed it, right before she was about to fall off. She immediately returned to the ground, where the rest of the Slytherins are watching.

Mme Hooch screamed "Gedward! My goodness, what are you doing there? Come down here at once!" She gave Egreen a long lecture on how dangerous it can be to fly without looking and how one has to be aware of one's abilities and stuff like that, calling all the others down to make sure everyone understood her. "I don't want anyone to get hurt here!" she ends. "Bad enough there are always casualties in the games, but not in the trials, okay?"

After the speech, Morticia nudged Egreen. "What's up?" she asked silently. "You're so absent-minded lately! Are you allright? I've got a very bad feeling, you know?"

Egreen looked at his feet feeling stupid. "Sorry. I've not been on the planet too much recently, it's just my mum, well..." Egreen looked embarresed. He jumped on his broom, and whized off to the castle. He couldn't have been crying could he?

"Like attention, Ward?" a sneering voice calls from some distance. Snape was approaching the Quidditch field and had obviously seen Mavro showing off. He examined the students. "So, so. All of you trying to get on teams! I just hope, Mme Hooch, you have an eye on fair play. I don't want any cheating Gryffindors sneaking into their team."

Mme Hooch frowned. "I am quite able to observe the trials, Professor Snape."

"I am sure you are", Snape replied in a voice which hinted that he doubted her capability.

Then he walked over to the Slytherins. "Well, well. Saw your rumble there, Gedward. If you continue going through the world like this you won't reach your 15th birthday, I'm afraid. Morticia told me you've been studying. You really need it. But if you are going to be on the Quidditch team make sure you sleep enough before the games."

Madison stood next to Marvo. Her eyes flashed and she was about to tell that man off, but a quick glance from Marvo told her not to. She continued to glare. "Who is that jerk?" she asked, not bothering to whisper. "He has no right to talk about us that way."

"That's Mr. Snape. I 'was' told he's a very good teacher. But I must admit I don't like the look of him much. I think he teaches Potions, but I hear he wants the DADA job. looks like he likes the Slithering though." Marvo took the broom off Madison and with a small cloth rubbed it down. "Better be a bit more careful while he's around," Marvo whispered.

Mavro paused for a minute nervously and the asks, "So Maddy, I don't remember seeing you around much. What's your story?"

Madison stopped glaring at Snape and turned to Marvo. "I just got transferred here from America," she answered. "My dad just got a new job with the Ministry here so we had to move, but this place is pretty nice. I don't know about the professors, though. Is there anyone else I should be careful around?"

"It must be strange being here after America. I'd like to go there one day. Well, I was told that 'Old Bumbly' was a bad sort. But from what I've seen of him... He came to see me while I was in the hospital wing, He was SO nice." Marvo seemed to pause a moment, wondering if he should say more. "I think a lot of what I was told might not have been true."

Morticia turned to Arivel "Okay then, I'd say you're captain. I know some bits and pieces from my dad as well, so if we get into trouble, I could help you making up new tactics."

"Sounds good to me!" replied Arivel.

Mme Hooch walks over to the Slytherins. "You all seem to be able to fly rather well, so you will form the new Slytherin team with Arivel, what was it, Esicker, right, as captain."

She glared at Snape who was still standing with the Gryffindors, piercing Egreen with his eyes. "Or do YOU have any objections?"

"I?" Snape smiled. "No, no, my dear Madam Hooch, Quidditch is your domain." He nodded at the Slytherins and walked off towards Hagrid's hut.

Morticia frowned. "I thought he didn't like Hagrid! What is he doing there?" Hardly noticed by anyone, Glueclaws, who had been lazing at the side of the Quidditch fields, gots up, stretched, yawned and followed Snape. "Now what is that cat up to again?" Morticia sighed.

Mavro was talking with Madison, but he had seen Snape and said more to himself than Madison "Look. Snape is heading for Hagrids place. I wonder what he wants there? I heard they don't get along. I BET it has something to do with the bad on entering the Forbidden Forest." He turns back to Madison "Looks like the Slitherings are already sorting their team out. I bet that 'Esicker' gets to be captain. Are you going to be staying for Christmas by the way?"

"Yeah, I'm staying," said Madison distractedly. She was looking at Snape. "I don't like the looks of this..." she trailed off, then paused. "I'm going to follow him," she decided, heading off.

"NO Maddy! You don't want to do that." Calls Mavro. But Madison was already on her way following Snape. Marvo looked back and forth for a moment and then mumbled something to himself and followed her. "Wait for me" he whispered.

Madison reached Hagrid's window just as Snape stepped out. "Great...."

Elizabeth, who due to her age and tutoring received while living overseas had been spending some time being tested by teachers to determine a suitable year, was walking in the grounds arriving just in time to see the Slytherins heading back to the Castle and Marvo and Madison at Hagrid's cottage. "What are they up to?" she said quite concerned this could cost Gryffindor serious loss of house points.

Marvo gasped in shock as Snape appeared at the door. "WHAT are you two doing here?" Said Snape, obviously slightly flustered, but extremely angry "What are your Names?"

Marvo looked down and said in a small voice "Marvo Ward Sir". Madison also told Snape who she was.

"Gryffindors! I should have guessed! Troublemakers the lot of you well I'll..." Snape stopped mid sentence and looked at Marvo. "Ward? not Titus Ward's Son?"

Marvo continues to look at his feet and flushes, "Y yes sir." Snape's face looked like it was fighting with itself, half wanting to grimace, the other possibly to smile.

"But what are you doing in Gryffindor? shouldn't you be in S..." Marvo looked up, his eyes showing some emotion close to rage. "FATHER says to say hello SIR. Said to tell you he HASN'T forgotten that Christmas.... SIR." Marvo looked Snape straight in the eyes as he spoke and appeared to be holding his breath.

"Well... I see... well... Be on your way then. I don't want to see you dallying around here. It just is not safe." Snape storms off towards Hogwarts following the Slytherins.

Marvo lets out an obvious sigh of relief.

"Maddy! You should NOT go running off like that! Especially when Snape's about! Who knows how many points we could have lost!"

Mavro looks around. "I suppose you want to go and see Hagrid now we're here." But before Madison could answer Marvo cries out, "Oh LOOK! It's Lizzy!" Marvo started to wave wildly, even though it was obvious that Elizabeth has seen them.

Madison looked at Marvo. "Points?" she asked. "Points for what? And what was the 'Christmas' thing about?" Then she smiled. "And thanks, for showing up. Sometimes I think my curiosity will be the end of me."

"No problem Maddy. I'm glad to help." Marvo Smiled. "Well you see each year every house try's to be champions. you get points for beginning good in class and so on, and points taken away if your bad. Snape is apparently always taking points for Gryffindor whenever he can." Then Marvo frowned. "I'll talk more in the common room."

He smiled widely at Elizabeth as she walked over to them. "Hi Lizzy, how are thing? You missed the Quidditch trials."

Madison smiled as she introduced herself to Elizabeth. "Looks like we're the only ones out here. Let's all get back to the common room."

"Well, now that we know that we're on the team, why don't we go back to the common room and celebrate! We could go to the kitchen, get some pumpkin juice and treacle fudge, and maybe some sandwiches or something. C'mon guys, let's go celebrate the forming of the *new* Quidditch champions!" Ceridwyn smiled

"Sounds like a good idea! I could go for some sweets! Maybe we can see what the..." Winifred breaks off, realizing that this isn't the place to be talking about it. "Hey, maybe we should go see if Egreen is okay. He looked kind of distraught..." Winifred gathers up her things and starts walking back towards the school.

Morticia laughed. "Yes, and most of all we've got to celebrate the new captain of this year's Quidditch-Cup-Winners. Come on, Arivel! I still got some Chocolate Frogs from home. By the way, when is the first Hogsmeade-weekend? Should be soon now. I need more sweets."

"OK! Lets go! I've got lots of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans too!" They all marched off toward the castle. As they did Arivel happens to look at Hagrid's hut. Snape emerged from it with a frustrated frown on his face. "What's the matter with him?" She muttered to the rest of them.

"I don't know. I thought he didn't like Hagrid..." Morticia's voice faded as she walked away from the Quidditch field with the others.

"Hey, I'm going to the kitchen to get some pumpkin juice and some other stuff, anyone wanna come with? Any special requests from anybody?" Ceridwyn looked back and forth at the others, waiting for their decision.

"I even went to a muggle store before I came here. I got the best muggle sweet of all, wint-o-green lifesavers!" said Lorien.

"Oh, I've NEVER had any muggle-sweets!" Morticia seemed to be very excited.

"Really? What do they taste like? C'mon, let's go back to the common room and try some!" said Arivel.

 

Part 5 - Tea With Hagrid

Part 7 - Build Up to Hogsmeade