Quidditch Mania

Willow’s P.O.V

“Ugghhhhh!”
Monday faded into reality with a dull throb. I awoke on my stomach, the sharp morning light piercing my eyes. It took me a minute or two to muster the strength to get up. Pepper was sulking in her basket for my late return the night before. The curtains of the beds were pulled back, vacant. And then it hit me.
I ran clumsily to my trunk, grabbing the nearest shirt, pulling on a random pair of jeans. My trainers gaping off my feet, I ran down the dorm stairs and out of the empty common room. I really didn’t want to be late on my first day back.
I arrived panting in the Great Hall. Phew. I walked towards the Gryffindor table to have breakfast with Hannah and Caris (her and Cedric had taken to eating with the Gryffindors as well) I walked past the usual chattering, giggling students, fearing I looked as dishevelled and sick as I felt.
“Mornin’.” Hannah mumbled as I flopped weightily between her and Caris who was supporting a nauseous Cedric. The twins were no where to be seen. I grunted my response to Hannah while pouring out apple juice.
“My head hurts.” she said bluntly, poking at her scrambled egg, it was obvious she couldn’t bring herself to eat it.
“Mine too.” I groaned, “Some idea of yours.”
“Ah come on it was fun! Still should have made a hangover potion up.” she said rubbing her face.
“Like you could have! The state you were in. I didn’t have that much not really so I’m not so bad.”
“I beg to differ…” She looked me up and down and stifled a giggle by taking a swig of her drink. Panicked, I looked down. Oh shisen! I sank low on the bench.
“I told you not to by me this shirt!” I whispered angrily.
“Well its true!” her hearty laughter was drawing in more looks than before. Cedric groaned and covered his ears.
I gaped at her, playfully shocked. “ And you would know wouldn’t you.” She giggled.
“…I was wondering how come you and Oli were hanging around after practice.” I smirked into my glass. Now she was gaping at me.
Fred and George plonked down either side of us wearing large sunglasses.
“Ah, so we finally get to see the fabled ‘Quidditch players do it in the air shirt’.” proclaimed Fred.

*************************************************
After receiving my new timetable, changing into my robes and picking up my books, I headed to my worst subject: Divination.
Caris, Cedric and I huddled around a small table at the back of the sleep-inducing room. What a great thing to have first on a Monday…as a double.
Fortunately we were starting on dreams, which was interesting and yet required a lot of discussion. We passed the hours catching up further on stories from the holidays and discussing the Quidditch trials next week.
“You trying out for full seeker this year or are you hoping for reserve again?” asked Cedric, thumbing through the dream oracle.
“Neither.”
Caris stared at me quite obviously shocked.
“But you’re really good!”
“Two of the chaser positions are open this year, I thought I’d try that. I wanted to be a chaser anyway, but they had reserves already.”
They looked relieved.
“Plus…I heard that Chang kid in second is trying out for seeker and she’s more of a seeker build.”
At break we met up with Hannah on the hill and basked in the Indian summer warmth we knew would disappear soon.
“I love this place.” I mumbled, closing my eyes, head pillowed by my hands. Pepper, who had probably been out familiarising herself with the grounds, came over and lay on my stomach while the others watched clouds and discussing the new teacher Quirell.
Then I headed off for transfiguration with the twins, Hannah, Angie and Oliver.

Caris’s P.O.V

Flying lessons plus me equals absolute disaster and turmoil. Even when I think about flying something disastrous happens, every lesson lands me in either a tree or a trip to the hospital wing. Madame Hooch hates me so much. Her cat-like face always scrunches up when she sees me. We collected our brooms, well for me a school broom, and we lined outside on the grass.
“Please don’t land yourself in the trees again will you miss Crombie, its very,” she passed scrunching up her face and laying with her short hair. “annoying, I doubt I should even be letting you take part. Soon you’ll have a reserved hospital bed.” she moaned. Cedric chuckled, I began to blush. Its not my fault I can’t control the broom, I mean seriously how do Quidditch players do it? Its like driving a tractor, well how I would imagine driving a tractor would be like, because I haven’t driven one. We took to our brooms, well everyone except me. I looked at the broom and swallowed. Which part of me would be bruised this time? I wondered nervously.
“Caris!” said Cedric, I jumped.
“Hmmm, yeah?” I said.
“Are you getting on that broom or not?” he asked smiling.
“Oh…erm…yeah.” I replied. “ Actually, I’m not to sure Ced.”
“Come on, it’ll be fine, I’ll rescue you if you get stuck.” he said.
“Is there a problem Mr Diggory?” asked Madame Hooch standing behind him, he turned around.
“No, Madame Hooch its under control.” he said smiling at her.
“If that is so, why is Miss Crombie stood there looking like she has been terrified by a blood sucking vampire?” she asked with a frown.
“I think she’s just a bit nervous.” he said looking at me.
“Look miss Crombie, a broom is nothing to be nervous about, it’s a bit like riding a bike or a horse like the muggles say.” she said making me feel even more nervous than I already was.
“Now, I want to see you flying Miss Crombie imagine you’re a dove.” she said. She then walked away to the other students.
“Hop on then.” Cedric said bluntly.
“I can’t, I’ll just end up crashing.” I complained.
“For Pete’s sake Caris, just get on!” he yelled, I looked at him in shock, he had never been so angry like that before. He shook his head with a frown and stormed off. What was wrong with him?
“Ced!” I yelled, “where are you going?” he carried on walking and people started looking. I dropped my broom and went after him.
“Cedric, wait?” I shouted, “What’s got into you?” And then he mumbled something.
“What?” I asked still shouting. He obviously hadn’t heard me so I shouted again. He turned around and yelled,
“Will you just shut up! All you do is talk, I’m just sick of it.” he shouted, he was acting so strangely.
All I do is talk…what does that mean? He walked away, I watched. I didn’t understand what was wrong with him. He seemed fine before. My head was beginning to hurt like it does before I cry. I felt lost.

Hannah’s P.O.V

After the thrilling morning of having Defence Against The Dark Arts with the ever joyful Slytherins and the bumbling, stuttering new professor Quirell, I headed towards Transfiguration with; Oliver, Angie, Fred, George and Willow, leaving Caris to go to flying lessons, hoping she didn’t end up in a tree.
“What do you think we’ll get to transfigure this year?” I asked, last year we transfigured small rodents into goblets, and before I forget there were a lot of mousy drinking cups.
“Oh, what about chickens into food.” Willow suggested, smile present on her face. I dramatically stopped thinking carefully before saying:
“What about woodlice into brooms.” to which Angie squirmed around. Woodlice were her ‘pet peeve’ her ‘worst fear’ like many young first years and the big bad Slytherins.
“That would just be weird.” a passing Ravenclaw said, as she hurried to the lesson.
“I didn’t ask for your opinion!” I yelled unfortunately the girl had entered the classroom and McGonagall was standing there.
“Stockley, no shouting! Lessons have begun! Now quickly into the class” she shouted as we quickly scurried into the room which was decorated with cages that held many different creatures. I took my general seat next to Willow on the back row, in the middle. Fred and George sat together in front of us and Oliver sat next to Angie to the right of us.
“This year, we will start learning about animagi.” McGonagall explained.
“Damn so no chickens.” Willow whispered, as I suppressed a giggle. McGonagall looked our way before turning back to the board.
“We will also learn the lepafurs and dranconafurs spells.” she continued.
The lesson proceeded with many ‘accidents’ happened, one person knocked ink over someone else and tried to clean it up with a spell, but it went wrong and the classroom was now filled with bubbles. Unfortunately 5 point were deducted from Gryffindor ‘cause the plonker was in our house. Fred and George both had their giant sunglasses on. I suspected they were asleep as did McGonagall, she decided she would ask them some questions.
“Mr Weasley, when should you use the dranconafurs spell?” she asked looking between both twins. Neither of them answered, so she asked again. Me and Willow took the liberty of waking them up by kicking them in the back. They both woke up with a start.
“NO MOR GRAVY!!” one yelled.
“SUPERCALIFRAGILISTIC!!!” the other yelled. Everyone looked at them as if they had grown four heads.
“Expialidocious!!” Willow yelled, while I went into a fit of laughter as now the attention was drawn to her. McGonagall to say the least was not amused.
“10 points from Gryffindor and 5 from Ravenclaw.”
We were given ¾ roll of parchment on dranconafurs and then we were allowed to go to lunch.
“LUNCH” I shouted after getting out of the room.