Trade Mistakes

The next few days were easier for Trinity. Her classes weren't so easy but she managed to scrape in some free time to study and do her homework in between classes. Neville and Trinity had become even closer too during the last few days, doing homework together, meeting up in the Great Hall for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They were almost inseparable and if anyone didn't know any better, many would say they were dating.

"So how is Advanced Potions? I wasn't qualified to take that class since Snape gave me an Acceptable on my O.W.L. Is it as hard as they say it is?" Neville asked her one night. They had just been dismissed from their last class of the week, Charms and it had been a fun lesson since they were working on Memory Charms. She had successfully erased the memory of her partner, some hot-shot with the name Cormac McLaggen, twice.

"It's hard since none of the directions in the book are correct. Take a look at Harry's book and you'll see what I'm talking about." Trinity answered as they approaced the Fat Lady, "Poshquack." Trinity muttered, remembering the funny password. They stepped through to a surprisingly crowded common room.

Everyone was crowded around the message board, talking animatedly with each other. What's going on? Trinity thought as her and Neville passed them. She looked over her shoulder and could read the top line saying; Quidditch Tryouts but that was it.

"When do Qudditch tryouts usually take place?" Trinity asked Neville as they sat on the couch next to each other, pulling out their books and parchment.

"They are usually held within the second week. Last year was the first time we had tryouts since my first year." Neville explained, "Now that Alicia Spinnet, Angelina Johnson, and the Weasley twins are gone, we have to start over." He added.

Trinity sat back and glanced once more over to the now dispersing crowd. Hermione and Ron were breaking up the group due to their loud talking. Now that there were less students, Trinity could read the bulletin better. Quidditch Tryouts Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. She turned her head back to Neville who was scribbling down his homework almost furiously.

Directing her attention to her own essay on Muggles and their philosophies, Trinity was bitterly reminded that Professor Burbage's grudge hadn't eased up on her since the first day, blatantly picking her out of the crowd. Despite her slight hatred toward her teacher, Trinity still did her best in her class. She was determined to outshine the Ravenclaws that seemed to be taking Burbage's side.

"Hey." She heard Harry greet both Neville and her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Neville raise his head to acknowledge his presence. Trinity felt the vacant spot on the couch sink down under someone's weight and glanced up to see that Harry decided to sit next to her.

"Hi Harry." Trinity greeted with a slight air to her voice, making her sound remarkably just like Luna, "What do you need?" She asked. He leaned back so his back was supported by the back of the couch.

"Ginny mentioned something about you wanting to be Beater for the Quidditch team." Harry told her, surprise evident in his voice. She guessed he couldn't believe a girl wanted to be a Beater, it was possibly one of the roughest positions you could play on a Quidditch team. Trinity felt Neville move next to her and she looked over her shoulder as he gaped at her. Turning back to Harry, she nodded.

"My siblings always made me Beater whenever we played. Oliver, my brother was Keeper while my sister, Suzanne, was Chaser. We lived away from most towns so it was safe to play." She replied, "But I don't think I'll tryout. I don't have enough experience." Harry shook his head.

"Even if you don't have much experience, we'll train you to become better. If you won't know if you don't try. Right, Neville?" He nodded with a toothy smile, trying to encourage Trinity. Bearing a smile of her own, she glanced back at Harry and agreed to at least tryout.
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A week had passed as the students at Hogwarts became familiar with their schedules and loads of homework. September was a third away from being over and fall was approaching the school grounds. The slight breezes turned chillier as the temperatures began to descend at steady pace. The leaves on the trees in the forest began to change colors and some shed their leaves.

Beyond the school, still in the school grounds, there were auditions being held for the Gryffindor team. Since the last captain, Angelina Johnson, graduated the previous year, Harry Potter was appointed the newest captain. Standing beside him on the muddy ground from the thunderstorm last night was Ginny Weasley, who seemed worried about what the team would amount to this year.

On the opposite side, Ron Weasley and Trinity Diggory stood alone while the rest of the people auditioning were acting like hooligans. Trinity looked up into the stands above them and saw a few onlookers from Gryffindor and other houses. Thankfully Malfoy wasn't there to criticize and mock any of those trying out.

Hermione, Luna, Neville, and many of her Housemates were sitting in the Gryffindor stands, talking and watching the tryouts. Hermione, though, was reading from one of her textbooks that she loved so much. Trinity also saw that Cormac kept looking Hermione's way. She smirked and turned her attention to Harry who was splitting the huge group of hopeful Gryffindors.

She ended up being in a group with Cormac, Ron, and a girl Trinity knew was in her seventh year but didn't talk to her much. It seems like they had been separated mostly by year because the first group clearly couldn't fly. Half of the second group's feet left the ground but not in the way Harry had hoped. Instead, they fell to the ground. The third had some sort of pile up on the other side of the field. Trinity tried to hold a laugh back but it was hard when one came up with a tooth or two gone, reminding her of some of the players the sport the Muggles called hockey.

In the fourth group, a few of them lost their brooms into the cloudy sky above. Trinity was beginning to feel more confident about her chances of getting onto the team, especially after the fifth group turned out to be Hufflepuffs. Harry seemed to lose his temper there.

"If there's anyone else here who's not from Gryffindor," he roared, "leave now, please!" A few more people left, laughing and snickering. Trinity rolled her eyes but was happy with this, less people to bother with.

The chasers ended up being Katie Bell, the girl that was in Trinity's group, a girl named Demelza Robins, and Ginny Weasley. Trinity hugged her friend tightly around the neck while Ginny wore a broad smile across her face.

"That was awesome!" Trinity congratulated her. Ginny patted her on the back and replied, "I bet you'll be the same."

The Beaters tryouts were tough and brutal. Trinity was hit by numerous times by bludgers while she directed tons toward the others, hitting a boy in the back. His face hit the broom by accident and he fell to the ground with a sickening Crack! Trinity would have went down to see if he was alright but it seems like the people on the ground had everything under control.

Once their tryout was over, Harry came over to them, beaming slightly. Trinity's heart began beating faster as she anticipated what he was going to tell them. She clutched her Firebolt close to her chest and clamped her eyes shut.

"Nice out there, all you lot, but you know I only had to choose two Beaters for the team. Jimmy Peakes, you're in....and I would like to have a word with both Ritchie and Trinity. The rest of you, you can leave." Harry tried to dismiss the rest of those who tried out but was answered with complaints.

"That's three people!" One shouted while another remarked, "Trinity's a girl, she'll never have potential." but a last voice was heard as Harry finally yelled at them, "Did you see what she did to Thomas? I wouldn't mess with her." Trinity smirked at this and wanted to thank the boy who said it but she had no clue who he was.

"Ritchie, Trinity, I wish I could have you both on the team but Trinity..." He paused then with a smile, clamped her on the back,"You're on the team. You did amazing Ritchie and I'll put you on the team if any of the players get hurt during the season. I would never promise you that if I didn't think you had potential. Now you can go." Trinity wrapped her arms around the skinny boy before he could take off but he didn't enjoy being hugged by the person who won the spot he wanted.

Jimmy and Trinity followed close by, going up to the stands to watch the Keeper tryouts. Jimmy joined the team while Trinity plopped down next to Luna and Neville who were talking about the new team members.

"That boy that fell of his broom sure hit the ground hard. Heard he broke nose when he hit the broom." Neville remarked, "So how'd you do?" Trinity glanced over at him with a grin on her face, "I knew you could do it." Luna nodded in agreement as she stared up at the clouds above. Trinity knew she was probably searching for something in the sky.

From what Neville and Ginny told her, Luna was often talking about things, such as nargles, that many thought were stupid and crazy. Some called her Loony Lovegood. Trinity loved Luna though and her slight abnormal look on the world.

"I beat Ritchie Coote didn't seem too happy about it. Harry promised him a spot if any of the players were hurt or banned." Trinity replied, watching at Cormac mount his broom and flew up to the goal posts. They all watched in horror as he saved four goals. Trinity went to cover her eyes when something peculiar happened. Cormac was ready to save the last goal when all of a sudden, his broom took him to the left, leaving the middle hoop unblocked. Sure enough, the quaffle went through the hoop.

Now it was up to Ron to save five goals and beat Cormac. Trinity's heart began racing once more as she watched Ron fly up to the goals, almost slipping. From somewhere in the bleachers, Trinity heard Lavender yell out "Good luck Ron!" as the whole stadium grew quiet.

The tryout didn't go as bad as they thought it would. Ron ended up saving five penalties, more than McLaggen. He was their keeper. Lavender almost screamed and Trinity had to cover her ears as she got up to join the rest of the team. Their practice times and days were established before they went their separate ways.

All through the evening, the smile on Trinity's face never fell. She was a Beater for Gryffindor. Life couldn't get any better.