The Chambers doing

Chapter 17 - The Trials of Hogwarts

The next few weeks passed quickly for the two teens and before long, it was the week of the first Hogsmeade weekend. As neither Harry or Ginny had permission to visit the nearby wizarding village, they had put together the start of some plans to spend the day together. That all changed however, when Oliver Wood entered the Gryffindor common room that Thursday evening.

"Team!" He called out, and not just the Quidditch team but every member of the house currently in the common room turned to look at him. "Professor McGonagall just told me - the order of Quidditch matches this year has been rearranged. Due to Ravenclaw only having one returning member for their team, they've requested for their game against Hufflepuff to be postponed next week. The staff have decided that instead, we will be playing our match against Slytherin for the first game of the year."

The sudden uproar in the common room could have been heard from the top floor of dormitories, seven floors up. Many were demanding how this was fair, as Gryffindor had been practicing thinking that their first match wasn't until December. Now it had been pulled forward to the middle of October.

"QUIET!" Wood bellowed. Once everyone had settled down again, he continued. "Due to this, I feel we need more time practicing if we want any chance to win the cup this year. I know practice is normally cancelled for Hogsmeade weekends, but this Saturday I'm reinstating it. And instead of the normal two hours from 9am, we'll practice for four, then you are welcome to spend the rest of the day in Hogsmeade. So team, be ready in the changing rooms at 9am on Saturday." With that, he made his way through the common room and up the stairs to the boy's dormitories.

Most of the team's responses to this were along the lines of "He can't do that, can he?" Some, like Ron, had wanted the full day for their first visit to Hogsmeade. Others had made plans for the day. Fred and George walked over to where Harry and Ginny were sitting on one of the sofas, and sat on another one, across from the pair.

"What do you..." Fred started.

"...think of this?" George finished.

Harry and Ginny glanced at each other, before Harry responded. "It doesn't bother us too much." He admitted. "Neither of us can go to Hogsmeade, so we had planned a few things to do around Hogwarts. All of them can be moved to the afternoon though. I guess it was a good thing we hadn't finished making our plans yet." He added, with Ginny nodding in agreement, before she continued.

"One of the things we were thinking of doing was going for a fly together, so really, we'll still be doing that, but just with an obsessed Quidditch Captain breathing down our necks." The four all laughed.

"I was hoping to get a date, myself. Ah well, guess she'll go to Hogsmeade with someone else now." Fred said matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, same for me." George agreed.

"Ooh!" Ginny grinned. "Who are the unlucky girls to be set in the sights of Fred and George Weasley, Resident Twin Pranksters?"

"That's none of your business, little sis." The twins replied simultaneously.

"Oh come on." Harry pushed. "Just tell us."

"Fine. Angelina Johnson." Fred said.

"Alicia Spinnet." George added.

Harry and Ginny fell about laughing. Fred and George just stared at them, looking quite put out that the younger teens appeared to find this humorous.

Eventually, Harry recovered enough to speak. "Had either of you asked them to go yet?" He enquired.

"No." Both twins responded.

"We were..."

"...going to..."