Harry Potter and the Prince of Slytherin

Chapter 17: Team-Building Exercises (1)

4 September 1992

By 3:00 p.m. on Friday, Harry was out on the Quidditch pitch ready for tryouts. In his hand was a Nimbus 2000, exactly like the one Jim had received the year before. James and Lily had bought it as his birthday present but had not been able to see him open it before the party turned into a bloodbath, so they had it delivered to Longbottom Manor the next day with a note of apology. Harry had managed to squeeze in as much flying practice as possible before the end of summer, but he didn't really have anyone to actually practice Quidditch with, so he was hoping "Potter talent" would be enough. James had been a legendary Chaser, so hopefully he'd have inherited that (and as little else as possible).

The Slytherin returning team members were Marcus Flint and Adrian Pucey as Chasers, Peregrine Derrick and Lucian Bole as Beaters, and Miles Bletchley as Keeper. Graham Montague, the other Chaser from the year before, was a returning Third Year, but he'd quietly let Marcus know over the Summer that he'd only play again if no one who tried out was any good. The boy was feeling the pressure to follow in his brother Rodney's footsteps (the former prefect had graduated with six NEWTs and was off to Italy for a Double Mastery in Potions and Transfiguration), and he felt that he needed to get his grades up rather than spend twelve or more hours a week on Quidditch. Marcus, who was likewise feeling the pressure of his own upcoming NEWTs, was in no position to complain. Consequently, there were two open spots on the Slytherin team: Chaser and Seeker. Harry and Draco were trying out for both spots, as was Cassius Warrington, a Fourth Year. Unlike the Malfoys, the Warringtons were never accused of being actual Death Eaters, but like the Bletchleys and Harpers, they definitely had Pureblood sympathies. A few other Snakes would be trying out, but those three were clearly the ones to beat.

As Marcus explained how the tryouts for the open positions would work, Harry noticed that Bletchley was giving him an ugly look. Finally, at the end of his speech, Marcus asked if there were any questions, and he was surprised when his veteran Third Year Keeper raised his hand.

"Yeah, Bletchley?"

"When you're picking the newbies, will you take things like House loyalty into account?"

Marcus gave him an angry glare. "What the hell is that supposed to mean, Bletchley?"

"It means, Captain, that I don't know if I'm happy being on a team with someone who thinks I'm 'a bigoted lackey of a failed Dark Lord,'" replied the Pureblood as he glanced over at Harry. Both Draco and Warrington grumbled, as did a few of the older students.

Harry yawned in apparent boredom. "If you're referring to me with that crack, Bletchley, then I must say I'm surprised. I wasn't aware that your family had ever even followed Voldemort." Everyone flinched at the name and the group went quiet.

"You shouldn't say that name, Potter," said Warrington in a dangerous voice.

Harry looked back at him levelly. "Why not, Warrington? I'm not afraid of dead men. And anyway, I can't imagine why saying that name should offend anyone here. After all," he spared a glance towards Draco, "it's not as though any of our parents willingly served the man, right?"

Draco scowled. He'd been raised to believe in the Dark Lord's Pureblood philosophy ... as well as to believe that one day the Dark Lord would return. However, he also knew that denying such beliefs was the only thing that had kept his father out of Azkaban, a fact that left him unable to respond to Harry's comments.

"Enough," said Marcus. "I don't give a damn about what anyone's parents did, whether twelve years ago or earlier this morning. I want the best damned team I can get because I want to go out with another Quidditch Cup under my belt. If you want to refight the last war, do it somewhere else! Got it!"