Courage

-90-

Book: Courage
Chapter 90
Word Count: 4291

"On an up note," Seamus said, "the McLaggens of the world make the Snapes of the world seem pretty decent, don't they?"

Layla forced a smile at that one, and most of the rest of the team managed to as well. There wasn't much to smile about, really, and the mood in the Gryffindor common room resembled that of a funeral. There were, at present, five surviving members of the Quidditch team: Layla, Dean, Coote, Peakes, and Ginny, Katie having been cursed, Ron having been poisoned, Harry having been concussed, and McLaggen having been ostracized. They sat gloomily around the fire, Layla and Dean sitting on the couch with Seamus and the younger three sitting on the floor, as students passed one by one muttering half-hearted reassurances of 'good game' and 'get 'em next time' to the bedraggled team.

Layla fumed. That git McLaggen... the image of him swinging Peakes's bat at the Bludger, the black ball launching off in the wrong direction and knocking Harry squarely on the forehead kept playing back, over and over in her mind. That fleeting feeling of helplessness as she flew towards him, accelerating as quickly as she could, knowing she'd never make it in time... if it hadn't been for Coote and Peakes...

"So, Levicorpus, then?" Dean asked.

Layla snapped out of her reverie.

"What?"

"Levicorpus," Dean repeated. "That toenail-hanging curse of Harry's. We could use that on McLaggen next practice in the changing room. Might be days before someone finds him."

"Is he going to still be on the team by next practice?" Ginny asked in disbelief.

"So we'll do it on top of the Astronomy Tower," Layla said. "Even better. It's colder."

Ginny nodded her approval.

"I don't think that's enough," Seamus said, shaking his head. "Maybe a Levicorpus followed by a good ol' fashioned Bat-Bogey Hex."

"Ah, Gin's speciality," grinned Layla.

"Bat-Bogey Hex?" asked Coote. "What is that and why don't I know it yet?"

"Ah, my young friend, you've never heard of the Bat-Bogey Hex?" Seamus asked with the put-on air of a wise sage. "That'd be Ginny's signature spell."

"Signature spell?" asked Peakes, puzzled. "What's a signature spell?"

"It's the spell she's best known for," Dean explained. "A bit of a go-to spell, I s'pose."

"The Bat-Bogey has been... useful," said Ginny, smiling thinly. "Truth told, I'm thinking it may be time I gave it a rest. Well, it's a bit immature, don't you think?"

"I dunno," shrugged Seamus. "If I could cast a spell that forced snot monsters to climb out of my enemies' noses, I would never stop casting it. You'd all be in trouble."

"Thanks for that image," Layla said wryly.

"I wish I had a signature spell," said Peakes. He furrowed his brow. "Does anyone else in Gryffindor have one?"

"Harry," said Layla. "Expelliarmus. He's actually quite brilliant with it." Dean and Seamus exchanged a knowing look, both barely stifling a laugh. "What?" demanded Layla. "What's so funny?"

"It's just a disarming charm, Lay," said Dean, grinning. "Doesn't quite have the flare of Ginny's Bat-Bogey, does it?"

"Perhaps you'd like to duel Harry, see what he can do with Expelliarmus, then?" replied Layla coolly.

"I'd like to take some odds on that match," offered Seamus. "You'd be a bit of a long shot, eh, Dean?"

"No, hey, look," Dean backpedaled furiously. "Harry's brilliant, you know? We were all in the D.A. We saw it with our own eyes. I know what Harry can do. I mean, Hermione's got it all over him in every other subject, but in Defense, he's top."