The Hogwarts Game

B

You spend the rest of the week reading up on Quidditch. You don't understand every detail of the game yet, but you do know one thing: You'd much rather be a seeker than a chaser! Being a seeker requires the ability to work alone and dominate the competition. You don't know why, but you think that if anyone is going to leave the Quidditch arena standing, it will be you. 

Flying proves to be a bit of a problem. Your first official lesson was the day before tryouts. It was cut disastrously short after a boy named Neville Longbottom broke his arm and some smarmy blond decided to antagonize an awkward Gryffindor named Harry Potter with Neville's remembrall. The lesson continued, though without Harry in attendance. He must have been banned from flying. 

The next day, you can barely walk straight. You've spent all day practicing your flying. You can fly in a straight line and turn without much difficulty, but you're still not a perfect flier. You'll have to catch the Snitch first! It's the only way! 

When you get to the pitch, Oliver Wood gives you a kind smile. "Coming out for chaser, are you?" he says. "You can join that lot right over there." He points to a spot on the field where some 20 other Gryffindors stand. "Though I must warn you, Alicia is actually recovering much quicker than expected, so this is only for a reserve chaser spot." 

"Chaser?" You repeat, baffled by his assumption. "I'm trying out for seeker! I've been preparing almost all night." 

"Didn't you hear?" Wood shoots back. "We've already found a seeker! A wee prodigy of a first year namedHarry Potter! He may be the most talented seeker I've ever seen, for his age!" 

"Harry Potter?" You repeat with disgust. "Who says he can even fly well?" 

Just then, the boy you'd seen being dragged out of your flying lesson the day before speeds by with ease, spinning, looping and diving around the pitch. Spectators cheer as he goes. You could never add up to him. 

KATNISS SPENDS THE REST OF HER TIME AT HOGWARTS STUDYING, CORRECTING OTHERS, AND CRYING IN BATHROOMS.