Hogwarts: A Future

Chapter Nine: Playing Dirty

After Edwin and Rachel nearly broke their front teeth on Hagrid's rock cakes Rose suggested, diplomatically, that everyone was too excited for the Quidditch try-outs to eat. Taking their cue from Rose everyone began to stand chatting, with relief, about who among the students that they knew would be trying out today.

'I'm not surprised your brother is trying out, Al,' Scorpius said as they all left Hagrid's hut, 'Dad said your father was the best Quidditch player at school, and I've got your mum's Quidditch card. Seventy goals in a single season!'

'That's a record for the Holy Head Harpies, isn't it?' Edwin asked his sister.

'Yup. Ginny 'Whirlwind' Weasley holds the record for the Harpies, but also for any British Quidditch player.'

'James is going to be great!' Scorpius beamed.

'Urgh, don't let him hear you talk like that,' Al said, blushing red as Rose's hair, 'he's already got enough of a big head.'

'What about you, Al? Will you try-out after second year?' Iapetus asked, dashing forward a couple of steps to be able to see Al around Hagrid's enormous figure.

'Don't think so,' Al muttered.

'Yer dad din't know what Quidditch was when 'e started school,' Hagrid's eyes misted in reminisce, 'got ter be the youngest player in a century after McGonagall saw 'im dive.'

'Really?' Al craned his neck back to look up at Hagrid, 'I didn't know that! Was it at try-outs?'

'Ha, no. Ma... I mean, another student took Neville's rememberall off've 'im in their first flyin lesson. Yer dad flew up after him, and caught the rememberall when the boy threw it. Wasn't meant to be in the air at all o'course. But Gryffindor needed a Seeker, an' yer dad was a natural.'

'He never told me he broke the rules!' Al sounded outraged as his friends laughed.

'Nor me. You'd think Mum would have mentioned it!' Rose appeared slightly impressed.

'So Dad was eleven when he started playing?' Al asked Hagrid, eager for more details.

'Tha's right.'

'Huh.' His friends laughed more at the put-out expression on Al's face.

There wasn't any time to ask Hagrid more about his father's first year antics as the Quidditch stadium loomed overhead and Hagrid and the first years joined the groups of students who had also come to watch or try-out that afternoon.

They found seats about half-way up the stands, all seven looking around anxiously for Aello and Chester.

'There 'e is, look,' Hagrid said, pointing and waving.

'Who?!' half of the friends said at once, each sure that Hagrid had spotted Chester.

'James o'course,' Hagrid raised his bushy eyebrows in surprise.

On the smooth grass of the stadium floor stood four groups of students, all with brooms in their hands or over their shoulders. Each group was clearly from different Houses, waiting for their turn to fly. James, standing with Aggie, waved back at Hagrid. Further along the stands Demetri and Freddie looked along, saw Hagrid, Al and the others, and got up to join them.

'Hey kids, how's it going Hagrid?' Demetri asked grinning at Hagrid.

'Alrigh' Demetri?' Hagrid made to get up to make more room, but everyone immediately around him made sitting motions themselves shifting to allow Demetri and Freddie to join them.