The Spark {Book 5 in the Star of Gryffindor Series}

Chapter 29 - Poisoned Friendships

The Daily Prophet
Issue No. 102,157
15 April, 2022

Harry Potter Almost Killed In Duel With Katreena Predatel!

A source in the Ministry confirmed this morning that Harry Potter was badly wounded in a run-in with the nefarious Katreena Predatel. The incident happened while Potter was leading a team of aurors to investigate "suspicious activity" in the Alnwick area...

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"Is it really a good idea to have practice without Elcie?" Albus asked as we walked down to the pitch.

I shrugged. "Fred said he knows for a fact that Slytherin's been practicing. We can't waste time."

"We're wasting time if we can't all work as a team," Albus said, rolling his eyes. "How does he even know Slytherin's actually practicing? They might just be faking it so that we get off balance."

"I don't know, Al, maybe he saw them."

"Maybe Ciara told him," James suggested. I hadn't realized he'd been right behind us, but now he moved to walk next to me.

"Why on earth would Ciara tell him?" Albus asked. "If anything, that'd just make him think that wasn't true."

James shrugged. "He might think she'd expect him to think that and then it would hide the practice that they're practicing anyway."

"What? That's... James, that's so stupid..."

"No, Al, it's genius, so shut up." James rolled his eyes. "Your boyfriend is mad, Astra."

"When your boyfriend doesn't exist, that tends to happen," I said, elbowing him in the side. Albus had turned a bright shade of red. "Do you know how Fred actually found out about Slytherin practices?"

"Ciara actually told him," James said, grinning. "She said that despite the fact that they were obviously enemies, and Fred was 'a lazy, useless bad word,' as a Quidditch captain, Fred at least 'deserved the slight respect of knowing that Slytherin was conducting practices.' And then Fred said 'thanks, you're a bad word too' and she left."

"Oh." Albus shrugged. "I guess that sounds pretty realistic."

"Thanks a lot, Ciara," I said, rolling my eyes. "Now we've got to practice in the wet and cold for three more weeks."

"It's not that bad," James said, shrugging. "I mean, unless you're saying you can't handle it..."

"That's not what I said. Shut up."

James put his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay, I get it." He grinned and hurried off. "See you guys down there!"

"Next year's going to be awful," Albus said under his breath.

"Why?" I asked.

"James will be captain, of course," Albus explained. "For one, he and Ciara hate each other more than Ciara and Fred do. For another, he's a prat."

"Oh." I cursed, and Albus gave me a look. "Take points and I'll hex you," I said, waving my wand jokingly. Albus shook his head, a smile dancing on his face.