Into The Light (Golden Trio Era) {2}

Ron's First Training Session

At lunch when they got back to the castle, Hermione looked down on them and said what they were doing was very irresponsible. Just after lunch we returned to the pitch for a real training session. Almost everyone was in the changing room.  "All right, Ron?" George winked at him.  "Yeah," he answered untruthfully, he had become more and more anxious as they drew nearer the Pitch.  "ready to show us all up, Ickle Prefect?" said Fred, grinning at him. "Shut up," mumble Ron as he pulled on his robes. Alicia emerged from the Captain's office, "Okay everyone," she began. "Let's get to it; Katie and Fred, if you can just bring the ball crate out for us. Oh, and there are a couple of people out there watching but I want you to just ignore them, all right." Mikayla had a strange feeling that she knew who those people spectating would be, and sure enough the Slytherin Quidditch team sat on the stands calling and hooting at them. Along with there were supporters who were just as vile. "What's that Weasley's riding?" Malfoy taunted from high above. "Why would anyone put a Flying Charm on a mouldy old log like that?" Crabbe, Goyle, Avery and Pansy cackled and shrieked with laughter. Ron tried to ignore them and kicked off into the air, ears turning a deep shade of red. Harry and Mikayla followed him up. "Ignore them," Harry called too him over the sound of rushing air against their ears as they ascended. "We'll see who's laughing after we play them..." "Exactly the attitude I want, Harry," revered Alicia, clutching the Quaffle under her arm. "Okay everyone, we're going to start with some passes just to warm up, the whole team please-"  "Hey, Spinnet, what's with that hairstyle anyway?" Pansy Parkinson shouted between two cupped hands from below them. "Why would anyone want to look like they've got worms coming out of their head?" Alicia pushed it off and brushed the long, sleek braids out of her face. "Spread out, then, and let's see what we can do..."

They all flew backwards a bit and opened their hands to ready for an incoming ball. Alicia passed it hard to Fred, who tossed it to George, who passed it off to Mikayla. She threw it to Harry, and he aimed for Ron, who dropped it. The first howling voice Mikayla recognised was Malfoy's, followed by the rest of the Slytherins. Ron had dived down as soon as the ball left his hands. He caught the Quaffle before it hit the ground and pulled up so sharply he slipped sideways on his broom. He was as red as his hair when he returned to playing height. "Pass it on, Ron," called Alicia, acting as thought nothing had happened. Ron threw the Quaffle to Katie, who passed it to Mikayla, she passed it to George. "Hey, Potter, how's your scar feeling?" called Malfoy. "sure you don't need a lie-down? It must be, what, a whole week since you were in the hospital wing, that's a record for you, isn't it?" While Harry was distracted by his taunting, the ball was passed to him. He just barely caught it with the tips of his fingers then bounced it back to Ron, who lunged for it and missed by inches. "Come on now, Ron," said Alicia as Ron dived down again. "Pay attention." Ron's face continued to burn red and the Slytherins choked on their laughter.

The third time the Quaffle was passed to Ron he caught in and with enthusiasm, threw it too hard back at Katie, as it pelted her in the face. "Sorry!" Ron groaned as he zoomed forward to see whether or not she was alright. "Get back in position, she's fine!" barked Alicia. "But as you're passing to a teammate, do try not to knock her off her broom, won't you? We've got Bludgers for that!" "Her nose is bleeding, Alicia." Mikayla pointed out while blood dripped down her chin, Fred and George converged on her and handed her something. "All right," called Alicia, "Fred, George, go and get your bats and a Bludger; Ron, get up to the goalposts, Harry, release the Snitch when I say so. We're going to aim for Ron's goal, obviously." When everyone returned to the air Alicia blew her whistle and we commenced practice. Harry released the snitch and Fred and George let the Bludger fly from their grasp. Not soon after we started playing the whistle blew again and Alicia began to shout. "Stop- stop- STOP!" she screamed. "Ron- you're not covering your middle post!" Ron looked down from his position in front of the left hoop. "Oh... sorry..." "You keep shifting around while you're watching the Chasers!" said Alicia. "Either stay in centre position until you have to move to defend a hoop, or else circle the hoops, but don't drift vaguely off to one side, that's how you let in the last three goals!" "Sorry..." he repeated, red-faced. "and Katie, can't you do something about that nosebleed?" "It's just getting worse!" she said, trying to control the blood flow with her sleeve. "Well, let's try again," said Alicia. She ignored the Slytherins who began to chant "Gryffindor are losers, Gryffindor are losers,"

After only three minutes of playing she blew her whistle again. "What now?" Harry groaned. "Katie," Mikayla said, eyes wide and looking over at her. Everyone suddenly rushed to her, she was an unhealthy white and covered in blood. "She needs the hospital wing," said Alicia. "We'll take her," said Fred. "She- er- might have swallowed a Blood Blisterpod by mistake-" "Well, there's no point continuing with no Beaters and a Chaser gone," Alicia said, finally defeated. "Give me a second." Mikayla ran a retrieved a vial of healing potion, a chocolate bar and some pumpkin juice out of her bag in the changing room. "Alright Katie, when I drop this in, you need to aggressively rub your nose for five seconds." Katie tilted her head back, Mikayla did two drops before Katie started rubbing, instantly the blood stopped, Mikayla handed the girl the chocolate and pumpkin juice telling Alicia she'll need a few minutes to recover. Alicia beamed brightly.

Mikayla rose up from the ground back into position. The Slytherins continued to chant and holler. "I guess that's what happens when you aren't raised by proper parents, you are a little slower than the others," Malfoy cackled, miming Ron dropping the ball, frightened of it. "Give me that," Mikayla pulled on one of the beater's bats in George's grasp as he flew by. He let go of it easily and continued toward the other goal. In one quick motion she threw the Quaffle up out of her hand and smacked it as hard as she could with the Beater's Bat toward the cluster of Slytherins, mainly aiming at Draco. As they saw the ball hurtling toward them they all dived out of the way, sadly, Malfoy did as well. The Quaffle pounded into the spot where Draco had been sitting only seconds before, upon impact it left a deep dent in the seat, which rendered the students terrified and scrambling away. "Remind me that she could be a replacement Beater if we need one," Alicia said to Harry double checking Katie was ok.

They trained fo half an hour longer, Ron improved slightly after the Slytherins left because they were afraid Mikayla would get her hands on the Beaters bat again.