Echo | Harry Potter - George Weasley

Chapter 18: The Lost Wanderer

"They were pretty mad, yeah," Shaye told Ron and Hermione. She had received the long-anticipated letter from her parents the night before and, just as she had expected, they were not happy. From finding Lorelei's bedroom door unlocked to the stunt she, Harry, and Ron had pulled with the flying car, they promised a very glum Christmas break when she returned home in December. 

Ron nodded understandingly. Hermione only shrugged, beyond glad that she hadn't been a part of it all. 

Hearing a hushed commotion, the three friends looked up from the bench they were sitting on in the courtyard to see the Gryffindor Quidditch team captain Oliver Wood and the Slytherin team captain Marcus Flint arguing, the remainder of the teams standing by and watching.

"Where do you think you're going, Flint?" Oliver asked as both teams headed toward the pitch in full gear.

"Quidditch practise," Flint answered.

"I booked the pitch for Gryffindor today."

Marcus pulled out a slip of paper from his green Quidditch robes. "Easy, Wood, I've got a note."

"I smell trouble," Ron commented as he stood up and led the way over to the two teams. Harry was there, along with Fred and George, and the lot of them looked none-too-pleased. 

Oliver snatched the piece of paper from Marcus and read it out loud. "'I, Professor Severus Snape, do hereby give the Slytherin team permission to practice today, owing to the need to train their new Seeker.'" He scoffed. "You've got a new Seeker. Who?"

On cue, Draco stepped out from the crowd of Slytherins. "Malfoy?" Harry eyed him.

"That's right. And that's not all that's new this year." Draco gestured to the shiny new brooms that he and the rest of the Slytherin team were sporting; a smug grin on his face, like usual. 

"Those are Nimbus 2001s." Ron gawked. "How did you get those?"

Marcus gave his new seeker an approving nod. "A gift from Draco's father."

"You see, Weasley, unlike some, my father can afford the best," Draco remarked, always looking for an opportunity to put down those he deemed below himself. 

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in," Hermione quipped. "They got in on pure talent."

Draco stepped toward Hermione, eyes narrowed. "No one asked your opinion, you filthy little mudblood."

"You'll pay for that one, Malfoy." Ron sneered and rose his broken wand without thinking about the possible consequences. "Eat slugs!"

Ron's attempt to stand up for Hermione didn't exactly go as planned, however. Because of his broken wand, the spell backfired onto himself and he flew back a few feet before hitting the ground hard. The Slytherins laughed as Shaye, Harry, Hermione, and the Gryffindor team rushed to his aid.

"Ron, are you okay?" Shaye asked.

Ron didn't answer. His face had turned sickly pale and he looked like he was about to vomit. When he finally did part his lips, a large, slimy slug fell out slid out of his mouth and plopped down onto the grass. Everyone backed away; everyone except for Colin Creevey, who had appeared out of nowhere and was looking to get a picture for the school paper.

"Wow!" Colin exclaimed. "Can you turn him around, Harry?"

"No, Colin, get out of the way!" Harry pushed the first-year back before helping Ron stand to his feet.

Ron promptly threw up another slug. Even Fred and George didn't find it funny and were instead grossed out just like everyone else.

"Let's take him to Hagrid's," Harry suggested. "He'll know what to do."