Raising Albus

CH 21 Summer Quidditch and Fall Reorganization

I am writing a story about Albus at Hogwarts. Some of the below is background, and we will see the children of Cho and Seamus at Hogwarts.

*

Summer was the time the family gathered together at the New Burrow property, and of course there were family Quidditch games. The middle of July Charlie brought Ivana Romanoff over to spend about four weeks with Lily. Ivana was going to learn how to play Quidditch, and spend some 'girl time' with Lily Luna.

"It looks like you have two teams just in Mum's grandchildren, Ginny," Charlie remarked. "I know Ivana is in between Albus and Lily, but I am not sure how old everybody else is. They all seem to be about a year apart. I have everybody's name written down, but not when they were born."

Ginny explained, "They are not exactly a year apart. Teddy is sixteen, and is always included in the count. Freddy is fifteen, Molly and Victoire are both fourteen, Roxanne is thirteen. Lucy is twelve and a half, Dominique is eleven, Louis is almost ten. My James is almost nine, Rose is eight, and Albus is almost eight. Lily Luna and Hugo are almost six. That's thirteen children, but Rose almost never plays, and she is not very good when she does play. Of course there are other children in the neighborhood who often join in the games."

"What positions do they play?" Charlie wondered.

Ginny elaborated, "Teddy and Fred usually guarded the goals. Louis and Roxanne usually hit the the bludgers, youth bludgers that will not seriously hurt you, but that you do have to avoid. Occasionally they will switch places, with Teddy and Fred doing the bludgers and Louis and Roxanne guarding the goals.

"James has always wanted to be a seeker. The only one of the other children who has the patience to be a seeker is Albus. So my sons are competing. Albus takes losing in stride, but James gets real upset if Albus beats him. The cousins have found out that it is better if the two brothers are not on the same team, so having them as competing seekers works well, usually.

"James likes to tease everybody, but the teasing is usually friendly. Our biggest problem is that James constantly kids Albus that they're practicing for when he, James, is going to be seeker for Gryffindor, and Albus is going to be seeker for Slytherin. Al doesn't blow up or anything, but James kidding galls Albus."

"So if you were Albus, James would have Bat Boogies flying out of his nose?" asked Charlie, grinning. "You were never famous for being patient when we were growing up."

"Probably," Ginny ruefully admitted. "Albus can be amazingly patient.

"The other six cousins are chasers. You have some of the older children with Molly and Victoire, and the youngest with Hugo and Lily. Victoire is a better chaser than Molly, and Lily is a better chaser than Hugo. Neither Lucy nor Dominique are very good, so they are well matched. Everyone enjoyed playing, even if they are not all that good.

"Harry spends some of his free time training James and Albus as seekers. I do the best I can, training the rest of the team from the ground. Not being able to fly REALLY frustrates me, but I still know Quidditch."

"What happens when other children come?" Charlie asked. "I know Ivana would like to be considered one of the cousins, even though she is not biologically related."

"Usually the oldest or the youngest sit out the games, or do other things. James and Albus are usually the seekers, though, if Albus is playing. Albus really is a good seeker, and James is exceptional.

"Ivana is your daughter, since you and Stribog adopted her," Ginny observed. "I think the cousins consider her just another cousin, and they will make sure she can play with the other cousins."