Chapter 66: Quidditch Finals (1/2)
As Easter Holidays arrived, the second years found that the time had come to choose their subjects for the third year. They had to keep their old subjects and pick a few new. Percy was always trying to see what Ginny choosing and tried to give her new advice, but Ginny refused.
”I know Perce, which subjects I'm taking.” Ginny snapped at him. ”I'll manage.”
”But —” Percy tried to protest but at last left.
Colin was super confused. He almost asked everyone in the common room about subjects that sound more difficult. In the end, he came and sat beside Chris with a sigh.
”Everyone thinks differently. Few think Arithmancy is nice, few thinks Divination, few said, Muggle studies are difficult and few said, Study of Ancient Runes.” Colin said looking at the subject list.
Chris chuckled. ”Why don't you ask Ginny? She is all ready to choose.”
Ginny, who was sitting opposite of Chris, rolled her eyes. ”Well, you also decided, didn't you? You didn't ask for anyone's advice either.”
”Actually — I did,” Chris said smiling. ”I asked for Hermione's advice.”
”And?” Colin asked excitedly.
”And what?”
”Did you get any good advice?” Colin asked.
”Plenty. As she didn't suggest which subjects I should take, she explained the subjects to me.” Chris smiled.
”Is it true she gave up Divination?” Colin whispered.
”Yeah. A few days ago.” Ginny answered.
Suddenly a laughing sound came from outside. The fat lady was laughing very loud.
”It must be Luna,” Ginny said.
”Wait, I'm going to bring her,” Colin said and climbed out of the portrait hole.
Soon, he came back with Luna.
”What do you say every time to the fat lady? Why did she laugh so loud?” Ginny asked Luna.
”Oh. Nothing. I just told her about my father's few adventures.” Luna said smiling.
”Luna, which subjects you're taking? Have you decided?” Colin asked.
”Yes. I've decided. I'm taking Divination and Care of Magical Creatures. These two are not completely based on books, so I liked it.” Luna answered.
”True. But I'm taking Care of Magical Creatures and Muggle studies. I like my father's work, so I'm interested in it, also Magical Creatures sounds fun with Hagrid.” Ginny said.
”Wow. I didn't think like that.” Colin said sadly. ”What about you Chris?”
”Care of Magical Creatures, Studies of Ancient Runes and Divination,” Chris said simply.
”You're taking three?” Ginny asked. ”Are you sure? I mean look at them.” Ginny pointed towards Harry, Ron, Neville and a few other third years. ”They took only two subjects and they have so much homework.”
”Relax, I'll manage. I got interested in Ancient Runes when I saw Hermione's Rune Dictionary and I like magical creatures, but I want to do divination, cause after hearing Harry and Hermione's class, I'm intrigued.”Chris replied.
”Ok. If you're sure.” Ginny smiled.
”So, which subjects should I take?” Colin asked looking still confused.
The girls laughed. Colin went pink.
”Take magical creatures, it's common in all three of us,” Ginny suggested.
”I was thinking the same,” Colin said thinking. ”But I've no interest in Muggle studies and Runes so I'll take Divination cause Chris is taking it.”
”So that I can help you?” Chris asked raising an eyebrow.
”Yeah. No need to try a new subject where I couldn't get any help.” Colin said innocently.
”Good or else you'll be in condition like Hermione.” Ginny pointed at Hermione who was sitting in a corner in between her lots of books. She had shadows like Lupin's under her eyes and seemed constantly close to tears.
”She looks miserable,” Luna said looking at her.
”I know,” Chris said and sighed.
Wood came down suddenly and looked at Harry, Angelina, Fred and George. ”Team! We have to practice.” He turned towards Chris and Ginny. ”Now. Get ready.”
There was a ”urghh” sound from every team member.
”Seriously Oliver? Now?” Angelina asked with an irritated face.
”Yes. Quidditch Final is near.” Wood answered seriously.
”Yes. We know. First Saturday after Eastern Holidays.” George said.
”So get ready.” Wood said.
”You know Oliver, people usually take surprise tests, you take surprise practises,” Chris said getting up.
”Couldn't agree more with that,” Angelina said.
Wood made a face and everyone ran to their dormitory pick up their brooms.
The whole of Gryffindor house was obsessed with the coming match. Gryffindor hadn't won the Quidditch Cup since the legendary Charlie Weasley (Ginny's second-oldest brother) had been Seeker.
Never, in anyone's memory, had a match approached in such a highly charged atmosphere. By the time the holidays were over, the tension between the two teams and their houses was at breaking point. A number of small scuffles broke out in the corridors, culminating in a nasty incident in which a Gryffindor fourth-year and a Slytherin sixth-year ended up in the hospital wing with leeks sprouting out of their ears.
The Slytherins tried to sabotage Harry and Chris especially, Flint tried many times to push Chris from the moving stairs. He was very angry as Chris fired back their plan in the last match.
All usual pursuits were abandoned in the Gryffindor common room the night before the match. Even Hermione had put down her books.
”I can't work, I can't concentrate,” she said nervously.
There was a great deal of noise. Fred and George Weasley were dealing with the pressure by being louder and more exuberant than ever. Oliver Wood was crouched over a model of a Quidditch pitch in the corner, prodding little figures across it with his wand and muttering to himself. Angelina was laughing at Fred and George's jokes with some of the other girls in her year. Harry, Chris and Ginny were sitting with Colin, Ron and Hermione, removed from the centre of things, trying not to think about the next day.
”You all are going to be fine,” Hermione told them, though she looked positively terrified.
”You've got Firebolts!” said Ron. ”Remember the last match.”
”Yeah —” said Harry, and looked at Chris.
”We still should be careful. Slytherins are going to pull more dirty tricks this time.” Ginny said seriously.
”I still can't believe they beat other teams and came to the finals,” said Chris.
It came as a relief when Wood suddenly stood up and yelled, ”Team! Bed!”
At night Chris started to have a weird dream again. It was a palace, a girl around sixteen-seventeen was running like mad and then stopped in front of another young girl, around the same age. The other young girl was very familiar.
”Rowena! Rowena!” The girl called, who just came running.
”What happened?”
”They found out. They found out — about you.” The girl answered breathing heavily.
”How?”
”There is no time talking. You need to run. Now.”
”But it's my home. Why should I run?”
”You should or else they'll do something horrible. Rowena you'll have to leave.” An old man came in.