Chapter 208: The Seeker (1/2)

”Where are you going?” Chris asked Harry casually.

Just so Ginny didn't realize that Chris was feeling lonely and force her to go to Burrow with them, especially when Mrs Weasley didn't invite her for Christmas.

”What do you mean?” Harry looked up from his godfather's letter.

”I mean did Sirius mentioned where are you going? Like his new apartment or his parents' house?” Chris explained.

”Oh, I don't know. He said he will pick us up at platform nine and three quarters,” Harry grinned.

”Us?” Chris repeated without understanding.

”Er. . . yeah, you and me,” Harry replied looking confused.

”What do you mean you and me?” Chris asked sharply.

”Didn't I mention, he invited you too?”

”Nooo,” Chris stretched the 'no' but then broke into a grin. ”Did he really? You are not messing with me, are you?”

” 'Course not, he asked me to invite you and Hermione, if she is not going home,” Harry smiled. ”Sirius knows you can't go home this Christmas.”

Chris never thought she would be that happy to hear Harry say those words but she was. She wasn't going to spend her holidays alone, she was going to celebrate Christmas with Harry and Sirius, well that was better than nothing.

Chris was in very good mood when she went down for Quidditch trials next evening. She had finally managed to convince Colin to tryout for beater. Angelina, Chris and Ron were the only ones left in team which pained Angelina every time she addressed them with the word 'team'. In fact, she wasn't that much optimistic with the tryouts, and Ron looked like, he was trying to vaporize while standing there. So Chris stepped up and directed the tryouts. They needed two beaters, one seeker and one chaser which was not an easy task. Katie Bell and Alicia Spinet, the former chasers of Gryffindor were best like always, and surprisingly Colin did a great job as a beater, but there was no one even close to Harry. Only two players had a few skills for that but Angelina wasn't sure about them.

”You can't compare them with Harry, Angelina,” Chris said after the tryouts. ”Not to mention, he has a Firebolt.”

”They also lack skills, Chris,” Angelina sighed. ”Alicia and Katie are good but they are good chaser, not a seeker. I've two chasers but not a seeker. I think I will give Alicia the chaser position and Katie the seeker —”

Angelina abruptly stopped and looked at Chris intensely.

”Er — Angelina?”

”Why don't you try?” Angelina said suddenly straightening up.

”Me?” Chris looked confused.

”Yeah, you Chris,” Angelina said seriously. ”You know, when Wood saw you fly at our first tryouts he said you could be a great seeker too, Gosh, I almost forgot that. Chris, give it a try for the team. Go on.”

”But?” Chris tried to protest but then realized there was no harm in trying so she nodded. ”Alright, let's do this.”

And turned out Wood was right, Chris was really good. And according to her, chasing the Snitch was more fun then snatching and passing the Quaffle, but she didn't say that aloud.

At the end of the day, Chris was happy as she still got one of her best friend in the team. As Colin and Andrew Kirke were the new Beaters, Katie and Alicia Chasers and Chris the new seeker.

”You are kidding.”

It was their last D.A. meeting before the holidays. Chris was telling Ginny what had happened at the tryouts.

”You the seeker and Colin the beater,” Ginny continued happily. ”I can't believe this. That's brilliant, Chris.”

Chris smiled then glanced sideways at Harry who was practising with Ron a little far from them. When Angelina told Harry about the new players his face wore a weird kind of expression, somewhere between happiness, anger and sadness.