As Harry chatted away, he realized this day, as strange as it was, was the best prank Harry had ever seen. It had taken more than a hundred people to pull it off. The Weasleys hadn't yet managed that and maybe never would. It was horrible, but it was a little funny now. A very little.
Harry wouldn't give the idea to Fred and George, though. They didn't need anything to aspire to.
....
It was Thursday just before dark. Harry felt like he'd been beaten with mallets. In truth, he'd just endured a "full-length" Quidditch practice. Apparently the earlier ones had been of the "ease-into-things" variety.
Harry thought he was going to die. Oliver Wood was a Quidditch madman.
"The owners of three Quidditch teams are coming to our first match against Slytherin. Some parents of current students who play in the leagues, at least six, I've heard. Six pros! Then the Minister of Magic himself. All because our new star has been out of view for so long. Reporters, too, I'm sure."
Oh, Merlin.
"Now he turns up on a house Quidditch team and there was a riot for the few public tickets." Oliver was grinning as if someone had handed him a bag of gold bigger than his head.
Harry was not amused. He supposed he had been left alone for the first two years since his return to the wizarding world. But he hadn't had much luck with public exposure this year. He'd been attacked by, and then attacked, a Dementor, which had since burned up. He'd been threatened with death by an escaped prisoner and werewolf, a man who was also now dead. He could use quite a bit less of this sort of attention.
"Then we're going to have a very short match," Harry said.
"No! No, no, no, Harry. We need to look good, give them a good match," Oliver said. "Two hours, no more than three then it gets boring. Can you keep from catching the snitch for that long? We need to run up the score. Slytherin is a tip of rubbish this year. Thugs, all of them, but dumb. We will look so good in comparison and I want to make a professional team..."
Harry sighed.
"Oliver, you make the team or not..."
"Because you're good as a Keeper..."
"That's on you, not Harry. So ease up."
They didn't crack their knuckles or anything else, but they were serious and focused. They hadn't said what they'd do if Oliver persisted. However, when Weasleys made a threat, it worked.
Oliver went a little pale. "Err. Um, Harry, just get the snitch. Quick or not. Okay. No need to risk you with the thugs of Slytherin."
"Sure, Oliver," Harry said. He smiled at Fred and George.
At least Oliver's madness could be reined in a little.
He talked about the rest of the gossip he'd heard. Harry wondered how much would turn out to be true. With all of the little stories Oliver relayed, he almost worked himself back into madness, ordering half a dozen impossible things from folks on the team.
Harry decided to ignore him. Let him Keep. Harry would fly around, which he preferred to actually playing Quidditch as he had with Fred, George, Ron, and whoever else was at the Burrow. When he saw the snitch, he'd dive for it. Period.
Harry just nodded the rest of the lecture. It really was getting late.
Finally Fred and George got up and left. Oliver sputtered, but the never-ending lecture finally ended. He had been saying almost the same thing for quite some time.
Harry walked back to the castle. He'd take a shower there and he needed it. The chasers on the team were just behind him. Harry slowed and let them catch up.
"Hey Angelina, you take Runes, don't you?" Harry asked.
"Sure," she said.
"I've got a year project..."
"Those are fun," Katie said.
"Well, not yet," Harry said.
"It will be," Angelina said. "Talk to Professor Babbling. She'll help. Then she'll do the work for the project. Only for third years. The rest of the time if you want something you have to do it all yourself. And it's not good enough to just copy someone's else rune set out of a book or magazine article. She wants to see that you were thinking."
"Well, I'm trying."
"Okay, what are you doing?"
"I'm being bothered by a ghost and Peeves."
"You are? Which ghost?" Katie asked.
Dumbledore, Harry didn't say. The ghost had been a bit more cautious this year, but he was still trying to talk Harry into Divination. Irritating old man.
"A ghost," Harry said.
"It's embarrassing? I could sic Fred and George on you," Angelina said.
.....
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