My Father's Only Rule

Chapter Six: Quidditch Tryouts

September 1996 - Hogwarts

When the time came for Quidditch tryouts, Ron Weasley stood nervously at the head of a group of quarreling students hoping to make the team while Harry tried to get their attention.

"Alright. Um...Okay, so this morning, I'm gonna be putting you all through a few drills just to assess your strengths." Ginny and I stood on either side of Harry as he tried to direct their attention toward him. "Ah. Quiet, please!"

"Shut it!" I finally screamed. This got them to stop.

"Thanks. Alright, um, uh...Now then remember, just because you made the team last year does not guarantee you a spot this year. Is that clear? Good." I looked up to see Hermione in the bleachers, watching her closest friends all try out for Quidditch. I noticed Cormac Mclaggen approach Ron a little patronizingly. I walked over to see what it was about.

"No hard feelings, Weasley, alright?" he asked.

"Hard feelings?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, I'll be going out for keeper as well. It's, it's nothing personal."

"Really?" Ron asked. "Strapping guy like you? You've got more of a beater's build, don't you think?"

"Thanks, Ron," I said sarcastically. It sounded like he was insinuating that I was built like a man.

"What?" Ron said. "I'm just saying, I think you two would make a good beater duo. Keepers need to be quick, agile." Cormac caught a fly in mid-air.

"Ah, I like my chances," he said. Ron looked at me, his eyes worried for his one chance at making the quidditch team. "Say, um, think you could introduce me to your friend, Granger?" When he said this, I remembered the day that I pulled Hermione out of his sight at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. "Wouldn't mind, uh, getting on a first-name basis. Know what I mean?"

"Absolutely not," I said, throwing myself into the conversation between the two of them. "I know for a fact that she's not interested."

"Oh come on Snape," Cormac said. "Don't be jealous. If it makes you feel any better, you were first on my list before you ran right to Cedric."

"I'm dating Harry," I said, making sure he knew that his comments would not be tolerated.

"I know," he said. "Let me know if you get bored...especially if you and Granger both get bored. I'll be ready." 

I'm sorry what? 

Ron had to physically hold me back from lunging myself onto Cormac for that WILDLY inappropriate comment.

"Don't do it, Grace," Ron warned me. "You'll only cause problems."

"You heard that didn't you?" I asked him. "That disgusting pig!"

"I know," Ron said. "Nobody wants to sock him more than me. But let's just not cause any problems, okay?"

"You're just worried about your spot on the team," I said to him.

"Of course I am," he said. "I mean, look at him."

"You know," I said, scheming. "If I told Harry what he said, Harry would never let him on the team and you'd have nothing to worry about."

"Grace," Ron objected. "Let me earn this. Ok?"

"Fine," I sighed as Ron walked away, leaving me to get a clear shot of Cormac who was staring me up and down. I shuttered and walked away.

When we began tryouts, we alternated positions. There were so many people trying out that there were times when I wasn't playing. I prayed that Ron would blow us all away, but Cormac was the obvious pick. His comment kept bothering me as I felt like I had to tell Hermione...

"He said WHAT?" she screamed when I told her.

"I know," I said back. "I swear to god, that little-"

Tweeeeeeet!

"Grace, you're up!" Harry called.

"On it!" I hollered back. "Yeah. Thought I should tell you since he's clearly very interested."

"Disgusting," Hermione said. "Literally disgusting. You have to tell Harry."

"Ron said he wants to earn his spot on the team," I said.

"Well, have you seen him out there?" Hermione asked. "He's not doing it."

"I know," I said. "But I don't want it to seem like I'm trying to screw with Cormac's chances. Even though I definitely would be. I don't want to make the decision harder for Harry."

"Are you kidding?" Hermione asked. "If Harry found out that someone who made that comment about his best friend and especially his girlfriend, he would take them out of the running in a heartbeat."

"Really?" I asked. "He would do that?"

"Of course, he would," she said. "You're his girlfriend, Grace. He wouldn't let people make comments like that about you."

That's right, I am his girlfriend. Sometimes I forget.

I wasn't worried about my spot on the team at all. But I was very worried for Ron. But I decided I wouldn't consider telling Harry about Cormac's comment until tryouts were over. And I couldn't help but notice Hermione casting the confundus charm on Cormac a couple of times to help Ron out. After tryouts, Harry sat in the tent with papers in his hand, trying to figure out who to place where.

"So, did I make the cut?" I asked jokingly.

"I don't think you've got anything to worry about," Harry laughed.

"So how about Ron?" I asked him. He sighed as if he didn't want to have the conversation.

"What would you have me do, Grace?" Harry asked. "Cormac is the obvious pick. I want to let Ron on the team but I just can't."

"Well," I sighed, sitting down. I was ready to use blackmail to pave my friend's way into the quidditch team. "If you're going to let Cormac on the team, I think there's something you should know, Harry..."