What About Quidditch?

He's a Keeper

James stalked as he went to his appointment. He hated these 'chats'. They wasted his perfectly good time, while he already knew what he was going to do with his life, and the 'counselor' usually fell over when he realized he was going to be interrogating the Chosen One's child. Curse his dad's never ending legacy.

He stepped through the door. An older man, slightly pudgy and balding awaited him, with a clipboard in hand. "Ahhh, Mr? Hmm, wait...Mr. Potter! Oh, dear me, I'm incredibly sorry! It's a pleasure to meet you, sir! You will be seeing me and Professor Chang today!"

James sat.

"Hummm, let's see. So, Mr. Potter, what do you fancy having as a career? Perhaps...."

"I already know. I'm going to play Quidditch."

"You've picked that career? My dear boy, you have so much talent! To waste it all away! Besides, that field is hard to get into, even with you being the Chosen One's son!"

"Sir, Quidditch is my life. I have talent for it, everyone admits. I would not be wasting my life away if I continue this path. And I do not want to get a job anywhere if they're just hiring me because my dad's Harry Potter," James said in a monotone.

"But, my dear boy, fame and glory doesn't last forever! You could be a respectable Ministry worker!"

"Respectable is hardly the word I would use. I would waste my life behind a desk! And I am not going into Quidditch for fame and glory! I'm going into it because it's what I love doing! Now, are we done? So I can go see Professor Chang?"

The counselor let out a scared shake of his head, and gestured to the door in between both rooms.

James stalked in and slammed the door. "Professor Chang, I'm not really in the mood. Can I come back later?"

"Relax, James, I don't bite. We do have to send out these application forms to the different teams. Which ones do you want me to send them to?"

James sighed and sat down. "Send one to Puddlemere United, Kingston Cross, and the Tornadoes. Might as well go ahead and send one to the Chudley Cannons, too."

Professor Chang nodded, and wrote something on a piece of parchment.

"Professor?"

She nodded.

"When you find out what Hailey's doing, will you tell me? I want to know what teams she's sending applications to."

"I will do that. Mind you, if I was in your position, I would hope to get on the Tornadoes. But your uncle, well, he might never speak to you again." She gave a small grin, and waved James out. Before he heard her door close, he heard her say something like 'soddy Tornado hater'.

James laughed all the way down the stairs. She was right. If he played any other team besides Chudley Cannons, Uncle Ron would have a fit.

  He bumped into Hailey on the trick staircase. They nearly fell over, but James was able to grab her waist. They just stood like that, for a couple of awkward seconds, till Hailey brushed herself off and picked up her books.

"How was your evil little chat?" she grinned merrily.

"Well, the instructor is awful, a Ministry pug, but Chang's fine, she just gets down to business."

"I'll keep that in mind. I have..." she glanced down at her wrist, looking at her watch. She had been able to enchant it so that it still worked at the castle. "39 seconds to get up there and think about what I want to do for the rest of my life!" she grinned, and waved at me.

***

I quickly knocked on the door, and a gravelly voice said I could come in. A puggish, yet shrimpy little man greeted me. "You must be Ms. Davies, I presume?" he asked, checking off his list. He nodded for me to take a seat. "Hmmm. 17 years old. Parents muggles?"

"Yes sir."

"Their names?"

"Alex and Lizzie Davies, sir."

He nodded, and began filling out his form. "What would you like to do as your after-school occupation, Miss Davies?"

I gave a half-hearted shrug. "I'm not exactly sure, sir. Something along the lines of Quidditch, sir."

"Blast that sport! From your records, you seem to have a highly profitable future!" he roared, tearing off a slip of paper and handing it to me. It was my OWL scores.

Transfiguration-E               Astronomy-E

Charms-O                              Defense Against the Dark Arts-O

Potions-E                               Arithmancy-O

I grinned. Those scores had taken me a good year's worth of work, and I was as proud of them as anything. "Well, I do have a highly profitable future, just not in the Ministry. Do you know that since I joined the Quidditch team, we've won every year but one?"

"You have so much talent and you would waste it away batting balls from flying bamboozles! Your parents must be disappointed with you!" The ministry worker seemed quite frantic.

"Actually, sir, my parents are quite proud of me. Ever heard of Oliver Wood and Katie Bell? They both fly for Puddlemere United? They were ever so pleased when I told them I wanted to fly too!"

The Ministry worker huffed and puffed, turning redder by the second. "Go. Now." He said from clenched teeth, pointing to Professor Chang's door. I walked in quickly, wanting to get away from him as soon as possible.

"Hi, Professor Chang." I said gloomily as I sat down.

She looked over the rim of her glasses at me. "Goodness Hailey! What did that poor man do to you? You're the fifth student I've seen come in here looking like the world's going to end!"

"Let's just say he didn't approve of my choice in career."

She nodded. "Quidditch?

"Yup."

"I thought so. Tell me Hailey, is that really what you want to do?"

"Yes? I guess? I mean, I don't know. I do like flying, and everyone says I'm good at it. And my parents would be proud that I was following in their footsteps. But it just doesn't feel quite right. I guess I don't want to have to choose yet."

Chang gave a mysterious smile. "I know. But someday you're going to have to accept the fact that you're leaving and move on with your life. And Hailey, I know your parents. They'll be proud of you no matter what. How about this? I'll send some applications for different Quidditch teams, but also for some other careers I think you might be interested in, or good at? How does that sound?"

"That sounds great Professor. Thanks."

I was about to walk at the door when Professor Chang cleared her throat .

"And Hailey?"

"Yes, Professor?"

"That Potter boy seems to fancy you. You should hold on to him. He's a keeper."

I blushed and walked into the doorframe. How did Professor Chang know that?

>>Heya! Thanks to everyone who is reading this story. It's been so much fun to write, and I love thinking that other people are getting to see it too. Please comment if you have any thoughts or suggestions. I'd love to hear them!