The Protector

Quidditch Season

I took a deep breath of the crisp, clear air surrounding me. It was great to be back out on the field again. The sound of rambling teenagers who had their hopes up too high was starting to bring me back down to reality.

The only one not doing anything was Ron. He was going to be my favorite. If he made the team, that is. Ginny was being good as well. A little bit of talking, but nothing more. She smiled to the both of us when Harry cleared his throat.

"Good morning," Harry tried to talk over the arguing. "Today...Guys...Listen please."

"Hey!" I yelled. "Your co-captains are trying to explain things! If you want to make it on this team, pay attention!"

This caught all their attention. They all stopped and looked to Harry and I. Ginny gave us a thumbs up and I nearly giggled a bit.

"Thank you, Bridge," Harry muttered underneath his breath. "As I've said before and what you've probably been told before, just because you were on the team last year doesn't mean you will make it this year."

"You have to work hard to earn your spot," I added. "Now, let's get started, right?"

"Right," Harry clapped his hands.

The teens began to talk again as Harry and I came up with exercises to test them, "So, are you thinking of like a fake game where we pick team? The one that survive win?"

"That was kind of my idea, yeah," Harry nodded.

"Alright," I nodded. "Everyone, line up!" They did so. Harry and I began to explain to them what our brains were thinking. "We're doing a scrimmage game. I will be one team captain. Harry will be the other. Harry, you pick first."

"Ron."

"'Course. Ginny."

"Really?" He asked.

I shrugged, "Your turn."

"Jack Sloper."

"Umm....Cormac McLaggen." A cocky guy came over to me. He smirked as he looked me up and down. I felt rather uncomfortable, but I didn't say anything.

"Ritchie Coote."

"Andrew Kirke."

"Angelina."

"Oh come on," I chuckled. "Fine. Katie Bell." A girl slightly younger than me smiled by my side.

"Jimmy Peakes."

"Alicia Spinnet."

Finally, after a couple more names, everyone was picked. I smiled at my team as I led them to our side. McLaggen was walking next to me. He began to speak before we stopped, "I know why you picked me."

"Because you were in the list?"

"Look," he leant down to me, "I have eyes for Granger. Not you. Although, maybe if you weren't going out with a douche, it's be a different story."

I smiled to him. I stabbed at his foot with the wooden end of my broomstick. He groaned and almost fell over. I turned to the small crowd around me, "Let me remind all of you. Harry and I decide who gets on the team. We go based off of skill and attitude. Not looks or intelligence. Those who can survive, win. Now, places," I smiled to them as I walked to the center of the field.

Harry was the ground person since he was the seeker for his team. He shook his head as I lifted myself upwards. I looked down with confusion, "What?"

"What was that?"

"I'll explain it later," I rolled my eyes. I turned to everyone. They were all on their brooms, in their places, ready to go. I nodded to Harry. I could hear the small audience through the wind. I missed this.

"Alright," Harry held up the Quaffle. "Let the match begin!" He threw it up in the air.

I caught it instinctively. I swerved through the stunned teammates. Ginny, however, was right next to me. I threw it to her. She threw it at her brother. He kicked it out. Other team caught it. Before I chased after them, I turned to Ron, "You got this! Just be more confident!"

I bolted off. It was like that for the next half hour. One time, Ron almost fell off this broom and couldn't get back up. We, as captains, couldn't help. I felt kind of bad, but he got back up there.

I watched as McLaggen let a Quaffle go right past him. I get it, that he felt bad for Ron, but he was kidding, right?

"McLaggen, what happened?" I asked.

"I don't know," he told me. "It's like I was pushed."

I nodded before returning to the game.

•••

Later that night, Hermione, Harry, Ron, and I we're sitting by the fire in the common room. Ron was enjoying some nuts. Harry was looking over his freakish book. Hermione was reading the Daily Prophet. I was trying to figure out why she was even trying to read it.

"I thought I was going to miss the last one," Ron told us. "Poor Cormac."

"Poor my ass," I shook my head. "He's fine. But don't get a big head, Ronald. That's the reason I stabbed McLaggen with my broom."

"Yeah, why did you do that?" Harry asked.

"He thought I picked him because he thinks he's extremely attractive," I rolled my eyes. "But he's got eyes for Hermione. Not me."

Ron and Harry nearly laughed.

Hermione didn't find it amusing, "Well, I find him rather arrogant." She went back to her newspaper.

"Why are you even reading that, 'Mione?" I asked. "I know you hate it. And it only gives fake news anyways. The government doesn't even know what's happening with Voldemort, so how are they supposed to tell us."

"Doesn't matter," Hermione sighed.

"Have you guys ever heard of a spell called Sectumsempra?" Harry asked, holding out his book.

"No," Hermione seemed to be even more frustrated and stressed. "But if you had even an ounce of respect, you'd turn that book back in and get a new one."

"I say the opposite," I shrugged. "You found it in the cupboard. You keep it. But don't go trying new and different spells, Harry. That's rather dangerous."

"He is starting to get up in class rank," Ron spoke up. "I mean, he's practically passed up you and Bridge, 'Mione."

"Yes, thank you Ron for those motivational words," I curled into the couch more.

"Whose book was that anyways?" Hermione turned towards Harry. She held out her hand, "Let me see it."

"Absolutely not."

"Why not, Harry?" I asked, not moving. "We just want to know who defiled school property."

Harry got up, "It's fragile. The binding and stuff." He began to walk around the couch.

I shook my head as Hermione followed him, "Not a good excuse. We're in a magical school that can fix it with magic. I think it'll be fine."

"Yeah!" Hermione added. "What Bridget said."

I watched as Ginny stole the book and opened it to the front cover, "Half-Blood Prince? Who is that?"

"Half-blood Prince?" Hermione asked.

"That's what it says," Ginny looked back at it again.

"Well, half-blood. I'm assuming it was a half-blood's."

I felt something hit the back of my head. It wasn't hard or fast. It was Hermione's newspaper in her hand. "Don't join their side."

"I'm not on a side," I raised my hands up.

Things went back to normal when Ginny three Harry his book back. He went over and sat with it alone. I took a deep breath, What's wrong with my boys?