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Author: Shamrock Holmes Story: Harry Potter and the Torch of Caelum Rating: Teens Setting: Pre-HBP Status: Completed Reviews: 1 Words: 59,803
Chapter Twenty: Potter v. Chang The last weekend of the Easter break was notable for two things: the continuing build-up to the Quidditch final between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, and the release of the appointment times for the individual careers advice interviews. Ginny's interview was near the end of the list, and was set to take on the Wednesday afternoon after they returned to classes. "Have you any idea what you want to do, Gin?" Harry asked her that evening as they sat curled up in their favourite armchair in the common room. Ginny looked up from the novel she was reading - the medieval adventure book Harry had bought for her nine months before in Diagon Alley - and frowned. "I'm sure. I thought about becoming an Auror, partly because I know you want to," she admitted. Harry nodded, "But...?" Ginny shrugged, "I keep coming back to the leaflet on Healers, I don't know why but something about them appeals to me. What do think I should do?" "I don't know, love," Harry admitted. "I'm going for Auror is because that feels like the natural thing for me to do. So I'd suggest going with whatever feels right to you. Either would be tough. According to McGonagall, it takes three years to become an Auror, and you have to pass a lot of aptitude tests and things like that before you can get in. From what I've heard about the Healers, their training program is probably as difficult or even more so. Whatever you decide though, Gin, I'll support you all the way." "I know you will, Harry," Ginny told him, and opened her book again. "I never doubted that for a minute." With the topic of conversation exhausted, the couple lapsed back into a comfortable silence. So comfortable in fact that they fell asleep, and didn't wake up until the next morning - though they fortunately managed to avoid being caught by Ron. ---- The Wednesday post-lunch period found Harry, Ginny and Civis the crow climbing the main staircase on their way to Professor McGonagall's office. When they reached the office, Harry told Civis to remain outside while he went in with Ginny. As usual the ‘crow' squawked an indignant protest but nonetheless flew off Harry's shoulder and perched on a convenient wall bracket. Harry knocked on the door and upon receiving an answering "Come in!" turned the handle and meeting no resistance, pushed the door open. "Ladies first?" he asked with a grin. Ginny scowled at him, but walked forward anyway, Harry followed her inside and closed the door behind him. "Hello, Miss Weasley," Professor McGonagall looked up as they sat down, then she started. "Mr Potter, what are you doing here?" "It's okay, Professor, I asked him to come," Ginny told her. "Harry's my boyfriend, and he's going to be part of my life, so he might as well hear this." "Very well," said McGonagall. "Have you given any thought to a career as yet?" "I thought about either becoming an Auror or a Healer," Ginny admitted. "I see. Well, I believe the academic requirements are fairly similar..." McGonagall told them, digging out two familiar pamphlets. "Yes, they are. Both training programs require a minimum of 5 ‘Exceeds Expectations' at NEWT level, ideally in Defence Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Charms, Transfiguration; the Healer Training Program also asks for an ‘E' in Herbology as well." "Harry told me a while ago that it takes three years to train as an Auror?" Ginny said. "Is that right?" "Yes, Miss Weasley. The Healer Training Program takes four years to complete, then you must serve a one-year internship at St Mungo's or a similar institution." "Now as you may know, I require at least an ‘E' for my NEWT class," Ginny nodded. "As does Professor Ambrose. However, you will need an ‘O' to get into Professor Snape's class, and an ‘A' to get into Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout's classes." "What about Hagrid's class?" "Hagrid will take any student who passes their Care of Magical Creatures OWL," McGonagall replied. "Is there anything else?" "No, thank you, Professor." "Very well then, Miss Weasley. That concludes your career consultation." Ginny smiled and got to her feet. Harry rose to go with her, then paused. "I'll see you at the Defence Council meeting later tonight?" "Of course, Mr Potter," "I'll see you later then," said Harry, and followed Ginny out of the room. ---- The next few weeks passed in a blur of classes, Quidditch practices, and DA sessions. On Saturday morning, Harry was rather nervous and rose rather earlier than usual and spent three hours practicing his fighting techniques and then dressed and walked out to the pitch and spent another hour doing sprints and high-speed flying manoeuvres, then joined the team at the Gryffindor table. After an hour, Harry motioned for the team to get up. They walked down to the Quidditch pitch with their brooms slung over their shoulders. After changing into their Quidditch uniforms, they sat down to wait for the signal to move out onto the pitch. At eleven o'clock, Harry stood up. "Okay team, it's time." --- "Good morning everyone. And welcome to the last game of the Quidditch season," Abercrombie said with his usual enthusiasm. "Today, the defending champions, Gryffindor, take on Ravenclaw!" On this occasion, the cheers were roughly even, with the majority of the Slytherin supporters cheering for Ravenclaw, and most of the Hufflepuffs siding with Gryffindor. "Both teams are playing the same line-up as their other games this season," Abercrombie reminded the spectators. "However, just in case you forget, playing in red for Gryffindor today are… David, Shaw, Bell, Whisp, Weasley, Weasley, and… Potter!" There was another surge of cheers as the Gryffindor team flew out onto the pitch. Once it died down, Abercrombie continued. "And, playing in blue for Ravenclaw are… Boot, Goldstein, Turpin, Chang, Bradley, Chambers, and… Davies!" Roger Davies moved to face Harry across the circle at the centre of the pitch and Madam Hooch stood out into the middle of the pitch. "I want a nice clean game," she reminded them as she released the Bludgers and the Snitch, which immediately disappeared form view. Harry and Roger both nodded in agreement. She picked up the Quaffle and raised her whistle to her lips. "Let the game begin!" "Ravenclaw takes possession, Bradley has the Quaffle and is moving for the Gryffindor goals… he ducks a Bludger sent his way by Beater David of Gryffindor, dodges past Chaser Bell and shoots… The Quaffle is intercepted by Ginny Weasley of Gryffindor… who passes to Whisp, Whisp heads for the Ravenclaw end, flanked by Bell and Shaw… he shoots and scores! Gryffindor opens the scoring and takes a lead of ten points!" "Ravenclaw takes possession, Chambers with the Quaffle… he passes the Quaffle to Roger Davies… they are joined by Chaser Bradley and they take up a Hawkeshead Attacking Formation and fly for the Gryffindor goal… Ravenclaw level the score at ten to ten!" Ginny intercepted the Quaffle, and then spotting Terry Boot - the slighter of Ravenclaw's two Beaters - closing in, she passed it Ron, he sent it curving towards Katie and Whisp, who promptly teamed up together to put another goal through Ravenclaw's rings. "Chaser Whisp of Gryffindor puts one through to give his team a ten-point lead! Gryffindor still has possession, Bell with the Quaffle... passes to Whisp, he shots... and Turpin saves it! Ravenclaw in possession, Davies with the Quaffle... he takes a hit from a Bludger, sent his way by Beater Shaw of Gryffindor, and Gryffindor are back in possession." Twenty seconds later, Ginny managed to outmanoeuvre Lisa Turpin and score. Whisp intercepted the Quaffle as it plummeted towards the ground and was just about to pass it to Katie when a Bludger hit him in the gut, with a groan he fell to the ground. Harry could see that he was dazed but he got to his knees and was able to stagger off the pitch. "Chaser Whisp takes a hit from a Bludger and he's out of the game, Ravenclaw have possession and are heading for the Gryffindor goal…" Outnumbered as they were by the equally skilled Ravenclaw team, it was only a matter of time before a break appeared in Gryffindor defences, and when it did the Ravenclaws took full advantage. "Captain Roger Davies scores again for Ravenclaw, they now tie Gryffindor 20-20, and are still in possession." "Chaser Bradley takes another shot at the Gryffindor hoops… nice Starfish and Stick manoeuvre by Gryffindor Keeper Ronald Weasley. Gryffindor are back in possession, Weasley with the Quaffle… reverse passes to Katie Bell, Bell takes aim at the Ravenclaw goal… Turpin moves to intercept… but it's a feint! Bell passes the Quaffle back to Ginny Weasley, who shoots… and gets it through no trouble at all. Gryffindor are now back in the lead at thirty points to twenty!" The next hour followed a similar give-and-take pattern, Gryffindor would score, then Ravenclaw would capture the Quaffle and score themselves, usually after one or two failures, then Gryffindor would get the Quaffle back and the whole circle would start all over again. Finally, with the score at fifty points to forty in Gryffindor's favour, Harry finally spotted the glint of gold he had been searching for: the Golden Snitch. But there was a problem, Cho hadn't spotted the Snitch yet, but she was much closer to it than him and if he flew towards it there was no way he could get to it before she did. Well, time to show her something, a little different… decided Harry and sped upwards, straining for as much height as he could. When he thought he was high enough, and as close to the correct position as he could afford, Harry banked downwards, then sending a command to his broomstick, he slipped off it and began to fall through the air. He ignored the gasps of surprise and shock for the watching spectators, and grinned as he saw Cho's shocked expression as he dropped towards the ground. I hope this works… Harry thought to himself. I've never done this before, and if that charm doesn't work like Civis says it does, I'm going to make a very big mess on the ground. Fifty feet from the ground, Harry shot out both his arms and twisted in mid-air so he was falling feet first, grabbing the Snitch as he passed it, then half a second later he felt a jarring impact as he landed back onto his broom. He drifted to the ground and then dismounting, held up the Snitch for all to see. "I don't believe it!" declared Abercrombie. "Gryffindor Captain Harry Potter catches the Snitch, and Gryffindor wins the Quidditch Cup for the third season in a row!" I did it, Harry thought himself as the stadium echoed with the cheers of the Gryffindor supporters. We won. Ron and the Chasers were the first to reach him; first Katie, then Ron grabbed him round the shoulders in a comradely hug, Harry accepted them for a minute, then he broke away from them and embraced Ginny in a very different, more passionate hug. "We won, Gin," he said, grinning down at his beaming girlfriend. "We did it." "Yes we did, Harry." "Yeah, great job, Captain," said Henry Shaw, grinning broadly, and everyone present - which now included the two reserve players and the other Chaser, Wilhelm Whisp - echoed his sentiment. "We did it together, guys. I couldn't have done it without you all," he told them and led the way to where Dumbledore and the other teachers were waiting. Civis, Hermione, and the others joined them at the base of the teacher's stand. "That was pretty cool what you did, Harry," said Jamie. "Did you know it would work?" "Actually, I didn't," Harry admitted. Hermione scowled. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT YOU WERE DOING?! YOU COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!!" "Don't exaggerate, Hermione," Harry admonished her. "It was a controlled fall. At worst, I would've got a broken leg or two. It was worth it." Hermione snorted in disgust, but said nothing as Harry moved up to collect the silver cup from Dumbledore and raised it into the air as the stadium erupted in cheers. When he stepped back, the two Beaters raised him onto their shoulders and carried him through the crowds. ---- "I hope I didn't scare you, love," Harry asked Ginny a few minutes later, as they joined the victory party at Gryffindor Tower. After getting some snacks and a couple of bottles of Butterbeer from the table that Civis had set up in the common room and carried them over to their favourite chair near the fire. "You didn't, Harry," Ginny assured him, snuggling closer to him. "To be honest, I didn't notice you falling until you'd turned in mid-air, so I guessed that you at least had an idea what you were doing." "I'm glad," Harry told her, reaching over her to pick up a couple of treats from a plate perched on the chair arm. He fed one treat to his girlfriend and then ate one himself. "I don't want you to be afraid for me, Gin." "I know, Harry," said Ginny, taking a mouthful of Butterbeer from the bottle wedged into the other side of the chair. "I try not to be." The party continued until well after midnight, and only ended because Katie and Harry decided that enough was enough and ordered everyone to bed. "I'll see you in the morning, Gin." "Okay, Harry," agreed Ginny, and pulled him into a secluded corner so they could hug. After a couple of minutes, they separated. Harry dropped a last kiss on Ginny's forehead. "Good night, love." "Good night, Harry," said Ginny, and moved up the girls' staircase to bed. Harry stood smiling in the common room for a minute or two, and then headed up to bed himself. A/N: The ‘Leap of Faith' (the manoeuvre that Harry used to capture the Snitch) was invented by FanFiction.Net author AlL rOaDs LeAd To HeLl and was used with the author's permission. As always please review.
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