Raised By Wolfstar: Slytherin Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix

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(First fully original chapter of this book, so proud.)

Chapter Twelve: Quidditch Tryouts

Blaise and his gang, plus Draco were up and gone before Harry was, leaving him with his first moment alone with Theodore since Grimmauld Place. He had to ask about the horse creatures.

'Theo,' he said slowly. 'Yesterday when we arrived, you said you could see the creatures, were you telling the truth?'

'What? Oh right, yeah I've been able to see them since the first time I road in the carriages.'

Harry was now confused, 'They've been there for years? And you never told me?'

Theodore shrugged, 'It became obvious to me pretty quickly that no one else could see them, I didn't want people to think I was crazy like you seemed last night, so I just didn't bring it up.'

Harry thought that was pretty far, he probably would have thought Theodore was crazy if he said that something was in front of Harry but Harry couldn't see it.

'I guess that makes sense, well what are they then?'

'I'm, um, not actually sure. I never asked anyone because again I didn't want to seem mad, but without a name its been pretty hard to research them, I tried a couple times to find information in the library but I eventually gave up.'

‘So you don’t know what they are or why we can see them?’ Harry asked while getting a little frustrated.

‘No, sorry,’ Theodore admitted.

Harry sighed, ‘Alright, lets go up to breakfast, than.

Being the start of term there wasn’t much to do on the weekend, so around noon Harry made his way towards the stadium to watch the tryouts for their team. As he arrived Terence was drilling the applicants to test their flying skills.

There were seven people in the air, Harry recognized all of them from around the common room, but only knew the names of four, Adrian Pucey was an old friend of Terence, Cassius Warrington used to be Slytherins Prefect and also held a grudge against Harry and Terence for losing his spot on the team to them four years ago, Graham Montague was almost a worse bully than Warrington and often harassed first years, the final person Harry recognized was Niall Urquart who was Tracey’s ex boyfriend.

‘Ok, split up into the positions you’re applying for!’ ordered Terence, ‘and remember that even if you apply for one position, if I see potential in you I might put you somewhere else!’

‘How’s the tryouts going, Captain Higgs.’

‘Mostly going well so far, the problem I’m running into is being biased.’

‘Because one of your friends is trying out?’ Harry asked.

‘No, before hand I talked to Adrian and explained that I will be judging on skill alone and he understood that if there is a better Beater I’ll be picking them.’

‘Then who makes you feel biased?’

‘Urquart, I know him and Tracey are on good terms now, but I can’t help feel angry at him for asking her out before I could.’

‘That’s not his fault though,’ Harry remarked.

Terence sighed once more, ‘I know, and the truth is the kid is a natural, I’d be a fool if I didn’t pick him.’

Harry pointed up at the sky, ‘So I recognize Adrian, Urquart, Warrington, and Montague, who are the other three?’

‘William Harper is a fourth year and is trying out for Chaser, he’s not to bad either. Scarlett Lympsham is the second year girl trying out for Keeper and she is doing pretty well. The other person trying out for Keeper is Peter Ariti, he is also fourth year and a dueling expert but I don’t know if he’s as good of a Keeper as Scarlett, we’ll just have to see.’

'How come Miles didn't want to be Keeper anymore this year?' Harry asked, the other two positions needed to be filled because the two who had filled it had graduated, but Miles Bletchley was still at Hogwarts.

'I didn't ask, he just wrote during the summer saying he didn't wish to play this year. I want to be a better captain than Flint was so being approachable and not questioning every single choice my players make is one of the things I've decided to do.'

Harry thought that was very noble of Terence, he then took a seat in the stands to watch both the tryouts and how Terence was leading them. He was able to see what Terence had been saying about most of them being good but only a couple showed the precise skill needed for that position.

Something else Harry was able to see was just how truly skilled Niall Urquhart was as a Chaser. Harry had noticed the previous year that Urquhart was quite athletic and might make a good Quidditch player, but he never thought just how much of a natural Niall would be.

After another hour Terence called all seven applicants to the ground and had them line up.

‘Alright, I have decided on who the the three players I’ll be adding to the team will be,’ a collective silence fell amongst the group. ‘Scarlett, you are the new Keeper. Niall, you are our new Chaser. Cassius, you are the new Beater.’

For that last announcement Terence’s voice had gone quiet bitter, it must have been hard to admit that the guy who was constantly bullying others was the best for the position.

‘Before you all hit the showers I have a couple more things to say,’ said Terence. ‘The first is that for those who were selected I expect you to give it your all both on the field and off, if you aren’t as skilled at the game as I thought, or if you are getting in to much trouble in classes, you can and will be replaced. Second, for those that weren’t selected today, if you will still be here next year and we have openings I implore you to try again, some of you showed great potential and with a bit more practice I think you’d make excellent additions to the team. Now go get cleaned up.’

Once they had all left, Harry went back up to Terence, ‘Choose Warrington, I didn’t see that coming.’

‘It was a painful choice, I know just how much of a jerk he can be, but he was the better Beater up there and I have to pick the player whose best for the team.’

The rest of the weekend went pretty smoothly, and Sunday evening Harry even managed to get some alone time in the dormitory so he brought out his secret two way mirror and got to talk to Sirius and Remus.’

‘How have your first few days back been?’ asked Sirius.

‘Boring actually, I can’t wait for classes to start tomorrow.’

‘Anything new at Hogwarts this year?’ Remus asked.

‘Yes actually, Hagrid is missing, and a woman from my trial is now teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts.’

‘Hagrid is fine last we heard, so you don’t need to worry as much about him,’ explained Remus, ‘but what woman from your trial are you talking about?’

‘Someone at Fudge’s right hand who voted against me, Dolores Umbridge.’

His adoptive parents exchanged a look.

‘She’s bad news, isn’t she?’ asked Harry.

Sirius spoke up, ‘Well we only technically met her once back when she worked as an assistant for the Wizengamot, but we have been forced to read about her often as she is responsible for most of the anti-werewolf legislation that’s been introduced over the last decade. She drafted that nasty law two years ago that makes it almost impossible for him Remus to get a job.’

‘She also helped have the Werewolf Support Services in the ministry be shut down, not that many used it. I am appalled by the thought that she’ll be teaching you, Theo, and especially Canini,’ said Remus who was starting to get red with anger.

‘Do you think she has checked the werewolf registry?’ asked Harry.

‘There is no way to tell,’ said Sirius, ‘only time will tell I guess. But I would suggest you send a letter to Canini to fill her in so she is prepared for anything.’

'I'll write her after we are done, but I have more questions.'

'Go on,' said Remus.

'Will the Ministry interfering at Hogwarts have any effect on the Order's plans?'

'We can't predict all the damage it will do, I think the more events unfold the more we'll know, but long term I can see this as a problem,' said Sirius. 'It was the hopes of the Order that the students who were attending during last years tragedy might be more prone to believe Voldemort's return and when they graduate will help raise awareness, but from being fed false propaganda both at home and now at school I fear that even those that used to believe the Dark Lord is back will soon have doubts.'

'I've noticed that already, some students who were sympathetic to me at the end of last year now are whispering behind my back.'

'I'm sorry to hear that Harry, you-'

But Harry cut Sirius off, 'It's ok, I have had to deal with rumours before, I'll be alright. What I am really concerned with is Hagrid. I know you just said not to worry, but I really am, is he actually on a mission for Dumbledore with Madame Maxime, or is he doing something else.'

'Harry, I want to answer your questions, I really do,' said Remus, 'but Hagrid's whereabouts are strict Order secrets, all we can really tell you is that he is helping us and that last he checked in he was doing alright.'

Harry didn't enjoy still being kept in the dark, but he didn't feel like right now was the time to argue. He had one more question.

'How is Tonks? I was so mad at her that I didn't really talk to her while I was staying at Grimmauld Place.'

'Tonks has been extremely busy at the Ministry, she and Kingsley have been some of our most important ears in the Ministry, but also have been carefully recruiting more members,' Sirius answered, most of this Harry had already heard. 'It hasn't been easy though, Head Auror Rufus Scrimgeour has been watching her like a hawk, maybe because she's so close to Mad-Eye, maybe because of her relation to me, but he has constantly been asking her questions and sending her on abnormally long assignments. She is also convinced her mail is being read, hence why she hasn't been writing much. She'll be ok though, she's a smart girl and she isn't going through this alone.'

The last part was new information to Harry and he now felt a little guilty for how he had treated her. Remus seemed to notice how Harry was feeling.

'It's ok Harry, she understands why you were mad and she didn't take it personally. We can tell her as much the next time we see her if you'd like.'

'Thanks you guys, I'd appreciate that.'

It was just then he heard someone on the stairs.

'I think someone is coming, so I'd better go. I'll send that letter to Canini.'

'Ok Harry, we love you, good luck on your classes.'

And with those final words spoken by Sirius he quickly stashed the mirror under his bed and pulled out a book just as his dorm mates entered.