Chapter 6

Pranks and Pitches (part 2)

September 14, 1991

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Harry followed a taller, boy with ash blonde hair back to the quidditch pitch, where there were still stray brooms from his flying class. The boy was supposedly the quidditch captain for the Slytherin team, and he apparently would teach the younger boy how to play the game. However, Harry did not know what would happen, judging by the looks that were being thrown his way.

Harry did not know what the quidditch captain's name was, but he was afraid to ask.

"Now look, Potter," the captain began brusquely, "I don't want you on this team, not at all, but you're my only option so I'm going to teach you the game. You may want to know that my name is Crux Batt."

After an hour of complicated explanations, multiple questions, and annoyed glances, Harry was caught up on the game of quidditch, his part in the game, and thoroughly annoyed. Despite this, the game seemed enjoyable, and Harry thought he would do well.

When Harry made it back into the common room, Malfoy automatically cornered him. "Where have you been?" the blonde boy asked threateningly.

Harry quickly thought and had to partially lie."Snape made me talk to him about the... situation."

"I don't believe you," Malfoy practically declared.

"Well believe whatever you want, Malfoy." Harry's patience was nearly gone, and he did not want to deal with the rude boy.

When Harry walked away, he missed the sly smile that crept its way onto the blonde boy. Had Harry seen it, he may have been watching his back a little closer than he actually was. However, Harry merrily strolled back to the dorm room.

Harry woke up the next morning and got ready quickly. He had his first quidditch practice that morning and it would begin right after breakfast. He wanted to be ready rather than having to devour his food and rush onto the pitch. Unlike his usual, Harry did not wait on Blaise and the girls, but he explained to Blaise before he left.

Breakfast was kind of boring for the raven-haired boy since he was alone. Harry used the quiet time to try and think over the game of quidditch and his job in it. When the others showed, Harry readily talked to them for about five minutes.

Just before Harry left, the morning post came. The only thing keeping the boy at the table was the fact that a barn owl carrying an oblong package was coming in his direction. The package was placed in front of him and had his name on it, so Harry ripped into the package, much like he had seen his cousin, Dudley, do on many occasions. This, however, was the first time Harry had experienced this himself.

The package was a broom. Harry had no idea where it came from, but he was informed by Blaise that is was the newest Nimbus broom, the Nimbus 2000. Based on the awed look on Blaise's face, Harry could infer that it was a really neat and expensive broom.

Harry looked around the broom and package for a name of who sent it, but he was unable to find anything. Next, he looked around the room and saw no one looking at him. Daphne, who was sitting in front of him, was smiling down at her food.

"You, seriously?" Harry accused the girl.

Daphne looked up like a deer in the headlights. "What? No, I am just observant enough to see who sent that."

"Who?" Blaise and Harry asked in unison.

"I'm not saying. That's your mystery to figure out."

Harry glared. "Okay, well, I have quidditch practice to get to. Are we still doing the 'Slytherin Bootcamp' later?"

The three replied, "Yep."

Harry grabbed his new broom and marched out of the Great Hall and to the quidditch pitch. He was the first one there, no surprise since Slytherins always seemed to be exactly on time and no earlier, no later.

Harry's first practice went well. He seemed to be a natural on the pitch. After practice, Harry had time to take a shower and change before he had to meet his friends by the lake for the 'Slytherin Bootcamp.'

Blaise, Daphne, and Tracey were waiting in the group's usual spot when Harry walked up. They smiled at him before launching into an explanation of what they planned for the boy.

"First, we will start out by giving you scenarios," Daphne started out.

Blaise spoke up. "Then, you will be taught how to properly hide and eavesdrop."

Lastly, Tracey spoke. "Finally, you will be given pointers on how to plot behind people's backs, and my friend Daphne here knows the psycogy or whatever behind it."

"Psychology," Daphne corrected with a smile.

"Okay," answered Harry. "When do we start?"

The others smiled and said in unison, "Right now."

Two hours later, Harry was nailing all the tests and went from a shy boy that did not really seem to fit in anywhere to a sly boy who was the perfect Slytherin. Harry was trying to get used to the mindset as he walked into the Great Hall and heard the chatter of students about him. He was picking out parts of conversations and trying to keep the faces and words together in his mind. However, he was only keeping what may be useful to him in the future.

This also stayed on his mind throughout the dinner while he was keeping track of others' conversations along with the constant flow of his friends. Daphne could be seen watching the room discretely. Being observant was something that Harry was going to have to work on, seeing as it was an important aspect of the Slytherin character.

Harry laid down in his bunk that night, exhausted from quidditch practice and Slytherin Bootcamp. He replayed a few important conversations he had picked up in his head as he drifted off to sleep. One conversation that had the young boy troubled was something Malfoy had said when Harry passed him in the halls earlier in the day.

"He took my place. He will pay for it because my Dad will hear about this, and he will help me," Malfoy had said.

This was something Harry worried about. He began to scavenge in his head for anyone who may have 'taken Malfoy's spot'. Knowing the blonde boy, it was probably not Malfoy's spot, to begin with.

Harry eventually drifted off to sleep an hour or two later without an explanation.

September 15, 1991

"Potter, I need you to stay after class," Snape barked as Harry gathered his things.

"Yes, sir," Harry said to the potions master.

Once everyone left the room, Snape began speaking to Harry. "Look, Potter, I have some bad news. As much as I hate to say it, you really are the best choice for the seeker; and, from what I heard, you played amazingly yesterday at practice. However, someone else has been chosen for that spot on the team. You are dismissed."

Harry looked at the professor. "Thank you for letting me know. Can you at least tell me who has been chosen over me?"

"I'm afraid you will just have to find out with the rest of your house," Snape said without emotion.

Harry left the room to go to his next class in a much more depressed mood.

A/N Look, I'm aware that this is really short but it's really just a continuation of the last chapter, so, put together, they are actually a normal length. I have been really busy lately so updates have been spotty, but I have Thanksgiving break next week so I should get time to write a couple of chapters in advance then.

Thank yall for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and/or following. I appreciate each and every one of them.

-T