Chapter 19
A few days later, Ginny found herself deep in arguments with Aiden in the Common Room – the table in between them once again filled with parchment describing different plays she wanted to try out.
“You are Captain Weasley, right?” A small boy with dirty blond hair stood in front of Ginny.
“Guess so,” Ginny focused on looking calm and cool even though her inside bubbled with excitement and nerves at the title, “and you are?”
“Kieran,” the boy introduced himself, “is it true you will hold an open practise on Sunday?”
Ginny nodded hesitantly, she could see Aiden looking up from the plays next to her, he seemed to be eying the boy judgingly up and down.
“Can me and my friends join?”
Ginny was on the brink of telling the boy that that was the whole point of an open practise when Aiden cut in.
“Aren’t you a firstie?”
“So what?”
“Have you even had your first flying lesson?” The boy’s silence gave them the answer. “You think we should bring a bunch of firsties who don’t know the first thing about flying onto a Quidditch Pitch and let them play with us? Haven’t you heard of Professor Snape’s aversion to the paper work that comes with Slytherin-kids dying on the pitch?”
“I do know the first thing about flying. I’ve been on a broom since before I could walk.” The young boy seemed to radiate irritation in a way that was strangely familiar to Ginny. He turned from Aiden and directed his words directly towards Ginny, “I thought you if anyone would put quidditch over prejudice!”
“I haven’t said no,” Ginny contemplated her next words and continued as an answer to Aiden’s raised eyebrow, “I haven’t said yes either”. Ginny tried to think of what to do, she really did not want to be the one telling an eleven-year-old he could not play. But on the other hand, it was probably madness to let him on the pitch with seventh years.
“Then what do you say?” The first-year pressed.
“What if I asked you to meet me at 7 o’clock on the pitch on Saturday? Gives me a couple of hours to make a judgement if it would be safe to let you and your friends join.”
The boy gave her a maniac smile that Ginny thought would have been more appropriate for receiving a Firebolt than a ‘maybe’ to attend an open practise. But who was she to judge, two years ago she probably also would have done anything for that opportunity…
When Ginny dragged herself out of bed and into the Great Hall for breakfast just after six that Sunday, she regretted ever getting the incongruously idea of going flying with first-years. Though she guessed, in a way she could see it as paying forward all hours Johnson had spent on her and Alex. She really had not given the older girl enough credit for taking all that time for them. Too her surprise the Slytherin table was not all empty as she had expected. A lone figure sat in the middle of the table gulping down the usual scrambled eggs and bacon.
“I though you said this was the most stupid idea I had so far this year?”
“Just because it’s stupid doesn’t mean I will let you do it yourself,” Aiden answered without looking up from his bacon. “Besides, can’t let those firsties sweet-talk you into getting to play with us without having any talent. Everyone knows you have a soft side for boys who bats their eyes at you.”
“That is slander! I have no soft side.”
Aiden just scoffed in return.
A quarter of an hour later the pair made their way down to the pitch to prepare the day ahead. When they finally had sorted out some school brooms that was not too much of a hazard to use and found all equipment that they thought they might need, the pitch had been invaded with a bunch of kids bubbling with excitement.
“Ey, Kieran!” Ginny called out and the dirty blond boy from the common room came up to them. “I though you said you and a couple of friends? This is almost your whole year-group!”
Kieran shrugged, not looking at all sorry, “can’t help if I’m popular.”
“You mean quidditch and the chance of flying is popular?” Aiden cut in.
Kieran grinned an unnervingly familiar grin, totally unimpressed of Aiden’s dig at him. “A bit of that to!”
Ginny shook her head but turned towards the almost dozen first-years on the pitch.
“So, who of you have never been on a broom before?”
A tall girl and two identical boys hesitantly raised their hands.
“Ok, take these but don’t mount them until I say so, got it?” Ginny handed the Shooting Star that Alex had used her first year to the girl and the boys a Cleansweep Five each. She saw Kieran looking annoyed when he realized she had given the better brooms to the newbies but she did not comment on it since he accepted the broom Aiden handed him without a word.
“The rest of you, put the brooms aside and run a lap around the pitch while I show these three the basics.”
“Why?” A burly, sullen-looking boy asked.
“Because I say so,” Ginny was annoyed, she really was not in the mood to justify herself to some little kids she never asked to handle in the first place. But she realized – she always hated when Flint did not explain why he wanted her to do stuff, so she continued. “But also, because the risk of injury is lower if you do some warming-up. I also found that it gives you an advantage to make sure you have some fitness.”
As Ginny watched, the eight first-years started running – Kieran almost bouncing ahead of them, some other kids more reluctantly. But at least she did not have to deal with anyone refusing to do as she said. With that Ginny turned towards the three kids left.
“So, I’m Ginny Weasley and this is Aiden Lestrange – he’s a beater on the team, I play chaser. Who are you guys?”
“I’m Callie,” the girl answered and gestured to the boys, “this is Noah and Oliver Miller.”
“Nice, when you have your first flying lesson Madame Hooch probably will ask you to put your hand out and call it with a ‘up’, but I find that it often is easier to get the broom to do your bidding if you have gotten to know it before starting to yell at it. So, pick them up and take a seat on them.”
The three first-years did as she said, this was so much easier than trying to manhandle a quidditch team into following her orders Ginny though with a relieved sigh.
“You talk about broom as if they are alive,” one of the Miller-boys commented.
“Alive?” Ginny waved ‘her’ Cleansweep Five around a bit, “this is my best friend!”
The so far silent Aiden scoffed at her as he corrected the first-years grip on their brooms. “Don’t listen too much to Weasley here, she’s a bit of a crazy-broom-lady…” The boys sniggered a bit at that but Callie looked admiringly at Ginny.
When Kieran arrived back, a quarter a pitch ahead of the next kid, all three of the newbies where hovering fairly stable in the air and Callie was trying to convince Aiden that she was ready for trying on something more exciting than just hovering. Leaving Aiden to handle that battle, Ginny turned towards the rest of the group that was arriving one-by-one. When they were all there Ginny spoke up.
“So, I’m Ginny Weasley, acting-Captain and chaser of the Slytherin quidditch team – the guy over there is as you might know our beater, Aiden Lestrange. I gave Kieran a promise that if any of you show enough skill this morning, I will allow that or those persons to train with the team on our open Sunday practises. Though, fair warning – it will take quite a lot to convince me that letting first-years into practises is not a stupid, dangerous idea.” Most of the first-years nodded crestfallenly at her little speech but some seemed to grow more determined at her words. “What are you waiting for? Get on those brooms and up in the air. Space out, at least 30 yards apart, no higher than 100 feet, and start flying laps – a stable flying is more important than speed!”
When all the firsties Ginny turned to Aiden, “Merlin, how did we end up teaching a flying class at 7 o’clock on a Sunday?”
“Told you that you have a sweet spot for that Kieran boy, I might have to watch out for him!” Aiden laughed.
“Where’s Callie?” Ginny asked, noticing only the two boys practising their hovering behind Aiden.
Aiden shrugged, “she thought she was ready for flying.”
“Salazar, Lestrange! Did you even teach her how to brake before letting her away? You are the worst teacher I heard of…”
“Sooner or later, everyone stops,” Aiden smirked good-natured at her horror, “relax Weasley, I told her how to stop. I might be un unvoluntary flying-tutor here, but I’m not in the habit to let Professor Snape catch me letting firsties crash-land.” With that he waved her off, “go up and show those kids how a Slytherin quidditch-player is supposed to fly.”
For once Ginny did as Aiden said and took off into air. She would never grow tired of the feeling of the morning air streaming onto her face, into her hair and giving her an unbeatable feeling of freedom. To give herself the opportunity to enjoy the feeling Ginny soared two laps ten feet over and in the opposite direction of the first-years before coming to a sudden halt and turning her attention down towards them. It seemed as Aiden’s judgement of Callie had been correct, she definitely wasn’t the worst on the pitch. Making a quick assessment of the situation Ginny pulled a girl and a boy out which courses was way too unstable to be safe, and after giving them some advice she sent them down to Aiden to practise before being allowed up again. After that she fell in beside with a black-haired boy whose broom was almost vibrating.
“No, please don’t send me off, give me another chance!” The boy said desperately.
“Wasn’t going to, was just going to suggest you move your right hand a few centimetres further up and your left closer to your body. Then the broom should stop shaking that much and you can focus more on the flying instead of just holding on.”
The boy did as she said and fired of a large smile at her when it succeeded, doing so he turned too much and started to tip. Ginny realized what was on the way to happening and threw herself toward him to drag him back up, laughing at his baffled face. “Hey, aren’t you Sam Garcia’s little brother?”
The boy nodded trying to get back control over the old Comet he was on. “Don’t tell her I almost fell off!”
“No worries, what happens on the pitch stay on the pitch. Besides, you know, she actually fell off on our second flying lesson – luckily Madame Hooch managed to catch her with a levitation spell. Just keep going that way. Make sure you know where you put your hands, lean forward, and bend your knees.”
With that Ginny moved on to the next kid, when Ginny had made her way through the seven first-years flying laps she was exhausted and landed next to Aiden who had gotten his four to fly in a stable circle just about five feet above them.
“It’s almost eight, we should get some balls on the pitch and see if any of them actually have any quidditch-talent.” Ginny nodded her agreement.
“I’m going to strangle that boy, I agreed to test him out before practise – not hold a free flying session…” Ginny said half-joking, half-seriously.
“Told you that you are way too soft, blow that whistle now.”
Ginny did, causing two kids almost falling over in shock before the whole bunch managed to descend more or less gracefully.
“Accio ball box” Aiden waved his wand and the box of balls that they had carried out of the locker room earlier came soaring over. Ginny heard a few first-years making impressed noises, it was kind of fun how easy it was to impress them. She flicked her wand and made the box open itself.
“So, this one” Ginny lifted up the Quaffle, deciding to take if from the basics, “is the fun one. It’s called the Quaffle and is the one the chasers use to score on the keeper. Hold this one for so long,” with that she suddenly throwed the Quaffle in Kieran’s direction – not completely surprised at the ease which he caught it with; he had been flying circles around the other firsties so she did not think there was anything empty about his bragging.
Taking up the small Snitch, holding it between her thumb and index finger, letting it flex its wings freely. “This is the Snitch; the seekers job is to catch this one – earning their team 150 points and ending the game.” With that Ginny released the Snitch, let it fly almost two feet away before snatching it up again. No harm in styling a little, not as if she was going to tell anyone she spent almost every evening during the summer practising that move with the snitch Tyler had gotten her for Yule in First Year, before being able to catch it with ease every time just before it managed to get away.
Ginny turned back to the box and put her hand on one of the Bludger. “This is a bludger, only trolls could possible like them – but they do make the game so much more exciting!” With that Ginny opened the buckle holding the Bludger in place letting it soar out into the sky. As if an afterthought Ginny threw Aiden the bat he had left lying on the ground when he had started to help the newbies with their grips.
“Duck!” Aiden called to a blond boy who instinctively did as he asked just before the Bludger whizzed past where his head had been. With a satisfying whack Aiden smacked the Bludger off course and away from the group in the middle of the pitch.
“So, that is a Bludger and how you deal with it. It’s the beaters job as you might have guessed. While Lestrange take care of that one, those of you interested in beating can make your way over to the right side of the pitch, keeping and chasing on the left side.” Ginny watched the first-years split up into uneven groups with three kids making their way over to the right side and seven to the left. Left in the middle was Callie.
“Seeking?” Ginny guessed. Callie nodded excitedly back.
“I think I would be good at it. I’ve always been good at catching balls in every sport I tried.” Muggle-raised, Ginny realized, that explained the never having flown before as well.
“I don’t have many advices, I tried seeking in my youth but never stuck on it. The two main strategies I seen seekers use are either to hover high up until they see it and then make a dive for it. Or a more fine-combing method of zigzagging the air. This is a practise Snitch so it should be slow enough for you to have a shot at catching it.” With that Ginny let the Snitch go and the eleven-year-old in front of her threw herself into air without any of the hesitance Ginny thought should be there at least the very first day of flying. Ginny followed the girl with her eyes for a short while, she reminded her of Alex; it was as if her body just melted into the broom as if they had been made for each other.
“Wish me luck!” Aiden called, walking past with the Bludger tucked under the arm he was carrying his bat in and three practise-bats in the other, and with a face-expression as if he was walking into a war. Ginny could not help to chuckle, she had to admit that she rather took the larger group but got to handle the friendly ball…
Half an hour later Ginny had to admit that Kieran had reasons for his confidence. He was a much better chaser than most second and third years had been at last year’s try-outs. Three of the other girls and one of the boys could probably fly at second-year level if they practised a couple more times. The last two would need way more than that she was afraid. Leaving the kids to play around with the Quaffle on their own Ginny went to have a word with Aiden.
“Ey, Lestrange, move your ass over here!” Unlike her, Aiden caught the Bludger and brought it with him to their impromptu meeting, leaving the first-years to dry-practising their swings.
“Never been so happy to hear your voice Gin, those kids are enough to drive one crazy, put in a Bludger in that equation and I rather be in Arithmancy right now. Not sure your friendship is worth agreeing to this!”
Ginny nicely did not point out that she never asked him to join, she was well aware she would have been in way too deep without him there this morning.
“Unfortunately, I will have to give Kieran right, he does deserve to come to the practise – give him a couple of years and I bet you a sickle he will get a starting position when Adrian and Cassius graduates.” Ginny admitted, the boy was good.
“The Miller twins were just as much danger with bats in their hands as their brother Grayson is in the Potion classroom. No wonders they haven’t let them onto brooms before Hogwarts…” Aiden shook his head in enervation. “Though Alison Murton was surprisingly good, ok on the broom and quite good with the bat. Said she and her older sister used to play all the time, never knew Adelaide played – must get her to come some practise as well – we do have a shortage of potential beaters.” Ginny vaguely recognized the name as one of Aiden’s class-mates and nodded.
“What about the seeker girl?” Aiden asked.
“Callie? It’s her first day in the air,” Ginny answered hesitantly.
“So? You saw her, the girl got raw talent. And I don’t think the argument that first years are too immature will hold, she doesn’t seem like the type to act up. Besides, seeker is a bit cut off from most of the action on practice, the injury-risk wouldn’t be that high for her, not during a practise-only season.” When Ginny still hesitated Aiden pressed. “What’s really the matter, don’t like her?”
“No! She was nice enough, just, I think she’s muggle-raised, maybe even muggleborn…” when she saw Aiden’s raised eyebrow she hurriedly continued “of course I don’t mean it that way! It’s just, you heard Malfoy’s comment to Ethan. She’s only eleven. And if he comes back, they will train together and besides he’s not the only one with that kind of views, you know that.” She wasn’t sure she imagined Aiden flinching at her last words. Oups.
“Don’t be stupider than usual Weasley, as if you would stop a girl from training because of her blood. I talk to her not to flaunt her upraising around, it’s not a good thing to be open with in Slytherin nowadays anyway. Besides, if anyone say anything we all already seen that you know how to handle it. Come on, blow that whistle, time to tell them, less than a quarter of on hour to practise.”
When the group of first-years once again had gathered around her Ginny started to speak again, with a kind of hollow feeling in her chest. She knew it was not safe to let these kids lose on a pitch with a bunch of older students playing without kids gloves on, but that did not mean she had to like to turn them away.
“I think you all did good today, but unfortunately, I can’t let all of you play with the team on the open practises – it just wouldn’t be safe. But I would love to see you keeping up your flying and welcome you back next year when you are second-years!”
John Garcia raised his hand as if he was in the classroom, Ginny had to smile at that. “Will you keep training us?”
“Training you?”
“Yeah, like you did today,” the boy inquired.
“Like flying tutoring?” John nodded at that. “It’s not really common to do flying tutoring,” Ginny thought out loud.
Another boy who Ginny had not gotten the name of filled in, “I get that you maybe not want to spend so much time on us, but we could pay you? Then it is the same as any other tutoring?”
It did feel as if it was wrong to get paid for flying, but it would make her dream of her own broom getting so much closer. Besides, the boy was right – tutoring as tutoring, right? Ginny looked pondering at Aiden. He shrugged back, the Lestranges was old money – he did not care about that part but the small nod told her he would do it if she did. Maybe he had not had such a bad time that he was letting on after all.
“Ok. 7 o’clock every Sunday then, a sickle per session. Now get out of here, Kieran, Callie and Alison – stay after.”
“Ey no fair!” The burly boy that had complained in the beginning spoke up, “I’m just as good a chaser as he is – it’s just because you are friends with his brother!”
“Kieran’s brother?” Ginny asked confused, what had she missed?
“Yeah! Your old captain probably told you to let him play with you!”
“Flint? Are you the famous baby brother, Kieran? Why didn’t you say?”
“He said it wouldn’t make any difference and I didn’t want anyone think it did,” the boy glared at his class-mate in such a familiar way that Ginny could not believe she had not seen the resemblance before.
“It wouldn’t. Now grab one of the Cleansweep Five’s the Millers used, you can’t show to your first grown-up practise on a Tinderblast.”
Looking away from Kieran, Ginny watches Aiden seemingly having a serious conversation with Callie. Ginny cannot help but wonder if that should have been a talk that she should have had herself with the younger girl. But from the gravely way the girl is nodding Ginny thinks that Aiden probably was getting through to her. Right or wrong from a moral stand-point, he did have a point in the unwiseness of flaunting anything else then a pure wizarding line, especially after what happened at the World Cup.
“Gin!” Pucey had arrived with Warrington and Bletchley.
“I found your replacement Adrian,” Ginny said, half joking but already preparing her team of 1996 in her head.
“Baby Flint!” Bletchley greets, stretching out a hand to ruffle Kieran’s hair.
“Still wondering why I didn’t tell you, Captain?” Kieran rolls her eyes at her and she smirked back.
As Aiden joined them, Bletchley put his arm around the younger boy and ruffles his hair the same way as he had done Kieran’s. “So, how much did you two show off for the little ones?”
“Ey, get off me!” Aiden pushed Bletchley off him and glared. “Weasley, you going to organize this chaos or what?”
Ginny turned around, there was a new dozen students on the pitch beside her team that already surrounded her. Though unlike the firsties, these ones were roaming the air, tackling each other, yelling at each other – some even had their wands out in some air-bound duels. Here we go again, Ginny thought to herself and blew the whistle.