AUTHOR's REPLY----Darn, nearly a whole page and no updates.
Happy birthday, Ginny. And crap, I have only 35-ish days to finish....i'll have to go fast.
When everyone was back in their common rooms(Harry had checked the Marauder's Map just to be cautious), Ron immediately suggested the idea that the few who were successful should start practising swordplay.
"Not yet," Harry had told him. "Besides, it isn't way too important that we learn how to fight with swords."
Ron's face fell.
"But I'm not saying we should ignore it completely," Harry reassured him. "I'm just saying that we should teach the others to perfect it first; that way we can all start at once, to learn swordplay."
Ron brightened up. "How long d'you think it'll take for everyone to be able to work it right?"
"It depends," Harry shrugged. "How good we all are. If you teach them well, we'll be able to get this part done faster."
There, he had done it; he had pushed the right buttons. Ron nodded, determined to be a good teacher.
As always, Hermione had already started reviewing for end-of-year exams. And as usual, Ron and Harry were trying to coax her to relax a bit for the moment at least, and wait until May to start revision.
They found out immediately, to their dismay, that this was not a valid suggestion.
"May?" she shrieked, causing a stack of History notes to topple and Seamus Finnigan to jump. "May? Do you know how long off that is? I might've understood had it been February, but May's much too late! You realise that this year and next are the two that will determine our future careers?!"
"We realised that, Hermione," Harry said in alarm. "But right now is a touch early for revision, don't you think?"
Ron nodded fervently.
"No." Hermione said waspishly, and busied herself with reading An Expert's Guide to Transfiguration.
After that incident, Harry and Ron did not bother to contradict Hermione about her revision habits.
***
It took only four more DA sessions for every member to perfect the Marathian Spell, to Harry and Dumbledore's immense pride.
As promised, Harry had diverted two sessions for swordplay, which everyone was very keen to practise. They used wooden rods, courtesy of the Room of Requirement, to practise.
After that, Dumbledore had decided to move on, but still put a half-hour each session to learn swordplay. He was not the old creaky man he seemed to be at first sight, and in fact seemed stronger than Harry.
It was growing warm again. Melting snowdrifts with grassy knolls poking through made a patchwork of the Hogwarts grounds as winter surrendered its icy grip of the earth to oncoming, cheerful spring. Flowers had sprung up, which nodded gracefully beneath a bright morning sun, which beamed through small islands of breeze-chased clouds. Already, a few bees and ants were abroad admist the enchanted stonework. All around, the land was awakening to springtime, and it promised to be a fair season.
Many had been watching the snow melt through windows, their moist breath fogging up the windows. Among them were Harry and Ron, excited for upcoming Quidditch. The next one was held in mid February, Ravenclaw against Slytherin, and Gryffindor was due to play the winner.
Most expectantly, it had been Ravenclaw who emerged as the victor of that particular fray, and Harry was glad more than anything not to have to endure Malfoy's jeers while he was airbourne.
Ron had started training several weeks before. Everyone performed flawlessly.
The day dawned cloudy and moist, but Harry remained highly anticipant. Quidditch was always better in a bit of mist and rain, in his opinion; there was no glare of the sun in his eyes, so the snitch was bound to be easier to spot.
"All right, team," Ron said, looking over a sheet. He was already changed into his Quidditch robes, shinpads, and wristguards. The Cleansweep Eleven rested in his other hand.
"I've been scouting the Ravenclaws. As always Harry, watch out for Cho...you saw that catch she made last Saturday. Ginny, Hermione, Parvati, I think it might be a good time to try out that secret "tic-tac-toe" play you've been wanting to do, the conditions are just right. Well, that's all for now. Everyone ready? Good, let's go out then."
He shrugged, crumpled up the parchment, and tossed it carelessly over his shoulder. Harry supressed a grin.
They flew out onto the pitch, warming up before Madam Hooch called them down to earth to start the game. Harry's assumptions were right, the rain and afternoon breezes kept him quite cool. Due to the fact that he already preformed the water-repelling charm on his glasses, he was able to see quite clearly.
Harry caught up with Hermione, who was hovering fifty feet off the air and seemed to be surveying the Ravenclaw team.
"So, what's that "tic-tac-toe" play you've been planning?" he asked, already grinning in exhilaration.
"You'll see." Hermione replied casually.
"Oh come on, Hermione, I'm on your team too."
She smiled, but shook her head at him adamantly."I want it to be a suprise to everyone."
Knowing how stubborn Hermione and the rest of the Hogwarts female population could be about secret-keeping, Harry flew off resignedly, back to Ron.
Ron didn't know what the three Chasers were planning either.
"I'm not sure, but from the sounds of it, the Quaffle's probably going to be passed between all three of them."
Harry was about to comment, but Madam Hooch's shrill whistle put a halt to his words. Obediently, both teams flew back down.
"All right, I'm sure it'll be a clean game, right, you two?" she threatened Ron and Cho, who were captains.
"Yes, Madam Hooch." they chorused.
"Good, shake hands."
Ron and Cho shook each other's hands and nodded respectfully at each other.
"Mount your brooms.....GO!"
She released the clasp on the crate and four balls flew high into the air.