A Tranquil Afternoon

"Excuse me." Ginny raised her hand.

"Yes?"

"Can someone go for more than one position?" She asked.

"No, you can go for one position but if you make the team and we think you have potential in another position then we will consider it. Are there anymore questions?" Angelina looked around and once she was suitably satisfied that nobody had questions she continued. "Alright, we are going to start with some basic drills." Angelina said as she gestured to Harry. "Potter over here will be in charge of the drills, you all will be flying around with him while the rest of us watch. Once we work out who can and cannot properly fly on a broom then we can start testing out for positions. Harry?"

"Way ahead of you." Harry said as he climbed on his broom and hovered. "Alright everyone get on your brooms, we are going to start with some laps around the pitch." Harry said. The hopefuls got on their brooms and rose to the air, Harry could already see which ones where more comfortable and experienced based on the way they held their brooms and how comfortable they were in the air. "Come on." Harry said before he began doing some basic flying drills, by the end of the drills a few hopefuls were sent away as it was clear that they really were not great flyers or even at a level that could be considered decent.

"Alright chaser and keeper hopefuls go over there to hoops, beater hopefuls over there and seeker hopefuls over there." Angelina said as she pointed to different spots on the field.

Most hopefuls went to the chaser and keeper spot while only a few went to the beater spot though none went to the seeker spot, Harry didn't really mind but was sort of hoping that at least one person would have gone for the position so that the responsibility did not fall entirely on him but apparently it did. Though he supposed that after the tryouts he could see if any of the team members had seeking skills and train them up.

"Now George, Fred, you two go deal with the beater hopefuls. Harry, could you help me and the girls out with the chasers and keepers?" Angelina asked.

"Sure." Harry nodded and followed the girls towards the chasers and keepers.

Half an hour later the Gryffindor quidditch team stood together under a privacy charm a short distance away from the hopefuls and began discussing who would make the team. After a few discussions they had settled on their beaters and their chasers which included Ginny, Harry mentioned speaking to the reserve chasers and seeing if any of them were willing to be a backup seeker in case he could not compete, something Angelina agreed with.

And then their conversation reached the point where they discussed who would be their keeper.

"It looks to me that Ryan Jefferson and Geoffrey David have potential but admittedly Ron Weasley has the most." Angelina said, as he glanced at Harry and the twins and awaited their reactions.

"Well," Fred said. "we're not too surprised."

"Yeah," George nodded. "Ron played quidditch with us all the time and he is nearly always keeper."

"Harry?" Alicia said. "What is your opinion?"

"Meh," Harry shrugged. "as long as he doesn't bother anyone and actually does his job I could not care less." Harry said, while he was tempted to object to Ron's placement he knew that that would just make him sound childish, besides winning meant a lot to Angelina and the others so he could put with the prat for their sakes. Also if Harry was being honest with himself then he did not think Ron would last long, he might have the necessary abilities but any chance of success would be ruined by his temper, personality and attitude.

"David might be a good player but he doesn't seem as experienced," Alicia said. "though he was better than Jefferson, maybe we could have him as a reserve."

"Yeah, I agree with that." Harry nodded.

"Okay, so let's go over the choices one more time and make sure we're all happy with them." Angelina said and they did. Ten minutes later the chosen were announced and everyone headed back to the Gryffindor common room apart from the actual quidditch team that wanted to stay and practise. Harry was looking forward to the next game, quidditch was one of his true joys, though he supposed he liked the actual flying better than the game but still.

"Here you go." Luna smiled as she put a crown made of white flowers onto tiger-Harry's head while Harry just kept his eyes closed and pretended not to notice.

The two were currently sat outside under the shade of a tree and enjoying the beautiful weather, Harry was in his animagus form, admittedly he loved being in it. It gave him an increased sense of power and just made him feel more free, sometimes he couldn't help but think how he felt more natural in his tiger form then he would have in his own skin a year ago. Luna was with him as the girl had apparently decided that she liked to spend time with him or Astoria whenever she could.

Not that Harry minded, he found her blunt honesty refreshing when compared to others and the girl was either an incredible actor or didn't have a single mean bone in her body, Harry really couldn't tell. Luna had sat down and leaned against him as he lay in the shade, using him like a pillow. She sat still, humming quietly and simply enjoying the weather and Harry's company. Thanks to her humming Harry had actually fallen asleep for a few hours, when he woke she was still leaning against him and still humming.

"Do you like your flower crown?" Luna asked Harry. Harry let out a grunt which Luna took to be a 'yes' as evidenced by the smile she gave him. "That's nice." She said as she stood up. "I think we have to get back to the castle now. Can I have a ride back?" She asked. Harry let out a small noise before he stood up, Luna smiled and climbed on top of him, wrapping her arms around his neck so she would not fall off. Harry began moving to the castle at a pace that he felt would not be fast enough to throw Luna off.

Harry knew that the castle was getting more tense, that was why he preferred to spend his days outside. Umbridge had began shooting out educational decree after educational decree, her lack of subtly in trying to take over the whole school almost bother Harry as much as the fact that she was trying to take over the whole school. Harry was not particularly worried at the moment, if Umbridge got too out of hand then he would deal with her, simple as.

Soon they reached the castle and Harry transformed back into a human, though he still had Luna on his back so it looked like he was giving her a piggy back.

"Here you go Luna." Harry said as he bended his knees so she could get off.

"Thank you Harry." She smiled. "I hope you like your crown."

"I do." Harry said as he took it off his head and looked at it.

"If you don't like it then I can take it back for you."

"Actually I do like it, Dobby." Harry called. "Dobby," Harry said when the elf arrived. "Miss Lovegood has given me this nice gift, I want you to take it back to my room in my godfather's house, make sure it doesn't get damaged."

"Yes master." Dobby nodded before taking the crown away.

"Would you like anything in return?" Harry asked Luna.

"Not really, hmm...can I have some pudding?" Luna asked, looking as serious as Harry had ever seen her.

"Sure." Harry chuckled. "I'll have Dobby make some for you for tomorrow."

"Thank you Harry." She smiled, looking like Christmas had come early.