"Morning," Megan said.

"Oh, hey." Ron said. "Er... you don't think you could go to the pitch early with me, do you? So I can... get in gear a bit before training...?"

"Sure," Megan said.

"Ron, you are rather behind on homework..."

But the Daily Prophet arrived, interrupting her. Hermione then looked at it critically, her eyes narrowed.

"Anything?" Ron asked, mainly, Megan suspected, to avoid the homework topic.

"No," she said, frowning. "Just a member of the Weird Sisters getting married..."

She opened it and disappeared while Megan bit into a muffin. After a few seconds, however, Hermione's eyes widened.

"Sirius," she whispered.

"What?!" Megan gasped, grabbing the paper.

She looked over the page.

"The Ministry of Magic has received a tip-off from a reliable source that notorious mass murderer Sirius Black... bla bla bla... seen last in Tibet... and is currently living in London"!" Megan read, panic filling her chest.

She clenched her fists, the paper in her hands.

"It had to have been Malfoy," she hissed furiously. "He recognised Sirius on the platform...!"

"What?" Ron exclaimed. "You did-"

"SH!" Hermione and Megan said.

"What else does the article say?" Cedric asked in a low voice.

He had seen their agitation and strode over. He leaned between Megan and Ron.

"Ministry warns the Magical Community that Black is very dangerous... and it goes on with the usual rubbish..." Hermione read over Megan's shoulder. "He'll just have to stay inside... Dumbledore told him not to leave the house..."

"He'll love that, he was fed up of being locked up as it was..." Megan sighed.

"Look at that," Cedric said suddenly, pointing to a small article underneath.

TRESPASS AT THE MINISTRY

Sturgis Podmore, 38, of Number two, Laburnum Gardens, Clapham, has appeared before the Wizengamot charged with trespass and attempted robbery inside the Ministry of Magic on the night of the 31st of August.

Podmore was arrested while trying to force his way through a top-secret door at one in the morning. Refusing to speak in his own defence, he was sentenced to six months in Azkaban.

"Six months in Azkaban!" Harry exclaimed. "For trying to open a door!"

"It had to be something very important behind that door," Megan said, frowning.

"Wasn't Podmore a member of–"

"Ron, sh!" Cedric said sharply, glancing around.

Everyone was too busy with their breakfast to notice them.

"... Podmore wasn't there to accompany us to the station, remember?" Harry said slowly. "And Moody was all aerated about it!"

"Yeah, so he couldn't have been doing a job for the others..." Cedric frowned.

"Unless they didn't expect him to get caught..." Hermione said. "But I still think it's odd... if that had been the case, then I'm sure Moody at least would have known if there was a change of plan and prepared a back-up strategy..."

"Maybe it was a frame up!" Ron suggested. "Yeah! The Ministry suspect he's with Dumbledore, OK? And they decide to lure him to the Ministry and just set him up!"

There was a pause as they thought about the idea.

"To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if that were true..." Hermione said darkly, folding the Prophet. "Come on, we should have time to round up Sprout's essay..."

"Ron and I have to practise a bit," Megan reminded her. "But I'll help him tonight, don't worry."

"I mean this is important too, we've got to practise if we want to stay on the team..." Ron said. "Hermione gets too caught up in school work."

"Well, yes. But she does have a point, you will have to catch up soon." she said.

"Yeah, well... we should be able to do it tonight... you don't think she meant it, when she said she wouldn't let us copy?"

"I don't need to, so you can borrow mine," she chuckled.

He grinned. They took a few Quaffles from the cupboard in the changing rooms, and Megan played Seeker while Ron guarded the goalposts. Megan had to admit he wasn't as good as Wood, but he was definitely not that bad. He blocked three quarters of her shots. With practise, he'd be fine. After a couple of hours, they headed to the castle for lunch, before heading back to the pitch for practise.

"All right, Ron?"

"Yeah, ready to show us all up?"

"Come on, guys, be nice," Megan said. "you were nice to me when I started."

"Ah, but you were younger," Fred said.

"And he's our brother." George added.

"You're just like family, though," Fred smiled at her.

"All right, everyone," Angelina said. "Let's go. Fred, George, if you'd take the crate for us... now, be warned, we have spectators. Just ignore them, okay?"

Megan had a nasty feeling she knew who they were. Ron was already nervous as it was... she wished they would just drop it already! But of course, they were there. The entire Slytherin team and Pansy Parkinson.

"What's that antique you're riding, Weasley? Your grandfather's broom?" Malfoy jeered loudly. "Or is it just another of your brothers' hand-me-downs?"

"Ignore them," Megan told him as the Slytherins laughed loudly. "Just wait till you see their faces on our match against them, we'll see who's laughing then."

"Excellent attitude, Megan," Angelina approved, nodding at her. "We'll start with some passes to warm up..."

"Hey, Johnson! What d'you do to your hair?" Pansy Parkinson from below. "Think worms out of your head are fashionable, do you?"

"Spread out and let's see what we can do." Angelina continued.

They spread out somewhat and Angelina threw the Quaffle to Fred, who passed it to George who passed it to Megan who sent it to Ron who dropped it. He pelted to catch it, and managed, if a little untidily. Megan and the twins exchanged looks but they said nothing, for which Megan was grateful.

"Pass it on." Angelina said.

So he threw it to Angelina, who reverse threw it to Megan who only just caught it in time, having not expected it. She passed it to Katie, who passed to Alicia, who threw it at Ron... who missed it.

"Concentrate, please, Ron," Angelina said, an edge of impatience in her voice.

Of course, the Slytherins were having the time of their lives. Megan was sure that was half the reason Ron was so clumsy. If he could just get confidence... on his third attempt he was successful and it was maybe relief that he had caught the Quaffle that made him throw it a little too hard at Megan and clip her shoulder and sending her backwards slightly, but she caught it.

"Sorry," he said, making to move forwards to see if he'd done any damage.

"No, I'm fine, don't move," she said.

"Since she's your teammate, Ron, try not to knock her off, would you?' Angelina said. "We have the bludgers for that."

They began training with the equipment. The three chasers were zooming around, taking the Quaffle from each other.

"No, stop! Stop," Angelina said. "You can either stay in front of the middle post or circle the three, but don't just drift off, you let goals in like that!"

So he stayed in position, carefully watching, until Alicia shot forwards and fired. Ron stopped the Quaffle, but he threw it too hard and hit Katie in the face. Her nose began to bleed. It was soon so bad the twins had to take her to the hospital wing.

"Well, no need to continue with half the team gone..." Angelina sighed. "Let's go change..."