She glanced out the window at the remaining milling students as she pull out the chair in front of her desk.

"Sit down, Anders." She pointed to a chair on the other side of her desk. The desk itself held neat selection of rule books. There were several editions of the official rules for Quidditch. Otherwise there was only a small quill holder and ink, and a notepad of paper.

"So, what are your first impressions of the players we have to choose from then?"

Anders sat back in his chair and shook his head. "They're a good bunch of players," he said. "Making the final decision is going to be really hard. There's going to be some people who feel that they haven't done enough, but...damn, it's hard to pick."

He got to his feet again and paced awhile. "I always used to wonder what the coach used to feel like when picking the team when I was playing professionally. I take back every complaint I ever had about him. Shall we start with..." He swallowed. "Seeker for the 'A' team?" He pushed his notes across the desk for Madam Hooch to look at. "You know how I feel about that," he said, pointing to the name.

Madame Hooch nodded. "That is a good place to start."

She glanced down at the paper on which Anders had scribbled the names. There was a big A next to one name in particular. "I know how you feel, yes, but from what I saw I agree with you. There were of lot of very spectacular shows for the Seeker position, but they did show ease in the position without having to show off. Often better in my opinion."

She glanced over the other names for Seeker. "As for the B team, that is a little harder. What did you think of this one as a chaser? I felt she could excel more there than as a seeker, regardless of her insecurity."

She looked up to see if Anders agreed.

Anders nodded vigorously. "A lot of talent there, that's for sure. And if she can overcome that little... problem of her own self doubt..." He smiled a little lopsidedly. "Remember when you told ME that? Wow."

He sat down again and considered the names on the list. So we have a Seeker and one Chaser. I think I know the best combination of Beaters, too." He scribbled down two names and showed them to Madam Hooch. "A bit deadly, perhaps, two from the same House, but..."

Madame Hooch nodded. "Two from the same house might make a good beater team though. I can see that working. Although I have to say that this one was very good too." She pointed to another name. "Perhaps we ought to put them on the B team."

"We still need two more chasers and a keeper though. I suggest this one for keeper." She pointed to a different name." Some real raw talent there, even though they are a little green. I had thought that this one would end up taking the position. I think they are definitely B team material."

"Absolutely." He positively beamed. "You and I are definitely thinking along the same lines. And I thought... for the other two Chasers...well..." He bit his lip. "One might be a little controversial, the other is an absolute definite. She'd be a fantastic Chaser." He scribbled down two more names in his spidery handwriting and pushed the paper back.

Madame Hooch smiled at the young man's exuberance. "Yes, she is a definite must. Maybe even captain material. But as you say, this one is controversial. Not sure if we should let her on the team after what Albus said to me this morning. She may need to be watched, but I think we can try her. We can always swap someone else in if we need to... Like this one for instance. A good family history of players. We'll put him on the B team."

She scanned down the list that they had already. "So, now we need a seeker, 2 chasers and a beater for the B team. Let's see. This one would be interesting as a chaser. Not sure if we'd be allowed to use him though. Perhaps these 2 instead." She pointed to two more names.

Anders nodded enthusiastically. "This is really easy once you get going, isn't it?" he said as he picked up a clean sheet of paper and began writing out the two teams, his tongue stuck firmly out the side of his mouth as he concentrated on making the lists legible.

Finally, he completed the two lists and looked at it proudly. "Hogwarts 'A' and 'B' teams. Interchangeable as necessary, and guaranteed to raise a few eyebrows if not a few cheers." He passed the paper to Madam Hooch for her final approval.

Madame Hooch examined the list. "Yes. That looks good. It's always a shame to turn people down, but then I don't think there will be any that won't at least make their house team. I'll leave you to post the results then?"

"You got it," he said, standing up and pocketing the list. "I'll go stick it up on the main hall notice board right this minute."

And with that, the young man rushed out of Madam Hooch's room towards the main entrance, where he dug the paper out of his pocket and pinned it to the board before turning on his heel and heading off to find Nimue.

Before dinner Sarah had been lurking near the entrance to the Great Hall hoping to see Anders and 'The List' as soon as possible.

She saw him approach the board and pin the paper to it and then wander off.

As soon as he was out of sight Sarah ever so causally strolled up to the board to peer at the list. She was nervous.........

********

Back on the field Raphael let the nod take over his face as he shook Jacob's hand to bits. "Yeah, sorry, man - but that was brilliant - that was excellent!"

He continued shaking the hand. It seemed to be the polite thing to do. He hoped that Jacob got on the team - he deserved it - and plus, with those arms... he'd caught the ball from so far away as Raphael had caught the scene out of the corner of his eye.

The less bespectacled student was thinking to himself that at least one Ravenclawer had a chance at the team. Jacob would get in - and make the team proud. Probably Sarah too.

Sarah. "Sarah," Raphael repeated, "should we go and find Sarah and the others, Jacob? Go wait see who's on the team..."

But even as they walked over to the castle, the coach emerged from the castle and pinned something on the board. Raphael, stopping near Sarah, decided to himself that he wasn't gonna look. He hadn't got in - he was sure - he hadn't mean to do whatever he had done but it was a bit of a no-hoper. But...

Sarah might have got in. Jacob might have got in. Where was Nathaniel...? And who else was on the team? And could he stop Zephyr - he could feel the other bouncing maniacally - desperate to know...

Raphael shot across the grounds, shouting to the others, Sarah, Nathaniel, Jacob, striding ahead by pure effort to beat the angel before he started. He had to - had to - must - Raphael skidded to a halt inside the hall, after throwing himself up the steps, to see the notice... and the ones on the team... were...

Sarah smiled at Raphael...

"OK let's promise ourselves we won't be too disappointed if we don't get on - there is always the House team."

They were right by the board now and able to read it. The list on the notice board reads as follows.

Cat food for Wilbur
Cigarettes
Bottle of washing up liquid
Baked beans
Bread
Milk
Cigarettes
Cheese
'Daily Prophet'

Cigarettes

Yes. Anders, forgetful and preoccupied person that he is has posted his shopping list up instead of the teams. And gone off in search of Nimue.

Sarah looked at the list. "I don't think that's a code...anyone see which way he went?"

Jacob followed them, walking slowly to try and stay at an even pace with them. Because of his long legs, he tended to walk ahead of people purely by accident.

"Mr Gr...Anders should probably cut back on the cigarettes." The Ravenclaw said with a light chuckle. "No, I am afraid I have no idea where he's gone. Suppose we should just wait?"

Andy walked towards Sarah and Jacob. He closed his eyes and prayed. He looked at the paper.

"Cigarettes?" he asked. He sighed realising that Anders had posted the wrong sheet of paper. Darn it all!

Nathaniel wandered up after the crowd, only mildly interested in the notice on the board since he wasn't going to be on it. "Hey, kid." he grinned at Raphael. "How did you do?"

Looking at the list, Raphael didn't respond for a second. And another. And then - "How did I do?"

"I got," announced Raphael grandly, "baked beans."

Nathaniel leaned past him, looked at the notice. "Could have been worse, you could be the cat food." He looked round. "This a joke or do you think he just... misplaced the list?"

Raphael looked at Nathaniel and smiled softly. "It doesn't matter, really. I don't think I got on the team, somehow," he murmured, so that only Nathaniel could hear. "The coach - wouldn't even look at me after I messed up with Zidane."

"Hmmm?" Nathaniel looked at Raphael. "You did marvellously. I think he was just pissed off with Zidane."

A shake of the head. "No - I think - I wasn't trying to - I heard one of the Slytherin third years - whisper."

Nathaniel gently steered Raphael away from overhearing ears. "What?"

Like it was painful, Raphael had to force the whisper out. "They called me, he confessed, " a showoff."

Nathaniel laughed gently. "They call me Mudblood. Forget them Raph. They're not worth it."

Raphael responded with an annoyed grimace. "No - that wasn't what I meant - I meant that the coach thought that!" Shouted Raphael, loudly, and threw up his hands.

"Good gods, Raph, if I had half your skill with a broom it'd be amazing." Nathaniel just looked at Raphael.

Raphael spluttered, looking at Nathaniel like he'd suddenly coughed up a wad of cash and chucked it on a fire.

"What?!" Nathaniel was confused.

"Nathaniel..." said Raphael slowly, "you are actually quite... good... on a broom... aren't you?" he asked, worried.

"What?" This time the word contained even more confusion. "You're kidding me, Raph, I can't get it to stay in the air half the time!"

A narrowing of the eyes was all the response Nathaniel got - a suspicious narrowing of eyes.

"What!?" Nathaniel demanded, this time more defensively.

Grudgingly, Raphael replied. "I thought that was - intentional. I thought it was kinda... cool, actually."

It was Nathaniel's turn to stare at Raphael. "You're kidding.... "

Raphael went red. "Er... no. It's kinda... fluid. It's - well, it's cool, Nathaniel," he said, his stare challenging the other student to argue.

"It's unique, certainly." Nathaniel said dryly.

"Well then," said Raphael, deflating. "Do you... what we doing tonight?" The question was directed at the fact that this was their first evening where their activities hadn't been planned or marred by not getting on.

"Er...." Nathaniel hesitated. He wanted to talk to Raphael about the bludgers, about the way they had sung to him; and thought it too weird to say a thing. "Any suggestions?"

Raphael looked at Nathaniel out of the side of his eyes, leaning to the right. Nathaniel looked - what? Uncomfortable? Something about the flying? "We can do what you want tonight," said Raphael carefully, "but if you want... I have an idea..."

"Suggest away." Nathaniel returned brightly.

"Flower petals. Cool illicit magic. Muggle friendly magic, no less, I did it, so..."

Nathaniel looked thoughtful, and then looked at Raphael. "I have no idea what you mean but hells, it sounds good to me."

"Good. I wonder... though..." Raphael looks unpresent for a second. "I wonder where we can... go...? Not the dorm?"

"Maybe Sarah knows somewhere... if she's included in the invite, that is."

"Oh, totally," said Raphael, grinning.

Nathaniel smiled. "Yeah, what the hells... let's break some rules."

Raphael grinned for a second, and then looked at Nathaniel curiously. "What happened out there, by the way? You didn't say how... if... you went...? The tryouts?"

"I have official permission not to play Quidditch." Nathaniel's face eased itself into its sullen expression. "I'm not sure what happened."

"Did you... want, to play, Quidditch, I mean?"

"I wouldn't have minded. But I'm crap on a broom and the bludgers refuse to hit me. So maybe it's better that I don't." Nathaniel shrugged.

Raphael nodded, but then stopped and reviewed the sentence. There wasn't something right... what had... on the tip of his tongue... "Bludgers...?" he prompted.

"The large balls that like to knock people off?" Nathaniel prompted.

"The large balls that want to knock people off... what?" asked Raphael, confused.

"The broomsticks?"

"No..." Raphael stops, and laughs.

Then he stopped some more, and let the time be for thought.

"Bludgers - don't... want to hit you...?" he asked, trying to make sure that everything he was saying made sense.

"No." Nathaniel looked hard at the ground.

Raphael, seeing Nathaniel glaring at the ground, found himself suddenly tempted to pet it and assure it that everything was okay. "Nathaniel. Fess up. It can't be that bad."

"I don't know what I'm 'fessing up to." Nathaniel transferred his gaze to a nearby tree. "I ... hear them."

Raphael looked at Nathaniel, silently for a second, and nudged him. "Really?" Another nudge. "I can... hear the air, but the balls... or the bludgers anyway... don't make an impact... could you teach me how?"

Then his face fell. "Well... you don't need to. It's not like I'll be on the team."

"I don't know how I do it." Nathaniel shook his head a little. "If I did know, I wouldn't trust it to anyone but you or Sarah. Once you hear them, you know what they're doing. I wouldn't trust anyone else not to cheat."

"Can you like..." Raphael started, slowly, "can you like... see... with everything as... sound?" Then, though, Raphael stopped. He didn't have the words.

"Music in colours." Nathaniel nodded his head unhappily.

"Music in colours... how... amazing." Raphael looked relieved. "You get what I mean?"

He nodded. "Yes. I get what you mean."

Raphael started to let his excitement get the better of him. "Then..." he asked quickly, "do you hear, or see, the... the other one?"

"The other one?" Nathaniel brought his head up sharply and fixed Raphael with a very intent look.

But then Raphael stopped. Where... where were the memories in his head... where were they kept? He knew... that there was something else... that Nathaniel should know about.. something that they'd even talked about... but... it was... locked away.

Nathaniel watched him for a long moment and then sighed.. "Sometimes I don't know what I hear."

Raphael shook his head clear. "Neither do I, I guess. It - it doesn't matter. Should we... go in?"

Nathaniel nodded, silent now.

"Come on, let's find Sarah..." Raphael finished, grinning at Nathaniel as he picked up his pace.

Madame Hooch was pleased with the outcome of her discussion with Anders. She felt that the team they had devised was a good one.

As she passed the notice board on the way to dinner, she noticed a list on the board and a number of students gathered around it. She smiled a little to herself as she bustled on towards the great hall.

Kat saw the group of students around the notice board. "Is it up, Sarah? Who's in?"

She was as excited about the whole thing, and dying to know if she was on the team. She had a strong suspicion that she would not be. After all, Anders was her brother and he could be counted as biased if she was on the team.

Sarah turned and grinned at Kat, "Kind of up. We think it might be some sort of code. 'Cat food for Wilbur' probably means you because you gave him Wilbur and your name is Kat as for the rest..... The cigarettes are obviously the chasers - because there are 3 of them but who is the question."

Kat laughed openly at Sarah's comment about codes. "Somehow I don't think that it is in code. Those do genuinely sound like things that should be on Anders shopping list."

She looked at the list. "I suppose we ought to try and find him and tell him that he has posted his shopping list."

*********

Nimue wasn't at all sure when Anders would be free or if he knew where to find her....

She figured he'd probably want a cigarette after the stress of the decision making and so she positioned herself by the bike shed enjoying the fine evening air.

After successfully posting the wrong list, Anders had indeed gone outside for a much-needed cigarette. As he approached what had been his motorbike shed last year (his motorbike was now safely ensconced in the back yard of his little house in Hogsmeade), he caught sight of her and a shy smile came to his face.

"Hello," he said, softly, approaching her. "This brings back some memories, doesn't it?" He caught hold of her hand and pulled her towards him for a hug.

She smiled at him, "Yes, it does. Feels like a lifetime ago though it has only been a few months. Still best behaviour eh?"

Nimue hugged him tightly thankful for once no interruptions.

"So have you put them out of their misery? I know Sarah and the others were leaping about out on the field with excitement. Poor Mahou, I'm not sure how many people noticed her ears. Sarah did for certain. Did you know she was an elf - well half-elf?"

Anders let his fingers trail through Nimue's hair contentedly. "Best behaviour. You really expect anything else from me?"

That same shy smile. "Yes," he said. "I've put the final list up on the main notice board. I imagine most of those who trialled have found out the details by now."

He listened to what she said about Mahou and nodded. "I spotted it the minute she lost her hat. I don't see why it should be a problem. People here aren't THAT bigoted...with the exception of a few people I won't mention."

Anders had successfully managed to keep out of Snape's way entirely, having neither the energy nor the enthusiasm to get caught up with the Potions Master who had made his school days such a misery.

He held Nimue for a while longer then released her. "I really need to have a cigarette. I know..." he added, catching her expression. "And I WILL quit. But it's been a tough day...and I have a mountain of reading to do when I get home. Plus I have to go and do some shopping. You'd be proud of me." He pulled the paper out of his pocket. "I even got organised and made a list!"

He waved it at her.

Nimue acknowledged Anders' words, "I know you are right but it is convincing Mahou of that. She is the sweetest thing really. She actually did show Professor Snape yesterday and he didn't even blink twice and there's an acid test if ever there was one.

I think I shall try to encourage her just to be herself. I will certainly stick up for her and she's already made friends with a few others here."

Nimue smiled at his obvious pride in getting himself 'organized'. However, she then noticed the list he was proudly showing her.

"Ummmm Anders - I hope there wasn't anything too embarrassing on your shopping list because that's the Quidditch team results....." She couldn't help but smile......

Anders stared at first Nimue and then the list in sheer horror and clamped his hand over his mouth.

"I don't believe I did that," he said, finally, completely failing to see the funny side of the situation. "I'd better...go rectify..."

A furious blush started, apparently somewhere near his boots and spread up his torso until his face was burning beet red. He gave Nimue a kiss, his eagerness for the moment clearly shattered and slunk back into the school.

His progress was impeded briefly by Peeves, who taunted him in the corridor, causing the blush to get even redder.

As he approached the notice board, he was aware of the amused faces around him and silently took down his shopping list and replaced it with the other list.

Then he fled.