Yesterday I used my time turner to make it to the first Quidditch practice. I almost wish I had missed it. When I arrived, all of the duggles were running around the field. I was playing with Honey and Bach. Daisy was crouched in a spot of shade over by the bleachers, and the Slytherhounds, Rex, Bandit and Rocky were growling at a flock of birds passing overhead. The grounds were full of dogs from Hufflepup and Gryffindog, too. We were all eager to get up on our brooms and learn the rules of the game.
Professor Swift pranced elegantly onto the field, as whippets do. He blew his whistle and we all gathered around. “Pups, Dogwart’s has hired its first Quidditch coach.” We all woofed and wagged. “I’d like to introduce her to you now.” Just as the Professor finished speaking, a large Shar-Pei mix with a leather and brass collar apparated onto the field.
The coach carried a rather large ball in her mouth. At first she seemed reluctant to put it down. She stood there looking us over. I went into a down-stay straight away.
The coach’s presence was so commanding, even the Slytherhounds were in respectable sits. “Well then,” remarked Professor Swift, “I’ll leave you Duggles in Coach’s capable paws.” And with that, the Professor disapparated.
“She looks like a manatee,” Honey whispered to me, a bit too loudly.
The coach dropped the ball. I was shaking. “What’s your name?” Coach barked at Honey.
Honey’s tail was as far between her legs as it could fit as she answered, “Honey, Sir…I mean ma’am…um Coach.” Talk about putting your paw in your mouth. Lucky for Honey, it turned out Coach wasn’t offended after all.
“Very perceptive, you are. My patronus is a manatee…very useful she is. But I’m sure you Duggles don’t know anything about that yet.”
We all looked at each other. Just then a loud whistle blew across the field. The sound wound around in a spiral above our heads, as if carried by a wind funnel. “Hmm,” remarked Coach. “Trouble at Hogwart’s. The Dogwart’s Professors are needed. Practice cancelled!” Then she picked up her ball and disapparated, leaving us pups sitting in an empty field with sound swirling and dancing above our heads.
Maybe there is more to Coach than we thought. I’ll keep you posted. Right now I have to use my time turner to get back to Dogs and Divination class. And later I’ll use it again to get some extra recess time. Don’t tell the Professors.