"Tail smacking," said Angelina Johnson. "It may be a racing broom but it's supposedly great at being able to be used for tail smacking a quaffle away from the hoops due to its brush shape."
The conversation was lively enough it caught the attention of other Quidditch players around the room. An older Ravenclaw, who Harry recognised as the Ravenclaw Quidditch team captain, was trying to surreptitiously listen in.
"I'd love to put my Nimbus 2000 against your Cleansweep 7 in a battle for the snitch!" declared Harry. "I'd have you tasting my brush twigs in seconds if you tried to apply the press on me. Especially if, like Fred and George, you're only on 5s."
"Oh, Harry, my man," declared one twin. "We'd only need mere moments to have you knocked off your chase," said the other.
"That's if you two ever decided to apply the press," said Alicia. "You're far too busy dealing with the opposing chasers."
Harry felt a light tapping on his shoulder as the others were arguing. Turning to look over his shoulder, he saw the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain beckoning him away.
After excusing themselves, both Harry and Daphne walked away from the table to the older Ravenclaw.
"Is it true you own a Nimbus 2000?" he asked.
Harry nodded and said, "Yes. It was a gift from my family at Christmas."
"And you play seeker?" he asked. "I'd prefer seeker, but I'd probably play anywhere except keeper if given the opportunity," said Harry.
"He can really fly, Mister..." said Daphne, leaving it hanging.
"Martin," said the older boy, offhandedly. "Simon Martin."
"Well, he can really fly, Mister Martin," said Daphne.
Looking amusedly at his betrothed, Harry asked, "You're not worried I'll beat your Slytherins?"
"No," she said with a frown. "Flint will only accept boys onto the Slytherin team, and only older years at that. He doesn't deserve my support."
"That's because they play rough and cheat," said the older boy.
No one disagreed with his view. Looking thoughtful towards Harry, he said, "Our seeker, this year, is Cho Chang; a second year. It's only her first year but she's not displaying the daring needed for a go-get-'em seeker; which is what we need. Bring your broom next year and I'll give you a try-out for the position. If you get it there's a chaser position opening up and I'll offer that to her."
"Thank you," replied Harry, a little stunned at the offer. "I'll make sure to bring it with me."
The older boy gave a firm short nod and walked away.
"Oh, Harry!" gushed Daphne, happy for him. "That's wonderful!"
"I guess I'm going to have to do some practicing chasing down a snitch over summer," he grinned. "But, at least I'm going to be able to keep my promise to Cygnus and Sirius and try out for the team."
It seemed not much longer before exams were closing in. Harry revelled in the feeling of opposing emotions of fear of the exams and joy the summer holidays were coming, among the students.
Though Harry didn't need it, the rest of the group were working hard on revising the work they'd done over the year. He was happy to assist by writing up practice test sheets for them all, or just asking pop quiz style questions.
Harry walked in to each exam sitting, happy he'd do quite well. As the exams were only held in each normal class, he only had a few classes where he could watch the others at different times. And he was happy to take each slowly enough that he was never the first out of the room. Often, he'd wait until he was in the last third.
It was only in Charms and Transfiguration did he work at his normal pace and be one of the first out of the room.
Each afternoon he would escort Daphne down to the now warmer lakeside so she could unwind from the stress of the exams. But, it was on the Wednesday of the exam period the others insisted on dragging Hermione down to the lake's edge, to try and get the girl to unwind.
And the only way they could even accomplish that much was for Harry to quote a study where it said a person did better in exam situations when they entered them more relaxed than they would otherwise be. The times they spent on the lake's edge did them all some good. Once the last exam was done Hermione asked, "When do we get our results?"
"Next week, on Wednesday," replied Harry.
When the others looked at him a little funny, he said, "I asked Professor McGonagall. She was happy to tell me."
"But, that's more than a week before we head home on the Express!" said Hermione. "What ever will we do?"
"I dare say the coming fortnight will be filled with the Professors handing out summer assignments," said Harry.
"Really?" asked Hermione, almost eagerly.
Lightly berating the girl in response, Harry replied, "Hermione. Haven't I taught you yet that you don't need assignments to study?" Looking a little sad, she replied, "Yes; but assignments get marked and we get to see how well we're doing according to the Professors' own schedules."
That elicited a round of amused chuckles from the others.
On the next Wednesday, two days after the End-of-Year Feast where it was found Slytherin won the House Cup, they received their exam results hand-delivered to their breakfast table. Hermione was the most distressed about what the results could have been and Neville had to take it from her hand and open it lest the poor girl pass out with anxiety.
After he threatened to read them out loud if she didn't read it for herself, she almost frantically, ripped the results out of Neville's hand and avidly read the parchment through. As she finished the others could all see she was ever so pleased with her results.
The only downside, she felt, was that she didn't get higher than second in any class.
As the others all read their own it was Harry who picked up top marks in most subjects: Charms, Transfiguration, DADA and Astronomy. He was second in Herbology and third in Potions.
Neville beat him out for top spot in Herbology and Daphne and Hermione, in that order, beat him out for the top spot in Potions.
Hermione pulled out a sheet of parchment, quill and ink and charted everyone's results. The final result was they took all seven top marks in Charms, Transfiguration, DADA, History of Magic and Astronomy. Fifth and seventh in Potions went to others. "Bloody Hell!" said Neville. "Gran's going to be ever so pleased!"
It didn't take long for it to be known that The Seven scooped the top spots across the board. There were quite a few, especially in Ravenclaw, who weren't happy with that.
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