Ava's death had hit everyone hard. Hogwarts wasn't the same, and Callum knew that. Still, ever selfish boy that he was, Callum was only thankful that he had managed to start his low profile and apologize to everyone before everything had blown up. And now, Callum found himself the captain of the quidditch team and he wasn't exactly sure where to start, or how to go about it.

He was fully aware that a lot of people in his house were less than fond of him. But Callum thought that this might be beneficial to his relationship with his house, and maybe he could prove to them that he was more than the bad reputation he had acquired in the last few months. Before his fifth year, Callum was rather well behaved. A few scrapes here and there, but it wasn't as though he was getting into fights every week- as it had been lately. Especially with Sasha Schalgenweit.

But now that he had the quidditch team as his responsibility, Callum was determined to turn things around. But as far as how to govern a team, keep everyone from fighting, and make sure they understood he wasn't going to be kicking anyone's asses- well, the Slytherin didn't know how to do all of that. He didn't want to ask advice from the other houses- that would be a conflict of interest, and he doubted that anyone other than his own house even liked him.

So after his classes, Callum found his way down to the pitch in search of Xiomara Hooch. If anyone knew how to help Callum figure out what to do and what steps to take, it would be the flying teacher and quidditch coach. "Madam Hooch?" he called out. He'd checked the pitch and the broom closets and hadn't found her- perhaps she wasn't on school grounds anymore? Maybe he'd have to send her an owl to schedule a meeting. Callum hadn't even considered that.

"In here!"

The spikey-haired old witch was at the notice board in Slytherin, pinning up practice schedules.  The captains requested pitch time and she doled out the hours a couple weeks in advance to keep the inter-House rows to a minimum.  She didn't recognize the voice that had called out to her, but Slytherin or not - it was no big deal if they entered the locker room.

The door opened and who should come with the cold gust but Callum Knight.  Hooch turned and raised her eyebrows.  Her gloved fists on her hips and a small, tight smile on her lips.

Callum Knight.  It had been running throug the staff all week: Callum had straighted up.  The Slytherin had a tough exterior, and every one in awhile she heard that he'd had disciplinary issues with members of his own house, but since the start of term, his outbursts in class had been extremely disruptive.  She wasn't sure what did it, but rumor had it, he'd apologized to a few of the professors about it.

"Mr. Knight! Schedule's up.  You'll get plenty of pitch time before you beat against Gryffindor."

She stepped aside and began gathering her things to leave for Edinburgh.  It wasn't entirely uncommon for the players to be somewhat impatient to get their schedules.

"Have a good weekend, Mr. Knight."

She seemed busy. In the midst of getting ready to leave. And she brought up the pitch schedule. Admittedly he'd been curious- but it wasn't the reason for his visit. "I'm glad to hear that, Madam Hooch. I'll definitely take note of the schedule- but that wasn't why I was coming by."

But when she began to gather her things, and tell him to have a good weekend, Callum wondered if she was trying to escape. Sidestep having to deal with him- or maybe she just wanted to go home. Nobody wanted to be at Hogwarts any longer than they had to. At least, he didn't want to be. Callum couldn't wait to get out of school and have a life again.

"I can see you're about to head home," he commented. "I just wanted to see if you had a few minutes to answer some questions and maybe give me some advice. But I suppose it can wait. I don't want to keep you if you have things to do. I know that you've a life outside of quidditch and Hogwarts. My apologies, Madam."

His voice pursued her and she stopped, realizing she'd misinterpreted the situation.  She put her things back down and began pulling the fingers of her gloves ones by one. 

"I've got all the time in the world, Mr. Knight," she said with a chipper, pert nod of her head.  She wondered what he would want to talk about.  To be honest, the only students who tended to confide in her were her seventh year Quidditch players who'd built up a relationship with her over the years because they were ravenous about sport.  She just wasn't at the castle enough to really be someone the students turned to very often.  She was alright with that, of course.  The older students had plenty of adults to help them find there way, and she was content to help give the first years a boost in confidence, sportsmanship and fun each fall.

"What's on your mind?" She peeled off one glove, and then the other.

Callum was glad when she gave him the chance to ask, smiling. And she didn't seem to agitated at his holding up her trip back home- even better. Callum gave her an awkward smile, and sat down one of the locker room benches. He pushed a hand through his hair, and shrugged a little. "I guess I'm not sure what the right questions are to ask, actually," the Slytherin confessed.

"I've just played beater, you know. And I've only been on the team this school year. I'm captain now, and I'm not really sure how to go about... being the captain. I guess I ought to set up some tryouts so that I can get the team going again- a lot of players have just lost interest, it seems. Mostly just me and Harper have any real interest in the game anymore. And you can't win a game with just a seeker and a beater. Not easily, anyway," he told her.

"I wasn't sure if any of the other professors had any quidditch experience." There was no way to know which Hogwarts employees played quidditch in school, or were good at it, unless you asked. Considering that Callum didn't like most of his professors, and most seemed to have the same feelings, it wasn't the sort of question he wanted to go around asking. Besides, it was something he'd only trust his head of house with. Although he hadn't asked Landis, Callum just assumed that he wouldn't have any idea. Mr. Morgan was a librarian after all.

But Madam Hooch was all about quidditch. She taught flying, coached quidditch, and worked pretty hard to keep everything organized and prevent people form playing dirty. Therefore, she was the obvious choice in asking about what being captain meant and what to do and how to keep his players from losing interest or ignoring him when he tried to organize a practice or something.

"I don't really know how to be quidditch captain," Callum told her. "A lot of kids in my house don't like me very much. I'm not sure how to get people interested in playing, or how to do the tryouts, or practices... Or anything, really. I want to do a good job, though. Quidditch is important to me, and it's fun, and I think it should be a big part of our House spirit, you know? I just wanted to know if... You had any advice, or could help me in some way, in getting started and keeping everything going and stuff."

"I figured if anybody knew anything about it, then it would be you. And you're impartial, so that helps. At least, I assume you are. Hard to be a good referee of quidditch games if you aren't," Callum joked.

Well, stars and garters! Xiomara couldn't help but smile, sweep her robe behind her and plot down opposite Callum.

"Callum," she started, not often one to use the students' first names.  But everything he just said - she hadn't seen so much humble ambition in a student in years.  His very questions belied a wisdom and leadership that many students would never understand.  Most captains were good at the game, and popular amongst their peers, and that natural advantage prevented them from really questioning and understanding what it took to lead a team.  The other team captains this year were doing very well, but they did have what Callum didn't - support.  Callum Knight's leadership would have to be a different kind.

"Callum, I'm impressed," she said with a warm smile, one so genuinely open that not many students had ever seen it.  "Delighted to help."

She leaned forward a little and as she spoke, she gestured enthusiastically with her hands.

"You're already on the right track by asking these questions.  That's an excellent that you've got the mustard to bring your team together.  I can't say I wasn't disappointed to see Slytherin get distracted, but I can't say I'm not surprised; poor dear Ava," she paused.  It was so tragic and the House would be reeling for many months to come.

"Slytherin's got such an illustrious tradition in Quidditch, if you can get off on the right foot, I've no doubt you'll have great success.  I'm not saying you'll win every match, but you'll play well, I'm sure of it."

"Look, what you've got to do is move forward with every confidence.  Don't ask permission, don't apologize.  Proceed with the knowledge that your mates will show up, they will work hard for each other.  If you lack faith in them at all, doubt them at all, they'll sense that and feel they've permission to doubt themselves."

She nodded her head again, the smile still holding.  Well, what did he think about that, then?

He was obviously relieved that she seemed so willingly to offer him some advice. "I'm really glad," he said. So glad she would like to help him. There weren't many people at Hogwarts who were willing to help him out, and to do so with a smile. It was a good feeling, to know not everyone was against him. Then again, he also hadn't insulted her and stormed otu of her class- becuase she didn't teach one for his age group. And when he had taken flying as a first year, he had loved it. And he had done rather well.

Callum looked down when she said "poor Ava". It was depressing. Sad. She had never really liked him, so he wasn't mourning over her- but it was kind of scary, to think that could happen on campus. And naturally Sasha had been found with her- he'd been right, then. His posters had predicted it. But he wasn't trumpeting that fact- he didn't want to get beat up by his house for being insensitive.

He nodded when she said to be confident. He was good and not asking permissions and not apologizing. It was good know that he was doing the right thing in trying to move on and get them together. Callum was planning to put up a notice in about a week after he'd had a chance to talk with some of the less interested players. He would happily replace anyone who didn't want to give it their all. Quidditch was too important for people to not want to play or dedicate themselves to it.

"How do I get people to be more interested?" he asked. "Most of our players don't seem to want to practice or have anything to do with it. Quidditch is important to me, though. It's a great sport, and it's supposed to rally house pride and unity. It's an important part of Hogwarts and Slytherin tradition. It's just like nobody cares. And it was like that before." Before he got in charge and Ava died. "How do I get people excited? So that they'll want to sign up and come to practices and stuff?"

Hooch was surprised, and her eyebrows sprang up.

"Not interested in Quidditch? Goodness, we've usually got to beat people from the pitch like bludgers there are so many who want to go out for the team."  She crossed one leg over the other and looked up and to right, trying to think.

A finger to her chin.  Tap, tap, tap.

"There must be something keeping them away.  Usually the game's enough, even on dysfuntional team. We hardly ever need to sell Quidditch."

Old Hooch looked genuinely perplexed. She had a very difficult time relating to people who didn't enjoy sport.  She accepted them, and respected they had other interests.  But broomsport was so exciting, so exhilerating and had done such wonderful things in her life and others'... why others didn't embrace it she never quite understood.

"How are things in Slytherin? I mean, including before poor Ava was killed," she asked slowly, slyly.  Callum's reputation around school had been very poor lately.  She didn't want to insult him, but if his personality was an issue, if his house didn't support him, that needed to get sorted.

"Could Slytherin have some kind of... issue with you as Captain?  You  may have to prove yourself."

Of all the houses, Slytherin always seemed the slowest to warm up to new Professors, new Prefects, new Heads of House.  And it made total sense.  Most of them vying for power themselves, they were choosy about who they admitted had authority over them.  It took some proving sometimes before they'd give their loyalty.  Unlike Hufflepuff who made being loyal their hobby.

"Most houses have girls who are interested, though," he pointed out. "A lot of girls from pureblood families aren't allowed to play. My sister wouldn't be, my family doesn't think it is proper. I guess that makes it a lot harder." And Slytherins had more of a tendency to get into trouble and then not be able to play for various... disciplinarian reasons.

When she asked how things were in Slytherin, Callum shrugged. He wasn't really in tune with most members of his house. "Okay, I guess. There's always people fighting. Tawse had been a real piece of work there for a while. Not a whole lot of house unity in general. There's always going to be house rivalry- but your house should stick together." And regardless of what some people thought, he did believe that. The only person in his house he really had something against was Amherst. And he and Xav had been great friends up until recently. The people who didn't like Callum, didn't like him based on how he might treat their friends.

"Well, it seemed a lot of people didn't have a whole lot of interest before I got captain... But I'm sure there are a lot of people who aren't happy about it." That was an understatement. But he intended to whip his team into shape.

"People make mistakes, Madam Hooch," he told her. "And I was making a lot of them the last few months- but I had a long talk with my head of house and with a couple of my professors and that's over with. I have more important things to worry about, and I intend to put quidditch on the top of my list of priorities. It's an important part of Hogwarts tradition, and it should be a big part of house pride... But I have no problems proving to them that I can do it. I just have to figure out how to show everybody that I can do it. How to organize the practices, and how to do try outs, and keep people interested."

When Callum mentioned the girls, Xiomara's lined face darkened.  She'd been a girl in the 1920s and despite the witches' liberation going on all over the western world, and young witches everywhere cutting their hair short and hopping on brooms in their knee-length skirts, it still wasn't easy for a witch to be taken seriously in sport.  Her lips pursed breifly as she rememberd the nasty comments, the sabotaged broom sticks of her time on the Hufflepuff team.    Maybe the pureblood girls were kept off the team for a slightly different reason, it was a tragicly pervasive problem.

She listened with that dark expression as he went on about troubles within Slytherin, and more specifically, troubles with Callum Knight and his volitile reputation.  Xiomara was a great lover of sport and the kids, but it was the ultimate in weariness trying to navigate their dramas and whims to just get them on brooms and in the air.  She wasn't upset with Callum though - he was trying, wasn't he?

Frankly, all of this had painted him with a great amount of respect in her eyes.

Her brows lifted and she cocked her head just a touch.  "Honestly, I think you should start from scratch.  Carte blance.  Sweep the slate clean.  Open try-outs and select first years if you've got to.  Get a team out on that pitch and then run them ragged.  What about that, eh?"

Callum was glad when she suggested he just start over. That had been Callum's original plan with the whole quidditch thing. He thought that it would be easier, and would allow him the chance to prove he was going to play fair with this whole situation. It was important, he knew, to show them that he would do this based on talent and not favoritism- even if it would be hard for him.

"I think that's a brilliant idea, Madam Hooch! I had seriously considered doing that. I thought it would do them good to try out, and give me a chance to show I know what I'm doing. Besides, some people might be better suited for other positions than what they have now. Sometimes it turns into picking and choosing if other slots are filled."

He gave her a bright smile. Callum felt a lot better about the situation now. Especially since it seemed that Madam Hooch was glad to be a help instead of assuming he was incompetent and running him off. Not that he really expected her to respond in such a way. As a first year Callum had been one of her better fliers. (Due to the toy brooms he had, more than likely, when he was growing up.)

"I'll put up some notices around the common room and talk to some people. Maybe some who I know would be interested in quidditch. Try to rally some interest and house spirit, then hold some try outs. I think that we can do it. Slytherin is a talented lot. And a good quidditch team would help us with house points, too! That's a good way to generate some interest."

Hooch smiled wide when Callum seemed to animate and open up - he liked the idea! He looked excited about it! Good then! Then he'd do well at it.  It always tended to be that people did best at the notions that were their own idea, or at least an idea that felt like their own.  Callum had the idea himself, it sounded like, and validation from the old witch had tipped the scales.

She smiled back just as broadly and then clapped him on the shoulder.  "Good man! I'm proud of you, Mr. Knight."

She softened somewhat, her hand still on his shoulder.  "Your house has been through a great deal.  And I agree: there is talent in Slytherin.  Show us all how strong you all are. I expect a good showing against Gryffindor in two weeks time.  Can I count on a full Slytherin team a-broomstick, Mr. Knight?"

She was no mother hen.  She was a warlord, more than that, probably.  Callum didn't need a hug, he needed someone to believe in him.  And believe in him she did.

Proud of him? Callum grinned. He rarely heard that people were proud of him. Disappointed, yet. Angry, yes. Frustrated, yes. Confused and enraged0 most definitely. But proud because of him? Rare. Maybe quidditch and leading the team would really aid him in making the perfect niche at Hogwarts- and prove that he was worth something, help him get prefect next year. Callum really wanted to get that prefect badge. He felt as though he deserved it.

"You certainly will, Madam," he assured her. "And hopefully the way we fly and play the game will impress everybody. It might take a few weeks to get everyone working together- but I think we'll do it." He knew they would do it. Callum would make sure everyone busted their butts in practice to ensure Slytherin victories and to make sure that his team was the best it could be. Even alternate players would get a chance to practice- because you never knew what would happen on that field.

"I just want to make sure everyone has time properly mourn before I thrust try outs on them. Then we'll have some try-outs, and get everyone ready to go. Maybe I'll find some other Slytherins to help come up with some new chants and get the crowd more enthused and involved." Quidditch was all about the crowd. Heckling the other team could distract them if it was done well.

Callum stood up, and offered Xiomara his hand to shake- he wasn't sure what other physical gesture would be appropriate. "I really appreciate your time in discussing this with me. I'm sure I'll be around to get more advice on plays and practice and things. It's good to know that somebody thinks I can do this. And since I refuse to let Slytherin down, I'm sure that you won't be let down either."