Chasing The Keeper

Harsh Practice and Panic

Uncharacteristically, I didn't really see or talk to Oliver on the platform, but I did catch his tall frame walking quickly alongside the silhouettes of the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. I smiled, knowing that my prior win most likely got to his head, but that smile quickly dissipated upon the realization that this meant I needed to step up my game. I made a mental note to have a team meeting the very next morning as I hopped into the carriage, tumbling slightly over the hem of my robes.~~~~I looked around my drowsy quidditch teammates lined up on the pitch, brooms in hand. The newer recruits were loudly yawning, clearly unaccustomed to the harsh practice regiment I kept up for the team.

"Sober up will you!" I shouted in a drill sergeant voice, effectively jolting everyone fully awake. "We've got a cup to win, and that can't happen with a bunch of drunken chickens in the air."

"Don't you think it's just a little extra to hold practices at five am?" Yawned Jason, our newest beater. "It's still dark out."

"Is there a problem Samuels?" I snarled, walking up to him. "Because last I checked, lanterns are illuminating the entire stadium."

"Yeah, but-" Jason tried to protest.

"If you don't like it, don't come. See what happens then." I challenged, crossing my arms.

The only response to me was silence, and Elio cast me a knowing look. Jason stood shyly, while the small second-year girl next to him seemed on the verge of tears. Her big button eyes made me soften up, and almost feel bad.

"Look, I get it, adjusting from sleeping in over break to this is tough," I said in a softer voice. "It's weird and a little hard to get used to at first, but give it a few more weeks and you'll get the hang of it."

I ran over a few more drills before I heard my voice get called. Under one of the lamps, I saw Oliver Wood standing in a warm blazer and a large Gryffindor scarf. For a moment I felt grounded to the grass. Something about his skin under the bright lamplight looked... glowing?

"Alright guys go practice shooting drills, I'll be up with you in a bit." I looked back to my team, before walking over to where Oliver stood.

"What do you want Wood," I asked, stepping into the light in front of him.

"Just wanted to see your face." He snickered, running a hand through his short hair.

"As hot as I am, I highly doubt that you would haul your ass to the quidditch pitch at," I glanced down at my wristwatch, "Five forty am."

"Alright, it's McGonagall's orders, and she told me to tell you yesterday, but now you have to make sure your entire team gets to your common room or dining hall." He chuckled. "Due to all the petrifications and all."

"You mean to tell me she wants us to become mother hens to our teams?" I asked in astonishment.

"Precisely," Oliver chuckled. "Not only that, but no one can come down to watch your practices anymore because unless granted permission from the staff, students are no longer allowed on the pitch outside of classes and quidditch games."

"That's tough shit," I pressed my index and thumb to my temples.

"Technically I should've told you yesterday, but I had a late evening practice so I decided to sneak out here this morning to tell you." He grinned. "Risking my ass out here for you Stone."

"Thanks, Wood." I chuckled.

~~~~

Lori looked around us at the dining hall to make sure no one was listening.

"We've got most of the ingredients for a bunch of batches of poly juice potion, but we don't have an empty classroom or janitor closet to brew it in because of the attacks." She whispered to me as we sat down at the tables.

"I think we should wait until this whole heir of Slytherin thing settles down and brew it then." I offered, and Lori nodded in agreement.

"You know, I'm kind of scared about this whole thing," she shuddered. "Sarah is a muggle-born too, and I don't want her to be petrified."

"Believe it or not, but me too." I snickered sadly.

"June is obviously trying her best to ignore it." Lori continued, "You must be noticing how ashen she looks lately."

"Of course I do, but there isn't much we can do except hope for the best at this very moment," I said comfortingly.

"Hope about what?" June and Sarah plopped down in front of us.

"We're just talking about the attacks." I shrugged idly.

"Yeah they're quite sca-" Sarah's sentence was cut off by a tap on her shoulder.

Behind her was standing a tall blonde, with slightly greasy hair and comically large ears.

"Oh hi Erick," Sarah forced a smile.

"I was wondering if you could help me with my potions homework." Erick grinned, revealing his set of crooked teeth and sharp canines.

"When?" Sarah asked, clenching her teeth uncomfortably.

"She's busy buddy, back off," June growled, wrapping an arm around Sarah's shoulder before he could respond.

Erick stared at her in surprise for a moment, before a scowl formed on his face.

"You heard me, scram." June snarled, squeezing Sarah's shoulder even tighter.

"Whatever, Mudbloods," He scoffed, and began to saunter away.

"What did you say to us!?" June began to stand up but was quickly stopped by Sarah, who gave her a pleading look.

"What did I miss?" Elio slid into a seat next to Lori and me.

"A grease ball." Lori and I said unanimously.~~~~Snow continued to pepper the school grounds on and off, and so holding quidditch practices was highly uncomfortable, but I wasn't deterred from winning the cup. The school lived in a panicked frenzy, all except a large group of Slytherins, who seemed rather giddy about the whole thing.

Apparition lessons had also started, forcing me to miss at least one practice every week, but I was fine with that because Elio was a perfect replacement for when I was absent.

Vincent owled me regularly, and I enjoyed reading his neat cursive while drinking tea in the morning, or while laying in bed right before going to sleep. His cursive almost looked like the nurses' and healer's handwriting from when I was little and visited St. Mungos.