The Chaser : A Fred Weasley Fan Fic

Two: Trials

I flung open the door to my dorm to see my dorm mate sat on her bed, reading as usual. I was the only the fifth year with a third year dorm mate, but I liked Hermione Granger. As soon as she'd arrived and been sorted into our house I wanted to take her under my wing. Another muggle born was a breath of fresh air. It wasn't until I'd learnt she was stickler for the rules that I'd realised maybe I'd made a mistake.

We weren't meant to visit the boys' dormitories really and every time I came back from Oliver's on a Friday night, she would have a certain judgmental look on her face and utter something about getting us both in trouble if I was caught. Aside from that, we got along fairly well most of the time.

"Hello!" she chimed, looking up from the large Potions textbook she'd been reading.

"Those Weasley twins, they're so rude" I huffed, starting to get undressed by the wardrobe.

"I know, but you really have to take them with a pinch of salt. They can be fun" Hermione shrugged.

"Hmm we'll see" I sighed.

Oliver had leant me one of his many Quidditch jumpers as I didn't have anything to wear for the try out. It was a little too big and smelt distinctly of him, which was a bit off putting but it would do for now.

"Are you going the try outs?" Hermione questioned. She'd clearly been keeping an eye on me, rather than looking down at her book like I'd thought.

"Yes, Oliver is making me" I explained, unpinning my skirt and pulling on a pair of fleece lined joggers.

"Oliver?" Hermione repeated, lifting an eyebrow. A coy smirk spread across her face and I could tell she had some kind opinions about him again.

"He made me practice with him the other night and he thinks I'm actually quite good" I laughed. I could hardly believe the words as they came out of my mouth. It sounded ridiculous, I'd never even played a game.

"Well, good luck!" Hermione called unconvincingly. I waved a weak goodbye and darted out of the door to make my way to the Quidditch pitch.

When I got down to the field it was already littered with hopeful Gryffindors. Members of last year's team, Fred, George, Angelina and Alicia were huddled together chatting loudly all wearing their full Quidditch gear, as if they hadn't a concern about the try outs. Katie Bell stood aside from them, looking down at her broom uncertainly, while third years Lavender Brown and Pavarti Patil tried to talk her ear off about what it was like to be on the Quidditch team.

Oliver came bounding over to our little crowd and dropped the same case he'd brought out last week at our feet with a thud. Everybody silenced immediately and stared down at the case. He clattered down a pile of broomsticks beside it and instructed for everyone who didn't have one to take one. I picked a broom from the ground, passing the clique of other fifers years and heard Angelina mutter under her breath "She doesn't even have a broom?"

The group broke into quiet stifled laugher and I shot daggers at them. Attempting to taunt me further, Angelina let out a hushed "Ooo". I wasn't going to let her throw me off before my turn to show what I could do.

"Boys will go first!" Oliver bellowed. Fred and George stepped forward together, their Beater's bats dangling at their side. I glanced over, surveying how they looked into their uniforms. Their broad shoulders were accentuated by the scarlet robes that were fastened around them and their shoulder length red hair almost matching.

Oliver got them to crack a few Bludgers away as he darted around the pitch on his broom, testing their speed and reflexes.

I couldn't pull my eyes from them. As annoying as they were I couldn't deny they knew what they were doing. It was mesmerising the way they moved in perfectly synchronised movements, making sure that every Bludger was knocked away just in time to stop it from hitting Oliver as he sped towards the hoops.