Extended Family

Chapter 151: First the Thunder

Takes place four years after chapter 71

"You called Coach?" Oliver asked, poking his head into Miranda's office.

"Sure did. Sit down."

Oliver did as asked but he could not help but notice how excited Miranda looked. The woman was always energetic and had a passion for the sport that rivaled his and McGonagall's, who he deemed at the height of positive fandom. She was tough and driven and one of the best coaches he knew. And while she was almost always enthusiastic, she was nearly vibrating from pent up emotion and energy. "You alright?" he asked with a grin.

"Better than," she said, sounding practically bubbly. She held out an envelope to him. "It's that time again..."

Oliver recognized the mark on the envelope and his smile matched hers in intensity, width, and breadth. "No way!"

"Yes way!" Miranda laughed as he opened the envelope eagerly. "It's time to see if we can do what barely a handful of teams have done in history!"

"Hell yeah!" Oliver said and they high-fived. "You're the Head Coach for the team this year, congrats!"

"Thanks! I was surprised but I'll take it. Guess it made sense because pretty much half the team is on Portree," she said smugly and proudly. "Plus I'm a pretty good coach if I say so myself."

"We all say it too," Oliver said. He took the object out of the envelope and sighed softly at it, running his fingers over it lovingly. "I'm glad to have this again."

"I bet," Miranda said with a wide smile. "Shall we share the good news with the first prospectives?"

"Let's do it," Oliver smiled. He then winced when Miranda shouted at the top of her lungs, her voice carrying easily out of the office, down the hall, and into the locker room.

"TANYA! SHELIA! ANGELINA! HARRY! GET YOUR ARSES IN HERE NOW!"

Oliver stuck a finger into his ear and wiggled it around. "I always assumed you did a voice amplifying charm for that."

"Nope, never have," Miranda smiled as she sat back with her hands behind her head. "Not inside anyways. Never needed it."

Harry was the first to run in, still toweling his hair dry with Angelina on his heels half-clothed. Tanya and Shelia walked in a few moments after at a much more sedate pace.

"Yeah what do you want?" Shelia asked, eyebrow raised.

"Will it kill you two to respect me?" Miranda sighed.

"Probably," Shelia said seriously.

"We've known you for too long," Tanya said apologetically without actually being apologetic. "We respect you. We're just less obvious about it."

"Or open about it," Shelia said.

"Or subservient about it."

"Or sincere about it."

Miranda mock glowered at the two women as they cackled. "I could kick you off this team."