The Quidditch Pitch - Oliver Wood Love Story

Practice, Practice, Practice

Serena dreaded the start of October, but she was excited for it as well. She just wished that a hippogriff would trample Marcus. He wouldn't leave her alone and she still hadn't figured out how she was going to get around his little plan. She wasn't going to shag him. There was nothing in the world that would disgust her more.

The first day of practice, she made the team head out right after breakfast. Her plan was to get started before any other team. Their match against Gryffindor was in four weeks and even Marcus was smart enough to know how important that was to them.

"Hurry up you lot!" yelled Serena as she finished tying up her robes. She grabbed her nimbus 2001 and headed toward the Quidditch pitch with her team. "We're doing something new today," said Serena as she marched in front of everyone. "Before we start practice I want everyone to run six laps around the pitch."
            Everyone groaned and grumbled.

"We need to keep in shape!" snapped Serena. "For a bunch of boys, you whine like a bunch of girls!" As she was in the middle of giving her lecture, she saw that the Gryffindor team was already up in the air practicing.

"What the hell are they doing?" asked Marcus. Oliver had flown down and hit the ground with a thud, probably much harder than he intended to as he staggered towards the Slytherins. Harry, Fred and George followed him.

"Carrow!" bellowed Oliver. "This is our practice time! We got up specially! You can clear off now!"

"Plenty of room for all of us, Wood," she said stopping in front of him.

"But I booked the field. I booked it!" he said.

"Easy Wood, we've got a note," said Marcus as Serena pulled out the parchment that Professor Snape had given her. Wood snatched it out of her hands.

"I, Professor Severus Snape, do hereby give permission for the Slytherin team to practice today, in order to train their new Seeker," he read right before he rolled the parchment back up. "You've got a new Seeker, who?"

Draco pushed his way to the front and the look on the Gryffindor's team face was priceless. None of them were expecting Malfoy. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's son?" asked Fred.

"Funny you should mention Draco's father," sneered Flint. "Let me show you the generous gift he's made to the Slytherin team.

Malfoy flashed his Nimbus 2001 and the rest of the Gryffindor team dropped their jaws. Serena couldn't help but smirk.

"Very latest model," said Serena grinning. She loved it when Oliver was at a loss for words. "Only came out last month."

"I believe it outstrips the old Two Thousand series by a considerable amount," said Flint. Every Gryffindor was speechless. "Oh look," said Flint. "A field invasion." We followed his gaze and saw Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger crossing the field.

"What's happening?" asked Ron. "Why aren't you playing? And why is he here?"

Malfoy glared at him.

"I'm the new Slytherin Seeker, Weasley," said Malfoy. "Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father bought our team."

Ron gasped.

"Good, aren't they?" he continued. "But perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms, too. You could raffle off those Cleansweep Fives; I expect a museum would bid for them."

Serena giggled as her team howled with laughter.

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in," said Hermione sharply. "They got in on pure talent."