Finder's Keeper || Oliver Wood [1]

Chapter 9: Gratitude and Group Works

The day that Jessica was set to return to Hogwarts came sooner than she had expected. She had spent the New Year with her family and met up with some of her muggle friends she made back in elementary school and in summer camps. It was incredibly difficult to keep magic a secret and she was glad that they were all busy telling their own stories to keep pestering her about her mysterious boarding school. Before she knew it, she was all packed and in King's Cross Station.

Jessica was making her way down the train, looking for either Bethany or Alista. It was proving to be a challenge since the train was more or less full this time around, similar to how it looked at the start of every school year. She greeted some familiar faces, classmates, and housemates, but she was running out of luck. She even bumped into Terence Higgs who was exiting his compartment.

"Oh," he said. "Hey Haw —"

"Hawthorne!"

Jessica drew her eyes away from the Slytherin boy who was just about to greet her to look for who had just shouted her name not even a second later. The moment she turned on her heel, she almost came face to face with Oliver Wood, who had on a bright smile on his face. He placed both his hands on the girl's shoulders once he was near enough, mildly startling her.

"I was going to write a letter to say thanks, but I wanted to say it in person. I can't believe get you got me those Quidditch gloves," he rambled, letting go of her shoulders as he started talking animatedly with hand gestures.

"I can't believe it, too. They were limited edition," Jessica bragged jokingly.

"Exactly! How did you get them? Why did you get them? Why did I just get you tea and hot chocolate? Bloody hell, I'm a horrible friend."

"Calm down, Wood," Jessica laughed at how out of character he was being. She had never seen Oliver this excited. After all, the time they spent together when they started becoming friends was usually studying or just in the Great Hall, so she assumed he was only this energetic when he would play Quidditch.

Oliver did as she told, shaking his hands as if he was getting rid of all that excess energy. It was only then that he noticed Terence Higgs behind the black-haired girl.

"Higgs," he said stiffly.

"Wood," Higgs replied. The boy then scoffed under his breath at how the two Gryffindors were blocking the way, taking it upon himself to lightly push against Oliver's shoulder as he made his way down the corridor to make a point.

"Slytherins," Oliver muttered when he was gone.

"Hey, they're not all bad," Jessica defended.

"Oh, sorry. I forgot Greene's one, too." Jessica narrowed her eyes at the fifth year boy who still sounded bitter talking about Slytherins. When he noticed her intense stare, he faltered. "Okay, okay! I said I was sorry. Greene's a nice person."

"Apology accepted. To answer your question, I just got those gloves at Quality Quidditch Supplies."

"But they're limited edition."

"That's why I asked Charles for help. I needed the connections." Jessica beamed at him before walking away, continuing her search for her friends.

"Charles? Charles Hawthorne?" Oliver questioned, quickly following after her as his excitement came back. "Your cousin?"

"No, my dog."

"Oh."

"Of course, it's that Charles. Besides, I remembered you saying you wanted new gloves back in Hogsmeade."

"But those must have been expensive."

"Well, then, think of it as me repaying you for carrying all the bags of presents I bought that day in Hogsmeade."