Finder's Keeper || Oliver Wood [1]

Chapter 30: Gryffindor Courage

A/N: I'll probably edit this whole thing later on bc it's rushed and I'm not happy with how some parts are written BUUUT pls don't forget to tell me what y'all think of this chapter after you read it! ❤️

The morning of the Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff Quidditch match was very windy and rainy. It felt darker and colder than usual when Jessica and her teammates turned up at the Great Hall for breakfast.

"It's going to be a tough one," said Oliver, who wasn't eating anything.

"Stop worrying, Oliver. We don't mind a bit of rain," Jessica tried. But even she was lying to herself. It wasn't a bit of rain — it was more like heavy showers and ferocious winds by the time the team had made it into the locker rooms. They would have been soaked to the bone had it not been for her smartly conjuring a translucent shield that hovered above their heads on their way there.

Everyone got changed into their scarlet robes and gear quietly, all of them deep in thought. When they had finished, they gathered like always and waited for Oliver to give his pre-match pep talk — but he didn't. He tried speaking a few times, but he always ended up shaking his head. In the end, he wordlessly beckoned for his teammates to follow him out into the field. Jessica shared looks of concern with Angelina and Katie before making their way outside.

The rain and thunder were so loud that Jessica couldn't even tell if the crowd was cheering — they probably were seeing how packed the stands were. The Hufflepuffs came from the opposite side of the field, wearing bright yellow robes. Cedric Diggory and Oliver Wood walked up to each other and shook hands; Cedric had on a charming smile, but Oliver couldn't muster one of his own and merely nodded.

"Mount your brooms!" Madam Hooch said, which Jessica barely heard over the noise. If they were playing in clear conditions, she would have been excited about the fact that this would be her first time playing an official Quidditch game with her Nimbus 2000 from Charles because last school year, she had been petrified before their match. But because she was too preoccupied with their situation, this barely even crossed her mind.

Madam Hooch blew the whistle. Everyone kicked up into the air, and the game began. Jessica found herself swerving slightly due to the strong winds, but she hurriedly steadied herself. She sped after Katie to assist her after seeing that she had gotten the Quaffle first. It was absolute madness trying to maneuver through the blurs of yellow and scarlet in the air, and she couldn't even hear Lee Jordan's commentary — it was like she had lost her sense of sight and hearing in a Quidditch game, for Merlin's sake. She, Angelina, and Katie managed to score a decent amount of goals, though, but after ten minutes, they weren't sure how much longer they could last.

There was a flash of lightning, and Madam Hooch blew her whistle loudly again. With a frown, Jessica descended into the ground with her teammates.

"I called for time-out!" Oliver explained, raising his voice at his team. "Come on, under here —"

They huddled at the edge of the field under a shade, all of them dripping with mud and water.

"What's the score?" Harry asked.

"We're fifty points up, but unless we get the Snitch soon, we'll be playing into the night," Oliver said.

"I've got no chance with these on," Harry waved his glasses exasperatedly. Only a second later, Hermione Granger came running into the tent.

"I've had an idea, Harry! Give me your glasses, quick!" she said. He obeyed right away and gave them to her. Hermione tapped his glasses with her wand and said, "Impervius! There!"

"What did she —" Oliver began.

"A water-repelling charm," Jessica supplied for him, impressed by Hermione. "That was really clever, Granger."