Chasing The Keeper

Introduction

The platform was bustling with anxious first years hugging their mothers, excited students rejoicing with their friends from previous years and the snogging couples.

"You better be good this year Y/n Loretta Stone." My mother playfully scolded me.

"I'm always good," I smiled sheepishly, looking down at my shoes.

This statement bore the truth, as I never got in any real trouble, but my mom wasn't talking about that.

"You know exactly what I mean." She folded her arms.

"Is it about-"

"Yes, it's about Oliver! You are unnecessarily mean to him and for what? It's embarrassing, especially since I am good friends with his mother!" My mom threw up her hands.

Oliver Wood, probably the most annoying boy at Hogwarts, and the specific Oliver my mother was talking about. He was in my year and the Gryffindor Quidditch captain. We were, as many liked to call us, arch nemesis's, and to be fair, they weren't wrong.

"The attitude is mutual!" I protested, "Honestly it almost sounds like you like him more than your own daughter!"

"From what I can tell, the foul attitude is coming from you, Oliver always behaves like a gentleman."

"That's because that's in front of you!" I retorted, feeling my cheeks flush with anger.

"Alright, we'll off you go." My mother let out a chuckle, giving me a hug. "Write to me about how your first week goes ok?"

"Will do sergeant!" I saluted her, before rushing off with my bags onto the train.

I wasn't paying attention to what was in front of me, trying to scan the crowd for my best friend, June, a girl I met in my first year, who happened to be a Ravenclaw just like me. I spotted her bright pink hair almost instantly. She hated her dusty brown hair "boring", and rather opted to dying it any crazy colour she fancied within the moment.

Right as I was about to yell her name, I stumbled into someone's broad chest, dropping my suitcase.

"I'm so sorry-" I started to apologize but instantly stopped as soon as I looked up.

Oliver Wood in his full Scottish glory was towering above me, his signature insufferable smirk playing on his lips.

"Oh hello Wood." I spat, quickly picking my suitcase back up.

"If it isn't little Stone." Oliver snickered. "Always eager to see me."

"In your dreams Ollie-bear." I snarled and pushed past him, and towards June.

As soon as she saw me approaching she squealed and ran towards me, pulling me into a tight hug.

"Oh my god, I've missed you so much!" She laughed into my shoulder. "Ooh, you smell nice, what shampoo do you use?"

"I've missed you too, and Pink Grapefruit by Mystique Curl." I giggled as we boarded the train.

"Duly noted." June smiled.

June was a very unique character, to say the least. She was rather eccentric, but no less a genius. Her knack with words on paper was extraordinary, and I would often find her perched on a tree in the courtyard scribbling down something in her notebook, be it a poem, a novel she thought up in her dreams, or a simple short story. Being an author in her future was not a possibility, but rather a certainty. June didn't like to be put into a simple box, and chose to express herself through every medium possible; clothing, hair, makeup, speech; you name it, she's made it into something unique to herself. Being highly outspoken, she was not shy to state her mind, no matter how controversial it was. Despite her out of the ordinary expression, she was still well-liked at school and mainly considered to be cool.

We found a compartment together, taking our places at the window seats.

"I can't wait for quidditch season to start! I managed to get the captain's position, and I've been practicing all summer. I even convinced my mom to get me a nimbus 2000!" I rambled excitedly, not deterred by June's vacant facial expression.

"God your quidditch obsession is probably as bad if not worse than Wood's." She rolled her eyes, opening her book.

"It is not! And even if it was, I'm still better than him at it." I huffed, crossing my arms.

"Better than me at what?" Oliver's head peered into our compartment.

"Quidditch." I smiled as sweetly as possible.

"You wish. No offence Stone, but you're about the lousiest chaser I ever did see." He snickered, his mocking laugh making my blood boil.

"I think you're forgetting the multiple quaffles I scored into the hoops you were guarding our last game." I scoffed, meeting his eyes.

They were a deep brown and reminded me of freshly brewed coffee.

"Beginners luck." An embarrassed blush crept onto his cheeks, which I took notice of.

"Right you two could keep bickering about who's better but the truth you're both skilled quidditch players that will probably pursue professional quidditch after school ends." June groaned, not looking up at us.

"What are you even doing in our compartment," I asked, shooting an angry glare at June.

"Your compartment? Last I checked, 9 is written on the door, not Y/n Stone." Oliver grinned.

"Get out," I grumbled, slamming my head back onto the cushioning of the seat.

"You know you're in love with me." Oliver winked at me, before leaving June and me on our own, shutting the door on his way out.

"Merlin's beard he is insufferable." I groaned, throwing my hands over my face.

"And yet you still like him," June stated as though it were a fact.

"Excuse me?" I asked, staring at my best friend in disbelief.

"Face it Y/n, that boy has made his way into your heart." June grinned, finally looking up at me.

"More like gotten under my skin." I sneered. "Me liking Wood? Fat chance."

"Whatever you say." June chortled, looking back at her book.

I didn't respond and instead slouched down, pulling out an old and beaten copy of Quidditch Strategies 101.

It wasn't long before I was immersed in the pages of the manuscript, barely taking notice of our compartment filling up.