Life Down at the Quidditch Pitch

Chapter One

"Do you know what this year is?" Katie Bell asked as she propped her heels up onto her nightstand, as she rested on the back two legs of her chair. It was Friday, the first Friday of their final year at Hogwart's. She had decided to hole up here with her two best friends, and fellow Chasers on the Quidditch Team.

"Our Seventh Year?" Brown haired Alicia Spinnet asked, giving Katie a bewildered look. Katie put her hands behind her head and leaned back further in her chair.

"1995?" Angelina asked, looking up from her book, raising one perfectly plucked eyebrow.

"Both are right, but this is much more important. This is what I have been waiting for since Second Year. Since I made the Reserve Quidditch Team." Katie removed her feet from her nightstand and both legs of her chair hit the ground with a thud. Angelina looked up startled. She then shared a shrug with Alicia, whose bed was across from hers.

"Oh no," Alicia said rolling her eyes, it dawning on her what Katie was talking about. "She's on about Oliver again."

"Merlin help us all," Angelina said. "Once she gets started..."

"No one else had a problem with him besides you Katie, even if he was a bit, crazy." Alicia went back to filing her nails with her metal file. Since Katie had complained that she could not stand the sound of emery boards, both Angelina and Alicia had nicely switched to metal.

Katie took a deep breath and readied the argument she'd been trying to perfect for the last five years, well four and a half if you wanted to be technical, she hadn't been brave enough to share her loathing of all things Oliver Wood until halfway through the school year their Second Year. "Okay, you can't help but remember what a nag Oliver was, and how he used to wake us up at 5AM for Quidditch practices. And how he could have really cared less what happened to Harry, unless he caught the damned Snitch! Alicia even you were upset the night Harry almost was killed by the crazy Bludger."

"Oh Katie, stop with the woe is me. And bringing up Harry into your argument," Angelina said.

"If Harry had minded he would have quit the Quidditch team a long time ago," Alicia interjected. "And he was the one who told Oliver that he could handle the Bludger by himself and I know for a fact that you are just as fanatical about Gryffindor winning the House Cup as Oliver was."

"Besides w all know how much you hate Oliver. You've been going on about it since Second Year and neither of us will ever forget how you broke his nose with the Quaffle during tryouts our Second Year and you wondered why you didn't make the House Team. Killing the Keeper is not exactly the best way to make a first impression, not to mention the fact that the Captain at the time had a huge crush on him, and she thought that you had killed him off." Angelina shook her head.

"The reason I didn't make the House Team Second Year, is because both you and Alicia are much better Chasers. Not because the stupid Captain fancied Oliver."

"Not this too, not the Alicia and Angelina are much better Quidditch players than I am so why should I even try argument," Alicia said, Katie saw her roll her eyes again.

"I was not about to start that for you're information," Katie said, giving Alicia a dirty look.

"Besides you never really said why you hate Oliver, the two of you got into a huge row after the Quaffle incident and neither of you have liked each other since," Angelina interjected, clearly changing the subject.

"Yes, why do you hate Oliver? You've never actually told us." Both of her friends were now staring at her with interest. Katie sighed.

"I just do."

"C'mon tell us." She wasn't sure wither Angelina or Alicia said it, but they both moved to sit on her bed, next to where she was sitting in her chair.

"You guys, no, this is really personal. I've never told anyone," Katie said, realizing instantly that she'd made a fatal mistake. The two of them would never let her alone now. They made pouty faces, and she sighed again. She might as well tell them now.

"Okay, okay, but you can't tell anyone..."

Flashback...

"What are you reading Katie?" She looked over to her left to see Angelina looking over her shoulder.

"About Quidditch tryouts," Katie said, knowing what Angelina's immediate reaction would be.

"How many positions are open?" Angelina immediately squealed.

"Four, two Chaser and two Beater positions."

"Excellent," chimed the identical voices of Fred and George Weasley.

"I think Gryffindor has found its Beaters," Alicia joked from her other side.

"Twins are good luck for Quidditch," one of them, Katie thought Fred, said.

"Brothers are good luck," Alicia replied. "Twins are even better. It's been ages since Gryffindor won the cup."

"Ah, some second years wanting to try out for the Team," said a voice with a thick Scottish accent. Katie turned around and came face to face with no one but the object of her total obsession, Oliver Wood, the Gryffindor Keeper. She felt herself blush; she was glad that her cheeks were naturally on the pink side.

"Yes actually," Angelina said.

"We're also, well, not just Gryffindors, but everyone, are looking for a commentator. No one that I can think of is quite cut out for the job. You've got to know a lot about Quidditch and have no problems talking for hours on end," Oliver said, looking over the three girls. She never realized how tall he was until now, and how incredibly short she felt. He looked at her directly, his brown eyes locked with her hazel ones. She felt a chill go up her spine. He was still talking but she wasn't hearing anything, in fact she was lost in her own fantasy world which involved her, Oliver, a broom closet, and her first kiss. Finally there was a sharp elbow into her right side; it was Alicia knocking her back into reality.

"What?" she hissed.

"I," she could hear Oliver's voice clearly again. "Was just wondering which position you were trying out for."

"Oh," Katie said. "Oh, er, ah, C-Chaser. Alicia, Angelina, and I have been practicing all summer for it."

"So they've told me," Oliver replied, raising an eyebrow. "Well good luck and I'll see you all down at the Pitch bright and early Saturday morning." Katie bit her lip and watched him walk away, her heart slowed down.

"Just think," Angelina said. "In four days time, we'll be playing Quidditch for Gryffindor. Dad will be so proud."

"Only four of us will be playing Quidditch," Alicia said sourly. "Rather, you and Katie will be Chasers, and I'll be cheering you on from the sidelines."

"Cheer up," Angelina said. "Regardless, the three of us will be on the team next year until we graduate, not many people get to say that."

"We haven't even tried out yet Angelina," Katie said, still recovering from her conversation with Oliver.

"I just have a feeling Katie, I have a feeling." Katie shared a look with Alicia and they both rolled their eyes. Angelina always had a feeling.

"That's all right, I've though of the perfect person for the commentary position," one of the twins said, in time she would have no problems telling them apart, but then it was difficult. "Think of someone with a big mouth, can't fly worth anything, and loves Quidditch."

"Lee Jordan," the other four of them said immediately.

"Bugger!" Katie yelled. She and Angelina were running late for Transfiguration, and she'd gotten to close to a suit of arms, it ripper her bag right open. Angelina looked at her, she could tell that she was deciding on wither or not to help her friend and face the wrath of McGonagall, or go ahead to class. "Go, tell McGonagall what happened. She won't be too cross." Angelina nodded, and her friend ran to the Transfiguration classroom. She sighed and began throwing things back into her bag. She wasn't sure how she was going to keep the bag closed.

"Need help?" someone with a very familiar Scottish accent said. The hairs on the back of her neck immediately stood up. She turned to see someone, the person she thought who it was, Oliver Wood standing over her.

"Sh-sh-shouldn't you be in class?" she asked, feeling her hands beginning to shake.

"I was actually on my way to Divination, but Trelawney already warned me that I would be late today, so I decided to take my time," he said, now he was bending down and began putting things into her bag. They were silent as they put the remaining contents of her bag, back into her bag. She felt Oliver's hand touch hers at one point, electricity went straight up her arm, and her heart began beating so loudly, she was sure that he could hear it. She looked over at him to see him looking at her. She gulped and immediately went back to shoving things into her bag. Finally once they'd gotten everything into their bag, Oliver spoke again. "Let me show you a little Charm to fix your bag." She nodded, still unable to speak. He showed her the Charm, and she stood up and slung the bag back over her shoulder.

"Thank you," she said. She turned too quickly because of her nerves, and this time, didn't snag her bag, but bumped her head on the suit of armor. She immediately fell on the floor, flat on her bum, embarrassed as hell. She knew now that her face was a brilliant shade of red.

"Are you okay Katie?" Oliver asked, standing above her. He knew her name, her heart sang. He offered his hand, and she reached for it. More electricity flew up her arm as she stood up. She gave him a small grateful smile when she was finally upright. "Let me check your head, you might need to see Madame Pomfrey." Oliver now stood over her, she gulped again. He was leaning down, so close, that if she wanted to, she could easily lean up and kiss him. Why not, a little voice asked in her head. Katie was never one to back down from anything, she was brave, she was a Gryffindor in fact, and a proud one too boot. So she did. She stood up on the tips of her toes and pressed her lips against his, it was an excellent kiss for being her first, and the fact that she was only twelve. The kiss probably only last two seconds, but to Katie it seemed like two hours. She pulled back from Oliver, shocked by her own daring; his jaw was dropped, in a very attractive sort of manor, if you didn't mind a guy who could attract flies. He didn't say anything, and suddenly she felt like a fool. So she did the only thing that a twelve year old could do in her position, she ran down the hall towards the Transfiguration classroom.

"You kissed Oliver and never told us?!" Angelina shrieked, hitting the now seventeen year old Katie over the head with a pillow.

"You hate Oliver because you kissed him in second year?!" Alicia shrieked.

"No, there's more, the two of you interrupted me!" Katie said, dodging more blows from Angelina.

"Is there more about you and Oliver snogging?" Angelina asked, with raised eyebrows.

"I was twelve!" Katie replied. "Twelve year olds do not snog."

"Someone's got their mind in the gutter," Alicia said, with a sly grin.

"She does date Fred," Katie said, her grin matching Alicia's.

"Oh and the two of you are just the most clean minded people here at Hogwart's. I remember when Alicia gave me the last blow by blow of her date with Lee, and Katie, you're always asking for the good stuff," Angelina said. "Besides this isn't about me, this is about why Katie hates Oliver. So finish."

"Yes Katie, finish." Alicia echoed Angelina.

"This is what happened next."

Flashback...

It was Friday night and Katie forgotten her Charms homework in the Common Room. She didn't trust Fred and George to let it alone the next morning. Besides, she would probably forget about it, the next morning was Quidditch tryouts. She slipped down the steps and was about to step out into the Common Room where there was Oliver Wood, surrounded by some of his fellow Fourth Years. He could not catch her in her flannel pajamas, stalking around the Common Room at night. She slid back up the steps, and was about to stand up and head to her dorm room when she heard part of their conversation.

"Those Second Years, trying out for the Quidditch Team," a girl with a thick Irish accent said. "Do they think that they'll actually make the team?" She heard a few others laugh, and her face went bright red.

"Obviously, they are trying out," replied a boy.

"I heard them talking in the corridors, they really believe they can make the team. There's the black girl, the girl with the brown hair, the two red headed twins, they might actually make the team, they are Charlie's Weasley's younger brother," said the girl with the Irish accent.

"Then there's the scrawny little blonde girl," said another girl. "If she were to play Quidditch, she'd be blown off course. I expect that she'll want to take over my Seeker position. No good little brat, what do you think Oliver?"

Katie's heart stopped as she waited to hear Oliver's reply. She wanted to hear him stick up for her, even though she hadn't said a word to him since the kiss incident. He had waved to her a couple times, and she had very shyly waved back. Alicia and Angelina had both given her weird looks each time this happened.

"Oliver?" the girl asked again.

"Oh yes," Oliver said and her heart stopped. She ran up the steps to her dorm, blinking the tears back from her eyes.

"What a prick!" Angelina yelled.

"I can't bloody believe it!" Alicia yelled as well.

"Shh, you'll wake the whole Tower and the two of you know the rest. I purposely broke Oliver's nose the next day at tryouts, he and I got into a bit row," Katie hissed. "And the best thing is that no more Oliver this year, a Quidditch season without him. It's a dream come true. Now move, I'm tired." She pulled her long hair up into a ponytail, and pulled the covers off of her bed once her two friends moved off of it. She pulled the covers down and slid into the warm covers.

"Yes a whole Quidditch season without Oliver. I'm in luck." She however did not notice the looks that Angelina and Alicia gave each other before they two climbed into their own beds.

"We have to tell her Angelina! She's going to kill you!" Alicia hissed the next morning when they headed down the breakfast. Katie had still been asleep, so they'd left her in bed to sleep. That morning Angelina and the rest of the Quidditch team were holding tryouts for the Keeper position. Angelina bit her lip; she knew that Alicia was right; in fact Alicia was always right.

"She's going to kill both of us, once she finds out that I told you and not her," Angelina hissed back, as they sat down at the Gryffindor table.

"Especially after she gave us the whole story last night," Alicia brushing her long hair out of her face and pulling it back into a barrette.

"What story?" Angelina looked up to see Fred sliding into the seat next to her. He kissed her affectionately on the cheek.

"Er," Angelina said.

"We haven't told Katie about Oliver yet," Alicia said, talking over Angelina.

"You still haven't told her?" Now Harry was sliding into a seat on Angelina's other side. "She's going to kill us all."

"Thanks for the confidence Harry," Angelina said.

"No problem," Harry said, with a cheeky grin. Pretty soon George and Lee had joined them at the table, Lee sliding in next to Alicia who began smiling broadly. They began talking, making up excuses as to why it was a good thing that they hadn't told Katie yet.

"This whole O-" Angelina was saying when she received a sharp kick under the table from Alicia. She looked up to see Katie sliding into the seat next to Harry. "Oy, oy, its late, we better go to the Quidditch Pitch." Harry snorted into his bacon, Fred was trying not to laugh, Alicia's tan face was unnaturally pale, and Katie looked confused. "Or, or, or I can go to the Quidditch Pitch...and Alicia and Katie can get the balls from O- the new flying instructors office." Alicia was now paler than ever.

"Did we find out who is replacing Madame Hooch while she's on holiday this year?" Katie asked, between bites of her eggs.

"Er, no," Angelina said. "I'mgoingtotheQuidditchPitch," she said sprinting out of the hall. She could hear someone behind her and saw that it was Fred. "She's going to kill us."

"Why couldn't you just tell her then?" Fred asked, looking a bit confused.

"We were going to last night. Then she told us why she hates Oliver, don't even bother asking I can't tell you." Fred immediately shut his mouth. "But it's a good reason." Fred reassuredly squeezed her hand, and they made the rest of their way out to Pitch where there were Keeper hopefuls already flying around. She spotted Oliver in the middle of the field, talking to Dean Thomas, who in her opinion had the best chance of making the team. Oliver spotted her and gave her the male head nod, the universal one that you immediately knew that they were saying hello with.

"Oliver," she said, once she got close enough. The only good thing about Katie's grudge against Oliver was that she didn't expect the rest of them to not like him. She was fully okay with the rest of them being properly friendly with them.

"It's my protégé!" Oliver said, throwing his arm around her. "It's been what a year since I last saw you?"

"Year and a half," Angelina replied, looking out for Katie. She was sure that she would be dead within the hour.

"So are you dating this big thug, or was he attempting to hit on you again?" Oliver asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You know he follows me everywhere, so I try no t to hurt his ego too badly," Angelina teased.

"Very funny. If you're lucky Wood, I won't punch you for hitting on my girl," Fred said, pulling Angelina towards him in a mock possessive manor, which made both Oliver and her laugh.

"So where is the rest of team?" Oliver asked looking around.

"Breakfast," Fred said. The three of them began talking and lost total track of time, until they heard a shrill which sounded a lot like Katie's. Angelina shuddered and turned to see Katie, who had the Quaffle in her hand, and an open box of Quidditch balls at her feet.

"What is he doing here?!" she demanded. "Is he arrogant enough to think that we can't pick out a bloody Keeper good enough to replace him?!" Katie was looking at the rest of the Quidditch team who had made it out to the field unnoticed by Angelina.

"Not exactly," Oliver said, looking around confused. He threw Angelina a look that clearly asked 'Is there a bloody good reason that you haven't told her yet?'

"Katie..." Angelina started to say.

"Er..." Alicia was saying, looking wildly around, seeing if anyone could help them. The Keeper wannabes had stopped practicing, and were now scattered around seeing what the commotion was about. Angelina bit her lip and looked at the rest of the team, who suddenly couldn't look her in the eyes. They knew what was coming too, even Harry who hadn't witnessed most of Katie's personal vendetta against Oliver. She was always extremely well behaved during practices. Katie's face was now a brilliant, very brilliant shade of red, and she was shaking. Finally Oliver spoke, breaking the eerie silence.

"I'm the new Flying Instructor at Hogwart's, and Angelina's asked me to be the Gryffindor Coach." Oliver didn't even have a chance to move, though Angelina suspected he knew what was about to happen. A Quaffle came flying straight at his face, knocking him flat.