Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Oliver followed closely behind Fred and George as they were ushered into the Great Hall by the stern looking witch in green robes. Oliver, and several other first years, were too busy looking up at the ceiling? Sky? Of the Great Hall to pay too much attention to the several hundred pairs of eyes that were focused on them.
“This is crazy.” Fred whispered. “Are they expecting us to start dueling each other for a spot in a house?”
Oliver felt the familiar ave of panic that he had come to know so well, even only at age eleven. He didn’t know any spells. Let alone any that would be of use to him in a duel.
George, still looking up at the ceiling, hadn’t heard his brother. “Oh look, you can see the beams of the ceiling. I thought we were inside but I didn’t know if it was just going to be an open roof. Blimey, what if it was and it had been raining? We’d all be soaking wet!”
Oliver grinned at the twins. He was always surprised at how calm they made him feel. They didn’t have any worries in the world at all, no pressure from their parents to be something perfect. It made Oliver feel jealous. His own mother had always said he had better be flawless.
“It’s better to be perfect Oliver, to be great. You should either be great at something, or not bother doing it at all.” She had fixed him with a stern glare at that statement. This was, of course, after had repeatedly failed a training exercise again and again. His vision had been going blurry from trying to hold back tears of frustration. Which, had just made it more difficult to try and stop the Quaffle.
Oliver was brought back to the present by his own name. The stern witch, Professor McGonagall had said it. “Oliver Wood.” She repeated it. He thought he saw her mouth turn from a stern line, to the hint of an amused smile, before she composed herself once more.
Oliver stepped forward towards the stool. He could now definitely feel all those sets of eyes on him. Professor McGonagall held a dusty looking hat above his head and lowered it onto him.
‘Hmmm I see. You have lots of courage, young one.’
Oliver held himself stock still as the voice inside his head continued. He tried not to panic.
‘Not too bad a mind either, although I don’t think it's quite Ravenclaw material I’m afraid.’
Oliver’s shoulders sagged in relief. He wouldn’t be in the same house as his mother was.
‘Oh bit of a sore spot I see. Well, I don’t think you have quite the cunning of Slytherin. You do have a certain drive though, a need to be better than those around you.’
Oliver was startled by that statement. He hadn’t realized he was that obvious.
‘Oh don’t you worry. It’s just all here in your head.’
Oliver almost jumped out of skin when the hat yelled into the Great Hall “Gryffindor!”
Cheers erupted around the hall and Oliver was herded toward one of the long tables. He felt so dazed, and it didn’t help that someone had crashed into him and was giving him one of the tightest hugs he had ever received.
“You did it Ollie! You’re in the same house as us!” Charlie was squeezing him so tight Oliver thought he was going to pass out.
“Charlie…can’t…breathe.” Oliver gasped out.
Charlie released him quickly. “Right, sorry. My fault.”
Was Oliver imagining it or had Charlie’s face been turning red? His freckles did seem to stand out for a moment.
Oliver didn’t have time to ponder that, as he took a seat and watched the rest of the sorting ceremony. Unsurprisingly, Fred George and Lee all joined the table, with a handful of others. Once everybody had been seated, the wizard at the head of the table introduced himself as Headmaster Dumbledore, and welcomed all the first year students.
“You will note that the forest on the school grounds is strictly forbidden to all students.” Dumbledore told them.
Oliver found himself practically on the edge of his seat. Dumbledore’s voice was soft and although it carried through the hall, it was almost impossible to hear.
“Let the feast begin!” Dumbledore said a little louder.
Oliver gasped as the table was filled to the brim with a large dinner. He had never seen so much food. Granted, it had always been just he and his mother at home. They never really needed a lot of food for just the two of them.
“Go on dig in!” Fred said excitedly.
Oliver laughed as the twins started grabbing as much food as they could and piling it onto their plates. He felt content, so why was there a cold feeling running down his body? Oliver was chewing on a piece of chicken when he turned and saw a ghost standing, or rather, floating before him.
“Hello! I’m Nearly Headless Nick! Welcome to Gryffindor!” The ghost smiled at Oliver.
Oliver nearly choked, coughing up a small piece of meat he grabbed the goblet and drank the Pumpkin Juice before replying. “Uh thank-you?”
Looking satisfied, Nearly Headless Nick nodded at Oliver, and floated farther down the table. Oliver grimaced slightly. Nearly Headless Nick nodding had been…quite the sight. His had had almost toppled off.
“You get used to it.” Charlie told him with a grin.
“Oi! Do you get used to ones like this?!” George exclaimed.
Oliver turned to look at the twins, who sat across from Oliver and Charlie. A smaller, more mischievous looking ghost had just flung peas and potatoes onto Fred.
Charlie sighed and looked at the ghost sternly. “Peeves. Don’t make me have Bill tell Dumbledore that you’re already getting into mischief on the first night of term.”
The ghost, Peeves, looked alarmed and flew upwards away from the Gryffindor table faster than Oliver could believe.
“Sorry about him, he’s a nasty little bugger. Most of the ghosts are friendly though.” Charlie told the three of them.
Oliver wasn’t quite sure what to make of that statement. Most of the ghosts were fine? Oliver enjoyed the rest of dinner, laughing with his friends and feasting on more food. He caught Charlie staring at him oddly when Oliver thought no one had seen him pocket a roll for later on.
This was a habit of Oliver’s that had stuck with him. He had been good at stealing food for later when his mother would forget to make food. Or, more likely that she wouldn’t let him have dinner if he hadn’t done well in training that day.
Oliver followed his fellow Gryffindors through the castle, as Bill led the way to their common room and dormitories. Oliver was yawning at this point, but still appreciated all the moving frames on the walls and the warm fireplace in the common room. He trekked up the stairs and joined Fred, George, Lee, and another boy into their dormitory. The large four poster beds were so inviting, that Oliver found the one that had his trunk in front of it and promptly collapsed, settling in for the night. He felt so warm and peaceful. He fell asleep easily, for the first time in years.
Now…
“So, Hogwarts felt safe to you? You seem to recall it as a place of happiness and warmth.” His therapist looked at him curiously.
“Hogwarts always felt like home…more than my actual one.” Oliver shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
“Why do you think that is?”
Oliver didn’t meet his therapist’s gaze. “I think…because he was there and she wasn’t.”