Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Now…
“It seems Charlie forgives you very quickly.” His therapist mused.
Oliver snorted. “Back then, sure. As we got older, not so much.”
His therapist blinked at him calmly. “Why do you think that is?”
Oliver shrugged. “Probably got tired of my shit.”
Then…
Oliver had a good week leading up to Quidditch tryouts. In Charms, he was one of the first to perfect the Summoning Charm, much to Professor Flitwick’s delight. He also had to stifle his laughter as Fred “accidentally” summoned the small professor, which sent him flying across the room, not unlike the pillows they were practicing on. Potions was still his least favorite, having not added enough of one ingredient to his potion, making it turn the wrong color of green. In Defense Against The Dark Arts, Professor Quirrell had rambled nervously about goblins, which linked well to the goblin rebellions in History of Magic.
Now though, Oliver stood on the Quidditch pitch, surrounded by a surprising amount of Gryffindors while they listened to Charlie welcome them.
“Right! Well, er…as you all know I’m the only member on the team, so almost every position is available.” Charlie glanced at the large bunch of eager first years. “If you’re here for Seeker tryouts, that position is filled by me.”
Oliver blinked and tried not to laugh as most of the first years left the pitch, grumbling about how unfair it was.
“Alright then, let’s get started with Beaters.” Charlie said, grinning at the group of students.
While Oliver watched the would-be Beaters, he assessed the students that sat with him. Who else was trying out for Keeper? He waved back at Katie, who sat farther down the bench with Angelina and Alicia. They were easily the three smallest people there, and the only girls that were trying out. Oliver hoped they made it.
Oliver’s heart sank a little, when Charlie called for Chasers next. That looked like the position most people were trying out for. He hoped his three friends would outshine them all.
“How do you think we did Oliver?” Fred asked him, landing on the bench on one side, George on the other.
Oliver blinked, turning his gaze away from the sky to his friends. “What? Oh, yes you did great! I bet you’ll make the team no problem!”
A boy about a year older than them laughed harshly farther down the bench. “Well, considering their brother is the captain I bet they won’t have any trouble no matter what.”
Oliver, Fred, and George, glared at him, all he did was shrug. “What? Watch, I’m sure that’s what he’ll do.”
“Or,” Oliver began, his voice rising, “He’ll pick them because they were the best option.”
The other boy rolled his eyes. “Sure, sure.”
“Alright! Lastly, Keepers are up!” Charlie called.
Oliver and the other boy both stood, mounted their brooms, and flew off to their respective goal posts. The Chasers had remained in the air to throw the Quaffles, probably so Charlie could see how well they did trying to score on a Keeper.
Oliver was not expecting the barrage of nerves that were settling into his body as he floated between the three hoops. He had no reason to be nervous. This was what he was raised to do. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. The wind blew in his ears loudly, almost covering the beating of his own heart. His hands were sweaty, but Oliver tried to ignore that. He could do this.
He thought of his mother at first, her endless training, her yelling in his ears, as the Chasers approached the hoops he was protecting. He watched carefully as they passed the Quaffle back and forth, before Angelina threw it at the right hoop. Oliver flew over quickly, but his arms flailed wildly, like they had a mind of their own, and he watched as the Quaffle flew through the hoop.
“Nice job Angelina!” Charlie called to her. “Don’t worry about it Oliver! You’ll get the next one!”
Charlie’s encouragement didn’t help. If anything it pissed him off. He easily could’ve gotten that. What was his problem?
He made sure no one was looking, before slipping his wand out of his robes, and shot a stinging hex on his own arm. He barely flinched at the pain, but it reminded him of how his mother would get him to focus, to be better, while they practiced.
Oliver sighed in relief, as the other Keeper also missed the Quaffle. Making them tied zero zero for saves. Oliver flew between the posts, as he watched the Chasers approach. Oliver remembered the year before, flying above the pitch and near the forest with Charlie. Charlie, helping him with his anger by yelling into the wind.
The Quaffle was thrown by Katie this time, at the middle post, and Oliver swatted it away with the end of his broom. It was a little flashy, but a save nonetheless.
“Nice one!” Charlie yelled, grinning broadly.
Oliver nodded, his gaze focused on the Quaffle as the Chasers brought it to the other end of the pitch, where the other Keeper also saved it. “Damn it.” Oliver grumbled to himself.
Oliver was in the zone after that, he stopped two more Quaffles, while the other Keeper only managed to stop one more. He had never felt more proud of himself. He flew down to the base of the pitch again, where Fred and George tackled him, laughing.
“Brilliant! Bloody brilliant!” George exclaimed.
“You did great Oliver! Charlie would be crazy not to have you on the team!” Fred added.
Charlie flew down and gathered everyone that tried out. “Thank you everyone for coming out today! I’ll have the roster posted tomorrow in the common room! Go eat a nice lunch, you all earned it!”
Oliver followed Fred George, Angelina, Alicia, and Katie back to the castle and into the Great Hall, where they settled into a fantastic lunch as usual from the Hogwarts House Elves.
~~~~~~~
Oliver walked down to the common room the next morning, aiming to go to the library again to see if he could find any wizarding family trees that may lead to his father’s side of the family, when the large group of people around the notice board distracted him.
“Oliver! We made the team!” Angelina said, running up to him with Katie and Alicia in tow.
Oliver grinned at them. “That’s great! Er…did you happen to see…?”
“Go look for yourself!” Alicia said excitedly.
Oliver headed for the board just as the other Keeper tryout pushed his way through the mass. He glared at Oliver before heading out the portrait hole.
“Well if that doesn’t answer your question.” Katie said.
Oliver grinned and looked at the roster Charlie posted.
Chasers: Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet
Beaters: Fred Weasley, George Weasley
Seeker: Charlie Weasley
Keeper: Oliver Wood
Oliver blinked, and then grinned, his shoulders relaxing more than they had ever done in the past year. He had done it. His mother would finally leave him alone.
Now…
Oliver laughed harshly. “She didn’t though. I still wasn’t going to enough for her.”
“Why don’t we take a break?” His therapist said gently.