Hufflepuffs Melody - O.W

4 - The First Practise

Melody stormed into the great hall ignoring the looks thrown her way, her expression stone focused purely on Cedric. She flicked her head and he understood instantly walking over to her nervously. He followed her silently as she went and sat at the end of the table not a trace of a smile on her features.

'Hey, Mel, what's up?' Cedric asked tentatively placing a hand on her shoulder.

'Jeez, what's got Mel's panties in a twist?' Percy asked from the Gryffindor table causing Oliver to look up and watch the scene with interest, she did look very frazzled. I wonder if they're a thing Oliver thought to himself as he watched Cedric try to calm her down. He shook his head, why would he care, the burley lad tried to focus on the twin's conversation, but he couldn't help his eyes kept trailing over to where she was sat. The pair were in a deep conversation it looked like they were planning it and they both wore deep frowns, something that looked out of place on the usually smiley Hufflepuffs.

'He's an eleven-year-old,' Cedric tried to reason,

'Yeah but he's the freaking boy who lived,' she snapped, 'there's no way he's not fucking incredible, the boy probably shits gold.'

Despite himself, Cedric laughed. 'Mel take a breath, we know before any of the other teams it's me and you this year we're gonna be amazing.'

She tried to agree but she couldn't help the bad feeling in her stomach.

'Melody, listen to me,' Cedric spoke suddenly stern taking a hold of her hand, 'no one excepts the best out of us, we've already been dismissed as competition.' The girl in front of him nodded slightly, 'look Alisha Harrison was a lovely girl but she was a crap captain, you aren't we're gonna be the underdogs this year.'

Melody's smile came back to her, 'you know what Cedric, I think you're right, let's show them that badgers can bite.'

The pair laughed and walked down the table to their friends letting their team members know their first practice was tonight. The rest of dinner went off without a hitch their laughter ran throughout the hall and Oliver couldn't help but relax slightly now that she was back to her normal self, not that he noticed this obviously.

But a trick of fate the two separate groups found themselves finished at the same time, Melody's friends froze at seeing who was opposite to them, Alex and Olivia couldn't help but smirk at each other. This wasn't going to play out well.

'Alright lass,' the scot said with a smirk,

'Ollie bear,' she replied curtly,

'Would you two get a room already,' The twins said from behind him in unison making everyone around them giggle.

Desperately feeling as if she needed to make up for her floundering earlier the girl spoke first, her eyes shimmering at the interaction. 'You'll want a room to cry in when we destroy you on the pitch,' she replied with a fake pout.

'As if that's going to happen, not only are we stronger than ever but we've got a secret weapon,' Oliver replied looking the small girl in front of him up and down.

'Oh yeah, an eleven-year-old, I'm shaking,' sarcasm dripping from her voice, 'let me know when he's gone through puberty then maybe I'll consider him a threat.'

Oliver's face was priceless, he hadn't anticipated that people knew about Harry just yet.

'Mel,' a small voice from behind the group said, they turned around to see Eleanor stood there with her arms crossed a stare to rival Snape of her features. 'That wasn't very nice,'

'We're on different teams now, remember,' Melody replied instantly pushing pass them, she ruffled Harry's hair as she passed, 'see you later little one.'

She could hear the Gryffindors arguing as they walked away a laugh escaped from Cedric's lips as he slung an arm over her shoulders. 'That was pretty good Mel lets go get ready to train.'

Cedric and Melody stood at the start of the pitch looking at the majority of their team, 'Where the hell is Rickett, we were meant to start playing ten minutes ago,' the fair girl raged.

'Here he comes,' Ced notioned to a rather large looking boy running over to them but before he had time to apologise Melody started on him.

'This is your first and only warning, and this goes for all of you,' the team was silent watching the normally placid girl, 'if you're late or miss a practise you're off the team. We are going to do well this year, no one expects us too so we will show them, Hufflepuff is making a comeback.' The group around them cheered and Cedric shot the girl a smile, she was going to be a brilliant captain.

'Right because Anthony was late, I want five laps on foot and then five in the air,' she commanded blowing her whistle. The group started to moan but one glance from their captain shut them up.

Melody went to go and retrieve the balls, but they weren't in the shed before she even had a chance to question this Cedric shouted over to her, 'over there, Wood and Potter have got them.'

In the far-field Harry Potter was learning all about the game she couldn't help but smile at just how in awe he sounded as Oliver explained it all to him, as much as she hated to admit it to herself, he was going to be a good captain.

'Wood,' she snapped,

'Oh no Olliebear Lass?' he replied with a smile,

'The balls please,'

'Now what's the matter with you, no witty back and forth today?' he furrowed his eyebrows in mock concern.

'Just not in the mood for you too try and show off in front of an eleven-year-old kid,' she replied smirking at Harry.

'An eleven-year-old that's going to beat you all,' he replied quickly,

'Like I said,' she smirked relaxing into the bickering, 'come back to me when he's got a bit of chest hair.'

'Like your men hairy do ya lass,' he smirked,

'You'd be out of luck if I did wouldn't you Woodyboy,'

'How you pain me so,' he clutched his chest with a wink, 'you're the one that flirts with me,'

'Ollie, sweetheart,' she replied talking slowly as if he was too dumb to understand,' 'I just want the balls, I've got a team to train.' With a flick of her wand, she levitated the box of balls over to her side. 'Harry I'd back down now,' she winked ruffling his hair again as she turned on her heels and marched back over to her team.

The practice went okay, there was definite potential among her team, but she needed to pull the badger side out of them, her and Cedric had spent the last week devising a brilliant training plan they were going to keep their heads down, train like crazy and beat the hell out of every other team. Their first match was against Ravenclaw and they were going to smash them.