Extended Family

Chapter 25: His First European League

Takes place after Chapter 141, when Harry and Katie reunite.

Oliver's smile split his face from ear to ear.  He seemed to radiate brightness and energy, practically bouncing on his feet.  The smile and the way he rubbed his hands gleefully was much like a young child visiting a sweets shop.

Tanya looked at Harry.  "Is he normally like this?"

"I don't know how he is on Puddlemere but back at school he was," Harry said with a big smile.  "Captain's always happy when it's Quidditch time."

"I feel a little betrayed to hear you call him that like that," Tanya sniffed.

"Be nice," Shelia said, smacking Tanya's arm.  "You're going to give the poor guy a quandary."

"Sorry Cap," Harry said with a sheepish smile.  "He was my first captain after all."

"I suppose I can forgive your first one then," Tanya sighed.  "Just tell me I'm better."

"You're definitely a nicer captain when it comes to practices and expectations."

"So you're saying I can be rougher," Tanya mused.

"Shut it Harry," Shelia hissed.

Oliver cleared his throat lightly and all conversations faded.  "Right, glad to see everyone here.  As you might have guessed, you've been selected to be a part of Team England for this year's European League."  He rolled his eyes at the dramatic gasps from Angelina and Harry which made the others laugh.  "My name is Oliver Wood and I'm going to be the Team Captain for this League."

"So I'm going to be honest with everyone, we're being looked down on this year.  It took a lot of negotiating and arguing and one thing you lot might notice is that we don't really have any starting veterans on the team this year.  That's because there was a lot of pissing contests about who would work with who or for how much.  After weeks of shite, the heads decided that we'd make the best team with the players most likely to work together as a team.  So here you are.  Everyone here has been vouched for by at least two others and I am feeling really good about this team."

He looked at all of them.  "You know what's the best part about being an underdog and thought with little to no expectation?  The pure freedom of playing our best and showing our naysayers up.  We're going to make it to the finals.  We're going to shove their opinions up their arses.  We're going to win as a team!"

Everyone hooted and clapped and cheered.

"They don't think we're even going to make it past the semifinals!"

Everyone booed and jeered heartily.

"So if we make it into the semifinals, we win.  If we make it to the 8, we win harder.  We make it to the final 4?  We tell them to sod off!"

The team roared.

"So we're going to go out there, have fun, and play the game and show them the best that England has to offer!   England hasn't made it to the 4 in years and we're going to prove it to them that we are going to!"

"Okay, I have to hand it to him, he's good at making a speech," Tanya said, clapping.

"Yeah, he's gotten better," Harry said happily, clapping enthusiastically.