There were seven people on a Quidditch team: three Chasers, which Josephine was one of, two Beaters, a Keeper, and a Seeker.
Oliver Woods was their team captain this year, and keeping up with him was exhausting. There was a quiet desperation in his voice as he addressed the six of them in the chilly locker room on the edge of the darkening Quidditch field.
"This is our last chance-my last chance-to win the Quidditch Cup," he told them, pacing the floor. He had a crazed look in his eyes. "I'll be leaving at the end of this year. I'll never get another shot at it." His flare for dramatics worsened this holiday. He was destined for a professional team. He'd play again.
"Gryffindor hasn't won for seven years now. Okay, so we've had the worst luck in the world, injuries, then the tournament getting called off last year." Wood swallowed as though the memory still brought a lump to his throat. "But we also know we've got the best ruddy team in the school!" he said, punching a fist into his other hand, the old manic glint back in his eye.
"We've got three superb Chasers." Wood pointed at Josephine, Angelina, and Katie Bell.
"So kind, Wood," Josephine swooned, her shoulders bumping the girls at her side.
"We've got two unbeatable Beaters." A gesture to the twins.
"Stop it, Oliver, you're embarrassing us," said Fred and George together, pretending to blush.
"And we've got a Seeker who has never failed to win us a match!" Wood rumbled, glaring at Harry with a kind of furious pride. "And me," he added as an afterthought.
"We think you're very good too, Oliver," said George.
"Great Keeping skills," added Josephine positively.
"The point is," Wood went on, resuming his pacing, "the Quidditch Cup should have had our name on it these last two years. Ever since Harry, and even Joe, joined the team, I've thought the thing was in the bag. But we haven't got it, and this year's the last chance we'll get to finally see your name on the thing." Wood spoke so dejectedly that even Fred and George looked sympathetic.
"Oliver, this year's our year," said Fred confidently, glancing around the small room for reassurance.
"We'll do it, Oliver!" said Angelina.
"Definitely," added Harry.
Full of determination, the team started training sessions three evenings a week. The weather was getting colder and wetter, the nights darker, but no amount of mud, wind, or rain could damper Josephine's spirits. She really wanted to win this year. Not just because Wood desperately wanted them too.
Harry and Josephine quietly made their way to the Gryffindor common room after training, cold and sore but pleased.
"Do you think we have a chance?" she asked.
Harry nodded, grinning widely. "Joe, you scored nine goals yourself against Wood, and you're worried about our chances?"
"Yes," she whined. "Because Cho and Cedric are both good Seekers, not your level, of course, but the goal is to score enough so even if they catch the Snitch, we win...I have to score because some people can't."
They both knew she was referencing Katie Bell, who was a very nice girl but sometimes struggled to score even three goals.
"You're crazy," he said with a shake of a head. "But that's not impossible."
"Exactly!"
They entered through the portrait hole to find Ron and Hermione sitting in two chairs by the fireside, completing some star charts for Astronomy. The whole common room was buzzing excitedly.
YOU ARE READING
No Goodbyes \ Ron Weasley
Fanfiction"You said it was unimportant, Joe! This is monumentally important!" "A foe like she'd never known." "Friendship was going to be the only way to get through this." "He looked at her, actually looked at her, and wondered how anyone who saw her didn't...
