Weasley Twins - A Fate You Can't Escape

Chapter 42 - Brooms and Buds

I take a deep breath at the entrance to the pitch.  It's the first day of training with Puddlemere and a lot of feelings are rolling over me.  Nerves, excitement, dread, guilt, and a bit of nausea.  Steeling myself, I square my shoulders and march forward.  I don't have my team robes, so I'm just in shorts and a blue baby tee.  My sneakers tough the grass and immediately a big man on a broom lands in front of me.

"You lost?"  He growls, glaring down art me.  This man is easily six foot four and judging by the strain of his quidditch robes, very muscular.  He must not realize who I am.  Still, it's rather rude of him regardless.

"Not at all."  I cross my arms over my chest, glaring back at him.  I'm not going to let him make me feel small.  Even if I am small.

"Woah!"  A voice above calls out, and I look up to see a woman in player robes dive between us.  "Stand down Martin!"  She holds a hand out towards him as if she could physically stop him.

"Hi, I'm Captain Vivian Markov, chaser."  She holds a hand out for me and continues on as we shake.  "So sorry about Martin.  I think he forgot you two were coming today."

"Two?"  I ask, not knowing what she means.  Is there another new recruit coming today?

"Yep!  I heard you two would work well together, and I want every advantage I can get."  She glances around the outskirts of the pitch, trying to see if the other recruit has arrived yet.

"Oh?  May I ask who it is?"  I hadn't heard of anyone else from Hogwarts accepting a position with Puddlemere.  But to be fair, we've all been super busy with NEWTs and such.

"Wait a minute and find out."  She grins and claps me on the shoulder.  "Are you ready to trade your old yellow robes for our stunning blue ones?"

"Absolutely!"  My hands grip my broom tightly as I follow her across teh grass.

"Your uniform."  Vivian picks up a pile of blue cloth off a bench and passes it to me.  "You can change in there."

I head to the door she points to and enter the locker room.  It only takes me a moment to get dressed, and I deposit all of my other stuff in the locker with my number on it.  I step out onto the field in my robes, grinning from ear to ear.  I'm a professional quidditch player, of my own merit.  I'm doing it because I chose to, and because I enjoy it.

"Hazel!"  Someone yells my name loudly, and I am knocked onto the grass in a very aggressive hug.  I try to untangle myself enough so I can see who just assaulted me.  I manage to catch a glimpse of his face and my jaw drops.

"Alex?  What are you doing here?"  I ask even though everything clicks in my head at the same moment.  He's the other new recruit.  This is what Vivian meant when she said we worked well together.

"I'm the new keeper!"  He is literally bouncing with excitement.  "I suppose you're the new beater?"

"Of course!"  I can't help but bounce with him a bit.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me."  Martin groans loudly from his position a few yards away.  "This skinny girl is supposed to be my new beater?  The bludger would probably break her in two."

"Not quite.  Although she did break her arm once.  Other team's beater hit her with his bat.  Kept playing.  Managed to finish the game before being knocked off her broom by a bludger and fell about thirty feet.  Took a couple of weeks to get her memory back, but because she stuck it out, we won the match."  Alex brags to Martin and my cheek flush.  Now I just sound incredibly reckless.

"Seriously?  I saw the match, but I hadn't heard about the extent of your injuries."  Vivian approaches from the locker room, carrying robes for Alex.