Wands and Wings

Chapter 25 : Practice Makes Chaos

Maia had never been a morning person.

Not in her past life, and certainly not now in her new life as Maia Potter. So when Angelina Johnson, a fellow Gryffindor Chaser, shook her awake at the crack of dawn, she was not in the most agreeable of moods.

"Practice," Angelina muttered groggily, still half-asleep herself. "Wood's orders."

Maia groaned, burying her face further into her pillow. "Do you have any idea how warm this bed is? It's like heaven... I could write a ballad about it," she mumbled, tugging the covers tighter around herself. "Go on without me, Angelina. Tell Wood I've been cursed by a sleep charm."

Angelina, with more patience than Maia would ever have in the morning, rolled her eyes and pulled harder at the covers. "No can do. Get up, Potter. Don't make me hex you out of bed."

Maia finally pried one eye open and grumbled under her breath. "I'll have my revenge."

"Yeah, yeah. Let's go."

By the time Maia managed to stumble her way out of the common room, Harry was already downstairs, looking equally disgruntled. But what made her pause was the bright, beaming face of Colin Creevey, who was excitedly showing Harry a picture of him taken during one of their classes.

"Morning," Maia yawned, rubbing her eyes. She noticed Harry's strained smile as Colin bounced on his heels next to him, camera in hand.

"Morning," Harry muttered back, sounding thoroughly defeated by Colin's relentless enthusiasm.

"Good morning!" Colin chirped, all too cheery for Maia's taste at this time of day. He turned to show her the picture. "Look! It's of Harry trying to shake Professor Lockhart's hand!"

Maia leaned in to get a look. In the photo, Harry's photo-self was desperately trying to free his hand from Lockhart's grip while Lockhart smiled obliviously at the camera.

"Nice fight you've got going there, Harry," Maia snickered, her mood lifting just slightly at her brother's plight.

Harry groaned, rolling his eyes, and muttered something about "annoying fanboys."

Colin, still blissfully unaware, followed them as they made their way to the Quidditch pitch, chatting happily about anything and everything to do with Harry.

---

The rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team was already assembled in the changing room when Maia, Harry, and Colin arrived. Oliver Wood, their intense and somewhat obsessive captain, was pacing the room with his usual manic energy. The only ones who looked half-awake were Fred and George Weasley, both sitting slumped with puffy eyes and tousled hair. Their fellow Chasers, Katie Bell and Angelina Johnson, were yawning in unison.

"There you are!" Wood exclaimed as Maia and Harry walked in. "What kept you two?"