Strategy { Oliver Wood}

Chapter Eight

"His name is Harry Potter and he's the boy who lived," Carter whispered to Melanie as he found her and Andy sitting in a window seat in between classes. "And he's in my house. Isn't that amazing? It's like having classes with a legend."

"If I didn't know any better, it sounds like you have a bit of a crush, Carter," Melanie chuckled.

Carter glared at her. "I do not have a crush on him, I just thought it was cool. He's the one that defeated the Dark Lord and he has the scar to prove it. I mean, how cool is that?"

"Super," Melanie and Andy replied together.

"Why do I feel like you're being sarcastic?" Carter said with an eye roll.

"Oh as if we would ever take a sarcastic tone with you, Carter bean," Melanie smiled at him.

"I hate you guys." Carter huffed as he pushed them both aside and sat in between them.

"For someone who hates us so much and feels the need to tell us that on a regular basis, you spend an awful amount of time around us," Andy pointed out.

"I don't have much of a choice, all the friends I made are in other houses," he sighed. "So we don't get to hang out so much."

"Well, make new friends. Why don't you befriend the Potter boy if you like him so much-" Melanie found Carter's hand over her mouth.

"Do you have to speak so loudly?" he said in a scolding tone.

Melanie pulled his hand away. "Yes."

"You're so embarrassing."

"If you don't like it you can go somewhere else. It's a rather large castle if you haven't noticed. Also, I'm not being embarrassing right now, if you want to see embarrassing, I'll show you embarrassing."

"PLEASE DON'T!" Carter said before running away from them.

"Wow, even making your own flesh and blood run away from you. That's talent."

Melanie turned her head to see Oliver who happened to be walking by and caught sight of the scene.

"Look Andy, it's Woodini," Melanie smiled at the boy which he did not return.

Oliver ignored the new nickname and folded his arms. "I heard Ravenclaw already held a quidditch meeting this morning, must mean you all are awfully nervous about the upcoming season," he smiled confidently.

"Well, probably, I mean we are facing a tough team..."

Oliver's chest inflated with pride.

"I mean Slytherin is the team to beat," Melanie finished.

Oliver's chest deflated.

"What? No Slytherin is not the team to beat! Gryffindor is!" Oliver protested.

Melanie laughed hard. 'Whew," she said after wiping away a tear, "that was a good one, Ollie. Who knew you were so funny?"

"You'll see, Anderson, this year you're not going to know what hit you."

"It probably won't be a bludger because your beaters are slack," she said sticking her tongue out at him.

Oliver said nothing more to her before turning around and leaving, only to realize he had to go the opposite away. His ears turned red as he forced himself to turn around and continue on while listening to Melanie and Andy laugh.

"Aww Mel, that was mean. The Gryffindor beaters aren't bad and you know it."

"I know. But did you see how he made the little scrunch up face? Completely worth it."

"You're evil." Andy smirked.

"Yeah....want to go get some lunch?"

"Right behind you."

Seated in the Great Hall, the two were approached by Ace.

"Wasn't your hair different this morning?" he asked pointing to Melanie.

"Yup, decided to switch it up for lunch," Melanie said.

"Because Professor McGonagall told you to as well," Andy added.

"That too."

"Anyways," Ace said with a shake of his head, "I thought I told you to keep it on out quidditch pitch, Mel," he said.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Melanie replied before biting into a pear. "What did I do?"

"I overheard Wood talking with his friend...insulting his beaters now are you?"

"Oh," Melanie snorted. " Well, he started it."

Ace smiled. "You really expect the boy to like you if you keep insulting him all the time?

"He approached me first this time, Andy's my witness."

"It's true," Andy replied.

"And since when am I trying to get him to like me if it's all about winning the match against Gryffindor for you?" she asked.

"Well unlike Oliver, quidditch isn't my entire life," Ace said.

"Says the boy that held the earliest meeting to date," Melanie responded.

"I'm just saying while it's nice to win, it's not all about winning. You don't have to mess with him off the pitch-"

"Oh please Ace, I don't mess with him out of matches for you or the quidditch team. I do it because he's cute and I think he's cuter when he's frustrated."

"I think you might need to work on your flirting skills."

"Oh and are you going to teach me the art of flirting then?" Melanie said leaning on the table.

"That depends. Are you willing to learn?"

"Yes, Sensei, when do we begin?"

"Wait ...are you being sarcastic?"

"I think you might be the one in need of some lessons, Ace."