The Quidditch Pitch - Oliver Wood Love Story

Bribery

The Tutshill Tornados Quidditch team practices in their stadium two miles away from Serena Carrow’s home. She spent her whole summer sneaking into their closed practices and scribbling strategies into her notebook. She carefully watched and learned as she studied their different plays. Their Chaser, James Beckerman, was their Captain and he was one of the best Quidditch Captains in the world. She watched as he went through play-by-plays with his team and she occasionally looked down to scribble a note in her notebook.

Serena needed to get new ideas for her team. Yes, they had won the Quidditch Cup last year, but she needed to keep it up. They got lucky because Harry Potter was unable play and they beat Ravenclaw in the final match. This year, she was sure that the cup would be theirs.

“Oi! Young lady! What do you think you’re doing?”

Serena looked up and there was a bodyguard heading straight towards her. She knew she wasn’t supposed to be there so she snapped her book shut, gathered her things and sprinted out of the stands before he could catch her.

When she was far enough away from the stadium, she slowed her pace and whipped out her notebook again.

Cross path drills – Chasers. Protect the Keeper – Beaters. Speed drills – Seeker, was scribbled into her book. She smiled. If these drills worked for the Tornados, they would work for the Slytherins.

Serena lived in a grand, old Victorian house on the corner of Salazar Street. Her parents worked for the Ministry of Magic as Unspeakables. She had no idea what that meant, other than they worked in the Department of Mysteries. No one knows what an Unspeakable does, and they certainly won’t tell you. With that being said, Serena knew very little about her parents.

Her room was large and was filled with everything she needed. She typically got whatever she wanted so her parents wouldn’t have to deal with her. She often wondered why they even bothered having a child in the first place. Serena always had believed that she was an accident.

As a young child, Serena had always taken care of herself. She was only four years old when she began learning how to control her magic. Serena was special in a different way as well. She was born with a gift to control the elements. She quickly learned that when she was angry, she could make things burn. When she was sad, she could make it rain or snow. She could control the earth and wind with her hands. Her parents told her that her gift was dangerous, and she should learn to control them. Now, she only did small things for her entertainment. Half the time she forgot about her special talent.

She walked over to her bed and pulled out her school trunk from underneath it. She had been packed for weeks because she was ready to return to school more than anything. It was her sixth year and she only had two more years left. There would be no more fun and games once she left.

She put her notebook safely inside her trunk, right next to her green and silver Quidditch robes and then snapped it shut again. She heard her parents come home from work and pranced downstairs for dinner.

Dinner was usually a quiet affair. Occasionally Faye and Vance would ask their daughter how she spent her day, but that was only if they were in a good mood. Serena’s parents were hardly ever in a good mood.

Serena ate slowly, picking at her plate as she obsessively thought about Quidditch.

“I have a surprise for you,” said Vance. Serena looked up at her father wondering if she’d heard him right.

“A surprise?” she asked as the words came out sounding wrong.

He stood up from the table and walked over to the closet. When he opened the door, he pulled out a new broomstick. Serena had thought her father had actually gotten her a broomstick when he reached in and pulled out six more. Serena recognized the make and model. They were brand new Nimbus 2001s.

“I’m confused,” she said as she stared at the seven broomsticks.

“You remember the Malfoy’s?” he asked. Serena knew Draco Malfoy from school. It was his first year, last year.

“That little shite with the slick, blonde hair?” she asked. “Yeah, I know him.”

Vance seemed insulted by the way his daughter had described Lucius Malfoy’s son, but he tried to ignore it.

“Lucius Malfoy has very graciously purchased these broomsticks for the Slytherin Quidditch team,” he said.

“Why on earth would he do that?” she asked.

“His son has a great interest of joining the team,” said Vance. “Particularly…the position of Seeker.”

Serena knew where this was headed.

“So, he’s bribing me with new broomsticks?”

“No, he’s making a generous offer.”

“Well I don’t accept,” she said as she turned back to her plate. “You can tell him I’m not interested and take those back.”

“You will take this gift, and you will give Draco Malfoy the position of Seeker!” shouted her father. “Lucius Malfoy is a dear friend to this family and you will do this!”

“My job as Captain is to put together the best team possible!” shouted Serena. “What if the little shit isn’t any good? What if we lose the Quidditch Cup because of him?”

 “That’s where this present will help you!” said her father. “No other team has these brooms!”

“I don’t think you understand –

“No!” interrupted her father. “I don’t think you understand. You will do this because I am your father and you will obey me or I will pull you out of that school forever!”

Serena could feel her face growing hot with rage. She stared at one of the broomsticks and wanted desperately to catch it on fire. It started singeing but before she could burn it, her father stopped her.

“Stop it right now, Serena! Don’t make that mistake…”

Serena had stopped arguing knowing she had lost the battle. Her mother didn’t even try to defend her; she just sat there sipping her wine. Serena stormed away from the table and upstairs to her room. She kicked off her shoes and accidentally set her pillows on fire she was so angry.

Once she put the fire out, she crawled into bed and curled up under the covers. She couldn’t wait to get back to school tomorrow. Living in this hellhole would soon be over.