The Quidditch Pitch - Oliver Wood Love Story

Rivals

On Monday morning of the next week, Serena posted a bulletin in the Slytherin common room that Quidditch tryouts would be held Tuesday evening after classes. A lot of nervous second years and third years approached her with a thousand questions. She felt bad because a lot of girls planned on trying out. Maybe she’d keep them as reserve players. Flint never said anything about that.

“I can’t believe that prat is blackmailing you!” said Maggie. The three of them were sitting in Transfiguration. Serena had told them everything that Marcus had done.

“I can’t believe you promised him that,” said Olivia. “He’ll want to shag you 24/7. He’s a hog!”

“I know, I know,” said Serena. “I don’t plan to actually go through with it. I just said that to hold him off until I can figure out what I’m going to do with him.”

“You don’t have to put him back on the team, you know,” said Maggie.

“Oh, but I do,” breathed Serena. “He’s one of the best Chasers I’ve ever seen…except for when he cheats.”

“I say screw it,” said Maggie. “Winning the Quidditch Cup isn’t worth it at that price.”

Serena just stared at her.

“You would actually give up your body like that just so you can win a stupid cup?” demanded Maggie.

“It’s not a stupid cup! It’s my dignity! My dream!” said Serena. Professor McGonagall shushed them and they quickly stopped talking and finished their work.

“You need to reevaluate your life choices,” whispered Olivia.

At the end of class, Serena told Olivia and Maggie she’d catch up with them later. She turned to head back to the common room when Oliver Wood approached her.

“So, you and Flint, huh?” he said with a smirk. Serena stopped and stared at him.

“Where did you hear that?” she demanded.

“I was just in the same class as you,” he said. “You know, you don’t whisper as quietly as you think you do.”

Serena tried to storm away from him but he annoyingly followed.

“I didn’t know Flint was the Captain of your team,” he said.

“He’s not, I am.”

“Then why is he making all the decisions?”

“He’s not, we’re working together. It’s kind of something you do when you’re on a team,” she snapped.

“Oh right,” he said sarcastically. “And you promised him your vagina in return.”

Serena lurched at him and slammed him up against the wall, pinning him there with her forearm. Several students were watching.

“Listen, Wood. I don’t know how much you heard, but it’s NONE of your business. Keep. Your nose. Out!” said Serena before she stormed off.

Oliver stood there smirking as he watched her storm away. She had one of the fiercest personalities he’d ever seen. It made it easy to outrage her. That’s what he wanted. He needed her stressed and now that he knew her secret, it would be easy to manipulate her.

Oliver waited in the Gryffindor common room that night for his teammates. He had already held Quidditch tryouts and ended up with the same team as last year. He wanted to tell them everything he’d just learned.

“All right, Wood,” said Angelina as she strutted into the common room. Alicia and Katie followed.

“Where’s Fred and George?” he asked as Harry came down the stairs.

“Who knows?” said Alicia. “What’s this all about?”

“I’ll tell you once Fred and George get here,” he said. Right on cue, the Weasley twins marched through the portrait hole with a basket of sweets.

“Anyone fancy a custard cream?” asked George. “We just snagged a couple from the kitchen.”

“This is no time for snack,” said Oliver.

“Oh come on, Wood. You can’t have a meeting without sweets,” said Fred as he bit into one.

“Yeah, haven’t you ever held a meeting before?” asked George.

“Oh enough you two,” snapped Wood. “I have some news about the Slytherin team.”

“How?” asked Harry. “They haven’t even held tryouts yet.”

“I have class with Carrow,” said Wood. “I overheard her talking to her friends about the team.”

“Ah, eavesdropping,” said Fred.

“We’ve taught you well,” said George.

“Will you two shut it?” asked Katie.

“Thanks,” said Oliver. “Anyway…Marcus Flint isn’t a big fan of being replaced. He’s basically telling Carrow what to do and calling the shots himself.” He left out the part where Flint is making Carrow shag him whenever he wanted it. “He’s already told her she’s not allowed to put any girls on the team.”

“So we aren’t going to have to change up our strategy, is what you’re saying?” asked Angelina.

“Right. I was worried that they were going to be better this year, but if Flint is still in charge, we already know all his strategies.”

“How can you know this for sure?” asked Katie.

“Yeah,” said Alicia. “What if she said all this knowing you’d be listening. They could be trying to trick us.”

“Either way, I’m not letting up on practices,” said Oliver. “We start in three weeks. First game is two months away. We need to be ready.”