Captain - An Oliver Wood Fanfiction

Chapter 14 - Fair, can't be said about both parties

The weeks prior to the Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff match were exciting to say the least. Both Oliver and Erin had put their complete focus with their teams, training harder and longer. Their teammates weren't always happy with that, but they were in superb shape.

Oliver and Erin were still friends and occasionally talked, but as Oliver had predicted, he started to get a little nervous the week before the game and avoided Erin. Erin didn't mind as she needed to focus herself. This would be her first official match as Hufflepuff quidditch captain, so she needed to show her worth. The more she hung out with him, the more her feelings distracted her, so when he didn't say anything to her the last few days before the match, she was a little grateful even.

"Good luck today", she did say when they crossed paths in the Great Hall the day of the match. He gave her a stern look, but she could see the nerves having a party in his head. She'd be glad when all of this was over. If they lost, she knew she'd be bummed about it for at least a couple of days, but as she had promised Oliver, they would remain friends.

"How are you feeling?" Beatrice asked her at breakfast. Erin couldn't get any food down with the match only two hours away. Her hands were shaking and with every fresh roll of thunder, she flinched.

The weather was absolutely terrible. It was raining immensely and dark thunder clouds made it seem as if it was nightfall.

"Incredibly anxious", Erin whispered. Before a game, the entire quidditch team always sat together in the Great Hall to discuss last minute plans, for team spirit and to calm each other's nerves. She didn't want the other members to know just how nervous she was. She needed them as sharp as possible.

"Hey, we'll be okay, you can do this", Beatrice said and laid her hand on Erin's to calm her down.

"Come on, Cap", she said. She was right. She was captain and she needed to shake off these nerves and think. They were going to play in a massive thunderstorm, so what could they do?

"Team, bring your wands to the changing room", she said determined and stuffed a piece of toast in her mouth.

When they finally arrived at their changing rooms, the weather had only gotten worse, but Erin was determined. She needed to show everyone that she was a good quidditch captain and although she was slightly in love with Oliver, she needed to crush him today.

"Oi, listen up!" she said when everyone had finished changing into their canary-yellow robes.

"It's an absolute hell out there and that can cause some trouble. We can prepare, though. All fifth years and above, use the spell Impervius on your cloak, gloves and goggles. They'll repel water. Everyone who hasn't learned the spell yet, get an upperclassman to do it", she said and performed the spell on her own cloak, gloves and goggles. She pulled her hair up into a tight ponytail and went over their tactic one last time. They were going to perform their Hawkshead Spiral Dive and they'd win.

"I'm counting on you, Ced", she said and gave her Seeker an encouraging smile. He needed to catch the snitch in order to win.

When it was finally time to play, Erin was still surprised by the immense cold that hit her when they flew out. Her cloak might have been water repellent, but it definitely wasn't cold repellent. She flew down to where Madame Hooch and Oliver were standing and stepped off her broom. The ground had become a giant mud bath, clinging onto her boots.

"Captains, shake hands", Madame Hooch said, barely audible in the thunderstorm. The stands were packed with students, but Erin couldn't even hear their cheers. All she could hear was rain and rumble.

"Good luck!" She yelled at Oliver whilst shaking his hand. Oliver's jaw seemed locked, as he just gave her an emotionless nod. He was nervous.

"Mount your brooms!" Madame Hooch yelled and so Erin did. She flew back up to the rest of her Chasers and waited for Madame Hooch to release the Quaffle. And then they were off.