CHAPTER TWO
"Hey Harry!" Angelina Johnson, one of the Gryffindor Chasers, called out to him as Seamus, Dean and he entered the common room. The whole team was huddled in a tight circle. In the center was a piece of parchment wherein, Harry presumed, the new plays were drawn.
"C'mon over here. Team meeting," called Alicia Spinnet, another Chaser.
Harry walked over to the circle as Dean and Seamus climbed the staircase to the dormitories.
Harry sat down cross-legged between Angelina and Fred Weasley, one of the Beaters, as Wood asked, "Where've you been? We've searched practically the whole castle for you!"
"Don't believe Oliver," Fred whispered. "He didn't actually do the searching, you know."
"Yeah," George, Fred's twin brother and another Beater, added. "All he did was order us around."
Wood gave them a look that seemed to shriek 'Shut up!' so the twins kept quiet. Wood turned to Harry. "So, where've you been?"
"Quidditch field," Harry replied. "Dean and Seamus invited me to watch the Ravenclaw's practice session."
"Oh really? What was it like?" asked an intrigued Chaser, Katie Bell.
"Actually, the Ravenclaw team's pretty good," Harry informed them. "But they don't have a lot of complicated moves and plays though, so I think it'll be easier. And I don't suppose they play dirty."
"Of course they don't," said Angelina. "You know the Ravenclaws. They're not like Slytherin."
"OK, OK, that's enough," interrupted Wood. "Now, it's good that Harry here has seen some of Ravenclaw's plays, but I'm sure they're going to use some new strategies since Harry's seen them already. So here are some of our new plays." Wood pointed to the piece of parchment.
"Now Chasers: you have to keep moving around. Try to gain control over the Quaffle. Never allow the opposing team to gain control over it. Beaters: keep moving around as well. Move all over the field. Don't allow a single Bludger to get near our players. Now Harry, you're the Seeker. You also have to keep moving around. Search all over the field for the Snitch. Once you get a glimpse of it, don't let it out of your sight. Understood, people?" Everyone nodded.
"That's our new basic strategy - movement. Everyone has to keep moving around the field. 'Cept me, of course - I have to defend the goalposts." Wood gave the team an "as-a-matter-of-fact" look that made Angelina and Katie roll their eyes.
"OK, that's settled then. I haven't planned the more complicated strategies yet, but I'm sure I'll be coming up with them in a short while. Now for the practice sessions. Today's Monday, right? I was thinking of practicing on Thursday evening, since the match's two weeks away. But since Harry's mentioned the Ravenclaw team's pretty good, I guess we should start practicing earlier. I also think practice hours should be lengthened."
"So that Oliver will be given the chance to expose us to more torture during the earlier and longer hours of Quidditch practice," muttered George, not bothering to keep his voice low.
"George!" shouted an irritated Oliver. "Would you mind keeping your mouth shut for the remaining minutes of this meeting?"
"OK, OK! I'm sorry!" retorted George.
"OK. As I was saying, I was thinking of practicing earlier. Instead of starting the practice sessions on Thursday, let's start it on, hmm, let's see. tomorrow, Tuesday. Shall we?" There were groans coming from the circle (most probably everyone did) but Wood didn't mind them.
"Also, instead of practicing one hour every other day, let's make it two and a half hours, still every other day, don't worry."
Groans were still emitted by the team, and Angelina whispered to Harry, "As if having the practices every other day is a consolation." Harry gave Angelina a small nod, careful not to be seen by Wood.
"Did everyone understand the new adjustments regarding our practice sessions?" Wood asked. It was late and everyone was tired and sleepy, so they just nodded.
"OK, good!" Wood glanced at his watch. "Ooh, it's late. Better get to sleep, everyone. Remember, tomorrow night. After dinner. Everyone should proceed immediately to the common room. We'll meet here and we'll go down to the field altogether. Good night!" Wood walked off towards the seventh year boys' dormitories.
"G'night 'vrybody," Alicia said, stifling a yawn. The three girls went up to their dormitories as the twins proceeded to the fifth year boys' dormitories without saying good night. (Actually Fred was half-asleep and almost smacked into the wall as he was walking up the stairs.)
Harry was left alone in the common room. He started to get up from his sitting position when he heard a voice.
"Don't go just yet. Wait for me."
Harry's heart skipped a beat. Who was that?
"Hey Harry!" Angelina Johnson, one of the Gryffindor Chasers, called out to him as Seamus, Dean and he entered the common room. The whole team was huddled in a tight circle. In the center was a piece of parchment wherein, Harry presumed, the new plays were drawn.
"C'mon over here. Team meeting," called Alicia Spinnet, another Chaser.
Harry walked over to the circle as Dean and Seamus climbed the staircase to the dormitories.
Harry sat down cross-legged between Angelina and Fred Weasley, one of the Beaters, as Wood asked, "Where've you been? We've searched practically the whole castle for you!"
"Don't believe Oliver," Fred whispered. "He didn't actually do the searching, you know."
"Yeah," George, Fred's twin brother and another Beater, added. "All he did was order us around."
Wood gave them a look that seemed to shriek 'Shut up!' so the twins kept quiet. Wood turned to Harry. "So, where've you been?"
"Quidditch field," Harry replied. "Dean and Seamus invited me to watch the Ravenclaw's practice session."
"Oh really? What was it like?" asked an intrigued Chaser, Katie Bell.
"Actually, the Ravenclaw team's pretty good," Harry informed them. "But they don't have a lot of complicated moves and plays though, so I think it'll be easier. And I don't suppose they play dirty."
"Of course they don't," said Angelina. "You know the Ravenclaws. They're not like Slytherin."
"OK, OK, that's enough," interrupted Wood. "Now, it's good that Harry here has seen some of Ravenclaw's plays, but I'm sure they're going to use some new strategies since Harry's seen them already. So here are some of our new plays." Wood pointed to the piece of parchment.
"Now Chasers: you have to keep moving around. Try to gain control over the Quaffle. Never allow the opposing team to gain control over it. Beaters: keep moving around as well. Move all over the field. Don't allow a single Bludger to get near our players. Now Harry, you're the Seeker. You also have to keep moving around. Search all over the field for the Snitch. Once you get a glimpse of it, don't let it out of your sight. Understood, people?" Everyone nodded.
"That's our new basic strategy - movement. Everyone has to keep moving around the field. 'Cept me, of course - I have to defend the goalposts." Wood gave the team an "as-a-matter-of-fact" look that made Angelina and Katie roll their eyes.
"OK, that's settled then. I haven't planned the more complicated strategies yet, but I'm sure I'll be coming up with them in a short while. Now for the practice sessions. Today's Monday, right? I was thinking of practicing on Thursday evening, since the match's two weeks away. But since Harry's mentioned the Ravenclaw team's pretty good, I guess we should start practicing earlier. I also think practice hours should be lengthened."
"So that Oliver will be given the chance to expose us to more torture during the earlier and longer hours of Quidditch practice," muttered George, not bothering to keep his voice low.
"George!" shouted an irritated Oliver. "Would you mind keeping your mouth shut for the remaining minutes of this meeting?"
"OK, OK! I'm sorry!" retorted George.
"OK. As I was saying, I was thinking of practicing earlier. Instead of starting the practice sessions on Thursday, let's start it on, hmm, let's see. tomorrow, Tuesday. Shall we?" There were groans coming from the circle (most probably everyone did) but Wood didn't mind them.
"Also, instead of practicing one hour every other day, let's make it two and a half hours, still every other day, don't worry."
Groans were still emitted by the team, and Angelina whispered to Harry, "As if having the practices every other day is a consolation." Harry gave Angelina a small nod, careful not to be seen by Wood.
"Did everyone understand the new adjustments regarding our practice sessions?" Wood asked. It was late and everyone was tired and sleepy, so they just nodded.
"OK, good!" Wood glanced at his watch. "Ooh, it's late. Better get to sleep, everyone. Remember, tomorrow night. After dinner. Everyone should proceed immediately to the common room. We'll meet here and we'll go down to the field altogether. Good night!" Wood walked off towards the seventh year boys' dormitories.
"G'night 'vrybody," Alicia said, stifling a yawn. The three girls went up to their dormitories as the twins proceeded to the fifth year boys' dormitories without saying good night. (Actually Fred was half-asleep and almost smacked into the wall as he was walking up the stairs.)
Harry was left alone in the common room. He started to get up from his sitting position when he heard a voice.
"Don't go just yet. Wait for me."
Harry's heart skipped a beat. Who was that?