Oliver Wood stood tall and looked straight ahead; he felt as if he were at a military camp. Emma Jones, the Captain of the Puddlemere United team, had lined up Oliver and five others and was pacing back and forth in front of them. She was a pretty girl in her early twenties and Oliver could tell that, like him, Quidditch was her life... her passion. He liked her immediately.

He knew their names, he knew where they were from, what position they played, and what their preferred broom was. He had watched every game he could from the stands and the ones he couldn't make it to, he followed in the Daily Prophet. And now he got to fly with them, having been signed officially into the Quidditch League.

The Captain's flashing eyes looked over her team fiercely. When she spoke, her voice was firm and commanding. "Team, welcome back... I trust you all had a good holiday but I'm sure that none of you will think about it again during this season. Quidditch has begun, therefore your personal lives are put on hold from the moment you enter the dressing rooms to the moment you leave the dressing rooms, clear?" Every member nodded.

Jones studied the faces of her team. "I will remind you that when signed onto this league you knew exactly what you were getting into. While you are here, it is QUIDDITCH that is on your mind. You think QUIDDITCH. You breathe QUIDDITCH. If any of you have a problem with that, feel free to leave now." She didn't even wait for a reply. "Good." She pulled out her wand and waved it casually. A table and seven chairs appeared. "Now if you'll all have a seat, we can start strategizing." With another flick of her wand, a miniature Quidditch field appeared in front of them as well as seven tiny players who mounted tiny brooms and kicked off, zooming around. Oliver smiled as he spotted a two-inch version of himself, looking surprisingly realistic and very serious.

"Now, I've thought of a couple new plays on the off-season that I think will really improve our team. We all know that our biggest rival this year is the Caerphilly Catapults and they have all been together for four years time now. We ourselves have a few new additions so expect some extra practices so we can all get acquainted in the air. We have a lot of work to do with our new Seeker and Keeper, which as we all know are KEY positions."

Jones looked up quickly from her notes and glanced at Oliver and a girl to his left. "Oh, that reminds me... Wood and Morgan, welcome to the team." Oliver nodded in greeting while the girl called Morgan raised her hand slightly. Oliver glanced over at Morgan who smiled quickly at him and then turned her attention back to the Captain.

Jones looked down again at her notes and absentmindedly introduced the others. "Chasers: myself, Merrell, and Farr." The guy to Oliver's right and a blonde-haired girl smiled towards Oliver and Morgan. "Beaters, Warren and Williams." Two burly boys grinned and raised their bats slightly. "Now, lets get started, shall we?"

Oliver mounted his broom and kicked off lightly, hovering above the ground as Jones gave some instructions.

"Now Oliver, don't be too nervous, I just want to see what you are capable of– you know, what I have to work with." She turned to the other players. "Merrell... Farr... go see what you can put past our new Keeper. Jane, be prepared because I'll want to see your dives next." Oliver glanced over at Morgan who nodded firmly. Warren patted the new Seeker on the back encouragingly.

So Jane is her name Oliver mused silently. He hadn't had a chance to have a good look at this girl. She was actually quite pretty. Long auburn hair she wore in a simple ponytail, startling blue eyes, and her smile, which she flashed Warren at that very moment, it was... somewhat captivating. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Jones blowing her whistle and with that, he soared towards the hoops, determined to prove himself to Jones, the team, and perhaps impress a girl while he was at it.

The rest of the team kicked off to watch. As Jane passed Oliver, she pleasantly said "Good luck!"

Oliver, with a wave of his hand, said "Aw, thanks but won't need it." He cocked his head to the side and winked. Jane's eyebrows raised and she joined the others to watch him.

Farr and Merrell began passing the Quaffle between each other, watching Oliver's movement carefully. Farr went for the left hoop and then quickly tossed the scarlet ball to Merrell who caught in deftly and flung it towards the right hoop. Oliver anticipated this and was there to block Merrell's shot. Jones nodded her approval. Oliver glanced up at Jane, giving her a sly smile. She watched him, her face expressionless. When Oliver blocked the second shot, he winked at her again. She rolled her eyes and looked away. The rest of the team, however, cheered.

Merrell and Farr took another six shots each, none of which Oliver missed. Every so often, he would glance up at Jane to see if her expression had changed but she merely looked bored and avoided his gaze by engaging herself in picking lint off her robes. On the other hand, Jones was beaming at him as if he were he were her own son. He blocked the Mernicient Spiral. He stopped the Flitter Fling. And when he caught the Swivel Lift shot from Farr, Jones looked as though her face would split she was smiling so wide. However, when Oliver shot a triumphant look at Jane, she simply raised an eyebrow.

"Excellent Wood! Wonderful use of the Starfish and Stick block and who taught you how to do the Double Eight Loop that well? Marvelous work!" Emma Jones exclaimed, flying over to him. "With that kind of protection on our hoops we'll do great! Morgan, you ready?" Oliver looked up to see Jane smile down at Emma.

"Sure," she said, gripping her broom more tightly.

Oliver leaned back on his broom and folded his arms, smirking at her. "Okay Miss I-Seem-To-Be-Bored-By-Everything, lets see what you've got," he said under his breath.

"Okay Morgan," Emma began. "I've heard rumors of your skill with dives but I've got to see if for myself. Now, go up as high as you feel necessary and show me what you can do." Jane nodded and began her ascent. She was at least ninety feet off the ground when she stopped. Oliver looked at her curiously. Surely she couldn't manage that great of a dive.

She angled her broom down and took off through the air, her hair flying out behind her. A look of complete concentration was on her face as she flew past the rest of the team. Oliver dared not take his eyes off her as she dove towards the ground and he heard his teammates' nervous murmurs.

"Pull up, pull up," Warren murmured.

"She's going too fast!" Farr said to Jones. Jones simply swatted the air with her arm in a plea for silence as she watched Jane, transfixed.

Oliver was sure she had lost control of her broom and hovered with his teammates, watching helplessly. Suddenly, mere milliseconds before colliding with the ground, Jane pulled her broom handle towards her and flew parallel to the pitch. An eruption of cheers followed. Oliver found himself clapping, amazed at this girl's skill on a broom.

Emma was watching Jane sail back up towards them, tears glittering in her eyes. "W-W-WOW!" She stammered, taking her hands off her broom to clap enthusiastically. "Imagine her using that kind of dive for the Wronski Feint maneuver!"

Jane glanced at Oliver and gave him a sarcastic smile and wink of her own. Oliver could only stare back in awe. A short blast of a whistle caused Oliver to tear his eyes from Jane and focus them on their captain.

"Amazing work you two. Phenomenal. Now... the real work begins. Let's get practicing!"