Chapter 5

"Those are not the strategies we discussed! I thought you had them all sussed out?" Marcus snarled at Adrian Pucey. He was sweating profusely and beyond irritated. The Ravenclaw Quidditch team had been showing them up for the first 30 minutes of the game and Marcus had to shout at his team more than usual to get any points. It was also unusually hot for October and Marcus hated playing in hot weather. Adrian did not look any better, his forehead was dripping with sweat.

"I did have all their strategies down. They changed them." His best friend snarled back at him. They were flying close to each other on the edge of the pitch, trying to make sense of an absolute shit show of a Quidditch game. Marcus used his sleeve to get some of the sweat off his face. His team was 40 points behind and they struggled to get the quaffle off the other team. The Slytherin Quidditch team was playing as aggressively as they could but Ravenclaw was just too bloody fast. Marcus hoped that Malfoy would find the snitch soon or they would be third in the rankings. Losing was not an option. Marcus flew away from Adrian who he could not bear to be around and did his best to get back into the game.

Deep down he knew that it was not Adrian's fault. Of course Ravenclaw was way too smart to give away all their secrets during pillow talks with a Slytherin Quidditch player. Marcus should have focussed on coming up with some actual strategies that did not involve sheer brutality but some actual tactics. Again he felt a slight tinge of jealousy that Wood was able to play proper strategies with his team. He sneered and looked around the pitch. His other two chasers were busy trying to get the quaffle, but they really needed to get the snitch. Malfoy was flying aimlessly around the pitch, so Marcus took it upon himself to look for the bloody thing. He zoomed up and down, going as fast as he dared to whilst still looking like he was actually playing his actual position. Hooch would penalise him instantly if he were to be caught breaking the rules. Marcus flew over the audience who consisted mainly of Ravenclaw and Slytherin students but he could see the Gryffindor Quidditch team sitting amongst the Ravenclaw students. Of course they'd be here to analyse their every move. And undoubtedly they could see what he was up to. Bell was sitting next to Wood. Marcus did not want to think about all of that so he turned away and decided to at least try and score a few goals.

Marcus looked at the score board. After another 30 minutes of playing time they had finally caught up and were even 20 points ahead. Marcus was lowkey still looking for the snitch but mainly trying, and often succeeding, to score. Seeing the whole Gryffindor team sitting in the audience stands, and especially Wood, actually made him try to just play without thinking about sleazy tactics. That, and the fact that the bloody snitch was just nowhere to be found.

"Where is that bloody snitch?" Adrian shouted at him as he was flying past. Marcus just glared back at him. Adrian looked just as sweaty as he felt. Even the Ravenclaw team had been flying more slowly, which was also what had helped him and his two chasers score, and nobody on the pitch seemed to be in the mood for playing anymore. Marcus zoomed towards Malfoy.

"Why haven't you found the snitch yet?" He barked at the younger student. Malfoy's face was splotchy and he looked like he was going to fall off his broom any minute now. Bloody heat. Marcus huffed and flew off. He was done with this game. All the players, Slytherin and Ravenclaw alike, were playing sloppy and struggling to not fall off their brooms. Two of the girls on the Ravenclaw team had to land twice to get iced water and his own keeper was hanging onto the goal posts looking like a wilted leaf in his green Quidditch robes. The quaffle had been dropped countless of times already, just slipping from everyones' sweaty hands. Madame Hooch had asked the team captains twice whether they wanted to just stop the game and continue another day but neither him nor Roger Davis were willing to. Marcus sighed. Again his gaze wandered over to the stands. A lot of students had left already, not wanting to sit in the glaring heat for what had turned out to be a really shitty game. The Gryffindor team was still there though. The twins were messing about with Spinnet, they had cast some hex to make her hair wind around her head like snakes. Potter and Johnson were playing exploding Snap. Bell had her head on Wood's lap, seemingly asleep. And Wood looked like he had just won the Quidditch cup. Marcus didn't think he had ever seen him so happy. He doubted the Gryffindor captain was even following the game, he was sitting perfectly still, obviously scared that any move would wake Bell up. And flying just behind Wood's serene face was that bloody snitch. Marcus zoomed off towards Malfoy as fast as he could.

"Malfoy! Snitch! Wood! Go!" He barked at the blonde student, not caring whether the Ravenclaw team could hear him. Malfoy looked at him dumbfounded for a second but Marcus did have to give him credit for how quickly his face turned from confusion to a grin. And off he went towards the Ravenclaw stands. Marcus flew after him, determined to catch the bloody thing himself if Malfoy missed it. But before he could get anywhere near the stands he heard Malfoy's triumphant cry and Hooch's whistle.

Marcus gulped another glass of ice cold water. He was sitting on a bed in the medical wing just like most of the other students who had played today. After Malfoy had caught the snitch Madame Hooch had ordered everyone to the medical wing. Madame Pomfrey was handing out water and ice packs, mumbling furiously under her breath. Marcus contemplated asking her for another glass but just as he was about to speak out, Wood came walking in. The Gryffindor captain took a quick glance around the room before locking eyes with Marcus and walking up to him.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Wood said, crossing his arms in front of him. Marcus regarded his empty glass before setting it down on the night stand.

"A shit show." Marcus said matter of factly. There was really nothing he could say to defend the game. Marcus also knew that this was not what Wood had come to talk about. He started counting internally how long it would take him to bring up Bell.

"Damn right it was. You and Davis should have stopped the game." Wood took another look around the medical wing. "It reeks of puke in here." Marcus nodded towards Malfoy who was sitting on a bed across from him. Pansy Parkinson was holding his hair and Malfoy had his head over a sick bowl. Wood grimaced.

"We could have stopped it. But we didn't." Marcus leaned back. 30, 31, 32…

"Anyway. I am not sure what you did, but something has changed. I swear Katie has been treating me different lately." Not even a minute.

"Oh yeah?" Marcus said nonchalantly, waiting for Wood to continue.

"Yeah. Her and Alicia have been whispering when I'm close. And today during the game she just put her head in my lap and fell asleep." Wood was trying to sound cool but Marcus could hear a tremor of excitement in his voice. Marcus wondered for a second whether Bell had chosen too hard of a pillow but dismissed the thought quickly. He did not want to think about Wood's well wood.

"Excellent. So now we have to start phase 3." Marcus said and conspiratorially edged closer to Wood who just looked at him questioningly.

"Phase 3? When did phase 2 happen?"

"Nevermind about that. So. Phase 3. You've got to ask her out." Marcus could see the panic building up behind Wood's eyes.

"Already? Shouldn't that be like phase 10?" Wood whispered the last part, suddenly conscious of the wilting Quidditch players occupying the beds around them.

"Look, Wood. You can't wait forever. I reckon you are going to have to take her on at least three dates before she will let you kiss her. And then it'll be almost Christmas. If you start now you've at least got a fighting chance of shagging her before the end of the school year." Marcus whispered back, not worried about the others, but worried about scaring Wood off. This was a crucial part in his and Adrian's plan. They both had agreed that Bell was not one of those girls who would drop her panties after one butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks. And Wood would be more distracted if he actually got somewhere with Bell. Once he'd discovered sex there was no way he would not want to spend all his time with her rather than on the pitch.

"For Merlin's sake, Flint. I have not even thought about that."

Oh yeah, of course not, you saint, Marcus thought. "Well, that is what having a girlfriend usually leads to." He said instead. Easy, now.

"So how do I ask her out?" Wood said, completely ignoring the girlfriend comment. Marcus opened his mouth to answer, but just then Madame Pomfrey came up to his bed, holding a jug full of water. She did not comment on his odd beside visitor and wordlessly filled up Marcus' glass. What a babe, Marcus thought. He gave her his most winning smile, which seemed to disturb her even more. Wood also smiled at her and she smiled back at him. Marcus just rolled his eyes and grabbed his glass.

"You could always ask out Pomfrey instead. She'd definitely say yes." Marcus said dryly before taking a sip of his water.

"Very funny. She's actually good friends with my granddad, they were in the same year." Wood said defensively. "You still haven't answered my question."

Marcus took another sip to win some time. He did not really have an answer. Adrian would know, but they had not really discussed this yet. Who could have known that Wood would visit him in the medical wing?

"Well, you can't do it in front of anyone. And you have to be explicit. She can't be thinking it's just to hang out." Marcus said eventually. To his surprise, Wood nodded in agreement.

"Okay. So I have to get her somewhere alone. How do I get her alone?" Marcus took another sip, hoping this drink would never empty.

"Write her a note?" That seemed as good an idea as any. Adrian should really be having this conversation with Wood. His best friend always knew how to get the people he fancied to meet him somewhere alone.

"And how will I get a note to her without anyone noticing?" Marcus groaned internally. This was way too much thinking his heat-scrambled brain had to undertake.

"I don't know, send her an owl?" As soon as he said it, Marcus had to think about his very bizarre meeting with Bell in the owlery. Not for the first time he wondered what attracted Wood to the girl. Sure, she was pretty enough but not very interesting to look at yet. Maybe it was different if you knew her better. But that seemed like way too much work for Marcus. He preferred girls who he could tell would snog him by just looking at them. Adrian may call them easy, he called them friendly. And he didn't care that most of them only made out with him for bragging rights. He also had the slight suspicion that it seemed to be some sort of rite of passage in Hufflepuff, as most of the girls he had been with were Hufflepuffs.

"I am not going to send her an owl. She's bound to open it at the Gryffindor table. And there is no way she won't show it to Alicia then." Marcus rolled his eyes internally but Wood was probably right.

"Okay. Well then just say you want to do some individual training on the pitch with her. Just don't make it sound like she needs it. Think of something, I don't know, encouraging." Marcus could see Wood contemplating the thought and buying into the idea eventually."So, what are you waiting for? No time like the present." Marcus said in his most encouraging tone, he even gave Wood a well-meant pat on the shoulder. Wood looked uncertain for a moment, but his expression quickly changed to the one Marcus had seen so many times on the pitch.

"Well, wish me good luck then." Wood said, trying his best to sound optimistic.

"Good luck, erm, mate." Mate? Really? Marcus cringed internally. But Wood didn't seem to notice and went off to ask out Bell.

Marcus gulped down the rest of his water before leaning back for a nap. He bloody deserved it. Adrian would be proud. Before he could doze off, Marcus heard someone walking up to his bed. Thinking it was probably Madame Pomfrey to fill up his glass again, he decided not to acknowledge her. Only served her right for not smiling back at him. But why was she poking his arm? He opened his eyes with a complaint on his lips, but nothing came out when he saw Bell glaring at him.