Chapter 3 - Quidditch Captain

The Gryffindor common room was unusually quiet when Leona sat down to read on of the books she'd gotten in France over summer holidays. She looked up and around the room, noticing a pair of first years sitting in the corner of the room playing wizard's chess, and a third year sitting at another table. The girl was working on what appeared to be Potions homework; 'Snape probably has them working on a parchment about the importance of having properly ground ingredients,' Leona thought before returning her attention to the book she had been reading, Things That Bump in the Night: Magical Creatures and Muggles. Once she had absorbed herself in a section about household magical creatures, which include small four-foot magical lizards Bedigators, she heard a familiar voice coming from outside the portrait hole. After she placed a piece of parchment in her book to hold her place, she directed her attention away from her book and toward the voice as a boy's silhouette emerged from the portrait hole.

"Leona I have been looking for you all over!" the boy exclaimed bounding toward her quickly in large strides.

"Well, you found me. Now the question is, why were you looking for me?" As Leona spoke Oliver had made his way to the chair she was sitting, preparing her self for the worse Leona quickly set the book on the arm of the chair, as soon as she set the book down Oliver had scooped her into a bone crushing hug.

"Well," Oliver continued the hug, "guess who was named Captain for our house Quidditch team?"

"Fred and George Weasley," Leona said as she gave him a mischievous
smile.  

"LEONA!" he exclaimed exasperated, as he playfully twirled her around and let her out of the hug.

"Could it be you?" she saw him nod, "congratulations Oliver. That's terrific!" She stood and gave him a hug.

"I didn't think that I would get it. I mean I've only been Keeper for a year and then they choose me! As their captain!" he said grinning.

"I'm really happy for you! I know that you've wanted to be captain for a really long time," Leona grinned back at Oliver.

"Since I was four years old," Oliver leaned back contentedly into the chair, "my father would take me and my brothers out onto the moors to practice flying and eventually playing quick games once all three of us could stay on our brooms. It was amazing, the look in my father's eyes the first time I stopped Kerry from scoring. He was so proud."

"Now his youngest son is the Captain for the Gryffindor Quidditch team," Leona glanced cheerfully at Oliver, she was so happy for him.

"Kerry is going to throw a fit," Oliver said with a devilish smile.

Leona looked at Oliver is a confused manner, "Oliver, Kerry plays for the Baltimore Bashers why would he throw a fit when he hears that you have been named Captain?"

"Because he was never captain. Sure, he was an excellent player and he was highly revered on the Ravenclaw team, but he never made Captain. And they say if you are a good captain and an excellent player then you are almost guaranteed a spot on a Professional Quidditch team in the UK . . . and with the American Quidditch League developing at it's current rate, there's a good chance to be recruited by a few of those teams as well." Oliver's smile grew wider as he talked about a professional team.

"Well then it seems like this gig as captain is a step in the right direction." Leona grinned as she continued, "and to think you weren't even going to try out for Quidditch because you were afraid of failure. But look at you now, Captain Wood."

"I have to say, it does have a nice ring to it, the captain part. And I was not afraid of failure. It was more of the not getting on the team thing that got to me, "Leona raised her eyebrow as Oliver continued, "But you put a stop to the idea of me not trying out. As I remember you gave me an entire pep speech about the important of reaching for goals," Oliver said as he watched the fire reflect off Leona's glasses.

"Well," Leona paused, "have you sent your Mum and Dad and owl?"

"I nearly forgot," Oliver looked at Leona, sitting in the chair next to her, "do you have a quill and parchment I could use?"

Leona quickly dug into her bag for an extra piece of parchment and an extra
quill, as she handed them to Oliver she said, "You can use my ink too."

"Thanks, Leona, you're the best," Oliver replied as he quickly scrawled a note to his parents.

As Oliver wrote his letter, Leona let out a small sigh and returned to her book.  She had just begun to read again when he asked, "So what book are you reading now?"

"Things That Go Bump in the Night: Magical Creatures and Muggles. It's about magical creatures that are commonly found in Muggle homes," Leona replied, she had began to accept the fact that she would not be getting any reading done that night

"Anything interesting?" Oliver wondered aloud while tilting his head to read the spine of the book.

"Muggle children are more prone to actually seeing the creatures, while their parents believe that the creatures are figments of the child's imagination," Leona replied.

"Muggles," Oliver shook his head, "they are so narrow minded at times," he paused and looked back at her. "Are any of the 'monsters' actually dangerous?"

"Ministry officials have said many times that Boogie Monsters are highly dangerous, but they rarely attack Muggles in their homes. It is thought that Boogie Monsters feed off the fear of the children that they scare, and since children with magical abilities are rarely afraid of these creatures, they choose to scare Muggle children," Leona said looking at the front cover of the book. Illustrated on the cover was a picture of a child sleeping, and a pair of bright green eyes that would blink every so often.

"No wonder you do so well in Care for Magical Creatures," Oliver replied in a surprised voice.

"Why?" Leona asked titling her head questioningly.

"You do so much out of class reading that you get nearly everything that Professor Kettleburn lectures about," Oliver laughed at the expression of relief on Leona's face.

"Oh, I thought that you might have discovered my real secret," she replied with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

"Your real secret? Well then, out with it what is your secret? That is if you can tell me since it is a secret," he asked with a charming grin.

"Sometimes," Leona looked at Oliver and leaned toward him to whisper in his ear, "I open the book and then," she paused dramatically, and Oliver leaned closer to make sure he didn't miss it, "I read."

Oliver gasped as though he was in shock, causing Leona to bust out laughing. Soon Oliver followed her lead, and laughed along with her. The third year girl, who had been looking at them with contempt, finally broke down, and said, "Shhhh!"

 "Sorry," said Leona, but she and Oliver continued to laugh.  They placed Leona's books on the chair she'd vacated and then left the common room still hysterical.

 
* * * * *
 
Percy sat in the Great Hall, taking notes on a piece of parchment, constantly referring to an open book. Oliver checked his watch and saw that he had another hour until dinner. Oliver quickly walked over to Percy smiling; he had successfully completed his first week of practices as captain of his house team, and was still dressed in his practice robes.  
"Hello Percy," he said as he sat down, "what are you working on?"
"Defense against Dark Arts," Percy replied grimly looking up at Oliver, "Quirell and his obsession with vampires." 
"But it's not due for another two weeks," Oliver replied looking at Percy as if he were insane.
"Yes, but I'd rather get it done with as early as possible," Percy said glancing again at the book he was reading.
          "I'll probably get started on that as well. Leona likes me to get my parchments to her a few days before they are due," Oliver smiled and continued, "seems she has parchments to write herself."
          "Well that's Leona for you. Give her a topic and……" Percy started. And Oliver finished his sentence, "she can go on forever!"
"Exactly," Percy gave Oliver a weak smile, "so how are my brothers working out as your new beaters?"
"Excellent! Bloody brilliant those two! You have no idea how thankful I am for you suggesting them," Oliver replied excitedly.
"Actually it was my Mum who begged me to speak to you about the possibility of having them on the team," Percy said with a shrug, "she hopes that it will keep them out of trouble."
"She's not the only one," Oliver's smile diminished slightly, "if they help on the Quidditch field as much as they get into trouble, we may win both the Quidditch cup and the House cup. Gryffindor can only hope," Oliver said looking at the half-full scroll Percy had already written.  
"Where is it?" Percy muttered to himself, as he looked around for something, "bugger! Leona must have it then."
"What?" Oliver asked.
"Vampires & A Thirst for Blood. It's one of the books Leona bought over the summer. She was letting me borrow it," Percy said, as he closed the book he had been reading.
"Oh," Oliver replied, looking shocked that Leona would buy such a book. However, it was a book about vampires; she had mentioned that she bought some books for references in classes.
 
"Well, I know she's in the library," Percy said as he put the pile of books into his bag and stood up to leave.
          "Wood!" a girl's voice came from the entrance of the Great Hall, "Oliver! Hey OLIVER!"
"Ah, it's Gwendolyn. She sounds impatient, as usual. I am going to find Leona. See you at dinner," Percy said as he shoved his books into his bag and left the Great Hall. 
Wood turned and looked at Gwendolyn. She had just entered the Hall and was flailing her arms as though he needed movement to direct his attention to her.  She strolled toward him with a huge grin on her face. She pasted Percy and even smiled at him. Percy simply rolled his eyes and continued on his trek to find Leona.
"Hello Gwendolyn," Oliver said with a charming smile.
She flipped her hair and smiled, as she asked, "hey, how was Quidditch practice, Captain?" 
"Terrific!" Oliver wasn't as excited about talking to Gwendolyn about Quidditch practice as he had been with Leona and Percy; she was one of the Chasers on the Ravenclaw house team, therefore she was the competition. He now felt that discussing Quidditch with her was a bad move, he was captain he felt the need to protect his team and their strategies.
"That's great," Gwendolyn smiled a perfect smile, "listen Wood, I was curious if you would be interested in joining me on the visit to Hogsmeade in October? I figured I should ask you before anyone else had the chance, so what do you say?"
 "I don't know," Oliver became uncomfortable, "normally I go with Percy and Leona."
"Well, I could join the three of you," Gwendolyn paused and smiled, "Or, if it's a problem I'm sure I can just find someone else to…"
Oliver interrupted her, "No need to find someone else, I think they'll understand this one time if I don't go with them."
"Of course after all they are your friends," Gwendolyn said smiling slyly.
* * * * *
Leona sat concentrating very hard on the book in front of her; she was so involved in her work that she didn't notice when Percy sat down in the seat directly across from her.
"Leona . . . " Percy tried to get her attention. Reluctantly she was pulled out of her trance, "what? Oh Percy!  How long have you been here?" Leona asked quietly, remembering she was in the library.
"For the past three minutes, I've been trying to get your attention!  What are you so involved in?" Percy whispered back.
"Oh! I've been trying to read these last three sentences for at least twenty minutes," Leona responded looking slightly saddened.
"Are you thinking about him again?" Percy whispered, looking at Leona with concern. She nodded and he sighed, "why don't you just tell him?"
"Because, it's one thing to be friends and have all these feelings inside, and it's a completely different thing to be friends and have all these feelings out in the open," Leona continued, still looking upset.
"I don't know why you let him get to you," Percy shook his head glancing at the books piled next to Leona. There were twelve, all of them checked out in her name and all of them having at least one piece of paper marking information Leona had found interesting.
"You wouldn't understand. I mean we are talking about Oliver," as Leona said Oliver's name a smile crossed her lips.
"Yes, Mister Quidditch," Percy looked at her again, "he'll probably be relieved to talk about it."
"Percy, Oliver doesn't feel the same way about me as I do about him. I'm positive. He thinks of me as just another one of the guys," Leona paused looking at Percy again, "unless you've heard differently?" she looked at him expectantly.
"Leona, don't even attempt to tread in that water. You know that anything Oliver tells me in strict confidence stays just between the two of us, just as I haven't gone and told Oliver about your crush on him."
"It's not a crush," Leona said as she leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms.
"Yes, it is," Percy said looking her in the eye, but something in her eyes made him finally believe her, "well if it's not a crush, then tell him."
"Nope," Leona said still looking at him, "Besides how do you tell someone you've liked them for four years?" 
"Simple. Oliver I've liked you for four long years and have been waiting to know how you feel," Percy smiled.
"Percy! I can't say that to him," Leona said looking at the floor.
"Then don't torture yourself about it. I personally can't stand to see you like this," Percy said with a smile. "You're my best friend, Leona; I can't just let you wallow in misery over him. I understand that you care about him deeply but seriously you've got to buck up and talk to him about it."
"It will all come with time. I'm not ready to tell Oliver I like him.  We are only fourteen years old." Leona leaned forward returning her attention back to her parchment as Percy turned had begun to read a book he grabbed off Leona's pile. It felt much better to study after her discussion with Percy. He was always easy to talk to and he was one of the only friends she would bare her soul to. 'That's right,' she thought to herself, 'we are only fourteen years old.'
 
 
 
A/N: I want to thank three people specifically, Becky (my roomie) for being my idea board for all the stuff I right and doing a rough plot and grammar check. My beta Caitiy, you are so helpful all of the time you check things my brain skips over completely. My other helper, Amelia Weasley, you helped beyond words in the first part of this chapter, cannot say thank you enough.
 
I want to comment that this was really hard to get past because I don't like this chapter at all, I considered scrapping it all together and rewriting it, but I decided it will do for the time being with the changes I made after I talked to Amelia, it works really well. I still wish that Leona could have held off on the pouting, but I think it works well. Please leave feedback – I love reviews be harsh, be nice just leave me notes.