Chapter Four - Mistakes
A few days after the night in the hall, Oliver was still dateless, and his choices were narrowed down to Alicia Spinnet & Katie Bell, his teammates on the Quidditch team. He was walking in the corridor and by chance, he bumped into Sabine Cassell, a Hufflepuff that had a huge crush on him.
"Oh, hello Oliver." She smiled.
"Hey." He replied. He was in no mood for anything, since he was already imagining Gabriel and Jen together at the ball..
"Would you like to go the ball with me?" She asked.
"Sure." He said unconsciously.
"Really?! Great!!!!" She said. She stood there for a while then ran to her clique about 10 feet away, whom she whispered something to and they all jumped ecstatically. Oliver's eyes suddenly widened. What had he done? He just accepted the invitation of someone he barely knew...
"Oh bloody Merlin..."
Dinner came, and Oliver sat there reading his Muggle Studies book when Jen came and sat in front of him.
"Hello Oliver." She said.
"Oh, hi." He said, barely looking up from his book.
"You have a date for the ball already?" She asked.
"Yup." He replied, taking a bite of his bread roll.
"May I ask who?" She asked, slightly irritated at their conversation, which was slowly becoming one-sided.
"Sabine Cassell." He replied. "Don't tell me...you're going with that bozo from Hufflepuff right?" He asked, finally looking up at her.
"Bozo? You mean Gabriel? He is not a bozo." She said with a tone of irritation in her voice.
"Oh yeah...he's more of a clown if you ask me." Oliver replied snickering to himself.
"Well, anyway...he's a lot more mature than other people I know right now!" Overcome with anger, she slammed her book shut and quietly ate her dinner...though inside she wanted to kick him.
"Shhhhh!!!" Everyone else said. George looked up from his plate, giving Oliver an odd look that meant *What the heck are you trying to do?!* Outside, Oliver held himself quietly but on the inside, he just wanted to shrivel up and die.
Oliver, that night, and the night after that, after realizing how incredibly stupid his remarks to her were, wanted to jump out of Gryffindor Tower's highest window. "What an idiot I am." He repeatedly said to himself.
My stupid mouth has got me in trouble I said too much again To a date over dinner yesterday And I could see, she was offended She said, "Well, anyway..." Just dying for a subject change
Oh, it's another social casualty Score one more for me How could I forget? Mama said, "Think before speaking." No filter in my head, oh what's a boy to do? I guess he'd better find one soon...
...Oh, the way she feels about me has changed Thanks for playing, try again How could I forget? Mama said, "Think before speaking." No filter in my head, oh what's a boy to do? I guess he'd better find one
I'm never speaking up again, it only hurts me I'd rather be a mystery than she desert me Oh, I'm never speaking up again...starting now...
One more thing, why is it my fault? So maybe I tried too hard But it's all because of this desire I just wanna be liked, just wanna be funny Looks like the joke's on me So call me Captain Backfire
I'm never speaking up again, it only hurts me I'd rather be a mystery than she desert me Oh, I'm never speaking up again...starting now...
- My Stupid Mouth - John Mayer -
Days later, he continued to realize his mistake in comments. "I'm such an idiot!" He said to Percy. He wanted to bang his head on the dining table.
"Well, your choice of words were...offensive." Percy said, not knowing what to say.
"Now she hates me!" He said, hitting his head with his clenched fist.
"She doesn't hate you." Percy said at an unsuccessful stab at making him feel better.
"Well, it could've been worse. I mean, she could've hit you on the head with a huge Divination book or something." Fred Weasley said out of nowhere. George, Percy, & Oliver all snorted simultaneously. "Made him laugh! You owe me 10 sickles George."
"Yeah, yeah." George shooed off his debt.
"Or even worse, she could've thrown all of Professor Trelawney's teacups at you!" Fred added. The three snorted again.
"Come on guys. We're up against Hufflepuff today. We can get some last minute practice in. We've got a half-an-hour." Oliver stood up, immediately walking out of the Hall.
"I'm coming! I'm coming!" George said after stuffing a final rasher of bacon into his mouth. The seven teammates ran out onto the pitch. Oliver kicked off his Firebolt, and he saw Jennifer in the stands watching Hufflepuff practice. Gabriel Christensen was Hufflepuff's new Keeper. She saw Gryffindor team practice on the other side and ignored them.
Oliver rounded up the team. "Guys, we need offensive okay? Offensive. I'll be defense. Fred & George, you two'll be both. Defend Harry, then shoot those bludgers at something...or someone. Understand?" He asked, glancing at Christensen. They all nodded and soon enough, the game started.
(Excerpts from the game) "Oooh! And a perfect throw from Katie Bell sends the Quaffle through Hufflepuff's hoops again. Gryffindor still leading 40 to nothing." Lee Jordan proudly announced. "Hufflepuff's new Keeper Gabriel Christensen doesn't seem to be stretching those Quidditch muscles..."
"Mr. Jordan!" Professor McGonagall said. "You're here to commentate...not to insult."
"Sorry...but it's true." He replied. "And there we have Hufflepuff Chaser Livingston trying to shoot a hoop, but Oliver Wood successfully defends his post. Wood is a graduating student this year...you're doing well Oliver...unlike the other team's Keeper..."
"Mr. Jordan would you like me to replace you this instant?" The Professor asked.
"No professor..." He replied. "...and another 10 points for Gryffindor from Alicia Spinnet this time! 50 to nothing...wait...what's this? Potter has seen the Snitch! Diggory is shooting after him!" He said as he saw Harry go up higher and higher, following a fleck of gold...
~O~
"And with Harry Potter catching the Golden Snitch, Gryffindor wins the game 200 to zero!" Lee Jordan announced. "Gryffindor wins!" He screamed. It seemed that Gabriel wasn't that good of a Keeper after all.
"Good job everyone. Good job." Oliver smiled. He was completely satisfied that they steamrollered Hufflepuff. The only problem was that the ball was that very night....
A few days after the night in the hall, Oliver was still dateless, and his choices were narrowed down to Alicia Spinnet & Katie Bell, his teammates on the Quidditch team. He was walking in the corridor and by chance, he bumped into Sabine Cassell, a Hufflepuff that had a huge crush on him.
"Oh, hello Oliver." She smiled.
"Hey." He replied. He was in no mood for anything, since he was already imagining Gabriel and Jen together at the ball..
"Would you like to go the ball with me?" She asked.
"Sure." He said unconsciously.
"Really?! Great!!!!" She said. She stood there for a while then ran to her clique about 10 feet away, whom she whispered something to and they all jumped ecstatically. Oliver's eyes suddenly widened. What had he done? He just accepted the invitation of someone he barely knew...
"Oh bloody Merlin..."
Dinner came, and Oliver sat there reading his Muggle Studies book when Jen came and sat in front of him.
"Hello Oliver." She said.
"Oh, hi." He said, barely looking up from his book.
"You have a date for the ball already?" She asked.
"Yup." He replied, taking a bite of his bread roll.
"May I ask who?" She asked, slightly irritated at their conversation, which was slowly becoming one-sided.
"Sabine Cassell." He replied. "Don't tell me...you're going with that bozo from Hufflepuff right?" He asked, finally looking up at her.
"Bozo? You mean Gabriel? He is not a bozo." She said with a tone of irritation in her voice.
"Oh yeah...he's more of a clown if you ask me." Oliver replied snickering to himself.
"Well, anyway...he's a lot more mature than other people I know right now!" Overcome with anger, she slammed her book shut and quietly ate her dinner...though inside she wanted to kick him.
"Shhhhh!!!" Everyone else said. George looked up from his plate, giving Oliver an odd look that meant *What the heck are you trying to do?!* Outside, Oliver held himself quietly but on the inside, he just wanted to shrivel up and die.
Oliver, that night, and the night after that, after realizing how incredibly stupid his remarks to her were, wanted to jump out of Gryffindor Tower's highest window. "What an idiot I am." He repeatedly said to himself.
My stupid mouth has got me in trouble I said too much again To a date over dinner yesterday And I could see, she was offended She said, "Well, anyway..." Just dying for a subject change
Oh, it's another social casualty Score one more for me How could I forget? Mama said, "Think before speaking." No filter in my head, oh what's a boy to do? I guess he'd better find one soon...
...Oh, the way she feels about me has changed Thanks for playing, try again How could I forget? Mama said, "Think before speaking." No filter in my head, oh what's a boy to do? I guess he'd better find one
I'm never speaking up again, it only hurts me I'd rather be a mystery than she desert me Oh, I'm never speaking up again...starting now...
One more thing, why is it my fault? So maybe I tried too hard But it's all because of this desire I just wanna be liked, just wanna be funny Looks like the joke's on me So call me Captain Backfire
I'm never speaking up again, it only hurts me I'd rather be a mystery than she desert me Oh, I'm never speaking up again...starting now...
- My Stupid Mouth - John Mayer -
Days later, he continued to realize his mistake in comments. "I'm such an idiot!" He said to Percy. He wanted to bang his head on the dining table.
"Well, your choice of words were...offensive." Percy said, not knowing what to say.
"Now she hates me!" He said, hitting his head with his clenched fist.
"She doesn't hate you." Percy said at an unsuccessful stab at making him feel better.
"Well, it could've been worse. I mean, she could've hit you on the head with a huge Divination book or something." Fred Weasley said out of nowhere. George, Percy, & Oliver all snorted simultaneously. "Made him laugh! You owe me 10 sickles George."
"Yeah, yeah." George shooed off his debt.
"Or even worse, she could've thrown all of Professor Trelawney's teacups at you!" Fred added. The three snorted again.
"Come on guys. We're up against Hufflepuff today. We can get some last minute practice in. We've got a half-an-hour." Oliver stood up, immediately walking out of the Hall.
"I'm coming! I'm coming!" George said after stuffing a final rasher of bacon into his mouth. The seven teammates ran out onto the pitch. Oliver kicked off his Firebolt, and he saw Jennifer in the stands watching Hufflepuff practice. Gabriel Christensen was Hufflepuff's new Keeper. She saw Gryffindor team practice on the other side and ignored them.
Oliver rounded up the team. "Guys, we need offensive okay? Offensive. I'll be defense. Fred & George, you two'll be both. Defend Harry, then shoot those bludgers at something...or someone. Understand?" He asked, glancing at Christensen. They all nodded and soon enough, the game started.
(Excerpts from the game) "Oooh! And a perfect throw from Katie Bell sends the Quaffle through Hufflepuff's hoops again. Gryffindor still leading 40 to nothing." Lee Jordan proudly announced. "Hufflepuff's new Keeper Gabriel Christensen doesn't seem to be stretching those Quidditch muscles..."
"Mr. Jordan!" Professor McGonagall said. "You're here to commentate...not to insult."
"Sorry...but it's true." He replied. "And there we have Hufflepuff Chaser Livingston trying to shoot a hoop, but Oliver Wood successfully defends his post. Wood is a graduating student this year...you're doing well Oliver...unlike the other team's Keeper..."
"Mr. Jordan would you like me to replace you this instant?" The Professor asked.
"No professor..." He replied. "...and another 10 points for Gryffindor from Alicia Spinnet this time! 50 to nothing...wait...what's this? Potter has seen the Snitch! Diggory is shooting after him!" He said as he saw Harry go up higher and higher, following a fleck of gold...
~O~
"And with Harry Potter catching the Golden Snitch, Gryffindor wins the game 200 to zero!" Lee Jordan announced. "Gryffindor wins!" He screamed. It seemed that Gabriel wasn't that good of a Keeper after all.
"Good job everyone. Good job." Oliver smiled. He was completely satisfied that they steamrollered Hufflepuff. The only problem was that the ball was that very night....