Chapter 1: Family Reunion
Liana Wood's eyes fluttered open and she yawned. Sitting up on her bed she gazed a crossed her room into the mirror only to see messy brown hair, and deep brown eyes staring back at her. Looking around the rest her room she gazed at all the Quidditch posters plastered over the wall, her favorite players from various teams zooming around here and there. Her newest poster of Viktor Krum the Bulgarin Seeker had just covered the last of her plain green paint. She pulled the warm, comfortable covers off of her and placed her bare feet on the cold wood floor. Looking at her Magical Creatures Calendar she smiled. Right below the silvery, grazing unicorn the date August 29th was circled in bright red, Oliver was coming home today.
It had been a long time since she had seen him. He was now playing professional Quidditch, which now proved to be very time consuming. Liana couldn't wait until he arrived. Quickly she brushed her hair, making it much neater than before, and pulled on a baby blue muggle T-shirt and a pair of kaki shorts. For some reason she preferred them to the robes the rest of her family wore. She would have to wear them at school of course; all wizarding schools required that. But to her disappointment she would no longer be attending Durmstrang this year, but instead Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Maybe it wouldn't be that bad. Even though her friends weren't coming with her, instead chosing to go to Beaxbatons. Her brother had gone to Hogwarts for his seven year of magical training, and she would have as well, if weren't for the amazing Chaser opportunity she had been given. Liana would have to ask him all about it when he arrived.
She walked down the stairs, some pictures of her relatives watching her as she went by. "Good morning!" a young picture of her grandmother said in a cheery voice. She was no older the Liana in this picture, wearing magnificent dress robes of bronze and blue. Next to her stood her grandfather also in dress robes only his were gold and red. Her mother had told her it was taken during a school dance during their 7th year. Grams, and Gramps had also attended Hogwarts, Grams had been very bright and placed in the Ravenclaw house, and Gramps with all the bravery he held had been asigned to Gryffindor. I wonder how they choose houses. Liana thought blankly. There hadn't been houses in Durmstrang, nor had she heard of any other wizrding schools that used them. I wonder which house they'll place me in...
She drifted back into her current scence.
"G' morning Grams… Gramps," she replied sweetly, continuing to trudge down the stairs.
As she made her way down towards the kitchen, a wonderful smell filled her nostrils. Liana walked down to see what her mother was making this morning. "Accio!" Eggs flew a crossed the kitchen, over to where Elizabeth Wood was standing. They crack themselves on the edge of the pan, and let the yolk, and whites fall smoothly on the sizzling surface. " 'Morning Mum!" she jumped at the sudden words and then turned around, with a sunny look.
"Good morning Sweets. Now get over here and help me with breakfast before your brother gets here." Liana's mother motioned for her to come beside the stove.
Liana took a hesitant step forward. "But mum, I want to meet Oliver went he gets here."
Mrs. Wood looked at her daughters pleading face. "Alright, but make sure you hurry him in here the instant he Avaporates."
"Yes ma'am." Liana ran to the door of their six-story home, and stepped outside. As she waited she gazed into the colorful garden of roses, and watched the gnomes scurrying away quickly as they saw her. Her owl Merlin sat perched on a fence post a couple of yards away sleeping. Suddenly there was a loud cracking noise, a tiny wisp of smoke, and her brother Oliver Wood appeared in front of her. "Oliver!" she cried merrily, and embraced him tightly. She took a step back and studied him closely. He looked a lot like her especially his hair and eyes, which were also brown. Strangely, she noticed his muggle clothing, in place of his usual black robes. He shorts came to knee length, and his shirt was blue and blacked stripped, and very loosely cut. "You look just like a muggle!"
"I could say the same about you. Hey Sweets, look what I got for you." He handed her an oddly, long shaped package that she hadn't noticed he holding before. She unwrapped it carefully, exposing a thick wood polished handle that read: Firebolt 4000. Her mouth hung open wide. "Oliver but…. How? The Firebolt 4000 isn't supposed to be released until next year."
He stuck out his chest arrogantly, and his brown eyes were twinkling with delight. "Well, as the new Quidditch Captain for the Puddlemere United Reserve… Let's just say I pulled a few strings."
Liana's mouth dropped even lower, as she mouthed out the words "Quidditch Captain?" Remembering her brother's wonderful gift, she hugged him again, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Liana remembered her promise. "C'mon I told mum I drag you in as soon as you got here."
He let out a small laugh. "That's mum for you. And what about dad?"
Liana bit her lip. "At work."
Oliver didn't look surprised. "Thought he'd be with the inspection of Durmstrang and You-Know-You rising to power again." A shivered went down Liana's back. You-Know-Who… Voldemort returning to power was almost unthinkable. But now... After everything that had happened...
"Huray Sweets, we don't want to keep mum waiting. You know how she gets." Liana suppressed a small giggle as Oliver turned around to find his mother right in front of him.
Her brown eyebrows were raised high in a questioning look. 'Yes Oliver, how does you mother get?" Oliver mouth hung open, as Liana's had been before, though his seemed to be more out of pure terror than surprise.
"Eh…"
She broke into a grin. "Now get over here and give your mother a hug."
The rest of the evening was filled with fun, and laughter as the Wood family, brought each other up to date. Mrs. Wood was currently writing her own cookbook called 1000 Magical Ways to Cook in the Kitchen, and Mr. Wood had just gotten a promotion. Than with the news of Oliver becoming captain, everything seemed to be running smoothly.
"Captain of the Puddlemere United…" Tears began to form in Mrs. Wood's eyes. " Oliver! I'm so proud!"
" Oh come on mom," he said, his cheeks taking on a deep scarlet.
Liana changed the subject quickly, asking the question she had wanted to know before her brother had even arrived. "So what's Hogwarts like? I mean I was wondering, you know since I'll be attending this year."
"Well-" her mother began.
Liana interrupted, "I was kind of hoping Oliver could tell me. It's only been two years since he graduated."
A smile played on Oliver's lips. "Sweets, you won't being inferring in any way that are parents are old, now would you?"
She returned the smirk, and sarcastically replied, "No, but I thought you were old enough not go sneaking peaks at those horrible magazines- What was it called again-"
But before she could let out another word he continued, his face redder than before, "Hogwarts, um… now where was I? Oh yes, well first off there is a beginning feast, the Sorting takes place than. All the first years are placed in one of the four houses: Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, nasty lot they are, and of course Gryffindor. Now that's the house you'll want to be in. Yeah, that reminds me, and you'll probably meet Harry Potter, he was a hell of a Seeker." Liana thought for a moment, Harry Potter? Hmm… She had always wondered what it would be like if she had ever met him. All that she had heard from Oliver about him was that he was, " A hell of a Seeker." What was the number one enemy of the Dark Lord like? Another question popped into her head.
"Did he really do all those amazing things? Save the girl Ginny Weasley from Voldemort and-" She cut off abruptly, realizing what she had just said. It had come out so easily, without hesitation, but the rest of the Wood's look frozen pale. Muttering an apology, Liana sat waiting for one her parents to start lecturing her, but no one's mouth moved.
Finally, Oliver began the conversation again. "Yes well I'll be darned if he didn't! Like I said before, anyone who can play Seeker that well, could do anything!"
Liana sighed out of relief as the color returned to her mothers face. She would have to thank Oliver later.
Mrs. Wood yawned and rose from the sofa, followed by her husband. "Well dears, I really think we must be off to bed. Don't stay up too late now." She turned and looked strait at Oliver, "I expect you to be a good example for your sister."
Putting on his most innocent face he replied, "Of course mum."
Timothy Wood walked over and patted his son on the back, "N' ght Quidditch Captain, Sweets." He walked over and planted a kiss on Liana's forhead. Mrs.Wood then kissed each of them on the check, and then headed upstairs, Mr. Wood trailing behind. As soon as the were out of earshot, Liana and Oliver looked at each other and began to laugh.
"I thought mum's eyes were going to pop when you said You-Know-Who's name." Olivers voice became more stern. "Liana, what where you thinking?"
Her eyes fluttered towards the ground, and she tried to search for an answer. "I don't know. It's just sort of came out. But the way, thanks for saving me there."
"No problem! What are older brothers for?" He said tossing a pillow at her.
Liana Wood's eyes fluttered open and she yawned. Sitting up on her bed she gazed a crossed her room into the mirror only to see messy brown hair, and deep brown eyes staring back at her. Looking around the rest her room she gazed at all the Quidditch posters plastered over the wall, her favorite players from various teams zooming around here and there. Her newest poster of Viktor Krum the Bulgarin Seeker had just covered the last of her plain green paint. She pulled the warm, comfortable covers off of her and placed her bare feet on the cold wood floor. Looking at her Magical Creatures Calendar she smiled. Right below the silvery, grazing unicorn the date August 29th was circled in bright red, Oliver was coming home today.
It had been a long time since she had seen him. He was now playing professional Quidditch, which now proved to be very time consuming. Liana couldn't wait until he arrived. Quickly she brushed her hair, making it much neater than before, and pulled on a baby blue muggle T-shirt and a pair of kaki shorts. For some reason she preferred them to the robes the rest of her family wore. She would have to wear them at school of course; all wizarding schools required that. But to her disappointment she would no longer be attending Durmstrang this year, but instead Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Maybe it wouldn't be that bad. Even though her friends weren't coming with her, instead chosing to go to Beaxbatons. Her brother had gone to Hogwarts for his seven year of magical training, and she would have as well, if weren't for the amazing Chaser opportunity she had been given. Liana would have to ask him all about it when he arrived.
She walked down the stairs, some pictures of her relatives watching her as she went by. "Good morning!" a young picture of her grandmother said in a cheery voice. She was no older the Liana in this picture, wearing magnificent dress robes of bronze and blue. Next to her stood her grandfather also in dress robes only his were gold and red. Her mother had told her it was taken during a school dance during their 7th year. Grams, and Gramps had also attended Hogwarts, Grams had been very bright and placed in the Ravenclaw house, and Gramps with all the bravery he held had been asigned to Gryffindor. I wonder how they choose houses. Liana thought blankly. There hadn't been houses in Durmstrang, nor had she heard of any other wizrding schools that used them. I wonder which house they'll place me in...
She drifted back into her current scence.
"G' morning Grams… Gramps," she replied sweetly, continuing to trudge down the stairs.
As she made her way down towards the kitchen, a wonderful smell filled her nostrils. Liana walked down to see what her mother was making this morning. "Accio!" Eggs flew a crossed the kitchen, over to where Elizabeth Wood was standing. They crack themselves on the edge of the pan, and let the yolk, and whites fall smoothly on the sizzling surface. " 'Morning Mum!" she jumped at the sudden words and then turned around, with a sunny look.
"Good morning Sweets. Now get over here and help me with breakfast before your brother gets here." Liana's mother motioned for her to come beside the stove.
Liana took a hesitant step forward. "But mum, I want to meet Oliver went he gets here."
Mrs. Wood looked at her daughters pleading face. "Alright, but make sure you hurry him in here the instant he Avaporates."
"Yes ma'am." Liana ran to the door of their six-story home, and stepped outside. As she waited she gazed into the colorful garden of roses, and watched the gnomes scurrying away quickly as they saw her. Her owl Merlin sat perched on a fence post a couple of yards away sleeping. Suddenly there was a loud cracking noise, a tiny wisp of smoke, and her brother Oliver Wood appeared in front of her. "Oliver!" she cried merrily, and embraced him tightly. She took a step back and studied him closely. He looked a lot like her especially his hair and eyes, which were also brown. Strangely, she noticed his muggle clothing, in place of his usual black robes. He shorts came to knee length, and his shirt was blue and blacked stripped, and very loosely cut. "You look just like a muggle!"
"I could say the same about you. Hey Sweets, look what I got for you." He handed her an oddly, long shaped package that she hadn't noticed he holding before. She unwrapped it carefully, exposing a thick wood polished handle that read: Firebolt 4000. Her mouth hung open wide. "Oliver but…. How? The Firebolt 4000 isn't supposed to be released until next year."
He stuck out his chest arrogantly, and his brown eyes were twinkling with delight. "Well, as the new Quidditch Captain for the Puddlemere United Reserve… Let's just say I pulled a few strings."
Liana's mouth dropped even lower, as she mouthed out the words "Quidditch Captain?" Remembering her brother's wonderful gift, she hugged him again, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Liana remembered her promise. "C'mon I told mum I drag you in as soon as you got here."
He let out a small laugh. "That's mum for you. And what about dad?"
Liana bit her lip. "At work."
Oliver didn't look surprised. "Thought he'd be with the inspection of Durmstrang and You-Know-You rising to power again." A shivered went down Liana's back. You-Know-Who… Voldemort returning to power was almost unthinkable. But now... After everything that had happened...
"Huray Sweets, we don't want to keep mum waiting. You know how she gets." Liana suppressed a small giggle as Oliver turned around to find his mother right in front of him.
Her brown eyebrows were raised high in a questioning look. 'Yes Oliver, how does you mother get?" Oliver mouth hung open, as Liana's had been before, though his seemed to be more out of pure terror than surprise.
"Eh…"
She broke into a grin. "Now get over here and give your mother a hug."
The rest of the evening was filled with fun, and laughter as the Wood family, brought each other up to date. Mrs. Wood was currently writing her own cookbook called 1000 Magical Ways to Cook in the Kitchen, and Mr. Wood had just gotten a promotion. Than with the news of Oliver becoming captain, everything seemed to be running smoothly.
"Captain of the Puddlemere United…" Tears began to form in Mrs. Wood's eyes. " Oliver! I'm so proud!"
" Oh come on mom," he said, his cheeks taking on a deep scarlet.
Liana changed the subject quickly, asking the question she had wanted to know before her brother had even arrived. "So what's Hogwarts like? I mean I was wondering, you know since I'll be attending this year."
"Well-" her mother began.
Liana interrupted, "I was kind of hoping Oliver could tell me. It's only been two years since he graduated."
A smile played on Oliver's lips. "Sweets, you won't being inferring in any way that are parents are old, now would you?"
She returned the smirk, and sarcastically replied, "No, but I thought you were old enough not go sneaking peaks at those horrible magazines- What was it called again-"
But before she could let out another word he continued, his face redder than before, "Hogwarts, um… now where was I? Oh yes, well first off there is a beginning feast, the Sorting takes place than. All the first years are placed in one of the four houses: Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, nasty lot they are, and of course Gryffindor. Now that's the house you'll want to be in. Yeah, that reminds me, and you'll probably meet Harry Potter, he was a hell of a Seeker." Liana thought for a moment, Harry Potter? Hmm… She had always wondered what it would be like if she had ever met him. All that she had heard from Oliver about him was that he was, " A hell of a Seeker." What was the number one enemy of the Dark Lord like? Another question popped into her head.
"Did he really do all those amazing things? Save the girl Ginny Weasley from Voldemort and-" She cut off abruptly, realizing what she had just said. It had come out so easily, without hesitation, but the rest of the Wood's look frozen pale. Muttering an apology, Liana sat waiting for one her parents to start lecturing her, but no one's mouth moved.
Finally, Oliver began the conversation again. "Yes well I'll be darned if he didn't! Like I said before, anyone who can play Seeker that well, could do anything!"
Liana sighed out of relief as the color returned to her mothers face. She would have to thank Oliver later.
Mrs. Wood yawned and rose from the sofa, followed by her husband. "Well dears, I really think we must be off to bed. Don't stay up too late now." She turned and looked strait at Oliver, "I expect you to be a good example for your sister."
Putting on his most innocent face he replied, "Of course mum."
Timothy Wood walked over and patted his son on the back, "N' ght Quidditch Captain, Sweets." He walked over and planted a kiss on Liana's forhead. Mrs.Wood then kissed each of them on the check, and then headed upstairs, Mr. Wood trailing behind. As soon as the were out of earshot, Liana and Oliver looked at each other and began to laugh.
"I thought mum's eyes were going to pop when you said You-Know-Who's name." Olivers voice became more stern. "Liana, what where you thinking?"
Her eyes fluttered towards the ground, and she tried to search for an answer. "I don't know. It's just sort of came out. But the way, thanks for saving me there."
"No problem! What are older brothers for?" He said tossing a pillow at her.