Disclaimer: It's all Jo's.

Author's Notes: Ah, part two, Oliver's fifth year. Mm... I hope you enjoy!

And, if you would, review. Make someone (me) smile today. ((winkwink))

Alisa

The First Day of Classes

((of chocolate and Quidditch))

Beat back those Bludgers, boys, and chuck that Quaffle here!

Oliver Wood opened a pair of bleary eyes and, flipping over onto his stomach, buried his head in a pillow.

We'll guard the hoops and catch the Snitch for we are Puddlemere!

Oliver wanted very badly to turn his blaring alarm clock off and just drift back to sleep, but the memory of last year's first day of classes flashed in his mind and he decided against it. (Besides, who would actually turn the Puddlemere United team anthem off? It was just so catchy!)

We soar past Chasers and the rest until we're known as the very best!

He threw back his four-poster curtains and put his feet to the cold stone floor—shivers ran up and down his spine. It took him only one moment to fly from his bed to the bathroom and another moment to end up beneath a jet of hot water.

There's not a team we cannot crush, yes, give way for the mighty Bulrushes!

Half an hour and twenty-eight progressively weaker rounds of the Puddlemere anthem later, Oliver stepped out of the bathroom awake, refreshed, and ready to go. Turning off his alarm clock, which was by this time only managing to hum hoarsely, he threw off his towel and quickly dressed in a fresh set of robes.

After combing his hair half-heartedly, Oliver took the time to stuff in his bag only the books he needed (Transfiguration and Divination) before slipping on his shoes and walking down to the common room. Today seemed to be shaping into an all right day. Minus the fact that he had to go to classes.

He greeted a few fellow fifth years, as well as third years Fred and George Weasley and Angelina Johnson, all of whom had been on the Quidditch team last year, as well as another third year, Alicia Spinnet, who had been a reserve. He had just waved hello to a sixth year on the other side of the common room when an annoyingly familiar voice reached his ears.

"Hello, Oliver! I haven't seen you in a while!"

Plastering a grin to his face, he turned to face second year Katie Bell. "Hullo, Katie."

She grinned back at his less-than-enthusiastic greeting with gusto.

"I was—uh—headed down to the Great Hall," said Oliver, throwing a thumb behind him to indicate to the portrait hole through which the four third years had just passed. He hoped he would be able to get away before she began telling him about her holidays, which would ensure a missed breakfast, but it wouldn't matter as she said, "Oh, so was I! Let's walk together."

And she marched out of the portrait hole, Oliver trotting behind her like an old, achy dog. He sighed.

It wasn't as if he didn't like Katie, but all she seemed to do was jabber on and on about everything from Chocolate Frogs to football, and all things in between. She would tell him about how they had mixed her laundry with a sixth year's and she'd ended up with knickers that "would've fit a troll, honestly," about how she only managed to pass first year History of Magic because she was good at making up goblin names, and how she had been one of the only students in her flying class to raise their broomsticks on the first "up." It was as if she never stopped.

But Oliver still said hello to her in the corridors, and even sat with her and her friend Leanne at lunch once in a while. He played wizard chess with her in front of the fire when he had nothing better to do, and laughed at her jokes because they were funny. If she didn't talk so much, she would make an all right friend.

"Oh!" Katie suddenly exclaimed, and came to a half in the middle of the fourth corridor. She dug around in her bag for a moment before thrusting something into Oliver's hands.

It was a bar of Honeydukes chocolate in the shape of a Golden Snitch.

"Happy birthday!" she told Oliver. "Sorry it's a bit late, but I didn't know where to send it. But I thought you'd like it anyway."

She grinned uncertainly at him, and he smiled back (a true smile this time).

"Thanks a ton, Katie, this is really sweet of you," he said, genuinely pleased. (Chocolate and Quidditch, what's not to like?)

She grinned and ducked her head, blushing. "I didn't know what to get you, so I got a combination of everyone's two favorite things, chocolate and Quidditch, and reckoned you'd have to like it."

"I do like it, Katie, thanks," he said, still grinning at her embarrassment. A beat passed, then Oliver asked, "So, how were your holidays?" He mentally cringed.

"Oh, you know, practiced a bit of Quidditch with my Pa and read Quidditch Through the Ages for the millionth and first time," she said, shrugging. "What about you?"

Oliver nearly forgot to answer in his shock. He had never heard Katie answer a question so simply.

"Oliver?"

"Hmm? Oh!" He flushed. "Mostly worked on plays for this year."

"Oh isn't that right, Mister Quidditch Captain," she said with a grin, and gave his arm a friendly punch.

Oliver grinned and pulled the badge out of his robes. It glimmered in the flickering torch light as he showed it off to Katie.

"Why, you're not even wearing it!" she exclaimed, and took it from his hands.

"Don't get fingerprints on it!" he was quick to reprimand.

"Oh hush," said Katie, who was now adjusting his robes and deciding where to pin his badge. Choosing the left breast area, she pushed the pin through the material of his robes and fastened it.

"There," she murmured, and polished the badge with the sleeve of her robes. "Now doesn't that look spiffing." She observed him for a moment, her robes still cleaning the badge, before her hand moved up to pat his shoulder.

She turned on her heel and began to walk toward the Great Hall again. Oliver caught up with her in three strides and heard himself asking, "Still going to try out this year, then?"

She nodded enthusiastically.

"I have two Chaser spots to fill, so you have a fair chance," Oliver expanded. "Not to mention a Seeker I need to find."

"I'm sure you'll find who you need," Katie assured him. "You're an excellent Quidditch player, and I'm sure you'll be able to pull an excellent team together as well." She smiled up at him as they entered the Great Hall.

"You think I'm an excellent Quidditch player, eh?" he teased.

She rolled her eyes. "Yes I do, but don't let it get to your head."

"Of course not," he agreed, seating himself next to one of the Weasley twins, the other across from his brother. Katie sat next to Oliver.

"Who's this you've got here, Oliver?" asked the twin next to him as he loaded his plate with bacon and eggs.

"George?" guessed Oliver.

"Over here, mate," said the boy across the table.

Oliver shrugged. "Weasleys, Katie Bell. Katie, Fred and George Weasley."

She smiled tentatively at the boys and they grinned identical grins back. She placed a piece of toast on her plate before leaning toward Oliver and whispering, "How d'you—?"

"Tell them apart?" he finished for her. "You don't. Just call one of their names and they both answer. Watch." He turned to the boys, who were having a whispered conversation over the kippers.

"Oy, Fred."

Both of the twins looked up expectantly at Oliver, who smirked, then asked, "Er… where's Johnson?"

Fred gave an exuberant sigh and pointed down the table to where a dark girl with long braids and another girl with brown hair sat.

"That's Angelina Johnson" —Oliver pointed to the girl with braids— "and the other's Alicia Spinnet."

"She was on the reserve last year," Katie recalled.

Oliver nodded and spooned some porridge into his mouth.

"She's quite good," went on Katie. "I watched her try out."

She took a bite of toast and chewed it thoughtfully before she swallowed and said, "Reckon she'll make it this year?"

Oliver swallowed. "I dunno. If we don't find anyone to fill positions I'll pull her up for sure, but maybe she's gotten better since last year."

Katie nodded and went back to her toast dejectedly.

Oliver watched her pick at her breakfast for a moment before sighing. "All right, what's wrong? You're so quiet this morning."

She gave him a sheepish look and said, "I'm nervous."

"About classes? Don't worry, second year's not that hard—"

"Not second year," Katie cut him off. "About making the team. I'm nervous about Quidditch try-outs."

Oliver nodded in understanding and put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't fret too much, just practice and you'll do fine." He paused, then said, "Why don't we go out to the pitch after classes and see what you can do?"

Her lips made an 'o' as she gaped at him.

"If you want to, that—"

"Of course I want to!" Katie cried, and threw her arms around him so suddenly and so forcefully he was nearly unseated. "Oh thank you, Oliver!"

Oliver peaked owlishly from within her tangle of hair and patted her awkwardly on the back, a nonplussed expression on his face. She pulled back, gibbering away her thanks, and stood. She gathered several pieces of toast, still chattering, paused to peck him on the cheek, then grabbed her bag and went off to "talk to Leanne. Oh, thank you, Oliver!"

George Weasley leaned over the table and watched as Katie walked away. Then he said, "She your girlfriend or something?"

Oliver choked on a lungful of air and sputtered out hoarsely, "N-no!"

"Oh." George leaned back, then shrugged his shoulders. "She looked like your girlfriend to me."

The Weasley twins shared a mischievous smirk.