Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter or Eyeshield 21 or any of the affiliated characters. What I do own is a kick ass Ash Ketchum hat and a collection of gold medal winning maple syrup. Neither of which will appear in this story.

Warnings: OC's, some OOC, Het, Slash, AU, fluff, language

The Eighth Tackle

Their first ground practice was a Wednesday morning. They woke up early, the rest of the school still slumbering away sweetly, but as a team they trouped outdoors. Oliver and Harry had scouted out a practice area and chose the field at the back of the school. It was secluded and not many people could see it, plus it was even blocked from the quidditch pitch so that any team practicing wouldn't be able to see them from the sky. Overall it was their own secret little area, which served their needs nicely.

The first sport they chose to train was football for two simple reasons. The first was that it was the easiest to learn. All they really had to know was that they couldn't touch the ball with their hands and they had to shoot at the net. Oliver would be the keeper and for the first practice they were just getting used to the sport. The second reason was... that they only had Dean's football. American football, rugby, and tennis all required more equipment than they had, so they would need to get from outside the school – and in order to do that they had started sweet talking McGonagall and asking Dean and Seamus' mothers for quotes on sports equipment.

Sleepy-eyed and cold, the team formed a semi-circle around Oliver.

"Alright guys" Angelina coughed, "and girls," Oliver amended. "I just want you all to remember that this is a new program. I don't expect everyone to be star players. This is to keep us in tip top shape, and give us an advantage over the other teams."

"We know Oliver, you have told us the same thing every day since you came up with this," Alicia spoke for all of them.

"We can gain valuable skills from these muggle drills," Katie imitated him.

"We can react faster," Fred started.

"Play better," George added.

"And win the quidditch cup!" The entire team yelled together.

Oliver chuckled. "Well I'm glad to know you've all been listening."

"Ollie, we couldn't help but listen." "You tell us at breakfast," "and at lunch," "and at dinner..." "Oh and between classes." "While we're studying in the common room," "and you even told poor Harry here when he was in the bath yesterday." "Trust us Ollie," "We had to listen." the twins spoke, alternating between them.

Harry blushed at the reminder that Oliver had burst in on his shower to reiterate the new training for the year. His hair had been full of shampoo, and the sudden entrance caused him to slip and bruise his hip while the shower sprayed bubbles into his eyes. It hadn't been pleasant for several reasons, but tripping and exposing himself fully to his Quidditch captain was the worst part.

"Right, sorry about that Harry... I might have gone a bit too far." Oliver coughed and looked the other way. It seemed he remember the free show as well.

The girls giggled.

"S'alright," Harry mumbled trying to ignore the girls and the reminder.

"Enough talking, let's get to work," Oliver called loudly to gloss over the awkward moment. "We'll start with some stretches and then run a few laps. Let's start by using our left hand to hold our left ankle from behind. Balance yourselves and pull your foot up until you feel the stretch in your thigh. Hold it now..."

And so they began.

o.O.o

Harry yawned as he walked into History of Magic. It was the first time he fully appreciated the luxury of having a ghost for a teacher. It meant that after his third morning practice in a row, that he could catch up on some sleep. Some desperately needed sleep…

"Harry, you really need to have a talk with Professor McGonagall about this. Oliver is pushing you all too hard. You can barely stay awake in class, and all for what?" Hermione lectured him. "Just yesterday, Alicia fell asleep at dinner. She went face first into her potatoes."

Ron snickered at the memory.

"Don't worry about it Hermione," Harry started. "We're just getting used to the new schedule. Once our bodies adjust we won't be as tired," He explained. "It's the same every year. After a summer of down time and sleeping in, we just need some wiggle room to get used to early mornings. By next week we'll be fine, you'll see."

"Mate, I don't know how you do it. I could barely get up for breakfast this morning," Ron said as he shook his head.

"Ron, you've never been able to get up for breakfast," Harry teased.

"Oh stuff it." Ron grumbled.

Harry laughed and lightly sidestepped his friend's playful punch. Seeing the Hermione was still upset, he tried to appease her. "Think of it this way Hermione, say the library got 100 new books. Wouldn't you spend as much time as you could reading them? Well replace new books for sports, and you for me and its the same feeling."

"Books and sports aren't the same thing, Harry."

"Everybody is different. I like moving around chasing a ball, and you like the smell of old books and reading itty bitty tiny print, while Ron likes chess and the Chudley Cannon's," Harry explained. "We're all different but we get along and isn't that what's important? We're friends, and friends support each other. Which is why, you'll forgive me for what I'm going to do next."

Instead of sitting with Ron and Hermione, Harry went to the table behind them where Seamus had already set himself up for a nap. Upon seeing Harry approaching, the Irish teen shuffled over, leaving part of his rolled up cloak for Harry to use as a pillow.

Harry smiled at his friend, and settle down to sleep, easily blocking out Hermione's disapproving glare.

o.O.o

The first House match was held on a Saturday two weeks before Halloween. Oliver had posted the date, the rules of the game and a sign-up sheet a week prior. Professor McGonagall had been stern and put her foot down and told the other Head of Houses that if any of them tried to steal the quidditch pitch from her house that day they would be having words. Just to be safe, McGonagall had gone out early in the morning and transfigured some nets and jerseys while putting up a series of safety charms and privacy wards.

While they promoted it as a simple house competition, they still wanted to be safe. After all, Snape had a scheming glint in his eye and McGonagall refused to lose the quidditch cup to him again. So she cleared the pitch of any pests, and stationed herself by the field to supervise any and all students approaching the stadium. Snape had briefly peeked his head out and upon seeing her, had scurried back inside. She had already stopped Malfoy and his gang from getting close, and sent them back to the school. The blond had tried two more times before he gave up and just let the lions be.

Once all the students who signed up arrived and a few extra who wanted to watch, Oliver went over the rules of the game again and split everyone into teams. Oliver was captain of the Gold team, taking up the keeper position. Harry and Fred were on his team, while George was Captain of the Red team with Angelina, Alicia, and Katie. Neville and Ron had signed up and were given red jerseys, while Seamus and Dean got gold. The rest of the house was split up and followed their captains for a strategy meeting.

McGonagall kept watch on the school doors, but took a seat in the bleachers so she could watch the game occasionally. She had her own umbrella to protect her from the son, and even had a house-elf bring her a tray of tea.

There was a small scuffle on the red side when Ron and Lee both wanted to play keeper. Ron argued that he should be the keeper because he planned on taking over for Oliver once the older boy graduated. Lee on the other hand pointed out the he had played football before and was taller than Ron which made it better for him to guard the large net. George chose Lee, and Ron went off to pout.

Soon enough the game was under way.

Seamus and Dean took up the positions of strikers while Harry was the midfielder. They took the ball first, and fell back to form an attack pattern. The three chasers took the front line opposite them and Angelina couldn't help but giggle at them.

"They look cute in those jerseys," she teased. "Especially Harry... he's practically swimming in his."

Alicia laughed along. "Play nice Ang, you wouldn't want to upset their fragile male egos. Boys don't like being called cute."

Katie jumped in right away. "Oh you two. You're making them blush!"

Seamus stood up straight and prepared to defend his male honour, forgetting that he had possession of the ball. Angelina saw this and immediately ducked in and stole the ball from between his feet. Together all three girls laughed as Angelina passed to Katie and the girl dribbled it down the field.

"Oh good job Seamus," Dean called to his friend.

"What? They called us fragile!"

"And stole the ball. They were distracting you!"

"And they still are! Stop fighting and get the ball back," Harry yelled at the two.

Together they ran back to their side of the field hoping their defenders would block the girls and get the ball back to them.

By half-time the score was 2-1 for the red team.

The girls had used their momentum from tricking the boys into carrying the ball down the pitch. They managed to pass the ball between them to get around Fred and his patchwork defence and then faked out Oliver to score the first goal.

While they were celebrating, Oliver had kicked the ball down the field where Dean used his impressive height for a 13 year-old to head it towards Harry. Harry trapped the ball between his left foot and the ground and upon seeing George running towards him; he passed the ball to Seamus. The Irish boy made it a few yards down the field before a fourth year boy named Cormac tried to slide tackle him. Seamus seeing the move, had kicked the ball across the field to a waiting Dean.

Dean tried to stop the ball when it bounced off the field and up, but he misjudged the height and the ball went over his foot and out. Red team threw it in and the game continued on.

The Red team got the second goal, about 20 minutes in when Harry failed to intercept the ball from Katie to Alicia, he slipped. He went down and slid a yard across the field and straight into Dean's path. Dean tripped over him, and when Seamus and Fred both ran to Harry to make sure he was okay, the girls slipped through and scored another goal.

It was a minute before half-time when the Gold team got their first goal. In an act of pure adrenaline, Fred stole the ball off a panting Angelina, and dribbled it all the way into the Red team's zone. The other players were shocked to see the red-head leave his defensive position and were too busy watching, and a little too tired, to try and stop him. Lee crouched down slightly, preparing himself to dive towards the balls direction when Fred suddenly stopped and stood up straight.

"Wait a second, I'm George! I should be going the other way"

The statement caused Lee to facepalm as he believed he had fallen for another one of the twin's tricks and in that second, Fred shot the ball and scored. "Nevermind, I am Fred."

Harry and the rest of the gold team laughed when Fred turned around gave them all a cheeky wink. His twin came over and slapped him on the back, and they played out the last few seconds before the whistle was blown.

The two tired teams shuffled off the field and to their respective sidelines, all looking for water and rest.

"Ollie, maybe we should call the game here. I don't think anyone has enough energy for the second half..." Fred sighed as he flopped on the ground. Harry privately supported the twin. He was tuckered out.

"I agree Mr. Wood," McGonagall spoke as she approached them. She gestured around them and pointed out that all the players were exhausted. "It seems Gryffindors are more out of shape than I initially thought. Perhaps we should end things here so they can all recover for classes on Monday. The next game I think everyone will be better prepared and will draw more participants so that some can take a break now and then."

Oliver frowned but agreed. "Alright everyone," he yelled, drawing everyone's attention. "That's it for today. It was a lot of fun but we're too tired to continue. Red Team wins!"

The red team cheered softly, not having enough energy to do a proper celebration at the moment.

"For the victors of today's match, I have some butterbeer and cakes waiting in my office," McGonagall told them.

The previously collapsed team stood as one and renewed their celebration. "To McGonagall's office!" George cried and led his team in a parade of champions after their Head of House.

"And the losers... shall clean the pitch," McGonagall tacked on.

The gold team groaned but a few words from Oliver got them all up and sluggishly cleaning. All in all it was a good day.

Fun Football Fact

When Clint Murchison Jr. was trying to get League approval for a Team in Dallas, his main detractor was Redskins Owner George Preston Marshall. To try and gain leverage Murchison bought the rights for the team song "Hail to the Redskins".

Marshall could give in or pay Clint a royalty fee every time he played his own teams battle cry!