So... do you all hate me? I've no idea what happened, but every time I sat down to write this, all words just seemed to escape me. Seriously. I doubt I could have written a sequel to Run Spot Run!
Chapter 15
20th October 1977
"And so, when Harry then comes round over Malfoy and Zabini, Ginny ducks down while the opposition is distracted, allowing her access to the left goal post. Fred and George then-"
It was around this point that Harry finally gave in to what his brain had been suggesting for the past few hours and dozed off, dropping his head onto an already snoozing Fred's shoulder. To his left, Draco struggled to keep his eyes open, unwilling to submit to the indignity of falling asleep in a room full of Gryffindors. Blaise, never having experienced one of Oliver's famous speeches, had been caught unawares and was out like a light within moments after the four's arrival at five thirty that morning. Since it was now past nine, this was understandable.
"Alright, so now that we all have formation ninety six down, let's move on to ninety seven."
"Oliver for Merlin's sake, we've been through sixteen base plays, had a quick overview two hundred single moves, eighty eight multiple person moves, a book you sent ahead with ploys, feints, bluffs, and other deceptions, and now this." Ginny finally burst out, earning an unappealing cross between a grunt and a snort from Harry as he was startled out of his Oliver induced coma, "Can we please just go out and actually get some practice? I mean, we haven't even played in a match together yet."
"Exactly. That's why we need to go over strategies." Oliver said in a pompous, almost Percy-like manner before pouting at his team-mate's groans, "Oh alright, I suppose we have enough formations." He relented but continued on before the others had a chance to experience even the most remote feelings of hope, "However, we still have to go over recovery moves, emergency moves and preventative measures. So let's begin with what we do if all three chasers are taken out."
In the end it was almost eleven before they finally went out to practice, but the team made good use of their short time before the two o'clock game. Pansy and Severus took turns in keeping guard in between classes, doing slow loops around the pitch on brooms, turning away any spies, curious students, and even the occasional diehard fan. It turned out that women in the seventies were not as fond of man-flares as they'd seemed and had in fact been just longing for someone with Oliver Wood's physique to show up in a tight, futuristic, Quidditch uniform. But, as Harry and Draco had so wistfully noted, he was plain and simply a Quidditch jock and thereby incapable of understanding womanly (or manly) advances.
Many a young lady wept and lamented this loss later that evening, just wishing he could have understood what he was turning away. Many swore never to let this die, always to remember this day and try and turn around the results. This vow caused a few problems for Oliver when he returned to his time and realized he suddenly had a massive fan base of women in their late thirties, none of whom would take no for an answer, and all of whom arrived equipped with handcuffs. Introducing the brand new act: really really desperate housewives.
But for this one last day, Oliver remained blissfully unaware of these future trials and instead focused on getting his new team up to standards. And, despite his boring speeches, and ability to inspire eleven years olds with the idea that they too could almost die, Oliver was a good captain, and he had the best of the best on his team.
Nineteen seventy seven would never know what hit them.
- - - - - - - - - -
"So, you've seen them both. Who do you think will win?"
"Honestly? I have no idea in the world. Nor do I particularly care." Pansy paused for a moment and then grinned, "The real reason I'm here is because I want to watch Wood have an apoplectic shock when he realizes that all his strategizing was a waste of time."
"Oh? How so?"
"Well, can you really see your time's team managing to work together? He's based all this on the idea that the other team will be coordinated. I doubt he's prepared for seven people, all doing their own thing, with no care for the fact that the other team has seven thousand and eighty formations prepared for their advances."
"Seven thousand and eighty?"
"There's a minor chance that I've overestimated that."
"Welcome, welcome to the only match worth seeing this year!" Lee Jordan's voice came booming across the pitch. Fred and George, upon hearing of the current commentator's habits had dragged their old friend along with them on their little trip. Julie Parkes was sulking in the Hufflepuff stands but seemed to be okay with it overall, "Now, let's welcome on our teams! For the soon to be humiliated oldies we have Diggory, Longbottom, Robinson, Richards, Lupin, Black, aaaaannnd older Potter!"
All the students began cheering, although many looked a little peeved with Lee for his obviously bias introduction.
"And for the super spectacular futuristic wonders we have Malfoy, Zabini, Weasley, Weasley, another Weasley, Wood, aaaaaannnnd… the fresher Potter!" Lee shouted triumphantly.
All the students screamed their approval even louder then the first time leaving the '77 team seeming slightly put out with the whole thing. Never let it be said that subtle (or not) leads from a commentator do not have some affect on an easily lead group of under-eighteens.
The teams each did a couple of warm-up laps around the pitch before settling into their positions. Professor Mono-brow stood beneath them and prepared to toss up the quaffle. The pitch grew silent as all the students watched intensely. The professor held up the quaffle and, with little ceremony; threw it high in the air above him.
"And they're off! It's Robinson with the quaffle first with Longbottom to her left ready for a pass. She passes and, oh! A remarkable intercept from Zabini. Pretty good for a Slytherin I must say, but hey, no hard feelings hey oldies? Zabini's almost at the goals and... No, he has to pass back to Weasley to dodge a well aimed bludger from Lupin. Looks like our twins may finally have a worthy opponent."
"Budge over Snape."
"Evans?" Severus turned in shock as Lily and Peter squeezed in next to Pansy, "What the heck do you two think you're doing in the Slytherin sections?"
"The Gryffindor one's are packed and we couldn't see anyone up the front who might be willing to move over for us, so we thought we'd come stand with you guys." Peter said, giving a nervous titter and a wave to Rabastan Lestrange.
"Whatever, fine, just shut up both of you so we can see what's happened." Pansy snapped, "Oh crap! See! You guys made us miss Ginny's score."
"Diggory saved it Pan." Severus said, having seen it out of the corner of his eye, "Can't you tell by the mini temper tantrum she's throwing?"
"That's not a temper tantrum, that's artistic venting."
"And they told us to shut up?" Peter murmured to Lily.
"Longbottom passes to Robinson who aims and shoots... nice save from Oliver Wood. No surprised there. At this rate it's all going to be on the seekers, neither of whom seem to have done anything yet except glare at each other from their starting positions. Watch out for the bludger Har- oh good he's ducked. And he appears to be finally making a move too.
"The quaffle's back out and it's Weasley in possession and- come on! Ginny Weasley drops the quaffle after a double bludgering. Fred! George! That's your sister you morons, get the hell out there and keep those bludgers away from her!
"Malfoy manages to reclaim the quaffle from Robinson who loops back to join Longbottom while Richards follows Malfoy. Crap! Longbottom and Robinson have blocked off Zabini and Weasley. Malfoy's got no one and Richards is about to- finally the Weasley twins prove why they're on this team, two bludgers send Richards into a tail spin towards the stands- look out you ruddy first years or you'll get knocked over the edge. Malfoy gets through and shoots... great shot, a clean score for Malfoy!"
The Slytherins, having no one on the past team to root for, all decided this was their moment and cheered heartily. The rest of the houses clapped sulkily, with the exception of the younger Ravenclaws who seemed to be attempting a Mexican wave. Across at the other goals, Oliver, who had until this point been on the verge of apoplexy over his beaters' lack of effort, finally had something to be happy about and nearly fell off his broom with excitement.
"Robinson has the quaffle this time, Zabini's almost got it back, but no, it's passed to Longbottom who instantly sends it off to Richards to avoid another well aimed bludger from a Weasley twin, I'm not sure which. Richards gets close, aims and- nice save from Wood! He hits it back out but- oh Robinson intercepts and immediately sends it straight through the leftmost goal. Ouch. That's got to be a blow for Wood. Don't worry pal, you're still better then Diggory.
"A rather agitated Wood passes directly to Malfoy who heads off down the pitch, straight down the centre. This avoidance of strategy is probably pissing Wood of, but I think he's a little busy hitting himself over the head to bother shouting to his wayward chaser. Malfoy passes off to Weasley who passes it back to him. Diggory's on guard and- yowza! Weasley flashes Diggory a full frontal and Malfoy scores! Hot damn that girl's got something going there and HOLY SHIT!"
Lee and several teachers all flung themselves to the side as one of the Weasley twins sent a bludger straight at their excitable friend.
"George, Fred, I'm sorry guys but if she's going to use dirty tactics, it's only fair as commentator that I pay her a bit of admira- FUCK!"
The other twin had sent the same bludger back on a rebound. Several of the teachers forgot their place and began sending hexes at the two red heads while both Potters abandoned their search for the snitch as they clung to their brooms in laughter at the chaos below them.
"T-the score is twenty t-to ten in favour of the future team." A shaken Lee continued, "And on a side note across in the Slytherin stands, Miss Pansy Parkinson and Miss Lily Evans appear to be yelling something at both seekers... I think they're saying something along the lines of you... dumb... fuckwits... go after the... friggin... snitch... or I'll... Okay now that's just cruel ladies. You're talking about their family jewels there. Oh wait! Gentlemen, those ladies have spotted the snitch, what the hell are you two doing up there.
"Both Potter's take a steep dive, levelling off evenly only metres away from the snitch. Weaving between the goal hoops- Harry, bludger to your left! He ducks, Weasley sends it back towards other Potter, it misses. They're closing in now, aaalmost there. It's anyone's game now. And its..."
- - - - - - - - - -
"You know, I have to admit that catch Potter made was pretty spectacular." Rabastan Lestrange commented to Regulus Black as the two made their way back to the Slytherin common rooms.
"Yeah, he's a Gryffindor but he can sure play Quidditch. And it was so close at the end there!" Regulus replied.
"It's pretty impressive that the two of them could be that competitive, they are father and son after all." Narcissa Black added, coming up behind her cousin.
The three were returning after the feast Dumbledore had provided for the whole school in honour of the winning team. It had been pretty spectacular, and Harry and James finally shaking hands and formally ended the prank war had been somewhat of a relief to everyone who had unintentionally become involved. The best thing though had been the arrival of one of a rather familiar face, bringing some good news for the entire 1977 population of Hogwarts.
Professor Severus Snape had arrived just as they finished eating to officially escort the five visitors back to their time. All five exited rather dramatically, Zabini screeching out lines of Shakespeare, Lee offering Ginny a lewd compliment on her earlier displayed... assets before being chased out by George Weasley. Oliver, screaming like a girl, sprinted straight towards the portal-like exit Snape had opened for them while being chased by roughly sixteen girls all offering to show him what a "real woman" was like, while Fred Weasley spun Harry around before tilting him back in a daring dip and plundering his mouth like the true Marauder he'd always wanted to be.
After Fred had stepped through the portal-like exit (slow motion of course for the benefit of the romantics in the hall), Professor Snape gave news that caused every teacher present to collapse in relief with a murmur of "Oh thank Merlin".
The four remaining visitors would be leaving on the 24th in four days time.
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Yeah, it took me a while. I had a mental block. However; you guys get to be the first to choose for the new PAIRING POLL!
If you have read Abandon Ship then you would know that this is how I choose which pairing to work with since I can't seem to make up my mind otherwise. Since this story is coming to an end (bar the sequel) I will be starting work on a new story soon and I need a pairing. Just review or PM with the name of the person you want with Harry.
The options are: Theodore Nott, Blaise Zabini, Lisa Turpin, Pansy Parkinson, Sally-Anne Perks, Seamus Finnigan, Padma Patil, Marcus Flint, Susan Bones, Tonks, Angelina Johnson, Oliver Wood, Alicia Spinnet, Katie Bell, Charlie Weasley, or no pairing. These have been chosen for their rarity. If you want a different pairing then feel free to suggest it, but it must be rare, and I'd appreciate it if you gave me a reason for your desire.
Finally: Have a look through this chapter and see what doesn't add up. Come ON! Only one person has spotted it. Surely you can find it too! Think back to past chapters.