"Right then lads. That was an excellent practice. Hey! Settle down!" Oliver shouted.
The bodies before him sat, and came to a sudden silence, each face turned towards him.
"Excellent practice." Oliver repeated. "You've all come on so much. I can say I'm truly proud of all of you."
Cheers erupted as he paused.
"All right, all right. I've something of an announcement to make. Unfortunately this will be our last practice here lads."
Something resembling an uproar burst from his team. Oliver smiled contentedly, letting his boys shout their annoyance a few minutes longer.
"Ok I understand you're upset. But the majority of you will be starting Hogwarts this September and that'll mean you won't be able to carry on in the Academy."
A murmur of descent ran through the crowd, who needed school?
"Those that are not attending Hogwarts this year I'll be happy to carry on training." A cheer erupted from his younger boys. "However we won't be able to carry on your training until next summer."
"What?" the younger boys cried in unison.
"I've been appointed flying instructor and Quidditch coach at Hogwarts." Oliver said in explanation. A cheer now erupted from his older boys. "And as such the academy will only be running out of term time."
His boys were now split. Those who were due to start the school were grinning from ear to ear, those that were not had extremely sour looks on their faces.
"I know it's bad news for some of you, but trust me this year will fly by. And then you'll be in Hogwarts yourselves. Now Hogwarts rules have stated that first years aren't permitted to try out for their house teams, but well, you're my boys and I know you guys are more than capable so I'll see what I can do."
Once more cheers rang out among the older boys.
"Now I've got letters for each of you to take home and give to your parents explaining all this. I'm trying to set something up for you younger guys during my absence, to keep you occupied. I don't want you turning up at Hogwarts not knowing which way round your broom goes ok? Right, off you go!"
He watched his boys tear off to their waiting parents, each with a letter clutched in his hand. When the last boy had left he began tidying up, picking up brooms and training quaffles, he sighed. Oliver Wood's Quidditch Academy for Young Wizards had come to an end. A part of him was sad. His boys, Merlin he was so proud of them, all of them. But still, he'd be seeing the majority of them at Hogwarts.
He amused himself for a while, flying around the small training ground and pondering which boy would end up in which house.
He was almost positive he could convince the new Headmistress to allow first years to join their house teams. Or at the very least allow him to start a training group for his boys.
His boys. He called them his own. He imagined he loved them as much as their father's did. They were like sons to him. He knew to some he was the father they lacked. Being with them always led him to think of his own son. It had been so long since he had seen Jacob. Any time a family occasion loomed he booked extra training sessions with his boys. For some reason, most likely because he felt so ashamed, he felt he could not face Kate's family. They were Ayla's family too, and though he never knew for definite, he was sure Ayla would be at these celebrations. With Marcus, and of course Jacob.
He wondered what he looked like. If he looked like himself, or more like Ayla. Or even if he looked more like member's of Oliver's own family?
And would he like Quidditch? If so who did he support? No doubt he followed Marcus's career with the admiration a young boy always held for his dad.
How long had it been? Nine years? Ten? Ten years. That would mean he's be going to Hogwarts. He'd see his son. Would he know him? Oliver had been out of the professional game so long he doubted it. His own boys knew him, but then their parents would talk about him to them. Would Ayla and Marcus?
So many questions buzzed in Oliver's head. He knew he'd not sleep tonight. He was too excited. Too apprehensive. What if his own son didn't like him?
It was August 28th , term started in a few days.
Ok so only one chapter this week because I'm not going away next week after all, damn holiday booking people! Plus I haven't got any more typed up. But I've decided that as I can't seem to post on Thursdays (for the life of me I don't know why), Friday will now be post day. But I'll chuck an extra one in this week sometime when I get chance.
Also I know this is a bit slow getting along but I promise it will get better, hand on heart and all that jazz. Don't give up on me yet.