Since Quidditch had been canceled this year for the Triwizard Tournament, poor Oliver Wood spent most of his spare time on the Quidditch pitch, just him and his broom. His social life was suffering severely because he couldn't tear himself away from the field. At first people were sympathetic and would come out and practice with him, but after a while they got bored and stopped coming. So when Fred and George dragged Cassi to the pitch, Wood was ecstatic to have company.
"If it isn't my two favorite Beaters!" he called while they were still almost too far away to hear. "And my favorite fan!" he added as they got closer. Cassi blushed. She had made it a point to come to all of Fred, George, and Harry's games, and she, Hermione, and Ron together made the loudest three people at Hogwarts.
"Oy, Wood, this young lady's got a hankering to try out for the team. I know we don't exactly have a team this year, but let 'er fly for you, mate. You weren't there the first time she touched a broom, but we were, and I can't believe McGonagall didn't bring her with Harry when she hauled you out of class." Wood's eyes lit up as he stared at Cassi. "So you can fly, hmm?" he asked. She blushed again. Am I going to spend all day blushing? she wondered. "I enjoy flying. I wouldn't say I'm good, but Fred an-"
"She doesn't know what she's saying, mate," George interrupted dismissively. Fred added, "Besides, she hasn't exactly seen herself fly. She's got natural talent with a broom, that one." Wood held up his hands. "Alright, alright, let me see what you've got," he said, handing Cassi his broom. She took it.
Fred and George looked at each other, knowing this was the moment of truth. If she was going to bail out, now was her last chance. They watched as she walked toward the middle of the field and mounted the broom. She turned to look at them, shot the twins a triumphant smile, and launched herself into the air.
For it being the second time she'd touched a magical broom in her life, she flew amazingly. She didn't know that, though. All she could feel was the wind through her hair, the way the broom responded to every move she made. She darted around the goalposts, soared above the stands, then angled herself towards the ground lying flat against the broomstick. She pulled up after a few seconds and launched herself into a tight spiral, spinning higher and higher. She had forgotten all about the fact that people were waching. She was just following her instincts and loving the feeling of being so free.
Eventually she remembered where she was and what she was doing and began a shallow descent that landed her right in front of the twins. She hovered in a few feet off the ground and smirked. "Told you I'd do it. Now how do I get off this thing."
She managed to dismount without breaking anything, then held the broom out to Wood. He ignored it. "How many times did you say you've ridden a broom?" he asked, staring at her intently. "Um...that was my second time," she replied, not sure why he was looking at her like that. Either I was incredible or I just ruined the sport for all time. Still standing there awkwardly holding the broom, she said slowly, "So...was I any good?"
"Any good?!" Wood yelled. "ANY GOOD?! You were wonderful! Yeah, there were some shaky parts, but once you got comfortable, is there anything you can't do?" Cassi immediately blushed furiously. Fred and George just stood there with their arms crossed and smug expressions that said I-told-you-so. Cassi stuck her tongue out at them before turning back to Wood, who was still babbling on about her performance.
"You'd be great anywhere! But you're so in tune with the broom, I'd have to make you Seeker. Depriving myself of a great Keeper, Beater, and Chaser, but you can't have them all. I think, with a little practice, you could be the best Seeker Gryffindor has ever had!"
"Wait. No," said Cassi. "Harry's the Gryffindor Seeker. Right?" She looked to the twins for confirmation. "We've already got a wonderful Seeker." Wood said distractedly, "Yes, yes, Harry's good, but he's always getting detention and missing practice. Besides, the Slytherins all hate him, and if he were to get in a fight and be seriously injured right before a game, we'd be without a Seeker. You don't have any of those problems. You'd be better for the team, especially since you have such great chemistry already with the Beaters." Fred and George smiled. Cassi wiped the smiles off their faces, though, when she said firmly, "I won't kick Harry off the team. I couldn't do that to him. Tell you what, I'll play as a reserve. If Harry doesn't show up or gets hurt, I'll play for him so we don't have to forfeit. But that's all."
The twins began a long and incoherent argument, but Cassi was firm. "I can't kick Harry off the team." Finally they gave up. They took their leave of Wood, and as they walked back to the castle, Harry passed them on his way to see Wood. He greeted them, but Cassi was the only one to respond. He looked curiously at them but kept walking - or tried to. Fred and George suddenly each grabbed one of his arms and forced him back up against a tree. Harry looked from one to the other in surprise. "Um, guys? What's going on?"
"All I have to say is, you'd better be heading out there to practice your flying, because if you're not absolutely stunning next year, we will hurt you. And I mean hurt you." "As in, you'll never be allowed to fly a broomstick any higher than two feet off the ground again." Harry looked at Cassi stunned, who was trying not to laugh. She shook her head at him, and Harry glanced back at the twins. "Yeah, I am, ok, don't worry," he said with his hands in the air. George slowly backed off, and in a moment Fred followed suit. They turned their backs to him and escorted Cassi back inside. She couldn't help herself. All of a sudden a huge laugh burst out of her, startling the twins. Soon, though, they were laughing too.
Unbeknownst to them, there was someone watching. A tall, pale, blond figure was observing them from the Astronomy Tower. He had seen the tryouts and seen Cassi fly, and knew Gryffindor was making a mistake not putting her anywhere. But that was ok with him. He smiled. Quidditch wasn't what he thought of when he saw her. His mind was more pleasantly engaged. When the Yule Ball came around this winter, Cassi Renner, the talk of every House and the catch of the century, would be going with Draco Malfoy. He would make sure of it.