Chapter 3
The next morning I awoke to an alarm clock ringing somewhere in the room. It took me a moment to figure out where the hell I was and once I got my bearings I saw that it was 7am on Thursday the 2nd of September, my first day of classes. I jumped out of bed happily and danced my way towards the showers whilst getting strange looks from a sleepy Alicia and Angelina and hearing grunts from the other bed in the Gryffindor dorm which contained Patricia Stimpson, another 6th year.
"What, I have to do something to wake me up in the mornings! Dancing never fails!" I could just about hear a murmer of giggles as I continued across the room! When I was all showered I returned to the dorm and found them both still lying in their beds.
"So you guys not morning people?" I questioned, smiling. "I'm not either by the way, but it has to be done every now and again, seriously, you should try the dancing!" I said laughing! I grabbed my school uniform and started to dress as the other girls slowly rose from their beds and headed for showers. Soon I was dressed in my fitted white shirt, unbuttoned at the top, Gryffindor tie, slightly loosened, grey v neck jumper, Grey knee socks and grey pleated skirt which I'd altered a bit so that it was short enough to show off a good bit of leg, scandalous, I know, but it wasn't short enough to cause girls to think I was a slut, a happy medium length! I sat fixing my long brown hair into a ponytail which ended in loose curls as the other girls began to get ready also.
Once we were all ready we headed to the Great Hall for breakfast, schoolbags in tow.
"So what subjects are you doing Jess?" Alicia asked while chewing on some toast.
"Charms, transfiguration, potions, defence against the dark arts and muggle studies, what about you?"
"Charms, transfiguration, defence, herbology and care of magical creatures. You're going to hate your potions professor though, he despises everyone in Gryffindor." Everyone around the table nodded at this statement and I felt slightly depressed as I was handed my timetable and realised I had potions first thing.
"Well at least you get it out of the way early in the week! I'll show you the way to the dungeons after breakfast" George offered, stuffing a bacon sandwich into his mouth.
"Great, thanks!" I smiled as I tucked into the rest of my breakfast.
Turned out they were all right about the potions professor, Snape, he was a complete ass. To make it worse, Percy Weasley and I were the only Gryffindors and the headboy kept drawing unwanted attention to us by asking questions every other second, questions I had already answered for him.
"No offence but your brother is really annoying!" I said to Fred as I plonked down beside him at lunch time.
"Try living with the git!" He replied, tucking into a plate full of food. I patted his shoulder sympathetically.
"What have you this afternoon?" Angelina asked.
"Erm, transfiguration." I said examining my timetable.
"Oi Wood, what subjects do you do?" George shouted to the other end of the table. Deciding he didn't want to recipricate the shouting, Oliver came down to join his team.
"Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, Transfiguration, DADA and the bird course that is muggle studies. Why?" he replied, taking a seat.
"Because you are Jessica's new escort to classes, you have the same subjects except magical creatures and you owe her for joining your team!" George answered studying my timetable. I was slightly embarrassed and still a bit scared of Wood, but I really had no idea how to find my way to classes.
"Ok, cool." He said calmly, smiling at me.
"Now Wood, we will have to set some ground rules if we're going to leave you alone with the professional here!" Fred said to his captain. I blushed, wondering what he was going to come out with.
"Rule number one, you can only talk to her about quidditch related topics twice a day, the exceptions being team talks and training, so start saving up the list of questions I know you already have for her. Jessie, when he goes overboard, the safety word is "bombers", Oliver you have to reassess your conversation topic if that word is said to you. That covers it for now, but be on good behaviour, or I'll add to the rules and reduce your quidditch talk allowance!" We all laughed at Fred and at Oliver who had just chucked some potato salad at him!
"Do you really think I'm that bad?" Oliver asked his team with a cute confused expression on his face.
"Yes!" They all replied in unison, even Harry potter who was a few places away from us. Soon it was time to head off to transfiguration with Oliver, really not knowing what to expect from him.
"Hey dude, shouldn't we get going, Percy left ten minutes ago!" I asked Oliver as the great hall emptied.
"Guess so, McGonagall is strict, but I always find she has a wee bit of leeway for her favourite quidditch captain!" He said giving a cheeky grin as he grabbed his schoolbag. I raised my eyebrow at him and thought, what a jock!
"So quidditch question number one for the day, What's it like playing professionally?" He asked as we made our way through the castle.
"Well, for me I didn't realise that all of a sudden I was 'playing professionally' as such, I was too worried I'd mess up. I was more worried about my performance and I was so busy training, I didn't have time to realise I had become a 'professional', if that makes sense? I think the moment we won my first senior game I thought, wow, this is professional quidditch! That was the first chance I took to look around and see how far I'd come, it was the best feeling in the world! Don't know if I can describe what it's like though, the feeling of doing well and making your team proud."
"I totally get what you mean. Hopefully we'll all have that feeling come the quidditch final." He said as we turned into the transfiguration classroom.
", class started 3 minutes ago, where have you two been?" The professor questioned as soon as we entered.
"Sorry professor, I couldn't find my way, I think I held him up." I said, really not knowing why I was sticking up for him, when he was so certain he couldn't get in trouble for being late.
"Very well, take your seats, let it not happen again." She said as she resumed her teaching.
"Thanks." He whispered.
"No problem, what happened to "her favourite quidditch captain"!'" I teased quietly, he blushed and opened his Guide to Advanced Transfiguration. I giggled to myself quietly and started taking notes.