"And their off!" Alicia screamed. Fred and George both lurched into a run, pushing their classmates aside as Kate and Angelina hung on for dear life. Alicia shrieked happily and raced ahead, trying to clear a path.
"Fred be careful!" Katie squealed into her mount's ear as they bowled aside an unsuspecting first year that Alicia had failed to warn. Fred just laughed and ran faster. Next to them Angelina was flapping with her legs, despite the fact that George held one under each arm, and had them firmly plastered to his sides. As Fred and Katie pulled ahead in the race, Angelina howled her despair and kicked harder at George. The redhead protested equally loudly.
"Watch it woman! I'm not a real horse." She only laughed and continued to abuse him. As they blazed their way to the front of the line of students Katie clung tightly to Fred, her arms nearly wrapped around his neck like a deranged scarf. They passed a group of Slytherins who cussed at them. Katie released Fred's neck long enough to twist around and make a rude face. Angelina saw her and giggled.
They were nearing the lake just as the noble steeds began to tire. Katie got excited and bounced a little on Fred's back.
"We're almost there! Run!" Fred lowered his head and did as he was told, grinning and puffing. His twin was right on his heels. Suddenly they heard Alicia's flustered babbling.
"Why Professor! Hello." She stammered. Professor McGonagall stood by the lake, glaring daggers at Alicia's phony expression.
"Oh, shit!" Angelina squealed, and pulled at George's shoulders like he had reins. Katie whimpered and buried her head into Fred's shoulder. Both twins instantly threw on the breaks. With much flailing of arms and stumbling, they tumbled to a stop, the girls falling ungracefully in a heap. By the lake, Alicia continued to babble.
"Oh no Professor McGonagall, we weren't horsing around." Katie choked on her friend's ill-timed pun. Fred and George laughed outright, Angelina simply groaned. Alicia paused to laugh herself, and then blindly fished for any poor excuse for their behavior. Suddenly one came to her.
"It's a training exercise! For Quidditch! Wood made us do it." The silence that followed was painful. The four fallen racers slowly detangled themselves from each other and slunk over to stand by Alicia, looking about as innocent as guilty puppies. McGonagall's eyebrows were two identical arched lines, nearly reaching her hairline into their disbelief.
"Wood made you do it?" All five friends nodded, but nobody could find the courage to meet their house mistress's eyes.
"Is that your final answer?" More guilty looks. McGonagall pursed her lips.
"Well ladies. I must say I'm disappointed in you. Not particularly surprised, but disappointed." The girls mumbled something about being sorry. The professor turned her attention to the lads.
"As for you two…" McGonagall sighed.
"Do we really need to do this every year? Percy was such a responsible young man…" Both twins hooted, and the professor scowled.
"Very well. Just consider yourselves lucky Hogwarts does not believe in negative house points. Otherwise, you would find yourselves 50 points in the red." All five nodded and did their best to look solemn. As the woman walked away, Katie buried her face back into Fred's shoulder, shaking him gently.
"Oh my god, why are you guys such a bad influence?" Fred and George both flustered.
"Us?" They protested in unison. Suddenly a gleam glistened in George's eye. He smirked at her.
"Why Miss Bell. You're the one who poses for naked pictures…" He trailed off right as Katie howled her outrage.
"You eye of newt!" They tussled briefly until their thestral carriage arrived. Thanks to their race, they were the first ones aboard.
Much bickering later, they found seats in the great hall. The twins had insisted on sitting across from their little brother, even though Ron whined that he wanted nothing to do with them. News of their horse race at spread. Katie cosied herself between Alicia and George and helped herself to some juice.
Unable to help herself Katie craned her head around, trying to see through the sea of people still trying to find seats. Finally giving up Katie hissed in Alicia's ear.
"We're not going to be able to save him a seat if he doesn't hurry up." Alicia looked around too.
"Can't find Wood?" Katie shook her head, wishing she didn't feel so miserable about it.
"Oh sweetie." Crooned Alicia.
"He's here somewhere, don't worry." Katie nodded and tried not to think about why it bothered her so much. A few seats down Angelina abruptly broke off her conversation with Fred.
"Oh my god!" She whispered, her eyes wide. Her friends all followed her gaze to the couple fervently making out by the door. Fred and George chortled. Katie stared at the scene for a minute than nearly spit out her pumpkin juice. Alicia looked over at Katie, one eyebrow raised.
"Took you a minute did it?" Alicia teased. Katie stammered, her tone coming out more upset than she intended.
"I don't usually see him with a girl attached to his face!" Alicia stroked her arm again, and Katie didn't appreciate the pitying look she was sending. After a minute, Fred shrugged and howled.
"Hey Captain! Way to work the offense! Play the whooooole field!" Katie's cheeks instantly turned bright red, and Alicia squealed in embarrassment and suddenly became intensely interested in her plate. Angelina rolled her eyes. George, on the other hand, chortled, and joined in the cat calls."
"I thought a Keeper played defense Woodsie? But it looks like you're about to score a GOAL!" Wood looked up from his partner long enough to seem shocked, then to identify where the noise came from and scowl. Now that their faces were separated Katie craned to see who the girl was. She had bright blue eyes and long, super shiny dark brown hair. She looked embarrassed, and tugged at Oliver's collar, trying to talk to him. Oliver turned back to her, murmured a few words and panted a final kiss on her pouting mouth. As Oliver waded his way through the throng of students, Katie hurriedly looked down at her plate and tried to pretend she wasn't staring just a second ago.
When Oliver finally reached them, he cuffed each twin on the shoulder, hard.
"That little stunt is going to earn you five laps around the Quidditch pitch." He sounded reprimanding but wore an oversized grin. Katie melted a little. She had always loved Oliver's smile, it lit up his face and made him seem years younger. Recently, he had begun to look more like a man than the boy she had grown up with. So now each smile was deliciously nostalgic. Wood greeted Angelica, than Harry seated across the table, and then Alicia. Katie had quit trying to look busy and didn't bother trying to suppress her grin. It was Oliver! And she hadn't seen him all summer. When it was finally her turn for a greeting Oliver grinned impishly at her, his green eyes dancing a little. He held out both arms, offering a hug.
"Are you still mad Katie girl?" Katie looked at him from under her lashes, wary of the playful tone.
"For what…" She stammered, trying not to seem surprised and give herself away. Oliver's lips quirked.
"For not telling you." He teased. Katie giggled, tried to cover it with her hand, and then sprang up to hug him.
"Yes!" She squealed, too happy to see him to play it cool. She wiggled into his arms and sighed, contented. She rested her chin on her shoulder and murmured.
"Just don't do it again okay?" She felt Oliver's rumbling laugh more than she heard it. They stayed like that for a minute before Alicia jabbed Katie in her ankle.
"Easy lovebug." Katie looked down at her friend in surprise, and realized she was standing on the bench. Katie instantly flushed, Oliver was unusually tall, to hug him properly she had to stand on things. Then she could wrap her arms around his neck without him bending in half. She hadn't realized she had done it right then…and in the middle of the Great Hall.
Feeling about as red as a tomato, Katie sat down. George made room for Oliver between them and together then listened to Dumbledore's welcome speech. Halfway through the headmaster's speech Oliver caught Katie looking at him and ruffled her hair. Katie giggled into her pumpkin juice and tried not to grin like an idiot. It was going to be a good year.