Charmolypi

Chapter 59

The scene changed, showing the entire Quidditch team in the locker room, half asleep, while Oliver Wood, the team captain, was pacing around.

"Oliver, it's the ass-crack of dawn," Thea whined, hoping to be shown mercy from their team captain. "Couldn't we push the practice back till, oh I don't know, the sun comes up?"

The Gryffindor Quidditch team all turned and looked accusingly at James. The Potter boy tried to play it as if he wasn't bothered but smiled sheepishly at the amount of eyes that were fixated on him.

"From now on, Potter, we're going to use your daughter's words," Marlene, who was one of the beaters, said.

"Four in the morning is not that early..." he said sheepishly.

At his words, Sirius had to stop Marlene from attacking his best friend. When he was certain that she had calmed down, he punched his friend in the shoulder, expressing his agreement with his fellow beater.

Oliver wasn't having it. "It's part of our new training program. None of the other teams have started training yet, we're going to be first off the mark this year-" Oliver's rant was cut off by a distraught looking Harry.

"You alright, mate?" George asked groggily.

Before Harry could answer, Oliver started rambling again. "There you are, Harry, what kept you?" he asked briskly. "Now, I wanted a quick talk with you all before we actually get onto the field, because I spent the summer devising a while new training program, which I really think will make all the difference..."

Oliver moved to one of the boards with very intricate designs that someone needed to be fully awake to process them. By the time Oliver was done explaining, the players had either gone back to sleep, or were completely out of it.

"So," said Wood, at long last, waking up almost everyone. "Is that clear? Any questions?"

Quidditch players were all shotting glares at James Potter, who was looking at the board Oliver had displayed.

"I've got a question, Oliver," said George, who had woken with a start. "Why couldn't you have told us all this yesterday when we were awake?"

Wood wasn't pleased. "Now, listen here, you lot," he said, glowering at them all. "We should have won the Quidditch Cup last year. We're easily the best team. But unfortunately, owing to circumstances beyond our control-"

"Don't you dare blame this on us, Wood," Thea threatened, barely awake.

"Thea shouldn't be messed with in general, so imagine her half awake," Rodolphus said, causing almost everyone to shiver at the thought.

"So this year, we train harder than ever before... Okay, let's go and put our new theories into practice!" Wood shouted, seizing his broomstick and leading the way out of the locker rooms. Stiff-legged and still yawning, his team followed. They had been in the locker room so long that the sun was up completely now, although remnants of mist hung over the grass in the stadium. As they walked onto the field, the Potters saw Ron and Hermione sitting in the stands.

"Aren't you finished yet?" called Ron incredulously.

"Haven't even started," said Harry, looking jealously at the toast and marmalade Ron and Hermione had brought out of the Great Hall. "Wood's been teaching us new moves."

In the stands, Colin Creevey was snapping pictures of the siblings as well as the team. Oliver was visibly getting angrier by the second.

"What if he's a Slytherin spy?" Oliver asked the group angrily.