"Erin!!" The door of Erin's train compartment was ripped open brutally, revealing her best friend, Beatrice Haywood. Beatrice was about the exact opposite of Erin and they had only been friends for three years when they both got on the Hufflepuff quidditch team, but they had been pretty inseparable ever since.
"Hello B", Erin said and pulled the girl into a hug. Beatrice was slightly mad, Erin thought. She had short, blonde hair and was surprisingly malicious for a Hufflepuff. She had a knack for finding trouble and certainly made Erin's life a lot more interesting. Erin on the other hand was more calm and collected, finding joy in simple things rather than blowing up the composting tank next to the Herbology classroom. They balanced each other out, though. Erin made sure Beatrice didn't get expelled every year and Beatrice pulled Erin out of her comfort zone as often as she could. She also encouraged Erin to ask out Oliver, but regretted it pretty badly now.
"So, how has your summer been?" Beatrice asked as she shoved her trunk away.
"Pretty quiet ever since I left your house. Mum worked a lot." Erin's mum worked as a nurse at St. Mungo's and because she was the only one providing for their family, she was rarely at home. Erin liked being back in her hometown, visiting old friends, but she was secretly counting down the days until she could go back to her real home, Hogwarts.
More and more passengers entered the Hogwarts express as it was about to set off. A couple of younger Hufflepuffs passed their compartment, but quickly moved along after Beatrice sent them a death glare.
"So, who is going to be this year's crush?" Beatrice asked and wiggled her eyebrows. Erin chuckled. The girl was always so invested in her love life, even though she had never mentioned a crush of her own. Erin had a feeling Beatrice was into seventh year Ravenclaw Meredith Johanson, but never got a response when she asked her about it.
"Absolutely no one. I don't have time for such irrelevant matters this year", Erin said, already looking forward to the first quidditch meeting.
"Still going for captain?"
"Most definitely, yes. It's my main focus."
"Well, I think you can make it. You're a terrific chaser, but your insight in tactics is out of this world." Erin smiled at the exaggerated compliment. She could always count on Beatrice to be her hype woman, which was one of the many reasons she liked her so much.
"Speaking of team captains", Beatrice mumbled as Oliver Wood walked by. He quickly glanced in their direction, but didn't even seem to recognize her. She hadn't even left an impression on him. He didn't care in the slightest.
"I can still cut off his nutsack you know", Beatrice shrugged, bringing Erin's mood up again.
"I'm past that now, don't worry", Erin mumbled and watched the train roll out of the station. The year had officially begun.
A loud knock echoed through their compartment and Erin's little brother Benjamin stormed in.
"Did you see him? That was Oliver, soon to be my team captain", he said excitedly. Benjamin was thirteen, entering his third year and he was determined to make the quidditch team of his house, Gryffindor. Obviously the little boy had no idea about his sister's previous crush, so Erin tried to sound as interested as possible.
"I did, you better get on his good side then", she chuckled.
"You reckon I should introduce myself?" the boy asked, jumping from one foot to another.
"Definitely not, don't try too hard", Beatrice added. Gryffindor only needed reserves this year, but Benjamin would be happy to even be a water boy.
"You're probably right. I'm going to find Seamus, see you around sis!" he said and ran out of the compartment again. He had the energy of an eight-year-old with a sugar high.
"I get tired just by watching the kid", Beatrice sighed.
Erin and Beatrice had the compartment all for themselves for the rest of the train ride, using the many hours to catch up on all that had happened in the span of 3 weeks of not seeing each other. They pretty much emptied the sweets trolley and Beatrice came up with a couple clever ideas to make the upcoming year more interesting.
Seeing Hogwarts again did something to Erin. It was like finally coming home after a long day of bad luck. This was her happy place.
She walked to the Sorting Ceremony with Beatrice, already devising the plan for later that night. No one would be on the quidditch field tonight, which is why Erin would be. She had her own broom which she had gotten for her sixteenth birthday so if she was able to sneak out after the feast, she could already get a feel of the field before practice later this week. She was going to do whatever it took to get that captain spot.
"Erin!" Beatrice's sharp voice shook her from her daydreams.
"Huh, what?" she mumbled, coming back to reality.
"You were far away."
"Sorry, just thinking", Erin said, stuffing another piece of pie into her mouth. Hogwarts food was simply unbeatable.
"Can you cover for me tonight?" Erin asked. "Just tell people I went to bed early when they ask."
"What are you up to?" Beatrice asked suspiciously, especially because Erin was up to something without her involvement.
"Just some things I have to do."
After supper, Erin made her way to the Hufflepuff dormitory in the dungeons. Their common room felt sunny and warm, even during a winter night. She absolutely loved it there. Another great perk was that all windows opened and led straight onto the Hogwarts grounds. No other house could sneak out as easily as the Hufflepuffs, probably because they were least expected to do so. But Erin had a cause tonight, so she was willing to take the risk.
She had updated Beatrice on the way there, so as soon as they reached the dormitories, Erin changed into her quidditch robes, grabbed her gloves and broom and shoved open the window.
"Give me a hand, will you?" She asked Beatrice as she gently pushed her broom onto the grass. Beatrice folded her hands for Erin to step into so she could hoist herself up through the window.
"Be back before midnight, please or I'm sending Filch to find you", she whisper-yelled as Erin straightened her robes, making sure no one could see her.
"Will do", she said before she set off to the quidditch fields.
It was quite the hike to get to the quidditch pitch, especially without being seen, but Erin did a good job at blending in usually, so she managed. Erin always thought of herself as hopelessly average. On some days she could look into the mirror and think "I look kind of cute today", and on others she just wanted to throw the mirror out and start life as a hermit. She liked her eyes though, as they were very blue, just like her father's.
As the quidditch stands revealed themselves from behind the hill, Erin's heart made a little loop. The adrenaline, joy and frustration she had felt on this pitch were so present and she felt slightly nervous, as if she had a big game to play tomorrow. She slowly mounted her broom and set off, soaring past the stands, making sure to stay low enough so no one could see her from the castle. She had only played quidditch once this summer, when her mother took her and her little brother to a huge open field between the mountains near Plymouth. She had crafted two rings using hoops, branches and a whole lot of spell-o-tape and bewitched a couple of tennis balls to be the Bludgers for the day. Erin had received a Quaffle for her sixth birthday and ever since she had wanted to become a chaser. It was the best day of the summer, chasing after her little brother, beating him merciless.
That was fun, but this was serious business. Once on the field, it was watching your back and those of all your teammates. It was strategy, tactics, teamwork and skill. It was precision and a solid plan. It was everything Erin loved. She landed again, breathing in the crisp September air.
"Well well, what have we got here?" Erin gasped and turned around swiftly when hearing the voice. Someone had caught her and it wasn't just someone. It was Oliver Wood. Of course Oliver Wood would come here on the first day of school.
"Erin Evans, I wasn't aware someone had reserved the pitch?" he said, raising his brows. She was screwed, but at least Oliver knew her name. She quickly debated whether to pretend she had reserved it, but there was absolutely no favorable outcome for that.
"Are you going to rat me out?" she asked with a small voice, trying not to sound too desperate.
"Depends on what you're doing here." He seemed awfully chill about her being there, which was very unlike him. Erin adored quidditch, but Oliver was pretty much obsessed with it. The quidditch pitch was holy to him.
"I just missed it", Erin responded, which technically wasn't a lie. Why could she not talk normally in stressful situations?
"Well I know that feeling", he said, admiring the arena they were standing in.
"Although I don't remember Hufflepuff getting a new team captain yet. You're aware that you can't just be here, right? Unless you're the new captain that is."
"Technically no", she said, wanting to die right there. She was making an absolute fool out of herself and for what? For who? For the guy who had brutally rejected her last year? She was tempted to let him know that she severely disliked him now, but she was on thin ice here. If he spoke about this to any of the teachers, that would result in detention, or worse, disqualification from the captain election.
"Do you always speak in riddles?" he asked, frowning.
"Technically yes", she said, chuckling at her own little joke. She would have the best chance at getting out of here without repercussions if she would just act normal and chill about it.
"Captain elections are later this month. I just wanted to be back here before practice starts. Being prepared makes me feel more confident", she admitted, which Oliver seemed to appreciate.
"You're trying out for captain?" Erin nodded and quickly followed up with a "yes", realizing it was dark out.
"Well, good luck", he said, mounting his broom. Erin knew that was her cue to leave.
"So I wasn't here tonight, right?"
"I've already forgotten about it", Oliver said before he took off. Erin sighed in relief and left the field. He had already forgotten about her. She wished she could say the same.
"Back already?" Beatrice asked when she opened up the window again. Erin pushed her broom through and then slid down herself.
"Yeah, I wasn't the only one wanting to get a head start", she sighed. "Oliver Wood", she clarified. It was always Oliver Wood.