Chapter Text
After being threatened by Marcus, Oliver decided to take matters into his own hands to make sure Harry would not join the Slytherin team. Well, his hands and the other members of his team. Gathering Katie, Angelina, Fred, Alicia, and George, he lied to them about scheduling practice for the morning. As none of them were as dedicated to Quidditch as he was, Oliver knew they would not have confirmed with the Pitch schedule. Since they had not had their first practice of the term yet none of the team had moved their brooms down to their locker room which Oliver saw worked in his favor.
Walking across the grounds with their broomsticks over their shoulder, and before they got in sight of the closed front door to the Pitch, Oliver said, "How about we dust off our summer cobwebs by doing a lap around the Pitch before heading inside?"
"We are not even in our uniforms yet, Oliver," Katie pointed out.
"So, who needs uniforms when we can fly together again?" Oliver countered. "Anyway it is just a quick lap and once we land we will just go change."
"Fine," Angelina said as she fixed her robes a little since she had been wearing a skirt rather than the normal training gear. Not that she thought Fred or George would try to peek and Oliver was too into Quidditch to seem to care about any form of romance.
In near-perfect unison, the six members of the Quidditch team took off at the same time and did a lap around the pitch. As Oliver had not instructed them on what direction to take Fred and Alicia headed clockwise for a bit before changing direction to return to the others. "So why did you schedule a practice rather than tryouts?" Fred asked once he and Alicia had rejoined the others.
"I wanted to give Harry some time to realize his mistake and come back to Gryffindor," Oliver said causing the whole team to stop for a moment and hover in midair.
"Oliver, you idiot," Katie said. "First off, his name is Harrison, and secondly he was Re-Sorted, a student can only do that once so he is now a Slytherin student until he graduates or changes schools."
"He was not re-sorted he was just sitting at the Slytherin Table before everyone came in rather than have the Hat change his house after the First Years were sorted," Oliver reasoned making them facepalm.
"Oliver if he had not been Re-sorted even if he sat at Slytherin as a prank, he would have shown up in the Common Room that night for whatever guards the Slytherin Common Room and dorms would never allow him to stay overnight," Alicia pointed out.
"Yet he did which means he was sorted into Slytherin before we all arrived. Which I think is down to Professor Burbage becoming his guardian or so I overheard," Angelina said.
"But he is too young," Oliver protested while trying to get them flying again so they could disrupt Harry's tryouts. "One can only be re-sorted after they are in their Third Year."
"That is correct but as Professor McGonagall has not done anything about it, nor Snape they must have permitted him to do it sooner than normal," Fred said.
"Fine, enough I will book the Pitch for Seeker tryouts later we should get to our practice. After all, it is not like this is the first time we had practice without a Seeker," Oliver said.
"You seemed rather eager for practice," George commented as Oliver wheeled in the air and took off with a burst of speed for the lap around the pitch.
"Some Muggle logging company started working in the woods near my house over the summer so I could not fly that much," Oliver lied.
"Ouch, did your parents get in contact with the Ministry just in case they got too close?" Fred asked.
"I think my dad did," Oliver said digging himself a little deeper forgetting who the twin's father was.
"We can send a message to Dad for you. He can help you clear everything up," George said.*
"I think my parents got it covered," Oliver said quickly as he started to angle upward and let his wand leave his sleeve to fall into his palm. If Marcus was anything like him or the other Quidditch Captains regarding tryouts the Seekers would be done last. So even with all the time he took to gather his team and get them up there, Harry would not have been called forth yet. A simple Cunfundus Charm or depending on how Marcus tested his Seeker some other spell and Harry would be out of the runnings.
Oliver smiled when he saw what looked like Chaser tryouts as someone flew through an obstacle course that had been set up while foam balls were thrown at them. He could not spot Harry in the crowd but a lot were trying out so Oliver figured he was just missing him in the number of students. He would have saved himself some trouble if he looked down at the stands below him for Harrison was sitting there watching the Chaser tryouts after he had made the team. "Oliver, what is going on?" Angelina asked as she and the others reached him and found the Slytherin tryouts in progress.
"It seems I was overruled in my booking of the field," Oliver lied.
"Yeah, I believe that," Fred and George both said at once their voices dripping with sarcasm.
"Is this why you had us fly around the Pitch rather than go through the front?" Katie asked.
"No, I am sure I booked the field, Snape or someone must have given them special permission to use it during our time," Oliver said.
"So if we were to check the schedule we would find your name for today?" Alicia asked.
"I did it through Professor McGonagall," he said.
"And she would back you up?" they all asked as Fred and George placed hands on his shoulders and forced him to the ground so they were not spying on the tryouts.
"How did you see this going, Oliver?" Fred asked.
"I just wanted to see what was going on," Oliver answered.
"The Truth Oliver!" Angelina said pulling her wand on him and casting a charm that would detect if he lied to them.
"Fine, I figured we would sabotage, Harry's chances of getting on the team and knowing he loves Quidditch swoop in and try to get him to return to Gryffindor so he could continue to play."
"That is..." Fred said struggling to find the words for his disappointment and hatred of Oliver's actions. "You know what, Oliver? I knew you were utterly devoted to Quidditch but this is too much. I am out." Fred said getting off his broom and wiping his hands together as if he was cleaning them off over the Sixth Year's actions.
"Ah, come on Fred that is taking things a little too far," Oliver called out to him. When the redheaded Beater did not respond or turn back Oliver looked to his brother and said, "Talk to him."
"Why? I agree with him. This is disgusting Oliver. Have fun finding a Seeker and some new Beaters," George said as he followed his brother back to the castle.
"What is wrong with them?" Oliver asked the three girls.
"Hm, let's see, you try to get Harrison to not try out for the team by convincing the entire house to apologize to him without meaning it. And since as the twins told you earlier Harrison had more than two brain cells he realized you were trying to manipulate him. Since that did not work you come up with a plan to sabotage Harrison's tryout dragging us all with you. If you had succeeded and it was found out could have led to our expulsion," Katie said as if explaining seven minus three equaled four. She decided to put her oaths in the equation as she stated, "I knew you want to win, Oliver, and while I can agree with most of your tactics and smack talk to the others this crossed a line. Have fun." Katie followed after the twins catching up to them just inside the Entrance Hall. They were then joined by Alicia and Angelina as the five of them without saying a word headed up to Professor McGonagall's office together.
They drew some strange looks since they were still carrying their brooms, but the group ignored them as Angelina knocked on their Head of House's office door. As it was the weekend McGonagall was not there but thanks to the magic of Hogwarts let her know that they were there. Thankfully she was still at the castle rather than out at Hogsmead or someone else so it only took her twelve minutes to arrive. "What can I do for you all this morning? Trying to book the Pitch?" she asked seeing their brooms. "I am afraid that the Slytherins will be using it all day for their tryouts."
"Actually we came to let you know that we are leaving the team," Angelina said.
"All of you?" Professor McGonagall asked in shock as she sank into her desk chair at the news.
"Yes," they all replied.
"Do you mind telling me why?" her voice nearly breaking.
"In a word, Wood," Fred answered.
"If you are sick of his training methods, they are not a reason to quit. Did he get you all up early and take you to the Pitch without informing you of the Slytherin tryouts?"
"It is not that," Alecia said. "Well he did tell us he had practice planned for today but that was less than an hour ago."
"Foolish boy, did he get into an altercation with Marcus again?" McGonagall asked.
"We don't know. All we know was that he planned to sabotage Harrison's tryouts and get us to convince Harrison to come back to Gryffindor and the team," George said.
"HE WHAT?!?" McGonagall thundered running a hand through her hair and undoing her normally tight bun.
"We stopped him but hearing this plus how he was getting everyone to apologize to Harrison, Hermione, and Neville about how they were treated at the end of the last school year, we decided enough was enough," Fred explained.
"So that is why...," McGonagall said rubbing her brow. "Well, I should commend you for your job in stopping him five points a piece. Would you still be willing to be on the team if Oliver was no longer the captain and banned from playing?"
The five students huddled together for a quick conference. "We might be," Angelina said.
"I will work towards that. Miss Johnson as you are the next senior member of the team the Captaincy would fall to you if you accept it," McGonagall asked.
"I shall do my best," Angelina said.
"Well, you can't be worse than Wood," the twins teased.
"I shall straighten this out and get the badge to you by supper at the latest. Thank you for doing what is right," McGonagall said as she dismissed them from her office and began the paperwork to strip Oliver Wood as Gryffindor Team Captain, not to mention giving him a full month of detention. Before she worked on a form to replace him with Angelina Johnson. And even though nothing had happened to Harrison thanks to the others she did write up a report before going to find Charity and Batty to inform them what had happened. She hoped Harrison's new guardians did not let emotions get in the way and decided to add to Oliver's punishment for his actions against their new charge.