Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2012 14:47:42 GMT -5
Oliver guessed there were some things in life that were just beyond your command, even though you normally a quite reasonable person. There were things you just felt like doing, even though they might be wrong. Just like he had felt the overwhelming urge today to spy on the Gryffindor Quidditch Team training. Well… not really spying, he had nothing to hide. He just wanted to take a look, to see what had changed. Would some of his old tactics still be in use? How would Harry fare as the Captain? And how would the young Weasley do as new Keeper? Of course he knew their schedule, he had worked it ouf after all, in his new position as assistant Quidditch and Flying Professor. And from looking at the schedule and realizing the Gryffindor team must be on the pitch right now, it was only a small step to: ‘Go and take a look’.
A few months previous he wouldn’t even have thought twice about it, would have seen it as the most normal thing to do what he thought was right concerning Quidditch, regardless of what the people involved would think of it. Now, he found himself to be far more self-conscious, and that was also why he had decided to not announce his presence right away. Maybe Harry would not want him there? After all, he probably remembered Oliver to be quite obsessed with it all, and always eager to give advices, some a few hundred times over, no matter if they were wanted or not. Oliver still liked to share his knowledge, but in his times at Puddlemere United and Pride of Portree he had often been told rather distinctively when his advices had been unwanted. He hadn’t been the big player there, just a tiny fish in the ocean, and it had brought him down from his high horse rather effectively. No one cared for the opinion of a reserve keeper, at least no most of the time. It was not that fact that had made the dream of being a professional Quidditch player vanish, Oliver wasn’t that self-centered, but maybe it had contributed to it.
But here, on his old playground, so to say, he could feel a little of the vigor and excitement returning he had been missing for so long. Oh how he had loved it here! Every single spot was familiar. The stands, where the Gryffindor fans would go berserk with every score, or the laughter and cheers he could have ellicited from them whenever he had done a particularly risky and elegant parry… the three loops he had guarded with so much vigor… he could almost imagine to be back in a game when he closed his eyes, and the figures zigzaging in the air above him only contributed to that. Oh, to be one of them now! To fly amongst them, train again, with nothing greater lasting on his shoulders than the Gryffindor team honor. Back then he had thought that weight alone was a ton… but now it seemed so light as the touch of a feather. But no… these days were gone. The only time when he would ever do a Quidditch match again would be when Madame Hooch decided he was fit to be a referee.
Leaning against the door that lead to the sandy pitch, Oliver craned his neck and watched the training proceed. It was always interesting to see someone in the position of a Seeker being head of training, since he just had a completely different outlook on the team and the moves than a keeper would. There were not many people he recognized from his old times. Of course, the Weasley twins would be gone, since they had not been much younger than he himself and they hadn’t finished Hogwarts with their N.E.W.Ts either. There was Harry of course… and then, if he thought he saw it correctly, he saw Noah Marks as well, one of the Chasers that had still trained under him. It was nice to see not everything had changed, Oliver mused as he kept on eyeing them from his position on the ground, his fingers twitching to grasp a broom from the locker room and just join in.