Quidditch practice and Wood

Mia had originally planned to spend the morning doing homework and reading in the library with Hermione, then discuss Potions with Theodore in the common room that afternoon. After all, she didn't much like going outside once the weather turned cold.

But Harry had dragged her out, saying, "You've skipped loads of my practices already. You have to come with me this time. I'm your big brother."

So Mia figured that since she was going to freeze anyway, she might as well bring Ron and Hermione along.

That was how all three of them ended up together in the stands at the Quidditch Pitch.

"Sorry, miss, but students from other houses aren't allowed here during our practice." Mia, who had been discussing how to make hand warmers with Hermione, looked up when she heard him.

It was Oliver Wood, captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. Wood was tall and strongly built, with handsome features, but he was a bit wooden and a Quidditch fanatic.

"Sorry, I invited Mia. She won't leak our tactics." Harry had been pulled into practice as soon as he arrived at the pitch. Only when he saw Wood did he remember what his captain was like, and he hurried over to explain.

"Harry? That's still not allowed." Faced with their trump card, Wood still refused coldly.

Mia could only shrug and stand up to leave.

Just then, the twins flew over too. "Hey, Wood, little Miss Snake isn't the sort to go around spilling secrets."

"Long time no see, little snake~" Even as they explained things to Wood, the two didn't forget to greet Mia.

Wood was a little surprised to see his teammates all taking Mia's side.

Wood: What? Have they gone over to the enemy behind my back? Haven't we and Slytherin always been at each other's throats?

This time, Wood took a good, thorough look at Mia.

"Captain, Mia's just here to keep me company, and she doesn't understand tactics anyway."

Wood was a little obsessive about Quidditch, but since Harry had put it that way, he nodded.

"Thanks, Captain!"

"Why are you two slacking off? Extra practice for you later." Having settled the matter, Wood turned to the slacking Weasley Twins.

"Oh! No!" they wailed as Wood hauled them off to practice, and Harry hurried after them.

"I really didn't expect Wood to be as wooden as the rumors say." Hermione shook her head and went back to working on the hand warmers with Mia.

Having successfully figured out how to make them, the two held their glass bottles with Warming Charms on them, handed one to Ron as well, and began watching Harry and the others practice.

"He may be wooden, but there's no denying Wood has a great body and face." Mia stared at Wood's muscular figure, guessing how many abs he had.

"The Weasley Twins aren't bad either, are they?" Hermione said admiringly as she watched Fred and George's nimble figures move in perfect sync.

Ron stared at the two of them in horror. Did they know what they were saying? And what did they mean, the Weasley Twins weren't bad either? Those two were demons!

"Who's that girl? She looks impressive." Mia had noticed a nimble girl on the team with her hair in a ponytail.

"Oh, her? That's Angelina. I heard she'll take over as captain after Wood graduates."

Harry was searching the whole pitch for the Golden Snitch while the others practiced hitting the ball. After watching for a while, Mia got a little bored.

Mia simply pulled out a book she'd borrowed from the library and started reading. Hermione leaned over to read with her.

"How far have you got?"

"Sixth year."

"That fast?"

"I guess? I'm planning to finish the seventh-year material before the end of first year."

"Are you two demons?" Ron was so shocked by the outrageous things they were saying that his mouth fell open.

"Watch out!" "Mia!" A Quaffle came flying straight at them with the shouts.

Someone had accidentally hit it toward Mia and the others during practice, and it was coming hard and fast. Seeing this, Wood and Harry flew toward them.

As everyone knew, people couldn't react immediately when caught off guard. This was generally called a freezing response.

But this was Mia, a ruthless person who could even use herself when practicing spells. She shoved Ron and Hermione, who hadn't reacted, out of the way, then pulled out her wand with one hand and stopped the Quaffle.

"Mia! Hermione, Ron, are you all right?" Harry breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the ball stop, then hurried over to stand in front of Mia and look her over worriedly.

"Sorry, that was my mistake. Do you need me to take you to the Hospital Wing?" Wood hurriedly asked as well.

The others flew over too, worried that someone had been hurt.

"We're fine. Here's the ball. Be more careful next time." Mia handed the Quaffle back to Wood and calmly picked up her fallen book.

Wood had just seen Mia's lightning-fast reflexes too. His appreciation for talent made him want to recruit her for the team, but reason told him she was a Slytherin. In the end, he reluctantly left.

Watching Wood look back as he walked away, Mia asked, "Did he leave something behind?"

"No idea." The two shook their heads.

Why is he acting like a big dog? Mia was baffled.