"Fair, but I can find someone else who can," Oliver said plainly.
"You wouldn't," George gasped.
"I'm Wood," Oliver said dryly. He grinned at their snorts. "Clear off then. Come on." He waited for them to lope off before walking back to Harry. "Hey, sorry about that. The twins can be a little intense about things."
"I've learned," Harry said, having regained his breath.
"I'm Oliver Wood, fifth year."
"Harry Potter, first year." Harry accepted Oliver's handshake. It was firm and kind.
"Try not to let them get to you," Oliver said softly. "They like to mess about and play pranks on people and while they push things a bit, they aren't all bad. Unless you get on their bad side."
"I don't think I am but I might be," Harry sighed.
"What did you do to them?" Oliver asked, surprised.
"Not to them directly, but I don't think their little brother likes me. I might have said something that got taken the wrong way on the train. I tried to explain and apologize but…" Harry shrugged limply.
"Ah yeah. The Weasleys are all kinds of stubborn, all of them. I've known a bunch of them. Their older brothers Bill and Charlie have long graduated and I'm in the same year as Percy. Good people but stubborn and proud in their way. Try not to take it personally."
"Thanks," Harry said gratefully.
"You're a pretty good flyer, been flying long?"
"No, second time actually."
"Really? Hope you keep with it and maybe try out for Quidditch next year. I'm the captain for our House Team."
"I don't know anything about Quidditch. A friend mentioned it but that's about it." Harry noticed Oliver's obvious enthusiasm. "I'd be fine with learning more."
"Brilliant! Let's take a lazy fly about and I'll tell you all about it. It's a great sport."
......
Percy Weasley groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "What am I going to do with them?" he muttered in a very weary tone.
Oliver smiled sympathetically. "Sorry to add to your workload but thought you'd might want to know. Also thought you'd know what was going on."
"I wish I did not want to know but you are correct, I do. Also, I do not know to be honest." Percy frowned. "I get the feeling that Ron does not care for Harry for some reason but he did not really share much when I asked and I did not press. Which is odd because sometimes I get the feeling Ron does want to be friends."
"Harry seems like an okay kid. Fred and George only mess with people that really deserve it or the people they are super close to, far as I can tell anyways, so that's why I found it a bit weird that they were messing with Harry." Oliver shrugged.
"There was that odd rumor going about," Percy said. He looked thoughtful. "Something about Harry eating things in Potions?"
"Oh right, that." Oliver shrugged again. "I mean, who didn't get a desire to try and eat something? Besides you," he grinned when Percy gave him a look. "But even if that's the reason, it isn't a good one."
"No, it is not. I will see if I can get to the bottom of it. Thank you." Percy snorted. "Granted, you have a better rapport with the twins. You would probably have better luck than I."
"They're being clammed up about this one," Oliver said. "Besides, they don't mess with me that much because they know I can make practices even worse than they are and they don't want that."
Percy laughed. "Even worse? Now that is a thought. The only pull I have over them is that I could involve our mother and I generally do not wish to."
"Family's complicated," Oliver said pleasantly.
"You do not have to tell me that," Percy said dryly.