#hphm quidditch

[moonwater-hphm]

Well I finally finished my Orion x Murphy art that I started like 3 weeks ago, I procrastinated on making it a little, cause I was scared it won’t turn out good, but I think it actually looks nice at the end ^^ I had this idea that Orion took Murphy for his first flight, idk if that would actually work but the idea was cute :} I dedicate this piece to all the Orion x Murphy shippers (which is me and 3 other people in this fandom) and to my lovely friend @deafeningwizardsquare <333

[ramblings-of-a-mad-cat]

Quidditch Culture: An honest look at The Wizarding Sport

Listen, I love Quidditch.

You love Quidditch.

We all love Quidditch.

If nothing else, it’s a funny word. But the Harry Potter books gave us a fully realized sport with rules that were easy enough to understand without being too simplistic. It was relatable to real sports, but with a bit of fantasy thrown in to make it feel other-worldly. Expanded content, like the book Quidditch Through The Ages, only fleshed the game out even further. (I’ll be referencing that book and bringing up details revealed within it, just as a forewarning.) Sure, Quidditch has been mocked over the years because of the unbalanced role the Seeker has over the other players, but they did manage to offer a counter argument in the form of the World Cup match in GOF (I’ll be talking about that too) and really, the isolation and heightened role for the seeker was basically just symbolism for Harry’s role in the wizarding community. The game is fun, plain and simple. It’s exciting. 

But it is also shockingly violent, frighteningly competitive, and practically all-consuming. 

There is no avoiding the fact that Quidditch is a dangerous sport. You play the game on broomsticks, flying a hundred feet in the air, give or take. To call that a health hazard is putting it lightly. Anyone can fall off their broomsticks at any time. It’s not just a hypothetical, either. There are numerous instances of this happening in-universe. Players fall, crash, or get deliberately knocked off their brooms. In every single game, they risk death. They risk severe, potentially lifelong injuries. While it is possible that there is some kind of cushioning charm on the field below, we don't ever get confirmation of that, even in Quidditch Through The Ages. That's literally just a head-canon. The Wizarding World itself is inherently dangerous, and that gets into a different (and much bigger) conversation. Flying isn’t exactly safe, but it at least has a purpose, that being transportation. Quidditch is a form of recreation. It’s not a necessity, despite what certain characters would have you believe, and I will get to that. 

To be fair, the existence of magic renders many of the dangers of this world considerably safer, or at least less fatal. But that’s part of the problem. An ability to magically heal wounds has resulted in this society overall taking injury less seriously. It has led to a shared sense of overconfidence. Particularly since they have no concept of mental health. Like I said, this is a bigger discussion for another day, but I’d just like to draw the conclusion that witches and wizards don’t understand trauma, and how it can affect people. If you fall fifty feet and your arm snaps in half, that’s going to be excruciatingly painful and frightening. A Healer might be able to wave a wand and heal your physical injuries, but the trauma of such a shocking, painful experience won’t simply disappear. Mental health matters. 

But if you thought that was the end of it, my friend, then I’m afraid you have forgotten about The Bludgers. Because if you take a step back to think about it, the existence of the bludgers is insane. Gigantic iron bullets that rocket around the field with the sole purpose of attempting to knock players off their broomsticks. One of the balls in this sports game will actively try to kill you. If nothing else, it’s exceedingly unlikely that you’ll go an entire Quidditch career without getting severely injured by one of them. Couple that with the anxiety, because I don’t know about you, but if I played Quidditch? I would be constantly paranoid about the bludgers. True, there are players on standby who exist to protect you from them…but that’s really not enough, especially since there are also players on standby who exist to use them against you. The two primary jobs of the Beater are to protect their team from Bludgers and hit them at the opposing team. That's not even acknowledging the risk that they might hit people in the stands. Again, we don't ever see this happen, so one can assume there are spells to prevent it...but that's still just a theory.

Quidditch is more violent than the likes of boxing, and there is little doubt that it can cause lasting damage to players just as easily. It could probably do so a lot faster. How any of them still have teeth, how most of them don’t have brain damage, is absolutely beyond me. Beaters literally exist to attack opposing players. In particular, the Seeker, because of their crucial role. What’s more, the Seeker has no counterpart like the Beaters and Chasers. They’re completely on their own, and frequently a target. Nowhere is this better demonstrated than in the World Cup game. Apart from establishing that The Seeker isn’t actually that overpowered if you have Chasers who are skilled enough, this match gave us an insight into just how ruthlessly violent professional Quidditch can be. 

I say this unironically - Aidan Lynch sustained serious brain damage after that game. There is no way that he did not. He crashed into the ground at least twice. At least one of these crashes was deliberate on the part of Krum. I cannot stress this enough - there is an entire maneuver, a famous Seeker move, designed around tricking the opposing Seeker into crashing. This is something that the characters don’t see as a problem, either, beyond lamenting that it was done to the team they were supporting. Arthur condemns Lynch, the victim, for falling into the trap. Charlie writes it off by saying “He only got ploughed!” The characters, even the adults, are completely oblivious to the real problem here, and the lack of self-awareness is truly disturbing. Even Harry is susceptible to this. Muggle-borns (and those raised by muggles) are not immune to Quidditch Culture. To Harry, like everyone else, the Wronskei Feint isn’t horrific, it’s cool. The mark of an exceptional Seeker. The only bad thing about it was that Krum put himself in danger, apparently.

The utterly cavalier attitude that fans have toward the violence is not an isolated incident, either. It is the norm. It’s not only socially acceptable for Quidditch players and their fans to be bloodthirsty, in some cases it is even expected, and brings out viciousness among even the most level-headed people. Did you know this game has seven hundred fouls? At one point Slytherin gets in trouble for attacking Oliver Wood, but only because, and I quote, "You do not attack the Keeper unless the Quaffle is within scoring area." Apparently it's just fine to do so otherwise. There is a team in the British/Irish league known as the Falmouth Falcons, who are infamous for their violent playstyle. To the point where their motto is, I kid you not, “Let us win, but if we cannot win, let us break a few heads.” How in god’s name does a professional sports team get away with something like that? I’ll tell you how. Because Quidditch fans are nuts. Because Quidditch fans are no less desensitized to the dangers of this game than the players are. 

This can be observed in virtually every character we see who becomes invested in the game. Oliver Wood is one of the finest examples, as is Skye Parkin from HPHM. While it's usually played for laughs, these tendencies are unhealthy and disturbing if you look at them realistically. Both of these characters take the game of Quidditch, specifically their goal of victory, way too far. To the point where they seem to value a match victory over things like the well-being of their team. There’s nothing wrong with a bit of healthy enthusiasm for team sports, nothing wrong with being passionate for a game that you love. But when Oliver tells Harry to “get the snitch or die trying” and it’s not entirely clear if he’s joking…then he’s putting the game itself over his team. Which, as the literal team captain, is simply not acceptable. Then Harry himself falls into this tendency. Even though a bludger is actively trying to kill him, Harry prioritizes defeating Slytherin over his own safety. Harry’s not even the competitive type, not usually. But he's never been one to take his own life that seriously this game brings out that side of people, and does so to dangerous levels. 

Almost everyone who ever touches this game comes off worse for it. (The only exception I can think of being Ginny Weasley.) Ron playing Quidditch caused his inferiority complex to act up and gave him a healthy dose of stage fright. The HPHM Quidditch storyline sees multiple characters suffering for the sake of Quidditch, from Skye Parkin being pressured to live up to her family’s legacy, to Erika Rath being subjected to bullying and pressure from all sides, thanks to her own talents. Gwenog Jones, as we learn in HPHM, was a short-sighted cheat who never took responsibility for her actions. Ludo Bagman is no different. He’s a gambling addict who winds up stealing the life savings of two teenagers to cover his debt. The only character to ever criticize the negativity that Quidditch creates is Hermione, and like most of the time, she’s absolutely right. But the conversation never goes anywhere because she is always shut down, swiftly and without mercy. The other characters in the room act as though she’s blasphemed. All because she doesn’t like a sport. 

This is what I mean. Quidditch is not simply a game to these people. To the witches and wizards who are into it, Quidditch is worshipped. It’s a lifestyle, a philosophy, that is shared across this society. There are no “casual” fans. People who follow this sport become invested, to an unhealthy level. To the point of rioting if it's taken away, to the point where Lee Jordan and Murphy McNully can't even pretend to be impartial, and this is treated as basically normal. When I use the phrase “Quidditch Culture” I’m not simply being pretentious. There really does seem to be shared understanding between the fans, and all of them take the game that seriously. I think the greatest example of this can be found in the Daily Prophet. When “stooging” was banned, people were outraged. Including one boy who claimed that he and his dad “liked watching them Keepers get flattened.” He tearfully claims that he doesn’t want to go see Quidditch games anymore. Kid was six years old, by the way. 

I really feel like the culture speaks for itself at this point.

[nioumin-draw]

Teresa Grim successfully become a member of the quidditch team as chaser . Professor Snape…He is so proud of us ….😭🥺!!

[marmotish]

Marmo

Listen

Listen to me

It has occurred to me that the Ravenclaw quidditch team is disproportionately made up of scottish witches. Has this occurred to you, as well?

⭐️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🦅⭐️

ngl I first read these asks and completely missed the “scottish” part and thought — “is three too many? what if nearly the entire team were witches? what if everyone on the team save for orion and andre were girls? what if there could only be one ravenclaw guy on the pitch at a time?”

[lifeofkaze]

Swept Away

A/N: This story was written as part of the @hphm-ship-week event. For Day 1, I picked the prompt 'Dance'. If this story feels weirdly familiar to you, it's because you've read it before from Lizzie's perspective, as to be perused in my story An Art of Balance here. (Also, if you want context lol.) Thanks for sticking with my rambling. Enjoy!

The crowd occupying the main room of The Three Broomsticks had become dense, and so it was only one moment after Penny Haywood had whisked away Lizzie that Orion lost sight of the two girls. He stared at the spot where they had disappeared, running over the conversation he’d just had with Lizzie - if one could even call it that - in his mind. He pulled a face. 

I’m good at catching things.

What a stupid thing to say. 

There was no triviality in the makings of the universe, every moment in it filled with sense that sometimes simply failed to show its meaning. Beyond self-consciousness, detached from any prejudice or assumption on how one wished to be perceived, lay the true freedom of being as one with the universe as he could possibly hope to be. And yet Orion was bewildered at how embarrassed his silly comment made him feel. It had not been a singular incident either; lately, he’d found himself saying a lot of stupid things when Lizzie was around. Whenever she was near, it was like he spoke without control.

He was broken from his thoughts by a group of students passing him by. He took a step backwards, the top of the counter hitting his back. The Weird Sisters were enticing so many people to flock to the dancefloor that even on the side of it, Orion was barely able to move. The crowd made him uncomfortable, and despite the people having a good time, he felt strangely isolated without a soul to talk to.

The group right in front of him moved, granting him a small glimpse of the dancefloor. Penny Haywood’s hair shone like a golden halo as she spun around her axis, a wide smile plastered to her face. Lizzie seemed to enjoy herself as well, jumping to the beat and singing along. The sight of her joy made the corners of Orion’s lips curl into a smile. For a fleeting moment, he considered joining her and Penny but abandoned the idea as quickly as it had arisen. Lizzie was like a butterfly on a blooming meadow, fluttering from flower to flower and spreading the beauty of her company. She could come to find him in her own time. And if she didn’t, who was he to demand her attention?

The music came to an end and the room before the makeshift stage cleared, allowing space for the couples Myron Wagtail was inviting to the dancefloor. Lizzie and Penny parted ways, and Orion’s heart lifted when Lizzie headed in his direction. She had already come halfway when, suddenly, she froze. Her head had turned to the side and, following her eyes, Orion saw why. Jason Everett - the new Beater of their Quidditch team - came pushing through the crowd towards her. 

Frowning, Orion watched him approach. His friend Murphy McNully had pointed out how Everett kept singling out Lizzie from her friends, and ever since, Orion had been unable to unsee it. Wherever she went, Everett was quick to follow; whenever there was a chance to catch her alone, he was sure to try and grab it.

He had almost reached Lizzie when she shook from her daze. Her eyes set on Orion, and with a couple of quick steps, she was by his side. Grabbing his arm, she pulled him towards the dancefloor. Equally as stunned as he was pleased, Orion followed without offering resistance. Still, he asked, “What are you doing?”

“Shamelessly using my knight in shining armour a second time, I’d say.” 

As Lizzie’s eyes switched from the spot Everett had stood in to Orion she tailed off, appearing as if she was unsure what to do next. Almost shyly, she glanced at the couples surrounding them. It was an emotion so uncharacteristic of her bright spirit that Orion extended his hand to her.

“If you dragged me here for whatever reason we could as well go with the flow.”

Lizzie blinked, staring at his hand before tentatively taking it. Their first moments dancing were awkward, both unattuned to the other’s rhythm. They had spent years together on the Quidditch pitch, however, and soon found their common ground. Once they had done so they moved effortlessly, lifted by the notes drifting from stage and the silent understanding between them. 

Orion’s hand was resting just beneath the small of her waist and he could feel her moving against his palm, her hand warm and relaxed in his. Her other hand was lying on his shoulder, and Orion was aware of every inch it moved about, of every time she let go to spin around. A tingling sensation spread from where she touched him in a most unsettling way, making him both want to be closer and step away to regain control. She stepped into him and rose to her tiptoes to say something he could barely make out over the noise. When her breath brushed over his cheek, he swore he could feel his heart skip a beat. 

Lizzie had begun to relax, her initial shyness as if eradicated. She laughed as she finished turning, stepping even closer to him than before. Unbidden, Orion’s mouth pulled into a smile that mirrored hers. Her good mood was compelling, impossible to resist, and found himself wanting more of it, wanting…

Something shifted as their eyes met. They did not stop moving and yet it felt like they were separated from the crowd, suspended in a moment so intense it was almost tangible. The music ceased to reach Orion’s ear, the only sound filling his head his rapidly beating heart. The moment could have lasted hours or less than a second; Orion didn’t know. Then Lizzie blinked, and he exhaled slowly as she dropped her eyes from his. She laughed nervously and let go of him to push away the hair that had fallen into her face. When she put her hand back into his, Orion didn’t fail to notice how she hesitated, even if only slightly.

They took up dancing again, more quietly than before. After a couple of steps, the strand of hair Lizzie had just tucked away fell back into its former place and she put it away again. Having done so a couple of times, she pulled a face and tossed her head but still her hair obscured her eyes.

When it fell across her features next, Orion raised his hand without thinking, gently taking hold of the curl and tucking it behind her ear. His fingers brushed the side of her temple as he did so and Lizzie became still, eyes flying to meet his. Orion didn’t think he’d ever noticed just how blue and clear they were, like the ocean pervaded by sunlight. There was a ring of deeper blue around her pupils, something he had never noticed before either. He wondered if her eyes were just like her, clear and bright to those who looked at the surface but with so much more underneath; things yet uncovered, things unknown to anyone who didn’t bother looking. He longed to know these things, he realised.

“I’m surprised you wear your hair like that,” he murmured, as much to put Lizzie at ease as himself. Like before, he winced at how ridiculous he sounded. “I thought you hated having it in your face.” 

“It wasn’t exactly my choice. Andre forced this mess on me.” “You should not let others dictate your appearance, especially if you don’t feel like yourself,” Orion frowned. Before he could stop himself, he added, “But for what it’s worth, I think you look beautiful.”

Lizzie blushed. Her cheeks burned such a vivid red that it was visible even over the dimmed lights. She dropped her eyes and bit her lip, and said no more. Again, Orion cursed himself for his unusual rashness. His mouth might have broken free from the control of his mind, and yet the intentions of both had been to put Lizzie at ease, not make her more uncomfortable. It made him miserable seeing her self-conscious like this, so entirely unlike the naturalness of spirit she usually commanded. He wished he had held his tongue.

They were released from the awkwardness of the situation by the song's coming to an end. Afraid Lizzie would drop his hand, Orion let go first, inclining his head with what was supposed to be an encouraging smile. He hoped Lizzie would read in what he wanted it to convey - that he didn’t want her to be uncomfortable on his behalf. That first and foremost, he was her friend and this had been nothing but - a moment between friends. A fun, beautiful, intoxicating moment that gave the spot on his shoulder where her hand had lain gravitas, and that still made his palm tingle where it had rested against her waist and…

Consciously pulling his thoughts away from the undue direction they were headed in, Orion gave Lizzie an almost imperceptible bow and turned, fleeing from the dancefloor and the crowd still pressing in on him as fast as he could without running. 

[dearestdo3]

More hphm screenshots I forgot to post.

My mc became Slytherin's Chaser and he almost immediately request mc's presence to (dare I say) motivate mc to win the House Cup 💚

[the-al-chemist]

Wrong, Skye

A/N: my darling @lifeofkaze wasn’t wrong when she sent this in — it really is the first of many. But, who am I to deny this legend?

Granted, I haven’t entirely stuck to the brief. Rather than focusing on the conversation in the hospital wing, I’ve gone for the events leading up to it. Why? Because since Kaze’s AoB and SfB have finished, there’s been depressingly little Quidditch content around these parts. I may not be as skilled at sports writing as The Quidditch Queen herself, but I’m willing to give it a go. Characters in mention belong to @lifeofkaze, @thatravenpuffwitch and @that-scouse-wizard.

Warnings: Hyper-competitive sports people (they are scary and deserve a warning) and mild injury.

The day of the first Quidditch match of the season had arrived, and Skye would have been lying if she were to tell anyone that she wasn’t anxious about the game. Although, if anyone were to ask, she would obviously have lied rather than admitted the truth about her feelings. She was a Parkin. Parkins were indomitable. Parkins were champions.

“Alright,” she said to her team — her team, she was the captain now — as they lined up at the entrance to the changing tent. “It aw starts here. First match of the year, an’ aw. An’ we’re gaun smash it, aye?” When no one said anything in response, she raised her voice. “Aye?”

The remaining six players let out a mixture of affirmative responses. None sounded too sure of themselves, but that may have been because half of them were halfway through repeating the word “aye” then correcting themselves to say “yes”, and vice versa for the other half.

Or, it may have been because they were not confident about the new change in team line-up.

In truth, Skye was beginning to think that she may have been wrong in choosing to play Seeker rather than Chaser this match. Her best friend Lizzie had told her not to, but Skye had already made up her mind on the matter. Yes, she had done so in haste and out of a fit of temper, but she was nothing if not committed. Which was more than what could be said of Artemis Hexley.

Skye had asked one small thing of Hexley: to find out from the Gryffindor Captain what his strategy was for the match. It shouldn’t have been that difficult, Weasley was a good friend of Hexley’s. But, Hexley had refused. She had put her friendship with a rival player above her teammates, above her Captain. That was why Skye had decided to take her out of the game for this match, and to play her role as Seeker herself. Yes, it was a risky strategy, but she was the captain, and she had to set an example. If your loyalty wasn’t to the team, then you couldn’t be on the team, simple as that.

As if to prove her point, when Skye stepped out onto the pitch, she could see that Hexley was in the stands, not even wearing Hufflepuff colours. Her scarf was striped in shades of green and purple and brown, not the yellow and black of the rest of the crowd.

“Nae bloody lealtie,” Skye muttered under her breath, her face tightening into a deep scowl.

That scowl became even more firmly etched into her features as she approached Weasley. As both Captain and Seeker for the Gryffindor side, Charlie Weasley would be her counterpart in two ways for this match. She made no attempt to hide her dislike of him as she shook his hand. He, however, only smiled at her. Arrogant arse. Skye couldn’t wait to wipe that smile of his face. Which she would do, just as soon as she caught the Snitch and won the game.

She would catch the Snitch. She would win the game. And then she would write to her father, and tell him it was a shame that he hadn’t been there to see her triumph. He would be proud. Maybe, he would even come to watch her next match.

Once the two team captain had shaken hands, the balls were released. First out of the trunk was the Golden Snitch, which fluttered its tiny wings and quickly flitted away. Skye swung her leg over broomstick. Next, the Bludgers, which had been wrestling so hard against their bindings that they almost exploded into the air. Skye’s hands gripped her broomstick tightly, her knees bent, her feet pressed against the ground. Then, Madam Hooch picked up the Quaffle and placed her whistle into her mouth. Every muscle in Skye’s body tensed, ready for the moment the whistle would blow and the red ball would be thrown upwards and into play.

When that moment came, she had to fight her instinct not to lunge for the Quaffle as she usually would. That was not the ball she was after today. Today, she had to focus on catching that Snitch.

Luckily, her new trio of Chasers were already off to a good start. Hopper seized the Quaffle and ducked under one Gryffindor player, before passing the ball over the head of a second Gryffindor to Jameson. Just as she had told them in their last practice, the Hufflepuff Chasers passed the Quaffle between them as they made their way up the pitch towards the goalposts, where Jameson took aim at the middle hoop and…

“GOAL!” The voice of Murphy McNully echoed across the pitch from the commentary box. “Ten points to Hufflepuff!”

Skye clapped her hands before shouting out to her teammates, “Aye, that’s it, ye belter! Keep that gaun!”

But her team did not keep their success going for long at all. Skye’s hopes were raised and dashed the next three times her Chasers attempted to score. Things went quickly downhill after the Gryffindors managed to equalise. After that, the Gryffindor players seemed to gain a bit more confidence, their Chasers tailing Skye’s own so closely that they struggled to pass the Quaffle between them without being intercepted.

“Dinnae let them mark yous so closely!” she called out as they flew past her. “Cummoan, lose them!”

Hopper must have heard her, as she swerved sideways to move away from the player on her back. In doing so, however, she almost moved into the path of an incoming Bludger. She ducked again, and the rival Chaser closed in on her, stealing the Quaffle right out of her hands. Skye’s mouth dropped open, incensed, as the Quaffle was flown back towards the Hufflepuff goalposts and thrown through one of the hoops.

“Oi!” Skye shouted. “That was a foul! Madam Hooch, I want a time out!”

Madam Hooch blew on her whistle, and Skye flew down alongside Hopper and the Gryffindor cheat.

“I didn’t touch her,” the Gryffindor was saying. Skye rolled her eyes.

“Aye, sure ye didnae.”

Skye was glad to see that Madam Hooch looked as sceptical as she was. They were bound to get a penalty for this, and Gryffindor’s ten points would be removed. That would place them back in the lead.

But, Hopper shook her head. “Actually, she didn’t.” Skye shot her a look, which she ignored. “I fumbled the Quaffle when I dodged that Bludger. It wasn’t a foul at all.”

The matter was decided. Before Skye could argue, Madam Hooch was raising her whistle towards her lips once more.

“No contact, no foul!” she said.

Skye took to her broomstick again, and the match restarted, with more promising results. After Willows — good lad, that Willows — managed to take out the Quaffle thieving Gryffindor Chaser with a Bludger, it gave her own Chasers an advantage, allowing Jameson to equalise with a goal of her own. Skye applauded as loudly as any of the spectators.

“Now, that’s what I’m talking aboot!” Skye called out after her Chasers. “Get on the offensive, we’ve got the player advantage, ken? Willows, Bean, keep the Bludgers away from them so they can concentrate on—”

“And it looks like Weasley has seen the Golden Snitch!”

At the sound of Murphy McNully’s voice, Skye stopped talking immediately. She looked up and across the pitch, just in time to see Weasley accelerating, his eyes focused on a point in the distance. McNully was right, he had seen the Snitch. She set off after him at speed. She was not going to let him get there first, not in a million years.

Weasley was a good flier, even Skye had to admit that, but everyone knew that his family was poor, and hers was a Quidditch dynasty. His broomstick was no match for hers at all, and when he had to turn a corner, she was able to close down the distance between them considerably.

When he then took a steep dive, Skye followed him without even a moment’s hesitation. She moved her hands forward on the handle of her broomstick to push it deep into her dive, so steep that she was almost vertical, flying down as fast as she possibly could.

She could not let him win. She would not let him win.

“Cummoan, cummoan,” she muttered through gritted teeth. As if it was listening to her, the broomstick cut through the air, and she sped up, getting closer and closer to Weasley, just behind him, level with his tail, and then almost side-by-side.

And then, Weasley stopped.

It took less than half a second for Skye to realise that he had pulled out of his dive, but by then, it was too late. The ground was getting closer, and though she tried to stop her own broomstick, she was flying too fast, and at too steep a trajectory, to stop herself from continuing to plummet downwards. She had enough time to screw her eyes closed and brace herself for impact before she crashed.

When she opened her eyes, the world was blurry. Madam Hooch, Madam Pomfrey, Jameson, and Weasley were all standing over her. There was a ringing in her ears and the taste of grass in her mouth. She tried to get up onto her feet, but her legs had apparently turned to jelly. Once more, her body hit the ground.

“Stay down, Miss Parkin,” said the sharp voice of Madam Pomfrey, who took out her wand. Skye recoiled as she used it to shine a white light into her eyes.

“Och, but I’m grand,” Skye muttered, pushing the wand away from her face. “Where’s ma broom? I want tae get oan with the game.”

Madam Pomfrey laughed as she pocketed her wand. “Not today. The game is over for you, girl.”

“What? Dinnae tell me he caught the Snitch when he pulled out of the dive?”

Lizzie frowned. “Skye, I don’t think there was a Snitch…”

It took a moment for Skye to understand what Lizzie meant. But then she saw the sheepish look on Weasley’s face.

“Ye were feinting?” Skye lunged at Weasley, who took a step backwards from her. She fell forward onto the ground, and crawled after him. “Och, I’ll batter you, ye wee—”

“Perhaps you should escort Miss Parkin to the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey,” said Madam Hooch.

“But this isnae fair! I’m the Captain, I have tae play! If I’m not on that pitch, then we’ve lost, and he kens it! Ye cannae let that bloody cheat get away with it!”

“Is the Wronski Feint cheating?”

As if he had heard Weasley’s question, Murphy McNully began to speak, his voice clearly audible from the commentary box.

“This risky but perfectly permissible manoeuvre was invented by Polish Seeker Josef Wronski…”

Skye let out a strangled noise, and found herself being lifted onto her feet. She continued to argue as Madam Pomfrey marched her off the pitch, but the Healer paid her words no attention. As they left the stands behind them and made their way over the grounds towards the Hospital Wing, Skye’s sense of injustice and frustration gave way to shame, embarrassment, and fear.

How would she ever be able to tell her dad about this?

[judediangelo75]

Day One: Quidditch

I said I was gonna attempt this challenge for @hphm-ship-week and by the corner of Jesus' pure white robe, I was gonna do it. I'm cutting it close with Day One and I might have gotten a *little* inspired to write this one.

I'm not gonna do a lot of yapping, I'm half-dead as is. Hope you guys enjoy this Kendrick Lives AU installment. (Might as well be my new main storyline).

Word Count: 8,316

Featured MCs: David Willows, Phoenix Lang ( @that-scouse-wizard ) and Katriona Cassiopeia ( @kc-and-co )

Main Pairing: Talbott Winger x Judith Harris (Talith)

Side Relationships: Merula Synde x David Willows (subtle), Murphy McNully x Katriona Cassiopeia (subtle), and plenty of friendship

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Whenever Quidditch season rolls around in the magical school called Hogwarts, you can expect a lot of excitement and hype. The students would crowd their section of the respective house with colored face paint or some Quidditch-afflicted gear to cheer on the players on the field. There was always a sense of friendly rivalry, with its occasional resentment when it comes to a reigning champion. But nothing comes from it. 

The Quidditch pitch is the last place you would ever expect a Ravenclaw loner to be.

Let alone amid the Hufflepuff House section. Wearing one of their player's jackets magically sized up to fit his frame. Next to a Slytherin witch wearing a matching jacket to the boot.

But that was before he started dating a Quidditch player.

Talbott would've gladly flown under the radar during his school years at Hogwarts. But fate decided that would be too boring for him. He was given two years of peace until his third year. Where two Hufflepuffs were searching for him, Hogwarts Curebreakers.

David Willows and Judith Harris. The latter is more infamously known as "Scarface". 

Granted, Talbott knew about these two Hufflepuffs... but Judith proved to make a bigger splash than her Housemate. From what Talbott understood, Judith had the habit of hiding the left side of her face with her hair for the first few months of their first year. It wasn't until a fateful day in October, that a group of Slytherins and Gryffindors found a new target. Judith tried escaping the group, only for one of the boys to grab her by the ponytail, causing her hairstyle to fall apart.

Revealing the most nastiest burn scar anyone has seen. On a child, nonetheless.

To make a long story short, those group of boys learned quickly not to piss off a girl—a Hufflepuff girl, at that.

After that day, rumors about her scar spread across the school like wildfire. And she was christened with her new nickname, Scarface.

But that day in the Great Hall was the first time Talbott properly saw the young witch face to face. Even Talbott's impeccable poker face couldn't hide the surprise upon seeing her face. The large scar covered about half of her face and went back to her ear. Surprisingly, her brow was present, but a bit spotty in some places. Her eye was forced into a permanent glare, he could barely make out the gold of her iris (even though that particular eye looked a bit paler than its twin).

But that wasn't the thing that stole Talbott's attention. It was the almost painfully shy look on her face. Her brows were drawn close together as her lips were pulled down in a timid frown. Her fingers were fiddling with the multiple solid plain rings she had on. Her eyes...

Talbott could see that she was nervous, but there was a particular warmth that seemed to be reserved for just for him. It was confusing but...

He couldn't help but secretly like it. Even though he wasn't ready to admit it.

Took a while for the Ravenclaw to properly acknowledge his feelings for the Hufflepuff witch. With the encouragement of Andre and David, he finally asked Judith out on a date. While it left a lot to be desired (*cough* Tonks *cough*), Talbott enjoyed being close to his date. Amid their growing closeness, that meant Talbott was slowly being sucked into the world of Quidditch. Granted, Andre has been trying to get him to come to a match and teach him the mechanics of the game since the start of their friendship, but Talbott turned him down almost every time. But now with Judith as his blatant love interest... Talbott couldn't help to be a little curious about the sport the wizarding world seem so crazy about.

Honestly when Talbott learned that Judith was the famous "Tigress", he was skeptical. Tigress is one of Hufflepuff's Beaters, one of their best Beaters in many years. With the few snippets of information, Andre tried forcing down his throat, Talbott knew that Beaters were strong. They had to be to beat back iron spheres formerly known as Blooders (Andre would be happy to know that he was learning something, at least). Tigress, like her fellow Beater Hound (who Talbott came to learn was David), was incredibly strong with a deadly aim. A lot of people say it was as if she could interpret the Bludgers movements, knowing when and where to strike. 

Talbott couldn't keep the suspicious look out of his eye for anything when Judith said that she was Tigress during their date. He never asked her about her scar but he had eyes. And he could see that her left eye left her a little impaired. It was the one time he made the girl feel subconscious about herself during their date, which he internally slapped himself for as she turned the left side of her face away from his view.

"I know it sounds hard to believe that I'm Tigress, but I have no reason to lie to you. After my... incident, it took some time to even learn to properly walk. My coordination and balance was terrible. Before, I could only see the vague shadows of shapes. After you helped me become an Animagus, it surprisingly helped my vision in my left eye, though not by much. The outline of shapes are a bit sharper if it's close enough to me and I can kinda see colors if it's bright enough, but there are times my vision will get a little blurry. My dad, along with my little brother and stepdad, spent a lot of time helping me adjust to my scar after I first got it. I was determined not to let it hinder me, though. Papa was the first to train me to be a Beater. I spent the entire summer before second year so I would have a chance to prove myself... to show that I won't be a liability if I was chosen."

Talbott felt like a bastard for doubting the girl, something that she probably felt for years. After stumbling over his apology, he asked if he could watch her play or at least practice if she was comfortable with that. He wanted to understand her and be there for her if she would let him.

And to his pleasant surprise, she readily agreed. 

During that time, Quidditch season was long over. Normally around that time of the year, Judith and David were trying to break the latest curse that befell the school in hopes of finding their brothers. But Judith was human.

A human who was very familiar with stress.

Beating dummies with Bludgers seemed to be one of her many stress relievers. The first time he was invited to watch her practice, he was silently surprised. It was slowly starting to warm up as winter turned to spring in Scotland. Judith was already stretching, seemingly counting the seconds in her mind before switching forms. A yellow sleeveless crop top molded to her upper body and a pair of black athletic tights hugged her legs with black running shoes adorned her feet, presumably for comfort. Her long locs were maneuvered into a low ponytail by a yellow silk ribbon. Granted, Talbott had only seen Judith outside of her usual class robes only a handful of times, but he had rarely seen her show so much of her body and skin until recently.

While being only 15, Judith had muscles a lot of guys in their year and possibly older wished had. But the muscles didn't make her seem like a boy, rather it added to the curves her body was slowly displaying as she matured into a young woman. The dress she wore to their date made him feel like he was hit with the Stupefy spell. Her workout outfit seemed to have a similar effect.

But watching her practice?

Nothing could get him to look away from her. She easily slipped into the familiar notion of her practice exercise. She had three Bludgers sent out, each coming towards her with terrifying speed. Talbott couldn't remember all the details of Quidditch but he can safely assume getting hit by one of those iron spheres meant an overnight stay in the Hospital Wing. But Judith stepped into her swings with the confidence and swagger of the best duelists or even a Quidditch pro. Confident, focused, and calculating. He did take note that she would duck on a rare occasion when she took a misstep and leaned into her left side.

Gods know how much time has passed until Judith whipped out her wand and froze the Bludgers, which dropped to the ground with a frightening thud.

'I would love to never know what it's like to smack with one of those...'

Judith grabbed a water bottle before walking around and sitting next to the awestruck Ravenclaw.

"So what do you think," she asked before taking a swing of her water. He watched as her throat worked around the deep gulps of water she was taking in.

"Is it possible I can come to more of your training sessions?" Judith capped her nearly empty water bottle with a quirked brow.

"You actually like seeing me train? Watching me beat a bunch of Bludgers into some dummies can't be that entertaining," she insisted. Talbott felt a blush work its way onto his cheeks.

"I beg to differ... so is that a no," he said with an embarrassed cough. Judith narrowed her good eye at him before giving him a nod.

"You can come. I don't mind."

It soon became a part of Talbott's routine to sit in on Judith's practices. Talbott finds that she does alternate her routine. And got to witness the relationships with her Quidditch mates. 

Sometimes it'll be just her and the dummies. 

Other times, David would be present to train with her as well. Talbott could see the playful energy between the two Hufflepuffs, almost as if they were siblings. Most times, they would practice beating a Bludger to each other, while others the dummies will be involved. There were plenty of jabs and playful ribbing in their conversations. Whenever they were done, they would join Talbott in the grass for a quick chat until Judith's eyes would get droopy and David would give her a piggyback ride back to their Common Room. 

'Hate to cut the conversation short, mate, but this one needs her rest. C'mon Little Tigress. Time for your cat nap.' Talbott watched in quiet amusement as David shifted on his knees so he could allow the girl to crawl on his back before standing. The young witch yawned, nuzzling the back of her best mate's neck with an annoyed grumble.

'Mmmm... I'm not little, you stubborn git. Later bird boy...' With a cute little wave to the Ravenclaw, Judith allowed herself to be toted away to their shared Common Room. (Talbott would deny blushing at that nickname if you asked him)

Maybe even one (or both) of her on-sight Beater teachers, the fierce Erika Rath or the mischievous Phoenix Lang, would be present. Which he found strangely interesting as Erika and Phoenix were both well-known Beaters of the Houses of Slytherin and Gryffindor respectively, prodigies in their own right. Erika seemed more of the stern one of the two, more in charge of her training exercises while Phoenix would fill in the gaps where she could. Those sessions tended to be more intense as Erika tried to push Judith into using her left side more, which frustrated the Hufflepuff Beater greatly. Talbott knew it wasn't his place to question her mentor's methods but he couldn't help but to worry how close Judith would be to getting hit by the magical sphere of iron. The hits she was able to get in weren't always perfect as far as accuracy and impact. There were times when Talbott would witness Judith would drop to her knees with tears in her eyes. The first time it happened shocked him to his core, his heart ached at the sight.

'I-I-I can't! I can't see well, Rath!' Pale green eyes narrowed briefly before letting out a soft sigh. With a brief spell, the Bludger in use fell to the ground as Erika walked up to her mentee. The older witch rested a hand on her shoulder, giving it a brief squeeze as she glanced over to where Talbott was seated.

'Talbott, was it? Can you stay with her while I find Phoenix? I... I'm not exactly good at "comforting" as I would like to be.' Talbott nodded replacing Erika by the crying girl's side as she disappeared into the castle. 

'Little bird...?' Watery gold eyes glanced at him before Judith roughly started wiping her face to get rid of the evidence of the tears that seemed neverending.

'I-I'm sorry, I... I was hoping you wouldn't have to s-see me like t-this. I promise I'm not this weak-' The girl's ramble was brought to a halt as Talbott grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into a hug, tucking her face against his neck. The soft gasp that escaped her tickled the sensitive skin there.

'I want you to breathe with me, little bird. Can you do that for me?' Judith remained still for a moment before giving a shaky nod. Talbott took a slow, deep inhale, feeling the girl do the same. They held it for a few seconds before slowly releasing it. They did it a handful of times before Talbott felt the faint tremor in the girl's body disappear. He gently pulled her away from his neck to look at her face. The tears were still there, but they seemed to have slowed significantly. Gentle hands cupped her face, thumbing away the tears and dried tear tracks that remained. Shaky hands wrapped around Talbott's wrists before Judith leaned into his touch. With one last caress to her scarred cheek, Talbott pulled away a bit only to be surprised by the ironclad grip on his wrists. Judith's eyes reminded him of a wounded Hippogriff, wild with an underlying hint of fear.

"D-don't go... please, don't go...' she whimpered. Talbott leaned in again, brushing a soft kiss to her sweaty brow.

'Shhh, darling. I promise I'm not leaving you. But it would be best if you rehydrated, little bird. Let me grab some water for you.' Judith blinked slowly, recognition flashing in her eyes. She gave a timid nod before letting go of his wrists. Silently deciding not to get up and leaving his little bird's time, Talbott got out his wand to use the Summoning Charm instead. Judith took the bottle with a small thanks before taking small sips. When Talbott was sure she was okay, he tilted her chin up so she could look him in the eye.

'I'm not sure where your head is, exactly. But I want you to know that you're not weak. You're one of the strongest people I know and even strong people can cry sometimes. They can get overwhelmed sometimes. And that's okay. I would never think less of you, and you shouldn't either. I won't let you. Do you understand me, little bird?' Talbott watched as her eyes widened, the scar tissue surrounding her left eye stretching a bit. Judith pursed her lips before giving a nod. That wasn't good enough for the Ravenclaw wizard.

'Words, Judith. I need to hear you say it.' The girl winced at the firm tone before letting out a shaky sigh.

'I-I understand, Talbott. I... I'll do my best to take it easy on myself in these moments.' Talbott gave her a small smile before placing a small kiss on her cheek.

Not even a few moments later, Phoenix came into view while Erika trailed a few paces behind. The Gryffindor Beater fell to her knees before the couple, cerulean blue eyes studying the Hufflepuff's face intensely.

'Judith! Erika told me what happened, are you okay?!' Judith blushed as Phoenix cupped her face, fussing over her. Erika sat down by her rival, silently watching her with a hint of worry. Judith cleared her throat, pulling away before resting against Talbott's chest.

"I-I'm fine now... I just got overwhelmed, b-but Talbott helped me calm down.' The eyes of the older Beaters were suddenly trained on their "guest", who blushed under their intense gaze.

'I... I'm not too familiar with what caused her anxiety, I just knew I couldn't stand there and watch her cry. Judith means a lot to me. Great players can have bad days and she's entitled to have those days...' Phoenix gave the boy a delighted grin while a glimmer of respect can be seen in Erika's eyes.

'I think I like this one for her, Rath. What do you think?' The Slytherin Beater gave an amused snort at the matching blushes that could be seen on the duo's faces.

'As long as I don't always have to find you whenever she gets overwhelmed, he can stay.'

'HEY! I resent that!' Erika let out a short laugh at Phoenix's disgruntlement. Deciding that her student/adopted little sister needed a well-deserved break, Phoenix dragged the girl to head to the Great Hall for some lunch. Just as Talbott was going to head to the Owlery, a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

'Wait.' The wizard turned to find Erika's eyes boring into him. And to his surprise, her stern gaze softened around the edges.

'I just wanted to say, thank you. Normally I don't care what people think of me, especially those who would just be stuck in the sidelines and nothing more. But I see that you care about her. I'm not trying to be a hardass on Judith for shits and giggles. We both are well aware that her left side is a weakness. I suffer from a blind spot, obviously not on the same level as Judith but you get the idea. If people are within that area, they're more than likely to get hurt. I don't want Judith to have to deal with that struggle, or even worse, have that blind spot used against her. I hope you understand.' Talbott's brows rose in silent surprise before nodding.

'I understand... you didn't have to explain your methods to me, but... I appreciate it either way. I'll do my best to be there for her whenever it gets too much for her.' Erika gave a firm nod, before turning on her heel back into the castle.'

Talbott had thought long and hard over what he had seen and what Erika had told him. He hated to see the haunted look in Judith's eyes as she broke down on not doing good enough. He was no Quidditch player so he wasn't sure how to help the girl. He went to the only other Quidditch player he knew for any advice. Granted, Talbott knew that Andre was no Beater, but he knew he had to try. Luckily for him, Andre knew two people who could help. Unluckily for him, Andre saw it fit to drag his ass out of bed on a late Saturday morning. The only day Talbott will grant himself the luxury of sleeping in. With no damn coffee.

'KC, McNully!' The two Ravenclaws, who seemed to be in the middle of a game of chess, looked up to find the Seeker Reserve dragging over one of their fellow Housemates who seemed to have rolled out of bed.

'Hey, Andre! What can we do for you?' the commentator asked with a bright grin. Andre gave a fond smile, clapping a hand on the disgruntled Ravenclaw's shoulder.

'Oh no, honestly, you've helped me enough mate. It's my friend here who could use your creative expertise on the matter of Quidditch.' Talbott shrugged Andre off with an embarrassed glare. The strawberry-blonde girl raised a cool brow, flustering Talbott further.

'My apologies. I asked Egwu for help on a Quidditch issue and this overexcited bloke dragged me out of bed before I had a drop of caffeine in my system.' KC let out a hearty laugh.

'A man after my own heart. Tell you what, I made a pot of coffee this morning. I grab you a mug and you tell us what you need...' Talbott quickly understood what the witch was subtly asking for.

'Talbott. Talbott Winger.' KC grinned, getting up from her comfortable seat to loop an arm around the wizard's arm.

'Katriona Cassiopeia, feel free to call me KC if you want. It's a pleasure to meet you, my fellow coffee fiend.' After Talbott had a bit of caffeine fix (and an introduction to one Murphy McNully), he felt more level-headed about broaching this topic.

'So, what seems to be the problem? Looking to join the Quidditch team? While I don't know you at all, I can see you being a Seeker for some reason.' KC pointedly ignored Andre's offended squawk in the background, eyes solely trained on Talbott.

'No, I'm not looking to join. I didn't get into Quidditch until recently...' Murphy raised a brow, curious.

'Because of our local Pride of Portree fanatic here?' Talbott gave an amused snort.

'He wishes. Egwu has been trying to teach me about the sport or at least drag me a game since we became friends.' KC blinked, confusion flashing in those bright blue eyes.

'So why the interest now?' Talbott coughed into his fist, slightly flustered.

'I'm kinda dating a Quidditch player. A Beater, to be exact.' Murphy gave a knowing smile.

'Is it Judith Harris?' Talbott was glad he didn't sip his coffee when the Quidditch announcer spoke because he was pretty sure he would've spit it out all over his chessboard. Either that or choke.

'Wha-?! Did Andre tell you?!' Andre waved his hands in alarm as Talbott rounded on him with a glare. Murphy laughed, waving off the outburst.

'Well, it's simple really. There are two Beaters to every team. It can't be Rising Star here, seeing how you just met her. And I doubt you know the other Beater on Ravenclaw's team seeing how you're coming to learn the sport and its players. Even if you heard more well-known players like Erika Rath and Phoenix Lang, more well-known as Rath and Fireball on the Pitch, they don't seem like your type per se. And again, you probably don't know the other Beaters on those two teams so that rules Slytherin and Gryffindor from the running. All that's left is Hufflepuff's Beaters, Tigress and Hound. Or as you normally know them as Judith Harris and David Willows. Both are well known enough outside of Quidditch and are in the same year and you and Style Wizard here. Plus, David seems more like a lady's man so that leaves just Judith. It's really simple when you think about it.' Talbott narrowed his eyes, slightly put off at how well someone he just met was able to pinpoint his crush with just one detail and how much he could talk without seemingly taking a breath.

'Yes, it's her...' KC chuckled, giving the boy a grin.

'I think it's cute. But one thing I'm not understanding is why she would need help. She's a phenomenal player. From what I hear, she has a bit of a religious training schedule to stay up to par with anyone on the field.' Talbott sighed, suddenly feeling unsure about exposing what he knew. Technically, Katriona and Judith were rivals. While he may not know much like the average Quidditch fan, he does know not to reveal secrets to potential rivals or enemies. 

But the memory of Judith crying flashes in his mind's eye. He didn't want her to continue to suffer from anxiety attacks if he knew he could find help for her.

'I haven't seen her play but I've seen her train. And she's earned every right to be known as a phenomenal player. But... she's not one without struggle. Can I trust you two with what I'm about to tell you?' KC and Murphy watched as those red eyes carefully studied them both, heavily guarded with a glint of worry beneath the surface. Andre wore down his bottom lip with his teeth at the intense silence. He placed a hand on Talbott's shoulder.

'Tal, mate. I wouldn't have brought you to them if I didn't believe they could help Judith. Let alone hurt her.' Talbott's hands curled into fists on his lap, his gaze stubbornly switching between the wizard and witch sitting across from him.

'I trust you, Egwu. But I need to hear it from them.' KC's eyes softened.

'Hey, Judith and I may be rivals on the Pitch but it's all friendly competition. I wouldn't actively try to hurt someone who pushes me to be a better player myself.' Murphy nodded.

'I wouldn't do anything malicious to harm the girl either. I met her father on the day she tried out for the open Beater position years ago. She's a force in her own right but it's not strange to have flaws. It's not unusual for players to come to me for advice. I do my best to be unbiased so I'm not spilling any secrets to other teams to give them an advantage. Talbott let out a small sigh.

'Thank you. I'm sure you're well aware of Judith's scar. The thing is... she's semi-blind in that eye. While she can see shapes and colors, it's only with certain exceptions. She's been training to strengthen that weakness but she still experiences some difficulties. Maybe she has days where that particular eye would cause everything to be more blurry and of course, that can be a danger to anyone, including her. It overwhelms her to the point she would experience an anxiety attack...' Talbott sighed, running a hand through his messy bedhead.

'I told her that it's okay to have bad days and she should take it easier on herself. But I feel like this cycle will continue if she doesn't find a more effective way of handling this... s-so, will you help?' KC and Murphy looked at each other for a few moments before turning back to the wizard with a nod.

'Of course, Talbott. It might take a little time for us to brainstorm something but we'll help you two. Besides, it would be nice to get to know Judith more outside of our matches.' Talbott let out a sigh of relief at KC's words, giving the pair a small smile.

'Thank you...' Murphy gave Talbott a nod.

'Of course! Once we're ready for you, we'll send you an owl for you to bring Judith to the Quidditch Pitch later on. Don't worry, Talbott. We'll help your girl out.' This time Talbott did end up choking on his next cup of coffee, much to the amusement of the three people surrounding him.

Much to Talbott's surprise, Talbott received an owl the next day from KC. He did find it odd that it said to come to the Quidditch Pitch at night, but he decided to trust his fellow Ravenclaw. Judith accepted his invitation to meet him at the Changing Tents just outside of the Pitch with a bit of wariness.

'Not that I don't like spending time with you Talbott, but why are we out here?' Talbott gave his little bird a small smile.

'I want to help you train. Especially with... your struggle area...' The Hufflepuff narrowed her eyes as they reached the entrance of the Pitch.

'How do you plan on doing that?' Talbott stopped in front of her, taking the time to grab her hand. Judith couldn't fight the blush that crept up to her cheeks as the boy laid her palm over his chest while looking into her eyes. She could feel his heart quicken but his face gave nothing away.

'Do you trust me, Judith?' The young witch didn't have to think about it.

'I do.' Talbott smiled, bringing her hand to his lips to place a soft kiss to her palm.

'Then trust me when I say that I'm looking out for you. Now come on.' Judith stumbled over her feet to follow her crush, fanning her face to cool down her intense blush. They continued to walk until they were in the middle of the field. When she finally got her blush under control, she looked up to find that they were not alone.

'Judith! Glad you could make it!' Murphy greeted with a grin. The witch next to him stepped up to offer a handshake.

'Hey there, Tigress. Nice to officially meet you outside of a match.' Judith took KC's handshake with a befuddled expression.

"McNully, Rising Star, it's... nice to see you too. But, what exactly is going on here?' Now it was KC's turn to give a smile.

'Your boy here came to McNully and I for some help. To help you matter of fact in regards to your blind spot.' Talbott glared at KC's small tease before looking at the surprised face of his little bird.

'You told them about my blindness?' Talbott bit his lip at the question. He couldn't decipher her tone for it gave nothing away. Her face even more so. Outside of the pinch of her brows that signifies her confusion, he wasn't sure how the girl felt about exposing her secret to one of her rivals.

'I did. I-I... I wanted to help you in some way. But I wasn't sure as to how. I know Rath is doing her best but maybe you needed a different approach. I'm not a Quidditch player, let alone a Beater so Andre led me to two people who possibly could provide that. Please, don't be mad, little bird. I know it's your secret to tell, but I couldn't stand to see you like that again. Frustrated and feeling hopelessly lost to yourself over something that you couldn't have helped. I'm sorry if I overstepped.' Judith stared at him for a few seconds longer before bringing him into a hug. Talbott looked down at the girl in surprise but didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her. 

'I'm not mad, bird brain. You have nothing to apologize for. I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt me, and if you think that KC and McNully can help, I'm more than willing to hear them out.' Talbott squeezed her tighter, hiding his smile in the crown of her head.

'Great to hear that! Now, Talbott if you could remove yourself from my fellow Beater Babe's person, I want to show her what we came up with.' Talbott blushed, taking a stand by Murphy as KC looped her arm with Judith's to pull her to the crate with Beater Bats and a Bludger. There was a few metal practice dummies just a few yards away. Talbott turned to the handsome blonde commentator with a quirked brow.

'Care to share what you and Katriona came up with?' Murphy gave a smirk.

'Nope! For once, my lips are sealed this time. Just watch this lovely lady at work.' Talbott sighed, watching as the two witches converse with one another. He could spy Judith fiddling with her fingers, one of her nervous ticks, before grabbing a bat. KC already had the other one in hand, with her wand in her opposite hand.

'Now I'm gonna enchant the Bludger and we're gonna practice for a few minutes. Remember, don't be too hard on yourself and I'm right here with you so you don't have to experience so many close calls, alright?' Judith nodded, allowing herself to face forward with her left just as KC cast her spell. To Talbott's surprise, the Bludger began to glow a bright yellow, almost like a mini sun, zipping through the air before making its way towards the Hufflepuff Beater. Talbott watched with bated breath as he watched the familiar motion of Judith's swing and-

BANG! And-

CLANG!

Judith's smile was brighter than the glowing Bludger that night. And Talbott couldn't have been more happy to see the pure joy on his little bird's face.

While Judith was big on her training, both day and now night, that wasn't the only thing she did to improve. There were some instances where there were no bats and Bludgers involved. Those days were usually with her Captain, Orion Amari. Talbott found those practices a bit strange as the pair would be sitting on the ground meditating (something Judith would strong-arm him into doing as well), balancing on their brooms on a single leg, or being Inspired Broom Surfing. 

'Training is great to hone your skills, but a clear and steady mind can elevate one's game to substantial heights.' Talbott turned to find Orion standing beside him as he watched Judith surf on her broom. He regarded the older Badger with a raised brow, his silent question loud in the ears of the captain.

'I've known Judith since she was just a second-year student. Seen as a small, skinny, and shy Hufflepuff girl by many but I saw the fire in her eye. A spirit beaten down, but not broken. She wanted to prove herself. Something that is admirable but I could sense it was deeper than that. You saw it too, right?' Talbott froze as Judith's words flashed back to him.

'I promise I'm not this weak...'

'Yeah, I did...' Orion gave the young Eagle's shoulder a warm squeeze.

'You're good for her, you know? I noticed a shift in my Beater. She's not as hard on herself as she used to be. Her smile is brighter. And that only happened a little after you started coming around. And I greatly appreciate that...' Talbott swallowed around the emotional lump in his throat.

'I-It's nothing really. I would do anything for her...' Orion smiled, giving Talbott's shoulder another squeeze.

'The people who love her can see that. Trust me when I say that it means a lot to them and to her...' With that Orion hopped on his broom to surf alongside his student. Talbott watched as Judith gave her captain a bright smile, feeling one make his way on his own lips.

'She's so beautiful like this. In her element. Happy and healthy...'

Seeing her go through these different motions made him think of what she said on their date. How much she represents and values balance in her life. It just made her all the more intriguing and endearing to him.

It wouldn't be until their 5th year when he got to see her practice with her team. While they were real matches, Talbott always found them to be interesting and exciting. Seeing her play in action made him realize how good his little bird was and how well she and David worked together on the field. Even down to the Dobbleganger Defense, one of the most difficult plays for a Beater. The pride he would feel upon hearing the praise of her skill by the Quidditch commentator warmed his chest.

He couldn't wait for the girl's first game of the season.

Of course, he could've done without the pressure of meeting the girl's family. Talbott knew about her father through many sources. A former Beater-a Ravenclaw Beater at that, Talbott knew about her little brother, a Slytherin wizard in his third year if he remembers correctly, who he would see cling to her whenever he could get the chance. How he managed to avoid the little brother up until now is beyond him, but there was no avoiding it when the first fame of the season came around. It was Hufflepuff versus Ravenclaw.

There was usually a pregame party happening in the Courtyard before each game but Talbott knew his little bird well enough that she wasn't always one for mingling with others, at least not often. The next best place she would be is the Quidditch Pitch. 

Flying to the pitch was much faster than walking, and Talbott wanted to spend every second with the Hufflepuff Beater before her match. It wasn't until he was flying overhead that he realized that she wasn't alone. Part of him wanted to turn around and transform back into his human form so he could walk into the stadium instead. But Judith, ever so keen with her surroundings, spotted him. She waved him down with a bright smile, while the two males with her looked up to find him circling in the sky.

"Come down, love! I want you to meet my family," she called. After hesitating for a few seconds, he swooped down to land in front of the trio. The man and young boy looked at the eagle with a well-timed head tilt, though Talbott could see the suspicion in the man's pale gold eyes while there was a youthful glint of curiosity in the boy's near-black eyes. He looked to his little bird who gave him an encouraging smile. With that, he allowed himself to transform back into his human form. The boy flinched back before staring at him in awe. The older male version of his little bird only smirked.

"Like mother, like son," her father chuckled. Talbott eyed the man suspiciously. 

"I'm sorry?" Gold eyes regarded him with a knowing glint.

"Ah, you don't recognize me, don't you son?" Talbott's brow furrowed, racking his mind.

Has he met Judith's dad before? There's no way-

'Talbott, this is Kendrick Harris. He's my best friend from when I went to school. And his daughter, Judith...'

Talbott's eyes lowered to find a familiar necklace. The cord was decorated with dark red beads with a tooth of an animal of some sort.

"You... you were my parents' best friend. You came to my house that one time with..." he whispered, eyes watering. He turned to the witch next to him, finding that same warm look from that day in the Great Hall. The same look he got as they sat in the grand old tree on his parents' old property when they were children. Judith gave him a tentative smile, leaning in to kiss his cheek.

"L-Little Bird?" He watched as her smile grew.

"Yeah, it's me Bird Boy." He didn't hesitate to bring her into the circle of his arms, hugging her with all the strength she could muster. He smiled the joyful laughter in his ear.

"Talbott! You're gonna squish me," Judith giggled, hugging him back despite this. 

"You're the powerhouse Beater, little bird. If anything I should be worried about you breaking my bones with your bear hugs," he hummed. Kendrick let out a laugh at that, bursting the bubble the two teens found themselves in.

"As strong as my little girl is, she has one of the gentlest souls on this Earth. You should know," he said, with a kind smile. Talbott blushed before nodding.

"And I have you to thank for siring such a soul, Mr. Harris." Kendrick chuckled, waving him off.

"Call me Kendrick, Talbott. I'm not that old... plus, from what I heard you've proved me right. That you'll be good to my daughter and earn the right to be with her." Talbott and Judith balked at the elder Harris with blushes staining their cheeks.

"PAPA!" Kendrick raised a brow at his daughter's outburst.

"What? I'm the more tame parent. Ava had tried planning you two's wedding when you guys were toddlers," he said with an amused smirk.

"W-With all due respect, K-Kendrick, we're not officially together," Talbott stuttered. The man chuckled.

"Not yet, anyway." Judith groaned.

"Papa Kendrick, quit it. I already have to share Juju with her friends, I'll probably never see her if she gets a boyfriend," Nuri whined, finally chiming into the conversation. Talbott noticed the genuine discontentment on the boy's face. Judith huffed, extracting herself from Talbott's arms to snatch up her little brother. She placed her hands on his cheeks so she could meet his eyes.

"You listen here, Riri. No one will keep me from seeing and spending time with you. You're my little brother and will always hold a special place in my heart, understand," she said sternly. Nuri gave his sister a shy smile, before hugging her back. 

"I understand, Juju..." Kendrick and Talbott smiled at the sight before the man cleared his throat.

"The stands should be filling up soon, best if you boys find some good seats. You go ahead and change, baby girl. And remember, I'm proud of you no matter the outcome." Judith smiled at her dad, giving him one quick bear hug before the man went to the commentator booth. The three of them stood ready to go their separate ways before Judith stopped her brother.

"Before I forget, here you go, Riri." Talbott watched as the Hufflepuff took off her jacket, casting the Enlarging Charm before handing it to Nuri. She pulled the younger boy down to kiss his forehead, before making her way over to Talbott's side to kiss his cheek.

"Hope to see you two in the stands," she said before jogging her way out of the Pitch. 

The two wizards made their way up to the stands. Talbott could see Nuri eyeing him from the corner of his eye.

"What is it?" Nuri flinched, a bit surprised to be caught before deciding to speak up.

"This way is the way to the Hufflepuff Stands. You're a Ravenclaw, shouldn't you be sitting with them instead?" Talbott turned to look at the Slytherin wizard with a cocked brow. The boy didn't sound dismissive or hostile, just... curious.

"I want to support Judith. She's the whole reason why I got into Quidditch in the first place. It doesn't matter to me if it looks like I'm going against my own House. I'm here for her, and will always be here for her." Nuri smiled at the wizard, handing him the jacket her sister was wearing. Talbott took it with uncertain hands.

"Why are you giving me this," he asked as they made their way up the stands. Nuri paused on his next step and gave a shy smile, long fingers messing with a ring on his right hand. The same nervous tick as his little bird.

"My sister always gave me her letterman jacket whenever she played as a way for me to be comfortable sitting in with the Hufflepuffs ever since I came to Hogwarts. I'm going to be honest, I'm pretty selfish when it comes to her, and having to share her has been difficult for me. But as I got to see her interact with others and see those people care and love her too, I began to loosen up. While this is my first time officially meeting you, I can see how you look at her. Like she's the sun. The center of your universe. Papa Kendrick seems to like you a lot and he doesn't like the idea of sharing her love with any boy. Consider this my way of showing you that I'm willing to give you a fair chance. People who love my sister tend to be my favorite people, and I think you could be one of them." Talbott felt a flush wash over his face but he couldn't help but return the smile Nuri was giving him.

"Thank you. That means a lot and I would like to get to know you better too, Riri." The Slytherin boy sent the older wizard a playful glare.

"Okay, that's a step too far. Only Juju can call me Riri. My real name is Nuri. Nuri Lockheart." Talbott laughed at the look, it reminded him so much of Judith so he knew this look well enough to know that the boy wasn't actually upset.

"Heh, got you. I'm Talbott." The two wizards shared a smile as they continued their way up and reached the top of the stands. Talbott took the time to study the jacket, a letterman jacket as Nuri called it.

It was mainly black, with two stitched designs on either side of the torso. There was a gold honey badger symbol on the left side with two Beater bats in an "X" formation on the right. The sleeves were white and a bit baggy, looking like they would fit over his wrists thanks to the yellow cuffs with black and white lines. The same cuffs outline the collar and the bottom of the jacket. It even had decently sized-pockets. He flipped it over to find the word "TIGRESS" stitched on the back, the word beautifully made with gold yarn in impressive calligraphy. Talbott slipped on the jacket and immediately smiled.

The scent of his little bird lingered on the piece of clothing and he felt as if he was being embraced by the girl himself.

'If I could get away with it, I would never take this off...'

The duo decided to sit in the center on the bottom bench, only to be surprised to find someone already there.

"Merula?" The girl's head snapped up to find the two wizards standing beside her. And it didn't escape Talbott's attention that she was wearing a matching letterman jacket as himself, only it was obvious the jacket was made for someone much bigger than her.

"What are you doing here? Ravenclaw is on the other side and Slytherin isn't playing today," she snarked. Nuri frowned at the clear dismissal but Talbott knew better.

"The same reason why you sitting in the Hufflepuff stands. We're here to support someone we care about," Talbott clapped back. The witch blushed, grumbling.

"Fine, whatever. It's not like these seats are taken..." Taking that as an obvious invitation to join her, Talbott sat down next to the self-proclaimed "The Powerful Witch of Hogwarts" while Nuri sat beside him. Within minutes, the stands were starting to fill with eager Quidditch fans and casual watchers for the game. Even though there were some weird looks from the Hufflepuffs at the two newcomers who sat in their section, no one said anything to them. There was a buzz in the air until the crowd quieted with the sound of Murphy's voice.

"Welcome Hogwarts to the first game of this Quidditch season! Are you ready for this year's competition?" The crowds roared with approval and to Talbott's personal surprise, he was right there with that.

Talbott had to admit, he was excellent at getting the crowd going as he introduced the two teams. Ravenclaw had already made their entrance and waited in the middle of the field. It was now Hufflepuff's turn. He watched as the Hufflepuff team flew in, zooming through the stadium. He watched with bated breath as the team briefly paused in front of their stand, to the joy of the students there. Judith found him and Nuri easily, her eyes reflecting her surprise at him wearing her jacket before giving them a large grin. He could see the two top canines of her teeth were capped in gold before they zoomed off to meet their opponents in the middle of the Pitch. Despite being in his own heart-melting moment, he did notice that David, who was beside his fellow Beater, gave Merula a grin of his own followed by a cheeky wink. Talbott pretended not to see the blush on the pale girl's face.

Madam Hooch made sure to set the rules between the two teams, the captains of each team gave a firm handshake, and soon the balls were in.

The game has begun.

Talbott had to admit, it was the most fun he had in a while. Despite not fully knowing what was happening (Talbott was so grateful that he befriended Nuri as he was able to explain the mechanics of the game to him), the energy was contagious. Even Merula was standing and cheering for the team. The players were fast, it was sometimes hard to keep up with the action, even with his 20/20 vision. Sometimes he opted to just watch his little bird, who was her own beautiful force of nature. He watched as her mind was constantly at work, deciphering the patterns of the Bludgers before deciding on a play. Often passing the iron sphere to David, who used it to scatter the Ravenclaw Chasers. Other times, taking out unsuspecting players with a hit of her own. His favorite moment was the well-executed Bludger Backbeat, seeing her use the scarred side to knock a Chaser off their broom while dropping the Quaffle for Orion to steal for a goal, putting points up on the Badger's board. He was so caught up in watching her, he almost missed a stray Bludger making its way to him-

"Talbott, get down-" Nuri tried to warn him, but before he could pull Talbott down, it was deflected to the Ravenclaw Seeker (whom Talbott was sure spitting out some colorful language as they were so close to catching the Snitch). Talbott could only stare in a daze as Judith hovered over him on her broom. 

"You okay, Talbott," she quietly asked. Talbott, still in shock, gave a mute nod. Judith chuckled, leaning in to kiss his cheek before flying back into the fray.

"Awww, what a sweet moment from Hufflepuff's fiercest hunter, Tigress. Saving her handsome beau from a Bludger gone rogue before comforting him with a kiss! And who said romance was dead?" Talbott buried his red face in his hands as the crowd around him cooed along with Murphy's sentiment. Before Talbott knew it, the Hufflepuff Seeker managed to catch the Snitch, signaling the end of the game.

"Give it up for the Hufflepuff team! They will move on to the next round to face off the winner of the Slytherin and Gryffindor match!"

The next hour was a blur. With the win, of course, everyone on the Hufflepuff team had to accept the congratulations from fans and their rivals alike. Speaking eagerly amongst each other and toasting with some Butterbeer. Judith spent some much-needed time with her brother and father before they had to leave.

But soon, the field was empty and it was just Talbott and Judith. The young witch didn't get a chance to say a word as she was swept up in Talbott's arms, sinking into his warmth.

"I'm so proud of you. You were amazing." She smiled.

"How can I not? I have my number one fan cheering me on, wearing my letterman jacket better than I ever could." Before Talbott could say anything, most likely to refute the claim judging by his blush, she placed a single finger to his lips.

"Seriously Talbott. You helped me in more ways than you could ever know, and I wanted to show you by playing my absolute best. Your support, whether on the sidelines during my practices or in the stands at one of my games, means everything to me. Thank you." The boy beamed as he kissed her forehead.

"Anything for my champion..."

[nightingale2004]

HPHM fancast pt.6

Orion Amari

Faceclaim: Avan Jogia

£~£~£~£~£~£~£~£~£~£~£~£~£~£~£~£~£~£~£~£~£

Murphy McNully

Faceclaim: Owen Joyner

×÷×÷×÷×÷×÷×÷×÷×÷×÷×÷×÷×÷×÷×÷×÷×÷×÷×÷×÷

Skye Parkin

Faceclaim: Alisha Newton

□♧□♧□♧□♧□♧□♧□♧□♧□♧□♧□♧□♧□♧□

Erika Rath

Faceclaim: Kelli Berglund

[io-wall]

Winter Quidditch Cup at Hogwarts

[jesspersephone]

It’s been a minute since I’ve posted, but here’s some cute & wholesome ❤️Charlie/Jess💙 sweetness.

It’s 🦁Gryffindor vs Ravenclaw🦅 today and ❤️Charlie thought he’d sneak into Ravenclaw’s tent to give Jess💙 some love before they face off 😊 for the final time at Hogwarts

This piece was done by the lovely @tamdrry on Instagram and I can’t recommend Tam’s work enough!

[moonwater-hphm]

Guess who’s back, back again

Well, i finally found a modded version of HPHM and I had to start over, but it didn’t take too long to catch up, so hello again!

[starr-angelofnarnia]

🤣🤣🤣

This characterization is spot on

Murphy: I don't care what anyone else says, the black cookie part is the best part of the Oreo.

Orion: Dark without light is an abyss, light without dark is blinding. You cannot have a coin with one side.

Skye: Yo, Socrates, it's a fucking cookie.

[lyss-fletcher]

Lyss delaying practice for the third time this week because they’re too distracted flirting with Murphy lol I used a game screenshot to place the background and also Murphy lol

[marmotish]

November 1988

When Andre got made Quidditch captain, one of the things he wanted to do was re-design his team’s uniform. Tulip, despite not being on the team, enthusiastically put forward her suggestion for short shorts with Macbeth quotes written on the back. Andre straight up told her that his team wouldn’t be caught dead in something as tacky as that.

So of course, the night before Andre’s debut match as Ravenclaw Quidditch captain, Tulip sneaks into the team’s change rooms and swaps out their standard trousers for the short shorts of her own design. Just for fun.

Day of the match arrives, and Andre is literally fuming over Tulip’s little joke. The rest of the team seem largely unbothered by the shorts, aside from some particularly aggressive wedgie-picking on Skye’s part.

(Individual quotes as below)

Something wicked this way comes (Andre)

What, you egg? (Skye)

There is nothing serious in mortality (Freyja)

Let light not see my black and deep desires (unnamed 3rd Chaser)

Fair is foul (unnamed Beater 1)

Foul is fair (unnamed Beater 2)

Look like the innocent flower (unnamed Seeker)

[lifeofkaze]

A Sky Full of Stars

A/N: Look at me, I'm not ever going to write a mirror scene again. Look at me, I'm sticking with my words. Oh well. Last day, last prompt. Stargazing. Thank you to @hphm-ship-week for hosting this event. As always, the original to this mirror can be found here. Special thanks (and curses) to @eternalchaoschocolaterain. Look what you made me do.

Away from the bonfire of the victory party, the temperature dropped immediately. It was a mellow summer night, the air fragrant with the last idea of the wildflowers that lined the side of the path Lizzie and Orion were following along. A cool breeze drifted towards them from the Black Lake, its dark waters shimmering in the silvery light of the moon above. 

Ever since their first impromptu celebration of Hufflepuff winning the Quidditch House Cup - and what a win it had been - Orion had longed to finally be alone with Lizzie, to let the impressions and emotions that had stormed in on him since the end of the match settle. They hadn’t had a chance to speak yet, and even at the big party hoisted in their team’s honour further up the path, he had had no sight of her. 

Now, walking down the winding path by the lakeshore, it was like a heavy weight had lifted off Orion’s shoulders, one he hadn’t even realised had been there. He had been apprehensive of this moment but now that it had arrived, his nerves had dispersed like smoke, leaving behind nothing but a vague memory of the knot that had come undone in him when Lizzie had taken his hand and not let go again.  

They talked as they were walking, those couple of minutes since they had left the party filled with more words, more laughter and ease, than all the days since they had stepped off the Hogwarts Express last September until now combined. Orion had missed this; he had missed her.

At some point, Lizzie had moved closer to him, leaning subtly into his side when he let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She fit right into him, her body warm against his, growing increasingly more quiet as the path carried them further into the moonlit landscape surrounding the castle. Not thinking much about it initially, Lizzie’s silence soon stirred a sense of worry in him. An idea which seemed right and sensible in the warmth of a bonfire might look entirely differently once the golden glow was stripped away, leaving only the cold light of the moon to illuminate its consequences. Did Lizzie regret leaving with him? Did he? Was this a trial of their will, or were they headed down a path that wasn’t theirs to walk? Slowing his steps, he studied her but Lizzie didn’t seem to notice. She was looking up ahead, entirely lost in her thoughts.

“What are you thinking?”

Lizzie gave a start, as if she hadn’t heard him at all. “Sorry, what?”

“You’ve gone very quiet. What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing really, don’t worry.”

It had taken her only a moment’s hesitation to reply and yet to Orion, it felt like an eternity that made his stomach drop. Unwrapping his arm from her shoulders he stopped, turning her towards him.

“I’ve always known you to carry your heart on your sleeve, Chaser. Until this year. Now that you and Rowan have made your peace, I had hoped you would go back to not being afraid of your thoughts anymore. You don’t have to hide when you’re with me.”

Lizzie pressed her lips together briefly before pulling them into a weak smile. “I’m just not used to feeling this awkward around you.” 

She meant to lighten the mood, Orion knew that, but he felt like a door was closing inside him. He raised his hand to her face, brushing away a strand of her hair in the same way that had started them on this turbulent journey. 

“We can always go back if you don’t want this.”

Lizzie shook her head almost instantly, the determined look in her eyes as much reassurance as the hand she placed over his. Leaning into his touch, she momentarily cast down her gaze before raising it again to meet his. Even in the moonlight they looked blue, deep and dark and inviting, but there was an openness to them that Orion had rarely seen before, a vulnerability that was almost sacrilegious to witness. Running his thumb across her cheek, seeing how she closed her eyes to his touch, he whispered,

“Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?” Lizzie’s eyes softened, her lips parting ever so slightly. She tilted her head and stepped closer, and so did Orion, both their eyes closing, just a breath away from…

The sound of nearby laughter cut through the night, making them both start and hastily step away from each other. Another laugh followed, quickly hushed by a subdued voice and a giggle that ebbed in volume as the voices drew nearer. They had yet to see Lizzie and Orion, so he took her by the hand and pulled her off the path and into the shadow of a tree. Concealed from curious eyes, they waited for whoever had disturbed them to appear.  

It didn’t take long. First, the shadows of two people following down the lake path came into view. Soon, the shadows took shape, one tall and broad, the other small and stocky; both of them looked familiar though Orion couldn’t say why. Lizzie, who was peering at the approaching pair with furrowed brow, cocked her head.

“Isn’t that…”

The moonlight hit the couple on the path, revealing their friend and teammate Skye Parkin and - much to their mutual surprise - Erika Rath, Ravenclaw Beater and Skye’s declared mortal enemy. Or so Orion had thought. Lizzie had just leaned in to him to comment on this peculiar sight when her mouth dropped open and her eyes went wide. Over by a bend in the path, beneath the shadow of a tree not unlike theirs, Erika Rath had pushed Skye against the tree trunk, Skye’s arms coming around her neck in a tight embrace as they kissed passionately. A disbelieving giggle bubbled from Lizzie’s chest, quickly growing into laughter barely contained by the hand clapped  in front of her mouth. Her whole frame was shaking from it, so much so that Orion found it hard not to join in.

“Even the most steadfast rivalry can turn into fondness, it seems,” he chuckled, backing away from the tree to get back onto the path unseen. “Maybe we should leave them to it.”

Casting one last, disbelieving look at Skye and Rath, Lizzie followed him, bursting into laughter as soon as they were out of earshot. Her laugh was contagious, skipping over to Orion after all until it was bouncing back and forth between them. It made his belly hurt, and he winced as he tried - in vain - to relax his already aching cheeks. Lizzie was faring no better. She had laughed herself into a state close to hysteria, having reached a point where she was unable to stop. 

“You need to calm down,” Orion told her, fighting the urge to begin laughing again. Lizzie nodded and pressed her lips together but it was to no avail. She began giggling again, so he raised a hand and put a finger against her lips, as lightly as the touch of a feather. “Hush now. Calm down.”

Lizzie took a shallow breath and became still. Her shoulders relaxed and so did her features as she let Orion pull her against him. They stood like this for what felt like forever, neither of them moving, not daring to. A crossroad had opened before them, as plain for Orion to see as the moonlit water of the lake or the shooting star that cut across the sky. One road would continue them on familiar territory, steady and secure, a path they had begun to walk comfortably before it had become unsatisfying, without adventure, without promise. The other, branching off from the broad and well-trodden way, was obscure, winding, with an end they would be unable to see before they’d reached it. It could lead to the most beautiful place imaginable, or end abruptly and drop off into nothingness. Orion didn’t know what lay ahead, but the well-known roads had never much enticed him. He longed to explore this new path together with Lizze. All they needed to do was take a step. 

That and a lot more ran through his mind, thoughts tumbling over each other as he remained frozen, waiting - hoping - for Lizzie to do something. And she did, eventually, but in a way Orion hadn’t expected. 

She suddenly broke free and wordlessly wandered to an upturned tree trunk by the lakeshore. The mixture of relief and frustration at the moment having slipped by dissolved into wonder as Lizzie scrambled onto it and held out her arms to the sides.

“What are you doing?”

She laughed at his question. “Balancing.”

She walked to the middle of the trunk, Orion following her on the ground. The dampness of the night air had made the wood beneath her feet slippery, however, and in an inattentive moment, Lizzie misplaced her foot. She swayed dangerously, Orion’s hand shooting forward to catch her, but there was no need; she had regained her balance by herself and now stood facing him, an amused look crossing her face.

“Do you worry about me falling?”

“One time per day is enough, don’t you think?” Orion replied. Her collision with a Bludger earlier during the match could have ended nastily, even more so than it had anyway. The image of her clinging to that Ravenclaw banner, her broomstick tumbling to the faraway ground below her, had burned itself into his consciousness, making his heart race even now. His smile faltered at the memory, needing Lizzie’s touch to break him from his thoughts. 

“It is,” she smiled, seemingly more unfazed by what had happened than he was. Her hands came to rest on his shoulders, then wandered higher, gently brushing over his hair and along his temple. “But once again, you’re here to catch me.” 

Orion leaned into her touch. “I’ll always be here to catch you.”

Lizzie paused, dropping her hand from his hair to his neck as she pulled him in at the same time he stepped closer. His nerves had ceased to tear at him. All his doubts and worries disappeared as Lizzie bent down and he raised his chin and their lips met calmly, naturally, as if it had meant to be this exact way and no other. It was a sweet kiss, lacking the fire their first one on top of the Astronomy Tower had had, but there was a different kind of warmth to it; a warmth that spread through Orion like the blood in his veins, a warmth that made his heart beat fast and heavy and strong, making him feel focused, present, and alive. His lips pulled into a smile as he lifted Lizzie off the tree trunk by her hips and spun her around to set her to the ground, the sound of her laughter as silvery as the moonlight illuminating the night around them.

When they finally broke apart, Orion rested his forehead against hers, feeling even the last of the weight he’d carried fall from his shoulders.

“I missed you.”

Lizzie’s eyes softened at his whispered admission, gently touching her hand to his cheek. “I missed you, too.”

She kissed him again and rested her head against his chest, sighing deeply. She didn’t say anything for quite a while; so long, in fact, that Orion eventually grew uneasy.

“What’s the matter?” 

Lizzie shook her head against his chest, her voice thick with emotion. “Do you know how good it feels, not having to hide anymore?”

She sounded so relieved, so full of emotions she hadn’t dared to show to the world, that Orion just let her have that moment, running her hand over her hair until the tension had left her body. When he was sure she was in a balanced state of mind again, he gently let go and took her hand.

“Come on,” he said. “There’s a place I wanted to show you.”

He led her to a willow tree right by the water, a little set back from the path. He came here often, both day and night, to meditate or let his thoughts wander. He sometimes brought Murphy along, but never her. Somehow, it was different now. Somehow, he didn’t want this to be only his spot anymore.

“Stars again, huh?” Lizzie said, remaining standing when Orion had already laid back in the grass with his hands crossed behind his head. His eyes wandered from the glinting firmament to Lizzie, lips curving into a smirk.

“You sound surprised.”

“Not really.”

With a sigh, Lizzie settled into his side. Head resting against his shoulder, she looked up at the glittering expanse above them. The sky was crystal clear, its inky vastness dusted with sparkling stars and gleaming planets. A smile formed on Lizzie’s face as she observed them, so peaceful that the stars seemed just a little less bright than a moment ago.

“Care to enlighten me on what’s making you smile?”

Lizzie laughed quietly, nestling her head into the crook of his neck. “I just thought that I can now stop pretending not to know my stars anymore.” 

“You never had to in the first place.”

She didn’t reply, instead placing a hand on Orion’s chest, right above his heart. He covered it with his, still not quite daring to believe that this was truly happening, that this wasn't just a lucid, starlit dream. The idea made his head swim, the surrealness of it all threatening to overwhelm him. Willing his mind to be silent, he did his best to focus on what was right before him - the sky glittering above their heads, the water murmuring a couple of feet away, and the girl he had fallen in love with leaning into his side.

They lay like this for a while, stargazing, talking, sharing the occasional kiss and each other’s company. The universe turned above them, making it feel like they had fallen out of time itself when, eventually, the touch of Lizzie’s hand by his neck made Orion pull his shoulders up.

“You’re icy,” he muttered, capturing her hand between his as Lizzie immediately pulled away. “You should have said something.” 

“I’m fine,” Lizzie said but - as if only now realising herself how cold she was - her teeth had begun to chatter. “I didn’t want this moment to end. I wish it was forever.”

“In some ways, every moment is forever. You just need to hold on to what’s dear to you.” 

Turning one of the woven bracelets he wore around his wrist, Lizzie hummed thoughtfully. “What’s going to happen now?” “Whatever you want to happen,” Orion replied. Even now, there was a slight drop to his stomach as he considered her question. Choosing not to heed it, he rose to his feet, pulling her along with him. “But for now, I suggest we go back and get you near a fire.”

They walked back in silence, each following their own train of thought. Orion had his arm draped around Lizzie’s shoulder once more, hoping to provide her at least with a little of his warmth. She seemed comfortable by his side, albeit silent, but when the sheen of the bonfire appeared ahead of them and she slowed her steps, his doubts were there again all of a sudden, so strongly that, for a moment, Orion was sure he was dreaming  after all and now it was time to wake up. 

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Lizzie mumbled, not looking at him but the firesheen ahead. “Everything just feels so surreal all of a sudden.”

The knot in Orion’s stomach tightened. “Do you want me to let go?”

“No,” Lizzie said hurriedly, reaching for his hand to keep it in place around her shoulder. “This is what I want.”

Her words were like a key unlocking the band that had closed around his chest once and for all. Not that his heart was lying open, free to breathe and grow and fly, he was willing to give it to her wholly.

“That’s fortunate, Chaser,” he smiled, “because no matter what the universe had planned for us, I don’t intend to let you go anytime soon.” 

Lizzie raised her face and breathed a kiss against his lips, pulling him into her embrace. Sooner than Orion would have liked she let go and reached for his hand, walking ahead with a spring in her step, back toward the party, toward the light and life where their friends were waiting for her, for him, for… them.

Where everyone was waiting for them.