it's the greatest game in the world.

ELIZA BLYTHE. TWENTY-SEVEN. KEEPER EQUIPMENT MANAGER FOR THE CHUDLEY CANNONS. I LIKE LONG WALKS TO THE QUIDDITCH PITCH, A NICE BOTTLE OF FIREWHISKY, AND GETTING CAUGHT IN THE RAIN. WANT TO KNOW SOMETHING ELSE? JUST ASK. I DON'T BITE...MUCH.

[lizablythe]

T H E G I R L : an off-day playlist (part 2/2)

1. andrew belle - in my veins.     “all that you rely on and all that you can fake will leave you in the morning.”

2. michele grandinetti - take me to church.     “that’s a fine lookin’ high horse. what you got in the stable?”

3. zayn - good years.    “we’re too numb and dumb to change the story. neither one of us wants to       say we’re sorry.”

4. marianas trench - good to you.     “just got caught between someone i just invented: who i really am and       who i’ve become.”

5. east adelaide - you don’t get to love me.    “girl you know my hands are tied when your x still marks the spot.”

6. mitchell tenpenny - drunk me.    “been sober since you broke my heart in two ‘cause drunk me can’t get          over you.”

7. benny blanco ft. halsey & khalid - eastside.     “suddenly we turned twenty-three now we got pressure for taking our life        more seriously.”

8. natalia kills - problem.     “but you know what they say about me: that girl is a problem.”

9. hailee steinfeld - most girls.    “We're all just playing a game in a way, trying to win at life.”

10. walk the moon - one foot.       “well, cross my heart and hope to die. taking this one step at a time.”

11. bleachers - i wanna get better.      “i didn’t know i was lonely til i saw your face.”

12. gym class heroes fr. ryan tedder - the fighter.      “give ‘em hell, turn their heads, gonna life life ‘til we’re dead.”

13. bexar - be good to her.       “gotta hold her tight. gotta let her breathe. make sure she knows she                shines like gold.”

(listen)

[lizablythe]

“Wouldn’t even have been close if you’d been guarding the rings.”

The man was definitely just trying to stroke Eliza’s ego, but she couldn’t help but grin anyway. It was easy to smile at strangers after a win, and though she didn’t think that some random bloke in Scotland was truly a Cannons fan, it still gave her a little thrill to think that people still thought so highly about her. She accepted the beer he’d offered her and offered him a toast before taking a long pull and ducking into the crowded bar, disappearing among the robes of orange and blue mingling. The crowd seemed mostly Chudley, but there were scattered navy blues throughout. Eliza knew that drinking was for failure as much as for celebration. She felt good about the match. She’d yelled herself hoarse when Rhys had come up with the Snitch and Greg had lifted her clear off of her feet in the ensuing dogpile, which Artemis had dragged her into. It felt good to be a part of it again, even if she was a bit wistful for the game itself.

Hunkering down in one of the only open stools in the place, she hunched her shoulders and exhaled on a sigh. On one hand, she was ready to get back home and to get back to normal, but on the other...well, she liked living in little victories, and this was one of the only ones she’d had in a while. 

“So,” she said conversationally to the person to her left. “Did you catch the game?” 

[lizablythe]

T H E G A M E:  a pre-game playlist. (part 1/2)

1. krewella - team.      “i ain’t givin’ up. i ain’t givin’ in. i don’t need a crown to know i’m king.”

2. trapt - headstrong.  “back off. i’ll take you on . headstrong to take on anyone. “

3. imagine dragons - warriors.  “but you always knew that you'd be the one that work while they all play.”

4. sam tinnez - legends are made.   “i got that lightning inside me. this is how legends are made.”

5. imagine dragons - thunder.    “just a young gun with a quick fuse. i was uptight. wanna let loose.”

6. sleeping with sirens - legends.     “if we win or lose keep your heart on your sleeve.”

7. fall out boy - centuries.    “and i can’t stop ‘til the whole world knows my name ‘cause i was only            born inside my dreams.”

8. welshly arms -legendary.     “Been dreaming of the payoff through the struggles and the trade-offs.”

9. onerepublic - counting stars.     “every thing that kills me makes me feel alive.”

10. panic! at the disco - high hopes.      “mama said ‘burn your biographies. rewrite your histories. light up your        wildest dreams.’”

11. gavin degraw - fire.      “doesn't matter how long it's been. i know you'll always jump in ‘cause             we don't know how to quit.”

12. panic! at the disco - victorious.      “tonight we are victorious. champagne pouring over us. a.ll my friends             we’re glorious tonight we are victorious.”

13. andrew c.k. - party hard.      “cause we will never listen to your rules. we will never do what others do.”

(listen)

[lizablythe]

darcyhowe‌:

     “If nature thinks I’m going to walk around in public with breath that smells like I chewed up a bag of coffee beans, nature can screw itself.” She sipped at her overly-sugared drink with pleasure; coffee was one of the few things she cheated on. Her diet and exercise had always been rigorous – they were just her lifestyle now – but good coffee was worth dying for. 

With a heavy sigh, Darcy settled in for the long haul, taking up a seat across from Liza without prompting. “I can’t help the failings of others.” However unfortunate that might be. “You know as well as I do that you only managed it because I got flagged earlier in that game.” It was something that rubbed her raw for months, watching from the ground as Liza made a shot she potentially could have deflected with a perfectly aimed bludger. She’d done the same a million times before. The argument didn’t matter; Liza had been, and always would be, a step ahead of her. It was why Darcy was always so determined to one-up her. 

It was sobering to realize she had, in a way, just by virtue of her comeback. “It doesn’t matter, though. Once you’re back on the field, we’ll see if you still have it in you.” Not if, but when. She was Darcy’s only real competition; she needed Liza out there playing. 

“You got flagged for nearly decapitating one of my Chasers, so.” Eliza’s shoulders raised and fell in a shrug. There was a little more leeway in the League, but at Hogwarts, the dirty plays were more scrutinized. They just wouldn’t fly, pun intended. “And I managed it because I’m good at my job, but, please, keep thinking you could have thrown me off my game. It’s hilarious.” Once or twice, it had even worked. But she’d gotten a little bit older and a little bit wiser. Beaters rarely threw her off of her game anymore...unless they threw her off her broom, and even then, she’d made the save against the Wasps before dropping like a fly. 

The thing was, she’d planned it that way. Eliza had been captain of the Slytherin team that final year at Hogwarts, and she’d told one of her youngest -and most irritating- Chasers to stick close and circle Darcy to take her eyes away from the other two, who were able to pile up the goals in the meantime. It was a little bit dirty, maybe, but to Eliza, it was just strategy. 

And it had obviously worked. Smirking at the beater from over her mug, Eliza raised her eyebrows in mock surprise. “Careful. It almost sounds like you want me to come back.” It was still a dream of hers, still something she’d love to be able to do, and perhaps Darcy would give her motivation to do it. She’d always played better against teams with someone like Darcy: a rival, but a good player who pushed her to do better. She missed it. She sort of missed this, too, even if this wasn’t exactly Madam Puttifoot’s. 

“You broke my nose one time. That was fun.” 

[lizablythe]

obviouslyorion·:

“I won’t pretend to know anything about what’s going on up there,” his finger lifted from his glass only to indicate the television closest to them. “Shame they lost to Denmark, though. Football always seemed like a tedious sport to me. There’s not nearly as much action as I’d like. Watching two teams endlessly running around just makes me tired.”

He could easily scoff at the rushing of the pitch, which was a spectacle that he’d decided was very much beneath the Cannons. It was something he expected out of Falmouth – - the scrambling, fighting, and overall aggressiveness of the situation - – but he’d watched from his box as rabid fans claimed the field. His feelings might’ve been more aligned toward the chaos during his younger days, but Orion was older and certainly in no shape to be tossing jinxes at any witch or wizard who had the misfortune of wearing blue. “They’ll be flagging wands next game,” he mused. “Can’t imagine what the consequences were on the financial side of things. Ballycastle’s not likely to let anyone come near their stadium now that we’ve made a mess of it.” 

Orion could appreciate the viewpoint of another bystander. He had never played quidditch himself – - Merlin forbid he incur the wrath of his father - – but he’d attended enough games and had watched from the sidelines long enough to feel like he had something to contribute to the conversation. Liza had been on the pitch not long ago, but she’d been forced to stand aside while someone else took her place; as far as Orion was concerned, they were on an even keel. “Not a bad analysis. If you ever decided to leave managing behind, you’d make quite the commentator. Lee Jordan’s going to have to watch his back. I hope they’re considering your opinion when it comes to coaching decisions; it’d be a waste to let you wither in a locker room.” 

“It’s the best parts of Quidditch, though,” Eliza replied, pointing with the hand holding her beer towards the screen. “You’re trying to put the ball in a target while someone incredibly talented tries to stop you. It’s simple, but fun.” As a  former Keeper, she was probably a bit biased. Her attention left the game as it went to a TV timeout.

Eliza grinned. “I wouldn’t able to stay impartial. Maybe I’d coach. I’m coaching now, actually, but eight-year-olds aren’t really as high-stakes as I’m used to.” It was fun, though, even if everyone wanted to be Seeker at that age. She’d found a kid who was going to be a fantastic Keeper someday, though, if he just stuck with it. Orion’s words were sort of like having ice water dumped over her head; she was withering in a locker room six days a week right now. But what, exactly, could she do about it? 

[lizablythe]

darcyhowe·:

     She grinned as she watched Eliza join her at the imaginary finish line, unbothered by the dig at her coffee. She could handle a little snark on Liza’s part, as long as there was caffeine in her body soon. Even if it was overly sugared. She just shook her head, letting Liza lead the way and standing back as their drinks were ordered and prepared. She looked into the black pool that was Liza’s cup and grimaced at her. “You’re judging my coffee?” She snorted. “It looks like they pulled this up from the bottom of the black lake, courtesy of a giant squid.” 

The barista called out her order and Darcy took the warm paper cup between her hands, sighing at the soothing temperature. She held onto it, turning back to Liza. “For once? I’m sorry, do we need to sit down and recount all of our Hogwarts games?” She smirked, shaking her head. “If you ever need a reminder of how superior I am, you know where to find me.” 

A small part of her, though it knew better, wanted to offer to help Liza train. She wasn’t sure where the notion came from, just that it urged from the back of her mind and she had to stamp it down. Viciously. She knew Eliza well enough to know that offer would be a complete disaster. 

“This,” Eliza said, punctuating the word with a sip of her coffee. “Is how nature intended for us to drink coffee.” Bitter, like her. Perhaps that was why Eliza enjoyed it so much. Quirking an eyebrow, she gave a swooping mock bow and practically threw herself into the nearest booth, sighing contentedly at both the caffeine slowly getting into her system and the warmth of the cafe, which was a welcome change from the temperature outside. Pulling a foot up onto the bench so that she could prop her chin upon it, Eliza clicked her tongue. “All of them would take a while, but I can remind you of our last match. I made that penalty shot save right before your Seeker decided it was a good idea to catch the Snitch...Pity she was never very good at math.” 

There were dozens of other matches, and they’d been split pretty evenly, in the end. But Eliza’s Slytherin team had taken the cup her Seventh Year and that was all that really mattered. Darcy would have had an entire season without having to compete with her, but, then, Eliza had already signed with the Cannons by then, so what did it really matter?

[lizablythe]

obviouslyorion·:

A beer and two of the usual. While Liza made herself at home, Orion idly wondered if he’d have to suffer through some sopping mess of a burger or if ‘the usual’ was a bit more palatable. Judging by the look of the place, he couldn’t expect a Michelin-quality meal, but it’d be better than whatever he could’ve cooked himself. At least there was solace in knowing that the kitchen staff was more culinarily competent than he was, no matter their skill level, even if they were a bunch of muggles.

“You come here often, then?” The staff knew her and her order, which would’ve been impressive if they weren’t surrounded by too many televisions. Orion could begrudgingly admit to himself that the atmosphere was brighter than The Leaky Cauldron, but a distinct lack of magic left him on edge and uncomfortable. Elitism aside, he regarded the television and the woman in front of him. 

“Impressive,” he drew the word out as long as he possibly could. Muggle sports held no interest to the eldest Beaumont, but he’d be a piss poor Irishman if he didn’t at least have some interest in the country’s team. “How’re they stacking up this year?” Despite sounding like a man who regularly followed the national team, Orion’s attention was focused solely on Liza and, to a lesser extent, the beer that was brought to him. “Dublin seems like a lifetime ago,” he admitted, grinning into the first sip of a beer that turned out to be much better than he’d anticipated. “Quite a disappointment, that was. I’m sure we’ll make up for it in Edinburgh.” 

“Usually once or twice a week,” Eliza replied with a shrug. She wasn’t much of a cook, and after her long days, the last thing she felt like doing was trying to make herself something. Some people found dining alone strange and awkward, but Eliza quite liked it. Besides, she usually ran into people -some she knew, some she didn’t- who wanted to talk, buy her a drink, and share a meal. It was a bonus when they paid, like Orion apparently was, but even on the nights where she sat tucked into her booth alone, it was better than being cooped up in her apartment with her cat. Most of the time, anyway.  “They’re doing alright. Lost a heartbreaker to Denmark last I saw, though.” She took a drink and then rested the glass against her knee, idly tracing the rim with her fingertip as she listened, but didn’t look at, Orion. Dark eyes were focused on the movements of the players on the screen. “The rushing of the pitch was new. I thought we were all going to be trampled,” she said conversationally and with a click of her tongue. She offered a noncommittal lift of her shoulders. “If the Cannons play the same game we’ve been playing, they might end up with the same result. The Beaters need to focus more on the defensive plays because the Chasers are getting knocked around too easily. Puddlemere’s figured out what won them the Cup and they’re doing their best to knock them off of their game. It worked last time.” Eliza wasn’t entirely sure when it had shifted from us to them, but she wasn’t playing for the Cannons this season. It had finally sunk in. And it kind of sucked, actually.  She took another drink.

[lizablythe]

darcyhowe·:

     She snorted, shaking her head but letting herself take it easy as she kept pace with Eliza. It was a bit of charity, really, which she knew the other would hate. Darcy couldn’t seem to help herself, though – she did feel bad for her. She would really have to find a way to deal with that feeling because it wasn’t sitting well in her gut. 

At least a quick win would help.

“Your strategy is shit.” They were maybe fifty feet from their goal and she let herself push forward again, breaking stride with Liza to sprint the remaining feet toward the cafe. She was already dreaming about the large latte coming her way as she threw her arms in the air, spinning around in a small victory leap before turning to watch Liza join her at the finish. “I take my coffee with an extra shot of espresso and double foam.” 

Eliza was pissed.

But she was pissed more at herself and at her body’s limitations than at Darcy. She was a witch, for God’s sake, and yet an injury had sidelined her for the better half of a season and kept her in bed for months. It was beyond frustrating that, despite months of training, she still wasn’t back to her usual self. There was no magic spell to make her back to normal...and if there was, she wouldn’t have used it anyway. If she was going to get back to her usual self, she was going to do it based on her own efforts and merit. She could feel her lungs aching and her muscles cramping even as she forced herself to keep going. As Darcy pulled away, she knew it was over.

p>But she would’ve been more pissed had Darcy let her win. She didn’t need anyone’s pity, least of all from someone like Darcy Howe. Eliza slowed to a halt a couple feet ahead of Darcy and stretched her arms over her head, letting her breathing regulate back to normal before speaking. “That’s not coffee. That’s dessert.” With a sigh, Eliza pulled open the door to the cafe and made a beeline for the counter, parroting Darcy’s order at the guy behind the counter and ordering herself a large, black coffee. Predictably, hers was finished before Darcy’s fancy drink was, and she accepted it and took a long sip before glancing back at Darcy. 

“Must be nice being faster than me for once in your life.” 

[lizablythe]

darcyhowe‌:

     It was a bet that Darcy could live with, confident that her times were better than Eliza’s by a long shot. After all, a broken hand hadn’t stopped her from running every day, just as she always had. Still, she swore under her breath as Eliza took off, no warning to be had, and immediately kicked herself into gear, pushing fast and hard from the start. It would slow her down later but if she could gain enough distance, it would be worth it. 

“You’re still a cheater!” she noted, keeping her breathing even as she kept pace at Eliza’s heels, letting herself lag behind to catch her breath from sprinting so quickly. She only lagged behind a beat before she sped up once more, cutting ahead just enough to look at Liza over her shoulder with a grin. 

“And you know I hate that nickname.” 

“It’s not cheating. It’s strategy.” Eliza might have been rounding back into form over the last couple of months, but she knew that the ones she’d spent motionless in bed, and then, after she’d come to, slumped on her couch, had left her muscles wasted and her form smaller than it had been even a year ago. Her muscle mass was less and she was working every day to get it back, but her endurance hadn’t quite gotten back to where she was used to. She could still run 10 miles a day, if she wanted to, but she would move slower. Eliza knew she needed a bit of a head start if she hoped to beat Darcy.

The rush of competition gave her a little thrill and she picked up speed as she ran down the sidewalk. Still, though, Darcy was right there, and before Eliza could blink, she was passing her. Gritting her teeth and digging down deep, she pushed herself, ignoring the jab of pain in her left knee as she was able to get back within stride of Darcy, which was all that really mattered. “I, personally, love it.” It was two blocks. Why did it seem so far away now? She should have had another cup of coffee.

[lizablythe]

robynandnicolascannons·:

Robyn quickly was okay, looking around for any damages orthings they could have destroyed with no intentions. Her eyes returned to theother, with kindness. “Good that you are alright, Liza. And that’s what matters.”She tossed her hair to the side because it was bothering her that thing everywhere,including on her lips. But sometimes, Robyn hated how Liza would turn theconversation as something so simple as equipment, especially when she has somuch potential. “I would prefer you racing against me in the air. And I believeyou would win that easily. You are more than just this, you know? But, if youwant to help me to choose a new pair of gloves as a friend, I will kindlyaccept.”

Eliza couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “I haven’t been flying for that long, Robyn. Unless you were taking it easy on me, you’d definitely win.” And that was the last thing Eliza wanted. If she was going to practice, she wanted to practice hard. It was something she and Greg would do, sometimes, and it might have been because they weren’t as close as she was with some of the other Cannons. Still, she wasn’t about to say so aloud. This wasn’t a therapy session (that was later in the week). “Tell that to the Cannons,” she said brightly, though the words were definitely true; the Cannons hadn’t even held her a reserve spot, as much as she bled for them. She’d still walk right back if they offered her the spot, though. It was a bad place to be. 

Shrugging that thought process off, Eliza focused on the solid: gloves. “You want something thick but with good grip so...” She ducked maneuvered her way around the shelves and to a rack of gloves. “Probably here or here. I’d go with the black, but that’s just me.”

[lizablythe]

darcyhowe·:

     It wasn’t in Darcy’s nature to go easy on those that had always been considered competition; every friendship from her Hogwarts days came from the pitch and old grudges died hard when competition was her only motivation. Still, watching Liza now, knowing how close she’d come to beingher, was sobering enough that she withheld a smartass remark. 

Well, a more smartass remark. “You probably need it to keep up with all those toddlers.” It wasn’t that she had been following Eliza’s downfall, except that she had been. Stalkerishly. Knowing where her rivals were made it easier for her to train accordingly, though it was unnecessary now. She could take two weeks off and still be ahead of Liza, just out of sheer dumb luck. “Lucky kids, though.” It was as close to a compliment as she was willing to give, only allowing herself to toe into Liza’s shoes long enough for the unnecessary guilt to nudge at her. 

Exhaling in one big breath, she glanced around the deserted street around them before raising her shoulders, “Wanna race to the coffee shop down the block? I’m sure you’re dying for a challenge.” 

“You can’t tell me you’re as fast as when you were twelve,” Eliza replied with a shake of her head. She did up one shoelace, then the other, for good measure, before getting back to her feet and tucking her hands into the pockets of her jacket. It was...weird, actually, looking across the sidewalk at Darcy and seeing what could have been if the Cannons had been as sure in her abilities as the Falmouth Falcons, of all people, had been in Darcy’s. A simmering jealously still lived somewhere beneath her ribs, though it had simmered just a bit since she’d first read those headlines in Quidditch Daily. It wasn’t Darcy’s fault the Falcons were a decent organization or that Chudley hadn’t done the same for her. Did it mean Eliza wasn’t as good at her job as Darcy was? Eliza didn’t think so, but she couldn’t really be sure.

It was nice to go back to normal. Or as normal as she and Darcy ever were, which was over-competitive and snarky. Eliza stretched up on her toes for a second or two, looking down the block for the cafe’s sign and nodding automatically. “Sure, but loser buys the coffee.” 

It was irritating how well Darcy could read her, but she assumed that was just because they were so similar. If Eliza was dying for a challenge, so was Darcy, even if it meant going up against a washed up, former Quidditch star. Eliza was still faster than half the people on Falmouth’s roster. She was sure of it. And, without bothering for any sort of countdown, she took off, laughter catching the air behind her. “Try and keep up, Howie.” 

[lizablythe]

darcyhowe·:

     As if Darcy hadn’t been running this same stretch of sidewalk for the last handful of years. It was the perfect area; close to her apartment, close to a nice little cafe, close to a park so she could switch things up from time to time… The only drawback, in fact, was that sometimes on rare occasions, someone would pop up and get in her way. Not that Liza was the worst person to run into in the early hours of the morning but… Well, it didn’t get much worse. 

“I’ll be sure to bring my spray paint tomorrow and correct that.” She crossed her arms, pretending to be annoyed. The reality was that Liza had been on her mind lately. The injuries they suffered were vastly different but Darcy would have been lying to say that she didn’t feel even a twinge of sympathy for her old rival. Not everyone could have a loyal team that would wait out the brutal rehabilitation process. Which was the exact reason Darcy would have never thought to leave the Falcons, no matter their reputation. “Are you getting ready for tryouts? I hear it’s harder to get picked up by teams when you’re… older.” 

Unwittingly, her lips twitched in the ghost of a grin, though she managed to tamp down the laughter that was bubbling in her throat. It threw her back about ten years, to Hogwarts corridors and playful wagers on Slytherin vs. Hufflepuff Quidditch matches. She shook her head to do the same to the memory and popped the other earbud out, absentmindedly draping them around her neck instead. “I’ll be sure to run right over it.” 

Eliza scoffed. “You make me sound thirty-five with bad knees.” Darcy was all of a year younger than she was, which she knew from their school days. She dropped to a knee to do up a loose shoelace, just for something to do with her hands -and to give her an excuse not to look Darcy in the eye for two seconds. Once she’d rearranged her features into a more neutral expression, she glanced back up, blowing a flyaway strand of hair out of her eyes. “Can’t a person get back in shape without pursuing a professional Quidditch career? Godric.” Tryouts sounded miserable. She hadn’t done so since before her draft year, and even then, it had been more of a formality than anything. She was good. It was more of an excuse to showoff back then. Now? Well, she assumed it’d be more comeptitive. 

And not just because she was old, now.

[lizablythe]

darcyhowe·:

     The sun peaked over the horizon, painting everything in Darcy’s path with vibrant shades of color. If she had grown up to be an artist, she might have tried to find a way to capture the beauty of it forever. Likewise, if she had been a writer, she would have wanted to dedicate a thousand words to the variety of shades and textures dancing across the pavement beneath her feet. Maybe, if she had been a normal muggle like the rest of her family, she would have delved into something involving science, to better understand how this phenomenon came to pass each morning and each night, when the world changed colors according to the time of day. 

Instead, Darcy continued putting one foot in front of the other, pushing herself to move just a little bit faster instead of daydreaming about colors and their complexity. She did this now; considered the alternatives for her life, simultaneously shutting each and every one of them down in favor of pushing herself harder in her Quidditch career. It was a strange form of perseverance. Or maybe it was just a better way to remind herself what she was fighting for. 

Slowing to a walk, she rested her hands on her hips and tried to regulate her breathing, starting to mental clock on the five-minute break between sprints. Her eyes watched the progress of the sun over buildings, enjoying the privacy that early hours offered her, until she spotted a figure approaching in the distance. A slow smile creeped onto her face and she stopped, letting them come to her. “Don’t you know this sidewalk is reserved?” Sarcastic, though by the tone of her voice, a random stranger would have been terrified all the same.

6 am wakeup, one cup of coffee to keep her from suffering the world’s worst headache, and by 6:30, Eliza was out for her morning run. Armed with a bottle of water and something called and “ipod” she’d bought on the muggle side of London, she pulled on her sneakers and set off. She started slow, a jog to get her blood moving, though as her playlist clicked over from a slower song to something faster, Eliza turned up the speed.

The adrenaline was the best kind of high, and it pushed her to run faster and farther lately. Eliza could feel her muscles protesting; she hadn’t stretched beforehand like she should have, but it’d be okay. At least her head wasn’t fogged up. With the headphones in and her music blaring, Eliza was lost in her own world. She was thinking about all the rest of the things she needed to do today. Quality Quidditch supplies for the team’s latest equipment needs. Practice, where she’d coach more than manage. Then it was broom repairs and laundry and collecting the balls until everyone else had left the training facility and she could finally, finally get on a broom herself...

And then she’d have to rush home, feed her cat, and make it to midget practice to teach some 10-year-olds how to dodge a bludger. So this time, this hour or so before the rest of the world woke up, was precious...and someone was interrupting it.

At first, Eliza assumed the figure up ahead wasn’t talking to her at all, but then she recognized that they were in a fairly deserted patch of street and she yanked one earbud out to survey the person in front of her. Darcy. Of course. Slowing to a stop and taking a swig of water, Eliza let her breathing even out before she bothered to respond. “I don’t see your name on it,” she murmured, coupled with the patented Blythe eyeroll. “Fancy meeting you here.” As if it was the first time this had happened.

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[lizablythe]

robynandnicolascannons·:

Robyn wasn’t looking either. She was obsessed by a new pairof gloves, searching for one it could fit better and be able to manage St Nicholaswith majesty. Her hands tried to held in one of the tables near hear to preventher to fall when the voice of the other who helped her to keep steady was Liza.“No worries, Liza. I know sometimes you enjoy yourself thinking that I couldfall one day.” She laughed a little, returning to the other with a gentle smileas she saw the other still wearing the Chudley warmups. “Are you good? That’swhat matters to me now.”

Eliza quirked a brow. “Only if you land on your feet,” she shot back easily. Having suffered a pretty devastating fall, that was the last thing she wished on anyone -except perhaps the beater who’d hit the bludger...or her oldest younger brother. Taking a step back and linking her fingers behind her head, Eliza offered a shrug. “I mean, I’m still standing, so.” She was good. Better than she had been in a while, actually. But something kept her tongue tied as she gave Robyn a once-over. “You know, if you need new equipment, I’m your gal.” She was the Cannons’ equipment manager, after all.

[remusjohnslupin]

HARRY POTTER HISTORY MEME → two historical events [2/2] » The Tournament that Nobody Remembers

“The 1877 Quidditch World Cup, dubbed the Tournament that Nobody Remembers, was one of the more notorious of controversies surrounding the Quidditch World Cup. A tournament was arranged for 1877, with a venue chosen, tickets sold and merchandise produced, but nobody, player or supporter, could remember having attended any matches.”

[lizablythe]

obviouslyorion·:

Still playing. 

Interesting choice of words. Orion acknowledged it little more than a raised brow, though he filed it away for a time after he and the former keeper had a few drinks in their respective systems. Was she bitter? Realistic? He couldn’t be sure. One thing he did know, however, was that he wouldn’t have ever considered gracing a muggle establishment under different circumstances. 

“Televisions,” he mused in an attempt not to sneer. “Well, I’ve seen worse. The Leaky Cauldron has drunks at every barstool.” How bad could it be? The sensory overload, he assumed, would be worth it. “Consider it collateral for the autographs.” 

He was amazed by her confidence, if only momentarily. Without so much as a hostess to escort them to a booth, Eliza took up her spot and made herself comfortable long before Orion eased into the seat in front of her. “I’ll follow your lead on the food, then.” She must’ve known what was best at the Muggle-equivalent of a pub. Was this the equivalent of a pub?

All at once, his eyes were drawn to the numerous television screens on the walls. “Which game are we watching, Blythe? Wouldn’t want to miss any of the highlights.”

The booth could easily fit seven or eight people, and she’d dragged the team here on more than one occasion to celebrate a win or, more often than not, commiserate about a loss. That meant it gave her room to scoot her back against the wall and stretch one leg out in front of her, the other knee pulled up to her chest. One of the waitresses caught her eye and already had her preferred draft in hand when she swung by the table. “Thanks, Jackie,” Eliza grinned and took a swig from her glass before setting it aside and gesturing across the table. “He’ll have a beer, too. And two of the usual.” 

Settling back in the booth and nursing the beer in one hand, Eliza gestured to the TV directly across from them. “It’s Ireland’s national team. I’ve been following them since we went to Dublin.” 

[lizablythe]

obviouslyorion·:

“You can never have too many,” he nodded toward the brooms, as if everyone in the goddamn wizarding community could afford whatever they wanted at the drop of a hat. He had personally never been that much into collecting brooms, but he had an array of canes that acted as a sheath for his wand to show for the fact that he was hardly frugal. To each their own. 

He was astute enough to realize she was looking toward the pub – - he even tossed a look in the same direction for show - – but her explanation sealed the deal. Orion had nowhere to be, and he wasn’t going to waste a golden opportunity. “I’m getting lunch as well. Mind if I join you? I”ll foot the bill for the trouble.” A grin was impossible to manage by the time he nodded toward the pub she’d been eyeing, “It’s not every day that I meet a quidditch star on the street. The most I get to hear about the Cannons is from my brother and Quidditch Daily. So, it would be my pleasure.”

Eliza had to disagree. As a player, she’d only had one broom through her entire school career, and really only bought a new one her third year with the Cannons, after her agent insisted...and the old one had been broken in a tragic accident. She could have repaired it easily, but her agent had gotten her a deal with Nimbus and the rest was history. She had photo shoots and ads in the papers for the latest models, but up until her most recent injury, she’d had the same broomstick for her entire career. It was just...routine. Most Quidditch players had it. It probably wasn’t something someone who didn’t play would understand.  She was halfway to saying she had money to pay for her own meal, but if a Beaumont wanted to pay for her to drink beer and eat a cheeseburger, more power to him. Eliza shrugged and headed toward the pub, tossing a glance over her shoulder as she went. “I can get you autographs from the ones still playing if that’s your thing,” she teased. Humor was a defense mechanism. That’s what the healers had said. But it helped ground her, remind her that while this man might still see her as what she once was -and what she still wanted to be- she was no longer playing.  If Eliza was honest with herself, she knew that the simple word (star) had made the decision for her. “Come on. But I warn you, it’s Muggle friendly and there are televisions on the walls.” She wanted to catch the end of the football match, anyway. So she ducked inside, held the door open for Orion, and then made a beeline for her usual booth, nestled in the corner, with a good view of one of the biggest televisions. It was the little things in life.