Quaffles and Waffles

Zara Scott. 24. Chaser for the Holyhead Harpies.

[quafflequeen-blog1]

“I think being paired up to the new Bats owner would be rather nice, or maybe one of the Healers. Who do you want to be paired with?”

[rorywebster-blog]

“Twinges this long after the injury aren’t great - not anything to worry about, obviously, but I should be able to sort that out. Oh, no, you should be fine, especially this long after. You’ve not been daft and tried to get on a broom straight after, which could have been disastrous, so apart from being a little out of practice, you’ll be playing completely normally. And all the stuff in your files looks fine. Perfect health, really.”

[quafflequeen-blog1]

“They don’t happen often. Just when I left heavy objects, or twist it in a weird way. Okay, good. I was worried. Excellent. Do you or have you ever considered working in healing for children? My former healer was the most involved in Lou’s health, but now that she’s leaving I need to find someone new...”

[luciahornby-blog]

“Trust me, I’m exactly the same. It’s arguing for it’s own room, these days.”

“That’s great, me and my mum are the same. D’you mean Andy Fawcett? The Bats Chaser?”

[quafflequeen-blog1]

“A dress room, now that would be quite amazing.”

“It’s nice being close to your mum, isn’t it. Oh, yes. Sorry, he’s basically my adopted brother, sometimes I forget we’re meant to be enemies or something of the sort.”

[battychaserfawcett-blog]

playdate [zandy]

[battychaserfawcett-blog]

“Oh yeah, Astrid’s magic I tell ya. Straight up wicked. Wooshes in and she’s cleaning everything up. Provin’ her naysayers wrong.” Andy might have become a little star-struck; after all, Astrid was an enviable woman. And his manager. Clearing his throat, he stood up straighter. “But you’re right. Sometimes, you just gotta write your own legacy.” 

Andy knew all about it. He may or may not have had a hand in the planning business. But it was fun to schedule; it was something he wished he could do with his own parents. “I don’t blame him. He’s got a high profile player in his house. It’s reasonable to get excited. I’d say Lou’s got her grandpa’s spirit in that. Look, ice cream makes her happy!”

Andy was fine, gesturing for Zara to hand Lou over. “Who cares? I’ve already called Lou so many relatives, I’m the magic babysitter off the pitch.” He chuckled at the title himself, grinning. “I bet Lou loves the cameras. Gonna grow up famous like your mama, aren’t you now?”

[quafflequeen-blog1]

Zara laughed at Andy’s enthusiasm about Astrid, “Star struck are we Fawcett?” she asked, bumping shoulders with him.

Lou giggled, reaching towards Andy and Zara smiled at her antics. “Oh, yes. We’re all about ice cream in the Scott household. Heavens knows she better be or else mum might have a fit.” she said jokingly. 

“I can imagine the press must be fawning over you. All you need now is a puppy and you’ll be set. With a puppy and a baby, they’ll all just fall head over heels for you,” she said, grinning. 

Zara smiled as he held Lou, “Oh, perhaps. But we shouldn’t be too disappointed if she isn’t. Mum thinks it’s too early to sign her up for Little League, which I suppose is correct. But maybe in a few years... Can you imagine Zita’s disappointment if the little one wasn’t obsessed with Quidditch?”

Hoisting her bag onto her shoulder she started towards the ice cream shop, turning and walking backwards so that she could still be face-to-face with Andy and Lou.

[elenarowle-blog]

“Practices aren’t exactly prime catch up time, are they? It’s okay, I was mostly reading it to have something to do to avoid Mr Stare-a-lot over there. How are you? And the little one?”

[quafflequeen-blog1]

“Definitely not with Zita as a captain. I’m still recovering from practice yesterday.” 

She glanced over her shoulder, “Ew. I’m sorry. Here, I’ll move to block him from your view.” She moved her chair over so her back was to the guy, and she was hopefully blocking him from Elena’s view, “I’m great, and she is as well, getting cuter and bolder by the day. She still hates mashed broccoli though, not that I blame her.”

[ballycastlepyxistravers-blog]

“She’s as good so far as I’d heard before we met, at least, which is a plus. Brilliant mind for business and all. It’s just odd actually having an owner that I have to clear things with instead of one that’s, you know. Barely showing his face. Morgan and Dawlish are definitely everywhere, though, it’s insanity. I’m hoping the papers will just back off now we’re winning games with him and all, but you know there’s never any kind of promise of that.”

“That’s impressive, honestly. Smooth changes are always a benefit, but always surprising as well. I did get to catch one of your games recently. He still looks a bit awestruck in air at first, but I suppose that’s expected for your first year in the League and all. You’ve got a good season at hand, I can see it already.”

[quafflequeen-blog1]

“That’s good. Yes, I was a bit surprised about her. Business to Quidditch isn’t exactly a common career path. Oh, definitely. The press always pushes things too far, don’t they? They’re ridiculous.”

“Thank you, it’s going well. I caught one of your games as well, and Morgan at least doesn’t seem off while in the air. I suppose Angel is, but we all were once, weren’t we? It seems like ages ago, though. He’ll get used to it soon enough.” 

[rorywebster-blog]

“Oh, I bet, that must be a nightmare. It’s bad enough that you guys don’t have any privacy, but the way the press go after families too is insane.” Rory took the files, skimming through them quickly as she spoke. “Mm, if it was only a sprain, it shouldn’t be too bad, and the ankle doesn’t get masses of activity in matches anyway. Has it bothered you at all since?”

[quafflequeen-blog1]

“It’s completely ridiculous,” Zara said, shaking her head in disgust, “No, not much. Sometimes it twinges a bit, but not enough that it actually prevents me from doing anything. And nothing from my pregnancy should impact my play too much, right?”

[holyheadangelburke-blog]

“I can definitely hope so. A couple of the companies I worked with before have gotten hold of me since the season started to get me to do some work for them, so I might have double the income here soon. Which is insane still, since I was scrounging for money this time last year.” He was too proud to ask his parents, either the adoptive or the biological, for help, after all. He was an adult, and he had to be self-sufficient now. Or so he was telling himself, even with his being barely 20 yet.

Setting his needed products on the counter as they reached the front of the store, Angel dug out his wallet and totaled up the cost before the woman behind the counter had time to actually announce his total for him so he could dig out the proper amount of money. “Yes, definitely ice cream now. I’m starved, I swear.” 

He let out a laugh with that, and handed over the money he’d counted out before taking his bag from the girl behind the counter with a smile and a nod of thanks. “Fortescue’s, or would you rather Apparate back to your flat and grab ice cream closer to home with the little one?”

[quafflequeen-blog1]

As Angel paid, Zara considered their ice cream possibilities, it was after a serious decision. “Fortescue’s, I think. I mean, nothing can really be better than them, right? And I can always do a freezing charm and she won’t even be able to tell. And they have the most choices.”

She grinned as she pushed open the door and led them out to the street, already imagining the ice cream possibilities. “I love ice cream so much, sometimes during matches, Zita would be so angry if she knew, when there’s not much action, I like to sit and imagine the type of ice cream I’m going to get once we’re done. I don’t know how anyone couldn’t love ice cream.”

Zara smiled as they walked down the street. It was an absolutely perfect day for ice cream.

[gossiphazelortiz-blog]

Keep It All Inside | Hazel + Zara

[gossiphazelortiz-blog]

It was awful of her to have the kind of satisfaction in discovering the truth that she had found, Hazel knew. It was one of the things that made her a terrible person, and she had known that for much of her adult life already. And how could she deny it? She made her living off of other people’s drama, other people’s personal lives. She was amoral at best.

But then, if they were less dishonest, she wouldn’t have to dig so much. If they would admit the truth, she wouldn’t have a single thing to tell the rest of the world. And this article, of course, would be one of her simplest yet. There was no need to spin fancy around the truth – and every one of her readers would know the difference.

Quiet for a long moment as she decided how she would write this out, and how to approach Beau prior to publication, she finally offered Zara a small smile and a shake of her head. “I care for the same reason any fan cares. Because you’re a Quidditcher, and therefore, you interest me. You interest everyone. And ultimately, I appreciate you all.”

Even if it didn’t appear that way. Hazel wasn’t lying; she did love the Quidditchers she wrote about, loved their talent and the personalities she saw so much of. She just valued here own career more than the potential friendships with athletes that didn’t know enough about her to hold the same leverage over her head.

“I meant it, by the way. She’s a beautiful little girl. You’re quite lucky to have her,” she finally opted to say, not touching on whether she would reveal the truth or not, whether she would let it be or dig a tiny bit more to get the last of her needed truth. “You should enjoy your afternoon off, though. Don’t let me spoil it for you. Or for her, for that matter.”

[quafflequeen-blog1]

The more Hazel spoke, the more Zara realized the gravity of the moment and the closer she got to tears. Hazel didn’t seem to realize how she was ruining any hope of Lou ever having a normal childhood, a childhood free from cameras, and her despicable father. Now everything was ruined, everything Zara had fought for for over a year. Gone.

She didn’t have anything to say. Nothing would save her or Lou now that Hazel had grabbed onto this secret. Soon the entire world would know and there was nothing she could do to stop it. 

Pulling Lou closer to her, she stood up as straight as possible and leaned as close as she could, looking Hazel straight in the eye, face filled with as much hatred as she could manage, “You disgust me.”

Turning, she left, her footsteps click clacking on the pavement, tears running down her face and onto Lou’s, as the little girl reached up to her mother’s face with a giggle. “Oh, Lou darling. I’m so sorry,” she sighed. In hours, the world would know, and that giggle would not be hers alone to cherish anymore.

[luciahornby-blog]

“Oh, that’s really nice of you to say, thank you. I was halfway done talking myself out of buying it because I just bought two new dresses last week, but now you’ve given me a reason to get it." 

 "Are you and your mum close, then?”

[quafflequeen-blog1]

“You should buy it. One can never have too many dresses, or at least I tell myself that, my closet seems to disagree.”

“Oh, yes. She’s wonderful. We have dinner every Sunday night together, well, not just the two of us - Mum, Dad, Andy, and I rather.”

[laurienshafiq-blog]

“Huh? What rumors, love?”

[quafflequeen-blog1]

“Oh, nothing to worry about. Just the ones about you being a sexist asshole.”

[beaudupont]

When Zara denied him, something inside Beau just snapped. He had half expected her to give in, half expected her to just say yes. But instead she had denied the little bit of hope he held. He had loved her. He had given her everything. And yet, here she was. Walking away from him, as if nothing they had shared had ever mattered. She had to leave. She had a game to play. 

“I don’t know what I did to you, Zara Scott, but I certainly hope that whatever it was, it was worth this. Not having me is the biggest mistake you’ve ever made, and probably the biggest one you’re ever going to make. I’m not going to wait on you forever, my dear. Think carefully about what you’re doing. I’m a Bulstrode, love. a Bulstrode and a Greengrass. You could have everything you ever wanted. And look at me. I’m amazing. Handsome and successful. Now what did I ever do to you but love you?”

[quafflequeen-blog1]

Zara didn’t know why she’d expected it all to be so easy, that he’d let her just walk away without having the last word. She paused, her back turned, watching their audience’s faces. His words filled her with rage. How could he be so blindly elitist, and not realize how dumb and prejudice he sounded?

Trying to calm herself, anger pumping through her veins, she turned around, and looked him dead in the eye. She stepped forward close enough that their eyes were inches apart, his breath on her lips. She glanced at his lips, hoping to fill him with enough hope, enough desire that he wouldn’t expect what she would do next.

“You just answered your own question, dearest Beauregard.” she whispered as sweetly as she could manage. She leaned forward, brushing her lips against his cheek, while simultaneously upending her large coffee on top of his head.

Zara turned and walked out, not turning around to see the look on his face at the scalding coffee that now dripped down his hopefully expensive outfit. She heard a few cheers as she left, but those couldn’t stop her either. A mixture of pride and disappointment at Beau’s lack of change in the past several months filled her as she headed towards the Holyhead Pitch.

[rorywebster-blog]

“Aw, she’s adorable! Look at her little face, oh.” Rory got strangely sentimental when babies were involved, especially recently - she didn’t want one, definitely not yet, but the feelings could almost be described as broody. “Well, I guess that means the checkup’s a lot simpler, then.”

[quafflequeen-blog1]

“Thank you,” Zara said, smiling, “It’s so difficult hiding her with that cute little face. My parents have had an absolute nightmare trying to bring her to the matches and hide her.”

“Oh, definitely,” she said, laughing, “I was going to have my old healer owl you my files, but I decided it was probably best to talk to you first. So, here.” she pulled a small file of papers out of her purse. “I’m still a bit worried about the ankle, but other than that I think it should be a pretty easy visit.”

[luciahornby-blog]

“I wouldn’t buy that, if I were you. It’s not your colour.”

[quafflequeen-blog1]

“Oh, it’s not for me. It’s for my mum. It’s her birthday next week. Thank you, though. I love what you’re holding. It matches your eyes beautifully.”

[elenarowle-blog]

Elena had been lost in the paper she was reading, and almost didn’t notice that someone was hovering by her table. She glanced up, a polite ‘I have everything I need, thank-you,’ on her tongue, as she expected to see the waitress, but she was mistaken. A glance around the teashop told her that all the other tables were full, and she was now paying for having picked a slightly larger table to herself, simply because it meant she got to sit in the corner of the room. “Oh,” she breathed quietly. “No, nobody else is sitting here. Feel free.”

[quafflequeen-blog1]

“Fantastic,” Zara said, grinning as she sat down, “I feel like I’ve hardly had a chance to talk to you since the season started. I hope you don’t mind me distracting you from your paper. I know how precious alone time can be.”

[holyheadangelburke-blog]

Angel felt the briefest surge of nostalgia looking over the beauty products they were passing by. It was an odd feeling, really. He was hardly out of Hogwarts still in his own mind, and yet he felt a small longing to be back a few years prior, a kind of pang that he hadn’t anticipated.

Looking back at Zara with her question, he let out a small laugh and a nod. “Oh yes, a few different ones, actually,” he returned. He had loved those shoots more than almost anything; only the high fashion shoots were better to him, much though he never got used to seeing his face everywhere.

“Oh, yes, perfect, this is just what I needed,” he offered after a moment, taking the bottle with a pleased look. “Perfect. Hopefully this takes care of the bruises. I always forget how much Quidditch can rough you up, honestly. I didn’t think to stock up on salve before now.” With that, he turned back toward the beauty products thoughtfully.

“Let me see if I can find…” He trailed off rather than finishing his sentence, moving in closer to the shelf and crouching down to the bottom shelf to look through a few of the different bottles. “Ah, yes. Here’s a couple. I can’t believe they still have these. Maybe I should move these up to the front, bet they’d sell better now that I’m better known.”

He pulled two forward, showing one that had him looking more masculine and clearly geared toward selling to new young men, and the other the epitome of feminine and geared toward new young women. Anything to draw people in, he knew. “I used to love these shoots. I still get this concealer free when I want it, as long as I get hold of them.”

[quafflequeen-blog1]

“I know,” Zara said, smiling, tracing one of her one bruises, “One of the parts I certainly didn’t miss last year.”

Zara laughed, looking at the bottles, “Very nice. And yes, you’re right. They’ll be gone in no time, I’m sure,” she said, looking at the bottles on the lower shelf. “Maybe during off season you can do it again. I’m sure they’d love to have you, their revenue would likely triple.”

She began wandering towards the front of the store, thinking of the ice cream that would soon be in her hand. Her stomach rumbled. She hadn’t realized she was that hungry. “So, ice cream now? Or do we have something else?”

[ballycastlepyxistravers-blog]

“We did, we did. We got Morgan, Dawlish went to Montrose. And that’s right, Astrid. Still getting used to having a lass own us yet, but it’s been good so far. Changes are always a little rough, you know as well as I do. You’ve a new Seeker, right?”

[quafflequeen-blog1]

“I’ve heard good things about her, and the Morgan and Dawlish thing is all over the papers, isn’t it?”

“Oh, yes. We have Angel. He’s lovely. So, I can’t really complain about changes much. One of the smoothest transitions we’ve had really.”