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I want to give a HUGE thanks and shoutout to everyone who participated and helped to make this event successful !! I originally organized this event hoping for the fandom to come together and celebrate each other’s pairings and the characters- and you guys blew me away !!! I saw so many beautiful pieces made by each and every one of you, and I want you all to know just how wonderfully talented you ALL are. Thank you so much for participating !!! Expect another post from me soon 👀👀
HPHM Ship Week: Day 3 - Sunset
Here we are at the end of this amazing event! Thanks so much to @hphm-ship-week for putting all of this together for everyone! It's been so much fun writing and seeing everyone's creations!
It had been a long day. A lot of Matthew’s most physical classes had all coalesced on his timetable, and so had spent the day doing Quidditch Practice, Care of Magical Creatures, Potions, and even had time to stop a gargoyle that had broken free from one of the school’s roofs. Suffice to say, he felt shattered. Having just returned the gargoyle to its spot, he went to climb back down before feeling a wave of exhaustion crash into him and drive him forward, forcing him down onto the tiled roof. He sighed, and leant his head back. The sky was that very light shade of blue it goes before going into the yellows and oranges, and the few clouds that circled overhead were tinted pink in the glow of the setting sun.
He must have spent a few minutes simply lying there, letting his body ache itself out and admiring the view. He watched as the sun sank lower, and the crowds of students below were enveloped in the growing shadows of the castle. It wasn’t long, however, before he heard a window below him open, and a grunt as someone else climbed up to the roof. Matthew felt another wave of exhaustion getting ready to hit him before it all seemed to dissipate at once as he saw Merula’s messy hair appear, followed by the rest of her.
“Neat spot you’ve found, Luther…hell of a climb getting up here, though…” she wheezed, lying down next to him and catching her breath. “I’m guessing that’s the gargoyle everyone was talking about?”
She pointed over to the stone statue on the far edge of the roof, which rolled its eyes and started to shuffle away, muttering something about “teenagers”. Matthew nodded in return. “Yeah, that’s him. I think Peeves must have talked him into it or something. He’s probably learnt his lesson now, though. Hopefully, hah…” he trailed off, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Sorry, I’m just, um…”
Merula turned on her side and looked at him. “I know. You’re overworking yourself. This happened last year, remember? You’d drained yourself of energy and I had to be you for the day.”
Matthew smiled. “Yeah, you were pretty good at it. The only bit you struggled with was doing it quietly.”
“I was…I was fairly quiet!”
“You burst into a room and yelled out “It’s Merula o’clock!”, I really don’t think you can say that-”
Merula shoved him playfully, her cheeks going pink. “Oh…hush. I still did well. You want me to have another go?”
“I…I think I’ll be alright, but thank you.” Matthew said, now turning on his side to look at her. The sun’s rays were falling upon her face, illuminating her brown hair as if it were an orange and golden flame. “I wouldn’t mind working with you, though.”
“Charmer.” Merula chuckled, “But I nonetheless accept. As long as…well. I suppose we’d have to be careful about how we do it.”
Matthew nodded. They already didn’t want any of the students knowing about the two of them, and certainly not the staff. “I think we could pass it off as us still being in denial. They’ve caught us being a lot closer and-”
“That’s not what I meant.” Merula said, bluntly. “Look…you’ve spent the last three years here trying to “make up” for your first two. I’ve seen you go through it each time, and now we’re…well, whatever we are…I’m going to be nudging you an awful lot more than I already was.”
Matthew nodded, his face still red, and not just from the setting sun. When she wasn’t trying to provoke him, she could read him like an open book. “Y-You’re right, um…I guess trying to do absolutely everything isn’t a complete solution to doing nothing. I guess I’m just…afraid of going back to that.”
“You won’t.” Merula promised, placing her hand on his shoulder. “Because…you never were there. I mean, sure, maybe at the very beginning when you sulked in Ravenclaw Tower all the time, but trust me when I say that just by being around, you seem to make other people feel better…” she said, her smile more genuine than Matthew had ever seen it, “...I should know.”
Matthew suddenly felt immobilised, only able to blink and open and close his mouth once or twice. Merula had stumbled upon a weakness of his: the inability to accept a compliment. “I…I, um, you, you really mean, but that’s, um-”
She simply laughed, in that way she sometimes did where her nose wrinkled and her head tilted back, a soft pink covering her cheeks and nose. “I mean it. It’s why it pisses me off seeing you forced to work like this because nobody else can be arsed.”
Matthew tilted his head. He knew where Merula was coming from, but to him, at least, his friends did more than enough for him. “...You know…I could say the same thing about you.”
“What?”
“Well, I think you’ve had just as much influence on this place as I have. You’ve pushed people to get better, and you’ve grown in response to it.”
“Well, maybe, but…I never meant to-”
“Neither did I. But you did. You never stay still, and that’s why I try to keep up with you…because being on pace with you is a feeling like nothing else.”
She blinked. She would have said, if asked, that she was shielding her eyes from the setting sun, and not that she was trying to cover the red across her face. It seemed that they shared a weakness, despite all their differences. She briefly leant over the roof, and seeing that nobody was around, removed the hand from her face and placed it on his other shoulder. “Nobody does it like us, do they? We’re like the knights of this castle.”
Matthew leant forward a little, not needing Legilimency to know what Merula had in mind. He watched as the sky around them became a fiery orange, as on the other side of the horizon the dark blue of the night began to creep in. “I always saw myself more as a caretaker, but knight sounds a lot cooler.” he admitted, smiling softly.
“It certainly does.” she said, leaning even closer. “If anyone catches us, I’m hexing them off the roof.” she whispered, her eyes beginning to close.
“Fair enough.” Matthew whispered back, before closing his own eyes, seeing only a fiery gold as their lips found each other. His arms moved to her shoulders as one of her hands slowly moved up into his long brown hair. The exhaustion that had previously covered his body had faded, and he suddenly felt a great deal more energised as the two leant further into their kiss. Matthew wasn’t sure how long they spent up there, but when he opened his eyes again the sky was visibly darker, and the face of the woman he admired was now illuminated by the final few embers of the sun before it dipped below the horizon. But to Matthew, she still looked radiant as ever.
“We’ll have to remember this place. It seems like a nice, quiet spot, especially now we’ve scared the gargoyles off.” Merula observed, her hand still running through Matthew’s hair. “You feeling better now, Matthew?”
Matthew pushed himself up from the roof, that same flustered smile still on his face. No matter how many times they found themselves alone like this, Matthew still couldn’t quite believe that Merula had trusted this side of her to him, and him alone. “Definitely. Ready to go and grab dinner?”
Their hands found each other as they walked away as one, breaking only to climb back down through the window. As Matthew looked back at Merula, his knight in emerald armour, he somehow already knew that as wonderful and sacred as the orange sky was, it could only ever be temporary. It would need to give way to what came next, and whether that was day or night, Matthew knew that it was with her that he could find the strength to meet it.
Stargazing
The sun set on the last night of Katriona and Lizzie’s time in Mexico. As the faintest of stars twinkled overhead, Katriona sat in the sand with a pout. The next round of campers wouldn't report to her grounds for another six months; the twins were back in school until then, and she felt she had seen all there was to see of Mexico, all of New York, and all of Wales.
Three stars in a short row began to take shape in the darkening sky, a belt as familiar to her as any shape in the universe. She glanced at the others, starting to glisten out of January's darkness. A throne took shape in the distance.
"I'm not ready to leave. This had been paradise," Lizzie broke the silence as she poured another drink.
Katriona hummed in agreement, licking the salt from her glass. She nodded to the hunter hovering above in the stars. "You've got so much to return to," she laughed, sipping her drink. "We both do. But that's what makes time away so important," she added, gazing back to the throne.
"Time away is good," Liz agreed, laying back on the warm sand. "But we always find something to come back to. We always will.”
@lifeofkaze I have had so much fun sending our girls off for a much needed getaway in honor of @hphm-ship-week
HPHM Ship Week: Day 2 - Soulmate AU
It's time for another ship fic! This time we have a look at how things might go in a world where relationships and destiny have an odd connection to each other...
Again, thanks so much to @hphm-ship-week for organising this event!
It seemed like a perfectly ordinary evening as the students of Hogwarts filed into the Great Hall. They’d been called in earlier than usual for some sort of special assembly. Amongst the crowd, within the Slytherins, a girl with bright pink eyes and messy brown and orange hair looked across the room.
“Looks like it’s only the fourth-years.” she said, raising an eyebrow. “Wonder what this is about?”
Ismelda, who looked on with her usual lack of enthusiasm, shrugged. “No idea. Probably something dull like a new room we’re not allowed into.”
Barnaby had his eyes on the back of the room. “Oh, there’s something under the cloth! Maybe it’ll be….a cake?”
Merula looked across at him. “Barnaby, I don’t think it’ll be a cake. The cloth would get icing on it.”
“Oh yeah.” Barnaby said, frowning. “What do you think it is, then?”
Merula had to get up on her tiptoes, but she saw what Barnaby was talking about. “Hmm…some kind of trophy? Maybe we’ll have a new inter-house competition! I’ll get to kick Luther’s arse again!”
“Doesn’t he kick your arse all of the time?” Ismelda pointed out, flicking the hair in front of her eye.
“It’s…” Merula hissed, clenching her fists. “It’s 50/50. We’re rivals, damn it! I get just as many wins as he does!”
“Maybe.” Ismelda shrugged. “But he doesn’t care about it like you do. So that means he gets an extra win.”
“Oh, are you guys talking about Matthew?” Barnaby asked, innocently. “He’s over there if you want to say hi!”
As the fourth-years sat down, Merula was unable to stop herself from turning to Ravenclaw. Sure enough, sitting at their table a few seats down was Matthew Luther, spinning his silver bracelet around on his wrist. There was a moment when he looked up at her, but Merula scowled and looked away.
“Whatever this is…I’m going to beat him!” she muttered under her breath.
A few minutes passed, and Professor Dumbledore stepped into the middle of the room, as Filch dragged the cloth-covered object over. “Welcome, fourth-years!” Dumbledore’s voice boomed, “welcome to a very special moment in your magical journeys. As you know, our society has enjoyed relative tranquillity outside of the occasional dark wizard. The reason for this is that everyone knows that the person they end up closest with is the most perfect one for them.”
Merula had only been half-listening when she realised just what Dumbledore had been saying. This didn’t sound like “inter-house competition” talk.
“This part of our world has been kept secret from all of you until now, and I ask that you do not discuss it with anyone in the lower three years. There will be severe punishments if this happens. Do I make myself clear?”
The whole room nodded, muttering to each other. Merula also noticed Matthew clutching his stomach. He always did that when he was stressed. She’d always found it odd how someone so capable at magic could have such an adorable habit. No, no, nott adorable, maybe…silly. Yes, silly. She definitely didn’t think it was cute or anything like that.
“So!” Dumbledore brought his hands together before reaching for the cloth. “Behold the secret to your happiness. The Mirror of the Soul!”
Dumbledore pulled the cloth away, and there stood a luxurious mirror, the glass held aloft by what looked like silver branches complete with leaves. There was a loud “oooo” as people craned their necks to see more properly.
“One by one, you will come up and gaze into the mirror.” Dumbledore explained. “You will then get to see your soulmate. From there, you will have free time for the next two weeks to find and get to know your soulmate even better. Following this, you will be given new timetables for your lessons together.”
Merula blinked once or twice. She wasn’t sure she’d heard him right. Soulmates? The thought enveloped her head so quickly she barely realised that she’d got up into the queue of fourth years, all excitedly chattering to each other about who their soulmate might be. Barnaby ended up near Matthew in the queue, and Merula could only watch as Barnaby excitedly began to talk with him. Looking at them standing like this, Merula hadn’t realised just how tall Matthew was until now. Even though he was slouching, he was still more or less at the same eye level as Barnaby. A vague curiosity about what he’d look like standing upright appeared in her head for a moment.
Once the line had been formed, the soul-reading began. One by one, each student went up, stared into the mirror, and stepped away with a significantly changed expression, be it surprise, relief, heartbreak, or anything else. Merula had to cover her mouth to laugh as she watched Penny walk away with an incredible look of confusion on her face. The K’s passed into the L’s as Jae walked away happy and Chiara walked away incredibly flustered, and didn’t miss the look they gave each other. By the time they’d reached the L’s Merula had barely started thinking about who she wanted her soulmate to be. She’d honestly never even given it much thought, never exactly subscribing to fate or destiny (unless of course it was her destiny, that being one of greatness).
Having gone just before Chiara, Barnaby jogged back down the line to Merula. “That was so cool! I never even expected it! Oo, Matthew’s next.”
Matthew slowly made his way up to the mirror, taking deep breaths as he did so. Merula scoffed. “Look at him…who’d he reckon his soulmate would be? Lobosca? Tonks?”
Barnaby’s smile turned into a frown. “Actually, um…he didn’t think he had one.”
“What?” Merula asked aloud. “But he’s…” she paused and fumed for a moment, before turning back to Barnaby. “What’s with him?! Why can’t he see how popular he is? How much people just love him! Why on earth would he think he couldn’t have a soulmate?”
Barnaby shrugged. “You know how indecisive he gets. This might help him, though.” He pointed out, before moving towards the others.
Merula turned her attention back to Matthew. He’d been staring into the mirror for a while, the glow of the glass illuminating his face, his green eyes focused on whatever he was seeing. It must have been important, as Merula noticed his tongue slightly stuck out in concentration. He always seemed to do that right before coming up with another of his brilliant plans, often thwarting her own. She didn’t mind, though. She liked the challenge, especially from someone like him…a thought which she wasn’t going to fully process at that moment.
Eventually, Matthew pulled away from the mirror, his eyes wide. He didn’t seem to have a stomach ache anymore, and simply walked down with the other Ravenclaws who had been soul-read. Merula tried to keep her face still as she realised what she’d been hoping for. The Ms-Ss passed by in mere seconds from her perspective. Before she knew it, it was her turn.
She huffed, and strutted over to the mirror, making a show of how totally beneath her she found all of this. She rested her hands on the silver and gazed into the mirror. She felt herself lean forward, her face passing through the glass, and suddenly she was somewhere new. Refusing to let this sort of thing get to her, she swam through the clouds, trying to find something or someone.
Giving up, she yelled out “Hey! Anyone there?! Isn’t someone supposed to be telling me who my soulmate is?!” But there was nothing.
A deep fear arose within her. Did she even have a soulmate? Could anyone, feasibly, realistically, want to spend their life with her in it more than anyone else? The thought made her feel very afraid as the clouds around her began to grow dark. She’d be alone, wouldn’t she? She’d done it to herself after all, it was how she wanted it…but it wasn’t so simple, she realised. This was more than being a lonely heart, dreaming of romance. She had become a lonely soul, desperate for any human connection. And no one would give it to her, right?
The answer to that question appeared embarrassingly quickly. She knew the one person who might possibly understand how she felt. Who knew loneliness. Who knew how it could make you throw your life away for no good reason. Who knew how tricky it was to rebuild everything, but also knew how important doing so was. The clouds had parted.
Before she knew it, she was back in the Great Hall. She wasn’t sure how long it had been, but she turned to try and voice her thoughts.
“...Oh…” was all that emerged from her mouth. She walked away from the mirror, back across the line, and sat down. She turned, and found that she had sat next to him.
He looked over at her. You okay? His expression read.
No point denying it, is there? Her expression replied. I suppose you’re stuck with me.
Matthew’s eyes widened and he pointed to himself. No, no! You’re stuck with me.
Merula simply rolled her eyes. Fine, we’re stuck together, then. Not much different from how we were anyway. Matthew couldn’t help but laugh at that. Merula smiled as well, her eyes fixing on the open door. You know, with everyone stuck on the soul-reading, we could just leave.
Matthew considered this. As long as you don’t think we’ll get caught…
Who could keep up with us? Merula held out her hand, and Matthew took it. They turned to run, out the door, out the school, and away…
***
Merula found herself in her bed. She opened and closed her eyes a few times, before her eyes widened. She twisted around and planted her face into her pillow, cringing at herself.
This isn’t fair. I thought I wanted to be alone, but then that Smartarse showed up and now…now I’m having dreams where I’m his…
She paused mid-thought. The word filled her brain. She didn’t need some magic mirror to know that they were more similar than most people knew. She knew and he knew, and somehow she preferred it that way. She knew now, in her soul, that this was unavoidable. She’d have to do something about her crush on Matthew Luther.
First Kiss
In every good bottle of tequila, there's a worm—something dug up from far below the surface, something that had no business being brought into an otherwise delightful night of cherry margaritas. Lizzie Amari had found it.
"To forty years of friendship," Liz cheered as she clanked her margarita glass to Katriona's. She continued with a slight slur in her words as she sprawled on the pure white sand. "Was there ever a time you doubted we'd still be drinking margaritas and celebrating life together at our age?"
Five decades of memories swirled with five margaritas in Katriona's mind as she pondered the question. If she'd ever had a ride or die, it was Liz. In fact, it took everything she had not to blurt out the suggestion of matching "fly or die" tattoos. She had no reason to believe their husbands would expect anything less.
Still, the question sunk into her mind like indelible ink. Had there been a time when she wondered if their friendship would survive? She took another sip and gazed up at the sky. The sun was setting fast, and the full moon had already made her presence known as if to join them for an evening of drinks and memories.
The moon had been there, after all, on the one and only night Katriona felt a pang of regret where Liz was concerned. It wasn’t easy, back then, having two best friends. The evening breeze over the inky seawater took her back to the commentary box, the tequila took her back to the kisses shared with Murphy in the moonlight, and the wind sounded unmistakably like the howling sobs heard as dear Rowan retreating from the astronomy tower.
Katriona poured the last shot from the bottle and carefully removed the long-dead being from the bottle. She'd discarded several in her life, but this one was unlike the others. Or perhaps she was unlike herself. She dug into the sand with reverence and buried the worm into the warm pocket of the seaside. The tide would wash it away in time, as it did all things. Looking at the moon, she considered each phase of her own life and the lives that had come and gone in the course of forty years. Throughout all their phases, no matter how challenging or predictable, Lizzie and Katriona persisted and always would.
Taking a deep breath and the final shot, Katriona left the past and the future where it belonged and returned to the present. Smiling at her dearest friend, she raised her glass, and turned her gaze to the stars. “Doubt us? In no universe.”
@lifeofkaze - the moonglow heard ‘round the world didn’t escape the notice of Murtriona, who definitely winced for a sec before they toasted their lattes in celebration 🌝
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
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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..."
hphm ship week day 1 - dance
@hphm-ship-week
"After all these years... I finally get to dance with you."
Can't believe it takes them almost six years to actually dance together after meeting for the first time honestly, everything would have happened pretty fast if there weren't a billion misunderstandings between them.
i learnt today i'm not fast at art LOL i couldn't finish the coloring so i just left it with some black and white. i hope thats not a problem :(
HPHM Ship Week Day 1 - Dance
Here we go! Thanks to @hphm-ship-week for organising this wonderful event!!
The night was still and serene as a figure made its way through the winding corridors of Hogwarts. The only sound that could be heard was the rhythm of ticks from the clock tower as the silent figure manoeuvred across a set of stairs, having memorised exactly how they operated and knowing when they were going to try something new. It wasn’t until he arrived just outside the Great Hall that Matthew Luther started to hear something else. He tiptoed forward and saw a light coming from up another staircase. His eyes widened as he remembered that it had just gone midnight, and that made it…
“Tonks’ birthday…” he muttered, sliding down the wall and putting his head in his hands. Of course she would be having a party in the morning and at night.
“Oh, so that’s what it is.” said a voice just above Matthew’s head. He turned around and saw that two of the large stone knights were leaning forward to look at him. He’d noticed the two of them before, seemingly a lot more active than their fellow guards stationed across the wall.
“We were wondering, you see.” the second knight said. “Well, I was wondering what it was. He was wondering if it was an open invite.”
“It’s a perfectly reasonable question.” the first knight retorted. “Makes sense too, considering that awful caretaker is on holiday. Are you going?”
Matthew winced. He and Tonks had talked about it a few days before, and she told him that Penny wanted to throw her a party, and while he didn’t have to show up, she thought he might have a good time. He definitely wanted to, but there was always that part of him that told him he couldn’t.
The two knights looked at each other as Matthew deliberated in his head. Finally, one of them seemed to get an idea. “Oh! Didn’t we see that Slytherin girl head up there earlier?”
Matthew looked up instantly. If the knights had expressions, they would have been smirking triumphantly. “Well, we did, yes…” the second knight explained, “she said she would be going to investigate those Vaults, but from the sounds of things she’d been dragged into the celebrations.”
The music continued as the three stood there in silence. Matthew did trust Merula’s self-control, at least to an extent. However, he knew firsthand what it was like to be forced into socialising like that. He probably knew her better than most others at the school, save perhaps Ismelda, and knew that if being dragged there would make him irritable, it would make Merula furious. He’d spent a lot of time thinking about her recently, come to think of it.
“...Ok. I know what I’m doing…ish. Accio Tonks’ Present!” There was a whooshing noise that echoed through the school as a neatly wrapped gift flew into the room and dropped into Matthew’s hands. “Right, I’ll be off, then. Have fun, um…holding your weapons? I suppose?” He opened his mouth once or twice more, before turning to leave.
“You too!” the first knight called out.
“Glad we could help!” the second knight said, before turning to whisper to the other. As Matthew left, he gathered something about “being too stubborn” and “why can’t you keep still until we’re called upon”. Smiling slightly, he pushed the hair out of his face, adjusted his clothes, and started to climb the stairs leading up to the music.
From the looks of things, Penny and Tonks had decided to “borrow” one of the third floor classrooms. As Matthew approached one of the things he feared the very most, he held onto two things to ground him: that he had wrapped Tonks’ present already, and that they were playing muggle music.
As Matthew made it to the top of the stairs (remembering to leap over the disappearing step as he did so) he saw a few people hovering at the door as they were slowly let in by Penny. He took a breath, waited for the stomachache to pass, and walked up to her.
“Matt!” Penny said, smiling brightly. “Oh my gosh! I wondered if you’d show up! I really hoped you would! Tonks is just over there! Let me know if you need anything, ‘kay?”
Matthew smiled and nodded wordlessly. He vaguely wondered how Penny managed to be so energetic and enthusiastic past midnight as he walked into the room, taking in the scene. He then had to stop taking in the scene as he was getting very overwhelmed very quickly. He kept making slow steps towards Tonks, his eyes darting around to see pockets of students, dancing or talking.
Then, leaning against the wall a few feet away, was Merula. She was wearing a red flannel shirt over a black t-shirt with some kind of ritual circle design on it, with black denim jeans leading down to her combat boots. She hadn’t noticed him just yet, and Matthew considered going over to her quietly when-
“WOTCHER, MATT!” Tonks yelled, pulling Matthew into a hug. Matthew opened his eyes to see Merula look up. They locked eyes for a moment before Tonks pulled away, smiling up at him. “Aw, thanks for coming, mate! I really do appreciate it.”
He was able to smile quite easily when he was around Tonks. He supposed it was the fact that she’d always been fine with how he was and never tried to push him on it, in return he’d always been fine with her unpredictable nature, and was totally fine with being a spectator/enabler/active participant in whatever she had planned.
“It’s no problem, really.” Matthew said, finally. “Happy Birthday, Tonks. Here, I, um…I hope you like this.”
Tonks’ eyes widened as she grabbed the present and ripped it open. A huge grin formed across her face as she pulled from the wrapping paper a muggle chemistry set. “Oh, wow! Matt, this is amazing! Do you have any idea how more varied my pranks can get now?!”
Matthew simply shrugged. “I look forward to seeing them in action. Glad you like it, um…”
“Oh, I do, I do!” Tonks reassured him. “Now, come on and join the party! The Weasleys are here, Jae’s handling the food, and…” Tonks eyed Merula, who had returned to leaning against the wall. “A certain someone who might need your help getting into the swing of things.”
Matthew suddenly went bright pink as he processed what Tonks was saying. “Y-You, um, you mean, I, but…” he paused and took a breath. “Tonks, I stink at partying. You and I both know this.”
“Yes, it’s your greatest character flaw, I know.” Tonks said, placing a hand on his shoulder and chuckling. “But I can’t have Merula sitting out on something like this. I want everyone to have a good time. Besides…you and I both know why I’m asking you to do this.”
Matthew somehow went even more pink. “Y-” he began, before swiftly being interrupted.
“Ah-ah! No denial! That’s not gonna work anymore!” Tonks declared, before leaning in to whisper. “I’ve seen you two wandering about together at night. Why do you think I decided to host a party at this hour?”
Matthew’s eyes went wide. “...Ok. I’ll…I’ll go talk to her.” he muttered, before forcing himself to put one foot in front of the other. His eyes immediately fixed onto Merula. He watched as she sighed in that moody way only she could do, leaning back against the wall once more, her messy brown and orange hair spreading out behind her. A surge of determination filled him at that moment; he was going to talk to her and he didn’t care who saw them.
He took one final step forward and cleared his throat. “Hey, um-” he began, pausing as Merula jumped from him announcing his presence.
“...Blimey, Luther, you really do sneak up on people…” she said, a smile starting to form on her face in spite of herself. “A-Anyway, what is it? Need to talk about the vaults, or…?”
Matthew leant up against the wall with her. “Actually, I just wanted to talk. It’s not like anyone can hear us.” He said, pointing up at the sound of music.
Merula shrugged. “Fair enough…I kind of wanted to talk to you too.”
Matthew shuffled against the wall. “I’m…guessing you weren’t expecting this party to be happening?”
Merula chuckled. “No, I rely on you to know what’s happening. You’re always involved one way or another.” she clicked her tongue. “Wish I’d brought her a present, even if it was a pot of stinksap.”
He suddenly found it very difficult to look away from her. Amongst the light and noise of the party, he could somehow hear and see her perfectly, her pink eyes shining in the dim light. He’d always thought that sort of thing was hyperbole of what liking someone was like, but he supposed not. Either that, or his brain was trying to prevent a sensory overload.
“I, um…I didn’t know either. I was only out tonight because I wanted to see you.” he admitted, for once completely uncaring whether or not he was speaking too loud.
Merula suddenly looked rather flustered. “Well, here I am, ah…sorry, I just…I’m just flattered. You came to a party just for me?”
Matthew made a squeaky noise that translated to “well…yeah”. “You and Tonks, obviously. It’s her 17th, after all, so it’s kind of important in this world.”
“And not in the muggle world?”
“Well, only for driving a car, everything else is on the 16th or 18th.”
“That still sounds pretty important, Luther.”
“Well sure, but compared to some of the other stuff, it’s nowhere near…”
Another song came on, a good one, and soon there was a lot more dancing going on. Matthew scanned the room and caught Tonks’ eye, who pointed to him and Merula before turning to Tulip and bringing her to the dance floor. So this was her plan, he thought to himself, before turning to Merula. “So, um…”
“You know this song?” Merula asked, shuffling closer.
“Nope.” Matthew admitted. “Being here at Hogwarts means if a new song comes out I can’t exactly find it until I head to Hogsmeade.”
“Fair. Sounds like a muggle one.”
“How come?”
“...Because it’s good.” Merula said, smirking in that way she always did. Matthew blinked once or twice. They really had come a long way together. He remembered getting her to at least listen to muggle music in fourth year, and the debate/struggle/duel that followed. And he knew that, when alone, they could dance together, free from what everyone else expected of them.
“...I have an idea.” Matthew thought aloud.
“For what?” “For how we can dance. Wait here.”
Merula watched as Matthew stepped away and dodged past the dancers, stopping by Tonks and tapping her on the shoulder. She nodded, and Matthew headed for the door, stepping past Penny, who was distracted while talking to someone else. Merula wondered just what Matthew could have up his sleeve; she first wondered if he would use Tonks’ Metamorphmagus powers, but then realised he’d need to be one too. Then, above the music, Merula could make out two sets of large footprints making their way up the stairs.
“Mind the disappearing one!” She heard Matthew say, before he ran forward and pushed open the door. She craned her neck to see him, and suddenly felt herself growing bright pink as she admired the way he smiled at the partygoers, ready to amaze (and hopefully distract) them. Before she could wonder how, she watched as two stone knights lumbered into the room behind him, one with a shield and one with a sword. There was silence, before the knight with the sword said, “We heard there was a party here!”
All it took was Tonks to yell back “YOU HEARD RIGHT, MATES!” and the party was back in full swing, everyone having their eyes on the knights as suggestions were thrown out for what moves to try. Matthew made his way back round to Merula, wiping the sweat from his brow.
“You know, I’ve never said this in public, but you’re absolutely brilliant, you know that?” she said, marvelling at the totally distracted crowd. “Side note, can I pass this off as my present to Tonks?”
Matthew looked at her as if she was the cloudless sky outside, which for years had dared him to venture into the night. They had danced around each other for years now, unsure what to call themselves, and part of him now dared to hope that they would be ready for what came next sooner rather than later. “I don’t see why not.” He replied, holding out a hand to her, “Shall we, then?”
Merula smirked again (though failed to hide her growing blush) and took his hand. “How could I refuse?”
Their hands found each other, and their feet began to move, and the rest of the world faded into the night.
