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arielemberbridge · 1 year

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So, I've been wanting to write hphm tlsq, chapters, quidditch sidequests, and creature sidequests down from my character's point of view. I recently started writing a bit of flying solo (the quest where you become friends with Talbott), and I was wondering if I should continue writing it, and post it on my blog. I'd really appreciate feedback on my writing, and how I could improve. Thanks for reading this long a/n, and now, feel free to read the fanfic if you want.

Word count (so far) : 3,800

Flying Solo

Ever since becoming an animagus, I’ve been wanting to get closer with the mysterious, quiet bloke Talbott. I felt like he was a magnet, pulling me towards him. Speaking about Talbott, I got a letter from Penny, and all it stated was, “We need to talk about Talbott. Let's meet in the Great Hall now. With the urgency of her letter, I was really concerned. I ran from my dormitory straight to the Great Hall.

While walking over to the tables, I heard Rowan comment, “ I’ve seen an eagle flying around the school grounds a lot recently. I hope all the pet rats are safe.” After I heard that, I stopped moving and started wondering, could that be Talbottt?

I also passed Chiara, but she didn’t mention anything about an eagle, she instead mentioned to some Gryffindor kid called Jae, “Sorry, I’m a bit… preoccupied tonight.” Poor thing. She always makes me think about why bad things happen to good people. At least there is some good that comes out of it; a person that cares about making transforming less painful and more affordable.

While still walking over to Penny, I heard Merula yell at Ismelda. She was screaming, “Some bloody bird tried to nest in my hair earlier!” I guess even birds think her hair is messy as heck too. I laughed at the thought. That couldn’t have been Talbott though because he usually keeps to himself, and isn’t the biggest fan of Merula.

I finally finished walking over to where I normally sit with friends in the Great Hall, but when I got there, Penny was nowhere to be found!! I sighed and sat down. I nearly left after waiting for 10 minutes, but finally, Penny decided to show up.

“Ah, you’re here, Isabella! Thanks for coming,” she greeted, looking worried.

“Of course, Penny,” I said, picking up on her fidgety behaviour, “Now, what’s wrong?” I asked, getting straight to the point, “You sounded worried when you asked to meet.”

“It’s Talbott…” she said nervously. I quickly started paying more attention. I don”t know why Talbott has this sort of effect on me, but I really care about him, even though I hardly know him.

Taken by surprise, I blurted out without thinking, “Talbott Winger, the one who helped us brew an Animagus Potion? What’s wrong?! Is he hurt?!”

“No…” Penny said uncertaintly, “at least I hope not.” I raised my eyebrow at this. Based on my reaction, Penny quickly explained, “He’s been spending all of his time alone recently.”

I held back a laugh, “no offence, Penny, but have you met Talbott? He makes Snape look talkative.”

Penny awkwardly said, “I know he’s a… private person, but I've been his friend for a while. I can tell something’s wrong.” I gave Penny a sceptical look, and she added, “plus he’s been missing class, even Transfiguration, and that’s his favourite.” I subconsciously added that to my mental list of things to remember. Could Talbott be in an organisation like me? Did he join the Keepers of Adeen? No… I would’ve known if there was a new member… Maybe he joined Dark Core? It would make sense why they’d want him of all people because he can spy with his animagus ability… No, he doesn’t seem like the type of person to do that… Penny continued, snapping me out of my thoughts, “I’d ask him myself, but I haven’t been able to find him. I think he’s been avoiding me,” she said, looking like she was about to cry. I immediately became determined to help, I didn't want to see Penny this sad.

“That’s why I asked to meet you, actually. I was hoping you might know where he is,” she explained.

I felt really bad admitting, “sorry, Penny, I haven’t seen him at all recently.” I couldn’t look at Penny’s face with tears threatening to fall, so I quickly looked away. Suddenly, while gazing at my other friends, I got an idea, “but let’s ask around. Surely someone has to have seen Talbott.” Thankfully, Penny cheered up. “Mission accomplished,” I muttered under my breath.

First I went up to Rowan who apologised, “sorry, Isabella, I’ve been too busy with my studies to pay much attention to gossip.”

I asked again, “are you sure you haven’t seen him?”

She looked up from her book sighing, and asked, “if Talbott wants to be alone, shouldn’t you give him his space?”

Getting the hint, I left Rowan reading. Maybe I can get information from Merual, I thought. After asking the question, Merula asked, snorting, “Winger? Are you picking up another odd friend to add to your collection?”

“Talbott’s not odd,” I muttered, wanting to blast that smirk off Merula’s stupid face.

“Sorry, what’s that, Wallace? Standing up for your boyfriend?” she asked, trying to provoke me. I walked away, thinking better than starting a fight.

“Guess I’ll go to Tulip,” I told myself, “she might know since she’s in his house.”

All she could tell me was, “I haven't seen Talbott Winger around the Ravenclaw common room much lately.”

I sighed, leaving her to ask Andre who just asked me, “Talbott Winger’s the bloke that keeps to himself a lot, right?”

Giving up, I reluctantly went over to Merula again, who was no help, and just asked, “you have a hard time keeping track of a lot of people, eh Wallace?”

I looked away from her and spotted Professor Flitwick at the staff table. He might know more, I thought. Apparently, I thought wrong. He had just as much of an idea on the matter as me, saying, “no, I’m afraid Mr. Winger hasn’t told me anything,” and requesting, “if you do see Mr. Winger, please tell him we need to discuss his attendance.”

Tulip beckoned me over to her. I was hopeful for a moment for evidence, but all I got from her was, “Now that I think about it, I didn’t see Talbott Winger at dinner, does that help?’

“Not really, but thanks anyway Tulip,” I replied sadly.

Andre saw me and, I suppose he felt guilty for not giving me any information, because he quickly said, “sorry, I don’t know much about Talbott other than that he looks interesting.”

I sighed, saying, “it’s okay Andre, it’s not like it’s your fault.”

Me and Penny regrouped and I said, “that’s odd. I asked everyone who knows him and it doesn’t seem any of them has seen Talbott,” making sure she at least would feel a bit better, I added, “whatever’s going on, it doesn’t seem like he’s ignoring you specifically, Penny.”

“Though I’m glad he’s not only avoiding me, now I’m even more worried…” She looked away, and became lost in thought. She looked back up, “I want to look for him, but I promised I’d tutor a few first years in potions now…”

Seeing her sad look, I had to tell her, “don’t worry, Penny. I’ll find and talk to him.”

“Really? You’ll check in on Talbott for me? Why?” She asked, seeming suspicious.

I was quick to explain, “Talbott’s my friend, even if he doesn’t like to admit it. I’m worried about him and want to make sure he’s okay too.” I slowly added in, talking to myself more than Penny, “Besides, this might be a good opportunity to try to get to know him better.”

Penny ran up and hugged me, “thanks, Isabella. It’s a relief knowing you’ll be there for him if he does need help.” She pulled away, “Talbott might say he’d rather be alone, but I don’t think he really means it,” she said with a soft expression, “I really appreciate this, Isabella. Let me know how it goes and if you need any help.”

“Of course!,” I said almost immediately, “I’m heading to the Courtyard now, I’ll look for Talbott while I’m there.”

Me and Penny parted ways. I headed back up to my dormitory. After changing from my robes to my casual outfit since school was done for the rest of the day on Friday, I layed down, only for Chocolate to come with a piece of parchment in her beak. I was quick to take and read it. It started:

Dear, Isabella,

Since you won’t give up on looking for me, I’ll meet you in the Courtyard now.

Sincerely,

Talbott

This time, I was too lazy to run all the way to the Courtyard, so I transformed into my animagus form; a Peregrine Falcon, and flew out of my dormitory window, down to the Courtyard. “Shoot, I forgot about the landing process,” I said to myself, since I’ve always ended up landing by crashing into the ground.

As soon as the Courtyard caught my sight, I sighed, found the pear tree, and decided to crash into it. I shut my eyes tight and felt all the branches scrape me. I transformed back to a human and hissed in pain. I stood up, ignoring how bad it actually was. Looking around, the only people I saw in the Courtyard other than me were Jae and Chiara. Do they just spend all their time together? I thought to myself. I slowly walked over to the doors leading to the Courtyard.

I heard a calling whistle and quickly looked around to see Talbott leaning against the fountain as he stated, “over here.”

“Talbott! When I told Penny I’d look for you, I wasn’t expecting you to reach out and agree to meet me here first,” I said, surprised.

“So it’s true that you and Penny have been looking for me,” he said with an eyebrow raised and a sceptical look.

“Where did you hear that?” I asked, “everyone I talked to hasn’t seen or talked to you in days.”

“I little birdie told me,” he said smirking. I broke my composure and giggled.

After controlling myself again, I said, rolling my eyes, smiling, “nice try, but bird puns won’t distract me from asking about what’s going on with you for that long.”

He sighed, “It was worth a shot.”

I glared at him, “Talbott, I’m being serious. You’ve even been missing classes,” I sighed before continuing, “When Penny told me how concerned she was about you, I couldn’t help but be worried too.”

“I appreciate the concern, but as you can see, I’m fine,” he said, trying to convince me. I guess it was too bad for him that I’m able to tell when people are faking their emotions because I do it too.

“Are you actually fine?” I asked, then said accusingly, “Or are you just lying and telling me you’re fine so I’ll leave you alone?”

Surprisingly, unlike most people who get nervous or surprised when I accuse them of things, Talbott kept his composure and asked, “If I tell you I’m lying, will you keep pressuring me to find out what’s wrong?”

“Yes.”

“Then, I’m actually fine,” he said, rolling his eyes.

“Talbott!” I yelled, getting annoyed.

He actually did lose his composure for a bit but then continued, “So I’ve spent a lot of time alone lately. That’s not exactly newsworthy,” he paused and added quieter than before, “Why do you care if there’s anything bothering me anyways?”

I felt my face slowly heat up as I was under his piercing gaze, “I consider you my friend, Talbott, and I care about you. If something’s bothering you, I want to know so I can help,” I swallowed before continuing, “I thought you opened up to me back then because you thought of me as your friend, too,” I looked back into his eyes, “was I wrong?”

He looked around awkwardly, and, trying to come up with an excuse, he said, “I know I called you my friend earlier, but it’s just because I got caught up in the moment.” Apparently I’m good at making people feel bad, because, after seeing my face, he said, “It’s not that I don’t like you or anything. I’m just not ready to call you my friend yet. You barely know me.”

I muttered to myself, “Part of me was hoping this was my opportunity to change that.”

Noticing the awkward silence, I said, “Fine, we don’t have to talk about what’s wrong,” I felt around in my mokeskin pouch, and found what I was looking for. Smiling, I said, “We can play a game of Gobstones instead…” suddenly I got an idea, and added, “But if I win, you have to at least consider telling me why you’ve been extra distant lately,” I finished, smirking.

“And if I win?” He asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I’ll tell Penny you’re actually fine and never bring any of this up again,” I said, trying to convince him.

“Alright, Isabella. If you can beat me at Gobstones, I promise to hear you out,” he said, looking determined.

After I set up the game, Talbott must have gotten a flashback, because he stated, “Your distractions won’t work this time, Isabella. I don’t intend to lose,” and to add some uncertainty for me he said, “I’ve been practising Gobstones.”

The distraction rolled off my tongue like water causing me to say, smirking, “and I’ve been spying on the ministry.”

“You’ve been what?!” He said surprised, not realising he completely missed the stones until it was my turn and he was sprayed, “ugh, honestly, you should be a Slytherin,” he said annoyed, “anyway, why’s Penny worried about me?”

“She fancies you,” I said sarcastically. Unfortunately, I was too distracted saying that, and only came back to my senses to see Talbott smirking, and myself smelling horrible.

“Nice try, but I know Penny likes someone else,” he said proudly.

“If I couldn’t say it any better, I’d say you actually like hanging out with me,” I stated.

“Well, I’d prefer to keep to myself,” he said, flustered.

“Well, I’d prefer to report you to the ministry,” I said, distracting him enough to spray him.

He sighed, “I’ll admit, I didn’t see that coming,” and under his breath he stated, “maybe if you didn’t keep distracting me.”

I smirked, “Distractions? What distractions? I’m just making small talk,” I finished casually.

Observing the game with his “eagle eyes” he replied, “You might be close to winning, but you can’t possibly have any distractions left…”

“We’ll see about that,” I glared while smiling.

“I’m setting up my special move…” he muttered.

“Is that a ministry official I see?” I asked, distracting him long enough for him to miss yet again, and for me to knock the rest of the Gobstones out of the circle.

Talbott groaned, “I know when I’ve lost. I suppose I can at least hear you out.”

After we stood up, he admitted, “Alright, Isabella, you won. Just like I promised, I’ll hear you out.”

“Talbott, I know you don’t like talking about yourself, but you shouldn’t be afraid to tell me what’s bothering you. You trusted me with your secret that you’re an unregistered Animagus… And as an unregistered Animagus too, I understand how much trust that requires…” I said, trying to convince him to tell me, “I guess what I’m saying is… I hope you know you can tell me anything,” I can’t say I wasn’t surprised by his response.

Talbott stopped to listen intently and suddenly said looking horrified, “shh!”

“What?” Then I stopped to listen too. I heard footsteps close by us. My eyes widened, “oh no! Oh no oh no oh no oh no,” I muttered under my breath. As quickly as those words came out of my mouth, I whipped out my wand, just to see Talbott doing the same thing after looking around. I softly yelled, “Homenum revelio!” Pointing my wand at where I heard the footsteps. I noticed Talbott did the same thing.

I wasn’t surprised on who I revealed, “Merula?! You were spying on us?!”

Talbott rolled his eyes, “She must have been under the Disillusionment Charm. That would explain why we didn’t notice her until she moved,” he moved his attention over to her, “How much did you hear?”

Merula looked annoyed, “Nothing… I was just passing through.”

Talbott scoffed, “Like I’d believe that. People who are “just passing through” don’t use Concealment Charms.”

“Even if I had heard you, what makes you interested in your little gossip? I have better things to do with my time…”

Talbott turned back to me, looking horrified, “Even though she denies it, Merula had heard we’re unregistered Animagi,” he looked more angry by the moment, “If that’s not bad enough, everyone in school knows her parents are in Azkaban for supporting You-Know-Who! The child of two Death Eaters knows we’re unregistered Animagi!”

I immediately backtracked, “I’m so sorry, Talbott. I had no idea Merula was listening in on us.” I’m gonna have to give myself several more scars for this later.

Talbott took a deep breath, “it’s fine…”

Trying to make things better I added, “Let me talk to Merula. Maybe I can-”

“No offence, Isabella, but you’ve done enough,” Talbott said angrily.

“But I know Merual! I can at least try to convince her to keep our secret!” With Talbott looking like he was about to say no, I said, “In fact, I’ll go find Merula and talk to her right now.”

“Thanks, but I don’t need anymore of your help. I’ll handle Merula on my own,” and with that, he walked away from me.

After going to the bathroom, adding several more cuts on my arm, cleaning them, and going back to my dormitory, I sent Merula a letter;

Dear Merula,

I know this sounds crazy, but I need to talk with you.

Sincerely,

Isabella

I sent Chocolate away. I sketched for about thirty minutes, waiting for her to come back. When she returned, she had a letter in her beak;

Dear Isabella,

If you must talk to me, you might as well come now. I’m in the Potions Classroom.

Sincerely,

Merula

I walked down to the dungeons, to see Merula getting blasted in the face with a potion she was attempting to make. I laughed and walked over to her. Although her face was now covered in a black-ish colour, she tried to act like nothing happened by quickly wiping it off. She went back to her potion, clearly ignoring me, so I cleared my throat.

Groaning, she asked, “What do you want, Wallace? I’m studying.”

“You read my letter, didn’t you? We need to talk.”

“If this is about you and Winger, I already told you that I didn’t hear anything”

I sighed, “Do you really think I’m daft enough to believe that lie?”

She smirked, “Are you sure you want me to answer that question?”

“Why were you spying on us, Merula?”

Rolling her eyes for the hundredth time, while making her cauldron stir on its own, she countered, “Why are you so incredibly annoying?”

“Look, Merula, you can keep avoiding the subject all you want, but I'm not leaving until you agree to talk, so you might as well cooperate,” I said, trying to not let my anger get the best of me.

“Ugh, you’re really not going to go away until I do, are you?”

“Now you’re getting it,” I said with a prideful smile.

Losing the argument, Merula gave in and said, “Fine, but I’m going to finish this potion first, so you might as well grab a beaker and make yourself useful.”

While grabbing the beaker she pointed at, I mentioned, “I didn’t know you were so studious, Merula.”

Just having to be rude, Merula said, “Studying must be a foreign concept for you, eh Wallace?”

After handing the beaker over to her, I sighed, crossing my arms, “Just because you don’t usually see me studying doesn’t mean I don’t. I just try to avoid you throughout the day.”

“Since you’re just standing there, you might as well hand me that bottle.”

Leaning over to give it to her, I noticed Merula’s book was filled with notes in the margins that aren’t in her handwriting. “What potion is Merula even brewing?” I muttered, studying her book. Apparently she heard me because she replied, “How are you passing potions? This is just a simple Wideye Potion. Honestly, Barnaby has more brain cells than you.”

“Well, I feel like Barnaby is very smart, so I’ll consider that a compliment,” I said, sticking up for him. Changing the subject, I asked, “Would you really report Talbott to the Ministry, Merula?”

“I couldn’t care less about Winger. I just followed you thinking you were sneaking off to go Cursed Vault hunting, so I really don’t care.”

“I’d say I can’t believe you’d spy on me, Merula, but that’d be a lie.”

“Wow, you finally understand my personality, Wallace,” she said sarcastically, “Fine, I admit it, I was listening in on you and Winger, but only because I thought you had more info on the Cursed Vault of Fear.”

“Aha! So you were lying!”

“Yes, alright, I lied about not hearing anything. So what?”

“I don’t blame you for spying on me and lying about it. I would’ve done the same if I were in your position, but I would’ve gotten away with it,” I muttered in the last part.

She put an over-exaggerating expression on her face, “I wasn’t spying, I was keeping an eye on my competition,” she thought for a moment, and suddenly said, “And what’s that supposed to mean?!”

Ignoring her last comment, I continued on, “So just to be clear, you weren’t spying on Talbott and me to try to learn our secrets?”

Without confirming or denying what I asked, Merula replied, “Like I said, I wasn’t spying, I was keeping an eye on my competition, and why else would I be interested in you and your odd friends?”

“Like I said, Talbott’s not odd, and I’m not sure if I should feel relieved or insulted.”

“If that’s all-”

“-Wait, Merula, the real reason I came was to convince you to not tell anyone about Talbott’s and my secret,” I said quickly.

“Why shouldn’t I tell anyone you and Winger are unregistered Animagi?” Merula said challengingly.

“Because I’ll force you to keep it a secret if necessary.”

“Are you seriously threatening someone who could get you and your friend sent to Azkaban?” Then she said something I wasn’t expecting, “You might be more interesting than I thought, Wallace.”

“So will you keep Talbott’s secret?” I said.

“We’ll see, won’t we?” She asked, trying to scare me.

“Merula, this is serious,” I said, unfazed.

“I am being serious,” she smirked, making me worry. Not for myself, but for Talbott. I don’t want to be the reason he’d get sent to Azkaban.

“I better find Talbott now and warn him about Merula…” I said to myself after Merula left with the biggest smug look on her face.

#hphm #hogwarts mystery #jacob's sibling #andre egwu #penny haywood #isabella wallace x talbott winger #talbott x mc #talbott winger #talbott x reader #merula snyde #hphm fanfic #isabella wallace

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eternalchaoschocolaterain · 10 months

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N.E.W.T.s

A fluffy AU one-shot of Quinn and Merula. No vaults, no R, nothing bad. Just final exams! And a coming out.

Summary: Within no time she had Merula pinned underneath her, arms to her sides. Merula struggled to suppress a smile while Quinn laughed.

‘Admit you’ll miss me.’

‘Maybe if you admit that I’m the best, most powerful witch at Hogwarts.’

‘Never.’

Quinn leaned forward to keep Merula pinned down and became surrounded again by her smell. That flower… Without thinking she leaned closer.

‘You smell nice.’

The words left her mouth before she could stop herself and she froze. Merula froze too, her perfectly pink slim lips slightly parted. Only her eyes moved, as if searching for something.

‘Get off me, you idiot!’

Merula’s snarl made her move again and she did as she was told. ‘I’m sorry, did I hurt you?’

‘No, it’s- Whatever. I’ve got to study.’

https://archiveofourown.org/works/48577408

#hogwarts mystery #hphm #merula snyde #merula x mc #merula x quinn #quinn lee #querula #rowan khanna #penny haywood #andre egwe #ben copper #harry potter fanfiction #harry potter hogwarts mystery

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lifeofkaze · 1 year

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A Search for Balance

CHAPTER 28: THE VERNAL BALL

Find the masterlist with all chapters of this story here, the previous chapter here, and the next one here.

Tagging: @flareshogwarts

A/N: David Willows (in mention) belongs to @that-scouse-wizard

Hosting the Vernal Ball was the prerogative of the Quidditch League's reigning champion, so for the fifth time in a row, players and other important members of the business had found their way to Montrose.

As she walked up the driveway to the estate where the ball was being held, Lizzie took in her surroundings with wonder. The Magpies had outdone themselves this year; the path was flanked by blooming cherry trees, magical lights twinkling from between their branches, and the scent of lilac carried on the breeze coming from the nearby sea.

Dipping her head into her neck, Lizzie marvelled at the delicate beauty of the pink petals above her until a quiet scoff from Matthew made her smile disappear.

"Had you kept your dress, you could have fit right among them."

Lizzie waited until the couple overtaking them was out of earshot before she answered, "Too bad that I prefer the cherries."

Matthew glanced at her red dress, standing out from the soft pastel shades of the other guests. "Your taste has been somewhat questionable lately."

"Funny, I'm inclined to agree."

They completed the rest of their way in silence. Some journalists had gathered on the stairs leading up to the main entrance, but Lizzie paid them no mind and kept on walking. Having no choice but to follow her, Matthew flashed the cameras a smile, and stepped behind Lizzie into the bustling entry hall of the manor.

"Have you lost your mind?" he hissed as soon as they were inside. "You can't just ignore them like that."

"Looks like I can."

"Whatever has gotten into you today?"

"Some sense, methinks," Lizzie replied, waving at David Willows as he walked past with his fiancée. "These vultures don't deserve another second of my attention after everything they wrote. Now, how about you go and get us some champagne?"

The grim satisfaction Lizzie had felt after the little show she had put on for Matthew began to wane as the evening drew on. She knew most of the guests at least by sight, but despite all the familiar faces, Lizzie soon realised that she had no one to actually talk to. As she scanned the crowd for any sign of her teammates, she found herself looking in vain for one face, in particular; when it dawned on her that Orion might have chosen to stay away, a strange mix of disappointment and relief befell her.

Close by the open bar, Lizzie had seen her friend Andre Ewgu talking to a young wizard with a muscular frame and dark hair, but they were too enthralled in their conversation for her to go and join them. She briefly considered finding David Willows for a chat, but on second thought, introducing Matthew to her old friend wasn’t something Lizzie was actually too keen on.

Despite her act of defiance from earlier, Matthew had put on his best public face. He was all charms and smiles, chatting with the men and complimenting the women on their dresses. All the while, his hand kept pressing into the small of Lizzie's back, a constant reminder that he was always by her side. Eventually, her salvation came in the form of Erika Rath, who stood close to the grand piano with a group of people Lizzie didn't recognise.

"Jameson!" Erika called over the music, beckoning Lizzie over with a nod of her head. Once she and Matthew had made their way over, she gave Lizzie's dress a look. "Missed the dress code?"

"There was a last minute incident with her original dress," Matthew began, but Lizzie cut him off with a shrug.

"Thought it doesn't hurt to stand out every once in a while."

Erika, dressed in a pale blue jumpsuit and heels that made her stand taller than most men in the room, raised her eyebrows, but Lizzie thought that the corners of her mouth were twitching.

"True, seeing how your Wanderers have been doing lately."

Lizzie sighed deeply. "Whom are you telling?"

"She's right," said a big man with dark skin and a deep, rumbling voice. He must have noticed Lizzie's quizzical look because he extended one of his massive hands to her. "Gideon Gibson. I'm a scout for Puddlemere."

"Nice to meet you, Mr Gibson. I heard you made some good catches lately?"

Gibson smiled widely, presenting two rows of pearly white teeth. "Call me Gideon, please. And we have, you'll see for yourself soon enough. If your performance keeps on dropping like it has, we’ll have a shot at overtaking you."

Lizzie laughed along with him but didn't actually think it that funny. "We'll see about that, Gideon."

"I suspect we will. There's a lot to see in the future, actually. Your contract, for example. Word on the stands has been you're hard to get, but that you're still not signed by anyone? Surprising, really."

Lizzie frowned at his words, but before she could ask what he meant, Matthew said, "This is neither the time nor place to talk about contracts, especially not with the likes of you."

Gideon's and several other pairs of eyebrows shot up. "The likes of us?"

"Matthew…" Lizzie begged him, but he continued as if she hadn't spoken at all.

"People who have no say in the business. Should a club be interested in offering Lizzie a contract, we will talk to the executives and nobody else."

"Matthew, please."

"Is that so, McRae?" Erika said coolly. "Being the top-notch agent you are, you should know a scout's opinion holds its weight."

Matthew's look was icy. "I don't need you to tell me how to do my job."

"Apparently you do, or Jameson would long have a new offer on the table."

"Matthew, please don't," Lizzie said imploringly as Matthew's eyes narrowed, but instead of directing his anger at Erika, he suddenly turned on her.

"You stay out of this," he snapped at Lizzie. "You don't even know what we're talking about."

"If the players talk, the agents shut up," Erika interrupted him curtly. "Old Quidditch rule. Not that I'd expect you to know. You're not one of us, after all."

Lizzie held her breath, her eyes flicking between Matthew's badly subdued rage and Erika's stoic calm.

"I don't have to listen to this," Matthew said brusquely. "Come on, Lizzie. We're leaving."

Lizzie automatically turned to do as she was told, but then she paused. Sensing her hesitation, Matthew put his hand between Lizzie's shoulder blades and pushed her along, but Erika called them back. Her voice was still calm, but now laced with an icy anger.

"If Jameson doesn't want to leave, she’s going to stay."

Feeling Erika's presence in her back, Lizzie held Matthew's infuriated gaze until he turned away with a derisive huff.

"Fine. Finish up your business and be quick about it. I expect you to come home right after."

"It might take a while."

Matthew bent towards her and lowered his voice to almost a growl. "Don't push me, Lizzie."

"Do you need me to show you the door?" Erika wanted to know.

With a last cold look at Lizzie, Erika and the rest of them, Matthew stood up straight, turned and pushed through the crowd towards the Apparition spots. When he was out of sight, Lizzie exhaled slowly. She turned to Erika with a grateful, if somewhat bashful, smile.

"Thank you, and sorry for Matthew. He's had a rough week. He's normally not like this."

"You don't need to make excuses for him. Everyone knows he's a pompous idiot."

The words in his defence were already on the tip of her tongue, but Lizzie swallowed them. Instead, she helped herself to another glass of champagne from a passing waiter. As their conversation resumed, the other scouts broke away one after the other, until eventually, Erika and Lizzie were the only ones left.

"It's been a while since we talked one-on-one," Erika noted.

"It's been a strange few weeks," Lizzie sighed, feeling the truth of her words to her core. "I don't know where my head is, with the team and the contract and all."

"And the wedding."

Lizzie felt a plummeting sensation in her stomach. "Of course."

They didn't speak as Erika looked around the room.

"How is she doing?" she suddenly asked, more quietly than before. Lizzie didn't need to be a Seer to know whom she was talking about. She shook her head.

"I don't know. Skye and I haven't spoken since I moved out."

"You did?"

"Yes, after the fight we had in Wimbourne. I suppose you know about that."

Erika raised her eyebrows. "Everybody knows."

"I wish it hadn't gone that way," Lizzie said sadly. "We both said some pretty nasty things."

"That's what she does, though. Dealing insults like Bludgers when she doesn't get her way. It's always been like that."

Humming in agreement, Lizzie looked to where Skye stood with her older brothers. She wore a sharply tailored suit over what looked like not much else, her dark hair with the blue ends twisted into a messy knot low in her neck. Ethan Parkin was nowhere to be seen, and it was almost shocking how relaxed all three of the Parkin children seemed.

"It's not good, your fight with her affecting your game so much," said Erika, who had followed Lizzie's gaze. Lizzie was surprised at the notion.

"It doesn't."

"Doesn't it?" Erika snorted. "I've known you for some years now, Jameson. You always let your emotions rule your performance, for better or for worse. You’re better than this."

"Why are you telling me this? You're working for the Magpies, I play for Wigtown. I'm competition."

"First and foremost, you're a good player. We used to be in different houses but trained together, anyway. I hate to see a talent like yours wasted."

Lizzie frowned. "Are we still talking about my performance?"

"Maybe." Erika fixed her with a serious look. "Have you never considered transferring?"

"Not in the past, no."

"And now?"

"I'm tired of all the fighting," Lizzie admitted tentatively. "It's exhausting and distracting, and no matter what we do, when it counts, we always fail." She shrugged helplessly. "Sometimes I wonder if Wigtown is still the right place for me."

"Good players stick with the fold. Great ones seize their chance when they see it. You have what it takes to be great, but if you stay on the safe side in Wigtown, your chance will pass you by."

It took Lizzie a moment to come up with a reply, but before she could, Erika tensed, emptied her champagne and braced her shoulders.

"Nice chat, Jameson. Think about what I said. Now excuse me, there's someone else I need to have a word with."

And with that, she was gone, pushing through the crowd toward where Gwenog Jones - captain of the Holyhead Harpies - had taken the place by Skye's side. Suddenly alone, Lizzie was unsure of what to do with herself. Her head was spinning with Erika's words, and she felt the strong urge to find someone who didn't want to talk about Quidditch.

Her eyes fell on Andre, who now stood alone and with an empty glass in hand. Taking two fresh drinks from a tray being offered to her, Lizzie made her way over to him. When Andre saw her, his face lit up, and he greeted her with a kiss on both cheeks.

"Would you look at this beauty? What a showstopper, if I may say so. Oh, and you're kind of pretty, too, Lizzie," he said, holding Lizzie at arm's length. He made a circle with his index finger, on which a big ring was glittering. "Come on, don't be shy."

Smiling to herself, Lizzie spun around herself, giving him a proper look at his creation. She had to take care not to stumble as she came to a halt; the champagne was stronger than she had thought. Lizzie giggled; it was a light and giggly sound, one she hadn't made in a while.

"Thank you so much for this gorgeous dress. I'm sorry I let it sit in my wardrobe for so long."

"A veritable crime," Andre tutted, his eyes scanning the crowd. "You know what else is a crime? How long my date is taking with the drinks."

"That's why I brought these."

"You're an angel," Andre sighed as Lizzie handed him one of the champagne flutes. "An impeccably dressed angel."

"You're the first to say anything along those lines tonight."

"Oh?" Andre wiggled his eyebrows as he drank. "I sense drama. Give it to me."

"Not tonight," Lizzie shook her head. "I just want to enjoy myself for a change. Looks like you are, anyway. You and the Puddlemere Keeper? How can your Pride heart take this?"

"Camp Pride until my dying day," Andre said, putting a hand over his heart. "But in this case, Portree might need to look the other way. I mean, have you seen his cheekbones? His eyes?"

"I'm usually too busy trying to get past his defence."

Andre flashed her a mischievous smile. "So am I."

When she spotted Andre's date making his way back towards them, Lizzie turned to go.

"Good luck with scoring, then. Let me know how it went."

"Oh, don't worry. I will," Andre laughed as he closed his arms around Lizzie. "It's been nice seeing my creation out and about instead of rotting among distasteful Quidditch shirts. Talking of which," he added more quietly, "I think there's someone else who might like to see it."

He discreetly nodded at the tall glass doors leading from the ballroom into the garden. Lizzie followed his eyes, her heart skipping a beat when she saw Orion's familiar figure breaking from the crowd and vanishing outside. She turned back to Andre with a doubtful look.

"I don't know about this, Andre."

"But I do. Just look at yourself, honey. I promise, if you're going to waste this dress, I'll be very cross with you."

With a grateful but somewhat shaky smile, Lizzie went with the nudge Andre gave her and slowly made her way towards where Orion had left the ball. When she reached the terrace doors, she hesitated, the tingling in her stomach so strong she had to press her hand against it. She stood there for another moment, the heat of the room in her back and the cool evening air on her face.

Then she shook her head, pulled herself together, and stepped out into the night.

#hphm #hogwarts mystery #harry potter hogwarts mystery #quidditch #orion amari #orion amari x mc #lizzie jameson #andre egwu #erika rath #skye parkin #balance series #search for balance #sfb

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domaslut · 1 year

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heyyy, can I please request a one-shot of chester d. x reader where reader is an auror and chester is still in DMLE where they work together while in a relationship, just anything relating to their workspace with fluff!!

AUTHOR NOTE.

Hi there! Thanks for the request and happy new year. I’m so sorry it took me literally months to get this over with, but I needed some good inspiration for it! I love Chester, he is my cute, sleep-deprived, ravenclaw prefect.

PAIRINGS: Chester Davies x reader;

WARNINGS: fluff;

PROMPT: in which you are an Auror and Chester’s girlfriend. Running into his arms after being done with your missions is a habit of yours and today was not an exception.

HELLO, MR. DAVIES.

Your had lost your hat on the battlefield for the umpteenth time. Your coat was torn and dirty and you had a small cut on your right eyebrow. Those were the perks of being an Auror and you had almost grown fond of the little scars you had collected on your missions. However, the price you paid after draining fights like this was a complete lack of energy and the urge to snuggle into your boyfriend’s arms.

Once you were finally back at the Ministry, you reported the outcome of your mission to your boss and you grabbed a hot cup of coffee on your way to Chester’s office. You did not care about the baffled glances you got from the other female employees you met down the corridors, all dolled up and showing off their dull perfection of a woman in career, a woman who did not got her hands dirty like you did. On the other hand, you were surely not even concerned about the murmurs raising all around you, from the small groups of men making fun of your poor status. You were an Auror, you fought, you had the duty to protect them from the dark wizards terrorizing England.

Rolling your eyes in exasperation, you opened the door to ‘Heaven’ without knocking and Chester knew it was you. When you appeared on the threshold, messy hair and a bleeding wound made the angles of his mouth lift up in a warm smile. There you were, his little troublemaker.

“Geez, you will never learn how to knock, right?” your boyfriend softly asked, making a tired chuckle leave your lips.

You closed the door behind you with your foot and you showed the white mug you were holding to him “Hello to you too, Mr. Davies… – you chimed, cocking your head to the side – To make amends, I’ve grabbed this delicious cup of coffee on my way. Is it enough? Because I don’t really feel like walk down this corridor again and earn some other pitiful words from those folks” you joked, taking a slow step towards him.

Chester smiled and ambled towards you with open arms and a concerned expression plastered over his face. Soon enough, you were involved into a heartbreaking hug and you knew what it meant. He always hugged you like that whenever you were back from a mission.

“Hey, I’m fine, don’t worry” you soothed, planting a soft kiss on his cheekbone.

“I don’t care, shut up… – he blurted out, burying his nose onto the crook of your neck – Every single time you leave for a mission, I don’t know if I’m going to see you ever again. It’s unbearable, but it’s your job and you love it. I would never ask you to quit because I’m scared of losing you. Just, please, kick the door open if you want, but promise me you are always going to catch up with me after your missions” he said, not letting go of you even for a second. His voice seemed to break every now and then and your heart throbbed in your chest both in joy and guiltiness. He was right. You lived in constant danger and, even if he was a master at hiding his feelings, you knew that, while he was scrabbling something down on the papers and you were out there shooting offensive spells at criminals, he was in a neverending agony.

“I will try my best, alright? – you told him, careful not to spill the coffee as he started to stamble back to his desk – I love you, Chester. You are the reason why I think twice before jumping in action. I don’t want to hurt you” you whispered, finally settling the boiling mug down on the messy desk.

Chester planted a kiss on your cheek and lifted his head up to inspect your face “You better do, darling! – he beamed, pinching your cheek jokingly – Thanks for the coffee, by the way. And you should be proud of yourself. Those idiots you bumped into earlier should be glad there’s a badass witch like you saving their assess from psychopaths, instead of making fun of you” he added, grabbing his mug and taking a sip of his beloved black coffee.

A content moan escaped his lips and you laughed in amusement, sliding your coat off of your shoulders and throwing it on a nearby armchair “Oh, but I am proud of myself. Just don’t be surprised, if one day I punch one of them” you commented innocently,

The former Ravenclaw prefect sighed and tapped on a cleared out spot on his desk, right beside him “Oh, come here, you crazy pants… You need to rest and I need to get this over with. – he ranted, hinting at the pile of files on his desk at to other papers scattered all over the wooden surface – But, before you start snoring on the couch, let me treat your wound” he demanded, drawing his wand and winking at you.

You were too tired to fire back, or protest and you simply dragged your feet along the floor. You jumped on the desk and pouted at him like a child “I could take care of it later, you know… An Epismendo will do just fine” you pointed out, but Chester just put a finger on your lips and chanted the healing charm softly, watching how the small cut closed and how there was just some dried blood left on you flawless skin.

You flinched slightly and closed your eyes through the whole, short process. You were lucky to have him to look after your injuries, just like he was lucky to have you checking out on his mental health and his sleep schedule.

“Here you go! You know, without that cut you seem less aggressive. Yeah, definitely not the type of witch who would punch some dudes at the Ministry” he mocked you affectionately and you just threw your arms around his neck, smashing your lips against his soft ones. He tasted like coffee, like home and it was never enough. Chester returned the kiss with equal passion and tangled his calloused fingers in your air, the other one resting on your hip to hold you closer to his body.

Breatless, you parted from him and blushed. Kissing him right after a duel worked better on you than any healing spell.

However, as he was trying to collect himself too, a smug smile crossing on his lips, you elaborated what he had told you before you had decided to let him take care of your wound and frowned at him all of a sudden. The diligent worker in front of you took a step back and raised his hands in the air apologetically.

“W-What did I do now?” he stammered out.

“Chester Davies, haven’t you accidentally declared that I snor?” you quipped, hopping down from the desk hastily.

Chester knew he had royally screwed up and shrugged “I’ll buy you some extra chocolate frogs, please! Will you forgive me?” he promptly suggested, trying oh so desperately to hold me a laughter.

How could you get mad at him? You could not and that is why you just waved your hand and sighed in defeat “Nah, some extra cuddles will suffice”.

#chester davies x reader #chester davies x mc #chester davies #ravenclaw #felix rosier #slyherin #barnaby lee #hphm #hogwarts mystery #penny haywood #merula snyde #ismelda murk #gryffindor #hogwarts #andre egwu #talbott winger #post hogwarts

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