#(going for a very scouse conversation i see!)

[woso-dreamzzz]

Blood Sugar

England Lionesses x Teen!Reader

Summary: You have a hypo during a match

Your sugar levels were fine at the start of the match.

You'd checked them before you went out. They were fine and it's not like your diabetes were a new thing. You knew how to control them.

"Looking good?" Alessia asks as you press your monitor against the patch attached to your arm.

It takes a few seconds for it to flash up but you nod.

"Good."

She grins, throwing an arm around your shoulders. "Excellent. Can't have one of our midfielders out of it. Who else will feed me balls?"

You roll your eyes. "Don't act like I'm the only one doing my job."

Lessi pinches your cheek. "But you're my favourite! Look at you! All cute and tiny!"

"Leave me alone!"

You try to shove her away but she just holds onto you firmer.

You'd known Alessia for years. You used to live next door to each other before she went to college in America and she'd been obsessed with you ever since you got placed into her arms as a baby.

She'd been overjoyed to see you on the team sheet for the Euro's and then now for the Finalissima. It helped, of course, that you and Alessia had racked up the most assist to goal pairings on the entire team.

"Leave her alone, Less," Leah says with an eye roll," We need her in tip-top shape, not looking like a tomato."

Alessia huffs as you put away your glucose monitor and dart around her, taking refuge with Keira and Lucy. You stick your tongue out at her as you pass.

You feel good during the first half, feeding the ball to Tooney, who scores. You feel good during halftime too, though you forget to check your glucose monitor.

You'd had it in your hand ready and waiting but Mary had caught you in conversation for the entirety of the break and it had completely slipped your mind.

Things took a turn for the worst about halfway through the second half. Your arms suddenly felt too heavy for your body and your mouth had gotten very dry, very quickly.

You sway on your feet and just manage to get the ball out from under your feet and to Keira to run up to Brazil's half. You stumble a little bit.

You're sweating now too, badly. You're sweating too much even for someone who has been on the pitch for nearly ninety minutes. You can feel your legs shaking too and you have to back up to keep your footing.

"Hey, what's going on? Is something wrong?"

The thick scouse accent from behind you means you've bumped into Alex and you practically go limp against her. She notices that too and immediately makes sure you stay upright.

Your head flops back like your neck can no longer support it. It's probably for the best because your vision has gone blurry and your head is swimming.

It takes all your concentration to move your lips in some semblance of words even though it comes out all garbled and slurred.

"'m goin' to pass out soon," You manage to say," Low sugar, I thin'." You draw in a ragged breath. "Meds have got...got..."

"Hey!" Alex shakes you. "The medics have got a...?"

"Gotta gluca...a gluca-"

You don't get to finish your sentence because you got fully limp now. Alex lays you on the ground, gesturing wildly to the medics and to the ref and to everyone who will see.

Leah's the first person to come skidding in, her hand immediately going to your pulse.

"What happened?!"

"I dont know!" Alex replies," She suddenly went all funny. She's sweating buckets! Er..." She shakes her head as she tries to clear her thoughts. "She said something about the medics having a...a gluca-something? I don't know. She passed out before she could finish."

"A glucagon injection," Alessia says as she comes running in as well," Fuck, her sugar levels must have tanked."

"She's right," The first medic says, shoving a glucose monitor onto your sensor," These are low. It's a wonder she didn't pass out earlier."

No one's really listening to him, least of all Alessia, who's rummaging through the first aid kit in search of something. Another medic is waving for a stretcher and a third one is pulling up the bottom of your shorts and cleaning off the top of your thigh with a cotton swab doused in alcohol.

"And she didn't hit her head?" The fourth medic is asking Alex, who shakes her head.

"No. She stumbled a bit but I caught her. She didn't hit anything. Just passed straight out in my arms."

Leah doesn't really know what else to do but stare. The whole team has joined them, forming a huddle around your unconscious body to block the cameras from seeing.

It's a pretty severe thing happening because the officials have even let Sarina on the pitch and she has joined the huddle with the rest of the staff to keep your privacy.

When Leah manages to tear her gaze from you, it lands on Alessia. She's at your other side, ripping open a small plastic box in a hurry. She uncaps a small glass bottle of powder and stabs a syringe into it, pushing all of the liquid into it.

She shakes the bottle a few times before turning it upside down and drawing it all back into the syringe.

"You need to roll her over once it's in," She says and Leah and a few of the medics immediately grab parts of you to pull on.

"Alessia," The first medic says," Do you need me to do this?"

"I've done it before!" Alessia snaps," As soon as I take the needle out, roll her in case she throws up. Okay? One. Two. Three!"

The needle finds a home in the top of your thigh, the area that had been disinfected. Alessia jabs the needle in and pushes down. As soon as she takes it out, Leah tugs on your shoulder to get you on your side.

"I need to come off," Alessia says to Sarina as you're carefully loaded onto a stretcher," I have to be with her. She'll be disorientated when she wakes up."

"Go," Sarina says," Be with her."

The match ends in a penalty shootout but everyone seems to be in the same mind because the medal ceremony is delayed until after you've been checked.

You're looking a lot better when Leah and the others burst into the physio's room. You're sitting upright with Alessia by your side, forcing a sugary drink down your throat.

It's clear that this has been going on for a while because there's another empty can of your favourite nearby and a packet of haribos in your hand.

"You scared us," Leah says.

"Did we win?"

"No talking!" Alessia snaps," Drink! All of it!"

You flash an amused smile at Leah but do as you're told.

"We won," Mary confirms," Penalty shootout but we did it. Could have done without the scare though."

"Sorry," You say with a wince," If it helps, I didn't plan it."

"Thank god for that," Alex mutters," Because that wasn't fun, kid. I thought you were dying."

"Just a bad hypo," You say and Lessi swats you.

"Stop making fun of dangerous situations," She scolds," I don't like having to give you injections so often."

You roll your eyes. "You've done it twice in my entire life!"

"Three times now! You're going to give me a heart attack one day."

"Well, can you have that heart attack later? We've got medals to collect."

#woso x reader #engwnt x reader #engwnt #england lionesses x reader #england lionesses #woso community #woso fanfics #woso imagine #woso

[grac3333]

generations

georgia stanway x reader

“so……how was your run?” it was about midday and you were sat across from olly, georgia’s boyfriend just trying to make conversation. You didn’t like him very much and you were certain that he didn’t like you either. but seeing as this lockdown didn’t seem like it was going to stop soon you were trying to put an effort in.

“it was good. thanks” he replied glancing up from his phone to look at you. you sighed and rolled your eyes at his lack of effort with you before standing up and walking out of the room.

you and Georgia had met when you had moved to barrow-in-furness, way back when you were 12 and joined dowdales school. coming from liverpool you had a pretty strong scouse accent but it had died down from living in south london for the past few years.

you had moved when your parents split up, your dad getting custody and he wanted to go back to his family. for you and your older brother to see where he grew up.

your aunt owned a small cafe that was next to a local rugby club (whitch you would soon learn that gorgias house backed onto) and the rest was pretty much history.

but right now you faced a dilemma. through the door you stood outside was georgia and your phone. but georgia was doing and interview and you really wanted your phone.

you decided to just go really quietly, grab your phone then leave. like a ninja. so you slowly opened the door and crept in. g was sat on the floor with her laptop on the low table in front of her and milo laying on her lap. sadly though, the laptop was facing the door so you were caught in the act.

“sorry I have an intruder” georgia teased smiling at you, her eyes gleaming.

“i just forgot my phone” you rolled your eyes at her but grinned back.

“is that y/n l/n i hear” you heard a familiar voice call from the laptop and your smile grew.

“is that my least favourite right back i hear” you teased walking closer and g patter the space behind her to sit down. you did, sitting beside her, your thighs pressing together and you flashed at smile at the camera. milo seemed to enjoy your presence as he jumped up and clambered onto your lap.

“and we are now joined by one of england’s and chelsea’s super star y/n l/n” ben haines announced while you waved at him.

“hi, thank you and sorry for just barging in” you smiled, stroking milo who had seemingly fallen asleep on your lap.

“no worries it’s a pleasure to have you” he smiled.

“right now say hi to me” the other person on the call demanded.

“hey luce miss you” you said and the face of lucy bronze smiled, happy to be acknowledged.

“miss you toooo” she said blowing you a kiss.

“oi get a room you two” g grinned from next to you so you pinched her thigh as she yelped.

“come now geogia don’t be jealous” lucy teased and g rolled her eyes playfully.

“yeah g don’t be jealous” you parroted lucys words and it was g’s turn to pinch your thigh.

“sush you or ill kick you out” she threatened and you closed your mouth quickly as she grinned to herself. you currently played for chelsea in london but seeing as you lived alone, had to come to ride out the lockdown with your best mate in sunny manny.

“anyway back to the question” ben was quick to bring the conversation back to the topic to the video and you weren’t sure if you should leave or not. you weren’t supposed to be there and was slightly worried they didn’t want you there.

as if she could read your thoughts g put her hand over yours. “You might as well stay” she said. “please” she added as if you were even thinking of leaving after she asked you to stay. you nodded, squeezing her hand in reply. you would do anything for georgia.

“right on the topic of phone what was your first social media app” ben asked.

“i think mine was snapchat” g answered and you looked up at her.

“oh come on” ben looked genuinely shocked.

“shut up” lucy said in disbelief, smiling.

“yeah it was, cause i was dead late to social media. i just wasn’t interested. but i do remember i had snapchat” g tried to reason and i smiled at the look on lucy’s face.

“georgia actually dosn’t text people - wait no y/n don’t sit there ginning when you are the worst at this! right basically the both of you only text people on snapchat and like it’s the stupidest thing i have ever seen” lucy went off on a little rant seeing you into a little fit of giggles.

“nah but it’s just- it’s just like easier innit” you reasoned elbowing g for her to help back you both up.

“yeah you just get used to it. and it’s better cause you know why, you actually have to open it to see what it says otherwise like on whatsApp you read it then forget to reply” she replied with you nodding.

“and you can send pictures easier! so if you like, wanna show your mates you can be like, this is what I’m having for me tea and it’s so much easier!” you grinned, your words rushing out and not many much sense in a sentence.

“ah no why would I send someone what i’m having for me tea!” lucy laughed.

“because lucy bronze that’s what friends do sometimes but you wouldn’t know cause your to old and don’t have any friends!” you teased and g beside you started laughing her head off making you laugh as well.

-

“i used to have my hair in like dreads” g answer the new question.

“oh my god i remember thattt” you said laughing at the memory of baby faced georgia with braids.

“yeah i remember georgia turned up to training one day with her hair full on braided like i could see her scalp” lucy recalled making you laugh again.

g whipped up a baby photos of her with braids on her phone.

“oh bless you were such a cute baby!” you cooed at the phone (as if you hadn’t see the photo a thousand times before) before looking up. “what happened” you grinned and she pinched your cheeks playfully but your cheeks flushed, especially as her big brown eyes bore into yours.

“anyway so i used to always have my hair in like dreadlockes” you snapped out of whatever you were in so g could explain her photos.

“you look a bit confused as to why you’ve made that decision in the picture” ben said.

“that’s just her happy face” lucy smiled making you all laugh. “like death stare”

“what about you y/n what was your worst fashion choice” ben asked.

“oh god probably like when i used to rock a bob” you said cringing at the memory.

“that’s not even that bad man, of course that’s yours, you’ve always been a little model” lucy rolled her eyes grinning.

“yeah always been bloody gorgeous” g tapped your nose as you blushed.

-

“ummm i don’t remember my first poster but when i moved to barrow i had about a million one direction posters” you giggled and g laughed next to you.

“lord you should have seen this girls room it have covered in one direction” g laughed with you.

“what can i say i love one direction” you smiled.

-

“guys thank you so much for you three making me feel incredibly old and nice and nostalgic at the same time” ben laughed.

“no worries”

“thanks for having us”

“bye!”

—

a while later your head was on g’s stomach as her hands ran through your hair.

“i’m really happy you came to stay with me. ive missed you now you live all the way in london” she mumbled quietly but you could still hear her.

before you moved to chelsea, you had the fattest crush on g and you were pretty sure she liked you back. lingering stares were shared along with soft touches and rosy cheeks. g was your best friend but she was also so much more that than.

but you moved. it wasn’t anything to do with her at all but you had to put your career first and as much as you weren’t a chelsea fan at all, they were winning things you wanted to win and playing games you wanted to play in.

anyway you moved and the next england camp you heard all about how olly had asked her out. you were sad but needed to get over it. you went gonna let a stupid little crush ruin childhood friendship.

“i’ve missed you to g” you replied and she smiled. “your my best friend” you added and little did you know that even though she had olly, georgia’s heart broke a little as you said it.

hey guys this is my fic after and very very very long time just reading woso fics. always love feedback but please be nice. thank you for reading xoxoxoxo

Also I’m hoping for a pt 2?!?!

#woso x reader #woso fanfics #woso community #woso #woso imagine #georgia stanway x reader #lionesses #lionesses x reader #lucy bronze #lucy bronze x reader

[m1ssunderstanding]

Get Back Rewatch 55 Years On: Day Five

The thing is I absolutely love the album that comes out of this mess. Like I know a lot of people do not like Let It Be, but so many of my favorite songs are on it. One of them being “I Me Mine.” The walz element is haunting, and I can read the lyrics as anti-capitalist even though George himself mostly wasn’t. 

Laughing my head off at two boys from one of the best grammar schools in England, who have at this point made millions off of their writing, genuinely not knowing whether it should be “more freer” or “more freely”

The difference in how George shows Paul his new song vs John is striking. For Paul, he’s relaxed, nonchalant. For John, he stands up and performs it. And I think both are a defense mechanism, poor baby, because clearly, although Paul was very supportive of the song while they were alone, when John is roasting it, Paul just laughs along and George has to go “I don’t give a fuck whether you like it.” 

Ah, the famous “up-against-a-wall” conversation. Paul comes in all dominant and sure. “Haven’t you written anything else? Haven’t you?” But then John touches him, and makes him laugh, and Paul’s a melted, goo-goo-eyes mess. This is the real reason why John got to be the leader isn’t it? Because Paul was too damn soft on him to ever follow through with his bossiness.

Their scouse sounds BEAUTIFUL compared to the stupid ugly RP and MLH’s transatlantic shit.

“And now John’d like to say a few words on the subject.” John starts singing, Paul strums along and joins in on the “chorus.” They can’t communicate like healthy people, but they Can do this. 

So Peter Jackson took out Paul’s bitchy nod at Yoko as he’s stealing her man in real time right in front of her eyes. Unforgivable. But he kept in this adorable laugh, so that’s something. 

Three more covers that I think *mean something* “Stand By Me” and “Spinning Like a Top” by Paul, followed by “You Win Again” by John. Yoko’s sweet little shoulder kiss. Thank you for taking care of the poor wet kitten, girly. Maybe don’t introduce the poor wet kitten to heroine, but you do you, I guess. (OP recognizes that poor wet kitten is also an adult capable of making his own decisions)

The cut from Paul literally dancing to get John’s attention straight to John dancing with Yoko while inside Paul’s head a silver hammer is clanging ominously. I can’t. Followed by the knowing, loving smile from Ringo to Paul. You know, those moments when you validate your friend’s bitchy thoughts with a look. 

George is literally SO big inside himself, you know? You have to have superhuman self-love abilities to watch your friend – who is supposed to be helping you – shamelessly make fun of your art . . . and just “Do you wanna do that walz on the show? That’d be great.”

But did you guys know John was actually a really great mover?

“Yes, alright. Just sod off.” I love John. Paul’s people-pleasing ass would literally die first and he needs John to do this kind of shit for him and John’s only too happy to.

The moment when Paul and John are on the same wavelength about Dennis O’Dell’s stage. 

OK but. Did John get the clear plastic idea from Yoko’s art exhibits? 

“Any time we do anything it’s always got to be the best.” Poor Ringo. They’re all literally so tired of carrying so much weight for such a long time. 

“See, I’d watch an hour of him just playing the piano. Cause he’s so great.” With that fond, loving, smile. SUCH big dick energy here. The others could NEVER. 

“And I’ll have the plastic when you’re finished.” Literally for what, though? John, you little hoarding goblin. 

And then Ringo responding to MLH’s “I love you” with “Yes, I love you too.” Yeah, Ringo wins the prize for most healthy beatle of the day. 

*Pattie Boyd voice* “I just wish I knew what was going on there. But something. Something.”

Ugh, John looks so hurt. So tender. So heartbroken. While Paul is over there playing a damn funeral march because that’s the only way he lets himself express anything. But I actually love how Dennis O’Dell knows the clearest path to cheering John up is to say that Paul liked his idea. And how well it works. They’re literally so obvious to everyone but themselves. 

I love the bit when John walks in on the rest of them discussing the live show and MLH calls, “We’ve decided. We’re going to Africa.” And Paul hurries to cut in, “No we’re NOT.” Because he knows exactly how John can get and he’s going to nip this in the bud before John gets let down. And of course, John is all “YEAH LETS GO LETS GO!” And he’s talking about how they always wish they were recording abroad. “We could be in LA, or FRANCE.” (side eye emoji) 

Paul’s “Well said, John.” and “I’ve seen it, John. I went to the premiere. I thought you were great.” Why do all your compliments to him have to be in silly voices? Like, I know you think everyone is going to call you a pussy for saying something genuinely kind to your best friend, but they’re not, and he needs it. 

Holy shit this was a long day. See you all tomorrow with another long-winded-ass post.

#paul mccartney #the beatles #john lennon #mclennon #ringo starr #george harrison #get back

[i4bellingham]

can I request an imagine (or it could be a hc) abt how the reader and trent are so wrapped up in each others love. like the world around them dosent exists when they are together. it could be when going out with friends or after a game 🫶🏽 not sure if I came abt this right but I hope u get the idea. thanks!

LOVE BUBBLE: trent alexander-arnold x reader

NOTE: i don't know if this is satisfactory level but i definitely love writing for soft!trent 🤧 he's my baby boy and i would definitely be looking at him with heart eyes every time like it's me against the world just for my favorite right-back.

It’s probably Trent’s beautiful face.

Or his Scouse accent that immediately hooks your attention on to him when he speaks, like a magic melody that enchants those who hears him talk.

Or maybe, you just love both and the entirety of him too much to be enticed by the things happening outside of your bubble.

Trent has the same love-dovey eyes when he's with youㅡ from an outsider’s perspective he's definitely someone who holds a personal vendetta against those who are not you.

It's the nonchalant, almost detached and cold look he possesses when he's having a conversation with the others, but that look drops because he's all smiley and attentive and chatty when he's around you.

The both of you don't notice of course, too wrapped up in each other's presence to notice those things that the other people from an outside perspective have observed.

Your hangouts with your friends should be infested with ants, they think.

You could be having a small random conversation with Trent, a simple talk about the most nonsensical topics but it's almost like you're talking of the greatest adventures you both went together due to how invested you two are of what the other has to say.

Trent would be leaning down to catch your words better, smiling too much for someone who doesn't smile a lot and you would be laying a hand or an arm over his and your boyfriend would use that as an opportunity to tuck a stray hair behind your ears, or wipe something off your face or pull your chair close to his as if you're both not sitting close enough, the distance an outrageous offense.

It's not overbearing (yet) to your friends to see two people act the way you both do, knowing of how horrible your past relationships had went, not even to the point of them being bearable and you, opening up traitsㅡ good traits from a closed-off person like Trent which truthfully, helps eliminate the idea that he's an imposing man especially in front of the media and fans.

It's just very sweet and new to the eyes of the people who had a fair share of memories enough to dapple you with.

It's like witnessing two soulmates finding the red thread on their pinky finger, slowly lurching towards the other as they get to know each other better, unraveling certain things that only the both of them can find and helping each other heal their traumas from years-worth of existing within the range of people that left them scarred.

What love you have is just so mellow and full and beautiful. It's a love that the others wish they have and by the reaction of the bystanders witnessing you and Trent be complete with the presence of the other, it's definitely a relationship that they knew would last for a lifetime and possibly even the next to come.

#☆ i4bellingham writes #☆ trent alexander arnold #trent alexander arnold fanfiction #trent alexander arnold fanfic #trent alexander arnold imagines #trent alexander arnold imagine #trent alexander arnold x reader #trent alexander arnold x fem!reader #trent alexander arnold x you #trent alexander arnold #trent alexander arnold one shot

[player1064]

jan 2019 pleak 🙏

WIP asks but it's just the various sections of my happy (???) beville (/angsty carraville) WIP

---

January, 2019.

“Ugh, Carragher invited me to his birthday party.”

David looks up at Gary over his glasses, does a pretend gasp. “Your friend invited you to a party? Someone call the fuckin’ press, this sounds like the start of a national crisis.”

“Oh shush, you. D'you think I actually 'ave to go?"

"He's turning forty, ain't he? That's a big'un."

Gary hates parties. He hates Liverpool. He hates parties in Liverpool, or he will once he's actually attended one.

He remembers the Carragher convoy at international tournaments, knows they'll be out 'til the early hours of the next morning, which means that he'll have to be out 'til the early hours because he's never in his life left a party early and he's not about to start now. Which means that he won't be able to drive home at the end, which means that he'll have to stay in Liverpool overnight, and this is sounding worse and worse by the second.

"Don't suppose you fancy comin' along too?" he asks David, because why should he have to suffer alone?

David, because he is much more of a miserable bastard than people give him credit for, hums and says "can't, I'll be in London."

"I've not told you when it is yet, you twat."

"Whenever it is, I guarantee there will be very urgent business I need to attend to. In London."

"You're not very nice."

"Oi! I am delightful."

*

Just close friends and family, Jamie had said.

Gary's yet to see anyone at this fucking party that's not related to Jamie somehow. He's not sure what Jamie would qualify as a 'close friend', but it can't be too tight a group if he counts Gary among them. He'd been expecting to see Stevie, at least. Jamie's an antisocial prick who tends to rub people the wrong way but Stevie's managed to stick it out all these years, and Glasgow's not that far away.

But two hours in and there's nobody else from football there.

He'd chatted to Jamie's dad for a while, reminisced about Big Nev - a unifying power if ever there was one. Gary's not sure he's ever met someone that knew his father who hadn't loved him. He's caught up with Nicola, entertained Jamie's kids - or tried to, as much as you can with two spoilt unimpressed teenagers.

He's starting to run out of ways to pass the time, and the party's still going strong.

There's not been much opportunity to speak to Jamie, not properly. Not that he's got much to say - he'd seen him at work just a couple of days ago, and they text pretty much every day anyway. And it's not like he's brought him a present, or even a card, so he doesn't actually have a reason to pull him away from his friends.

The more he drinks, the harder it gets to parse the Scouse screeches of the other guests into recognisable words, so he grabs a can of coke and goes to hide in the bathroom for a bit, decompress.

He's checking his emails - because it's midnight on a Saturday, why wouldn't he be checking his emails? - when the door swings open, startling him. Jamie stumbles in, flushed from drinking, and when his eyes land on Gary his whole face splits into a grin.

"Gaz!" he cheers, much too loud for such a confined space. "Was wonderin' where you'd got to, I'd been startin' to think you'd flaked out on me."

Gary shrugs. "Never, Carra, you know me. Just needed a time out."

"Ah," Jamie says, nodding sagely. "Were you getting' all - " he waves his hands around his head, as if that's explanation enough. "Wassit called, again? Senses… sensory overload, innit?"

"You been talkin' to Becks?" Gary asks suspiciously, because he's the only person he can think of that uses all those weird therapy words in casual conversation. Always, at big parties, squeezing Gary's hand and saying I know it's loud, Gaz, I know it's too much. Just keep your focus on me.

"Why the fuck would I wanna talk to 'im," Jamie scoffs, and Gary feels his heart rate pick up.

Just keep your focus on me.

He thinks… he thinks there must be something wrong with him, he must've had more to drink than he thought, because -

Because he's looking at Jamie, and he finds he doesn't want to think about Becks at all. He almost wishes - and it's crazy, there has to be something wrong with him - he almost wishes there was no Becks to think about.

Jamie's looking back at him with those piercing grey eyes, and Gary's clenches his hands at his sides before they go and do something stupid like reach out to him.

He clears his throat. "Enjoyin' your party?"

The scowl fades from Jamie's face into something softer. "Yeah," he says, nodding vigorously, "it's sound."

*

It's still dark when David is woken by Gary bustling around the bedroom, but it's the middle of winter and they have blackout blinds so really it could be any time at all. He grabs his phone to glance at the time - it's not quite 6am yet, much too early for him to be waking up. Much too late for Gary to be coming to bed.

Gary comes over and pats his hair clumsily, says "sorry, Becks, din't mean to wake you. I'll go to spare room."

David's eyes are too heavy to roll them at Gary, but he huffs an exasperated sigh and wordlessly lifts up the covers for Gary to climb in next to him.

Gary climbs into bed fully clothed and immediately snuggles up to David, the way he'd never admit to liking when he's sober. He bunches his hands in the fabric of David's t-shirt and rests his head on his chest, his breath smelling like sweet wine.

"Thought you were staying over in Liverpool?" David mumbles into Gary's hair.

"Called a cab," Gary replies vaguely. "Was missin' you."

"'s only been a few hours, weirdo."

Gary whines unhappily, so he adds "I missed you too. Will you let me get back to sleep now?"

#gary experiencing any sort of feeling for anyone other than becks: i think there's something wrong with me. better go home! #beville #carraville #wip asks #im always out here in the trenches pushing the 'gary is autistic' agenda #also didnt know how to work it in there but jamie here knows what sensory overload is because he has been reading up on it. #so that he can understand gary. he probably googled 'why does my bestie get stressed at loud noises sometimes' and went from there

[the-al-chemist]

Artemis Hexley and the Return to the Riddles

Chapter 11: Foul Play

A/N: With the Quidditch season becoming increasingly ugly, the players try to find ways to not fall foul of Marcus Flint’s schemes. Hufflepuff team members belong to @that-scouse-wizard and @thatravenpuffwitch. Warnings: description of sports-related injury, mentions of ableism.

Artemis may have missed the Quidditch match in her attempt to uncover the identity of the stranger leaving messages for the Cabal, but she didn’t mind. Thanks to Tonks and Penny, she was given a full debriefing on the game over breakfast the following morning. 

“Honestly, you thought our match was bad,” Tonks muttered, shaking her violet-haired head. “I’ve never seen a game played with so many fouls.”

“Well, that’s Marcus Flint for you,” said Penny, leaning in towards them and lowering her voice. “Murphy McNully says that he’s the youngest team Quidditch Captain there’s been in over fifty years. But, Waveney Wiley also told me that Marcus’s dad threatened the previous captain so that he would be one this year. You see, originally the captaincy was meant to go to Bakari Nyoka-”

“Their Keeper?”

“He was their Keeper, but he’s quit the team. The captaincy fiasco was one thing, but after he heard Flint’s plans for the team to play as dirty as they have been… Well, that was the last quill for him.”

“What I’d like to know,” said Tonks, slapping her palm down on the table so hard she almost tipped over her pumpkin juice, “is how we stop them from taking the whole bloody Cup. They thrashed us, and now they’ve absolutely batteredRavenclaw. This new method they’re using is paying off, and we can’t stand for it. Someone’s got to do something!”

But Artemis couldn’t see what could be done. If neither their match nor Ravenclaw’s could be re-played, the Slytherins would remain in the lead for the Quidditch Cup. 

However, it seemed like Tonks was not the only one trying to think of a way to stop Flint’s foul play from succeeding. As she and her friends left the Great Hall, they found all three of the other Quidditch team captains engaged in what looked like a somewhat furtive conversation at the other end of the Hufflepuff table.

“We are well and truly out of the running this year. There’s no chance of us winning the Cup now,” Andre was saying, a comment to which Murphy made a low humming noise in response.

“Technically, there’s very few things that have an absolute chance of zero,” he told Andre. “But, I see your point. With Gryffindor’s win in your first match, and Slytherin beating you-”

“Oh, darling. There’s need to beat around the bush,” Andre shook his head sadly. “They annihilated us.”

“In that case, Slytherin’s annihilation of you yesterday gives them a point lead of five hundred and forty over you. That does make your likelihood of winning the Cup incredibly slim, I’m afraid. Less than thirteen percent. Charlie’s team would need to beat us with a margin of two hundred and sixty just to put them on an even keel with Slytherin going into the final, and then they’d have to not fall foul of Slytherin’s… well, fouls.”

“True,” said Andre. “Unless…”

Charlie’s red eyebrows furrowed. “Unless?”

“Well, I heard that a good strategy was right up Murphy’s alley.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

That was exactly what Artemis, who had paused to listen to the conversation, wanted to know. Apparently, Tonks was just as curious as she was, because she linked arms with Artemis and steered her over towards the boys.

“Wotcher, lads,” she said, plonking herself down next to Charlie and squashing his chin between her thumb and forefinger by way of greeting. “What’s this? Quidditch strategising, are we?”

“Yes, actually,” said Andre. He pouted slightly. “Although this is a meeting for captains, so-”

“That’s a shame, Andre, because this table is looking rather male dominated.”

“Well, now it’s looking rather Hufflepuff dominated.”

But Tonks was not going to give up that easily. “I just think you need to have more diversity in the group.”

“I think we’re already pretty diverse,” Andre replied. “Charlie’s poor, I’m black and gay, and Murphy is in a wheelchair.”

“Precisely. If there’s going to be a strategy, he’ll have to convey it to one of us in the air, won’t he?” Tonks raised her violet eyebrows and Andre sighed heavily.

“What were you saying, Andre?” Charlie asked diplomatically, and Andre shot a sulky look at both Tonks and Artemis before replying:

“Okay, so we all agree that Slytherin simply can’t be allowed to win the Cup this year, don’t we?” 

“Alright.”

“Yeah.”

“Agreed.”

“Yes, but allowing doesn’t come into it,” Murphy shook his head. “It’s Quidditch, there are too many variables over which we have no control. A good strategist allows for these variables, but even then, none of us can have complete control over the outcomes of the games.”

“Can’t we?” Andre raised his eyebrows. “Because I think we could, darling. After all, of the three matches left this season, two of them are being played by our teams alone.”

Artemis frowned. “Wait. You don’t mean…”

“Rigging the matches?” Charlie finished her question for her. “Andre, please tell me you’re joking.”

“Charlie, my love, I’m afraid that I’m being deadly serious.”

“But that’s cheating!”

“So what? It’s no less than what Flint and his lot of poorly accessorised Neanderthals have been doing all year,” Andre shrugged. “They want to play dirty, we are all more than capable of that. Some of us more so than others, I expect.” Smirking, his gaze drifted down to the knees of Artemis’ jeans, still ripped and grass-stained from her tussle with the Whomping Willow the day before. “Artemis, darling, I don’t even want to know what you’ve been up to recently.”

Artemis scowled at him, and he winked at her theatrically. Charlie cleared his throat loudly and the attention turned back to him.

“Andre, we can’t rig matches,” he said shortly. “Cheating like that, it’s just stooping to their level.”

“Okay, I see what you’re trying to say, but hear me out. Slytherin have cheated their way to a win in every single game this season. And they’ve hurt players in the process. Poor Abigail is going to have a black eye for weeks after what Flint did to her yesterday, and he’s laughing about it. The boy thinks he’s invincible, and he needs to be taught otherwise. Now, is it not our job as upstanding senior students to teach him that valuable lesson?”

“It still sounds like cheating to me,” muttered Artemis. “Right, Tonks? Tonks?”

But rather than doubtful, Tonks looked tempted. 

“I mean, he has a point,” she shrugged. “Normally, I’d say no way, but Marcus is such a prat. Just look at how he was with you at the start of our match, Murphy.” She gave Murphy a sympathetic look, and he inclined his head.  “I just think that if we can stop him from getting the satisfaction of winning, it might just wipe that stupid smirk off his face. I’m more concerned about how we do it without getting caught, honestly.”

“Ah, I’m already one step ahead of you there, Dora,” said Andre, looking straight at Murphy. “Thankfully, we have a master statistician in our midst. So, the next match is played by all your lot. We work out the biggest point margin Hufflepuff can beat Gryffindor by to give them a good advantage going into the final without it looking suspicious, and then, after Gryffindor play Slytherin - and hopefully win, as long as their Beaters don’t knock Charlie clean out of the sky-”

“Thanks for the confidence boost, Andre.”

“You’re welcome. Now, after your match against Slytherin, it’s us against you, Murphy. What I’m thinking is that once we know how many points Slytherin will have at the end of the season, you might be able to work out the most statistically plausible way to get enough points in our match to take the Cup from right under Flint’s nose. Sound doable to you?”

“Theoretically speaking, yes,” Murphy said quietly. “I just don’t know how I feel about cheating my way to a win.”

“Well, don’t look at it as cheating, just… making it an even ground,” Andre shrugged and rose from his seat. “Have a little think about it, darlings, and let me know the plan.”

With that, as well as a swish of his scarf, Andre left. Charlie and Tonks soon followed suit, still quietly debating the issue as they walked out of the Great Hall. Murphy, for once, was completely silent, staring thoughtfully at the mug of coffee on the table in front of him. 

“You’re not considering this, are you?” Artemis asked him, and he said nothing in response. “Murphy, this is wrong! Think about Orion, and what he’d say about balance and fairness and… I dunno, stars or fate or something.” Murphy laughed, but it was a hollow laugh, and Artemis sighed. “You’re really thinking about doing it, aren’t you?”

“Artemis, you saw the way Flint looked at me before the first match of the season.”

“Yeah, but-”

“People have looked at me that way ever since I can remember. Like they think I’m less than them, just because I’m in this thing,” Murphy gestured to his wheelchair and shook his head. “I’ve always been ‘that wizard in the wheelchair’, and then I got this captaincy and thought that it would be different, but… Now I’m just ‘that captain in the wheelchair’. And I see people looking, I know they all think that I’m not capable, because I can’t ride a broomstick, and I want to prove them wrong. Not just Flint, all of them.”

“I know, and you will. You’re a brilliant captain, even without a broom, because you are so good at numbers and strategies and all the other stuff I’m not clever enough to understand, but you are. You’re really clever, actually.”

“Yeah, I guess I am. You know, the Sorting Hat wanted to put me in Ravenclaw.” Artemis shook her head, and Murphy continued, “I asked to be in Hufflepuff instead.”

Artemis frowned. “Why?”

“Because of what Helga Hufflepuff always said: ‘I’ll take the lot, and treat them just the same’. I thought that the chances of me being able to fit in would be higher if I were in Hufflepuff, that I’d be seen as an equal to everyone else for a change. I just wanted to be treated fairly. But life isn’t fair, is it?” 

“I guess not,” said Artemis. “But Murphy, rigging Quidditch matches won’t make it any fairer.”

“No. It won’t,” Murphy smiled sadly. “Which is why I won’t do it.”

“You won’t?” 

“No. If I’m going to prove that I can be a winning Quidditch Captain, I’m going to win fair and square. It’s not impossible. Nothing is, statistically speaking.”

The following weekend, Artemis and the rest of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team gathered in the changing tents, the sounds of the rest of the school echoing in through the canvas from the stadium outside. Murphy cleared his throat as he wheeled himself inside, and the team picked up their broomsticks to gather around him.

“The match should start in precisely one and a half minutes,” he told them, “so I won’t spend long giving a speech. However, I do want to make sure that you’re all clear on our strategy. I’ve been speaking to Weasley about it, and we’ve both decided that given Slytherin’s latest performances, we want to make this a good, clean game, with no fouls whatsoever from either side. Let’s show them how real sportsmen-“

“And women,” Tonks interjected, waving one hand in the direction of the majority of the team members and inadvertently hitting David Willows in the face.

“And women” - Murphy nodded - “play Quidditch.”

The start of the match was far more sportsperson-ly than that of the last match Artemis had played. Before the game began, Murphy and Charlie shook hands under the watchful gaze of Madam Hooch’s hawklike eyes, each nodding at the other in recognition as they did so.

“Good luck, mate.”

“And to you.”

Murphy went to Madam Hooch’s side and Charlie returned to his position on the starting line-up, ready for the four Quidditch balls to be released. As the Golden Snitch was freed from the box, he cocked one eyebrow at Artemis and shrugged, a small smirk playing on his face. She narrowed her eyes at him and glared stubbornly, and he laughed, immediately rising into the air as the Quaffle was released. 

Artemis set off after him, as per the strategy Murphy had given her before the match; Charlie was incredibly good at slipping away out of sight when he wanted to get an advantage on the Snitch, and neither she nor Murphy intended to let him do just that.

Once the the game was in play, it was just as clean as Murphy and Charlie had promised it would be, but that did not meant that the competition wasn’t fierce. If anything, the match was faster paced than any Artemis had ever seen or played in. Barely thirty minutes into the game, goals had been scored and saved by both teams, which seemed incredibly evenly matched.

“Spectacular save there from Hufflepuff Keeper, Amelia Booth,” announced Lee Jordan the commentator. “The score remains twenty to Hufflepuff, ten to Gryffindor.” Amelia threw the Quaffle back onto the pitch and Jordan continued, “Booth passes to Costa, Costa to Haywood, Haywood to Hopper.”

Below, the Hufflepuff Chasers were advancing across the length of the pitch in formation, making small passes between themselves. Artemis watched them for almost a minute before realising that, in doing so, she had stopped marking Charlie, who had taken the opportunity to slip away unnoticed. She swore under her breath as she looked for him, and saw him several yards away from her, hovering metres above her head. She rose up to meet him, and as she did, one of the Hufflepuff Chasers accelerated towards the scoring zone, Quaffle in hand, her curly blonde hair whipping in the wind behind her.

“That’s Hopper of Hufflepuff with the Quaffle again, and she’s flying straight for the Gryffindor goalposts! She shoots, and… YES! Well done, Oliver! I mean, Wood saves the goal, not that I care as an impartial commentator. Gryffindor’s reserve Chaser Angelina Johnson picks up the Quaffle - shame she can’t pick up the hints I’ve been trying to give her all year, but that’s girls for you…”

“Jordan!”

“Sorry, Professor. Anyway, Johnson loses the Quaffle to Beatrice Haywood, what force of nature that girl is. Also a force of nature, however, is Fred Weasley… Or is that George? It’s hard to tell from here. Anyway, a Bludger from one of the Weasleys is sent straight for Haywood, but it looks like Tonks of Hufflepuff is getting ready to- Ooh, that was close!”

Several feet below Artemis, Tonks had entered the fray to beat a Bludger away from Bea Haywood, and in her enthusiasm to do so, almost hit Angelina Johnson with her bat. Madam Hooch blew her whistle and Charlie dove down to see what had happened, Artemis instinctively following behind him.

“I’m so sorry,” Tonks was saying to the Gryffindor Chaser, the hand that wasn’t holding her bat pressed to her mouth. “I didn’t hit you, did I?”

The girl shook her head and after a brief discussion with Madam Hooch, it was decided that, as Tonks’ error was clearly accidental and no harm had been done, that no foul had been committed.

“Just be glad that you missed,” said Madam Hooch, with a stern glare at Tonks. “Free pass to Gryffindor.”

“We don’t need a free pass, Madam Hooch. There wasn’t a foul.”

Tonks shook her head. “Nah, Charlie. Have the free pass.”

While Charlie and Tonks were debating with Madam Hooch which team should take possession of the Quaffle once the game restarted, Artemis took the opportunity to scan the pitch for a glimpse of the Golden Snitch. As luck would have it, she caught sight of the tiny glimmer of gold flitting around the opposite side of the pitch. A furtive glance at Charlie confirmed her suspicion that he was too busy to have seen it, but whilst the time out was still in session, she couldn’t fly after the ball. However, as the Quaffle was handed back to Angelina Johnson and Madam Hooch raised her whistle to her lips, Artemis allowed her broom to drift slowly in the direction of the Snitch, ready to begin her chase.

As the match recommenced, Artemis zoned in on the tiny ball, her eyes fixed on the sparkle of gold in the distance as she pushed her broom forward to accelerate. Having drifted away from Charlie during the time out, she was a lot closer to it than he was, but she knew that her advantage wouldn’t last long. As much as she would have hated to admit it to herself or to him, she knew that he was a much better flier than she was. 

Sure enough, over the sound of the wind blowing past her ears, she could just about hear Lee Jordan announcing: “Hexley in hot pursuit of the Snitch, but Weasley is gaining on her!”

But though Charlie was the better flier, she had the better broom. And though he had skill on his side, Artemis had the wind on hers; it caught the tail of her broom as she pushed forward to accelerate further and sent her flying faster still, away from Charlie and towards the Snitch. 

She might beat him this time, she realised. She might actually beat him.

“Looks like Hexley’s managed to put some more distance between herself and one Weasley, but she’s heading for two more!”

In either side of her peripheral vision, bright red blurs were approaching Artemis, and as they flew closer, she was able to recognise the Weasley twins, both with their Beater’s bats raised.

On her right, Fred swung at a Bludger and it whizzed her way, and she ducked out of its path, leaving it to fly over her head and straight towards George on her left. He swung, too, and the Bludger was sent back in her direction. She swerved away from George’s Bludger, but she had now been delayed in her chase for the Snitch.

“Have you lost something, Artemis?” George called out, as Artemis scanned the pitch once more. But the Snitch was gone. Fred began to laugh, and she glared at him.

And then she saw it. Somehow, the Snitch had managed to fly back towards her without her realising, and was now hovering just by Fred’s ear. She smirked, and flew towards him, once more in pursuit of the ball.

“Stop her, Freddie!”

But it was too late, the twins had sent their Bludger in the opposite direction, and there was nothing Fred could do to stop her, not now that the Snitch was so tantalisingly close, so close she could almost reach out and-

SMACK!

A deafeningly loud noise reverberated around Artemis’ skull, accompanied by a searing pain at the back of her head. Her ears ringing slightly and white dots starting to appear in her vision, Artemis raised her hands to the spot from which the pain was radiating, and felt that her hair was damp. She pulled her hands away and looked down at her now red palms, which were starting to look fuzzy. 

“Huh,” she said, as she slid sideways off her broom and fell down into a world that had suddenly turned black.

The first thing Artemis saw was a deep red light. Then she heard the voices, lots of them, overlapping with each other and with the quiet ringing noise that echoed between her ears. She frowned, and after feeling her eyebrows move, opened her eyelids to reveal a shadowy figure of a person standing over her, their face obscured by the blinding light behind them. She blinked, and another shadow appeared, and then another.

“Okay, she’s awake,” said a voice - Chiara’s voice. “Everyone give her some air, please.” The shadows moved away, and Artemis attempted to push herself up to a seated position, but a hand pressed on her shoulder, and Chiara’s voice told her, “Don’t get up. Just stay there and get your bearings, while I look at your head.”

Artemis nodded - it hurt to nod - and propped herself up onto her elbows to see what was going on around her. The rest of Quidditch players had landed their brooms, and were gathered around the pitch nearby, with Tonks and Bea Haywood at Artemis’ side, and Charlie and the Weasley twins deep in a loud and obviously heated conversation with Madam Hooch and Murphy.

“You’ve taken a really nasty knock here, Artemis,” Chiara told her. 

“A Bludger?”

“Not quite,” Tonks muttered darkly, holding up a large wooden bat almost identical to her own. “Turns out the twins were so inspired by my accidental foul, they decided to give it a go themselves.”

Said twins were rushing over to Artemis, with Charlie and Madam Hooch continuing their conversation as they followed behind. Charlie was still almost shouting - or perhaps his voice just sounded louder because of how badly her head hurt - despite the fact that the twins were now at her side apologising profusely.

“We’re both really sorry, Artemis. Are you okay?” one of them asked, looking less anxious after Chiara nodded. Behind him, Charlie’s face was still tense.

“No thanks to you and your bat,” he said, in a voice that was laced with barely disguised fury.

“Hey! It wasn’t my bat, it was Fred’s. Honestly, you call yourself our brother…” 

“We can’t delay the rest of the match forever,” said Madam Hooch impatiently. “Poppy, is she fit to…” Her voice tailed off and she did a double take at Chiara before asking, “Miss Lobosca, where is Madam Pomfrey?”

“She’s had to go and treat a student who’s been had a nasty run-in the Whomping Willow,” Chiara told her. “She asked me to take over here.”

“Right. Well, do you think Hexley fit to play?”

“I don’t think-”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” said Artemis, sitting bolt upright and ignoring the way the world began to spin around her as she did so. “I can keep playing.”

Chiara sighed. “Artemis, I think you need to sit this one out. You have a concussion.”

“No. No, I want to play,” Artemis insisted, and the small crowd around her exchanged looks of doubt. “No, it’s fine. I’m fine. And Fred and George have both apologised, so it’s all good.”

She gestured at the twins, who frowned in perfect unison. No one said anything for a moment, until Charlie cleared his throat.

“Uh, Artemis… That’s just George,” he said, stepping sideways to reveal another twin behind him. “Fred’s over here.” 

It was strange, but now that Charlie mentioned it, there were two of everyone nearby: two Chiaras, two Tonkses, two Murphys, two Madam Hooches, and two of each of Professors McGonagall and Sprout, who had just arrived at the scene.

“Is everything under control here?”

“Certainly, Minerva. We were just ascertaining whether Miss Hexley was in a fit state to continue playing. As it happens, she is not.”

“I am,” Artemis protested, clambering up to her feet and swaying slightly, earning herself a fresh round of sceptical stares. “I am. Right, Chiara? Tonks? Murphy?” When none of them agreed, she turned to the person she knew would back her up. “Charlie?”

But even Charlie wasn’t on her side today, because he shrugged and shook his head. 

“You’re concussed, Artie. I’m sorry.”

Furious, Artemis’ jaw dropped open, and though she tried to protest, it was no use, for everyone had already started to speak over her and she was feeling dizzy again.

“There we have it,” said Madam Hooch. “Let’s get back to business, without Hexley.”

“And without Fred and George,” Charlie added, and all eyes turned to him, with the twins protesting in overlapping voices.

“What?”

“You can’t send us off!”

“We’re family!”

“It’s Quidditch!”

“They have a point, Weasley. Sending uninjured players off the pitch is not in the rules.”

“I don’t care, McNully. You and I agreed we’d have a clean match, and I told my team as much. If they don’t want to listen to my instructions, I don’t want them on my pitch.”

Professor McGonagall tutted. “Really, Weasley. I don’t think that’s quite necessary.”

“But I do,” Charlie replied shortly. “And with all due respect, Professor, I’m the Captain of this team, not you.”

With that, he mounted his broomstick and took to the sky, leaving the others in a baffled silence that was broken by the sound of Tonks’ low whistle.

“Well, Bludger me.”

Artemis was escorted directly to the Hospital Wing, unable even to watch the rest of the match, though why she couldn’t have waited for the game to finish before she left, she wasn’t sure. Madam Pomfrey was too busy attending to her other patient to do anything but occasionally glance at Artemis and make sure that she was still breathing, and was still preoccupied when the rest of the school returned from the pitch and the sound of hundreds of footsteps echoed into the hospital from the corridors outside.

Thankfully, Madam Pomfrey being so busy meant that Chiara, Tonks, and Penny were able to sneak into the Hospital Wing without her noticing, their pockets filled with sweets, and told her about the remainder of the match in hushed voices.

“Well, Charlie obviously caught the Snitch-”

“Of course he did,” Artemis muttered with a roll of her eyes.

“- but, because Gryffindor had no Beaters to stop them, the Hufflepuff Chasers did manage to score several goals before that,” Penny continued, smiling proudly. “Bea scored a hat-trick, you know.”

“Good for her.”

“It means that even though Gryffindor won, the difference between the scores wasn’t that big,” Tonks said, popping a piece of Drooble’s Best Blowing Gum into her mouth. “Murphy said that if Slytherin and Gryffindor end up fairly evenly matched and we do well against Ravenclaw, we still have a decent shot at the Cup, at least.”

Artemis nodded, but it wasn’t the Cup that she was annoyed about. Before she could say anything, however, the doors to the Hospital Wing opened once more, and the girls were joined by Charlie Weasley and Jae Kim.

“Wotcher, lads. What brings you here?”

“I wanted to make sure my idiot brothers hadn’t done too much damage,” said Charlie, with smile that was almost a grimace.

“And you, Jae?”

“Huh? Oh, I just thought I’d come and see how Hex is doing, you know,” Jae shuffled over and peered at the back of Artemis’ head. “Hm. Looks like you’ve been pretty well patched up. Well done, Chiara. Good job. Very impressive.”

His hand flinched as if he were about to give Chiara a thumbs up, but hastily stuffed both fists into his pockets as the others stared at him.

“Right,” Chiara blinked. “Thank you, Jae.”

“You’re welcome. Any time.” 

Jae cleared his throat, and Charlie shook his head at him. Judging by the awkward silence, Artemis was not the only one who didn’t know what to say.

“So, anyway…”

“What is this?” a sharp voice echoed through the Hospital Wing as Madam Pomfrey emerged from behind a curtain that was closed around one of the beds. “This isn’t visiting hours. All of you, out!” Reluctantly, Artemis’ friends filed out of the hospital. All except one. “You too, Mr Weasley.”

“Oh, I’m not visiting. I’m injured.”

“You don’t look injured to me.”

Charlie held up his right hand and grimaced. “I think it might be a repetitive strain injury. Seeker’s hand, you know?”

Madam Pomfrey sighed. “Well, you’ll just have to wait. I’m dealing with a serious Herbology-related incident at the moment.”

“I don’t mind waiting.” Charlie shrugged, and once Madam Pomfrey was safely back behind the curtain, lowered his voice to tell Artemis, “I don’t actually have Seeker’s hand.”

“I know.”

“I don’t even know if Seeker’s hand is a real thing.”

“Not in the hand you don’t use to catch Snitches with, it isn’t,” Artemis muttered, glaring at Charlie’s left hand. “I nearly caught that one today. I would’ve had it if it weren’t for Fred.”

“Yeah. I’m sorry.”

“Sure you are.”

“I am. Really sorry. I actually brought you something to make up for it,” Charlie reached into his pocket and pulled out a walnut-sized golden ball, which he held between his thumb and forefinger, smiling. “See? It’s the Snitch. They can only use them for a game once, so McGonagall said I could keep it. I thought you might want it.”

Artemis pouted.

“I don’t want your pity Snitch,” she said, her haughty expression giving way when she saw the disappointed look in Charlie’s eyes. She sighed heavily and threw herself backwards, trying her hardest not to wince as her head hit the pillow. “I just… I’ve never gotten to play against you in a proper match, only in fun games before. And every time, you’ve won. This was the first time I would have been able to beat you, and it was the last time we’ll ever get to play against each other, so I won’t get another chance.”

“Of course you will,” Charlie said, his eyebrows furrowing.

“No, because we’re all leaving Hogwarts, aren’t we? We’re going to go off and do our own things, and we won’t be all together here anymore.”

“I suppose not. But that doesn’t mean that we won’t be friends anymore, or that none of us will ever see each other again.”

“It doesn’t?”

“I mean, you’re not getting rid of me that easily, that’s for sure,” said Charlie, half-smiling. “He held the Snitch out to her once more. “Go on. Take the pity Snitch.” When Artemis hesitated, he added, “Take it, and after exams are done we can release it and race for it. Loser buys dinner once we’ve left Hogwarts, deal?”

“Fine. Deal,” Artemis said, taking the Snitch from Charlie’s outstretched hand. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Charlie sighed. “Look, I know it feels like everything is ending. It feels that way for me too, but to you it’s worse, because here… Well, Hogwarts is like a home to you, isn’t it?” Artemis said nothing, just turned the Snitch over in her fingers. “I’m not saying it to upset you, I just… I’m trying to say that you’re not going to lose anything worth losing. Not a home, not a family. Alright?”

It took Artemis a second to reply, but she nodded her head and whispered, “Yeah. Alright.”

“Good.” For a moment, Charlie looked like he might hug her, but instead he shrugged and looked over his shoulder at the curtain behind which Madam Pomfrey had disappeared before adding, “Right. I should go before Madam Pomfrey comes back from treating whoever it was that got Whomped earlier and realises there’s nothing wrong with my hand.”

Artemis froze. “What?”

“There’s nothing actually wrong with-”

“No, I mean… Someone got Whomped today?”

“Yeah, Chiara mentioned it during the time-out. I’m guessing that’s what Madam Pomfrey meant by the ‘serious Herbology-related incident’.”

“Who was it?”

“I dunno, I was on the pitch,” Charlie frowned. “Why?”

Artemis opened her mouth to answer his question, but shut it again as Madam Pomfrey emerged from behind the curtain and walked across the Hospital Wing to her office. She shook her head.

“It’s not important. I can tell you later,” she said. When Charlie gave her a quizzical look, she nodded her head at the door. “Quickly, before Madam Pomfrey gets back.”

Charlie still looked as if he wanted to know more, but he made his escape while he could. Once he was gone, Artemis glanced at Madam Pomfrey’s door before padding across to the bed with the closed curtains and pulling them open. The moment she did, Artemis’ mouth fell open.

“It was you.”

#artemis hexley #hogwarts mystery #hphm fic #hphm #the hexley saga #charlie weasley #murphy mcnully #andre egwu #penny haywood #nymphadora tonks #chiara lobosca #jae kim #david willows #ellie hopper #amelia booth #beatrice haywood #fred weasley #george weasley

[wykart]

7, 12, 43

Thanks for the Qs!

Post a snippet from a wip.

I actually haven't touched this one in a few months, but I did NOT do all that research on early 20th century Paris to not write this fic. It's called 'Work Conquers All' following Yaz, Dan, and Jericho's adventures in 1902.

"Yaz blinks the blue from her eyes. She was hoping that last night was an isolated incident. Asleep on a hard, damp-smelling mattress in their newly-rented, cramped apartment, her dreams were vivid and frightening. She dreamt of the Temple of Atropos, the Mouri. The power she felt there, splitting hot through her mind as it coiled up her spine, spat fire. They impressed one simple fact upon her, even though the rest of it – the fire and the curdled dead – faded fast in the frost-sharp morning. 

Time is broken. 

A feeling of deep unease hit her as soon as their train rolled into the Gare de l'Est. 

"How fortunate that the man's attention was drawn away,” says Jericho, smiling bashfully.  “I fear I'll never be able to initiate an end to a conversation in a manner suitably polite. But, that's just the British way I suppose.” 

“En't the Scouse way,” Dan mutters. "

Do you outline your fics? If yes, how detailed are your outlines? How far do you stray from them?

I usually have a very rough outline, but just for what will happen overall, not what is going to happen in specific chapters – that's why my word count tends to fluctuate a lot between chapters. For the outline, I usually know where I want to end up and have a vague idea of what will happen on the way, but generally not specific scenes. That way, I have a direction to go in and usually come up with more stuff as I go.

Is there a trope or idea that you’d really like to write but haven’t yet?

I don't feel like I know many tropes. My ideas usually end up being like novel length stories that I often never get around to writing. I've already done a sorta enemies to lovers fic, which was super fun. That's all I can think of tropes-wise. I have a HEAP of ideas that I'd like to write but haven't yet. One that is always in the back of my mind was this whole Gallifrey origin story kinda thing called The Modern Prometheus, from the POV of Tecteun and the boy that we briefly see in the flashback. I have a lot of headcanons about ancient Gallifrey and I ended up writing over 100k words of that story back in 2020 but it needs Major reworking to ever see the light of day. I'd love to go back and rewrite it someday.

[theroleofimagination]

Exclusive fan event from We Play Strong ahead of the UWCL Final on Sunday 16th May, starting at 16:45 BST!

#this looks very cool! #we play strong #uwcl 20/21 #uwcl 20/21 final #weplaystrong #sarah zadrazil #lena oberdorf #rocky hehakaija #shanice van de sanden #katarina johson thompson #alex greenwood #toni duggan #(going for a very scouse conversation i see!) #vivianne miedema #lisa evans #beth mead #eunice beckmann #liv cooke #laura feiersinger #bella linden

[spectral-kitkat]

Some of my Marauder Era headcanons

James:

Thanks to watching so many Marauder edits with ATJ, I can never unhear Liverpudlian James Potter. So in my mind James is Scouse.

He’s also very skilled at playing the guitar. He will occasionally start playing songs in the dorm or the common room and 9 times out of 10 people will join in.

He was NOT obsessed with Lily, asking her out everyday, he did it a few times across 2nd year - 6th year. He realised in 6th year that he would prefer her friendship then not have her in his life at all, so he stops trying to ask her out and hangs out with her as friends. 

He realised in 2nd year he liked her but he didn’t know what he was feeling was love until 3rd.

He’d never let Sirius know but he always kept an eye on Regulus just in case. He knew Sirius would never want his little brother hurt but he wasn’t likely to reach out on his own.

I have adopted the headcanon of James not showing his patronus off in front of the class because of Lily because it’s amazing!

He kept a secret stash of chocolate frogs behind his bedside table that none of the others knew about just in case Remus needed some.

When Peter needed help with a transfiguration, James went through all the wand movements and the spell with him, even though it was 1 in the morning.

Sirius:

Even though the sorting hat separated him from Regulus, he caught his brother’s eye when he was on his way to sit at the Slytherin table and gave him a small smile and a thumbs up. Sirius may have hated Slytherin and everything his family stood for but he knew Reggie was happy so he wasn’t going to ruin that for him.

He was the one who found out that becoming animagi would help Remus.

He took Marlene to Madam Puddifoots in 3rd year as a joke date (they had both realised they were gay but didn’t know how to go about telling other people so Sirius asked her to tea to help cheer her up.) They spent the entire time people watching and making fun of the decor. It’s still one of his favourite memories and one he held on to closely in Azkaban.

He would always throw out hypothetical creature battles for the Marauders to discuss (eg: Basilisk vs Erumpent, Mooncalf vs Demiguise, Bowtruckle vs Cornish Pixie)

During his first night in Gryffindor, he had a nightmare about what his parents would do to him. He went to McGonagall and she offered him a biscuit and they spoke until the early hours. She reassured him and from that moment on Sirius always thought of Minnie as a mother and McGonagall will always see Sirius as her son.

For his 17th birthday, James and the Potters bought Sirius his motorbike. Peter bought him a helmet and Remus (after working 2 jobs that summer) saved up enough to buy Sirius his leather jacket. Fleamont also took Sirius into another room and gave him the Potter Family watch. When Sirius tried to explain that it should go to James instead, Fleamont tells him that it belongs to him, since he is his and Euphemia’s eldest son.

Remus:

He is Welsh. His accent lessened as he got older but when the Marauders do something particularly stupid he will still curse in Welsh under his breath.

He was Quidditch commentator from 3rd year - 5th year. He quit when he became a prefect (he totally wasn’t fired because of his less than innocent comments)

Remus was an avid Dr Who fan. The 4th doctor being his favourite.

Most people think Sirius is the one who leaves all the cigarette butts in the ashtray but in reality Remus is the biggest smoker out of the 4.

During the Christmas break of 4th year, Remus invites the Marauders to the cinema. They end up going to see ‘Murder on the Orient Express’. Safe to say the train journey back to Hogwarts after Christmas break was the most tense train ride of Peter’s life.

Lily and Remus would make references to their favourite TV series and movies, confusing the others as to why they find a conversation about coconuts and swallows so funny.

On days where his lycanthropy made him sluggish he would always lean on whoever was next to him. Peter would rub his back, James would ruffle his hair and Sirius would hug him. 

Remus’ favourite book is ‘The lion, the witch and the wardrobe’, his favourite song is Piano Man by Billy Joel and his favourite film is The Jungle Book as his mother took him to see it at the cinema.

He is the most sarcastic, snarky person once you get to know him properly and responsible for most of the prank ideas.

The first date that Sirius took him on was a a late night picnic in a field near Hogwarts. After eating they lay down and stargazed, Sirius adding commentary about the different stars and constellations and how they got their names.

Peter:

Was the most skilled wizards chess player out of all of them. He once won a game in 3 moves.

He always gave good advice. When James was struggling about what to do on his first date with Lily, Peter told him to just be himself and to calm down. One time when Remus was particularly self destructive about his scars and condition, Peter hugged him and gave him some chocolate. He then told him that his scars showed how defiant and brave Remus really was and that the fact he was dealt the shittest hand known to man and is still able to joke and laugh means he can do anything he puts his mind to. After the ‘Prank’ incident, Peter was the first to talk to Sirius. He told him that what he did was extremely hurtful and that yes James and Remus are totally pissed at him but that they still love him deep down and it will take a while before things will get better.

He was the first one who managed to turn into his animagus form. The reason being that whenever he had a minute to himself he would try again and again to change. He knew how much Remus needed him and it pushed him hard enough that he succeeded. 

He always got the Marauders sugar quills for Valentines as a way to show how much he loved and valued them as friends (which is what made his betrayal even worse)

He had a short romance with Emmeline Vance. He asked her out in the 4th year, all while thinking in the back of his mind that she’ll turn him down. She said yes and they dated until 6th year. It was a mutual breakup as they both decided they were better off as friends.

In 6th year Peter pulled a prank on James on Valentines day. At 7 in the morning James was rudely awaken by a dwarf singing ‘I can’t help falling in love’ by Elvis Presley in his face. What Peter didn’t know is that Sirius decided to get in on the prank by adding another dwarf every hour. When James tried to run away from them Remus chimed in and cast a spell so that the dwarfs were tethered to him. James Potter went to bed that night surrounded by 13 singing dwarfs. Once he was finally asleep, Peter removed the spell.

Lily:

When James stopped asking her out she thought she’d be happy. Eventually she realised she liked him and decided to take matters into her own hands. She asked him out to Hogsmeade and it took James a minute to answer as he was so shocked she actually liked him back.

Her favourite song was ‘Midnight Train to Georgia’ by Gladys Knight and the Pips.

She secretly loved Quidditch and during the first Gryffindor match of 7th year she wore one of James’ old jumpers.

Due to her parents deaths, she had no one to walk her down the aisle so she asked Remus. He immediately said yes.

She had multiple nicknames. James would always call her either Lily-pad or Love. Sirius would call her every flower under the sun apart from Lily (and Petunia). Remus and Peter would call her variations of her name (eg: Lils, Evans). Marlene, Dorcas, Mary and Alice would call her Pumpkin.

She was a massive Beatles’ fan and her first dance with James was to ‘I Will’ as that had been the song he was singing before she asked him out.

She was the only person who ever got close to beating Peter at chess.

#hogwarts #Marauders #marauders era #harry potter marauders #harry potter headcanon #Headcanon #marauders headcanon #Remus Lupin #James Potter #Sirius Black #peter pettigrew #lily evens #jily #wolfstar #Harry Potter #random headcanon #i love the marauders #to the point it's probably not healty #Damn this is long

[lifeofkaze]

When Stars Ignite - Chapter 15

HPHM Rockstar AU

A/N: Katriona Cassopeia (in mention) belongs to the gorgeous @kc-and-oc, David Willows (in mention) belongs to the wonderful @that-scouse-wizard

General Warning: This whole fic has a general warning of being NSFW / 18+. We will give specific warnings for every chapter in itself, but several adult themes will be more or less present in every chapter, may it be explicitly or in mention. These include sexual topics, drug abuse, (ab)use of alcohol, smoking and a whole lot of cursing.

Specific Warning: language

~~~

Find the masterpost here, the previous chapter here and the next one here. The songs featured before every chapter can be found on this pretty badass playlist here.

~~~

This work is a collaboration with @the-al-chemist

Taglist: @slytherindisaster @carewyncromwell @night-rhea @thatravenpuffwitch

Mm, child, tired of the bullshit Go on, dust your shoulders off and keep it moving Yes, Lord, tryna get some new shit In there, swimwear, going-for-the-pool shit

~ Cold Years - Good As Hell ~

Lizzie frowned as she saw Murphy quickly turning his wheelchair around and getting ready to leave as she approached him and Orion. The blond sound technician nodded to her in passing and she could have sworn he winked at her as well.

She looked after him curiously as she sat down on the deckchair next to Orion, her towel loosely wrapped around her shoulders.

“What’s gotten into him?”

Orion smiled ominously. “Yearning for his one true love.”

“What, basketball?” Lizzie snorted. “Fucking fringe sports.”

Orion had to laugh at her words. “I was talking about Katriona.”

Lizzie shrugged. “Close enough.” She tilted her head to see what Orion had been writing down into his notebook. “How’s the song going?”

He spun the pencil between his fingers, the way Lizzie had shown him with a drumstick. “Slowly; I’ve been a little distracted by more inspirational sights.”

He briefly smiled at her before resting his chin on his arms with his eyes closed.

“Were you now,” Lizzie giggled. She moved a little closer to Orion, pulled her still dripping ponytail over her shoulder and wrung it out over his back. She laughed as he jumped at the cold water hitting his warm skin.

“What was that for?” he called out, playfully trying to shove her away. “You’re a mood of your own, do you know that?”

“As if you don’t love it.”

Orion only snorted and chose not to answer. Expecting another teasing remark from Lizzie, he was surprised when she remained silent. Looking up, Orion saw her attention had shifted from him to the other side of the pool. He followed her eyes to where Artemis was sitting alone on her deckchair, listening to music with her gigantic headphones on while scrolling through her phone.

“You’re still intent on making friends with her, aren’t you?” Orion said. It was more a statement than a question.

Lizzie hummed in response, her eyes not leaving Artemis. “I can’t believe she wants to be alone all of the time.”

“Have you considered that maybe she values her solitude more than she does company?” Orion contemplated softly. “Sometimes we keep from others because we want to protect sides of ourselves we don’t want anyone to see.”

“Like Merula does all the time?”

Orion nodded. “Yes, she and Artemis are more similar than both of them might think.”

“But Merula and I became friends eventually,” Lizzie said stubbornly. “The effort was on another level but we still did. I bet I could make Artemis like me; I don’t want her to be alone all the time. That’s the best part of touring isn’t it? Spending all this time with your friends.”

“It is for us, but not necessarily for her. You can’t force her, Liz; if she wants to remain alone, you’ll have to accept that. Why are you so intent on befriending her anyway,” he wanted to know, “is this about you or about her?”

“It’s not an ego thing, if that’s what you’re going for,” Lizzie answered a little more sharply than she had meant to. She could see that Orion was taken aback by her tone, so she softened her voice a little as she tried to explain.

“I don’t think she’s keeping to herself by choice,” she said. “She’s always on the sidelines, always watching what everyone else is doing. She only started talking to Charlie a few days ago, and God knows how he managed to do that. I don’t think that’s because she doesn’t like us, though. I think she just had really bad experiences in the past.”

“Artemis is not a scared cat. It shows your compassion that you want to include her so badly but just think about all the things you’ve tried already. You tried talking to her many different times, you wanted her to join us for lunch, asked her to go out for drinks after the shows; she declined every single one of your offers. If Artemis wants to tear down her walls, she will do so in her own time and at her own pace.”

Lizzie contemplated Orion’s words; without thinking about it, she placed her hand on the tattoo on Orion’s back. She had seen it up close so many times by now, but she never grew tired of how beautiful it looked. The water beads still glistening on his skin were looking like shiny pearls amongst the black lines.

She was broken out of her thoughts, when Orion moved away from her touch. “What’s wrong?”

He looked at her, one eyebrow raised. “You know I appreciate both the gesture of affection and the thrill of the risk, but I think you’re taking things a little too far.”

Lizzie only chuckled and tried to playfully poke him in the ribs, but Orion moved out of her reach again. A little irritated, she furrowed her brow. “Since when have you become so boring? You didn’t complain about the little extra attention when we had the photoshoot yesterday.”

“I know, but still, it was reckless of you,” Orion replied calmly. “People could start noticing.”

“But they didn’t.”

Orion sighed. “I’m not entirely sure about that.”

Lizzie’s shoulders tensed, all playfulness disappearing from her face. “What do you mean?”

“I think Skye might have seen something. I wasn’t sure because she didn’t say anything so I decided to wait and see. But in any case, it is unwise to draw attention like that.”

Lizzie raised her head, her eyes moving to where Skye was sitting with Erika and Andre. And sure enough, the blue haired bassist was in fact looking their way. Lizzie unconsciously moved a little away from Orion, but when hers and Skye’s eyes met, Skye’s look confirmed what the sinking feeling in Lizzie’s stomach had been telling her all along - she knew.

“That’s not good,” Lizzie whispered, more to herself than Orion.

“It is far from optimal indeed.”

And sure enough, Skye’s frown deepened as quickly as Lizzie’s panic was growing. She watched as her friend said something to Erika before getting out of her chair to come over to them.

Lizzie absolutely didn’t want to be confronted by Skye, and least of all in front of the others. Skye had never been a particularly subtle person; if Lizzie got into an argument with her here, she might as well shout everything from the rooftops.

Before Skye could make her way to them, Lizzie practically jumped out of her seat, trying to look as casual as possible while her heart was racing in her chest.

“Pity you don’t want to join the next round,” she proclaimed just loudly enough for Skye to hear it, “water polo is always more fun with more players.”

She set her eyes on Artemis, who was still sitting on the opposite side of the pool. “I’ll just go and ask Artemis instead.”

“How smooth,” she heard Orion mutter with a mocking tone, but didn’t care. She had wanted to speak to Artemis anyway and if she could bring the whole length of the pool between herself and Skye by doing so, all the better.

Lizzie set off to round the pool in the opposite direction to Skye; much to her relief, she noted that her friend had sat down onto her deckchair again, but she could feel her green eyes boring into her back.

Artemis was slumped deep into her chair when Lizzie approached her. She was slightly nodding her head to the inaudible beat coming from her headphones. The corners of Lizzie’s mouth twitched when she saw the stylised cat face engraved in silver on the speakers; she had the same limited edition.

Artemis was so concentrated on her phone that she didn’t even notice Lizzie’s presence. Lizzie wondered if that was intentional, but when Artemis jumped violently when Lizzie sat down next to her, she instantly felt sorry; she hadn’t wanted to scare her.

She countered Artemis’ hostile stare with an extra cheerful smile, partly because she wanted to start the conversation off right and partly to mask her own jumpy nerves.

“All alone today?”

Artemis sized her up for a moment. “Apparently.”

“Sorry about scaring you, I thought you’d seen me coming.”

The look in Artemis’ eyes grew hard. “I’m not scared.”

“I just thought…”

“I said, I’m not scared,” Artemis repeated stubbornly and Lizzie raised her hands in defence.

“Of course not, sorry.”

She waited for Artemis to show any sign of wanting to continue their conversation but received none, so she tried again. “Do you want to come over and sit with the rest of us? You don’t have to sit alone all of the time.”

Artemis’ eyes flickered to where Everett was basking in the sun. “I don’t think so.”

Lizzie was looking in the same direction. “Whistling after you earlier was shit, sorry about that. Ev takes a lot of getting used to, but he doesn’t really mean it that way.”

Now Artemis’ hazel eyes found hers and Lizzie could see a trace of anger flashing in them. “I think he very much meant it that way.”

Lizzie sighed; actually, Artemis was right but that wasn’t something she could downright tell her and still hope to get her to come. “He can be such an idiot, I know. Just forget about him.”

Artemis indicated her headphones. “That was the plan.”

The faint sound of a guitar was reaching Lizzie’s ears from the music that was still playing, and the voice of the singer was sounding familiar. “What are you listening to?”

Artemis watched her critically, probably contemplating just putting her headphones back on, and be done with it. “Some cover songs from a singer from Liverpool. He’s called David Willows. Have you heard of him?”

Lizzie had to laugh. “You could say I’ve met him once or twice back in the days.”

She immediately regretted laughing when Artemis’ eyes narrowed; she had probably given the impression that she was making fun of her.

It was apparent that the unapproachable pyro tech had no intention of continuing their conversation; she was repeatedly glancing at her phone and her whole body language had turned dismissive. Under usual circumstances Lizzie would have given up at this point but she didn’t want to give Skye another opportunity to talk to her.

“What I actually wanted to ask,” she tried for the third time, “Charlie and I want to play another round of water polo. Want to join?”

The look in Artemis’ eyes turned contemptuous. “And climb onto some random guys naked back to make a mickey out of myself?” She demonstratively dropped her eyes to her phone. “No thanks, I’m good.”

Lizzie had to stifle a sigh at her stubbornness. “Come on, it’ll be fun.”

“I said no,” Artemis replied, a lot more sharply than before.

Lizzie felt a flare of temper. “It’s just water polo, why are you making such a fuss about it?”

Artemis' face darkened considerably and Lizzie feared she might have overstepped her mark. But before Artemis could say something, her eyes shifted from Lizzie to something in her back, only moments before Lizzie felt Charlie’s hand coming to rest on her shoulder.

“There you are, little rockstar. Have you persuaded Artemis to join?”

His tone was easy but the look in his eyes wasn’t lost on Lizzie; he wasn’t happy at all she had disregarded his wish to leave Artemis alone.

“I’m afraid not.” Her tone was brusque; she was pissed with Charlie for stepping in.

Charlie’s mouth twisted into a grin. “Hate to say it, but I told you so.”

His attention turned to Artemis, who was just as unhappy with her company than the rest of them. “Can I talk to you for a sec?”

Artemis sighed deeply. “If you have to.”

She put her phone down and got up and Charlie immediately walked her away from Lizzie. Lizzie’s face darkened and she fought the urge to cross her arms in front of her chest. She was not impressed Charlie had interfered; he was starting to grow overly protective of Artemis, even though she didn’t seem to be the kind of person to need anybody’s protection but her own.

Her thoughts were instantly forgotten, when she suddenly heard Skye’s voice in her back.

“Jameson, you and I, we need to talk.”

Lizzie grimaced before turning around. Skye had her arms crossed and was staring at her accusingly.

“What’s on your mind?” Lizzie sighed.

“You know damn well what’s on my mind,” Skye hissed. “There’s something you need to tell me, right fucking now.”

Lizzie averted her eyes. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“You know damn well what I mean,” Skye snorted. “What in the actual fuck is going on with you and Orion? Don’t try to pull the old innocent-trick on me, we’ve lived together and I know you’re as innocent as Merula next to an empty box of cigarettes.”

Her eyes narrowed when Lizzie didn’t answer. “I saw what you did yesterday at the photoshoot and I saw you earlier next to him as well. You’re not even as handsy when it comes to Charlie and a lot of things make a lot more sense to me now. So, gonna ask you again and you better not lie to me; what’s the deal?”

Lizzie muttered something under her breath, making Skye frown. “What’s that?”

Knowing she would have to tell her friend if she liked it or not, Lizzie sighed. “We may potentially have a little thing going on, if you want to call it that,” she said, not meeting Skye’s eyes.

Just as she had feared, Skye’s voice immediately rose in volume. “Are you out of your bloody mind?”

“Keep your voice down,” Lizzie said angrily, “there’s no need to shout.”

Ignoring her words, Skye continued, albeit with a lower voice. “You know the rules! It’s a clear hands off the other band members. What if dad finds out you guys are dating?”

“He won’t find out if you just shut up about it and keep your nose out of things that aren’t your business,” Lizzie responded sharply. “And for the record, we’re not dating. It’s just some fun, nothing of it.”

Skye pinched the bridge of her nose with her fingers, clearly exasperated at her friends’ antics. “Can’t believe it, I always thought you were the smart one out of the two of us. How long have you been at it?”

Lizzie fidgeted uncomfortably. “A few months? Maybe?” She faltered under Skye’s withering stare. “Since last August.”

Skye looked at her incredulously. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” she groaned. “You’re not saying you’ve been shagging our guitarist longer than my longest relationship lasted and never even thought to tell me? Your best friend?”

“At least I’ll have to tell no one else if you don’t stop shouting,” Lizzie replied wryly. “And sorry to say that but your average relationship duration is not a very high benchmark to reach.”

Despite herself, Skye had to suppress a grin. “Fair game.” The smile faded as quickly as it had come when she continued. “Seriously though, are you sure about what you’re doing? It’s a damn right dangerous game you’re playing at, is all I’m saying. What if something goes wrong?”

They both glanced over to where Orion was now again working on whatever song was floating around in his head. Much to their surprise, Artemis was sitting next to him. When she saw them looking, they quickly turned their heads again.

“Nothing will go wrong,” Lizzie insisted, “if anyone should know shagging a colleague can work just fine, it’s you.”

If Lizzie hadn’t known her so well, she might have missed the slight flush creeping onto Skye’s face. “No idea what you’re on about.”

Lizzie made a dismissive sound. “Oh please. Don’t act as if not the whole fucking crew knows about you and Erika.”

Skye raised her chin defiantly. “Okay fine, maybe being friends with benefits can work, but this is different. She’s part of the crew, Orion’s an actual member of the band, and a damn important one at that. If you guys screw things up, we’re all royally fucked.”

“Stop worrying, everything will be alright. Orion and I are completely on the same page with this.”

Lizzie hesitated for a moment. “You’ll keep this to yourself, right? You won’t tell your dad about this?”

Skye looked at her as if she had gone mad for good. “Do you think I’m bonkers? Dad doesn’t need to know everything. Way too involved in our stuff as it is, if you ask me. But you got to promise me one thing.”

Relieved the immediate catastrophe had been averted, Lizzie nodded. “What?”

“Don’t put me into a position where I need to lie to my dad, alright?” There was nothing of the ever present sparkle in Skye’s eyes; she was dead serious about this. “Don’t get too involved with him. This is about family.”

#hphm #hogwarts mystery #harry potter hogwarts mystery #orion amari #charlie weasley #skye parkin #lizzie jameson #artemis hexley #rockstar au #when stars ignite #wsi #besties collaborate

[smegdwarf]

But Who Could Love Me? - Red Dwarf Fic (Rimmer X Reader)|Chapter 1 (1/2)

A/N: Did you really think I hold back? :P

Warnings: None, just fluff

Summary: Pretty much giving Rimmer the love he deserves 😌

Chapter 1

Your POV

Why was this happening? What was going on and how in the entire universe did you end up here? Scrambling to your feet and fumbling along the corridors, almost as if you had drunk several crates of beer on an empty stomach, you tried to figure out where you was and whether or not you was alone. After all there was only so much time before this was bound to happen again.

“Alright?” A voice boomed as a picture appeared on a screen near you.

“Christ!” You jumped back, almost falling to your feet again.

“Sorry didn’t mean to scare ya” The voice apologized “I’m Holly!”

“Where am I?” You stuttered, feeling the flickering approaching.

“JMC Mining ship Red Dwarf” Holly confirmed your suspicions.

“Is there anyone on this ship?” You asked, the flickering become more constant and harder to fight against.

“They’re in...” Before Holly could finish everything went black.

What felt like an eternity but was only a few seconds in reality you reappeared from your light bee with an almighty thud as you hit the metal wall of the ship.

“Did you guys hear that?” One voice exclaimed

“Probably another part of the ship falling apart ignore it” Another completely fed up voice grumbled as the door you had landed near opened.

“Sirs you might want to come and take a look” That was definitely a mechanoid.

“What is it Krytes?” A scouse voice asked.

“Ma’am are you ok?” The mechanoid asked as I finally opened my eyes.

“Oh great another human and it’s a female” The grumpy voice from earlier groaned.

“Alright Rimmer, keep your ‘h’ on” The scouser replied.

“Shut up Lister!” Rimmer growled.

“Mr Rimmer sir...” The mechanoid stuttered.

“What is it Kryten?” Rimmer rolled his eyes.

“I’m not human” You mumbled as you rubbed your eyes, the flickering feeling returning a little “Do you a medical bay on board?”

“Of course ma’am” Kryten looked over you concerned as you tried to stand up.

“I need to get there ASAP” You grumbled as you rubbed your eyes once more knocking your hair from your face and revealing what you truly were.

“You’re a hologram?” Rimmer stood stunned as you began to flicker in and out again.

“I need to go now!” You exclaimed as Lister and the remaining unnamed crew mate helped you to the medi-bay.

Hooked up to the red dwarf holo system, Kryten set up a scan to find out what was causing you to flicker out.

“You’re a hologram?” Rimmer repeated himself.

“Am I? I wondered why there was a big ‘h’ on my head?” You teased but it went straight over him.

“It appears your light bee has a crack ma’am, which is causing you to flicker in and out and glitch” Kryten eyed over the scan results as he explained the issue.

“Is it fixable?” You asked.

“Sure is ma’am” Kryten gave you a reassuring smile.

“And please call me Y/N” You smiled back.

“Hang on can’t the ship only maintain one hologram?” The unnamed crew mate pointed out.

“Shut it Cat!” Lister shushed him.

“A couple updates and a few adjustments and the ships system should maintain several holograms” You smiled “How long will it take to fix the crack?”

It was then that you noticed Rimmer had left the medi-bay, clearly not pleased about sharing the ship with another hologram. It didn’t take Kryten long to fix the crack and before long you were helping him update the hologram program to maintain both you and Rimmer.

“Well if you would excuse me ma’am I’ve got a load of Mr Listers laundry to catch up on” Kryten nodded in your direction “You’ll find the crew down the corridor on the left”

“Thanks Kryten” You smiled as you parted ways with Kryten to find the others “Hi, hope I’m not disturbing anything?”

Upon seeing you, Rimmer jumped up from his seat and took himself and the book he was reading to his bunk without a word.

“Of course not, sit down and help yourself to a beer” Lister grinned “Did Kryten fix you up?”

“He did and the hologram program has been updated to maintain both me and Rimmer” You replied earning a not so subtle scoff from the hologram throwing a strop.

“Ignore the smeghead over there” Lister rolled his eyes towards Rimmer.

Rimmer was a mystery, he avoided you at all costs for the 3 weeks you had been stuck on Red Dwarf. Even though in those 3 weeks you had become good friends with the rest of the crew. It was all about to turn upside down as Kryten had bad news to deliver.

“Are you coming?” You spoke towards Rimmer but you dared to look at him.

“Y/N, Rimmer we need to get to starbug NOW!” Lister burst in, Krytens bad news had to wait.

While Lister run ahead it left you and Rimmer walking to spacebug alone in complete silence. Lister had filled you in on Rimmer, on why he is the way he is and why he seemed to hate you with every inch of his hologramatic being. He didn’t trust anyone and perceived everyone as a threat due to his crappy upbringing and constantly being shot down. It was clear the man had issues but it would be wrong of you to treat him differently because of them and it didn’t help that the rest of his crew liked to play on his insecurities. If anything you just wanted to be acquaintances if friends wasn’t possible.

After all piling into Starbugs cockpit Kryten filled everyone in, an abandoned ship was slowly flying by Red Dwarf and it was up to this crew to check it over for remaining crew or supplies that could be useful on ship.

“Rimmer are you still sulking?” Lister decided to spark a conversation, apparently at the expense of Rimmer.

“I’m not sulking, I just don’t see why we need to check this ship, we’ve already got an extra crew mate on board ...we don’t need anymore” Rimmer kept his eyes on the console in front of him as he spoke however you couldn’t take your mind of the fact he referred to you as a crew mate. Maybe he’s finally warming up to you.

“Maybe we’ll bump into Ace?” The Cat decided to join in, Lister has briefly mentioned Rimmer’s alter ego Ace and from what you could gather everyone but Rimmer liked him.

“Ah I love that man” Lister joined in as Rimmer let out a groan “The only version of Rimmer that can be considered a man”

“Alright guys give it a rest, how would you like it we were teasing you?” You shut them down, noticing Rimmer turning from his screen to look at you for a split second from the corner of your eye.

“Did you just stand up for Rimmer?” Lister turned to face you as did Kryten and The Cat.

“Is that so wrong?” You raised your eyebrow.

“Yes!” Lister, Kryten and the Cat said in unison.

“Well you’re all a bunch of smeg heads” You grumbled.

“Ooh Y/N cares about Rimmer” Lister teased as Rimmer let out a tut.

“Have we reached the ship yet?” Rimmer growled as the ship came to a sudden stop with a jolt.

“Erm ...maybe” The Cat smiled awkwardly, clearly too interested in the drama in the cockpit than the spaceship we were hurtling towards.

“Here’s the plan, Y/N, Lister and the Cat look for any remaining crew members, Kryten and I will look for supplies” Rimmer ordered, he may not officially be an officer but 3 million years into deep space with the last human, a robot and a half cat wasn’t going to stop him pretending to be and it wasn’t until he looked up from getting ready that he noticed Lister, Kryten and Cat already down the corridor of the abandoned ship.

“Have fun you two!” Lister shouted down the corridor.

“Smeg!” Rimmer grumbled “Come on”

Of course Rimmer wasn’t pleased to be left alone with you and as much as you wanted to get to know Rimmer better you knew it was not going to be easy.

“Just to set the record straight I had nothing to do with this” You put it out there as Rimmer kept his focus on searching for supplies.

“Uh huh” Was the only response he was willing to give.

“Fine” You muttered under your breath as you too looked for supplies to take back.

“Nothing in here, onto the next room” You let Rimmer boss you about, after all standing your ground against him would just end in a fight.

“Yes sir!” You replied sarcastically, earning a frown before he walked off.

After a few more rooms it was clear there wasn’t much to salvage besides a few crates of lager, medical supplies and a bunch of stationary that only Rimmer would’ve spotted.

You and Rimmer sat in Starbug in silence as you waited for the others to return, Rimmer completely blocking out his surroundings as he went through his new haul of pens and notebooks. You knew Rimmer wasn’t like the others, as much as he hated to admit it he was shy and very awkward, his interests were on the opposite end of the scale to Lister and the Cat and he had clearly built up some very high walls in need to protect himself. Watching the way his face lit up over his new stationary made you smile, a smile you were completely unaware of until Rimmer looked up.

“Shouldn’t the others be back soon?” You immediately tried to change the subject as Rimmer tried to put his focus back on his notebooks but unbeknown why, he was struggling.

“Listy? Can you hear me?” Rimmer poked a button next to his monitor.

“Having fun Arnie?” Lister teased once more through the reciever.

“Have you found anyone?” You jumped in, you wasn’t in the mood to hear him taunt Rimmer more.

“Nah we’re heading back to Starbug now! What about supplies?” Lister replied.

“Found a few crates of lager and some medical supplies but that’s about it” You explained, leaving out Rimmer’s stationary supplies to save him from the teasing.

“Nice, we’re a few minutes away, see you guys soon” And with that the cockpit went silent.

Even though Rimmer acted as though he was ignoring everything it was obvious he had picked up on you leaving out his haul to spare him as his foot suddenly started tapping the floor beneath it not sure how to deal with the emotions he was currently feeling.

Rimmer was proving to be a tough nut to crack, either only talking to the boys, remaining silent or even leaving the room in some cases. He did talk to you but only when it was absolutely necessary and it became an extremely regular thing for the rest of the crew to run off and leave you alone together.

Another day ...or night ...it was a guessing game half the time and even if it did turn out to be midnight it didn’t stop You and Lister chowing down on a hefty bowl of cereal.

“Thanks Krytes” You smiled as Kryten placed a bowl of your favourite cereal and juice on the table in front of you as you remained focused on the book you was reading.

“You’re welcome ma’am!” Kryten smiled before scuttling off, after all there was always bound to be a basket of Listers socks and underwear in desperate need of cleaning.

“Hmm that’s good” You happily munched away on your breakfast, noticing Lister hanging over the side of his bunk from the corner of your eye “Don’t even think about touching that guitar”

“Yes please don’t” Rimmer walked in, eyes down on the papers in his hand.

“Alright jesus” Lister whined as he threw himself back in his bunk.

“Good morning Arnold” You called him by his first name in an attempt to get a reaction from him.

“Morning” Rimmer mumbled looking up from his notebook for a short second before looking back down, he definitely noticed.

“What are you up to?” You asked trying to spark up a conversation with the hologram sat opposite you.

“Probably studying to fail his Astro-navs again” Lister teased.

“Oi!” You shot Lister a look.

“Do you ever stop talking?” Rimmer snapped at Lister.

“Ooh someone woke up on the wrong side of the ship this morning?” Lister set off on his mission to piss off Rimmer.

“Shut up” Rimmer growled.

“Just ignore him” You spoke only loud enough for Rimmer to hear as he looked up and spotted the book you were reading.

“You’re reading the space corps directives?” Rimmer raised an eyebrow at the book.

“Yeah why not?” You smiled as you flicked the page, Rimmer’s eyes shot back down to the paperwork in front of him.

“I wouldn’t bother, we ignore practically all of them” Lister chimed in.

“Correction Listy ...you ignore all of them” Rimmer looked over at Lister sprawled out in his bunk.

“They are rules and rules are for goodie goodies” Lister huffed.

“Rules exist for a reason” Rimmer replied sternly.

“Rules are made to be broken Rimmer” Lister grinned “Not that you’d have the balls to do that”

“Alright that’s enough Lister” You shot Lister a look that shut him up instantly “Every conversation doesn’t have to end in you belittling Arnold”

And it was with that last sentence that Rimmer had up and left. This is how most days panned out, you’d finally get a conversation going then Lister or The Cat would butt in and insult or berate Rimmer. Being 3 million years into deep space you could understand that there wasn’t much to do and boredom would ensue but it wasn’t an excuse to treat Rimmer the way they did, especially knowing what they know about him.

“So are you staying on Red Dwarf then?” Lister asked, eyes fixated on the screen in front of him as he played his video game.

“I don’t know” You sighed, trying desperately to focus on the book you were reading and not on the nonsense in your head.

After a month or so of space exploration with the boys from the Dwarf you had obtained a substantial book collection ...a collection you knew was sparking the interest of Rimmer although he’d rather die again than admit it.

“What do you mean you don’t know?” Lister paused his game to look at you.

“I love Red Dwarf I really do but I know someone doesn’t like me being here” You mumbled.

“Ahh don’t worry about that smeghead” Lister grinned.

“That’s quite hard when you lot keep leaving me alone with him” You grumbled, there was sounds of movement outside the doorway of the crews living quarters to which you assumed was Kryten “I’ve tried my best Dave and he still ignores me”

“You know what he’s like, he’s Rimmer” Lister tried to comfort you but it wasn’t helping, Rimmer being Rimmer was the problem, his personality was so much different to the others which made him all that more interesting but trying to get through those walls was like breaking them down with a plastic spoon, long and tiring.

“How do I get through to him Lister?” You grumbled once more “I’m not a bad person”

“Talk to him” Lister turned back to his game.

“You know he just ignores me” You sighed, maybe there something more than even you were aware of going on “I just want him to feel comfortable around me, I try and start up conversation, I’m nothing but nice to him and I stand up for him when you lot are being smegheads”

“Awh come on winding Rimmer up is fun” Lister smiled.

“Maybe you should take his feelings into consideration every once in a while” You scolded Dave as you left the crew quarters, seeing a faint blur of blue dash down the corridor. It wasn’t Kryten walking past earlier after all, it was in fact Rimmer, the one who you had just been talking about to Lister and he had clearly heard everything as he scarpered away to avoid being seen.

You spent hours traipsing the floors of the dwarf trying to find Rimmer but if there was one thing he was definitely good at it was a hiding.

“Rimmer please come out from where you’re hiding? I just want to talk” You called out with no response until a few moments later there was a loud bang and an ‘oh smeg!” coming from Starbug “Arnold I know you’re in there?”

After a few seconds of silence and no answer you opened the door to let yourself in.

“Can we talk?” You asked as Rimmer sat with his elbows resting on the console and his hands resting at the back of his neck.

“I heard everything by the way” Rimmer mumbled.

#arnold rimmer #red dwarf #arnold j rimmer #arnold judas rimmer #rimmer #my emotional support bastard #dave lister #kryten #the cat #starbug #holly #Arnold rimmer x reader #Rimmer x reader #fanfic #fanfiction #hologram #fluff fic #yikes didn’t realize how long this was 😅 #the first two parts aren’t great but stick with it pls

[judediangelo75]

My Bride (Part 1)

Hello everyone~

So... this is going to be very different than anything I’ve written before. For starters this connects to nothing that I’ve previously written.

Two, it doesn’t really take place at Hogwarts per say. I’m including a lot of the characters from the game but that’s the closest I can say it relates to the game.

Three, it’s gonna be in parts because I’m too lazy to write a long post.

I got the idea from @makichaotic where in her headcanon there was a rumor that Talbott was a vampire.

Except Talbott is actually a vampire.

I have no clue what I’m possibly doing to be completely honest. This idea has been floating around in my mind for awhile so I have to get it out somehow.

Let me know what you think!

I also threw in David ( @that-scouse-wizard / @jd-the-anime-fan ) and Vixen ( @cleverglitteryfoxtrot ), two MC friends 😊🥰

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

“Baby girl?” 

Judith turned away from the full body mirror in the direction of her father’s voice. An elegant strapless and backless white silk dress hugged her short, curvy figure. Her long locs were pulled up into a high ponytail, a few hanging around her face. A dark shadow dusted over her eyelids while dark red lipstick covered her full lips. 

“Yes, Papa?” came the soft reply. The older man frowned.

His daughter was beautiful.

Gorgeous even.

Though he wished she wasn’t getting dressed up for this.

Judith just recently turned 21.

As required by law, every young adult that turned 21 were to attend a ball that is hosted every year by the royal family.

Though, there was a catch. 

It was for a way for vampires to find a desirable mate among the human population. If they was able to return home by sunrise, then they were free to live their life as they pleased. If not, they becomes that vampire’s wife or husband.

Most were forbidden from seeing their families and friends ever again. 

Kendrick would know. He never personally saw his best friend Ava again after her ball. Who then later became their queen when the former king and queen died.

Ava’s parents passed away few years after her coronation. They never saw their precious daughter again.

Now that same fate seem to be staring the seasoned Healer in the face.

And Kendrick isn’t ready to say goodbye to his little girl.

“Papa, you’re crying,” Judith whispered, a frown forming on her painted lips. She quickly walked up to the older man to wipe away his tears. Misty gold eyes locked with concerned ones. 

“You’re so beautiful, baby girl,” Kendrick whispered. Judith hugged her father tight as he said this, waiting to prolong her trip to the castle. The older man didn’t hesitate to return it, breathing in the scent he grew accustomed to from when she was a baby.

“I’ll do my best to come back home,” Judith said softly, squeezing the man who sired her. Kendrick shook his head at this.

He didn’t want her to promise him anything. 

Judith was the spitting image of him. His little girl grew up into a beautiful young woman. It would take a miracle for a vampire not to take notice of her.

“Please don’t promise me anything. I don’t think my old heart can take it...” Judith pursed her lips.

“You’re not old, Papa. You don’t look a day over 25,” she said in hopes of lifting the man’s spirits. And she got what she wanted. An inaudible chuckle rumbled in the his chest. 

It’s just like his daughter to try to make him smile or laugh. 

If he could never see her again, he can only pray that she’s mated to a good man.

“Thank you, Judith. I... I love you, baby girl...” Judith forced herself not to cry in front of her dad. 

She didn’t like how this felt like a goodbye. She didn’t want to leave her father forever...

“I love you too, Papa...” The two stayed there for a bit longer until Kendrick pulled away with a soft sigh.

“Time to go baby girl...”

-------

Judith hugged her dad’s waist tighter as they approached the looming castle.

They weren’t rich. Her father spent a good amount of his savings to buy her dress and shoes. 

When he wanted to buy her a carriage to escort her to the ball, she declined. She claimed that she was more than happy to be escorted by her father on horseback. Kendrick agreed, unwilling to deny his little girl anything.

They approached the entrance slowly before stopping a foot away. 

Kendrick dismounted first before helping his daughter off their horse, Nerco Di Angelo. Judith hugged her father one last time before going to pet the dark horse, who let out huff and nuzzled her face.

“I love you, Nerco. Take good care of Papa,” she whispered before kissing the star on the horse’s forehead.

The sound of someone clearing their throat sounded off behind her.

Taking a deep breath, the young woman turned to find a guard staring passively at her.

Time to go.

Without a word, the guard gestured her to come inside. Judith turned to her father.

“I love you, Papa...” It took everything within the usually stoic man not to cry again.

“I love you too, Judith. Never forget that...” Nodding sadly, Judith walked into the castle with the guard in tow.

She sent a silent prayer in hopes of seeing her dear father again.

---------

Talbott was bored.

Extraordinarily so.

He felt the eyes of his parents burning holes into him on occasion and it annoyed him to no end.

The ball started some time ago and he’s already wishing it to be morning. He himself just recently turned 21 and his parents, along with the council, are looking at him to find a bride.

If not this year, then he will continue to socialize with potential mates every year until he does. After all, his father was 25 when he finally found his mother, who recently turned 21 at that time.

Ava and Trent glanced at their disinterested son with slight worry. They knew how much the young man hated social events. He did his best to be polite to his guests but not much more. They would be lucky if he found someone on the first try.

Ava sighed. Although she was happy and grateful with the life that she has, she sometimes missed the old life she once had. Under the old king and queen, they forbade her from seeing her friends and parents.

She missed them terribly. She hoped whoever her son chose that she could help them adjust to life as a part of the royal family. She and her husband even discussed about letting their family to come to the castle. After all, they clearly saw what it did to their relationship.

Despite Trent’s evident infatuation with her, Ava hated him for choosing her. If he never laid eyes on her, she would’ve still be with her parents and dear friends. It took a few years to even consummate their marriage because Ava refused to share a bed with him. She didn’t let him drink from her.

It took Trent years to win the young woman’s heart. With a decent amount of suffering on his part. To be deprived of the one that suppose to complete him drove him to points of madness and bloodlust.

They didn’t want the same thing to happen to their son...

Glancing at her son again, she noticed that he was sitting up a little straighter. Her brows shot up to her hairline. 

He found someone...

Oh dear Gods above, please allow whoever it was to love her son. She’ll do anything to make sure that they’re happy, just as long they were able to love Talbott...

-----------

‘She’s so beautiful...’ 

Talbott’s red eyes were trained on a young dark skin woman in a white silk dress. The dress highlighted her slim, but curvy, figure. Her hair was up in a ponytail, ending around mid-back with a few locs framing her face. Her facial features were delicate and sharp.

Her eyes.

A brilliant shade of gold that would put the coins in the treasury to shame.

Talbott felt his body flush with heat and his gums throb a bit. 

He had to get to know her.

The young woman was conversing with a familiar pair. David Willows, husband to Merula Synde, and Vixen Mcmachen, wife to Barnaby Lee.

Interesting...

With no warning to his parents, Talbott got up and walked towards the trio. 

David saw the prince coming and bowed.

“Your Highness,” the young man greeted. Vixen smiled and curtsied to him, giving him a cheeky wink all the meanwhile.

It was at that point Judith felt a presence behind her. Turning around, she came face to face with the Crown Prince himself. 

Swiftly, Judith curtsied.

“Good evening, Your Highness,” she said, willing her voice to remain steady. She straighten and was minorly surprised to find the prince staring at her.

“Good evening, David. Rosalina. Miss,” Talbott said, taking Judith’s hand and kissing the back of it. 

‘Her scent...’ Talbott’s eyes grew a little heavy, his pupils dilated. It was so inviting... 

Vanilla and along with something else he couldn’t name. He also detected a faint accent in her voice, something completely unfamiliar, but far from unpleasant.

“I don’t believe we’ve met before,” he started slowly, curious to know the name to this enchanting woman. 

David cleared his throat. 

“Prince Talbott, may I introduce to you, Judith Harris. A childhood friend to Vixen and I,” he said.

“Pleasure to meet you, Judith...” The young woman did her best to suppress a shiver. The way the prince said her name...

It was like he was tasting it.

“Please, Your Highness. The pleasure is all mine,” she said, trying her best not to read too deep into how the way Talbott was staring at her. It didn’t help that he had yet to let go of her hand...

David and Vixen did their best not to smirk. Their partners so owe them a few gold coins. They were both happy to find their old friend. Especially since it’s been 3 years since David married to the love of his life and Vixen just a year after him. 

What they didn’t expect was for Prince Talbott to fancy her. 

They was just talked to her about their lives at the castle and their relationships. Judith was just telling them how she was doing, her archery, combat lessons and art. Just as she was telling them that she was hoping that no vampire took an interest in her, the Gods placed Prince Talbott before her.

Seems like she hasn’t quite learned her lesson about speaking certain things aloud. The Gods loved a challenge.

“May I have a dance with you, darling?” Judith sharply inhaled, willing her heart not to race. 

‘It’s just a dance. Nothing more...’ 

“It would be an honor, Your Highness.” Talbott wanted to pout. He wished that Judith would say his name. He wants to know how it sounded like with her faint accent.

Offering his arm, Judith interloped hers in his. Saying goodbye to her old friends, they walked to the center of the dance floor. A slow song started to play.

The two took the initial position. One hand on Judith’s lower back. One hand on Talbott’s broad shoulder. Their remaining hand intertwined with each other’s. The pair moved along with the music.

‘Warm. She’s really warm and soft...’ Talbott was biting the inside of his cheek, willing his hand to stay in that one spot. His heart was beating rapidly now and he was fighting his instincts.

To pull her closer.

To inhale more of the sweet scent that clung to her skin.

To taste her full lips.

To sink his fangs into that elegant long neck, marking her as his.

He bet she tasted divine...

“Are you enjoying the ball?” Her lovely voice brought him back to the present. He cleared his throat.

“I admit, I was rather bored at first,” he admitted. Gold eyes glimmered with curiosity.

“Oh?” she inquired. He nodded before pulling her closer to satisfy his needs a little.

“But with you here, I can finally enjoy the night.” Those pretty eyes widen and pearly whites bit the plump flesh of her lower lip.

Talbott fought back a groan. 

He wanted to be the one doing that...

“Oh! What a... lovely thing to say,” Judith whispered, uneasy. 

She wasn’t going to deny that she felt something towards the tall handsome vampire, but she wanted to go home.

Go back home to her Papa.

And that idea seems bleaker and bleaker with the way Talbott was looking at her. She swears she can see a hint of his fangs every time he spoke.

“Is something wrong, darling,” Talbott asked.

“Oh, no! Just a little thirsty.” Judith knew she was lying through the skin of her teeth but she knew better than to openly reject the Crown Prince. 

She liked her head exactly where it was, thank you very much.

“Come. Let’s get you something to drink then,” the young man smiled. Judith tried not to grimace.

‘Yup, those were definitely his fangs I saw...’ she thought to herself as Talbott led her to the refreshment table. Judith wasn’t a fan of wine and stuck with water. Talbott even hand feeding her some samplers as they converse with one another.

“Hello son.” The pair turned to the masculine voice that spoke. Judith felt her blood run cold. 

The king and queen.

She really may not go home after all.

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

Ava and Trent have been watching their son curiously as he acquainted himself with a young dark skin woman.

Not once has he left her side. The two look at each other and decided to meet the woman who seem to unknowingly captivated their son. They approached the two by the refreshment table.

“Hello son.” The couple turned to them. Talbott nodded at them as the young woman curtsied.

“Mum. Dad.”

“Good evening, Your Majesties.” Ava studied the young woman closely.

She looked very familiar.

“Good evening, my love. And who might this be,” Ava asked. Talbott wrapped an arm around the short woman’s waist, causing her to flush a soft shade of red.

“Mother, Father. This is Judith Harris.” Ava inhaled sharply.

“Did... did you say Harris,” she asked softly. Could it be-

Judith shyly glanced at the royal couple, gold eyes shining.

“You’re Kendrick’s daughter, aren’t you?” Judith blinked in surprise. She knew that her father and the queen were childhood friends, but she didn’t expect her to remember him.

“Yes I am, Your Majesty...” The likeness was uncanny. She looked like the female version of her father. The queen smiled and hugged her. 

Judith stiffen at the sudden hug and hesitantly hugged the queen back.

“I’m sorry, my dear. I didn’t expect a piece of my past to catch up with me...” The queen was eager to learn more about Kendrick’s little girl.

And her future daughter-in-law...

If she was Kendrick’s daughter, she shouldn’t have to worry about Talbott’s mating to her. Kendrick, although cold and aloof, was a very sweet and caring man. She’ll bet her crown that his daughter was the same exact way. 

Though she didn’t like how Judith kept glancing at the entrance every once and awhile.

She understood the girl’s desire to leave but she didn’t want her son to suffer. Especially when he was already showing signs of infatuation towards her. 

‘Please, all I ask is for you to give him a chance’ she silently pleaded.

-------

Talbott was growing restless. 

He was happy to see that the young woman he chose was to the approval of his parents. Especially since she seem to be the daughter to a childhood friend of his mum.

But he wanted to be alone with her.

So when Judith said she wanted to get some air, he jumped at the opportunity to show her the gardens.

The walk there was silent. They reached the heart of the garden, sitting on the lip of the fountain.

“This place is breathtaking,” she whispered. Talbott bit his lip as he stared at her. 

She was breathtaking.

The moonlight bathed her in its ancient glow. 

Her molten gold eyes lit up like embers of a flame.

Her cheekbones, collarbones and shoulders were kissed by the moonlight itself, reflecting the slivery rays.

Her dress took on a silver light, making her take on the form of a goddess.

‘Mine...’

“Yes, it is...” Judith stiffen when she heard the response whispered against her cheek. A cool pair of lips pressed against her cheek for a chaste kiss. 

“I’ll be frank with you, darling. I never would’ve thought I would find my mate tonight, but I’m glad I was wrong,” Talbott said softly before placing another kiss to her cheek. 

Just as he was about to wrap his arms around her waist, Judith pulled away. She was standing, taking cautious steps backwards.

Talbott felt his heart stall, fighting back a snarl.

“I-I’m sorry, Your Highness... b-but I-I can’t be your mate...” A frown found its way on Talbott’s handsome face, as he was quick to stand with her.

“I’m afraid I can’t take no for an answer, darling. I can’t live without you now that I found you,” Talbott said slowly as he approached her, trying to keep his instincts in check. He’s seen vampires being rejected by their mate, and it was never a pretty sight.

A lot of them were driven to bouts of madness and eventually had to be taken out of their misery.

He didn’t want to end up like them.

He’ll give her anything she wants, all he asks in return was her unconditional love.

Judith, feeling like cornered prey, did the only thing she could think of.

Run.

A snarl sounded out behind her, sending a cold wave of fear down her spine but she didn’t dare stop or look back. She found a garden maze and quickly ran inside, in hopes of losing the prince. 

Thanks to her training, she rather light on her feet, even in heels surprisingly. Low growls and snarls filled the air all around her so she could barely tell where Talbott was. 

She wanted to cry.

She didn’t ask for this. 

She didn’t want to become the wife to a vampire, even if he was a prince.

All she wanted was to go home to her Papa.

She let out a scream when a hand grabbed her by the elbow, spinning her around to find glowing red eyes staring down at her.

A pair of lips descended on her soft, vulnerable ones. A sob escaped the back of her throat as she tried pushing against Talbott’s chest.

Though her efforts were futile.

Talbott pulled away to look at his mate’s teary face. Though his eyes spoke volumes of his anger, Judith never noticed the fear there as well.

The heir to the throne said nothing as he laid kisses along the length of her neck.

“Talbott, no! Please,” she cried, squirming to get away when she felt cold fangs brush against her skin.

“I’m sorry, my beloved...” was the last thing Judith heard before the pain of his fangs sinking into her neck took root in her system.

Her cry of pain was broke the peace of the night before everything fell quiet once again.

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

Kendrick watched as the morning rays peaked over the horizon, waiting.

His daughter was no where in sight.

A lone tear escaped his eye as sun made it’s way up in the sky. Accepting the fate he was given.

#hphm #hphm mc #au #alternate universe #vampire fanfiction #hphm talbott #jacob's sibling #jacob's sister #hogwarts mystery talbott #talbott winger #talbott x mc #talbott x jacob's sibling #judith harris #oc

[whatwouldvalerydo]

Fluffy 8 and Angsty 2 please?

Hello :)

You didn't mention for what ship so both?

8. What were their first impressions of each other?

Talia & Talbott: Based on their first day back at the Auror training camp, Talia considered Talbott a total utter bore, hung on rules, however she was also curious as to why he was so reserved and wanted to push the boundaries he set. Based on looks alone, she was mesmerized by his eyes.

Talbott was taken back from the first handshake, due to her daring attitude and confidence, not being able to hold her eyes for too long. He found her to be a bit too impetuous for her own good.

Leila & Reuben: Leila doesn't form a very solid opinion about Reuben until later, however since in her first year she used to keep tabs on everyone and listen in to their conversations she gathers the opinion that he is a rather friendly guy, who actually is trying to fit in as much as everyone. That's the reason why she chose to show him how to cast a spell he was struggling with, despite not speaking a word towards him.

Reuben (although he doesn't belong to me, but to @that-scouse-wizard I will try and guess) - I believe he would see her as a very shy and introverted person, however he doesn't push her to speak to him, only nod her way or something similar if they are assigned on a task together. Probably a tad curious, but he knows how to respect boundaries.

10. Write a ~300 word argument scene for them.

Talia & Talbott: "No, I either go alone or with someone else, not with her.” Talbott’s hands slammed against the table causing those closest to him to actually jump in their seats. He watched Talia slowly getting up from her chair, that was strategically placed as far away from his as humanly possible.

“I have a name and I’m not listening to this, tell me when he comes to his senses.” She barely reached the stairs, Talbott hot on her heels, grabbing her by the arm, turning her with force. She could read the anger in his vicious eyes, in how his jaw was locked tight in place, how his nostrils flared as he looked down at her “Take your hand off me.” She pulled away, pushing him in order to create some space “Don’t forget who you’re talking to.”

“Take another person or give me the bloody mission.”

Scoffing, Talia rolled her eyes “This isn’t about your damn ego, so don’t push it. You have the flight advantage. That’s why I need you on the mission.” Running a hand through her hair, she exhaled slowly “Not like I want to be stuck with you either.”

Wrinkling his nose, he lifted his chin in defiance “Fuck you.” He barked, deep voice resonating between them.

Throwing her head back, Talia let out a loud laugh “Well here I am Winger, come and get me, maybe that way you will find some sense and see that this has nothing to do with whatever was between us. It’s about the war, so get your head out of your ass and think, because I know you’re not stupid.” Blinking in surprise, he opened his mouth to retaliate “Close your mouth, you look simple.” With that, Talia turned on the spot and made her way up the stairs.

Leila & Reuben: (I hate to make these two fight, but here it goes)

Reuben sat in the hallway, arms crossed over his chest, eyes watching as Leila laced up her boots “I don’t understand, what could be so important that they can’t send someone else. You just got back a few hours ago."

Lifting her eyes, she pulled hard on the straps, causing her entire body to move “Believe me, you do not want to know.” She was mad about something concerning the mission, however her unwillingness to talk to him about it was starting to get on his nerves. As she stood up, Reuben towered over her, not budging in his desire to find out more.

“Lei, talk to me.”

Shaking her head, she grabbed her bag, placing it over her shoulder “I caught the first wizard and now we are tracking the partner.”

Reuben’s brows furrowed “We? Are you working with someone on this one?”

Running her tongue across her fangs, she finally gave in “Two Aurors.”

The information was enough to garner a reaction, grey eyes hardening at the corners “Don’t tell me you are going on a mission with my parents.” Her singular head nod was enough “Out of the question, tell the Ministry where to shove it.”

“I cannot and you know that. They are influential enough to request someone on the field.” She tried to move past him, Reuben blocking the door way.

“They’re only doing this because you’re with me and I won’t let them get close.”

“Reuben” she suddenly called out his name, tone steady, eyes locked with his “I need to go.” She pointed at the door “You do not get to have a say in this, it’s just work.”

“Work my arse.” He scoffed, not budging from the door way.

“I have known for over a week, we just did not have a lead until today.” Once he registered the words coming out of her mouth, Reuben tensed, eyes not leaving her face. Moving from the door way, he let her leave, offering her a few words before she left.

“You should have told me.”

#talbott winger x mc #talia hayes #late night enchantments #hphm talbott winger #reuben willows #leila hellebore #hphl #ask response #reubeila

[blindbatalex]

musings in a married-with-a-kid carraville au in which gary hits his head and forgets approximately two decades worth of memories. part 2. (part 1 here)

Speak of the devil. (…or in this case, Liver bird?)

Some five minutes later, the door clicked open and then there C.arragher was, with his grey hair and lined face.  

“Annie!” he hissed as soon as he opened the door to the living room.  “You know daddy can’t play this game with us right now.”

So they’ve had a Conversation then, no doubt after the Incident.  Junior shrieked right back- “daddy said we could!”

C.arragher looked at him, as if to say is that true?, still alarmed.  Oh please, Gary thought, bristling.  What did C.arragher think?  That Gary never dealt with a four-year-old in his life before?  That he could somehow control his reflexes when he was asleep?

He nodded.  “I did.”

“Come da, join!”

Gary’s attention turned back to Junior.  What did she mean, join?  Why was she patting the space next to her with alarming enthusiasm?

He turned to C.arragher and found his husband now looking proper apologetic.

“We uh,” he said-

And Gary just knew.

“You used to style my hair together, didn’t you?”

Of course they did.  He sighed quietly with the resignation that accompanies a fourth conceded goal in a 4-0 game.  He nodded at C.arragher, who was still standing there, as unsure and awkward as he used to look on the pitch.  “Go on, then.”

He tracked C.arragher as he made his way around the toys strewn around the floor and sat next to Junior.  “Should we use a blue ribbon next?” he asked, to which Junior replied, “no, pink!”

How nice it would be to be in the home dressing room at Old T.rafford right now, with Ferguson yelling in his face.

“I’m with Annie on this one.  Pink, please.”

“You always side with her,” C.arragher said with mock grief.  His accent was atrocious, obviously, and he was sitting waaay too close to Gary, but he was a good father; Gary ought to give him that.

What Gary’s future self was thinking, marrying him and adopting his child, he still had no idea.  Retirement-induced insanity, perhaps.

“Well, she clearly knows what she is doing.”

“I do!” Junior agreed and Gary closed his eyes as two pairs of Scouse hands messed with his hair.

*

When Junior finally declared their work finished, Gary stood up, swooped her on his arm—he had definitely forgotten how heavy four-year-olds are—and headed to the bathroom, with C.arragher following after them. His hair looked like a circus shortly after a massive fire had broken out, in an explosion of haphazard braids, and colourful hair clips, ribbons and hair ties.  No doubt this was why C.arragher kept his own hair very short.

Annie was looking at him with wide, expectant eyes.

“Woooow,” Gary said, dragging the word, “Jamie isn’t this the best my hair has ever looked?”

“Absolutely,” C.arragher agreed to the girl’s delight.

Gary kissed Junior on the temple and told her he loved her.  Not her fault, any of this.  Then, he moved to take off the first hair clip, Junior still balanced on his other arm.

The reaction was swift as it was high-pitched. “Daddy, what are you doing!”

Gary stopped and looked at C.arragher, ignoring the wedding ring on his finger that he had never taken off.  Gary’s was buried deep into the drawer of the bedside table. “I don’t…take these off, do I?”  The man shook his head, looking apologetic once again.  “Not until it’s time to go to bed.”

Of course.  Of course he didn’t.  This day just kept getting better and better.  He was smiling but he had a sense there was a slightly maniacal quality to it despite his best efforts.  He set Junior down.  C.arragher must have sensed it too, because he told her to go get Fred the Red.

“Does C.arragher Junior support United, then?” Gary said, dropping the smile as soon as she was gone.  His cheeks hurt.  This one he did not see coming, he was not going to lie.  Jamie C.arragher letting his daughter support United?

C.arragher flinched—was it the nickname?  He looked away and when he looked back his expression was back to that neutral, guarded expression he always wore around Gary, since Gary’s accident.

“You moved to Liverpool for us, so, I gave you that one.  I don’t get to take her to Anfield until she is at least ten.”

Huh.  Good for Gary.  Raising C.arragher’s only child in the true path.

“Do I like it, then?  Living in Liverpool?”

He still could not believe that one.  Marrying a Liverpool player bit, he also could not believe, but, even if he was so out of his mind to go through with that- Liverpool?  How could he move to live in Liverpool unless someone was holding a loaded gun to his head?  Even then, he figured, he might have just chosen the bullet.

“I don’t think you do, but-”

“I was not ready for the tabloid-shitstorm our divorce would cause?”

“Something like that, yeah.”  C.arragher’s smile was heart-breaking—and this, coming from Gary. They weren’t actually considering a divorce before, were they?  Maybe future Gary had better sense than Gary gave him credit for.  Huh.

C.arragher cleared his throat.  “Thank you for this, Gary,” he said before he turned to leave. Was it living in the same house, looking after the same brat for a few days, that made Gary soft?  Perhaps it was the concussion.

“Jamie.”

He stopped with his hand on the door handle and turned back.  He looked much older than his years.

“Yeah?”

“Here.”  Gary took off one tiny hair clip, with a little flower plastered on it.  Then he reached forward and put it on Jamie’s hair.

#carraville #amnesia au #my fic #yes one of these days ill manage to write something short rip

[dumbgirlswrite]

Soulmate (George x Reader)

wc - 1106

(soulmate au where everyone is born with a ring on their finger. the colour of the ring indicates the emotion that your soulmate is feeling. when you meet your soulmate, your ring turns pink.)

"grey? again?" your friend suzie questioned looking at the ring on your finger.

"i wonder why they're so nervous all the time?" you spoke with a quizzical look on your face. "i hope i find my soulmate soon. i want to give them a big hug."

"what if they're a criminal running from the law and that's why they're so nervous."

suzie and you both giggled and walked back to the set of the movie you were working on. both you and suzie were up and coming models and this was hopefully going to be your big break into the scene.

the movie that you were working on just so happened to be "a hard days night" by the beatles. yes, THE beatles. you and suzie were both fans of the boys and were over the moon when you got supporting roles in the movie.

"come on, girls!" the director calls to you guys. "you're in this scene!"

you picked up the pace and got in position to film the scene.

"ok," the director says to you and suzie. "you know your lines and everything but i just want to go over everything with you."

you nod, showing that your full attention was on the director and what he was saying.

"both of you come and sit down here," he points to a table. "you make some small talk and wait for paul to come over."

suzies eyes light up and she smiles. "paul mccartney?" she asks, giddily.

"who else? anyway, grandfather has a line and then you, y/n, have a short line. i'm guessing you know it?"

"off by heart, sir." you say jokingly.

"you better, its only one word."

"and i'll say it with all my heart." you laugh.

he shakes his head at you, all the while with a grin on his face. he returns to behind the cameras and calls "action".

you and suzie walk over to sit at the table and hear george start to say his line.

"hey, look at the talent."

'let's give 'em a pull." john says.

"should i?" paul questions.

"aye, but don't rush. none of your five bar gate jumps and over sort of stuff." george said to paul.

"what's that supposed to mean?" paul questions.

"i don't know." george shrugged with a grin. "i just thought it sounded distinguished like."

"george harrison, scouse of distinction." john mocked.

paul breaks away from the conversation and places a bowler hat onto his head. you raise your brow teasingly at suzie who was sitting across from you with a smile on her face. paul walks over to the table and places his elbow on the table as he speaks.

"excuse me, but these men i'm sitting with wondered if two of us could join you," he says with a posh accent, only to return to his normal tone of voice. "i'd ask meself, only i'm shy."

you and suzie giggle to each other, just as it said in the script. the others are about to come and sit at the table, but are interrupted by pauls grandfather.

"i'm sorry miss, but you mustn't fraternise with my prisoners." he says.

"prisoners?" you exclaim, nailing the one word you had in the script.

"convicts in transit. typical old lags, the lot of 'em."

"y'what?" the boys all look at paul's grandfather an exclaim together.

"get out while you can, ladies!" he says.

"scene!" the director yells. "that was great! perfect delivery, y/n."

"i try my best." you joke with a grin.

"alright, lunch break, everyone." the director says to everyone.

"y/n! suzie gasps. "look at my ring!"

she holds her ring up in front of your face and your eyes go wide.

"it's pink!" you squeal quietly. "but, who could it be?"

you and suzie scan the rings in the room until your eyes fall on another pink ring.

"no. way. suzie, it's paul." you whisper. her mouth falls open and she gasps.

"paul?" she says meekly.

paul turns around to look at suzie, and then at the pink ring on her finger. he gasps and pulls her into a hug.

"aw, how cute." a voice says from beside you. you turn to face him, and as soon as you lock eyes with him, your ring finger tingles slightly.

you look at your ring, which was now pink and back at the boy across from you.

"george?" you question.

he looks at his ring and chuckles. "i guess."

"you sound happy." you joke with a grin.

"i'm over the moon." he jokes back. he goes quiet while you laugh softly, and he observes your face. "wow, i'm a very lucky man." he mumbles just loud enough for you to hear.

you giggle shyly and look down to the ground sheepishly. he hooks a finger under your chin and tilts your head back up so you're looking into his eyes. his focus shifts between both of your eyes, and he was looking deeply and intently.

"you're stunning." he says quietly.

you feel yourself blush deeply, and then you respond with, "you aren't too bad yourself," with a giggle.

he leans down, coming closer to your face until you could feel his warm breath on your skin. you lean up, wrapping your arms around his neck and connecting your lips with his in a soft, sweet and slow kiss. george's lips were soft and they fit perfectly with yours.

you pull back slowly, after what feels like ages, but was probably only a few seconds.

"wow." george says, breathlessly.

you giggle once more and your face flushes red. "i'll take that as a good wow?"

"yeah, that was a good wow." he grins.

you smile back at him and grip him in a hug, your head laying on his chest and his head was resting atop yours.

"so, soulmate, would you be mine?" george asked in a mumble.

"i'd want nothing else." you respond with a big smile spread across your face.

"come on, lovebirds." john laughed. "break it up, we have work to do."

you unwrap your arms from georges waist and place your hand in his. you glance over at suzie who was happily chatting with paul. you catch her eyes and flash her a big grin, which she returns.

"i'll see you after filming?" george asked you.

"definitely." you smile, leaning up to place a kiss on his cheek.

the boys say quick goodbyes and walk away to where they'd be filming their next scene. suzie comes over to you with a smirk planted on her face.

"i'd say today was a pretty good day. wouldn't you?"

"hmm... i'm not sure." you joke. "come on, we still have a few scenes." you nudge her shoulder and chuckle.

#George Harrison #george harrison imagine #george harrison x reader #the beatles #the beatles x reader #the beatles imagine #fanfic #fanfiction #evian

[the-al-chemist]

Artemis Hexley and the Portrait of the Vault

Chapter 16: The Treasure Seekers

A/N: with just a week to go before the second Quidditch match of the season, the truth is discovered about Skye’s old broomstick. Meanwhile, Artemis helps out a friend, and encounters an old enemy. Lizzie Jameson belongs to @lifeofkaze and David Willows belongs to @that-scouse-wizard. Warnings: mild threat and injury.

“For why’s that dopey-looking Slytherin boy spying on our Quidditch practice?”

Skye had her hands on her hips, glaring at Barnaby, who was sitting in the Quidditch stands, watching the as the Hufflepuff team started their practice as they always did: balancing on their broomsticks on one leg. Artemis crossed her arms in front of her chest and tried not to fall off Tonks’ broomstick as she turned to scowl at Skye.

“He’s not dopey-looking,” she said, indignantly. “And he’s not spying, either. Just watching.”

“What for, though?”

“Because he’s my boyfriend, that’s why.”

It was true. Barnaby and Artemis had been boyfriend and girlfriend for three whole weeks now. Artemis was surprised that Skye hadn’t heard, given the usual speed at which gossip spread around Hogwarts, especially once Penny knew about it.

Besides, it was hardly like it was a secret. They’d been spending almost all of their free time together: eating meals in the Great Hall, revising in the library, feeding the various creatures in the paddocks. Artemis had to admit that she found Barnaby’s desire to help her carry her schoolbooks between lessons a little unnecessary, especially when they didn’t have the same timetable, but he looked so happy when she let him that she felt bad saying no.

Today was Sunday, and the two of them had plans to take Scully for a walk around the grounds. Before they could do that, though, Artemis had to go to Quidditch practice. It was the Hufflepuff team’s last session before their second game of the season, and it was already unusually tense. Perhaps Artemis shouldn’t have agreed to Barnaby’s request that he come along and watch, but it was too late now.

“Have you managed to find any clues about that broomstick yet?” Artemis asked Skye, in an attempt to change the subject.

“Naw, that Rath’s crafty, I’ll give her that,” Skye muttered. “But I heard several people mention that she stole it, so the truth is bound tae come out soon.”

“So, other people think she stole it, too?”

“Aye. I told yer wee pal Penny that it was a sure thing, and now everyone kens about it.”

Artemis frowned. That didn’t seem like a very good idea to her. As certain as Skye was that Erika Rath had stolen her broomstick, she had no proof, and Artemis couldn’t see why Erika would even bother stealing a broomstick from her anyway. Starting rumours couldn’t help matters one bit, could it? Before she could say anything more about it, however, Orion noticed the two of them talking, and quickly put a stop to their conversation.

“I applaud your wish to bond with each other,” he sighed. “As a family, our team has to connect in order to work together. However, the lion is a dangerous predator, and so is the team flying under its banner. If we do not focus on finding the balance within us that we need to succeed, the chances of escaping the lion’s claws are daunting.”

As always, Artemis nodded at Orion’s words, despite not fully understanding their meaning. From the ground below, Murphy McNully called up to them.

“The chances are already daunting,” he said, cheerfully. “Around a ten percent chance of success for you lot, I’d say. Hufflepuff haven’t beaten Gryffindor in a House Cup match for six years.”

“How dae you ken that? Ye have nae been here for six years!”

“Murphy might not, but I have,” said Orion, standing on two feet on his broomstick and from there lowering himself into a sitting position. He bowed his head to indicate that the others should follow suit. “And though a victory is improbable, I do not think that it is impossible.”

“Nothing is impossible in statistics, nor in Quidditch,” Murphy nodded. “You just need a decent strategy.”

“So, what do we do?” Artemis asked. Orion looked at her and smiled serenely before addressing the team once more, a more purposeful tone to his voice now.

“Our team and Gryffindor use different approaches to clear a way to the top,” he said. “While our strength lies in the workings of our team itself, there is no doubt that Gryffindor’s greatest asset by far is their Seeker. If we want to gain the upper hand, we need to employ the advantage that our balanced formation affords us. Chasers,” he looked pointedly at Skye and Lizzie, “our task will be to score as many goals as possible. The higher the points lead, the better.”

“Naw, ye dinnae say,” Skye rolled her eyes. Orion ignored her.

“We need to attack hard and fast. I usually prefer a less aggressive approach, but perhaps that in itself will afford us the element of surprise.”

“I assume it’s our job to target the defence and keep the Gryffindor Beaters off your tails, then,” said David Willows, the Beater, with a determined nod.

“Actually, I think that we will do without your protection,” Orion said. “Weasley is Gryffindor’s star player, but brilliance is nothing without room to shine. If he is busy dodging Bludgers, he will be unable to concentrate on catching the Snitch. Which brings me to you, Artemis.”

“I know, I know,” Artemis nodded. “Pay attention to the game, but don’t get too distracted. Find a balance, and find the Snitch before Charlie does.”

The rest of the team laughed as if she had said something funny. She scowled, not understanding the joke, until Murphy explained.

“Charlie Weasley has played nine house matches in his time at Hogwarts. He has caught the Snitch nine times,” he told her. “That’s a one hundred percent success rate.”

Artemis frowned. “Don’t I have one of those, too?”

“Well, yes, but-”

“Then I have just the same amount of chance of catching the Snitch as Charlie.”

“I admire your confidence, but none of us can outfly Weasley when he is soaring freely, that is an irrevocable fact,” said Orion, either not noticing or deliberately ignoring Artemis glaring at him. “The Beaters will allow us time to score, and keep the Gryffindor Seeker occupied while you search for the Snitch in peace. Until you spot it, keep monitoring our opponents. Feel their dynamics, sense their movements, and disrupt them accordingly. Distract them. Get in their way. Break down the walls of their defence. If we can disturb their game plan, they will be no match for us.”

The practice that followed was one of the most fun they’d had so far, in Artemis’ opinion at least. Being a Seeker, she was often far from the action, practising diving and dodging Bludgers, but today she was right in the thick of it: weaving between the Chasers to block their passes and luring the Beaters away from the other players. At one point, she even flew threw one of the hoops of the goalposts to confuse the Keeper Alex Gwithers, a move that was a foul according to Murphy, but was fun to pull off nevertheless.

By the end, she wasn’t sure that she had the energy for a Crup walk, but she pulled herself together when she saw Barnaby in the stands waiting for her. She had been looking forward to their date, after all.

Barnaby seemed to notice that Artemis was in need of a break, because he suggested that they went for lunch before their walk, and when they set off, they didn’t walk as far as Artemis had anticipated, taking a loop around the owlery instead of going as far as the lakeshore. It was probably for the best: although the distance was shorter on the route they took, it took just even longer for them to complete it than Artemis going to the lake alone, due to several interludes that were spent kissing.

By the time they got back to Hagrid’s hut, it was getting dusky, and Artemis was struggling to feel her toes. She gratefully accepted Hagrid’s offer of a cup of tea by the fire, although she didn’t enjoy Hagrid’s homemade rock cakes quite as much as Barnaby did.

They had only been there a matter of minutes before there was a knock on the door, and they were joined by none other than the Gryffindor Seeker himself, Charlie Weasley.

“Here to spy on us, are you?” Artemis asked him, an acerbic tone to her voice. She still hadn’t forgiven him for the events of Valentine’s Day weekend, nor for the way that he had been acting towards her ever since. At least Tonks had apologised that very same evening, even if she had obviously been instructed to do so by Rowan and Penny. Charlie had acted as if nothing was wrong when she saw him in Care of Magical Creatures, and after Artemis had scowled and snapped at him, backed away. The two of them had hardly spoken a word to each other since.

“No, I didn’t realise you were here. I can come back later, if you’d rather,” Charlie replied, faltering under the very hard stare Artemis was giving him. He swallowed hard, and looked at the ground. “Look, I’m really sorry about crashing your date the other weekend. Tonks sort of talked me into it. I know that’s not an excuse, and I shouldn’t have let her, but-”

“You were spying on us?” Barnaby asked, tilting his head to one side. “I just thought that you two were on a date, too. So, Tonks isn’t your girlfriend, then?”

“No, definitely not,” Charlie said, with a grin and a shake of his head. Artemis couldn’t help but laugh at the idea. At the sound of her giggling, Charlie turned back to her. “I really am sorry. I should’ve just said no to her, but you know what she’s like. Are we still friends?”

“I suppose so,” Artemis sighed. “As long as you don’t mind me having a master plan to beat you at Quidditch next weekend.”

“You know, I’m actually looking forward to it. You managed to find Skye’s broomstick yet?”

“No,” Artemis sighed. “Skye’s still adamant that Erika Rath took it. But I don’t see why she’d do it, and why she wouldn’t just give it back. It’s been two months, now.”

“Wha’ ‘as?” asked Hagrid, returning from his hob to hand Charlie a freshly brewed cup of tea.

“Since my new broomstick went missing,” Artemis told him. “It disappeared from the changing tents at the start of term. No one can find it anywhere.”

Hagrid’s bushy black eyebrows furrowed, and he turned away to rummage in a cupboard. From the cupboard, he retrieved a bundle of blankets, which he unravelled to reveal several gnawed and splintered pieces of wood and twigs. On one of the pieces, the name ‘Comet 220’ could be made out, engraved in gold lettering on what used to be the handle of what used to be a broomstick.

“Migh’ this be yer broomstick, Artemis?” Hagrid asked. Artemis nodded her head. “I did tell Madam ‘Ooch ter le’ yeh all know. Scully escaped at the star’ of the new year. I found ‘im with it on the Quidditch pitch. I did try ter stop ‘im, but it was too late… I’m sorry.”

“That’s okay, Hagrid, it’s not your fault. Scully can be a real menace at times.”

“Some reformed character,” muttered Charlie.

“He fell off the flying carpet. It’s a minor setback in his road to recovery,” Artemis said, and Charlie sniggered. “Oh, well. Looks like I’ll have to start earning some money so I can save up and buy one, after all. Charlie, how much does Ros pay?”

“Not enough for what you’re after,” replied Charlie, the smile slipping from his face.

Artemis scrutinised him. There was a look of resignation in his eyes. Something was bothering him, she was sure of it. She just wasn’t sure what.

“Charlie, what’s wrong?” she asked him, as the three of them walked back to the castle.

“Oh, nothing, really,” he replied. “I’m just poor, and it’s crap.”

“I can lend you some money, if you like?” Artemis offered, but Charlie shook his head.

“Thanks, but I couldn’t let you do that. Besides, I’m kind of in need of a fair amount of money. Lots of money, actually.”

“What for?”

But Charlie didn’t answer, just shrugged, shook his head, and avoided looking Artemis in the eye. Artemis looked at Barnaby to see if he knew anything about this, but Barnaby was lost in thought.

“You know, there was a lot of treasure in the Red Cap’s den last year,” he said, pensively. “I bet if you had all that, you could sell it and make loads of money.”

“That’s true,” Artemis nodded. “I’d say you could go back, but Rakepick and I aren’t exactly on good terms at the moment. I doubt she’d agree to lend out Sickleworth again.”

Barnaby frowned. “Why do you need Sickleworth?”

“To find the treasure, of course!”

“But we already know where it is. You don’t need a Niffler,  Charlie, you just need someone small enough to fit down the tunnel to get it for you.”

“That’s a very good point,” replied Charlie, a small but mischievous smirk playing on his freckled face. “If only I knew someone really small…”

As his eyes settled on Artemis, she cocked an eyebrow at him.

“You want me to go back to the Red Cap’s hole with you, crawl down the tunnel, and steal the treasure?”

“No, I’m just thinking that it might be an option,” Charlie shrugged. Artemis looked at him sceptically, and his face turned sheepish. “I mean, would you?”

Artemis didn’t even hesitate before agreeing.

“Yeah, why not? It sounds fun. Is tomorrow okay? We can go once it starts getting dark,” she suggested, and Charlie nodded his head. He frowned slightly and looked at Barnaby.

“You don’t mind me borrowing your girlfriend for an evening, do you?” he asked him.

“Borrow me? What am I, a library book?”

The following evening was cold and clear. Even though it was dark, Artemis and Charlie flew the long way  to the Forest, around the back of the Quidditch stands, in order to avoid both detection and detention. The night air whistled through the loose ends of Artemis’ short hair, and sent a chill through her, despite her hat and scarf and the thick jumper she was wearing beneath her jacket.

They had flown halfway to the forest before Artemis realised that this was the first time in over a fortnight that she’d spent time with her friends without Barnaby being there, other than in the dormitory and at Quidditch practice. Strangely, she didn’t feel lonely or miss him at all. Was she supposed to? Or were you allowed to enjoy just being yourself as well as being somebody’s girlfriend?

She must have been frowning, because Charlie turned to look at her.

“You alright?” he asked, his own eyebrows knitting together.

“I’m fine, I…” Artemis gnawed at her lower lip. “Charlie, what did you mean about ‘borrowing’ me?”

“I didn’t mean anything, I just wanted to make sure Barnaby didn’t mind me hanging out with you, that’s all.”

“Am I not allowed to hang out with people unless he says so, then?” Artemis pursed her lips. She didn’t like the sound of that at all.

“No, you can do whatever you want, it’s just that Barnaby’s my friend and-”

“So am I!”

“I didn’t say you’re not,” Charlie shrugged. “I was trying to be polite, that’s all.”

“Right. So, next time you hang out with Barnaby, will you ask me if I don’t mind?”

“Well, I… Do you want me to ask you?”

“No, I just…” Artemis sighed. “I just didn’t realise that going out with someone meant not being allowed to do things you want to do just for you, that’s all. Do I always have to make sure that Barnaby’s okay with me doing any little thing, now?”

“I dunno, Artemis, I really wasn’t thinking that far into it,” Charlie’s freckled nose wrinkled. “I’m also really not the person to ask about this kind of stuff. I have no idea.”

“I never thought that dating would be so complicated. I just thought that if you liked someone and they liked you, it would just be easy, like it is for Bill and Penny.”

Charlie said nothing, just turned his face forward and looked where he was going. Artemis narrowed her eyes at him.

“Charlie. What are you not telling me?”

Charlie sighed a little before saying, “I don’t think it’s always that easy for Bill and Penny.”

“What do you mean? That Bill doesn’t like Penny anymore?”

“No, he does, it’s…” Charlie shook his head. “It’s nothing. I’m not saying anything. It’s not my place to tell you.”

Artemis shrugged her shoulders and smirked slightly.

“Well, you know I don’t actually need you to tell me,” she said teasingly. “Not now I’m taking Legilimency lessons with Professor Snape. I could just read your mind and find out all about it.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“I could if I wanted to,” Artemis’ grin slipped from her face as Charlie turned back towards her, his face suddenly very serious. “What? What’s the matter?”

“I really don’t like the idea of that,” said Charlie, frowning at her. “It just seems unfair, like you’re spying on your friends.”

“You’re one to talk.”

“I know, and I’m sorry, again. But think how annoyed you were about me and Tonks just watching while you were on a date. Imagine if one of us tried to actually tried getting inside your head and trying to find out all your secrets, how that would feel.”

Charlie shrugged and looked away from her again, and Artemis thought about it. He was right. She’d hate it if any of her friends tried to read her mind. Friends didn’t owe each other their secrets, after all.

“I was only joking, Charlie. I’d never actually do that,” she said, almost entirely truthfully. “Although, you still haven’t told me what you’re planning on doing with all this treasure, and you’re getting me to help you.”

“I can tell you that, but you have to promise not to tell anyone else - not even Bill,” said Charlie, and Artemis drew a cross over her heart with her finger. “I’m planning on buying a dragon egg.”

Artemis laughed out loud, before she realised - either by Legilimency or by the look on Charlie’s face - that he wasn’t joking.

“A dragon egg? Charlie, have you gone mad?” she asked incredulously. “I thought you said that you can’t keep dragons as pets!”

“I’m not planning on keeping it as a pet. I want to free it.”

“You what?”

“Artemis, the illegal dragon trade is a massive problem. There aren’t many eggs that crop up on the market, but when they do, people pay all sorts of money for them. Then all these dragons get hatched in captivity by people who just want to have a dragon, but don’t actually know anything about them, and then the dragons end up being neglected, and locked up in little enclosures, or chained up somewhere, and they can’t even fly or anything,” Charlie paused for breath. He looked a little sad and almost angry at the very idea of a dragon being chained up in an enclosure. “That’s no life for a dragon. They need to fly, otherwise they get depressed.”

“Depressed?”

“It’s true, they’ve done research on it,” said Charlie, earnestly. “It’s like your blackbird. They’re wild animals, they need to be free.”

“So, you’re buying this egg to stop the dragon from being kept in captivity and being miserable all its life?” she asked, and Charlie nodded his head. Artemis smiled. “In that case, I’m happy that I get to help.”

“Thanks.”

“You know, I’m so excited to help you,” she continued, her smile growing impish, “that I think we should race to Forest.”

Charlie looked at her knowingly.

“You’re not just trying to scope out the competition for next weekend, are you?” he asked, eyebrows raised.

“As if I’d do a thing like that.”

It turned out that Artemis’ competition for the upcoming match was fierce. Orion was right, Charlie was difficult to outfly. She’d just have to try harder next week, she thought, touching down to the forest floor several seconds after Charlie dismounted his broomstick. Feet on solid ground, they made their way through the forest, wands drawn, just in case.

“So, what’s the plan?” Artemis asked, her voice a low whisper.

“I have a Beautification Potion from Jae. I know it won’t be as good as Penny’s, but I don’t want Bill finding out about this, so it’ll have to do,” Charlie shrugged. “We get in, we keep quiet, you do your Niffler thing, and I’ll cover you.”

It wasn’t a bad plan, and they soon were able to put it into motion. The Red Cap’s hole was exactly as it had been the year before: dark, dirty, and a little bit smelly. They moved across the atrium as silently as they could, and stopped at the entrance to the tunnel that led to the treasure trove. Artemis took off her rucksack and placed it inside, peering down the tunnel to see something sparkling at the end of it.

“In you get then,” said Charlie, almost inaudibly. He smirked slightly, and added, “Make the badgers proud.”

Artemis pulled a face at him, but lit her wand and placed it between her teeth, before climbing into the tunnel and crawling through it, belly and forearms to the floor, pushing her empty rucksack in front of her. Despite being small and fairly skinny for her age, it was still a tight fit.

Thankfully, though the tunnel was narrow, it wasn’t very long, and she quickly reached the large pile of treasure. She opened her rucksack and started to stuff it with as many coins, items of jewellery, and exciting looking objects as she could.

The rucksack was three quarters full when a noise from the other end of the tunnel distracted her. She stopped to listen. It was Charlie’s voice. That meant only one thing: the Red Cap had arrived, and it knew they were there. It was time to leave, and quickly. She pushed the rucksack out of the tunnel, crawling faster than she knew it was even possible to crawl.

Back in the atrium, Charlie was hurling spells at the Red Cap, who looked as ugly as ever.

“Flipendo! What happened to the Beautification Potion?” she asked as she joined the fray, both she and Charlie moving towards the exit as they continued to fend off the Red Cap.

“It didn’t work! Bloody Jae,” Charlie muttered, and pointed his wand at the Red Cap. “Depulso! Impedimenta!”

With the Red Cap banished to the other side of the atrium, and moving slowly, Charlie interlaced his fingers and Artemis placed her foot into his hands, allowing him to push her up and out of the lair.

Looking back into the den from above, she could see that the Red Cap was speeding up, Charlie’s Impediment Jinx already wearing off. She threw the rucksack down to the ground and used both her hands to help pull him up as he scrambled out of the lair, the Red Cap advancing faster by the second, and-

“ARGH!” Charlie exclaimed, as the large bone the Red Cap was using as a weapon made contact with the lower part of his shin, and there was a sickening crunching noise. The Red Cap raised the bone again, but Artemis pointed her wand at it.

“Expelliarmus! Stupefy!” she shouted.

The Red Cap’s bone flew out of his grip and he was rendered unconscious. Charlie, free to scramble up and out of the Red Cap’s hole, clambered out with difficulty, and attempted to rise to his feet. His face was ash white, and he was grimacing in pain. “Sorry, Charlie, I should’ve-”

“Just get the brooms, quickly!”

“Accio brooms!”

The two broomsticks flew through the air towards them, and Artemis caught both of them. Charlie was struggling to stand, not able to fully put weight on one of his legs, the one the Red Cap had hit. Artemis stared at him.

“Charlie, are you okay?”

“No,” he said, through gritted teeth. “I think my ankle’s broken.”

Artemis’ eyes widened, and she swallowed. Inside the den, she could hear the Red Cap starting to move again. There was no time to help Charlie’s ankle, she could only help him onto his broom.

“Quick,” she said. “Let’s get out of here. We’ll take you to the Hospital Wing.”

She supported Charlie’s weight so that he could take off from the ground, before doing the same herself, remembering to pick up the now-heavy rucksack before she rose up into the air. The two of them ascended into the sky and flew back to the castle, as the Red Cap prowled the forest floor, wondering where the two thieves had gone.

#artemis hexley #hogwarts mystery #hphm fic #hphm #skye parkin #orion amari #murphy mcnully #barnaby lee #charlie weasley #scully the crup