When Wen manages to finally catch a lucky break in the Quidditch world, the world she's wanted to be a part of since before she can remember, her team mates find a way to rip her good fortune away from her and she's left with a job opportunity in snooty London and a flat with her muggle-loving uncle who managed to get himself discharged by using muggle sporting techniques in the game. She's lost, heartbroken, and homesick and on top of that, she's taken the job she didn't want, and the whole world knows it because of her brilliant broadcasting skills. Wen has no idea what to do, or who to befriend or even where the good food is in this God-forsaken town and desperately is wishing for any team to pick her up again, even if it's the bloody Falcons, whose name always manages to leave a dirty taste in her mouth.
Oliver Wood, on the other hand, has played six successful years for Puddlemere United, only one of which was on the reserve team, but due to a recent injury during a Falcons match, his contract had been severely shortened and he might only have another season or so playing the sport he truly loves. He's twenty-four, very famous, reasonably popular and the Quidditch circles jump over themselves to welcome him with loving arms. However, Oliver's cool facade won't last long. He has no clue what to do next, after his career as a profession Quidditch star is terminated and his parents are starting to bring up the issue of grandchildren, when he hasn't even met a girl who can tolerate his Quidditch obsession yet.
Wen and Oliver meet at gala thrown together by the least popular Quidditch society, The Protectors and Collectors of International Quidditch (The P.A.C.I.Q.) and find out that they may be able to be miserable in drizzling London together.
Quidditch foul – Blatching: Applies to all players. It is when a person is flying with the intent to collide.
Ms Dwynwen Angharad Maddock Cadwallader, Thursday, May 4th 2000
Due to your outstanding break through with recent Quidditch history in Australia, we, the Museum of Quidditch History located in London, are quite happy to accept your finds and are also quite pleased to invite you over to London to uncover them at and opening. Details listed below.
Sincerly,
Mr Thomas Michael Kaine
Museum of Quidditch Director
Head Office situated in London, England
Dear Mr Kaine, Monday, May 8th 2000
Unfortunately I will be out of town at a ceremony celebrating the recent finds that I uncovered and will be unable to make it to the opening in London. I have recently discussed your offer of housing the memorabilia found, and have come to the conclusion that it is majorly Australian history and it will remain here in my home country with me. I am sorry for any disappointment this brings you. However, in a month's time I will be travelling to Europe to have an interview with Kennilworthy Whisp, who wishes to update his history Quidditch book (Quidditch Through the Ages) and to write a new one, depicting the historical impact that England has had on Quidditch world-wide, instead of the beginning of the game. He plans to turn it into a trilogy; Quidditch Through the Ages, Quidditch Through the Continents and Quidditch: The Astronomical Obsession of the Wizarding and Witching World. You are more than welcome to accompany me to the interview and ask any questions that you wish. Also, when I am across there, I will be more than happy to come and visit your display. I have been meaning to ever since I was a little girl.
Eagerly awaiting your reply,
Wen Cadawallader
Ms Maddock Cadawallader, Thursday, May 11th 2000
I inquire you to reconsider my last offers. We have planned the ceremony around you being our guest of honour and we would very much like it if you did end up coming. And, I believe that the historical founding's that you made were from British settlements with arguments that we had given the sport to the Australians but it died out when muggle convicts were sent over. Besides, you're Welsh.
Mr Thomas Kaine,
Museum Director
Mr Kaine, Tuesday, May 16th 2000
They were found on Australian soil, and legally they are classified as Australian property until the courts declare otherwise. I'll reconsider your offer to come to the opening of the new exhibit, and I will gladly bring across copies of the diaries, pictures, photographs et cetera, et cetera for you to add to your collection until further notice.
Wen Cadawallader
Ms Maddock Cadawallader, Sunday, May 21st 2000
I am so happy you reconsidered. It is only four days away until the opening, and I know that you won't be able to owl back in time, so I expect you to be there, greeting me at the front entrance at 6:00 PM precisely. When you arrive, we will be able to discuss what items you are ready to part with.
Mr Thomas Kaine,
Museum Director
Ms Maddock Cadawallader, Friday, May 26th 2000
The ceremony was a hit! Everybody loved you and thought the exhibition was daring and loyal to the sport. The copies went over magnificently and the entire British Quidditch world is blown away from the history you uncovered. We now have a very realistic idea of the mysteries that before we hadn't known. Who would have thought that the very first society on Australian soil was Quidditch Unanimously Officially Proposes, Prevention of Dangerous Equipment (or, Q.U.O.P.P.D.E) which also served as a nickname to confuse muggles and keep those confounded convicts in the dark about magic! I can just imagine them saying, "Ready for a game of Quoppde?" And American Quadpot originates of the Australian Quidditch game that was originated from the British! Amazing stuff! And also the...
...
...Most of the Quidditch players enjoyed meeting you and are excited for another finding soon!
Thom Kaine
Mr Kaine, Friday, May 26th 2000 Last night's function went very well, and a few of the players I talked to sounded generally excited about my findings and the history of the sport the entire world loves. I also loved catching up with my favourite uncle, and to hear his adventures since he was discharged from the Magpies. However, I am a Quidditch player first and foremost and the historic items I found was largely a coincidence matched with spring cleaning, so I will not be going out of my way to play historian. I have been offered a place on the Moutohora Macaws as chaser, so I will be maintaining my Quidditch focus as a main career for now. It was very nice meeting you at the gala and I wish you the best for the future.
Wen C.
Ms Maddock Cadawallader, Saturday, May 27th 2000
Of course! I wish you the best for your future. You really must come by and visit from time to time. You can be my guest at the Historic Fields and Guilds Annual Luncheons whenever you please. They'll be so jealous I'll be the bell of the ball You'll be highly regarded, especially if you come as my guest.
Thom Kaine
Ms Dwynwen Angharad Maddock Cadwallader, Monday, June 19th 2000
It has come to our attention that you have been conversing with Mr Thomas Michael Kaine, London museum director of the Museum of Quidditch. We are writing about an unfortunate matter. It appears that Mr Kaine has passed away last night and we are now lacking a museum curator. Due to the disbandment of the Macaws, the Quidditch team you currently play for, we believe, due to the recent drug allegations of three of your team mates (and don't even get us started on the reserve team. I had 15 galleons on the bloody team to beat the Falcons and then this came up and you had to bloody well pull out!) We believe that you would be the perfect candidate for his replacement.
Deepest condolences, Sigmund Hofstadter
Mr S. Hofstadter, Saturday, June 24th 2000
My, that's horrible! Mr Kaine and I were not close in any sense but still his passing is quite unexpected. I will consider your proposal, but, as I have said many times before, Quidditch is my love and my first priority. I will have to see how the testing goes and whether my spots on the other teams have shut.
I will reply to you with a definite answer shortly.
Dwynwen Maddock Cadwallader
Ms D. A. M. Cadawallader, Wednesday, June 28th 2000
He died by hippogriff. Situation unknown.
Sigmund Hofstadter
Mr Hofstadter, Sunday, July 2nd 2000
Hippogriff? Really? I'm not sure how to reply to that. Where on Earth did he find a hippogriff? Why on Earth was it in London? What purpose he did want from it? The Macaws will unfortunately not be playing for another season or two since the ban, and, at that time, I will be unemployed. I will happily take up your job opportunity as a temporary replacement of Thomas Kaine.
Please, send me details soon.
Dwynwen C.
A brunette wrapped a brown leather string around a thick pile of parchment, sighing at the five pages of parchment that Thomas Kaine had sent her about his favourite things he had seen at the gala. Five pieces of parchment wasted on things she already knew and had already awed over. She was happy that she no longer had to correspond to that stuck up pom and was happy that she never had to worry about being impolite to him again. She was rather saddened at his death, however, but it was the awkward sad, similar to being invited to a cousin's funeral who you didn't know all that well. She stuffed the pile of letters into the side of a big, bright green suitcase and zipped it up before placing it with the others. Her brother and father, Owen and Sul respectively, Began to take her luggage to the fireplace in the backyard (it was less of a fireplace and more of a winding brick lane tunnelled by trees that led to a brick fire pit with a barbeque in one corner and fluffy cushions around one quarter of the circular pit). Her mother, Maud, and her sister, Delyth, wish her their best before hugging and crying and then, in typical Maddock Cadawallader fashion, going down the hall to cook the men dinner. "Guess I'm really going to London, then," Wen muttered to herself, a Welsh accent overriding a smaller Australian one, before picking up a cream fancy duffle bag and using to floo to get to Parliament House.
