"Are you sure, Coach?" Daisy asked, not quite believing what he was saying. She had only made the suggestion that she mess with Hardwick as a joke. She didn't think that he would agree. She looked up at him from where she stood on the pitch.

The stoic man nodded, a hint of a smile on his face as he glanced down at her from watching the chasers go through their formations.

"You said he tried to get in your head much the same way in the previous game. Why not turn the tables?" he said. "I don't think it's such a bad idea."

Daisy grinned, a twinkle appearing in her eye.

"This'll be fun," she said.

"It's only half the strategy, rookie," Lucas reminded her. "I need you flying in top form. You'll need to maneuver in and out of plays easily. That way Hardwick can't follow you." Daisy nodded, a serious look coming across her young face. She looked out to the pitch, watching as Kelly, Cunningham and Wright passed the quaffle at lightning speed, moving in and out of each other.

"I've been studying the new plays and if we do much like we have the last few matches, it shouldn't be too difficult," she said. "Kingfisher and Campbell have been taking their speed up as well so I should be covered."

Lucas nodded, watching the two beaters as they hit the bludgers back and forth at the end of the pitch.

"I don't doubt that they will," he said. "Just promise you won't get distracted." Daisy looked up at Nilsson and grinned.

"I won't," she promised. "I've got a bit of score to settle with dear Hardwick." Lucas nodded.

"Get up in the air, rookie," he said. Daisy nodded, taking off at a jog and then hopping on her broom and flying up in the air. Lucas watched as she soared up and joined the beaters who had stopped passing the bludgers and were all sitting, waiting for Kelly to call out a play. Lucas stepped toward the team, keeping his eyes on the young seeker, her long ponytail swinging behind her. He could hear her laughing at something Campbell said from his position on the pitch.

He closed his eyes for a moment, breathing deeply as his mind took him back.


"Again!" Lucas shouted, sitting on his broom and watching as Mara sped down the pitch and back. She had just got a new broom and they were on the pitch at the Lynxes stadium, breaking it in. She flew back towards him, a large, bright grin spread across her face.

"Seriously, this thing is amazing!" she shouted, coming to a stop. "Corners like a dream!" Lucas chuckled as he watched her take off and do a loop and a few rolls. Her cheeks were flushed as she pulled back up to him. "You think the scouts will notice me?" Lucas laughed.

"Honestly I don't see how they could keep their eyes off you," he said. Mara beamed.

"And once I'm signed, I'll shove it in that prick Lief Hagen's face. Show him that women can play quidditch just as well as men," she said, her face becoming downright frightening in her determination.

"Who are you considering?" he asked.

"Wolverines, obviously…" she said. "But honestly, I'll consider whoever will take me. Wouldn't mind the Kites."

"What… no Gothenburg?" he asked.

"Why would I want to share a team with you?" she said, rolling her eyes. "Bad enough I have to deal with you coaching me…" Lucas laughed loudly.

"You should be so lucky to have me," he said. "When you get signed right after you graduate, you'll be thanking me." Mara grinned at him.

"Maybe… but I can still beat you in a race," she said.

"You're on," Lucas said. Mara shot off down the pitch, Lucas quickly catching up. At first he was planning to let her win, but when she leaned forward and pulled ahead, he narrowed his eyes and sped up.

He wasn't about to let his little sister beat him for real. He'd never live it down.

Mara laughed after they came to a stop after rounding the hoops.

"Losing your edge, old man?" she asked.

"I let you win," Lucas replied. Mara rolled her eyes.

"Sure you did," she said.

"Why do you try a few of the maneuvers I've been teaching you," he said, looking out over the pitch. He didn't want to admit that she had actually beaten him for real and thought aerobatics would distract her enough to let it go.

"Sure. But I'm telling Hugo when we meet him later all about how I finally beat you," she said before taking off.

She was never going to let him live this one down.


"Are you sure about that strategy? Sounds like a good way to get her killed," Hugo said as he sat in the back garden with Lucas. The tall blonde man took a sip of his tea and nodded.

"It's a risk, but if it works, it'll pay off," he replied. "And I think if anyone can get into his head, it's Daisy." Hugo chuckled.

"It's ambitious. Much like those plays you've had them pulling off," Hugo said, the admiration evident in his voice. "I think you were born to coach." Lucas shrugged.

"Never thought I'd actually enjoy it as much as I do. Almost prefer it to playing," he said. Hugo chuckled.

"Now that is something I thought I'd never hear you say. Preferring coaching to playing? Who are you and what have you done with Lucas Nilsson? Hot shot keeper and ladies' man extraordinaire?"

"He died four years ago," Lucas said. Hugo went quiet.

"But… coaching has been good for you. Just this year alone, I can see great changes," he said softly. "It's good to see you start to come around." Lucas glanced at his friend.

"I suppose I should start being more social," he said with a sigh. Hugo chuckled.

"I've been trying to get you to be more social all season. Taken you to all those parties and such…"

"You can lead a horse to water…" Lucas joked. Hugo looked at him and then laughed again.

"That's a good sign… going to lighten up now, are you?" he said. Lucas shrugged again.

"Perhaps… Though I've gotten the reputation of a serious, stoic coach. I'm not sure I'm ready to completely destroy that," he said.

"You can still be stoic and serious on the field, but have some fun off," Hugo said. "Look at Wood. It's like he's got a split personality sometimes."

"I'd rather not be like Wood," Lucas said, blanching slightly. "He's a bit too…"

"Volatile?"

"Involved," Lucas said.

"He's not that bad. Quite fun when you get him away from the pitch... and talking about something other than quidditch," Hugo said. Lucas chuckled.

"I cannot imagine him being fun," he said.

"Elizabeth and I have spent some time with him and his wife at some of the quidditch events. Delightful couple. Elizabeth wanted to have them round to the house, though I was sure Lottie would kill me… conversing with the enemy and all," Hugo said. "Besides, where do you think the triplets get it from?" Lucas chuckled.

"I thought it was from their uncle, to be honest. Now he seems to always have a good time," Lucas said.

"You should have seen Oliver when he was playing. Never the ladies' man like yourself - he's been with Iris since before the League started up again after the war - but he had that same cocky attitude that you did," Hugo said.

"You only played one season before he retired," Lucas said, rolling his eyes.

"And he was still good then. Even if he was nearly 40. Nothing like Hastings," Hugo responded. "That family… quidditch genes of gold. Jamie is likely to be one of the top keepers. Remus and Alan… deadly beaters. And now the last, Daisy… Get them all on one team and they'd be unstoppable. Shame they couldn't have had three more to round out the team." Lucas chuckled.

"Apparently that's what Oliver wanted. There was a bet going on in their family that they'd have enough to field a quidditch team," Lucas said, remember what Iris had said at the picnic all those months ago. "George lost a lot of money on it." Hugo laughed.

"I'm not surprised. People like to talk about them. They seem a lively bunch. Even I wouldn't mind being adopted by them," he said. He looked over at Lucas. "Perhaps you should. Maybe they'll get you to relax more. Have fun." Lucas shook his head slowly.

"Too famous for me," he commented. Hugo chuckled.

"There was a time when you would have been attracted by that," Hugo said.

"True enough. But not so anymore," Lucas replied. Hugo took a deep breath.

"But… you are still drawn to the family…," he said. Lucas looked at him.

"No. Don't go there, Hugo," he said. Hugo sighed.

"Very well…"

The two sat in silence, the easy mood slightly broken by Hugo attempting to veer the conversation back to Lucas' feelings towards the rookie. Seemed he was unwilling to talk about it. Hugo could understand, but at the same time felt he needed to talk about it. Ignoring it didn't seem to be helpful.

But he knew that Lucas was stubborn. If he didn't want to talk, he wouldn't. If anything, he probably thought not talking about it would make them go away. Easier to pretend it was just a phase rather than acknowledge them. Hugo looked over at his best friend, who was sitting silent, looking out across the garden. His face unreadable. Hugo just hoped whatever it was, it didn't hinder his progress. Lucas was finally starting to come alive again and he didn't want to see him retreat back into his shell because of a broken heart.


And now moving on to happier chapters. I promise the next three will be much happier for Nilsson than the last one...