CHAPTER 21: CHANGING OF THE TIDES – PART TWO

SUNDAY MORNING, SECOND DAY OF FINALS

Sunday morning came, bringing with it the promise of playing the Quidditch Cup Finals if I was fit enough to make it onto the pitch. I considered feigning continued illness so that I could stay wrapped in my cocoon of safety in the Hospital Wing and basically hide away. Senses prevailed however and I suffered a fitness test from Madam Pomfrey and was given permission to play.

My fractured nose and wrist had healed, albeit it still bruised and the weakness I had suffered from the reaction yesterday afternoon was well gone. I was practically banished from the Hospital Wing, giving me the feeling that Madam Pomfrey would be glad to see the last of me and my problems. I managed to winch myself out of bed early, collect my possessions and head back to Gryffindor Tower in order to ready myself for the day.

To my surprise the dorm was still submerged in sleep when I returned, leaving me with basically no option but to shower, change and leave or risk the wrath of waking them up. I did as planned and headed back to my bed to put my runners on. As I approached I smiled appreciatively when I noticed a brand new uniform freshly ironed and folded on the edge of my bed. I picked it up, thumbing the new abrasive material. I smiled grimly when I noticed that my robe had the new shiny label of captain sewn on it in yellow cursive. I mean I had been captain for some time but this really hit me. I was captain…well co-captain and all I could think about what giving it up. I refolded the uniform and moved it to sit at the foot of my bed upon the top of my trunk. As I did so, a piece of folded parchment slipped out from underneath the pile of clothes and fell limply to the floor.

Intrigued I picked it up, half expecting Oliver's brash scrawl to stare up at me. Instead round particular cursive led my eyes along the page.

Katie,

I hope that you manage to find this before breakfast this morning. I was hoping for your consultation on the Quidditch pitch before the game against Durmstrang. I know it's a lot to ask, considering all the illness and stress you have been through already this weekend but you know that I would really appreciate it and would be forever in your debt if you could managed it. I'll be there from about 8am onwards.

-Lav.

Lav clearly meant Laven and I smiled somewhat at the prospect of dealing with someone else's Quidditch trials and tribulations rather than my own. I fished a pair of socks from under my bed (I assumed they were clean as they were rolled together in a ball) and pulled a pair of runners on under my jeans. I fixed my hair with an aliceband and gave it a quick shake for volume. In a bid to feel a little bit perkier I hastily applied a thin layer of foundation, mascara and lipgloss before leaving.

The Great Hall was scattered with early risers when I entered, meaning that it was rather quiet as people submerged themselves in the latest edition of the Daily Prophet and helped themselves to breakfast. I made my way to Gryffindor Table and sat helping myself to a serve of steaming porridge and a cup of coffee. As I did so I checked my watch: 7.30 am. I had half an hour before my appointment with Laven and was intending to spend it enjoying a Quidditch and stress free breakfast. That didn't last long at all, as Cedric Diggory appeared on the scene just as I was shovelling the 5th tablespoon of porridge into my mouth.

"Alright?" he greeted, sitting down beside me and helping himself to a bit of toast.

I turned to smile at him. He was brave sitting at the Gryffindor table the morning of the finals. The grin on his face suggested that he was well aware of this. Fake bravado in my opinion but I shrugged it off.

"Alright," I chimed back at him as I watched him pour a cup of tea into a mug, add two sugars and stir it lazily.

He grinned. "I hear you landed yourself back the hospital wing yesterday evening." It was a statement, not a question and it was delivered with a suavely cocked eyebrow.

I nodded all the same. "Mmmm hmmm," was my muffled reply through a mouthful of porridge. I swallowed it a little too quickly, burning my tastebuds in the process. I fanned my mouth for a moment with my hand before lurching for the jug of water in front me and hastily pouring a glass. I drank quickly trying to get the searing sensation off my tongue. "Yes," I confirmed, swallowing hard and screwing up my face in discomfort, "I fainted in at the Three Broomsticks and gave myself some sort of concussion."

He laughed sympathetically. "Merlin, you had a good day then," he said, eyes sparkling.

I nodded. "Fantastic day by any standard," I joked. "A day like that is likely to have taken a good 10 years from my life."

"Much like sitting at the table of your rivals I suppose," he added nodding towards the Hufflepuff table where a couple of students were eyeing us evilly.

"That could also have something to do with the fact that you tend to be seen more in my company of late than that of your girlfriend," I pointed out, granting myself the opportunity to raise my own eyebrow at him. "You and Cho are a match made in Hogwarts heaven. Together you would have the support from half of the school. That's a pretty good feat."

"Come of it, Cho and I are far from perfection," Cedric said evenly. "Besides I'm almost positive that those glares I am getting from that group of Ravenclaw girls is to do with speculation that Cho and I have called it quits." He took a sip from his cup, giving me the impression that he was not unnerved by the suggestion.

I looked at him carefully. "Why would anyway start a rumour like that?"

"It's not a rumour. Cho did dump me Katie." He took another sip, not batting an eyelid.

I tried to read his expression hoping for some clues. He was acting calmly, elegantly even, however his eyes betrayed him. They glowed with the kind of hurt I imagined mine would have if the question had been about Oliver. Not knowing how exactly to reply I shovelled the last mouth of porridge in my mouth and focused on swishing it around before swallowing. This allowed me some time to digest the news and form a respectable reaction.

"It's hard to explain why it happened," he continued placing his cup back on the table coolly. "I mean I'm not sure I really understand it myself. There was some yelling – most of it me and there was some shoving – most of it her and then tears – I'm not going to deny that they came from both of us. Then she dropped the bombshell that apparently I'm not good enough for her according to her parents. Your name was mention, as was Luke Fitzgerald and I have the distinct impression that she wasn't happy that Ravenclaw weren't in the finals."

Luke Fitzgerald was one of Cedric's friends who had briefly admitted that he had a crush on me before Christmas. He had asked me to the ball, I had declined and I hadn't seen him since. It intrigued me to think what exactly his involvement was but I didn't push it. I hypothesised some sort of friendship between Cho and him that Cedric was wary of, but I was almost sure that I was wrong.

"I was apart of it?" I said the strain present in my voice. The last thing I wanted was to be wrapped up in all that again. Cedric and I had rebuilt some bridges of late but they weren't that fantastically reconstructed that we would ever consider dating again. I'm glad to say that I think that phase is over and we both learnt that lesson the hard way. There wasn't a romantic spark between us and never really had been.

"Oh nothing bad," he said reassuring me with a smile. "Cho is jealous that you and I are friends and that I refused to let her to maintain her friendship with Luke after they broke up."

I had no idea that Cho and Luke had once dated, so my reply was a stunned expression. He clarified. "It's because he's a slimy git and I don't trust him one bit with her. We are in a different situation. After all, I'm not slimy and you're in love with Oliver – despite what you say."

I was more than a little confused about this situation. So I decided upon a summary question for clarification, ignoring Cedric's statement about Oliver because it wasn't worth arguing. "Is this a good thing or a bad thing? You and Cho breaking up I mean. You kinda lost me back there, and throwing Luke Fitzgerald into things didn't really help."

Cedric looked at me startled. "Well it's not an ideal situation as I love Cho very much," he said expecting that to clarify things.

I did a mental head slap. As if that statement made anything clearer – it was like adding mud to the mixture. Love didn't really does account for much in these situations.

"Was that meant to make it clearer?" I ventured with a cocked eyebrow.

He nodded. "It was meant to make it crystal clear."

I shook my head. "Well it didn't. It only blurred my interpretation."

He thought for a moment. "Put it this way, I don't understand why we broke up and it wasn't initiated by me. So therefore I am just as much in the dark as you."

I gave him a heartfelt pat on the back for sympathy. "Don't get the wrong idea, but Cho would be stupid to throw you out of her life on account of her parent's standards. What are they expecting? I mean you're a Diggory. They don't really get much higher in Wizarding society than you. "

He laughed, humbled by my attempt at flattery. It was true however. The Diggorys had money, intelligence and were old fashioned. They had aristocracy about them. "The Malfoys have some weight," he added impishly.

I rolled my eyes. "You're a different breed than the Malfoys – just about everyone is."

Cedric smiled at me gratefully. "And where do the Bells fall on this scale of class?" he asked.

I shrugged, "Who knows. My mum's a Healer but we loose points for Gwen's illegitimate child. And then there is me and my sordid affair with a teacher. And the violence and suspensions. Oh and of course my Father's forced stress leave at the Ministry. I would say that we are well near the bottom."

"That's a load of bullshit Katie and you know it," Cedric laughed.

"Isn't it all? What do the Changs have that the rest of us don't?"

Cedric shrugged and we declared the conversation over and finished out breakfast together engaged in small talk that had nothing to do with Cho, Oliver or Quidditch.

It was 8:15am by the time I had solved Cedric's problems, finished my breakfast and headed to the pitch. Everyone was in the air apart from Laven when I arrived. I walked out onto the pitch, breathing in the deep anticipation that hung in the stadium air. The blue robed players that were Beauxbatons had nervousness transfixed over all of their faces and the air was deathly quiet as they trained in almost perfect silence. Laven stood watching from the ground, writing notes on a clipboard as they trained.

I watched them carefully as I walked towards Laven's position in the middle of the pitch, and noted that while they had only a been training together for a few weeks and were a mixture of experienced and new players, they had a unique dynamic about them that was very enticing. They moved swiftly, didn't fumble or hesitate and it all seemed like their broomsticks, plays and ball skills were natural interaction. Gryffindor didn't even play like that and we had been together for years (minus Ron obviously). I was impressed and quietly jealous at the same time.

"I think you might be in with a chance Wood," I said loudly, approaching Laven.

She glanced up from her clipboard and gave me a smile. "That's a lie, but I will take it anyway," she beamed, her eyes sparkling happily, hair pulled into a tight ponytail that hung past her shoulders. "You're looking better."

I laughed. "Thanks. I feel better."

Laven smiled again, but I became suspicious as her gaze drifted past my head. I turned apprehensively considering what she was looking at. It hit me like a bludger between the eyes. Oliver was reclined at the top of the Gryffindor stands watching Laven's team train. He had a stern look transfixed on his face.

I turned back to her, distrust riding on my face. "You set me up!" I hissed, pointing a finger at her accusingly.

She rolled her eyes at me before fixing her gaze back on her team in the air. "Oh come of it, I don't have that much power. It just turned out like this, I caught up with him on the way to the pitch and he asked if I wanted his opinion on the team. I jumped at the chance for some more advice. Besides, you really think that I wanted to put you two together in a situation where there is no one to ensure that you don't kill each other?" Her voice was smothered with sarcasm and I glared at her.

"It's not like that and you know it! As if I don't feel horrible enough, now I have I stand here and watch him brood when I am meant to be doing something constructive." I childishly folded my arms against my chest angrily. If anything this made Laven's smile wider.

Laven cocked an eyebrow at me, tucking her clipboard under her arm. She blew her whistle at the team, ordered them to do something in French and then turned her attention fully back to me. "You're doing a pretty good job of brooding yourself Katie." She looked at Oliver over my head. "Will you just go and talk to him and clear the air before he does something stupid?"

A violent image ran though my head and I sighed heavily. I placed my hands on my hips defiantly. "He threatened to walk off the edge of the Astronomy Tower yesterday afternoon," I said. "Is that stupid enough for you or were you hoping that something a little more stupid would happen?"

Laven blinked at me unimpressed. "By stupid I was referring to him shagging another girl, not doing anything really stupid." She paused for a moment. "He may be a little daft sometimes but come on, Astronomy Tower walk offs? It doesn't really seem like Oliver does it? He's not suicidal."

I resigned, rubbing my eyes in exasperation. "It's not like I don't want to talk to him Laven, I just don't know what to say. I'm pretty sure that "Hey, how are you? Feeling any better after I tore your heart out and stomped on it?" isn't going to cut it so I would prefer not to say anything at all."

She gave me a wry grimace, trying to stifle laughter at my comment. I was overreacting and I knew it, but fought hard to keep it from spilling over. I looked away from her briefly so that I didn't feel stupid as she struggled to contain her mirth.

"You could start with a simple "Alright?" and see where that leads you," she suggested. "That description was a little graphic by the way."

"And what if it leads to an argument?" I asked anxiously.

Laven raised an eyebrow as a preliminary reply. "To tell the truth, I'd be more surprised if it didn't lead to an argument," she laughed.

I threw my hands up in the air. "I don't want to argue with him anymore Laven!" I hissed. "If I go up there and we fight, I don't think I have enough willpower to not jump off the stands."

Laven lowered her voice to an urgent whisper. "It appears that you're more suicidal than him. He just wants to move on Katie and it's the best thing for the two of you to discuss it."

This was exactly what I had been talking about with Derrick. "You do know why he's here!" I accused, realising that yes, Laven was on his side. I guess I expected it, she was his sister.

"So?" she said unfazed. "Okay I do. We may have spoken about it, but it's not why I asked you here."

I glared at her not in the lease bit convinced.

"Well okay, it's not the only reason I asked you here," she corrected.

Oh Merlin. "We don't need you to meddle Laven," I said strongly hoping that would be the end of it. I was wrong.

"No, I know," she agreed. "But clearly, you need someone to jump start this process. Come on Katie, this is the hardest part," Laven reasoned. "Once you get past this, it's a walk in the park."

I glared stubbornly. "I'm aware; I've been though a few of them now. I'm just not sure what there is left to say. I think I have said everything," I said wracking my brain.

"Perhaps it's time that you just sat and listened and see what he comes up with," she said fluently, clearly well hersed.

I eyed her sceptically. "Can't you give me the preview? Just give me the gist?" I asked, hoping that if I pleaded she would yield. "That way we are both happy, he gets his say and I get it on my terms."

Laven tutted at me. "No I can't. Besides, I was only half listening to him at breakfast. But look, to be honest, it needs to be done. You need to clear the air officially because this tension is just too damn difficult." She gave me a grimace. "Anyway, you have to have him on your side this afternoon, Hufflepuff are perfect and Gryffindor are a little paler in comparison. If you need to do it for any reason, do it to butter up the referee, not your ex-boyfriend."

She wasn't telling me anything I didn't already know and once again I heaved a reluctant sigh. "At least I'm not playing Seeker against Krum," I threw at her, defiant that I would not let her get away with mutiny.

"As if I had any chance of forgetting," she said glancing at the team. Laven dropped her clipboard on the ground and grabbed her broom that had been lying idly at her feet. "I need to get in the air and train with the others. You don't have a choice now, Oliver knows you're here and he knows that you know he is here. If you don't go up there, then you are being selfish and running way. Stop running and face the music. You will thank me for it later, trust me."

"Grrrrhh!" I said through gritted teeth, storming off towards the stands. I threw at glare back at her but Laven beamed unfazed. She mounted her broom and joined the others in the air.

I took as long as physically possibly to walk up the stairs. Oliver was seated in the middle row of the Gryffindor stands arms folded against his chest, feet perched on the back of the seat in front of him. He had watched me coming but didn't venture for my eye contact once I had entered the stands.

"Do you mind if I sit?" I asked, feigning some attempt at sincerity. I watched him carefully, trying to decipher his mood. It was unrecognisable and stomach plummeted at the thought.

Without meeting my eye, he nodded and shifted his broom and freshly laundered referee robes that were seated beside him. "No, be my guest." His gaze returned to the pitch.

I took my seat and sucked in a deep shaky breath. "Alright?" I asked in a voice that was much more higher pitched than usual.

Oliver gave me a weak smile but did not move his gaze from the 7 blue clad figures in the air. "Alright yea," he said at first. We sat in awkwardly silence for a few minutes before he added, "You look well."

I considered what my chances were of having a proper conversation with him apart from two to three word sentences. I would wager that the chances were slim.

"Not as hideous as usual then?" I ventured, some humour in my voice.

He turned his head to look at me and for a moment I saw them flicker with the same humour. "You'll do," he said evenly a small, very small, smile playing on his features.

I opened my mouth to speak but he cut me off adding, "You look just as beautiful as always, Katie." He stared me straight in the eye and I reacted by looking back to the pitch.

Thank you," I said sincerely, "I do feel much better. I won't pretend however that I'm not apprehensive about the match this evening." I gave an unintentional nervous laugh and folded my arms against my chest. "I mean we are staring down the barrel of a possible win and I'm scared to death. The team need this to stay together. We need a win and I'm in charge."

"You're putting too much pressure on yourself," he ventured evenly, tearing his attention from the pitch.

"Am I?" I asked. "Really am I? It takes a split second for us to lose Oliver. One moment and everything we have worked for this year…it's lost. I hate the pressure. I always have, but you have always been here to deal with it on the front line. It was never up to me in the past."

"Come on Katie, it's just Quidditch," he replied soberly.

I shook my head. "You don't believe that," I said unconvinced.

He shook his head. "No, I don't. But you do. I know you're quitting so what does it matter?"

"That's not fair Oliver."

He cocked an eyebrow. "No it isn't. Neither is me cheating on you, but you dealt with that fine. Quidditch finals will be a walk in the park compared to that."

I sensed bitterness and sobriety in his tone. "I'm sorry for yesterday," I said, hoping it would be enough. It wasn't.

"The way you said it or what you said?" he asked softly, almost in a low rasp that demonstrated he already knew the answer.

I pondered my response. "The way I said it," I said softly, with a sober expression. I wanted to tell him the truth but I couldn't. I needed to lie. "It was heartless of me to just throw it at you like that. I didn't really think about what or why I was saying it. I just blurted it out. I could have been more tactful, you didn't deserve the way I spoke to you at all. No matter what has happened."

I stunned myself with my answer but remained composed. The last thing I wanted to do was alienate him.

"I don't know about that, I think I pretty much deserved everything to be honest," he reassured me. "It couldn't have been easy to be so frank with me after everything that has happened and I don't blame you for having your reasons for leaving our relationship. In all seriousness, I believe you are right and perhaps it is time we just let go…time we put everything behind us and move on for good this time. No one would have been any happier if we had kept pretending that we could work through it. Least of all me because I know that I have hurt and betrayed you beyond forgiveness this time. I don't see a way that we could possible continue to be together." He looked at me pointedly. "Especially if you don't love me."

I nodded and replied with a simple, "Yes."

He nodded, a gesture of understanding, but I could see the grief in his eyes at my revelation. "You know before all this Angelina mess, I woke up every day thankful that you were back in my life. The hours of the day don't seem to elapse properly when we are apart. When I was with Michelle and Lindsay it was different. It was out of convenience. But you, there is just something about you that keeps drawing me back. I never thought I could ever love someone like I love you."

"Oliver," I said, breaking him off before he went too far and reopened the wound I had already definitely closed yesterday, "I don't want an apology. It isn't going to solve anything. It isn't going to make me want us to get back together." Don't lie a voice screamed in my head but I neutralised it in a second. I was doing the right thing. I was doing the right thing for both of us. I repeated it over and over again, letting it become a mantra as sorts. Not being together is the right thing for both of us.

"I know," he said eagerly, "but please just hear me out. I want you to understand that I know why we can't be together. I don't like it, but I understand. I'm not angry or bitter and I don't want you to be either."

I sucked in a breath of fresh air and closed my eyes tightly, mustering composure. Okay so now it was getting emotional. I had spoken too soon. Why couldn't he have stuck with the brooding? I find it easier to deal with anger than pity.

"I'm sorry," I said, opening my eyes and looking at him.

"Why? For not loving me?" Flatness looked back at me through his chocolate eyes.

"Yes," I nodded.

He hesitated a moment, not for his words but his actions. He then reached out to thumb my cheek tenderly. "You're not to blame for that," he reassured me. "I'm going to leave tomorrow. I think it's the better thing to do. Me being here is just a waste. If I go back to London I can settle back into my flat and get used to the city again before the contract kicks in. I mean it's now or never. I can take this opportunity for a fresh start." His lips threatened to get closer as we sat there engulfed in the realisation that this would be our goodbye. After tomorrow that was it. We could discuss it being over until we were black and blue in the face but in reality, it wasn't going to be until he left.

Be careful, I warned myself as I tried to diffuse this situation. I took hold of the hand that thumbed my cheek, squeezed it tenderly, and then placed it back into his lap, untangling my hand from his. "Fresh start," I repeated, fixing him with a pleading look to not touch me again.

He nodded, reseating himself and we both glanced out at the pitch as Laven blew her whistle and gestured and ordered the rest of the team. I couldn't digest what was happening on the pitch as the only thing I could comprehend that he was right. There was the point in holding onto something that didn't really fit anymore. We'd changed even from a month ago. I was bitter and he was remorseful. I didn't believe him and I don't think I ever will, but it at least mean that I didn't have to live with his lies in my life. I was happy to take him at face value and offer a goodbye tomorrow if it meant that we could both move on from the events of the past few weeks.

"I came to see you last night," Oliver said changing course.

"I know, I overheard you," I replied, us both still staring out at the pitch.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you myself, I just didn't trust my mouth in that situation. I had stewed about what you said all afternoon and evening. I didn't want to say something I didn't mean."

I decided that perhaps it was time for me to tell him of my conversation with Derrick. Just so that he didn't get any wrong ideas. "Oliver, look I spoke to-"

"I know," he cut off, "He told me briefly." We watched as Laven lowered her flying height and swooped in close to the ground to hover there and watch the team.

"He didn't mention anything in particular?" I held my breath a second.

Oliver shook his head. "No, he said it was between you and him. I'm pretty sure the overall gist of it was that I should be ashamed of myself. "

Big surprise. Derrick berating Oliver. "I see," I replied not quite sure where I was going to go with this track of conversation.

I went to open my mouth again when Oliver jumped forward in his chair. "Who the hell is that?" he asked, gesturing to the pitch where a young guy, possible around Oliver's age or a little older, had stridden out onto the pitch.

I wasn't sure, but Laven seemed to not notice at all. I didn't recognise him and the same prospect unnerved Oliver on the account that he wasn't a student or a teacher here and he wasn't wearing the now familiar uniform of the visiting schools. Oliver jumped out of his chair and pushed past me, heading down the steps of the stands very quickly.

"Oliver wait," I gushed, grabbing his Firebolt and uniform and heading after him hastily.

"Excuse me!" he called out to the guy who was now walking towards the middle of the pitch. "Excuse me!"

"Oliver stop," I called, trying to get him to slow down as I stumbled down a couple of steps. "Oliver!"

Laven stopped what she was doing abruptly and glared over at Oliver. The mystery man was approaching from the other side of the pitch and was out of Laven's eye line. "Oliver what the hell are you…." Her voice caught in her throat as she tracked Oliver's direction. "Sebastien?" She asked, dismounting.

Oliver gulped. "Sebastien?" he asked quizzically. He shot me a look behind his shoulder and I shrugged.

Sebastien broke into a fast stride as he closed the distance between himself and Laven. "Laven!" he greeted enthusiastically, a French accent shining through. Laven gave an excited squeal and dived towards him, embracing him in a tender hug.

Oliver and I finally made it closer to the pair. "Laven?" he asked, sceptical of the stranger and the close proximity to his sister.

Sebastien rested his arms around Laven's waist which basically meant that Oliver's eyebrows almost disappeared into his hairline.

"Oliver wait," I said, grabbing his arm.

"Katie, just give me a minute," he said brushing me off, pulling his arm from my grasp and moving towards them.

I juggled the Firebolt and the robes as the force of Oliver's grasp made me stumble.

Laven broke her embrace with Sebastien and turned to look at Oliver. "Oliver calm down. Look uhh…"

"Who's this then?" he asked in only what can be described in an overprotective brother tone. His arms were folded against his chest, wand menacingly poking out of the waste band of his jeans.

Laven faltered, grasping for an explanation. She struggled for a moment, contemplating how to explain this stranger to her over protective brother. "This is ummm…" she looked at Sebastien whose expression at the mention of Oliver's name, had turned into something mirroring a rabbit caught in headlights, waiting for the terrible impact. Laven sighed heavily, taking in Sebastien's expression. "This is my boyfriend, Sebastien D'Aubgine."

Oliver choked briefly, his eye very wide. "Boyfriend?" he asked very slowly, stepping very close to Sebastien and sizing him up. Sebastien D'Aubgine was shorter than Oliver, had deep crystal blue eyes and strawberry blonde hair. He was handsome and his robes were immaculate. The silver watch on his wrist indicated that he had money. So did his stature.

Laven looked at Oliver frightful of what he might do. I myself was unsure what his reaction might be. "Oliver just…"

"What the hell!" Oliver exploded, stepping between Sebastien and Laven. "Boyfriend? Laven you've been in the country for nearly three months and haven't mentioned this guy at all! And all of a sudden he jumps out of the woodwork and shows up unannounced?"

I decided to step in after noticing that everyone on the pitch had stopped training and was now staring down at the four of us very amused, Fleur the most noticeable with a rather large smirk on her face. I glanced at the three of them. "Perhaps we can have this conversation somewhere a little less public," I said, gesturing to the Beauxbaton's team.

Laven gave them a quick glance before taking a step towards Oliver in fight mode. The audience clearly didn't bother her at all. "I don't have to tell you everything Oliver! Sebastien is my business and you have no right to come running out onto this pitch in such fury yelling and screaming!"

Oliver sniggered angrily, eyes flashing. "Like hell I don't! This is MY pitch!" He turned to Sebastien. "Who are you? What do you do?"

Sebastien chewed his lip briefly. "I'm a tutor at Beauxbatons Academy-"

Oliver rounded on Laven, red-faced with anger. "HE IS YOUR TEACHER?"

I lowered my eyes. Oh Merlin, this wasn't going to end well.

She glared, standing her ground. "My French tutor! And he was my French tutor! He's not anymore!"

"That's because you're not in France!" Oliver spat back incredulously. "Very hard for him to be your teacher if you are at Hogwarts!"

"Come of it," Laven said hotly. "You're a teacher and look at this," she pointed between the two of us.

"The situations are clearly different!" Oliver snapped. "How old are you?" he shot at Sebastien.

Sebastien looked like he would regret the words he was about to say. "Twenty, monsieur."

Laven looked at Seb angrily. "Don't inflate his ego," she said urgently to him. "Do not call him monsieur. He doesn't deserve any respect at all."

Oliver glared at her, but didn't refute her comment. "You're twenty?" Oliver repeated.

Seb nodded. "Yes."

"Laven you're sixteen!" Oliver said irately.

"Seventeen next month!" she fired back at her brother.

"That doesn't make a difference!" Oliver fumed. "His is three years older than you, plus you kept him secret. Tell me what else have you lied about in regards to Mr D'Aubgine?"

"Don't you dare accuse me of lying-"Laven fired back angrily engaging them in a heated argument. "I'm not the one who cheated on my girlfriend."

I glanced at Sebastien who was standing there awkwardly. He must have felt my gaze, as he looked at me. "Welcome to the country," I said giving him a small smile.

All I got was a perplexed, "Merci," in reply as we both turned back to watch the spectacle, neither of us risking getting involved.

Part 3 will be up later on today or early tomorrow as I have to go to work and it just needs a little bit more tweaking.