Brigid was late.

"I thought that might happen," Lily said, tucking into a sandwich. "For someone whose job is organising people, her timekeeping can be shocking."

I couldn't disagree with that.

"It's fine though," Lily continued with her mouth full, "I'm not in a rush to get back to work." With what looked like a lot of effort, she swallowed. "I'm owed some hours back," she explained, "I keep working through my lunch break."

"Why? Are you busy?"

"Not really. I just don't notice that it's lunchtime."

I frowned.

"But don't your colleagues tell you when you're working through lunch? Don't you ever have plans with them?" My brother and sister always seemed to be going for work lunches, and I figured that was what everyone who worked in offices did.

"Na, none of them really like me much."

She said it in an alarmingly matter-of-fact tone.

I stared at her in disbelief. "Whyever not?"

"Well, my Whitehall colleagues hate me for jumping through a load of hoops and getting Advisor to the Prime Minister straight out of school, when they've all been working for years to be promoted. They don't realise it's a specialist job involving our world, of course, which makes it all a bit awkward. I think some of them think I'm having an affair with him or something equally sordid. And the Ministry guys don't think it's fair that I should have a job with such proximity to the Minister because I didn't go to Hogwarts – completely ignoring that that's the whole point of why I have this job. It's not all fun and games being a Squib, you know."

"But – I – I can't believe the Ministry guys would be like that," I said. "I mean, surely they ought to know that you work in the Muggle world too, and … well … I mean, you're…"

"A Potter, so people should like me?" Lily raised an eyebrow. "It's odd, isn't it, everyone wants to be friends with James and Al but not poor boring Squib Lily. I don't mind it, though. It means I know the people who are nice to me are actually genuine and not just trying to cling to my coat-tails because of Dad."

"No wonder you're always here for lunch," I said, without thinking.

"Pretty much." She shrugged. "What else am I going to do with my time? Go for business lunches with Dad and Al? I think not."

I must have had a look of abject pity on my face, because she continued, "honestly, don't worry, I'm fine. Most of the Ministry guys are dickheads who aren't worth being friends with anyway. My brothers and cousins have already vetted all recent Hogwarts alumni worth knowing, and I can assure you none of them are assholes to me at work. Course, most of them don't work in the Minister's office."

She had a point with that. If someone wasn't on friendly terms with either James, Al, or any of their nine cousins, it stood to reason that they were probably not worth knowing.

At that moment, as if to prove that the Weasleys had good taste in friends, Brigid burst in, her face the same shade of magenta as the robes which meant she'd just come off a shift on the shop floor.

"Sorry," she panted, "couldn't leave til Freddie got back. Came as soon as I could."

The shop was only four doors up, so she must have sprinted the whole way to us.

"Where was Freddie?" Lily asked with a frown.

"Quidditch practice," I supplied, as I passed Brigid a glass of water to help her regain her breath. "James has got the pitch booked up for lunchtimes. He's actually rearranged all his lunchtime private coaching sessions to evenings so that the guys can all practice for the match. They're taking this far too seriously, I hope you realise what you've done unleashing fourteen competitive Weasleys into the world."

"Oh, that's just Dad and James persuading their team they need to win," Lily said, waving an airy hand. "The others are fine-"

"Roxanne's managed to convince Mum to let her team use the Falcons ground for evening training," Brigid said flatly. "They're already competing over who can get more practice in. This is not fine."

"Oh, it's nothing, it's all for a good cause," Lily said in the same breezy tone.

Brigid and I glanced at each other. It was alright for Lily, she didn't live and work in the pub and shop that served as Weasley gathering centres. I'd had to put up with far too much chat about the upcoming match, and it was still six weeks away.

"So anyway, I've got most of the programme put together," I said, grabbing my binder from under the bar counter. "Everyone's written their testimonies, and Thaddeus has sent me his piece about being a Squib. I've put out paid advertisement spaces, and they're pretty much all filled up, I'm just chasing the last couple of payments. Xeno Lovegood's more than happy with a two page ad for the Quibbler in exchange for printing, and Scrivenshaft's will provide all the parchment and ink for another two page ad. I'm just waiting for my Hogwarts boys to draw up a front page and then it's all ready to go to the printers. But I want you to look through it first, just to make sure you're happy with it all.

"We sold out of tickets a couple of weeks ago, so James talked to Professor McGonagall, and they're going to add more seats, so that we could sell another few hundred tickets. And they're now sold out too. I sold quite a lot here, and Hannah Longbottom shifted a few at the Leaky, but my Hogwarts boys have really put the work in on this one, they've sold most of the tickets through students. And have given me all the money too," I added. "I've counted it, they haven't kept any of it back. I do think we should give them something back as payment for all the work they've put in, though. They made those posters without me asking and they're beautiful."

"I – well-" It was a while since I'd seen Lily speechless. "Carla, this is … I mean, wow…"

"And this is what I've got," Brigid said, dumping a bulging bag onto the table. "We've done figurines of everyone – here's your dad, look-" She threw Lily a miniature of Harry in purple Quidditch robes; Lily had to react quickly to catch it before it hit her in the face- "and we've got banners, scarves, flags, all your classic Quidditch merch. Honeydukes are going to donate a load of their stock to us to sell at the ground too, and Carla and Hannah are supplying us with Butterbeers and potentially Heidelberg mead if we think it won't cause too many problems. I'm going to have Rose, Luce, Victoire, Dom and Molly on stands around the ground selling, and then we'll have Bill, Fleur, Percy, Audrey and Hermione checking tickets and seating people. Is that everything? Oh, and Louis commentating, obviously."

I wasn't looking forward to that. Whoever thought it was a good idea to give a part-Veela a microphone had presumably discovered some sort of immunity to Louis' voice.

"This is incredible," Lily said. "Honestly, I hadn't even considered merch…"

"Well, we weren't about to half-arse it," I reasoned. I'd brought Brigid onto the project a couple of weeks ago to design the merchandise for the match. The money raising opportunities from that were huge.

"I can't believe this," Lily said, still staring at her dad's tiny face in disbelief. "This … this is almost everything … it's just the robes and-"

"Robes are sorted," Brigid said promptly. "Malkins did us a deal and the guys each paid for their own set. They're gorgeous, Freddie looks like an aubergine in his."

Lily blinked.

"Well then," she continued, "I guess it's just the referee-"

"Rosie's on it," I said. It paid to have family in the Department of Magical Games and Sports.

Lily stared at us.

"Have you two even left anything for me to do?"

Since the end of January my thoughts had been pretty focused on the Quidditch match. What with Lily's obsession with the fundraiser, and James' obsession with, well, Quidditch, I hadn't thought I'd have any room to think about anything else until it was over.

Unfortunately, things were moving at such a pace in the political world, it was getting hard to remember that something as harmless as a Quidditch match was due to take place in a few weeks' time.

"Ireland, Russia, Albania, Norway, Ukraine, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Abyssinia, Egypt…" Rose ticked off the countries on her fingers as she spoke. "And here's the worst part – China, Japan and Brazil. All now in favour of removing the Statute of Secrecy."

"How is this even happening?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"It's as though all these governments have seen Knatchbull's stance and decided they want to get there first," Albus sighed. "But where this sudden anti-Statute sentiment has come from, I do not know."

"But Knatchbull's not even announced whether he wants to overturn the Statute or not."

"He doesn't need to. It's enough that he's said he's looking into it," Rose explained. "It's like he's made it acceptable for people to campaign for its removal. And the movement is picking up pace alarmingly quickly."

"The Americans won't let it happen though," Scorpius spoke up. "Their wizarding community is one of the most secretive in the world; it would be far too risky for them to reveal themselves."

"It's far too risky any of us doing it, but apparently twelve countries disagree with that, including some of the most populated places in the world, and a country which isn't even recognised by the Muggle world." Rose sighed heavily. "I just wish Mum and I never started on that damned paper in the first place. It was never supposed to make it into Ministry hands."

"You shouldn't punish yourself over it," Scorpius said sharply. "You have a curious mind and that's a wonderful thing, you didn't mean for people to act on this and you have absolutely no responsibility for the fact that it's happened. You and your mother only ever meant this as hypothetical research and anyone with their head switched on ought to know that."

"Have they found out who leaked it yet?" I asked quietly.

"Not yet," Rose said bitterly. She lifted her wine glass and knocked back the contents.

"I'll go get you guys another bottle…"

I got up from my seat (reluctantly, as I knew once I was back on my feet I'd need to get back to work) and weaved my way around the occupied tables to get back to the bar.

Al, Rose and Scorpius had come in for dinner – it was unusual to see the three of them socialising away from Weasley family gatherings, and it suggested that relations between Al and Scorpius were improving.

I knew James would be pleased to see his younger brother maturing, although he wasn't here himself to see it – he was busy with one of the many student coaching sessions he'd rearranged. In fact, I'd barely seen him at all for the past couple of weeks, and I was looking forward to having him back in the evenings and at weekends once the match was over. It was partly because I missed his company, but also because on busy nights like tonight, it was remarkable just how useful even James could be as an extra pair of hands. My five minute chat with Al and Rose was the first time I'd sat down since breakfast.

But I had to look on the bright side – the last few weeks had been our busiest since we'd taken over the pub, and our accounts were looking incredibly healthy as a result. In addition, our chock-a-block Sundays meant that James' original one-week Weasley dinner moratorium had been extended, as it just wasn't feasible for James and I to have the time off to eat with them – not to mention the thirty plus free meals that the kitchen would have had to cook on top of our booked tables. It meant I hadn't seen some of the family since I'd come home from Spain, which in some cases was a shame, but in other instances was quite frankly a relief. There was only so much Louis Weasley I could cope with.

Some of the family were still visiting the pub for dinner as an excuse to visit – hence Al, Rose and Scorpius' presence – and Ginny and Harry were still over every Saturday morning for breakfast, and of course James' family teammates were trudging through the pub three times a week on the way to Hogwarts for their practice sessions. And it was so much easier to handle the hot-headed Weasley family in ones and twos, rather than as a job lot-

"Evening, Carlotta."

I nearly dropped the full tankard of Butterbeer that I was about to place on a tray.

"Shit! Hi, Louis."

It was as though the bastard had heard my thoughts. There he stood, looking serene as ever, in a vivid green Weasley jumper that had no right to look as good on anyone as it did on him. I was pretty sure Nana Molly deliberately used up her dud colours on him so no other poor soul had to wear them.

"How are you today? You look…" He cocked his head, looking for the right word, "…tired. You must have been working very hard recently. Can I help you with anything?"

He even managed to tell me I looked like shit in a charming manner.

"Actually, if you wouldn't mind running this tray over to those old dears on the table by the fire … wait a moment, they just need a Gillywater…"

Let them deal with his smooth-talking Veela ways, I thought to myself, as I watched him effortlessly weave his way across the room around the many tables, tray held above his head. It took a moment for me to realise my eyes were fixated on a part of his anatomy that I definitely wasn't supposed to be looking at; I tore my gaze away, feeling my face heat up.

"I don't blame ya." Lauren slid another drinks order across the bar for me to prep. "I go weak at the knees every time I see him."

"At least you're allowed to," I pointed out.

"Ah, we can all look. Otherwise it's just a waste, isn't it? Anyway, table eight want to pay…"

She quickly totted up their bill and dashed away with it, just as Louis returned with the empty tray. Luckily I was able to keep him busy for a few more minutes running drinks, which gave time for my cheeks to cool down a bit, and by the time he propped himself up against the bar again, I was just about ready for a conversation.

"If you've come to see James, he's up at Hogwarts still, I don't know when he'll be home-"

"No, I came to talk to you."

Brilliant.

"What can I help you with?"

"I just wanted to ask what the itinerary is for the match. If we're doing interviews or anything, before or after. I'm trying to piece together my stuff for commentary."

What on earth did Louis need to 'piece together'? Surely all a commentator did was watch the match and say what they saw. If I was going to be subjected to a pre-prepared ode to Quidditch from him, delivered over a megaphone, I was certainly going to need earplugs.

"You're asking the wrong person, I'm afraid," I said. "This is Lily's gig, she's in charge, she'll have all sorts of things planned out."

"Come on, Carla," Louis said, "this may have been Lily's idea, but we all know you're responsible for having organised it all. You shouldn't feel like you need to give her all the credit, not in private anyway."

I felt my cheeks turning crimson again.

"Well, Thaddeus has written a piece for the programme, and I know he'll be at the match, so Lily might be planning on having him speak at some point, maybe you could do a sort of on-pitch interview?" I suggested, trying to collect my thoughts.

"That's an excellent idea. Do you have his article, so I could read it and then write up some questions? Bit of homework, you know."

And he actually winked at me.

"Um, yeah, um, it's upstairs," I stammered, trying to force my brain to resume communication with my knees. "I'll need to get it after service, we're super busy now-"

"That's not a problem at all, I can wait here."

Shitshitshitshitshitshit-

"Hey, Louis!"

To my sheer relief, Al had just spotted his cousin, and had stood up and called across the pub to get his attention. Louis headed off to join them, leaving me free to turn my back on the bar to down a pint of water and recover from the ordeal.

The problem was, on top of the Veela blood, Louis was just an all round nice guy – or maybe it all came as a package deal, just to help make him that much more irresistible.

A pair of arms enveloped me from behind; I squealed in shock, my senses completely on edge.

"It's just me!" James said quickly. He planted a soft kiss on my cheek as a greeting.

"I didn't expect you home so early," I said, raising a hand to my chest, where it seemed my heart was trying to leap from my body.

"Yeah, I cancelled the tactics session with the Chimaeras. They've had enough of my time lately. I thought it would be nice to have an early finish, so I can help you out a bit – oh hey, the Weasleys are in!"

And with that he was off, to chat to his brother and cousins. So much for the help. I sighed, and busied myself with clearing up the dirty glasses that Lauren had cleared from the tables.

But to James' credit, he did reappear after ten minutes or so to lend a hand, and the others joined in to help us clear up once the dinner service was over. It meant that despite the busy evening, things were cleared up in fairly quick time.

"You head on up," Lauren said to me and James once everyone else had left. "I'll lock up. You look like you could do with an early night."

Did I really look that bad today?

But I wasn't going to argue with an early finish, so James and I headed upstairs and left her to it.

"What was Louis doing here?" he asked, pulling his Quidditch robes over his head in one swoop.

"Oh, I don't know, some chat about the match and his commentary gig. Just trying to wind me up as usual, probably," I sighed.

James chuckled.

"He doesn't still get to you, does he?"

"Hey, it's alright for you, you're related to them all, you've got some sort of built-in immunity to prevent incest and shit," I scowled. "Spare a thought for us mere mortals. It's not just me either, Brigid still goes all squiggly too."

"Well," James said, stepping forwards and tugging me close, "I guess I'll just have to help you take your mind off him, won't I…"

And boy, did he deliver.