The following is an article from Witch Weekly Issue 237 entitled Love, Quidditch, and the Bell Brothers , written by Valerie Misslethorpe, daughter of the recently deceased Tobias Misslethorpe. The article was originally published as the centerfold spread, featuring many pictures of Elliot and Gilbert Bell dressed in casual designer lounge-robes photographed in Elliot's flat. The reception was widely positive, particularly amongst young pureblood witches.

Love, Quidditch, and the Bell Brothers by Valerie Misslethorpe

In order to understand how Elliot and Gilbert Bell became the world-class beaters that they are today, you must first know how Elliot lost his two front teeth. This is the first thing the brothers tell me as I am perched on the couch in Elliot's stylish Diagon Alley flat with a delicious cup of coffee that Gilbert carefully brewed himself ("He's quite particular about his coffee," Elliot says. I, for one, have to say that Gilbert's coffee is the best I've had in my life. Anyone lucky enough to taste his liquid gold would agree). The story traces back nineteen years to when Elliot was a mere six-year-old with two wiggling front teeth.

"I couldn't stop playing with them," Elliot says. He smiles as he recalls the memory. There's a small dimple in his left cheek that's painfully endearing. "Twisting. Yanking. Moving them back and forth. I desperately wanted them to fall out, but nothing I did could force them to."

Running a hand through his curling golden hair, Gilbert picks up the story with ease. "We were in the workshop of Mum's shop one day. Dad was working, and El wouldn't stop pulling on his teeth, twisting them to the side in a way that grossed me out. He kept putting his hands in his mouth, and anyone who knows me can tell you that I'm a neat freak." He grins wickedly. "Off the pitch, of course."

I chuckle at his statement. Everyone who's seen the Bell brothers play can tell you that, on the pitch, they're not afraid to get dirty. Gilbert and Elliot play rough. Watching him play quidditch, it's hard to imagine that Gilbert is meticulously clean (he even has a particular order he prefers his dishes to be washed), but that is the truth.

"The back room of Quality Quidditch Supplies used to be stuffed full of inventory. Boxes filled with padding. Beginner brooms still in their boxes. It wasn't hard for me to find a beater's bat," Gilbert explains. "I was so annoyed at El that I grabbed the bat and whacked him on the mouth. Turns out, that was exactly what he wanted me to do because his teeth fell out. They flew all the way across the room-"

"And that was when Mum walked in," Elliot finishes the story. "I think she was appalled, but she signed us up to play beaters for the little league the following day." And they've been playing together ever since.

The Bell brothers made their debut in the English and Irish Quidditch League two years ago when they were suddenly and surprisingly signed to the Wimbourne Wasps, one of the top teams in the league, after attending an open try-outs that was widely considered to be a publicity stunt.

"We weren't expecting to be signed," Elliot explains when I ask them about the experience. "We just happened to be in the right place at the right time." A humble answer from the elder brother that fans of the duo are all too familiar with. Gilbert cheekily adds, "And we were good. Damned good. They knew talent when they saw it."

As many of you know, there have been rumors flying around about the possibility of the Bell brothers leaving the team due to the recent change in management. Unsurprisingly, they carefully avoid answering questions relating to this subject. "If we were to leave, we wouldn't stop playing quidditch anytime soon," Gilbert says, "Even if that meant that we'd be back to playing pick-up games in Diagon Alley."

The brothers share a look, and I can't help but wonder what they're thinking. What goes on in the minds of such handsome, charming quidditch players? And they are both handsome and charming.

Standing at six feet and one inch, Elliot, 25, is the shorter of the two brothers. He keeps his blonde hair neatly trimmed, which he explains is for quidditch. "I tried to grow it out once, but it kept blowing in my eyes. I couldn't see anything. Long hair and quidditch don't mix." His emerald green eyes pierce through me as he answers my questions, peering deep into my soul.

Gilbert, 23, doesn't share his brother's qualms about longer hairstyles. His hair curls down the nape of his neck, stopping just before his shoulders. He has a habit of running his fingers through his blonde locks when he's thinking. The action is rarely seen on the quidditch pitch, where he has a bat to occupy his hands. I revel in the opportunity to see it up close and personal: his bicep flexing as his fingers comb through the golden coils. It's positively swoon-worthy.

With the details of quidditch out of the way, I dive into the questions that everyone's wondering. Are the Bell brothers seeing anyone? For both of them, the answer is a blanket, "No." Elliot's verdant eyes glass over as he stares longingly out the window, "I haven't really had the time to think about it. My mind tends to be focused on quidditch first. That's not to say that I don't want to meet someone and settle down eventually. I just haven't met the right person yet."

What does Elliot Bell look for in potential partners? you may be wondering. He smiles softly as he imagines his dream-partner. "Someone with a sense of adventure, definitely. Ready to take risks and try new things. They don't have to love quidditch as much as I do, but I'd want them to come to all of my games. I'd have a better chance of winning if they were there cheering me on from the stands."

While Elliot dreams of finding his one true love, Gilbert isn't looking to settle down anytime soon. "I'm only twenty-three," he says by way of explanation, "I've got plenty of time to find someone." Gilbert is a wild-card, and he won't settle for anyone but his soulmate.

But what does Gilbert Bell's soulmate look like? you ask. "A friend," he answers. "First and foremost, they'd have to be a friend." It makes me wonder if Gilbert has a specific friend in mind as he answers the question. There are many quidditch fans who would consider Gilbert a friend. Could he possibly be talking about one of them? Or, perhaps a teammate. Gilbert has been spotted on several occasions with Wasps keeper, Mia Mulaney. He refused to confirm any rumors circulating about the pair, insisting that Miss Mulaney was just a friend.

As the day comes to an end, I listen to the fascinating stories of Elliot and Gilbert's childhood, growing up surrounded by quidditch supplies, playing as children, and completing correspondence school like so many other halfblood wizards. I find myself wondering what life will be like for these two handsome and charming wizards as the year continues. I cannot imagine anything other than the best for either of them. One thing is certain, whatever the future has planned for the Bell brothers, they will face it head-on, embracing life's challenges, change, and love.