Chapter 33- The Quidditch Match
"You ready for this?" Ruby asked, stepping into the Floo.
"For what? Seeing Gryffindor flattened by Slytherin? Of course."
"We'll see." She replied, taking a handful of Floo powder. Scorpius grabbed her hand before she could drop it.
"Care to make it interesting?" He asked.
"A bet, sure, ten…"
"Not money." In spite of the fact that they were the only two in the flat, Scorpius leaned in and whispered into Ruby's ear, she tried to suppress the shudder.
"And you say I've got a dirty mind." She replied, with a sly smile.
"So I take it you accept?"
"You know I do, see you there. Professor Longbottom's office!" Ruby disappeared in a flash of green and then gracefully stepped out of the fireplace.
Today was finally the day of the Quidditch match, and although Ruby was exhausted from a truly gruelling night shift, she was excited about the match.
"Hello Ruby, you look a bit flushed, are you alright?" Asked Neville, he was sitting on the edge of his desk ticking names off a large sheet of parchment.
"I'm fine thanks, how are you?" She asked, moving away from the fireplace. Scorpius arrived seconds later.
"Hey Professor." He said, stepping out and moving towards Ruby.
"Hello Scorpius, how have you been?"
"Brilliant thanks, and you?"
"Oh, marvellous, now get those colours out of my office and down onto the pitch!" He said in mock outrage, Ruby laughed and they left the office together. Scorpius was decked in Slytherin green, Ruby in Gryffindor red.
It was strange being back at Hogwarts, with Scorpius.
He kept a running commentary of his best Hogwarts memories the entire way down to the pitch, when they started climbing the stairs to the friends and family stand he quietened down considerably, Ruby stopped walking.
"Why have…" She pulled him into an intense snog that lasted for several minutes, eventually he pulled away with a groan.
"What… What was that for?"
"You seemed nervous, come on…" Ruby ran up the steps and after a few moments she heard Scorpius run up as well.
When they reached the stand there were two seats left, in between Ruby's parents and Scorpius's parents.
"Here goes nothing." Ruby muttered, under her breath.
The rest of the Weasley family were all present, and very loud. Most of them were wearing Gryffindor red but she saw her Auntie Fleur wearing green, in support of Louis.
Pleasant greetings were exchanged by all, although Ruby ignored her Uncle Ron, just as he ignored Scorpius.
Ruby sat in between her mother and Scorpius.
"Good shift last night?" Her father asked.
"No, it was horrendous, there was a fight in the Hog's Head." The man sat in front of Ruby turned around and she saw, with a start, that it was Aberforth Dumbledore.
"Oh yeah, sorry about that Miss Weasley, political debate got out of hand."
"Oh, hello Mr Dumbledore, how are you?" She asked.
"Well, very well, thank you. Nice to see…oh, there's Minerva." He stood up and greeted the old Headmistress, who then sat down in front of Ruby's mother.
"Ruby, you'll have to come around for dinner again." Said Mrs Malfoy, leaning across her husband and son.
"That would be lovely, thank you. Scorpius knows my shift patterns, don't you?" She asked, looking at him.
"Yes, I think I've got it somewhere…" His voice was drowned out by the commentator.
"Welcome to the final of the Hogwarts inter-house Quidditch championship! This year it is between Gryffindor and Slytherin!" Everyone clapped enthusiastically but out of the corner of her eye, Ruby noticed her mother yawn.
"Please welcome, the Gryffindor team! Beaters; Immy and Annabel Weasley! Chasers; Steven Shepard, Lydia Finnigan and Patrick Dunkirk! Keeper and Captain; Sarah Longbottom! And Seeker; Lily Potter!" Ruby clapped as the team flew out onto the pitch and did a small lap of honour.
"And the Slytherin team! Beaters; Roger Small and Winston Bordman! Chasers; Charlotte Meadows, Daniel Green and Joshua Flint! Keeper; Elliot Castle! And Seeker and Captain; Louis Weasley!" Again Ruby clapped, noticing as she did that Louis was looking particularly nervous.
"He looks like he's going to throw up!" Shouted Al from behind Ruby.
"That's just his game face!" Uncle Bill replied. Ruby heard her mother groan and she turned to look at her.
"I hope they don't hurt him." She whispered, looking at the twins. Aunt Minnie turned around and glared at her.
"Eliza, it's Quidditch, sometimes bones need to be broken!" She insisted, Ruby heard Mr Malfoy snort and Ruby looked over at him.
"I think it's the only thing they disagree on." She told him she with a smile.
"And today's referee is Professor Weasley!" Ruby looked ahead with surprise, Scorpius saw the expression.
"I suppose he's the only one that can be impartial." He said, Rosie leaned forwards.
"Yeah, and Katie has suddenly got a massive bump, it came up in about a week, I swear!"
Ruby looked over and saw Aunt Ginny and Katie talking to each other, on the other side of the Malfoy's, both looked huge compared to the last time Ruby had seen them.
She also saw her Uncle Harry talking with Mrs Malfoy, they seemed to be talking about the Ministry.
The match started and Ruby was able to follow it for about ten minutes before she yawned and turned to her mother, whose faraway expression told Ruby that she had also lost the thread.
"Mom, did you see Teddy yesterday?" She asked, her mother didn't reply. Ruby waved her hand in front of her face and her mother started.
"What! Did someone score?" She asked, looking around at the players.
"I don't know." Said Ruby, she looked behind her.
"Vic, what's the score?" She asked.
"Oh, I dunno, Uncle Percy, what's the score?" Her Uncle looked up from behind Vic.
"Haven't the foggiest, Lucy, what's the score?"
"We're twenty points up, honestly, I don't get why you lot come!" She said, with extreme exasperation. Ruby turned back to her mother.
"So, did you see Teddy yesterday?"
"Yes, we had lunch. He'll be fine." She replied, with forced positivity.
All around Ruby, the spectators winced suddenly.
"What?" She asked, looking back at the match.
"Annabel just hit a bludger at Meadows…"
"Marvellous shot, you must be delighted, Fred!" Aunt Minnie said, turning around in her seat.
"She definitely had a good angle, if she'd…"
"Ruby, can we…?" Ruby looked behind her and saw that Vic was on the verge of tears.
"Sure, let's get a drink." She said, suddenly the family started calling out orders and Ruby had to write them down on a notebook that her mother passed her.
"Would you like anything?" She asked Scorpius, and then his parents.
"Butterbeer, please." Scorpius said, not tearing his eyes off the match.
"Oh, for us as well, thank you, Ruby." Said Mr Malfoy, she nodded and tried to get off the bench as quickly as possible to minimise the disruption.
Of course as she was rushing, she tripped over her Uncle Harry's foot, and crashed to the floor, rolled off the bench and then tried to spring up as if nothing had happened.
"Classic Rubes." Said Al with a snort. The rest of the stand were all watching her, many family members looked to be struggling to contain a smile, except James who was howling with laughter.
"Do you want your drinks?" She snapped, they all returned their attention to the match and Vic jumped down from her bench with much more grace.
The two cousins left the stand and walked slowly to the concession stand.
"What did you do last night?" Ruby asked.
"Just sat in front of a blank canvas, it's not fair, I can't even get pissed!" She whined, looking around to check they weren't being overheard.
"Well, I'm on nights at the moment, but as soon as I finish I'll move in."
"You don't have…"
"I promised Teddy, anyway it will be fun." Ruby said, trying to bring a smile to her cousin's face.
"Thanks Rubes, I just miss him so much, it's not even been twenty four hours!"
"Why don't you ask Aunt Ginny how she coped?"
"I'm trying to avoid the family's females, especially the perceptive and hormonal ones."
"That rules out most of them."
They ordered the drinks and Ruby wrote names on all the cups, remembering some pranking she had to do, that was bound to cheer Vic up.
They walked back to the stand and Ruby handed out the drinks, leaving two for last. She passed them out at the same time and then sat down.
Within five seconds her father, and Uncle Bill, had turned into red canaries.
"What the…?" Her mother asked, looking at Ruby and then Vic.
"Nothing to do with me!" Said Vic, a smile fixed on her face.
"….and we appear to have some pranking going on in the friends and family stand, classic Weasley family fun by the looks of it…"
"Ruby!" Her father said, looking appalled.
"Yes Daddy?" She replied, looking at him.
"Hey, Ruby, what the hell did I do?" Asked Uncle Bill, Ruby turned to look at him. The rest of the family were almost crying from laughter, Aunt Ginny had to leave to use the toilet.
"Why don't you have a think about it?" Ruby asked, looking between the two canaries.
"I have been nothing but supportive!" Her father replied, indignantly.
"Have you, Dad? Have you really?"
"Yes!"
"You see, a little birdie told me that you made Kyle give me cases that even Aunt Petunia would have no problem solving. Was the birdie telling the truth?" She asked, her mother laughed loudly.
"Eliza!"
"It wasn't me." She said, her father looked around the family and his eyes found Scorpius.
"You! You told her…."
"Wait, what about me? I asked him too!" Her Uncle Ron said, standing up behind Uncle Harry, Ruby didn't even glance up at him.
"I might have let something slip…" Scorpius said, blushing slightly.
"Pranked by your own daughter, you appear to have lost your touch, Weasley." Said Aunt Minnie.
"Perhaps you'll learn your lesson now, my job is my job!" Ruby said, they both nodded and sat down.
"Can't bloody believe…own daughter…in public!" Her father spluttered.
"Nice one, Rubes!" Said Al from behind her, Ruby turned and high-fived him.
Gradually the family started turning their attention back to the match. Mr Malfoy looked at Ruby with a startled impression on his face.
"I think I might have underestimated you, Ruby."
"I did." Scorpius answered, putting his arm around her. Beaming she kissed him and then put her head on her shoulder. Behind her she heard her Uncle Ron make a comment and she stiffened, preparing to retort.
"Remember the bet." Scorpius whispered, Ruby nodded and held her position.
Within five minutes she was fast asleep.
"Is she asleep?" Al asked, from behind Scorpius.
"Yep, out like a light." He replied.
"She can sleep anywhere, she once fell asleep on the stairs." Eliza added, looking at her daughter.
"Really?" Scorpius asked, looking at Eliza.
"Yeah, she pushes herself until she's exhausted and then switches off anywhere. One time when we were on holiday, she was running around all day, then she fell asleep on Ron's shoulders. Remember, Ron?" Eliza asked, looking up at him.
"Yeah." He replied, looking at his niece with a reminiscent expression on his face.
"Doubt that would happen now, Weasley." Draco muttered.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ron snapped.
"You know exactly what I mean, look at them, they're like bloody…" He gestured around for a suitable couple "…your parents! They just work, the sooner you get that into your skull, the better!" Ron didn't reply, Hermione put her hand on his, to try and soothe him.
"Nicely put, Mr Malfoy, you always did have a way with words." Said Minerva, still watching the match.
Ruby dreamt about losing a shoe, she was asking every one she knew where they were. She woke by kicking out and with the question still in her lips.
"…seen my shoe?"
"What?" Scorpius asked, looking down at her.
"Oh, did I fall asleep?"
"Indeed, quite an achievement."
"What's the score?" She asked, sitting up and stretching out.
"Neck and neck, they're getting tired though."
"What time do you start tonight?" Her mother asked, passing her a Butterbeer.
"Thanks, seven…"
"THEY'VE SEEN THE SNITCH! WEASLEY AND POTTER RACE TO GET THERE FIRST, WHO WILL IT BE? A BLUDGER FROM WEASLEY KNOCKS WEASLEY OFF COURSE, HE CRASHES INTO THE STAND AND POTTER GETS THE SNITCH! GRYFFINDOR WINS! SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY POINTS TO SIX HUNDRED AND TEN!"
Everyone stood up to cheer, Ruby looking at Scorpius with a triumphant look.
"Rubes, get down there and check on Louis will you?" Uncle Bill asked, Ruby nodded and rushed out of the stand.
By the time she reached the pitch Louis was being lifted onto a stretcher by Neville, Madam Pomfrey turned around.
"Oh, hello Ruby, have you been sent down?"
"Yep, is he alright?"
"Looks like a broken arm, perhaps a couple of ribs. You can come up with him…"
"Is he alright?" Asked Annabel, landing next to him. "Sorry but…it's Quidditch!" She expressed, indicating that family loyalty only went so far.
"He'll be fine."
"Well done, Miss Weasley, excellent result!" Said Neville, reaching over and patting Annabel on the back.
"Will you go to the hospital wing with him, Ruby?" Annabel asked, ignoring her Head of House.
"Of course, go and enjoy the moment!" Ruby replied, her sister gave her a weak smile and then sped off, Ruby saw her inform Lily and Immy that Louis would be okay.
She walked up to the hospital wing with Madam Pomfrey, levitating her unconscious cousin.
"How was your exam?" The nurse asked her.
"I'm still waiting to hear, I don't know why, I should have found out yesterday but I'm on nights. Hopefully I'll find out tonight."
"I have every confidence in you, dear."
"Thanks, Madam Pomfrey." Ruby replied, failing to hide her blush.
When they arrived in the hospital wing, Ruby healed her cousin's arm, wrapped up his ribs, and then revived him.
"Rubes? Did…win?" He asked, opening one eye feebly.
"No, sorry, Lily got the snitch, it was close though."
"Bloody Annabel, I'm going…get…back…"
"Sure, take this potion first though." Louis took the potion and woke up properly instantly.
"I'm going to bloody kill her!" He said, sitting up.
"Not today, Mr Weasley." Madam Pomfrey said, sternly.
"Can't believe you came, Rubes, it's Quidditch."
"Yeah, but it's also family. I did fall asleep though, sorry." Louis snorted, but then looked suddenly serious.
"I'm really pleased for you and Scorpius, it's really helped, with the houses."
"Has it?"
"Yeah, My friend Max started dating a Gryffindor the day after the article came out, it's like it's allowed now, if a Weasley and a Malfoy can make it work, then anyone can." Ruby smiled, pleased about the effect of her life on the houses.
"Did you see me prank your Dad?"
"That was you?" He asked, wide eyed. Ruby explained the event and Louis looked delighted.
"I can't believe you pranked Uncle Fred, that's like impossible!"
"Nearly impossible, Mom turned him into a seal last year, spiked his tea."
The hospital wing doors opened and Ruby saw her Uncle Ron walk in, she stiffened and backed away from the bed.
"Alright, Louis?" He asked.
"Yeah, fine thanks, Annabel better watch her step though."
"I better fill in the paperwork." Ruby said, she walked to Madam Pomfrey's office and was disappointed when Ron did not call her back.
She filled in the relevant forms, and then chatted to Madam Pomfrey until she heard her family enter the hospital wing.
"Oh, there goes the quiet, I'll give it ten minutes before they start eating in here." Madam Pomfrey sighed, Ruby smiled.
"Ten? That's a bit optimistic…oh, is that the time? I better go, see you soon Madam Pomfrey."
"Have a good shift, I'll see you soon."
Ruby left the office and walked towards her family, all of them having very loud conversations, she was surprised to see the Malfoy's standing with them. Draco and Harry were talking and gesticulating wildly, and Astoria was talking to Scorpius and Vic.
She walked up to her Aunt Ginny.
"Have you seen my Mom?"
"Fred took her to the lake, it got a bit noisy." She said, failing to disguise a yawn.
"Oh, will you tell her I've got to go, I've got work in an hour."
"Will you be at the Burrow tomorrow?" Her Aunt asked.
"I'm not sure…"
"Oh, Ruby! You must come, bring Scorpius! James is bring Poppy." Her Grandma said.
"I'll try, if it was like last night though…."
"Scorpius, you'll come won't you dear? Even if Ruby can't make it." Her grandma continued, looking at Scorpius. "I'll give you the address." She rifled through her handbag for some parchment.
"Oh, thank you Mrs Weasley, I'd love to."
Ruby said goodbye to her family and then walked with the Malfoy's to Hogsmeade.
"…very sorry about my father, Ruby. We'll be having words with him tonight, or tomorrow if he's delayed which I expect him to be, just to be awkward." Mr Malfoy said as they crossed the grounds.
"I understand, I'm sorry about my Uncle Ron…"
"Oh, don't worry. We understand, these things take time." Said Mrs Malfoy, putting her hand on Ruby's shoulder.
They were nearly at the gates when Ruby heard her name, she turned and saw Hagrid running towards her.
"Glad I caught you, Ruby!" He boomed, picking her up in a hug.
"Hey Hagrid."
"Nice to see you, Scorpius. My NEWT class isn't the same without you in it, he was bloody marvellous!"
"I didn't know you took Care of Magical Creatures." Ruby said, looking at him.
"Yes, Scorpius was considering Animal Healing." Mrs Malfoy said, ruffling her son's hair.
"How have you been, Ruby?" Hagrid asked.
"Great thanks, you'll have to come for dinner soon, Hagrid. I'm moving into Grimmauld Place while Teddy's away, I'll send you an owl."
"Marvellous, did you enjoy the match?"
"She fell asleep." Scorpius said, with a smirk.
"Honestly Ruby, just like your mother."
"She stayed awake, I'm on nights. I've got to go, I'll owl you in the week." Hagrid said goodbye and then strode off towards his cabin.
The Malfoy's and Ruby walked as far as the Three Broomsticks and then Mr and Mrs Malfoy went inside the pub and Scorpius stayed with Ruby.
"Have a good shift, hope you get some sleep." He said, with his hands around her waist.
"Thanks, good luck with your grandfather, let me know how it goes."
"I will, I'll see you at the Burrow tomorrow, come even if you just sleep, your family scares me a bit." Ruby laughed and nodded.
"And then we'll have to make a date for the bet."
"Definitely, Grimmauld Place has lots of rooms." She replied, biting her lip.
"I love you."
"I love you too, see you tomorrow." They had a long goodbye kiss and then Ruby apparated back to her flat, grabbed her robes, and within fifteen minutes was sat at her desk at the hospital.
After she had transferred two patients to the Dark Magic ward Ruby was considering having a nap but the office door opened and Penny walked in.
"Oh, good, you're not asleep. Come on, we'll carry on with the project. I'm on nights as well and Eliza dropped off a new memory yesterday."
"Cool, I'll just pop to reception to let them know where I'll be." Ruby said, jumping up and grabbing her project folder.
When the entered the office Penny went to fetch Mrs Longbottom and Ruby set up the memory, it was entitled 'Wedding, Hogwarts, Minerva McGonagall.' Ruby jotted down the memory and the date and time and the door opened and Mrs Longbottom ambled in and sat down.
"Right, twenty millilitres of the potion, Eliza's added more dittany though, another two parts."
"Okay, what's that for?" Ruby asked, writing it down.
"Erasing damage to the nerves apparently, she went into loads of detail but she lost me."
"Oh, she always does that, you should hear her and Aunt Hermione sometimes, it's like another language." Penny laughed and then used her wand to transfer the memory to Mrs Longbottom.
About half-way through the transfer Mrs Longbottom made a very audible sigh, Penny and Ruby froze.
"Was that…?"
"A happy sigh, Merlin, write that down! I'll transfer the rest of the memory." After the memory transfer Penny sat back and Ruby passed her the list of trigger words.
"Magic."
Mrs Longbottom blinked and raised her right hand for a moment, but apart from that there was no response.
"Car."
No response.
"Hogwarts."
There was a slight sigh and the ghost of a smile of the woman's face.
"Auror."
Mrs Longbottom nodded, as if she was acknowledging that that had been her job, but then looked lost again.
"Frank."
The woman sighed, looked around, and then shook her head. Ruby made the notes and looked at Penny's face, she looked amazed.
"Longbottom."
She clapped both hands on her chest and shrugged her shoulders.
"Gryffindor."
She sighed happily, as if recalling a memory, a happy childhood memory.
"Lily."
The noise that Mrs Longbottom made could only be described as a giggle. Ruby heard Penny's voice shake as she said the next name.
"Johnathan."
No response.
"Maisie."
No response.
"Neville."
Suddenly the woman stood up and looked wildly around, looking considerably distressed, it took a few minutes for her to sit down again but when she did Penny stood up.
Penny indicated for Ruby to come outside of the office with her, which she did. When they were in the corridor Penny looked at her watch.
"Half eleven…Will your mother be in bed?"
"I don't know, I could check."
"Okay, if she's asleep don't wake her but…Merlin, she needs to see this!"
A/N So some more family time, and progress with the Longbottom's, what do you think?
**Journey to Words has now been completely updated, check my profile for extra scenes**
xXMizz Alec VolturiXx- Thanks, I'm about up to the second task in Courage to Words, I'll post some of it today.
Luna- Lol, we'll get much more from Ron in the next chapter.
Reading Dorkk- As I'm sure you could tell, I hate writing Quidditch matches, so I kept it in the stands, much easier!
Scorubes4life- There's a bit more Neville soon, I promise.
girlwholived- Haley Potter- Thanks.