Disclaimer: I own nothing but original characters.

A/N: Getting up as much of this as I can. I know no one's reading, but who really cares. These author's notes are here "just in case." Again, reviews/criticisms/flames (if you really want to be "that guy) are always welcome. But word of warning: flames will be met with deadpan sarcasm and pure snark. Much love,

Aio, quantitas magna frumentorum est

(Brownie points go to anyone who decides to figure out the latin phrases)

Chapter 3

No Excuses

Iwan was surprised to see Mary already in the Great Hall enjoying breakfast. As he quickly scanned the Hufflepuff table, he noticed that Louisa was still missing. Figuring she had just returned to her dorm to sleep off the night's activities, Iwan pushed it out of his mind for the moment, instead joining his best friend at the table.

"Morning, you lucky bastard," Mary greeted him cheekily.

Iwan rolled his eyes. "Oh, shut up. You're the one that set it up, not me." Iwan proceeded to fill his plate with bacon, eggs, sausage and other large helpings to sate his large appetite.

"True. I'm just jealous I didn't get to do the same with Taylor Clarke." She had a wistful look on her face as she thought about her long time crush. Unfortunately Clarke never seemed to want anything more than friendship from Mary. "Though I did let Taylor convince me to try a new haircut." Mary then turned her head to show the entire left side shaved. "What do you think?"

Iwan looked at it thoughtfully. In truth, he thought she pulled the unconventional look off quite well, but he always enjoyed torturing his friend.

"Oh, come off it, Iwan! I know you like it!"

Iwan laughed. "You're right. I do. It suits you quite well, actually."

"Thank you, oh dearest of friends." After a moment's pause, Mary looked around the table, scanning it for something or somebody. "Say, where's Louisa? I thought after last night she would be clinging to you as tight as possible."

"Funniest thing, actually," Iwan said. "She was gone before I woke up this morning."

Mary looked surprised, and a little troubled by the revelation. "Really? I thought she'd be shouting it to the highest tower that she finally got to shag with you. She certainly talked about how much she wanted to in the dorm, that's for sure."

"Maybe it was just a one night stand?" Iwan offered. "I'm not exactly looking for a relationship right now anyways. I wouldn't want to lead the poor girl on if she thought we were, y'know, together."

Mary quieted after that and let the subject drop. As the morning post came fluttering into the Great Hall, no less than three owls stopped by Iwan, and two stopped by Mary. Four of the owls (two that stopped by Iwan, and the two that stopped by Mary) carried very official-looking letters, while the fifth was a school owl, by the looks of it, and carried only a small note.

"Oh my God!" Mary shouted.

"What?" Iwan asked excitedly. Judging by the look of Mary's face, she had received something quite exciting.

"I've been asked to try out for the Pride of Portree and Puddlemere United! I could go professional too, Iwan!"

Iwan dropped the letters, which he had not yet opened, to embrace Mary while congratulating her, profusely. "That's excellent, Mary! I'm so proud of you!"

"Thanks, Iwan. Now what do you have there? One looks like my Puddlemere letter."

It was indeed a letter from Puddlemere United, asking him to try out for the team as well. The other official letter was from Caerphilly, also asking for a try out. Mary gave him congratulations as Iwan unfolded the small not.

Mr. Hughes,

If you would be so kind as to stop by my office at your earliest convenience, it would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Prof. M McGonagall

Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

P.S. I would bring Ms. O'Connel along, if at all possible. The password is "Quidditch"

Iwan showed Mary the note. She nodded and they agreed to go as soon as breakfast ended. As they got up to leave, they saw the embarrassingly red-faced Gareth and Anora enter the Great Hall. Iwan and Mary shared a knowing smile as they approached the "not couple."

"So how was last night, you two?" Mary teased. She answered with grunts and glares from their two friends.

"I'm guessing this means you two aren't married anytime soon?" Iwan asked with a deadpan expression. Gareth roughly told Iwan to "piss off!"

"Oh come off it, Gareth, you know we're only joking. No need to get so defensive."

"You'd be defensive too, if you were the moron that forgot the contraception charm and still did it five times before passing out." Anora was obviously less than pleased with how last night went.

"Don't blame it all on me, you didn't remember to cast it either!"

"I know! I'm mad at both of us! You'd better not have gotten me pregnant, bastard."

"I think we'd best get going to McGonagall's office," Mary said to Iwan. "I don't have the patience to deal with those two right now."

"Too true," Iwan replied, and the two friends were off. They soon arrived at the gargoyles guarding the stairway up to the headmistress' office. "Quidditch," Iwan told the gargoyle. Soon, he and Mary were ascending the winding staircase to McGonagall's office.

As they entered, Iwan noticed, the office hadn't really changed any over the years. There were shelves filled with books and a pictures of some of her favorite former students, such as Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. There was also the odd item of professional Quidditch paraphernalia from various teams (Puddlemere, the Cannons, Holyhead). The only addition seemed to be multiple items from the relatively new Oxford Owls, the team whose scout had approached Iwan the previous day.

"Please, take a seat you two." McGonagall spoke from behind her rather tidy desk without looking up from a letter she was reading. Iwan and Mary exchanged a look and each took a seat while they waited for the Headmistress to address them again. After a few moments, McGonagall stuffed the letter into a drawer and looked at the two students in front of her.

"There's no need to sweat, Hughes, you're not in any trouble," she said in her Scottish brogue. "This time," she added. It was true that Iwan had been in this office a few times before for a few harmless pranks, courtesy of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. The last one had almost cost him his captaincy of the House team. Poor Morgan Bilson couldn't look at a rabbit without thinking of that night again. In hindsight, the Caerbannog Cream probably wasn't the best joke item to bring into a school and feed to a 1st Year's pet rabbit.

"I've asked you here to discuss your futures. Particularly, your futures in Quidditch. As you know, the sport has a special place in my heart, and while it has pained me to an extent to see your House trounce my old House these past three years, I am so bitter as to not invest in your futures in the sport, as you are both clearly talented players.

"I know you have both received offers for trials for a few teams this morning, and more are sure to arrive over the next few weeks. I have no doubt that both of you are good enough to make any team you wish, but I want to pose a question to the both of you." With that she gave the students a look of expectancy, wanting to make sure they were ready for it.

"Yes, professor," Mary said. "What question is that?"

McGonagall gave the slightest hint of a smirk before posing her question. "Do you want to join any team that will have you, or join a team that cares for each other? A team that sees the sport as a passion, not just a ticket to fame or money?"

"Of course we don't care about the fame or money, professor," Iwan answered almost immediately. "We both love the sport and want to find a team where we fit in. A team that loves it just as much as we do."

"Good," McGonagall said with one of her rare smiles. "Then, and don't take this as professional advice, or me telling you which team to join, but I urge you to consider Oxford as a serious candidate. They're new, but they're owned by an old favorite of mine, and he only wants players who care about the sport the way he does."

Iwan thought about it. He knew the Owls didn't do well in the league standings, usually faring just better than the Cannons (if only just). But McGonagall wouldn't suggest them without good reason. Iwan also realized that he and Mary weren't the only players in the school who had the chance to go professional, and wondered about Pierce. "What about Pierce. professor?"

McGonagall looked a tad confused by Iwan's question. "What about her, Hughes?"

"I thought there were scouts there eyeing her as well. Are urging her to consider the Owls too?"

McGonagall sighed, and removed her spectacles, cleaning them before giving Iwan a reply. "Miss Pierce did have a few scouts with their eyes on her that game yes. After your hit though, many withdrew offers to her, others changed their offers from an automatic spot on the team to a chance for a trial. I did urge her this morning in the Hospital Wing to consider the Owls, though her prospects of professional Quidditch have taken a steep drop after yesterday's match."

Iwan winced at what he had done. He didn't know his hit would have prevented, or at least greatly impeded, Pierce's chance at going professional. Sure, she was an unpleasant, vain and selfish girl, but she didn't deserve to have her dreams crushed.

"Don't blame yourself, Hughes," McGonagall said after a moment studying the guilty look on his face. "If she wanted to make it to the professionals so badly, she wouldn't have let her hubris blind her to bludger coming straight at her.

"But, that is another matter. I hope you two will take what I've said, and think on it for a bit. It would do my heart good for two of my favorite Hufflepuffs to join my favorite team."

"Professor McGonagall," Mary said. "Are you trying to emotionally manipulate us into trying out for favorite team."

"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about, O'Connell." As Iwan and Mary were about to close the door to McGonagall's office behind her, they heard the Headmistress add, "but yes. I am." This caused the two friends to laugh as they made their way down the stairs and back into the hall. Mary soon yawned.

"Well, I know that it's just after breakfast, but it is Sunday, and I'm going to take a nap before I have to worry about N.E.W.T.s. What about you, eh?" Mary gave Iwan a cheeky grin. "I bet after last night, you need some kip too, don't you?"

Iwan gave Mary an annoyed look. She would not leave this alone. "What?" Mary said. "I didn't get any last night, so I choose to live vicariously through your experiences. Now: details. What was it like? Was she surprisingly limber? I bet she was, wasn't she? Bit kinky maybe?"

"You know what, Mary," Iwan said, more than a little fed-up. "It was however you imagined it, okay?"

Mary pouted. "Fine. You're no fun." At this time, they had reached the barrels that mark the entrance to the Hufflepuff Common Room. As Iwan tapped the rhythm to gain them entrance, Mary continued. "You know, I don't get as lucky as you do. Not many people here want a girl with well-defined abs." Iwan ignored her as they entered the Common Room. "Oh come on, Iwan! Just a few small details, please? It's the least you could do after I set you two up!"

Iwan turned to see Mary's "puppy dog eyes" as she pulled out all the stops to get him to divulge the details of last night. But he was enjoying making her suffer, since it was her fault anyways. "I just don't think I'm ready, you know? I'm still processing it all myself. Check back after a while and maybe I'll let you in on it then," he said with a wry smile.

"How long?" Mary asked, the hope fading from her tone.

"At least..." Iwan scrunched his face up in thought, dragging out giving an answer for as long as he could. "Two weeks, maybe three."

"Bastard," Mary deadpanned. "I'm going to bed." With that she walked into the girls' dorm and disappeared, before promptly reappearing in the Common Room and throwing herself down on the couch. "No I'm not. Louisa's in there, reliving last night."

"What?"

"I'm not entirely sure if that's what she's doing, all I could hear were the moans before I turned around and came back out. It must have been good, whatever you did to her."