"Petunia invited me over for dinner," Aquila stated the following day, nervously twidling her thumbs as she stood in the doorway of the kitchen. Euryale looked up, her blonde curls falling into her face. "I just wanted to let you know before dinner."
"Both of us?"
"No," Aquila swallowed. "Just me. Uh, she thinks I might have some ideas about her garden. Her roses keep dying and-"
"I see," Euryale said stiffly. Aquila didn't know what to say to put her mother in a good mood. "And you hung out with that boy all day."
"We're just friends," Aquila insisted. "Mother, it's nothing between us, you know that." Euryale didn't look convinced. "I can... post-pone dinner?"
"No, no, go. By all means. Have dinner with your friends."
"Mother, you know that's not fair," Aquila sighed. "I have dinner with you and your friends all the time."
"Because it's the proper thing for a lady of a house to do-"
"I don't want to be a -" she held her tongue before they could get into this fight. She smoothed her hands over her ruffled lace skirt. "I'll be leaving. I should be back by ten."
"If you sleep over at his house again, Aquila... You won't be seeing him." Aquila glanced up at her mother in confusion. "I know you went to that party, Aquila," Euryale said stiffly. "Potter's owl delivered the note. I'm not an idiot. For a Ravenclaw, you could have been a bit smarter in that." Aquila hesitated. "I trust nothing dishonorable happened?"
"No," Aquila said firmly. "He slept on the couch. He let me stay in his room. We're just friends, mother."
"And nothing happened with anyone at the party?"
She shook her head. "No, I just met a few people in the neighborhood over and they taught me some Muggle games... I know how to act around Muggles... I'm not an idiot either. And I know what not to do. I didn't sleep with him." Euryale nodded. "Um, the British Isles Finals, and the try outs..." Euryale raised her eyebrow. "We're thinking of going as a big group and... I was hoping you wouldn't be opposed to me going for the week. I don't-" she rushed quickly as her mother was about to speak. "I don't want you to say anything now. I just ... I think you should think on it. It'll be five of age wizards, thousands of well-built and protective Quidditch players, and I have a wicked swing myself. It just, it would mean a lot to me if I could go all week... and since I'm not going to be a professional player, I just... I feel like I should get as much in as possible." Euryale frowned slightly. "But I don't want you to answer now. You can tell me what you decide... after you think on it. Not tonight, if you don't want to... but I just really want to go." Aquila bit her lip, stepping back. "Right, uh, see you later, mother."
"Wait, I just have one question, and then I'll think," Euryale said, halting her daughter from moving. Aquila slowly turned, dread making her bite her lip a little harder. Crap. "Is that boy going?"
"He's Muggle," Aquila said like that was obvious. Euryale raised an eyebrow, knowing there were ways around that. "I... Angelina thinks I should ask him. We have a ticket and... I would ask Potter, but he'd never get clearance from the Order, so... we don't want it to go to waste, and you don't like Quidditch, and he's really interested. So I was going to, but... but if you don't want me to, I understand."
"And the clearance from the Ministry?"
"Angelina said her dad could get it passed in time," Aquila admitted. "And if you say yes, I'll ask him. I'd rather he meet everyone before we're forced to live in a tent for a week, than then. But... yeah." She cleared her throat, watching as her mother shifted in her seat, the Evening Prophet placed in front of her. The gossip section was open. "I just don't want him uncomfortable, you know? We'd probably meet at an Order safe house or something, get in touch with the Order so they have... you know, emergency evacuation plans and what not... So... I should probably head to dinner... I don't want to be late." Aquila awkwardly shuffled back a step. "And I know you're worried about me and him, but... I'm still not over Cedric. So, I won't be moving on anytime soon."
"I'll have an answer when you get back," Euryale said simply.
"Thank you," Aquila said politely. "I have a question of my own, actually. Real quick."
"Hmm?"
"Why is an arranged marriage so important to you?"
Euryale blinked. "This is a time of war-"
"What I mean is, how will you know that whoever I'm forced to marry is a good person? What if they take the mark... force me to take it?" She bit her lip as her mother considered this. "The Zabini family isn't light. Mr. Zabini was a Death Eater. And this other family? I know nothing about them... I'm worried I'll be stuck in a bad decision I can't get out of."
"I'll be thinking on this as well," Euryale sighed. "Now go."
Aquila nodded but hesitated. She rushed to her mother's side and kissed her cheek. "I love you." And she was gone before she got a response. Vernon answered the door when Aquila arrived, her hair loose and falling down her back in a tumble of curls. She gave him a smile. "Hello, Mr. Dursley-"
"Vernon, please," he insisted, letting the girl inside. "Petunia's made chicken."
"That sounds lovely," Aquila insisted, smiling brightly. She walked towards the living room as per Vernon's request and spotted Potter and Dudley on opposite couches, watching a television program. It was fascinating. Aquila had never turned on the box in her house, but this... this was amazing. There were people inside! Merlin, Muggle studies didn't teach that! They just said it predicted the weather and shouted the news at Muggles.
"Please, have a seat. Would you like some tea?" Vernon asked.
"Oh, no, I'm fine, thanks," Aquila smiled towards him. She sat beside Dudley and peered at the television with narrowed eyes. "How do those people get inside the box?"
"It's sort of like your posters, I expect," Dudley admitted, his eyes glancing towards her briefly before turning towards the screen. He gestured towards the antenna atop it, in a v pattern and pointing towards the ceiling. "Those get this signal from space, and the picture shows up in the box. The pictures are taken someplace else - like ours would be from London or something." He shrugged, blushing slightly. "I'm not sure exactly how that works."
"That's fascinating," she murmured. "We learned in school that it just shouts at you."
He chuckled. "No, it doesn't do that." There was a pause as she stared at the screen. "Uh, how was your match?"
He remembered? She didn't think he would, as she had skipped it to spend the day with him in the park. "Ireland won," Aquila smiled, glancing towards him. "Of course. Northern Ireland stood no chance."
"Talking about footie, are we?" Vernon asked, limbering into the room and taking a seat beside Potter. Both seemed extremely uncomfortable with that situtation.
"Quidditch, a, uh, sport in my world. My mum left the article on the match in my room while I got ready to stop by." Euryale had and it frightened Aquila to death. It had never happened before and Aquila didn't know if it would happen again. If it did, she might have to admit her mum to St. Mungo's for finally going around the bend. "Ireland is playing minor charity games now, until the British Isles Final in two weeks. A few friends of mine play on the team so I sort of root for them because I've known them all my life."
"You know the players on Ireland's team?" Potter blurted.
Aquila shrugged. "They're all Ravenclaws."
"Got pretty much all their signatures, except for that one bloke-"
"Aidan Lynch," Aquila admonished Dudley lightly, laughing. "He taught me how to fly for Quidditch. Ireland's-"
"Seeker!" Potter gasped.
"I'm hoping to get him to do me a favor and finish my autograph collection before he does any more idiotic moves," Aquila laughed. She rose. "I'll go see if Petunia needs any help in the kitchen."
"I'm doing fine, dear, you sit down and talk!" she heard Petunia call.
"Oh, alright," Aquila said, sitting back down. "If you're sure."
"Positive!"
"So you went to the World Cup?" Potter asked.
Aquila nodded. "I, uh, met some people there and yeah... Aidan saved me some tickets."
"So the Death Eater attack-"
"We were pretty close to where they started," Aquila admitted. She thought back to the firey night. "But we made it out alright." She did not want to make them think it was dangerous, especially if she could get Dudley to go with her. "But yeah, I went. Best match I've been to in a while."
"So this sport... Quidditch. Exactly how does it work?"
Aquila grinned and Dudley groaned. "She's going to go on all day," Dudley insisted.
"I'll ... keep it short and to the point," Aquila sighed, as though she wanted to do exactly the opposite. So she laid the ground work and Vernon nodded, listening closely and nodding once more.
"You really like this sport," Vernon observed after Aquila had finished.
The dark haired witch flushed. "Sorry. I absolutely breathe it, sir." Vernon seemed surprised with her apology. "I, uh, get a bit carried away with it."
"Not as bad as Wood," Potter muttered.
Aquila gave a small nod of agreement. "You just haven't seen me absolutely go bonkers with team selection bidding."
"What's that?" Vernon asked, brow furrowed.
"During try-outs, which is in two weeks, sir," Aquila informed him, "There's this massive ... uh, World Cup, if you will, but it's just try outs for every British team there is. The players all gather in this one spot and try out one after another and all day for seven days straight there's just try-outs and there's friendly competition between your friends to make as many matches as you can to the correct and final choices. I've won four years in a row and I'm hoping to make it my fifth this year."
Vernon learned forward. "What's the prize? Is it like a sponsored prize or...?"
"Oh, no, it's usually just something silly between my friends and I. Fred and George are known for being pretty big pranksters." She bit her lip as she giggled, leaning forward as well. "Absolutely brilliant. Anyway, the winner gets a prank of their choice on whomever they wish. But sometimes, it's less drastic and can be homework for a month, or even a free score in a Quidditch game. It gets pretty fierce after the first three days of basically no sleep and staring through binoculars at a small figure on a broom. The first year I won, I was given a free prank. So I decided, after much deliberation because I couldn't take it back, that I would dye all of the hated house in my school's hair a vibrant, vibrant green their first day. It was very elaborate and the twins appreciated the challenged. It worked. It was my first year in school as well. None of them ever found out it was me. They thought it was the school... uh, bully Peeves."
Vernon was chuckling in amusement. She thought he might like that story. "Why aren't you around more often?"
"Oh, well... I'm not quite sure," Aquila laughed back. "Your family is truly lovely."
"See? I like her, Petunia! How soon can we adopt you?"
Well that was unexpected. "I'm afraid you'll have to discuss that with my mother, sir," Aquila admitted. "She may not be that willing to give me away."
"And do you have a pet, as well?"
"I have an owl," Aquila admitted. "But she's staying with my friend Angelina until I'm all settled. But it was a very close call. I almost got a cat."
"Oh? So an owl isn't the only option?"
"A cat, a toad, and an owl," Aquila informed them. "I have to say, though, I'm so jealous of Potter's owl. Hedwig is absolutely gorgeous. Did you find her, Potter?"
"Er, no, Hagrid did."
"Ah," Aquila nodded. "She's beautiful. I'm intrigued as to where you came up with the name, however. Hedwig is a very unusual name. There are two saints in the twelvth and thirteenth centuries by the name of Hedwig."
"I dunno, really," Harry shrugged. "Just sort of came to me, I guess."
"Ah, right, dinner's ready, dears." Aquila glanced back towards Petunia and rose, following the other's to the table. There was a brief awkward silence before Petunia picked up a bowl of something. "Potatoes, Aquila?"
"Oh, yes, thank you," Aquila stated and took the bowl, scooping only a little out before offering it to Vernon. And that was dinner. They passed things around, talking, laughing. And she noticed that Potter seemed to be a bit more relaxed for the evening. Almost like he was being treated... well normal, and like he wasn't used to it. Merlin, how was this family when she wasn't there?
"So, who was it that came over yesterday?" Potter asked her.
"Oh, Angelina Johnson," Aquila smiled towards him. "We talked about you, don't worry."
"Oh?" Potter asked, confused. "Why?"
"She's Quidditch captain this year," Aquila informed him. "For Gryffindor. She wanted to talk strategy, I think."
"You didn't?" Potter pressed.
"Never got around to it," Aquila shrugged. "She sort of told me that if she told me any strategy, it'd be a conflict on the field. I should, after all, be named my own team's captain. So, you understand my reluctance to share these details with you." She sent him a smile and a giggle. "However, I will tell you she's thinking of making you pull a Wronski feint."
Potter paled. "What?"
"Kidding," Aquila smiled innocently. She took another bite of her chicken. "You know, Petunia," she said once she swallowed. "This is delicious. You simply must teach me how to use the stove. I can barely manage bacon."
"Oh, well, that simply won't do, will it?" Petunia insisted. "I'll get right on that. How about tea tomorrow-?"
"I don't want to rush-"
"Nonsense, it's an essential skill. What do you eat for a meal, then, if you don't use a stove?"
"Oh, we have a... an elf cook for us. For dinners that is. We can manage lunch and breakfast easily. They're these sort of... small creatures that..." She held her hand up so it was about two feet from the table's top. "They're about this tall, pale, look like little people, but have quite large eyes and ears. They're really adorable, to be honest. But they've been bred for milenia to serve familys, so that is what they do now. It's truly awful, and some treatment is horrible to these creatures, but they do not complain. It's almost pitiful. However, the elves are happy to cook meals or do basic house work."
"Good God, could you imagine if everyone had one of those?" Vernon cried.
"Depending on the size of a house, there can be as many as one elf to three hundred. They're usually in pairs, because they tend to go a little crazy when they're alone with no one to talk to, but they're very good creatures. Very, very loyal."
"And you pay them?" Petunia asked, intruiged.
"No," Aquila admitted, wincing. "You can try, but they take it the wrong way. Being free is a punishment to them, a disgrace to their ... their name and species, I suppose. And payment is a form of telling them they're free. It's a very much ignored practice in the wizarding world. Often overlooked. But he's a family elf, about a hundred and seven." Aquila giggled at their shocked faces. "They live exponentially long lives. And if there is a male and female in the house, they can be permitted to have children, so you essentially get more workers for the price of two." Aquila shook her head. "However, any motion to give these elves rights in the past has been heavily disregarded."
"Are they the only creatures treated that way?" Petunia questioned.
"Yes, and no," Aquila explained. "There are ... laws restricting every other species out there, but none as much as elves. Since our society is run by Purebloods, er, a person that is born with no trace of any non-magical lineage, it's essentially an aristocracy. Purebloods are a higher class than half-bloods and Muggleborns. But those two are of higher class than werewolves, vampires, merpeople, and ..." She tried to think of another one.
"Veelas."
She glanced at Potter, thinking of any Wizard Law text she had ever read. "Veelas are very... They're treated very much like Purebloods. Their beauty can get them anything they want, and they usually marry into Pureblood families to strengthen the gene pool and to give blood and beauty for generations upon generations."
"What is a Veela?" Vernon asked, hesitating over the word as he tried to pronounce it right.
"They're..." Aquila bit her lip, furrowing her brow as she thought. "They're a lot like sirens, I think. They have an essence about them that draws men in, and while they aren't lethal, they are, well, very aggressive. Depending on how much Veela blood you have, the more traits you take on. For instance, I have a quarter Veela blood in me. My grandmother on my mother's side was a full Veela." She shrugged as she glanced at them. "I'm pretty, and sometimes I have charm, sometimes not. I also have good reflexes. My mother is half, meaning she has the charm and the beauty, as well as the longing for her mate, my father. It's a sort of bond between them, I suppose. That's why she flirts relentlessly with men. Her Veela side is trying to be satisfied. My grandmother was born in a Veela colony in southwest Ukraine. Veela's are white blonde and they have wings and almost bird like heads when they're in full transformation - I can't do that, neither can my mother. Um, basically, they travel around the world trying to find their mate when they're of age, and yeah... They're very polite creatures, but once they are mad, it's safer to run than to stand your ground."
"And you don't... attack people?"
Aquila laughed at Vernon's hesitancy. "No, no. I have a temper sometimes, but that's all."
"That's fascinating. And do vampires and werewolves live amongst us... uh, Muggles, was it - as well?" Petunia inquired.
"Oh, well werewolves do," Aquila nodded. "They, uh... They're so restricted in my world that sometimes they entirely give up their magic just so they can get a job in the Muggle world. Some people, like Professor Lupin, keep their lycanthropy a secret. But eventually their absences around the full moon are noticed." She shrugged. "As for vampires, well... They mostly live in covens in mountainous areas, so typically they don't. Their reaction to the sun and what not would make it suspicious."
"Good thing there's no sun in England, eh?" Vernon laughed.
"Aquila, I couldn't help but notice your... understanding of the television. Does the wizarding world not have one?"
"Oh, no," Aquila shook her head. "Not at all. We're a ... proactive bunch, I suppose. It's more encouraged to pratice flying, de-gnome the garden, plant herbs and whatnot for potions. You hardly ever stay in the house. If you are, it's typically because you're grounded or you don't have much of a yard to do that in." She shrugged. "We have radios, though. Three channels because it's a relatively new innovation, but it provides great entertainment. There's the Quidditch station, the music station, and the news station."
"Music?" Vernon asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, some of it is absolutely awful," Aquila insisted. "I assure you, you aren't missing anything. The Wierd Sisters are... well, weird. If they aren't singing about Goblins or owls that want to dance with them," Aquila rolled her eyes. "And Celestina Warbeck... She's... alright. Sort of opera, but more like your forties style music. An acquired taste, certainly."
"Do they have concerts and whatnot?" Dudley asked.
Aquila nodded immediately. "Oh, yeah. The Weird Sister came to the Yule Ball at my school as a special guest. I'm not quite sure how your concerts are, so I can't compare, but I'd assume they were the same."
"Have you heard of the Beatles?" Vernon asked suddenly.
Aquila bit her lip, thinking. "I don't think so. They aren't... a bug, I take it?"
"A band," Petunia smiled. "Amazing band. They're from Liverpool in the sixties. Oh, my sister and I grew up on them."
"I can't say I've heard of them," Aquila admitted. "What are they like?"
"Oh, I have to play one of their albums for you," Petunia insisted. "I hope you like them. I can't quite guarantee that you will, as I don't know your taste at all."
"I like all music," Aquila smiled politely. So as they finished their meal, talking of their favorite songs and such, Aquila helped Petunia with the dishes while Vernon went to the record player. It was pretty much like the Wizarding polygraphs, but the music was quite different. No Goblin Bobbers or Mer-pipes. The music was fast, upbeat, and the voices were... catchy. Aquila rather liked them and told them as such.
"I wanna hold your hand," Aquila sang under her breath as she departed from the Dursley home some time later, the late night overhead. Vernon had insisted upon Dudley walking her back, but she had promised them it was no problem. It was only four doors. "Oh, please, say to me," Aquila sang as she opened the door to Number 8. She felt the wards bend, letting her in, before she shut the door. "You'll let me be your man. And please, say to me... I wanna hold your hand. I wanna hold your hand." Aquila slipped off her heels and placed them at the bend by the stairs, out of the way of the other.
"Aquila?" her mother's voice sounded. She stopped singing immediately, biting her lip in nervousness. Crap. Right, the whole Quidditch thing. Aquila approached the door apprehensively and saw her mother standing besides an open box. Upon entering the room, Aquila noticed them to be silver - though their China cabinet was already full. They'd have to transfigure it larger. "How was dinner?"
"Good. They had me listen to some Muggle music," Aquila admitted. "The Beatles. I rather like them."
"The band or the Dursleys?" Euryale asked.
"Well, both," Aquila admitted. "I think they like me, too." She bit her lip, thinking hard. "I'm pretty sure."
Euryale just nodded and gestured towards the couch. "Sit with me. I was just making tea."
"Do you want me to help you unpack?" Aquila asked, glancing at the boxes. "I can help sort some things and decide what we should put in the shed-"
"No, I think I'm done for the evening. Sit." Aquila did so, and shifted uncomfortably as her mother sat beside her. This was it, wasn't it? Moment of truth. "You're almost seventeen," Euryale sighed. "I don't know how my little girl got so big."
"Mum-"
"Let me speak," Euryale insisted. She smoothed out the emerald of her skirt and let out a small sigh. "I've always tried to protect you, you know. When we moved to London, it was to keep you as safe as I could. There are lots of things a man wants from a woman, and the wrong man can change everything- can change her. Whether it's for good or bad. I don't know if I've ever see you visit friends as often as you do here."
"I-I've never been allowed to leave the neighborhood," Aquila admitted. "And usually when I do, it's to Angelina's because of her wards and... and the Quidditch matches and such-"
"And I know it's my fault," Euryale interrupted gently. "I know that I shelter you too much. Goodness, I refused to let you fly once your father died for years. Evan had to sneak you out into the garden, do you remember?" Aquila giggled, nodding. "And I realize how much I was not letting you be who you were. I was forcing you to be someone you're not. I still am-"
"I know you're just looking out for me," Aquila stated quietly.
"You're braver than I have ever been," Euryale said softly, Aquila almost not quite sure she heard her right. "When your father died, I refused to do anything risky - refused to do anything but stay at home and keep you and Evan safe... And when you lost Cedric, much like your father was to me..." Euryale held her breath a moment as she tried to hold back her tears, "you went back out there and did what you needed to do. You kept strong and maybe you're stronger than me- you've taken after your father more than myself." Euryale cleared her throat and brushed at under her eyes. Aquila didn't know what to do. "You approached me very maturely tonight, and I commend you for that."
"But," Aquila muttered, knowing there was a but.
"No buts. You have. And I thought about it over dinner, which was quite quiet, by the way," Euryale stated sharply, glaring at her daughter briefly before it fell into an uncomfortable gaze. "I don't know anything about you, do I? I heard your argument with Angelina yesterday, you know." Aquila paled. Oh no. "About the men cheating on you." Okay, so not all of it, then? "And you're right... When you approached me, you were right. I can't guarantee they'll be good people, because everyone changes in war- temptation, bribes, and greed... I can't guarantee you'll be safe. I can't guarantee that they'll be resiliant against the Dark Lord, because even in the first war, the best people turned." Her hand grabbed her daughters and she squeezed it tightly. "So, this is what I propose."
"Propose?" Aquila repeated quietly, confused.
"I say that anyone that wants to have your hand, must go through me first."
"But that's what would have happened anyway. You have to approve, you know, like tradition-"
"I just don't want you to elope," Euryale said firmly. "And even if I disagree..." She bit her lip, much like Aquila's own habit. It was a trait she had gained from her mother, and a trait that was most useful in the Ravenclaw house, when Aquila needed to think. "I promise not to disagree without knowing them, alright? I'll try to get to know them, but if they give me a bad feeling - and not because of reputation, but because of their character - like if they're abusive, or seem to only want you for our money, I will let you know and hopefully you'll listen."
"I can promise to listen, but I have dad's stubborn side... you always tell me that."
Euryale laughed to herself. "Yes, you do. But I hope you'll listen. Hope is all I can take, I'm afraid... You have to make your own choices. Arranged marriages are so middle ages." So she had heard Angelina's comment, then. "Promise me you won't marry a Death Eater. Don't go through that like I did."
"I promise," Aquila insisted. "I won't get married until after the war, anyway. I don't want to die in the war and leave my husband a widow or anything."
"Yes, I don't want that for you, either, if he dies. It's the most painful thing you can ever go through, Aquila... You're my little girl, I don't want you to be in pain."
"It's too late for that, I'm afraid," Aquila admitted carefully. "I loved Cedric, a lot. I was so sure he was it and my heart broke every day for five months as he saw Cho Chang behind my back. And I knew it."
"I know..." Euryale sighed. "That's why I've decided that ... Quidditch." Aquila immediately perked up, giving her mother her full attention. The woman noticed. "I hope you got the Quidditch page I left for you."
"You've never done that before," Aquila admitted. "I didn't think you even knew I was waiting for that match for weeks."
Euryale smiled softly. "I may force you to do things you don't want to do, but I do notice the things you talk about constantly, for hours and hours on end as you help me unpack or plant the garden."
"Oh," Aquila admitted quietly, glancing about. "Sorry."
"Ireland won."
"It was a charity match, for St. Mungo's children's ward," Aquila informed her. "They donated all the money they got from tickets to the ward and-"
"You want to play for them, don't you?"
Aquila hesitated. "I want to, yes, but I won't... Aidan Lynch, their seeker- he says there's going to be a spot the season after this upcoming one, for a beater, but... I won't go. There's no way I'll even make the team, so-"
"You should go with your friends and the Johnsons in the upcoming weeks," Euryale sighed. "Not with that boy, yet. I still need to think on that, so I'll sleep on his invite and tell you in the morning." Aquila gasped in surprise. "I trust that you'll keep your wand on you at all times, you'll not wander off, and that you'll stay in your stand seats."
"Of course," Aquila insisted firmly. "Really? I can go?"
Euryale nodded, her grip on her daughter's hand tight. "But," she said suddenly, making Aquila falter. "I want you to be responsible. Don't sleep with anyone, don't drink too much, don't leave your group wards."
"Of course not," Aquila insisted, her eyes wide. She squealed suddenly and engulfed her mother in a hug. "Oh, thank you! This is going to be amazing. Oh, Merlin, I need to start packing. I need to get my bat for Quigley and Connolly to sign at the match and-"
"Breathe-"
Aquila blushed. "Sorry. Um, I just have a lot I need to pack. My jerseys, my-"
"Aquila." Aquila clamped her mouth shut. "Now, you should head to bed..." Aquila nodded and stood, kissing her mother on both cheeks. "I'll see you for breakfast."
"Love you, goodnight!" Aquila squealed again before she leaped over a box and heading for the hall. "Where's Polly?"
The house elf appeared immediately, his bright green eyes wide and staring at Aquila. It was wearing a ragidy pillowcase Aquila had tried to clean for him, but he insisted it was befitting for him. "Does Miss require anything?"
"No," Aquila admitted. "I just wanted to say goodnight. I haven't seen you."
"Polly has been weeding the garden for the last few days with Mistress, Miss," the elf stated, bowing.
"Oh, well, goodnight, Polly. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Polly will make breakfast. Polly apologizes for not making breakfast recently. Polly has been working day and night on the garden." He looked nervous, on the edge of punishing himself.
"Oh, no problem. I've managed to miraculously make something, so it's really helping me on my Muggle studies essay," Aquila insisted. She patted the top of the elf's head, ignoring how he flinched as though she'd hit him. "See you tomorrow, Polly."
The elf just bowed and Aquila squealed yet again before rushing up the stairs and opening her trunk, going to her closet and opening the wardrobe doors. Flicking on her bedroom light, she began to pick through her jerseys. Eight. One for each day of the trials, and her Irish jersey that would be the last to be packed. It would be hanging on her wall until the day she left. She heard her mother climbing the stairs once she managed to pack the last of her shorts into the trunk, and a bat.
"Aquila?"
"Yes, mother?" Aquila asked, glancing behind her as the blonde woman hovered in the doorway. She was still fully dressed, her heels on and all.
"I just want to ask... why do you want to bring that boy with you?"
Aquila set the beater's bat - that she was determined to get signed and sit on her bookshelf for centuries - down in the trunk and stood slowly, thinking. "Well, he seems rather fascinated with it, and he's really interested in the wizarding world... I mean, he doesn't have to go - he could very well not want to go - but I think we're friends and I think it'd be a good opportunity to know more about him without his friends sort of swaying how he answers questions about himself..."
"What are his friends like?"
"They're... Dennis is great," Aquila admitted. "Really funny and he's sort of the life of the party, I guess. Piers is a bit of a sleeze ball that treats women like crap. Dudley actually confessed to me that he doesn't really like him much. Malcolm is... he's alright. I've only met him once. He's kinda quiet, but he's really outgoing once you get in a conversation."
"And any girls he hangs out with?"
Aquila bit her lip. "Well, at the, uh... the party-" Euryale nodded for her to continue, "Well, there were these three girls. Amazing. Amber drove us over after the party. Natalie's really outgoing. Um, Amber and Lucinda are really competitive. They actually are really responsible though. I didn't talk to Lucinda much, but Amber was really nice. They really liked the dress you designed, too."
"Which dress?" her mother asked, confused. "You came back in jeans."
"Uh, I might have disguised my sleepover with transfigured clothing," Aquila admitted with a wince. "That black dress..."
"Oh, I see," Euryale murmured. "And he didn't... try anything with you?"
"No," Aquila promised. "Like I said, gentleman. I fell asleep in the car on the ride back and he carried me into his house-" Euryale raised an eyebrow. "His hands weren't anywhere near my no-go zones, don't worry." She tapped her knees and the middle of her back. "Right there. Anyway, he said he was taking the couch and he left me in his room with a glass of water and some Muggle medicine for a hangover in the morning." She shrugged. "He didn't drink that much. I don't think he drinks a lot." Aquila cleared his throat. "And I woke up around noon and Potter made us some food."
"What time did you get back?"
"Ten, maybe eleven at night," Aquila admitted. "It wasn't for a long time."
"You did go even though I told you not to go." She winced slightly. "I'm just glad you behaved responsibly."
"I'm sorry, I just... I wanted to meet new people and I was curious as to what Muggle parties were like." She hesitated. "He wants to be a doctor... a Muggle healer." She sat on her bed as if there was a weight on her. "But his dad wants him to take over Grunnings, his dad's company... He hates that company. But he doesn't want to disappoint his dad. But he's really smart and he knew just what kind of medicine I needed for my hangover..." She gave her mother a brief smile. "I don't know if he told me that because he was still kind of drunk, or because it was really true, but ... it made me realize that Muggles have just as much ambitions in life as we do."
"You know, he's sort of just like you in a way," Euryale told her daughter. "Stubborn beyond belief - insisting on hanging out with you despite all the glares I give him - and he does what he can to make his parents happy." Aquila jerked with surprise. Her mother's brown eyes met her daughter's and a soft smile touched at her lips. "Do you want to date him?"
"I'm not ready to date," Aquila murmured. "He's a nice guy, my type, but... I don't know. I don't..." She lifted her shoulder in a hug. "I still have nightmares of Cedric, and... and I don't want to move on so fast, but at the same time I just want to because Cedric tore me apart and I want to be put back together again... I just don't know so..."
Euryale hummed as she thought. "Well, do you know what I think?"
"Not really," Aquila admitted in a chuckle.
Her mother rolled her eyes. "I think that you fancy him, but you just want to make sure you're ready to move on before you approach him." She cleared her throat. "However, that does not mean I want you to sleep with him-"
"Mum!" Aquila groaned.
"Sorry," Euryale sighed. "I'm heading to bed. Goodnight."
"Wait, what you said earlier. That means no marriage contract?" Aquila asked hopefully. "You just approve of whoever I fall in love with?"
Euryale hesitated. "Yes... Because in this war, I fear it will be a lot worse than the last... Fall in love with someone that's good, Aquila. Please. Don't fall in love with anyone that will turn to the Death Eaters. Because he will need more followers than just the men, and you can be forced to take the bind as well. Promise me."
"I promise not to marry anyone that is potentially turning a Death Eater," she stated immediately. "And thank you... Thank you for the contract voidage and the Quidditch thing. It means so much to me."
"If you forever end the pureblood lineage of the Black family by the marriage of a halfblood or Muggleborn or something ..." Euryale sighed as Aquila seemed to expect this. "It better be an amazing guy."
"What?" Aquila gasped. Her mother wasn't a surpremist, but she certainly didn't want her daughter to marry anyone less than a pureblood. So this... this was like the world was ending. "Mother, are you alright? Do you need like St. Mungo's or... or something?"
"Your brother just informed me he got engaged," Euryale stated simply. "Two months away, and he's already engaged. She's a Javier, a fine pureblood girl. I went to school with her uncle. They'll carry on the Black family, and therefore you won't have to. You'll be free to do as you wish."
"Is she an Order member?"
"She is," Euryale nodded. "The reason for their quick engagement is because she's possibly pregnant. The wedding is taking place in a few weeks. We aren't invited... It's too dangerous and they don't want to bring attention to their home through international travel. Apparently only her sisters will be attending the wedding."
"You don't believe that to be the case."
"Oh, I do," Euryale admitted. "Her parents would be furious if they found out she was pregnant before the wedding. So the first Black to be born of the next generation is already on the way. I'm going to be a grandmother."
"You're too young to be a grandmother. How's... Not mother?" Euryale laughed at the term, obviously pleased with how it didn't make her seem old. "I can't believe he's getting married... He's always been a bit of an advocate against marriage."
"It made me realize you aren't as little anymore... You should thank him. . . he's the reason you won't be in an arranged marriage, and why you can go to that boy and make out with him all you like-"
"Mum! I haven't even kissed him!" she protested, flushing as her mother laughed. "Ugh, honestly, you're worse than Angelina!"
"What else can you tell me about him?" Euryale asked suddenly. "I want to know who you want to go spend a week away with."
Aquila bit her lip, thinking. "Well, he's sort of smart. I mean, he doesn't like people knowing that, I don't think. His friends don't think he is, but he just understands and he can remember things that I say on the whim - some things, like terms or whatnot, he has a bit trouble over, but like I told him once that firewhiskey was made of merpeople tears and I was pretty sure he was still drunk when I said it, and he remembered. We had a conversation about ourselves, too... He wants to do good things, but he's not been the best person in the past. He, uh..." She hesitated, glancing at her mother, to see her leaning against the doorway, her fingers clasped in front of her. "He used to bully, when he was little."
"That doesn't surprise me," Euryale muttered. "Just look at his father."
Aquila could see the point. Vernon was a bit intimidating and seemed to be the type to push his son to make others do what he wanted. "But, he said that he wants to leave that behind, but it's really hard because of his reputation and stuff... his friends sort of look to him to bully and stuff, so he's trying, but it's difficult."
"And you think you can change that?"
Aquila shook her head. "Only Dudley can change that."
"Good answer," Euryale admitted. "Well, then, I have much to think over, don't I?"
"I suppose-" but her mother was already gone. Aquila sighed and rose, walking towards her bed and shutting it before she turned back to her trunk. Maybe she should bring a few extra sheets of parchment before she got the parchment packets from the twins - charmed with all the names of the players trying out and which teams they wanted to try out for. She had no idea how they did it, but Merlin, the twins were genius. And they sold the charmed parchment to other people that wished to do the same thing - bet on how many correct matches they can make. Merlin, they were going to be rich when they graduated and finally opened that joke shop. Aquila just knew it. She grabbed the parchment and placed it in tight rolls beside her jerseys. Notes on players. Afterall, some people did re-trials and she didn't want to forget them.
She stayed up late into the night, reading through her previous trial notes and deciding which players she'd probably see near her own seats. Afterall, if Aidan was saving them for her and her friends, she'd no doubt see the Ireland team watch the trials. They, afterall, picked who would fill any open spots - a Chaser position - this coming season. Aquila simply couldn't quell her excitement. Two weeks was too long.