She awoke to the very distinct smell of Maeve Lynch's cooking. Spicy, but sweet in the air. They must have slept through breakfast... that was definitely lunch. That was definitely Maeve's spicy grilled cheese and potato soup. She groaned in her position, making Dudley beside her move slightly. Merlin, they were fully wrapped around each other. Their legs all tangled and her arms were resting in his own that held her from behind. He was warm.
She turned in their position and stared up at Dudley's sleeping face before smirking to herself and pressing her lips lightly to his own. Dudley's eyes opened immediately before she properly snogged him. Merlin, she loved doing this. But she needed air. Desperately. Her head was starting to spin. She pulled away and grinned at him. Somehow, she had ended up laying on her back, Dudley hovering above her.
"Lunch," Aquila said regretfully. "Maeve's cooking. It smells good."
"You smell good," Dudley countered.
"I need a shower and I need to brush my teeth," she returned with a laugh. "And I need lunch."
"Shower? God, that sounds good," Dudley admitted.
She wiggled out of the bed, standing up triumphantly just as she was about to fall from the edge of the bed. Dudley laughed, rolling onto his back as he watched her move towards her trunk. "I'll be quick, if you want to take one after me." She grabbed what she needed, her Irish jersey and a pair of black shorts to wear, before summoning a towel. She summoned another for Dudley when she got out just ten minutes later, her body still wet as she didn't feel a need to get particularly dry, her hair tumbling down her back as she sponged it with her towel. "All yours," she informed Dudley, smirking.
He was only five minutes, and when he emerged, he was dressed in a matching jersey, his shorts a matching emerald. "Erin go bragh," Aquila grinned before taking his hand and pulling him down the stairs of the small Irish country cottage, to the kitchen. The dark haired woman that cooked amazing food was standing behind the stove as she flicked her wand. The pan flipped its contents over, the bread a golden honey color. The soup in a pot stirred on its own accord. Merlin, it smelled good.
Maeve smiled at their entrance. "Mornin'," she greeted and turned back to the stove. "Yer up early, dears."
"It's nearly noon," Aquila laughed. "If we're the first ones up, I'm sorry for the team."
The dark haired woman, who's hair was cropped to her shoulders, was a rather fit woman, having grown up with Quidditch just as much as her son had. She hadn't played for Ireland, but her husband had before he joined the Ministry for sporting regulations. Her pale skin was twinged with a few freckles and she tisked her tongue against her teeth. "They never wake up early. I'm just glad this is the last meal I'll have to cook for them before the match. They eat like a pack of wolves, I swear."
"Ah, but it's back to cooking once season starts up again," Aquila reminded her. "Smells good, though."
"At least you two eat like civilized people. Even Tara digs in-"
"I think she's more afraid she won't have anything left to chose from if she waits," Dudley admitted.
The two women laughed, because it was most likely true, and Aquila flipped open the paper on the counter. Merlin, thirteen deaths just in the last week alone. Dudley noticed and read it when she put it between them. More things on Potter and Diggory. And news of minor Quidditch matches that had taken place yesterday following results. Teams that hadn't had any replacements, mostly.
The match started at four in the afternoon, so by the time the rest of the group was up and eating, they had very little time to talk. They had to get to the pitch early for warm ups and such. So they had to leave at two. They had seats reserved right in front of the Announcers box, where Amos and ap Dafydd would be, both owners of the teams. The best seats in the house, really. It was in the center of the side of the pitch, across from Ireland's locker room entrance. So they could literally see everything.
They just had to get there in one piece, Dudley making sure her trunk stayed in his pocket, in order to claim their seats rightfully. It was time for the Ireland match.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
The woman knew it was today. Knew exactly what time it started at, and exactly who was playing, all of their favorite foods, and their latest conversation with her daughter. The Ireland match. Aquila hadn't shut up about it - she was attending it. It had been nearly twenty years since she had listened to a Quidditch match. Her own husband had played, so it was very necessary to watch them. But this meant something to Aquila. It meant something Euryale would never understand.
The passion Aquila had for the sport was very much like the passion Euryale had for gardening. Euryale remembered being her age, with dreams and asperations. It was the same age that Euryale had found out about her arranged marriage to Regulus. The young Rosier girl had dreamed of being a Herbology Mistress. Professor Sprout was happy to see her in the greenhouses until dusk every day, and yet Euryale had given up all of that to marry the love of her life. She had done it all willingly.
But Euryale didn't know what to tell Aquila to make her see that it was a much nicer life, an easier life. Her eyes traveled to the scroll of parchment that had been owled to her that morning, bearing two signatures. Aquila needed to understand that playing Quidditch was foolishness. So Euryale flipped on the radio, tuning it until she reached the Quidditch station.
"Good evening, gentlewizards and lady-witches! My name is Dominic Morgan, and this is the Ireland Wales match! Competing for the British Isles Cup, we have the Irish National Team, owned by Amos Diggory, and the Welsh National Team, owned by Dafydd ap Dafydd. The crowd is looking splendid this evening! Tell me, sweetcheeks, what's your name?"
"Angelina Johnson," a new voice spoke up with a laugh.
"Tell me, beautiful, what do you see tonight?"
"I see some wicked competition and a killer match," Angelina called through the radio. "Thousands of people, Morgan, I'm telling you. Maybe forty?"
"I'm going to have to agree with you! Who are you rooting for this evening?"
"Ireland, of course!"
"And your friends?"
"Ireland," Angelina said immediately. "Avid fans, us."
"Why don't all you introduce yourselves? Not everyday we get such a young lot sitting in front of the announcers box.
"Aquila Black, mate," Euryale heard her daughter laugh. Merlin, she sounded like a barbarian. "Fancy seeing you here, Morgan! Been awhile, innit?" Merlin, she sounded like a completely different person. Euryale almost turned it off, but other voices stopped her.
"Dudley Dursley," the Muggle said into the mic.
"Fred and George Weasley, at your service, Dominic Morgan," the twins chimed together.
"Alicia Spinnet!"
"And how did a lot like you come across these seats?"
"Amos reserved them for us," Aquila's voice sounded. "Bloody brilliant seats, yeah?"
"Amos Diggory? From the Ireland team?"
"The very same, mate," Angelina said enthusiastically.
"Right, well have a good match, ladies, gentlemen." The announcer seemed to move away from them and began to speak. "Right, this evening we've got nice harsh weather - thunderstorms, a bit of lightning. Something to make it all interesting, folks! Ah, here come the teams now."
Euryale was too busy calming her beating heart to listen to the names of all the players. Merlin, Aquila was... she really was "one of the guys" to them. She very obviously loved this sport just by her enthusiasm in the radio. Euryale could only imagine how she looked at the moment. She already knew Aquila loved the sport, but... but to hear it in her voice.
It was something Aquila would have to give up, Euryale thought firmly. She continued to listen to the match. Maybe she'd understand what Aquila would be rambling about when she returned.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
She saw the bludger coming for Tara from behind. "Behind you!" Aquila cried, but Tara didn't seem to hear. Aquila couldn't necessarily blame her, as she was fifty feet away and the roar of the crowd as Ireland got the Quaffle through the middle hoop was deafening. And Aquila watched as Tara was hit with a crack and the woman spiraled down to the ground. They had lost both Right-Hand beaters. Holy... McDonough was alone out there. Three beaters, one of whom being a reserve, was knocked out of the match. They all had dropped like flies before some player - even from the other team - had caught them and landed them safely on the ground.
Aquila sank into her seat with stunned silence. It was storming. All the players were drenched, their grip slick on the balls and brooms. But this? How was Ireland going to win?
She saw Lynch shouting something to Mullet and then Mullet was hovering in front of her, looking tense.
"Black, what are the rules for replacing a down beater?"
Aquila's mind sparked as she remembered the Quidditch rule book that she practically memorized her second year. "You-You have to use reserves. If there are no more reserves, a qualified player can take their position, with the permission of the team's owner, captain, and the referee. If the other team protests, there will be a fifteen minute review of the rule and-"
"Good, you're playing," Mullet said simply.
"What?" Aquila gasped. She shook her head immediately. "I-I can't-" She had never played for such a big crowd before... Never played with the team. Never played a match like this. "I-" She looked at Dudley for help, but he was taking the binoculars from her hands, so he could watch the match himself.
"Switch robes with Tara. You can fly a Firebolt, right?"
"Yes, but- Mullet, I can't play-"
"Hurry up before we die out there," Mullet ordered. "Lynch got the go-ahead from Amos. As soon as Tara fell your the first name he uttered. Now, will you get out there-"
"You need the ref's permission," Aquila protested weakly. "I-I can't just-"
"Back to the game!" a voice barked. Aquila glanced to Mullet's right, seeing Mad-Eye Moody, the ref for the game. He stared at her, assessing her. She still got an uneasy feeling at the whole thing.
"She's going to take Tara's place," Mullet shouted to the referee. "That okay with you?"
"The rules say it's allowed, as long as Amos, you, and Lynch approve," Aquila input.
"Lynch and Amos gave the go ahead!" Mullet called over a clap of thunder. "You letting her, Mad-Eye?"
Mad-Eye stared at the Black girl a moment before nodding once. "Get back to the game, Mullet. I'll take Miss Black to the locker room."
Aquila couldn't help but grin. She eyed Mad-Eyes outstretched arm and knew she'd have to jump. Right, then. She stood on her seat and toed the railing before taking his arm and he zoomed off, her leaping onto the back of the broom.
"I don't believe it! Aquila Black is riding with the ref- Mad-Eye Moody! What is she doing?"
She was thrown off the broom and landed at the entrance to the lockers. Aquila didn't even think. It was game time now. She nodded in thanks to Mad-Eye before flinging open the doors. She heard Tara moaning in pain.
"Aquila?" Tara murmured, groggily. A mediwitch was pouring a few potions down the woman's throat.
"I'm taking your spot, where's your bat and broom? I need your robes-"
"Locker," Tara said immediately. "Witch, help me out of my robes."
It only took three minutes for everything to be in order and Aquila stripped, not giving Quigley and Connolly a second glance as she threw the Ireland robes on. Merlin, this was everything she dreamed of.
"How are we doing?" Tara asked.
"Losing by fifty," Aquila informed her. "No snitch spotted."
"Kill it out there," Quigley said seriously. Aquila just nodded before mounting the broom. She shot out of the locker room like a bat out of hell. There were loud cheers and Aquila adjusted the goggles she had on her face as she gripped the bat tightly with Tara's gloves.
"I don't believe it!" the announcer cried. "Aquila Black has taken the second beater position for Tara O'Reilly! I didn't even know she was a second-reserve!" The crowd was wild. Aquila circled the pitch once to get a feel of the broom - it had just a slightly different tune than her own - and she halted in the middle before spotting McDonough. The rain was horrendous out here. Flying towards him, they nodded at each other.
"Keep an eye on Lynch," he called to her. "I've got Filmorgan."
Merlin, they lost Barry Lynch for keeper in three minutes? Wales was absolutely brutal. Aquila's eyes darted to the reserve keeper, Filmorgan. Right, they had a match to win. "Got it," Aquila told him before breaking off and heading towards Lynch, hovering over the crowd. His eyes were darting around, trying to find the small golden ball that would be impossible to spot in the rain. If they lost Lynch, it was all over. Turner had no chance against ferch Williams.
"Those robes suit you, Black," Lynch called, a smirk on his face.
"They feel bloody great," Aquila admitted. She circled him before hovering just a tad in front of him. "I'll thank you when we win."
"That's what I'm talking about," Lynch laughed. "Shit, gotta go." He was gone in an instant. Ah, Snitch Lynch. He found something. So, her charge off, she did what she could. Cleared his path of any offending bludgers. The rain stung against her face as she swooped down, so close to the grass underneath, she felt like she was going to crash. It was exhilerating.
"Ten points to Ireland! That brings the score to an even tighter 195-220 in Welsh favor! Whoever catches this snitch will win the game! Another ten points to Ireland! 205-220! It's getting even tighter, folks!"
Aquila grunted as she slammed Tara's bat into the bludger coming towards her. Merlin, that one was a tad difficult. She needed to start working out. Maybe she could do runs in the neighborhood, get Dudley to teach her that sport he plays. That ought to whip her into shape quick. "Behind you!" a voice called. Aquila whipped around, her bat at the ready, and she knocked the bludger away. Merlin, these people hit hard. She could understand why Quigley had beaters arm. You almost had to have it.
She did a backflip through the air and followed Lynch closely, where all the beaters seemed to be aiming their bludgers. Bloody hell. Now she could see why a right-hand beater was assigned to this.
"Lynch and ferch Williams are going for the snitch! Black is trailing, keeping the bludgers off of Lynch. Woah! That was close!" It was close. She had to halt her broom immediately to let it pass just inches from the front of her face. Bloody hell, that was close, indeed. Head wounds from these bludgers could kill her. Once it passed, she sped up her broom, feet from Lynch, but slightly ahead of him. She had to be ahead of him just a tad. She had studied enough Ireland matches to know that.
She aimed a bludger she hit towards the goals and watched it soar, the keeper not noticing, through the hoop.
"Black just scored ten points for Ireland!" Dominic Morgan screamed through the speakers. "That shot was amazing! You folks at home don't know what you're missing! Had to have been at least seventy feet below the rings, her feet literally tangling in the grass, and she's half-blind with this rain, and bam! Way to go Ireland!" Aquila used that move often for her own team. It was how they beat Slytherin, afterall. "215-220, Wales in the lead! It's getting close. One more goal and they'll be tied!"
That goal came from Mullet, who was immediately knocked off his broom. His reserve Finnigan, eldest brother of Seamus Finnigan, was sent out immediately. Bloody hell, Lynch was the only one they had out there that was a reserve! Troy and Moran had been knocked of their brooms the first hour, O'Leery and Davis taking their spots until the two men were patched up to be sent back out. And once O'Leery or Davis were down, they'd take their spots. That wouldn't be anytime soon, though. O'Leery and Davis were passing the Quaffle back and forth to confuse the Welsh chasers.
Aquila smacked the bludger away with all her might. Yes, she definitely needed to work out. 230-220, Ireland leading. She had to make one more goal for her to be satisfied. And there was the bludger to do it. She could see the snitch beside her and Aidan's hand stretched out to grab it. Aquila aimed her bat and swung. Blinding pain erupted on her left arm, nearly making her miss. Damn, one from behind she hadn't seen. She watched the bludger she hit soar towards the goals and let out a pained breath. Bloody hell, that hurt like hell.
"Black's been hit!" the announcer cried. "Looks like her left arm has a bit of a break!" Aquila couldn't stop guarding Lynch. She let go of the broom, balancing on her broom - well, Tara's broom - with just her legs to support her. Risking a glance at her arm, she saw it twisted oddly, the throbbing pain supported by it turning black and blue fairly quickly. Oh, yes, broken. "I don't believe it! She's still going! Must know they haven't gotten any reserves to take her spot! That must hurt!" Yes, yes it did, Morgan.
Her breath was fast and the rain hurt as it pelted against her arm, but she leaned forward slightly so that she could go faster, to catch up with Lynch. Her arm rested on the broom lightly. She didn't want to hurt it any more.
"Okay?" Lynch called towards her.
"Game's more important!" she called back. Yes, it was.
"You're bloody crazy, Black," Lynch laughed. Probably.
"Ten points to Ireland for the bludger Black just hit! Again from underneath the Keeper's broom! Unbelievable! She's looking a tad green though. She's refusing medical treatment. She's going to finish this game, folk."
She had played in worse. Her beater arm had been broken one match, and her reserve beaters were ill. Bloody hell it was excruciating and she had to take a numbing potion Pomfrey tossed to her to dull the pain. It had taken two days for that break to heal and she had to miss classes. It was a nasty one and she had only made it worse by playing with it. Lynch and ferch Williams collided in an attempt to knock each other off their brooms, but Lynch only seemed to slow down with it.
Merlin, it had been a five hour match. And they were approaching their sixth hour. Merlin, this was a long match, but not as long as some they had. Aquila hit a bludger and her body felt like it was on fire, but she gritted her teeth to bear it. Bloody hell, she didn't know how much she could take without some pain potion. "Five points to Ireland for that Quaffle! 245-220! Oh, Wales scored ten points! A fake to the left and a goal in the right! Well done, Dafydd! 245-230! Ireland still leading by fifteen points!"
Oh, Merlin. She let out shallow breaths, even breathing hurting as she raced as quickly as she could to stay beside Lynch. She had seen it in dozens of matches, she knew how to do it without her left arm. Simple.
Lynch knocked ferch Williams back a few feet and shot forward. And caught the snitch. The crowd went wild.
"I don't believe it! Lynch has caught the snitch! Ireland has won the British Isles Cup! 395-230! Bloody amazing game, folks! Ah-may-zing!"
Aquila skidded to a halt and let out a relieved breath. Finally. "Victory lap, Black. Come on." Bloody hell, she had played in a winning match game for Ireland. And she was about to victory lap with them.
"What?" she gasped. Bloody hell, don't grip the broom, Aquila. "But-"
"You played, come on," Lynch smirked.
So she did. Her and McDonough were opposite each other and they trailed Lynch, who was the head of the V. They lapped once and then the official fireworks went off, a leperchaun stomping on a red dragon. Okay, perhaps not official, but the twin's fireworks. They landed in the locker room and a mediwitch immediately flocked to Aquila.
"Ow, bloody hell, woman!" Aquila cried in pain. She glanced at the arm the healer was setting. Merlin, it was swollen and dark bruised. And hurt like hell. "You could at least be a tad gentler, you know."
"Bloody hell, Aquila, where did you learn to play like that?" Quigley cried.
Aquila glanced at him confused, groaning as the healer finished setting her arm. "I've always played like that. I don't know what you're on about-"
"Seventy feet underneath and you hit it into the goal!" Quigley interrupted.
"Yeah, where did you learn that?" Lynch pressed, shedding his gloves and flexing both of his hands.
"I-" She faltered, frowning. "Lynch taught me Quidditch. I mean, from him, I guess."
"I never taught you that," Lynch laughed. "I would have taught my own team, if I had."
"Davies, maybe? I don't know. I've always been using it for as long as I can remember." She hissed in pain as the healer gripped her arm firmly and glanced behind her when someone entered. Dudley, the twins, and the twin's girlfriends. She grinned at them before snapping at the healer. "Will you stop prodding it? You're not doing anything helpful for it, woman! Bloody-" Her breath hitched as the healer did something else. "Fucking hell!"
"That means she's happy," the twins grinned as they saddled up to her. "Good game, mates. Had me worried there for a minute."
"Breathing right now really hurts," Aquila informed the healer. "Reckon I got a broken rib, too?"
"It's possible," the healer sighed. Aquila grinned and glanced at Dudley.
"So, what did you think? Like the game?"
"That was wicked," Dudley insisted. He eyed her arm. "You alright?"
"Dealing," she admitted. She hissed at the healer, "What did I say about poking?" She glanced at Dudley and breathed carefully. Yes, definitely broken rib. She gave him an easy smile. "Enjoy it, though? Even though I sort of ditched you."
"Enjoyed it? Loved it!" Dudley insisted. She nodded in satisfaction. "You need anything for your arm?"
"I've got it," the healer insisted. "Miss Black, you need to stop moving."
"She was brilliant out there. Honestly," Lynch insisted. "Was right ahead of me the entire time. Didn't need much coaching, did you?"
Aquila glanced towards the other beater she had played with. "McDonough told me to keep them away from you."
"And keep them away, you did!" Tara informed her, still laying on the bench and not bothering to move. She must still be healing. "Twenty points in ten minutes? I'd say that's a pretty good record to keep up."
"It was only ten minutes?" Aquila questioned. "Bloody hell, it felt a lot longer than that." The healer helped her out of Tara's robes and took the broom she was holding in her right hand, placing them behind her on the bench. Aquila, standing in her sports bra without a beat of the eyelash, got a good view of her arm. Ouch.
"You're going to need to take the gloves off before I give you Skele-Gro." That just sounded painful. So without moving her arm, she slowly began to unlace the leather glove on her left hand, but kept wincing every time she went for it.
"Let me," Dudley said, taking her hand and slowly, and gently, unlacing it. She smiled faintly at him in appreciation, breathing carefully so she wouldn't tense up. It hurt, but not as much as it did when she was pulling it off.
"I don't suppose you got any medicine on you, do you?" she asked him. "Pain pills or whatever they were called."
"Advil," he corrected. "And no, sorry. Not on my packing list."
"Damn," she muttered. She was glove free and he took off the other one, placing them on the pile of green robes that belonged to Tara. "So, Tara, what happened to you?"
"Broken back, they say," the Irish woman sighed mournfully. "It should be healed by the end of the night, but it will be weaker than the rest of my body." Bloody hell. Broken back? "So I'm out for a few games until I can strengthen the area up a bit."
"And I've torn a muscle in my shoulder blade," Quigley grimaced. "No potion to fix that."
"You're out?" Aquila asked, confused. "But-But you can't be out. You're head right-beater!"
"I can't play on my arm," Quigley admitted. Lynch didn't seem surprised, though. Almost like he expected Quigley's arm to get worse.
"I told you, mate," Lynch sighed. "Your arm would kill you this season."
Aquila hitched a breath as the healer set her wrist. "Nasty break, dear," the healter tutted. "Three different places. You're sure you only were hit once?"
"Yeah, behind. I sort of landed forward on the broom, though," Aquila admitted. "It could have fractured from that."
Aquila used her good hand to take off her goggles, flushing slightly as she realized they were still on. She tossed them onto the robes and the healer examined the break before nodding.
"So Quigley's out and Tara's down for a few games," Mullet observed. "And since Finnigan's taking my spot next season, and we got that new bloke McDonald taking reserve... We need two beaters."
The locker room doors burst open suddenly and Amos was there, wide eyed and grinning. "Excellent match! Excellent!" He shook everyone's hands, even the Weasley's and Dudley's, before he shook his head at Aquila. "You, my dear, have always surprised me."
"And I about had a heart attack when Mullet demanded I go out there," Aquila returned with a grin. "Nice to see you, Amos."
"And you, Ella, darling!" He was mindful of her arm as he kissed both of her cheeks. "How are you holding up?"
She considered the question, nodding. "A lot better. What about you, Amos?"
"I don't think I'll ever be the same," Amos said seriously. His handsome grin suddenly lit up his face as if he was beating away the dark thoughts of his son's death. His eyes wrinkled from behind his glasses and he wiped some rain from his ginger blond hair. "You were excellent out there. But you need to mend first."
"Thank you, for an opportunity like that," Aquila said emotionally. "That... that was amazing. All I could have dreamed of really-" She glanced at Lynch, nodding as well. "Thanks."
"More playing like that and you may not have to try out next year," Amos chuckled. He paused in front of Dudley, confused slightly with the unfamiliar face. "You must be a friend of Aquila's."
"Dudley Dursley, sir," Dudley said, offering a hand. Amos shook it with a nod. "Er, yeah, a friend of Aquila's."
"Amos Diggory," Amos nodded to the Muggle boy. "Call me Amos, my dear boy." Dudley barely nodded before Amos was off to assess Tara's back wounds and then Quigley's arm.
"Eugh, do I really?" Aquila asked desperately as the healer presented a vial of skele-gro, no chance of pain relief. Merlin, even Pomfrey made this enjoyable.
"It will take a good night's sleep to get that arm healed and your ribs back intact," the healer informed her. "I don't want you to move that arm until after you've had breakfast, understood?"
"Understood," Aquila said firmly and she took a deep breath before she knocked the potion back. Almost immediately, she could feel her injuries slowly begin to mend.
"Is she cleared for apparation?" Lynch asked.
"If someone can make sure her arm doesn't become unaligned again, yes, she should be fine. However, Tara is going to need to remain still until she's better."
"I'll stay with her," Quigley offered, plopping down on the bench beside his girlfriend. "This is the most secured locker room in all of Ireland. I reckon we'll be alright."
Amos nodded, looking Tara over worriedly. "You'll be alright, dear?"
"You worry too much, Amos. I'll be fine," Tara grinned. "A bludger can't knock me down for long."
"This means I have to resign, Amos," Quigley said after a moment as Aquila grimaced at the sound of her rib cracking into place. Dudley glanced at her worriedly, but she gave him a smile to assure him she was fine.
"I feared as such when I saw your face tonight," Amos sighed.
"What are we going to do? Our next match is in a month," Moran input. "We're down two beaters."
"I can try to get up to full calliber," Tara said helpfully.
"You won't be flying for three months, Miss O'Reilly," the healer immediately said. Aquila glanced around the Ireland locker room, contained in the home pitch of the Ireland team. This place was like a second home to Aquila. She glanced at the twins as she sat down next to Tara's uniform and Dudley sat beside her, watching her arm cautiously.
"I suppose we could find some beaters that tried out but weren't selected-" Finnigan offered.
"No, the only ones left would be horrible and they aren't guaranteed to be right-hand. I didn't take notes." Amos sighed, pulling his glasses off as he wiped his face with a handkerchief. "Let's talk about this in the morning, when Tara's allowed to be released. Where are you all resting for the night?"
"We're going to my parents house, Mr. Diggory," Angelina informed him. "Aquila and Dudley have to fly back to their homes, so my house is closest for them."
"Ah, yes, I was going to suggest my home for you all, so we could continue discussing matters of the team," Amos sighed. "Very well. I suppose I should let you lot go and I'll finish up talks here."
"Sorry, Mr. Diggory, I just don't want to keep my parents up too late," Angelina said regretfully. The elder man waved off her apology with a laugh and hugged the girl tightly, before moving towards the rest of the Gryffindor, Muggle, and Ravenclaw hoard. When he got to Aquila, he paused slightly, and it was as if their previous conversation about how they were better didn't happen.
"You're welcome to owl me anytime," Amos told her.
"And you, to me," Aquila offered him.
"I'll always have free tickets for you and your friends."
She laughed lightly. "You spoil me, Amos. Honestly. As long as you'll let me, I'll take them."
"You and your friends are our number one fans, after all," Amos said, as though that was the reason he gave them free tickets. Aquila smiled and hugged him tightly, using only one arm, but it was enough.
"I miss you, Amos," she told him quietly, the other unable to overhear. "You and Miranda are welcome to owl, floo, stop by, anything... How is Miranda?"
"She's been better, but she'd doing better, as well," Amos admitted. "It's been hard."
"I don't doubt it hasn't," Aquila said quietly, understandingly. She drew away from him, giving him a sigh. "How long until it's appropriate to move on, Amos? I just don't know-"
"Whenever it feels right," Amos said wisely. "I've heard what he did to you dear, and I'm terribly sorry for it." Her heart clenched. Who told him? She had specifically been trying for him not to find out. She gave Lynch a sharp look and he looked a tad sheepish. "You move on when it feels right. It will only get easier from now on."
She gave Amos a sad smile. "Very well. I just don't want to upset you with anything."
"You'll never upset me," Amos promised. "Now, I think your friends are waiting for you."
Aquila glanced behind her to see Angelina raising an eyebrow in annoyance. The twins had already apparated Alicia and Dudley, it seemed. Merlin, they should be quick before something happens. She looked at her clothing, seeing the sports bra and shorts. "Where's my jersey?"
It was tossed to her from Lynch's side and he winked. "Needed my signature to complete it, didn't you?"
She grinned at him. "Thanks, mate."
"Thanks for guarding my arse," he returned.
"Yeah, wicked game, Black."
She got words of departure from the rest of the team before she kissed Amos's cheek. "Write me," she asked the man she thought of as a father. He only nodded and Aquila stepped towards Angelina, letting the woman take her good arm, and apparated. Merlin, she couldn't wait to tell her mother about this day. It was bloody perfect.