Tap, tap, tap...

I rolled over in bed and groaned. A deliver owl was tapping my bedroom window with one set of talons with a copy of The Daily Prophet in its beak. Sunshine was streaming through the window behind it, making the owl look black. Savoring the softness of my pillow while it lasted, with a great push, I swung my legs over the side of my bed. I stretched out my aching bones and sore muscles, took three knuts from my jeans pocket on the floor, paid the owl, and massaged my head.

I couldn’t afford this any longer.

Hogwarts had ended only a month ago, but I was still to find any work. Oh, sure, I qualified for a job at Gringotts, but who wanted to be locked up in a room with goblins all day? While handling precious jewels and vast sums of money seemed exciting to some people, I knew what it really was: boring. I also couldn’t stand working with goblins, which (regrettably) Gringotts was run by. I knew where I was destined to be. I belonged outside, with the sweet breeze kissing my cheeks and driving through my hair. I belonged outside, with the sunshine greeting me with light and warmth. I belonged outside, where I could be me.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t a job for that, or else I would have already had it. I was running low on gold, and it would be too embarrassing to ask my parents for a loan. I had a small flat in Diagon Alley, with only a kitchen, a bedroom, and a tiny bathroom. However, it was the only thing I could afford…unless I started working. Being too choosy for a job was slowly killing me…and it would quickly kill me, if I ran out of money for food.

I sighed, picked up my pants and shirt off of the floor where I had left them last night, too tired to put them away properly. I folded both articles of clothing, and tried to smoothen out some wrinkles. I put the clothes on my desk, next to a clutter of picture frames with pictures of my family and friends. My eyes fell on a specific picture on my nightstand. It was me, with a handsome boy who had flaming red hair and freckles. His eyes were bright, laughing, and loving. I had my arm around him, also laughing. A glittering lake was show in the background, with us sitting by the edge, relaxing in the golden rays of the sun. The happy couple saw me and waved enthusiastically. While my picture-self was distracted with waving, the boy leaned forward and kissed me on the lips. Caught by surprise, I kissed him back. Then I pushed him away playfully. Finally, giggling at his (extremely cute) bewildered face, I leaned forward to resume the kiss I had just interrupted.

Charlie, my heart screamed. I missed Charlie most of all.

I still remembered our last date. We went out to dinner at a Muggle restaurant, a place we both were curios about. After we were seated, Charlie moved the candles to the side of the table and told me he had an announcement. When he told me that he was accepted for internship as a dragon keeper in Romania, I was more than a little hurt. How could Charlie, the person I truly loved most of all, be…leaving me? Well, perhaps not leaving me, but it wasn’t like I could stop by Romania for a goodnight kiss. I was about to open my mouth and tell him exactly what I thought, but I stopped myself.

This is his dream, I reminded myself. Don’t ruin it for him.

Swallowing all of my tears, all my sadness, and all my confusion, I exclaimed how happy I was for him and that he should go for his dreams…no matter what. He shouldn’t give up his dreams just for me. I plastered a fake smile on my face and told him how proud I was of him…which was true. I was proud, but I was also more heartbroken.

Charlie, relieved, got up, walked to my side of the table, and hugged me, which I was grateful for…if he hadn’t, he would have seen my tears. I calmed down quickly, so he never saw me start to cry. He knew what his dream was…so what was mine?

I pushed the thought out of my head – I couldn’t think about that now. Plopping down on the wrinkled sheets of my bed, I carelessly flipped through the newspaper, ignoring articles on cauldron thickness and skimming through articles about the fund-raiser St. Mungo’s was holding. In a fit of rashness, I flipped the page too quickly and gave myself a paper cut. A small slit on my index finger quickly began to cry small droplets of blood. Cursing, I first shook my finger, spraying small drops of blood everywhere, and then wrapped it in my pajama shirt, too lazy to get my wand and heal the small wound. Looking at my newspaper, I saw that it was slightly stained by flecks of blood. A bloody “Help Wanted� ad in the corner caught my eye. It was so cleverly hidden, that I wouldn’t have seen it if it wasn’t blood-stained. I read the ad. My heart stopped beating, and I thought that I would faint. Re-reading it over and over again, my brain finally processed the message.

This was it…my perfect job.

I quickly rushed to get ready, suddenly wide-awake. Grabbing my wand from my desk, I swished it around my head, summoning my best robes out of my closet door. I groaned when I realized that I needed to open my door so they could get out. I cautiously turned the knob, and my best robes flew at me like a speeding broomstick. I pulled them off of my head, cursing. Why do you need to open a closet for your clothes to come out when you summon them? Why can’t that little feature be built-in to the spell?



Half an hour later, I was ready to leave. After tightening my half-ponytail, I reached for my Silver Arrow (shining after a long, much-needed polish) while stuffing the ad into my pocket, never forgetting what it said:


Help Wanted

New Beater for Appleby Arrows

Tryouts on July 1st

Previous experienced needed



I nervously clutched my Silver Arrow. I had never Apparated long distances, and this would be my first time. Of course, thinking of Charlie didn’t help…after all, he had failed his exam the first time.



Concentrating very hard about my location, I squeezed my eyes shut and concentrated on disappearing into nothingness. I felt like I was being squeezed through a very narrow straw. As suddenly as it started, it stopped, and I was facing an old, run-down factory with an elaborate dollhouse painted on the front. The paint was now peeling off in long pieces, revealing the building’s old age more than the crumbling bricks and yellow windows.



I walked up to the dollhouse and tapped the doorknob with my wand. All of a sudden, the door began to grow to a size that would allow me entrance. The door swung open, and I cautiously stepped inside. It was a glistening white reception room, similar to those in hospitals. Secretaries sat busy answering letters, making appointments, or (in some cases), causally chatting away with co-workers.



“Excuse me,� I began, “but I’m looking for the -�



“Tryouts?� The woman asked me with a smile. I nodded. “You’ll have to go for an interview first. Go up to the fourth floor, first door on the right. I already sent a friend of yours up there. You’ll need to fill this out first,� she said, handing me a resume.



I thanked her and was on my way, wondering what she meant about ‘my friend’. I quickly pushed this out of my mind, concentrating only on getting my job. I sat down at a waiting area, filled out the resume, and then checked it over. Going up to the fourth floor, I knocked softy at the door until I heard a voice boom, “Come in!�



I turned the handle and took a deep breath before I stepped into the room. There was a man behind an oak desk, with the name plate reading ‘Mr. Walter Falcons’. He was a man in his mid-twenties, wearing a grey three-piece suit and a red tie. On the chair in front of him sat a dark-haired girl. She turned around as well, and hard, grey eyes fixed at me. My heart suddenly pumped a shot of ice water through my body.



It was Levia.



She had come for the Beater tryouts! I had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, and my common sense was telling me to turn around and bolt out of there. Levia was a cruel, jealous and dangerous person. She attacked me twice (once unsuccessful) in our sixth year. I couldn’t report her, or else I could have possibly gotten Charlie in deep trouble. In the hallway of her attempted second attack, a painting had gotten hit with a spell from her wand. A few days after New Years Eve, the painting had been found, and the surrounding portraits had described a situation…and had also described Levia’s raven black hair and moon colored eyes. Narrowly escaping being expelled, she was put in detention with Professor McGonagall for two months, although I personally thought that the punishment was too soft.



“Ah!� greeted Mr. Walter Falcons. “Welcome! I’m Walter Falcons, and you are…?�



“Arianna Perry.� I garbled, not taking my eyes off of Levia.



“Well, Miss Perry, I was just finishing up my interview with Miss Levia Orsi.� He gestured to Levia sitting in the chair. “If you would excuse us for just a second, I would finish up here and would be right with you.�



I nodded in agreement and stepped out into the corridor. I tried to calm myself down and compose my thoughts and speech, when Levia stepped out into the hallway and Walter Falcons ushered me inside his office. Before going into his office, I caught a look that Levia gave me…and it sent chills down my spine.



“So, Miss Perry,� began Walter Falcons, “what kind of experience do you have?�



I took a deep breath as a last attempt to calm myself down. “Well, I was Beater on my house team in Hogwarts for two years. When I was on the team, we won the Cup.� I didn’t mention that it was because Charlie was on the team.



Walter Falcons made a note of this. “So, you were in Hogwarts? Which house?�



I didn’t see how this was relevant. “Gryffindor,� I replied with raised eyebrows.



Walter Falcons smiled knowingly. “Ah, Gryffindor…where the brave dwell at heart.� He then chuckled. “I was a Ravenclaw – I suppose that’s why I’m in charge of the paperwork!�



I found this stereotyping extremely unfair. After all, Levia was a Gryffindor, however she was more malevolent then any Slytherin I had ever met.



After a few more questions, Walter Falcons allowed Levia inside the room. “I’m going to send you both down to the stadium where you will officially try out for the team. Best of luck to both of you!� He took down a flowerpot with Floo Powder in it, and motioned towards the fireplace. I took a pinch, threw it into the fire, stepped into the jade flames, and yelled out, “Appleby Stadium!�



I was whisked down fireplaces, coughing and holding tighter to my Silver Arrow, fearful that I’d loose it. At last, I stepped out into a locker room. Finding the doorway, I opened the door right when I heard a thud signalling Levia’s arrival. In less then a second, Levia was there. She pinned me to the wall with her cold gaze. “I hope you aren’t actually trying out.� She hissed in mock concern. “Just save yourself the embarrassment and leave now. You know you can’t beat me.�



I stared back at her. “Oh, you mean, like I already have at Hogwarts?� With that, I turned around and exited the room.



I walked onto a large stadium, three times bigger than the one in Hogwarts. The bright, green grass crunched slightly under my feet, while the bright sun reflected painfully off of the bright metal seats. Squinting, I made my way over to where a man in scarlet robes clutched a clipboard.



“Hello,� I began with a polite smile. “My name is Arianna Perry. I’m here -�

“For the tryouts?� he asked in a board tone of voice. I nodded in agreement. “You may sit down on the bench for the time being.�



I sat down, my eyes darting around the stadium as Levia introduced herself. When she took a seat a distance away from me, the man began to speak.



“My name is Peter Tilman, and I will be judging your tryouts. When you try out, I will create targets for you to aim at. I will be judging you on how you fly, your aim, your ease in the air, and overall skill. You have 5 minutes to warm up.�



I mounted my broom and kicked off to do some laps around the stadium. When I took off, joy erupted into my heart. The Silver Arrow felt as if it was a part of me, and it seemed to respond to my thoughts instead of my touch. I glided through the air, dove, rolled, and did some tricks I haven’t done in the longest time. All my worries flew past me as quickly as the air did when I ripped through it. The joy, however, ended quickly, when Peter Tilman’s whistle blew and I landed back on solid ground.



Levia tried out first while I sat down on the sidelines. Curious as to how the tryouts would work, I watched with intense attention. When Levia took off, Tilman waved his wand and images of imaginary Quidditch players appeared on the court. Levia began to pelt the Bludger at them, while Tilman kept count. After twenty projections, Tilman blew his whistle and Levia landed on the ground. Her smug smile told me everything I needed to know; she had hit every target.



Tilman motioned me over. My stomach knotted tightly. It was my moment of truth….



I mounted my broom and when Tilman blew his whistle, I kicked off of the ground. I breathed a sigh of relief when I felt myself glide through the air. The sky was my friend; it was the only place I could really relax. Returning back to my task, I waited for the first projection.



The tryout was fairly normal, just flying around and hitting the Bludger. There was one part where I did slip up….



I had just hit a Bludger at a projection and was flying on when suddenly another projection appeared less then a meter away. Caught completely by surprise, I took a sharp turn right, dove almost at a 180° angle, pulled up centimeters away from the ground, ascended sharply, and made my way to the Bludger on the other side of the field. Feeling very stupid (I could have turned around and flew to the Bludger at the other side of the field instead of creating my own three ring circus) I channeled my humiliation into force and pelted the Bludger at the projection.



After I hit that projection, I heard Tilman’s whistle and landed on the ground.



“Thank you, ladies,� he began, “for trying out. We’ll contact you by next week if we decide to accept your application.�



He turned and walked away, leaving Levia and me staring at each other. If we both hit the twenty targets and both did well…who got accepted?

I was in the Leaky Cauldron later that day, drowning down a cup of bitter tea, trying to jolt myself out of the haze. I had just tried out for the Appleby Arrows…but would I make it? It wasn’t really about the money or Quidditch…it was Levia. I wanted to beat her more than anything else now – I needed to prove it to her. I was better, and I deserved it more! My stomach had an itching discomfort, just like when I got competitive. I sighed – with Charlie out of the country, I jumped at the chance to become obsessed with anything.

I tilted up the cup to my lips, but no liquid poured out. Curious, I looked down into the cup and discovered that it had empty for a long time. Pushing back my hair, I gathered my things, left Tom a tip, and went on home.

I climbed the stairs to my flat and flopped down on my bed. I pushed my face into my pillow, savoring its sweet softness. Then, I heard a tapping sound on my window, like talons on glass.

Déjà vû, I thought, remembering this morning’s events.

I swung my legs over the side of my bed and walked over to the window. After I untied the note, the owl flew back out the window to its owner. Heart hammering, I held the letter. It was thin, only one sheet of parchment – that must mean a rejection letter. Disappointment flooded me while with a heavy heart, I broke the wax seal.

I dropped the letter to the floor, stiff as if I was hit with a body binding curse.

I must have read incorrectly, I decided. However, in plain view, it said:

Dear Miss Perry,

Congratulations on making the Appleby Arrows Quidditch Team. We look forward to your arrival. Practice starts next week, and your contract is coming via another owl.

Sincerely,

Walter Falcons

A wave of joy began in the pit of my stomach and spread across my body. Clasping my hand to my mouth in attempt to muffle my screams of excitement, I felt a strange urge to share the information with someone. Quickly, I blotted down two letters, – one to Charlie, and one to my parents – my hand trembling so much that it made the note illegible. I attached them to Sisi, my owl, and sent her on her way. It was barely a minute after Sisi left that another owl came, this time weighed down by thick wads of paper. Quickly, I untied my contract and gave the poor owl some water and food before sending it off again.

Clutching my contract, I had no clue who to send it to. I couldn’t possible detect the loopholes and careful wording sure to be found! After much thought, I finally decided to send it to Albus Dumbledore. After all, there wasn’t a more brilliant wizard alive today. I scribbled a small note explaining today’s events and asked him to look over the contract.

I went down to the post office (open despite the rather late hour) and sent the request on its way. I returned to my flat, exhausted from the excitement, and decided to celebrate with a long slumber.

* * *

The next day, I woke up earlier and more refreshed than usual. I smiled to myself; everything was finally getting better.

I opened a window to let a breeze enter. While dining on toast and coffee, and owl fluttered in – the same owl I sent to Dumbledore. Excited, I ran over and opened the letter:

Dear Miss Perry,

Congratulations on your new job. It is very lucky you caught me when you did, or else I wouldn’t have gotten your letter until this morning. Nothing is out of the ordinary in your contract, so it is alright to sign.

A very happy career to you,

Albus Dumbledore

Trusting Dumbledore completely, I read the contract and signed it. I sat back down to my breakfast, feeling very accomplished.

Not long after I finished eating, Sisi fluttered in back home with two notes. The first one read:

Ari,

Congrats on getting Beater! You deserve it more than anyone else. I have to go, a Horntail is getting restless.

-Charlie

I put down the letter, a bit disappointed. That’s all that Charlie had to say? I understood that his job needed a lot of time, but still….

My parent’s letter, on the other hand, was oozing with compliments and how proud they were of me. No amount of complements, however, was going to lift up my spirits after Charlie’s letter.

Pushing him from my mind, I decided to start preparing. For the next week, I began tweaking my broom into the best shape possible.

* * *

On the day of my practice, I woke up early. A nervous pit was forming in my stomach, and I thought that I was going to be sick. After a light breakfast of only coffee, I put on my robes and pulled my hair into a braid. After grabbing my shining Silver Arrow, I proceeded to apparate to Appleby Stadium.

When I got there, the stadium was boiling with action. Six men on brooms whizzed over my head. Walter Falcons sat in the bleachers, watching them. When he saw me, he clapped his hands and everyone landed on the ground.

“This is your new teammate, Arianna Perry. I expect you all to get along quite nicely.�

One of the players, muscular and bald, muttered something and spat.

“Right then,� continued Walter Falcons, clearly thinking nothing of it. “This is Janusz Kamieniewski. He will be your fellow Beater.�

I smiled and held out my hand, but one look from his stony eyes told me that he wasn’t a hand-shaking person.

“This is Phil Oberman,� said Walter Falcons, gesturing to a man with black hair and a malevolent glint in his eyes. I didn’t even consider offering him my hand.

“Here is Ben Whills,� continued Walter Falcons, introducing a man with a deep red mop of hair on his head. He glared at me, flexing his arm muscles threateningly. I swallowed the urge to bolt.

Soon, I was also acquainted with Joey Lems (the blondest head of hair I've ever seen) and Scott Novel, an almost shy individual…but the air that hung around him was anything but kind.

My hope was plummeting faster than a dropped Quaffle. This was not going to be an easy team to work with.

Finally, Walter Falcons introduced the last member of the team. I was in such a state of shock when I saw him, my jaw unhinged from its fearful clench. He was hidden from view by his teammates’ unfriendliness, yet his kind eyes shone through like a ray of light on a cloudy day.

“Finally,� concluded Walter Falcons, “this is Leopold Adams.�

“Actually,� he said, grinning, “you can call me Leo.� He caught my eye and winked.

“Well, that took a longer time than expected,� said Walter Falcons. “How about we take the day off of practice?� The suggestion was followed by spitting and some cursing in another language. I turned of leave when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to see Leo.

“Don’t take the team too harshly, alright?� He ran a hand through his chin-length, reddish brown hair. “They’re just jerks.�

I smiled back and nodded. Leo broke out into a grin. “See you later then, Arianna.�

I shook my head. “Call me Ari,� I insisted.

Leo grinned. “Alright then…Ari.�

Darkness flooded the room like water on the sinking Titanic; the sun hadn’t risen yet. Quickly, I rose from my bed, dressed, drank my morning cup of coffee, grabbed my Silver Arrow, and apparated to Appleby Stadium.

When I got there, the locker room was empty. Perfect, I thought. I wasn’t exactly thrilled to be playing with an all-male team (well, mostly male team – whether they liked it or not, I was a part of their sports organization) with an ego the size of Scotland. Even though it was probably silly of me, I felt better to know that I would be done in the locker room before they even came.

But now, I wasn’t so sure of my plan. The locker room (well, at least I was pretty sure it was the locker room) was dark as night, and I had left my wand in my flat – any chance of a ‘lumos’ charm was out of the question. Blindly feeling my way to the door, I smacked my shin into a bench. Cursing, I found the door and escaped my pitch-black peril.

I had been here twice before, but I didn’t really appreciate the splendour of the stadium – not with Levia or that malevolent team around. Taking in my surroundings, I saw bright green, lush grass sprinkled with drops of dew that shimmered in the faint light of the setting moon and rising sun. The seats were chrome and gleaming, shining like hand polished medals of honour. I wish Charlie could see this, I thought sadly. I wish he could be here now. Turning around to see all of the magnificent seats, my eyes found Leo.

Leo? I did a double take. Sure enough, he was there, sitting in one of the seats, looking calmly at me. We stood (or, in his case, sat) there, staring at each other in silence. Finally, tentatively, I walked over to where he sat.

“Hey,� I greeted him gently, not wanting to spoil the softness of the sunrise by speaking too loudly. Leo returned the greeting, smiling at me. He had a nice smile – no, a really nice smile: gentle, yet joyous and caring, with his eyes lighting up to prove he was happy to see me. Before I knew it, he was making me smile too. A minute later, though, my smile faded a bit. He must think I’m a grinning idiot, I decided. After all, I was smiling for no apparent reason, and Leo was beginning to stare.

“Do I have something on my face?� I blurted out, embarrassed.

Leo blinked. “Huh?�

“You’re staring.� I winced at how blunt my words sounded, especially when Leo was being so kind.

To my surprise, Leo looked away, a trace of pink blossoming in his cheeks. “Sorry,� he apologized. “Your smile reminds me of my sister’s.�

This time, I blinked. “Your sister?� I asked, not sure I had heard correctly.

“Twin sister,� he amended. I gave him an encouraging sort of look to go on with the story. “She had your smile, and she looked a bit like you do. We were really close friends. She was more studious than I was, but we were both active people. We both enjoyed a good game of Quidditch, although she wasn’t very blessed athletically. Neither of us could stay cooped up in the house for long. She loved Herbology, and I loved sports of any kind.�

“It sounds like you two had a great childhood.� I commented.
“We did,� agreed Leo. “We rarely fought. Our family owned a home right in the countryside. It was great since there weren’t many Muggles around. She hunted for new plants, while I practiced Quidditch.�

I nodded to show that I was interested. “Where is she now?� I asked.

Instantly, a wave of sorrow flashed across his face and pain shot through his eyes.

“Sorry,� I quickly apologized. “I didn’t mean to -�

“It’s okay,� Leo reassured me. He took a deep breath. “Like I said, she loved Herbology. One day, she was out researching Mandrake habitats. Her earmuffs must have been on too loose, or the cry was louder than usual, and she….�

He didn’t have to go on. I put my hand on his shoulder. “I’m so sorry,� I whispered, wishing I could say more to comfort him. I tried to change the subject, but I couldn’t help asking, “What was her name?�

“Her name was Cira. I always called her Cir. My mother called her Mimi.�

“Mimi?� I asked, curious how that fit in with the name ‘Cira’.
“It was short for ‘mi amore’, which means ‘my love’ in Italian. My mother grew up in Italy, with explains her love of wine, pastas, operas.� After a moment of silence, he suddenly grinned. “You know what? I should call you that.�

“Opera?�

“No.� He laughed. “Mimi.�

I smiled, and he smiled back. Mimi…I liked the way that sounded.

We both watched the sun rise, its rays illuminating the grass with glistening dew. The sky was pink and orange mixed together in a beautiful wonder that could be only found in nature; small ribbons of yellow shot across the sky, pulling up an orange circle of light up into the sky. In a strange way that didn’t feel strange at all, Leo and I understood each other completely. He was wishing for his sister, and I was wishing for Charlie.

The longer I stayed on the team, the closer Leo and I got. It was a fantastic feeling to know he was there to listen and help me get through the trials of my life. He told me stories about Mimi: how she used to pick flowers and weave them into crowns; how she collected and documented plant samples in her notebook; even about the time she wandered into the well-known Muggle plant, poison ivy. In return, I talked to him about Charlie: how we first met, how I tried out for Beater; I even found myself telling Leo about that fateful Christmas. It was almost like having a brother; I grew up as a single child, and Leo was the sibling and friend I had so desperately wanted during my childhood, at Hogwarts, and even now.

When I got home from another brutal day of practice, I found a large brown owl outside my window. Curious, I let him in and unattached the piece of parchment attached to his leg. It read:

Ari,

I’ve gotten Friday off, so I’m coming to visit you during practice. I can’t stay long.

-Charlie

My eyes widened in disbelief. I re-read the very short letter (it was more of a note, actually) to make sure I comprehended the message:

Charlie was coming.
He would be here Friday.
He would watch during practice.
He would most likely be gone the same day.
And I was not happy with his plans.

The last part shocked me. He didn’t even ask me if he could come. If he asked, I was pretty sure I could have gotten the day off to spend some time together.

His letter was…simple; too simple. He didn’t have to write me a novel, but something other than “I’m coming� would have been nice. Feeling irked, I crumpled up the note and let it drop to the floor like a piece of trash.


* * *


Friday came quicker than I would have preferred. I may have been annoyed, but there was no denying that it would be good to see Charlie. I had gotten to the stadium extra-early – earlier that Leo – and was now sitting in the bleachers.

After waiting a bit longer than I liked, Charlie appeared on the field, though this time, he looked…different. His arms bulged with muscles and were streaked with shining burns. Gone was the eager, boyish face I came to love; it was replaced by a mature, cautious expression.

After a moment’s hesitation, I got up from my seat and went down to the field. “Charlie?� I called out, not because I wasn’t sure who he was, but because I didn’t know what else to say.

He turned around to face me. “Ari,� he welcomed with a smile. “How are you?� He held out his hand.

I stood there, stunned. A handshake? What was this, a business meeting? I loosely grabbed his hand and shook it, feeling splinters and worn skin. “I’m…fine,� I replied slowly. “How about you?�

“I’m well,� he answered simply. We both stood there, silent. We didn’t know how to break the ice of weeks without communication.

Suddenly, Charlie’s newly-acquired sensitive hearing picked up a noise. “What was that?� he demanded, turning to face the locker room, his hand hovering just above his wand.

I opened my mouth to tell him, but he saw for himself when Leo stepped out of the locker room.

“Mimi!� he greeted me with a grin that was soon on my face too.

“Hey Leo!� I cried out as he bent to give me a hug. Remembering that Charlie was there, I introduced the two.

Leo shook Charlie’s hand heartily, but Charlie had a wary look in his eyes.

“Mimi told me a lot about you!� said Leo, keeping the atmosphere cheerful. Charlie’s eyes narrowed at the sound of my nickname.

“Yes, well, can you give us a second?� he asked, gripping my shoulders with a death grip. Without waiting for a reply, he steered me away from Leo.

“Mimi?� he asked with one eyebrow raised. “What is that about?�

My jaw dropped in shock. “It’s a nickname!� I exclaimed. “It used to be his late sister’s. He says I look a lot like her.�

“His sister.� said Charlie, as if it was the most pathetic explanation in the world.

My eyes widened in disbelief. “I can’t believe you were so rude to Leo!�

“Why haven’t I heard about this guy?� demanded Charlie.

“What’s there to hear?!? He’s my friend! And it’s not like you write to me!�

“I have a demanding job!�

“Well, so do I, but a little note now and then wouldn’t hurt! ‘Hi Ari, the dragons haven’t burned me to a crisp yet.’�

“I can’t believe you,� muttered Charlie, obviously disgusted.

“Yes, well, I can’t believe you! You invite yourself over, practically attack Leo, and you don’t trust me!�

“I don’t have time for this,� snapped Charlie, and proceeded to apparate back to Romania.

“Be careful; you don’t want to apparate five miles south of your target again!� I shouted after him in mock concern.

Seething, I trudged back to the bleachers. Suddenly, Leo appeared next to me.

“I’m sorry if I messed up Charlie’s visit,� he said sincerely.

I sighed. “Trust me, it wasn’t your fault.�

Leo hesitated, and said, “But if he’s jealous, then at least you still know that he cares.�

After Charlie’s rude interruption of my life, I was still (rather understandably) angry. But strangely enough, my anger did not leave; instead, every little imperfect detail frustrated me as much as a potions essay back at Hogwarts.

To make matters worse, there was a game coming up – my first – against the Wimbourne Wasps. The entire team was training heavily, and (minus Leo) was getting easily set off.

A few days after Charlie’s visit, I woke up in the middle of the night by a flash of white light. Startled, I lay in bed until I heard a low rumbling sound that seemed to shake the foundations of my flat, sending vibrations flowing across the wall. I groaned; I always had a hard time sleeping through storms.

Indeed, this was no exception. After what seemed to be a decade of tossing and turning, I finally realized that I was a witch. A witch that was of age.

I scrambled out of bed and looked frantically for my truck that held all my Hogwarts items. When I finally found it at the foot of my bed, I began rummaging through all of my belongings for my cauldron, leftover potions ingredients, and my copy of Advanced Potion Making. Checking that I had asphodel, wormwood, valerian roots and sopophorous beans, I hastily began making the sleeping potion. Twice, the thunder growled so viciously that I nearly spilled my potion, but I finally finished it. I headed back to bed, drank my potion, and fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

When I finally began to wake, I felt a smile spread across my face. Never had I slept so peacefully through a storm. I stretched my arms, yawned, and turned to look at the alarm clock – and promptly screamed.

The clock announced that it was eight o’clock. Eight o’clock?!?! I should have been at the stadium at six! Quickly, without bothering to eat of comb my hair, I dressed in my practice clothes, grabbed my Silver Arrow, and apparated.

I arrived that the field with the air in full action. “Watch out!� I heard Leo cry out.

I ducked and felt a rush of air above my head that could have only belonged to a speeding Bludger. Annoyed at the near-miss, I grabbed a bat and flew to join the team.

“Are you okay?� shouted Leo in the air. I nodded, and returned my attention to the Bludgers. Today was Beater training for Janusz and me, and Avoiding Bludger(s) training for the rest of the team. The sky was turning a nasty shade of grey, and moisture could be smelt in the air. The drop in pressure made my head throb. Then, sure enough, it started to drizzle.

Though we usually stayed out of each other’s way, the team was annoyed at my late arrival. It was either that, or now that they say what a foul mood I was in, they decided to get a sick kick from making it worse. More than once, Phil flew straight at me, causing me to pull out of his way and into some one else’s, usually Scott’s. Ben and Joey took things a step further and actually flew into me, knocking into my broomstick and jostling me around. Countless times I lost my grip because of this, and would have fallen off if it wasn’t for my legs wrapped tightly around the broom handle. My beautiful Silver Arrow, once sleek and shiny, was battered like a punching bag: twigs were crumpled and broken and the scratches were countless.

I kept telling myself to be strong and wait the practice out, but the last straw was Janusz hitting a Bludger at me with such force that while I was able to get out of the way; it singed the tips of my hair when it flew by. I could hear him laugh and mutter something that sounded like, “Holerna kobieta.�

Everything began to pile up at once: the team never gave me a chance; Charlie’s disastrous visit and how he decided to dislike Leo without even knowing him; the thunderstorm for wearing me out; my stupidity for brewing such a strong sleeping potion; the team for physically abusing me – I had to let it out. I was angry enough to snap my broomstick handle in half.

“HEY!� I screamed at Janusz, who was now on the ground. I landed and began to march over to him when I realized I didn’t have much else to say. However, I blew my top already, so I might as well keep the lava flowing.

Janusz turned toward me slowly, meaning to intimidate me, but it only infuriated me more. Oh, so because he shoots me a glare I should shut up and play nice?!? Who does he think he is?!?

“Well excuse me, Mr. Too-Cool-To-Speak-English,� I began, raising my voice with each word. “Who do you think you are?! Do you think that you own this place? Do you think that just because I’m a woman you can do what you want with me? And don’t you dare take a step towards me!� I warned in a low voice. “Or Lord help me, I will beat you senseless!� I held up my Beater’s club, prepared to strike.

Janusz stared at my eyes without any emotion in his face (a creepy expression, trust me) and then he turned and walked away without a word. I stood there, partly paralyzed by my outburst. The entire team began to walk away from the field and to the locker room. I sighed and massaged my sore head. Leo came up to me and wrapped me in his arms. At first, I felt restless – I wanted to punch something, not be embraced – but it’s a wonder how a hug, complete with hair stroking and a peaceful silence, can calm a person. For a moment, I felt that Leo and I were brother and sister; I really felt like I was Mimi Adams.

“Are you okay, Mimi?� he finally whispered in my ear.

I sighed. “I’m okay now.� But truth be told, that whisper made it worse. It made me think of when Charlie whispered my name into my ear on Christmas Day, the day that we exchanged out first kiss.

Leo pulled back suddenly. “You should talk to Walter Falcons! Tell them about the abuse!�
I shook my head. “No. They can’t get rid of five players – it’d be easier to get rid of me. After all, Levia also tried out, and they could insert her into the team easily. Besides, everyone else gets along fine – I’m the only complainer.�

Leo rubbed my shoulders. “You’re tense,� he observed. Suddenly, his face lit up. “There is a casual event at my friend’s house tonight. It would be a way for you to further your sports career – you know, make yourself known. Would you like to come? Non-formally, I mean.� added Leo hastily after hearing what his invitation sounded like.

I smiled. “Well…why not? I’ll be there.�

After I got home from practice that night, I was stumped; what did you wear to these things? Leo said it was causal, but I highly doubted I could waltz in there in my practice clothes. After a quick shower, I finally decided on black pants with a white button-down shirt and some Quidditch boots in good condition. Instead of dress robes, I pulled on some clean but plain black ones. I was searching though my jewellery box to find something to wear on my neck when I found a dragon necklace. It wasn’t just any dragon necklace – it was the one Charlie gave me for Christmas in our sixth year. I closed my eyes, remembering Charlie’s fingers sending lightning shocks down my spine as he fastened it around my neck. And then…we were sharing our first kiss. I held the necklace so tightly that it cut into my fingers. Ignoring the blood, I fastened it around my neck and felt the pendant slide down to my breastbone.

I realized that I had no idea where Leo was, where the party was, or how I was going to get there. I curled up on my bed, not able to get Charlie out of my head, when a knock on the door startled me out of my daydreams. I opened the door and stood face to face with Leo.

“Ready, Mimi?� he asked with a smile. I nodded, and then remembering my question, asked, “Where is the party?�

Leo shook his hair out of his eyes. “Stratford-Upon-Avon, I believe,� he said with a shrug. He looked around. “Do you have a fireplace?�

I grimaced. “Well, no…,� I began. “But Tom has one in the Leaky Cauldron that we can use.� I added, reassuring Leo.

After arriving at the Leaky Cauldron (And asking permission to use the fireplace), Leo pulled out some Floo Powder he had wrapped up tightly in a cloth. “Ladies first,� he said, stepping to the side and offering me the cloth.

Taking a pinch of the powder, I suddenly realized something. “Umm, Leo?�

“Yes?�

“What is the address? Or is it a specific name?�

Leo chuckled. “It’d be a bit hard to get there if you didn’t know the exact location, huh? It’s called ‘The Crest’.�

I took a deep breath, threw the powder, stepped into the emerald flames, and yelled out, “The Crest!�

Considering the distance from London to Stratford-Upon-Avon, the travel by Floo Powder was rather short. My ending point was a small room with crimson walls, a bookshelf, and some paintings. A house elf stood to one side, dressed in a crisp, white pillowcase.

“Allow me, Miss,� the elf squeaked, and with a snap of his fingers, the dust and soot vanished.

Ahh, I thought. This must be a welcoming elf. I was about to thank him when Leo entered the room. When the elf cleared him from the ash, we both nodded our thanks and left the room.

“His master allows him to use magic?� I whispered to Leo when we were out of the room.

“It’s just for the party,� he whispered back. “More than anything, it’s showing off.�

We stepped into the main room, and I thought I had stepped onto another planet. The room was enormous and white with the ceiling stretching up into the sky (no doubt bewitched to look that way). Glittering golden curtains framed windows the size of a giant. Silver and golden ribbons hung from the vast ceiling studded with what looked like diamonds. An enormous glass table lined a wall filled with shrimps, biscuits, and small sandwiches. Glasses of champaign lined the other part of the table.

I was so shocked by the décor that I didn’t even notice the guests. Ladislaw Zamojski (Poland’s top Chaser) was chatting casually with Myron Wogtail (lead singer of the Weird Sisters). Gwenog Jones (captain of the Holyhead Harpies) was a bit drunk already with a beetle in her hair and flirting with Ludo Bagman (head of the Department of Games and Sports).

A man with spiked blonde hair and startling jade eyes walked up and shook Leo’s hand vigorously. “Leo, my friend, you always bring the most beautiful women,� he said, gesturing to me with a smile.

My eyes widened. Was it a mistake to come here with Leo? “We’re not…� I began hastily, before seeing the glimmer in the man’s eyes that told me he already knew.

“Mimi, this is Noah Lords, the person responsible for this get together.� said Leo. “Noah, this is Mim- Arianna Perry.�

Noah’s eyebrows shot up and gave Leo a rather stern look when he heard the name ‘Mimi’, but he shook my hand anyways. “Nice to meet you, Arianna.� He said.

I shook my head. “Please, call me Ari.�

Noah stood by us most of the evening, except for when he had to greet other guests (not as frequently as I would have thought; Leo and I seemed to be one of the later guests). Leo pointed out – and introduced me to – more stars than in Astronomy class. Seeing that champaign was the only thing there was to drink, I was hesitant at first, but decided to at least try it. The drink was bitter, but I kept sipping at it, as everyone else did. Before I knew it, another glass was in my hand.

The evening went by in a whirl of colour and face I would never be able to remember. I didn’t remember much of the night, as it turned out. I had just set down my empty glass and was walking towards Noah to ask him how he and Leo knew each other in the first place…

…when everything turned black.

Light.

Light was equivalent to paint, as I had found out. In the blackness there was peace, but light burned in my eyes, searing though my head. As I opened my eyes wider, white walls and wooden frames swam into focus. Wait a minute…white walls?!?

I saw up so fast that the dull throbbing in the back of my head exploded to a roaring pain as my blood rushed downwards. Clenching my teeth to suppress a groan, I eased back down into a horizontal position on the bed. Wait…bed? I was in a bed?

I looked down and saw light blue sheets with matching pillows (so that explained why my head was so comfortable). The light, I had found out, came from an enormous bay window. From the frames, strangers either greeted me hello with a nod, or peered out of the pictures as if worried about me. On the nightstand, there was a glass of water, my wand, and the necklace Charlie gave me. On the floor were my Quidditch boots.

So, this was all great fun, but where was I? I tried to think of the answer, massaging my head as if the solution would come to me that way, when I looked down at my outfit: a white button down blouse and black pants. All of a sudden, I remembered.

“Bloody HELL!�

The last think I could remember was walking up to Noah; after that…darkness. I wanted to slap my forehead; this was my first career party, and I made a complete idiot of myself. From now on, I’d be known as The Fainting Girl. Well, it could have been worse, I thought, remembering Gwenog Jones. She was drunk, reeked of champagne, flirting with a Ministry official, and on top of it all, had a beetle in her hair.

Suddenly, Leo burst into the room, alarmed by my earlier outburst. “Mim- Ari, are you all right?� he asked, correcting himself because Noah was following closely behind him.

I gritted my teeth to provide minimal relief from my pounding headache. “I’m fine,� I lied.

Noah stepped forward with a cup in his hands. “I may not have gotten into O.W.L. Potions,� he began. “But I’ve made this brew enough times to be sure of what I’m doing.� He handed me the mug.

I sipped at the drink (which tasted oddly enough like raspberry tea), and almost immediately felt a cooling relief wash over me. I quickly thanked Noah before drowning down the rest of the potion.

I set the cup down on the nightstand next to the glass of water. “That helped a lot. What was it?�

“A hangover potion,� replied Noah with a shrug. “Slightly more advanced than an O.W.L. potion, but after making it for so many years, it’s become my specialty.�

“I see. So, do you always set up a hospital after a party for hung-over people?�

Noah laughed. “Only for the first timers,� he teased. “If my guests are passing out,� (I looked away, embarrassed), “or are too drunk to Floo or Aparate back home, then yes, I do set up a hospital in my house.� He sighed. “Luckily, last night was more of a get-together than a party. The only patient is you. Well, actually, Gwenog Jones stayed until she was sober enough to Floo back home.�

A get together? I thought. Note to self: do not drink at “parties�.


When Noah took the mug back downstairs, Leo turned to me and sighed. “You really scared me, Mimi,� he said, smiling at me with loving eyes.

Loving eyes? Hold on a tick. Those were not the same eyes Charlie looked at me with. Charlie’s eyes were much more passionate and awe-filled. Leo’s were like…a father gazing proudly at his daughter.

Or a brother gazing happily at his twin sister.

Suddenly, the nickname Mimi did not feel warm. It felt foreign; it was a different person. I was Ari, not Mimi. I wasn’t Leo’s sister, and I felt like I was cheating him out of the memory of his sister. No, he was the one cheating himself. He was not letting her go and die in peace.

“Leo, I need to talk to you,� I said softly.

“About what, Mimi?� he asked, curious.

“About that,� I sighed. This was not going to be easy. “Leo, you told me that I reminded you of Cira. How?�

Leo thought for a moment. “Well…you two have the same face shape. You both have the same kind of eyes, though yours are a slightly different blue. The way your hair falls is like Mimi’s, but again, your hair is darker. Mimi was shorter than me, even though we were twins, but you’re a lot younger….�

I held up my hand to signal Leo to stop. “How about personality-wise? Was Cira active?�

Leo shook his head. “Aside from hunting for plants, no.�

“Could Cira fly high into the air on a broomstick?�
“No; she was afraid of heights.�

“Would Cira have defended herself against Janusz like I did?�

Leo shook his head again. “No; she would have waited the practice out.�

I sighed. “Leo, I know you loved Cira very much, but she’s gone now. Leo, I am not Cira. I am not Mimi. I’m Ari. It’s fine that I remind you of your sister, but you can’t hold onto her through me. You need to stop chasing ghosts and let her memory rest in peace, or else you’re only hurting yourself.�

The room was silent for a long time; Leo’s _expression was unreadable. I bit my lip. Was it a bad idea to tell Leo what I just said?

Leo finally broke the silence. “You’re right.�

“What?� I was so relieved that he spoke that I completely missed what he said.

“You’re right. Ever since she died, I…couldn’t bear the thought of life without her. I needed her. Now…I don’t. Or I shouldn’t. I shouldn’t live in the past.

I smiled sympathetically. “You don’t have to erase her from your life. Just move on.�

Leo smiled back. “Ari?�

“Yeah?�

“Can I still be your brother?�

Growing up as an only child, suddenly having a brother (even if he wasn’t biologically related to me) seemed like a miracle. “Of course!� I exclaimed, and Leo leaned over to give me a very brotherly hug.

Suddenly, there was a flash, and Charlie appeared, clutching a copy of the Daily Prophet. His eyes darted from me to Leo, where he caught us releasing from each other’s hug. Charlie’s eyes narrowed and (helped by his red hair) looked remarkably like a bull whose snout just got slapped.

“Oh, damn.� I whispered.

“Ari,� Charlie greeted me in a stiff sort of way. He had changed on the outside: he was much tanned than last time, with much more severe burns, including a strange mark on his shoulder. Also, his arms were significantly more muscular and stronger.

“Charlie,� I replied, getting a bit offended. Why was he being so stiff? Why was he here in the first place?

“Hello,� said Leo, looking uncomfortable. “We’ve met before.�

“I don’t mean to be rude, Charlie,� I began, “but what are you doing here?�

“I was going to ask you that, but the Daily Prophet sums it up quite nicely.� He said coolly. My confusion must have shown because Charlie raised his eyebrows at me and said, “Oh, I suppose you haven’t read today’s edition, then.� He tossed me his copy, and my eyes fell on the headline:

PARTY AT CELEBRITY’S LEAVES MUCH SPECULATION

I skimmed the article (which was mostly about Gwenog Jones’s behaviour at the party) until I saw my name:

“Among the many guests at Quidditch announcer Noah Lords’s party was the newest addition to the Appleby Arrows team, Adrianna Perry. The up-and-coming Beater was seen with Leopold Adams, the star Chaser of the team. Although she was Leopold’s date for the evening, Noah Lords was also seen chatting with the two. Miss Perry, who just graduated from Hogwarts in June, was overheard requesting Noah Lords to call her “Adri�, no doubt a name she does not permit just anyone to call her. Late into the party, both Leopold Adams and Noah Lords were seen Adrianna upstairs, the reason unknown. So the question that remains is: is Miss Perry holding onto Leopold Adams, or does she have Noah Lords on her eye?�

I felt my jaw drop and eyes widen in horror as I read the final sentence. I was in such a state of shock that I almost didn’t hear what Charlie was saying.

“I have the Daily Prophet delivered to me especially from England. After I read this article – oh, and you can imagine my surprise after I read it! – I went to look for you in your flat, and then at his place,� (he jerked his head towards Leo) “before I came here. So, were you enjoying yourself, Ari?� he asked mockingly.

I searched the article until I found out who wrote it. “Charlie, this article was written by Rita Skeeter. She makes mountains out of molehills! Everything she writes is spun out of thin air! Surely, you can’t believe her, right?�

Charlie looked away and didn’t say a word.

“Charlie!� I exclaimed, shocked and hurt. He believed that Skeeter cow over me?

Charlie’s gaze was unforgiving. “She had to have gotten the idea somewhere. There has to be some fact in her article.�

I was close to tears at the moment, and a sick knot in my stomach was forming. “What fact?!?! That my name is Adrianna?!? Yeah, great facts!�

Charlie bristled. “Well, you are here! You were at the party with him!� He pointed at Leo, who was getting more and more anxious by the minute. “And they obviously carried you upstairs!�

“I passed out, Charlie!� I exclaimed, my eyes watering up with dangerous amount of tears that threatened to spill at any moment. “I drank too much champagne! What were they supposed to do, leave me there? Look at me, Charlie! I’m still in the clothes that I wore for the party! Noah just gave me a hangover potion! Does it look like I’ve been having much fun?!? Rita Skeeter just made me look like an idiot in front of the world! Rita Skeeter wasn’t even at the party!�

“No; you made yourself look like an idiot!� Charlie retorted. “And me! What will everyone think of us when they read that article? In their mind, I’m being cuckolded by a Quiddtich star and an announcer!�

“You’re not being cuckolded!� I shrieked. “Leo’s my friend -�

“And you remind him of his sister! Ari, I’m a guy, and I know a lot of lines, but that has to be as unoriginal and pathetic as it gets!�

My jaw dropped, and I tasted the saltiness of my own tears. “Charlie, you’ve got to be kidding me! Leo’s been the only person on the team who’s been nice to me! Do you know how it feels to be on a Quidditch team where five out of the seven players hate you? I know, and trust me; it’s not a walk in the park! Leo is my friend! We could never…I wouldn’t dream of…we’re just friends, Charlie! Just friends – nothing more!�

“We started out as must friends, Ari!� Charlie exclaimed mournfully. “Remember?�

Remember? How could I forget? Meeting Charlie was the highlight of my life; it was right up there with getting into Hogwarts, graduating, and getting the letter that told me I had made it into the Appleby Arrows. It was hard to believe that just a year and a half ago, Charlie and I were falling in love for he first time, and that everything seemed perfect.

“I remember, Charlie,� I said. “But why can’t I be friends with Leo without it being speculated that we’re dating? Or having an affair? Or that I have a crush on him? Why? Answer me, Charlie.�

“Because most relationships – including ours – began as friendships. That’s now it usually is, Ari; you meet someone at school or at work, and then the rest is history.�

History? Well, Leo and I are not history in the making. “Oh, really, Charlie?�

“Yes, really.�

“Well, guess what? It’s my turn now.�

“What?�

“You heard me correctly; it’s my turn now. You’ve played the role of interrogator for too long. So, I’ve heard that a lot of females are coming to Romania to study dragons these days.�

As I had expected, Charlie’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Excuse me?�

“I think you heard me correctly, Mr. Weasley.�

“I don’t believe this….�

“Yes, well, neither can I! I don’t believe that you’re accusing me without any hard evidence!�

“Except that article!�

“That article is shit, Charlie! You, of all people, should know that!�

“I saw you two hugging in a bed! Care to explain that?�

“What about that mark on your shoulder? Care to explain that?�

The room was so silent that I could hear Charlie’s quick breathing. “I’m out of here,� he declared, and proceeded to apparate back to Romania.

I rubbed my head and turned to Leo. “I’m sorry you had to witness that.�

Leo stood, frozen. “I’m sorry for causing so much trouble.�

I sighed. “It was Charlie’s lack of judgment, so don’t apologize.�

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Noah came into the room carrying biscuits, sausages, fried eggs, sliced pears, and coffee on a tray. He beamed as he set down the tray in front of me, pleased at his efforts to make me breakfast. “So, did I miss anything?�

The one good thing about a busy practice schedule is that I didn’t have time to think about Charlie. The match against the Wimbourne Wasps was just a week away. The Appleby Arrows were their fierce rivals (and vice versa), so this match was getting a lot of attention. But even though I didn’t think about Charlie, and even though I still thought that his accusations were crazy, time was mending my wounded heart, whether I liked it or not.
 
Practice was longer than usual, but the team wasn’t bothering me this time. Perhaps because they knew I could fight back, or perhaps because they were simply too tired. A day before the big game, Leo came up to me with a bundle of cloth in his hands.
 
“Ari! Guess what I have?�
 
I honestly had no clue. “What?�
 
Leo grinned. “Your Quidditch robes!� He handed me the fabric, and I studied it. The robes were a nice, light blue with a silver arrow stitched on the chest. I grinned and picked up my own Silver Arrow broomstick to go home.
 
“Now I get it,� Leo chuckled. “You only joined the team so your broom and robes can match.�
 
I sighed, unable to fight a smile. “I’m a girl, Leo. Girls always accessorize.�
 
*          *          *
 
The big day finally came. After a meal of peanut butter on toast (a meal Leo insisted would give me an energy boost) and coffee, as usual, I dressed at home. I pulled on my snug black Quidditch breeches, a powder blue cotton shirt, and my favourite Quidditch boots. Finally, I put on my new robes, which surprisingly, fitted better than my regular daywear ones. I stood back and checked over my uniform. Whoever said that fashion and Quidditch do not go together obviously didn’t have to dress for a professional game.
 
Professional game? I gulped nervously and tightened my grip on my Silver Arrow. People have died in professional games. I didn’t have a Hogwarts safety net anymore with Madam Hooch ensuring there was a clean game; I was on my own now. Trying to calm the butterflies in my stomach, I apparated to the stadium.
 
As usual, Leo was there, but he wasn’t alone. Fans were already in their seats, eager for the game to begin. This surprised me; the team had fans? Not just admirers, but people who have camped out all night to avoid the big crowd and possibly chat with the players. I stood there in shock, and then went to Leo.
 
“Are you nervous, Ari?� he asked, squinting his eyes due to the bright sun.
 
“A little,� I admitted, rubbing my stomach.
 
 “Don’t be! I’ve seen you at practice, and trust me; you’re the most promising Beater I’ve seen in a long time.�
 
I smiled, hardly daring to believe it. “Really? But…I’m just Ari; I’m not that great.�

Leo shook his head. “You may think not, but you come alive in the air. That is a gift not many other people have. I saw you when you tried out.�
 
I was shocked. “Really?�

“Yes, and you were going against some tough competition. But that move in the end, when you took the complicated way instead of the easy way…you made it look effortless and as graceful as a ballet. You have talent, Ari, whether you like it or not.�
 
Any doubt and uneasiness seemed to dissolve. “Thank you,� I said.

Leo shrugged. “It’s the truth.�

A few moments later, the rest of the team arrived, their expressions stony and unreadable. When the announcer sat down at his desk, I saw that it wasn’t Noah, but Jazz Davis, the announcer from Hogwarts. Feeling happier that at least someone I knew from Hogwarts was here, I got ready on the field when the Wimbourne Wasps came to a stop in front of us.
 
There he is, I thought, my eyes picked him out immediately. He was the Chaser, but not just any Chaser. Joshua Coffin was the star Chaser. He was the team captain, and an unstoppable force on the field. But there was no time to dwell; the referee had blown his whistle, and the game had begun.
 
I flew into the air, savouring the way the wind blew across my face and played with the ends of my hair.  Realizing that I had no time to think about these things, I fixed my attention on the game.
 
I kept out of the way, yet able to quickly act if I needed to. Someone from the opposing team had the Quaffle; I raced to a Bludger and was about to hit it in their direction when Janusz beat me to it. As much as I disliked him, I had to admit that he was good at his job. The Bludger didn’t hit the Chaser, but instead curved in front of him. The Chaser, rather started at the Bludger’s appearance, flew sharply up and dropped the Quaffle. Another Chaser from the Wimbourne Wasps accidentally flew into him, sending laughter from the Arrows fans, but murmurs of worry from the Wasps fans.
 
Leo had caught the Quaffle, and I clutched my broom until my knuckles were white, desperately wanting him to score. Jazz Davis’s commentary was ringing out across the stadium:
 
“And that’s Adams with the Quaffle – nice move dodging that Bludger – ooh, stopped by another Bludger – Coffin in possession of the Quaffle; he’s going to sc – no, stopped by a fantastic move by Whills – Quinn with the Quaffle – ouch, hit in the side by a Bludger sent his way by Perry – Adams with the Quaffle – he avoids the Bludger, - Bloom dives – misses – ARROWS SCORE!�
 
I let out a shout of joy at Leo’s accomplishment, and partly my own for managing to hit Taye Quinn with the Bludger.  
 
As the game went on for a bit longer (Leo scored once more, Scott scored twice and Joey scored four times), the score was now 80-20. I was flying higher than the rest of the team, so I had a bird’s eye view of the game. So when I saw Brett Royals hit a Bludger towards Phil Oberman, as much as I disliked him, I shouted out, “PHIL! FLY UP!� Acting on my advice, Phil took a sharp turn up, and the Bludger ended up smacking Max To in the arm.
 
I wasn’t so lucky with Leo. I tried to warm him, but it was too late; the Bludger struck him in the ear. I suppose that is what made my blood boil. Leo was my FRIEND. He stuck by me through training and parties. We talked about everything under the sun. No one, NO ONE, was going to attack him and get away with it.
 
I held onto my bat tighter than ever, my arm muscles ready to spring into action. Mike Line – the same person who had hit Leo – had hit a Bludger towards me. I swung my bat so hard at that ball that it cracked a bit. The Bludger was a blur of fury and power as it shot through the air.
 
As all Beaters know, one of the most sensitive places – and therefore, the one most frequently aimed at – is the back of the neck. However, it is very rare that one does manage to hit that spot.
 
It is there that my Bludger hit Joshua Coffin.
 
Caught completely off guard, he slid off his broom and fell thirty feet to the grass below.
 
I didn’t know what was more astonishing: that a rookie like me had single-handedly taken out a star Chaser or what came next.
 
The Bludger, after striking its victim, continued to soar through the air. It collided with the Snitch, which soared into the hands of Wasps Seek Todd Brisbane.
 
I hovered there in mid-air, stunned. That wasn’t possible! A Bludger could never hit a Snitch, let alone bounce it into the hands of a Seeker. But how can I deny it? It was right in front of me. Fate had played out a one-in-a-million shot.
 
And it was my fault.
 
I couldn’t help but feel guilty. I had hit that Bludger last, so it was technically my fault.
 
I landed and was ready to go back home when I heard a shout. Phil Oberman and Ben Whills were chanting while Joey Lems and Scott Novel were running towards me. Great, I thought. Now I have my own person angry mob.
 
But what were Phil and Ben yelling? I listened intently until I heard it:
 
“PE-RRY!! PE-RRY! PE-RRY!!!�
 
I took me a moment to realize that they were chanting my last name. In that time, they had caught up with me. Ben and Phil kept yelling while Joey slapped my back and Scott hit my hand.

However…they weren’t violent. They were…celebrating?
 
“Fantastic play, Perry!� Phil yelled.
 
“Bloody brilliant!� added Joey enthusiastically.
  
I was lost. “But…we lost the game!�
 
“Who cares about the game?� roared Ben. “You just did what no one else in the league could do in years; you got Coffin!�
 
“You took care of him for the rest of the season!� cackled Scott. “I didn’t know you had it in you!�
 
And the happy gang skipped off, leaving me alone, even more confused than before.
 
For the first time, I looked at the crowd. It was torn emotionally. Wasps fans didn’t know whether to rejoice at the win or be solemn for Joshua Coffin. Arrows fans were mostly…cheering?!?
 
Suddenly, Janusz appeared in front of me. At that moment I was painfully aware of exactly how much taller he was than me. After what seemed like forever, his stone face broke out into an unnatural smile. “Good jahb, Pehry.� he finally said with his thick accent, and walked away.
 
My head was spinning, and I was convinced that this was a dream: I had lost the game, and the team wasn’t mad; they actually accepted me!
 
As the crowd cleared, I saw a familiar mop of flaming red hair. Almost instantly, my heartstrings were pulled, and I realized how much I missed him, and how truly sorry I was that I said all those things during the fights. Time was a fantastic healer, and it healed my pain. I bit my lip, and walked over to him.
 
Charlie began walking towards me almost immediately, so we met halfway. He stood in front on me, chewing his lip. Finally, he said, “Ari, I am so, so sorry.�
 
“What?� I asked, surprised, as none of this crazy day was making any sense.
 
“I just…I…I don’t know what got into me. Seeing you sharing this bond with a guy I hadn’t heard of….� He shook his head. “It can do some crazy things to your mind.�
 
“I’m sorry too,� I admitted. “I’m sorry that I said…what I said at the end of the fight.� I paused. “Both fights, actually.�
 
Saying these things out loud was like taking a huge weight off of my shoulders. I could tell Charlie was sorry and, well…his position was understandable. “Charlie…I forgive you.�
 
Charlie smiled. “I forgive you too, Ari. I also owe you an explanation.� He took a deep breath and continued. “They do crazy things to you in Romania . The newbies have to guard the dragons at night, while go through strength training during the day. I…I didn’t have time to sleep. I didn’t have much time to eat. But this…if you survive this, you’re on the fast track to making it big.�
 
I nodded. “I understand,� I whispered.
 
Charlie smiled. “Thanks Ari.� He sighed. “So…where’s Leo?�
 
My eyes widened in alarm. “Leo!� I yelled, distressed at how thoroughly I had forgotten him.    
 
I turned around to look for him, and my mouth fell open in shock. A petite blonde in a fuzzy pink sweater, light blue pants, and matching silk blue scarf was already by Leo. Actually, in front of Leo was more like it. Leo seemed to be enjoying her company; he couldn’t seem to keep his lips off of hers.
 
Charlie and I looked at each other. We were both stunned; Leo Adams had a girlfriend?
 
Noah Lords looked embarrassed at the couple’s energetic reunion. When he saw us looking, he waved us over. By the time we got there, Leo and the blonde had broken from their lip lock.
 
“Hey, Ari!� Leo cheerfully greeted. He glanced at Charlie with a small glimmer of unease, but since Charlie and I were together and not fighting, he figured everything was okay.
 
“I’d like you to meet Zan Lords,� he said with a smile. I nearly fell over in astonishment. This was Zan…the fan girl that was fawning over Charlie in our sixth year!
 
“Nice to meet you,� I managed to sputter out.

“Nice to meet you too,� replied Zan with a smile. “Are you that girl from Skeeter’s article? That was the most absurd thing I’ve ever read!� she laughed.
 
“Yes,� agreed Charlie, going pink in the face. “Simply absurd.�
 
After everyone was introduced to each other, I pulled Leo aside. “Zan is your…girlfriend?�
 
“Fiancé,� replied Leo with a blush. “I met her while she was still in Hogwarts through her brother -�

“Her brother?� Then I realized…Noah Lords, Zan Lords, the same blonde hair and jade eyes….
 
“Noah is a Quidditch announcer,� he explained. “I proposed a month ago, before Zan left for Paris to pursue her dream as a fashion designer for the Golden Quill. Oh, Ari, I wish I could have told you, but you know the media these days….�
 
“I understand,� I assured him quickly, before returning to the group.
 
“As I was saying,� said Noah, “we should host an engagement party. A small party,� he added quickly after seeing the look on Leo’s face. He turned to Leo. “I wonder who you’re taking?� he asked sarcastically. “You always manage to bring the most beautiful women.�

“Oh, shut up!� snapped Zan. “That was funny the first few times, but after that….�
 
Charlie pulled me away from the crows just before Noah got the full blast of Zan’s ran. “Zan and Leo,� he mused. “Who would have predicted it?�
 
“You know what the crazy part is?� I asked, glancing over to see Noah cowering, Zan fuming and Leo trying to calm her down. “I think that they’re really in love.�
 
Charlie grinned. “So am I.�
 
I rolled my eyes. “Another corny line in another corny story.�
 
“It’s not that corny!� he protested.
 
“It’s rather predictable.� I admitted, folding my arms across my ribs.

“Not really. I mean, that twist at the end with Zan really blew me away.�

“But that’s expected!� I pointed out. “Stories always follow the same structure: in the beginning there is always a type of challenge, then -�
 
Charlie interrupted me with a kiss: the first one we shared in what seemed life forever. I inwardly sighed with content, realizing how much I missed moments like this. Charlie leaned over and whispered:
 
“And they always end with a kiss.�