Chapter 18 “ The Picnic
The girls strolled out of the wood next to the Manor and stopped short to gawk at the lavish display on the grounds. Huge open-sided tents were scattered around the edge of the garden. Wizards and Witches were strolling through the garden, playing wizarding games, or sitting at the tables under the tents laughing and eating.
“I thought this was supposed to be a picnic for the four of us,” Morag mused aloud.
“It seems as though plans can change abruptly with the Black family,” Maeve teased with a grin.
The girls were thankful to be wearing their best light summer dresses, so they weren’t totally underdressed for the party before them.
Morag squared her shoulders and said, “Let’s pretend this is exactly what we expected. No sense in offending them if this was their plan from the start.”
Maeve shrugged. “If you say so.”
As they neared the tents, Regulus stepped from behind one to greet, “Morag! Did you just arrive?” He quickly joined them. Taking his fiancée’s hand, he whispered, “When Mother heard me ordering a picnic from the house-elves she claimed it would never do and immediately began putting all this together.” He turned to smile and say hello to Maeve. She startled when Sirius appeared at her elbow.
“Maeve, you look lovely this afternoon. Morag, I hope you don’t mind if I whisk your sister away. We’re about to start a round of Quidditch and we need a Seeker.” He grinned down at Maeve, “What do you say?”
She nervously picked at the skirt of her floral sleeveless dress. “I-I’m not really dressed for Quidditch,” she stuttered, feeling a bit relieved that he was acting as if he really wanted her company. Perhaps her suspicions were unfounded.
“That won’t be a problem. My cousin Andie and you are of a size, I’m sure she has some Quidditch things here.”
“All right then.”
Sirius took Maeve’s hand and guided her toward the Manor. “I do hope you’re on your best form today. James is playing on the opposing team. He’s really quite good. Usually he plays Chaser but today he opted to play Seeker.”
“We’ll just have to see, won’t we?” She grinned up at him. “What about you? Playing Keeper?”
“Actually I thought I’d play Chaser today. Andie wanted the Keeper spot.”
“Why isn’t Regulus playing?”
“Reggie? Reggie doesn’t play Quidditch. He’s not fond of heights,” Sirius replied offhandedly. He spotted Andie at the door to the Manor. “Oy, Andie! Hold up a moment!” He tugged Maeve’s hand and began jogging toward his cousin.
“Don’t worry Sirius,” Andie called out, “I was just going in to change so we can get the game started.”
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” he answered, coming to a stop as they neared the door. “Maeve here has agreed to be our Seeker, but she needs some Quidditch togs. Do you have any extra?”
“I’m sure we’ll find something.” Andie smiled at the girl who had won her cousin’s fancy. Sirius could tell she approved. His gaze traveled over light red curls fluttering in the breeze, sparkling blue eyes and rested on the slender hand tucked securely in his larger one and smiled. There was nothing to disapprove of. Maeve was lovely- inside and out. When he looked up, Andie winked at him before turning to Maeve. “Come on, we don’t want to keep them waiting do we?”
The girls hurried up to Andie’s room. Digging through a wardrobe Andie asked, “Do you play for your house team?”
“Me? No. I just play for fun, but I’m not too bad at Seeking.”
“Ah hah!” Andie exclaimed. “I thought I had these here.” She pulled out two sets of Quidditch gear. Dropping one on a chair, she held up the other to Maeve. “Those should fit. You can change in there.” She pointed to the bathroom.
“Thank you.” Maeve took the gear and headed into the bathroom. “Did you play on your house team?”
“No. I wanted to play Keeper, but they gave the position to Lucius Malfoy. Have you met him yet?”
“The name sounds familiar,” Maeve called through the door as she changed. “But I can’t say a face comes to mind.”
“He’s foul. My sister is betrothed to him, the white haired git. He won’t be playing today. He told Walburga and Orion that Quidditch was for schoolchildren and professionals, and that adults should leave childish things behind.”
“Walburga and Orion?” Maeve asked, coming out of the bathroom.
“My aunt and uncle, Sirius and Regulus’ parents,” Andie replied, tugging her shirt into place she looked at Maeve. “Oh, good. They fit.”
“Yes, I’d almost suspect a charm to make them fit perfectly,” Maeve replied with a smile.
“Well, they don’t fit me anymore, so you’re welcome to them if you like,” Andie offered.
“Wherever did you get pink Quidditch gear?” Maeve giggled.
“My mother’s house-elf made them for me one summer.” Andie laughed. “Everything I wore that summer was pink.”
“By whose choice? Yours or the house-elf’s?”
“Mine of course. I can be quite stubborn upon occasion,” Andie declared. “Now, tell me. What do you think of my cousin?”
Maeve was a bit startled at Andie’s abrupt change of subject. “I think he makes Morag happy, so far I’d say he seems a good match.”
“Not Reggie. Sirius. What do you think of Sirius?”
Maeve hesitated for a moment. “He can certainly be charming.” She hoped the evasion didn’t offend the woman, but she wasn’t going to pour out her conflicted feelings to Sirius’ cousin, regardless of how friendly she was.
Andie watched her intently, but must have decided not to put her on the spot, because she gestured to the door, saying lightly, “The curse of the Black men. They charm as easily as they breathe. They’re not too hard to look at either!”
“That is the truth!” Maeve agreed, picturing stormy gray eyes and silky black hair.
Andie smiled mischievously, “Let’s go have some fun!”
“Yes, lets!”
OoOoO
The game was in full force when a golden glitter caught Maeve’s eye. James must have spotted it the same time she did because he was right beside her racing for the Snitch.
The Snitch whizzed around taking long dives only to abruptly change course and fly nearly straight up. They were quite high when out of nowhere a Bludger whipped between them, causing James to veer off for a moment. Maeve laughed at his swearing, not taking her eyes from the Snitch. The Bludger swung around and came streaking back straight for her. She too tried to veer off, but was too late. The Bludger crashed straight across her broomstick, breaking it and causing her to fall off.
Sirius had been watching her fly. She was very good. Maeve was giving James quite a run when the Bludger broker her broomstick. Immediately he dropped the Quaffle and shot off to get under her, so he could catch her. Her scream made his heart seize. James was diving after her, trying to catch her before she hit the ground. Sirius was just a bit faster.
“Are you all right?” he asked anxiously, holding her tight as they glided to the ground.
“Other than needing to swallow my heart back to where it’s supposed to be, I’m fine,” said Maeve. She was wrapped securely in Sirius’s arms and she didn’t want to let go.
Everyone who had been either playing the game or watching it appeared to surround them at once, asking if she was injured, or needed to lie down and recover.
“Honestly, I’m fine,” she answered as Sirius reluctantly set her on her feet.
“Look!” Sirius exclaimed with a bark of laughter. He reached into her hair, pulled out the Snitch from where it was caught in her curls. “This is the first time I think the game has been won by the Snitch catching the Seeker!”
“Can we really call it a win?” Maeve giggled.
“You had the Snitch on your person. I’d say it’s a win!” Andie declared.
“If that’s the secret, I’m going to have a talk with our house Seeker,” James joined in teasing Maeve. “But I don’t know if his hair will curl like yours without a few charms.”
“I’m famished. Let’s head to the tents for some food,” Sirius said, offering his arm to Maeve. “Or would you like to change before you eat?”
“I would like to freshen up a bit,” she admitted.
“I’ll walk you up then. Did you leave your things in Andie’s room?”
“Why don’t we all go and freshen up and change?” Andie said, taking her husband’s arm she told him,“You’ll have to change in Sirius’s room.”
The players trooped toward the Manor laughing about the game and its outcome. They changed quickly and re-gathered together under a tent with food piled on the table.
“This isn’t exactly what I thought was going to happen today when we talked about a picnic,” Sirius admitted quietly to Maeve.
“It’s been fun.”
“Fun, she says. Fun to fall nearly fifty feet? You could have been badly hurt!”
She laid her hand on his arm, touched at his concern. “But I’m fine. I haven’t played Quidditch for a long time and I’ve had a good time today.”
Sirius covered her hand with his, “Perhaps we could plan another picnic. A more private one.”
Maeve looked into his eyes and couldn’t see any deceit there. It gave her hope and put a smile in her voice as she said, “That would be lovely.”