See Chapter One for the disclaimer
***********************************************************
Marcus and Katie lay silently next to each other waiting for the alarm charm to go off. Katie reached for his hand seeking reassurance.
“This is it, I guess,” he said quietly.
“Are you scared?”
“A bit. I’ve dreamed of this since I was six years old.”
“You knew you were going to play in a World Cup final at six years of age?” she laughed.
“It was the first time I had been taken to a professional game. The Falcons were playing the Arrows and I remember looking at the players zooming through the air and knowing that was what I wanted to do when I grew up.” Marcus laughed remembering his determination to make it to the top, “And hey if you’re going to do something you may as well as be the best at it.”
“That’s awfully ambitious for a six year old,” Katie was amusing herself with mental pictures of a youthful Marcus stomping his foot as he insisted that he was going to win.
Marcus rolled over to his side propping himself up to give her a lazy kiss. “Well there’s a reason the hat put me in Slytherin, you know.”
Katie broke off the kiss reluctantly. “Well let’s go fulfill your childhood dream then.”
*~*~*
The English team waited quietly in the changing rooms. The normal teasing and shows of bravado that had marked previous matches was absent today. All the months of preparation; late night strategy sessions, early morning practice, hours of gruelling drills – it all had been directed towards this one game. Marcus stood up and grasped his broom. He had decided against a lengthy motivational speech this time, knowing that his team needed this time to focus on what had brought them here. Slowly turning his head Marcus made sure he captured the eyes of every member of the team. “We’ve made it to the finals and that means we are better than anyone else out there. They failed where we triumphed,” he stated firmly. Feeling his face slip in a familiar smirk he finished what was his shortest ever pre-match speech, “Let’s go out and remind them of that.”
Harry was slightly shocked for a moment before shaking his head in silent laughter. Flint certainly had a different approach to motivating his team than Oliver used with Puddlemere, but it seemed to work. The slight air of nervousness that had hung over the changing room had dissipated leaving behind seven players radiating quiet confidence. Grasping his broom he moved over to line up with the rest of his team.
*~*~*
Severus Snape settled himself down into his seat and tried not to sigh. The future Mr and Mrs Malfoy had yet to arrive which meant that he was stuck in the top box with a horde of rabid Gryffindors. The other two members of the golden trio were obviously here to support Potter; the Weasley twins were here courtesy of the very pregnant Mrs Weasley’s former position on the team. She had drawn Wood into an impassioned discussion over the strengths and weaknesses of the French Chaser line up. Severus kept his face impassive as he half listened to their conversation. He had every confidence that Marcus would exploit each and every weakness the team displayed. He’d brought the Quidditch Cup home to Slytherin for five straight years and had continued that winning streak in the professional leagues.
Severus nodded in acknowledgement to Arthur and Molly Weasley as they entered the top box. The Weasley matriarch looked fit to burst with pride. She’d all but adopted Potter as a seventh son after his first year and she couldn’t have been prouder if it were one of her own blood out there today. He knew she had expected that her daughter would be the means to bring Potter into the family on a permanent basis but thankfully Miss Weasley had demonstrated considerable good sense and managed to avoid that entanglement. Draco’s decision to enter into a relationship with her had been a very welcome development and marked the first sign that he wouldn’t blindly follow Lucius. Good esteem aside, if they didn’t turn up soon he would be forced to exact some form of retribution. They were supposed to be here to provide intellectual stimulation and more importantly a buffer against the moronic nobility that the rest of the Weasley clan insisted on demonstrating. Speaking of which, he could see one of them preparing to draw him into their conversation, something he would really rather avoid. Severus shaped his face into his most forbidding scowl – not relaxing the muscles until he saw Draco and Ginny enter the box.
Ginny smiled at her family and Hermione before deliberately sitting down next to Severus Snape. Ron didn’t look particularly happy with the arrangement but tough. She was here supporting Marcus first, and then Katie and Harry. As such she would sit with Marcus’s ‘family’. To give him credit he did refrain from commenting. They had a long way to go repair the damage their relationship had sustained over the last few years but at least the open antagonism had died away.
“You’re late,” Severus commented sourly.
“Blame your godson. He was particularly distracting this morning.”
Severus pinched the bridge of his nose. “I believe that comes decisively under the heading of ‘Things I do not need to be told’,” he said firmly.
Ginny giggled and tucked her arm through his. “We were just practicing on providing you with grandchildren before Marcus and Katie beat us to it.”
“I have no objections to being presented with junior Malfoys. However, I would prefer it if you refrained from informing me of the process.”
Draco couldn’t help but laugh at the strained expression on his godfather’s face. “Noted,” he said.
*~*~*
After shaking the hand of the French Captain, Marcus deliberately sought out Etienne to deliver a particularly evil grin. He’d been looking forward to finally meeting him in the air. He’d had a quiet word with his Beaters earlier in the week and indicated that he wouldn’t be averse to Bludgers being directed at Etienne from close range…repeatedly. Evans and Lovegood had smiled and promised that they could arrange something suitable. Professional Quidditch was a fairly small community and it hadn’t taken long for what had happened at the Snake Pit to make its way around the network.
*~*~*
Katie was having the time of her life. After years of playing with Angelina and Alicia she had never been so in tune with her fellow Chasers as she was today. This was going down in history as her game, well more like Marcus’s and hers she thought with a smile. Speak of the blue-eyed devil he was streaking up again to flank poor Etienne. It may not be particularly sporting of her but she couldn’t resist a little bit of sniping at her former lover. All’s fair in love and Quidditch and it did help the English team if one of the French players was off his game.
Pulling up beside him she shot a wicked smirk across at Marcus.
“Poor Etienne, those circles under your eyes are looking particularly dark today. Have you been having trouble sleeping again?” Ignoring his venomous look Katie continued in her solicitous tone, “I haven’t had that problem for months now. It’s amazing how multiple orgasms a night can help a girl relax. Not that is something any of your lovers are likely to experience. I mean, when we were together I couldn’t understand what the fuss over sex was – it seemed highly overrated to me. For a while there I thought it might have been something wrong with me, but then I realized it was basically all your fault. You just don’t have a clue how to pleasure a woman.”
“Now, now Katie,” Marcus admonished. “That’s not very nice.”
Katie did her best imitation of a purr while streaking towards the French goal, dodging a random Bludger, “But Lover, I thought you liked it when I was naughty.” With that, Katie punched the Quaffle out of Etienne’s arms letting Marcus grab it before the two spun towards the other end of the pitch, the accented cries of “You Bitch!” floating after them.
After slamming the Quaffle through the hoops, Marcus swung around and saw the two Seekers go into a steep dive. “Potter’s seen the snitch!” he yelled over his shoulder. Against all her training, Katie felt her attention be drawn to the two diving Seekers. She knew she should be paying attention to the Quaffle. She knew that games had been won by Chasers taking advantage of the opposing team’s distraction with the Snitch to score multiple goals, but she just couldn’t help herself. Although the English team had completely dominated the game, scoring four goals for every one that the French managed to get past Davis, if Guilloteau managed to get the snitch before Harry did then it was all over.
Harry flattened himself even closer to the broom as he put on a last desperate burst of speed reaching out his hand to grab the Golden Snitch.
Katie started to whoop with joy even as the announcer called out. “Potter has caught the snitch. England wins 270 to 40!” As Harry drew his broom up towards the top box, the Snitch held high in his hand, the other six members of his team swarmed around him, shouting in jubilation. As the flashes of thousands of cameras went off around them Marcus broke away from his team to catch the small black box Ginny hurled in his direction.
Fighting his way back to Katie’s side Marcus reached over and picked her up off her broom till she was cradled in front of him.
“Marcus,” Katie laughed. “What are you doing?”
“Are you happy?” he asked.
“Are you kidding! We just won the World Cup. I’m bloody ecstatic.”
“Reaching into his uniform he removed the black velvet box he had tucked away. “Want to see if I can tip you over into delirious with joy?” he offered.
Forgetting for the moment that they were the focus of half the wizarding world, Katie stopped laughing and looked in wonder at the small box. “Is this what I think it is?” she asked with a slight tremor in her voice.
“Why don’t you open it and see.”
Katie delicately opened the box to reveal the diamond solitaire. She could feel her breath hitch in preparation for tears. “It’s beautiful, Marcus.”
“Think you could bear to wear it for the next hundred odd years?” Marcus asked quietly.
“I think that is a fabulous idea,” she replied without hesitation. Ignoring the now frenzied camera flashes Katie raised her face for a passionate kiss.
~*~*~*
Fred Weasley gestured over to the kissing couple. “That’s absolutely disgusting, you know. My memories of England finally winning the World Cup are going to be forever tainted with the two of them playing tonsil hockey.” Angelina’s vehement
“Shut up, Fred!” was echoed from every woman in the top box.
Draco wrapped his arms around Ginny as she smiled at his god father. “Did he tell you the back up plan that he’d prepared if England had lost? Ginny asked.
“He mentioned something about a bottle of consolation firewhisky and a Scottish celebrant that didn’t ask too many questions.” Severus gifted the two of them with one of his rare smiles. “It’s probably better for long-term marital harmony that it worked out this way.”
***********************************************************
Marcus and Katie lay silently next to each other waiting for the alarm charm to go off. Katie reached for his hand seeking reassurance.
“This is it, I guess,” he said quietly.
“Are you scared?”
“A bit. I’ve dreamed of this since I was six years old.”
“You knew you were going to play in a World Cup final at six years of age?” she laughed.
“It was the first time I had been taken to a professional game. The Falcons were playing the Arrows and I remember looking at the players zooming through the air and knowing that was what I wanted to do when I grew up.” Marcus laughed remembering his determination to make it to the top, “And hey if you’re going to do something you may as well as be the best at it.”
“That’s awfully ambitious for a six year old,” Katie was amusing herself with mental pictures of a youthful Marcus stomping his foot as he insisted that he was going to win.
Marcus rolled over to his side propping himself up to give her a lazy kiss. “Well there’s a reason the hat put me in Slytherin, you know.”
Katie broke off the kiss reluctantly. “Well let’s go fulfill your childhood dream then.”
*~*~*
The English team waited quietly in the changing rooms. The normal teasing and shows of bravado that had marked previous matches was absent today. All the months of preparation; late night strategy sessions, early morning practice, hours of gruelling drills – it all had been directed towards this one game. Marcus stood up and grasped his broom. He had decided against a lengthy motivational speech this time, knowing that his team needed this time to focus on what had brought them here. Slowly turning his head Marcus made sure he captured the eyes of every member of the team. “We’ve made it to the finals and that means we are better than anyone else out there. They failed where we triumphed,” he stated firmly. Feeling his face slip in a familiar smirk he finished what was his shortest ever pre-match speech, “Let’s go out and remind them of that.”
Harry was slightly shocked for a moment before shaking his head in silent laughter. Flint certainly had a different approach to motivating his team than Oliver used with Puddlemere, but it seemed to work. The slight air of nervousness that had hung over the changing room had dissipated leaving behind seven players radiating quiet confidence. Grasping his broom he moved over to line up with the rest of his team.
*~*~*
Severus Snape settled himself down into his seat and tried not to sigh. The future Mr and Mrs Malfoy had yet to arrive which meant that he was stuck in the top box with a horde of rabid Gryffindors. The other two members of the golden trio were obviously here to support Potter; the Weasley twins were here courtesy of the very pregnant Mrs Weasley’s former position on the team. She had drawn Wood into an impassioned discussion over the strengths and weaknesses of the French Chaser line up. Severus kept his face impassive as he half listened to their conversation. He had every confidence that Marcus would exploit each and every weakness the team displayed. He’d brought the Quidditch Cup home to Slytherin for five straight years and had continued that winning streak in the professional leagues.
Severus nodded in acknowledgement to Arthur and Molly Weasley as they entered the top box. The Weasley matriarch looked fit to burst with pride. She’d all but adopted Potter as a seventh son after his first year and she couldn’t have been prouder if it were one of her own blood out there today. He knew she had expected that her daughter would be the means to bring Potter into the family on a permanent basis but thankfully Miss Weasley had demonstrated considerable good sense and managed to avoid that entanglement. Draco’s decision to enter into a relationship with her had been a very welcome development and marked the first sign that he wouldn’t blindly follow Lucius. Good esteem aside, if they didn’t turn up soon he would be forced to exact some form of retribution. They were supposed to be here to provide intellectual stimulation and more importantly a buffer against the moronic nobility that the rest of the Weasley clan insisted on demonstrating. Speaking of which, he could see one of them preparing to draw him into their conversation, something he would really rather avoid. Severus shaped his face into his most forbidding scowl – not relaxing the muscles until he saw Draco and Ginny enter the box.
Ginny smiled at her family and Hermione before deliberately sitting down next to Severus Snape. Ron didn’t look particularly happy with the arrangement but tough. She was here supporting Marcus first, and then Katie and Harry. As such she would sit with Marcus’s ‘family’. To give him credit he did refrain from commenting. They had a long way to go repair the damage their relationship had sustained over the last few years but at least the open antagonism had died away.
“You’re late,” Severus commented sourly.
“Blame your godson. He was particularly distracting this morning.”
Severus pinched the bridge of his nose. “I believe that comes decisively under the heading of ‘Things I do not need to be told’,” he said firmly.
Ginny giggled and tucked her arm through his. “We were just practicing on providing you with grandchildren before Marcus and Katie beat us to it.”
“I have no objections to being presented with junior Malfoys. However, I would prefer it if you refrained from informing me of the process.”
Draco couldn’t help but laugh at the strained expression on his godfather’s face. “Noted,” he said.
*~*~*
After shaking the hand of the French Captain, Marcus deliberately sought out Etienne to deliver a particularly evil grin. He’d been looking forward to finally meeting him in the air. He’d had a quiet word with his Beaters earlier in the week and indicated that he wouldn’t be averse to Bludgers being directed at Etienne from close range…repeatedly. Evans and Lovegood had smiled and promised that they could arrange something suitable. Professional Quidditch was a fairly small community and it hadn’t taken long for what had happened at the Snake Pit to make its way around the network.
*~*~*
Katie was having the time of her life. After years of playing with Angelina and Alicia she had never been so in tune with her fellow Chasers as she was today. This was going down in history as her game, well more like Marcus’s and hers she thought with a smile. Speak of the blue-eyed devil he was streaking up again to flank poor Etienne. It may not be particularly sporting of her but she couldn’t resist a little bit of sniping at her former lover. All’s fair in love and Quidditch and it did help the English team if one of the French players was off his game.
Pulling up beside him she shot a wicked smirk across at Marcus.
“Poor Etienne, those circles under your eyes are looking particularly dark today. Have you been having trouble sleeping again?” Ignoring his venomous look Katie continued in her solicitous tone, “I haven’t had that problem for months now. It’s amazing how multiple orgasms a night can help a girl relax. Not that is something any of your lovers are likely to experience. I mean, when we were together I couldn’t understand what the fuss over sex was – it seemed highly overrated to me. For a while there I thought it might have been something wrong with me, but then I realized it was basically all your fault. You just don’t have a clue how to pleasure a woman.”
“Now, now Katie,” Marcus admonished. “That’s not very nice.”
Katie did her best imitation of a purr while streaking towards the French goal, dodging a random Bludger, “But Lover, I thought you liked it when I was naughty.” With that, Katie punched the Quaffle out of Etienne’s arms letting Marcus grab it before the two spun towards the other end of the pitch, the accented cries of “You Bitch!” floating after them.
After slamming the Quaffle through the hoops, Marcus swung around and saw the two Seekers go into a steep dive. “Potter’s seen the snitch!” he yelled over his shoulder. Against all her training, Katie felt her attention be drawn to the two diving Seekers. She knew she should be paying attention to the Quaffle. She knew that games had been won by Chasers taking advantage of the opposing team’s distraction with the Snitch to score multiple goals, but she just couldn’t help herself. Although the English team had completely dominated the game, scoring four goals for every one that the French managed to get past Davis, if Guilloteau managed to get the snitch before Harry did then it was all over.
Harry flattened himself even closer to the broom as he put on a last desperate burst of speed reaching out his hand to grab the Golden Snitch.
Katie started to whoop with joy even as the announcer called out. “Potter has caught the snitch. England wins 270 to 40!” As Harry drew his broom up towards the top box, the Snitch held high in his hand, the other six members of his team swarmed around him, shouting in jubilation. As the flashes of thousands of cameras went off around them Marcus broke away from his team to catch the small black box Ginny hurled in his direction.
Fighting his way back to Katie’s side Marcus reached over and picked her up off her broom till she was cradled in front of him.
“Marcus,” Katie laughed. “What are you doing?”
“Are you happy?” he asked.
“Are you kidding! We just won the World Cup. I’m bloody ecstatic.”
“Reaching into his uniform he removed the black velvet box he had tucked away. “Want to see if I can tip you over into delirious with joy?” he offered.
Forgetting for the moment that they were the focus of half the wizarding world, Katie stopped laughing and looked in wonder at the small box. “Is this what I think it is?” she asked with a slight tremor in her voice.
“Why don’t you open it and see.”
Katie delicately opened the box to reveal the diamond solitaire. She could feel her breath hitch in preparation for tears. “It’s beautiful, Marcus.”
“Think you could bear to wear it for the next hundred odd years?” Marcus asked quietly.
“I think that is a fabulous idea,” she replied without hesitation. Ignoring the now frenzied camera flashes Katie raised her face for a passionate kiss.
~*~*~*
Fred Weasley gestured over to the kissing couple. “That’s absolutely disgusting, you know. My memories of England finally winning the World Cup are going to be forever tainted with the two of them playing tonsil hockey.” Angelina’s vehement
“Shut up, Fred!” was echoed from every woman in the top box.
Draco wrapped his arms around Ginny as she smiled at his god father. “Did he tell you the back up plan that he’d prepared if England had lost? Ginny asked.
“He mentioned something about a bottle of consolation firewhisky and a Scottish celebrant that didn’t ask too many questions.” Severus gifted the two of them with one of his rare smiles. “It’s probably better for long-term marital harmony that it worked out this way.”
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