✧PREGAME✧

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***

The commotion of the tournament had been steady since dawn, or that's how Romulus had felt when the banging of the drums had made its way into the tent's sound barrier.

He tiredly looked up from his pillow and groaned as his brother had done much the same. "Bastards, thought the Irish had partied it out last night," Ronan uttered, and Romulus could only chuckle, course he had a drink or two—Considering his father was the one to supply it, and he was of age.

It felt odd to finally be sixteen.

"They're getting their pride on, that's for sure. And can hold their whiskey, damn—It's seven in the morning." Romulus grumbled once again and turned back into the pillow.

With a small knock on the wood, the two brothers had turned to their door and smiled a greeting to their mother.

"Goodmorning darlings, I'm going to start breakfast—Suppose you want a bit more sleep." She claimed and waved her wand silently to mute the noise from entering in any further. "Thanks mum." Ronan said with a smile as he pulled the covers back over his shoulder.

"Need some help?" Romulus asked and Aurora had rolled her eyes. "If you must, nobody is up yet. Your father's just as drunk, if not more than when he was a Hogwarts student. Bloody annoying, perhaps if you join me you'll stop me from adding any poisons into it." Romulus rubbed his eyes and joined his mother, knowing full well it would be pointless to try to head back to sleep.

They had arrived yesterday, and by the evening they had 'pre-gamed' as to what their father had mentioned it as. Only those with the exclusive booths and such as theirs were allowed to stay the night before, so now it was the others fighting for the remaining space—It would be like this until noon most likely, or that is what Aurora had predicted at the least.

"Coffee?" She asked, and Romulus hummed and rubbed his eyes. "Still no word from Padfoot?" That had caused Aurora to chuckle, shaking her head as though they were talking about Lori's stuffie. "No, and I don't expect anything at this point. Wherever he is, it's most likely safer than here. Besides, if he wanted to reach, he would make it his prime mission."

"Are you and uncle on bad terms? I thought you still had contact with him before he was arrested?"
"I did, you actually met Padfoot at Regulus' funeral." That had taken him off guard, but it was ultimately how their world worked.

He hadn't met Sirius outright, but he had met his counterpart while his other uncle had passed away.

"Sure he'll be happy to know that Reg—"

"Darling! You're up early." Rory had rushed to her husband's side and placed her coffee into his hands, "...I was prepared to have to wake you up after last night's drinking." Romulus had watched his father laugh full heartily, and it was at that moment he realized just how much his parents were enjoying the stay so far.

Especially considering that it felt like a better vacation than most, and the actual game hadn't started yet.

"Feel like a young lad again, though I was prepared for Romulus to outdrink. I've still got it handled I suppose." Romulus smirked off to his father and mulled over his coffee.

"Suppose so, never found the taste for it either. Think I'll just stick with butterbeer."
"That's my boy, are you both alright with an omelet?" They were undoubtedly hungry, and once the smell of food wafted in the air, the long wooden table had been filled with the rest of the Lestrange family.

And Aurora always worried that she wouldn't make enough, but everyone had seemingly had their fill. So she waved them this way and that to not help her with the clean-up and go out and enjoy the festivities.

"Come on Cara! Let's see if they still have that shop open!" Imara called out, and the two Ravenclaw girls had hurried to get ready. Cloak and all, only for Rabastan to flicker his gaze from either his sons to go and join them.

"We'll be back at around—"

"Nonsense, you all go enjoy yourselves. The password for the tent is my middle name if you all come back early before we do." Ronan smiled in knowing that his parents were going out as well.

Though he didn't doubt that they were living their own fantasy of being young and in love.

They were still in love, and quite frankly they were still young in terms of the rest of their world.

"Alright, where are we off to first?" Romulus said as he joined his sisters and they squealed. They had wanted to purchase proper attire for the game, as well as snacks and so forth. Even Cara had found a pair of earrings from a jeweler that she fancied.

Besides that, their mother had been correct, there were plenty of carnival games that elected decent prizes that were awfully impossible to win.

Though they managed a few wins here and there, only to be broken up into different groups. Ronan had gone off with Malfoy, Lori had gone off with the McNair family and that left him with Cara and Imara who were chatting with the Weasley twins.

"We've got a bet lined up with Bagman."
"This'll be our starting point for it all, betting our life savings on—" Romulus couldn't hear it any longer. "On an awful bet. I doubt your mother would like hearing that you've gambled away your life savings." He deemed, and Cara nudged him in the side.

"Course not, we don't want mum to get a heart attack over this. She's not here either, has the home to herself actually. Knitting away with a full kettle of tea to humor her, but you have to admit—"

"The bet so pathetically perfect it just might work." Fred and George had tagged teamed their explanation and Romulus held up his hand. "Whether the odds are or aren't stacked against you, do you really trust Bagman to hold up his end? Did you get it in writing?" They had waved it off, and Imara just laughed and said he was a worrywart.

"The probability of it isn't that grand either, of Krum catching the snitch but Ireland winning is extremely difficult to foresee. How did you even muster up that type of scenario?" Cara said, craning her neck up to her sister's boyfriend and the wizard had just smirked.

"Easy, took your sister's advice. Make it completely bizarre enough that they wouldn't look twice in thinking they've already won." Romulus turned to Imara, who was tucked in underneath Fred's arm.

"Don't tell me you've thrown something into the mix." He said with narrowing eyes. "Come on brother, we've passed our OWLS. We should be celebrating...Better yet, I've gotten an allowance and salary from the Sanctuary I've been working at. You know that."

"Yes. But—Nevermind, you lot won't listen to me on my best day." He sighs and Cara pouted. "I listen to you."
"Yeah? Tell me what happened last term then, was that listening to me?" She wrapped her arms over her chest as she scowled. "I still have a mind of my own, Romulus. Gods." She spat, stomping away and into the crowd which had damn near caused him to have a stroke as he lost her within mere seconds.

"Shite." He huffed, and Imara looked grim. "Do you think she's just back off our tent?" She questioned and Romulus shook his head. "Can't be sure, I'm going off that way, if you do see her send her back to the tent. We're supposed to meet back soon." Imara nodded, and either of the twins had looked rather on guard at the idea of a lost sibling.

Granted, this was probably the worst crowd to be lost within...Especially when tournaments such as this would attract those from foreign countries.

Cara was still peeved even as she walked off and away. She had helped Sirius Black, he's their uncle for goodness sake. Perhaps it was a little daring, but there was some Gryffindor in her genes, wasn't there?

In addition to this, she had found her way quite easily, back towards her family's tent. Was it wrong to make such a scene and walk away? No. It couldn't be, otherwise, there would ultimately be an even bigger scene if she had any hand in the anger.

Cara was not a violent or rude person, but there was only so much a jab to the ribs could do. If done enough, it could bruise and break. And currently, she was overwhelmed with both an anxious feeling in the pit of her chest and the desire to be alone.

Yet just before she had touched the tent's tarp, a voice called out to her.

"Cara! What are you doing here? I heard you were wandering around with your siblings." She had blinked up to Blaise's tall figure and smiled. "I was, but their company can get rather...Er—Annoying." She claimed, and he chuckled. Though Cara didn't rightly understand anything to be all that funny in what she said.

She simply stated the truth.

"My mother's talking with yours at the restaurant, I was coming back to get her a cloak...Would you want to join me?" That sounded much quieter than walking the endless maze to the tents around them and she nodded.

"Brilliant." He pointed off to his tent and Cara had waited patiently for his return. The bloke hardly took five minutes, desperate to get back to the Lestrange daughter.

It was ingrained into Blaise's mind by his mother to marry a pureblooded witch from a wealthy family, and he had his sights for the Lestrange in his year.

Even if he knew Ronan would give him shit for it in the coming years. Cara was both beautiful and intelligent, and his mother had always claimed that having a witch with a head on her shoulders never stirred anyone wrong before.

He led her through the growing crowd, paying extra attention that she would be lost in it. Thankfully it had been too far of a walk, and he held the tent wide for her to walk through. "Thank you—Whoa, this is gorgeous!"

"It's a bit much for a Quidditch game, but it's only for those in plot zone one. That curtesy allows only a few dozen or so families, and mostly the parents are here—See, your father is with Mister Malfoy." Cara has smiled to see her father, waved for a second but realized he couldn't see her from his hushed conversation.

"They're off this way. Hopefully they hadn't ordered another bottle of wine."
"Mum's been saying this is her vacation as well, so I wouldn't be surprised." Blaise grinned and motioned up the cloak to his mum.

"Darling, we were just talking about you and Cara...Weren't we, Aurora?" Cara had caught her mother's eyes, whatever they were speaking about hadn't been of particular interest to her mum, considering it'd been paired with such a fake grin.

"Yes, I hear your potion's marks were high last term?" She politely asked and the bloke smirked.
"It's my best class besides Defense, not as talented as Cara, of course. She makes it seem like child's play." Rory had caught her daughter's blush and smile at the compliment, and the mother had to nearly hold back a groan.

As if Blaise's mother hadn't investigated Cara's betroth contract, and damnit, if only Rabastan wasn't with Malfoy to defuse such a thing. Rory wouldn't be stuck speaking with the woman who was so eager to gain more money from Cara's dowery.

"Mum's taught me everything I know." She credited and Aurora laughed lightly. "Nonsense, you've taken the strives of perfecting the craft, that is on you, darling. Would you two like to get some drinks and join us?" And thus, Aurora had been saved as Mrs.Zabini wouldn't dare speak of a future marriage in front of the children.

It was a common ground to talk about Quidditch at the tournament of all places, better yet, either Cara and Blaise were Chases for their Houses.

Though Aurora's good fortune had run dry when Cara had headed off with Blaise to get a butterbeer at the table and took to sitting at the barstools.

"I wouldn't have guessed you allow your daughter to play." The woman said, curtly instating her thoughts on the matter.
"Daughters. Plural. Lorelei will be trying out for keeping in the fall...That's if they have Quidditch this year at all." The prestigious hmmp had nearly caused Aurora to get up and leave, this is exactly why she spent most of her time in the labs instead of mingling with the rest of the pureblood society.

Even if she was still ranked at number one.

"And what does your husband think of the matter?"

"My husband? Do you think Rabastan has a choice in that? Besides, my children are fantastic Quidditch players, it's in their blood."

"No, the instance of—"

"Speak again of a wedding, Zabini, and I'll tip the hat at the factor of you are seeking out an eighth husband. And recall that my reach is very far." Aurora spat, slightly tipsy after suffering through it all. Supporting the theory that she simply didn't have the attention span or will to make friendly conversation, not when they brought up instances such as this.

"Your daughter will go unwed if—"

"And she'll be free to do so. Because unlike her, she will have a career where she can be independent...As I recall the only difficult task for you is to remember which ring you wore with which husband. Thank you for the eventful afternoon, Zabini. Don't bother to look for my owl, we're done here." Aurora had risen up to her feet after downing the last of her wine and looking off to her husband.

"If you decide to change your mind, Mrs.Lestrange. Do owl me, I'd be most eager to hear from you. Especially if those two work out regardless." Aurora sent another glare, and took to storming right off towards Rabastan and Malfoy.

"...The children will be out of harms way, I promise you that Lestrange." Rabastan had overlapped Malfoy's voice with a cheerful greeting to his wife, and she only accepted the kiss as she glanced towards Malfoy.

Showing just how unimpressed she was at his stature, but otherwise oblivious to what they were previously talking about.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, I was just heading back to the tent for a lie down before the game...Cara is off there with Blaise and his mother's after a marriage contract—I know. I told her off. Just watch out for those two?" Rabastan hadn't stopped glaring off in that direction, and Aurora nudged him as she offered another kiss to his cheek.

"Wait, love, why don't you stay for another—"

"Nonsense, Rabastan...Cassiopeia is in need of a rest and after speaking with Ms.Zabini, I do not blame her. We'll take care of that, won't we?" Aurora had been taken back by Malfoy's support in her decision, Rabastan hadn't wanted her to go off in the crowd due to who they were in the wizarding world, but now he didn't want her to go back to the tent?

Just as Aurora was about to speak, Cara had tugged at her mother's dress. "Are you heading back to the tent?" Rory nodded to her daughter and the young girl smiled in relief. "Can I join you? It's too loud." It earned her a side hug as Aurora turned back to Rabastan.

"We'll be off in the tent, we're heading off to the booth at six." She reminded before leading her daughter off and away from the makeshift pup. "Did that lad didn't say anything—"

"No, I'm just not in the mood to socialize."

"I thought you were with your siblings?"

"I was, until Romulus is still being an arse about the whole Padfoot thing. I get I was being reckless and careless, but I wanted to help him." She mumbled with a small pout still playing on her lips. "Oh believe me when I tell you, Padfoot managed to make me feel the same countless times. Reg too. That is just how brothers are, whether they are older or younger, they still find the means to try and protect us."

"But it's bloody annoying, I've said I was sorry a hundred times."
"If you firmly believe something, my sweet Cara. Then there is no reason to apologize, especially when they weren't hurt. Besides, I'm still a bit peeved at your brother for not listening to our warning of not going to Hogsmead. So if anything, he should be apologizing." Cara nodded with a stern expression, one that Aurora never thought she would see on lil Cara.

"Are you good friends with Blaise?"

"We talk on occasion and say hello in passing...But never more than that, I've hardly spoken to Draco or Pansey. Not after everything that's happened with Buckbeak." Aurora knew that all too well, there were those that her parents wanted her to talk with and those that she was forbidden to even look towards.

Thankfully her father has changed a bit, or his portrait has at the very least. But at the day she had falsely admitted that she hadn't actually called a classmate by the derogatory word such as 'mudblood.' And he had no business in being proud of such a detention.

Or for the fact that Aurora spent the afternoon over the toilet puking her own shame away.

"I don't blame you, I didn't give your father the time of day until fourth year."

"W-what? I thought you were friends with him since you were young?" Aurora nodded and locked her elbow tighter into her daughter's.
"Oh I was, but we were with our own cliques and it didn't give us much time with one another alone. Not until he made it obvious."
"How did papa make it obvious?"
"He kissed me after having a nasty fall off his broom, I thought he was seriously hurt. Then he pulls this and asks me to be his girlfriend—Gods, this is awful that I'm telling you this." Cara's laugh had floated away into the crowd, wondering if a bloke would have to do something drastic for her to realize that they fancied her.

"D-do you think someone will ask me to Hogsmead this year then?"
"Of course darling, but you have no obligation to go if you don't want to. Why? Are you hoping Blaise will ask?" She shook her head and ducked off and away into the tent, leaving Aurora to stand in wonder just who her daughter was fancying.

Then again, she wouldn't have expressed anything to her own mother—Even when she was dating her future husband.

It was then that the pit in Aurora's stomach had risen tenfold, and she couldn't understand why.

*

"Where's papa?" Lori asked for the hundredth time in the last two minutes, and Aurora sighed with her hand holding her head. "I don't know sweetheart, I'm sure he's on his way. It's awfully crowded out there now." Romulus withheld a scoff, it was why their mother had explicitly said to return to the tent at a specific time.

And just as Aurora had nearly put her foot down, Rabastan came through with a cheerful smile offered up to his family. "Surprise! I've upgraded our booth!... Took a bit of work, but I've got the one we wanted before, love." Aurora had a tight-lipped smile as she grabbed her light cloak and followed her crowd of children.

"Rory?"

"Hmm?" She had gotten much better at not letting her husband's actions hurt her as they once did. "Come on love, we're here to—"
"To watch the game as a family, but you've seemed to have forgotten that." She said with a polite nod as she continued forward.

Leaving Rabastan the last one to leave.

In being in such an exclusive section, they had direct access to a less crowded entrance into the stadium. In finding their booth, Aurora had nearly toppled over in seeing the name beside theirs. Both the Minister and Malfoy were just a wall away, no wonder it's—

"Blimey, dad. How far up are we?" A voice called out, but it was the laugh that caught Aurora her attention over the thousands surrounding her.

"Well, if it rains, you'll be the first to know!" Lucius countered, inputting himself into a conversation that certainly had no reason to be placed into.

Madam Lestrange shook her head and wrapped her cloak further around her chest as she felt comfortable in her seat. It was a brilliant view, but she couldn't recall when the last time she had a real conversation with Rabastan.

And it nearly caused her stomach to erupt from there. Even now he was at Lucius' side, and it felt horrifically familiar to—

"Father and I are in the Minister's box, by personal invitation of Cornelis Fudge himself." Draco boasted, and Ronan had groaned as he rolled his eyes.

"Now, now, Draco. There's no need to boast. Blood has its privileges. As I'm sure your schoolmates are well aware by now." Aurora's eyes had caught sight of more than just the Weasley's now.

Harry James Potter was just a few feet away from her.

If only she could speak with him.

"Mr.Potter, do enjoy yourself tonight." It was a taunt, but as Aurora had gazed up into the crowd towards the top. Realistically it was the nose bleeding seats, and they had their own benefits at catching everything happening all at once.

"...I heard from a few whispers that Malfoy had tried to curse Potter, if it wasn't for Dobby," Ronan whispered to his mother, who was sitting just behind him. "Dobby? Their house-elf?...Is that where they sent him off to?"

"Didn't send him off, mum. They lost him. Draco was telling me that Potter hid a sock in a book and managed to get Malfoy to hand it back to Dobby. Bloody smart if I have anything to say about it, they treat their elves worse than dirt." It had made Aurora proud that she had influenced her Slytherin son to be so kind and at ease in pointing out others' wrongdoings.

"Didn't think Potter was all that smart when I heard him, didn't know Parseltongue was as rare as—"
"Parseltongue?" Romulus had tilted his head in confusion to his mother, but all was silenced when Rabastan had sat beside his wife with an eager kiss.

"I thought these were better seats love, and the Minister is eager to have a word with you."

"Course he is, he's worried I'll call him out on his closed-minded habits. We're on vacation, Rabastan. No more business talk." He nodded, bringing her hand to his lips, and whispered a promise for tonight.

He never failed to make her blush and turn away, but how could she not imagine it to the point where her thighs clenched together? 

Thankfully the siren had rung to introduce the start of the game.

"Good Evening! As Minister for Magic, it gives me great pleasure to welcome each and every one of you to the final of the four hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup!... Let the match begin!" The ball of light that admitted from Frudge's wand had caught sight of everyone's attending, and not a moment too late had the entire team started to dash with an energetic fever that would give the crowd worth their patience and Galleons.

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Date Posted: 11/07/2021

Time: 12:08

Words: 3986