Like Fire to Kindle

The Big News

Ophelia Wood sat at the table in her parent's dining room, calmly eating her lunch though chaos currently reigned around her. Well, that might be a tad bit overdramatic, but her family gatherings did often feel chaotic. Whether it was both sides together or just her immediate family.

Her brothers were usually the reason why. And were certainly the cause of the noise at the moment.

Barely five minutes had passed after they all sat down and started passing the food around before her older brother Duncan made a snide comment about Puddlemere's chances at the playoffs that year, baiting her twin Oliver. While they were now about halfway through the meal, Ophelia was waiting (sans bated breath) for Oliver to implode, as he was sure to do any second from the way the vein was now bulging in his forehead.

For her part, Ophelia was counting down the minutes until she could escape to her quiet, safe haven of a flat in Diagon Alley. After lunch with the family, there was nothing she wanted more than to curl up with a book and a cup of tea, surrounded by the various animals currently taking up residence with her.

It wasn't that she didn't love her family - she loved them fiercely. It was more so the overwhelming desire to escape the madness that was her two brothers during quidditch season.

Why couldn't she (or any of them, really) ever say no to their mother when it came to their monthly lunch gatherings? They always ended up in either a shouting match or actual blows between her brothers - granted they always saved that for outside, lest their mother box their ears.

Just why was it the two were always bickering? Ophelia wasn't sure. Though the only time they ever seemed to get on (outside of their mother forcing them to, anyway) was when they were united in teasing Ophelia. Or going after whatever bloke she was dating. Or bloke that so much as looked at her. That was far more annoying than the fights, in her mind.

"Ye take that back!" Oliver shouted, specks of food flying out of his mouth as he jumped to his feet and glared across the table at their older brother Duncan.

Ophelia sighed and looked down at her watch. Twenty minutes - that was a new record for Duncan.

"Oliver! Sit down!" their mother ordered, scowling at him and Duncan as their father laughed from the other end of the table.

Ophelia looked up as Oliver continued to glare across the table but sat back down. Although they were now 24 and Duncan 28, it seemed the two were destined to revert to 12 years old when forced to spend too much time around each other.

Duncan wore a smug grin, knowing that Oliver wouldn't dare throttle him while the two were still inside the house. Davina Wood still ran a tight ship though all three of her children were now adults, though her husband Fergus lived to rile them up and egg them on.

"All I'm sayin' is yer seeker is shite, ye ken," Duncan continued as Oliver narrowed his eyes. "Management gone barmy or something?"

"No... just he's got a tight contract and we're stuck wi' him for the time bein'. But still might have a good chance at the playoffs," Oliver grumbled before shoveling more food in his mouth.

He wasn't completely wrong, Ophelia thought, though she knew not to take sides in an argument between her brothers. Puddlemere had a strong set of chasers and Oliver was touted as one of the strongest keepers in the League. Duncan was likely sore that his favorite team - the Wanderers - hadn't made it to the playoffs the last two seasons. And Puddlemere had just beat them in a recent match.

"'Bout a snowflake's chance in hell," Duncan retorted with a snort. Oliver froze, his brown eyes blazing across the table.

"For Christ's sake, cannae we go at least one meal without the two of ye carryin' on about quidditch?!" Davina shouted in exasperation. "I want to hear what's goin' on in my bairns' lives! Not all that sport mince."