A Search for Balance

Chapter 36 - Desperate Offers

Wigtown's Wanderers in Worrying Disarray
The final hunt for the Quidditch Cup has officially begun. Will Parkins' Wanderers shoot the Magpies off their throne, or will they end up as bird feed? Rita Skeeter investigates.

With the teams at the bottom half of the table deciding among themselves who's going to be kicked down a division, a much more prestigious fight awaits on the other end of the spectrum (read how many Galleons Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports Ludo Bagman set on the Chudley Cannons' demise on page 7).

If this season's League trend can be trusted, the hunt for the trophy will be settled between the Montrose Magpies - current Quidditch champion and very comfortable at the top of the table - and their iron pursuers, the Kenmare Kestrels and the Wigtown Wanderers.

After the bombshell of Wigtown Chaser Jameson's abrupt split from former agent and fiancé Matthew McRae - which both refused to comment on - it poses the question of whether her relationship is all Jameson is ready to throw to the wind. Reports of her attending meetings with Montrose Magpies affiliates and her alleged absence from practice sessions do nothing to stop the rumour mill.

With Montrose and Wigtown almost even in points, all eyes will be trained on their showdown on the final season day. Will Jameson stand with her Wanderers, or will Coach Parkin have to watch his back?

Lizzie had barely slept after she had broken the news about her transfer to Orion. Tossing and turning in her bed, she had run their conversation through her mind over and over again, and each time she had felt more like crying and laughing at the bitter irony of it all. It was a cruel joke fate had played on them, but not one they could undo now, either. Lizzie had made her decision, and considering all the pain it had brought her, maybe her time in Wigtown coming to an end was for the best.

She repeated the thought to herself until she almost believed it, but when she next entered the changing room, her resolution to lay her cards on the table straightaway faltered. The team's mood was good - excited, even, with the final round so close at hand - and the thought of having to spoil it made Lizzie's stomach churn.

The only one to give her a dark look as she passed her was Morgaine, but Lizzie didn't care for her. She searched the room for the two men she needed but didn't want to face, and found them standing by the door leading into the men's section. Ethan was talking at Orion with a subdued voice, but the angry look on his face gave Lizzie a good idea of what his telling-off was about; no matter what Orion had told him about his reasons for missing practice, Ethan hadn't taken his absence lightly.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Lizzie stepped closer to them, her heart beating in her ears. It took Ethan a moment to register her presence; when he did, he gave her a sharp look.

"What do you want?"

Feeling her courage dwindle, Lizzie ducked her head.

"Nothing."

Ethan looked like she had lost his mind, rolled his eyes and turned back to Orion. Cursing her cowardice, Lizzie left them to it, walking back to her seat with knees feeling like Jelly Slugs.

The feeling of the ground beneath her feet slipping continued as practice began. With her lousy performance adding to her already fluttery nerves, Lizzie felt physically sick by the time the team trudged back into the changing room shortly before lunch. Pushing away the tight knot in her chest and she stood in the middle of the room, awkwardly clearing her throat.

"Listen up, guys. There's something I need to tell you."

"For Godric's sake," muttered Morgaine, not bothering with keeping her voice down. "Can you be quick about it? Some of us were headed out."