MISSED CALLS ➡︎ TEDDY LUPIN [2] ✓

ci. THE QUIDDITCH PITCH

Avalon Weasley never did get a chance to actually play in the first game of the new term. By the time the match would have been over, she had been to Professor McGonagall's office and then to the hospital wing. She never even got a chance to fly that day.

—

"Alright, you lot. While Clarissa might be one to urge you to play nicely, I am not that type of captain." Avalon said loudly and proudly from where she stood on a bench in the changing room, addressing her team. "This doesn't mean, y'know, start any fights. But one thing our team from last year excelled at was shit talking. So talk as much shit as you want, yeah?"

There was wooing and cheering from her teammates at her words, and Josephine and Alaina shared a knowing look, probably plotting how exactly to make the Hufflepuff team hate themselves.

Over the shouting and laughter, Avalon had to yell to be heard. "But, hey! No hitting, biting, or doing anything that could get you expelled, alright?"

"Yeah, whatever." Orion said before going back to his conversation with Wendell.

She rolled her eyes and dropped the subject, leading the team onto the pitch, where they lined up across from the Hufflepuff team. Once more, just like last year, Avalon stood opposite Megan Shepherd, and the Hufflepuff Seeker had a wicked glint in her eyes.

The announcer began to yell out the teams' lineup, his voice booming across the stands, and when Avalon's name and number were called, there was a roar of applause from somewhere in the stands.

She grinned at the sound, knowing her supporters were there to cheer her on.

But when the time came to shake hands with the other team, Megan squeezed Avalon's hand so tightly that she hissed in pain.

"Is little Weasley too heartbroken to win?" Megan said under her breath, so just Avalon could hear it.

The redhead froze, looking down at her opponent with raised eyebrows. "Shut it, Shepherd." She warned as her anger was quickly growing.

Megan just smiled cruelly. "I mean, if Teddy Lupin dumped me, I think I'd just die."

"I'll give you one more chance to shut your mouth." Avalon seethed through gritted teeth, gripping the handle of her broom with such a tight hold that her knuckles turned white.

"Was it because you were too ugly for him? Or was it because he's gay, like your freak brother and sister?"

That was the last straw.

Avalon snapped, swinging at Megan with a closed fist. Her hand made contact with the other girl's nose, and she found herself smiling when she heard a sickening crack.

Megan went down and hit the ground hard, but Avalon didn't stop pummeling her fists into her face until she was crying and bleeding.

"Miss Weasley!" Minerva McGonagall screeched, her voice much more high-tempered than it normally was.

Avalon's head snapped up, and as she looked at the professor that her sister was named after, she felt dread take hold of her. She would definitely be getting a Howler from her mother by the end of the week.

The one emotion she didn't feel, however, was regret.

"My office, Miss Weasley. Now."

—

Avalon sat in a stiff, uncomfortable chair in the headmistress's office, horribly aware of how her hands ached and how her knuckles were bleeding onto her quidditch uniform.

"Miss Shepherd is in the hospital wing with a broken nose and cheekbone, Miss Weasley." McGonagall stated as she took her seat behind her desk. "Would you like to tell me why you attacked her?"

Avalon tried to swallow down the lump in her throat. "She made homophobic comments about my siblings, Professor. I lost control of myself and hit her, probably more times than I should have. But if you're expecting me to apologize, I wouldn't hold my breath—I'm not sorry."

McGonagall raised her eyebrows, clasping her hands on the desk in front of her. "What exactly did Miss Shepherd say?" She asked.

"She said Oliver and Isabel were freaks for being gay." Avalon replied honestly, and she kept her head held high.

"Hmm..." The professor said. "Alright. I will be writing home to your parents about this, but you will receive no further punishment."

Avalon went still, shocked. "What do you mean? I'm not in trouble?"

McGonagall shook her head, a small smile forming on her lips. "Miss Weasley, I will never punish a student for standing up to bigotry. As much as I believe that violence is not the answer, I would have done the same, if I had been in your shoes."

Avalon nodded gratefully and began to get up from her seat, holding her bruised and bloody hands carefully. She was almost to the door of the headmistress's office when McGonagall's voice stopped her.

"Oh, don't forget to go to the hospital wing for those hands, alright? I don't want your professional quidditch career to be put in jeopardy because of an injury."

i adore avalon in this chapter