𝓂𝒶𝓇𝓁𝑒𝓃𝑒 𝓂𝒸𝓀𝒾𝓃𝓃𝑜𝓃

Edgar shrugged. “You could borrow my cane if you want. I can get rid of it in a week or so but I think I’m going to miss it a bit. His name is Sid, just in case.”

“Ah yes, a cane. Exactly what I need,” Marlene chuckles and makes a face, “no fucking way, name or not. I can walk if I want to, actually, I mean it hurts like fucking hell but I can---- they just... told me not to if I want to play in the next game. So apparating back and forth like I’m a Peeves’ wannabe is all I’ve got.” She sighs, “How did you do it? I mean, besides the cane.”

“What? Oh my god, no. No! I mean we’ve known each other for years, but nothing like that has ever happened. I’ve known him long enough to know he’d try and do something stupid too soon if he was left on his own, so I took him back to my flat. At least there I could keep an eye on him… Not that I don’t.. Actually it’s not important… Icing can be good, but it does get sweet quickly.”

“Oh.... well, I mean, it could’ve been. You could’ve been dating the whole time without me knowing or something, I don’t know enough about either of you or your lives or whatever so what the fuck do I know,” Marlene shrugs and chuckles, “isn’t that the point of icing? That it’s... you know... sweet.”

“That’s totally not nothing! And I’m going to say I told you so anyway because you and James were worried over nothing, you overreacted and now it’s taken a toll on your health!” Lily huffed, rolling her eyes. She was going to have to talk about this with James later. Yet another thing to discuss with him. At Marlene’s words, she cocked an eyebrow. It sounded almost as if she was covering for him. “Why on Earth would James’ boss want him to meet Quidditch people who make business? Wait- do you think he’s trying to play again? Get back in the game? I mean, that would be wonderful but why wouldn’t he tell me about it? It’s not like I’m going to pressure him or be disappointed if things go wrong.” She frowned. “It just seems like a ridiculous secret to keep from me.” She crossed her arms. “Yes I know he’s not eloping with someone else! But you can’t deny the whole thing is weird!” 

“Overreacted! Says the girl that almost dropped dead and was convulsing so hard nobody in the stupid hospital knew what the fuck happened with her or what spell was she hit with, please. I’ll live, Lils, calm the fuck down. I still sleep, just not continuously, it’s cool,” she shrugs, then rolls her eyes. Why wouldn’t James meet with whoever the fuck he said he was meeting? The business world is weird like that anyways, it’s a perfectly reasonable excuse! “I don’t know, but if he is, don’t you think he’s doing that shit himself already? I mean, if he tells you he’s getting back and then he doesn’t get recruited, then he has to tell you he didn’t, and you know how his ego is. But if he doesn’t tell you anything and it doesn’t happen, he can just... pretend he didn’t do it at all,” Marlene nods, trying to follow the logic. Keep Lily away from guessing anything else than Quidditch seems like the best idea anyway. “I’m not, I just said it’s weird, it’s just... not suspicious kinda weird, you know? It’s the regular kind.”

“Yes they do, but I already showered. And besides, women are not allowed in the men changing rooms. I’m sure you learned that at Hogwarts.” He snorted. “Are you kidding? Have you ever seen Moody? He’s ripped. He comes here to train constantly and believe me, he won’t like it if he finds you sleeping. Besides, you have your own bed, haven’t you? Why don’t go there. You could apparate.”

“I learned a lot of things in Hogwarts, how to get into gender restricted areas is just one of them,” Marlene chuckles and shrugs, “I have, but him coming in here would imply that he’s stopping. Which is my point. If he’s into paper work, he’s really into paper work, if he’s into training, he’s really into training. I don’t think he knows how to stop doing whatever shit he’s doing until he’s like, half dead from sleep deprivation or something. Or until he gets kicked out because the place’s closing and everyone’s going home, but I’ll be gone by then.” She pouts and lies back down, “but I’m laaazy. Eddie, Edds, Edgward, my man, let a girl nap sometimes.”

“I know what you mean. It was easier once I got him home. Give him cupcakes and a bowl of icing and he’ll sit still for more than five minutes.”

“Wait, home like... your place? Are you two....” Marlene makes a face and nods, clicks her tongue as she does. “Oh fuck a bowl of icing sounds amazing.”

Lily crossed her arms, evidently not convinced at all. If she was willing to stay there and watching Marlene sleep as she talked non stop, at least she wanted to know why. “It’s not nothing. Come on, what’s happening?” She chuckled. “You’re really overestimating my cat. He’s adorable, but he’s not that smart.” She sighed. “Fine, I can start again. So I wake up in the morning a go to the kitchen to grab my coffee and James is there, wearing a suit! I asked him what was the occasion and he told me some lie about how his boss wants to have dinner with her and Quidditch people? I don’t know. Something about the business? Anyway, I know him, I know when he’s lying, he’s awful at it. I don’t understand why, though.”

“It’s nothing, okay? My schedule got fucked over at St Mungo’s, that’s all, I didn’t want to say because I know you’re going to start giving me some ‘I told you so’ lecture about how you didn’t need a guard dog around you all the time and how I should’ve gone home from the first day and blah blah blah, so... save it. I’m fine and it’s nothing, it’ll go back to normal,” she shrugs stubbornly and then laughs at the cat thing. How funny would it be if he was that smart though? Never worry about your cat again, it feeds itself. Amazing. “Oh, the--- wow, that’s weird, yeah.” Marlene frowns and nods. Shit, couldn’t that asshole have changed somewhere else? A lie, she needs a good lie. “Maybe he just wanted to look fancy for the business people or something,” she shrugs, “you know, so they’ll think he’s professional or whatever and they stop thinking of him as a fucking kid. Maybe. And you know he doesn’t want you to know if he’s being insecure about some shit like that because James is... well, James. Insecure it’s not his thing, so maybe he was embarrassed.” That’s good, right? “I wouldn’t worry too much about it, what’s he gonna do with a fucking suit anyways? Go elope with someone else? As if I’d let him do that shit, please.”

Edgar chuckled, rolling his eyes. “Sorry love, I was just changing my shirt. I’ve finished training for today.” He shrugged, discarding the t-shirt that was covered in sweat and grabbing a clean one. “I don’t mind if you want to sleep in random places, but if Moods or Kingsley find you they’re going to kick you out before you can say nap.”

“Are you sure? Why not shower? I mean, you probably need one. Do they have a shower here? I never thought about it actually,” Marlene frowns, “-- no they’re not, I mean, especially Kingsley. He would never, he’s too nice. Moods might, but that’s if he even comes here, I don’t think he moves away from his job shit all day, so I’m probably safe for another hour.”