look out, kid—

“Fucking Christ, Ludo.” Caradoc huffed, throwing a pillow at his best mate. “I really thought you’d try to make it romantic for me this year and you forgot.”

“Am I not always romantic?” Ludo asked, affecting a wounded tone as he dodged slightly so that the pillow hit his chest instead of face. “Thanks for the pillow,” he quipped, fluffing it up and wedging it behind his head. “Very comfortable.” Grinning at Caradoc, he added, completely straight-faced, “I was thinking Madam Puddifoot’s and a romantic sunset jog around the lake. Cooling off in the Black Lake is very romantic, I’ll have you know, Dearborn.”

Gwenog caught sight of a familiar head of insanely curly hair hovering above the crowd at the Three Broomsticks. Elbowing people out of the way, a butterbeer in hand, she set it on a table briefly before tackling Ludo’s back in a hug. “Hey, dork!” She grinned cheerful. (Who could be sad on Hestia’s birthday?!) “Like my V-Day present?”

@ludobagmcn

Ludo had been surveying the celebrating crowd with satisfaction when, suddenly, he felt a presence on his back, his arms immediately shifting to try hug back or at least steady, even if it was a little difficult from his position. Twisting slightly, he shifted so he was able to see Gwen and hug her back marginally more comfortably, grinning down at her. “Yeah, thanks,” he said with a laugh. “And you?” he asked. “Enjoy your song—and this party treating you right?”

“Oh! I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to interrupt you–”

Hey, you seen McKinnon? Rodolphus snapped his head towards Ludo and raised an eyebrow. “You’re asking me?” At first questions filtered through his mind about why Ludo would think he’d have seen Marlene.Were people catching onto us? Has Mary been telling people? Because Rodolphus knew his people wouldn’t, but there was no part of him that trusted the Gryffindors. I shouldn’t have told Mary what the fuck was I thinking–

Then the more irritating point came into his mind, and his attention shifted to it instead. What was Ludo doing with Marlenes sweater? Rodolphus felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, and he tried to swallow his jealousy. It was probably nothing it has to be nothing, Marlene wouldn’t-- “No I haven’t, sorry man.”

You’re asking me? Ludo frowned slightly, before shrugging. He supposed it really didn’t make much sense—he hadn’t really been paying attention to who he was asking, anyway. Come to think of it, Ludo wasn’t even sure if he’d ever seen the two Seventh Years talk before. Then again, he’d hardly have paid attention if they had; it wasn’t the sort of thing he was likely to register.

“Kind of just asking anyone,” he said with an easy smile. “Figure she’s pretty recognisable throughout the castle and all, so worth a shot.” There was something about Rod in that moment that Ludo couldn’t put his finger on, but it seemed slightly... tense, or something like it, though Ludo couldn’t possibly fathom why. “Thanks anyway,” he said, resigned half-smile on his face, before perking up slightly. “Pretty sure I’ll be seeing her tonight anyway, so ‘least I won’t have to go up to her tower.” Given he also lived in a tower, he should probably complain less about Gryffindor’s location, but those were silly details, in his opinion.

“ Ludo Bagman. Don’t tell me you forgot our VALENTINE’S DATE this year again? I can’t believe this. Do I mean NOTHING to you? ”

“I could never forget you,” Ludo said dramatically, bowing slightly. “Light of my life and all,” he added, equally dramatically, before lightening the effect with a quick wink and a grin. “Still, I fear that I may have double booked. Kind of.” Ludo was fully aware he and Daena had not had a discussion about this, but then neither had he and the girl he was thinking of, not technically. “There’s a long standing arrangement,” he elaborated, “but I haven’t asked yet. STILL, I promise that if my metaphorical candy heart was not owed to another, I would be the most honoured to be the Valentine of—’m sorry, what was your name again?” he quipped, laughing slightly.

“Oh how I missed you, Hogwarts and your stairs that are on a mission to test my patience,” Lorcan said, forcing a laugh past his lips. 

“Was it just me, or were classes today battier than usual?” he asked her, furrowing his brow. “Genuinely thought Pucey was going to send a student to the Hospital Wing, he was that terrible at Cheering Charms—and this was just meant to be a revision session. Also, his aim was ruddy awful.” He shook his head. As a Beater speaking to a Chaser, Ludo put a lot of stock into aiming well, and was not impressed. “Glad we don’t have practice today, though,” he said, stretching out, then peering at what she was doing. “What’s that you got there? Homework... working on something new... letters to a lover...?”

@ludobagmcn

Liliane much preferred to celebrate her birthday quietly - her parents had thrown lavish parties that she hated before she came to Hogwarts, and once she arrived here, she just kept as quiet as she could about the day. Several of her housemates knew, but she solved that issue by slipping out of the common room early and returning late. However, this year, she had made the mistake of leaving several books she needed in the dormitory, so after lunch, she made the trek back up to the tower; with any luck, the common room would still be empty and she wouldn’t have to deal with any celebratory conversation. After answering the riddle, she stepped into the room and gave only a cursory glance around before starting toward the dormitory.

Ludo Bagman, being Ludo Bagman, loved to celebrate. He’d celebrate most things, but especially anything involving his fellow Ravenclaws, the group of whom made up most of his favourite people. However, it was this elevated status that meant today, Ludo wasn’t celebrating. At least, not the way he usually would. He still intended to celebrate one Liliane Chastain—if only he could find her. He was honestly considering employing first years to help find her if he didn’t before dinner, but, luckily for him, Liliane appeared in the common room.

Entirely ignoring the fact that she seemed like she had purpose and intent in her stride, Ludo sprang up from his armchair in the corner of the common room and headed towards Liliane, falling into step with her as she approached the stairs towards the dormitories. “Liliane Chastain,” he remarked casually, shooting a sideways glance at her, smile playing on his lip. “You’re quite the difficult person to find today—I wonder, why is that?” he teased lightly. “So, I was thinking,” he began, “and I know you’re not big on birthday things, but I had an idea, because, you know, you’re worth celebrating,” he said, shrugging but no less sincere for it. “Now, I promise there’s no massive, hectic party attached,” he said, lowering his voice slightly so not to spark anyone’s interest at the word ‘party’, “but I’ve been looking for you since breakfast, so will you please come with me?” Shooting her one of his more charming smiles, he added, a touch wheedlingly, “humour me, just this once.”

Her hands shot to cover her cheeks, which she were sure that somehow and someway they’d managed to find a way to flush even deeper. “I don’t think that that’ll be necessary, besides I’m sure most of the people you asked wouldn’t know who I am so they’d pick you by default.”

If anything, Ludo’s grin grew wider and, it must be said, brighter when Hestia covered her cheeks. “Well, I’m willing to go to the utmost of measures to convince you, Hes,” he informed her, before making a pitying noise. “Now, that’s just sad,” he said. “Missing out on knowing the Hestia Jones? Frankly, they’re being deprived. You know what? I bet if they all met you, they’d be lining up to make you smile and staying to hang out with you. In fact, it would the charitable thing to do, letting them know someone as top notch as you exists, Jones.” Ludo, by this point, had decided that, all jokes aside, it was indeed a crying shame for many people that they weren’t exposed to Hestia, who was, in his opinion, indeed one of the best people he knew. “And anyways,” Ludo added, “they couldn’t pick my smile if I didn’t know you, because who else would make me grin about stars at all hours of the night?” And, to illustrate his point, he smiled at her again, but something softer this time, a little less laughing and a little more fond—which, given his usually amused and fond expression when it came to the Ravenclaw girls, was saying something.

“Pretty sure your aim would be better with a bat in hand. Now if you were a chaser, I’d be more impressed,” Isla smirked before lightly tossing the snowball once in her own hand. “Friendly competition it is then,” she grinned and threw the snowball right at the boy’s chest before ducking behind a bush for cover.

“True,” he allowed, “but better with a bat doesn’t mean bad without.” He matched her smirk with one of his own, a challenging tilt to it. “I mean, if you want a Chaser, I can call over McKinnon or Doc—make myself an army of Quidditch players, and all. I reckon I can hold my own, though.” Right as he finished his sentence, he was aware of her answer and the snow whizzing towards him. Dodging slightly, the snowball still made mostly full contact with the side of his chest, but he paid that no mind, ducking down to scoop some snow into his hand and forming a compact ball. The grin on his face was involuntary—he was having fun, and it showed. “Oh, Islaaaaaa,” he sing-songed, weaving his way through trees for cover as he approached her bush.

Hestia’s cheeks turned such a shade of red that she could’ve easily been confused as a Gryffindor scarf. She gently nudged her shoulder into his arm, “Ludo Bagman, I’m not quite so sure anyone else would agree with that.”

Ludo grinned down at her, utterly unrepentant. “Oh, yeah? I can conduct a survey, if you like. Anthea’d be my first port of call, I’m sure she’d agree with me, and I bet so’d the rest of the castle. I mean, I am pretty cute,” he said, straightening up and pretending to preen, before nudging her shoulder, “but your smile will absolutely be the winner, if any of them have eyes.”

Gwen decided that what she’d already heaped onto her plate was enough for one meal, and stopped grasping for more food from the table. “It just noticed that I had lost a lot this fall. Too much practice, not enough food. But I hadn’t been actively trying to bulk up for a while…” Gwenog’s voice raised in pitch severely, “She’s got it booked all weekend? Dammit! No, we’ll have them fly Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Next week, maybe we’ll be able to space it out a little better. Damn that Talkalot.”

Ludo chewed thoughtfully, surveying her critically. “I heard Puddlemere actually has an eating plan for their players,” he informed her. “Might be a bit extra, but could be worth looking into, at least just for guidelines? It’s winter, after all, and you’d wanna make sure the players are eating enough for all the practices, but mostly that they’re eating the right stuff.” Ludo shook his head. “Not at dawn on either, but at eight onwards, yeah, and an evening next week, but not until Tuesday or Wednesday. Wood told me she’d be in her office after dinner, if you wanted to catch her for bookings.”

@ludobagmcn​

“ bring it on, bagman. we both know you’ll lose. ” she muses as hand reaches to give him a cup filled to the brim with intoxicating liquid. the two bottles next to them telling of the contest between them. “ but i feel particularly giving –– call it new year’s feelings –– so when you lose i might, MIGHT, give you a ‘you fought bravely’-prize. ”