waddup

“ludo!” he said, greeting his fellow housemate. “how are you? how was your break?” he asked, clearly excited to be back. 

“Toots!” Ludovic exclaimed, followed by a snicker. He’d always got a kick out of Tilden’s last name, ever since he was a first year. “Break was boring, definitely.” Tilden’s enthusiasm was infectious, and his own energy grew in response. “What about you? Anything fun happen over the summer?”

“yes. rain chack on that challenge.” she confirmed. she could play him in the game later. it would be good practice, she just didn’t want him getting hurt. “i wouldn’t lose. i don’t want you to be injured before the session even starts. would hate to put hufflepuff even further behind.” she teased. 

“You wouldn’t lose, eh?” Ludovic repeated her words back to her, and then laughed. “I like this confidence, Rowle, even if you’re one hundred percent wrong about your chances this year."

Logan weighed the offer, studying Ludo before nodding firmly. He wasn’t being weird after all the sibling stuff. If he had, Logan would have been out before anyone could say firewhiskey. But this would be fun. “I’m in desperate need of a good drink,” they said, “I’ve had no luck finding cute people to snog and I’m about to get grumpy.”

“Good.” He nodded his head militantly. “Well, then drinking should definitely be your first priority. People start looking a lot cuter once you’ve had a few drinks.” He laughed, before suddenly pursing his lips to think. “So, we could go to a bar, but I’ve already been to all of them today. What do you say we do some old fashioned sneakery, and steal a bottle from one of the stands? It’s much more fun to drink outside, anyways. The trees and shit, you know?”

arthur scowled – though he wasn’t one to give interhouse rivalry much thought, slytherin beating gryffindor in a match always left a bad taste in his mouth. then he groaned, scratching the back of his neck. “ach, don’t remind me. eleventh year, specializations – makes my head hurt. and i wouldn’t be so sure. that james potter is really something.”

“James Potter is good, but I’m better.” Ludovic said this very matter-of-factly, in the manner that one might insist the sky is blue. “Have you decided what you’re specializing in? Let me guess,” He leaned in, waving his turkey stick around rather recklessly, “it’ll be something about muggles, huh?”

“I’d argue that’s debatable, but I’m sure some have convinced that ego of yours to think that way,” Marlene couldn’t help but smirk, shrugging their shoulders. “Gonna try to snake your way into a three-way then, are you? Just make sure you get yourself that protection, can’t have anymore baby Bagman’s running around Hogwarts. Two of you is enough.” The Slytherin teased, reciprocating the hug. “As long as I don’t have to run into the bastard that is Amycus Carrow and the drinks keep coming, I’ll be swell. Where do they serve the best?” 

“Snake my way into a threesome?” He laughed a loud, barking sound. “Marlene, dude, I am always welcomed into the threesome. The red carpet is practically put down at my feet.” He was exaggerating, as per usual, and the mischievous grin on his face surely said as much. He pulled back from the hug, though he kept one arm draped over their shoulder. “I appreciate your advice, however, and will do my best to take it into consideration. I don’t want any baby Bagman’s running around. Unless they’re Otto’s, then it could be cool.” He glanced over in the direction he knew the bars to be. “I’ve already been to the Hog’s Head once today, but I don’t mind going back again. The drinks are free and the clientele is less annoying than the other bars. What do you say?”

“scared that you won’t win?” he asked, looking at the other. he was amused that ludo had been so cocky only moments prior. now he didn’t want any parts of it, probably because he knew he was going to lose. “because i’m not one to make a fool out of myself. the game is for children and i am far from a child.” 

Ludovic pointed a finger at Amycus, still grinning. “Call me scared all you like, but you won’t be getting any of my money.” He squinted his eyes just a little. Even someone like Ludovic knew to stay cautious in the presence of a Carrow. “The game is stupid, though. One on one Quidditch? It takes all the fun out of it. Quidditch is a team sport. It requires cohesion...strategy! One against one is just a test of speed, not skill.”

Damiar had been completely distracted by everything around them, which was quite normal for the Hufflepuff. Probably explained why they needed a tutor for some of their classes. When they heard a familiar voice though, their eyes flickered to the other. “Hey, long time no see.” They smiled before heading over to him. “How was your break?”

“Hello, roommate.” He drew the word out, lingering on the ‘oo’ sound, before knocking them lightly in the shoulder. “My break was boring. I’m glad to be back here with everyone else. It’s much more entertaining. What about you? Please tell me that you had a more interesting time than me.”

“Oh Merlin, I can see it now,” Cassandra shook her head as she grinned, “Hottest Slytherin goes missing after cheering on Hufflepuff.” Perhaps it was ill advised to joke about such things, what with the war and actual people going missing almost daily - but it hadn’t come to affect Cass’s life in a way to make her take it as seriously as she should.

“To Hogwarts!” Cass clinked her shot glass against his before downing the firewhiskey. Perhaps it was strange, to toast to being back in school when she was the least studious person she knew. But, Hogwarts was where Cassandra Wilkes thrived - surrounded by others. It felt good to be back. “So, tell me Ludo,” she leaned back in her chair, taking her ale with her, “What’s on the plans for the year?”

“Don’t say Hufflepuff with that tone,” Ludovic protested, but the grin on his face betrayed his words. “Hufflepuff is the best house at Hogwarts, hands down. We haven’t got our heads up our asses like the rest of you lot. We’re genuine.” He laughed, and then clinked his shot glass against hers. He poured the firewhiskey into his mouth, shaking his head aggressively as the liquid moved down his throat. 

“Ohh, that one burned.” He scrunched his face up, and then slapped his fist against his chest. “I think that means I need to drink more. That always makes the burning go away. He took another breath, and then reached for his beer. “Hm, plans? Well, as a rule, I tend to not make very many of those. They tend to make themselves, you know?” He took a sip, and then wiped away his mouth with the back of his hand. “ I do have some things in mind, but they’re mostly Quidditch related.”

“Ludovic,” Gabrielle shook her head. Even if she didn’t always agree with his methods, she couldn’t help but grin as she stepped closer. “Is it fair to assume that you found just as much trouble this summer as one would think?”

“It’s actually not fair at all, I’ll have you know.” Ludovic put on a snobbish look, turning his nose down at her like he was a stiff-lipped, geriatric politician. “I was perfectly well-behaved, all summer long.” Which, obviously, was entirely not true, though he at least kept his antics confined to his home. “You really ought to be more careful with your assumptions.”

“never mind!” fi laughed the second she saw him move. she could not let him on a broom like that even though she knew that meant a guaranteed win it also meant he’d probably end up hurt. “how about you sober up some and then i’ll play you later.” she suggested. she had a feeling he wouldn’t listen, but she would try her hardest to make him. 

“Is that a rain check I hear, Rowle?” He grinned a wicked smile, and crossed his arms over his chest. “Fine, but I’m going to hold you to it.” Ludovic spun on his heels in a surprisingly grateful move considering how much he’d had to drink. He watched the next two players climb atop their brooms for the match, and then he snorted. “I guess I understand why you don’t want to play against me. You wouldn’t want to lose before the season even starts, right?”

“I thought that was a given,” Logan said. “Everyone wants to see me.” Which was not entirely true but close enough. Everyone important should want to see them. “Well, I was hoping to find someone cute to snog, or something worth drinking. So far neither has worked out for me but you’re here so at least I don’t have to be lonely.”

A weaker man might have taken offense at such insults, but Ludovic met them with a smile. “Sounds like it’s my lucky day then, eh?” Logan was trickier than Cass, by a long shot, but they both had a streak of fire them Ludovic felt drawn to. “In the spirit of not being lonely, want to go on a walk? Maybe one of these stalls is selling something worth drinking.”

arthur nodded in agreement, the turkey leg covering his mouth as he took another bite. he made a sound of approval – for how well the turkey leg was cooked, and ludovic’s morals. “good for you, ludo – i’m glad to hear that!” as arthur pulled the leg away from his face to tap ludovic’s turkey leg, he wiped at his mouth with his sleeve. “hey, d’you know what the order is for the games, yet? need to know who to make a banner for first.”

“I think it’s Gryffindor against Slytherin, first.” Ludovic mused, pursing his lips. “I don’t know yet, though, I haven’t had an opportunity to go and bother Madam Hooch into giving me all of the information yet.” It was a part of Ludovic’s back-to-school routine, bothering the quidditch sponsor into giving him every detail about the schedule. “It’s your last year, yeah? A shame that Gryffindor won’t win the cup this season, but perhaps you’ll get second place.”

“show me what you’ve got then.” amycus said simply, knowing he could charm the ball to miss just to prove ludo wrong. it would be amusing and an easy task for him to accomplish. “it’ll make it even sweeter when you inevitably fail and i can laugh at you.” 

Ludovic clicked his tongue. “You know, I think they’ve got something in the rules about not playing after a few drinks.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Alas. Maybe I’ll try tomorrow, soberly and first thing.” Anyhow, Ludovic was not very good at paying off any debts he may owe, and on the off chance he did lose, he didn’t want to owe a Carrow, of all people, money. He grinned. “Why don’t you give it a shot, eh?”

as ludovic leaned in, emmeline grinned – something about just being around ludo was enough to put her in a good mood. she turned her attention back to the pubman and scowled. “move – and get some serum for that beard, tell primpernelle that em sent you, she’ll get you a good deal.” emmeline hurried around to the other side of the stand. as she began mixing various juices and ingredients, she glanced back up at ludovic. “how was your summer? break any hearts?”

“Only my father’s.” Ludovic answered casually, the way one might speak of a funny tidbit about their day. “It was boring. There aren’t very many hearts to break when you’re stuck all alone on a farm.” Especially so being stuck on a farm with only one’s father, brother, and a gaggle of animals. “But the summer isn’t over yet, not really. There’s still time.” He glanced at the pubman, who was standing off to the side in a quiet state of shock and then glanced back to Emmeline with a grin. “What about you? Anything exciting happen in the land of Emmeline?”