The Last Man on Earth

The Last Man on Earth

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters….yadda, yadda, yadda.

Chapter 43: Game Day: Part One

The Quidditch Pitch:

The pace of the game was intense. Angelina dodged another bludger aimed in her direction from a grim faced Bole. The noise from the crowd had dulled to a continuous background roar. All Angie could hear was the sound of her heart pounding and her labored breathing. She flew near Alicia as the game intensified. Slytherin was showing no mercy.

“Ally,” shouted Angie. “Be careful, the beaters seem to be aiming the bludgers at you nine times out of ten.”

“I know,” said Alicia grimly. “Stay away from me. I’ll distract them.”

Katie caught the quaffle and was speeding towards the end of the pitch furiously. Her eyes were focused on the goals. She didn’t see the bludger coming at her. Fred had aimed it at Pucey but it veered away and was heading towards her.

Katie gasped when she felt a strong hand jerk her back by the neck of her uniform. Marcus’s hand reached out and seemed to grab at her head as he veered her away from the goals, and unseen by Katie, the bludgers. Katie dropped the quaffle and Warrington sped away swiftly when he caught it. Katie turned and glared at Marcus. He glared back.

“You disobedient witch,” shouted Marcus just before he sped away. “Watch for bludgers!”

“Bloody man,” grumbled Katie underneath her breath. “Giving me orders.”

The rest of the game sped past in a blur of green and red as Gryffindor and Slytherin fought tooth and nail over the Quidditch cup. Wood was playing like his life depended on it. He was defending the hoops like they were his children. Billy was letting in goals like she wasn’t even there. Marcus groaned in frustration as he made another surge for the Gryffindor side of the pitch.

Marcus kept half an eye on Draco and Potter during the game. When the crowd began to roar, he had the quaffle. He kept moving towards the Gryffindor goals and silently willed Draco to reach the snitch first. When Jordan screamed out that Harry Potter had caught the snitch, Marcus closed his eyes and started to swear. Loudly.

“Fucking Potter,” said Adrian as he pulled up alongside Marcus. He listened to Marcus rant for a moment. “You know, Marcus, you can’t really kill Malfoy. First off, right now, you would automatically be the prime suspect. I assume you want to get away with the murder and not spend the rest of your life in Azkaban. Second, murder is just so messy. Third, you like Draco. Let’s kill Wood instead.”

“Can we,” asked Marcus wistfully.

“Bell might have a problem with it,” pointed out Terry who pulled up on the other side of Marcus. They impassively watched the Gryffindor celebrating their win.

“Bugger,” said Marcus with a sigh. “She will let me do many things but murdering Wood is not one of them.”

“Pity,” said Bole. He rested his beater club on his shoulder. “By the way, What was up with Billy?”

“She was playing like she had a fucking blindfold on,” grumbled Derrick.

“Come on,” said Marcus through gritted teeth. “I can’t watch this anymore.” The Slytherin team headed for the showers.

The Gryffindor change room was alive with yelling and whooping as the entire House looked like it was crammed inside the little room. Katie had her arms flung around George and Lee. The whole atmosphere was one of joy and laughter. She had never seen Oliver look so happy in her life.

In the Slytherin change room, Adrian asked Marcus if he was coming with the rest of the team to drink their sorrows away in Derrick’s room.

“Bloody hell,” sighed Marcus as he ran a tired hand over his face. “I have to meet my father after the game. Save a bottle for me.”

“A bottle?” asked Terry with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes,” said Marcus as he stood up. “My girlfriend is going to be occupied tonight.”

“Where is Bletchley?” asked Derrick with a frown.

“She scuttled off before we even got in here,” said Terry.

“Not wanting to face Marcus, I expect,” said Bole.

“I know how she feels,” said a morose Malfoy under his breath. The rest of the team had forgiven him after they saw how upset Draco was. He needed no further punishment. Losing to Potter yet again was punishment enough, Marcus grudgingly thought.

Snape’s Office:

Marcus heaved a sigh and knocked on the door with a slight grimace. A first year told him that his father was waiting for him in Professor Snape’s office.

“Come in,” said Snape silkily.

“Sir,” said Marcus as he nodded to his house head and then his father. Marcus was looked at the room’s other occupants with barely concealed surprise.

“Marcus,” said Billy demurely. “This is my father Wilhelm Bletchley.”

“Pleased to meet you sir,” said Marcus politely. He gave his father an inscrutable look. His icily elegant looking father merely gave Marcus a cool smile.

“Now that Marcus is here,” drawled Aurelius Flint. “We can continue the discussion.”

“About what,” asked Marcus warily as he sat down.

“Mr. Bletchley approached me recently with an offer, Marcus,” said Aurelius Flint.

“A match between you and my daughter would be advantageous to both our families,” said Mr. Bletchley with a determined look. Billy gave a radiant smile in Marcus’s direction.

Marcus turned to his father coolly and said, “No.”

“Listen to the man,” said Aurelius as he reached down and twisted his cufflinks with a seemingly disinterested look.

“Financially,” said Bletchley. “It is a good match. I’m sure the maintenance of the family estates is a constant worry.” Marcus’s father stopped twisting his cufflinks and gave Bletchley a coldly aristocratic glare.

“No,” said Marcus firmly. “I thank you for the offer sir but it is not possible to accept.”

“That middle class Gryffindor girl will not make a proper wife,” said Billy with a glare. “I can provide with my dowry, a good life for our children. I am an only child and will inherit everything as would my children.”

“Pureblood?” asked Marcus’s father.

“Nine generations pureblood,” said Bletchley proudly. “On both sides.”

“Marcus,” asked Aurelius. “What middle class girl are we speaking of?”

“My girlfriend, Katie Bell,” said Marcus coolly. Inside he was frantically trying to gauge his father’s mood.

“A nine generation pureblood as well,” asked Aurelius with interest. Snape was silently watching the party with narrowed eyes.

“No,” said Marcus. “And she isn’t a heiress. She has two brothers.”

“Ahhh,” said Aurelius with a smile. “I see.”

Billy gave Marcus’s father a demure look. Her eyes were glittering with triumph.

“Tell me,” said Aurelius. “Miss Bletchley, is your mother an only child as well?”

“Yes,” said Billy with downcast eyes. “She inherited the family factories in The Netherlands after her father died. My father built our fortune with those factories.”

“I see,” said Aurelius with a bland smile.

Marcus was about to ask his father if he could speak with him privately. Billy was using her family money like a weapon. Her father smiled with triumph. Marcus had no idea what his father was thinking. The man was inscrutable as ever.

“Well Bletchley,” drawled Aurelius Flint after a short silence. “I do believe my son has made his decision.”

“What?” said Billy with shock.

“My son, like all Flints, is allowed to chose his bride,” said Flint with an insincere smile. “I’m so sorry for all the trouble.”

Marcus could feel his heart pounding with relief. He watched as Mr. Bletchley escorted an obviously flustered Billy out the door. The man had seen that that the negotiations were at an end. He was an experienced businessman. Although, he wasn’t sure what had scuttled the deal. Aristocrats were hard to read. He felt sure that it was a done deal. Aurelius and he had a very civilized conversation about the money last week. As he comforted his daughter, he wondered what had changed Aurelius Flint’s mind.

“What changed your mind?” asked Marcus in the silence after they had left.

“I believe Mr. Flint,” said Snape smoothly as he and Aurelius exchanged shared a smile. “It was the revelation about her bloodline.”

“Nine generations isn’t good enough,” asked Marcus with a sense of trepidation. Katie was no where near that many generations.

“Tell me Marcus,” said Aurelius with a sly look at his son. “How many brothers does your girlfriend have?”

“Two,” said Marcus. “Owen and Rhys. They are older than Katie is. One just had a child.”

“A boy?” asked Aurelius intently.

“Yes,” said Marcus with a confused look.

“Miss Bletchley is an only child,” said Snape. “As was her father and mother and I wager, her grandparents as well.”

A look of comprehension flooded Marcus’s face. “I see.”

“I hope you do,” said Aurelius.

“I would have never married her,” said Marcus. “Even if Billy had eight brothers.”

“Why?”

“I don’t love her,” said Marcus. “And I will not marry a girl who has had a go with all my friends.”

“Well,” said Aurelius with a shrug. “Miss Bletchley told me before you came that your present girlfriend has quite the reputation.”

“She’s lying,” said Marcus with a frown. “She started all the rumors out of jealousy. She said she didn’t care if I kept Katie as my mistress as long as I married her.”

“That is an option,” said Marcus’s father coolly. “That was a hefty dowry he was offering.”

“Not for all the galleons in Gringott’s.”

“What about this Bell girl,” asked Aurelius as Snape poured him and then after a slight hesitation, Marcus a glass of brandy. Marcus gave his cousin a smile of appreciation. He had the perfect opening as Marcus sipped his brandy and took a deep breath. He gave Snape a measured look and decided to proceed. After all, his cousin was also his head of house.

“I’m going to marry Katie Bell,” said Marcus with a raised chin and a determined tilt to his head. Both men just nodded. “As soon as possible.” Both men froze.

“Marcus,” asked Aurelius with an intense glare. “Explain yourself.”

“I betrothed myself to her three weeks ago using ancient magic,” said Marcus. His heart was pounding. His father was looking exceedingly grim.

“Continue,” said Aurelius in the heavy silence.

“Katie is going to have my child,” said Marcus firmly.

Aurelius got up and poured himself a large glass of Severus’s brandy. He took a long pull.

“Isn’t she sixteen and in her sixth year?” asked Aurelius after a long silence.

“Yes,” said Marcus.

“Marcus,” asked Aurelius testily. “Have you not heard of birth control potions?”

“Of course,” said Marcus. “I didn’t know that you weren’t supposed to combine certain potions.”

“What about charms?” said Aurelius.

“I…we…I used to forget sometimes,” said Marcus as his cheeks flushed.

“A child,” said Aurelius with a calculating look and a heavy sigh. “Her parents may kill you.”

“If they are smart,” said Snape sardonically. “They will wait until after the wedding.”

“Do they know?” asked Aurelius.

“No,” said Marcus. “We were going to tell them after I told you.”

“Merlin,” said Aurelius with a groan. “Your mother doesn’t know yet either, does she?”

“No,” said Marcus with a sigh.

“She thinks that you are as pure as the driven snow,” said Aurelius with an eyeroll. “Honestly, she bought the story that the Stebbins girl was your summer tutor. I mean who gets lessons in their bedroom? Your mother can be oblivious. She might accuse the Bell girl of corrupting you, her precious baby boy.”

“Please,” said Marcus. “If she wants to accuse someone of corrupting me, she should look closer to home about four years ago.”

“Who,” asked Aurelius with a frown. He poured Marcus a stiff drink.

“Mellisande Avery,” said Marcus with a shrug as he took a long sip.

“You have to be kidding me,” said Aurelius with a look of shock.

“No,” said Marcus. “Remember that summer house party that lasted a week?”

Aurelius gave a snort of laughter. “I never thought I’d see the day I would be sitting with my son and discovering that we have shared a mistress.”

“What?” said Marcus with shock.

“The same time too,” said Aurelius. He tossed back his drink. So did Marcus. Snape was smothering a smirk behind his desk.

“Aurelius,’ said Snape. “I did warn you about that woman.”

“That you did,” said Aurelius with a sigh.

“Tell me about Katie,” said Aurelius. “My soon to be daughter.”

“Katie is exceedingly willful, disobedient, and moralistic,” said Marcus with a sigh. “In short, she’s a Gryffindor. But I find her exciting, passionate and loving. She’ll make my life interesting and I know she’ll be a good mother. She will never let me have a mistress. She’s already threatened to kill me if I try. Today her team beat me at Quidditch, so she’ll hold that over my head for a couple of years. I suspect that she’s going to invite her Gryffindor mates to the wedding. I was hoping to never see Wood again but I’ll have to endure his presence in my life. He is one of her friends.”

“Sounds like you’ve met your match,” said Aurelius. “Are you absolutely sure?”

“Yes,” said Marcus as his father looked intently into his eyes.

“When I married your mother,” said Aurelius seriously. “I had no intention of living the life I’m leading now. Are you absolutely sure?”

“I love mother,” said Marcus. “But she’s not the most aware person. If she has pretty clothes, she’s pretty much happy.”

“Yes,” said Aurelius. “She knows about the other women. In my own way, I love your mother Marcus.”

“She told me once,” said Marcus quietly. “That you loved her the best. And she was content with that. She said you always came home.”

“Would your Katie be content with that?” asked Aurelius intently.

“Hell no,” said Marcus.

“Good,” said Aurelius. “Good.”