chapter three ... MISS CHARMING

  ( PT I )

𓃠

      IN THE EVER ILLOGICAL logic of Saul Peregrine, he decides to awaken his not-a-morning-person daughter before the crack of the dawn, grinning from ear to ear. See, Eve doesn't get mornings. They're are beautiful when thought about, in theory, like getting a pixie cut or moving to Greenland - but then reality sets in and it's suddenly like woah my face is too round for this cut and what the fuck it's literally frozen here where is the green on this land?! There's some more riveting examples but it's too early to name them all. Mornings for Eve were only softened by the promise of yummy food or presents, like if it was her birthday (which was in a few days, huzzah) or Christmas. Yet, on this specific morning, it was neither and so the allure of opening her eyes was moot.

      In any case, Saul Peregrine, with an amount of giddiness that could only grate her teeth at such an early hour, shakes his daughter awake whilst telling her, "Wear something comfy. Er... Pack light, too. We're going to the Quidditch World Cup!"

       Eve nearly Charmspoke him to go back to bed.

       But she gets up, albeit grumpily.

      Her dad uses magic to make her tote-bag never ending. He knows her, she knows that. Eve prances over the mounds of clothes she's been sorting through, deciding what to take to Hogwarts. It's a mission for another day. Todays fashion mission was comfort. With that in mind, Eve pulls on some sneakers, pairing it with black biker shorts and buried in the back of her closet, she finds an old Irish Quidditch shirt she's had forever. It fits Eve slightly like a baby-tee - Saul will definitely lend her his black leather jacket to cover up later. She loves it. After brushing her teeth and using a hair straightening potion, a white headband holds it all back. Her look is done. One glance in the mirror makes Eve feel like she's looking at the origins of a candid photo of Princess Diana out running errands. Totally chic.

      The universe was never on her side for important, life altering situations, but the Mother Above would never let Eve go anywhere looking lousy. You win some, you lose some.

      Beetz is on his expensive suede cushion in her room still sleeping. She knows Gráinne will feed him when he wakes up in a few hours. Eve kneels down to kiss his fluffy face. It wakes him up ever so slightly, "Beetz beloved. Yes, I'm up early. But I'll be back... we're going to the World Cup. Not the Muggle one of course - I'll bring you back a little shirt or a collar charm for you to wear, okay?" Beetz nudges her chin with his face, purring. He meows. "Oh, you're my sweet, special guy. I love you - Oh! I almost forgot, tell me how I look? Princess Di Chic or just Camilla Try Hard?"

       Beetz chitters.

       Eve smiles, "Diana. Good... Bye!"

       Saul is waiting for her downstairs with Gráinne.

       He's got a thermos mug in hand, dressed in a Irish Quidditch jersey and dark jeans and his signature steel-toe boots. His leather jacket folded in his arm, ready to go. Totally dad. Gráinne is holding one mug for her, (most likely filled with her favorite vanilla comoro tea) along with what looks to be a giant blueberry muffin. No doubt Saul asked her to give the princess some incentive to be more awake...

     "C'mon, pumpkin," says Saul. He takes her tote for her only because he sees how she's walking so slow and keeps blinking over and over. He shakes her shoulders. "Smile a bit. It's Quidditch..."

      "It's four in the morning," says Eve, putting sunglasses on.

      "And it's too sunny at four am? Kidding... I kid ... don't gimme that look. C'mon. Where's that classic charm of yours? I know how much you enjoy your beauty sleep and all but this called for it, princess. You'll see," Saul sounds really excited as he speaks, "We gotta travel a bit to get there, hence the early hour."

     "Don't tell me... Portkey?" asks Eve.

      He winces. "Portkey."

      "Because the universe hates me..."

      "More like the match is in Dartmoor."

       Eve nearly cries. She just wants to sleep. Gráinne walks over to her, "Take a bite of your muffin, Caoimhe," She coaxed her, "Finish it off before you get to the Portkey. You sleep all you can when you get to your tent, yes? I told Saul dearie to have someone set it up before you arrive," Eve bends over to hug the elf woman. "Sweet Caoimhe. You rest that pretty face of Gráinne's for her..."

       "Gran, my heart, any bets on who's winning?" Eve asks as she starts digging into her muffin.

     "All I know is that the Bulgarians got a good seeker, kid named Viktor Krum," says Saul, bustling around to gather the last of their things. He smiles broadly. "He's around Jaime's age did you know? He's tough on the broom, that boy - for that, everyone thinks the Irish don't stand a chance."

       "Well Gran, your decree?" asks Eve.

       "Gráinne should bet the Irish win..." says Gráinne.

       "S'Wonderful - I bet on losing dogs."

        Saul snorts, "Well - we should hope Ireland, less they go and embarrass me." He makes a face. "Paid an arm and leg for last minute tickets but I felt since I won't see you even at Christmas-" This makes Eve raise her brows. "Figured it was worth it, one of our last father-daughter things before you're off to school. Wanted to get as much time with you as I possibly can..." She goes to hug him tight. Eve loves her father. He's one of a kind, all hers. Eve also might not care for early mornings but she'll always care to wake up and see his face first thing in them. Not everyone gets to be loved by Saul but Eve always will. She's Irish Lucky that way.

      "Well when you put like it that," says Eve, who frowns after she takes in the rest of his words, "But why won't you see me at Christmas-?"

       Saul grins. "Patience is a virtue."

       "Absolutely," Eve says, "But tell me now?"

       "Lemme just say, I'll take you back to Soho before Diagon Alley this weekend. Not as a birthday gift, something more on the side. You need to pick out a nice dress..." Saul smiles at her. He thinks for a moment more before he continues, "For the Pretty in Pink predicament you'll be in around Christmastime."

       Oh? Eve thinks, New dress?

       His daughter nudges him excitedly, "Pretty in Pink you say? You are so your daughters father, Peregrine." Her mood and level of energy has skyrocketed. Clothes and the prospect of her getting new ones does that, especially if it calls for a special occasion where everyone shall see said clothes. "Aren't you so very glad I made you watch that movie with me?"

       "Very glad, princess." says her dad, dryly.

       Eve claps, "Let's go then! Can't be late..."

       "Chipper now, are we?"

       "I prefer incentivized but that'll do, too."

       Saul, ever the real man, takes all their things in his arms as they head out of Peregrine House. It's a nice manor, their home, on the outskirts of Cork. Large and brown-bricked, thick ivy covering the walls with a nice cherry red door and tons of silver birch leading up to the house, their leaves already turning different shades for autumn. Eve's grown up here when she wasn't with her cousins in Grimmauld Place or the newly formed (as of sixteen years ago) House of Black in Devon. Her dad doesn't hold dear to Peregrine House the way she always has; Eve supposes it's because he inherited it only a year before he met Marcela Black, got her pregnant, and gained a baby daughter on top of this ancestral home from parents he never even knew.

      Ever pragmatic, Saul must've reasoned raising his daughter here was better than anywhere else he'd known in America. Away from all the shady people and seedy joints who'd only known him with different names - Johnny Rook, Bryde Sully, and Paul Crow to name a few...

     They took Saul's broom to the countryside, Eve holding her dad tight. She kept her sunglasses on the whole time even though the sun hadn't fully risen. She even finished her giant blueberry muffin and tea by then, too... Saul slowed down about an hour or so later. They hovered over a crowd of several people in a queue to all grab hold of what looked to be a dirty mop. "Is that the Portkey?" asks Eve.

      "Not ours, beauty," says Saul.

      "Then where-? Oh." Eve could feel her dad grin. They rode past the large crowd and kept to the skies. She was putting it together now. She wasn't even going to ask how her father had somehow managed to obtain his own secret Portkey with how the British Ministry was about them. "You cool cat. We got our own very special and secret one, don't we?"

       "You are your fathers daughter, brains," says Saul, happily. "We've got ours in the woods over there. All unauthorized and unlicensed and very illegal of course - but no queue, no questions..."

      "Onwards then!" says Eve, smiling.

       They land a mile or so from where the crowds were. The woods are straight from Alice in Wonderland and it makes her mentally curse that she forgot to bring a book along. Malecrit knows how long this blasted match will be, given how the last one was nearly a week long. Eve hopes it's done in a day. She will not be spending her birthday in a camp. Saul wordlessly summons the Portkey - a wooden bucket with a rusty old handle. Saul tapped his hovering broom with his wand and it shifted upright, turning invisible and magically sinking into oak near them. No Muggle would ever know it was there. Eve and Saul looked at each other and with a nod, they touched the bucket. The instant tug on her navel was unpleasant but she held her sunglasses to her face more tightly than anything else, they're Gucci, like imagine if they flew off...?

         Then she let herself be transported to Dartmoor.

⭑

     MEN MUST BE humbled, Eve decides.

     Upon the Peregrine's arrival to the Quidditch World Cup, she was greeted with the barbarism of (mostly) men roaring over their favorite teams. It's insane. Like, she's experienced this before, of course, but the international part of this had conjoined her view of men as a whole. It made her laugh as much as it made her curl her lip at everyone. Malecrit forbid women fangirl over fit movie stars or cover their walls with giant posters of their favorite boyband - men will laugh and point at girls for being girls, having hobbies, all whilst they salivate and get giddy over their favorite bloke making a quaffle throw... it's shit.

      It wasn't even that Eve disliked Quidditch, again, the superb Seeker she was; it was just that she didn't think girls and their cute/fun hobbies should be frowned upon by everyone when there's this... (Like, that one time Eve found a Dior halter dress from the 70s at an estate sale in Islington, her size and all - obviously Eve was hysterical as this lot but everyone in the home looked at her like she was mad! No one is getting looks here. Eve thinks she should be left alone in her pursuit to collect items she can pass on to her daughters one day... If only to soften the blow of, well, the possibility they'll inherit their mums gorgeous clothes along with her burdensome Charmspeak...)

     Flashes of red and green flooded Eve's vision at every turn even though her eyes were shielded by her very fabulous sunglasses - it couldn't save her from face-painted men and their hollering. Eve held her dads arm tight as they wove through the crowd, Saul using his very 'unapproachable face' to make sure no stray poppers were aimed in their direction or anything. Again, her father is a cool guy. He can turn into one of these crazed fans but he'll do it away from Eve, like a proper man. 

      They're still weaving through crowds when-

      "AH! SAUL OLD BOY!"

      A man with sandy blond hair and bright blue eyes that scared Eve approached them. He looked like he could've been a Quidditch player, too, and suddenly he looks very familiar... "There are you are, ol' friend - I wondered if you'd show up!" Her dad and the man embrace like old buddies but Eve's never met the guy before, that's for sure. "It's good to see you, I tell you - this damn match will be the death of me, it will. I haven't even begun to take in the stress for what's going on at the school in October-!"

         "Ludo," Saul cuts in, smiling wide. "You've been good? Keeping out of trouble?" He lays a heavy hand on his friends shoulder. "Word is that you aren't... Remember, I hear it all."

      He chortles, "Saul, my friend, you know me-"

      "I know the goblins always get their dues."

      "Yes. Yes, I know that - so I wonder if perhaps... no pressure, of course, but for old times sake.. if you put in a good word-?"

       Saul looks resigned, "You know I would. But to be frank, I don't do much of that anymore, Ludo. I got one very good reason to stay out..." He finally looks at Eve who's deeply engrossed in the conversation. "Speaking of - I don't think you've ever met my daughter?" The man named Ludo looks at her too, then, blinking rapidly at the teenager clinging to Saul for dear life. "Sweets, this is an old pal of mine from way back when - Ludo, meet Eve. Eve, this man here played for the Wimbourne Wasps and the English National team, Mr Ludovic Bagman..."

       Eve waves at the man, "Hi."

       "Well a very grand hello back, Eve - my, you're a pretty one!" exclaims Ludo. "No offense but such a bonny face doesn't have Saul written on there - pretty as you are, of course, my friend... that's all her mum, I'll wager?" He bellows a laugh. She feigns a smile. Whatever that means? She already doesn't like this guy very much. Call it a gut feeling.

       "Well, if you fancy Black Widows..." says Eve.

       Bagman looks confused. Saul rubs his face.

       Eve, switching to French with ease, just because she could and her being awake this early made her snippy, "You know, Mr Bagman. Dark, eaters of death type women?"

       "Wow. Erm, can't say I know French..."

       "How unsurprising," says Eve.

       "Saul, mate - maybe a little translation?" Bagman chuckles nervously.

       "It's her mothers family thing," says Saul, leveling the man with a cool look. "She means Marcela Black, Ludo. That's her mom, it's Mara–"

       His eyes go wide and he turns Saul and him around as if Eve wouldn't hear. "So the Prophet was all right in getting your name in there? I thought Skeeter was scribbling nonsense again, mucking up some poor blokes name but you - you really, wow, Saul, old boy, wow- you went and shacked up with Marcela Black of all women-?" Ludo turns back to wave assuringly at Eve who just frowns at him. He goes back to his not quiet whispers with her dad. "What was our thing about not taking bad bets, huh?"

     "This one had a good pay out," Saul looks at Eve, winking.

     "But the article said-?"

      Eve amused, says in French, "Of course, sir, because all the facts of the world would be found in the pages of a British based newspaper..."

      Bagman blinks rapidly - not knowing a word.

     "The prophet doesn't know shite, Ludo." says Saul.

     "No, of course, it's all crud..." It was clear her father still had some pull over the magical underground judging by the way he had Ludo squirming. "Just shameful that Skeeter is blabbing about good folk-" Ludo looks back to Eve, his eatery blue eyes intrigued, "But you... you're really a Charmspeaker, yourself, aren't you, girlie? You'll be Hogwarts own Little Miss Charmer if you're to believe all the rumors!"

      Another thing about being a Charmspeaker - Saul always told her, after minding her words, to keep quiet on the fact she was one at all. Not that she should be ashamed, no, but once others, with more uglier instincts, found out she could control anything with a single command there was no telling what they'd do to try and use it for themselves...

      So, Eve looks at her dad.

      Subtly, Saul shakes his head.

      Understood. "I've been considered quite the smooth talker since I was a little thing, Mr Bagman, but I don't think I'd go that far," Eve says, in English this time, for him to understand everything. "Perhaps you're thinking of my mum. Bad bet and all..." She winks at her dad whilst Ludo rubs his beefy neck awkwardly. She claps, proud of herself. "Right... so. I'll let you boys catch on up."

      "I'll be a minute," says Saul.

     "Take your time. I'll go along and find Jaime." says Eve.

      "Little Peregrine..." Bagman nods at her, wary.

       Her eyes glitter, "It was an absolute charm meeting you, Mr Bagman," Eve waves at the rosy-faced man as she walks off, her sunglasses resting on her head as she calls over her shoulder, in French, "Really! May your day be superbly charming you absolute babbling brown-noser..."

     As she walks off she can hear Bagman muttering to her father, something along the lines of "Well! That's definitely Cela's daughter, she is..." to which Saul replies back, in the most proud tone Eve's ever heard him use, "Yeah but her charm is genuine - that's all me." It makes Eve's lips tug into a smile so big she knows her dimples are on display for all to see her joy. She may not know Marcela Black beyond looking just like her to the point of genetic wonder, but she does know Saul Peregrine. Cool, collected, and constant in his love for her. It'll always be more to her than the fear of being thought of as her mum.

       Little miss charming indeed.

⭑

       EVE GETS TO THE tent that's their own, which is placed right next to another, where she immediately spots her oldest cousin. Jaime is all decked out in Irish colors, a clover painted on his cheek and his shirt being like hers, a size too small, but makes him look super put together in a way only she can understand... He and his boyfriend are outside of the tent, sitting down on some folding chairs. They're sharing a program and Cedric's laughing at something Jaime whispers in his ear. Eve feels her stomach flutter because they're seriously so cute she'll probably die of envy... it's about time she get herself a boyfriend, no? Perhaps it's too early?

        For sure next year.

        The thing is...

       All Eve has ever done is snog pretty boys - and that one gorgeous Luxembourg girl, her first kiss, the year before. She was over the moon about it all but never had she given thought to dating anyone. Being a girlfriend, to her, was serious business (she's just turning fourteen, so laugh, but she means it) and because her heart was treasured as she was taught by her uncles and her father. It was also always some out of reach thing for her... she was too busy minding her own words to be swept away by the sweet ones of anyone who might've fancied her. Now, she has different things keeping her busy but she doesn't think she's too busy to find someone who catches her eye...?

       How cinematic.

       "No way... EVE!" A voice shouts.

       It's Jaime - he's spotted her finally, not that hard given her height, (at nearly fourteen and five-seven, she likes to think she will one day coin the Yasmeen Ghauri look...) and she waves at him in response. He rushes over with ease, "I thought that was you, poppet! What are you doing here- nevermind that. You're here!" He hugs her tight and picks her up only because he thinks it's hilarious to lift up his little cousin who's nearly as tall as him.

      "I'm here!" Eve smiles.

      "Lorelei's gonna be miffed..."

      Eve knows it, "Just another thing she can blame me for! But Dad got us last minute tickets somehow," She explains, moving her sunglasses up so they sit atop her headband. "I mean that so literally. He woke me up this morning to tell me... I know. He's a brave man."

      Jaime looks astonished, "And you woke up?"

      "A blueberry muffin was waiting for me..."

      "But this, poppet, you're standing at nine am-"

      "Um, miracles can happen!" says Eve, hitting his arm.

      "What's a miracle-?" asks Cedric, who joined up with them, his nice face brighter as he smiles at her. He's not as dressed up in the team spirit as them two but Eve can see a Quidditch fiend when she sees one. "Ah. I see now... Hello Eve."

      "Hi, handsome," Eve smiles.

      He hugs her as well, just as tight and all. "Did you just get here? Jem didn't say you-?"

      "Only because I didn't know either, babe," says Jaime, grinning. He looks happy as always, but more so because his favorite two people in the world are with him. "Isn't this neat? We can soft launch Eve to any of the Hogwarts lot walking around here... let them know how noble and neat the new House of Black."

       Cedric smiles wide, "Very neat."

      "You say that now but I've come to third-wheel... Don't worry though - I'm very good at suddenly seeing something interesting if you want to be alone and do cute, gross, boyfriend things," says Eve, smiling sweetly. Jaime's ears are red however.

       "Eve Peregrine-"

       Cedric only laughs, "It's still good to see you, Eve. Jem was just telling me how you're finally going to Hogwarts this year as well?" Eve beams. She's so excited. He looks between the cousins, smiling, "You've been sorted, right?" She nods. "Can I say we have ourselves another Hufflepuff-?"

       At that, Jaime makes a noise.

       "Or not?" asks Cedric, blinking.

      "Slytherin, actually," Eve says. She sees the realization hit Cedric's pretty face and she nods, "I know... I'm practically Muggle-born the way I am. Which is why they should be glad to have me in. I hope..." Her nose scrunches up, "Malecrit above. I haven't got a chance, do I? I'm toast - impeccably dressed, thoroughly burnt toast."

         "You're not toast," says Cedric.

         "You're Eve," Jaime agrees, and grins. "And I'm hungry now with all this food talk."

          Cedric frowns, "Jem - we ate breakfast."

         "That was hours ago."

         "...You even ate the scone that your dad made me!"

          Jaime looked abashed, "Merlin, you're right. Ced. That was greedy of me - but I must defend myself, it was in the name of hunger, I was hungry. You still love me though, right?"

         "Well obviously - I let you eat it," says Cedric.

          Jaime kisses his cheek. Cedric smiles at him. "I am still hungry though."

        "We'll feed you, c'mon..." Eve waves them over to where there was a short queue at a food stand near the tents. There were some people who passed them and waved at Jaime and Cedric in greeting - two boys names Seamus and Dean, both of whom, at the mere sight of Eve, became frozen and flushed. The two nearly collided into some nearby man's cart full of Bulgarian figurines he was selling. They rushed to get away, sneaking glances back at her. It made Jaime cackle in amusement whilst Cedric held in his own laughs. So much for a soft launch. Eve sighs. "I swear that has never happened to me before... Seriously. I'd brag, Jaime, you know me. I presume those two go to Hogwarts, as well?" Her cousin nods at her. "Don't tell my dad - I think he'll start crying."

      "Poor Mr Peregrine," says Cedric.

       Eve crosses her arms, "I'd pity him more were I completely ghastly or something," Her cousin laughs. "No honestly. He should just be happy his grandchildren won't have a face only mum could love..."

      "Where is he anyway?" asks Jaime.

      "Talking to Luthor Bankman, I think."

      "...Who?"

       Eve shrugs, "I dunno. Some guy - Luthor, Loko-"

      "Ludo Bagman?"

       "Oh, yes, that!" Eve laughs, "You know him?"

        "He works with our dads at the Ministry," Cedric tells her with a small nod, "He's, uh, ... something. I think he helped organized this whole match. Dad says he's always asking for a galleon or so to spare from people, which is weird since he's got such a good job and all." Much quieter, he adds, "The rumor is Bagman spends it all on shifty bets or another... serial gambler, that one."

      "'Course he is, babe! He was betting with your dad a few
minutes ago," Jaime shakes his head, uncharacteristically vocal about his dislike of someone. It was odd since Jaime got along with everyone and vice versa. "Slimy git. He was trying to get one out of me, too..."

      Cedric grins, "He probably knows you're flushed."

      Jaime winks at his boyfriend, "He must be thinking of my fathers. Plus, he's mental if he thinks I'd give him anything. You're the only person outside my family I'd spend a bag of galleons on."

      "What a sweet way to flaunt your wealth," Cedric says to him, amused and flattered, "Speaking of a bag - I saw the Weasley twins give Bagman one..."

      Wince. "A bag for Bagman? I don't reckon that'll turn out any good."

      "Wait - Weasley?" asks Eve, to which Jaime tells her, some of our friends, and then it made sense, given as Lorelei's got a best friend named Ginny Weasley. According to Jaime they were all cool with one another but Lorelei was always more friendly with them (the Chandler-Blacks and Weasley's both live in the outskirts of Ottery St Catchpole anyway, so they all kinda grew up together...) Even Jaime, though friend to all, usually stuck to his group of Hufflepuffs Heartthrobs, Eve's words of course. "I remember them a bit... vaguely. I think one of the twins turned Beetz green one summer?

      Jaime grins, "I also remember a retaliatory Balding Jinx you gave one of them." Eve looked proud. No one messed with Beetz fur less they wanted their hair gone. "They've never forgot it either."

      "They'd be well not to - have they graduated yet?"

      "They're Sixth Years like Ced and me."

       Eve blinks. "...Not Bagman actually scamming children?"

      "Least he doesn't discriminate," says Cedric, dryly.

      "That absolute swindler," murmurs Eve, in French.

      Hearing the language, Jaime sneaks her a glance as if to ask her, You alright? but Eve simply responds with a single nod that tells him, Later...

     They reach the front of the line for the food stand. It's a small one selling a little bit of everything. Eve gets a mini Bundt Cake. Jaime and Cedric opt to share a turkey leg and a Cornish pasty. The person taking their order, a guy around their age, hands them their food calmly - then he gets one look at Eve and becomes a stuttering mess as she tries to hand him the money. He immediately begins saying something like, "No... Oh, um, no that's cool... Foods on me, don't worry, you can keep your me-I mean, your money, erm, but you can keep me, too, I'm single-" until a woman cooking near him, who clearly looks like his mum, smacks him upside the head and turns to smile at them, "He thinks you're pretty, love, have a good day..." With that, Eve forcibly puts the three galleons in the boys hand.

     She has to tug a laughing Cedric and Jaime with her.

     Cedric's father finds them, Saul tagging along right behind the older man. Again, a few holidays shared together have made everyone well acquainted. Mr Diggory had pinched Eve's cheek and called her lovely, and she beamed because well today was just her day she supposed.

      "We've got a short while till the match starts," Amos tells them with a small grin. "So - How about what I was telling you earlier, Saul, boyo?" He turns to Eve's father who's munching away on a turkey leg he managed to get in a small amount of time. "I've got to go wager a bet with those Irish fellows other there... They look to be holding onto quite a bit of gold, don't you think?"

       "We know it," says Saul, grinning.

        Eve blinks, "...Because they're Irish?"

        The men laugh. Confused, Eve blinks again.

       Amos smiles then, too, "Not only that, Eve, love. I happen to know for a fact - which I shared with your father - that company came into lots of galleons after selling some dragon eggs they found in a nest near the Highlands," He tells her.

     "Dad here works for the Regulation and Control of
Magical Creatures," Cedric informs Eve.

       "How very..." says Eve, smiling.

       "Ain't it? Right so," Amos pats his son cheek gently. "Saul and I will be back as quick as can be..." He gestures his son to Eve who's leaning on Jaime in tiredness. "You help Jaime watch his cousin. Eve's his treasure, you know it," That makes both Eve and Jaime grin at one another. "She'll be your cousin-in-law soon enough, won't she? Gosh, time does fly so fast these days... Fingers crossed, of course?" Mr Diggory beams at them.

      "OK-Dad, bye," Cedric says, covering his face.

      Eve giggles.

     Amos salutes them with a wink, walking off with a grinning Saul.

       Jaime begins, "That was-"

       Eve smiles, "Very-"

       "Mortifying," Cedric groans. "Sorry. Dads been hyper supportive all summer since I told him. Like, he just wants me to really know he's more than fine we're dating-"

       "It's cute," Jaime amends. He kisses his boyfriend and Cedric's whole demeanor relaxes. Jaime holds his hand and tug him close. "Don't worry. It's good Amos is so alright with it... I've heard some parents, especially the dads, can be hard to accept it. Which is total shit - but this is good for us, because the opposite is not so charming."

        "Right, like, Saul would cry if he found out I was kissing anyone - not because it happened to be some super cute witch from Luxembourg but more because, like, his little girl is old enough to snog," says Eve, beaming.

        Cedric's brows raise. "Oh, so you're also-?"

        "Certified charmer to all."

        "Ooh - new family motto!" says Jaime, pleased.

        "Well yes," Eve winks.

        "Of course," Cedric replies, going back to his original question, "It makes sense - like, how shit would it be if only one type of person can have a chance with Eve Peregrine?"

        "It would be tragic."

         Jaime, grinning at her, says, "Absolutely no self esteem issues over there, huh, poppet?"

      "Usually, like every day," She tells him, finishing the last of her Bundt Cake, "But I've looked in a mirror at least once in the last fourteen years, so..." 

    They decide to go to the Peregrine tent and wait there, chatting away until it's near time for the match. Eve, lounging on the hammock near the spot she knows is her own, manages  to get a quick rundown from Jaime and Cedric about the goings on at Hogwarts - everyone still think Sirius is a murderer, (which makes Eve remember to ask Saul about what he needed to talk about with Sirius) their school has been in chaos for three years in a row. There was a Basilisk petrifying people, a Defense teacher hiding Voldemort in his turban, and then of course an Azkaban escapee running around.

     Cedric also chimes in about Gryffindor and Slytherin having major feud going back to like, Merlin times. (a) Apparently it's gotten fueled to volcanic potential every since Harry Potter arrived at Hogwarts and became Gryffindor. (b) Slytherin is apparently ran in a tyrannical fashion by Jaime and Eve's relative, who they know is Draco, the son of Oberon's sister and Marcela's cousin, Narcissa. Finally, (c) everyone sort of? roots for Gryffindor for the sole reason of knowing most children of those who served Voldemort are in Slytherin...

        Saul and Amos burst into the tent.

       "Alright, ducks. Adult business is over," Amos beams, rubbing his hand together. He's wearing an eccentric looking Irish Quidditch hat all of a sudden, "World Cup time! Best we get to our seats..."

        Eve puts her sunglasses back on.

        Saul pulls her up. "Up we go, beauty."

        She holds both of Jaime and Cedrics arms as they make the trek to the stadium.

me, i'm not writing the quidditch world cup, also me, dedicated nearly 6K words about nothing but being at the world cup :p don't worry, i realized something has to happen here for eve to be slightly eyes open at things that will occur at hogwarts so! also, i need to introduce some characters before we see them at hogwarts.... hope you enjoy!! jaime and cedric i love you adopt me and eve fashion girl for life (think like bella hadid biker shirt sambas street wear was her vibe)