Closed passing on the... quaffle

[Ivy Cullen]

Most people who knew Ivy knew she was pretty single minded about her love of quidditch. Ever since she was four and she had been to her first game, at least the first game she knew what was going on, she had said she wanted to do that when she was older. now a decade later at fifteen she still wanted to play quidditch when she was older. and she was working hard at it. her grades were not as good as her sister or hr brother. But she sure knew how to tear up the Quidditch pitch.
Most of the time, Ivy was active doing something, flying, skating, or swimming in the lake or otherwise having fun. but some days, days like today she needed some down time. today she was sittign by the lake her long curls tied back in a loose braid, coloured pencils and a sketch pad in hand as she drew the view before her.

 

[Teddy Pirrip]

Teddy had been sort of looking for Ivy ever since Quidditch wrapped up with the forfeit against Beauxbatons, not the grand finish he would have liked before graduation, but not a loss either so that was good. He'd been busy preparing for NEWTs since and had hardly seen his team as they hadn’t been crossing paths the way they usually did. But Teddy had not fully handed over Quidditch yet and he’d been meaning to talk to Ivy about that for a while now. It was by chance today that he spotted her by the lake, sitting alone with with a notebook writing something and sensed it was a good moment. As he got closer, he realised it wasn’t a notebook at all but a sketchbook which caught him off guard because he hadn’t known she liked to draw. Without thinking too hard about it, Teddy stepped neatly into her line of sight, “So,” he said playfully, “how would you like me to pose for your drawing?”

 

[Ivy Cullen]

Ivy was pleased at how hwr drawing was coming on. she was definatly improving from how she used to draw. she was almost satisfied with the base ofthe picture and was about to get out her coloured pencils when someone stepped in front of her casting a shaddow in her light. she looked up and saw Teddy standing there. shew as about to open her mough to greet him but he spoke first asking how he should pose. "Like one of my French girls, of course", she said, a tease in her tone asasper hadcalled it, classic, M she referred to an old, or as cuggle movie she had watched with her brothers over the last break. " It's nice to see you taking a break from the Books. How's your NEWT prep going?" she asked.

 

[Teddy Pirrip]

Teddy snorted a laugh at Ivy saying she wanted to draw him like one of her French girls, “Merlin, Ivy, no warning?” he said, glancing down at himself and then around the lake. “I wasn't prepared to recline artistically by the lake. How about this instead?” Teddy took out his wand and shifted his stance into one that looked heroic with his chin lifted, shoulders back and wand held out ready to duel. "Yeah?" He said, breaking form to look at Ivy, "It's more me right?" He completely broke his stance when she asked about studies and held his wand lower. "Oh they're alright, kind of over all of that now." He admitted, he had been studying hard for many years and was looking forward to moving away from formal education even if he was still going to miss it all. "I was looking for you actually. I wanted to ask something but I need your full attention first."

 

[Ivy Cullen]

Ivy couldn't help but laugh at Teddy's reaction, which was definitely more of a reaction than she had thought she would get. "you neeked up on me with no warning" she teased back. She chuckled as he posed, looking like he was pretending to be some kind of superhero. "How about if I sketch you another day when I am not in the middle of a landscape. Though I promise I am nowhere near as good at drawing as my brother." she said. That was how she had started in the first place. hanging out with lin and cas. and sitting in casper's art studo while he worked.
she listened as Teddy said that he was over the studying. "Yeah i bet. i have hardly seen you without a book in your hand since Quidditch season ended, What are you wanting to do after school again?" she said. She was sure she had heard him mention it once a while ago, though she wasnt sure if he had been joking or serious. When the conversation tone changed, she looked up at him and put down the pencil she was holding. "What's up? " You have my full attention now," she said, closing the book and looking at him. wondering what it was he needed her for.

 

[Teddy Pirrip]

“Alright point taken” he said, tucking his wand away. He smiled at the comment about him always having a book, Teddy had worked hard though school and felt strange to be letting go of all of that very soon, in his last few weeks he had focused his energy on the subjects that he'd need in his adult career. An adult career was not so far away and fortunately he knew what he wanted to do. “Auror. That’s the plan for now until I dunno, I can run for Minister of Magic or something.” he joked, “Anyway I need to talk about Quidditch,” he said. “I can't captain from the ministry unfortunately but I want whoever takes over to keep the team strong. Do you have any thoughts on who would be a good replacement?" He asked, interested to hear her thoughts.

 

[Ivy Cullen]

Ivy chuckled slightly at tedys concetement to her point. it seemed like a rare win for her. and she felt somewhat proud of it. she nodded when he said that he planned to be an auror. "you will be working with my sister then. I will tell wills to look out for you" she said. "she is great. you will like her" she said. thinking of willow and wondering how big Acer was now. She was looking forward to seeing her nephew once the school holidays were on.
When the talk tourned back to quidditch she she felt her heart rate quicken if maybe he was about to ask her. to be captain. the question that did come made her feel a twinge of something that he was asking for her opinion as to who should be the next captain. pleased or proud werent quite the right words. maybe disapointment that the question was for her opinion not for her to lead, It took a second, but she was pretty sure it was the feeling that she was respected and her inpu twas valued. thought for a moment trying to consider everyone on the team before answering. " well Aroha is a great choice, she is the oldest and a good player, she is also very fair and approachable and everyone likes her, but next year is her NEWt year so it might be a lot to take on new on top of newts. she started her friend being the first, well second person her mind went to. but she was going to think of the others. Miles is a great young player, i always feel good playing with him like he has my back, and will be around for a long time so he can really build the team. but he may be a bit young to take it on solo. she said listing her top two choices first. "fiona is good fun, and a beater is a good position be be able to sit back from time to time and see the whole pitch. maybe i just dont play as closer to her as miles, i just dont really know her style that well she said, even though they were dorm mates she just wasnt sure if she was quite right to lead the team or if she was only part committed to it Rose, Felix and William have all been around for a while as alternatives, but they do all seem a bit young. she said not paying attention to the fact that they were all only a yer below her, and she had been hoping this time last year that fraiser would pick her to replace him "Victoria is still learning the game. if she kearns as quickly as she has this year she would be a great choice for captain, in about five years time but i dont htink she is there yet. and the same with Kaysi, she is an alternative, and probably doesnt have enough experience" she said. trying to pick a reason why anyone else on the team might be picked though she hoped that teddy already had another person in mind and that was the reason he was asking her. not only had she been on the team the longest out of all of them, it would look great on her forms when she started trying out for professional teams which had always been her dream job.

 

[Teddy Pirrip]

Teddy thought it was cool that he might work with Ivy's sister in future, he reminded himself to ask her name after they had finished with their much more important conversation. He nodded along as she spoke, properly listening to her thoughts on each player. He hummed under his breath once or twice but not interrupting her. He spoke once she had gone through the whole team except for one person. "You've clearly thought about it.” he sounded impressed, “but you’ve missed out one player. What about you Ivy? How do you feel about your own suitability for captain?”

 

[Ivy Cullen]

Ivy smiled as tedy said she had clearly thought about it. she had sort of. some nights as she had been trying to get to sleep trying to think of who would be the next captain. she had a bit of a short list. some people more obvious than others, Aroha, Miles and herself were always the top three. the others just hadnt been around as long. she chuckled as he asked about her own suitability as captain. "Well ivy Cullen. I have never seen her play. But i hear she has been around for a while"she said starting off slow as she decided what to say about the most experienced chaser on the team "she caused a bit of drama when she was selected for the team in second year over some older students." she paused and pretended to think hard "she does love quidditch. and wants to play professionally when she grows up. and of course knows the team and the players. and has helped train a lot of them kind of feeling like she has alreadt taken on an unofficial vice captain role which is ironic as she was kind of disapointed that she didnt get to be a co-captain this yea" she said. then she thought. "but she does get a bit intense and competative at times and being chaser doesnt necesserily five as good of an overview of the game to watch while playing as some other platyers " she said.looking at teddy to see what he would say. as she hoped she hadnt been too generoud of hat to say

 

[Teddy Pirrip]

Teddy raised his eyebrows, suddenly reminded of the drama Ivy's selection had caused which he had forgotten all about it until she brought it up. He agreed with pretty much everything she was saying except the part about being co-captain this year. He shook his head, "For the record. Co-captain was never going to happen.” He said politely but firm. “I had nothing against Fraser, he was a great player but I absolutely hated sharing captain with him and I would have said that about anyone, not just Fraser. The way I see it, if you’re in charge, you’re in charge and the whole co-captain thing just makes that harder." He said, realising he was going off topic and needed to bring it back. "Whoever takes over from me isn't going to co-captain anything, it's all on them. The Ivy Cullen you just described sounds like the kind of Gryffindor who could handle it. And there have been plenty of chaser captains to show it's doable in that position. The real question I guess is, does she want it?" He watched her curiously and waited to see what she would say.

 

[Ivy Cullen]

Ivy nodded as teddy explained about his views on the role of co-captain. It made sense, but maybe it would make more sense in the future for a vice captain. or captain elect. some way to train up the next captain before they had to completely do things on their own. Oh well. That was something she could think of later. Right now, she was too focused on what Teddy was saying. asking if she wanted to be captain next year. She tried to look coy, look like she was thinking about it. And that being the captain of the Gryffindor team wasn't something she had wanted since she was six. She bit back a huge smile. "I think she would like it very much. and it would mean a lot. and I would endever to do the best for the team and to make you and fraiser proud" she said. Practically dancing inside. she wasnt sure what to say when she was the youngest of three siblings, plus her adopted siblings, there wasn't much that she could do to stand out that Willow, or Linden hadnt already done. But Quidditch captain. That was something no one in her family had done. not her mum or her sister, or brother even though they had all played on the house team. and she would be so proud to do it. Maybe she could even work really hard this next couple of years and try and get to be head girl as well.