Elias was slightly too distracted to see out of the corner of his eye what she had spotted until it was floating towards her. “That’ll - do - nicely!” Elias said, struggling against the ball as it writhed in his hands - like a panicked animal, or a particularly violent young child having a tantrum. If a bludger could kick and scream - well.

Fortunately, it could not, so when Elias had stuffed it into the chest and flung the lid of the chest down upon it, all it could do was rattle about inside, thudding dully against the sides. Elias clicked the locks in place (...too late to check if there was anything valuable already inside, at this point) and took advantage of the young lady still holding it to swipe his wand off the floor and point it at the chest, directing his spell at the bludger inside, muttering an incantation that would put it to sleep. For lack of a better word.

That accomplished, Elias could let out the breath he’d been holding, and he looked at the woman, full of relief. “Thank you,” he said again, “Miss...?”

He would rather, he decided, think about introductions before he thought about the flock of owls still soaring above their heads in unified disgruntlement. (Or the dead one at their feet.)

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