April 7th, 1890 — National Team Tryout Celebration

Cecily arrived with her brother, Veronica had stayed home with the children and a headache. Cee suspected that her stepmother simply didn't feel like attending such a Quidditch themed event. Veronica Gallivan was a quieter woman, she preferred books to sports, though she was always proud of each Chuddley Cannons success. Cee would have to find some event for the two to attend at some point. She felt bad for poor Veronica. After Nathaniel's "disappearance", she had had to deal with being a "widow", knowing that she couldn't really start her life anew like a proper widow could. Cee wouldn't have ill feelings if her stepmother wanted to remarry but she knew that Veronica was too honourable and loyal to "betray" her husband like that.

There was a VIP space for sponsors and other important people related to the Quidditch industry. Cee was going to socialize with those first before she joined the bulk down at the pitch.

She was by Theo's side as he was having a rather boring conversation with an elderly Quidditch sponsor. Cee got bored and she drifted away and soon found herself in Beckett Longbottom's company. The two had been introduced to each other at some Quidditch related event in the past.

"I am really sorry for the Wasps, Mr. Longbottom," Cee told the sponsor. His team had done really badly this season. "I hope your chasers have managed to solve their differences. It seemed to me like they would duel in the middle of the pitch, after that last game of yours that I attended. I believe it was against Portree?"

Beckett Longbottom

  

Despite his time away from the pitch, Becks felt his tryout had gone well. The competition had been pretty tough, but thanks to his commitment to his physique (vanity) he was still in pretty good shape these days. He had often practiced with the team, mostly because they sucked and he couldn't replace all of them yet, but he showed them a thing or two these days.

After a quick clean up, Becks fixed his hair and donned a suit to join the after party hosted by Thom Pettigrew. Any excuse for a party. The company was his usual fair, the usual flair and he was fine by that.

He flirted and shop-talked his way around the room until he wound up in the company of Miss Cecily Gallivan. "It is what it is, Miss Gallivan." Becks assured the lass with a wink over his glass. "Every year is different and next year will be better." After he found replacements and fired half the roster. "I trust your brother is handling the team alright then?" He would offer some assistance, but Beckett was not the best role model for these things.

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RIP Bee for she has died by Stef!set

Mr. Longbottom had a reputation of being charming with the ladies and Cee had seen why, after meeting him. His mannerisms made Cee feel giddy, as any charming and good-looking man would to a young woman. Cee herself didn't know how to act in a flirtatious manner, in the way more experienced society women did. The sort of flirtatiousness that didn't make you look bad, but instead made people think you charming and suave.

He spoke so confidently that it made you forget that he sponsored one of the worst Quidditch teams of the league. Mr. Longbottom could make you believe that he sponsored Britain's best team, or at least he had that effect on Cee, who was still young and inexperienced and anyone who could flirt could impress her.

"This year has been better than the last," Cee replied. It was Theodore's second season sponsoring the Chuddley Cannons and he seemed to have gotten over the unsmooth transition from their father to him. He had Cecily helping him more this year, too.

"Though some of our players seem to have dampened spirits." Cassius Lestrange, for one. Theo had been telling her that he could be really bratty during some practices and that annoyed some of the other players, too. "I've been trying to be supportive to them, like a sister would."

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Beckett had already mostly known the answer to his own question, but he liked to know how people spoke of their family in certain terms. Young Theo Gallivan had been thrust into sponsorship rather abruptly and it must not have been an easy transition to say the least. Then again, Becks had made a mistake or two in his first couple of years himself.

"It takes time certainly," Beckett nodded in agreement. "Naturally, I'm sure any help is welcome." Though if one of his sisters had tried to help with his team he probably would have pissed himself laughing. "You ladies and your level heads, always making sense and good decisions." Okay, so he may have benefited from somebody to tamper his sometimes hasty decisions. "Likely just a slump." Always the optimist, Beck was pretty good at knowing when to get the team to buck up or get out and replace them. He wasn't exactly ruthless in that regard, but he didn't suffer slacking on his team either.

"Like I said, every year is different and hopefully on the upswing." He raised his glass slightly in toast to that.

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   Seneca Lestrange

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RIP Bee for she has died by Stef!set

Cee smiled at Beckett Longobottom's words, which could maybe be considered compliments. He hadn't dismissed her helping, anyway. Most men involved in Quidditch would probably make a snide remark about her better looking at her debutante business than get her hands dirty with Quidditch. That was men's business.

"Yes!" Cee agreed with a giddy smile and raised her glass as well. She drank from it then, hoping that the effects of the champagne would kick in soon. She always felt more comfortable talking with charming men like Beckett Longbottom after having a drink.

"The Cup is an opportunity to find new talent," Cee then said. "I've heard Marocco has great chasers!" It really wasn't smart to so openly imply that the Gallivans were considering getting foreign players. Beckett Longbottom could have similar ideas and, knowing that the Gallivans were vying for a particular player, be more persistent about getting them on the Wasps. But Cee wanted to talk about it so much! Part of the reason why was so she would impress Beckett Longbottom with how cleverly and strategically she thought about Quidditch.

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Miss Gallivan was certainly on the up-and-up with her quidditch knowledge. Becks liked that in a girl. It made him wonder exactly which Gallivan sibling was actually running the team these days... Ach, well, either way. It wasn't like the Cannons were doing a whole hell of a lot better than his own team lately.

"You know, I haven't done a whole lot of looking outside our circuit, are you finding there's better talent out there?" Sure he was intrigued by the foreign leagues, but frankly didn't have a whole lot of time to devote to scouting potential players. He did spend a little time trying to bully promising second stringers to move his way, but he liked to think he could train the lot he got to be better. A more headstrong coach would be nice though.

He paused the conversation ever-so-briefly to catch a passing waiter, requested a scotch for himself and some more champagne for the lady, before slipping him a tip and sending him on his way.

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RIP Bee for she has died by Stef!set

How charmingly he had interacted with that waiter! Cee liked men who were polite to the staff and didn't treat them as though they were decorative slaves. She believed that a lot could be said about a man's character depending on how they treated servants. Oh, Beckett Longbottom was so chivalrous!

She gladly took the second glass of champagne because she had finished her first and still she didn't feel as tipsy as she would have wanted to. Or maybe it was the giddiness that Beckett Longbottom caused her that she couldn't understand that the champagne had kicked in too!

"Well, the Morrocans have good chasers," she repeated. "They play in a very French way, but the accusations of them being cheaters aside, they have so much style!" Oh, it was good to talk about Quidditch with someone who got it and who wouldn't dismiss her for being a girl! "And then, I have a lot of respect for the Japanese. They are always so disciplined, they make such good teams."

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Becks was quite impressed by Miss Gallivan's clear knowledge on the sport. She seemed to pay quite close attention and be willing to put in some research efforts on her brother's behalf. None of his sisters would be quite so open to doing that for him. He chucked at her comment concerning the Moroccans, taking a sip of his scotch.

"I remember watching the Japanese team in awe when they were here for the last World Cup. It's quite astounding really." Becks hadn't been able to play in the last cup due to a major injury to his shoulder and so he'd taken his spectating seriously. "If your roots were not quite so deep into the Cannons I daresay I'd have to try and steal you away as a talent scout, Miss Gallivan. Your brother is certainly lucky to have you." And now Beckett had some other ideas as to where to find some talent. If he were a little more devious he'd see if he could charm Miss Gallivan out of some more information, but tonight as a social party and he'd take to take advantage of her good nature.

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   Cecily Gallivan

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RIP Bee for she has died by Stef!set

Oh dear, oh Merlin, oh God! Cee wished, for a moment, that she wasn't so closely involved with the Chuddley Cannons so Beckett Longbottom could have a chance of stealing her away! She then imagined herself with Mr. Longbottom, sitting in his office, looking at photographs of Quidditch players and discussing Quidditch strategy until the late hours of the night. Then, he would kiss her on the lips and take her home on his broomstick. After a courtship, he would ask for her hand, they would get married and then they would become a Quidditch power couple.

She realized how silly she was being, but that wouldn't stop her from fantasizing about that when she fell asleep.

"Oh, you are a charmer, Mr. Longbottom!" Cee replied, unable to contain her smile. "You are such a talented player yourself, you wouldn't need my help to recognize talent! The Cannons were so lucky to have you as a player!" Not that Cee remembered much of his time on the team, seeing that she had been a child at the time.

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   Beckett Longbottom

Beckett passed miss Gallivan a knowing smile- he was impressed she could also read him like a book. He'd been laying the charm on thick which she appeared to noticed- and appreciate, which Beckett in turn appreciated. Becks found little appeal to a woman when she could be too easily swayed by the charm without a bit of give and take from it.

"Guilty," He quirked an eyebrow at her, smirking every so slightly behind his drink for a moment. "I did enjoy my time on the Cannons, your father was always very good to me, even when I was being a bit of an imp." Which was often, but he'd always managed to straighten himself out for the team. "I was sorry to hear about his passing, my condolences to you and you family." The loss of a parent so early in life must have been a hard blow to be dealt. Even now at thirty-one he was pretty sure the loss of his mother would devastate him. She drove him crazy, but he was such a mama's boy. He hadn't meant to drudge up unwelcome sadness however and so quickly looked to rectify the situation.

Draining his glass, Beckett set it down nearby. "Would you like to go partake in some of the games? I've been eyeing them all evening." Really, he was just a giant child.

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   Cecily Gallivan

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RIP Bee for she has died by Stef!set

Her father had been a kind man and being reminded of that made her feel guilty. She had had no compassion for him when she had first discovered his condition. She had been angry at him for not telling her the truth. She was afraid of what he could turn into and her prejudices about lycanthropy didn't allow her to think clearly. Her head had been a mess back then and there were layers of shame that didn't allow her to admit to herself why she had been so angry. Since then, she had tried to become less judgemental and more compassionate and understanding toward everyone.

She smiled and told Mr. Longbottom the usual pleasantries one says when the other mentions a dead relative. She was glad that the topic was dropped quickly, especially in favour of them playing a game! Cee couldn't say no to spending more time with Beckett Longbottom.

‘‘Oh yes, I would love that!’’ she replied enthusiastically. And so the two headed towards the tents with the mini Quidditch games.

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wrap?