August 22, 2021 – 10:30 AM
"That's the one," he agreed pleasantly, though it was unclear from his tone whether he was reacting to the supplied word sponsor or Gallivan's name. "Hopefully he's better at Quidditch strategy than he is at chess strategy," Ford joked lightly. "I beat him, and I'm really not that good."
He moved a pawn out after almost no forethought as if to prove the point.
Set by Lady!
August 23, 2021 – 4:15 PM
Cassius Lestrange — Played by Beanie
Cash shifted in his seat — now that Ford had confirmed it was Theo, he was distinctly uncomfortable with the thought of them chatting. Because what if they had spoken about Cash? What would either of them say? His other thought — and this one came with an uncomfortable burst of nervous affection — was that he desperately wanted to know if Ford and Theo got along.
"I've never played him in chess," Cash said; he eyed the board for a moment, thinking, before moving a piece in response to Ford's pawn. "He's fairly thoughtful with Quidditch, though."
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August 31, 2021 – 6:22 PM
"How does it compare?" Ford asked, pretending to consider the board though he was more invested in his conversation with Cash than with the game. "The strategy behind Quidditch and chess?"
Set by Lady!
September 25, 2021 – 5:59 PM
Cassius Lestrange — Played by Beanie
"Well, chess is all mental, and Quidditch is at least half-physical," Cash said — no, he was not particularly excited to be saying the word physical in a conversation about Theo Gallivan.
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September 25, 2021 – 6:16 PM
Ford gave a half-nod in response. Lestrange's explanation made sense, and that was probably why Ford had never had much of an interest in Quidditch, even as a spectator. He was far more comfortable in mental pursuits than physical ones.
"This may be a silly question," he said as something of a disclaimer, as he thought back on that conversation with Gallivan. "But what's the relationship there, exactly?" The relationship there meaning the dynamic between a sponsor and a captain. All of Ford's Quidditch knowledge came from overheard conversations at school, and since there were no sponsors in Hogwarts he really had no idea. "Is he, like, your boss?" Ford asked, raising an eyebrow skeptically. He couldn't really picture Gallivan trying to boss Lestrange around.
Set by Lady!
September 26, 2021 – 5:31 PM
Cassius Lestrange — Played by Beanie
If Cash was drinking something, he might have choked — instead, his face colored a faint pink. Of course Ford couldn't mean it like that — and obviously he didn't. He was asking if Gallivan was Cash's boss. Cash hated thinking about it that way only a little less than he hated the allusion he'd thought Ford was going for, and shifted in his chair.
"He's sort of my boss," Cash admitted, with a smile that borderlined wry.
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September 27, 2021 – 1:33 PM
"That's —" Ford started, both eyebrows raised. Ridiculous was the word that came to mind, but that seemed a little uncharitable. He didn't have anything against Gallivan, and didn't want to start disparaging him, especially when his own Quidditch knowledge was next to nothing. He also didn't want to put Cash in an awkward situation of having to figure out how to respond to whatever undoubtedly awkward and ill-informed thing Ford decided to say. He wasn't even sure why it felt so silly to imagine that Gallivan was Lestrange's boss, only that it did. Maybe it was because Gallivan was younger than both of them? That, or it was the impression Ford had of him from the match they'd just finished. From working at the Ministry Ford had an idea that a superior was supposed to be serious and imposing, and Gallivan seemed far too haphazard to give anyone that impression. Then again, Cash was a little haphazard, too. Maybe that was just how Quidditch worked, as a career.
Ford shrugged, deciding to say nothing at all, and chose a piece to move.
Set by Lady!
September 28, 2021 – 12:06 AM
Cassius Lestrange — Played by Beanie
Cash frowned when Ford left his sentence unfinished. He waited until he'd picked a piece to move and slid it across the board. "That's what?" Cash asked. There was a weird feeling in his chest when he said it, although his tone was mostly just a little confused. Oh. He knew what the feeling was. He was defensive of Gallivan. Hm.
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September 28, 2021 – 12:16 AM
Ford shrugged again, not sure how he was going to answer that. "It must be weird, that's all. Having him as a boss." He wasn't trying to imply Gallivan was bad at his job, or anything — he honestly didn't know enough about Quidditch to even speculate on that. He'd just always assumed there was someone higher up in charge of a Quidditch team, someone who was experienced and wizened. The idea of Cash and Gallivan running a sports team together was just sort of silly. Sort of like the idea of Ford and Noble trying to run their family after their father died. Where was the adult in this situation?
Set by Lady!
September 28, 2021 – 3:05 AM
Cassius Lestrange — Played by Beanie
"We get along well enough," Cash said; he was careful to keep his tone light. Honestly, it had been weird when Gallivan started being his boss — but then they had both started trying — and now he mostly tried to avoid thinking about the boss part, for obvious reasons. "He took over the Cannons from his father." Ford hadn't asked, and maybe Cash should keep things superfluous where he could, but the sentence still slipped out.
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September 29, 2021 – 2:58 PM
"Oh," Ford said, feeling mildly chastised by this new knowledge. A too-young man taking over his father's legacy: Ford understood that. Not that he'd been mean to Gallivan, or anything, but had he known he would have been more empathetic. There was nothing easy about trying to fill someone's shoes after they were gone, particularly if you hadn't expected to put those particular shoes on for another decade at least. The least Ford could do was to not be dismissive of whatever efforts Gallivan was making, particularly when he knew so little about Quidditch in the first place.
"When did that happen?" he asked. While he spoke he considered a piece, chose a different one to move, and immediately regretted it. The first piece would have been a better strategy. If he was lucky maybe Cash wouldn't notice, but it seemed unlikely since he'd flinched the moment he'd realized.
Set by Lady!
September 30, 2021 – 10:28 PM
Cassius Lestrange — Played by Beanie
It occurred to Cash, rather belatedly, that he spent a not-insignificant amount of time with people who were sad about their dead fathers. Lucius, of course, showed no signs of stopping anytime soon. "Uhm — 1888, I think," Cash said; more interesting than the deceased Nathaniel Gallivan was Ford's flinch. Cash raised an eyebrow and moved a piece in response to what he assumed was a mistake.
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September 30, 2021 – 10:36 PM
Lestrange had taken advantage of his mistake, and from Ford's perspective it seemed the game was nearly over already. He didn't know how to get himself out of the situation he'd just created, so unless Lestrange made a comparable mistake it was only a matter of time before he started giving up pieces left, right, and center.
He couldn't really concentrate on this game and keep up a conversation about Gallivan, particularly since he'd never been particularly invested in the conversation to begin with. Ford took a second to examine the board, but didn't come up with anything particularly brilliant. He eventually chose a piece, but it was more stalling the inevitable than actual strategy. "Sorry, what were we talking about?" he asked after moving.
Set by Lady!
October 3, 2021 – 10:49 PM
Cassius Lestrange — Played by Beanie
Cash was relieved by Ford's question. "Nothing important," he said, as he selected the next piece he'd move. He thought he would probably win, and soon — unless this was part of some other strategy on Ford's part. "Tell me how the British ghosts are doing."
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