Duke It Out

Jack liked the little Quidditch stadium behind Hogsmeade. She was sure it had been built in the spirit of a few friendly games whenever a group of friends decided to play a match, but Jack had no friends… to play a match with that was. If one used the term friend loosely, she could say she had friends. A manic depressive, alcoholic Seer. Her employees, a trio of hormone-crazed comedians. Her interns, work-addicted prudes. An ancient ninja-like spy. And a back-from-the-dead elderly double agent.

Okay, so Jack did not really have what people normally called a friend. She had some strange affiliations and a life-ruining poltergeist. But today, she had the one thing she could always rely on- her Comet 260. People mocked her choice In broomstick, but she had tampered with it in her own ways. It was a bout as fast as a Firebolt now, maybe just a shy short of its full speed, but it still had all of the beautiful handling the Comet’s had.

It had been awhile since Jack had come out to play. It was hard too- the Falmouth Falcon’s had offered her a position and she passed. Stupid. But she had started a war- and she had intended to finish it.

She held a Quaffle in one hand and her bat in the other. She did not feel like bringing her Bludger out and possibly lose it. She figured she would just run some basic drills- using the bat to hit the Quaffle into to rings- and spend a nice afternoon away from Weasley’s and the Ministry. She mounted her broom and soared upwards, the air peeling away all of her tension. This was where she belonged.

***

James knows of the Quidditch stadium in Hogsmeade. James rarely likes to roam outside of Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley, but he's been to it a couple times. It's not special to James, but nothing ever is. James had a rough patch with Quidditch when he was younger. He was always told He wouldn't be good at it. He feels quite bad for the people who said that, in fact he was one of the greatest keepers on the Slytherin team. James never really wanted to play Quidditch he was just really good at. But if he ever got into an argument or fight with his family or someone else James would go flying to get his mind off of things. It was either flying or smoking to James and right at the moment he was out of cigarettes.

James grabbed his leather jacket off of his couch and his fire bolt out of his closet and decided to set off. James apparated to Hogsmeade and took the walk towards the Quidditch stadium. The more he thought about why he was flying today the more angry he got.

James had been looking for a job for ages and hasn't found one. That's the reason he moved out of his family's manor was because he wanted to have freedom and not be under the leashes of his parents. James knew if his parents found out he still didn't get a job he would be sent back home. He didn't want to go back home. Not when it was full with his noisy parents and annoying siblings. They don't understand him. James let out an angry growl, a sign that he's been holding to much of his anger in.

Once James reached the Quidditch stadium he saw someone in the air. James never flies with other people. But, this one was a girl. He hasn't taken a girl home in ages. He smirked to himself and mounted his broom and took off into the air and straight to where the girl was hitting some Quaffles into a net. She didn't notice him, so he went behind her and said in her ear, "Hello, love."

Jack was not a jumpy person. She did not get frightened. She was calculating. When a voice sounded in her ear, obviously by someone who knew nothing of her, she did not jump. She continued floating midair, and threw the Quaffle straight up, before pulling her bat back (knocking into the figure behind her) and let loose. The Quaffle flew all the way from where she was, the center of the field, and straight into the middle ring. She was satisfied. She still had it. And she had probably majorly pissed off whoever was behind her.

She pushed her broom forward to giver herself some room and turned so she could face him. He was older than her and the nineteen year old squinted at him. A smirk appeared on her face as she found he had not realized his mistake in who she was. "Wow. You really don't know me, do you?" She shook her head and turned away. "Your loss." She took off down the field, chasing the rapidly falling Quaffle.

Two things James did not expect. He didn't expect this girl to stay perfectly still when he spoke in her ear. He also didn't expect to be bumped into. The shot she did was amazing. Oh, and another thing that surprised him was her saying, "Wow. You really don't know me, do you?" That was a surprise until he connected the pieces together. He knew who this was.
When she took off the only thing that registered in James's mind was that he needed to follow her. And that's what he did. She wouldn't stop, so he yelled. "You're that girl. The one who was offered a position for the Falcon's!"

Jack angled her broom, diving towards the speeding ball. It had a good fifteen second lead on her, but her broom was trusty. She flattened flat against the broom and the broom shot forward. She sped past it and turned quickly, pulling into a stop and holding both hands out to catch. It hit her abdomen hard but she clung onto it, barely. She wasn't much of a Chaser, but she trained enough to be decent at all, though her Beating was by far her best. She heard the man call to her and she smirked, flying back at a decent pace.

"You follow Quidditch," she said simply. "I was talking about my minor fame as the worst delinquent in Hogwarts since the Weasleys, the fact that I'm a Head at the Department, ex Triwizard champion, or that I own Weasleys Wizard's Wheezes." She smirked, sure she had floored the other man. "But you probably picked what I'm most proud about."

James smiled at her. "Look, darling. I know who you are, but what's your name?"

James just couldn't believe she had that much nerve to stand up to him. But now is not the time to get angry.

"If you don't mind, we can play some Quidditch? I was the best Keeper. I'm also a Keeper." James winked.

Jack stared at the man, blinking as though she was going to refuse to answer him. He continued on, saying he wanted to play Quidditch. Jack's eyes narrowed slightly. There. There it was. An answer. "Look, darling," she said, drawling the word with disgust to show her aversion to it. "You block all of my hits towards the goals, and we'll see who is so darling after, huh? You may have been good, but I never saw you on the Falmouth roster." She smirked. He seemed like he had a lot of pride- and she was insulting it.

James wasn't going to let her know that her comment sort of stung. She thinks he's not a good keeper because he wasn't on a roster. Well, see then.

"I'll accept the challenge. And no, you're not hurting my pride by the way. I can tell you want to. But it's gonna take more than that." He winked once more and flew towards one of the goals.

"I'm ready when you are, sweetheart." He called out.

She watched him go silently. He called her sweetheart, which incited anger, but a funny quip rose in her throat. "What about fart? You farted?! GROSS!" She smirked to herself, wanting to laugh out loud, but to intent on kicking his arse to let herself get distracted for even a moment. She threw the Quaffle straight in the air and pulled her bat back. The bat connected and propelled the ball down the middle. But she had put a nice twist on it and it curved at the last second towards the left hoop.

"You're real mature aren't ya, love?" He laughed.

To be honest he was completely ready for the first throw. He knew she would want to catch him off guard by curving it at the last possible moment. He caught it a swift as he could and threw it back towards her. He grinned.

"If I catch all of your throws, you're letting me take you out." He yelled out, so he could hear her nice a clear.
He smirked and added, "You're also gonna buy me some cigarettes if I win."