The Rematch and the Aftermath

It was exceptionally strange to be in a Quidditch kit again, but it was more strange to think that, at thirty years old, he'd be returning to the sport in even this small way. Sure, he watched the students every year and enjoyed the games as a spectator, but this felt drastically different. He glanced down at his leg, knowing full well that he would need to be careful. Not that Chasers necessarily had that luxury when the opposing team's Beaters wanted to win. Keiran still hoped for a relatively clean game, though, considering the circumstances and the reason for the match.

His kids had not yet taken to the sport, as Liam was more invested in football than in flying, and Kelly in more creative pursuits. And Darcie was of course too small. So to say it felt strange to hold a broom again was something of an understatement. Keiran had been practicing, obviously, and had somehow managed to not entirely lose his athletic frame yet, but to pick one up for the express purpose of competing was very different.

Giving up on feeling comfortable with the whole thing, he shook his head and picked up his wand, disapparating.

His feet landed just outside the commentator box, and he walked in with the hope that he wouldn't surprise Kenna too badly. "Hey," he greeted casually, his tense shoulders betraying the discomfort he felt. Because he then did something he had never done with another person, even with Avery or Melissa. He extended his wand towards her, saying, "Can you hold this for me?"

It was strange to see that this was happening. That complaints turned to thought which turned to plans which turned to action. And not only had the match come together, but people had seemed excited. They had their teams and the distant roar of the gathering crowd wormed its way into the pit of her stomach, exciting her for the day to come. In truth, the match itself shouldn't matter. They were raising money for a school and a staff that were more than deserving of the funds. But as a fan of the sport, a friend of a few of the players, she couldn't deny that she was getting excited for the game.

She heard the door to the commentator box click open and she turned, setting aside the player information sheets she had been given to flesh out her comments. "Hey," she said, lips stretching into an easy smile. She hadn't expected to see him beforehand, assuming his perpetual state of seriousness would confine him to the locker room as he prepared for the match ahead.

He held out his wand for her and her eyes met his, confusion quirking at her lips and brows. Never before had a player asked her to hold their wand - on the other hand, she had never known a player like Keiran. She couldn't imagine he'd be comfortable to leave his wand to chance... so maybe she was just the lesser of two evils. But either way, she knew this hand off was not one he made flippantly. She let the confusion transform into an amused grin and she said, "Don't think that'll make me call the match any differently." But her smile softened and she reached out to take his wand, adjusting her grip on it to make sure it was firm in her grip. She lowered her hand and cleared her throat. "But... good luck out there. I know it's not about who wins but... still."

If Keiran had looked out over the crowd, perhaps he would've noticed some familiar faces. Avery and Bridget corralling all of the children, or his and Jack's mutual friends. Because that was what this came down to, for him. As far as the match itself and the fact that it was indeed a competition. Him and Jack and the history there that made things much more complicated than most people attending even knew. But there would definitely be a number of them that remembered. That had come to see the fallout or the redemption. It made his body thrum a bit with the excitement and the pressure of it all.

But it was weirdly relaxing to see Kenna smile like that. As though this were just any other day, and nothing was on the line. For him, the day was technically already won. The money they'd made on tickets alone was incredible, and students had booths set up as well. Plus the bets. Merlin, people who remembered his final Slytherin match had almost definitely made outrageous bets. He didn't even want to know about the numbers until it was over.

Something weird happened in his gut when he handed her his wand. Like his stomach had turned over unexpectedly. Wow, he really didn't like that. But still, he knew she wouldn't let anything happen to it. Besides, it wouldn't be the first time he'd had to get a new wand, even if she did. So he allowed for a smirk as well, shaking his head and crossing his arms now that his hands were free and lacked purpose.

"Bribery? I wouldn't dare."

His expression certainly suggested otherwise, but that was neither here nor there. It dissolved into something more neutral as she went on, and a smile that was almost fond curved his lips. "Thanks. I am incredibly out of practice, but so long as my leg holds up we should fine. People used to say we were the best team in years, so perhaps it'll all come back to us once we're out there. And if you want to drop a few jabs in Jack's direction, that'd probably help, too."

Had this been anyone else, Kenna might have faked almost dropping his wand, just because of who she was as a person. She could only imagine refraining from doing that to Kip, Yuri, and now Keiran. Even Rory, steeped as he was in his self regard, would be tempting to taunt - though it would certainly backfire on her. The temptation wasn't there with Keiran. She wasn't sure if it was the wand in her hand causing the warm sensation in her hand, or if it was just the great responsibility she knew she had been tasked with, but she didn't want it to go away.


He smiled and she relaxed a bit, quietly wondering how easy it was for other people to make him laugh. He didn't seem like the sort to offer a pity smile, but he also had to be a sort of diplomat in his line of work, so perhaps it was that. She supposed his ex wife must have made him laugh.

Ah, but that wasn't a helpful thought.

The match was the thing!

The leg thing stuck out to her immediately, but he was continuing on without giving it much concern, so she followed along instead. She grinned and replied, "I'll needle as much as I can, but I'm not looking to get a bludger in my direction either." The grin dissolved slowly into a look of concern as she tried to circle back... but there was no making it casual. "What about your leg? Are you hurt?"

"It's an old injury," he assured her quickly. "And a bit of a story."

Keiran looked out the window, then, crossing to sort of sit on top of the desk. His legs were long enough that he was really mostly leaning, but he settled in with a shrug anyway. "I think we have time, though."

Of course, the one time that he had every right in the world to talk badly about Millie, he felt guilty for it. But that, he realized immediately, had everything to do with Kenna. Not his ex-wife. Millie had been a mix of amusing and ridiculous, but this definitely fell in the 'ridiculous' category. And although it felt sort of awful, he knew it was relevant to her question, and he felt the need to be honest with her after everything they had gone through the past few months. The planning, the drinking he couldn't quite recall the whole of. But mostly the planning and the legal matters.

"I was involved with something that was... technically illegal. At the time. Jack and a few others helped me with it, and I think by the end of it they were actually rather proud of making it happen. When werewolves were banned from Hogwarts we, uh.. We made a secret school to host them. I'd resigned upon hearing the news anyway, so I had the time for it. That... was about the time that things started to go downhill for my marriage, and for my children."

Keiran frowned, crossing his bad leg over his good one. He was mainly staring at the wall behind her as he spoke, but he glanced at her on and off when he hit points that weren't too uncomfortable. "We'd had the twins a while before, but I'd lost dad around the same time as we found out we were expecting. So it was definitely hard. We got the paper one morning, saw the new law, and I sort of jokingly presented the idea of the other school since I was so angry. And Melissa urged me to do it, since her best friends were affected. So I agreed. And then she just resented me for being away so much. And I can admit that I was a rubbish dad for a long time." He definitely didn't look at her for that bit. "For reasons that aren't legitimate enough to spend time explaining. Mostly fear, and a lot to do with my own father. But, anyway - one of her friends I'd gotten to know quite well, Baldric? His partner was forced to tell the Death Eaters where the school was. And they attacked, looking for one of the werewolf pack leaders, who of course was not there."

He turned a little bit more towards her. "They got a good bite out of my leg, pun intended. Just there," he pointed to the thigh of his left one, seeing the gash behind his eyes despite the kit fabric that hid it. "It's mostly alright now. I'm friends with the Minister, and he and his daughter both know about Energy Working. So she helped quite a lot and set me straight after I'd gotten a little too reliant upon pain potions."

His chin inclined meaningfully. Yes, it was probably what she thought. The A-word he had never been able to admit aloud, considering Millie's problems, new and old. But then he just shook his head. "The dark magic was eating away at the muscle, unfortunately, so it's not pretty. I waited too long before seeking help on either matter. But it's not a problem if I don't work it too hard. I don't have to use the cane anymore, which is good considering I'd like to at least try and look my age. This," he gestured out the window towards the pitch, "will probably qualify as too much."

She knew she had just met Keiran and that there were plenty of surprises, but the sheer volume of twists in their acquaintance was the biggest surprise of all of them. Every new detail had a contradiction, every new characteristic had its mirror. She knew Keiran was intelligent but right when she decided he was straightforward, he revealed a complication. The truth was something of a compromise between each new revelation, a paradox wherein both were true but neither the dominant. It was strange, and sometimes sad, but certainly not unpleasant. She had been so comfortably situated in a static social circle for so long that she forgot what it was like to become invested in someone new.

Illegal and Jack Dyllan's involvement didn't surprise her. She wouldn't doubt that Jack's little club that included Keiran and her friend wasn't at least halfway illegal. The specifics of this particular activity, however, touched her, and she couldn't completely hide her sentiment, a frown to mask the unexpected charm she felt herself fall under to know people were so good. The charm wore out at the mention of his marriage, sympathy rushing to support the deepening frown.

She followed his story with horrified worry, a particular twinge resonating through her at the mention of his father's passing, a story she knew well enough to not have the details laid out. A story that only those who had lived it could truly empathize with, the one where even with the happiest of conclusions, the ending was rarely anything more than bittersweet. Even with her grandparents there to take over, she and her brother weren't necessarily as healthy as they should be.

She caught on to the meaning implied, as one in her profession would. She knew the struggle well enough, having watched her friends toed the line between alcohol-enthusiasts and alcoholics for years and years. And that wasn't even to mention the dozens of regulars she knew legitimately needed help.

She chewed on the inside of her cheek. "I know there's no talking you out of it because of..." she lifted her hands and scrunched her face up as though trying to put it into words, "the way you are, as a person." She dropped her hands and gave him a grin to show it was a compliment. "But don't wreck yourself, okay? You have more amazing things to do." She reached out, crossing a strange invisible barrier she was only aware of now that she had penetrated it, and placed her hand against his upper arm, giving him a bracing squeeze.