He strolled leisurely across the grounds, enjoying the feel of the bright autumn sunshine on his face and revelling, just for the moment, in the joy of simply being alive.

Arriving at the shed, he glanced around surreptitiously and flipped a cigarette out of his pocket, lighting it and leaning back against the structure for a smoke. He WOULD give up. He'd promised Nimue he'd give up - and had, in fact, told her he'd given up. Maybe he'd stop tomorrow.

He waited for the students to arrive.

Just when he had reached the shed, a very flustered Morticia came running. "Am I too late? I missed it, didn't I? Oh, no, I'm to late, aren't I?"

Then she realised Anders's puzzled face. "I'm not too late?" she asked hopefully.

Anders nearly choked on his cigarette, but recovered quickly and grinned at Morticia, pushing his long hair out of his eyes.

"You're right on time," he said, winking at her. "I haven't even got as far as unlocking the shed. I take it you want to join in today's sessions? These aren't the trials - it's just a bit of a warm up because there's so many new people here...I'd be really glad if you stayed, it's always good to have good fliers like yourself..." He blushed slightly.

"I know, I know, but I haven't played for DAYS!" Morticia exclaimed nervously. "I'll never make it onto the team if I don't start practising right now! Would you mind if I started already? I need every second I can get! I have to get better!"

She bit off a piece of a fingernail. "Nathan wants to try to get on the team after all, that means my chances are rapidly decreasing... I just HAVE to be better!"

Kat had retrieved her broom from under her bed. As she had expected Mulder and Scully were waiting for her, aware that there were likely to be opportunities to fly today. Kat had never understood the desire of her twin cats to fly, but then they were witches cats...

She was happily daydreaming as she approached the Quidditch field, wondering what moves they might be asked to perform at the trials. Or if they would be asked to play a game... She had forgotten all about Nimue's request to make sure Mahou found the field.

As she rounded the corner to the broomshed she spotted Anders back. "Hey! Big Bro! You got here..." she finished walking to where he was stood talking to Tish. Scully tentatively sniffed at the broom shed, and Mulder sat Kat's feet.

"Hi Tish!" She blushed. Unsure what to say now.

Tish eyed her coolly for a moment - she was a rival for the competition to get onto the team, after all. But then it was Kat, so she smiled politely. "Hey, Kat. Didn't think YOU'd need practice..."

Kat breathed a sigh of relief and glanced up at Anders. Obviously Morticia had not realised that Kat had slipped up in calling Anders brother in front of someone else.

She grinned at Tish. "I didn't think you did either! Anyway, you're a beater right? And I'm a seeker... so relax... I don't want your position on the team. Anyway I'm sure you will get in." She gave Tish a conspiratorial wink.

Morticia's face relaxed, then fell again. "Then you're up against Nathan," she stated darkly, avoiding to look at Kat. "Take care," she added quietly.

Kat looked at Tish. She knew both of them remembered last time that Nathan and Kat had both played Quidditch together. "I will. At least this time we will be supervised." Inside she was a little worried though.

Anders looked from Tish to Kat and back again, his dark eyebrows furrowing slightly in concern. "If anybody tries out what I consider to be dirty tactics," he said, surprisingly assertively, "they will be straight off the Quidditch field, mind. There was this one time when I was playing for Wales..." And he was off on a flashback story for the first time since he had been sent to Azkaban.

He blushed, halfway through as he caught Kat's expression of amusement. "I'll...just unlock the shed, shall I? Yes."

He ground out his cigarette and unlocked the door. "Take a broom," he mumbled.

"My brother doesn't need dirty tactics," Morticia replied coolly, "I hope you're not implying that he plays unfair!" She walked into the shed. "Oh, and by the way, smoking causes cancer."

Despite his happy mood, Anders' face fell. "Oh, no, Tish, I didn't mean...I wasn't accusing...oh...I'm sorry..."

He rubbed at the end of his nose. "I didn't mean to offend you," he said, miserably. "And...well, I know about the smoking. I'm trying to give up." Mentally, he added, 'if YOU'D been in Azkaban...you'd know why I took it up in the first place.'

Morticia ignored Anders, grabbed her broomstick and went outside. She noticed that her broom needed some caring... it was already so old. But it was still the best she'd ever flown. She didn't care about the new models with all their extras. She and her broom knew each other, she always said to her mother when she suggested a new broom for birthday or Christmas.

She took off and started to circle the Quidditch pitch, happy to be back in the air after days of abstinence.

Jacob halted uncertainly, about ten feet away from the loud group. His pale cheeks were a bit pink (a blush, perhaps? or maybe the wind) and his glasses actually looked as though they had been cleaned. The very fact that they were no longer covered in scratches was startling: his eyes were visible.

"...sir?" He attempted to address Anders. His voice was very quiet and very shy sounding.

Kat decided to start flying and try to alleviate the difficulty. She turned to Anders.

"So... are you going to let me have a go on that broom of yours or do I have to wait until everyone has turned up? I can take Mulder and Scully out for a spin while we wait..." She was obviously eager to start flying either way.

Still feeling a bit hurt from Morticia's comment; Anders nodded and handed the Meteor Shower across to his little sister. "Be very careful," he said. "It might be a little...temperamental. Nobody but me has flown it yet. Broom - this is my sister. Behave, or else..."

He looked up at Jacob's arrival and blushed just as furiously. "Hi," he said, grinning. "First off, forget the 'sir'. I'm Anders. You're...Jacob, right? Go in and find yourself a broom."

Jacob cleared his throat, and ducked his head. "Yes, si- I mean...Anders." He looked rather scandalised at being allowed to call a teacher by his first name.

He headed into the shed, and three minutes later came out with a school broom in his hand. It was one designed for being excellent at quick manoeuvres, and was quite zippy for short ranges. However, any father than fifteen feet, it grew slower and slower.

"I tried this one last year." He explained shyly to Anders. The broom was a rather cheap one, titled 'The Orbiter.' "I liked it a lot."

Kat grinned happily as she took the broom and commanded it, "Up!"

She smiled at Jacob as he emerged from the broom shed, but she was too excited about trying out the new broom to say anything.

She carefully climbed on board and tentatively pushed it forward a little. Bringing it higher into the air to perform a simple circuit of the field.

The twin black cats were sat at the sideline scowling moodily. Their mistress had not given them the chance to mount, and had left them there with her normal broom, a Cleansweep 2001.

Kat felt the pull of the broom beneath her. It was amazing, she could feel the power it contained, bunched and ready to go. At the moment she was holding it back, but she knew it wanted to go faster. Gently she let it have its way, speeding it up and starting to weave it in different directions.

*******

Smiling again, Mahou took Dylan's hand and ran the rest of the way to Gryffindor Tower. Saying the password (confidential), the girl let go of his hand and raced up to her room that she shared with the other girls.

At the foot of her bed was her trunk; inside her trunk was her Firebolt; and her Firebolt was her dream. Lifting it gingerly from the trunk, the half-elf sat on her bed a moment, admiring her new prize she got for her birthday. The handle of the broom fit her hands perfectly, and the twigs were perfect in every way. Standing, the girl took off her hat and brushed her hair, placing it again on her head and tucking in her pointed ears. She would have to be careful not to let it fall off during practise.. lest everyone find out..

Skipping back out, Mahou brandished her broom at Dylan, positively beaming. "It be th' Firebolt!" she said proudly. "Th' best on th' open market there be."

Heading out of the Common Room, Mahou looked behind at Dylan. "I'll let ye ha'e a go if ye want," she offered. "But now it's on ta th' pitch! Where be tha' anyway?"

"Out this way," Dylan said and proceeded to lead the way. "I'll pass on th' test run, though. Not really fond o' brooms an' all," he explained quietly. "Not good at flyin' or anythin'."

A shrug of his shoulders, and he trained his eyes on the ground. Old habits break very hard, indeed.

Mahou decided to take off at a quick pace to the Quidditch pitch, with Dylan in tow.

As she got outside, she saw the pitch.. and her heart took a leap. It was beautiful. The grass was so green, there were people there and.. what the--? What was that broom? The half-elf could see exceptionally well and could pick out the changes from the Firebolt to this new broom. She looked
at Dylan with a confused look on her face, not realising that they were still a bit too far away from the pitch for him to see that it was a new broom.

Dashing to the pitch, Mahou gaped at the broom, the Meteor Shower.

"Oh, wow.. wha' broom be tha'?" she asked in utter awe, her hand around the shaft of her Firebolt. "It be.. just.. wow.." She put her hand on her head to keep her hat on, hoping it wouldn't fly off.

**********

Nathaniel shrugged to himself, and the kitten at his heels mewled reassuringly. Raphael would work it out, Nathaniel knew.

At the broomshed, Nathaniel helped himself to a docile looking broom and stood back, watching the others and wondering if he could possibly slip away again without being noticed.

Anders had been enjoying watching Kat ride his cherished new broom, but reluctantly ripped his attention away as more people began to arrive.

"OK," he said. "Those of you who've never really flown much before - team up with someone who has. Let them go through the basics with you and I'll wander about and see what I can do to help everyone."

He grinned, shyly, looking back up in the sky at Kat. The broom seemed to be behaving itself so far, for which he was grateful. It had displayed a worrying tendency towards doing its Own Thing a lot of the time.

**********

Not having located Fiona, Sarah headed off to the Quidditch field her Nimbus sling jauntily over her shoulder.

"Hey, Pr...Anders." she said cheerfully. "I'm happy to buddy up with someone who is new to all this."

OH WOW!" she had spotted Kat high in the air on the Meteor Shower. "What is she riding?"

Jacob blushed furiously. "I...never really learned how to fly. It just happened. I know we took a course on it, but my head was in the clouds. Brooms really never used to like me...until last year. I have
no idea why..." His speech, normally so fluid and eloquent, was disturbed by awkward stops.

"Maybe, someone could...I don't know...tell me if I am doing it alright..."

Of course, it wasn't like he spoke much. But with the broomstick in his hand and rather cold air blowing in his face, he suddenly felt very shy.

Sarah tore her eyes away from Kat and the Meteor shower and smiled at Jacob.

"Don't worry you're not the only one Jacob. Raphael and Nathaniel here haven't flown before." she winked at the boys after all they weren't suppose to have been on the field last night.

"I think if we see how many new fliers there are - what do you think ..Anders and then a bunch of us can buddy up with them?"

Sarah smiled at Dylan, looked like the lovely Gryffindor boy had caught the eye of the new student, Mahou Amberstone. She was rather extraordinarily clothed for Quidditch but what the heck... takes all kinds.

"Hi Dylan, Mahou. Sorry about the Snape thing earlier - I *just* love winding Nimmy up that way.
Running gag she's a good sport about it by now. Thought I was done for there for a sec when he sneaked up behind me like that."

Snape again. Mahou pinked slightly in the face at the mention of the Potions Master. She nodded and laughed a little, her laugh that of a musical one, much like the language she muttered in. "Lord Snape is a rather.. shall we say.. surly lad," Mahou confided. She pulled her hat down lower over her head to cover her ears. She looked at Sarah with her strange, slanted, lime-green eyes.

She looked at her Firebolt and smiled a little. "A gift from Ma an' Da fer me birthday. I was so thrilled ta see it! I had been wantin' one o' these fer forever." She held it horizontal, the shaft sporting 'Firebolt'.
Blushing a little more about Snape, Mahou looked up at the sky. "Perfect day fer flyin' I see. Are we teaming up, taking off now, or wha'?" She looked back at Sarah, allowing the twigs of the broom to hit the ground softly.

********

Andy finished his breakfast and headed off to the playing field. It was nice to meet all the new Gryffindor's and greet them. He had remembered when he had come the first year and been sorted. He had been so happy to arrive at Hogwarts.

But now he was in his fourth year. Many things had happened since then. Things he'd rather not think of. But at the moment he was content. He continued to run to the Quidditch field for he knew he was late. He hoped An...Professor Grimalkin wouldn't be too upset.

He gripped his Nimbus 2000 in his hand. He had pride in his Nimbus 2000. He saved all his money he had made over the summer at Dumbledore's, and had just enough to buy the broom he'd always wanted. He was thrilled. He might get the chance to play on this years Quidditch team! To be Seeker was his ultimate goal. He also was going to try out for Chaser, but being the Seeker was much more important.
He stood with the group of people playing Quidditch trying to be unnoticeable.

Maybe, just maybe, this year would be different.

*************

Branwen eyed Randal for a moment, not saying a word but giving him the opportunity to appreciate just how much she had blossomed during the time they had spent apart.

"Okay..." she said slowly, "Maybe I can believe that but you really shouldn't have been avoiding me since. I mean, I couldn't even find you on the train.." she told him, pouting ever so slightly.

Of course, the truth was that she hadn't made much of an effort to look for him but he needn't know that. She stepped a little closer and looked up at him, waiting to see what he'd come up with as an excuse this time.

Randal watched her carefully. He tried to think straight, to use his training to ascertain her thoughts and feelings, but he felt his own emotions trying to take over. She was very beautiful, he thought to himself. How could anyone resist her?

Inside another part of him was trying to tell him that he didn't need to feel this way. He had not felt this way through the summer. So, he had missed her a little to begin with, but he had quickly over come that emotion in his training.

He considered what he should say. Perhaps the truth would be a little much...

"I wouldn't say avoiding as such. I've been worried about seeing you again. But as I said before I didn't want to get into a big row because I hadn't been able to get in touch. As for not being able to find me on the train... I was there. And I am sure that if you had really wanted to find me you would have been able to." This was in fact true.

He had been careful what he had said. Yes, he had put the disinterest spell on the door, but it was not strong enough to deter someone who had been determined to find him.

He looked into her eyes for a minute, wondering what he should do or say now. "So, are you going to shout at me? Am I forgiven?"

Branwen smiled slowly, "Of course you're forgiven" she said quietly, moving a little closer still.

She gently laid her hand on his robe and looked up at him through heavy lidded eyes.

"So, I don't suppose you'll tell me what you've been up to...want to hear what I've been doing with myself or do you feel a sudden urge to try out for Quidditch?" she asked, pulling a slight grimace.

Randal looked happy briefly before he explained, "I cannot tell you what I have been up to. Dad gets me involved in some things that I am not allowed to talk about. Not even to you."

There was a sad look in his yellow eyes. He regretted that he could not tell Branwen or anyone else. But if he did then he would be whisked away somewhere else to spy on a different school. Sometime his job was a real pain.

"I have no urge to go and play Quidditch, and I would be happy to walk with you and hear what you have been up to." He reached out and touched her face.

"You are beautiful Branwen, possibly more so than I remembered." There was a soft edge to his eyes.

Inside he felt elation. She had forgiven him. "Come," he said taking her hand. "Let's go find that grove in the forest while everyone else is playing Quidditch. I feel the need to run!" He grinned at her. She would know what he meant.

Branwen grinned and squeezed his hand. She hadn't expected him to tell her anything, she'd got used to this state of affairs very quickly, but now she wasn't sure what to tell him of her summer and the local boys...ah well, she'd make something up, gloss over some other bits...it'd be fine.

"Now that sounds like a fantastic idea," she beamed, "just promise you won't peek while I change" she said, winking mischievously and quickening her pace out of the school.

**********

At Shinrei's question once more Marvo blushes (You'd think they would have invented an Anti-Blush Spell by now!)

"Of course. Perfectly all right" He began to walk slowly with Shinrei slowly towards the Quidditch field

"So. I just wanted to ask how things are going. And what was going on up there?"

Luis watched as Ward smoothly whisked off Shinrei towards the Quidditch field without so much as a
"buh-bye". And it irritated him to no end that she so nicely went up to "Ward-san" without hesitation.

"'Will always have the time,'"he grumbled as he glared at their retreating backs. "Right. Holier-than-thou Gryffindors."

He turned to Zidane beside him. "So. Summers. Looks like the fan club fawning session has been adjourned. Aren't you going to join the other Ravens at the field? Seems to me the action's gonna be there today."

"Fan club fawning session?" Zidane echoed stupidly. "Who's got a fan club?" He looked in the direction to where the "holier-than-thou Gryffindors" had disappeared and back at Luis' sour expression.

At the mention of his housemates at the Quidditch field, Zidane shrugged. "I'm sure they're all gonna be flying around on brooms and stuff. I could shoot hoops and maybe shred with the best of them, but Quidditch? Hah."

"Aren't you going to the field?" he asked Luis. "Seems to me you know your way around pretty well."

Tatyum had left the great hall a little in a fluster, as she made her way out onto the grounds. She looked up at the sky questioningly..

The day seemed to be slipping away form her, and tomorrow she started classes. She sighed as she hurried along quickly not sure where she was going.. *Everyone is down there playing Quidditch.* she thought to herself.. Her thoughts interrupted when she ran into a group of people absently.. "Oh my I'm so sorry!" she said looking up at them..

Zidane had very quickly reached out to firmly grip Taytum's arm so she would not slip on the damp
lakeside ground.

She looked up at the two of them, blushing wildly. "Hi Zidane, sorry about that.." she smiled at them slightly, regaining her footing.

He grinned down at her. "Hey, Taytum. You okay?" He released her once she seemed steady. "By the way, Taytum, this is Luis Verga of Slytherin. Verga, this is Taytum Raleigh, also of Ravenclaw."

Luis nodded and inclined his head politely at the Ravenclaw girl. "Buenos dias, Taytum," he said. "Nice to meet you."

Seeing that Summers had one of his fellow Ravens with him, and a girl to boot, Luis felt like his presence was no longer needed there.

He wondered if he should go see a teacher and ask for permission to go to Hogsmeade and pick up his acoustic guitar from his old room at the pub. He'd think about doing so in a little while. First thing he was going to do was go back inside to get some food from somewhere and change clothes.

"I'll see you kids later then," he added with a patronising smile. "Have fun." He strode off back to the castle.

Taytum She waved slightly at Luis as he walked away before turning her attention back to Zidane. "So uhm.. what were you guys doing out here?" she looked up at him curiously before looking out over the lake.

Zidane nodded politely to Luis Verga as the older boy decided to leave.

He then turned to Taytum and grinned at her question. "You missed all the excitement we had only a little while ago," he replied. "One of the new Ravens like us-you know Raphael?-had what you just gotta call a wand-related incident. A Gryffindor girl thought he was unknowingly casting a spell and tried to find out if he really had been by doing a Priori Incantatem on the wand. The reaction was, well, not quite what we expected."

He shrugged at the memory. "Anyway, seems like one of those authoritative types stepped in and declared the wand was actually a trick wand. Then everybody dispersed to the Quidditch field. I'm pretty sure a lot of people are practising there for Monday's trials."

"So. You got any plans for today, like looking for good Quidditch books or something? Are you joining the Quidditch trials, too?"

Taytum raised her eyebrow surprisingly at hearing of the events prior to her arrival. "Wow..sounds crazy.. I haven't met Raphael yet though."

She stopped turned her gaze toward the Quidditch field, shaking her head. "No, I've never played Quidditch actually.. never been to good on a broom.." she grinned, "Why? you looking for a good read?"

"A good read?" Zidane echoed, smiling and blushing slightly. "Yeah. Always looking for one. I love books."

His own eyes strayed in the direction of the Quidditch field, following Taytum's gaze. "But you've been on a broom before, right? I've never been on one. I didn't even know I was one of those wizarding types until this past summer. Lucky for me I met Professor Flitwick last August, who then invited me to attend school here."

"So. Taytum." How to put it, he wondered inwardly. "I know Quidditch theory and could probably debate with the best of them, but can you tell me how it's like to be, y'know, up there? On a broom?"

He gestured skyward. His "transformations" allowed him to levitate, with extreme concentration and strain, but he could never really appreciate the experience from being too focused on channelling his energies.

Taytum smiled, "Yes, well I'm quite partial to reading myself," she drawled in her heavy accent. She gazed down at the Quidditch field, people still rushing in and out of it, while she stood in thought.

"Well," she began, "Quite personally I find flying to be absolutely terrifying.. I'd much rather have both feet on the ground."--she grinned slightly at this before adding: "I'm somewhat afraid of heights.." she blushed slightly looking down at her feet. "But to most people, it is wonderful, I'm sure you would enjoy it..are you planning to try out for the team?" she stopped at this looking up at him expectantly.

"It never hurts to try," Zidane answered. "Quidditch is a lot like basketball, I suppose. Except you're airborne and you have more than just one goal, y'know?"

"I grew up playing basketball," he added, grinning broadly. He could not really keep out the pride in his voice. "It's such a big sport in California, where you have a really awesome team like the Lakers."

He did not add that he learned how to play with semi-pro players exclusively hired by his parents. One of the many //tests// to figure out his so-called abnormalities. Because as Zidane grew older, his eyes became more and more keen, enabling him to have a high level of hand-eye co-ordination. It likewise grew in proportion to his pyrokinetic abilities.

But were all these things //magic//? He wasn't certain. He couldn't even execute something as simple as a "Wingardium Leviosa" or a "Lumos." Over the summer, he had tried doing so but either something in the room caught flames or the wand spouted fireballs. It was always fire. //Only// fire.

"Anyway," he said, turning his attention back to Taytum, "I figured trying out for Chaser would be fun.Shooting hoops, especially-it's just like basketball. So you wanna go to the field? I think Kat and Sarah would be willing to teach broom newbies like me how to fly. Besides, I don't have a broom so I guess I need to borrow one."

"So you play basketball.." Taytum nodded her understanding. "I've read about it in a few muggle books" she noted, "It sounds wonderful."

She looked towards the field, a small half-smile on her face. "Yea, let's go down there, I haven't watched Quidditch in a while.. and it might be interesting to see them teaching some newbies.." she winked her tone amusing, as she began to walk in the direction of the field, beckoning him to follow.

Zidane hesitated for a few seconds before taking a step forward to follow her.

There was no harm in learning, indeed, but was it safe for him to be around other people while learning
something "magic"? He might accidentally burst into flame or something, toasting a totally innocent nearby party in the process.

Then again, this was only flying, not spellcasting. This was Hogwarts, not California.

"Yeah," he agreed, smiling at Taytum, "basketball is wonderful. I'm pretty sure Quidditch is too, in
practice especially."

He followed her towards the Quidditch field, resolving not to remember the things he had left behind in
//his// world back at California.

"So tell me.." Taytum began, "Back home, in America...did you play basketball on a team?" "I've heard they have only a few players.. not to different from Quidditch.." she looked up a him curiously as they made their way toward the field entrance.

It took Zidane few moments to come up with an answer that wasn't a complete lie.

"I play with random people," he finally said. "I was not educated in the, erm, normal Muggle schools or whaddoyoucallem. I had private tutors, so...I play with random people."

//Random semi-pro people// he added mentally.

"Yeah, there are few players. Five on each team, ten all in all. There's a centre, two forwards and two guards on each team. I play guard or small forward. That's the person who mostly moves the ball around and shoots from a distance."

Taytum nodded slightly as the entered the stadium. Her eyes glanced around to all the people, "Wow.. looks like the entire Ravenclaw house is down here practising.." she mumbled before looking up at Zidane.

Zidane scanned the people in the Quidditch field with wide eyes. "Wow. They weren't kidding when they said that Quidditch is //THE// wizard sport. Look at all of them..."

She smiled slightly, "Do you know who you need to talk to, to get yourself a broom?" she glanced around again once more.. "Is there like.. a coach?"

In response to Taytum's question, he said, "Why don't we go join the enthusiasts over there and ask? I bet they'll be glad to show their stuff to us and all."

Zidane and Taytum then walked down to the middle of the field and joined the crowd.

***********

Shinrei followed Marvo away from the lakeside spot where most of the excitement had occurred earlier. She was tempted to state that Zidane had also witnessed the event the way she had, but something made her stop. It would seem that her housemate had only wanted to speak with her and another person would be
unwelcome.

Once more, she looked Marvo over. He really did not look "all right." However, she decided not to press the issue. Maybe it was something she was not meant to know.

She averted her eyes to the distance, not really focusing on anything. In this more quiet moment, now
that all the excitement had subsided, she felt weak and, somehow, defeated.

"Domo arigatou for your concern, Ward-san," she finally replied, "everything is well." The lies came
so easily now that sooner or later she could maybe convince herself they were the truth.

"I went on a morning stroll at the lakeside and met the new Ravenclaw boys. Nathaniel, Zidane and Raphael. Sarah-san was also with them. Raphael-san wanted to have some rose petals dried and Zidane-san suggested someone had better make the petals float in the air to make the task easier."

"Then the petals floated in the air. Raphael-san assumed I had cast the levitating spell, when I had
not. I was certain he made them levitate himself. I felt the power in that supposed trick wand that you
held minutes ago, Ward-san."

"I cast a minor version of Priori Incantatem on the wand to confirm my suspicions. That was before you saw us, I believe. The wand became a long staff right in my hands. Raphael-san took it and spun it in the air, in almost ritualistic fashion, then he collapsed seconds later."

"I suggested we take the wand to Professor McGonagall for further examination, but things seem to have gotten a little faster than I could control. And you came along, but Raphael-san seemed all right by then."

Shinrei finished talking and she realised how hungry and tired she suddenly felt. She gave Marvo a weak smile. "That is as far as I could recall. Zidane-san may have his own observations on the matter, if you want to investigate further, Ward-san."

"Ah Priori Incantatem. Is that what it was. interesting." Marvo smiled at the mention of the Wand. Then blushed again! "I can assure you that the wand is harmless. I checked it myself"

He tapped his eye with his finger and smiled. "As for Zidane, Well you've told me everything anyway, so no need."