The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix Part Three

XCIV: Ludo Bagman

Wally's eyes met Oliver's and they stared at one another.

"Oh Ron, honestly, he's probably trying not to be noticed!" Hermione hissed, grabbing onto Ron's shirt sleeve and tugging him away. "Leave him be!"

"But when am I ever going to have a chance to meet the greatest bloody Seeker that ever lived again?" Ron demanded as she yanked him back toward the merchandise booth, where Harry was happily purchasing sets of omnioculars for the three of them.

Wally suddenly bent down and lifted his daughter up from the ground, shaking his head as though to clear the thoughts in it. "It's alright, darling, Dada's here," he said comfortingly, lifting her up from the ground and hugging her to his chest. She wrapped her legs around his torso and her face pressed into his collarbone as his eyes reconnected with Oliver's over her head. "You're alright, Olivia, it was only a little spill, really." He kissed her forehead as he spoke, smoothing her hair with one palm and supporting her with the other.

Oliver's voice trembled. "I didn't mean to cause a fall."

Wally murmured, "Oh you mean to say that you've finally learned how to tell what an accident is, have you?"

Oliver said, "I'm sorry."

"WHOA! No way!"

Oliver closed his eyes. Oh no.

"Are my eyes taking the mickey on me? Not you two actually within an arm's breadth of each other!" Dexter walked up, a wide grin on his face. "Get out! I knew you'd both be here, but I never dreamed ---" he paused, then gasped, "You're not here together are you?"

"No," Wally interjected quickly and firmly.

"You lot - you lot - Macy is going to lose her mind when she finds out you're talking again!" Dexter said, "Like, whoa, I never thought it would happen."

"It's not," Wally replied. "We're not." He hugged Olivia closer. "Dex, I'll see you later, alright, I've got to get Livvy here back to the tent, I'm sure Geri's going to be looking for me, I told her we were only going for a quick pop out of the tent." The shamrocks on Olivia's head bounced as she turned her face 'round to look at Dexter.

"Hi Uncle Dex'er," she said.

"Hullo Livvy," Dexter smiled. "I like your shamrocks."

She giggled, the sound a juxtaposition against the tear stains that had tracked across her cheeks. "Thanks Uncle Dex'er," she answered.

Wally glanced at Oliver one last time, then bolted back up the path the way he'd come.

Oliver looked down at his trainers.

Dexter grinned at him, "I can't believe my eyes. What brings you down here to mingle with us common folk?" he chuckled. "I feel like I should be asking for your picture or autograph or something like that. I reckon you probably charge for it by now, though, huh?" He's eyes twinkled with mischief, "And to think - if I'd just had better scores in divination, I might've known to save some of the scrap papers and dirty socks from our old dormitory I could've sold it all on the black market and fetched a fair price by now. Millionaire, that's what I could be about now."

Oliver frowned.

"You've just got to come back to the tent with me and say hi - First off Macy would positively hate me if I didn't get you to come 'round... and secondly, I need you to tell my bloody kids I know you. They don't believe me! They don't believe me we were close in school, can you stand them?" Dexter shook his head, "I showed'em the photos - the old ones from when we were the D.W.O. and they think I'm mental. Sure, they say, Uncle Wally we believe knew him, but not you Dad." Dexter shook his head, "Little buggers --"