Heroes Assemble!

Blending Into The Background

With a nod firstly to Danny and then to the Avengers, Mage slung his foot over his broom and rose into the air.

"See you around, Iron Fist," Squirrel Girl waved.

"You know, I really hope that I'm there when Iron Man meets Iron Fist," Spider-Man said as he webbed above his running partner. "Can you imagine what his reaction is going to be finding out that he's not the only 'Iron' one around?"

ooo00ooo

A half-pitch quidditch match had been set up on the beach up for the magical visitors to Paradis Noir to enjoy until dinner. There was only the single set of three goal posts and a single post set into the sand some distance out.

Each set of chasers – Harry, Teddy and Luna on one team; Angelina, Hannah and Hermione on the other – were required to take the quaffle out and around the post before returning to try to score against Ron. There was no snitch in this pick-up game, however, there was a pair of bludgers that George (for Harry's team) and Neville (for Angelina's team) were bashing around the area.

"Go, Teddy!" Doreen yelled, her hands cupping her mouth as her boyfriend flew through the air.

She watched as he feinted, throwing a pass to Harry instead of shooting for goal. Ron had completely fallen for his tactic and was therefore well out of position, leaving an open hoop for Harry to score through.

"Woohoo! Goal!" Daisy cheered.

"Surely, the game must be nearly done," Hermione called from where she sat on her broom, puffing slightly, both hands wrapped tightly around the handle.

"One more goal," Angelina called. "We can even make it 'next goal wins'."

"No way!" Harry laughed. "We're already sixty points up. Besides the next goal is gonna be ours anyway."

"Who says I'm going to allow either of you to score again?" Ron called.

Their banter and Hermione's stationary hovering didn't stop the bludgers from flying around though. One of them, obviously sensing a target, suddenly changed direction and zoomed straight at Hermione's oblivious back.

"Hermione!" Harry shouted a warning.

And then a burst of gravity waves smashed into the bludger, altering its course ninety degrees and sending it far, far out over the ocean. The stunned quidditch players looked down to see Daisy standing below, her arms still outstretched.

"This game really is bloody dangerous! Don't think I believed all those stories until just now. Hermione could have been seriously hurt there," Daisy stated. "And you guys play this thing all the time?"

"Well, it's our one big sport," George shrugged.

"Magic does tend to fix a lot of injuries," Angelina added.

"Yes. Harry hardly ever seemed to come out of a game without being hurt at Hogwarts," a clearly shaken Hermione said as she landed beside Daisy. "Thank you."

"Any time," Daisy replied.

"Oi! I wasn't that bad!" Harry protested as he, too, landed.

"Harry, you almost swallowed the snitch in your very first game," Angelina reminded him with a shake of her head.

Harry stared at her. "What'd you expect me to do? Ollie did say to 'get the snitch or die trying'."

"True, Angie, I remember it," George said, nodding. "Mind you, Ollie was always a bit obsessed."

"Oh, good, you've finished," Molly said as she appeared from the near-by path back to the main buildings. "And no one even looks hurt for once."

A number of sheepish looks were passed around at her statement.