Hogsmeade was its usual self, busy and bustling at the same time as being very quiet, or maybe it was just because she was used to the city life of London now, it was nice and quiet here regardless, even if she did end up coming during a Hogsmeade visit, it was interesting to watch the students all bustling about and remembering back when she was like that, usually all tucked into a hoodie and hiding away...

Oh nothing much had changed then.

She sat by herself with an issue of the Prophet, mainly browsing the Quidditch section as why not, she also had an issue of Witch Weekly for good measure...and a charms book, she just needed the reading material, especially as she won't read much of either the newspaper or the magazine. She was sat outside a Café enjoying a tea, egg and cress sandwich, as well as what little sunlight there was.

It was about the best this week was getting, trying to get over the match the other day by something relaxing, she dreaded what was coming soon and the press announcement of it, but she was trying to not think of that and instead think on this nice pleasant image. From the sounds of it all she was lucky she avoided what happened yesterday, something about a riot and dozens of Aurors coming in response was all she really heard, all over the joke shop.

She sighed and put down her newspaper, dressed in a soft green hoodie with a short sleeve white shirt beneath, along with some converses and a pair of jeans, she wasn't a big star player, she knew that, but she still wanted to avoid being noticed by people who were fans of Qudditch, she remembered people around her during her time at Hogwarts knowing how many players looked off by heart most of the time, if that was still true...

She stretched a little and took a bite of her sandwich, she wasn't that hungry currently but it was nice to have something, she supposed she needed to eat something even if she wasn't that hungry. Her eyes wandering over a group of students and with a soft groan she started to read the Witch Weekly...partly to hide herself.

Mairead kept a careful eye out for anyone that looked official: professor, auror, shop owner, whatever.  It always annoyed her that people in power were so quick to disapprove of someone taking a little initiative in earning a few extra bucks.  She’d never run into trouble in Hogsmeade but she assumed it was always a matter of time.  On every street there was some over-eager do-gooder with a full pocket of coin ready to run a busker off their street corner. 

But, until that happened, Mairead wasn’t going to pass by an opportunity to earn a few spare knuts.   

Morrison’s jig danced brightly from her flute as she attempted to catch the eye of every shopper that strolled by.  Nice, sharp eye contact to ensure they couldn’t pretend you weren’t there.  Not the ones that stopped, though.  No.  They got a soft glance in their direction and the briefest of smiles that Mairead could offer between notes.  They were the ones to make to feel welcome. 

Her lips might be growing tired but, no doubt, she was going to head back up to the castle with candy in her pocket.  If the locals weren’t stingy, she could even avoid snitching it. 

Unfortunately, even the lurkers were proving to be stingy.  As the song ended, the young wizard who’d stopped to listen moved on along his way - leaving a decidedly coin-free school hat in his wake.  With a sigh, Mairead looked from the hat to the man’s back and started to turn back to start another tune. 

Except.  Across the way, there she sat.  Her face hidden by a hoodie but recognizable none-the-less.  Mairead didn’t bother with newspapers but she did follow quidditch with a passion.  She followed for any hint of strategy that might improve her own game so she undoubtedly recognized the player though the woman’s name was lost on her.  Knowing that required reading past the good parts.

Of course, Mairead wasn’t excited to see her.  Fans watched the game.  They didn’t play the game.  Fans were like the book nerds who showed up to games for a weekend study break but then pretended they knew everything about the game.  Like the gaggle of Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs who had also spotted the player and had changed direction. 

What a bunch of opportunistic, fair-weather, weekend bleacher warriors.  Probably they wanted to show off all they knew about game statistics and players they knew. 

Mairead plopped her empty hat on her head and made a beeline for the gaggle of students.  She recognized one of them as being in her year.  “Oi, Keri!” Mairead called as she got into ear shot of the group.  “That assignment fer charms.  Ye got me a copy o’ yer answers, yet?  I’m feelin’ I might wanna partner up w’it ye in Defense if ye don’t.  I’m serious - hey now.  I know ye can hear me!” Mairead called after as the girl turned and tried to hurry with her friends towards Flourish and Blotts, acting deaf as post. 

With a self-satisfied grin, Mairead leaned against a nearby pillar and nodded.  And they said it didn’t pay to bully people. 

Alex couldn't help but smirk at the girl who came over, an unconventional rescue but it did help save her from the gaggle of girls who wanted to come over and speak to her, although she did feel a little bad over it, she didn't have to put up with the fans but she knew sort of how that might feel for the girls, she didn't quite know how to make it up to them or if she could, but she shot an apologetic smile at them if they were to turn back around.

"Smart." She remarked to the girl gently as she leaned back in her chair, soon followed by a sip of her tea. "So now you got me all to yourself?" She asked with a soft smirk as if knowing the girls scheme, she didn't, obviously, but she figured it was a sort of good bet of it all.

"Was that you playing the instrument?" She asked as she slid up a galleon from her pocket and put it on the other seat at her table, she guessed since she did save her from a gaggle of schoolgirls it would be rude not to give some sort of reward or attention, even if she would rather still be alone, it was good to show appreciation, and the girl...somewhat reminded her of herself, it was nice.

"You want a drink or lunch? Reward for saving me from the school girls, they did seem like the type I used to not get along with." She tried to give a reassuring smile, sure she did want to be by herself after all, but she supposed it wasn't...the worst to have some company right now really was it? She put her drink down and offered slowly to the spare seat for her to join if she did so wish.

“Mebbe.” 

That hadn’t been Mairead’s primary goal.  It was more of a fortunate benefit of saving the quidditch player from what would have been the dullest of conversations.  Those girls couldn’t find an entertaining topic if it was gnawing at the heels of their expensive shoes.  “But, tha’ hood of yers made it clear ye wanted to be left alone.  If ye wanted m’ ta bugger off, just say it.” 

But, at least for the time being, the woman wasn’t trying to shunt Mairead away.  “I swear ye won’t hear me beggin’ fer a signed picture.” 

Mairead arched an eyebrow as the woman set the coin on the table, her gaze dancing from the galleon to the woman and back.  She nodded to confirm she’d been the one playing but suspicion laced her entire demeanor.  No one had ever payed a whole galleon for her music.  “Ye takin’ a piss?” she asked, nodding towards the coin.  Despite her suspicion, she took a step towards the table though she didn’t yet reach for the coin. 

“They’s all do gooders.  Straight shots who study all the time and think they’re all that and a bag of chips.”  Mairead didn’t answer the question about food, eying the woman closely to see if her description confirmed whether those girls would have been her choice of companionship in school. 

"Take it, I've been sitting here listening to your music for long enough, its been great to listen to." She said in a somewhat encouraging tone, she didn't feel too comfortable putting up such a relaxed front over it all, if anything the girl was reminding her more of herself and it would be good to fully relax.

"Like those annoying Ravenclaws who think because they learned how to cast a bubble head charm in the third year think they're the smartest kids around? Or just because they suck up to the transfiguration professor that they're unlikely to get in trouble?" She asked to confirm if that was what those kids were like. "If so then yeah, thanks for saving me, I don't think it would be good for me to tell them where their wand can go."

She leaned back in her chair and stretched out gently, spreading her arms before nodding over at a waiter for them to come over, finishing the tea she was drinking before putting it down into its saucer so that they may take it away.

"Come on, you managed to get them to bugger off, galleon for the music, food and drink for saving me from the others. Fair?" She shot a smirk at her. It almost felt like she hadn't left Hogwarts...Hogsmeade was weird like that, the closest you can get to returning to Hogwarts without visiting the castle again...

Mairead continued to eye the galleon with suspicion ... but only for a few more moments.  Finally, she plucked the coin from the table as she slid into offered seat.  Whether the gesture was meant to be patronizing or sincere didn't matter in the end.  Money was money and, once in her pocket, it mattered little where it came from. 

She nodded, confirming she accepted the terms as fair.  Of course, only time would tell if it were truly fair or if the woman was going to try to claim Mairead was now indebted to her from the over payment. 

Besides, as the quidditch player continued talking, it was clear she was a decent sort.  Mairead quirked a half grin as she described Ravenclaws quite accurately.  "Exactly.  'Cept for the red head.  She's quiet.  Meek.  More the type to be lost in her head."  Mairead didn't mind her so much.  She was mostly guilty by association. 

"Thanks," she murmured, as she picked up the menu and quickly scanned it for the hardiest item on the list.  "Shepherd's pie and tea," she prompted.

"Yer with Chudley, right?" she asked.  "Beater."  The important details.  "I don' remember yer name, though."  That had seemed less important to memorize.  After all, she didn't really expect to run into a quidditch player in Hogsmeade.  "And, I take it ye weren't a Bird.  What house were ye in?"

"Right, they're the good ones to have, the quiet ones you can be friends with, they won't be obnoxious at all and can be useful to help with your homework." She said gently as she agreed with the girl about Ravenclaws, it seemed they were almost the same person, she wasn't entirely sure how true that would be however, Alex wasn't Irish and certainly didn't share the same strong accent as the younger girl.

"I'll take another egg sandwich and tea please." She said to the waiter as they took the order from the new Gryffindor also. Alex dropped the money into the waiters hand and smiled at them as they ran off to get their orders sorted.

The fact the girl knew her role and team but not her name was interesting, most people she knew would remember her name but not her role or team as much, unless they'd just seen the match and were paying attention to purely the players. But she understood also about the other girl.

"Alex Cooper, and yeah, I'm one of the Beaters for Chudley...or was." She said before mumbling about hating being on hiatus. "I'm currently on a break." She added softly with a shrug, she wasn't annoyed at all about it. At ALL.

She gave a smirk at the question of her house however, she figured that might of been obvious.

"I'm most famous for leaping off my broom, taking a full speed bludger to my stomach and dragging it down to earth with me from over fifty feet in the air." She giggled. "Obviously I'm a Gryffindor, if I had any brain I'll be elsewhere."

Ah good.  A name.  Alex.  Mairead nodded and tried to commit the name to memory.  Maybe, now that she had a real face to the name of a player, she'd be more interested in following just the sport.  That line of musing was quickly interrupted by the next tidbit of information. 

"Yer not playin' anymore?" She asked, eyeing the woman curiously.  "Ye took a bludger to somewhere or something?" she asked.  Making no effort to be discrete, Mairead looked Cooper over from head to food, trying to catch any little sign of injury or ailments.  There weren't any that she could see but, of course, they could be hidden by a charm or something. 

After all, that's the only reason Mairead could think of that would cause someone to stop playing. 

"That'd be a cool thing to be famous for," Mairead confessed.  "I'm mostly a seeker."  She shrugged.  Her slight frame was well-designed for the position; she had anything but the heftier frame of a beater.  "But, I did sneak on t'play beater for Hufflepuff me first year."  The Hufflepuff's actual seeker had been indisposed that game and Mairead had seized on the opportunity to play[1]. 

1.	Slytherin / Hufflepuff game

"What's your name then?" Alex asked softly. "You have mine now after all." She shrugged, realizing she hadn't quite asked the girl for her name up to this point, which seemed a little bit rude considering she did save her from a group of girls, and she was buying her stuff in return for the rescue.

With a sigh she looked down at her cup, glancing over as the waiter came with their drinks and placed them down for the two girls, gesturing that food shouldn't be too long either as they hurried off back inside to deal with another customers order. Alex wasn't entirely sure how to answer her about the hiatus part, but she was being asked about it, she needed some sort of answer for her now didn't she?

"Worse then a bludger, I'm not injured or anything, just the team doesn't want me playing with it and all, only advantage is I'm still being paid as I'm on the team still and can still go to practice for now." Just not with any bludges actually about and more for flying drills then play.

She gave a giggle at the compliment to what she was known for, she supposed it was true, rather cool to be known for jumping infront of a bludger. "I don't think it was worth the three weeks in St Mungos but otherwise yeah."

With a sip of her tea she listened to what the other girl did, Beater in first year, and snuck on to play, that was some real dedication to the sport if anything.

"I'll need to see if I can permission from whoever the Headmaster is currently to watch you play. Or I can try to guest referee" That sounded fun to try. "Very brave to sneak on another house and play for Beater in first year. Did you win?"

"ó Fearghail.  Mairead," Mairead offered as she poured some tea and wrapped her fingers around the warming ceramic cup.  "Also a Gryffindor, by the way.  Not a Hufflepuff."  Yes.  She'd played for Hufflepuff and not Gryffindor but only because only Hufflepuff had had a sick player, thereby affording her the opportunity to sneak on the pitch. 

Loyalty to Houses, yes, but loyalty to quidditch came first. 

Mairead's brows furrowed in confusion.  What could be worse than a bludger but also lead to not playing because the team didn't want you there?  The only things that Mairead could think of that would be worse were other injuries and ... well ... if that were the case, Carter wouldn't be playing because she'd be in St. Mungo's.  She wouldn't be here sitting pretty at a cafe.  And, it'd have nothing to do with teammates. 

"That doesn't make no sense," Mairead admitted, shaking her head.  "It's not like yer a rubbish player.  I seen the reports in the Prophet.  Why would they not want ye playing?"

But the furrowed brows quickly lifted in surprise.  Carter, watch her play?  An actual professional player seeing her moves.  Mairead grinned broadly but then quickly reeled the excitement back to a subtle grin.  "That'd be cool.  I hope to try out for a team when I'm outta school.  I know seeker's harder to get, bein' only one of em and all, but ..."  Mairead shrugged.  "Still hopin' t' try.  It's the only thing I'm good at at school." 

Mairead scrunched her nose and shook her head.  "Nah.  The Hufflepuffs were rubbish.  They might as well have been playin' bridge.  They lost it.  But, it was fun lobbin' bludgers at Slytherins."

Of course a Gryffindor would be the one to jump into another house to join them, it was a fun idea, she just wished she was able to do something like that back when she was at school, it sounded amazing and so fun to be able to do. Mairead was already ahead of her at the same age, she was guessing fourth or fifth year by the looks of her and the tone of her voice, it didn't sound quite as tired or depressed yet as you do when you get the bigger exams.

"Just...don't tell anyone." She sighed softly, she didn't want many to know, or for it to get out, not that she thought she was big news, but she didn't want it to be made public in the news full stop the situation, she deserved privacy did she not?

The waiter thought it was the perfect time to deliver her sandwiches and Mairead's Shepherds Pie at that point, before moving off as Alex slid the money to the person for them to leave again. With a gentle groan she composed herself as she nervously moved a hand over her stomach.

"I'm almost three months..." She said quietly as her eyes looked about to make sure no one was listening or in earshot, maybe it was more just paranoia at this point but she didn't want herself plastered on papers if she was more popular then she realized. "Pregnant...only found out a couple of weeks ago...so now they don't want me playing, especially given my habits during flying."

It felt somewhat good to mention it, she was excited, and absolutely dreading it.

She slowly relaxed back and looked down at her drink as she took another sip, wanting to change the topic back again to the other girl infront of her.

"If you show potential during the match, I can always see about getting someone to help, still a few years until out of Hogwarts after all, lots of room to grow." She loved the idea of helping her with her connections...she should try it with more students...

"Yer -" Mairead started to blurt before catching herself.  She caught herself and then looked pointedly from the quidditch player across from her to the woman's belly.  "Yer ... hatchin' a bludger?  Whadchya go and do that for?"

Somewhere in the back of her head, Mairead knew that excitement and congratulations were the expected reaction to such news.  But, she just couldn't find either reaction for the woman.  For most people, that might be a cool and exciting revelation.  But, most people weren't quidditch players. 

"Were ye meanin' to or was it like ye meant fer a clean hit and got a foul instead?" 

If Mairead actually managed to get on a team, she was bound and determined to not let anything get in her way.  She'd be playing for the rest of her life.  That was the current plan, at least. 

And, if the woman across from her was seriously offering to help her get even better - and maybe even make some connections with a team - well ...

Mairead grinned broadly.  "Ye'd really do that?  That'd be wicked.  We play Ravenclaw next at the end of May.  Last game of the year."  It'd be the game before finals but preparing for the game suddenly became much more important than studying.  Not that studying was ever that important. 

At first she just snorted at the terminology used by the other girl, before it quickly broke out into a full on laugh as she continued on with it, she hadn't heard anyone use quidditch terminology to refer to a pregnancy, and especially hatching a bludger, it gave a slight concern that the girl didn't quite understand a pregnancy or has had sex ed but she seemed to understand her well enough regardless, if anything it might of been because she asked to not say anything about it and so that was the only way she could think to get around it.

She calmed down after a little bit to sip at her drink without spilling it all over herself, the topic made her hand gently slide over to her belly to rub at the small bump that was forming over herself, she was terrified of it, she wasn't ready at all and yet...

She gave a soft smile at her and the enthusiasm at Quidditch, she nodded along gently at her, the May match before finals, Hogwarts were still bad at organizing it seemed, unless it was to give something to relax with by watching students beat eachother up and get injuries that prevent them from taking exams properly. She was fairly sure she had to do some exam with a broken arm or leg.

"I'll have to get permission from the Headmaster, who is it at the moment?" She asked gently, if nothing else it would be a nice opportunity to visit Hogwarts again, even if it was just the Quidditch pitch. "I'll make sure to owl them and ask about it, if I can't make it then I'd find some way to see you play." She smiled warmly before taking another sip of her tea and leaning back.

She supposed she should answer the girls other questions also, even if it meant getting a bit more personal, slowly she rested her head down forwards and stroked the bump on herself.

"It wasn't on purpose, it was at a Christmas party, just my luck I guess." She shrugged. "But due to it, when I found out, which was after everyone else in the team found out, they decided I shouldn't fly, but I flew in one last game determined to try to get a win, they all kept flying to protect them, it got messy and after it was decided due to my usual performance along with my role, I should be put on hiatus immediately." She said sounding all but pleased over the situation.

"Greyfriar," Mairead answered, with a resigned sigh.  As far as Mairead could tell, Greyfriar didn't dislike her, but Mairead wasn't usually quick to get in professors' good favor.  Then again, she hadn't done anything to get on their bad side, either.  Not very recently, at least.

As long as no one caught her with that Dark Mark-in-a-Bottle prank, she was unlikely to give them a reason on the near future, as well. 

"Mebbe - if ye tell him I might leave after OWLs and gettin' on a team would get me out sooner, he'd especially do it," Mairead added.  Offering a little more incentive couldn't hurt.   

She still wasn't sure she agreed with the idea - choosing a kid over quidditch seemed unfathomable - but it did sound like that was what Cooper wanted.  Of course, she could understand why they wouldn't want Cooper playing with a bludger on board.  "Ye wouldn't want it comin' durin' a game, after all.  And, it'd probably get uncomfortable.  All that weight.  Sittin' on the broom.  And, I'd be wantin' to protect the bludger, too.  I'd whack it every time it got near ye.  And, I'm a seeker!" 

"Do ye know what yer havin', yet?  is it more like a beater's bat or a goal hoop?"

She nodded, Greyfriar was Headmaster, she'd have to try to get a message to him although she didn't believe that telling him those things was the best idea to get herself to see the match, she'd have to come up with a better way to word things in the end at the time.

"Perhaps, I think maybe saying that you are considering leaving Hogwarts in the first place, and that this would provide a career opportunity if you did so, might be better." She said with a small smile at the amusing idea of it all. "Besides, I think your parents are going to be ones you have to convince more then the Headmaster, after all they get ultimate say, I got taken out of school for a month cause my father was worried I would die when I first played Quidditch."

She gave a rather satisfied sigh with herself. "Of course we won the match a week before I told my dad I was on the team, he never found out."

Again however, Alex couldn't help but laugh at the terms used by Mairead to describe the pregnancy, even if she was playing coy, it just couldn't stop her from bursting into a giggle, she somewhat hated the fact she was bursting into laughter, her brothers would easily pick on her for it, however she hoped it was just the hormones.

"Please don't put the imagery of a beaters bat in me, or any part of me or inside me being a keeps hoop. Especially knowing about childbirth." She said in a slightly calmer tone as she looked down. "And no, I don't know, its a little bit too early for that with muggle stuff." Her hand idly rubbed at her belly as she spoke.