Murphy's Law || Rian

Rian changed into his street clothes after his shower and even a good wipe down couldn't get that grin off his face. The scrimmage had just ended and it went great. Rian flew with more confidence than he thought was possible. He was nearly back to the athlete he had once been. Though he'd missed one or two of his signature plays, they were his signature because prior to his injury he was the only one who could do them. So now it was back to being impossible for everyone, at least for the time being. It was a better performance than he had expected and based on their reactions that went double for his competition. The other chasers watched in awe for the most part, Rian Lewis was back and this was most definitely his team. The group had been littered with different types of people, old friends, old rivals and a whole bunch of fresh faces. But all in all he felt he was a lock for the top chaser spot.

Though he was curious to see what his new friend thought. He had brought Keira like he had promised and was even able to introduce her to his friend, Jared Berroth, the head Strategist for the national team. She got to sit with him for the match and Rian was confident that she had impressed him like she had impressed Rian just one week earlier. The girl was brilliant and knew her stuff better than 90% of the pro scouts he had come across in his time on the pitch. He had plans to meet up with the Quidditch genius right after the match by the Black lake, so after catching up with Cillian Gallagher, Rian apparated.

He was there in a flash, the benefits of apparation, and quickly fixed his hair and clothes. This of course had nothing to do with Keira and everything to do with just how vain Rian Lewis was. After he was sure he was perfect, as per usual, he began to look around for the young Ravenclaw. "Keira" he spoke loudly but received no answer. He didn't see anyone and she should've beaten him back. As he looked around he noticed something in the grass. It looked like someone taking a nap. He laughed as he walked recognized her bag on top of her. He began walking towards her. "One match and you are ready for a nap huh..." He cut off and ran the rest of the way to her. Blood. He had seen blood and now he was confused and concerned. "Keira! Keira, are you alright?" He knelt down next to her and took of his black and red hoodie, placing it under her head. He removed the bag from on top of her so he could see the damage. She was badly bruised and bleeding from her forehead. Her left eye was nearly swollen shut, her right eye seemed to be following him so she hadn't lose contagiousness. Her breathing was shallow which suggested a broken rib or collapsed lung. "Good thing you are tough huh?"

Rian forced a smile as she responded to him and it disappeared just as quickly as he saw her wince. He grinned at her comments and she made it difficult not to smile, even cut up and bleeding she was hysterical. This must be what it’s like to have a sibling, a younger sister. Someone you care about with no faltering, Rian had never had a family and this was the closest this came. “She was a he; but that point seems to be moot at this particular moment. I’m so sorry this happened to you. It’s all my fault” he pulled a bandanna out of his pocket and pressed it to her forehead. The pressure seemed to at least slow the bleeding for now.

The next question was a loaded question and Rian had learned long ago that answering it with a woman was a tricky task. The honest answer would be extremely mean, she looked horrible. Someone had really beat her up, watching her continue to struggle Rian was worried it might be multiple ribs that were broken. Luckily she kept talking and he didn’t have to answer her question. “Extremely uncool.” He said shaking his head at her. He kept the pressure on her forehead until she tried to sit up. “You really shouldn’t do that…yeah that…sitting up…okay good just ignore me.” He wasn’t going to push her around so he placed his hand on her back to keep her upright.

The next thing out of her mouth was incredible. She was barely conscious and still she wanted to give him her report at this moment. “Stop I can get it. Stay still please” he smiled and reached for the bag. He handed it to her and she pulled the box out. He couldn’t believe she was honestly going through this looking like this and wait was she talking about Pendergast. The kid. He was good, together they worked perfectly. He was impressed during the scrimmage and she right. Wait a second she was still in pain. “Okay enough of that for now, we have to get you to the Hospital Wing before you pass out on me.” He smiled at her and leaned her back down onto her back. “I’m gonna carry you alright?” he placed her arms behind her neck and under her legs. “You ready?”

Rian laughed at the girl and looked at her very serious. “Quite the difference actually. You should really read up on some anatomy.” He grinned at his joke, trying to lighten the mood slightly before going back to freaking out. She shook her head at him, swearing up and down at him that she was okay. He nodded softly and then watched her try to sit up.

Her eye rolls were infamous at this point and he just shook his head softly at her. He could see the grimace turn to a smile and threw his head back in frustration, mostly for effect he knew she was okay but she needed to be treated soon. Before the pain could get to be too much. “Sure I forgot you were the head nurse of Hogwarts” He handed her the bag before she could move again and nodded when she thanked him. But she was not pleased when he pushed her back to the ground softly. He was right, she needed the hospital wing and fighting him about it was not going to do her any good. Her body continued to fight him and that’s when he decided he’d have to carry her. His memory of any useful spell here was sad, so he figured getting her there was his best option.

“She is going to fix your ribs and eye. Both of which are things you need working Keira, so stop the fidgeting” He knew she was not one for contact, remembering her quick pull away when they shook hands. If there was any doubt in his hypothesis, the shaking in her voice as she repeated carry gave it away. But then he felt her arms wrap his shoulders and he lifted. Carefully and slowly, he got to his feet and held her as steady as possible. “You ok?” He paused waiting for a response and then began walking slowly. As the comfort set in and the rhythm was set he picked up the pace, then he looked down at her. “Of course you had to throw in my flaws. I was secretly hoping you’d miss those couple of screw ups” He grinned at her, she was the best at what she did and he knew better then to think she would do that.

Rian laughed softly to himself as he prepared to life her. “Keira, for the length of this friendship never, and I mean never, say twinky or doughnut ever again. Please.” He laughed a little harder as he finished his statement, the whole time trying to stay as locked as possible. Moving her was a bad idea but shaking it while doing it was just plain stupid. She insisted it wasn’t his fault but he felt guilty, he should of known that there will still plenty of people who didn’t like strategist and having a young girl sit with the world’s best could have consequences. “Whether fault or not, I’m not going to leave you lying on the grass. Jeez” This girl confused him, it wasn’t like she could have helped herself. Even the most independent of people had to understand that she needed help, there was no way around it.

She rolled her eyes and cracked that she could be head nurse, he smiled at that but let it go. Then her face got stagnant like she was thinking too hard to bother with staying alert and when she spoke he stopped. He stared at her, studying her face. He paused unsure what to say before the words seemed to come to him. “I’m not sure who told you that or why. But you are wrong Keira, if nothing else believe me when I say that.” He stared again but his thoughts were plagued with how anyone as witty, charming and beautiful as Keira could feel that way about herself. He caught another glimpse of the girl in his arms and his confusion only compounded with the anger at whoever had done this.

Then of course she continued her tirade on why she disliked the nurse’s station, he smiled and spoke softly as he prepared to lift her. “Well I’ll make you a deal, you won’t be ignored. I’ll be there the whole time, but you are going and you will do whatever she says, so that your eye and ribs heal correctly.” He was stern but it was for her own good and hell he had just offered to spend the night with her. He imagined explaining this to Raven and almost laughed, she would be upset that he didn’t get home but would find it cute that he was taking care of a student. That was one of the things he loved about his fiancée, which was still weird to him, her jealousy meter was nonexistent and if anyone had ever set eyes on her they would know why. She could trust him and she knew it.

As he began to walk, he tried to keep her as still as possible, which was difficult with her making jokes. “People just seem to forget the common courtesy that goes with attempted murder sometimes, it’s not their fault, it’s the government.” He laughed with her while trying to keep his arms at a fixed angle. Then she went back into his weaknesses, and he just shook his head. He knew that she was right, that he was leaning to one side to prevent using his leg and he hated it. Fear, living and breathing inside of him, affecting his game. He saw her face relax as if the pain was subsiding, in reality he knew she was busy critiquing his game to be bothered by her troubles so he continued on. “Alright, alright I got it. Now how about the beaters, I assume you have Gallagher on the team right?” Cillian had been the one who put Rian in this situation but the two of them had cleared any bad feeling up long ago and now where relatively good friends and were looking forward to playing together this summer.

He held her tight and watched as they were beginning to get closer to the school. No one had seen them yet but he knew they would and that Keira would probably embarrass, but he smiled to himself. The guys wouldn’t dare make fun of her and the girls would be more than likely jealous. Rian was well Rian Lewis after all and he had quite the fan group inside these walls, quite like he did when he was a student in Slytherin.

Rian held his stare for a while, his eyes glued to the injured young brunette in his arms. She was cute and funny and smart and one hell of a strategist and she couldn’t see it. She thought she was worthless, that she didn’t matter. How could someone has talented as her, be so down on herself. Then she explained, he didn’t know what some of the words meant but he understood the importance. “I’m so sorry Keira” he paused thoughtfully and then spoke soft, his voice strong though. “But they don’t know what they are missing. Who wouldn’t want to spend some time with the World Cup’s strategist? I mean I know I’d like to hang out with her.” He smiled down at her, he wasn’t sure what he could do to make her smile or laugh but he hoped like hell that this news would excite her. Berroth had informed him of the news just thirty minutes ago and he had been so excited to tell her, it had almost slipped his mind what with the whole her almost dying thing. He heard her thank him and he nodded. “Of course, I mean every word of it.” Then he heard her bargain for going to the nurse’s station, and he grinned. “That’s a deal”

He smiled intently as she went back on her tangent and started laughing as she went on. Nodding along and even raising her eyebrow at some of the things, especially Everett. The kid was good and he was nice enough but Kent had been Rian’s mentor, an old friend who had taught him the meaning of being a professional. “Wow Everett huh? Hmm can’t imagine a World Cup without Kent, but maybe you are right. Jared will be pleased to have you on his team. Assuming you plan on accepting the position? Of course if you do, you might want to think about hanging it up for Grayson, the other houses might catch wind.” He held her tight to his body but he could still see her eyes, and he was thankful, easier to read expressions that way.

As they approached the school he heard her speak again and he smiled down at her. He didn’t have to tell anyone anything, especially now that he was no longer a professor and that means he could go back to lying. “Keira, whatever you say I will go along with. Totally up to you, hell you could blame it on the squid. I’ll take care of it for you. Some people still have some respect for me…I hope” He grinned down and turned his back to the main doors, pushing off with his scapulas. “Here goes nothing”

Rian found amusement in the Ravenclaw girl’s quick response to his apology, she had heard it before and hadn’t even registered what the rest of his sentence had been before responding. Watching her face twist from one of sadness to confusion to pure and utter joy, it was truly a sight and one he would not soon forget. He found himself still smiling at her when she asked him if it was a joke. He looked at her and laughed softly. “Now would I really joke like that” He paused and thought about their first meeting when he had pretended as if he was still a professor and threatened to get her in trouble. That day he had intended to stop her from working as a strategist and now realized that he had just gotten her hired to work with the top strategist in the world due to her knowledge. She would never struggle for a job now, she knew her stuff and now had the connections to keep her in the game for as long as she wanted. “Okay so maybe I would but I’m serious. You impressed Jared and that is not an easy thing to do.” Did it help that Rian had suggested her? Yes but he knew Berroth well and Jared was not about to give someone a job unless they could actually help the team.

Her suggestion to let Kent work for the team from a managerial side of things, was smart. Kent had been a leader on and off the pitch for years and Rian knew that though he would rather play, he understood that this was a team game and he had to do what was best for his country. Everett gave them the best shot at a World Cup and at the end of the day personal accolades had to take a back seat to the overall success of the team. “That might work, we will need his leadership in some way. He’s too useful to leave him at home.” He nodded to the young girl and when she accepted the offer to work with the team, it gave him a smile. “Good, let some other twit worry about the basics of Slytherin tactics. You’ve got Ireland and Belgium to worry about now.” He raised his eyebrows, he was trying to scare her a bit but knowing her the challenge of strategizing against the world’s best would only increase her drive and make her hungrier to be the best. He saw the same drive in his game and maybe that was why they got along so well.

As they entered the castle, she thanked him and told him her plan. He had nodded at her gratitude and spoke softly, so that the students who were passing them couldn’t hear. “Thanks Keira, it does.” He walked strong and quietly, trying to get her there as quickly as possible. Her face buried in his chest, he wanted to get her out of this situation before too many people saw her. As he reached the wing, he turned his back to the doors and kicked hard. Both doors burst open and he could tell that he had startled Madam Pompfrey who was there alone. No other students, thankfully. Pompfrey approached him with a million questions. “Hey…Poppy...Breathe. Look I found her, just tell me where to put her down.” She pointed to the third bed, and he placed her down softly, sliding his hands out from underneath her. He grabbed a chair from near the door and swung it next to the bed. He knew he wouldn’t be able to sit there yet with Pompfrey running about but he wanted Keira to know that he was here and not going anywhere.