lucetalksalot

[lucetalksalot]

Lucinda glanced up and nearly rolled her eyes when she saw that James had shown up. She was certain that someone probably sent him to join her, but she couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed at the implication that she wasn't good enough. She probably would have taken her annoyance out on James when he had first joined the team. She could still remember how cocky he had been back at Hogwarts, but it seemed that age had calmed that down. Now she realized that it was just their managers micromanaging and meddling where they should be more hands off.

There had been a lot of growing that had to happen for them to get to this point. When James had walked onto the Puddlemere pitch for the first time she had nearly thrown the Quaffle at him. They expected her to work with James Potter? But something magic had happened on that pitch when she realized how well they worked together. The sort of friendship came later, though. Much later.

"I don't know, three?" She teased back lightly. Some of the people waiting to meet her went crazy when they saw James and she just smiled. She recognized his manager and held back a sigh. "I always appreciate the support, teammate." When he came close enough she lowered her voice. "Was it my manager or yours you think?" She signed another autograph and stepped aside so James could sign.

be grateful, he told himself. james had to remind himself of this more often than he'd like to admit. this is everything you wanted. it was, in fairness; since his father had bought him his very first broomstick at the age of four, and, starry-eyed with windswept hair, he'd resolved to become a quidditch player, this was everything he'd been working towards. the culmination of decades. countless early mornings and late nights. journals upon journals of scribbling quidditch plays. perpetually calloused hands from chipped broomsticks.

now, however, everything just felt wrong. there was a war going on. and he was here, not doing anything meaningful. he'd been asked by his manager to... he wasn't even sure why he was here, to be honest. this was lucinda's moment to shine. james had never been one to shy away from the limelight, but he knew when to let somebody else have their moment, which was why he'd decided to turn up at the last minute. and, already slightly annoyed at being told what to do (having a manager was also something that felt wrong, although in a different way — namely, he didn't do well with being bossed around and micromanaged), he thought it best to just smile and get whatever was left of the event over with.

"what's better than one puddlemere chaser?" he asked lucinda as he approached her, grin on his face. only his eyes betrayed the hint of something deeper as he glanced at his manager over her shoulder, before settling on her again. "thought i'd come and, y'know, support you."

[lucetalksalot]

Sometimes Lucinda was struck by how strange it was that people wanted to meet her. She had grown up idolizing so many Quidditch stars, as so many children did, and dreaming of being like them, and now that she was one of those stars, it often times felt strange. She couldn't quite believe her good fortune and luck that had brought her there. Lucinda wouldn't change it for anything, though. She was so eternally grateful that she got to live the life that she had always dreamed of.

"It is, isn't it?" Lucinda agreed, smiling. "It's still a little weird, you know? That they're here to meet me. I don't know, I just feel like a normal person." She paused and her cheeks flushed a little. "Sorry, you definitely didn't need to hear that." Lucinda was grateful for a change in topic. "I'm glad that things are going well at the Ministry. I can only imagine how busy you are." She nodded her head. "Things have been great. The training keeps me very busy."

It was harder to deny the jealousy when he entered the shop and saw the people milling about who were so excited to have met her, to get to interact with her. This could have been his life, perhaps if he had applied himself a little more it would have been. But Tiberius had never been the type to apply himself more than was necessary. He liked to do just enough to get by, and make himself as valuable as possible to those around him. Some may have considered him a schmoozer, sucking up to those above him. But he'd always seen it as beneficial, and it had got him far.

"Nice to see you as well." He gestured around with a chuckle before turning back to her. "This is quite the turn out, you've made quite a name for yourself." It was a compliment and while he may have been envious, he did mean it. "I'm good. The Ministry is keeping me busy, really can't complain about any of it. Things in the quidditch world going well?"

[lucetalksalot]

Lucinda had long grappled with her rather conflicting feelings about her parents. On the one hand, she was angry at them for being so lousy with money but on the other hand, they were her parents and she cared for them. There had been a time when she had been jealous of her peers for having the wealth that had been stolen from her and her family, but it wasn't their fault that her father had gambled away their fortune. As an adult, she realized that she was glad that her grandfather hadn't seen the fall of her father and the loss of their club.

She was looking forward to getting back home after the meet and greet, it had been a long week and she was ready to relax. "I am very proud," she admitted. "It's everything I ever dreamed of." Unlike so many of her peers, she had made her success rather than being born into it. Lucinda followed his gaze and sighed. As much as she wanted to go home she hated disappointing fans, particularly the kids. "I will meet with them for a few more minutes and then cut it off."

The demise of the Talkalots had been - ironically - the subject of a lot of talk. Rabastan remembered how it had occupied their social circle, drifting around the tedious soirées like the whisper of a forbidden sin. He had never paid it much heed. Gossip did not engage him, and neither did the misfortune of other worthy purebloods. Perhaps they had been foolish with their gold. But that was no fault of the younger generation, and it did not alter the quality of the crimson liquid that flowed purely through their veins. They had fallen from grace, their position on the social ladder lowering accordingly. It was merely a fact. He held no other judgement for it.

"Very well, thank you, also." The formality amused him, his gaze roaming hers a moment before moving to observe a small group of children who had arrived too late for her meet & greet. "I can see how busy you are. You must be very proud of your success. They do look rather hopeful." Indicating the group discreetly, he arched an eyebrow. "Poor things. What will you do with them?"

[lucetalksalot]

It was always nice to see a familiar face at events like these. Even though she loved what she did and interacting with the fans, it could get a little monotonous the longer it went on. A break from the monotony was always appreciated. Lucinda could remember playing against Tiberius at Hogwarts, and she had been slightly surprised when she heard he took a Ministry job rather than a Quidditch job. Had nobody wanted him? Of course, they weren't close enough for her to ask that, but she had always wondered.

"Tiberius, It's nice to see you," she smiled. It was always ironic to think about how the fierce rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin Quidditch teams at school somehow seemed insignificant now that they had all grown up. "Thanks for stopping by, it's always nice to see a familiar face. I am well, thank you. And yourself?"

Tiberius had heard that Lucinda would be at the Quidditch shop in Diagon Alley and hadn't been able to help himself. There was no denying there was a part of him envious of where she had found herself. On a professional team, living the dream. It would have been far preferable to the menial work he was left with at the Ministry. But both his father and he had known his quidditch skills would only get him so far, and so he'd done what was necessary.

But he couldn't help himself stopping in to see Lucinda, he had only played against her in his final year at Hogwarts, but she had been one fierce competitor. "Lucinda." He greets her. "I figured I was in the area, I may as well stop by. It's been a while. You look like you're doing well."

[lucetalksalot]

Running into fellow Quidditch players was a common occurrence at any of the Quidditch shops. Despite the competition on the pitch, Lucinda always enjoyed running into players. There was usually some sort of understanding between the players since they all knew what the schedules were like, and the expectations put on them. Of course, it wasn't always like that, but a lot of the time it was.

"I feel like I'm in here at least once a week to pick things up," she agreed, smiling at Sethos. "It went pretty well. And I was only proposed to once today so I would call that a win," she laughed. "How are you?"

Sethos was coming from practice, needing to pick a few items up from the Quidditch shop, that he was surprised to find Lucinda set up signing autographs. He managed to slip inside unnoticed, grabbing what he needed. Events like this he had done several times back in Bulgaria. He quite enjoyed the fans coming out to show their support.

He was about to step out of the shop when he heard her voice, turning around to look down at her. "I had to pick a few things up." Sethos smiled, having played against Puddlemere. "How did it go? Any crazy fans ask you to marry them?" He teased.

[lucetalksalot]

It had been a long time since the fall of Lucinda's family and their wealth but she still felt a little bit awkward when she ran into someone that she had known before, someone that knew her family's history. Even though she had gotten past it at Hogwarts and had made friends with some of her former friends, she still worried about what they thought about her. All of the success that she had found couldn't take away the years of insecurity and feeling like she wasn't enough. Lucinda hated that about herself and she wished she could find a way to rid herself of the feelings but nothing seemed to work.

Despite the awkward feeling she felt, she forced a smile. "Mr. Lestrange. It's so nice to see you. I am well, thank you. I've been very busy. How are you?"

Quidditch was not one of Rabastan's passions. He enjoyed the game well enough, but had not played for many years and lacked the time for recreational flying. Still, as he passed Quality Quidditch Supplies, he caught sight of Lucinda. Recalling her vaguely from Hogwarts, and having rare time on his hands, he decided to indulge in a brief conversation. She had become rather well-known, by all accounts. Not with the sort of noble notoriety carried by his own name, but through her own merit. He admired this. Rabastan saw great worth in diligence and in fulfilling potential. He was hard-working and strove for success with steely determination.

"Miss Talkalot," he greeted, a smile curling his expression momentarily. "I saw you while passing and thought to say hello. Are you well?"

[lucetalksalot]

Location: Quality Quidditch Supplies Who: Open

Lucinda's manager had arranged for a meet and greet at Quality Quidditch Supplies in Diagon Alley. She always loved meeting fans, particularly the ones that reminded her of herself when she was younger. Her mother always reminded her that she should always show how grateful she was, but that was unnecessary. Lucinda was truly grateful that she had the life that she had.

The event was nearing the end, and Lucinda was starting to look forward to getting dinner when she spotted a familiar face. "Oh, wow, I'm surprised to see you here!"

[lucetalksalot]

Is that  LUCINDA TALKALOT  stepping out into Diagon Alley? Ministry records tell us that they were born on  JANUARY 24TH  and are a  25  year old,  PUREBLOOD  who works as a  CHASER FOR PUDDLEMERE UNITED.  Some have said that they can be described as being  AMBITIOUS, CLEVER & DETERMINED,  however, they also see themselves as being INSECURE, COMPETITIVE & VULNERABLE.  Apparently, SHE  look(s) a lot like  MAIA MITCHELL,  whoever that is, and if they had to pick a side in the war, they would choose to  REMAIN NEUTRAL.

Full Name: Lucinda Allegra Talkalot

Name Origin: the name Lucinda means 'light'. Her parents struggled to come up with a name for their first born, and famously fought about a name for months. Her grandfather was the one to suggest 'Lucinda', and somehow, her parents agreed that it was the perfect name. She was given her mother's name as her middle name.

Nicknames: Luce, Lucie

Age: Twenty-Five

Birthday: January 24th

Gender & Pronouns: Cisfemale & She/her

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Relationship Status: Single

Patronus: Crow

Boggart: Lucinda's boggart takes on the form of her grandfather telling her how disappointed he is in her.

Wand Type: Hawthorn, Dragon Heartstring 12 1/2 inches, Semi Flexible

Occupation: Chaser for Puddlemere United

Affiliation: Neutral

Face Claim: Maia Mitchell

Biography

There had been a time when the Talkalot name held a lot of status among England’s Pureblood elite. They were not Sacred Twenty-Eight by any means, but Lucinda’s grandfather, Alistair Talkalot had done well. At twenty-three he used his family’s money to open up a lounge in Knockturn Alley called Deliciae, which offered an exclusive sort of membership among the Pureblood circles. It had a strict dress code and an even stricter entrance requirements. Business boomed, the money flooded in, and Alistair believed that the Talkalot name would become synonymous with the elite. His prediction held…for a time. He married and had his own family as was expected, but to his dying day, his one true love was the lounge he had created. He was a workaholic at his core, a terrible husband and father, but ironically, he would turn into a wonderful grandfather one day.

By the time Lucinda and her younger brother, Edmund, were born, Alistair fell ill, but he refused to let that stop him. Right after her sixth birthday, he passed, leaving Deliciae to Magnus, his only son. Even though Lucinda had been young when her grandfather died, she remembered spending many days with him at the lounge, imagining what it would be like to own it one day. Even though the lounge had been around for decades, Alistair was always looking for ways to improve it for his customers, and to make sure the business continued to boom. Lucinda had adored her grandfather, she had always felt like he actually listened to her, unlike her parents, and losing him had been devastating for the girl. It still was hard for her to fathom, all these years later. 

The death of Alistair Talkalot brought the ruin of the Talkalot family. Unlike Alistair Magnus and Allegra Talkalot didn’t have much of a work ethic. Content to just spend the Talkalot money without much thought to where it came from and the running of Deliciae, Magnus hired someone to oversee the lounge so he could spend his time with his beautiful wife vacationing and gambling. Within a few years it became evident that Magnus’s business overseer had played them and drove Deliciae into the ground. It was no longer the place to be, and Deliciae ultimately closed down. Between Magnus’s gambling debts and the loss of the lounge, the Talkalot family was ruined. With no way to pay back his debts, which were massive by that point, they had to sell their manor and move into a townhouse when Lucinda was eight. Humiliated, Magnus turned to drinking, and Allegra refused to go out into public anymore.

Lucinda’s once happy childhood was over, and her Hogwarts letter couldn’t arrive fast enough. Arriving at Hogwarts, she was sorted into Slytherin, where she had to keep her head high amongst the children who used to be her friends but had turned their backs on her when things had gotten bad at home. It was difficult for her, but Lucinda refused to let it bother her. She told herself that it was okay to be friendless if she had to be. 

Everything changed for her when she got her hands on a broomstick during her first flying lesson. She had always been a fan of Quidditch, though she had not gone to a match in years, but her mother had always insisted that flying broomsticks wasn’t for girls. Something changed when she got on that broomstick, and she was immediately in love with flying. She wanted nothing more than to do more of it, and even though first years weren’t allowed to join the team and couldn’t have a broomstick at school, she found ways around the rules by making friends with some of the players on the Slytherin Quidditch team. Some of the girls indulged her and let her fly in return for some chore or promise of a favor. Flying slowly brought her out of her shell, and she slowly started to work on her relationships with the other students in Slytherin as the years progressed. She made the Slytherin team her fifth year as a chaser, and the rest was history so to speak. Lucinda made captain in her final year at Hogwarts, and it was one of the proudest moments of her life. 

Lucinda was approached by a scout from Puddlemere United’s reserve team during her final year at school, and she signed the contract without much thought. It wasn’t a ton of money, but it was more than she had, and she was going to get to fly for a living. What more could she want? Lucinda graduated from Hogwarts and got to work, determined to make the main team by the time she turned twenty-two. It was going to be hard work, but she was dedicated and she wasn’t going to let herself down. During those years, Lucinda neglected her social life and her family, wanting nothing more than to make the team. She told herself over and over again that it would be worth it once she was a chaser for Puddlemere. Her dream came true shortly before her twenty-first birthday, almost a year in advance. From the moment she signed on with the main team, her mother started coming to her for money. Somehow, Lucinda started to fund her family, something that she was proud to do at first, but lately…she’s started to wonder if that was a mistake. But it made her mother happy, and her father seemed less angry with some income coming in, so she didn’t feel like she had another choice. 

It’s been a few years on the team, and Lucinda couldn’t be happier. She’s being paid to play her favorite game in the world, and she gets to fly every single day. What’s more to need? But lately she’s been feeling restless. Maybe it’s the talk of war, or a desire for something more than just Quidditch, but it’s a new feeling and she’s not entirely sure what to make of it. 

[lucetalksalot]

maia mitchell

[lucetalksalot]

maia mitchell

[lucetalksalot]

maia mitchell

[lucetalksalot]

[lucetalksalot]