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Drystan's mood was quite soured by the match, as he knew it would be. That Puddlemere had not caught the snitch once since the team's Seeker had started dating a Spinnet had not escaped Drystan's notice, but Matt seemed to slide out of his grasp like a greased garden gnome whenever Drystan had a mind to confront him about it.

Today's loss was nothing new, however, and Drystan was eager to return to the changing room and hang up his broomstick and robes for the remainder of the night. Though he did not slow his stride off the pitch, there was no wife to greet him, nor outside the changing rooms either before or after he entered them. His wounded pride felt another prickle of irritation, but Drystan shrugged it off. Not until Penelope came hurrying up to him as he left the room did Drystan suspect anything had gone awry.

His sister told him about the friend she had brought to the match, and how the two of them had spotted Bess, though something had shortly been amiss. His wife had apparently spilled her snacks and dashed away, and Penelope reported that her friend has disappeared moments afterward. She had seen neither of them since, and though Penelope hadn't the slightest idea of what was happening, could not ignore her growing concern.

The story made little sense to Drystan, but Penelope's panic was tangible enough to make him eager to quiet her down. Soothingly saying he would fix whatever was wrong, Drystan set off for home.

With his mother-in-law still watching the children and unaware of Bess's whereabouts, Drystan began to feel the first inkling of worry himself. There remained a place or two his wife could be before he needed to assume a full-on panic, but unrest was brewing within him.

Walking the vast length of their land, Drystan ascended their small, prized hill in the darkness, and breathed a sigh of relief before irritation wrinkled his brow.

"Here you are," he said as her back came into view. "Penelope was going on about—" Drystan broke off and frowned at Bess, who held her head in her hands. "What happened with you?"