Participants:
| Scene Title | Help Wanted |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | There's a Friend in Need… Somewhere. |
| Location | Florean Fortescue's |
| Date | Apr 15, 1995 |
| Watch For | N/A |
| Logger | Holly |
The spring holiday from Hogwarts has coincided with a brief warming of the weather. Unfortunately, April in the British Isles also means almost constant rain, and today is no exception. It's been pouring on and off all day, despite the higher temperatures, but many people are in good spirits. Easter is coming, after all, and it's a time to spend with family.
With the spring weather upon them, Fortescue has taken a chance and set up his tables outside, under an awning. The rain beats down on it as if it's really trying to get through, but it's quite dry underneath - even a little warmer than the surrounding outdoors! Magic? Probably. Then again, the warmth would only serve to sell more ice cream. It's a business method, really. There's even a stand set up outside - it looks like it's just been recently built. "New flavours, just for the spring!" a man behind it calls. It's not Fortescue… Probably someone hired to help bring in the customers. "Ashwinder Vanilla! The wizarding world's first hot ice cream! Crocodile Chocolate, guaranteed to turn your tongue green for a week! Popular with the kids!"
—-
Popular with the kids, and also with those who've never really gotten past their childhood. "Oooh. Rosie. Did you hear that?" Jack is doing his best to make up for his idiotic behavior by spending the day with his little sister. "Wanna turn your tongue green?" He turns into Florean's with a wide grin. "Let's get that. He's got an awning out. So, we'll be warm." He fairly hops over toward the seats. "I'm so glad it's spring." For several reasons. He can put the events of the last few weeks behind him. "So, one scoop or two?"
—-
Green Tongue. Want.
Chase has had more than her share of worries lately and it shows in the fact that her hair seems slightly more unkempt than usual and her eyes are kind of wide and 'what else can go wrong'-looking. But the idea of ice-cream that is chocolate has drawn her from her intended route toward the Ice Cream Parlour, driving her to fish around in her purse for money with which to buy a green tongue.
—-
Artemis' potions and spells have done wonders on Siobhan's curse-wracked body. She's not quite back to her normal level of bounce and pizazz, but at least she can move freely and without pain. "Two, I'm starved." Watching her brother leap around like an idiot, Sio rolls her eyes and smothers a silly sort of grin. "Will it turn your tongue red, then?" Because of course, no self-respecting Gryffindor would sport a green anything, right? She hangs back a little, still reticent and a little wary of her brother and his enthusiasm. It's this hesitancy that lets her see Chase and it takes her a moment to realize just why the girl seems so familiar. Eyes widening to a comic degree, she looks from the blonde woman to Jack and back again, wondering if Holly ever really did send him that missive.
—-
"On the house," the guy behind the stand says, fishing out heaping helpings of Crocodile Chocolate for everyone. It comes in a bowl, topped with a waffle cone.
As he's putting the last bowl up on the stand, there's a whooshing sound from behind the three, and a red-tailed hawk - one that will look particularly familiar to Jack - lands right in the chocolate, splattering it everywhere. It looks as if it's pretty roughed up, and not just from a long journey. Down its back, there are scratches that have at least stopped bleeding. Still, the poor bird looks to be in exceptional distress as it holds out its leg to Jack. There's a message tied to it.
—-
"Oh, wow. Thank you." Jack grabs the bowl and moves to sit down, making room for his sister. He turns and spots Chase. "Oh, look. Hi, Rowena." He remembers her first name much more easily than her last. "How are — " He cuts his sentence off as the hawk comes flying toward him. "Oh Merlin." He takes the parchment off, and unrolls it, the ice cream all but forgotten. "It's from…" He winces, not wanting to bring this up at the moment, but he does anyway. "It's from Holly, Rosie."
—-
"Frick!" proclaims Chase to the world at large, covered now in chocolate. She turns her head, not having heard Jack speak to her but apparently able to hear the name 'Holly' in a crowded room full of a million buzzing bees. She moves over immediately, craning her neck to see, "What does it say?" Nevermind the chocolate-flavoured blonde!
—-
Stiffening at the appearance of that hawk, Siobhan tenses further at Jack's words, fists clenched and eyes fixed straight ahead. "What's it say?" she inquires through clenched teeth. Chase's question is noted, but she doesn't comment further. Jack'll fill them all in, she's sure.
—-
The hawk's breathing is rather shallow, its eyes closing as its beak hangs open just a little. It doesn't seem like the red tail is very long for this world. It barely made it here to deliver the message… But that's its job, and a post bird never fails at its duty — not unless it just can't go on anymore.
The letter is a bit chilling. 'Jack, I don't know how long I have. The camp's been taken over. They're hurting us. Get me out.' The parchment is dotted with blood, smeared a bit at the bottom. It's not quite dry yet, giving an idea of the time it might have been sent.
—-
Jack runs his gaze across the parchment, and wordlessly hands it over to Siobhan. "She's in trouble." That's all he says. He looks down at his ice cream, trying to decide whether it's worth eating now. His stomach is churning. He takes in the state of the hawk, and reaches up to stroke a finger along its back if he's allowed. "Wow. Look at the bird." He purses his lips. "Do you know where this thing is?" He directs this question to Chase. "Some camp?"
—-
"I don't know!" says Chase in a voice that is practically dripping with panic, "Um … well, the bird looks like it's been flying for a while and I know there are special camps that werewolves live in back home. I mean, I think there are. I've never seen one and our government kind of pretend they don't exist but … " She lets out an exasperated sigh, racking her brain but getting nothing further.
—-
Briefly scanning the contents of the letter, Siobhan snorts and tosses the thing on the table. "Sounds like her, all right." Granted, Sio's thoughts are entirely less than charitable at the moment. Seems like she can't even have a day with Jack without Holly getting in the way somehow. Pushing back from her chair, she grabs the ice cream and starts walking towards the Leaky. "You coming?" she calls over her shoulder, sounding as if she may have a mouthful of that ice cream. "Portkeys closes at six."
—-
The hawk allows Jack to touch it, but by this time, it's not really in this world anymore. Its breathing continues to slow, until, finally, it doesn't breathe anymore at all.
—-
Jack frowns. That doesn't sound very promising. He starts to ask Chase a question, and Siobhan's words stop him. "I'm sorry, Rosie. I can't do anything about this now. I've got to find out where this place is, and that's gonna take some doing. But…" He shrugs. "Let's just finish the day, okay?" He hopes he's not making another mistake. When the hawk breathes its last, Jack sighs deeply. He's unsure of what to do. Perhaps he should bury the bird somewhere. Cradling the bird in his arms, he picks up the letter. He'll cast some detection spells on it later. Maybe he can find out something that way. "You're right. Let's go. Rowena, I'll talk to you soon." He shrinks and preserves his ice cream, never having taken a bite of it. "Worked last time." He rolls his eyes, and follows his sister out of the shop.
—-
"You'll talk to her now, if you've gotta talk at all. I'm not doin' this without an American." Sio's made up her mind now. There's no stopping her. Turning to walk backwards a couple of steps, she scoops out another bite of ice cream, then waves the empty spoon at the blonde. "You know how ta get to Salem, right Chase?"
—-
Chase stares gobsmacked at Jack and Siobhan as they stroll away. She shakes her head, clenching a fist and storming off in the opposite direction. Sure, she mightn't have the Evidence but she can probably do a better search than they can, right? Um, maybe! Holly is in trouble and she would be a bad legal aide if she didn't go rushing to save her. She glances once more over her shoulder at the retreating siblings and makes a 'hrumph' sound. BRITISH PEOPLE!
And then one of them is talking to her and she is immensely relieved - she did not want to have to go trudging into the woods full of werewolves to look for her boss without a little bit of backup. She quickly turns about and trots along after them, "Yeah, I know the way."