Participants:
| Scene Title | Hogsmeade Havoc |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | An impromptu meeting in Hogsmeade sparks a bit of heated discussion. Oh, and there is a cat. This is very important. |
| Location | Hogsmeade (High Street and Three Broomsticks) |
| Date | <date of IC effect> |
| Watch For | Runaway cat, some flirting and a student…defending Snape! |
| Logger | The Bad Wolf Herself |
It's Hogsmeade. There is a light drizzle coming down from the skies above, as Ashley makes his way across High Street. His destination currently unknown, but he passes a few of the less popular shops and locations on his walk.
"Kiia! Slow down!" A small multicolored cat dashes through the drizzle ahead of the voice. The cat's face is round and bulky and its ears are flat against its forhead making it look like the cross between a teddy bear and a koala. Behind the cat, Wren hurries down the street, the hood of her Hufflepuff cloak pulled up against the rain, and a leather-bound pack slung over her shoulder. "Kiia!"
Shrouded in a long, cloak of deepest magenta , Siobhan makes her way down High Street from the direction of the castle. That garment hides the Muggle clothes she wears underneath, but if it weren't for the weather, she wouldn't bother. By now the whole school - and most of Hogsmeade - knows her proclivity for Muggle attire. Stopping for the passage of an old woman and her cart, the young Slytherin watches an odd sort of cat dash across the way. How….odd.
Ashley turns around, now walking backwards, as he hears the voice crying out behind him. And that's when he sees it, the strange looking.. thing (is that a cat?) pawing towards him. Without a second thought, he reaches down and deftly scoops the little thing up, cradling it in his arms to keep it from jumping out. He then waits for the girl to catch up.
A look of relief flashes across Wren's face as Ashley snatches up the cat and she slows her pace down, a little out of breath. For the cat's part, it struggles for an instant until its weight is settled in Ashley's arms. Then the cat begins to purr, rubbing her head against the boy's chin. "Thank you," Wren says as she approaches, shifting the weight of the napsack on her shoulder. "Ashley, right?" Wren glances around, embarrased at having caused a scene and she gives Siobhan a smile, too. Then she turns back to the cat with a scowl. "That's it - your Hogsmeade privaledges are henceforth revoked!"
With a glance at her watch, Siobhan decides she can spare a bit of time, and ambles over in the direction of the other two students. "Hullo!" she calls, grinning amiably. What a terrible Slytherin /she/ is. "Lose your cat again?" Reaching out with one hand, she makes to scritch behind the errant feline's ears.
Davie has arrived.
Half expecting the careening cat to attempt to continue it's escape even in his arms, Ashley is quite confused when it settles down quickly and proceeds to love his chin. He laughs, but moves his head and arms to cradle it in a slightly different position, so that he can talk without getting a cat headbutt every two seconds. "Yeah. Wren, isn't it? Third year?" He tries to keep track of his, er.. charges. He's an able Prefect, after all. He smiles as Siobhan approaches, seeing her for the first time. He's quite familiar with this Slytherins lack of.. Slytherinyness. "Hey." Oh, she's here for the cat. Of course.
Wren blushes at Siobhan's comment, but smiles goodnaturedly. "Yeah. I figured if she was going to run, it would be back inside. Silly cat." Wren narrows her eyes at her cat again, then looks up to Ashley with a grin, "It looks like you have a new best friend." Wren, Siobhan and Ashley are standing in the middle of the road where Ashley has just caught Wren's run-away cat.
Of /course/ she's here for the cat. She's a girl. You know, in case it wasn't obvious. "They never do what you think they will." She grins. "I think that's a requirment for being a cat." With a glance down the road, towards the pubs and shops, she gives the cat a final scritch and drops her hand. "What's goin' on, Ashley? Out patrollin' the streets or did you give yourself the day off?" she teases lightly.
Ashley wriggles one arm out from under the cat, cradling it on one arm in the way someone who owns a cat would, to rub the back of his neck sheepishly. "Oh.. day off, actually. I guess you know me well enough to know how unlikely that is, but.. well, I sort of committed suicide this year. I offered to Professor Snape to be sort of a student teacher for him this year, since I'm not getting my proper NEWT class.. and, well, he's working me to death." He lets out a sigh.
With gruff barks, a scraggly dog comes running down the road, followed by a young boy and his mother. "Abe, come back!" Davie yells. The dog stops to growl at Ashley and his cat, barking a few times. "Stop that…"
Wren's eyes go wide at Ashley's words, "That /is/ suicide," she murmurs with a low whistle. At the newest arrivals, the cat hisses and tries to swat at the dog, but doesn't seem to realize that swatting a paw without claws drawn is going to do no good. Wren turns in surprise and smiles at the new arrivals, though she does spare a hand to tap her finger on the cat's nose: "Be nice, Kiia."
Even though her smile doesn't fade, there's a flash of warning in Siobhan's brown eyes. "Oi, now, Professor Snape isn't as bad as all that." Folding her arms over her chest, she eyes the barking dog with a grin, squatting down to offer the back of her hand to sniff. Distractionary technique! "He's strict, but he's fair. There's no room to tolerate anything out of line in a potions' lab. People could get hurt."
As Davie's mother beckons the dog back, the boy gives a wave to the students. "Hi!" he says brightly. "I'm Davie! Nice to meet you!"
Ashley raises an eyebrow at Siobhan. "Let me tell you, I am no stranger to hard work. I'm not half as bright as people think I am. I've gotten all my marks from hours of work and study. And let me tell you, Snape is putting a load on me. I'm not saying he's doing it to be cruel, I'm just saying he is. I'm sure the Professor has his reasons for what he does, just like anyone else." Getting a bit tired of holding the cat, he offers it back to Wren. "Besides, I'll be alright. Just needed to stretch my legs. Get away from the castle." He points down the road. "I was actually on my way to the Broomsticks for a butterbeer."
Wren watches the two older students talk with a mixture of amusement and thought. When Ashley offers her cat back, Wren accepts her and shifts the cat in her arms, then turns to Davie. "Hello. I'm Wren. And this is Kiia. It's a pleasure to meet you as well."
A bit disappointed in the dog's quick exit, Siobhan stares after it, listening to Ashley's response with an ever-darkening expression. Uh-oh…temper triggered. Straightening to stand upright, she brushes invisible dust from her robes and turns fiery eyes on her year-mate. "Then you shouldn't have taken it on." The usually easy-going Siobhan - who started out this venture in quite possibly the best mood she'd been in for days - is well-known to be defensive of those she considers friends - or those who can't defend themselves. Still, it's a bit odd to see someone sticking up for Snape. "I wasn't questioning your work ethic. I just get so /tired/ of everyone using him as a scapegoat, when he's one of the best professors we /have/ here."
Davie laughs and pets his dog. "Hi Wren… sooo… what have you been doing?" he says, looking up at the students. "Anything fun?"
Ashley seems to finally have remembered that Davie said hello, and gives the boy a simple smile and wave. "Hey." He is quickly brought down to earth by Siobhan, though. "I wasn't using him as a scapegoat! If I didn't have respect for the man and his class, I wouldn't have ever offered to help him, would I?" He folds his arms, obviously a bit hurt by the accusation that he's attacking Snape. "I'm just saying it's been more work than I expected, that's all. I like it, I just need a bit of a break."
Wren smiles to Davie while still keeping a wary eye on the two older students. "Oh, you know. Lots of homework. And chasing around wayward pets. It looks like you know all about that."
"Then /say/ that, Ash. Don't equate it to offing yourself!" Siobhan huffs out a deep breath and her shoulders sag a little. She offers a hesitant smile towards the other seventh year and shrugs. "Just sayin'…that comes off as a little rude."
Davie grins mischievously at Wren. "Yeah… I wish he didn't stop!" he says. "It's fun chasing him."
"Yes, Davie, but you need to be sure not to wear him out," his mother comments. "I hope you're all having a good time," she says to the students.
Ashley rubs the back of his neck again. "Yeah, sorry." He looks a little sheepish now, now taking the time to stare at a rather boring puddle on the ground. "Just.. you know, stressed out. I think I'm going to get that butterbeer." He cranes his head as Davie's mother calls to them. "Oh, yes. Thank you, m'am."
Wren smiles brightly towards the woman and nods, "Yes, Ma'am, thank you. But if you don't mind me saying so, it looks as though your dog would wear your son out more easily than the other way around."
Sorely tempted by the idea of a butterbeer before her…engagement, Siobhan for a moment looks torn. "Anyone have the time? I think my watch died." Being sprayed with some highly corrosive potions ingrediants will do that to machinery.
Davie looks up at Wren again. "I never get worn out! Just watch!" And he runs off towards his house. His mother just shakes her head as she watches. "Well, have fun," she says to them as she and the dog follow Davie away.
Ashley looks at his wrist, wear he's sporting a rather old watch. "It's about four fifteen. Do you have somewhere to be?" He looks to Wren, as if wagering if she would leave the girl alone here in Hogsmeade. Ah, well. She's allowed to be here.. she should be fine. He returns his eyes to Siobhan. "I could walk with you."
Wren waves goodbye to Davie and his mother, then turns back to the others in time to spot Ashley's glance. "You two go on ahead," she says. "I need to mail a package to my da. Then maybe I'll join you."
"Ah…no. Thank you, but no. I've a while before I'm expected anyway." Siobhan rubs the back of her neck and offers Ashley a sheepish sort of grin. "If you don't mind, I'll have a butterbeer with you?" Wren gets a nod and a grin. "I can't stay /very/ long, but a drink sounds nice."
Ashley attempts to look rather dashing, giving Siobhan an elegant bow. "I would be pleased to have your company, m'lady." He lets out a chuckle, though, then nods to Wren. "Sure. We'll be in the Three Broomsticks."
Wren gives a grin and an amused chuckle. "I'll try not to get between you two," she teases. "At least not until you start throwing punches again." The young Hufflepuff offers a wave, then heads toward the post office, her leather satchel over her shoulder and her cat in her arms. One can only hope that the cat remains well behaved in a building full of owls…
Ashley moves into the pub, and quickly locates a free table where he pulls out a chair for Siobhan and then sits himself down, throwing the hood of his jacket back and flattening down his hair.
Pulling her hood back a /little/ more gracefully, Siobhan has nothing pat down, since her hair is in two braids. With a grin, she takes the proffered seat and leans back. "It's so bloody /cold/ out. Wasn't this bad earlier…"
Ashley nods, and is in fact rubbing his hands together to build up some friction heat, then blows some warm breath on them. He smiles at Madam Rosmerta as she comes over, and orders two butterbeers. "Yeah, it's freezing. I wonder what's up with that. Maybe some dementors decided to show up, or something. I don't feel sad or worried though, so maybe they just did a fly by."
Siobhan snorts, grinning over at her year-mate with an exasperated eye-roll. "What is it with boys and dementors? I swear, it's like you lot don't remember how /creepy/ they were." She's teasing, of course. "Nah, probably a cold front or some other such." Someone's been watching Muggle weather reports again…
Ashley leans back in his chair, the two front feet leaving the floorboards as he rocks the back two back and forth, butterbeer in hand. "I've had a lot of dark creatures on my mind. Trying to think about what I'd be facing if I get chosen to be the Hufflepuff champion in the tournament."
Siobhan shrugs. "Honestly, I haven't given the whole tournament much thought." And she hasn't, not since the night she got angry and threw her name into the eerie blue flame. "Who else from your house put in for the Cup?"
Ashley shakes his head. "Not sure, really. Our lot doesn't talk about stuff like that much." He mimics a voice, of noone in particular. "I threw my name in the Goblet! I'm going to be a Champion! Fame and glory!" He sets his chair back down, taking a sip of butterbeer. "I'm doing it because I think it will be great training for me. I want to be an Auror."
Siobhan snickers into her bottle at that imitation, conceeding his point with a wave of her hand. "Fair enough. We don't discuss it either, but more because everyone is so paranoid." She jests, of course. Mostly. "I think the 'Claws might, to compare notes and plan strategies… And the Lions just like to puff out their chests, so they probably would." It's light-hearted banter, really. It's no secret that Sio gets on remarkably well with all four Houses. On the business of Aurors, she makes no comment.
Ashley shakes his head. "Not sure how much.. strategizing they can do, I mean, we don't even know what the tasks are. I see what you mean about the Gryffindors, though." He shrugs. "Some people are more.. vocal about their talents, I guess. Or their bravery. I'm more quiet. That way, I don't end up putting my foot in my mouth." He looks into his bottle. "Unless I'm talking to girls, that is."
In the middle of taking a swig from her own bottle, Siobhan catches that last and has to swallow quickly to avoid choking. "Maybe that /should/ be the way you talk to girls," she teases, chugging the rest of her bottle and rising. "It'd be nice to see a boy who /doesn't/ strut." A soft smile plays upon her lips, even as her eyes get a distant sort of glaze to them. It isn't there long, however; she shakes herself once thoroughly before dropping a couple of sickles on the table. "I've got to run, though. I'll see you later!" And with that, she raises her hood once more and exits the establishment, turning left outside the door. Odd, that… Not much to see going that way.
Ashley looks up, about to say something, before he gets cut off by your next statement. "Oh, alright. See you around, Siobhan. Stay safe."