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Pushy And Desperate
Author: Jet
Date: 11-04-12 17:37
"Jet! Hello again!"
Jet glances at the speaker. "Hi, Marilee."
Marilee Turpin sidles closer. "If I had known when I saw you the other day you didn't have a date to Emrys Fest I would have asked you myself."
A gagging sound comes from Jet's other side. He nudges Petra to shut up even as her fiancé Matt is shushing her. With the music Jet isn't sure Matt fully heard what it was that had Petra gagging. His reaction was most likely based on the fact that Petra's reaction would be taken as rude if Marilee noticed, which it is.
Jet doesn't dislike Marilee. It's that she often comes off as pushy, which in turn makes her desperate. He knows that since first meeting Jet in a class that she's been angling to date him. He can take Marilee in small doses but he has no desire to have that trapped on a date feeling he knows would accompany going out with her. Not only that but the last thing Jet wants is to get involved with a pushy, desperate woman. He'd have to watch every word he said for fear she'd misconstrue something innocently said as a marriage proposal.
Jet can't think of anything to say in reply to Marilee's comment that wouldn't sound incredibly dorky or incredibly mean. He goes for a half-smile before asking, "Having a nice time?"
"You have no idea. I've been able to get a number of autographs and was even able to get a picture made with pro Quidditch player Wiggersmythe Hodfuffer."
"That's great."
"What about you?"
"Yeah, it's been a really good day."
"Time for another round of drinks," Petra interrupts.
Jet gives Mariless that half-smile again. "It's my turn to fetch." Then, to be polite he offers, "May I get you one as well?"
"Sure, I'd like that. A butterbeer?"
"Back in a few."
Jet starts in the direction of the nearest place to get butterbeers only to have to stop when Marilee hurries to his side and loops her arm through his. "I'll help you carry."
"No, that's not necessary."
"I insist." Her smile is one that would be termed ear to ear.
Unable once more to think of something to say, this time to convince her not to accompany him, Jet ends up with that half-smile making his face feel tight. Marilee chatters the entire way to the booth, much of what she says her continued effort to clue Jet in she wants to go on a date. Why she hasn't done the asking as she'd said she would have done had she know he was coming dateless to Emrys Fest he doesn't know but is grateful for.
To his relief once in line for the drinks Mariless points towards a line of loos. "I'll be right back."
****
There are a few others waiting for the loos but the line seems to be moving rapidly. When it's her turn, Marilee also take long, in and out in a jiffy. At an area for hand washing she makes room when another woman steps up beside her.
Emerson Reed cattily remarks, "You aren't his type you know."
Marilee turns a granite stare on Emerson. "You know nothing about it."
Emerson smirks. "I beg to differ. You can't even get a date out of him in how many months? I, on the other hand, not only became his girlfriend but I bedded him on numerous occasions. Admit defeat and tell them it's time for another assignment."
"You may have dated him and bedded him but you didn't get from him the necessary information."
"As I reported several times, the information is simply not there."
"Or it's there and you were simply incapable of retrieving it."
"Tell yourself that all you like, Marilee, but you and the other three they have circling him aren't going to get close as I did and even if the information is there and I somehow could not tap into it, you definitely will fail. Give it up while you still have a remnant of dignity."
"What's the supposed to mean?"
"Are you so clueless to not understand just how much of an embarrassment you're making of yourself trying to get close to him?"
"You're only saying that because you are still angry at being taken off the case," Marilee scoffs.
Emerson smirks again. "Just that clueless then. Carry on then."
****
Irked at Emerson's interference, Marilee vows to submit a report first thing tonight when she gets back to the place currently substituting as home. She finds Jet standing with four butterbeers. As she hadn't been exactly sure he'd wait on her, she's very happy he's there, if only because she can sense Emerson Reed watching her.
"Sorry to have taken so long. There was a longer line for washing up then there was the loo itself."
"No worries. I only just go through the drink line myself"
"Here, let me take two of those."
Jet relinquishes two of the drinks, bracing himself for Marilee's nonstop chatter on the way back to Petra and Matt.
Calling it a Night
Author: Carys
Date: 11-04-12 18:10
Emrys Fest was in the home stretch. Only a few more bands were scheduled to perform before the close of the annual music festival. Carys had arranged to meet with her old friends from Hogwarts, but had brought Griffin, Alun and Tristan with her. Her son was having difficulty keeping his eyes open, and kept yawning into her shoulder. For him it had been a very long day.
"Maybe we should turn in early," Carys said to her fiancé and grandfather. "I don't think he'll last till the very end."
Griff held out his arms to take Tristan from her. "Do you need pictures from the whole show?"
Carys shook her head. "Not really. Only a few will make it to any articles that appear in Emrys Everyday, but sometimes we do a real photospread. Even so, I think I've taken plenty."
She had taken many photographs throughout the day, but not as many as she normally did when she was working. Today had been more about family and friends than about her obligations to the university's newspaper. She picked up her camera and snapped one of Tristan snuggling against his dad's shoulder. It was hard to believe that he would soon be turning six!
Because Alun also seemed to be fading, the decision was made to leave early. Carys felt all right about leaving Elizabeth, Juliet and Mindy, since Elizabeth had brought along her new boyfriend. Dieter Quappe was a foreign diplomat from Switzerland who worked at the Ministry of Magic. He was rather good-looking, wore glasses, and dressed nicely. Elizabeth thought she was in love, but it was really too soon to tell.
Carys said her goodbyes to her friends, told Dieter she had been pleased to meet him and hoped to see him again (at the wedding, if not before), and then gathered together the blanket and picnic basket the Hanham-Price family had brought with them to Emrys Fest.
Smooth. Real Smooth.
Author: Jared
Date: 11-04-12 19:12
Several times today Basil has watched Aleydis Vanderbilt through the crowd, unable to keep himself from smiling at the sight of her. That she's been happy and having what looks to be a good time served to make his smile all the wider. So that he wouldn't be guilty of stooping to creepy stalker levels, each time he's seen her he's made himself tear away from Aleydis watching after only a few minutes. Etta says he needs to go over and say hello but with so many others around he hasn't quite gotten up the nerve.
It's a good thing Ivan's been busy snogging most of the day or he might not have been able to do any of these moments. Ivan would make a bore of himself going on and on about how Basil is NOT crushing on Aleydis. He's tired of denying there is no crush. There isn't. A crush is different. He's not about to get into the semantics of it with Ivan. Not only would his friend not grasp the difference but he'd find a new way to give Basil grief about it.
This time his Aleydis sighting comes because he's on his way to get something else to eat. That the most direct route to the particular food booth he's wanting takes his path not far from her he puts down to serendipity rather than unconsciously selecting that particular vendor because going there would mean passing the spot where most of the Vanderbilts have set up camp.
He's about to turn away to continue on to that food booth when Aleydis looks over her shoulder and sees him. Turning more fully his direction she smiles and waves. Thinking he's been caught staring, Basil freezes other than a hand automatically coming up to wave back. That proves to be all the prompting Aleydis needs to begin walking his way.
In those scant seconds it takes for Aleydis to reach him, Basil's mind is working overtime, reminding him that he's spoken to her a number of times now. They've had actual conversations. He helped her study for OWLs. He can manage a the two syllable word hello. Better yet, hi is only one syllable.
Reaching him, Aleydis brightly says, "Hi, how are you?"
She said hi so he should say hello. How is he? He didn't prepare for that but he can't very well ask her to let him have more time to think about what to say to her, can he?
He unsticks his tongue, a far, far more difficult task than one might imagine. "Hello. Good. You?"
That's it. Keep it short.
"I'm good too. Having fun?"
"Yeah." He wants to go with the easy, "You?" again but a little voice hints that she might wonder if he's in a bad mood if he goes for that after just using it. "And yourself?"
Not the best but it will do.
"So much. Here alone?"
"Sort of. No date if that's what you mean. Ivan's here but he's with a date. My parents are around. Etta and her parents. Jared too. He just got engaged."
Shut up, Basil. You're starting to ramble.
"That's cool about your cousin."
He knows Aleydis is mainly here with family but she asked him so it seems right he ask her something similar. "Are you here with anyone?"
Aleydis hooks a thumb back at the other Vanderbilts. "Mainly my family."
"I'm going to get some tacos. Do you want ?"
Where did that come from? As soon as Basil became aware of what his mouth was saying he froze up.
"To come with you? I'd like that. Let me just tell someone where I'm going."
As Aleydis goes back to her family, Basil's palms start itching as he worries whether he'll offer one to her to hold as they walk. He goes on a repeated loop telling himself to keep his hands to himself. So, what does he do the second Aleydis comes back? Stick out the hand closest to her of course. She slips her warm, soft hand into his cold, clammy one, Basil's worry now that with his body doing whatever it bloody wants, he will start idiotically babbling, which will have Aleydis wondering what the hell she was thinking agreeing to go to the taco stand with him. After that, he'll be lucky if she ever even deigns to turn a pitying smile his way. He will spend his seventh year known as the babbling school idiot who rambles incomprehensibly. He can practically hear Ivan snickering, "Smooth. Real smooth."
Culture Shock Can Be Fun
Author: Jefferson
Date: 11-04-12 20:03
"Are we going to live here forever, Dad?" Remedy questioned her father. She was stretched out on the couch of the rooms they were living in at the Hogsmeade Inn. The nine year old had been reading, but quickly grew tired of sitting around the small space.
"No, Remedy. We just need to find a proper home that we can afford."
Lawson was quick to chime in from her perch on the coffee table. "That's the tricky part then. These places are expensive, Jeff."
"Yes, I know. Give me a few weeks girls, we'll get us a house soon enough, okay?"
"I know, Papa. I just get tired of sitting around all day."
Jefferson pulled his daughter into a hug. "I know kiddo. We gonna be alright, I promise. You need to get out of the house and make some friends, dere are always kids at the park in the village. Why don't we go over there sometime this weekend?"
"Okay, Daddy. That sounds like it could be fun."
"Speaking of getting out of the house." Lawson jumped at the chance to go have some fun. "I need to get out with some form of people that aren't my brother and the brat!"
"You don't need to ask my permission to go out Lawson. Although I have some things to do this afternoon. You have to watch Remy."
"I have to? Wow, you sure are bein' bossy brother."
Jefferson raised an eyebrow at Lawson. "Will you please watch her? I have to go, and won't be home until late."
"Fine, I will take her with me. I heard some people talking about a big concert goin' on today at this university. That sounds like a party waiting for me."
"You remember the rules when you have my daughter with you. No drinking, Laws."
Lawson couldn't help but role her eyes. "Again with the bossy, Jeff! I won't get dehydrated tonight. We'll have fun, Jefferson. No worries! Maybe Rem and I will bond again."
"That's likely, Aunt Laws." Remy responded sarcastically, a trait she had picked up from her father.
"Just behave, and take care of her Lawson." With a final plea to his sister, and a quick hug from his daughter Jefferson apparated off.
"C'mon, kiddo. We're going to see some bands play." Lawson and Remy were on their way to Emry's Fest. They arrived late, but there was still a crowd and several bands left to perform.
"Wow…" Remy looked around, she hadn't been in many places like this before; she lived a slightly sheltered life. Remedy was happy living along the swamp in New Orleans, this place was a whole new world.
"Stick close, Rem if you get lost your father will kill me." Lawson weaved through the crowd, she finally settled next to a group of guys. Lawson had always been a flirt, and today was no exception. She could use her good looks to make a friend or get a date in a flash.
"Hey there." She grinned at one of the boys beside her.
"Hello, yourself. I'm Luke; you're not from around here are you?"
"Nope. I'm from Louisiana, my name is Lawson."
"Interesting name, Lawson. It's nice to meet you." Lawson and Luke continued to chat for a while, and a few drinks into the evening, Lawson had forgotten her niece was with her. Well, Remedy was with her at first. She had gotten annoyed with Lawson's flirty behavior and the girl had wandered off. Remy eventually ran into a man, as she wasn't paying attention to her surroundings.
"I'm so sorry, Sir!" Remy stopped when she looked up at the man's face; it was none other than Fletcher Morgan of the British National Team. She had seen photos of all the World Cup teams, and recognized him immediately.
"That's alright, are you lost?"
"Oh, no. My Aunt knows where I am."
Etch smiled down at the little girl, "C'mon. You can hang out with my sons and their friend." He then led her over to where Crew was hanging out with his best friend Camden. "You can stay with us until your Aunt needs you if you'd like."
"Thanks! She won't realize I'm gone." She then turned to Crew and Camden; the trio made introductions, and seemed to become friends rather quickly.
~~~
Meanwhile, Jefferson had finished tracking down something for work. He had told Remy and Laws that he was taking a new job with the British Ministry. That was partially true. He still held his position with the Dark Arts Intelligence office back in New Orleans, but was on a bit of leave while he worked on a side case in Britain, where they would be staying long term if everything worked out.
After Jefferson realized Lawson and Remy still weren't home from their afternoon out, he decided to get to know the Hogsmeade Village a little better. He had changed into a pair of jeans and a tee shirt, and headed off down the road.
After walking for a few moments he came upon Petals. Honestly he didn't go to strip clubs on a regular basis, but he needed some stress relief tonight. The move to Britain had been hard on his family, and living in a hotel wasn't helping anyone's mood. Jeff took a seat close to the stage; his blue eyes scanned the dancers as he ordered a drink.
One of the women stood out to him, and he felt drawn to her for some reason. He couldn't help but notice that she kept glancing over at him as well. He made a mental note to get to know the beautiful woman outside of the club later, Melinda was her name. After relaxing in the club for a few hours, he headed home.
~~~
The sky was growing dark at St. Emrys, and the final bands, The Weird Sisters, were playing. Lawson was panicked; she had slipped away from her new friend when she realized Remy was missing.
"REMEDY ANN FOSTER!" Lawson sighed in relief and frustration as she found her niece.
"Uh oh…" Remy looked up from the spot where she sat next to Crew and Camden.
Fallon noticed the look on Remy's face and moved in to intercept Lawson. "Excuse me; you must be Remy's aunt? Glad to see you found her…" Fal couldn't help but be angry, she didn't know this girl, but she wasn't a very responsible person if she let a nine year old girl wander off, especially with the murder and attacks on the grounds.
"I am, and I need to get her home."
"Right, betcha hand fun snogging that guy you just met, huh Auntie Laws?" Remy couldn't help the anger in her voice; although she was lucky she met her new friends. Crew was a year younger than her, Camden was two years younger but they all got along well.
"She's had dinner, and has been very well behaved. I would like to know where her parents live so I can send them a letter please."
Lawson glared at the older woman, but gave her Jefferson's information anyways.
"Bye Crew, bye Camden. Maybe we can meet in the park sometime?" The other kids nodded and they all bid each other a farewell. Lawson and Remedy headed home quickly. Remy refused to talk to Lawson the rest of the night, and went to bed early.
Lawson sighed and curled up in a chair as she waited for her brother to come home. She was going to be in deep trouble when he learned about what had happened today.
Silly Sunglasses = Aphrodisiac
Author: Declan
Date: 11-04-12 20:44
Zabrynna's head tilt and, "How do I look," comes just as reaching across in front of her for a pair of sunglasses with huge eyelashes and glittery blue eyeshadow sweeping up from what appears to be a tortoiseshell rim. The combination of tilted head and reach across has juxtaposed their lips uncomfortably close. Declan's gaze lingers on the ripe fullness of hers before stepping back, acting as though his actions are so he might take in the full effect of the silly sunglasses adorning her face.
"You look fetching. You should also go about with faux flowers stuck to the front of your face."
Zabrynna grins then gestures to the pair he holds. "Are you going to try those on?"
"Not for me. This shade of blue isn't becoming. I was thinking my niece Isla would find them amusing. If I get her something, I would have to find something for Aiden and Joseph."
"Sunglass as well or something else?"
"I'm not sure. Joseph would love these alien eye ones but I haven't see any yet that I think Aiden might like."
To better peruse the entire silly sunglasses collection Declan has to step in closer to Zabrynna again. He prays she doesn't notice how flushed his face must be. He presumes it is because his cheeks and down his neck feel practically on fire.
Zabrynna's hand goes out to grab a pair in nearer to Declan at the exact moment he's bending to reach across her again to better inspect another pair. This brings them even closer than before. Declan tells himself to once again step away. His instincts overrule those thoughts.
Declan's lips brush Zabrynna's. Hers part slightly then next thing he knows he's got one arm around Zabrynna pulling her even closer to him, the other hand moving to cup the back of her head. Zabrynna brings them still closer together when she returns Declan's embrace.
A catcall of, "Woo hoo! Way to go, Professor Douglass!" has Declan breaking contact. Zabrynna, looking as flustered as he feels, turns back to the array of sunglasses, seemingly intent on memorizing the minute details of each adn every pair.
Sounding hoarse to his own ears Declan hands the booth workers three pairs for the three Völker children then nods at Zabrynna, who is still wearing the flowery sunglasses. "These along with that pair, please."
Bag in hand, Declan looks to the next vendor along the row. Trying to sound normal and pretending as if nothing just happened he asks, "Shall we?"
Zabrynna slips the sunglasses from her face as she somewhat shyly says, "Thank you for these."
That she too is, for the moment anyway, acting as if they hadn't just kissed, should have made it easier for Declan. Instead, as they continue along from booth to booth, all he can think about is kissing Zabrynna again.
The Gairden-Amhersts At Emrys Fest
Author: Fionna
Date: 11-04-12 22:07
Several members of the Gairden-Amherst family are in attendance at the 2006 Emrys Fest. Fergus Gairden has spent much of the day flirting to the ire of his girlfriend. When she ended up slapping him, announcing they are finished, then storming off, Fergus was quite all right with that. It meant he was free to lay on the charm with the lovely and exotic Lotus from the office down from the one where he's currently employed within the Ministry. She's always giving him come hither looks so it's high time he answers he goes thither.
Leslie Amherst was canoodling behind a food stall with the still married but whose divorce is final in a few weeks uni professor she shags from time to time. He's not bad in the sack but mainly she's still showing him interest because as of right now she's enrolled in one of his classes next term. Nothing wrong with ensuring a high mark in the course. As he had to leave soon to spend time with his two rugrats, Leslie was already thinking about the fine specimen of a young man she'd seen a bit earlier. So what if he's still at Hogwarts? She knows for a fact he's of legal age, which makes him fair game.
Angus and Moira Gairden came for a little while midmorning but few of the bands playing are their particular cups of tea. They'd socialized for awhile then left with a mind to holing up there in Stratford-Upon-Avon at a lovely little B&B. Much as Moira especially is excited at the prospect of a grandbaby, she also wants to escape now and again from the reminder of her true age. Rolling around in bed for an entire weekend with her husband is just the sort of thing to make her feel young, and frisky, again.
Blair McKenzie Amherst Chang, good and truly free of her second marriage, has been realizing just how stifling a presence Willem always was. Though not all the bands performing today play the sort of music she favors, Blair is embracing her freedom. She has danced, drunk as much as she wanted, and flirted with any male who looked her way. Her only goal for the day is to not get so drunk that she starts shedding clothes and offering herself to anything on two feet. Been there, done that. She was eighteen and had no children at the time so such behavior wasn't that big of a deal. If she did that today, both her girls would claim no knowledge of who she was and she'd never be able to attend another function for Cat at Hogwarts because of all the parents, and students, she'd run into there who are also here today and might bear witness to a wanton drunkard.
Hamish Amherst has spent part of the day well off to one side of the two stages with his by now good friends Erasmus and Candice Chant. He has an early breakfast meeting in a time zone ten hours ahead of the UK so much as he hated to leave good friends, good music, and good food, he had to beg off hours before he wanted. He had to collect his things and be off by international floo to the hotel where he's staying and where the meeting is taking place hoping he can go on and get to sleep so he won't be face down in whatever is served at the breakfast.
Catriona Amhert is with Christopher Chant along with several others. The exact make-up of the group has fluxuate throughout Emrys Fest as people come and go. Cat and Christopher are on their way back to rejoin it after spending a little time looking at some of the merchandise a few of the bands have for sale when Cat stops short, a hissing escaping her lips.
"What?" Christopher asks but even as he asks he sees. "Oh."
"Can you believe her?"
Cat lets go of Christopher's hand to march up to Polly Potts, tapping her on the shoulder. "Oy, Polly! What if Gus sees you?"
Polly unlocks her lips from the very cute boy to whom she was giving a tonsillectomy. Her eyebrows draw together. "Gus?"
"Gus. Van Tassel. Your boyfriend."
Polly giggles. "I don't know why but for a second there I thought you meant Gus Hodfuffer and I could not even begin to imagine why it would matter if Gus Hodfuffer saw me snogging Phillipe."
Phillipe is either a little slow on the uptake or he is still recovering from the shock of Polly using her tongue as a surgical instrument. He only now asks, looking quizzical at both girls, "Boyfriend? You have a boyfriend?"
Polly shrugs off the question. "No one for you to worry about. He's on a food run." To Cat she says, "Phillipe attends Danal de Magie Académie."
"You seem a nice enough chap, Phillipe, but yes, she has a boyfriend. You don't want to get involved in Polly's drama."
"Mind your own business, Catriona," Polly orders even as Phillipe gives a somewhat disgusted sounding sigh and walks about without another word. "Look what you did," Polly huffs at Cat.
"I don't get you at all anymore, Polly. You either need to break it off with Gus or stop cheating on him."
"I don't see how it concerns you and frankly, I like having things both ways."
"Keep acting this way and by the time we graduate you will have a reputation as the girl who's good for a lay but not for much of anything else."
The slap is so fast Cat nor Christopher could react to stop it. Christopher steps between the two girls. "That's enough." He takes Cat's hand that isn't rubbing her stinging cheek. "Come on, leave it."
Cat lets him pull her away but she offers resistance long enough to coldly inform Polly, "You'd best break up with Gus soon or someone is going to let him in on what you've been up to all summer. Enough are on to you now that it won't necessarily even have to come from me."
Once well away, the two stop so Christopher can examine Cat's cheek. "You've got a little scrape from that ring she wears. I can fix it."
"No, that's okay. It doesn't hurt and with so many people here anyone who notices will probably think I got bumped or something."
"Are you going to say anything to Gus today?"
"No, I don't think so. Why spoil his fun? Besides, if you and I can come across her making out with a stranger, what's to say Gus won't stumble across her himself?"
"If that doesn't happen, are you going to be the one who tells?"
"I don't know. Maybe. I don't really want to but he should know Polly isn't a cheat. Would you want to know or would you prefer to be ignorant even though other knew?"
"I think I'd want to know."
"Me too. I guess I could send him an anonymous letter but that seems wrong somehow."
"I know what you mean. Do you think Johanna or Felicia might be of help?"
"No idea. We're becoming better friend because of Polly dating Gus but I don't know if that's the sort of thing I could talk to them about even if they are two of Gus's best friends. I need to consult Bianca. She'd know. Heck, she'd probably be willing to call Polly out in front of Gus. She hates what Polly's been up to as much as I have, but I think part of hers is because Gus is Slytherin like her and she doesn't like seeing one of her housemates being treated like that."
Cat expels a loud breath and leans against Christopher. "I should have just kept walking. Now I've spoiled the rest of Emrys Fest for you."
"You haven't. I sort of like when you show that spitfire side."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"I could pick a fight with someone else if that will turn you on more."
"Not a good idea. Too many people around for me to show a proper response and if we go missing for too very long, someone is sure to come looking." Christopher nuzzles Cat's neck. "But don't forget, Mum and Dad are out of the house all day tomorrow and are even talking about staying gone overnight."
"At great as most of today has been, why do I now wish Emrys Fest was over and it were morning already?"
Christopher briefly chuckles, the two of them too busy kissing for the next few minutes to say much more. When they do rejoin the group, Cat is in a somewhat better frame of mind but still very much wishing it were already Sunday morning.