Quaxo9
She had to agree with the bartender's opinion and was relieved that she wasn't going to have to fight to get the identity of their mystery benefactor out of the man. Thanking him, Rosemary turned to see that the cloaked man was already making his exit. If a surprise round of drinks hadn't raised her suspicion, the man who bought them apparently fleeing certainly would have. She started toward the exit, turning only to make eye contact with Cambria to let her know where she was off to.
When she got near enough to the man, she called out, "Pardon me, I just wanted to say thank-you."
Of course, that wasn't all she wanted - some additional answers would be nice, but getting him to stop would have to be the first order of business.
Start of Term (Hogwarts) (beginning)
Re: Start of Term (Hogwarts) (beginning)
Monkey Kitty
The man made his way hastily out the door... but then waited for Rosemary outside. In the faint illumination of the lamp by the doorway, he threw his hood back, revealing his face. His features were aristocratic. The nose, aquiline. His hair was jet black, but everything else about him was pale - alabaster skin, and eyes of the lightest ice blue.
"You're welcome," he replied. "Though if I may be perfectly honest for a moment, it was pure curiosity that inspired the gesture. It's not often that you see a goblin and a Death Eater sitting with two apparently respectable Hogwarts professors - at least, if I make my guess correctly about your place of employment."
The man made his way hastily out the door... but then waited for Rosemary outside. In the faint illumination of the lamp by the doorway, he threw his hood back, revealing his face. His features were aristocratic. The nose, aquiline. His hair was jet black, but everything else about him was pale - alabaster skin, and eyes of the lightest ice blue.
"You're welcome," he replied. "Though if I may be perfectly honest for a moment, it was pure curiosity that inspired the gesture. It's not often that you see a goblin and a Death Eater sitting with two apparently respectable Hogwarts professors - at least, if I make my guess correctly about your place of employment."
Re: Start of Term (Hogwarts) (beginning)
Quaxo9
Rosemary had to pull up short when she got outside and realized her quarry hadn't moved far from the exit. She nearly stepped on the man but she soon recovered and withdrew to a polite distance. The man's features seemed familiar somehow, though she couldn't put her finger on it, and the strange chill she'd felt inside didn't go anywhere. In fact, his words put her more on guard than she had been. So, another wizard then - she'd be hard pressed to find a muggle who would recognize a woman who hadn't been seen for 19 years as a denizen of Azkaban. Her response was cool, though her manner retained her trademark steadiness.
"You guess correctly. And it's 'former' Death Eater. You're remarkably well informed, mister...?"
Rosemary had to pull up short when she got outside and realized her quarry hadn't moved far from the exit. She nearly stepped on the man but she soon recovered and withdrew to a polite distance. The man's features seemed familiar somehow, though she couldn't put her finger on it, and the strange chill she'd felt inside didn't go anywhere. In fact, his words put her more on guard than she had been. So, another wizard then - she'd be hard pressed to find a muggle who would recognize a woman who hadn't been seen for 19 years as a denizen of Azkaban. Her response was cool, though her manner retained her trademark steadiness.
"You guess correctly. And it's 'former' Death Eater. You're remarkably well informed, mister...?"
Re: Start of Term (Hogwarts) (beginning)
Monkey Kitty
"Ah, I'm well-informed about a great many things," the man replied, deliberately avoiding the implied question about his name. "I apologize if I startled or alarmed you. Sending you the drinks was very forward. But you... are absolutely lovely. I could not take my eyes off you tonight. Tell me, Miss - what is your name?"
With a circling motion of his wand, he produced a red rose, which he presented to Rosemary with a small bow and a winning smile.
"Ah, I'm well-informed about a great many things," the man replied, deliberately avoiding the implied question about his name. "I apologize if I startled or alarmed you. Sending you the drinks was very forward. But you... are absolutely lovely. I could not take my eyes off you tonight. Tell me, Miss - what is your name?"
With a circling motion of his wand, he produced a red rose, which he presented to Rosemary with a small bow and a winning smile.
Re: Start of Term (Hogwarts) (beginning)
Quaxo9
Rosemary Bain
She failed to suppress a chuckle. "Oh, I don't think so. Forgive me, but I don't quite believe you. Unless I miss my guess, your interest was in someone else at our table - certainly not me."
Aside from the fact that she hadn't felt eyes on her, she couldn't help but feel that there was nothing but pretense in his words and gesture. Lucie appeared out of the darkness and lit on her shoulder, Rosemary automatically reaching up to stroke the bird's breast. This man was clearly playing at something. He'd known more about Eve than the casual person should and he hadn't mentioned Liam at all despite taking pains to describe everyone else. His interest in her was false - so what did he want?
It wasn't in her nature to play along, which would have made finding out his motives much simpler - too bad, really, that would have been genius. Rosemary's right hand hadn't left the casual position at her side near her own wand, not that she could really do anything if he decided to change tactics. She could scarcely outdraw someone who was already wielding. So what cards did she have left to play in this sudden game? Perhaps something a bit knavish.
Rosemary smiled kindly and shook her head. "But perhaps you're just too shy to meet the person you are actually interested in. Why don't you come in and I'll introduce you to the table?"
Rosemary Bain
She failed to suppress a chuckle. "Oh, I don't think so. Forgive me, but I don't quite believe you. Unless I miss my guess, your interest was in someone else at our table - certainly not me."
Aside from the fact that she hadn't felt eyes on her, she couldn't help but feel that there was nothing but pretense in his words and gesture. Lucie appeared out of the darkness and lit on her shoulder, Rosemary automatically reaching up to stroke the bird's breast. This man was clearly playing at something. He'd known more about Eve than the casual person should and he hadn't mentioned Liam at all despite taking pains to describe everyone else. His interest in her was false - so what did he want?
It wasn't in her nature to play along, which would have made finding out his motives much simpler - too bad, really, that would have been genius. Rosemary's right hand hadn't left the casual position at her side near her own wand, not that she could really do anything if he decided to change tactics. She could scarcely outdraw someone who was already wielding. So what cards did she have left to play in this sudden game? Perhaps something a bit knavish.
Rosemary smiled kindly and shook her head. "But perhaps you're just too shy to meet the person you are actually interested in. Why don't you come in and I'll introduce you to the table?"
Re: Start of Term (Hogwarts) (beginning)
Monkey Kitty
The stranger smiled faintly - somewhere between appreciation and a sneer. Surely they both knew he wouldn't take her up on it. She'd outmaneuvered him this turn, but that didn't mean she'd won the game. No, the game would not be won or lost tonight. It had been going on for years already, after all.
"I think not," he said. "And I must be on my way. Tell Liam to get his act together - he's wasting his time and embarrassing himself."
The man turned from Rosemary and apparated away, leaving her alone in the doorway and the rose discarded on the ground.
The stranger smiled faintly - somewhere between appreciation and a sneer. Surely they both knew he wouldn't take her up on it. She'd outmaneuvered him this turn, but that didn't mean she'd won the game. No, the game would not be won or lost tonight. It had been going on for years already, after all.
"I think not," he said. "And I must be on my way. Tell Liam to get his act together - he's wasting his time and embarrassing himself."
The man turned from Rosemary and apparated away, leaving her alone in the doorway and the rose discarded on the ground.
Re: Start of Term (Hogwarts) (beginning)
Quaxo9
Rosemary Bain
It was strange how the vacancy left by the stranger could make the alley feel warmer than it had when he was present. She glanced at the fallen rose, then turned to nuzzle Lucie's head before the bird left for higher ground once more. The empty space regained her attention for a lingering moment. At least now she knew the man's target...but what of him? A peal of laughter roused her from her reverie and she stepped back into the inviting space as though she were returning from a desert voyage.
Though Rosemary's general appearance was calm, her friends would undoubtedly pick up on the fact that she was unsettled as she regained her seat and leaned back into the worn upholstery. The gifted drinks remained in the centre of the table, untouched. Shame - she could use a drink, but she didn't much feel like giving the stranger the satisfaction of his gift being received.
Belatedly, she realized that all their eyes were on her and she straightened, folding her arms on the table and meeting their gazes as she spoke. "The man who sent these...knew a little too much about us and had some specific words for you, Liam. I don't think they're worthy to repeat, so I won't. But, he was definitely on a game of some sort. I just wish I knew what it was."
Rosemary Bain
It was strange how the vacancy left by the stranger could make the alley feel warmer than it had when he was present. She glanced at the fallen rose, then turned to nuzzle Lucie's head before the bird left for higher ground once more. The empty space regained her attention for a lingering moment. At least now she knew the man's target...but what of him? A peal of laughter roused her from her reverie and she stepped back into the inviting space as though she were returning from a desert voyage.
Though Rosemary's general appearance was calm, her friends would undoubtedly pick up on the fact that she was unsettled as she regained her seat and leaned back into the worn upholstery. The gifted drinks remained in the centre of the table, untouched. Shame - she could use a drink, but she didn't much feel like giving the stranger the satisfaction of his gift being received.
Belatedly, she realized that all their eyes were on her and she straightened, folding her arms on the table and meeting their gazes as she spoke. "The man who sent these...knew a little too much about us and had some specific words for you, Liam. I don't think they're worthy to repeat, so I won't. But, he was definitely on a game of some sort. I just wish I knew what it was."
Re: Start of Term (Hogwarts) (beginning)
Monkey Kitty
Eve Travers
No one seemed to know quite what to say to that. It was concerning - very much so. But it also didn't seem actionable at present. An unknown person who had disappeared to an unknown place after seeming vaguely threatening for unknown reasons didn't seem to hold many leads to pursue. So the conversation continued as normally as possible... though an edge of shadow had fallen.
As they parted ways at the door, Eve noticed the rose on the ground. She bent down, picked it up, and stared at it.
"Are you okay, Mum?" Liam asked worriedly.
Eve seemed to shake off the almost-trance, and nodded. "I haven't seen a rose in a long time. They don't have flowers in Azkaban."
Liam wondered if there was more to it than that. They didn't have a lot of things in Azkaban - but his mother typically seemed to respond with curiosity or sensory overload. She didn't usually seem to become this contemplative. "Do you like roses?" he asked gently.
Eve nodded. "I got one once," she said haltingly. "On my seventeenth birthday." She stared at the slightly crushed petals of the flower as if they held some kind of answer she was seeking.
Eve Travers
No one seemed to know quite what to say to that. It was concerning - very much so. But it also didn't seem actionable at present. An unknown person who had disappeared to an unknown place after seeming vaguely threatening for unknown reasons didn't seem to hold many leads to pursue. So the conversation continued as normally as possible... though an edge of shadow had fallen.
As they parted ways at the door, Eve noticed the rose on the ground. She bent down, picked it up, and stared at it.
"Are you okay, Mum?" Liam asked worriedly.
Eve seemed to shake off the almost-trance, and nodded. "I haven't seen a rose in a long time. They don't have flowers in Azkaban."
Liam wondered if there was more to it than that. They didn't have a lot of things in Azkaban - but his mother typically seemed to respond with curiosity or sensory overload. She didn't usually seem to become this contemplative. "Do you like roses?" he asked gently.
Eve nodded. "I got one once," she said haltingly. "On my seventeenth birthday." She stared at the slightly crushed petals of the flower as if they held some kind of answer she was seeking.
Re: Start of Term (Hogwarts) (beginning)
Quaxo9
Rosemary Bain
At first she was worried that there had been some sort of charm on the flower that she hadn't noticed, and kicked herself for just leaving it on the street where anyone could pick it up. However, it didn't seem like that particular flower had any sort of spell on it - more that it held one for Eve from her own memory. Rosemary paused, uncertain of whether she should press Eve for more information. It wasn't any of her business, in a way, but she also felt something egging her on. That she shouldn't leave this thing in Eve's memory. Besides, she did want to know more about her friend and sometimes talking about the past was a good way to make connections.
"What was he like? I assume, of course, that the person who gave you the rose was someone special?"
Rosemary Bain
At first she was worried that there had been some sort of charm on the flower that she hadn't noticed, and kicked herself for just leaving it on the street where anyone could pick it up. However, it didn't seem like that particular flower had any sort of spell on it - more that it held one for Eve from her own memory. Rosemary paused, uncertain of whether she should press Eve for more information. It wasn't any of her business, in a way, but she also felt something egging her on. That she shouldn't leave this thing in Eve's memory. Besides, she did want to know more about her friend and sometimes talking about the past was a good way to make connections.
"What was he like? I assume, of course, that the person who gave you the rose was someone special?"
Re: Start of Term (Hogwarts) (beginning)
Monkey Kitty
Eve Travers
Eve nodded, still looking down at the rose. "My husband," she said. "Liam's father. Well, he wasn't my husband yet. He gave me the rose the day he proposed."
"On her seventeenth birthday," Liam said, his voice quietly full of anger. "He was thirty-seven."
Eve nodded again absently. She had wondered why although Liam had been so eager to seek her out, he seemed to have no interest in finding his father. Apparently this was why. Although at seventeen Eve had been legally considered an adult in wizarding society, the power differential was painfully obvious. Still, Eve blamed herself for the decisions she had made. She hadn't been forced, after all. Confused, certainly. Pressured, yes, if she was honest with herself. And starved for love, after a childhood with so little affection.
She set the rose down carefully on a nearby stone wall, instead of letting it fall back to the ground. Maybe someone had dropped it by mistake. Eve only hoped that person was luckier in love than she had been.
Eve Travers
Eve nodded, still looking down at the rose. "My husband," she said. "Liam's father. Well, he wasn't my husband yet. He gave me the rose the day he proposed."
"On her seventeenth birthday," Liam said, his voice quietly full of anger. "He was thirty-seven."
Eve nodded again absently. She had wondered why although Liam had been so eager to seek her out, he seemed to have no interest in finding his father. Apparently this was why. Although at seventeen Eve had been legally considered an adult in wizarding society, the power differential was painfully obvious. Still, Eve blamed herself for the decisions she had made. She hadn't been forced, after all. Confused, certainly. Pressured, yes, if she was honest with herself. And starved for love, after a childhood with so little affection.
She set the rose down carefully on a nearby stone wall, instead of letting it fall back to the ground. Maybe someone had dropped it by mistake. Eve only hoped that person was luckier in love than she had been.