Streets of Hogsmeade

[lightdanger]

Sakura and Jason Dunn

Sakura eyes lit up. "I am quite impressed." She said trying not show off her pride. "Are any of them from old house, Hufflepuff?" She noticed that one of the boys had a yellow and black tie. She beamed at him. Jason counted the heads, one Ravenclaw, one, no two Hufflepuffs two Gryffindors... Jason smiled slyly. He knew this was going to be sore spot so he didn't say it out loud but he was thinking. There were no Slytherins in the group. He would have to ask about that later, when they were not with the students. Jason coughed "You planing on seeing Yuki?" He asked changing the subject as quickly as he could.  

[Vampire Toy]

{ Professor Icarus Skylar }
Quidditch Referee and Flying Instructor

"Yes, since it has been a while," Icarus smiled gently, "would you both like to come with me?" Icarus offered. Yuki would not mind the extra business and meeting new people. Icarus believed that his old friend needed the social interaction.

Luckily, our staff includes a lot of beautiful women. Beautiful women… which I may hit on… I hope.

 

[lightdanger]

Sakura and Jason Dunn

Jason squeezed Sakura's shoulder gently. "Alright." He said. Niether he nor Sakura went to the Hog's Head very often because Yuki had a tendency to forget to restock regular food. And ever since Sakura became pregnant going out for a drink didn't make much sense. Sakura nodded happily though. She hoped she would be able to get a Butter beer. "Let's go!" She cheered.  

[hocusss]

Dustfinger
“Love is much like a wild rose, beautiful and calm, but willing to draw blood in its defense.”

"Knock, knock." "Who's there?"

"Twit."

Buffy stumbled out on the freezing, bone chilling streets of Hogsmeade. Wrapping her scarf tightly round her neck, she made a few steps forward outside the Hog's Head. She slightly trembled and yet continued her path, trying to ignore the cold. She looked at the vitrines of the shops she was passing by. She should by her family something nice. Katy would like an instrument, she was sure of it, she always was passioned about music. Charlie would certainly appreciate two or three grimoires about Charms, or Defense Against the Dark Arts, possibly. Buff would offer her two-years-younger sister Mirana a broom, because she did notice her staring at Spintwiches. She stopped in front of that store and examined the glass vitrine carefully, seeking for a perfect gift. She stuffed her frozen hands in the pockets of her jacket and kept walking, her boots leaving traces on the white, shining snow.

"Twit who?" "Sorry, didn't realize you were an owl!"

 

[XThe Lily Of The ValleyX]

Francine left Honeydukes and locked the door, the small Bloodhound running around her heels. "Wait, wait until I lock the door." Finally, she pulled her coat closer to her. "Brrrr. I swear, Scraps it's gotten twenty degrees colder in the last twenty minutes. Let's go look around, go see anything we can get our family for the Holidays." Family-wise, there wasn't much, only a few cousins and nephews and nieces that she occasionally got a letter from. "Oh, look, who's that Scraps?" Walking forward, she saw Buffy. "Buffy, how are you doing this unbearably cold day?" Scraps walked forward, starting to shiver and gave a short little puppy bark at Buffy.  

[hocusss]

Dustfinger
“Love is much like a wild rose, beautiful and calm, but willing to draw blood in its defense.”

"Knock, knock." "Who's there?"

"Twit."

Buffys' eyebrows raised in surprise when she heard a voice behind her. She turned around to face Francine and Scraps, owners of Honeydukes.
"Well, you know, the key is to survive-kinda. But I'm doin' fine.", she smiled, kneeled down and scratched Scraps' head, "And you?" she questioned as she stood up again and stuffed her hands into the pocket of her jacket.

"Twit who?" "Sorry, didn't realize you were an owl!"

 

[XThe Lily Of The ValleyX]

"I? I'm fine, too." Francine gestured in the general direction of Hogwarts. "Won't be long now until some of the kids over at Hogwarts come on over to see what Hogsmeade looks like at Christmas." Some shops didn't see much business over the holidays, like Ollivander's, for example, but shops like Honeydukes and Zonkos usually got more customers during the holiday season. "So, business is doing well over at Zonko's? Honeydukes is doing pretty well, I've got to say. There was a bit of a lull after Halloween, but when people don't know what to get distant relatives, they usually go for candy or, if they're of a wizarding sort, a magical trick over at Zonkos, don't they?"

Francine Cherry.  

[hocusss]

Dustfinger
“Love is much like a wild rose, beautiful and calm, but willing to draw blood in its defense.”

"Knock, knock." "Who's there?"

"Twit."

"Yeah, I guess customers will fly 'round Hogsmeade, 'specially with that Christmas-ish spirit all around," Buffy approved with a nod, "Now, the problem is that we have to buy presents for our family. I got two sisters and a brother that work here with me, so I can't get them anything from Zonko's, can I?" Buffy rolled her eyes. She had to buy so much presents! She told Katy not to buy them anything, since she was only eight, and she did the same for Charlie and Mirana, who were now both eighteen. Katy can't attend to Hogwarts, since she was born in France, and right now, all that was important was the Zonko's business and trying to find the twins a proper job! She knew they didn't like working here, especially with her, but Dad doesn't want to see Charlie ever again since he ran away from school, and Mirana refused to listen to him and came here, taking Katy with her! 'God, what a madhouse!' thought Buffy angrily.

"Twit who?" "Sorry, didn't realize you were an owl!"

 

[XThe Lily Of The ValleyX]

"Oh, yes, it is rather unfortunate to have siblings as coworkers during the Christmastime. I haven't the problem, I'm afraid, but some of my relatives detest candy and probably aren't the type who would enjoy some clever device like Puking Pastille." They were all older aunts that she'd rarely kept in contact with but it would seem rude if she did not send them some trinket or such over the holidays. "Ah well, we'll both manage to find something." For the thousandth time, Francine Cherry cursed that she hadn't kept in better contact with any of her relatives and know their interests. Too late now, she supposed.

Francine Cherry  

[hocusss]

Dustfinger
“Love is much like a wild rose, beautiful and calm, but willing to draw blood in its defense.”

"Knock, knock." "Who's there?"

"Twit."

Buffy shrugged, a corner of her lips cornering up into a smirk.
"Dunno 'bout you, but I think I know what to buy." she smiled proudly before she sneezed. It was freezing! Much more warmer in the Hog's Head.

"Twit who?" "Sorry, didn't realize you were an owl!"

 

[XThe Lily Of The ValleyX]

"Oh, that's wonderful! Well, see you later, Buffy." Francine tugged Scruffs's leash in order to get him moving, than began to move back to her shop. "Have a nice day!" It was really getting awfully cold. Soon Scruffs wouldn't stick his nose out the door.  

[hocusss]

Dustfinger
“Love is much like a wild rose, beautiful and calm, but willing to draw blood in its defense.”

"Knock, knock." "Who's there?"

"Twit."

Buff nodded, smiling kindly.
"See ya!" she waved goodbye to the owner of Honeydukes and headed towards her owner store, Zonko's Joke Shop.

"Twit who?" "Sorry, didn't realize you were an owl!"

 

[XThe Lily Of The ValleyX]

Francine continued on her way, dropping off her small dog at her shop, Honeydukes. Leaning against the shop wall for a few minutes, she pondered what to do next. It would be far too dull to just stay at her shop for so long. Buying gifts for her relatives could wait another day. Smiling, she realized what she could do. Stretching and rubbing her hands together for warmth, she hurried off to the Hogs Head Inn.

Francine Cherry  

[Alex Teaflower]

He shuffled through the windy, snowing streets of Hogsmeade, not shivering, barely cold as he walked with a slow, zombie like gait. He just stared on ahead, not even registering the bustling festivities that surrounded him. He sat down on the side of one of the shops when he got tired of trudging through the snow and the wind and held the box close to his chest as though protecting it. His eyes were blank along with the expression on his face. He on the inside felt like a child having lost their favorite toy. Completely broken on the inside and unable to even come to terms with it. His insides were screaming but his mouth wouldn't move.

Cauldron Mint - Owner of Hogsmeade Post Office  

[Garden of Wisteria]

~~Nottingham McNair~~

Nott's shoulders hunched as he kept his head low and gave the reins another gentle snap. Lotharia was getting older, but she was still the most dependable cart horse that they had. Also the slowest. Which was probably the only way that his mother would have agreed to let him drive into Hogsmeade. He had driven the horses plenty of times and knew the route perfectly. Honestly, what was not to trust?

His father was there as well, of course. Although he was in the back of the cart with the cargo, carefully turning an old pocket watch over and over again. The watch was one of his new projects to repair and he had been obsessed with it since the evening before. Apparently it had been a simple enchantment, it was a watch that never needed winding. However, now its dials were whirling out of control and the minutes were lasting only seconds, which had led its owner into a state of blind panic as he had rushed to keep up with it. It was a week until the poor man realized that something had happened to the watch.

The cold wind howled as he topped a hill and Hogsmeade came into view. It was nice to live so close to the town. Nott only wished he got to visit more often. But his parents were constantly busy working. Although he was hoping, if this trip resulted in no incidents, he might be allowed to visit more often on his own. He was restless these days.

It seemed that his time to begin at Hogwarts was still long off and he was never more anxious to get to an institution of learning. All of his parents and family's stories had held him transfixed for as long as he could remember. Oh how many nights had he laid wide eyed in bed, imagine searching through the endless corridors for the castle's secrets, or sneaking into the Forbidden Forest, watching the exhilarating Quidditch games and transforming feathers into paperweights. He had convinced his parents to go to Diagon Alley as soon as he received his letter. Now he carried his wand everywhere with him, strongly cautioned by his mother that she would turn him into a newt if he dared try to use it before he was schooled.

Finally the wheels of the wagon rocked over the uneven cobbles of the main stretch of Hogsmeade. Lotharia hung her head wearily and Nott jumped down to give the old mare an apple he had stashed in his pocket before they left. She munched happily as she waited. It took several trips but soon Nott had moved all three baskets full of much smaller parcels into the Post Office. He had to shake his father's shoulder lightly to break him out of his concentrated trance to alert him to the fact that they were in town.

Mr. McNair raised his head. "Oh. Indeed we are. Alright Nott my boy. I'll take care of sending your mother's packages to her customers. Why don't you run around. I have a little business to attend to here as well. Why don't you collect me in about an hour?"

Nott nodded knowingly. His father often wound up at the Hog's Head. But Nott was too delighted to have free rein and he took off down the street.