Dogweed and Deathcap ~ Open

[MJ Spooks]

Adalaide is...spacespacespacespace
CURRENTLY // Looking Studious in Locationspace
CURRENTLY // loving Chrisspaces
CURRENTLY WITH // No onespacesp
CURRENTLY FEELING // Curiousspacespa
CURRENTLY THINKING // 'Oh, why haven't I been here before?' spacespac
❀ ❀ ❀ "Is this the last of our haunting?"
She says as she floats like an angel. ❀ ❀ ❀
═════════════════════════════════════════════════

Adalaide brushed the snow off her shoulders before she pushed open the door, and kicked her heels a few times to loosen the snow from her boots. From what Dhyl and Remy had told her, the owner of Dogweed and Deathcap was a capricious character, and she didn't want to do anything to invoke his ire. After all, she was insanely curious about the shop, it wouldn't do for her to get kicked out for tracking snow in or something. She smiled widely as she looked around at all the plants. It was almost like being at home! Of course, she could get the same sort of feeling hanging out in the greenhouses, but she wasn't so sure that the Herbology Professors would approve of her poking around outside of class.

The Hufflepuff smiled as she examined the various wares the shop had to offer, quite happy to see that all the plants looked to be in excellent health. Dhyl had said the man was reclusive... maybe he just focused a lot of time and effort on his plants. Ada could relate; she spent most of her Summer in her family greenhouse, tending to her own. She noticed one of her personal favorites, a few pots of Mandrakes, and went over to them, smiling widely at their large, healthy leaves. They looked like they'd been tended to expertly, which made her very happy. A few of them looked like they were just about ready to be re-potted, in fact. She brushed the leaves gently with her hand, humming to them out of habit, as if to soothe. She knew a few people who weren't quite convinced that it did anything, but she'd never seen any reason to stop. After all, it might not help... but it didn't hurt, either, now did it?


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❀ ❀ ❀ You will never know until you let me go;
I'm hoping this will never end. ❀ ❀ ❀

(( OOC: ))
Private conversation, please check with myself or Dia before posting

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Diamond Wales

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[MJ Spooks]

Adalaide is...spacespacespacespace
CURRENTLY // Looking Studious in Locationspace
CURRENTLY // loving Chrisspaces
CURRENTLY WITH // No onespacesp
CURRENTLY FEELING // Curiousspacespa
CURRENTLY THINKING // 'Oh, why haven't I been here before?' spacespac
❀ ❀ ❀ "Is this the last of our haunting?"
She says as she floats like an angel. ❀ ❀ ❀
═════════════════════════════════════════════════

Adalaide jumped a bit at the man's voice, and flushed lightly, her hand still on the leaf of one particularly large Mandrake Sproutling. His comment on her humming had caught her off-guard. She hadn't realized she was doing it, honestly, it was so second-nature to her at this point. Hastily, she jerked her hand back and clasped them both behind her back, smiling. "Uh, not particularly. I mean, I'm not looking for anything. I just... a friend mentioned to me over the Summer that there was a Nursery in Hogsmeade, and I hadn't realized... I felt sort of silly knowing this place was here and I've never even noticed it." She bit her lip. The guy didn't need her life story, after all. She couldn't tell if he were annoyed or amused at her humming. She certainly hoped she wasn't annoying him already, given that she'd only been in the shop for all of two minutes. But, if she walked into her own Greenhouse and found a stranger touching her plants, she'd probably be more than a little annoyed. Especially given how well these had obviously been tended... it didn't take much to upset their growth, after all. Plants tended to be delicate, especially when they were so young. "Er... my father is a Herbologist. I basically grew up in his greenhouse... I just... tend to hum to plants. Especially Mandrakes, I just... Mum says it doesn't do anything, but I've always thought it soothed them. She's probably right, but... I dunno." She wrung her hands together. She'd been going on again, hadn't she? Rambling. She gave a nervous smile. "I just... it feels sort of like home in here. Guess I got carried away." Well, that was succinct enough, right? She would have to make an effort not to get to familiar with the plants in the room, though. No need to cause him worry that she'd be undoing his hard work. Tending plants wasn't easy... perhaps not as hard as Michelle seemed determined to make it look, but difficult nonetheless.


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❀ ❀ ❀ You will never know until you let me go;
I'm hoping this will never end. ❀ ❀ ❀

(( OOC: ))
Private conversation, please check with myself or Dia before posting

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Diamond Wales

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[MJ Spooks]

Adalaide is...spacespacespacespace
CURRENTLY // Looking Studious in Locationspace
CURRENTLY // loving Chrisspaces
CURRENTLY WITH // No onespacesp
CURRENTLY FEELING // Curiousspacespa
CURRENTLY THINKING // 'Oh, why haven't I been here before?' spacespac
❀ ❀ ❀ "Is this the last of our haunting?"
She says as she floats like an angel. ❀ ❀ ❀
═════════════════════════════════════════════════

Adalaide smiled when he mentioned talking to plants, giggling a little, a small blush spreading to her cheeks. Yeah, she did that, too. She just didn't tend to tell people about it. Humming, they understood. Or, if they didn't understand, they at least accepted. Wrote it off as a quirk, another one of her strange little habits. But talking to them? She wasn't sure anyone knew that secret, she'd kept it locked up so tight. She hadn't even told Chris, although that was more because she simply wasn't used to telling people as opposed to being because she thought he'd tease her over it. She nodded simply to the man. "It's my best subject in school. I'm almost as good at Potions, but... I dunno. I prefer growing the plants to using them, I guess. My dad's started letting me grow my own that he doesn't touch, doesn't ever use for his potions. And I talk to them a bit, too." It was nice knowing she could talk about caring for her plants without thinking the person she was talking to would give her a funny look and think she was weird... and who understood. Michelle and Chris and a few others might not think her enthusiasm was odd, but they weren't capable of having a real conversation about it most of the time. She always knew when they got lost; something in their eyes. She had to back off, then. But she doubted very much if it were even possible for her to know more than the man before her did.

When he asked about repotting Mandrakes, she blinked. He was... testing her? But why? She supposed it could just be curiosity. Given how many of her classmates had dropped Herbology, and how many more had only kept it because they had to for the career paths they'd chosen, she knew how rare it was to find anyone, especially a teenager, who cared one whit about plants. Still, it seemed a bit odd... she smiled, anyway, though, and her expression grew thoughtful. "Well, obviously before doing anything else, you have to be sure you have all the proper supplies. A new pot, with plenty of room to grow in, soil, fertilizer, plant food... organic, obviously, because the Mandrakes are too delicate for anything chemical like what muggles make. And a pair of very good earmuffs, preferably ones that've been charmed to perfectly block all sound, and gloves so that nothing on your skin can contaminate the Mandrake, since you never know what you've come in contact with that can have a negative affect on them. Make sure the earmuffs are on correctly, pull on the gloves tight. Line the new pot with a layer of soil, a few inches deep, no more than four." She paused, running through everything she'd said in her head to be sure she hadn't missed anything. She wasn't sure why, but she felt very much inclined to attempt to impress this man. Perhaps because he was the first person she'd met in a very, very long time who knew more about plants than she did. The first person she'd met who could still teach her something. She was sure the school's herbology professors knew more than she did, of course, but they'd never teach her anything but what was on the school's syllabus, and she already knew everything from that. And she'd long since surpassed her father; he was her opposite, more interested in Potions and what the plants could do for them.

Once she was sure she'd covered everything necessary in the prep work, she nodded slightly to herself, and went on. "When actually repotting the Mandrakes, it is best to grasp them firmly by their stalks, and give a strong pull to free them from the old pot. It's important to get it right the first time, because if you have to continuously tug on them, it agitates the Mandrakes and can have a negative effect on their growth. As gently but quickly as possible, you place them in the new pot, and immediately begin filling the pot with the fresh soil. Once it's full, completely covering the roots so that the stalks and leaves are all that shows, you sprinkle it with the plant food and water the Mandrake. Keep an eye on it for the first few hours after it's repotted to ensure that it assimilates to the new environment. If it doesn't, it could be a problem with the soil, or the water, or it could've been put in a pot that was still too small for it to stretch. Figure out the problem and try again." She frowned. "But you should get it right the first time. They don't like being repotted more often than necessary, and everytime you mess it up, you run the risk of upsetting their growth... I've been very careful with mine, Dad made me wait a long time to have a set of my own to care for, so I was prepared. I've never had to repot for any reason other than it outgrew the pot." Ada was very proud of that fact. She liked to think that her Mandrakes were happy. She certainly cared for them well enough. If it were possible, she liked to think that they might like her, that maybe when she was away at school and her father had to repot them, they missed her... it was silly, perhaps, but... well, she had raised them since they were sproutlings, of course. They were practically her children.


═════════════════════════════════════════════════
❀ ❀ ❀ You will never know until you let me go;
I'm hoping this will never end. ❀ ❀ ❀

(( OOC: ))
Private conversation, please check with myself or Dia before posting

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Diamond Wales

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[Vampire Toy]

- ❖ - ❖ - ❖ - ❖ - ❖ - ❖ - ❖ -

It's¸ better【to be alone】
THAN in bad¸¸ company
--- Antes só do que mal acompanhada
--- Antes só do que mal acompanhada
--- Antes só do que mal acompanhada

The journey from the castle had been, in truth, a short time, but felt like ages to Núria. She had taken her time walking down the stone stairs, Hogwarts towering over her head and casting a shadow over her. It felt like there was a dragon at her back, watching her as she moved across the landscape towards the small cluster of buildings nestled below the giant construct. Even from this height, Núria could make out the individual buildings and see the plumes of smoke rolling from the chimneys of Hogsmeade shops. From where she was, stepping cautiously down every step that took her closer to the micro-town, the village looked like toys that little girls would play with in the streets. They would have dolls made crudely from straw and scraps of fabric to clothe them. These would be what they used to entertain themselves while their mothers visited Núria for cures and solutions.

The various charms and trinkets on Núria's outfit glinted in the noon light as she moved. Every step announced her presence, scaring away bad juju from her with the slightest tinkle of the bells that draped from her hip down her leg. Her skirts swished over the dirt at her feet as she finally left the steps behind her to the path that led her straight to Hogsmeade.

The school year had barely ended, and she had only had time to introduce one topic to each of the classes she was teaching before the students were boarding the Hogsmeade Express home. Of course, Núria would stay at the school, not having a real drive to return home, even if the option had been viable. Besides, her home was here now. The animals and plants needed her to stay; it had been such a headache to move all her belongings to her new quarters at Hogwarts. Another move like that and she was certain that her Boom Berry plants would shrivel and die.

At the mention of headaches, her head throbbed violently, worsened only by the sun beating down on her head. She had left one of her favorite plant remedies at home in Brazil and would not be swayed to use anything else. Núria gathered her skirts as she hurried into Hogsmeade, trying not to strain herself to worsen her headache, "Of course I forget such a important plant," she cursed under her breath, practicing her English as she did. Any chance to become better helped.

Núria glanced at a few store fronts, knowing exactly which store she needed to enter. She passed a few places that looked like pubs, a run-down shack, and the post office before she halted in front of Dogweed and Deathcap. That was the store that she had been told to visit to find her exotic plant. She only hoped that the store carried what she was looking for. It was not a local plant, at all. Not by any means of the word. But it was vital that she get it. Otherwise she would be in bed, trying to sleep off a migraine. And there was no telling when such a powerful headache would dissipate.

A small bell chimed as she stepped into the dark, dank shop. The windows were dim, whether on purpose to preserve the plants that thrived in the dark or just because the place was built that way, Núria had no idea. Upon entering, however, she was immediately reminded of home. Minus all the unique creatures that would be running around or locked up in cages, the shop looked much like her home shop. Plants lined the walls, some in jars while others hung to dry. The smell of fresh dirt and mold brought much nostalgia to the professor as she looked around, pleased with what selection she saw before her.

Approaching the counter, she addressed a rather dark character, "Hello, I have want a plant. I am told that it is named firebush in English," her accent was thick, but she felt that her sentence structure was getting much, much better from all her practicing. She was very confident in the way she spoke, proud at her language development in such a small amount of time.

❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖
Defence Against the
Dark Arts Professor

Made by Vampire Toy. Please do not change the code, claim this as yours, or share with monkeys. Especially not the monkeys. Enjoy! Special thanks to Real Near for her help and inspiration. She is a true artist and I love her work. <3  

[Vampire Toy]

- ❖ - ❖ - ❖ - ❖ - ❖ - ❖ - ❖ -

It's¸ better【to be alone】
THAN in bad¸¸ company
--- Antes só do que mal acompanhada
--- Antes só do que mal acompanhada
--- Antes só do que mal acompanhada

The man that emerged from... well, where ever he emerged from, exactly, was probably exactly what Núria was expecting out of a herb man. Perhaps the not gruffness, persay, but the dark demeanor, the dangerous aura. Yes, this was the kind of person that Núria expected from such a place. It was not much different back home; the women were usually far nicer, but not less mysterious or misunderstood. The man behind the counter would have fit in nicely in Brazil, if he wasn't as white as sand.

His hair was long, black and almost oily, as if he were always worrying. The hairline was receding slightly, furthering Núria's suspicions. His forehead was large because of this, but Núria attributed this feature for a strong brain. Wrinkles etched into the middle of his brow, most likely from constant furrowing, and his jaw was covered with a good layer of scruff to cover what Núria assumed would be littered with scowling and, perhaps, smiling lines. But this soul did not look like he smiled very often.

The man observed her for a moment, certainly taking in her strange appearance, accent, and presence before responding boorishly, "Firebush? That is an odd request. Especially as I do not usually carry such a plant. May I enquire as to what use you were going to put it to?" His gray eyes looked over her once more and would have unnerved Núria if she hadn't been used to such bleak characters meandering into her home shop. She dismissed her discomforts with ease.

With a quirk of her lips, she responded, "Are you sure you want to know? It could be many things that might have you uncomfortable to hear." Núria smiled darkly, before suddenly becoming businesslike, "Do you have it or no? It is for my... brain pains." The word for 'headache' escaped her and she improvised as best as she could. She had known the word before she had left her room, but she supposed that the pain and sun had stolen it from her for the time being.

She leaned on the counter, very tired and drained from the headache and the traveling from the castle, "I have many moneys." Núria solicited, wondering if the man was worried about her not having the funds to pay for such an exotic plant. The smell of the place was starting to worsen her ailment, making her stomach somersault. The professor leaned further onto the counter to steady herself.

❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖
Defence Against the
Dark Arts Professor

Made by Vampire Toy. Please do not change the code, claim this as yours, or share with monkeys. Especially not the monkeys. Enjoy! Special thanks to Real Near for her help and inspiration. She is a true artist and I love her work. <3  

[Vampire Toy]

- ❖ - ❖ - ❖ - ❖ - ❖ - ❖ - ❖ -

It's¸ better【to be alone】
THAN in bad¸¸ company
--- Antes só do que mal acompanhada
--- Antes só do que mal acompanhada
--- Antes só do que mal acompanhada

Pushing off the counter, Núria followed after the shop keeper to the back room, where he motioned her. Here, the scent of dirt intensified and plants grew up, down, and sideways. Glancing around, Núria was pleased to see that this shop had a decent collection of plants and flowers that she knew almost everything about, and even some that she had never seen before. Her heart quickened in her chest and she couldn't keep a smile from tugging on her lips. I may end up becoming a regular here, Núria thought to herself.

"I just got in a pair the other day. Considering that they aren't common in Europe, let alone the British Isles, they are not within my shop inventory most of the time. Though it is interesting that they help with... Headaches, I am guessing? Anyway, as I just got them in, I have yet to price them to go out. I would assume you would be a far better owner than some children from the school, I daresay." Núria followed the man's gaze to a workbench where two potted plants sat. The red tubular flowers poked out from thin stalks and lush leaves. Yes, this was the plant Núria wanted and needed.

She looked up at him as he spoke next, "I can let one go for five galleons, six sickles, and four knuts. That should cover the amount required to obtain another. I believe that it only requires the trimmings to relieve your headaches, correct? The plant should do you well to give you a steady supply as long as it is properly cared for." He returned her gaze, gray eyes looking her over once more.

But Núria was stuck on the price. It was a reasonable price, certainly, for the distance it traveled and its uniqueness to the region, but the woman had been raised in a place were prices weren't fixed and could be changed. Haggling was expected from where she hailed and, while she understood that things were quite different here in Europe, Núria didn't think it would hurt to see about getting a cheaper price.

When she was a young girl, her mother took her many times to go plant and herb shopping at a local market in Brazil. Her mother had told her constantly that decreased prices were available to anyone who asked for them. "Especially if the shop owner knows you or if they know that you helped their wife with her swelling feet," her mother's voice rolled through her thoughts like a breeze.

"Five galleons, six sickles, and four knuts." She repeated, mentally trying to do the calculations herself. Delivery costs, potting, soil, rarity all had to be accounted for. The professor bit the inside of her cheek and glanced back down at the plant, "No discount for the trade?" Núria raised an eyebrow at the man, hoping that she had translated it correctly.

❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖
Defence Against the
Dark Arts Professor

Made by Vampire Toy. Please do not change the code, claim this as yours, or share with monkeys. Especially not the monkeys. Enjoy! Special thanks to Real Near for her help and inspiration. She is a true artist and I love her work. <3  

[MJ Spooks]

c υ r r e n т l y
╔═══════════════════════════════╗
♥ chrístσphєr whítєthσrnє ♥
Looking Sweet at Work with Dorian
xxxғeelιngxxx
Amused
xxxтнιnĸιngxxx
❝ Poor kid's gonna make himself mental. ❞
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w h є n є v є r , w h є r є v є r ❀ ❀ ❀xxxxxxxxxxxx
wє'rє mєαnt tσ вє t σ g є t h є r ❀ ❀ ❀xxxxxxxxx
í'll вє t h є r є αnd чσu'll вє n є α r ❀ ❀ ❀xxxxxx
αnd t h α t ' s thє dєαl, m ч d є α r ❀ ❀ ❀xxx
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spaceAdalaide had been surprised to hear the arrival of someone in the shop; it just didn't really happen all that often, she'd noticed. Probably had something to do with Jason scaring everyone away, the blonde thought with a smirk. Honestly, she didn't get why everyone found him so intimidating, but then again, she'd be the first to admit that her perspective was somewhat skewed in that department. Having a best friend like Michelle didn't exactly set a person up to be easily frightened just because someone put up a scary front. And anyway, even if Jason had wanted to be mean to her, she'd not really given him much reason to; she was a good employee, after all.

spaceThe blonde's brow knit in confusion when a familiar blue-haired Hufflepuff poked his head around the corner and waved sheepishly at her. "Uh, hey, Ada," Dorian said, a nervous smile on his face. He'd been hunched forward, she noticed, but stood to his full height as soon as he came around the corner to stand in front of her. Sheesh, when had the kid gotten so tall? Not that she'd ever known him to be shorter than her, she didn't think, but holy crow! He was only sixteen!

spaceBrown eyes narrowed on the boy, and she crossed her arms, putting on her best 'mom' face. Ada clicked her tongue at the sixth year. "What, exactly, are you doing at Hogsmeade on a Wednesday?" she asked, somehow finding a way to stare down her nose at him in spite of the considerable height difference. She had a strong suspicion she knew why he was here on a Wednesday, actually. Jason was in the middle of a lesson, if she wasn't mistaken. It was why she was here, manning the shop on her own. The wolf generally tried not to be away too terribly much. Sometimes she wondered if that was a throwback to when he'd first hired her. Sixteen-year-old Ada was not someone he would have wanted to leave alone with customers. But that was seven years ago, for Merlin's sake! She could handle customers perfectly fine on he own nowadays, thanks very much.

spaceThe look on Dori's face pretty much confirmed her suspicions; he wanted something, obviously, and wanted to ask her about it without Jason overhearing. His hand went to the back of the head, scratching in a manner very reminiscent of a certain redhead, she noted. Miles had a habit of doing that when he was nervous, too. He swallowed, trying to smile at her. "I, uh, I wanted to talk to you, about... um. So, I thought about what you said, about, uh, trying to get Jason to hire me? And, I figured, you were right, it's a good idea. But, uh... he kinda hates me? Not really, but, I don't think he wants me anywhere near his plants." Dori trailed off, looking at a row of Aconite and thinking that, in fact, if Jason were there right now, he'd probably want to hex his arse off just for standing so close to the greenery. "I, uh, I wanted to ask if, maybe I could fill out an application and leave it with you? And maybe you could talk him into it?" Blue eyes stared down at her hopefully. He even pouted a little bit, which was almost hysterically out of place on the face of a sixteen year old boy who was at least a foot taller than her. Then again, maybe she tended to think that kids Dori's age didn't look much like kids, considering her husband was permanently seventeen.

spaceThe Hufflepuff started to answer, thinking it was almost ridiculous that he even had to ask, honestly, considering it'd been her idea in the first place (honestly she just wanted some more help around the place so she wasn't so damn tired all the time). But, before she could say anything, someone else entered the shop. Ada peeked around the corner, expecting to see a familiar face, only to find a stranger. No, wait. Not quite a stranger; she'd seen the guy around before, she thought. Once or twice she thought she might've spotted him in the area. Maybe he lived nearby? She smiled, dusting her hands off a little. "Just a second," she chirped to Dori, and then she approached the man with a smile. "Hi! Welcome to Dogweed and Deathcap! Can I help you with anything today?" Ada always tried to greet the customers right away, and to offer assistance... Not because it was her job, or because it was proper. More because that way she could try and figure out if they were the sort of person she needed to keep away from the plants, lest she spend an entire afternoon helping Jason clean up their mess and fix whatever they screwed up.

spaceThe guy gave her a small grin, not meeting her eyes, hands stuffed in his pockets. Behind her, she heard Dori sniff, and thought that the kid really needed to be more careful with that sort of behavior. Not that she could say anything, since she wasn't supposed to know what he was. She wasn't going to let on that she was aware of Dori's pack status until he told her; it was only polite. Still, he was fairly obvious; she'd have to be an idiot not to've figured it out. Kid was worse than Miles; at least the Irishman didn't go around wearing hoodies that said "Bad Wolf" on them. She knew the reference, but still. Most wizards wouldn't get it. Still, she was weirdly grateful for the boy's presence. Something about the newcomer put her off a bit, and she figured that if there was anything off about him, Dori's being there would put him off any insane behavior.

space"Was just curious," the man mumbled, finally looking up to meet her eyes, though only for a second; then he was staring at his feet again, with a few glances to the left and right at the plants to either side. "Walk by the place all the time... Looked in the windows now and again, thought I should actually come in."

spaceAda's smile remained in place, but tension radiated off of her. That's where she'd seen him; the Hufflepuff had noticed him staring inside the shop a week or so ago. He hadn't been doing anything, really, just standing outside and staring in. But, she tried not to think anything of it; she'd been pretty socially anxious, once upon a time, and knew that sometimes those sorts of things were hard to get over. She'd still be a nervous wreck if not for Chris and her friends, after all. He probably wasn't anything to worry about, she reasoned. Just a little... odd. She offered to help out if he needed anything, and then returned to Dorian, working as the two spoke about the younger boy's application. After about ten minutes, the guy left.

spaceAs soon as the man was out the door, Dori's lip curled, in a rather wolf-like fashion, Ada noted. "I don't like that guy," he said, looking more serious than the blonde had ever seen him. Dorian was not exactly the most serious of fellows. That he was all worked up was actually sort of off-putting. "Something about him... it made my hac- my hair stand on end."

spaceAda shrugged. "I don't know, he just seemed a little weird. I don't think he's anything to worry about," she said.

spaceDori frowned, shaking his head. "No, he was more than weird. Something's off about him. Ada... if he comes in again, watch your back? I don't trust him." Ada rolled her eyes at Dori, but promised she'd be careful all the same, having more than enough experience with overprotective men to know that it was usually best to just humor them and go along with it. She helped the sixth year fill out an application to give to Jason, and promised that she'd sweet talk the Alpha into hiring the boy on as part-time help. She then told him that, if she caught him out of Hogwarts on a non-Hogsmeade weekend, when he wasn't supposed to be working, again, she'd drag him to the Headmaster by his ear, and sent him off. Maybe it was sort of hypocritical, considering how much of her own school years she'd spent sneaking off to Hogsmeade when she wasn't supposed to be there, and at night to boot, but hey, she was older and wiser now. She knew better. Not that she'd go back in time and not sneak around if she had the chance, considering that would heavily cut down on how much time she'd gotten to spend with Chris back then, but hey. She was a mom, she had to pretend to be responsible and set a good example, right?


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xxx❀ ❀ ❀ thínk σut l σ u d , sαч ít α g α í n
xxxxxx❀ ❀ ❀ tєll mє σ n є m σ r є t í m є
xxxxxxxxx❀ ❀ ❀ thαt чσu'll l í v є l σ s t ín mч є ч є s




(( OOC: ))
...


show spoilerhide spoiler
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[MJ Spooks]

c υ r r e n т l y
╔═══════════════════════════════╗
♥ chrístσphєr whítєthσrnє ♥
Looking Sweet at Work with Derek
xxxғeelιngxxx
Creeped out
xxxтнιnĸιngxxx
❝ I wish he'd stop coming by... ❞
╚═══════════════════════════════╝


w h є n є v є r , w h є r є v є r ❀ ❀ ❀xxxxxxxxxxxx
wє'rє mєαnt tσ вє t σ g є t h є r ❀ ❀ ❀xxxxxxxxx
í'll вє t h є r є αnd чσu'll вє n є α r ❀ ❀ ❀xxxxxx
αnd t h α t ' s thє dєαl, m ч d є α r ❀ ❀ ❀xxx
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spaceAdalaide tensed ever so slightly every time she heard the door; each time it was an unfamiliar face, she relaxed, which was honestly pretty odd, when you thought about it. The fact that she was more comfortable seeing a stranger than someone she recognized was mind boggling, and concerning. She kept telling herself that she was being silly, that there was no reason to be so uncomfortable, but it didn't help. Something about Derek just made the hair on the back of her neck rise, no matter how nice and polite he seemed. He was just awkward, she kept telling herself. She'd been there, she'd been worse, to be honest. Of course, she was at least a few years younger than the man, and hadn't had those issues since she was a teen, but not everyone had friends to help them through that sort of thing. She knew she'd still be a total wreck if not for everyone in her year. And Chris, especially. She was always quick to give him most of the credit for the fact that she was no longer a socially awkward mess.

spaceFor whatever reason, presumably Derek hadn't had anyone to help him get over his own issues; maybe the students in his year at school hadn't been as close knit as hers. Maybe he'd had a hard childhood. She didn't know, and didn't want to know. It wasn't like she had any desire to be friends with the guy; he creeped her out, quite frankly. The only reason she felt guilty about it was because he was a customer... Well, sort of. He'd yet to really buy much of anything. Kept going on about a project he'd like to start, and asking her advice on the subject, but so far he'd not purchased anything more than a handful of gardening tools she'd recommended. Dori seemed to've become increasingly uncomfortable with the guy, and unlike Ada, when he was in the shop, he didn't hide it. The blonde at least tried to be courteous, because she did feel bad for the man, and it would be unprofessional to be rude (something she'd been trying to drill into the sixth years head, with no luck thus far). But honestly, every day she hoped he wouldn't come in. His trips had become more and more frequent, to the point that it was almost daily by now.

spaceThe door opened then, and again, she tensed, but this time, she didn't relax when she saw who'd entered. It was Derek, much to her chagrin. She plastered on what she'd started referring to as her 'customer smile', which was about as close as the Hufflepuff could get to an outright lie. She was alone in the shop at present, Jason teaching lessons at the school and Dorian presumably sitting in one (though she wouldn't be surprised if he were skipping). She wiped the dirt off her hands and approached the man, wondering what his excuse would be today. "Derek! Good morning! How can I help you today?" she asked, not really holding her breath that he'd have much of an answer.

spaceHe coughed awkwardly into his fist, shuffling his feet a bit before meeting her eyes. "Dunno why I still need a reason to come in," he said, and she tensed up so much she swore she felt a knot form in her back. He stared at her far too long before speaking again. "... Guess I wanted to ask your help again? Still tryin'a figure out what to do with that, um, the flower bed. It's all weeds, you know. I told you that." He paused, then offered a smile, suddenly seeming very eager. "You know, I bet you could help more if you saw it. Maybe I could give you the address and you could come by and look at it?" he asked. He acted like he'd only just thought of it, but the words felt practiced, as did the expression. Ada didn't buy for an instant that this hadn't been the reason he'd come in in the first place, at least today.

spaceHer hand went to the chain at her neck, and she pulled it out from beneath her shirt, revealing her wedding and engagement rings, fiddling with them. The blonde always played with her jewelry when she was nervous, at least these days. It was pretty much the only nervous tic her husband didn't get upset with her over, considering most of the others caused her some level of pain. But apparently, at the present moment, toying with the rings wasn't enough, she started chewing her lip, at least being careful not to bite down too hard. She didn't much care for the consequences of her drawing blood. Chris tended to be a bit paranoid about kissing her when she did. "You could always take a photo," she ventured hopefully. Before today, he'd never actually done anything to warrant how uncomfortable he made her, but now... inviting her over to his home. She cleared her throat, clasping her rings in her palm and then releasing them.

spaceDerek's eyes narrowed and focused on the rings, his brow furrowing. "What's that?" he asked, clearly agitated by the sight. She felt her heartbeat quicken, her scalp crawling. She had a feeling he was perfectly aware of what exactly they were... It wasn't exactly hard to figure out.

space"Oh, my wedding bands," she answered, trying to keep her voice as casual as possible. "I wear them on a chain during work hours. I'm paranoid that one day I'm going to lose one of them in a plant." She managed a laugh, though it wasn't quite as calm as she'd have liked. When she met his eyes again, her nerves tripled; he didn't look happy about this development.

space"Never said you were married," he said, a distinctly accusatory tone in his voice. "Been coming in here for weeks, and you never said... you never mentioned it."

spaceShe frowned, her annoyance sparked in spite of her anxiety. "Derek, you're a customer. I don't talk about my personal life with customers," she said coolly. As if it were any of his business that she was married?

spaceApparently, he disagreed with this assessment. "I think we both know I'm not just a customer," he hissed through clenched teeth. Her eyes drifted to his hands, which were balled into fists. "You... you flirt with me," he said next, and she swallowed, eyes growing wide, shaking her head.

space"I have never flirted with you," she said adamantly. "I do not flirt. With anyone. I am married. With two kids. And I love my husband. I would never flirt with anyone, especially not a customer." Her tone was a mix of insistent, afraid and annoyed. If the man really thought she'd been flirting with him, he was worse off than she'd thought. "I am courteous to you. Because it's my job to be. But I treat you no differently than I do anyone else who walks in that door."

spaceHis eye twitched, and Ada found herself wondering how much Jason would kill her if she destroyed half the shop trying to protect herself from a crazy person. She should've listened to Dori... Except that technically speaking, even if she'd believed the younger boy, she still wouldn't have acted any differently. Except perhaps smiled a little less. Been less perky. Or, well. She didn't know if she were actually capable of less perky. Or smiling less. The Hufflepuff supposed that Jason was at least somewhat reasonable and would accept 'self defense' as a reasonable excuse for why he returned to the place in disarray. Not to mention that she'd keep the damage to the plants as minimal as possible and would end up cleaning it up mostly by herself anyway. Though... she'd never dueled anyone in her life. She wasn't sure she were actually capable of defending herself. She'd never had to be! She'd always had Chris or Michelle around when the s**t hit the fan!

spaceAfter a long pause, Derek relaxed, much to her confusion, and even smiled, the expression doing nothing to calm her. "You're lying," he declared. She felt herself go cold, wondering where he was going with this. "Playing hard to get. I know you, if you had a husband and kids you'd talk about them all the time, and you've never mentioned them." Her mouth fell open ever so slightly, not sure what to say to that. 'I do talk about them all the time,' she thought hysterically. 'With people who matter. With my friends. People I'm close to. Not with customers!' But, before she could voice this, he winked at her. "I'll be back tomorrow," he told her cheerfully. The mood swing was giving her whiplash. She swore, it'd been faster than her when she'd been pregnant. "Don't worry, Ada. I've got it. You're not gonna be easy, I gotta earn it. I get that."

spaceShe again found herself speechless, not even remotely prepared to respond to that. She watched numbly as he walked out, the hand on her rings clutching them so hard her knuckles went white. Internally, she debated the pros and cons of telling Chris about what'd happened; it wasn't like he could look out for her while she was at work, and he'd worry. But at the same time, she couldn't not tell him, he was her husband. She told him everything, always. If she hadn't mentioned this before, it was because she shouldn't have had to. He was supposed to've been a creepy customer, not... whatever he was. In any case, she definitely needed to talk to Jason. Maybe she could get the guy banned from the shop. She knew her boss was grouchy and liked to act like he hated everyone, but she was pretty sure he cared about her, at least a little. He at the very least didn't want to have to replace her because she'd been kidnapped and murdered by a crazy man, right?


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xxx❀ ❀ ❀ thínk σut l σ u d , sαч ít α g α í n
xxxxxx❀ ❀ ❀ tєll mє σ n є m σ r є t í m є
xxxxxxxxx❀ ❀ ❀ thαt чσu'll l í v є l σ s t ín mч є ч є s




(( OOC: ))
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[MJ Spooks]

c υ r r e n т l y
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♥ chrístσphєr whítєthσrnє ♥
Looking Serious at Hogsmeade Station with Chaos
xxxғeelιngxxx
Resolute
xxxтнιnĸιngxxx
❝ Got to get the kids out of here. ❞
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w h є n є v є r , w h є r є v є r ❀ ❀ ❀xxxxxxxxxxxx
wє'rє mєαnt tσ вє t σ g є t h є r ❀ ❀ ❀xxxxxxxxx
í'll вє t h є r є αnd чσu'll вє n є α r ❀ ❀ ❀xxxxxx
αnd t h α t ' s thє dєαl, m ч d є α r ❀ ❀ ❀xxx
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spaceAdalaide took the young man to the back of the shop, and very carefully settled him down on the floor, hidden away from the front of the shop where no one would see he was inside. "Give me just a moment, I'm going to get something to stop the bleeding, okay?" she told him, voice shaking ever so slightly. Now that she was in the relative safety of the shop once again, the reality of what she'd done hit her, and she felt sick. She could've gotten herself killed just now. She had no one to protect her this time, Chris and Michelle and Mari and everyone she knew who knew how to handle these things, none of them were here. As she searched their stock for the dittany, she blanched. She would've died, and then what would her family do? She shook her head, forcing the thoughts away. It didn't matter; if she hadn't gone out there, if she hadn't brought the boy here, he could be dead. As it was, he still might be; he'd lost a lot of blood. How much could you lose before you died? She chewed the inside of her cheek, grabbing the dittany and returning to the boy, crouching carefully in case a stray Death Eater happened to look inside. If no one was in the shop, there was no reason to bother with it, right? "This is probably going to sting. A lot." She began applying it to the wound, fighting not to look like she was completely horrified by what she was seeing. Gotta keep it together, gotta not freak out and upset this poor kid who has already been through hell. She swallowed. "Try to think of something pleasant. Or maybe talk. That sometimes helps me. Distracting. Um. You could tell me your name? I'm Ada," she said. She was probably going about this all wrong, she knew, but hell, what was she supposed to do? And she wasn't lying; the last time she's been in an extreme amount of pain, she'd definitely talked her way through it. And by talked, she meant that she'd cursed her husband to hell and back, in some very creative ways, particularly when one considered that Adalaide didn't typically swear. Not counting the night she'd given birth, and the night of the Incident, she could count the number of swear words she'd said on her hands and feet, she'd bet. She glanced at the door. She didn't want to leave the boy alone, but... More children could be brought inside to hide, to be safe. Should she do that? One child's comfort shouldn't be placed above the other's lives, she knew that logically, but she wasn't really being logical at the moment. She was mostly being a mother, and her motherly instincts wanted her to coddle the boy and do whatever she could to make him feel better.


╚═════════════════════════════════════════════════
xxx❀ ❀ ❀ thínk σut l σ u d , sαч ít α g α í n
xxxxxx❀ ❀ ❀ tєll mє σ n є m σ r є t í m є
xxxxxxxxx❀ ❀ ❀ thαt чσu'll l í v є l σ s t ín mч є ч є s




(( OOC: ))
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Utsuha Moon


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