| Details for Tavern Tales |
| Summary: | It's a Hogsmeade weekend, which means students and adults alike gather at the Three Broomsticks to share butterbeer and socialize. |
| Date: | 5 October, 1937 |
| Location: | {$location} |
| Related: | Immediately precedes First Kiss |
| Characters |
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((OOC: If anyone has the log prior to this point, please include it here.))
"In fact a thing?" Maudlin asks her as she furrows her brow a little bit. She is tying her scarf in place. The letter she has received is placed into her briefcase. "What would you like to know?" She takes her gloves out of her pocket and moves to put them on. "Or if you would like you can seek me out later or follow me?" Her quiet green eyes seem to take in everyone who has gathered there. Next she slips her coat back on. "There are facts and then there facts and then there are opinions. I have a feeling you will be hearing a lot of opinions in the recent months." Picking up her briefcase she looks like she is ready to head out again, but has not left just yet.
Gabrielle will start to go over her book, and when the waitress comes over, she'll shake her head, saying she's meeting someone.
Ophelia steps through the door, pausing to hold it open for Hephaesta with a smile. She's talking animatedly , waving her hands in the air to illustrate her story. "But my father insists that in fact he can prove it, and sets off to do so. Only he can't find the book he's looking for, and eventually he has to give up and go to bed. Then, three weeks later, he finds it." She glances at Hephaesta while heading toward the bar, her eyes sparkling, "Inside a box of soap flakes in the kitchen!"
Hephaesta bursts out in giggles, her smile broad and hazel eyes shining. It is a sound and face rarely seen from young Miss Mulciber, especially with all of the crying lately. But it seems things have changed for her lately. "How on Earth did it get in there?" She limps along after Ophelia, staying close to the ginger girl.
Mabel nods. Actually seems quite ready to follow the assistant librarian right back out the door. She glances at the papers in hand: the Daily Prophet isn't represented there, but that's only because she has a daily subscription and doesn't need to go to Hogsmeade for that. Says in very low tones. "Actually, Madam, it's opinions that worry me. A bit, don'tyouknow. I'm… concerned that some things might…" She takes a deep breath, starts to say something, looks at the paper, as though not sure what it's proper to say. "Cause for concern," she says, near-airily, as though it were better presented as a minor matter.
Gabrielle will throw a smile at the two new housemates that have come in, and will quickly turn the page from the owls to one of brooms.
"Follow me dear, you need tea." Maudlin motions with her hand to have her follow her out into the night. She looks over at the other two who have just entered and she offers them a smile. "Good evening." She says to them before she slips out the door and into the night.
Ophelia throws her hands up, "We don't know! He never does any cleaning. Of course, he did spend some time complaining that mum had done it in anticipation of the argument. But I don't know… " Trailing off to nod to Maudlin and Mabel, she finally looks around, noticing Gabrielle then. "Oh, hello!" Waving to the girl, she changes course and starts heading for her table instead.
Hephaesta bobs a lopsided curtsey to Maudlin and Mabel, smiling sweetly to each. "Good evening, Madam Huntington. Good evening, Mabel." Her giggles follow after Ophelia, and she click-whirrs up to Gabrielle's table as well. "Hello, Gabrielle. What are you reading?" She peers curiously at the book.
Mabel ohs, to Madam Maudlin. Of course she needs tea. Sillly not to have noticed. She looks between the newspapers in hand, then up to Gabby. Puts a single finger in the air, and then tucks those papers under the crook of her other elbow. Obviously, something desperately-interesting yet impolite to discuss must….require tea. Or, …some such. She gives a shade of a courtly flourish toward Hephaesta and says, on the way along to where Madam Huntingon leads, and says, "Oh, if you should catch Master Laurence about, let me know."
As Phae looks down at the book, it's Gabby's sketch book, but it looks ….different. Kinda beat up. She'll smile,"Hello ladies! Have a seat! I'm just working on some ideas for some stuff"
"Stay out of trouble my dears." Maudlin says as she slips out into the night. Mabel can follow her if she wants to.
"Oh, is it for your Maid Marian costume?" Ophelia pulls out a chair and sits, ordering two butterbeers from the nearest server. She glances back curiously at Mabel and Madam Maudlin, but the idea of costume talk is for now more interesting, so she turns back again to try and get a look at the pages. As she does so she frowns, as though confused.
Hephaesta's frown echoes Ophelia's. "Gabrielle? What happened to your sketchbook?" She gives the girl a worried pout as she takes a seat beside Ophelia.
Gabby laughs, "No…I'm hopefully going to be able to hang these up at a shop."she'll motion towards the broom drawings and smile, "I've decided to not worry about the Maid MArian costume, whatever I end up in is fine." Her smile drops some, "Oh…it….fell…through the bleachers when the thing with Theo happened."she'll shrug, "I only lost a few pages."
"The thing with Theo?" Ophelia echoes curiously. She glances up with a questioning look, then looks back down at the broom images. As she looks at these, her gaze flickers up to Hephaesta a few times, a curious, almost expectant look on her face. $e
Hephaesta winces at the thought of harm coming to the book and Theo. "I heard about that." She nods to Ophelia, explaining, "Dupont's broom disintegrated under him. Sounds like a nasty hex to me. Do they have any idea who did it, Gabrielle?"
There's a loud, resounding crack and BAM there's Elijah, standing in the middle of the pub, brushing himself off and straightening his long, flowing coat. He looks around and says, "Hrmmm…I was supposed to pop up outside." He looks down around his feet to make sure that he didn't knock anybody down and, seeing that he didn't, he leans against the bar and his eyes dart around the patrons.
Gabrielle shakes her head, "It didn't disintegrate , it exploded!" Her left hand will go to her right forearm, and she'll lean forward, "He said he just got the broom from his dad.Poor guy was really shaken up. I can't blame him.If we hadn't-" And then she'll jerk her head up to see Elijah's entrance.
"What? What?" Ophelia is looking from Hephaesta to Gabrielle, her eyes suddenly wide. She's hanging onto every word when the crack makes her jump. Following Gabrielle's gaze, she spots Elijah and leans in closely to whisper to her companions, "Isn't that Mr. Lovegood, the hit wizard? The one from the news?"
Hephaesta squeaks in surprise at the sudden appearance of Elijah. She lifts her goggles up to her eyes for a moment, as if they would help her make certain he's really there. "Who?" she asks.
Gabrielle will just nod, not quite sure what to make of the new comer.
Elijah of course hears when his name is mentioned, as he's a very good listener. He looks over to the group and walks over to them, "It's Inspector. Some people might be offended if you just call me Mister. However, I'm not one of them, so I'll let it slide." He looks between the three of them and says, "Do any of you know a Dorian Bosworth? He's a first year at Hogwarts."
Ophelia blinks up at the man, wincing as her mistake is corrected. "O-oh, I'm sorry… Inspector." Slowly, when the question is asked, she shakes her head. "No, I'm sorry. I actually haven't met many of the first years… yet… " Trailing off, she looks to her friends, hoping one of them can give a more satisfactory answer to the imposing man.
Hephaesta lowers her goggles, blinking at the man. "Bosworth. That's the boy that had gone missing at the beginning of the year, remember? So he wasn't at the Sorting Ceremony. I think he's in Gryffindor now."
Gabrielle will just shake her head no to the Inspector.She'll look to the other two girls, and then back to him, "We're all Ravenclaws."
Elijah nods and smirks to Ophelia, saying, "It's quite alright, I assure you." His eyes move to Hephaesta and he asks, "You have any idea how he's doing?" Seems Elijah's come to town to check in on the boy. Elijah examines Hephaesta's goggles closely and he says, "Charmed, variable lenses?" His eyes flicker over to Gabrielle and he smiles slightly, saying, "So was I. Quite some time ago."
Elijah's answer to Gabrielle seems to relax Ophelia more than his assurances, actually. She remains quiet, just shaking her head in reply to the question and accepting with a smile the pair of butterbeer tankards that are brought over. One of these is slid over to Hephaesta, and then she looks up at the man again, hesitantly curious.
As she enters the Three Broomsticks, well, she doesn't really enter, not right away. Holding the door open for her schoolmate by leaning her back against it, Elspeth points upwards to the sign above them, then her hands flow slowly, but precisely. Apparently, from her upraised eyebrows she's asking Evelyn a question. *how do you say that?*
Hephaesta shakes her head. "I don't think we should be giving information about First Years to adults that aren't on the faculty." She shrugs apologetically to Elijah. She does smile at his appreciation for her goggles, nodding.
Gabrielle will give Phae her modified WTH look, and turn towards Elijah, "He's a first year and not in our house," She'll shrug, " Sorry."
Elijah tilts his head to Hephaesta and says, "You do realize that my partner and I were the ones who found him after he'd run away from an unpleasant home life and brought him here, don't you?" He slides his hands into his pockets, giving a shrugs, "I just thought I might see how he's holding up."
A glance upward toward the sign by Evelyn and she looks at her classmate. Slowly, she seems to make motions with her hands, showing Elspeth how to say 'Three Broomsticks Pub' in Sign Language, apparently. "I'll…I'll help you practice more later, if you'd like." She says in a quiet tone. to the other girl once she has done it a couple times over and moved through the doorway.
"Sorry, I don't think we really know anything." Ophelia winces, catching Gabrielle's look, and quickly turns to smile apologetically at Elijah. "If you see one of the prefects, maybe you can ask them? They'll know if its alright to talk about him, and they'll probably know the most, too." Because if you cannot give the proper information, at least direct the seeker to another means of finding it. That's what her mother always says.
Hephaesta looks a bit cowed by Elijah's retort, and keeps silent after Ophelia deflects the situation expertly. "I was just trying to be responsible," she mumbles, low enough that (she thinks) Elijah won't hear.
Copying the motions as close she can, Elspeth nods, and follows Evelyn inside. Still practicing as she walks, she interrupts the motions to wave to the rest of the Ravenclaws at the table. "Hullo," she greets them all at once, then looks to the unfamiliar man standing nearby. She clasps her hands in front of her, and then looks to the other girls before speaking any further.
Gabrielle will give the Inspector an apologetic smile, but not say anything else.
Giving the familiar people at the table a little timid wave, Evelyn looks at the floor shyly. New person and groups all come around to her perhaps being a little more shy. Not totally antisocial, but still a bit quiet. Letting her eyes gaze up, she looks from person to person, eyes landing on Elijah for a good for moments before turning her gaze back to Elspeth.
Elijah nods to Ophelia and says, "That's probably the best course of action." His eyes flicker over to Hephaesta and he says, "It's an admirable trait, young Ravenclaw. One that I hope stays with you for the rest of your life." It's like he hardly even knew it was supposed to be hidden from him.
Ophelia looks to the door after speaking to Elijah, remembering that people stepped in a minute ago. Perhaps they are the prefects she spoke of? She smiles when she sees that they are instead people she knows, and waves happily to the pair. "Elspeth! Evelyn! Hello, come and sit with us!" She nods to Elijah again, then, "I do hope you find what you need. Abd, ah, that he's alright and all…"
Elspeth smiles at Ophelia with the invitation, and gives a little tug motion on Evelyn's direction that may or may not catch the sleeve of the other's jacket. It's not so much the contact with the girl as the invitation to come along that's important. "Thank you. How are you being today?"
Hephaesta gives Elspeth and Evelyn a welcoming wave. "Hello." At Elijah's words, she looks a little confused at first, but finally gives him a half-smile. "Thank you, sir."
Gabrielle will smile at the new comers, and pull her sketchbook onto her lap to make more room on the table.
Evelyn follows suit quick behind Elspeth, taking a seat with all the rest. "Um. Hello." She says in a quiet voice. "Nice evening." Yes, she's talking about the weather. She clears her throat. "I think I'm going to order tea. Do you want something? I'll go to the bar and tell them to bring the drinks over" She says, looking at Elspeth.
Elijah looks between all of them and says, "And remember, Ravenclaws run the world." He gives them all a cheerful wink and turns to head towards the door. Once he's disappeared from view, another loud CRACK can be heard.
Ophelia waves, chuckling as Elijah leaves. "Do we?" She asks no one in particular, her voice thoughtful, "I always thought it was the Gryffindors… " She trails off to consider this, after a second smiling at Evelyn and Elspeth, tilting her head curiously at Evelyn in particular. "Nice enough, I suppose, if you like your rain to freeze you from the inside out?"
Hephaesta winces at the crack of Elijah's Apparition, and rubs her ears.
Gabrielle will shake her head for a moment at Phae , and then tun to everyone and laugh, "Who do you think is pulling the Griffindor's strings?"
Elspeth looks to Evelyn, surprised at the question, and for a moment she almost frowns. Then she gives out a breath and smiles. "Tea is sounding nice," she says to her friend. "Thank you." She glances around the table, although she raises her eyebrows and grins at Elijah's pronouncement. Turning her attention to Ophelia, she grins, as it can be noted that she is completely dry, and gives the older girl a wink. She laughs a little to Gabrielle. "Touche!" she says, and peers towards her sketch book.
FYI Gabby's sketchbook is pretty beat up looking (that's not normal) one of the corner's bent and it's got a dirt streak across the cover.
"I…um…well, I guess you have a point?" Evelyn murmurs in Ophelia's general direction, thoug it might be noticed that she's quite dry as well. Smiling and nodding at Elspeth, she gets up and goes to the bar. After a few minutes she returns. "Tea shouldn't be but a moment." She says to the girl she arrived with. "And do not worry. It's taken care of." She mutters that slightly quieter, as if embarrassed for paying for something like tea.
Kaiden walks into the pub, shortly behind Briar, as the poor boy gets confused with directions and has to be led around sometimes. He smiles at her as the two of them come to a halt in room. He's attention is rested solely on her, and he hasn't taken the time to look around for anybody that might cause him to freak out and faint like an old lady.
Hephaesta's eyes drift past Ophelia, and her smile falters. Kaiden. He was still fairly upset with her when last they spoke, and understandably so. She's been trying to give him space, but she didn't even think about whether he'd come here. Has he come to give her a piece of his mind? To try to win Ophelia back? Or is it all just an awkward coincidence? Oh yeah, and Briar is there, too.
Ophelia grins up at Evelyn, and watches her step away from the table. As she is turning back to the group, grinning and starting to reply to Elspeth, she rather suddenly goes still, her expression freezing. After a second of this complete immobilization she looks down, her hair falling forward to hide her face while she says, "Yes, ah, well I've never minded the rain very much. Only the cold. It makes shoes… necessary." Her tone is light, faintly amused, and really only the look on her face from a moment before might suggest that she isn't just looking at the table because she happened to suddenly find some fascinating information on wandlore burned into the surface.
Elspeth blushes a little as Evelyn mentions the tea being taken care of and she nods again, a quick flicker of her hand indicating her thanks. From her vantage point, she notes the entry of Kaiden and Briar, and the sudden changes to her fellow eagles. With a curious frown, she glances back towards Kaiden, then her brain catches up to her eyes. "Gabby, what has happened to your sketching book?"
Briar steps a few paces more into the in and it can then be seen if anyone were to be looking their direction that her fingers are tangled up with Kaiden's. She is grinning and looking over her shoulder at him and is talking about something - obviously mid conversation. "…go see it. I'm sure that your family would love it that you're going to the theater in London with some Muggle-born girl. But you really would like the play. You and Peter are peas in a pod, Kaid. Why don't we grab a table first?"
Gabrielle notices rather quickly the change in her friends demeanours, and then the reason why, She'll exhale slowly , and then throw on a smile, "So, my Aunts have said they would send me the hair dye for Maid Marian, and even said they'd send the dye for Ria…I'll need to ask her if that's what she wants, or if she'd be able to get it…And Chris has a bow! His aunt send it and he got it today. It's huge! "She'll roll her eyes, "I'm still not sure what to do for jewelry…did she wear jewelry?" She'll be addressing he whole table.this is weird though, girlie stuff not something Gabby normally talks about.She'll look down at her book, "Oh, it fell threw the bleachers when the whole Theo thing happened."
"Maid Marion?" Evelyn asks of Gabrielle. Apparently she's not familiar with the name or the stories from which it comes. "If…umm, well, if it's a Miss, I'm sure it's a fine suggestion to wear jewelry?" She wagers a guess, though still speaking in somewhat timid tones, despite having many a familiar Ravenclaw surrounding her.
Hephaesta reaches for Ophelia's hand, no doubt in her mind what has her suddenly upset. Unlike Ophelia, she can't pull her eyes away, and she stares, wide-eyed, at Kaiden…and Briar? Holding hands? Going to plays together? (Cats and dogs living together? Mass hysteria?)
Kaiden furrows his brow at Briar as he's led on by her and says, "Is that some sort of quip about me stealing children from their beds at night? Because I told you that they never proved it was me." He smirks and says, "Yeah, sounds good." His green eyes scan the bar and eventually come to a halt somewhere between Ophelia and Hephaesta. It's only a momentary pause, though as he points out a booth on the opposite side of them room from them, "That one look good?" He squeezes her hand a bit as if to say 'please say yes'.
Ophelia glances up through her hair at Gabrielle, her eyes desperately grateful. "She can, if you like. I don't know much about her, really. Besides that she was supposed to be very pretty and elegant." As Briar and Kaiden get closer her voice gets softer, but she manages to keep her light tone at least. Her hand grasps Hephasta's tightly under the table, her grasp strong enough that her knuckles, were they visible, would be white. "If you know what your dress looks like, I might have some pieces I can loan you? My mum still keeps some of her family pieces, and she never wears them."
Elspeth nods at Gabrielle's answer. "Oh, I was almost forgetting that. He was all right?" At the girl's talk of Maid Marion and so on, she gives a look to Evelyn, apparently even more lost than her friend, but she looks back and listens, maybe to find the answers.
Briar laughs and shakes her head. "Don't get me going on you and kids Kaiden." Speak of the devil she just now notices the table of girls and predominantly the ginger among them. She whispers under her breath. "Shit." Then her fingers loosen up to untangle from Kaiden's hands. She's not one of those 'The New Girlfriend' types that will sit there and pee all over Kaiden in front of 'The Ex' to mark her territory. She even offers them all a warm little smile that hints at an apology. "Yeah, over there is fine…" She leads the way through the pub and settles down at a table that's got several obstacles between them. "This okay?" Subtitles: "Are you okay? Wanna leave?"
Gabrielle Gabby will smile at Evelyn , "Yeah, Maid Marian from Robin Hood. She's he's love interest." Gabby will blush at that, "I'd think she'd have …delicate jewelry, but I don' know how any of that would look on me "Come to think of it, Gabby's never worn any jewelry that anyone can think of. "I haven't seen the dress yet, but Mabel says I should try to match her hair color, as it was made with her in mind."She'll shrug, "It's green, i know that much!"She'll turn to Elspeth, Theo's ok, I talked to him the other day.Mostly upset that he doesn't have a broom now…"
Evelyn furrows her brow in confusion at Gabrielle. "Robin…Hood? Why ever would you put a hood on a robin? I don't think it'd care for it much." She shakes her head. Taking a deep breath in, she says, "Um, well, if you want some…you know, well, jewelry, come see me before you've to dress like…like this woman who knows a hooded robin and…well, I might have something for you." She smiles awkwardly. She almost looks thankful that her and Elspeth's tea arrive at just that moment.
Kaiden exhales slowly and looks over to Briar, saying, "Yeah, it's fine. You want a drink or something?" He keeps his eyes fixed on Briar even after he speaks, to try and avoid any sort of awkward glances.
Briar gives you a cookie.
Hephaesta tends to stumble over social taboos now and then, and it's no exception as she stares at Kaiden and Briar all the way to their table. It's a fairly blank look, but with a hint of curiosity. They were holding hands, she's sure of it, then Briar pulled away. Was he being forward? He can be pretty bold. But she doesn't look upset. Hm…
Other than her glance at Gabrielle, Ophelia has continued to keep her own eyes on the table. By now she's pulled her butterbeer in front of her so that at least she has something to look at that makes more sense, and is lifting her shoulders to shrug when Evelyn speaks up. "Or you can get something from Evelyn, if you like. It might take me a while to get anything from my mum anyway."
"My muggle friends Luke and Sarah were explaining to me. We used to climb trees and be Robin Hood and his Happy Men. We pretended to rob rich snobs and give the money to the poor." Elspeth tries to explain. "They wore green so they will not be seen when they hide in the woods. Robin Hood is an outlaw, but he is being a good outlaw."
Gabby will blink a few times at Evelyn, and then turn to Elspeth, "Yes.And he's supposed to be an excellent shot with a bow and arrow.Hence Chris getting the bow. I should probably see the dress before figuring out the jewlery…it might now even fit me. Mabel's shorter than me …"She leaves out that Mabel's better built too.
Hephaesta finally manages to pull her eyes away from Kaiden and Briar, and focus on Ophelia. She leans over to her, whispering, "Do you want to go? I can pretend my leg hurts or something."
Evelyn frowns at Elspeth. "You…pretended to…to, well, to be a hooded robin who had happy men that followed it? And how does a robin steal from people? And carry a weapon?" She does seem quite confused about this as she sips on her tea. "Was, um, the bird magical in some way?"
Briar is only half joking when her sarcastic side shines, "A firewhiskey would be amazing about now." She smirks and since the view of them is blocked offers her hand over to him on the booth bench seat. "Just a butterbeer."
Ophelia shakes her head, the ends of her hair tossed back and forth she moves so quickly. "No, no its alright. I'll be fine." She tries to squeeze Phae's hand harder, and realizes only then just how hard she has been holding the other girl's hand, "Oh, oh I'm so sorry!" Pulling back, she looks up and winces, catching only the end of the conversation. "Snidget is enchanted so that he can carry heavy loads, maybe the Robin is too?" She offers this helpfully, her only real knowledge of the subject having come from a few pictures she's seen in her parents' books.
Elspeth chuckles and shakes her head. "No, no, no," she says. "Robin Hood is being a man. He is a man, and his name is Robin." She takes a sip from her tea as well. "I admit, I do not know why he is being named after a bird. I like your idea better." She smiles to Evelyn at the last. "I am going to draw a story about a bird with a hood that steals shiny things and gives them to people who are not having shiny things."
Gabby opens her mouth to explain, but snaps it closed to give Oph a look.
Hephaesta flexes her fingers, once freed with Ophelia deathgrip. "It's okay. I'm used to it." She smirks and shrugs, then leans her head affectionately on Ophelia's shoulder for a moment.
Evelyn gives a little nod to Ophelia. "That…umm…that actually, well, makes some sense." She gives the older girl a little smile. When Elspeth explains, though, she seems to blush quite a deep red. "Oh, well um…yes…umm, that makes, uh, that is much more sensical. Yes." She flusters out the words. "I um, I didn't quite, well, it did not seem to make sense to me that, you see, that a woman would very well be in love with a bird. Umm, I personally could well, imagine liking a bird, or growing overly attached to it, but umm, well, uh…I couldn't imagine being in love with a bird." She mutters, her cheeks growing a deeper shade of red by the minute as she believes herself to be digging an even deeper hole of embarrassment for herself.
Ophelia practically wilts under Gabrielle's look, tossing her an apologetic one of her own. Noticing that Evelyn seems to be in much the same place as she is, she shifts, trying to give Hephaesta a more comfortable angle of her shoulder, and offers quietly, "Well, it is a Muggle story? Don't they have stories about women who fall in love with all kinds of animals? Isn't there one where the princess kisses the newt, and then he turns into a prince?"
Gabrielle will smile, "It's actually a fr-" and she's interrupted by her stomach growling."Oh!"She'll look embarrassed, "I guess I shouldn't have skipped lunch!"She'll look think she's debating something, and then will say, "I should probably go back to the castle now, so I can catch dinner."
Well, if Ophelia is going to make her shoulder more comfortable, Hephaesta will gladly stay right there! She sighs contentedly, nodding in agreement with Ophelia. "It's true. She kisses the newt, and he turns into a Prince. But then the Prince kisses a sleeping girl and seven gnomes. Muggles have strange stories."
Gabrielle will gather her book, hat and jacket, which are only semi dry. "I'll see you all later in the common room?" She'll turn and leave the table, but will throw Kaiden a soft smile as she passes his and Briar's table, and she leaves.
Elspeth looks between the other witches at the table and shakes her head. "No, he is not kissing the seven dwarves. The seven dwarves are taking care of Snow White after she is eating the poison apple from the witch. He is kissing Snow White, and she wakes up from the curse that put her to sleeping when she ate the apple. And he is a different prince, he is not being the frog prince." She gives a sigh and rolls her eyes. "How can you not be knowing the story of Snow White?"
"Well," Evelyn looks up from her cup of tea, still quite red cheeked. "I um, well, you see…some of us grew up with, um, the Tales of Beedle the Bard." She takes a sip of her tea. "You know, like The Tale of Three Brothers? The Wizard and the Hopping Pot? And Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump?"
Hephaesta gives a little shudder. "The Three Brothers story creeps me out. I like Babbity Rabbity, though."
Ophelia grins, nodding with Evelyn and Hephaesta. "I alawys liked the Fountain of Fair fortune. But that sounds like a pretty story. Except.. why would you name a girl Snow White? That's like… calling me Ginger wand girl. As a name."
It's Elspeth's turn to look nonplussed. "The Three Brothers? Babbity Rabbity?" She asks. Then she gives a nod to Ophelia. "Well, yes that is what it is. The queen is wishing for a daughter with skin as white as snow, lips that are being red like a rose, and hair black as a the feather on a raven. When she is being given her wish, she gives her the name Snow White, becuase she is getting her wish."
"I was always…fascinated by the story of the Three Brothers." Evelyn murmurs to Hephaesta. "I like the thought of it." Her voice carries an air of what almost seems to be admiration for the characters of the story. "I'd love reading it as a child." She smiles a tiny bit. She frowns at Elspeth. "I shall send away to have my copy of the stories sent to you, Elet. You should read them. They're ever so nice." She explains. She frowns though, once more, at the explanation of Snow White. "Wouldn't Snow White be a more apt name for someone, say, who was covered by white snow? Or rather, wouldn't it make a good description of snow itself? Snow white. Snow is white." She shrugs and sips her tea, settling into a comfortable and less shy zone while talking to those she knows.
Hephaesta shrugs, "I think it's a pretty name. I wish I had a name like Snow. It's loads better than 'Hephaesta.'" She wrinkles up her nose as she speaks her own name.
"How odd." Ophelia remarks, nodding in agreement with Evelyn. Turning, she then grins at Hephaesta, "You'r name's pretty. It sounds… like the wind in trees. Do you want to know what mine is?" Sighing, she shakes her head, "Supposedly mum didn't know this. But a few years ago a Gryffindor with a Muggle father told me that my name comes from this play where this lady named Ophelia /kills/ herself after being used by some… prince… " Aaand now she's staring at the butterbeer again.
Elspeth nods in agreement with Ophelia. "Your name is pretty, it is being… unique?" she asks. Evelyn receives a smile over the rim of her tea cup after she takes a sip. "That would be quite well, thank you, Evelyn. I am maybe going to need something to read on hols this year." She takes another sip of her tea and shakes her head to Ophelia. "I have not been hearing of this Ophelia who kills herself. Are you sure the Gryffindor was not… pulling your leg?" she gives a smile as she remembers the idion.
Evelyn smiles at Hephaesta. "Your name is…interesting." That's all she has to say on the matter. Everything else has been said, really! Finishing off her tea. She looks down at the cup for a moment before saying, "Well, I should get back to the school. I've some homework to complete plus some reading I've set for myself." She smiles, standing. "Umm…see you all back at the school then, I suppose."
Like the wind in the trees? Hephaesta blushes pink, sitting up to look at Ophelia and reward her with a bright smile. But once she regains a little composure, she shakes her head at Ophelia. "Your name isn't from a play. I told Archie about you, and when he wrote back, he told me your name is Greek. It means 'help' or 'aid.' Archie's brilliant with languages. He even made up his own." She gives Evelyn a wave. "Good night, Eibon. Sweet dreams."
Ophelia perks right up, "Really? Oh, good." Sighing in relief, she waves to Evelyn, "See you. I'll check in with you on Sunday about the tutoring, alright? Don't forget." She gives the blonde a bright smile, then takes another sip of butterbeer.
As Evelyn finishes her tea and stands up, Elspeth blinks. She gives a quick gulp to the remainder of her tea, and follows suit. "Evelyn, you will be getting soaked. Wait for me," she calls out. Giving the two girls left a smile, "Please be exusing me. I will be seeing you back at the school."
Hephaesta giggles softly, waving to Elspeth. "Don't get too wet out there." And suddenly it's just her and Ophelia (well…and Ophelia's ex-boyfriend and Briar at another table). "Besides, Ophelia is a beautiful name, even if was in some Muggle play. But I doubt it. I'll bet that Gryffindor was teasing you."
"Maybe." Ophelia replies, her bright smile fading to a smaller, less-confident one. "But can you imagine if it is? Reading a book in which a character with your name /dies/? It must be a horrible thing." She shudders, shaking her head.
Hephaesta shrugs with an awkward expression. "I can sort of relate. I'm named after a Greek god. Not even a goddess. A god. In his stories, his wife cheats on him with the god of war. But he rigged it up so they'd be trapped by the chair they used to….um…" Cue the blush, and Phae turns beet red.
Ophelia's eyebrows shoot straight up at that. "That… wow." She thinks about that for a little while, swirling her butterbeer and watching the liquid spin in the mug. But her thoughts start going to places that are too dark for the moment, so she casts about for something different to discuss, "So, um… tell me about Archie?"
Hephaesta is suddenly aglow with warmth. "Have I not told you anything about him? Archie's my little brother. Archimedes Mulciber. He is SO smart. We spend every day together in summer. I miss him loads. But he'll be coming to Hogwarts next year, so it won't be so hard during the school year."
Ophelia pulls her arms up to rest her elbows on the table and her chin in her hands, her usual 'ready to listen' position. "Its nice, that you're happy to have him here. And it sounds like you get along rather well? Have you always been close?" She's fascinated, as an only child, by the ways of families with siblings.
Hephaesta grins and nods vehemently. "Ever since he was a baby. Mother told me I made a little drum out of a preserves jar to play him lullabies on. It didn't work, obviously. But he never cried when I played. He's just watch me and giggle." She sways happily at the thought, though she doesn't remember it herself. "We do everything together. Well…almost everything. He didn't get Dada's bad leg, so he climbs and runs everywhere."
Ophelia looks surprised at the mention of Phae's dad, and glances briefly in the general direction of the girl's legs. But instead of asking about that, she tilts her head, "And you say he's smarter than you? That I'll have to see." She bites her lip, then, considering her butterbeer, and adds, "So, you, um, wrote to him about me?"
Hephaesta catches the look to her leg — she's sensitive about such things. But in light of their talk the previous night, she offers a reassuring smile. "Oh, Archie is loads smarter than me. He's a real genius. Like I said, he's already invented his own language: Archimedese. That's how we write back and forth, and nobody can translate it but us. So…I knew I could write about you and only he could read it." She smiles abashedly. "I told him I'd met the prettiest, smartest, and kindest girl in the world."
Ophelia is shaking her head in wonder, even as the blush spreads across her cheeks. "One of these days, you're going to realise that I'm not all of those things." She chuckles faintly. "That will probably be a very interesting day, too." Interesting in a very, very bad way, Ophelia is sure. "But his own language? Does he want to work with languages, then?"
"One of these days, you'll realise that you are." Hephaesta sighs, shaking her head at Ophelia with an exasperated, but adoring smile. "Anyhow, no, I don't think Archie wants to work with languages. That's just a hobby. He likes to tinker, too. We do all kinds of projects together. He can hold an entire schematic in his head. He never has to write anything down. He makes me so jealous." She chuckles. "But who knows what he'll do? He's…not as focused as most of us Mulcibers."
"Focused?" Ophelia grins, "You mean obsessed like my family?" One last drink, and her glass is empty. "Did you know my uncle practically lives in my grandparent's lake during the summers? My grandad says he got so sick one summer he almost died. But the next summer he was right out there again, swimming every day. And, well. If you are in London during the holidays, you should come visit with Ajax. Then I won't have to explain my parents anymore."
Hephaesta bounces in her seat. "Seriously? May I? We have a townhouse in London! Mother always insists on coming to the city for the holidays. She loves to see all the lights. We should have a Christmas party!"
Ophelia blinks a couple of times, then nods. "Sure, yes we can do that. Um, I'll see if we can clear out a room or something. We do always at least have decorations up at Christmas time. And… " She looks away at a far wall, thoughtful, "It might be nice to have a little party."
Hephaesta actually wiggles in excitement, but her glee sobers as she watches Ophelia seem to get distant. "Is everything alright? Did…did I say something wrong?"
Ophelia looks back to Hephaesta, smiling, "Sorry, no. I was just thinking about parties. Other than family ones, my birthday party was the first one I ever really went to." She shrugs, "Its a little odd, I'm sure. But maybe it goes along with having known so few people before this year."
"But…it was alright…wasn't it?" Hephaesta shifts nervously. "I mean, you seemed like you were happy."
"Yes!" Ophelia sits forward, her eyes suddenly intense, "It was fantastic! All those people, and they came together and made everything so wonderful, just for me. And the decorations, and the cake, and… and they brought me /presents/! Like… like I really mattered to them! And everyone was having so much fun and they were laughing and joking and there was cake… " She smiles sheepishly after a while, and sits back, running a hand through her hair.
Hephaesta goes for Ophelia's hand again. It just feels like a moment to make that connection. "You do matter to them. To all of us. Ophie, everyone adores you. I guess it's good that it doesn't go to your head. But really, sooner or later you're going to realize how loved you are, and it's because of how wonderful you are."
Ophelia grasps at Hephaesta's hand, and while she doesn't hold as tightly as before her grip is still a bit stronger than usual. "Maybe." She admits, disbelieving. "Maybe I'll just have to… to make myself as good as evryone thinks I am, then." She smiles a little, liking the idea, and sighs. "And I suppose I'll have to start by getting Os on every single one of my OWLs."
Hephaesta welcomes that grip, clinging on. "You don't have to change a thing. You're perfect." She sighs, once again gushing over Ophelia. "Do you want to head back soon? Maybe…walk up together?" Alone…without others around.
Ophelia starts nodding the moment Hephaesta mentions going back, her smile nearly slipping there for a second. "Yes, yes please, lets. I could use some fresh air." Some freezing cold raining air, even. "And it will be so very wonderful to get out of these shoes soon."
Hephaesta giggles, rising and offering her hand to Hephaesta as a gentleman might do. "You really don't like wearing shoes, do you?"
Ophelia sighs as she takes the hand, shaking her head. "No, I really don't. They pinch, and you can't feel the ground, or the air, and you end up with all these funny marks on them at the end of the day." She's grimacing when she's done, her face all scrunched up. "So the sooner we get back to the castle, the better." Also, there she can hide from the reality that she was presented with here today.
Hephaesta nods, and lowers her hand to try to lace her fingers into Ophelia's and head for the door. "I hope it isn't raining too hard. I don't know any charms to keep the rain off."
Ophelia hesitates briefly, but then winds her fingers with Hephaesta's and follows her to the door, nodding. "Me either. Though rain can be nice, too." At the door she pauses, and starts, for a moment, to turn her head and look back to that booth near where they had been sitting. But she stops herself, shaked her head, and steps outside with Phae.