(1937-10-12) Happily Ever Afters
Details for Happily Ever Afters
Summary: The tutorial on Muggle bedtime stories continues, culminating with a half-baked plan to try and keep as many firsties around for the complete Hallowe'en Ball.
Date: 1937-10-12
Location:
Related: Hogwarts' Little Spies, The Little Spies Are Joined By A Third, From Costumes To Bedtime Stories
Characters
GarethGabrielIdrissaJosieMaeve

Gareth scans over everything he'd written in the last couple hours, then turns the notebook toward Idrissa and Gabriel. "Would you read this over and see if I got it all right? I still don't really understand that Cinderella story. The Prince married her because her feet were very tiny? Seems like a rather odd criteria for choosing a spouse."

Idrissa hums softly and lifts her gaze to peer at Gareth's notebook. A soft ah escapes her and she clears her throat. "Well no.. He married her because they had a dance and he fell in love with her. An when it was midnite she had to leave the dance, but a glass slipper was left behind. So he went looking for the person whom would fit the slipper that was left."

Gabriel nods in response to Idrissa's summary but adds, "And in some stories the evil step mother convinces her two daughters to cut their heel and their toes off, respectively, so that their feet would fit in the slipper but the prince catches on because of all the blood seeping out the toe hole of the slipper."

Gareth looks confused by Idrissa's explanation, but downright aghast by Gabriel's additional information. "That's disgusting! How thick was this Prince, that he wouldn't recognize the woman he'd fallen in love with, except by the size of her feet? And what if he'd tried the slipper onto some woman who had feet the same size, before he found Cindersweeper? Would he have married her instead? I should think if I ever fell in love, I'd be able to recognize the person without asking them to remove their shoes and try on some impractical glass footwear. Cindersweeper would have been better off marrying one of the mice her Fairy Godmother transfigured into coachmen."

Idrissa sends a glance over to Gabriel, pondering how else to explain it. She just blinks as Gabriel talks about the part where the daughters did the cutting. "I forgot that part. Well it is a story Gareth, a fairy tale. Doesn't need to make sense as long it has a happy ending I suppose…"

Gabriel shrugs quickly at Idrissa's glance and looks a tiny bit embarrassed,"I remember things, alright?" before turning to Gareth to voice simple agreement,"Idrissa is right. And CinderELLA was dressed in a magnificent gown, with her hair up and all clean and pretty while her evil stepmother kept her locked up in the kitchen and dirty enough it was almost like wearing a mask and definitely wearing rags so the Prince would have had trouble recognizing her."

"Happy ending?" Gareth nearly cries, his Welsh accent thickening as he becomes more excited. "The poor girl's married to a block of wood! Worse yet, he's a block of wood who is supposed to be the ruler of his entire kingdom. Imagine if our Minister of Magic were so dense, she wouldn't know the man she fell in love with if he wasn't wearing the same robes, or if his face was a bit smudged with ashes. How safe would you feel then? This poor girl is living in a nightmare world!"

Idrissa ahs and nods to Gareth and blinks. "Block of wood?" She questions and peers to Gabriel wondering how the block of wood bit got pulled into this? She tilts her head while she looks back to Gareth. "Muggles are very different then us you know? I mean… I'm half and half, I got exposed to it cause of my father. Its just a story. It doesn't really happen that way with them."

Gabriel slaps his hand on the table as he laughs at Gareth block of wood comment. Taking a deep breath he explains to Idrissa,"Its a way of saying he doesn't have much in the way of brains." And to Gareth,"Well, part of it is, like Idrissa mentioned, that it's just a story. Its not supposed to make sense, just to create good feelings. And besides, he's an /attractive/ block of wood. And Cinderella herself isn't all that smart either don't you think? She could have taken advantage of the ball to tell her Prince all about what her evil stepmom does to her and then he could have rescued her a lot quicker. But it wouldn't have been nearly as exciting."

Josie is still looking a little confused by the laws against a language, but her attention is caught by Gareth's outburst. Far too curious, and with the conversation at her table seeming to be ending, she gets up to wander over closer.

Gareth struggles to get his emotions back in check, running a hand over his messy curls several times. "Well, story or not, I don't think you should got to the ball as Cinderella. Now this…what's her name?" He flips back a few pages in his notebook. "Snow White, much happier ending. At least the Prince who marries her isn't quite so thick. And she ends up with not one or two, but seven House Elves. Can you imagine having seven House Elves at once? Why, you'd barely stick your toe out of bed in the morning, and there'd be breakfast waiting for you!" He nods then, rather pleased with this notion. "Yes, you should definitely dress as Snow White. She is, after all, the fairest in the land."

Idrissa ahs and nods to Gabriel. "Well I suppose that is a good idea actually." She looks to Gareth and tilts her head before nodding. "Well I suppose I don't think too much about them. I mean, read them plenty of time but still.."

Claire has gone quiet since English-Irish relations have been brought up. She seems to have checked out of the conversation. "English rule was very bad for the Irish people. Soverignty is only acceptable for the good of the people," she says after a long period of silence.

Gabriel waves Josie over when he sees her getting closer,"Come sit with us Josie. We don't bite. Well, Gareth and I don't but I'm not sure about Idrissa." Without a pause he goes back to the conversation talking as he starts giving Idrissa the once over,"Snow White /is/ the fairest of them all, that is true. But the problem is Idrissa has blond hair. Someone would have to learn a charm to change her hair to black. The contrast between the black hair and her green eyes and ivory skin /would/ make for quite a striking combination thought so it would make for a great costume. What do you think Josie?"Mabel cocks her ear a bit, with one of those little uneven smiles. "Muggle fairy tales. One has to be careful not to mix some of them up with our own, sometimes. I used to have that problem from time to time when I was younger, actually. Of course wizard fairy tales have a few more wands in them, generally."

"It's because the English didn't properly understand the Irish. They were so fundamentally different and stubborn that when they pushed, it just made the Irish dig in harder and push back thrice as hard." Seamus says nodding his head,"Michael Collins got the the thing started when he negotiated and signed the treaty that got things going towards Sovereignty. Who knows perhaps soon they'll be given their freedom. They already have been given far more sovereignty than they'd enjoyed prior. I think the British crown is starting to think it bit too much."

Gareth gives Josie a nod and smile as she approaches. "Davies, isn't it? Yes, do join us. We're discussing our costumes for the masquerade." He turns to look at Idrissa again, tilting his head one way, then the other. "Yes, you're quite right, Ward. Raven-black hair would be a must for this costume. I'm sure we can find a potion that would temporarily alter your hair color, Clayworth. And Ward, you're still intent upon being a Muggle healer, rather than the hero of one of these tales? Say, don't any of these Muggle stories have a male protagonist? Snow White, Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, where are the boys' stories?"

Idrissa blinks as she hears her name, and the biting comment. "I don't bite. Why would I bite?" She peers around, a bit lost in that conversation before she glances back to Gabrieland takes in a soft breath. "Why are you still comparing me to the fairytales?… If I go to the dance I'm gona go as Little Red Ridding Hood."Josie smiles and moves to sit down when invited over. She blinks at the question though, and shrugs, "I dunno. Don't really know much about costumes." She looks to Gareth then and says, "Peter and Wendy has lots of boys in it. My mum used to read that to me, when I was little."

Gabriel shrugs at Idrissa,"I don't know. Maybe when you're angry? Its something my cousin says. But when he says it he usually says it to girls and he says…" Here he puts on a bit of a southern American accent,"'Come sit own hun. I don' bite; most of the time.' And then they giggle at him. I really don't get it." Smiling at Josie he adds,"That's right, Peter Pan has a boy for a protagonist. And Beauty and the Beast has one as a co-protagonist. And then there's Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves. And Aladdin."

Gareth frowns a bit in Idrissa's direction. "But Red Riding Hood didn't even marry a Prince. All she did was end up eaten by a wolf, and then rescued by some woodsman, who didn't even kiss her, let alone marry her. Why would you want to dress up as someone whose entire claim to fame is being consumed by a large canid?" He shakes his head in confusion, then turns again toward Gabriel and Josie. "I don't know Peter or Wendy or Abi Laba and the Forty Thieves. Are these all stories in the same book as Snow White and the Seven House Elves? Because I'd very much like to read that book, even if the stories don't always make sense."

Idrissa peers at Gabriel, and looks utterly confused now. "Why.. Would that mean anything?" Oh dear she is so confused now. She glances to Josie and offers a faint smile to her before she is looking back to Gareth. "So?" This is questioned softly. "I'm looking for some prince, or a woodsman to give me a kiss, or marry me. An I'm not looking for a wolf to eat me either." She quivers at the idea. "I just like the idea of dressing of as her I suppose.

Josie giggles and shakes her head to Gareth. "Peter and Wendy's a book. And I think the other ones are books too. And it's Seven Dwarves, not house elves. Dwarves are normal people, just really short. And, they don't like people calling them short. Or, at least the one I met got really grumpy if anybody mentioned it."Gareth's brows draw together, and he flips several pages in his notebook, checking over the notes he'd taken. "But…I thought they did all the cooking and cleaning for Snow White, so wouldn't that make them…? Oh, I see. I misremembered. -She- did all the cooking and cleaning for them. That doesn't seem very fair. Why are these short men treating a princess like a House Elf? Perhaps you're right, Clayworth. Perhaps you should go as Red Riding Hood instead. All these other stories have girls being treated rather poorly, at least until they marry their Princes." He looks up to Josie then. "So, Peter and Wendy. What do they do? Are they eaten by wolves, or do they need to cut off their toes in order to wear slippers of glass?"

Gabriel shurgs to Idrissa,"I don't really know. I was hoping you older people would get the joke." Sole of foot seems to be the special of the day today, yeppers. "And we can still make her hair black for Red Riding Hood Gareth, after all, she's usually pictured as a brunette too. And Josie's right, it is just seven dwarves, except they are magical dwarves and much stronger than a man their size would normally be." Like that has anything to do with anything right now… "Oooo… Josie can go as Raggedy Ann!"

Idrissa ahs and ohs a moment while she looks to Gareth and then Gabriel. "Well I dono.. Brunette doesn't sound like a bad idea really." This said with a soft tone, and now she is pondering it seems!

Josie shakes her head to Gareth and grins, "Nope, Peter takes Wendy and some other orphans to a place called Neverland, and they fight pirates and have adventures." She looks to Gabriel and blinks, "Who?" Obviously, her mother never read those stories to her.

Gareth's expression brightens again. "Pirates and adventures? Now that does sound like a good story. Where can I find this book?" He quickly flips to a blank page in his notebook, then scribbles the words 'Peter and Wendy'. He looks between Gabriel and Josie then, a sudden grin on his lips. "Perhaps you two could dress up as these characters?"

Gabriel peers over Gareth's arm as he writes and corrects him, "The real title is Peter Pan. And there's a crocodile that has eaten a clock and a pirates hand in it too. Its quite the story." To the table at large he adds, "I don't remember Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves well enough to explain it but Aladin is about this street urchin that finds a magic lamp that releases a genie when its rubbed three times. And then the genie has to give him three wishes and he uses the three wishes to and up becoming the kind of the land and marry the princess. And it all takes place in India or something like that. And then there is Sinbad, who embarks on seven amazing journies and defeats many marvelous and dangerous foes…" Stopping to think about the idea of Peter and Wendy he turn to look at Josie and finally says,"Never land is a place where you never get old. Josie would make a great Peter Pan, especially with her hair like that. I don't think I would make a very good Wendy… Maybe Idrissa can go as Wendy?"

Idrissa ahs softly as she peers at Gabriel once more and tilts her head. "I dono, I never did read that one but for a few times." She waves a hand lightly. "I'd have to dress up in a night gown. Much rather like the blouse, skirt and red clock then that to tell you the truth." She ponders. "Or maybe I could be Robin Hood, could have a bow and arrows then."

Gareth turns to look at Josie again, tilting his head to one side. "Yes, I suppose you could pass for a boy, if you were of a mind. A rather pretty boy, of course. Oh, but you'd need to find an upperclassman to take you to the ball. Maybe we can find someone for you when we find Clayworth's Prince. Or wolf, depending on which character she decides to be. I'm still very seriously considering King Arthur. I like the idea of having a suit of armor between me and any girl who wishes to snog."

Maeve has been sitting and studying quietly, but looks up at the mention of the Halloween ball.

Josie shakes her head to Gabriel and says, "My mum called it Peter and Wendy." She looks up to Gareth and then giggles a little, "Yeah, I can fool anybody into thinking I'm a boy. Fooled everybody for six whole years." Then she shrugs and says, "Think Colton wants me to do some costume thing with him. Haven't talked about it yet, but said something when we passed in the hall one time."

Gabriel ooOOoos at Josie's mention of Colton,"So our little Josie already has a fifth year to take her to the ball. That means we really have to find you your woodsman now Idrissa! Can't be having with you being there only half the time when the rest of us are there all night."

Idrissa smirks a bit as she hears Gareth and takes in a soft breath, she isn't much for the whole 'prince' thing still. She blinks once Gabriel beings up a woodsman idea and lowers her shoulder a bit in defeat it would seem. "I dono… It's fine really. Don't worry about it guys."

Gareth waves a hand dismissively to Idrissa. "Nonsense, we'll find you someone. You don't think we're all going to the ball without you, do you?" He peers at Josie again, brows drawn together. "I don't know Colton. Is he a Gryffindor then? Will he dress up as your Wendy?"Josie looks to Gabriel almost confused when she doesn't get the expected questions about what she said, but then grins and shrugs to Gareth, "Doubt it. Bet he's got something fun in mind, though. Yeah, he's a Gryffindor, been my friend since the summer."

Gabriel was more focused on the dance part of the conversation but certain other things that were said sink in,"Wait. A boy for six years? Why were you trying to fool people into thinking you were a boy? And when was this? Why did you parents let you do that?" OK, that threw him off his mental track once it sunk in, so much for talking any more about the dance…

Idrissa glances to Gabriel and then over to Gareth and Josie curiously a moment. "Well, I mean… If it ment to happen I guess it will. I just don't think I should worry about it that much you know?" This is said to the bit from Gareth. "Arian asked me too it. Just forgot about the upper classment bit. I wouldn't want him to feel left out too."

Maeve shrugs, and goes back to her studying. "I dinnae think anyone'll ask me, but I'm nae much fer dancin' anyway…Gareth taps his chin a few times. "Arian, Arian…You mean Kyle, Third year, keeps mostly to himself? Hmm, yes, we'll have to find him a date as well then. O'Brian, you're a First year, so you'll also need to find a date, if you want to attend. This is really becoming rather complicated. Maybe we should put up a notice on the House board, see if we can't match up some of you younger lot with older students. That should be our priority now, and we can worry about costumes later."

Josie looks a little relieved when Gabriel catches up. "Thought you were sick for a minute there," she adds with a giggle. Then she answers, "I lived on my own in London, being a boy's safer. And then I started working for the Shore gang and everything, being a boy was just who I was. Was like that from when I was five until the old wizard found me and told me I was a witch. He was the first one in years to know I was a girl, guess 'cause he had my full name."

Maeve looks up from her studies, and shrugs her shoulders as she quickly gets up to speed with the conversation. "I'm nae much fer dancin', t' be honest. I wouldnae mind goin, but it's nae th' most important thing in th' world t' me, and if I'm nae invited, that's all right."

Gabriel turns to look at Maeve and frowns a little bit at her,"Well, that's good that you're not all that interested in dancing. Because its all about the costumes and the candy! And being able to witness it all first hand, of course. Gareth, maybe we can talk with some of the older students and do some date swaps, purely to get in. Then everyone can go back to their original partners or groups." And now splitting his attention between two topics he turns his attention to Josie,"Well, good thing that happened because I don't know how much longer you would have been able to keep doing that what with the…" He motions at his chest instead of using words, blushing a bit,"coming soon. What's the Shore Gang anyway? Is it some kind of pirate group? Where you in it with Cillian?"

Idrissa nods slightly. "Yes that's right. Ah.. Well.. I'll talk to him how's that?" She looks over to Maeve and offers the girl a smile and wave too her. "See.. She understands it." Now if only Gabriel and Gareth would! She does look over to Gabriel at the bit on Cilian.

Gareth squints a little behind his glasses in Josie's direction. "What do you mean, you lived on your own in London? Did your parents have a house they left you in when they went abroad, without even a nanny or House Elf to watch over you? And why would pretending to be a boy make that any safer?" To the others, he nods a bit. "Let's talk to Jax, see if perhaps he'll post something on the board, so it looks official. I think having upperclassmen taking underclassmen is an excellent idea, even if people do switch to their…more romantic dates once everyone arrives."

Josie blinks at Gabriel's words, and says, "Oh… oh, yeah, probably not." It's definitely not much of an issue yet, though. Then she shakes her head, "No, they run Hoxton. I was a spy at first, 'cause they don't like the Italians and I can speak Italian, then a pickpocket for them after the Italians started recognizing me. They… um… they made money," she says, trying to think of a way to explain what the gang is about. "They'd beat up people who ran businesses unless they paid money. And they'd steal stuff and sell it, and they sold drugs and stuff. And they protect their friends." Then she looks to Gareth in confusion, shaking her head, "No, on my own. Wherever I could find to sleep." She still doesn't answer about her parents.Gabriel turns his full attention on JOsie for a moment as he gives thought to what she's said. Finally, kind of hesitantly at first the ramping up to his normal chattering speed he says,"They don't sound very nice. The actually sound like kind of mean and nasty people. But I'm sure you've changed and you don't do any of those things anymore. I mean, you seem like such a nice person now… You are a nice person now, right? I don't think you can be Peter Pan if you're not nice, he was a good guy after all, if a bit mischievious."

Gareth stares at Josie with an expression that grows more horrified with each word she says. He's left speechless, really unable to process the sort of life she's described. It's just so far outside his personal experience, and certainly not like anything he ever read in Le Morte d'Arthur, where orphan maidens are more likely to be locked in towers and forced to sew linens for a wicked knight than sneak around city streets, cutting purses off belts. Gabriel's words draw Gareth out again though, and he quickly insists, "Of course, she's a nice person now. She's a Hogwarts student, isn't she? And a member of the noble House of Gryffindor. It isn't really her fault she didn't make it into Ravenclaw, but at least the Sorting Hat knew she didn't belong in…another House." He stops himself just short of any sort of accusation against…another House.

Idrissa is rather curious as she hears Josie's story, she watches the other listening and hums softly. "They beat up people?" That can't be a good thing. Though she doesn't go questioning much more as it seems Gabriel and Gareth are doing a swell job of it! She eyes Gareth a few moments and smirks faintly.

Maeve shakes her head. "Does nae surprise me. Muggles can be as nasty as some of the worst sorts in our world. I grew up in th' country, but still, even goin' t' school, I was bullied because I was small. I dinnae want t' imagine what it must have been like for ye, Josie…"Josie shakes her head quickly to Gabriel, almost emphatically, "Not doing that anymore. Wouldn't've told you if I was, not that dumb. Not ever gonna go back to living like that. This is so much better now! This whole world, magic and everything, is so much better. Not ever gonna go back." She nods to Idrissa and says, "They weren't all bad. Protected their friends, and gave me food and money and kept me alive, but no, weren't nice either." She nods quickly to Maeve then, and again to Gareth at his mention of her being sorted to Gryffindor, not seeming to pick up what was left unsaid.

Gabriel nods to Maeve and Josie,"Mean people and bullies are part of every kind of people. That's why we have to find ways to stand up to them when we can." Turning back to Josie he says,"I'm glad you're not like that anymore. I really like you and I would hate to have to take that back. And Gareth is right. The hat would probably have sorted you into…" smiling at Gareth he uses the same tactic,"That House if you weren't sincere about those changes."

"I grew up in a little house in the Beacons," Gareth says, neglecting to mention that the 'little house' is actually a small, Norman-style castle, crumbling though it may be. "Our nearest neighbor was almost ten miles away over rugged mountain roads. I can remember the first time my parents took me to London. I was just taken aback by the lights and noises and -smells- of the place. And so very many people! It was both thrilling and terrifying at once. I can't imagine actually living on such streets, all alone at such a young age. You must be very brave indeed, Davies, and very resourceful as well." He nods to Gabriel then, expression growing serious. "Standing up for your friends against bulllies is indeed a noble gesture. Just be sure you have a good, working knowledge of defensive magic going into such a fight. All the ideals in the world won't save you from a nasty stinging curse."

Idrissa hums and nods to Josie. "Well, that is good. To protect friends an all. I've had to deal with well builles before." It isn't nice. "Always good to have a few friends to help one out of a jam and what not." She ponders and hums softly to herself. A glance is offered over to Gareth while she listens.

Maeve nods. "Actually, tha's how I met Sammie," she says, refering to the other first year that she spends so much time with. "She'd gotten lost in Diagon Alley, and Goyle and Mills were bullyin' her." She shakes her head. "I cannae stand seein' a bully." She can't help balling up her hands into fists.

Josie blinks, "That house? Oh, Slytherin? They're not all bad. Tom seems friendly, Lucian's almost like a second teacher in dueling club, Theodore wants people to think he's mean but he's not. And Professor Slughorn's really nice." Of course, she's in the Slug Club. She nods quickly to Gareth and says, "It is noisy, never noticed the smell. Live on a farm now, in Hogsmeade. It smells, but it's fun too, so I don't mind."Gareth nods slowly, offering a small shrug of one shoulder. "Dupont looks nice," he admits. "And Riddle is certainly charming, from what I've heard. I…haven't been to any of Professor Slughorn's little dinner parties, but he always compliments my work in potions class. Still, you know what they say about Slytherin House." And whether anyone knows or not, he says nothing more on the matter. Instead, he suddenly smiles. "So, who wants to go with me to present our idea to Jax?"

Idrissa is rather quiet at the talk of Slytherin house, she goes about picking up her books and tucks them into her bag. "Um.. If you want to talk to Jax about it that is alright with me. But I'm still fine with not going." It really isn't a big deal for her. She would truthfully be more happy reading!

Gabriel picks up his book as well and starts to get up,"I'm willing to go with you as well."

Maeve shrugs. "I dinnae know any o' th' Slytherins at all, other than Goyle and Mills, and I dinna like them. Oh, an' Nott." She scowls at the thought of the red headed Slytherin, and their encounter the other night.

Josie shakes her head to Gareth's offer and says, "No thanks. I gotta get caught up on my homework."

Gareth hoists his heavy bag to his shoulder, standing then. "All right, then. See you, Davies." He nods to the young Gryffindor, then looks to see which of the others are going with him up to the Ravenclaw common room to hunt for their Prefect.

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