| Details for Brother and Sister Conversations |
| Summary: | Niamh and Keenan get a chance to talk.. comparing notes, passing on information here and there. |
| Date: | 08 November 1937 |
| Location: | MacDiarmarda Apothecary |
| Related: | Nope! |
| Characters |
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MacDiarmarda Apothecary (#1058R) Diagon Alley
Thu Nov 08, 1937 ((Sun Oct 28 17:32:54 2012)) (B,2 SE)
It is a fall day. The weather is cool and fair.
Built in the late 1700s, MacDiarmarda Apothecary has been in business from the building's inception. Windows line the walls facing the street, a fireplace creates a cheery atmosphere within. Shelves line the walls from floor to high ceiling, dusty wooden boxes of who knows what are held there. There is a large library ladder on wheels that helps the proprietress gather ingredients that may be out of her grasp normally. A counter stretches across the back of the store, a door behind it. There are two work areas, one next to the other. One is purely a 'cutting up' and preparing area, the table showing marks from use over the centuries. The other is the actual creating of a potion area- cauldrons, distillery and various sources of heat.
The store's interior is packed full of goods, with barrels of Purple Toad Warts, Flobberworm Mucus, Leech Juice and other large quantities of potion ingredients on the floor. Shelves that line the wall are filled with jars and old wooden boxes that contain Knotgrass, Aconite, Newt Eyes.. and many, many other herbs, roots and powders. Bunches of feathers, fangs and claws hang from the ceiling, and in some cases the unwary customer may knock into them. The combination of smells coming from all these different ingredients PLUS the age of the shop itself, creates an overall.. stench of bad eggs and rotten cabbages that permeates every corner of the room.
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Morning at the apothecary, and the fireplace is burning, a warm fire giving its heat to the downstairs. It's a busy morning for the potions mistress, having gotten some special orders in the last few days. That's not to mention the ongoing few potions she's got on the side, 'aging' for its fullest effect. She's whistling behind her workbench as she works, her finished salves set to the side as she takes from her distilled water beaker to place in a small mixing phial. Her burners are on, soft yellow flame ready to receive the next mixture when it's finished.
Keenan's whistling can be heard through the wall of the apothecary even before he goes out the front door to go around and come in the front door. One hand is still holding a coffee mug, the other a piece of toast, and so he uses a shoulder to push his way through the entrance. He pauses long enough to take a sip from his coffee, then bite his toast, so he is momentarily silent as he walks through the shop to Niamh. "Mornin' lass," he says brightly, planting a kiss on her temple when she's stationary long enough for him to do so. Then he turns and hops his rear end up on a counter to sit comfortably as he munches away at his breakfast.
Niamh raises her head at the familiar sound, and smiles at the entrance. He's got his coffee and toast- not the best of breakfasts, but she won't say a word.. okay, she has to! The smile turns to a grin at the kiss, and once he settles, she offers, leaning forward to rest her elbows on her worktable. "Mmmm.. you're in a good mood, Keen.. can I ask her name?" It's a light sound to her words, teasing her brother. "And dare I ask if she's Irish?" Pointing upstairs, she can't help herself, "There's porridge an' bangers."
Keenan chuckles. "What, ye want tae hear before ye read in tha gossip rags that an Irish Half Blood somehow infiltrated the posh Macnair gatherin' an' managed tae monopolize tha time of one very desirable pure blood witch?" His eyes gleam with that teasing glint that holds a bit of the triumph that used to be seen in boyhood when he led a successful foray against the Hogwarts bullies. He chomps down on another bite of toast and nods in reponse to the suggestion of upstairs. "In a bit."
"At least enough t'be able t'say 'No comment' with a straight face instead of 'He did what?!'," Niamh grins, and shakes her head. "How in the world did ye manage to sneak into a posh fete like that?" She'd heard about the Macnair party, of course. Who hadn't? Purebloods do deign to darken her establishment, after all. Those that want to 'slum' actually talk to her, too! Straightening, she rubs her hands together and gets back to her potion before her. "Ye missed a yellow feather right about," and she points at her mouth with her pinky-finger, "there..".
Keenan chuckles again. "As if ye would lose yer head that way…" he sticks his tongue out to lick at the spot indicated. "Aye, it's a pure blood affair, but ye know Clover an' I've known each other forever, an' it was /her/ party. She can invite who she likes." He puts his coffee down so he can scrub the back of his hand across his lips for good measure. "I took Miss Veruca Max, just tae add tae tha pure blood's indignation. Not only do I show up with a real invitation, I had a gorgeous pure blood on my arm." He winks. "Ye shoulda seen them eatin' their hearts out."
Niamh adds her dried herbs to the mash she's got, and drops a couple of droplets of the distilled water in before taking a small pipette to stir. "Aye, an' if it was a pureblood affair, her invitin' ye meant something?" She scowls, but it's not a serious sort of thing. Just.. sayin'. "Miss Veruca Max.." she raises her head, quirks it to the side, "Do I know her? Sounds a bit familiar, she does.." The smile rises to her face again, and dropping to her elbows once again, hazel eyes are on her gingered brother. "Well, it must've been somethin' else, all those stuffed shirts knowin' ye came with her. Ye finally got rid of those whiskers.. an' if a pureblood can get ye to do that? I'll not argue the point."
Keenan waves his hand. "Bah, Nia, ye know I'm not tha heathen tha purebloods think we are. I shave fer Lindy, too, when she wants tae go someplace fancy." He takes a sip of coffee, then pops the last little bit of toast in his mouth and leans a little foreward, palms on the counter and fingers curling over the edge. "Ye shoulda see our illustrious Ambassador Troy trying to not look horrified that there was an Irishman in their midst. Tha food, though, ahhhh…" he gives a little smack of his lips. "I'd've crashed tha party fer that food." Not redirecting much.
"I've a news flash for ye, Keen. Lindy's pureblood too," she's got that same teasing smile lingering, "An' she's gorgeous. Any of us'd do aught for her if she asked. An' even if she didn't." Niamh looks up from her work again, brows rising. "Ambassador Troy.. ye know, I've seen that gent 'round.." and here, her voice lowers. "Wants a few polyjuice potions. Ordered 'em.. galleons on the counter. Actually ready for delivery.." And she shakes her head, "Don't say a word to naught.. because it's all on the hush an' hush.." Polyjuice is perfectly legal.. still, as much as she wishes that it were a little more.. controlled. The smile returns, however, warm for her brother, "An Irishman.. a mongrel Irishman with a pureblood on his arm. Is that the same lass that had ye whistlin' days ago?"
"Aye, but Lindy doesnae count. Lindy's Lindy." The news of the polyjuice potion does indeed get his attention. "Hmmm, I wonder if Ru-Miss Max knows what her cousin's wantin' with polyjuice potions. Probably does, she mentioned knowin' of yer shop here, I imagine she's been here on occasion." He takes another sip of his coffee and coughs. "She's interestin' she is. She's direct, and businesslike, an' doesnae pretend tae be all missish." he shrugs. "Anyway, I had her there, in tha library, an' she was in my arms just… ye know? But I didnae want tae give her everythin' when she wanted it, aye? So I just kissed her." He puts his coffee back down on the counter so he can lean forward again. "I kissed her good an' proper, like, mind ye. Let her know what she could be havin'… leave her wantin' tae come back for more."
Niamh shakes her head, "I don't want anyone knowin' about it.. just you an' I. Not even Adamantus knows it. It's all on the up an' up, an' ye know how he can be." There's that.. sigh in her voice when she speaks of the Hit Wizard, and pauses as she pictures the man in her mind's eye. Soon enough, after a couple of heartbeats, she rouses herself and smiles lopsidedly, "Sorry.. an' I'm sure I've seen her. Just point her out the next time an' I'll be sure." She brightens, "Or have her over for dinner. I'll make something for all." Oh, that'll go over well! As Keenan recounts his exploits, however, her smile turns to a grin, and soon enough, she clears her throat, reaching to throw a light something at her brother. "It must be a good time for ye.. havin' the wherewithal t'be on the hunt again.. an' I don't need to know until she's invited to Sunday." With mum and da! "Unless ye do something untoward an' I have to bail ye out.."
"If it's so on the up an' up, how is that ye're Hit Wizard boyfriend can nae be told about, aye?" Keenan asks raising his eyebrows. "Hmmmm? I would think it's all legal an' such, he'd already know." He clears his throat pushes off the counter and thumps to his feet. "It's nae like that, Niamh. I'm nae tryin' tae 'date' her, more'n any other lass. I don' bring home tha others that I've fooled around with. Those bangers and porridge're soundin' good." He doesn't exactly avoid Niamh's gaze, but he doesn't really look at her either as he heads to the stairs. "Ye want some? Looks like ye been busy enough around here to work up an appetite fer a second breakfast."
A soft exhale exits and her lips press together to a straight line. It doesn't last long, however, before the warm, sisterly smile returns. "Good then," even though she sounds a bit good-humouredly dubious. "I don't need t'see the puppies as they follow ye.. ye scoundrel." She laughs quietly after and nods towards the doorway leading to the stairs up, "Scones are fresh, clotted cream in the ice box.. an' the porridge should be on the stove." As if he needs to know where she's put things? "I'm good for the time bein', thanks. Need to get a couple more potions done for Elly Dodderidge. Seems she's been goin' through a lot of them lately."
Keenan chuckles. "I always make sure I satisfy them properly so they don' need tae be following me, aye?" he throws a wink back over h:chuckles. "I always make sure I satisfy them properly so they don' need tae be following me, aye?" he throws a wink back over his shoulder before he bounds up the steps, whistling again as he goes. He returns a little later, having ditched the porridge in favor of the scones and cream, along with the bangers. "So, what's this about Elly needin' potions? She all right over there?"
"Mmmhmm.." Niamh sounds like the proper little sister, and shakes her head as he takes the stairs, the smile growing as she watches his departure. Clucking to herself, she finishes up the potion, bottles it, sets it aside.. and begins to fill the other phials of the same stuff. When Keenan returns, she's got the order filled and is settling those new ones and a few others into a delivery basket. She's at the counter, setting things aright, and turning about, grins at his choices. "Cream's perfect, isn't it?" She got a good batch! Taking a deep breath, she shakes her head again and 'tsks' softly. "She's got some first aid potions there.. an' the request she sent me was for blood loss.." So something happened. "Shelf-life on it's not run out, so it must've been used. I do know she was hurt in the kitchen.. but she went to Mungo's for that."
Keenan hmmms. "Maybe I should check in on her," he considers, giving an appreciative smile to Niamh. "But I won' be tellin' her that yer cream beats hers all hollow." He leans over to give Niamh another smooch before he hops up on the counter once more to enjoy his breakfast.
"Aye, I think ye should." Niamh grins as she looks up and across to her brother, "An' tone down the charm. She's a babe." Straightening from her lean, her brows rise. "Sunday this, to mum an' da's? I'm thinkin' of asking Adamantus t'come with. We're supposed to go out to the pub tonight, Dog an' Bone." She pushes the basket in Keen's direction, or rather, it's more a nudge. "An' if ye are going to look in on her, ye can bring these with ye to round out her potions. Inquire, too, if ye see anything that seems to be a hole in the collection of hers."