(1938-01-12) Plough Day's Weekend
Details for Plough Day's Weekend
Summary: Off in a 'quiet' corner of London, the locals celebrate the ending of the holiday season with a traditional party. Morris Dancing, parades, blackface, and all in all making merry.
Date: 12 January 1938
Location: Somewhere in London
Related: None
Characters
RaffGideonNiamhAnnieTimLaurence

London has been celebrating Christmas for the past month. Now, with the snows coming, and the decorations coming down, there's more smaller, more traditional happenings going around in the back streets of London. It's not really a show for the tourists, but rather, things specifically for them.. the residents and natives of the fair land.

Plough Monday. It's the time of year when the labourers have to go back to work after their winter and Christmas break. But, before that happens, the Saturday after Twelfth Night is taken to dance and make merry in the streets. It's localized, certainly, and isn't for those of.. high station. In the least.

Down at a corner are a couple of lorries, one unloading musicians, and the other is filled with bundles of straw. The musicians are tuning up, and it's not long before they begin to play their tunes. People are now coming out slowly, and queuing up for the sooting of the faces as well as to be stuffed with straw! It's time to get the show on the road! (As it were..)

It's a wonderful day; the sun is shining, and while there are clouds, Niamh's mood simply can't be put down. With the sounds of the instruments, the oboe, the lutes.. all beginning the strains of the Morris dance, she finds her feet moving with the beat long before she queues up for the face 'painting', and then on to the straw! "Ad- Adam," and she draws the ginger-haired Scot up with her before she playfully commands, "Him too," to the man with the soot bucket. All, after all, are invited to partake.. actively!

Why would Niamh command that Adamantus' face get painted? Oh right, because he's a grumpy old humbug. He arches an eyebrow at Niamh, opening his mouth to object, but suddenly there's a man smearing soot on his face. Gideon sets his jaw, resisting the sudden urge to punch the man square in the face.

There's a corner off to the side that houses a man in a long dark grey cloak that covers his face somewhat as he watches the party winding up. Raff is looking at faces and trying to see if he should venture in closer or not. He looks up to the sky and gives a bit of a sigh as he thinks about the night that will come.

Annie would typically spend this time in Camden Town with her childhood friends, but she thinks perhaps it's a good time to skip that gathering for a change. Besides, she may have heard some rumours around the wizarding community that others of 'her kind' will be in this part of town, and she's decided to celebrate with new friends instead of old. And, perhaps it's a bit of an easier way to introduce Tim to this particular Muggle tradition that she grew up with. While he's not exactly sheltered, the differences in their upbringing is still very clear at times. Tugging him lightly but staying by his side, knowing this may be a bit uncomfortable for him, she urges him toward the man with the soot bucket, and, consequently, Niamh and Gideon. She's worn an older, sort of shabby coat, and urged Tim to do the same, as it can tend to be a somewhat messy affair. "If yeh'r not havin' a good time, yeh'll let me know, yes?" she is asking the red haired wizard quietly as they near the queue.

Indeed, there are number of witches and wizards hanging about, including Kevin Bailey. The Muggle-born young man invited a few of his friends along, and they invited a few more, and soon wizards he'd never heard of started showing up in this particular neighbourhood. How word spreads!

Tim has just gotten a dollop of black paint smacked against his face. "How could Ah possiblay nae be 'avin fun?" He does sputter a bit as some of the 'paint' rolls down his face over his lips. Very quick and protective he hides his camera dangling around his neck in his jacket that looks like it's been through the Irish Rebellion (cause it has). He winks one eye but it's a bit stuck cause of a glop of paint. But it's smeared about and when he gets his eyes opened up the black around them really makes his green eyes stand out. "'Ow do Ah look M'Annie?"

Raff stays tucked up and in his corner of the lot. He looks and sees some faces that he knows and so he stays off to the side and keeps just looking to the party that is growing in front of his eyes. As Annie and Tim make their way in, his brow lifts a little and he gives a little bit of a sigh. He bends at the knee and moves to settle down on a nearby bale of hay as he looks about to other faces. His eyes pass over Gideon and that is enough to make the man stay hidden for a longer time.

Niamh grins out of her 'blackface' at Gideon, raising her fingers to catch the spots that may be missed before poking at his nose in a *boop*. "Ye look marvelous. No one'll know who ye are." Other than the ginger hair.. and the closely cut beard.. and..

The man with the soot bucket offers a 'cheers!' to those in the line thus adorned with the black residue, and nods them off to the 'station' with the straw. There are a few people in line before them, and Niamh simply can't keep her feet from dancing, her hand reaching to take Gideon's. A party, after a fashion, where she doesn't have to worry about stuffed shirts, and 'should she say this' or 'keep her tongue then'. It's all.. working class, as evidenced by clothes and accent. Her Irish fits in quite well, as will the Glaswegian, should Gideon open his mouth more than just to grumble…

There are a couple more things in the back of the lorries; ploughs. Real plows, but decked out in finery- ribbons and bows. "Oi!" comes a voice; a muggle workman who already has his face blackened. "C'mere an' 'elp!" Could that be in the direction of Raff? No malingers allowed!

As she catches a familiar sounding voice, Niamh looks back, and the smile brightens. "Well, look who it is," and she catches herself. Blackface means anonymity.. "Or who it isnae.."

Young Kevin Bailey.. one of those to watch. Not unknown in some circles, but .. mostly harmless. He's set and laughing, a pint in hand as he calls out, "Penny for the ploughman! Doan' forget t'pay!" Leaning back and laughing, his eyes are merry, and turning about, there's.. a gesture.
Another step forward is taken for the straw, even as a man is leaving the line, his sleeves and such now lined. "Brisk day for it.. could stand t'be warmer.." But, the remarkable part of it is.. well.. straw is insulating, right? But the man goes from that chill, and rubbing his hands together to a bit of a pinkening on the cheeks.

Gideon suffers through having straw stuffed in his clothing. The soot blackening his face manages to make him look both more menacing and more comical as he scowls. "Bloody hell, this stuff itches." He gives Niamh a look that can only mean one thing: You owe me one.

Annie tilts her face up to be blackened as well, the sooter being a bit whimsical with her, just dotting the tip of her nose before seeing the rest of her face covered. She giggles at the man, offering a friendly, "Ta!" before moving back to Tim's side. "Will yeh be taking pictures for very long?" she asks him, expecting to lose him to his task for at least a little while. She doesn't drag him over to be stuffed with straw, instead leading him to a think spot in the crowd and standing close to him, reassuringly.

Tim gives Annie a little quick kiss before he leans back enough to take a picture of her getting sooted up. Then he points to Niamh with a big boyish smile and wave, "It's Niamh O'Shea, tink she's wantin to say 'ello m'Annie." He winks…or maybe it's soot in his eye again.

Raff looks to the voice and gives a little shake of his head. He stands up from the hay and just gives a mute shrug to the man who seems to be calling to him. He points to his ear and shakes his head as if to say that he cannot hear. As he stands, he looks to Kevin and raises a brow to the gesture before he shrugs it off and starts to head back off into the alleys around the area before he's seen and ruins it for others.

"Ohhhh," Niamh begins a soft, gentle, teasing chastisement before she yelps in laughed surprise at the straw being stuffed. "Jesus, Mary an' Joseph, tha's itchy!" Reaching into her sleeves, she wiggles a little, setting it aright, as it were, but she doesn't remove it. If anything, she laughs and makes a point of putting some in her hair, her jacket collar, up her sleeves, and makes to wrap some about her legs with some twine. Glancing up from her hopped lean, her smile is bright for the pair now on the sidelines. "Tim Moody, y'get o'er here an' get yourself some straw.. or I'll have 'em make ye the Bear." Beat. "Ye too, Annie." It's then that Niamh recognizes a form in the dark jacket, Raff, and goes to call out before she stops. Deaf?! "Good Lord," she murmurs.. and waves to catch his attention, the expression on her face plain. Come. Have. Fun. Dammit!

The Morris dance is now in full swing, talented dancers being able to move up the street with the slow parade shuffle, there are some people in straw that calls out, "'O's the bear this year?" There comes an answer, "'Enery Worth.. find 'im! Go' 'is suit, we do!" and on that back of the truck is straw that looks almost as if it was tailored. "Unless anovver.." and muggle eyes look around for another likely candidate for such an honour.

Kevin and his mates, then, start to laugh and move to 'help' the men with the soot and straw, helpfully getting the plough out of the back of the lorry. "'Ave fun mates.." and "Don't do nothin' I wouldn't.."

We're off to see the Muggles, the Wonderful Muggles of Soot. Laurence is an innocent bystander, really, hands shoved in his pockets and dark grey fedora worn at a jaunty angle to match his trench coat and he just watches and looks thoughtful, rocking back on his heels.

Annie's head turns at once at Tim's words, her smile brightening. "Niamh!" she calls out. But she notices the woman waving to someone, and she turns to see who it might be. It doesn't even take any thought to recognize Raff, and although there is the barest pause, she raises her voice, unaware of any pantomime from the man. "Raff!" Her attention swivels back to the older witch and she laughs, "Tim can get all stuffed up with straw if he's a mind t', but it makes me itch somethin' fierce." She's got enough experience from years past to know this all too well.

Raff would flail if he could without drawing any more attention to himself. He's been seen and now defeated as his shoulders slump a little bit. Not only had his name been called out but he's been spotted. He sighs and turns back to walk towards the two and shake his head, "Should have named myself Bill. It's not nearly as knowable." He says, nodding to the two women. "Looks like fun. But with my name out there it's not going to be pretty. I should go before things get ugly." He speaks and gives a little smile to Niamh and Annie, "Thank you for letting me watch, though." He leans in to whisper something to Niamh before he begins to leave again.

Raff whispers: That man over there… He may be using magic on something. He was gesturing. Who knows.

Gideon eyes Raff warily, shifting even closer to Niamh when Raff leans in. "Mingan," he says evenly, perhaps warningly, and his eyes shift skyward.

Niamh giggles with the straw again and wiggles, trying to get it set, that expression on her face turning.. positively bright. Beaming. Reaching a hand out to grab Gideon's, she's ready to pull on him to draw him over to where Annie and Tim are. Her feet and kicking up now, what with the Morris dancers doing that exact same thing.. but she's not being too terribly.. difficult. It's a fun time! With Raff's approach, and his entire .. demeanor, she shakes her head rather theatrically, her tones sounding broadly Irish, "I'll 'ave none o'that whisperin' now. Go, an' get your face properly sooted.." just as her own is! "An' ye!" She begins to point to random bystanders (including Laurance), "Hie t'it!" And it's back to Annie and Tim.. (and Gideon) that she returns, taking a couple of danced steps back. "C'mon.. it's started. Penny for the ploughman!"

Tim also perhaps looks a bit suddenly on guard and comes touch in an automatic defensive position tween Raff and Annie. He then gives Annie a tug, "C'mon m'Annie. Come help me get stuffed." Though he does lean back squinting, Gideon seems to have Niamh's protection in hand, doesn't mean his own bit of protectiveness over Niamh isn't still there. "Aye, perhaps tis best." He comments to Raff. Not exactly threatening him, it's more just Tim agreeing with Raff that it's perhaps not the best idea for him to be in this situation.

Raff looks about at those that are wanting him there and those that do not. "Right. Not the best place for me." His eyes flash between Tim and Gideon. "I might eat your dates." He teases somewhat, a touch of melancholy to his voice there. He just shakes his head and bows a little to Niamh, "Thanks for letting me show up for a bit." And turns to walk back into the alleys and out of the range of the party.

Annie has a smile for Raff as he comes over, being well familiar with the man from the library and many conversations. She looks a bit puzzled, at first, at Tim's light tug, and that deepens into a frown at his words of agreement that the man should leave. It's a primarily muggle event after all, there aren't that many here who would know the notorious Raff Mingan. "Tim," Annie says, her voice deliberately low but far from happy. Her frown shifts to the grumpy ginger hovering protectively over Niamh. She watches Raff go but then takes a step, seemingly to go after the man.

Laurence is quiet as he observes the on goings, chuckling as he moves forward to do what's necessary to get a bit sooted up, smearing a bit on his cheeks before backing up, hands held up as a ward and he hears Raff and the backs and forths and he pouts a bit. "Oi…always makin' promises he can't keep…poor man, he might eat yer dates but then I might just sweep them off their feet and away from a couple of equally as gorgeous blokes…" He winks an eye and lifts a hand to Raff. "Hey…don't go…" He turns to follow after him. "Who will I get to soot, stuff and mount me luv? The ladies are spoken for and menfolk don't quite look as flexible…" He drawls softly.

Gideon's stoic face turns to an outright frown at Raff's joke. Proooobably not the best choice of words. He curls his fingers protectively around Niamh's arm, moving to partially interpose himself between her and Raff. One eye on the lonely man, he does try to keep Niamh moving, and that means joining in the celebration. "Penney for the ploughboys!"

Tim reaches to take up Annie's wrist, gently, "Let'm go. It's too close ta the Full o the moon fo'm ta be chancin this sorta event. When a man can sneeze wrong an' maybeh curse the lot. It's bloody irresponsible. Dinnae like it tha it's ta be, but it tis. C'mon, let's nae let it damper, aye?"

The parade has definitely started. There's the man who will be covered from head to toe in the straw, the Straw Bear, so named. As 'Enery shrugs the itchy outfit on, he can be heard to exclaim, "Cor.. warm in 'ere!" which is answered by an easy, "Straw's warm. Why the 'ell d'ye think we put our animals out in it?" That is given a laughed response, "Y'mean you're put out into it; you an' the doghouse. Just as the missus!"

Niamh's ready to head down the road; the plough is out, and now there are more than a few marchers. There's a man with a broom to ready the street for the dancers, and now, as a crowd, those dressed in the straw are on their way! She's oblivious to the dealings between Raff and the menfolk, though she does cast a concerned look towards Annie.

Raff's comment regarding eating dates receives a bubbled laugh; there's that brightness to her eyes, and she'll not have anything spoil her fun. Even the grumpy gingers! "C'mon, ye.. ALL.." unconcerned, she.. and in her steps now, she weaves and bobs, her feet kicking like the hobnailed Morris dancers. "Penny for the ploughboys!" she echoes.

Now, for the folks in front of Niamh, that have started it all.. well, they too are weaving, singing brightly now some tunes of the Eastern shores of the country. As they begin to process through the streets, the shouts of 'Penny for the ploughboys!' becomes some.. garbled mess..

Annie stops at Tim takes hold of her, and she turns on him with a questioning look. "What… d'yeh really believe that?" That Raff could sneeze and curse anyone? Really? She may not be the smartest witch, nor the most discerning, and maybe her heart is a bit too trusting at times, but… well that's just how she is. If she was going to be snobby and judgmental, would she even have given Tim the time of day in the first place?

Gideon gives Tim a nod of solidarity as he passes by the younger ginger. He arches an eyebrow at Annie, adding, "Would you really want to risk it?"

Tim tugs on Annie's hand to lift her palm to place a smudgey kissmark there. "Tha was a bit o an exaggeration…sort of. No one's for certain how, wha er why er when 'e can get someone 'sick' too…we'll talk bout it more later, now's nae the time. Aye?" Talking about lycanthropy in the middle of a bunch of low born (read as more prone to superstition) Muggles isn't exactly something good to do. So… "Penny fer yer ploughboys!"

Raff stops in his tracks and blinks a little bit. He zeros in his eyes and gives a sniff of the air before he looks to Laurence and shakes his head as if to make the other man quiet. He scans the crowd and then leans in to whisper at Laurence as he points.

Laurence just sighs and places his hands on his hips, turning slightly at the whisper and he arches an eyebrow, giving a little nod before tapping a finger against his chin with a thoughtful expression.

Niamh is veritably dancing now, the whites of her eyes and her smiling teeth the only 'white' part of her face. Makes her look rather comedic, but in a way, that's the point! She is whistling in her moves, and as she does, there are.. birds that begin to appear over her. They hover, dance and dart above the apothecarian.. singing and warbling..

Penny for the plougman!

Still leading the way, but now, their winding and wending begins to lead to where the Leaky Cauldron sits, are the Morris dancers and that Straw Bear. His words are more.. gutteral roars, but no one seems to notice? Everyone else, Muggles, seem to be laughing and singing.. a merry old time!

Gideon chuckles along after Niamh, seeming to get more into the spirit of things. In fact, very spirited. His laughter rises higher and higher, until he's positively giggling and whooping as he dances around in the street, hand-in-hand with Niamh.

Tim is a bit busy with trying to save his relationship! But he does look towards the mumbled rumbled garbled mess those in the front are shouting, "Why dey speakin in Tro- 'lo! Ha, ha, ha! Dis is Great!" He lifts his hands up into the air taking one of Annie's with it and cheers loudly. "Pennies!" He then gives a giggle that Annie knows is his had a few glasses of whiskey giggle.

Raff looks to Laurence and just frowns, "I have to check this out." As he moves back into the party and down one side to try and get a good look at the Straw bear. He looks up to the sky at the birds. A great sigh comes before he heads towards Gideon and gets right in the man's face. "Gideon." And then leans in to whisper to him, "Birds. That guy is speaking Troll." At birds, he points upwards and then to the Straw Bear. And he looks ta Gideon, puzzled. After a beat, he starts to pull the straw out from Gideon.

Annie positively bristles at the Hitwizard's words, but bites her tongue against a retort. Instead her attention turns fully on Tim, her voice lowering as she speaks. "Have yeh ever read anythin' on it? I have. A lot." Granted, there are a lot of theories out there, but there were theories that leeches were a beneficial medical tool, and she doesn't see any blood letting still going on. Well, alright, not openly. She is just too prone to giving the benefit of the doubt (DRINK NIAMH). She attempts to extract her hand from Tim's delicately as his attention goes more toward the celebration than toward her.

Gideon seems to find Raff's concerns high-larious. "I know! Bloody tweety birds!" He lets go of Niamh, and tries to get ahold of Raff's hands to dance with him!

Niamh is full on enjoying herself. The whistling seems to have brought on.. birds? Birds!? Laughing gaily, she skips a couple of steps, spins, her hair flying out behind her. The laughter, apparently, is contagious in that Adamantus is laughing, having a wonderous time. "I told ye, the best o' times!" Catching Tim's laughter, now, she reaches out and misses Gideon's hand as he's set to dancing with Raff.. and she skips over to Annie, trailing the birds behind.. er.. above her. "Annie, c'mon, darlin'.. an' dance. Morris.. get your feet movin'.. Aye, Timmy! Tha's the way!"

Growl.. grumble.. roar.. gargle..!! (Translation: Penny for the Ploughman!)

"Shit. Shit." Raff grumbles out and he knows that something is up once Gideon starts trying to dance with him. "Stop that you dolt!" As his hands continue to pull all that straw out and he pauses for a bit to try and wipe some of the soot from Gideon's face. "Annie. The straw and soot. Get it out." He says and keeps going even though he's having to dance with the man before him. As he tries his best, he goes down on the ground as Gideon's feet trip him up and he's trying to get a handful of the straw out.

Laurence ohs softly and shakes his head before tugging a hankie from his coat to start wiping off his cheeks as he heads closer to where…the garglingness is taking place, a look of concentration on his face.

Tim dances circles around Annie, having quiet the merry time indeed. He moves to scoop her up and draw her closer his other hand reaches to try to nab Raff's other hand and the lads have quite a little dance-a-thon. "Pennies fer da Ploughman! We migh' be wolves by morrow nigh! But Pennies for da Ploughman! Cheers!"

Annie attempts to pull back more, and Raff calling her name catches her attention. She resists being drawn into the dance by Tim, and although she doesn't understand what's happening, she knows for sure that the little slur that Tim has going? Isn't being caused by drink. He was sober as a vicar when they got here and haven't been apart. Alright then, she does let Tim have a measure of success drawing her closer, but it's so she can start trying to pull the straw from his clothes. "Tim, love… stop, please. Lemme… lemme do this, Tim." Her words are determined, as are her grasping hands, as bits of straw are pulled away from the photographer.

Gideon's feet tangle up with Raff's, and he too ends up on the ground. Laying on his back in the street, his face is tightened up in peals of laughter. "Ho ho ho ha! Bad dog!" His awful joke only sets his gasping through another round of guffaws as he unsteadly tries to rise to his feet.

Raff rolls his eyes and shakes his head as Tim reaches for his hand, "Aw bugger." He speaks and then pulls away from Tim's hand and then pushes himself atop of Gideon and proceeds to keep pulling all that straw from within the man's clothes. "Gideon. Come out of it!" He yells at the man as his hands work as fast as they can to get it all out of him. Still, he looks to Gideon's pants and rolls his eyes, "Merlin's Beard." He grumbles and then pops his hand in and goes for it.

Not a single drop, no sirree… but Niamh is feeling on top of the world. She looks back, and shakes her head- "This won' do! Annie! Come dance!" and she reaches out for her friend to take her. "The men'll do well on their own. T'is a time for some honest fun. Nae some stuffed.." and she searches for the word before biting out, "soiree.." which sounds kind of funny with a thick, slurry Irish accent. She whistles the Morris music some more, and the birds.. repeat it. Echo it as they fly above her.

Soon enough, the procession approaches the Leaky Cauldron.. and there are a few that look as if their thirst must needs be .. quenched. Pointing towards the door.. never saw that before! there are a couple that begin (to some eyes) actually disappear! The Straw Bear enters.. followed by a couple more rather loud, happy.. and boisterous blokes.

Tim laughs and points at Gideon on he floor and then cackles when suddenly Raff's hands are down the mans pants. "Oi! That's a bit too friendly for public eye there…aye, bad dog indeed!" He's giggling all through his commentary but then there's his Annie and she's tugging him closer and so she gets scooped up for quite the snog. Quite the change from the shy man that's bashful about more than a peck on a little populated street! He does his best to dance away with her making sure that his new friends Raff and Gideon don't get trampled though, even tickling hay of merriment can't drown his sense of to protect those needing protection. "Ooo, look, aye! Wonder if Mick'll enjoy all the new business." Another giggle comes as he watches all the muggles head into the Wizarding establishment.

Gideon wheezes, out of breath from the mad laughter. "G-…gerroff!" He tries to push Raff off of him, but shortness of breath means no muscle strength. It's hard to be sure that Raff has pull all of the straw out of Gideon's pants. Thankfully, most of the other revellers are far too engrossed in their own wild time to pay much heed to the brazen display.

And this is where is gets confusing, Laurence turns to see Raff…molesting another man and his eyebrows shoot up as his lips form a tiny 'o' then he turns to see the procession into the Cauldron and he just gives up, hands going up as he's not quite sure what the heck's going on anymore and he turns to head in the opposite direction.

The sudden and very unexpected display of public affection from Tim takes Annie's breath away for more than one reason. Still, even mid-snog (and he's quite adept at it when he's not over thinking the situation, if truth be told) she's attempting to pull the straw from his shirt, trying to still him. "Tim… stop dancin' Tim… oof!" That comes as someone else bumps into her rather harshly, and she turns with a seldom heard snarl, "Gerroff me!" and pushes the man away. She's got nothing to really try and get the soot off Tim's face, so she brings her arm up and attempts to rub some off with the sleeve of her coat. Well, she figured it'd get sooty.

"Gideon. I need you here as you." Raff says and actually takes a look into the man's pants now before he curses low under his breath. A look to the cauldron as people are disappearing and he finally decides there is only one way around this now. He hauls off and slaps the hell out of Gideon.

Niamh turns about.. rebuffed by Annie, but she'll accept that. Tim's snogging her but good! "Good on ye, Tim Moody.." before she turns about.. and sees Raff with his hand down her boyfriend's pants! Her eyes go wide, and she starts to grab at Raff, her voice rising, "Y'stop that! Nay.. gerroff him!" and "What do ye think ye are doin'?"

Fight? Is that a fight? There are more than a few along the side who is more than happy to find a reason to mix it up, and they begin to come in.. to anyone's aid. Doesn't matter!

Mind, the beginning of the procession is now entering the Leaky Cauldron. More than a few wizards within are.. surprised, to say the least.. and there are more than a few loud voices that begin to come from within. Is there.. a potential for a riot?

Hell, yes.

*SMACK!* The resounding crack of Raff's open hand against Gideon's cheek certainly ends the Hit Wizard's giggles. For a moment, there is a deafening silence between the two men. Then… "What in HADES was that for?! Get the hell off o' me, Mingan!" He growls and shoves roughly against the man, his strength returning, and tries to push himself up.

Raff stays there for a bit longer as he looks to Gideon and speaks in a very low voice, "Birds over Niamh. Troll speech. People are disappearing as they go into the cauldron. The straw is affecting people. We need an obliviator and you are giggling. FIX THIS." Before he rolls off and points Gideon's face towards the cauldron. "And your pants are undone." He adds non-challantly.

Apparently the giddiness, whatever is causing it, is making some very bold indeed, as the man who bumped into Annie, apparently thinking it's open season, attempts to draw the young witch close. "C'mon, girly, ish a party," he slurs and tries to move in with his lips. The girl's screech is not pretty nor melodious. "TIM!" She puts a lot of effort into trying to wrest herself free, until she lands a particularly solid kick in a particularly unpleasant place, sending the man to his knees. She turns on Tim again, making another effort to get the straw from his clothes, no longer being very delicate about fishing around in his shirt and almost delving into his trousers.

Those who were coming to .. either aid Niamh, or Gideon.. or even Raff are waved off with a shrill whistle. Turning their heads 'round, they've started to jog towards the front of the line, and coming to a stop by the now abandoned plow.. well.. where'd the others go?

Niamh's at Gideon's side now, her pace.. awkward. She's more than a little unsteady, and very much like Snow White they pick at her shoulder, her arm.. to try and right her. "Tha's.. nae.. right.." she begins, her expression forming a frown, but on her almost ever smiling face, it doesn't seem like it quite belongs there. "Gideon.. dance with me.. forg— oh," and her brow creases as she sees the handprint in the soot on his face.. and reaches out to lay her hand on the print. She didn't do that.. right? Righ— no.. too big..

Within the Cauldron now.. there's some noise, and then.. silence. A couple more, those with straw hanging from their pants legs, their arms.. they, too.. disappear into the Cauldron..

Gideon's ire is cut short at the realization that his trousers are open. Yeah, that's enough to stop any man dead in his tracks. Fastening his pants, he hops up to his feet, looking around and taking stock. "Hades. The straw?" He rubs his head, suddenly looking a little wobbly, but he's managing to stay on his feet. He shaks his leg, and a bit of straw tumbles out of the bottom of his pants. Then, there is Niamh. "Aye love…stay with me." He curls his arms around her, and starts to dance, a bit more slowly, to try to keep her attention while he pulls the straw free from her clothing.

Tim might have been raised a great deal in London, but he's still thick with the Emerald Isle in his veins so ever so stereotypically when an Irishman gets drunk he gets feisty and Tim proves the stereotype very well because in a deft maneuver he's scooping up Annie up against him and away from the man - with a expertly placed fist to the other man's gob. "Tha's meh wife! Baggoff!" Rather indelicately after he shakes his hand that's now got swelling knuckles he scratchs at his crotch. Wot, he's got hay down there.

Raff sees that Gideon is back on the mend and as Annie calls out he looks just in time to see the man get the kick and winces himself. Still, he's looking to protect those that he sees as friends as he has far too few of them. As Tim comes back to the world he stops in his tracks and seeing that things are being set right now he begins to run towards the Cauldron and into it.

Niamh frets, and frowns.. her hands waving his away. "S'part of it! You're nae supposed t'remove it.." *batbats* She's lured, however, with the prospect of dancing with Gideon, and her hands look for a spot to lay upon his.. though she does swat at them again. "Aye.. but ye have t'come.." and she begins to tug on him again, her expression bright once again. Even the soot that still lies upon her face can't hide that!

Ok fine! All bets are off now and Annie has a determined set to her eyes as she does what she can to free Tim of more hay despite his renewed grip on her. Without any attempt at delicacy, she grips the front of his shirt and gives a mighty wrest to rip the garment and better facilitate the removal of hay. Then, without even a blink, her hand dives into his trousers, seeking not fun but yet more hay. Good lord, who knew there was so much hay that could be shoved into one person's clothes?? All the while she's muttering, "Tim. Stop it now. I need yeh!" The tone takes a note of desperation, and she's at a loss of what else she can do to bring him out of whatever this is. Then she glances over to see the hand print on Gideon's cheek, and a pained look is shot to Tim. He's the last person she wants to haul off and hit, but if it worked for Gideon…?

Gideon nods and just feels into Niamh's romantic whimsy. "Aye, I'm with you, love. Dance with me. Just…look at me." He doesn't let up with the straw, but if she continues to struggle against him, he'll bite the bullet and get more forceful. She can forgive him later.

Tim blinks, "Mah shirt…" He says in a really confused sort of way as he continues to blink at Annie. "Why did yehEEE!" He literally squeaks when her hand goes down into his pants. Bright with a blush the drunk of the enchantment has going on only makes him scoop up Annie closer to him and try to draw her towards a moree quiet little nook between shops for quite the snog free of his usual shy reluctance. He's making a fool of himself and loving every moment of it!

Niamh's got straw.. in her collar, sleeves, she's tied some to her legs! She whistles happily, along with the musicians, and the birds echo the chorus, never far from her. She does dance, and as the music begins to turn that corner, she's trying to pull Gideon over. She's not.. being deliberately difficult, no! She's laughing, playing.. and having a bit of fun is all! All's the better to see a smile on Gideon's face.

(Meanwhile, in the back, Kevin's got his mates 'round him.. and they're laughing.. though they're not stupid to be hanging around too long after!)

Annie doesn't resist Tim this time as he makes to pull her aside to a more quiet spot. Instead she takes advantage of using every step he takes to shake more straw out of him. Surely it's got to be almost gone! As it shows no sign of working she decides on drastic measures. She can't possibly slap him hard enough. She doesn't have the heart to bite him. So she goes to last resort, bringing one foot up, taking hasty aim, and bringing it down with all her might on Tim's own foot.

Gideon is not about to slap Niamh. But once he's got her straw-free — an act of considerable patience and persistence — he does the one painless thing he can think of to shock her. He lays a doozy of a kiss on her, the kind usually reserved for private moments, right there in the street.

Niamh's been divested of straw, much to her chagrin. Still, she's not averse to the attentions that Gideon is laying upon her. She's catching Annie and Tim as they pull themselves into a corner, which causes even more surprise when Gideon sweeps her into his arms and kisses her.. then, there.. with all that he's got behind it. She begins a squirm, but then.. as the kiss happens, she ceases that, and wraps her arms around the back of his neck, holding on to him as she returns the kiss. In that embrace, the birds.. fly off. Starlings have flown the coop!

Tim is free of straw stepping up onto tthe curb knocked the last bit of hay out of his pants. And then "OW!" He looks like a kicked puppy at Annie as he lifts up his foot. It starts to sink in what's happened and he LIMPS himself all the more into the alley to find a ladder up onto the roof of the building he was just snogging his Annie against. Once up there he starts to cast that very handy spell that removes spell affects from people. He'll leave those that go into the Cauldron to those that work there - and Obliviators. He's picking off those about to head in and acts more like a Hit Wizard or Auror would and does damage control from his hidey spot on the roof.

Annie winces at the look Tim gives her, but then he's clearly back to his senses, and she breathes a sigh of relief. She calls, "I'm sorry, Tim!" as he starts to climb upwards on the ladder, even though she only did what she thought she had to do. She'll stay to the alley then, in the shadow of the building, not able to see Tim but able to witness each hit of his counter charm. The Obliviators are going to have a field day with this. Left alone and out of the main stream of the crowd, she raises her sleeve to smudge the soot off her own face with very little success. She'll wash it better later, when Tim judges it alright to come back and collect her. She'll wait, until then, almost exactly where he left her.

The kiss is successful, though there's that moment when Niamh breaks it, though she doesn't move away. Instead, a rather impish smile creases her face, and she whispers, "I don't think it's quite done yet.." before she lifts to her toes to kiss Gideon again. It's after the second kiss when she's reminded that.. 1. They're outside in public, and 2. there are still things that need be done. Such as.. go to the Cauldron and find the Straw Bear.. and at least one other mummer. Her hand is taken, and though still coming down from the effects of the charm, neither of them seem to be any the worse for wear.

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