| Details for Feeding the Ducks |
| Summary: | Phil and Graham meet up in the park and take her nephew to feed the ducks. |
| Date: | 8 October 1938 |
| Location: | Hyde Park, London |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
  |
Hyde Park
At 350 acres, Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in Central London. Divided from Kensington Gardens by the body of water known as the Serpentine, Hyde Park is full of trees and grassy fields and walk ways, and is home to the world's first Speakers' Corner. There, people can give speeches about or debate any lawful subject, as long as they avoid profanity. The Grand Entrance to the park sits right near Apsley House (the home of the Duke of Wellington) at Hyde Park Corner.
It's a bit after noon and though brisk it's not to bad overall. The sun peeks out from the clouds the park is a perfect place to be while it's still not covered in snow, a young man dressed down in his muggle attire he carries with him an odd adornment a basket as he crosses the street into the park and pauses to try and find a good place while he waits.
With a toddler in tow, or rather in a pram, Phil is walking through the park towards the Serpentine, where the plan is to feed the ducks. Dressed as ever, in clothes which are acceptable in either world, she does not look out of place. Just another pretty young mother and child going for a walk in the fresh air. The tow-headed tyke is chewing on a biscuit and watching the world rather than his aunt. Spotting a familiar figure Phil wonders just what Graham is doing and decides to head that way.
Graham turns back still trying to find a good place. He spots his friend and moves to meet her half way "Hello Phil, you look very nice." he says complimenting the other though he looks between the pair grinning unable to help himself. "Now I know it's only been a few days since I've seen you, who's this?" he asks lightly giving a wave to the toddler who seems quite occupied on the task at hand. He motions to the basket he carries "Was going to have a bit of a sit down lunch outside would you like to join me?"
"This is my nephew Rupert." Yes, poor little Rupert Rowle. "We are going to go feed the ducks in the Serpentine, would you and your lunch like to come along?" Rupert, who appears around two years old, looks at Graham with mild curiosity and says, "Ducks." Phil chuckles. "Yes, quite. Ducks." Her gaze drifts back to Graham. "Well, would you?"
"Well hello nephew Rupert." Graham says to the toddler but turns back to his friend and nods "We would love to." speaking for himself and his lunch, it appears he's rather in a silly mood today which is good giving that he needs to unwind sometime it would seem. He prepares to walk when she will towards the pond assuming that's the best place for duck finding. "How are you today?" he asks her a moment later.
Phil starts off, pushing Rupert as they walk. "I am well. I had a good long chat with Laurence. I'm still…relationships are hard. I want us to be on equal footing you know, but he has this desire to worship me and sometimes…well frankly sometime," she leans her head in towards Graham and lowers her voice, "it is sodding annoying."
Graham nods at her words "That's a good thing, that you got to speak. Hope that went well?" he moves at their easy pace towards their destination. "Ah, yes I struggled with the same myself simply over thinking everything at first. I know that he cares for you very much I've seen it first hand, I no pro at relationships but I imagine it's a fear of losing you."
She adjusts her grip on the pram as they walk at a stroll pace. "I am not going to leave him, not unless he keeps being so," Phil lowers her voice again, "bloody minded." She sighs and shakes her head. "Sometimes there is something to be said for arranged marriages I think."
The corner of his mouth turns down a bit but he nods. "I want you to be happy of course, but I hope it doesn't come to that you two seem very good for each other. I was surprised i'll admit when you told me of the trouble. The confidence he shows in public when with you. I'd offer to talk to him though think that'd make it worse." he shakes his head not understanding how it could be so different "I cant imagine you being arranged to someone like that. I mean not of your choice."
They round a bend and get closer to the large body of fresh water. "Ducks," says Rupert, pointing out to the Serpentine. "Yes, ducks," replies Phil somewhat absently. Her focus is really on her conversation with Graham. "He can't have any children. It worries him that I tell him it doesn't matter to me because he loves children and had hoped for a big family but it won't happen."
Graham looks towards the water and the ducks which reside there. He smiles "Lots of ducks." he also adds helpfully though he is listening to the other as she speaks about having a family. "I imagine that's a sticking point, but he hasn't tried has he I mean the hospital can do great things and if still not an option though it's not the same adoption is something." he lowers his voice being in the muggle world "Maudlin and her girlfriend adopted a really great little girl."
"I said as much, though to be honest I don't want children now and I do not know if I will want them in the future." Phil stops as a dog runs past then starts walking again. "He doesn't have any family left, not really, so he worries." Deciding to change the topic she says, "I talked Isobel into going on that date with Tim."
The auror watches the dog run by stopping as well. "I see, well it's an option should it come to that point. If I can help at all let me know will do what I can." Graham says though he listens to her and realizing she's changing the subject goes along with it. "Oh excellent, how did it go or has it not happened yet?" he asks glad that that worked out for them as well. He switches the basket from one arm to the other as they continue.
As they come up to a bench Phil puts the brake on the pram and reaches inside to pull out a paper bag of bread chunks. "I am waiting to hear from either of them or both." She lifts up Rupert and sets him on the ground, then keeps a hold of the reins attached to him.
Graham follows to the bench watching the toddler do his thing a moment as he's offered the bread chunks. He's not really spent much time around children and is slightly awkward so far other than little comments. He moves to sit lightly on the bench and sets his basket next to him. "I have sandwich's and some fruit and drinks whenever your ready."
Rupert takes bread from the bag in his little fist and toddles forward then throws the entire fistful into the water. Phil laughs at her nephew. "One at a time, Rupert, one at a time." She begins to dole out the chunks of stale bread. "So what is really happening with Rhyeline?"
The auror chuckles at the duck/bread assault. "The ducks appreciate the spread." Graham is looking through the picnic basket as the other question takes him by surprise, he looks back to Phil an eyebrow raising "How do you mean?" he asks confused about the question a moment.
"I mean, why does she feel death all the time? Why are healers visiting her house? Why was she sick for all those months?" Phil is such a nosy bugger. Her gaze flits between Graham and Rupert, her hand still holding the reins so the boy doesn't fall into the water.
Graham nods understanding crossing his face at the list of questions he's silent a moment. "I trust you with my life Phil, but please keep this between us." he says his voice a bit more serious as he looks directly at the other a moment. "Rhyeline was the assistant to diplomat Magnus Troy." that name will likely be familiar given how covered the trial was. "While overseas with him, there was an assassination attempt. Rhyeline steps into the path of the curse." he pauses here in case there are questions.
Phil nods slowly, she knew some of that but not all of it. "I see." She hands another bread chunk to Rupert who throws it gleefully into the water and watches ducks scrabble for it. "So what does she plan to do? Are people looking for a cure?"
The young man nods "Yes her primary healer is Sorcha's brother Keenan." Graham isn't sure if she knows this or not but he has to explain further taking a moment to pause to find how to explain it. "You know I've study spells a long time, i've never heard anything like this curse before. It feeds on the darkness within us. The diplomat would have been killed within hours but Rhyeline doesn't have the same dark nature but each of us has it to some degree. It keeps attacking her."
Rupert comes back to fish out more bread, this time Phil lets him take one for each hand. "Kisses," says the boy. Phil dutifully leans over to kiss his rosy cheek before Rupert toddles off to throw bread at ducks. "Magnus was an unusual man. I was afraid her feelings for him were more than professional and now she is working for Cassius Malfoy…he too can be charismatic."
Graham smiles as the toddler comes over and she leans in "You are really good with him, you'd be great you know." nodding though he changes back to the other subject. "I cant speak for that myself." he says about Magnus and Rhyeline but the second "Yes, I cant say that I trust Cassius Malfoy and I worry for Rhyeline in his employment." he's not voiced this to anyone else before now.
"I forget sometimes about what you are," admits Phil. "That you didn't grow up with as much of this as some of us." She sighs a little. "I grew up knowing Malfoys, Blacks and Lestranges. There are some dark wizards in my family tree if I shake it hard enough." Her head turns towards Graham, "But I don't think Cassius Malfoy is one. I cannot give my official support to what he does because of my family name but I do believe in the Unity movement. However, he will have some interesting enemies and she is aware of that."
The young man is lucky that hiding what's on one's face is a good auror's skill like a poker-face though with a friend it's harder than a suspect or darkwizard. The words of his friend hurt a bit more than he'd like to admit, but he tries to see what she is meaning by them. When he speaks it's still in the same tone as before. "I believe those individuals reflect poorly on themselves not your family tree. He says about the dark wizards. "I cannot stand with the unity movement, you'll understand as a journalist. Nobody can answer what happens even if it's mistaken or perceived lordship, as history shows there is revolution?"
"It will take a lot for there to be a real revolution," says Phil as she glances over at Graham. "Remember, there have been thousands of years of magic and in the past people have tried to reveal the truth and the consequences have been dire each time. Muggles cannot en mass cope with what we are. With the other magical creatures. They would use guns and mustard gas. They would be afraid because they would think we wall would use our magic to subdue them into some kind of slavery as muggles have done to themselves time and time again."
Graham nods "I don't know a simple tax, was enough for the colonists to revolt against England." the auror says but he continues after a moment "It's not that I don't wish to help the muggles, as I explained last night to Captain Benton, should war break out i'll be the first on top of the roof shielding homes from bomb's. I just think our current stance in behind the scenes way of helping would work." he reaches into the basket a moment to look away is needed before he grabs two sandwiches offering one over to the other. "Would you like fruit and a drink?"
Rupert comes over for the bag which is nearly empty. Phil lets him have it and he promptly dumps all the bread into the water. "Ducks!" With a laugh she says, "Silly Rupert," and pulls the toddler onto her lap. "Fruit would be lovely, thank you.
He turns back towards the toddler as he attacks the ducks with more bread he cannot help but chuckle a bit. Graham nods though moving back to the basket having brought some plates and cups as well. He sets everything over and pours a cup of the juice before offering it over. "Hm, though with fewer hands it might be hard to eat." he says as her lap and one arm is taken at least.
"Ah," says Phil with a laugh, "but I will have a helper." She tickles Rupert's sides and the boy giggles, squirming on her lap then reaches for the cup. Phil helps him drink it, watching carefully then sets it aside after taking a sip herself. "I had not really thought much about what you will have to do if there is a war, as it looks like there could be." She reaches over and squeezes Graham's shoulder.
Graham smiles and chuckles as the toddler laughs and squirms he smiles big at this exchange. He nods at her words though "Yes, it's likely i'd be called on for action, though even if I were not i'd still be that guy standing on the roof-top trying to save people, guess i'm a bit crazy on that point." he sighs slightly "I hope it doesn't come to that, I wouldn't something happening to me to hurt others my family Sorcha, you." it's a pause before he shakes his head "Sorry shouldn't talk like that." he gives a half smile.
Phil leans over, her hand slipping from his shoulder to around it and she gives Graham a side on hug. "I care for you too, Graham. You are one of my best friends." Rupert thinks it is all lovely and leans over to give Graham's kiss a cheek. "Kiss!"
The auror cannot help but smile properly and reaches out to return the hug a moment "You are of course one of my best friends as well, I meant it when I said if there was anything I can do you need only ask." but if he was going to speak darkly any longer it's dispelled by the toddler's kiss. He laughs openly at thsi "Thank you young Rupert, I've made a new friend it would seem." he says to Phil his eyes regaining there humor.
"Come on now Rupert," says Phil, pulling the boy back as she scoots back herself. The toddler curls his fist around her hair and leans into her. "I like being an aunt. I can send them home when the are sick or being naughty." She laughs and picks up the cup to drink some of the fruit juice.
Graham chuckles and takes a bite to eat and a sip from his drink before he speaks. "Ah, yes I can see the perks there, which from what I hear includes sleep." he offers a wink to the other "I never really thought about children before I am an only child myself, guess I will have to find where we stand on that topic at some point."
Rupert wriggles to get down so Phil lets him. The boy, having little shame as toddlers do decides that he is free to pee in the Serpentine. "Rupert!" Phil scoops up the boy who thankfully has finished and pulls his trousers back up. "Sorry, I think we need to go." She puts the laughing toddler into his pram and goes off, pushing it as she mutters about kids.