| Details for Brief Introductions |
| Summary: | Three people meet thanks to a dog. |
| Date: | 1938-12-24 |
| Location: | Diagon Alley |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
  |
Snow is falling and is thick on the streets of Diagon Alley. Nicolas is just coming out of the pet store wrapped in a beige coat and a matching scarf with a bag of treats in hand and a small brown white and black dog trotting at his heel looking around with excited and somewhat hyper brown eyes. The dog wears a black collar and is on a leash that Nicolas is holding the end of in his other hand. The pair exit the shop and Nicolas looks up at the snow smiling softly. The dog lets out a soft yip and bounces allong behind him through the snow. She has thick fur and doesn't seem bothered by the cold though blue eyes look over to check on her every few moments as they walk down the street. Nicolas puases by the book shop looking through the window at the display while the dog sits at his feet and reaches a paw up to catch a falling snowflake.
As expected with this season a small group of carolers are bundled shoulder to shoulder. Their voices resonate beneath the speckled snowfall and to each own a ball of witchlight illuminates their songbook. The frosty air has colored the tips of their noses and cheeks. Some stay and linger for the jolly tune while others press on towards their destination. Xavier was approaching from the north east, cane in hand while keeping a leisured pace. He paused before the carolers however they are not the ones that caught his attention. "Cute pup."
Andromena can be spied walking through, if only barely, the busy press of people that filled Diagon Alley. By virtue of being a petite person, as well as walking alone, one could be forgiven if they missed her. About her slender frame is draped a long, thick black robe lined in black fur. A cap of popular fashion dons her head, leaving curling tendrils of brown hair to tumble artfully down her shoulders. One might notice the little 'click-click' of her boots as she walked, but there was far too much ambient noise. She, too, has just passed by the carollers and would have kept on going, except for the two men and that dog. The dog that was currently staring her way and giving its best: look at me and see how pathetically cute I am!? What teen could resist? Andromena slows to a halt, just in time to hear Xavier compliment the animal. "Yes, it is indeed," she chimed in.
Nicolas jumps slightly startled when the man nearby comments on his dog. Looking down at his companion and then up at the man he smiles shyly blushing just a bit though its hard to tell if its the cold that caused it or something else entirely. He glances to the girl nearby and smiles faintly at her as well. "Thank you both…..Moira why don't you say hello to the nice people." He looks down at the dog who happily barks twice and then walks over to each of the strangers sniffing them and looking up with hopeful brown eyes wanting a pet. Sitting in front of them she lifts her front paw looking up at Xavier expectantly. Nicolas blushes a bit deeper and looks with uncertain amusement to Xavier waiting to see what he will do.
Xavier refrains from obliging the pup. His winter gloved hands remain as they were no matter how happy it appeared. "Moira is it?" The wizard asked as he lowered his gaze for a studious glance of the man's dog. "Heh. Not today pup. She might." The young female, apparently excited to see the dog, is indicated by the gold tip of his cane. Afterwards Xavier returns to the dog owner, "She appears well behaved. Did you train her yourself?"
"Well, hello to you, Moira," Andromena grins. She reaches out to give a gentle pat-pat to the top of Moira's head, fingers lingering at an ear before she withdraws her touch. Mostly because the dog has turned her focus to the aforementioned Xavier. He was right to guess that Andromena would want to indulge the creature! That Nicolas is blushing so intensely does not go unnoticed, though Andromena is prepared to chock it up to the cold and the wind. It's…almost odd, seeing a grown man act so nervously. Maybe he was having a bad day? But there's something about the fellow with the gold-tipped cane that reminds her of someone. Andromena can't quite put her finger on it.
Nicolas chuckles softly at Xaviers restraint and Moria's soft whine. But then Andromena is petting the dog and Moira turns her complete attention on the teen barking happily moving closer and looking up at her and extending her paw like she did for Xavier. Nicolas's focus is on his fellow adult now and he smiles shyly and nods to him. "Yes I did. I found an excellent book on training dogs and it helped me a great deal. She is also rather smart…sometimes too smart." He eyes the dog with amusement before looking back to Xavier with a cautious sort of curiousity. "I don't think we have met before though I don't really get out that much anyway…..I'm Nicolas Benthur…nice to meet you." He is rather shy and it rather shows that he isn't used to being the center of attention.
"I would recall if we had." He says at first then offers a small smile as he states with pride, "Xavier Sykes." A gloved hand is extended to Nicolas for a proper gentleman's greeting. "It seems your Moira is getting on well with this one. I have thought to acquire a little rascal myself as a companion while abroad."
Andromena takes the animal's paw and gives it a good shake. There was a moment's hesitation where she looked at her gloved hand, then at the paw, and wondered: Do I really want slush and dirt to get on me? But solved it by grasping more the forelimb than the actual paw. Ah ha! Andromena smiles happily as the shake completes.
As Nicolas introduces himself, Andromena straightens from the slightly bent position she had assumed to pay more attention to Moira. His name means nothing to her, however…Sykes does. Thankfully, Andromena has manners and doesn't just blurt out that she knows one of his relatives. No, instead she allows to the two men to complete their introductions before saying, "You wouldn't happen to be that travelling Sykes, would you, brother to Ria Sykes?" Because his name may have been dropped once or twice between them.
After introducing himself to the dog owner Xavier turned his gaze upon the young woman that has apparently heard of him. "The very one and only." A gloved hand touches the brim of his hat, "And you might be?"
"Andromena Rowle," says she, smiling up to Xavier. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance." Oh, to be someone such as he! There was a definite allure to the notion of name recognition. Plus, how often did one get to meet a person who's profession was treasure hunting? Andromena would confess to no small amount of jealousy; but it was the good kind, at least. Or rather…as good as being jealous could politely be described.
"Ah Miss Rowle." He greets with warm familiarity where names held meaning in this world. "Like wise dear girl. It has been some time since I've held the company of someone from your family. I trust everything is going well?" Xavier may appear to be genuinely interested in the wellbeing of another pure-blood family.
He may appear that indeed, and if he isn't actually, then…maintaining appearances is all that really mattered to people of that echelon, was it not? Andromena would not put undue stress upon his noble personage by blathering on about her relatives. Merely, "They are quite well, thank you for inquiring." There is a polite smile for him, and ah, at least it's not someone ugly imposing upon his time. Cheeks slightly rosy from the cold, straight, white teeth and dark brown eyes beneath thick lashes played their part in creating a lovely visage, even if she was just some school girl-teen. "However, I really ought to be on my way. Again, nice to meet you - have a merry Christmas!" And off she went, disappearing into the snow and the crowd.