(1940-04-05) Slow Loris and the Auror Off-Duty
Details for Slow Loris and the Auror Off-Duty
Summary: Auror Cohen is met with suspicion from Lara, as they accidentially meet in the zoo.
Date: 05 April 2015
Location: Regent's Park — Zoo
Related:
Characters
GrahamLara

Its another nice spring day and really once more its too nice to be cooped up at work or inside, and while he was here yesterday. The Zoo is really a cool place if you ask some people at least. Its midmorning and noon will pass soon and so the park and zoo itself with become more populated. Graham moves through the park which skirts the entrance of the zoo his path moving that direction howerver he's in no hurry it seems just enjoying the day out.

Without her brother being around for Easter, Lara has taken the first opportunity to slip away silently from her home, determined not to let such a fine day be wasted sipping tea with her mom and friends. As none of her friends has replied to her last owls, and she has no business to attend to on a Sunday, she decided to head to the zoo. So, here she stands, in front of the cage of a drowsy looking slow loris, making faces and trying to catch the little one's attention…

Graham finally does reach the zoo entrance and walks on through. It seems he's deciding where he should start his animal expidition today. The young man decides to just make the loop and he can always skip things he'd seen the previous day. He is making his round stopping here and there. He will come upon the student and his walk slows a bit as he has the odd thought he's seen her before somewhere. "Good afternoon he greets as he moves to stand and watch the animal exhibit "Hm seems like he's feeling shy today." he comments.

Lara jumps as she hasn't realized the other man's approach until he addresses her directly. Feeling embarrassed for making faces in front of a cage like a little girl she turns, staring at the speaker. As most girls her age, she has (secretly) applied a light make up and is wearing a simple, but tight fitting cardigan and skirt, trying to look older and more lady-like than she really is. Making faces to mammals probably doesn't help, though… "Oh… good day, sir. I think he's just sleepy. It's a slow moving nocturnal primate. Only last year Mr. Pocock determined its species - Nycticebus coucang. Fascinating fellow, isn't it?" There can be no doubt about her house. She musters the other man, suspiciously.

The man looks applogetic "Sorry didnt mean to startle you. I'm Graham Cohen." he offers his hand in greeting his mind working to try and place the other a moment still while he looks back to the animal at the facts he's given this seems to jog his memory. "Ah, you did seem familure a fellow eagle. If I remember right." Graham gives her a wink as he does place the other at least the last he'd seen she was a student, though of age in the wizarding world it does become hard to tell or keep track..

Lara stares down at the outstretched hand for a moment, blankly, before taking it and remembering her manners. "Laryssa Stuart. And you… you are…" A wizard, here in the zoo? "Pardon me, do I… know you?" She wrecks her brains, but just cannot place the man. She feels strangely flustered by his attention, with a couple of warning bells ringing inside her head all the same.

Graham shakes the hand polightly before letting it go "Its a pleasure to meet you Miss Stuart." The auror will watch the animals a bit before turning back to her when she speaks again though he smiles briefly. "Hm, know might be a little strong. I have visited your.. boarding school a few times in the line of work, I simply usualy have a good memory of faces." He answers truthfully on the topic "I've always enjoyed the Zoo since moving to London."

"The pleasure is mine, Mr. Graham," Lara quickly recovers, "you are a colleague of Aur… Mrs. Lee then?" That would make sense. She has no mind for faces, but rather for facts. If he can recognize her in a zoo in the middle of Muggle London when having seen her only once in Hogwarts before, than this is certainly an amazing feat. "You must be really good at your job, when you can remember faces so well." There is true admiration in her voice.

"I am indeed same office in fact, Rena's a good friend of mine." Graham explains he knows its tough not to slip up around the muggles so that's taken in stride since he almost does it himself still at times. "I thank you Miss Stuart, that's very kind of you, i'd hope I am at least proficient at my job." he ponders a moment "Mind if I tag along with you while at the zoo?"

For a moment, Lara looks much like a cornered animal, as she tries to guess the reasons why the auror might have sought her out and also how he had found her so easily… certainly this wasn't by accident! Did she still have the 'trace' on her? Guardedly, she nods, not taking her eyes of the auror. "I… sure! I'd… very much like that." She pauses a moment. "Where… should we go?"

Graham watches her perhaps in her face or body language that he's startled her which worries him given well that's not his way. He smiles "Excellent, I often do come to the zoo by myself its a good place to get away, but going with others is even more fun." He ponders there where "Hm do you have any favorite animals you'd like to see? I usually see the big cats and the birds beyond my place of dormitories when in school. I really do like eagles." he chuckles

Lara looks even more confused by the minute, but merely nods, waiting for the auror to take the lead and deciding it would be best not to reveal anything without being questioned first. At least… he apparently did not intend to arrest her just there and then. "You take the lead… I guess….?" She feels her cheeks redden as she tries a weak smile.

The auror watches her a moment and tries to read the look on her face. Graham is confused himself unsure what misstep he might have taken to have her look uneasy as she blushes and smiles. He'll smile briefly and move alongside the other to just continue on the way of the rounds of the zoo. "My apologizes for prying Miss Stuart, but you seem uneasy. Have I done something wrong?" he's inquisitive as they walk stopping at the next exhibit but he'll look over to listen if she'll answer. "If you'd like you can call me Graham by the way i'm not really very formal off the clock to be honest."

Lara almost runs into the man, as he suddenly stops and turns towards her. Her uneasiness is only heightened by the aurors casual way. Collecting her courage she finally burst out. "Look, I… I don't know why you want to speak to me or what your intentions are, but please stop pretending we are… friends.. or such. Just go ahead and ask, ok? And… if it is anything serious, I think I have the right to… consult… someone…first?" She actually isn't sure about that last one and bites her lips nervously, her fingers clenched into fists.

Graham reaches out as if to steady the other but she stops in time so the hand is lowered to his side. The auror listens to her words concern coming over his face at her worries and why she's uneasy. "I am sorry i've made you feel uneasy but I assure I have no intentions and simply thought having company about the zoo would be more interesting then not. If you would rather i'll leave you be though." he pauses frowning though. "I'm here off duty your in no kind of trouble, and even if you were I highly doubt it would be from my office specificaly."

Lara was expecting anything, but such a simple truth and for a long moment she merely stares at him in disbelief. An awkward "Oh. " is all she finally manages. "Well… I… I am sorry." With a nervous giggle, she adds, "I just find it a bit strange that an auror accidentially finds me here, in the middle of Muggle London. But I guess, everybody has a life off-duty, uh?" She cringes as it does not sound very convincing in her own ears. After all… he might be telling the truth.

"Its quite alright, i'd rather you be cautious and safe." Graham looks over to the other after she's thought a bit and answered him he can see her point a bit at least. "I really do simply just like coming to the zoo, quite true one must have off duty time despite my having been accused of overwork at times. Plus I live here in London near Bank." he points the direction he means. "Would you still like to tour the zoo?" he asks curiously.

Now it is Lara's turn to feel like a fool. "I see!" She nods at his explanation and awkwardly offers her hand for an apology. "Please call me Laryssa then, si… Graham. Sorry for… for being so rude. I just thought you… well, never mind that now. It'd be a pleasure if you would join me for a tour of the zoo." She smiles up at him, hoping to mend the damage done. "Is it true you live nearby? How come you live in a Mugg… in such a surrounding? Is it part of your disguise?" Her curiousity is now getting the better of her.

Graham accepts the hand and shakes it once more "Of course Laryssa and truly its alright you werent rude at all." The auror says and he'll look to the animals in the enclosure he'd ignored before she speaks further "It is indeed, quite a few live here in London actually not just from my department." He says though lowering his voice "Not sure about a disguise though my house looks throughly normal from outside appearances so I guess that could be said. Plus i'm half-blood."

Lara grins, following his gaze and watching the animals absent-mindeldy. "Yes, I have guessed as much. You know how to blend in well among Muggles." Feeling more daring now, she continues her own questioning, almost in a whisper. "So, you… aren't going to ask me anything about the Eibons?" She glances sideways to check his reaction. "You have been part of the team that raided their house, haven't you?" Her expression shows a mix of emotions, somewhere between awe and sadness.

"I sure hope so, though if i'm sure I could mess that up if he tried hard enough." Graham says with a smirk trying to keep things light now that they've spoken and understand one another. He turns away from the animals at her whispered words and the smile fades a bit though still friendly "I am not, I can promise you that much. I was involved though yes with both raids." He takes a deep breath sighing. "The house was a sad duty for me, a dark wizard fine sign me up but going to someones house with wife and children there. Not something I wished to do."

Whatever she saw in his face there, it seems to satisfy her. For a short while, both remain silent. When she speaks again, her voice is barely audible. "Poor Mr. Eibon. The young one, I mean. Angelus. I only know him in passing, so there isn't anything of interest I could tell you, even if you asked. But he has been acting strange for quite some time now, always getting himself into trouble, during meals in particular. It must have been a terrible blow for him." She sighs, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, I promise I won't question you any further either. I just… wanted to know. From a first hand source…" Good science practice, that is. "I've heard they have a number of new arrivals in the bird section. Shall we have a look? I love the colourful ones in particular. Some have all the colours of the rainbow, depending on the way the light is reflected on their feathers. It's like magic, but it's not…" As if to compensate, her tone is overly cheerful all of a sudden, and she quickly wipes her eyes as she turns from Graham.

Graham nods "That sounds good, birds are intresting that way so varried from one another they almost all can be their own animal." The auror says and will walk towards the aviary he does listen to her words "Yes it is quite hard on Mr Eibon, i've met him a few times since. You can imagine he's not happy with me and even more so with Rena." but after these words he'll nod to not asking her questions about it though he'd not had done so. If he notices her wiping her eyes he makes no mention he'll hold the door open to the aviary for her.

Lara does not mention the topic again, but rather finds Graham an increasingly pleasant companion as they slowly make their way through the aviary. As a result, she starts to relax visibly. While she continues to ask him questions on his profession (from the best ways to fight a werewolf, to the presence of a secret special 'weaponry' in the Ministry of Magic, to the possible and impossible collaboration with Muggle police, to mention a few), she shows just as much interest in her surroundings, pointing as she identifies various birds and explains their specialties to him (unasked for, of course).

From the Auror's point of view he does smile more enjoying the trip through the aviary and the zoo at large. Graham answers the questions to the best of his ability being quite amiable now that the suspecions are lessoned at least and any day that he can make a new friend student or otherwise is a good day and he'll listen and learn and give bits of information he has when he can do so it seems that the portion touring the zoo is a good time before they must part and go on their seporate ways.

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