| Details for A Pirates' Welcome |
| Summary: | Cillian and Gabriel enveil a welcome surprise for the students of Hogwarts. |
| Date: | 1940-09-04 |
| Location: | Entry Hall, Hogwarts Castle |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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The Time: About 5 minutes after breakfast. The Place: Hogwarts Castle's Entry Hall. The Scene: A small table has been placed in the middle of the entry hall. On the table is a plain brown box about a foot high, a foot tall, and about half as wide. As students start coming out of the Great Hall the begin to slowly gather around the table with the box on it, looking at it curiously and murmuring speculations to each other.
In the shadows of the Grand Staircase a few of the Pirates lurk, watching the proceedings.
One of those people watching all calmly and in the shadows, on his knees so the shorter people can see over him, is Cillian. He's in full uniform so as to be proper, no hat or accessories save for that necessary patch and he's taller than last year and has filled out a bit more but he's still got that mischievous smirk that widens into a grin as he watches the proceedings.
Madeline lurks with the other pirates, crouching down simply to keep herself from bouncing with excitement. It hasn't a habit she's grown out of - perhaps she never will.
Like Cillian there have been some changes with Gabriel over the summer months. He's about six inches taller (even if he's still shorter than most people his age) and his hair is worn in a 'high-and-tight' style very similar to the standard military haircut. He's standing behind Cillian, bouncing a baseball up and down very gently in his right hand and counting under his breath, "… 15, 16, 17, 18… Only a few more to go!" His eyes are glued to the box in the middle of the hallway and the students starting to mill around it.
"This better go off without an 'itch…a hitch, blast it, ye know what I mean." Cillian exhales softly. "It will, it will go off just fine…I spent /hours/ on the writing. Bigger the letters, more strain on the wrist." And he loved every minute of it. "Now remember, ye gotta count how many people smile…"
"I'm not entirely sure Rosier knows how to smile," Madeline answers quietly. She's grown as well - but as far as anyone can tell, she hasn't changed. For better or worse. Her gaze is drawn temporarily to the baseball in Gabriel's hand. "How long you think you'll get to keep that this year?" she teases.
"OH, I don't know. Calig might not but I met Druella on the way up…" Gabriel's voice drops to a mutter as he says "a shame she was sorted into Slytherin" before going back to a normal conversational volume, "And she seems to be a fairly chipper sort." His eyes go down to his baseball for a moment as he chuckles and says, "Well, that would depend if I have a need to use it as a weapon or not, won't it? Ah damn it! I lost count." His eyes return to the growing group around the box as he continues to speak, "But no matter. It should happen any moment now. We only needed ten more to get close enough."
"If this doesn't make somebody smile, then they be 'avin bigger problems." Cillian agrees softly before he glances over his shoulder towards the baseball and then looks back to the surprise to be. "Now remember, we 'ave to play this smooth when it goes off…"
"When am I not smooth?" Madeline answers. …it may be best not to answer that.
Gabriel slowly turns his head to give Madeline a skeptical look, one eyebrow raised way high, but he says nothing. Mostly because at that moment the group around the box reaches critical mass.
When the 25 person gets near enough the box emits a loud "PWOOPMH!" making the closest students gasp and hurriedly take a step back. The top of the box pops open and almost immediately all four side peel away and fall to the floor. Left on the table is a galleon made entirely out of a variety of types of chocolate. With the exception of the the gauze sails.
"You are always smooth, Maggie, as just like porridge." Always with the compliments. Cillian is squinting though when the PWOOPMH takes place and he makes a quiet 'yes' motion with his fist and grins as the reactions vary. Laughter. Giggles. Smiles. Frowns. Eeps. Squeaks. On it is a lovely commotion and he's sucking it all in.
"Told you Rosier wouldn't smile," Madeline murmurs to Gabriel - though for her part, Madeline is grinning broadly as she watches the various students react. "I think that li'l firstie's gonna be the first to eat something," she murmurs and points.
Oh, but there's more. As Gabriel turns back to watch the scene in the middle of the entry hall with an annoyed exclamation at having missed the big reveal little chocolate pirates come swarming out from the stern cabin of the ship while little sailor swarm out of the fore cavern. Crashing together in the middle of the galleon, sabers and swords drawn, the start to duel back and forth across the deck. "Yes! They work!"
Cillian lets out a cheerful whistle when the little chocolate pirates get to showing off and he tosses his head back in silent laughter before just grinning and rocking a bit as he looks between Gabriel and Madeline and the others gathers. "Purrrfection."
"Ohhhh - nice one, Gabe!" Madeline says quietly with a broad smile herself. "Can they actually dismember each other with their chocolate swords because that would be amaaaaaaaazing."
Sadly the animation doesn't last long, two or three minutes at most. And Madeline's question is answered as the little chocolate men start freezing mid-duels, no dismemberment anywhere to be seen.
As the fights wind down a long flagpole extends from the stern of the ship. Once its all the way out a banner unfurls declaring to one and all "Welcome back to Hogwarts! Have an arrrr-mazing year!" and in mus smaller script and in a different handwriting, "Oh! And please do eat the ship and its combatants!" Gabriel grins over his shoulder at Maddy, "Does that answer your question?" While he gently thumps Cillian's shoulder in a congratulatory manner.
Cillian gives a little wiggle and whews softly, turning to straighten up and shoulder Gabriel in the counter congratulations before reaching out to pat Maddy's shoulder with a soft laugh. "All the students are more like the sea monsters about to gobble all the wee ones up. Good fun for all." He sighs and places a hand on his hip. "Okay, and now…" He looks around. "Time to get to class and not be late."
"Dismemberment would have been neat, though," Madeline says - just a touch sadly. They're going to have to figure that one ou- "Hey. Does that one kinda look like me?" she asks - abandoning the boys to get a closer look at the ship!
As the Pirates quietly walk away, satisfied smiles on their faces, the chocolate ship is mobbed by the crowd of students. And as Madeline predicted, the dismantling of the ship does begin with the actions of the first year students that form part of the crowd. In a matter of minutes the ship and its little pirates are gone, all in time for students to make it to their first class of the day.