| Details for A Biscuit for Baba |
| Summary: | Boudica and Seamus are drawn into a meeting when Baba discovers he has fresh biscuits on him! |
| Date: | June 30, 1941 |
| Location: | Leaky Cauldron |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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It's evening, just after dinner time, not that it has stopped many from coming into the tavern for something to eat and drink. One of those people is Boudica, the young woman seated at a table near the fireplace. Currently, she has a glass of wine before her, and is looking at the paper while waiting her order to arrive. One might notice a small white animal that peeks out of her pocket of her blazer every so often to peer about before ducking back inside against.
Truth be told, Seamus doesn't often come to the Cauldron. Most of the time he isn't at work he just stays home and makes his own meals. The fighting in the muggle world was making him want to seek out the relative peace of the Wizarding more lately. His pale blonde hair's pulled back neatly, as the slim young man slips into the cauldron wearing a dark blue suit that would look somewhat in place among muggles, with a golden pocketwatch tucked neatly into his vest pocket.
As the door opens to allow another to step inside, Boudica looks up from her paper to peer in that direction, to see if it's anyone that she might recognize. She doesn't, but the critter in her pocket peeks out, soon to clamber down from her pocket and drop into her lap beneath the table. "Baba.." She half whispers to the thing, dropping a hand then to try and catch the thing to put it back in her pocket.
The smell of the kitchen hangs on Seamus as he moves to walk past her. When he spots the thing move from the woman's pocket to her lap, this does actually intrigue him. It isn't often that he sees a mouse here in the Leaky Cauldron. Some would probably freak out a little but he's dealt with enough strange people since he was at Hogwarts that it doesn't really surprise him any more, and some of then were even Wizards."A pet mouse?" He asks in a lightly accented brogue.
IT has to be something about the smell that hangs about him that has gained the little mouse's attention, for as he pauses close, to lean in and ask, the thing hops over Boudica's hand, and takes a leap to catch on to his pant's leg and scramble up, chittering quietly. Should he have a pocket, the mouse seeks it out and duck into it, sniffing about as if he might have a treat hidden away. "I am /sooo/ sorry.." Boudica begins to apologize, cheeks flushing just a little, "She doesn't normally do that!"
"It's alright. She's not the first creature to try and find something in my pockets. Usually though it's someone of the two legged variety." Seamus says smiling, and there is a tin filled with biscuits in his pocket. Not a big one but it is there. "Is it safe to reach for her? I've heard some mice bite when they're disturbed by someone they don't know." He says, sounding a trifle bit nervous about the whole thing.
"Oh?" Boudica does ask, laughing softly before she seeks to rise from her seat, stepping slightly closer to him, "You must have some biscuits on you? Or made some? They are her favorite." When asked, she shakes her head, "Baba Yaga is quite a sweetie. She will let anyone touch or hold her. Very gentle." Indeed, when offered his hand to scramble into, the tiny odd mouse will get in, and sit there, peering at him with black eyes, and almost seems to be begging for a treat out of that little tin!
"I keep some on my person. A habit from my days at Hogwarts. It helped with the homesickness of the lower years." Seamus says as he removes the tin from his pocket and opens it up to reveal a few small biscuits with little fleur de lis on them. "I made them just a bit ago. One has to try and make do right now when out in the Muggle world. The war's put a bit of a crimp into supplies but I still have some ways to get what I need."
"You are done with school?" Boudica wonders of the young man, though soon offers with a little gesture, "Feel free to join me, if you'd like?" When the tin is opened and the smell wafts out further, Baba chitters excitedly, though makes no move to try and get a biscuit herself, but instead waits to be offered a bit by he. "I haven't been outside lately, not with the news of how things are going."
"I graduated in 1940." Seamus says nodding his head a bit and sitting down at the table. Once he's settled, he places the tin upon the table near Baba and Boudica. "It's bad. I'm glad they're getting the young out of city. It's getting bad enough I'm considering moving out to Hogsmeade and maybe finding a job working in a restaurant up in Scotland." He says in a serious manner. His eyes watch the young lady at the table curiously.
"Ah.. " Boudica says with a nod before taking her seat again, the mouse to jump to the table top, and waits until Seamus takes a biscuit out of the tin for her. No glutton is the mouse. "I'd heard that…" A pause, and she tilts her head, "Have you looked about here as well for a position, rather than over in Hogsmeade?" Curious is she. "Do you prefer to work in a restaurant, or would you be willing to work somewhere's else?"
"Oh I have a position here. It's just with the bombings and the dangers that the Muggle world has right now, I often wonder about leaving London. I'm an Irish man in London, so it's a bit awkward at times." Seamus says as he does remove one of the biscuits and sets it on the table before the mouse. "I'm a cook right now, I want to be a chef. I've got some of the training. One of my aunt's friends has been teaching me since she got custody of me when it turned out I had magic. Second one in the family."
"Ah…" Boudica murmurs, soon to draw back when the server steps up to deliver her fish and chips, leaving the two alone again to talk. With the presentation of a biscuit, the mouse squeaks excitedly, then takes it in her paws to nibble daintily upon it. "Muggle-born then?" She asks, a brow arched upwards. Hard to say just how she might feel upon that bit of information.
"Yes. I grew up in Dublin and Galway, my aunt has a place in County Galway where not too many Muggles live. So she gets relative peace in her life without prying eyes. My father, mother and siblings are living in Dublin. I think I have a niece or nephew. They don't really speak to me, and I'm ok with that really. Frightfully dull people. They live life by balance books." Seamus says shuddering a little bit. "I hope you won't hold it against me."
Boudica shakes her head, "No, no.. family is family, yes?" She asks of him before remembering her manners, "I am Boudica. Boudica Burke." A pause, and she adds, "Healer of animals. I have a clinic over on south Vertick Alley, north a ways from here." While Baba has her biscuit, Boudica digs into her own meal, eating as daintily as the mouse does.
"Ah. I knew one of those once. I really never studied creatures at Hogwarts. My time was mostly spent studying potions and charms and the like." Seamus says shrugging a bit,"I really haven't kept an animal in awhile. My flat doesn't really seem too compatible with having an animal. Personally though I'm most definitely a friend of felines. I'll put some food out for the strays so they can be healthy."
Boudica smiles at hearing his practice of feeding the strays, "Then you likely have a few friends in that regards. If you notice any of them looking sick, I'll gladly take a look at them, free of charge." She chuckles, "It's sort of how I got Baga here.. well.. Bertie brought her to me one day. Bertie, my feline."
"Thank you. Many of them are very sweet natured creatures that just don't have a family." Seamus says smiling a bit that the offer,"So I leave them behind and just feed them what I can. Not a big fan of dogs though, I generally try and steer well clear of them." Mostly because they terrify him to no end but that's beside the point. His eyes watch Boudice for a moment,"Many pets then?" He asks curiously.
"If you think they might be adopted, could aways bring them in at the clinic. I might be able to find homes for them." Boudica offers without hesitation before she chuckles, "Dogs have their place, but they are certainly not for everyone." When asked, she smiles a little more, "As an animal healer, I do tend to collect pets. I have Bertie, my feline from when I went to Hogswart. Then there's Baba here. Dymphna my owl that I got when at Hogswart as well. Newt the hognose snake someone brought in, and then never came back for. And last, Felix, a rather large puffskein that I met while I was writing a book on puffskeins…"
"Perhaps they can but I am not sure that they would want to be. They're the kind that seem to like to be near people but I doubt they'd be content to live with someone and not hunt their own food." Seamus says shrugging a little bit,"Not the contented house cat lot but if one of them seems to be willing I will definitely bring it by your business." He means it too. "That's way more animals than I've contended with before. I had a cat for a bit but she's living out her old age with my Aunt."
"I've had others, for a little while. People bring them in to be healed then decide they no longer want them. Most I find homes for, but for a few…" Boudica shrugs slightly, "At least she's got a place to live out her old age, with someone who doesn't mind a companion?" A sip of her wine is taken before she she wonders, "So you work here, at the Cauldron?" Making sure she understood right, "What's your favorite thing to cook?"
"Nope. I work at another restaurant in London. I make all kinds of things. When I was at Hogwarts I was well known for my pastries." Seamus says shaking his head a bit about working here,"I've had it recommended to work at the Farin Brew, but I've heard things about the head chef there and not sure it would be a good place for me to work but maybe. He's supposed to be quite good at food."
"Ah, sorry, I misunderstood, I guess." Boudica murmurs, listening before nodding her head, "I've heard he can be hard to work for, but if you wish to be a chef, and can handle him and his tirades, then it's the best place to work." This she has heard here and there, "I'd go talk to him, especially with things so… unwell outside our world."
"Precisely." Seamus says smiling,"It's ok. I didn't explain properly my situation. Eating out is a rare thing for me as well. Normally I make my own meals." He says casually as he looks at Boudica,"But yes, I think I could handle it. I endured far worse at Hogwarts for awhile."
Boudica dares to roll her eyes just a little as she snorts, "For some, there would be much worse, especially if you had to deal with any pesky types. " She doesn't name Slytherins in particular. Surely there are those pesky types in all Houses, hmm? "Then I wish you well, should you seek out the owner of Farin Braws and give it a go. I do not get down to Hogsmeade very often, but I may have to make a trip there if so."
"Well there was a spot of trouble where things were left unchecked." Seamus says shrugging a bit,"But the pesky types eventually lost a bit of their powerbase and were returned to normal." He says in a casual manner,"It's nice being in Hogsmeade sometimes since we don't have to worry about Muggles there seeing magic and breaking the Law." He says absently,"It's worth venturing there for and I did eat at Farin Braws a couple
Boudica looks curiously at him when he speaks of trouble, but doens't push for information. Instead, she hms, nodding her head, "Yes, there is that.. no worries." She murmurs before smiling, "I'll have to be certain to try it. I am hoping to go down there soon, and speak to a few people at Hogswart."
Scene Fades