| Details for (1941-07-03) Of Sea Lions and Eels |
| Summary: | Sioned has an appointment with Lewis, to find out more information about a seemingly innocuous memo she has been asked to translate and disseminate. |
| Date: | Sunday, July 3, 1941 |
| Location: | The Leaky Cauldron |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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Lewis was sitting at the table, drinking wine and smoking a cigar. He stuck out like a sore thumb in his army uniform, but he loved this place's atmosphere and the drinks were nice, too. He felt somewhat jealous of the wizarding world-they were away from the great war (at least, as far as he knew). The Cauldron had become something of an escape for him. He had been asked to come here to meet with a dame by the name of Sioned. She needed someone to help her translate a document. He needed a drink. It all worked out, in the end.
Sioned pauses at the entryway, her hand resting for a moment on the doorframe, giving her eyes time to adjust to the change in light. She scans the crowd, not sure what she is looking for, the meeting having been set up by her superiors. It turns out she needn't have worried, as the man is easily recognisable. She steps into the rooms from the doorway after a moment, making a beeline for Lewis. "Mayhap you be Lewis?" She asks, her tone businesslike and brusque.
Lewis offered a hand to Sioned and said "Guilty as charged, ma'am." He tips his army hat. He says "I take it you're Sioned?". He waits for her to have a seat before going on. He says "So you need help translating something?". The question was a tad redundant, but Lewis felt asking it was in some manner polite.
Sioned nods her head once, and steels her nerve, lowering herself to sit on the edge of the offered seat. She sets down her purse on her knees, pulling out a small notepad and quill, before looking back up to the man in front of her. "Indeed. Thank you for meeting me today." A muggle with knowledge of the wizarding world? Not something you see everyday, and truth be told she is a tad intimidated. "I came across a term that I wasn't sure of, and I was wondering if you could assist." She pauses a second, considering how to best explain.
Lewis smiled and said "Sure, sure." He tilts his head just a little and asks "May I ask what for? If it's not too much to ask, that is…" He's curious about the Wizarding World, and would like to know more about its inner workings. He's always loved learning new things.
Sioned furrows her brow, her mouth half open to explain her mission, before her train of thought is derailed. "The memo didn't say it was classified, so I think it's alright to fill you in." She sets the quill and notepad down on her lap, and moves her purse behind her. "I'm translating some muggle documents that come from the office of the Prime Minister. Nothing to do with the conflict, it seems, but we have to make sure that the information is disseminated to other Wizarding schools." She frowns slightly. "Now that I say it aloud, it seems strange, doesn't it?"
Lewis lights up. "You mean, Winston Churchill?" He was pretty fond of the prime minister-kind of a fanboy, to be honest. He felt the nation was in good hands. He asks eagerly "May I see them? It's curious that the Prime Minister would be writing to wizarding schools. I'd imagine it's instructions on what to do in case of a bombing or something?"
Sioned shakes her head quickly, "No, no," she moves quickly to stop him from going down the wrong path. "He isn't writing to the Wizarding Schools, it's an internal memo about sea lions, or something. That's the part we are having issues with. Why would the Prime Minister be writing about sea lions? I can translate the words, but if I don't know what it means, we can't have a hope for it to be understood elsewhere."
Lewis raises an eyebrow. "Sea Lion? I don't think I've heard of that before…" It dawns on him. "I think it's a code-word for something else. May I see the document? I might be able to decypher more of it for you". This seems more important than what he expecting to hear about. It was honestly kind of exciting, in a way.
Sioned picks up her notebook again, and makes a quick notation in neat, but slightly blocky script. "I apologise, but I wasn't able to bring the translation with me. I just noted the points that I needed clarification on." She uses the quill to point to her notebook so he understands that's all she has. "It just said something about if we encounter another sea lion, we need to make sure to keep it caged. Perhaps the Prime Minister is going to start a zoo for public morale?" She seems skeptical. "But if it's a code word…? It could mean anything." Her shoulders slump ever so slightly.
Lewis thinks to himself. "No, I don't think Churchill's making a zoo." He then mutters "That would be kind of nice, though" before getting back on topic. "I'm going to guess that…might be talking about Submarines? Maybe boats?" he starts to speculate "I'm guessing he might be worried about attacks by the German Navy?".
Sioned shows the hint of a smile as he echoes her sentiments about the zoo. It certainly would be fun, and if it had sea lions, all the better. However, her eyes widen as Lewis enlightens her as to the true nature of the memo. "Oh no…" Sioned isn't one to usually get flustered, but this information causes her trouble. She tries to brush her hair behind her ear with the quill still in her hand, nearly drawing on her face. She doesn't notice. "I was told that this was nothing to do with the conflict… I hope that the memos about eels were actually about eels." She seems doubtful.
Lewis shakes his head and says "Oh, no…" He raises it back up and says "Yeah, he's definitely not talking about eels. That's code for torpedoes". He takes a large swig of his drink and then says "This certainly has /something/ to do with the conflict. Whoever told you it doesn't is either lying or doesn't understand it. Probably the latter." Stupid eel-throwing sea lions!
Sioned takes a deep breath, and closes her eyes for a moment. "I am glad that I didn't bring the memo with me, then. Just you reading it would have been a gross breach of conduct on my part. I'm sorry to have involved you like this." Picking up her purse, she opens it and deposits her notebook and quill inside, taking out her wand. She looks at it, seemingly torn. "I'm not sure if I need to…" Her voice trails off, as she snaps the clasp on her purse shut.
"Hey, it's all good. You didn't know" Lewis is somewhat disappointed he didn't get to read the document, but he shouldn't complain-it's way above his paygrade and there's good reasons a grunt like him isn't allowed to read that stuff. He says "Well, since you're here, anyways, shall I buy you a drink?".
Sioned opens the clasp on her purse one more time with a click, and puts her wand away. It seems she has decided against what she was considering. A loud click, and her purse is once again, sealed up. "That would be nice. I need to get back, but a few minutes won't hurt." She reaches over to pluck the menu from a nearby table. "Elderflower wine, I think. Just one glass thought, and then I shall be off."
Lewis turns to the bartender and says "2 Elderflower wines, please!" The two drinks arrive. Lewis has never had Elderflower before. He takes a sip, wondering what it'll taste like. He says "So, you enjoy your job at the IMC?"
Sioned accepts the drink in lace-gloved hand, and savors the aroma first, raising the glass to her nose, and closing her eyes. The wine is light, crisp and floral in scent, but rather than the taste, it's the smell that is enchanting. Finally, she takes a slow sip, the corners of her mouth turning upward, almost smug in satisfaction. The fact that's alcoholic is just a happy coincidence. "It has its challenges… You have firsthand knowledge of that, now. But I really do enjoy being the bridge between two people, helping them to do something, that without me, would be impossible. How about yourself?" She has no idea what he does, but tries to cover up her ignorance by getting him to talk about himself.
Lewis is put slightly in a trance for a moment with the wine, and then says "I can certainly see why that'd be a pleasure." She asks him about his job, and he pauses a moment. He says "Well, being in the Infantry is pretty hard work. Lots of excercise, hard-ass drill sargeants, and uncomfy beds. Not to mention of course, the actual danger. That's a pretty big deal. But, you know, my country's my country-and Britian expects every man to do his duty. Someone has to stop the Krauts from running amok all over Europe."
Sioned slowly nods her head, herself rather taken with the wine. "You know," she adds as an aside, "Some places make a sparkling wine of this, too." As he speaks about his work though, her lips purse ever so slightly. Cursing isn't proper! But she lets it slide. "That too, is admirable. Everyone helps in their own way, from those on the front lines to the code breakers, to those running messages, and so on." Had she been a muggle she would probably have found a talent for code breaking. "I for one, thank you."
"Sparkling wine? I'll have to get that next time." She thanks him for his service and he gives her a quick salute. "Thanks, not everyone understands the importance of the job." He finishes his wine and then says "You know, maybe we should meet again sometime?"
Sioned is still savoring the wine, sipping slowly. Over the course of the last part of the conversation, she has settled into her chair a little more comfortably. "That would be nice." She holds no ulterior motives, nor suspects and from Lewis, her focus now mostly on the wine, to be honest. "As long as I can leave my work at the office, next time." Her lips twist into a smirk, but it's soon gone.
Lewis says "Alright then. I'll try to see you here here some other day, then? I think I'll be missed if I'm gone mush longer, but I'll try to see you another night". He offers a hand to her-though if she takes it he'll put a quick kiss on her hand if she lets him, before tipping his hat and departing out of the bar.
Sioned holds out her right hand, turning her head away slightly at the kiss to it, flattered, surely. "Good day, Lewis." She offers to him as he departs, herself setting in to at least enjoy the wine before she has to head back and explain sea lions and eels to her superiors.