| Details for Broomflying Delinquents |
| Summary: | Felix gets the itch for a shiny and Ellery zooms to his rescue. Friends are made. |
| Date: | 1941-07-19 |
| Location: | Merlin Square, Carkitt Market, Diagon Alley |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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The sun dips its toes into the horizon, casting London into the cool and dim of the approaching dusk. Merlin Square is most empty, save for a few stragglers and lowlifes. But the presence of undesirables doesn't deter the likes of Felix Flitwick. The grimy-cheeked boy is fixated on something far too distracting: the glowing crystal sphere in the hand of the statue of Merlin. The way it shines in the dimming evening is just too enticing, and suddenly the only thing that matters is seeing it up close. So, up Felix goes, climbing onto the plinth under the stature, and looking for hand- and foot-holds to make his way higher up Merlin's majestic, marble form.
Curious little mouse is climbing the statue and Ellery, waiting for her father to return from his visit with an old friend leaves her wandering the park with her new broom in hand. Its top is tipped to the bottom of the ground and taps along with her, a certain look of pride creasing her features. Ellery catches the movement of Felix scaling Merlin and starts towards him. Quickening her steps to reach the statue her green dress and petticoats bounce, the bow caught up in her hair matches the ensemble. She looks like a proper girl in her ensemble save for the bruises on her legs and a huge one blossoming on her elbow. She places her free hand on her hip and tilts her head to watch the progression. "That seems a strange thing to do," she remarks loud enough for him to hear.
That voice, so close, gives Felix a bit of a start, and his foot slips from its hold on Merlin's belt. "Blimey!" he exclaims, suddenly finding himself dangling by Merlin's y-fronts. His feet scramble against the statue until he finally finds purchase again, and he can safely look down at the girl below him. "Oh, oy! Gave me a fright, bird!" He gives her a friendly grin, then nods up toward the glowing sphere. "I wanna see it up close. Got to try now, 'fore the Magistrate comes 'round."
"Hey now," she cries out, stepping forward as he starts to slip, her own heart rapidly beating for a time until he gets himself back into place. Blue eyes narrow, staring upwards at him to get a better look at what he is referring to. "You think you can steal it?" she says, her accent a bit more fitted to the upper levels of society. She wrinkles her nose and glances around as if to see him naming the magistrate would summon them. Shaking her head, she hesitates, giving her broom a tap on the ground before she. She turns it bristle side down and leans it forward, waving her hand over it to cause it to levitate and despite being rather unladylike hops onto it. She rises easily and joins him, hovering at his side as she glances upwards. "You want to break your neck it seems like, silly thing. What are you planning to do once you get to the top?"
Felix beams happily as the young lady joins him in the air. "Oooh, brilliant! I ain't got a broom of me own." A pity, since the lad has been known to tear up the air on the Quidditch pitch. "I weren't finkin' of stealin' it." He eyes the orb, wrinkling his nose. "Fink I could?" He gives Ellery a mischievous and conspiratorial grin as he continues his climb with renewed motivation.
Ellery blinks, eyes briefly widening as he seems to take it as a possible challenge. "Do not think I am going to help you do something dodgy," she retorts, but rises with him as he manages to keep his footing. "Careful there…" she says and notes his foot, pointing to the next foothold. "Aye, watch yourself," she circles around to the other side of the statue, getting a look around before returning. "Best to get down while you can, no one is here yet but likely they will be soon enough," she says - like her father; who likely won't have anything to do with her flying in a dress.
Felix clambers up the statue like a squirrel scaling a tree, his climb made all the quicker with the help of the girl who says she won't help him. "Naw, it ain't dodgy. Just a li'l…dingy. And I ain't gonna do nuffin' wrong. I just wanna see it, don't I?" Has he given up the thought of stealing it? "Gah! Oh, 'ello Mister Merlin." He giggles as he finds himself face to face with the countenance of the legendary wizard. "Wossat? You want me to look at your crystal? That's right nice of ya, sir. See?" He gives Ellery that happy grin. "'E wants me to look!"
"I do not know, do you? Do not ask me questions I would not have the slightest answer for," she retorts quickly. Ellery doesn't leave him, despite her better judgement and as he takes up a conversation with the statue she lifts a brow quizzically at him and huffs out a breath. "Sure he does," she murmurs and then glances around once more, peering down at the moving forms in the dimming light. "Look, how is it you are getting down?" she asks of him, chewing at the inside of her cheek as she brings her broom around and hovers just a bit highter than the jewel. "Really, this is not a good idea."
Felix carefully turns himself around to face the glowing ball. "Well…I'm already up 'ere, yeah? Wouldn't be right to climb down now wifout at least havin' a look." He lets out a giddy giggle and scoots toward Merlin's shoulder. Suddenly he drops, sliding down the statue's upper arm on his bum. He hits the crook of the elbow with a grunt, then leans forward, flattening himself along the forearm to inch toward the outstretched hand holding the sphere. Like an insect hypnotized by a flame, his wide eyes are fixed on that glow as he gets nearer. "Cor…lookit it!" Finally reaches his destination, he reaches out a hand to touch the beautiful crystal…just as a whistle sounds from below. "Oh no! It's the bottles! We gotta run for it!" In a blind leap of faith, Felix scampers forward, leaping toward Ellery and reaching out to grab onto her broom. This surely cannot end well.
"You muppet!" she proclaims as she watches him use the arm as a slide. Her eyes widen and she takes a moment to steady her broom and bring herself closer, heart pounding for him. Ellery draws closer as the whistle sounds and she turns her head to glance back at his warning over her shoulder. It's what causes her to miss the launching of his person at her and her broom. As he collides, she just notices and manages t keep the both of them dipping over the front with a quick pull back that has them climbing and her grabbing with her free hand for his wrist where he has a hold of her broom - HER NEW BROOM! "You git!" her voice shrills high and keening as she whips about and tries to bring them level, gritting her teeth as she tries to help haul him up while making space, not that it will work. But she starts to bring the broom down, heading for the far side of the square. She starts to pick up speed for fear of being caught with him and named an accomplice. Eyes lift to watch where she is going, straining herself to keep a hold of him while he needs it.
Felix giggles madly as he dangles like a rag doll from Ellery's broom. "Good on ya, bird! Hey…whoa! Don't go down! We gotta get out of 'ere, 'fore that bottle stuns us outta the sky!" He lets go with one hand — leaving him precariously holding on by just the arm that Ellery is gripping — to frantically point in the direction of the Carkitt Market. "There! We can dodge 'im in there!"
"You are a nutt..ERRR!" the last hiccups higher as he keeps hold of her hand and lets go of her broom with the other. She jerks forward and slams her chin into her broom and luckily has enough sense to keep them up and not digging into the ground tip first. She grunts and feeling the slight twinge in her jaw, she grimaces and pulls back up. "Fine!" She says and with a tucking of her head picks up speed towards the direction he wants to go. If he doesn't take hold of the broom again, this may end rather quickly as her hand is getting sweaty.
As both a skilled climber and a talented broomsman himself, Felix has a firm grip. Though the sudden acceleration threatens his hold enough that he deems it wise to grab on with both hands again. Clearly enjoying himself far more than Ellery is, he cackles all the way down as they dive into the covered market. "Right, put us down by the toadstool stand. We'll play fish-in-a-river wif the evenin' crowd." Said crows is certainly growing thin, but perhaps the boy is onto something, as there is a bit of congestion around that toadstool stand.
Ellery is mute at the moment and obviously not all together pleased with the turn of events but can't help but crack a slight grin. Adrenaline is rushing and she's had worse little dings from Quidditch practice, even if there is a slight metallic taste in her mouth from biting her cheek. She skims the top of the stands and then drops them rather quickly, slowing to put him into a spot of the crowd that opens when they approach. She then dips her broom and lets go of it so she slides off and catches herself in a crouch. She straightens up, grabbing for her broom and giving him a look as if waiting for his lead, somewhat flushed from the excitement.
Felix drops down a few feet earlier than he should, landing with a tumble that he bounces right back from. With a bright smile, he reaches for Ellery's hand to tug her along to blend into the crowd. "C'mon! Fish-in-a-river. 'E can't spot just one." He is moving just a bit faster than the shoppers, zig-zagging through as openings appear, weaving in a seemingly random path through the market.
Ellery jerks forward a step but soon finds her footing to follow along with Felix. "Fish in a river?" she asks in her more clear cut accent. She casts a look back, seeing the river of people parting further back in response to their pursuers. "OI! They are coming!" her voice elevates again so she can be heard, picking up her pace so she is not so much being pulled anymore as anticipating his movements - which is not always exact. Her dress shoes are not exactly the best for running down streetways full of people and the couple of times she guesses wrong and zags instead of zigs she slides a little to the side and slows them down. Her ponytail bounces behind her and she apologizes more than once, but that smile is quickly returning to her face.
Felix glances back, giving Ellery a nod of encouragement. "Keep up, bird! Don't look back. C'mon. Into the fishmonger's." He tightens his grip on her hand and urges her toward the smelliest of shops, where the straggling shoppers are trying to haggle for a good price on the fish that aren't so fresh any more. Ducking low and motioning for her to do the same, he points between a few fish stands and whispers. "Froo there. We can slip out the back."
Meeting his gaze, she nods once before dodging with him. She meets the length of her arm again due to her shoes but manages to catch back up. The smell makes her nose wrinkle but she does not complain, rather she ducks in preparation to go through. She tucks her broom in tight to her side and keeps her head down, focusing on making that small opening between the stands. But a jostle from the side just before she goes through sends her broom outward and it catches the side of one fo the stalls. She slams into the edge, not making the opening as her broom clatters free of her grip and the one side of the cloth canopy keeping the sun off the fish falls onto the customers and onto her. In wheezes her breath as Ellery struggles to fill her lungs and struggle back towards her broom now a few feet away.
Felix thought they were home free for sure, when suddenly Ellery's hand is wrenched from his. He glances back to see her now fumbling under the cloth. He cranes his neck to look out into the market lane, and sure enough, the overeager young hit wizard that spotted them earlier is headed right for the fishmonger's. He sighs, and gives Ellery a smile and a shrug. "See you around, bird." Then he suddenly stands upright, and scrambles up over one of the fish stands, hands and feet trampling over the unsold fish, earning an angry shout from the sellers and buyers alike. He darts out of the shop, pausing briefly to give the hit wizard a wave and a wink. Then, he's off like a shot, running full speed away from the fishmonger with the dedicated hit wizard in tow.
Finally air manages to fill her lungs and she gasps, managing to claim her broom as Felix plays martyr. "Hey!" she cries out, managing to fumble her way free of the side of the cloth. She comes about as she looks from him to the hit wizard now giving pursuit. "Bugger," she says sharply in a tone tha tis likely not one she gets to use often. She looks down at her dress, dirtied some and then looks up and about at everyone else staring at her and instead of lingering, she moves back into the 'river' of people and lifts on her toes, jumping to try to get a good look. She chews at her lip and in the dark she's become turned around in the streets. She knows what way the boy went, tyke that he is and thus her direction pulls her the way the lad went. Even as she begins to run, she stares down at her shoes and without missing a stride, she lifts her broom and hops onto it. It bobs a moment and gains height enough to stay below the arching cover as she searches for the wiley figure in the dark.
Felix is making no effort to move stealthily any more. In fact, he's making as much of a spectacle of himself as he can, trying to draw the hit wizard's attention away from Ellery. He barrels through the crowds, knocking into people, crashing into a stand, but somehow the unluckiest of lads manages to stay on his feet, keeping just ahead of the pursuing law enforcer. Once or twice, the hit wizard starts to aim his wand, but Felix is staying too close to innocent bystanders to safely hex him.
Hard to miss really are the pikey and his pursuer. Ellery has two figures she can look for and when the wand lifts, people dart further away and it makes her job all the easier. Without a passenger, she dips lower and speeds past Felix, giving off a sharp whistle. He will see her pull up and then loop around, speeding back towards him just over the top of the market goers' heads. There are exclamations and few hats lost but as she gets close to him and a parted portion of the crowd she dips just that much lower to a point where he can grab hold of the broom and gets ready with one hand to help him in that, her legs clamped tight to the broom as she narrows her eyes and prays to whoever will listen. "Please…please..come on.." she says below her breath.
When Ellery soars over head, Felix's face lights up with an enormous smile, and he whoops loudly, waving his cap in the air. As she circles around, he fixes his cap back in place, and suddenly stop. Much to the hit wizard's surprise, he starts running back toward the man. But the much faster broom overtakes him moments later, and Felix leaps into the air, arms over his head. For a moment, there is a hush over the crowd of shoppers…then Felix catches onto the broom shaft on either side of Ellery, and a great cheer goes up among the astonished onlookers!
The hit wizard lets loose an expletive that shall not be published in this family-friendly story.
Grinning from ear to ear as she notes his transition and people parting like the proverbial red sea, she keeps herself steady. Lowering just enough more when she has the room, though a few have to dodge out of the way with her path chosen. She watches him from over her shoulder, going just fast enough so that they won't be slow enough for the hit wizard. When Felix lands and the broom adjusts to his weight she pulls up and picks up speed, a gust of air in their wake as she cheers and cries out in glee. She ducks her head down and calls back with a grin, "Hang on!" She pulls back out of the covered market in short order - no longer on foot and takes a sharp right. "Where to?" Because this girl has all the time in the world and no one could possibly be looking for her.
"Woooooooooooooooo!" Felix lets out a sound of pure joy and relief as they make their escape! He glances up at Ellery, beaming…then quickly looks down again! She is right above him now…and wearing a dress. "Uh…Diagon Alley!" It will put some distance between them and the poor hit wizard that has probably given up by now.
Glancing down at him, she grins and nods, "I can do that," she says and turning about, heads in the direction of Diagon, swinging them lower to keep them out of view. There is a voice that calls out towards her but as they pass her father waving his hands at her, she is deaf to his cries, but he sees their intended direction. Grinning down at Felix, she lets out one more cheer, heart thrumming in her chest. The get to the edge of Diagon and she brings them further into the zig zagging alley and lowers downwards, allowing him to let go at a decent level as she hovers before she lowers to the ground slowly. Swinging her leg off the broom she shows a row of white teeth. "That was better than a lot of quidditch games," she proclaims sharply and tries to catch her breath. "You were amazing!"
Felix is practically vibrating with excitement, hands flailing wildly. "I was amazing? YOU were amazing! The cobblers on you! You came outta nowhere, like…whoosh! Then you turns around like, SWOOSH! Then…AGGGGGH!" The sound effects seem to be losing specificity, but he laughs all the same, caught up in the moment. When he catches his breath at last, he extends a hand to her. "I don't fink we ever really met proper like at school. You're Professor Starkey's kid, yeah? I'm Felix. Felix Flitwick."
Bubbling over with laughter, Ellery doubles up a bit as his explanation of her flying rescue. Her hand drapes over her stomach as the other continues to hold the now broken in broom. She eager extends it however with enthusiasm. "I know I have seen you," she admits and bobs her head, "Yeah, Ellery..you can call me El or Stark if you like. Quicker to say," she winks and gives a good grip of her hand. "Pleasure, Felix, you going out for the team this year?" A brow quirks up, "Hate to meet you on the pitch but at least I know some of your tricks," she grins, all teeth again as her heart continues to beat swiftly, her nerves on edge and jittery. She glances around, "I think we need something to celebrate…how about some sweets?" she says, keen to keep up the evening's escapades.
Felix nods vehemently. Sweets are definitely in order. "Sounds great!" Especially if she's buying. "And yeah, I'll be on the team. I love Quidditch. You'll be bonkers on the pitch, for sure. Maybe we can practice together sometime!" The team captains would surely love that.
"Anytime you like!" She switches her broom about so that the tip is down and not ruining the new bristles. Ellery starts to head in the directions of the candy shop when the bustle of movement through the thinning streets sounds. "Ellery Vesper Starkey!" comes the clarion call of a commanding male voice. It brings her up short and swallows, "My father," she says and glances over towards him and frowns. She flicks open the small snap pocket near the belt of her dress and digs in for a few coins and offers them over. "Here, go have some for me…" because she's not likely to make another step. "See you at school, Felix." Astros is using his long legs in full stride and Ellery turns to face him. "Papa," she greets him cheerfully though Astros does not look cheery.
Felix winces at the sound of Upset Parent. Uh oh. At the offer of the coins, he shakes his head. "Naw, save it for next time, yeah?" He takes a step back, already angling toward the sharp bend in the zig-zaggy steret. "See you at school…or sooner." He gives her a wink, and twirls around to disappear around the corner.