hotter than a fantasy, lonely like a highway

matilda-nott​:

Dierdra’s idea of making a fake dementor was intriguing. She wasn’t sure if they would have the same effect as normal dementors - would the drain all the happiness out of the room? If she were in a virtual reality it would surely feel like that. And therefore it would be excellent practice. 

“That’s a wonderful idea Dierdra. We could practice summoning our patronuses in real time with dementors right in front of us!” It would almost feel like being an auror or something, fighting the dementors off without the risk that they’d actually hurt her.

When they reached the tent and dipped inside she explained to the employee what they wanted. The staff member nodded, clearly not put off by the request. She’d probably had some much stranger requested today. It didn’t take long before the charm was being cast.

“You ready?” She was nervous now they were actually being thrown into the situation. Before Dierdra had time to answer Matilda’s vision went black momentarily before fading into a dark alley, filled with fog, not unlike where Dierdra and Matilda had been that night they’d met.

Matilda grabbed her wand raising it whipping her head around waiting for a dementor to emerge from the fog.

Dierdra was only a tad bit concerned about Matilda’s enthusiasm for practicing with dementors right in front of them, since it was less of an actual suggestion than a passing thought. She had done one really good attempt and the odds then had been in her favor. She wasn’t an actual Auror and while this one very particular seasonal life skill was probably useful, it wasn’t what she had hoped to be doing.

She hadn’t been able to stop this intention from being spoken out into the world, manifested in the universe. Everything had gone dark, but only for a moment, though Dierdra felt she had turned her head and just appeared in Diagon Alley. That trip had felt a lot easier than Apparating, though that was only the first thing about it that was terrifying.

Matilda was in front of her, ready for a dementor, though Dierdra herself felt like she had to shout through the fog. Of all the things to use a fantasy escape charm for, this was at the absolute bottom of Dierdra’s list when she reached for her wand.

“What did you do?”

She gritted her teeth, trying to reach for that memory that had done her well the first time. Could this reality be manipulated from within the charm? Or does the caster outside have to deal with whatever’s happening? Her last charm drove them off, but it was barely much of anything except a temporary shield.

lily--potter​:

Lily knew her fair share of Quidditch players who weren’t willing to commit - they were exactly her type after all. She couldn’t help smirking at the line about Dierdra being too busy with her career. Lily had heard that before. “You know there are other Quidditch players in committed relationships. It’s ok to say you don’t want to focus on finding a relationship but if it’s something you’re interested in don’t let your career be an excuse if the issue is something else.”

She turned the next card,. “The Fool - it’s actually a good thing, don’t worry. It’s usually in a reading to represent innocence, trying something new.” Lily felt like she was on the right track with Dierdra, she was holding back because she was scared not because of her career. If only she could encourage her to break out of her box. Only, did that mean Dierdra was going to go after James? Lily still hadn’t decided if she wanted that. “Of course, you should always be cautious when trying new things, but be open to them, won’t you?”

Dierdra didn’t want to be petty and ask her to name one Quidditch player in a committed relationship, but that first meaning—being uncertain about them, and them being uncertain about her. Except there was no uncertainty: Raphael Selwyn was happily engaged to someone else, and she was going to take him out of her mind like a bag of garbage. 

She was soon distracted by the next card, the Fool. “Yeah—I could try something new.” 

Saying that out loud was better than trying to fight about whether or not trying to have a career was an excuse for flightiness. Dierdra wasn’t scared of anything, except rejection, maybe—or finding someone who she could give a shit about, and someone who equally gave shit about her past her skills with a broom.

Her straw scraped at the bottom of her glass. 

snakeinthestacks​:

Albus could have prepared himself for so many answers.  So many different things that were possible there.  Who knew the caprices that the human heart could take?  But ice cream cake?  That one came from deep in the middle of no where he expected. 

“I…was not expecting that answer, but I love it.” He nodded.  “No, I totally understand.  That would be an ability rivaled by kings.” His mind had already latched onto this concept with a stubborn need.  “How does one even begin with the construction?  Is it about the icecream?  Or the cake?  Is cake even really involved at all?”  He shook his head.

Off topic, Potter. 

“No, not really.  Though the ideas do keep my mind on track at work.  Nothing keeps focus like annoyance at the system,” he replied with a grin.  And then proceeded to look decidedly offended.  

“Oh Circe, no,” Albus replied with a vehement shake of his head.  “I’ve more coffee accoutrements than I do actual cooking implements.” He blinked.  “You know, if it weren’t for my cousin, I might live on toast and coffee.  Which…not really a bad way to do it…”  He shook his head and tapped his cup.  “Which I suppose is a round about way to see if we should find ice cream cake and coffee.”  

“What answer were you expecting then?” Dierdra gave a half scoff, not enough to mean any real offense. It wasn’t really a question anyone had thought to ask her, or even consider that she had an answer that didn’t have to do with Quidditch. If anything, she was waiting for the day they let her retire.

Let her retire. Because it wasn’t really her decision, was it? Or was she at the mercy of a bad bludger and an incompetent healer?

snakeinthestacks​:

“Exactly.  Let’s them pretend they can do the thing.  That’s all it is really.  And for some of them?  That’s more than enough.” Albus replied, an easy smile as he watched the booth.  He didn’t have to understand the reason why it was enough, just that it tended to be.  A lot of folks seemed to be like that.

“The dream charms are fascinating, not wrong,” Albus murmured.  “But what does one dream off if they’re already working in a fantastical career I wonder?” He cast a curious eye towards Deirdra.  “Care to share?  You’re the one flying so high.  I’m just an errand boy after all.” He waggled his eyebrows, amused and curious in equal measure.  

“I’m more curious about things like the adaptive voice devices and the charmwork involved.  Infinite uses that.” He hummed, eyes roaming towards that side of the exposition slowly.  “There’s a practicality to it that I can appreciate.  Makes me hope for more ways to bring our data, our records into a more modern scope.” The uses that sort of thing could have down in the archives?  Astronomical.  “And I was seeing if I could find a decent magical coffee maker.  So far, nothing beats the muggle machine I’ve got.”  He flashed a lazy smile at his companion.  “Utterly self serving trip this.”

—

His question about her own dreams should not have surprised her—but it was the fact that it was a question she wasn’t prepared to answer. Her mouth pursed into a thin line as she thought about the truth, though the truth wasn’t something she could put into words yet. But she wasn’t aware of that either, her mind wandering to a scenario that wasn’t as fantastical as getting the Order of Merlin or something. 

“Honestly, I’d personally want my fill of ice cream cake.” Dierdra tilted her head to clarify. “More like… I’d want to be able to make the perfect ice cream cake. Have my cake… and eat it too?”

She was misremembering the muggle phrase, but it wasn’t like she remembered where she had first heard it from to begin with. Unfortunately, she wasn’t all that interested in archiving, poking a little bit of fun at the… practicality of it. “Don’t tell me your dream charm involves the astronomical uses of charmwork for archiving. At least having the world’s most personalized coffee is something I can understand. Don’t tell me you’re using the muggle cup things?”

teddyalupin​:

“You must have a lot of faith in me if you’re assuming I wouldn’t also do something embarrassing.” Teddy smirked, although it wasn’t a particularly arrogant one. “I am pretty good, though, yeah. You’d be shocked if you knew who I could be.” Saoirse and their deal flashed in his eyes momentarily, but Teddy didn’t let it show on his face. That was a mess for another time, a time when Saoirse was here to explain it.

“Naps are good,” Teddy agreed as he watched the kids wander away with their flyers in hand. Had they even noticed they had the chance to talk to an actual Harpy? It didn’t seem so. Maybe she could have gotten away with a double if people’s attention was that split today.

He groaned, eyes falling shut as he momentarily catalogued his list. “You think yours is bad? I have to shop for the entirely Weasley-Potter clan. I used to get away with something for Victoire’s parents and the Potter kids, but somehow I’ve ended up adding all the cousins to my list over the years. I’ve only really figured out a couple too.”

—

“Really?” Dierdra did trust Teddy, at least for an hour if they really wanted to pretend to be her. It would not surprise her, considering who his family was, if he had impersonated the Boy Who Lived himself, but she was curious now if he had more in his repertoire. “Who’s the most famous person you’ve had to pass yourself off as?”

Granted, she didn’t asd if he had done a good enough impression of them to pull it off, but that was a follow up question if she thought the answer to the first was worthy of it. It did feel like she wasn’t the only one who needed a nap, but she was beginning to entertain other ideas. They were both here for the expo, and she’d be in a bit trouble for not actually showing up to her post, but she was Dierdra fucking Jones. It would be fine.

snakeinthestacks​:

“Of course it is.  Or at least to most people it is,” Albus replied, his grin growing as he took in her glances at the booth.  In his experience, people didn’t tend to factor in the reality of…well most things.  They just saw someone as a professional Quidditch star or the Minister or the son of the Boy-Who-Lived and the fantasy was that front.  That veneer.  “The logistics of anything isn’t sexy after all.  Seeing how it works?  That renders the fantasy real.  Tangible.” 

After all, what made something a fantasy was that it was so unreachable.

“Some people wake up from the dream unsatisfied.  Some people want to go back to sleep immediately,” Albus murmured, watching someone doing a very good imitation of a penguin slipping on ice.  He smirked into his coffee.  “Rather makes you wonder just how many health and safety forms they had to fill out to put up that booth.” The paperwork alone probably felled a forest.  

“Of that fact, I don’t think there’s any illusion,” Albus replied with a nod.  “Circe, I barely trust most wix with a wand, let along some twig hurtling them along near the sound barrier.” He gave a shudder, only somewhat mocking.  “Unlike those folk, I prefer my magical transport instantaneous.”  He paused.  “Or you know, with a windscreen.” He flashed his companion a grin.  “I’m living proof flying ability is not genetic.”

Albus Potter spoke in a very roundabout way that Dierdra could hardly keep up with. Talking to James was a lot simpler, but she and James were often on the same playing field anyway—and had been for years. 

“That’s wise of you, knowing what your weaknesses are. I suppose people can pretend they’re actually stronger or cleverer than they are with this, then? Go through enough charms and maybe you’ll convince yourself that you can fly, right?”

Dierdra stepped away from the line, letting others crowd forward. She didn’t have anything she wanted to experience herself with one of the charms, and the expo was more expansive than she had thought it to be. She used the same vague, coying tone she would have used with any new person of importance—even if no one from the Harpies’ PR team said she had to play nice to this particular member of the Potter family. 

matilda-nott​:

Matilda worried she might have offended Dierdra. She seemed uncomfortable or something… Had she done something wrong? Matilda tried to rack her brains. Maybe she should have invited her over for dinner already. The time had gone so quickly Matilda tried to think back to when she had made that promise. “Hopefully, yes.” Dierdra didn’t seem interested in her patronus talk (Matilda had been hoping for tips) but she was right that she’d be better prepared for next year.

“Oh yes, I’d love to try it. Maybe buy some blank charms to try at home. It sounds so interesting.” And Matilda could do with an escape from her life. “What do you want to try out?” If Matilda could live in any fantasy she wanted she’d imagine a world where she’d accepted Saoirse’s proposal but that didn’t seem appropriate to ask the technicians at the tent to set up. She would also always know in the back of her mind it wasn’t true. She should try an experience she’d never get to do in real life. Travel the world. Fly without a broomstick. Something like that.

“I think I might see what pre-made scenarios they have. Explore some beautiful scenery maybe.”

Dierdra didn’t consider taking one of these charms home herself. She didn’t know what she wanted to write as part of a new reality. What she mostly worked on was a gut feeling that warred within herself, but that wasn’t something she could just describe on paper. A part of her was a little scared that these charms could somehow read her mind, but she waited in line with Matilda anyway.

It didn’t seem like it was a good question to ask what Matilda would do with her virtual reality as the line moved forward. She had said something about one of the pre-made scenarios, but Dierdra wasn’t sure she was eager to try one of those either. 

“I wonder if you could use one of those to make a fake dementor,” Dierdra asked. The only thing they can talk about was dementors, but she was still curious about how Raphael was doing. He shouldn’t be part of her alternate universe, but the idea of a masquerade ball all over again? It was tempting. “I mean, for practice, obviously, but—”

lily--potter​:

Lily wanted to groan when Dierdra asked about predicting the outcome of the upcoming quidditch season. Lily followed quidditch enough to discuss it with her cousins but wasn’t interested enough to follow it closely. She knew she wouldn’t be able to provide a very good reading on the topic. It wasn’t that she needed to be an expert in a subject to make predictions about it, but it helped. It was useful to sense test and answer before telling a client. Also if she did make a mistake it would be clear if she’d been wrong and Dierdra would never trust her.

A love reading, now that was much more interesting. “I don’t want to jinx the game by telling you you’ll win, lets see what’s in your love life’s future.” Lily laid the cards down on the table, spraying them out and pulling one at random, placing it face up on the table.

“The moon, upright. Interesting.” It wasn’t an unusual card to pull in her readings - it often meant someone was uncertain and that’s when people usually came for advice - but she wouldn’t have guessed it for Dierdra. She seemed to confident about all her decisions. “Your love life looks like it could be quite complicated in the foreseeable future. Are you conflicted about someone? Or is someone conflicted about you?” Lily asked, more pondering to herself than asking Dierdra although an answer would probably be useful for the rest of the reading. “This sometimes shows up for people who are afraid to commit. Does that describe you?”

“Oh please,” Dierdra laughed. “There are so many other ways to jinx the game, I don’t think a prediction on the outcome would be one of them—unless of course, you decided that you wanted to put some galleons in on your favorite team.”

She tried not to make herself aware of the people who did take their chance on her. It didn’t make her any more nervous, because at the end of the day there would always be someone who lost their money anyway. But a part of her did wonder if a seer could actually take advantage of this, though Lily didn’t seem like the right person to ask.

The topic of gambling was forgotten when Lily pulled out the first card, and this time she was asking the questions—the ones that Dierdra never expected to have to answer. 

“Er—not about someone in particular.” This was true; she did flirt with James on occasion, as friendly rivals. And certainly this couldn’t possibly refer to Raphael of all people, but she quickly pushed him out of her mind, as if Lily would be offended by what she was thinking. “But I suppose I… don’t like to commit, yeah.” 

matilda-nott​:

Date: 3rd December 2027

Location: Madleys Magical-Muggle Expo

@dierdra-jones​

Matilda had been counting down to the expo for a while. A spark of excitement in her usually dull life. Although, come to think of it there’d been a few sparks of excitement already recently. The realisation that moving out of her parents house would grant her a whole new level of freedom had but a spring into her step. She was excited to spend her days doing what she wanted. It would be like when she was at Hogwarts. So long as she was generally doing the right thing they wouldn’t dig deep enough to know her indiscretions. 

Having already read reviews for all the exhibits she had a list of which ones she would go to and when. It was all planned perfectly. The virtual reality tent was her first stop. Matilda was on her way there when she spotted Dierdra through the crowed and gave her a cheery wave. She hoped Dierdra would remember her.

“Dierdra, it’s so lovely to see you again. Especially since not being chased by dementors this time. I felt such a fool I’ve been reading all about patronus charms, doing a little bit of practice on them. Of course it’s much harder to do with a dementor in front of you. Well I guess you’d know. How are you?”

—

Dierdra’s relationship with the Harpies was… complicated. Or at least it was this season; she hadn’t exactly expected herself to be part of the All-Star Team that Spudmore had chosen to help with the rollout of the Firebolt Premier. This already felt uncomfortably different from all of the other times the Harpies had gone in to try them together. 

She had anticipated moving through the crowd with a bit of ease, especially if she acted like she was in a hurry to help with some broomstick demonstration—but she had been caught anyway. Not by a fan, but a familiar face.

It was not that she didn’t want to see Matilda Nott again—no, she especially wanted to see her, because of the fact that it had been weeks since she had saved her life. And by sheer luck. But Dierdra wasn’t going to admit to that. 

“Yes,” Dierdra gave a stiff nod, unsure how to make of Matilda’s small talk about dementors. This wasn’t what Dierdra wanted to talk about, but it was… a starting point. “I’m sure we’ll be better prepared next year then, for when they come back. Are you getting in line for this?”

teddyalupin​:

Teddy had intended to go straight to the expo once he floo’d to Hogsmeade. He might not have had any family friends at Hogwarts anymore but still cared about making sure things ran smoothly. Running into Dierdra on the way seemed like a nice bonus, though it didn’t seem like she was as pleased to be there as he was.

At her question, Teddy snorted. ‘First of all, I wouldn’t need polyjuice to look like you. Second of all, I’m sure you could pay someone to do it if you were truly that desperate. Not a fan of kids or of crowds?” Teddy took a couple flyers from her hands and flashed a small to a couple of students who looked about mid-level. Probably a little younger than Dierdra was reaching out to, but it was never too soon to sew ideas.

Teddy turned back to Dierdra, taking in her weary expression. “If you weren’t here, what would you be doing? I don’t know what a typical Saturday looks like in the life of a glamorous Quidditch player when they’re not in the middle of a game. 

“I mean, I suppose I could pay someone—but it’s got to be the right person, otherwise that person masquerading as me might do something embarrassing.” Her request was a little foolish, but she was exhausted—and she was sure that Teddy had seen enough of her casual side that a mild complaint about work shouldn’t be so much of a shocker to him. “I’ve never actually seen you as—not yourself. That probably means you’re pretty good at the transformation, yeah?”

He didn’t offer, though she wasn’t sure that she wouldn’t let him take her next shift. But she was more curious about if he had actually done a successful enough impersonation. 

She gave a soft smile as the kids took the flyers and went along their merry way, trying to keep her face hidden from anyone who looked too closely. Fortunately, most of the action was on the other side of the village. 

lily--potter​:

Dierdra Jones was officially a client. Famous Quidditch player, intimidating badass, the gorgeous Dierdra fucking Jones was paying her for her insight. She couldn’t wait to tell everyone as soon as she possibly could. “Now? Yes! Of course.” Eager to impress Lily was already opening her bag. “I don’t need tea leaves, I always carry this handy deck around.” She placed onto the table a beautiful set of tarot cards. 

“Of course, tea leaves are my speciality but tarot cards will do in a pinch.” She shuffled them thoroughly determined to do a good reading. Perhaps if Dierdra liked her reading enough she’d become a regular client. Maybe she had lots of other celebrity friends who would be interested too. While Lily considered herself a celebrity in her own right she loved the idea of being surrounded by other famous people (assuming they all adored her).

“Is there anything you’d like to focus on? Questions you want answered?”

—

Lily had come prepared, though Dierdra shouldn’t have been surprised. Maybe Lily had been asked to do readings just out of the blue, and Dierdra was reminded of how fans could stop her just for a photo or an autograph—and she had to oblige. But Lily probably wasn’t being stopped for her readings, though now Dierdra wasn’t sure how to ask. 

Dierdra had everything. She had no deep dark desires that wanted to materialize that she didn’t already have, and she had never had anything to wonder about. The last time she had really done anything that asked about her future was back in Divination class, and that was more than a decade ago. Asking about her career felt like a waste of time for the both of them—but maybe the cards had something else to say. 

snakeinthestacks​:​

Albus tended to regard brooms with the same sort of distrust people reserved for larger domesticated animals; temperamental and more dangerous than he was personally willing to deal with.  Not when he could just literally pop across the country.  Or drive.  Driving was fine.  

In theory.  He had like…a permit?  Of some kind.  Utterly not a fake.  That’s illegal. 

The cup of coffee in his hand, his omnipresent accessory in the cold months, was steaming as he watched a crowd of people press towards the booth, looking for new ways to injure themselves on twigs.  It was impressive how much people wanted to zip around on something designed to provide a use for skelegrow.

And the Ministry thought the muggles had the death wish.  

He huffed out a laugh at the comment next to him, tilting his head as he watched someone with the goggles on run into a the cushion charm on a wall.  “Suppose it’s about tricking the mind then, innit?” he mused aloud, nodding towards the people seeming to be enjoying themselves.  “Like an illusion charm or something from the divination side of magic.  Convince yourself it’s real?” He frowned for a moment and then shrugged.  Another thing their counterparts sans-magique seemed to have a better grasp of.

“It’s playing pretend, right?  Not everyone is some ace Quidditch star or some hot shot Auror, but kids still run around with toys pretending.” He shrugged.  “This one’s for adults I guess.  For the one’s that are totally sure they can handle a Firebolt.” He grinned and someone let out a squawk of worry from behind their headset.  Pretend was only good until it was real he supposed.  

It’s all about pretending about something they were not, and that didn’t sit well with Dierdra as much as she thought it would. While certainly she had her deep dark desires—the ones that didn’t have words to them—there was something off-putting about putting googles on and tricking herself that something was real. While Spudmore had the muggle spetrospecs, there was another booth that was dedicated to much more sinister kinds of self-imposed deception.

“Being a Quidditch star isn’t a fantasy, you know that, right?” Dierdra didn’t expect that she’d have to get into the weeds of all of the incredibly annoying parts of her job, but it wasn’t the point she was trying to make. “But imagine that you’ve put those glasses on, and you’ve gone and pretended that you’ve caught the snitch. Wouldn’t it be more disappointing to take them off and realize it didn’t happen?”

Madley Magical-Muggle Expo December 7, 2027 @nikhailollivander​

It was hard to appreciate what the Expo had to offer when it was harder and harder to determine what was magical and what wasn’t. For most of her career, Dierdra had been content to ignore everything and just let her assistant handle her accounts for her—but somehow, even when she had stopped by the Firebolt Premier’s booth or the Harpies’ section of the Quidditch League, she was continually plagued with questions to which she had no prepared answer. 

And so she dawdled on her break. 

Dierdra recognized the wandmaker from the few times she had gone window shopping at Ollivanders—there were only so many times she could go in and pretend that she was going to buy something, especially with how small the space was. It wasn’t until now that she considered that maybe her parents could appreciate some new wands, but she wasn’t sure if Ollivander’s kept that information on file or anything. 

Still, it wasn’t a question she can just ask out of the blue, and she didn’t want to assume that the wandmaker was here for work. But he was important enough that if anyone asked what she had been busy with, he was easy enough to namedrop without too much hassle. But Dierdra was a big enough diva that they shouldn’t be asking in the first place.

Madley Magical-Muggle Expo December 14th, 2027 @saoirsesays​ 

The last day of the Expo kept Dierdra busy, but she was actually eager to watch these tents come down so she could do her Christmas shopping in peace. Hogsmeade itself hadn’t exactly been the way Dierdra remembered it from the past years. The decor was up, but it didn’t feel as festive since it was overshadowed by all of the tents and booths across the lane. She had been excused for the rest of the day since the Quidditch teams were finished with the recruitment efforts, and she had her flying robes tucked under her arm as she headed out of the Expo. 

Dierdra wasn’t sure if Saoirse were here for actual shopping, or if she were here to drop the galleons for playtime on a new broomstick. It didn’t occur to Dierdra that Saoirse might actually be interested in some of the upcoming muggle technologies. In her own desperation for some slice of holiday cheer she remembered a conversation they had that she probably would have forgotten—especially since she still hadn’t given her a proper wedding gift. 

“Hey!” Dierdra tapped Saoirse on the shoulder. “Did you need me to send your dad those season passes soon? For the holidays?”

Madley Magical-Muggle Expo December 5th, 2027 @snakeinthestacks​

Dierdra’s appearance at the Madley Magical-Muggle Expo wasn’t mandatory yet, but it was going to be as soon as news had broken out about the Firebolt Premier. Usually the Harpies were one of the first to preview the new line of brooms for the upcoming season, and Dierdra herself had photos taken for Seeker Weekly as part of the first rollout of publicity. 

Quidditch teams, it seemed, were becoming less relevant when it came to broom sales. It was not going to be Dierdra’s problem, but it was going to be soon.

A small crowd of passerby, held back by a thin rope that levitated in front of the stage, ogled the broom—almost like they were in front of Quality Quidditch Supplies. A man in front offered a boxy pair of glasses to someone up front, touting a virtual experience.

Dierdra scoffed, though only loudly enough that the person beside her could hear. It wasn’t like she hadn’t been disdainful about technology before, but this partnership with Madley Industries was getting ridiculous; people were just making everything more difficult for themselves, finding pretend ways of living.

The Three Broomsticks December 11, 2027 @teddyalupin​ 

Dierdra did not have to feign a lack of interest as she wandered Hogsmeade. Most of the people she saw didn’t mill around as much as she would have expected, breezing past her towards where the Expo was taking place. While the Firebolt Premier was the main reason why she had come, the Harpies decided to take the opportunity to get a head start on recruitment too. While Dierdra could argue that with their record, they couldn’t possibly need anymore publicity; there would be more than enough new graduates hoping to be recruited. But management didn’t want to take the risk of losing players to Caerphilly and as a previous Quidditch captain, Dierdra had been assumed to have a knack for picking out talent. 

That wasn’t how that worked, but if she could be left alone for the holiday season, fine. 

She wasn’t much of a day drinker, instead opting for an innocuous butterbeer as she was excused from her booth from handing out flyers to students, who didn’t care for flyers so much as her scribbled signature on the back. Her face was pressed into her palm, her eyes ready to roll into the back of her head. Dierdra wanted nothing more but to crawl into the room they had rented from the Three Broomsticks. 

lily--potter​:

It was odd to hear Dierdra say she was a private person too. Lily felt that she was anything but a private person, sometimes it felt like her whole life was on display. It was difficult to be private with the prophet’s interest in her family but Lily did not help the situation. When she’d first gotten out of school she’d liked the attention (and even part of her now still did - it would feel very strange if suddenly no one was interested in her or talked about her) but it had become tiresome quickly. “Right. Yeah.” She agreed, cautious that maybe Dierdra was being sarcastic or teasing her.

“The Quibbler yes - it’s my weekly column but it’s been extended for this week to two pages.” It was slightly insulting that Dierdra didn’t know that she wrote for them every week, or what her column was about. She tried to sell it as best she could without using the phrase agony aunt. “I’m a seer, so I read my tea leaves and answer people’s questions about their future. I’ll give you a free reading sometime if you like.”

--

The topic of privacy was quickly brushed over, and Dierdra wasn’t going to push it. This poor girl had been through enough, and maybe it’s because she’s so young that she just didn’t know how to keep anything to herself. Dierdra had an adjustment period before she started getting media attention, and she often forgot that herself.

Dierdra nodded, eyes wide with interest when she talked about her weekly column. The Quibbler wasn’t really something Dierdra kept up with, but she was less interested in the magazine itself and more about what Lily’s been excited about. In fact, Dierdra was making quick work of her whiskey sour, especially after she had gone on about how they were so easy to make at home. 

 “Why not now? I mean, I’ll even pay you, since you’re actually, you know, working? I wouldn’t go around catching snitches for free either, you know!” She had never actually tried to order anything here that didn’t have even a little bit of alcohol in it, and she didn’t even know that you could write a magazine to get that kind of advice.