𝓮𝓿𝓪 𝓬𝓪𝓵𝓪𝓲𝓼

   evangeline looked at the wizard in amused surprised, “really? it was actually -- ” she cut off her own sentence in laughter. “well maybe you shouldn’t go around insulting women then, -- next time you may not be lucky enough for one of the twins to be in a good mood .... which sister was it? blonde or brunette?” the twins, aside from hair color, were identical, so it was, individually, their most indentifiable feature.  

     “thank you, darling,” eva smiled, linking her arm with ricky’s as they walked. “unfortunately not too much. or nothing out of the ordinary for me, anyways: work, family things, regretable dates ... you know how it is. and yourself?”

     “well then,” evangeline began after taking a moment to let tiffany’s statement rest. “consider this your invitation, if you’re free for it. what we consider to be our coven isn’t just our blood -- we’d be more than happy to have you.”

   evangeline hummed in thought, glancing to the sundial on her wrist --  she certainly had time to kill, and it was a beautiful day.  “i’d be up for that, i have time until i have to be back in the office, and as you said it’d be a shame to be cooped up when it is unnecessary.” she readjusted her bag, falling into stride alongside lezekiel as they walked. “so, how have you been, darling? anything exciting in your life, or have you been spending a majority of your time calling to witches on the street from your shop?”

     eva rolled her eyes, the action not visible to the charmed parchment. “wasn’t avoiding, rita, but nevertheless i’ll play along. when my mother and i met for tea we spent the day reminiscing over memories from when i was young and making plans to spend a weekend together in paris since we don’t go to the city much when i visit, we mainly stay in toulouse. my papa and i, as usual, spent one of our mornings at my mémére’s final resting place talking about her, and her relationship with my pépére, and how lucky we are to have the family that we do. satisfied, darling?”

     “well you may have me there, darling,” evangeline conceded, blowing on her drying nails, glancing towards the charmed parchment. “my longest relationship since kellan was six months when i spent just over that living in the states, but i’m not really too bothered by it. now onto my job, only a fraction of the owls are about love advice. and besides, though i may not always follow my own love advice, doesn’t mean that it isn’t right, i’ve spent a majority of my time giving advice like that to my closest friends. now i just get paid for it.”

     evangeline’s focus was only partly on her honesty hour questions, as she divided her attention her nails that she was painting at the same time. “well that depends,” she started, “if owls count, then i wrote my mother a lengthy response yesterday regarding her letter to me about my cousin bastien’s graduation from beauxbatons and the resulting party in three week’s time, and saw her in person two weeks ago for a catch up over tea in diagon alley. wrote to my papa three days ago about my upcoming new orleans visit to celebrate lammas with the family, and spent the weekend with him a month ago when i was in the city last. appreciate your concern, rita darling, but my family and i are doing just fine.”

     “... so yeah,” eva sighed, idly using her magic to stir her spoon in her tea, “he asked me out again but he’s just so dull! i didn’t want to make working with him weird at the prophet or anything, but i cannot sit through another date with him, you know?”

     “wicked! well, make yourself comfortable, darling.” evangeline disappeared momentarily into her kitchen, returning with a bottle of red wine and two glasses. “care for a glass?” the former ravenclaw poured herself a glass of wine before looking to her friend as she halted before pouring the second. “sounds like you’ve earned it.”

     “well it sounds like we’re on the same boat this evening -- i’m desperate for a night out and the friend who was supposed to come with me bailed. join me?”