Wandering Souls

Alecto narrowed her eyes at her dear brother, sitting across from her, and gave a small snort. "I would take that a compliment, but I am your only sister." Eyes glancing down at her stomach at the feel of push against the palm of her hand resting on top of it.

The smirk turned into a chuckle that echoed from the walls. “They come to my shop to browse, not to leave me with gossip, Alecto.” Amycus found amusement in his sister’s need for gossip. “If you wanted gossip, perhaps I should open a tavern?” The wizard wasn’t remotely considering the possibility, but he had to admit that an establishment like that certainly offered more of what the other seemed to be craving.

Clyde decided he liked this woman on principle. She looked familiar in that distant way that meant they must’ve been in school together. It made him wish he’d paid more attention to other people. Maybe he would’ve been able to recall her name.

Beatrice gave a nod. “Some things are worth the nastier sides of life.” A shrug. “Besides, there are plenty of smelly things people praise, and those things are all worth it.” Smelly cheese, flowers, plenty of things. The witch observed the ferret for a moment before she actually looked at the wizard in front of her with a smile. “That’s some dedication.” She could only imagine how long it had taken to train a creature as agile.

status: for @fcrox (Leta) location: Madame Malkins

There was joy within her features, a smile lighting up her eyes when she spotted the other witch. Oh, their shared history had turned into a rather wonderful little thing. The last she’d seen the other the blonde had made sure to confirm said internship. And what a joy it had been. “You’re back in London. Look at that.” Leta pointed toward the back of the shop as she motioned for the shop clerk to tend to the rest of the show room.

'Brazenly daring' was Bellatrix Lestrange to the finest detail. She had no interest in living in the shadows, no shame in promoting her tendencies and her allegiances. Not to the point of being stupidly reckless. But to the extent that her reputation preceded her, with no solid proof of her crimes. She was impetuous but she was not an idiot.

The witch found herself almost feeling bad for the other, if not for the fact that she had taken her and dragged her to the middle of nowhere to make demands. And this time Hestia didn’t feel a need to pretend. “I have never denied being with the Order.” There it was, an admittance Hestia had not seen herself make that day, least of all to Bellatrix Lestrange. “But the Order doesn’t have your cousin. Where do you think we’d be hiding him, in a closet? A broom cupboard?” Her eyebrows shot up in frustration, daring as ever a witch had been.

Beck smiled under her words, thinking that there were plenty of times he could've amended his past with a simple owl, but too many years filled the gaps of age to the point it would cheapen anything good he could've said. And taking her out like this wasn't so much to reflect on the past, but to possibly move forward. He didn't know where he stood and didn't know what he wanted, but he knew that he couldn't stop thinking about her since seeing her at the hospital, even when he tried not to. "I think our 'younger selves' would be happy we're talking at all," he said, offering a smile. Beck wasn't the best person during school, and he was probably not the first person to admit that. Beck was shaking his head and released a broken smile. "I...I didn't know what I wanted. I thought that the world would be bigger. I just went somewhere with a different set of four walls. That's when I realized I needed to change my mindset. I thought about...reaching out, but I thought you hated me."

Estelle’s laugh echoed, if only a little. The blonde had not intended to be that open with her emotions yet as his words flowed across the short distance, the witch couldn’t help herself. “Our younger selves would be surprised by a lot of things.” Smile as sweet as it ever had been as her mind drifted back to their Hogwarts days. They had been filled with adventure as much as the determination of people with big hopes for their future. Estelle had never thought of him any different even when he’d walked away simply because to her, he had never been anyone but the person he was then and there; a being craving to find his path in the world, with ambition soaring high above the rest, above the clouds even. Who was she to hold him back or demand his wings to be clipped? The same time the blonde could not deny that had someone reversed the roles she couldn’t exactly say her choice would have been different. They were still those people, but miles upon miles of self-discovery lay between them now. Their younger selves.

Beck had pictured this more times than he would be willing to admit. So many times he thought about reaching out to her over the years and it took her coming to the hospital for him to act on those temptations. Now she was standing in front of him in a dress that fell over her like it was made for her. His eyes took her in and felt like the room dimmed around them. Even in those imaginations, he never thought about what he would say or do in those moments but he found himself moving to help her into her chair and then sat across from her. He couldn't even remember the last date he had been on besides with Pandora before that relationship felt sterile like the medicine in the hospital. Beck didn't have time to find the words to respond as his mouth was working on without referring to his mind.

Time, if there was ever proof of how much had passed it was their lives, their accomplishments and everything in between. Life, another funny word that somehow held so much more meaning depending on the angle with which one looked upon it. Estelle had lived a proper one, thus far, had experienced plenty. “I think we can both agree that our younger selves were completely different people, and your choice made sense when you made it.” The blonde looked at him as though she could find clues that he understood somewhere in his eyes. “I do not hate the choice you made. I understood it. At the time I wasn’t what was needed, and you had a whole life outside those walls. That castle wasn’t your home anymore.” And back then she’d done her very best to move on, had found herself caring again eventually before simply pushing such notions aside. Truthfully, Estelle couldn’t recall the last time she’d been on a date with someone she cared about rather than just someone she wanted to connect with, for one reason or another. More often than not it wasn’t anything more than silly dancing around a topic.

Estelle observed the way he moved, a sly grin on her face. If anyone knew of the antics of parents, surely Caellum would be among them. Although far more rebellious than her; a fact that had not gone by unnoticed by the blonde. It was his life; his choice and she respected him far too much to suddenly dictate how he should live said life. Her hand moved, slender fingers wrapping around the glass he’d pushed toward her. Berry ocky rot, such a peculiar drink and yet somehow one that she’d found herself liking.

Beck had put an embarrassingly amount of time getting ready for his date with Estelle. There was no sense in deferring to it as anything else. Sure, they were catching up but the plans were made with reservations and somewhere he was willing to fish out a hundred galleons on. But he would be willing to pay whatever amount to have ten minutes to sit across from Estelle again. Beck's life had turned upside down last time he saw Estelle. He didn't know what they would talk about but he was fine surrendering to the silence and enjoying her company. The place was highly recommended by friends from other social circles, and they knew it would be a good setting for them to reconnect. When Beck saw her enter, he felt compelled to stand from his seat. She was bewitching and the dress fit her like skin. "Yeah, hope it's good," he managed, fitting the words into his mouth. He didn't know why he seemed like he'd never been there before. The last time had been with Pandora. Once they were seated, Beck was glad he sent the owl. "You look...very nice," he said after a moment. Even from across the table, he could feel the perfume against his skin. "I ordered a white burgundy to start if that's okay."

So many years had passed and still, some of it felt as familiar as it always had. Other things, so the witch suspected, she was going to learn to be familiar with along the way. Life was funny that way. In all the chaos, it was them that had bumped into each other. “As do you.” He did. A hint of amusement appeared within her eyes. Clearly, they were two individuals that did not lack curiosity, or a desire for answers. Each, if she wasn’t mistaken, hoped to find those answers. Estelle let her eyes roam, allowing herself to take him as though reading a book, one that she very much cared for. In all those years that was another thing; a book that she cared to read, to study and understand.

where; a park whomst; open

Recent events had caused the witch to find herself taking walks more often, a thought or two always playing on her mind. The world had gotten darker, her choices gone along with it. What she didn’t expect, truly, was to turn into someone with a ferret. From a short distance she’d observed, a smile playing her lips before the voice had harshly pulled her from those distracting thoughts, smile turning into something more of a serious note.

They had known each other ever since they were just kids, but Rita had stood by her side all along, through the good and bad times. She'd been there to listen to Agatha rant about her dream wedding, she'd been there when her heart had been broken, she'd been there when she'd found her way back to Emir and she'd been there for the proposal. She was her very best friend, the one she knew would stand by her till the end, which was exactly the reason why she wanted her and only her to be standing beside her on her biggest day. "Oh you certainly are, would love your help and good taste." The witch exclaimed, pulling the blonde in for a tight hug. "I really do need help with my dress, I can't seem to decide what I want. It just has to be perfect."

Many nights and later evenings had been spent talking about the future; their dreams. And each time the dream wedding had come up and not once did Rita doubt that her friend would one day get to celebrate the exact way that she’d always dreamt. The blonde had no doubts. At the end of the day, why would she? If anyone deserved it, it was Agatha and if anyone ever had worked hard enough towards such a goal, it had once again been Agatha. Her friend, the one Rita could openly say she believed in.

Starter for: Hestia Jones @fcrox Where: outside the Ministry When: as she finishes work

There was a certain guilt, and anger that mixed into her shock as she stood facing the witch. How she’d let the other hex and drag her along was beyond her. An auror, trained for exactly those types of situations and yet here she stood, clearly having failed to live up to that. Then again, Hestia could not recall a single case in which someone has so brazenly dared to abduct an auror right outside the ministry, seemingly without even bothering to cover up.