#goingxstag

“Mr. Potter, you may remember me, my name is Rita Skeeter, I was a few years above you at Hogwarts and I write for the Daily Prophet now doing human interest pieces and I wanted to interview you about your upcoming wedding, Lily may have mentioned it, may I come in please?”

Although the boys weren’t able to become properly (that is: united in mischief far from the watchful, disdainful stare of Walburga Black) acquainted until that fateful day they each rode the Hogwarts Express for the first time, Sirius had laid eyes on James before. The Pureblood socialites of Sirius’s childhood didn’t often extend invitations to the likes of the Potter family, but Sirius remembers seeing James in the distance of someone-or-other’s garden party. He remembers him quite well, in fact - because he was the only one that looked like he was having fun.

Antonin Dolohov, and he will never bring this up himself or try to call attention to it, cannot - c a n n o t - snap his fingers or whistle. Both things completely elude him. He’s managed a good snap maybe three times in his entire life and they were all considered momentous occasions. Whistling is completely out of his wheelhouse, and he hates the idea that it makes him seem like he might not have any musical talent or finesse. He will disapparate and apparate back with his violin ready to prove someone wrong if he gets that impression, don’t tempt him.

It’s hard to say. Rita isn’t really the type to air her grievances in person -- she’d rather write a scathing article about it and make a “public scene” that way. But those kinds of scenes, she’ll take literally any excuse whatsoever. Even the slightest insult against her can and will lead to skeletons you’d forgotten you even had in that closet finding their way to the light of day. But in terms of actually causing a scene in person, it would take something very, very major.

“Hey Potter! You know me - I don’t feel like myself until I’ve had a black coffee in the morning and a ciggie. But I guess, if you want me to go all ‘gooey’ on you: my mates and family remind me of who I am, or the person I want to be… yeah, that was pretty disgusting, I’ll stick with the coffee and cigarettes answer actually.”

[But she does get revenge.]

Gideon can juggle very well, and he can whistle nearly any tune back once he’s heard it (whether or not his mouth is full).