look what we started, baby.

“hey, better than nothing.” fatima offers with a nod of her head. something was always better than nothing! “i don’t think anyone is a huge fan of dementors.. especially after EVERYTHING there is you can read on them. it does makes sense.” there’s a soft shake of her head at the thought. merlin she couldn’t really blame anyone for that. as she goes ahead and takes a chip with that of a shrug of her shoulders. “me either. spooky costumes are always kind of brilliant to see. especially because of the creativity.” she supposed she couldn’t complain about things being tame. even if it was the season for it! especially after the whole incident. it was nice that things were more on the relaxed side. “i think that’s nice. even if it’s the season for all things spooky and witchy. oh gross. no i definitely didn’t see that, and don’t think i want to.. either.” there’s a scrunch of her nose at the mere thought, and that had been more than enough. with magic. spells and charms, things were more realistic in the wizarding world. but than again she didn’t know much about the difference– between the two. and the muggle world on this particular celebration, as she’d never gotten to celebrate it with muggles or see how they did things. “as much as i love food.. and merlin himself knows this. i might have dropped just dropped any food i had if i seen that. and that’s saying something! since that’s rather cruel to food.”

「 ✨ fatima has mentioned a canon object x8」  「 ✨ fatima has used a wizarding idiom x2 」 

       “ see, now here’s what i don’t get though ... “ ansem paused, a chip dangling from between his fingers.  he pointed it in fatima’s direction, gesticulating while he spoke.  “ so my flatmate — he’s a half blood, right ?  grew up doing halloween the muggle way. “  he flashed his teeth.  “ they take sacks and go from house to house collecting candy.  it’s more about free food than anything else.  where as, y’know, in the wizarding world ... we like a good spook, some apple bobbing, all that fun stuff.  it’s not so much about food,  or candy per say.  so the muggles have got us there, don’t they ?  anyway, so we went to this place ... i think he called it a club.  a club of what, i dunno.  maybe a dancing club. “  he paused to munch on a chip,  thinking out loud.  “ so everyone is wearing costumes ... but they’re half dressed !  and muggles don’t have warming charms so you know they must be freezing their bleedin’ arms off.  it’s crazy.  muggles are crazy. “  he shook his head, pausing to chew.  “ ...but they sometimes dress for themes.  like, they sell costumes for pairs.  my flatmate, he picked up these salt and pepper shaker costumes.  salt and pepper.  how brilliant, right ?  “  his mouth was full but he continued.  “ it’s boxy, terribly uncomfortable, and honestly downright UGLY but it was fun.  the whole bit was fun.  even if those idiots seem to think all witches have boils, frumpy dresses, and crooked hats. “  he snorted.  “ couldn’t tell a hag from a witch if their lives depended on it.  muggles. “  

      collette snorted in laughter, both at ansem’s approach and his assessment of himself. “you’re not that much of a disappointment if you’re being the doting son and taking your mum to the healer as often as you do   –   i don’t see arson here at mungo’s with her,” she pointed out. “how is your mum doing, though? pass along a hello to her for me, won’t you?”

「 ✨  collette has mentioned a canon object 」

          “ arson is the golden boy, you know.  he’s above menial tasks. “  ansem snorted, shaking his head.  he’d roll his eyes, but he was starting to worry they’d tumble straight from his head if he rolled them every time the desire struck him.  “ but i’m not, it would seem.  i’d tell her to stuff it and take herself to the bloody healer but she won’t. she’d refuse to go out of spite.  i might hate the whole lot of them, but i won’t have the whole warbeck family blaming ME for her untimely demise ‘till the end of time.  can you IMAGINE how annoying that would be ? “  he shuddered.  it was a fate worse than the dementor’s kiss, worse than death itself !   “ she’s doing fine. “  he replied with a grimace.  “ she’ll outlive us all. “  his mother was a dreadful hypochondriac, most of her visits to the healer were simply a waste of time.  

       open to one character reply.

“ uh oh, wix in sight. ” biscuit the albino snake, short in length, clever as merlin and twice as sly, hissed lowly to a very distracted reagan, forcing him to come into a slow, casual halt before he bumped into said wix. “ wotcher. ” the wizard goes lazily, looking rather disinterested while looking up from the white off pages of the grimoire he has been flipping through since leaving the white wyvern. he closed it shut with a dull thud. the former slytherin immediately smiled, though; a little dimple even popping out from the marble of his features. 

“ planning to spell a wish upon a star in knockturn alley ? ” he questioned, his nose scrunching just the slightest as biscuit placed her head back on top of his shoulder, her form barely wrapped around his neck due to her size. “ that’s tacky. ” the low hiss coming from biscuit made him snort. he covered it up with a subtle clear of his throat. 「 ✨  reagan has mentioned a canon magical object. x5 」 「 ✨  reagan has brought up a canon magical object. x2 」 「 ✨  reagan has gone out with his familiar. 」

             predictably, ansem warbeck recoiled as if reagan had popped out from behind a very large bush, obscuring him from sight.  in truth, ansem had been squinting down at a map, turned around twice on his way on his way to moribund’s.  he was pretty sure the place was cloaked with the fidelius charm;  it was the only reason he could come up with why he hadn’t managed to find it in the last hour he’d been roaming.  though he was relieved to see a friendly face, the snake that accompanied his former housemate kept him keeping a safe distance between them.  the last time ansem had been up close and personal with a snake, it had been an animagus in disguise.  while he was pretty sure reagan’s snake WASN’T, he’d rather be safe than sorry. 

     “ not exactly. “  he responded dryly.  he tucked the map into his back pocket, obscuring it from view.  “ i was looking for my brother. “  it was an unusual line, given that ansem was usually trying to stay as far away from his brother arson as humanly possible.  then again, it wasn’t that unorthodox to see ansem drug into his family’s problems ... no matter how badly he tried to distance himself.  “ shady guy, shady place, it seemed like a no brainer. “  he grinned.  “ don’t tell me you actually BELIEVE in that wishing nonsense ... “

     “be careful on that broom of yours from now on, alright, chér?” freya smiled, waving a goodbye at the exiting patient before turning and coming face to face with another wix in the st. mungo’s hallway. “oh hello there – did not expect to see you, is everything alright?”

「 ✨  collette has mentioned a canon object 」

           with his mother seeing her regular healer for her mid-week check-up, ansem busied himself by wandering the halls of st. mungos.  sure, he should have stayed in the waiting area, but he’d never been very good at following instructions.  spotting a familiar face from a distance, he darted behind a med cart so he could sneak up from behind her.  unfortunately, she turned around before he had a chance to jump out at  her.  by merlin, she’s good.  “ oh i’m fine. just a crippling case of disappointment. “  he waved his hand.  “ mother’s in with healer gracy again.  you know how she is. “  bastia warbeck was known for her frequent visits to the wizarding hospital and ansem had been accompanying her for merlin knows how long.  no matter how many times he tried to separate himself from his family, they were constantly dragging him back into the thick of things. “

“thanks.” catalina couldn’t really argue with that– not when she too liked it. “that’s what i love about this shade. why it’s usually my go to color too.” the vibrant haired says with a nod of her head, tucking the compact back into her cloak pocket; where it had come from. she couldn’t also argue with someone who had taste in colors. she did for sure, but only because she played around with them– with magic and knew what colors weren’t so great. and which ones were.

“goblins drinking tea?” she repeats, now her attention was entirely refocused– now she had heard it all. and that was saying something! considering her own job. “that is pretty odd. especially out of a cat teacup. that’s a bit much, and would be a bit annoying.” but who was she to judge? there were probably worst designs a wix could have. “are you telling me you’ve touched all the teacups and they all hate you? how is that possible? is there that many teacups?” as by her questions, you could tell she was curious. “that would be something.. them using their magic for that. but that all sounds oddly suspicious, i’ve really got to admit. i never thought goblins would do that. merlin’s beard. i guess you really do learn something new everyday.”

「 ✨ cat has mentioned a canon object x2. 」  「 ✨ cat has used a wizarding idiom x1. 」 

        “ how often do you have to re-apply the charms ?  “ he asked curiously.  “ i’m assuming the more you cast them, the longer they last each time. “  at least that was what he figured.  the more you cast a spell, the stronger it usually became.  his shield charms were certainly more powerful now than they’d been when he was 12 trying to cast them in defense against the dark arts class.  though arguably, his shield charms were a bit more ‘life and death’ now than they’d ever been back at hogwarts.  if his shield charm had failed in school, the worst he’d end up with would be a stinging hex.  out in the field ?  well the last shield charm he’d cast had protected him from an unrecognizable green fog that had seemed bound and determined to suffocate him.  suffice to say, a failed shield would have been AWFUL.   “ say, you’re good at colors. “  he remarked.  “ what d’you think would look good on me ?  i doubt i’d actually do it ... but i’m curious. “  he grinned.  

    “ well no, i haven’t touched ALL  of them ... “  he had to admit.  “ that would have been impossible. i swear, they’ve been duplicated.  every time i open the cupboards, there’s ten more than there were the day before. “  while he sounded like someone who saw dark wizards everywhere they went -- paranoid, as if the world was out to get him -- he really DID believe that the goblins at gringotts were conspiring against him !!  “ ... by the time you’ve been meowed at by twelve cups, your desire for coffee usually fades away. “  he sighed.  “ it has to be goblin magic of some kind because finite incantatem did nothing. “  he frowned.  “ i’ve never seen them do anything but that’s not a surprise.  you know how goblins get about doing magic in front of us. “ 

“𝓘want to hear all about what I’ve missed.”

“Is it too corny to say you?”

Adora’s chest raised as her heart swelled, and the lavender and silver gown that hugged her curves caught the light of the afternoon sun. “Ayy, you’re being so sentimental Ansemcito. Siempre supe que lo tenías en ti,” she said, her fingers dancing up his upper arm, until her head took their place. She pressed her face into his bicep, smiling into it. 

“I stand by my statement, even if it is.”

The bluenette listened to Ansem talk, glancing at him from beneath her lashing every so often. Her lips would pout, brows would furrow as she would take in his words— a key sign she was absorbing every detail possible. Her features would smooth seconds later when she remembered how frown lines formed, only to repeat the action when something else of interest the wizard said drew her in again. She didn’t think she could do his job. The most dangerous thing that’d happened to her outside of Hogwarts was accidentally bumping into a reserve-broken dragon, and that had nearly made her have a cardiac explosion! Maybe she could do it, she told him, but only if all of the glinda shoes in the world depended on it. When their fingers interlocked, more giggles spilled from her pink lips. She pirouetted from him every so often, but loyally spun back towards the warmth that emanated from him.

Adora gracefully sat down beside Ansem on the bench. Her shoulders raised and fell with content as she observed their surroundings. She found beauty in every season, though Spring would always be her favorite as a March baby. The witch noticed a rose bush in slumber beside her, and pulled her diamond encrusted wand from her sparkling silver cloak. With a wave of her wand, buds awoke, two flowers blooming before her doe eyes. She spelled it to shorten the stem and rid it of its thorns, then placed one behind her ear. She turned toward Ansem, doing the same. Her finger caressed the shell of his ear by accident, and her bronze skin flushed the same color of the flowers that she’d perched. “Si,” Adora’s thick answered stuttered, then giggled. The swan like beauty straightened out her shoulders. “Fiorella,” she said. “She’s from my mama’s grand papi’s side.” Adora played with her wand, her fingers splayed over the gems as she tasted the enchanted rose balm on her lips, meant to keep it supple. 

The bluenette tilted her head to the side, her doe eyes finally meeting his. Her lashes fluttered playfully, if not a little shyly. “–and which part of my fabuloso life would you like to dive into first?”

「 ✨ adora has mentioned a canon object x9. 」 「 ✨ adora has brought up a magical subject x2. 」 「 ✨ adora has casted a spell x3. 」

              there were several answers to the question that adora de la fuente had asked.  he could have asked how she was getting along with fiorella, or if the girl was getting on her last nerves, or asked about her classes at W.A.D.A.  he also could have asked how her parents were, or how she liked her new home that spiraled out as far as the eyes could see.   he could have said any of those things but it seemed as if a chocolate frog had stuck itself in his throat, leaving him unable to say much of anything at all.  if he opened his mouth,  would he croak ?  would the frog leap out at adora and send her screaming ?  he was pretty sure the answer was no but given his track record ?  a wizard couldn’t be too sure.   ansem could still feel a spot of warmth where adora’s fingers had grazed his ear,  likely beet red like the slight flush to his cheeks beneath his trimmed beard.  his rosy hue probably complimented the matching roses they wore.  so while there were plenty of questions left to ask,  the only thing he wanted to use his lips for WASN’T talking.   

         thankfully, his fears of frogs croaking and spilling from his mouth were unfounded.  when he chanced a breath, nothing disastrous happened.  given his history,  he figured that was as good a sign as any. he watched as her fingers fumbled with the gems on her bejeweled wand, his hand moving to cover her own. his thumb grazed the back of her hand, his heart ricocheting around his chest cavity like a rebounding spell. when their eyes met, it seemed to slam almost comically.  if this was a muggle comic book,  his heart would have burst out of his chest as stars filled his eyes.  instead, his eyes asked the question that would have ruined the moment -- is this okay ?  

       ansem brought his free hand up to rest against the side of adora’s cheek, thumb grazing the corner of her mouth.  he wasn’t thinking about his last attempts to kiss her, when he’d missed her mouth by a mile and ended up making an arse of himself.  he wasn’t thinking about the past failures;  instead, he was thinking about the future.  about the perfect kiss.  when he summoned up enough courage to kiss her, tasting the flavored gloss on her lips with a hint of smile, all he was thinking about was how the wait ?  it had been worth it.

catalina waves her wand over the strands of her hair, the light shade of pink changing into the more vibrant pink color she usually had it. admittedly, the lighter shade she grown tired of after only a week– it just wasn’t as BRIGHT as she liked her hair. and she liked vibrant colors, much more than lighter shades. they were just more noticeable. and honestly? merlin she’d say they were so much better.

it was done in the most casual fashion, as it was casual for her. she reaches into one her pink cloak pockets and pulls out her compact. there’s a quick glance at her reflection, as she touches a few strands of hair– checking to make sure it was the right shade and that no strand went without the same pink color. and it’s debated after a few seconds that she wanted brighter than that towards the roots, and there’s another wave of her wand with the correct charm. with a happy nod of her head. her attention returns, turning back towards her company. “thank merlin, i couldn’t take it anymore.” referring to the prior shade not being what she wanted anymore, and truthfully? up until now she just hadn’t had the time to change it. “sorry, you were saying? i apologize, but it was driving me absolutely mental.”

「 ✨ cat has mentioned a canon object x3. 」  「 ✨ cat has cast a hair color changing charm x2   」  「 ✨ cat used a wizarding idiom x2 」 

         ansem watched with mild interest as cat used hair color changing charms on her hair.  she was certainly more successful than his last foray into magical cosmetics had been;  he’d gone a brilliant shade of blonde -- merlin, had it been a year ago now ?   it had finally created a visible difference between the warbeck twins that ansem had always craved but had been a little too shocking for him to grow comfortable with.  when the spells had faded away, he’d left his brunet locks alone and grown a beard instead.  same results, but easier on the eyes.  “ i like it. “  he remarked.  “ it’s bright but not TOO bright, y’know ? “

      prior to cat’s impromptu makeover, ansem had been talking about work.  it seemed like everyday there was some new drama in the office -- ironic, given their profession. you’d think gringotts banking representatives and goblins would be a bit more serious than they seemed to be.  “ i was just saying it’s odd. so odd.  goblins drinking tea is one thing but the teacup is shaped like a bloody cat.  it meows if anyone but bogrod picks the bloody thing up. “  he sighed. “ i wouldn’t be bothered except all the teacups hate me.  if you ask me, i reckon the goblins used their magic to turn them AGAINST wix ... “

her eyes scanned from the cluttered desk to the look on his face. though it had been a hot minute since the two ceased to be lovers, or even close friends, or even friendly acquaintances, there were certain things one could hardly forget about people they were once close to. her brows furrowed slightly, corners of her lips quirking downwards in a disapproving manner, but it was only for a quarter of a second before she let it go. truth was she had absolutely no business wondering what ansem was doing anymore. after all, she wasn’t there to catch up on her ex-boyfriend –– she would rather have a grown mandrake whisper in her ear, thank you very much. she was there on business, so perhaps that was what she should focus on.

the muggleborn witch thought about making a snarky remark about where his nose had been during their brief relationship, but she wisely refrained from doing so. for that one afternoon, lulu needed ansem to remember her qualities as a person rather than her unpleasant traits as a girlfriend. ″ i s'ppose there’s no use beating ‘round the bush, then. ″ with a heavy sigh, she sat facing ansem, conjuring an antique bronze key from her handbag. ″ i’ve requested a loan from gringotts, to start m’ business. i’m 'bout to start selling my cosmetic potions. ″ there was a gleam in her eye, one she could hardly conceal. as she pushed the key towards the curse breaker, lulu conjured an parchment with the seal of approval. ″ do yer need anything else ? ″

「 ✨  lulu has mentioned a canon object x4 」

「 ✨  lulu has mentioned a canon subject x1 」

「 ✨  lulu has conjured something x2 」

         ansem listened as lulu spoke, jotting things down with his quill on a spare bit of parchment that he had on his desk.  at first he wasn’t sure what she was asking of him -- no, scratch that, he was confused about that.  he wasn’t a banking representative. he had about as much loan approving ability at the wizarding bank as she had.  he didn’t say that though, taking her key instead and turning it over thoughtfully in his hands.  “ err, no. “  he replied with a shake of his head.  “ that should be ... everything. “  the ‘ i think ‘ was silent as he took the key and the sealed parchment from her.  “ i’ll just go ... uh, process this, shall i ?  “   he rose to his feet.  “ you stay here. “  

       once he was out of his office, ansem’s bewildered expression cracked through the impassive visage he’d sported in front of lulu. merlin’s beard, what was he supposed to do now ?  he supposed he could have told her the truth, that it wasn’t exactly his department, but given she already thought he was a waste of space, he’d like to actually be able to HELP for once.  with a sigh he took a left, eyes searching out ricbert’s office.  as chief bank teller, if he couldn’t answer ansem’s questions ... he could at least direct him the right way.  he tapped his wand on ricbert’s door, waiting for the goblin to get the alert on the other side.  a near undetectable panel clicked and slid away, revealing a set of eyes staring straight at him.  to his credit, he only partially jumped out of his skin.  “ ricbert !  “  he greeted.  “ how grand to see you.  say, are you enjoying our chilly weather ?  i was just sayin --”  the goblin’s eyes closed, likely rolling at ansem’s chattering.  the goblins were ALWAYS saying he talked too much. the eyes disappeared then, the door swinging open with another click.  

       “ warbeck. “  ricbert sounded tired, waving the cursebreaker in with his hand.  he moved to sit behind his desk, leaving ansem to duck so not to hit his head on the chandelier.  it was much nicer than his office, he noted.  apparently finance was where the galleons were at !!   “ ...i’m assuming this is not a social call. “

 “ you assumed correctly. “  ansem confirmed, perching on the edge of the vacant chair across from ricbert.  “ i’ve got a friend -- well, a client really.  she’s looking for a business loan. “  he handed the key and the documents to ricbert.  he watched as the goblin reviewed the documents, chewing on his lower lip impatiently.  ansem didn’t want to be the one who had to break the news if there was a REJECTION stamped across lulu’s documents.  thankfully he’d never have to -- he watched as ricbert gave them the stamp of approval and reached for a quill.  his magical signature flooded the document, the terms of the agreement and the payment plan filled out on a new third page.  ricbert magically sealed the documents -- after staring at ansem so aggressively he’d been forced to avoid his gaze -- before handing it back to ansem. 

         “ the galleons will be in ms. sumner’s vault by weeks end. “  he replied firmly.  his tone suggested that the conversation was over.  ansem waved his hand in thanks and wisely departed.  anyone in the nearby vicinity would have heard a few grumbles about conceited wizards and favors not earned but ansem hadn’t stuck around long enough to hear it.  

    “ ta da !  “  with a flourish, ansem dropped the document down on the desk.  he flung himself into his chair, spinning slightly until he was face to face with lulu.  “ i think you’ll find everything you need in there.  if you don’t ... well, blame ricbert.  s’not my fault. “ 

the masked miscreants.  just a bloody band of troublemakers.  helen’s main priority for the department is to track them down and bring them in.  after everything that’d happened with the robbery,  she was beyond angry.  but she needn’t let that anger manifest into something she could take out on her department.  instead,  all of that was fueled into tracking them down and following any possible lead she and her colleagues could find.  which is why she was now on her way to the waiting section of the office.  a colleague came to inform her of a  person of interest.  now,  this isn’t to say that whoever is a person of interest is a wanted person.  it just means that they could possibly shed light on the situation.  or at least that is how helen is seeing it.

 the auror walked with an air of gravitas towards the person brought in for questioning.  a cursebreaker for gringotts.  one of the other aurors prepped her before going in.  of course,  they were to meet her in the interrogation room.  her heels clicked against the marble steps of the department.  as soon as she approached the door,  she wasted no time and opened to be immediately greeted by ansem.      “      mr.  warbeck.      ”      aside from the small smile she initially gave,  helen showed no other signs of what was to come.      “      if you could please follow me.      ”

         like a dangerous XXXXX creature being herded towards the ministry’s executioner, ansem followed behind helen at a distance. she walked with authority, one that would have found him hard pressed to keep up with her even if he wasn’t trying to put some distance between them. given that she’d not used his first name, ansem wasn’t even certain that he was the warbeck she was looking for.  the only distinguishing feature that differed himself and his identical twin brother was his beard and it was EASY to transfigure one of those !!  he wouldn’t put it past arson to impersonate him to avoid getting into trouble with the ministry. the summons had been vague too -- all leaving a foreboding air about the wizard. 

      when they finally stopped during down hallways and passing ministry offices, they stopped at what was either an interrogation room or an office, ansem couldn’t be sure.  his exposure to ministry office’s stopped at his father’s.  ragnorious warbeck worked as a member of the wizengamont, wizarding britain’s high court of law and parliament. his office was somewhere on the second level but thankfully far enough from wherever they were going that he wouldn’t be spotted. he could only imagine the howler he’d get from his mother if she found out he was spending any time at the ministry.  the warbecks, after all, were constantly waiting for ansem’s ‘antics’ to embarrass the family.  

        ansem took the vacant chair when they made it to their destination, wincing as it dragged along the floor as he moved it. merlin, did it have to make so much noise ?  he felt like he could wake the dead with all the ruckus.  with a grimace, he settled into the chair.  instinctively, his hands started to fidget.  actively, he tangled them together so he wouldn’t act as nervous as he felt.  he had a feeling that wouldn’t serve him well.  “so,”  he started, after the quiet started to drive him mad.  “...i’m guessing this isn’t a social call ?  or that i’m being gifted with an order of merlin, second class, for putting up with my coworkers ? “  he forced a smile.  “ or third class. i’m not bothered. “

     tiffany had been assured that she needn’t do much to blend in with the muggles consorting on all hallows eve. still, she glanced down at her ensemble. her sienna eyes narrowed. the auror trainee looked like she belonged to one of those medieval card games, dungeons and dragons, dressed in auror garb of dragon hide. of course, she’d accessorized it in true tiffany fashion. five inch platform heels that came up to just below her knee were a must, and her choker just above her cleavage gave the combined effect of letting everyone know she could be a hazard to their health in more ways than one. “well, you would know all about spooky by the looks of things.” she wagged her head with a confident swagger. “those are some real nice vampire fangs you’ve got there, mate.” tiffany leaned in, like she was thinking about taking a closer look. 

“what’ve you seen, warbeck?” she whispered by his ear, her arm brushing against his as she moved away from admiring what was clearly a work of transfiguration. her back to his, she watched the children run about, her expression inscrutable. “i’d rather hear it from you than play follow the wizard with the dementors.  they’re a creepy lot, you know?” tiffany turned around, her black waves billowing in the autumn breeze. “and don’t say nothing.” she raised a brow at him. “you’re a bloody magnet for disaster.”

「 ✨  tiffany has mentioned a canon object x7. 」 「 ✨  tiffany has brought up a magical subject x2. 」 「 ✨  tiffany has used a wizarding idiom. 」

          you’re a bloody magnet for disaster.  well, she wasn’t off the mark with that observation. if there was trouble, ansem warbeck was known for tumbling straight into it.  how many wix could boast that they’d almost tripped into an active volcano ?  it was a miracle he was still among the living, truly.  “ i’d be offended if it weren’t true. “  he replied with a snort.  “ haven’t seen anything myself, but i’ve heard muggles talking about a couple blokes who were dressed like the grim reaper -- minus the scythes.  if i were the sort who wanted to bet my galleons, i’d reckon they WEREN’T costumes but dementors. “  he raised his eyebrows.  though this time of year was known to be chilly, it felt more sinister than just a whipping wind.  “ ... of course it came from that direction. “  he pointed to the way he’d just come from.  “ ... i wasn’t sticking around to find out for myself.  surely you understand. “   given that tiffany was an auror, a wix whose sole job was to run TOWARDS the trouble, he was quite certain that she didn’t. 

       from somewhere behind them, he heard a scream.  knowing it could have been anything, given the holiday, he would have ignored it ... except that it was a very FAMILIAR scream.  he sighed.  of course it was his flatmate, screaming about merlin knew what.  “ i recognize that scream. “  he replied with a sigh, warily turning towards tiffany.  “ it belongs to a wizard.  my flatemate, to be exact.  he’s not exactly the jumpy sort, so...”  he frowned.  “ d’you reckon he found whatever it is you’re looking for ?  “   he ran his tongue over the transfigured canines in his mouth, resisting the urge to sigh.  he couldn’t leave the bloke behind when he’d CONVINCED him to come out in the first place.

adora wasn’t used to being patient. everything she could ever possibly desire had been handed to her on a golden platter, as soon as the thought materialized in her pretty little head. however, from the moment she’d met ansem as a mere baby, to the day she’d realized almost two decades later that she possessed feelings that were akin to something more than friendship for the wizard, she had to practice the art. one that was most unfamiliar to her.

from early june, realizing that it’d be inappropriate to allow him to kiss her without her parents approval; to early july, getting permission for him to court her; in early august, when they’d both returned from their separate globetrotting adventures. he, for work, and she, for pleasure. them going on their first proper date and attempting to assimilate the wizard, and witch, they knew before, and who they were to be to each other now…

well, adora could wait. she could be patient.

the bluenette could practice this art in september, along with her magical theatrical studies, when ansem failed to not only let her know he was alive after the attacks, but to also make her feel alive. with a kiss, just like in the fairytales she so loved to read. in october, she found herself thinking about kisses even more. at the wizarding academy of dramatic arts, for public production preparation 101, she had to go after the most prized roles. a lot of them involved immersing herself in roles involving romance. she dodged practicing certain scenes with a grace only adora de la fuente could possess. it felt wrong to kiss someone else before she’d kissed the person she really wanted to, even if it was just make believe.

of course, this wasn’t the only thing on her mind. adora dulce estela hasna yesenia de la fuente de garcia, spending all of her time, thinking about one topic? por favor! she was annoyed to have been switched from living in her town home in golden pine, enchanted to be much larger inside, to one of the many estates the de la fuentes owned. it was a safety precaution with the masked miscreants running amok, robbing the rich and poor. she understood, but still! annoying. in any case, her new temporary home was in the english countryside, and was named easton manor. 

easton, in old english, meant “island of stones,“ which was exactly what would rain down on anyone who would try to enter the grounds uninvited. don’t believe it? well, it’s your death. the roof was all pale blue, with gold details. autumn had taken hostage of the gardens and the trees; red, orange, yellow. the colors were fruits for the eyes to feast on.

a member of the de garcia family, fiorella, was staying with her for the time being. it’d been her mother’s idea to soothe her husband’s worries, and thus, one of her many cousins from grand papi de garcia’s side had promptly been chosen to watch her. the white hispanic witch stuck to adora like glue when she wasn’t in class, and it wasn’t because fernando demanded she watch out for her virtue. she was a social climber. plain. and. simple. who had the wanderlust bug much like most of her family. this was a free vacation. 

that didn’t mean she didn’t take her role seriously.

“ay, adora.” fifi tutted from where she was sprawled out on adora’s enchanted hovering chaise lounge. she asked her if she was going out without her in french. she switched between spanish and french often, having attended beauxbatons. “no,” adora said, pinching her cheeks as she looked in the mirror. she caught a whiff of vanilla suddenly. ansem was near.

 “ayy!” she told her fifi to make herself scarce, rolling her eyes once she was out of the room. oh, how she wished catalina was on good terms with her family. it’d be her here instead. she’d understand.

adora flipped a strand out of her doe eyes as she descended the stairs, anxious to take ansem in fully. “oh, cállate,” she teased him.

 she pressed her cheek to his left. she pulled back a couple inches, her long lashes fluttering as she got drowned in a sea of blue. adora had almost forgotten how startlingly vibrant his eyes could be, though it’s not like she ever stood this close to admire them. she almost forgot to press her cheek to the other side of his face in greeting. typical customs. typical adora. yet, somehow it felt new. everything did, kisses or not. 

she giggled suddenly, tearing her eyes away, which had turned ochre from a ray of sunlight peaking in from a close by window. “let us… walk?” she asked, inclining her head towards the gardens. her question was spoken in a voice soft like cashmere, at a volume that made you want to lean in to hear more, but that could’ve had more to do with the swan like beauty who’d voiced the words to begin with. adora didn’t wait for an answer. she didn’t want to give fifi a chance to shake off her laziness and traipse behind them. her cloak glittered as she swept it out with her arm, it then dragging across the floor behind her. 

“i want to hear all about what i’ve missed.”

          " is it too corny to say you ?  “  he practically winced at the words, though knew that the sentiment was true.  ansem wasn’t known for being the most eloquent with his words; it was frequently that he stumbled over them, in a hurry to get them all out lest he lose his nerve or forget what he was trying to say to begin with.  in all of his travels, while he’d missed the comforts of his home, or unbridled access to chips from the wix who sold them frequently at a local wizarding farmers market nearby his flat, it was adora he’d missed most.  while he’d owl’d her as frequently as he could, it was a poor replacement for the real thing.  he’d missed seeing the sparkle in her eyes, the lilt to her laughter, and the way his heart always seemed to forget how to function whenever she was in his proximity.  “ i stand by my statement even if it is. “

      as they retired outside, ansem’s hand instinctively gravitated towards hers.  sometimes it was a foreign concept that he could do that -- he could take her hand, thread their fingers together, press a kiss against the back of her hand.  he could do all of those things.  he’d spent so long wondering if the day would ever come and now that it was here, he was constantly left in disbelief.  even now, months later, the warm and fuzzy feeling flooded his synapses whenever he took her hand.  he talked about some of the highlights of his trips, leaving out the details he’d already mentioned in his owls.  he also omitted some of the more dangerous bits and times when he’d nearly gotten himself into trouble ( dragon hide gloves didn’t protect you from EVERY magical substance, it would seem !! ) to neatly sum up the time they’d spent away from each other.  

       around them, the gardens had blossomed into a truly breathtaking area.  as they walked along the path, his gaze infrequently soaked in the elaborate grounds that surrounding adora’s new home.  ansem had never had much of a green thumb himself, having been attacked by spiky bushes at warbeck manor when he got too close, but he always appreciated the painstaking efforts that wix put into their property.  “ i noticed you have company. “ he commented when they approached a bench, motioning for her to sit down before he joined her.  “ one of your cousins, right ?  i don’t remember her name. “  the de la fuente family was large -- on both sides of her family, maternal and paternal.  it was a far cry from the warbeck family whose lineage could be mapped out easily on two hands.  there were two factions, each that didn’t speak to the others.  it made holidays easy, at least.   “ i need the updates !  i feel like i’ve missed so much. “

fatima’s signature smiles fades into that of an apologetic one, as chocolate hues seen the chips scatter. oh no! the poor kettle chips– the worst fate possible for food. now she just felt really bad, and to be fair being soft on her feet– probably easily could lead to spooking someone. not that she’d ever do so intentionally. “sorry, i can always get you more if you want. i’m really sorry.” comes the former blonde’s honest apology, still feeling really bad about it. “oh i don’t know.. i heard it’s terrible. but you know terrible in a good way.” if that were even such a possible thing. oh well, it was what she had gathered at least. but it was the season for all spooky things! fall treats. as well as two of her favorite things: snow. and ice. all of which she was more than ready for. “that sounds like you got quite the spook. i’m sorry to hear you got the worst of it. i don’t know, it’s FUN. plus it’s all in good fun, anyways! and what it’s for.” the half-veela didn’t really mind those kind of things that much, unless of course they were REALLY scary. perhaps it was the gryffindor in her. “i reckon so, you should be pretty good on the scare front– unless you see a really horrifying costume. i have seen some really great ones, but nothing scary per se.”  ( @aveelaxfatima )

        “ no no, don’t worry about it. “  he picked up his wand, casting a duplicating spell on the remainder of the kettle chips.  duplicated food never tasted all that good but by the time he’d smothered them in vinegar, you’d hardly notice.  “ i got this. “  he popped one of the chips into his mouth to accentuate his point -- only after dousing it in vinegar and pepper.   “ oh it was dreadful.  i’m not the biggest fan of dementors but they’re all well and good.  they serve a purpose, y’know ?  but red caps ?  they’re basically born out of bloodshed and want to bludgeon people to death. “  he shuddered.  “ awful. “  he popped another chip in his mouth before offering them to fatima.  “ i haven’t seen any costumes that have really been that spooky. “  he had to admit.  “ it’s all very tame this year.  though i did see one bloke who’d done some kind of charm to make his eye hang from the socket. “  he shuddered.  “ it was disgusting.  i almost abandoned the chips when i spotted him. “  almost.  it would take more than a gory eye-less socket to make him abandon food.  

the wizarding world had come very far in its long history. almost every mundane pain, every ordinary ordeal, every prosaic nuisance could be made easier, simpler or quicker through magic. there was little that could not be improved by a waving of a wand, the stirring of a cauldron or the blossoming of a plant. there was, however, no magic in the world that would stop laura alberta sumner from being late to, well, absolutely everything. it was something she was constantly being called out for at her workplace, and something her co-workers and regular customers had grown used to. however, she doubted something such as a bank would be so forgiving of her arguably adorable quirk. especially when her appointment was scheduled with no other than her own former lover. 

despite the less than amicable breakup between her and ansem, they knew each other. she trusted him, and she would rather have to deal with someone that knows what she is like than some random employee that definitely would not be forgiving about her lateness. especially when it came to the request she had gone down to the bank to make. she burst through the door twelve and a half minutes after the agreed upon time, the click clack of her stilettos against the marble floors echoing in the eerily quiet environment. she glanced warmly at warbeck, ready to go overboard with the charm, taking a stop at memory lane before getting where she wanted. she was ready to butter him up like a warm roll. however, she recognised the look on his face faster than you can say guilty. ″ ansem, were you sticking your nose where you’re not supposed to ? ″ her eyes narrowed, expression flooded with suspicion and charm overload forgotten.

          to his credit, ansem didn’t instantly panic.  yes, the files on his desk were incriminating and not meant for his eyes, but there was no way lulu could know that.  except that she knew him ... and he’d never been very good at schooling his features.  his face had always been expressive and today ?  it likely screamined GUILTY without him having to say a word.  “ no.  of course not. “  he can’t help but sell the lie,  flipping the dossier closed.  considering their history, any version of the truth would likely come back to bite him eventually.  this was the woman who’d thrown his things out the window,  was he really going to trust her with his secrets ?  hah.  not a chance.  “ my nose is where it belongs.  minding my own business.  as always. “  he cracked a smile at that.  they’d both know it was a lie.  there were very few people who enjoyed gossip as much as ansem ... so long as that gossip didn’t directly involve him.