Headmaster Brockert
July 27, 2018 9:25 PM
Opening Feast by Headmaster Brockert
So far the year was off to a decent start. No student altercations, no complaining parents and they even had a solution to their Quidditch "problem". (As far as Mortimer was concerned, there was no problem, as he didn't consider Quidditch all that important but others disagreed including his own son Eustace, but Eustace's opinion didn't matter one whit as far as Sonora went. He didn't even have a child here. Unfortunately, people whose opinion mattered more also cared but as long as he didn't have to do anything with it and nobody was forced into playing, it was okay with him.)In other news, he had not one but two granddaughters attending Sonora this year and thus as the first years were brought in, he surveyed them with a bit more curiosity. They had better treat his granddaughters with the respect and decency that befitted them. Actually, Mortimer wasn't all that worried about Topaz, she could take care of herself but Allegra was an awfully jumpy child.
Once everyone seemed to be in attendance, Mortimer placed a Sonorus charm on himself and began to speak. "Welcome to Sonora for the new first years and welcome back for all older students. First years, you should have recieved a blank badge at the end of Orientation." At least they hadn't gotten it when they first got there, some were liable to lose it. "You will dunk the badge in the Sorting Potion and it will turn the color representing your house which are blue for Aladren, yellow for Teppenpaw, red for Crotalus, and brown for Pecari. Afterwards, you may join your house table." He noted where Topaz and Allegra were sorted with pleasure.
After the first years had been settled, Mortimer continued."Would Joseph Umland and Nevaeh Reed please come up and get your Head Student badges?" He couldn't help but be displeased with the former's new badge. Hopefully Mr. Umland had worked on his anger issues within the last few years " In addition I'd like to call up Emerald Brockert, Kir McLeod, Victor Callhan and Isaac Song to recieve their prefect badges. Congratulations." His face beamed with pride as Emerald took her spot on the stage along with her classmates and recieved her badge.
"We have two new staff members to announce tonight. Professor Brooding will be taking over Potions and Coach Reilly will be taking over for Quidditch. I trust you will all treat them with the respect they deserve." Blatant lie, he didn't expect teenagers to be respectful one little bit, but let that be a warning to them. " I am pleased," Another blatant lie, he couldn't care less, "to announce that this year instead of each house having it's own Quidditch team, as we've had trouble with that within the last few years, that we will instead be having an All Star Team, made up of the best Quidditch players in the school that will be playing against teams from other schools. More details will be posted in your common rooms.
"In addition, this year's Midsummer Event will be the Fair. Details on that will also be posted in later in the year. Now we will sing the school song." Yet another blatant lie. They would be singing the song, not him. Lyric sheets were passed around and the song began.
Every day we strive
Learning to survive
Life’s hardships and to solve its mystery.
Learning to defend
Our honour and our friends,
Flying high to meet our destiny
We will stand and face those who want to harm us.
We won’t let the world transfigure, jinx or charm us
I won’t fight alone, as long as you are with me.
Sonora be my home, my tutor and my spirit
Vasita quoque floeat; Even the desert blooms. .
That done, he dug into his steak and bourbon.
Subthreads: Well, it was nice while it lasted. by Evelyn Stones with Malikhi Hill, Pecari
Harper's Quest III: A Welcomed Escape by Gary Harper with Amelia Layne
What's the point? by Julius Astley, Crotalus with Cleo James
Let's try this socializing thing again. by Katerina Vorontsov with Dorian Montoir
Is it too late? by Tabitha Hawthorne with Mary Brooding
I think we should be friends [Tag Zevalyn] by Ness McLeod with Zevalyn
All back to not as before. by Grayson Wright with Tarquin Fox-Reynolds
It's an outrage (tag Ben) by Kyte Collindale with Ben Pierce
Of brides and bribery, mostly. by Tatiana Vorontsova
The wanderer returns by Jehan Callahan with Heinrich Hexenmeister
Get out clauses (tag Joe) by Kir McLeod with Joe Umland
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Headmaster Brockert
Opening Feast
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Headmaster Brockert
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Tabitha Hawthorne
July 28, 2018 3:31 PM
Is it too late? by Tabitha Hawthorne
Tabitha had almost been late to the feast. If she hadn't laid out her more formal dress robes earlier, she was sure that she would have arrived after all the students and that would have created a reputation for her that she wouldn't have been able to get rid of for the rest of the year. It would have been an embarrassment and Tabitha would have never been able to live it down.For the evening, she had selected her best clothes. An ankle-length white robe that had a high collar, the inside of it lined with a dark blue silk which she wore draped over her shoulders, leaving the long sleeves to swing freely. Underneath, she wore a loose white blouse that had ruffles down the middle which was also paired with a pair of dark blue slacks. She completed the entire ensemble with a pair of comfortable black leather boots. As for her hair, it wasn't long enough to tie back so all she'd done was create some gentle waves. She felt like she looked like she'd made enough of an effort without trying too hard, which had been her intention and she hoped she managed to pull it off.
She had taken a seat to the left of the table and, as planned, next to the lovely Mary Brooding. She murmured a quick 'hello' to the witch and sent her a smile, though Tabitha felt rather tense. There was absolutely no turning back now, just in case she was having doubts. There was something about sitting there, though, that made Tabitha extraordinarily nervous. She felt rather like she was on show, being paraded in front of all the students for assessment and evaluation. She clasped her hands together, feeling a slight tremble in them. She'd be more comfortable facing off against a Manticore in Greece than sitting in front of all the students.
Even through the speech that Headmaster Brockert gave, her nerves didn't ease but she applauded politely as the first years were sorted and her applause was a little louder when Mary Brooding was introduced as a new teacher. She might have been nervous but she was still pleased for her new friend.
Once everyone had settled and the food was up for grabs, she turned to her dinner partner and asked, "Tell me, is it too late to run for the hills?"
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Tabitha Hawthorne
Is it too late?
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Tabitha Hawthorne
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Mary Brooding
July 28, 2018 6:41 PM
Only if you leave without me. by Mary Brooding
If Mary hadn't felt like she stood out before, she certainly did now. It wasn't in the positive, 'Wow, you look great in olive!' sort of stand out, but the, 'Wow, you have beautiful friends!' way. As her new friend took the empty seat beside her, Mary couldn't help thinking she was sitting beside a snow queen, while she herself looked like an actual olive, rather than just wearing the appropriate shade of green.Despite Tabitha's beauty, she seemed obviously uncomfortable. Mary, however, quite enjoyed the spotlight, and smiled happily at the students. If she was honest, they weren't paying too much attention to the staff table anyway.
Mary hummed a bit, the school song stuck in her head, as she leaned towards the food in front of her and took a large scoop of jello pudding. She wasn't sure how the school-- whomever prepared the food at school at least-- had known it was her favorite thing to eat, but she was glad they had. She was quite sure jello pudding was not an actual meal item, but it would suffice whens he was feeling far too bubbly to eat anything else. Although, eyeing a nearby green bean casserole made her second guess this assertion. She took a scoop of that as well.
When Tabitha leaned over and asked about escaping, Mary chuckled. She wanted to laugh, but thought it might embarrass the Defense mistress, who was clearly not enjoying the spotlight as much as Mary was.
"Quite so," she replied. She thought for a moment before reaching out to place an arm gently around Tabitha's shoulders. She hoped desperately the touch would be okay.
Providing one light squeeze before moving to pull her arm away, Mary lowered her tone into one more conspiratorial. "I've worn heels I simply can't run in and there's no way you're going without me!"
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Mary Brooding
Only if you leave without me.
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Mary Brooding
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Tabitha Hawthorne
July 28, 2018 7:09 PM
Why would I do a thing like that? by Tabitha Hawthorne
Tabitha let out a slow sigh, trying to calm her nerves. She wouldn't be able to eat until she did calm down otherwise, all she'd end up with would be indigestion and a bad stomach. The side-hug from Mary was very welcome and warming and she eased, slightly. She was relieved that Mary was sitting next to her, looking lovely in green. The colour suited the woman very well and Tabitha told her so, hoping that it was okay to pay such a compliment. It felt only right after Mary having complimented Tabitha on her eyes the first time they'd met. Tabitha's cheeks flushed a light pink as she recalled that and she cleared her throat and picked up her goblet of wine to take a sip before she said anything else that could potentially embarrass herself for the rest of eternity.Mentally, she growled to herself to pull herself together. She was Tabitha Hawthorne, who'd travelled the world and faced off against Occamies and Runespoors and here she was being intimidated by a load of teenagers and blushing like a school girl. For goodness sake, she needed to sort herself out.
After internally berating herself, Tabitha cleared her throat again and started to help herself to the delicious looking food that was spread on the table in front of her. She was definitely having some of those lovely looking sausages...
"So," she started, now attempting to have a real conversation with Mary. "If we're to go travelling later in the year, where would you like to go?"
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Tabitha Hawthorne
Why would I do a thing like that?
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Tabitha Hawthorne
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Mary Brooding
July 28, 2018 7:22 PM
It wouldn't be the strangest thing by Mary Brooding
A calm, confident, and happy woman, both in reality and in self-perception, Mary was unaccustomed to the nerves that rumbled through her belly. She took a moment to cut a piece of jello in half with her knife, a poor excuse to look away, but an excuse nonetheless. She hoped it looked like she was thinking.Traveling the world with this woman seemed...dangerous. In a good way, but dangerous nonetheless. She supposed it was the loss of so many others that made her suddenly question the wisdom behind committing to someone who could so easily leave her behind, either through tragedy or through choice. She thought of Parker, dead so young, and her parents. She thought of Michelle, the beautiful blonde who had captured her heart. Then she thought of Tabitha.
That pretty face didn't seem to be full of threats, but it was easy enough to be deceived by a smile, and Mary didn't prefer to make that mistake again. But if she was wrong...if Tabitha was exactly as kind and clever and beautiful as she thought...then what would she be throwing away by taking the cautious route?
Anger rose in her chest, and she stabbed at a piece of jello. It slid off her fork-- of course-- and so she shoveled some pudding into her mouth, hoping to subdue the frustrations building. She stifled a scowl. She was Mary blood Brooding and she was not going to let a not so lovely past ruin a possibly lovely future.
She also wasn't going to let a not so lovely choice of words do that either.
Mary knew she'd been looking down for a long time, on top of savagely fighting the gelatinous dessert on her plate, and she looked up at Tabitha with as open expression as she could manage under pressure.
"I'd like to go to the Arctic," she answered softly. "I'd like to see the Aurora Borealis, and I'd like to research the growth patterns of certain rare plants there."
She watched as Tabitha reached for a sausage, and wondered whether this was a cultural thing related to the supposed popularity of bangers and mash, or if it was simply a personal preference. Mary realized that she'd rather find that out, and all sorts of other things about this witch, than most anything that she could learn in the Arctic. It seemed stupid to be so fond of someone so quickly, but it how wonderful anyway.
"And if you'd like to have me, I think I'd love to see England with you." She smiled what she hoped was an innocent expression and brushed off the comment before it could be too weighty. "Where do two people who have seen everything go to see something new? I suspect it's only possible if you see the familiar through the eyes of the unfamiliar. I'd like to know what you see when you go home."
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Mary Brooding
It wouldn't be the strangest thing
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Mary Brooding
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Tabitha Hawthorne
July 28, 2018 7:48 PM
I won't leave you behind by Tabitha Hawthorne
Tabitha grew worried when Mary didn't reply to her for a time and, for a second, a shot of fear went straight through her. Maybe Mary had changed her mind and didn't want to travel with her anymore? She knew that travelling with her was dangerous. It was part of the reason why her parents hadn't wanted her to go in the first place. The unknown dangers, the need to be on one's guard for most, if not all, of the time. And what if one of them got hurt? Perhaps fatally.She jumped when Mary suddenly stabbed at her jello pudding, the sound of the prongs of the fork hitting the plate startling her. Okay, now she seemed angry. Oh, Tabitha had managed to screw up something quite spectacularly now. She'd thought a seemingly harmless question about travelling would be a good point of conversation but clearly, she'd been wrong and Mary had changed her mind and Tabitha had completely misread the situation. What a great start to the year.
Then, she heard Mary say that she wanted to go to the Arctic. She blinked and looked at the witch, surprised. Mary had managed to pick the one place that the Defence professor had never been. She smiled at her. "The Arctic? I've... actually never been. I'd love to go though - there's a species of Salamander that resides there and I'm sure the Northern Lights are beautiful."
It was the perfect place, really, for a new adventure. A new adventure as new friends. The Arctic. Tabitha made a note to eventually buy some warm robes. Then, Mary said she wanted to see England which made Tabitha pause.
The Defence teacher hadn't returned to England in years and had had no inclination to do so. She'd parted with her parents on such bad terms that she'd written off the country. She wasn't even sure if she called it home anymore, she hadn't returned in so long. Deciding that the best course of action was to mull the idea over for a while, she settled on smiling at Mary and... well, changing the subject.
"I'd like to take you to Fiji. It's a favourite place of mine - Fire Crabs are native to Fiji and, unless I'm mistaken, their saliva is useful in potions... And there's always India. Though, that'd be a dangerous trip. There's Runespoors there and if they bite you, they can be deadly."
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Tabitha Hawthorne
I won't leave you behind
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Tabitha Hawthorne
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Mary Brooding
July 28, 2018 8:01 PM
But what if I fall? by Mary Brooding
The reminder that Tabitha was also brilliant was welcome. Mary suddenly was drawn into the intrigues of international travel, and spoke eagerly about the differences in dangers between Muggle travelers and magical ones."I always wonder if there's something about magical creatures that is drawn to magical humans? In which case, the element of magic in each must be harvestable. Or at least tangible. Or are attacks on Muggles simply written off as something else? What are the varying ethical practices for magical governments as far as memory alterations for magically impacted Muggles in remote places?"
This conversation was significantly easier and took some pressure off Mary's chest. She hadn't noticed how hard her heart was beating or how tight her chest was until it suddenly wasn't, and she smiled gratefully at Tabitha.
"Fiji would be lovely," she replied. The last time she'd been in Fiji, she had discovered the lovely gauze robes of the warm weather wizards there. Her current outfit was no match in terms of comfort, despite the neat look of buttoned sleeves and a buttoned front. She suspected she looked like a khaki-colored Cruella De Vil, minus the furs, of course. In Fiji, she was certain she had been made of the ocean itself. Of course, several feet of black hair is a bit difficult to manage in the water, but that's not a serious enough problem to ruin a trip.
Her usual bubbly self was returning and she sat back in her chair, smiling at her friend. "We've done it, Tabitha," she smiled, barely managing to get out the full name. The woman reminded her of the stripey cats that sit atop brick walls and watch passerby with quiet eyes, but she didn't want to go giving out nicknames just yet. "We're professors at Sonora and we're sitting here, together, in this wonderful place. Isn't it just sublime? Absolutely magnificent."
She felt like a giddy schoolgirl again and hid a giggle behind one thin hand. "Bloody wonderful!"
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Mary Brooding
But what if I fall?
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Mary Brooding
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Tabitha Hawthorne
July 28, 2018 8:38 PM
Then I'll pick you up. by Tabitha Hawthorne
Tabitha couldn't help but laugh as Mary embarked on an 'ethics' dissection again but it was nice to discuss something normal and not awkward and, actually, very interesting. There was no doubt that Mary was an intelligent individual and clearly educated and thoughtful."You're asking if one magical being is drawn to another? I'm not sure, exactly. I mean, magic itself is a force that we don't really understand. I mean, look at us now. There's something about us that separates us from muggles. We pick up a wand and we can levitate objects or fire a hex whereas if a muggle picked up a wand, it'd just be a useless stick. An oddly sculpted stick, perhaps, but a stick nonetheless. That seems to me to suggest that we have some kind of magical core that muggles don't. Whether it can be harvested, I don't know."
She mulled what she'd just said over and felt quite sure of her musings. There had to be something different inside every witch and wizard that separated them from muggles otherwise it just didn't make any sense.
"As for the ethical methods when it comes to messing with someone's memory? It depends how you look at it. If you look at it from the government's perspective, they're just trying to protect us by keeping our existence as wizards and witches secret. I mean, it makes sense. Would you like it if someone who could do absurdly powerful things suddenly showed up? You'd panic and I guess that's what the government thinks would happen - there'd be a worldwide panic. In a remote place? I suppose it would depend how remote."
She smiled at Mary as the Potions professor relished in being at Sonora and being a teacher and having the opportunity to change the lives of future generations. She quite agreed with the witch. "It is bloody wonderful, Mary. It's a whole new life and I'm really rather excited."
There was silence between them for a few moments when Tabitha decided to help herself to some more wine. She offered the bottle in Mary's direction. "Want some?"
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Tabitha Hawthorne
Then I'll pick you up.
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Tabitha Hawthorne
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Mary Brooding
July 28, 2018 8:52 PM
Lift from the knees, not from the back. by Mary Brooding
This wasn't the first time Mary had considered such questions, but certainly one of the first times she'd had someone else to consider them with. Sitting among crystal chandeliers in the hall of a desert palace, waterfalls cascading across the walls, Mary quite believed that any magic at all might be possible, but agreed with Tabitha: something separated magical beings and people from non-magical ones.The idea of imposed protection struck a chord with Mary, who wondered at the idea. Her eyes fixed on Tabitha's, intensity bristling in them. She could feel it.
"If you were given the choice between knowing the amazing, knowing that it could hurt you, or not ever knowing at all, what would you choose? Particularly if that choice was one you wouldn't remember making?" she was quiet for a moment, trying to read Tabitha's expression. "Speaking of Muggles of course," she said, changing the subject-- although not really-- with a laugh. What do you think they'd choose if we gave them the choice?"
Tabitha was excited, so she was excited, and that was good enough for now. These conversations weren't the type to be held in front of the school on their first days as professors. It was too risky. There was too much at stake, and Mary rolled her shoulders, trying to unlock the stiffness that had formed from leaning so intently towards Tabitha.
"Just a little bit," Mary replied, holding aloft her glass to accept some wine. She didn't think that even a buzz would be a good idea in this case, although she suspected Tabitha would be rather a lot of fun buzzed. "That's a delightful fragrance," she exclaimed as the scent washed over her. "Completely ravishing."
For having tried so many potions on herself, Mary really was quite a lightweight. She considered for a moment whether it would be appropriate to sneak a bottle away to share later, but decided that voicing that suggestion might make it all too tempting. Or earn her a solid slap of rejection. Neither of which were acceptable options, so she simply nodded, and smiled, and shared a drink with her friend.
"Alright, lovely," she giggled, leaning her elbows on the table and eyeing the student body. "Hogwarts alum as you are, what do you think are the primary differences between Sonora Houses and Hogwarts Houses? What House were you in by the way? I was a Teppenpaw."
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Mary Brooding
Lift from the knees, not from the back.
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Mary Brooding
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Tabitha Hawthorne
July 28, 2018 9:21 PM
I'll be careful, don't worry. by Tabitha Hawthorne
Tabitha felt that if the intensity within Mary's eyes could manifest into something physical, it would become a raging fire that would burn her. The Defence professor found that she couldn't tear her eyes away from her friend's face even if she'd wanted to, the passion that she saw there keeping her fixed in place. It felt like Mary was looking straight through her, deep into the core of her very being and it made Tabitha feel rather light-headed and giddy. She felt like there was something more behind the question that Mary was asking but it wasn't being said.The answer, of course, was an easy one to Tabitha. There was no doubt in her mind that she'd rather know something and be hurt rather than never having the knowledge of it. That was a part of life. The key part to experiences and memories was the feelings and emotions that tinged them. How could something be sad if you couldn't remember it being sad? How would you know happiness if you'd never experienced it? How would you know love?
She never replied to Mary because the answer was clear and she felt like the Potions teacher had known that already or she wouldn't have asked the question so intensely. Instead, she poured her friend a glass of wine, forcing the connection between them to break. In doing that, Tabitha felt like there was something strangely absent.
"It's delicious too," she added to Mary's approval of the wine, sipping at her own. It was truly delightful. Then, the questions turned to her school life.
She gave the witch a smile that was tinged with a little cheekiness. "Can't you guess? I was a Gryffindor. With all the danger-attracting qualities I have, where else would I have gone?"
She sipped again at her wine and mulled over the differences between the two schools and, therefore, the two houses and came to the conclusion that Sonora went deeper into people's personalities that Hogwarts did. Tabitha approved. You couldn't just box people into categories based on one character trait. Somebody could be brave and clever. She relayed these thoughts to Mary.
"So, what was life here at Sonora like for you? Are there any similarities between then and now?"
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Tabitha Hawthorne
I'll be careful, don't worry.
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Tabitha Hawthorne
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Mary Brooding
July 28, 2018 9:33 PM
Then I will, too. by Mary Brooding
Mary laughed heartily at the idea of her sweet, calm, quiet friend, sporting a lion's badge and crimson sports robes. The image was a joyous one because a little Gryffindor version of Tabitha couldn't possibly be imagined without a flushed, excited expression, and daring eyes. That was a child who would leave her family behind to travel the world, and suddenly, the woman in front of Mary seemed to make more sense."You're smart, you're kind, and you're cunning, too," Mary said. "I wouldn't know where to put you. Although, I think that's the point of Hogwarts, right? To learn to be all of the Houses?"
There was a chance... a good chance... that she was sorely misunderstanding the point of Houses. That seemed like a good ideal to her, though, so she went with it.
"Sonora was perfect," she murmured, taking in their surroundings again and sipping from her wine. "My life fell apart when I was at school, but somehow, this old place couldn't be knocked down. This was truly the happiest place I could think of."
Mary smiled at Tabitha, hoping to convey an unspoken thought that she felt it might just be again, and then turned away again.
"It was less scary back then, but I didn't have the responsibility of professor!" She laughed at the thought of her own adolescent self becoming a professor.
"Did you think you'd get into this job? You said you took it to settle down, but did you really think you'd ever settle down?"
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Mary Brooding
Then I will, too.
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Mary Brooding
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Tabitha Hawthorne
July 28, 2018 10:08 PM
Good. I don't want to see you hurt. by Tabitha Hawthorne
Tabitha liked that the idea of her in her teenage years amused the witch and she thanked her kindly for the compliments, mercifully without a blush colouring her cheeks this time. She was getting used to Mary saying such nice things and she felt a rush of warmth every time she did. Tabitha had, for a long time, wondered if she was a reckless, bad person and that idea seemed to have sollidified when her ex-boyfriend had left her stranded in America, the travelling and the dangers having become too much, sick of the woman throwing them carelessly into life-threatening situations. Sitting with Mary, chatting with her, Tabitha didn't feel like quite such a bad person, if only for a while."Maybe not all the houses," she replied, thinking about the rivalry that Gryffindor had had and more than likely, still had, with Slytherin. "But yes, in the end, you learn to be more than one kind of person. Though, once a Gryffindor, always a Gryffindor."
There was something about the way Mary spoke about Sonora. Tabitha felt like there was an almost kind of reverence in her voice, like the school was sacred and to the witch, it probably was. Mary had been at school when she lost her entire family so it wasn't all that surprising to Tabitha that she felt a strong connection to the building and, if her tone of voice was anything to go buy, Mary was hopeful that that strong connection would remain.
Then, the conversation turned to their new positions as professors within the school.
"Not at all," Tabitha laughed, remembering her interview with the Deputy Headmistress. "I have never taught before and I have no degree. I find it to be quite the miracle that I'm here at all!"
She took a sip of wine and mulled over the final part of Mary's question. "When I was younger, I thought I'd travel forever and ever. There's so much to see in this world and sometimes I feel that there's never enough time to see all of it. I was travelling with my boyfriend at the time and I thought... I thought we were unstoppable."
She swallowed thickly, remembering the nasty fight they had before he'd left, stranding her in an unknown country. She'd thrown a hex at his back as he'd left, feeling that he deserved to feel some kind of pain.
"My parents didn't approve of my travelling so they didn't fund it. Our travels depended on his money," she explained, gritting her teeth every now and then, refusing completely to shed any tears over the events that had happened and especially not over him. "We came to America, I wanted to see a Wampus Cat, which is native to the North in the Appalachian Mountains but they're dangerous - classified as known wizard killers but I was insistent. We fell out about it and he left me. He took his money and left me in a country that I didn't know."
She breathed in, shakily. That was the first time that she'd told that story in full. She'd pushed it back into the recesses of her mind. For a moment, she thought she might stop and refuse to say any more but something urged her onwards.
"I had next to no money and I knew that before long, I would've starved. I refused to send my parents a letter asking for help so I applied here, to Sonora, and got extraordinarily lucky," she let out a long breath and, to her surprise, felt a weight had been lifted. She laughed a little. "So, in answer to your question, yes. I do want to settle down but not completely. I want somewhere to call home, somewhere I know that I can always return to when I've had enough of travelling."
Silence fell between them for a few moments and Tabitha collected her thoughts. She felt, after admitting all of that to Mary, that she could breathe a little easier, her head was a little clearer and that she could finally put her best foot forward. Suddenly, she let out a proper laugh.
"You know what angered me the most though? It wasn't that he left and took all the money, it wasn't even that he stranded me in an unknown country... It was that I never got to see a Wampus Cat."
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Tabitha Hawthorne
Good. I don't want to see you hurt.
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Tabitha Hawthorne
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Mary Brooding
July 29, 2018 12:48 AM
Nor I you, dear friend by Mary Brooding
At some point in Tabitha's story, Mary thought to put a comforting hand on her shoulder. Or leg. Or hand. Where should she put her hand? She settled on the woman's forearm, where she hoped it wouldn't be too oppressive or too.... 'I pity you.' She didn't pity Tabitha. Everyone has a story and she couldn't pity a woman who had survived one."I'm glad you're here," Mary said earnestly. "And your ex sounds like his head was full of nargles. Lots of nargles."
It shouldn't have bothered her that Tabitha's dating history apparently included men. She shouldn't have been concerned to discover her friend might be straight. She shouldn't have cared. But she cared.
However, in that moment, Tabitha was sad and reminiscing, and Mary's own feelings were second or third or fourth to that.
When silence fell between them, Mary removed her hand and waited for her friend to speak first. It was enough to sit quietly amongst the ruckus of students and professors, clanging dishes, and the gentle rush of water down the walls. It wasn't really silent, but silent enough, and after a moment, Tabitha spoke again.
Mary laughed softly and then much harder as eh considered this. Her grin was wide and genuine and her eyes sparkled as she glanced at her friend. She then closed her eyes, simply enjoying the feeling of laughter.
"Well," she finally decided, having managed to regain her composure. "Let us see the Wampus Cat then!"
She knew it was a risk to suggest, and she knew she might get hurt, and she knew it might upset the Defense mistress, but she also knew it was a suggestion from the bottom of her heart.
If she was going to face a wizard-killing cat, she supposed it should be done with someone like Tabitha for...lots of reasons. All the reasons.
"And let us enjoy every single moment," she added, clanking her glass into Tabitha's and drinking the rest of her wine in a quick gulp. She hissed as it rushed through her throat.
"Doesn't hot chocolate just sound lovely?"
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Mary Brooding
Nor I you, dear friend
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Tabitha Hawthorne
July 29, 2018 8:26 AM
I'll look out for you. by Tabitha Hawthorne
The warmth that Tabitha felt on her arm, simply from Mary's hand was quite extraordinary. If she didn't know any better, she would've said that the Potions mistress had put some kind of heating spell on her own hand. There was something about the woman in general that Tabitha couldn't quite put her finger on. She exuded warmth and was so terribly lovely that Tabitha found her whole personality rather incredible. The woman had lost her entire family when she was still in school, still essentially just a child, and Tabitha knew that tragedies like that could twist someone into a bitter and vile person who hated everyone and everything but Mary wasn't like that. Somehow, the witch was still a positive force and wonderful company. So much so that Tabitha felt rather lucky to have met her.The Defence teacher was quite convinced that if Mary hadn't have come to Sonora, hadn't applied for the Potions position, she would be sitting alone at the table. Sure, she perhaps would have chatted idly to some of the other teachers as that was only polite but there was something about Mary... She felt much more at ease with the witch than she had with anyone else for a long time. It was interesting, lovely and absolutely terrifying, all at the same time. Tabitha wasn't quite sure what to make of it.
In the end, she settled for simply placing her own hand above Mary's and squeezing it in thanks for her unspoken support through her tale of woe. It confirmed her thoughts that Mary's hands were indeed really rather warm and, Tabitha thought with surprise, really rather nice to hold as well. What should have been a momentary hold on, a silent thank you, turned into something longer, Tabitha no longer really thinking about it.
She laughed when Mary suggested to go and see the Wampus Cat themselves. That was quite a quest to offer to go on when they hadn't known each other for very long - the Appalachian Trail was some one and half thousand miles and, in order to maximise the chances of finding the elusive Wampus Cat, they would have to walk the entire length of it. It was quite incredible that Mary saw it as something worth undertaking, simply because Tabitha had mentioned that she hadn't seen one.
Still, she said nothing about it, not wanting to shatter what a nice thought it was to take on such a journey with Mary. Tabitha had been planning to go, eventually, perhaps at the end of the year in the height of summer. That was a long way away though. There was the Christmas holidays first. Tabitha would have to consult her books to see where they could go and spend Christmas. The Defence mistress knew, really, that she was thinking under the assumption that Mary would indeed want to go anywhere over Christmas. If she didn't, then Tabitha could always go alone but, for some reason, she didn't enjoy that idea as much.
Tabitha finally dropped Mary's hand when she mentioned hot chocolate and she admitted that a hot drink sounded delightful, especially accompanied with some dessert. Tabitha looked the length of the table and spotted a steaming jug of hot chocolate just nearby, surrounded also by whipped cream and marshmallows. Yes, that would be perfect.
"Would you like any more dessert?" she asked Mary as she also spotted and subsequently helped herself to some very delicious looking chocolate fudge cake and paired it with some pouring cream.
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Tabitha Hawthorne
I'll look out for you.
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Mary Brooding
July 29, 2018 4:56 PM
*blushes fiercely and dies* by Mary Brooding
Mary could see a sadness in her new friend, and she wondered what Tabitha saw in her. Mary knew she was a cheery person, and she went to great lengths to maintain that reputation. She smiled her warmest smile at the Defense mistress.When Mary smiled, her nose wrinkled and she looked exactly as if she wanted to laugh but knew she wasn't supposed to. Others had often told her that she reminded them of the witches on Muggle TV, who wiggled their noses to make magic happen. She enjoyed the thought and played on it as much as possible.
"Isn't it amazing how the tables always have precisely what we want?" Mary asked, watching as Tabitha collected the necessities for a proper hot chocolate.
"[i]More[/i] dessert? I'll have you know, jello pudding is a staple, not a dessert. It's a priority food group," Mary laughed.
She watched as Tabitha poured thick, creamy milk over her chocolate fudge cake, enjoying how very British her new friend was. She had a hard time understanding exactly what that would taste like, despite her travels, and wondered what Tabitha would do if she reached over and stole a bite. Deciding that might be...unwise, Mary returned her attention to the parts of the perfect hot chocolate, and began mixing them together.
Excited to have marshmallows, she retrieved her wand and glanced around to make sure no one else was paying too much attention. Pre-made s'mores simply wouldn't do: Mary wanted the real deal, although she didn't want the attention it would garner.
"Incendio," she whispered, creating just a small flame from the tip of her wand, and roasting the marshmallow on her plate. "Everyone always says I do these wrong because I like them all the way black on the outside. Cook it until there's nothing left to burn, and then eat it like that! None of this 'golden brown' that others are so invested in."
She was concentrated on her task and only remembered to be embarrassed when she finished and waved her wand to put out the flame. Satisfied that her marshmallow was perfect, she reached for it and popped the whole thing in her mouth, blushing when she looked over at Tabitha, who was watching.
"It's delicious," Mary mumbled around the mouthful of toasted sugary goodness. "I probably should eat more vegetables but green things rarely taste good."
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Mary Brooding
*blushes fiercely and dies*
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Tabitha Hawthorne
July 29, 2018 5:14 PM
I'm pleased that I can make you blush by Tabitha Hawthorne
If Tabitha had had a different personality, she might have been self-conscious about how obviously British she was. After all, it wasn't just her accent and the way she said certain things that made it obvious but it was also her foods. She had caught Mary watching her as she poured her cream and found it endearing that the woman was so interested in such things. Tabitha hesitated to think that Mary was interested in her. She was perhaps just the object of mild fascination given her Britishisms and it would, more than likely, wear off soon enough."It is quite amazing," she agreed with the Potions teacher before having a mouthful of cake and closed her eyes in delight. It was so delicious and smooth and was absolutely delectable. It was the perfect dessert and she silently thanked whoever was in the kitchens for their efforts.
In the middle the enjoyment of her dessert, she caught Mary doing something rather furtively out of the corner of her eye. Frowning and also extremely curious, she turned her full attention to the witch, wondering what on earth she was doing. For some reason that Tabitha didn't understand, Mary appeared to be cooking the marshmallows. The Defence teacher had never seen such a thing and couldn't resist asking Mary what she was doing.
"I have never seen such things," she leaned in, her voice no louder than a whisper. It was clear that Mary was trying not to catch attention to her activities. "May I try some?"
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Tabitha Hawthorne
I'm pleased that I can make you blush
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Mary Brooding
July 29, 2018 5:54 PM
I'll work to return the favor by Mary Brooding
Mary blushed and then smirked as she relaxed again. She'd been caught out and realized she didn't mind. Excitement came over her next, and she leaned into that feeling, appreciating its simplicity."Usually people eat it with a full s'more. So you'd grab a chocolate bar and some graham crackers and sort of make a sandwich," Mary explained, grabbing a second marshmallow and lighting her wand again.
She was glad Sonora's table offered the big marshmallows. Big enough to make for a full mouthful, these were the best kind to toast.
"Do you want to try it my way all black like the one I ate, or do you want it less...burnt?" she asked. "Don't answer that, we'll do one of each."
She smiled at her friend, enjoying their secret marshmallow adventure.
"I'm so excited you haven't had one before! It's not often you get to be someone's first toasted marshmallow experience, and this is sort of an important milestone."
The thought made Mary practically giddy. Tabitha's soft face looked so interested and Mary wanted to laugh.
"Look at us," she giggled. "Two grown women, oogling over marshmallows and tittering like schoolchildren."
When the first marshmallow was properly charred, Mary scooped it up, carefully bouncing it to avoid burning herself, and offered it in an open palm to Tabitha.
"For you, m'lady," Mary teased. "A treat fit for kings."
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Mary Brooding
I'll work to return the favor
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Tabitha Hawthorne
July 29, 2018 6:27 PM
I hope you will return... many things. by Tabitha Hawthorne
It had been some time since Tabitha had been truly curious about something and it surprised her even more that it was about food, instead of a creature or beast that she hadn't yet encountered or heard of. She also found her interest captured by Mary herself, whose cheeks were flushed, whether from the heat of her wand or being caught, Tabitha didn't know. It was clear that she was brimming with excitement, even more since Tabitha had mentioned that she'd never had a 'smore'. In truth, she was rather excited herself to try something new but she managed to contain herself better than the witch sitting next to her.Tabitha watched Mary's face closely with interest. Her eyes seemed to glitter, the reflection of the fire on her wand making them shine. A few strands of her black hair had fallen in front of her face and Tabitha had the strange and new urge to brush them back behind her ears. They were leaning in rather close to one another that Tabitha could make out the freckles on her face, across her cheeks and nose, sparse though they were. Tabitha found herself thinking that it wasn't a great distance from where she was sitting in order to be able to just...
She caught herself in mid-thought and her eyes widened as she found herself thinking such things. She was abruptly pulled back into the noisiness of the hall and she leaned back slightly, internally fighting a blush that threatened to crawl across her cheeks. What on earth had she just been thinking? She was rather alarmed. She'd never thought like that about another woman... Yet, Tabitha found that she wasn't repulsed or horrified. She was just surprised.
Suddenly, she was being offered a 'smore' by Mary and she took it, pinching the toasted marshmallow between her index finger and thumb, looking at it curiously. She quirked an eyebrow at Mary and, with an amused smile, took a big bite out of it.
It seemed that Mary was an expert in toasting marshmallows because it was warm, but not hot so it didn't burn Tabitha's mouth or tongue. It was very sweet, the sugars in the treat having been caramelised and, as she pulled the treat away from her mouth, it stretched, revealing its sticky and gooey inside. It was absolutely delicious and Tabitha found herself wanting another before she'd even finished with the first. What she didn't realise is that some of the marshmallow had stuck to the corner of her mouth and she caught Mary watching her, the Potions mistress looking amused.
"What? Am I that funny?"
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Tabitha Hawthorne
I hope you will return... many things.
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Mary Brooding
July 29, 2018 6:51 PM
Like library books? by Mary Brooding
A smirk seemed to have settled itself permanently onto Mary's face. She had never seen someone take such a clinical view of a marshmallow, and the way Tabitha pinched the little squish between two fingers made Mary want to laugh. She was careful to restrain herself, though, as she didn't want to interrupt this very important experience."Yes," Mary replied simply to Tabitha's question. "And you've got to tell me whether you like it first, don't just leave me hanging!"
She was teasing the woman, who was clearly enjoying this new treat. A dab of marshmallow had stuck itself to Tabitha's mouth and Mary found herself in quite the predicament. She had a number of options now, and none of them seemed ideal.
She could mention the sticky sugar, possibly embarrassing Tabitha but saving her from running into anyone else that way. She could do something about it herself, an option that seemed to have the most consequences and would certainly be a bit weird considering they'd only known each other for a few hours (had it really only been a few hours?). She could not say anything and leave Tabitha to discover the glop later tonight on her own, leave someone else to comment, or leave it to be brushed away naturally. None of these sounded good, but one of them at least seemed to be easily covered with humor.
"But yes," she said again, keeping her voice light and full of humor. She doubted Tabitha was the sort to be terribly embarrassed by something as adorable...ah. Normal...as bit of stuck on marshmallow. "I find you quite funny. And I find it quite funny that a bit of marshmallow seems as interested in you as you seem in it! You've got a bit on the corner of your mouth."
Mary smiled at her friend and then looked away as she took care of the matter. There was far too high a chance she would lick the marshmallow away and Mary preferred not to watch that just now.
"Do you think anybody else in here has done anything quite so exciting as a toasted marshmallow?" she asked, leaning towards Tabitha and nodding at the students in front of them. One boy seemed to have erupted a glass of something nasty onto his face, but otherwise the room was full only of voices and laughter. "I think we win for the most lovely meal tonight."
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Mary Brooding
Like library books?
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Tabitha Hawthorne
July 29, 2018 7:32 PM
I was thinking of something a bit more... personal. by Tabitha Hawthorne
Tabitha finished her delectable treat and licked at her fingers. It had been truly a new experience and delightful one, in more ways than just tasting something new. It was also nice that she'd shared a new experience with the lovely Mary Brooding. Tabitha found their new found friendship delightful but also, incredibly confusing. The woman was so lovely and Tabitha couldn't help but wonder if there was something... more than friendship lingering underneath all the laughter and niceties. However, Tabitha hardly believed that such a thing was possible given that they'd only known each other less than a day. You only read about such things in romance books and Tabitha knew that, more often than not, such things were unlikely to exist."It's delicious," she told Mary, in relation to the smore. "Really, truly a delight."
She was happy that Mary found her funny and laughed lightly when the marshmallow at the corner of her mouth was pointed out to her. Deciding that licking it away would be rather difficult, given the stickiness, she picked up her napkin and wiped away the final trace of her sugary treat. She felt kind of sad that the new experience they'd shared was now over but she also felt that it was the first paving stone for many other new experiences and the thought of that gave her a thrill of excitement.
She sat back, now completely relaxed in Mary's presence, her nerves at the beginning of the feast having been long forgotten. She agreed with Mary's assessment of the meal. "Yes, I don't think anyone has had a meal lovelier than ours."
What Tabitha did not say was that she didn't think anyone else had had a lovelier dinner partner than her, either. She felt really content. Which caused a question to occur to her.
"When..." she paused, quite unsure about how she should phrase the question and whether to ask it at all, in case it ruined the nice mood. She let out a sigh and decided to go for it anyway. "When were you happiest in life so far?"
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Tabitha Hawthorne
I was thinking of something a bit more... personal.
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Mary Brooding
July 29, 2018 8:09 PM
Like socks? by Mary Brooding
The way Tabitha asked this last question, leaning back in her chair, made Mary think she was curious. This made sense, considering the conversations they'd had so far. However, the way Tabitha asked this last question, starting and stopping and only starting again after a pause and a sigh, made Mary think she was quite more than curious.Mary wondered if there was a right and wrong answer, and she considered her words carefully.
For one, she was a generally happy person. She'd experienced the very worst of a normal person's life-- knowing, of course, that there was more evil and more grief in the lives of others-- and still made it through. She'd experienced the temporary love of a beautiful woman, and the beautiful friendship that endured a heartbreak. She'd traveled, and experienced, and laughed, and learned.
On the other hand, she was incredibly happy in this moment. The bright faces of students engaging with new friends, old friends, and friends that had become family brought a swell to her heart, and their laughter and chatter was positively contagious. They were the reason she was here, and she couldn't deny the happiness they granted her.
She was also a professor at a school that had practically saved her life. She was stepping out the door and on the first foot of a new journey. She had done it.
Then there was Tabitha. There was this beautiful, intelligent woman, sitting here beside her, eating toasted marshmallows and discussing travelling plans. This was a woman who could hold her own in any conversation, and she thought to care what made Mary the happiest.
She really wanted to say that these past few hours were her happiest, and in some ways it was true. Certainly, this time with Tabitha had brought Mary great joy. But she thought it might be a bit odd for anyone to say the first few hours of a meaningful friendship were the happiest of anything, and saying so would seem...superficial.
Whens he'd first met the woman, she'd been describing the school and this new experience as lovely and wonderful. She'd practically run out of adjectives expressing her joy. But her joy was not in its peak abundance here. Instead, she thought of a moment that hadn't left her, even when the memories of the worst that had happened threatened to overwhelm her. She hated to say it was her happiest, but she hated more to be dishonest.
She could feel a sheepish blush spreading on her cheeks, and hoped it was at least forming a rosy glow on her bronze skin, rather than the splotchy pink of nervous flushes.
"I was nineteen," she said, speaking slowly. "And I had just left. I graduated a while before, but had sort of...stuck around I suppose? Finally, I'd decided I wanted to go travel, and was actually going to do it. I had my potions equipment all packed away, and I was wearing this dark red robe. I'd gone to the beach. I grew up near there and I wanted to say goodbye before I left to see the rest of the world."
Mary took a breath and chuckled to herself, feeling quite silly for providing such a long-winded answer. "I was standing on a cliffside at sunset, overlooking the ocean and the waves, and thinking about how old I felt. I felt like I'd experienced everything. I'd had loss and grief and...and failure. I failed so many RATs. But it was the last moment I can remember not knowing what I didn't know."
Feeling confident enough to finally see how her audience was receiving the story, she cautioned a glimpse at Tabitha. "I knew then, that I really didn't know very much, and I knew it. That still happens now, but it's easier to say, 'Oh, I don't know much about politics in Zimbabwe, or Wampus Cats in North America." She winked at Tabitha at this last bit.
"That was the last day of my adult life that I really didn't know anything, and there's something beautiful about having the rest of the world in front of you."
She'd been honest, but she knew she had more to say. She paused a moment, and then decided that she might as well say it.
"If I'm honest, Tabitha, I feel a bit like that now. Here, with you... I feel like the whole world is in front of me."
A wash of heat came just as a wave of teary-eyed embarrassment, and Mary looked away, back out at the sea of sweet faces. "I really couldn't be happier than I am right now," she lied in a soft voice.
Quietly, in the depths of thoughts she would not share when it would put both their jobs at risk, she knew the truth: Mary would be happier if she could admit how fond she was of Tabitha Hawthorne.
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Mary Brooding
Like socks?
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Tabitha Hawthorne
July 29, 2018 9:14 PM
Ew, I don't want your socks! by Tabitha Hawthorne
Tabitha was quiet through the entirety of Mary's answer as she felt that it was a very important thing to listen to. It was a question that was designed to drag out a revealing part of the other person and Tabitha found herself wanting to know everything about Mary. There was just something about the woman that was now consuming Tabitha's thoughts. She wanted to know absolutely everything about her, though she wasn't quite sure why.She was surprised when Mary said that she couldn't be happier than she was in that moment they were sharing. They were just two people, two women, two witches who had endured hardship and yet experienced the most exciting or glorious things. Yet, somehow, Tabitha felt that all of that wasn't really very important. Of course, in the day-to-day, it was and when getting to know each other as experiences made a person into who they were but, for the moment, Tabitha liked to think of them as just two people who had been thrown together by some odd twist of fate.
While she acknowledged the comment by looking directly at the Potions mistress, she didn't speak aloud. There was a silence between them as she mulled things over in her head. It was incredibly bizarre that this woman had managed to inspire such feeling within Tabitha in just the matter of a few hours. In the end, Tabitha let out a gentle sigh and began to speak.
"I was perhaps a bit older than you... Maybe twenty? I had begun travelling and I was in the heart of a forest in France. I was, in all honesty, rather miserable. We'd been caught in a storm the day before and all of our possesions were soaked, a lot of things ruined. It was a moment where I thought I'd made a mistake."
She paused to sip at her hot chocolate. Her voice was steady and calm and didn't waver for a moment and that, at her core, was who Tabitha was. She was confident and strong, firm in her beliefs and proud of her experiences. She was not a shy, shrinking wallflower who was scared to set foot out of the front door.
"I had walked away from where we'd set up camp as I wanted some time to myself to be miserable and brood," Tabitha couldn't resist sending a slight smirk in Mary's direction. "I was wrapped up in my own thoughts, not really aware of where I was going when I heard the snapping of some twigs underfoot. Thinking I was about to be attacked by some vicious beast, I drew my wand. As it turns out, I'd stumbled across a unicorn mare and her foal."
She turned herself to look at Mary properly, her grey eyes sparkling with the memory. It was as fresh as the day it had happened. If she closed her eyes and concentrated, she could still remember the smell of the wet forest that had surrounded her, of the damp ground underfoot that muddied her travelling boats, the cool breeze that rustled the leaves of the trees that towered above her, creating a canopy that blocked out the sun in the daytime.
"I never approached them as I didn't want to spook them and I don't believe that they saw me. If they did, they ignored me. But it showed me that I was doing the right thing, that I was on the right path, that travelling the world was something that I absolutely had to do. It was those experiences, those once-in-a-lifetime moments I was living for."
She trailed off, staring at Mary intently in the face, hoping she'd understand where she was coming from. She wanted her to understand so badly that she reached for both of Mary's hands, clasping them tight in her own. She started to speak again but her voice was much quieter, perhaps almost drowned out by the cacophony of noise that surrounded them.
"That is my happiest moment because... if I hadn't seen the unicorn mare and her foal, if I hadn't had some to assure me that I was doing the right thing, I don't think I would have ended up in America and therefore, ended up here at Sonora. All of those things mean that I never, ever would have met you..."
She paused and her eyes widened. She hadn't meant to say that.
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Tabitha Hawthorne
Ew, I don't want your socks!
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Mary Brooding
July 29, 2018 9:46 PM
I might need them anyway. by Mary Brooding
Mary was surprised that Tabitha's response was so similar, and so...true. It spoke deeply of Tabitha's depth depth of love for magical creatures and adventure, and Mary was inspired by the sincerity.Tabitha's hands were soft. She was warm and friendly.
Her eyes were big and dark and full.
Her words were... too much.
Somewhere, in the parts of Mary Brooding that were not lovely or wonderful, she felt something break.
She thought of Parker, her parents, and Michelle. She thought of this new job. She thought of how much this work mattered to Tabitha, even if she thought she didn't want to be a professor.
She was still thinking of all of these things when she stood abruptly, spilling her hot chocolate and knocking her chair back with a loud scraping sound. She didn't see if anyone noticed and didn't care too. The way her hot chocolate seeped across the table made her think of blood and she looked away, but not at Tabitha. Her face was hot and she didn't want to cry in front of anybody yet, least of all this beautiful, perfect, unattainable woman.
"It's been a lovely night," Mary said. "I will see you around, I'm sure. Goodbye."
Pushing past the other professors all in a row at the head table, Mary couldn't have escaped any faster without running. She had made a joke about heels too high to run earlier, and it wasn't really a joke; she walked quickly past the sea of students and out of Cascade Hall.
Defeated and deflated, Mary didn't cry until she was well beyond that beautiful room. The din followed her, but she didn't look back. She hoped desperately for a set of footsteps to follow after her, and hoped desperately that none would come.
She felt stupid, an unusual feeling for her. Mistakes had been made and she had gotten too close. She didn't want to hurt anybody. A scream was built in her chest. Heat blinded her.
Storming towards her new quarters, she stopped shy, and exited through the main doors, into the Labyrinth Gardens instead. She wished desperately to hide, and she cried desperate tears as she left everything she'd ever wanted behind her.
This night would end and then classes would begin, and she would be ready. She would not make the same mistake again. There was too much at stake and Mary was not willing to risk another's happiness for her own.
Laughter and the voices of children shut off abruptly as the doors to Sonora Academy of Magic closed behind her.
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Mary Brooding
I might need them anyway.
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Tabitha Hawthorne
July 29, 2018 10:16 PM
While I'm left in the cold. by Tabitha Hawthorne
Tabitha sat in her chair, still staring at the space that Mary had left behind. Her hands were still outstretched, reaching for the woman that was no longer there. Reaching for the soft and warm hands that had been so abruptly torn from hers, leaving them open, empty and cold. The hot chocolate that had been spilled was dripping steadily on to the floor, splashing Tabitha's boots but she hardly even noticed. She felt hollow, empty and ice cold.Then, she felt angry.
How in the hell could she have been so stupid? How could she have opened her stupid mouth and made known her stupid feelings because she was feeling so bloody reminiscent and nostalgic? It was a stupid, stupid, stupid thing to do. And it was all over a woman who she had only known for a few hours. Despite all the dangerous situations Tabitha had ever landed herself in, this one was somehow the most reckless and the most insane and she hadn't even needed to leave Sonora for it to happen. It was completely and entirely her fault.
"Damn it..." she hissed to herself, rage burning within her stomach. She needed to leave. Mary's abrupt departure would have already caused enough of a disturbance so it hardly mattered to Tabitha if she added to it but she could not stay there, sitting in her seat. Not after everything her big mouth had just caused.
She stood up, producing her wand and waved it idly, cleaning up the spilled hot chocolate and made her excuses to the rest of the teacher's table, who were no doubt wondering what on earth was going on. Tabitha did not want to remain to explain it and if this whole disaster meant that she'd lose her position as the Defence teacher, then so be it. She made her way through the hall at a quick pace, her white robe billowing out behind her.
As she stepped through the doors, her first thought was to disappear up into her Defence classroom and her office, away from everybody. That would've been the sensible thing to do. Calmer, clearer Tabitha, the Tabitha from an hour before might have done that. It would be the smartest, ideal thing to do... except this Tabitha was not the calm and rational thinking one from an hour previous. This Tabitha had just caused a woman, a wonderful, lovely, beautiful woman to leave her company. Had caused to practically run out of the hall, all because Tabitha hadn't been able to control her mouth.
There was only one thing that Tabitha could think to do. It was the only thing that made any sense to her wound up and irrational brain. It was the only thing that might be able to fix this whole complete mess.
She had to find Mary.
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Tabitha Hawthorne
While I'm left in the cold.
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