Welcoming the newest little duckling. [Baby shower for staff!] on Sonora Lounges

Mary Brooding-Hawthorne

July 29, 2020 9:37 AM

Welcoming the newest little duckling. [Baby shower for staff!] by Mary Brooding-Hawthorne

OOC - This party takes place before students arrive back to campus from break but (obviously) after staff do. BIC -

Everything was set. Plants and growth were thematic in everything from the choice of green decor and glass orbs with flowers floating inside, designed to sparkle and shimmer when people drew near, to the rows of plates with the cutest fuzzy ducklings Mary had ever seen, courtesy of Selina's handiwork. Teddy bear-shaped sandwiches (another of Selina's artistries) were available alongside a variety of drinks, small finger foods, cookies, and other snack items on one table, and another table was ready for gifts. Several were already there, indicating Mary and her co-planner's early arrival, and while most of the tags showed that the gifts were for the new baby, there were also several for Dora and even a few for mom and dad.

Near the center of the room, a smaller, square table was sleet up with a cauldron of bubbling potion, tossing and turning in blues and pinks and golds. It was a variation on the sorting potion and Mary was excited to see it in action. When Isis dropped a strand of hair into it (or dove in if she really wanted, it only required some biological material to work), it would erupt into a very safe display of fireworks in gendered colors (because wooo sex assigned at birth) and Mary was eager to see it happen. She'd been sure to brew the potion to erupt in multiple colors if Isis was having multiples, although she wasn't about to explain that to the pregnant mom as that was usually not something she suspected they liked being reminded was possible.

The whole of the staff was invited for this party and Mary was feeling a bit bubbly herself. They had some games planned, also courtesy of Selina. One of the challenge groups a few years previously had been assigned a baby shower and had had a race with shrunken clothes (since they hadn't had baby clothes, Mary assumed) to have people use folding charms to see who could get through their pile the fastest. It was definitely a skill Mary suspected Isis could use and she applauded Selina's memory. The headmistress had also done the legwork of asking staff for baby pictures of themselves, which always made it fun to guess at who was who. It was decidedly not very difficult as there was, for example, only one picture of a smiling little girl of Polish and Indian descent. Mary had insisted on the age-old 'don't say baby' game, and she was excited to hear people ask about 'the little duckling' all day instead, or whatever they came up with. People were given diaper pins as they came in and the person with the most diaper pins at the end of the party would win a prize - an incense-style mixture like the Mary had used for her wedding, where there was just enough amortentia to leave a lingering smell in the room of whatever the smeller loved.

When all was good and ready, Mary grinned at Selina. They'd managed it with a few minutes to spare and it was nice to take a deep breath and admire their shared handiwork. Only for a moment, though. Soon, the party would begin. On one hand, Mary sort of hoped Isis got here first so that she could see the whole of it in all its unfettered glory. At the same time, she sort of hoped her very pregnant colleague took all the time she needed and only came if/when she wanted to at all.

The first guests began arriving and Mary grinned. It was time.

OOC - Party and such was Isis' idea. Decorations and Selina's work was by her author. Clothes folding game was also by that author, courtesy of Kir on Team 5, SA33.

Subthreads:

In my experience, Children are different from Ducks by Lawrence Marsh with Grayson Wright, Dora Xavier

I might need healing. [Katey] by Killian Row with Katey Willow

Why am I here? by Osvaldo Alamilla with Mary Brooding-Hawthorne

Hen or drake? The results are in! by Isis Carter-Xavier

22 Mary Brooding-Hawthorne Welcoming the newest little duckling. [Baby shower for staff!] 1424 1 5

Lawrence Marsh

July 29, 2020 2:29 PM

In my experience, Children are different from Ducks by Lawrence Marsh

Not his strength. Lawrence looked down at the wrapped gift in his hand. This was not even close to a strength. He’d rather be with one of his coworkers at a time or around animals. All of them, all at once, and games. No… this was not something he was going to fully enjoy. Still, Isis had been so kind to cover for him so much, and a new creature in the world always deserved to be celebrated, be it a dragon, a puffskein or a human. Lawrence took a deep breath. Find an individual and talk. Individually people are ok, as a whole though… they could be pretty terrible.

Lawrence walked in and got a handful of diaper pins and looked down at them. Games? And he'd have to call the baby a duckling? Children were nothing like ducklings in Lawrence's experience. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Was this really his flock? Had he been mistaken?

He opened his eyes and saw the wall of baby photos. He flinched momentarily and then looked closer. His was fairly easy to pick out, being the only person of fully South Asian descent on the staff. Still, there was a baby he was certain was Killian and one he thought was maybe Gray but wasn’t sure.

He turned around from the wall and raised his eyebrows. They had really gone all out for this. Lawrence realized he hadn’t been there for any other major events, be it babys, weddings, funerals the like. So maybe this was how it was done in this flock. It was a bit over the top and… was that a gendered sorting cauldron?

Lawrence slowly shook his head. He definitely felt he was a he, but he worked with enough creatures to know that some changed genders, some were both genders and some were none. Why shouldn’t that apply to humans as well? Seriously, breeders could be so oddly picky about things like that. He saw the other Brooding-Hawthorne and smiled. He wondered if her wife was going to be here. He did enjoy his chats with her.

He put his gift down on a table. It was a magical stuffed Sphinx that would give the child age appropriate riddles till the age of 12. A perfect gift for any gender identity. It also made the child think and could distract them for hours at a time (once older).

Now , thought Lawrence as he put on his “mingling” smile, where can I get something to put in my mouth so I don’t have to play these games?

41 Lawrence Marsh In my experience, Children are different from Ducks 1462 0 5

Killian Row

July 29, 2020 5:15 PM

I might need healing. [Katey] by Killian Row

Killian was, on the whole, pretty excited for this thing. There weren't as many opportunities to get the whole staff together as he might have liked and the ones that did come up were usually staff meetings. There were other occasions, and they would often cross paths in the staff room or chat at meals, but it wasn't the same as a big party for all of them. Plus, a baby was a great reason to get together. Isis was pretty obviously pregnant at this point and Killian felt like it was duty to open a file on the little tot as soon as it arrived. Dora, of course, had a file, as did Zeus, and they were mostly filled with any odd little interest the kiddos demonstrated. When it was time for them to choose a career or a college or any other little thing, Killian would be ready. Plus, if nothing else, he'd have made a great, socially and professionally appropriate scrapbook of their time at Sonora. For this little one, since he didn't have anything to go on to make a file just yet, he'd decided that college resources and such probably weren't the most helpful thing. Instead, he'd made a blanket in duckling yellow and green, with an earthy brown border. This seemed the most thematically appropriate, and included aspects of both Isis' and Nathan's house representation. Plus, babies were small, so crocheting a quick blanket hadn't taken that much time. And since he had extra yarn leftover . . . well, it had been just another few hours to whip up some little booties and hats.

He'd wrapped the whole of it in old applications and other paper documents since he hadn't thought to get wrapping paper, and he set the package down on the table as soon as he arrived. He could have transfigured the paper, of course, but there was something nice about both the character this included and the casual reminder that people should recycle. With his diaper pin attached neatly to his shirt - he'd gone casual again today and worn a simple grey sweater and jeans - Killian turned to see who was nearest and mingle-able.

Naturally, his eyes first found Marsh. No. Not naturally. Because he was being ridiculous. So then they found Selina. And then Mary. Truth be told, Killian would have been happy to mingle with almost any of his colleagues. There was, however, someone he hadn't gotten to know half so well as he'd like to, and who he hoped might be interested in getting to know him as well. Since the school's healer would not be on duty for the duration of the party - probably? He assumed that there was some mechanism in place for summoning her should someone need her attention - this was a good opportunity to chat. He'd forgotten that she'd be on the field working during the previous term's Quidditch games and while he was glad he'd been able to sit with Selina, he was not so glad that he had not gotten to talk to Katey. So when she arrived, he crossed the room to her and greeted her with a grin.

"Nice to see you enjoying a break from the Hospital Wing," he told her. Then about thirty things went through his head that would have sounded absolutely stupid coming out of his mouth. So... do you like babies? That wasn't how he wanted to start this conversation. I know it can be so hard to get a break . . . because I, too, work very hard and am impressive, eh? Also no! Geez, he felt a bit like he'd never spoken to a woman before. Do you like parties? Yes, hi, I'm Killian, I'm in intermediate but want to be invited to the advanced student's party and I'm trying not to act like a moron by calling a baby shower a party. Perhaps the diaper pin had snagged itself on whatever bit of brain had fallen out and landed on his shirt in the name of lint. "How's your return to term been so far?" he finally managed. It was only a little better than asking about the weather, but at least he wasn't risking sounding like he was trying to start a family with her.

22 Killian Row I might need healing. [Katey] 1450 0 5

Katey Willow

July 29, 2020 6:24 PM

And I could use some guidance. by Katey Willow

She used to love the holiday seasons.

Katey was absolutely the kind to be excessively festive. Red skirt, green shirt, elf hat, curly shoes, garland boa, ornament earrings, the whole freakin’ works. Her normal smile was plastered even further than its usual reach, her hair tumbling forward over long, plastic ears. Presents under the Christmas tree, immaculately wrapped and all by hand, no magic involved. Cookies and milk for Santa. Mistletoe.

But this year was different. Somehow, she was both less and more alone than ever. She had live-in coworkers now, people she could find if she felt so inclined. But she didn’t. Because she hated the holidays now. She didn’t know how to celebrate without Ethan.

Like all things, the horrible days came and went, and some normalcy returned. At least she had this baby shower to be excited about. Katey picked out the best baby gift she could find, although she hadn’t been around a baby in… well, ever, but diapers were always needed, especially this nice magical brand she had found that would stifle unpleasant scents as well as change color to indicate it was time for a new one. She wrapped the box tightly, like a Christmas present, and pretended it was okay.

She placed the present on the table and took a few steps deeper into the room, and to her surprise, Killian immediately approached. “Nice to see you enjoying a break from the hospital wing,” he smiled. He clearly meant it playfully, but it reminded Katey to examine herself, and she immediately discovered that she had, in just arriving from the infirmary, neglected to remove her medical jacket. It was open, and beneath she wore a fairly well-fitted pink and yellow striped dress, but she had absolutely forgotten not to be a Healer. She spent so much of her time either in the infirmary or preparing to go there that she often forgot how to do much else. She could only offer a sheepish grin in response.

“Slow so far, which is great,” she replied to his question. The staff had all returned from their break, but the students hadn’t, which provided a few more days for her and Jean-Loup to prep. Katey was very thorough with her cleaning regiment and liked to do a lot by hand, and she also had to keep a constant stock of available potions and supplies. It was a never-ending counting game that she actually secretly adored. It was quite stimulating. “Glad to readjust, though,” she added. “How about you?” A particularly stubborn strand of dark brown hair slid out from behind her ear, too short and silky to be continuously contained. She shyly returned it to its position and made a mental note to invest in a headband.

12 Katey Willow And I could use some guidance. 1505 0 5

Grayson Wright

July 29, 2020 6:37 PM

I don't know, toddlers have some behavioral similarities. by Grayson Wright

Gray knew what a baby shower was, of course – it was a broadly enough understood concept in his culture that he thought it would be difficult to avoid picking up on the concept. Logically (despite the cultural precedent he had been pretty sure existed against it), he even saw why men would be invited – men could also go to shops or use the owl order service and buy things, which meant they could, therefore, buy things for the parents-to-be. These things, put together, meant there was no reason at all why he should feel horrifically out of place at such an event.

No reason. None. No reason at all.

He supposed he had some grounds for a defense. Logic aside, there was some cultural precedence for the idea (at least, he was pretty sure there was? He couldn’t really say where he’d gotten the idea from, which meant it could easily be wrong) that baby showers were mostly intended for women, and he was…well, not one. Classic masculinity might never have been his strong suit, but he was definitely not a woman. He also didn’t know that many women simultaneously in the right age bracket and temperament type to have many babies, so the problem rarely had arisen in his life before now. He had seriously, in light of all that, considered simply sending a gift and a card and hiding in his room to write during the party itself.

It had, however, been a surprisingly long first bit of the term. The staff was stressed at best. Aside from the issues they were all dealing with this term, he was worried about the situation with Evelyn – what was going to happen, how far he ought interfere in it, and so forth. It was important for them to all stick together to a point, as a staff, keep up morale amongst themselves and whatnot. So he (somewhat reluctantly) handed over a photograph of himself at about a year old – a round-faced, black-haired thing in hideous teal corduroy overalls, perched on the knee of a pretty, round-faced woman with long dark hair and wary eyes - and bought the impending child several board books and proceeded to march into the party…and into a world of confusion.

Why were they doing things with diaper pins when the child was still a future diaper-wearer, not a present-day occupant of the things? It was a baby shower, so why was the word baby forbidden? He obligingly adapted his vocabulary to ‘miniature human,’ but wondered why, since he had enough social awareness to suspect he ought not refer to said miniature human as ‘the fetus.’

At least, he thought, this was good research material. Pity he couldn’t take notes in a corner without seeming very odd, and possibly being called out on it. As a second, he wandered into the proximity of someone he suspected might be equally, if not more, clueless about all this.

“Why do I have a feeling you feel as out of place here as I do?” he asked Marsh, also adopting an attempt at a bland social smile.

16 Grayson Wright I don't know, toddlers have some behavioral similarities. 113 0 5

Killian Row

July 29, 2020 9:11 PM

I'm happy to try. by Killian Row

Killian couldn't help grinning as Katey seemed to remember that she was wearing her work clothes still. He felt a bit bad; while most of the staff were certainly working, Katey was working under a certain pressure that the others weren't experiencing. Plus, she was technically still on duty. If a staff member were to fall sick, he wasn't sure they would immediately think of going to the Hospital Wing, but it was likely enough. The thought made him a bit woozy, as he couldn't imagine it would be a comfortable experience having to go tell Katey he wasn't feeling well. At least he could hold his annual sorts of needs for summer break. He was also pretty sure that Katey would not be the one to deliver baby Xavier. What a horror that would be. Student in bed two, laboring Isis in bed three, Killian, pale-faced in cold sweats, in bed one.

"Slow is good," he agreed with an easy smile. He found himself nodding along, understanding in a way he maybe hadn't before, to the idea of needing to readjust. "My break was a bit more of a whirlwind than I expected, so in a way it really was a break," he admitted. "Normally I'd work most of it but I didn't get to this time, so yes: readjusting is good." Katey's hair was getting in her face and Killian wondered again how people managed long hair. His own made him crazy and it had a hand full of pomade in it to keep it from doing exactly what Katey's was. "Are you into these things?" he asked, gesturing around the room and then eyeing the snack table. "A drink sounds good, if you . . ?" He waited for her to take the lead or not, not wanting to impose and also not wanting to assume she wanted him to stick around.

22 Killian Row I'm happy to try. 1450 0 5

Osvaldo Alamilla

July 30, 2020 6:14 PM

Why am I here? by Osvaldo Alamilla

Osvaldo stood before the door to the staff lounge. He could hear noises inside, people talking, interacting... socializing. He wanted to be not here, maybe back in the shed working on... things. Things were going slowly, but that was fine. Good things took time. Honestly there wasn't much more he could do on such matters at the moment though. He didn't even have any groundskeeping work as an excuse to not be here. The place was in order, not having children running about all the time messing things up made the job a lot easier, and as such over break the place was back in decent shape once more.

Manola had insisted that he go to this absurd party. Frankly, he suspected she just wanted him out of their rooms for some peace and quiet. She had gotten him a present to bring, she had wrapped it and everything. Fine. He would do this. He opened the door and instantly regretted the decision, but he had been seen and it was to late to turn and leave now. He steeled himself and strode into the ridiculous looking room. Everything was just so.... garishly cute. It made his stomach turn.

He found a table for the present, and left it with the others. He had no idea what was in it, hopefully something sensible, but he severely doubted it. He found himself in possession of some diaper pins and informed that there were to be games. Lovely. He also was not to say the word 'baby' for some reason.

There was a table with food on it which tempted him, but he couldn't bring himself to pick up one of those absurd plates to collect any food. So, he collected a beverage and satisfied himself with that. There were people socializing as he looked about the room again. That looked.... tedious.

Then something did catch his eye. There was a cauldron bubbling away in the center of the room. He'd been focused on the tables along the walls that he had missed it. What was that for? He moved closer to investigate. A look into it and a few whiffs of it's odor told him it was a variation of the inane sorting potion used for new students.

It was an interesting concoction despite it's base. The colors swirling about suggested a purpose, but what that was he could not guess. Was it here for one of the games? Would they drink it and turn into babies? No... not with those ingredients. Somewhere in the scent hinted of... an explosive property? What was this doing here?

2 Osvaldo Alamilla Why am I here? 1503 0 5

Mary Brooding-Hawthorne

July 30, 2020 6:31 PM

Checking out my handiwork, apparently! by Mary Brooding-Hawthorne

Mary was satisfied that things were going well and it was confirmed when even Osvaldo made an appearance. She had long suspected the groundskeeper of making even Tabitha look social and it felt like a sort of bitter victory to have him come. Almost immediately, he began to show interest in the anatomy reveal potion Mary had made, and she grinned, proud of herself. Also, she had just found out that they shared a common interest, and now she had something real to talk to him about! She crossed the room, grabbing her own drink and a few small snacks on her way so she wouldn't be empty-handed, and took up space nearby him.

"Smells alright?" she confirmed playfully. "I'm proud of this one. Are you much of a potions master yourself?"

She held out a hand to offer him any one of a number of snacks, raising her eyebrows to make sure he knew it was a real, sincere offer. "It's great to see you at a social event. I don't feel like I've gotten the chance to know you too well! We have such beautiful grounds at Sonora and I can't imagine how much work it must be for you to keep them that way," she smiled. "You have a family nearby? Not your first rodeo, then." With another sweet smile, she gestured around at the madness and glory that was a baby shower, wondering what Osvaldo's experience with them was.

22 Mary Brooding-Hawthorne Checking out my handiwork, apparently! 1424 0 5

Osvaldo Alamilla

July 31, 2020 9:27 PM

At least it isn't covered in ducks. by Osvaldo Alamilla

Osvaldo nearly jumped when the potions professor started talking right next to him. Nearly jumped, he did not actually jump, that is not a thing that he does. He did straighten up and give the woman a curious look. A potions master? He had nearly been a potions master when he had graduated this place as a young man. He'd breezed through the higher level academics on that ages ago, and had been doing teaching and independent research for the past thirty odd years. He'd surpassed simple potion making and delved into the field of Alchemy searching for one of the great mysteries of the wizarding world. He held his tongue however. He was just a simple groundskeeper, that was all.

"It smells, a little strange." he replied, "I have done some work in the potions area." He did not want to raise suspicions, but he also did long to talk 'shop' with someone. "What is the purpose of this creation of yours?" He looked around the room and inwardly shuddered at the decor once again, "It seems.. out of place here."

He declined the offered snacks, "Thank-you, but no." Then she began talking about other things, and he just smiled his best and nodded along. "Honestly," he commented at the mention of the groundskeeping work, "The elves naturally do all of the 'heavy lifting', however, they do need quite a bit of oversight. I hope they were helpful in whatever arrangements you needed them to do for this." He gestured around the room. "Also, it is much easier to keep the place in order when the chi... students are not present." he sighed. That situation was soon about to end.

"No, this is actually my first 'rodeo'," he responded as she gestured around the room. "My wife, Manola and I are fairly recently married, more out of convenience then anything else. However, there are levels of fondness that have grown since then." There was a hint of a smile playing about Osvaldo's mouth, but nothing solid. "Her son was already beyond this stage at that point, and before Manola, I had led a bachelor's life."

He had answered her questions, however she seemed invested in this conversation and he suspected she would ask more. He wasn't sure if he wanted to continue answering questions, he would need to go on the offense instead. "How about yourself? How many rodeos have you attended?"

2 Osvaldo Alamilla At least it isn't covered in ducks. 1503 0 5

Dora Xavier

August 05, 2020 12:32 PM

Quack Quack! by Dora Xavier

Dora was sooooo excited about the party today. She'd gotten her Christmas presents on Christmas, but her baby was still stuck inside Mommy's belly, so Baby wasn't getting their presents until today. Baby was still stuck in Mommy's belly, so Dora wasn't quite sure what the point of waiting was, but Baby was getting presents today, and that she was sure of. Dora loved presents and Daddy said she could help open them because Baby couldn't do it yet, but she had to remember that these were Baby's presents and not hers, and she could totally do that. Opening presents was super fun! Especially toys! She hoped there was lots of toys. She had promised she would share with Baby so that means it is only fair that Baby needs to share with her, too. Baby didn't have a lot to share yet, but when she came into the room with Mommy and Daddy, she saw that might be changing soon. There was a table with a bunch of presents on it!

And everything was sooooo cute! Dora clapped and squealed and ran about looking at everything. Zeus' Mommy told her that she couldn't say Baby, which just seemed silly to her, so she put the necklace with the pin on it around her neck and promptly forgot the instruction.

Daddy told her he was going to go around and thank people for coming to Baby's party (though he didn't call Baby 'Baby' for some reason), and Dora thought that thanking people was a super idea! She ran over to two guys and hugged each set of legs (this being what the three year old could reach). "Thank you coming to Baby's party!" she greeted them happily. "Baby love presents!" she told them, beaming up at the tall people, sure of her assertion because of course Baby would love presents! Who didn't love presents? Nobody, that's who. Presents were great!

And so were ducks. There was lots of ducks everywhere so she declared, "Quack! Quack!" and then ran off to hug somebody else and tell them that she was glad they came.

1 Dora Xavier Quack Quack! 1507 0 5

Lawrence Marsh

August 05, 2020 1:00 PM

You sound like a duck... by Lawrence Marsh

The writer. Lawrence enjoyed his company almost as much as he enjoyed Killians. Though it was always unclear if the writer, Grayson, enjoyed his company as much in return. Judging from body language and engagement Lawrence was pretty sure Killian enjoyed his company, but Grayson was a bit of a … Gray patch. Lawrence winced inwardly at the thought and how truly bad it was. Then again, he wasn’t a writer like Grayson.

But as soon as Professor Wright opened his mouth Lawrence’s smile turned real. Gray was definitely part of his flock.

“I am a bit out of my depth here to be sure. I am still not sure what this whole game is with not talking about the, “ Lawrence made a bump shape over his stomach, “in terms most would understand. As someone who has dealt with birth a fair bit, I think it is lovely that we as a species celebrate and give presents to those expecting, but I don’t understand the rest of it. Pageantry for pageantry sake seems...odd when not talking about feathers or visual spectacles.” Lawrence brought his cup up to his lips. He found he’d begun rambling and needed to stop abruptly.

“But how are you? Did you have a good…” suddenly he felt his body lurch a bit and his hand move instinctually to cover his cub. He looked down at a little head wrapping itself around Grayson’s knees after doing so to his.

“Thank you. You are a kind hostess, duck and I am sure will be a helpful older sister,” he said in his intro teacher voice and patted her head.

As she ran off he turned to Grayson, “Sometimes I’m glad I’m not a breeder, I wouldn’t be able to keep up lying to my children.”

41 Lawrence Marsh You sound like a duck... 1462 0 5

Grayson Wright

August 05, 2020 2:08 PM

Stellar imitation, full marks. by Grayson Wright

“I require spectacles to have usable vision,” said Gray, punning on the double meaning of ‘spectacles’ before he even thought about the wisdom or lack thereof inherent in saying that out loud, “but I agree this is…interesting. Oh, and if you have to talk about it again, I came up with ‘miniature human’ and ‘future diaper wearer’ already,” he added, having correctly interpreted Lawrence’s miming but finding it somehow uncomfortable. He had no idea whether the general public would consider him or Lawrence more vaguely correct, so it was possible Lawrence’s way of avoiding of the term would be less awkward to the rest of their colleagues, but at least there were options.

He was preparing a comment to respond to the question he thought he was about to be asked when Lawrence was abruptly interrupted by…a small child?

He smiled at Dora Xavier as she briefly attached herself to his knees as well, “I hope so,” he said when she crowed that ‘Baby’ (apparently she either didn’t know or didn’t care about the game) loved presents. Then she quacked and ran away.

He was glad he did not have anything in his mouth when Lawrence matter-of-factly talked about the trouble of lying to children, because he might have choked and ruined the party by dying, or at least causing a spectacle (non-glasses variety), if there had been. Instead, he laughed and then was able to continue speaking like a normal human.

“I’m told we’ll be awfully sorry about the no children thing when we’re decrepit,” he said (his parents were firmly of this opinion), “but you have a point about the advantages. “Whatever Nathan and Isis are doing, though, it must be working, she seems like a nice small child.” He suspected he would collapse from exhaustion if he had to keep her in some kind of order all day, but she did seem like a charming little thing, at least at the moment. “Do you think it’s possible to bring ‘em up without lying to them?” he asked, having occasionally wondered this.

16 Grayson Wright Stellar imitation, full marks. 113 0 5

Mary Brooding-Hawthorne

August 06, 2020 10:29 AM

I'll give you that much. by Mary Brooding-Hawthorne

Mary beamed at Osvaldo. Most of her colleagues were pretty good at potions but not many were as excited about them as she was. Of course, not many people were as excited about anything that Mary was excited about as she was. Osvaldo certainly wasn't, but he did at least seem curious and Mary was happy to indulge them both in a conversation about this particular brew.

"When Isis puts a strand of hair in - or any biological matter, but I figured asking her to gash her hand open or something was a bit macabre - it will erupt into fireworks in either pink or blue, meant to show whether she's having a boy or girl baby," Mary smiled. "Oh, rats!" She passed him a diaper pin and continued. "It's based on the sorting potion we use at the start of the year," she added.

She smiled, appreciating both Osvaldo's humility and his willingness to acknowledge the work that the elves did around campus. "They do work very hard," she agreed. "But I know you do as well. They helped with much of the food for this, although Selina transfigured a lot of the shapes, and most of the dishes."

That, Mary decided, was a very odd way to talk about your wife. She supposed she shouldn't judge. There were obviously things she didn't understand about the arrangement Osvaldo and Manola - she committed the name to memory - had together and he seemed happy enough. Manola probably did as well. Marriage was not, however, a thing Mary would call "convenient" most of the time. Still, she nodded along, glad that Osvaldo at least seemed relatively content and it sounded like he was stepping into a family dynamic that he hadn't been used to before, so that was always a challenge. "Oh, congratulations," Mary said of their recent marriage. "This is my first rodeo as well," she smiled. "My wife and I recently adopted a son--" she resisted the urge to wiggle or twirl happily at that phrase, which was now one of her favorites "--and he was already a toddler by the time we adopted him, so no baby shower, although I know Selina would have been willing. She did a lot to change our quarters and include a room for him. The circumstances of his adoption weren't ideal and it didn't seem right to celebrate at the time."

22 Mary Brooding-Hawthorne I'll give you that much. 1424 0 5

Osvaldo Alamilla

August 07, 2020 7:42 PM

Should I give you something then? by Osvaldo Alamilla

Osvaldo nodded along as the potions professor talked about her creation. He was appalled at the inanity of the purpose of the potion. Why would someone go to such lengths for such a ridiculous reason? He briefly wondered if Muggles did similar things, but then decided that he'd really rather not know.

Despite the purpose of the potion, it's construction was something altogether different. Creating the the sympathetic link from the mother to the unborn child certainly wasn't unheard of, but it was still a tricky bit to make work. He was about to ask something along those lines when for some unfathomable reason she handed him one of her diaper pins and continued talking. What was he supposed to do with it? Put it with the others he supposed.

"Interesting, does it use the same breakdown components as the polyjuice potion does upon adding the biological material?" The sorting potion was a basis. Of course it would be. A brief look of displeasure crossed his face at it's mention. "Tell me, what.." wait. He would need to phrase this properly so as to not give himself away. "I had heard that the school here had used a different sorting potion in the past." He still recalled the way that potion had turned his skin blue when he was a child, it had instilled in him a certain sense of wonder at the potion. "Why was it changed to the current version?" Dunking badges... ridiculous.

He nodded when the topic swung back to his duties. "Professor Xavier was doing well with them, but his oversight of them was..." what was the polite word? Manola said he had to be polite. "limited, due to his other duties." That should be well enough. "Hopefully they're performance will continue to improve." He glanced down at the cup he was holding, trying to hide the ducks with his hands. "Yes, the deputy-headmistress is quite... skilled in that field."

Right, this was the woman who had a wife. He had been told growing up that it was a strange thing, and something that shouldn't happen. He frankly had never seen the point in caring about anyone else's relationship. What did it matter to him? He nodded in thanks for the 'congratulations' although he assumed she didn't suspect how much of a congratulations that event had actually warranted. If he was fortunate and didn't slip, none would need to know either. That would certainly be for the best. Otherwise, he and Manola would need to leave.

"I have learned," he continued in his efforts to keep the conversation away from him as a subject, "that young boys can be a handful to manage. I trust you are managing well?"

2 Osvaldo Alamilla Should I give you something then? 1503 0 5

Isis Carter-Xavier

August 10, 2020 5:57 PM

Hen or drake? The results are in! by Isis Carter-Xavier

Isis had never had a baby shower before, despite going through the general process a couple times. In context, her pregnancy with Nevaeh hadn’t exactly been cause for celebration. Actually, she did her best to forget the general reaction, especially the…. Well, that was a whole traumatic event. It was different with Dora, obviously, but Isis clutched tightly to her scars, and her fears had, as they often had a way of doing, muddled away most of the joyous times. But for all the troubles she had during and after her pregnancy with Dora, they had gotten through it, and they had some semblance of a normal family here now. Isis, Nathan, and their little girl. They had gotten through it, and things were, dare she let herself say it… good.

So for the first time, she was actually pretty excited. Other than the prospect of gaining more baby weight when all was said and done, Isis wasn’t feeling too bad. Now that the morning sickness had subsided, anyway.

And the party was delightful. She absolutely adored all the pictures of her coworkers as children. Hers was, of course, fairly easy to pick out, as were some others for similar, obvious reasons. But it was cute. A part of her wondered what Amelle would have looked like as a child up on that board, or Rory, or especially Alfie. It was odd to think how dramatically the staff had changed in the decade or so she had been on staff. And somehow, she’d gone from one of the young and wild to the responsible working mom. “Time makes fools of us all,” indeed, but occasionally it seemed to also just make you grow up.

She was especially excited for the gender reveal. It was absolutely magical - literally and dramatically - of Mary to adapt the Sorting potion to this purpose. Isis couldn’t help but feel her heart flutter with a bit of nerves as the time came to gather around the cauldron. She did not know what the potion would reveal. She herself did not know the answer. At least, not yet.

Isis glanced around, confirming her family was right beside her. As ever, Nathan was there. How lucky she was. Grinning an uncharacteristic smile, she plucked a single, short hair from her head and let it fall into the cauldron. There was a pause while it floated. Then, fireworks.

Blue!

OOC: Confirmation of Nathan at her side approved by his author.

12 Isis Carter-Xavier Hen or drake? The results are in! 31 0 5

Katey Willow

August 10, 2020 6:24 PM

Good, me too! by Katey Willow

~~Gosh, what a smile~~

None of that, she told herself. Katey had gone down that road before, and she was just now picking up the pieces. This job was the fresh start, the first stage of the rest of her life. And her life was medicine, and helping people, and making amends.

Instead, she focused up on what Killian had to say. A good natured curiosity made her wonder about his surprisingly rushed break, but she knew better than to ask outright. Instead, she responded to his question. “Baby showers are always fun,” she replied. She had attended a few here and there for friends from school, a trend that was only increasing now as she and her peers blossomed into actual adults. “Oh!” she interjected, realizing her error. “I said the b-word!” Katey quickly unfastened one of the pins from her neckline and presented it to him. “Plus one point for you,” she laughed.

He suggested a drink, and the young medic smiled a bit shyly. “That does sound good,” she agreed, taking the lead toward the refreshments, although she quickly turned back over her shoulder to make sure he was following. It was just punch of whatever, but it provided an implication that Killian was hoping to spend more time with her at this shindig. And that honestly sounded great. Katey hadn’t had much time for making friends yet, and while she was a little gun shy around men, it would be nice to get to know him. She liked Mary pretty well when they spoke here and there, and Katey thought she was maybe making some progress on actually befriending Jean-Loup, although she wasn’t sure if that one really counted because she was sort of his boss and he had to be friendly with her. But other than that, the combination of the infirmary’s demands and her own peculiar habits to maintain it kept her rather busy. A friend would be nice, especially one in a comparable field. Maybe as the counselor, he knew a bit more about some of the more complicated mental-not-physical issues of the students. More than enough had already dropped into her lap, that was for sure. Although, she reminded herself, normal people didn’t necessarily bond over work. Commonalities in more personal departments were a quicker link. In any event, Katey was glad to have someone who actually seemed to want to chat with her, without seeking medical attention.

12 Katey Willow Good, me too! 1505 0 5

Killian Row

August 10, 2020 6:49 PM

Sounds like a good plan! by Killian Row

Killian laughed, his hand already up to point out that Katey had said the b-word when she caught herself and passed him a pin. "I'll treasure it," he promised, adding it to his own shirt. He was glad they were all magic, because diaper pins didn't exactly leave small holes in garments. Honestly, there wasn't better technology for diaper fastening yet? He supposed he'd seen diapers with Velcro, but that would be a less exciting and much noisier way to do this particular party game. "They are fun," he agreed, returning to the actual topic. "I haven't been to many - they often aren't co-ed - but I always enjoy the ones I've been to. There's a game they've played at some where you have to taste test baby food and-- oh bloody hell." He passed her back the pin she'd just given him, chuckling disappointedly to himself. "I'm on a roll. Anyway, you try to guess what the flavor is. When one of the hosts of the party is a potions master, I'm sort of glad we aren't playing that one," he said, eyes glinting with humor at the thought of baby food samples laced with some potion to turn them all into babies or something.

Katey went to get drinks and he smiled, following after her. This was nice. It was easy. He poured himself a cup of juice and turned back to Katey. What was he supposed to talk about? Work seemed like the easy answer, but that was also not very exciting. People were supposed to be able to talk about things other than work, right? Other than work as if there were any such thing. Perhaps honesty? "It's honestly been a long time since I talked to anyone about anything other than work," he admitted, blushing lightly. He really really wanted to talk to her though. "Any ideas?" he smiled, amused.

22 Killian Row Sounds like a good plan! 1450 0 5