Hogwarts
School Healer
Creature Task Force - Registrar
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21 years old
Hufflepuff Alumnus
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Trish
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Post by Mali Johar on Sept 29, 2017 3:58:45 GMT
It was a terrible day. Her owl had passed away. It was a grumpy old bird, really but he was her grumpy old bird. The cramped menagerie she called an apartment, that had more wings and fur than actual furniture, felt empty when she woke up that morning without the creature pecking impatiently at the window. She had ventured into Diagon Alley to see about replacing the owl. Theo, bless him, had come along and soldiered through her seemingly endless browsing at both Eeylops and the actual Magical Menagerie. Buying a new owl was no easy task. Mali had to pet each and every bird (and a few of the cats, too.) but she found a reason not to buy each one. Occasionally one would turn her into a grieving mess because it hooted just the way her owl had, or the coloring was the same.
Eventually the pair gave up and left the alley empty handed in favor of some Cheer Up Cupcakes. Mali was in the queue with Theo, stretching on to the tips of her toes to see the display case of cupcakes over the shoulder of the person in front of her. The promise of sugar had managed to pep up her otherwise sullen demeanor, even coax the shadow of a smile onto her face. "Which are you going to get?" The witch asked, glancing up to her tall companion. "I was thinking about chocolate but they've got strawberry shortcake in there and that sounds good too but if you get chocolate I could have a bite" Or half "Of yours." By the time they'd made their selection and were searching for a table she had almost forgotten how heavy her heart felt now that the owl was gone. Quality time with Theo and tasty snacks was a good eraser for negative emotions until--- until she spotted him. Or them.
The witch had missed the pair on her way in, an auror sporting mousy brown hair and an older man who looked like he might be Remus except for the absence of facial scars. Mali had to do a double take upon scanning the dining room but no.. It was definitely them. The fledgling smile fell into the sourest of scowls. There Remus was, getting into what was sure to be trouble. The men were watching another table, four men huddled together in the corner of a room. "What d'you think..." Mali started but trailed off when the blonde turned brunette sensed her eyes on them and turned to see and then stooped his head as if he could hide behind his companion. "Can you believe that!" Mali snapped at Theo before stomping over to the table.
"Hello, Remus." She said stiffly, dragging a chair over to join them at the table. Gabriel piped up with something she didn't quite understand so she just ignored the man. "Mind if I join you? You're just drinking coffee, aren't you?" And again, the other interjected and she pretended like she'd suddenly gone deaf to anyone who's name wasn't Remus J Lupin, the Werewolf who was determined to get himself killed or in Azkaban.
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Ministry of Magic
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Trish
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Post by Gabriel Bishop on Sept 29, 2017 3:59:04 GMT
So.. This was pretty cool. He and Remus worked really well together, if Gabriel said so himself. They balanced each other. Gabriel's boldness and impatience was tempered by Remus' experience and wisdom while he motivated Remus out of watching and into doing. There was a time where their newfound partnership made him feel nervous and insecure but he'd since settled into a nice little rhythm with the werewolf.
After a little bit of eavesdropping in a bar a few nights beforehand, Gabriel and Remus had learned about the meeting of the witch hating muggles. Unfortunately there was too much ambient noise in the shop for them to hear much other than an occasional word or two, but it was helping them learn more about this new group. They could identify members, learn about them through their body language and interactions and plus, they were drinking coffee and not tea. He felt like a god damn American again.
All was going well 'til something tickled his spidey sense. Gabriel had a good set of instincts and could sense a gaze boring through him. When he turned to see he was relieved to see that it wasn't a muggle staring him down, his cover blown, but was unpleasantly surprised to see Mali and her boyfriend standing there.
Fuck. She didn't look happy to see him. "Maybe we'd better go.." Gabriel said, sinking down in his chair to hide behind Remus. Whatever bond they managed to build over Remus' imprisonment had been destroyed when the witch determined that she was leading the older man down a dangerous path. There was no escaping since they'd been spotted. She closed in on them, greeting Remus with barely restrained anger. "His name's Harry." said the former blonde with a wink to his own companion.
Mali wasn't amused but Gabriel wouldn't be ignored. Just drinking coffee... Cheekily, he added. "We've also got muffins." but again he was met with silence so he turned his attention to Theo and gave the man a wave. "Hey bro."
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St.Mungo's
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31 years old
Gryffindor Alumnus
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Mego
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Post by Theo Ashland on Sept 29, 2017 16:29:50 GMT
Mali was Sad, with a capital S, so it was time for Theo to turn up the Charm. The Theo Charm. He was going to be a very good boyfriend today. He indulged all of Mali's little grieving processes. They pet no less than two dozen owls (and a few cats). He enveloped her into bear hugs whenever the tears came on. He held her hand all day. He participated very animatedly in cupcake chatter - "Strange, I have the sudden irresistible urge for a chocolate cupcake." Soon enough, the both of them were close to smiling and everything felt right in his world again.
So close. So far. When Theo pulled away from a trollish cupcake bite (trolls didn't wait for silly things like dining tables), Mali's face had fallen into a scowl. Not a sad scowl. An angry scowl. Theo's face fell into confusion, all furrows and worry lines. He tried to see what she was seeing. Was that...? Theo barely had time to recognize the faces before he had to hurry after Mali's stomping form.
Uh oh. Theo was far better at handling a sad Mali than an angry Mali. Angry Mali usually ended up getting him riled up as well, even when that anger wasn't directed at him. He'd heard about how things had gone sour with Mister Lupin...Theo was on Mali's side, of course, not just because she was his girlfriend either. She was right.
Mali wasn't too happy, Mister Lupin looked pretty sour himself, but Gabriel...bloke seemed to be doing okay. This wasn't Theo's argument, not yet anyway, so he was more than happy to scoot his selected chair up closer to the Auror's side of the table. "Sup bro. I like the hair." He held his fist up for a fist bump, casting helpless glances back toward their respective partners. Oh dear.
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Hogwarts
Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor
Werewolf
Order of The Phoenix
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44 years old
Gryffindor Alumnus
Wandless Magic
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Mego
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Post by Remus Lupin on Sept 30, 2017 6:38:38 GMT
They were getting closer to the truth all the time. Remus and Gabriel worked great together, and they were really moving forward on this investigation. They were quickly reaching that point where eavesdropping and listening would no longer be enough - but they weren't quite there yet. So it was okay that they couldn't hear everything their targets were saying today, and it was also okay to just sit and observe them for a while longer. And it was definitely okay to be doing all this together, over a cup of coffee.
Remus sat in concentrated contentment, lazily focusing on the Muggles and enjoying Gabriel's presence in silence. When the Auror suddenly ducked down, Remus started, sitting up straighter in his chair and easing his gaze back onto Gabriel. "What's up?" He asked, but he was already sliding halfway out of his chair, ready to dart at Gabriel's direction and get answers later.
What was 'up' was answered for him a moment later, however, when he found Mali and Theo - mostly Theo because of height, mostly Mali because of anger - hovering over their table. Oh, Merlin's crinkly beard hairs. This was not really a situation he had anticipated - running into wizards and witches while tailing Muggles in predominantly Muggle spaces. Especially wizards and witches he knew. Especially wizards and witches who knew exactly what he was doing - there was no hiding it, with the disguises - and looked none too happy about it. This was the absolute last situation he wanted to find himself in with Mali, and they'd been in some mighty sticky situations.
Gabriel tried to make it better. Hot anger washed over Remus at Mali's words, memories of their last conversation, but Gabriel made it better. A little bit. He smiled at his companion when he called him Harry, and then - perhaps with just a tad territoriality - reached across the table for his hand. "Astute observation, I am indeed drinking coffee. With my boyfriend. On our date." His words bit, indicating just what he thought of adding two more people to this private meeting - but alas, even Theo dragged up a chair. Remus sighed. "You know, a date? That thing you do with just two people? You should try it sometime. Maybe at that table over there." Remus was walking a very dangerous and risky line here, but as he said this, he poked his chin toward an empty table just behind the table of Muggles. He raised challenging and knowing eyebrows at Mali, daring her to say something. Or daring her to move. She'd make a far better use of her time on that side of the shop, that was for sure.
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Hogwarts
School Healer
Creature Task Force - Registrar
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21 years old
Hufflepuff Alumnus
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Trish
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Post by Mali Johar on Sept 30, 2017 9:33:23 GMT
Under normal circumstances Mali would've taken mercy on the two men, she was a merciful being after all, and retreated to another table. She had her own boyfriend to focus on anyway. But today the loss of her pet had her feeling sullen and grey, the worst she'd felt all month. That was something to appreciate, that the loss of a pet was the worst thing to happen to her in weeks. Remus and his little project with Gabriel was threatening that. If Remus got himself into trouble, Mali was going to get sucked in. She was helpless against her compulsion to help and solve problems. Theo would get dragged along, because he and Mali were an inseparable pair, for better or for worse.
That's what got under her skin. That's what made her so angry. Remus was going to get himself in trouble because he was caught up in a whirlwind romance and he wasn't considering who else would go down with him. Mali owed him too much to turn her back on him when things went bad. He had to know he'd be dragging her in and if he didn't... well he wasn't paying attention to their friendship. It was still there, even under all the layers of anger.
Her arms were crossed stiffly over her chest, leaving her lovely piece of strawberry shortcake untouched. Mali's lips thinned into a line, eyeing Remus' hand as he reached for Gabriel's. She felt a bit territorial as well, over Remus. It wasn't born from a place of jealousy but because Remus was a dear friend and she didn't feel like Gabriel was good for or good enough for Remus. Not with the path the blonde was leading him down. Somewhere through said eyeing her lower lip had worked itself between her teeth. The old werewolf went on to explain how dates worked and her attention refocused wholly on him and not on the hand holding.
"D'you often spend your dates gawking at a bunch of ugly gits?" she asked calmly though her insides squirmed uncomfortably under Remus' gaze. Mali broke their stare down by glancing at the quartet of muggles who were so engrossed in their own conversation that they had no idea what drama their presence was creating. There was no point in pretending or beating around the bush so she dropped all of the pretenses in favor of one last ditch effort to appeal to his rational side with sincerity. "This is ridiculous, Remus. It's dangerous. We worked so hard to take care of you and you're throwing it all away over what? A conspiracy theory and a little excitement? You're smarter than this."
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Ministry of Magic
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Trish
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Post by Gabriel Bishop on Sept 30, 2017 10:03:44 GMT
Gabriel wordlessly nodded towards the angry little witch in response to Remus' question. The man was ready to flee and Gabriel was ready to hide. Couldn't run from things like that, she'd only find them again. Formidable little thing, with a look that could kill and a temper hotter than hades. The look on his companion's face nearly matched the woman's in anger.
Theo had the right idea, dragging his chair closer to Gabriel than he did to Mali. Sit on the sidelines and let their significant others work it out for themselves. They would fight and then they would make up, he was sure of it. They cared about each other, that's why they were so mad at each other. He met Theo's fist bump, easy smile on his face despite the crackle of anger seeping off Remus and Mali. "Thanks." Gabriel gave his mane of blonde turned brown a toss with a flick of his head, eating up the compliment. He plucked teasingly at a strand of Theo's hair. "Think I'll go darker next time, something like yours."
Remus' hand found his and Gabriel nearly grimaced at how brutally... direct the man was being. He'd never known him to be anything less than welcoming and kind and there he was, turning Theo and Mali away. He leaned in towards Theo, murmuring "Nothing personal, brother." Theo was good people. He had to admit that Mali was as well, but it was a very reluctant admission. "They're not all ugly." He wiggled back into the conversation, hoping to keep it light and cordial. "The one in the blue's got potential.." Gabriel tilted his head thoughtfully. "In the right light.." And still the little ..witch ignored him, which only made him drawl on. "If you squint." And on. "After a few shots."
Try as he might, he couldn't drown them out. So he tuned in and he didn't like what he was hearing. "What's dangerous is ignoring what's right in front of your face." Gabriel nodded towards their little group of ugly gits. "Remus is smart enough to see it and acknowledge it. Don't be a fool, Mali." Nope. That was a terrible thing to say, given the look he finally got from the woman.
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