Ruffled Feathers (open to single Men)

[Emmaline Aberthy]

Emmaline walked along the streets, her simple wool coat pull up close to her neck. the winter snow swirled around the streets and people were rushing around. Emmaline Loved the Winter time, it was so pretty and white. It was also Bitter cold! the coldest emmaline could remember, and since she'd been shunned by her family, Emmaline walked everywhere. A proper lady would have access to a carriage, however, Emmaline wasn't quite a proper lady anymore, at least socially standing. She sighed as she stopped outside of HoneyDukes and stared thro the window looking at all the kids and parents inside purchasing sweets.

Oh how she could remember the taste of a liquorish wand, and and hand fulls of bertie bots every flavor beans. Sadly, those were all memories now, Ever since she was disgraced and kicked out of her family home, Emmaline was lucky to have a coat on her back, even if it was a hand me down from her employer, a cast off that no one wanted. she did have some spare knuts and sickles in her coat pocket... maybe it'd be enough for a small box of bertie bots for sophia. Why deny a child sweets because her mother had to work as a nanny? She didn't realize she was still staring at the shop when someone rudely bumped into her and knocked her to the ground. "Sir! this is my good coat!" she said indigently. "i demand an apology this instant." Even tho she was a working Class Lady, Emmaline retained all her grace and poise, and her father's Fiery temper

  

[Elias Grimstone]

Elias was hoping spring would arrive in good haste; he was getting tired of the cold weather - it wasn't good flying weather either, which meant their were fewer people willing to purchase brooms.
He strode down the street, on his way back to his modest home - it was a good size, but he lived alone... so objects - books, tools, half-empty cups of tea - were strewn all over, because Elias usually found himself far too immersed in his invention work for his own good.

He was wrapped comfortably in a long coat, though he'd forgotten a hat when he'd gone out in the morning and so all the warmth was escaping rapidly from his head - his ears were just about frozen raw, even with his hair brushed untidily over them.

He was, as usual, paying no attention to where he was headed, but his blue eyes caught a glimpse of the sweet shop and he made straight for it; thinking the hustle and bustle and light visible through the window a perfect place to spend a minute warming up. Perhaps he'd even sneak a chocolate frog for himself.

However, he was impeded in his hasty quest by someone in his way and before he knew it, Elias had ploughed right into them. Having knocked them down, he stopped short in shock.
Ma'am, I'm ever so sorry," He stammered, even before the woman demanded an apology and exclaimed about her coat. Slightly surprised by her fiery indigance (though if he'd been bumped into, he'd probably feel exactly the same), Elias quietly smirked to himself, and apologised profusely again. "Well, yes, there you got the apology you were looking for, I hope. Forgive me, if you will... you're not hurt, are you?"

  

[Emmaline Aberthy]

Emmaline smoothed out her coat. "No, i am quite unharmed good sir. Are you heading into Honeydukes? I was intending on Buying Sophia a Box of bertie bots beans, but i fear i maybe looked upon as too bold. I am Quite new to this whole Shopping thing myself, only recently... Divorced from my family." Emmaline said. " I would greatly appreciate the company in the store, Perhaps we could pool our money and buy sophia a Speical treat?" She asked.

"Oh, i am getting ahead of my self! My name is Emmaline, Emmaline Aberthy. I'm renting a room at the broomsticks currently, untill all my items are moved into my aunts house" Emmaline spoke to the man. " And you are, i'd hate to have to call you sir all the time."

  

[Elias Grimstone]

Elias looked upon the woman again, murmuring, "I'm glad you are unharmed." He barely had a chance to speak before he was bombarded with questions and stories of a Sophia, whoever that was.
Getting ahead of herself she was! However, Elias listened attentively and waited patiently until she'd drawn breath and introduced herself as Emmaline Aberthy, before he replied, starting with the last phrase and working his way back to the lady's first question.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Elias Grimstone, no need to call me Sir. I live nearby in Hogsmeade, actually. Just moving in, eh?" He pondered, remembering his not long ago arrival to the village. It was truly a nice place, and expanding and developing every day. Except the nasty incidents...that escaped patient... that murder.

Preferring not to dwell on newspaper articles and rumours for now, Elias looked back at the woman. She'd said she was divorced from her family. An eyebrow raised in innocent curiosity, he refrained from commenting and just continued, "So, Ms. Aberthy, comtemplating on setting foot inside Honeydukes? I see... well, that's entirely a good idea. Shall we go inside?"

As he made a move towards the door, gesturing at her with his hand to allow her to keep pace and start walking in in front of him, he thought about her bold request. "I'd be honoured to help you choose and buy some Bertie Bott's, if you so wish." He said finally, glad he had the coins in his pocket - though he wasn't lacking money nowadays, Elias hadn't always had money in the family and so suspected he was not so much more well off than the lady herself. But he was determined to be polite and chivalrous, and this Sophia character was intriguing enough - Elias couldn't help but ask, "And if you don't mind, who is this Sophia you're speaking of? I'm only curious, of course..."

  

[Emmaline Aberthy]

Just then a rather rounded snow ball smacked elias in the back of his head and a small giggling 2 year old appeared from behind a lamppost.
"SOPHIA! we do not throw snowball at older men!" Emmaline said. " i did not raise a hoodlum! i raised a little lady i thought." Sophia sniffled " mama..... i was only playing.... i wanted snowball fight with you and the older man."

"Elias, this is Sophia. My daughter. Sophia this is Mr. Grimwood. Say hello." Emmaline said introducing the two. Sophia was wearing her new yukata she'd gotten from Ms. Browning. "Hello.." sophia replied. "sorry for hitting you."

  

[Elias Grimstone]

Elias stopped when he felt the cold smash into the back of his head. He was all too vividly aware of the melting snow soaking his hair and slowly dripping down his jacket. He brushed a hand hastily at the back of his head to push off the remainder of the snowball, wishing he'd been wearing a hat. Then Elias turned around.

He began to laugh when he saw the young child who was giggling in such a mischevious way he was sure she was the culprit. So he stooped down to return a snowball; less firmly packed and a far more gentle throw, so rather than knocking the wind right out of the little girl, it would lightly dust her in snow instead.

When Emmaline scolded the child, her daughter, she explained, Elias rather awkwardly muttered a "Sorry," because he also had thrown a snowball, which he realised may not have been the best response.

When Sophia said hello and apologised, he chuckled and replied, "Don't worry. It serves me right for forgetting a hat." He paused and asked curiously, "How old are you, Sophia?"

  

[Emmaline Aberthy]

"i'm this many" She said holding up two fingers. Emmaline had started to smile again. " Her father left us alone. He died." Emmaline said. "Mr. and Mrs. Browning have been more then kind to us, allowing me to travel and such... i would HATE to have Sophia end up in a workhouse.." She added. Sophia Smiled " Mrs. Browning gave me a yukata! it's what japanese girls and boys wear." Sophia said. "it's really pretty and mama has a ki mo no." she said sounding out the word. "Sophia, good job sounding it out. we were about to go get some candy." Emmaline said. "come on, i'm sure you can help pick some out"

  

[Elias Grimstone]

Elias grinned down at the young child, who, he soon found out, was two years old.
He was surprised when Emmaline managed to so lightly mention Sophia's father's - her husband, presumably? - death. His brow furrowed slightly as he uttered an awkward, "I'm sorry," then continued to listen to the woman. It sounded as if she'd been in a bad position and Elias would have pitied her except it seemed she had everything under control with the help of the Brownings, whoever they were. It just reminded Elias of his hard, equally desperate childhood - that he'd managed to improve significantly and was truly grateful for his luck.

The Japanese clothing talk was all but lost on Elias - it went right over his head because the words were unfamiliar and it didn't bother him what kind of garments people wore. But he nodded along to be polite, and said amiably, "Japan, quite a faraway place. Perhaps one day..." He trailed off and glanced down at the young girl, holding open the Honeydukes door to let the mother and toddler, eager to get into the warmth of the shop from the cold, but equally bemused as to how he'd been roped into a sort of family shopping or errand-running trip for sweets with, practically, strangers. "After you," Was all he said.