Here's to a Disaster-Free '87

[Virginia Carmichael]

A skate strapped each boot had been charmed to change the color of the ice they touched, causing thin rainbows of light to trail behind the witch as she glided along the icy surface. Skating was one of the first outdoor pursuits that Ginny had discovered—and learned to enjoy—as a child, and so she seldom minded when it was decided to spend the New Year with her uncle’s family in Hogsmeade. True, it was rather different this year without Gwenda to keep her company, but the witch was not one to give into overdramatic melancholy—not when she had so much more in her life to worry about.

1886 had not been a good year. There had been lights in the darkness, of course: Gwenda had married, Uncle James had found a new purpose in life after injury had seen him leave the aurors, and, socially, Virginia was no worse off than she had been when the year began. She was, however, still a werewolf, and in her darkest hours she had taken a life—and then gone on to involve her poor, doting brothers in the mess! As Ginny picked up more and more speed atop the ice, it was almost as if she was fleeing the traumatic twelve months that lay behind her in an effort to keep them precisely there.  

1887, she vowed, would be different, better.

The lights that dotted the edge of the skating rink illuminated a familiar silhouette not far off, and Virginia slid to a stop beside Mr. Podmore. Though the dark of the hour—for it was nearly midnight, now—might have obscured her features, there was a smile on her face as she greeted him.

“And to think, Mr. Podmore, my poor brother slaves away in the hospital tonight whilst you get to enjoy yourself!” she teased amiably.

@'Sydney Podmore'/@'Elsie Beauregard'

  

[Sydney Podmore]

How he had managed to be the one Vera dragged to the New Year's festivities was not something consciously remembered agreeing to. He was of course, fine with accompanying his little sister, but he wondered how Clinton had gotten out of it. Poor boy probably had to work, but that was neither here nor there. As it was, though he had agreed to let Vera pull him around all over Hogsmeade in search of the Honeyduke's booth, because they 'had the best hot cocoa in the world' and then toward the ice rink which is where Syd had to stop her. Vera could skate very well, Syd could not and he was not about to try either.

That said, she had managed to get him to the rink, but not to don any skates. She'd pouted and skated off, having found a friend of hers from school to satiate her need for constant conversation. Syd was more than content to keep an eye from the nearby benches, laughing when Vera's friend took a comical spill. She seemed quite alright though and as they glided in and out of view, Syd noticed another familiar face out among the skaters. Was is... creepy for him to watch Miss Carmichael as she skated? Surely he was watching a lot of people skate, just paying special attention to the brunette he kept coincidentally running into, both figurative and literally.

Still, he alternated between keeping an eye on his sister and watching Miss Carmichael here and there. He wouldn't mind catching her eye, but he also didn't want to interrupt something she was clearly enjoying either. Fortunately for him, during a moment of distraction, he looked back to find Miss Carmichael headed his way of her own accord, no need for him to be the one to stop her fun.

Syd couldn't help but to chuckle at her joke, "Ah well somebody clearly needs to be here to make sure you don't injure yourself out there." Just going off their own run-in record, that was the truth. "Plus I only leave the ward in trusted, capable hands, he'll be fine." He assured her with a wink.

  

[Virginia Carmichael]

Virginia snorted in as ladylike a fashion as possible.

“With you benched, as it were, Mr. Podmore, the ice is perhaps the safest place in the world for me to remain. I trust it is for that reason that you have not donned skates—fear for my well-being,” Ginny jested.

Though she had never been an unsocial woman, it was strange to Virginia how at ease she was joking with the healer, an ease typically reserved for family and occasional suitors in the past (all of which had long since disappeared into the ether). It was no secret to her—though she hoped it remained such to him—that she was interested in more than a friendship with the gentleman, but past experiences would have led her to believe she would have been more reserved in such a situation, for fear of frightening him off.

  

[Sydney Podmore]

"You wound me so." Syd covered his heart in mock hurt, his face twisted into a pain expression, exaggerating of course. "But if that is what you would like to believe, who am I to argue?" Really, he wasn't that great on skates , at all and nobody wanted to see him make a fool of himself and he really wasn't in the mood to get some unwanted bruises either.

Recovering quickly from his heartache, Syd could agree that she was probably safer on the ice. "I trust at least you can hold your own on skates?" He quirked an eyebrow at her, teasing of course, with no insinuation that she would be otherwise, however, it was far too much fun to jest. He was flirtatious by nature, though mostly superficially, he found he enjoyed chatting with Miss Carmichael quite a bit more than he cared to admit.

"But perhaps I could coax you off in hopes of finding something warm to drink?" He suggested casually, but found himself quite attached to the idea, now that he'd thought of it.

  

[Virginia Carmichael]

“One does not grow up in the countryside and not grow at least proficient—at least, not in my family,” came the melodic reply, “for with two brothers, I became no stranger to leisure sports. Besides, skating is a graceful dance. Why shouldn’t all young ladies,” (for all that she was quickly outgrowing that title herself) “become experts in the matter?”

The offer, however, was tempting enough that she was already casually making her way off of the ice as she finished her ‘speech’, a tap of her wand to each foot undoing the bindings of the blades before she stepped out of them.

“However, I always was one to be easily coaxed,” Ginny concluded with a wide smile.

  

[Sydney Podmore]

"Ah, so I can thoroughly blame my city upbringing for my utter lack of skating skills. At least now I know." Syd grinned, offering  a hand to steady Miss Carmichael as it looked like his request was going to be honored. Well, at least attendance today wasn't going to be a complete waste.

So now the search for hot cocoa, or something similar, began. He'd heard wonderful things about Honeyduke's but had yet to find the booth. So it was to be a little adventure. Unless of course Miss Carmichael already knew, but what fun would that be! Before setting out however, he looked around curiously, was there a relative they should also be enjoying the company of? "Have you been left to your own devices today?" He was innately curious, unperturbed either way, though always found both being the chaperon and chaperoning an odd sort of requirement. Then again, knowing his sister, she was much better off accompanied around, that he knew for certain. Miss Carmichael struck him as far more level-headed than Vera. Fortunately for him, Vera had found friends and was far more likely to want to stay with them than with him.

"Either way, ready when you are." He added, leaving the technicality of propriety entirely in her hands.

  

[Virginia Carmichael]

“George is here somewhere,” she replied wryly, “and I shall leave it only at ‘he was distracted’ for he should hate me eternally if I gave the full reason for his present absence to his superior,” Ginny concluded with a wink. In truth, she was glad that George was not physically present, for she rather selfishly enjoyed having Mr. Podmore’s attentions all to herself, however briefly.

With the blades shoved neatly into her small coin purse—ahh, the perks of magic!—she reached out to lightly rest a hand on the wizard’s forearm.

“Shall we?”

  

[Sydney Podmore]

"I should think I'll give him a hard time no matter what, so a fib does not matter one bit." Syd teased lightly, smiling easily as she rested her hand on his arm. They were toeing the line of what could be considered proper at the moment, but they were out in a quite public setting and it wasn't like he was going to try anything untoward!

Syd started off in the general direction he'd seen the Honeyduke's booth... or maybe it was something from the Three Broomsticks, either way there would be something delicious to be had. "Serious question," Syd began as the meandered, waiting a beat for dramatic effect. "Cider or cocoa?" Though he should probably be asking more pertinent questions, he supposed that was relevant enough for the moment.

With his free hand tucked into his pocket, Syd kept an eye on the vendors and on the crowd as they walked, completely at ease. If only it were this easy all of the time!

  

[Virginia Carmichael]

“And here I thought you knew me!” Ginny exclaimed teasingly. “Cocoa, I should think, though you’ve let me down dreadfully, Mr. Podmore.”

In truth, either would have been just swell given the present company, for the consumption of beverage would give them an excuse to prolong their time together. Part of the witch worried that she was keeping the gentleman from someone whose company he might prefer, but their blossoming friendship had developed enough that such concerns were easily pushed aside.

  

[Sydney Podmore]

Oh ho! Was that how she was going to play it. "Forgive me for not knowing, our meetings are usually more of the medical and not the social variety." In fairness that was true. Though he supposed this would even the score toward the social end. "I shall endeavor to remember for next time." As it appeared, though Syd was not purposefully seeking her out as often as he should, there had always been a next time; to which he certainly was not complaining.

"You must be familiar with Honeyduke's cocoa then? I fear it's all I've heard about when I mention it around my house." His mum rather enjoyed chocolate and so naturally had something to say on the subject if it came up. "I haven't managed to find myself fortunate enough to even find the booth today, unfortunately." Then again a delay in his day may have prevented him from running into Miss Carmichael again, so he supposed he couldn't complain about that either. "Any idea where it might be?" Wandering around completely aimlessly, though much better in her company than alone, was not entirely a good way to spend the day!

  

[Virginia Carmichael]

The idea of a next time, however theoretical it was for the moment, made Ginny very pleased indeed. Provided ‘next time’ did not follow her being stabbed by a bowtruckle or something equally unpleasant—but then, there was always something of a fifty-fifty chance where Mr. Podmore was concerned.

“I have not had the pleasure yet today myself,” Virginia admitted, “though I would wager that as a Ravenclaw, I should be able to use reason and logic to see us there. You must bear with me, though, Mr. Podmore—for it has been some time since I have had to exercise my Ravenclaw muscles!”

  

[Sydney Podmore]

"By all means, lead the way." Sydney was amused to say the least. Watching Miss Carmichael stretch her Ravenclaw muscles would certainly be entertaining. He had no doubts that she'd find the booth, but he also had no qualms about it taking a little while either. He enjoyed her company, he wasn't afraid to admit that, but she was harder to read that he would would like to admit.

Syd thought to tuck his hands behind him as they walked, but was prevented by Miss Carmichael's hand resting comfortably on his arm. Strange to him, just how comfortable he was. Perhaps their persistent run-ins were starting to become less coincidental than he originally thought. "And how do you plan on locating our destination?" He asked as he looked out over the crowd, then glancing at her with a sly smile.

@'Odira Potter'

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   Virginia Carmichael

[Virginia Carmichael]

“I would think the easiest way,” Virginia replied as the two strolled comfortably along the walk, “would be to spot those who seem already to have hot chocolate, and move to where they are most prevalent.”

There were a number of tables and benches lining their route, but surely those closest to the stall in question would be evident. Ginny could not imagine walking far without spilling—though perhaps she was just cursed with ill-luck!

“Unless, of course,” she teased Mr. Podmore, “you think that you might have a better plan, in which case I would welcome it, but question its viability.”

  

[Sydney Podmore]

Nodding along with Miss Carmichael's logic, Syd rather thought she had the right idea anyway. "A gentleman never questions a lady's logic." He pointed out with a slight chuckle, gesturing to a passing set of school-aged children walking their way with what appeared to be warm drinks in hand. The bright orange mugs were a dead giveaway as to where they had come from.

"By your logic though, I do feel like we should head that way." He gently steered them off to the left and lo and behold there was the distinct aroma of baked goods and sweets wafting their direction. He couldn't quite see the booth itself, but they had to be heading in the right direction. "I daresay, that paid off rather quickly." Not that he'd had any doubts in her, but he was pleased that they could enjoy their cocoa while they meandered and not be left without for too long!

You can probably wrap? I suck and we have so many XD

  

[Virginia Carmichael]

All too quickly, her plan was successful: while it was the desired outcome, Ginny was almost sad of it. Oh, they would have their cocoa and enjoy yet another of their chats, and she would be entirely at ease in his company, but then it would be gone, as often it was. Would that she had the courage to do something about it!

But alas, for now, the witch would have to make do with what she had.