An active, character-driven Hogwarts experience set in the early 2000s. Unique items, plots, and features. Non-canon; this isn't Harry Potter's story, it's ours.
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on Dec 10, 2022 1:59:16 GMT 10
MJ may or may not have sat by the living room window all morning, watching the road in the distance that ran at the front of the property.
She wasn't sure how her friends were going to arrive exactly - maybe some muggle way? But they both came from magical families so she was a bit concerned. Her Great-Auntie had told her not to worry, that everything was arranged and they were scheduled to arrange after lunchtime.
It would give them enough time to explore all around the farmhouse and lands before dinner, which just made MJ fidget more!
She had a lot planned. First she would show them upstairs, Orla was sharing MJ's room but Thorne would get to use Max's room during his stay. Of course, he was more than welcome to spend time with the girls in MJ's room as well.
Once that was sorted, MJ planned to show them around the rest of the house so they would know where things were and how to help themselves to things.
Then outside! She wanted to show them the Big Barn (which was what they had always called it. Once upon a time, it had held loads of cows and some horses, according to her Granny), the flower and veggie gardens, the apple tree (she wanted to see who could climb the highest!) and the chicken coop!
They'd have to pay a visit to Sir Walter, the goat (who would, no doubt, nibble at her jumper like always). She knew Sweetheart, her Granny's elderly Border Collie would trot around with them but she worried how Bootsie, or Madam Boots, would feel about the visitors.
Bootsie was Great-Auntie's cat... Kind of.
She was a barn cat who was more independent and wild than domesticated. She was a fluffy chonker though and MJ loved to admire her from afar. But she liked to hiss and be left alone. Hopefully no one got scratched!
She continued to stare out over the grass and hedge, waiting for the first sign of either Orla or Thorne. It would be fun to see who arrived first!
Post by Orla Fallwater on Dec 11, 2022 11:29:51 GMT 10
Orla was starting to ache on the back of her mums broom as they descended towards the farm, her fingers tightly wound in the cloak her mum wore. Maeve Fallwater stopped a bit away from the front door and slipped off the broom with a rustle of her skirts, turning to help Orla off with her heavy backpack.
"Sore, love?" She said, knowing that Orla hadn't gotten used to the broom yet. Orla shrugged in reply, stretching a little.
"I don't get why we couldn't apparate," she mumbled as they walked closer to the house. Her mum sighed, tugging her daughter to a stop so she could rebraid a loose pigtail.
"Your Da said no," she replied with a roll of her eyes. "And arguing about it would have taken years off my life. Right, promise to behave?"
Orla groaned. She'd already been given the "You better behave or we'll be straight round to take you home" speech by multiple Aunts - hearing it again would have been a torturous start to her summer.
"I know, I won't get into trouble! MJ is a good girl!"
Maeve cupped Orla's face with her hands, giving a gentle squeeze. "Alright you, enjoy your summer then, keep that nose clean!"
With a wink and a startlingly sharp pop sound, Orla's mum apparated away, broom and all, leaving Orla standing nervously outside, unsure if she should knock.
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on Dec 11, 2022 19:10:39 GMT 10
"Orla's here!" MJ jumped up from the window seat in excitement, shouting to her Granny and Great Auntie while making a mad dash for the door.
She opened as Orla's... Mum? Or was it an Aunt? Regardless, she vanished into thin air which made MJ squeak in surprise. She hadn't expected that to happen!
Still! Her friend was here! MJ barrelled into Orla and gave the other girl a big hug, "Yay! I'm so excited! We're going to do so many fun things! And you're the first to arrive but I suspect Thorne is on his way too!"
At least, she hoped he was. MJ would be sad if he changed his mind at the last second.
"Come on in and make yourself at home! Do you need me to help with your bag or anything?" She took it even as she offered, marching her way into the house and leading Orla into the living room.
Last Edit: Dec 11, 2022 19:10:57 GMT 10 by MJ Birdwhistle
Post by Thorne Perry on Dec 12, 2022 4:01:41 GMT 10
Thorne's parents had planned to take him by broom, but at some point last night some big important order had come in via owl and the plan had changed to his granddad taking him on his motorcycle. It didn't fly like Hagrid's did (according to the Hogwart's Rumour Mill, anyways) but it was magicked somehow that Thorne reckoned he didn't have the skill set to figure out just yet.
His grandad could ride the thing for hours without getting sore and - judging by how long Thorne had been curled up in the sidecar without aching - apparently so could Thorne.
...his granddad usually fussed about last minute plans, and he very much hadn't put up any fight over the change in plans. If anything, he seemed even more cheerful than usual, his suit neater than usual under one of his non-work robes (no tears, no twiggy bits caught in the fibers), his shoes and glasses alike polished 'til they shone.
If anything, Thorne thought his granddad was acting an awful lot like upperclassmen who thought they were going to see their crush around the castle. Suspicious.
But his mounting excitement took his mind off that train of thought as they grew closer and closer to Number 38 Greenview Banks. He was practically vibrating by the time Winston pulled the motorcycle to a stop, straightened a bowtie that had appeared out of nowhere, and Thorne clambered out of the sidecare without gawping too much. He grabbed his bag out as well, watching to see what his grandfather did as he rang the bell politely...
Last Edit: Dec 13, 2022 7:37:00 GMT 10 by Thorne Perry
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on Dec 13, 2022 7:28:30 GMT 10
The sound of a loud motorbike drew MJ's attention from Orla but her Great Auntie rushed from the kitchen to the front door. The older woman breezed past the two of them on her way and even stopped for a moment to check her reflection in the hallway.
Suspicious.
Great Auntie often came in from the garden with grass stains, or from the kitchen with flour on her cheek and never seemed too fussed before. MJ raised her brows and shared a look with Orla as the doorbell rang and was opened seconds later.
"Nice to see you again, Thorne and Winston. Thorne, if you want to head on in, Orla just arrived before you." And the boy was ushered in while Great Auntie stepped out.
"In here, Thorne!" MJ called, poking her head out of the living room door with a grin and beckoning him in. This was perfect, now she could give them a tour together and not worry about doing it twice.
Post by Orla Fallwater on Dec 13, 2022 23:25:55 GMT 10
Orla’s face hurt from smiling and she was in danger of tipping over backwards thanks to her over-stuffed backpack - but none of this seemed to matter.
MJ’s delight at her arrival has made Orla feel warm and floaty, dampening the nerves in her tummy.
She was bustled inside a welcoming home and barely got to answer MJ before the sound of a motorbike growled outside. After MJ called, her kind-faced Great Aunt hurried to the door.
Orla teetered next to MJ as the other girl peered out with an air of great suspicion as her Great Aunt fussed with her hair a little before answering the door.
MJ called for Thorne and Orla grinned in welcome, glad she wasn’t the only newbie here.
Post by Thorne Perry on Dec 14, 2022 8:33:22 GMT 10
"Hullo, MJ! Hullo, Orla!" Thorne called back happily as he hurried to join the girls, but not without one last look at his Granddad. Were...his ears pink? Had he really snatched off his cap and given the auntie a bow like a schoolboy? What exactly was going on here?
He hefted his bag further up his shoulder and looked around the living room, enjoying the coziness of it for a moment. It seemed like a wonderful sort of place to lay around and read, or carve, or do a puzzle when it was raining! It just felt welcoming - granted, so did the whole house!
...And some members of it. Which made him remember, and he looked at MJ, head tilted just a bit.
"This is gonna sound....silly, but the lady who went out and let me in....has she been acting odd? 'cuz Granddad's been acting weird all day...."
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on Dec 14, 2022 8:40:55 GMT 10
Without even asking for permission, MJ took Thorne's bag as well and nodded towards the hallway, "Come on, I can show you upstairs so you can see where you are sleeping!"
With a grin, she headed for the stairs, carrying both bags -- which wasn't easy at all! But she wanted to be a good hostess and didn't want her friends to think she didn't care about them. She stopped first at the door that led into the room Thorne would be staying in, turning when he spoke up.
"Yeah! She even changed into her good clothes! Like, the ones she keeps for Sunday..." MJ peered out of the window in the upper hallway, able to see her Great Aunt giving Thorne's Granddad a tour of her flower garden. MJ rolled her eyes and opened the bedroom door.
"So this is my brother Max's room but he's away all summer. He's doing some stupid football thing with a cousin so this is all yours Thorne! But don't worry, see this door here?" She put Thorne's bag on the bed and gestured to the door her brother had covered in posters.
MJ turned the knob and let out a sigh when it swung open, "Leads right into my room! So me and Orla will stay in here!"
She carried Orla's bag to her own bed and set it down, giving her friends a moment to explore both rooms before she would continue the tour.
Post by Orla Fallwater on Dec 15, 2022 9:57:48 GMT 10
Orla bumped Thorne lightly with her shoulder when he came in, smiling in greeting. Now that their party was complete, things seemed much more real and exciting.
They followed MJ to the stairway and Orla listened intently to the suspiscions around the adults while she pushed the bottoms of their bags to try and help her friend haul them up the stairs. How fun to be in on drama from other families; the ones back home had grown stale and annoying, with the usual gripes of missing snacks and skirt-stealing.
They reached the top of the stairs and MJ showed them her brothers room. Orla gazed around, wondering what type of person he was. He must be nice, just like his sister, and Orla felt sad that they wouldn't meet, but also glad that she and Thorne had their friend all to themselves.
"Oh, class!" Orla exclaimed as MJ showed them what lay through the poster-covered door. She couldn't hold back a grin of delight as MJ explained the sleeping arrangements - she'd never had a sleepover before, and now she could have one all summer long!
Post by Thorne Perry on Dec 16, 2022 0:03:52 GMT 10
More and more suspicious...
But not so suspicious that he was going to let it distract from house exploration! He almost tried - on two different occasions - to retrieve his bag from MJ, but each time she shifted before he could pipe up, and soon enough she plunked it down in a neatly cleaned room where it seemed like a good portion of the stuff was cleared away. He wondered if it was in a closet somewhere just to make room for him--
Well.
He'd make sure to keep Max's room tidy for him, so he'd have no reason to complain when he came back from his....stupid football thing. MJ had seemed excited back at school for him to meet her twin- maybe that was why the football thing was stupid!
"It's really nice-!" He agreed with Orla as he sat on the bed- it was quite comfy! No complaints there! - and peered through the door. He'd never really travelled anywhere besides school without his parents, so it was a relief to see how close the girls would be, too. He gave one more little bounce on the bed and stood again, hurrying to join Orla and MJ again. "So you guys have your own space but you can still hang out when you want, right?"
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on Dec 16, 2022 2:30:09 GMT 10
MJ was relieved that her friends seemed to like their sleeping arrangements - well, if something else needed to be sorted out, MJ was certain her Granny and Great-Auntie would have helped her do that. "Yup, the door can stay open but if it's closed, just knock and wait for an answer first before you open it. That way if someone is on the other side and need privacy, you don't walk in on them!"
She grinned but knew it would be a highly embarrassing situation for any of them. Luckily, over the years, her and Max had developed the habit to knock and wait for an answer first.
Gesturing back towards the hallway, she headed for the door of her own bedroom, "The bathroom is at the door across the way and my Granny's bedroom is at the end of the hall. Great Auntie has her bedroom downstairs. There are some stairs behind another door but it's normally locked because it leads up to the attic space. We're not allowed up there and it's mostly used for storage anyway."
Moving back into her bedroom, she sat on her bed and grinned at her two friends. She would give them a few minutes to check the bathroom and layout of the other rooms, before moving on. "Oh yeah, if you need like... Extra pillows or blankets or something, just say. We can get those out of the hot press."
Next she would give them a tour of the rooms downstairs and then! They would head outside and go around the barns, pond and other grounds. She was excited to introduce them to all their animals and hoped they wouldn't mind chipping in with chores.
MJ didn't know if it was fair to ask her friends to help out but she knew it would be a good experience and help her own chores go a lot faster.
Especially since her brother was away and they would need to cover his chores too... MJ jumped up again and tugged on their sleeves, "Ready to see more?"
Last Edit: Dec 16, 2022 7:41:20 GMT 10 by MJ Birdwhistle
Post by Orla Fallwater on Dec 16, 2022 7:30:50 GMT 10
Orla marvelled at how MJ explained privacy, having never really experienced it until Hogwarts. The Fallwater Manor had many doors, all of which had swollen too much for their frames or had big holes where the handles used to be. She supposed she also got it at her dad's, but she liked to seek him out most of the time anyway.
Orla let Thorne squeeze past, noting MJ's offer of more pillows. Personally, Orla liked to sleep in a cocoon of pillows, but she wasn't sure if she was quite ready to unveil that to her friends just yet.
As MJ sat on her bed, Orla lingered in the between-doorway and took in all the little details, deciding it was best not to comment that she was already dying to explore that attic.
"Yes, please!" She replied as MJ stood to show them more. "And can we see the farm too? I'd love to help...we have sheep at home, you know..."
Post by Thorne Perry on Dec 17, 2022 11:57:03 GMT 10
What was a hot press?
Was there a reason they weren't allowed in the attic?
Did granny or great auntie snore?
The thoughts swirled in Thorne's head, but he kept them in his mind instead of blurting them out, following MJ as she pulled him and Orla on.
"Do we get to meet the dog now?" He finally blurted, though he also nodded! He was enjoying having a tour of a friend's house! He had also kept the fact that this was the first time he was staying with someone who wasn't a relative ever. He didn't want MJ to think he was going to be weird about all this! And it was only with that thought that he realized how that probably sounded.
"...And...yanno. See the rest of the place, too, of course! I wanna see the apple trees~!"
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on Dec 17, 2022 17:36:01 GMT 10
She was glad to see her friends seemed enthusiastic about seeing the rest of the property and MJ nodded with a big smile, "Yes and Yes!"
She hurried ahead down the stairs again and lead the way through the living room and into the kitchen.
This was basically the heart of their home. It was just as someone would picture if expected to imagine a farmhouse kitchen - a giant wooden table, duck egg blue cabinets, a large hearth with a roaring fire (yes, even now in the summer). Her Granny was at the sink, washing up potatoes for dinner and she smiled when she saw the children come in.
"There you all are, I thought I heard running around. I have a task for you all, if you're up for it." There was a friendly twinkle in her eye as she wiped her hands dry and then handed each of them a wicker basket. They were definitely handmade but if Granny or Great-Auntie made them, it was hard to say but very possible.
"Need some good apples for baking a pie for dinner. Do you three mind going out and getting some? MJ can show you the way and which apples are good to pick." She gave them all a nod and then went back to her potatoes, adding something about being careful.
MJ took her basket with a bright smile and nodded, heading for the back door and opening it.
And then something nudged into Thorne.
If he looked down, he'd see a sweet looking, elderly Border Collie. She was snuffling at his legs and clearly intended to follow the group out into the yard.
Post by Orla Fallwater on Dec 19, 2022 8:13:53 GMT 10
When they all bundled into the kitchen, Orla's fringe immediately began to stick to her forehead as the heat from the fire made her sweat.
She hadn't changed out of her travelling clothes, which she wore to protect against the wind when they were on the broom - a thick, patched, sage-green jumper hung too-big over some jeans which led into her favourite boots.
Come to think of it though, Orla had very few summer appropriate clothes, seeing as the Manor was draughty to outright chilly most of the year, even when the kitchen fire was blazing.
She puffed her fringe and grew a little shy as MJ's Granny spoke, chewing on a loose thread at the end of her sleeve. Apple picking did sound amazing though, and she nodded enthusiastically.
"Thank you missus...er...missus Granny," she mumbled, accepting the wicker basket before she turned to follow MJ once more.
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