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.
Zareb enjoyed the time he got to spend chatting with Alora, and had given her a big hight-five (or ten, since they used both hands) at her success with brewing a potion; something he knew was difficult for her. Just as he was about to comment further on it, and her ideas for the toy, Kamari poked her head into the workshed.
'I love you too,' Zareb responded automatically, then caught the look on her face. 'Time to go?'
He nodded as she confirmed it. Hong Kong, she'd said? That'd be a supplier issue, then. Always ready to move, Zareb waved his wand to pack away anything that needed storing or securing before they left. He then ushered his daughters out of the workshed and tapped the door to lock it up.
They headed off to the forest clearing, where Irene and Ringwald awaited them. She had the pack on, which Zareb retreived from her and shouldered the weight himself. Irene scooped Ringwald up, as he'd fallen asleep on a pile of shredded leaves while waiting.
Zareb got some black chalk from his robes, then paused. He shared a glance with Irene, who nodded rather importantly. Then he turned to his daughters with quite the fatherly gaze. He then offered the chalk to Kamari. That had never happened before, and it was quite the honour to even be trusted to hold it let alone use it.
'Would you like to do the honours?' Zareb asked, stepping aside so she had room. 'You've seen us do it a thousand times, but to be clear: draw a circle large enough for us all to comfortably stand in, then write the destination in the middle.'
Dust Travel was extraordinarily rare, but was essentially a global passport. The Sagemores perfected the method and created their own dust (even patenting its chalk form), which enabled them to freely travel anywhere in the world they needed. It had the bonus of being far more pleasant than Apparition or Portkeys, though a Sagemore's upbringing included regular exposure to many forms of magical transport to ensure they adapt to any situation or in case of emergency.
The circle had to be as neat as possible, and with enough space around them to not have anything crossing the line or getting too close. Yet not too big that there was a lot of empty space. The destination had to be written very clearly, similar to Floo Powder -- but with worse consequences.
Kamari and Alora knew the story well -- of a Great-Uncle several generations back who accidentally dropped himself, and two sacks of water-activated fizzy-bangs, into the middle of an ocean.
Not that she had such pressure now, as the circle and the writing didn't do anything on its own; it required use of a wand; her parents would surely check everything over before anything were to happen. But this was a big moment, regardless. It was a sign of her growing up, to the point that her training as a Sagemore Heir was becoming more focused and no longer just about learning things -- but also doing them.
It meant they believed she had a solid enough foundation now, and was old enough to gradually become more hands on. Kamari knew the basics -- now it was time to be tested on them, and to be entrusted with new tasks. She knew that also meant there could be consequences depending on her actions or words, and that meant failing or making mistakes would also be her own mess to clean up. With their guidance, if necessary, but this was it.
This was the point every Sagemore waited for. It wasn't the same for everything, but her parents clearly thought she was ready for the next step. Everything came full circle (literally), as Zareb handed off the the chalk to his daughter. He gave her an encouraging nod, then waited for her to begin.
Thankfully, it was magic chalk so the uneven ground or scattered leaves meant nothing. They could draw it in mid-air if they wanted to, though it was absurdly more complex to enchant, and yet Irene had done so a few times in the past. The soft ground of a forest was easy work.
Post by Alora Sagemore on Nov 17, 2023 7:09:48 GMT 10
Alora grinned brightly while receiving the 'high five' from her Papa. However, she wasn't getting an answer from him anymore regarding potions or toys as the door opened and Kamari poked through it, having come to collect them.
Alora instantly knew what that meant: They were going to travel! How exciting!
But Hong Kong? What would they be doing there? Hm, she would find out soon!
Eagerly she followed her Papa and sister to the forest clearing, where their mother already waited. And a napping Ringwald. Having seen him for the first time today, her eyes lit up. "Naw, Ringwald! That's no time for napping!" Alora chuckled and gave him a soft pat while he was being hold by her Mama.
Then she turned her attention to her father.
Oh, they would use Dust Travel!
Alora loved that way to travel the most. Alright, brooms were great as well but you could never take as much luggage with you and it took way longer - and the weather was not always the best for broom travel. But it was fun!
Her eyes went wide as her Papa suggested Kamari for drawing the circle. What an honour, neither of them had been allowed to do that before!
And Alora knew it would still take a few years until she would be trusted with it. But it was fine. She granted her big sis that achievement. She also just took it as something she herself could strive for. She would now work even harder!
Filled with excitement for her sister, she observed carefully what Kamari would do.
Post by Kamari Sagemore on Nov 17, 2023 13:12:52 GMT 10
Papa's automatic response brought a smile to her face and a mumbled mmhmm in response to his question on the time. Yeah, it was time to go... or so Mama had said.
She waited patiently for him to make sure everything was in order, hands behind her back as she watched attentively to every move his wand made, following his lead to exit and waiting for him to lock the door.
Magic was an amazing thing, wasn't it?
She followed in relative silence behind Papa and Alora all the way to the forest clearing where Mama was with Ringwald who had, somehow, ended up going to sleep. She wished she could nap like he could.
Papa taking the pack from Mama, shouldering the weight and ready to go. They all were ready!
Kamari was ready! Waiting patiently for Papa to tell them how they'd be traveling but, in a moment, she knew. He pulled the black chalk from his robes and she knew from the times they'd done it before. Dust travel!
She watched him glance at Mama who nodded to him before he turned to her and held out the chalk.
The girl glanced from the chalk then to his face, back again.
"Really?" she asked, reaching out to take the offered chalk from him with a sudden feeling of warmth through her. She was being trusted for the first time with something big! Something bigger than big!
And she'd not wind up like their uncle.
She had a feeling that this was big. Like big big and she was taking a step toward training that was important! Like she was being trusted with something astounding! And, really, she was!
He'd even offered her an encouraging nod and stepped aside.
Kamari held the chalk lightly, walking around the family to make sure that the space was just right. One foot width behind everyone with enough space for her to join them, too. Not too much. She'd seen it a few times, she was well versed, right?
Once the circle was drawn she stepped back into her spot and wrote their destination in the middle with her flowing handwriting, a smile on her face as she worked.
When finished she looked up at Papa and handed the chalk back out for him to take from her. It was too important to keep in her pocket, and she knew they'd go looking for it later. She was all aflutter with the new trust she'd had. She was excited to be trusted and even more excited to be learning more hands-on things from Papa himself!
Kamari reached out to take her sister's hand. They were ready. She was ready. And she couldn't have been happier.
Zareb carefully inspected Kamari's work, even walking alongside the circle. He was known to be quiet serious and thorough in his work, and this was no exception. And in his eyes, there was always room for improvement; nothing, not even his own work, was flawless or perfect.
Irene watched carefully though did her assessment only with a gaze; she'd somehow proved to be quite the Dust Travel expert, yet her fidgeting indicated she respected Zareb's process and would wait to congratulate Kamari on a job well done.
'The line work is good, though you'll naturally improve the circular drawing in time,' Zareb said to Kamari, tucking the chalk away. 'Your handwriting will need to be adjusted for Dust Travel; needs to be more uniform, almost like a font. I'll show you some examples later. But well done.'
At that Irene gave a warm smile and thumbs up. Zareb rested a hand on Kamari's shoulder and gave a small nod -- but to them, that was just as enthusiastic and proud a reaction as Irene's. She would know beyond any doubt that they were proud of her, and she'd passed the test.
And now it was time to leave. Irene checked everyone and their belongings were positioned well, including a now-bored Ringwald. Zareb got out his wand, with its beautifully silver markings decorating the handle. A custom design, and there was some other meaning behind it they were yet to understand; Taraji's wand had the same.
Zareb did a, overhead, circular wave of his wand -- dirt and similar organic matter of the clearing spun up from the ground and mixed with the dust released from the chalk, encasing them in a tornado for a brief moment. The powerful whooshing and dramatic display was familiar now, but had frightened them in their earlier years.
The ground beneath them glowed white and spiraled into the dust -- then taking it away, to evaporated overhead. It was a fast, loud, and highly magical process that felt to take a while and yet was surely less than 30 seconds.
As the enchanted dust vanished upwards, their new location was revealed. First came the grass at their feet, then green all around. They were in a forest, which was a common location for the Dust Travel to place them. Unlike other magical transportation options, Dust Travel could not be as finely controlled or targeted; it was very much a natural process, and yet the risk of exposure to Muggles was somehow easily avoided.
'We should be close,' Irene said, letting Ringwald free roam.
He knew to stay close -- and was still not the slightest bit aware that his collar, so enchanted that it only existed when needed, had both a tracking charm and a homing spell, should he embark on a misadventure. It also protected him against various terrain and weather conditions. All of this was purely Irene's work, and she added to it over time. Only the best for their silly little weirdo.
Zareb and Irene led the way, nudging aside huge leafy ferns as they walked. The ground was mostly grass, but chips or bark crunched underfoot. It was quite cold, but the snow out here was minimal. Irene handed out their thick travel jackets, complete with a wooly hood if needed and some bigger-on-the-inside pockets. Good for keeping wands warm, too.
'There we are, not too much of a walk.' Zareb parted some leafy branches and stepped out of the forest to admire the snowy city and large body of water ahead.
The view was stunning. They were at a low point of a foresty mountainside, so some hiking was needed to get to Hong Kong city itself, but nothing that they weren't used to. Irene had them change into their "Terrain Boots", which they hadn't done when arriving home; these boots were a Sagemore product they'd always had, but only started selling to private clients a few years back.
Strong, waterproof, and adaptable to all terrains. Comfy, too. They'd wear them all the time if they could, but these were expensive and they could not justify taking them to Hogwarts. But they were perfect for anywhere they travelled. Was it strange to miss a pair of boots?
'Overall temperature in Hong Kong is cold but manageable,' Irene said, checking a geographical device that just looked like a bunch of floating gold bits and pieces over a disc to Kamari and Alora. 'Girls, do you remember what's present in Muggle cities that's not as overwhelming elsewhere?'
Zareb sighed, as the question meant they would be spending some time in the Muggle streets. He was not a fan, but also considered it to just be a pain to traverse or deal with. Cities weren't something he enjoyed, though Irene loved to look up at the towering buildings. It was like a whole other world.
Meanwhile, Ringwald pounced to catch a bug with his paws -- and missed rather spectacularly, considering it didn't even move at his advance.
And thus, the hike down the mountainside began. They soon came across a dirt path and were easily able to follow it down. It wasn't too steep, but the greenery was lovely to look at. While they walked, or rather strolled given how easy this sort of trek was for them by now, Irene read over some notes from Taraji on what the situation was and where they were headed.
Post by Alora Sagemore on Nov 18, 2023 6:12:29 GMT 10
Alora observed the drawing process, glancing between her Papa and Kamari. It was interesting to see the circle and letters appear before them.
Once Kamari was done and reached for her hand, Alora naturally took it and gave it a squeeze, while looking up with a bright smile at her sister.
Her parents had clearly showed her that they were proud of her, and so was Alora.
Though by now they had often enough used Dust Travel, Alora still watched everything happening around her in awe. The wonderful wand movement of her Papa, the rising dirt and dust forming a tornado around them, glowing white – it had been frightening in the beginning, but now she was just amazed by the display.
It was difficult to measure the time it took to travel, and rather suddenly they stood in a completely different forest than before. The sudden cold air bit her skin and Alora shuddered. She let go of Kamari’s hand and gladly wrapped herself in the cosy travel jacket from her mother, immediately covering her head with the fluffy hood. That was way better!
She followed her parents and ended up in awe again at the sight of the mountainside and the city beneath them. Beautiful! Yeah, that was also why she loved to travel with her family!
When her Mama gave her a pair of their “Terrain Boots”, Alora’s face lit up like a Christmas tree. Eagerly, she sat down on a nearby stump and changed into them, handing her other shoes back to her mother. Wriggling with her feet a bit, she stared at the boots with a grin.
Oh, how much she loved these boots! How much she had missed them! Almost as much as her family. And this was not just because they were comfy and could adapt to any terrain. No, it had one wonderful side effect for Alora: less tripping! Somehow, they actually managed to stabilise her feet while walking. But well, one could only do so much against clumsiness…
Alora stood up again and watched her Mama checking something with a weird device. Would they ever get one of these as well? Or be shown how to use them?
At her Mama’s question, she only thought for a second, then promptly answered.
“Lights? They always have so much of them! And so colourful!”
For Alora, there could never be enough different colours.
However, while Muggle cities were quite interesting for her, Alora almost always missed the plants right after entering one. There were just too little for her taste. And the smell! Yeah, they could definitely need more flowers!
After chuckling at Ringwald’s missed jump, Alora followed her family down the trail, her boots helping her in trudging through the terrain, at least a bit. Her attention was fully on the ground in front of her, determined not to –
Her toes of her left foot got stuck on a pebble which let her tumble forward. In an attempt to get her balance back, she thrust her remaining leg forward, but had the misfortune of her heel landing on a small branch, which started to roll beneath her foot.
One leg lagging behind, one leg shifting forward, her boots finally activated again, her feet getting grip on the ground once more. Her legs came to a sudden halt, almost doing the splits, and Alora quickly extended her arms to the sides, remaining her balance successfully, saving herself again in a beautiful pose.
Once stable, she thrust her arms more into a V-pose, a goofy grin appearing on her face.
"Tadaa!"
Totally planned! Alora grinned and got up in a normal position again, then quickly continued with her descend, though decided to stick closely to her Papa, in case another pebble would decide to get in her way (it clearly had been the fault of the pebble).
Alora didn’t ask where they were heading to or what their goal was as she saw her Mama reading the notes, and Alora herself was occupied with avoiding any more toppling.
Last Edit: Nov 18, 2023 15:24:16 GMT 10 by Alora Sagemore
Post by Kamari Sagemore on Nov 20, 2023 14:14:09 GMT 10
She did her best, she really did. But Kamari never could brag about a steady hand. She wrote ok, she did things that she needed to do but her lines weren't the best... even she could recognized that... but at least Papa let her finish.
But she'd have to adjust her writing. She didn't know how she'd fix it but she was sure she'd get an example she'd be good at. Papa was proud and so was mama. She could see it with how they looked at her.
So, with the memory of a thumbs up and a hand on her shoulder, she clung to her sister's hand and watched as Papa pulled his wand out, waved the circle and the spell came to life.
Dust and dirt, everything spinning and spiraling all around. It was wonderful magic, really. She could remember how it had scared her when she was younger, remember how it had left her breathless.
Now it was just amazing.
Their forest turned into a different forest and she took a moment to adjust, to look around. Different scenery but... plants all the same. And Kamari didn't much care for all the foliage. It was a part of it, she guessed, but there were worse things that could surround her, she guessed.
Mama and Papa led the way, Kamari walking near to her sister wordlessly for a bit while she avoided the plants touching her. No, no thank you.
But Mama was talking and she was changed into her boots pretty quickly, donning her winter cloak. Warm and ready to go while Ringwald hunted and Papa sighed.
What was more common in muggle cities? She blinked for a moment before giggling into her hand at Papa's sigh.
"Muggles?" She knew there was a lot she had to look out for. Look normal, look muggle. Non magical. She knew what she couldn't do but it felt like all of her answers were wrong.
She watched Alora stumble and trip before she righted herself and walk nearer to Papa. Instead of walking three wide she decided to hang back, following quietly and keeping an eye out on Ringwald. Surely he didn't need it but he was adorable.
Irene sighed at Kamari's answer. She cupped her daughter's cheeks and gave her a little squish, then chuckled and looped an arm round her shoulders as they walked.
'Yes, dear daughter, Muggle areas do tend to have Muggles,' she said, nodding.
'Lights are close,' Zerab added, glancing at Alora. 'But no, what's in the cities and not as overwhelming elsewhere are their electronics. That's their version of magic, if you remember?'
Last summer they had a bit of an experiment with a thing called a lightbulb. Aunt Taraji explained it was what Muggles used to light things, rather than relying on wands or candles / lanterns. They worked by something called electricity, which was a type of energy that Muggles harnessed in the place of magic.
It was all still quite beyond them and very confusing, but had made for a fun experiment... despite them using magic rather than electricity to show how it worked. And that would explain why it then exploded and issued a lot of smoke. They'd anticipated it though, so there was already a protection spell around it. Not one was hurt just got a mighty big fright -- which even Ringwald survived, despite his shriek and falling from the counter.
But Alora and Kamari were fortunate in their upbringing, to have seen more Muggle electronics than most magical folk. Except, it was quite unpleasant. Lots of noise, flashing lights, and overall a pain to eyes or ears most of the time. Irene claimed Muggles were used to it and enjoyed them, but the girls remained skeptical of that.
Yet, as intended, Zareb's words reminded them to prepare for this. Cities were an onslaught of electronics -- even giant screen ones on buildings, showing off products or those electronic carriages called cars. Zareb handled it well, but Irene shared their displeasure. It was some bombarding or loud in cities.
The tension of that was broken by Alora taking a slip or tumble forward. Unlike most parents, neither Zareb nor Irene made any instinctive move to catch or help her. They were accustomed to this by now, and insisted on letting her fall if the only harm was a few bumps or embarrassment. That was how she learned to pick herself up, and improve her own balance.
But they did stop walking, so Alora wouldn't get left behind while she tried to keep her balance and right herself in time. Sharing a glance, they got into attentive move -- as if watching the outcome of a high-intensity sport / game. Zareb nodded as she made her adjustments, then they applauded as Alora succeeded with a V-pose at the end.
'Well done, very graceful,' Irene said, giving Alora a thumbs up then glanced at her husband. 'What do you think?'
'Hmm, it was a mere pebble. But a graceful finish, I agree.' Zareb eyed his youngest daughter seriously, though there was amusement in his eyes and a quirk of his lips. 'I'd give it a solid seven out of ten.'
'I'll go with an eight out of ten.' Irene held up four fingers a hand. 'That pose was inspired. You've come a long way since landing on your back in puddles.'
They didn't ask Kamari for a score, assuming she was probably so over this little routine by now. But it was for Alora's sake, as to never turn her falls into something negative or shameful. And also not to fear falling, just of course be careful in riskier areas. She'd continue to improve, and they were proud of her for that.
--
They resumed their walk.
As Hong Kong itself came into view then seemed to creep up on them once they left the mountainside, the busy Muggles and attention-grabbing electronics on stores or buildings or even smaller things advertised or carried around... it was overwhelming. Thankfully, it was also daytime so the brightness of them wasn't as much of an issue.
Everything was distracting, especially with endless banners or signs overhead, but they knew to stay close as a group. Irene reached for Alora's hand, whole Zareb did the same for Kamari. Their age didn't matter; this was for their safety, and not negotiable. Muggles were everywhere, and the roads roared with cars or small buses.
'We're looking for the marketplace,' Zareb explained, other hand loosely at his side though it was his wand hand so they knew he was tense in this surrounding as well. 'Lots of tents-covered stalls on either side. Look for anyone eating street food.'
At least that was something they knew; rarely did they visit a place like this and not get to try the street food. It was something Muggles and Magical Folk shared, though of course the food itself tended to be quite different.
Post by Alora Sagemore on Nov 26, 2023 0:17:22 GMT 10
Alora nodded at her Papa’s explanation, a grin spreading across her face. Of course she remembered! How could she forget the lightbulb experiment? That was what it had been called, right?
For Alora it was quiet fascinating how Muggles were able to light things up without magic. Or get stuff to move without it. With this weird electricity stuff, one could not really see. A bit like magic.
However, that didn’t mean she liked it. Yes, the different colours of the lights were beautiful, but they were bright as well. Sometimes so bright that it hurt her eyes. And the noise and smell from all this Muggle electri-thingies! How could they live with that? Visiting Muggle cities always reminded Alora why she loved their cottage so much.
Alora grinned brightly as she got applause for her V-pose, just like if she had done well on a performance. Although, her parents treated her saving attempts from tumbling exactly like that. But Alora didn’t mind, she actually loved it.
Depending on how her parents reacted to her more or less successful ‘stunt’, she thought of new impressive ways to save herself or adjusted the ones she already did.
Alora knew that she had to train hard to get hold of her balance issues, especially as she couldn’t allow herself to show an ungraceful sight in public. But she was getting better, as shown by the ratings her parents gave her. She grinned.
“Yeah, I did, right? I worked hard! I’ll get to the ten points some day!”
Though she wondered, how that would look like… She pondered over this while resuming their walk.
--
Because of her Papa’s reminder, Alora was prepared for the bulk of loud and bright electronics shoved into their view, though it still was overwhelming. It didn’t make it any better that a mass of Muggles and their rolling metal boxes on the streets were added to it. She automatically took her Mama’s hand and kept close to her. Alora absolutely didn’t want to get lost or worse, hit by one of the metal boxes.
Feeling secure attached to her mother, she curiously glanced around the city, though barely refrained from grimacing upon the smell and noise. At least the level of brightness today was bearable.
Marketplace? Tents? Ah, street food!
Alora grinned and her stomach let out a growl at the thought of the food they had tried last time, despite her eating the sandwiches earlier.
Full of enthusiasm, Alora kept her eyes open for someone with street food in their hands.
Hm, no, this one just carried a paper bag with lots of stuff, like paper rolls, no street food.
That one maybe?
Alora was just looking to her right as a Muggle boy around her age, wrapped up in warm clothes as well, came to a hold out of that direction, holding something in his hands. He folded open a bit of paper and bit right into the middle of it. Alora was able to spy something orange and a bit of steam coming out of it. She immediately recognised it.
“Mama, that one has one of these yummy roasted sweet potatoes!” She burst out and pulled her mother in the direction of the boy.
Last Edit: Nov 27, 2023 3:46:45 GMT 10 by Alora Sagemore
Post by Kamari Sagemore on Nov 27, 2023 3:11:37 GMT 10
All jokes aside, Kamari was glad that Mama had gotten the humor in her words. Muggles tended to have muggles! She grinned through the squish of her cheeks only to lean into the arm that slipped around her shoulders.
But lights and electronics. Yes, she remembered them and the really interesting part was that it was complex. Their lightbulbs exploded with the use of magic but they'd at least tried, right?
Kamari was... interested in the way muggle electronics worked. She wanted to know more about them, spend time figuring out how they did what they did... perhaps she should talk to muggleborn students more, learn about their lives outside of school... but that wouldn't be good for them. Would the press actually follow her if she went to a muggleborn friend's house? She didn't know!
Heck, she'd never been to a friend's house like that...
Ugh.
Her sister's slip seemed to break some of the tention, pulling Kamari from her thoughts about muggleborn friends, learning their electricity, and the press. She landed it, she was good!
Their scores were fair. She'd landed it and gotten applause. She couldn't deny she'd done a fabulous job in catching herself.
-
It was loud. Voices and electronics and the moving cars that zoomed by. She gladly took hold of Papa's hand as they walked, glancing around at the banners and large screens, the buildings that towered over them all almost endlessly.
It never stopped amazing her.
Sure, it was overwhelming. The size alone was enough to leave her struggling to keep up, but she managed, attention broken by Papa's reminder of the market and seeking out street food.
The best part of any trip was getting to taste the food!
So she looked around for tents or vendors, eyes scanning over people that walked looking into electronic devices. No tents she could see, but then, she was scanning the side of the street they were on, seeking upward, glancing around for any and everything that they had to find.
She sniffed the air but that was overwhelming too - making her head spin from the sheer amount of smells that assaulted her nose. She inched closer to Papa, raising her sleeve to her nose to filter out some of the smells before she heard her sister's call for sweet potatoes.
She looked over, watching her sister pull at Mama.
"I think she's right." Kamari said, lifting their held hands upward to motion toward Mama and Alora.
She wasn't about to pull Papa but she could indicate and see if he wanted to go with them.
'Right she is.' Zareb nodded, moving to catch up with Irene -- who allowed herself to be tugged forward by Alora.
He glanced at Kamari, a little sad yet also accepting of the fact she was growing up. Being dragged around by a small yet eager child... ah, those were the days.
Checking Ringwald kept close, they headed in the direction of where the Muggle with the roasted sweet potatoes had come from. Tempting as it was to get some for themselves, Zareb urged them forward. Business first, treats after.
The market was noisy and bustling with activity, yet it was familiar. Not just for their common trips to places like this for street food almost everywhere they went, but also the general atmosphere of it reminded them of when they hosted a travelling sales cart in Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley when they needed to clear out some stock.
Minus the fact that everyone spoke Cantonese here -- which was not a language Alora or Kamari knew or could even recall a few simple words from. A few English words were in the mix though, so they weren't completely out of their depth.
'Sek,' Irene spotted the man first, giving a wave that the children recognised as a false friendliness -- usually when someone was about to get an earful if they didn't show the proper manners or resolution to a problem.
'Family name address,' Zareb quickly informed Alora and Kamari of the customs. 'As acquaintances, using their first name is disrespectful.'
'Ah.' Sek froze, in the middle of handing off a necklace to a customer. He quickly averted his gaze, then smiled at the customer and finished their interaction.
Once she left, Sek hastily shut some of his Jewellery boxes and turned to give the Sagemores his full attention. He looked especially intimidated with the height difference, which he tried to conceal but sinking onto a stool as if that made any difference.
'What uh, do I owe such a visit? Just in the area?' Sek asked, clearly having noticed the meaning behind Irene smile as well.
'Not selling anything unauthorised to Muggles, I hope?' Irene inspected some of his pieces, and gave her daughters a stern look not to touch anything at this particular store.
'Of course not. What do you take me for?' Sek huffed, while shutting another box. 'Hello, girls.'
His wave was directed at the kids, mostly to be polite but none of his nervousness was directed at them. He seemed like a nice enough person, especially if he was chosen as one of their suppliers, but it was not an easy thing to be faced with the likes of Irene and Zareb. A visit like this was rarely a social call, and Sek was clearly rather wary of the reason.
'Have owls been having trouble locating you?' Zareb asked, gaze focused on some gemstones.
That was something he did to try and appear less intimidating than giving his focused attention to someone, but it didn't really work. Not for a man of his reputation, and the tone he used was quite proper.
'Ah.' Sek nodded. 'The supplies. I'm afraid I can't fulfill the request at the moment. Bit of a situation down by the mines, you understand.'
Muggles passed by, unaware of the group of magical folk among them by the Jewellery stall. Nearby stalls were mostly of colour-rich clothing, rolls of silk and luxury fabrics, then some hats -- and various local street food that had a spicy hint of them. There was also a stall directly behind them of some sort of dessert that was completely unfamiliar to them but smelled interesting.
Irene turned to the sweet stall, as a means of concealing her annoyed expression -- yet another familiar look for the children who knew their parents' mannerisms so well. That look was reserved for those who neglected to inform the relevant parties of any situation -- in this case, Sek's negligence to owl back exactly what he just told them.
'What sort of a situation?' Zareb asked, far less transparent than Irene and used to having to react in full view of others, thus was more controlled in his stance yet clearly just as annoyed.
Sek glanced round, checking no Muggles were in close range. He then leaned forward, and expected them to do the same in order to hear him.
'A dragon,' he said quietly, then shuddered to impress the seriousness of it. 'Tamers are on site, but it's refusing the budge. Can't very well mine supplies in those sort of conditions, can I?'
Post by Alora Sagemore on Nov 29, 2023 16:07:17 GMT 10
Alora was a tiny bit sad that they didn’t get one of the sweet potatoes, but they were here for business after all. Perhaps later…
She stuck close to her mother, though she wasn’t scared anymore of the activity around her. She had gotten used to the noise now and the excitement for everything happening around her just pushed out the negative feelings. And of course because the bustling marketplace felt familiar, reminding her of the travels with her family and of course their travelling sales cart. She wondered when they would do that again…
While they walked over the marketplace, the smell from various food stalls wafted through the air. Alora tried to decipher some of the foods available to buy, but there were just too many – and a lot of them foreign to her. The same as the language spoken around her.
Soon they arrived at their destination: apparently a man called Sek. Last name. And indicated by her Mama’s wave, he had caused problems. Alora automatically assumed an even more upright posture.
Alora nodded at her Papa’s words to assure him she had understood, then she listened to the conversation unfold in front of her.
At least Sek seemed polite. She returned his wave with a graceful wave of her own and a smile – though her smile was one of her trained fake ones, a smile which seemed friendly but in fact hid her true feelings. Though at the moment, it was easy to her as her feelings towards this man were still more neutral.
Alora carefully observed how her parents handled the situation and was in awe on how they did. Small movements to hide their true intentions or feelings, which only someone tight to them could really see. That was something, Alora still had to practise, though she at least had learned her ‘proper’ smile.
She noticed the mean of concealment from her mother and had to turn her head to the sweet stall as well as to hide the smirk that appeared on her own face because of it. Once she had again control over her face, she turned her face back towards Sek and her father, remaining deeply impressed by how her Papa handled everything. She really hoped she could handle conversations like this one day like him!
Curiously about what Sek had to tell them, she leaned forward as well – only to blink a few times in surprise at his words, though it was difficult for her to not let any other emotion show on her face or shout out a surprise. While her inner was in turmoil, her fake smile remained plastered on her face.
A dragon? Again? What was it with all these dragon activities all the time? First the one in Hogwarts, now that…
Post by Kamari Sagemore on Nov 30, 2023 0:34:47 GMT 10
Maybe she should have tugged him. She met his eyes and offered a smile to replace the tug instead, walking in step with him... even skipping a step to make sure they walked with the same leg at the same time. He was taller than she was but that didn't mean she couldn't try to match his stride.
And it worked.
She slid her gaze sideways for Ringwald, confident in his ability to keep close but also making sure to check.
They skipped the sweet treats, finding themselves surrounded by a language that Kamari didn't know but needed to learn (she was sure of it) but there were, thankfully, a few words thrown around in English that she knew. Not that they were overly important to her. They weren't business.
It was time to watch and learn.
Sek. Family name to address. She'd be Sagemore, then, right? She nodded.
"I will remember." she told Papa quietly, watching Alora's nod in understanding. It was time for them to listen, pay attention. Kamari could learn from this.
Papa and Mama handled things well. She knew that and it would be her job to do the same one day... which was why it was important to her to keep her eyes on the exchange.
To Sek's quick hello she offered a serene public smile and the lift of her hand into a wave of hello. He didn't seem mean or rude, really, he seemed nice enough.
Papa remained proper in tone and respectful. She took mental notes of his words, his tone, the way he carried himself. Mama, too.
It was hard to focus absolutely on the exchange. The sweet smell of a desert behind her kept tugging at her attention - and boy did she smell it. Kamari was good at smelling things, her sense of smell immaculate. But still, she tried to block it out.
And heard about a situation. Mama turned toward the desert stall and Kamari saw her expression, miming a long breath that would hardly be noticed as anything more than a child observing something. But her eyes were trained on Mama's face, hoping she could at least help a little.
Quiet words about a dragon and tamers.
She blinked, shifting a sidelong glance to Alora. There were reports of them in the Daily Prophet too. What was going on with the dragons? She didn't want to ask, not yet, but... it was strange, wasn't it?
Why were there dragons running everywhere? That was puzzling but, to her, it sounded like Sek was correct. One couldn't go toe to toe with a dragon without getting hurt and if the tamers couldnt' get them to move... well then. She didn't know what could be done!
The news of the dragon didn't receive much of a reaction from Zareb or Irene, who had surely heard and seen everything by now -- or at least gave the impression of such. They were always cautious, but somehow the presence of a dragon was not all that high on the list of things to be concerned about, if their unimpressed looks were anything to go by.
'What sort of a dragon?' Irene asked. 'Classification? Level? Breed? Were there any markings?'
Sek fiddled with his collar and averted his gaze, a bit embarrassed to admit he had no clue about all of that. Yet he adjusted one of his boxes and gave the appearance of a busy man who was giving it some thought, in hope of answering their questions. It was clear he didn't have the answers, but Zareb played along while Irene checked Ringwald had resisted the lure of food.
He hadn't. Somehow, despite their boundary charms and everything else going on, Ringwald managed to sit just under the table... happily eating a portion of raw fish he'd somehow obtained. Irene bit her lip to resist a reaction in public, then decided to just feign ignorance. Nope. She hadn't seen that. Not at all. Not happening.
'It uh, breathes ice,' Sek attempted to sound knowledgeable about dragons. 'Not fire, you know?'
'And there's no alternative?' Zareb asked, eyeing Sek carefully for any sign of falsehood.
'None.' Sek earnestly shook his head. 'Those mines are the only renewable source of the supplies you need. And the rocks aren't too hard to break through without magic. Either the dragon moves or...'
'Quite. Then the dragon moves.' Irene nodded, determined. 'Busiest time of year? No supplies is no option.'
'Very well. We'll tend to the situation.' Zareb also nodded, in complete agreement. 'Stay put. We'll return soon with an update.'
'You're... going to move a dragon?' Sek stared at them, somewhere between awe and disbelief.
Zareb's jaw clenched; withholding a sassy comment.
'No,' he said, slowly and in a neutral tone. 'We're going to do the sensible thing of talking to the Dragon tamers -- figure out what the situation is, and take it from there.'
'Right.' Sek blinked out of his trance. 'Right. Yes, of course. Talk to the tamers. Very sensible. Well uh, I'll wait here then?'
He seemed honest enough in his words, but one look from Irene turned those words into an "or else" promise. Sek fussed with some boxes and nodded vigorously. If a Sagemore made an appointment or something similar, one best keep it and be where expected. No one wanted to know what would happen otherwise.
'Let's go.' Irene gestured for Kamari and Alora to follow. 'The mines shouldn't be far from here. Ah, but first, shall we grab a quick bite to eat?'
Zareb eyed his watch -- his very complicated and magical version of one. He opened his mouth to protest, but Irene placed a hand on his forearm and he relaxed. She convinced him with a look, and in saying that the tamers might be gone afterwards anyway.
'Now then, my precious daughters...' Irene looped an arm round the shoulders of Alora and Kamari each. 'Anything take your fancy? Me, I'm partial to Bolo Baos -- pineapple buns. Though, it doesn't actually contain pineapple. I saw some roast goose too; a Cantonese specialty. Lots of dumplings too, of course.'
She gestured to various stalls, some near and some further into the market.
Zareb tilted his head, peering under Sek's table. 'Where did Ringwald--?'
'Nah!' Irene quickly released Kamari, using her freed hand to yank Zareb into their conversation and away from the mischievous kitty. 'Focus, dear husband. We have very hungry children here.'
She shot both girls a look, urging them to play along with some flair -- for the sake of helping them resist scolding their family cat in public. Irene was sorely tempted to. Zareb cast his wife a fond look, and tried to shift his attention to the food options. It wasn't easy. But they were in public, and Ringwald was a known conflict-causer in keeping up appearances.
Post by Alora Sagemore on Dec 2, 2023 17:49:21 GMT 10
Listening with full attention, Alora shifted her gaze between her Papa and Sek as their talked about the dragon. However, not much information was given, as Sek himself seemed to have no clue.
But an ice-breathing dragon? Awesome!
Alora wondered what it looked like. Would it be a rather known breed or like the one at Hogwarts she hadn’t been able to determine?
Nevertheless, apparently, it was the reason for the supply issue. Something they couldn’t have, not right now. Even Alora knew that. Still, she was a bit surprised when her parents came to a simple conclusion on how to solve the issue: move the dragon.
She had to say, a very Sagemore-like approach.
Therefore, in contrast to Sek, Alora just shrugged. A Sagemore was capable of facing any problem, be it a supply or development issue, and solving it. Especially if it involved their business.
Being of a rather sassy nature herself, Alora immediately noticed her Papa holding back on a comment – and bit on her lip not to do so herself. She quickly tried to distract herself with looking for Ringwald – whom she easily spotted under the table, happily munching on a fish.
It took all her concentration not to let the fake smile on her lips turn into a shocked open mouth while her inner self screamed ‘No, Ringwald, you rascal, what are you doing again? You wanna get scolded that badly?!’
Alora instantly averted her gaze, hoping none of her parents had seen him so far – and that Ringwald was fast enough to hide the evidence.
Apparently, they would go and visit the tamers later! Alora barely refrained from grinning brightly at the thought. But luckily for her, they soon left Sek behind – at least until they solved the problem.
And there it was, finally: food! Since they had seen the roasted sweet potato, Alora had hoped they would grab a bite to eat.
She glanced around while listening to the options she was presented with by her Mama.
“Why is it called pineapple buns if there aren’t any pineapples in it?” Alora asked in confusion. Why would someone name it like that?
Before she could convey what she would like to eat, her Mama interrupted her Papa in his search for Ringwald – and Alora instantly knew what was up.
Not wanting a scolding in public as well – and because it felt a bit like being involved in mischief as well – she quickly wriggled out of the her mother’s arm and grabbed her Papa’s other hand. She looked up to him with big, innocent eyes, attempting to imitate puppy eyes.
“Papa, I would like to try the roast goose! You too?”
With that and a bright smile on her lips, Alora pulled him a bit in the direction of the stall, away from Ringwald.
Post by Kamari Sagemore on Dec 9, 2023 2:28:16 GMT 10
It was really impressive how Mama and Papa looked calm and collected. They asked about the dragon which, all things considered, was smart. But it breathed ice. That was interesting, to say the least.
Kamari tried to think if she'd heard of an ice breathing dragon before, losing herself a moment while the adults spoke. Until they got to the part where Mama said that the dragon would move. She glanced over at her mother with wide eyes but remained silent.
But then it was cleared. They'd talk to the tamers. That made sense. Kamari hadn't actually thought that they'd go force a dragon to move, had she? No, no of course not. She had more sense than that!
Kody would have tried to make the dragon move.
Ugh. Why think of her friends now? She schooled her expression when Mama said it was time to go, following her as instructed to do. She was grateful to be moving again, and the offer of food was almost impossible to decline.
An arm draped around her and she turned to smile at Mama as she spoke about what options there were. Roast goose sounded good but really all it did was make her crave braai so she'd' stay away from that one for now.
At least until she could convince Papa that it would make the perfect welcome home dinner, anyway. But it seemed Alora was bound and determined for the roast goose.
"Perhaps because it tastes like pineapple?" she offered in response to her sister, but also not wholly understanding why it was called what it was.
Papa seemed to o after Ringgwald but was pulled back and Kamari shot him a pleading look.
"I'm famished," she said, playing along with Mama's look, "Bolo Baos and dumplings?" she asked, knowing it was quite a bit and she'd end up sharing either way. But if it kept Ringwald from getting scolded then she was down to eat as much as she needed to eat.
00 | 
22 | 
20
December
