IT'S BLOODY HOT IN HERE (no, really. it's seriously hot.)
it's the summer holidays! a perfect time to travel, relax, spend time with loved ones and bask in the sun. the wizarding world is lively with energy at this time of year. everyone seems to want to make the most of their break before september comes around the corner and life returns to its normal, mundane pace. it has been especially exciting with the sporadic and strange appearances of old and new faces. some claim to be from a different world while others claim to be from a different time. then, there are the ones who have simply found themselves waking up to be remarkably younger or older. just remember to keep to your curfews, half-bloods and muggle-borns! those eerie disappearances are still happening in an increasingly alarming rate...
MINISTRY OF MAGIC
for the ones who don't have the good fortune of going on holiday, you won't have to worry about having nothing to do, especially if you're part of the ministry of magic! with all the anomalies happening, you're going to have your hands full registering, documenting, interviewing and/or helping with a multitude of busywork relating to the newcomers. or maybe your job doesn't have anything to do with that. maybe you're on the opposite end and you've been brought in. or maybe you're just a tourist and you want to see if you can catch a glimpse of the minister for magic. whatever your reason is, welcome and stay out of people's way!
DIAGON ALLEY
everyone loves to go shopping and what better place to do it than diagon alley? you'll find mills of people looking at all the different items on sale or on display in store windows. maybe you're here to purchase materials for the upcoming school year or you're out on a date with your significant other. or maybe you actually own or work at one of the many shops here. whatever your reason is, you better be ready for the crowd and the heat.
KNOCKTURN ALLEY
oh no! what are you doing here? turn back right now! knockturn alley is no place for you to be. well, at least it isn't if you aren't a dark arts practitioner or you're not part of some nefarious secret group. just turn around and go back to diagon alley. it's much nicer there, friendlier and safer. have you not heard about all the disappearances going on? you're only asking for trouble stepping into a place like this, even if it's remarkably cool here.
M.I.A.V.I.
not in the mood to go out? or maybe you're stuck in the waiting room at st. mungo's trying to figure out why you're suddenly 10 years older and you need a distraction. disregarding the reason, it's sure a good thing you've conveniently brought along your m.i.a.v.i. so feel free to browse the public network, create your own post, or private message someone!
OTHER
not interested in any of the options above? feel free to make up your own! the wizarding world is huge, so get creative with it. the setting is the summer of 1980. have fun testing out and shaping your characters, mingle with others, and start getting those crs down!
[He doesn't buy from her just to shamelessly give her money and have an excuse to see her but also to flip the bird at the man, so to speak. He's pureblooded and he has absolutely not issue buying his goods from half bloods and Muggle borns alike. Lily's brilliant anyway. Only an idiot wouldn't acknowledge that.
He smiles back at her. He can't help it. It's a bloody reflex. Like a sunflower to the sun, he's drawn to her and he can't get himself to quit.]
You wouldn't happen to have anything that kills mysterious food monsters in kitchens would you?
[ there's a pregnant pause where lily tries to ascertain whether james is joking or not. this is a moment or two where she scrutinizes him with her brows furrowed before she sets her wand aside and sighs, flicking her hand to extinguish the flames and let the potion cool off naturally. part of the recipe.
she leans on the counter to look at him, green eyes trained up at his face and eyebrows lofted. ] First off, what did you do so I know what you need?
[Unfortunately, he never jokes around about mold monster that he's convinced are going to eat him alive one morning. If he's lucky, he can convince it to take Sirius first.]
Ah, you see there is the problem. We did nothing and from our neglect sprung-- it. You may be our only hope.
[Or they could be grown ups and do dishes but shh.]
Oh—Merlin, James, you two are disgusting. You're wizards, you don't even have to do the washing up like Muggles.
[ lily may or may not throw a (CLEAN) towel at him, aiming to hit him in the chest. ] Boys. Boys.
[ but she sighs, rolling her eyes and dragging a large book from under the counter so that she can start to leaf through it thoughtfully. ] What color is it?
[They are disgusting, nothing to be said or done about that. They're silly boys who grew up with house elves and no real sense of personal responsibility so what does she expect.
He makes an offended noise when she throws a towel at him. And may or may not toss it back at her.]
[ SHE EXPECTS THEM TO LEARN HOW TO NOT BE DISGUSTING. she's certainly not going to clean up after you if you get married, so you better shape up. she catches the towel, resting it over her shoulder as she looks through recipes. ]
Then it should still be relatively simple. I just can't believe you let it get that bad.
[ she glances up at him, frowns, then looks back down at the book. ] Maybe I can. How long has it been hanging about? How big is it?
[Well then she really has too high of expectations because they are disgusting, foul boys.]
Er-- [James frowns, and ruffles his hair while trying to think of how long his kitchen has been under siege. Truth is, he has no idea. He hasn't paid it any attention.]
I haven't gotten that close to it actually...? I think it feeds on wizard.
[ ugh, they're the worst. she's going to move in with alice and they're going to swear off boys forever. bye.
there's a moment where she grips his chin in a scolding gesture before she turns away and starts to pull some jars and bottles down from a shelf, one long-fingered hand gesturing toward a miniature cauldron so that it'll float over and settle on the counter. ]
This is only going to kill the one. You have to keep up the cleaning afterward or they'll keep coming back stronger and I won't be able to help you. They're called Wight Bunyips and they create themselves from the leavings in the sink and feed on them to grow. They don't feed on wizard but they'll bite. They're venomous and they'll leave a nasty necrotic wound behind. You might need Remus' help on this too, honestly.
[ and then there's a pause. it's a short pause, but there's an almost-accusation in her glance before she decides no, they're really just that gross. ]
[She's just so bloody perfect he could kiss her right here and now. And he would if they were still together. If he was less of an idiot and just told her that he was still in love with her and yeah, it was hard being together but being apart is worse.]
Moony isn't going to help. He'll say we deserve it and laugh when I lose a finger.
[Small dramatic pause because she has to see where this is going.]
[ lily looks at him again a moment and it's one of those looks she used to get - where she wants to be fussed at him but can't really be. so finally, finally, she nods before starting a fire under the cauldron and setting about putting in some ingredients one by one. ]
Only because you asked so nicely. I'll even give you a cute boy's discount.
[ a little harmless flirting - or it would be harmless if they didn't both want to get back together (on some level or another).
eventually she frowns down at where she's chopping some mint leaves. ] James...?
[ there's a short and unsteady pause here. ] What do you think of becoming business partners?
[ hell, it's half a marriage proposal, from her - she's always been adamant she has to do everything on her own. so why now, suddenly? ]
[She called him cute! She was definitely, most seriously flirting with him. Wait until he writes this all down in his feelings journal.
It's because she distracted him with her pretty face that her words don't register right away. James blinks, several times in fact before raising an eyebrow at her when he finally cottons on. He knows very well that she wanted to do this on her own. It's part of why they ended their relationship. He didn't care about the money, would gladly have given it to her to pay for the start up expenses but somehow that's insulting.]
[ lily watches him and a part of her - a large part - regrets ever breaking things off. the other large part of her would regret never building this shop on her own. at first she just shakes her head, looking like she regrets asking him too. ] It's selfish, I'm sorry.
[ she sighs, grinding down on the mint now to crush it a little harder than strictly necessary. ] Bit of trouble with the Ministry. There was an implication... I'm just... [ frustrated suddenly, she puts down her tools and grips the edge of the counter, leaning over it so she doesn't have to look at him. ] I just think that the shop would be safer in the hands of a Pureblood right now.
[ someone must have said something that scared her. ]
[She has his full attention now, if the scowl on his face is anything to go by. It isn't directed at her, but rather the people who have backed her into this corner. He knew it had been hard for her to open the shop but he didn't think it was this bad.]
Hey.
[James lays his hand on her shoulder. Doesn't make her look at him, she can do that when she's ready but he wants to make sure she knows he's not going anywhere. He'd do anything for her. That hasn't changed.]
Course I'll help you out. Take whatever you need. I don't want to run your shop, though. That's still all yours. I'll be your muscle.
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no subject
He smiles back at her. He can't help it. It's a bloody reflex. Like a sunflower to the sun, he's drawn to her and he can't get himself to quit.]
You wouldn't happen to have anything that kills mysterious food monsters in kitchens would you?
no subject
she leans on the counter to look at him, green eyes trained up at his face and eyebrows lofted. ] First off, what did you do so I know what you need?
no subject
Ah, you see there is the problem. We did nothing and from our neglect sprung-- it. You may be our only hope.
[Or they could be grown ups and do dishes but shh.]
no subject
[ lily may or may not throw a (CLEAN) towel at him, aiming to hit him in the chest. ] Boys. Boys.
[ but she sighs, rolling her eyes and dragging a large book from under the counter so that she can start to leaf through it thoughtfully. ] What color is it?
no subject
He makes an offended noise when she throws a towel at him. And may or may not toss it back at her.]
It's green. And furry.
no subject
Then it should still be relatively simple. I just can't believe you let it get that bad.
[ she glances up at him, frowns, then looks back down at the book. ] Maybe I can. How long has it been hanging about? How big is it?
no subject
Er-- [James frowns, and ruffles his hair while trying to think of how long his kitchen has been under siege. Truth is, he has no idea. He hasn't paid it any attention.]
I haven't gotten that close to it actually...? I think it feeds on wizard.
no subject
there's a moment where she grips his chin in a scolding gesture before she turns away and starts to pull some jars and bottles down from a shelf, one long-fingered hand gesturing toward a miniature cauldron so that it'll float over and settle on the counter. ]
This is only going to kill the one. You have to keep up the cleaning afterward or they'll keep coming back stronger and I won't be able to help you. They're called Wight Bunyips and they create themselves from the leavings in the sink and feed on them to grow. They don't feed on wizard but they'll bite. They're venomous and they'll leave a nasty necrotic wound behind. You might need Remus' help on this too, honestly.
[ and then there's a pause. it's a short pause, but there's an almost-accusation in her glance before she decides no, they're really just that gross. ]
no subject
Moony isn't going to help. He'll say we deserve it and laugh when I lose a finger.
[Small dramatic pause because she has to see where this is going.]
Maybe you can come over and help save us...?
no subject
Only because you asked so nicely. I'll even give you a cute boy's discount.
[ a little harmless flirting - or it would be harmless if they didn't both want to get back together (on some level or another).
eventually she frowns down at where she's chopping some mint leaves. ] James...?
[ there's a short and unsteady pause here. ] What do you think of becoming business partners?
[ hell, it's half a marriage proposal, from her - she's always been adamant she has to do everything on her own. so why now, suddenly? ]
no subject
It's because she distracted him with her pretty face that her words don't register right away. James blinks, several times in fact before raising an eyebrow at her when he finally cottons on. He knows very well that she wanted to do this on her own. It's part of why they ended their relationship. He didn't care about the money, would gladly have given it to her to pay for the start up expenses but somehow that's insulting.]
Why're you asking me now?
no subject
[ she sighs, grinding down on the mint now to crush it a little harder than strictly necessary. ] Bit of trouble with the Ministry. There was an implication... I'm just... [ frustrated suddenly, she puts down her tools and grips the edge of the counter, leaning over it so she doesn't have to look at him. ] I just think that the shop would be safer in the hands of a Pureblood right now.
[ someone must have said something that scared her. ]
no subject
Hey.
[James lays his hand on her shoulder. Doesn't make her look at him, she can do that when she's ready but he wants to make sure she knows he's not going anywhere. He'd do anything for her. That hasn't changed.]
Course I'll help you out. Take whatever you need. I don't want to run your shop, though. That's still all yours. I'll be your muscle.