alice-wil

[alice-wil]

ava-avery‌:

Ava decided that all political events would be much improved if they were held at nightclubs. 

After the New Years disaster that led to it, she had expected herself to balk away from anything liquid, but instead, she found herself numb to it. The only thing she found herself thinking about tonight was that debates were far more interesting with a drink in hand, and it was far easier to find herself caring about various political questions that way. The aftermath also turned out more interesting, and Ava found herself preferring this mingling to the more fancy kind held at the fundraisers she had popped by. 

The theme of it all was another aspect she preferred; moving through the Manic Pixie, she could almost imagine herself at some themed fancy dress rather than a Ministry-sponsored event. Maybe it was time to work her way up, find a position where she could influence events. It was a silly thought and Ava shook it off as she moved. Her glass was all but empty and her current gameplan undecided between picking up some cocktail or trying to find the speakeasy she had heard about. It depended on the crowd around the nearest top-up spot, she decided, bumping into someone on the way.

“Sorry,” she told them, her voice sounding lighter than anticipated. “This is well nice, isn’t it? Don’t think I’ve ever seen a better way of getting people interested in politics.”

Alice thought the idea of a debate and an opportunity for people to see the candidates side by side was a brilliant one. Did she think that a nightclub was the perfect venue for such an event? Probably not, but she was wary of the idea of free-flowing drinks the memories of New Year's were still too fresh in her mind for such things. However, the overall event having a theme made her a little excited. It was nice to have an excuse to do a bit of shopping and put a little effort into her appearance to fit with the evening's theme. When she’d strolled into the debate she’d had her hair curled and pinned and a pink and gold dress she’d found at a vintage shop. She may still have a nagging feeling in the back of her mind about her concerns for the event, but she was doing her best to get into the spirit of it all. While she might have hesitated to reach for her first glass of champagne throughout the debate she had relaxed and was now determined to have a good time.

Wandering through the Manic Pixie after the debates had ended and everyone had dispersed Alice decided that a second drink couldn’t hurt she was making her way to find one before she wandered into a specific party when she collided with someone. She beamed as she waved away the other woman’s apology “Don’t think anything of it. I probably wasn’t paying enough attention.” She assured her with a genuine smile as she turned to her. “Right? Who would have imagined that there was any way to put such a fun spin on a night of debates?” She shook her head with an easy laugh. “Quite the turn out too, I’d say. It certainly beats the Ministry’s normal events. Might I add that you look fabulous tonight?”

Living it up I

[alice-wil]

alice-wil‌:

benjy-whoisleft‌:

“Aren’t you an auror?” Benjy snapped before he could think better of it. “This was an assault, and you’re sorry?” It might be harsh, but it was true, and he was livid. He was tired of other people telling him what was and wasn’t worth it like he didn’t have a concept of it for himself. He was tired of just letting it go, but they were gone and he was expected to let it pass.

For all it seemed like he picked every battle, there had to be a dozen he let go. The ones that weren’t worth it, that would end badly, that would make him look worse. He had an instant to pick what he was going to do in every last one of these situations, and Alice had the misfortune of getting hit with some of the shrapnel before he could reign it in fully. 

“That wasn’t fair,” he said, aware of the truth of the statement but not apologizing fully. It wasn’t fair, but he stood by it. He lived in that impossible territory. “Thanks, but they probably aren’t worth salvaging. I have a thousand more, and fuck, I just want to hand them out and have honest and open discussion about important topics. Why is that so much to ask?” He really didn’t expect her to have the answers at this point, but through clenched teeth and hands clutching dirty flyers, it was all coming out with no real sense of order.

Alice offered him a soft apologetic smile as she shook her head. She could understand his sentiment and his anger. It was hard because she wanted to do what he wanted her to do. She wanted to go after whoever had dared to assault him in such a manner, but the rules for the Aurors in training were crystal clear on what was and wasn’t acceptable for them. “In training.” Her words were a sigh as she shook her head. “No, it isn’t. People shouldn’t be allowed to behave like that.” She dismissed the statement because she may not have been able to do anything but even she felt like there was more she should have been able to do. “I’m not here on business for the Auror office and I don’t have a certified Auror observing me, so in the capacity of Auror the only thing I can do is take an official report.” She opened her purse her hand going straight to her official notebook with sheets of reports and flipping it open. 

“They shouldn’t just get away with that and no one should be treated like that. I’m sorry that you were. People can be cruel and it seems--” Alice shook her head she shooed the words on the tip of her tongue out. “I wish I could say that I think it is politics that bring out the ugly in people. You should absolutely be able to hand them out and have an open discussion.” She reached for the dirty flyers wanting to help. “I can take those for you and you can clean up. If you want we can both find a bin to dump the ruined ones in and I’ll buy you a drink? I’m happy to let you pitch me on who I should vote for if you like.”

skin in the game ||

[alice-wil]

tedxtcnks‌:

The return to Hogwarts saw questions accompany Ted as the first few days back into what would be his final term came and went. Truthfully, he had been almost completely isolated from what had happened during the break and in a way, he believed himself to be fortunate. In other ways, he saw a need to catch up where others may have already made decisions or at least had an idea of where they stood. Homework kept him busy enough to where Ted could momentarily fall into a world where the hardest decision to make was when to start an essay. 

In the days leading up to their first Hogsmead weekend of the term, his questions grew until eventually he penned a letter to a friend outside of the castle walls: Alice. In the hours leading up to his small journey into the wizarding village, Ted found himself coming to accept a decision he would have to act on sooner rather than later. Yet, it was also something he pushed to the back of his mind in favor of happier and simpler thoughts. 

Their meeting place wasn’t the usual spot most agreed upon and that was perhaps why Ted had asked Alice to meet him at Zonko’s; the fact that they would be in a place meant to bring joy while discussing matters that were anything but fun wasn’t a detail lost on Ted. For as loud as Zonko’s was on the inside, it was relatively quiet on the outside. Lost in thought, Ted simply allowed himself to stand facing away from the joke shop while his mind raced to decide if he had enough information to make an accurate decision. It wasn’t too often Ted found himself feeling odd in the Wizarding world but when it came to politics, Ted found he really didn’t know as much as he thought he did. While that was fixable, it brought on a small frown.

With a shake of his head and a resolution to not worry until later, Ted drew himself out of his thoughts. After all, he hadn’t arrived terribly early and it would have been rude to greet Alice with a frown. There was always something to smile about and Ted was determined to find it before she showed up.

@alice-wil​ 

For Alice, the Christmas holidays had started out as such an absolute joy that refreshed her and then they came crashing down around her with the events of New Year’s. She’d felt this insatiable need to do something to help. She thought at first that throwing herself as much as possible into her training would help, but the truth was it was a bit of an exercise in frustration because she could only do so much there were hoops to jump through and training to complete. She spent her time training not out on the street helping. Which don’t get her wrong she understood the reasoning behind it it would be lunacy to set people loose with a badge, wand, and no training, but it didn’t do anything to ease her frustration. 

Her saving grace in feeling like she was running in place was her decision to dive into the Order. No one wanted a badge or years of training to allow her to help there. It was good because she felt as if she might actually be able to contribute something to help to make a difference. Timing was though it was tricky because she was already busy with training and trying to maintain a life toss in the Order and it got a little trickier. 

Which really just meant that receiving Ted’s owl had been brilliant. She’d been meaning to send off a care package for him as he prepared for NEWTs or at the very least shoot him an owl to check in on how his holidays had been and how school was going now that it was back in session. This was was considerably better though, because an afternoon hanging out was far superior to a letter. She had smiled when she’d read he wanted to read at Zonko’s and she was smiling again as she approached although her eyebrows drew together with a slight look of concern as she approached the shop and spotted Ted outside. He didn’t exactly look in the best of moods. “I certainly hope that I didn’t somehow manage to make you look so worrisome or upset.” She called as she grew close enough that he could hear her leaning her head to the side as she looked at him. “I’m not late, am I? I floo’d in but I thought I had plenty of time.” She glanced at her watch as she considered the possibility that she’d left him waiting.

When life’s a joke || Ted & Alice

[alice-wil]

S'MORE HOT CHOCOLATE

[alice-wil]

The Time Has Come || Gretchen and Alice

Alice took a moment to center and steady herself after her feet were firmly on the ground of her new location before she set off in the direction of her destination. Her mind a steeled with determination but an ease in her gait as she navigated the street. She was a woman on a mission, well, not precisely on a mission but something had to be done.

She eyed the houses as she passed them wondering about the people inside. Did they know what was going on or were they oblivious to the goings on of the world? She couldn't help but her mind wander to the goings-on. Alice knew that she was a bit of a dreamer though maybe that wasn’t the right word it was more that she was an idealist. She thought things were going to be one way and she expected them to follow along that predetermined path as long as she did the right things.  It wasn’t as if she was looking for a life of excitement just a simple one filled with love and happiness. She wanted to dedicate her life to helping people, get married, and have a family. It was simple and perhaps silly, but she’s just fanciful enough that she has seen it all in her head a million times. With Frank’s face as the featured player since their relationship began. It was a good life, a really good one and just the idea of it filled her with anticipation. More often than not these days it felt less and less like that was the actual path her life was going to take. If that were the path her life was going to take she’d be on her way home and not slipping into Order Headquarters. 

Her initial thoughts on the brewing tensions were that she’d be the most help on the inside. That if she became an Auror she could truly help people and help fix things before it got too dark. She wasn’t sure she had failed or if it had always been bigger than she’d realized, but it was easy to see that outside the castle walls though things were different. Which was why she’d agreed to it, well, a good chunk of why she’d agreed to join the rest had simply rested on the fact that Dumbledore had been the one who approached her about the Order. Otherwise, she'd have probably reported it instantly to some authority. She understood the deep need to help, but she was a firm believer that the best way to help was within the confines of the clearly set out rules and regulations. It wasn’t as if she were a stickler, but she had always been a fan of rules and breaking them was never a particular thrill of hers. However, she held an immense respect and admiration for her former headmaster. If he thought that there was a reason to operate like this then who was she to question it?

It was precisely why she'd signed up to be a dutiful soldier. Well, perhaps that was a bit of a stretch. She had, of course, dutifully done any task that was asked of her since she joined up. The problem was it was she was doing it because of the trust she held in Dumbledore and Moody rather than anything else. She hasn’t taken any actual initiative within the Order. She was nothing more than along for the ride to offer a quick drawn wand, an extra pair of eyes when called upon.

Alice squared her shoulders as she let herself into headquarters setting off in the direction she hoped would locate the person she was in search of. She was no longer willing to just show up when requested there was too much on the line for such passive actions. She needed to take action and her observation told her Gretchen was just the person to help her. She admired the older woman from afar she seemed like she always seemed like she was thinking and planning and she was certainly at the heart of what the Order was doing. She relaxed a little when she spotted her.

She intentionally made noise with her feet as she entered the room as to not startle her with her presence. "I was hoping you had a moment." Even as she asked she took a seat with her without waiting for an invitation. “I need to make a change--well, that’s probably not the best way to put it, because that makes it sound like I’m looking for some loophole exit and that’s the very last thing I want. But at the same time, it is a change because I clearly am not pulling any substantial weight around here. Maybe I should have said something too Moody, but--” She took a deep breath because she was aware she had a tendency to ramble on when she was amped up about something and she’d been working herself up to this for a week and now all the things she’d considered saying were spilling out of her mouth in some sort of a jumble. She attempted to recenter and started again too fast for Gretchen to get a word in otherwise. “--but the Ministry is hardly the place and I thought perhaps you would be better option to discuss this with.” 

@gretchen-whoisleft

[alice-wil]

↳ alice fortescue moodboard

“harry’s stomach, already uncomfortable, clenched as he looked at alice longbottom; he knew her round, friendly face very well, even though he had never met her, because she was the image of her son, neville.”

[alice-wil]

[alice-wil]

evanrosier-wil‌:

Hogsmeade Days || open

Politics seemed to have permeated the castle walls these days. Not that Hogsmeade was immune, per say, but there was more alcohol in the village than there was in the castle, which made shop talk more bearable. Politics was something his family was, ah, familiar with. As such, it was something he was keen to avoid at the present moment. 

Well, almost keen to avoid. 

One of the posters flying around outside in the village blew inside the Three Broomsticks with a new arrival of patrons. He summoned it with his wand. 

“For or against?” he asked, turning to the person who had just sat down. “The poster,” he clarified, folding it in half and holding it up, blank side facing out, with two fingers.  “Do you bet it’s for or against?”

With the weather changing, Alice loved to be out in the warming weather. She spent so much time cooped up with training or out and with a purpose that just getting to stroll and soak it up was a treat. That truly had been her intent today, but the wallpapered buildings were honestly exhausting. Which meant she’d declared it was time for a drink. She’d settled into a cozy little table with the paper and a drink. The paper was well she knew it wasn’t exactly factual, but she liked to stay on top of what people who still read it believed or maybe she was trying to read between the lines. Either way, it was at least entertaining her while she sipped her drink.  “Hmm?” Her eyes blinked in an owl-like manner as she tried to process what Evan had asked her, her face scrunching as she looked at the backside of the paper. “I’m gonna say if its loose enough to fly in here against.” She closed her paper to look at him with a smile. “What say you?” 

[alice-wil]

[alice-wil]

─ Winnie-the-Pooh, A.A. Milne

[alice-wil]

gideonthesoldier‌:

Hogsmeade Village is the only all-wizarding village in Britain. It is a picturesque little village of cottages and shops, near the location of the train station used by the Hogwarts Express. 

Seven candidates were running for the vacated Wizengamot seats and, by the looks of it, each of them had printed and hung seven thousand campaign posters each. The tiny village was covered in them. It wasn’t tumbleweeds blowing across the snow-dusted ground - it was fallen papers, with slogans and photographs partially visible through folds or footprint stains. 

Even though Hogsmeade was an all-wizarding village, Gideon hadn’t expected to see quite so many Tara Norwoods blinking down at him. He couldn’t shake his uneasiness. ‘All-wizarding’ had never meant ‘all pure-blood’ during his tenure at school. The Prewetts, pure-bloods themselves, certainly weren’t promoting her backwards campaign. 

Does she have more support, Gideon wondered to himself, making his way down the quiet street with a frown. He hated silence. Or do her supporters just have more paper to waste?

Gideon tried not to judge, whenever he could help it. It was harder than usual to help it.

“Well, that’s just not right,” he remarked out loud, to nobody in particular. A Piper Moonfall poster had been tossed around, the first two words of the ‘Justice with dignity!’ slogan crossed out in ugly red ink. With additions by the vandal, it now read ‘Without dignity!’ Two x’s had been drawn as well, one over each of Ms. Moonfall’s eyes. 

Gideon’s stomach turned.

He made quick work of pulling out his wand, restoring the poster to its former glory. Then, picking it up, he decided that while it felt too gross to cause destruction of his own – especially in retaliation – that there was still some he could do to help. Years of pranking meant he had years of fun spells to put to use. They were too whimsical to use on Order missions, but why let them go to waste?

Moments later, he was affixing the poster back to a nearby brick wall. It was three times larger than it had been (spell first used enlarging a potions essay that ‘didn’t meet the length requirements’ to comical proportions, bigger than the professor’s desk itself); bright enough to catch any eye (fifth year tooth-whitening spell gone wrong, used later on Fabian when he wanted to make a big show of being cheerful); and permanently stuck to the building. 

That last spell had been used many times, which unfortunately meant Gideon was quite good at it. But that would be a problem for after the election. If all went well, maybe it could be transfigured into a ‘congratulations’ poster?

“Much better!” Gideon said cheerfully, giving the poster’s surface a cheerful little smack, beaming at a job well done. “Got to start somewhere, I s’pose.” 

It had been a long day, each of the physical training days only seemed to get more and more exhausting, but a girl still had to eat which meant it was cereal at home or going somewhere. So she found herself in Hogsmeade again. She told herself it was the smart thing to venture a little further this way she could see how things were doing and eat all at the same time. All around it was a win-win. The only thing that seemed to change was the number of posters lining the streets. She wondered if this method of wallpapering streets and signposts was actually effective, but she supposed people were susceptible to what was constantly in their face and if they went to vote and were overwhelmed than they’d remember the names and faces they saw. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of the oversized Piper Moonfall poster. “Well, that’s certainly one way to ensure that the name sticks to the front of people’s minds is to make sure it is the largest.” She said thoughtfully before she realized someone was there with her she offered a sunny smile Gideon’s way. “It’s certain to get noticed that’s for sure.” 

She took a few steps his way her eyes glancing towards the posters again as she shook her head. “I know everyone is campaigning and the best way is to put it out there in everyone’s face, but--I gotta confess it’s starting to make me feel a little paranoid like I’m always being watched while I walk down the street. It’s a little disconcerting. Even if in the end its all for a good cause.” 

reverse vandalism ; open

[alice-wil]

benjy-whoisleft‌:

Volunteer for the Olivia St. Culpo campaign. If anything rang true, it was that Benjy didn’t have much of a usual. Organized protests, debates throughout the castle, letters upon letters being sent to anyone who wouldn’t listen, trying to get in the papers. It ranged from grassroots to sporadic, but if this one was unquestionably official.

He was still fighting for someone who felt like an underdog. There wasn’t a single cause of hers he disagreed with; few that he thought should be brought to the forefront. He was learning the game of getting someone elected, slowly but surely, and while she’d already won his vote, she wasn’t the only candidate who’d won his support.

Slumped next to him on the ground was his bag sporting buttons for Moonfall, Dodge, and Cloven alike along with St. Culpo—featured most prominently and twice. In his eyes, there were three seats to be filled. If people disagreed with him in this regard, then any of the other three would be excellent candidates for the other two positions.

Cloven felt weak, like a bit of an obligation given how much was going on in the world around him and his misaligned priorities. Education was the lynch pin to reform; Benjy believed that, but wishing they were past that point didn’t change the fact they were. Moonfall even a step further behind with the mess of the prison system needing to be acknowledged and tragic but something that should come with other priorities.

All the same, it could be worse. Tara Norwood and her dangerously well masked bigotry. Leland Talbot and his military state. Not to mention his wariness of anyone who seemed ready to put the well being of business first.

He was exhausted. It was worth it.

It was always worth it; it had to be. He was used to seemingly fruitless flyer-ing and the invisibility that came with holding a clipboard. He could get discouraged like anyone, but he refused to let it stop him. Insurmountable odds, the world constantly pushing back against him. Poisoned not weeks before hand and refusing to quit as he always, always, always did.

He pushed off the wall he’d been resting against, set his jaw, and ignored his slight unsteadiness on his feet that came with chasing that rabbit.

“Do you have a minute to talk about Olivia St. Culpo? She’s the only candidate who can be said is doing not just enough but above and beyond for progressive reforms.” Most of it fell on deaf ears, but that wasn’t what silenced him now. He recognized trio. It wasn’t their first pass, and he caught the red flags immediately. They were chatting, taking their time and watching him openly now that he was paying attention.

To his credit—or perhaps Gretchen's—he moved fast enough, wand in his hand in time to get up a shield. He wasn’t about to throw the first hex but was ready with the second except they hadn’t come at him with magic, no. It was wet—brown paint going right through and hitting him squarely across the face and chest, dousing his materials.

He reached up to wipe his eye and realized no, not paint. Mud.

His blood boiled.

“Mud?” Benjy shouted after them. His papers fell to the ground, but his grip on his wand only tightened. “You fucking, lowlife cowards.” He knew he could go after them, could pick the fight further. His hand twitched, but no. Even if he felt confident enough in his dueling to take on three in a market where people would too happily turn a blind eye, he wasn’t going to strike first. If it could be called that; it was technically an assault.

“Cretins,” he said, sticking to words. He wiped his sleeve across his face, trying to just get some off until he was comfortable lowering his guard to properly clean up. “It’s not enough to dehumanize me.” It was. Every damn time, it cut and lingered until he could shape it into something bearable, something usable. “It’s not going to stop this.“

Alice felt like the time since New Year’s had both been on fast forward and in slow motion. She couldn’t quite explain the sensation, but she could quite simply tell you she didn’t like it. It felt like something had shifted irrevocably with the events of New Years. So many things had happened in the last year, but somehow this had hit her like nothing else. Perhaps it was because she’d had a front row seat to this event or that the entire Auror department had a front row seat. She knew how meticulous the security had been and how thorough the planning had been. Training had seemed to have taken on an added edge a greater sense of purpose and as for the Order. Well, something had shifted in her what she had imagined was one thing was clearly something else entirely. Instead of feeling like there was something to dread or an obligation she found herself glad to have some way to help. Which is how she found herself in Hogsmeade, not with any real purpose other than to be another pair of boots on the ground another pair of eyes on things and a wand at the ready were it necessary. All, of course, in that kind of casual way that looked like nothing more than her usual random wanderings into Hogsmeade.  Political posters seemed to be everywhere both support and opposition, though Alice wasn’t sure she felt like the opposition posters were necessary it was nice to see everyone passionate about the decisions ahead of them although there were some on the ballot that made her far more nervous than others. She was trying to decide where she was heading when movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She wasn’t exactly certain where the mud had originated from and if she were doing something for the Auror office she would have gone straight for figuring out who had been responsible for it. However, since she wasn’t she headed instead of where it landed. Stopping as she got to Benjy pulling off her scarf, “Are you alright?” She asked him gently as she offered her scarf to clean him up, her instinct was to reach out and do it herself, but she also knew not everyone wanted someone invading their space. “I didn’t see where it came from, but honestly they’re probably not worth it. But I’m sorry it happened.” Her eyes strayed to the flyers in his hands “I’m afraid those might not clean quite as easily as you, but we can give it a go.” 

skin in the game ||

[alice-wil]

She did not seem to want to speak, or perhaps she was not able to

@marauderseranetwork’s may event → mothers from the marauders era

[alice-wil]

xandromedaxblackx‌:

Andromeda took the mug willingly, wrapping her hands around it and letting out a content sigh as the warmth soaked into her hands. There was something about Diagon Alley at this time of year that put her in a good mood. As ridiculous as it may sound, she couldn’t help but be affected by the holiday cheer going on around her. Of course it was also nice to spend an afternoon shopping to her hearts content and buying trinkets and baubles for those still on her Christmas list. “Absolutely. Just imagine all the Christmas shoppers who will be lining up for that little nip that will help them get the rest of their Christmas shopping done.” She could imagine the sort of business it would stir up for them, already there were loads of people in the pubs enjoying a drink so they could get through the rest of their day and muster the strength to spend their holiday with the family.

She waved her hand in dismissal at the offer of having someone run to the tea shop for a sandwich. “Please, there’s no need to go to such measures. When I said substantial I only meant something other than a liquid. I still consider ice cream and other sweet treats to be something substantial.” She said with a small laugh. While her parents would likely be shocked at the idea of ice cream for lunch, they were nowhere in sight and she had every intention of treating herself. She looked over the menu for a quiet moment, biting her lip as she considered her choices before she turned her attention back to Alice. “Could I have a warm brownie with ice cream on top?” She asked, a smile lighting her lips even as she thought of the delicious treat. “I feel like a sugar overload today.”

“It’s brilliant I cannot believe we didn’t think of it sooner. Not that I can really take any credit for any of it. I’m just the family help who is happy to work for ice cream.” A laugh filled the air around them as she shook her head. “A brilliant little boost along the shopping journey a sweet nip.”  Alice waved off the idea that her offer was too much trouble. “Oh, it’s nothing. With the crowds the way they are today going to more than one shop to have a complete lunch seems like an absolute chore.” She assured her with an easy smile

“A warm brownie with ice cream on top....Now that is an order I can get behind. I’ll have it right up for you.” Alice promised her with an easy smile as she went to work creating Andromeda’s treat. “Well, believe me I am the girl who is all too happy to enable that for you.” She presented her with her ordered brownie and ice cream before getting a napkin and fork and placing it in front of her. “Are you succeeding with your holiday shopping?” 

Have A Drink  || Open

[alice-wil]

fireinhcrbones‌:

She made her way closer to Alice with a wide smile. Christmas had always been one of her favorite holidays so she understood where Alice was coming from. The point was fast approaching where she would be ready to go back to school and have less time with her family, but for now she was enjoying it. 

“I agree - my grandmother tends to come over and bake for a week solid. I think she’s trying to fatten all of us up so we have a good New Year’s resolution – to lose the holiday weight. But it’s worth it because her gingersnaps are to die for. How’s training going? Anything new and exciting from the Ministry?”

"Well, when it comes to a great ginger snap you simply can’t beat that. And you might mark it down on your parchment as a resolution, but you look as fit as ever. Perhaps gingersnaps are the essential to your diet you never knew you needed on the regular?” Alice joked lightly as she shook her head. “Sweets just make your hair shinier and put a little extra pep in your step. At least, that’s the story I’ve been trying to sell mum since I was little regarding ice cream.”

“Training always makes me feel like there’s something new. Like even things I was certain I had a grip on and had perfected to get into the program, there’s always some new tweak or advanced method to learn. Though, it feels like with holiday vacations and days off it feels like perhaps things have quieted at the Ministry at least for the moment or maybe it’s just everyone ramping up for the New Year’s party. For the moment though, I think I’ll settle for quiet.” She shrugged lightly with a smile “Anything new with the Bones family? Or are you eager to get back to Hogwarts for the end of the year?” 

Christmas treats

[alice-wil]

tedxtcnks‌:

alice-wil:

“I think you’re probably right. I think that’s the way it should be though that these walls the idea of Hogwarts always is a safe haven. No matter how dark the world gets.” Alice shook her head because she hated that she was even thinking about these things or saying them. She knew, first hand though from so many angles how things were changing and it broke her heart. She didn’t know where they had gone so awry that all of this was happening, but she was beginning to suspect the path back wasn’t going to be short or smooth. She didn’t need to share those fears though. She smoothed her face offering Ted an easy smile the last thing she wanted to do was leave here and leave her friends concerned in her wake.

“Your secret is safe with me. It would be terrible for them to know how fond you are of breathing.”  Alice joked shaking her head as she made a face “I’m not sure if the rules still apply to me. I suppose I assume curfew doesn’t, but–I hadn’t contemplated it really. Perhaps I should break some and see if I can manage to get myself thrown out. Though that would probably have to be something beyond extreme. I’d definitely have to enlist help.” She tapped her chin thoughtfully as if it were actually a possibility. “Perhaps the next time. I’ll lure them into thinking I’m an excellent guest teacher and then next time BAM!” She laughed a little shaking her head. “Oh I suspect that Flitwick would put all of us in training to shame. I’ve always loved Charms, but even still I find how simple it seems when he does magic incredible. Moody would probably love to have his skills though I fear the poor students of Hogwarts would be getting the short end with me. I would feel terrible assigning the number of essays I remember writing for Charms. I’d probably cringe and apologize every time I handed out an assignment or be one of those teachers that try and convince you it’s fun lesson when you already have six other essays to do and at that point nothing is fun.”

“I suppose that’s true…” Although it was an agreement in every way, a moment of silence following after exposed the doubts hiding within his words. He knew Hogwarts needed to appear to be safe and it made sense for the Professors to want to keep it that way, yet he found himself wondering it that was correct. The smile that lingered on Ted’s lips only served to give away his hesitation in completely agreeing with Alice and yet, he pretended that it was the type of smile that was expected. These were dark times and no matter how much he believed that the seventh years needed to be made aware of how bad things were, Ted believed that wasn’t something that needed to be spoke of at the moment. Least of all with someone that was training to combat those that made the world dangerous. 

“I knew I could trust you.” He joked and as he chuckled, a sense of ease washed over Ted. For a moment, he almost forgot they were simply stealing time between classes, “I don’t think Flitch will care too much about you already being a graduate if he caught you out of bed. He’s probably wondering how many of you will test the rules tonight.” Ted continued to joke although he took a step back from Alice as he did so. “I’m going to have to agree with you about Flitwick, I mean have you seen him when he’s in a particularly nasty mood?” He question before taking another step back, “mind if we go for a walk? There’s still a decent amount of time before the lesson has to start. Also I think if you’d make a pretty good teacher. You did help me out when I needed it after all.” He reassured her although Ted doubted he needed to let her know that. 

‘I suppose that’s true.’ The words echoed through Alice’s mind as Ted said them they were the right words almost, but there was something in the tone or delivery that made her wonder if he even believed them at all. If something had shifted in the time that she had been gone that caused the doubt to creep into Hogwarts or if perhaps she had always held this ridiculous sense of false security that made her oblivious to how the people around her were truly feeling. Perhaps the knowledge that she was a pureblood was lurking somewhere back in her mind altering the way she viewed things.

“Of course, if nothing else I am a trustworthy soul. I wouldn’t want them to take your breathing time away.” Alice joked softly as she tilted forward on the balls of her feet at the invitation. She had been so focused on getting everything just right in making sure these lessons went off without a hitch that she hadn’t realized she was going a little stir crazy. She was ready for a change of scenery if only for a moment. “No, I don’t mind at all. I feel like I’ve spent most of the day cooped up in here so a walk sounds perfect.” She agreed easily as she started for the door with him with an easy smile. “I am always here if you ever need any help. Though, you hardly needed me at all. But you should help me out now....Tell me do you know what you want to do next year?” She laughed a little shaking her head. “Okay, that was a terrible transition and not remotely subtly nosy, but still inquiring minds want to know. Do you know?”

Charm Your Life || Open

[alice-wil]

vince-whoisleft‌:

“She’ll bounce back. The miracles of youth, you know.” Vince said, dramatic flourish in every word he said - as usual, it was just how he spoke. Talking about youth as if he still wasn’t enjoying his own, only a few years off Hogwarts himself. “I find shots barely even feel good in the moment, depending on what it is. She’s better off with a chocolate and a healthy dose of moping in her dorm room tonight, that’s the real antidote.” He agreed, smiling into his cup of tea. Alice was a romantic, clearly; he’d never had such inclinations, though he was known to have his moments. “Not in a million years, Alice love. I’ve already read all these, anyway. Well; the ones worth reading. It’s just habit to scan after they’ve been published.”

 “Hogsmeade definitely has the cuter gifts, if you know where to look.” He said with a nod, sounding very much like an expert on the subject. “Or maybe I’m just getting sick of Diagon, living so close and working there these days.” Vince wasn’t much of a break taker at work, sure, but when he did get persuaded to leave for lunch instead of raiding the vending machines he partook in his fair share of window shopping. “Nah, not really. S’pose I’m always on the clock, though, if you get down to it.” Always looking for a story, always keeping his ears open. “Just thought a bit of scenery change could be nice. The Old Man’s always looking for people to keep an eye on Hogsmeade, anyway.” The Old Man was a thinly (maybe just to him) veiled reference to Albus Dumbledore, but it was vague enough in the loud coffee shop that he wasn’t too worried about anyone parsing out the meaning. “How’s Auror life? Having fun with Mr. Moody?”

“Ahhh....Yes, to be so young and resilient must be a dream.” Alice let out a wistful sigh as if it wasn’t just a year ago that she was in the girl’s place. Well, as a student, not being stood up on that account she still felt for the girl. “See I’m not one to ever point to any sort of substance making things better but somehow when Jeanette and Ava are by your side shots seem like just the cureall you need. Burn or numb the pain away with a good enough friend to hold your hair back when you lose it all again. Ice cream though, that’s my cureall, I have yet to be ailed with anything that ice cream couldn’t at least help a little with.” She said with a wistful smile. “And friends. I think more than anything a night in her dorm with her friends all confirming what a dirty dog he was to stand her up and commiserating. That helps. I hope she has good mates.” She eyed the papers on the table. “It doesn’t feel redundant to read them all more than once? I mean, I suppose it’s no different than reading a textbook more than once for added information. Do you ever tire of the news though?” 

“See when you say things like that it makes me think that you are precisely the person who knows where to look. Which means I should see what it would take to persuade you to assist me and show me where all these much cuter things are.” Alice batted her lashes at him with a bright smile as she laughed a little. “It does seem to take the shine off of it, doesn’t it? Before it was rare for me to find my way there other than to visit my uncle, but these days it’s convenient and old hat. Nothing left to explore or bring any sort of excitement though I’m hoping as the holidays get closer that will change and the festivities and become more inviting again.”   She confessed with a smile as she nods her face growing a little more serious at the mention of the old man. It wasn’t as if they were going to discuss things in great detail in the middle of this shop but she was still newer to the order and as much as she believed in the cause or at least believed in Dumbledore and Moody operating outside the rules even for a good reason made her nervous. This was the kind of thing that when she hears she felt like it confirmed she’d made the right decision. “So you come here often for that purpose? Or is it just a change of scenery with that as an added bonus?” She didn’t bother to disguise the curiosity in her she simply wanted to know more and Vince it seemed to her seemed to be in the know with almost everything. “Exhausting, it sort of goes back and forth between making you doubt that you ever knew anything and stretching you in ways that you never realized you could be. Moody is....Moody and always something.” She leaned a little closer her voice dropping just a little, “I’m not sure fun is the right word. I feel like If I say I’m having fun he’ll somehow be lurking in a dark corner and overhear and just double down on all the things that make it utterly exhausting and taxing.” She laughed a little as she sat back in her chair. “What about you? How is the Prophet treating you? Any scorching headlines on the horizon?” 

a day in the life | hogsmeade | open