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[macdonaldmr]

Zoey Deutch for Gotham Magazine. ( May 1, 2018 )

[macdonaldmr]

                 ❛ Right. Well. No thank you on the uh - the update. I am the type of guy who wanders into an animal shop looking for a gnome fighter so, sorry dear, you’re falling on deaf ears. ❜

Regulus had lifted a hand up to his hair, tugging on the curls, wondering if his headache was going to disappear. He’d come into this shop feeling good about his day, about his prospects, and instead had walked into a lecture hall. What he hadn’t expected was her to continue rolling through her stand-off attitude, though, perhaps that was just how Regulus was perceiving it. He was one to leave politics aside knowing full well it could polarize the strongest of friends, even rip apart families, so hearing her defend her love of animals was -

Well, it was a call to a light inside of Regulus that had long been extinguished. Two, maybe three years ago he would have heard her out, perhaps boughten an owl from her. Something to help her business grow. Instead he was put off by the idea of loving for the sake of loving. It required vulnerability and strength, two things that Regulus had boxed up and buried six feet under.

So, sorry, Mary. The part of Regulus that would have cared was stomped out by his duties, by his permanent tattoo, and by his idiocy. ( He’d also grown up believing Muggle blood weakened the pure blood lines ).

He held out another Galleon for the niffler, considering she’d snatched up his first offering.

                ❛ And tell your niffler no spending that Galleon on butterbeer. ❜

( Oh - and he was trying to erase the memory of her mentioning his likeness to Sirius. It stung in places he thought he’d buried. )

"Whether you wandered in here for gnome fighter or not, you can still learn a little about efforts to protect magical animals - really all animals - welfare.” Mary  didn't necessarily buy that someone giving away their gold galleons to a notorious (yet adorable) little creature with the stickiest of fingers, would not like nor care about any animals. "Look..." she sighed softly in defeat. It was time to swallow her pride. "I think we got off on the wrong foot here. I'm not usually so surly you just...ah...caught me at a bad time." Mary anxiously pushed a strand of hair back behind her ear. She would apologize but she wouldn't dare admit what had gotten her so upset. "Although I would never, ever, comment on the three faces of eve to a woman ever again...though that's advice you can take or leave I suppose. It just seems like a sure fire way to get yourself hexed.."

Mary smiled a little at his interaction with Perpetua. It seemed that maybe Regulus did have a softer side? Of course it must be hidden under all that pomp and circumstance but he must be a little like Sirius in some ways. "Her name's Perpetua." Mary said, a sudden idea running through her mind. "Here, hold her for a moment won't you? She’s gotten a little chunky these past few weeks and my arms are starting to fall asleep." she asked - well not really asked as she thrust the small creature into his arms, "Just be careful. She's very, very sweet but she'll nick every valuable you have that she can reach." 

magical menagerie || open starter

[macdonaldmr]

Sirius hadn’t set out to drink alone, it’s just that all his usual drinking companions, mainly the other Marauders, seemed to be busy. James was obviously still in no state for it and Remus and Peter had been keeping busy trying to figure things out just caught up with their own lives. He obviously had other friends but it seemed like too much work to send owls or anything like that when he just wanted to hit the pubs so here he was. He should’ve realised he’d find company along the way, since that’s often what ended up happening. Sirius was just that kind of person, apparently.

He and Mary weren’t what he’d call close but they were certainly frequently in each other’s social circle so had developed a bond, of sorts. Their two groups of friends interacted enough (and had gotten in enough trouble at Hogwarts around the same time) that it was inevitable. They’d never gone any further than that, but Sirius was actually somewhat selective when it came to his inner circle. He had the three lads and Lily had wormed her way in over the years as well. Sirius and Marlene were close (in more ways that one) but were so similar it was hard not to find a kindred spirit in her. With Mary and Dorcas, though? It had just never gone further but SIrius didn’t see why it needed to. It was hard to maintain his usual cool and mysterious demeanor if everyone knew what made him tick. It was necessary to keep some people at arm’s length and Mary and Dorcas happened to be two of those people.

“You’ve got a point.” Sirius admitted, still smiling even as the waitress walked over. He ordered three shots and a pint just to get started then turned his full attention back to Mary. “I’ve come for much the same reason, though it’s more of a celebration, really.” More than just that, but she didn’t need to know all the ins and outs. He was fairly sure she would’ve heard about how the sick people, the poisoned ones, were on the mend. Sirius was going to do something drastic if he ever found out who had dared poison his best friend. There was no point in talking about that and bringing the mood down. Sirius leaned back comfortably and smirked when she mentioned the reappearance of his smile. “I was worried about them too, which is why I brought it back. I’m sure ladies everywhere have breathed a collective sigh of relief.” It was cheeky and arrogant, but it was nice to be that after having been exhausted and worried for so long.

"Celebration sounds wonderful to me." she said, leaning back into her chair, "I've been here for a few hours now...it's a campy kind of place but it reminds me a bit of home. Seemed like a decent choice." Mary sighed, looking around the bar. It certainly looked like the inside of one of the pubs her grandfather and parents would frequent when she was a child. Her parents weren’t ones to let their child run around pubs but she had been in multiple times to find them or speak with the owner who was fairly familiar with her family. It was a small, small village and no one really seemed to care. Mary bit her lip and turned her attention back to Sirius, didn’t do much to dwell on the past when you have someone to keep you company.

"I know I have personally been effected by its absence." Mary said, raising a hand to her heart and trying her best to look as forlorn as possible. It wasn't all teasing, Mary had always pegged Sirius as lighthearted, especially around the other boys. The four of them were known for goofing around a lot while at school so Mary had been sad to see them all so worried, so stressed about James. Mary had been worried to. She wasn't as close to James as Lily, but despite their tumultuous courtship throughout the years, Mary had always been fond of him. His heart always seemed to be in the right place. It was the same for the other boys as well - well men, now. Mary had always been adept at picking up on others worry and anxiety although she seemed to lock her own in the far corners of her mind.

"Well, I know where James is tonight." she asked, "Where are the other two? I thought you all were joined at the hip...hips?" Mary smirked drunkenly tilting her head to the side as she waggled her eyebrows a little, "You know I'm never displeased to see Lupin." It was an off the cuff remark, one which she would’ve never said while sober or even have acknowledged. Mary was suddenly struck with the worry that he might have wanted to be alone? That’s certainly why she had showed up here. Perhaps he was just sitting with her because he felt too awkward to brush her off after she had pretty much yelled across the entire bar to get his attention. “If you’re ah..meeting someone, don’t let me stop you.” she said, smiling a little sadly, “I know you’re a social butterfly after all.”

night out || closed starter

[macdonaldmr]

He woke with a start, a cold sweat soaking through his clothes and forcing the cotton to cling to him. His body ached, muscles tense, taut, coiled tightly like he’d spring into an attack; arms thrashing against the consuming darkness, nails slashing at nothing but the empty space. The dream was already fading from before his eyes, the echoes dimming from the black that surrounded him. Fenrir felt feverish, his blood set to boil, slowly simmering and bubbling in his veins, while the thick layer of sweat that covered his skin had full body trembles shaking him to the bone.

Having lived too long and too violent a life, Fenrir knew when his body was fighting off poison. Whatever it was that made him a werewolf was violent and vicious in its very nature. It attacked the poison, flushing it from his system, making him sweat out the toxins with a fever and sleep. Now that he was awake he could feel his beast so close to the surface, in spite of the nights that still separated him from a full moon.

Fenrir’s teeth were sore, his canines elongated. The clarity with which he could see the interior of the cave, even through the pitch darkness, meant his eyes were that of a wolf’s not a man’s; they were likely glowing gold in the dark. He woke up starving, ravenous. Not just for food, but for blood, for a hunt, to chase something through the trees, tackle it to the ground, tear his nails through their middle, and spill their innards across the forest floor. Fenrir wanted to kill. He needed it.

He rolled onto his side and pushed himself up with shaky arms, grunting through his teeth as he reacclimated to his body after sleeping and sweating for gods knew how long. Fenrir swayed on is feet and rubbed his face. He pushed himself forward and each step was surer than the last. In a few strides he emerged from the cave he’d reclused to, met by daylight and fresh forest air. A deep breath filled his lungs, his chest expanding with the inhale. Scents were pulled through his nostrils, sounds filling his ears as he stretched his senses and his predatory nature examined the environment.

The far off sound of twigs snapping caught his attention. He snapped his head to the side, tilting his ear toward the noise, listening soundlessly for it to happen again. Fenrir didn’t so much as breathe as he listened. For a few seconds he stood stock still, frozen, a living statue poised for the hunt. When another twig snapped he moved in a blur.

This forest was one he knew well, the trees more familiar to him than most people. He wound between them, sprinting in the direction of the sound, sniffing the air in search of a scent. The beast in him hoped for a stag, something big and challenging. But when he caught the scent he slowed to a stop. He threw his head back and inhaled again, his chest lifting with the effort to fill his lungs.

No. Not a stag. A person. A girl. A grin expanded over his lips. He’d take a girl over a stag, would savor that hunt all the more. She’d scream at the sight of him, then more loudly when he tore into her and bled her out.

When Fenrir lurched back into the hunt it was more swiftly now, conscientious of his prey. He circled her position, rounding widely as he cut through the trees, staying far enough back that all that would alert her to him was instinct. Fenrir’s grin grew. Excitement pumped molten in his veins.

Still circling her, he neared with each step. He ducked behind trees, made a show of snapping twigs or rustling branches, even tossed stones across the forest floor to redirect her attention elsewhere. Fenrir was toying with her, and it was the most fun he’d had in ages.

Finally he stepped out from behind a tree, only yards between them. His head was bowed and he glared at her past his brow. A wicked grin carved a path across his mouth. Sharp nails were distended at his sides, his fingers twitching with the urgency to wrap around her throat.

On a low, guttural growl, Fenrir rumbled, “Lost?” He watched her, leering, waiting, anticipating the moment she decided to run. A chuckle brewed in his chest. Gods, he wanted to hear her scream.

Mary tried her best to keep her breathing even but when she saw Fenrir reveal himself from behind a fallen tree, she couldn't help the jolt of fear that ran through her body. She knew exactly who he was the minute she had seen his face. Mary had seen it on many wanted posters over the past few years, heard his name in conversations with Moody and the other aurors. Fenrir Greyback, murderer. His allegiances had always remained unclear but Mary thought she would much prefer a pompous, posh, pure blood death eater over this man any day.

Was he really a man at all though? Mary wasn't the type to discriminate, she was sure there were plenty of werewolves living peacefully in wizarding society but what happened to someone who let their baser instincts take over? Greyback was not so much a man as a monster now. He certainly looked the part, dirty and feral. How lucky was she? Mary should have trusted her instincts. She could of kicked herself for being so stupid. A young woman going somewhere alone, someplace she had never been before, and not a soul knew she was out here. At least if she had been murdered or attacked, someone would be able to find her body...or at least what remained of it when Fenrir had finished with her.

Mary froze for a moment, unable to move. She physically couldn't scream and would hate to give him the satisfaction. Mary had realized long ago that when faced with horror, instead of caterwauling, she simply lost the ability to speak. Maybe a relic of the trauma she experienced as an innocent eleven year old. She couldn't remember screaming when she was attacked by Mulciber either, just crying. She had screamed later on but more in frustration with herself, when she was all alone - for being so stupid and naive.

Mary's did have an advantage though - Fenrir probably didn't realize she was a witch. This area was often frequented by muggles so it would be safe to assume that he would think she was just one of them out for a hike. She was wearing a pretty thick jacket, it had been rather cold this morning when she had gotten up. It had been long enough to disguise the shape of her wand in her back pocket. Mary let her hand drift to her backside before deftly pulling it out and pointing it at Fenrir. It happened in a split second but felt like ages to Mary.

"I know who you are." Mary managed to choke out despite her anxiety. "I'm not some helpless muggle here to feed you. You need to back off." Mary was prepared for a fight but she would really prefer not to take on a werewolf on her own. There was a slight tremor in her hand as she pointed her wand at him as she tried to think of the perfect spell to at least throw him off long enough for her to disapparate.

little red || closed starter

[macdonaldmr]

[macdonaldmr]

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Lawrence was far too occupied by the sound of his own voice to notice the young ladies eyes mist over. Though, it probably wouldn’t have stopped him from talking anyway. Not much could. He did however, somewhat relate to her alcohol-induced memory predicament. It couldn’t be denied that certain beverages did indeed impede one’s ability to recall information correctly, though Lawrence still made a commendable effort to be right, or at least not wrong at all times.

“I beg to differ,” He began again, setting his drink down and leaning one elbow on the bar top, to face her properly. “No creature -or even human for that matter- has any governance over what they are or where they come from, indeed we are all victims of circumstance in some respect. Though, I fail to see how that can make someone or something inherently lovely. Yes, as it stands, the current theory is that creatures such as Mundibun act solely on instinct, destruction is in their nature and w can’t blame them for that. However, since we have no way of communicating effectively with them, there is no way we can completely rule out that they don’t act through any sort of nefarious motivation.” The upwards inflection of his speech and his eyebrows invited challenge. It seemed Lawrence’s own drinks had hindered his ability to keep his smart-ass mouth shut. He knew he shouldn’t tease, but his new company was actually rather interesting, if a little naive. Endearing nonetheless.

“I’m afraid I’ll have to pass on that one, though.” He smiled. “The motivations, tactics and logic of drunken men in bars, muggles and wizards alike, is something that has avoided even the best scholars for a long time, I think.”

Mary's face morphed into a wounded expression, her hand moving to cover her heart. Though her attention had lapsed momentarily (thank you firewhisky), the mystery man had it once more when he insisted something couldn't be "inherently lovely". Mary was just drunk enough to argue this till the bar actually shut down. "But shouldn't we, as higher thinking beings, be sympathetic to the fact that we can't understand these creatures? Even if we don't understand their reasoning for doing what they do, shouldn't we use our moral compass to guide us into being the quote unquote bigger person?" Mary asked, "I can already tell you're a man of logic and reasoning but what about compassion and empathy? Not everything in the world is decided by statistics. I would argue that all living things are lovely, having some purpose on this earth. Then again, I am rather the bleeding heart when it comes to magical creatures - all creatures really. Including humans...well most of the time." Mary smirked at that last bit before raising her glass back to her lips. She was only teasing, her bleeding heart extended to everyone. Mary was the world's armchair psychologist.

"Perhaps you're right." she sighed, "The motivations of anyone these days seem to be elusive, at least to me. I was just trying to point out that this, by far, this isn't the weirdest thing I've talked about with a stranger. I'm probably projecting my own emotional baggage with that previous statement but it's true. It's hard being a woman - I will argue that till my death." Mary looked away for a moment, feeling like she had forgotten something. She drunkenly stared at the row of bottles behind the bar before remembering. She had totally forgotten to ask for the stranger’s name. Turning back, she smiled, "I'm Mary by the way...You are?"

A Simple Solution | Open

[macdonaldmr]

Lily embraced her friend, glad to be able to visit her while the shop was slow.  There had been times before that she’d have to make herself look busy until the other customers left. As they separated she held out her hand to the niffler, giving it a chance to see she wasn’t some sort of danger to it.  She had on no rings, much to the disappointment of the creature who immediately searched it for some sort of shiny and valuable thing.

It brought a light giggle from Lily, the animal was adorable even if it had such a one track mind,”  Well, your friend here is adorable, and well worth the trip to see you wrestle.”

She grinned at her friend, committing to the joke only for a moment before conceding and saying,” But really, I just felt like seeing you.  Definitely could use a lot more smiles these days, and what better place than with your best friend and a bunch of wonderful animals?”

Mary watched Lily extend her hand to Perpetua. When the tiny niffler pulled away from Lily in disinterest, Mary started to chuckle. "Just like her to become uninterested when she can't nick your valuables." she said, "Sneaky little thing. She's been giving me trouble afternoon. Her sister was sold yesterday so she's being quite temperamental." Mary smiled, adjusting the tiny niffler in her arms. "I can't blame her though, you know? If someone sold you, Marls, or Dorcas...can't say that I wouldn't be heartbroken either."

"Anyways - I'm happy you're here." Mary smiled brightly before heading back over towards Perpetua's kennel. She motioned for Lily to follow here. "We haven't really been able to do our usual "lady talk"...I was starting to loose my mind." It was true, between everything that had happened in the past few weeks and assignments from the Order, neither one of them had very much time to just relax let alone chat. Mary had found herself missing their school days again, where they would stay up all night and talk about everything going on in their lives. Being adult had turned out to be a pain in the arse.

"Is James doing alright?" she asked. Mary knew he was feeling better, back on his feet. She was still curious to know though. Mary often found herself worrying about her friends even when they were perfectly fine. It was just one of her more endearing (or irritating) qualities.

magical menagerie || open starter

[macdonaldmr]

Well, Regulus was all about following his orders and if Mary was, albeit subconsciously, pegging him as a trifecta of jerk, then he had obliged. Strike 3.

                 ❛ Uh - it seems I have come to the wrong place. ❜

Regulus tried to focus on the shop keeper but the niffler was eyeing him greedily, probably smelling all of the gold galleons. That was what they were good for, no? Collecting gold, jewels, pearls - prized possessions worth a handful of coins. Maybe worth while should Regulus ever need to search for something hidden, something tucked away, something precious …

A pale hand slipped itself out of his pocket with a gallon in his palm, extending it out towards the little niffler - perhaps a truce, perhaps a bribe. Hey man, don’t ruin this for me, he thought, but he knew that it was his attitude towards the animals that had the shop keeper losing temper. Or had it been Regulus’ face? Or his all-black, seemingly Death Eater-y appearance? Or a bit of each.

                ❛ Knockturn Alley might be more up my … alley. ❜

Reg fought the urge to smile and lost. Something goofy and childlike appeared on his face, hinting more to a young man barely hitting maturity than an all-out evil doer. The juxtaposition was one of his strengths as a Death Eater, or so he presumed, as he often got plenty of advice from older members - and his cousins surely helped. But it was also his biggest weak spot, a vulnerability he wore on his face day in and day out. A trait that immediately undermined his ability, and yet could be the perfect mask. Use it to your ability, Regulus, as one day it may come in handy.

But - today was certainly not going to be one of those days.

Mary wanted to be angry - honestly she wanted Regulus to be angry. Instead he seemed rather calm in contrast herself. She knew that not everyone was as emotionally driven as she but it was frustrating. Especially with that three faces of eve comment, she was trying very hard not to roll her eyes. Mary visibly deflated though as she watched Regulus offer the tiny niffler a galleon. Why would he do that? It reminded her of something his older brother would do and that made her start to feel guilty. Perhaps she was jumping to too many conclusions. Perpetua stared at Regulus for a moment. She seemed hesitant, which made sense as not many willingly offered the little creature money. Perpetua paused before reaching out and grabbing it, immediately stuffing it inside her pouch. Mary watched Perpetua with rapt attention before looking up to see Regulus smiling. "You look a lot like your brother when you smile." she said softly. Mary didn't know the logistics of the relationship with his brother - she knew a few things here and there from James and Lily. Maybe he would take the mention of Sirius as some sort of truce, an understanding. If he was kind to animals, perhaps he wasn’t all that bad.

His mention of Knockturn Alley made her frown, it wasn't a place Mary frequented but she knew that a lot of the animals sold there weren't kept in the best of conditions or even treated humanely. She had discouraged many a customer from stepping foot in any of the shops there for those reasons alone. Mary sighed, suddenly feeling overcome with worry. She would play nice if only to protect the welfare of animals. "If you really need an animal, I wouldn't go to Knockturn Alley for that sort of thing. I know a lot of shop owners don't treat their animals humanely and it's best not to give those types of people your business. It just helps them continue to abuse animals." Mary paused for a moment before continuing on, knowing she was sounding like a bleeding heart. "Are you familiar with puppy mills?" she asked, "It's a muggle concept but really it's a similar thought. People breed animals simply for the sake of selling them, making a profit. They don't care about their welfare or health, often breeding animals so much that their bodies start to physically break down. There's a few places like that in Knockturn, I always try to make patrons aware of that sort of thing. That type of business is not one you should be spending your money supporting."

magical menagerie || open starter

[macdonaldmr]

               ❛ Ah, the three faces of eve. I come bearing no ill will, just inquiring if there is a particular animal I can introduce to a garden. ❜

His voice came out calm and even, the boy had no reason to run his mouth at a little hostility. He wondered if she was friends with his brother or his brother’s friends, whatever they called themselves - the Marry Men. Maniacal Moos. ( Yeah, Regulus shouldn’t pursue a job that requires him to title anything ). So, instead of frustration or irritation, Regulus offered a blank slate. Nothing there to prod at, nothing there to take advantage of. No understanding, nor forgiveness. It is what it is, and he knew, even if he had not been blessed with a Seer’s eye, that friendship wasn’t in the coming days for them.

Regulus made sure the door to the shop was closed secure behind him before taking a look at what occupied the windows. Big, bright eyes of the owls, or the swishing tails of cats. He’d come here as a boy to pick out his Hogwarts companion but had found he’d rather hole up in the bookstore. After all, instead of one friend? He could have thousands.

                  ❛ I’ve got gnomes, you see. Pesky little buggers. Anything in here that’ll do the chasing away for me? ❜

Mary furrowed her brow in confusion, three faces of eve? Why did that sound so bloody familiar? She thought it over for a moment before it finally struck her. Was he implying that she was changeable and moody? Mary felt her blood start to boil as a wave of irritation hit her. Possible death eater and sexist, all he needed to do was hate animals and he would be going for the trifecta. "Well that's rather sexist, yes?" she said sharply, words seemingly spilling out of her mouth, "I would expect better manners from someone in the Black family but perhaps I'm unworthy of it."

Mary took a deep breathe, clutching Perpetua. She needed to keep her emotions in check, she couldn't really afford to be finding a new job when she could barely afford her flat as it was. The niffler seemed to be picking up on the shop keeper's discomfort as she was digging deeper into Mary's arm. "Anyways.." she sighed, "Kneazles or even regular cats and owls are rather good for that sort of thing but I would think twice about getting a pet if you're just going to use it to get rid of some garden gnomes. There's plenty of solutions that don't include you needing a living, breathing thing that you might just end up returning in the end. Humane solutions that don't include tossing the little guys on their heads..."

magical menagerie || open starter

[macdonaldmr]

A smile found it’s way to Lawrence’s lips. He never passed up an opportunity to impart wisdom upon young and old minds alike and this sweet-faced young lady had given him the perfect opportunity to do so. “In fact, what muggles will never know, is that the vast majority of damp and wood rot in their buildings is from Bunimun themselves. They find damp to be such a persistent problem and there you have why.” Hi face half joy, half smug he couldn’t help himself from adding. “I’m surprised they didn’t teach you that in class if you were indeed studying the little pests. A lot of muggle cleaning products have the similar effects to scouring charms, though they often don’t realise they’re killing a living creature when they’re cleaning away mold.” Probably not the best way to introduce oneself to new company, talking about muggles unknowingly killing magical pests, but it would do for conversation for now.

“Lovely isn’t a term I would use personally.” His nose wrinkled a little. “Though, each to his own, I guess. Or her own… Or their own.” His eyes narrowed with each addition to the phrase, the confused squint meant more for himself than his company. “Strange, isn’t it? That the mere setting of an establishment that serves alcohol can have two strangers gabbing about household pests.” Not that it was an unpleasant type of strangeness that was attached to the situation, just one worth noting. “To the Bundimun.”

After a few moments, Mary found herself partly listening, party staring at the glasses on the man's face. It's not like it wasn't interesting, Mary loved to hear other's opinions - she just really seemed to enjoy the symmetry of his face versus his glasses. When she realized she was drunkenly staring like a lunatic, she averted her eyes for a moment before looking back over at him. The firewhisky was definitely not helping her tonight with basic human interactions. "I suppose I should know it...." she said, taking another sip of her drink, "It's lost somewhere in the great beyond of my mind. I lost it about...three pints ago? I don't know if magizoology covers common household pests then. I probably wasn't paying any mind because we weren't talking about something interesting like swooping evil. I just vividly remember a Hufflepuff in my year almost dissolving his fingertips."

"Oh course they're lovely...they can't help it that they're essentially living - well one could argue that regular old mold is a living thing too." Mary smiled drunkenly at the man, shrugging, "All animals are lovely, all living things are lovely. I'd argue cockroaches have their own use as well." At his insistence that what they were talking about was strange, Mary giggled. It was probably the nicest conversation she had ever had with a strange man in a bar. Usually it was someone trying to pick her up. Mary didn't have the time or patience for that sort of thing. "Oh love, I've had men talk to me about much weirder things than household pests in a bar." she sighed, "They think a friendly smile is some sort of invitation. Honestly it's just the way my face looks, hopeless really." Mary reached up patting her cheeks self-consciously, "Honestly don't see what's so great about it."

A Simple Solution | Open

[macdonaldmr]

“While a waterfall cave would definitely be a very convenient hideaway, there’s plenty of other good places to go for thinking. Or not thinking and just existing. The roof of my building is good, you’re always welcome there.” While at home, Xeno spent a significant amount of their time when the weather was dry curled up in a nest of blankets on their roof, hunched over a book or sketching models of creatures on parchment.

Xeno nodded, “I’ll do my best to find a good way to identify them, then.” The sincerity in their tone grounded the idly serene quality of their voice, but the effect was brief. “I don’t particularly enjoy the taste of mushrooms, they’re much more fascinating to look at than they are to eat. Though the same could be said about animals, I suppose, so really your not eating them makes sense on that account. That’s a problematic way to look at potential food though, because its allvery interesting to look at, and I’ve been told that eating things is more or less necessary to survival. Except for maybe beans. They’re not terribly exciting.”

“Yes, yes, of course. I’ll bring you a copy myself.” The latest issue of the Quibbler was looking to be wildly eclectic in terms of subject matter. But that wasn’t particularly abnormal. “Herbology is wonderful isn’t it? I’m sure there’s still so much we could learn about magical plants.”

Their smile returned, more restrained than usual and bit harried, but genuine nonetheless. Xeno was always pleasantly caught off guard by the caring nature of their friends, and Mary’s thoughtfulness was not exempt. “I will. You’re very kind, Mary MacDonald.” They shrugged, “I don’t mind. I didn’t poison anyone though, not even accidentally- I just thought it might be useful for you to hear that from me.” That came out a bit more defensive than they’d wanted it to, “But I’m glad Alice and Edgar and everyone are getting better. And Frank helped sort out my flat a bit so mostly things are setting themselves back to rights.” Except the looming presence of Alastor Moody’s suspicions. That seemed persistent.

Xeno hummed a quiet noise of agreement, eyes locked on Perpetua. “And its tricky to determine who really understands them and who is there for the novelty.” Their voice was quiet, a bit distant as their attention had shifted to the niffler. They looked back over to Mary with a broad grin once the creature had taken the sickle and secured it in her pouch, “It’s less of a question of being able to and more of a problem that most of the things in my pockets wouldn’t interest Perpetua in the slightest. I didn’t come prepared.”  

Mary's smile grew just a little bit wider. Xenophilius was always unintentionally sweet - or perhaps they knew how kind they were? It was hard to tell sometimes. The way they said things made it sound like the most logical option in the world. How could someone be so kind and serene all of the time? Mary always thought of herself as nice person but she was ruled too heavily by her emotions. They cast a shadow on her life that she had yet to be able to shake, even at this age. Mary was a bit jealous of Xeno in that regard, they were so seemingly easygoing. "You'll have to have me over some time." she said, scratching Perpetua's head absent-mindedly, "I don't think you've been to my place either. It's not really a place as much as a broom closet."

"Of course beans are exciting! They may not be sentient mushrooms but they're delicious..You've obviously never had Mexican food then, yes? Some lovely refried beans. Even I can partake in as long as they're not cooked with meat." she paused, "Don't you english folk like beans on toast or something along those lines? Perhaps it's just a muggle thing."  Mary shrugged, amazed at herself for going on a rant about the joys of beans. "Anyway, please do. I do love reading what you write. You've got quite a knack for the written word."

"Of course I know, I wouldn't doubt you for a second. You simply aren't capable of...of that." Mary had a thoughtful look on her face, hoping he would understand how earnest she was being. Mary would never believe that Xeno could do something as heinous as poison their own friends. When she had heard Moody's theory she had straight up laughed, she loved Moody, trusted him even, but he was way way off base with his accusations. "I'm glad too. I don't know what I would do without any of them around. James too, I know you've probably heard of him...he was sort of notorious at Hogwarts. Gave McGonagall many headaches."

"Speaking of herbology and animals..." Mary said quickly, suddenly reminded of something he might be interested in, "Have you ever seen bowtruckles?" Mary didn't wait for his answer, instead she excitedly grabbed Xeno's hand and pulled him through the shop until she stopped in front of a little potted plant. Perpetua was still resting snugly in her other arm, starting to snooze now. "I don't know if you remember these? Professor Sprout talked about them a lot with us but I hadn't seen any in person until just a few days ago. They are so lovely but shockingly temperamental." Mary leaned in, prodding what looked to be just a part of the plant before it started moving on it's own. "I've been trying to come up with a good names for them."

magical menagerie || open starter

[macdonaldmr]

Lily had decided she’d surprise Mary at work, figuring that once her shift was over, they could find something fun to do together.  There were times, especially since leaving school, that if felt like they would go weeks without seeing each other.  This was a bit of an exaggeration, but they certainly didn’t see each other daily like they used to, and frankly, Lily didn’t like that much.  Mary was one of her closest friends and the last thing she wanted was for them to drift apart.

She entered Magical Menagerie expecting to find Mary behind the counter, waiting for someone to walk through the door, but it was vacant.  She was slightly confused at first, until she spotted the woman on the floor under a table.  Amused, Lily said nothing, but instead leaned back on the wall and watched.

She could hear Mary talking to the creature in hand, as she made her way back out from the hiding place.  Rather than wait for her to notice her standing there, Lily said,” This has got to be the most adorable thing I’ve seen in a long time.”   She couldn’t suppress the giggle that followed, both at her own teasing of her friend and at the slight jump she caught.

“Don’t let me stop you,” she continued,” The two of you making a little fort down there is definitely something that you shouldn’t let anyone interrupt you from doing.”

It took a moment for Mary to realize who that voice belonged to. She was pleased to see it was Lily and not another patron, honestly she was feeling a bit run down from chatting with people all day. Mary smirked, getting to her feet, "Ah it's just like you to show up when I'm rolling around on the floor." Mary was always pleased to see Lily. One of her best friends since she was eleven years old, her roommate, and Mary had even spent a considerable amount of time at Lily's house growing up. Mary might even argue that Lily was a savior in some aspects - though she suspected that would put way too much pressure on her dear friend.

She walked over, pulling her friend into a slight hug as Perpetua relaxed in her other arm. Mary made sure not to crush the little troublemaker or let her get near poor Lily's pockets. When she pulled away, Mary could see her smiling. She felt relieved. Between James and the others getting sick, the last few times she had seen her best friend Mary could see the worry etched into the young women's features. She knew she hadn't been sleeping well either, thanks to Marlene. Mary was starting to worry but it appeared like a weight had been lifted from Lily's shoulders.

"How are you doing my darling Lilyflower?" she teased, winking at her, "Come all this way just to see me wrestle a few nifflers, eh?"

magical menagerie || open starter

[macdonaldmr]

Over the past year, Lawrence’s appearance at the Leaky Cauldron had grown an ever more consistent phenomenon. Of course, finding a balance was important. The more time he spent here, he less time he had to work, the less time he spent here… the more time he had to work. Lawrence cursed his own thoughts. The man still loved his work, he loved to create and to innovate. Just not for those people. Though they supplied the materials they needed, they gave him an opportunity to do what he loved and he was safe, for now. He lifted his tankard to polish off the remainder of his drink, fixed his glasses and raised a hand to order another, considering switching it up for something stronger. No, he still had some finishing touches to apply this evening and apparating into a wall wasn’t an appealing concept either.

As his drink arrived, Lawrence looked to his right, to a couple arguing about the best way to get rid of the small Bundimun problem in their home before it gets out of hand. He of course, had to interject. “Scouring charm, mate.” He said, casually after clearing his throat. “You know, Scourgify, Tergeo.” The last part was probably unnecessary, but he wouldn’t have been himself if he hadn’t been at least a little condescending when imparting a little knowledge. Lawrence then looked over to his left, and spoke indiscriminately, not really taking notice of the person there. “You don’t have a Bundimun problem do you?”

It had been a long day at Magical Menagerie. Mary had been on her own all day as the other shop girl had headed home, she had simply been too ill to work. Mary had insisted she head home as not to make her or any of the animals ill. Her boss had also been off that day so Mary wasn't able to take a break besides sneaking a few biscuits and tea in the back of the shop. So when she showed up to the Leaky Cauldron a few hours later, she had ordered herself some food and basically devoured it. After eating, the sweet call of firewhisky had been too strong for her to ignore. Mary had headed over to take a seat at the bar. She was about three drinks deep at this point, a little bit too much for her to handle as her head was already swimming. Mary had a rousing discussion with one of bartenders about the dragon conservation efforts - how she felt the ministry could be doing more. He had disappeared about thirty minutes ago and was replaced by a friendly man who looked not much older than herself.

Mary had not heard a word of the couple's conservation a few seats down but she heard the man next to her asking a peculiar question. He was unfamiliar but didn't look unfriendly, although it would not be something new for Mary to be wrong. Mary furrowed her brow in drunken concentration. "Bundimun?" she asked, "I can't say that I do unless the cheeky little things are hiding somewhere in my flat. I doubt it though, unless they like to show up in muggle buildings? Though I assume the ministry would nip that kind of thing in the bud if it happened.." Mary paused, licking her lips while in thought. "I do remember seeing them in school, in a peculiar unit about household pests. 'Member getting to see them spit acid. Quite lovely little house pests in their own way. I know they multiply like cockroaches though."

A Simple Solution | Open

[macdonaldmr]

 ❛ Sure seems like trouble, though I don’t presume to know a lot about animals. Perhaps that’s why I need your assistance. ❜

Regulus had walked into the shop unprepared, suddenly finding himself in the middle of a - well, rodeo might be the right word for it. A few things seemed out of place from the scuffle, as though furniture had been bumped into. Though he didn’t know what this place looked like usually to compare. The shop keeper was holding a niffler of all things and he knew how unruly they could be. Helpful but greedy. ( Like so many of the people he called friends, to think of it ). Regulus rarely frequented the Menagerie as animals weren’t his go-to, nor had Care of Magical Creatures been particularly exhilarating during his time at Hogwarts. But he respected the time and place for everything. Now seemed to be the perfect time.

The boy was also not an idiot. He recognized Mary’s face ( but couldn’t quite place where he’d seen her, why it might have been significant, and he certainly did not know her name ), but he knew there was so much more to being polite. Regulus’ affinity for the dark made him a recluse sometimes, but it also limited his knowledge. If he was going to be a help to anyone on his side then he needed to be more forthcoming with new people. He was a Slytherin, yes, but Hogwarts had been so long ago that he hoped his former house did not continue to hold any stereotypes against him. Though, he continued to hold stereotypes against others:  Hufflepuffs - too soft, Gryffindors - too nosy, Ravenclaws - well, a suitable alternative.

But he wasn’t here on Top Secret Voldemort Business after all, so he could be polite for polite’s sake. Besides … befriending a Dumb-ledore supporter gave him the willies. ( Yeah. We said the willies ).

               ❛ Had a friend who just purchased a niffler from here. Cheeky little things, aren’t they? Anyway, they recommended the shop and I was told you might be able to help. ❜

"What do you want?" Mary snapped. It was a knee-jerk reaction and very, very unlike Mary. She felt herself starting to feel a bit ill as she clutched Perpetua closer to her chest. Logically, Mary was very aware that Regulus was probably harmless as he was Sirius's brother. Mary vividly remembered the adorable looking first year Sirius had pointed out in the Great Hall during her third year. "That's my brother." he had said proudly. If she were a more calm and collected person, maybe she wouldn't have felt so anxious but Mary had always been ruled by her emotions. Looking into the face of the young man, she couldn't help but feel reminded of Mulciber and what had happened to her all those years ago.

His name was now burned into her memory. She had only been a skinny, awkward first year herself when it had happened. Attacked with dark magic when she barely knew any magic of her own. Not so long after her own father and mother had been murdered...more than likely because of what she was. It wasn't Regulus's fault, really. If she were honest, when she looked hard enough, she could see the slight resemblance to Sirius. Although where she would describe Sirius's face as friendly, even jovial, Regulus's face seemed haughty, if not wearing a vacant expression. It was all rather unsettling.

Mary's boss would kill her if she offended any patrons so she cleared her throat awkwardly. She tried to muster a smile that didn't look too forced. She needed to fix the damage that had been done. "I mean ah, what can I help you with, love?" Mary looked down at Perpetua who was now using her arms her own personal hammock, trying to pretend she hadn’t just snapped at him.

magical menagerie || open starter

[macdonaldmr]

tea & biscuits || closed starter

Mary had tried to find time to make her flat (ahem, hole in the wall) look somewhat presentable. It was hard when she had so many things and not enough space. The flat was literally three rooms in total, minus a bathroom which she didn’t count as a full room. There was a small kitchen, the table residing there she had repurposed. She had found it near a dumpster outside one of the nicer muggle neighborhoods in the area. Then there was a small sitting room, books stacked on the floor as she hadn’t come across a bookshelf that tickled her fancy or her wallet. A few bins of vinyl, framed pictures of her friends and family posted along the wall as well as a rather large poster of David Bowie a la Ziggy Stardust. Her bedroom was in the very back directly next to the bathroom and it was pretty much in the same state. Everything had its place but none of it looked neat, it was all rather cluttered. 

Mary sighed in frustration. Time had seemed to slip away from her this week. Between working at the shop and other things she had to attend to, inviting a friend over for tea had completely slipped her mind until the day before. Lily, Marlene, and Dorcas wouldn’t have minded but Arielle was still was relatively new acquaintance. It didn’t help that she was what Mary would consider posh. It was obvious the other girl came from money although Mary had already spoken to her enough to know she was far from a snob. Still, Mary felt that sting of nervousness she had whenever she started to feel self-conscious about herself. She knew Arielle more than likely wouldn’t care but she couldn’t help it. She was struggling to even pay for this little flat in London, let alone find any money to make it nicer than it already was. 

Mary heard a soft knock on the door and sighed. Running her hands through her hair, she tucked a few loose hairs back into the bun resting on the back of her head. She walked a few feet before unlocking the door, opening it quickly. “Hey!” she said, smiling brightly, “Come on in, love. Sorry if it’s a bit messy...”

@bewarethesirenscall