Post by Julie Paige McGreggor on Dec 20, 2007 22:41:50 GMT
Julie watched as the smoke from her cigarette curled up and vanished into thin air. She brought the small white stick to her bright red lips and inhaled the sweet smoke. She couldn’t believe she was doing this. It had been years since Julie had even touched a cigarette. After gaining custody of Carson and getting her art class started, Julie had promised herself she would never pick up a cigarette ever again. She started when she was about thirteen or fourteen, and smoked all throughout her Hogwarts years. It just added to Julie’s bad girl reputation.
Julie shuddered as she remembered her old self. She had been a real rebel, that’s for sure. She skipped class on several occasions to go spend time with her boyfriend in Hogsmeade who was most likely at least four years older than her. She would roam about the corridors on school days with low rider jeans, a short skirt and a cigarette in her hands, receiving disapproving stares from every painting in the castle. She chuckled at the memory. But, deep down, underneath all the detentions and the lost house points, Julie was a good girl. How else would she have ended up in Hufflepuff? Even at school, she was known to have her kind streaks. She helped out young first years when they needed it, and she was there to lend a hand to anyone who needed her help. But, that was only on very rare occasions when Julie was feeling kind. Julie had changed so much ever since graduating. Now, she didn’t smoke, (well normally, anyway) she didn’t back out of her responsibilities, and did everything she could to make sure the bills were paid and there was food on the table for her and Carson.
She inhaled another puff of smoke. Somehow, even though Julie felt guilty for smoking again, she couldn’t stop. She had just been so stressed out lately. When Carson came home for the holidays, Julie was delighted. She had been together with her brother for a day or two before something terrible happened. Ethan Jacobs, otherwise known to Julie as Carson’s partner in crime had died tragically in the very park Julie had allowed Carson to spend weeks in with that very same boy. That park in fact, was right down the street from her aunt and uncle’s sorry excuse for a home. Julie had spent a majority of her summers in that park. Julie shivered, and she wasn’t sure if it was because of the bitter cold air that surrounded the muggle pub. She dropped the cigarette on the ground and stomped it out with her foot. She walked back into the pub, and took a seat at one of the few empty tables left. She ordered herself a nice ice cold beer and took a sip.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a rather large and muscular looking man approach her. Rolling her eyes, Julie reached into her jacket pocket for her wand. She couldn’t help it. It was a reflex. She wouldn’t obviously use her magic against this unsuspecting muggle, but she figured she could probably sway him in the other direction with a few simple charms. “Hey, what’s a pretty thing like you doing out so late at night?” Julie rolled her eyes again and gave him a cheeky remark. He was about to take a seat across from her, and Julie started to panic. She wasn’t in the mood to dodge drunken old men. She looked around the pub. Then, she saw her opening. A blonde haired girl around Julie’s age had just walked into the pub. She took the girl by the arm. She’d explain once the creep was gone. She was sure the girl would understand. “I’m not alone!” Julie said, defending herself.
“Actually, she was about to sit here. Um, this is Stacey. She’s my…” Julie thought of the only thing she would be able to say to get this guy off her back. Then, she thought of it. Julie reached into her jacket pocket and slipped a ring on her left ring finger. “She’s my sister in law!” Julie said with a smile, showing her left hand to the crazed man. The ring was made of fake silver, and it couldn’t be worth any more than ten galleons. But, this loon wouldn’t know the difference. The man swore under his breath and walked away. “I’m really sorry about that. That’s guy been after me ever since the second I walked into this pub. I’m Julie, by the way. Julie McGreggor. Have we met?” Julie said, trying to place where she had seen this blonde girl’s face before.
Julie shuddered as she remembered her old self. She had been a real rebel, that’s for sure. She skipped class on several occasions to go spend time with her boyfriend in Hogsmeade who was most likely at least four years older than her. She would roam about the corridors on school days with low rider jeans, a short skirt and a cigarette in her hands, receiving disapproving stares from every painting in the castle. She chuckled at the memory. But, deep down, underneath all the detentions and the lost house points, Julie was a good girl. How else would she have ended up in Hufflepuff? Even at school, she was known to have her kind streaks. She helped out young first years when they needed it, and she was there to lend a hand to anyone who needed her help. But, that was only on very rare occasions when Julie was feeling kind. Julie had changed so much ever since graduating. Now, she didn’t smoke, (well normally, anyway) she didn’t back out of her responsibilities, and did everything she could to make sure the bills were paid and there was food on the table for her and Carson.
She inhaled another puff of smoke. Somehow, even though Julie felt guilty for smoking again, she couldn’t stop. She had just been so stressed out lately. When Carson came home for the holidays, Julie was delighted. She had been together with her brother for a day or two before something terrible happened. Ethan Jacobs, otherwise known to Julie as Carson’s partner in crime had died tragically in the very park Julie had allowed Carson to spend weeks in with that very same boy. That park in fact, was right down the street from her aunt and uncle’s sorry excuse for a home. Julie had spent a majority of her summers in that park. Julie shivered, and she wasn’t sure if it was because of the bitter cold air that surrounded the muggle pub. She dropped the cigarette on the ground and stomped it out with her foot. She walked back into the pub, and took a seat at one of the few empty tables left. She ordered herself a nice ice cold beer and took a sip.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a rather large and muscular looking man approach her. Rolling her eyes, Julie reached into her jacket pocket for her wand. She couldn’t help it. It was a reflex. She wouldn’t obviously use her magic against this unsuspecting muggle, but she figured she could probably sway him in the other direction with a few simple charms. “Hey, what’s a pretty thing like you doing out so late at night?” Julie rolled her eyes again and gave him a cheeky remark. He was about to take a seat across from her, and Julie started to panic. She wasn’t in the mood to dodge drunken old men. She looked around the pub. Then, she saw her opening. A blonde haired girl around Julie’s age had just walked into the pub. She took the girl by the arm. She’d explain once the creep was gone. She was sure the girl would understand. “I’m not alone!” Julie said, defending herself.
“Actually, she was about to sit here. Um, this is Stacey. She’s my…” Julie thought of the only thing she would be able to say to get this guy off her back. Then, she thought of it. Julie reached into her jacket pocket and slipped a ring on her left ring finger. “She’s my sister in law!” Julie said with a smile, showing her left hand to the crazed man. The ring was made of fake silver, and it couldn’t be worth any more than ten galleons. But, this loon wouldn’t know the difference. The man swore under his breath and walked away. “I’m really sorry about that. That’s guy been after me ever since the second I walked into this pub. I’m Julie, by the way. Julie McGreggor. Have we met?” Julie said, trying to place where she had seen this blonde girl’s face before.
