Post by Monica Henshaw S5 on Mar 13, 2006 1:46:24 GMT
Lethargy descended upon Monica as she walked into the vacant streets of Knockturn alley. She entered one of the cafes and sunk down into the high backed chair. Her fine robes crumpled messily as her legs folded wearily and eased her further into the comfort of fine leather and padding. A small snore emanated from her as she drifted off into a fatigued sleep. Lovely dreams of scones with jam and fresh yellow cream filled her thoughts and made the tedium of the coming day fade into oblivion. She was dreaming of ripping off Harry's ears when a sharp rapping on the solid wood of the cafe door woke her up abruptly. As she awoke with a start, straightened her robes, and rubbed the sleep from her eyes gracelessly. Although she was tired, that dream had put her into rather a good mood. A bargaining mood.
As the door swung open a little, got stuck and scraped to a finish, the appearance of a neatly groomed Hufflepuff came into view with baskets. 'What is your mission??' she asked in disgust! 'Why are you here??' Apparently the little one didn't budged to speak. 'I'll get those for you.' Without further ado, Monica got up from her seat and snatched two baskets that the girl was holding. Sitting back down, all the traces of the night's work had disappeared from Monica's face. Able to function capably on less than four hours of sleep. Adept at keeping up the fa硤e of caring. Skilled at pretending she liked working with other children when in actuality she wanted to feed them to the Acromantulae. Which is why the next thing she did was to offer the yellow brat some refreshment. 'Cup of tea?, I always find it helps me start the day.' She was tempted to comment on her large teeth, as she was obviously displaying them for a compliment, but she for went it for an insane comment about the importance of breaking ones fast in the morning. 'I'm surprised to hear that you a hufflepuff in knockturn alley' Adopting a tone of concern, Monica leant forwards and waggled a long finger at her in rebuke as she drawled, 'You should be a like all the hufflepuffs and go back to Diagon alley immediately' Had she not been such a chirpy little thing, she might have been inclined to disregard her overtly blatant hint to be fed. But she was, and so he felt like obliging. The End.
But before the Monica could offer the girl some accompanying crumpets with the tea, she vapidly asked her opinion about the last archetypal law to be passed at the Ministry. Now, whatever did we have here? Was this girl, this skinny, big toothed, bug-eyed girl displaying a spark of intelligence more than what had been accredited to Hufflepuff House previously? ' Doubtful. 'I'm afraid I don't care to share opinions with the general populace of Hogwarts due to a previous unfortunate incidence where my words were construed as praise for a particularly unfathomable suggestion regarding non-pure bloods,' she replied smoothly, with her own mimicry of a toothy smile. No, Monica did not share opinions with students about the Ministry, for they had mouths that never shut and ears that constantly listened. So then it was time to deflect further probing with food. That worked always for students. 'Tea,?' Monica offered. The silver tea service complete with shiny silver platter that was always present zoomed around the cafe, attending to her breakfast needs. A platter of crumpets soon followed with an array of assorted condiments. 'Please, don't stand on ceremony; I know how hungry you must be.' Taking a crumpet and buttering it briefly, more to make her feel more comfortable than any real need to satiate hunger pangs, Monica set it on hers plate and then tented her fingers in the universal gesture for waiting. A quizzical expression crossed the Monica's face at the girl's polite enquiry about marmite. Mar ? what? Was that some kind of new adolescent fad that reigned supreme with those muggle tamagotchis and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. It didn't seem likely that this girl was one to jump on the bandwagon as she had opened with a politically engineered question mostly likely designed to draw conclusions about her opinions on the legislative body of the Ministry. But then again, she was a Hufflepuff and everyone knew how prone they were to fads. Opening her mouth to indicate the negative about the foreign substance marmite, Monica immediately shut it as she answered her own question with a pertinent glance at her breakfast tray. Well, fine. Asking a question when the answer was quite literally staring you in the face was terribly impolite, and doubly so when you answered it yourself. A frown marred the brow of Monica's as she sipped her overtly hot tea.
The girl, obviously blissfully ignorant to her ire, rambled on girlishly about having little practice at social etiquette in between a scone and a sip of tea. Naturally, how could she resist? 'Really? You could have fooled me,' she interjected with a slight hint of derision. It was as plain as the features of her face she was unschooled in many things, not just magic. The way she seated herself, the way she presented herself, and let's not get started on that whiny nasal pronunciation. And then it began. Impressive cadences accompanied her rather righteous speech about gambling and bargain making idly Monica noted the source of her rectitude; it was a fellow student. Namely, that somebody else assumed. Naturally. Hufflepuffs seemed to like the inhabitants of the house of Salazar for some reason. 'You,' she drawled leisurely, as the teacup was placed neatly in its saucer with a slight chink. 'Might I remind you that it is none of your business what I do, or in your particular case, how I deal with the students of this school' And you know perfectly well,' Monica continued smugly, emphasizing her words heavily, 'that it is wrong to gamble, make bargains, etcetera, in the school, so I am afraid I will have to decline your offer of chocolate frogs. I'm in fact, astounded that you were impertinent to offer such a bribe, after trying to reprimand me previously for apparently perpetrating the same offence you have just been found guilty of.' A slight smirk touched upon her face as she finished this rather clever turn of words. Caught by the very words she had voraciously used to chastise him, ah how she admired the ability to find gaping holes in the logic of people. Sometimes she just astounded herself at her impeccable timing and impenetrable reasoning. Monica was just that talented. 'However, I will assure you, as I do with any action that may be perceived as questionable, that I have only the interests of the students and this school by all means.' A pointed silence followed Monica's words. 'You may be dismissed.' Monica finished letting this girl leave for her own time business. With a sharp she watched the hufflepuff walk out.
As she gloomily stared at the sad remains of her breakfast, Monica's thoughts wandered to the various tasks she had been planning to do.. Being an aristocrat had advantages besides the more obvious ones of fame, fortune, wenches, etc. Being a member of the upper chain of society meant that one had developed a keen sense of disregard for those of lower status, and an increased sense of importance. It also meant that one was able to find the most exhilarating tasks and turn them into the paragon of tedium to make the lives of those under one that tiny little bit more insufferable. Task one on the itinerary was ink testing. She had acquired a few samples of new inks from a reputable establishment in the business district of Hogsmeade and was just dying to try them out. But being an extremely busy person, there just didn't seem to be enough hours in the day. Sigh. The antique wizarding time piece which had hung on the East wall of the cafe now read a quarter to one. 'I always did have impeccable timing,' Monica drawled to herself, as she evanescoed her disassembled breakfast and assorted cutlery away. A bit of spell work always cheered her up when in a foul mood. And today was no exception. She spent several minutes absorbed in examining this unnatural feeling of whimsy. As the minute hand moved stiffly to lay upon the hour notation, a rather pleasant expression had found its way. Monica's hands were folded neatly upon the smooth polished wood of the mahogany table. She was ready to welcome a guest and any guest unless it was a snobby Gryffindor or hufflepuffs. She sat patiently, waiting for that elusive knock and spell.
And waited.
After Monica fished taking a short spell she sat there frowning at the employee. A tumbleweed blew past the window. An owl hooted. Everything that was a cliché ¡bout waiting occurred. A frown marred the pale brow as she turned her head slightly to check the time piece. It now read twenty past one As she grumbled to herself and prepared to pen a rather nasty letter reminding a friend that she had volunteered her services and no matter what, she wouldn't be able to get out of it. Monica continued to stay seated even if it mean writing letters, she waited for any other company that would come along.
As the door swung open a little, got stuck and scraped to a finish, the appearance of a neatly groomed Hufflepuff came into view with baskets. 'What is your mission??' she asked in disgust! 'Why are you here??' Apparently the little one didn't budged to speak. 'I'll get those for you.' Without further ado, Monica got up from her seat and snatched two baskets that the girl was holding. Sitting back down, all the traces of the night's work had disappeared from Monica's face. Able to function capably on less than four hours of sleep. Adept at keeping up the fa硤e of caring. Skilled at pretending she liked working with other children when in actuality she wanted to feed them to the Acromantulae. Which is why the next thing she did was to offer the yellow brat some refreshment. 'Cup of tea?, I always find it helps me start the day.' She was tempted to comment on her large teeth, as she was obviously displaying them for a compliment, but she for went it for an insane comment about the importance of breaking ones fast in the morning. 'I'm surprised to hear that you a hufflepuff in knockturn alley' Adopting a tone of concern, Monica leant forwards and waggled a long finger at her in rebuke as she drawled, 'You should be a like all the hufflepuffs and go back to Diagon alley immediately' Had she not been such a chirpy little thing, she might have been inclined to disregard her overtly blatant hint to be fed. But she was, and so he felt like obliging. The End.
But before the Monica could offer the girl some accompanying crumpets with the tea, she vapidly asked her opinion about the last archetypal law to be passed at the Ministry. Now, whatever did we have here? Was this girl, this skinny, big toothed, bug-eyed girl displaying a spark of intelligence more than what had been accredited to Hufflepuff House previously? ' Doubtful. 'I'm afraid I don't care to share opinions with the general populace of Hogwarts due to a previous unfortunate incidence where my words were construed as praise for a particularly unfathomable suggestion regarding non-pure bloods,' she replied smoothly, with her own mimicry of a toothy smile. No, Monica did not share opinions with students about the Ministry, for they had mouths that never shut and ears that constantly listened. So then it was time to deflect further probing with food. That worked always for students. 'Tea,?' Monica offered. The silver tea service complete with shiny silver platter that was always present zoomed around the cafe, attending to her breakfast needs. A platter of crumpets soon followed with an array of assorted condiments. 'Please, don't stand on ceremony; I know how hungry you must be.' Taking a crumpet and buttering it briefly, more to make her feel more comfortable than any real need to satiate hunger pangs, Monica set it on hers plate and then tented her fingers in the universal gesture for waiting. A quizzical expression crossed the Monica's face at the girl's polite enquiry about marmite. Mar ? what? Was that some kind of new adolescent fad that reigned supreme with those muggle tamagotchis and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. It didn't seem likely that this girl was one to jump on the bandwagon as she had opened with a politically engineered question mostly likely designed to draw conclusions about her opinions on the legislative body of the Ministry. But then again, she was a Hufflepuff and everyone knew how prone they were to fads. Opening her mouth to indicate the negative about the foreign substance marmite, Monica immediately shut it as she answered her own question with a pertinent glance at her breakfast tray. Well, fine. Asking a question when the answer was quite literally staring you in the face was terribly impolite, and doubly so when you answered it yourself. A frown marred the brow of Monica's as she sipped her overtly hot tea.
The girl, obviously blissfully ignorant to her ire, rambled on girlishly about having little practice at social etiquette in between a scone and a sip of tea. Naturally, how could she resist? 'Really? You could have fooled me,' she interjected with a slight hint of derision. It was as plain as the features of her face she was unschooled in many things, not just magic. The way she seated herself, the way she presented herself, and let's not get started on that whiny nasal pronunciation. And then it began. Impressive cadences accompanied her rather righteous speech about gambling and bargain making idly Monica noted the source of her rectitude; it was a fellow student. Namely, that somebody else assumed. Naturally. Hufflepuffs seemed to like the inhabitants of the house of Salazar for some reason. 'You,' she drawled leisurely, as the teacup was placed neatly in its saucer with a slight chink. 'Might I remind you that it is none of your business what I do, or in your particular case, how I deal with the students of this school' And you know perfectly well,' Monica continued smugly, emphasizing her words heavily, 'that it is wrong to gamble, make bargains, etcetera, in the school, so I am afraid I will have to decline your offer of chocolate frogs. I'm in fact, astounded that you were impertinent to offer such a bribe, after trying to reprimand me previously for apparently perpetrating the same offence you have just been found guilty of.' A slight smirk touched upon her face as she finished this rather clever turn of words. Caught by the very words she had voraciously used to chastise him, ah how she admired the ability to find gaping holes in the logic of people. Sometimes she just astounded herself at her impeccable timing and impenetrable reasoning. Monica was just that talented. 'However, I will assure you, as I do with any action that may be perceived as questionable, that I have only the interests of the students and this school by all means.' A pointed silence followed Monica's words. 'You may be dismissed.' Monica finished letting this girl leave for her own time business. With a sharp she watched the hufflepuff walk out.
As she gloomily stared at the sad remains of her breakfast, Monica's thoughts wandered to the various tasks she had been planning to do.. Being an aristocrat had advantages besides the more obvious ones of fame, fortune, wenches, etc. Being a member of the upper chain of society meant that one had developed a keen sense of disregard for those of lower status, and an increased sense of importance. It also meant that one was able to find the most exhilarating tasks and turn them into the paragon of tedium to make the lives of those under one that tiny little bit more insufferable. Task one on the itinerary was ink testing. She had acquired a few samples of new inks from a reputable establishment in the business district of Hogsmeade and was just dying to try them out. But being an extremely busy person, there just didn't seem to be enough hours in the day. Sigh. The antique wizarding time piece which had hung on the East wall of the cafe now read a quarter to one. 'I always did have impeccable timing,' Monica drawled to herself, as she evanescoed her disassembled breakfast and assorted cutlery away. A bit of spell work always cheered her up when in a foul mood. And today was no exception. She spent several minutes absorbed in examining this unnatural feeling of whimsy. As the minute hand moved stiffly to lay upon the hour notation, a rather pleasant expression had found its way. Monica's hands were folded neatly upon the smooth polished wood of the mahogany table. She was ready to welcome a guest and any guest unless it was a snobby Gryffindor or hufflepuffs. She sat patiently, waiting for that elusive knock and spell.
And waited.
After Monica fished taking a short spell she sat there frowning at the employee. A tumbleweed blew past the window. An owl hooted. Everything that was a cliché ¡bout waiting occurred. A frown marred the pale brow as she turned her head slightly to check the time piece. It now read twenty past one As she grumbled to herself and prepared to pen a rather nasty letter reminding a friend that she had volunteered her services and no matter what, she wouldn't be able to get out of it. Monica continued to stay seated even if it mean writing letters, she waited for any other company that would come along.
