A Random Encounter ((Old Fogies))

[Adriahna Dynes R5]

After sliding the last book into place Adriahna stood back to admire her hard work. It was a slow summer and she had just finished reorganizing her bookshelf… again. She probably could have been out doing something, out being somewhere, but it was all so noisy. People drawing attention to themselves all over the place when really Adriahna had no intention of knowing them at all. It was like everyone was holding themselves up saying ‘look at me, know me, care about me’ and Adriahna just couldn’t, she didn’t want to. Egomaniacs the lot of them. Perhaps it was better than being alone though, in the very quiet house.

Her parents were at work so Adriahna had no one to say goodbye to. No explanations to make. She could just walk through that fireplace and be gone. But where? Adriahna sat back on the couch and scratched the head of her mother’s cat, Binky, who seemed to be lonely as well. Maybe she could get some shopping done, she could use some new robes next year, and it’s not like she needed her letter to know that. In fact, it was probably better to go get them before Hogwarts letters went out, before all the other students in the UK decided they needed them too.

Walking up to the grate Adriahna grabbed a pinch of floo power and threw it into the fire, turning the flames emerald green. “See you when I get home” she called to the cat and stepped into the cooled fire. “Leaky Cauldron” she said clearly as though there was a person listening and suddenly her body began to spin. In fact, maybe someone, or at least something, was listening because when she opened her eyes she was greeted with the site of an old pub. “Morning Tom” she said taking a seat at the bar. “I think an orange juice and maybe a ham sandwich would be lovely, if you don’t mind.”

Apparently Adriahna wasn’t the only one who had stopped into the pub for lunch, the place was rather crowded. All the tables seemed to be filled, the bar was the only place new patrons could come to sit. Strange, the Leaky Cauldron wasn’t generally this crowded when Adriahna was there, but perhaps that was because she usually avoided peak meal hours when everyone was taking a break from their shopping. It was certainly loud, and as Tom put a plate down in front of her with a look on his face that clearly said today was not his day Adriahna did begin to wonder if leaving the house had been the right decision.

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

"Why does it never turn out the way I want it to?" Cass stuck her head in the above and frowned. She pulled the deflated cake out of the oven and placed it on her stovetop. Why did this always happen to her? She was useless in the kitchen, and magic wasn't any help either. She was terrible a household, and for her it was much easier to do it by hand. Magic only complicated matters for her in this respect. "I guess we won't be eating that cake for the party. Back to the drawing board, I guess," she said to this to the old wizened cat that had just announced his arrival into the kitchen. The Cake dropped into the garbage can with a very loud thunk. By the sound, anybody else would of thought she had dropped a brick into the white plastic container.

The Gryffindor put her hands on her hips and looked around her kitchen. It was an utter mess. Flour was on the floor, sugar had been dribbled on the counter, and you could even see broken egg shells intermixed with all of it. She looked at the clock and realized it was lunch time. "Ringo, what do you think? Should I brave the kitchen to make my own lunch, or should I just go down to Diagon Alley?" The cat only stared at her and licked his chops. "Fine, I will take that as a yes." She left the mess, grabbed her purse, and headed out the door. Cass quickly found her way out of the building and went to the familiar alley that ran down the side. Checking that no one was looking, she twirled on the spot. A moment later, she was in the alley by The Leaky Cauldron.

The door squeaked loudly as she entered the pub. Several people with very loud voices were arguing goblin rights in a corner booth. She would love to join in that conversation. It seemed interesting, and she hadn't been mentally challenged in a long time. Cass took a seat at the bar near another girl that looked close to her age. "Hey Tom," she waved down the barman. Everyone knew Tom. He was just as famous as the establishment. "Can you get me some vegetable soup? It's always wonderful." Tom shook his head and scuttled off. He didn't seem like his usual friendly self. "Oh goodness," she said to the girl who was sitting beside her, "he doesn't seem to be in the best of moods. You have your good days and your bad days, I guess. Are you out doing some shopping today? I think I know you from school. Adriahna, right? I'm Cass. Cass Blackfire."