Emmerson Classified.

Emm whirled around at that name. It felt like an eternity since she'd last been called that and there was only one person who ever would. What had started out as a delayed precaution in the summer before her first year, had become a running inside joke between the pair and in the midst of all the chaos and bread and failed acting opportunities, Emmerson could say THIS was one of the things she'd missed most in the castle.

Funny how that worked.

The moment green eyes landed on the frame of the boy (he looked different, didn't he? Taller for sure), Emmerson hopped up from her seat and over the railing that enclosed that section of the outdoor seating area. "NOAH FENCE!!" It was...it was really him. He was alive!!! Well...yeah, he was alive but but but he was here and not off somewhere far away only existing in her memory.

Emm threw herself at him, wrapping him up in a tight hug. "Noah!! Merlin!! Holy kneazle! Come, come, you have to sit!" Emmerson tried tugging him back toward the railing, not wanting to walk around to the opening. "I didn't get a sundae but we can still share. Nooooaaahhhhhhh."

She liked seeing her friends, especially the ones who disappeared for a time.

Some days, you know, it didn't really matter how he was or wasn't feeling, because on those days there was only one possible reaction to being greeted with unbridled enthusiasm, and so he grinned. And also hugged her back, tight, once she had all but catapulted herself onto his side of the railing.

"Hi, Emm," Noah replied, right before letting her go again and allowing himself to be tugged to the railing. After a pause, he made to clamber over it. "I'll share with you. And sit with you also. Are you here on your own?" He slid over to the Floreans side and looked around for anyone else he knew, squinting against the sunlight, then back at Emm again. "I missed you a lot."

So he didn't actually realise how true that was until he'd said it, but now he knew the statement was achingly honest. This past year had been a real whirlwind and hurricane of a mess, and actually also a tempest too; his thoughts were even more jumbled up and confused than his feelings these days. Even though Noah had for sure known Emmerson was wrapped up in all that he had been so upset to leave behind, it somehow took seeing her again for the gravity of that to really hit him. Which was good because that meant it was easier to swerve around it, seeing as she really was right there in front of him; it meant he didn't have to risk feeling the feelings of missing her still. Anything to avoid today becoming one of those days.

Ice-cream had already been such a great treat for her today but now that her lost friend was sitting by her sharing said ice-cream...the world....felt a little lighter. She felt a little lighter. It reminded her of the mood she'd entered third year in, the one where everything felt like it would work out and there was nothing to worry about...kinda like she could conquer the world.

Of course, given how monumentally appalling the term actually turned out, Emmerson was now very suspicious when she got this mighty feeling. Rather than let herself be carried TOO far away with giddiness, Emm tried to anchor herself to the present and the ice-cream and Noah Fence. She wouldn't let herself consider the grand idea he would come back to school. She wouldn't let herself get her hopes up too high.

"Oh, hang on!" The Gryffindor hopped up and headed inside for an extra spoon then retook her spot by him. This was his, he could dig in.

"What've you been up to? You have to tell me EVERYTHING." And she would tell him everything, too. Catch him up, all that.

Almost at once, a curveball. Not a major one, as curveballs went, but there was a moment of confusion where Noah's brain needed just a moment to catch up with what was happening. They were sitting, and then Emm was back up again and leaving. It sounded like she intended to come back, but Noah was lost regardless.

Even when she returned, which didn't take long at all, it still took a moment for it to click.

Spoon.

Noah took it, slowly, and then with dawning comprehension. Spoon... sp-... oH. For the ice cream. Spoon. He made to scoop some up for himself, but stopped. "I... not much, except also a lot." If Noah was still in the habit of writing down everything ever, he could have just handed Emm his notebook so she could see for herself, but he'd stopped doing that in his second year - with some difficulty - in case it drew unwanted attention. Hadn't returned to the habit. In fact, on a particularly shaky day back in November, he had tried to build a bonfire out of every last one of his notebooks, one of the many extreme moments that punctuated an otherwise uneventful year.

Once an over-sharer as much as he'd been an over-asker, now Noah hesitated.

"You go first." Yes, let Emmerson Classified speak, and then figure out where the limits should be set when it came to his own sharing time, follow her lead. Not that he wasn't also curious to know what had happened in her life while he'd been out of it. "I want to hear your everything first. Tell me what I missed." Noah took a tiny scoop of ice cream, and taste-tested it with the tip of his tongue.

Emmerson settled into her seat, having a spoon of ice cream while she geared up to hear everything happening...er...everything that happened in her friend's life. She was proper ready to be a listening ear and was dead curious. All that anticipation left her just a little confused and honestly taken aback when the table was suddenly turned back to her without her having heard anything at all from.

"Oh...uh....well." For all the grief the term had given her, Emmerson was struggling to decided where to begin.

"There was bread..." Even as the words passed her lips, she realised how...vague and unassuming it might have sounded. Was it weird that when she summarised her school year, it had to do with baked goods? Probably. "I mean, there was a healer, too. She baked the bread--you will not believe how amazing it was. Melted right in your mouth. It was like a small piece of heaven after that whole business of war. I wish I could've sent you some but it wouldn't be the same once it wasn't fresh."

He had to be there. It was everything.

"I got a boyfriend, but then mum broke up with him but then we stayed together secretly then broke up properly so we can snog without breaking rules." Having sat through the conversation herself, it all made sense in her head and seemed like the most natural thing in the whole world. "But me and Sammy aren't friends anymore--can you BeLiEvE he kissed Amabel?? Right out in the middle of the common room, wasn't even trying to hide it--but I'm not mad." She scooped more ice-cream into her mouth. "I'm totally over it. It's fine."

The ice cream was good, so Noah ate a little more, relaxing slightly as Emmerson Classified did, in fact, launch into her story. Except maybe he was a little too relaxed, because he didn't understand most, or actually practically any of it. Except probably he might not have anyway, but it was anyone's guess whether that was because of what she was saying, or what his brain did with the words, or both.

He listened, attempting to pick apart words that did not sound as though they really belonged together, while even more came at him. They rattled around his head, jumbling up and making even less sense the more he tried to understand them, a disjointed charge of words and sound.

After a moment, Noah realised he'd been sitting stock-still, staring right at Emm. He blinked, and took another little scoop of ice cream, and let the spoon hang out of his mouth, clacking his teeth on the metal in consideration.

"Will the bread be there next year?" Clack, clack. He took the spoon away. "And are you really not mad? Or just fake not mad."

Being a fifth year had its perks. The main one being that Reagan not necessarily be chaperoned by her parents around Diagon Alley. She was off by herself for the time which was not something Reagan liked. Heck, she loved to have company so that she could chatter on and on. Jude had decided to stick with their parents and Keighley and it had bummed her out that he hadn’t wanted to come along with her. Truth be told, she was worried about him. Reagan had finally gotten him to open up about what was bothering him for so long. It turned out it was that Evan Nam for her brother’s sorrows.

The Gryffindor hadn’t realised it but her feet had led her to Florean’s. Good. She could use some ice cream. You know who else could use some? Jude. Yes, yes. She was being protective towards her younger brother. She always was and always would be. She loved him to death because he was so soft, so gentle, so sweet and so kind. It was only natural that she worry others take advantage of his empathic nature.

Reagan selected her ice cream, topped it off with nuts and gummy bears then headed back outside to find a seat. It was hot out there so the shade the umbrella provided at her table was welcome. Her thoughts turned back to Jude as she began to eat.

Sweets had always been a weakness for Evan, though truthfully he much preferred hard candies and chocolates over the coldness of popsicles, shakes or ice cream. But there was something that seemed almost taboo about not having ice cream at least once during the summer break. Besides, with his sister's also somewhere around DA getting them a nice cold treat seemed the right thing to do. So he ordered three, specially wrapping up two of them to keep at least until his sister's managed to make it here as well.

He went back outside to find a spot to sit, glancing at the tables and other patrons gathering around when he thought he spotted a familiar face. He paused briefly, trying to decide if that was in fact Jude's sister, before deciding he wasn't sure and opting to then not say anything. It was however unavoidable from sitting at the table closest to hers and in her direct line of view. Not that he thought anything of that either as he pulled out his chair and took a small spoonful of his fizzing whizzbee ice cream.

Maxine needed some ice cream! She had been shopping all day. It really was the most wonderful time of year ... and by that she meant it was finally her time to go to Hogwarts. She was finally 11 years old, after watching her older sister go off and go to Hogwarts she couldn't contain how excited she was!! This was her moment!!!!! ... but first ice cream was needed.

SPOILER!!: Evan <3

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chelliephone

Sweets had always been a weakness for Evan, though truthfully he much preferred hard candies and chocolates over the coldness of popsicles, shakes or ice cream. But there was something that seemed almost taboo about not having ice cream at least once during the summer break. Besides, with his sister's also somewhere around DA getting them a nice cold treat seemed the right thing to do. So he ordered three, specially wrapping up two of them to keep at least until his sister's managed to make it here as well.

He went back outside to find a spot to sit, glancing at the tables and other patrons gathering around when he thought he spotted a familiar face. He paused briefly, trying to decide if that was in fact Jude's sister, before deciding he wasn't sure and opting to then not say anything. It was however unavoidable from sitting at the table closest to hers and in her direct line of view. Not that he thought anything of that either as he pulled out his chair and took a small spoonful of his fizzing whizzbee ice cream.

At the same time Evan was taking his seat, Reagan was thinking back to the summer of the previous year. Her parents, Jude, Keighley and herself had been at this very shop having all the ice creams they could eat. It had been fun and Reagan was quite positive she had gotten what the Muggles called ‘brain freeze.’ At the present time, she was not having one of those but a rather awful pain shooting through one of her teeth. Reagan winced dramatically and clutched at her right jaw as though that might help ease the pain.

And it was exactly then that she noticed HIM. The cause of her baby brother’s heartache. Without thinking, Reagan flounced over to his table. “WELL, WELL, WELL! If it isn’t Evan Nam.” The Gryffindor dearly wanted to ask ‘Did you enjoy breaking Jude’s heart?’ but of course she couldn’t. No one but her and Keighley knew how hurt Jude was about Evan going on a date with Val. Not even bothering to ask to sit at the table, Reagan sat. It was only then that something occurred to her. “Have you seen Jude today?” she interrogated, narrowing her eyes dangerously. Evan had better not run into him. After this meeting, she was going to hurry back to her family and whisk Jude back home.

Once he'd sat down, it occurred to him that he was incapable of just sitting still and doing nothing. Even if it was just momentarily, and if he was technically eating which could be considered a something. For the briefest moment, despite not knowing her very well, Evan wished that the other individual would have been Reagan to at least keep him occupied but as he'd already foolishly dismissed that, he took a spoonful of his fizzing whizzbee ice cream and pulled out a new notebook from his bag and an older pen and started making a list of all the people he'd need to come up with his gifts for now. He liked to be prepped before school started - just as a precaution. Once all the names were down, he was working on double checking that he hadn't missed anyone when he heard the rather loud exclamation. Including his name.

Oh. So that was Reagan then?

He was going to offer a smile and try on a more friendly attitude but... her tone suggested that maybe she was not the most delighted to see him. Fair, considering they had not hung out much but there was something that also just felt... off. Like she was upset with him?? "Hi Reagan. Having a pleasant summer?" The question about if he'd seen her brother and the almost glare associated with it had both his eyebrows raising in confusion. "Uh, no I hadn't run into him. Are he and Keighley here shopping too then?" And was there some reason he should have been avoiding Jude or something?

like it kind of felt the other way around.

Mateo had been allowed for the very first time to go get some ice cream without his older sister or younger. He was allowed to go without his mother who was doing a book signing close by, so he took advantage of that and headed towards the ice cream.

Headed towards the shop he looked around getting a little overwhelmed by the crowd of people, but he was 12 now and he should be able to just walk up to the counter and get the ice cream on his own. He watched from the outdoor seating area for a few minutes noticing a girl seeming to be going to the same place.

"What you getting?"

Maxine was examining the flavor choices, it's true she had been here about a million times with her family, but everything seems much more exciting and new when she was all ALONE ...

"Huh?" Max asked as some dude was talking to her .. wait .. was he talking to her? He had to be, he was looking right at her. "I'm not totally sure." She added once she made her brain clicked with what was asked for. "All I want for ice-cream is something with nuts." She added looking at the flavors again. "Okay that sounded weird I'm sure." Maxine had a problem with babbling, rambling, talking too much. Whatever you wanted to call it.

"What about you? She finally turned her full attention on the boy the was talking to her. Turing her body and coming full face. "I'm Maxine by the way, but you can call me Max, everyone else does." And by everyone she meant her sisters.

With her hands stuffed into the pockets of her jeans, Remy Gaeltheos strode through Diagon Alley with much confidence. This was, after all, not her first rodeo and she was entering her third year. THIRD YEAR???!!! What was this naturally gifted third year student doing in an ice cream shop? Looking for the ultimate brain freeze - that’s what.

She hadn’t even made it inside before she had got her hands on a menu. She perched herself on the edge of the table and ran her finger down the menu, considering a scoop of everything. Or perhaps a scoop of three… since her pockets weren’t that deep.

Diagon Alley was her favourite place in the whole word! There were just so many things to see and explore.. Matilda was in awe, literally. The magical world forever fascinated her, even if her magical abilities were a little lagging. Um. She didn't want to think about that now - it would only make her feel sad.

Ice cream in hand, she headed towards one of the tables outside and sat down - she could do with some fresh air. Besides, it was so sunny and warm. She took a spoonful of her lemondrop ice cream aaaand... it tasted funny. Hmm. Nope, she didn't like this flavour.

Penelope was sitting at one of the outdoor tables, busily tucking into a large ice cream sundae. Casually she would watch passers-by between mouthfuls of delicious ice cream. The dark-haired girl hoped she would make friends because of who she is and not just because of her relatives, not that she had anything against them.

Summer had just about finished her shopping and now she saw ice-cream, she knew her mummy wouldn't mind her getting one, in fact she had some money saved up so she decided that one would be okay, maybe two depending on how she felt after the first one.

After buying an ice-cream, she looked around for a table, there was one that had another girl around her age and her eyes lit up, she knew Desiree was going to be in her year, but well it wouldn't hurt to have another friend in the same year.

Walking over to the table, Summer bit her bottom lip and nervously asked. "Do you mind if I join you?"

Persephone's presence was graced by a girl that seemed close to her age. Once the girl had asked her question, Persephone smiled. "I don't mind at all, please have a seat," she replied as she gestured to the seat next to her. "My name's Persephone."

With a hazelnut flavoured ice cream in his hand that he had ordered earlier, Daniel placed his shopping bags under a table before taking a seat next to a table where a younger(?) girl sat. He curiously took a glance at which ice cream she had chosen. Lemondrop... Not the best choice of ice cream but good enough. Nothing outmatched hazelnut flavour though! The Hufflepuff had done half of his school supplies shopping already and had scheduled to come back another day to buy the rest. For now, he wanted to end his successful day by eating his favourite ice cream.

First, the thirteen-year-old pushed his sunglasses down from the top of his head to cover his eyes before he moved his chair over so that he was facing the sun. He then leaned back in his chair to get relaxed and began to silently eat his ice cream.

Summer was so excited, and she quickly sat next to the other girl. "Hi Persephone, I'm Summer!" Summer took a lick of her ice-cream as she noticed that it was starting to melt. "This is going to be my first year at Hogwarts, I'm so looking forwards to it, my mother went to Hogwarts, years ago, she was one of triplets, both my aunts went there as well."

Summer stopped talking for a moment to take another lick of her ice-cream, before she continued. "Like my mother, she did a few things when she was there, but she never had a midnight feast in her dorm, she was Gryffindor and I'm hoping to be in the same house." Summer smiled. "What about you?" Summer thought she might as well find out if Persephone was going to be in her first year too.

There was nothing that beat a crisp summer day, with no under 17 quidditch training, which meant time for some carefree socialization. Apollo still couldn't believe that he was going to be a fourth year!!! Exactly the middle; he was neither a baby hogwarts student nor one of the older ones. It was that weird stage of numbing emotions and hormones and still wanting to be cool, but not quite sure if he fit in or didn't. He had quidditch, which he supposed gave him a ledge up in popularity, but there was a sense of rawness that maybe he hadn't quite made the impact he wanted just yet. At least he still had four years left to strive for excellence.

With piercing thoughts and questions about popularity, the fourteen year old hadn't really been paying much attention to where he was traversing. Until he found himself in Floreans, and somehow next to a younger girl he recognized as Remy. He at least knew his housemates, so that was something, wasn't it?

"All I want for summer is a fresh frozen treat from Floreans." He grinned at the younger student, peering over her shoulder at the menu. "Having a good summer so far, Rem?"

SPOILER!!: I'm sorry for her rudeness, Evan :(

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chelliephone

Once he'd sat down, it occurred to him that he was incapable of just sitting still and doing nothing. Even if it was just momentarily, and if he was technically eating which could be considered a something. For the briefest moment, despite not knowing her very well, Evan wished that the other individual would have been Reagan to at least keep him occupied but as he'd already foolishly dismissed that, he took a spoonful of his fizzing whizzbee ice cream and pulled out a new notebook from his bag and an older pen and started making a list of all the people he'd need to come up with his gifts for now. He liked to be prepped before school started - just as a precaution. Once all the names were down, he was working on double checking that he hadn't missed anyone when he heard the rather loud exclamation. Including his name.

Oh. So that was Reagan then?

He was going to offer a smile and try on a more friendly attitude but... her tone suggested that maybe she was not the most delighted to see him. Fair, considering they had not hung out much but there was something that also just felt... off. Like she was upset with him?? "Hi Reagan. Having a pleasant summer?" The question about if he'd seen her brother and the almost glare associated with it had both his eyebrows raising in confusion. "Uh, no I hadn't run into him. Are he and Keighley here shopping too then?" And was there some reason he should have been avoiding Jude or something?

like it kind of felt the other way around.

Yes, this was Reagan.

One would have thought that Evan would have recognised her properly from School. He would have been right, however. She was NOT pleased to see him. In fact, she was barely containing her fury. How did Jude manage to keep a cool head in 99.9% of the stressful or aggravating situations he came across? Reagan wanted nothing more than to upturn her little container of ice cream over Evan’s big head.

“It’s the most sunny time of the year, so yes I am.” Her brown eyes bored into his. “Are you? Enjoying the sunshine? The perfect weather for outdoor DATES, don’t you think?” Reagan arched an eyebrow, unable to stop herself from being so mean. The only thing that calmed a hint was talking of her siblings. “They’re here but they’ll be leaving shortly.” As would she, of course. There was relief about her because of the fact that Evan and Jude hadn’t bumped into each other. Jude was keeping himself busy and distracted with Gobstones and dance classes. The last thing he needed was to see Evan though Reagan knew she couldn’t protect her brother forever.

She spooned some ice cream into her mouth, eyes still on the boy before her.

Was she being intimidating?

This was certainly Reagan.

Evan blinked at her, feeling almost hostility radiating but yet... he was not sure as to what he could have done to earn her ire. Was it because he hadn't recognized her or greeted her first? Considering they weren't that close, that seemed like it would have been strange. But maybe people got offended by things like that easily?

Aaaah. Right? "So.. you like the sunshine then? Do anything fun on summer solstice?" If she was excited about it being the sunniest time of the year, then the longest day of sun in the year also should have been something exciting, right? Despite the boy being the most oblivious of individuals, the emphasis on dates did not escape his notice and his brow furrowed in confusion. In an effort to be more aware of his feelings, he'd started thinking and reading a lot more about others. And this comment made him come to two different scenarios, both which made him sweat a little. He didn't know if they knew each other well, but from what he could remember she and Val would have been room mates. So what if they DID and this was a dig at the fact he'd seriously messed up on something one of the times they hung out. The other option was that Jude had told her about his date and this upset Reagan for some other reason?

Oh sweet merlin, did Jude's sister like him?

"Uh, yeah, I guess so? If you like going out in the summer. I personally think winter and snowball fights and sledding and everything is more fun but..." Not that he'd done any of those things, but they did sound more like fun. And perhaps putting it in a future scenario would make him less uncomfortable. It so far wasn't working. He blinked again when she announced they were all there but would be leaving shortly, giving a small nod and attempting to take a tiny bite of his ice cream. "You all have already finished your shopping then? Too bad, it would have been nice to say hello." Something told him if he asked the Gryffindor to pass on the message, it was not something she would be doing for him.

He was definitely feeling intimidated, but perhaps not in the ways she'd originally hoped.

It was really nice to meet someone that seemed to be just as excited about going to Hogwarts as her. "It is going to be my first year there also. My aunt and cousin were in Hufflepuff and my mother was in Slytherin so I'm not sure which house I'll be in. Honestly, I don't mind which one."

Persephone quickly ate a spoonful of whipped cream and thought for a moment. "Any subjects that you're looking forward to studying?"

Matilda considered not eating the rest of her ice cream but she didn't want to waste it so she forcibly took another spoonful, pulling a face - when she noticed a boy about her age take a seat at the next table. Well, okay. She felt a little too shy to start a conversation, even though she was working to get over that shyness - which wasn't all that easy. Unfortunately. She glanced at him again - he did look vaguely familiar - before her attention went back to her ice cream.

.. Ugh.