Elnesiel entered the Owl Post Office and looked around. She already had an owl, and did not need to send a letter to anyone anyway, so she then exited the post office again.

Lore stood at the entrance to the Owl Post Office. Amazingly, he was NOT in disguise. No! No Rick Edmund anymore! That disguise was now dead, by now his last hair of Rick was used up. He could have just found someone else. But that was not needed. He had worn Rick Edmund's face as a precaution. He had not known who might have heard of his crimes all the way to here. But no one seemed to know.

Now he wore a different face, HIS face. He was taller and thinner than his disguise and very pale, so pale that some might mistake him for a vampire.

Lore stepped into the Owl Post Office.

Ayumi had a few more days off before going back to the muggle world and thankfully she still has time to do this. It's been awhile since she has done the whole sending of package or letter to someone, so she's quite anxious in the first place. She's just hoping the system hasn't changed yet or anything like that.

Ayumi apparated through the entrance. In her hand was the package and letter that she'll be sending. Sigh.

Here goes nothing...

The cold, the fog, the clouds, the wind, even the people - everything came back to him in a blink of an eye. The instant he'd apparated on top of that hill and breathed England's air. He wanted to disapparate right away, cursing himself for even thinking about coming back. He walked a lot, silently but with a purpose. He came home after almost fifteen years for a purpose. He had unfinished business and Isaac Mikash Carter was not the running away type.

Not anymore.

The man took over two hours to locate the Owl office. He doesn't remember this place, not Diagon Ally, not Hogsmeade... he almost got Hogwarts erased from his memory too.

One foot onto the building, Isaac's jaws tightened before bringing the other foot next to it. His eyes scanning the place and deciding where exactly should he go to first.

Vashti had been heading to the owlery to check up on the owls when she noticed a man standing in the entranceway. Just...standing. Did he have a letter to send? If so, why didn't he just continue on to the service desk? Was he lost? The post office wasn't really that hard to navigate through though. But was it just her...or did he seem vaguely familiar? Like she'd seen him somewhere but couldn't remember where...

Whether that was true or not, he was still a customer, and she was still an assistant, so she ought to assist him.

Walking over, she greeted him with a smile. "Hello, sir. Can I help you with anything?"

Isaac just stared at the young girl approaching him, he thought she was about to leave so he dodged her subtly and almost went on. But no, she apparently wanted to talk to him.

"Hello." He smiled politely at her after doing the math and figuring that she was someone who worked here. Wasn't she a bit young to be working, though? He thought the kids were over in school now...? Isaac almost glanced out the door making sure it was cold enough for Christmas. "Yes, please. I just got here from.." he looked back at the young girl, "..a long trip. I'd like to send a letter to someone." That just sounded off in his head. Since when does Isaac Mikash Carter have anyone in his life in the first place? People were just tools to get to what he wanted, what he desired and what made him what he is.

The man moved his cloak slightly out of his feet's way and meant to walk with the lady. "My daughter." Look! it wasn't so hard to say. He let out a feeble sigh. "Does it work if she was in school? Or is there a special place where I have to go to in order to get letters to Hogwarts?" He really didn't remember the procedures.

He never got any letters while in Hogwarts so..

Ah, so he did want to send a letter. To his daughter. Now if only she could figure out who that was, Vashti might remember why this man seemed so familiar.

But he...didn't seem to know that he could just send a letter here? Did he not send letters before? Or maybe wherever he had been at on his long trip had a different postal system than this one? Vashti wasn't sure where that could be though, even if she didn't exactly go to other places very often. Surely she would've found it in a book, but perhaps she hadn't found the right one.

Anyway.

"No, there's no special place besides here," she replied, shaking her head but still smiling. "If you have your letter ready, you can come on up to the service desk and I can help you get it sent off."

Charlotte stood at the entrance of the post office. Looking up into sky and seeing this unfamiliar building, she realised that it had been ages since she last sent something back to her family in the muggle world.

It could be possible that she had as well, forgotten how to post and all those kind of things. Stepping into the office, she stood there, watching everyone else passing right next to her. Maybe she should ask someone for help.

Gary decided to deliver the paper to the nearest place from Daily Prophet office. Where to go? He chose the Owl Post office first. He rode his bicycle to the post office. Summer time was a nice for bicycle riding because it's not too windy and made him easier to ride it.

Okay, first stop: Owl Post Office.

Eh?

The blonde guy was slightly confused now. The common newspaper boy usually just throw it then they go. But for now? He thought it was rude if it just throw then leave. Parking his bike, he stepped in the office. Perhaps he could find the officer there. "Hello?" he asked. "Excuse me? I'm from Daily Prophet, delivering you the latest issue of it." He just stood there and waited. If no one showed himself in five minutes, better leave the paper here then go.

Hearing a voice, Vashti waddled walked out of the back room to see who it was. A customer perhaps? Although she thought she'd caught the words "Daily Prophet," so...maybe a reporter? Hmm. It didn't seem like it as she approached the entrance of the post office where the boy was standing with the newspaper.

"Hello there," she greeted him with a friendly smile, resting one of her hands on her pregnant belly and the other on her hip. "What can I do for you?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deniiz

João simply chuckled when she gave him that look. He almost stressed out. But he wasn't the type to give in that easily. This side of their relationship amused him, in fact. Good try, Aspen, he thought and kept the pleasant smile, which didn't falter when she suddenly took his hand. If she was a Ravenclaw, he was a Slytherin, and they both knew very well that she didn't hold his hand out of love for him. So, without letting go of her hand, he simply changed the bag to his right as he kept her gaze.

"I think we should both learn how to use it," he said in reply and followed her towards the Post Office.

"I'm fairly proficient at the post." Though she didn't mention the literal fifty other letters she'd written him over the last term. Proficient, maybe, but certainly not efficient. Aspen kept his hand, nonchalant and comfortable in doing so, and stopped them just short of entering the Post Office. She took to the front stairs, turning quickly and putting herself in front of him - eye level with Joao a step up on the stairs.

"You received my letter after all, and here we are. So. So THIS is the post. You send letters here if you don't own a personal owl or need a letter delivered more promptly than your owl can manage." She paused to consider him, head tilted, noting his longer hair. "DO you have an owl?"

If so, he had no excuse not to write to her.

Aspen KNEW he knew how a Post Office worked. But she was making a point, see? She wished to be owled. By him.

João was confused as she did nothing to get the book from him. Although she looked fairly unconcerned about it for the moment, he still kept it as far as he could from her and tried to relax like she did, raising his eyebrows at her remark. "I believe I am proficient too," he said, wondering where this was heading to.

Oh. It was heading to there.

"I'm afraid in Brazil the name is not 'Post Office', so excuse my ignorance." His sentence sounded too childish suddenly, as if he couldn't find the words to tell. He hated it when she had the control. And looking into her blue eyes, he could see he didn't stand a chance.

She. She was a wonder.

"I have just bought one, one week before coming here to let necessary people know." She had a place among them too. Only, she'd written him sooner than he could. "I'll also learn 'Post Office' in Portuguese as soon as I'm home." So he WOULD owl her.

"It's obvious you knew about this place though... and I believe there was also one in Hogwarts?" So it wasn't only him that didn't write. It was mutual.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deniiz

João was confused as she did nothing to get the book from him. Although she looked fairly unconcerned about it for the moment, he still kept it as far as he could from her and tried to relax like she did, raising his eyebrows at her remark. "I believe I am proficient too," he said, wondering where this was heading to.

Oh. It was heading to there.

"I'm afraid in Brazil the name is not 'Post Office', so excuse my ignorance." His sentence sounded too childish suddenly, as if he couldn't find the words to tell. He hated it when she had the control. And looking into her blue eyes, he could see he didn't stand a chance.

She. She was a wonder.

"I have just bought one, one week before coming here to let necessary people know." She had a place among them too. Only, she'd written him sooner than he could. "I'll also learn 'Post Office' in Portuguese as soon as I'm home." So he WOULD owl her.

"It's obvious you knew about this place though... and I believe there was also one in Hogwarts?" So it wasn't only him that didn't write. It was mutual.

"Seeing is believing and I've yet to see," a letter from him. And she wanted one. Aspen didn't usually make her wants known. She wasn't greedy, she wasn't spoiled, and she was patient enough to wait for whatever she wanted.

Except, apparently... this. It was important that he knew she wanted letters.

She wanted something else, too, oddly enough - something she'd been thinking about for ages now. But she'd get to that.

Aspen smiled at his talking, always fascinated in his Brazil, and him in general. She had about a million and seven questions about his owl. (Was the owl here? Was it a boy or girl? Could she meet it? Was it a long distance flyer, or a sprinter? Would she see it at Hogwarts? Where did he buy it? How old was it? AND MORE!) To her credit though, she didn't ask them all.

She nodded confirmation to his question. Indeed, there was an owlery at Hogwarts. A Post in Hogsmeade, too. Feeling honesty was best, particularly if she was going to GET those things she WANTED, Aspen told him the truth. "I wrote you a lot. Probably weekly." Shrug. "School is kind of boring without you around to fight with. I mean, you can only set the Head Girl on fire so many times before even that is boring. ....I just didn't send any of the letters. You weren't exactly pleased with me when you left." Though Merlin only knew why.

Aspen had MORE to say, that was obvious, and a million questions - but she stopped herself in an obvious way. She was going to shut up and let him talk now - and build up her courage to ask him for what she wanted (IN ADDITION TO HER BOOK!).

João tilted his head to the right too, and just viewed her. A million answers crossed his mind, but he didn't say any of them because all sounded too childish. So one of her reasons to see him was to hint she wanted letters. And letters she would get. Although he wasn't they type to write letters, she would. So, hoping that she would understand his full agreement, he simply nodded to this request.

His mouth fell open in his utter surprise for a few seconds before he collected himself and re-established his confident stature. His heart also skipped more than a few beats, and he nearly dropped the bag from his hand.

So she did want to keep in touch with him.

He was definitely not expecting that... confession? Information? Both? His chuckle was even a few seconds late, and it took him longer to register that last year's Head Girl was Louisa. He frowned at last, but didn't seem to care much. He didn't want any Louisa right now, especially not with Aspen.

"Was I? My memory declined awfully on our last encounter," he mumbled, although he remembered perfectly. He even looked away with a small frown as if he tried to remember, but shrugged afterwards. He returned his gaze to the blue eyes. "My life isn't a blast either without our fights. And I don't even have a Head Girl to set on fire."

Again, seeing was believing, so Aspen would just wait and see if letters arrived for her. But... she certainly felt better, more optimistic that one MIGHT show up from the former Slytherin now. Unless she set HIM on fire before they parted today.

And let's be honest - there was at least a 50/50 chance of that happening.

Aspen noted the mouth drop. She REALLY noted the near bag drop. Clearly, she had effects on him, ones that miiiiiight get her her book without much effort on her part. It wouldn't even be cheating either.

"A blast," Aspen smiled. What an appropriate choice of word. There usually was a BLAST of some sort, whether literal or verbal, when they got together. "She's probably around here somewhere if you feel up to it. I find teaching her lessons... therapeutic. She shrieks sometimes, you know." Hehe.

Hehe. OR they could go OWL Louisa now and get her over. Then blast her.

...she knew Joao wouldn't go for that, but still, if he needed some excitement in his life... she was up for it. "I want something else, too. In addition to my book, your brain for the day, and letters in the future." Aspen still held his hand, still was at his eye level on a step up from on the Post Office entrance steps.

João smiled back, eyes sparkling. A blast. He didn't share her amusement though about Louisa, and simply shook his head. "She's your Head Girl, see? It wouldn't be as therapeutic on me." And Vickers' girl too, for that matter. SHE needed a lesson on Post Offices, actually, never responding to the only letter he'd sent to her. So no, João didn't want to see her, nor talk about her.

He smiled again at 'your brain for the day', forgetting about Louisa. He unconsciously re-gripped the book and hid his arm behind his body at the mention of it. "What is it then?" he asked, keeping her gaze.

"Not anymore," Aspen grinned, her eyes glinting with mischief and zero apologies for any stress, gray hair, and/or turmoil she caused the former Head Girl. It'd been too fun and educational to regret. "I wonder what would be therapeutic to you?" a random, out loud thought. He'd probably get more jollies out of hexing ASPEN than Louisa, huh? Huh. Heh.

..bring it.

As he moved his hand behind his back, Aspen too made a move. She let his other hand go and put both hands behind her back, sort of mirroring him. Sort of saying... your turn. Sort of testing him, as usual.

"If you're still in the country when it's time for me to return to Hogwarts, I want you to see me off at King's Cross. Meet me on the Platform before I leave." Again, she was asking without apology, without any regard that she was asking for a lot, and actually - she wasn't asking at all. Just letting him know what she wanted. If she got it, she got it, and if not... then well, life went on. But she DID want him to see her off. She DID.

Yeah. Not anymore. Louisa'd graduated to have a gap year happily with--

No Louisa anymore.

João forced himself to smile, trying to share the tiniest bit of Aspen's amusement. Luckily though, she didn't insist much, and he could shrug casually at her question. "I've never thought about it." Standing here, learning about posts was very calming, actually.

The tip of his mouth curled into the smallest smile when she imitated him. See? He wasn't such a moody person, after all. It took so little to make him smile. If she didn't want to hold his hand, he would put it over the other one to guard the book better.

...Aspen was the fourth dimension of the world.

This time his mouth didn't fall open though, because... well, she made him remember perfectly that she was Aspen Odessa, The Lady of Surprises, so he just blinked away to calculate. After ten seconds' silence, he looked back at her again.

"That can be arranged."

His eyes were full of questions though, questions like 'Why? What happened to your friend--Max, was it? What about my friend Estrella, and West and your parents and--?'

She was heading fast towards covering also the fifth dimension.

Aspen remembered a day she played with him in the snow that had seemed VERY therapeutic to him. She was sure he hadn't forgotten it either, whether he'd thought about it or not.

He was DEFINITELY thinking about her want of him on the Platform though. He was THINKING over there, and if he'd stop being a twerp and give her her BOOK, she might be able to start learning how to READ those thoughts from his head. By the time she was finished thinking this though, he was out with an answer.

An agreeable answer, at that. "Then arrange it. I'll give you further instructions if you really do show up." That'd been easy, and she clearly had him on the brink of asking her more questions, so Aspen decided to use the tilt her way to her advantage.

First, she took her hat off and placed the big, sun-blocking thing on Joao's head. Then, quite carelessly, she rested each of her forearms on his shoulders, sort of giving him a messy, incomplete hug. She was sure she had his attention in any case. Did she have his WHOLE attention? Hmmm?

Aspen liked to give orders, didn't she? "Sim, senhorita," he said in a serious manner as he bowed. Then, when he drew a breath to ask her some of his questions, her hat was on his head. He paused, trying to come up with a reasonable comeback. The way she hugged him--certainly her arms wouldn't go all the way down to the book.

"You can't distract me with your hat, lady," he said, settling on doing nothing in the end. He could even tolerate the hat for a few seconds. "You have to answer my questions too. It's only polite to give something in exchange of another thing." He moved his arm that held the book again, though he still kept it at the back.

Ready for the questions?

"You didn't exactly say all the reasons to meet me. What are those?" He paused as if he tried to choose his next question. "Also, what will be the 'instructions' if I do show up?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deniiz

Aspen liked to give orders, didn't she? "Sim, senhorita," he said in a serious manner as he bowed. Then, when he drew a breath to ask her some of his questions, her hat was on his head. He paused, trying to come up with a reasonable comeback. The way she hugged him--certainly her arms wouldn't go all the way down to the book.

"You can't distract me with your hat, lady," he said, settling on doing nothing in the end. He could even tolerate the hat for a few seconds. "You have to answer my questions too. It's only polite to give something in exchange of another thing." He moved his arm that held the book again, though he still kept it at the back.

Ready for the questions?

"You didn't exactly say all the reasons to meet me. What are those?" He paused as if he tried to choose his next question. "Also, what will be the 'instructions' if I do show up?"

Not with her hat?

But with other things, then.

...challenge accepted.

"Only polite?" Aspen had to laugh at that. Joao wanted manners from her? Really? "What you're describing sounds like fair, not polite. If you want me to curtsey and say please for things, I'd rather us just duel for my book and go our ways." Well... mostly. It wasn't the most honest proposition Aspen Odessa had ever made, but it had hues of truth.

She relaxed further, stepping down from the step so that she was below him - but closer. Her arms stayed loosely around his shoulders.

"The rest of the reasons can be categorized as raging curiosity. I wondered about you." Not a full answer, but good enough. "And the instructions come if you do, not before."

João laughed, shaking his head in the manner of 'What will I do with you?' He liked her directness, actually. That meant she would just keep silent instead of lying if she didn't want to answer, right? Right.

"Yes, 'fair' is another word to describe it." He sounded as if he didn't finish all that he had to say. Truth was, he was distracted with her coming closer yet. Not that he was uncomfortable. Surprisingly, she was one of the few people that didn't make him feel suffocated.

'Book. Focus on the book.'

He nodded at the reason and considered the instructions part again. He was being the soon-to-be-dead cat here, accepting her conditions because she made him dead curious.

Oh well. He had to know. And if she wished something silly there, she would be dead.

"I will come." He paused again, searching for words. "So, goodbye until then?" They were done here, yes?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deniiz

João laughed, shaking his head in the manner of 'What will I do with you?' He liked her directness, actually. That meant she would just keep silent instead of lying if she didn't want to answer, right? Right.

"Yes, 'fair' is another word to describe it." He sounded as if he didn't finish all that he had to say. Truth was, he was distracted with her coming closer yet. Not that he was uncomfortable. Surprisingly, she was one of the few people that didn't make him feel suffocated.

'Book. Focus on the book.'

He nodded at the reason and considered the instructions part again. He was being the soon-to-be-dead cat here, accepting her conditions because she made him dead curious.

Oh well. He had to know. And if she wished something silly there, she would be dead.

"I will come." He paused again, searching for words. "So, goodbye until then?" They were done here, yes?

"Most things aren't fair." In case Joao wasn't aware yet, though she was pretty sure he had a sense of it. It did appear he expected, or at least wanted, her to be fair. How was THAT fair?

Aspen didn't answer his last question - not with words. She moved her hands from his shoulders to full around him. Her hands went to his, where he was holding the bag that held her BOOK behind him. Her chin nearly rested on chest from all the reaching.

"I want my book before you go. It'd not be fair otherwise."

João shrugged. He didn't care much, unless unfair things affected him.

Now--now he felt suffocated. He wondered if she encircled him on purpose to get the book more easily. This was a kind of duelling too, to corner him by his fears, no?

No. He could resist yet. Just a few deep breaths...

Instead of calming down, he panicked more.

With a sudden movement, he pushed open her arms as strongly as he could. "Yeah, you'll geddit," he said as fast as could. He felt like he had one condition to give her the book, but he couldn't remember what it was. In any case, he had to not touch her to be able to think anything. He took a few steps back, face flushed, and breathed, and breathed, then held out the bag towards her.