Elliott was told to wait by the bench by his mother while she went to sort out some 'business'. She wouldn't tell him what business because that wasn't any of his business and that made the nearly 7 year-old very annoyed. He could do nothing about it, though, which was even more annoying.

The kid huffed in annoyance as he sat there by himself before he wrinkled his nose. What was that STENCH???

Benji didn't mind accompanying his poppa to Diagon Alley whenever he could. With his mama being at work in the hospital he really didn't have much choice in the matter anyhow. It wasn't like they would allow him to remain home on his own yet. Poppa had said they had a few things to do first but afterwards they could get some ice cream and maybe stop at the park for a bit if they had time. So he was trying very hard to keep up and not ask to many questions today so they could finish fast.

Mid-way down one of the pavements, the seven year old spotted a young boy just about his age sitting alone. Stopping and tugging at his poppa's sleeve he gestured to the other boy and asked if he could go sit with him. It took a tad bit of convincing but once he got the okay he wanted the young boy took off towards the bench.

"Hi! I'm Benji!" he greeted the other boy with a wide grin, plopping himself down on the bench beside him.

Trying not to gag, Elliott held his nose and started breathing through his mouth.

YUCK, that was even nastier!!! COUGH COUGH COUGH, GAASP!

...He shouldn't have gasped.

"Sweet Merlin." The boy said, frowning deeply and covering his mouth with his hand. He started looking around to see if he spotted where that smell was coming from and he didn't notice a boy around his age sitting next to him on the bench.

It was only when the other kid spoke to him that he quickly turned around. Elliott eyed the newcomer, hand still covering his mouth and the frown still in place. The boy he had never seen before had been quick to introduce himself, so the blond kid didn't have to question who he was. He was also going to ask if he knew the kid from anywhere - because why was he talking to him??? - but the boy had told him his name which meant he didn't know Elliott either.

Didn't his mother tell him not to talk to strangers??

"Hi..?" The young boy said anyway, even though HIS mother had told him not to talk to strangers. He was about to ask the other boy what he wanted and why he was talking to him, but that smell was HORRIBLE!!! "What in Merlin's sweaty socks is this SMELL???" Elliott asked rather annoyed, as he resumed looking around.

The fear of talking to someone he didn't know wasn't in the forefront of his mind right then. For one his poppa knew exactly where he was and he could even see the man through the store window across from the bench. Plus this kid seemed about his age so the only thing on his mind was being friendly. Talking to someone his age had to be more fun then just sitting all alone or being dragged around shopping all day.

What was up with this kid though? He was acting like he wasn't used to other kids saying hi to him... and why was his hand over his mouth? Was he going to be sick? Benji eyed him right back for just a moment.

Smell? What smell? He di-

Suddenly whatever the smell was reached him and right away the boy crinkled up his nose in displease. "Eeww... what is that?!" He hadn't smelled anything before. Now he did and he it was HORRIBLE!

This boy. Elliott turned around again and gave him a somewhat suspicious look, wondering why he had basically repeated Elliott's question. Strange boy.

"I don't know." The blond kid told Benji. That was why he asked what that smell was?

He jumped up and looked around, going towards the bin near the bench. It didn't seem like it stunk more than the rest of the air around them, so Elliott guessed the smell wasn't coming from there. It didn't exactly smell like bin, though... He couldn't tell what it was!!!!!! And that was annoying!!!!!!

Frown. "Diagon Alley stinks." He remarked, crossing his arms over his chest and sitting back down with a thud.

Elliott wasn't particularly a fan of waiting without being entertained and right now he was far from being entertained. So he huffed and puffed and coughed some more of that stinky air out of his lungs.

Yuck.

Benjamin said nothing at all when the kid looked at him. It was common nature to sometimes repeat something without thinking about it... at least for him it was. He thought nothing at all of it.

While the other kid went to check the trash bin, he slid off the bench and looked around on the ground. There really wasn't anything that he saw that could be the source of the smell, not even a spill on the ground. Trying not to cough or breath in the icky smell, Benji tugged his shirt up over his mouth and nose. It helped a little.

"I couldn't find anything." He sat back down on the bench wondering if it would be best to just go into the shop that his poppa was in. At least he wouldn't be out here where the gross smell was sitting beside a boy how obviously didn't want to talk to him. Just his rotten luck for trying to nice and keep the kid company.

Elliott glanced to his side and saw the boy with his top over his nose and mouth. Good idea. The nearly 7 year-old mimicked the other kid and pulled his own top over his nose and mouth.

He could still smell it somewhat, but that was much better. MUCH better. "I bet it's a magical stink." The blond boy said in a know-it-all tone. He was sure of it. He just knew it. And Elliott was a bright boy, so he was bound to be right. "That's why we can't see it. I bet my dad could clear it with a swish of his wand." He added half full of pride because his father was a great Wizard, but half bitter because he wished HE was allowed to do magic already.

He shot the other boy another judging and superior look. "Have you ever done magic before?"

With his shirt still covering his mouth and nose he looked over at the boy. A magical stink. It made sense. Just because they couldn't find the source of it didn't mean it wasn't there. Benji shifted sideways on the bench tucking one of his legs up underneath him. "It's probably coming from inside one of the shops then." Which was likely to be the case. "My poppa could too.. or my mum but she's at work." She worked lots now since Jarrod was sick and poppa wasn't working as much so he could spend more time home with Jarrod and him. He bet his brother would be able to get rid of the smell too!

Benji shrugged. "Little stuff." Nothing major. "Have you?"

She had arrived a few minutes early. The muggle bus had surprisingly managed to hit all of its destinations on time so she was very, very early to her meeting with Ace. There were things on the train she wished she could have said but held her thoughts as there were plenty of people in the Prefects Compartment. It wasn't the right time.

As Vi sat on the park bench, she began recounting the events of the prior months. The red hawks, the incident at Dufftown, getting into her number one university, and.. graduation.

Graduation.

Wow.

Already?

The Lioness couldn't believe it. The past two years had flown by incredibly quickly at Hogawrts. Ever since the IMPS tournament, everything had started to become a blur. A joyful blur but she wished she jotted down more memories of fun things that happened in her notebook. Like the little fun things that she used to make note of during her first year at Hogwarts. Looking back on those memories always earned a chuckle, a raised eyebrow, a secretive smile, and sometimes even the occasional eye roll paired with a groan. Heh.

As she watched people pass, she glanced down at the journal in her hand which had a handwritten list of all the work she needed to do and purchase before starting her next program at university. It was back to being a first year but this time-- a first year at university. Opening up her journal, she began checking the list and began crossing out things she had accomplished. Apartment hunting... Yes.... Book purchasing.... Still needed to happen.

Summer Vacation!

What Summer Vacation?

Tenacius was expecting that this first summer where he was essentially a FREE man would be spent just chillaxing and not thinking about the incoming school year for once. Instead he finds himself busier than ever before-- even worse than when he became Head Boy-- as now he was constantly playing catch up and trying to beat one deadline or another. He thought things would settle down now that he has selected his Uni and the first course he was taking-- but like the never-ending wave another deluge of requirements threaten to drown him.

He spotted his beloved Vi sat on the park bench and slumped next to her like a deflated tube man, and just as its air ebbs away he slowly leans his head on her shoulder "I'm dead." he murmured.

Now the confession. She bit her lip as she glanced at the journal, pretending to read through the words she had written inside. Memories, mementos that would provide the much needed comfort for the risk she was about to take.

It was just a few words.

But those words were heavy. Very heavy. But so dear to her heart. It was hard to utter but she wanted too..... But.... Her eyes glanced back at the book and her fingers traced the words written there.

Huh? She felt someone slump into the bench beside her and closed her book with a wry smile. Ace. Soon enough, she could feel his soft yet styled head resting on her shoulder. Without a word, she turned her head towards her shoulder to gently kiss the top of his head. "Yeah, me too," she said with a smile. "There's always plenty of things to do without much time."

"Busy day?" she asked with a small grin. "Prim, Etta, and I have settled on a flat."

Elliott looked around again as Benji said the smell was probably coming from inside one of the shops. "It smells more like it's inside my NOSE." He frowned, keeping his top over his nose and mouth. He glanced at the other boy when he mentioned his mum was at work. "Where does she work?" His mum worked too, but she wasn't at work that day. She was doing other stuff that was 'just as important', as she said, but Elliott didn't have any idea what that could be. Hmph.

The half German boy kept watching Benji when he said he had only done little stuff regarding magic. "I have." Elliott replied, his ego and chest inflating proudly. "I can do a lot of things, but mum doesn't allow me to do it outside of the house." He wasn't about to tell the boy his mother had told him a million times he shouldn't be using magic like that because he might get in trouble, though. Benji didn't need to know that much. He also didn't need to know that most of his magic was also pretty basic.

Strange thing was, Elliott didn't feel silly at all having a conversation with his nose and mouth covered. He looked around as some people walked by.

As long as he didn't complete focus on whatever that smell was, it wasn't actually that bad. Having his shirt up over his mouth and nose helped as well. Benji looked at the boy and shrugged. "I don't think it's that bad anymore... maybe you're just to focused on it." He turned his hazel eyes onto the people walking by for a moment before returning his gaze onto Elliott. "At Mungos. She's a Healer. What does your mum do?" His mama had been a Healer since before he was born only she they had been in France before they moved here.

While the boy talked about how much magic he could supposedly do, Benji just nodded slowly. Some people were magically inclined at younger ages but that didn't mean this boy was better at magic than he was or well would be. Right now he wasn't focused to much on it all since he wasn't supposed to be doing any of it until he was older. "She probably just wants to make sure you're safe." Parents were like that. "I much rather go flying." Or build with Legos. Lately though all his time went towards flying... if he was going to be the best like his big brother and his poppa someday he needed to be the best NOW!

Huh?? What was this kid on about? Elliott gave him a suspicious look. "You're saying that if I stop thinking about it I won't smell it anymore?" That sounded like a big fat lie. But Elliott hadn't tried that before so he couldn't say whether Benji was lying or not. Sure, he was older than Elliott, but that didn't mean he knew everything.

...But now Elliott couldn't stop thinking about it, even if he tried, because by trying to not think about the smell he was already thinking about the smell!!! Grrrrr! "It doesn't work!"

Benji's next words made Elliott's head whip around as he looked right into the other boy's eyes. "MY mum works at St Mungos. She's a healer!" HUH. "She's not there now, though, she's in that shop." He pointed at the double doors on the other side of the street.

Elliott pulled a face when Benji said his mother was probably just making sure he was safe. "I can't be good at magic if I don't do magic, though!" He huffed in annoyance, crossing his arms over his chest and accidentally pulling his top from his nose and mouth. "AAAARGH!" COUGH COUGH COUGH! He breathed in the disgusting air before he could pull his top over his mouth and nose again. "Gross!!"

Benji wasn't at all fazed by the look Elliott was giving him. Lifting his shoulders into a shrug he glanced around yet again. His poppa sure was taking a long time in that shop. Sigh. "Think about something else then." Like cookies. Or legos. Flying... yeah flying always got his attention.

Why was this kid shouting?! Blinking Benji turned his hazel eyes onto the younger boy. His mum was a healer too?! "Cool! They probably know each then." Yup. Since they worked together in the same place. The young boy swung his gaze towards the shop Elliott was pointing at. "My poppa is in there," he answered pointing to the shop to the left of the one Elliott had pointed at.

This time there was no stopping himself from laughing at the look on Elliott's face. "You won't be good at it if you don't know what you're doing either."

It never got old coming back from the states to shop for his supplies for a year at Hogwarts. His summer days had been great back home in Kentucky, he got to catch up with his friends and what they were doing. He even got to play a little muggle baseball this year with his friends. He was more excited to get back to Hogwarts because he really did enjoy the learning he was doing. After walking around a bit with his parents he needed a moment. He walked down to the south end of the street and sit down at the park bench so he could take a moment to take it all in. Soon he’d be in the castle studying and hopefully playing quidditch.

He grunted in reply to having a busy day, probably how a phone would sound like if its got 2% left of battery power.

But being with Vi was like being plugged in to much needed power, and her news of finding a place to stay with the rest of her girlfriends gave him that extra boost in energy "Good!--" he replied without lifting his head off her shoulder just yet, because gosh he was just getting comfortable and its Vi, he'd smother her right here if they werent in public. "Is it near Uni? I havent made up my mind about getting my own place or not." Because his home is so comfy yknow? Also a few paces from his bedroom is a fully working professional kitchen with customers and everything, kinda the best place to be at with the career he wants to pursue.

Now Ace sounded exhausted. She hadn't seen him this tired since exams week back at Hogwarts. She cast her blue eyes towards his head that rested on her shoulder. Heh. How cute. "Y'know you're cute when you're tired," she whispered before closing her eyes for a moment to enjoy this small moment. Life was moving quickly. Too quickly and she just wanted to enjoy the now and not worry about the future. It just felt right having him be that close to her. They had been through a lot together. The tournaments, the awkwardness on the ship, the red hawks, Gryffindor leadership, Zita Valla, and more and had survived the trials that fate had thrown their way.

She nodded. "Close enough to Uni. You could def crash," she said with a smile before that smile disappeared a little at the next thought. Her roomies... Prim and Etta were great and all but the idea of Etta going to a different university worried her about the living situation but it would be okay... She just had to tell herself that. Apparation was a thing. "Etta's going to Edinburgh University though she is still going to live with us."

"But anyway, where are you going to live? Get a flat with Tory and open up that pub?"

Elliott shot Benji a pointed look. Didn't he know that Elliott had TRIED to think about something else? But for that exact reason, he COULDN'T think of anything else. "Like what?" The boy decided to ask anyway, just in the case the older kid was able to give him a good enough thing to think about in order for him to forget about the stinky smell.

Their mums probably knew each other? "Yeah." Elliott said, ot sounding very excited about that fact. It seemed like his mother knew everything and everyone, and that annoyed him. He was never able to outsmart her because she was a lot more clever than he was. But just WAIT, mother, until he was old like she was - because she was terribly old. Benji's 'poppa' was in the other shop. Elliott looked in the direction that the boy was pointing before asking, "What's he doing in there?"

Another pointed look at the Benji kid for laughing at him. 'You won't be good at it if you don't know what you're doing either.' "That's why I need to practice!" The young blond kid said as if Benji's comment had meant he didn't know what he was doing for a lack of tries.

The older boy mentioned he'd rather fly though. "Do you have your own broom?"

Once again Benjamin ignored the boys look. He wanted to know what to think of though. Well alright. "Anything. Whatever you like. Swimming or going flying... building cities with Legos and playing catching fish in the lake or going flying!" Had he mentioned that already? Oh well, it didn't matter if he had. He liked flying.

What was the matter with this kid? Everything seemed to bother him. Benji had caught on to the unexcited tone in his voice when he realized their mothers might work together since they were both Healers. Really he didn't see what the big deal was in that. He was being asked about his poppa now though and all he could really do now was shrug. "I dunno. Probably picking up supplies to send to my brother at school." It was as good a guess as any.

"Okay, okay then practice." He laughed shrugging his shoulders. Whatever made Elliott happy. It wasn't his problem anyhow.

A wide grin formed on Benji's face. "Yeah! I'm supposed to be getting a better one for my birthday though since I'm turning eight soon." At least that's what Jarrod had promised him. He had kept up his grades in school and had been practicing his flying all year long and gotten really good at it.

Whatever he liked? Elliott stopped to consider that, so he pulled a serious thinking face, almost like a frown. One of the things Benji said made the blond boy give him yet another suspicious look. "What are Legos?" He asked, raising one of his eyebrows. "Is that a Muggle thing?" Elliott jumped to conclusions because if he didn't know what something was, it was very likely it was a Muggle thing. Elliott was taught Muggle things were not good and so he was back to studying this Benji kid closely and suspiciously.

The fact that Benji's brother was at school made Elliott a bit more interested, and he perked up a little, even momentarily forgetting about the stench. "Is that Hogwarts? What's his house?"

.........Was this boy for real? Elliott stared at him when he suggested for him to practice. "Are you daft? I can't, I'm not allowed to." All the judgemental looks being shot at you, Benji.

Flying, though. This kid seemed to be interested in that. Elliott was somewhat interested in it too, but not enough to beg for a broom yet. Benji was going to get a better broom for his birthday? And he was turning EIGHT?? That made Elliott jealous because he wished he were older. Being the oldest was always the best, so he wasn't too pleased to find out that Benji was, in fact, a whole year older than he was. Hmph. He remained quiet for a bit before going back to the topic of brooms. "What type?" Of broom was he getting for his birthday, that was.

Blinks. Sometimes he forgot that not everyone knew what Legos were. Not everyone knew muggle things. The look Elliott was giving him said as much. Benji nodded. "Yes. Legos are toys... uh... little blocks that snap together and allow you to build things. They come in all different sizes and colors and shapes." That was the easiest way to explain what they were without having a photo or something to actually show to him. Nothing scary or dangerous about it unless you swallowed one but why anyone but a little baby or a creature would put one in their mouth was beyond him.

Benji shook his head. "Not anymore he was in Ravenclaw though. He transferred to Beauxatons last term and is in Bellefuille. He plays for the U17 team there." Yup his big brother was amazing!

Daft? Right. The eight year old scoffed rolling his eyes. "You're the one that keeps saying you need to practice." It's not his fault this kid complained about being unable to practice and now complaining he can't. Sounded like Elliott needed to learn some patience like every other kid their age.

All he could do was shrug. "I don't know yet. Whichever one my poppa thinks I'm ready for... or my big brother can talk him into getting for me." Hopefully the latter of the two. He knew his big brother would be able to convince their poppa to get him a really good broom.

Spencer had known all along, really, that being 'grounded for a year' wouldn't actually mean that he had to stay inside for an entire twelve months. Apart from the fact that he drove his dad up the wall when he was stuck inside, there was also the fact that his mum 'didn't believe in grounding', and basically let him run riot on the days that she had him. She even left him unsupervised in Diagon Alley, even after what had happened before, with that whole disappearance thing that got his name in the newspaper and made him SO FAMOUS. An actual CELEBRITY. Or something.

While they were on a rare day out in Diagon Alley, where he usually went with his dad, Spencer's mum had gone into the book shop to look for something and, rather than drag a bored and troublesome ten year old boy around with her, she had permitted him to sit on the bench outside and wait there instead. He'd promised not to get into any mischief or wander off with anyone, and she had promised to keep a close eye on him through the window of the shop.

Spencer, however, bored quickly. There was very little to occupy his wandering attention while just sitting on a bench, and so the bench quickly became an impromptu climbing frame. He clambered up onto the top of the backrest and balanced there, wobbling slightly back and forth and marvelling at the street from this wonderful new vantage point.

Today was a mum day. Surely he'd only be wasting it if he didn't get into some kind of trouble. But the question was, what?

Diagon Alley was way busier than he'd thought it was going to be, and giving Flynn the slip had proven more difficult than previous occasions because he couldn't just get on his skateboard and zip away. Józef did eventually manage to, though, when his cousin was occupied with his boyfriend, and without a backwards glance he was out of the bookshop (who had time for reading when there was so many, much more exciting things to do?) and

.....

Instead of running off to somewhere or something more interesting, Joey was confronted with a boy clambering all over a bench and balancing on the backrest of it! That looked cool, and of course the eleven year old immediately wanted to try it. So he did, climbing up and standing wobbly but grinning massively next to the other boy.

"Good view."

He had gotten most of his supplies, eaten a snack and had made his second friend. Brody was in a very good mood by now and he was waiting patiently on his Aunt Tallie who had offered to get his books for him. She had told him to wait there at the bench for her and she was one of the few persons he would listen to.

He was growing and his feet touched the ground when he sat but if he hunched them up a bit, he was able to swing them. So, he swung them while he sat surrounded by packages and bags containing supplies.

Hopefully this would not be a long wait.