Pierson Fuller's Doggy Daycare Play Pen
 

https://i.postimg.cc/MTwvDz6c/doggydaycare.jpg

As some of you may know, Professor Fuller-Thompson had previously worked at Hogwarts as the Charms instructor for four years. It wasn't a particularly long time, but Piers gained many of his gray hairs in those four years. That and a few other things led him to essentially "retire" in 2085, when he went home to his lovely husband in Brighton and opened up his very own doggy daycare. Ahh, life... Life was wonderful.

Well, now Piers is back. Retirement is over. But his doggy daycare is NOT. Over the thirteen years that Piers stayed at home and lived a good, calm life, filled with dogs and gardening, Piers happened to.. gain quite a lot of dogs. And he couldn't just LEAVE them behind.

So, just beside the hut, a ways away from the pumpkin patch, is a fenced in area where Piers' current FIVE dogs stay when he is busy teaching lessons or attending meetings. It is a large area with lots of toys, a large feeding and water area for when they get hungry, and a couple shelters to either stay warm from the cold, or stay cool from the sun (depends on the season). From the looks of it, the dogs have a pretty good life.

However, dogs do need human interaction to stay sane. On the fence, there is a sign that reads:

"WELCOME TO PIERS' DOGGY DAYCARE
Students and faculty are welcome to hop the fence and play with the dogs.
Treats are permitted ONLY when the dogs are good.
Please do not remove any dogs from fenced area without permission."


OOC: In other words, come play with the dogs! Feel free to RP your character coming to play with the dogs, chase the dogs, feed the dogs treats, etc.

List of Dogs:

1. Lucy - black lab
2. Simon - australian shepherd
3. Bumper - golden retriever
4. Winnie - australian shepherd RIP
5. Benji - chocolate lab RIP

Orion wasn’t much for the outdoors and he was even less for dogs, but he couldn’t help wanting to wander outside and take in the beauty that was Hogwarts again. As much as he loved the rose gardens at Beauxbatons, he adored the lovely rustic wilderness that was his home.

Though maybe a fountain or two couldn’t hurt yeah?

He was wandering down to the new caretakers house to see what he had going on, when he noticed a pen full of dogs and a girl inside with them.

“Are we just allowed in there like that?” He asked a bit bluntly.

Ewan! Open to everyone else too!
 

Rylee had been in something of an unpleasant mood recently. The end of the muggle studies LTA and having to return Serafina to professor Schmoe had done something to her. Not having someone to take care around the clock now had once more left her with more time on her hands than she cared to have. Time that even studying for her NEWTs wasn't filling.

Anyone that knew her personally knew how she liked to constantly be busy. Not having something to do at all times was beyond dreadful. As was the silence and the emptiness inside her.

With the weather slowly getting warmer, more and more of her time was being spent outside somewhere on the grounds. Anywhere that could keep her busy, had some sort of noise and might even possibly put a smile on her face. Which is how she ended up exactly where she was right now. Professor Fullers doggy daycare. What better way to cheer herself up than to play with the dogs?

Stepping over the fence into the area, Rylee knelt down in the grass and called out to the dogs.

Anyone who knew Ewan in the slightest knew he hadn’t been himself this year. Sure, he was missing home and his little baba Eleanor who was waiting for him back home in Canada but that wasn’t the only thing. Not that he would tell anyone anyway. No. He’d sooner just walk around the school with a blank face and his hood up so that no one could see his thousand-yard stare.

With that in mind, the tall Ravenclaw had decided to venture out into the grounds to somewhere where hopefully there would be few people. Ideally, being alone was preferred but that was never possible in Hogwarts. As he headed towards the puppers, he couldn’t help but notice a particularly familiar red head stepping over the fence, kneeling down. Slowly, he strolled over to the fence, resting on it in her direction as she called out to the dogs in there with her and just smiled a little. Despite his desire to be alone, he couldn’t be angry at Rylee. That didn’t make him talk though. Leaning against the fence, he just smiled as the dogs came bounding over to his friend.

Before she knew it, she was greeted by three dogs with happy wagging tails. Rylee wasted no time reaching out a hand to give each one a good scratch behind the ears. The good thing about dogs was they were always happy to see you AND they never judged. It didn't matter to them what you looked like, if you could dance or play the violin or whether or not you played Quidditch. All they wanted was love and affection which she was more than happy to supply them with.

"Who wants to play, hm? Go get me a toy? Let's find a ball?" Surely they had lots of toys laying about out here for them all to play with. Just as she was about to get back to her feet one of the dogs (Lucy) bounded off across the grass again. It looked like she had understood what she had asked and was going to find a toy for them. Rylee smiled giving the other two dogs a nice petting, glancing around for any other toys.

Blue-gray eyes fell upon something that wasn't a toy but brought a warm smile to her face anyhow. Well more someone than something. "Ewan!" she grinned at him. "Are you here to play with them too?" If he was he was more than welcome to join her and get some love from the doggo's.

Soooorrry for the late reply!
 

Even despite his current turmoil, the tall Ravenclaw couldn’t help but smile as his friend was surrounded by wagging tails and covered in slobber. He had made the right decision to come here today. “Well the thing is, they can’t speak human but luckily for you, I speak dog” grinning at her now as she looked around for other todays. After a few seconds of pretending to speak to the dogs, he turned back to her with a serious face and just shrugged “They wanna play”, his face now in a wide, child like smirk.

Walking over to her now, he just settled down on a nice dry piece of grass and started to pet one of the dogs, rather content in the son for the briefest of moments. “I uh…honestly, came here to be alone but I thought I’d come over to say hey when I saw you” because he wasn’t about to be rude and ignore his friends. He was, after all, a good friend if nothing else. “So…what’s the news?” looking up at the red head now, his head slightly tilted to one side as the sun shone down through his rather long messy curls. If he was being honest, he had been somewhat missing over the last weeks and months and he felt slightly guilty for it. He loved all of his friends and but well, as per usual, there was way too much drama in his life.

Rylee spotted that smile on her 'brothers' face right away. That was more like the Ewan she knew. "Oh, do you now? When did you learn to speak dog?" she joked grinning right back at him now. Was dog a universal language? Polaris at home always made sure she knew exactly what he wanted from her and she generally understood him too. "No way! Are you sure?!" she laughed. "I had no idea that's what they all wanted!"

At some point between getting her face licked and excited barking and running around, a ball was dropped beside her. Picking the ball up she gave it a toss letting the dogs chase after it. "You know... this isn't the first time we've both attempted to find a spot to be by ourselves and ended up being in the same place. You know what that means, don't cha?" It was clear to her. Obviously they were meant to hangout together rather than hideaway.

"Mm' you want the honest truth or what I've been telling everyone else?" Now it was her that gave him a smirk. If he knew her well enough and he did, he would know already that he would get both.

“Of course I know how to speak dog. How did you now know this about me? It’s like a well-known fact. Just ask anyone in Ravenclaw. There was this one time where…” laughing for a moment, he just shook his head at the absurdity of his claim. Well, then again, he was a wizard so anything was possible. “I’m actually self-taught actually, if you can believe that” winking at her now as the dogs waddled around her feet, begging for attention before the ball was finally thrown.

Did it mean something? He wasn’t completely sure. Maybe they just thought the same way? Although that wasn’t entirely surprising considering the amount of time they’d spent together over the last few years. “Uhhh…. That we’re both really bad at it because we can’t seem to find somewhere where no one else is?”

Did he want the truth? Well, that would depend on if she expected the truth back. Sure, he’d tell her if she really wanted to know but did he really want to talk about things right now? Uhh, not really, no. “I mean you can tell me whatever you want. If you want to tell me the truth then sure” He wasn’t about to force her to spill the beans unless she really wanted to. That’s not how their friendship worked.

"Well perhaps that's the issue right there. I'm not in Ravenclaw," she answered laughing along with him. It felt good to be sitting here laughing with him. "Ah, that's definitely something right there. I don't know how this little tidbit of knowledge managed to slip past me." Obviously they were both joking around with this but that didn't keep her from smiling and having going along with it a little more. "You'll have to come visit me over the summer so you can tell me what Polaris had been up to all term while we were here." The Husky was a rambunctious young dog with boundless energy just like herself. Just like these three dogs right here beside them. So full of life and love that she couldn't help but smile and pet them all.

Ewan's reply was a good one and Rylee had to keep herself from laughing in order to keep a straight face. "Nope. It means were aren't meant to go off and hide so we can sulk alone." They were meant to come across one another so they could help cheer each other up. Otherwise they would have retreated to the RoR or somewhere else no one could get to.

Coming up with something other than the truth was easy. Telling the truth could be the hard part. "I've been keeping busy. Mostly studying for NEWTs and tending to Serafina... working with my plants and flowers a lot, focusing on flying more so I can hopefully play some Quidditch again soon, playing the violin as well that's good for building the strength in my arm and shoulder." She paused, tucking some ginger hair behind her ear, her fingers lightly grazing the just barely visible tattoo peeking out from under the collar of her shirt on her neck. The pause was long enough for her to shift her weight closer to him and lean her head on his shoulder with a soft sigh. Most of that was the truth with some slight variations in what she had actually been able to accomplish in each area.

“I mean, you not being a Ravenclaw is a pretty big issue although, I’ve kind of already dealt with it for a while so I guess it’s not a big issue too?” laughing a little more now, his eyes wide with something actually resembled the old Ewan. “What I’m trying to say is, I’m an amazing friend for accepting you for not being a Ravenclaw” This was 100% pure Ewan sarcasm at it’s finest but he had a feeling Rylee knew this. She’d put up with him for far too long to know this. “Honestly, I don’t know how you didn’t see me talking to Kingsley all summer” This wasn’t sarcasm. He did talk to Kingsley as though he was a human and would often reply as if Kingsley had replied to him. Some might call him crazy but he didn’t care. Kingsley was the best. “Polaris? Uhhh…no idea. I don’t stalk the dogs here Ry. Jheeze, what do you take me for, some kinda crazy?” his smile wide now with amusement.

Were they meant to come across each other? He wasn’t quite sure. He certainly had come here to be alone but yet again, he’d failed. Something that was becoming a reoccurring theme in his life lately. He wasn’t going to throw up a fuss though. His sister was one of the only people at this school who actually got him (most of the time) and she knew when to leave him alone (sometimes).

Ewan’s smile faltered briefly as he listened to Rylee, his eyes taking in her face as she talked. He knew exactly what she was doing. Telling him the truth or rather, a rose-tinted truth, but he did not question here for the moment, simply choosing to listen instead because that was what friends were for. “Sounds like you’ve been keeping busy then” his eyes not missing the tattoo peeking out from under her collarbone. Had she finally got around to using the voucher he’d given her many moons ago?!!!

Fighting down the urge to ask about the tattoo, the tall Ravenclaw simply stood up and stretched for a moment, his grey hoodie rising for a moment allowing the sun to illuminate his surprisingly hairy stomach. After a moment, he eyed his friend and gave her a look that simply said "spill".

"Ah, see now, the true problem here is that you are not a Gryffindor," she replied with a playful grin. Was that so? There was the slightest hint of an eyebrow rise as she looked at her friend. "Mm' once again that's where you're wrong my dear Pan. Seeing as to how I'm older than you, it is I that is the amazing friend here. Since you are younger AND a Ravenclaw." Two could play at this game and it was one they had been playing on and off for years. "I talk to Polar, Lamb, Cosmos, Plusar and Lilac all the time myself." Her familiars weren't the only ones she talked to. She talked to the Serafina (fake-baby) when she had her, she talked to herself, plants and loads of other things. This is where she began to laugh softly. "Polaris, Polar, my Husky." The one she had received from Stella the Christmas before last.

Ewan's silence at her theory didn't bother her in the least. In fact it only made her smile because chances were he knew it to be true... or he was at least considering it. Over the years since they met waaaaay back in her second term they had become fast friends and with that came the ability to understand one another most of the time. It was nice having someone to talk to when she needed it or to hang around with when the mood to talk wasn't there.

"I have," she agreed. It wasn't a lie. Not that part. Keeping busy was a Rylee thing. If she was happy, she was likely busy. Angry, keep busy. Had way to much energy, keep busy. Upset, yeah she really needed to keep busy. Coming up with ways to keep her mind busy was something she had been doing since she was very young. It was when she was doing nothing that things could become worrisome.

The tiniest hint of a smirk flitted across her lips, knowing he had seen what she done. Yes, she had gotten another tattoo. Her second one now and this one might even mean more to her than the first one.

Rylee shifted her weight once more as he stood up, smiling at Simon when he came over and laid beside her, petting his ears lightly. That second look from her brother was one she knew well. One they had used on one another before. It was time for her to fill in the blanks. "I have been keeping, I always do that. Studying for NEWTs is no surprise, I have to do amazing on them." There was no room for error on these exams. "Tending to my flowers and plants is normal and they help on the not so great days... I've finally gotten back to working on my flower crowns again." Without magic. Creating them by hand was what made each one special. "Playing my violin and a bit of dancing does help with my shoulder and arm, I get frustrated a lot quicker though now if I can't accomplish what I want like I used to." Knows it all takes time to get back to how it was before but it's still hard to admit.

"Still haven't exactly gotten on a broom again yet... at all. Not that I don't want to... I just.. can't." Not for lack of trying either. She tried everyday. The moment she tried the panic took over and all she could focus on was what if another accident occurred. "Serafina is back with Professor Schmoe... it's strange but I miss having her." Taking care of Sera had been amazing and was probably the biggest reason she seemed so down lately. "Got another tattoo during spring break." That was a good thing. A constant reminder of the previous summer but she knew deep down it was helping her.

“See now that really isn’t a problem because Ravenclaw is better than Gryffindor” his eyes twinkling with mischief. “You might be older but you sure ain’t wiser than me my dear Tink. There’s a reason why I’m Pan and you’re Tink. I’m the main guy character. You just a little side one” so years really didn’t matter. There was no way she was winning this argument. Nope. None.

Oh. HER Husky. “Yeah, but how can I know what he’s doing? Like I said, I’m no dog stalker, Red” grinning now at yet another nickname for her.

Ewan listened carefully now, sensing that he was about to be filled in on exactly what she had omitted earlier. He knew the look would work. “Sure, I guess studying can keep you busy” which was true, even for him. He’d been studying for his and he wasn’t even due to sit them until the following year, if he ever came back. And then there was the flowers. This wasn’t all together surprising because he knew that she liked to do this. Something still told him she was not padding out the truth. Surrounding it with so much information, hoping that he wouldn’t notice the real problem. So, he just continued to listen, nodding his head as she continued to fill him in.

Lo and behold, the real crux came eventually. “So, you still haven’t managed to get on a broom, huh?” his eyes lingering on hers for a moment. “Have you tried going up with someone? Maybe Stefan?” he would have put his own name forward but he wasn’t the best at flying so that wouldn’t exactly have been a reassurance for her. “Or maybe some type of cushioning charm below just in case you fall?” his mind now thinking of practical solutions to ease hers.

As for the baby. He had no time for that. It was fake. It wasn’t real. It just made no sense to him that someone could miss it. So, rather than sounding mean, he just simply nodded.

“I did notice the tattoo actually. So, what do you have now altogether exactly?” because he’d honestly forgotten.

There was a clear audible gasp from Rylee though her eyes showed she knew he was teasing and she wasn't offended. "Is that so? And what in the name of Merlin would make you even remotely consider that?" She could let the jokes slide when it came to which house was better but now he was messing with her about Tink... a name HE had given her. She eyed him for a long moment before scuffing in response. "Pan needs Tink. Without her he is nothing." So there. She could argue with him all day about this one.

"Obviously you would ask him when you visit." Seemed like simple reasoning right there. The new nickname didn't go unnoticed either.

Once her rambling had ceased, Rylee picked up the ball, tossing it once more for the other two dogs that were still wanting to play. "Mm, it does." She nodded. Studying kept everyone busy lately. Blue-gray eyes flicked towards Ewan when no comment was made about the flowers or the LTA they had in Muggle Studies. As much as she missed having Serafina she was somewhat glad that she wasn't being questioned about it.

If he thought her biggest issue was getting back on broom, she was going to go with that. Her love of flying and Quidditch was a big part of who she was. "No," she admitted meeting his eyes when her way. Rylee almost wanted to laugh. Almost. Ewan was only trying to help but even he should know that she tried everything. "Yes." Not only Stefan either. Several of her friends had tried to help her. "Cushioning charms, potions, lavender, Runes, different brooms. I've been using the RoR becase I can control things there." Yet nothing has worked. The fear was panic inducing and she couldn't handle it.

Now this was something she could talk about more easily with him. Tattoos. "I have my flower and creature one that I got last year for my birthday." Which was on the inside of her right forearm and she LOVED it. "My newest one..." which was also bigger as it covered more area. " I just got not to long ago. It's a Lichtenberg figure... it um.. it takes that path of the marks I had from the accident." A permanent reminder for sure but one that gave her strength.

The gasp was amusing and dramatic and was exactly why he and Rylee got on so well. They had the same sense of humour. “Uhh just because it’s Ravenclaw. Do I really need to go into the whole smart thing? I mean, it’s common knowledge by now” Shrugging now as if it was no big deal at all. Sure, he knew he was smarter than your average kid at Hogwarts but whatever. “I mean, does Pan really need Tink? That’s debatable. If that were really true, the movie would have been called Peter Pan and Tinkerbell” Peter Pan was the main guy and there was no arguing that. She knew it. 1-0 Ewan.

“I could ask him if I visit but then would he really tell me the truth?” because there was no telling what a dog would or wouldn’t say. Sure, he may seem like a good boy but was he really? Who knew?

Ewan had figured she’d have tried all of this but wanted to suggest it anyway, just in case they didn’t. “Is it the flying that freaks you out or just being up high? Because we can work on both of those if we figure out which one it is” It could well be both but it might be an idea to work on one at a time and take things slow. He’d never really been afraid of something to the point where he froze so it was hard for him to imagine exactly but he had read many books about it so maybe he could help.

At this point, Ewan couldn’t help but just nod, smiling at the right times but did have a somewhat glassy eyed look about him. His mind was now on how he could help his friend before he left. Or rather, before he was chucked out. Both were still options at this point.