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He had never actually been to the zoo here and he was not quite sure how he felt about zoos in general, but it was nice to observe creatures that were not colossal and capable of turning him into the afternoon roast should he misstep slightly around their scaly bodies. Not to say that the elephant sized feline before him wasn't impressive, one simply had a different sort of threshold when one was a dragonologist. Pivoting forward slightly as something, apparently someone, bumped into him, Tof turned his attention towards the striking creature who had elicited said pivot and offered a jovial shake of the head and matching smile. "No fretting," he replied, his accent thicker these days due to his distance from the English language. It was almost a wonder she had not bounced right off him considering the juxtaposition of their sizes. |
SPOILER!!: Long Lost Bestie Noah wasn’t his father…he wasn’t on 100 percent alert most of the time. But then he didn’t suddenly start either when he found an arm slung around his shoulder just a second or two after a familiar voice said hello. But then it wasn’t like he wasn’t expecting Hartley to make an appearance eventually since they were supposed to be meeting up here. “Who me?” he asked, a touch of jest in his voice as he turned his head to look at his best friend. His expression kept neutral for the moment to follow the tease. “Sure you weren’t looking for another you?” There were a few other people in the lobby and no doubt around the zoo he could claim if he really wanted to. But then he let a soft smile grace his features, the historian being one of those who certainly had a positive affect on his mood. |
SPOILER!!: We gave you a nickname, Noah :') Hartley didn’t think he could stand it if Noah turned into someone who was as focused as Uncle Simon. Don’t get him wrong, he loved the man but Hartley did think that sometimes he was too much on edge. Then again, Hartley’s own father could be like that. An absolutely horrific thought occurred to him. Was he looking at what Noah would become in the future in the form of Uncle Simon and his father? No, nope, nuh uh! Hartley refused to let this happen! The friends needed to plan a trip to someplace that would be packed with fun. Maybe that’ll also help Noah’s mellowed out mood since that particular year at Hogwarts. The older man rolled his eyes, smirking. “No, your twin brother.” Hartley could definitely joke right back. “Do you want me to look for someone else?” he continued innocently. He wouldn’t, not when Noah was in his company but Hartley could definitely and easily charm man or woman. There was that smile he was familiar with since they were children. “Where shall we head first, No?” |
SPOILER!!: Turnarounds fair play Right…his twin brother. So funny he forgot to laugh there, Hartley. There were only TWO Bennett siblings…the only twins were his cousins from the side of Uncle Josh and Aunt Evelyn. “Really? I wonder how I missed him.” The former Hufflepuff looking around the lobby area as if in search for his missing twin. You would think that would someone you would notice in your wanderings. He certainly would have noticed Grace around there somewhere if only because she could be more outgoing. “Of course not, Hart,” he said poking the other man's arm. That would just be wasting time as amusing as it might become with his friend’s usual antics. “How about Greece?” he suggested, thinking on the Grecian Pavilion from previous visits. It was as good a place as any to begin their tour. And there were cool animals to be found there. |
SPOILER!!: Big time Ministry Employee! <3 Hartley shrugged playfully. “He’s like a ghost. One second he’s there then POOF! He’s gone.” There was a stifled laugh as Noah glanced around for this twin of his. Honestly, Noah was such a sport for putting up with all this silliness throughout the years, though Hartley wondered if anyone ever noticed that he went out of his way to be sillier in Noah’s company. It was only something he had started doing after Noah’s fifth year in an effort to keep his friend’s spirit lifted. “It’s settled then! Not looking for anyone.” Yes, this meant Noah had his undivided attention. There was one last squish to Noah’s shoulder - at the same time Hartley was poked - before the older man nodded. “Sure! Chimaeras, and griffins and Sirens! Oh my! Let’s go then, and you can tell me all about life at the Ministry while we’re at it.” |
SPOILER!!: History Bigshot It was his turn to roll his eyes as his best friend continued. “Well then it would be a wild diracrawl chase to try and look for him.” Good thing they had settled on looking for anyone else and moving on to enjoying the visit to the zoo. Not wasting time looking for vanishing brothers or birds. “Going on a flying monkey hunt?” he mused in step with Hartley’s choice of words remembering the muggle movie in question as they headed where the signs pointed them towards their destination. “Ah…where to begin?” It wasn’t like he had been there long and had that many stories to tell. “ How about getting used to the fact that my immediate boss, Ms. James, can be just like our dads.” He may have escaped Level 2 as a position within the ministry, but not the entirety of the atmosphere. And they were still working on what to call each other. |
SPOILER!!: Jokester! <3 Oh, his best friend had a joke or two! Of course, this sort of thing always made Hartley pleased. Why? He still worried about Noah. This old habit of his, he supposed, would die hard. “Can’t afford to waste any time since we’ve got so much to catch up on so I guess we should just let him be for today.” He was certain that Noah would prefer his undivided attention anyway. The beginning would be a very good place to start; Hartley was about to point this out but figured he might want to get a little serious should Noah not think he really wanted to know about the Ministry. “Uptight? Too focused? No, wait. Overly focused?” Because their dads could indeed be that way though Hartley could joke that Uncle Simon had trained Jory this way. “Is she and everyone else good to you?” This was an important question. |
SPOILER!!: Protector Hmmm uptight wasn’t quite right to him in describing the woman, Hartley’s other option more fitting to him. “Definitely focused,” he confirmed with a nod, reminded of that first day as they came upon the first stone columns of the exhibit. “And formal so far…” he added, “I almost expect Dad to be there when she calls out Bennett.” The personal assistant remembered the stories from his father and that law enforcement tended to prefer the surname. In fact were they both in the same place at the same time it would take a moment to see who anyone was calling for. “Yeah…for the most part, “ Noah answered. There was that moment when he had first arrived in the department but he couldn’t blame the security officers for that. That had been all his father and his secret message of support to him. Not that it hadn’t concerned him greatly at first, thinking he might have been in trouble. |
SPOILER!!: Noah! <3 ‘Focused’ was definitely one of the words that could be used to describe their fathers. ‘Formal’ as well. “Say no more! I’ve got a full picture of her already.” It amused the Historian to the max to hear about the possible confusion that could ensue. “Before long you’ll be making your own mark at the Ministry, and you won't be questioning whether it's Uncle Simon everyone wants. Also, I have a valid question: when is he thinking of retiring, do you know? It seems he’s been working for an eternity.” Not that Hartley’s opinion of his own dad was any different. Maybe it was just his imagination. “For the most part?” Hartley question, a perfectly manicured eyebrow. “Do I need to choose violence with someone?” Or someones? Because if anyone ever gave his friend a difficult time… He stared out at the Chimeras who’s enclosure they had just come across. Such beautiful creatures. Fierce and beautiful. Like Hartley. |
SPOILER!!: Hartley! Noah nodded, hoping it came sooner rather than later. It was one of the downfalls of his father’s large shadow over the ministry with his 40+ years there. Speaking of which…“I have no clue,” he remarked in all honesty. “I do remember overhearing he and mum talking about it…after the war and his injuries…and Dad just said he wasn’t ready to then.” A few years had passed since and his father had returned to the ministry after his recovery and seemed to be settling right back into things. Didn’t seem like it was going to be a near future thing. “No…no…” Noah tried assuring his friend with a light chuckle. “Not unless you want to fight my dad. Pretty sure he set his staff up to play a small trick on me when I first arrived. No big deal.” Especially once he had in fact been found on the security list and Ms. James had brought him properly into the fold. Given the stories of his dad’s own first days, it was mild. |
SPOILER!!: Noah! <3 “We have much in common, you and I, young Noah,’’ Hartley remarked in a forlorn tone as though this were the saddest thing on the planet. “Our fathers have thick skulls. They are also married to their job. Our poor mums.” Then his tone reverted to normal. “I get that. My dad’s following in your dad’s footsteps, I think, as he doesn’t even like the subject of retirement coming up.” Uncle Simon had certainly trained Jory well. Fight Uncle Simon? “I’d lose within a second if it were a duel.” Like… that man was highly skilled; Hartley didn’t even come close. But maybe in a war of words, yes. The Historian would be in his element! “Nice welcome present he got you,’’ he said, highly amused. His gaze was still fixed on the Chimaeras, wishing he could get closer to them. |
SPOILER!!: Sage Noah rolled his eyes as his bestie went all wise elder on him. “Yeah…poor mums,” he agreed with a nod matter of factly. “Though we can’t totally complain about that relationship to their jobs…it did bring our dads together.” And thus, the two of them growing up together. Come to think of it, his dad in turn took after his brother as Uncle Jonathan hadn’t been looking to retire either and he had been both an active auror and several years the elder Bennett. He couldn’t help chuckle at the image of said duel knowing his friend wasn’t lying, thankfully pushing the previous sad thoughts of his uncle away. But then it truly was a happy thought given how close his father had come to not being able to properly grip a wand again. Not that he was a slouch in the wandless magic department. “I suppose his version of going along with my wish to treated normally.” And not the son of one of the longest serving ministry employees. |
SPOILER!!: Noah! <3 Leave it to Noah to be serious when Hartley was trying to have a moment of jest. But! He was quite used to it so the conversation was regulated in that direction. “I suppose that’s true. Your dad’s life would have been a little less fun without my dad around.” Though Noah’s life would have been faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar less joyful without Hartley around. Of this he was sure. Hartley never said it but anyone who tried to fill Uncle Simon’s shoes would have the job cut out for them, figuratively and literally, he supposed. “Good! That means he’s also determined to let you be your own person. Just don’t get too caught up in work.” By that he meant ‘don’t let the job become wife, husband, whatever’. Life needed to be lived freely and not tied down in any sort of manner. |
It felt nice being in the United Kingdom again. While it had only been a year she last participated in an international WADA performance festival (as was the nature of annual events), it felt like a lifetime ago since she had been visiting. Perhaps it was because of all the steps she had taken for the betterment of her life, the purging of certain toxicities, that made her feel this way...but it was none the less a breath of fresh air to be back. Seeing Baylen again had been lovely too and how much his dance studio had grown she she had last been under his tutelage. He had opened her eyes to hiplet and her relationship with dance had never been the same, for the better. The performance festival weekend over now, she had allowed for a couple of extra days in the United Kingdom to sightsee as well as hopefully meet up with Beauxbatons friends who had moved here for university. Today was a special kind of day as she walked through the zoo hand in hand with David. Perhaps even harder to believe was that their Atlantis accidental vacation had been a year ago and now... Blushing while she skipped to avoid a crack in the pavement, Delilah adjusted the strap of her backpack and tucked some of her curls behind her ear. "You know...I am not certain I can remember the last time I've been to the zoo. It may have been before I even began Beauxbatons." |
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At this point he couldn't even tease her about skipping over cracks since he steps over them subconsciously now also. "How did you even hear about this zoo?...i think i have been to one zoo in my life and someone threw food at one of the animals" It was funny to him as a child but looking back on it on. Poor gorilla. |
SPOILER!!: You Know Who Noah could see that, especially since he didn’t have Uncle Sabel and Uncle Josh around as much to keep him on his toes. “Mhmm…thought not the only Bennett to get more fun out it.” And if Hartley needed more explanation than that, well then he was slipping. “Speaking of which, you chose the next direction.” The next enclosure that they could move to to see more animals along the way. The personal assistant tilted his head and looked at his companion as if it say, Really? Did he not know him. “I won’t,” he assured his friend. “I’ll make sure to be more like Grandpa Hollingberry than anyone whose ever worked in Level 2.” Covering their dads and Ms. James all in one move. He was already following in the man's footsteps, literally, to do his job. |
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"Mostly from the WADA students," she laughed softly and fussed with her curls a little bit more before giving his arm a small squeeze to gently signal to him to slow down so that she could look t the giant zoo map off the side of the path they were on. "It...came recommended to me as a good date spot. For couples. I heard there are actual thunderbirds here..." Delilah's head snapped back around as David spoke, eyes widening to spooked owl level. "...threw....at one of the creatures? Not as...one of the zoo feedings but ... to be cruel?" |
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Wow if she didnt stop him he would have missed this map enitrely. Crazy how that happens. Ooooh. Ooooooh. "Does that mean there are secret secluded benches for us to snog on" Date spot and all. He was joking. He will just enjoy being here with her. Have you seen a thunderbird before?" He hasn't and now that she mentioned it kinda did want to see one. Well only if its not sleeping because that would be boring. "It was like one of those big gorillas and someone just guess wanted a laugh and threw some fries at it. Some people laughed. I felt more sad for it and thought it was a waste of fries" Fries were important |
SPOILER!!: Noah! <3 Hartley, in fact, did not need more explanation. He grasped the sentiments that came with the words quite clearly. He simply grinned, but on the inside there was a feeling like soft and gooey marshmallows. “I think… we should go for the Horse Paddocks! I hope there are little unicorns around. The last time I was here, they were all grown up.” And with that, Hartley led the way to the Paddocks. He did know Noah; perhaps among the few who really knew him. Still, it could not hurt to warn him about being married to the job. “That sounds very promising then.” Hartley gazes out and over to the unicorns. He needed to get going soon; the Ministry in Argentina required his assistance and given the time difference between the UK and Argentina, it was just touching the afternoon hours in the South American country. |
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Her thoughts were on sunset walks along the beach when David spoke and it took her several more seconds of processing before she was turning into her signature blossoming rosy cheek look and lightly shoving his arm. "David," she hissed through her meek but impish smile as she hid her face in his shoulder. She highly doubted said question was entirely in jest. "No...not unless you count textbooks and postcards. Hopefully we will today ... and I think... on the brochure it lists times their aviary is stormy and they are most likely in motion. " Raincoats and zephyr resistant umbrellas provided at the entrance. "...I hope we see no one exhibit such behavior today..." And if they did that David did something about it because she would probably be too horrified in place to do much of anything but gawk in disgust. |
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"We could...... just be warned i would not be able to keep my hands off you" Of all the things she could have offered them to do. Clubbing was at the bottom of the list. A beach date yes or even a picnic. Those seemed more likely than clubbing. Picnic than trip to the beach is genius. They should do that once the weather gets a tiny bit warmer. A big smile appeared on his face when she say how red she got. He would never say no but he was sure the odds of that happening were like 5 percent at best. "I think we have some luck leftover and hope we can see one. Love to see one with you" Than tease her about the color of the umbrella she picks. Sadly he would do nothing about that other than steer than both away from the exhibit and try and not put a damper on their date. |
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She had, yes. It was still shocking to herself and his words only served to fluster her. Initially she did not hear the words the way he obviously intended them and nearly spoke on reflex to how he wouldn't need to worry about that because chances were that she was going to be too overwhelmed and unlikely to let go of his hand once they entered the establishment. That still was likely to be true, but her brain had finally caught up with processing the Davidisms and thus she lightly bumped him with her hip and giggled. "You are positively incorrigible." And that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. "Suppose the only way to know is to head over to that exhibit and find out...but doesn't look like that will be available for another hour or so..." she observed, cheeks still very very rosy, as she looked over the pamphlet and checked the time tables for scheduled appearances and feedings. "Oh my goodness...there is a troll ballet!" |
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At this point he was used to her not getting the intended meaning of his words. David rolled with it anyway since it was fun. Just not the overwhelmed part since it would take til they were home for her to calm down at that point and yeah David did not want that! Davidisms were a thing now huh. Guess this is a consequence of his own actions. Horrible things those are. "Thank you Thank you. I was trying there. And hoping i wasn't negatively incorrigible" He had no idea what that meant. She was right he wasn't looking at the sign so they had an hour to chill. He nodded in understanding. Which in this case his joking idea before was seeming better and better. "Troll....ballet???....my interest is peaked. Will i be as entertained as watching you perform?" Ok he tried a little too hard there |
Tell us you are not a History of Magic major without telling us you are a History of Magic major, David. Delilah tucked her pamphlet back into her little shoulder bag and looped her arm back through David's. "No...I suppose it isn't a particularly negative context," she laughed softly as she lifted up on to her one foot in a very casual arabesque so she could elongate her neck enough to leave a soft kiss upon his cheek. They could revisit the possibility of clubbing and hands at another time since they now had a destination in mind and time to be kept. "You'll have to tell me," she laughed again and began taking humble strides towards the path that would lead them to the troll enclosures. "I wonder how their ballet skills will compare to your own," she teased with a light hum. David always made an honest effort whenever she tried to teach him a dance step or two and really was not as terrible as he often tried to proclaim himself to be. He hadn't ever stepped on her, fragile, toes and that was more than she could say for some of her WADA Paris dance partners. "There isn't too much time before it is set to start though..." she added while subconsciously adding a skip to her step. . |
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Oh no, the pamphlet was going away. That meant things were getting serious. And look at that he will count not being negative as a win and he got a cheek kiss out of it. Now clubbing was a subject for them to talk about at a more serious time. But knowing them it will happen with both of them in bed and they are both exhausted and making important decisions. "As long as you think I'm more attractive than a troll. I can live with that while also being worse at ballet than them" Making his way with her toward the trolls. Oh he looks at his phone. Since all it was good for right now was being a watch. She was of course right like usual and he gave a sigh. It was his fault for being a lazy walker. "Want me to princess carry you there. Might be the fastest way?" No them running would be but where was the fun in that! |
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