Double first entrance

[he_believes]

When the door next opens it doesn't swing, it slides. The space on the other side is the confining box of an elevator, holding a pair of nonplussed FBI agents

Comments

[alsoagreengrass]

No sooner than they've stepped in, the door opens again and a young man walks in. He's covered in mud from head-to-toe, all except for clear outline around his eyes, and clutches a broom at his side. He's just been out on the pitch for Quidditch practice.

He stops short of bumping into them.

"Oh, sorry."

[he_believes]

Mulder is-- perhaps understandably-- jumpy. Wandering into an impossible space bar is one thing, but nearly being accosted by someone who looks like a distant relative to a swamp monster is something else. That he doesn't pull his weapon on the kid is a testament to his training.

"…Not a problem."

[she_questions]

Scully turns similarly, eyebrows going up.

"Field hockey?"

She was going to guess rugby, but the broom threw her off.

[alsoagreengrass]

Scorpius wipes at his mouth with a disgusted grimace, tasting dirt. Not that it helps much, seeing as his sleeve is covered with the same amount of mud.

"Ugh. Uhm. No, Quidditch, actually. Not normally played on the ground, but the rain was too much and..."

He peers past them to the rest of the bar. "I wasn't expecting Milliways."

[he_believes]

The boy's definitely human, then. Mulder is, deep down, relieved-- there are only so many spontaneous paranormal events that he can handle at once.

"Milliways. That's this place?"

[she_questions]

Scully's brow furrows.

"Never heard of it."

[alsoagreengrass]

"Not a lot of people do beforehand. Although, I suppose, someone could tell another person about the place and bring them? I don't know, I've never tried - "

- And he's going off on a tangent. He shakes his head to stop himself.

"Right, no, Milliways. It's basically, a pub, right? Only at the end of the universe." He gestures vaguely in the direction of The Window. "Mind if I spell myself clean?"

He figures he should ask, so he doesn't shock them anymore than they already are. But, mud? It's uncomfortable to wear.

[he_believes]

Mulder doesn't even hear the question.

"Scully…"

That's space out there. Space. For someone who stayed up far too late many times as a kid watching astronauts take spacewalks, it's the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. He abandons his partner to get a closer look.

[she_questions]

"Sure, knock yourself out," she murmurs, watching her partner abandon her with the KWID-itch player.

"You'll have to forgive my partner." Her badge appears in her hand. "I'm Special Agent Dana Scully, and that's Special Agent Fox Mulder. We're from the Federal Bureau of Investigation."

[alsoagreengrass]

Digging his wand out from up his sleeve, Scorpius quickly spell-cleans himself, his clothes looking (and smelling) freshly showered and laundered in the blink of an eye, before he peers at the badge.

They're like Aurors to him, the two of them.

"Scorpius Malfoy. Sixth year student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Nice to meet you. Is he okay?"

[she_questions]

"He's always like that. Pleasure to -- meet you, Mr. Malfoy."

Scully looks back and blinks. And blinks again.

"Mulder. Mulder. How did you...?"

[he_believes]

A short distance away, Mulder stares in awe through the observation window. After a handful of seconds he touches the glass with careful fingertips, then gives it a series of experimental raps with his knuckles.

He seems quite content to continue with this, paying absolutely no attention to Scully.

[alsoagreengrass]

Scorpius is watching Mulder now with a faint frown, not quite hearing Scully's question. He's never seen someone so interested in The Window before. Most of the time, he tends to forget about it.

"It- The glass, it won't break. I don't think so, anyway. If that's what he's worried about."

[she_questions]

"Agent Mulder is -- merely verifying the -- structural integrity. Mulder."

Her voice drops into that register that demands his attention.

[he_believes]

Mulder snaps back, and trots over to where his stern-looking partner is waiting.

"Scully. I would love to hear your rationalization for that window."

He grins at Scorpius, then double-takes. Wasn't this kid just covered in mud…?

[alsoagreengrass]

What.

"What?"

What's with the double-take? Scorpius did say he was going to spell-clean his robes.