To be kind to all, to like many and love a few, to be needed and wanted by those we love,
Category: Pink Sheep RPG
When the bell above the door rang, again, Eloise made a face behind the potion book she was perusing. She didn't know what exactly had prompted Parvati to put her in charge of the front desk, but it was bloody annoying.
Katie, for her part, was in a good mood. After a morning's meeting with Puddlemere's owner and other administrative staff members, she was looking for some company for lunch. As she had not seen her pseudo-brother in far too long, he was to be her chosen victim.
Pulling off her leather gloves as she approached the front desk, Katie gave the other woman a small smile. "Is Anthony in?"
"Let's think about that for a second," Eloise replied, lazily flipping a page. "The clinic is open, and since you apparently know him, you probably know that he doesn't have another healer working here. What does that tell you?"
One elegant brow arched over Katie's dark brown eye, all joviality vanished and replaced with a hard shine. Resisting the urge to give the other woman a piece of her mind, she simply said coldly, "Is he available, then?"
With the sinking realization that whoever it was wouldn't leave her alone, she lowered her book. "Dunno."
"Will you go and see?" Katie asked, her tone dry as she gave Eloise a pointed look.
"I'd rather french kiss a skunk," she muttered, shoving away from the desk. "Wait here."
"Thank you, sunshine," the other woman said sarcastically as Eloise strode away. Muttering, Katie continued, "I'd so hate for you to have to do your job."
Anthony looked up at the knock on his office door. It wasn't Parvati's familiar one and as far as he was aware, she was out anyway, and with no patients, that only left one person. Eloise. "Come in, Eloise," he called, putting away the file he had just finished working on. He didn't know why she'd come to see him, but he was more of a wait and see sort of guy. She'd tell him, eventually, he supposed.
"There's some bird here to see you," she told him, hitching herself up onto an examination table nearly as soon as she'd walked in the room. "Looks posh, but talks like she's got a giant icicle shoved up her arse."
Anthony rose. "Oh really?" He followed her out the door, smiling when he caught sight of Katie. "Hallo there, Kates. What brings you to this neck of the woods?"
"I've decided you are going to accompany me to lunch," Katie said, unable to keep a smile off her face when Anthony walked in, though it was still strained as the rude woman walked in behind him.
"I am? Alright." Anthony summoned his coat and gloves. "Where to, madame?"
"Sirenae," Katie replied as she put her leather gloves back on her hand. Glancing past Anthony, her eyes went cold again as she said, "It was lovely to meet you, Miss...?"
Eloise snorted as she dropped into the chair, it was much more comfortable than the one in the lab. "Sure, sure. Whatever."
"Cagna," Katie said smoothly before she turned back to Anthony, her expression brightening. "Shall we?"
Anthony turned to Eloise. "You're free to leave for the day, if you'd like." The wards were set to let him know if there was an emergency, thanks to the ring he wore, but there were no other patients for the rest of the day.
He held out an arm to Katie.
"Alright, cool." She had a little something brewing at home, definitely not work safe, that she needed to get back to.
Placing her hand in the crook of Anthony's arm, Katie pulled out her wand. "Ready?"
"Take me away, oh Quidditch captain extraordinaire," the healer said with a grin and a flick of grin to Eloise. The wards would snap into place upon her leaving the Clinic.
With a 'crack,' Katie Apparated them to the front foyer of Sirenae. The hostess, immediately recognizing one half of the party, led them back to a small table in the back of the restaurant, well away from the wandering eyes of the rest of the diners.
A waiter appeared as they settled into their chairs, offering menus and a wine listing before disappearing just as silently as he'd appeared.
"So," Katie asked, glancing at Anthony over the top of her menu, "who was that charming woman at your front desk? What happened to Parvati?"
"Parvati's still around," he assured. "After she did the Witch Weekly gala thing she periodically has catering gigs. Eloise was manning the desk." Come to think of it, Parvati was having to slip out more and more often. Perhaps it was time to find another, part time, receptionist. That was something to think about.
"Eloise? And what does she do?"
"Potions. All the ones we seem to go through quicker than a third year going through Honeyduke's chocolate after their first Hogsmeade weekend. Pepper-up, light sleeping draughts, and the like."
Katie stared at him over her menu. "I thought you were contracting through Jonathan for all of that?" she asked, her voice slightly aghast. "You know he keeps all of those in constant supply."
Anthony shrugged. "It's cheaper and easier to do all the basic potions in house. Don't worry. Bell Potions is still getting the orders for blood pressure stabilizers, diabetic potions, and the like." It also gave Eloise a job. Anthony wasn't idealistic enough to believe that just anyone would give a werewolf a job, let alone someone as... solitary as Eloise. But so far he had done nothing but trust her and so far, initial wallet filching aside, she had done nothing to betray that trust. That counted for something.
"It's not me you should be worrying about, it's your sister." Katie had no qualms about letting this tidbit of information accidentally slip to her sister-in-law, who would no doubt have words for her brother. "But Eloise seems like a lovely person. I can see that her winning personality is one of her many charms."
"Amy already knows." Anthony dismissed her concerns with a wave of his hand. "She knew at Lizzie's naming ceremony. As you can see... still alive." Besides, Amy could rant and rave and hex all she wanted, he wasn't exactly changing his mind. This situation was best for everyone.
Raising a brow at him, Katie merely said, "For the time being." Whatever Anthony saw in this woman, she certainly couldn't see it. It didn't matter if the woman was a better potions master than Snape, she would never be up to par with her brother. They'd learned potions from the best, after all.
There were times Anthony hated healer-patient priveledge. He couldn't exactly divulge her status as a werewolf without betraying his oaths. "You'll just have to trust me that within the bigger picture, my judgment is sound. After all, what's one little clinic when comparing big contracts like the Ministry?"
"Yes, but when the clinic is run by family..." she trailed off, glancing down at her menu. "I trust you. I may not like it, but I trust you."
"You know from a purely economic standpoint..." Anthony trailed off and shook his head. When he had he ever been motivated by economics? That was not how he was raised. If it had been, his parents would have said to hell with Glaswer Hall long ago. "So how have you been, Kates?"
"Well, since I haven't seen you at a match lately, I had assumed you'd been keeping close tabs on me via the newspaper," his sister replied, only the twitch of her lips belaying her tone. "I'm hurt, Anthony, really, I am."
He knew her well enough to know that she was teasing. After all, when was the last time he had had time to sit down and read the newspaper? "Well, perhaps if you didn't keep scheduling games I hold clinic hours, I'd attend one," he returned.
"Excuse me," Katie set her menu down, brown eyes sparkling with unshed laughter. "Only one person at this table has the power to control their schedule, and it most certainly is not me."
"And you would deprive those who need it, reduced health care, I'm shocked." He fluttered his eyelashes at her.
"No, but I do think you should reschedule. Your sister's team is poised to repeat as League champions, and you can't squeeze time in to take in a match."
"I'll be there when it counts, Kates, and you know that." He said with all seriousness. When was the last time he fell through on anything important? Small stuff might pass by unnoticed, but not league championships.
"You better," she teased.
The waiter appeared then, and after ordering two glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon to go along with their meals, Katie turned her attention back to Anthony. "So, how have you been? Besides working yourself far too much?"
He wanted to counter that he liked his work, that it was fulfilling, and that he was doing something to better the world around him, and even though it left him tired at the end of the day, it didn't feel like work, but decided against it. "Good. I'm thinking about hiring a second assistant and let Parvati have more time to do her catering thing."
She nodded. "You should. Help is always a good thing."
"Now, of course, where do I find one?" Previously he had always just lucked upon help. Everything had been spur of the moment. Sometimes planning sucked.
Katie shrugged. "Mine came with the office."
He quirked a smile. "If only the rest of us were so lucky."
Summary: Katie meets Eloise and takes Anthony out to lunch.
When the bell above the door rang, again, Eloise made a face behind the potion book she was perusing. She didn't know what exactly had prompted Parvati to put her in charge of the front desk, but it was bloody annoying.
Katie, for her part, was in a good mood. After a morning's meeting with Puddlemere's owner and other administrative staff members, she was looking for some company for lunch. As she had not seen her pseudo-brother in far too long, he was to be her chosen victim.
Pulling off her leather gloves as she approached the front desk, Katie gave the other woman a small smile. "Is Anthony in?"
"Let's think about that for a second," Eloise replied, lazily flipping a page. "The clinic is open, and since you apparently know him, you probably know that he doesn't have another healer working here. What does that tell you?"
One elegant brow arched over Katie's dark brown eye, all joviality vanished and replaced with a hard shine. Resisting the urge to give the other woman a piece of her mind, she simply said coldly, "Is he available, then?"
With the sinking realization that whoever it was wouldn't leave her alone, she lowered her book. "Dunno."
"Will you go and see?" Katie asked, her tone dry as she gave Eloise a pointed look.
"I'd rather french kiss a skunk," she muttered, shoving away from the desk. "Wait here."
"Thank you, sunshine," the other woman said sarcastically as Eloise strode away. Muttering, Katie continued, "I'd so hate for you to have to do your job."
Anthony looked up at the knock on his office door. It wasn't Parvati's familiar one and as far as he was aware, she was out anyway, and with no patients, that only left one person. Eloise. "Come in, Eloise," he called, putting away the file he had just finished working on. He didn't know why she'd come to see him, but he was more of a wait and see sort of guy. She'd tell him, eventually, he supposed.
"There's some bird here to see you," she told him, hitching herself up onto an examination table nearly as soon as she'd walked in the room. "Looks posh, but talks like she's got a giant icicle shoved up her arse."
Anthony rose. "Oh really?" He followed her out the door, smiling when he caught sight of Katie. "Hallo there, Kates. What brings you to this neck of the woods?"
"I've decided you are going to accompany me to lunch," Katie said, unable to keep a smile off her face when Anthony walked in, though it was still strained as the rude woman walked in behind him.
"I am? Alright." Anthony summoned his coat and gloves. "Where to, madame?"
"Sirenae," Katie replied as she put her leather gloves back on her hand. Glancing past Anthony, her eyes went cold again as she said, "It was lovely to meet you, Miss...?"
Eloise snorted as she dropped into the chair, it was much more comfortable than the one in the lab. "Sure, sure. Whatever."
"Cagna," Katie said smoothly before she turned back to Anthony, her expression brightening. "Shall we?"
Anthony turned to Eloise. "You're free to leave for the day, if you'd like." The wards were set to let him know if there was an emergency, thanks to the ring he wore, but there were no other patients for the rest of the day.
He held out an arm to Katie.
"Alright, cool." She had a little something brewing at home, definitely not work safe, that she needed to get back to.
Placing her hand in the crook of Anthony's arm, Katie pulled out her wand. "Ready?"
"Take me away, oh Quidditch captain extraordinaire," the healer said with a grin and a flick of grin to Eloise. The wards would snap into place upon her leaving the Clinic.
With a 'crack,' Katie Apparated them to the front foyer of Sirenae. The hostess, immediately recognizing one half of the party, led them back to a small table in the back of the restaurant, well away from the wandering eyes of the rest of the diners.
A waiter appeared as they settled into their chairs, offering menus and a wine listing before disappearing just as silently as he'd appeared.
"So," Katie asked, glancing at Anthony over the top of her menu, "who was that charming woman at your front desk? What happened to Parvati?"
"Parvati's still around," he assured. "After she did the Witch Weekly gala thing she periodically has catering gigs. Eloise was manning the desk." Come to think of it, Parvati was having to slip out more and more often. Perhaps it was time to find another, part time, receptionist. That was something to think about.
"Eloise? And what does she do?"
"Potions. All the ones we seem to go through quicker than a third year going through Honeyduke's chocolate after their first Hogsmeade weekend. Pepper-up, light sleeping draughts, and the like."
Katie stared at him over her menu. "I thought you were contracting through Jonathan for all of that?" she asked, her voice slightly aghast. "You know he keeps all of those in constant supply."
Anthony shrugged. "It's cheaper and easier to do all the basic potions in house. Don't worry. Bell Potions is still getting the orders for blood pressure stabilizers, diabetic potions, and the like." It also gave Eloise a job. Anthony wasn't idealistic enough to believe that just anyone would give a werewolf a job, let alone someone as... solitary as Eloise. But so far he had done nothing but trust her and so far, initial wallet filching aside, she had done nothing to betray that trust. That counted for something.
"It's not me you should be worrying about, it's your sister." Katie had no qualms about letting this tidbit of information accidentally slip to her sister-in-law, who would no doubt have words for her brother. "But Eloise seems like a lovely person. I can see that her winning personality is one of her many charms."
"Amy already knows." Anthony dismissed her concerns with a wave of his hand. "She knew at Lizzie's naming ceremony. As you can see... still alive." Besides, Amy could rant and rave and hex all she wanted, he wasn't exactly changing his mind. This situation was best for everyone.
Raising a brow at him, Katie merely said, "For the time being." Whatever Anthony saw in this woman, she certainly couldn't see it. It didn't matter if the woman was a better potions master than Snape, she would never be up to par with her brother. They'd learned potions from the best, after all.
There were times Anthony hated healer-patient priveledge. He couldn't exactly divulge her status as a werewolf without betraying his oaths. "You'll just have to trust me that within the bigger picture, my judgment is sound. After all, what's one little clinic when comparing big contracts like the Ministry?"
"Yes, but when the clinic is run by family..." she trailed off, glancing down at her menu. "I trust you. I may not like it, but I trust you."
"You know from a purely economic standpoint..." Anthony trailed off and shook his head. When he had he ever been motivated by economics? That was not how he was raised. If it had been, his parents would have said to hell with Glaswer Hall long ago. "So how have you been, Kates?"
"Well, since I haven't seen you at a match lately, I had assumed you'd been keeping close tabs on me via the newspaper," his sister replied, only the twitch of her lips belaying her tone. "I'm hurt, Anthony, really, I am."
He knew her well enough to know that she was teasing. After all, when was the last time he had had time to sit down and read the newspaper? "Well, perhaps if you didn't keep scheduling games I hold clinic hours, I'd attend one," he returned.
"Excuse me," Katie set her menu down, brown eyes sparkling with unshed laughter. "Only one person at this table has the power to control their schedule, and it most certainly is not me."
"And you would deprive those who need it, reduced health care, I'm shocked." He fluttered his eyelashes at her.
"No, but I do think you should reschedule. Your sister's team is poised to repeat as League champions, and you can't squeeze time in to take in a match."
"I'll be there when it counts, Kates, and you know that." He said with all seriousness. When was the last time he fell through on anything important? Small stuff might pass by unnoticed, but not league championships.
"You better," she teased.
The waiter appeared then, and after ordering two glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon to go along with their meals, Katie turned her attention back to Anthony. "So, how have you been? Besides working yourself far too much?"
He wanted to counter that he liked his work, that it was fulfilling, and that he was doing something to better the world around him, and even though it left him tired at the end of the day, it didn't feel like work, but decided against it. "Good. I'm thinking about hiring a second assistant and let Parvati have more time to do her catering thing."
She nodded. "You should. Help is always a good thing."
"Now, of course, where do I find one?" Previously he had always just lucked upon help. Everything had been spur of the moment. Sometimes planning sucked.
Katie shrugged. "Mine came with the office."
He quirked a smile. "If only the rest of us were so lucky."
Summary: Katie meets Eloise and takes Anthony out to lunch.