RP: Let's just talk about it.
Date: September 17, 1998.
Characters: Katie Bell, Leanne Rafferty (NPC)
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland
Status: Private
Summary: Katie and Leanne go shopping before Katie heads home.
Completion: Complete
Katie stood in the small shop, frowning. Leanne had apparated them both to the Wizarding section of Belfast so she could do some shopping before she headed back to Hogsmeade. She wanted to pick out something for Hermione, but it was difficult.
“D’you think she’d like one of these, Lee?” Katie asked, pointing at a display of miniature harps that were enchanted to play traditional Irish ballads. Leanne looked over and shrugged.
“Dunno. It’s nice, but that’s a grandma gift, love,” Leanne said, turning her attention back to a set of Medieval warriors who were battling a fierce dragon.
“I highly doubt Hermione’s grandma is getting her a magical harp, seeing as she’s a Muggle,” Katie grumbled, but she moved away from the display.
“I saw that Dec cornered you last night,” Leanne said, with a deliberate casualness. “What’d he want?”
Katie sighed and rubbed her hand over her face. “The usual. Why my life still sucks when other people’s lives suck more. And that I need to stop throwing my myself a 24/7 pity party.”
“He’s right, Katie.” Leanne said, quietly.
“I know he’s right. He’s always right, isn’t he?” Katie said, scowling. “I just need to figure out how to get my arse in gear.”
“For a start, maybe you shouldn’t be spending all your free time with Marcus Flint,” Leanne said, holding back a laugh. “I mean, he’s not exactly a paragon of healthy living.”
“But he’s helping me,” Katie protested. “I need him. Oh, not like that, you perv,” she added, smacking Leanne’s arm. “I need him to get into the League.”
“Life’s not all about Quidditch, you know,” Leanne said.
“I know that. I’m just not good at anything else.” Katie shrugged, picking up a large tome that had caught her eye. She knew she’d told Terry not to get Hermione a book, but this - this was the perfect book. Leanne looked over her shoulder.
“Ah. There you go. Can we grab something to eat now? I’m starving,” she said.
“I need to get something for Seamus, too,” Katie said, moving around the shop. “Although, I’ve no clue what.”
“You’re buying Seamus a present? Seamus? Didn’t he turn your knickers into a turnip chicken?” Leanne asked, smirking.
“Yes, but he was able to help me get to Omagh, which is why I need to get him a present,” Katie said, looking at a bottle of Muggle whiskey. She reached out to pick it up and Leanne snatched her hand back.
“That bottle costs more than you make in a month. You’re not buying that for any bloke unless he’s your Da, or you’re madly in love with him and he’s a Sex God. Finnigan, I suspect, is neither.” Leanne steered her towards a section of the shop that greatly resembled Zonko’s. “He’s a bit of a joker. Get him a joke.”
Katie shot Leanne a glare, but Leanne crossed her arms and stood firm. Sighing, Katie looked at the selection of joke products.
“Today would be nice,” Leanne muttered after twenty minutes.
“I’ll just go into the Quidditch shop before we leave,” Katie said finally. “Get him some gloves. Or something.”
“Just don’t buy him a broom,” Leanne said sweetly, patting Katie on the arm.
They grabbed a table in the pub, and soon Leanne was happily digging into a plateful of chips. It felt like old times, Katie thought, stealing a chip off Leanne’s plate and munching on it while they talked about the stuff they couldn’t talk about in a houseful of kids and parents.
“Have you shagged him yet?” Leanne asked abruptly.
“What? Who? What?” Katie asked. She’d thought they’d been talking about Bill Weasley and Leanne’s terribly clever plan to convince him that Fleur was just a passing fad and he needed a nice Irish girl to settle down with.
“Your bloke. Terry whatshisface. Have you shagged him?” Leanne said, gesturing with a chip before popping it into her mouth.
“No!” Katie said, turning bright red. “I mean, we’ve done stuff, but not that. He’s uh - well, he’s not done it before,” she muttered to the table.
Leanne snickered. Katie looked up and glowered at her.
“I’m sorry, it’s just so sweet. You gonna make it all romantic when you deflower him? Have candles and Celestina Warbeck on the Wireless, yeah?” She teased, dodging the napkins Katie send at her head. “Easy now, tiger. Don’t want to frighten him off with that temper of yours.”
“Thanks,” Katie said, sarcastically. That was the second time she’d been told her temper’d scare Terry off. She frowned, wondering if there was some truth in that.
“Don’t look so glum, Kay, I’m only joking,” Leanne said. “I’m sure he’s a lovely bloke. And if he can’t take your temper, then he’s not worth it. Better off without him,” she shrugged.
They soon left the pub and went to the Quidditch store, where Katie and Leanne giggled over a poster of Marcus Flint wearing a lazy smile - “He probably just got shagged” - and stared longingly at the Firebolts. Katie selected something that she thought Seamus might enjoy and they strode out into the street, only for Katie to be greeted by a small red owl wearing a large purple bow and carrying a package.
“What’s this?” Katie said, turning to look at Leanne who was beaming at her. “Is this my owl?”
“Yep,” Leanne said cheerfully. “She’s from all of us. Well, me and Dec, mostly. Isn’t she darling?”
Katie stared at the owl, who stared back. She then wrapped her arms around Leanne. “You got me an owl!”
“I did!” Leanne replied, laughing. After a minute she pulled back. “We’re not going to be able to make it down for your birthday, so I wanted to give you your presents now so I could see your little happy dance.”
Katie rolled her eyes, grinning. “I’m not doing my happy dance in the middle of the street, Leanne.”
“Open your other present,” Leanne said confidently. “We’ll see.”
Curiosity piqued, Katie took the parcel from her new owl, who settled on her shoulder, hooting contentedly. She unwrapped it and stared at the box.
“YOU GOT ME A MOBILE!” She shrieked, the owl taking flight in alarm.
Leanne watched as Katie did indeed do her happy dance. “This way, you’ll always be able to contact us. I programmed our numbers in - my mobile and Dec’s, and you can add your parents in there too. Don’t try and use it in Hogsmeade, or it’ll go all kinds of wonky, but it should be fine in London. Now you’ve got no excuse not to get in touch, yeah? I expect to hear from you often.”
Katie nodded and smothered Leanne with kisses. “Thank you thank you thank you! Mum and Dad will be so pleased! I can call them and meet them for lunch, or go over more often. Mum hates owls - she thinks they’re so unhygienic. Oh Leanne, you’re the best. And give Dec lots of kisses from me, too.”
“That is disgusting, you know,” Leanne said, wiping her face off. “If you want to slobber on him, you can do it yourself.”
“Seriously Kay,” Leanne said after a moment, looking at the little owl who’d settled on the arm of a nearby bench. “I thought I was going to lose you that day in Hogsmeade. Before this happened, the bombing, I mean, that was the scariest moment in my life. And then, after Dumbledore died, you just disappeared.” She swallowed and looked up at Katie. “I know why you did what you did. And I can understand it. But I thought that you were dead, or captured. I never thought I’d see you again. Just - don’t do that to me again, alright? If you feel like running away again, just ring. Or send a note.”
Katie nodded mutely, and hugged her gently from behind. “I’m sorry.”
“I know,” Leanne said, before hastily wiping at her eyes. “Come on, now. We don’t want you to miss your portkey.”
Katie smiled and beckoning to her owl, she followed Leanne back through the cobblestone streets of Wizarding Belfast.
Characters: Katie Bell, Leanne Rafferty (NPC)
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland
Status: Private
Summary: Katie and Leanne go shopping before Katie heads home.
Completion: Complete
Katie stood in the small shop, frowning. Leanne had apparated them both to the Wizarding section of Belfast so she could do some shopping before she headed back to Hogsmeade. She wanted to pick out something for Hermione, but it was difficult.
“D’you think she’d like one of these, Lee?” Katie asked, pointing at a display of miniature harps that were enchanted to play traditional Irish ballads. Leanne looked over and shrugged.
“Dunno. It’s nice, but that’s a grandma gift, love,” Leanne said, turning her attention back to a set of Medieval warriors who were battling a fierce dragon.
“I highly doubt Hermione’s grandma is getting her a magical harp, seeing as she’s a Muggle,” Katie grumbled, but she moved away from the display.
“I saw that Dec cornered you last night,” Leanne said, with a deliberate casualness. “What’d he want?”
Katie sighed and rubbed her hand over her face. “The usual. Why my life still sucks when other people’s lives suck more. And that I need to stop throwing my myself a 24/7 pity party.”
“He’s right, Katie.” Leanne said, quietly.
“I know he’s right. He’s always right, isn’t he?” Katie said, scowling. “I just need to figure out how to get my arse in gear.”
“For a start, maybe you shouldn’t be spending all your free time with Marcus Flint,” Leanne said, holding back a laugh. “I mean, he’s not exactly a paragon of healthy living.”
“But he’s helping me,” Katie protested. “I need him. Oh, not like that, you perv,” she added, smacking Leanne’s arm. “I need him to get into the League.”
“Life’s not all about Quidditch, you know,” Leanne said.
“I know that. I’m just not good at anything else.” Katie shrugged, picking up a large tome that had caught her eye. She knew she’d told Terry not to get Hermione a book, but this - this was the perfect book. Leanne looked over her shoulder.
“Ah. There you go. Can we grab something to eat now? I’m starving,” she said.
“I need to get something for Seamus, too,” Katie said, moving around the shop. “Although, I’ve no clue what.”
“You’re buying Seamus a present? Seamus? Didn’t he turn your knickers into a turnip chicken?” Leanne asked, smirking.
“Yes, but he was able to help me get to Omagh, which is why I need to get him a present,” Katie said, looking at a bottle of Muggle whiskey. She reached out to pick it up and Leanne snatched her hand back.
“That bottle costs more than you make in a month. You’re not buying that for any bloke unless he’s your Da, or you’re madly in love with him and he’s a Sex God. Finnigan, I suspect, is neither.” Leanne steered her towards a section of the shop that greatly resembled Zonko’s. “He’s a bit of a joker. Get him a joke.”
Katie shot Leanne a glare, but Leanne crossed her arms and stood firm. Sighing, Katie looked at the selection of joke products.
“Today would be nice,” Leanne muttered after twenty minutes.
“I’ll just go into the Quidditch shop before we leave,” Katie said finally. “Get him some gloves. Or something.”
“Just don’t buy him a broom,” Leanne said sweetly, patting Katie on the arm.
They grabbed a table in the pub, and soon Leanne was happily digging into a plateful of chips. It felt like old times, Katie thought, stealing a chip off Leanne’s plate and munching on it while they talked about the stuff they couldn’t talk about in a houseful of kids and parents.
“Have you shagged him yet?” Leanne asked abruptly.
“What? Who? What?” Katie asked. She’d thought they’d been talking about Bill Weasley and Leanne’s terribly clever plan to convince him that Fleur was just a passing fad and he needed a nice Irish girl to settle down with.
“Your bloke. Terry whatshisface. Have you shagged him?” Leanne said, gesturing with a chip before popping it into her mouth.
“No!” Katie said, turning bright red. “I mean, we’ve done stuff, but not that. He’s uh - well, he’s not done it before,” she muttered to the table.
Leanne snickered. Katie looked up and glowered at her.
“I’m sorry, it’s just so sweet. You gonna make it all romantic when you deflower him? Have candles and Celestina Warbeck on the Wireless, yeah?” She teased, dodging the napkins Katie send at her head. “Easy now, tiger. Don’t want to frighten him off with that temper of yours.”
“Thanks,” Katie said, sarcastically. That was the second time she’d been told her temper’d scare Terry off. She frowned, wondering if there was some truth in that.
“Don’t look so glum, Kay, I’m only joking,” Leanne said. “I’m sure he’s a lovely bloke. And if he can’t take your temper, then he’s not worth it. Better off without him,” she shrugged.
They soon left the pub and went to the Quidditch store, where Katie and Leanne giggled over a poster of Marcus Flint wearing a lazy smile - “He probably just got shagged” - and stared longingly at the Firebolts. Katie selected something that she thought Seamus might enjoy and they strode out into the street, only for Katie to be greeted by a small red owl wearing a large purple bow and carrying a package.
“What’s this?” Katie said, turning to look at Leanne who was beaming at her. “Is this my owl?”
“Yep,” Leanne said cheerfully. “She’s from all of us. Well, me and Dec, mostly. Isn’t she darling?”
Katie stared at the owl, who stared back. She then wrapped her arms around Leanne. “You got me an owl!”
“I did!” Leanne replied, laughing. After a minute she pulled back. “We’re not going to be able to make it down for your birthday, so I wanted to give you your presents now so I could see your little happy dance.”
Katie rolled her eyes, grinning. “I’m not doing my happy dance in the middle of the street, Leanne.”
“Open your other present,” Leanne said confidently. “We’ll see.”
Curiosity piqued, Katie took the parcel from her new owl, who settled on her shoulder, hooting contentedly. She unwrapped it and stared at the box.
“YOU GOT ME A MOBILE!” She shrieked, the owl taking flight in alarm.
Leanne watched as Katie did indeed do her happy dance. “This way, you’ll always be able to contact us. I programmed our numbers in - my mobile and Dec’s, and you can add your parents in there too. Don’t try and use it in Hogsmeade, or it’ll go all kinds of wonky, but it should be fine in London. Now you’ve got no excuse not to get in touch, yeah? I expect to hear from you often.”
Katie nodded and smothered Leanne with kisses. “Thank you thank you thank you! Mum and Dad will be so pleased! I can call them and meet them for lunch, or go over more often. Mum hates owls - she thinks they’re so unhygienic. Oh Leanne, you’re the best. And give Dec lots of kisses from me, too.”
“That is disgusting, you know,” Leanne said, wiping her face off. “If you want to slobber on him, you can do it yourself.”
“Seriously Kay,” Leanne said after a moment, looking at the little owl who’d settled on the arm of a nearby bench. “I thought I was going to lose you that day in Hogsmeade. Before this happened, the bombing, I mean, that was the scariest moment in my life. And then, after Dumbledore died, you just disappeared.” She swallowed and looked up at Katie. “I know why you did what you did. And I can understand it. But I thought that you were dead, or captured. I never thought I’d see you again. Just - don’t do that to me again, alright? If you feel like running away again, just ring. Or send a note.”
Katie nodded mutely, and hugged her gently from behind. “I’m sorry.”
“I know,” Leanne said, before hastily wiping at her eyes. “Come on, now. We don’t want you to miss your portkey.”
Katie smiled and beckoning to her owl, she followed Leanne back through the cobblestone streets of Wizarding Belfast.