RP: Xanadu Grand Opening

[shh_npc]

Date: January 20, 2005
Characters: Stubby Boardman, Anyone else
Location: Xanadu
Status: Very Public
Summary: Xanadu opens
Completion: Incomplete

Comments

[shh_eleanor]

Eleanor grinned and chugged the rest of her beer down. When in Rome, she thought. Her head was feeling very light, and she found the stairs difficult to maneuver, but somehow managed to make her way upstairs.

Looking around, Eleanor thought she spotted a familiar face. “Rose, wasn’t he a Hufflepuff a few years above us?” she asked pointing at the dark-skinned (and rather handsome Eleanor didn’t fail to notice in her semi inebriated state) man. “Do you remember what his name was?”

[shh_rose]

Eleanor, Rose noticed, wasn't as good at holding her liquor. Then again, Rose was just drinking amaretto, which wasn't that strong. She liked it because it was sweet.

"Steady there, love," she told Eleanor at one point, steadying her on the stairs. Maybe they should have stuck around down below, but they'd been curious about what might be on the upper levels.

Now Eleanor was pointing to a fellow with a shaved head and asking if Rose knew him. "Know him? Ellie, it's Wayne Hopkins! Chaser? Really good Chaser? He was a sweetheart, too -- never talked down to me even though he's, gosh, I don't know how many years above us. Come on," and once again, she had Eleanor by the wrist, tugging her along.

"Wayne!" she waved as she wove through people and furniture and colored lights. "Wayne Hopkins! It's Rose Zeller!" She doubted he'd recognize her immediately. She'd been a little girl the last time he'd seen her.

[shh_wayne]

The band downstairs was pretty good, but they sang in such a way that he couldn't actually understand what they were saying. While some people might like, Wayne preferred hearing the words, so he drifted away from the railing and back into the seating area, where it was quieter

[shh_rose]

"Ha!" Rose said, hugging him loosely. "Yes, Rose the Quidditch fan. And yes, I've grown up -- well, grown out anyway." She'd found joking about her weight was usually easier. "I'm not sure I'm all that much taller." She was forced to peer up at him, and she pulled Eleanor forward. "This is Eleanor Branstone. Do you remember her? She was a year ahead of me, but she's the quiet one." She smiled at her friend. "I was the noisy obnoxious one who pestered you and Zach no end."

[shh_eleanor]

Eleanor smacked herself upside the head when Rose mentioned Wayne’s name. Of course, how could she have forgotten? She found herself being hauled along behind Rose again, but she was starting to get used to it and managed not to stumble along behind her.

Wayne seemed a friendly sort of bloke. He didn’t seem to recognize her, which was fine with Eleanor, who didn’t necessarily like to be noticed anyway. She was happy to let he and Rose have a chat, but Rose seemed to have other ideas, and it seemed rude not to say anything.

“Hello, Wayne , it’s nice to see you again,” she told him with a friendly smile. “We didn’t talk much at Hogwarts, I’m afraid, but I did watch all of your games.”

[shh_wayne]

Wayne hugged her back and rolled his eyes. "You look good, Rosie girl, so no more of that nonsense," he said sincerely, moving his gaze up and down her. "Lots of nice curves that probably drive the men wild."

He looked at her friend and smiled. "I remember Eleanor. Sorry, you've both just grown up a lot over the last few years. I still remember cute ickle girls whispering around the Hufflepuff common room," he said, reaching out to give her a friendly hug.

"Why don't you both sit? I'm just sitting here away from that noise they call music drinking my whiskey and watching people. Company would be much appreciated," he said, moving one of the cube chair things out for whichever sat first.

[shh_rose]

Rose snorted at the 'curves that probably drive the men wild.' She had yet to find one -- or more likely, one who could stand her loud mouth -- but didn't plan to pursue that with a virtual stranger.

His comment about the music made her grin. "Well, it's ... danceable. The vocalist is a bit flat, though, when he tries going too high but I don't think most of the people here are sober enough to notice."

Settling down into a red chair across from him and setting her big purse at her feet, she patted the chair beside hers for Eleanor and leaned forward. "So -- what are you up to these days? Do you still play, even for fun? Ellie said Ludo Bagman is thinking about starting a new Quidditch League?"

[shh_wayne]

He heard her snort and arched a brow. "If you're snorting over that, you've obviously not found the right men, Miss Rose," he said confidently

[shh_eleanor]

Eleanor found herself mentally cheering Wayne on when he complimented Rose’s figure, and immediately decided that she liked him. She listened to them chat about Quidditch, and Wayne’s plans to open a hotel. She realized that she wasn’t saying much, and knew Rose had grown used to it during her Hogwarts days, but Wayne wasn’t likely to know how shy she was. She hoped he didn’t think she was being rude, she’d often been mistaken for a snob.

When he looked her way after asking what they’d been doing Eleanor blushed slightly. “This is actually Roses’ first time in town. I told her I’d show her around. I’ve been… well busy with school and such. I haven’t had a chance to get out much.”

It wasn’t the complete truth, aside from her trip home she’d had plenty of opportunity to get out, but she didn’t think he’d be interested in why she usually holed up at home.

“However, I’m sure Rose will change that,” she said smiling at her friend. “Thinks my lack of a social life is dreadful, she does.”

[shh_rose]

"Rose will definitely change that," Rose agreed. "Study and hard work is all well and good, as long as you temper it with a bit of fun. That's my theory, anyway

[shh_wayne]

Wayne snorted. "I don't know if I'd say that I was the friendliest bloke, but I'm glad you have good memories," he said, grinning sheepishly. "But, yeah, I'm good at what I do, I guess. Fits me well enough, I suppose. I'm hoping that it will do well over time, though I know it won't right off. Ministry's going to be rebuilt here and there's a school and hospital. Lots of potential."

"No, Charlie actually looks like a lot like me," he said deadpan. He laughed. "Seriously, he's more freckled than any of his brothers and definitely has that Weasley red hair. Great guy, and one hell of a Quidditch player in his day, from what I heard."

"You're both going to school? Do you also attend in Exeter, Eleanor, or are you doing the catch-up courses at the local school?"

[shh_eleanor]

“Oh no, Rose here is the well educated one, she’s going to start Law School next fall” she said with a proud smile in Rose’s direction. “I’m still working on completing my OWLs. I’ve been taking potions over at the local school. Hogwarts fell during my OWL year. That was actually what brought me here.”

“Are you renovating one of the buildings for your hotel?” she asked Wayne. “It must keep you pretty busy.”

[shh_wayne]

"Law school?" Wayne whistled. "Don't know if I'm smart enough to talk with a future solicitor or barrister."

He smiled at Eleanor. "It's good that you're trying to finish your OWLs. Do you intend to continue your education and go for your NEWTs or just stop at OWLs?"

"Yeah, I found this ridiculously huge house just out of town that needs a little work, but will make a great inn. We've started working on it, actually, and then will begin building some small cottages and stuff, too."

"So, Muggle Law School? You're living in town, though?" he asked Rose.

[shh_rose]

"I'm going to be living in town, when I can find a flat or hourse, yes. I'll stay with Eleanor for a little bit -- and I promise not to become 3-day-old fish." She laughed.

"Law school is ... well, yes, it's hard. But it's also about more than book smarts. And it occurred to me that we -- wizards, I mean -- don't really have barristers. Solicitors yes, but when anybody went before a court, who represented them? Nobody. And everybody ought to have a right to counsel under the law -- guilty or innocent. In fact, I wonder sometimes if our system doesn't count you guilty until proven innocent. That's not the way it ought to be." She nodded again, warming to her subject.

"So I'm going to Muggle Law school to learn Muggle law, then I'll study Wizarding law in the summers, and ... put it all together. Rosie Zeller, defense barrister!" She grinned. "Besides, I like to argue. Or debate. Or pontificate. Or talk." She was laughing more now. "I just like hearing my brains rattle, my dad says."

[shh_eleanor]

“I plan to go all the way through to my NEWTs. It may take me a while, but there is really no better way to invest one’s time than a proper education,” she told Wayne.

She snorted when Rose told Wayne of her fondness for talking. “Yes, Rose is going to make an excellent barrister. The Wizarding world won’t know what hit them once she’s done with school. Of course, Stoats might not know what hit them either,” she teased.

“The mouth, the sparklie clothes - Honestly, it will be downright astonishing if she doesn’t become quite well known in town.” Eleanor had no doubt that Rose would be quite popular with her bubbly and friendly personality.

[shh_wayne]

"There might be an available flat or two in my building," he said thoughtfully. "I think there's a few open and I heard that Davies recently moved in with a woman so whichever flat he was in is empty now, too. Sadly, I've been so busy lately that I don't even know is moving in my building. Used to just be about three of us. Now, it's nearly full."

He nodded, agreeing with Eleanor. "I probably should have gone to University, but the war was happening and my parents sent me to America to start training to learn hotels. As it is, I suppose I didn't really need it for what I do, but learning is important."

He waved over a waiter and ordered another whiskey. "You ladies want anything?" he asked.

"Talking is important for that sort of career, I suppose, as is research and the like. I'd hate that part of it, honestly, but I like to talk sometimes, so I can understand that."