RP: Beggars can't be choosers
Date: November 8 2004
Characters: Romilda Vane, Professor Vector
Location: 3A Hillview
Status: Private
Summary: Romilda ponders life, the universe and everything.
Completion: Complete
"Come on, Liam, time to put on your jacket. we're going out for a while," Romilda peered out the window. The weather was grey, but not rainy, and the wind was light. She had no idea where, just that she couldn't stay in here any longer. She never liked being cooped up at the best of times, and Liam was even more of a handful when they didn't get out into the fresh air. Liam's pent up energy - a combination of both his parents - was constantly in need of being channelled into active pursuits.
"Are we going to play with some garden gnomes?" he asked hopefully, his eyes lighting up at the prospect of getting covered in mud and goo. She smiled. Once he got an idea in his head, it would take ages to turn his focus to something different. He would harp on about gnomes now until he was bored with them.
"No, I thought we might go and find what sort of shops are currently open in town." She had no idea if there were any shops in town, but it was something to look forward to. Not that she had any money to buy anything, but it was a start. They had spent the past couple of days wandering around town - getting their bearings, but it still seemed mostly abandoned, despite the number of people pouring into the town. So far she had managed to avoid running into anyone she knew, but her luck was bound to run out sooner rather than later. She was planning on heading over to the Five Alarm to see Rosmerta tomorrow. That was an exciting prospect, and she could hardly wait to see her. They had met a couple of people - that Millicent and her daughter Elladora seemed nice. She hoped the could get together some time again. The girl seemed familiar. No doubt they had been at Hogwarts together, but Romilda would have remembered her had she been in Gryffindor, or younger.
Her feet were weary from so much walking but then again, she was used to it. She had noticed a few bicycles around the town, and thought it would be a fantastic idea to get one for herself. Liam would want one too, which was a change from constantly wanting a broom. Perhaps now they were in a wizarding town, a broom wouldn't be such a bad idea... although with his ability to trip over his own feet, she had no idea if he was capable of staying on a broom.
Their small flat in Hillview was nice. Warm and cosy, but somewhat bland - although the carpet was quite... pink. The kitchen was extremely servicable, and she was pleased to find that all the appliances worked. It was also thoughtful for Wayne to have stocked a few cans of soup and baked beans for their first few days. Bread and milk as well - he was so thoughtful. She had no idea where they would get other food just yet, so getting a job was cruicial.
Luckily, the previous owners had left nearly all the furniture behind. She could imagine the Muggles would have had a hellish time trying to carry those large items down such a narrow staircase. The beds were comfortable, and even though the remaining furniture was drab, it was clean. She could always try to use some glamours or permanent transfigurations to hide the beige colour, but when she was feeling more settled. After so long moving from place to place, it seemed unreal to have somewhere to go to all the time.
She could live with the colour of that carpet, for now. She would have ripped it all out, but the thought of Liam and his boundless energy thumping around from room to room -- it would have only been louder on the bare floorboards. She pitied whoever was going to live in 2A, unless they knew how to cast solid silencing charms.
Their bedrooms were small, but Liam's eyes lit up when he discovered a box of toys and books left abandoned in the cupboard. He had no idea what to do with so many toys at once. That had kept him occupied for a while, but now he was getting restless.
Liam came back into the living room with a smug grin on his face. He proudly showed his mother that he had done up his own buttons on his jacket. Albeit they weren't quite in the right holes, but he had managed to work the nimble buttons without her help. "I did this button all by myself," he stated proudly, hoping she wouldn't notice his shoes were also on the wrong feet.
"Oh, Liam, look at you," even when she was completely exasperated with him, he could put a smile on her face. She resented her pregnancy at the beginning, and at times she fervently wished she had never got herself into such a mess, but looking at that eager face as she adjusted his buttons and shoes, she knew she wouldn't go back and change things ever again.
She did notice that his glamour charm was starting to fade and she quickly recast it. It was a complex charm, and one Romilda had quickly mastered in the days after his birth. It would do no good for everyone to instantly know who his father was. If she ever saw him again, she would prefer that he found out from her. Perhaps then it might not be so bad. She shrugged. It didn't pay to think about such things. They might never happen.
There were a lot of stairs leading to their top floor flat, and no lift. Perfect for a growing boy and a mother who was always on the go. What right did she have to complain? Beggars certainly couldn't be choosers, and if this was home, then she would certainly make do. The flat had quite a nice view from the window. She was pretty sure the old Gryffindor common room was larger her entire flat, but that didn't matter. She had no idea why Wayne Hopkins had chosen to bestow his generosity upon her and find them a place to live, but in all honesty, she was just simply grateful.
It's not like it would be forever. Liam was going to certainly need more space as he grew older, and if they ever managed to become a proper family... well, she had given up on her fancy daydreams, but it would be nice to think that someone could still come along and sweep her off her feet and give her everything she could every possibly want, including a nice house, garden and possibly a brother or sister for Liam. She shook her head. It would do no good to lose herself in impossible daydreams again.
She was yet to meet any of her neighbours. Either the flats were vacant, or the other tenants were extremely quiet. She certainly hoped it wasn't the latter. Romilda liked a bit of noise and gaiety around her.
She suspected someone lived in the two ground floor flats. Their small gardens seemed neat and trim, and she couldn't help but notice a small but well tended herb garden outside 1A. A distinct aroma of incense wafted through the stairwell and corridor, and she suspected it came from 1B. She noticed the door was ajar, and it quickly opened. A woman poked her head out into the hallway and stared at them. Romilda recognised her instantly.
"Um, is that you Professor Vector?" she asked, remembering one of the teachers from Hogwarts. "You probably don't remember me - Romilda Vane? Gryffindor. I never did Arithmancy, but I was one of the students there when Hogwarts..." she trailed off the sentence. She didn't want to think about that horrible day, but she remembered seeing the friendly professor around the school. Does she live here? she wondered.
Characters: Romilda Vane, Professor Vector
Location: 3A Hillview
Status: Private
Summary: Romilda ponders life, the universe and everything.
Completion: Complete
"Come on, Liam, time to put on your jacket. we're going out for a while," Romilda peered out the window. The weather was grey, but not rainy, and the wind was light. She had no idea where, just that she couldn't stay in here any longer. She never liked being cooped up at the best of times, and Liam was even more of a handful when they didn't get out into the fresh air. Liam's pent up energy - a combination of both his parents - was constantly in need of being channelled into active pursuits.
"Are we going to play with some garden gnomes?" he asked hopefully, his eyes lighting up at the prospect of getting covered in mud and goo. She smiled. Once he got an idea in his head, it would take ages to turn his focus to something different. He would harp on about gnomes now until he was bored with them.
"No, I thought we might go and find what sort of shops are currently open in town." She had no idea if there were any shops in town, but it was something to look forward to. Not that she had any money to buy anything, but it was a start. They had spent the past couple of days wandering around town - getting their bearings, but it still seemed mostly abandoned, despite the number of people pouring into the town. So far she had managed to avoid running into anyone she knew, but her luck was bound to run out sooner rather than later. She was planning on heading over to the Five Alarm to see Rosmerta tomorrow. That was an exciting prospect, and she could hardly wait to see her. They had met a couple of people - that Millicent and her daughter Elladora seemed nice. She hoped the could get together some time again. The girl seemed familiar. No doubt they had been at Hogwarts together, but Romilda would have remembered her had she been in Gryffindor, or younger.
Her feet were weary from so much walking but then again, she was used to it. She had noticed a few bicycles around the town, and thought it would be a fantastic idea to get one for herself. Liam would want one too, which was a change from constantly wanting a broom. Perhaps now they were in a wizarding town, a broom wouldn't be such a bad idea... although with his ability to trip over his own feet, she had no idea if he was capable of staying on a broom.
Their small flat in Hillview was nice. Warm and cosy, but somewhat bland - although the carpet was quite... pink. The kitchen was extremely servicable, and she was pleased to find that all the appliances worked. It was also thoughtful for Wayne to have stocked a few cans of soup and baked beans for their first few days. Bread and milk as well - he was so thoughtful. She had no idea where they would get other food just yet, so getting a job was cruicial.
Luckily, the previous owners had left nearly all the furniture behind. She could imagine the Muggles would have had a hellish time trying to carry those large items down such a narrow staircase. The beds were comfortable, and even though the remaining furniture was drab, it was clean. She could always try to use some glamours or permanent transfigurations to hide the beige colour, but when she was feeling more settled. After so long moving from place to place, it seemed unreal to have somewhere to go to all the time.
She could live with the colour of that carpet, for now. She would have ripped it all out, but the thought of Liam and his boundless energy thumping around from room to room -- it would have only been louder on the bare floorboards. She pitied whoever was going to live in 2A, unless they knew how to cast solid silencing charms.
Their bedrooms were small, but Liam's eyes lit up when he discovered a box of toys and books left abandoned in the cupboard. He had no idea what to do with so many toys at once. That had kept him occupied for a while, but now he was getting restless.
Liam came back into the living room with a smug grin on his face. He proudly showed his mother that he had done up his own buttons on his jacket. Albeit they weren't quite in the right holes, but he had managed to work the nimble buttons without her help. "I did this button all by myself," he stated proudly, hoping she wouldn't notice his shoes were also on the wrong feet.
"Oh, Liam, look at you," even when she was completely exasperated with him, he could put a smile on her face. She resented her pregnancy at the beginning, and at times she fervently wished she had never got herself into such a mess, but looking at that eager face as she adjusted his buttons and shoes, she knew she wouldn't go back and change things ever again.
She did notice that his glamour charm was starting to fade and she quickly recast it. It was a complex charm, and one Romilda had quickly mastered in the days after his birth. It would do no good for everyone to instantly know who his father was. If she ever saw him again, she would prefer that he found out from her. Perhaps then it might not be so bad. She shrugged. It didn't pay to think about such things. They might never happen.
There were a lot of stairs leading to their top floor flat, and no lift. Perfect for a growing boy and a mother who was always on the go. What right did she have to complain? Beggars certainly couldn't be choosers, and if this was home, then she would certainly make do. The flat had quite a nice view from the window. She was pretty sure the old Gryffindor common room was larger her entire flat, but that didn't matter. She had no idea why Wayne Hopkins had chosen to bestow his generosity upon her and find them a place to live, but in all honesty, she was just simply grateful.
It's not like it would be forever. Liam was going to certainly need more space as he grew older, and if they ever managed to become a proper family... well, she had given up on her fancy daydreams, but it would be nice to think that someone could still come along and sweep her off her feet and give her everything she could every possibly want, including a nice house, garden and possibly a brother or sister for Liam. She shook her head. It would do no good to lose herself in impossible daydreams again.
She was yet to meet any of her neighbours. Either the flats were vacant, or the other tenants were extremely quiet. She certainly hoped it wasn't the latter. Romilda liked a bit of noise and gaiety around her.
She suspected someone lived in the two ground floor flats. Their small gardens seemed neat and trim, and she couldn't help but notice a small but well tended herb garden outside 1A. A distinct aroma of incense wafted through the stairwell and corridor, and she suspected it came from 1B. She noticed the door was ajar, and it quickly opened. A woman poked her head out into the hallway and stared at them. Romilda recognised her instantly.
"Um, is that you Professor Vector?" she asked, remembering one of the teachers from Hogwarts. "You probably don't remember me - Romilda Vane? Gryffindor. I never did Arithmancy, but I was one of the students there when Hogwarts..." she trailed off the sentence. She didn't want to think about that horrible day, but she remembered seeing the friendly professor around the school. Does she live here? she wondered.