(Untitled)

[shh_ginny]

Date: 7 September 2005
Character(s): Ginny Weasley, Arabella Figg, Anyone
Location: Five Alarm
Status: Public
Summary: Having a bite and a pint.
Completion: Complete

Comments

[shh_arabella]

Arabella was just plain tired. She'd spent the morning doing some early-fall planting in her garden, then volunteered at the animal shelter during the afternoon because one of the regular dog walkers was sick. By late afternoon she was feeling the need for a nap, so she'd gone home and slept for an hour or so. When she woke up, she decided she didn't feel like cooking; she'd been eating at home too much lately, and she simply needed to get out. After telling her cats goodbye, she grabbed her string back and Floo'd to the Five Alarm. If she was lucky, she would see Molly Weasley and have a gab with her; if not, at least someone else would do the cooking tonight.

Stumbling out of the pub's fireplace, she caught sight of long, dark-red hair. As she made her way over, she realised her mistake. It wasn't Molly, it was her lovely daughter.

"Hello, Miss Weasley -- Ginny, isn't it? Are you expecting someone?" The young woman was already eating and, apparently attempting to translate a rather large book written in French.

[shh_ginny]

The bustle of the pub provided comforting background noise and Ginny was grateful for it as she jotted another cross-reference. 'Press firmly from right to left with rounded end of a maple wood spoon. Who the bloody hell thinks of trying these things? Let's see, victim will present with multiple symptoms that could not be readily identified. Right nasty potion, this one. Counter measures include tears of a...'

Someone was speaking and Ginny blinked, looking up in suprise before scrambling to her feet, setting the book down on the table as she rose, giving her sweater a self-conscious tug. "Mrs. Figg! Please, call me Ginny. I feel like me Mum when people call me Miss Weasley." She blushed, looking sheepish. "No. Not at all. You're welcome to join me. I was just doing some research."

[shh_arabella]

"All right, I shall. Thank you, Ginny," Arabella said, taking a seat on the opposite side of the table. Catching a waiter's eye quickly, she ordered a bowl of the pub's famous stew and a butterbeer. "Your dedication is commendable. Doing research while eating lunch, and in a foreign language to boot. You must be extremely busy if you don't have time to relax over a meal. Other than being overworked, how have you been? I've not seen your mother in ages. Is she still working here?"

[shh_ginny]

"A foreign..." she blinked in confusion, glancing down at the cover of the book before chuckling. "Oh, that. Sorry. My mentor charmed it to translate so I forgot it was written in French. I'm afraid I'm not quite that smart, Mrs. Figg."

Settling back into the booth, Ginny smiled as she answered. "Oh, this is just one of those odd busy times. We've got staff out of the country helping the Americans and I volunteered to cover some shifts. It'll settle down again soon but I don't want to fall behind on my apprenticeship."

"Mum's good. She's in and out of here a bit. I think she was doing some tourist travel but she should be about if you want to owl her." Ginny took a drink of her butterbeer. "I know she'd like that. How have you been, Mrs. Figg?"

[shh_arabella]

"You've got a very thoughtful mentor," she said. "And don't sell yourself short, young lady. I'm certain it must take a lot more than determination to become a healer, and I've heard you're a good one. Let's hope I don't need your services any time soon, though at my age one never knows

[shh_ginny]

"He's all right as mentors go." Ginny allowed with a smirk, thinking of the grumpy older wizard as she spoke. "That's awfully nice of you to say, Mrs. Figg, and I do hope you don't need my professional services anytime soon."

"Caradoc? Dearborn? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with anyone by that name. A friend of yours then? I'm sure he's right then, that his family is safe. It's a dreadful thing to happen but it gives one a sigh of relief to hear good news like that. I've a few..." Ginny paused, thinking of Rabastan. "friends over there trying to help as well."

"76? Merlin, that can't be right. You don't look a day over 50, Mrs. Figg." She smiled, reaching out and patting the older woman's hand. "If you are bored, well, I'm sure there's something that could be done around the hospital. We have a volunteer who helps at the front desk and our receptionist, Lyda, is a lovely older witch. I'm sure you would get on famously with her."

[shh_arabella]

Arabella was surprised that Ginny Weasley, of all people, had never heard of Caradoc Dearborn. "Well, I know your mother knows him," she insisted. "He was in the Order back then too. His wife and most of the rest of his family were killed by Death Eaters in the First War, and he took his own children and nine nieces and nephews and settled in America. He taught Charms at the wizarding school in New Orleans for many years. He's only been back in England since last autumn. He tells me he's teaching charms at the new wizarding school now

[shh_ginny]

"Oh, Mum knows everyone." Ginny chuckled. "I don't honestly know how she does it. I'm pants with remembering names or faces. Was he? That's awful what happened to his family, poor man. It's doubly good that you're looking out for him then. Oh! He's the charm bloke. I saw a bulletin around town after the burgleries."

"Always are, Mrs. Figg. Lots to do and we're low on staff so every bit helps, you know." She popped a chip in her mouth and chewed before continuing. "Oh, loads of reading would be lovely and it's always welcome to have comforting company for the folks in the waiting room. Lyda would be happy to go over all that with you, I'm sure."

Ginny smiled and relaxed back in the booth, taking a draught of her pint. "It's one of my favorites as well. I get more than my fair share of Five Alarm take-away these days. How are things at the shelter going?"

[shh_arabella]

As Ginny described some of the hospital's needs for other volunteers, Arabella nodded sympathetically. "I suppose I could be helpful in the waiting room," she offered. "Most people who are sick or in pain would appreciate a friendly face while they're waiting for someone to take care of them. I could probably volunteer one or two days a week for a few hours. Do you know, I'm not even sure where the hospital is, as I've had no reason to use it yet. It has a Floo, doesn't it? It would be easiest for me to Floo there, though I could walk when the weather isn't bad. Yet another disadvantage of being a Squib; I can't Apparate. Though I did get swept along with my parents when I was a wee girl, so I know what it feels like; I just can't do it myself

[shh_ginny]

"Only if you want to, of course. It's not something for everyone but it is certainly a change of pace for you and an opportunity to meet new people." Ginny replied, pushing her book to the side and sliding her pint closer. "The hospital has a Floo and it comes right out in the reception room so you'll be in the right spot."

"A kneazle? I haven't seen a lot of those since before the... war." She said, taking a moment to eat more of her chips. Ginny was certain she was going to regret eating so unhealthy so much but she didn't like cooking for herself when she got off of work. "I did hear that when I stopped by. A cat found me and let me take it home. He's quite the character but thankfully he minds my long hours less than most blokes."

[shh_arabella]

An opportunity to meet new people..."That sounds lovely, dearie," Arabella said, slipping unconsciously into her mode of speaking with someone she really liked. For all that she loved Harry Potter, and she did love him dearly after keeping an eye on him for fifteen years, she had too much history with him to think he would ever be tremendously comfortable around her. He'd only just learned a few months ago that she'd done her best to keep him from liking her so that he wouldn't want to hang around her house in Little Whinging to get away from the Dursleys. It had been too much to hope that he would come round on his own to visit her. But Harry wasn't the only young person in Stoatshead Hill. The animal shelter was a noble venture, but not a place where she met a lot of new people. The hospital would be much different. "You know, I live south of the river and I really don't have many neighbours. If I spent some time helping at the hospital, I would probably meet half the people in town at some point

[shh_ginny]

"I'm sure you would. When I'm on staff duty, I can't get over the number of people that I meet." Ginny gave her a bemused smile, blushing. "That's awfully nice of you to say, Mrs. Figg, but I'm not too worried about blokes - I've got my brothers if I ever need reminding of what it's like to be around one. You're right, cats are not as much trouble."

She finished her chips and pushed the plate aside as Mrs. Figg settled her bill, asking for another butterbeer in the meantime. "No worries, Mrs. Figg. You have a good night. I'll be sure to tell Mum you stopped by and I'll come by for a visit when I have a moment."

Ginny resumed her research after her dinner companion departed, pleased to have been able to spend time with the older woman who was so kindly.