Open thread

[lovesthescarf]

Sarah Jane wandered through the halls, not really going any place specifically. She needed to gather up some food to have both Jack and Rose over for dinner and JD of course. Another party, hopefully much better then the first.

As she thought, she jotted down the things she needed on a piece of parchment. So much for notebooks.

Comments

[estebanmd]

On his way back to his office from the Owlery (as he had ceased to keep an owl personally but still had occasion to send correspondence via owl), Stephen Maturin came across someone he recognised. It was the very nice young woman who had given him advice on knickers. Whether she would recognise him now that he was no longer a woman did not occur to him.

"Miss Smith," he hailed her, with a friendly wave.

[lovesthescarf]

Sarah Jane heard her name and turned around to see the young man standing there. But no, she didn't recognize him. She was bad at this woman to man thing. She'd been so wrong before, with the others.

"Um yes? Do I know you?" she asked pleasantly.

[estebanmd]

Stephen stopped short, then laughed. "I suppose not. My name is Maturin."

[lovesthescarf]

Her eyes lit up as she recognized. "Ooh! Yes. Yes of course." Now that she could piece it together, she could see the resemblence. "Very lovely to meet you. I'm afraid I didn't recognize you without the um... extra parts or lack thereof."

[estebanmd]

An amused snort. "Extra parts would be a way of putting it. But how do you do? Were you sorted into Gryffindor after all?"

[lovesthescarf]

Sarah laughed a little. "Oh, yes I'm quite well thank you. And yes, I'm in Gryffindor. I think it was the right place after all." she smiled. "And how are you now that you're not so womenly endowed?"

[estebanmd]

"I must say it was not all that different to be female than it is to be male," Stephen admitted. He had not the least bit of shyness about discussing this, it being a scientific and medical topic to his mind. "One would think the sexes rather more fundamentally different, or at least in my time it was so thought. Certainly some garments and customs are different. If I never use a depilatory potion again I will be just as happy."

[lovesthescarf]

Sarah gave a small laugh, "Yes the brutalities us women go through to make ourselves look attractive. Quite a shame. But you really think it wasn't that different? What do you think is the same then?" She was quite curious. She actually agreed really. Or at least she was certain that both men and women were equals.

[estebanmd]

Stephen shrugged. "When I was alone and working, I rather often forgot I was a woman at all. My mind remained unchanged insofar as I can tell. I did exhibit a more marked tendency to express my thoughts verbally, which I am not so accustomed to do ordinarily, but the substance of my thoughts underwent no change. There was nothing I could do as a man that I could not do as a woman. All told, had I amputated my breasts as the Amazons of legend, I think I should not have noticed any difference between masculinity and femininity at all, and binding those with what is termed a 'sports bra' made them scarcely an annoyance anyhow."

[lovesthescarf]

She seemed quite pleased with that. In fact she was smiling rather brightly, "Well I'm quite happy to hear it. I've always maintained that men and women are no different, and now I have some sort of proof. Or at least quite a good sample." She smiled. "So you didn't mind it? I wonder what it would be like to be male for a while. Hm."

[estebanmd]

Stephen ran his hand backward through his hair absently, thinking. "Had you a mind to make an experiment of it?" He would oppose the use of the genderswitch potion for recreational purposes, but for science anything was fair. "I have a potion that accomplishes it -- that is what I had taken, myself, though not exactly voluntarily. I should be happy to supply you with some, for science."

[lovesthescarf]

"Hm, well. I don't see why not? I mean I pride myself in being a feminist but I suppose you can't really live in someone else's shoes without actually living in them hm? I'd be alright with it obviously if it was temporary. Somehow I think Harry would be a bit too surprised with him marrying a man." Sarah Jane gave a small laugh. "I'd love to do this for an experiment."

[estebanmd]

The term 'feminist' was unfamiliar to Stephen but easy enough to guess from context. "Oh, it is quite temporary, I assure you, and should pose no challenge either to your ideals or to your marriageability. Should it not wear off in a manner timely enough for your liking, an antidote can be made. I should be greatly obliged if you might take notes on your experience."

[lovesthescarf]

Sarah nodded her head, "I could arrange that. I should probably tell Harry first what I plan on doing so I don't give him a bit of a shock." she giggled slightly, "Maybe I can get him to become a girl. That might be fun." Okay maybe Sarah Jane just always had one thing on the mind. Heh.

[estebanmd]

As candid as Stephen would be on the subject of switching genders, there were some details that he would not share. Sarah Jane and Harry could find out for themselves. "This is Doctor Sullivan of whom you speak, yes? His observations as a medical professional would be valuable as well. I can certainly supply you with enough potion for two people."

[lovesthescarf]

"Ah yes, that's him. Really? That would be lovely. Thank you very much." God Harry was going to kill her. But it would be fun. Or so she thought. She needed some fun. "Should I come by and get some sometime?"