RP: Stoatshead Hill Musical Club's June Meeting

[shh_caradoc]

Date: 28 June 2005 (evening)
Characters: Caradoc Dearborn [Cai], Luna Lovegood, Su Li, Arabella Figg, Morag MacDougal, Ernie Macmillan, Fleur Delacour, Oliver Wood, Marietta Edgecomb, NPCs and other Musical Club Members
Location: Caradoc's home at No. 4 H Circle
Status: Semi-Public (Private home, Public Meeting)
Summary: The second meeting of the

Comments

[shh_arabella]

For tonight's meeting of the Musical Club, Arabella decided to wear her third-best hat (out of the 10 she owned). She'd just worn her second-best hat Sunday, when she had tea at Caradoc's newly-restored house, so she couldn't wear that again so soon, and she was saving her best hat for the very unlikely possibility that she would, one day, meet the Queen. Barring that she would wear her best hat to weddings. At any rate she put on her third-best hat and a blue flowered smock dress and, at the appointed time, Floo'd over to Caradoc's house, where she managed to exit the fireplace without bumping into the nearby table.

"Good evening, dearie," she called out.

[shh_caradoc]

"Hello, Arabella. You're the first. I like that hat." Seeing that the large, square coffee table might pose some problems if the person didn't exit the area quickly enough, Caradoc transfigured it into one more narrow.

"Cai has refreshments on the island in the kitchen." He said as he bent and kissed her cheek. He whispered softly, "She's been fretting over whether or not you liked her zucchini bread." A bit louder, he added, "Help yourself to something."

[shh_arabella]

"Thank you, dearie, it's one of my favourites too," she said, glad she'd worn it. She watched as he changed the wide table into a narrower one. "Very clever. Now that's the sort of thing Muggles think of as a magic trick." It was rather too bad, she thought, that Caradoc couldn't do this sort of thing on a street corner in Exeter, just to surprise and amaze passersby. But of course that would go against the Decree of Wizarding Secrecy or whatever that law was called. One advantage of not attending Hogwarts was that she didn't feel too bad if she couldn't remember all the arcane rules that magical folks had to follow to keep Muggles from knowing about them.

"Refreshments would be lovely," she said, smiling as he kissed her cheek. "I think I'll go find some of that zucchini bread you mentioned." Air-kissing his cheek, she toddled off to the kitchen.

[shh_su]

Following the directions carefully, Su approached a beautiful stone house. Pausing outside, she took a deep breath. She really hated public speaking, and while surely this couldn't be as bad as the evening she had made the announcement at the town meeting, Su would be glad when it was over. Rubbing her slightly sweaty palms on her trousers, she walked to the door, tugging the hem of her shirt straight before knocking.

The door was opened by the cutest house elf she had ever seen. She smiled. "Hello, I'm Su Li. I'm here for the music club."

[shh_caradoc]

Caradoc had left Cai in charge of answering the door. She clapped as the young lady introduced herself. "Oh, Missie, Master is waitings to meet you. Welcomes to the Warren. Master is being this way, please."

The elf lead the woman into the family room. "Missie Li is being here, Master."

Caradoc turned from where he had been chatting with Arabella and the older couple who played the clarinet and alto sax. "Ms. Li! Thank you for coming. Please meet Mr. and Mrs. Pickney and Mrs. Figg." As the people shook hands, he continued. "In case you weren't at the Town Meeting earlier this month or heard from someone, Ms. Li's organizing the local Arts Festival to be held here in August."

"I was just telling the Pickneys there are refreshments in the kitchen. Please help yourself. We'll be starting after we give people a bit more time to arrive."

[shh_morag]

She had been busy for the first meeting, but when Morag saw fliers for the second musical club meeting, she made an effort to go. While she didn't know anyone personally attending, she hoped to see a familiar face there. Also, she loved music, which made her a little more foreward in an uncertain situation.

She knocked quietly on the door of the house described on the flier, smiling as a rather nicely dressed (although perhaps pattern-blind) house-elf answered the door. "Hello. I'm here for the music club," she said.

[shh_caradoc]

"Welcomes to the Warren, Missie. Master is in the family greats room." Cai escorted the new guest and left to get the door again as her master was already coming to greet the guest.

"Good evening, ma'am. I'm Caradoc Dearborn. Thank you for coming." He offered his hand in greeting.

[shh_morag]

"Thank you," Morag told the elf, somewhat reminded of her own as the elf left her with 'Master' - presumbly in charge.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Dearborn. I'm Morag MacDougal," she replied, offering her hand with a genuine, if somewhat shy, smile.

[shh_caradoc]

He shook the young lady's hand. "My pleasure as well. Come and meet everyone. We have Mrs. Figg, Mr. and Mrs. Pickney, and Ms. Li. Please meet Ms. MacDougal."

"Mrs. Figg is our audience, the Pickneys both play woodwinds, and Ms. Li is here to tell us about the upcoming Art Festival, and I am a trumpet player by preference. Do you play or sing, ma'am?"

[shh_ernie]

Ernie gripped the handle of his guitar case in one hand while he knocked on the door of No. 4 H Circle. He shifted from foot to foot. While he knew that this was just for fun, he couldn't help but feel nervous. Playing in front of complete strangers? What had he been thinking?

Just as he turned to leave, the door swung open. And he was greeted by a house elf. Wearing a dress, an apron, and some very...interesting socks.

"Er...hello. I'm here for the Musical Club."

[shh_caradoc]

"Welcomes to the Warren, Sir. The meeting is being this way." Cai eyed the large instrument case with a clap. She liked guitar. Two of her master's children played guitar.

Caradoc had excused himself to check on Cai and had just stepped into the dining area connected to the entry and noticed her letting in a young man with a guitar. "A guitar, how wonderful. You must be Mr. Macmillan? I'm Caradoc Dearborn."

[shh_ernie]

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Dearborn. And call me Ernie," he replied, sticking out a hand. "I believe you know my girlfriend, Eleanor Branstone. She speaks very highly of you."

He glanced around the...Warren, did the house elf say? There weren't many people here. And he seemed to be the only one carrying an instrument. "Has everyone else put their instruments somewhere?" he asked hopefully.

[shh_caradoc]

"Caradoc, then Ernie. Miss Branstone is both intuitive and inquisitive, I'm looking forward to having her in class. I'm happy you could make it this evening."

"Most of the instruments are sitting on the stairs leading upstairs. It seemed out of the way and we're still renovating up there, so the stairs aren't in use. I'll introduce you to the folks milling about the refreshments in the kitchen there after we get your guitar settled. Everyone else is in the family room. Through here." Caradoc motioned him through the wide archway leading to the family room. "You can place your guitar next to the staircase on the far side of the room. There are refreshments through the walkway over there. Please help yourself. Ms. MacDougal and Ms. Li appear about your age. Do you know either of the ladies?"

[shh_fleur]

Fleur was a little nervous, but the graceful warmth hidden beneath her calm demeanor would never show otherwise. She wondered if anyone would think it odd that a dancer and her Quidditch-playing escort would attend such a meeting together as the Stoatshead Hill's Musical Club. She and Oliver had decided to take advantage of the lovely evening and walk to No. 4 H Circle, so hand-in-hand they strolled

[shh_caradoc]

"Welcome to the Warren, Missus and Sir!" She clapped. "Music meetings is in family great room this way."

Caradoc was milling about making sure everyone had someone to talk to when he heard Cai answering the door once more and went to investigate. "Oliver! How nice to see you again. Read any good books lately?" Caradoc asked the Quidditch player he met at Hermione's book club meeting. He held out his hand and then introduced himself to Oliver's extraordinarily beautiful companion. "Caradoc Dearborn, ma'am."

[shh_fleur]

"Bonjour," she replied with a smile to the delightful gentleman introducing himself, "Ah, I see you know Oliver."

"Oliver Wood reads...good books? When did he start doing that and why is it that he has never taken the time to tell me?" Fleur's thoughts raced as she gave Oliver a curious glance. Then she decided to have a bit of fun.

"And I am Fleur Delacour," she beamed, "Delighted to meet you, Monsieur Dearborn. As a matter of fact, both Oliver and I are currently reading Justine, by Donatien Alphonse-François de Sade...out loud...to each other." She bit her lips as she imperceptibly shook her head at Monsieur Dearborn before she smiled at Oliver and said, "Once we are past ze introductory material I am sure it will be a much more interesting novel. Trust me, Cher?" Then she blinked at Oliver, as she could not wink, no matter how she tried.

"Monsieur Dearborn, merci for 'aving us in your home for zis gathering."

[shh_caradoc]

"C'est un plaisir de vous rencontrer, Mlle. Delacour."

Caradoc wasn't entirely sure if the young lady was teasing Oliver or him, but he was willing to play along. "I've found the story too depressing with all those endless trials." He wondered what Irma might have to say about the book. "If you finish it before the next Book Club Meeting, maybe you'll bring it to trade?"

"Vous êtes bienvenu. There are refreshments in the kitchen." He gestured toward the back of the house from where they stood. "Everyone is congregating in the family room, through here." We'll be getting started shortly if you'd like to help yourselves and find a seat."