Catch The Snitch

(this thread immediately follows First Hogsmeade Trip)

After arriving in Hogsmeade, Ethan had spent a couple hours doing some personal shopping, most of which occurred at Tomes and Scrolls. He had a bag containing several books to show for it. He'd also bumped into students who, apparently feeling more comfortable in Hogsmeade than in his office, took the opportunity to ask questions about his career as an Auror, or about upcoming lesson plans, or about general career advice. He was happy to oblige them, as he was in no particular hurry. Students always took priority, as far as he was concerned.

As the time approached two o'clock, he made his way back to the Three Broomsticks, eager to share a drink, or a meal, with Elyria. There might have been a slight bounce to his step. A quick survey showed that she wasn't present yet, so he found a secluded booth and made himself comfortable.

Hogsmeade was always a fun trip, but year over year the visit was a little more stressful with the number of new students who were visiting for their first time. Thankfully as the student body grew, so did the professors on staff. She was sure the Aurors appreciated not having to be as bound to those duties anymore. Once all of the students were on their way, she went off to Madam Snelling's Tress Emporium for a little touchup to her hair. Afterward, she stopped for some new clothes at Gladrags Wizardwear. It was always nice to see what new fashions they carried. An extra outfit or two never hurt either. They were kind enough to deliver them to the school so she didn't have to walk around with them -- a privilege afforded to the professors. Plus, the owner was an old friend of hers from when she was a student at Hogwarts and it was always nice to catch up.

Elyria heard the clock chime and she realized it was already two o'clock. Not wanting to keep Ethan waiting, she gave her polite goodbyes and headed out to the Three Broomsicks. Thankfully, Hogsmeade wasn't a very large village so the walk was only a couple of minutes. Arriving at the door, she took a breath to collect herself, hearing a couple of students giggling after reporting to each other on her arrival. Though they never showed affection in front of the students and didn't openly discuss their relationship, the fact that they were seen together was not lost on some of the students, it appear.

She stepped in and canned the tables. Elyria's eyes lit up when she noticed a familiar face in a booth. She scanned the room to make sure no students were nearby, decided to relax a little now that they had some pseudo-alone time while they were out. She walked up to the table and placed on hand on it so she could lean against it. A grin fell across her face as she tried to futilely disguise her voice. "Well, hello there, handsome. I don't think I've seen you before. Come here often?" She chuckled afterward and took a seat across from him. "Sorry I'm late. I lost track of time talking to the owner of Gladrags."

Ethan had spent a few minutes flipping through a book titled Egyptian Wards and Curses when he heard an unexpected voice. He inclined his head, only to find that it was, in fact, Elyria offering some levity. He closed the book, then slipped out of the booth and stood, offering a little bow. "My lady, I do frequent this establishment, but I don't believe I've laid eyes upon anyone so elegant as you here in all my patronage," he replied. "Would you deign to be my dining companion?" He gestured toward the opposite seat, and waited for Elyria to sit before reclaiming his own seat.

"Don't worry about it, I'm very patient and in no hurry," Ethan replied. "I hope your shopping was fruitful and you've been enjoying yourself? I just picked up some newly-printed books that had been given good reviews in the Daily Prophet over the past month. Other than that, my morning was mostly spent chatting with students. It's been refreshing. I'm glad we have all the Aurors around, though--that makes it easier to relax. Otherwise I'd probably be on edge until we were all back at the castle and everyone was accounted for."

A waitress arrived at their table. Ethan waited for Elyria to place her order first.

Elyria gave a curtsy, then offered her gratitude as she removed her cloak and folded it neatly. She tucked her robes behind her as she took a seat and set the folded cloak down against the all next to her. Her face was beaming from Ethan's actions, always enjoying when he played along, especially with his serious tone in front of the students. From their years as students to their years as professors, the Three Broomsticks and Hogsmeade itself were almost a third home of sorts after Hogwarts and their own residences. She didn't even need a menu to know to order.

When Ethan asked how her time had been, she gave a nod and replied, "Overall, it's been pretty nice. I was able to get a little touchup before heading to Gladrags. I didn't see any students acting out, which was nice." As Ethan began speaking about Tomes and Scrolls, she mentally cursed herself. There was a book that she had been meaning to pick up regarding newly-approved charms. She liked to stay on top of the newest creations. Whenever she could, Elyria liked to incorporate newer spells into her lessons. It helped keep things fresh for her and for the students. "You just reminded me. I meant to stop by Tomes and Scrolls to see if they had the newest edition of Contemporary Charms for the Modern Wizard yet. The Prophet mentioned some rather ingenious approvals this year. They may be worth adding to the curriculum."

Just as she finished her sentence, she noticed the waitress arriving and looked to Ethan for his order... until she realized he looked to her first. With a little 'Oh!' Elyria turned to the waitress and ordered her usual salad and butterbeer.

"I saw that book on display, but didn't pick it up because I figured if it was any good, you'd be getting your own copy, and that if you found anything noteworthy in it, you'd share your findings with me," he admitted. "You have to admit, there's a certain efficiency in having an expert in their field analyze some material first, and having them distill it down to just the best parts for you." He smirked. "It's not the typical Ravenclaw approach, I know, but...there's an endless supply of books, so it's impossible to stay on top of everything not in your own area of expertise."

"I'll have a butterbeer and your turkey club sandwich, please," Ethan ordered after Elyria, having chosen his meal size to be somewhat comparable to hers. Eating at two o'clock probably meant he wouldn't be as hungry when dinner was served in the Great Hall, but he could always order something from the house elves for a late-night snack.

"Do you think Julian would approve a Yule Ball or Winter Solstice dance this year? We haven't had a school-wide social event in a while. It would make a nice change of pace, especially for those students who're staying at the school over the break."

Elyria gave the man across from her a bit of a skeptical look as he revealed his assumptions regarding her book. She recalled a student one year discuss these Muggle books that simplified other books into other versions. They all apparently belonged to a man named Cliff or something. It was baffling to her that someone would just purchase a book that didn't go into as much detail about the book it covered. What was the sense in that? "If you wanted the shortened version, you could ask the students now to buy the notes written by a man named Cliff or something. Apparently he's rather well read."

Elyria's upbringing was privileged or perhaps sheltered when looking at it from a different angle. Her family came from two lines of pureblood Irish wizards. Her mother's line, so she was told, could be traced back to the druidic Celts of Ireland whereas her father's line could be traced back to medieval Germany. She'd never been fully immersed in the life of Muggles aside from the information she gleaned at Hogwarts. In her adult life, she'd been more equipped and conscious with the different 'worlds' and how to blend in, but things such as Cliff's Notes were a foreign concept.

She played with the stud in her ear as Ethan ordered his food, smiling at hearing his order and assuming their minds were in sync with the feasts being prepared for dinner at the school. When Ethan asked about a ball or dance, she thought for a moment, completely unsure of whether or not they would be able to have one. It would certainly be a nice event for the students to shake things up for a bit. Hogwarts had been pretty much routine since reopening to make sure the Ministry didn't try and meddle any more than the already felt necessary. "I don't know, honestly. It would be nice to have something for the kids this year. It we certainly bring back some old memories for us, too, wouldn't it? Think we should ask him sometime? We may want to get a move on it since it'll be here before you know it."

Elyria offered her hand across the name to Ethan, one of the first signs of affection she'd dared show in public, but she wasn't too worried. The students were whispering already.

Ethan didn't seem convinced. "A man named Cliff, you say? I don't know that I'd trust some random wizard to make the same value judgements as you regarding what material should be omitted or emphasized--one can't simultaneously be a master in every field of study...though I once knew a Ravenclaw who would try to convince me otherwise."

"Yes, I suppose I did have an ulterior motive in suggesting that, because I thought it would be fun to re-create the atmosphere from our first dance. I don't think I ever mentioned it, but I used that memory for casting my patronus when I learned the charm," he confessed.

Why he needed to know the patronus charm was a different story that he neglected to mention. It was never part of the Hogwarts curriculum. But as an Auror, he had to cast his patronus when remanding prisoners to Azkaban. The Dementors there were so numerous that the sense of gloom and despair was otherwise overwhelming. Going there without the only known protection was dangerous.

When Elyria slid her hand toward him, he quirked an eyebrow, then stole a glance at the rest of the dining area. Yes, the students were watching. As much as they had tried to avoid public displays of affection, they probably already had a betting pool going as for when he'd pop the question. After a moment's consideration, he supposed it was acceptable here as long as Elyria was comfortable with it, so he took her hand and caressed his thumb over hers.

He took the opportunity to mentally gauge the diameter of her ring finger.

"Oh, I believe I remember that Ravenclaw. She seemed to have a way with Charms and Transfigurations as I recall..." Elyria couldn't help but have a huge grin on her face. The two of them were duelling partners and often practiced with each other after heir N.E.W.T.-level courses. Elyria also joined the Duelling Club, and seemed to have a pretty solid talent for it. However, she was always more fascinated in the properties of spells and spell casting, which was what led her to her original position within the Ministry.

Her heart fluttered a bit when Ethan mentioned their first dance. It was a very special moment that took weeks of small dancing sessions to get to that point. Elyria enjoyed every minute of it, but the dance was almost a display of what the two could accomplish together and, for the first time, she had truly felt like a princess with her Prince Charming. What girl didn't dream of those moments? "I don't think you ever did tell me that. I fell honored being a contribution to your Patronus. You are part of mine as well, but it's more of a collection of memories." Elyria felt her face warming as the confessed to him. "It's your smile in each memory from our time practicing the waltzes, to our first kiss, to just spending time with you that makes me happiest. I'm honestly surprised that when my Patronus took a corporeal form, it wasn't a wolf."

She gave him a teasing smile and turned just in time to see the waitress return with their drinks and food. To make it easier to set everything down, Elyria sat upright pulling her hand away from Ethan slowly, but hating to do so. She gave her thanks to the waitress and looked back to Ethan, "Do you have any specific dates in mind for the ball? It would be nice if it were right before all of the students left as a big 'hoorah,' but I could see Julian testing the waters with a small group after most of the school left."

"My smile made that much of an impression?", Ethan questioned teasingly. Learning that Elyria used memories of him perhaps wasn't that surprising, though it was still heart-warming to hear. It seemed that every time they were together, he discovered yet another thing to confirm she was indeed his soul mate.

"I think I'd be more surprised if it had been a wolf," Ethan commented. "My understanding is that patronuses and animagus forms almost always reflect the individual witch or wizard's personality, and that's it's very rare for either to to be influenced by another person, but...it's hard to find statistics on such things. There's no 'patronus registry' that we can check, after all."

Ethan pulled out his little book and checked the dates. "The Solstice falls on Wednesday the twenty-first. Those who are going home will be leaving on Friday the twenty-third," he reported as he closed the book and stuffed it back in his pocket.

He took a bite of his sandwich and chewed while pondering the timing. After swallowing, he continued, "The Yule period officially spans from Solstice to the New Year. Having the dance on the twenty-first would allow for the most flexibility for the students, so that would be my preference. But holding it a week after the Solstice would also work if he'd prefer a smaller event."

"You'd be surpised? I've always thought of myself as more of a she-wolf..." She gave a "ferocious" growl face and mocked a roar without sound before chuckling at the goofiness of it all. "I don't think I've ever shown you my Patronus... it's a tree swallow." Elyria never had to chance to use it practically after learning the Charm, but given their presence with the Dark Lord, she imagined it was best to add it to her tool belt.

As Ethan was reviewing the days, Ely though through the school's list of events that week. All she could think of were the exams for the end of the term. She was sure the schedule could be adjusted to make sure the final exams started a little later on Thursday to give the students plenty of time to rest after the ball the night before. As long as the logistics could be worked out, she was sure Julian would be open to having the event on the solstice. "I'm sure we can get the exam schedules sorted to give the students time to rest on before exams start on Thursday. Maybe delay them an hour or two if we need to." She thought it over for a moment and figured it was something to bring up when speaking to Julian."Would you like me to go with you to speak to Julian?"

Elyria took a sip of her butterbeer and enjoyed it's warmth. There was nothing like it, especially when in Hogsmeade. The house salad before her was it's typical vibrant green with accents of the various vegetables added. Ely poured her dressing over it and mixed it around with her fork while further thinking through of the logistics for a ball. Then, the holidays came to mind.

She thought through the holiday schedule and about everything going on, including her family's get together. "I know it's a bit early to think about, but do you have any plans for your holiday? You're always welcome to come celebrate with the family. They'd love to see you. And you know you're always welcome in Dublin." She was, of course, talking about her home away from Hogwarts. It reminded her that she needed to start thinking about Ethan's present this year. After seeing his collection of books, Elyria had one category to strike off the list. Perhaps she could conjure up some enchanted gift, but she had time to think about it.

"A tree swallow? I was about to say the coloration would be right for a Ravenclaw, but that might only apply for the males of the species if my hunch is correct? I wonder what personality traits would've resulted in that species, though."

"First- and second-years could possibly take all their exams in one day, if the exams are spaced an hour apart, but third-years and above would need to have their elective exams on a separate day. Maybe it would be best to have most exams the day before the dance, so the dance could be a time to relax and de-stress?", he suggested.

"Yes, I would like to ask him together, if it's not an inconvenience."

As Elyria was sipping her butterbeer, he took advantage of the pause to do the same.

"Actually, I don't really have any plans yet," he confessed. "I had thought to visit my mother for a few hours on Christmas, but beyond that...it would be nice to spend some time with you and your family."

"Female tree swallows start to gain their blue plumage around the age of three or so. Their habitats can be found near bodies of water, usually... I suppose they are fierce, fast fighters based on their reliance on speed. Oh! I suppose that's where it comes from. It's comparable to how quickly I can take down my duelling partners." Elyria teased because of their frequent duels over the years and now how they advised the Duelling Club.

As Ethan discussed the exam schedule, she nodded in thought. "Perhaps we could talk to the other professors about starting exams the Friday before it scheduling gets too tight. Hopefully that won't throw off lesson plans for anyone. We'll keep that as a Plan C if absolutely necessary." Elyria took a bite of her salad and waited until she swallowed before she ever considered speaking about it.

"Not an inconvenience at all. Maybe having me there can sway things in favor of holding one, though Julian isn't one of those Headmasters adverse to fun. Maybe it could be a way from Athena Ward to come see how well the school is doing... if we need a reason for a Ministry visit. I think we could spare them." Her tone was lower toward the end to prevent any eavesdroppers from hearing her opinion. The aurors were enough and the last thing the school needed was the Minister for Magic showing up toward the end of the term when the students were ready for a break.

As Ethan mentioned his plan, Elyria took another sip of her butterbeer and set it down. "How is your mum doing, by the way?" Ely hadn't talked to Ethan much about his mum lately, but there was always an understanding that if it was too personal or difficult, they didn't have to speak about it. It was especially true in the times they got to see each other while working at the Ministry. She was still amazed at the work Ethan had done as an auror, even if it did cause her to worry about him.

"I can't argue with that logic," Ethan commented with a smirk regarding Elyria's insight into her patronus.

"The most distinctive traits of wolves are often considered to be their intelligence, their playfulness, their loyalty, how they care for and teach their young, and their pack hierarchy. Aside from that, they're particularly efficient hunters. Perhaps it's the hunting bit that I most identify with?", he suggested with about the same lack of seriousness as Elyria. He did make a name for himself as an Auror, after all.

"Oh, absolutely, we should coordinate with the other professors. The last thing I want is to spring this on them and expect them to sort out all the problems it creates themselves."

He shuddered at the thought of inviting more Ministry officials to the school grounds. "I suppose the best way to minimize Ministry interference in how we teach is to convince them that we're doing our jobs well enough as-is. If that includes inviting them to a dance...then so be it."

He took another couple bites of his sandwich and washed them down with butterbeer.

"My mother's well. Every time I see her, she reminds me of how happy she is that I'm teaching now and not risking my life chasing down dark wizards anymore. She inquires about you often, actually."

Elyria grinned at Ethan and gave a flirtatious shrug, "Well, you should've told me it was the thrill of the chase and I would've let you hunt a bit longer." She leaned in and whispered almost without thinking. It may have been the effects of the butterbeer emboldening her, or rather, loosening up her filter. "Maybe you could teach me some of those hunting skills. Hands-on, of course. I tend to be more a kinesthetic learner." She sat upright and sipped on her butterbeer once more before taking a bite of her salad, feeling a bit proud of herself for the innuendo.

As an ex-Ministry employee, Elyria had several opinion around the re-opening of Hogwarts. For one, the whole reason the school had the troubles it did throughout the nineties were due to some dark wizard being hellbent on killing a child whose parents were murdered by the very dark wizard when the child was an infant. For seven years the pursuit took place until the Dark Lord seemingly won and overtook the Ministry and Hogwarts. At least that was the gist that Elyria had gotten from being indirectly involved. Now Athena Ward was so concerned over her own image that she has been overstepping for nearly six years to make sure Hogwarts was safe. They were. The Dark Lord was gone finally.

"You may have a point. With the aurors patrolling the school, the officials would probably find out faster than if we sent their invitations by owl." Having so many former Ministry officials working at the school felt like a blessing. For Elyria, Professor Sigma's presence put her at ease when it came to dealing with the Ministry. The witch's sharp tongue and quick wit was strong enough to back anyone down. Elyria revered Integra for those qualities. Between Sigma and McGonagall, she had great examples for standing up against the rudest of people as well as classroom management, of course. And then there was just the mere presence of Ethan in the same room as her. She knew now fear when he was around -- the earliest form of comfort she'd known as a teen. Together, she always thought they could conquer the world.

She smiled hearing about Ethan's mom. It was always comforting hearing about her being in good health. "If you think she'd be okay with a bunch of Irishmen drinking and singing Christmas carols, she'd welcome to join us for Christmas festivities, too. She's practically family at this point based how long we've all known each other." She chuckled at her last statement and took another sip of her butterbeer.

"Oh? Should I interpret that as meaning you're no longer evading, then?", Ethan shot back with a smirk. "I'm not sure how well a wolf's hunting technique would translate for a sparrow," he teased. "But I'd be happy to share some things I learned from my time as an Auror."

"I think she can tolerate a little chaos," he replied with a smile when Elyria warned him of drinken irishmen. "I'll extend the invitation."

Elyria rolled her eyes with a grin and heard the clock chime just as she was finishing up her salad and butterbeer. "Oh, is it that time already?" She perked up a bit and looked around. There was still a little time before the students needed to gather and head back to the school. She slipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out a few galleons to set on the table. "I should make a quick run down to Tomes and Scrolls before we all start lining up. I'll see you when we all start lining up?"

Elyria slid out of the booth and started to put on her cloak. Ethan had an open invitation to join her if he didn't have anything else to do before they headed back. She wasn't sure if he had any other shopping to do before heading back. She flashed him an 'I love you' hand sign with a wink before preparing to leave.