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head in the game OPEN - 1/2

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Date: Aug. 20th, 2024 | Time: 14:02 | Outfit: X | Speech: #B03A2E
It'd taken more time than he would have liked, but he finally managed to ditch his father among the back-to-school chaos.

Perhaps the norm would have been for Aodhan to feel anxious in such a new environment. Perhaps he was meant to clutch tightly to his father as they braved the magical unknown. Unfortunately, the boy had not even a drop of patience for any of that. Instead, all he could locate within himself was an ever hungry curiosity, and he was determined to have it sated. Besides, he was confident in his father's ability to gather the required books without any help. They received enough assistance with the letter that one Hogwarts representative left them. Hopefully.

With wide, sparkling brown eyes, the youth navigated himself through a mini-sea of people. His head was turning back and forth, left and right, right and left. The atmosphere of Diagon Alley made him think of a different time, older in its feel but not quite, and this applied to most of the places he'd passed by already. He struggled to find something that really stood out when they all carried the same vibe. Eventually, the boy found himself choosing to simply waltz into the nearest store.

Ah! There was one just ahead. He wasn't sure what a "Quidditch" was, but he doubted it could hurt to investigate.

Without waiting another second, Aodhan sauntered over near to the entrance and peeked through one of the windows, soaking in the imagery. Before him stood numerous items that ranged from sports goggles to... brooms? And just what the heck were those giants balls? They were oddly shaped, and the youth could not recall an activity they were possibly used in. To get a better look, he stood on his toes and circled his hands over his eyes, akin to makeshift binoculars.
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« INTERACT: @open for two max »
Last edited by Aodhan Shaw on 13 Sep 2024, 04:13, edited 1 time in total.
[inpc is jamie saeng]
i've set my sights so high, my eyes are in the back of my skull
head in the game OPEN - 1/2
@Aodhan Shaw

[quote]The many sights and sounds of Diagon Alley held a certain appeal for Annaliese as she ventured down the cobblestone street lined with various shops. Everything from wizarding robes to spellbooks were on display, along with owls, cauldrons, and more. The bustling street was filled with witches and wizards going about their day, no one paying much attention to the curly haired girl taking it all in with admiration.

Despite growing up in the wizarding world, Annaliese had only been to Diagon Alley twice before now. Her parents never had time to take their two children on outings and their house elves were in charge of acquiring any items they needed. Therefore, Annaliese leapt at the opportunity to accompany her older brother to purchase his school supplies once he received his Hogwarts letter.

Now, two years since she first step foot here, it was Annaliese's turn to shop. Emery helped her get the necessary supplies for her first year at Hogwarts, and, much to her disappointment, she came to the realization that Hogwarts would actually require schoolwork after buying her textbooks. Not that she planned to do any of it, she was more concerned with getting on the Quidditch team and pulling pranks.

After hours of impatiently following around her older brother as they bought what they needed - their parents had refrained from joining them - Annaliese finally saw her opportunity to explore the vibrant shops on her own. As Emery paused to conversate with who she assumed to be some of his friends from school, Annaliese made her escape, silently slipping away and letting the crowd carry her down the street.

Triumphant at her newfound freedom, Annaliese knew exactly where she wanted to go first, spotting the tell tale shop sign of a broom in the distance. Practically skipping to her destination, Annaliese grinned as she arrived, spying the famed Firebolt displayed proudly in the shop window. Someday, it would be hers.

Before entering the shop, Annaliese took note of a brown-haired boy ogling the shop's wares. Whilst it was normal for the shop's window to be filled with students staring on in admiration, this boy had an air of confusion about him. Intrigued, Annaliese approached him, leaning against the shop window with her arms crossed.

"What? Never seen a broom before?" Annaliese smirked, raising an eyebrow in disbelief, forgetting that not everyone grew up around magic.
sta • 5 | eva • 6 | str • 4
"I intend to live...
wis • 6 | arc • 7 | acc • 7
⠀⠀⠀main ency
⠀ANNALIESE CALLAWAY
⠀⠀⠀inpc ency
Charmer | ability | ability
...not just exist."
ability | ability | ability
head in the game OPEN - 1/2
Image posted by the member
Date: Aug. 20th, 2024 | Time: 14:05 | Outfit: X | Speech: #B03A2E
It was quite annoying, trying to undergo an investigation with all those strangers walking about in the store. He struggled to make out what few labels caught his eye, and not much time passed before his (perhaps unwarranted) impatience urged him to get a closer look. Well, that would be the plan, if not for the sudden appearance of a... random girl?

Unsurprisingly, she was taller than him. A closer look would reveal he barely reached over her shoulders, which was a common occurrence for Aodhan. However, this girl also seemed to possess an aura of confidence, with her tone of voice and smug demeanor. Now that was something a bit odd. It all came together at her inquiry, and the youth could not help but pout. Did he really seem that clueless? Okay, yes, he was definitely clueless, but that didn't mean he appreciated getting called out on that fact.

Besides, he certainly wasn't clueless about the brooms, of all things. Who'd never seen a broom before? People that never had to clean?

"No, I was just—admiring how well made they are," he fibbed while shifting his gaze onto her. He then pressed a finger up to the glass, pointing at a random one. "Look at this one here. See the color of its wood? Its shape? Amazing. The creator was a genius, no doubt."

He could practically hear the distaste in his mother's voice as he recalled the numerous scoldings he received for lying. She often claimed it was an absolutely horrid trait, but in this current situation, he could only think it was a well-developed skill. And even if it wasn't... to be frank, Aodhan rarely listened to her to begin with.

Upping his act, the boy squinted his eyes at the blonde, "Have you seen a broom before? You don't look like someone that can appreciate beauty."
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« INTERACT: @Annaliese Callaway»
[inpc is jamie saeng]
i've set my sights so high, my eyes are in the back of my skull
head in the game OPEN - 1/2
ANNALIESE CALLAWAY
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☼∘∙⊱⋅•⋅
Date: 08/20/24 | Time: 14:07 | Outfit: ✕ | CC: #c75000
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─────Narrowing her eyes, Annaliese scrutinized him, looking for cracks in his facade. The boy, quite a bit shorter than herself, appeared to be confident enough in his words. But as Annaliese glanced at the broom the boy had pointed out, she had to keep herself from bursting into laughter.

The boy had pointed out none other than the very broom she had started out on… when she was three. The Shooting Star was well-known as a popular broom for beginners but anyone with a head for flying would want to upgrade to something faster with more maneuverability.

Though she saw through his bluff, she had to give the boy some credit, he had seemed pretty self-assured. Perhaps she would have believed the small fib - he was adamant enough in his efforts to prove he knew what he was talking about - if not for that.

“Ah yes… The Shooting Star. An excellent choice.” Annaliese snorted, pausing for a moment to garner his reaction before dealing another blow to his flimsy facade. “If you were in diapers.”

Before she could comment further, she was taken aback by his attempt to one up her. Annaliese found herself standing up straighter, rolling her eyes at his meager attempt to get back at her.

“Please, I was on a broom by the time I could walk,” Annaliese sneered in response. “Beauty is what I’ve been raised on. Not that you would know much about a proper upbringing.”

Letting out a huff of frustration, the hot-headed girl glared at him. This boy was getting on her nerves, and very quickly at that. The audacity he had to come at her like that, when clearly he was way out of his depths.

Yet then again, maybe she should have been friendlier in their initial encounter. Annaliese was aware she had a bad habit of jumping to conclusions, and it certainly seemed to have ended poorly for her in this situation. Mulling over her options, she eventually stilled her simmering irritation and decided to extend a peace offering. After all, she wasn’t in the habit of making enemies.

Annaliese made her way to the open doorway of the shop, the allure of Quidditch equipment and more brooms waiting to be marveled over inside, before pausing to glance back at the boy. “Well, are you coming?”
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| 𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉: @Aodhan Shaw | 𝑾𝒄: 387 |
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☼∘∙⊱⋅•⋅
sta • 5 | eva • 6 | str • 4
"I intend to live...
wis • 6 | arc • 7 | acc • 7
⠀⠀⠀main ency
⠀ANNALIESE CALLAWAY
⠀⠀⠀inpc ency
Charmer | ability | ability
...not just exist."
ability | ability | ability
head in the game OPEN - 1/2
Image posted by the member
Date: Aug. 20th, 2024 | Time: 14:09 | Outfit: X | Speech: #B03A2E
The Shooting Star... Wait, these things had actual names? Some random brooms? Rather than meeting her with more flippancy or faux confidence, he stared instead, his sparkly eyes wide and brow furrowed. Surely this was just another wizarding phenomenon, where they treated brooms like... what, like different car models?

He was pushed further down this line of thought as the girl continued speaking. Since she could walk, huh. Perhaps instead of cars, they could be viewed more like race horses? He doubted anyone would allow a toddler drive a car, unless they were a super toddler. Then again, he was confident there weren't many toddlers steering a horse to and fro. Still more reasonable than a car, though.

Due to his curiosity winning out, Aodhan ignored the jabs made towards him—for now—and shifted his gaze back onto the store window. He could tentatively say brooms were used for transportation, just like in storybooks, but the need for huge balls was beyond him. If allowed, he would be more than capable of standing around theorizing about the numerous possibilities. Unfortunately, time would not wait for him, and nor would his own patience.

So when she turned back to question his inaction, the young wizard put a stop to his daydreaming. "Oh. Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," he replied after a moment of silence, and was quick to march his way past her into the building. He kept moving until he reached his chosen destination, a nearby display of koowa... quaffles? He used one hand to point at them, and the other to beckon her over.

"Goo goo gaga, goo ga!" he mocked through barely concealed amusement, making sure to say it loud in the girl's direction, "That translates to—'I'm in diapers. Why are there humongous balls in a store with brooms?' And goo gaga goo means, 'Help! I need sacred knowledge from your top-notch upbringing.'"

By then, it was obvious he dropped the persona he adopted earlier on. Since she had already called him out, he would let his ignorance happily shine through.
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« INTERACT: @Annaliese Callaway »
[inpc is jamie saeng]
i've set my sights so high, my eyes are in the back of my skull
head in the game OPEN - 1/2
ANNALIESE CALLAWAY
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☼∘∙⊱⋅•⋅
Date: 08/20/24 | Time: 14:12 | Outfit: ✕ | CC: #c75000
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─────Stepping into the store after the boy, Annaliese instantly felt a rush of comfort as she was bombarded with the smell of broom wax and leather, now surrounded by brooms. The shop showcased everything from bulky trees used for travel to the speedy, sleek models of racing brooms.

Annaliese smiled to herself as she took it in, briefly reminiscing on her first time in the store, the first time her brother had taken her to Diagon Alley. Thrilled with the notion of potentially playing for their House’s team in the future, the Quidditch-obsessed pair had prioritized coming to the famed store before even glancing at Emery’s supply list and ended up spending hours enthralled by all the store had to offer.

The boy’s sarcastic words brought her attention back to him, now lingering near a stand of Quaffles. Annaliese couldn’t help but let out an amused chuckle at his antics, his humor catching her off guard. Perhaps they would get along after all.

Though she knew she may have exaggerated her flying experience a tad, it was close enough. The first time she was on a broom was when she was four: her tutor at the time had taken out the two Callaway children on one of the family brooms and Annaliese had been hooked on flying ever since. She may not have been able to fly on her own at the time but she made do with what she could, begging her parents for her own toy broom and pouring over novels of flying theory and Quidditch strategy, all leading to an abundance of confidence when it came to the sport. So sure, she had been on a broom plenty of times, just not by herself, but a little stretch of the truth never hurt anyone.

“Sacred knowledge to the rescue then,” Annaliese declared, skipping over to him, her curls bouncing with each step. “Do you even know anything at all?” She couldn’t help but blurt out upon the sight of the familiar spheres, before mentally checking herself once again. Not everyone grew up around magic, she had to remind herself.

“Those balls are called Quaffles, it’s the main way of scoring points in Quidditch.” Annaliese explained, matter of factly, running her fingers over the leather-covered balls on display. “Each goal is worth 10 points, the Chasers are in charge of scoring.”

Picking up one of the red balls, Annaliese tossed it back and forth between her hands, getting a feel of the brand new leather. The one she had at home was old and well-worn from many afternoons of being thrown around, its grip long gone. Darting away from the display by a few paces, she quickly turned back to face the boy and threw the Quaffle at him. “Think fast!”
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| 𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉: @Aodhan Shaw | 𝑾𝒄: 406 |
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☼∘∙⊱⋅•⋅
sta • 5 | eva • 6 | str • 4
"I intend to live...
wis • 6 | arc • 7 | acc • 7
⠀⠀⠀main ency
⠀ANNALIESE CALLAWAY
⠀⠀⠀inpc ency
Charmer | ability | ability
...not just exist."
ability | ability | ability
head in the game OPEN - 1/2
Image posted by the member
Date: Aug. 20th, 2024 | Time: 14:15 | Outfit: X | Speech: #B03A2E
"Nope," he instantly replied while popping his 'p,' "Unless knowing these would suck to use in football counts." It took only a moment of processing his own words before he felt a wave of disappointment. Originally coming from the States, he knew people got hilariously annoyed when he first used the term "soccer" to describe the sport, and now he missed the chance. What a waste. Then again, a part of himself figured that wizards didn't care much for those things to begin with, not when they held a galaxy of possibilities in their hands.

Thankfully, she had prevented his attention from derailing any further with her continued elaboration... But just from the minor tidbits of information shared, Aodhan was pushed into another state of confusion. The chasers? And again, what the hell was "Quidditch"? That word was part of the store sign, yet it all had yet to click in his head.

Wait, piece it together—she mentioned scoring points. So, a sport? A sport where instead of something like a football or baseball, they had these weird "quaffles." To be honest, it almost sounded like they were just trying to be different, these wizards. Then, he remembered that he was recently deemed one of them, too. He was kind of insulting himself there.

In spite of his musings, it was luck that made him halfheartedly follow the girl's movements. Therefore, it was also luck that enabled him to just barely catch the quaffle tossed in his direction. It caused an expression of surprise mixed with faux betrayal to color his face.

"If I was any less awesome, that could have hurt me, you know? Then I'd have to sue you. Do you wanna be sued?" the youth dramatically scolded while readjusting his grip on the spheroid. He took a second to properly inspect it, and could say it was roughly the size of a basketball. No, bigger? Bigger. The texture was another thing to take note of. Leather, so good for a person's grip.

Without hesitation, and therefore without warning, Aodhan dropped the ball and tried kicking it back towards her, its shape forcing it to bounce off incorrectly and move slightly off track. Yup, definitely a handball. He could have left it at his original assumption, but the urge from his footballing days in school clung to him without remorse. So, kick it he did.

"Seriously, though, are you guys playing some weird version of rugby on brooms?" he questioned while trying to imagine the situation. It was an interesting vision to say the least, but—"Why have a game like that when you can do tons of cooler things with magic?"
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« INTERACT: @Annaliese Callaway »
[inpc is jamie saeng]
i've set my sights so high, my eyes are in the back of my skull
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