Hogmanay
Lairg, 31 December 2025
"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" Colin and Liam howled into the darkness of the last night of the year. Hogmanay! A day for feasting and a night for, well, ahem! Whatever one did during a rowdy Scottish festival after dark! Twas a night for sparkers, bonfires, fireworks, fire swinging, and general pyrotechnical festivity! The boys had brought their ancient fire swings with them in Seanmamó's ancient motor car, along with Aoife and the girls, Emmi and Scout!
The drive had passed wonderfully, though Colin abstained from any bonnet surfing during this particular voyage, on account of he'd rather hang out with Liam and and the girls. Though one of these days, he was totally going to get Emmi, and maybe even Scout out onto the bonnet of a motor car for some proper surfing! The Sun set really early these long winter nights, and Colin leaned against Emmi, laughing at Scout's stories. That girl ought to write a book! Colin thought as she told them yet another fantastic tale!
The journey, even though most of his favourite people were here, still dragged. He'd been on his wolfsbane for several days already, and the waxing Moon was beginning to take her toll. He was aware that Aoife and Seanmamó were on the alert to any untoward wolfishness in the girls' direction. Colin knew better than to unleash that side of him on Emmi. At least until she was ready for it!
But here in Lairg, at last, he and Liam could run around a wee bit before the festivities began in earnest. Dinner in the pub was grand, as always, where he tried something called a burghers cheese along with a side of bangers! He had to be careful here in Lairg! There were wizarding folk around, to be sure, but there were Muggles as well, and he didn't want to get too excited about the telly pewter box that had the wee folk chatting about something called Liverpool and Manchester Premier League match.
Colin knew well, of course, that burghers were a sort of upper middle class Muggle that lord mayors were often elected from. And he also knew that lords were great knobs like Lord Nelson and Lord Sandwich and the Duke of Edinburgh. But he was really quite surprised to learn that burghers cheese was actually one of the Earl of Sandwich's own creations! Colin smiled happily as he and Emmi ate their dinner. He could hardly wait to impress Emmi with his newfound insight on the city of Edinburgh being named after one of the Earl of Sandwich's most delicious creations! The burgher! Who would have thought it!?
Once back out into the street, the ladies all wandered off to enjoy the festivities whilst Colin and Liam fetched their fire cages from the motor car. Ancient hoops of iron fashioned into something that looked like an armillary with a long chain attached to a wooden handle was all they were. Muggle stuffed them with newspaper and cloth and doused them with cheap alcohol to create their fire balls.
Liam snuck a smirking glance at Colin. Colin returned the glance sneakily.
"There's wizarding folk all around, Cail," Liam whispered. "I recognised a couple Ravenclaw lads."
"No one shall ever know..." Colin replied softly, as the boys slid their wands from their sheaths strapped to their arms. "And what the Ministry don't know---"
"---doesn't bother us a whit!" finished Liam! Both boys laughed, then made fake coughing sounds, trying to mask their spellcasting from any wayward Muggles who might wonder what they up to.
"Incendio tria!" they whispered hoarsely, aiming their wands into the wadded up material in their fire balls. The festivities were beginning and the march would soon commence!
@Emily Shephard | @Scout Fu-Hai
Keep your mind in hell; and don't despair.
Cursa McCoire
Rigel McCoire
Hogmanay
December 31th 2025
Speech: #cfa120
Thoughts: Italics
@Colin McCoire and @Scout Fu-Hai
A wee reminder that Emily, Colin and Scout all have longstanding permission to lightly godmod each other :3
Colin had already took off like a spaniel once they all hauled out of the car. Though Emily wasn't going to blame him, not when she was just as excited as he was about tonight. Her first Hogmanay Cèilidh! She was no stranger to the concept of drinking and dancing with folks in the community, but pride be damned that Belfast had any sense of community left in its antisocial streets. Harsh to say, but it was true. There was more pride to be found in acknowledging that truth than it was to live in that city.
Emily jumped at the opportunity to join Colin's family for the end of year celebrations, and she was just about ready to explode with excitement once they arrived for the Hogmanay festivities. Emily's shoulders brushed against nearly everyone else that passed her, the entire street flooded with eager partygoers and merry men. Every other person had some form of sparkler in their hand. Shoot... Emily didn't think to bring her own. She had a set of really nice orange sparklers leftover from Halloween she could've borrowed from "Auntie." Ah well.
Colin and Liam wandered sped off further down the street to sniff and look around some more before they backtracked to the car. It looked like they were trying to find something in the back. Emily tugged Scout by her sleeve until they were both walking in the opposite direction.
"Come along, Scoutie! Let's explore a little bit while we wait for the boys to catch up."
Emily led ahead by a few paces as she weaved in between some of the stalls set up for the night. Some of them offered lamplights, candles and fireworks, others displayed an array of snacks and treats for nibbling into the New Year. There was one in particular that caught Emily's eye, a marquis tent selling small trinkets and pieces of jewellery. A bracelet of lilac stones held by some black twine.
Drifting to the marquis, eyes never leaving the bracelet, the woman behind the table could tell she would be making profit tonight. Minutes later, Emily had handed over a few coins and the bracelet was hers, packed carefully in a small parcel of white tissue. That would be her New Year's gift to "Auntie."
"You should pick something out for your mum and dad, Scout!" Emily nudged her buddy on the shoulder. "Maybe get them one of these cool rings or these badge thingies here...!"
After a little more perusing, she reunited with Colin and his other half. She noticed the wands in their hands paired with the mischievous glints in their eyes.
"You guys, what're you doing...?" she asked, looking at their wands suspiciously. "Don't tell me you..."
Emily sighed. Of course they did.
"Subtle much, McCoire...?" she whispered.
Word Count: 484
Stats: Stamina: 8 | Evasion: 7 | Strength: 7 | Wisdom: 9 | Arcane Power: 8 | Accuracy: 8
Abilities: Non-Human Enthusiast |Cat's Grace |Calming Presence
Trust Yourself - Love Yourself - Be Yourself
iNPC = Casey Stone