Long Time No See
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There must be a better way to travel, Taryn thought, assessing the damage her not-so-graceful landing in the hearth had caused to her clothing. She attempted to brush the soot from her skirt while she followed her father to the bar. It didn’t achieve much. The grime left a stain on the sky blue fabric.
It was busy in the pub today. A pleasant kind of busy, where you know there are a lot of people out and about, meeting one another here. Taryn was one of those people.
It had been a hot minute since she’d last seen Gloria. She wasn't even sure if they still had anything in common. But they had always got along well, and it was a comforting thought that she wouldn’t be alone on her first day at Hogwarts.
Taryn stood beside her father as he waited to get the attention of the innkeeper. She looked at her watch, without truly seeing what time it was, and let her gaze wander over the rest of the room. Nearly all the tables were occupied and there was a steady murmur of chatter.
Just as Taryn wondered if Gloria might be somewhere around here already, the door on the other side of the room opened, and a very familiar eleven-year-old stepped inside.
Taryn’s heart jumped. She tried one last time to brush the soot from her skirt. Then she raised her hand and waved at the girl.
“Gloria,” she called out, ”over here!”
It was busy in the pub today. A pleasant kind of busy, where you know there are a lot of people out and about, meeting one another here. Taryn was one of those people.
It had been a hot minute since she’d last seen Gloria. She wasn't even sure if they still had anything in common. But they had always got along well, and it was a comforting thought that she wouldn’t be alone on her first day at Hogwarts.
Taryn stood beside her father as he waited to get the attention of the innkeeper. She looked at her watch, without truly seeing what time it was, and let her gaze wander over the rest of the room. Nearly all the tables were occupied and there was a steady murmur of chatter.
Just as Taryn wondered if Gloria might be somewhere around here already, the door on the other side of the room opened, and a very familiar eleven-year-old stepped inside.
Taryn’s heart jumped. She tried one last time to brush the soot from her skirt. Then she raised her hand and waved at the girl.
“Gloria,” she called out, ”over here!”
Last edited by Taryn Atwood on 6 Jul 2026, 17:42, edited 2 times in total.
Encyclopedia | STA 4 | EVA 7 | STR 3 | WIS 9 | ARC 6 | ACC 6
Long Time No See
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"How much further Dad? Are we almost there? Tell meeeeeeeee. What if I'm late for Taryn? I haven't seen her in ages, Dad. Are we almost to the Leakey Caldron? Why do we have travel by car anyways, it takes ssssoooo looong." "We will be there soon darling, about five more minutes." Dad responds.
After the five minutes that felt like an eternity (because I was so excited to see Taryn) my dad found a parking spot on a back street and we walked up to the Leakey Caldron, a broken down, old bar for wizards and witch's to stay at. As I walked in I swiveled my head around, looking for Taryn my dad yells to me" Have a great time at Hogwarts and be good for Taryn's dad!" ...God, I think, why are parents always so embarrassing? I keep looking for Taryn when I spot her waving her arms at me by the bar next to her dad. "Gloria, over here!" she shouts across the very busy pub, no one even heard her except me. I slowly manuver all the people in the pub. There are people who look like there would kill everyone in the pub if it wasn't for Askaban. I finally get to Taryn. "What's up? Long time, no see."
"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." — George Bernard Shaw
Long Time No See
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Taryn couldn’t help the beaming smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth, her crooked teeth on full display.
“I know, right?” she replied. It was good to see Gloria again. It truly had been too long.
She hesitated for a second, then she pulled her friend into a hug. She held on tight for a moment or two, before she remembered the state of her dress and quickly pulled away again.
"How are you?” she asked as her gaze searched Gloria’s clothing for any trace of soot.
Her shoulders relaxed when she didn’t find any. Imagine if she had ruined Gloria’s clothes, that wouldn’t have been a great start.
A movement close to Gloria’s feet caught Taryn’s eye.
A cat emerged from behind Gloria, nudging her leg with its head. It was a beautiful cat, sandy in colour with darker stripes and spots that formed an exotic pattern on its fur. It was wearing a mini top hat.
Immediately distracted, Taryn knelt down to its level.
“Hey there,” she cooed, holding out her hand for the cat to smell it. She looked up at Gloria, an enthusiastic sparkle in her eyes.
“Is this your cat?” she asked in awe.
“I know, right?” she replied. It was good to see Gloria again. It truly had been too long.
She hesitated for a second, then she pulled her friend into a hug. She held on tight for a moment or two, before she remembered the state of her dress and quickly pulled away again.
"How are you?” she asked as her gaze searched Gloria’s clothing for any trace of soot.
Her shoulders relaxed when she didn’t find any. Imagine if she had ruined Gloria’s clothes, that wouldn’t have been a great start.
A movement close to Gloria’s feet caught Taryn’s eye.
A cat emerged from behind Gloria, nudging her leg with its head. It was a beautiful cat, sandy in colour with darker stripes and spots that formed an exotic pattern on its fur. It was wearing a mini top hat.
Immediately distracted, Taryn knelt down to its level.
“Hey there,” she cooed, holding out her hand for the cat to smell it. She looked up at Gloria, an enthusiastic sparkle in her eyes.
“Is this your cat?” she asked in awe.
Encyclopedia | STA 4 | EVA 7 | STR 3 | WIS 9 | ARC 6 | ACC 6
Long Time No See
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"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." — George Bernard Shaw
Long Time No See
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“Hey Oak,” Taryn said affectionately, petting Oak’s back and scratching her chin. She was such a cutie. And beautiful too, with her soft coat, striking eyes, and cute little nose.
The way her eyes narrowed in contentment at the chin scratching made Taryn smile.
Oak nudged Taryn’s hand with her nose, and then flopped over onto the floor. The expectant look in her big eyes said it all. Taryn giggled and reached out to give Oak some belly rubs.
She started to long for a cat of her own. A companion that could come to Hogwarts with her.
She hoped she and Gloria would get sorted into the same house. That way, she'd probably have lots of opportunities to hang around with Oak.
Taryn’s father stood a few feet away from both girls. In his right hand he held the keys to their rooms, in his left he held Taryn’s trunk (still rather light as of now, as it did not contain her school supplies yet, and was for the most part only occupied by a few sets of clothing and her goose cuddly toy).
He regarded his daughter petting Oak, an amused smile on his face.
“So, lassies,” he said to get the attention of the two girls. “I was thinking—I'm sure both of you have loads to discuss. How about I take your trunks up to your room so you can go ahead and start your school shopping with the two of you? We can meet up again later for the last things.”
Taryn gave Oak one last belly rub, and rose to her feet.
“Yeah, alright,” she said, glancing at Gloria. “I think that should be fine, right?”
The way her eyes narrowed in contentment at the chin scratching made Taryn smile.
Oak nudged Taryn’s hand with her nose, and then flopped over onto the floor. The expectant look in her big eyes said it all. Taryn giggled and reached out to give Oak some belly rubs.
She started to long for a cat of her own. A companion that could come to Hogwarts with her.
She hoped she and Gloria would get sorted into the same house. That way, she'd probably have lots of opportunities to hang around with Oak.
Taryn’s father stood a few feet away from both girls. In his right hand he held the keys to their rooms, in his left he held Taryn’s trunk (still rather light as of now, as it did not contain her school supplies yet, and was for the most part only occupied by a few sets of clothing and her goose cuddly toy).
He regarded his daughter petting Oak, an amused smile on his face.
“So, lassies,” he said to get the attention of the two girls. “I was thinking—I'm sure both of you have loads to discuss. How about I take your trunks up to your room so you can go ahead and start your school shopping with the two of you? We can meet up again later for the last things.”
Taryn gave Oak one last belly rub, and rose to her feet.
“Yeah, alright,” she said, glancing at Gloria. “I think that should be fine, right?”
Encyclopedia | STA 4 | EVA 7 | STR 3 | WIS 9 | ARC 6 | ACC 6
Long Time No See
Mentions:@Taryn Atwood
WC: 200
While Taryn was peacefully giving cutie little Oak belly rubs, a small smile on her face, Gloria hoped that they would be sorted in to same house so that they could play with Oak together. There would be so many opportunities to hang out and get to know each other and maybe even become friends in addition to being family friends. She also hoped she was ready for Hogwarts. Even though both Gloria's parents are magical she couldn't help feeling she was chosen by mistake because she just felt so nervous and overwhelmed by everything. She was so nervous she couldn't stop fidgeting with everything around her. Nobody noticed though so Gloria was thankful for that, it would be awkward to explain why she was fidgeting so much. Taryn's dad came up with a plan in which he our stuff to our rooms and we got to shop alone. After he was done talking Taryn rose to her feet and said, " Yeah, alright, I think that should be fine right?" As she glanced at me."Yeah, of course that will be super fun! And after, Taryn do you want to pamper Oak? I just recently got her a new bed and some food!"
Last edited by Gloria Shell on 20 Jun 2026, 20:40, edited 1 time in total.
"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." — George Bernard Shaw
Long Time No See
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Taryn beamed.
“I would like that very much!” she said excitedly.
Her father smiled again.
“If you’re both ready to go,” he said, nodding his head towards the back door. “Follow me. I’ll let you into Diagon Alley.”
He led the way through the pub to the back door, and held it open for the girls—and for Oak as well, of course—waiting until everyone was outside in the courtyard before he pulled the door closed behind them, cutting off the low buzz of chatter from inside the pub.
The courtyard wasn’t exactly cheerful. It was rather small and entirely empty, aside from a single dustbin.
But a stream of sunlight managed to reach into the courtyard despite the brick walls surrounding it, and there sounded the cooing of a pigeon somewhere above them. Oak perked up her ears, her interest piqued by the sound.
Taryn’s father stepped towards the wall above the dustbin, placing the two keys in his pocket and drawing out his wand instead.
He tapped a specific brick three times with the tip of his wand.
Taryn knew exactly which brick it was even before he tapped it, as she’d been allowed to help a few times when she was younger.
Her father would point out the correct brick to her, and then they’d both hold his wand as they tapped it. It had been simple magic, and she had probably never even actually done anything. But she’d always found it brilliant how the wall would open up into an archway afterwards.
And just like those times, the wall opened up before them, revealing the bustling street that was Diagon Ally.
“Alright,” Taryn’s father said, taking a step back and placing his wand back in his pocket. “Have fun, you two. Gloria, you can give your trunk to me.”
He held out his hand and took the trunk from her.
“Thank you.”
“And Tay…” He looked at his daughter. “We’ll meet up in one hour in front of Ollivanders, okay? I want to be there when you get your wand.”
“Sure,” Taryn answered. She looked at her watch and made a quick calculation of what time she’d have to be at Ollivanders. She looked up again and nodded at her father.
Meeting Gloria’s eye, Taryn grinned.
“Let’s go!” she said, motioning for her friend to follow her as she stepped through the archway into Diagon Ally. Gloria and Oak followed closely behind.
The archway shrunk behind them, until it was nothing but a solid wall once more.
“I would like that very much!” she said excitedly.
Her father smiled again.
“If you’re both ready to go,” he said, nodding his head towards the back door. “Follow me. I’ll let you into Diagon Alley.”
He led the way through the pub to the back door, and held it open for the girls—and for Oak as well, of course—waiting until everyone was outside in the courtyard before he pulled the door closed behind them, cutting off the low buzz of chatter from inside the pub.
The courtyard wasn’t exactly cheerful. It was rather small and entirely empty, aside from a single dustbin.
But a stream of sunlight managed to reach into the courtyard despite the brick walls surrounding it, and there sounded the cooing of a pigeon somewhere above them. Oak perked up her ears, her interest piqued by the sound.
Taryn’s father stepped towards the wall above the dustbin, placing the two keys in his pocket and drawing out his wand instead.
He tapped a specific brick three times with the tip of his wand.
Taryn knew exactly which brick it was even before he tapped it, as she’d been allowed to help a few times when she was younger.
Her father would point out the correct brick to her, and then they’d both hold his wand as they tapped it. It had been simple magic, and she had probably never even actually done anything. But she’d always found it brilliant how the wall would open up into an archway afterwards.
And just like those times, the wall opened up before them, revealing the bustling street that was Diagon Ally.
“Alright,” Taryn’s father said, taking a step back and placing his wand back in his pocket. “Have fun, you two. Gloria, you can give your trunk to me.”
He held out his hand and took the trunk from her.
“Thank you.”
“And Tay…” He looked at his daughter. “We’ll meet up in one hour in front of Ollivanders, okay? I want to be there when you get your wand.”
“Sure,” Taryn answered. She looked at her watch and made a quick calculation of what time she’d have to be at Ollivanders. She looked up again and nodded at her father.
Meeting Gloria’s eye, Taryn grinned.
“Let’s go!” she said, motioning for her friend to follow her as she stepped through the archway into Diagon Ally. Gloria and Oak followed closely behind.
The archway shrunk behind them, until it was nothing but a solid wall once more.
OOC NOTE: This thread is now finished!
ReducioAll godmodding was done with permission.
Encyclopedia | STA 4 | EVA 7 | STR 3 | WIS 9 | ARC 6 | ACC 6