closed Tea and Crumpets Meyra

It was a free day at Beauxbatons and so Meyra took the opportunity to stroll through the gardens of the charming chateau. She and Dennis had arranged to meet there for a little picnic. In reality, it had been her idea, ever since she saw those lush and magnificently cared for gardens, Meyra had felt the desire to spend some quality time contemplating the beautiful and flowery landscape. And like the good friend Dennis was, he had offered to bring the food and picnic blanket.

It was very rare for the young Gryffindor to feel comfortable spending time with others, much less allowing a friendship or a more meaningful relationship to blossom, as she had always been taught to uphold the ideals of honesty and sincerity. This was a feeling that was slowly beginning to take hold in her towards Dennis, as there was still a big secret that remained unsaid, and as their friendship grew, the anguish of keeping this secret also became more real. It became increasingly a real feeling of disloyalty, keeping Dennis in the dark, continuing to let him not knowing that behind someone who was apparently innocent, there was a terrible and dangerous beast hiding. Even though it's something she can control to a certain extent, nothing can stop her from taking the form of a restless wolf once a month, and a brief slip can turn her into one of the most dangerous creatures that ever existed. But she was not ready to tell him...not yet.

So, pushing these sad thoughts from her mind, Meyra walked among the tall hedges and flowers of different colors, shapes and scents until she found the red hair that was already so familiar to her. In her enchanted light brown leather bag, she carried her magic camera, her sketchbook and a case with some charcoal and colored pencils to capture and record all the beauty that surrounded them. At first, she had thought about coming here alone, but she had to admit that it was much more pleasant to spend some time with someone she already considered a friend.

Dressed in a white knit sweater and comfortable jeans, Meyra had finally found Dennis. As he had promised, the boy had brought a blanket and a wicker basket full of treats and sweets. To her pleasant surprise, he had also brought a thermos with hot water and all the other supplies needed to make tea. "Oh you brought some tea!" She happily exclaimed as a greeting, "What kinda of tea is it?" She asked as she sat down on the blanket next to him, letting her bag fall gently from her shoulder and placing it beside her. Reaching over to the basket, Mey took out the black tea can and read what was written on its yellow label, "Marrrriáge?" She asked, skeptical of her pronunciation, but emphasising the 'rr' as best she could, "Rooougé Bourbôôn." She continued, understanding less and less, until at last she found written there, "Oh! Red tea and french vanilla taste! Sounds good to me. Want me to prepare it?" She finished asking while looking at him.

@Dennis Tumberton

For the second time in as many days, Meyra found him mid croissant. Was it him or was it the croissant that summoned her? He was starting to get suspicious that the French pastries were actually a magnet. No matter, he did go through all this trouble for her so he patted the spot beside her beckoning to sit down. He thought the sweater was cute. White seemed to suit her well, not that he would ever tell a girl he thought she looked nice. That would be really really inappropriate.

“Hello, Mey! I’m glad you found the spot! The view here is quite nice! Inspiring in a way.” Dennis greeted before the conversation turned to the tea. She made some funny sounds with her mouth as she tried to read the labels. He stifled a chuckle. Did she really say what he thought she said. “Can I see that?” He asked after she found the English description. “Oh that clearly says, ‘Mirage.’ The French have a silly way to spell things with all those extra letters.” Dennis said super confident that he didn’t pick up anything other than a nice flavored tea.

Meyra offered to make the first cup and the redhead nodded. “That would quite nice, thank you!” The weather was great and the company was even better and the view the best. What a great time to have with someone who is absolutely nothing but a familiar acquaintance. “What are your plans for the rest of our trip? Surely there must be something you are really excited about?” He asked after she finished serving the tea. She didn’t need to ask Dennis this question of course.

@Meyra Lancaster

"I almost didn't see you in the middle of these tall hedges, but yes, you're right, it's the perfect place." She replied with a smile while looking around. It was impossible for anyone not to feel light and happy amidst so much beauty. There were roses, lavender beds, delicate daisies of different colors decorating the entire garden in a prestine way. The fountains were equally elegantly carved, and the sound of the running water had a calming and comforting effect, like a fresh embrace. In the distance, it was also possible to hear the singing of several birds, which happily spread their charm throughout the corners of that mountain paradise. If we listened more carefully, it was also possible to make out here and there the characteristic sound of the neighing of the Abraxans in their stables or other animals that inhabited those gardens and the surrounding spaces.

"Yes, of course, here!" She replied to Dennis when he asked if he could see the tea can up close by passing the can into her friend's hands "Mirage?" She asked him, "Are you sure? Well, it says it's red tea and French vanilla, it's all I need to know!"

When the red-haired boy accepted her offer to prepare tea, Meyra once again smiled brightly, and began preparing the tea mugs. Once the hot, red liquid was steaming in both porcelain cups, Meyra grabbed one of them and passed it to Dennis. "Here!" she waited for him to accept hers before turning to hold her own. A small sip of her drink told her she had found a flavour she liked, a little bitter at first but with a sweeter aftertaste. "Hum...this is nice!"

“What are your plans for the rest of our trip? Surely there must be something you are really excited about?” Dennis had asked her and she turned her attention from her mug of tea to her friend, shaking her head slightly, "Honestly, I don't have anything in mind. My intention for coming here was to see another school of magic." She said in all sincerity, setting down the mug and saucer beside her, "But I heard there's an art room here somewhere in the castle, that's a room I'd like to visit!" She added with a shrug, "Would you like to visit it with me?" She asked him.

The girl took a deep breath, closing her eyes and absorbing everything she could through all her senses. The air was fresh, but carried with it all the scents of flowers, earth, and freshly tended grass. Everything was perfect, however, that thought that made her feel more and more guilty was increasingly present in her heart, specially as she felt more and more close to her friend. Would this be the ideal moment for her to reveal her secret to Dennis? Wouldn't it be worse if she waited longer, if she omitted it for longer?

Maybe it was a reckless decision, maybe she felt it all bothering her so much at a time that felt so real and sincere, that she no longer wanted to keep hiding her true nature from Dennis, he had earned the right to know. "Dennis..." She started in a serious tone, feeling her throat getting suddenly dry. She looked at her friend, at his green bright eyes and took a deep breath to prepare herself for what she was about to say, "There's something I need to tell you." She told him, feeling more and more nervous, looking down at her hands while starting to fidget with one of her sleeves."I..." She said, looking up at him when she found the courage to continue.

“I need..” But her words got interrupted by the sight of a certain someone approaching their way. "Oh Merlin, it's him again!" She exclaimed with despair. “Pretend I was never here!” She pleaded him, getting up so fast she nearly spilled her cup of tea all over the blanket. Quickly, she turned and hid among the tall hedges. If luck was on her side, Tone would not see or hear a whisper of her presence.

@Dennis Tumberton | @Kim Sato

Someone was trying to avoid him! Tone could sense it and he was bound and determined to go after her and make her his! Well, so to speak that is. It wasn't like he liked her in a romantic sense, it was that he wanted to make her his friend and wasn't about to take no for an answer because he knew she'd benefit from this! It was also the prime time to do this because it would be harder to track her down once they left Beauxbatons. She didn't go to Mahoutokoro, therefore he wouldn't be able to pursue her throughout the school year. So Tone had to do it now. Before she got away from him again! It was only the day after they'd officially met at the arrival tea party that had been held for everyone. But he hadn't seen her since then. Sure, Tone might have been a little busy afterward, trying to make new connections elsewhere but still! He hadn't seen Meyra!
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A sigh escaped his lips as he searched the grounds for some sign of the elusive cool one the foodie had referred to her as. Meyra, her name was Meyra, Tone reminded himself. The foodie was Dennis. "Ah!" The blond exclaimed upon catching sight of a familiar face in the distance. It looked as if he was having some kind of picnic out in the garden which was awesome! Not only that but there she was! The cool one! Meyra! Dennis was stuffing his face with a croissant and Meyra was sipping from a porcelain mug. Tone smiled, she wouldn't get away from him this time! Shifting his enchanted backpack over his shoulder, the blond quickly made his way towards the area. Only to find just Dennis there, Meyra having disappeared during the time it had taken him to get over there. "Wow, she's so good at this!" Tone exclaimed with a shake of his head.

But Tone could be very persistent and didn't give up, even if it was bound to be difficult to get through to Meyra! He'd had experiences before with reluctant people and Tone had always managed to break through their shields and bring down their walls in the end. It was only a matter of time. He flashed a smile over at Dennis. "You're snacking again, I see. But this time it's a croissant! Good choice, they really are so delicious!" Tone said, approving of Dennis's choice. "You should try it with a slice of cheese though. Cheese is so good here in France I've heard." He told him. Tone let his eyes flicker over the picnic blanket and spread before him. It was all too obvious to see that Meyra had been there before. Or at least someone had judging from the abandoned backpack and the cup of steaming red liquid resting there.
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Tone crouched down to lean forward until his lips were up against Dennis's ear. He raised a hand to his mouth to shield it from view and then whispered something into his ear. "Is the cool one trying to avoid me? Did I do something wrong? I only want to be her friend! Can you help me out a little? Where is she going to be later? I can show up and try and talk to her then. Unless, you think there's a better way to approach this? You're her friend, right? How long have you known her for? What is she like when she's relaxed? Like with you?" Tone asked, not meaning to whisper for so long into Dennis's ear. But sometimes he tended to get carried away at times. Talking was his strong suit. He'd always been good at it. Part of him wanted to stay with Dennis and chat with him too. After all, Tone wanted to make Dennis his friend too. But at the same time, enlisting his aid with Meyra was also important.

If he had some help in this department things would be easier, since he was only here for a short time.

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──────────────────⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅─────────────────── .─ STATS Reducio Sta 9 ❀ Eva 13 Acc 17 ❀ Arc 4 Wis 7 ❀ Str 8 ABILITIES Reducio Broken Broomshaft Fearless Evasive Maneuvers Statistically Relevant (ACC+2) TAGS Reducio @Dennis Tumberton, @Meyra Lancaster ITEMS Reducio Wand Enchanted Backpack Brownie Truffles Rice cakes Chocolate frog boxes Hair accessories Towel 'Pencil' case Notebook ACTION Reducio Trying to get Dennis to spill the beans about Meyra! . ── ──────────────────⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅───────────────────

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Dennis, for some reason that he still couldn’t quite place, was so happy to see that he had picked the perfect spot for his FRIEND. She seemed to not only enjoy the view but also the feelings it brought and the calming ambiance of the stables and surroundings. Did Dennis know how to pick them or what? He sipped his tea as a proper British boy but really it was only about curating the best time for whoever he was with. No matter the lengths or depths, if his friends weren’t having a good time, then it wasn’t good enough. This is why, when Meyra shifted the topic from the light fare he expected: tea, snacks, and something about art, which personally he didn’t get but would pretend to enjoy for her sake; to something seemingly much heavier, he thought he messed up. Was it the tea? Was Mirage - Marriage - tea too on the nose? Was the spot not to her liking? No no. It wouldn’t do. Why did he even care so much. She said something about needing to tell him something. Dennis was caught off guard. One moment they were really enjoying themselves and the next she seemed like this was really uncomfortable.

“Meyra, if you need to say something just say it…” Dennis said. Wait, was this something icky? Did she catch FEELINGS for him? Wait. The setting. The ambiance. The TEA. Did she think this was something that it wasn’t!? Did he do too good??? The Ravenclaw wonder was about to protest and defend his honor. She didn’t need to tell him right now or any time. He wasn’t even sure what love was!? He wasn’t sure how to respond to the rest of what Meyra was saying before she dived into the nearest bush. What was even happening.

One moment, Dennis was enjoying a very lovely time with his now closest friend, platonically, and the next she was being weird and then disappeared. Was the world going crazy or was it just him? He had his answer though when a familiar voice said “Wow, she’s good at this!” And then was surprised he was snacking. He looked up an there stood, none other than, Tone, the beautiful beautiful boy from the party. Dennis attempted to stand and offer him some tea but Tone knelt down beside him and started whispering. What a whisper! He felt like since Meyra’s mood turned south he hadn’t had a strong grip on the situation.

“Alright, Tone-san. Tone-san. Is that right?” Dennis said briefly pushing the all-to-quickly-intimate Tone Bakugo away from him, gently of course. Croissant with cheese that was a stroke of genius! Dennis only just caught that. However, he didn’t have much time before he remembered that he was on about Meyra. A tinge of jealousy laid on his heart. He wasn’t able to fully process if it was because someone else was interested in Meyra or if Tone, the gorgeous older student, only wanted him to get to her. At any rate, Dennis answered, “M-Meyra is definitely the coolest of girls,” Ok, so the stutter wasn’t his best effort.

“I think it’s just the being in a new place with new people. She is probably just easily flustered. I’d recommend talking to her in a more amicable environment. You know, she was talking to me earlier - much earlier - about wanting to look at the art gallery here. You can probably find her there too, later - much later. Probably don’t come up to her and whisper though. Maybe a nice calm greeting next time.” Dennis said nervous but also trying to be as helpful as possible. He then waved his hand in front of him as if covering all of Tone from head to tone and huffed, “This can be a lot,” he gulped, “a lot for people to digest.”

“You know,” he said thoughtfully, as a 12 year old still queasy from all the attention, “I think she went that way. You should definitely check that art gallery though. She really wanted to go,” he finished, pointing in a random direction but off to the side of the real estate, hopefully in the direction of the art gallery. He would love to stay and chat more with Tone. But he really wasn’t in the right mind to deal with someone with so much presence and figure out what was happening to his friend. Hopefully Tone would take his suggestion.

@Meyra Lancaster and @Kim Sato

Tone might have been a little bit overly chatty and energetic but those who didn't know him wouldn't know anything was wrong with him. He'd always been friendly, persistent and similar to how he was now. Only those who were close to him would pick up on the fact that something was wrong with him. No one here would know this though and would remain oblivious. He smiled at Dennis when the latter spoke his name and gently pushed him away from him a little. Tone was used to this though and didn't get offended. "Mm. You can just call me Tone though if you want." He told Dennis. Tone was actually a unique character.
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He was much different from an average Japanese student. They were usually all about respect and correct terms. Tone was more like a foreigner. As Dennis stuttered when it came to Meyra's name, Tone smiled at him. "You don't have to be nervous. I won't bite you, unless you want me to!" The beater joked with Dennis. "Oh? She wanted to take a look at one of the art galleries here?" Tone asked and nodded. "Okay, thanks for the tip!" He said and grinned at Dennis. A nice calm greeting, well that wasn't really his forte. But for Meyra he'd do it! If that was what it took to get her to stay around a little for a time!!!

Tone couldn't help but chuckle a little at Dennis's hand waving at his body and saying things like 'this' was a lot for some people to handle. The beater's voice was deep and its tone was similar to that of a baritone and might even resonate within a person's head or heart for a few seconds. "I'd love to stay and chat but I should go after the elusive ones first. They're harder to find and get to stick around. Once I find Meyra and talk to her, I'll come back and find you too! Don't think I'm not interested in you, you're also pretty cool you know." Tone said with a smile. Dennis was a great friend to Meyra.
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"Ah. Almost forgot. Here. I know you're a foodie. I have some of those brownie truffles left from earlier and wanted to share them before they go stale. Let me know if they're still good later on!" Tone told him and reached into his pack to produce the container of treats. Removing two of them, he placed them down onto a napkin he saw on the picnic blanket and then put the container back into his pack. "Catch you later!" He told him and saluted him before getting up and heading off to track down the elusive Meyra. The cool one. He'd find her eventually, it was only a matter of time. A nice calm greeting.

Remember that. Don't act how you usually do. You'll scare her off. Calm. Not energetic.

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──────────────────⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅─────────────────── .─ STATS Reducio Sta 9 ❀ Eva 13 Acc 17 ❀ Arc 4 Wis 7 ❀ Str 8 ABILITIES Reducio Broken Broomshaft Fearless Evasive Maneuvers Statistically Relevant (ACC+2) TAGS Reducio @Dennis Tumberton, @Meyra Lancaster ITEMS Reducio Wand Enchanted Backpack Brownie Truffles Rice cakes Chocolate frog boxes Hair accessories Towel 'Pencil' case Notebook ACTION Reducio Heading off to find and track down the cool one, Meyra! . ── ──────────────────⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅───────────────────

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Tone was really an interesting character. He was all at once a ball of energy and unbothered by the discomfort of others. Dennis’ experience with Japan and the students there was quite limited to his cabin and to the tea party. They seemed to be an eclectic bunch. Dennis caught himself nodding as the older boy continued to digest the Ravenclaw’s sound advice on how to approach his friend, whom he temporarily forgot was hiding in shrub just meters away. As quickly as the tall handsome student came, he was off again on a quest to…something about Meyra. He still wasn’t quite sure WHY this guy wanted to meet her so badly, but he doubt even if he knew the reason he would understand.

Dennis was about to call Meyra out but was caught off guard yet again by Tone swinging around as if he forgot something. In a flash, Dennis was looking at a pocket brownie. He grinned and took it without even a moment of reflection, already having one at the tea party. Without hesitation, Dennis stuffed one into his mouth and waved at his new Japanese friend as he was off once again.

Once the coast was clear and after Dennis finally swallowed the brownie, he turned to where Meyra had disappeared. “He’s gone now. You can come out.” He said, wondering what was going to happen now that he couldn’t hide behind Tone. What was so important that she had to tell him during their picnic?

@Meyra Lancaster

With the sudden and somewhat clumsy movement, Meyra almost fell into the bush instead of simply crouching behind it. The rush with which she had moved from where she had been sitting next to Dennis to her current hiding place had caused her to gain a new scratch on her cheek and had almost torn the sleeve of her white blouse. Luckily, the scratch was only superficial and nothing that needed a bandage or another care.

The little Gryffindor remained crouched behind the tall hedge as she listened carefully to the approaching footsteps, hoping that Tone would pass quickly. But her wish had refused to be heard and the boy from Mahoutokoro had decided to exchange a few words with Dennis instead of simply continuing on his way, much to Meyra's disappointment.

Mey heard the boys talking about pastries, croissants with cheese... and suddenly the conversation became a whisper and she was no longer able to hear what the boys were talking about. And with that, her curiosity started to get too much to bare...

Calmly and slowly, the sneaky girl started to get up until her green eyes could peek over the green leafs. Tone was standing next to Dennis and whispering something in his ear. Meyra narrowed her gaze on them in concentration, but her ears, even with their heightened hearing, failed to pick up Tone's words.

It was only when it was Dennis' turn to speak that Meyra was finally able to continue following the conversation. “M-Meyra is definitely the coolest of girls,” She heard him say, and a strange feeling hit her, leaving her cheeks flushed and a warm sensation spreading to her ears. Instinctively, she quickly ducked back behind the bush. Now she definitely didn't want to be seen by anyone.

Especially when Dennis decided to start giving Tone advice on how the cute boy from Mahoutokoro could try to approach her. "What the hell was wrong with boys lately?" She thought, feeling her despair grow. It seemed like that conversation was never going to end! Besides the embarrassment of realising how well Dennis knew her, and having an older and pretty boy wanting to talk with her, her legs were beginning to protest the position she had forced herself into. An uncomfortable tingling had begun to spread from her feet to her knees and she began to feel a great need to stretch.

So it was with great relief that she finally heard the magic words from Tone, "Catch you later!". A long sigh even escaped her chest as she began to hear his footsteps leading him away. “He’s gone now. You can leave.” She heard Dennis call out, and it was only then that she decided to leave her hiding place.

In a long, calm movement, Meyra stood up, stretching her legs and shaking them lightly to get rid of the numbness that until moments ago seemed like it was going to become painful. When she finally sat down next to Dennis, resuming her previous spot on the picnic blanket, Meyra looked at the brownie in Dennis's possession, and without asking permission took it from him and took a bite, "At least he makes delicious brownies..." She commented with some sarcasm, giving Dennis a faint smile trying to look as innocent as possible.

@Dennis Tumberton & Tone Bakugo @Kim @Sato

Right on cue his Gryffindor friend came out and sat down beside him. Dennis’ gaze was still lingering where Tone had been, contemplating the purpose of Tone coming and the fact that he was having a picnic with a girl. It didn’t elicit butterflies but a tinge of annoyance that he was slowly becoming self-aware. What on earth was he doing? The brooding moment evaporated when Meyra took his brownie. “Hey! Meyra!” He said slightly exasperated. She complemented the brownie. Of course it was good, it came from Tone’s pocket! “I was going to eat that!” Dennis continued to protest, feigning disappointment…or was he?

He was glad his friend was back but with her sitting beside him came the memory of what she said before she left. Did he do something wrong? Was she upset about something at the tea party? Girls were so complicated. Should he ask? Should he wait? Dennis shoved these annoying questions deep down, or so he thought as he turned his attention back to his picnic - friend - date.

“Whatever…I’ll have…a…” the Ravenclaw looked around his now half-eaten supply. “This macaroon!” Triumphantly, Dennis shoved it in his mouth making a “humph” face at his friend. He slowly chewed and looked at his now disheveled looking girl, who is just a friend, friend. She probably needed a shower now. Even if the twigs in her hair were cute. There were those pangs of annoyance again. Dennis averted his gaze pointedly though and found any excuse to look anywhere but at Meyra.

Swallowing, the red head cleared his throat and in a soft voice, really regretting he had to turn the matter back to what had happened before Tone came, “Say…what is it you wanted to tell me? Did I do something wrong?” Dennis cleared his throat and clinched his jaw to fight back whatever emotion was making him feel nauseous. He poured her a fresh cup of tea, still avoiding any eye contact. Better to get this over with.

@Meyra Lancaster