Date: 20th July at 2pm
Interacting with @Simon Kincaid
WC:353

Emiline was glad she was in her summer break now, as much as she loved Hogwarts she loved spending time in the sun more. Her outfit was practical, a semi frilly white t-shirt with a baby blue skirt which fell to her mid-thigh. A white cap perched on her slightly frizzy curls and sunglasses resting on her nose. Her shoes were open-ended sandals which sparkled in the sun. Considering they had only been out from school for nineteen days, Emiline was already tanned and freckles were clustered around nose and cheeks. As you came in you could hear her voice nattering away to the person behind the bar and occasionally checking with her mother if she could get another drink. You could see her excitement as her mother relented and got her another iced drink for the heat. The brightly coloured drink looked like an explosion of a tropical island, oranges, reds and purples swirled in the glass, the ice clinking gently.

She paused talking for a moment, just feeling the general vibe of the area around her. Then an owl swooped in and dropped a letter into the mother's hand. Surprised she opened it and turned pale. "Mum? What's wrong?" She asks concerned. Emiline's mother looks at the letter then back at Emiline and says "I've got to go sweetie, i'll be back before four. Work need me" Emiline seems to deflate but gives a forced smile "Don't worry mum, I'll wait for you here" The young girl watches her mother apparate then turned back to her drink sullenly, the now bright drink looks overly optimistic in the situation. Emiline seems to zone out staring at the counter top. Why does she prioritise work over me? Like we were bonding then work just had to come and take her, not fair, Emiline smile slips to a scowl. This isn't even the first time, they are making her work overtime for no reason..... I swear next time i'm going to grab the letter and rip it in half She continued bitterly, griping her drink tightly, the ice now completely melted during her brooding.

This was the third Sunday like this one.

Sundays used to be sacred. Back at Hogwarts, every Sunday morning, he and AngelFyre would open their Bibles, read and study scripture. They would underline verses that meant something to them or write notes n the margins and they would come together to gather their thoughts. Sundays were for growing not only spiritually but for growing together. It was a routine that wasn't just habit but was intimacy, trust faith, and love - all wrapped up into one day.

But now those mornings of shared scripture, laughter, love and whispered prayers were nothing but a gap in his heart. He hadn't lost his faith, not by any means, and he still continued to study, pray, and try to strengthen himself - but it was a difficult task.

He was grateful that summer that he had his internship with St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries to attempt to occupy his mind and thoughts. Simon was there on this particular Sunday to drop off an order for new robes for St. Mungos. Sure it was a bit of an errand but Simon did like that he was trusted with the task.

Healer Ashby Ketteridge had given Simon the task. He had quickly become one of Simon's most inspiring mentors at St. Mungo's, bonding over both being dhampirs. Healer Ketteridge unfortunately faced resistance from traditionalist healers who questioned the stability of a half vampire working around vulturable patients when he first came but he quickly became known for his calm manner, quick wisdom, and innotative treatments. He is respected by his peers and certainly helped to pave the way for incoming dhampir healers like Simon.

Healer Ketteridge had also instructed Simon to stop at The Leaky Cauldron after delivering his order slip, saying that they had certain specials of the day including Dragon-Brewed Beef Stew, Cauldon-Baked Shepherd's Pie, but what Simon would be most interested in - and he highly recommended - was the Rare Sirlon with Bloodroot Reduction and a Chilled O+ Butterbeer; a drink they only had a handful of times each year. Simon was to bring back one for Healer Ketteridge himself.

Simon entered The Leaky Cauldron and the bell above the door gave its usual half-hearted jingle as he stepped inside. The place was half full, most deep in conversations. He made his way to the bar and placed his order - an order of the daily special recommended to him along with the special drink. He'd order the other before he left so that it would remain chilled for his healer mentor.

The man beind the counter studied him a moment, as if knowing the only one to order such a drink would be a dhampir. He didn't seem judgemental but curious, and nodded. "Be brought to you soon, lad. Find a seat," he told Simon.

Simon paid and then turned around to scan the area and that's when he thought he saw a familiar face within the darkened space. "Emiline Hunter, is that you?"

Interacting with @Simon Kincaid
WC:205

Emiline continued her brooding until she heard a familiar voice jolt her out of her clustered mind.Was that Simon's voice? But what would he be doing in London... didn't he mention his aunt or something lived there.... wait no, the internship! He's at St Mungo's isn't he? She slowly raised her gaze from her melted drink and faced the voice "Oh, Simon, its you. Hello! Her voice lacked the usual enthusiasm, but she plastered a smile on her face nonetheless. Emiline doesn't burst into her usual chatter and fiddles with her glass, pushing it further away then pulling it back. "Soooo..." Emiline says glancing out past Simon to the rest of the room. On closer inspection, the whiteness of her knuckles, her furrowed eyebrows show her frustration and bitterness. The melted milkshake shows just how long she has been lost in her thoughts. On the chair, Emiline swings her legs back and forth trying to feel less angry. Sorry, I'm kind of out of it today.... She trailed off, then she took a small sip of the melted rainbow drink infront of her and tugged at her baby blue skirt a bit then Emiline fiddled with her favourite t-shirt sleeves.

He noticed that the smile didn't seem to quite rise to his friend's eyes and that made him sad but still, it was good to see her. Maybe others too were struggling this summer as he was. Not that he wanted that, not by any means, but at least then he'd be in good company and not alone. It was certain that Simon Kincaid didn't like to be alone.

"Mind if I sit?" he asked, speaking of the spot next to her. When it didn't seem like she minded he went ahead and took a seat. He had a water glass that had been given to him so he took a drink from it just after sitting to give himself a moment. He had ridden his motorcycle up to Diagon Alley but had to park it outside, of course, as technology wouldn't work, and while the Leaky Cauldron wasn't a far walk from the entrance of Diagon Alley, it still was nice to take a moment and rest and relax.

The girl seemed anxious or worried, something out of sorts. Simon watched her over his glass, trying to study her and get a read on the situation. He knew Emiline well enough, but not well enough to instantly know what was wrong. He wished he knew, he wished he could pick up on it right away but perhaps she'd tell him. "No need to apologize. Life can get pretty crazy sometimes - especially over these summer months." Boy did he know that.

Simmon watched her take a drink from her melted milkshake and it made him think of his melted ice cream back at the ice cream parlour in London at the start of that summer when he went with his muggle friends. "What can I help you with? What's going on?" and he scooted his chair in closer to the table, thus closer to her, so that hopefully she could talk freely with him. "Catch me up on my good friend, Emiline."

Date: 20th July at 2pm
Interacting with @Simon Kincaid
WC:296

Emiline groans "So much has happened since we broke up for summer- good and bad. My mum finally kicked my dad out so we won't need to worry about him anymore but mum is working more and more to try and pay for the house and everything" Emiline sighed. Also she's lovely, kind, considerate, happy however her workplace exploits that and uses her. They're working her to the bone, she's constantly tired, she barely has any energy to cook food for herself. And that's not even the worse part. She runs a hand through her hair She get put onto late-night shifts, overtime, holidays, just cos she's too nice and can't say no or she doesn't want to "hurt their feelings". Its frustrating and enfuriating that i can't do anything about it. She's barely getting enough rest or food and she becomes snippy with me. The girl then takes a long sip of her melted, rainbow milkshake and lets a long sigh out.

"Honestly, some days she's so tired I want to march into the bosses office and hex them... but i cant cos they're muggles and there's the silly no magic over summer rule or something." Emiline falls quiet again. She look back up at Simon with her green eyes sparking with unsaid words and trapped emotions. "I've had nobody to talk to about it as my sister's in Uni and well my letters never can find the adresses- so I've kinda been keeping this all in.. You know my mum was here earlier but she got called in for work- today- like seriously?! I was so close to grabbing her phone and throwing it out the window" Emiline shakes her head disappointly "Anyways, how are you? How's AF?" The third year wiggles her brows.

It did sound frustrating. He felt bad that his friend Emiline didn't get to spend this time with her mother. During the school year, she was off at Hogwarts and now that she was home on Summer break, it seemed like it was quickly rolling by without the opporunity to get caught up. "Just try to help her as much as you can," Simon offered a suggestion. "With meals, with trying to be understanding where she's coming from, with laundry and house chores. Try to at least help out with those things when you can. She's doing it for you and no, it's not right because she's going to make herself burned out and sick if she continues at this rate and she should be treating you better - but know at the heart of it, she's doing it for you," he offered up a kind smile.

"I'm sorry your sister isn't around to help out. I'm just an owl away, always, for any reason, alright?" she could owl him that evening, the next weekend, or even if they were at school. He wanted to be there for her. "Get something to eat now, put it on my tab. Besides, your milkshake has seen better days...."

"As for me? I've been working on an internship with St. Mungo's this summer and helping out in my aunt's bookstore and bakery. I've been spending time with my new sisters, I suppose you could sort of call them that, and uhh, yea, seen my muggle friends. I go off to my father's just before returning to Hogwarts."

That was what he was up to, but not really how he was.

"As for AngelFyre, I suppose she's doing.....well. I suppose," he said and paused as his food was set down before him. He encouraged Emiline to make an order of her own at this point. He didn't think the dhampir special would particularly appeal to her or he'd happily share his own food.

"She's in Scotland doing....whatever it is she does in Scotland for the summer. I don't fully know. We uhhhh, we broke up the first evening of summer."

Date: 20th July at 2pm
Interacting with @Simon Kincaid
WC:251

Emiline listens to her older friend's advice, all while mushing her melted rainbow in glass with her straw, she knew he was trying to help but she'd tried that all before. That's the thing, I have been doing the majority of the housework all summer- to ease her tiredness but it just doesn't help- the cooking, the cleaning, even dressing her after she falls asleep in her work outfits- " Simon's kind smile made her eyes water with unshed tears- but she kept them in for no reason. She pushed them down and focused on his story. "And I wanted to owl I just.... couldn't..." She finishes lamely

As Simon mentioned St. Mungo's, her mind instantly went to the wound on her arm and she covered it absently with her hand making herself wince at the memory and the thought of how badly she'd bandaged it. Underneath her baby blue sleeve, her wound was weeping "A Bakery Bookstore?! Where?" Emiline seems to light up slightly but not completely. "New sisters?"

Emiline freeze as she feels the stickiness and wetness of the blood through the top "Oh... um- I'll be right back just have to go to the bathroom." She stands up abruptly, holding onto her arm trying to stop the bleeding through her shirt and praying that Simon doesn't notice. But considering he's been at St. mungo's for the summer he probably noticed all ready, so Emiline decided the best idea would be to clean it up as quickly as possible.

It had been so difficult over the summer to get those words out to people - as if something in the universe was just terribly wrong and speaking it would only make something shift off balance and the very essence of the world would crumble and fall. He and AngelFyre were soulmates and if they weren't together, nothing made sense. They were hard words to say and he never quite knew how to string them together to make it make sense because it still didn't make sense to him and it literally caused pain in his heart to do so. ....But at least he got them out.

But such struggles were left abandoned as Emiline got up quickly without so much as even acknowledging such pain and suffering. Maybe he hid it well although he was quite sure that there was pain in both his voice and eyes when he spoke of losing AngelFyre. He hadn't been whole since that first night of summer and was pretty sure he carried that heaviness with him every single day since.

Simon watched as his friend got up quickly and head to the bathroom, noticing her holding her arm. He needed to let it go. She obviously was having a lot of problems all at once and he needn't focus on any of his own. He never had been one to, and maybe that's what made it so difficult - he didn't know how to focus on his own problems and was always there to help others. He wanted to help others, he knew how to do that - it was not knowing how to help himself that was the biggest problem in tring to sort through his feelings and emotions with his breakup.

For now, he'd do what he always did and focus on his firend. She was having more problems than just at home, a physical problem somehow - whether injury or sprain. One didn't just hold their arm like that when nothing was wrong. Simon couldn't follow her into the girl's restroom at The Leaky Cauldron, so he'd wait for her to return to ask about it.

Date: 20th July at 2pm
Interacting with @Simon Kincaid
WC:211

Emiline rushed into the bathroom- her heartbeat in her mouth, she closed the door quickly. Slowly, she pulls her hand off her arm- her palm now red. "Shit" She quickly washed her hand and grabbed a large amount of loo roll. Wrapping her arm like a mummy- she covered her wound with a make-shift bandage. She took a moment to compose herself, then pulled her sleeve over her bandage.

Then she thought back to the conversation with Simon.... Didn't he say something about AF.... hang on... they broke up?! She thought. Then with determination, forgetting all about her arm, she strode out back to Simon. "Wait wait wait- Break up?! You're kidding right?" Her face fell, AF... the girl who helped her with finding the common room two years ago. AF the girl with the beautiful singing voice And Simon the kind-hearted fellow puff who had helped Emiline out so much... had broken up? The girl sat back into her seat- looking concerned as if she knew alot about the topic of breaking up. She didn't. The pain in her arm in the moment forgotten as Emiline realized the news.

Her mouth parted slightly as if to say something else but then she closed it again not knowing what to say.

Simon watched as she returned and glanced down at the arm that she seemed to be focusing on before her departure to the bathroom. The sleeve still covered it, but he could see that it was wet now and that was suspicious.

"Em, let me see your arm," he said to her, rather directly but also with compassion behind it. She was his friend and he just wanted to help. Maybe perhaps if she was able to lower her guard with him over whatever was happening with her arm and start revealing some truths to him, then he could do the same about this breakup and the summer ahead of him.

"Please."

It wasn't something he had shared with many but then again trust could be a difficult gift to give. Simon watched his friend, hoping she'd give in. He was pretty skilled at treating minor cuts and brusises and if, by chance, this was somethign more serious than that then he knew exactly the right place to go. They weren't far from St. Mungo's anyway and he knew a lot of people there that would treat her well and be able to tend to her wound if needed.

Still, he thought maybe it would be best for a friend to do so, one who could care for both the actual wound and perhaps maybe the reason that caused it. He hoped it was an accident but the way she was trying to hide it didn't make him think it was one.