au_hogwarts | Back in Hogsmeade.

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inara serra

Back in Hogsmeade.

It's been a very long couple of weeks, and Inara is pleased like she hasn't been in a while to be back in her apartment above the bookshop. She goes downstairs after apparating into her bedroom in order to pick up her mail that arrived while she was away (not much, all told) and to check in with Ivy.

Afterward, it is just Inara in the storefront, changing the window displays for the week.

Right before dinner, Inara also takes a walk around the town. Nice to get the ground under your feet sometimes.

[ooc: catch her either place.]

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Know of, perhaps, but know?

"Not specifically."

"But," and Jo added this word with a lingered holding note to it. "I do make it a habit of knowing at least little about a lot of the things going on here."

"Usually as do I."

The slightest of smiles. Almost acknowledgement. Inara's not required to elucidate just yet.

It's easy to turn this one.
She almost seems to enjoy it.

"And what do you hear of Hogsmeade?"

"All sorts of talented witches and wizards of my age are coming together in Hogsmeade of late. Some of them -- "

Both parties here involved.

" -- with histories which are not easily brought to light, for whatever the reason."

Inara shrugs. "I've only been living here a month, and been actually in town for half that. I have many more people with whom I would like to become better acquainted."

"The first half of that isn't so new, given the history of this place. It has always seemed to draw certain types to it, even after they left their adolescence."

And most histories aren't as hard to trace as they should be. There's only two in the whole of the city and castle that do trouble Jo, with their inability to turn up answers.

Neither here though.

"You are new, and I am. As are several others I am sure are at the forefront of your mind."

"I'm not sure the teacher's count. Hogwart's does have a time holding on to certain teacher's as a matter of fact."

Jo tilted her head. "Maybe even a point of pride now."

"I'm not sure I was referring to the teachers."

But they're bordering on topics that might be best addressed somewhere not on the main street of town.

Inara smiles lightly. "I should be going, most likely."

They're loitering?

"Indeed." Jo looks if anything, more amused.
Quietly. Copper eyes bright. Lips curved.

Something so telling about Inara. "Plans?"

Airily: "Not unless you have something to suggest."

She truly shouldn't be enjoying this so. "Maybe we should walk."
This is follow by starting to walk, rather than waiting.

If Inara has to.

(She has to. Or would at some point. Why not now?)

Inara doesn't mind starting to walk, and not catching up with Jo while they do so. She is presuming they are heading to Jo's pub.

Except they aren't.

If Inara intended to see the bar, Jo assumes she would have come by since arriving. It's been open and she's been running it since before Inara arrived and through her time since then. And she doesn't walk fast enough, that holding a step of two in gait leaves them even.

What they end up passing though, by no surreptitious plan as Jo can not rearrange High Street, is the Post Office. Hundreds of owls in such a tiny place. Color coded and so very public. And her glance at it is simple, if discerning.

"You know I was never very fond of this place when I was young, either."

Probably not for the same reasons I wasn't.

With an indirect wave of the hand: "Post owls are an efficient message system in wizarding society. The birds that visit me are more just that. Visitors."

"Back home they were always more subtle about it."
Jo considered it. "Even for humans."

She doesn't almost say Muggles. Or Hunters. Very specifically.

"The lack of subtlety bothers you?

"I'd say that they are so ubiquitous now that the birds themselves are almost entirely overlooked."

"It did." Jo looked at her barely, as the reference was to the past.

"But I haven't had to think about it for a long time now." Jo was very inclined toward how things worked in her world. And often disinclined the game changer notes.

"But I've been given to understand that is changing."
At least part of the rules were. Half of the game.

"I believe you might be correct. A discreet handwritten message in the hands of the right person, with the right words, can sometimes have a much more advantageous effect in a particular endeavor."

Jo stared at the Owlry. Before she gave a single nod.

She didn't have to agree. It was not required.
She was long used to the truth of that.
Comply. Balk only certain things.

(Such as Lee & Sokka that year.)

"Thursday night, next week. I'll be expecting you."
As simple as though it were some dinner she meant.

"At least I won't be an uninvited guest."

An under-enthused smile, but some effort is made, at least. "I'll even pay my own tab."

Yes, clearly because Inara looks like she knocks them back.

"As you like." But almost a nod.

Jo turned to take a step.

And then turned back.
Looking at Inara.

"I'd like to see everything before then, too." It's sound more like a professional request than anything else, and very much not a now thing. "Whenever would be best for you."

"If I had much to offer you, I would not have been sent here.

"I'll bring by what I have later on this evening."

She may clarify later that she means the place, too.

But Jo's expression had turned discerning.
Not annoyed, but more toward making a point.

"If that first part were true, we wouldn't be talking now."

That she was here, that she was drawn in.
It meant she had more than she lacked.

"You may have a point."

Bells chime from some unseen location to the south of them. Three.

"Is seven acceptable?"

"Perfect."

Jo nodded, "Until then."

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