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happier

[attr="class","reasonsmallisobel"]Then only for a minute I want to change my mind 'Cause this just don't feel right to me I wanna raise your spirits

[attr="class","reasonbodisobel"]It was strange being without magic. Though Herbology required little of actual wand waving and incantations, Isobel would admit that she felt rather…inept without all of it. At first, she’d tried to pretend that it didn’t bother her. She was just a Squib now. But that was the difficulty of it all. Squibs never knew what they were missing. But now that Isobel had had magic and lost it she felt…empty. Though, perhaps it was a lesson in walking a mile in someone else’s shoes.

Isobel had come back to work a few weeks ago and, while she was happy to be back at Slug and Jigger full-time, she found herself rather swamped with orders. People wanted everything from magic enhancing potions to herbs that might trigger their magic to return. Of course, Isobel explained to them that there was no guarantee that any of these things would work. She had no experience dealing with whatever Epidemic X was and couldn’t accurately prescribe something knowing full-well that there was no telling what it might do.

She was not a crack and she certainly didn’t delight in the idea of selling the poor unfortunate victims of this Epidemic concoctions that would do them little good. No, she was an honest businesswoman. And she would continue to be an honest businesswoman.

Perhaps she should just take all of that off of the market, Isobel wondered.

She had time to figure it all out. After all, she’d only been back at the Apothecary for a few weeks now. Everyone was still figuring out how they were going to lead these new lives. To think that she was exempt from that – or to force herself to reconcile so quickly – was a lofty goal. Sometimes, Isobel knew she put much too much pressure on herself to be perfect.

She’d done it since she was at Hogwarts: pushing herself to her very limits, putting everyone else above herself because she thought they deserved it more than her. Isobel was a bleeding heart. She always had been.

It was, perhaps, also the reason that she was in Ottery St. Catchpole today. One of her customers had asked if she could make them a hair regrowth poultice. Unfortunately for Isobel, she’d had no Sopophorous growing in her garden. But there was a delightful little farmer’s market in Ottery that always had fresh herbs on Fridays. So, she’d paid a visit and picked up all she’d needed (and a few things she hadn’t). Isobel had even picked up a new planter for Pearson and a Broom polishing kit for Ri.

By midafternoon, Isobel was feeling a bit peckish. The train ride back to London would be long, so she reasoned a meal before she left wasn’t out of the question. The White Rabbit caught her attention – a delightfully whimsical bistro off the main road. Slipping inside, she stood in the center of the room, musing over the menu written on the blackboards above her. There were so many choices!

“Have you been here before?” She asked the person standing next to her in the line. Isobel wasn’t afraid of strangers – she never had been. Magical, muggle, squib, or creature, she believed that everyone deserved the same rights and treatments. She believed that she – a pureblood woman from a pureblood family – deserved nothing in return for her blood status. Perhaps that was where she and her twin sister, Morag, differed so entirely. “I’m afraid the menu’s absolutely overwhelming. I’ve no idea what to choose.”

[attr="class","reasontagisobel"]@ OPEN | 584 | OUTFIT

[attr="class","credisobel"]MADE BY VEL OF WW + ADOX 2.0

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[attr="class","title1"] I Want To See You Smile

[attr="class","subtitle1"]Lately, I've been, I've been thinking
I want you to be happier, I want you to be happier

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Someone had recommended the Knight Bus for travel, and had the thing not been packed with people, Naël would have been sure they were having him on. Fool the new person, after all. Even now, he wasn't completely sure that they weren't. The thing had been mad, and Naël's face had met the window far more times than he thought was natural. Could not the seats be bolted down? Such a simple thing, but it would certainly save a lot of terror. Naël was sure that was the easy solution. He'd never actually taken public transportation, but if there was one like that in France, they would have seats that were attached to the ground. Surely.

His heart was still pounding and his stomach was still queasy, but Naël hadn't actually eaten today and therefore needed to. Possibles, it was entirely possible that Devon had interesting rocks, which was what Naël was attempting to collect in his free time, so when someone else-- hopefully more sane-- had recommended the White Rabbit for the chance for a meal, Naël had decided he might as well go. His English reading was pretty good after all, and his accent wasn't terrible.

He hadn't really wanted to bother his mentors to ask them about places to eat or such. After all, they'd lost their magic as well, and he didn't want to be an annoyance or burden. And he was in his majority, an adult. He'd graduated from Beauxbatons last year, after all. He'd done what he had to and had his cousin Marguerite to send in a postscript about his illness to his/their family, and so that responsibility was over and done with. It was really lucky he wasn't in Eloy's place or they might have lost yet another heir and the Naël in that situation would be heir, unless his aunt and uncle pulled themselves together enough for another child. They were only in their forties, so it wasn't too impossible.

Once he'd gotten to the White Rabbit, he'd stood still. He'd known English, but. . . well, he'd thought he had. Toad in the hole? What in the name of the White Ladies was that? By Melusine, this place was. . .

"I don't even understand all of these," he gave a laugh. His accent already marked him as someone easy to fool, he knew, because people always said tourists were the worst. Never mind that he'd spent plenty of time in Paris, enough to be able to know how to guard himself. "It only makes it harder to choose. But I would assume that picking up something you've had before would be easiest?"

[attr="class","tags1"]☆ @kind stranger, 443 words☆

[attr="class","credz1"]❤fai

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happier

[attr="class","reasonsmallisobel"]Then only for a minute I want to change my mind 'Cause this just don't feel right to me I wanna raise your spirits

[attr="class","reasonbodisobel"]She liked him – her new menu companion. It was always nice to have someone to mull over lunch choices with. Usually, she made Michael help her choose. She would choose three things from the menu that she wanted to try, he would narrow it down to two, and by the time their waitress had returned to take their order, she usually had it all sorted out and choose between the two. Usually. It was probably the reason that they ate in more often then they went out. That was the trouble with Isobel, she always found herself so indecisive. There were very few things in life she could immediately make her mind up about. Among the few were: joining the Order of the Phoenix, convincing her sister to change her ways, and Pride & Prejudice (Merlin’s Beard, it was one of her favorites and she couldn’t be dissuaded against it!).

It was obvious that he was French – or at least, from somewhere else. Or, perhaps he’d just grown up with an accent…who was Isobel to judge? She smiled before pointing up at the first entry on the menu. “I think that one’s just a ham sandwich. Pig and Pepper,” she read as she looked back at the boy standing next to her.

“Apparently, it’s all based on Alice in Wonderland,” unfortunately, Isobel hadn’t prepared the amount of patience that it took to solve the sort of riddles that Alice did. If they gave her a drink inscribed with a note that read DRINK ME, she might just scream. Or, at least, get as close to screaming as Isobel Corner got. “Which would be lovely if I was in the mood for rhymes and riddles.” But her stomach gave an involuntary growl. That wouldn’t do.

Surely, there was a solution that would make life easier for both her and her compatriot. Surely, they didn’t just expect them to figure it out or order a sandwich blindly, did they? “Maybe they have a more descriptive menu?” She thought aloud before moving towards the counter and asking after one. The woman gave her a little snort before passing over a piece of parchment that had descriptions under each of the food items.

Returning to the boy, she handed over the menu with a smile. It would make it easier on both of them. Perhaps they could even go over the choices together. Then Isobel wouldn’t have to decide all on her own…though, she thought it might be too much to ask of a stranger to play her ‘narrow it down to three’ game. If only Michael were here, she thought. “There, much easier,” Now there were little blurbs underneath each detailing what exactly a Pig and Pepper was.

“I’m Isobel, by the way. Nice to meet a kindred soul,” she said, mulling over a few of the options on the new and improved menu. Perhaps she’d try the Lobster Quadrille.

[attr="class","reasontagisobel"]@ naël | 487 | OUTFIT

[attr="class","credisobel"]MADE BY VEL OF WW + ADOX 2.0

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[attr="class","title1"] I Want To See You Smile

[attr="class","subtitle1"]Lately, I've been, I've been thinking
I want you to be happier, I want you to be happier

[attr="class","wordz"]
"Toad means Ham?" Naël let his brows crease in some confusion, before shrugging and accepting it. Everyone said the English were odd, after all, but they also certainly said that about his mother's and grandmother's family, so truly, who was he to judge the customs? No, he was here to learn dragons, and learning more about the local culture was certainly very interesting. Finding all the lovely rocks was certainly a plus, as well as the nature. "Pig and pepper, that's certainly creative, even if it doesn't sound the most appetizing. Or is it supposed to be appetizing?"

Naël was fully aware that he was sheltered. Still, he had good enough instincts with strangers, used as he was for others asking for favors because of who his families were. He'd learned quick and fast, knew enough political doubletalk, knew how to smile while ignoring a wand between his shoulderblades. He was a Bonaccord, after all. But he didn't suspect this blonde stranger-- no, he thought they would really get along well, if only for this short conversation.

"Alice in Wonder-Land," he repeated, half-questioningly. Oh, was this some popular book? Was this a-- "I cannot say I've heard of it. Is Wonder-Land some sort of fantasy place where only rhymes and riddles are spoken? I have some cousins who would would certainly untangle that, but I have always favored passion over twisting truth." He was Étoile for several reasons, after all.

He grinned at her suggestion. "I would hope! After all, there's always people who do not read English, or who struggle with reading. Best of luck! He, admittedly, would not have thought of that at first, no. It was good that his companion was creative, and certainly knew enough to ask. Sometimes asking, after all, could be rather difficult. He gave a grin as she went off, idly tapping his fingers together until she returned.

Naël leaned in, trying to not invade her personal space too much. They had just met after all! "Thank you very much, Isobel. I'm Naël Bonaccord, and it's a pleasure." Yes, the menu was much easier. The vegetarian mock turtle soup, maybe? Soup was always good on a winter's day. "I do apologize-- how exactly is everything in here related to Alice?"

[attr="class","tags1"]☆ @ isobel, 377 words☆

[attr="class","credz1"]❤fai

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