A Magical Dinner (Winterbane)

[Deleted]

It was certainly a Sunday of pleasant surprises. On a smaller scale, Mynk found some wonderful new items at the Magic Neep. On a grand scale, she experience a wonderful coincidence in meeting Professor Winterbane. And finally, he had agreed to come to dinner. Mynk loved cooking for others, particularly her famous Pheasant soup. Well, it wasn't world famous or anything, but it was quite popular with any who tried it. Mynk hummed happily as she prepared it inside her living quarters, which was not far from her office and classroom. Her cat Medusa hopped up and watched curiously. Mynk smiled at the feline.

"Are you curious because you are wondering if I am going to give you some of this... or are you curious about whether or not I have a guest coming," she said. "The answer to both is yes. You'll like Professor Winterbane, darling. He's a gentleman and very handsome."

While Mynk had feline affinity, she didn't have the ability to communicate with Medusa. Still, she felt the two had some delightful conversations, even if her cat only meowed in response.

Mynk had the soup going with all the proper vegetables and spices inside and then checked the bread in the oven. She then looked over at what the two would have to drink, a bottle of Elderflower Wine kept at just the right temperature via a small spell. Mynk had been longing to taste it, but felt it was a wine best enjoyed between two people as opposed to one.

She then looked at the clock on her wall. It was almost time for her guest to arrive.

@winterbane

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It was Sunday evening. He gave the carrots he bought this morning to Zoe his owl as she enjoyed it very much. It was weird and it would be hard for him to lose her. But she had lived for 16 years already, and well she was getting weaker by day. He had her as a little owl born and raised from the egg. It took him a long time, but she was one of the people he could talk to. So yes it was weird and different but he liked it very much. When he looked at the time, he saw that it was almost evening. This morning James Winterbane met Professor Esmeralda Mynk, when he was shopping at Hogsmeade. He needed to get some heart for Alchemy and they started to talk. It was then that Esmeralda asked him out for a dinner.

Of course James accepted it as he heard many stories about the cooking of Professor Mynk. Minerva was happy with it, and so were a few other professors. He petted Zoe again as he gave her a kiss. "Don't stay up late Zoe, I am going to have a talk and dinner with Professor Mynk."He said as he smiled to his owl. "Goodnight Zoe."He said.

He then walked out of his Office, as he walked up the stairs. A few ghosts past by, and a few paintings greeted him. He answered them nicely back, as a few stairs later, he was at the Towers. He looked at the time, as he then knocked politely on the door.


@esmeralda

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Mynk smiled when she heard the knock on the door, and found a warm feeling had formed in her chest. What immediately followed was butterflies in her stomach. Mynk smiled and chuckled.

"Come now, Esmeralda," she said to herself. "It's just a dinner between professionals. Don't over think it." However, before she answered the door, she did check her make-up, as well as her attire for wrinkles. Once all seems alright, she stepped over and answered the door.

"Professor Winterbane, hello," she said. "Please come in. The dinner is almost ready, but I have some tea and small sandwiches ready to tide you over if you wish." Upon seeing him in person again, Mynk now remembered why the feeling in her chest and stomach had come about. The man was incredibly handsome. She hoped then that he didn't notice the silly schoolgirl blush on her face.

Mynk stepped over and moved some of the decorative pillows from her sofa to ensure that Winterbane would be more comfortable when he sat down. The pillows made the couch look lovely and all, but were not the best things to sit against. She then smiled again and motioned for him to sit. She then stepped back to the kitchen and brought in the tea tray. Meanwhile, Medusa sat on a nearby chair and stared at Winterbane with continued feline curiosity.

"Professor Winterbane, this is Medusa," she said. "She's been my roommate for several years now." Mynk then sat down the tray and sat herself. "So, Professor, how has your day been since we parted at the Neep? Ready for another week of classes?"

@winterbane

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Professor James Winterbane slowly walked into the room she had been preparing for their dinner. He gave a smile when she greeted him. "Hello Professor Mynk."He said as he looked at her. "That sounds lovely, some tea and sandwiches."James said as he looked at her again. He looked at her and saw some red coming from her cheek and he knew she was blushing. James didn't mind that at all. Esmeralda was a good staff member and attractive in her own way. She just had her own ways of showing it.

He then took a few steps into the room, as he saw her leaving to the kitchen to get the tea. While James did like to have a good evening it always always so formal, he didn't like that always. People saw him as the Deputy Headmaster, someone that was above the people. He never thought that, so he wanted to start a talk about that when she was ready for it. A few minutes later she walked out of the kitchen with a tea tray as she sat down.

"Hello Medusa."James said as he gave a small pet at the head of Medusa, hoping she would like it. "So this was the famous cat you were talking about after we met."James said as he smiled. "She really does look pretty."He said. When she asked him a question, he turned around to look at her. "Please we are out of work time. You can call me James."He said. "Well other then doing some work for Alchemy, I have been doing okay. I won't have many classes at all. The students are working on some paper for me, and they will have to focus on that in my lessons."He said. "Other then that, I might need to substitute one or two this week."He said.

@esmeralda

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Medusa was a friendly cat when one was friendly with her and her mistress. James of course was, and Medusa accepted the gesture. She rather enjoyed being pet in general, giving a purr of approval.

"Yes, this is Medusa," smiled Mynk. "As you can see, she's very sweet and incredibly curious."

Mynk nodded when he said she could call him James. In a professional setting, she would still call him Professor Winterbane, but other than that, she liked the idea of calling this rather handsome man simply James.

"Thank you, James," she said. "May I return the request as ask if you could refer to me as Mera. I was called that by my family and friends growing up, but I don't hear it a great deal these days. I always liked that nickname."

Mynk then listened as he spoke of his classes and other duties.

"Still you seem to be keeping busy and keeping your students busy," she said. "That's good. I am really hoping my classes do well on their upcoming exams. Divination is like certain foods. You have to have an acquired taste for it, and I find when students don't like a course, their study habits for it are poor. Let's hope I'm wrong and the students are at least studying. I would hate for some to be held back a year."

Mynk then blushed.

"Forgive me," she said. "I'm going on about the job. We both know how teaching classes works. Why don't we get to know other things about one another? What do you like to do in your off time, James?"


@winterbane

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James gave a smile when the little cat was purring with approval. When he looked at her he heard what Esmeralda said. "Well there is nothing wrong about a sweet and curious cat."James said. "Keeps them young."James said as he petted Medusa once more.

James then heard her talking about the names when she started to say she preferred to be called Mera. Well that wasn't going to be a problem thought James as he gave a smile to her. "That is perfectly okay Mera."He said. It maybe was something different then usual as he knew her full name was Esmeralda, but that wouldn't stop him at all to give her wish.

"Divination just like Alchemy never have been the subjects people enjoy. You have the feeling for it or you don't have it. You have to understand that some students will never get the hang of it. My history with Divination hasn't been.... clean to say that at least."He said as he gave a laugh. "For some students it will be hard, and maybe we will need to go grab in and tell them, that they should stop the class, or maybe tutor them. But we can't do more then we want Mera."James said as he looked at her and back to the cat. "So yeah it will be a problem for some this year."James said once again.

He then heard her talk wanting to talk about something else. "Well I like to work on music. I have been working on the Choir for a few years now, giving some free experience to the students, hoping to make them excited about music."He said. "But I love to read too. Alchemy is something that I like."James said. There were a few things he enjoyed everyday. "But what about you Mera?"He asked.

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"Very true," said Mera, regarding the situation with classes. "Even with all the magic we have learned in our many years, we have our limits. But I do think the fact that you and I do teach such subjects makes us work harder and show a sort of extended dedication you might say."

She then listened as he spoke of what he liked to do outside of his profession. She smiled when he said that he liked to work in music. She appreciated that. After all, it took a pretty dark and miserable soul not to appreciate a love for music. Mynk herself had her own love of certain types of music. She found it admirable that he worked with the Choir as well.

"It's always good to introduce young minds to the arts," she said. "I've heard them. They have beautiful voices." She looked over to a record player by the wall. "If you'd like, we could enjoy some music over dinner."

She then looked into the kitchen and rose.

"And speaking of which, I believe the dinner is done," she said. She then rose and headed into the kitchen. As she poured the Pheasant soup into bowls and placed them on plates along with bread and cheese, she caught a glimpse at the other Professor again. She found it was hard to keep her eyes off of him. Perhaps she was being a silly schoolgirl... or perhaps it was because it had been some time since she had been involved in a romantic relationship. She sighed and shook her head, before bringing in the food. After setting it on the table, she grabbed the wine and poured it.

"Enjoy, James," she said softly.

@winterbane

[Deleted]

James Winterbane looked at Esmeralda when she started to talk about the subjects. "I teach them more then the subject as it should. I am teaching them the basic magic of Elemental magic."He said. "To control them it takes years, but everyone has a strong element deep inside them, that they will learn easy enough and that could be the strongest one."He said. James loved his lessons, it was not just Alchemy a mix of potions and magic, but he also learns them about Elemental Magic that is around the world.

"These students have talent, more then they think. I am not always doing the classical plays, I am trying to mix it with nowadays music, even the music in the muggle world."He said. "You got me already with music Mera."He said laughing as he suddenly felt Medusa getting on his lap. He smiled as he petted the little black cat.

A few minutes later Mera walked out of the kitchen again, full of bowls with Pheasant soup and plates with bread and cheese. It looked great, and the smell was different but it was a good warm smell. Something he probably hasn't eaten at all in years. He petted Medusa once more as she poured some wine in. He grabbed the glass as he clinked it with Mera. "Cheers and chanteé Mera." He said softly. As he took a sip of his wine.

@esmeralda

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"Divination replies a great deal on the elements as well," said Mynk. "With all due respect to Muggles, if only they knew what magic lied in the very nature that surrounds them. In my experience, nature can tell us about our entire lives by simple looking at it, and one does not have to be a Seer to accomplish that."

Mynk smiled as Winterbane spoke of mixing classical with modern. Mynk loved the classics, but admittedly listened to a bit of modern music now and then. She didn't do it to seem cool and hip around the younger students. She gave up on that some time ago when it only made her come off as more eccentric. She simply had an unusual mixture of tastes in music. Stepping over, she turned on the record player so something classic though. It worked with dinner.

"Marmaduke Metzger, my favorite wizard composer," she said as she returned to her seat.

Once dinner was served, she smiled at Medusa, who seemed planned to go nowhere else once she was in Winterbane's lap.

"I fear you might have to pry Medusa off your lap unless you don't mind her sitting there while you eat," she chuckled. She then toasted him. "Cheers, James. To the joys of entertaining a most handsome dinner companion. Thank you again for coming up tonight."

She sipped her wine and then began to eat. She really put her heart into this batch of soup, and she was happy with the result. After swallowing a bite, she already thought of a possible second date.

"Would you be interested in taking a little walk with me after classes tomorrow?" she asked. "I want to gather some herbs to use in an upcoming class. Perhaps you can show me a bit more about Alchemy."

@winterbane

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James listened to Mera as she was talking about Elements and Divination and the subject of muggles. Something he never understood about how close muggles were and never took time to look into it. "Sometimes you have to watch behind the facts. Most muggles forget what they want in their lives. They care about nature, but not to look past it. Something if they looked behind it, they would see the Magic around them." James said. That is how he felt about it either way.

James was a hard working Alchemy teacher but deep inside his heart you could see and feel the love of music shining inside of him. He cared so much about music that he even helped the students with muggle music, but also with wizard music. Esmeralda or Mera as she wanted to be called had a favorite wizard composer. It was Marmaduke Metzger. "Marmaduke is a great composer. He shows love into his music, even if he wants to show a different side."James said as he looked at her again.

"It is fine."James said as he petted Medusa once again. "Cheers to you too Mera, for the invitation."James said. In the back of his mind, something was telling James that Mera wanted to be more then friends, at least it came like she was flirting with him. He wasn't sure what to think of it, but he would find out soon.

James Winterbane took a sip of the soup as it was lovely. He never had peasant soup but he could smell and taste it was great. A bit spicy maybe but that was fine for him. He then heard her ask for a walk tomorrow after classes. Yes she wanted a second date, at least it looked like that. "Uhm Tomorrow you say."James said as he looked at Mera. "I will have to look that over Mera, I know that I have a appointment tomorrow with the ministry. The instructor is coming for the students to learn Apparition. I am not sure how late she will be there, but I will try to see if I can come tomorrow."James said as he took another sip, giving pieces of bread to Medusa.


@esmeralda

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Mera nodded about the music.

"I agree," she said. "Metzger puts so much heart and spirit into it. Sometimes I consider a perfect evening sitting here, drinking some wine with Medusa in my lap, and listening to Marmaduke until I fall asleep. Sounds a bit ordinary I know, but we professors get too few pleasures due to our chosen careers." Mynk stopped. She didn't want to go into their jobs again.

Mera really hoped she wasn't too forward with James. She didn't want to risk making him feel uncomfortable. For him to turn her down regarding a stronger relationship, that was something she could get over with a considerable amount of ease. To lose him as a trusted friend, that was something that would hurt her.

She listened to his response to her offer, and then smiled, but sighed a little as well. The subtle signals she was given was childish and foolish as well. She needed to be straightforward with him. Meanwhile, Medusa was enjoying being fed.

"James, look, I hope it hasn't looked like I am forcing something upon you," she said. "I assure you it is not my intention. It's been... some time since I have been in a relationship, and being in the company of a man who is so respectful and shares so many of my thoughts and interests, well... what I am trying to say is I enjoy your company a great deal. And whatever happens, or however you feel, I at least want you and I to be friends."


@winterbane

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"Sometimes pleasure is not needed Mera, sometimes music can make you feel sad, happy or any emotion you want. It opens the people around you with what they want. Soon the exams will end and there is time for a few pleasures. Something I like. I will miss the students, but having time for myself is always nice Mera."James said as he didn't mind talking about jobs. It was something that came up once or twice with Mera. They were professors it was perfectly normal. He looked at her as he heard the sigh. He didn't want to be so cruel, and he really thought it didn't sound cruel as there was really going to be a inspection and such.

He heard her speak as he gave a soft sigh. "Mera please. Don't feel so how can I saw it. Forced. I really do care the company of you and you are a great cook, and we have some great interests Mera. We really have, but being a Deputy Headmaster has his tolls. I didn't mean that it came out so cruel or to avoid a date. Not at all, it is just that these days it is getting bigger and harder for me. The exams, inspection from Daphne Nott. Elena is coming for Apparition. So I am sorry if it sound so cruel."James said. "But it just isn't the right time, at least for now what my heart says. Not at the end of the term soon turning around. I am working for 2 people as Minerva is slowly beginning to give up her work. At least it feels like that."He said. He took a sip of his wine as he sighed. It was hard for him to say this all, and he didn't want to feel so bad. It just was going to fast maybe for him. Sooner or later Minerva was going away... and if that was going to happen. He probably will become Headmaster and that will take his toll more then ever, and having a relationship then with a staff member. That probably wouldn't be perfect either. Thoughts running through his mind as he took another sip. James could feel him slowly breaking..

@esmeralda
OOC: Sorry I don't know what happened... I hope you don't get offended by it or something.

[Deleted]

(It's fine. Two of our other characters are married after all )

Mynk was a bit hurt to hear this, but she was not dramatically heartbroken. She was no silly schoolgirl. She hadn't had the best luck with relationships, and was used to it by now. Winterbane was right. A romance was not the best thing for him right now, and probably wasn't the best thing for her. She smiled at him and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"I thought I'd give it a try anyway," she said with a slight, saddened laugh. "I appreciate you letting me down gently, James. You weren't cruel at all. You and I both are dedicated to our work. In a way, we're married to it. I'm sure if you and I were to be together, it would take my own focus away from my students." She smiled again, then leaned forward and kissed him, but on the cheek as opposed to the lips. It wasn't a romantic kiss, but one of friendship. "We'll always be friend, James, and I'll always care about you." She then offered a toast. "To friendship then?"

All in all, it had been a nice night for Mera. She had dinner with a good friend, and a wonderful conversation. Even though it didn't end the way she thought she wanted it to, she still didn't want it to end at all.

[Deleted]

James saw how the emotions coming off and knew it was a touch against her heart. It might not be the best evening he had, it was a great replacement for all that has been happening with him, and she was a good Professor after all. He gave a smile as she felt her hand on his shoulder.

"We are both dedicated to our work Mera, that is one thing for sure. I am married to the Deputy Headmaster function and you to Divination."James said. "But that will never change a thing to us Mera. You are a special girl, and you will always be that. You have a spot in my heart, but with how you say it, we need to focus on the students, more then the two of us."He said. Mera would always be in his heart, just because of the great friendship he has just build with her. He gave her a kiss back on the cheek as showing the same back. "We will always be friends Mera, and I will do the same for you."James said. He gave a smile as he toasted with her. "May the friendship be forever, and maybe one day in the future when we are old we meet again Mera."He said. "If we aren't married to our jobs. The students and Hogwarts."James said as he toasted with Mera and then took a sip again.

@esmeralda

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(Good place to end here. Nothing much else I can think of to say.)

@winterbane