Afternoon fix | Brandon

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Rosie made the walk from the castle to the small village on her own. She had spent basically the whole of the weekend in the library studying but finally she had hit her wall. Her legs, back and neck felt so stiff and her entire being was aching to get outside. She hated being stuck inside for too long. To Rosie, there was no better feeling than breathing in fresh air and basking in the cloudy skies that were oh so common this time of year in Scotland. And while she was happy to get out, she knew that she still had half of a paper waiting for her to finish when she got back.

Rosie had decided just to step out on a little coffee break. She figured she could be gone about an hour and still finish all of her work. A walk to Hogsmead, a stop into her favorite coffee shop and then a walk back to the castle was exactly what she needed. Time to clear her head and get her mind off of "the many uses for dried lavender", an assignment for potions class.

Rosie had been in this shop countless times and the barista recognized her every time, there was always a sweet woman working the counter who made her order to perfection. "I"ll have the same as usual please, a large coffee with caramel cream." she ordered and paid for her caffeinated beverage before stepping to the side of the counter and waiting for her drink. She looked around at the patrons within, most of them were couples and likely on a date of some kind. Rosie had never been here on a date, not anything that she counted as a date anyway. She hadn't really dated and she never really let that get to her, but as Spring approached Rosie couldn't help but notice the uprising of couples around campus. Love was in the air, that was for sure. But what else was in the air? The delicious smell of freshly ground coffee beans, and Rosie breathed it in.

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As much as he loved Hogwarts and missed it when he transferred to Durmstrang, there were times when Brandon really needed a break from the school. Today was one of those days so Brandon was headed to Hogsmeade. Normally the first place he visited when he went there was the music store, but today he brought his guitar along with him because he didn't know what he was in the mood for. There was a good chance he'd just sit at a bench on the street and start playing. 

Then he saw someone familiar walk into Madam Puddifoot's. It wasn't a place that Brandon normally frequented, but ... it was a long time since he last talked with Rosie. They were friends when he went to Hogwarts, since they'd been in the same year and house, but he really hadn't had much time to get to rekindle his friendship with her this year. He walked into the shop after her. "Hey Rosie," he called, putting on his best smile. He shrugged a little. "I saw you come in here and thought I'd join you. We haven't talked in ages." He hoped she wouldn't mind his following her. She might think of that as awkward ... but hopefully not.

rose harriet granger-weasley

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Rosalie was slightly surprised to see the man. She knew he was back for the year because of the tournament and she had been seeing him around the castle, but even then it was odd seeing him in a different uniform. She had been a little surprised when he decided to transfer also, but she was never one to judge and firmly believed that everyone had a right to make their own decisions. At least he had been able to get out before all of the madness started at the castle. And she was sure he had to be happier now since he hadn't decided to transfer back. And that was the important thing. "Brandon!" she smiled when she saw him enter the cafe. She was happy that he had entered to talk to her, she had never before seen him in here and she could understand why. The place was mostly for couple, however no where else in town even touched their coffee and that was what Rosie appreciated. "That's really nice of you. I've so nice to see you." she admitted.

He had been a good friend to her in the past and she never forgot someone who was kind of her. He was someone who she knew she could trust and that said a lot nowadays. She was glad to see that the Durmstrang hand't changed him, he still appeared to be the same guy she knew before. She wasn't sure how Durmstrang would have changed him, she honestly didn't know much about the school expect for the fact that their uniforms were a lot more intricate than the Hogwarts robes. "How are you enjoying being back? How's the new school? Is there, like, a Hufflepuff equivalent there as well? Are the students there nice? Are the classes similar?" Rosie was a talker and loved to ask questions. "Sorry, I got a little excited." she blushed.

@brandon

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Brandon was glad that Rosalie seemed happy to see him. he knew that most of his friends from Hogwarts were, but he still had an inner fear that they would be mad at him for leaving and not want him to talk to them anymore. He knew it was silly, but every time he met with another one and they were excited he was there, it was a relief to him. "You don't mind me joining you, right?" he asked with a smile. He didn't think she would, if the smile on her face was any indication of her wanting him there.

Then came the barrage of questions. Brandon laughed as she shot them all at him, without giving him a chance to answer, then blushed as she apologized for getting excited. "Nothing to worry about Rosie," he told her with a smile. He thought for a moment. "Let's see ... being back is great! I've missed all you guys and the castle, so it's really nice to be here. Durmstrang is ... different. The students are generally more closed off and it's a bit more strict than Hogwarts, but not in a bad way. No, they don't have houses like Hogwarts. and if they did I don't think they'd have one like Hufflepuff. The classes are about the same, but like I said earlier, stricter. And ... I've made some nice friends, so I'd have to say that some of them are nice. It depends on the person, just like everywhere." He paused a moment and then chuckled. "You have any more questions for me?"

rose harriet granger-weasley

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"Of course I don't mind you joining me, do you want to order anything? The coffee here is fantastic." she told him, but she also knew that not everyone liked coffee and she was probably in the minority being as obsessed with it as she was. She figured she was probably addicted to the stuff, but it didn't really bother her, she knew there were worse things that she could be addicted to. She was glad, however to have the company, she had been stuck in the library for a majority of the weekend and was glad to have an excuse to stay out and someone to talk to.

The barista called her name and she picked up her order from the counter. And she listened with genuine interest when Brandon answered her long stream of questions, she felt a little embarrassed that she had asked so many questions. Perhaps he thought she was ignorant for not knowing about his new school, maybe she should do more research on it so as to not make anyone feel uncomfortable if she were to say something wrong or ask an offensive question. "Do you miss Hogwarts?" she asked. "I can't imagine being in a place so strict, I mean, a lot of things have changed around here, and I'm sure you heard about... it all... but, at least most of the people here are still friendly and nice, especially the Hufflepuffs." Rosie had never met a Hufflepuff that she didn't like. "Sorry, we can talk about something else." she said, she didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable and talking about the past events usually made everyone uncomfortable, including her. "Do you want to sit? Do you want to go somewhere else?" she asked.

@brandon

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Brandon grinned when Rosie said he could join her. Granted, he didn't really expect anything else, but he was glad she wanted him to join her. "Sure, I'll take a coffee," he said to the lady at the counter. He didn't mind trying something new. After all, this was his first time here so he might as well give it a shot.

He smiled when he was done answering her questions and she started asking a few more. He nodded to the first one. "Yes, I missed Hogwarts. I mean, it's like home and Durmstrang is definitely different. More than the place, I missed all the people. My friends and house and professors. It was weird, because I didn't expect to miss it as much as I did. I'm glad to be back." He smiled. "I don't mind talking about that. Is there something else you'd rather talk about though?" He nodded when she asked if he wanted to sit. "I'm fine staying here if you are. It's easier than finding somewhere else." He sat down. "How've you been the last year or so?" He knew what happened at the school while he'd been gone, but that wasn't what he was asking. He wanted to know about Rosie in particularly. How she was feeling about everything.

rose harriet granger-weasley

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Rosie was surprised by how comfortable she felt talking to Brandon again after even just the few years they had apart, but they had been friends for many years before he transferred and she was glad to have that back in her life. She hated loosing a friend. She felt that familiar full feeling that she got whenever someone she cared about was near and loved the comfort it gave her. She sat down with him and listened as he agreed that being away from the people was the hardest part. Her entire life as of now revolved around Hogwarts and she honestly couldn't imagine being anywhere else.

"Well at least you get to be back for this year, even if you sport different robes." she smiled. "I'm sure everyone has been so excited to see you again, I'm sure there's been a tone of people to catch up with." she remembered him having a decent amount of friends before he left. When he asked how she had been over the past year, she wasn't entirely sure how to answer honestly. She never minded showing emotions, but she hated showing vulnerability. She didn't like showing fear, but that was what she felt, for a lot of last year she had been afraid and honestly hadn't left the common room when she didn't have to. It was hard for her and her love of the outdoors, but she liked being where she knew she was safe. "I've been better." she decided. "But it seems to have gotten at least a little better recently, and with all of the new students around." she added. "Mum and dad worried a little about me coming back since all of the attacks were on muggle borns and my father is a muggle after all so who's to say I was never an target, but no one can really know and It's probably as safe here as it would be anywhere..." she realized she was ranting and let herself breath. "Again, sorry. It's just strange, you know?"

@brandon

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He smiled, glad that she thought it was a good thing he was back. "I'm glad to be back." He laughed when she said she thought most people were so excited to see him. "Some," he informed her. "Others are still mad at me for leaving." Or they were when they first saw him back. "I think most everyone is used to me being back by now though," he added.

Her expression grew more serious then as she started to talk about last year. He reached over and touched her arm gently when she was done. "I'm sorry. I know I wasn't here for all of it so I don't really know what happened and can't really understand, but I'm sorry for all the stuff that happened and that you were in the middle of it." Really Brandon was sorry that anyone had to deal with this sort of thing. Prejudice because of birth was ridiculous and he wished they were better than it. But apparently not. The world was repeating itself in a new way and it was sad that they had to deal with it at such a young age at Hogwarts last year. "Hey, you don't need to apologize. Everyone needs a chance to talk out their feelings. If you ever need to talk to someone, you just let me know, okay?" He hoped that Rosie understood. He wasn't trying to push her into saying more than she wanted to, but he wanted her to know she had someone she could talk to when she needed to. 

rose harriet granger-weasley

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"Why would they be mad at you? It's not like you left with hostile intent. You just had to move in with your father, it's understandable. Plus, sometimes people just need a change." Rosie loved the idea of travel and seeing new places. She loved the idea of going to a different school and her entire routine being flipped upside down. However, as much as she loved the idea of all of that, she knew that in practice, she probably wouldn't enjoy it very much. While Rosie hated routine, there was a part of her that she tried not to acknowledge that loved it. She loved knowing what she would be doing everyday and loved the comfort and safety that it provided.

Rosie shook her head. "I wasn't necessarily in the middle of it. I was fairly lucky in it all." she admitted. She hadn't been harmed. She had been left alone as far as she knew. And she knew that other people had it way worse, she had just been frightened. "I appreciate that," she nodded when he told her he was around if she needed to talk. There was so much support around that school and she was sure everyone appreciated it. "How have you been since I last saw you? What's new in the world of Brandon?" she switched topics and perked back up after taking a sip of her coffee and swirling it around with her straw. "Have you been enjoying watching the tournament? I'm sorry you didn't get picked." And while she did genuinely mean that, she was also glad that no one whom she knew well was picked to compete. She would have been more sick with worry than she already was while watching the events.

@brandon

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Brandon shrugged when Rosie asked why people would be mad at him. "Well, I did leave without telling anyone or explaining why, and once I got there I didn't write anyone either. " He paused for a second, thinking. "I guess ... I wanted a clean break. I knew that if I was writing people, I would miss it here even more, so I didn't want to. Does that make any sense?" Brandon knew that was he did wasn't exactly polite, but he had a reason for it and that reason wasn't him trying to be mean. He was trying to make the change slightly easier on himself. 

He nodded when she said she wasn't involved in all the things that happened last year. "I'm glad. I was worried about you guys." Even though he hadn't written, when Brandon heard all the stuff going on, he had been extremely worried for his friends. He didn't want them to struggle, but obviously they had and things got hard at Hogwarts. For a while there he checked the newspaper, searching to make sure he didn't recognize any names in it, because if he didn't know the names then things weren't happening to people he knew.

She asked how he was and he smiled. "I'm fine. Just focusing on my music, as always." Which shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. "Other than that, nothing really new is going on with me. I don't really change much," he chuckled. Then she asked about the tournament and he grinned at her. "I never really cared about the tournament," Brandon admitted easily. "I joined the group because I wanted to come back." Not officially, but yeah ... he missed Hogwarts. "The tasks have been really cool so far. What do you think about them?"

rose harriet granger-weasley

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Rosie did understand why he felt the way that he did, and why some people had been upset with him. She had been upset at the time also after hearing that he had transferred, but she was never upset with him, just upset at the action of having lost a friend. She respected people and respected their decisions, and she knew that most of the time, the choices people made had specific reasons behind them and usually weren't meant to be harmful to anyone else. "It makes sense." she nodded. "But you found your way back so maybe it was just meant to be." she teased.

"I remember that you played music. It was always so fun. You were really good at it. I'm sure you're just even better now, though." Rosie smiled, as a lover of music, Rosie always found it fun when anyone around her played music, it always added so much to the atmosphere and put everyone in a good mood. "Well I'm glad to hear you're not upset about it." she admitted, and she was glad she was able to say so. "Hogwarts is home." she nodded. "honestly, the tasks worry me. Someone could get hurt. back when my mum was in school, her boyfriend died while competing in the tournament." she told him. She watched the tasks of course, but it gave her an uneasy stomach.

@brandon

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He smiled as she teased him about coming back. "I know. Basically it's a sign that I never should have left," he joked back. Honestly, he was glad that he'd chosen to move away. He learned a lot about himself and he had the chance to get to know his dad better, which not everyone got to do when their parents were divorced. Still, he was glad to be back at Hogwarts now.

He laughed and shrugged when she said she remembered him and music and that he was good. "I'm glad you think so. I mean, since that's what I want to do after graduation, it'd really stink if I was no good," he teased, winking at her a little bit. Brandon just felt so light and happy in this moment. He loved reconnecting with people. He shrugged, "It would be a silly thing to be upset over," he agreed, then listening as she explained why she was nervous about the Tournament. His expression got a bit more serious. "I really hope nothing like that happens this time," he told her. So far it hadn't gotten to the point where someone would die in a task, he didn't think, but he was sure that the people in charge were taking extra precautionary measures to make sure of that. "I'm sure they've planned it carefully to try and make sure it's safe." As safe as it could be, anyway. After all, the Triwizard Tournament was known for being dangerous.

rose harriet granger-weasley

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Rosie knew that the school had to have taken extreme measures to make sure that nothing awful could happen again during this tournament. They had to know about the events of the past and she was sure they planned better for the future. She knew the tournament was just fun. It was meant to bring the students of the various schools together and further inter-school relations while giving the students opportunities to co-mingle and broaden their experiences with the magical world.

"Oh yeah I'm sure it'll all be alright." Rosie nodded, she liked to think so at least, even if she was still anxious about it. She liked to at least try to have a positive outlook on everything around her. "Are you going to try to play music in London?" Rosie asked. "Or are you going back to... where ever Durmstrang is?" she asked. She was fairly sure that she was going to move to London once she graduated, however, she wasn't sure yet. She knew she could really do her job from anywhere, but she wanted a home base. She had also been thinking about moving home to her parents in Dublin, but she felt like she still had a little bit of time to decide. 

@brandon

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He could tell that Rosie was still nervous about things not going right with the Tournament, but she was putting on a good face and Brandon was proud of her for that. "It will be. We'll all stick together," he answered confidently. He wouldn't let anything happen to his friends.

Then she asked what he was planning on doing after school. "Yes, I want to start in London. I have a friend who used to do music here that gave me some contacts. Once I graduate I'm going to reach out to them and see if they're interested," Brandon gave a soft chuckle, "I just hope they are." He knew that it wasn't particularly easy to get in with a musical career, but he had high hopes and dreams and really was trying to make sure things would work out. "What are you planning on doing after school?" He asked, watching his friend with interest. Back in fifth year they hadn't ever discussed this, so he had no idea what her answer would be.

rose harriet granger-weasley

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Rosie loved listening to Brandon talk about his plans. Back before he transferred they hadn't quite decided exactly what their career plans were. Of course, it was obvious that Brandon loved music and wanted to continue playing for all of his life, but it was so nice now to see that he had stuck with it. It made Rosie happy hearing that he had been thinking about it and felt so sure about it. She felt sure for him. "Well when you become a star, just remember all of us little people, yeah?" she teased. "Front row tickets?" she smirked. When he asked what her plans were, she blushed a little, "Well, some people find this weird, but I want to be a sports journalist. I've always really liked sports, muggle and magical and well, I write almost everyday, so it makes sense to me. I just hope that I can find somewhere hiring. And it's even more difficult because no muggle press cares about Quidditch and not many magical presses care about muggle sports." she explained. "But I'm going to try. I wrote all of the Quidditch match reviews and commentary in the Hogwarts student newspaper last year and people really seemed to like that." she added.

@brandon