An Idle Mind (open)

London was busy. Far busier than Caradoc was willing to face and yet he and Lunete were in need of a few things. The premature death of Tristan had shocked them all and there was no telling who it had hit the hardest. Caradoc had lost his closest friend, their dad had lost his son, and Lunete had lost another family member. Caradoc knew that his sister was stronger than he liked to think but it was hard to think of her as anything but fragile right now. She wanted to move forward, carry on with life. She'd said that Tristan wouldn't want his death to hold her back from doing what she wanted in life - and she was right, he wouldn't have wanted that, but Caradoc wanted to keep her safe. He'd even tried gently trying to persuade her to try for Quidditch again, to follow her original dream, but she was having none of it. She was stubborn at the best of times.

Offering to go out for her Caradoc decided to come to Hogsmeade. Lunete was in need of a few supplies for her job and Caradoc didn't like the idea of his sister being in Hogsmeade. They'd just lost a brother and Hogsmeade was where they'd lost Paris. Not they as the Dearborn family but 'they' as the Order family. The idea of losing Lunete in Hogsmeade was all too real and painful. There were plenty of other locations to go shopping but honestly, they were just all too busy. Caradoc felt much more comfortable in Hogsmeade, trying to keep his sister safe from harm by doing menial tasks to help her out, even though he knew he couldn't keep it up, because she simply wouldn't let him.

Entering Tomes and Scrolls Caradoc took off to his favourite shelves first, looking as he always did at anything and everything Historical. While he had hated History of Magic lessons, he'd actually loved the subject itself. Learning about magic, about the battles, about witches and wizards that had made the world what it was just inspired him. He picked out a book, just the one and then made his way around the shop, just browsing before he spotted a familiar sight. Johnny Townsend. It had been too long since he'd spoken with him. He'd seen Johnny at Trissy's funeral but they'd missed the opportunity to talk and it wouldn't have done him any good, Johnny would only have brought him to tears, and possibly vice verse. "Johnny?" He said softly, "Johnny." He said again, walking forward at a quick pace, reaching the young man and practically throwing his arms around him, patting him heavily on the back with his free hand.

Tag: Jonathan James Townsend
Words: 453
Notes: <3
Outfit: it begins!! x'D

"Oh man," He said with a heavy sigh. It was a tough question to answer because really, how was he doing? Physically he was fine, he'd lost a little weight from all the stress but he still had a full head of hair! So that wasn't a good answer. Mentally he was a bit of a wreck. He was even more protective of his loved ones than he'd already been. He was splitting his time between his place and his dad's and it was tough. He now got why Lunete had stayed home after their mother had died and he felt a little guilty that he hadn't made more of an effort to visit their dad. Was it ridiculous to move back home for a while? Yeah. Yeah, definitely. His dad was a tough cookie. He'd get through this. At least Caradoc had to keep telling himself that. He also had to encourage Lunete to fly free from the family home. He thought she was safe there but it seemed that she probably wasn't. As much as he loved his dad, and he knew the man would do anything for his children, he couldn't protect Lunete from Death Eaters and Lunete would only get herself caught up protecting their father. Neither Doc nor his father would want that no matter how much training Netty got as an auror. "That's a tough one." He chuckled.

The idea of Johnny shoulder deep up Midnight's arse was hilarious. Naturally Doc was distraught that his horse was so unwell but Johnny had come over the second Doc had needed him and sorted the problem out for her. It was not a glamorous job that he had but he made one heck of a difference. "She's well. Not long after you left I spoke to the lady I got her from, apparently her brother died of the same thing, the owner hadn't noticed he hadn't been in while and yeah," Doc trailed off with a sigh, "Swapped the food out like you recommended though, just in case and she's been fine ever since. No more issues besides her stubbornness." Her grinned. On the whole Midnight was wonderful, she was a fantastic horse but she could be as stubborn as a mule when the fancy took her. "Fingers crossed you don't have to reach back up there ever again." He chuckled but honestly, the sight of Johnny having to stand on a step and reach into his giant horse's arse was pretty funny, but Doc was pleased his horse was well now. Things could have gone pear shaped rather quickly but Johnny had stepped in and save his horses life. Doc had a moment after Johnny had left where he'd contemplated the worst case scenario and honestly, it brought him to tears thinking about losing Midnight. It was just another thing that he owed Johnny for.

Tag: Jonathan James Townsend
Words: 480
Notes: <3
Outfit: it begins!! x'D

Looking well was at least something, Doc supposed. Things could have been worse, or maybe Johnny was just being kind. Doc thought he looked alright, he'd been making sure he ate three meals a day, even on the days where he felt like eating nothing at all. He was strict with himself, he was pushing forward and he continued to do so no matter what he was feeling in of himself. He had to carry on, he had to hold up the family. Their father had lost his wife and now his son. Life wasn't fair to him. Lunete had lost her mother and her brother. Life was cruel. Doc and his remaining brothers had lost their mother too and their best friend. They could all rely on one another though, they could all keep each other strong. When one was having a down day, all they had to do was reach out to any of the others and the family would rally around them. It was what family did. They had to be there for one another, especially dad and Lunete.

"Man, if it ever happens again and you save her life I'll buy you a bloody brewery!" He laughed, "But not that bloody one in Coventry, right!?" He laughed - hard, recalling the incident that had taken place at the old bricked up building where a make shift brewery had been set up for a party. Merlin's bollocks everyone had been drunk but hey, what did people expect to happen when you literally were having a piss up in a brewery!? That sure as hell wasn't a night Doc was ever going to forget and without a doubt Doc knew that everyone that had been there would have some memory of the so called "Episode". Even those that had blacked out for a decent portion of the night still remembered parts of the "Episode" that had occurred and Doc wouldn't have had it any other way! It was certainly a bonding moment for everyone there and Doc could honestly say that he was still friends with everyone that had been there. Damn it had been one amazing night!

Tag: Jonathan James Townsend
Words: 359
Notes: <3
Outfit: it begins!! x'D

Bizarre was perhaps an understatement. His mate Freddy had woken up spooning a pig. It was certainly an evening full of regret for some but Doc was bloody glad he'd not done anything to humiliate himself beyond convincing people to drink pints out of his boot! And the hooking up with one Franny McSniddle who wasn't exactly Doc's type and had quite the honker on her, but she was a nice lass and there was no harm in a bit of drunken snogging and perhaps a little fondling. Or a lot. It was a good night, mostly, well worth remembering and Doc enjoyed having those memories with Johnny. This was the first time since Trissy died that he was actually enjoying himself. Sure he laughed and joked about with others but it just wasn't the same. Johnny really had a way of getting Doc out of his shell, even if Doc didn't have much of a shell to begin with.

At the mention of his boot, Doc too cracked up and straightened his face before they got kicked out of the shop, he wasn't sure why they were so serious here, it wasn't as if they were in a library! Still he was nothing if not respectful and so he tried his hardest to keep his voice to an appropriate level, despite his obvious excitement, reminiscing about the night of the brewery."Oh man! No! Well I did, but I had to throw it out anyway!" he said, which of course required an explanation, "Once I got it back it had it was wet, y'know, I kind of expected it after all the beers everyone had out of it," As if that wasn't crazy enough, the tale did go on, "But it turned out it was covered in piss. He'd only lost his way to the toilet in the night and decided to use the boot!" It was disgusting, and old Billy Binks, who really wasn't that old, had just handed it back like there was nothing the matter with it, "And upon further inspection what did I find? That pig Freddy Spatz had been slow dancing with all night and shit in it! How does a pig even aim that kind of thing!?" Doc cracked up again. He knew they'd be kicked out at this rate but honestly, it was completely worth it!

Tag: Jonathan James Townsend
Words: 394
Notes: <3
Outfit: it begins!! x'D

Billy wasn't exactly a great bloke but even Doc had to admit he was surprised when he got his bloody boot back. Or more accurately his pissing boot. Or even shitting boot. Needless to say he threw them out. There was no way he was keeping something Billy had pissed in. The pig shit he could probably have handled but the piss? Uh-uh. That was too much for Doc to handle and he wasn't going to pay any money to get them professionally cleaned so they'd been binned. Well and truly gotten rid of because who the hell would try and save shoes that far gone? Not him.

Just the mention of 'pig' brought up a whole other conversation and the second that Johnny changed it, Doc knew what he was going to bring up. He felt embarrassed all over again. His stomach tied in knots while Johnny started doubling over in laughter. Doc smiled nervously, waiting for Johnny to get to it ... and there it was. Mention of that bloody woman from shopping last year. All he'd wanted was a sodding tree and there she was, trying to cop a feel! What the heck!? Doc had never been so uncomfortable in his life, pushing away hands that were heading precisely where he didn't want them heading. Johnny had certainly saved him but he was happy to try and move on from that memory and the disturbed patrons of the book shop got them on to a new topic, "Just a little." He chuckled. It was common for the two of them to get loud and rowdy together, especially when Doc had his brothers around too. Johnny was an only child but it didn't matter. When Johnny was around Doc and his brothers treated him like one of the family! "Come on, let me buy you a drink. Unless you've got somewhere better to be?" Doc headed to the front of the store to pay for his one book, his mind on that damn pig woman from Christmas. Merlin's beard he was willing to pay all the gold in his bank account to forget about that incident! Doc would have indulged in a few more books but running into Johnny was the perfect chance for a catch up, even if his mate had to run off elsewhere.

Tag: Jonathan James Townsend
Words: 387
Notes: <3
Outfit: it begins!! x'D

Done with paying for his new book, Doc walked with Johnny to the Three Broomsticks. It was an all too familiar place for pretty much everyone in the British wizarding world. All those that went to Hogwarts and down to Hogsmeade on their weekends, knew of the friendly pub, and Hogsmeade, as the largest all wizarding settlement in the UK, had plenty of residents that would frequent the pub. The one thing the Three Broomsticks was never short on was patrons, and with that came stories. If only the walls of the Broomsticks could talk! Then again, Doc was probably fortunate that they couldn’t. He could remember vividly enough being slapped by Iris Bloomsbury over near the ladies toilets after he drunkenly picked the wrong door. It had been an honest mistake but as he’d opened the door to the ladies, just as she was coming out, he stumbled and to catch himself he just so happened to lay his hand on her dress, right in the region of her bosom. Honestly, he could understand the slap, but it had been an accident. Why she continued to scowl at him every time she saw him now just seemed like overkill. It was an accident! An honest to Merlin mistake. He had no idea she had it in her to be such a psycho about the whole ordeal, although if tales of her relationship with Jamie Schpangle were anything to go on, he was lucky to get away with just a slap! Poor old Jamie only mentioned that Helen Glungly looked less tired than usual and Iris practically tore him a new one! There had been hexes involved, swearing, a bunch of insecure ramblings. Honestly, Doc felt sorry for the bloke, and usually he liked to just keep his opinions and thoughts well out of other people’s relationships, those kinds of thoughts, especially if said aloud, could only ever backfire.

Once settled in at the pub, relaxed and taking it easy in the warmer weather, they enjoyed their drinks, chatting away with ease. It was rare to catch up with friends these days and in this kind of climate, but Doc had nothing to rush off for, nothing that beat hanging out with an old friend anyway. “Flo?” Doc sighed, leaning back in his chair, not sure what he could really say about Flo, “I’m not really sure, if truth be told,” Now Flo was a complexity he could do without in his life but she was a constant, there was that to be said about her, “Leant her thirty galleons the other week. I’ve stopped asking what it’s for, there’s always some new excuse,” He sighed, not even beginning to know what to do about Flo but the situation would sort itself out over time, given she made the right choices - something she seemed allergic to up until recently. “Sorry - "Reasons" - she’d kill me if she thought I was telling you of all people that she was making up excuses. You know how she feels about you.” Doc chuckled and then indulged himself in his butterbeer a little, drinking and having a laugh with Johnny was definitely the highlight of his week this week and he wasn't expecting anything to top it, "Speaking of Flo, though, you'll never guess who I saw a couple days ago - Dordon Dobson!" Doc's bro was so high it nearly met his hairline. He took a mouthful of his butterbeer, knowing that name would illicit a reaction from Johnny that he did not want to miss out on.

Tag: Jonathan James Townsend
Words: 601
Notes: <3
Outfit: it begins!! x'D