Aterryboot·:

Though it was definitely closer to morning than noon, Penelope felt justified in taking an early lunch break to run over to Lisa’s store and check in on her. She works through most lunches anyway, so really, she was probably due a long lunch. It was Lisa’s first day back at the shop and Pen wanted to be there for her, make sure she knew she had a support system even when the baby wasn’t around. It was the work of moments to hop over to Bewitched, pausing only to make a stop at a little café for drinks and snacks to go. 

“Absolutely nothing,” Pen smiled. She walked through the store to the counter, tugging her cousin into a side hug and shifting a mug into her hands. “How’s your first day back?” 

where: Bewitched

status: open for all 

Since Liam had been born, Lisa had been very hesistant in leaving her daughter, spending most of her time with the baby. She had read about seperation anxiety and it was real. Even now, a few months after her birth, Lisa didn’t feel comfortable leaving her with someone else for more than two hours, even if those were her parents or Michael’s. It was her first full day back at work and she was already on pins and needles, waiting for time to pass. They didn’t think she’d make it a full day before popping by and checking in, but she knew she’d have to learn to be apart from her daughter. Sure, Lisa loved her job, but there was nothing she loved more than Liam. Hearing the bell on top of the door ring, she looked up from behind the counter.

 “Hello, what can I help you with today?” 

So many of us choose our path out of fear disguised as practicality.

Jim Carrey (via quotemadness)

location: café on diagon

status: closed starter for @pennyhaywoodx​

Penelope felt almost lighter than air as she made her way to the café where she was meant to meet Penny. Intellectually she knew she was very much in the beginning stages of the honeymoon phase, having just confirmed her feelings for Percy were reciprocated the night before, but it didn’t stop her from feeling amazing! The only thing that could make it better was time with friends, especially friends who gave her the courage to confess in the first place. 

Snagging a table by a window, Pen put in her order and waited for Penny. She pulled out a notebook to get some work done, but only barely managed to stop herself from doodling Percy’s name in the margins. God, she felt 12 all over again. Thankfully, she spotted her friend’s blonde hair and waved, beckoning Penny over. “Penny!” 

location: obscurus’ books 

status: closed starter for @thoughtnott

Penelope walked out of the Ministry, pulling her hair out of the tight bun it had been in and shaking it out, a sign that she was considering herself off the clock. Casting a quick glance at her watch, Pen was pretty sure she would have time to run to the bookstore before she was meant to have her weekly call with her parents. 

Of course, this was somewhat of an error in judgement, since the moment Penelope opened to door to Obscurus’ all she wanted to do was spend hours browsing, tracing her fingers along the spines and breathing in the aging pages. She mentally shook herself; she was on a mission. Figuring it was safer to ask for what she wanted than to search for it herself and become distracted, she turned to the man she’d seen by the counter. “Hello, sorry to bother you,” Penelope said, always leery of imposing, “But do you have a copy of ‘Stay Out! A Compendium of Locking Spells and Wards’, by Edith Fowler?” 

percyweasley-arc​:

It had been a long day at week following the events of the Halloween masquerade and then a myriad of stress at the Ministry. Percy almost hesitantly denied a family dinner but it seemed the comfort he needed. Percy could easily be trapped in his work and his family always offered a keen escape that he craved. Even though he had just made amends with Charlie, he still was worried and concerned about Harriet.

As soon as Percy arrived at his former house, he gave his mother and father a chaste kiss on the cheek before heading up to his old bedroom to change. The work clothes seemed to be what he lived in, but even Percy preferred to change as soon as he left. The tie around his neck fell and the tightness loosened. 

Percy barely heard the door creak open until he turned around and saw Penelope. Penelope Clearwater was in his bedroom. Penelope Clearwater was here. Why was she here? Percy then realized he was stunned and speechless, only staring as he held his shirt in his hands. They had been talking for the last few months and Percy nearly had a moment to kiss her on the train but his insecurities got the best of him.

He cleared his throat and his brows knitted together in confusion. “Pen-penelope, what-what are you…did mother invite you?” he asked weakly, hating how surprised he sounded and knew he looked shocked too. Percy took a breath and turned to give himself a moment and to throw on the nearest shirt he had. Why hadn’t mummy told him about Penelope coming? It seemed like vital information considering Percy’s feelings and here he was looking like a speechless buffoon. “I’m sorry-I wasn’t-I didn’t know you were coming.”

◊

If there was a protocol for running into your ex-boyfriend shirtless while trying to rekindle your friendship, Penelope certainly didn’t know it. She stood in stunned silence while her brain flashed through different scenarios on how to react,  flushing bright red and ducking her head as Percy searched for a shirt. A tiny part of her brain whispered that he looked good, but she stamped it down ruthlessly and simply tried not to die of embarrassment. 

“I’m so sorry, I thought she would have told you,” Pen said, feeling awkward and out of her depth. “We ran into each other the other day and she invited me, I would have said something but we had those meeting conflicts for lunch yesterday,” she trailed off. Honestly, eating dinner with her ex’s family was a little out of Penelope’s comfort zone, but it was suddenly a lot harder to stomach knowing that Percy hadn’t known, and possibly didn’t want her there. 

“I’m sorry,” she said again, “I can go. Maybe this is just bad timing, I can create an excuse for your mum.” 

thoughtnott·:

“It has been lately with the current climate.” Small talk with strangers wasn’t something that came easy to Theodore but with the counter separating him and the customer, words came much easier. His lips turned into a force smile at the terrible joke he had heard day in and day out. “This is Obscurus.” 

Stepping outside the counter, Theo listened before nodding. “Give me one moment and I can get you some options.” Locking your friend somewhere to question them didn’t seem like a marker of a good friendship but his job wasn’t to judge, it was to sell books. He returned with a stack of three options and placed them on the counter in front of the brunette. “We have A Broken Lock Will Always Work: One Thousand Charms and One Jinx, Gilderoy Lockhart’s Guide to Home Security though I wouldn’t recommend this unless you are truly desperate, and Password Journal: Parents Be Gone.”

-----

Penelope watched Theodore’s face twist at her accidental pun and she couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m sorry,” she said earnestly, a smile tugging at her lips. “I really didn’t mean to say it, I’m sure you hear it all the time.” She would have used ‘rare’, but often times that resulted in particularly expensive books and that wasn’t in her budget for the day. 

She grimaced when he mentioned Lockhart’s book, remembering her sixth year DADA professor less than fondly. “I agree wholeheartedly,” Pen said. “After his year teaching I don’t have a particularly high opinion of his works.” Lockhart’s books, often filled with misinformation and questionable scenarios, were one of the things she was hoping to improve about the magical world. It was lucky no one had gotten hurt from acting on the garbage in his books. “I’m sure I can find one spell among a thousand that will work though, thank you. Have you read it?” 

littlexlunalovegoods·:

Luna had enjoyed working at the apothecary over the last few months. It was somewhere that was paced evenly enough for her to breathe, but she knew her ingredients and potions fairly well. Even though there were still some parts she was learning, she loved brewing new things when she had the chance. The customers who came in were mostly a delight as a simple conversation could easily sooth her. 

When the door chimed, her mouth fell into an easy smile and when she saw Penelope she beamed. The woman seemed distressed by her words as well as her physical appearance. “Oh my goodness, Penelope. Are you alright?” Luna asked with concerned, already moving from behind the counter to look at her features. “What was it? Plant? Animal? Food?”

-----

Penelope sniffed miserably, trying to smile at Luna despite barely being able to see through her watery eyes. She would normally never show up in public looking like such a mess, but she needed both medical help and a friend, and Luna would be much better company than a healer. “Hi Luna,” Pen greeted belatedly. She rubbed a hand across her eyes, hoping that would help with the itching. It only made it worse. She sighed, feeling entirely defeated. “Animal. My new kitten.”

aterryboot·:

Terry had somehow managed to escape Anthony’s plan to lock him up inside of his house forever, rubbing one of his temples with his hand. He was taking the elevator down from Anthony’s office after checking in with his friend and letting him know it was safe. Now that he was alone he could finally digest everything that was happening. Michael and Padma, snatched up at the festival and now who knows where they were being kept. Terry sighed, the heavy weight of two friends being gone finally resting on his shoulders. No matter how much that he and Michael argued, Terry still cared about him and Padma was too nice of a person to deserve something like this.

He felt exhausted, and not to mention out of the loop since he wasn’t a part of the New Order. His parent’s words of warning were fresh in his mind from the amount fo times he’d gone over them, their warning to not ruin his father’s political career. 

It was then that Penelope came through the open elevator doors, the movement causing Terry to slowly look up. “It’s no problem,” he told her, shuffling to make plenty of room for her in the small space. In normal circumstances he might have tried to be friendlier, or given her a polite smile but now he couldn’t help the feeling of helplessness.

-----

Terry was one of the last people Pen would have expected to run into in a Ministry elevator, but she hadn’t seen him in ages, and if it took running into him in the middle of the night Penelope wouldn’t complain. Terry’s age group of Ravenclaws had a special place in her heart, her first group of first years when she was made a prefect in her fifth year. It was good to see him, even if frankly, he looked terrible. 

“Terry! What are you doing here, is everything okay?” she asked concernedly, knowing that no sane person should be in the Ministry at this hour. And he really did look out of sorts. But while she had him, “Have you seen Padma recently? She missed our lunch date earlier, but usually she sends a note when she’s caught up in a project.” 

rowleing·:

The table was more writing desk than lunch holder, but he was quick to gather all crumpled pieces of parchment close to him, to give Penelope room to sit and eventually have food be brought to her there. Sebastian loved solitude, but he could never turn his back on spontaneity, happenstance, soft daily surprises. When someone asked to sit next to him, there was no answer other than yes. One never knows where true inspiration lies. “I would absolutely love that. I ordered a second strawberry lemonade and dreaded the thought of having to drink it by myself.” He sipped the last quarter of the previous lemonade he already had in front of him. “I’m Sebastian.”

-----

Penelope felt relief wash over her when her unusually-imposing question was met with not only grudging acceptance, but maybe even welcome. She sat quickly to avoid a passing family also looking for a table and smiled gratefully at her new dining companion. “Thank you so much,” she said honestly, already feeling more awake with the sun shining above her. She flushed a little at his offer to share his drink, already feeling like she’d put the wizard out enough. “Oh, are you sure? I’m already imposing on your table,” Pen said, waving a hand vaguely at the area around them. “It’s nice to meet you Sebastian, I’m Penelope.”