Exploration

[Elle Callahan]

It had been a busy few weeks at St. Mungos. Elle had dived back in at work. Rowena Convington was a demanding boss. Elle liked the woman. She had gumption, determination and the ability to lead without dictating. She was a good department head. At least to her staff. Or maybe it was just Elle? She wasn't sure. All Elle knew was that she was worked hard but not treated like an idiot. Some days Elle yearned for the more peaceful life of Hogwarts. She liked working at St. Mungos but she loved Hogwarts. Every day was new. You never knew what epidemic would occur next. Kids and spells wasn't always a good combination and it was interesting to see what injuries she'd be faced with. Rainbow farts, fire breathing, mouse ears were just a few of the things she'd seen. One day Elle would go back there but for now she was happy slaving away at St. Mungos. Hospital life really was very hectic. However she didn't want to just spend her entire day of sleeping. She wanted to do something. She needed to make friends. She couldn't just call on Alex every time she wanted to go out. He'd hate her if she did that. He wasn't the going out type.

Elle had meandered around Hogsmeade for the better part of an hour. She'd spent a third of her paycheck on clothes. She really didn't have much since she had to rebuild her wardrobe from scratch. She had fallen in love with a sun dress embroidered with magical creatures. She'd debated on buying it for half a second but eventually snatched it up. She'd changed into on the spot, glad to be rid of her stained jeans. She felt vindicated that the dress was a good buy when a passerby commented on how the dress suited her. Elle had thanked the gentleman for the comment and continued on her adventure, coming across a little yellow house off the main road. Riko's Menagerie. Elle slipped inside to take a peak. Maybe she could pet an animal or two before going on her way. It was cool inside the shop. Elle smiled as she noticed the cage of keagles. She went over to coo at them.

[Nuriko]

"Customer! Customer! A Customer!" Nuriko's shrunken heads chimed as the door opened and closed.

"Don't stick your fingers in!" A voice warned, soon materialized into a young woman, followed by a dancing line of small hay bales, floating in a neat line. The woman's hair was bright yellow, half lay long over one eye falling in line with her chin, the other half of her skull was shaven. Nuri waved her wand, directed the tiny bales to an empty spot on the shelf. She turned to the other woman, her jaw falling open. After a moment she shook her head, blinking several times. "I-I'm sorry, for a moment I thought you looked familiar. What can I do for you?"

[Elle Callahan]

The shrunken heads startled Elle and she jumped looking around for the voices. She had to crane her neck to spot the group of heads. Elle rolled her eyes and reminded herself not to be jumpy. She continued looking through the merchandise. The cat like creatures intrigued her and Elle wanted to pet one. She couldn't really remember what they were exactly. They looked so soft and cuddly.

"Don't stick your fingers in!" A voice warned,


Elle glanced over her shoulder, pulling her hands away from the cage. Elle watched a woman with the brightest hair came in. It was a pretty bright yellow that suited the young woman. It reminded Elle of the daffodils that use to grow by her Grandfather's cottage. Elle shifted uncomfortably as the woman stared at Elle intensely. It was a look Elle had seen often on friends and acquaintances.

"I-I'm sorry, for a moment I thought you looked familiar. What can I do for you?"

Elle had no clue who the woman was. She could be someone from Elle's past but she wasn't sure. It would have been 17 years since the woman last seen her. So a student most likely.

"Don't apologize. I probably do. I'm one of the returned. Elle Callahan," Elle offered with a slight smile. She was getting use to having to tell everyone of her status.

[Nuriko]

Elle glanced over her shoulder, pulling her hands away from the cage. Elle watched a woman with the brightest hair came in. It was a pretty bright yellow that suited the young woman. It reminded Elle of the daffodils that use to grow by her Grandfather's cottage. Elle shifted uncomfortably as the woman stared at Elle intensely. It was a look Elle had seen often on friends and acquaintances.

"I-I'm sorry, for a moment I thought you looked familiar. What can I do for you?"

Elle had no clue who the woman was. She could be someone from Elle's past but she wasn't sure. It would have been 17 years since the woman last seen her. So a student most likely.

"Don't apologize. I probably do. I'm one of the returned. Elle Callahan," Elle offered with a slight smile. She was getting use to having to tell everyone of her status.

"Oh!" Nuri clapped her hands, a smile forming. "You were the nurse!" Nuri had been in the nurse's office at Hogwarts many times during school, often after a prank or a skirmish on the pitch. And then had come the war, and she had joined the fight. "'Riko Elswyth," She held out a hand, then bounced in place. "Oh! I'm so glad you're back!"

Elle had been very kind to her, and unlike some of the Black Watch or even the healers at Mungo's, had never chided her that she was too young to fight. Suddenly her eyes sharpened. "Does Alex know you're back?" the shopkeeper was doing something completely uncouth with her eyebrows.

[Elle Callahan]

Don't apologize. I probably do. I'm one of the returned. Elle Callahan," Elle offered with a slight smile. She was getting use to having to tell everyone of her status.

"Oh!" Nuri clapped her hands, a smile forming. "You were the nurse!"

Elle couldn't help but smile at the enthusiasm of the woman in front of her. Elle inclined her head as if to say, guilty as charged. Who was this woman? There was something familiar about the way she talked. Elle had met her before but which student had she been?

"'Riko Elswyth," She held out a hand, then bounced in place. "Oh! I'm so glad you're back!"

Elle's eyes widened recognizing the name. Riko. An image of a young woman covered in demon slashes flashed through Elle's mind. She'd patched her up quite a few times.

"Hi Riko, you own this place? It's lovely," Elle said as she looked around. She wouldn't have pictured the wild and protective Riko as a store owner. The more she looked around the more she saw it fitting her former student.

"Does Alex know you're back?" the shopkeeper was doing something completely uncouth with her eyebrows.

Elle laughed, her cheeks turning pink at the mention of Alex. It had been no secret among the black watch that Elle Callahan had fancied Alex.

"Yes, apparently my making him question his sanity is the best thing that has happened to him in a while. I swear he still thinks I'm a ghost sometimes. We should grab a bite someday and catch up."

[Nuriko]

"Hi Riko, you own this place? It's lovely," Elle said as she looked around. She wouldn't have pictured the wild and protective Riko as a store owner. The more she looked around the more she saw it fitting her former student.

"Thank you!" she laughed, laying a hand on the shelf in pride. It was a lot of work. Sometimes she thought perhaps going pro in quidditch would have been easier. But as much fun as she'd found it, she had found her true passion in the menagerie.

"Yes, apparently my making him question his sanity is the best thing that has happened to him in a while. I swear he still thinks I'm a ghost sometimes. We should grab a bite someday and catch up."

"Oh, its good for him." Riko waved a dismissive hand, a grin on her face. She grabbed Elle's hand and pulled her towards the door. "Lets do it now! I'm perishing!" A quick silencing spell hushed the heads, and another wave of her wand locked the door and set the sign to "Back in an hour". "I haven't had a bit to eat since yesternoon. The Broomsticks usually has lunch.. lets go there!"

[Elle Callahan]

"Oh, its good for him." Riko waved a dismissive hand, a grin on her face. She grabbed Elle's hand and pulled her towards the door. "Lets do it now! I'm perishing!" A quick silencing spell hushed the heads, and another wave of her wand locked the door and set the sign to "Back in an hour". "I haven't had a bit to eat since yesternoon. The Broomsticks usually has lunch.. lets go there!"

Elle found herself being ushered out of the shop and down the alley. She laughed as she went along with it. "Sounds wonderful," Elle said as they made their way down the street.

"How's your mother?" Elle asked remembering a lovely woman Elle had helped heal before.

[Nuriko]

Elle found herself being ushered out of the shop and down the alley. She laughed as she went along with it. "Sounds wonderful," Elle said as they made their way down the street.

"How's your mother?"

"Causing trouble and mayhem!" Nuri laughed, dashing along the street at a careless pace. Soon though she looked back and saw Elle was falling behind. She started slowing, but didn't look front in enough time.

Crash! Thud!

Nuri found herself sprawling in the road, having landed on something--or rather someone. "Ooooh..." She moaned, sitting up and cradling her head. "Oww.. Sorry?" She looked up into the face of a young boy, also cradling his head and groaning. Jamie mustered a small pained glare and muttered under his breath that some people should look where they're walking.

Nuri staggered to her feet and bent down, pulling the taller boy easily to his feet. "So sorry." She shook her head, willing the spots to go away. She'd had many concussions before and this didn't seem like one. "Elle?" She asked, looking for her friend.

[Elle Callahan]

Nuri was a very fast person. Elle tried to keep up but unless she wanted to sprint down the street at breakneck speed there was no way Elle was going to keep up. Even running she'd still be behind. Elle was use to being left behind. It just wasn't fair, she took four steps for everyone of Nuri's. So Elle just followed after her friend at a brisk walk, enjoying the good weather. Elle broke into a run though when the collosion occurred. Merlin's pants. As soon as Nuri went tumbling, Elle broke into a sprint, pushing people out of the way. Was anyone hurt? It looked like a tumble. They were up and clutching their heads when Elle popped up.

"Elle?" She asked, looking for her friend.

"Right here, you okay?" Elle said peering up at Nuri looking for cuts. "Any dizziness? Spots?" She asked as she noticed no blood. When Nuri seemed find, Elle looked at the boy. He was cradling his head with one hand. He looked like he was in pain. Elle wondered if it was serious or man pain. Men tended to moan more than women. It was just a fact.

"You okay? You're not bleeding. Is your vision blurry?" Elle asked looking closely at the boy. He was obviously a teenager even though he towered over her.

[Nuriko]

"Elle?" She asked, looking for her friend.

"Right here, you okay?" Elle said peering up at Nuri looking for cuts. "Any dizziness? Spots?"

"No, I'll be right as rain in a bit!" Nuri said cheerily, still holding a hand to her head. She'd have a right bloody headache later, she knew. She still had plenty of aspirin at home, she could take some when she got back. "Knocked noggins, is all!"

"You okay? You're not bleeding. Is your vision blurry?"

"No," Jamie said in reply to the vision question, blinking his eyes in a test. Now he was standing, he dusted his robes off, returning them quickly to their former spotless state. He could feel a pounding start behind his eyes, but really it was no different than a strong bludger hit. "Your friend should look where she is going!" He groused, rubbing the spot just over his ear where he'd been head-butted by the tiny Asian woman with green hair.

[Elle Callahan]

Elle let out a sigh of relief when Nuri was okay. Elle turned her attention to the boy with flame red hair. Merlin but it was a bright shade. Elle stared into his face as he blinked his eyes. Very pretty eyes. The green contrasted with his red hair and light skin. He would be a very handsome man when he grew up and lost the lanky look.

Elle rolled her eyes as he stood up, glaring at Nuri.

"Your friend should look where she is going!" He groused,

"She likely should but then again shouldn't everyone?" Elle pointed out. She doubted the boy had been paying all that much attention either. Elle frowned at the boy. There was something familiar about him. Elle wondered if he was one of the famous Weasleys. They all were rather tall with red hair.

[Nuriko]

"She likely should but then again shouldn't everyone?"

"She came out of nowhere!"

Nuri sighed. "I'm sorry, I really should have been looking, not to mention not dashing about the streets. Truce?" She extended a hand, which Jamie looked doubtfully at before taking. He smiled at last.

"I get worse on the field. I'm sorry for snapping at you." He released her hand, then looked back at Elle. The midget didn't approve of him, he could tell. "I have to go."

As he was walking off, Nuri came and grabbed Elle's hand. "Let's get to the Broomsticks, I'm starved!" She led off at a much more leisurely pace, swinging their hands between them as she hummed Do the Hippogriff. Very off-key. Nuri really was an affront to music of all kinds.

[Elle Callahan]

Let's get to the Broomsticks, I'm starved!" She led off at a much more leisurely pace, swinging their hands between them as she hummed Do the Hippogriff. Very off-key. Nuri really was an affront to music of all kinds.

Elle giggled as they continued on their way to the broomsticks. "Are you trying to hum Do the hippogriff?" Elle said trying not to laugh at her friend. Nuri really was quite horrible. "Or are you humming the march of the penguins?" Elle said with a grin.

Elle rather liked the hippogriff song, even if it was over played. It was one of those catchy tunes that never failed to cheer her up. It wasn't the best song of the weird sisters but it was one of their most popular and over played songs.

"Have the weird sisters come out with any new songs since I've been gone?" Elle asked as they made their way to the pub. Elle thanked the young man ahead of them who had opened the door for them. Elle smiled at him, their eyes meeting as she walked past. He looked a bit familiar but Elle didn't get a good enough look to figure out who he was. Actually everyone looked familiar to her as she struggled to match how people looked now to how they looked 17 years ago.

"Where do you want to sit?"