A late July picnic
Title: A Picnic.
Date: July 31st, 1998.
Time of Day: early afternoon.
Characters: Lavender Brown and Susan Bones. (Mentions of other students including Parvati, Neville, Ron, Hermione and Harry).
Location: Vale of the White Horse, Uffington, Oxfordshire.
Status: Personal
Brief Summary: Lavender meets up with Susan Bones of Hufflepuff House and they discuss various things including WonWon.
Completion: Complete.
Warnings: None.
Lavender lay stretched out full upon the green grass of Dragon Hill, her wide-brimmed straw hat shading her eyes. Susan was late for their meeting though this was not bothering Lavender much. She was enjoying the warmth of the midday sun and had also taken the opportunity to make a few sketches of the White Horse and surrounding topography.
Time passed and she was in danger of falling asleep when she became aware of Susan's approach. Susan was dressed in a t-shirt and jeans and looked a little out of breath. "Sorry, Lavender. I wasn't able to apparate very close by thanks to that coachload of tourists." As she sat down Susan indicated the group of sightseers that were milling about the chalk figure of the horse.
"That's OK, Susan. I've been amusing myself watching cloud formations and sketching." She showed her pad to Susan who made appreciative noises especially about her depiction of a dragon curled on the hill they were currently seated upon.
"I take it that this wasn't drawn from life?" Susan said with a smile.
Lavender smiled, "No, I think that I would not be quite so relaxed if a dragon had been here recently." Lavender pointed to a bare patch of ground near to where the girls were sitting. "That spot is where it is said that St. George slew the dragon and no grass can grow upon it because of the dragon's blood."
"Do you think that is true?" asked Susan.
"Well I believe it is possible that a dragon was slain here but I don't think it was by St. George. In those times dragons did get about more than they do now and terrorised the countryside." Lavender said as she put away the pad and arranged her dress about her a little.
"We should be hearing from Hogwarts soon," commented Susan. "Will you be going back to sit your NEWTS if that option is made available to us?"
Lavender nodded. "Oh yes. It wasn't so much an issue last year. I was doing them mainly because Mummy and Daddy expected me to get them but now I really need them for myself."
Susan lifted an eyebrow but Lavender shook her head. "I don't really want to talk about it just in case it doesn't work out. I'm really bad about handling disappointments."
Susan would have loved to get Lavender to open up a little about her feelings about Ron Weasley but with this last remark she decided that it was a no-go area. They moved on to other topics with Susan inquiring about Parvati and expressing her feelings of loss with her friend Hannah Abbott having left Hogwarts the previous year. They both agreed that Hannah had been wise to retreat into the Muggle world given the circumstances of their last year and hoped she might return now that the danger had passed.
The conversation meandered from topic to topic as the girls shared the sandwiches, fruit and lemonade that Lavender had brought along in a picnic hamper.
"It's Harry's birthday today isn't it?" said Susan out of the blue.
Lavender nodded. "Yes, I believe so. Neville mentioned it the other day when we were working at Hogwarts. He's born just a day before Harry you know."
"I expect there will be a party at the Weasley's house," said Susan. She then realised with some embarrassment that she'd said the name 'Weasley' and glanced at Lavender.
Lavender went a slight bit pink at the name but then broke out in a smile. "Yes, I imagine there will be. And Susan..." She looked at her friend, "you can say Ron's name. I'm cool with his being with Hermione. Looking back I think it was rather inevitable they would get together. All that fighting was a dead give away."
"Can I say the name 'WonWon'?" asked Susan with a cheeky grin.
"Not unless you fancy me casting a Jelly Legs on you," said Lavender and while it was said playfully there was a hint Susan might be straying into dangerous territory.
"Sorry Lav," said Susan. "It's just that..."
"Just that I was a 100% ninny about the boy," Lavender volunteered. "I know it now. Parvati was an angel in helping me come to terms with it and to help me examine my behaviour. It's just he was my first real boyfriend... if it was real. I'm not sure it ever was on his side though he was pretty enthusiastic at the time about the snogging we did."
Susan started to giggle but stifled it. "So have you a new boyfriend?" Susan thought that Lavender was so pretty that she must have had loads of boys interested in her.
Lavender shook her head. "No, which probably means I'll die an old maid as it seems everyone pairs off at school and if you don't get in there quick then that's your lot."
Susan looked at little disconcerted at this last pronouncement. "I haven't a boyfriend," she said quietly.
"Oh heavens this means we're both 18 and on the shelf. Have a cupcake." Lavender handed Susan one with a cherry on the top. Susan wasn't a 100% sure that Lavender was teasing and thought for a minute about the boys in their year and whether any might provide her with a last minute shot at marriage and motherhood.
Still despite this bleak future they consumed the cupcakes with pleasure. Lavender got a blob of icing on her nose which made them both laugh. The afternoon was pressing on and with a look to her watch Lavender stood up and began to gather her things together.
"There's a pub in the village that is run by a wizard. He keeps it very hush-hush but there is always a few bottles of butterbeer under the counter for any witch or wizard who might drop by. Interested?"
Susan said she was and together the girls climbed down the steep hill and headed off towards the pub.
Date: July 31st, 1998.
Time of Day: early afternoon.
Characters: Lavender Brown and Susan Bones. (Mentions of other students including Parvati, Neville, Ron, Hermione and Harry).
Location: Vale of the White Horse, Uffington, Oxfordshire.
Status: Personal
Brief Summary: Lavender meets up with Susan Bones of Hufflepuff House and they discuss various things including WonWon.
Completion: Complete.
Warnings: None.
Lavender lay stretched out full upon the green grass of Dragon Hill, her wide-brimmed straw hat shading her eyes. Susan was late for their meeting though this was not bothering Lavender much. She was enjoying the warmth of the midday sun and had also taken the opportunity to make a few sketches of the White Horse and surrounding topography.
Time passed and she was in danger of falling asleep when she became aware of Susan's approach. Susan was dressed in a t-shirt and jeans and looked a little out of breath. "Sorry, Lavender. I wasn't able to apparate very close by thanks to that coachload of tourists." As she sat down Susan indicated the group of sightseers that were milling about the chalk figure of the horse.
"That's OK, Susan. I've been amusing myself watching cloud formations and sketching." She showed her pad to Susan who made appreciative noises especially about her depiction of a dragon curled on the hill they were currently seated upon.
"I take it that this wasn't drawn from life?" Susan said with a smile.
Lavender smiled, "No, I think that I would not be quite so relaxed if a dragon had been here recently." Lavender pointed to a bare patch of ground near to where the girls were sitting. "That spot is where it is said that St. George slew the dragon and no grass can grow upon it because of the dragon's blood."
"Do you think that is true?" asked Susan.
"Well I believe it is possible that a dragon was slain here but I don't think it was by St. George. In those times dragons did get about more than they do now and terrorised the countryside." Lavender said as she put away the pad and arranged her dress about her a little.
"We should be hearing from Hogwarts soon," commented Susan. "Will you be going back to sit your NEWTS if that option is made available to us?"
Lavender nodded. "Oh yes. It wasn't so much an issue last year. I was doing them mainly because Mummy and Daddy expected me to get them but now I really need them for myself."
Susan lifted an eyebrow but Lavender shook her head. "I don't really want to talk about it just in case it doesn't work out. I'm really bad about handling disappointments."
Susan would have loved to get Lavender to open up a little about her feelings about Ron Weasley but with this last remark she decided that it was a no-go area. They moved on to other topics with Susan inquiring about Parvati and expressing her feelings of loss with her friend Hannah Abbott having left Hogwarts the previous year. They both agreed that Hannah had been wise to retreat into the Muggle world given the circumstances of their last year and hoped she might return now that the danger had passed.
The conversation meandered from topic to topic as the girls shared the sandwiches, fruit and lemonade that Lavender had brought along in a picnic hamper.
"It's Harry's birthday today isn't it?" said Susan out of the blue.
Lavender nodded. "Yes, I believe so. Neville mentioned it the other day when we were working at Hogwarts. He's born just a day before Harry you know."
"I expect there will be a party at the Weasley's house," said Susan. She then realised with some embarrassment that she'd said the name 'Weasley' and glanced at Lavender.
Lavender went a slight bit pink at the name but then broke out in a smile. "Yes, I imagine there will be. And Susan..." She looked at her friend, "you can say Ron's name. I'm cool with his being with Hermione. Looking back I think it was rather inevitable they would get together. All that fighting was a dead give away."
"Can I say the name 'WonWon'?" asked Susan with a cheeky grin.
"Not unless you fancy me casting a Jelly Legs on you," said Lavender and while it was said playfully there was a hint Susan might be straying into dangerous territory.
"Sorry Lav," said Susan. "It's just that..."
"Just that I was a 100% ninny about the boy," Lavender volunteered. "I know it now. Parvati was an angel in helping me come to terms with it and to help me examine my behaviour. It's just he was my first real boyfriend... if it was real. I'm not sure it ever was on his side though he was pretty enthusiastic at the time about the snogging we did."
Susan started to giggle but stifled it. "So have you a new boyfriend?" Susan thought that Lavender was so pretty that she must have had loads of boys interested in her.
Lavender shook her head. "No, which probably means I'll die an old maid as it seems everyone pairs off at school and if you don't get in there quick then that's your lot."
Susan looked at little disconcerted at this last pronouncement. "I haven't a boyfriend," she said quietly.
"Oh heavens this means we're both 18 and on the shelf. Have a cupcake." Lavender handed Susan one with a cherry on the top. Susan wasn't a 100% sure that Lavender was teasing and thought for a minute about the boys in their year and whether any might provide her with a last minute shot at marriage and motherhood.
Still despite this bleak future they consumed the cupcakes with pleasure. Lavender got a blob of icing on her nose which made them both laugh. The afternoon was pressing on and with a look to her watch Lavender stood up and began to gather her things together.
"There's a pub in the village that is run by a wizard. He keeps it very hush-hush but there is always a few bottles of butterbeer under the counter for any witch or wizard who might drop by. Interested?"
Susan said she was and together the girls climbed down the steep hill and headed off towards the pub.