evening at the black lake

Fionn sat just under the willows and looked at the dark waters and the setting sun reflected there. he had debated playing his violin there, it was quiet and private and he could get some great practice in. actually, he'd even brought the case and instrument with him, but when he'd gotten there he'd actually just felt like sitting there and thinking. it was relaxing.

Jessica carefully scaled the grassy bank of the lake, looking out to see if she could see anything bobbing up from the water. She seemed to notice a new creature every year and there was no time like the present to look. However, as she walked further she found another creature of sorts she hadn't expected. She stopped abruptly when she saw Fionn sitting under the willow tree, in his own world of thought. She saw the peculiarly shaped case sitting by him and could not help but laugh, catching his attention.

"You still have it!" she said despite herself. "I haven't seen you play that thing in years!"

he started and looked up at her, grinning. "Jess! well, yea I still have it. I love playing it. I just...don't do it with an audience anymore" he had played it for her their first year in an effort to impress her. she'd loved it, but obviously no dice in any relationship. "I've improved since the last time I played for you" he laughed slightly and stood up. "how are you anyway?"

She shrugged non-commitedly.

"Relieved. It's the first break I've had in ages." She looked again towards the lake with a soft smile. "I've really missed coming here. The orphanage is in a city, we don't even get grass let alone a lake."

Jessica looked at the violin case again.

"You still play? You should show it off more. I shouldn't think anyone else knows that you still use it."

"I'd prefer a city to sheep and fields and cows in my front garden and howling winds on the moors" he told her. "if you want more nature, just go to Ireland. even the cities have nature in them" he also looked at the case and rolled his eyes. "of course I still play. and nobody but you knows I actually play. now or then. and why should I show off I play the violin? I've got an image as 'tough guy' to keep up" he told her lightly. "wouldn't the revelation that I'm a musician ruin that?" he laughed and picked up the case, undoing the clasps. "but...I wouldn't mind playing it for you, you know"

Jessica remained standing for a moment as he undid the clasps on the violin case. She knew very well how much he treasured his little 'tough guy' routine, and seeing the violin seemed so strange compared to this persona. As he brought out the instrument, she fiddled slightly with the material of her scarf before finally unravelling it, relishing the cool breeze that she had denied herself all day.

"I'd like that," she said, smiling slightly, as she sat down cross legged across from him, waiting for him to play

he grinned as her scarf came off and he got to see her face. call him odd, but he thought she was beautiful no matter what she looked like. too bad he couldn't actually tell her. he took a few minutes to tune the violin before he began playing, choosing 'Mr. Brightside' by the Killers as the song of choice. he'd gone from doing Mozart and Bach to violin covers of rock songs and video game themes. maybe not as hard, but he found them just as rewarding.

((https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGW1zcw5sKM))

Jessica could not help but laugh out loud when he started playing. She had already found it strange that such a 'tough guy' was playing a violin, but to hear a Muggle song coming from that instrument simply made her laugh. It was only the shock, though, that made her laugh. She wiped away a tear and resumed to listening intently, leaning forward and holding her boot clad ankles in a pose of interest. He really was quite good, much better than he had been years ago when she'd walked in on him practising. She had been excused from one of her lessons when she complained of a headache and retired to the common room where Fionn had been skipping a lesson to practise. Of course, despite not knowing him particularly well at that time, she had promised not to tell, to which he had rewarded her with a one off performance

he finished with a flourish and a well practiced bow and grinned at her. "what? I live with muggles, course I'd know their songs better!" he laughed and put down the violin back into it's case. he grinned and ran a hand through his hair. "honest opinion now, how was I?" he remembered when she'd walked in on him practising, it had been a shock for both of them, and she'd laughed then, too. more from the fact he played the violin than anything, but... once he'd managed to get her to stop laughing and to talk to him, Fionn had managed to get a promise she wouldn't tell from her, and had offered to play for her. which, of course, she'd agreed to. it was the first time he'd really talked to her, and the one moment he really started developing a crush on her.

Jessica shook her head at the flourished finish, the manly facade entirely broken for a moment. She put a finger to her lips, looking pensieve for a moment.

"Well, you've certainly earned yourself points for a individuality, I'll give you that. Not many a Hogwarts student know Muggle music. Heck, I'm surprised I know about Muggle music." She smiled then and leant back resting her hands in the thick grass. "You're good, though, I'll give you that."

“Jess, I’m Muggle born. Why wouldn’t I know muggle music? It’s on all the time at home!” he was laughing, and he grinned. “you only know about it because I talk about it and other muggle kids talk about it” he looked at her, eyebrow raised. “just ‘good’? not spectacular or amazing or genious? Well then, I’ll have to keep practicing” he grinned and looked at the lake. “you know, I like thinking I have an edge on most people when it comes to the magic creatures class. If anything goes wrong I can soothe the animal with my violin. Always carry it with me to class just in case…” he looked back at her. “what’s it like, living in an orphanage?”

"Would you feel better if I said it? Fine then." She cleared her throat and clasped her hands, grinning like a child. "Oh Fionn, it was remarkable, never heard a thing quite like it. Better?"

She shook her head again and looked out towards the lake. Jessica hadn't realised the music could control animals in any way- she supposed it was one of those things that either she hadn't paid attention to in Care of Magical Creatures or Fionn just knew from practise or instinct. She leant forward again at his question, pulling her knees up and resting her elbows on them.

"I dunno, really, I wouldn't know how it compares. It's not bad. Madame Ginnithrift's a strange woman, granted, but she treats us well enough. It's the kids you have to get used to, though. Most of them are alright, we're all in the same boat. It's the older ones you have to be careful of, the ones with parents who instilled something in them before they died..." She trailed off, remembering the latest children to come into the orphanage that summer. Their parents had been Death Eaters and had already taught their children to take on their beliefs. That had been a rough summer to say the least.

Jessica shivered slightly at the memory and turned to Fionn.

"I guess they're the closest I'll get to siblings, though. What's it like having them?"

He laughed at her sarcasm, then paused, thinking about it. “well, it doesn’t sound too bad, I guess. I dunno. Having siblings is…like being in a big mob of people who look like you, talk like you, even think like you sometimes. And they’ve always got your back, you don’t have to get worried because, younger or older, one of them’s going to drop all their stuff and come running to get you out of the mess you put yourself in. or stand and laugh at you and help you help yourself. Even if other people hate you, you’re family can’t. they’ve got the same blood and all that. It’s like hating themselves is what m’ oldest sister says” he shrugged and chuckled. “and that was the most confusing load of codswallup I’ve ever spouted. Here, it’s like this. “long as th’ grass is green, the fire burns, and the sea gives fish is how long you’re family will love you” irish metaphor, but it’s like that”

Jessica listened and nodded slowly when Fionn had finished. Coming from such a large family, she'd assumed that he'd have a strong opinion on the matter. She rested her chin in her hands, continuing to look out at the lake. Though she hadn't given the idea of family much thought, it was certainly something that struck a chord every so often. She shivered slightly and threw her hands away in a vague gesture of defeat before lying on the grass, her hands behind her head.

"I'm bored of family talk," she said hurriedly, closing her eyes so as not to give any image of weakness away. "Not much use in them anymore really, right? We're of age soon. At least, this year. Time to be moving on from all that soon."

Fionn sat down beside her and looked at the lake. "alright, no family talk" although he disagreed with her saying they didn't matter. they did, in a very big way. he was tempted to ask if, since they didn't matter, she still wanted a family of her own, but held his tongue. "well, then. since we'll be gone soon, from them and here. what do you want to do with your life?"

Hearing the question made Jessica pause for a bit, still lying there on the grass with her eyes closed. She hadn't really given much thought to specifically what she wanted to do, instead thinking on a grand scale of status rather than occupation.

"I don't know," she admitted after a short while. "I hadn't really thought of specifics. Just... something important. I suppose I could train to be an Auror, but I don't want to be just any Auror. I'd have to be head of the department in the Ministry. Maybe I'll wait till I see what happens during the NEWTS. See what I specialise in, you know?"

She opened her eyes at last and stretched her arms out, feeling her joints finally release and ease after what felt like months of tension.

"How about you? What will Mr Causer be doing in a few years, eh?"

he rested his arms on his knees and shrugged. "dunno. maybe a job in ministry, maybe going proffessional with the violin. I've...gotten offers from some muggle universities that have incredible curriculum's for violins. they're in America, though. but, if I was to get a job in the ministry, I'd want a good paying one, maybe even...I dunno, something right under minister?" he shrugged.

"Why would you want to go to a Muggle university? Your magic would just turn into a parlour trick or something. No, stick with the Ministry. I know I wouldn't be able to go anywhere I couldn't use magic."

Jessica turned to her side and propped her head up on her hand.

"You'd go professional with the violin? Fionn, so far you've shown me you can play. And that's it." She smiled though at a thought. "Does this mean I get to force you into a proper little concert? With a proper audience?"

"why would I show them my magic? I'm just saying, concert violinist with a private life. you can't begrudge me that" his eyes widened slightly at her. "what? no, no no! I play at home, and for you. that's it. I'm not letting Molly see me play. I'd never hear the end of it!" but she kept staring at him and he sighed. he really couldn't say no to her. "fine. but only a few people, and only people you trust absolutely, alright?"

"I don't trust anyone absolutely. I don't see why Molly can't watch, you're already Blondie, I don't think she can think of anything sillier. How about just the ones you trust absolutely?" she offered, still quite determined.


[[OOC- Off to bed now ]]

"Because the only person I trust absolutely is you" although she did have a good point about Molly. how much worse could it be? "fine....Molly, Moses, and the triplets. does that work for you?" it took care of the pranksters at least. no fodder for jokes if he showed them it didn't bother him.

((good night dear ))

[[Need... more... sleep...]]

Jessica grinned. She knew it wouldn't take long to break him down.

"Awesome. I'll have to get planning, won't I?" she said, though she barely intended to do such a thing. She was already exhausted enough with school work as it was. "You have no reason whatsoever to trust me, you know?"

He sighed, smiling. “or I’ll just send some owls seeing as you’re so busy” he leaned back till he was propped on his elbows and looked at her with an ‘are you serious?’ expression. “you know I play the violin and haven’t told. And you’ve known for years. You figured out my worst fears, and again haven’t told. You know the names of all my family members and don’t tell me, usually, to shut up when I talk about them. That’s why I trust you. Because you know everything about me”

"Perhaps. But maybe knowing stuff about you is why you shouldn't trust me. I might just get bitter one day," Jessica said, though she was still grinning slightly. "Everything? Come off it, I'm sure Molly knows more than you give her credit. Plus you're friends with the triplets, between them they're gonna know stuff."

he held up a finger, grinning. "don't be so sure. Molly has no idea that I play the violin, or how many siblings I have. she doesn't even know I'm scared of ghosts, or you know she'd make a deal with them" he said smugly, and the grin grew. "the triplets know, between them, maybe as much as Molly. or a little more, I wouldn't put it past one of the three to have some secrets she isn't telling the other two, and I couldn't blame her" Fionn watched the light play through the branches. "if you really wanted to get back at me for anything, it would have happened by now. since, you know, you've known all of this for awhile" and she was right, he had lied about everything. she still didn't know why he had taken to wearing gloves after christmas break in second year, and he wanted to keep it that way.