Captain Save A Bro - Athena

[Benji Fenwick]

28 Sept. 

Permission slip in hand, Benji waited with the other students to embark on his first ever Hogsmead trip. Naturally, the Ravenclaw had done his research on the old village and knew nearly everything there was to know about it’s history, shops, famous proprietors, and favorite spots. That didn’t stop him from thinking he was too far out of his depth and feeling like a proper tour was in order to get the best feel of the place. So, he had gone to his sister and reluctantly asked her assistance in experiencing all the village had to offer that was worth doing. Athena had agreed to show him around a bit and he had promised no to be a little arse around her friends. He glanced about looking for her, anxious for his sister to show. “She promised to show me the shrieking shack. I hope we get to go in and explore.” Benji said to Arnie who stood next to him, much cooler than he was. Arnie was his best friend and Benji always had more fun with him around, so he was very glad he would be there today and hopefully they could get up to some mischief once his sister got sick of him.

A flash of red caught his attention and his eyes darted over to a group of people congregating not far away. He saw her before anyone else. Mary. Mary MacDonald was the prettiest girl in all of Hogwarts and she didn’t even know he existed. And wouldn’t care anyway about the serious crush he had on her how cool he thought she was because she had recently started seeing someone, and they were clearly enamored. Benji refused to acknowledge the couple and turned away resolutely just in time to catch his sister coming out of the castle doors. He waved at her from his place among his mates. “Nina, over here!”

[Athena Fenwick]

“Honestly Alice, you have to go to the match against Ravenclaw, think of all the young kids who need to be looked out for. And you’re a prefect now, you have to show some house pride!” Athena said to her dear friend as they descended the staircases together. Alice had been a natural pick for prefect, her mothering instincts made her the best fit. But Alice needed to get out of the tower, she needed to try dating like Athena was. Dating was fun, although she wasn’t looking for anything serious. She was much too young to think about finding someone to spend her life with. “You can argue with me all you want, but you’re going. Mary will be going to support Zach most likely, and we’ll be there to support her,” she added as Alice opened her mouth to complain, “And maybe you’ll meet a boy. You never know Alice, not until you try!” She laughed at her dear friend rolling her eyes, making a mental note to drag Alice to the match even if she tried to resist. They reached the bottom of the steps, and Athena waved goodbye to her roommate as she joined the crowd leaving the front doors of the castle.

Benji wasn’t hard to find, given that he was waving at her and calling her name, and she made her way over to her little brother through the people with a smug smile on her face. She had been delighted when Benji had asked her to show him around Hogsmeade, although she was sure by the end of the day he would rather be hanging out with his friends than with her. Still, this was her job as the big sister, and she was going to do it well. “Hello Benji,” she said as she approached, reaching out to mess up his hair, “Hello Arnie, are you joining us today?” Any friend of Benji’s was a friend of hers, so she didn’t mind showing him around if he wanted to stick with them. She did hope though, that the rest of his roommates didn’t decide to tag along, because she didn’t know them all that well, and spending the entire day with a whole gaggle to 13 year old boys was not on her agenda.

“Oh here we go,” she said as she saw the teachers letting people out towards the village, “Got your permission slips ready?” It seemed silly to her, permission slips being needed for a visit to the little village, especially when other things around the school could be far more dangerous than a little butterbeer. She followed the crowd of people, sticking behind her brother and Arnie to keep them in their sights, until they were past the gates and walking down the path to the village. She hummed to herself, leading them along as she tried to plan out their route. “We’ll come across the Three Broomsticks first, but I think we should go there last to hang out. What about the Shrieking Shack, I hear it’s haunted!”

[Arnie Peasegood]

"It's Athena," Arnie replied excitedly, "if she says she'll show you, she'll show you. She probably knows if the rumors are true or not too - either way, we should definitely check it out. And Honeydukes, and Zonko's." The third year felt a bit silly, lining up with the others with a permission slip, even though the seventh years had to hand them in too. He just didn't want Benji's cool stunning intimidating sister to see him as another one of her brother's little friends. Even if he knew deep down that it was stupid to be concerned about, Athena was just as likely to think of him like he thought about her as Mary Macdonald was to notice Benji when she was smitten with Ick - not that he'd ever burst Benji's bubble, unless the bloke really did try to make a move, wherein he'd have to interfere for his best friend's sake, right?  

Benj started waving and hollering, and Arnie shook his hair out of his eyes with a smile, nodding. "Yeah! Yeah, if that's cool with you," he said quickly. Grace was probably with the first-time visitors of her House, and Wes was off with his fifth-year friends already - Arnie was sure that if he'd asked, his siblings would've shown them around, but they likely would've spent the whole of the time in the sweetshop. But with Athena, they could go everywhere. He groaned inside with embarrassment as their guide asked them about the slips, and showed his with a little wave as he felt all of five-years-old, but thankfully the process was swift enough for his excitement to return shortly. 

This was the year when things started happening. First was just overwhelming, second was underwhelming, but third? They had their choice of classes, they had these monthly trips to the village, they'd settled into schools and friendships and it was good. He perked up as Athena put together a plan, pretty psyched that she wanted to hang out with them at the Three Broomsticks to end the visit, and grinned over at his best mate. "Benji was hoping for that, let's do it! Is it really haunted? Ghosts, poltergeists?" His roommate had done as much research as possible about the village before this morning, and as visiting the "most severely haunted building in Britain" and coming out with stories that didn't end in their hospitalization became more of a reality than a theoretical part of the trip, Arnie's thoughts turned to classes. Had they learned anything that would be useful if they came face-to-face with something...unfriendly?

[Benji Fenwick]

“You’re right, she’ll show us all the best places, sweet and joke shops included, because she’s the best. But don’t tell her I said that, here she comes.” Benji ducked but didn't manage to dodge his sister's hand as she made to tussle his hair. He gave her a mild glare as he quickly smoothed it back down, glance over to where some of the older kids from their house were congregating but no special red head had noticed anything embarrassing. It was all easily forgotten as Arnie spoke up and Benji turned now apologetic eyes on Athena. “Sorry. Should have mentioned my main man, could hardly see the village without him.” He clapped a hand on his roommates back, knowing his sister wouldn’t mind having his friend around, Arnie was a blast!

When she didn’t object and shortly after the professors began taking slips and letting people out the village, Benji was now too excited to speak. The prospect of a day in a new and exciting place with his two favorite people was too much at the moment. He hurried ahead and was the first of the group to proudly turn over his slip. Waiting for his party to join him just outside of the gate, he rolled up his sleeves, feeling the warmth of excitement. Which only amped up as headed down the path and Athena told of her plans for their first time in Hogsmead, assuring them that they would indeed see the shack and also she didn’t mind them tagging along to have drinks at the end. Which would be nice, since they were in different houses and Benji sometimes missed having her around more.

Arnie’s enthusiasm matched his own about the news and he found himself walking backwards to talk animatedly about what he had read on the subject. “From what I've gathered it couldn’t be. Can you imagine Peeves remaining a secret that long? Poltergeists are more active and like the attention, someone would have seen it by now. Some think it’s a cur-woah.” Stumbling a bit on his own foot, he threw his arms out to steady himself and nearly hit a passing girl. “Sorry. Did you see that rock? Massive.” He said as coolly as possible, smoothing his hair back again. The girl paid him not mind and he fell into line between Arnie and Athena, too used to making a fool of himself to let it get him down. Still best not to walk backward with such big feet and not but skinny legs to control them. “Anyway, some say it’s a cursed spirit trapped there. I read one account that claims it’s some sort of beast that’s made a nest. I can’t wait to find out. Do you think we should stop somewhere for supplies Nina? You know, in case we do come across something dangerous. ”

[Athena Fenwick]

Athena let out a laugh, resisting the urge to ruffle her younger brother’s hair. She’d pretty much assumed when she made the offer to Benji to show him around Hogsmeade, that Arnie would most likely be tagging along. And not just because she was sure that her brother’s friend had a crush on her, something that became evident at her birthday over the summer, but because Benji and Arnie were tight. They’d want their first trip to the wizarding village they’d only seen from the train to be together, just as her and Alice had gone together in third year. Besides, with both of her closest friends being prefects that were busy today, she’d been in the market for someone to hang with in Hogsmeade. “Of course it’s cool with me, glad to have you along Arnie,” she said to him, following the two boys into the permission slip line. Benji, in his assignment, ran ahead of them, but she stuck with Arnie until they met up with her brother on the other side of the gate.

They fell into step with her, Arnie questioning the validity of ghosts in the Shrieking Shack, and she nodded along as they spoke. Benji was right, a poltergeist would want to be known, if they were all like Peeves were. And it didn’t seem plausible that is was simply a ghost, because why wouldn’t it socalize with other ghosts? She supposed it could be a situation like Myrtle, who tended to stay in the toilets where she had died. She laughed as her brother tripped and almost took out a passing girl, shooting her an apology as her young and clueless brother tried to apologize. “It could be as cursed spirit, or some sort of beast. Personally I think it’s a spirit who just likes to f*ck with people,” she said with a laugh, but she wanted to take her brother’s concerns seriously. Even if she knew from experience there was nothing in the abandoned old shack, so who knew where the noises came from. “Yiou are correct, our first stop should be Zonkos. It’s a shame they won’t sell any fanged frisbees, but I know of ways around that if you both think we need some. But I’m sure we could take anything we find in that shack.” It would be good at least, to allow Benji and Arnie to explore the joke shop that she knew they would both love.

They were reaching the village, and she waved to Gracie, who was surrounded by a group of third years with questions. Pointing ahead of them to the shops, she started her tour. “There’s the Three Broomsticks, and across the path is Honeydukes. Zonko’s is just a couple of doors down. There’s sort of every kind of shop you might need stuff from for school here.” It was fun, watching Benji and Arnie’s reaction to being in the village for the first time. Being allowed to go to Hogsmeade was something Athena always looked forward to, the area a nice break from the school, even if it was only a walk away from the castle. “Have you two thought ahead to who you’ll ask to the Halloween Ball?”

[Arnie Peasegood]

"Wouldn't dream of it," Arnie agreed quickly as Athena came up to them. Their sisters couldn't know that they thought they were the best. They just couldn't. It'd throw everything off, wouldn't it, if they got too chummy all of a sudden? Best to keep things in balance by moving slowly - getting Athena's help today, Gracie's next time they fell out of line. He clapped Benji right back, grinning in relief as Athena officially allowed him into the Fenwick Hogsmeade Party. So much for togetherness, though. "Oi!" Arnie called with a laugh, arms thrown up as his best mate scampered away and suddenly found himself one-on-one with Athena. Well, in fairness, with Athena and everybody jostling into line around them, it's not like they were actually alone. And you'd be having a right panic if you were. "What're we going to do about him?" Arnie joked, up on his toes to look around and over heads, spying their third as he slipped through the gate. Thankfully the line moved fairly efficiently, and it wasn't long before they were reunited with the bloke who was all but jumping in excitement. It was contagious, and as they launched into a discussion about the Shrieking Shack, Benji trotting along backwards as he gave his theories, Arnie was quickly enough all smiles again. 

"Sorry, Charlotte!" he waved as Benji almost knocked the girl over, brows raising as Athena gave her two Sickles. Would he ever be able to casually throw his words together like that? Add an effortless swear? He hated how they sounded out of him now, his voice unreliable as it shifted and creaked. But - important things - the nest of a beast? A wily spirit? Something contained that they'd need protection against? "Wes says it's rigged by the seventh years, every year before they graduate, as a prank for the next classes," he chimed in with a shrug, although his brother's words weren't assurance enough against the thought of them needing protection. From a joke's shop? "We'll need them," he added quickly at Athena's mention of Fanged Frisbees, figuring that was better than most things at the shop in terms of what they could need. He followed her eye as she waved, adding a grin and a wave to his sister, and while he tried to take in the shops as Athena explained, he tripped over his feet as she rapidly changed course.

"Oh - erm - " He exchanged a look with Benji, unsure and off-guard, and ran ahead with the second name that came to mind. "Sylvie. Sylvia Davies? She's a good friend. Pretty much a professional dancer too, hopefully would be easy enough to follow her lead, if she wanted to go. And you could ask Pandora? I guess we really should get a shift on," Arnie continued with new worry, "it's just a few weeks out." Had his head been so deep in the books that he'd missed plans being made around him? This first Hogsmeade trip had been in the forefront of his mind, rather than their first masquerade - the goal of returning to the dorm with pockets full of Zonko's products felt far more attainable than failing to embarrass himself at something he needed to wear dress robes or other fancy dress at - but had they already missed their chance to not go stag? How far ahead did people sort this out?

[Benji Fenwick]

Lucky it was Fudge and not someone more unsavory, it would have been war if he had almost hit one of the Slytherin girls. He smiled a little awkwardly as Arnie apologized again for him, thankful that was the end of that. Benji didn’t want anything rainy on this big day, he just wanted to have fun. As they shared theories of the Shack and the mysteries within his spirits lifted again and he was bouncing in excitement. He laughed at his older sister's belief, spirits were infamous for causing havoc and this seemed a very plausible explanation. Arnie’s suggestion, gleaning from his older brother, sounded much more fun. “That would be so cool if that was true, that would mean we would have to rig it before we graduate. Think of the possibilities.” He exchanged a look with his best mate, already thinking of all the pranks they were hoping to get up to. What would they be like as seventh years? He nodded his head in agreement with Arnie, they should arm themselves with as much as they could before entering a potentially dangerous situation. Even if Nina thought they were capable, Gryffindor's were often overconfident. Not that he would tell her that.

Benji couldn’t say much else because they had arrived at the village! A quick jumping wave to Grace and then he needed all of his concentration. Between walking, taking in all the shop fronts, and listening to his sister, it was no wonder he hadn’t sent someone tumbling over. Especially when Athena brought up the upcoming dance. He felt his throat go dry at the thought of asking someone out. Arnie was quick to come up with possible partners for them both, he didn’t seem as intimidated by the idea and his suggestions were actually really good ones. He knew Sylvia and Arnie were good friends and she would for sure be an asset in the dance department. As far as his own date, he couldn't really think of a better person. Pandora was really nice but…what if she said no? What if she just said yes because she felt bad for him? What if she thought it was weird and then didn't want to be friends? His best mate sounded worried as well which made him feel slightly better, but no less terrified. “Guess so mate.” He swallowed thickly. “But we don’t have to ask them right now, right?”

Of course not. Right? No, they were on their first Hogsmead trip, they were here to see the sights, explore the Shrieking Shack, asking girls out could surely wait a day or so. He needed a little time to gather up the courage, pick the right words. He needed time to wrap his head around the concept altogether. He needed a butterbeer. He turned to his sister with renowed vigor for the adventure. "I can't wait to get back to have butterbeers. Can we get started?"