Elliott Thomas
Civilian
Graduated Ravenclaw
Death is only the end if you assume the story is about you.
Posts: 71
Player: Sam
Title: Unspeakable - The Ministry of Magic
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Post by Elliott Thomas on Feb 4, 2019 4:31:26 GMT
Tris. Isn't that what the girl at Malkin's goes by?
As if you're not being paranoid enough, now you're leaping to her knowing a witch. Grand.
...it is an unusual name.
Don't do this.Elliott did his best to tune back into what his date was saying and stop pause his train of thought about the coincidence. Because really, Teagan couldn't know Tris Malkin. Elliott hardly knew her, and they'd shared a castle for six years! Along with hundreds of other students. The likelihood of the Hufflepuff graduate running into this particular muggle girl had to be astronomically small. Right? Stop. "Fashion or science," he mused, honestly curious. He paused to drink from his wine, pleasantly surprised by it. It was no Superior Red, but he could not expect a muggle winery to have a thousand years of experience, could he? "I don't know if I've ever met someone with such diverse interests." Well, I likely have. But I haven't inquired about them. "Would you pursue a career in medicine, then, like your father?"He was shortly concerned that he'd done the wrong thing by asking about her schooling. For one, Teagan seemed startled. For two, reciprocal questions were polite, and he had nothing honest to share of his own university desires. For three, he had no knowledge, and therefore no opinions, of the universities she named. "King's College seems the appropriate venture, then," Elliott agreed, returning her smile. Lie, redirect, do something. "Ah - no, I haven't. For the work we're doing, as long as you come in with proof of advanced background knowledge, they expect you to learn as you go. Further education could be required if I choose to try and advance in an avenue I didn't anticipate, but it's fine for now." Was this how the muggle Ministry worked? Would she know that it wasn't, if it wasn't? Should he leave money for dinner and cut his losses by leaving now? "But yes, I don't get out much. I think my brother's marked his calendar, he'll have me celebrating tonight every year."Her laugh was nice, really, and Elliott wished he could relax enough to properly enjoy the fact that he'd made a girl like this laugh. She was - what was the phrase? - out of his league, but didn't seem to notice or, if she did, she didn't seem to mind. What were the blokes like who she usually went out with, he couldn't help but wonder. Could she really be enjoying herself, being out with him? Another reason why you shouldn't have done this, Elliott. You're going to end up disappointing her. He shifted the conversation towards something safer, he hoped, with the menu; he'd be embarrassed if the waiter needed to wait for them again, and food was a universal subject, right? "That seems like a solid plan," he agreed, looking the menu over for something to go with his taste. Not too spicy, or slimy - Mussels? Hard pass. - or extravagant... "I think I'll go with the lasagna, safe choice," he echoed with a small smile. The matter settled, he laid the menu back on the table, mind sifting through details she'd given so far for a new topic... "Did you say you have a dog?"
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Post by Teagan Edwards on Jan 16, 2020 0:56:49 GMT
She knew her dreams seemed like two things that wouldn’t normally go together. Fashion and science seemed so far apart, but they were things she was passionate about. Fashion had started as a hobby, one fed by the fashion magazines she convinced her parents to buy her. Collages in her journal of outfits she had put together from cutting pieces out of the magazines. She had devoured them as quickly as she had devoured books growing up. She’d always studied hard in school, been in the top of her classes each year. She was determined to make her parents proud of her back then, and that hadn’t changed now. She wanted to make something of herself, prove that she was a strong capable woman who could survive in this world on her own. But as much as she wanted them to be proud of her choices, she didn’t much fancy following in her father’s footsteps. “Medicine is fascinating for sure, but it kind of loses his magic when you grew up in it. I suppose if I could pick any field it would be biomedical engineering. It’s still so new and fascinating, I mean to create DNA artificially in a lab? I can only imagine how the field will grow as technology grows with it,” she stated, realizing only after the fact that she had been rambling. “Sorry, I just get so excited talking about this kind of thing.” Thankfully she hadn’t domineered the conversation, and was more than happy to discuss her choice in schooling. She felt good, knowing that the man across from her thought one of her university choices. He was brilliant, and she listened intently as he talked about his work. It seemed a bit odd, that no university experience was required for such a job at the Ministry, but she didn’t know the inner workings well enough to question it. Especially seeing as what he worked on was top secret, she supposed it made sense that on the job training was more important than spending four years in a classroom. It wasn’t as if she didn’t love learning, because she did. But spending four more years going to and from classes, learning new teachers names and making new friends - it was exciting and unbearable at the same time. She wanted to live her life, to have experiences. It was why she went out on the town in London, why she’d made a point to attend fashion shows. “If you’re interested in getting out more, I’m going to a fashion show next weekend. I totally understand if that doesn’t sound interesting to you!” she smiled hoping that extending the invitation to him wasn’t too strange. Usually, one waited for a first date to be successful before extending an invitation for another one. Although was inviting him a fashion show really a date? She wanted more than one date with Elliot, that much she was sure of. “Lasagna is always a good choice,” she grinned, placing the menu down on the table. Her grin only widened as he asked her about the dog, and she nodded to his words. “Yes, I do. His name is K9, he’s the sweetest little yorkie. Getting a dog was one of the stipulations my parents had about me going out on my own. Although, he’s not much of a guard dog. He loves everyone as long as they pet him. What about you, do you have any pets?”
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Elliott Thomas
Civilian
Graduated Ravenclaw
Death is only the end if you assume the story is about you.
Posts: 71
Player: Sam
Title: Unspeakable - The Ministry of Magic
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Post by Elliott Thomas on Apr 5, 2020 1:38:52 GMT
"No need to apologize," Elliott said, smile overtaking his carefully put-together affect. Not that you're pulling that off. At least you didn't jump out of your skin when she said "magic." "I could listen to you teach me about biomedical engineering all night. Or whatever else it is you're excited about." The statement was far from a lie, even if the wizard had no actual clue what she was talking about. Now that's not fair. It's something to do with medicine. Creating something in a laboratory setting. New field. You could find a book on it, surely. His interest was there academically, but truthfully - he liked to hear Teagan speak about her passions. It was strange, for he'd never had a perfect stranger occupy his interest like this, and never would have thought he'd be so taken with a muggle - but the beautiful woman opposite him seemed to radiate light as she spoke of her heart and her mind, and who was he to tell her to stop? It was with a stroke of luck that he felt Teagan wouldn't push his reasoning for not attending university himself, and he breathed slightly easier. For a moment. Because in the next, she was asking him on another date. For the following weekend. Elliott took rather more time than was necessary to swallow the sip of wine he'd been on, which gave him not nearly enough time to process the pros and cons of accepting a Trial Two before the end of Trial One. But rejecting her now would surely ruin the remainder of their evening, and if she wanted to see him again, then he should accept. Right? "I...think I am up to learning more new things with you, including the show," he said carefully. "I just wouldn't want to embarrass you with my ignorance. So before then I will read up on biomedicine and...?" Elliott looked to her with a bit of lost pleading in his eyes, not sure even of what to ask from her in regards to the fashion show. How could he ask about what to wear? How to act? Without sounding like a total imbecile? Bless Merlin, but his memory stood. Teagan did have a dog and was happily picking up on the subject, although he again worried about falling short as she turned the conversation to him again. Seeing as he'd talked himself out of ever having to attend Care of Magical Creatures by pleading allergies (untrue, but Poppy seemed to understand by his third year that she would be seeing him more than Kettleburn if she insisted he take the course), animals in general were not a strong suit of his. "A yorkie, you say? I'm afraid I'm unfamiliar with the breed," he said sheepishly, hoping it wasn't a wholly uncommon admission. "I had a toad once, actually. It was not as friendly as your canine seems to be, but his name was Euclid. I thought his ribbit sounded similar enough to justify that, at the time."
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Post by Teagan Edwards on May 8, 2021 19:43:53 GMT
Teagan thought of all the times she’d been on a date that had actually wanted to listen to her talk about science, or maths, or really anything she was interested in academically. Guys tended to like her because she was pretty, and not because she was smart. Teagan hated that, being assumed that she couldn’t carry a stimulating conversation just because she was a pretty woman. Elliot though, she hadn’t felt like once the entire time they had been talking. She smiled across the table at him, feeling for the first time in a while that she was being appreciated for more than her looks. It was refreshing, and she knew that she’d be up late tonight on the phone with her girls telling them about how perfect this date was. “I would teach you, but admittedly that’s about the extent of my knowledge on biomedical engineering. Now, if you’d like to know the name of every single bone in your body, I’ve got you covered. We had a labeled skeleton in our house.”It was forward of her, to ask for another date before this one was even over. She seemed to be making a lot of bold moves when it came to Elliot, but she felt that it was worth it. Giving him her phone number had led to this date, and she was already having more fun on this date than she’d had on any date in a while. Teagan didn’t want to say she believed in destiny, because that seemed ridiculous. She was a hopeless romantic at heart, and wanted to believe there was the perfect person out there for her. But she was positive that the only way she would meet that person was by her choices, and right now she felt like she was making the right choices. She was smiling, she was laughing, and Elliot was wonderful. She wondered for a moment if he would reject her, it wasn’t the most exciting of places to get invited on a date, but she grinned at him as he accepted. “Vivienne Westwood is the designer for the show coming up. It’s not my usual look, but I find her work to be so fascinating.” She loved K9, even if getting him hadn’t been her idea. It was lonely in her flat, and having the dog there with her had proved to be good. She got her daily walks in, and there was always someone to snuggle with at night. The dog had won her heart quickly, and she was finding that K9 just seemed to have that effect on people. It was hard not to love something that was so excited to see you when you arrived. She’d only ever had cats growing up, and a cat was an entirely different experience. “Don’t worry, I don’t know much about dog breeds myself, K9 is the first dog I’ve ever had,” she reassured him. The waiter took that moment to arrive, and Teagan put her in order and handed him the menu, waiting for Elliot before she continued their conversation. “A toad sounds like a really interesting pet to have, and I think the name is perfect. My mother would have never allowed a toad in the house.”
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Elliott Thomas
Civilian
Graduated Ravenclaw
Death is only the end if you assume the story is about you.
Posts: 71
Player: Sam
Title: Unspeakable - The Ministry of Magic
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Post by Elliott Thomas on Jul 12, 2021 4:21:49 GMT
If this was how a date was supposed to go, then perhaps his brothers had been right to tease him so relentlessly for avoiding it like the pox for all these years. Because sitting across from a woman who kept throwing such a striking smile his way? Who wanted to speak with him about her life and her future and her interests? While it was all new to Elliott, and while new things tended to tangle his intestines into knots...slowly but surely, Teagan was putting him at ease. No...It was right to wait. It wouldn't be like this with simply anyone. He had observed enough of his peers at Hogwarts to feel confident in believing that romance didn't work out far more often than it did. And while there could be something said about trying and trying - How many girls did James date before Lily? - if one wasn't ready to try, then that would be a waste of time on everyone's part, wouldn't it? But from the moment that they met, Teagan was ready to try. And perhaps that was what he had needed to finally be here - someone who was interested enough in him to make the first move, and who was patient and alright with taking the lead as he learned. While he couldn't help himself from fidgeting with his fingers in his lap, or the stem of his glass, his eyes tracked hers. "You grew up with a labeled skeleton in the house? I'll admit, that would have terrified me." Elliott's surprise and curiosity got the better of him as he laughed. The only place he had seen skeletons (outside of anatomical sketches in reference books) was in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, and the bones of those creatures had given him the willies. Their presence made him think of everything that could so easily go wrong in a body, driving his overactive mind far past the point of productivity, and the logical side of him knew that the more he understood, the less he had to fear. So in his time under Madam Pomfrey's care, he had started to ask for reference materials...which had worked in dispelling some fears, while awakening new ones. But in Teagan's case, with a parent as an expert in the field, perhaps it had never been something to fear. Not that having Father at Gringott's did anything but fuel your claustrophobia."Vivienne Westwood," Elliott intoned, repeating the name internally a number of times to commit it to memory. He could pick up muggle fashion magazines on the way to work? Study up as he would for an exam? Surely he would enjoy himself most at the event if he had a frame of reference? No, the point of going is...time. Time with her in a place she loves. "I hope you won't mind being my guide. What is it about her work that fascinates you?"Thankfully his blunders weren't out of the ordinary enough to raise any flags for his date, at least not that he could tell, and their waiter returned briefly to take their orders. He chuckled as she spoke of his old pet, the companion content to lead a life parallel to his own until his wanderings led to an unfortunate end on the castle grounds. "They were surprisingly common at my school," he ventured, cracking a smile at more pleasant memories. Surely he could... step into a few more honest stories without going against the statute? "Some of my classmates tried to train them to participate in choir, with varying results."
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Post by Teagan Edwards on Jul 25, 2021 2:58:27 GMT
Teagan could tell that Elliot was nervous, but he was holding his composure well. Fidgeting here and there, but no more than she was fidgeting with the stem of her wine glass. She wanted to reach across the table and take his hand, it was silly that she was missing her hand being in his already. There had been plenty of first dates that Teagan simply hadn’t been nervous on, or wanting to hold the hand of the guy across the table from her. But she hadn’t wanted to impress any of those guys, and the type of men who usually asked her on a date tended to want to talk about themselves and how impressive they were. Elliot wasn’t like that, he genuinely seemed interested in what she had to say. She just hoped that she wasn’t talking too much, or using any language that was too confusing. She was one of the only receptionists at the office that could keep up with the doctor’s medical talk, and she was grateful that her father had insisted on having her study with him growing up. “Oh, it wasn’t a real skeleton. At least, I don’t think it was,” she teased, taking a sip of her wine before she continued, “My father labeled all the bones and made me memorize them by pointing them out on the skeleton. Then once I learned them that way, we worked on knowing them in alphabetical order. I was a curious child, they had to do something to keep me busy.” She had always been inquisitive, and an inquisitive mind meant there were so many questions coming to her that she wanted to ask. “Every family has that one strange thing in their house, I think. What about you? Any strange childhood fascinations that your parents encouraged?” Her parents had drawn the line at letting her dissect anything until she had the option to do so in school. She didn’t feel that that tidbit of information was worth bringing up, though, as she didn’t want Elliot to think she was a scalpel wielding weirdo. He committed the name of the fashion designer for the upcoming show, and Teagan found herself smiling at him across the table. She never would have talked about fashion on a date like this, and while she could tell it was unfamiliar territory for him, he was making an effort to understand what she liked. “I will enjoy being your guide, don't worry. Vivenne has been incorporating the influence of punk music into her designs, which admittedly is not really a style I feel I could pull off. But I like to dream,” she said with a laugh. Punk music had always appealed to her, and she adored The Sex Pistols - she’d talked about them for ages with her friend Kyra. “Don’t fret about dressing punk though, some people do but most people wear something comfortable. It’s a lot of sitting and people watching.” Teagan didn’t think she had heard anything as grand as having a toad for a pet, until Elliot dropped news of a toad choir on her that some of his classmates had attempted to arrange. She was pretty sure that toads didn’t actually sing, so she had to assume it was the croaking of the toads they had been hoping to control. It brought a laugh out of her, and she reached out across the table to take the hand that was fiddling with his wine glass. “That’s absolutely brilliant, I would love to see a toad choir. Tell me more about your school, you didn’t have televisions you mentioned. What was that like?” She couldn’t imagine going to a school where there was no television, or not having one at home to watch things such as Doctor Who. It seemed odd, she supposed, but then again - there were other ways to occupy one's time instead of sitting in front of a television, and she did those sorts of things often enough. “Did you go to school around London?”
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Elliott Thomas
Civilian
Graduated Ravenclaw
Death is only the end if you assume the story is about you.
Posts: 71
Player: Sam
Title: Unspeakable - The Ministry of Magic
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Post by Elliott Thomas on Nov 22, 2023 4:19:28 GMT
"Oh! Oh, that - that makes more sense, right." Elliott flushed, grateful for the tease in her voice but nervous yet that he would be caught out. At least he had not claimed that someone in his closest circle was in the medical profession, so could hopefully be forgiven for an incorrect assumption here or there, as long as he was not so off base to raise suspicion. Teagan was no fool, she would catch on that something really was off about him if he was anything less than careful. Perhaps starting with wine was not the best idea you've ever had... Nevertheless, he drank as Teagan shared, smiling as he thought of his similar curiosities - as a child, and the many that persisted - and curious mind. Her mind was hungry to learn, determined, and unbothered if its interests felt disparate to an outsider. The important bit was to learn, and enjoy what one was learning about. Had he been the only child in the house, perhaps his parents too would have had to provide memorization assignments to keep him busy. "And what a way to keep a child occupied," he chuckled. "I - er - I suppose that's true." Too much to tell her all about the currency exchange rate debates of the international wizarding community, eh? "My father works for a bank, he - er - well, he taught us what he could about that, my oldest brother was fascinated by it all and works with him now. I took to books, still do. But they noticed I enjoyed puzzles - still do - and indulged me. I've usually got one on me, or have the day's paper in reach." The goblin-made ones are incredible. They're beautiful. Intricate. Practically seamless. Others have enchantments that you have to work out to get through the stages. If I could... Out of his pocket, he took one out - small, to fit in the palm of a hand, and not magical in the slightest - and set it in front of her after a moment's hesitation. Through their shared time at the coffee shop, he knew she was fond of the ones in the paper, and hoped she would appreciate other kinds too. Elliott hardly thought that she would come to the conclusion - unless he became the fool and was careless with something more significant than just a word or two - that he was a wizard. But with their second date already scheduled, somehow - something that he was still reeling from, given that he'd assumed he'd be lucky to even see this one date through - Elliott felt it necessary to have a continued amount of nerves to keep himself as sharp as he could. Without that, could he really manage himself through something even greater outside of his comfort zone? A fashion show? Hopefully, he could strike the balance - alert, but not paranoid. Even if he was completely at a loss to understand what his date was talking about. Punk music was hopefully something that Oliver or a friend was in the know about, at least peripherally, so he could have a frame of reference before attending the show. Which could mean letting more people into this secret, for how else would he have even heard of this "punk music" if he hadn't been in rather involved conversation with a muggle, at the very least?... As it was, the bloke did his best to not show his utter incomprehension on his face. At least Teagan was amiable to be his guide through the experience, which was all he could ask for. "I'm sure there's something that would suit you," he asserted. Logically, there had to be - she was a beautiful woman, how could this designer not create anything that would suit a beautiful woman, and still have her own fashion show? "But I - er - I won't fret about it, then. Comfortable, for sitting and people watching. Do you usually go yourself? Or with a friend?"Thankfully, by some good luck, talk of his old toad and the attempted toad choir were not too outlandish, and Teagan was laughing. And taking his hand. He stilled, and smiled, and released his glass to hold her hand on the table. She was helping him balance - some of this getting-to-know-one-another business could easily be friendship, but here was a gentle reminder that they were out together - and take note, and he did. Elliott shook his head, wishing he had put more thought into the specifics of his "past." When his brother dated a muggle, Oliver steered clear of school, bypassing it as much as possible, turned the conversation to her... "It was something to witness, I must say. Rogue toads hopping away, losing their hats...It was a boarding school out in Scotland, actually." As close to the truth as we can. Less to remember and mistake later on? "Rather old fashioned in many ways. No televisions, little technology. The content of lessons would be similar to what's learned here, I imagine, but the environment is what our parents wanted for us. A place to focus on our studies, learn how to manage ourselves and succeed without them over our shoulders."
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