1 Aug: Do You Like My Sweater? (Edgar, Kyra & Fabian)

[Edgar Bones]

"Oh! Right, this'll do then," Ed declared after her informing him about the formalities of this muggle dance, setting aside the black tie and a pair of khakis. Mum would help him with the rest, make sure he could pass for a muggle, give him some talking points. It was different to be home and chatting with the neighbors, versus with muggles he didn't know, after all. 

"It doesn't have to be too wild," he said with a laugh and wink, "you know I can't do ballet or any of that. Was just thinking - like - " The energetic teen reached around her to flip the switch on the muggle radio he'd begged for, received, and that his parents had instantly regretted giving in to purchasing. It began blaring the chorus of one of the releases from the Beatles' latest, and Eddie, smile on his face and air guitar rocking, backed away from the girl and into the open space in the middle of the room. "Ob-la-di ob-la-da, life goes on bra!" he sang, knowing on some level that he probably should try to be a bit cooler in front of Phoebe, but, well - she'd already done the asking, they were locked into the date, right? Just because things were a little more clear between them didn't mean he needed to change into some sort of suave bloke, yeah?

He reached out an eager hand to Phoebe, smile still on, and once he had her hand in his, Ed moved so that they were close enough for him to put his free hand on her waist, and nod for her to put hers on his shoulder. The song clearly wasn't fit for a slow dance, and he hoped that the next would sort that out for them - if he could only get his wand and charm something romantic on! - but this would at least make it so that their first dance wasn't at the dance. They could be more comfortable there now, couldn't they? And so he swayed and moved them along to the nonsense, grin stretching every time he caught her eye.

Fabs and Gid are gonna give you hell for being away so long...

    Let them, not missing a second of this!

[Phoebe Bones]

Whatever Kyra was doing to keep the twins entertained was long gone from her mind as she watched Edgar, so pleased that she had managed to ask and that he had said yes. There was a chance that nothing would come of this afterwards, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t hope that maybe the dance would be the starting point for something more. The logistics of dating someone who went to a boarding school were far from her mind, however, as he shot her a wink before flipping the radio on.

The Beatles song was one of her new favorites, and she grinned at him happily as he sang along with it. While Edgar and the twins weren’t always up on the latest happenings in their world, she was happy to see that he at least was in touch with something outside of his school. Phoebe took his outstretched hand, moving her hands to his shoulders as he got closer to her. She swayed with him to the music, trying to not just stare at him as they moved.

The song finally changed, and she smiled to herself as the familiar lyrics started to play. “So uhm, when do you go back to school? September, right?”

[Kyra Thatcher]

In no world could the slight girl have pulled her summertime friend off of the staircase of her own accord; she liked to think she was stronger than she was, but her Herculean strength lay latent as Kyra struggled to pull him back to the kitchen. Thankfully, even though there was now music wafting down from the upper level - By Gaia, Eddie, do you need to turn on all the charm? She won’t ever give you up now. - it was with one last look upstairs that Fabian unstuck his feet and came with her. Perhaps part of the success had to do with her taking his hand instead of just trying to push him away bodily, Kyra thought as he smirked down at her, so pleased with himself. The things I do for you, Phoebe Adkins. She had to laugh, though, because - "Honestly, I’d been worried of the same thing. They’re utterly ridiculous, aren’t they? Not saying a word to each other, but filling our ears with talk of the other all summer long. She would've been supremely unhappy if nothing happened. If we didn’t have the dance, I don’t know if Phoebe would’ve - "

Cutting herself off hastily, as she was about to reveal much more than planned - Gotten too comfortable with you! - Kyra let out a short laugh and squeezed Fabian’s hand as they came back to the kitchen. "Why don’t you show me what you boys were up to? Or could pick up a game of football out back while we wait? Wager I can best you, even in a skirt." For as athletic as the trio of blokes was, there was a bit lacking in their skills in sports known to her. Of course, she'd rather perform than run about, but she didn't think the Prewetts would fancy a serenade, and her guitar was all the way back home. That fancy boarding school of theirs was more academic, at least to her knowledge. But picturing the three of them smashing their way through a game of croquet or something else posh - in matching school-coordinated cardigans, no doubt - was nearly enough to get her laughing in earnest, and she grinned as she nodded to the back door.

[Fabian Prewett]

While he was absolutely dying to know the exact details of what was going on upstairs, spending time with Kyra without Edgar around to give him a hard time was a bonus. While he’d have to share this time with her with Gideon, he was still sure that he was going to win this bet. After all, his brother had already retreated back to the kitchen ahead of them, and Kyra was just giving him something interesting to consider. Because dance was something his school had in common with muggle ones, although he wasn’t sure it was exactly the same. If Phoebe was asking Edgar to this dance, Fabian was not about to miss out on it. He wanted to go to a muggle dance, and going with Kyra would easily make him the winner. But it wasn’t as if he could just ask her to go to the dance, it wasn’t his school.

Plus, the change in subject meant she was avoiding telling them more. He exchanged a glance with his brother, knowing there wouldn’t be an easy way to quickly hide the broomsticks in the backyard. And while he was just really getting to know Kyra, what he did know is that she was a curious sort of person. “Don’t try and distract me Kyra, I want to know more about this dance. What kind of dance?” he questioned, positioning himself between her and the back door. Eddie would obviously say yes, or already had given the music, so it didn’t matter if that secret was out. Edgar would obviously tell them everything about it later. “Who are you going with?”

[Edgar Bones]

Ed was heartened by that grin of hers, showing that he was right in thinking he didn't need to change to make her like him. Because Phoebe did, that's what this whole asking-to-the-dance was about, yeah? And she was even game to take his hand and dance with him to the upbeat tune, the floppy-haired bloke having the most fun ever in catching her glittering hazel eyes as they found his again and again. The song changed, shifting into a slow new ballad full of - er - feelings. He felt a slight rise of heat to his cheeks and hoped he wasn't completely giving himself away as they slowed to match the leisurely tempo.

This guy's in love with you
You say this guy
This guy's in love with you
Yes I'm in love
Who looks at you the way I do
When you smile...

"Yeah, the first," he replied, grateful for the distraction from the song. "Sorta - er - sorta wishing I could stay, though. Always - er - " Are you a Gryffindor or what?! Get it out! " - always miss you when I leave." Ed cleared his throat, a hopeful smile eeking out as he looked at her. They'd never gotten sentimental when it came time for him and his siblings to go to King's Cross, just waves and hollers of goodbye out of the car windows. But what was the harm in admitting it? If she didn't feel the same, there were only a few weeks left before he would be back at Hogwarts and away from the embarrassment. And if she did feel the same, well - then they would figure out a way to make "them" work.

[Phoebe Bones]

Dancing with Edgar around his bedroom was like something out of a fairytale, stolen glances to each other making her heart flutter. If she could, she would spend all day doing this. Even knowing that Fabian and Gideon could come bounding up the stairs at any minute and ruin everything, dancing with Edgar in his room was worth every second. Kyra would question her later, and they’d over analyze the details together. Like how Edgar’s face turned red as the song changed, and how she’d realized how close she had gotten to him as their tempo slowed down. She wanted to keep these memories in her mind forever, because at the end of the summer he would be gone until Christmas, and that made her heart ache in a way it hadn’t always done in the past. The Bones’ kids leaving for their boarding school was a part of life, as inevitable as her own return to school in just a few weeks.

Her face felt warm as Edgar spoke, a blush creeping onto her cheeks as he admitted to missing her when he left. Of course she had missed him in years prior, they’d grown up together. But she knew this year would be different, that things between them weren’t the same as they had always been. Could you really handle him being that far away? There had to be girls at this school he went to, and he got to spend far more time with them than he ever did with her. “I miss you too,” she said, looking up to meet his eyes. “It’s just not the same around here when you’re off at that school.”

[Kyra Thatcher]

"You're really not being fair, there's two of you, and you're - tall - " Kyra laughingly complained as she surveyed her new stuck-inside status, arms crossed over her middle. Fabian was bodily blocking the way out, and Gideon was headed towards the kitchen's entrance... Damn it all, she thought with a look at the ceiling, through which Phoebe was getting up to who knows what with the neighbor boy. You owe me. "It's just a pre-term social at school! Probably going to be full of tables about clubs we're supposed to join so we have less time for delinquency. Joke's on them - getting my one year of madrigals in for something to add to uni applications and then calling it." The club was a bit ridiculous, but at least she'd get to perform in a sick medieval princess costume a few times during the year. And the only people embarrassed by such things were those who allowed themselves to be, so...mum's making you do something, may as well have a laugh at it.

The blonde cocked her head, considering the pair of them before turning her eyes to Fabian. He wouldn't get the wrong idea, right? They'd just be going as friends, super spy-like keeping an eye on Phoebe and Eddie, life-vests at the ready in case things got weird. "What's got you so interested? Gotten bored hanging out here with Eddie? I haven't decided who I'm taking yet. You could throw your hat into the ring, if you want. Only allowed one guest, though, so...I could probably find another friend to take one of you."

[Fabian Prewett]

Fabian grinned at his brother as the girl complained, pleased to see that Gideon was dutifully blocking the only other way out of the kitchen. Maybe if he was fast enough, and Kyra distracted enough, his twin would be able to go spy on Eddie while Fabian won the bet that they had made regarding one Kyra Thatcher. The girl was giving him an answer to his questions, and he had to smirk as he took all the information in. He knew so little about muggle schools, but this one sounded fascinating! Did all of them have clubs, or was it just the school Kyra and Phoebe went to? Madrigals must have been some sort of club, singing, maybe?, although that was all he could figure out from that. It was intriguing to know that there were similarities between Hogwarts and this secondary school the girls went to.

“We don’t get bored, but a mug-“ he caught himself with an awkward laugh. “We don’t have dances at our school.” That was a lie, and he didn’t miss the smirk he was receiving over Kyra’s shoulder. “At least not the fun kind,” was an afterthought, Fabian deciding a half truth was at least better than a flat out lie. The Halloween Masquerade was fun, but they didn’t listen to muggle music or dress the way muggles did at those sorts of events. This was his chance to be the champion, the five galleon winner. As long as Kyra picked him. “I’m a better dancer than Gideon is, and much better at spying on Eddie than he is too,” he said with a wink to his brother, who hadn’t taken this opportunity to go and investigate upstairs. “And then you can show me madrigals.”

[Edgar Bones]

"Well, if that's the case, guess I'd better just not go," Eddie replied, hands clasping at her lower back to bring her just that much closer to him. He shot her a grin, both of them knowing he wouldn't be able to back out of going to his boarding school (for more reasons than Phoebe could ever know, it wasn't like he could perfect his magic at her school, no matter how epic it would be to spend his days with her) - but there wasn't harm in imagining another life, was there? One where they could walk to and from school together, studying and snogging in the halls and after hours, supporting each other's extracurricular's like no one else. It would be a good life, if not for the complication of him being a wizard.

You shouldn't even consider being with her, the more rational part of his teenage mind - for yes, it did exist - berated him. Just get both of your hopes up, impossible for it to actually last. What, like you're gonna marry her? A muggle? When they've already got targets on their backs they don't know about?

But, as always when it came to this girl, the inner voice with the cadence of his Head of House was shut out by...other voices. Spurring Eddie on, telling him to go for it, to live the life he wanted with those who made him the happiest. And that - beyond his family and friends - was Phoebe Adkins. The girls he'd dated at school hadn't brought him this; they didn't make him blush just because they were listening to a sappy song together. They didn't make him want to say he'd stay, just because he knew it'd make her smile. I'd stay, if I could. I really would. F*ck Scotland, let's found a wizarding school in Barking...

The peacefulness of the song faded out, the radio announcer hyping up the commercial break - "But don't you touch that dial - we'll be right back!" - before a jingle for a local grocer replaced the dancing music. Ed smiled down at her, chuckling a bit as he brought his arms from around her, hands digging into his pockets. "Hate to say it, but we should probably get back down - almost forgot they were there, but I don't fancy leaving Kyra alone with the twins for too long. Dunno who's torturing who, but I'd wager something's going on."

[Phoebe Bones]

Did he know how many butterflies were in her stomach as he mentioned not returning to school, how much she so wished that was something he could do. Phoebe knew that school was important, and that a boarding school probably offered a good education - it wasn’t her school. None of the boys were as funny as Edgar was, none of them made her heart skip a beat when they looked at her. Not even Nicholas, the popular football player having tried to ask sweet talk her over this summer. Each and every moment she had stolen away to see Eddie and his friends had been taken to do just that, and September was a month away but still far too soon. At the very least though, they had this. A dance together in his bedroom, her best friend dutifully keeping the twins occupied so that she could ask Edgar to the dance.

Was it silly to hope that they could survive his not seeing each other? She could call him at the boarding school - couldn’t she? It wasn’t a question Phoebe had ever thought to ask, but she had to assume that he and his siblings spoke to their parents on a regular basis. The family was one of the closest families that she knew, the five of them. As they swayed in his room, Phoebe’s head resting against him as he held her close - it was right. Maybe she was fifteen and too young to know what she wanted, but how could she not want this? When it made her so happy? The song was ending too soon, and he was shoving his hands in his pockets as they now stood awkwardly in his room. “Well obviously Kyra would be the one doing the torturing, she’s got brothers. She’s an expert at it,” she teased him, holding her hand out to take his.

They were soon down the stairs, Phoebe calling out for Kyra as they reached the bottom of the stairs. Turning to look up at Edgar, she placed a kiss on his cheek, a blush spreading across her face. “See you soon, yeah?”

[Kyra Thatcher]

"Who said anything about spying?" Kyra had to give a genuine grin as Fabian read her mind - if he really was willing to help her keep tabs on their friends, then maybe taking him along wouldn't be such a horrible idea. They'd have a laugh, always did, and while she was ninety percent certain that Phoebe and Eddie would have a good time, and no one would step out of bounds...what was a friend worth if she didn't watch your back? She bit her lip, eyeing both of the twins, before holding her hand out to Fabian to shake, blue eyes light with excitement. For while this was only for a lark, really, seeing as the Prewetts went to that same mysterious boarding school that the Bones did, there was no denying that she was looking forward to it much more now that she had such a fit date. "All right then, deal. You can come to the fun dance with me, show me all your moves, and help me keep an eye on them."

It wasn't much longer at all until she heard steps on the stairs, and she exchanged a knowing raise of the brows with Fabian before trotting off towards the front of the house at Phoebe's call. Arriving in time to see both lovestruck puppies red in the face, Kyra was left simply grinning as she eyed her best friend. You're welcome. You have to tell me everything when we get back to yours. "We'll call you about details, and don't worry Giddy, I'll find you a friend too." She took Phoebe's arm and headed outside, doing her best to seem a mite in control of herself, but despite her relative cynicism about love, she couldn't help but be happy for her friend. "Well don't you look like the cat that ate the canary. I'm starving for details!"

[Fabian Prewett]

There was no way he wanted to miss out on a perfect opportunity to spy on one of his best friends, Kyra had to understand that. While she may be doing her job and keeping them from spying on Edgar in the current moment, surely she wanted to know what was going on upstairs just as much as they did. It seemed like he was right, as the girl held out her hand to him. He turned to shoot his brother a wink before he shook her hand, trying to act natural about the whole situation. “I’ve got some good moves, you won’t be disappointed.” He could learn to dance properly before the dance, couldn’t he? He was almost positive there wouldn’t be any formal dancing at this sort of thing, but he knew so little about the muggle world. The sound of footsteps on the stairs drew his attention, and he shot Kyra a grin as he followed her towards the front of the house.

Both Eddie and Phoebe were blushing, and Fabian had to bite his tongue to keep from making some sort of snarky comment at his friend. “Oh look Gid, they’re gonna find you a friend. Guess you’ll get to go after all,” he teased his brother, waving at the two girls as they left. As soon as the door closed, Edgar received a punch on the arm from Fabian, who was no longer containing his laughter. “So tell us, who asked who to the dance? Oh I know all about the dance,” he said with raised eyebrows, his gaze shifting to his brother. “Five galleons Gid, better pay up.” With a smirk to them both, Fabian was headed back to the backyard, scooping his broom from the ground.

[Edgar Bones]

I'm going to thank you properly for this one day, Eddie thought as the neighbor girl rested her head to his chest, right above his pounding heart. Because being here with Phoebe, holding her like this - however innocent it was - and going to this muggle dance together, Ed knew they were taking figurative steps together too. Towards something that, for him at least, was better, more meaningful, than what he'd had with girls at school before. He'd had a bit of fun this last year, to be sure - had a lark taking them on adventures around Hogwarts and Hogsmeade, but never really finding enough in common, or someone who knew him (the excuses piled up, really) - but hadn't had a proper girlfriend. Phoebe Adkins, though...the muggle girl understood him, besides magic and all. They could always find something to talk about, wasn't ever a stretch, an awkwardness between them; they got on famously, had for years; they cared about each other, enough to keep in touch for months without seeing each other...He felt good around her, and she didn't have to try anything special to get him giddy. And, if Eddie was reading things right, she felt the same about him. Could he really be so lucky to find his person to love, and that she'd been right next door this whole time?

"Oi, they've got a sister," Ed replied with a wink over at her, taking Phoebe's offered hand in his own as they headed out of his room. "Not that they can hold their own against Molly, but they try." He heard a commotion as soon as they started down the stairs, and was eager to hear all that had happened on this level while he and Phoebe had been in their own world - and being caught up in that, perhaps, led to another grand surprise.

"Er - yeah, yeah, see you soon," Eddie stammered after she'd popped a kiss onto his cheek, hoping he wasn't turning as red as she was, although she really did look so pretty all flushed like that. Kyra was sweeping her way through the house and took Phoebe away, and as he closed the door he already heard them chattering away. He let loose a grin and leaned his back against the front door, not fast enough to dodge the swift knock to his arm delivered by Fabian. "Shite man, I'm no Bludger," he retorted, but sprung out from the door to follow them outside when - "You two've got nothing better to do than bet on me? And you didn't include me in this? Could've swept the floor with you tossers!" As they took again to the sky, Ed shared most of what had gone on between Phoebe and himself, not embarrassed that she'd been the one to step up. This was going to be good, especially knowing that his best mates would be at the dance too...We've got this.