Year/Job
Ancient Runes Professor
rouch
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Post by Nicole Halley on Jan 26, 2024 5:15:03 GMT -8
Friday, Early Evening | Hog's Head Pub Ole made the solitary walk along the path connecting Hogwarts grounds to the Hogsmeade. It was odd making the trip as an adult. Not only did she feel like she was breaking some rule going to the village on a weekday, the path was oddly quiet. Every other time she had made this trip, students crowded the way. The sounds of excitement filled the air. It was Friday and small din could be heard at the end of the path. A small wizarding village coming alive for its inhabitants. Certainly not the chaos of a Hogsmeade weekend for the students, but a thriving, safe area for witches and wizards. Making a mental note to visit more often, it would help her integrate her magic in her daily life. Maybe. If being at Hogwarts hadn't done that yet, she wondered how long it would take before it came as naturally as it had for so many. Probably as long as it takes for you to accept your life has changed, Ole told herself. Stepping out into the edge of the village, it still felt like a time capsule. Carriages were used, not cars. Flames lit the way, not electricity. Like a scene out of a Charles Dickenson story. The illusion fell apart when one looked closer and saw some carriages were pulling themselves. Pots on open flames stirred themselves. Dishes cleaned themselves. Ole could appreciate that magic could make her life more efficient. Free her up to read more, write more. She should reach out to Yuri and see if he needed any assistance that summer. One thing at a time. The Three Broomsticks gleamed in front of her, but her appointment requested the less traveled Hog's Head. Sticky floors and dirty steins awaited her. It added to the mystery of the request. A Gringotts Curse Breaker needed a consult. Ole was more than happy to take a look, but she might find out why he didn't see out a ministry expert. Stepping into the pub, she looked around, suddenly aware that she had no idea what the man looked like. She'd trust Wiley knew what she looked like since he requested the meeting. Ole took a seat and was surprised when a server stopped at her table. She expected to have to go to the bar. "I'll take a pint of whatever you have on draft," she said, looking at the bar and saw one tap. Maybe she should have gone with a capped bottle. Before she could change her mind, the server was off, asking others for their orders. A glass appeared in front of her. It was clean and the liquid within was chilled. Turning to look at the bar again, the barkeep winked at her. Ole wasn't put out. If his flirting meant she didn't get salmonella from her beer, she'd endure. Raising the glass in thanks, she took a drink and waited. Tag: Wiley Dempsey
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Year/Job
Curse-Breaker
Thinking will not overcome fear but action will. |
rouch
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Post by Wiley Dempsey on Jan 28, 2024 7:25:51 GMT -8
"Wiley Dempsey. Wiley Dempsey, we have an assignment," Monx said, chasing her along the marble floor of the bank.
The relentless goblin in charge of customer relations always had a special request on a Friday night. "Monx. I'm off the clock. If you need something looked at, asked Walter. He's on call."
The goblin did a little hop in frustration as she angled herself in Wiley's path. "No. No. This is a very important client. Walter is too new. I need you."
Crossing her arms in front of her, Wiley didn't often set boundaries. It was why the goblin thought she could change Wiley's mind. She bent down slightly to get a better look into Monx's eyes. "If you don't like the turn over of your curse breakers, treat them better. Like give them the personal time they've earned after not getting dead for the week." Standing straight, Wiley didn't want to make anyone think she was being condescending while making her point. "I have plans this weekend. If you still have this problem on Monday, we'll talk. If it's urgent, you're stuck with Walter." Side stepping the being, Wiley walked out the employee exit and disapparated as soon as she was outside the protections of the bank. She popped into existence in Hogsmeade. A small part of proud of the line she had drawn for herself. She also couldn't help but think she was about to do to Nicole Halley what Monx had just tried to do with her. Rope the witch into a special project with an unknown number of risks. The difference was that that was Wiley's job. Nicole Halley was an academic. She'd have to trend lightly and not force the professor into a situation she was unequipped to handle. But she was a witch, which meant she wasn't a helpless academic. Stepping into the Hog's Head, Wiley shook off the chill. She prefered this pub from the Three Broomsticks because everyone minded their own business there.
Spotting her perspective partner, Wiley nodded at the barkeep. "Keeping your hands to yourself, Bart?" she asked.
He gave her a wink, "Not sure yet." A bottle floated to Wiley.
Wiley plucked it from the air and sat down across from Nicole Halley. "Professor Halley. Or do you go by Doctor?" she asked, wanted to get off on the right foot with the witch.
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Year/Job
Ancient Runes Professor
rouch
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Post by Nicole Halley on Jan 28, 2024 14:20:43 GMT -8
The beer was very much on the bitter side. A quality Ole liked. At first it surprised her that the bar would waste their single tap on a beer that had a required choice and not a pilsner or stout that would be better suited for a wider customer base. Then she decided it was exactly the type of thing a pub like the Hog's Head would do. They'd like to have a divisive option so they could tell a complainer that they could leave if they didn't like it. Not wanting to encourage the advances of the barkeep, she didn't give away her opinion of the beer either way.
When a red-haired witch entered, it was clear she was a regular who had Bart's number. Ole smiled as she called him out but was surprised when she dropped down in the chair across from her. Even more surprised to learn the witch was her appointment. Kicking herself, Ole realized she had made assumptions on gender based on job choices. Something that had happened to her a number of times. It was disconcerting to confront her own prejudices. Slightly out of sorts, she tried to formulate an answer to her question. "Um, Doctor in the muggle world and professor in the magical world. In a professional context," she said and looked at her surroundings. Professional had left the room. "Call me Ole. And you're Wiley Dempsey?"
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Year/Job
Curse-Breaker
Thinking will not overcome fear but action will. |
rouch
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Post by Wiley Dempsey on Jan 30, 2024 17:53:49 GMT -8
Wiley wasn't sure how to interpret the look on Professor Halley's face. Confusion. Surprise. Maybe she was just out of sorts being the Hog's Head. She leaned forward. "Did Bart put his hands on you? I'll knock his block off if he touched you," Wiley said and threw a dangerous look at the handsy bartender. "Bart! Did you get fresh with the Professor?"
"Didn't touch her. Can if she wants," he said with a grin until he noticed Wiley was serious. He raised both hands, had the decency to look scared. "Been here behind the tap the whole time."
Wiley believed him. Mostly. "He's harmless," Wiley said, hoping it was an misunderstanding if something went on. "You're alright?"
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Year/Job
Ancient Runes Professor
rouch
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Post by Nicole Halley on Jan 30, 2024 18:05:16 GMT -8
It took Ole far to long to figure out what the red head was going on about. She looked from Wiley to the bar and back. Then it all made sense. Shaking her head, she reached over the table and stopped Wiley from doing anything. "No. No. That's not it. You just weren't what I was expecting is all," Ole explained and sat back in her chair again. Considering the profession the witch had chosen, Ole wasn't surprised that Wiley wasn't afraid of confrontation. It was a much different approach than she was used to. Most of her experiences were approached with thoughtfulness first and action after thorough analysis. While a curse breaker might need to expect the worst and act before the worst took you out, that didn't mean some sober reflection couldn't be exercised when there wasn't a curse to be found.
"Your note said you needed a consultation?" Ole asked, changing the subject. As she looked the red head over, there wasn't an obvious artifact to study. Maybe it was small. Or there was just a picture or rubbing to review.
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Year/Job
Curse-Breaker
Thinking will not overcome fear but action will. |
rouch
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Post by Wiley Dempsey on Jan 30, 2024 18:36:21 GMT -8
Wiley smiled wide at the assessment of her. "I'm not what most people expect. Keep people on their toes and they're off balance if you need to attack," she assessed. Pulling out a scroll, Wiley liked Ole's style. Get down to business. She didn't entertain the thought that Ole just wanted to be on her way. Pulling out a scroll, Wiley tapped it on the table. As much as she wanted to get to the negotiation stage of the meeting, some finesse might be needed so as to not scare Ole away. "I read your report about your findings in ruins in Greece. You left out some events."
It wasn't an accusation. Wiley didn't even know for sure that there was more to the story. She was just very familiar with the area of the site. It was littered with traps and curses. It just wasn't possible that something hadn't been found that needed to be disarmed. It had been a muggle outfit the doctor was with. Wiley wanted to know how the professor handled herself in a dangerous situation without exposing magic.
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Year/Job
Ancient Runes Professor
rouch
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Post by Nicole Halley on Feb 3, 2024 15:54:06 GMT -8
Shifting in her seat, Ole didn't particularly want to talk about her experience in Greece. She was running away from her problems and not entirely concerned about consequences. When she recognized enchantment on the obelisk, her wand was out. She was going to protect the muggles in her group at all costs. She'd been able to hide the rune covered artefact before anyone touched it. It stayed hidden long enough for her to return for it alone and to ship it off to the ministry. Looking back on it, it was likely how her friends had tracked her down. It hadn't been long after her shipment and report that her oldest friends from Hogwarts had appeared in her tent.
"My report was an academic article. For a muggle publication. I'm not sure what you imagine I could have left out? The odd usage of a biliteral sign at the end of unlitieral glyphs in a Persian tablet?" Ole asked. Only then did it occur to her that Wiley might have been the recipient of the obelisk. She was being defensive for likely no reason. "It felt like an artistic choice. I didn't think the scribe needed my critique."
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Year/Job
Curse-Breaker
Thinking will not overcome fear but action will. |
rouch
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Post by Wiley Dempsey on Feb 3, 2024 16:42:45 GMT -8
Wiley's eyebrows raised in surprise at the response. It was more passion than she expected from a Ravenclaw. The biting sarcasm was expected. Even if Wiley didn't understand the difference between a unliteral glyph and bilteral sign. The corner of her mouth went up. She like this witch. "I've spent a fair bit of time in that area of Greece. Seems strange there was a Persian tablet there. Or a cursed obelisk," she said, knowing she'd get Ole's attention. The reaction was more important to her than the answer. She already knew why both objects were there. It was why she was seeking the professor out in the first place. The expertise paired with the experience in tight, dangerous, ancient places was exactly what Wiley needed. And Nicole Halley was the only witch with the right credentials. If Wiley was going to convince Ole to go on a expedition on her free time, there needed to be proper motivation. Wiley needed to know what made the older witch tick. What ignited the passion.
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Year/Job
Ancient Runes Professor
rouch
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Post by Nicole Halley on Feb 3, 2024 17:08:29 GMT -8
Ole felt a twinge of embarrassment. She didn't often pop off and she chalked it up to the experiences in her life she was avoiding during the time Wiley was probing. Sitting back, she took a drink and several deep breaths. Her body was reacting like the curse-breaker was a threat. "I'm sorry. That trip. It wasn't my finest hour," she admitted, took another drink. "I thought I could assist the muggle researchers and it turned into a protection detail. At a time in my life when I hadn't been routinely using magic. I wasn't expecting to need it."
Refocusing her mind, she considered the observations Wiley had made. They were insightful and told Ole that even if the witch sitting across from her hadn't gone through academic studies, she'd seen enough in the field to know what she was talking about. "The Greeks were highly influenced by the Egyptians. We'd expect to find some mixing of written items. That's how language spread. Learning from civilizations before them. Improving or adapting for their needs. The tablet wasn't suspicious to me, though a surprising find. The obelisk though. That was out of place. The age of the runes didn't match the condition. When I looked closer, I saw the warnings in the runes. I probably should have contacted the Greek magical authority. I didn't want to explain myself." To the witches or wizards that would have responded or to the muggles who were with her. "Did you break the curse then?" she asked, wondering if that was why the meeting had been requested. It would be strange all these months later, but Ole still wasn't sure what Wiley wanted from her. Maybe Ole had done something wrong when she shipped it.
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Year/Job
Curse-Breaker
Thinking will not overcome fear but action will. |
rouch
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Post by Wiley Dempsey on Feb 8, 2024 16:08:56 GMT -8
Not wanting to be intrusive, Wiley didn't know much about the professor's past. Only what she read from her scholarly work. It wasn't her business to know why Nicole wasn't in the practice of using magic. She was proficient enough to protect the muggles from the nasty curse on the artefact. It was noticeable that the subject was changed subtly and Nicole appeared much more comfortable in professor mode. As background on the topic was laid out, it was the proficiency in the historical knowledge that lead Wiley to seek out the older witch. "You did the right thing," Wiley encouraged her, "the Greek authorities are often more concerned with preserving artefacts over a risk to innocent lives. The obelisk was brought to me. The curse was dispatched and the object was returned to the appropriate keepers of such antiquities." It was a very sanitized version of events. The curse was easy enough, the politics of it all had been a bit much for Wiley's tastes. Leaning forward, Wiley dropped her voice. "They way you handled this is why I'm here. I wonder if you'd be interested in a little adventure?" Even as she asked the question, Wiley knew the promise of adventure might not pique the interest of the Ravenclaw. A scroll in her pocket was the real enticement.
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