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As you enter through the front door, you are greeting with the sight of the open living room and dining room combination. You can do what you want with this space, whether that be adding a dining table to the left hand side giving a comfortable location to eat or have the room just be one large living space. If you walk all the way through the designated living room area, there is a sliding glass door leading out to your personal balcony that looks out over the Alley. This is a great space to sit to drink your mid afternoon tea or early morning coffee - or the perfect spot for a little garden!
As you walk further down the hall, the entry to your left is where your kitchen can be located. Kitchen comes equipped with all the necessary appliances, dishwasher included for those who prefer to give their spell casting a break. Right across the hall from the kitchen is a cupboard that can be used for storage space.
Directly next to the storage cupboard is a door leading to the first bedroom. This room is slightly smaller than the master, but still a decent amount of space - closet equipped with a sliding door to contain your belongings. Or if you don't need room for an extra bed, this is perfect for an office space or studio for whatever your artistry is.
A little further down the main hall, and you'll encounter another door on the left side. This is where the main restroom is located. Main restroom includes a single sink, toilet, shower and bathtub. Cabinets and a medicine mirror give plenty of storage space for your toiletries as well.
The last room at the very end of the hall is where the largest bedroom resides, with a walk in closet and an en-suite half bath included. The walk in closet has plenty of built in shelves so that you can layer your shoes and personal effects, while the bathroom has a single sink and a toilet for use.
All rooms have plenty of windows for natural lighting, and in the kitchen there is a little booklet provided by Nesting Occamy with phone numbers for leasing agents and maintenance for any issues that may arise. Welcome home!
OOC: This thread is reserved for the personal use of the characters listed above. Please do not post in here unless invited by thread owners. If you would like your own flat, application and process can be located here.
All SS site rules must be adhered to at all times in this thread. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to any of the Diagon Alley Proprietors, Moderators or Site Admins.
SPOILER!!: Click for Hartley's bio!
Model: Grant Gustin {current}
Post Colour: Vanilla Ice {F38FA9}
Name: Hartley Stonewall Prefers/Nickname: Hartley, Hart Pronouns: He/Him/His Blood Status: Half Blood Date of Birth: 31st August, 2087 Zodiac: Virgo Orientation: Bisexual Relationship Status: Taken Place of Residency:Nesting Occamy Flat in Diagon Alley, London, United Kingdom Previous Place of Residency: Cairo, Egypt Place of Birth: St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies, London, United Kingdom
Height: 6’’ 2’/188cm Weight: 165 lbs/75 kg Eye Color: Blue Hair Color: Brown Complexion: Fair Build: Slightly muscular Tattoo(s): TBA Other: TBA Dress Style: Converse {usually white}, skinny jeans {black or blue}, tee shirt {usually plain}
Career: Historian, specialising in studying artefacts & runes for Ministries around the world
Attended:
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry {Ravenclaw - 2098 - 2105} OWL Results:
Ancient Runes: O
Arithmancy: O
Astronomy: A
Charms:E
CoMC: E
DADA: E
Divination: A
Herbology: E
History of Magic: O
Muggle Studies: O
Potions: O
Transfiguration: E
NEWT Results:
Ancient Runes: O
Arithmancy: O
Astronomy: E
Charms:O
CoMC: E
DADA: O
Divination: E
Herbology: E
History of Magic: O
Muggle Studies: O
Potions: O
Transfiguration: O
Wizarding University, Cairo Campus {majoring in History & History of Magic: 2105 - 2109}
Attending:
Wizarding University, Edinburgh Campus {majoring in Archaeology September: 2111 to 2115}
Wand: Elder wood, unicorn tail hair core, 13 and a 1/2 inches, hard flexibility Signature:
SPOILER!!: Click
Boggart: TBD Amortentia: TBD Patronus: Capuchin Monkey Fave Colours: TBD Laterality: Right Likes: travelling the world; Dislikes: TBD Languages: English, Arabic Can Read: Ancient Runes, Hieroglyphics Weaknesses: Dafydd Strengths: TBD Extra: TBD Prized Possessions: TBD
2089 {turns 2 years} - Enrolled at St. Woboldo's Primary School {Hexagon Alley, London} for Infant Class.
2090 {turns 3 years} - Enrolled at St. Woboldo's Primary School {Hexagon Alley, London} for Infant Class; Graduated; Enrolled at St. Woboldo's Primary School {Hexagon Alley, London} for Nursery Class.
2091 {turns 4 years} - Enrolled at St. Woboldo's Primary School {Hexagon Alley, London} for Nursery Class; Graduated; Enrolled at St. Woboldo's Primary School {Hexagon Alley, London} for Year R Class.
2092 {turns 5 years} - Enrolled at St. Woboldo's Primary School {Hexagon Alley, London} for Year R Class; Graduated; Enrolled at St. Woboldo's Primary School {Hexagon Alley, London} for Year 1 Class.
2093 {turns 6 years} - Enrolled at St. Woboldo's Primary School {Hexagon Alley, London} for Year 1 Class; Graduated; Enrolled at St. Woboldo's Primary School {Hexagon Alley, London} for Year 2 Class.
2094 {turns 7 years} - Enrolled at St. Woboldo's Primary School {Hexagon Alley, London} for Year 2 Class; Graduated; Enrolled at St. Woboldo's Primary School {Hexagon Alley, London} for Year 3 Class
2095 {turns 8 years} - Enrolled at St. Woboldo's Primary School {Hexagon Alley, London} for Year 3 Class; Graduated; Enrolled at St. Woboldo's Primary School {Hexagon Alley, London} for Year 4 Class.
2096 {turns 9 years} - Enrolled at St. Woboldo's Primary School {Hexagon Alley, London} for Year 4 Class; Graduated; Enrolled at tSt. Woboldo's Primary School {Hexagon Alley, London} for Year 5 Class.
2097 {turns 10 years} - Enrolled at St. Woboldo's Primary School {Hexagon Alley, London} for Year 5 Class; Graduated; Enrolled at St. Woboldo's Primary School {Hexagon Alley, London} for Year 6 Class.
2098 {turns 11 years} - Enrolled at St. Woboldo's Primary School {Hexagon Alley, London} for Year 6 Class; Graduated; Started out at Hogwarts - Sorted into Ravenclaw.
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
Hartley still found it difficult to believe that he had actually gone through with his plans, even if he was still a little uncertain about them. The main one being securing a flat so that he was once again living full time in the UK. He couldn’t be happier about having Evan as his flatmate. They had always gotten along well at Hogwarts, and Evan had always been a great student to mentor - very disciplined, very studious.
The second plan was applying to WU locally to study Archaeology - and he had only just gotten the confirmation that he had gotten in. Hartley was standing in the living room reading the acceptance letter again and again…
and again.
Until he let out a triumphant WHOOP!!! And started dancing around before hopping onto the couch and bouncing on it for a bit. “I GOT IN!”
Then his feet were back on the floor as he started waltzing about dangerously, threatening to knock over chairs that went with the dining table.
He’d settled into living out of the house pretty quickly. Evan had gotten lucky that around the time Nesting Occamy opened he’d been looking for a place, and even luckier still when his long-time friend and History of Magic mentor had been looking as well. Evan knew they had a difference in personalities, but their interests were very similar and he’d often got along with people polar opposite from him and even successfully lived with his siblings so.. It had seemed like it could be a good pairing.
And truthfully, so far so good. It was nice having someone with whom he could discuss things he’d learned that day at school or ask further explanation on things that were only mentioned in passing in class from his historian flatmate. He wasn’t quite sure what benefits he brought to the table outside of the shared rent, but you wouldn’t catch him complaining.
Hearing the loud whoop from the living room, Evan made his way out into the hall from his room and headed out, turning the corner towards where their dining set was located - juuuust in time to grab a chair that had been knocked askew before it topped over. “Congratulations!” He said, a grin on his face. “You got accepted into the archaeology program?” He was pretty certain that was the only think Hart had applied for, but he wanted to be certain.
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Let them point and laugh at who we are, it's you and me here dancing from the start
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
Hartley actually went and crashed into a few of those chairs, knocking them helter skelter. Not on purpose though… he just happened to ignore the fact that any sort of furniture posed a threat of inflicting bodily harm. Blame it on the burst of happiness he was currently experiencing. “OUCH!’’ The littlest toe on his right foot collided with a chair and… man! THE AGONY!!! Hart soon found himself hopping on his left foot and clutching at his toe, which felt as though the bone had smashed, by the way.
It was exactly in this position that Evan found him. “I did,’’ Hart managed through gritted teeth. Geez, this was quite the way to celebrate the exciting news, wasn’t it? Taking a deep breath, he tested his stance on the injured foot. The toe was violently throbbing but thankfully not broken. “Archaeology, that’s the one!” Hart managed a genuine grin. “Thanks, Evan! I start in September. I’ll still be working so you might be seeing less of me but we’ll still be flatmates- flatties? -, okay?” Because Hartley loved having Evan as a companion, no matter how different they were. In any case, they had always meshed together quite well.
With the chairs all back in their correct spots, the ouch finally caught his attention and he walked to the hall closet to grab out their first aid kit - just in case. Grabbing a potion bottle that would help with pain, he headed back towards the table and offered the small bottle towards Hartley. "This should help." His Healer in training brother had certainly made sure he was well stocked on all the necessities in this area.
"Congratulations, again! That's pretty exciting! And September is just around the corner. Which university location did you get accepted into again?" If it was Edinburgh, maybe they could co-port at times, though apparation was certainly easy enough. Even if not particularly Evan's favorite mode of transportation. "We'll figure out a flatmate night for movies or dinner or something to catch up." He wasn't too concerned - they did well enough as it was now, even with two busy schedules. It was just about to be even more so. The searching for the right term to call them certainly did get a chuckle from the younger individual though. "And in honor of your accomplishment, should we order in dinner to celebrate?"
On Evan of course.
Or probably in this case, Alexander Nam. Muggle pizza parlours were always good.
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Let them point and laugh at who we are, it's you and me here dancing from the start
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
Leave it to Evan to be one hundred percent prepared for all emergencies. Hartley eased himself onto one of the comfy chairs, furious with himself for inflicting pain on, of course, himself. He hated any sort of physical pain, which was why he was always extra careful when out and about on his job. “Thanks, Evan.” Unstoppering the bottle, Hartley joking asked, “Are we prepared for an Inferi apocalypse too?” No, seriously. You just never know when that time might come… “Er, how much of this do I need to take? I feel like the entire thing would make the pain go away in a split second.
“Thanks, mate! I am beyond thrilled, honestly.” Evan would know all about him being unsettled and basically have an early-life crisis. “I think this programme will help me feel grounded.” Having to focus on something else that wasn’t work would give his life more purpose and possibly quell the need to keep settling in one city to another around the globe. “Edinburgh. We get to be learning buddies again.” Wasn’t that exciting? Being learning buddies would perhaps make up for Hart being out of the apartment on work assignments. “I definitely will not say no to flatmate dates! You can count on me to bring all the exotic snacks." From Egypt to India to Chile... he'd get the all.
“I’d love that! I’m down for anything. Lots of anything.’’ This was his way of saying he was famished.
Hey, receiving good news certainly helped a guy in working up an appetite.
In truth, he couldn't really take all the credit for this particular preparation - as that was very much his older brother's influence. And in some aspects of the box, Maya's as well - her having fired him some of her bandage collection when he'd moved out. He saved those though as last resort. "as long as you have your wand on hand and can cast a decent Incendio we should be okay." He was lucky enough to have not been outside the castle during the war, so he had not seen inferi first hand - but sounded like some flame could do well to get rid of them. That, and apparently a well timed bridge drop. "Half the bottle will numb it but the full should repair. Take however much you'd like." He could always get more later.
"As you should be. You worked hard for this too." Something to ground the older male would be good too. Evan certainly wouldn't say anything, but he had noticed the change in Hartley and what seemed to be a feeling of listness. School gave direction, and options. Which was probably why Evan was personally so fond of it. "Excellent. We can have more study sessions then. And maybe one of our courses in History of Magic will even overlap." Wouldn't that be kind of fun? The former Ravenclaw chuckled, nodding his head. He'd be dishonest if he was to say he didn't look forward to more exotic foods - but he also just looked forward to the new stories Hart would have. "I will hold you to that. We can call tonight's celebration the first one!"
Hearing the request for a lot of food, Ev rifled through take out menus - pulling out a Chinese food phamplet, a pizza parlor and a Korean BBQ that always sent way more food than what was necessary. "Any of these sounds good?"
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Let them point and laugh at who we are, it's you and me here dancing from the start
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
Either way, it was nice that Evan was prepared for minor disasters. You’d think that Hart would have been so as well since he was always out and about among some dangerous artefacts; he supposed he depended too much on magic but a good old first aid kit was helpful as well. “True that. I would say stocking up on some food wouldn’t be a bad thing either.” He believed that was a good idea; it was something the Muggles did in the event of the Zombie apocalypse, yeah? “Half it is. I don’t think I cracked a bone. A sprain, maybe…” Frowning a little, Hart tilted the bottle a bit, letting the liquid fall over his toe. He felt relief immediately. “That’s so, so much better!’’ he breathed. “I think I’ll need to start my own first aid kit, and this is the first concoction that I’d stash in there!”
"Thanks!" Yes, Hartley had worked hard. He always had been that sort of person. Oh, yeah! His parents! They would be proud of and happy for him! He’d need to tell them shortly. The older young man felt a sense of anticipation rising in him at Evan’s words. “Just like the old days,’’ he remarked, nodding vigorously. “What fun! If any of our courses do, we can partner for the assignments! Can’t tell you how I’ve had enough of having lazy group members.” Hartley pulled a disgusted face. “Have no fear, little Ravenclaw,’’ Hart continued, resorting to the old nickname he had given Evan during their Hogwarts days. “I’ve got you covered snack-wise.”
Wiggling his injured toe, Hartley eagerly eyed the pamphlets. “Okay, those look great! Can we get a bit of each from all three places?” Obviously he wasn’t letting Evan foot those bills alone!
Food stocking was perhaps the only thing between muggle and mundane that was overlapped for the event of an apocalypse. Most other supplies could be transfigured in the event of magic, but food was not something that could be magic'd into existence. "Actually, food storage might not be such a bad idea." If even just in the event of a rainy day where they could just pop open a can of beans. Ev watched as Hartley poured the potion on his foot, smiling a bit at the immediate relief that seemed to come for him. "I'm glad that feels better. Having a first aid kit certainly doesn't seem to be a bad idea." It came in handy in this moment, at the very least.
"Just like the old days indeed." Although this time perhaps they'd be more like peers than Evan having to just be the clueless young wizard he'd been previously when Hartley had assisted him. "Partnering up would be nice." He didn't so much mind lazy course mates, considering he unintentionally seemed to just take control of a project anyways with his perfectionist nature, but it would be nice to know for certain in every project that there was someone he could easily bounce ideas and discussions off of. He chuckled at the old nickname, shaking his head fondly. He'd outgrown that name, and yet he still managed to use all of his passwords as 'Evan Eleven' so clearly he just did not out grow things ever.
The question of something from all three drew a laugh from the younger male, but he also nodded as he passed them over. "Whatever you'd like. I could go for some pork belly and breadsticks for sure. What do you want?"
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Let them point and laugh at who we are, it's you and me here dancing from the start
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
“Right?!” Hart was suddenly enthusiastic about having a ton of food in the apartment, not just for an Inferi apocalypse. “A hoard of it will be good. I mean, we’d want to have our people over at times, yeah? Or just for when we’re feeling peckish.” He himself could get like that after a particularly gruelling day; with his upcoming uni stint, those days just might be more frequent. Hartley wiggled all his toes happily while holding out the bottle to Evan. “Definitely! I’ll look into securing a few more helpful potions, salves and whatnot.” Today’s accident proved that one can never be too prepared.
The more Hartley chatted with Evan, the more he realised how easier this adjustment to mostly living in the UK was going to be. It was nice to have a familiar face to go through the process. There was a sudden urge in him to grab Evan in a hug but he resisted; he doubted that Evan would appreciate being squished so randomly. “It’s going to be a wild ride!’’ Maybe ‘wild’ wasn’t the right description word but this new adventure sure was going to be something!
“Pork belly and breadsticks for sure.” Excuse him while his mouth watered just saying that. “Chow mein and spring rolls.” Hmmm… what else? He continued the interesting task of perusing the little menus. “Oh yes. And a serving of Bee Bee Que.” Yes, Hartley really pronounced ‘barbeque’ like that. “I’ll do the order from the Chinese place if you like.” Divide and conquer was always best.
It never hurt to have more food around, if even only as precautions. “It would be good for any type of emergencies. Or if we’re just feeling too lazy to go out for something else.” Which in his case, was more oftan than not. Taking back the bottle from Hartley, Evan moved to return it to the first aid kit he owned - making a mental note to replace it tomorrow on a trip out into the Alley. He didn’t have anything else to do tomorrow, it being his weekend and all, so it was as good a time as any. “Sounds good. If you want any suggestions for what’s good to have, I can ask Noah.” He could probably make a list himself too but… asking the Healer was so much easier, wasn’t it?
While hugs were not his favorite thing in the world, there was a list of approved people he did not mind it from. And while he hadn’t considered his flatmate for this purpose before, had Hartley acted on the instinct he wouldn’t have minded it from him. He was familiar and they’d been friends for a long time. Knowing his personality too, physical affection in friendship wouldn’t have been too much of a surprise on that being something the historian liked. “It will certainly be something!” He replied, smiling in response.
Was his mouth already watering at the idea of pork belly? Absolutely. It wouldn’t be as good as Halmeoni’s he was sure, but anything authentic that reminded him of summers in Korea was always a welcome meal for Ev. “Those are good too.” The way Hartley said Barbeque never ceased to amuse Evan, but he didn’t say anything about it, just smiled a bit as he moved forward to claim a couple of the menus so he could make his orders as well. “I’ll do these two.” He said, showing the menus for the BBQ place and the Korean eatery. “Can you call on the breadsticks too?”
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Let them point and laugh at who we are, it's you and me here dancing from the start
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
One great advantage about residing in Diagon Alley was the fact that there was no shortage of places to go when one needed food or anything else. So then it was settled: he and Evan were going to have an endless supply of the stuff. “Yes, please ask him. I was thinking that I should have my own first aid kit when I’m out in the field for work. I promised mum I would look out for myself there but, between you and I, I haven’t been doing a good job.” Injuries had happened, most of which he had hidden from his parents.
Perhaps someday, when the urge was way too overwhelming, Hart would give in and wrap Evan in a huge, mushy, friendsy hug. The older young man knew Evan was picky about who he allowed to get overly affectionate with him. “Can’t wait! You and I are going to achieve the topmost marks!” They both were highly intelligent so when this actually happened, it should not be a surprise to anyone.
Hartley was always glad to be the object of amusement; it made him happy to make others happy. “No problem! Mentally adding breadsticks to the list!” With that aspect sorted, he moved to place the orders. “We’ll be having a feast in no time.” Which was good because his stomach was making funny noises.
There was a part of Evan that had fretted about extending the invitation to Jude as well for an evening of meeting Hartley's boyfriend. But he was not very good at being a third wheel, and since the purpose was to meet and get to know Dafydd, who he had not previously spent a lot of time around at Hogwarts, hiding in his own room was not a very good option. And considering how well Jude and Davet were doing, and Jude's recent subtle assurances that the past was merely the past in regards to aspects of their own friendship, he was relieved to have the company for the evening. Especially considering the previous dorm mates were also already such good friends.
Still, the nervous energy was existent - social situations still not being his forte. So in an effort to combat that, Evan had offered to cook food options for everyone. Which was coming considering it meant the afternoon was spent poring over Halmeoni's recipes until he gave up and called her so she could walk him through everything.
An afternoon of the woman chattering in his ear had certainly done the trick to relax him. By the time it was the agreed upon time, food was done, the flat smelt nice and Evan was calm. Saying goodbye to his family's matriarch, he hung up and removed the bright frilly apron his sister had gifted him along with his earbuds, before looking around to see if everyone had else arrived whilst he'd been preoccupied.
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Let them point and laugh at who we are, it's you and me here dancing from the start
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
Hartley had made sure to stay clear of Evan the entire time his flatmate was busy cooking. It was a difficult choice given that soon enough their flat was filled with such aromas that Hartley had never smelt before! He purposely avoided snacking so that he would not ruin his appetite for the feat Evan was whipping up. And even when Hart heard him talking to his Halmeoni, he only made himself seen in one brief moment just to say ‘hi’ to her. Hartley was doing his best not to disturb the other guy. Instead, he spent his time catching up on an assignment which he had been procrastinating on; he was proud of himself to finally be able to focus and complete three quarters of it. When it was shortly before Dafydd and Jude arrived, he got ready. Hartley didn’t go overboard with his attire: a pair of deep navy blue jeans and a button up shirt with a quarter of the top buttons left open was sufficient. His hair was neatly combed, of course. “Evan, its your turn to get ready if you haven’t!” Hartley made himself known in the living room. Excuse him as he continued to draw in deep breaths; the aromas were still high.
Jude was a tad late. His very first solo concert {even if it was a small one for now} was due to kick off in December of 2112 and well… it was loads of work planning and practicing with his backup dancers. Not to mention there was his wedding, which was also in its planning stage; luckily Davet was the best partner he could ask for and was more than helpful with assisting. There was also the fact Jude was also still at WADA... he needed a break and hanging with the other three this evening was a great option. He was sure Ev, Daf and Hartley would forgive him if he fell asleep. In any case, he was excited to see two of his closest friends and get to know Hartley some more. His signature grin in place and he knocked on the door to the flat. He kind of felt bad turning up empty handed but he knew that Evan had spent hours taking care of the food and Jude was was not to rain on his best friend’s shining moment!
Bathes in Maple Syrup | Dancing Lobster | Mrs. Charlie Weasley | Seneca's Beard | That's So Fetch
While Dafydd had full intentions of being on time for the dinner that would be occurring, the crups he had been walking hadn't seemed to have gotten the memo. Today was one of those days that they wanted to sniff and whizz on every bush and fire hydrant in sight. Normally this wouldn't have bothered him at all, but this was not a day for dilly-dallying. There were important people to see and plenty of food to eat.
Since dropping off the doggos with their respective owners, the pre-healer studies student wasted no time showering and getting ready. He opted to allow his hair to go wherever it pleased, though did take the time to carefully select a pair of chino pants and a v-neck shirt paired with a flannel and a silver chain. He knew Hartley had said that he didn't need to bring anything besides his wonderful self, but that hadn't stopped him from grabbing a bottle of bubbly for them all to enjoy at some point that evening.
Seeing his friend knocking on the door, a grin appeared on his face as he quietly made his way down the hall. When he was close enough, Jude received a sudden gentle poke in the side. "Smells like a storm is being cooked up in there."
He was just putting the last touches on a simmering pot of jjigae, a korean stew, when Hartley’s voice broke through the soft sounds of classical he’d eventually popped on in his in earbuds. Pausing the music and removing the small device, he slipped them into his pocket before carrying the bowl of stew and letting it join the plate of beef bulgogi, lettuce leaves for wraps and a massive amount of side dishes. With the table looking fully set, he cast a quick spell to keep them all the necessary temperature before turning to look at Hartley. “You look nice.” He complimented, giving his flatmate a quick thumbs up before looking down at his own attire. “Do I need to change?” He was wearing a pair of jeans and his favorite blue sweater. The ‘No Drama Llama’ apron he’d been gifted doing it’s job of having caught any strays from the food flying.
Hearing the knock on the door, he figured his chance to potentially do so anyways was up and Evan moved to open the door for Jude or Dafydd or whoever it was on the other side, not even having yet removed the apron. When the door opened, he was surprised to actually see both arrived together but that certainly made things easier. Giving his usual half smile at them both, he stepped back to give them space to step inside. “Hey, come on in.”
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Let them point and laugh at who we are, it's you and me here dancing from the start
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
Was that stew? Hartley did have some knowledge of many sorts of foods from across the globe, Korean included, so he was pretty sure his guess was correct. It took every ounce of his self preservation not to pounce on the table and began filling his mouth with a bit of everything. Instead, he drew his attention to Evan. “Thanks!” he said, his voice an octave above what was usual since he was so thrilled to have Daf over. And Jude too, of course. But mostly Daf. “Nah, you look great. I mean, if you’re not sweaty and all, then you don’t need to.” Evan probably didn’t care but Hart always thought that Evan had a knack for keeping himself looking proper.
And they were here! Hart hovered at Evan’s shoulder, grinning at the newcomers. “Hi, guys!” He got out of the way to allow them to pass, the brief moment that he had to glimpse Daf etched rather firmly in his mind. He thought his boyfriend looked rather dashing.
Waiting patiently by the door, Jude had not been expected to be poked in the side. Naturally, he was startled for about a second but how could he remain that way when he saw who was doing the poking? “Daf!” Yes, these two saw each other frequently but that didn’t stop Jude from reaching out to give his friend a hearty squish, in the process giving him an accidental shove due to his level of enthusiasm. “You smell like a load crup,’’ he added jokingly.
By then, Evan and Hartley had made their presence known. Jude took one look at Evan’s apron and began cracking up. “Ev,’’ the WADA choked out between laughs. “I hope you haven’t been eating Hartley’s homework.” That apron had dragged up memories, both funny and scary. He allowed Daf to go ahead of him so he could throw his arms around Evan. They were besties for life, after all! “You doing alright?” Listen, no matter how much they saw each other, Jude made sure to ask thereof; Evan’s wellbeing had always been a priority to him.
When Jude did make it into the flat, he shot Hartley a grin. “Heya, Hart! Come across any more interesting artefacts lately?” In his opinion, Hartley Stonewall was a suitable match for Daf. Jude had long ago given his stamp of approval.
Bathes in Maple Syrup | Dancing Lobster | Mrs. Charlie Weasley | Seneca's Beard | That's So Fetch
A smirk momentarily appeared on his lips at his friend's response to the poking. Even after all these years, he was surprised he could still manage to get such a reaction from Jude. While they may be getting older and older each year, some things just never changed. One of those many things was their joking banter. "Hate to break it to you, mate, but that's you that you're smelling." He stuck out his tongue before giving a little hip bump.
Before any other opportunities for teasing could be seized, the door of the apartment was opened and they were being invited in. The sight of the apron Evan was sporting caused Dafydd to crack up simultaneously with his friend. "How're you doing, Evan? It smells amazing in here," he spoke as he stepped past the threshold. "Anywhere you'd like for me to put this?" The bottle was held up in offering.
Naturally, his gaze did fall on the other resident of the apartment. "You missed a few buttons," he casually mentioned to Hartley. Not that he minded, which was why he gave the boyfriend a cheeky wink before he planted a quick peck on the man's lips.
He would have ensured he explained what each of the dishes were when everyone arrived. He of course was aware of what to avoid for Jude, but he hadn't been as sure for his flat mate and the other former Hufflepuff. There was such an assortment available however he was hoping there should be something available for each person. Dessert was a little more dicey since he'd only made two options but... well, he'd just keep his fingers crossed. Because that was a problem for after dinner anyways. At the assurance that Evan did not need to change, he gave a small nod of his head. "Excellent. I think we're good then!" His appearance was something he was probably more aware of then people might have assumed of him. Not because of any vanity, but he'd just gotten used to needing to look proper growing up with his Appa often being in the limelight with his position in politics.
He should have been expecting that reaction from both of the Hufflepuffs when the door opened and both Dafydd and Jude took in his attire before bursting into laughter. He wasn't one to be offended, so he just smiled a bit wider before shaking his head at Jude's question. "Thankfully for my stomach and Hartley's grades, no homework consumption here." And hopefully, never, ever again. As the two made it inside, Evan shut the door behind them before returning Jude's hug. "I'm doing excellent. How are you? How's your preparations going?" And also, in case he didn't know, Evan was very grateful he'd had a free night and could come save him from third wheeling. Not that Hartley or Dafydd were people he needed to be 'saved' from, but he didn't want them to be uncomfortable with only him.
Attention then turned to Dafydd and he gave another friendly smiling. "Doing well, thank you. How are you, Dafydd? Busy day?" He knew he was in university and also working, so he could only imagine so. At the offered bottle, Ev reached out to take it from him. "I'll go put it in the kitchen. Thanks for bringing it." Showing up at someone's door with a gift was big in his culture, and while it was not necessary, it was still an appreciated gesture from someone with that notion of manners ingrained. "I hope you guys are hungry. My halmeoni always taught us siblings to make too much food and uh... I think I did her proud today." Ooops?
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Let them point and laugh at who we are, it's you and me here dancing from the start
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
Of course! Daf was one of his best buddies so it was true that a fair few things would not change between them. “Ha! I think you need to get your nose checked. I smell absolutely delightful! One of those fancy new Muggle colognes.” Jude scrunched up his nose in response to the tongue. “Some day, I’m going to jinx that,’’ he joked as he bumped Daf back; this was done rather strongly and it was quite intentional.
As both Hufflepuffs had stepped into the flat by now, Jude continued to have the time of his life by handing out teases, this time to Evan. “I think I prefer you as an alpaca though. Alpacas and Llamas seem similar but you rock at being an alpaca, Ev.” Such good - and not so good - times! “Pleased to hear you’ve laid off the homework eating though!” That had been one of the bad aspects of Ev actually being an alpaca. Those tummy aches had often worried Jude. With one last squish, Jude released his bff. “I’m doing well too! Preparations have been hectic, tiring but so much fun! I’m really loving the experiences and I expect it’ll all get easier as time goes along.” Because Jude aimed to do tons and tons of concerts! Now worries, Ev! Your bestie was always there to make things easier for you!
His flatmate need not worry as Hartley was one hundred percent sure he would be divulging every dish prepared. As travelling was such a huge aspect in his life, he was into all the cuisines he came across. And Hart really did mean it when he said Evan looked great. But now both the newcomers were making their way into the flat and he had eyes mainly for Dafydd. Hartley was always likely to get goofy around Daf - something Evan and Jude had never seen - so he was quite determined not to ruin his highly intelligent, highly perfect reputation. “Why, are you complaining about the view?” Hartley asked, just a dash of flirtation in his tone. “I could always fix those buttons right up if its that big of an issue.” Smirking, Hart turned to Jude.
The old Hartley - the one that did not have a boyfriend whom he happened to like a lot - would have flirted right off the bat with Jude despite knowing that Jude was taken. He thought that Jude had grown into a dashing young man. As it was, he respected Daf so he simply grinned and fist bumped Evan’s best friend. “A few. Unfortunately, the Ministries have requested they be kept under wraps for now until more information about them are known.” That was just how it went sometimes.
Bathes in Maple Syrup | Dancing Lobster | Mrs. Charlie Weasley | Seneca's Beard | That's So Fetch
"Hmm," he mused as he feigned sniffing Jude. "Next time you might want a second opinion about the scent." He smirked, obviously joking. His eyes rolled when jinxing his tongue one day was mentioned. "I'd like to see you try," he added, bracing himself for being bumped back. Not expecting the added oomph, Daf did sidestep a little and reached for the wall to stabilize himself. He'd remember that for a different time, when the friend was least expecting another bump.
In response to Evan, he replied with "Not too busy of a day. If anything, the crups I walk kept me on my toes today." They certainly did put his patience to the test, only because he had this gathering to get to instead of the usual aimless park wandering. Not that Dafydd was thinking about that now that food had been mentioned. "It smells amazing. And I wouldn't worry about making too much. I know Jude and I will make quite the dent in this evening's menu." It was the Hufflepuff way. Plus he knew Hartley would be helping himself as well.
Had he noticed that Hartley's eyes were primarily on him? Perhaps. It was only a matter of time before the man went full gaga over him in front of their present company, which Daf was not intentionally trying to do, for now at least. "Have I ever complained about the view?" His shoulder was brushed against the boyfriend's. "And it's not an issue. I don't think the boys here are interested in whisking you away from me."
The former Ravenclaw would be very appreciative later when Hartley tried everything, he just hoped everything would hold up to the standards of what his flatmate had tried during his travels. He also knew his own efforts would not compare to his halmeoni's, but the only one who would notice that different outside of himself would be Jude. And he imagined Jude, as loyal as he always was, wouldn't make any mention of it. So with that, he ceased any fretting at the back of his mind and instead focused on the interactions and socializing. No matter how different Hartley was with his boyfriend, Evan was sure his own opinion of his flatmate would not be different. Goofy versus his usual composure - wasn't that just a show of how into Dafydd, Hart was? And if his flatmate was happy, then he was thrilled for him.
Attention back on Jude, Evan gave a snort of amusement at his words. "I would think you would. Alpacas spit less than llamas." Which was perhaps one of the only distinctions he knew between the creatures. But it seemed an important one, especially when it saved Evan from having had even further embarrassing interactions with his peers. Could you imagine if he had spit at someone!? "I do hope your overall preference though is me as a human." He added, eying him with suspicion, though it was all done in jest. One last pat to Jude's back too and Ev also released, stepping back. "Do you have preparations pretty much completed now or is there still a lot to do? If there's something I can assist with too, let me know. I can make time." Always for Jude he could make time. Even if in this area his knowledge and assistance was probably limited to heavy lifting of equipment. They both knew he was abysmal with performances, unless there was a random need for rapping which he surprisingly had discovered he had talented in. Though the times he'd tried remained anonymous, just background noise really on his cousin's album.
Hanging out with crups all day sounded like fun... and yet also fully exhausting. The energy level alone of the creatures was probably a lot. "At least that makes the time go by fast, I imagine." It was rare, but some days the research he did was so tedious the day just dragged. Though with his natural inclination to reading and learning new things made it less frequent than perhaps for his peers. "Excellent. Then I suppose I should be more concerned that I did not make enough." Evan answered in response to Dafydd's assurance of the food, glancing in amusement at both of the other males in the room who he knew to have appetites. He was teasing them all though - there was definitely plenty.
But also not wanting to get in the way of the two boyfriends time together, he did not immediately segue into offering food - figuring Hartley would take care of that when he was ready and had properly greeted his significant other. Whatever that generally entailed.
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Let them point and laugh at who we are, it's you and me here dancing from the start
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
Dafydd will forever be sassy. This much Jude knew in his heart and he hoped that Hartley would be able to keep up with that. Daf deserved that {and more} in a partner. Jude threw an eyeroll of his own back at his friend. Of course Daf would want to have a hand in choosing the next scent; the guy was so full of himself, or so Jude was tempted to make about. “Clearly you need to focus on your balance as much as you do on your other exercises,’’ Jude remarked smoothly, throwing in a slight smirk.
It came as no surprise that the other Hufflepuff had had a busy day with the crups. Jude supposed that business was booming there. At the mention of all the food, he nodded vigorously to back up his friend’s statement. “You can count on it, Ev! I reckon Daf’s going to eat the most though… he’s going to need all the energy to walk the crups and to work out.” Evan really need not worry about his cooking because Jude was confident that everything would be flavourful and tasty if not perfect.
“You would know best,’’ he replied, trying his best not to burst into laughter. Because really, he imagined Ev must have some memories about alpaca-spitting. “You bet I do!” To demonstrate his solidarity with these words, the guy put an arm around Evan’s shoulders. “I mean, alpaca-Evan just made me worry everyday about eaten homework and whatnot. With human-Evan, I get delicious food.” After releasing the bestie, Jude stepped into the flat, feeling very much at home because wherever Evan was, that was his home too. “A lot’s left to do but we’ll get there. I’ll be sure to let you know about helping out. Thanks, Ev!” Really, it had meant a lot that Ev wanted to help when performing arts wasn’t much his thing.
Jude watched Hartley and Daf for a moment and decided not to intrude on their moment just yet. Instead, he whispered to Ev, “Should we just give them some privacy?”
Hart felt as though he might also join Daf and Jude in packing away a healthy portion of food. All that university work he had been focusing on that afternoon had left him famished. It made sense that Hartley’s gaze be mainly on that boyfriend of his, didn’t it? Pfffft! Daf had his dignity! He most certainly would not lose all any of his senses this evening! If he did get goofy, he would just chalk it up to his brain being tired and his stomach overly stuffed with delicacies. Thank the good, great Merlin that Evan The comeback made him laugh. Jude needn’t worry because Hart was only too happy to continue having this level of humour in his everyday life. “Okay, my bad. You’ve never complained.” Hartley reached over to prod Daf on one of those perfect cheekbones of his. Dafydd was so hot, did he know? “Fair enough. I think Jude would snatch you if he wasn’t taken.”
Sorry for being absolutely terrible company right now, Evan and Jude! Hart had every intention of making it up to them over dinner.
This post definitely isn't a million years late. Nope, not at all.
Bathes in Maple Syrup | Dancing Lobster | Mrs. Charlie Weasley | Seneca's Beard | That's So Fetch
For the sake of Evan and Hartley and the two of them being guests in their home, he was going to let their banter end there. Of course, one last nudge of a shoulder was given, but they could continue their back and forth later. Preferably after their stomachs were full. When Jude mentioned his busy day with the crups and how he was basically going to eat as much as possible to fuel back up on energy, Daf nodded in agreement. "It's true. But I'm sure Jude is just as famished right now. I'm sure WADA has him too busy to remember to eat lunch every day."
Turning his attention back to Evan, Dafydd smiled warmly. "The usual chaos with the crups does make the time go by," he told him, his tone light despite the slight exhaustion he felt from wrangling the energetic creatures. "But it's all worth it, especially when there's a feast waiting at the end of the day." Speaking of food, the mention of it reminding himself to take in another inhale of all the scents that were permeating the space, he then asked, "What delicacies have you prepared for us this evening?"
Dafydd chuckled at the comments made by Hartley. He appreciated the acknowledgment about him not complaining, and there was something about the mention of Jude that was so amusing to him. "I cannot deny that he has a hard time resisting the allure of my charming self," he replied, an undertone of jest in his voice. "But he's had numerous opportunities to snatch me. Though having to share a dorm room for seven years probably led any attemps going nowhere. He's a loud snorer." Or was that him? That was a mystery that didn't need any further investigation, thank you very much.
A glance as cast over to Evan and Jude just in time to see Jude whispering something. "Reckon they're talking about us?" he quietly mused to Hartley with a grin.
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Flat: Nam & Stonewall 
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