More people were trickling in which was good for cousin Hannah, but Alamara was concerned seeing a few children with no adults with them.  Being a healer and a mother, it was something she couldn't help.  The door opened and a short, plump woman entered along with her son and she smiled as the woman made her way to a table near them.  "It's a pleasure to meet you both.  I'm Alamara Abbott and this is my daughter, Arabella," she greeted and introduced herself and Bella.  "And yes, the weather is just horrible," she agreed.

Bella had been successfull distracted for a moment and had looked with great interest at the other young patrons, smiling and waving if any looked her way.  When Mrs. Slughorn spoke to them, she looked at the woman and smiled brightly.  "Oh it's a wonderful day, Mrs. Slughorn," she replied cheerily.  "I'll be starting Hogwarts too," she added with a nod to Trimeresurus.  "I have four brothers who went there but they've all finished and have jobs at the Ministry or St. Mungos."  She was apparently awfully proud of her brothers.

Another child entered and looked soaked to the skin, making Alamara's lips press into a thin line.  "Merlin's beard she's going to catch a cold," she muttered then set her cup of tea down.  "Excuse me for a moment Mrs. Slughorn but I think I should see to a few of the children," she said politely and touched Bella's shoulder as she walked slowly to Pandora.

"I hope I'm not intruding but I thought you might feel better with a bit of drying and warming," she said with a comforting smile, offering her hand then introducing herself.  "Forgive me ... my name is Alamara Abbott and I'm a healer at St. Mungos.  I'd rather prevent a cold if I could than treat it later."  She looked at the other unattended children.  "The offer is for anyone," she said as she drew her wand in hope of being able to help.

Bella watched her mother, eyes shining with love and happiness.  "She's a really great healer," she said as she looked back to Mrs. Slughorn and Trimeresurus.  "My oldest brother, Thomas, is a healer at St. Mungos too and I hope to be once I'm finished at Hogwarts.  Do you know what you want to do after school?" she asked Trimeresurus with a genuinely curious smile of encouragement.

Arty nodded his consent to the grownup. Grownups are weird, some don't realize that by 11, at least where he was from, a boy could be off on his own hunting or fishing, perhaps even camping. Arty was independant, what muggles called a free range child. Looking over the other perhaps more coddled children, he figured he might be the only one who could honestly say he could take care of himself.

While looking around he couldn't help but notice Arabella. She was the prettiest girl he'd ever seen. When her eyes met his he blushed a little but didn't shy away. His first instinct was to brag, but not in an obnoxious way. He is just a very confident and assertive young man. "I'm gonna be the best Quidditch keeper in the whole history of the game. I can already ride a broom and everything. I'm gonna try out for the team for whatever house I end up in." He grinned. There are some people who just put things at ease without trying, who draw attention just by being present. They have a glow about them. Arty is such a person.

Marcus walked down Diagon Alley suited up like he had expected to take a hike in the rain through the woods. His waterproof hiking boots able to keep his feet dry despite the deep puddles that lined the road. His cloak had been sprayed with a waterproof coating so only parts of his face was wet where the rain had gotten under his hood. His hiking back pack had a fitted covering over it to keep its contents dry. There was a prominent bulge in the front of his cloak which was immediately explained when a cat of mixed Himalayan and Mancoon decent popped her head out the front of his hood under his chin.

Marcus walked into the Leaky Cauldron desiring something warm to drink and knew Petunia might be thirsty. He stepped in and scanned the room before taking a table near some other children around his age, some of which accompanied by adults. The hood was pulled back before he took off his pack and tucked it between his legs under the table. The boy waited patiently until a server came by. “Hello. Can I have a cup of water and some Earl Gray please?”He put some money on the table to go ahead and pay. He gave a nod and smile of acknowledgment to the others in the tavern.

When the tea arrived, Petunia took a few inquisitive sniffs as Marcus blew on the liquid and took a sip. Nice and a little bitter just like his father used to have it. He then held up the cup of water for Perunia to drink from. One might notice upon close inspection that he was wearing some finely crafted black leather gloves with silver studs sewn onto the knuckles. A silver plate covered the forearm with a family crest half hidden by the sleeves of the cloak.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:39, Fri 09 July 2021.

The folks who were investigating the rain were dry by now,and as the cat appeared at the bar they were glad the attention of the innkeeper was redirected. "What a wonderful cat," she said,"Good you didn't get wet- in the rain which some people should be investigating."She pointedly did not look at them.

"Come on," the witch of the group said. "Mrs. Longbottom-Abbott here is just pulling our legs. It is obviously not so easy to find out what goes wrong with some complicated spells. Let's get moving again."

"I hate double names," the innkeeper grumbled. "Better throw on a Selkie-Charm. Just bring it back when you're done." She pointed to a row of bracelets looking like they were made of some sort of fish skin.

"I better not..." one of the men mumbled. But the witch was already pushing the charms on the men and then shoved them out the backdoor again. For a moment before they were out of sight, as they put on the bracelets, they seemed to be spouting a seal's whisker.

Hannah turned to the other patron and said brightly "They will figure it out eventually. Anyone else need some Selkie-charms?" And her view took in everyone who was not dry enough.

Her attention drawn to even the smallest comment about Quidditch it is clear even before she stands up out of her chair that her interest has been drawn.  Approaching Arthur from where she can clearly be seen she stops a few feet away where he won't need to turn his head up at to much of an uncomfortable angle to see her clearly and speaks to him in an unusually quiet and soft voice, with an accent mixed somewhere between the north eastern section of America and the hart of London such that it tends to sound to natives of either place like she comes from the other.

”Being the best at any aspect of Quidditch is a difficult goal, let alone the keeper.  You might want to keep your sights focused on something more attainable, like winning the school games.”

Rus wasn’t an especially unique boy, as wizarding folk went, so he was used to having plenty in common with other wizarding folk. He nodded and smiled as he followed the conversation while sipping his cider. He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by his mother, ”Ah, older children? We are much the same in our house. My eldest was fourth year at Beauxbatons when little Trimeresurus was born. Pythia’s a healer herself in Paris. Mayhap she knows your husband? I’ll ask her when she and her family come around next. Married a Moroccan wizard, you know? Very old family. Viziers and sultans! We are awfully proud. Agkistrodon is trying to convince her to send her new son to Hogwart’s but I think she’s set upon Beaubatons.” Ghe last was said with a slightly thicker French accent and none too little pride. Rus just rolled his eyes secretly at Arabella. He loved her, but his mum had a lot of stuffy opinions.

Once Mrs. Abbott moved off though, Constance focused on her tea and casting disapproving looks at all the unattended children. This was the heart of London, nit some American backwater. Rus took the chance to speak to Arabella, ”Oh, my father has worked for Gringott’s as a cursebreaker for over thirty years. I’ve decided to follow his footsteps. Not an easy line of work, but my da thinks I got what it takes! I got a set of cursebreaking tools just like his the other week for my birthday. I want to work for the Ministry though.”

Rus just seemed to be getting excited when the loud boy came over to go on about Quudditch. Rus seemed nonplussed for half a second then chimed in, ”My sister, Claire, plays for the Quafflepunchers. We are followers of the French league at home. Da doesn’t much care about Quidditch but mum is a right fan. She played for Beauxbatons in school. Says she could have gone pro if she hadn’t married da. Claire’s a beater and a right mean one. She can bat a quaffle and hit a fly off a goblin’s nose across the pitch!”

"Yes, our Bella was a bit of a surprise but quite a wonderful surprise," Alamara had responded to Mrs. Slughorn.  "I have four boys, the youngest just finished Hogwarts."  Both mother and daughter were appropriately impressed hearing about Pythia.  "Well either school would be wonderful," Alamara replied and Bella nodded in agreement.

Alamara tended to anyone who agreed, making sure with a flick of the wand that they were dry and warm.  She was certainly a maternal sort, her demeanor kind and caring.  "There you go," she said happily to each one.  When Marcus entered, she tended him too if he wished.  "It's good to see you again, Marcus.  I do hope your mother will be here soon.  Bella's here too and you're welcome to sit with us," she said with a point of her wand over to her daughter before going back to sit down.

Bella turned to look at Arty when he said he wanted to be the greatest keeper ever in Quidditch and then nodded when another girl told him he might want to concentrate first on the school teams.  "Like everything else, it definitely takes lots of practice," she added kindly.  "All my brothers were on their school teams and Amos actually works in the Department of Magical Games and Sports."  Seeing Marcus come in, she gave him a little wave and there was a definite brightening in her eyes when she saw the cat.  "Oh how lovely," she commented.

Turning back to Rus, she listened with interest as he talked about his father being a cursebreaker.  "Oh that's very impressive," she replied.  "I would imagine the studies would be quite challenging but quite satisfying."  She looked at her mother and Mrs. Slughorn, then at the other children.  "Maybe we could let you mums talk and we'll just sit over there?" she suggested, thinking there was a table big enough for the kids to sit together and get to know each other a little without the parents hovering.  "That's a wonderful idea," Alamara said.  "We're right here if you need anything."

If anything, Jay and his uncle Tommy were thorough and quick. Jay was not really one for frivolousness, though Tommy at least made sure that the robes, equipment and texts were of reasonable quality, and Jay just followed along. Once everything needed was purchased, Tommy needed to go on some errands so he decided to leave Jay at the Leaky Cauldron. The boy seemed hesitant at first but Tommy said that he trusted him and knew that he could hold his own.

So Jay picked an isolated spot in the corner of the Taproom and ordered lunch. He is mostly minding his own business and keeps to himself. In the meantime he looks through his backpack, rearranging its contents. For a minute he pulls out what looks like a hockey goalie's mask, which he looks at with distant memories before placing it on the table. He then pulls out one of his textbooks before placing the mask back in his backpack.

Marcus did a double take at Bella and her mother when she called him by name as if he finally remembered them. He smiled with a slight sadness in his eyes. “It has been a couple of years Mrs. Abbot. I almost didn’t recognize you and Bella. Mother and Father will not be joining us today. They are on a trip right now. We can talk about the details later.”

He grabbed his backpack and moved over to the table Bella had moved to. He offered to shake her hand. “Long time no see huh? Looks like we finally get to go to Hogwarts together. Are you as excited as you were back then? Oh by the way this is Petunia. I found her in the woods shortly after the last time we saw each other. She’s really friendly.”If offered a hand, Petunia gives a couple of investigative sniffs before rubbing her head against the hand purring softly. Marcus looked at the other kids and waved them over to the table with a smile. “If we’re all at the same table, we won’t have to yell across the room at each other. It seems like we got a few Quidditch fans amongst us.”

Constance Slughorn gives a very severe look to Rus then a cheerful look to Alamara as they mothers removed themselves to a safe distance to "preserve preteen privacy yet still hover just a bit." Rus blinked a bit at the act then slowly turned his head to look at Bella and stuttered, "But, she never stops hovering! Da says it's because she'll have an empty nest after I am gone, but she hates birds!"

Rus sips his cider a bit as the other kids gather about then looks around, "Well, since not everyone was here earlier, my name is Trimeresurus Slughorn. But everyone except mother calls me Rus. My family's an old and pure one, so we have very traditional names. Well, some of us. Mum insisted on a few French names here and there. Mostly my sisters. Despite six older siblings, none of them are at Hogwart's. I got one sister at school, but she's off to Beauxbaton's which is where Mum went. Anyway, I heard there's Potters at the school. Anyone know anything about that? It'd be cool to be in their house, yeah? I'm hoping for Slytherin. Bit of a family tradition that; on both sides. Mum's family are Umbridges, ya know. Mum would be mortified if I was Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. I think she'd kill herself if I ended up in hufflepuff." Rus' gob snapped shut and he stopped himself talking again with a big gulp of cider.

At that moment, a fat, dirt-blond boy around the same age asthe other children came through the backdoor, well protected from the rain by a mackintosh coat clearly of wizard make,as it changed colors from time to time, at one moment it was all a blue-green blend,then it shifted to purples and reds. It was all new, too, actually the price tag from one of the Diagon Alley shops still dangling from the back of the neck.

"You will not believe what is happening over at Gringott's!" he shouted breathlessly. It sounded as he had run all the way. "There is some twister forming over it, and I heard whatever is going on is not only the reason for the rain in our street but for the weather in London,too!"

Arty held up his chin, showing wasn't as grown up as he believed. He didn't get angry but he did explain, "I know I've got a long way to go and a lot of work ahead of me. I just know that someday I'll be THE best keeper ever. Nothing wrong with being a seeker or beater. I'll probably even have to start as a beater, but I will be a keeper and I'm gonna be the best."

He was gulping down rootbeer when the other kid came in talking about a twister. He remained calm, though all the color drained out of him. "A twister. Okay nobody panic, we just all go down to the basement or root cellar. You guys got those here right? Come on get away from the windows, it's very dangerous beside windows. Basement. Come on. No need to push or shove, it is gonna be fine." Despite being young, he obviously had lived through twisters before. He isn't casual or panicing, he is simply trying to make sure everyone is okay.

Interrupted from whatever additional comments about Quidditch she might have made by the announcement of the twister Sara's face brightens up and she heads for the front door, pulling up the hood of her jacket.

”This should be fun, I haven't had the opportunity to enjoy a summer storm this year, and what little rain here has been just falling so mundanely.”

Kate entered Diagon ally nervously dressed in a muggle hoodie and loose fitting sweat pants.  Her neck length coppery hair dangling out the right side of the hoodie in a braided ponytail.  Bright blue/green eyes looked around in wonder as she idly fingered her ponytail with anxiety.  She hesitantly glanced back at her father as he entered in a business suit, looking skeptically around, one eye on his only daughter as he took in the new sights around them.  "Now don't wander off Kate, we'll have to find some kind of bank first before your shopping can begin."

The small four foot six girl nodded slightly as she tried to stay out of her father's way, yet still close enough that she didn't have to be near to many other people.  All the strangely dressed people, were a little overwhelming to the young girl who seemed to fidget her fingers with the braid constantly.  These people, were supposedly like her mom had been, but they didn't look anything like the picture of her she'd seen in daddy's photo album.  The long beards and strange outfits didn't reassure her at all, if anything working the anxiety in her up even higher.  She wanted to be home, home with her books and private tutors.  Not amongst all these strangers, not feeling like the world was caving in around her, like there were eyes staring at her everywhere.  "Oui Papa" she said meekly as they headed down the alley and toward a building that vaguely reminded her of the Greek architecture, from their tour of Athens, last winter.  "Gring...Gringotts, Wizarding bank?  est-ce que c’est le bon papa?" she read the sign out front reluctantly.

She got an almost immediate response from her father with a loving smile. "Ouais c’est vrai, ma petite coquillage.  Maintenant, venez, changeons notre argent"  he gently took her hand and lead her inside, even as the tornadoes seemed to descend from above.

Arty looked at the very tall girl like she had a third foot growing out of her forehead. He didn't bother trying to stop her. He rolled his eyes, wondered what was wrong with her, but left her to her own devices. He pointed at Kate's Dad and said, "Come on buddy, ya don't wanna be up here if that twister decides to pay us a visit."

"Then wouldn't it make more sense to be in a secure building, like the bank.  Rather than some feeble wooden lean-to from the twelfth century like this tavern?" Mr Damor asked Arthur with a hint of superiority about him.  It was rather stormy and as the man looked out onto the alley he did question if it was the right decision to head out yet, into a tornado.

Next to him Kate gave a shy smile to Arthur but didn't say anything yet as she clung a little closer to her father's side at the crowded interior of the Cauldron.  She hoped that her father didn't offend the boy, who sounded American, Texan, maybe.  It'd been almost four years since her dad had last taken her to Texas though, so she wasn't entirely sure if that was their accent still or not.  She lightly chewed on her lower lip nervously as her eyes darted about the room.

As the wind picked up with the approaching twister Kate's hoodie was tugged side to side, causing the young girl to reach up and grip the edges extra tight.  She wasn't sure what to do with so many people around.  Outside of the occasional social gathering that her dad took her to, she usually enjoyed the quiet solitude of at most five or six people.  The new environment of the leaky Cauldron was anything but safe in her eyes, she felt like there were eyes everywhere staring at her, and it made that small voice in the back of her mind that wanted her to find a secluded quiet place and hide with a book all the louder as a result.

From her few trips to London, she knew the weather was usually damp, cool and cloudy but this was on a level she'd never seen before.  This was more like she'd expect from the North Eastern United States during May or June.  "Pensez-vous que nous pouvons nous rendre à la banque avant qu’elle ne touche le fond?" before she gave herself a reprimand for speaking in her native french instead of English and she squinted slightly as she spoke in English. "Do you think we can make it to the bank before it touches down?  We'll be safer there right?" she asked the blonde boy.



(( french says = Do you think we can get to the bank before it touches down?))
This message was last edited by the player at 18:24, Thu 15 July 2021.

Marcus listens to the words and actions of the other kids around them from wanting to see the tornado to going down to the cellar. The details of the event strike him as odd. He stays in his seat drinking his tea calmly. “There’s honestly no need to worry about the twister coming over here. In a town where the weather has been magically controlled for years, why would all of a sudden the rain be a complete downpour and then a twister appear over the exact building that has the biggest concentration of wealth and magical items in possibly the continent? Clearly this is purpose action of an individual or group of wizards and/or witches. What interest would they have with this tavern?”

He pets Petunia gently in between the ears. Then a glance is spared at the group of adult wizards that were here before he was. “The twister is not coming this way and a lot of the people in this tavern either don’t yet know how to use magic or will use it to protect their children. Only thing to do now is have another beverage and wait for the tornado to go away and investigate after the fact.”

Rus listened to the news with a perked ear. It sounded like exactly the type of thing that his father often dealt with in ancient tombs and cursed lands. There was certainly a part of him that wanted to see it for himself. However, a quick glance toward Constance Slughorn dispelled any notion of leaving the Leaky Cauldron. Instead, he looked at the others speaking about it, "Too Right! I can't even manage a simple levitation charm yet. How am I meant to be safe near a magical twister?" he frowned over the word briefly as it held little meaning to him. From context, he guessed it was some type of violent weather phenomenon.

He turned his attention to the tall girl and her father, "Tout ira bien ici. Les adultes ici peuvent faire face aux effets secondaires d'une telle chose. Ma mère et Madame Abbott sont d'excellentes sorcières." he smiled at the girl and then glanced back at his mother who was beaming proudly. He'd made the correct choice.

He then looked at the one talking of basements, "I very much doubt this place has such a thing. Either way, I can assure you that cursebreakers and aurors from the Ministry will be here shortly, if not already, to deal with it." He cast the last comment so it might be heard by the more brash children. "I doubt they need undisciplined children underfoot." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his mother making some comment to Mrs. Abbott which he was sure was about the situation.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:32, Thu 15 July 2021.

"vous parlez français?  Merci les dieux, mon anglais est bon mais ce n’est pas ma langue maternelle" The young girl said with a smile, it seemed to help alittle with her anxiety, giving her something else to focus on then merely the crowded room and the unnatural weather.
 "Je m’appelle Katherine d’amour, quel pourrait être ton nom?" She said with a hint of excitement, even if it was clear in her posture that she was still very much on edge in the crowded room.  It was bad enough that there were so many people, she hadn't really been around many boys, let alone men in crowded conditions since it happened six years ago.  As she stepped alittle closer to Rus, giving a look back at her father as she did she slowly lowered her hands back to rest upon her braided hair playing with it anxiously as she did.  The hood not seeming to be quite as wild away from the door.

((French says = "Do you speak French?  Thank you gods, my English is good but it is not my mother tongue"    "My name is Katherine Damor, what is your name?"))
This message was last edited by the player at 18:26, Thu 15 July 2021.

Rus beamed at the nervous girl; making excellent first impressions was something his mother prized greatly. Her children's manners had been a focus of her parenting style. "Je m'appelle Trimeresurus Slughorn. Mais s'il vous plaît, appelle-moi Rus. C'est beaucoup plus facile à dire. Nous avons des noms de sorciers très traditionnels dans ma famille." After a second of consideration, and giving her a moment to process that, he responded to the rest of her curiosity, "Oui! Nous parlons Francaise dans ma famille.  Ma mère est anglaise mais elle est née et a grandi dans le sud de la France. Je passe une partie de chaque été à Marseille. Avez-vous grandi avec des non-magiques? Où habitez-vous en France ? À Paris?" He looked at her father who seemed quite out of sorts in the environment. It was no effort for him to beam broadly and his question had none of the normal acid his own mother or father might put in it, it was from out of pure curiosity.

"Merci d’avoir demandé à Rus que vous sembliez très gentil.  Oui, mon père est originaire d’Occitanie, d’Aude pour être précis.  Le père dit que maman était magique mais elle est morte quand j’étais très jeune, alors il m’a élevé seul." Kate said as she tried not to sound to nervous.  It was much more reassuring to be speaking in her native tongue, when confronted not only with London but also with a hidden community within London she never knew existed until a week ago.  "Quelle partie de Marseille, si je peux me permettre de demander."


((French says = "Thank you for asking Rus that you seem very nice.  Yes, my father is from Occitania, from Aude to be precise.  The father says mom was magical but she died when I was very young, so he raised me alone."   "What a part of Marseille, if I may ask."))
This message was last edited by the player at 18:27, Thu 15 July 2021.

Rus smiled and bowed his head in thanks to the compliment. A wave of sadness then crossed his features and his hand raised, momentarily, as if to offer some comfort. A second later, he simply clenched his fist and shook his head, "Je vous adresse mes sincères condoléances. Bien qu'elle me vexe souvent, je ne pouvais pas imaginer la vie sans mère."

Seeing her more relaxed, he hoped that he had made a friend. He motioned at the table he had been seated at, "S'il vous plaît rejoignez-nous. Je suis sûr que votre père trouverait une conversation agréable avec ma mère et Madame Abbott." He pointed to the semi-distant table where the two witches sat.

He then tried to continue the conversation whatever her choice was. He would nto force her out of her comfort. "Danc, nous avons une maison près du Vieux-Port à Marseille. De nombreuses sorcières et sorciers vivent dans la région. Ils l'ont depuis l'antiquité." But a god conversation was as much about one's partner as oneself, "Aude? C'est à Narbonne, non? Je ne me souviens pas l'avoir visité. Je pense que maman nous a appris quelque chose sur le soulèvement cathare. C'était dans cette région, non?" He glanced at the others at the table to see if they were put off by the foreign exchange or, even more interesting, were following it.

"Je vous remercie, mais je n’ai jamais eu l'occasion de la connaitre avant son décès. Cependant d'après les photos de papa c’était une femme remarquablement belle. Pouvons-nous Père ?"" She asked curiously looking at her father worriedly.  He normally didn't trust her around strangers, or rather didn't trust the strangers around her.  She was hopeful though, it'd be nice to have some friends outside of Fenny and her tutors.

Her father seemed to hesistate before looking down at the boy who was talking to his daughter.  He had a suspicious look in his eyes, before letting his eyes shift to look at the table they'd be sitting at.  It took him a moment before reluctantly agreeing.  "Je suppose que ce serait bien, mais nous partons si l’un d’entre eux essaie quelque chose, mon petit coquillage." Causing a delighted little squeak from his daughter that brought a slight smile to his lips.  He walked over taking a seat next to Kate and glancing at the adults with some interest.

At the question Kate seemed to relax alittle, this was much more familiar ground for her, facts and details were her home, mainly due to a lack of friends in her life.  "Je n’ai jamais été au Vieux-Port non plus, est-ce que c’est sympa là-bas, et oui, oui, ça fait partie de la sous-préfecture de Narbonne. Oui pape Innocent trois, a lancé une croisade contre les hérétiques cathares en douze cent neuf, c’était aussi un front pendant les réformes catholiques. Aude a une longue et fière histoire qui remonte à l’Empire Romain.  J’espère ne pas offenser vos amis en parlant en Français, je détesterais être un dérangement pour votre entreprise"


((French says = "Thank you, but I never had the opportunity to know her before her death. However according to Dad's photos she was a remarkably beautiful woman. Can we Father?"    "I guess it would be nice, but we leave if one of them tries something, my little sea shell."    "I've never been to the Old Port either, is it nice there, and yes, yes, it's part of the sub-prefecture of Narbonne. Yes Pope Innocent three, launched a crusade against the Cathar heretics in twelve hundred and nine, it was also a front during the Catholic reforms. Aude has a long and proud history that dates back to the Roman Empire.  I hope not to offend your friends by speaking in French, I would hate to be a nuisance for your company" ))
This message was last edited by the player at 18:29, Thu 15 July 2021.

Rus sat back a bit at the reply but his grin only grew. He then glanced at their table companions, "Si vous le souhaitez, nous pouvons changer de langue. Je suis à l'aise avec l'un ou l'autre." Rus smiled then and took a sip of his cider. A sudden thought occurred and he motioned with the mug toward the bar, "Voulez-vous quelque chose à boire?"

He didn't mean to leave off their conversation about the history of southern France, but he wanted to give her time to consider the switch of tongues and a choice of beverage.

The fat boy had been settled at t a table by the innkeeper. "We need not worry about twisters here, weird things happen at Gringott's every now and then. Are the Ministry investigators at the scene?"

The boy got excited again. "I'll say! They have been swiped up by the thing!"

"Oh. Well, forget about it my dear,it will all be sorted out soon." Then Mrs Abbott turned to the group speaking French. "Que puis-je vous apporter ?"