A tall slender man who looked like an adult version of Arty came in the door. "Has anyone seen..." Arty ran over to his dad and took his hand. "I'm ready to go now."

"Well I'm sure that once we get your books..."

He looked up stubbornly, "I am ready to go home now."

His father knelt to be eye to eye with Arty. "Son, we've talked about this. Hogwarts..."

Arty was having none of it, "They don't speak English here. they blither and leave people who don't speak their gibberish out. I want to ho home."

His father looked at the room bitterly. "I thought this school had grown out of such nonsense but it seems I was wrong. I'll send the headmaster an owl."

With that he caused space to twist around and he disappeared along with Arty.

Bella had perked up a little when she heard others speaking French but she was also awfully curious about what was going on with the twister that was now being talked about by the older patrons.  "I'm Arabella but most people just call me Bella," she introduced herself in French and nodded enthusiastically when Rus invited Katherine to join them.  She did give the father a quizzical look, though, when he said something about anyone trying anything.  What in the world could he possibly mean?

The larger boy mentioned something about some of the weather wizards being swept up in the storm then and she turned to look at him, eyes wide with surprise.  "Swiped up?!" she blurted out in English, then looked toward her mother.  Surely this meant there could be injuries.  "Mum, should we see if anyone needs help?" she asked with some urgency.  "I could help with the little things ..."  Alamara did look concerned but for the moment she shook her head.  "If I'm needed, they'll get word to me.  For now we should stay here."

A man came in and the boy who wanted to be the greatest Keeper in history ran to him, upset that some had been speaking in French.  Then the man rudely told them off and before Bella or anyone could try to apologize, they apparated away.  "Well I never ..." Alamara sputtered and Bella looked crestfallen.  "We didn't mean anything," she said quietly as she set her empty cup down.  She looked to Marcus and nodded.  "Petunia ... that's a wonderful name"
This message was last edited by the player at 18:36, Thu 15 July 2021.

Kate closed her eyes and took a breath as she resumed figiting with her braid. "I suppose I can speak English if it helps, its just not as familiar as my French.  Um, do you have any Green Tea, Madam, I'm sorry i didn't catch your name."  She blushed deeply at the oversight and embarrassment of not knowing who was taking her order.  Atleast dad didn't seem to upset by it.  "I'm Katherine Damor, and who are you if i may ask?" she asked hoping that soon they'd be able to goto the bank but in the meantime she could atleast meet her future peers hopefully.

"A pleasure to meet you Bella, I hope we can be friends." Kate said with a slight inclination of her head out of respect.

Already most of the way out the door when the conversation edges back into English Sara doesn't stop, but she does glance behind her to see if anyone is likely to be following.  In either case she opens the door into the wind and rain, pushing it aside as easily as an adult two or three times her size would expect to, and leaves the warm dry tavern behind.

The actions of the outspoken boy were largely ignored. Marcus couldn’t understand them either, but that did not take away from his conversation with Bella or her mother. He smiled at Bella and gave Petunia much appreciated pets. She hadn’t changed much in the last couple of years. Cuter but still the same sweet personality.

Upon hearing the wizards that came to calm the storm were swiped up, he opened the collar of his jacket and scooped Petunia into it. A long coil of rope with a carabiner attached to each end. Marcus clipped one to his belt and slung his backpack back on. He held the coil of rope in his left hand. “I have to see who is behind this for personal reasons now. I have some rope to help keep the others from getting swept away.” He then proceeded to follow Sara out the door offering a portion of the rope to her to hold onto.

Rus blushed deeply as the boy stormed off. He seemed the type to get upset when everything didn't include him, but Rus wasn't sure what he could have done. He spoke the language as did Kate and, apparently, Bella. Why should they avoid it? At the other table, Constance had a deeply severe look on her face. Rus assumed that notes about a certain family had been taken for the next tea time with her high-society friends.

Then the conversation turned to drinks and the twister again, "It's really no business for children. Right?" A part of him really wanted to see it though. To stay a safe distance away and watch. Mum and he needed to get money from the bank anyway. He looked at Marcus, Bella, and Kate with a worried expression. His eyes still darted to the now open door in the back which lead to the alley. "Oi, the secret door muggles shouldn't know about is wide open!"

Without thinking, he got up and ran to the space to close the door. He stopped half-way there to look back at the two girls still sitting at the table. He looked positively sheepish. He then caught his mother's look and that she was halfway out of her chair already. "Let's go see, mother. I am sure that father would like to hear about it later. Maybe Miss Mertle would want to know as well?" Constance hesitated then and pursed her lips as she glanced at Alamara, "Well, there is shopping to be done. And Mi.. Agkistrodon would probably appreciate first-hand knowledge. Alamara? What's your thought? I am sure we could keep the children's behavior properly in check as well as keep them safe." She looks at Kate's father and smiles. Rus knew when Constance was putting the charm on. She was good at it in a snakey kind of way. "I assure you, sire. There's little to fear and we can guide you and your daughter around the Alley."

At the mention of what is happening at Gringotts, Jay immediately put his textbook in his backpack and runs outside, in spite of the rain and wind. There is a look of worry and fear in his face. His direction is Gringotts because he is worried about his uncle.

Kate looked confused for a moment before glancing to her father who seemed to be considering the offer. "I suppose it would be best to have an adult witch or wizard with us for our trip through the alley, you're sure it would be no bother madam?" he asked with sincerity. The idea of a rope and escort putting any concern of the twister away, surely they would have it under control soon right?

Kate smiled at that, although her anxious figiting did little to actually quiet as a result.  She didn't like crowded places where it felt like everyone was looking at her.  If the leaky cauldron was like this, how bad would Diagon ally itself be?  Well, she'd have to put her trust in her new ... was he a friend or an acquaintance....Rus and hope for the best, it was strange to think of a boy as a friend instead of a threat, but maybe this was the start of a new life for her.  In more ways then one.  "Alright, if your sure its safe Rus...are you coming as well Bella?" she asked hopefully.

Alamara could see her daughter's curiosity rising and knew if she didn't go with her that her daughter might not stay at a safe distance.  "I believe with our guidance, they could safely see the phenomenon," she replied to Constance.  The words were barely out of her mouth and Arabella was dashing after the other children.  "Wait for me!" she called out as she headed for the back door.

"Sure we have green tea," Mrs Abbott said. "But oh my, it seems everyone is going to see the action." She took off her apron and dusted off her hand,s although they did not look like they needed dusting off. "I'm a healer, maybe I will be needed."

With that, about everyone including the fat boy were on their way out the backdoor.

The weather in Diagon Alley was still windy and rainy, but the center of the storm was now clearly over Gringott's - a grey-and-purple twister the size of a small church tower slowly rotating clockwise. "That's wrong,"the fat boy muttered. "We're in the northern hemisphere,it should rotate counterclockwise. My mom's a meteorologist, I know these things."

Shouts and cries and wild cursing could be heard, and all sorts of people were assembled in the street, their expressions a mixture of horror and amazement as they watched the weather control team spinning around in the twister,sometimes completely vanishing in it. All of them seemed to be tied onto their brooms so as to avoid falling off, but they did not look like entering the storm had been their intention. It looked as if the twister tried to grab onto the domed roof of the wizard bank. But it could not get a hold. "Haaaaa if that's a try to rip the rohohooof off of the building, haaaa then that's a fail right there... hahahhaa see there is toohohoo much magic on that building!" The person almost neighing these words was, on the first look, a centaur. On the second look, even for a foal he was too small. On the 3rd look, it was easy to see the similarities with a donkey. "Whahahat?" he asked. "Never seen an Onocentaur before?"

Yes I know in mythology they do not have 4 horse legs but that version I find way too weird.

Excited, Rus burst into the alley through the secret pass and then darted down the street a bit. He didn't need to go far before he spotted the thing. The stock still stance, craned neck, and wide eyes of the enraptured soon overtook his form. Instinctively, as he Da had taught him, he tried to focus on magical traces within the twister, but it was too far away of course. One foot stepped closer then stopped mid-air.

He turned his head as hid body froze to meet the stern glare of his mum. He saw her look at the twister with a frown of deep concern. He visibly shook as he noted mum's short, rigid wand was in her hand and she was muttering words. She did that when she was going through the list of spells she could recall.

Rus turned, still in place, to regard the twister again and felt his desire to get closer still present. He wouldn't though; he was a kind and considerate person. It'd give his mum white hairs to go running into that thing. He looked around at the others standing nearby. "Northern-huh? Counter-what? Meteor-blahblahblah? You mean it's turning the wrong way?" Must have been muggle words or stuff he'd learn at school. The kid's parents must be weather witches or whatever the muggle equivalent was. He was just shaking his head as the magical creature began to speak. He stared openly and replied, "No. Never have. Never even heard of one." The man's comments were right, of course. His father worked in Gringott's as a Curse Breaker; Rus had some idea of just how good that place's magical protections were. "You'd need to be just about the biggest idiot or maddest wizard alive to try and break into Gringott's with brute force. It's impossible! Mum says the goblins aren't to be trusted further than the end of their massive noses, but you should always be wary of goblin magic. They're quite vicious when they want to be."

Seeming to enjoy the stormy weather as much as the interesting view Sara presses on in the direction of the bank, not exactly quickly but with a definite purpose and a lot of practice moving against the wind, she leans into the wind easily and takes what gaps in its force she can by approaching buildings or traveling in their shadows as often as possible.  Occasionally she glances back to check on the progress of the other students but seems confident that they will keep up or that they don't need to.

Bella looked up at the people being flung around, her expression somewhere between horror and curiosity.  "Oh ... if they ever get out of there I'm sure their stomachs aren't going to be in the best of shape ... along with their outsides," she said worriedly.

Then she heard a voice, strange and almost braying, and when she looked down at the Onocentaur she almost forgot about the poor people up in the twister.  "I have not met an Onocentaur before but it's a pleasure," she said kindly.

Looking back at the bank, she thought about what some of the others were saying.  "Maybe this is just a distraction, covering up something happening somewhere else," she suggested.  Her mother wasn't saying anything but her wand was out and she looked ready to defend the children.

"Gohohooblins are verrry good at keheeheeping their secrets save, haaa!" the Onocentaur agreed. "I am Hugo, and I work at Hohohoogwarts this yeah, haa,to help with a newhewheew agreement with the Centaurs. They are a pain in the ass, haahaaa. Get it? Pain in the ass, haaa."

Up at the twister, the gathered crowed ooohed and aaahed and then screamed as the witch of the weather control group was ejected - or maybe she had escaped, everyone seemed to have a different opinion. Under the applause of many,much as if this was a planned performance, she caught her broom easily enough and started to circle the thing. She shouted something to a few bystanders.

Perception roll from everyone present please.

Unlike most of the folks around him Jay was not interested in the cyclone once he took one good look at it. Instead he seemed to be desperately searching the crowds. While he can somewhat hear what is being said by the witch his attention is on finding someone. Then he ran towards Tommy in the  relief showing in his face.

"Uncle Tommy!"

The man turned around from watching the cyclone and gently knelt in front of Jay with concern putting both hands on the boy's shoulders.

"Jay you should not be here. I thought I told you to stay in the Leaky Cauldron?"

"I was worried about you after hearing about the cyclone.", Jay replied with genuine concern and relief that his Uncle Tommy is okay.

There was a sad smile in Tommy's face. After giving Jay a fatherly affectionate pat to the neck to give the very worried boy assurance he led the boy back to the Leaky Cauldron.

23:10, Today: Jason Voorhees Jarvis rolled 15 using 1d20+2.  Perception Roll.

Rus was stuck between a twister and his mum. Still, he didn't try to get any closer at all. There was a rumbling, thrumming sort of feeling in his chest that made him feel cold and numb. He looked back to his mum who stood squarely, wand in hand, staring up at the twister with a very disapproving look. Somehow, the absolute mundanity of his mother's disapproval shook the numbing feeling free. He then turned to look at Kate and Bella.

"A distraction?" Rus looked at the twister again and his jaw worked like he was chewing on something. "Well, it isn't very good at what it seems to be trying to do. That's certain. It certainly has everyone's eyes on it. Oi! You may be right, Bella!" A more appraising look went from Rus to Bella then and he nodded to himself. He looked at Kate then at their parents a bit behind them.

Then his eyes snapped to the strange magical creature as it spoke again, "Oi! We're meant to start there this year. What subject were you meant to teach then? Personally, I like History and Herbology, but mum wants me to get Es in all my subjects." A second later, Rus spoke a bit more slowly, "I don't think mum would approve of me understanding that joke. OR hearing it for that matter. But I get it." He looked up at the twister again and then at Kate and Bella, "Should we, uhmm, do anything?"

13:18, Today: Trimeresurus Slughorn rolled 10 using 1d20+5.  PErception.

Bella's cheeks turned pink when Rus looked at her and said she might be onto something.  "My brothers often caused a distraction when they were trying to sneak something past Mum and Dad," she said with a little shrug.  She was trying to look all around, to see if she might see something else going on, but she started giggling at the Onocentaur's quip.

---

10:41, Today: Arabella Abbott rolled 9 using 1d20+2.  Perception.

Ugh!  The die roller is in a stinky mood for me today.  That's two bad rolls in a row.

20:04, Yesterday: Katherine Damor rolled 19 using 1d20+2.  Perception check.


Kate seems to tense as the witch is ejected from the storm and clings alittle tighter to her dad and the rope.  She seems to be whispering something in french to her dad nervously as she watches the display and tries to listen closely to whats going on.

Rather than bunching up with the mostly adult crowd close to the bank Sara takes a bit of a detour to a side street and climbs up on the roof of a nearby building to get a better look at what is going on up in the air.

A twister over Gringott's was certainly something worth braving the rain over. Pandora joined the others in Diagon Alley, staring up at the storm over the bank. She guessed it wasn't natural.

Watching the weather control team flying around - and through - the tornado, she instinctively gripped an imaginary broom, fearful and excited at the same time.

22:13, Today: Pandora Black rolled 2 using 1d20.  Perception.
Must have rain in her eyes.

In all the rain and many people running any which way, but JJ and Sara were pretty sure there were several aurors near the bank - not many people would voluntarily wear those ugly brown coats. But they were drawing away from the bank, now, moving into an alley opposit6e the bank.

Intelligence check for those two to see if you know where they are going.

Sara watches a few people move away from the twister down yet another one of the twisting allies, but doesn't recognize them as anything particularly important, surely not more interesting than the twister itself.

As Tommy leads his charge away, JJ points to several aurors headed in a certain direction. But Tommy is more concerned with his charge than investigating what is truly going on. So the two head back to the Leaky Cauldron.

23:37, Today: Jason Voorhees Jarvis rolled 10 using 1d20+1.  Intelligence.

Rus was just staring at the twister clawing away at the roof of the bank. The twisting wind and the flying debris were like watching an intricate ballet. He even lifted his finger to trace a particular movement for a few moments here and there.

A heavy hand landing upon his shoulder jolted him back and he looked up wide-eyed into the stern visage of his mother, "Come, Trimeresurus. Bring your friends. I think you have seen more than enough. Let's go to Ollivander's You can gawk just as easily from there."

Rus squeaked in excitement. he was the last of his family to be without a wand. His father had let him hold his grandfather's wand a few times to practice a few things, but his own wand was a treasure of an idea. He turned excitedly to Kate and Bella and hopped a bit on his toes, "Oh, oh! Do you have wands yet? It's ever so exciting! A wand is like your best friend. That's what Mum says. She studied to be an enchanter in school. Want to go seem them?"

"No, although I'm sure that papa will take us there right after we exchange our moneys." Kate says as she watches all the excitement surrounding the twister.  Her first glance at the magical world was, a little overwhelming in all honesty.  Hopefully it wasn't always this exciting.