milliways_bar | (no subject)

Morgan. Book in hand. One arm drapped across Barty's shoulders. Kiss on the cheek.

"Hey."

"Hi there."

He kisses her too.

There's a bag by his seat. And something in it.

Something book-shaped.

Funny, that.

"I have your Christmas present. I forgot before," she admits readily enough, claiming the seat next to him. The book in her hand is leather-bound, plain and simple.

No title.

"And... I have yours. I couldn't decide what to get you. But, then I did." But she offered his present first, so before he gives her hers, he takes the leather-bound book. No title though?

"Thanks! It's beautiful."

He opens it. Blank pages. But he can feel something.

Magic.

He looks at her, head tilted, smiling, eager to hear what it does.

Her face is mostly serious. Except for her mouth, which keeps curving into a smile.

"Think of something. A potion - any kind."

"OK!"

He does. A standard, if fairly complicated one - Veritaserum.

He looks down at the book, and the potion is there, in Morgan's old, beautiful handwriting.

"Bloody hell. Wow, thanks!" He hugs her. "That is such a neat present."

Morgan grins at him.

"It was fun making it, too. Wouldn't want to do another one soon, though."

"I bet it was. It'll be fun using it too." He kisses her - on the lips this time.

"OK! Now, yours. Got you two things! First..." He reaches down, and picks up the bag. There's a book in it, and this one does have a title:

Authoritative Guide to Snakes and Their Magical Properties
by S.Slytherin

"Oh."

She takes the book from him and peers at it, and then flicks through the pages.

Slowly, the girl grins.

"That was written by one of the founders of Hogwarts, Salazar Slytherin. He was a Parselmouth. Really knew his snakes!"

The second present is in his pocket. It's in a little box, which he offers to her.

Inside is a necklace of a silver eagle, with tiny sapphires for eyes.

"...I think I meet him. Not very nice. Angry, too. I had fun - I don't think he did..." Her soft voice trails off as she opens the box.

"Barty...it's beautiful..."

He nods. "Great wizard, but an unpleasant character." Rather like the Dark Lord, only rather less psychotic.

He just smiles, and puts his hand on hers. "Glad you like it."

Morgan watches him for a moment, and then leans over to kiss him.

"It's beautiful, of course I do."

"Wanted to make it magical, too, but until I get my wand back..."

But as long as she likes it, it doesn't really matter.

A little shrug.

"Not everything has to be magic...when are you getting your wand back? It's been months!"

"I know! I think I'm due to get it back soon though. And then?" He grins.

"I'll have magic back, and we can cause magic mischief together."

Her grin turns very, very wicked.

"Oh, but of course, my love..." Then she giggles.

"Security won't know what hit them. Not that we'll actually break the rules, of course," he says with mock sanctimoniousness.

Maybe bend them. Maybe act against their spirit. But not break them - that would mean Cells.

And Cells would be Bad. For one thing, she'd probably go psychotic again.

If she wasn't already - this period of mostly-sanity can't really last, after all.

"Of course not..." Morgan's look turns sly. "At least...when they are watching."

"True. What they don't know won't hurt them. We could figure out some means of knowing when they're nearby..."

I solmenly swear that I am up to no good.

"And when they're not? The bar is our oyster."

"That is a very strange saying..." But, still, she shrugs and resettles herself so that her arm is curled around his waist. Yes, this means she's standing again, but ah well.

She likes being close to him.

Morgan is silent for a long time, just resting her head against his and thinking.

"...Secruity all have badges, don't they?"

"They do, yeah."

He puts his hand on her back (and is tempted to place it slightly lower... but not in the bar).

Slowly, a grin emerges.

"You getting an idea?"

"Maaaaybe..."

"Mmmmmmm? Some kind of badge detection magic?"

He kisses her on the nose. "Bad Morgan."

He loves it.

A quick, shy, pleased grin.

"Exactly. I'll have to inspect one to see if there is anything, an oath or magic or an obligation attached and see if I can use it."

"I think Tim made them? Not sure... he's a wizard, so bound to be some kind of magic."

"How you going to get one? Ask Alanna?"

"Well, why not? She's a friend."

Sometimes? Morgan is very, very naive.

"Well, she trusts you."

It's so direct it might just work.

"Worth a try!"

"Aye."

Beat, and she twists around to kiss his forehead.

"Come help me look?"

"Sure!"

He leaps up, takes her hand and his book, kisses her once on the lips, and follows her out.