March 3, 1888 - Padmore Park

And I don't wanna steal your freedom

I don't wanna change your mind
I don't have to make you love me
I just want to take your time

I don't wanna wreck your Friday
I ain't gonna waste my lines
I don't have to take your heart
I just wanna take your time

It was only after Rufus had arrived at the park that he began to wonder if he were portraying stalker like tendencies. After all he had considered strolling down High Street until he ran into the mysterious Miss T when she had mentioned she would be running errands that day. But he had replied in kind. No, it could only be considered setting a fortuitous meeting, Rufus decided as he strolled away from High Street and further into Padmore Park. Then came the questions of if she would see him if he moved away from the High Street side of the park, or if he would look odd simply standing there waiting for her. He’d make it a fast lap and hope to spot her on the next round of the park.

Typically Rufus did not entertain such anxious thoughts when it came to the young women he was acquainted with, generally he was there for a good time, a good conversation, some nice flirting, nothing more. And really he didn’t want anything more when it came to Miss T. He just enjoyed their conversations, the way she laughed and was quite candid, but it was little more than that. He didn’t want to take her heart, but he, rather selfishly, want to take her time. After all he was in no position to even consider the prospects of love or marriage in his current position, less he end up like Magnus Lockhart or others in his field who had attempted to marry when the time wasn’t right. No, he simply wanted to have the pleasant companionship of the delightful Miss T and nothing more. At least that was what he was going to keep telling himself as he made his way back to the path leading to High Street.

  

This little impromptu meeting was perhaps one of the more bold things Tuni had done. Though, it wasn't too far from her norm. After all, starting up a penpal system with men she didn't know was quite bold. Unfortunately, that hadn't resulted in the best of results so clearly more bold choices were needed. Mr. Bixby had been quite the coincidence though, their initial meetings sporadic at best. This, however, was an entirely different story. They had planned the meeting in a sense. Planned without actually planning. If that were even a thing.

Regardless, she'd been a bit fidgety throughout the small shopping trip with her maid acting as her chaperone. Her father was far too busy, not that she'd want him to accompany her on the excursion, and she'd be damned if she'd ask her stepmother to join her. Her maid had taken notice to her unusual unease throughout their trip but hadn't actually said anything to her, just looked at her funny. Tuni had simply ignored it but she couldn't help the quickening of her pace as they neared closer to the park for a mid afternoon walk.

If she hadn't been able to help the quickening of her pace, she certainly couldn't help the grin that spread across her features as a familiar gentleman came into her sight as they neared the park. It was a bit silly to feel so giddy as she truly didn't know him but she couldn't quite help the feeling. She'd have to keep it under wraps for the time being. She didn't want to get her hopes up and have things crash down. Too good to be true was a thought that kept running through her mind.

"Hello, Mr. Bixby," she said pleasantly once within hearing distance.

  

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Another Glorious MJ Set!

It was not long before Rufus spotted the familiar young lady. Surprising how in just a few short meetings she had already become familiar to him. Her maid trailed behind her as she entered into the shadows of the trees that arched over the park. Without wanting to seem too eager, Rufus stepped slightly quicker until he reached her. A grin broadened over his features as he neared her, anticipating a pleasant walk through the park.

“Good day, Miss T.” He took his hat off and bowed at the young woman, attempting to look like a proper gentleman. “It is a pleasure to see you again.” He added, not sure if the maid were aware of the manner in which this meeting had come about. “How are you this fine day?” For it was a fine day - he could feel spring in the air, sun and blue skies greeted them, while a chill of winter still remained in the air.

  

Tuni couldn't help the smirk that formed on her lips as she saw the raised brow and inquisitive look from her maid as Mr. Bixby called her by Miss T. She'd surely hear questions about it later but luckily the maid knew not to interject at the present time. Her maid did give Mr. Bixby a rather assessing looking over though, something Tuni couldn't help but to smirk more at. At least she'd have a compatriot on discussing his roguish good looks over later.

"I'm quite well," she said, now smiling as she stopped in front of him, "Fresh air and good conversation do wonders for a body. And yourself? I see you still seem to have your senses about you so the lack of Quidditch doesn't seem to have driven you entirely batty yet."

  

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Another Glorious MJ Set!

“You are quite right, this weather does do wonders.” Rufus agreed with a nod. He loved the outdoors, perhaps in large part because of his career. It didn’t matter if it was winter, spring, summer, or fall, he could find merits in each of them. “As that is the case would you ladies care to accompany me on a stroll through the park?” He gestured toward the paths behind them with a half bow and a sweep of his arm.

A chuckle crossed his lips at her comment and familiarity with the difficulties players often found during off season. It was rare to find someone like that, but then again her brother did play for the rival team. A spike of curiosity at just who that brother was reared, but she had said in her letter it was a quest of sorts. Her name that is. The thoughts flashed rapidly from his mind, going from one thing to the next in mere seconds before he replied to her. “Quite well for off season, luckily it appears I may make it without becoming batty. Although, my brothers make it a point to remind me there are still several months ahead before the season starts up again.” Really it was as if the family were making it a concerted effort to remind him just how long offseason was. “And your brother, how is he fairing it?” Rufus remembered to politely enquire.

  

Tuni gave him a pleasant smile and a nod as he motioned to the path for them to take. She easily fell into stride next to him as they began their way through the park. Her maid trailed at a respectable distance behind them, far enough to not really be able to hear the conversation but still close enough for propriety's sake.

"That is good to hear, though I imagine life would be quite boring without siblings to needle us about things," she said with a knowing smile. Though, she imagined it was different for men. Ladies were a bit more restricted in how they handled siblings when they were annoying them. "And he's well," she said with a slight shrug, "Family tends to keep a person busy during the downtime." She didn't elaborate exactly on what family entailed though. It might be more of a giveaway if she did because how many Quidditch players truly had their own families like Lock did already?

  

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Another Glorious MJ Set!

“I imagine it would be quite dull.” Rufus agreed. While he might gripe about his brothers and sisters he simply couldn’t imagine life without them. They needled each other and were endlessly annoying, but so many of the best stories in life involved his younger siblings. Besides, they could field a quidditch team when they were all home, he’d have so little chance to practice with others outside of work if they weren’t around.

Rufus nodded at her answer, “Indeed, they certainly do.” He agreed. His mother for instance always had an errand or a dinner or some other task for him it seemed. “I suppose mine might if most of them weren’t still away at school.” Especially Sloane who Rufus had been known to dote on since she had been born. “My sister just started at Hogwarts this year. But every other off season she’s been the one to practice flying with me. Now it’s just Alvin and I and he’s more into his brooms than practicing on one.” That and Rufus found conversations about how brooms were made incredibly dull when compared to actually flying one.

  

"So you have a few siblings?" Tuni questioned, peering up at him through her long lashes as she glanced to him while they walked. She often wondered what it would have been like to have another sibling. She'd almost had one but he'd died in birth and took her mother with him. She didn't know much more than that and now her father was married to what could only be referred to as a child bride. It was quite awful in all honesty which was why she rarely spent time at home.

  

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Another Glorious MJ Set!

"Oh yes. Quite a few." Rufus's warm chuckle punctuated his words. "Mainly brothers, three to be exact, and then my baby sister Sloane." It had been quite the household growing up. "All equally quidditch obsessed as myself. " Rufus couldn't help the grin at that comment. Granted, what did one expect when their father had once played professional qudditch and had spent the rest of his adult life coaching it. Even their mother worked in the ministry in the department of sports regulations.

"Do you only have the one brother?" Rufus asked as he turned his gaze at the young woman beside him and smiled.

  

Tuni found herself smiling even more as he talked about his siblings. Though he wasn't telling her a lot in words, it was evident he cared for his siblings. It was pleasant to hear. Her brother and she cared for one another but she didn't think they were quite as close as the Bixby siblings were from what she could hear.

She found herself nodding in response at his question though. "Yes, just my one older brother," she said without elaborating once again. She also didn't see the point in mentioning a baby brother that hadn't survived infancy.

"Quidditch was mostly my brother's thing to be honest," she said with a shrug, "I don't mind watching it but I'm not sure I've the coordination to fly on a broom. History and books have always been more my forte."

  

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Another Glorious MJ Set!

"I doubt that. I'm sure you have quite a bit of coordination. You just need some confidence!" Rufus gave her an enthusiastically encouraging grin.

Coming from a quidditch-centric family Rufus sometimes forgot not everyone was nearly as embroiled in the sport as the Bixbys were. Some part of his mind simply assumed that most players families were equally involved, although that was a truth he had seen disproven several times. Nevertheless Rufus could understand wanting a different thing to be enthusiastic about from his siblings, he supposed it was why Alvin had gone into broom making instead of flying.

"History and books?" Most certainly were not his thing, but his echoed words sounded bemused. "I always found History of Magic to be among the dullest of courses." He admitted abashedly. "Although that may have been on principle as opposed to the course itself." Rufus added after a brief moment of thought. Feeling foolish for seemingly being dismissive of her interests he tried to correct it."What types of books?"

  

Tuni couldn't help but to laugh at his thoughts on history of magic. She heard it quite frequently really but that wasn't the only kind of history she enjoyed.

"Any kind really," she responded, "While my brother loved Quidditch, I loved learning. Anything that could teach me something I would get my hands on."

She glanced at him again, smirking some now. "And you know there's much more to the history of magic than meets the eye. I honestly love the history of old civilisations, not specifically magical. It's all quite fascinating," she continued with a nod after looking away, "It's why I'd like to travel some say."

  

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Another Glorious MJ Set!

"Anything but quidditch?" Rufus couldn't help but goodnatured quip.

The look she gave him made him want to know more. "Oh? " His head tilted in curiosity. "Perhaps you would be able to enlighten me on it." He suggested enjoying the enthusiasm in her voice.

Now travel, that was something Rufus could find fascinating. "I'd love to travel, if I had more time off. Perhaps that is what I should start doing with my off season." He mused. "And where would you most like to travel Miss T? Any suggestions?"

  

Tuni smirked about his quip. "I may not love quidditch the way you or my brother does but I still know quite a lot about the sport," she answered a bit matter of factly.

"Take ancient Greece for example," she said grinning as they walked along, "Some would view their practices as simply barbaric but it's really quite fascinating. Spartan warriors started their training at the age of six or seven. They not only had to leave their home and families behind but had to live in barracks with other boys their age and begin quite rigorous and often deadly training."

She paused and looked to him up see if he was listening and to gauge his interest on the subject before continue. "But they also had lessons in music and taught them to read and write," she finished with a wide smile and brightness to her eyes that could only be explained by excitement, "Besides all that, I'd like to go to Greece to see all the architecture and engineering they're not as famous for."

  

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Another Glorious MJ Set!

"I find that very easy to believe." Rufus conceded with good grace. After all, growing up with a quidditch player was bound to wear off on any sibling at some point - whether they liked the sport or not.

It was easy to find an interest in the subject with Miss T speaking as enthusiastically about it. Her face lit up and the excitement was evident in her voice. "Really?" Rufus was intrigued as he caught her gaze and encouraged her to go on. Perhaps all history wasn't as dry as his professors in school had made it seem when he was antsy young lady who simply wanted to be outside on a broom all day long.

"It all sounds quite worth it. I have heard that the Grecian lands are quite beautiful, even if the people are as learned as us British." Rufus nodded his agreement. "Personally, I've always been fascinated by the Indian colonies. They seem so exotic and different from here." He shrugged, almost sheepish in his suggestion.

  

Tuni was actually quite relieved that he seemed to be finding interest in what she was saying. Most only nodded where they thought appropriate and gave her a polite smile when she went off on one of her tangents. It didn't happen as often as it used to though, having learned to reign it in more often than not. There was something about talking with Mr. Bixby though that put her at ease. He didn't make her feel small and insignificant.

She beamed up at him with that smile when he spoke, clearly having actually paid atention to what she had said. "Perhaps one day I'll make it there," she answered almost wistfully.

"Oh the ancient Indian colonies are quite interesting as well," she started, still grinning, "They are actually quite different from us. Women are very much men's equal there and have more of a voice than you can imagine. They were actually allowed to choose their own spouse from a group of men when they wanted."

She couldn't help but to blush then as she glanced at him almost warily. It was one thing to go on a tangent about ancient civilizations but it was entirely student to discuss such forward thoughts like what she'd just blurted out. "Sorry," she said, doing her best to reign in her excitement, "I tend to go off on tangents pile that without really thinking about what I'm saying." She just hoped he wasn't the super conservative and uppity type that would take offence to what she'd just said. She didn't think he was but how much did she really know him?

  

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Another Glorious MJ Set!