October 30th, 1888 - High Street
Jewell Family Distilleries Shop Opening

Gideon was starting to get desperate. It was sad, really, but it was the truth. He needed to find a woman willing to become his wife in a relatively quick matter. He was actually cursing the fact he hadn't been hit with the slew of Amorentia letters that had wreaked havoc not long ago. It would have at least helped him to secure something somehow. But as the days went on, he was growing increasingly more aware that Billie really really needed a woman figure in her life. She was sure the little scamp would rebel initially but something needed to happen or she'd still wind up dead in the streets despite having a father and a home.

He'd heard about her run ins with vampires and he'd had to smooth over things with the Fletcher family after the little boy had tattled about Billie's act of revenge on the little bastard. He wasn't sure if she really to him all that seriously when he tried reprimanding her though. It was hard, especially when he found some of her antics to be rather humorous. Smiling while scolding someone clearly wasn't the way to go about things. But, as it was, he needed a damned break and the grand opening of the Distillery shop front just a few shops down from his own was the perfect place for him to take such a break.

He'd already had a handful of samples at the market and then gladly played the cover charge to go inside of the shop when they opened their doors to unveil a new drink and some entertainment. After a few more of the specialty cocktails in perhaps too quick of succession, Gideon was feeling rather jovial and at ease.

Leaning against one of the many bar height tables that were set up in the shop, he watched as residents of Hogsmeade and likely elsewhere mingled about enjoying the flavored drinks and all the Jewell family had to offer the community. An easy grin was on his face as he brought the Fogsmeade Firewhiskey he'd decided to finally try up to his lips. He continued to grin as he blew out some of the smoke, first from his mouth and then from his nose. He hadn't anticipated just how much would come from the drink, however, and when the mass of smoke had dissipated he was face to face with a rather annoyed (or maybe even amused, he couldn't be sure) woman before him.

"Sorry about that," he said quickly with a bit of a sheepish grin, "Perhaps a drink to show my sincerest apologies?" The sheepish grin was quick to fade then and be replaced with a more roguish and crooked sort of grin he was more well known for.

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Open to any lady with reason to be there.
Please keep in mind Gideon is my Nano character so please only join if you intend to respond in a timely manner. Thank you!

  

There were a number of things Marlena avoided like the plague and high amongst them were the sort of events that involved men who thought cravats were an excellent fashion choice prowling around young ladies as though they were assessing a filly to take as their chattel. She could just about abide gatherings that were, beneath the surface, dedicated to the same thing but did at least maintain the pretence of being for everybody’s pleasure by involving elaborate costumes or some form of spectacle on a long lawn, but it was often a borderline traumatic experience and one she would only occasionally endure for the sake of somebody she loved.

Marlena had never before appreciated the simple pleasure of a party that was dedicated entirely to drinking whiskey and she considered that amongst the grossest oversights of her life thus far. Soon enough she would be visiting February for the first time since the elopement and she had decided to take a bottle of something as a house-warming present as something to cover the inevitable awkwardness that would happen the first time she met February’s husband. The browsing had led her unexpectedly to the buzzing shop opening and without much hesitation she had handed over the entrance fee to sample the good stuff indoors rather than standing on the street drinking like a sailor, though she could also see the benefit in that. She did have to find a present after all. And she was nothing if not an extensive researcher so she had quickly found a comfortable corner in the distillery and set about deciding whether a peaty or smoky offering would be most appropriate, whilst enjoying watching the other young ladies imbibe and becoming giggly, with rosy cheeks and the faintest hint of perspiration on their foreheads.

She ought to research it. Not tonight perhaps, not while there were others present but felt a sudden determination to learn the mysteries of the drink so she could pontificate with the best of them and annoy the gentlemen who thought themselves the masters of everything. Whiskey really was a wonderful thing…

Until it was blown into your face in smoke form and then followed, not by the pretty girl with brown hair she had been watching for the last ten minutes, but instead a cockily grinning man she had a vague recollection of having seen before somewhere. He didn’t work in the Ministry, she was sure of that and her excellent memory, whiskey-hazed though it was, placed him with relative ease.

“Much obliged Mr Ollivander,” she retorted with a mysterious smile she surprised herself by not having to force. “I’ll have the same as you. I’ve been wanting to try it all evening.”

  

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MJ: still raising the graphics bar as of 2022

It could have surely been worse. Though Gideon didn't truly recognize or know the young lady before him, she was at least easy on the eyes and didn't appear all that upset with him and his error. If anything, the smile spoke more than her words did even if it was a wonder how she knew who he was. However, mystery aside, he made a point of motioning for one of the waitstaff in attendance to come over quickly. He couldn't very well keep a lady waiting, could he?

Of course not. And so when the order was placed quickly, he returned that cheeky grin back to her while they waited for the arrival of said drinks. "It is a really fascinating drink," he said, making conversation easily enough, "A much spicier firewhiskey than I'm accustomed to. But the charm or whatever they've done to it to mimic the fog is quite interesting." He'd surely be doing some experimenting of his own to see if he could figure out just how they'd managed to make it do such a thing even after it had already been drank.

The wait staff was back soon enough, though, and he gladly handed a glass of the Fogsmeade Firewhiskey to the young woman and took one of his own. "Enjoy," he said with a raise of his glass before he took a drink of his own, a smaller one this time, so that just small puffs of smoke could be emitted as opposed to the massive cloud he'd released earlier.

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Indisputably being the sort of woman that enjoyed secrets, the creating and keeping of them, and then the subsequent enjoyment of holding them over the heads of those that didn’t know the truth, Marlena was ever so slightly disappointed that Mr Ollivander, whom she recognised from the shop window she passed every day, didn’t seem overly perturbed at being on the back foot. It was, she had to admit, actually slightly impressive when most people couldn’t help themselves and asked out of instinct or deep-seated nosiness. Either he was three sheets to the wind already on Mr Jewell’s excellent stock, or else he was the sort of man who assumed everybody knew who he was simply because of his family name.

Merlin help her if he was the latter. She could just about cope with a partially drunk wand-maker but arrogant men made her regret that she was not quite of an age when she could be a confirmed spinster and be under no obligation whatsoever to pretend to wish for anything else. Fortunately he redeemed himself from any possibly censure by proving a swift acquirer of the firewhiskey she had been looking forward to for the twenty minutes she had known it existed. She took a sip and made a noise that was possibly inhuman and almost definitely inappropriate for the company she was in but Marlena neither noticed, nor cared, and with the noise in the room she doubted her new friend would either.

It was delicious and she let the smoke pour out of her partly open lips. “Delicious,” she replied emphatically by way of agreement with his own thoughts on the drink. “At least one good thing came out of this abysmal summer.”

  

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MJ: still raising the graphics bar as of 2022

Gideon was likely a mixture of the two. A bit tipsy and a bit arrogant. Well, a bit was perhaps not quite enough of a description in regards to Gideon. He was arrogant but he wasn't exactly the type to laud it over others. Truthfully, it just came with the territory all thanks to his name. Who didn't know the Ollivanders? They weren't exactly a kept secret of any sort and it was rather well known that the brothers each ran their own respective shops. Gideon's, however, just happened to be featured more thanks to the calamity that constantly seemed to befall him. First, a fire. Second, the fog. Really, it was about time something drastic happened in London.

But none of that was much of a focus at that moment as they were able to enjoy the newly brought drinks and it quickly became apparent that she did enjoy it. He couldn't help the smirk on his features or the light chuckle at her final remark.

"That's for sure," he said, remnants of the smoke leaving his mouth as he spoke, "Though, it proved to be a rather boring summer for me. Not much a wandmaker can do with no magic." Except carve wood by hand. Lots of wood. He visibly shuddered at the thought.

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Merlin, was it her imagination or was he actually rather pleasant-looking?

Marlena wasn’t entirely sure why her mind had jumped to the unexpected thought, or whether the paths of her mind would have strayed there during her more lucid moments, but she was quite certain that with smoke pouring out of his mouth Mr Ollivander was somehow the best looking man she had ever seen. Not that she had noticed a great many male faces in the past, but there was a first time for everything she supposed as she took another contemplative sip.

The smoky burn down her throat was entirely intoxicating and confirmed that this was absolutely the bottle she ought to get for Febby and Mr Umbridge – Edric, she supposed, she ought to think of him now as he might still be more or less a stranger but in marrying her best friend he had all but married her too – and she had a feeling they would appreciate it. There was an undertone of something else, something sweet like honey or heather that she couldn’t identify straight away but was sure they’d have a whale of a time working out. It was a fascinating contrast really: there was none of the usual saccharine linger, instead the smoke countered it and left an all but perfect flavour.

“Well the magic didn’t vanish entirely, we still had it at the Ministry,” Marlena frowned, confronted with a rare question popping into her mind that she had no inkling of the answer for. “Does wandmaking require magic to achieve? I always assumed it was more a matter of delicate construction and composite parts working together like a series of cogs…” Her lips twitched and she took another sip. “Apologies for making you talk about work. Shop talk is my specialist subject I’m afraid.”

  

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MJ: still raising the graphics bar as of 2022

It was strange, perhaps, how two totally different minds could be thinking something similar without knowing it. Of course, Gideon wasn't the most judgmental of men when it came to appearances and it lessened even more when he'd been drinking. And he had been drinking. Regardless, the woman before him was attractive in her own right. Certainly not a common sort of beauty or the drop dead sort that could have their pick of any man they wanted. But her eyes were big and round, eye catching as much of a pun as it may be. He also took note of the confidence she had about herself. It wasn't a haughty sort like the spoiled debutantes who, quite frankly, thought their shit didn't stink. And that was something he could appreciate.

Savoring the smokey drink, he listened as she spoke and nodded initially before she was asking about wandcraft and his job. He waved off her apologies though as the last remnants of smoke left his lips, his glass unfortunately empty once more.

"You've got it right for the most part," he answered simply, handing his empty glass off before turning back to focus his attentions on her to better explain things further, "But getting the core into the center is done with magic. And, of course, lighting the core requires a magic. The cores are mostly obsolete to begin with. Magic is needed to get them functioning." So, as it was, he'd been unable to craft any wands for as long as the fog had lingered.

"The more intricate carved wands, however," he began to add, "Are finished by hand. Of course, magic makes the carving of the wands far easier and quicker but it can be done by hand with a delicate and confident hand. So, I shall probably be swimming in carved wands until the day I die." And that, he was positive of. He'd carved more wands in that month and half than he had in his lifetime and he doubted he'd ever see the last of them sold.

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Love MJ Sets

It was not unknown for Lena to feel a certain unspeakable quickening whenever somebody spoke with intelligence and authority about a subject she was even passably interested in but it had been a long time since she had attributed the feeling to a gentleman. Had it ever happened? It must have done, she wasn’t that unusual was she? The way she had been before was just been because it was Begonia… Her more erudite colleagues usually raised her interest but after knowing them for a little while, and learning all the tedious, off-putting habits they kept from their loved ones they soon diminished in her estimation and any interesting qualities they might have possessed were swept away by her far stronger feelings of irritation.

Whiskey, apparently, went a long way towards slowing that process down so she took another sip and noticed belatedly that her glass had somehow become empty. Merlin, this went down well, she would definitely have to get some for Febby and Edric. Was it really an appropriate wedding gift though? A housewarming one even? She didn’t really know him and she was supposed to be a mostly respectable young woman after all. She felt the smoky liquid burn through her pleasantly and decided it most emphatically was a good gift, and she needed another herself. The golden liquid was moreish and delicious and Lena knew she was hurtling towards the point where she would regret her decision in the morning – what manner of idiot opted to open a distillery on a Tuesday night?! Oh well, if she was quiet and moody at work tomorrow she doubted anybody would note the difference in her demeanour and none of them would dare comment upon it.

“It sounds a fascinating business,” she offered honestly, the intricacies and dedication of the vast subject of wandlore being complex enough to pique even her interest. “I work in the Department of Mysteries so it’s quite the novelty to hear somebody describe their work without making sure there’s nobody listening that shouldn’t be.”

  

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MJ: still raising the graphics bar as of 2022

It really wasn't all that often that one really seemed to listen to Gideon when he spoke about wandmaking. It likely wasn't the most of exciting of professions out there but it was very much a needed and that was where the big importance lie. At least, he often thought of himself as an important figure. Who else was there, besides his brother, to see to the many wand needs of a wizard? A wizard wasn't truly a wizard with a wand, after all. Even non verbal magic still required a wand to be on a person to work.

As such, it was little surprise he smiled at the woman when she said it was fascinating. He even chucked lightly at her follow up comment. He was rather impressed, however, that she worked in such a department. Most would likely view it as peculiar but he'd never really been one to worry much what other people did regardless of their gender. To each their own, really.

"A department full of secrets then," he said with a raised, quizzical brow, "Sounds as though your job is quite fascinating as well. I'd offer to buy you another so you could tell me more but I imagine there isn't much you can tell me." Not that he was truly all that interested but he did motion for a member of the hire staff. "Though I still would gladly purchase you another if you'd like," he added, back to grinning that lopsided grin of his, "Would you care for the same or would you like to try another of their flavored firewhiskies? I hear they have a few others, each base off of and named for the women of the family."

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“Women and whiskey,” Marlena laughed to herself, the drink having gone to her head a great deal more than she thought it had whether she would admit as much or not. She was no stranger to a drink, and usually held it well, but the whiskey was quite a bit stronger than she was used to. “My two favourite things,” she added with a uncharacteristic giggle before she could stop herself, though she knew in the still sensible part of her brain that it was spectacularly unlikely that he would know quite how honest the statement was. It was certainly true of this whiskey and one particular woman, which was close enough, though in all likelihood he would think she was clinging to some youthful friendships which, to be fair, she was. Honestly, she was more concerned that he would think she was a giggling sort of girl.

“Lead on Macduff, I’ll happily try anything Mr Jewell has created, he seems to have quite the knack for knowing what a girl likes,” she said, gesturing towards the bar with a flourish of her hand and gifting him with a rarely seen smile. He was as fine a conversational partner as she was ever likely to find really, and she instinctively liked anybody who did things that were almost unnecessarily intricate in their professional lives. It was a shame she couldn’t tell him about the memory extraction formulae she had been working on – retrieving a memory required the wand that had cast it and she was quite sure there must be some relevance to the core of the wand. She had spent plenty of time thinking about the magic that came out of a wand, but precious little about the magic that went into making it in the first place and perhaps that was an oversight? She would have to remember to look into it tomorrow.

Or the next day, depending on whether she felt the need to send her excuses tomorrow…

“It must be quite satisfying,” she glanced around the dark room full of barrels and thought about the wand shop she had visited a decade ago, stuffed from floor to ceiling with boxes. Both of them instinctively made her feel at ease and she had no great explanation for why. “To create something that once existed only it your head.”

  

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MJ: still raising the graphics bar as of 2022

The remark wasn't entirely lost on Gideon though he didn't draw too many conclusions on it. His own inhibitions and tongue were far more loosened as a result of the delicious whiskey so he could hardly pry or assume too much. Besides, some things were better left unsaid even if he did regard her with a slightly raised brow initially. He did stay silent on the matter though and instead took her following remarks in stride and easily lead them toward where the bar was set up for further purchasing of the whiskies available.

With a grin, he leaned against the bar and ordered two of the Mads variety of firewhiskey. He'd already tried it himself, knew it to be a far spicier and strong option of the Jewell Firewhiskies, and thought it might suit the young woman better than the sweeter varieties. He had yet to try them himself but knew he would in due time. The Jewell brothers were decently well known to Gideon, after all, though not from any time spent at school. He had quite a few years on them both but being businessmen on High Street created a sort of comradeship. But with their grand firewhiskies, Gideon was much more keen on building more of a friendship. Selfish a bit, yes, but at least he was honest in the matter.

"Give this one a try," he said once the glasses were handed their way and the strong spicy scent was more than apparent, "Though, I suggest drinking this one a bit more slowly. It's their extra spicy version called Mads and it is definitely on the fierce side of things." He enjoyed it though as he took a small sip of his own. No matter how many times he had drank it in the past, the sharp bite of the spices still always burned going down the first time leaving him to grimace initially.

A small shrug was given but the grin on his features was far more a tell for him as he nodded to her final remark. "It is," he admitted, "Though I enjoy the creative aspect moreso. The idea that none are ever truly the same is is exciting as well. I find myself enjoying mixing things most wouldn't really expect to mix though. Kind of the way the Jewells have gone about adding flavors to their whiskies you wouldn't normally anticipate."

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Love MJ Sets

If Lena was sure of anything in the world at the moment it was that she was going to have a hell of a headache tomorrow, but for the time being she was enjoying herself far too much to mind overmuch. She was probably past the point where she had any chance of feeling bright-eyed in the morning so it was probably immaterial now whether she had one or three more…although she did concede that the latter might not be the best idea. For now though she felt better than she had in a long time, warm and tingly, loose and…something she only usually felt around Begonia, had only really felt around B, that wasn’t half as strong without the presence of the other girl but was still, beguilingly, physically present. Was it the whiskey? It didn’t usually have this effect and, feeling foolish, she scanned the room on the off-chance B and her magic were somewhere here but she was left disappointed.

Well, not really. She still had whiskey, this one with a beautifully spiced flavour as promised, and Mr Ollivander was being most obliging and she listened to him with interest despite her glancing. She did, after all, have a rather quick mind, even if it was rather more affected than whiskey than normal. He did have quite the handsome face, if she ignored the stubble on the bottom half, but if she focussed on his warm eyes and easy manners then she could almost forget that he was, well…a he. It was hardly his fault after all.

“Do you know them at all?” She took a sip and hummed appreciatively, her tongue tingling as the heat came through the strong alcohol. Perhaps she ought to get some for Eugene too? Helga wouldn’t like it, she expected, but then when did her sister ever exhibit anything approaching taste? “The Jewells I mean?”

  

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MJ: still raising the graphics bar as of 2022

Gideon wasn't all that phased as she glanced around. She could be getting bored with him and looking for an out. He should have been offended at such a thought but as it was, he couldn't be all the fussed. The whiskey was doing its job of loosening him up even more than he usually was. He was actually focusing more on the other options of whiskey that were able to be had that he didn't really notice all that much that her full attention hadn't remained on him.

Glancing back to her, he hummed slightly and offered a nod in response to her question. He finished the last of the overly spicy firewhiskey and slid the glass aside before responding to her. "Some, though not overly much," he said with a shrug, "Mainly the brothers that run this end of things. Shop owners have to stick together after all." Especially when they had such delicious goods to be shared. The brothers were quite a deal younger than him but that hardly mattered when alcohol was involved.

"I've sampled my fair share of their flavored whiskies though," he said with that goofy lopsided grin all over again, "Some are a bit too sweet for my liking though. Not much of a sweets fan myself. I've yet to try the cherry infused one though."

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It was laughable really. Mr Ollivander was all things charming and even rather funny in his way, he also seemed to have an affinity for the things that she liked – she abhorred sweets and had been swapping them for Helga’s savouries for years – and to top it off he had a career doing something incredibly fiddly she found fascinating on principle; in fact his livelihood was so well-known that it would have impressed even her mother.

It was a true shame that his many qualities were entirely wasted upon her really. Perhaps she ought to try? Was it possible she could change herself through sheer will? If it was then she was quite sure the whiskey would be her best ally in the endeavour though, no sooner had the notion entered her head, that all the warmth the whiskey had been kindling so well seemed to diminish. She pushed away her own glass, licking the residue off her lips, disappointed that it didn’t ignite quite the same spark as it had before.

“I don’t think I’ll bother,” Lena offered with a light grimace. Merlin, the very thought of that amount of sweetness…it would be like one of Cook’s more gushing efforts and no less disgusting for the love that had been poured into it. She sometimes felt distinctly ungrateful but with the Yuletide season nearly upon them she would have to make up far too many excuses before the New Year to worry about the cherry flavoured whiskey of somebody she didn’t even know.

“Unless they have something that’s as good as that,” she nodded towards the smoke-filled barrel they had just sampled from. “I doubt I’ll ever feel the need to try another drink again,” she smiled wryly up at him. “I don’t suppose shopkeepers sticking together would involve getting discounts for new friends?”

  

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MJ: still raising the graphics bar as of 2022

Wholly oblivious to any misgivings or thoughts in the young woman's mind, Gideon was simply content. He had good whiskey at hand, a pretty woman sitting next to him, what else could he really ask for? Not much, truthfully, and he was happy with his lot in that moment. Of course, if he had any idea what was going through her mind he'd have quickly cut his losses and been on his way. But, as it was, he was just a wand maker and not a mind reader.

He nodded with an added chuckle at her grimace. "I hadn't really planned to," he admitted easily, "The honey and vanilla flavored ones weren't much to my looking either so I'm sure the cherry wouldn't be either." Jameson had shared a trial flavor with him once though. It had been mint infused but apparently hadn't made the mark as it hadn't been offered to the public for purchase, at least not as far as he was aware.

Chuckling again, he smirked at her question of discounts. "I'm sure I could manage something," he responded with a wink but paused before requesting the presence of one of the Jewell brothers, "Thigh I don't usually have friends I don't know the name of." It had dawned on him he hasn't actually gotten her name despite having shared a couple of drinks and idle chatter with her.

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“Marlena,” she supplied easily enough, not being the sort of girl who demurred about offering her acquaintance. It was hardly as though she needed to hold back and be introduced via the proper channels when he had already bought her whiskey – she doubted he’d find her overly forward!

“Scamander. You might know my sister, Helga,” she added idly, though she wasn’t sure quite how vast her sister’s social network actually was. Wider than hers, though that wasn’t saying much, but she was sure if he took part in the season in any way her mother would have pushed Helga towards him. Ironic given that in many respects he was more of a match for her apart from the obvious impediments. It was probably for the best that her mother never learnt they were acquainted at all. “Or my brother, Eugene. He was on the expedition that stopped the fog.” She added with only a small, tiny amount of bitterness that she had not been allowed to go because her department wouldn’t release her and her mother’s nagging would have been utterly unbearable. Still, it rankled. She found solutions in nothing for a living, Eugene apparently chased nifflers and not altogether successfully from what she had seen.

“She’s a debutante and he’s a hero, meanwhile I work for my bread,” she snorted with returning good-humour. “And whiskey, obviously,” Really, it had never been especially far beneath the surface of her temporary melancholy.

  

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MJ: still raising the graphics bar as of 2022