11 September 1890 — High Street

You've found yourselves at a darling little street fair — colorful ribbons and streamers and the like are scattered around the delightful little tents that have been set up by the vendors. One of you is just arriving, whilst the other is just about to leave for an important appointment. The thing that might just toss both of your plans into chaos?

A not-so-little dog comes bounding from nowhere as if you called him, leash trailing behind him, tail wagging and tongue lolling gaily as he pounces upon you. The barks draw attention from near passersby, but both of you can't seem to find the owner!

---

You've signed up for a weekend posting date! (Note: your characters will not be on a date xD) While you won't be penalized if you can't get your thread done in three days, the goal is to post quickly with your partner(s) from September 11th to 13th. Every grouping that completes 10+ posts in their thread (3+ per player) during that window will snag a prize! Note that you don't need to finish the thread as long as it's lengthy, just post here to claim your rewards!

RUFUS BIXBY & JULIANNA BINNS
— Sisse Thompsett | Ophelia Devine —

  

---

Are your characters stuck in the smalltalk loop?
Does your imagination feel like it just can't perform as it used to?
Mid-thread crisis getting you down?
Unable to get that post up?
Is your relationship suffering because of your inability to satisfy your partner?
SUFFER NO MORE!
With a little intervention from The Suggestionizer your RP life could be back on track in no time!

--> Click here for more details <--

Known side-effects include: chronic ridiculousness, immense satisfaction, itching, uncontrollable laughter, burning, deep regret, despair, shock, horror, incidental dismemberment, joy, and death. Use at your own risk!

Rufus had not expected a street fair to pop up on High Street this particular Friday afternoon, but he was not opposed to it. It would likely prove a welcome diversion from his thoughts, which grew more and more worried each day.

A nearby bark drew Rufus’s attention to a young lady and a dog. It was a zealously happy puppy with its leash dragging behind it, but it didn’t take much to see that the dog was not the lady’s. He hurried over to her, not willing to let her suffer on her own. As the dog wiggled around Rufus’s quick reflexes had the leash in his hand in moments. “You alright?” He gritted out as the dog pulled against the leash, it was definitely a strong dog.

  

---

BEE-utiful set!

Juliana had found the fair that afternoon perfectly diverting, but all good things must come to an end and she had been just on the verge of leaving. She might have been disappointed if this were just another social call she was headed off to, but it was something much better — an interview! — and she was actually pleased the time had finally arrived to head off. She'd been walking back towards the Three Broomsticks, where she could use the floo back to London, when something she hadn't previously noticed ran straight into her legs. The creature tangled in her skirts and nearly sent her toppling over into the street, though she managed to steady herself as a gentleman approached to help.

"I'm fine," she said, turning her attention to the dog. If she hadn't been so distracted by thoughts of her upcoming interview she might have noticed it earlier, as it was making a good deal of noise and jumping around in the most animated way. "Where did you come from, then?" she asked the animal. Turning her attention to the gentleman who had picked up the leash, she added uncertainly, "He isn't yours...?"

  

---

Prof. Marlowe Forfang

Jules

"Oh! No, he's not." Rufus confirmed. He glanced around to see if the owner had come along after the dog but nowhere he did see anyone coming to claim the dog.

"And he's not your's?" Rufus had just watched the dog bound happily toward her but until that moment he hadnt thought perhaps it was a family dog or a dog she knew.

  

---

BEE-utiful set!

Juliana shook her head in answer. "I didn't even see where he came from," she admitted with a sheepish look. She ought to have been paying more attention as she walked, but she had always been quite easily distracted... and with a big interview coming up, who could blame her? Though of course she couldn't mention that.

"He does certainly seem to like me," she observed as the dog jumped in her direction again, causing her to take a small step back. "I wonder if I look like someone he knows? Or... smell, I suppose. Dogs are all about smells, aren't they? So perhaps I've got the same perfume as his mistress," she guessed.

  

---

Prof. Marlowe Forfang

Jules

"He certainly does." Rufus agreed. Shame it wasn't a family dog as he didn't see anyone coming to claim the dog. He couldn't help but laugh as the dog tried to jump up to lick her again.

Rufus new the make and model of most brooms made this century. Knew what sound a bludger made when it neared ones head and how to instinctively turn to catch a quaffle. He did not know much about dogs. So smell seemed reasonable to him. "Yes? What perfume do you wear?" But then what would he do with that acknowledge start asking ladies up and down High Street what scent they favored? Witch Weekly would surely publish that and then he would have no idea how to explain it to anyone he knew let alone his wife!

The following 2 users Like Rufus Bixby's post:2 users Like Rufus Bixby's post
   Alice Dawson, Juliana Ainsworth

---

BEE-utiful set!

"Fleur Milles," she answered, but then added after a moment's thought, "But actually, I don't believe I put it on today." She didn't want to do anything that might make her identifiable prior to an interview, since she conducted them anonymously. The screen between them made her invisible, but perfume could have travelled. It was a little and probably inconsequential thing, but she tried to take everything into account when she planned interviews.

Speaking of which, she absolutely couldn't be late. It would destroy the integrity of the interview if she wasn't already seated before the subject arrived. She could throw anonymity out the window, and her subject would likely leave, never to speak to her again.

So what to do about the dog? The man had the leash, but she couldn't just leave him to deal with it when the dog had run after her. She also couldn't move past them even if she wanted to, with the pup jumping at her every time she so much looked his way.

"Well, where's your person?" she asked the dog. "What do we do with you?"

  

---

Prof. Marlowe Forfang

Jules

Right, no perfume. Well there went that idea. "Perhaps your other idea then? You might look like his owner?"

While the lady spoke to the dog Rufus looked around again, surely there was someone nearby looking for the creature. "Perhaps we should make our way that way," He nodded in the direction the dog had come from on High Street, "And see if we spot anyone who looks like you or looks like they are looking for him?" He posed helpfully.

  

---

BEE-utiful set!

"Hmm," Jules said uncertainly. She wasn't sure she had time for something like this, but she couldn't see any polite way to excuse herself and leave him alone with the dog, particularly when he had only gotten involved in the first place to help prevent her from being overwhelmed with the dog's enthusiasm.

The direction he'd indicated was the same way she'd been headed, fortunately, and maybe this wouldn't take too long. How far could the dog have run, really? Dragging its leash like that, someone would have stopped it. But it was strange that no one had come looking for it yet, or even called it. Suppose something unfortunate had happened to its owner and they'd collapsed in the street, making the dog the least of worries for the people nearby who had witnessed it?

"Alright, let's go," she agreed, hoping there was a much less dramatic explanation for the owner's absence.

  

---

Prof. Marlowe Forfang

Jules

Rufus headed the way he had indicated but unless the lady was moving the dog had no inclination of moving either. He tried to discretely tug the leash to no available but the moment she started forward the dog happily moved too, jumping at every step around her legs.

"I dont think the owner could be too far." Rufus commented as he tried to politely watch the faces for someone who looked like this lady. Hopefully that wouldnt start any rumors either.

"Do you own any pets Miss-" Rufus stopped short realizing he didnt even know her name.

  

---

BEE-utiful set!

"Binns," she answered easily. She had never been particularly invested in ensuring she followed society's rules about proper introductions, which may have contributed to the fact of her spinsterhood. She simply couldn't be bothered with much besides her research.

"I don't. I had a rabbit once, for a few days," she remarked thoughtfully. The rabbit had hardly been a pet, though; she'd bought it for science, and had rehomed it promptly after it had survived the experiment. "Do you? You handle the dog rather well."

  

---

Prof. Marlowe Forfang

Jules

"Pleasure to meet you Miss Binns." Rufus said pleasantly as they continued on, sparing a moment to stop looking into the crowd and look at the lady with a smile. "Rufus Bixby." He added with a half bow.

"Only for a few days?" He echoed, turning his gaze back to crowd and looking for a brunette lady, which to be honest could be nearly half the ladies in attendance.

"Unless you count a broomstick and some bludgers and the occasional snitch, then no." In a house so full of quidditch and family members he had never really felt the need. Sloane had a rat though, but he suspected that came from her being the youngest of the patch.

  

---

BEE-utiful set!

"Yes," she said thoughtfully in response to his question. "I don't think I'd be very good at caring for a pet, so it's probably best I didn't keep the rabbit. Sometimes I forget to feed myself, you know," she said with a little laugh. "I do have an owl, but I think my mother feeds her as often as I do."

Speaking of food — Juliana remembered she had a biscuit in the apron pocket of her coat, wrapped in a bit of napkin that she'd bought at one of the stalls. "Oh! Do you think this is what he's after?" she asked as she removed it, holding it a bit closer to the pup's nose to see how he reacted. "I'd entirely forgotten it."

  

---

Prof. Marlowe Forfang

Jules

“Is that so?” Rufus chuckled. “I suspect I’d be much the same. Mum never was one for pets though, so perhaps it is simply for a lack of practice.”

He couldn’t help but laugh when she pulled out the biscuit. “I see now that you were not joking about forgetting to feed yourself.”

Meanwhile the dog had stopped and was excitedly prancing around Miss Binns eying the biscuit and jumping at her as Rufus did his best to keep him from actually succeeding. “I think we have our answer.” He told her, although that did mean their theory of looking for an owner that looked like Miss Binns likely wasn’t the best route either.

  

---

BEE-utiful set!

Juliana let go of her biscuit and was momentarily amused by how eager the dog was to snap it up. Were dogs meant to eat biscuits, or was this going to make him sick? Hopefully it wouldn't cause him any undo discomfort. Better still, hopefully he wouldn't be hanging around long enough for either of them to find out.

But how were they supposed to find his owner now that she'd just extinguished their only clue? What if he didn't have an owner? He must have had one at some point, since he had the leash and the collar, but Juliana couldn't help but wonder why no one had coming looking for him yet. What if they didn't want to retrieve him? What would become of him then?

"Is there anywhere to take him if he's truly lost?" she mused aloud. "Like the constables, maybe? I don't know. If you lost an animal and wanted to find them, where would you go looking?" she asked Mr. Bixby.

The question was never answered, however, as before her companion could even begin to respond, a face finally appeared in the crowd and called the dog. He responded to his name immediately, which put to rest any doubt that this mightn't be the right match for their stray.

"Oh! Well, I suppose that's that," Juliana said as the owner approached. "You've saved the day, Mr. Bixby."

  

---

Prof. Marlowe Forfang

Jules