10th March, 1893 — Bartonburg Streets

Barnaby was busy in the midst of one of his most favourite activities: drifting where the wind took him. Presently, it was blowing from the east, and Barnaby was floating aimlessly down the lanes of Bartonburg, until –

Oh, but there was a compass point worth steering by! He had not noted her at once, but his gaze had been cast that way by the constant glances of other passers-by: by some strange pull, every man upon the street seemed to linger and dawdle and be struck by the sight of something. Or, indeed, someone.

Barnaby caught a glimpse and, with widened eyes, he threw himself carelessly through a moving carriage, the shriek of the occupants passing faintly behind him as he fixed his course once more and sailed over. Having approached her as he might a friend, without warning or invitation, Barnaby dropped into her path... but was altogether surprised when he came face to face with her, because she was not a ghost at all.

(He hoped she was not too startled by the apparition: sometimes he forgot, not having the need of a beating pulse, how Livings could be so faint of heart. How prey to the body’s workings, as fragile as faulty clocks.)

He bowed in deep apology, nevertheless. “I beg your pardon, madam – in faith, I had mistook you for a departed soul, pale as you are,” Barnaby began, his gaze still tracing her in disappointment, for there was certainly still life in her. But, between the silvery sheen of her light hair and the looks of ardent curiosity she seemed to be drawing, Barnaby didn’t suppose he could be blamed for imagining her a spirit. “Are you well?” Perhaps he had met her at a fortunate moment, and she was dying?

---

Tabitha Chevalier

  

---

With her schedule rearranged once again, Tabitha was starting to get used to working on the night shift. The odd part was that she was starting to prefer it. The nights were quieter, less people, and though she knew her whole job was founded on helping those who were ill or injured, being who she was, what she was, she thought the nighttime was a better place for her. Tabs got to spend the majority of her time brewing potions, organizing and keeping an eye on those who ere spending more time in the ward.

The late afternoon sun was warmer than she would have expected, and bright too. Her parasol seemed out of place for early spring, but Tabi was never quite one to push her luck with direct sunlight, fair as she was. With her satchel for work over one arm, she had decided to walk to the hospital today thinking the fresh air would help keep her awake for her shift. The air was crisp indeed, the chill in the wind counteracting the warm sunlight. Fortunately it wasn't too long of a walk either.

She had made it a few streets over, closer to the High Street to take the most direct route in, when a carriage went by and the shrieks from inside startled her. Not nearly as much as the apparition that settled before her, stopping her in her tracks. She sucked in a breath and nearly screamed herself, but the ghost before her bowed in apology. Her fright turned to confusion when he asked if she was well. "I am well, thank you." Tabi managed once she found her voice. The comment about being pale as pale as the dead struck a chord and she self-consciously straightened her hair. "I am on my way to work as well, if you'll excuse me."

---

  

---

absolute beauty by MJ

He had not scared the life out of her, sadly: she had just assured him she was well. Pity, pity: hers was a face that would only suffer for the changing of continued life. Right now, she was youth and beauty incarnate, fresh as a daisy and pure as the driven snow. Time might be kinder to her than most, but eventually – Barnaby heaved a plaintive sigh – she would be like anyone, reduced to a mouldering corpse in the ground.

Best not think of it: if he had only a merest moment of her company, he would happily linger in it. Better than well, I think, he might have offered, if she hadn’t seemed so self-conscious, and in such a hurry – but instead his transparent eyebrows rose as she mentioned work. (She was far too pretty a thing to need to work!)

“Of course, of course,” Barnaby declared airily, gesturing her on and floating sidelong to be out of her way. “You are pressed for time.” It was a foreign thought to him, being in any hurry – or, as matter of fact, having any real profession – so Barnaby hung back and let her pass.

But a veritable eternity of afterliving had also given Barnaby far too much opportunity to indulge his curiosity... so, as she carried on her way, he merely followed, drifting down the street after her to see where she went.

---

  

---

Tabitha was used to unwanted attention. The stares, the whispers, but usually from the living. Could she not even get peace in that respect? Now she had ghost with his sights set on her. How others of her kind relished in this sort of attention was beyond her. Tabs always felt uncomfortable and it made her squirm a little. Perhaps she should be thankful to her father for that, his more demure nature had tempered the attention-seeking behavior that came naturally to the other half.

It had of course, taken her a moment to realize the ghost was still floating along behind her, but once she did, Tabi had two choices; hurry her pace and hope he grew bored or realize he was making her uncomfortable or turn around and be a little more direct. She wavered for a little while, making a turn toward the hospital without really thinking about it. Thankfully this was a well-worn path for her. It was less populated however, which spurred her to at least maybe try to explain herself.

"Was there something I could help you with?" She said as she paused near the entrance to a little tailor on the side street. She raised her eyebrows expectantly, not trying to be rude, but trying to exude her discomfort.

---

  

---

absolute beauty by MJ

She had spoken to him again! Barnaby beamed, for he hadn’t imagined she would. She might not look especially delighted, but ah, look how kind and considerate she was – she wanted to help him, a dead man.

Not wanting to point out the obvious – that, indeed, he was beyond all help, no matter how much goodwill she possessed – Barnaby just bobbed up and down a little on the spot. “Ah, I was merely interested in where ‘tis you are employed,” Barnaby explained, surveying her intently to see whether her appearance might lend him a clue. “Perchance I might accompany you?”

Unless she worked at that dingy little tailor’s, but it seemed madness to him that anyone would shut her up to slave away with needle and thread.

---

The following 1 user Likes Barnaby Wye's post:1 user Likes Barnaby Wye's post
   Tabitha Chevalier

---

Tabi was in uncharted waters here. She did not generally succumb to the unwanted attention she sometimes got, but her new company was quite persistent it the ways the living were generally too polite to follow through on. Tabi thought it generally unwise to give out personal details, but he was a ghost, what harm could come from it? She walked the same path to work each day, and if he was paying attention to her now, he would certainly figure it out soon enough.

"Oh," She managed, realizing she hadn't replied to his inquiry yet. "I work at the hospital, I am a healer." No sense in beating around the bush of it. The request to accompany her made her a little leery, but Tabitha thought perhaps a little company might do her good. She very rarely got to see her few friends and mostly at work she tried to sequester herself away in the store room to work on potions or stocking unless she was direly needed on the floor. "I suppose, if you like, Mr.?" May as well exchange names too.

---

  

---

absolute beauty by MJ

She seemed befuddled by the question, which surprised him once again. Surely she received requests like it every day? (Or, well – sometimes Barnaby forgot he was a ghost.)

He tried to be a little less surprised at the revelation that she was a healer, because she must be clever and accomplished and terrifying indeed if she worked at that newfangled place called a hospital. (Barnaby hadn’t quite known the like in his lifetime, and he had not much investigated the modern sort in Hogsmeade either – all he knew was that people went in in gory states of being, and very, very occasionally, came out as ghosts.)

Maybe that was why people were too afeared to escort her there. Ah, well; he was sadly in no danger of being poked and prodded and sliced open with sharp utensils (again). “How interesting,” he offered instead, wide-eyed and curious, as if this was a regular point of interest for visitors to the town. “I’ve never been. Barnaby Wye, your humble servant,” Barnaby added graciously, inclining his head once more for formality’s sake before dropping in alongside her this time, rather than behind. (Pity he couldn’t offer her an arm.) “And your name?”

---

  

---

Never been. Well that might explain his... current circumstances. Then again, judging by his ghostly attire, Tabi had to assume Mr. Wye wasn't around in this century. Or maybe even the one before it. "It is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Wye," as unusual and ethereal as this was. Tabi had to wonder at her luck in such a meeting.

"It's Tabitha Chevalier." Questions about him and his life were on the tip of her tongue, but she wasn't sure if it would be rude to ask them. "Do you spend a lot of time around here?" She went with, figuring that was a safe one to start with. She couldn't very well ask if he lived around here, now could she? Tabi had a lot of practice being tactful, but this was going to require a certain amount of finesse she would have to really think through.

---

The following 1 user Likes Tabitha Chevalier's post:1 user Likes Tabitha Chevalier's post
   Barnaby Wye

---

absolute beauty by MJ

Tabitha Chevalier. A lovely, lilting name for a woman who might have stepped out of a sonnet. Barnaby might have quoted one if she had not caught him by surprise in asking him a question – ah! Happy curiosity! She cared to become acquainted with him too!

“I was born in Kent,” Barnaby offered, deciding to ignore the fact that it had been a long time ago, and then waved a translucent hand towards the High Street. “But have decided to spend some corner of eternity here in Hogsmeade, now ‘tis such a blossoming place. There is more to see here than in the countryside.”

(Pretty healers included, apparently.) Deciding to stand on ceremony no longer with her, since she was so pretty and so amiable to him, Barnaby added curiously, “Art thou married, Tabitha Chevalier?”

---

  

---

Mr. Wye had a way of answering her questions in the most round about of ways, Tabi mused with a small smile. She supposed that one with nothing but time on their hands could flit about wherever they wanted, as long as it was in magical society. She had never studied much of their limitations or qualities, but she supposed if it was indeed some corner of eternity, the freedom to wander wherever was a small consolation.

His next question caught her completely off guard and she turned wide, pale blue eyes on him curiously, she couldn't decided if she was offended or not. "No, I am focusing on my career at the moment." What she didn't add was that she was uncertain as to whether or not she ever would. It looked less and less likely, which was oddly, a relief. She would hate to pass these genes down to a child for them to have to deal with what she dealt with growing up. "Were you married?" She parried the question, figuring fair was fair.

---

  

---

absolute beauty by MJ

Such colour had her eyes! And such depth! Narcissus might have seen himself reflected in those pools and drowned in them; Barnaby stopped looking where he was floating altogether. (Not that it mattered; nothing, technically, could be in his way.)

“I was, once,” Barnaby admitted, of being married. “‘Twas not happy, but it was expected.” His tone was matter-of-fact; the dissatisfaction and discomfort of it was long lost beneath the currents of time. He was pleased at her questions, but was more perplexed by her. He had seen the lingering gazes she had had upon the street – he could not understand it, but she might have had any of them eating from her palm in a moment, he was almost sure – but indeed she was an unmarried maid still.

Unravelling this mystery seemed as good a use of his time as any, so Barnaby peered at her again, sincerely curious. “Then you lend your services at the hospital not from any poverty or hardship or luckless chances, but out of the true desire to?” How fascinating!

---

  

---

"Oh, I'm sorry." Not happy, but expected. What Tabitha feared for a marriage in her future. She would rather stay unwed than go through that. It had been just a small fraction of the allure of finding a purpose in life. The hospital fulfilled her in many ways, but it kept spinsterhood from feeling like such a looming doom and more like a promise to keep her position.

His genuine surprise at her choice to go into healing was somewhat amusing. "Yes, it is. I enjoy it, helping people." She probably should have chosen something that dealt with people a little less often, but having switched to the night shift had helped. "I'm not too bad at it either." Potions was a field she could take many directions if she ever needed to, so she had other avenues to explore should she find the need. "How is you occupy your time nowadays?" Certainly he had a profession at one point, well possibly, but now he needed something to do with his eternity, as he had put it.

---

  

---

absolute beauty by MJ

It was funny that she was sorry for him, when he was almost sorry for her, spending all her time with the sick and suffering – it sounded miserable to him, and he was dead.

But she liked helping people. “Truly an angel ‘pon the earth,” Barnaby commented, more teasing than sincere; and entirely befuddled by this beautiful oddity of a woman, who was busy focusing on her career.

“I,” Barnaby proclaimed, with a brief mid-air bounce of pride and a pretended coy look, as if he were bashful in the least about this, “am something of a composer. I am not too bad at it, either,” he parroted back at her, with a beaming grin. In fact, Barnaby thought but refrained from saying, he was actually very good.

---

  

---

Tabi wasn't surprised by his proclamation of being a composer. In their short time together, she could easily tell he liked to wax poetic quite a bit. Starting with calling her an angel. If he only knew what she was, he would probably hold a wildly different opinion.

Turning the last corner, the hospital came into view and she wasn't sure if she was relieved or not that her new friend would have to depart... again. "Perhaps you could show me sometime." She said it almost absentmindedly, a reflexive move to her part in the conversation. She wasn't so sure if she would regret that or not. "I'm afraid I must head in," Tabs looked up at the entrance to the hospital looming before them. "It's been a pleasure Mr Wye." Odd, but still amusing, if nothing else. Different, certainly.

---

  

---

absolute beauty by MJ