February 3rd, 1894 — Diagon Alley, London

"She must be mad," Aldous could not help but voice, not to anyone in particular but with the volume that comes with utter disbelief.

He, like at least two dozen others, had come across the woman in the middle of the street and, instead of giving her a healthy berth, had actually stopped to see what all the fuss was about. The woman—elderly to be sure, and Welsh by the sound of her—had begun her rant against the oppression wielded by wizards in English, but had transitioned through at least six languages since, including Cantonese and, unless Aldous was very much mistaken, a langauge of one of the tribes native to the Americas, which he did not understand himself but had had one of his translators studying. She appeared altogether human; Aldous was uncertain if, by 'wizards', she meant magic folk (perhaps she was a squib?) or simply magic men.

Regardless of the content of her message, she was causing a scene in a way that made Aldous, the consummate Englishman, decidedly uncomfortable. Also she had taken to tossing what looked like knuts upon the ground, but when a child scurried to retrieve one, had given the poor thing such a glare of death that the boy had promptly thought better of it.

And yet, like a carriage accident, Aldous could not bring himself to look away.

Open to up to three others!

  

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— Aldous walks with a cane and pronounced limp as the result of a splinching accident. —

— graphics by lady ❤ —

I got a venom like a snake running out of my mouth it's got you burning at the stake

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If there was one thing Mariana enjoyed almost as much as causing chaos, it was stumbling into chaos caused by somebody else (as long as it didn't directly inconvenience her too much). That a woman should be having an episode of very public lunacy on the same day she'd decided to visit Diagon Alley (not altogether a common occurrance) was fortuitous indeed!

And what a show it was. The use of multiple different languages had Mariana suspecting the woman's behavior had magic behind it to some extent. Was it a curse? An experimental potion? Something else? The puzzle it presented was tantalizing.

She took a few steps closer, just in time to catch the comment about madness. Perhaps... she replied cryptically. It's certainly one option.

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Outfit | Tag: Aldous Crouch | Notes:

  

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The last thing Jacques had expected to come across was a woman speaking in various languages and generally looking quite mad. He had also not been expecting to hear the voice of his former employer piping up from among the crowd. Ah, he had not even noticed Mister Crouch. "Or hexed," Jacques provided as the alternative.

  

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1/4 vampire, french accent

"Someone really ought to do something, regardless, if not for her, then for everyone else," Aldous noted with some awkwardness, remaining steadfastly where he stood and entirely disinclined to be the someone in question. Surely there were better people suited to intervening than a half-crippled Ministry head, though he would certianly not have expected it of Mrs. Macnair.

Mariana Macnair Jacques Michaud

  

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— Aldous walks with a cane and pronounced limp as the result of a splinching accident. —

— graphics by lady ❤ —

I got a venom like a snake running out of my mouth it's got you burning at the stake

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Hexed, mad, or otherwise, she's quite harmless, Mariana mused, rather against the idea of the woman's raving being stopped so soon. For now, at least. It would be fun if things took a violent turn, although perhaps she ought to stand further away from Mr. Crouch whom she'd consider as someone prone to misfortune.

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Outfit | Tag: Aldous Crouch & Jacques Michaud | Notes:

  

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Aldous regarded Mrs. Macnair with some disbelief. Discomfort he might have expected, a desire to leave the scene, but the witch—ostensibly a pillar of society for all that she had a reputation for oddity—seemed to be enjoying the spectacle before them. He looked at the other wizard as though seeking an ally.

Mariana Macnair Jacques Michaud

  

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— Aldous walks with a cane and pronounced limp as the result of a splinching accident. —

— graphics by lady ❤ —

I got a venom like a snake running out of my mouth it's got you burning at the stake

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Mariana dared a quick glance towards Crouch and was amused to catch him clearly glancing towards the other gentleman as if for moral support. She must've surprised him. Delightful! If she could antagonize the rigid, stuffy sensibilities of one wizard every day she'd die a very content witch indeed, and probably older for it too.

Would the other gentleman prompt him to say something back, she wondered?

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Outfit | Tag: Aldous Crouch & Jacques Michaud | Notes:

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   Aldous Crouch

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"Unless her ravings are some sort of curse," Jacques provided unhelpfully and rather nonchalantly. After all the crap that had affected the wizarding world in the past though, he would not be surprised if this caused another magic stealing Fog or something. "Perhaps one ought to signal a constable?" They were always rather delicious in their uniform, at least. Well, except for that one froggy looking one in Hogsmeades station.

  

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1/4 vampire, french accent

Aldous was just about to agree when the raving woman became engulfed in flame.

Mariana Macnair Jacques Michaud

  

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— Aldous walks with a cane and pronounced limp as the result of a splinching accident. —

— graphics by lady ❤ —

I got a venom like a snake running out of my mouth it's got you burning at the stake

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Well, that was a turn of events she hadn't anticipated.

Ah. A more selfless individual might have leapt to the woman's rescue but Mariana's immediate response was to take a measured back from the woman-turned-bonfire so as to observe the escalating scene from a slightly safer distance. Indeed, as a former healer people would probably expect her to take some sort of action, however, she didn't see it that way at all - spontaneous combustion was hardly her area of expertise so why should she have any greater responsibility to act than anyone else present? Of course it might be a potion or poison-related incident but it was altogether too early to determine.

Calmly, Mariana drew her wand.

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Outfit | Tag: Aldous Crouch & Jacques Michaud | Notes:

  

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[quote="Jacques Michaud" pid='132050' dateline='1716356091']

Jacques stared in sheer horror for a moment as the woman became engulfed in flame. "I will go find help right now," he said since no one else seemed to really be doing anything or looking for someone that could do something.

deacting him so that this would be a good exit <3

The following 1 user Likes Jacques Michaud's post:1 user Likes Jacques Michaud's post
   Aldous Crouch

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1/4 vampire, french accent

"Good God!" The exclamation was the most useful reaction that Aldous could muster. It was a far cry from his response to the last human bonfire he had witnessed (well, fire from which he had saved a human).

Mariana Macnair

  

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— Aldous walks with a cane and pronounced limp as the result of a splinching accident. —

— graphics by lady ❤ —

I got a venom like a snake running out of my mouth it's got you burning at the stake

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Was the one fellow really going for 'help' or was he just legging it? Meanwhile Mr. Crouch was proving spectacularly useful... Not. Presumably he'd been a little more proactive when he'd sustained his leg injury. Really, men demanded they run the world but when it came down to it they were helpless as babes. She supposed she ought to at least make an attempt to douse the woman's flames or she'd look as incompetent as everyone else. Sighing heavily, she conjured a harsh jet of water and directed squarely at the raving, flaming woman. Merlin knows she'll be burnt to a crisp by the time he gets back, if he comes back, she tutted. She resented being forced to play the responsible party.

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Outfit | Tag: Aldous Crouch & Jacques Michaud | Notes:

  

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"V-very quick thinking, Mrs. Lestrange," Aldous managed to stammer once the woman was safely extinguished. This was not how he had expected his day to unfold! A part of him felt rather unmanned for having failed to act himself but indeed, this was rather overshadowed by a sense of relief that someone else (even a woman!) had taken care of it.

Mariana Macnair

  

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— Aldous walks with a cane and pronounced limp as the result of a splinching accident. —

— graphics by lady ❤ —

I got a venom like a snake running out of my mouth it's got you burning at the stake

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Oh nonsense, Mr. Crouch, she scoffed as she lowered her wand. I took my time doing the most obvious thing on earth, I was hoping someone else would get there first. Now that she'd actually saved the woman's life she could be as brutally honest as she liked really and what could Mr. Crouch do about it?

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Outfit | Tag: Aldous Crouch | Notes:

  

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Aldous' cheeks flushed—a rarity, really. He was not the least awkward of people, but even for him, blushes did not come often or easily. More often, though, than being called, however indirectly, for not immediately extinguishing a woman aflame.

"She is fortunate, then, for your quick thinking," the wizard allowed uncomfortably. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must speak with the authorities," Aldous added. The must was more leave this situation altogether, but speaking with the authorities, he supposed, would provide a useful vehicle in that regard.

Mariana Macnair

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   Mariana Macnair

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— Aldous walks with a cane and pronounced limp as the result of a splinching accident. —

— graphics by lady ❤ —