InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Studs ‘N Suds."

Megan Jones (nutmeggy) wrote in magic_days,
@ 2008-03-29 13:23:00

It's a small Wales after all
Who: Megan Jones and Romilda Vane
Where: North Wales!
Why: Because city girl meets country chick is a match made in Heaven. (Or not.)

There's something amazing about the Welsh countryside. After all the worrying things that happened at Hogwarts, after that really worrying notice from the Ministry, after Susan being a total cow, all it takes is a walk around the valleys, and everything seems so much better. It's so calming, and tranquil. I love home!

I don't fancy going over to Anglesey today, so I decline the Side-Along Apparation Mum offers me. She'll just expect me to watch her practise. Sorry, but bo-o-o-ring. I have six weeks off to have fun, not watch crazy witches hare about on sticks. Last summer, I went shopping with Lil and Han and Suse, and we had sleepovers and so much fun. I don't like being pessimistic, but somehow I don't think that's going to happen this summer.

Dad read the note from the Ministry, and he was a bit worried, but he's out at work today. And Nan's down the bingo hall -- it's the Over Fifties competition today, so I can't have a go -- which leaves me home alone. Home's pretty boring, though, so I've wandered out down the lanes, just thinking. In fact, I've been wandering so long, I've completely left Rhiwlas behind. I only just realise that I've been walking up a grassy hill. I shade my eyes against the sunlight, and look down where I've just come, and see the tiny toy houses below. It's so pretty!

For the next half hour, I happily traipse up the hill, humming under my breath. I reach the top ridge, and stand on a protruding rock to look around me. The view is fantastic! Behind me, I can see my village, with its even tinier houses. And is that the bingo hall? In front of me, I can see the neighbouring villages, and the empty lanes that connect them. And further ahead of me are the amazing mountains that make Wales so beautiful. All thoughts of You-Know-Who, of silly friends, of Mum, of anything all fly out of my head. I spread my arms and do a cartwheel, before sitting down on the dry grass with a flomp. Who doesn't love the countryside?

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v_isforvane
2008-03-29 02:00 pm UTC (link)

I hate the countryside.

The sun's in my eyes, I'm hot and sweaty, and my gorgeous strappy sandals are giving me blisters. Sebastian runs around kicking his football while I stomp up this horrible hill. Take your brother out for a walk, Romilda. It'll do you good to get some fresh air, Romilda. Stop pulling that face, Romilda, and don't return for at least an hour. God, I hate my mum sometimes. And then my smelly granny asked me to look for some monkshood while I'm up here. I followed Parvati's advice and gave myself a totally wicked manicure last night. The last thing I want to do is get my nails dirty.

So yeah, I guess you could say I'm not in the best of moods right now. And stumbling on a rock does nothing to improve my temper. My ankle twists and the strap on my sandal breaks. Uttering a small scream, I fling my shoe away. Life isn't fair!

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nutmeggy
2008-03-29 02:12 pm UTC (link)

The sun's shining down happily and is keeping me warm, so I take off my knitted cardigan. I roll it into a ball and put it beside me as I take a huge lungful of clean, fresh air. Sometimes, I think that people who are ill should come to the valleys and just breathe. They'd get better much quicker! I'm absolutely positive about it.

Suddenly, something hits me smack wallop on the head! "Ow!" I cry out, wondering if maybe my The Valleys Are So Healthy theory is right after all. Since when did birds dive bomb people? But as I wipe my smarting eyes, I see the object in question nestled beside me. It's... It's a shoe! I look up, but there's no missionary plane above, and anyway why would they drop single shoes on top of hills?

I rub my head and stand up, looking around for the second shoe. I could have sworn I heard a scream. "Helloooo?" I call, peering down the opposite side to the one I climbed. Better approach the mad shoe-throwing monster and make friends than let it gobble me up! "Helloooo?" There's someone down there, dark haired and dark tempered. Oo-er. Maybe meeting a monster up here would have been better.

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v_isforvane
2008-03-29 02:48 pm UTC (link)

Oh no. Oh no. Of all the people to meet on top of a hill in Wales, it would have to be her. And I'm all sweaty and my hair's a mess and - well, her hair's even more of a mess, actually. There's grass in it too. I feel smug at the thought that I still look a million times better than she does, even when I feel so ugly and out of sorts.

I frown as I notice what she's carrying. "That's my sandal," I say accusingly, before she can ask me what I'm doing here.

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nutmeggy
2008-03-29 03:12 pm UTC (link)

No wayyy! It's Romilda! What on earth is she doing here? I seem to remember her saying she lived in Manchester, and that there was this bomb that went off. She must be on holiday; Manchester's not too far away from here, after all. Still, what a coincidence, choosing this place to go on holiday to.

Aha! A guilty confession! Now I know for sure who threw the shoe. Although really, Megan, there's not exactly a surplus of culprits up here. That's what's so great about North Wales, it's not all crowded like... like Cardiff.

"Usually, throwing something away means you don't want it," I say, but I hand her shoe back before she has the idea to throw the other one. "So! Romi! You're here," I blurt out, before she can glower any more. "Enjoying your holiday?" I wonder where she's staying. There's some rented houses dotted around the place, but that doesn't seem her style. Hotels and swanky cities are what come to mind, truth be told. Her mum probably booked this holiday; she probably adores the countryside!

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v_isforvane
2008-03-29 03:36 pm UTC (link)

I also mentioned that I was staying with my grandparents in their hovel, but if she's too dense to remember that then so much the better for me. After all, the things I said on her journal about Wales and the Welsh weren't exactly flattering. Better to let her think I'm here on holiday.

"I lost my temper," I say, snatching my sandal back and examining the strap. It's well and truly broken, and there's no way it can be reattached without magic. Looks like I'm going to have to hobble home. Ugh. "And no," I snap, wanting to throw the sandal away again, "I am not enjoying my holiday."

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nutmeggy
2008-03-29 03:57 pm UTC (link)

Well! There's no need for her to be so snatchy-grabby. I have half a mind to snatch the shoe back, but there's a time and a place -- and besides, I'm still enjoying the tranquility of the place... Or trying to, anyway.

"Whyyy?" I ask plaintively, and wander around her in a circle, doing little pigeon steps. One foot, then the other, right up against each other. I have to watch my feet as I'm doing this, so I don't fall over, and I end up half speaking to the ground. "Wales is lovely." Much better than cities, I want to add, but that's probably not a wise idea. Romi might be feeling protective over her hometown, in light of what's happened to it.

I stop wandering, and blow my fringe out of my eyes. Only it doesn't work so well, and I end up huffy and puffing like Free Willy. I push it aside with my fingers, and grin to cover my embarrassment. "Where are you staying with?" I ask, before jumping onto the next question. "Who are you with?"

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v_isforvane
2008-03-29 04:47 pm UTC (link)

What the hell is she doing? Is she, like, seriously five years old or something?? I fold my arms and toss my hair back, a move I've perfected over the years. That is how you do it, idiot.

"I'm here with my family," I say vaguely. "That's my brother down there." I turn and look at Sebastian, who's at the bottom of the hill practising bouncing his football off his head. Good thing he hasn't got any brain cells to destroy. "And I'm staying in... Oh, I don't know how to pronounce the name. It hasn't got any vowels in, I don't think."

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