WHO: Robbie Stebbins and Josephine Dorny WHEN: BACKDATED to Tuesday, 12th July, afternoon WHERE: Josephine's cottage, Hogsmeade, Scotland WHAT: Solemn discussion of politics amongst the pretty flowers in Dorny's cottage garden RATING: most likely low, they're very proper
There was something refreshingly normal and comforting about Josephine's bungalow, set just outside the village of Hogsmeade, surrounded by the picturesque Scottish Highlands. The weather had been dry and sunny most of the day, so it would be quite nice to sit out in the garden while they chatted. For some reason, Robbie also felt a lot safer at Josephine's cottage. She likely had all the proper protection wards, but it was the proximity to Hogwarts that gave some strange inherent security, despite everything that had happened there over the years.
He could understand why Josephine lived here, he thought as he stood just outside the patio door leading to the garden. His own flat in Newcastle-under-Lyme was spacious and well-decorated, but he only had a small roof terrace that had been planted up by his sister with evergreens, and it wasn't nearly as well-tended as this garden. She obviously put some effort into it, and he appreciated that. It only added to the impression that she was a caring, nurturing mother-type figure, and Robbie liked that about her, not growing up with one of his own.
Robbie was quite eager to talk about the Ministry rehabilitation programme, his thoughts hovering over the fact that Corner had been in Azkaban for some time now. It bothered him, not just because of Alicia and what she would undoubtedly be thinking about it, but because he had first-hand experience of how it felt, and no matter how much his face and body had hurt after their encounter, or how panicked he'd been at the time, what Corner had done made sense to Robbie. It didn't deserve time in prison with Dementors. That loyalty to his friend, the willingness to defend her and do what it took to help her get answers, Robbie could understand that. And to fix things, he really needed to do what it took to get the bloke out. He probably wouldn't divulge all this to Josephine, but she would hopefully be helpful in putting the programme together, Corner one of the first participants.
Having already shucked off his Ministry robes indoors, he began to take off his suit jacket as Josephine made her way outside, not entirely comfortable in so many layers with the sun shining down on them. He hung it over the patio chair's back and smiled as he waited for her to sit first. "Garden's looking great, Josie," he said, using the nickname as the situation wasn't so formal, though some parchment Ministry documents neatly lay ready on the table before them.