Nora Cadwallader (safekeep) wrote in disorderic, @ 2017-09-04 09:02:00 |
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Entry tags: | nora cadwallader |
WHO: Nora Cadwallader and special guests
WHAT: ONGOING: Snatchers gonna snatch.
WHEN: Early morning, Monday, September 4
WHERE: A grocer's in Wales
WARNINGS: Snatchers
There wasn't much Nora enjoyed more than flying, even if it was just a quick trip to the grocer's. The baskets hanging off either side of the broom cut down on its speed, sure, but Nora didn't mind. The sun was barely starting to crest, and she wasn't in a hurry. She landed and secured her broom in the alley parking around the corner from the shop, and made her way up and down the familiar aisles. She felt a pinch of tension at the base of her spine as she scanned through the leafy greens, prickles on the back of her neck as she selected onions, but these were easy to ignore. Unease was her constant companion these days; surely she was being too sensitive. Nothing would go wrong at the greengrocer's. She ought to have listened to herself. It wasn't until she paid and walked out the front door that she realized someone was walking behind her, and not until she turned the corner to the alley that she realized he wasn't alone. " 'ello, miss." He was leaning against her broom. Did he not have any manners? You didn't just lean against someone else's broom. "You're up early," came the voice from behind her, a taller man blocking her path out and back to the store. Nora moved to grab her wand but a quick "Tsk," from the tall man and two already-unsheathed wands trained not quite on her meant she would be far too slow to make a difference. "I haven't got much money," she said. "Not really our concern, miss." The smaller man with no sense of decorum hoisted himself up to his full height and closed the distance between them in a few strides. "See, me and my friend here are just wondering why a nice witch like yourself would be up and about so early." "It's almost like you're avoiding running into anyone." "Like you don't want anybody to catch you." "Like maybe you're hiding something." Nora felt her face flush, though she hadn't done anything wrong. Years of mediwitching left her with a well-practiced calm facade even in the direst of circumstances. She needed it here. She felt the cool, rough edges of the brick wall behind her as she tried to back away. "Maybe I'm just antisocial," she said, as if the real explanation somehow wasn't good enough. As if she owed them any explanation at all. "What do you want?" "We're working a special job for the Ministry." "We sure are. Looking for Undesirables." "Undesirables still gotta eat, after all." "And you're here awful early, miss." The paper bag in Nora's arms rustled as she shifted her weight. "Please let me by. I have to get to work." "Wot's your name?" Nora's defiance flared, if only briefly. "I don't have to tell you that. Let me by." The taller man took a step closer. Far too close; Nora could smell a hint of gin on his breath. "I really think you oughta." Something flickered from his wand. A half-formed spell just waiting to go, and what choice did Nora have? What point was there in fighting back just to make some sort of stand that could get her hurt, or worse? "Nora Cadwallader. Can I go now?" "Cadwallader? No way that's a real name." She shifted again, then slung her bag from over her shoulder. "I'll -- look, I'm just getting my I.D. badge, alright? Here." She fished out the lanyard with her Magpies security badge, slightly startled photo and all. The shorter man inspected her badge, glancing back and forth between it and her. He looked disappointed. The taller man was not dissuaded. "Nice ring, Mrs. Cadwallader. Now how's about a maiden name?" A beat. "Snell." "Ent we got a Snell on our list?" "We 'ave got a Snell on our list. Josefina Coelho Snell, innit? Very pretty name, that is. Too bad it's on a Mudblood." Nora's jaw clenched at the word, but she said nothing. "You wouldn't happen to know a Josefina Coelho Snell, wouldja? An auntie, maybe? A sister?" "Oi, Nora's not short for Josefina, is it? Doesn't sound like it, but I never understood Peggy and Margaret neither." "Lenore, actually," she said, clearing her throat. "And you need to update your list. The only Josefina Snell I know retired years ago and moved away. She doesn't even live on this continent anymore." It was mostly the truth, and told well. "Mmhmm." The sound came from the taller man, but both looked equally skeptical. "Well. I think we've taken enough of the nice lady's time, eh? You'll let us know if you hear anything from Josefina, won't you, love?" The way he spoke made Nora shiver, but she didn't respond. Another quick glance at her badge and the shorter man said, "We'll come visit up you up in Montrose if we got any more questions, Nora Cadwallader." He let the badge slip through his fingers and clatter to the ground. They started to walk away, but made a point of being heard as they left. "Wasn't Montrose one of the teams on that statement?" "You know what, I think they were. Bet the folks up top aren't too thrilled about that." "Not too thrilled at all." Nora didn't move until she heard the apparation pops take them away. She bent down to pick up her badge, carefully balancing not to spill over the contents of her bag. She loaded everything carefully into the baskets on her broom. She needed to get home. She couldn't leave yet. She couldn't fly while her hands were still shaking. |