Tweak

InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Hello, pumpkin!"

Dominic Chambers (knowhow) wrote in finnigans_rpg,
@ 2015-07-20 16:28:00

Entry tags:

character: dominic chambers, character: pandora montgomery

Driving
Who: Dominic and Pandora
What: Driving, maybe Sunday Lunch
Where: Finnigan's, garage, Surrey!
When: Sunday 19th July, midmorning onwards [backdated]
Rating: SFW

By mid-morning it was already obvious that Sunday was going to be blue-skied and hot - and Dominic was tired of the city. He'd packed his bag with a bottle of water, his muggle wallet, mobile and two notebooks before he'd remembered offering to take Pandora out for a drive. A couple of owls later and they'd arranged to meet up at Finnigan's. Dominic checked his bag again, added a second bottle of water, then slung it over his shoulder and apparated into Monument Alley, just outside the pub. He ducked his head inside, just to check she wasn't waiting for him, then pulled his sunglasses out of the front pocket of his bag, along with a cigarette and lighter.

He was just reaching the end of his cigarette when he heard a faint 'pop' of apparition and looked up, spotting Pandora a few feet away. He straightened, stubbed the cigarette out against the wall and then gave her a way. "Excellent timing," he said, smiling. "You ready to go see Surrey?"

(Post a new comment)

pandacharms
2015-07-22 03:50 pm UTC (link)

Dora dressed in clothes she knew would pass as Muggle,t hough perhaps a little on the eclectic end. Her real muggle clothes were either very casual or very professional, and she didn't feel comfortable in either with someone she didn't know terribly well but who wasn't a work contact either.

She was exactly on time as always, punctual to a fault. If Dora was late, then generally there was something wrong or she somehow got really, really caught up in her work. "I'm ready, I think. I admit I haven't been in a car but a couple of times, though," she said.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

knowhow
2015-07-24 01:36 pm UTC (link)

Dominic had assumed Dora wasn't exactly riding around in cars every day, and if anything was more surprised she'd been in one at all. "Don't worry," he told her, "it's not a souped-up sports car or anything, and we won't go too fast." He patted the pocket of his jeans to make absolutely sure the car keys were in there - they were - and then offered her a hand.

"You okay with me apparating us there?" he asked. "I keep the car in a muggle garage so there's no floo, and I'm guessing you don't know the area."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

pandacharms
2015-07-25 12:34 pm UTC (link)

Dora just nodded, managing, she hoped, to not seem nervous. She could hide her feelings when it was for a security gig, but she didn't have her armor of charmed sunglasses and a goal in mind to help her out. Normally she could put on any face she wanted, but she was also here to relax, so it was a bit of a dichotomy.

She managed not to hesitate when putting her hand into his. "Certainly. I doubt I know the area," she said honestly. "I live in a Muggle-ish area, but I don't travel much in it." She preferred to rely as much on her magic as possible, which made things awkward in the muggle world occasionally.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

knowhow
2015-07-27 10:00 am UTC (link)

Dominic had an idea Dora wasn't completely at ease, but figured that drawing attention to it would just make it worse, so he tried to keep his own manner relaxed. He apparated them to the same small alley he always used, checked no one had seen them arrive and then dropped her hand. "It's just across the road," he said, leading the way towards the multistorey car park.

"If it gets too much, let me know," he suggested as they approached his car. "I can find somewhere quiet to pull over. You can always apparate back to Finnigan's. Obviously, I'll need to take the car back. Can't just leave it on the side of the road." He grinned, then moved forward to hold the door open for her.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

pandacharms
2015-07-29 02:30 am UTC (link)

Dora followed him quietly. She was taking something of a chance, for her; she didn't know this fellow very well, and she was allowing him to take her places. But at least, she comforted herself, she could leave if needed.

"I will," she said, glancing over his car with an inexperienced eye. She might even do it, if it got to be too much. She'd see. She hated to be vulnerable in front of everyone. "No, of course, you can't leave something valuable in the middle of no where." She slid into the car after he opened the door, thanking him quietly. At least he had manners, she thought.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

knowhow
2015-07-29 11:32 am UTC (link)

Dominic was quiet while he got the car going, giving Pandora some time to adjust and situate herself. "You'll want to put the seatbelt on," he said gently. He wasn't planning on going fast or crashing, but better safe than sorry besides - "It's actually a legal requirement." He pulled out of the garage, which was at the very edge of London, and headed out towards Surrey. "There's some travel sweets in the glove compartment if you get motion sick," he added.

After a few minutes of driving, Dominic thought Pandora was probably as comfortable as she was going to get without just more time in the car. "So, how's your week been?" he asked.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

pandacharms
2015-07-29 08:55 pm UTC (link)

"Oh, yes, this," she said, fingers fumbling with the seatbelt but getting it situated after a moment. She grimaced faintly and tucked the shoulder strap under her armpit from where it had been cutting into her neck from her being so short. She stretched her legs out and peered out the window. It was a nice vehicle, in so much as what she saw around from her place, though the ones she'd ridden in a couple of times had been different -- nicer? She wasn't exactly sure. Give her a broom and she'd be able to judge readily.

"It's been... busy," Dora said. "Which I know sounds like a repetitive cop out, but it always is busy." She kept it that way, so she wouldn't have to think too much. Too much thinking time always ended up with more depression and nightmares than she wanted to deal with. "A couple of big orders at work." Not the interesting sort, but the good money sort. This was one reason she wanted to get an apprentice and was seriously considering it, if someone would have a Death Eater reject like herself. "And my research, of course."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

knowhow
2015-07-30 02:42 pm UTC (link)

"I get that," Dominic said. "Busy is pretty constant for me as well - I like having lots of things to do. Work, obviously, hobbies - though some would say work is my biggest hobby." He didn't really go in for traditional weeky-group-meeting style hobbies, which was perhaps a shame. It meant his social life had a tendency to get shallow, if he wasn't careful. He met people at clubs, spent a couple of hours chatting, dancing or shagging (sometimes all three) and then never saw them again.

As soon as he could, Dominic pulled off the main roads - he preferred smaller roads through attractive countryside, and with less noise and traffic. "There we are," he said with satisfaction as they moved towards the top of a hill with a view out over trees and fields. "This is the part I like. What are you researching at the moment?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

pandacharms
2015-07-31 09:46 pm UTC (link)

"I always keep busy. I can't seem to help myself," Dora said honestly. "I see my work mostly the same way, though some of the more boring orders I could do without." She shrugged slightly. "The cost of doing business. Though I'm seriously considering getting an apprentice, to teach and to help with the work." And working with spells was the best method of learning there was, truly.

She could feel herself relaxing slowly, though she couldn't say she would ever quite trust these strange Muggle vehicles. "This is pretty," she said quietly, tilting her head as she peered out the window. "Two main things, one for me and one for publishing. For me, it's another dueling spell. For the publication, it's, well, it's not going well currently, but I need to get a couple more books I think will have options." She shrugged again. She couldn't help it, she was used to playing things very close to the vest.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

knowhow
2015-08-04 10:50 am UTC (link)

"Yeah?" Dominic asked. "Someone to give the boring orders to?" It was something he could see himself doing. Not yet, perhaps, but down the line when he was older and more established. "I don't think I could afford it yet. The fun orders pay when they come in, but sometimes I go for weeks with just the boring stuff." Dominic wasn't hurting for money, but his lifestyle seemed to get a little more expensive every year, and what with splitting money off to his muggle bank account as well, he wasn't ready to give up the income to an apprentice.

He smiled as Pandora took in the view. "That's why I like it," he said. "Don't get me wrong, I love London - and Belfast - but I need to get out here on a regular basis too." He listened as she gave vague details of her research. "Did I know you were interested in duelling?" he asked, frowning as he tried to remember whether he'd ever seen her at Duelling Club. "Is it just theoretical?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

pandacharms
2015-08-04 08:41 pm UTC (link)

"It'd be nice to have some help, given I'm generally the only one running that part of the shop." And there were some things where two sets of hands would be greatly appreciated. Plus she did think she had a lot to offer to an apprentice, and it could free her up to do more of other things she wanted to do. Like dueling and such. "The shop makes enough that I could pay some, though of course apprentices only make a portion. I think I can afford one at this point." A year ago? No way. But she'd gotten more income from her other things now, and she wasn't totally reliant on her aunt, and she'd also gotten some more money from the woman as she'd gained more independence.

"I travel some, but not like I used to," she said. "Used to it was a different place every week or two." But it had been stressful on its own, with no close friends to support her. Here she had at least a couple of those. She glanced over at him, fingers playing idly with her seat belt. "I don't know if I'd said. "I only occasionally come by the club. I duelled professionally for several years, did really well, and I've always been afraid I'd hurt someone. Not to mention I'm not exactly the most welcome person in the world around these parts.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

knowhow
2015-08-06 01:15 pm UTC (link)

"Of course," Dominic agreed. "I hope you can find someone that's really interested to learn. I think that's the only way I could ever teach." He gave a short laugh. "I respect the Hogwarts Professors a lot more now than I did, when I think about how much they did manage to teach people who didn't always want to be there. Though, not all of them..." Binns, for example, seemed to Dominic like he really needed to be replaced. There must be more interesting ways to teaching wizarding history.

He nodded. "I've never travelled that much, but I do like taking trips - mostly on my own." He didn't have the patience for just sitting by the beach or pool, he wanted to be out exploring and doing things. "I think it could be good with the right person. I'd like to go with Luna sometime, or anyone else who can show me things I wouldn't find by myself." Dominic couldn't help but be impressed when he heard she'd duelled professionally. "You should come give us a demonstration some time," he said, enthused. "Lavender is great, but she's an auror so her style is pretty practical and goal-oriented. It'd be nice to see a different kind of duelling." He could see why she would be worried that her past would make an impact, but that wasn't the world he wanted to live in. "It might even help. If people see that you play fair, that your partner doesn't get hurt, even if you win..."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

pandacharms
2015-08-07 12:12 pm UTC (link)

"I hope so. And someone who can accept that it's me and not someone more respectable." Not that her Charms reputation wasn't respectable -- it was, quite a bit so. But her social reputation had only marginally improved and she could possibly taint anyone who came to her by association. "I think I'd enjoy teaching, with someone interested. I did a lot of tutoring when I was at Hogwarts, and I wasn't terrible at it."

"I was around a lot of Eastern Europe, they love the dueling circuit especially well," she said. "Didn't really do sight seeing, but I went from tournament to tournament and picked up on some places. I like to get out of the country at least once a month for the sake of what's left of my sanity."

She blinked once, partially turned towards him, in response to his enthusiasm. "Lavender is pretty good, but you're right," she said, knowing he'd put it better than she could have, though she was being honest -- Lavender was good. Her lips twitched noticeably, though positively or negatively it was uncertain. "If you'd ever seen me, darling, I'm not sure you'd be saying quite that. I'm terribly ruthless in the ring, you see. I won't break the rules," not outright, though she'd bend them at times, like any decent Slytherin, "and I've nearly died several times in the ring, and injured myself and others plenty."

When she was in the ring, she didn't accept any less than winning from herself; she also rarely felt pain when she was in that mindset, and she had nearly done herself in more than once because she hadn't realized she was hurt. Several times, she had almost wished that she had died, though she wasn't suicidal. Dueling wouldn't be a bad way to go, int he grand scheme of things.

"But it is terrible wicked fun," she added, smirking.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

knowhow
2015-08-10 01:40 pm UTC (link)

"If you're good you're good," Dominic said - though he could see why some would hesitate. He'd gotten off relatively lightly in the war, though his time in the holding cells had left him with a certain distrust of the Ministry that he might never completely shake. "The work you're doing would be enough to interest me, anyway. I don't know if someone fresh out of school might be more distant from the war or if the age difference would make you seem more intimidating..." As usual, he didn't skirt around the point.

He took in her words, a little surprised - but then, he didn't know a lot about the duelling circuit - maybe that was the way it worked. "Well... I don't think injuring Lavender would go down well, even if she'd agreed to it," he admitted. "So maybe it isn't such a good idea. Unless you have someone you practice with who might be willing to demonstrate with you?" Someone used to Pandora's style would probably be better equipped to avoid injury. "I don't know. It's not actually my club. Lavender runs it, so you'd have to run anything past her. I just like new things." He grinned back, because though he wasn't much of a dueller, he could understand the appeal of fun that wasn't necessarily safe.

"Let me know when you get hungry, by the way," he added. "I'll start looking for a decent pub for lunch - assuming you're up for that?" He surveyed her quickly, deciding that she'd pass for muggle well enough as long as she didn't start brandishing her wand.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

pandacharms
2015-08-11 12:11 pm UTC (link)

"I'm not sure. I guess we'll see. I come up against it in the oddest places, though people like you give me a bit of hope." Not much, really; she seemed still to come up against persecution rather frequently. Still, Dominic's opinion of her was quite nice and she quite liked it. She wondered, for the umpteenth time, what Chris would truly think... if he actually came around much. "I'll just have to try and see."

"I'd try not to, if I duelled her. I haven't much talked to her, though. I don't know if she'd want to try." Maybe she should, though with Lavender being an Auror she was understandably reluctant. "Rich might agree, though we're more into dueling with weapons currently. He's teaching me," she said. Since her upgrade ceremony, she figured the cat was out of the bad, at least in part, with what she was doing. Sharp pointy objects were still a lot of fun for her. "You'd probably enjoy seeing that. I could ask Rich if you could come by one morning, if you wanted."

She scanned their surroudings, taking it in and trying to relax more. It was strangely soothing, driving like this, so long as she didn't think too hard on the Muggle technology. "A pub is perfectly fine with me. I promise I can blend in."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

knowhow
2015-08-12 01:27 pm UTC (link)

Dominic raised an eyebrow at that - he wasn't really used to giving anyone hope. As far as he was concerned, Seamus was the one who'd put himself in that role, by choosing to make the pub what it was, accepting former Death Eaters into Battlescars, striving to make everyone feel included. Dominic had just had some of that feeling rub off on him. "Death Eaters didn't do anything to me during the war," he admitted. "I wasn't at the battle, they didn't come to my home and try to kill me. But the Ministry threatened to hold my parents hostage, and kept me in a cell for weeks." And yes, he knew that it was the Ministry under Voldemort's control, and that the Snatchers had been formed by Voldemort... But the entire Ministry hadn't been peopled by Death Eaters. There had been plenty of supposedly 'good' people who'd been too scared to stand up and stop what was happening. "So maybe it's harder for me to see one group as good and the other as bad. I like to judge people as individuals - and you've never done anything to me."

It wasn't something Dominic usually talked about, but out here in the peaceful countywide it seemed less like some dark secret he was keeping. Maybe suspecting that Pandora had secrets of her own was helping too. "You don't hate me because my parents are muggles, do you?" he asked bluntly. "I mean, I assume you wouldn't be here if you did." Maybe if they made it explicit, they could move past it quicker.

He let himself be distracted by the duelling talk. "I've never considered duelling with weapons," he admitted. "I think I'd definitely enjoy seeing that." Maybe he could even get Pandora to show him a few moves, because the idea of combining magic and a physical weapon was right up his alley. "There are probably others who would too. We're all just doing it for fun, really, and what could be more fun than seeing something new?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

pandacharms
2015-08-14 04:15 pm UTC (link)

"The Ministry is stupid," Dora agreed. "And I tried to do as little as I could to everyone." She'd had her reasons, something some people realized and some people didn't. "The Ministry has done a lot to a lot of people." And still did. It made her mourn, sometimes. Especially since her childhood ambitions had been to work her way up in the ministry.

Her eyebrows raised and she shook her head. "No, I don't. I've never much cared about blood values, despite appearances otherwise." Her finger tapped her forearm. "I like a lot of our traditions, but new is also all right. I was forced to join up to protect my family." Her accent was a bit more clipped, but she figured she owed him that much information, for as nice as he'd been being to her. "Muggles scare me sometimes, but I was never allowed among them when I was a child." She shrugged. If she ever was lucky enough to marry and have a child, she'd hopefully change that a bit. Her parents had been very protective in that regard, at least of the girl children.

"Sword play is fun," Dora told him. "I'll see if Rich would be all right with you coming to watch sometime. He's very good." Though she was learning very quickly. She did grin. "New can be fun. Liek this -- this is fun." She gestured at the car, and the drive. "I've never gotten out much like this."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

knowhow
2015-08-17 03:31 pm UTC (link)

Dominic shrugged. "There's good people and bad in every organisation." He knew good people in the Ministry, and he was simultaneously sure there were people still there who would drive him to fury with their outlook. Even before getting to Hogwarts and learning about the divide between purebloods and muggleborns, Dominic had had opportunity to learn that.

"Good then," he said, giving her a quirk of a smile. "And I don't hate you for being pureblood, or for what you had to do during the war. I'd say we should shake on it, but my hands are a bit busy." Speaking of which, he turned onto a wider road he thought he recognised. If he was right, there was a nice pub at the end of it with a beer garden and a duck pond. It was more the kind of place he associated with Luna than Pandora, but the food was good enough that the deliberately 'quaint' atmosphere wasn't worth worrying about. "Muggles scare me sometimes," he agreed. "Some of them." He didn't say it, but his mind had gone back to the recent bombings.

Dominic nodded, letting the topic drop for now until she'd spoken to her sparring partner. "I'm glad you're enjoying it," he said. "And now - I think it's time to stop for lunch." He gestured to the pub sign that was just close enough to be legible now.

(Reply to this) (Parent)