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Tweak says, "Don't tell me."

Peter Pettigrew (p__pettigrew) wrote in hogwarts_dawn,
@ 2021-05-23 10:26:00

Entry tags:

character: marlene mckinnon, character: peter pettigrew

RP: Peter and Marly
Who: Peter and Marly
When: 23rd May
Where: Muggle London
What: They discover the city.

They signed up to go out and said that they would be gone the entire day. Peter figured that they were likely to return sooner, but this way they'd have leeway. Once they arrived to the Leaky, they started walking, watching stores that didn't exist in their times, selling things that they wouldn't have even imagined. Peter was looking for the cameras now that he knew what to look for and pointed them out to Marly. There were cameras everywhere. "There's no way to Apparate without being caught," he said at a certain point.

They walked for hours until they found their ways to Piccadilly Circus. "Look! It's Fortnum & Mason. It's been there since the 19th century. Their sweets are amazing. We should have lunch somewhere and then on the way back we can buy some sweets, or maybe even sit down for tea. Mum used to take me at the end of the day. It's when they have to get rid of everything they made so everything is dirt cheap," he said, chuckling. "We can even get some tea for the castle. We couldn't afford it most times, but when things were on sale, we splurged."

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marlymckinnon
2021-05-24 11:48 am UTC (link)

The world had changed and no matter where Marlene looked there was something new to admire, question and wonder about. The cameras were everywhere, and had Peter not pointed them out to her they would have gone largely unnoticed. "I'd say," Marlene commented lightly. It was an odd feeling, being watched all the time but the muggles they passed as they walked along seemed to act as if it was nothing really, and so she felt some sense of calm about it. The shops were lined with all sorts of items, some she knew others she could guess and the rest was wonderfully random and she could only guess at their purpose. That was fun too, not knowing and guessing. Making up little stories in her mind about what the products were and for what use and little taglines too.

Taking the whole day off had been a brilliant idea. A few hours just wouldn't have been enough and Peter, he seemed so very happy and contented to show her around, and that pleased her too. It was nice, just wandering around with someone she knew, in a big world that had moved on. Worrying about what was on sale and what wasn't had never been something her family ever had to worry about, they did well. They weren't fabulously wealthy but small concerns were just that, very small.

"I think that's a fabulous idea," she said linking arms with Peter. "And bringing something back for everyone to enjoy is very thoughtful. So let's splurge today," she added with a bright smile. Glancing around at the people congregating and walking by she noticed most everyone seemed to be preoccupied with the little screens on information they carried in their hands. What they were exactly she couldn't say, but people seemed very caught up in them.

"You'd think people didn't talk much these days," she said gesturing to the people standing around the entrance looking at their devices. "Always looking down instead of up and ahead."

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p__pettigrew
2021-05-24 02:04 pm UTC (link)

Peter agreed. He'd never been able to get anything for his friends, always relying on James or Sirius for the biggest expenses, because he couldn't afford them, but now he had housing, food and a job that paid a lot more than the crumbs he made working at the shop. "I think I'll get a few things for the Marauders too. I've never bought them anything."

He nodded. "They are telephones, to communicate. We had them in our time, but they were much bigger and had cords attached to the wall. I asked about them. They do so much more now. The entire world is connected through those things now. They do so much." He was still trying to grasp the magnitude of the internet.

"Apparently they can take videos like the cameras, and then they can put them... on the cloud? I'm not really sure what that is, but somewhere and then the entire world can see those imagines. It's... surreal. Imagine being able to put images of you speaking in the Floo system and then everyone in the world could see what you say through the Floo, and then imagine being able to carry the Floo in your hand. I can't even imagine what it must be like," he said, frowing a little as he conceived all the possibilities and knowing that he was still falling short.

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marlymckinnon
2021-05-24 03:15 pm UTC (link)

"That's a great idea. I'll pick something up for Lily too," she agreed. She wondered what they would chose and where. Here at Fortnum & Mason or somewhere else? Although she decided the thought was much sweeter than anything tasty they might chose. "How are things with all of you doing?" She asked, not knowing for sure but she suspected things might not be quite how Peter wished them to be.

Telephones, imagine that she thought. It's not as if she hadn't heard of a phone before but one that you carried around that did so much more, it was miraculous and so inventive.

"So sort of like our journals in a way?" She suggested, but the differences were very obvious. The journals were just writing and it was a shame too. It would be lovely to go sneak a few pictures of everyone living in the castle and share them with everyone else. If there was only a way, she thought hopefully. "Imagine that. Finding the clouds in the palm of your hand," she said with a small chuckle.

She knew she didn't have the details all straight but it seemed a funny thought. Being able to talk to so many people all at once and about what? "It's too bad we can't do something like that isn't it?"

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p__pettigrew
2021-05-24 04:01 pm UTC (link)

"Not good," he admitted. "As far as they are concerned, I betrayed and I guess they are right, I did, but nothing I said will help," he said with a shrug. "But that's Lily and James. Things are different with Sirius and Remus. We're trying to be more mature. We'll see how it goes."

He nodded. "Sort of like our journals, yes. Apparently we got the idea from them since those phones have been around longer." Peter smiled. "This is what the purebloods didn't understand. There are over eight billion people in this world. They were only about four and a half in 1981. 99.9% are Muggles. Imagine how many ideas can be generated. There's nothing wrong with seeing something and creating a spell to match. It's not admitting that we're inferior, but accepting that people will have different ideas."

Peter laughed. "Imagine Harry having instant access to the world, we might get an answer if he gives one of his speeches."

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marlymckinnon
2021-05-24 04:28 pm UTC (link)

Staying quiet Marlene really couldn't say much. James and Lily had the right to feel however they wanted about what had happened, just like they all had to decide for themselves how to best move forward. "Imagine that, Sirius being the mature one," she joked, keeping conversation light.

Marlene's mind turned, thinking over what Peter said. It was true, the wizarding world was so small in comparison. Just how much smaller was hard to comprehend, but facts were facts, with eight billion people in the world and in comparison they were a small handful. "Do you think you could do it?" she asked with genuine interest. "I mean, you are the mysteries guy, right?" she said playfully. "I bet you could figure out how, if anyone could. It would be nice to kind of share a moment with everyone, every once in a while. Make us all feel connected."

Kind of like Harry's speech, something to bring them all together and working towards a common goal. Not that pictures would necessarily do much to building the future, but it might be nice to document some of it as they all lived it together.

"That would be hard to ignore," she said brightly. "I thought his speech was a very good one."

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p__pettigrew
2021-05-24 05:55 pm UTC (link)

Peter laughed at her answer. "Sirius can surprise you. I think he does it on purpose just to confuse people. Otherwise, you'd know what to expect and that's just terrible." Also he figured that they were being given the chance to grow up.

He thought about the question. "I don't know honestly. Even if we can figure out the spell, there must be some kind of international rules that connect all of them, same as the Muggle internet thing. I'm not sure where the journals originated. I think America, so they might control it too, so we'd have to find a way to connect the spells capable of including videos would need some approval on their end, but that's just a guess. I'd have to study how they work better. On the other hand, maybe they are blocking us for the rest of the world. It might explain why we never got anything from the outside.

Peter wasn't surprised by Harry's ability to speak. "James was always good at that and so is Lily so it's expected."

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marlymckinnon
2021-05-25 11:37 am UTC (link)

"That's probably very true." Nodding, Marlene thought Peter was likely right. She also thought that maybe Sirius worked so hard to keep people guessing that he left himself a little all mixed up as well. Either way they all had a chance here to do things different and she wished him well, he had been fairly quiet lately. She hoped all was right.

Tilting her head to the side she glanced up at Peter as he spoke. He knew far more than she did about the journals, that much was very clear. He could have been speaking a different language and she would have gotten as much from it. It just wasn't her particular area of expertise, but still interesting all the same. "It's something to consider for sure, and try to figure out," she added, not knowing what else she could say. "I guess I could just get a camera and take pictures the old fashioned way," she suggested. "Maybe post them up for everyone to see. On a bulletin board. It might annoy people though" she said with a little laugh. "Candid is always the best way, so just pop up with a flash might be a bit much, but all in good fun, right?" She said feeling rather pleased by the idea.

What they were doing now was important. It may feel silly to others, she thought, to want to document what was happening and all the little moments that shaped their lives here. It mattered to her though, it was something they could all look back on fondly, or she hoped fondly. It was a bit hard to say with some of the varied personalities here.

"Expected, I guess so. Still it's nice to see," she said very fondly. "It's good to see people banding together for what needs to be done. Plus, it feels more urgent and filled with purpose. It gives people something to really strive for, or overcome. That helps I think."

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p__pettigrew
2021-05-25 03:42 pm UTC (link)

Peter knew how complicated Sirius could be, but this wasn't the discussion to have with her while visiting the Muggle world, or possibly ever. It was Sirius' story to tell. Instead he concentrated on the journals and the difference between the Muggle world and the magical one.

"Oh definitely. Not sure how much time there will be with all that we have to do, but it'll be a nice side project." Together with the map and other things. Their side projects were becoming a full time job too. "Do you think they still exist? Maybe in the vault?" Where would they find magical cameras? "I never figured out if it was the cameras that were different, or if the filming process was different, but you needed old fashioned cameras because the magic would interfere with the batteries." He looked around at the many people with electronics. "Do we think we can even find cameras with no batteries? Merlin, I really feel out of time right now."

Still the feeling made him more determined. "We need to go in search of cameras with no batteries and then we need to find a way to develop the pictures. I'm guessing you need a dark room, but also a developing liquid. Do you have any idea how to do that? Because pictures sound brilliant."

He knew that this was just a stepping stone. "It can't be what keeps us together, though, because what happens when we find the vault? We all take what we want and goodbye? The only thing that will keep us together is making sure people start to rely on each other and start to care for each other. If you don't think you're wanted, then you fuck off like Glenda did."

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marlymckinnon
2021-05-26 07:34 pm UTC (link)

"It sounds like everyone is going to be much busier, you especially" she remarked. Thinking about it, Marlene tapped her foot and considered. They could maybe see if they could have one sent to them, like the brooms and whatnots or they could maybe just make one. Or even barring that find one hidden away in one of the family homes of the people living in the castle. "We can always look and if not, I think we got a few options. And we are out of time," she said giving Peter a slight nudge.

"I know how to develop the pictures. I just don't know how to make the developing liquid but I'm sure we can sort all that out. If and when we get a camera. Pictures would be brilliant. "

"That's true, Pete. But I do like the idea of it being a start." Marlene figured a start was a start and with so many other things going on at the moment, just a few intermittent bright spots might help people start thinking of themselves as a group and not just a random collection of people thrown together. A sense of unity was important.

"What exactly happened when Glenda left?" She asked, genuinely interested.

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p__pettigrew
2021-05-26 08:21 pm UTC (link)

He nodded. "It looks like it. There's a lot of theories floating around. Padma and Theo really like their theories. As you can imagine, I'm more for the practical approach, but since you need both in life, it works." Peter grinned. "Scavenger hunt after lunch. I like that. We're on a quest for non digital, non battery operated cameras."

He thought for a moment. "Printing it wouldn't be difficult if we want non moving pictures. There has to be a way to print them in the muggle world, but if we take pictures of magical things, then we do need the developing liquid. I can look up if I can find whatever spell is required."

Maybe it was being here longer or maybe it was his upbringing, but he was more cynical than Marlene. "It's definitely a good start, but I'm hoping for more so that people don't start disappearing." He sighed. "So she left. Cassandra-" He hadn't mentioned her name since talking to Sirius and Remus. "She died. Two people were sent back to what is sure death. And we had our memories switched, so we thought we were someone else."

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marlymckinnon
2021-05-26 09:04 pm UTC (link)

"Some people like to talk and some people like to talk a lot before they do. And others do and then talk about it. So that makes sense. And healers have to do both at the same time," she said with a chuckle. "Who doesn't love a good scavenger hunt?" She said, overly pleased with the idea. It meant the trip wouldn't be cut short. Wandering was grand and all but wandering with a purpose was always best.

"Yes. I guess if we wanted that we could just get any old camera we want. We could maybe do that, although I always preferred magical pictures. Why stand still when you can move," she said with a little wiggly of her fingers. "It would be really great if you could."

You heard things walking around the castle and over the journals but all the specifics you really had to ask. She knew people had disappeared and there was something to do with memories, but the finer details she hadn't the opportunity to ask about. She could tell from the way Peter had said the name that they had been close. It wasn't hard to tell, she could hear it in his voice. "I'm very sorry Peter," she said sympathetically. "That you lost someone here. I hoped loss would be something we could avoid for a while."

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p__pettigrew
2021-05-26 09:47 pm UTC (link)

"They definitely like to talk a lot, then talk some more, and then possibly discuss and then do," he said, laughing. "If we had talked that much, we would have never become animagi." Peter was definitely up for looking for a camera. "It's good to have a purpose, isn't it? Maybe that's what we've been missing. Hogwarts gives us everything, so after a while you get bored."

Peter grinned. "Well, let's get the developing and setting liquids just in case. At worst, they will be thrown out. On the other hand, we might need it for magical pictures, so it's not a waste of money."

He nodded. "She was Cassandra Trelawney, the Seer. She was also terribly young, funny and kind and we were friends. I thought we might become more than friends with time. She came from a different century so things were going slow, but- I miss her. She was so young and this was supposed to be her second chance too, so I'm not taking anything for granted."

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marlymckinnon
2021-05-27 12:19 am UTC (link)

How the Marauders managed to become Animagi at such a young age had always impressed her. It was an extraordinary thing that tied them together. Although that was then and this was now, still she thought it the perfect example of just how close the group was and how tragic it truly was that things had fallen apart in the end. But she kept that to herself, still bright eyed and exuberant. "Everything except a camera," Marlene quipped. "It does get a little boring every now and then. It's been pretty quiet since I got here."

"And it's just money," she agreed. "What else do we have to spend it on right now anyway. We might as well find something fun to do with it."

"Nobody should ever take anything for granted," she agreed with a nod. "I'm sure if you thought so well of her she was truly lovely." It was sad, she thought and she tried to hide it. So much uncertainty was all around them all the time, but they had to push forward.

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p__pettigrew
2021-05-27 12:55 am UTC (link)

"Everything but a camera, but anything for our basic needs is right there. Board, room, no real need to work if we didn't want to," he pointed out. "And since we're locked out from the outside world, we don't really have any - dare I say it - ambition."

He agreed with her about the money. "Once upon a time, I would have had to worry about every knut, but now we can splurge and it'll be all right."

He smiled at the memory of Cassandra. "She was. I think you would have liked her. She knew all sorts of things we didn't know just because she grew up in a different century. But her loss has made me braver in a way. I probably wouldn't have had the courage to ask you to join me today, but now, I've decided that I'm not going to be afraid of rejection. At worse, people tell me no, and on that note, why don't we go find lunch."

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marlymckinnon
2021-05-27 12:12 pm UTC (link)

"Slytherin's can find ambition anywhere and in any situation I think, so don't count that out," she said with a laugh. That and other things, they were often more trouble than a help, she thought. Often but not always. "Although I think your right about that."

Smiling in turn, Marlene knew she would have liked her. She just had that hunch, and Peter's fondness for the woman was validation enough of her assumption. "Some change is good change," she agreed, "I'm happy you asked, you know. Who else can I count on to take me on a tour of muggle London?" She said with a nod. "Let's have lunch."

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