Saturday Off[[Open]]

[fatherthom]

Father Thomas had the weekend off. The Center had him on call, just in case, but did not book any patients for him during the weekend. He usually took one weekend off every year, the first weekend that Hogwarts was out. He didn't enjoy seeing the children with their fanciful actions and children-like behaviour.

This year Thomas had taken the London and more specifically The Leaky Cauldron. He remembered visiting the Cauldron as a boy during his summers. It hadn't changed one speck since he was a lad with his mates.

The old Priest ordered a pint of ale and a nice hearty order of steamed fish. He absolutely adored the way the cook steamed up the fish here. It probably wasn't healthy for him to eat or know about, but he loved it. Such simple pleasures.

The Pub was packed this time of the day. Father Thom sat in the only open booth. The next person who wanted to sit down, would have to sit in the booth with him. He hoped it wasn't a Slytherin. Even though we was out of school, he still held grudges against his most hated House.

[Gail Lawrence]

((I hope you don't mind too much that your companion is one of the children you're trying to avoid. If it makes you feel any better, she acts older than her 16 years.))

Gail had barely been on the other side of the barrier when her name came over the PA system. Her parents had called the station from their cell. The fog was up again, and there had been a major accident on the M5 somewhere between Taunton and Bristol. The road had been completely shut down for three hours, and they could not move, not even exit onto a back road, until it was opened again. Traffic had just started moving again while Gail was on the phone with them.

With at least two hours to spare, she had set her owl free to fly home. Leaving her other luggage with the station, she headed down to Charing Cross to spend some time at the Leaky Cauldron. A late lunch was definitely in order. They wouldn’t have time to eat, as they usually did, before having to head home.

A short tube ride later left her at Trafalgar Square. Gail walked calmly onto a back street toward the Leaky Cauldron. This would be more entertaining than waiting hours at Kings Cross, but she had never been here alone. She double checked her jeans for some Galleons and entered the pub.

Tom had seen her come through every year before school and housed her the night before the train left. He recognized that something was different and very quietly asked, “What are you doin’ here?”

“Traffic got held up outside Bristol,” she responded. “I’ve got a few hours. A stew and a Butterbeer, please, Tom.” It was all she could really afford.

After a moment, she had both. Looking around for a seat, Gail noticed that all the seats in the pub were taken. All except one. A distinguished-looking man sat in a booth with an ale and a plate of steamed fish before him. He seemed to be enjoying himself, but he also gave off a slightly aloof air. Gail sighed and moved to take the seat. After a cursory glance at her companion, eyes resting slightly on his collar, she opened the Butterbeer and started on her stew.

[fatherthom]

[['Tis fine, thanks for replying!]]


Father Thomas was about half-way done with one of the slices of steamed fish when he heard a noise at the door. He turned his head to see a young lady walk in. He assumed she would sit with him. Unless she wanted to stand, that is.

When his assumptions were correct, the old Priest smiled and nodded when she sat down to her stew and Butterbeer. Obviously underage if she's not having the ale. He thought and took a sip from the mug.

"Good day, child. My name is Father Thomas. I'm the Head Healer of the Clinic in Hogsmeade." His voice was cheerful and nice enough. He hope that a new friend would be found from this child.

[Gail Lawrence]

Gail looked up with the spoon halfway to her mouth. She noticed that he had called her child. Despite her irritation, she nodded back to Father Thomas. “Gail Lawrence,” she replied. “I’m a student.”

Her response was slightly brisk, and Father Thomas looked at her a little oddly. “I’m a Ravenclaw,” she continued with a smile.

Her companion nodded and readied to speak again. Still listening, Gail returned her attention to the spoon in her hand. She put it into her mouth, only to discover the stew had spilled off the spoon during the interlude and back into the bowl. As Gail resumed eating, she heard Father Thomas continue the conversation.

[fatherthom]

When the girl introduced herself as a Ravenclaw Student, Thom smiled. He had been a Ravenclaw during his days at Hogwarts, oh so many years ago. If she were in the 'House of the Mind' as they called it back in his day, she would go far. After all, the most brilliant minds in the Wizarding World were in Ravenclaw. One could only assume that they would go far.

"Ahh, a fellow. I was a Ravenclaw back in the day. Probably when your grandparents went to school." The old man chuckled a bit and took another bite of the fish and swallowed savoring the butter.

"So by the looks of it, Miss Lawrence, you graduated this year. You really do look older than you must be. I'd guess nineteen if you hadn't told me you were a student." The old Priest smiled and winked at the girl. All in good fun.

[Gail Lawrence]

Gail was pleased that he responded well to her House. She had found that Ravenclaws achieved varying success in the real world, and it thrilled her to find one of real accomplishment. The comment about her grandparents did not go over so well. She had met Gabriel and Anne Lawrence only once. Although she knew the day would come, Gail did not look forward to seeing them again.

Father Thomas continued, “So by the looks of it, Miss Lawrence, you graduated this year. You really do look older than you must be. I'd guess nineteen if you hadn't told me you were a student.” He winked.

“Thank you,” she said. The Butterbeer combined with the compliment to make her feel flushed and dizzy. Despite her nature, she revealed, “I actually turned sixteen in May.”

After a breath, she calmed again. “And how does a man of Hogsmeade travel to London while students are returning home?”

[fatherthom]

When the girl revealed that she was only sixteen, Father Thom was rather surprised. She looked much more mature than she was aged. He imagined that the child would go places. She looked older than she was and she was a Ravenclaw, two bonuses.

"I would never have guessed you were only sixteen. You appear to be much older, Miss Lawrence."

He quietly took another sip of his ale as she asked her question. It was a valid one. "I take one weekend a year off to go to London. I do enjoy seeing the children leaving Hogwarts and going home. It reminds me of my school days way back when."

He smiled remembering some of his old school days, then turned to the girl. "And what brings a Hogwarts student into an old pub like this?"

[Gail Lawrence]

Gail gave a slight grimace as she saw him smile. She had seen the same smile many times on her father’s face as he prepared to venture down Memory Lane. Thankfully, Father Thomas chose not to proceed, instead asking another question.

“Free time,” she replied. “We live rather far from London, and my parents are not often here when the train arrives at Kings Cross. I thought a late lunch might be a good idea.”

Gail glanced at her watch. Still another hour.

An awkward silence fell. Gail took a few more bites of her stew, already starting to go cold. Suddenly, her eyes flicked back up to the first thing she had noticed about her companion: his collar. Religion was sometimes an oddity among wizards.

Without preamble, she said, “A wizard of the cloth. How did that come about?”

[fatherthom]

Thom listened and nodded when the girl explained why she was delayed in returning home with her parents. As a child at Hogwarts, his journey home was never very long. He had lived in Hogsmeade a good portion of his life and simply walked home from Hogwarts at the end of the year.

Her next question was a common one that he got. A good number of Wizarding Folk did not fully realize that relgion and magic went together rather well. Most took for granted that the Hufflepuff Ghost, was in fact a Friar in the Mendicant Orders.

"There are a few of us, Miss Lawrence. Not nearly as many as I'd like to see, however. While most of Wizard-kind views their magic as a natural gift, we view it as a gift from God. Hogwarts has had a few of my kind in it's walls.

In the thirteenth century, a few of the nurses were nuns. The Fat Friar, of Hufflepuff, was a teacher at the school towards the beginning of it's existance. Until a fire struck, there was a Chapel on the Grounds at Hogwarts. We try to live in harmony but sadly enough it is often the lay Wizards who cause the problems. We are often viewed the same as 'mud-bloods' by Wizard Purity Fanatics."