The Inspection

[acciomod]

On the whole, the weather had been temperamental lately. One minute, it was absolutely bucketing it down, and the next, it was bright sunshine. The amount of rain had turned the ground into a muddy mess, but at least the tents provided perfectly adequate shelter, and a gazebo had been erected over the community dining table to protect everyone from the elements.

Despite the temperamental weather, however, it had been fairly warm throughout the past two weeks, so the chill in the air during dinner that evening was particularly noticeable, even before the dark, hooded figure by the Ministry's representative's desk had been seen.

Nervously, the Ministry representative approached the table.

"I'm afraid we have a visitor," he said, addressing everyone at the table and hoping that anyone not there could hear him. "This is a Dementor, one of the Guards at Azkaban. It's a high security prison. He's just here to, well, ensure that a certain escaped criminal isn't hiding amongst you.

"I don't expect he'll be here for more than an half an hour, so do try not to worry too much. They can make people rather, well... uncomfortable."

Bowing his head slightly, he left the Outsiders to their meal.

[And so, a Dementor is lurking around the camp, just in case one of the Outsiders is secretly Sirius Black. They're known to sap the happiness out of the environment, and - in cases where there are true horrors in someone's past - cause traumatic memories to resurface.

The chilly, depressed feeling can be lifted by the deliciousness of chocolate, though the Outsiders will need to discover this on their own. Good thing there's dessert.]

Comments

[high_on_daylight]

*As the Dementors pass by Evangeline, her mood - already rather dour - visibly darkens.*

... Escaped criminals call for something like this to be pulled out?

This world is so inefficient.

[espio]

I guess it depends on the criminal...

[Espio isn't really clear on the details regarding Sirius Black. Mainly because the paper seems to be more annoying than informtive - he kind of gave up on reading it.]

But inefficient? Definitely.

Have you even looked around the village yet? Not a single decent pen, or proper paper. I thought we were going to school! They can't seriously expect us to do all our work with a quill.

I don't see why a world that happily uses a steam train should have such a problem with a ballpoint pen.

[high_on_daylight]

Probably some baseless superstition that quills are more 'magically authentic' or something.

Useless, of course - I've seen people use pistols as wands before.

*Evangeline's talking seems to be a way of distracting herself...*

[a_real_soul]

Are you affected mistress? [Have your dutiful maid-slash-friend-slash-kidlet worrying over you, Eva.]

[high_on_daylight]

... I would consider that an understatement, Chachamaru.

I am being reminded of things I have tried to forget about since before the birth of Leonardo da Vinci.

[a_real_soul]

I wish I could help, but I cannot. Other than vaporizing the monster that causes it.

[high_on_daylight]

Which would probably be a bad idea.

Unfortunately.

[a_real_soul]

Unfortunately. Although I do not like it, this way of policing.

[high_on_daylight]

... We'll handle it for now.

However, I do believe I will petition for them to shut off this accursed barrier, or at least provide an exception for it for those of us capable of responsibly visiting London to get some proper tea and enjoy some culture.

[a_real_soul]

It seems very strange that they would try to hide from the world to this extent, even confining us here. It feels trapping.

[high_on_daylight]

A pointless fear, to say the least.

[a_real_soul]

It certainly isn't as 'open' as Mahora could be at times.

[high_on_daylight]

... It's unfortunately just about the same...

[a_real_soul]

Indeed. I suppose we will have to worry about this later.