Blacker than a moonless night...

M

Martine Laurent

Well-Known Member
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676
OOC First Name
Camilla!
Wand
Holly/Ebony Wand 12 1/2" Essence of Griffin Feather
((...that is coffee. :p ))

Martine had finished her work for the day without complaint, filed her last bit of paperwork, and had waited at the entrance for the office for Damien, fixing her hair and makeup while she waited. It wasn't a date or anything, but still. Martine like to look as nice as possible. She didn't think herself to be overly attractive, but she could see that she was decently pretty, and liked to make the most of it. Together, Martine and Damien had walked down to Obsidian Harbour, where there was a nice coffee shop she knew of and frequented. Taking a seat at one of the tables, she looked over at Damien and smiled. "So, what would you like to talk about?"
 
Damien followed her to Obsidian harbor. The rain had ended but left a lingering chill in the damp air. He sat at the table.

"What is there to do around here?" he asked. "Tell me about the area, the shops, the dangerous parts..." he grinned mischeavously, "Especially the dangerous parts." He looked at her and noticed she'd freshened up, a little extra makeup bringing out her eyes, her hair more in place. He lifted a hand and a waiter approached. "I'd like a coffee, two creams, sugar." he said.

The waiter turned to Martine, "And you, lass?" he said in his thick New Zealand accent.
 
"Latte, no sugar," Martine said simply to the waiter with a cheery smile, before turning back to Damien with a thoughtful look. "Well, the area...it is nice, there is Obsidian Harbour, the Makutu Mall further away, and Brightstone Village, which is near the 'Ogwarts here," she explained. "Plenty of shops, mostly good for school supplies around here, naturally. Dangerous parts? Well, there is Bleak Street," Martine explained, with a smirk. "I got caught down there one day, fun experience," she said, rolling her eyes. "Dark magic looms around there. So of course, lots of children like to go there," she laughed. "There is also the Borely Mansion, in Brightstone Village. It is protected by a dark presence. I believe someone was murdered there, once," Martine added, looking saddened at this, before shaking her head. "But let us not dwell on that," she said with a smile, as their coffees arrived.
 
Damien took a sip.

"It's like Catacomb Lane in Chicago." he said. "It's a part of town where Dark Magic people like to gather. Damn shame too, has the best barbecue in town." he said with a snicker. "I had to do a raid there once. One of the oddest jobs I've ever done. It was in a club called Club Bleaque. I had to wade through a throng of dancers before I saw a dark mark. Then the real fun began. The dancers? About a third were death eaters, young, new recruits. They had no idea how to sling a damn wand, me and my team took them out within five minutes, no casualties. A few of them? They'd popped Cerberus Treats. It's a new drug in the US, magical, it makes small devil-pixies appear around the person who took it, as well as makes them trip harder than ecstacy. So bringing them in while little imps spat riddles at you in three languages at once was... amusing." he smirked. "When one of them came to, she tried dancing with me, she thought she was still in the club." he chuckled.
 
Martine listened attentively to Damien's story, taking sips of coffee until she couldn't control her laughter. She chuckled in to the palm of her hand, very amused. "Now that sounds like an intriguing mission," she commented, between snickers and giggles. "Cerberus Treats? Wow. Haven't heard of them here, but now you've mentioned it, I suppose we ought to keep an eye out for them. They sound...just...wow. Very amusing. Oh, serious, of course but..." she trailed off, giggling, before she composed herself again.

"Haven't really got any interesting stories about Bleak Street, but a couple of years ago, when I was a brand new Auror here...this man, I can't even remember his name now, he had a Halloween party every year. Seedy guy, but not a Death Eater, as far as I was aware. He owned a shop in Bleak Street, full of dark objects. But like I said, no Death Eater. Anyway, he would invite all sorts to this party. Ministry, prophet, socialites...you name it. One year he had this big contest, where there was a princess locked up in a crystal palace, and whoever was in had to fight for the princess. And I got picked to play the damsel in distress. Hardly an Auror mission, but whatever," she shrugged, with a smile. "The sad thing is, nobody ended up getting to the end. I was pretty sure it was a trick, so after about an hour or so, I got the hell out of there and went home to a nice cup of tea and my pet cat," she chuckled, shaking her head. "I wonder what happened there..." she mused, before turning back to Damien. "So, what are your first thoughts of New Zealand?"
 
He listened.

"That's... odd." he said. "So he was seedy... but not a Death Eater?" he tapped his temple. "The whole thing sounds nearly as wierd as the club... Though a princess who escaped her own capture, I do like that." He smiled. "What do I think?" he asked. "Hills and Lord of the Rings." he said. He realised she may not understand it. "It's a muggle movie series from the early two thousands." he said. "It was shot in New Zealand."
 
"Apparation is a wonderful thing," Martine joked, though now he mentioned it, she liked the sound of it too. So many princesses in muggle fairytales always had to wait to be rescued, it was actually rather disappointing. Well, she was an Auror, and she didn't need rescuing from anyone.

She looked momentarily confused at Damien's statement about Lord of the Rings, until he clarified it. "Oh! I remember my father reading the books, once," she said with a smile. Her father was a muggle-born, so he knew a lot more about the muggle world than her pure-blood mother. And he'd passed a lot of his knowledge on to Martine, so that while she didn't know everything about the muggle world, she knew enough to understand. "He gave up about two-hundred pages in." She missed her family quite a lot, really. She was happy where she was in life, but she was really quite lonely. Mark and Clara were hardly help to her, being what they were. At least, if anything, she had her cat, Madame.
 
"Only two hundred pages? That's when it gets good though!" he said. "Though they did get magic horribly wrong."
He saw her face fall a little. She may not have wanted to show it, but something was bothering her visibly. He cocked his head after taking a sip of coffee. "Something wrong?" he asked.
 
Martine laughed quietly. She always knew she ought to have tried reading it, but she didn't think she would enjoy it. Maybe she'd get to it one day. Maybe.

She shook her head at Damien's question, putting on a smile. "Oh, no, it's nothing, really. Just...thinking back to home, that's all. My parents...they both died about six months ago," she explained, hoping she wouldn't freak Damien out by being morbid. "It's the main part of the reason I haven't been out in the field much, lately. But don't worry about it," she said, waving it off. "I 'ave my job. I am quite content." If a little lonely at times.
 
He reached out and put a hand over hers.

"Sorry to hear it," he said, giving a light squeeze. "My mom died a few years ago, apparently it had something to do with some kind of poison..." He shook his head. "Still I've had more time to cope." he pulled his hand away. "Why don't I walk you home after coffee?" he suggested, clearly he wanted to keep her company, hoping to make sure dredging up these memories wouldn't do too much harm... Especially when she was alone.
 
Martine smiled, a more genuine smile, at the sudden contact. It was nice to know there were good people out there, willing to be her friends. "Oh, I am very sorry," she said, seriously. Having family members die was always a horrible thing. Martine could at least take comfort in the fact that her parents died around the same time - they did not have to grieve for each other. Even if the circumstances of their death was a little suspicious.

"Oh! That would be wonderful," she said, blushing a little. "Um. If it's not too much trouble, that is."
 
He shrugged. "If you have a fireplace, it's not." he said with a grin. He took another long sip of his coffee. It was damn good. "So, what's been going on at Hogwarts?" he asked. "I don't know all that much about it, other than the four house system." He looked at the cieling. "I've only visited Hogwarts UK once. Headmaster Longbottom... Yeah I think it was Longbottom. Headmaster Longbottom was a great guy." he said. He looked back at her. "Who's the headmaster here?"
 
Martine grinned at this, before sipping at her coffee, as she thought. "Hmmm...what was his name again?" she thought out loud, trying to remember. Nicolas used to be headmaster, and now...oh, that's right. "Oh, his name is Roman Ivo," she said, embarassed at her idiocy. "I...must confess I do not know much about the Hogwarts here," she admitted.
 
Damien nodded. "Not a surprise." he said. "You're an auror, not a professor." He looked at his coffee cup, it was empty. "Should I order another or are we gonna leave after this?" he asked.
 
Martine chuckled. "No, it's really bad. I was actually working at Hogwarts for a year," she admitted. "As a librarian. I was working undercover...though really all I did was seperate hormonal teenagers and catch up on a lot of reading," she laughed. "And, well, I'm alright to go if you are," she shrugged. "I've probably got a few drinks at my place if you want something stronger."
 
He nodded. "I could use something." he said getting up from the chair, he got the check and put some coins on the table. "It's my treat." he said. He went to the door and opened it for her. "Shall we?"
 
"Thank you," she said, with a smile on her face. "You are too kind." Together, they stepped outside, and Martine offered her arm to Damien. "I suppose apparition is the easiest way to get from here to there," she added, before apparating to her place. It was small - but when she was the only person living there, it was really quite comfortable. "Well, it's not very much...but it's home."
 
Damien opened and closed his eyes, still not used to apparition.

"Humble." he said. "But cute." He slid his shoes off, leaving them at the door.

"You mind if I make myself at home?" he asked, politely.
 
Martine, in turn, took off her flats and kicked them off. Her house wasn't exactly what you'd call neat and tidy, but it wasn't too messy. She just didn't have that much time to clean it. "No, no problem at all," she said, with a smile, though as she went to the kitchen, she looked at how unfortunately bare it was. Her life was really nothing spectacular. Sure, she had the job she wanted, but everything else? Martine sighed, slumping against the counter. Twenty-six, and she really had nothing to say for herself.
 
He sat on a couch and looked over to her. She seemed distressed again, this could be his perception... but he had a feeling he wasn't wrong. He got to his feet and walked over to her.

"Something wrong?" he asked. "It's not what I said, is it?"
 
"Oh, oh no," Martine said, shaking her head furiously. Oh God, what am I doing, I've only just met the guy and now he's going to see me mope in my own home of an evening... she thought to herself, biting her lip.

"It's just...oh, you know, here I am, twenty-six, living alone in a small home with only a cat for company..." At this, Madame mewed as though she knew she was being talked about in such a manner, and stalked off for her food, "...working my dream job...behind a desk." She sighed, resigned. "Nothing to show for myself."
 
Damien looked at the cat.

"At least you HAVE a cat. I usually live by myself..." He stopped. "And sure I work in the field but hey, you made it to the Aurors. That counts for something." He tried reassuring her. "Dammit, I'm not good at this," he muttered. "Look let's just have a drink, and... talk... or watch a movie or something. Something to get your mind off of this."
 
Martine nodded, putting on a smile. "Y-yeah. Thanks," she said, warmly, as she turned to the cupboard. "So...uh...name your poison," she joked, feeling mildly better - albeit slightly awkward about exposing such weakness to an almost stranger. Sure, they'd be getting to know each other better in time, but for now...Martine shook her head again, reaching for a bottle of wine.
 
"Whatcha got?" he asked, still a little concerned.

He sat back. It seemed like it was his fault she was in such a bad place, having brought up her parents. He sighed.
 
"Wine? Or something stronger?" Martine asked back, her fingers brushing over the bottle of firewhiskey in the back of the cupboard. She pulled out the bottle of wine for herself, but waited to see what Damien wanted.

She noticed the sigh and morose look, and smiled before moving over to Damien and wrapping her arms around him. "I'm sorry for moping. Thank you..." she said, quietly, before realising what she did. Merde, why? Why did I do that? she thought, quickly stepping back and looking away, blushing. "Um, sorry. Impulse."
 
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