Closed One of Those Days

[Ihaka Lahey]

Ihaka peered outside, watching and waiting perched right up on the windowsill. If he remembers correctly, which is rare for the boy who's nose was always stuck in a video game, if he time this right Emori would be outside soon. Impatiently, he tapped the sill thinking of what his cousin Xavier was up to. Probably playing at this moment, streaming without him if he had to guess. "Come on Emori, you're going to miss out playing," Ihaka jumped up whispering to himself. He went back and forth, pacing the living room floor. She'd said she play video games with him, she said she would. Unless she was lying or changed her mind. Is that something she would do? Ihaka stopped abruptly, turning to face the window. "Mom, I'm going outside, be back a sec!" Ihaka calls out, jogging out the front door to see if he could find Emori.

 

[Emori Pourroulis]

It wasn’t often that Emori got to explore by herself, or also to be invited over to someone’s house for a play date, but this was particularly exciting for her because it meant she got to be on her own for a while as she headed to wherever the boy she had met a few days ago had told her he lived. She had insisted on going by herself when she had spoken to her parents but after discussing it with them, they had come to a compromise. Octavia would be accompanying her, and the older girl had double checked for Emori where exactly this address was. Seeing as she was too young to get around alone, although she had done so many times before, Octavia had offered. Which was nice of her, a little annoying, but nice. After she waved goodbye to Tavi, the girl ran up to meet Ihaka, unaware her sister was still behind her, and she beamed at him. "Okay, you have to show me what you got," was her greeting to him, referring to the video games. ​

 

[Ihaka Lahey]

Ihaka had perfect timing, for once he was outside Emori suddenly appeared like magic. "Emori!" Ihaka huffed, smiling stupidly at the girl. "I thought you forgot, and you weren't coming...okay," Ihaka composed himself a little better, his attention jump from Emori to lady trailing behind her. "Is this your older sister? She can come too, if she likes video games that is," Ihaka spontaneously invited the older girl to tag along. Ihaka beckons them to follow as he leads them back to the house. "So, you never played video games? Because that's mostly what I do, or be my brother's tossing bag. He plays rugby," Ihaka made a sour face, Ihaka disliked rugby. "I'll teach you the ways of Fortnite! I don't mean to brag, but I kick butt on Fortnite."

 

[Emori Pourroulis]

and the award to the latest reply ever goes to...

Emori scrunched up her nose, what was he talking about, of course she wouldn't miss this. "I can't be that late," she said, sticking out her tongue at her friend. "I wouldn't want to miss a chance to get out of my hhouse," she half-joked with a serious expression on her face. She quickly glanced at her sister and replied before Tav could say anything. "Oh, no, she won't be staying long, she isn't really into video games like we are. Come on, let's go, Tavi, you can say hi to Ihaka's mom and chat...or whatever old people do," she giggled. "Then you can pick me up later. Please." She followed Ihaka inside and absorbed her surroundings. "You have a nice house," she commented. "Well...I was never allowed to, but I sometimes did it anyway, a while ago," she said, not wanting to expand on her previous foster experience. He didn't need to know she was adopted. Not yet. "I haven't played much though." She stifled a laugh when he told her he was sometimes his brother's tossing bag. "I can beat him at rugby if you want. Where is he?" she shrugged, looking around the room. "Oh, yes please! And guess we'll have to see about that."​

 

[Ihaka Lahey]

Ihaka laughs, he finds it funny he is friends with a girl who didn't seem to like staying indoors while Ihaka was an uncertified couch potato. Uncertified, as his mom desperately tries to get the boy to go outside more times an one day more often than she'd like to admit. "Thanks, erm, my mom cleans it," Ihaka says while ducking his head, which then follows a comment from his own mother. "Yeah, that's right. I clean all the time, nobody helps me clean, nobody," the woman complains from the kitchen. She repeats herself and comes out to the living to see who her youngest son decided to bring over. "Okay mom, we get it," Ihaka blushed embarrassed, this is why he prefers online friends sometimes as they never have to hear his mother complain about everything. "This is Emori, and her sister Tavi," Ihaka had already given a control to Emori. "Emori is going to play with me for a while, that's okay right?" The young boy ask, while his mother was shock to see Ihaka have friends off the internet. Even friends from school never visited, only communicating with Ihaka through video or the headsets. "That's okay, with me," she offers them something to drink, fruits to eat if they were hungry. "Chips!" Ihaka shouted after as she disappeared into the kitchen. "I don't know, he's probably playing rugby with his teammates," Ihaka responded to Emori about his older brother's whereabouts. "You actually like rugby? I didn't know girls like that game."

no worries :3

 

[Emori Pourroulis]

Emori raised her eyebrows when Ihaka responded that his mom cleaned the house. She grinned when she heard his mother saying that nobody ever helped her to clean it. "Hey, Ihaka, why don't you help your mom to clean it sometime?" she asked innocently, with a mischievous smile on her face. She didn't exactly know if his mother was listening, but it was rather funny to imagine her friend doing the chores. Emori was always told to, in every home she'd been in, but she somehow always managed to get out of it, often getting in trouble for it though. She hated doing stuff that others told her to do, especially adults, it was annoying. "It's nice to meet you," she gave the lady a smile as Ihaka introduced her and Tav. It seemed a bit strange that the woman had a shocked expression on her face but Em simply shrugged to herself, relieved to know she was allowed to play with the boy. Most of the time, people who were a lot older than her didn't seem to trust her. "And salsa!" she called after Ihaka yelled for chips. "Couldn't resist," she told her friend. She huffed, "Of course I like rugby, who do you think I am," she teased. It wasn't her favourite sport, she just liked being active, and showing boys she could be just as good as they were at it. "In all seriousness, it's fun. Do you like any sports? And what should we play?" she asked him, curious.​

 

[Ihaka Lahey]

The boy gave a shrug. Was he suppose to tell her truth? His mom is complaining, she complains about everything. She complains when there was nothing to complain about because the house is spotless. Since there was nothing to complain about the house, she often complains about his video game playing. And that's usually the time he magically has homework assignments to complete. "Salsa, hot or mild?" Ihaka grins. "Emori," he quips. Ihaka jumps into explaining his favorite game in the whole wide world, Fornite. Ihaka shared some short cuts and cheat codes to get her up on his level. It went like that for two hours, the boy teaching his new friend everything he knew about the game. Everything he thought was essential to know so they can play in teams with his cousin. All was well up until Ihaka became frustrated. The connection was lagging, the control were delaying his actions on the screen. Ihaka hissed, tapping the button and then...BANG..the console went flying and hitting the wall behind it. Like someone had flipped it in the moment of irritation. Someone invisible. "Wai-WHAT?! Whoa, how did that happened?! Did you see that Emori?! OH NO, MY GAME!!"

 

[Elizabeth Chatwin]

For Elly it had been a though decision to pick a career path after Hogwarts. She wanted to be an auror like Geo, but she had also looked into becoming an healer. Something her dad was rooting for. In the end none of these options were going to make her happy and thus Elly was having a break year. That was until her cousin Rosemarie showed signs of magic and this ministry worker had come to explain everything to her. Elizabeth didn't even know that was a job that was available and thus she searched for more information. Soon after she applied and after a rough training she was accepted in the office of improper use of magic.

She was working at her little office desk when an message came in that a young boy had preform underage magic outside the Hogwarts borders. Elly remembered the address and apparated in an alley close to the house. She knew that it would have been empty at this time and thus it she deemed it safe. Elly had been wearing muggle clothes and now she was ready to meet with the boy and tell him about his future.

Elly walked up to the house and knocked on the door. When someone opened she smiled broadly and politely asked ''Hello, I am Elizabeth Chatwin working for the ministry.' Elly wasn't sure how much she could say at this moment ''I am looking for Ihaka Lahey is he home?''

 

[Octavia Pourroulis]

Octavia was home for the time being, as her team wasn’t travelling, and so she had told them she had to come back to New Zealand to take care of her family. She hadn’t specified that it was her sisters, as her parents had made her their legal guardian, despite not always being in the country. But she was the oldest and she really didn’t mind. She was most certainly up to the task. She enjoyed it - most of the time. Sometimes, when she just wanted some peace and quiet when she was feeling jet lagged, there was always some form of noise or argument. But it was to be expected in a house full of girls. That day, Emori had been invited to someone house for a play date, which admittedly had surprised even Tav. Not because she didn’t believe Em could easily make friends, but more because she hadn’t expected her to have been invited so soon. She didn’t even know if the boy Em was friends with was magical or not. Octavia was almost to the door to retrieve her sister when she heard a loud bang. Worried, she knocked on the door, only then noticing the other woman who had just spoken. She turned to her, "Hi. You’re from the ministry?" And the pieces all fell into place. Oh. "The boy you’re looking for, he’s magical isn’t he. My sister’s in there with him, I hope they’re not injured." And she knocked on the door again. If only someone could hear their knocking!​

 

[Emori Pourroulis]

"HOT SALSA PLEASE!" she yelled when Ihaka asked what type of sauce. And then, she rolled her eyes playfully. "Ha-ha," she said just to entertain him. For the next couple of hours, Ihaka taught her how to play his favourite game, which was apparently called Fortnite (as if she didn’t know how to play...well, she didn’t really, but she liked to think she did). Still, it was a lot of fun...until her friend sitting next to her yelped in fright and Emori jumped to her feet. "Yes I saw that! What was that! Ihaka are you a wizard?!" she exclaimed, and went over to examine the console. "Uh...dude...you’re not getting this back..." she said and sighed. She turned back to him, thinking how awesome it would be if he was magical just like her! Just then, she heard loud knocks at the door and some talking and Emori realised it was time to leave. Sad. She went over to the front door without thinking and just opened it, though just noticing that Tavi wasn’t alone. There was a woman standing next to her and Emori furrowed her eyebrows. "Ihaka...I think you’re in trouble." The woman seemed so official-looking. Like, she had some power or something.​

 

[Ihaka Lahey]

There was a knock at the door and Ihaka couldn't be bother with it at the moment. His game just exploded! "A what, a wizard?!" The boy looked panic, scratching his thick head of hair as he started to pace back and forth. Emori examines the game and pretty much said it was a lost cause. He wasn't sure if he should be more worried about the console or the fact it exploded and left marks on the wall. The wall! "Emori, look at the wall!" Ihaka frighten eyes flicker over to the wall that was behind the fried console. The explosion really did a number to this side of the living room. "Dark marks, everywhere," Ihaka held his head, that's it no more video games. It's over. "You don't say!" The boy answered his friend and hurries over to stand beside her. Ihaka can understand why Tav was here but not the other person. "Who are you? Is that your other sister, Emori? Hi, nice to meet you but I'm having a little crisis here!"

 

[Elizabeth Chatwin]

The person that had opened the door asked if she was from the ministry and Elly nodded. ‘’Yes, I am from the Improper use of magic office.’’ Elly said matter of factly. Apparently, this person seemed to be the sister of someone that was with the boy she was looking for. Elly wondered what she could share with the sister of the other girl, but decided that she could tell her the reason why she was here. ‘’Yes he is and now the standard procedure of explaining the magical world to this boy is in place.’’ Elly nodded.

Soon a younger girl joined them and Elly assumed this was the little sister she spoke of. She said Ihaka was in trouble, which wasn’t really true. He didn’t do it on purpose, most muggleborns had no clue that they even did magic. Magic was fed by emotions and most of the time an emotion had triggered the outburst of magic. ‘’He isn’t in trouble’’ Elly said to the young girl. ‘’I just want to talk to him.’’

Soon the boy she was searching for also joined the party and Elly smiled, this was her que. ‘’I am Elizabeth Chatwin, I was sent from the Ministry of magic to talk to you about what just happened here.’’ Elly didn’t really know how exactly she wanted to talk to him. Her own cousin went pretty angry when she was told she could do magic, she didn’t want a repeat. ‘’Do you want to tell me more about the little crisis you are having?’’ Elly said calmy.

 

[Ihaka Lahey]

Ihaka backs away from the weird, crazy lady that just introduced herself and said she was sent from Ministry of Magic!? "Huh, do you mean from parliament? Right," Ihaka's frantic eyes went from the lady named Elizabeth to Emori and her sister. "Crisis?! Oh, yeah. My console, it exploded and Emori said I was a..., something," Ihaka shows the woman the results to the unexplained explosion. If she was from parliament, then they worked fast! One of his neighbors must've reported the sound and that's why she was here! It made sense now. Boy, was he in trouble with his parents. "I'm not going to jail, am I?!"

 

[Elizabeth Chatwin]

The boy seemed scared, he actually backed away. Which was a normal reaction in these situations. Learning that there is a ministry of magic alongside the one you are already accustomed to is just plain weird. When he explained his little crisis, Elly gave encouraging nods to make him ease his mind. Elly looked at the smouldering dark explosion marks on the wall and smiled. ‘’No, you aren’t going to jail for this, it wasn’t like you actually wanted to try to blow up the side wall of your house right’’ Elly said with a broad smile. ‘’And Emori probably said you were a wizard, which you are’’ Elly touched the explosion marks and there was definitely a residue of magic. ‘’You were probably high on some emotion when the explosion happened, which is what usually happens.’’ Elly said ‘’Some kids are angry, where as others are sad or extremely happy, you are not the only one.’’ She hoped that Ihaka would understand her.

‘’What you need to know is that there is a Ministry of Magic alongside your so-called parliament, you are a boy born from non-magical parents, but you have magic in your blood so you can do magic.’’ Elly pointed at the broken controller and the wall that was still black. ‘’Knowing magic isn’t bad, it isn’t like the old witchcraft, but it is still as dangerous’’ She hoped that Emori would also explain a bit of the world to him. ‘’What remains now is asking if you have any questions and we do need to talk about school arrangements for the magical school located in New Zealand so you can develop your ability for magic.’’ Elly smiled and hoped she had given enough information to make sure that he understood what was going to happen.

 

[Ihaka Lahey]

Wait, what?! That was a whole lot of information for Ihaka to take in. Naturally, someone in a similar situation would freak out, which he already was. It's good that he is not going to jail, and no he wasn't trying to blow up the side of his house. He was playing games perfectly fine and then this happened?! What kid would want to intentionally set the side of their house on fire unless they're wanting to get grounded for life.

As Ms. Chatwin explained the wizarding world to a frantic Ihaka, his mom comes in the living room from cooking dinner for the family. Mrs. Lahey looked oddly between her son and the stranger in her home. "Ihaka, what's going on? How many guests have you invited for dinner this evening?" The middle age woman pull the young boy by his collar, bringing him closer to her person. "Who are you? And why are you in my home? Ihaka, who is this lady? Oh my, what happened to the wall?! Ihaka, what have you done?!"

 

[Elizabeth Chatwin]

Ihaka himself seemed calm enough with all the information he just received. So Elly knew she could wave her wand and fix the damaged wall now. It would be a fairly easy fix with a reparation spell, Elly was ready to withdraw her wand until she heard someone coming into the living room. ''Mrs Lahey, I am Elizabeth Chatwin from the ministry of magic'' Elizabeth briefly paused ''I am here to inform that your son preformed underage magic at around 16:00 this afternoon'' She handed the letter with an elaborate explanation over to Ihaka's mother. ''That letter has the a full description of events and what is going to happen next, It also carries a lexicon of magical words, that we ministry folk tend to use.'' It contained words like muggle, muggleborn and it gave a brief description of Hogwarts and its houses. ''The wall can be easily fixed ma'am'' Elly grabbed her wand ''Reparo'' She said with the correct hand movements. Parents were allowed to know magic existed, Emori was magical and the sister of Emori seemed to be magical as well. So there wasn't any new muggle that knew the big bad secret now. ''See magic is actually fun'' She said while looking at Ihaka.

 

[Ihaka Lahey]

Ihaka pulled back on his shirt, wiggling himself free from his mother's tight grip. "Mom, calm down! I'm not getting arrested," he said without a second thought. Ihaka was just glad he won't be seeing the iron bars of a jail cell. So, he blurted that bit of news out there. "Whoa, okay," Ms. Chatwin handed his mother a letter who wasn't so keen to take it fast from the woman. Ihaka paid no attention to that, instead, he witness the woman use a stick to fix the wall like nothing happened. Was he actually seeing this right now?! The wall is wiped clean of residue. No dark marks, no smell of a exploded console. It was all gone. The wall was like brand new again. "Mom, look," Ihaka pulls at the apron she wore over her regular clothing. Mrs. Lahey pushed him away gently while reading the letter she in time took it from the ministry official. The woman was oblivious what had only transpired here, she read over the letter intensely.

 

[Avarian Lockwood]

With new staff under his wing, Avarian was pleased that the cases were finally managed in an organized way. Plus the new addition was a woman with a niece who just found out she was magical, Elizabeth was a perfect fit in the department. With Ainslee still on maternity leave, Ian was the one supervising the office. He thought it would be good to see the new girl in action so with such, he informed Eros who also had just covered a case as well that he would be popping in to the new address of the case.​

Apparating on the front door, he fixed his coat before knocking on the door. He knew Elizabeth was perfectly capable of handling it. From the looks of the case, it was a boy so it would be reassuring for him to see a wizard aside from the witch who came to give him the news.​