When She's Calling for You

[Theresa Barclay]

Theresa's charity, Mugglelink, was four years old and growing exponentially. As the founder and current CEO, she was well beyond the stage of lurking on street corners and handing out fliers, but every second weekend there she was, starting impromptu information sessions in Obsidian Harbour for the local witches and wizards who were willing to listen. Most of them actually were, considering there were very few wizarding charities available, and less still that benefitted both Muggleborns and Wizarding children, alike. Tess hoped to branch out into adult assistance within the next ten years. The more people who knew about her cause, the more money they'd have to expand their services.

The 'fishing' was poor, today. Tess had passionately explained the purpose of Mugglelink to a great many passersby, but the instinct to avoid cheggars (charity beggars, as they were sometimes called) was still strong in many people, and she was sad to see them cut a wide berth. She didn't blame them, being essentially a shy person herself, but they might've been surprised that the CEO herself was talking to them, if they took the time to listen. Tess also disliked asking for money and never did so while she worked- she firmly believed that a charity should be able to stand on its own legs through awareness, and that the cause should be enough to motivate people's beneficence.

A young man, or a man who she assumed was young, passed by close enough to induce her to step forward, and Tess called out to him a clear but confident voice. "Sir, have you ever heard of Mugglelink?"​

 

[Professor Landon Carter]

Landon never thought his life was bad. If anything, Landon had quite a good life compared to the people in Africa and Afghanistan. He was well civilised with a loving family and had enough money to keep himself together. Because of this, the man tried to walk down the streets of Obsidian Harbour with a smile implanted on his face. There was nothing for him to be sad about and so he just continued his life as if nothing had happened, without any care in the world. The matter was too silly to keep bottled up, despite him not intending to tell anyone about it, but now he was glad he was able to get out for some fresh air.

Landon's thoughts were disrupted as a young blonde lady asked him if he knew anything about Mugglelink. Landon raised an eyebrow, confused as to why he did not. Muggles were one of the main reasons why wizards even existed and the professor tried to figure out what it all meant in his head before he answered her. Did it have something to do with the way muggles connected with the wizarding world? Was it some kind of new way that muggles would be able to communicate easier with wizard-folk without finding out who they really are? Landon shook his head, interested in what the lady had to say. "No, I don't know it at all." he replied, hoping she wouldn't be too hurt with the fact that he had no idea. After all, he had only come back to New Zealand just recently and America had nothing of the sort.

 

[Theresa Barclay]

Oh, a response! Theresa instinctively liked anyone who was kind enough to give her the time of day, so she tried to stay respectful and not overwhelm him with information. She gave the man a warm smile and moved back a little to invite him off the footpath so that they wouldn't disrupt any pedestrians.
"It's a charity for Muggleborns, and it was created to assist young witches and wizards who aren't familiar with the magical world to prepare themselves for school, and also to help inform their parents about what their child is likely to learn and face."

Tess suddenly became very aware that the gentleman she'd called over was quite handsome, in a rugged looking way, and automatically a low flush began to creep over her cheeks. It was not the first time she'd encountered a good looking man while she worked. She forged ahead with the conversation as though she'd not noticed at all.
"Thank you for taking the time to listen," said Tess with a more hesitant smile. "I know it can be annoying to be 'targeted' by charity workers, but we don't sign people up for subscriptions. We do take donations, but the most important thing letting people know we exist so that they can utilise our services." The young woman smoothed her skirt down with fluttering hands. "I don't allow my employees to- Oh," she cut herself off, a tad embarrassed. "I meant to say, my name is Theresa Barclay. I founded Mugglelink in twenty thirty-eight. I still like doing the footwork. Please, call me Tess!" the CEO insisted.​

 

[Professor Landon Carter]

Landon followed the lady off the footpath as he listened to what she had to say. He couldn't but admire such generosity. Helping muggle-borns adjust to the wizard life was something that really needed to happen and he was glad that such an organisation existed. As a child, Landon was lucky to have an older sister who was also magical to help him along the way. He couldn't imagine how she would have felt however growing up without anyone to look up to. Landon smiled brightly at the lady, chuckling a bit at how she thought she was being annoying. "You're not annoying at all!" he protested, glad that she had stopped him to talk about such an important topic. "I think what you're doing is extremely generous and I commend you for even coming up with such a thing!" The discovery of such an organisation piped his interest and he couldn't wait to find out more.

As the lady continued and introduced herself as Theresa Barclay, or rather Tess, Landon beamed, glad that he was able to make another acquaintance. "My name is Landon Carter. It's really nice to meet you!" he told her, realising then that the reason he had never heard of such an organisation before was because he left for America a couple of years before the organisation even existed. "Is there anything I can do to help you with the organisation? I have galleons I can donate," The man reached inside his robes and retrieved 10 galleons, handing it over to Tess. He was happy to help in any way he could.

 

[Theresa Barclay]

Theresa looked chuffed when she was told she'd not been annoying. That was one of the things she feared the most when working in public. It wasn't so much a problem with self-esteem as it was a desire to be respected. Tess could give or take being ignored personally, but she cared a great deal more about people listening to her cause.
"You're very kind," Tess replied as he accepted the galleons. There was a small donations box beside her that she'd charmed to jiggle occasionally and follow her around when needed. She dropped the money into the slot on the lid, and the box let out a merry 'cha-ching!' noise of gratitude.

"We're always grateful for donations, but the thing we like the most is to be talked about," she explained. Tess took the opportunity to shake Landon's hand with the one not depositing money. His handshake was warm and firm, she noted, her skin tingling pleasantly. "Do you have friends or family who are muggleborns? Maybe you know some in your workplace? We help kids up to the age of seventeen, but we're trying to branch out into adult services, too."
Tess was pleased to find a willing ear to hear about Mugglelink, but there was a very unprofessional desire creeping over her to ask some more personal questions of Landon- questions like 'Are you free on Saturday?' and 'Do you like Greek food?'.​

 

[Professor Landon Carter]

Landon beamed as he heard the money box make a satisfying sound as Tess put his galleons in there. The man didn't think he was kind at all but took the lady's word for it. After all, she had only just met him and was he glad to have made a good first impression. He shook her small hand firmly, feeling how fragile it was compared to his. Being a Herbology professor, the man's hands were large and rough but somehow he enjoyed the handshake, secretly hoping that wouldn't be the last time he'd get to touch her hand.

"I am a muggleborn myself. So is my older sister, but my eldest sister is simply a muggle." he explained, hoping she'd met a family like that before just so he didn't seem a bit out of place. "I'm a professor so I guess I know many muggle-borns without even realising it. I try to make my classroom as muggle-like as possible just so they can try to be more comfortable in a new setting." Landon was always one that wanted the best for his students and so he thought that the touch of adding pictures of muggle plants was ideal for the muggle-borns, and also intriguing for the rest. "What about you? Who inspired you to make such an organisation?" he asked, wanting to know more.

 

[Theresa Barclay]

"That's wonderful!" cried Theresa, beaming as wide as Landon. Usually it wasn't polite to comment on somebody's blood status, but in this case, Tess couldn't have been more pleased to hear that he was a muggleborn. It just cemented her belief that he honestly did care about the cause he'd donated to, and he might spread his support throughout his local community.
"A Professor," she exclaimed. She would have said more, but the interesting man had asked her another question, this time one that she didn't get very often. "Well, like yourself, I'm a muggleborn. I have an older sister, too, although she's magical, but our ancestors are muggles as far back as we can trace," Tess explained. "The exchange rate from NZD to Galleons wasn't great, so whilst they could afford school for us, we didn't have money for extras that would have helped us integrate into the magical world." She shrugged, slightly bashful. Tess hadn't answered this question many times before, so she tended to downplay her own part in bringing the charity to life.

"I thought about it a lot in school, and when I graduated, it was all I could think about doing. I'm glad I did- it's going really well, and we've been able to help hundreds of families. Actually," the CEO paused. "Because of your position ... Well, I hesitate to ask, but perhaps you'd be interested in being our contact at the school you teach at? We'd like to talk to any Muggle Studies Professors, too. They can help us identify students in need and refer them to us." And perhaps I'll get to see more of him, she thought a little selfishly.​