Embarrasment, Thy Name Is Reid's Existence

Reid checked his watch as he helped the elderly woman off of the bus, holding her bag with a scarlet face, embarrassed that she did not have a normal purse. No, she had a huge pink purse, covered in sequins and fake jewels, with a huge picture of what Reid considered to be the ugliest dog he had ever seen. Over the printed on picture was the words, spelled out in glitter- RIP Coco.

The woman stumbled off the platform and began to search her being for her glasses, which were perched on her head. "Ma'am- I... Miss, uh, Lady. Think-" Reid could not make himself heard over her loud annoucements of having lost her glasses. She finally located them and Reid began to hand over the purse but she suddenly shrieked. "Coco! I left my Coco!"

She shuffled back on board, ignoring Reid, who was calling after her, "I think Coco's gone!" He sighed and looked up at the driver, Piers, who was sucking in his lips. Reid sighed. "Go ahead." And Piers burst into laugther. He began to compose himself and wheezed, "I never... wanna forget.. you with that... hideous purse... Calling after the old lady..."

He burst into cackles again and Reid turned redder, still holding the purse. Finally the old woman began to approach, an urn in hand. Piers doubled over the driving wheel and Reid reached up to help up the old woman, as a small que of people who wanted to board formed behind him. That's when the woman got stuck in the doorway. "Ma'am, let me help you with the urn then you can't get through..."

He reached up to take it and she smacked his face, not very hard, but it caught him off guard. "Don't you touch my Coco!"

Piers burst into fresh laughter, shrieking.

As a general rule, Jamie didn't ride the Knight Bus. It was loud, uncomfortable, and frankly, smelly. The ratio of strange to normal people didn't help either. But tonight the young woman had found herself without much of a choice. Jamie had stayed late at work, filling out various forms on her latest trip to catch a stay boggart. This one had been in the organ of a church and had been causing panic. Turns out Jamie was good at boggart catching.. Very good. The whole idea of catching beasts was becoming increasingly more fun, and idea of explaining what had happened to ghosts when they were new to their current form was becoming increasingly tedious. A specialization transfer seemed like a wonderful idea. After these first few months of really discovering her passions her focus had shifted from ghosts to none other than merpeople. The ugly creatures seemed strangely beautiful to her in every way. Jamie was planning on talking to Zoe at the first possible opritunity about a mermaid relations job. The number of people who spoke merperson were few and far between and much desired. Jamie wanted to learn, and doing so would make her invaluable. But for now she was stuck riding the Knight Bus, possibly her least favorite place in the wizarding world. 

Jamie waited to board behind a couple other wizards. There was some kind of holdup at the door and an old lady was shrieking nonsense. Jamie leaned out of the line to get a better view of the commotion and saw a man not too much older than she was holding a ridiculous pink glittery bag. He looked completely mortified. The old lady was holding an urn, and mixed with her screams was the laughter of the driver, coming from just beyond the man. A smile crept onto Jamies face. This scene was so odd, so random. Just the sort of nonsense she would expect from the Knight Bus. In fact, Jamie felt she would have enjoyed watching the scene unfold for a bit longer but she was rather in a hurry to get back home to Prim. One of the other girls would be watching the little girl, but Jamie felt slightly incomplete without having the child in her arms. 

"Oi! Can we board please?" Jamie called up the line to the conductor, not minding that she sounded more than slightly rude and impatient. It had been an insanely long day and both her makeup and patience were running thin. Jamie didn't feel nearly as pretty as she had stepping out the door this morning. In fact she felt quite ugly (but in actuality she was actually very pretty today). None of the handsome ministry boys had spoken more than two words to her in short career there and it was getting quite discouraging. Perhaps she would end up alone after all. And least she had the girls. Renny was a lifesaver. Same with Alexis. They were more of mothers to Prim than she was. Jamie tried to be a mother, she really did. But some people just aren't cut out for it. And some are just too young.

((Btw Renny and Trowa ran off together... They dont exist anymore. XD)

Reid was trying to get the old bat to let go of him now. She was clinging to his arm, having finally pulled the purse out of his grip, and was now hitting him over the head with her bag, shouting things about him being a rude, vulgar brute. Piers was still laughing- Piers was an older man who could retire if he really wished, so he did not really care for pleasing the customers.

"Madam, please-" Reid said, but she shoved her scarf in his mouth. Reid deadpanned for a moment, his expression dropping into one of sheer frustration. "Really?" he said, but it was muffled and sounded more like a muted cat- at least that was what he would compare it to anyone. He reached up, trying to help the old woman, but he was suddenly distracted.

"Oi! Can we board please?"

He turned, the scarf still in his mouth and opened his mouth to shout his one mode of defense- a your mother joke. However, he latched eyes onto the speaker of the words and saw a girl, not much younger than him, glaring at him. His mouth remained open and the scarf fell out of it. He stared at her, like a deer caught in the headlights. And that was when the old woman hit him again.

He turned around. "Keep your knickers on!" he shouted. She gasped and hit him again. He sighed and withdrew his wand, waving it. The door widened and she popped out like a cork, before heading on her way. He turned back and addressed the crowd. "Sorry about that. Come on in. Prices are on the side. Pay up as you step in, thank you." He stepped inside and stood to the side. People began to board, dropping coins into his hands that he transferred to the money box.

(Yeah, I realized after I posted. I guess Jamie will have to move in with Reid now.. Hahaha kidding)

Jamie involuntarily backed up a step as the crazy old lady passed by. The short que of people was moving on to the bus, handing their money to the conductor. Unzipping her bag she rummaged though various crumpled papers, broken pencils, potions, makeup, and other various things up at the bottom. Her hand found a few coins and removed them. It would barely be enough for a bus ride, let alone hot chocolate or anything else extra. Her parents were right about one thing, being poor sucked. After living such a protected life for so long the world had come as a harsh slap of reality. Out here no one would kiss your sleeping head and tuck you in. You had to do that yourself. Even the protective walls of Hogwarts had deserted her once she had reached the end of her education. Every home she had had been sucked out from under her and she was still out of breath from it. 

After a minute of passengers boarding Jamie reached the conductor. For the first time Jamie noticed he was actually quite handsome.. In a boyish way. For a moment she even felt bad about snapping at him. "One fare please" she told him, her tone less on edge. She dropped the coins in his open hand and started down the isle. There was an open cot not too far from the drivers seat that Jamie sat down on. The last of the wizards in line boarded and found seats other places on the bus. With a terrible crack the bus suddenly shot off into the night. All the bunks (Jamies included) flew backward. With a slight scream Jamie grabbed the gold frame of the cot. They moved on like this for a minute and then just as suddenly as it began it ended. The bus stopped in another part of London and a balding wizard wearing magenta robes got off. 

Jamie rummaged though her bag again quickly and found another couple of coins. Walking hastily to the front of the bus she asked the conductor "Could I get a hot coco by any chance?" and handed him the coins. No, she really couldn't afford to just spend, but sometimes you just have to treat yourself.