Evenings of Fire

Summer’s sunshine had died slowly in the sky, draping its golden glow out over the country for all to revel in until it absolutely had to retract and give way to the rising moon. The warmth that the sunshine had left behind had yet to abate and so the jackets and heavy cloaks were abandoned in favour for short sleeves and robes hemmed higher than the climate would have usually demanded. In London, witches and wizards flitted between Diagon Alley and the depths of Knockturn Alley, traipsing between dinner the light alley’s restaurants and the after-party in Knockturn Alley’s Satan’s. The rumbling of their stomachs had to be sated first, however, before lust and drunkenness could be both acquired and fulfilled so most linked arms and made their way into whichever restaurant they could spare to lend their galleons to.

Amongst the revellers, Helene felt rather foolish. Yet without injury she made it quickly and with ease towards the restaurant where she had agreed to meet Carth for dinner. Part of her wondered whose idea it had been while another fretted that she would not remember who he was or what he looked like. Their meeting had been somewhat sprightly and harried but dinner arrangements had been made with a few flicks of the tongue and curve of lips. Her flatmate-less apartment had been easy enough to leave that evening and while her puppy had cocked his head at her, curious as to where she was going, he settled well enough on the sofa with a bone and his favourite cushion, unfazed by her leaving him.

Typically, there was a long, winding line outside of Eli’s and that night was no exception. Good-humoured witches and wizards talked amongst themselves as they waited for the tables to be vacated and cleared. If one listened to the hearsay being passed down the line then internal extension charms were being cast inside to make the main restaurant bigger. As it was, Helene had a reservation and bypassed the line, hanging back a little behind a witch and wizard who, arm in arm, were sidling slowly up to the restaurant. Purebloods, she was sure, by the trim of their robes and the haughtiness which they exuded. She waited back for a moment so they could be let inside before stepping up to greet the large wizards that manned the doors and kept order with those waiting.

They found her reservation with ease and Helene slipped inside beneath the arm of the wizard that opened up the door for her. Once inside she felt utterly, helplessly lost in terms of purpose. The concierge was absent, busy elsewhere seemingly, and while the foyer was tastefully decorated she couldn’t help but feel as though she was out of place. Yet she chose to linger; on the off hope that Carth would find her before the concierge did.

outfit

Carth knew that tonight would be nothing if not interesting. He had met Hélène and in what felt like a minute he had decided to meet her for dinner at Eli's. Frankly, Carth wasn't sure if he'd asked or she had, because it was all so fast - but they had agreed mutually. Carth dressed rather like he usually did, as dressing nicely was something he did nearly every day. It never really took him long to get ready - he had a system, if you will, and followed it diligently. That said, he was ready on time, something his hadn't always been in school.

Carth didn't actually know all that much about Hélène, but their initial chat had clearly gone well enough. Generally, Carth didn't fret about much. Missions and Training were two things he knew he could handle. But if there was any area he wasn't as confident in, it was this. While Carth liked who he was and wasn't planning on changing, he had slight trepidation about whether other people liked him. He had learned over time to just sort of ignore the fact that he was unsure of himself and just wing his way through things like date. That is what this was, after all, right?

Carth smiled rather apologetically as he passed the long line outside Eli's and stated his reservation at the door. Thanking the person who opened it for him with a word and a nod, he entered. He wasn't surprised that it was so packed - it always seemed to be. However, Carth had only been there perhaps a few times so he was immediately hoping that Hélène had been there before.

Gazing in and around the people in the restaurant, his gaze settled on a blonde woman in a red dress. From the short amount of time with Hélène, Carth imagined it was something she would wear. She seemed bold enough, or confident enough perhaps. Looking closer, Carth gave a small smile and glanced down at the floor for a moment. It was her. Carth could pick out faces better than you wouldd imagine for an Auror who was just in training.

Carth made his way over to her side, glad for a moment that he was tall when he saw her heels (he assumed short men had a problem with this), and gave her a warm smile as he greeted her. "Evening, Hélène. You look great tonight." It was a rather cliché line wasn't it? Regardless, it had been said, and it was true. He flashed her a brighter smile, grateful he had not been standing around looking for her for ages. At least she had chosen a noticeable color, he mused.

The French woman’s smile was bright and easy on her lips when Carth joined her in the foyer. She had contented herself up until that moment with listening to the titters from inside the restaurant. Depending on which doors you stepped through you either went into the bar or the restaurant and many people had passed through the doors that led into the former while she had been stood there.

Certainly, Eli’s was the place to be both pre- and post-party. She’d exchanged a handful of smiles with a few people that wandered through and continued to linger until Carth arrived; grateful for some familiar company. Thus, Veela charm granted Carth one of her better smiles.

“Bonsoir, Carth.” She murmured before letting her eyes drop over him.

Her lip curled at the side into a smirk and she moved towards the concierge’s podium. Thankfully, the man had returned and once he’d gathered the menus he gestured for the pair to follow him through into the restaurant that made a good use of the space it had, fitting as many tables in as possible while still managing to look spacious.

The concierge gestured to a table towards the back of the room near one of the bay windows that were charmed to show different scenes that had been painted by the owner; the artist who knew how to paint French women and little else yet still showed proficiency in all other areas of his trade.

Helene took her seat with a smile and took the offered menu from the concierge. She crossed her ankles beneath the table and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear before looking at Carth.

“How was your day?” She asked conversationally, believing this to be the best route to go down first. “You are in the Ministry, yes? Auror Office...”

Carth smiled slightly as she looked at him before leading the way to meet the host at his podium. He held out a hand to let her go first, and joined her at the table. The atmosphere of the place was rather distracting as he walked, looking around at everything. But Carth found that he rather liked it. The few times he'd been were when he was out with friends and hadn't payed all that much attention to what the place looked like.

As she began asking him questions, he took out the roll of silverware and set the pieces next to his plate, and the napkin in his lap. Carth was rather well known for being clean. He opened the menu to glance at it while he answered her.

"Yes," Carth began, "I'm sort of new to the department. I should be out of training and into the official missions, soon." He paused for a moment to wonder if that made him sound kind of lame, still being in training. But he had just finished University perhaps a year ago, so why was it so odd? Ignoring his thoughts he continued, "This have been crazy lately, but today was kinda calm in comparison to that." He shrugged one shoulder lightly.

"And yours? You're a healer, right?" He had seen what sorts of injuries they dealt with first hand thanks to a mission a few nights ago, which landed him helping students fight off Death Eaters and save a couple vampires. He had finally understood what it meant to truly be an Auror, which he'd been trying to become since he was a fourth year.

Some aspects of the English language, despite how proficient in it Helene had become, still left the Veela confused. Eli’s was a restaurant, bar and club on an international level and the languages that buzzed about her were leaving her mind dizzied and confused. She steeled herself, focusing her gaze on Carth and on his pattern of speech. Occasionally, she cursed herself for having chosen to work in Britain but reminded herself that there was no better place to be for excitement and challenge; or something like that, surely.

A waiter idled past them, stopping to fill their glasses with water, before wandering off again to wait on a few other tables, doing much of the same. He took no orders though, Helene noted with vague surprise. It was easy to forget that Elijah Krum had money to burn; money to waste on pointless little jobs being filled by individuals that certainly needed a good paycheque. In fairness, it probably was a good thing there were rich, bored aristocrats like him around.

“My little brother wanted to be an Auror for a while,” Helene told Carth conversationally as she picked up her water glass. “He quickly discovered he’d have to get his suit dirty and abandoned the idea. It certainly takes dedication.”

Helene took a sip from the glass and set it down again before asking, “Will you be dealing with Wizards de noire or ... just, normal run-of-the-mill law enforcement?”

She laughed a little and nodded. “My mother would deny it, of course. I believe she thinks I spend my time in cafes along the Seine. And I would, believe me, but you have to do something with yourself, don’t you? I tell myself that, if I’m idle she pick a husband for me and I’ll have to make a career out of idleness. It is best to keep busy, in that sense.” She smiled. “But yes, I work in paediatrics. Occasionally in delivery and more often than not now I’m called up to A-and-E. There aren’t enough Healers, unfortunately.”

OOC: I'm so sorry this took so long. I've been so busy.

Carth nearly raised an eyebrow at Helene's description of why her brother chose not to be an Auror. "He's not wrong," He conceded, "It's not often you find an Auror going about in a suit or dress pants or the like. Today, of course, being the exception." He amended, glancing down at his attire.

Nodding to a waiter as they filled the glasses, Carth took a drink from his own as she spoke, before replying. "Right now, I'm generally sent on the more minor missions, or the ones in which they aren't sure if Death Eaters are really involved. Rather dull at times. Soon I hope to be involved in the capture of Death Eaters and other criminals." He explained. His intense obsession with justice was likely showing, though he would be the first to say that he sometimes agreed with mercy. Not often, but every now and then.

Her laugh made him smile, and he couldn't help but agree with her apparent opinion that idleness was nothing but a waste of time. "Yes, it certainly seemed that way when I was at St. Mungo's the other day." He nodded. The memory of that day made him frown. Carth hoped the students who had been harmed that day were back to feeling well.

Their waiter came by to take their order before Carth continued. "Your mum sounds like quite a character." He smiled, "My parents are as well."

It was awfully strange, being on a date. While at Beauxbatons, Helene had attracted people to her like famished children to the window display of a boulangerie. She herself as a child had not been exempt from those who had wiped their cheeks and noses against the windows, only to be shooed by her well-meaning nanny who had emerged from the shop, a basket covered with an embroidered cloth laden with sweet breads and a Paris Brest for Helene to sink her teeth into and sugar her canines with. She had been spoilt in that sense. Just as she had been spoilt for choice while at Beauxbatons and, really, while in France. England had isolated her somewhat and she was glad for Carth’s company.

Helene couldn’t quite keep the contented smile from her rouged lips. She played her fingers down the stem of her wine glass as Carth spoke, her eyes never leaving his face until she laughed, at which point her eyelids closed around her bright blue gaze, her lashes lapping against each other for the briefest of moments before splitting apart again. Her pupils dilated at the sudden invasion of light and her smile grew toothier, broader, as she realised that, indeed, Auror work would be nonsensical of her brother to even attempt. No, he was better off an artist or a casual businessman in Paris whose business were lovers, good food and a bottle of wine - not skirmishes and Dark Wizards.

“I think I prefer the suit and dress trousers, Monsieur,” Helene drawled in her thick regional French accent. She was a Lyon girl, born and bred but brought down to Paris and raised partly there due to her mother’s business and then pressed down into the South, towards Bordeaux where their family had held land in Aquitaine since long before the Conquest in the eleventh century and all of the subsequent squabbles between the Anglicans and the French about land and titles and Kingship.

Helene had been lucky enough to avoid the Wizarding wars. The continent had never shared the British disdain for anyone other than full-blooded witches and wizards. Still, she did not misunderstand the dangers the Death Eaters presented and the wealth of talent their ranks boasted - albeit quietly.

“I do hope you won’t be hurt, Carth,” She told him, her eyes widening a little. “You do have a part-en-er?” She asked, her mouth struggling a little over the strange composition of the word on her tongue. “Someone who... who can watch out for you?”

Helene nodded empathetically, her eyes narrowing a little with dismay.

“We spend far too long under those lights.” She shook her head. “Does not do much for your skin, I will tell you that.” Despite her irritation, Helene laughed and smiled at him. “No, sometimes I would like to go home and sleep in with the knowledge I will not have to get up at the crack of dawn with only a few hours behind me. Still, I love my job. I am hoping I could get transferred at some point ... to Hogwarts, perhaps. At least there I’ll only have to deal with the silliness the little ones get up to.”

Helene nodded again. “You cannot pick your family, hmm?”