August 26, 1894 - Augury Beak Cafe, London

She was doing this. She was actually doing this. The thought had kept running through Bells mind like a persistent wind in the trees all day as she had completed her errands on Diagon Alley. Getting ready for this new turn in her life - teaching at Hogwarts. It was a stroke of luck, really, Bells knew that. But she also knew that it would take her far away from the forests of her work and thus she had better prepare herself well.

She'd spent the afternoon shopping for supplies, the sun beating down on the yellow bonnet she'd bought last summer in a peek of cheerful serenity, before meeting with Mary after her friend's shift at the library ended.

While Bells hadn't spent much time in London ever, Mary hailed from London and had taken a post at a library after their graduation from Hogwarts so she could be closer to her family - particularly her younger siblings. While Mary always appeared the every shy bookworm, it only took a pint or two of good ale to get her giggling as if they were first years once again. This evening was no exception.

"Oh do be serious." Bells rolled her eyes even as her laugh bubbled up out of her. "I haven't the slightest chance catching his eye. Let alone having the time to do anything with it before I have to take up my post." Besides, she was trying to be a good example now that she'd gotten a teaching post.

"But he's so handsome." Mary sighed wishfully, discreetly eyeing the quidditch captain at a table not far from theirs.

"Yes, and what shall my students say when I arrive after such an adventure, that I'm a harlot?" Bells said it slightly but something in her stomach tightened at the thought. Mary arched a brow to her and Bells knew precisely the point Mary was trying to make. "Oh fine." Bells grumbled, standing up from her seat and grabbing bonnet from the table.

She looked, for all intents and purposes as if she were leaving the cafe, the yellow satin ribbons of her bonnet dangling idely from her fingers as she flounced toward the door. Already Bells mourned the loss of her pint of ale, half drunk on the table, a terrible waste if this didn't work. The bonnet dropped unnoticed as Bells took the final steps to the doors, her fingers reaching out and beginning to crack the door open, letting the late afternoon sun drift in on lazy shafts and land upon her face.

Esteban Zavala

  

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It had been a grueling practice that day so he had showered and taken himself to his favourite hangout. One of his friends was always bound to be there even when their group was not having one of their meetings. The season was going hot as it did every May to February.

He was nursing a mug of ale and a bowl of warm stew as he poked fun at one of his friends that had joined him for dinner. Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention as another patron got up and seemed about to leave. She seemed to have dropped her bonnet but seemed to not have noticed. He assumed the friend she had been with had not noticed either.

He swiftly got up and picked the yellow bonnet up. "Excuse me, miss, you dropped your bonnet. It's so lovely, it would have been a shame for you to lose it," he said with a smile as he held it out to her.

  

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Set by MJ

The timber of the man's voice behind her was deep and soothing. A note that didn't remind her of the past year. It was a welcome change, a change she could lose herself in. Slowly, Bells stopped herself, turning and looking at the man. He had a face that looked as if it was prone to smiles, an enchanting cleft in his chin, and this close up she could see the crinkles of laugh lines by his eyes and mouth - and he had dimples. Bells smiled broadly back at him, allowing it to reach her eyes.

"Oh! Thank you. I should very much have hated to lose it, it's my favorite you see." She refused to glance back at Mary. She didn't need to to know that the woman was likely containing herself from bouncing in her seat. In fact, Bells was certain she'd be lucky if Mary was not blatantly staring at them. If Mary were it would likely give up the game much too fast and now that it had worked Bells certainly was not going to risk ruining it. Oh no, certainly much safer to keep the man focused on her than to risk looking at Mary.

"It reminds me of daffodils." She confided, leaning in slightly forward him as if this were a secret. It was not of course, but it hardly mattered that this was a fact she would cheerfully share with anyone, asked or unasked, it was all a part of the dance. That careful dance between an unmarried man (one quick glance at his left hand assured her of this) and an unmarried woman. Let him think he were on the end of a delightful admission, wonder what else she might enchant him with. Granted, she might have miscalculated and the man might simply wander off, annoyed by her cheerfulness. It was a gamble, but Bells was firmly of the belief that if one could not handle her entire self then they were not worth wasting the time on. If she had wished to be cosseted into the life of what was expected she would have chosen a different life entirely - one full of ballrooms and dreadful dinner parties where each person was as stiff and boring as the next.

  

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The woman stopped and turned to look at him. She was a lovely woman which Esteban was certainly able to appreciate. "Then I am quite glad I was able to stop you before you left," Esteban said. The ABC did not exactly boast a reliable lost and found box. Most of the time, patrons helped themselves to the lost items of others. She probably would have next found it astride the head of someone who would insist they'd had it their whole life. They did get interesting sorts in the ABC.

"I can see why. It certainly does bring sunshine and daffodils to mind," Esteban said in agreement. He was not the sort to be put off by cheerfulness. He was a cheerful fellow himself, after all, quite prone to mirth and joviality. "Though I must say your smile does produce the same effect."

  

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Set by MJ

His words made her grin even more, her own eyes crinkling narrowly with it. "You are much too kind." She told him as was expected. "I rather think that is merely because you are associating me with my bonnet." But a smile was still on her lips, playfulness dropping through each word like a butterfly alighting on a flower.

"How can I repay you for such a kindness as returning my bonnet to me?"

  

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"That could be so," Esteban agreed though she did not seem adverse to his words. As for how she could repay him, he pretended to take a moment to think. "Perhaps in joining me for a drink?" A drink and fun conversation with a beautiful woman were always things Esteban was down for.

  

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Set by MJ

"I could do no less." Bells conceded, sure Mary was watching mirthfully from her seat. "Lead the way." She inclined her head in his direction, affecting the air of having absolutely no idea where he had been sitting in the first place.

  

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Esteban was not about to lead the woman to where he had been sitting. He would rather not bring a woman to sit among his band of ruffians. So instead he chose a new table and smiled as he waited for her to be seated first. "I believe introductions are overdue. I'm Esteban Zavala and you are?" He asked brightly.

  

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Set by MJ

This was definitely not where Mary had pointed the man out as sitting, Bells thought as he led her to sit, but she smiled and gracefully slid into a seat. "Belladonna Woods." Bells informed him with a bright smile, "It is a pleasure to meet you." Even if she could feel the eyes of his former seatmates and of Mary upon her.

  

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""What a lovely name. And what is it that you do, Miss Woods?" After all, the ABC was not a place where jobless women tended to socialize. There were certainly rarely any upper class individuals in the place in general. So it was natural for him to assume she held some sort of occupation.

  

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Set by MJ

"Actually, I've just accepted a position as a professor at Hogwarts." Bells smile held excitement and nerves in equal measure.

"And what is it you do Mr. Zavala?" She asked as the pints arrived. She leaned the mug toward her and took a sip, enjoying the taste of hops. It was no where as good as the beers in Germany but it was certainly refreshing on a hot summer day such as today.

  

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"Congratulations, that is amazing! You must be quite smart. That definitely calls for a celebratory drink, I think," he said with a grin, lifting his glass in toast to her before taking a sip of it.

"I play professional Quidditch. I am captain and keeper for Puddlemere United. I have also been both for the National British team during the last Quidditch World Cup." Which had also been the year tragedy had struck at one of the games due to an errant bludger but he did not see a need to mention that.

  

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Set by MJ