March 13th, 1891 - Teacup Transfiguration Trials [standing crowd]

Without a Howlers game to be in today, Art had decided a week or so ago that he was going to go to the Teapot Transfiguration Trials. He'd been once before, several years ago - not as a competitor, but because one of his at-the-time flatmates had been competing and Art had been trying to remain in their good graces enough to avoid moving again. Hogsmeade sounded like it would be a much more interesting crowd, and it was so close to him that what else would he do with his weekend? He thought about bringing Gwenog with him, but eventually decided against it - if the Transfiguration went wrong it might be sort of gruesome, and he didn't want to explain that to Desdemona. (He actually believed this was his full reasoning, too.)

He'd gotten a ticket for the standing crowd, and was milling about near the start of the race, hoping to see some early carnage. Art was bouncing on the balls of his feet waiting for things to actually start when he heard a familiar sound and startled - a man (someone from Excalibur's, maybe) was collecting bets on the competitors.

Art stopped bouncing, stood still - stared at the notebook collecting bets in the man's hands from several yards away. His mouth went a little dry. He could have easily stared for a while, but someone brushed his shoulder - "Sorry," Art said, breaking his gaze to look at them, instead.

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