Re: People Watching (Parker and Tess)

[Parker Emery]

"Oh, I'm sure that's not true either." He raised his eyebrows a bit. "I mean, I suppose at the very least they don't like to read textbooks for fun. I hear they've got great imaginations, so...they have fun in their heads, I suppose." He smiled, and realized he may have had a bit of a self-depreciating sort of humour. One couldn't take themselves so seriously all the time, and had to be able to poke fun at themselves from time to time.

"Oh, I was just thinking. Maybe...we could try to get one for you? Which player's you're favorite?" He asked.

He then tilted his head a bit, thinking. "Well, muggle sports like... G.A.A, American Football, Rugby, Soccer, Basketball, and a bunch of others. A lot of sports are the same." he shrugs. "Basically just get the ball through the score area and score as many points as possible. Though with golf you try to get as little points as possible, I think."

[Tess McCartney]

Tess blinked and threw her hands up in the air in mock frustration. Honestly he was so bubbly and happy it was oftentimes as if she was trying to hurt a rabbit. She hid a playful glint in her eye and placed a finger on her forehead and flicked his forehead.

"You're too good to be a Slytherin Parker" she meant it good naturedly. "You're lucky Tabi hasn't chewed you out" she said shaking her head.

But at the mention of him trying to get a signature of a player. She looked over and sighed.

"Richard Starkey is my favorite player, he's the Seeker in Appleby Arrows and he's the best around" A rush of excitement came to her at thought of getting his signature. "I've tried for around two years trying to get his signature and he's very elusive."

At the mention of Muggle sports seemed really boring, but she didn't mean to say anything so she faked an expression of curiosity by making her eyes seem brighter and big to express it.

"Fascinating and do Muggles follow it like we follow Quidditch?"

[Parker Emery]

He raised his eyebrows at Tess as she threw her arms up, thinking it was because something in the game, but no one else had done anything. "Huh, what is it?" he then blinked and pulled his head back after she flicked him. "Hey what was that for!" he smiled, bringing his hand up to his forehead.

He tried to keep his smile up, but his eyes turned a bit serious, even though he knew she didn't mean anything bad by it. "Oh...I've been told." He then shugged. "She had..or..if not chewed out she's said a few nasty things during class...to the teacher." He inwardly winced at that time in History of Magic. How mortifying.

Parker smiled genuinely again "Well, now that's he's here, I'm sure you've got a chance now."

He then nodded, "Well, yeah. People go to games, watch it on the telly, get enthusiastic and root for their teams just the same."

[Tess McCartney]

Tess frowned a bit at how his tone changed. Had she said something wrong? Bother, she goofed. She had to be careful around Parker sometimes it seemed, she didn't want to be mean, but sometimes she felt she was being insensitive.

"Tabi did something to you?" she asked frowning.

She felt a bit bad if Tabi did, after all she was friends with the girl, and did share a room with her. Even more than that, she knew that Tabi had prejudices towards Muggleborns, and she would feel horrible if it meant that her friend was being prejudicial towards Parker. She bit back asking if she had insulted his blood lineage.

"Perhaps we can get a signature" she said excited. "Perhaps I should go to a Muggle sports game"

[Parker Emery]

Parker frowned a little when Tess did. He'd not meant to bring the mood down. he really shouldn't have said anything at all. they were having such a good time too.

He shrugged. "Yeah. Just some things about...'people like me'. It's nothing. It doesn't bother me." He shook his head a bit, still frowning, but trying to brush off the topic. He didn't feel like it was anything to talk about. There were just people out there, and he couldn't dwell on it too much else it bring him down. There was a part deep down he knew that it hit, but he had to bury it because he knew there wasn't anything he could do.

He cleared his throat, lightening up again. "We should sneak down right before the game ends so we have a better chance. How does that sound?" he smiled before shaking his head. "Oh, I think you'd find them terribly boring compared to this."

[Tess McCartney]

Tess frowned and looked at him trying to muster up some sort of cheeriness she was known to have, but it made her feel bad. She knew that she was born lucky, purebloods didn't really have to deal with prejudice, unless it was about inbreeding which disgusted and disgraced her family if anyone asked that or said it as an insulted, that was an equivalent to Mudblood.

"Hey...I know this isn't really going to make anything better but. You know..the best people I've met here are Muggleborns. I couldn't have good friends without them and so far from the people I've met, the Muggle world can't be bad if great people came from it. Tabi just needs to realize that" she said patting his shoulder comfortingly.

Still, she gave him a signature grin and got up.

"I knew it, another reason we're magical in every way" she said sticking her tongue out. "Come on, hurry up, slow poke, I want to get a signature from him."

[Parker Emery]

Parker nodded, smiling a little when she pat his shoulder. "Thanks. Some people will come around eventually... as I keep hereing, times are changing. And I hear that things aren't as bad as they were even ten years ago...so that's good." He just had to try to be optimistic.

"Well of course. we do do magic after all." He smiled, standing up after her, making sure he still had the book she lent him. He nodded and then went to push past her to get to the stairs before her. "You're the slow poke, Tess." He grinned at her, as he gripped the railing and went down the stairs.

[Tess McCartney]

Tess smiled brightly at his hopeful expression. She hoped the same for society, she couldn't bear to hear those slanderous comments coming out of her grandfather. She'd rather not dwell on it ,and as he called her a slow poke, she mocked gasped and poked his stomach before running down. Instead of taking the stairs, she jumped down the seats.

Sure she tripped twice, but she kept going deciding that perhaps a bit of spontaneity and quirkiness was needed in this situation. Hopping over things, she tried to beat Parker, because....well it was fun to gloat.

"Stairs are for sissys!" she called out.

She wobbled a bit but managed to hop over a few more already catching up to him.

[Parker Emery]

He laughed when she gasped and poked him. When he glanced over he saw her jumping over all the chairs, some of the other people staring at her and looking over at him too.

He was trying to hurry more down the stairs without tripping.

He smiled as he reached the bottom. While he was trying to catch his breath, he realized he'd not felt so good in what seemed like ages. Being able to feel like he could just laugh out loud and run around, and to think he actually came up with the idea to go down to get the autograph. It made him wish that school wouldn't end and he'd not have to go back home.

[Tess McCartney]

She stuck her tongue out as she heard him gasp at her poke. She winked at him and gave him a wide grin knowing she was determined to win. She was breathing heavily, people were looking and for once she didn't care.

It was a freeing experience, she'd never been this outgoing before, but she thought that it was because he wasn't, he was worst than ever even and she wanted him to get out of his shell.

He beat her. She pouted, but as she reached the last row of seats she tripped.

"Bloody Hell!" she cried out.

She tumbled down and landed sitting down at the very front. She blinked a few times and looked down to see if she was okay. Her bum was hurting more than anything, but she ignored it and stood up.

'This is why I'm not usually this stupid' she thought.

Still she gave a wide grin and cracked her back.

"Well seems you won Mr. Emery. I believe that means that you'll wave him over for me" she said cheerily.

It was a shame school would be over for a week and summer would begin. She would miss her friends here, but she'd be damned to think about it now.

[Parker Emery]

Parker looked over and saw her trip over the last steps. He hurried over to her looking surprised, "Are you okay??" he breathed out, clutching his side.

She stood up, appearing to be fine. Good. He let out a relieved breath. At least she hadn't tripped any higher up, that would certainly have been a disaster.

He smiled when she said that he won, but then his eyebrows rose when she said to wave him over. "Wh-what!? No way! Doesn't sound like winning to me-" he started to protest, cutting off as he looked up when an announcement rang out that the teams were tied and it looked like both seekers were neck in neck. He stayed staring up, watching the two weaving around dangerously, hoping that the Arrows would get it.

[Tess McCartney]

She was amused at what a fool she made out of herself. She was expecting him to laugh or something and she mentally thanked the fact he didn't, it was a miracle she wasn't red with embarrassment. Her cheery disposition was not something that she was going to let down around him.

"Oh come on it's a privilege. You get to yell for Richard Starkey to come and sign our shirts!" she said.

She took off her coat showing her Appleby Arrows shirt proudly with his number on it.

"Here you might need face paint to see him"

She bit back a chuckle as she dipped her fingers in the yellow and blue face paint and painted his cheeks in the colors of the team.

"Now you are an official fan. Now we simply wait for him to catch the Snitch and we're good!"

He looked very funny in the paint, and for emphasis she did the same to her cheeks.

[Parker Emery]

Parker looked back at her, looking flustered. "I-I can still hardly talk to our professors- let alone someone famous that I didn't even know of until a minute ago!" he had a feeling he wasn't going to win this though.

He glanced up again then looks back to Tess with a curious expression. "Wha-? Face paint? Why-?" he pulled his face back slightly, but not enough as she started to put the paint on his face. He smiled as she finished and did the same to herself.

He looked back up, taking in a breath, watching as they both tried to lunge for the snitch.

[Tess McCartney]

Tess smiled at Parker and nudged him.

"Come on, live a little. Haven't you ever wanted to simply do something crazy, out of character, wild? I feel like inside this kind disposition lies a cunning and deviant Slytherin that I should fear" she said teasingly.

She had this idea of Parker and she couldn't help but let it out.

"Seriously I will bet you five galleons that one day you'll be really brave and be heroic and save someone!"

She referenced the Lake incident lightly. She wanted him to just go for it but he hadn't, still her hypothesis remained the same.

"So be a hero and get me that signature!"

Her eyes went straight in the air as blatching began between the two seekers trying to reach the snitch.

"That's illegal!" she cried out.

The snitch flew over their heads and she was wide-eyed.

"Duck!" as she tugged Parker down, immediately the seekers flying overhead.

She couldn't count the amount of times that had happened during games. She was used to it. Shaking her head, she trailed her eyes towards Richard Starkey bright with respect.

[Parker Emery]

Parker shook his head. "No, not really...though, this has been really fun-" he smiled and laughed a little. "Oh, I hope you'd never have a reason to fear me!" It sounded funny to him. How could he be anyone other than how he was? While he sometimes he wished he was someone different, he'd never though there was another side inside him.

He couldn't help but laugh a little again. "I-I don't want to bet anything-" he shrugged and sighed nervously when she said to go get the signature, and then smiled "Getting a signature isn't heroic, you know."

His eyes widened too when the snitched passed low, hearing it buzz by. He was pulled down by Tess as the two seekers also passed low, their uniforms flapping in the air as they flew by fast. Parker's heart was beating fast at the excitement of it all.

Before they knew it, the whistle had been blown and Richard Starkey was lowering down to the ground, his hand up and the snitch between his fingers.

[Tess McCartney]

Tess rolled her eyes at the lack of confidence in himself. She snorted at his comment and nudged him as they got up after the swooping. The team was still intertwining one another, pushing and tugging trying to reach the snitch.

"You know, you should believe in you the way I believe. Honestly you're going to be all brave that people will question your Slytherin-ess" she teased.

Her thoughts were immediately gone as she saw Richard Starkey get the snitch.

"He caught it. He caught it! We won!" she squeaked.

She began to jump up and down, hopping in excitement. She then sent her own little remark towards Wasp fans with her two little fingers and stuck her tongue out.

"I knew it! Look there he is!" she said tugging Parker's sleeve excited.

[Parker Emery]

He gave a weak laugh and a shrug. "I've just known myself a lot longer is all...I'm not to comfortable." His smile grew slightly at her tease. "Or at least as much so they'll not have doubts that I should be in this house." He nodded, taking in a slightly more confident breath. He just needed to work to prove himself. He had friends, he would prove he was skilled and he would prove he was just as good as anyone else, in Slytherin or anything for that matter.

Watching him catch the snitch, Parker grined wide too, laughing as she squeaked in a way that seemed most unlike her, and jumping so excitedly he felt like he needed to hold onto the sleeve of her shirt to keep her from jumping off to the sky or something.

The teams landed off to the ground, the Wasps looking defeated as they went to make their way from the field.

Parker looked to Tess, "So- what do we do now??"

[Tess McCartney]

Tess just gave up on the subject of his character. She'd tried for a whole year, a whole year of trying to build up his confidence, make him man up and make him self-assured. It was no use, perhaps little lamb Parker would be the norm. She figured if he accepted it she should do it herself.

She decided to simply say:

"Ooooo tricky Parker" she teased.

His nervousness was felt by her and she sighed.

"Don't worry, I'll handle this"

She took a deep shaky breath, gripped the rail and called out loudly.

"Mr. Starkey!!!!" she called out. "Mr. Starkey!"

She saw him turn and look at the pair confused. Seeing that he listened to them, she gripped Parker's hand and tugged him towards the Seeker who was waiting for them confused. She hoped Parker would play it cool and she let go as she saw them both.

"Mr. Starkey? Can we please get your autograph?" her cheeks reddened all the more as she finished and she hoped she hadn't squeaked.

She had a Muggle marker and stretched out her shirt looking at him with puppy dog eyes.

[Parker Emery]

Parker rose his eyebrows as Tess yelled for the man. Would he really notice them and actually sign something? Parker remembered stories his father told him when he was younger about his unsuccessful attempts to get autographs. He really hoped this idea of his would end up well and not with disappointment. He really didn't want to let down Tess. Wait, why was he even being so negative. Things were well and fun.

Parker's spirits rose when he saw the man turn, though he looked confused. Maybe this was a bad idea...but before he could think of backing out Tess dragged him over. He took in a deep breath as they walked over to him, looking up at him wide-eyed and in awe. Quidditch players certainly were built.

Parker gave a nervous smile to Tess, then looked back up at the man.

[Tess McCartney]

Tess looked over to Parker and noticed that he wasn't going to say anything.

'Figures' she thought.

Not being deterred at all by Parker's silence of Starkey's confusion, she smiled brightly trying to get him to sign.

"This sounds terribly cheesy, but I'm a huge fan...and so is he!" she said nudging Parker for some enthusiasm, but she was met with awe.

She tried not to get the hiccups out of nervousness, or to start stuttering like she had the year before, or her soft voice that was barely audible. No she needed to be brave, like Victoria told her. Clearing her throat she bit her bottom lip and smiled.

"You're my hero" she added nervously. "I-I want to be like you when I grow up"

She didn't want to ramble and so she bit her tongue before she began to sound like an idiot. He was taller than the magazines made it out to see. He was around 6'8 and them being so short he looked like a super hero to her. She felt her cheeks redden all the more at his silence.

She felt her heart drop and tears beginning to form in disappointment at his silence. And eventually she lowered her head softly.

[Parker Emery]

Parker knew he would just choke on whatever he was going to say, and was glad Tess had spoke. The make looked confused enough, without having a gaping kid looking at him wordlessly. When Tess nudged Parker, saying he was a fan too, he looked at her and back at the huge man, just nodding. He didn't remember if he'd heard anything about giants actually existing. But if they did, this man had to have a bit of it in his blood, he was so large.

The man had shaken out of his silence and smiled when she spoke. "Oh, yeah?" He looked between the two, filling that image of the strong but silent type. He knelt down, gripping his knee tight as he lowered the other just as she seemed to get discouraged. He looked between the two, Parker still looking at him in awe and Tess' cheek's red. He took the muggle marker in his large fingers. "Where?"

Parker grinned at Tess, he was really going to sign for them! He blurted out, "O-on her shirt."

[Tess McCartney]

She had her eyes closed tight knowing she'd fail, but as soon as he said sure, she lifted her gaze and looked at him with her big brown eyes. Her hands were shaking, something so unlike her, she hadn't ever been so shy, and stretched her shirt nervously to give him a firm area to write.

Richard Starkey smiled at her charmingly, and she remembered he was like those magazine photoshoots of Quidditch Monthly. Even when he knelt down he still towered over them, but she wasn't afraid, and looked at him bright eyed. Her tears had tried, and just brightness showed off of her.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Tess" she squeaked out.

He chuckled and began to write on her shirt. She looked at Parker and gave him a wide smile and mouthed 'Thank you' as Richard wrote 'To my little fan Tess, all my love Richard Starkey'. When he was done, he looked at Parker and gave him a cordial smile as well.

"He wants one too!" Tess cried out and gripped his wrist nervously. "Right?"

[Parker Emery]

Parker watched happily, seeing the bright look on Tess' face when Starkey had agreed to sign. It was amazing to be up so close to such a hulking celebrity, even if Parker had only heard of him moments before. He certainly looked like what he'd seen of famous Muggle athletes, at least from what his father watched on the telly.

When Tess smiled and mouth thank you, Parker nodded, grinning wide. When the man gave a smile to him, Parker's eyebrows rose a bit.

When Tess said he wanted something signed as well, holding onto his wrist. He looked at her, stuttering slightly. "I-I've nothing to sign-"

[Tess McCartney]

Tess huffed and searched in her bag for something. Finding it, she smiled and turned back handing it to Richard Starkey. It was a flag of the Appleby arrows and smiled brightly.

"His name is Parker Emery" she said.

Starkey smiled seeing her enthusiasm, poor boy dealing with an excitable girl. He chuckled and signed it as well and handed it to Parker.

"I should go but nice meeting you both"

He ruffled Tess' hair and walked off towards the players. As soon as Starkey left, she turned to face Parker wide eyed.

"We met him" she said softly.

[Parker Emery]

Parker watched Tess as she dug around in her bag and he wondered what she was looking for. When she pulled out a flag, he smiled at her.

He looked up at the man as he took the flag and sighed it as well, giving it to Parker. "Th-thank you..." he said as he took it, looking down at the signature.

He watched with Tess as he walked off and he turned towards her grinning as she looked at him wide-eyed.

He was now very glad with his suggestion, happy he could fulfill Tess' want to meet him. "Yeah- we did. He signed for us!"

All the other people were now making it down the stands and were filling out.

"Come on, we should go now too." he said, still smiling, looking down at the signed flag.

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