Harry Potter and The Whale Comb Center

[troublefindsme]

WHO: Harry Potter and You?
WHERE: Outside The Whale Comb Center and The Diner
WHAT: He's arrived. He's very confused. Also, where's Cedric?
WHEN: after he's arrived
WARNINGS: uh.. maybe some allusions to child abuse and child endangerment?


Harry and Cedric had reached for the cup at the same time-they grabbed it at the exact same time. All the sudden there was a jerk like someone had hooked him from behind and--

And he was laying on his back, wand in hand, glasses askew and staring up at the sky. He hops to his feet and glances around. Where is he? He looks around again, realization suddenly dawning. Where's Cedric? They grabbed the cup at the same time, shouldn't he be here? Maybe he woke up before Harry had and went to get help? Where was the cup? Did Cedric take it? Maybe he'd seen the opportunity to just take it himself when he woke up before Harry? No. Cedric wasn't the type to do that sort of thing. He must have taken it with him for safe keeping.

After checking the Data point, Harry has the sneaking suspicion that Cedric didn't make the trip with him. That's.. Harry's not too sure how he feels. How's he supposed to get back to school now? Things will be in an uproar if Harry Potter vanished in the maze. It wasn't that Harry thought that highly of himself it was more that he knew the wizarding world would throw a fit over this due to his famous name. He pushed the thought out of is head and decided that maybe he should work on finding someone that might know a little more or maybe someone that could send him home.


The Diner

The all too familiar pang of hunger creeps up on him faster than he'd expected it to. He could ignore it, it wasn't as if he hadn't had to ignore hunger pains before but he decides against that-best to know when and where he can get food at all times just in case he needs to squirrel some away. He finds himself pushing the door to the diner open and looking around cautiously just in case something jumped out at him. He's not still not entirely sure if he should feel safe here.

"Hello?" He calls cautiously. "I'm-I've just arrived." He states, keeping his wand tucked in his jeans. He's got easy access to it if he needs it but it's best not to blow the secrecy act if he can help it. Could the ministry even reach him here?

Comments

Diner

[nightmare_scientist]

"Ah, welcome in!" Greets a voice that is cheerful enough, but not without its jagged edges. Wilson leans over the counter almost as if he owns the place, casting the entering boy a sharp-toothed grin, his deep black hair billowing ever so softly in the nonexistent breeze. It's pure coincidence that he's at the diner, of course. And that the place is oddly empty.

He moves around the counter, spreading his arms in an inviting manner as he approaches Harry. "Come on in! How has your stay been so far, boy? Made any exciting discoveries? What's your name?"

Diner

[troublefindsme]

It's nothing personal really, but Harry's been through far too much to not see the movements as a trap. He stops in is tracks and even takes a half a step back, intend on staying out of reach.

The man seems friendly enough so he's not full on defensive but he's not stepping any closer either. "I'm Harry." He provides his name, looking the stranger over carefully. Are his teeth pointed? Maybe keep his distance was the right call.

"And I only got here a few hours ago-I'm still figuring things out." He admitted. "And you?" He chances asking.

[nightmare_scientist]

“Wilson.” He answers easily, unperturbed by the boys caution as talon-like fingers vaguely indicate his own person. “I’m a scientist.”

Harry will feel a slight pressure at the lower part of his back as a rather large hand made of shadow gently prevents him from backing further away. Meanwhile Wilson briefly disappears in a dark wisp, only to reappear crouching right in front of the boy, eyes squinting as he peers through Harry’s glasses into his eyes while leaning uncomfortably close, lips pursed. After but a moment, the self-proclaimed scientists eyes dart up to the oddly shaped scar and he pulls away slightly producing a short, pensive noise. “You got bad eyes. And that scar’s old. Your too young for either.”

Does he move out of Harry’s personal space? Nope.

[troublefindsme]

Harry feels a sharp chill run down his spine as the hand holds him in place. Apparently, it was a mistake to come here. He'll have to find something to eat somewhere else, although at the moment that's the last thing on his mind.

He startles when the man suddenly appears again, trying to back up as his emerald green eyes widen in surprise and he tilts his head away from the man. He watches as the man's eyes travel up to his forehead and it's a give away that this man-Wilson, is not familiar with who he is. Which would be a relief if the whole situation wasn't so uncomfortable.

"I've always had bad eyes." He manages, though he doesn't elaborate on how the scar came to be. It's not exactly something he likes talking about.

[nightmare_scientist]

The scar is admittedly the least interesting thing to Wilson, who straightens back up and takes a slow step backwards while his head is leaned back as if he were contemplating the ceiling. The hand in Harry’s back shifts, then splits into two smaller ones that scuttle up to each of the boys shoulders before dissipating back into nonexistence.

"Hereditary, then. Maybe. Usually not something you’d take a scalpel to- U~nless..." His head drops back down and that wide, open grin is back, now somehow even wider than before. "You want to try some surgery? For science~"

And with those words, the shadow hands reemerge from the ground at Harry's feet, getting ready to latch onto both the boys' legs and properly hold him this time.

[troublefindsme]

Harry holds his breath, uncomfortably aware of the thumping in his heart. He wants to step back but he's still unable to. Maybe this would be a good time to use his wand? If the ministry gets upset about it-maybe they'll understand..?

"N-no thank you." He stammers out, trying to pull back. There's something about the look in the man's eyes that's tell him that that offer is not a good one and he should put has much distance between this man and himself as possible. "I'm fine with my glasses."

Even if they are battered and worn and purely held together with sello-tape at this point, they still do their job and that's all Harry can really ask for.

[nightmare_scientist]

"Are you now." Wilson tuts, unconvinced and the shadow hands slowly coiling around Harry's lower legs. "Well, you can keep them AND we learn what's wrong with your vision." Wilson proclaims, tapping his sharp claws together idly while eyeing Harry. "Actually... I will learn. And maybe you get to keep an eye. Unless they grow back in this world. You must admit the amount of information we can acquire with such a simple little experiment really makes even more worth our while."

Wilson suddenly snaps the fingers of one hand and the two shadow hands tightly grasp Harry's legs somewhere around his knees.

[troublefindsme]

“N-No…” Harry lets out, fear starting to curl its way around his heart. He tries to pull back but the shadow hands are wrapped too tightly around his legs. “Let go!” He insists, struggling against the vice grip.

If Wilson does not heed Harry’s demands he might feel sharp, burning sensation trying to force him to let go of the young wizard.

[nightmare_scientist]

Naturally Wilson has no intentions to stop. Instead, he steps closer, sharp fingers flexing eagerly before one hand reaches out to grab Harry's chin, tilting the boys' head slightly to once more consider his eyes almost as if planning out his little experiment.

"I will need some proper tools for this. This kitchen has some knives, but those won't do. Useless for precise work." He muses when something is pushing him away. A sudden, unexpected searing that forces all of his hands away, yet aside from a surprised expression earns little reaction from the scientist. He looks at his own hand first, then at Harry again. The shadow hands have let go, yet are lingering nearby.

And then the grin is back, just... Different. Wider and intrigued in a different way. A way that may well mean danger for the young wizard. "Oh? Care to explain what just happened, Harry? That hurt."

[troublefindsme]

The charm his mother left of him is still acting to protect him and the moment he feels himself being released, he back away as best he can. He reaches for his wand.

"Flipendo!" he shouts, firing the first jinx to come to mind that might allow him even more space between himself and Wilson.

"Good!" Harry spit out bitterly. "Don't touch me." He warns, not bothering to explain exactly what had happened. If Wilson should try to grip him again the same searing burn will meet him.

[nightmare_scientist]

For a moment the sight of the wand has Wilson puzzled, but then the spells hits him and knocks him backward. "Hrrk-!!" But he disappears in a twist of shadow before he can hit the wall only to rise back up again right behind Harry, eyes narrowed and lips pursed in faint disappointment. "Really. And here I thought we were friends, pal."

The shadow hands return, one of them seizing Harry's wrist to prevent any further wand attacks. Wilson's tone sharpens with slight disappointment. "Has no one told you that magic doesn't exist?"

[troublefindsme]

Harry's relief and freedom is short lived as the man disappears and reappears right behind him. He tries to move away the moment he feels someone behind him but his wand arm is ensnared pretty easily. Not that the magic only comes from his wand.

He can try to hold his wrist but that searing, burning sensation will only get worse the longer he holds onto the boy.

"Yeah, most of my life, actually." he finds himself responding, still struggling to break free. "They lied."

"Lumos Maxima!" He voices, a blinding white light igniting from the tip of his wand.

[nightmare_scientist]

The shadow hand grasping Harry's wrist flickers and dissipates in the bright light and Wilson takes a step back now, shielding his eyes against it with a snarl. "Stars and atoms, stop that!" He demands, voice and teeth sharper now. And while he doesn't step back forward right away, Wilson is still blocking the exit of the diner in case Harry had been hoping to use the spell to escape.

Wilson pulls the shielding arm back down in one quick, agitated swipe, his sharp solid claws narrowly missing the boy despite the talon's currently increased size. He hasn't been aiming to hit... But now he is aiming to take away Harry's wand with the very same hand. "Give me that!"

Arrival

[stitch_witch]

Well, at least there was someone there not long after he started away from the fountain. Lark was already on her way out of the Whale Comb Center, a beautiful large dog following at her heels. From one hand dangled a drop spindle which was forming string from the wool in her hand.

But when she saw the strange young man... Well, she offered a soft smile. He was not so much different in age from her children, and that makes her soften almost immediately.

"Good morning young man."

[troublefindsme]

Harry catches sight of the dog first and then the Lady accompanying it. He's careful as he moves a little closer, watching the dog carefully just in case. He's not had a lot of luck with dog-Sirius excluded, of course.

"Er... good morning." He agrees. The way she moves tells him that she's not new and might be a good person to talk to about if he can get home or not. First thing's first though. "Um you wouldn't have happened to see a blonde boy, would you have? He's bit tall, slim and wearing yellow and black. We got to school together and I wanted to know if he was here."

[stitch_witch]

Perhaps she's more comforting than others here might be, for Lark when she approaches wears robes. Not quite the same as Harry might find at school, more like the robes of a monk, but still, robes, in a nice green color with a black trim at the hems.

"We have not had any young blonde men through. Most of the young men have dark hair."

[troublefindsme]

He certainly doesn't feel uncomfortable at the moment but he still stays just out of arm's reach. At her words, Harry decides that Cedric likely didn't manage to make the trip with him. Where did he go then?

"Oh.. see it's just we were in a maze together-at the end of it actually and then I ended up here so I wondered if he was here too. I suppose not, I don't think he'd have just left me to wake up on my own. I'm Harry." He introduces himself. "I've only just arrived."

[stitch_witch]

In a maze? Lark raises an eyebrow at that. She hadn't known there were mazes here. Which might well mean back home.

"I am called Lark, and I have been here a while. I am sorry to say it is likely you have been separated from your friend. You look... Well, you look a little tired. I suppose this maze was not a pleasant experience?"

Still, she looks at him and a look of sadness flashed over her features. So young, he didn't belong here. She'd had a conversation with Tony about this already. Perhaps... he could help.

"I would offer you what answers I can if you want them. And I would also like to offer to repair your clothes. I can see they are torn some, and my magic would fix it quickly."

[troublefindsme]

"N-no. You could say that." Flashes of the skrewt and giant spider come to mind and Harry shakes them off. "It was for a competition but I didn't even really want to compete." he doesn't miss the way she falters before telling him he looks tired-he is tired. The maze took a lot out of him.

He glances down at his leg, remembering that he'd hurt-or more accurately the spider's pincer got him. It seems to feel alright now. He wonders how long it'd been since then.

"Oh, actually that would be a tremendous help, thank you." He nods at her offer. "So are you... I mean I'm also a wizard though I only know any goo sewing spells. I doubt if Reparo would work."

[stitch_witch]

"A competition? That sounds horrid," she says with a frown. What child would be in such a thing? Oh yes, she's angry. But it's not something the boy needs to see.

"I am a thread mage. So while I don't know this 'Reparo' you are mentioning, I can handle this much."

[troublefindsme]

"Oh.. um.." Harry glances around for something to show her the spell with but finds himself spoiled for choice. This might be a little harder than he'd thought. He decides on a broken window and pulls his wand out.

"Reparo!" He says firmly, the window reacts to the command and looks almost as good as new. "I learned it my first year at Hogwarts. Did you go to a school for magic?" He asks eagerly.

[stitch_witch]

Well, that's interesting. She's not known magic for something like this. But at least she can show off her own skill. The woman stops her spindle, quickly winding her new thread around her fingers, before she went down on one knee before the boy.

With care she put the thread wrapped fingers near the cut in his pants and spread her will into the thread. It wound itself free of her fingers and threaded itself into and along the tear to seal it.

"I have never heard of Hogwarts. Nor did I attend the University at Lightsbridge. Some ambient mages go to the university to learn academic magic as well, but it was never my path."

[troublefindsme]

Harry's known about magic over four years now and still, as he watches the rip in his pant legs stitch themselves up, he doesn't think it'll ever cease to amaze him.

His attention is caught once again at the mention of university. Harry had never thought about it, nor did he think he'd heard anyone mention it but he realized he didn't know if the wizarding world had things like universities. Or did they go straight into jobs after school? Would he need special training to become an Auror?

"I'm... not sure what my path is. I didn't know I could do magic until I was eleven."

[stitch_witch]

There are plenty in her world who have had and used magic for decades that can be impressed by how ambient magic works. It's always a wonder she things.

"You were younger than I was, when you learned it. In my world academic mages are often discovered very young and trained young. Ambient mages come in a range of ages when their gifts become clear."

[troublefindsme]

"Oh..." Harry frowned. She's obviously not from the same place he is which is an interesting thought. Did the wizarding world know there were other words out there?

"Where I'm from, you're born when magic or you're a muggle-someone that can't do magic. But when you turn eleven you can start school and have to complete seven years. At least, that's how Hogwarts is. I guess I don't know about any of the other schools." Wasn't Viktor Krum eighteen or something? Ron would probably know his exact age.