Always Appreciate the Finer Things: Good Alcohol, A Meal that Someone Else Buys, and Time With Family (Even if They're Just Giving You Shit)
The end of August has always been a time for new beginnings for my family. The start of a Quidditch season. A fresh year at Hogwarts. A new season of planting, if you're my dyeda and baba.
My mum never allowed us to wallow in the past. She's one of those "new year, new me; the past is the past; cry me a river, build me a bridge, and get over it" types of people. (Nature over nurture, for those of you who've met said dyeda and baba).
In this case, though, it's fostered a great relationship between me and early fall. I love the crispness in the air. The changing of colors. The tangible feeling of that new beginning.
It's been harder to feel since leaving Hogwarts. There's not that same excitement of going back and seeing friends you haven't seen. Of knowing Gryffindor was going to beat Slytherin (suck it Geno, still got the Cup). Looking forward to Hogsmeade dates.
To roll squad deep with your friends after Hogwarts you have to make an actual effort and put dates on your calendars so people don't forget and find a location that's central to everyone with good food that everyone likes and drinks that no one will complain about.
Adulthood is hard, kids. Stay young while you can.
This new brewery has me pretty pumped. Ganged Fermanium Brewery has all the apps you can dream of, is allergy friendly for your gluten-sensitive and "gluten-sensitive" friends, and isn't super budget-unfriendly. The drink menu is filled with the craft beers of my dreams, the whiskeys of my brother's, and plenty of elf-made wine for all my winos out there.
Located in the old Leaky Cauldron, it's easily accessible from Muggle or Wizarding London. Stop by sometime and check it out!
"You ruined The Leaky Cauldron," Victoriya rolls her eyes at her dad's statement as he looks up at the building in front of them. Ganged Fermanium had done a big remodel since taking the building over and while she was sure it still looked to be a dingy pub with little appeal to enter to the Muggles, wizards could see all the industrial-esque decor through the wide windows in front.
"I didn't ruin anything!" She exchanges a look with her sister. Malina is fighting back a laugh, burying it into her hands. "It was here before I wrote about it; I wouldn't have changed anything!"
Her dad shakes his head. "Not just you. Your whole generation,"
"Here we go," Malina grumbles.
"Get a real job after school, Mal," Victoriya recommends. "Like Geno. Much less painful for you,"
"I don't actually think either one of you has a real job," Her younger sister snickers, following their parents through the door. "You eat for a living and Geno throws a ball,"
"Quidditch is hard work," Their dad butts in, hearing his youngest daughter's argument.
"Of course, you're going to say that!" Vic laughs. "Biased much?"
Her dad smiles. Viktor Krum held multiple records within different leagues throughout the continent and internationally, and Vic joked constantly that he favored her brother, who'd also gone pro after graduating, over her. "I'm proud of all my children,"
"Even the one that's killing print media and journalism?" Malina's eyes light up. Vic should have known that was coming; it's another one of his favorite jokes-she thinks it's a joke, he does make it an awful lot- and her entire family has picked up on it.
"Thanks for the help, Mal!" Victoriya huffs.
Her dad slings an arm around both their shoulders, grinning as they move to follow the hostess into the dining area. "Even her,"
"I'm not killing journalism!" Victoriya argues, sitting next to her mother. Her mum will protect her, side with her. "I'm progressing it, thank you very much!"
"I don't see why you can't write this blog," Her mother's Russian accent makes the word come out the same way Vic says brussel sprouts or potions. Or maybe that's actually how she feels about electronics, Vic honestly can't tell. "In the paper. For everyone to read."
"That's literally the opposite of its purpose," Vic fights the urge to rip her hair out, despite having this discussion with both her parents multiple times. "The blog is online only on purpose!"
"That seems silly," Her mum shakes her head. "Why go online, when you have the paper?"
"Who even gets a paper anymore?" Malina snickers. "It's all online,"
"See?" Her father shrugs, like his point's been proven. "Killing print media,"
Blessedly their waitress arrives at this moment and takes their drink orders. Victoriya orders one of her favorite wheat beers and cringes when her dad orders his basic Firewhiskey. "Ugh,"
Her dad just grins. "Don't knock a classic."
"There are just such better things,"
"You kids have just been spoiled," He says. "With all these choices. You don't know how to appreciate the simple things,"
"We know how to appreciate things that don't taste like shit," Malina laughs.
"Sorry, what was that, from the 15 year old?" Her dad raises an eyebrow and Malina backs down.
"I was talking about avocado toast. Isn't that what we were talking about? Things better than the original?" She blinks innocently.
"You ruined my bar; don't ruin my drink too!" Her dad says, looking between the two of them.
"Your bar, print media, your drink," Vic lists. "What else am I going to ruin?"
Her dad grins cheerfully. "Only time will tell!"
About the Blogger
Victoriya Krum is a twenty-something year old paying far too much rent to live with her three best friends in a flat in London. Her hobbies including online shopping for things she can't afford, drinking coffee in mass quantities, chirping her older brother, and eating. She has been told her sense of humor is "acquired" but she continues to make jokes anyway.
Please send all pictures of food or restaurant recommendations to her work email, as she refuses to pay the 5 knuts for the extra 1k of cloud storage on her phone.
A/N: ahhh hello! credits to a fabulous beer (rip) for this lovely title. thanks to the ineke and paula the lovelies for running a wondeful challenge at hpft and inspiring this whole thing. the first few chapters (at least two and maybe three) chapters are for their challenge!