Peresea de la Vega looked up from the parchment she was copying notes
from as another roll of parchment was placed before her. She smiled up at
the freckled, blue-eyed face before her.
"Que tál, Charlie?" she asked with a grin.
"Hey Perry, just finished that evaluation on the Norwegian Ridgeback over by the lake area and decided to bring it over," replied Charlie Weasley, his face shining a bit from the heat of the dragon's flame.
"Got a little close again Charlie?" Perry chuckled as she took the roll of parchment he just placed on her desk and placed it in one of the niches in the wall behind her. Peresea is a Keeper of Scrolls at the Dragon Observation and Protection Centre in Romania. She turned back and regarded her friend carefully, noting the new burn he had received on his left arm.
"You better get that checked, Charlie. At least to get an anti-burn salve from Quinus," she added as he grimaced her way.
Peresea de la Vega graduated from the North American Institute of Magic Instruction in the United States around the same time that Charlie graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the United Kingdom. They met one day in the Muggle appliance store in Brasov. He had wanted to buy something for his father, but had no idea what some of the items were. He was muttering about "...how in the world do Muggles use these things?" and other such questions, while the people regarded his dragonhide boots and dragonhide jacket with suspicion, and generally avoided him. Perry, being Muggleborn, knew more about such matters and asked him in a quiet voice in perfectly understandable American English, "Need some help? I'm Muggleborn, so I've been around this stuff all my life, though some of these items are too weird even for me." He had laughed and introduced himself, and she did the same. They found out they were just graduated from their respective schools and were working at the Centre, only that he was in the field and she was a transcriptionist. Ever since then, they had been good friends and often spent time together after their work was over, and even sometimes, during work hours. This time was no different.
"Hey Perry, you have your lunch break yet?" Charlie questioned with a wince as he touched the burn she had noticed.
"No, not yet. I've been working on Kralen's notes on the Romanian Longhorn for the past three hours. His handwriting is too small and cramped and it takes me the better part of a quarter of an hour to decipher one paragraph. No matter how many times I've told him to write a bit bigger so it's easier to transcribe, he just disregards what I say and continues to write in his chicken scratch". She sighs rubbing her hazel, almond–shaped eyes. Charlie smiled in sympathy, knowing exactly what she means. Kralen Selarien was another fielder like Charlie, from Poland. He had small writing since he tried to take many notes on his one roll of parchment. It was important to keep the parchment rolls to a minimum so that they didn't clutter up too much space in the library. That is why there are the transcribers. They copy the notes taken by the fielders and neatly put them on a fresh parchment, that is then covered in a thin layer of vellum to protect them. It was tedious work, but someone had to do it, and that someone today was Perry. Charlie smiled at her,
"Come on. Take a lunch with me. You can make sure I go to the HW, then we can grab a sandwich or something." He wiggled his eyebrows at the mention of the Hospital Wing and held out his hand to her. She looked up at him and grinned.
"Alright. I could use a break. Let me tell Madam Gosmer that I am heading to lunch." With that she gracefully stood up and, with her emerald green robes swishing softly at her ankles, walked to the slightly open door on the left side of the office, knocking lightly. Madam Melerina Gosmer is the Head Transcriptionist at the Centre, and Peresea's boss.
"Madam Gos? I am heading out to lunch now. Do you want anything?" A short, elderly lady with her white hair tied up in a bun on top of her head, looked up from the roll of parchment she was reading. She was a grandmotherly-looking lady with apple cheeks and glittering green eyes framed behind small, round, wire-rimmed spectacles, and full lips, which were curved into a smile. She spoke in her soft British accent in reply, "No that's alright dearie. I have already got me lunch, but you go ahead and enjoy yourself. Hello Charlie," she called out the door.
"Hullo Madam Gos. How are you feeling today?" Charlie comes up behind Perry, his body easily towering over hers, she being only 5 feet 3 inches tall, and he being much taller.
"Oh I'm fine dear boy. Feeling much better, thank you for asking. Do take care of her would you? I'd like her back in one piece to finish her work." She told him with a wink and chuckle. Melerina Gosmer, or Madam Gos as she is affectionately called, is a kind woman. Fair and stern, when need be, but generally easygoing and genial, always quick with a smile, which makes those who work with her love her like a second grandma, and easy to be around. Perry blushed slightly and turned to go collect her moneybag and wand from her desk, only to bump lightly into Charlie. With a muttered "'xcuse me please" she ducks underneath his arm and gets the things from her desk, along with a cloak for the weather outside. They both headed out into the chilly midday air and took a deep breath, while rubbing their eyes a bit, and looking around at the hexagon-shaped courtyard.
The Dragon Observation and Protection Centre was a cluster of buildings near the Transylvanian Mountains. To any of the non-magic community it looked like the ruins of an old village, said to be haunted, but enchanted with Dispelling Charms and other such enchantments to keep the Muggles away. At the 'head' of the hexagon, on the west corner, stood the administration building and the library, by far the largest of all the buildings at the Centre, standing at two stories housing the library and records in the first floor, where Perry worked, and the other administration offices in the second floor. The next two 'corners' housed the living quarters for the fielders and the transcribers. They were one- room apartments where they lived, the south one, facing the Transylvanian Alps, was the fielder housing building, rising three stories, and the North one, facing the valley, was the transcriber housing building, also rising three stories. The next two 'corners' housed the two-storied Hospital Wing on the north side, and the three-storied Common building on the south side, where the dining area and small shops, as well as the post department was held. The final building, at the 'tail' of the hexagon was the Hatchery and Conservation Building, where abandoned baby dragons were nursed and registered with the Centre.
They headed to the second north corner for Charlie's anti-burn salve, smiling and greeting their colleagues as they passed, their breaths puffing lightly in the cold air, their boots crunching over the snow. So close to the Transylvanian Alps it snowed pretty often and was rather cold most of the year. They walked over to the building, through the large oak door, and into the waiting hall. Perry grinned at Charlie,
"I'll wait here Charlie. I'm sure Healer Quinus will be done with you forthwith." He rolled his eyes as she used her literary references and grinned, nodding to the receptionist and telling her what he needed. Perry stayed near the door and glanced into the mirror on the wall by the entryway. She saw a caramel/honey skin-colored woman in her early twenties. Her dark brown, shoulder mid-back length hair with its amber highlights was pulled back from her face in a French braid clasped by the emerald green and gold dragon clasp that Charlie had gotten her for her birthday. She studied her face intently, hazel, almond shaped eyes that lit up when she was excited to an almost green color, and darkened to a brown when she was upset, roved over her features. She wasn't what one would call gorgeous, but she was attractive in her own right. Her high cheekbones, long dark eyelashes, and high arched eyebrows belied her Puerto Rican Native heritage, while her small nose and medium to full lips belied her Spanish one. She was fairly attractive, with a petite but hourglass figure, generous hips, and legs of a decent length. She was wearing her emerald colored robes, dragonhide boots on her feet, and golden hoop earrings. She looked over at the door to the internal HW as Charlie walked out with the Healer Quinus Chinellen. The healer looked at her with a friendly smile,
"Hullo Miss y la Vega. A pleasure to see you as always." Perry grinned back,
"Same to you Master Healer. How fare you?" The small, balding, portly Healer smiled,
"I am alright, thanks. If you must excuse me, I must head back to my patients. It was a pleasure seeing you both." With that he bowed his head to the two of them and headed back inside the infirmary, while Charlie came and wrapped his arm around Peresea's shoulders. "To lunch then?" They headed out into the cold air.
"Que tál, Charlie?" she asked with a grin.
"Hey Perry, just finished that evaluation on the Norwegian Ridgeback over by the lake area and decided to bring it over," replied Charlie Weasley, his face shining a bit from the heat of the dragon's flame.
"Got a little close again Charlie?" Perry chuckled as she took the roll of parchment he just placed on her desk and placed it in one of the niches in the wall behind her. Peresea is a Keeper of Scrolls at the Dragon Observation and Protection Centre in Romania. She turned back and regarded her friend carefully, noting the new burn he had received on his left arm.
"You better get that checked, Charlie. At least to get an anti-burn salve from Quinus," she added as he grimaced her way.
Peresea de la Vega graduated from the North American Institute of Magic Instruction in the United States around the same time that Charlie graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the United Kingdom. They met one day in the Muggle appliance store in Brasov. He had wanted to buy something for his father, but had no idea what some of the items were. He was muttering about "...how in the world do Muggles use these things?" and other such questions, while the people regarded his dragonhide boots and dragonhide jacket with suspicion, and generally avoided him. Perry, being Muggleborn, knew more about such matters and asked him in a quiet voice in perfectly understandable American English, "Need some help? I'm Muggleborn, so I've been around this stuff all my life, though some of these items are too weird even for me." He had laughed and introduced himself, and she did the same. They found out they were just graduated from their respective schools and were working at the Centre, only that he was in the field and she was a transcriptionist. Ever since then, they had been good friends and often spent time together after their work was over, and even sometimes, during work hours. This time was no different.
"Hey Perry, you have your lunch break yet?" Charlie questioned with a wince as he touched the burn she had noticed.
"No, not yet. I've been working on Kralen's notes on the Romanian Longhorn for the past three hours. His handwriting is too small and cramped and it takes me the better part of a quarter of an hour to decipher one paragraph. No matter how many times I've told him to write a bit bigger so it's easier to transcribe, he just disregards what I say and continues to write in his chicken scratch". She sighs rubbing her hazel, almond–shaped eyes. Charlie smiled in sympathy, knowing exactly what she means. Kralen Selarien was another fielder like Charlie, from Poland. He had small writing since he tried to take many notes on his one roll of parchment. It was important to keep the parchment rolls to a minimum so that they didn't clutter up too much space in the library. That is why there are the transcribers. They copy the notes taken by the fielders and neatly put them on a fresh parchment, that is then covered in a thin layer of vellum to protect them. It was tedious work, but someone had to do it, and that someone today was Perry. Charlie smiled at her,
"Come on. Take a lunch with me. You can make sure I go to the HW, then we can grab a sandwich or something." He wiggled his eyebrows at the mention of the Hospital Wing and held out his hand to her. She looked up at him and grinned.
"Alright. I could use a break. Let me tell Madam Gosmer that I am heading to lunch." With that she gracefully stood up and, with her emerald green robes swishing softly at her ankles, walked to the slightly open door on the left side of the office, knocking lightly. Madam Melerina Gosmer is the Head Transcriptionist at the Centre, and Peresea's boss.
"Madam Gos? I am heading out to lunch now. Do you want anything?" A short, elderly lady with her white hair tied up in a bun on top of her head, looked up from the roll of parchment she was reading. She was a grandmotherly-looking lady with apple cheeks and glittering green eyes framed behind small, round, wire-rimmed spectacles, and full lips, which were curved into a smile. She spoke in her soft British accent in reply, "No that's alright dearie. I have already got me lunch, but you go ahead and enjoy yourself. Hello Charlie," she called out the door.
"Hullo Madam Gos. How are you feeling today?" Charlie comes up behind Perry, his body easily towering over hers, she being only 5 feet 3 inches tall, and he being much taller.
"Oh I'm fine dear boy. Feeling much better, thank you for asking. Do take care of her would you? I'd like her back in one piece to finish her work." She told him with a wink and chuckle. Melerina Gosmer, or Madam Gos as she is affectionately called, is a kind woman. Fair and stern, when need be, but generally easygoing and genial, always quick with a smile, which makes those who work with her love her like a second grandma, and easy to be around. Perry blushed slightly and turned to go collect her moneybag and wand from her desk, only to bump lightly into Charlie. With a muttered "'xcuse me please" she ducks underneath his arm and gets the things from her desk, along with a cloak for the weather outside. They both headed out into the chilly midday air and took a deep breath, while rubbing their eyes a bit, and looking around at the hexagon-shaped courtyard.
The Dragon Observation and Protection Centre was a cluster of buildings near the Transylvanian Mountains. To any of the non-magic community it looked like the ruins of an old village, said to be haunted, but enchanted with Dispelling Charms and other such enchantments to keep the Muggles away. At the 'head' of the hexagon, on the west corner, stood the administration building and the library, by far the largest of all the buildings at the Centre, standing at two stories housing the library and records in the first floor, where Perry worked, and the other administration offices in the second floor. The next two 'corners' housed the living quarters for the fielders and the transcribers. They were one- room apartments where they lived, the south one, facing the Transylvanian Alps, was the fielder housing building, rising three stories, and the North one, facing the valley, was the transcriber housing building, also rising three stories. The next two 'corners' housed the two-storied Hospital Wing on the north side, and the three-storied Common building on the south side, where the dining area and small shops, as well as the post department was held. The final building, at the 'tail' of the hexagon was the Hatchery and Conservation Building, where abandoned baby dragons were nursed and registered with the Centre.
They headed to the second north corner for Charlie's anti-burn salve, smiling and greeting their colleagues as they passed, their breaths puffing lightly in the cold air, their boots crunching over the snow. So close to the Transylvanian Alps it snowed pretty often and was rather cold most of the year. They walked over to the building, through the large oak door, and into the waiting hall. Perry grinned at Charlie,
"I'll wait here Charlie. I'm sure Healer Quinus will be done with you forthwith." He rolled his eyes as she used her literary references and grinned, nodding to the receptionist and telling her what he needed. Perry stayed near the door and glanced into the mirror on the wall by the entryway. She saw a caramel/honey skin-colored woman in her early twenties. Her dark brown, shoulder mid-back length hair with its amber highlights was pulled back from her face in a French braid clasped by the emerald green and gold dragon clasp that Charlie had gotten her for her birthday. She studied her face intently, hazel, almond shaped eyes that lit up when she was excited to an almost green color, and darkened to a brown when she was upset, roved over her features. She wasn't what one would call gorgeous, but she was attractive in her own right. Her high cheekbones, long dark eyelashes, and high arched eyebrows belied her Puerto Rican Native heritage, while her small nose and medium to full lips belied her Spanish one. She was fairly attractive, with a petite but hourglass figure, generous hips, and legs of a decent length. She was wearing her emerald colored robes, dragonhide boots on her feet, and golden hoop earrings. She looked over at the door to the internal HW as Charlie walked out with the Healer Quinus Chinellen. The healer looked at her with a friendly smile,
"Hullo Miss y la Vega. A pleasure to see you as always." Perry grinned back,
"Same to you Master Healer. How fare you?" The small, balding, portly Healer smiled,
"I am alright, thanks. If you must excuse me, I must head back to my patients. It was a pleasure seeing you both." With that he bowed his head to the two of them and headed back inside the infirmary, while Charlie came and wrapped his arm around Peresea's shoulders. "To lunch then?" They headed out into the cold air.