Brief Lesson: As a Quidditch player, you have to be prepared for everything. You should be prepared for games lasting for days, people trying to knock you off your broom, flying objects trying to knock you off and weather. You're going to be experiencing all type of weather conditions when you play.
Task: We should understand that flying in dangerous could be very bad for our health and cause problems. You should write an assignment where the weather is causing problems with your relationship. You can use any weather condition that you like.
Prompts Used: (location) Gringotts; (weather condition) rain; Gringotts Wizarding Prompts Bank: (weather words) forecast, cloudy, drizzle, downpour, storm, humid
Here Comes the Rain
"I'll be right back," I tell Thaddeus.
"Be sure to get back before the storm. You don't want to worry Narcissa," he replies.
"The weather witch didn't forecast rain," I state.
"The Prophet's weather witch is also notoriously unreliable, but because she's related to the editor, he's not going to fire her anytime soon. Just be careful, Lucius."
I assure Thaddeus that I would take his advice and be careful. He has always had a talent for predicting the weather but because the talent is considered 'womanly,' he (and others wizards with the talent ) rarely let anyone outside of his family know that he have the talent.
After promising to bring him a substantial amount of crystallized sugared pineapples, I receive permission from Professor Slughorn to use his personal Floo connection to make a trip to Diagon Alley.
"Don't linger too long, Lucius my boy. You know how stormy weather causes havoc with the Floo. According to the Great Hall's ceiling, it's currently cloudy outside the castle and we have no true way of knowing the current conditions in London. You know that Francine is totally unreliable. She had such talent in potions and I always wondered why she didn't pursue getting mastery in the subject."
'Probably because she had a guaranteed job without the hassle of furthering her studies,' I thought to myself.
After patiently listening to Slughorn, I throw the sparkling green powder in the fireplace and clearly call out my destination, The Leaky Cauldron.
Once I arrive, I politely nod at the current owner, Rob and order a butterbeer from one of the waitresses.
"What brings you through, Heir Malfoy," he asks once the waitress brings me the butterbeer.
"A trip to Gringotts – Heiress Narcissa Black, my girlfriend, birthday is tomorrow and there's an item from my vault I must retrieve."
A nostalgic expression crosses his face and belatedly I remember that Rob's wife had died during the Yule season.
"I did the same myself with my Lydia on her fifteenth birthday. Make haste, young Malfoy – you know that the weather witch –"
"– is highly unreliable. I promise I will be mindful of the weather. I will attempt to conclude my business in an hour or less. I have to get back to Hogwarts before Narcissa notices that I am missing."
When I leave the pub and enter Diagon Alley, the first thing that catches my attention is the rain. It's currently coming down in a fine drizzle and as the fine mist hits my face, I am reminded of the many walks Narcissa and I have shared in similar weather.
When I walk into Gringotts, I smarten up my appearance, not wanting to offend my personal account manager, Obsidian Blade by appearing before him looking slovenly.
"May your coffers be full of gold," I greet Obsidian Blade.
"And may your accounts always be in balance," he replies. "You have come to retrieve Lady Malfoy's bracelet," he says and I can't keep the surprise off of my face.
"How did you know," I stammer.
"Although goblin magic differs from the magic that wizards use, there is more overlap than either race cares to admit to. Don't worry Lord Malfoy, for the secrets you share with your lady wife are safe with me."
"The honor you bestow upon me is priceless and I am unworthy of it," I reply as he gives me two packages that are shrunken so they will be easier to carry.
"The smaller one is for your lady, the other, for Professor Slughorn," he informs me. Obsidian Blade also gives me a small pouch, which he opens so I can examine the contents. Inside is a sparkling black powder.
"I call this 'Tempest.' It's Floo powder that is formulated especially for travel during turbulent weather."
I am tempted to ask Obsidian Blade if the powder is safe for wizards to use but I don't want to insult him either. He takes the decision of asking him out of my hands by informing me that it is indeed, safe for me to use.
"Just don't let Rob see it - he's canny enough to figure out the formula for himself and I want to market it. No need to give me any competition," Obsidian Blade states, a toothy, mercenary grin upon his face.
"I thank you for your assistance this eve. Always be victorious against your enemies, Obsidian Blade."
"And may your enemies fall as you right past wrongs, Lord Lucius Malfoy."
Hogwarts, Unused Classroom on Fourth Floor, East Wing
"Here comes the rain," I whisper to myself as I watch the downpour outside of the window.
I wonder why Lucius thinks he can get anything past me, but it amuses me to let him think that he can. Our lives together have always been interesting and one of the things that I love about him is the things he does for me to make me smile.
He comes into the classroom which was once a music room and the first thing I notice is the windswept hair and wrinkled robes that let me know he hasty dried his rain-drenched robes with a drying charm.
"Decided to go walking in the rain without me, Luc?"
"Not exactly, Cissa. I took a trip to Gringotts." By the wariness in his voice, I'm sure that Lucius knows that I am more than a little annoyed by him.
"You flew a broom in this weather," I query.
"No, Professor Slughorn allowed me to use his personal Floo connection," he answers.
"Why would you travel by Floo? You should know by now that the Prophet's weather witch – "
"- is highly unreliable. I know but in my defense, it was only cloudy outside here at Hogwarts when I left. Professor Slughorn checked the weather conditions prior to me leaving."
"Professor Slughorn would have told you it was sunny and humid outside if that what it took to guarantee some crystalized sugared pineapples in his greedy hands. How was the weather in London when you arrived?"
"The weather was pretty much the same although there was a fine drizzle falling when as I was walking to the bank."
"And the weather conditions on the way back?"
"Cissa, don't be upset, but it was a little stormy."
"And you took the Floo? Lucius Malfoy, what were you thinking?!"
"I was perfectly safe. I used some specialty Floo powder and it's pretty effective."
I raise a perfectly arched eyebrow but before I can argue with him, Lucius hands me a small navy blue box.
"Open it," he says and I do so. Inside the box is a small globe-like charm for my bracelet. Upon closer inspection, I see that inside the globe is a duplicate of the Cassiopeia constellation and any protests I might have made dies before they are even formed.
"Oh Lucius, this is beautiful! Where did you get this from?"
"I had a goblin jeweler that Obsidian Blade recommended make this for you. Consider it your pre-birthday gift," he says as he adds the charm to my bracelet. I cry in happiness and with a swipe of his thumb, Lucius wipes my tears away.
"Here comes the rain," he quips as he continues to wipe away the tears as they fall.
"Oh hush, you," I say with no real rancor in my voice. I lay my head against Lucius' shoulder and we spend the rest of the afternoon together, speaking of only happy things as we watch the rain fall.
