Okay. Chapter 5. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! This. One. Is. Juicy.
Lets get into it.
xoxo
—-
It was raining. Hard.
The cobblestoned street Rose was attempting to make her way down hurriedly was awash in dancing red, blue and white light from the passing cars and the street lights above. The downpour and the frequent slipping of her heels were making it difficult to find the establishment she was meant to arrive at shortly.
The Ouef Du Dragon was located in a non-magical district, so she was, unfortunately, unable to apperate there. The cab driver had dropped her off down the road with little more than a worried glance, so she was hobbling down the darkened street, completely alone.
Her hair was completely drenched, and the sheer nature of the dress she was wearing was beginning to become more of a bodily hazard due to the chilling temperature. As she continued to walk the rain-soaked street, she began to worry she would be unable to make her destination on time.
All of a sudden, a glint in the distance caught her eye. Brilliant.
She came upon, what looked like, an indistinctive wall of brick. However, the glinting object of her searching was what distinguished it from any other brick wall she may have come across.
At the very bottom of the wall was a gleaming, polished stone imbedded in the brick. It would have been innocuous to the average passerby, but the swirling opal luminescence it gave off, let Rose know it was exactly what she was looking for. She looked around briefly for any too-curious pedestrians, and whipped out her wand tapping the stone.
A brick in the wall, reaching her eye-level, dissolved and a pair of black hooded eyes met her own blue ones.
"Code Confidentiel?", a curling voice called out.
"Arcanus Lacerta" she said, shakily, pushing a soggy lock of hair off her face. The cold was beginning to settle-in.
The eyes behind the door crinkled, and soon the blank wall of bricks smoothly slid to the side, revealing a small room, carpeted in what seemed like a scaly, onyx skin. She quickly stepped into the room and the door slid shut behind her.
"Ton nom?" asked the small, scaly creature, who who had flown back to his original place, seated behind a podium.
"Weasley," she said, still slightly shivering, "Or Wagtail…Thomas Wagtail", she wasn't sure if she was so cold, or she was just imagining it, but the walls seemed to be…breathing?
The creature slowly ran a clawed finger down a large book he had sitting in front of him. Without looking up, he waved his other hand in her direction and she instantly felt warming air swirling around her; fluffing her hair, starching her dress and warming her to her core.
"Merci…" she sighed. The winged attendant in front of her simply nodded.
"We 'ave called for your car." the creature said to her, again without looking up.
Rose looked around, confused for a moment, as there was no apparent door or opening in the slowly oscillating walls surrounding her and the maitre d.
There was a low ring of a bell, and the wall adjacent to her, slid slowly to reveal another, smaller room layered in the same scaly mantle. There was another attendant hovering inside, beckoning her to come in. She walked inside, bidding a quick adieu to the steward. He did not pay the same respects.
The elevator door closed and she could feel her stomach drop unpleasantly as they seemingly plummeted down to the depths below. After a moment, the car slowed in its descent and Rose breathed a deep sigh, steadying herself on the wall. She was startled to feel a pulsing warmth beneath the scaly skin of the interior. She moved her head closer to the wall and could hear a faint thump thump…thump thump-
"-Do not touch, S'il vous plait." snapped the creature, his wings buzzing in tune with the whir of the elevator.
She retracted her hand immediately, "…Sorry." she said quietly.
Soon, they had reach the end of their trip. The doors opened and Rose's eyes readjusted to the veritable splendor that awaited her entrance.
"Bienvenue a Ouef Du Dragon…" said her boxcar companion dryly. She made her way out of the car, and the doors shut resolutely behind her and zipped back upwards.
The cramped natured of the entrance, and by extension the elevator, were almost comical compared to the the vast, cave-like interior of the restaurant.
The walls were encased in an almost eerie opalescence. To her left was a gleaming bar-top made of a dark, glossy wood. The entirety of it stretched from the floor, to the ceiling; different types of glittering bottles lined the wall in a dizzying color-coordinated scheme. Rose noticed, if you swayed a bit from side to side, the patterns on the wall seemed to change on you. The same winged creatures were buzzing from level to level of the bar-top; dressed in smart white suits and procuring cocktails at a frantic pace.
To her right, Rose was awestruck. A deep, large pool of water made up the rest of the floor plan. The "lake" was a tranquil jade color; the only movement a smattering of ripples from the occasional low flying creature. The walls of the cave danced and glistened in the reflected light of the pool.
Rose looked up. Ornate tables and chairs, whose wood matched that of the bar-top were suspended in the air above the water. Guests were laughing and dining at each airborne party, while attendants; dressed in the same white suits, buzzed to and from guests.
At the sight of the dangling nature of the restaurant, Rose felt her stomach clench. She didn't love heights. Luckily she didn't have much time to contemplate the terror that awaited her, as a voice called out.
"Rose, over here!"
She whipped her head towards the library of a booze collection. Seated at one of the velvet rounds was a familiar face.
"Tom! Bonjour mon amie…" she made her way towards the bar-top, he had saved a seat for her.
"What are you drinking, love? Isn't this place incredible?" he said, kissing her cheeks.
"I'll just have what you're drinking, thanks." she said, sitting down. "Unless it's Pixies. Had a less than pleasant experience with it last night, and I don't fancy another similar morning."
"Basalisk Breath and tonic a deux, s'il vous plait?" Tom said to the bartender, leaning over the counter momentarily.
"Oh, so it's that kind of an evening?" said Rose, laughing, "I have a feeling you're about to convince me to do something horrendous."
"You, love? I wouldn't dream of it. " said Tom, his eyes twinkling. "This dress is killing. Give us a twirl."
The dress, in question, was killing. At the robe fitting earlier that day Rose had made an exasperated exclamation about having nothing to wear for her dinner that evening. The stylist, Madeleine, had quickly made a few alterations to a rather drab gown sitting in the back of the shop. The slip underneath was shortened and tightened, and the beautiful sheer overlay was enchanted ever so slightly, so the embroidered stars moved about as if belonging to a very lazy orbital pull.
It was not often Rose got to play dress-up; and when she left their flat earlier that evening, she truly didn't mind the over-dramatic wolf-whistles and whoops from her three musical wards. Perhaps, even her face felt warm at the thought of a certain pair of blue eyes being unable to keep his gaze off of her.
"You don't look so bad yourself." said Rose, after showing off the frock. "Navy works for you."
"You flatter me.", said Tom with a small grin. "How's writing going. Are we still set to begin recording in June?"
"I haven't had much time for writing, Tom. Al's been giving me hell and with all the travel-
"-Well, I know you'll pull through. You're a real talent." he said, clinking her glass lightly. All of a sudden, the diamond crusted broach pinned to his robes began to shine lightly. It was a beautiful piece, possibly goblin-made, in the shape of a small gecko.
"You're glowing…" She said, referencing the piece.
Tom looked down suddenly, "Ah." He stated, touching the nose of the gecko lightly, "Call's coming in."
The gecko came to life, crawling up Tom's robes, all the way to his neck and up, curling around his ear. The tail of the gecko curved lightly so it reached the corner of his mouth. Rose could hear a muffled voice.
"Mina, darling!" said Tom, speaking into the tail, "You're on your way down? Beautiful- I know, blasted rain. Hope you both managed to stay dry…lovely. See you shortly."
Once the call was over, the jeweled gecko crawled back down and resumed it's position from before.
Rose was intrigued. "Is that new?" she asked, referring to the broach.
"Innovative, isn't it?" he said, sipping his drink, "Using my wand was too much of a hassle. I can do so much more with him. Sometimes, if I'm busy, he'll stay in my ear all day. You should get one. Hands free; it'll change your life."
Rose took a sip of her drink. She moved to retort, saying she didn't adore the idea of a cold piece of metal clamped to her ear all day, but before she could open her mouth again, the elevator box descended down from the ceiling of the cave and two figures were ushered out.
Tom got up quickly, greeting the two warmly. As the mystery guests moved towards where Rose was seated, she could make out their personhood a bit easier.
The taller, older one; who was seemingly in command of the duo, was a slender and severe looking woman. Her dark hair was cut in a blunt, no-nonsense fashion and her eyes had a cutting curiosity that made Rose feel the need to sit taller in her seat.
The younger one, hanging onto the fringe conversation in a cheerful -yet slightly disinterested- way, was a stark contrast to her older counterpart. She was dressed, head-to-toe, in a pink tulle number that piled high around her, reaching all the way to her neck. Her cheeks were rosy, lips were pink, her eyes held a certain sparkle. Rose could feel herself warm towards the girl instantly.
"-so delighted to be having this dinner with you two." Rose caught Tom say as the party moved closer to her. "And this is Ms. Weasley. Don't let her age fool you. She's currently one of the best in the biz. She's the reason Golden Trio are the success they are today."
Rose blushed, "Not entirely true, but thank-you. It's a pleasure to meet you uh-" she stuck out her hand to shake.
"Rose, this is a good friend and collegue, Mina Saito. She's been with WSR for years now."
She shook the hand of the tall, severe woman. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Weasley. I am familiar with your family as well as you."
As this was neither a compliment or a critique, Rose was unsure of what to say, so she smiled directing her attention to the young, bubblegum beget waif standing to the side.
"Ah!" exclaimed Tommy, "And this is the lovely and very talented…Angele. Mina is her manager."
Rose widened her eyes, taking in the information. "The Angele? Oh my goodness, I love your work… I'm sorry I'm not more familiar with your repertoire, but I've been very impressed with what I've heard."
The younger girl smiled and laughed, "Merci..Rose, yes? I am a fan of your work as well. You are compositeur exquisite!"
"Merci, merci…" said Rose, smiling. She was, again, unsure of what to say. Tommy clapped his hands, obviously very pleased with the interaction.
"Well." he said, jovially. "Should we find our way to our table?"
—-
"So, the dining experience is conceptual…" Tom's enthusiastic voice came through. Rose was feeling queasy and a bit dizzy. She attributed this to the quick ascent to their suspended dining area and the height at which they were currently situated, "You yourself are the egg of the dragon and as you make your way down the elevator and into the main room, it as if you are inside your mother and being birthed into a splendorous cave. "
Rose would have rolled her eyes, if she wasn't so preoccupied with the internal terror she was attempting to keep at bay. She looked over at Mina and Angele, to see if they shared her less-than-impressed sentiments, but they were both seemingly entranced with Tom's explanation.
"Magnificent…" sighed Mina, taking a languid sip from her glass of wine.
"And the trip to the…table. That is -how you say- en volant… flying?" inquired Angele.
"Yes, yes! Exactly." said Tom, clapping his hands. "And the delightful creatures you see flying around are Doxy's transfigured to resemble reptile-esque figures. It's brilliant. Absolutely brilliant."
"They don't seemed to pleased with the transformation…" said Rose cheekily, noting the rather sour expressions of the winged servers.
Tom gave her a look, "Doxy's are never too pleased about anything, love."
"Well, thank-you very much for bringing us here this evening, Tom.", interjected Mina, giving her version of a warm smile. "Now that dinner is on it's way, should we get to the business at hand?"
Tom smiled and clapped his hands once more. "Yes, indeed…." He turned to Rose, "Are you familiar with Jumeaux Jumeaux?"
"The electronic duo?" asked Rose, "Yes, we saw them perform at Phoenix Fest last year…Why?"
"Well, they were set to open for the mademoiselle sitting across from you…however Jumeaux Jumeaux is now, unfortunately Séparé Séparé."
"They've split?" Rose inquired incredulously. She found it hard to believe -They were twins after all…-
"Family drama. It's a real business buster… All that to say; this is excellent news for you, Rose."
Rose took a sip of her drink, "Is it?"
Mina interjected, "We are huge fans of Golden Trio, Miss Weasley. And we are currently without an opening act…"
"WSR wants to bill you as a double act, extend the tour for a few months. Instead of ending in London at the end of this month, you stay on the road with Angele. That means…America…"
It took a second for the news to settle fully.
Rose was stunned. This was an incredible opportunity for the boys -and her, honestly. Touring with Angele would give them an unbelievable amount of exposure. And her dream of getting them to tour the states would become a reality.
"-And Japan!" piped up Angele. "We will play my hometown, Kyoto."
"-If we can sell-out the venue, darling.." said Mina, cooly. Rose caught a glimpse of something in the young girl's eye, but it passed quickly and she smiled brightly again.
"Rose, you must agree to it. Golden Trio has a sound most…uh- Unique. Fresh. I want them to open for me.", she seemed disarmingly genuine. Again, Rose truly did not know how to respond.
"What do you think?" asked Tom, turning his attentions toward her.
"I mean… Absolutely. This is an incredible offer. It would be silly not to take it."
Mina smiled and Angele clapped delightedly; the tulle mountain cascading around her bounced wildly. Tom looked very pleased.
"However, there is a stipulation. Do not forget, Tom…" said Mina, giving her warm smile again.
Tom glanced at Rose. There she saw the hesitation flash. So here's where the coercing happens…
"Right, of course." he said, rubbing his hands together. "Rose…How do I put this..?"
"Miss Weasley, what would you say is your highest and most reliable demographic amongst Golden Trio's fanbase?" Mina, inquired; although it seemed as if she already knew the answer to the question she was asking.
"Oh easy, young women aged 14-25." she laughed.
"Excellent. That is a similar market those who are consuming Angele. A reason for why we have chosen to partner with your group. They have wonderful potential and Angele's fans will be sure to become their fans as well…"
"I hope so as well…" said Rose.
"Now, what would you say is the driving force in this young women? Why do they love Golden Trio so much?"
"Fun music…exciting lyrics…I can't imagine their physical appearances are a huge deterrent…" she said, carefully.
"Exactly." said Mina, her voice taking on a curled tone, "These young women find themselves…in love…in a sense, with the boys. The lyrics are romantic and fresh, when they listen, they feel as if they are being personally serenaded. ..yes?"
"And these ladies are the ones who buy the album, and bring the money in." quipped Tom.
"With Angele," Mina said, her hand resting lightly on a pink shoulder, "Her fans are not so much in love with her…as they want to be her. When she sings, they can imagine themselves speaking the words. What she wears, they wear. What she likes, they like. What she eats, they eat…"
Tom leaned forward, "Who she dates, they want to date…Do you see where we're going with this?"
Rose furrowed her brow, "Forgive me, but I'm not following…"
Mina smiled, "We believe striking a relationship of sorts, would be beneficial… Not just for the band, but for Angele as well. She is older now, and attaching her with someone older and more sophisticated would help further her brand identity."
Rose widened her eyes as everything clicked. "You want to manufacture a dating relationship…between Angele and Albus?"
Tom interjected, "Actually…as of right now, Albus is a bit too valuable a commodity. If he is taken off the market entirely, that may do more harm to fan perception, than good. Scorpius however…"
Rose felt the floor beneath her bottom-out, and this time it had nothing to do with the height with which the table was currently sitting at. Scorpius? Scorpius Malfoy?
"Scorpius is at the perfect place in his career to attach himself to someone in the public eye." continued Tom. "Yes, he has devoted fans, but partnering him with Angele will ultimately boost his image as a desirable artist, even a sex-symbol."
Rose felt a queasiness return. She wasn't sure what was happening to her in the moment. Was she really that afraid of heights. She reoriented herself as she realized the entire table was awaiting a response from her.
"Plus, you can finally get those dating rumors off your back entirely. I know that'll be a big relief to you…" said Tom, sympathetically. Rose nodded.
"What does a relationship like this entail, exactly? I'm unfortunately unfamiliar with the practice." She asked, taking another sip of her drink.
"It's very simple." Mina started, "They will be seen together publicly, at least as long as they are on tour together. We will work together to set up dates, small outings, events, etcetera…"
"We will make sure the right publications get the insider information.." added Tom. Rose could tell this was very exciting to him
"It sounds very clinical.." said Rose, almost to herself.
"It is." Mina stated firmly, "Nothing needs to happen behind closed doors… Unless, of course-"
"-Something does happen. Which, in that case, we will discuss if need be." interjected Tom.
Rose felt another wave of nausea. Get yourself together Weasley, what is wrong with you? She flagged down a winged attendant, asking them for a glass of water.
"So, how long is the arrangement going to last?" She asked, lightly.
"The tour will end at the end of May. That will give the pair two months. We plan on officially announcing their status a week before we announce the tour. Give the fans some time to fall in the love with the couple. Help boost sales."
Rose turned to Angele, who had yet to speak during this leg of the conversation. "And how do you feel about all of this? You're fine spending all your time with a man you've never met?"
Angele looked surprised at being addressed so directly. She brushed her dark fringe out of her face and said brightly, "It will be fun, non? It is not the first time I have done this…"
"Angele understands the necessary elements of succeeding in this industry," interrupted Mina, her 'warm' smile losing some of its 'warmth'.
"Alors!" added, Angele brightly, "He is very handsome. Don't you think?"
"I think the two of them will make a lovely couple." said Tom, happily.
Rose was silent for a moment. "I'll need to talk with Malfoy…"
"Excellent!" said Mina, triumphantly. "We will expect your answer within a few days."
"I am performing tomorrow evening. Will you bring the boys to see? I would love to 'ave you there to watch." asked Angele. Her eyes filled with excitement. Rose was struck by how young she looked in the moment…
"We would love to…" said Rose, she felt strangely tired; defeated almost. Maybe she had had a little too much to drink. Maybe it was something different…
Before she could think of much else, a familiar, droning voice was heard in her ear.
"Si vous voulez passer à table…"
A delightful arrangement of different colored eggs appeared on the plates in front of them. Cracking the tip of each egg revealed different elements of the meal, made to be eaten in succession. The table was entranced by cracking and discovering the culinary treasure beneath each fragile shell; something Rose would have normally found herself equally enthralled by.
However, she had completely lost her appetite. She attributed this to the flying circus she was unwillingly participating in, along with the unfamiliar territory of this new element of fame. But she knew there was something else, something deep down inside that even she was unwilling to uncover.
—
When she found her way back into the flat that evening, it was very late. The dinner had progressed cordially. Although she didn't quite care for Mina's… abrasive nature, she couldn't help but be drawn to her young charge.
Angele was vivacious and enthusiastic, but there was an immense kindness Rose could see within.
Rose learned that she was originally from Kyoto, Japan and had attended Mahoutokoro, the wizarding school located on the island of Minami Iwo Jima, from the age of 7, till the age of 13. Mina had discovered her there and taken her to study at Beauxbatons, where there was a much greater emphasis on the arts. Hence, her french accent.
Rose learned that Angele loved her dog, Taro; that her brother was a stand-by chaser on the Toyohashi Tengu; and that she got to return home once a year to see her mother and sister.
Rose was continually struck by how young she was; yet was immensely impressed by her understandings of the industry. She could rattle off hair spells as quickly as she could give you album statistics and a cutting understanding of her personal brand.
She and Scorpius would make a beautiful couple. He would be immensely charmed by her. He was someone who was especially put off by the coy callousness often encountered in their line of work. Something about this acknowledgment made her already heavy-head feel even heavier. She couldn't wait to just fall into bed and go to sleep.
The apartment was dark when she came in. She was shivering from the still pouring rain that had drenched her sheer dress yet again. She tried to shut the door quietly, so as not to wake any sleeping persons. As soon as she turned back around, she was greeted by a soft voice.
"Weasley? Is that you?", Malfoy was drowsily seated on the front table close to the kitchenette. A steaming mug of something was situated on the table in front of him.
"Who else would it be?" she whispered softly back to him, laughing "The ghost of Celestina Warbeck?"
He laughed, "Exactly. Sorry, I haven't been able to sleep. I'm dead tired."
"I'm surprised. Sleep never seems to be a problem for you," she said, setting her bag down and starting a small fire in the hearth. "Shit- I'm so cold. This rain…"
"Do you want me to get a blanket or something? Hot coals? Dragons breath?" he joked.
"I just need to take this dress off. It's soaked." she said pulling at the zipper as she made her way to the bathroom, "Oh, speaking of Dragons breath. The place Tom took me to tonight…unreal. I was forced to be birthed from a dragon-ess, and then had to sit suspended at least 50 feet in the air..while attempting to talk business."
Scorpius chuckled, "Sounds like you're really earning your paycheck…"
Rose was still tugging at the zipper at the nape of her neck. It was stuck and the rain had only made it less easy to grab onto. She walked back into the front room.
"Can you get this for me?" she sighed, turning her back to him and looking back, "It's stuck and I don't fancy ripping it off of myself. I'm too tired."
He walked behind her. She shivered suddenly, although she was standing in front of the fire…
"So, what did Tom want with you? Anything exciting?" He said, finding the small zipper and tugging gently at it.
She felt the knot in her stomach again. She would have to tell him, tell the whole band, eventually. Obviously. But there was something that halted her from telling him the truth. For just the moment, she wanted to sit in front of the fire and not think about the events of the evening. The implications of what the next two months would look like. She didn't want to pay notion to the fact that her stomach twisted precariously at the thought of his arms wrapped around someone else.
He's been with plenty of other girls…what's the deal? Why is this so upsetting to you now, Weasley? What's wrong with you?
"Nothing major…I think we'll be extending the tour…" she said, sighing. She hated lying to him.
"But the big questions is: are you getting us to America, Weasley?" He teased, finally freeing the zipper from it's hitch and zipping it down partially. He stepped back, sitting on the couch.
Rose noticed immediately how much colder she felt, even though she had not moved further from the fire.
"You bet your pretty arse we're going to America, Malfoy." she said haughtily, looking back. He was smiling at her. In a way that was making her feel almost…risky. She suddenly felt too warm. She needed to get to the bathroom and out of her damp frock, fast.
"Thanks for the assistance…" she said softly, referring to the dress. "If you wait till I change, I'll make you a small sleeping draught. Help with your insomnia…"
"That'd be just delightful, thank-you." He yawned, placing his head on a couch pillow.
Rose shut the bathroom door behind her, finally ridding herself of the soggy gown and changing into warmer, more opaque apparel. She scrubbed her make-up off, taking a hard look at her face. Rose Weasley knew she wasn't unattractive. She knew she had good hair and good skin and a nose that turned in the right way. She had been on the ganglier side growing up, but had grown into her figure, thankfully. However, right now, she was feeling very down on herself. She would love to be one of those girls who spent more time doing their hair, or applied more than chapstick once in awhile. But right now, her life just didn't permit it. There was too much to get done, too many people to take care of.
She wasn't sure why she was disdainfully staring at herself in the mirror, why this sudden bout of melancholy had taken over…Then she realized; she was lonely. She hadn't had someone to love her…cherish her…call her beautiful, in over two years. She was disdainful, because Malfoy was going to get that. Even if it was all fabricated, he would still be getting the love that she wanted. She was jealous…
She narrowed her eyes at her silly reflection. You envious brat. Rose shook head, ridding herself momentarily of her juvenile thoughts. You really need to get yourself together, Weasley…
She smiled upon opening the bathroom door. Lying on the couch, bathed in a dancing amber glow was Scorpius Malfoy, fast asleep. I guess he didn't need that draught after all.
She summoned a blanket, throwing it over him. A muffled "mhphanks Weasley…" came from him in a soft breath.
She thought about climbing into her cold, empty bed in the other room and the thought literally chilled her to the bone. She looked at the couch, where a perfect Rose-sized shape was available adjacent to Scorpius. She listened to the crackling fire and the boy's deep, rhythmic breathing. She realized she had already made up her mind.
She summoned another blanket for herself and began allowing sleep to take over her, savoring the beautiful, uncomplicated nature of this moment, knowing things would no longer be how they were…
—
omggggg. First big plot upheaval, revealed.
I hope you guys liked this chapter! And the conceptual dragon restaurant, lol.
I'm excited to have Angele play a bigger role in the story. I think you guys are really going to like her. I also think Mina will either grow on you, or you'll just despise her (it all depends on how you like your *bad* guys) The story's going to America and Japan, which I think will be super exciting!
I really love hearing what you guys think about the chapters, so reviewing makes my heart super super happy!
Here is my playlist for this episode. ALSO. There is a Lofi Mix called Raining In Paris (and if that isn't fitting for this chapter, I don't know what is) and I highly recommend looking it up.
Chapter 5 Playlist:
-You Made Me Love You - Harry James
-Bewitched Bothered & Bewildered - Ella Fitzgerald
-Pain In My Heart - Otis Redding
-It's Only Fear - Alexi Murdoch (For the fireplace scene)
xoxo