Magical Hogwarts

 Madelyn’s snort indicated that she found the idea of owning a place like the Deja Bru as something extremely far-fetched. To Jade it wasn’t that much of a stretch, though. Her family ran two businesses, she was doing several jobs and, having grown up while not in a particularly rich family but in a family that offered plenty of opportunities, she felt that you could achieve everything if you just fought for it.

“Alright then, I’ll owl you there,” Jade said, surprised that Madelyn wanted mail to her work place rather than home.

“I’m not surprised,” the Scottish witch said with a smile. “I suppose if I worked there I’d be on a constant caffeine high,” she joked. Jade really liked coffee but, truth be told, she preferred tea most of the time.
 
When the question about whether or not she liked her work came up, Jade shrugged. “I enjoy developing toys and games a lot,” she admitted, “but I’m not so much into the shopkeeping part of the business. Usually my mother is tending to the shop and I just develop new things. When she is not around, though, I naturally step in. I’m also here before Christmas and at Hogsmeade weekends, of course.” Jade could have shared more about her other jobs but figured that it might sound like she was boasting and she definitely didn’t want to come across like that in front of a new acquaintance.
 

 “Bostin, thanks,” Madelyn answered quickly when Jade confirmed where she’d send the invite. There was a good chance Madelyn would get it at Deja Brew – far better than at her overcrowded flat. And there was even a decent chance she’d feel up to doing something social and go to the game night. She was feeling that way more and more lately, but hadn’t quite figured out why yet.

She tucked the sickles she’d gotten as change into the pocket of her cords, and her hand stayed there. Almost as if she had to prove she wasn’t effectively high on caffeine right now and the best way to do that was to keep her jittery hands from moving at her sides. The pocket method helped, but only for so long.

“Oh, that’s nice.” She said because she didn’t know how to respond. Madelyn had never had the opportunity to choose her line of work. She was clever, she’d done well enough on her exams, but she didn’t apply for any jobs out of Hogwarts, and just sort of landed where she was now. She didn’t have career aspirations (like Anto) or alternative ways of making sickles (like Tommy), so in time, one job turned into four, and she didn’t see a way out.

“Did you always know you want to develop games?” she asked, strangely curious and trying to be polite about her nosiness.
 

 A smile spread across Jade’s face as Madelyn asked her if she always wanted to develop games. She thought about it for a moment and shrugged. “Not necessarily,” she admitted. “I love designing toys, developing games, coming up with all these things, thinking about how to realise the ideas I have…” She paused briefly, thinking back what she had wanted to do in the past.

“I think I’ve jumped from one job idea to the next as a child,” she then admitted. “There are so many great things you can do for a living. I’ve always wanted to try them all.” She laughed lightly, “and in a way I’m doing that. I’m also writing travel guides for magical people which I illustrate myself, I have a little farm, I help out at the distillery and I work here.”

In a way she had never been able to make a decision and settle for one job. Thinking about it now, she wondered if it made her immature. It didn’t matter though as long as she was happy with the way she lived.

“Sounds a little indecisive, I guess,” she added with a smile. “I enjoy it, though.”
 

 Madelyn envied that Jade had so many decent sounding jobs, but more than that, she was jealous of how much choice it seemed like the older witch had in the situation. She mentioned jumping between things as a child, and wanting to try them all, and Madelyn nodded but not because she could relate. When she was young, all Madelyn wanted was to be special. A big fish in her little Birmingham pond. To be more important than the girls who wouldn't talk to her during primary school. More beautiful, more charming.

And then her Hogwarts letter arrived and suddenly Madelyn realized she was special in all the wrong ways. She was an outsider in two worlds and by fifth year, she was getting attention in the worst sort of ways. She wasn't special, she was different. And she didn't have any choice in the matter. After that, Madelyn hadn't really hoped for anything after Hogwarts, because she hadn't been sure she'd get an after Hogwarts. She was underprepared and ill-suited for adult life when seventh year finally came to a close.

Unlike Jade Carroll, Madelyn didn't have dreams to fall back on or family to support her if she fell too far. She'd wanted to be a writer once, and on good days, that hope was still real, but today wasn't a hopeful sort of day. It was an anxious, self-pitying, gloomy day that had her buying children games and listening to a stranger's life story because she knew it'd make her feel worse.

But Jade's smile was friendly, and Madelyn managed a soft grin in return. "That's a good assortment, though," she shrugged. "Oy've got four jobs too, but none as interesting as yours."

 Madelyn’s feelings, although well concealed, still showed faintly on her face and Jade felt a little guilty for sharing things about her life. It wasn’t always easy for her either but Jade felt free in her decisions, she knew that she’d have enough money left by the end of the month that she could afford all the usual things that she needed. She wasn’t rich, she couldn’t buy luxury goods but she wasn’t poor.

The girl now grinned back at her and sort of complimented her on her various jobs. As she stated that she had four jobs which weren’t interesting, Jade wondered if there was maybe a place in one of the family businesses for her and if such a job would sound interesting to Madelyn.

“Would you prefer working as a salesperson in a toy shop or at a whisky distillery?” She asked casually. She was not offering a job, just testing the waters. Staff decisions weren’t hers to make anyway. However, she could probably convince her parents to give Madelyn a chance if the other witch was interested at all.
 

 The last thing Madelyn had been angling for was a job offer, but it was better than outright pity, she supposed. The surprise and slight confusion showed on her face, and she pressed her lips together. Merlin knew she could use the sickles -- but also that she did not need another job. What she needed were better paying ones. Madelyn shifted her weight, the bag with the board game dangling in her hand.

"Well, am a bartender already... so probably the distillery. Why, you hiring?" She supposed she could get by working in a toy shop, especially if it was quiet at least half the time, but alcohol seemed more her speed. She'd never worked at a distillery before, so she wondered what that could mean. "Is it a factory job?" Not that she looked down on that sort of work. In Birmingham, you were either in a factory dumping into the cut or in a glass office overlooking it.  

 “Maybe not exactly hiring in the way that we’re desperate to find new employees,” Jade said, “at the distillery there’s an old wizard helping out with the production and occasionally at the bar when it’s open. He’s an old family friend but spoke of retiring several times so maybe…”

Jade shrugged in response to Madelyn’s question. “I suppose my dad might reorganise the tasks at the distillery when his friend leaves so I am not entirely sure. My mother, however, would probably love to have someone helping out with the sales here, especially on Hogsmeade weekends and before the holidays. In case you’re looking for something like that I’m happy to ask her.”

She was indeed more than happy to ask. Jade preferred her other jobs to the one as a salesperson. She could do the job, of course, but she liked other things far more. If she found someone else to help her mother, she could do other things without having a guilty consciousness for letting her mother down.
 

 Madelyn’s eyebrow pulled downward, the corner of her mouth upward, in a confused sort of cringe.  A moment ago, Jade seemed like she might have an opening for Madelyn. It had almost seemed like an offer, but now she seemed to be taking it back. It made Madelyn wonder if she’d heard incorrectly, or if something had changed, and the little worried voice in the back of her mind decided now would be a good time to chime in. She worried maybe she’d come off as needy – even though she hadn’t said she was looking for a new job – or that Jade was taking pity on her. The little voice repeated the word Jade had used, desperate, and she shifted her weight.

“Yeah, I’m not really great at sales.” Madelyn was clever and a hard worker – but not too hard. She wasn’t trying to get promoted or anything. She knew her personality well enough to know that most days she’d suck at selling things. She could be lively, bubbly, and enthusiastic, sure, but she was just as likely to tell a needy customer to shove off or forget to explain the perks of a product. She was good at bartending, which took some social skill, but that product pretty much sold itself. “I’d be a nightmare at it, actually.”

She picked up the bag that Jade had put the game into, paused, and then spoke again. “Thanks for the—” it wasn’t an offer, the voice reminded her. “The game.” Madelyn finished, changing gears, and patting the bag with her free hand. “Keep me in mind for those game nights, yeah?” She was slowly retreating. Both physically and mentally, as she took a small step backward toward the door, and the voice in her head began reminding her of all the things she still needed to finish today (and likely wouldn’t).  

 There was this strange kind of feeling that Jade sometimes had when she realised that something she said might have been perceived in a different way than she had intended it. Her family wasn’t in the dire need of a new employee. She had been entirely honest there. However, that did not mean that they could not offer Madelyn a job. Jade didn’t make the decisions when it came to the family businesses and that was mostly the reason why she wasn’t advertising her job offer more. She knew that she could probably talk her mother or her father into hiring this girl if Madelyn really wanted to work for either business.

Madelyn stated that she wasn’t good at sales and Jade offered her a smile. “Neither am I,” she admitted.

“Honestly though, if you are interested in either of my family’s businesses, tell me. I’m sure I could talk to my parents and get you a job there.” Jade wanted to make sure that Madelyn understood where she was coming from. It wasn’t her decision to make but that didn’t mean that she couldn’t influence the outcome.

“I sure will,” she responded when Madelyn asked her to keep her in mind for the game nights. “I’m looking forward to have you join us.”
 

 The little smile Jade offered wasn’t missed, and Madelyn felt the corners of her lips tugging slightly in response. In a way, it was a comfort to know that Jade wasn't good at sales either – though, the bag currently tucked under Madelyn’s arm sold a different story – and the younger witch nodded.

“Yeah, maybe the bartending bit.” She didn’t sound eager for the job, but Madelyn didn’t want to sound needy either. It was a weird edge she felt like she was carefully balancing on. She’d love to get another bartending gig, but she wasn’t sure what, if anything, Jade was offering. She’d said there weren't any openings, and then that she could get her a spot anyway. “Appreciate it. Maybe owl me on that? If it works out?” That way they could leave it open ended, Madelyn told herself. Take the pressure off.

“Thanks again.” She said as she retreated the rest of the way to the door and spun around. Her old trainers squeaked on the clean floor, and Mads winced at the sound as she pulled on the handle. “See ya.” She said before stepping back out into the alley. One thing done, fifteen more things to go.

/end