Post by misspolly on Mar 21, 2008 19:54:57 GMT
Walking down Hogsmeade, you pass by all the interesting shops. It is a lovely day and you don't realize that you have continued walking. Not as far down as the sketch building of the Hogs Head, you catch glimpse of a dark plum building with an old looking, wooden sign with gold writing.
You have never seen this place before, maybe because you have just passed it by unnoticed, like so many do. You feel you mouth is parched, so you walk up to the door, and peek through the glass. The place looks closed, but the sign on the front of the door reads 'Open!'. You open the door, and a small brass bell tinkles as the wood hits it. You looks around.
You walk in, the bar seems clean, the tables are spotless. However, there is no one in sight, except for a small man sitting at the table to the left. This is Charlie. He is always here, giving off hand comments to the customers. He doesn't own the shop, but he lives here.
You spot stairs to your right, which go up stairs to the bedrooms of the inn. A menu behind the bar looks like it hasn't been changed in years. "Pot Roast and Beans." It reads. Your stomach gives a rumble and you think about heading back toward the Three Broomsticks for a real meal, when you head foots steps coming down the stairs.
A rather crazy looking woman, with bug eyes and wild dark hair come clomping down the stairs, carrying a wooden bucket and mop. She spots you and freezes. A smile comes over her mouth. She places the bucket at the bottom of the stairs and comes over to you, still smiling her toothy smile. Her dress is black, lacy, and old looking. She hasn't combed her hair in weeks, her skin looks dry and cracked,even though her eyes still look young and awake.
" 'ello Love." She says in her harsh ney accent. "Come for a drink." She says, her smiled getting wider as she speaks. You nod and she takes you hand and pulls you toward the bar and sits you in the middle seat. " 'aven't 'ad a customer in days." She says, rounding the counter to the other side. Charlie give a grunt. "Oh, you don't count Charlie." She says with a wild eye. She looks at you again and smiles. "Me 'usband went away and it seems as though the customers went with 'im." She smiles and hands you a dusty looking butterbeer. "Took me son to the lake to go fishin'. I do 'ope they bring back somethin' nice." She said with a smile, her eyes glazing over. Charlie grunts, but says nothing. "Should be 'ome soon though." She says, looking at the large grandfather clock in the corner near Charlie. You notice the the pendulum isn't swinging, and by the looks of it, it hasn't been swinging for some years.
She stares at the clock, he eyes coming out of focus. With a smack of Charlie's mug on the table, she is back. She smile at you. She hurries to the stove, which you hadn't noticed before. She take a ladle out from under the counter and opens the large pot sitting on the flame. Steam escapes and you get a whiff of soup. It smells like a heart beef and veritable soup. The woman ladles some into a deep bowl and pushes it toward you. It is more of stew, beef and vegitable just like you thought. Not post roast, but delectable enough. She smiles as you take the first bite.
She looks up and smile widely at the door as though someone had walked in. You glance over your sholder, you didn't hear the bell, and no one is there. However, the woman's eye glaze over again. "Finally 'ome my loves." She squeeles and hurrys tothe door. She smiles and says "Oh, lovely. I'll put your stuff down, go wash up, I've made Randy's favorite stew..." She meanders toward the stairs, her hands clenched as though she was carrying something. You stare after her, your spoon forgotten.
Charlie calls after her. "Polly, dear. Oh damn." He says and looks at you. "Miss Philippa Roy that is." He says, seeing the look on your face. "She'll be back, gone up to put the stuff down." Charlie's eyes lighten and he lets out a deep laugh. You squint toward him, utterly confused. "Her husband and child have been dead going on twelve years." He says through the laughter. "Crazy she is." His deep laugh rings in your ears.
You have never seen this place before, maybe because you have just passed it by unnoticed, like so many do. You feel you mouth is parched, so you walk up to the door, and peek through the glass. The place looks closed, but the sign on the front of the door reads 'Open!'. You open the door, and a small brass bell tinkles as the wood hits it. You looks around.
You walk in, the bar seems clean, the tables are spotless. However, there is no one in sight, except for a small man sitting at the table to the left. This is Charlie. He is always here, giving off hand comments to the customers. He doesn't own the shop, but he lives here.
You spot stairs to your right, which go up stairs to the bedrooms of the inn. A menu behind the bar looks like it hasn't been changed in years. "Pot Roast and Beans." It reads. Your stomach gives a rumble and you think about heading back toward the Three Broomsticks for a real meal, when you head foots steps coming down the stairs.
A rather crazy looking woman, with bug eyes and wild dark hair come clomping down the stairs, carrying a wooden bucket and mop. She spots you and freezes. A smile comes over her mouth. She places the bucket at the bottom of the stairs and comes over to you, still smiling her toothy smile. Her dress is black, lacy, and old looking. She hasn't combed her hair in weeks, her skin looks dry and cracked,even though her eyes still look young and awake.
" 'ello Love." She says in her harsh ney accent. "Come for a drink." She says, her smiled getting wider as she speaks. You nod and she takes you hand and pulls you toward the bar and sits you in the middle seat. " 'aven't 'ad a customer in days." She says, rounding the counter to the other side. Charlie give a grunt. "Oh, you don't count Charlie." She says with a wild eye. She looks at you again and smiles. "Me 'usband went away and it seems as though the customers went with 'im." She smiles and hands you a dusty looking butterbeer. "Took me son to the lake to go fishin'. I do 'ope they bring back somethin' nice." She said with a smile, her eyes glazing over. Charlie grunts, but says nothing. "Should be 'ome soon though." She says, looking at the large grandfather clock in the corner near Charlie. You notice the the pendulum isn't swinging, and by the looks of it, it hasn't been swinging for some years.
She stares at the clock, he eyes coming out of focus. With a smack of Charlie's mug on the table, she is back. She smile at you. She hurries to the stove, which you hadn't noticed before. She take a ladle out from under the counter and opens the large pot sitting on the flame. Steam escapes and you get a whiff of soup. It smells like a heart beef and veritable soup. The woman ladles some into a deep bowl and pushes it toward you. It is more of stew, beef and vegitable just like you thought. Not post roast, but delectable enough. She smiles as you take the first bite.
She looks up and smile widely at the door as though someone had walked in. You glance over your sholder, you didn't hear the bell, and no one is there. However, the woman's eye glaze over again. "Finally 'ome my loves." She squeeles and hurrys tothe door. She smiles and says "Oh, lovely. I'll put your stuff down, go wash up, I've made Randy's favorite stew..." She meanders toward the stairs, her hands clenched as though she was carrying something. You stare after her, your spoon forgotten.
Charlie calls after her. "Polly, dear. Oh damn." He says and looks at you. "Miss Philippa Roy that is." He says, seeing the look on your face. "She'll be back, gone up to put the stuff down." Charlie's eyes lighten and he lets out a deep laugh. You squint toward him, utterly confused. "Her husband and child have been dead going on twelve years." He says through the laughter. "Crazy she is." His deep laugh rings in your ears.