A Professor's Saturday Night (Tag: Landon)

Had Madison not been responsible for a mound of responsibilities today, she wouldn't have found herself at Flourish and Blotts so late in the evening, and so close to closing time. Her day started with catching troublemakers, which transpired into serving detention, and then after that, she decided to take care of some paperwork (which became a lot of paperwork somehow). And now that more than half her day had flown away, she had to spend her last few available hours to get the books on her list before she got sucked back up into work again.

She didn't mind however, she just hoped she could get everything she needed before the store closed. The busy day on the other hand, was quite normal for her, even for a weekend, and in a way, she preferred keeping herself occupied. It wasn't like she expected much leisure time between Hogwarts and the Order, anyways, after all this time. What free time she did have, she spent on piling her collection of books. She topped off the bundle of books she was carrying, before scanning another aisle for any titles that may interest her. There were quite a few new titles in the Wizardography section, but none of which appealed to her. Perhaps she could find a new spell book, instead.

It was not often that Landon got to do what he liked to call 'field work.' It was a nice change of pace from sitting in his office in the Department of Mysteries, staring straight ahead and awash in thoughts and memories of who knows what. Of course working on a Saturday night wasn't ideal, but hey, work was work. Landon was known at the office as the guy who never refused extra work, and not just to suck up but because he genuinely enjoyed it. Tonight promised to be a treat, too.

He was here in Florish and Blotts near closing time for one reason and it did not include browsing for books. His task was to find and retrieve information from a subject that the Ministry kept tabs on, someone not on their side. Landon's boss had taken him aside the day before and briefed him on his mission. It was simple; a woman by the name of Madison Reid, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts and active member of the Order of the Phoenix, knew things the Ministry wanted to know. Or at least that is what they speculated and were set on uncovering. Landon, being their most skilled legilimen, was given the task of approaching her and getting whatever he could out of her mind. His boss had been clear when he told Landon she was not to be aware of any of this happening.  Chuckling to himself Landon recalled jokingly telling his new friend Cazz he was an undercover agent. Well, today it was true.

The shelves in the store did well at hiding him from the few other patrons as he scanned the rows, looking for Reid. He was certain she was here and was rewarded for his diligence when he spotted the woman matching the photos he had seen. She was standing alone in a corner of the store, books in hand and with a serious expression on her face. Or maybe that's just how she always looks, Landon thought.

Grabbing the first few books he spotted next to him Landon held them loosely in his arms. It was time to move now, to get things started. With that in mind he turned the corner at a strut, putting quite a bit of force into his movements. Just as planned he collided into the woman standing there immersed in the tall shelves. As his body thudded into hers he let the books in his hands drop to the floor, scattering. It all looked as natural as could be; a clumsy man not watching where he was going bumping into an unsuspecting stranger.  

“Oh geez, I'm sorry!” Landon put on a sheepish look as he took a step backward, giving the woman some room. “These isles really aren't meant for two people are they?” He laughed genially, hoping that his target would mimic his mood. It would be easier if she found the situation humorous as well, or at least not offensive. Not that Landon had ever encountered anyone who found him offensive, but still, it was a possibility that might alter his plan.

She had been quite preoccupied by a particular book on one of the upper shelves as the man entered her aisle, otherwise, she would have likely noticed him before he came tumbling into her, sending all the books in her arm falling to the floor. She stiffened where she stood, having been caught by surprise, before glancing over at the man, and then down at the books, then back at the man. "Just watch where you're going next time, will you?" She wasn't fond of being snuck up on, so as she did with most people, she brushed him off coldly, before bending down to pick up her books.

It wasn't difficult picking her books out from his, he didn't seem to have many, and Madison already knew which ones she picked out. When she had recollected her stack, she seemed content on ignoring the clumsy man, fully believing the conversation was over as she reached up once again for the high bookshelf. Finally, she decided to pull out her wand, and the book floated out on the stack for her. She took one last glance at the man before turning the opposite direction, towards the checkout counter. The last person too have irritated her in this bookshop ended up joining the Order under her nose, so it seemed reasonable- in her mind- that she would not want to associate with this one. She didn't really want to challenge karma a second time, after all.

As was a habit of hers, she laced the stack of books into a bundle with a flick of her wand, while she then took out her coin purse to pay the cashier. The amount of books, along with her taste in selection, made the price rather expensive, but this was much of where her money went, so forking over the stack of coins was of no concern to her.

The cold look that Madison gave Landon momentarily threw him off guard. He had not expected such hostility right from the start. It was no matter, though, for he was certain he could turn her mood around. All it would take was a simple jaunt into her mind and a carefully placed suggestion. For now though Landon would do his best without the use of magic; when he ventured into her thoughts he wanted a nice long span of time to wander.

He watched as she took her books up to the counter, realizing his target was about to leave him behind. Quickly picking up the few books he had 'dropped' on the floor he followed suit and came up behind Madison at the counter.

“Hey, let me make up bumping into you? I'll buy you a drink, coffee, whatever you'd like, Miss...?” As he spoke Landon was sure to look straight into the woman's eyes, getting a feel for her state of mind. She might look tough and speak in cold tones but he would get past them. First, though, he needed to get her looking into his eyes consistently. If he was going to be spending any length of time in her mind he needed to know she wouldn't simply walk away from him at any moment.

As he spoke Landon did his best to look nonthreatening, which was easy for him as his good natured expressions never seemed to fade. He looked genuinely interested in Madison and it was true that he was. Interested in what secrets she held behind her scowl and dark eyes more than anything else. He hoped she would not see that, though. It was afterall a Saturday evening and a casual invite for a drink would not seem out of place.

Madison gave a short exhale, as she slid her books along so that he may purchase his. At this rate, Madison didn't think she would ever venture to the bookstore anymore; perhaps they would allow her to make orders by mail. That would certainly be more convenient for her. "If I am spending my time here, at a bookstore - on a Saturday evening - what makes you think I would have any interest in sharing a drink with you?" Though it was another rough brush off, she honestly did want an answer, as she met his gaze, not quite with an irritated expression, but rather, perplexed.

This was not only the second time running into an irritating man at this bookstore, but also the second time to be invited out for a drink- before it was coffee of course, now it was whatever she wanted. She had no interest though, just as she had implied, and the fact that this whole situation reminded her of her first run-in with John, only made her more irritated. Did it look like she had no life? Her life was her work, and she had time for little else. She looked away from him to pick up her books. She didn't seem willingly to let him answer now though, as she finally added, "My name is Madison, and if you don't mind, I have important work to get back to."

She adjusted her grip on the books, by carrying them by the string that bound them together, rather than struggle with the whole stack itself. Once she felt they were secure, she moved towards the door, her books hanging precariously within their binds. One little swipe and they'd all come tumbling down again, but Madison had done this often enough to know she was careful enough to avoid such an embarrassment.

It was difficult to suppress a laugh as Madison nearly insulted Landon straight to his face. She was firecracker alright, and Landon liked it. However her refusal did mean he needed to resort to other means of persuasion in order to get his information. Landon watched yet again as she turned her back on him and walked away. He noticed this time though, that her books were not securely held in her arms but handing from a single strap. She was making it too easy, really. One flick of his wand and her books would tumble again and Landon would swoop in to pick them up for her. It was the perfect opportunity to make his first strike and Landon acted on his instincts, for they had yet to fail him.

When the thin strap snapped and her books fell to the floor close to the door Landon took the few long steps to meet her and bent down, gathering her things. “You know stress makes you less careful. I think your important work may end better if you take a little break. Trust me, I work too much too and I know. Come on, what'll it hurt? Afraid you might enjoy yourself?”

As Landon looked up from the floor he again met Madison's eyes and this time did not hesitate. A single word filled his head: legilmens. In an instant he was not wholly within himself but traveling the distance between his eyes and Madison's. Landon did not delve deep or even focus on any of the swirling murmurs and visions now crowding him but let a gentle flow of his own words lodge themselves in her mind. Maybe I do need a break.

He left as quickly as he came, knowing his time would come to perform his task. His warm eyes left hers as he stood and handed over her new books and waited for her next retort, certain it would be more helpful than all her previous ones.

She looked down as the books suddenly went tumbling onto the floor for the second time that night, and she gave a short huff of irritation, but before she could retrieve the books herself, he'd already swooped in and done it for her. At first she only offered a sharp look, not amused by his quip at all. Then, however, she thought it over in her head, as she looked over the books he now held in his arms, like he was holding them hostage or some such silly notion. He returned them easily enough, however, not waiting till after her response to hand them over. She looked at him thoughtfully, before saying with an exhausted sigh, "Coffee it is then, but you're still buying."

She wanted to make sure he knew, that she was still completely in control between the two of them. She was not to be mistaken for the silly dependent type of woman who would just fall head over heels for any man who came along. She was in it for the free coffee, and that was it. She could have taken his offer on the drinks, but seeing as he was a complete stranger, she wasn't fond of him encouraging her to get drunk. She secured the books in her arms, before pushing her way through the door and leading the way to her choice of coffee shop.

She didn't even ask for his name, as it wasn't one she planned to remember in the first place. She did however, ask him one thing, "So what is this work that you do?" She didn't look at him, but rather, at the other few wizards and witches still passing by on the streets, moving to their own respected destinations. She could honestly say she preferred the night life of Diagon Alley over the day life. It was less busy, less noisy, and much more attuned to her tastes. There were still plenty of people about, but she couldn't recall ever being shoulder to shoulder as it normally was throughout the day.

“Of course, of course.” Landon chased Madison through the door and out into the street, keeping up with her determined pace. A grin had spread over his face as he imagined her thinking she was in charge of this little excursion. He would allow her to continue to feel that way, it worked better for his cover. She didn't even ask for his name and Landon was more than happy to keep it to himself the whole evening.

As they walked along the street Landon quickly went over what he needed to get done this evening. It would have been easier if Madison had agreed to a drink, as people tended to notice less when inebriated. He could have spent hours in her mind if he could simply keep passing her drinks until she was stumbling out the door. Coffee, however, was going to be more tricky. He would have to be more careful where he tread.

After a moment of silence, Madison aimed a terse question at him. Quick on his feet as always, Landon went with the first thing that came to his mind when Madison asked about his profession. He knew he could not say he worked for the Ministry, any part of it, not just his own department. The information might well be enough to tip her off or at the very least make her unwilling to continue their conversation. “I'm an archivist for Gringrotts; lots of forms and quill pushing, long nights staring at charts of numbers and dates. It's not so bad, though.” Landon chuckled, imagining what his life would be like if it were the truth. He then looked over to the woman marching on next to him, subtly checking to see if she believed his easy answer. “What do you do that gets you to pick up so many books at a time?”

Of course Landon already knew what she did, but he did not intend to to let that fact be known. The man he was posing as knew only what was obvious about Madison; he must act as such. The whole thing played as a game to him, a fun match set against himself. He was able to use his abilities and enjoy a night out? The excitement was nearly shinning in his eyes when he thought about it. So far everything was going right; he was winning.

They reached a coffee shop hidden among the more flashy shops on the street and entered the quiet building, Landon following Madison's lead.

Madison wasn't aware any humans worked at Gringotts. The goblins always seemed... too proud, perhaps? Or maybe it was a lack of trust instead, that was the reason behind it. But no, if this man worked with the archives, he was likely stowed away in a back office or filing room, so Gringotts could still keep up appearances. She did realize, however, after a moment of chewing on the thought, that her knowledge in the history between goblins and men that led her to the conclusion. It could have very well been a false assumption, so she dismissed the thought- even though she'd never seen a human employee there.

When asked about her own work, she answered simply, "I spend my time teaching." She thought it was reason enough to be gathering such a collection of books during her free time, which wasn't much so long as she did her job right. She didn't go into any detail about it though, having decided awhile back that a need-to-know basis was the best way to deal with strangers.

As they entered the shop, Madison was the first to approach the counter, ordering straight black coffee, rather than waste time browsing the menu on the wall. With coffee in her system, she was certain she could finish writing up the next exam for her class before morning. It would be one thing off her list, anyways. She waited for Landon to add on his order, and watched him as she thought about their encounter at the bookstore. For a man who supposedly worked at Gringotts, Flourish and Botts was within easy reach. With that bit of information, how he literally bumped into her seemed less of an accident, and more so a deliberate action. If the suspicion was correct, than he must have been quite desperate, in which case, Madison didn't plan for this little excursion to last long.

Before he finished ordering, Madison went and took a seat near the window. She crossed her legs and rested her hands on the table before gazing out the window for a moment before she asked, "So how did you end up at Gringotts then?"

God this woman was cold. It was no mystery why she was alone, shopping for books, on a Saturday night. Landon pitied the poor souls who had to deal with her on a regular basis. There was not a hint of interest or warmth in her voice, even though a stranger, him, was being his friendly self and everything.

Grabbing both his drink and Madison’s (black coffee? Really?) Landon walked over to the table she had rooted herself at and took a seat directly across from her. He pushed her mug over to her with a grin, all the while his mind assessing the situation. She didn't appear to be dangerous, not sitting like an ice princess and eying him as if he was nothing more than a bug. It suited him just fine, though. The less she thought of him the more he could get away with. Let her continue to view him as some lesser being and not realize the threat he really was.

Landon shrugged when she graced him with more than a few words. “It's a pretty boring story, to tell the truth. I wish I could tell you something exciting, dealing with ancient curses and stolen treasure but unfortunately my life isn't that interesting,” Landon laughed, the sound ringing merrily around the quiet shop. “My family had some connections and I've always had a head for numbers so here I am, stuck somewhere safe and sound.”

Taking a sip of his drink he waited for her reaction to see if she spotted his fabrication. He spoke it with such casual conviction and confidence that it almost sounded true even to his ears, which of course knew the truth. He left little time for her to respond, however, before moving the topic back to her.

“So you're a teacher, eh? Tell me about it?” Landon assumed she could drone on for hours about teaching if she wanted to; she seemed the type to put a class to sleep. Lucky for him that monotonous oration was something sure to keep her mind focused on what she was saying, allowing him the break in concentration he needed. If she was preoccupied with telling him all about her boring job then she would surely never notice his minimal intrusion into her darkest secrets. Still, one step at time...and the first step was to get her talking.