In The Garden (Open)

[Kayleigh Doyle]

"Me Da always said that if you believe if, you can see it," she responded. Kayleigh was eager to escape where she was, even if it was for a little while. There was a whole new place she could go.

Bravely, she reached up and took Flynn's hand as she rose to her feet. Her curiousity was getting the best of her. She wondered what the magical world was like. Vaguely she remembered going somewhere as a small child that her parents took her too that was extremely interesting. She couldn't recall the name of the place but it had a lot of odd shops. It was a place that her parents went to every once in awhile to pick up food for the pet owl they had.

"What's it like," Kayleigh found herself asking, "the magical world that is."

[Flynn Kennedy]

Well, that was an encouraging sign, anyway. If she believed in it, she was more likely to be able to see it. Flynn gave her a hopeful smile.

"The magical world... It's like something out of a dream," he said. "They have pictures that move and can talk to you... things that can fly on their own... everything is bright and colorful."

How else could he explain it? He didn't know what she had seen before when her parents were alive, so it felt rather like trying to describe colors to a blind person. But she wasn't blind, and she did believe in magic... so even if she couldn't use it, at least she would probably be able to see it.

"I'm going to take you to a place that is kind of like the entranceway to the magical world. It's a pub... but please, don't be scared. I promise I'll keep you safe."

[Kayleigh Doyle]

"I have one of those," she said referring to a picture that moved. "of me parents. It was one of the very few things I was able to keep." That and the book about Merlin were probably the only treasures she had from her childhood with her real parents.

"Is there a special game that you play? Me Da would always get the paper and I remember him getting a little angry when his teams never made it too far in the playoffs. Mum would laugh and tell him it would be okay." For the time being, she forgot about the bad things that had happened. There was nothing there to remind her, not at the moment at least.

"It'll be okay. I trust you." She turned her head to look at him with a light smile. At the moment, she wasn't girl in her twenties who felt like she was going crazy. She felt like she was being a part of her normal self without the panic and constant watching.

[Flynn Kennedy]

Flynn burst out laughing. "Yes... yes, there is a game. It's called Quidditch. I never played it meself... I'm a little too uncoordinated. But I am a fan of the Kenmare Kestrals.... one of the two major teams in Ireland."

She was relaxing considerably, and that made Flynn feel a lot better. He hated to see anyone unhappy, especially if there was a chance he could do anything to cheer them up. Poor Kayleigh had been through a lot and she deserved to have something good happen to her. And if it was just meeting a new friend, even that would be a start.

They were already halfway to the Leaky Cauldron by now, and Flynn could see the dingy little pub ahead in the distance. He didn't say anything yet; instead he just waited until they got a little closer to point it out to her.

[Kayleigh Doyle]

"Quidditch," she repeated quietly. "Yes, that's it. I remember seeing the pictures move on the newspaper and Da fussing about how his team probably got cheated." Kayleigh laughed. Her father was a fairly animated man. Maybe she could get lucky and go to a game one day, maybe. It probably wouldn't be soon, but maybe eventually.


It was almost strange at how relaxed she felt. Maybe it was her curiousity overriding any other thought.

Kayleigh looked around at the little shops that were around. "What else does the magical world have to offer, other than what you already said? Is it a lot like the muggle one?"

[Flynn Kennedy]

Flynn laughed. "Your Da sounds like he was a good man. I think I would have liked him a lot. It's good that you can remember some of the little things about him... the every day. Those are the things I remember most about me brother Gavin.... the things I miss the most."

That was the hardest part, Flynn thought. The every day moments when you would see something that you knew the other person would have liked, a joke they would have laughed at. Or just waking up in the morning and knowing that the person you loved wasn't doing the same.

"You know, it's not that different. Most of it is just the small things... instead of using a toaster to make toast, we can do it magically... we can make dinner cook itself. People can fly, and some can just disappear from one place and appear in another. And we have the best candy... chocolate frogs, every flavor beans... all kinds of great things. And then there's butterbeer... I think you'd really like that."

[Kayleigh Doyle]

Banks were one thing that Kayleigh didn't really like. It didn't matter where she was, it was still a bank. The last time she stepped foot in one, she had a horrible panic attack. It was because of the memories that came rushing back when she walked in. Luckily enough she was getting cash from work rather than just a check. However, she was going to have to get over that one day. That was the only thing that could really bring back the bad memories other than the loud sounds. Other than that, she usually brought forth the good ones.

Kayleigh's eyebrows went up. "You can magically cook things? Does food taste any better than if you cook it by hand?" It was a curious thing that food could cook itself. And people could just appear one place one second and end up somewhere different in another? She hadn't had actual candy in a long time. "Butterbeer? What's that?"

[Flynn Kennedy]

"Honestly, I think it tastes better when it's cooked by hand," Flynn said, shrugging. "It's like, there's a little something extra in it that way. You know, made with love and all that. I only let it cook itself if I'm feeling tired or lazy. I always feel like I accomplished something when I do it meself."

Of course, his parents had thought differently. That was why they had kept a house elf to do the cooking and cleaning. They were not a rich family by any means, but the elf, in their eyes, was something that set them apart from others, made them feel more important than they actually were.

"But I do love being able to fly, or just appear in one place or another. Getting from place to place can be so tiresome." Then he smiled as the Leaky Cauldron came into view. "Butterbeer is only the best drink you've ever tasted. Would you like to try one?"

[Kayleigh Doyle]

"Does it hurt or anything to suddenly appear in one place? Do you all fly on brooms?" Kayleigh felt like she was asking so many questions. A pink tint rose to her face. "Sorry," she said looking down. "I'm asking too many questions." Looking back up, she smiled almost sheepishly.

"Yes I would like to try one." Her smile widened. There couldn't be anything wrong with it, could it? It wasn't going to hurt her to try it.

[Flynn Kennedy]

Flynn chuckled at her questions. Any hint of being nervous or stressed seemed to have vanished, and she was becoming bright and animated and full of questions. It was nice to see that he had helped her feel more at ease.

"It doesn't hurt so much... It's an odd feeling, especially when you first learn how to do it. It's sort of a pulling sensation.... if you're not too sure on your feet, you might feel a little queasy or dizzy. My first time, I kind of fell flat on me face. But after that, you get used to it. And yeah... sometimes we do fly on broomsticks. I'm not a very good flier, really... but the sport we play, quidditch... it's done on broomsticks."

The Leaky Cauldron was just across the street from them now, and he looked over at it. There weren't a lot of people around right now, so it was a good time to go in. He looked back at her and gave her a sideways nod at the pub. "Do yeh see the pub over there? Across the street?"

[Kayleigh Doyle]

The Wizarding World was a wonder, that was for certain. It was all very fasinating. Just the thought of being able to travel to one place to another in a blink of an eye was extremely extraordinary. Kayleigh wanted to know more but she didn't want to ask far too many questions. Maybe she would figure them out eventually.

"The one with the dirty windows," Kayleigh asked looking back to Flynn. "The Leaky Cauldron?"

[Flynn Kennedy]

So she could see it. He broke into a smile and nodded at her. "Yes.... yes, that's the one. It's the only place in London where you can get a butterbeer. Most non-magical people can't see it. But you can.... so that means there's still something magical about you. All you have to do is believe in magic, and you'll find that it's all around you."

"Would you like to go in with me and try a butterbeer? It's early... there shouldn't be too much of a crowd."

[Kayleigh Doyle]

Magic was about the only thing that she believed in. She didn't really have anything else to believe in, so she believed in the one thing that her parents showed her was real.

Kayleigh smiled. "I would love to," she replied. Maybe this could be a way that she could start to be some sort of stable. Although, she wasn't banking on the fact that she found the place that her parents promised held all sorts of different things, maybe she would feel sort of whole again.

[Flynn Kennedy]

Flynn smiled at her response. Just a few minutes earlier, she had seemed so jumpy that Flynn wouldn't have imagined her being willing to take a drink in a strange pub with a man she'd only just met. But here she was, and she was willing to take a chance.

The last time Flynn had seen his older brother, they had shared a bottle of firewhiskey together. And even though half of that time was spent with Gavin telling Flynn how everyone in the family thought he was too "soft-hearted," they'd also had a few laughs as well. Gavin had laughingly said a phrase that still hung in Flynn's memory... it had pretty much been the last thing his older brother had said to him. He'd said "when you share a drink with someone, you're bonded for life." Then he had laughed and made some comment about silly Irish philosophies. But Flynn didn't laugh. In fact, when he thought about it now, he was more likely to cry. After all, it was true. He had shared more than a drink with his brother that day, and the whole experience had left a bond that even Gavin's death couldn't break.

"All right then," he said, linking his arm with hers as he led her across the street. "You know what they say in Ireland, right? When you share a drink with someone, you're bonded for life."

[Kayleigh Doyle]

The one thing that she really needed was encouragement. That someone or something that took her out of somewhere she felt comfortable to somewhere new. Today, she hadn't felt really comfortable by herself. Once company came, she felt more comfortable than she had, especially after she found out Flynn's secret. Maybe it was just that she could tell that he was a good gentleman and he hadn't posed any threat to her whatsoever.

Kayleigh linked arms with him and then laughed at his comment. "I believe that is true."

[Flynn Kennedy]

Flynn smiled to himself. It was strange how the day had turned out. He had just stopped into the little garden for a break during her shopping. And now he was off to have a butterbeer with a new friend. Sometimes, life gives you what you need, even when you don't realize you need it. He and Kayleigh both needed a friend, and somehow they had managed to find each other. It seemed a little like fate.

"All right, now remember... it is a pub, so sometimes it gets busy. This is a time when it's usually quiet... but if anything happens, remember I'll be right there with you. You'll be fine. And the butterbeer is totally worth it."

With that, he pushed the doors open and stepped inside the Leaky Cauldron, his arm still linked with hers.

[Kayleigh Doyle]

"That's okay," she said. "I can deal with crowds most of the time." There were just certain aspects of crowds she didn't like and if she didn't have to be in a whole group of people, she wouldn't be, but she knew that if she was out, there were going to be a lot of people. The small rushes Georgiana's had on a daily basis started to help her be a little calmer.

Kayleigh turned a smile up at Flynn as he opened the doors. It was an odd feeling being there at first, only because it was sort of like a new discovery. She took in the atmosphere. There was something that caused the Leaky Cauldron to feel like a safe place. She couldn't quite put her finger on what it was but it was a decent place.

[Flynn Kennedy]

Flynn was pleasantly surprised by how comfortable she seemed here. It seemed like she almost belonged here. It had to be hard for her to know that her parents had possessed these powers that had been denied to her. Maybe here, at least, she could feel close to them again.

He led her to the bar and held out a hand to help her up onto a barstool. Turning to the bartender, he called, "Tom! Could we get a couple of butterbeers?"

While Tom was getting the butterbeers, Flynn smiled at Kayleigh. "So this is the Leaky Cauldron. What do you think?"

[Kayleigh Doyle]

Once Flynn helped her onto the barstool, Kayleigh looked around again before looking back to him. "It's nice. It's nothing really like a muggle place. There's something a little different." She smiled as she rested her hands on the bar.

There were a few people sitting at a couple of tables. They wore robes, similar to the ones her parents would wear sometimes. She wondered if wizards and witches always wore robes when they were in the Wizarding World or if a few wore muggle like clothes but she kept that question to herself.

"Are a lot of pubs in the Wizarding world like this one?"

[Flynn Kennedy]

Flynn watched her as she looked around curiously. He could just imagine all of the questions she must have had, and he wanted to answer them, so that she might understand a little more about the world that her parents had been a part of. He had the same kinds of questions sometimes, wondering about what his brother's life had been like; what he cared about, what his fears were, how he spent his days. Those were questions that would probably never be answered, and he would never really be able to fill in those gaps. That was why it was so important to him to try and form a relationship with Jaden.

"Well, each pub is a little different," Flynn said. "Some are dirtier, some are more crowded and dark. The Three Broomsticks is nice... The Hog's Head isn't. But there are worse ones than that."

Their butterbeers had arrived, and Flynn pushed one of the glasses in front of her. He held onto his own glass, but didn't take a drink. He wanted to watch her taste it first. "Go on, then. Give it a try. You'll like it."