Bored Sunday

[Maria Sanchez]

ava.

Sunday was said to be the day of rest in many cultures and religions. It was the day of rest for Maria Sanchez, too, but she could never really have it reserved. Being the Mistress of Magic, she worked everyday with little to no time off or a vacation to spend. Her work as Mistress was never done because there was always something--everyday and every hour. If it was up to her, the whole world would take Sunday and put all things to rest--all crime, all work, all everything. It would be a day for people to sit back and relax, go to church if they wished.

Church. Maria felt like such a sinner. She hadn't been to church on a regular basis since she had started her job as Mistress of Magic almost two years previously, and she had lied to the man who gave the sermons. She couldn't remember now what she had told him as an excuse, but she knew that she had lied. She felt bad about doing it, but she went to a Muggle church and couldn't risk telling him that there was a whole other world about which he and his friends did not know, a magical world, and that she was the head of it in Great Britain. He'd probably politely tell her that she needed to go to a mental institution and have her sanity checked. She was still having a hard time believing that the magical world was real herself, so she could only imagine what would happen if Muggles found out. All hell would break loose, almost literally.

Well, it was Sunday--again. Maria Sanchez found herself sitting inside the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade Village. It was unusual to see the Mistress outside of the Ministry wearing something other than a Muggle business suit, usually a dress shirt, jacket, and skirt; today she was wearing a pair of nicely-fitting jeans and a simple blouse. The simplicity and casualness of her outfit was almost appalling, especially if you were one of those people who had never seen her in anything aside from the usual. Today she was actually wearing flat shoes, too, so she was standing at her very short height of five feet, two inches. Anyone would have thought that she was her own twin sister, but that wasn't possible. Her sister was five years younger than her, and they looked nothing alike. Besides, her sister lived hours away with her husband and children. Not only was it strange to see her in those clothes, but it was strange to see her on a Sunday. Usually she was cooped up in her office at the Ministry of Magic.

Maria Sanchez had declared that Sunday her day off. People couldn't criticize her and say that she took too many days off, because she rarely ever took days off. If anything, they should have been praising her for taking the day off and using it to clear her mind and relax. She worked entirely too much, even a lot of her employees agreed and had begged her to take days off. She was stubborn, though, and hard-worker, so she never listened to them. Instead, she asked them to go home, take a day or two off. She was such a hypocrite when it came to things like that.

When she had told Emilio that she wouldn't be working on Sunday, he had smiled and told her that it was about time, that she needed a day off. But he had told her, also, that he would have to work. The Wizengamot was having some fighting among its members that needed to be resolved. Maria had frowned in response; he was usually the one with Sunday off. Now she had a Sunday off and was hoping he'd be able to spend it with her. But he had to work. So she'd be alone, unless she stayed with Noelle or went out somewhere. Noelle was a dog, though, and no fun to talk to unless she was really losing her sanity, which she wouldn't have doubted if she really was.

She found herself sitting in the Three Broomsticks, in Hogsmeade. She hadn't wanted to come to Hogsmeade, because it made her want to visit the school for one reason or another, but the Leaky Cauldron was really starting to bother her. She went in there all the time. People treated her like royalty, and it was annoying. At the Leaky Cauldron, she was treated kindly, but no one ever treated her like she was the queen and deserved everything free. They simply gave her the respect she deserved, for which she was really grateful.

She had thought about going to Hogwarts to see Emily, but she had opted against it. She needed to get used to Emily being gone during the year for school and seeing her only on holidays. Eventually, it would probably be like that once she graduated and started a life of her own. That's what had happened with Nayib. He had married Amanda. Now Amanda was pregnant. Maria would be a grandmother in a few months' time. She was excited and couldn't wait. Nayib was twenty-eight. He and Amanda had waited several years before actually deciding that they were ready to become parents. The day Nayib and Amanda announced that there would be an addition to the family, Maria had gone completely insane--in a good way. She had been anticipating the day she'd be able to be called "Nana" or "Grandma." That day was coming, quicker than she felt it was, and soon she'd be feeling really old. But with age came wisdom; that was all she had to keep inside her head.

The brunette rested her back against the seat and brushed some hair from her face, which she had actually chosen to wear down today, curls and all. That was another unusual bit of her appearance that most people were not entirely familiar with. She knew that she'd probably get stares from people coming in and out of the small pub; the shopkeeper had already given her that slight sort of look when Maria requested a coffee with nothing in it. The keeper had looked at her momentarily, lifted a brow, and went on his (her) way. Maria had smiled faintly but rolled her eyes all the same. Was it not okay that she was not wearing her usual attire? Sometimes she needed a break, too.

She had not thought to bring a book with her, so she was bored. No one was really in the pub since it was Sunday. Many had better things to do, and students were at Hogwarts doing their work or chit-chatting with one another. She sighed at the thought and shook her head, wondering how she could have been so stupid as to have forgotten to bring something to occupy herself. Usually she would read or write something, but that was not the case today. She had brought nothing but herself and some money in case she got hungry or thirsty. So she just sat at the table, sipping slowly and quietly from her coffee, staring around the pub blankly, like she had nothing better to do. And in all reality, she didn't have anything better to do than just that.

[Ava Addison]

Ava walked onto the streets of Hogsmeade for some shopping to be done just before the start of term. She just finished buying the books and getting some money out of her vault and now it was time to get into the shops of Hogsmeade and get some shopping done there too. Before she had gotten into any shop at all, she decided that a small drink would be perfect just before she embarked on journey with more shopping.

With a handful of bags with books and other requirements, she got into the shop and placed them down on one of the tables. She could no longer carry them. She walked around looking for some people to speak to or to find the owner to order a drink. Just as she turned around, she spotted Maria. She very well knew that she was the Mistress of Magic but had met her only a few times in person. And that's all because of her daughter Emily.

That's a pleasant surprise she thought to herself. Of course it was, seeing her outside her office was something no one was used to seeing. She smiled and walked towards her and quietly said, Morning Mistress! greeting her kindly. Its a surprise seeing you out of the Ministry. any reason? she asked her.

Taking a seat next to her she ordered for a butterbeer.

[Maria Sanchez]

When boredom started to strike and set itself in, Maria felt herself being taken into another world. She was lifted from the earth and taken into a world in which things were as they used to be when she was in what many considered to be their prime. It was a world that she liked to call her "World Away from Boredom," simply because it helped her stay clear of the bored feeling she tended to get when she had absolutely nothing to do. Many thought it strange for the Mistress of Magic to be bored, but it was possible. She was bored even when she had something to do, especially if that something was her work. It wasn't that her work was boring all the time, but the paperwork tended to get out of hand. When she had piles and piles of it, she felt herself being pulled down to this endless bit of fatigue and boredom, something she hated. It made her feel helpless and hopeless.

Her eyes, which had been closed momentarily, opened slowly. She looked into her cup of straight black coffee and allowed a sigh to escape her lips. She shook her head some and swallowed; her throat had become somewhat dry. Clearing her throat gently, she took a sip of her coffee and then placed the cup atop a saucer that had been brought when her coffee was served. Her arms were then crossed over her chest as she sat there, comfortably leaning back against the seat in which she was sitting. She really wished she had something to do besides sit there in the quiet that had surrounded her. And as the quiet surrounded her, so did her world away from boredom, the one she had previously visited mere moments ago.

In her mind, standing before her, was her husband in a much younger form. It was an image of him when they had first met, when he came from Spain and knew little to nothing about London and England as a whole. Maria had been there to help, her shapeless body and shy nature a liability to her. But he had taken her in as a friend, as she had done to him, and they became very close, closer than they had ever imagined. And here they were now, more than thirty years down the road, and they were still together. They had recently celebrated their thirtieth anniversary of marriage, on which day they had renewed their wedding vows. She smiled at the thought. Emilio had been the first man she took an interest in, the first man she had ever dated, the first man she had ever done much of anything with--and he was the one to which she was still married. It was amazing how strong their marriage and relationship as a whole was.

She had been so deep in thought and consumed in her memories that she hadn't even heard the door open at the opposite end of the pub or the bell sound when the person had entered. She did, however, hear the somewhat familiar voice of one of the professors and heads of house at the magical school not too far from Hogsmeade. She turned her head at the greeting she had received and realized that standing before her was the Head of Gryffindor House and Care of Magical Creatures professor Ana Addison. The Mistress smiled, but only slightly. She did not smile to greatly that wrinkles formed at the corners of her lips or the corners of her eyes. She nodded her head in response to the greeting.

"You're not the only one," the woman said with a faint laugh in regards to it being a surprise that she wasn't in the Ministry. "I think everyone else is, too. To be honest, I, myself, am still a bit surprised at the fact that I am not working today."

She shrugged her shoulders and lifted her cup to her lips and sipped from it slowly. She didn't want to burn her lips, tongue, or throat with the hot beverage. She took in a few small sips and swallowed them carefully before replacing the cup on the table. She looked across the table at her new company, who had just taken a seat across from her at the opposite end of the table. Realizing that she had been slouching like an unprofessional person or someone who didn't know any better, she straightened her back and sat on the edge of her chair, trying to be a bit more professional for someone who was of a decently high status, at least at the school.

"No, no reason really." She shrugged her shoulders to accompany her verbal response. "I work every other day; I figured I may as well take today off. I was a bit upset when my husband said he'd be working today while I got to sit back and relax. He told me last night, after I told him I took the day off." She shrugged again, as if it wasn't bothering her. But the truth was that the fact they couldn't spend the day together was bothering. She gad really wanted to spend time with Emilio since the two of them barely had time to do anything other than eat and sleep--which wasn't bad, but they never got to talk about how the other was doing or discuss what was on their minds. "And you? I see you've done some shopping. Ready for the term?"

[Ava Addison]

"I think everyone else is, too. To be honest, I, myself, am still a bit surprised at the fact that I am not working today." She herself was surprised? Well that was odd. After all she was the one who wanted a holiday so how can she herself be surprised? It didn't make sense to Ava. She just shrugged it off and nodded.

She adjusted herself on the comfy couch as she saw the Mistress straighten up. Smiling, she took the butterbeer from the server and took a sip. ((Lets just keep it that way cause Mia has to come in for no reason into the thread..)) Refreshing she thought. Butterbeers were her favorite drink in the whole of the Wizarding world. Of couse there were firewhisky and other such stuff, but she just loved butterbeer above everything else. All time favorite and that feeling will never disappear from her heart.

"No, no reason really.""I work every other day; I figured I may as well take today off. I was a bit upset when my husband said he'd be working today while I got to sit back and relax. He told me last night, after I told him I took the day off." She shrugged too. Truthfully, she had no idea about husbands and what not, she was, is single and is planning to keep it that way until she finds the perfect man.

Ava is this kind of a lady who is extremely sensible. You wouldn't see her bouncing into relationships and desperately looking for her match. She is kind, considerate, smart--street smart and book smart (heck that's why she was made HoH and a Professor!) and best of all, very responsible. That was who she is in two sentences.

"And you? I see you've done some shopping. Ready for the term?" Her eyes drifted to the bags kept in the corner of the room and back to the mistress. She was completely right. She had done some shopping and was indeed ready for the term and definitely couldn't wait for it. For once, she knew it was going to be a great term for her unless some student decided to act differently or some creatures went out of hand.

Smiling and giving her a small curt nodd, she said Yep. I'm all set for the term. can't wait though. I have a feeling its going to be a good term after all my preparations. she took another small sip from the butterbeer. The same thought as before flashed into her mind, Refreshing she thought, smacking her lips not very loudly though.