Can't Retract an Invite Now

[Xanthy Hinterbottom]

Xanthy begged to differ, "well that's cool then."

"Really?" she questioned that, especially seeing his house, but then who was she to comment.

[Macaire Ackland]

"Because I love working," Macaire replied with a shrug. "I'd be bored otherwise. And stuck with my little brothers and sister."

Which would not make for a good summer for the young man, much as he liked his younger siblings.

[Xanthy Hinterbottom]

Xanthy nodded her head in sympathy, "yeah I get you on that one, though I don't have little siblings. I do have one really annoying older brother and well the folks sort of would get on my case about finding work if the whole quidditch thing fails. Which would basically seeing me working in the brewery. Not an exciting prospect to be honest."

[Macaire Ackland]

He glanced to Xanthy, "What do you think your odds are of getting drafted?"

Macaire himself wasn't all that into Quidditch. He didn't mind going to the occasional professional match or participating in the occasional scrimmage with friends, but he didn't understand Quidditch fanatics.

[Xanthy Hinterbottom]

"Hmm, not entirely sure. I don't think I did too badly, like I didn't fall off a broom from shoddy broomwork. I know like I wasn't perfect but then like how can I be when I've only got school matches under my belt. And two years there weren't any matches."

She glanced upwards for a moment to catch a glimmer of the sun through the trees, "I could always become one of the private couriers for the Post Office."

[Macaire Ackland]

"Well, that's good," Macaire replied with a shrug. He arched an eyebrow at her latter statement, "Postal service work? Really?"

That just seemed dull, but then most would probably find his dream job boring.

[Xanthy Hinterbottom]

Xanthy shrugged, "not many jobs that allow you to ride about on a broom all day. Apparently you get to fly at night too, well I suppose it doesn't hurt to have a plan b, right? What would you have done if you didn't get the gig at your old school?"

[Macaire Ackland]

"I see," he shrugged. "Me? I have applied to work at other ranches. Maybe even abroad. I would mind working with more exotic breeds."

But then he was also a creature of habit, point being how miserable he was relocated to Scotland for that one school year.

[Xanthy Hinterbottom]

"You mean to say you went for the gig at your old school, when you could possibly get a job somewhere more interesting?" she looked at him puzzled, shook her head and went and found the nearest thing to sit on.

[Macaire Ackland]

"The work at my school is interesting," Macaire countered a touch defensively. He also kept walking, though realized that Xanthy's footsteps were no longer following him. He turned and looked at her even more perplexed, "What are you sitting for? Don't tell me you're tired."

Mac made this hike every day when he was home, sometimes multiple times a day. It didn't occur to him others wouldn't be willing to walk it like he was.

[Xanthy Hinterbottom]

Xanthy wanted to do the international sign of someone holding up their handbag in defence, but she didn't.

She paused in her moves to sit on a log, "uh, well I sort of like the look of this spot to have my drink," she straightened back up, "but river...you did say the river. Hey, I know you can give us a piggy back ride" a slow evil grin growing on her face.

[Macaire Ackland]

"What?" Mac scoffed. "Don't tell me you're some sad English Quidditch fanatic girl who doesn't know how to properly work her own legs?"

[Xanthy Hinterbottom]

Xanthy grinned, "I know how to use my legs thank you, especially good at kicking" the grin widened, "come on then, I'm sure as a big brother your used to giving piggy back rides?" She took a step towards him, which could be considered a threatening move.

[Macaire Ackland]

Macaire didn't take a step back, but he certainly wasn't offering himself up to be some sort of pony ride for the girl. He tutted, "Sorry, we're not that close."

Said the boy who kissed her before he left Hogwarts just for the heck of it.

[Xanthy Hinterbottom]

Not to be entirely put off by his comment, she merely changed directions, "Well you can't say I am not about equal opportunities, come on then I'll give you a ride cause clearly your not capable or strong enough." She moved towards him, her hand gesturing to him to step on right up for a pony back ride.

[Macaire Ackland]

"Oh, well that makes a change then," Macaire replied offhandedly. He then ran up to Xanthy, looking like he was about to jump right onto Xanthy's back but then he stepped aside and clapped the girl on the shoulder. "Come on. River's not that far away."

[Xanthy Hinterbottom]

Xanthy in all good traditions went to step out of the way as Mac came running at her, she laughed though as he simply dodged her, turned and clapped her on the shoulder.

"Didn't want to be out done by a girl..." she said slyly, before changing topic, "all right then, carry on leading the way."

[Macaire Ackland]

"Oh please," Macaire rolled his eyes. "First off, I could pick you up and sling you over my shoulder, carry you all the way to and from easily. You, however, would struggle trying to even lift me off the ground."

[Xanthy Hinterbottom]

"Come on Mac that's just fighting talk!" she protested, "you can't just say it, you know at some point you would have to actually prove it, which you can't!" added Xanthy, just adding to the fighting talk.

[Macaire Ackland]

Macaire stood there and folded his arms as he responded in a challenging tone, "You first then. You offered and started it."

[Xanthy Hinterbottom]

Xanthy had gone a head a few paces before she realised that he had stopped walking, she turned round and looked at him, one hand on her hip.

"Fine then, come on" she turned round, she braced herself in what was deemed the usual position for a piggy back ride.

[Macaire Ackland]

"Nah, you come here and just try and lift me. If you can even get me off the ground, I'll carry you the rest of the way," Macaire dared her.

[Xanthy Hinterbottom]

"All demands" muttered Xanthy and then declared, "fine...fine.." she straightened her posture, turned and walk over to him, "probably the closest you've gotten to having a feel up."

Xanthy leaned forward her arms slipping under his arms and wrapping her arms around his waist getting a firm hold and then with a bit of a pep talk in her head she attempted to lift him up. She had to admit he was heavier than he looked, where he was hiding it all she didn't want to know. But she put her back into and her legs and actually managed to lift him some way off the ground, she was after all used to wrestling with her older brother, "dude you need to cut of the cake."

[Macaire Ackland]

Macaire remained stiff as a board while Xanthy struggled to lift him, mainly because acting like that sort of dead weight would only make it harder for her to accomplish her task. At her comment he insisted, "That's all muscle, Hinterbottom."

[Xanthy Hinterbottom]

Xanthy could feel that Mac wasn't making it easy for her, eventually she dropped him onto the ground (the short distance that it was) in a less than gentle manner. She unfurled her arms from around him, they were crossed as he looked at him, "I am sure it is."