The horses are coming so you better run.

[most_peculiar]

Belle relishes every moment she has to spend outdoors, just for herself. She dearly loves her job, and she loves volunteering at the orphanage, but she also cherishes the time she has for herself, too. Especially on days like today, where the humidity seems to have let up a bit, for once. She smiles as Philippe makes his way through the woods, the trees surrounding them providing them with shade and additional relief from the warm weather.

It hadn't taken her long to reach the stables after a quick breakfast; she jumped right on the bus and made her way to Philippe. She spent the first couple of hours brushing and taking care of her companion. And, of course, she brought him several apples and carrots as treats.

After finishing grooming him, Belle brought out all the riding gear required and, in another moment, found herself galloping off with Philippe, no particular destination in mind.

By now, she's been riding most of the day. She's slowed Philippe down, of course, to a more leisurely pace, and has let him choose the direction they head in. He's stopped several times to drink fresh water and nibble at some of the grass.

They're currently walking besides what seems to be a river, or a stream, of sorts. Belle has allowed herself to relax a bit, lulled by the comfort of the day.

A sudden splash up ahead catches her attention. Philippe, too, lifts his ears, on alert.

"Hello?" Belle calls out.

Comments

[most_peculiar]

Belle likes words, of course. And language in general. From all her years reading, she finds it so utterly fascinating how many words exist, words for different things and different words for the same thing. So the word Muggle strikes her curiosity; it doesn't seem a negative term, not to her. Just a word used to describe people.

She does have to smile at the expression on the man's face, however, as he stares at Philippe, who again rolls his mane in his general direction.

"He's just being fresh now," she tells him with a little laugh.

"James," she says as she takes his hand and shakes it. "A pleasure. A fine name for a wizard, that. I'm Belle."

[isolemnly_swear]

The horse doesn't seem to like him very much at all. For a moment James is tempted to shift, to let the stag take over and see how Philippe likes that, but he thinks that might be a little far to go on a first meeting. Maybe Belle has seen magic before and doesn't seem overly disturbed by him, but if he goes turning into an animal in front of her she might just change her tune.

Still, he stares the horse down for a moment, and if there's a hint of the stag in his expression, it can't be helped. There are days he teases Sirius for being more dog than man, but he knows that becoming an Animagus had permanently etched a little of their animal counterparts into all of them.

He shakes her hand, not sure how exactly she's come to the conclusion about good names for wizards, but content enough to let it stand. "Belle's a nice name, too," he tells her, nodding approvingly. "Are you from here, then?" he asks curiously. She doesn't strike him as one of the natives, but he's been wrong before.