"I am not ashamed. I am sure there was a reason you were drinking?" Jacques said, eyeing Ashlie carefully. He didn't know her to be quite so impulsive without there being something behind it. He did however feel that if there was something that triggered her to drink, it was most likely something or someone in the Leaky Cauldron.

"I think we should get some fresh air - Would you like to come to Florean's with me?" Jacques asked Ashlie.

Ashlie miled a bit sheepishly. "Sorry for embarassing you," she said, patches of pink still sported on her cheeks. "I... It wasn't a good reason," she admited a bit shamefully. "Just... I donno. Sometimes working here gives me a headache and strains me and.... the man was very nice I have to admit. I didn't think the drinks would effect me so much."

"That's a lovely idea," Ashlie agreed. "Some ice cream would be nice." She smiled and glanced over at Jamie and his friends. They'd be fine for now.

"It's prefectly alright" Jacques said, patting Ashlie on the back reassuringly. He knew it would be a loooong time before Ashlie drank again.

He walked over to the door and held it open for her.

Ashlie smiled and hurried over to Aero and informed her that she'd be heading over to Florean's with Jacques. She waved at Peony. "You coming?" she asked, before nearly running to the door. Age never seemed to matter when she hung around with Jacques. He was much more mature than any of the other boys anyway.

"Thank you," she said, nearly twirling out the door. With the head ache gone, she felt happier. Happier meant she didn't have to worry about being so uptight.

OOC: Hey, Ash, back off on the Vman. He belongs to someone else! (BTW, Nabiya, are Andi and Count V already in corresponsdence?)


"Hey, I need someone to help with carrying the shopping bags, right?" said Peony. An alarming smile spread over her face, as if she was remembering something. "And let me tell you, Grimwald makes a very nice human."

Yeah. We know why all the cats scream at night.

There was a pause.

...and why Boreas hangs around so much...

There was an even longer pause.

Then Peony looked at Ashlie blearily. "...I think I'd better come on the walk with you."

Can't leave meeee behinnnnndddddddd!

What Peony thought could not have been written without a great deal of asterisks.

*** (<--- that is not a swearword, by the way, that is a seperating line)

Andi leaned against the table, which against all appearances, was probably very clean. Well, anyway, the stains didn't show against her dark garment. She glanced at the bartender, a nubile young lady, who was waiting upon a tall, distinguished looking gentleman who looked familiar. Probably because he had the kind of face that belonged on stamps.

Andi raised her eyes and sighed. How was a mere woman supposed to win against sheer testerone? "Pardon?" she said, raising her eyebrows. "Could I please have a drink? I can pay for it you know."

She plinked her purse on the table in illustration.

OOC - Erm..I dont know..are we following the plot of the SS RP?

Andrei took a slower sip of the firewhiskey and watched as a beautiful Chinese woman entered the pub. A slow smile spread across his features as he took her in. So much tension...he thought as he noted the haughty lift to her chin.

Shaking his head ruefully he tossed the thought aside as he dipped a piece of bread into the beef soup. It was a paltry meal, but he wasn't really paying much attention to the cuisine, anyway.

OOC: I guess we'll follow the plot. Makes it sound more reasonable than 'their eyes met over a crowded pub'.

Maximus watched Elijah with a critical, yet approving eye as the young man joined Kay over at the broomstick display. He knew that the truth needed to be told one day, but his instincts told him that he would need to wait for Madam McLaggen to make the first move. And whenever that moment happened, Max knew that he could rely on another to help him break the news, as well as offer the comfort and support that would surely be needed.

OoC: Wait... >.< Who is Andi talking to? Is she talking to Aero? Or to Count? And what fault is it of mine if he likes Aero's swinging hips eh? She's taken anyway, she wouldn't go for him. LOL

Ashlie paused and gaped at her friend. Blinking once, twice. "Do you PERV on him in human form?" she finally asked, feeling almost horrified. She shook her head, a grin growing on her face. "Only you," she murmured, "only you."

Then she held the door open, waiting for her friend.

ooc : Okay then...you pick it up..hehehe...
Yea...and he has wondering eyes..and Aero's swaying hips are naturally going to attract his attention..*snorts and rolls around*

OOC: *glares at Ashlie then possesively slings an arm around V and is nearly arrested* Well, if she's got her own then no fair swinging hips around. I vote we chop them off. Anyway, Andi was talking to the-soon-to-be-hipless-if-she-doesn't-back-off Aero.

Andi tried to keep her eyes off the man, but she couldn't, and there was nothing romantic about it either - well... not much anyway...

She got a grip on herself.

There was something she recognized about the man, in the wisps of dark brown hair around his face, the little glimmerings of grap round the temples, the craggy features and arrogant twisting mouth. Irritably, Andi drummed her fingers on the bar, waiting for her drink so she could have something to do other than stare - 'perv', Ashlie might have put it - at the seated man.

Her eyes swiveled round around - they just moved without her noticing - and if they hadn't been her eyeballs, she might have ripped them out and given them a talking to. Andi's brows drew together in a frown.

She was pleased to discover that there was something familiar about the man, and that it was nothing to do with the way his soft pants didn't cling but still managed to outline a pair of legs that were nothing to be ashamed of - to say nothing of a fine ---

"Hurry up, will you?" she snapped, mortified.

***

"Hey," said Peony defensively, "he doesn't have clothes when he transforms, okay? I didn't want to watch-" which had been true in the beginning, and a lie two seconds later when his muscles began to appear "- but you know the Voice..."

You filthy liar, how dare you blame it on me, you mff-muffse-eles

"I learned how to gag it/her/him slightly, you know!" said Peony proudly. "My great grand-uncle showed me, over the holidays. I can't do it for long, but with practice..."

Mommy! She's bullying me!!

Peony was momentarily distracted. What are you talking about? You don't have a mother!

Rub it in, why don't you?

Madam McLaggen nibbled on a butter scone as she completed the letter to her niece. Her handwriting looked as if a spider has spun a black web on the paper and every single word she had written had given her much joy - more joy than she had felt in years. She smiled grotesquely as she re-read the letter and imagined the reaction of the traitor's brat when she read the news: complete banishment from the house and family with no place to go. "Hmm . . . I think this little letter should be sent sometime after the winter holidays and we'll see how that traitor's brat handles the news," she mumbled to herself and helped herself to some more tea.

Jacques stopped just outside the Leaky Cauldron and waited for Ashlie and Peony to join him. He took a couple of moments to look up and down the street before turning back towards the door.

"Ze fresh air is good, is it not ladies" he said smiling. There was a brisk wind and it was refreshing on his face, even if it did make his hair fly all over the place.

Kay walked up to the counter with her mind made up on the model of broomstick she was going to purchase. "I think I'll get the new Nimbus model, sir," she said politely to Maximus. "And would it be possible to have it delivered to the school?" she added before she could forget to ask.

"Excellent choice, my dear!" Max replied heartily and began to write up the order. He had no intentions of charging her for the broomstick and was trying to think of a way to sidetrack her from reaching for her coin purse. "Do you need any new practice robes or goggles? You'll find those items near the front of the store," he said eagerly.

"I guess it doesn't hurt to look," replied Kay and she turned to Elijah who was still standing back at the broomstick display. "Is that okay with you? I think my practice robes are a bit too ragged to be deemed decent enough to wear on the pitch." She walked over to the robes and began to search for her size.

Max watched as Kay moved away from the counter and signaled for Elijah to come up to the counter.

OOC : *rolls eyes* V's a man =P He'll look..but right now he's looking at Andi anyhoo..and will probably keep on doing just that. So..let Aero keep her hips..they're pretty. LOL

BIC :
Andrei had given up on the bread and soup, it was good food, but he really was not in any disposition to eat anything. Besides, Cook had given him a breakfast fit to feed an army that morning.

Leaning back in his chair, he sipped on the firewhiskey and took out a cigar from his breastpocket. Rolling it between his fingers and taking a whiff of the pure Cuban tobacco - Muggles still made the best cigars, despite the wizarding community's attempts.

His eyes wandered back to the slim woman standing by the bar, she was currently snapping at the proprietress. He couldn't help the laugh that escaped from his lips as he took in her angry furrowed eyebrows and stiff countenance.

OoC: Hey, ya, Peony? Aero quite likes her swinging hips She’s gonna keep them. Besides, just because she’s taken doesn’t mean she can’t be looked at eh? Every girl wants to feel beautiful and Aero’s one of ‘em. Fear not, Aero doesn’t want V. But hey. He IS a guy. Of COURSE he’s gonna look –shnuggles- Sides, in the end, he’s Andi’s


“Well, I’m sorrrry,” Aero said to the snappy woman. “You see, generally, people say what they would like to order. So, what is it you would like to drink?” Despite the rumors, Aero wasn’t psychic. Her grandmum claimed she was, but that woman had long been crazy. She pushed that loose lock of hair back. Always hanging in her eyes like that. A conspiracy, she’d decided.

-----------------------------

Ashlie grinned and hurried after Jacques out onto the street. She'd decided not to even comment on Peony's mentioning of the cat transforming into a naked human. Some things needed not be imagined.

She breathed in deeply and had to admit. It was nicer out here. And how, she wondered, did the air smell so much cleaner in Magical London than it did in Muggle London?

Spontaneously, she twirled in the middle of the street. Being mid holidays, few students were here and the streets were relatively empty, being early afternoon. She stood in the street and twirled a few more times, the ankle length skirt of the Leaky Cauldron uniform poufing out like a mushroom.

“It does,” she agreed out loud, a grin plastered to her face. “Merlin, it’s… it feels nice.”

Or maybe that was just Sobre!Ashlie, relishing in the being able to think clearly.

Jacques wondered for a moment if Ashlie was still drunk as she twirled in the street , but then he shrugged and decided it was probably just her usual self.

When they got to the Ice Cream shop, he once again held the door open so the other two could enter.

Kirstie had had enough of this dingy bar and it's odd staff. Flicking a galleon onto the counter, she grabbed her glass of firewhisky and stalked out onto the street.

The sun was far too bright. Kirstie hated summer, full of happy people enjoying themselves. She walked quickly down the street and into the nearest shop to escape the sun, Quality Quidditch Supplies. Kirstie had no interest in Quidditch whatsoever, horrible waste of time. She entered the shop and flicked her green hair out of her eyes.

She spotted a girl at the counter buying a broomstick from an older man and another boy the girl seemed to be signalling to. They all seemed happy...

Not for much longer... Kirstie thought to herself as she reached her hand into her trenchcoat pocket and pulled out her wand. She used the wand to conjure a sock. A sock filled with bubotuber pus. Hiding slightly behind a display of Keeper's gloves, Kirstie lobbed the sock at the girl at the counter and awaited the chaos that would surely ensue.

Ashlie slipped in through the door, eyeing the Ice Cream Shop in glee. She liked being in here, oddly. It might have had to do with her fondness of sugary foods. She felt like skipping, or prancing. Like... old Ashlie. Peony would love it. She giggled out loud, feeling gleeful for some reason. No reason.

"Eeeee," she allowed to escape while waiting for Peony and Jacques.

Francesca walked into the Quidditch store with Nik following behind her. Her eyes lit up looking at all the Quidditch supplies that she had to order from catalogs back in the States. She was definitely in her 'happy place' at this moment. Surrounded by Quidditch things and with a new friend.

Suddenly something flew into the air and hit the older girl that was standing at the counter. She started giggling loudly as the sock full of whatever it was hit the girl on the head. She tapped Nik's shoulder and pointed to the girl.

"Look at what just hit her in the head!"

"I wonder if it's toxic. It could burn her scalp or something!?" Francesca exclaimed as the liquid substance slowly advanced from the sock to the girl. Toxic things, Quidditch shops and broomsticks would definitely add up to a very interesting story to tell to her friends back home. Not to mention the story of her new friend.

Nik tore his eyes away from the broomstick display and at the girl that Fran was pointing at. "Agrippa! What is that?!" He exclaimed, looking at the liquid oozing out of the sock onto the girl.

"I think that is not very safe.." Nik said hesitantly, wondering why they were not doing anything about it. Then, deciding to play the hero, he grabbed one of the Quidditch gloves on display and a broomstick. Walking up to the girl, he brandished the broomstick like a sword and knocked the sock off her head, but the contents had already seeped out onto her hair and some of her face, there were boils erupting on her skin and Nik winced, "Maybe you should see a Healer now.."

OOC: Kay is not at the counter buying a broomstick, so you must have hit one of the nameless customers in the shop.

Kay turned around from the rack that held various sizes of practice robes to see what all of the commotion was. Her eyes grew wide as she saw what appeared to be a first or second year student covered in gooey yellow bubotuber pus and an older student weilding a broomstick like a sword. "You stupid prats! What kind of sick joke is that!" she shouted.

The ensuing chaos in the shop caught Maximus off-guard and he watched in anger as a young girl was hit with a sock filled with a gooey yellow substance. She started wailing hysterically.

"Whoever threw that, get outta my shop NOW!" he bellowed and was about ready to rush out from behind the counter when he saw a young man take one of the display brooms and try to knock the sock off of the poor girl's head.


"YOU! WITH THE BROOM! DROP IT NOW!" he shouted angrily at Nik as he hurried out from behind the counter with a few house elves scurrying behind him, prepared to clean up the mess.

Andi sighed. "I thought it might help to get your attention before stating what sort of drink I wanted," she said, an edge of sarcasm creeping into her quiet voice. "Just in case you accidentally bring me Firewhiskey when I want a gin and tonic, please."

Andi heard a laugh as she received her drink. It was the kind of laugh that burrowed deep inside her and flipped on all the right switches. She felt a crawling up her spine and her cheeks smarted as blood rushed upwards. Andi felt a little shiver of fury as she whirled round.

"Count Vannacutt, I presume?" said Andi, striding over to him, and taking a seat.

Peony laughed as she caught up with Ashlie. Grimwald and Boreas, tagging along at full speed, plowed into her - Boreas into her hair and Grimwald into her ankles. She turned with a scowl that would've done Andi great justice. "What? You lot want ice-creams too?"

Aw, just one. They can share.

You spoil them.

Well, I'll pay for them.

Excuse me!? Whaddaya mean you'll pay for them?? That's my money!

The Voice sounded snide: Why is it when it comes to money, you always resort to double exclamation marks, Scrooge?

Nikolai dropped the broomstick just like the shopkeeper had shouted at him to do, but turned to the girl, "Well, if you would have bothered to ask, you would know that I was trying to help! I'm not stupid enough to go and throw things at people! There are other ways to play pranks, you know. Cleaner ways." he said angrily.

Turning to Fran, he pulled on her hand, "Come on, let's get out of here before they call the Ministry on us for something we didn't even do."

"A psychic, I am impressed." Andrei said calmly, inclining his head in acknowledgement of the woman. "I am afraid that is not one of my talents, so I do not have the advantage of knowing whom you are."