| Details for Goggles and Birdies |
| Summary: | A mistaken identity leads to broken bones. And quarreling birds lead to a a pleasant meeting. |
| Date: | Jun 11, 1938 |
| Location: | The Three Broomsticks |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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Despite the obvious patina of age, The Three Broomsticks has a warm, inviting ambiance. This character the pub has attained is, no doubt, thanks to the years it has been steeped in the environment of this particular village. Just one evidence of the village's influence on the pub can be seen in the dark paneling inside the building. The wood was once the outer walls of the home that housed Hogsmeade's founding family. Put to good use once again after the founding family bequeathed it to the pub, the paneling has served the pub just as well as it once served Hogsmeade's founders. The Three Broomsticks has flourished under its current proprietor and is always open and ready for a customer or visitor.
The dark wood surface of the floor glows with a polished sheen from much cleaning, and exposed ceiling rafters, which appear to be original, cross the ceiling in tidy squares. Wood tables of varying sizes litter the room, and matching chairs are scattered among them. Several secluded booths fill up the space along one wall. A flavorfully aged mahogany bar takes up most of the space near the back wall with a series of mirrors and shelves of varying heights hanging behind it. Those shelves behind the bar are lined with memorabilia depicting the life and people of the village as well as items which are special mementos to the pub's owner.
Looking to broaden her pub knowledge, and knowing that the kids are not allowed out yet, Nova has chosen to drown her sorrows tonight at the Three Broomsticks. She's dressed for comfort, or a fight depending. Loose fitting pants and her tight vest shirt with her beaded chocker and braid hanging down her back. It's not hard to know who she is, if someone has any knowledge of Quidditch happenings. The door swings closed behind her and she'll grin, casing the room.
Lionel is sitting in the dark shadowy corner at the back of the room. He's wearing black leather pants and a black button up shirt. He has a very well worn, battered old thick black leather trench coat on as well. There are two empty mugs in front of him, and a third that's about half full. A rather old tome is sitting on the table in front of him, open, and he appears to be reading, though he looks up and inspects everyone in the room when Nova steps in, before looking back down again.
The door opens up not long after Nova. In steps Carter and he surveys the room. His usual clothes traded in for a button up shirt, dungarees, and a robe meant for flying. He pulls off the goggles he was wearing and starts to clean them off.
Nova strides over to the bar, a slight swagger in step. Her short stature is made even more apparent when she has to hop to hop to get into one of the stools. She'll raise a hand to get the bar keeps attention, and is promptly over look as usually. This time it may actually be because of her size, as he's used to ignoring students to wait on adult patrons first. She'll wrinkle her nose slightly in annoyance and look around the room again. Eyes going over Lionel to Carter and his obvious flying outfit. A smirk forms on her lips and she'll nod to Carter.
Lionel purses his lips a moment, watching Nova sit. He studies her for a long moment, and then lets out a soft, "Heh…" and rolls his eyes, shaking his head and taking a drink from his mug. He turns his attention then on Carter, and sizes that fella up, top to bottom, as he drinks.
Carter returns the nod to Nova. He raises his eyebrow as the woman looks familiar to him. He hasn't placed her yet due to nobody famous would be here. He has an easy smile on his face as he realizes he getting sized up. He makes his way toward the bar and orders a drink.
Nova turns back to the bar, and frowns again as Carter is served right away and she's again looked over. Whatever Gypsy she pissed off is definitely getting their revenge. She'll flip her braid over her shoulder, wondering if this was the best pub to chose. She'll dig in a pocket and place coinage down on the counter and push it forward. In an obvious American accent, she'll loudly ask "A butterbeer, please."
Lionel closes his book rather calmly, and he takes another long, slow drink from his mug. This time, his eyes stay on Carter. He stares. There's something almost predatory in his eyes, and after three of four swallows, the mug is emptied, and he sits it back on the table. Never taking his eyes off the man, he slowly begins to rise from his seat.
Carter frowns, "I'm sorry about that, Miss." He frowns that he gets severed before him. "You a Yank? Wait a moment, you're… no way. Your the Warrior." He passes his butter beer down to her, "No way, I'm drinking a butter beer before the Warrior." He though seems to be keeping an eye on Lionel.
Nova gives the bartender a look till her money's taken and gone. It's not quite a glare, but close. She'll turn towards Carter, eyebrow raised some and then will grin as he passes his drink down, "You an Arrows fan?" Once the Bartender realizes that not only Nova isn't a student, but she's got some kind of fame he quickly hurries and replaces Carter's drink. She'll extend her right hand, "Nova Tiva. You are?" If he takes her hand, it's a strong grip, obviously callused hand.
Suddenly, without further warning, Lionel breaks into a sprint across the room, darting towards Carter. He leaps, his thick black boots landing on a table, and then he lunges at Carter. His leather trench coat flies up behind him as he tackles Carter, the two men rolling to the ground of the pub. At some moment, as they land, Lionel draws a wooden stake from somewhere beneath his trench, and lifts it up, preparing to stab Carter.
Carter's in the middle of taking Nova's hand, "I'm Carter Worthington with the M…Umph?" Carter wasn't expecting to get tackled. As he wrestles around with Lionel, it's sign that Carter can handle himself in a fight. Then it goes from all fun in games to stakes, Carter pulls out a wand aiming it at Lionel, "I don't know what the blood hell is going on or who you are. But don't even think about it."
Merlin's beard! Nova isn't sure what the fight in front of her is about (and Merlin knows she doesn't usually care) but weapons have been drawn. Instintivly, the man she was talking to get her support and the heavy mug of Butterbeer is whipped like a quaffle at the attacking man's …stake? Mug connects with his wrist with a sharp crack and the stake goes flying from his hand. Unfortunately for both men, the mug was full…and is no longer. The drink is now soaking both men. Nova raises both fists, always having done better with her hands than her wand, anyway.
As the mug strikes his wrist, he curses, "Dammit!" The same moment, he sees the wand drawn, and his eyes widen just slightly. And then the door to the pub opens and a rather tall, thin pale fellow takes two steps inside. He's wearing a flying robe and tinted goggles on his head. Lionel looks from Carter to the similarly dressed man that just stepped in the door, and his brow furrows. "…oops."
The man at the door looks directly at Lionel and bares thick rows of disgusting, razor sharp fangs as he hisses disgust at Lionel. And then he turns, and bolts out the door, leaving Lionel to simply slump his shoulders. "Piss," and then he sighs.
Carter grins at his rescue, "Hell of a shot." He looks at Lionel and then at the vampire that bolts, "I'm a Constable, not a vampire." He opens his mouth, "See no fangs. Got a shadow. I'm human." He frowns, "Shouldn't you be chasing him?”
Nova stands there, slightly baffled. Was that a …did he just…really? She'll drop her hands, although her fists stay balled, "What the hell?" She'll walk up to the two men, making sure Carter seems ok before turning back to glare at Lionel.
Lionel slowly pushes off of Carter. Carter is on the floor, having been tackled by Lionel. There's a wooden stake on the floor nearby, along with a mug. Lionel's right wrist is bend kind of awkwardly and is quickly bruising as he pushes up to his feet. He looks at Carter a moment, and then bends down to pick up his stake. "They're fast. It's better to let them come to you." He glances at the door, shaking his head, "I'll get him tomorrow." He shucks the stake into a holster on his belt, and then looks at his wrist, moving it just a bit and wincing. He smiles, though, and looks at Nova, licking his lips kind of seductively. "You broke my wrist. Lemme buy you a drink." And the corner of his mouth upturns.
Peeking around the corner of the door, Keenan makes sure it's safe before he enters the Broomsticks. Dressed in typical casual robes, his hands are shoved into his pockets, and green eyes don't take long finding the men on the floor. There's a humorously raised eyebrow, and although he doesn't go towards them, he does comment, "ye might want tae have someone take a look at that wrist, aye?" One shoulder leans against a post as he regards the unraveling of the tangled people, taking his hands out of his pockets to cross them loosely over his chest.
Carter eyes Lionel trying to decide to punch the vampire hunter or curse him. He gets to his feet and is soaked in butter beer. He reaches to the bar to reclaim his goggles. He tucks them in his belt, "Thank you!" He looks down at himself, "Looks like I did get my drink after all. Just not on the inside." He chuckles as he watches Lionel carefully still trying to decide what to do with the guy.
Nova blinks, clearly not expecting the hunter to not only be okay with a broken wrist, but offering her a drink, "I think you would him a drink before me." She'll tilt her head and give Lionel a scrutinizing look, trying to figure him out, before turning to Carter, "Sorry about that. closest thing at hand." she'll glance to Keenan, she knows him from somewhere, but can't place him at the moment. she'll nod though, and look back to Lionel, "You should have that looked at."
Merganser steps in the doorway. He's tall. He looks even taller because he's wearing a proper tall pointed traditionally wizardly hat. It doesn't match his formal attire — it's grey blue and much more worn than his robes. Also, there are two blue tits on the brim, fighting and chirruping as they do so.
"It's fine, I'll…" And then Lionel turns to see Keenan. He slowly smiles, and he nods, "I suppose I will." He then looks back at Carter. "Sorry. It was the goggles." He glances at Nova, smirking, "I didn't realize people actually wore goggles in public." He chuckles, and then holds his wrist a moment. He offers a little sigh and a nod, and looks at the barkeep. "Their next round is on my tab." He then passes a rather large amount of cash to the barkeep, and adds, "Sorry about the mess."
Carter looks down at his goggles, "I'd flown by broom up from London, high altitude, so the Muggles wouldn't see me. Needed something to keep the wind and the bugs out of my face." He says with a shake of the head. "Can't say I won't turn down a replacement drink." He looks back to Nova, "Hell of throw, can't say I couldn't complain about the sacrifice of Butter Beer for my life, especially by one of the Arrows."
Keenan gives one nod to Nova, but then gives a jerk of his head to Lionel to see his arm, reaching into one sleeve for his wand. His green eyes follow Carter for a moment, and then he's more focused on the Vampire Hunter.
Nova does a quick glance towards the front door, hearing the chirping birds, and then turns back to Lionel, quirking her head. "Really? It was the Goggles?" She's starting to lean toward the humor here and her lip begins to twitch into a smile. She'll look to Carter, "Well, I'll try to convince Clavin that I need to play with a mug instead of a quaffle, but I don't think he'll go for that."
Merganser steps in, heading for a table, then stops and looks around. He appears to be trying to identify the source of the birdie complaints. The tilting of his head just makes his hat a less stable battleground. One bird attempts, vigorously, to pull a wing-feather off the other.
Lionel nods as he turns to face Keenan, noting to Nova, "Goggles are evil," he shares, but there's just a little playfulness to his tone that suggests he sees the ridiculousness of this mistake tonight. "Nothing says, 'I practice dark magic' like a set of goggles on a fella's head." He smiles, and then lets Keenan look at his wrist. "It's fine, pal…" But he doesn't pull away from him at all. Macho.
Keenan glances between the two men at the talk of goggles, and gives a shake of his head as he holds a hand under Lionel's wrist without actually touching it. "Well done," he tells the man. "Ye've got a nice crack there, but not enough tae keep ye from movin' it. Just hold it still fer a moment…" he concentrates for a second, then he gives a back and forth twitch of his wand, and a quick word. "Shouldn't bother ye tae much, but some skelegro would nae be amiss. Stop intae Mungo's when ye get a chance… I have a feelin' ye could use a personal bottle of tha potion."
Carter grins, "Maybe keep one in reserves for a rogue bludger with the mug." He says to Nova as he drinks his butter beer. He shakes his head, "Goggles are evil?" He shakes his head, "Well Ms. Tiva, It was a pleasure meet you. I'll be rooting for you. I better get cleaned up." He makes his way to acquire a room and a bath and as he goes, he mutters, "Goggles are evil."
Nova snorts and shakes her head at both Carter and Lionel. but she's grinning now, clearly this was the right pub to go to. She'll give another glance to the now fighting birds on the old man's hat and then back to Lionel and Keenan, "I hope it is not too bad." She'll smile and nod to Carter as he leaves.
Merganser seems to figure it out. He reaches up, carefully and slowly, to the wide brim of his hat. The squabbling birds don't appear to notice. They're too busy administering tiny beatings to one another and making noise.
Lionel nods at Keenan, "Thanks. I'll do that." He nods again, and then looks at Nova, "Take it easy," and he winks at her, before turning and heading for the door.
Nova shrugs, this has been an odd evening so far. She'll take her new mug of butterbeer and finally get a sip glancing around at the room again, eyes landing on the boxing match happening on that poor man's hat.
Merganser goes a bit cross-eyed, looking up at his own hat. Not that he can really see what's going on on the brim. Nevertheless, he manages to catch the little birds. Mostly because they make no attempt to avoid his large hand. He pulls them down and looks at them. "Silly creatures," he says. They sit in his palm, still pecking each other.
Nova snorts again. she may not know much, but she does have a close friend who's feathered, and yes, he can be silly. "It does not look at if your friends like each other very much." she'll raise her mug up for another sip.
"Evidently not," says Merganser. "I can't imagine why." He starts, carefully, to attempt to pull the tiny creatures apart. "Enough of that, you two," he tells them.
Nova chuckles again, fighting usually puts her in a better mood. Even if it was just a thrown mug. "I have found, that fighting, in it's core, is about one of two things. Liking or not liking. " she'll tilt her head, looking at the two warring birds. Her American accent is rather apparent.
"I think it's probably about women," says Merganser, still gently trying to part the tiny combatants. What he's accomplishing is more giving one leverage to pull harder on one of the other's feathers. The man glances up from his little task to order: "Butterbeer, please."
Nova nods, "then it is about liking and not liking." She'll give him another smile, "And aren't all good battles about women , in some way?" She'll wince slightly at the feather pulling, her Octo would be having a fit if he was seeing this.
Merganser looks at Nova, his bright blue eyes amused. "You're right, very right," he says. He sits down across from her and sets the fighting birds on the edge of the table, having apparently given up on parting them. He's tender about handling the little things. When his beer arrives a moment later he callously pours about half of it over their them.
Nova knows she's right, having been in enough fights, or the cause of them. She'll laugh loudly when he just pours the beer over the little things, "Does adding alcohol ever help a fight?" Still smiling she'll extend a hand, "I'm Nova."
The little birds do, at least, part to sputter and shake the butterbeer off themselves. Merganser takes the opportunity to pick one up. And then he notices that she's offering to shake and responds, seemingly automatically, but pausing part way through the gesture because he has a beer-soaked bird in his hand. Which, if she accepts it, will simply end up in Nova's. The old man says, "Merus. A pleasure."
Nova laughs again and will reach over to pick up the second drenched birdie. She'll whistle softly at it, almost careingly. Which is out of place with the tough girl exterior she puts on, "It is a pleasure. And who are these two? My Octo would have them both for a snack, especially soaked in butterbeer!"
"Oh, they're locals," says Merganser. "Toss them out the door and hopefully they'll go their separate ways like proper gentlemen." He has a swallow of the remains of his beer, and then licks some foam out of his moustache. "Am I correct that Octo is an owl? I am sure I can offer him some meatier snacks. Soaked in butterbeer at your own discretion, of course." He smiles, impish.
Nova holds onto her local then, trying to smooth out a feather or two. "Octo is not. He is an old man of a raven. He has been with for a very long time." She'll tilt her head at the bird in her hand, "I do not know if he would eat them, or just scold them into behaving better….he is a good yeller." She'll reach for her mug and take another sip.
Merganser laughs. "Ah, excellent," he says. "And a fine name for a raven. It seems we have something in common. Only the one who hangs about with me is called Book." He seems very pleased. "Also a good yeller."
Nova almost looks relieved, everyone has owls!she just doesn't get it! she'll lean forward slightly, "I made the mistake when I was younger of swearing in front of him," Younger? She's not really that old! "Luckily it was mostly in my native tongue, so most don't know what names he's calling them." she'll nod, "Book is a good name. Did he nest in one to get such a name?"
Merganser grins. He's a good-looking old fellow. He says, "Book has never tried to make a nest. He does have a habit of sitting on bookshelves, but then again, who doesn't?"
"Octo does, but I think he does just so he can steal my undergarments." Nova shakes her head slightly, "He is a dirty old bird." She'll lean back, placing a foot on the rung of her own chair, "I can respect that. Perching is important."
Merganser seems very like he might just like to say something about stealing her underpants. He keeps it confined to, "Who isn't?" and finishes off his butterbeer before adding, "Well, I am sure to have something he'll like that you won't mind him stealing. Owl treats, pickled eyeballs, that sort of thing."
Nova rolls her eyes, not quite catching his sorta flirt, "I am fairly certain that the population of Ravens has double, just because of him." She'll tilt her head, in an almost bird like way, "Do you specialize is bird treats?"
"Specialise? No," says Merus, "But I have them in plenty. I planned to open a shop."
Nova ahs, "For all types of pets then?" She'll nod, "Octo has been rather…grumpy lately. Perhaps a new treat, or something new for him to play with might be good.When are you planning on opening your shop? I do not have anything else to spoil, I can indulge him." There's a moment where an underlying sadness is in her voice, but she quickly covers it up with a laugh, "It is going to be in a building , right? Not on your hat?" She's obviously teasing.
Merganser nods, "For all types of pets," he says. "And I suppose I'll open it when I can find a building that I can move it into. Else I'll have to cart it 'round in a wheelbarrow. My hat won't do." He rolls his eyes again to look up at it. "Won't do at all."
Nova gives a thinking look as she takes another long sip of her drink, her cheeks starting to turn a bit pink. "Are you wanting her it Hogsmeade's?Or perhaps at Diagon alley?" She'll glance to his hat and snicker lightly. she'll take another sip, to try to cover up her laughing some.
"This hat has been with me a long time," says Merganser. "It deserves a more comfortable retirement." He winks, "And I was planning on here, in Hogsmeade. I prefer the fresh air, and to go for a tramp about the countryside when I take a mind for a wee bit of a trek, and without having to apparate about to do it. Also, the pub is nice." He gives the two still-beery blue tits a stern look, "Even if the neighbors are a bit noisy."
Nova nods, "You should do well here with the students." She'll sigh softly, looking down at the bird in her hands, "Speaking of apparating…I should. I have practice in the morning." She'll give him a rather warm smile, "It was very nice to met you, Merus." she'll stand, bringing herself to her full height of 5 foot.
Merganser nods. "Likewise, Nova," replies the man. He sets a coin on the table to pay for his drink and also rises, holding out his hands. Probably for the birds. He's a full foot and a half taller than she is. Over two and a half if you count the hat.
Nova hands the bird over, "Now that I know someone here at Hogsmeade, I will come back more often." She'll give him another smile before straighten her vest some , quirking an eyebrow at his height and then with a *crack* she apporates out!