| Details for Mint-nicking |
| Summary: | In which Lulu pilfers more than one mint from Douglas and learns the hard truth that boys prefer the companionship of 'fitties' over third years. |
| Date: | 1938-12-08 |
| Location: | Three Broomsticks - Hogsmeade |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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"Hello. Mind if I sit?" As if from nowhere, Lucretia puts in an appearance at Douglas' elbow, a wide smile on her face. Not intimidated in the least at asking to sit with a seventh year student, and one with the reputation that Douglas has to boot, she stands with her right hand clasped around a hot chocolate. And it must be pretty hot at that; for after a moment she passes it to her left hand, blowing briefly into the palm of the now freed up one.
Douglas glances up, looks the girl over briefly, then just gestures to the spot opposite him. "Go ahead, go ahead. Try the butterbeer," he recommends. "It's good, if not so warm."
"I did, and I prefer hot chocolate, but thank you," Lu says, quickly taking the seat opposite Douglas. "I suppose that if I drank it more often I might get to like it more, but chocolate's nice and warming when its so cold out." The tip of one finger scoops the froth from the top of her drink and she sucks it quickly off, blowing the heat from her flesh with an exhale around the digit. A breath. "Lucretia Black. Lulu. I'm not sure we got properly introduced the other day, but I know who you are." And she extends her hand, all proper-like.
Douglas sets down his drink, wipes his hand down his trousers, then offers it in return. "Black," he greets simply, giving her a nod. "One of Alphard's lot, or the other side of the family?"
Lucretia concentrates on her chocolate a moment longer, before giving a small uplift of her shoulders, her eyes coming back up to lock upon Douglas'. "He's my cousin," she says eventually. "Distant cousin, I suppose, but regardless, it gives me every right to pester him for favours, and he sometimes obliges. In fact, he did say I could come to Hogsmeade with him today, but I got bored with waiting for him to wake up, so came alone. But shhhh on that." A quick grin is given, as if she's allowed Douglas in on some huge secret, which obviously she hasn't since she's sitting there in plain sight, and adds after a thought slips into her head, "Oh. You aren't going to tell me that you want him dead too are you?"
Douglas half grins at that, briefly flicking the pendant at his neck. "Naw, Black's all right for all that. He gets carried away easily, but I can forgive him that." He settles back in his seat with his butterbeer. "He's probably off with Rowle somewhere, and good on him if he is. I mean, no offence, and I'm sure you're lovely and everything, but given the option of sloping off to Hogsmeade with a little cousin, however distant, or with a fittie who's all over you? Well, aye, no question, is there?"
"Oh. You really think that that's what's happened?" The smallest of scowls pulls Lu's brows together above the bridge of her nose at about the time her shoulders square like a prickly kitten's. "Then I shall tell him how horrible that was of him when I see him next. If he didn't want me tagging along then he should have told me to my face. I'm not a kid that's going to burst into tears over a rejection." Her chin walnuts with that, glower levelling briefly in Douglas' direction before she slides her backside forward and slouches in her seat. "Fittie, huh? Who's this Rowle person anyway?" She's very not up on social gossip.
"She's good people. Black's girlfriend," Douglas explains, shoving a hand into his pocket to pull out a crumpled bag of mints, which he sets on the table in front of him and takes one to pop into his mouth. Crunch. "So it's hardly horrible. Just understandable. He'll probably drop in later and find you. He does keep his promises."
"Fine." There's that one word uttered that has been the death knell of many a man, and Lulu leans forward to claim one of the mints with a curl of a finger. She pops it into her mouth and takes a mouthful of chocolate, which might be an unusual combination for some but apparently not for this particular Black. "You got a girlfriend? Is that the blonde we saw you crawling out from beneath the Gryffindor bleachers with the other day?"
"You know, it's polite to ask, kid," Douglas points out, nodding to the mints. Still, he doesn't seem overly bothered, leaning back and propping a foot up on the seat beside Lucretia. "And aye, I've got a girlfriend. And aye, it's Medusa Malfoy. Yes, that Medusa Malfoy. So don't piss me off too much or I'll set her on you," he warns, grinning easily.
"You offered me a mint in the bleachers the other day," Lulu states, looking remarkably unconcerned by the minor telling off. "If you retracted the offer, you should have told me." Rolling the alleged 'stolen mint' around her mouth, there's a slight considering pause as Douglas confirms it was Medusa. "Medusa's good people," she eventually states, parrotting Douglas' own words back to him.
"I offered swapsies for chocolate the other day," Douglas points out, running a hand through his hair, making it, if anything, messier. "There's a difference. But aye, Medusa's good people. Don't spread the word too much, though. She's got a reputation to maintain."
"I won't spread the word if you stop grouching," Lulu says, eventually giving in and crunching her sweet, cheek ballooning temporarily before she manages to work it to the other side. Another mouthful of chocolate helps matters along and she sinks lower yet in her seat. She's occupying a booth with Douglas, butterbeer his drink of choice and chocolate hers. It seems that she just can't get enough of the warming beverage of late and after swallowing down the sweet she places her mug back on the table, a faint brown line decorating her upper lip.
Jenny slips in humming, her spirits as high as that pleasant smile on her face, while the heavy knee length coat she wore over her button up and trousers was pulled free from her shoulders and hung on the coatrack near the door; her cap followed, as did her scarf until there was nothing left to stop the warmth from sinking into her bones, where it was most needed. Honey blond curls were fluffed, slacks smoothed into place and eventually her gaze swept the room, offering a little smile of greeting towards the familiar third year and an upnod, to Douglas.
"I'll stop complaining if you stop stealing my sweets," Douglas retorts amiably, swirling his butterbeer in its glass. He looks up, giving Jenny a vague nod of acknowledgement. "You've got a tash, by the way," he informs the third year, touching his lip to indicate where. "While I'm sure it's very you, you look like a bloke."
Lulu blushes horribly, a quick pass of the back of her hand dealing with the faux 'tache before she notices Genevieve. Thank God she removed that before the older Slytherin girl was close enough to notice. Leaning forward just a smidge, she grimaces, muttering quietly, or not so quietly to Douglas. "Thanks for that."
There's a sweeping look passed, with some small regret, when Jenny notices that once again, her favorite disgruntled employee is not behind the counter. Either way, it's a mulled wine she orders, to help take the chill from her fingers. Leaning against the counter as she waits, she regards the pair again, pitching her voice with all the ease of casual conversation. "Enjoying your weekend away?"
Douglas murmurs a few words to Lucretia, nodding solemnly, before looking back over to Jenny. "Aye, always good to get out of the prison for a bit. If I had my way we'd never go back to that bloody place again."
There's the smallest squint Douglas' way as Lucretia catches something said, and she can't help but blurt out a decidedly loud, "OH!" Eyes flick over to Genevieve and there's a tentative smile given the older Slytherin girl before she hitches her shoulders, hair slewing forward to cloak her expression as she dips her head, ostensibly to lift her mug and down more chocolate.
Jenny's grin twists into a little amused sideways expression that does wonders for her eyes. "Ugg, me too. But you'll be free of it soon enough, won't you? Counting down the days yet? I know that I've been since the end of fifth. Can't wait to be free of it for good." Though she notices the way Lucretia's posture changes, the way her head bows and glances again towards Douglas as her mulled wine arrives. "What did you say to embarass the poor girl?" She teases.
"Told her how I can't live without you, Solomon, how our love cannot be denied," Douglas intones solemnly.
Lucretia sits rigidly in her place, the Black apparently not going to shift over to accommodate Genevieve so it'll be Douglas her housemate will be sitting down next to. "You're the second, no… third person today that's said they can't wait to be free of Hogwart's and out there!" An expansive gesture is made with the young girl's hand to express 'there'. "I love it here, always something new to learn. I don't see the attraction of 'escaping'."
Chuckling, the tall Chaser wears an all too bemused expression, for all that she still remained at the bar and showed no inkling of moving towards the pair's table. "Oh aye? So hot it burns cold, doesn't it?" It's an easy airy jest, before Jen flashes a grin Lucretia's way. "I remember being that way once. Something different in each new class, some secret that hadn't yet been discovered around every corner and a library filled with books I'd have never gotten the chance to see otherwise. Hogsmeade a fantastical place worthy of pining for in the hopes of adventure. There's still fun to be had in all of it too," the girl admitted; twinkle in her eye. "Hang on to your enjoyment of it, Little Black, don't let anyone take that away, because it's damn hard to get back once it's gone."
"Look out of the window some time, Black," Douglas urges. "Or the door. Or from the rooftops. We're in the middle of the most beautiful country on Earth. The bens, the lochs, the forests, the wildlife, the whole lot of it. And we deliberately force our kids to spend five or seven years before we're forced into a life of drudgery and work, cooped up in a massive grey stone walled prison, only allowed out for good behaviour once a fortnight."
"Nobody is forcing anyone to stay and be a student here, are they?" Lulu grimaces, the young woman resiliant in the face of percieved mutiny. "I mean, if you really wanted to leave, you'd just pack your bags and go. Right? What's keeping you here. Family? Obligation? Tradition? Or do you just know that if you don't complete your studies here that there isn't a place in the wizarding world for you after?"
"It is amazing country," Jenny agrees, even though it was obvious the conversation was particularly aimed to include her. "I particularly love the look of it from on a broom, when the world's painted white with snow and anyone with good sense knows to stay indoors." It's whimsical that, her smile affectionate for the memory. Though she fell quiet when the questions were more directly asked of Macmillan, waiting to hear what he said.
"As long as I'm a student I still get my allowance," Douglas points out, shrugging a shoulder. "I need that. I'm saving up."
"So one more year of torture and you'll be free," Lucretia says, lifting her mug towards Douglas. She might clink it, but you can't really clink chocolate with butterbeer and so she simply gulps another mouthful of it, utter bliss showing in her expression.
"Of course, there's some wonderful people in it too, always willing to meet others with the same open mind that they turn towards learning new magic. I suppose that's one of the other wonderful things about it. But then, I may just be optmistic," Jenny continued, flashing the pair a smile. "Character flaw, I suppose." Her expression turned thoughful, "Could be worse. I could have a nose so long I had to look down it at everyone else and then where would I be." Shrug. "Are you excited for the holidays then?" Inquired in the young girl's direction.
"I really hope that you wouldn't expect to look down your nose at me," Lucretia frowns, chin lifting in the older girl's direction. "I'm a Black." This is stated proudly, though with just a touch of amusement since the pair of them are Slytherin and its taken as a given that Genevieve knows her name already. "Though…" And here she hestiates, her eyes drifting towards the other girl's nose since the topic's been shunted in that direction. "I'm sure my mother knows a charm that could fix that for you should it grow any bigger." A genuine smile softens Lu's expression as she pushes her now empty mug from her and she reaches for another of Douglas' mints. Apparently getting away with pilfering the first time only leads to further infractions. "I'll be going home, though there is a sort of invitation to join the Eibon's for New Year's Eve. And you?"
"Of course you are," Jenny agrees, "A bit on the short side yet, but you'll grow. Both into your figure and your name, no worries there." Yet when her nose is brought into question, the chaser chuckles and reaches up to smooth her fingers down it's front, feeling the cartliage. "Aye, it's not so much a matter of bigger that's the issue, it's breaking. Hazard of playing, unfortunately but for all of it, I don't mind. I've a love for quidditch that makes even the nastiest of bludgers tolerable," the sixth year afforded Lucretia with an easy grin.
"I'm perfectly happy to wait, both for name and figure." Lu states, gesturing to the empty seat alongside Douglas. "Are you going to sit? I think that Douglas was about to order another round and it'd be horrible to miss out."
"They'll come," it's a companionable promise, or perhaps just friendly reassurance as Jenny gives a little nod before sipping her drink. "And you'll weild both with all due grace and poise as to bring respect and honor both to your esteemed family." There's sincerety in that, a warmth of well wishing. "Thank you for the offer, as well. But I believe I'm content enough here, because if I sit over there, some new rumor will spring from it and I'd rather not make Macmillan there uncomfortable."
"Rumour? Seriously? But I'm sitting with Douglas and I very much hope that no rumour will spring from my doing so." So states Lucretia, so blinkered with her vision of things that its almost sweet. "Everyone knows that Douglas is like 'this' with Medusa…" And to illustrate 'this' she twists her middle finger over her index and holds it up in a salute of sorts even though he's only just confirmed that fact to her a few moments before. A sudden thought pokes at her conscience and lifting a hand to her cheek to shield her words from Douglas, she mouths something Jenny's way.
You whisper, "Do you like Douglas in 'that way'? Seems everyone I've spoken to lately does!" to Genevieve.
Jenny all but choked on her drink, a hand rising up so that she could press the back of her knuckles in against her mouth in an attempt to keep from snorting the blasted thing too. "Merlin's balls, no!" The chaser replies from where she's resting, hip pressed against the counter, holding a glass of mulled wine. She doesn't even attempt to lower her voice as she answers Lucretia's all too quiet question. "But Dueces doesn't favor me, you see. Which really, is all the more reason to sit but then, well, what would my friends think? Can't have wires getting crossed, now can I?"
Lucretia is seated at a table with Douglas, an emptied mug of hot chocolate before her. Apparently whatever it is that she's asked quietly of Genevieve has drawn a reaction that near enough dropped the older girl where she stands. "Oh. Alright. I just thought I'd ask," she says amicably, beaming a smile at the server as without apparently being asked, a fresh hot chocolate is placed before her. At this rate, Lu's going to be so large that she'll need an industrial sized broomstick to lift her come the next time she steps out to practice for the Slytherin quidditch team.
Douglas eyes the younger Slytherin, raising a brow. "I can sit with whoever I want to sit with, you know. It's called 'trust'."
"The answer is still no," Jenny replies to Lucretia, "No offense Macmillan." Matter-of-fact, rather than beating around the bush. "Can't have the noble folk mingling with the 'help', after all. S'bad for business." But she saluted them both with her drink, a quiet little toast that saw the glass raised high, before she took a long drink from it.
Lucretia is, perhaps, a little lost as to the politics of what's happening here, her head just tilting oh-so-slightly to one side as Genevieve makes her excuses as to why she chooses not to sit with her and Douglas. "Oh. Okay…" There's the smallest hint of tightness in her tone, the younger girl pursing lips to blow a rogue length of hair from where it drapes her nose before looking back to Douglas. There's a look of complete loss upon her face, as if she's no idea what may or may not have just happened. Placing her elbow on the table she rests her chin in the curved palm of her hand, expression focused as she asks of her table-mate, "Noble folk? Help? What's she talking about?"
Leave it to Silas to make an entrance. Today he's hit the town much earlier than the previous day, and today he's actually gone shopping… two bags carried in either hand. Behind him, as if fitting, a slight wind blows in, ruffling his multilayered winter robes as they do so. Today he's opted for bright, blood-red crimson, the detailed embroidery going up the sides a mixture of green and silver, a hint of snakes crawling up his sides. It's clearly new itself, and custom-fitted to hug his lithe frame exactingly. Black, leather gloves cover his hands but come off the moment the door closes, and are snuck into one of the bags he carries. Slick, black boots finish the ensemble.
Once in, he quickly scans the room, eyes settling on Jenny with a wide, honest smile, and he approaches just in time to hear Lucretia's question, "Nobles? Here? Why wasn't I informed? I totally would have gone with the ochre outfit instead…"
"She likes to think she's working class," Douglas explains succinctly, taking another mint from his bag, throwing it into the air, and catching it in his mouth, before shoving the bag of mints away and instead pulling out a packet of cigarettes. He withdraws the last one from the pack, tucks it between his lips, then pulls out his wand to light up, puffing once or twice before settling back. "It's all part of the 'look at poor little old me' act for attention."
Ugg, cigarettes. Once again, Jenny's thankful to be some distance from the pair and the plume of smoke that rises up from Douglas' fag has ensured that she will stay there. "What can I say, your girlfriend cast the roles," Jenny replies, tongue-in-cheek. "As for poor, really, we're not. And attention is what I have quidditch for. So the issues have never really been a problem. Mostly," her attention shifts from Douglas to Lucretia, "His girlfriend doesn't like me much and I'd rather avoid contention than create it. ..most of the time. Unless it's more playful. I much prefer fun."
And speaking of fun, Jenny's head turns towards Silas when he enters and her smile blooms in full, for all that it's ruined when the draft that follows him carries smoke in her direction and she sneezes, as a direct result. Bah. Cigarettes. "You've gone shopping without me! And look at your robes. My goodness, I..you look great, Sy. Honestly."
Lulu glances between Douglas and Genevieve, and then over to Silas. Silas she knows, of course, the arrival of the sixth-former drawing her eyes even before she's the chance to offer him a smile of acknowledgement. She's definitely in the minority here, a lowly third year in the presence of so many seniors. And yet. And yet… this is Lucretia; a girl so grounded in her own importance and place within the world, that to be considered less than important simply doesn't occur to her. "You should rub cloves on your chest for that," she advises Genevieve on her sudden sneezing fit, unconcerned herself by the drift of smoke as it filters through the room. "Hello, Silas. You look nice."
Silas glides ever closer to the trio, eventually settling himself in a place at the bar next to Jenny, setting himself as a slight buffer between her and the smoke. He, too, gives the cigarette a casual glance, shaking his head almost imperceptively.
His grin now firmly entrenched, he nods to Duncan first, then to Lucretia, following that with a simple, "Thank you, Lucretia. I appreciate it." He,a t least, is well known for his kindness to the lower years, so it shouldn't be much of a shock.
He then looks over to Jenny, beaming, "Yes, actually, I did. I hardly wanted to stand in the way of you and Peyton's excursions later today. Can't be a distraction from that." The bags are set down at his feet, "For the most part it was to replenish some of my supplies, and to get a few treats for Adelaide, although I also thought a peace offering was in order." With that, he reaches into a bag, and pulls out a package, wrapped in plain brown paper and tied off with twine, handing it to Jenny. "And thank you. I'd hoped you'd like the outfit."
Douglas reaches across the table to pull the ashtray closer, tapping his fag ash into it, then takes another puff and blows a smoke ring upwards. He has nothing to add to the conversation, so just relaxes with his cigarette and butterbeer. If only he had a pair of slippers, too, he'd look just like his father on a Sunday afternoon at home.
"No," Jenny replies, giving a little shake of her head in Lucretia's direction, "It's the smoke." Mystery of her sneezing solved, the chaser's attention retreats by degrees until it's settled mostly on Silas, an appreciative smile cast in his direction for his positioning. Her own changes as well, so much that she takes a seat finally, just there at his side; those long legs crossing at the thigh while a hand smooths absently at her slacks.
"Who said anything about that?" There's a hint of accusation in her tone, but it eases because of who she's talking to and settles into a smile instead. "I was going to ask her but..I ha…nevermind." It's an abrupt cut off, her smile momentairly forced. And that look did not ease, when there was suddenly a package slipped into her hands. "What is this?" But that somehow sounded like more why than what, for all the words were there. Her eyes going from the package, to the room at large with its occupants before settling back onto Sy. "I mean, thank you. Sorry, I'm a terrible person with horrible manners, it was nice of you to think of me." Except she doesn't open it, just sits it on the counter next to her mulled wine, before reclaiming the glass.
Lucretia just stares for a moment in Genevieve and Silas' direction before closing her eyes, slipping briefly into French. French is so delicious for moments like this. "Partout ou je vais de retard, ses couples mooning dessus les uns les autres et en regardant horriblement malade." Lifting her mug, she drains the rest of her drink then pushes to her feet, a hand smoothing thick dark waves of hair back behind her shoulders before a dip of her head is given Douglas and she excuses herself. "If you see my cousin, tell him I was here?"
"Aye, I'll walk you out," Douglas decides, pulling himself upright and tucking the cigarette between his lips as he pulls his coat around him.
Lucretia squints at Douglas. "I'll tell Alphard you were a gentleman," she decides, then tucks herself in beside him, offering the pair at the bar a polite nod of her head.
Insert innocent twinkle-eyes here. Silas' look doesn't move a smidge, even as Jenny seems to wriggle under the confusion. He nods his head slightly as he answers, without answering, "I had to guess at the fit, so the shop owner said if it needs adjustments or a trade, he'll be happy to do it."
Then, a pointed look is given back to Lucretia, "Alors peut-tre, chre dame, il vous incombera de ne pas dire du mal d'eux o ils peuvent entendre et comprendre."
Central High Street - Hogsmeade
Douglas shudders as he exits, pausing to puff on his cigarette. "That girl makes me want to stab her in the face with a fork. I can't even explain it. I'm not a violent chap."
"I'm sure you aren't. At least… You don't seem to be. Not from what I know of you so far." Lucretia touches Douglas on his arm, then gives a completely disarming smile. "I should get back to the school. I don't expect you to accompany me as I'm quite sure, like my cousin, that you've better things to do than have a third year trailing you like a bad smell. Thank you for escorting me from the tavern though."
"I'll walk you to the gates," Douglas decides, glancing around briefly. "Then I've got things to do. I've got no idea where Alphard's got to, but if I see him I'll let him know you've gone back already."
"Really? Well thank you," the young Black says, and without being asked, and without any concern whatsoever, she pulls her cloak tight about herself and falls into step beside the Gryffindor lothario.