| Details for Where the Hat Tumbles |
| Summary: | In which a Squib and a Witch are interrupted in their journey by a Wizard and a Witch |
| Date: | 1938-12-29 |
| Location: | Leaky Cauldron |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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Rena's mind is /very/ foggy now. That glass of Madeira on top of the wine at dinner has really begun to kick in. Of the fact that talking people already think she's fallen: "That's… true," She begins to say. Now, she looks up at Guy with a softened expression, tempted and almost craving. Her face is dangerously close to his, gazing at him through lowered lashes.
The Leaky Cauldron is quite empty this evening, and anyone entering won't have trouble noticing an unusual pair seated in a cozy little nook. The young redheaded woman on the inside and the RAF pilot on the outside with his game leg stretched out.
The silence is not a good place to apparate into it's kind of noticeable. The place was empty and then with a *crack* there stands a tall man in wizards robes removing a hood from his head. Graham takes a moment to look around to see if he knows anyone which he does though the scene here halts his glance there and he's moving before he's even really had a chance to process things through towards the table. "Rena are you well? You seem a bit red in the face." yeah she's drunk but he's nice about it to start.
Guy looks over, giving out a little grunt of irritation. Perhaps his leg is paining him? He doesn't interrupt, of course. Wizards and witches talk.
The tell-tale sound of apparition breaks Rena's train of thought - and not in a good way. She frowns, actually somewhat annoyed by the interruption. Then that familiar voice strikes her like a pang of guilty conscience, and the young woman starts. Leaning to look past Guy, her eyes meet Graham's unsteadily and she forces a quick smile: "Ooh- 'Ello, Graham! Y-yes, I'm juzt fine - really I am. Guy 'as been taking /good/ care of me." A small wince… did that sound wrong?
Graham looks between each the grunt of irritation marked by a look given but his focus turns towards the other auror meeting her gaze though he can probably though as she speaks he gets most of what he needs to know about how much she's had to drink. "Hm yes, I saw that as I arrived. It's good thing. We both know how I get protective over my friends." he says lightly though if he's taken her words one way or another he's not saying much. "I suppose though since it's so empty you wouldn't mind me joining i'd be awfully sad to sit alone with nobody here and all."
Guy looks to the woman with some amusement, then says gruffly towards the wizard, "I thought we were about to leave, actually. But feel free to take the table."
Rena realizes after a moment that she called Guy by his first name - not his last. If her face weren't already red, she'd probably blush. "Mister Grosvenor is my friend, too…" She says to Graham.
Then Guy mentions the fact that they were about to leave. "We were?" She asks, puzzled. But then, a look passes between her and the pilot and she seems suddenly determined: "Yes, we were, actually." A defiant glance is cast toward Graham. One that seems to say: You're not my old man.
How many days has she been on this bender with Jocunda Sykes? Shelley was starting to lose track. She'd checked her calendar and she was fairly certain it was Sunday, and that she still had another day or so before she was expected to be back at work. Shaking her head, she pushes open the door to the Leaky Cauldron, and slouches her way in (yes - it's a way of walking now), her path taking her towards the bar.
The young man looks to the pilot before back to the other auror. Graham notices the blush but also that she's really drunk the look to him defiant as it may be doesn't daunt him. "Hm I don't know Rena you look like you've had too much perhaps you'd need to see a healer? I can get one?" he says his tone still the same but perhaps a slight edge. "I don't think i'd be a proper friend if I did allow you to be off just now you should sober up a bit first."
Guy says with a rather dry tone, "Actually, I can brew a rather fiendishly effective potion for that. Black, unsweetened coffee. Does the job marvellously well!"
Again, that pang of guilt. Graham's inference about Takeshi doesn't quite escape Rena, even in her current state. But it has the unfortunate opposite result of what he's hoping. Guy's remark causes her to smile, again with defiance: "See? I told you 'e can take care of me!" She takes hold of Guy's arm, rather anxious due to her wavering resolve: "C'mon, let's go." No real heed is given the other Auror who just entered the bar just yet.
A quick glance around, and Shelley's eyes fix on the two other aurors in the place - it's hard to miss, given the way Rena is pawing the guy in a- ugh, is that a muggle military jacket? Well, there's no accounting for taste. If she wants to go off an polish wood with an older man, that's no business of hers.
She stops at the bar not far from the trio, looking to whoever stands behind the counter. "Coffee - put a shot of whiskey in it, right? Thanks."
Guy looks slightly surprised, but comes up to his feet with only a slight wince. He offers his arm to the woman, "Right ho! As you command."
Graham moves quickly now quite infront of the table only a step back. His arm crosses over his left near his sleeve Rena will know it's where he keeps his wand it's not drawn though held there. "Stop she isn't leaving." it's more firm still looking to the both. "When I arrived here I saw an intoxicated woman about to kiss a man fine, but do not play gentleman if you were not prepared to stop her. She is unable to offer consent if you look at her the wrong way it will be assault. He'll draw our a badge first showing it before he places it back. "You have military police yes?" he's stood to full height though watching the two.
Guy's brow lifts, "I have also been drinking." He points out levelly, and gestures to the woman, "Why are you talking to me, not to her? She is the witch, I am not. Are you not about to suggest SHE was about to assault me? Or is it merely that you automatically assume that a Squib must be in the wrong, even when _nobody_ is suggesting it is anyones business, but you." He taps fingers lightly against the seam of his trousers, "And by all means, telephone the military police to get them to come into Diagon alley, to interrupt a lady inviting a gentleman to have coffee with her, with no suggestion of impropriety." There's a significant pause, followed by, in a slightly gruff tone, "I can help you with the telephone bit, if it'll be too hard, otherwise?"
Unsteadily, Rena also rises to her feet, catching hold of Guy's arm to steady herself. She laughs a little, quite carefree until Graham decides to place himself in the way. Now, the little redhead who is generally so genial becomes quite the little spitfire. Echoing Guy's sentiment, she glares: "You jus' don't like me 'anging around with a Squib. You think 'e ain't good enough to be seen with!" No remark is made of the fact that she doesn't know the real ramifications of what she was going to do before Graham arrived. She'd like to think she knew, but he's shaken her.
Now things are getting interesting. Shelley turns, leaning back against the counter and watching the trio, eyebrows raised. They're making quite the scene, aren't they, shouting out the word squib like that, clinging to each other?
"How about I buy a round of coffees for everyone?" she calls over helpfully. "Miss Lee - smashing hat," she adds.
The auror's eye's flash to even hint that he's bias on blood status is enough to anger him quite alot, but Graham also knows this is likely what the other wants and so its a deep breath first that he takes. "It's not about being a squib but a gentleman a good man, and you should know i'd fight and die to protect any squib or muggle." this to the pilot first he turns to Rena as she stands and is unsteady he knows he'll catch hell but is stead fast until she speaks this seems to hurt worse than anything the pilot can say even though untrue, but he hardens once more. "Rena, please look who your saying that to? Think for a moment." his mind is made up though turning back to the pilot. "She's not leaving Mr Grosvenor, if I offended you I am sorry, but it changes nothing." the offer of coffee gets a tilt of his head "Coffee here is acceptable."
Guy says, firmly, "You're arresting her? On what charge?" There's a slight set of the jaw. "Perhaps we should step out into muggle London. Find somewhere where people do not have quite such dirty minds?"
Graham's words bite into Rena, and her head droops. Something in her better nature seems to at least have been touched through the fog. Things just seem to be getting more muddled in her mind though, and her hand passes over her face. She sways on her feet slightly before shaking it off. Shelley's voice drifts through, and her dark eyes open, falling upon the other woman. She begins to smile, but then Guy accuses Graham of trying to arrest her… Is that what it is? She's confused enough to not know for sure. "I 'aven't done anything…" Rena says thinly, somewhat dismayed.
Now this is just getting absurd. "Cohen is not arresting you, Miss Lee," Shelley remarks as she strolls over towards the trio. "Now, let's all sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee, and talk like reasonable adults - because /some/ of us are stuck with the onerous task of representing the MLE, even when we're off the job." So says the woman who's been getting extremely drunk with a Quidditch player on her off hours, and then racing on brooms at (literally) breakneck speeds through forests once they've sobered.
Her eyes flick to Guy as she adds, "And I imagine you represent something as well, given the uniform, Mister- err. I don't believe we've met. Shelley Prewett." The woman offers a hand, along with a smile.
Graham turns to the pilot "Arresting her?" he asks confused a moment at the question, but he turns to Rena a moment as she looks back to him. "I'm not arresting you, look just please stay here sit back down." he asks Rena his face is concerned when she wobbles he raises his hand but she seems to still be standing. The other auror's appearance gets a nod "Yes we can enjoy the leaky cauldron." he's not moved though and
Guy shakes the hand given to him, "Squadron Leader. Grosvenor." There's a pure bred family of that name. Then to Graham he says, "Well, if she is not under arrest, on what grounds do you say, having displayed your Warrant Card, that 'She is not leaving'? I feel that perhaps that is rather up to the lady, rather than to you…. unless you are using powers. If you wish to detail her unlawfully, I should be very willing to lodge a writ of Habeus Corpus. I _believe_ I recall the wording… or at least can look it up." His words are brisk, impatient of stupidity, as he sees it. "Now, if the lady wishes coffee here, that's fine. But otherwise, sir, I suggest, you sit yourself down, or arrest her, and take the damn consequences."
Rena's anxiety is growing by leaps and bounds. And she doesn't exactly feel the greatest right now. Her dark eyes dart between Shelley, Graham and Guy. Both men are friends of hers - both of them are getting angrier by the minute. "I - I won't 'ave you two fighting ov-" She lets go of Guy's arm and steps forward, only to stop abruptly. Again, her hand goes to her face, and her eyes seem less than clear: "I don't feel…so…"
That's all she says. The wine seems to have hit her in a bad way and her eyes close in a dead faint as her knees buckle below her.
Bad leg or not, the officer darts forward, and drops to the bad knee, with a visible wince, and catches the swooning witch, as she collapses, lowering her gently to the ground in the process.
The boys are closer to Rena than she is - so Shelley does not make an attempt to catch the woman. They'd all just bump heads, and miss securing Miss Lee's safety. She just shakes her head, muttering under her breath about idiocy. "Get her into a comfortable chair, then," she suggests. "And, /Squadron Leader/ Grosvenor, do learn not to antagonize situations. Cohen here is just being his usual," uptight, "upright self." She stoops, retrieving Rena's hat, and perching it on her own head for a moment. Glancing at the bar she adds, "Ahh - the coffees. A few moments too late, it seems."
The young man watches hoping Rena will sit down and this doesn't have to proceed he really doesn't wish it to. He looks to the pilot "The badge was to avoid confusion on me just being some guy." Graham looks back to Rena though she doesn't look in good shape and she falls he moves forward though the pilot gets there first "I am being a friend, she is already seeing someone, and I didnt wish her in her intoxicated state to do something she'd regret, now i'm taking her home and do NOT argue." he is truly angry now though as he moves forward to reach down and grip Rena's wrist in his hand before turning lightly and disappearing with a *crack*
Guy ignores Shelley's suggestion, as he lowers the woman to the floor, one hand running over her back, as if feeling for something. He starts to argue, and then, the pair vanish. He gives a little shrug, and straightens up, with a grunt of pain. And slips into a chair, "You know… I'm not sure of wizard law, but that one will fall afoul of muggle law at some point." He gives Shelley a brief look. "And if you think _that_ was antagonising, you mistake your man, madame."
"Co-" Shelley starts, but then the pair is gone, and she's left shaking her head. …and wearing a hat. "Hrm. Now I'm a hat thief. Ah well. Does it suit?" she asks, flashing the squib a smile.
"I'm afraid I have far too much coffee at my disposal for any one girl. Care to help me drink some of it?" she suggests, deciding to drop the topic of antagonizing, as she nods her head towards the bar instead.
Guy stretches out the leg carefully, then nods, "Coffee would be… what is the word…. acceptable?" Ah. Remembering words. Also gruff tones. "Yes. It suits you well enough. Tell your friend not to be such a biased idiot in future." Ah. A squib with a grudge, clearly.
"That's Cohen for you," Shelley remarks with a shrug. "Though - to be honest with you - I think he'd treat /any/ man other than her father trying to take her home in that state with the same suspicion. The guy's uptight. What can I say?" She offers the man with the stiff leg no help as she makes her way to the bar, slipping into a seat.
"Which one had the whiskey?" she picks up the indicated mug, taking a drink. Ahhhh…
Guy takes one of the others, and swigs, "Ah. He wants to bed her himself. I see." He shakes his head, "It's a wicked world."
Shelley snorts - with coffee in her mouth. Dangerous, that, but she somehow manages not to spit the stuff everywhere, or have it come burning out her nostrils. "Don't /do/ that to a girl!" she protests with a laugh. "No. No, he doesn't intend to boff her. I think he has someone else in mind, entirely. He's more… I dunno. Big brother to her? From what I've seen."
Guy drains the cup, "Aye? Well, my experience in the War tells me that it's the really uptight ones… the ones who show themselves as prigs and bullies who go to pieces when pressure or temptation lie on them, and do unspeakable things to peasant girls." He reaches for another cup and takes a big slug of that, before replacing it, "… or their sheep." The cup replaced, his cap is lifted politely, "Miss Prewett. I take my leave of you. Do apologise to Miss Lee that I didn't punch her annoying fella unconscious when I had the chance, won't you?" It's said perfectly lightly. Conversationally. And he starts limping to the door.
It's a struggle, but Shelley manages to swallow the coffee in her mouth and cover her face before she bursts into laughter. This is a squib she could learn to like. After a moment, she lifts her head from her hands and smiles at Guy. "It was a pleasure. But I do think you're wrong about Cohen. I'll pass on your apologies, certainly, when I return the hat."
Guy gives a little nod, and keeps on limping out, into Muggle London.