| Details for Suspension of Reason (or Firewhiskey) |
| Summary: | After being suspended, Shelley tries to find solace at the bottom of a bottle of firewhiskey. |
| Date: | 1939-04-06 |
| Location: | The Hoard Tavern: Knockturn Alley |
| Related: | — |
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Shelley stormed out of the auror's office that day - no explanation offered, and anyone trying to get in her way met with hostility and anger. So it was probably no surprise to anyone that knew her that she would leave the office, and go straight to a bar. She's sitting at a table against the wall now - a bottle in front of her, and a glass, knocking back drinks with stiff and angry posture that warns off any but the most fool hardy.
Graham must have seen what happened at the office, and though many would warn him to 'Let it go Cohen.' he just isn't put together like that and cannot drop it. It has been a little while since the incident with the invoice and things strained but still someone he cares for is in need of help and off he goes. It isn't immediate that he walks in the door right behind her or anything but he does enter and order himself a cider/whiskey accepting it he will take a deep breath. "Evening Prewett." he will greet her when he is close enough. The auror keeping his face neutral for the moment.
Shelley looks up at him, her grip tight around the glass in her hand. "What do you want? Cohen." Her jaw works - obvious anger and frustration plain on her features, and in the tenseness of her posture. She knocks back more of her firewhiskey, then picks up the bottle to pour some more into her glass. She's going to find the bottom of the bottle tonight - that's the plan at least.
He will watch her as she looks to him the anger and other such looks in her features. "I heard, well saw you leave the office." Graham says this not being a surprise as the office really isn't that big and kind of a close group as it has to be. "May I sit, please?" he asks of the other holding his drink still in his own hand he doesn't want to say too much as well he has a way of saying he wrong thing too often.
"I don't need any company," Shelley answers Graham fiercely. "Find another pet project, Cohen. Go save Lee from her next riot."
Graham isn't expecting her demeanor to change or anything with his words but the fierceness of her words back to him and their content hurt. He takes a big drink from his glass before he will speak. "A pet project?" he will say his voice lowered no need to bring the rest of the bar into this. "Shelley, i'm not trying to operate on you, you aren't broken. I am your friend." the last words are spoken with a rare confidence which doesn't often come from him.
Shelley looks away from Graham - off to the side - blinking her eyes, and freeing a few tears to sneak down her cheeks. "I don't need any friends," she answers, before taking another swig from her glass. "I'm fine on my own."
He knew this wouldn't be smooth sailing and it is going about as well as expected. Graham takes another drink from his cider/whiskey while he watches her as she turns away though he is looking closely as something is clearly NOT okay. "Nobody is a mountain like that, it isnt a weakness to rely on people sometimes." it seems he will not be sent away as easily this evening he wont sit down for now but still standing here.
Shelley lets out a snort, and rolls her eyes. "Whatever you say, Cohen." She downs her glass again - and pours again. "But I am on my own. Worthington sent me /home/."
Graham will move to sit now setting down his cup before he plops down into his seat. The snort and eyeroll is something his is used to and doesnt bother him. "I'm just not dissuaded so easily. I am thick headed you know this." he takes another drink though as she speaks about the Chief his eye brow raises "Sent you home? For what?" he cannot help but ask wondering what happened.
As Graham moves to sit, Shelley lifts one foot and /shoves/ Graham's chair, hard, to knock it back and away - and possibly send Graham tumbling to the floor when he tries to drop into a chair that is not longer where it used to be. "Fuck if I know - why don't you go ask him, huh? Go home and stay home - that's all I got," she spits out viciously.
The young auror is indeed about to sit when the chair is noticeably not there anymore sending him to the floor with "Ooof." escaping when he hits good thing he'd already set his mug down or he'd be wearing it right now. If any of the bar notice his fall it is likely they will laugh though he pulls himself to his feet righting the chair few a new sitting attempt. Graham dusts himself off before looking to the other, though his voice is the same tone it had been but more breathless from having just fallen. "I will ask him, later but what was the conversation about prior to him saying this?" yep thick headed.
Shelley smirks briefly when Graham hits the floor - seeming to derive some satisfaction that, at least. "That /was/ the conversation," she answers.
Graham will try to sit lightly down again holding onto the chair he doesn't seem hurt though may be a tad sore later. He will look across the table again at the response to his falling but he cannot let the feelings on the inside show on the outside as they wouldn't do him any good. "I've talked to the chief several times and asked him a few crazy things including going on vacation in the middle of an investigation and he has never come off that way." he will take another bigger drink liquid courage! "Shelley, please talk to me you can punch me curse me whatever but I want to help." he finally says more straight to the point.
"There is /nothing/ to talk about," Shelley answers angrily. "Worthington called me to his office. Said some evidence had come to light - and that I was to go home and keep my nose clean." This is, apparently, her version of keeping her nose clean?
"I'm under /investigation/, Cohen. I'm suspended. Now get the fuck out - before someone gets it into their head to investigate you, too."
He will look across the table when she speaks and the anger is something he has only guessed at with her before even when she'd slammed him against the wall at his home. "That's ridiculous though, of course you didn't do anything." he remains where he'd been another drink taken before he'll order a refill from a server which passes. "Not how that works Shelley, it isn't friends while all is good and seeya when they aren't." Graham says a bit more quietly even than he had before. "I want to talk to Worthington." he adds after a moment it is half a question.
"Then /go/," Shelley spits out - without responding to the rest of his words. "Go talk to Worthington. Maybe he'll explain to /you/ what the hell is going on. Because he won't tell me a bloody thing!" Another glass is emptied and refilled once again from her handy bottle of firewhiskey.
Graham will take that as permission to speak with him, but still he doesn't make a move to leave. He thinks she knew that it wouldn't be that easy of course he is worried about her at the moment. "I will talk to him, and if he'll tell me anything i'll let you know, but I will tell him that you have my full confidence." he takes a drink from his newly filled glass.
Shelley lets out a mocking laugh, and shakes her head. "You aren't supposed to tell me a damned thing, Cohen. If Worthington wanted me to know - he wouldda told me." She rolls her eyes. "You're a bloody idiot, you know that?"
The young auror will shrug "Well than, if i'm allowed to say anything I will." He takes another big drink her last words if they should hurt somehow don't really do so. "I've been told that a few times, yes. Hasn't quite gotten through just yet though i'm afraid." he will says and a chuckle escapes him.
Shelley lets out a snort - and finishes another glass. She's about halfway through her bottle of firewhiskey now, and that's bound to affect anyone. She pours herself another glass - spilling a little as she does - and takes another swig. "Great. Well, ya know what's up. Run off and talk to that chickenshit boss of ours. See what he has to say." She flicks one hand at him. "Go on. Shoo."
Graham will watch across the table glancing towards the bottle of whiskey his own glass of cider and whiskey is taken for another swig. He will order some fries might be a good idea to see if he can get some bread in the other. He shakes his head slightly "You know I cant. Not yet anyways." he says to her words about shooing.
Arthur has been sitting at a table off to the side watching, though he didn't look like Arthur, he had taken the appearance of some random muggle man he saw on the way here, sitting and sitting silently. Looking like a middle-aged british man with a balding spot and a bushy grey beard. He listens to them for a moment, then stands up and walks towards the restroom's. A few moments pass, and Arthur emerges again, though this time was Worthington, crossing his arms and his voice sounding like the man himself, "Tell me what?" he says looking between Graham and Shelley for a long moment, waiting for their reactions.
Shelley pushes herself up to her feet - a little unsteadily, but she's up. "Get /out/, Cohen," she spits out. She takes a step towards him aggressively, her hand bunched into a first in her hand. But then she looks up at Arthur, confusion on her features. Why would he…?
"Just what a chickenshit you are, Worthington. Wasn't enough already, huh? Had to bring it here, too?" she spits out.
A trip toward Knockturn Alley? Why not! It is something that Bannon does on occasion, just to keep the outlaws on their toes. He decides to stop in at a tavern, after all, a little drink and a bite to eat never hurt anybody. But who should be there? Three aurors, including the Chief of the auror office. Well, at least there are some familiar faces.
Graham looks across the table as the other stands up and moves towards him though he will set his glass down and turn towards her. "The fact that you are about to strike me proves my point, that I should stay not the otherway around Shelley." he says calm as anything he did tell her she could hit him and so be it perhaps this would get through to her if she did. He looks back in confusion given he's never seen the Chief of Aurors outside of the office in the whole time he's been working but shakes this off giving Shelley a look after she speaks "Sir, we were just discussing current events." it is kind of the truth.
Arthur nods as Worthington them suddenly shifts back to his normal form, "Now that I got both of yer attention, how about we quit airing our dirty knickers?" he says sternly leaning against the wall crossing his arms, "If yeh got something dae say to someone, say it. Quit maken us all look like fools in a bloody pub. Already have a bloody vigilante maken us look bad enough." he says his gaze moving across both of them, "Shell, I get it yer pissed, time and place though." he says putting his hand to his forehead, his head shaking now. "Shell, pull yerself together already." he says as he pushes himself off the wall, moving to snatch the bottle off the table, "I'm cutting yeh off." he says as he goes to grab it.
Shelley narrows her eyes at Graham - but suddenly Worthington is /Arthur/, and he's taking her /whiskey/. Clearly this is a much higher priority.
"Nightengale, ya little bastard," she answers moving towards him. "It's /Prewett/. Now give me back my damn bottle." For the moment, at least, she doesn't seem to give a damn about the reputation of the auror's office.
With walking stick clacking gently against the floor, Bannon makes his way quickly toward the group. "Enough!" He says loudly. "We are aurors! We are not to impersonate the chief!" He says pointedly to Arthur. "We are not to make a scene!" He looks at all of them in turn. "And if we must have quarrel with a coworker, we discuss it in a calm and timely manner without the use of alcohol. And should we have become inebriated, we do not make a scene that could eventually, even in this area, be brought to the attention of anyone from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and thus result in our arrest."
The young man is watching when the Chief of Auror's switches back to his other form he stands up himself now though instead of to be hit by Shelley he is scowling at the other "Have you lost it?" he says for the first time he sounds a tad angry. Graham looks to Shelley as she will make for her bottle "You are causing the trouble right now, give her the bottle." he will say though. It seems like he would say more when his former mentor approaches this stops the words before they are spoken.
Arthur holds the bottle up, "No it is Shell." he says clearly too her, "And yeh not getting the bloody bottle back, I said yer cut off." he says shooting his finger sharply at her, "And yeh are not getting it back." he says his hair growing bright red, looking over at Cohen, "I am Cohen? Bloody get off it, you should have never let it get this bad and you should have handled this." he says shaking his head in disbelief, "Have I lost it? I'm not the one sitting in a bloody bar making the whole office look lik…"
He manages to stop with a pissed of smirk he looks at Graham and hands back the bottle, "There you go Shell." he says giving her back his Whiskey, moving back and leaning against the wall. "Okay Bates, yeh tell me what to do, we got Shell over here acting like a drunkard and Cohen, saying giving back da bottle. Seeing the chief sure woke em the hell up, you handle it without making a scene, Bates." he says looking at Bates now, waiting to see how he is going to fix all of this.
Shelley snatches her bottle back, glaring at Arthur - and purposefully trying to bump against him roughly as she moves past him, and towards the door. "Forget the lot of ya," she answers.
"I was not implying that Auror Prewett should have the alcohol returned to her!" Bannon sighs, shaking his head. "Auror Prewett, I cannot permit you to leave with that bottle, unless your express intention is to go home immediately. Otherwise I shall be forced to confiscate it from you." He looks back to Arthur and Graham. "Aurors Cohen and Nightingale, what exactly is going on here?"
Graham shakes his head "Yes, because someone pretending to be the Chief makes us all look a whole lot more competent. Taking the bottle making a theatrical presentation of it." he is unhappy it is certain. He looks to Shelley as she retreats and plops money down for his food and drink. "I will see she gets home Auror Bates, really just an office discussion is all." he will say though already he's taken a few steps to follow.
Arthur just leans against the wall, looking between Graham and Bannon, "No Bates you weren't. But that is the point I am trying dae make. I am trying to defuse the situation and was attempting to catch both of their attention, while as you can see Cohen thinks she needs the bottle back because taking it away be maken a bigger scene." he says sounding rather exhausted, "I intervened in a way to get both their attention…" Then Graham's word's hit his ears, his hair that was fading shoots bright red again along with his eyes, "Because Auror Cohen, apparently thinks that allowing her to get drunk, Cursing, Violent Actions and preparing to strike him, all while airing the Office's dirty laundry isn't a theatrical production and should be responded with, acting like nothing is wrong." he says shooting Graham a pair of narrowed eyes.
Shelley wheels towards Graham - having to take a moment to catch her balance after her abrupt movement - but her glare is locked on him once again. "I am /fine/ on my own, Cohen. Leave me alone." She stares him down for a moment before attempting to leave again - bottle still in hand, and without answering Bannon.
"There are other ways to gain a person's attention, aside from impersonating the chief." Bannon says sternly. "I do not have an issue with an attempt to diffuse the situation. But there is a better way than that." He then looks between Shelley and Graham. "Auror Prewett, none of us wish to see you in trouble. If you'll not permit Cohen to accompany you home, would you accept my offer? Otherwise Nightingale here would be more than happy, I'm sure, to take the bottle away from you again."
Graham will glance back to Arthur but otherwise he is not going to be drawn in to a further argument with him at the moment. The young mans gaze swings back around to look at Shelley even though she turns around in anger it is a hand raised to steady that is lifted before she is able to right herself. The hand falls down lightly to his side again more internal ouch at her words but he hides it well. "I will leave when your home." he says though perhaps fool hardy or not caring for his own safety he does take the next steps to follow.
Arthur puts his hands in the air, "Guilty." he says his hair starting to fade back and the brown returning to his eyes, "Poor judgment on my part, Auror Bates." he says looking at Bannon with a nod and bringing his hands back down to his side, "Shalt not happen again." he says, though it sounds more memorized and almost as if he is reading it off a piece of paper, then anything else. His eyes move between Graham and Shelley for a good moment, shaking his head. His right hand moving up and rubbing his brow slowly.
"I do not need your help home," Shelley answers Graham, facing him again and biting out each word in a cold, flat tone. She even takes a step towards him, threateningly - one hand clenched into a fist, the other hand tightly around the bottle. "I don't need /any/ of ya. Didn' ask /any/ of ya ta interrupt my night. Now leave me alone."
"As long as you learn from your poor judgement, we can all move on." Though something in his tone suggests that Bannon might not be moving on just yet. But he's got other concerns first and foremost. "Auror Prewett, I really must insist on an escort. I would hate for a Hit Wizard to pick you up elsewhere and take you in for questioning regarding public intoxication and the making of a scene. I just wish for us to be certain that you make it home safe and sound."
The young auror is stubborn tonight it would seem though he's had quite a few daggers tossed at him. Graham stands his ground even as his friend rounds on him once again "I am just making sure you don't get picked up like Auror Bates says. It wont look good." he will say looking to her more direct. "I am going to try and fix all of this please let me." he says it is a bit more pleading now. It seems either way he is going to help.
Arthur nods at Bannon and looks back between Graham and Shelley. He doesn't say anything, he just stares at the two for a long moment. Waiting to see what happens. "We can chit chat about meh screw up later." he says with a wave of his hand, still staring at the two now, "I think it would be best, if Auror Bates took her home, Cohen." he says Gesturing to Bannon, "He seems to have a better handle on this situation then either of us do." he says, though it may sound like a jab, in reality his tone says that he is being completely honest.
"I don't need anyone to see me home," Shelley insists, her eyes locked onto Graham as she glares at him - rather than including Arthur and Bannon in her ire. "I dun' wanna be left /alone/. What is so bloody difficult in that?"
"I care not which of the three of us see her home, though it does seem that Auror Prewett has a particular disliking for you at the moment, Auror Cohen." Bannon states. Glancing back to Arthur, he nods. "I'd say it should be one of the two of us." Back to Shelley, he says, "Auror Prewett, I've no disillusion regarding your capability to get home. But please, at least consider this, if you permit one of us to accompany you home, we'll leave you alone for the rest of the evening."
Graham will take the glare and nod to her words "Sometimes, friends have to do what is right." he says in response "You getting locked up will not help anything, I will leave you alone I swear it once your home safe." he looks back to Bannon who mentored him as an initiate. He will shake his head slightly he cannot simply walk away before back to Shelley to see her response.
"I need no help home. I will accept no help home. So if you to stop a 'scene' - then all three of you'll let me leave, alone 'n unharassed. Otherwise, we still have a problem," Shelley answers them darkly, her hand still gripping her bottle. "Try me. Just try me."
Stepping closer to where Shelley and Graham stand, Bannon lowers his voice. "Whatever is going on, Auror Prewett, we want nothing but to help. And I wish to help with any consequences of your actions at the Ministry earlier. I know you are a good auror, and I want nothing more fo you to be on our side. But I cannot help you, I cannot vouch for you, if you don't first put your faith in me. I have never been anything but honest with all of you. I have no reason to lie now. Please, Auror Shelley Prewett. Let me be of service to you."
Graham looks back to Shelley when she does speak her words are cold and threatening he is still standing where he had been previously as he listens the approach of Auror Bates gets only a brief look though both of them speaking to her he isnt sure this will even help. He made a promise and beyond that his nature is to help those who are his friends, he does seem a bit deflated though "Shelley, we're only trying to help please."
Arthur just leans against the wall silently, for a long moment. Just watching the interaction between the three, shaking his head. "Shell…" he starts pushing off the wall, "I told yeh the other day, if yeh keep pushing people away that you will find yerself alone." he says with a wave of the hand, "Yeh want to be alone so bad, go for it." he says looking at Bannon, "Yeh can catch me later if you want to talk." he says with a small shrug, not saying anything to Graham as he moves to leave.
Shelley turns her head partway to Bannon - listening to his words while her jaw tightens. Her eyes never quite leave Graham, though. She's silent for several long moments before giving Bannon the barest of nods. She's done enough - /more/ than enough.
"Alone's the plan," she answers Arthur. "Don't follow me," she adds towards Graham, before turning again to leave.
A sigh emits from Bannon. He holds a hand up to Graham as if to say, 'Let it be'. Though that doesn't stop him from following. "Shelley, I'm going to come with you to your home, and that's that. I shall apparate across the street. Once I know all is well, I shall leave you alone." This time it's definitely a statement. "I am the oldest Auror here, and I am taking responsibility as such. Even if you wish not to respect my authority as such, I do only wish for what is best for both yourself and for the office." He offers a tiny nod to Arthur in response to mention of catching him later.
The young auror will catch the look from Bannon whom he does trusts but is resentful now not his usual, but with this it is different he feels responsible for his friend it isn't just a coworker thing. He shakes his head though he will turn to look at Shelley to see her last barb thrown at him. "I didn't do anything." he will say at last his voice is low and broken but he will turn away his face fallen.
No - no Graham didn't. And at /some/point in the near future, she's going to have to talk to Graham. She walks out - her steps a little unsteady, fighting the urge to giggle: that would spoil the effect. This went rather well, actually.
And oh, the look on Graham's face! She's torn between gleeful satisfaction - and just a smidge of guilt. She really hurt him in there.
Bannon doesn't say anything else for now, but merely keeps his distance from Shelley, while still keeping an eye on her. He offers a little nod to Graham. If he could transmit his thoughts, he'd say something to Graham right now, but sometimes silence is needed.