she breathed in thunderstorms

The note for his new assignment appeared in his pockets just moment ago. He knew his father was a corrupt man– working for the Minister as well as being a Death Eater– but he never thought Declan Bones was a threat big enough to be killed. Edgar hadn’t spoken or seen his father in seven years, the thought of popping in out of nowhere just to kill him seemed devilish even to Edgar. He’d done plenty of questionably devilish things himself– but to be assigned to carry out a hit on his own dad was something else.

He eyed a full pint that had been left on the bar for over ten minutes, reaching past someone to grab it. “Finders Keepers– right, mate?” Edgar smirked, his Scottish accent growing thicker the more drunk he got.

The minutes were seeming longer than usual. Marlene rubbed her eyes, half asleep from closing up The Leaky Cauldron for the third night in a row. It had been a rowdy night with crowds of wizards and wizards for after work drinks and young wizards sculling down firewhiskey shots. It had been a real effort not to join in with them and show them how the expert did it. It was quieter now but there were more than a few wizards enjoying a drink.

Marlene scowled at the clock. She set off, collecting stray pints and shot glasses scattered all over the bar. Midway through her clean, she noticed Edgar seated at the bar. She frowned, watching him reach for the lone pint glass. "I wouldn't drink that if I were you. The bloke who bought that one sneezed right into it," she said, sweeping it away from him. "I can do you one better though. A pint on the house, minus the sneeze."

Molly rushed into Blishwick’s Charms shop, ditching her sopping wet coat at the rack on the door before moving behind her work table. She noticed the odd looks she was getting– her hair and dress were soaked because of the heavy rain outside. “It’s London, love, you look as if you’ve seen a ghost.” Molly quipped, lightly shaking her head as she settled into work. “Just a little water.. now what can I help you with today?”

Marlene glanced across at Molly and the puddle of water that trailed behind her. She couldn't help but smile at the sight of the completely sodden witch. "It's more like an ocean of water... Did you apparate straight into a rain cloud?" Marlene leaned against the counter, raising her eyebrows. "You shouldn't drink and apparate, Molly. Trust me, once I ended up falling into someone else's bathtub."

Lily’s friend - that was it, there was no one else she could mean. No one else he’d gotten close enough to hurt like that besides Lily. It was good that she had people to fight for her. Not that she needed it. But just like that, it all came screaming back to him and he grimaced. He had blocked so much of that time out that it was getting harder and harder to recall the details. Right now, watching the anger simmering in her features, he thought it was all worth it. “Oh, take your egotistical, self-important bullshit somewhere else. Remember my name if you please, but don’t tell me what to do.”

Even looking at his smarmy face made the memories flood back to her. Seeing tears run down Lily's cheeks, hearing the disgusting word that he called her, feeling Lily stiffen in her arms... "You don't even deserve to breathe the same air as her," she snapped. Marlene began to feel her blood boil, her temper threatening to rear its reckless head. "I've never understood why she befriended you, I imagine she felt sorry for you. You always were a pathetic little weasel and you haven't changed a bit."

Remus laughed, throwing an arm around her shoulder. Clearly she was much more drunk than he was, but that was nothing new. He tried to stay as sober as possible at events like this, taking care of his friends meant more to him than having an excessive amount of drinks. “Oh, that sounds lovely, Mar. How romantic, you really know the way to a man’s heart. And at the end of the night I expect you to make sure I get home safe, perhaps we’ll exchange a firm handshake before parting ways. I expect nothing but the utmost respect from you.”

Marlene rested her head on his shoulder, her smile almost brighter than the full moon. Any moment spent in Remus' company was a moment very well spent. "I eat, sleep and breathe romance, simply to woo you in the way you deserve." She raised her eyebrows cheekily and leapt away from him. "The utmost respect is what you deserve," she said. Marlene dipped her head and did a very low curtesy in his direction. "I would give you straight to the door, give you a very firm handshake and fall asleep dreaming of your sparkling eyes."

the witch let out a snort. “me? too scared? absolute nonsense!”  she finished the rest of her drink before moving forward to give the other a passionate snog. “now, how’s that?”

"No. As much as I want him back... As much as it feels like I'm missing a rib being here without him, I couldn't taken ten random people's lives in exchange for his. It would make me no better than the bastard who murdered him."

"Your cornflakes flambé was particularly delicious. I know you didn't mean to knock over the firewhiskey and set the cereal on fire, but it was brilliant 3am meal and there was something strangely delicious about burnt cornflakes."

"I see Angus, my little brother. He's alive. He's still here and he's laughing like he's done something terrible like hexed my mirror so whenever I look in it, it says 'show me that ass' in Dumbledore's voice. It's like he was never gone."

liquid sloshed around in her cup as she carelessly moved her arms around. hair stuck to her lips as she swung her head around. the witch’s eyes widened at the statement. “ GOOD QUESTION. ”

Marlene took a sip from her cup, a teasing smile on her lips. "I only ask good questions." There was a mischevious look in her eyes. "Don't tell me you're too scared to answer."

“Marlene!” Remus’ head snapped on her direction, eyes wide. Was it unexpected from her? Absolutely not, but he never expected her to say something like that to him of all people. “You’d have to take me out to dinner and treat me right before I’d ever even consider that.”

Marlene snorted with laughter, her hands covering her mouth. "Oh Merlin's beard, I didn't realise that it was you! Not that you're unkissable or anything like that, but you're my darling Remus and that isn't even close to us." She kissed him on the cheek, ruffling his hair. "I would rent a pegasus and carriage and we would fly through the sky while trying to balance the spagetti and meatballs on our plates. It would be deadset romantic, I tell you."

He hadn’t felt the person slipping next to him and when the voice of a woman he knew too well rang in his hears, Rabastan nearly threw up on himself. By Merlin’s thousands beards. He thought to himself and sat straighter on his chair. What was she doing there? Wasn’t she supposed to be at another place? He had thought he would be McKinnon-free for once but no, his mission had a way of being almost everywhere he went.

Then he registered what she had said and the disgust instantly appeared on his face. No matter how drunk he was (which was currently a lot) he would never kiss her nor any woman ever. “No?” He replied at a loss for words and looked around for a way out. “Where’s that even coming from? Do you snog strangers on a regular basis?”

She blinked hard, frowning. It almost looked like... No it couldn't be. She took a better look at the person sitting next to her. Oh, it most certainly was. Marlene wished that she was drowning in the depths of the Loch Ness. Anywhere else but here. On Merlin's polka dotted bra, why was he here?

Marlene scowled at the look on his face. She took serious offense to anyone who looked disgusted at the thought of kissing her. Regardless of how much she thought they were a first class prick. "What the hell are you doing here? I thought you were allergic to fun." He certainly hadn't changed. Except for becoming more of a pompous twat.

"Obviously I didn't see that it was you," she retorted and took a long swig of her drink. She avoided his gaze, determined to shove this unfortunate incident into the crevices of her memory. Marlene glowered at his last comment. "I've got a rule when it comes to slut shaming. Do it again and I'll piss in your drink, that's a promise."

“Or what.” Dirk replied, a sweet grin on his face. “You should probably go home..” He tried to persuade the girl. He hated seeing people get drunk of their asses and suddenly act like it was okay to sell themselves short. “You’re worth more than this. I don’t think anyone deserves to snog a pretty girl like you, without even knowing her name.”

Marlene punched him lightly in the arm. “You’re no fun at all. Sweet, but no fun.” She rolled her eyes, teasing him. "Haven't you heard that women have agency these days? They can ask for what they want, fuck the consequences. You should listen to the muggle song 'I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar', it'll blow your bloody mind."