Not my father.

She gave a short nod to the bartender then glanced down the bar to Barty. “Yeah, you, me, and everyone else in this city did, if I had to guess.” A sigh followed just as a refill arrived. “And does it help? The bottle, I mean.”

He shrugged, taking a deep breath. “No, it just makes me think more things, only they come out a bit blurry. I’m more reckless when I’m drunk and that’s when the really stupid behavior starts, you know.”

“I wasn’t judging,” Rita said sweetly, sliding into the seat next to him. “A mojito please,” she spoke to the barman, flashing him her ID. “Personally, I’m a big fan of drinking too much,” she added with a small grin. “So what brings you in here tonight? Drinking your sorrows away?”

“Huh, that’s interesting, actually.”  He listened as she ordered a mojito. Maybe, he should have started with one of those, instead of something so srong.  “I do enjoy drinking too much too, well as long as I don’t wind up getting hurt.”  He shrugged. “Women, war, jobs. You know, all the boring things.” 

“Well it’s definitely not showing me you, and no-one else is around.” James quipped back instantly - no malice was meant by his words, but sometimes he was just unable to stop himself from being mean. “If you had looks like mine, you’d be the same.”

                                                                CROUCH JR.

“That’s true. I like to have fun when I can.”

“Fun is hard to come by, anymore. We might as well have fun now. Who knows what happens, next week?” 

                                                                 CROUCH JR.

“Glad to hear that. Feel free to have a seat and relax.”

“Don’t mind if I do.  I could use some company and a drink, as well. In fact, I could buy the next round of drinks.” 

“If you’re still able to talk without saying utter none sense i think you are still in a okay posiition though I would advise to stop drinking now unless you want to sleep on the counter for a while.” She smiled a little “Why are you drinking so much?”

“I imagine so,” she said with a laugh, nodding. “I’m fine.”

“You said it,” Lucius agreed with a small smirk. “Less so these day though.” The new measures had made sure of that.

He nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. Things are definitely different now, not so um, easy for just anyone to be out.” 

Marlene was always prepared to fight her own battles, mouth opening to retort something smart back to her opposite when another stepped in. She hadn’t expected anyone to swoop in but given that he was having more luck than she Marlene fell silent, allowing him to work whatever magic he believed that he had. It was only after her drink was safely in her hand that she looked over him with an offering of her hand. “Marlene McKinnon. I suppose the proper thing to do would be to thank you.” Though she hadn’t said it explicitly, the acknowledgment that he’d earned one was as close as he was going to get.

Barty never though anyone should be denied alcohol. It was the least anyone could have, despite this whole state of the wizarding world.  He nodded. “Barty Crouch Jr.”  He remembered her name from Hogwarts. They hadn’t really been in the same circle.  He was a Ravenclaw and had never thought that the whole circle of Marauders, etc. was that exciting.   “Thanking me is a good thing, but everyone should always have a drink, if you ask me.”

Amara didn’t frequent bars all that much, she didn’t exactly liked them and one of the reasons why was because there were always drunks being annoying and it wasn’t like she drank a lot anyway. But her friend has insisted and she supposed there wasn’t anything wrong with going once in a while. But she hadn’t been there for long when she already was thinking of leaving, she had just told her friend that when someone interrupted them. She looked at the man and sighed. “No? Because it does look you have had a lot.”

Barty didn’t spend a ton of time, in the bars. There was always more alcohol at home, anyway. But, sometimes, he just wanted to get out and just not deal with anything, and see who was out. Things were so different, than they once were.  He hated not knowing exactly what he was thinking about all of the state of all this. He glanced over at her.  “Well maybe a little bit of a lot.”

“You caught me at a bad time.” James spoke first to the person that had come up behind him, his voice slightly muffled by the cigarette hanging out from between his lips. “I found this mirror and can’t stop looking at the handsome devil looking back at me.” He turned around slightly, smirking at his companion. “Have you ever seen anyone so bloody handsome before?”

“Care to join me for a drink or two? I could really use some company,” Emma stated.

                                                                CROUCH JR.

“Not even begun, eh? That depends on your definition of ‘too much’.”

He nodded.  “There is not such thing as too much, unless you’re someone who doesn’t like fun.”

Mary’s brow rose, eyes darting to the bartender (who pointedlly raised their own brows in answer) before finishing off the clear liquid in her own glass. “Define ‘too much’.”

He thought about it and bit down on his lip, with a deep breath.  “Possibly close to a bottle or more. It was just that sort of a day.” 

“Being notoriously clumsy,” she said with a smile. “I dropped a glass and cut myself picking up the pieces.”

He nodded. “Well that’s an anti-climatic reason but still. You’re okay though? I mean, I imagine you’ll live.” 

“I know the feeling,” Lucius sighed when Barty spoke about all the stupid people he had to deal with. 

He glanced around.  “There’s far too many idiots, just saying and doing stupid things. They should really learn to be less stupid.” 

“If you keep staring like that, you can at the very least buy me another drink.”

He raised an eyebrow.  “Who says I’m staring?”