Siriusly, Potter?

Ramona watched the man head off with his friends before fixing James with an annoyed look. “You know, if you want to be a hero so badly I’ll get you a cape and tights.” she said, rolling her eyes. She wasn’t truly angry, more just looking for something to be annoyed at. This night had been longer than any other she’d worked so far. There was nothing she wanted more than to sink into a hot bath when she got home and fall asleep, but that wasn’t really an option at her flat. Perhaps she’d go to Brennan’s.

Her eyes followed his to the clock. Half an hour was as good as closed to her. She poured a shot and set it in front of him, quickly preparing one for herself. “I won’t tell if you don’t.” she said teasingly, a smile on her face.

“Take it up with Lux.” James was quick to counter, having grown used to Ramona’s retorts whenever he stepped in. On any other night, he would have stepped back a little while longer- but tonight, you rile one up, you rile them all. Take for instance the patron that had already filled in the empty spot beside him, galleons in hand trying to snag Ramona’s attention as she poured a shot and set it in front of him. As he reached for the shot, James looked over to the guy, mumbling a quick, “She’s busy. Fuck off ‘ta the other bartenders. Got more than one for a reason.” Manners had long since left the Gargoyle.

Turning back to Ramona, James sighed. But even just reaching for the shot, taking it into his hand, he felt better. “Nothing ‘ta tell,” he said, raising his glass in cheers before bringing it to his lips and tossing it back. Merlin, that was exactly what he needed.

Al sat at the bar, swirling around his beer and peering at the gritty pieces that had collected on the bottom of the glass. He let it settle, then peered at the shape left behind. Satisfied and grinning, he tipped it toward James behind the bar. “Does this kind of look like a grim to you?”

James had stepped behind the bar, stepping in for the one bartender as they popped off for a short break. If they patrons were smart, they’d stick to beer and shots because that was about all he could pour, and pour well. “‘Dunno,” he started, peering over at his brother’s drink as he poured off a shot of vodka, “all’s I see is a fucking twat.” Then he looked up and Albus and smiled. Brotherly teasing at its finest.

“I don’t know, mate. I just, I don’t really go out to pubs much any more, because of work you know.” Teddy had the excuse ready to go, blaming his apparently long hours and tight budget for his lack of social activity, as opposed to the self exile he tried to place himself in. “I went to get a book back from somebody at Merl and boom, there everybody was.” Sighing, Teddy leaned back on the stool. “Figured I couldn’t bail at that point, so I conveniently skipped ahead to catch up with you instead, and it’ll look like I never left. Party man Teddy rode out the whole night, or so it seems.”

Most of his own time out at pubs was right here at the Gargoyle- though over half that could be blamed on work, the next bit plain drinking, and a small sum for meetings. His time going out wasn’t quite what it used to be. Still, he couldn’t fathom sitting in Ted’s place. “Party man Teddy really going ‘ta head over to Toil and Trouble after this?” James arched his eyebrow, an old scar slashed down the middle. “Say I’d join ‘ya ‘ta make sure you hold up ‘ta that but, eh, not sure if I’ll be off that clock.See what the boss has ‘ta say after we get mobbed.” Lux could go either way, but James wasn’t holding his breath.

“Wait-” James leaned his elbows atop the counter as he stood behind the bar. There was a good hour or so until the crowds made it their way, meaning he had a moment to breathe, chat with his apparently out-of-the-loop mate. “-you’re telling me ‘ya didn’t know ‘bout the crawl? Teds, there’s been signs posted for like two weeks.”

Ramona took a deep breath, feeling a bead of sweat trickle down her back. She wasn’t exactly sure whose idea this pub crawl had been, but she was ready to stab them with a dull knife. Drunkenness had taken the kindness out of her customers ages ago, and the two or so shots she’d secretly downed weren’t helping her stress. 

“You want a what?” she asked, shaking her head at the complicated drink order. “No, you’re getting vodka. I’m sure you’ll live.” She poured the person a shot and slammed it on the counter, fixing them a glare that dared them to argue.

“He’ll live.” Standing behind the well-intoxicated patron who seemed ready to put up a fight for their shitty, ridiculous drink order, James rose his voice above the crowd. Ramona could have handled this by herself, he’d seen it done on more than enough occasions, but tonight he had to step in. Last thing they needed was one drunk riling up another. “That right, mate?” By now the prick had turned to look up at James as he towered over him. That’s all it took for him to nod his head and down his shot, leaving behind a few coins before heading off with his friends. 

James stepped forward to occupy the empty spot at the bar, leaning his elbows atop the counter. “Fuck, I could use a drink,” he sighed, looking longingly at a freshly poured pint of beer. It looked like heaven. Then turning back to Ramona, he took a breath. “Half hour left on the clock.” A few drunken hoots in the background spoke on just how difficult those thirty minutes would be.

        Yana frowned slightly. ‘ I am still not sure I understand this whole thing, ‘ she sighed. ‘ But I suppose the part where everyone is getting drunk is fairly self explanatory. English is confusing, ‘ she continued, ‘ but vodka I understand fairly well. ‘ She had no intention of getting herself drunk beyond sensibility, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy the night. ‘ You look like you’re having lots of fun, ‘ she continued, teasing. Though she had to admit - it did rather amuse her to see him suffering, even just a little bit.

“Buckets,” James replied sarcastically, giving a soft shake of his head. A pair of friends passed by, arms thrown across each other’s shoulders and the beer sloshing over the tops of their pint glasses. It only drilled the feeling into him. “I’m just counting down the hours ‘til this is done and I’m off. Could use some of that vodka.”

      Yana sighed, taking a small sip of the drink someone had handed her. ‘ Explain it to me again? ‘ she said slowly. The cultural differences between her home and here were glaringly obvious sometimes. ‘ I’m still not really sure I understand. Why is it called a pub crawl? No one is crawling anywhere. ‘

James stood near the bar’s entrance, his job to be an intimidating mass–– note: his arms crossed over his chest–– and keep a watchful eye as the drunks got drunker. Merlin, how he wanted to be one of them. It was torture just having to watch. “Some of ‘em will be crawling ‘ventually,” he said, small shrug of his shoulders. If they weren’t completely pissed yet, they’d be by the end of the night, barely managing to operate their own feet. “But don’t know. ‘Mean it sounds ‘lot better than pub walk, yea?”

“Yes, Merlin, of course. Yeah, sorry ‘bout that, just- right, tonight’s a break.” Alice cast her eyes down with an apologetic furrowing of her brow, almost feeling the need to shake her head to rid herself of the thoughts. It was a trap she kept falling into it, practically the only thing in her life to fixate on anymore. School had strangely been quite the distraction from it all, but now, it was beginning to fall like there was only this. “She’s brilliant from what I can tell. I probably still seem like a little kid to her.” Sometimes Alice still felt like one, but less and less these days.

A short laugh escaped from her chest as she nodded. “Little did you know I’ve been shagging Colin this whole time.” Often Alice’s jokes did not come off in nearly a joking enough tone, but her close friends were able to pick up on it. “No, but the lot of you really have been good mates.” After the mention of Kingsley, her mind shifted for a moment to think of her recent encounter with him, and then thinking to all of the boys a soft smile shifted onto her face. 

James shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t think I’d mind stayin’ a kid bit longer. I mean-” He tilted his head to the side, hand turning so his palm was skyward. It was a complex feeling, more than his words could verbalize- well at least. “Don’t get me wrong, wouldn’t trade the flat or drinkin’ or whatever. But everything else, ‘ya know? Whole ‘growing up’....” James pressed his lips together, shaking his head sloppily.

“But I’m your best mate.” He was sure to clarify that as he swung his arm back over her shoulders. It’d been their roles for as long as he could remember. Didn’t plan on that changing anytime soon, never really. “But you haven’t shagged Colin?” James asked, his thick eyebrows drawn together as his forehead formed dramatic lines; his facial expressions seeming to have intensified alongside his intoxication. “I mean, if I had to pick a roommate...” James didn’t finish that sentence, it starting and trailing off thanks to liquored lips. “Who’s left? Kings? No, I said him. Uh... right! Levi and Landon. Them?”