A Few Good Times || Open

[roseweasley]

I can put your pieces back together,
while I take the rest of you apart
I didn't think my luck would last forever,
but I think right here is where we'll start
___________________________________________

Rose had been at the tavern for much longer than she would really care to admit. Her nights were usually spent out with her friends, partying it up either in muggle London or the magical bars around England. Apparating made travel so much easier these days, which meant more party time for the young Weasley. As she sat at a table, practically smack dab in the middle of the bar, surrounded by a handful of young wizards. Of course, she wondered if their attention was linked to her outfit and all. A slenderly cut black dress that fit like a glove. Rose loved to show off, and tonight was no exception. As she ordered another round of drinks for herself and her new friends, Rose looked around the bar.

How many times in the past year had her brother or a cousin had to come and pick her up? How many hangovers had she woken up with on early morning office days? And yet, Rose couldn't seem to stop herself. This was the lifestyle she lived, the carefree and eccentricity of having zero rules to obey. What good were rules and morals anyways? They sure as hell hadn't helped her dad any, nor her mum. No, Rose was satisfied just the way she was. In the middle of a few decent looking men, a drink in her hand and music to dance to. This was what life was all about. Living the moment, experiencing the moment and then...losing all control before you woke up.

[albus]

Albus slipped into the Three Broomsticks, recognizing the familar smells and sounds of the place he had gone to some many times during Hogwarts and the many more times he went after graduation. Though his attendance to this place had slowed down for the past couple weeks. With no job, there was no money and when there was no money, there was no way to pay any expenses. And even now, he shouldn't be here, blowing his small earning of a small favor he did for his neighbor. But he had the cash so his one thought was that he might as well spend it. He looked around, knowing that there would be no students here tonight, seeing as this was the beginning of the year and first Hogsmeade trip wouldn't be for another couple months or so. This meant that he wouldn't see his little sister, Lily, either, the only remaining Potter sibling going to Hogwarts.

Al ran a rough hand through his already messy hair, taking a seat across from a group of guys surrounding what look to be a gorgeous red head. He turned his attention away from them and looked to the bartender. "Firewhiskey, please," he muttered, pulling out a few galleons. He slid them across the table and waited for his drink. He eyed the mysterous group, wondering who the girl was. The red hair looked familar, maybe another Weasley, he thought. Weasley's were famous for their red hair, something his little sister had inherited. His older brother and him had inherited the dark hair from their father. He heard the scraping of glass on wood and drifted his attention back to the firewhiskey in front of him. "Thanks." He grabbed the bottle, popping off the top, and taking a quick sip. The burning feeling filled his throat, but only gave him a deep satisfaction.

The music was playing softly in the background and he distantly wondered if his parents were ever a fan of this band. He didn't recognize the band itself, but it did sound a bit old. Taking a huge swig of his own drink, he found himself leaving to his feet and drifting over to the crowded table. His eyes scanned over each face and finally rested on the red head in the center. "Rose," he said, his eyes widening in recognition. His cousin, who was his age and graduated with him, was here. He should've guessed, he thought. He had heard from a few of his cousins that they had to go and pick up Rose many times. Though Al had never done it himself since he was usually looking for a job or in another bar himself when he the change to spare.

[roseweasley]

I can put your pieces back together,
while I take the rest of you apart
I didn't think my luck would last forever,
but I think right here is where we'll start
___________________________________________

After swatting away a brief attempt from a wizard for a kiss, Rose took another shot of her fire whiskey. Smooth as it went down, it was a sure sign she'd already had one too many. With an arm draped around one man's shoulders, the group belted out the last few words of the song being played before she was jostled into another man's lap. The gesture disoriented her momentarily and Rose had to pause in the festivities to keep the room from spinning any further. When she had regained her composure, Rose was once again laughing and cracking jokes with the best of them.

Another drink had found its way into her hand, and as she sipped it, Rose's eyes scanned the crowd. Her eyes landed on a familiar face, a kind face, and a little discheveled face. Jumping up to her feet, Rose spilled the rest of the contents of the glass on the man's lap she had previous occupied. Her smile stretched from ear to ear as she bounced slightly, "Al!" She shouted with all enthusiasm. How was it she had the balance to keep from falling, but the room just didn't want to stay still? Pushing through the crowd around her, she managed to make her way to her cousin, slapping her arms around him and pulling him into a hug.

"Albus! I haven't seen you in such a long time!" She was completely giddy. In an instant, however, he demeanor changed and she was suddenly holding him at arm's length, staring into his green eyes with her own piercing, icy blue ones. "Wait a minute. My mum didn't send you, did she? None of the cousins called you out? Cause I'm perfectly fine, I'll have you know. Completely one hundred percent." Her face returned to a toothy smile as she moved on, "But seriously, tell me how you are!"

[albus]

The scene that followed after his recognition of Rose could be described as comical if it wasn't his cousin stumbling over to him and gently slapping him on his arm in her horrible attempt to give him a hug. She finally did though it wasn't as strong as most of her hugs had been in the past and her arms seem to hang more loosely around him. Nonetheless, he hugged her back, engulfing her in his own arms. He was only on his first drink and by the smell of her, she had a few too many. He was a bit surprised she hadn't tripped on her way over to him. "It's great to see you, Rose," he smiled, holding his drink away to keep it from spilling. He didn't wish for it to be knocked out of his hands and end up all over his beloved cousin.

Her expression changed quickly though as if she was bipolor or having massive mood swings. Her blue eyes searching deep into his emerald one's, hopefully not searching for answers. But she was only looking out for her own skin, granting relief to himself. "No, no, no one called me. I'm out here for a drink," he reassured her, grinning. Though her being fine seemed to be pushing the buttons. Al knew that he probably should take her home if he was a responsible cousin. Unfortunately, he wasn't a responsible adult since he wasn't able to care for himself. Back in Hogwarts, he was a responsible student, a favorite among professors for his excellent work and an idol for the younger students who came to watch his Quidditch matches. He was a walking example of a Hogwarts student and most expected him to be somebody big, but though he was the perfect model, he had lost all aspirations and goals for his own life.

He looked over Rose's shoulder, noticing that the men were eyeing him with dirty expressions of jealousy. They must not know that I'm her cousin, he thought. He turned back to Rose, who had happened to ask him, rather loudly, how he was doing. "I'm doing fine," he lied. "Though I miss Hogwarts dearly already." He gave a small chuckle. "And you? How has life been treating you?" He hoped that she had been much better off than him. She, at least, had her mum still alive, but even Al knew that she had always been a Daddy's Girl. It had almost been his 12th birthday when he lost his parents and his uncle. Most looked upon him with sympathy but he didn't want any of it. He wanted to be somebody great, somebody that his parents would be proud of.

[roseweasley]

I can put your pieces back together,
while I take the rest of you apart
I didn't think my luck would last forever,
but I think right here is where we'll start
___________________________________________

Rose grinned at him, trying to make his face stop duplicating. Finally, she had to give up. Some things just weren't meant to happen and seeing Albus clearly tonight was apparently one of them. With a deep breath and moment to stop the sudden urge to vomit, Rose reached behind herself and pulled out a chair from a small, empty table next to where they were standing. A few disgruntled cries from the crowd behind her she had just been occupying reached her ears and she just waved them off. Looking back up at her cousin, she motioned for him to take a seat opposite her as a waitress brought set another drink in front of her.

"Complements of the gentleman at the bar," the young woman told her, though she looked reluctant to give Rose the drink. Her eyes looked up and saw a well groomed wizard sitting upon stool at the main bar. When their eyes met, he raised his own glass and Rose gave him a smile and a small wave to show her appreciation. Then her attentions turned back to Albus. He looked more worn than she did, a little more ragged around the coattails if you wanted to get technical. Or was that the kinder way to put it? Her mind was beginning to go a thousand different directions at once and it took all of her remaining sobriety to focus. Albus and her had been the same year in school, despite being in different houses, and yet given their family legacies, their smarts and school accomplishments, neither of them seemed to have progressed very far in life after Hogwarts. For Rose, it was a choice. She wondered if it was as much so for Albus. Surely James wouldn't have let his brother wallow in such destitution? James was just 'that kind of man'. He took care of his own, or at least thats how the family personified him. A true tribute to his father really.

"Well, I've this horrid little temp job at the Ministry. I work as a receptionist; go to whatever department they assign me that day. Its supposed to be entry level work and yet I'm going to end up knowing more about the inner workings of the Ministry than the Minister himself." Rose rolled her eyes and sipped this glass of firewhiskey, rather than downing it like the others. She was beginning to feel the full affects of all the drinks she'd imbibed all night long. Drinking was her escape from the world. The truth of it all was when her father had died, Rose began spiraling out of control. Things only worsened the older she got and nobody seemed to notice. Her mother blamed it on being a wild child, a simple exit strategy for the woman, her cousins and other family must have fallen in line. It seemed no matter what she did, nobody noticed the hurt within her. She'd never truly let her father go, or her aunt and uncle. To her, the pain of losing them was as fresh as the night they were told.

Shaking the memories away, Rose twisted her lips back into a smile for her cousin. He was here tonight, and tonight she would show him some fun times. After all, fun times were a specialty of hers. If Rose knew anything, it was how to party and live it up in the magical world. She had been doing it for years, and her expert status and popularity among men got her into some of the best establishments for free. "So I've got a loft in London, though mum wholeheartedly disproves of me living on my own. I don't think she's even told anyone I've moved out yet, which I guess is for the best. Life's been one large party for me, Al. One huge bloody party."

[albus]

Albus peered over his cousin's shoulder at the cries of the drunken men after realizing that her current attention was now directed at this new male with messy black hair and glasses pushed onto his nose in a lopside manner and not on them. How unfortunate, he thought, that they didn't realize that he was actually her cousin instead of some random male trying to get a piece. Was it really that long ago that his dad died that they couldn't see the resemblance and that he was actually a Potter, who happened to be cousins to any Weasley or at least in someway related? His brother had supposedly gained the traits of their father and Al had gained the looks. He raised a contemplating eyebrow at the roaring crowd, but he quickly took his seat across from his cousin, not worried that a mob of drunkards could attack him for talking to his own cousin. They would have to reach him first anyways without killing themselves.

Al had yet to finish his own drink, savoring the taste for it could be a while if he had another bottle of firewhiskey again. They had barely taken their seat when another drink came to Rose, due to the fact that yet another male was after her and didn't seemed to be, in fact, threatened by his appearance like the other males at the table. Maybe he actually recognized him as her cousin or some relative, or his thoughts could be that of belief that Rose wouldn't settle for a guy like him. He had been told several times that he did look like a geek though he chose to ignore this and acted as if they had complimented him with the highest honor. But his only highest honor was being named Head Boy and Quidditch captain in his seventh year, not being ridiculed for his looks.

To say the least, he was a bit surprised that Rose had an entry-level job at the Ministry. He had expected, probably along with the rest of the Hogwarts school population, that she would gain a high-ranking job soon after leaving or at least one that was better than her current. But Albus also knew that many had expected him to be exactly like that with such accomplishments during his schooling years and he had even expected it out of himself. Unfortunately, Al had no clue what he truly wanted to do with his life or what he wished to do for a living. James, though, he was successful, and in Al's eyes had no time to meddle in the worries of his family. If Al was down in the dumps with nothing going for him, unemployed, and not a single sickle or knut, then so be it. In truth, it was Al's decision to not fully apply himself to gain himself a job, anything that could pay him until he made his final thoughts on what he wished to be. Why should his older brother worry about his little brother, who should have the capability of caring for himself without any type of supervision? Because many thought of him like the great Harry Potter and he should follow that legacy? Al couldn't really tell.

"Sounds dreadfully boring," Al replied. "I don't think I could stand a job like that, which might be the possible reason why I currently don't have any kind of job going for me right now." Al was too busy looking for the perfect job, one that would keep him interested and on his toes. Some of his old professors had pointed to the Auror Department, but in Al's head, it wasn't dangerous enough. Many of the magical citizens of the wizarding world would call him crazy, seeing as his dad was an Auror and was on duty to catch the remaining deatheaters of the Second War. Deep inside of his gut, Al wanted a job that was filled with recklessness and constantly putting his life on the line, to the point where he was near death practically every day. He didn't believe the Auror Department could fulfill that desire. He wanted to die honorably, fighting for a cause and reason. He didn't want to just die.

Lucky her, he thought. She had moved out of her mum's house, and by the sound of it, had started the beginning of her new life as an adult. Al, on the other hand, was a few steps behind since with no job and still living at his parent's old house that him, Lily, and sometimes James lived in. He rarely saw James there though, but that might be due to the fact that when Al was home, he rarely came out of his room. Withdrawal, he believed the muggles called it. He withdrew himself from his family, keeping more to himself as he grew older. This slow process of withdrawal kept him uninformed of the many family news that reached most of his relatives' ears but his. He rarely recieved information though his Grandmum Weasley made a note to owl him at least once or twice a week to see how he was doing and whether he would like to come over for dinner. Each time he refused, making up an excuse of job hunting that evening or that he had to work(this one always being a lie).

Al wished he could say that probably all mothers are like that, not wanting to see their children move out, but how would he know what a mother was like? Looking back, Al felt like he was never given enough time with his own mum. Too many missed opportunities that he now regretted. "It's probably some motherly instinct. She doesn't want to admit to herself that you left," Al shrugged, smiling a bit at the image of Aunt Hermione going crazy with no one there. He was sure that she would fill out her time somehow, probably with reading. He laughed at his cousin's last statement. How true she was though, he thought. Life was one huge party and currently he was the oddball out. "Well since it's a party, I say we have some fun." He knew his cousin was brilliant at coming up with ideas. She was a Weasley party animal. "What do you have in mind for tonight?"

[roseweasley]

Rose grinned at his question. This was the one question many of her friends learned never to ask. Rose had taken great measures to ensure that, whenever asked this question, she'd provide the wildest time ever. Tonight's adventure may be a bit more difficult. Her head was hazy, swimming in the bar. Loud noises, the smell of fire whiskey, even the smell of her cousin seemed to twist her stomach into knots. Abruptly, Rose stood up and swayed from side to side lightly. In her haze, sh felt a warmth wrap around her, like invisible bubble wrap on each side. Her smile lengthened from ear to ear as she held on to the table to steady herself.

"Come on, Alby," She called to her cousin who was so obviously close she didn't have to shout so loud. Her perceptions were all thrown off at the moment, and yet that still didn't deter her. "I've got an idea. We'll get completely wasted and then trod on over to grandmum Weasley's. I've done it once before, and the reactions--they're priceless!" It was completely out of left field, yet it was completely Rose. Random ideas, trouble making actions, all in all summed up her young life. There hadn't been a month in school when she hadn't gotten a howler from her mother or her grandmother. But they never embarrassed her either.

As she awaited Albus' answer, Rose took another drink from the waitress and downed it as she eyed the room. "So what say you, Albus?"