InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "What KIND of weird?"

kirley__duke (kirley__duke) wrote in hogwarts_dawn,
@ 2021-04-14 13:53:00

Entry tags:

character: albus s. potter, character: draco malfoy, character: james potter, character: kirley duke, character: lily evans potter, character: regulus black, character: remus lupin, character: theodore nott

RP: The Styx
Who: Everyone
When: Wednesday 8pm
Where: The Boathouse
What: PARTY

The club looks like this. The bar is serve yourself, and there is cake and music.

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James & Lily

_cervus_
2021-04-14 10:05 pm UTC (link)

James grabbed the drinks from the bar and carried them back towards where he'd left Lily, sat in one of the tables nestled in the corner. It was a good spot - private enough, but with a decent view of what was happening in the rest of the space, from the bar to the dance floor.

Looking around, James felt quite proud of the small amount of work he'd contributed to building the club during his week 'being' Kirley. Of course, a lot had been added since then. Now it was all polished wood, dim lighting and long shadows, and felt a million miles from the rest of the school. Just what they all needed, probably. It was still strangely satisfying, seeing how it had all come together. Perhaps James hadn't let go of the musician's memories quite as well as he'd thought...

"Your drink, Mrs Potter." He slid Lily's glass onto the table, followed by his own beer, then settled into the space beside his wife on the curved seat. James made himself comfortable on the worn leather, stretching his legs out under the table and slinging a casual arm along the back of the bench. "You see," he told her, grinning crookedly, "I still reckon we could have used something like this when we were af school."

It felt a bit surreal, being somewhere like this with Lily. Even if he knew it was still Hogwarts; sitting on their own in a dark corner of a crowded room... it almost could have been a proper date. The kind they hadn't had since Harry was born.

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James & Lily

lovingsacrifice
2021-04-15 08:21 pm UTC (link)

Lily looked around as she made herself comfortable waiting for James, drumming her fingers on the table. She felt a little anxious - not in a bad way, mind you, more in a combination of nervous and excited sort of way since she felt like she had forgotten how to behave in social situations.

Keeping a slight smile on her face, Lily was somewhat in awe of how the place had been transformed. That this had once been an old boathouse seemed a bit hard to believe considering how it looked now. It was quite nice in here, just posh enough to draw a person in while still being casual enough to seem welcoming. If Lily didn't know any better this would almost feel like she and James were on a date.

"Why thank you, Mr. Potter." She giggled at James' formality, sitting up a little straighter as she picked up her glass to take a sip. Lily let the taste of beer roll around in her mouth, hoping that her usual tolerance for alcohol wasn't too affected by how long it had been. "Yes, I see what you mean," she responded, taking another sip of her drink. "Do you really think McGonagall would have allowed it?"

If she closed her eyes, it almost felt like she and James were teenagers again. The only thing missing was Sirius crashing their date... making excuses like he didn't realize that he was interrupting. Back in the good old days, before everything went pear shaped.

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Re: James & Lily

_cervus_
2021-04-15 09:34 pm UTC (link)

"Ah, what McGonagall didn't know couldn't hurt her," James shrugged, smiling fondly. "Or what she pretended she didn't know, even." He'd always got the feeling their old head of house had been aware of far more than she let on.

He shifted a little, turning to face Lily a little better on the seat. The music was just loud enough that he had to put his head close to hers to be heard properly.

"This is weird, right?" He asked - James had never been one to beat around the bush. He took a sip of his pint, glancing around at the other people milling around the room before turning back to that startling green gaze. "Feels like we're going to have sneak off to do bedtime or rescue a babysitter or something."

Although James liked to think he'd gotten used to his son being a grown man, there were still moments that it surprised him. And, of course, plenty of times when he missed the smaller version of Harry so badly it felt like being hit with a bludger.

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James & Lily

lovingsacrifice
2021-04-15 11:15 pm UTC (link)

"Could you imagine the professors nipping down here for a drink?" Lily asked, laughing quietly. "I suppose I could see Slughorn taking advantage of having a drinking spot nearby. Not sure about anyone else." And perhaps Hagrid.

She gazed up at James when she felt him shifting on the seat. There was something intimate about needing to be close to one another to communicate.

"I was just thinking that!" She gasped - Lily always believed that she and James thought on the same wavelength. This just proved it in her mind, how compatible they were and why they worked so well together. "Honestly, I keep waiting to see your boys spying on us from a nearby booth."

Covering his hand with her own, Lily worried her lower lip between her teeth before speaking again. "It's so strange to think that we don't have a baby waiting at home for us. I keep feeling like something is off."

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Re: James & Lily

_cervus_
2021-04-16 09:49 pm UTC (link)

"Well, I'm pretty sure I saw Dumbledore in here when we came in," James grinned, turning to peer over his shoulder to see if he could spot him again. It was still odd to see the younger professor... there was a weird disconnect between him and the silver haired headmaster he knew back home.

James turned back to Lily, his smile softening as he found her face close to his again. "Now you mention it, I'm pretty sure I saw Sirius cutting eyeholes in a newspaper earlier..."

Thankfully, the other two had apparently moved on from those days. The novelty of Lily actually agreeing to talk to James, let alone go out with him, had worn off for the rest of the student population after they'd been dating for a while. James himself, however, still was sure the whole thing was something of a miracle...

He turned his hand over under hers, interlocking their fingers on the table. He kind of wished she would stop biting her lip like that - it was very distracting.

"I know," he agreed. "It feels like we're always forgetting something, doesn't it?" James turned his glass in his free hand, glancing down at the ring of condensation it left on the wood. "Still, he's here. That's the important bit. Even if it is all wonky."

He bit back a sigh, then shot Lily a smile. "I would ask what we did before we had Harry, but the answer's 'annoying Death Eaters', isn't it? So what do normal couples do all day, when there's not a war on?"

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James & Lily

lovingsacrifice
2021-04-17 05:32 am UTC (link)

"I'm not sure if that counts... isn't Dumbledore around our age now?" Lily asked, following his gaze to see if she could find the former headmaster. She wasn't sure how to feel about Dumbledore considering everything she found out regarding him.

Lily laughed at the comment James made, making a point of not checking to see if Sirius was indeed nearby. "You joke, but would you be all that shocked if he was Padfooting behind a plant?"

Admittedly, she couldn't stop thinking about what Peter said in regards to viewing the friend group as 'the Marauders plus one'. It boggled her mind to discover that the people she thought of as part of her family viewed her as an interloper attached to James. Lily wanted to bring it up to her husband, but now was not the time.

She glanced down at their joined hands, having missed the easy familiarity of his touch. She was finding it hard not to lose herself in the warmth of his smile - something she hadn't been able to do in a long while.

"It's almost eerie," she said. "I've heard that we're all supposed to be assigned jobs," Lily mentioned, confusion making the statement sound vaguely questioning. "Lilu said that Harry would pick something for us. It's so weird to think of our baby giving us jobs."

She had to shake her head lightly, smiling back at James. "Sadly, there's no Death Eaters' to annoy here. That being said, I'm not really sure. I'd say hold down jobs, make babies, and spend time with friends, but I can't imagine Sirius letting me spend enough time with you to accomplish one of those things."

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Re: James & Lily

_cervus_
2021-04-17 02:36 pm UTC (link)

"Yup," James nodded, taking another drink. "Tall ginger bloke who isn't Ron." He couldn't spot him any more though... maybe he'd already shown his face and left again. James got the impression he was that kind of person.

"I'm not surprised by anything Sirius does anymore," James laughed, placing his glass back down. A part of him wondered where his friend actually had gotten to... was he okay? After their conversation the other day things had seemed a bit better, but James had never been able to completely shake the protective sense of responsibility he felt for Sirius.

"I reckon you'll be able to pick, if there's something you'd like to do." He shrugged, running his thumb over Lily's knuckles thoughtfully. The whole job thing was pretty strange full stop. James' inheritance had been enough to keep him and Lily comfortable for life, so he'd just joined the Order. He probably would have found a job eventually if things had been different, but it would have been more for enjoyment than necessity.

"What kind of thing would you have done back home?" He continued. "You could join me in the MLE! Or there's research, creature relations with Moony... or teaching, when the school opens? You'd be good at all of those."

"Why do you need me around to hold down a job?" James joked, his brow creasing in a look of feigned concern. Still, the comment did make him think.. he'd wanted a big family eventually. Perhaps it was growing up as an only child, but he'd always liked the idea of Harry having brothers and sisters. Having them here, however... was that doable?

"We've got plenty of time here to figure it out, anyway."

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James & Lily

lovingsacrifice
2021-04-17 07:55 pm UTC (link)

"Who's Ron, again?" Lily questioned, figuring that looking for redheads would probably be the best bet. Not that it mattered, Lily had no intentions of interrupting her time with James.

"I still thank my lucky stars daily that Sirius didn't get up and object at our wedding," Lily deadpanned, wanting it to be a joke but finding a little too close to home to truly find it funny. It could have been a lot worse, that's what Lily kept telling herself. Much as she wanted to crack wise about how she should have just married them both anyway, she doubted James would find it humorous.

"I don't mind seeing what our son believes I'd be best at." She gave a one-shouldered shrug, squeezing James' hand slightly. The thought occurred to her that she genuinely had no idea what kind of job she was cut out for. Mother and wife weren't exactly marketable skills. Marauder wrangler was also a rather specific skillset. Thanks to James' parents, he and Lily had never wanted for anything.

"Taken care of Harry, tried to keep you and Sirius out of trouble..." She grinned impishly. "Would you really want me working with you? You wouldn't worry that I might ruin all your fun?" The mentions of creature relations and teaching both stood out to her as definite options, though.

"Too true. I suppose I could always ask Remus or Sirius to help me unwind after a stressful day," Lily smirked, keeping her eyes on James as she took a long pull from her glass. No matter how hard she tried to dissuade herself from feeling as though they got a second chance at their lives, Lily was starting to think that Harry was right and that she and James should make the most of their situation.

"Doesn't it feel nice to say that?"

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Re: James & Lily

_cervus_
2021-04-17 10:15 pm UTC (link)

"Harry's mate," James replied offhandedly. "I work with him, he's one of Molly and Arthur's lot." Not that it was super important to be chatting about who was who at the moment. He was quite happy with his current company.

"I don't think there's enough Gryffindor bravery in the world for that." James narrowed his eyes at his wife slightly, an unspoken question clearly spelt out on his face. He knew she was joking, but there was something about the way she said it that didn't quite sit right...

Before he could say anything, however, the conversation had moved on. "You'll find something," James told her, reassuringly and with absolute confidence. After all, Lily was one of the best witches he'd ever known. She was pretty much the best person he'd ever known, full stop. If anyone was going to smash a random job from the future, it would be her.

"I think you underestimate how fun you are," he grinned back. "And we already know we make a good team. Buuut if you really want to strike out on your own, I promise I won't be too offended."

"Oi, careful." James gave Lily a gentle nudge with his foot under the table, holding her eye contact as she took a drink. He raised one dark eyebrow playfully. It was really quite unfair how attractive his wife could look drinking a beer.

"I'm definitely not complaining." James took a sip of his own drink, then set the glass down and instead reached across to hook a lock of Lily's dark red hair behind her ear. "I could probably get used to the whole 'normal life' thing."

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James & Lily

lovingsacrifice
2021-04-18 12:36 am UTC (link)

"Oh yes, I remember him mentioning a Ron, and a Hermione," Lily trilled happily. She was getting better at recalling specifics from the information dump she received previously. Not that it matter at the moment.

"But there might have been enough alcohol to bolster that Gryffindor bravery." Lily had an idea of what James wasn't asking, and kept her answer to herself. She didn't want to potentially ruin what was turning into a rather fun evening.

Pleased that he wasn't going to press the issue, she sat back in her seat. "Yes, but will I like what I find?" Lily queried, blushing at his faith in her. She never doubted James' loyalty and belief in her. He had a way of making her feel like she was the only person in a room packed with people, and it helped her poise immensely.

"It's been a fair time since I did anything fun," she pointed out. "Unless you're thinking of the dance parties I would throw for baby Harry to help get him to stop crying."

Putting her now empty glass back down, Lily licked her lips as she waggled her eyebrows at James in response. "Worry not love, you're the only one I'd trust to help me relax."

Lily felt her breath catch in her throat when James pushed her hair behind her ear. "Being here with you makes it much easier to imagine living a 'normal life'." She paused. "I was going to ask for another beer, but I'm not sure that's such a wise idea."

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Re: James & Lily

_cervus_
2021-04-18 09:40 pm UTC (link)

"If you don't like it, we'll just change it," James shrugged. "Don't worry. Knowing you, you'll be running this place before we know it."

He laughed at the memory, ignoring the sharp pang he felt at the thought of Harry's bubbling baby laugh. How was it possible to miss someone so much when they were right here with you?

"Nah I still reckon you're a bit harsh on yourself. There was that bubble bath that exploded into the landing?" They'd had to find some interesting ways to keep themselves and a toddler amused when stuck at home for months.

"I bloody hope so," James grinned wickedly, cooking his head to one side as he examined his wife. "Even I have to draw the line somewhere."

"Cheers to that. I never thought normal would sound so good," James clicked his glass against Lily's now empty one, before finishing off the last few mouthfuls. He grinned at her, placing the glass down before finally leaning in to kiss her properly, his hand winding around the back of her neck.

"I've got a better idea," he told her, once they'd broken apart, his nose nudging hers. "Why don't we pinch a bottle of something and take it back to the tower?"

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James & Lily

lovingsacrifice
2021-04-19 03:07 am UTC (link)

"Are we allowed to do that?" Lily had no idea of how the job thing was supposed to work. "I'm not sure about that. If our boy is anything like you, he won't cede power that easily. And who says I want to run anything?"

She felt a little strange talking about Harry as he was now, since it felt like just yesterday she was cuddling him close while making lunch for her and James. Would that pang of sadness ever fade?

"I was trying to do too many things at once, and wasn't keeping track of the amount of bubbles until it was too late," she laughed. "It worked, though. Harry was positively delighted by the mess."

How was it that James could reduce her to a giggly schoolgirl with that grin of his. "If it helps at all, I couldn't imagine anyone else making me feel like you do."

Much like when they were younger, his kiss took her breath away. Lily reveled in the taste of beer on James' lips, feeling as lovestruck as she had the first time they kissed. Maybe the theory Sirius put forth about this being a do over for them was on the nose.

"Ooh, I like that idea," she trilled in an excited whisper. "A whole bottle just for us? Are you planning on getting me drunk, Mr. Potter?"

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Re: James & Lily

_cervus_
2021-04-19 06:02 am UTC (link)

"No idea," he shrugged. "And hey! We both know you're in charge of me really. I just pretend you're not for the sake of my poor, fragile ego." He put a hand on his chest, feigning hurt. Thankfully, James' ego was a lot less delicate than it had been, even if it was still a fairly healthy size.

"That was an excellent day," he smiled happily, sitting back in his seat a little. It already felt like forever ago, although it must have only been a few months. If you'd told him then where they'd end up... James cast another look around the club, not really paying attention to much else other than the woman sat beside him.

"That does help." He turned back to Lily, happy enough to be right where he was. Now that she was here, it seemed even stranger to him that he'd managed nearly two months here on his own. Sometimes James had to pinch himself to believe she actually put up with him - he definitely didn't deserve Lily, but he was incredibly grateful for her.

"Yes," he told her, still grinning. "Absolutely. I'm taking our new role as parents to a twenty-something very seriously." He ignored the obvious pun because honestly, sometimes they were too easy.

James leaned forward and kissed Lily again - quickly, then not so quickly. It was easy to get caught up in her. When he finally drew back, however, it was to gently pull her into a standing position by their joined hands. "Come on. I'll even let you pick the bottle."

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James & Lily

lovingsacrifice
2021-04-20 08:36 pm UTC (link)

"I do let you have a rather long leash, I believe," she mused. Normally, an observation like the one James made would just be taken as the joke that it was, however in light of her conversation with Peter, Lily was feeling a little wounded and prone to taking certain things personally.

"You and Harry both seemed to think it was," she laughed, leaning a little closer to him. "Then again, neither of you were the ones who got to clean it up." Not that she minded being a housewife or anything that came with it. Lily had never felt more at peace than she did married to James and with Harry in their lives.

"Good, I wouldn't want you feeling inadequate." She knew she got lucky with James, especially after denying her attraction to him for as long as she had. If this was to be their life now, she was willing to keep an open mind about what their future might hold. Admittedly, Lily had been mulling over a few possibilities - she would just need to get James on board with them, which she had no doubt she could do.

"I can tell," she smirked. "Is it terrible that I can't remember the last time we did something like this?" She felt like they both grew up much faster than either would have liked because of the war and the prophecy.

Lily eagerly kissed James back - clinging to him as if they were alone. Perhaps she had more to drink than she thought. Allowing him to help her stand, she looked up at him with shock on her face. "You'll trust me to pick something? Aren't you worried I'll go for tequila?"

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Re: James & Lily

_cervus_
2021-04-24 06:12 pm UTC (link)

"And I love you very much for it," James agreed, leaning in to give Lily a quick kiss. There was something bothering her, he could tell, but he was also pretty sure she didn't want him to press about it. Not yet, anyway. Tonight wasn't the night.

James shrugged, grinning. There had been good days when they'd been stuck in hiding. It was hard to believe, sometimes, with everything that had been hanging over them, but some moments of sunshine really stood out against the dark.

"School, maybe?" He suggested. "Maybe afterwards, before everything got mad." In all honesty, it was hard to remember a time before the war. "Or our wedding was pretty fun?" he added, with a smile. Another bright spot in an otherwise dismal world. It had felt bizarre, being so happy in the middle of a war, but it had really been one of the best days of James' life. He couldn't believe his luck. He still didn't, sometimes.

As they clambered to their feet, James couldn't help but laugh, sliding an arm around his wife. "I'm terrified," he teased. "But I reckon I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt. Come on."

And with that he steered her away from their table and across the club.

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Kirley & Al

kirley__duke
2021-04-15 02:28 am UTC (link)

Kirley was beyond pleased with how the club had turned out. There was work to do yet on the pool and spa, but the club was brilliant. Of course, it wasn't quite as brilliant as it would have been if he'd had the unlimited resources he was used to, but he was almost more proud of how it had turned out despite the challenges he'd been faced with. It wasn't the Bubble Palace, but The Styx had turned out quite well.

After getting himself another drink, he took a moment to look around. It seemed that most people had shown up for the birthday party, including someone who Kirley knew very well would have rather been in his room. Albus Severus Potter, who stood hunched in the corner, looking as if he'd rather have been anywhere else. Since Kirley still had vivid memories of being the younger man, he was pretty sure his assessment was accurate.

He hesitated only a moment, then grabbed a drink (non-alcoholic) that he knew Al would like, and headed over.

"Here. You look like you could use this. And don't worry, there's nothing fun about it," Kirley said, but in a slightly gentler tone than he would have used with someone else.

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Re: Kirley & Al

the_other_albus
2021-04-15 02:56 am UTC (link)

Al couldn't believe he was here. He couldn't believe he'd let Scorpius talk him into this. He couldn't believe he was still here even after Scorpius went to talk to someone else. At Scorpius' industry parties Al just tended to shadow behind him the whole time, unnoticed and quiet, observing without interacting. That didn't work here though, the few people here might actually want to talk to him if he approached. So, hulking awkwardly in the corner it was.

To say he was shocked when Kirley walked over was an understatement. It took him a moment to remember that Kirley had been him not that long ago, and Al suddenly wished he could just sink through the floor.

"Oh. Uh. Thanks. Um. Kirley." He took the drink, noticing that it was Butter beer. Of course Kirley would know he liked that. "The, uh, the club, uh, the club looks, good."

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Re: Kirley & Al

kirley__duke
2021-04-15 03:23 am UTC (link)

"Don't mention it. Know this isn't really your thing," he said, ignoring the stutter. Having had one himself for the first time in his life last week, he knew that it wasn't something Al could control and that drawing attention to it would just make things worse. "And thanks! I was just thinking that I'm almost more proud of it than I was of the Bubble Palace, considering the limited resources available."

He looked around, a grin of satisfaction spreading across his face. "Your, grandfather? I think it was your grandfather anyway, did some good work while he was me, so thankfully I wasn't behind schedule when the whole fucking mess sorted itself out." And it had been a fucking mess, and not the good kind.

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Re: Kirley & Al

the_other_albus
2021-04-15 03:32 am UTC (link)

Maybe Al was just a terrible judge of character, but Kirley wasn't nearly as intimidating as Al had thought before. He'd assumed the man would be loud, brash, pushy. But for whatever reason Al found himself oddly comfortable around him. The truth was that Kirley probably knew how to talk to him after ten days of being him, but that whole thing was way too uncomfortable to think about.

Instead he focused on the club itself, trying to figure out some of the magic that was used here.

"There's, uh, there's some really, uh, some really clever charms work," he said appreciatively. "I, uh, haven't really paid much attention to, to other clubs but, uh, yeah, with limited, uh, with limited resources it's, um, it's clever. Yeah. I'm, uh, I'm impressed."

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Re: Kirley & Al

kirley__duke
2021-04-16 03:33 am UTC (link)

"I know. I've outdone myself," Kirley said because he and modesty were not on speaking terms. But also, he was proud of the hotel. "Usually I had an entire team of people I paid to make shit look like this. This time, it was just me, the house-elves, and whoever wanted to pitch in when they could." He paused, then decided to give credit where credit was due. "And your grandfather, as I mentioned before."

He looked around again, then back at Al. "No, clubs aren't really your thing, are they?" He knew that first-hand, and while it was an anathema to him, he knew how difficult it was for Al to be here and how much effort it took to stay. It was strange, knowing what that felt like when his entire life had been the exact opposite. This empathy thing was almost as wild a trip as some of the potions he'd been on.

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Re: Kirley & Al

the_other_albus
2021-04-16 08:18 pm UTC (link)

Al shrugged, surprised again. He wasn't even sure why Kirley was still talking to him. Still, it wasn't going that badly as far as conversations went, and it was kind of a novelty to talk to someone who wasn't related to him or Scorpius.

"No, not really. But, I, uh, this one is, is pretty good."

He floundered for something else to say. He was always pretty terrible at contributing, and was actively trying to do better. Well, sometimes.

"What, uh, what was the inspiration for, for, uh," he waved his hand around, indicating the club as a whole.

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Re: Kirley & Al

kirley__duke
2021-04-17 09:31 pm UTC (link)

"Thank you. I like it." He looked around fondly, and felt much like a proud parent when their kid had done something impressive. He wondered if he'd ever felt that way about Savannah but other than a vague memory about being proud when she'd started talking or walking, he wasn't sure.

The question took him off guard, and he actually took the time to consider the question. "I wanted it to fit with an underground cavern idea, given the location. I had the natural rock to work with, and given what limited resources I had to work with, it suited this place. Everything just sort of came together after that, even the name. Theodore Nott brought up the River Styx, and it seemed very appropriate." He'd had to look up the reference, but once he did the final piece had fallen into place.

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Re: Kirley & Al

the_other_albus
2021-04-17 09:40 pm UTC (link)

Al nodded, looking around the room with new eyes. It made sense now, once he looked past the flashy lights and furniture.

"It fits," he said, nodding and taking a drink of his Butterbeer. "I, um, I know some, some charms if you want to, uh, add a bit more to the, um, the ambiance. Glowing moss, maybe? Different, different colors, a bioluminescence thing. Same with, with, a water feature, maybe. Waterfall, but that, uh, that doesn't get you wet. You could, um, cycle colors and, and make it dance and, and jump and things like, like that. If you wanted. Not that it, you know, isn't good now."

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Re: Kirley & Al

kirley__duke
2021-04-18 02:18 pm UTC (link)

Kirley grinned at Al, genuinely excited at the idea. The worst part of creating this club had been doing most of it on his own. "Those ideas are brilliant, and I absolutely want you to show me how they work," he said, waving away the last part of Al's comment.

"The best things come from collaboration with people who share a vision. The Bubble Palace ws like that. We all added our own bits and pieces and kept adding until it suited everyone. Our albums are like that too. This place is mostly just mine, and it doesn't feel complete in a way. So, please, add your water feature and whatever else you think might work."

After all, this club did in a way belong to everyone here. Maybe he should ask the others if they had any suggestions as well. Something to think about anyway.

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Re: Kirley & Al

the_other_albus
2021-04-18 02:50 pm UTC (link)

Al returned the smile, excited about the potential new project. He hadn't been able to dig into some new or modified magic in a while, and he'd really missed it.

"I, uh, I could come by, when it's not busy? We could, um, we could figure out where you, you want stuff, and I can do some, some experiments. Make some, uh, tweaks to the spells so they're, um, unique to this place. If you want?"

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Re: Kirley & Al

kirley__duke
2021-04-18 07:43 pm UTC (link)

Kirley was getting excited over the ideas Al had, his Ravenclaw side coming out at the mention of experiments. He'd never been the greatest student because school had been boring, but he always liked a clever bit of magic when it came to creating something that was important to him. Music, the Bubble Palace, now this club.

"I'd like that, kid," Kirley said, then slung his arm over Al's shoulder and led him towards the bar. "Now, I'm going to get another drink, and I'll get you another Butterbeer, and we'll talk a bit more about this waterfall idea."

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Theo and Open

forgetme_nott
2021-04-15 02:18 pm UTC (link)

Theo hadn't known what to expect when it came to the club, just that the name suited and he found himself glancing around appreciatively. It had a tremendous amount of charm and style. It didn't feel at all out of place, in fact it felt like it had always been there. Or had meant to be.

His mood was light and the bar was self serve, which suited him just fine. With no need to wait around to be served he could come and go as he pleased. Theo made his way to get a drink and began rummaging through the bottles that lined the bar top.

"Now where is the Scotch?" he mused aloud while idly pushing the bottles aside as he sorted his options. And finding what he wanted he poured himself a glass.

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Re: Theo and Draco

draco_draconis
2021-04-15 08:51 pm UTC (link)

Draco had been looking forward to the spa more than the club, truth be told, but that didn't mean he couldn't appreciate this place. Anything that broke up some of the monotony was welcome.

Draco headed for the bar, intending to get something with a low alcohol content and then find Harry. Hopefully they could a few drinks, or Harry could have a few drinks and Draco could nurse his one drink, and then leave fashionably early. But then he spotted Theo, and decided that Harry could wait a bit. Despite living in the same castle he hadn't seen much of Theo lately, and he knew that was mostly his fault. Between training and Harry and Scorpius Draco hadn't left himself much time for anything else.

"Going classy tonight Nott?" He slid up beside his friend and nudged him playfully with his shoulder.

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Re: Theo and Draco

forgetme_nott
2021-04-16 12:16 am UTC (link)

He hadn't noticed Draco's approach and finished pouring his drink and placed the bottle back where he had spotted it. He was about to pick up his glass when he heard Draco speak and felt the nudge at his side. He turned with a smile. "Always, Malfoy" he said with a small laugh. "I'll get you something," he said pouring a bit of tonic water into a glass, with some lime juice and tossing in a pinch of fresh ginger. Once finished he passed it along.

"Turned out bit better than expected didn't it?" he said glancing around. "Given where it started from." He took a small sip from his glass. "Good to see you," he said feeling rather pleased. It had been a while, but understandable. Draco did have a lot more on his plate than he did his own.

He raised his glass. "What should we toast to? What's new?"

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Re: Theo and Draco

draco_draconis
2021-04-16 08:21 pm UTC (link)

Draco raised his own glass, wondering bow much of his sex life he could share with Theo without pissing Harry off. They hadn't exactly talked about that boundary yet, but be couldn't imagine Harry wanted him to just fling their private life around. So toasting to 'Potter finally pounding me into the mattress' or 'Harry and his wickedly brilliant hands' were probably neither tactful or appropriate.

"Let's toast to actually having some fun," he said with a smile, "and to a hopefully decent spa in the future!"

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Re: Theo and Draco

forgetme_nott
2021-04-17 01:00 pm UTC (link)

Theodore waited and watched Draco decide his toast and had found himself a little surprised. It wasn't exactly what he had been expecting to hear. He tilted his glass, letting the ice inside swirl around for a moment, letting his mind settle there, before giving a small nod.

"To fun then. And a spa," he said before taking a taste from his glass.

Glancing around the club he saw more people begin to trickle in and a few that had been there since he arrived. He saw Regulus alone at the punch bowl, watching him returning for another glass, and couldn't help but laugh a little. He nudging Draco to glance over in that direction. "I don't suppose he knows how much alcohol is in there," he said with a small laugh.

"You might want to avoid that."

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Re: Theo and Draco

draco_draconis
2021-04-17 09:20 pm UTC (link)

Draco felt for Regulus. He'd known better than to trust anything he hadn't mixed himself, and he knew Regulus would regret this in the morning.

"I wouldn't dare drink from a communal bowl," Draco laughed. "Not after that one party." He had gotten so horribly sick, and poor Theo had had to deal with him. Never, ever again.

"So, tell me about your life. I'm sorry I haven't been around as much. For a place with nothing going on it gets surprisingly busy."

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Re: Theo and Draco

forgetme_nott
2021-04-18 12:32 pm UTC (link)

It was funny, Theodore thought in a offhanded way, to see a Death Eater tipsy at the punch bowl. It was probably one of the better things about this place, there was always something amusing to watch. He fancied himself a casual observer of some sort of ongoing production. It was an funny thought, when he was bored. As he often was.

"Wouldn't dare again," he said glancing over, turning his attention back to Draco. "Some lessons are hard learned," he chided. And messy, he thought.

Theo sipped on his drink, thinking for a moment before answering. "Not much to tell, really," he said with shrug. He didn't do much. He didn't have much. He just aimlessly passed through each day. It was mostly dreary, save for a few bright spots. "It would be more interesting to talk about the weather," he said with a half smile.

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Re: Theo and Draco

draco_draconis
2021-04-18 02:54 pm UTC (link)

Draco felt like an asshole, and reached out to grip his friends arm. It wasn't like Theo had many people here, and Draco hadn't exactly been making time for him. There was no excuse for being a shitty friend, not when Theo was so important to him.

"I'm sorry. I know this place isn't exactly bustling, or exciting. I've been Al caught up, but that isn't an excuse. Let's say right now that we'll make sure to see each other at least a few times a week." It would be a bit tricky, since his lunches were with Scorpius and his dinners with Harry. But there was time in the evenings and on weekends, and Theo deserved it as much as his son and his boyfriend did.

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Re: Theo and Draco

forgetme_nott
2021-04-20 01:26 am UTC (link)

If it had been anyone else he likely would have shrugged off the hand at his arm, but allowances were made when people mattered. Even if the pity made him feel uncomfortable, but with Draco he supposed he could make an exception to rule.

"We can do that," he answered with a smile. It would do good to be out more in a less hermit like capacity, he imagined. He felt sometimes that he haunted the clock tower.

"Oh," he said as he turned back to the bar to refill his glass, "I didn't mention, but I've a new wand." He said with self satisfied grin. "Even helped to make it."

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Regulus/Remus

te_regulus
2021-04-15 09:15 pm UTC (link)

Regulus didn't know what to expect or how this 'club' would be different from the one in the Room of Requirements. He was born in 1961, there were no clubs in wizarding Britain when he was growing up and besides, he'd been out of school for less than six months before he died. Six months taking care of the finances after his father had died and finding a good match. He hadn't had the time to find clubs all around the world, therefore this was new.

In the end, it wasn't so impressive. It looked nice enough, but it was always the same people. The music was loud and he didn't know what he was meant to do. There was some juice concoction. He heard someone call it Pimm’s punch. He didn't know what Pimm's was, but he could taste some mint leaves, cucumber, orange and strawberries. It was sweet and good and he kept going back for more.

"Hello I think-" He blinked when Remus got all fuzzy. It must have been the lighting, but he put an arm on Remus' shoulder so he'd stop moving. "The punch might be more than fruit juice," he finished, laughing. "It's very good."

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Re: Regulus/Remus

slowburn_alpha
2021-04-16 01:56 am UTC (link)

"More than might be." Remus laughed softly, reaching out to steady Regulus with a hand on the middle of his back. "Easy there."

With the help of a tiny sound dampening charm to minimize the effects of the music's volume on his hearing, Remus could almost relax enough to enjoy the club. He hadn't been to a club for entertainment instead of...work...in a few years. But, he'd always enjoyed the atmosphere. There was a hint of the places like the Roxy about this one, but with elements holding the illusion of more refinement. Like Remus himself, there was a bit of softness mixed with rough edges.

Of course, while he might be familiar with club atmospheres and antics, he wasn't used to seeing Regulus Black any less than perfectly controlled in mvoements and words...excepting when he had Lily's memories. But, that was something else entirely.

"How many of those have you had tonight?" he asked curiously as he found a nearby flat surface to set his own glass of Ogden's down on in case Regulus' balance went completely, wondering if he was going to need to make sure his friend got some hangover potion into him at some point.

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Re: Regulus/Remus

te_regulus
2021-04-16 03:07 am UTC (link)

Regulus spun around so he could stand in front of Remus. "Woah, everything is spinning," he said, as he laced his fingers behind Remus' neck. He had done this before, hadn't it? He remembered doing it, but not when. And really holding onto Remus was the only way to make things stay still for a while.

"I don't know. It's juice and it's sweet and good, and four... five... six, seven- look I can count," he said, laughing. "What did you ask me?" Something about glasses, but he couldn't remember.

"You smell nice, did you know that? Because someone should tell you? I bet Sirius never told you, too busy looking at himself in a mirror." Regulus burrowed his face in the nook of Remus' neck and breathed in, before drawing his head back. "Yes, you smell good. I missed waking up with that smell."

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Re: Regulus/Remus

slowburn_alpha
2021-04-16 11:35 pm UTC (link)

"It's a good thing I showered before coming to the party, then," Remus said, words more gentle than the teasing he was aiming for.

Note to self, he thought. Regulus is a snuggly drunk. Placing his hands on Regulus' hips to steady his friend, he tried to ignore the little swoop in the pit of his stomach at Regulus' words. They were still only a few days from waking up and realizing their memories had been swapped, that they'd thought they were married, soulmates the way Lily and James were. There were bound to be residual...instincts...from the memories they'd made together as a result. It wasn't...real.

"Come on," he suggested, looking around the room for a vacant seat. "I think we'd better get you sitting down before you fall down if everything is spinning."

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Re: Regulus/Remus

te_regulus
2021-04-17 12:09 am UTC (link)

"You always smell good, even before a shower. Even before we both needed a shower," he said, laughing, because that sounded so very amusing for no real reason.

"Nah I want to dance. I don't know how to dance, though. Not this. Know all the proper dances. There's nothing proper about this. Mother would be disappointed. In me too. I still want to dance," he said with a pout.

Regulus leaned into Remus, much like they had done the week before when their minds weren't their own and he nipped Remus' neck. "Or we can make out, and drink. Or drink and make out. I like sex with you but not here," he said, giggling. "Can't have sex with Sirius around."

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Re: Regulus/Remus

slowburn_alpha
2021-04-17 01:08 am UTC (link)

"Learning to dance while the world is spinning might not be as fun as it sounds."

The damnable thing about seeing Regulus like this, uninhibited and vulnerable, was that it made Remus feel even more protective than he had begun feeling already as a result of their friendship. If he'd been sober, none of these words would have been coming out of Regulus' mouth and Remus knew it.

He was ignoring the voice in the back of his mind that said the pout was adorable.

"Regulus," he said softly, putting enough distance between them Regulus' attentions to his neck would stop but not enough he had to let go of the younger man and couldn't support him in his unbalanced state. "We are not going to make out while you're drunk." Remus was trying not to choke at the idea of having sex right there...or that Sirius' presence was the primary deterrent! He didn't peg Regulus for an exhibitionist, either. "Why don't we sit?" he tried again, on the off chance Regulus' earlier confused short term memory would let him forget it was the second time.

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Re: Regulus/Remus

te_regulus
2021-04-17 01:20 am UTC (link)

"You make the world not spin. I just have to hold on to you." It seemed simple enough to him. "Maybe we shouldn't move and then it won't spin. We can dance right here. While not moving. Or moving a little. What were we talking about?"

He took the final sip of his drink, smiling. "Empty. I need more."

Regulus looked at Remus all serious. "Why did you push me away? I liked kissing you, your neck. Told you you smell good." He grinned. "We can sit and make out. That's good yes? Yes! Let's do that, but sitting requires moving. I thought we weren't moving. You're confusing me."

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Re: Regulus/Remus

slowburn_alpha
2021-04-17 04:17 pm UTC (link)

Remus could only think this was residuals from the memory swap talking. "That's because I'm literally holding you up," he replied squeezing Regulus' sides gently for emphasis. Keeping his reactions practical, instead of reacting to the more...intimate...connotations one could make with Regulus' words if one didn't know about the previous week's experiences, seemed the best course of action. Even if he couldn't help the way such statements as I just have to hold on to you made his heart swell a little, likely from his own memories of the previous week and experiencing that connection that didn't belong to them with Regulus.

"I think you've had enough of those," he said, unable to help a chuckle. "You're going to hate yourself for them in the morning when you're sober."

Closing his eyes briefly, Remus pushed his own memories of what it had felt like to kiss and touch Regulus because he had liked Regulus kissing his neck, too. Too much. "I'm not making out with you when you've been drinking this much," he explained gently when he opened them, trying to make Regulus understand, even if he suspected it would do no good. "You ask me to kiss you when you're sober?" He lifted one hand to cup Regulus' cheek. He was a werewolf, not a saint, and despite knowing they'd only been together because of James' and Lily's memories, he couldn't help thinking of Regulus in a different way than he had before. "Well, then, maybe. But, we can move just enough to go sit down and I'll try to keep the world from spinning too much for you."

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Re: Regulus/Remus

te_regulus
2021-04-17 04:34 pm UTC (link)

"You are, aren't you?" Regulus said, chuckling. "You're stronger than you look." He had realized that when they were together, not that he had said. It had been sweet and romantic. "I hate sweet and romantic, should have told you how much I liked your strength when we fucked instead. Much better than sweet and romantic. I think I'd throw up with sugar right now."

Merlin, he didn't feel well. His head hurt, his stomach hurt. "I should not have more." He raised his head to look at Remus. "But I like them. Why have I never had them? Right, no time with the war. The war sucked. Finding a wife sucked too."

Regulus laughed. "We did more than make out when sober, don't you remember?" His eyes went wide. "Are you having memory problems? The castle is bad with those." He smiled mischievously before leaning in and kissing Remus. "There, now I kissed you, so you're fine and we can make out." He sighed. "Fine, we can move and sit down, but the world isn't spinning if we stay like this."

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Re: Regulus/Remus

slowburn_alpha
2021-04-17 08:14 pm UTC (link)

"I think you're going to throw up sugar or no sugar," Remus teased, steadfastly ignoring the commentary on their short-lived sex life. He'd never used his strength in any meaningful way in bed and didn't know if he liked the feeling the thought invoked. Besides, he was sure neither of there had ever had romantic sex before thinking They were Lily and James. So, who was to say what they enjoyed or not?

And why was he even thinking about it?

For a moment, he half-chased after another kiss, catching himself before he could do so. "I remember very well," he said, a slight husk to his voice. Turning so he could put an arm around Regulus' waist and support him that way, he steered then in the direction of a secluded table where at least the other man's current state would no longer be on display for the entire party to witness. "But, we're still not doing any of that when you're not sober." He may have let Regulus talk him around to thinking he hadn't taken advantage of Regulus before But he would definitely be taking advantage now if he let Regulus have his drunken way.

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Re: Regulus/Remus

te_regulus
2021-04-17 08:42 pm UTC (link)

"That doesn't sound good," he said, making a face. "I don't throw up," he said, sounding more like his ten year old self that the man he was today.

"You're not fun tonight. Aren't you supposed to be fun? The marauders and all that rubbish." Why was Remus so boring tonight? "I feel good. Happy." He walked slowly because happy or not, Remus or not, the world was spinning again. "We should sit down. I'm queasy and the room is spinning. Did I say that already? I thought that. Did I say that I want you to stay with me. I like it when you stay with me.It's less lonely and I want to kiss you... even when I don't drink this juice," he said giggling. "Oh look, a table. You found it. You're smart... for a Gryffindor." Regulus sat down gingerly and pulled the other chair closer. "Here this way I can still feel you."

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Re: Regulus/Remus

slowburn_alpha
2021-04-17 11:21 pm UTC (link)

"You don't like the Marauders," Remus pointed out with a shrug as he helped get Regulus settled. Even as he was taking the seat next to Regulus...where he could still feel him, he was firmly reminding himself Regulus had asked him not to kiss him. It was hard to remember the previous week, to have that memory of Regulus' skin under his hands, his cries in his ear, and not want to give in and kiss the younger man as he seemed to want. But, keeping Regulus from feeling lonely wasn't enough and Remus knew when Regulus was in his right mind he didn't want Remus. They just shared memories and experiences while under the influence of the castle.

Still, it would take a stronger man than Remus to deny Regulus his company when he was asked to stay with him. "But, of course I'll stay." They could find a hangover cure somewhere to send Regulus back to his rooms with for morning.

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Re: Regulus/Remus, observed by Sirius

_withoutacause
2021-04-17 09:12 pm UTC (link)

Sirius couldn't find his friends. He had found drinks, many many drinks, but he couldn't find his friends. He had looked and looked but they weren't anywhere, and that wasn't okay. Sirius liked drinks but he liked drinks with his friends better and it wasn't any fun to dance alone. He wanted to dance with Lily and James, even if he was on the outside. He wanted to drag Remus onto the dance floor and spin him around until he was smiling, and Sirius could smile back, and they could be happy for a little while. He wanted... He wanted a lot of things he couldn't have. But this, tonight, dancing, that he could make happen. If he could find them. They had come, hadn't they? Why wouldn't they? He just had to keep looking.

He weaved drunkenly through the crowd, keeping his eyes open for sandy hair and... There! Remus. Excellent. But he wasn't alone, and it took more than a few seconds for Sirius to process who he was with. Regulus. Remus was with Regulus. Okay. Weird, but not that weird. Sirius had been meaning to talk to Regulus anyway, and the drinks made him feel bold. Only, only Remus was really close to Regulus. And Regulus was... Fuck, was Regulus kissing Remus? snuggled up against him and whispering in his ear, and Remus was getting them a table and...

Sirius stumbled away, before they could see him. He couldn't let them see him. Because if they saw him, well, he couldn't finish that thought but something bad would happen. He knew that much.

He had to get out of here. He couldn't think about Remus and Regulus like they. Couldn't think about that soft look on Remus' face, Regulus looking so relaxed and happy and...

Of course he'd fall in love, and it wouldn't be with you. Why would it ever be with you? Regulus has always been better than you

The mocking voice in the back of his head sounded like his mother, and Sirius couldn't do this. He found the bar somehow and downed three shots in succession, hoping the alcohol would make it all make sense again. He spotted Kirley out of the corner of his eye and abruptly changed his tactic. It didn't matter that Remus was with Regulus and James and with Lily and Sirius was alone. Kirley liked him. Kirley was nice. And Sirius didn't want anything but a night of feeling good anyway. He downed one more shot then headed over, putting on his most enticing face. He knew what men liked, and he knew how to give it to them. Sirius was good at this. The rest of it didn't matter.

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