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michael corner is reluctantly growing up ([info]mlcorner) wrote in [info]pandorarpg,
@ 2012-01-09 22:15:00

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Entry tags:!status: complete, ^date: november 11 2003, character: dean thomas, character: michael corner

Characters: Michael Corner & Dean Thomas
Setting: The Leaky Cauldron, 11 November 2003, 6:32pm
Rating: General Public
Summary: Dean wants to talk to Michael about Lavender and Michael is working.

Michael felt like he needed a break from work, even though he hadn't really been that busy lately. He hadn't picked up any extra shifts like he normally did because he'd been working on the dreamless sleep potion, which might be part of the reason why he was tired, but he figured most of it was worrying about Lavender. And having her around the flat was a little bit...confining to say the least. He wanted to help her, don't get him wrong, but now that she was there he felt like he'd made a bit of a mistake offering his place up so quickly. But then again she was having trouble with so many other of her friends right now he couldn't exactly expect her to just find somewhere else and regardless of how awkward it felt, he still wanted her somewhere he could protect her. It was a double-edged sword regardless of how he looked at it.

He had to say that he was pretty glad to go to work, even if it meant leaving her there alone because he needed the time to himself. Dean had mentioned he'd be stopping by and it would be nice to catch up with him but he knew he was worried about Lavender and Michael knew that Seamus and Dean had both had disagreements with Lavender about Bianca, though Dean was generally more level headed than Seamus was so he could trust Dean to not lose his cool even if Lavender might. And knowing Lavender these days, well it was probably safe to say that she would lose her cool pretty often. It probably didn't help that her flat was broken into earlier that morning, not long after they'd moved her out of it. So it was sodding lucky they got her out when they did. And he'd felt a bit of a prat for feeling suffocated with her around when they found out because Merlin knew that she would be terrified after hearing that and why wouldn't she be? He had set who knows how many wards before leaving for work and had Lavender set her own and they set up a password as well so that no one could get into the flat without it.

If it wasn't for the new information that Weasley had got them, Michael wouldn't have felt any hope at all at this point. But it was tainted now, because if Weasley had dueled with a brunette and there was a ginger breaking into Lavender's flat, was there two people now? Or was someone playing tricks on them? Michael thought about it as he wiped the counter and kept an eye out for Dean to arrive. He was going to take his break when he got there and hopefully it wouldn't be terribly sullen.


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[info]artisgratia
2012-01-10 03:42 pm UTC (link)
Dean wanted - no, needed - to get out. He'd been off work since four, and had plans for making dinner for when Seamus got off at eight, but the four hours in between were suddenly maddening. He sketched almost two hours, and yet drew nothing that satisfied him. Finally he went and had a shower and changed his clothes. He decided he needed to check in on Lavender, but wasn't certain how well he'd be received or even where she was at the moment. He'd had a disagreement with her, though nothing like the row she and Seamus had had, but that didn't stop him from being concerned.

But he could talk to Michael. He'd let Michael know he'd be stopping by and there was no better time than now. He could have company as well as check on Lavender. Right about six-thirty, Dean showed up at the Leaky Cauldron and headed right for the bar. "Hey mate," he greeted him, his tone a bit more subdued than usual.

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[info]mlcorner
2012-01-10 08:16 pm UTC (link)
Michael noted Dean's entrance and nodded to him. Normally Michael would greet him more exuberantly than he did, but considering all that was happening, he just couldn't bring himself to do it. "Hey Dean. We can grab a booth, I'm going to take my break. Tom's got me covered," Michael nodded over his shoulder to the owner. "What'll you have?" he asked Dean so he could get their drinks before he walked out from behind the bar. He poured himself some iced pumpkin juice and then poured Dean's order then he lead him to a booth in a secluded corner.

It wasn't really busy yet so they didn't have to worry about being overheard, but Michael cast a charm to keep other people from hearing them anyway. In case they spoke about the DA or something similar, he wanted to be able to do so without worry. "So," Michael said, taking a drink of his pumpkin juice. "How have you been?" He knew no one had really been that great, but he wanted to start with smalltalk instead of starting in on the unfortunate subjects.

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[info]artisgratia
2012-01-11 02:22 pm UTC (link)
Dean asked for a butterbeer, knowing it was safer for now to save anything harder for when he got back home. He followed Michael over to the booth, grateful for the privacy. He wrapped both hands around his butterbeer, as though seeking comfort from the mug, and sighed. "As well as can be expected. better than some," he added. He sipped at his drink and glanced at Michael.

"It's just getting to the point now where I wake up in the mornings expecting bad news. I hate that feeling. I'm not by nature pessimistic, but it's starting to seem that way." He shook his head. "How've you been?"

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[info]mlcorner
2012-01-11 03:46 pm UTC (link)
Michael nodded in understanding. He knew that feeling as he was naturally a sunny dispositioned person so all this negativity was not normal for him. "I know what you mean, mate. I generally don't like to think on the negative side of things either, but we have been getting quite a bit of bad news lately."

He shrugged. "About the same, I suppose. Trying my best to keep Lavender feeling sane. Bit hard when her flat's been broken into though." Michael sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. The description the hit wizards had given them of the woman they had seen fleeing through the fireplace was exactly the same as the one Lavender said she saw in it before. She obviously hadn't been mistaken. "Justin thought she was seeing things, but she wasn't. Someone really did break in, but luckily we'd already got her out of there."

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[info]artisgratia
2012-01-11 04:21 pm UTC (link)
Dean frowned. "Part of the reason I wanted to talk to you was to check on Lavender. I know we had a disagreement, but I'm really concerned about her. I saw her journal entry about someone breaking in. I'm glad you two got to her so quickly. You're keeping an eye on her then?"

Dean drank - slowly. He hadn't eaten much all day, and the butterbeer splashed unpleasantly in his stomach. He wasn't sure if he'd rather have heard Lavender was just imagining it all. Neither option made him less concerned. However, he was a little uncertain as to her mental certainty as well, so being told that something had actually happened, he supposed, was somewhat reassuring.

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[info]mlcorner
2012-01-11 04:46 pm UTC (link)
Michael nodded. "I'm trying my best. She's really shaken, mate. I mean, after the first time she was shaken, but now - Dean, I'm not talking about what happened yesterday afternoon. The first time she just saw a face in her fireplace - in the floo. This morning someone actually broke in the place. The hit wizards came by mine to let her know this morning before she left for work - that was 3am.

"They said they only saw her from behind as she was leaving the flat through the floo, but she had bright red hair, just like Pandora. Just like Lavender said she'd seen in the floo yesterday." Michael took a drink of his pumpkin juice and frowned. "But it doesn't make any sense because Ron said the witch who murdered Penelope was dark haired. So does this mean there are two people? Or that Pandora does have someone possessed or under Imperius who is murdering for her? I really don't like the sound of this at all, Dean."

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[info]artisgratia
2012-01-13 01:33 am UTC (link)
"I know. I would have checked on her myself, but I wasn't sure she'd want to see me. I feel terrible about what's happened. I went about trying to unconvince her of something that had her terribly worried...and then this happened."

He listened as Michael mentioned Ron's incident and pursed his lips. After a moment he replied, "There could be more than one person. Or it could be the same person disguising herself. There are a lot of possibilities, unfortunately. I don't like it either. I've offered to look at Ron's memory of the incident though and make a sketch of her, so we can all have something to look at, a face to recognise. I hope it helps." Even if it meant having to see whatever Ron saw.

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[info]mlcorner
2012-01-13 04:59 am UTC (link)
Michael sighed. "It's not really easy to unconvince Lav of anything. I just sort of... go with it and support her but tell her that I have my own opinions on the matter and agree to disagree, if the matter calls for it. Because she knows I don't really believe much in Divination but I know that there are some real Seers out there and if Bianca is one and she's been having visions of Pandora - well that's something we need to consider."

Michael nodded at that. He had seen the comments about Dean doing the sketch from Ron's memory and then something donned on him. "Wait, Dean. Would you be willing to do that with Lavender's memory too? Of the person who appeared in her fireplace? She said she saw her - then maybe we could get a clear picture of who that person was as well!"

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[info]artisgratia
2012-01-15 11:44 pm UTC (link)
Dean gave a small wan smile. "I've noticed," he replied. "I just felt bad after she had that row with Seamus..." Not to mention the conversation the two had had earlier that day. "I do believe anyone who's having visions should be something to consider. I wouldn't jump to the conclusion of calling said person a suspect, but I'd look to them for knowledge the rest of us may not have. At the very least, I hope she reports her visions."

He looked up at Michael's request and without hesitation nodded. "So long as Lavender doesn't mind me seeing her memory, I'm perfectly willing. We need as much information as we can get, and if we have two clear images that's certainly something to work with."

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[info]mlcorner
2012-01-15 11:57 pm UTC (link)
Michael didn't know for certain if Lavender had mentioned Seamus or not. She had had quite a few people disagree with her on this subject and they were beginning to blur together in his head. "I'm sure they will work it out eventually. You lot have been friends for a long time." Michael understood what it was like to have that camaraderie in your own house and it was certainly a difficult thing to just let go of, row or not. "I know and I think Lavender's just been through a lot what with the attack from Greyback in seventh year and then this added to it. She just hasn't handled it all very well. I'm not really quick to necessarily expect something eye opening from whatever Bianca might be Seeing or not Seeing if she really is having visions, but I've never trusted Divination much. That was part of what worried Lavender, I think, was that she hadn't reported any of it to the Ministry. It all made her suspicious, I suppose, and it's an easy thing to become when all this shite is going on."

Michael smiled a bit. "Great, I will ask her if she is up to it then. If it was or wasn't Pandora, if we can have a look at who it really was, that's all that really matters, I think. I'm sorry you've got to see that shite that happened to Penelope to do this for us, mate."

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[info]artisgratia
2012-01-16 12:03 am UTC (link)
Dean nodded. "I know. Lavender's been through a lot - we all have. I;m worried about exactly that: how she's handling it." Because in his opinion, she wasn't handling it well at all. He wasn't sure how to say he was actually getting concerned about her mental health, so he let it slide for now. "I don't know Bianca well, but Justin does and apparently she's very shy, skittish even. I thought maybe she was just too scared to tell anyone official." He shrugged. "I guess I just don't see her not saying anything as being suspicious."

Dean shook his head. "Don't apologise. I want to help and if this is a way, I'll deal with what I see. Both Ron and Lavender actually experienced it. I'll just be seeing their memories of it." He tried to downplay it, knowing full well however, that seeing their memories would feel almost as strongly while seeing them as if he'd been there himself.

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[info]mlcorner
2012-01-16 12:49 am UTC (link)
Michael could understand that and in many ways he worried about her too. She was so committed to the fact that death was coming for her that he wondered still if she didn't really just want it now. He'd asked her about it before and not got a really good answer, but he should have expected such. It was true that Lavender might need more help than Michael was able to give her, but he hated thinking about her that way and it was possible that he was living in a state of denial. "She has good and bad days like most of us, really. It's a hard thing to get used to, even after this much time. For someone like Lavender, being attacked by a werewolf just isn't something you process easily."

He could understand her being shy, but even so, after people started dying he would figure this to be a sufficient motivation to go speak to the Ministry. "I don't know. Even if she was that scared, you'd think that Justin and her other friends would have done a better job getting her to go to the Ministry to tell them when they knew full well just exactly how dangerous things were. The fact that they would wait while people are dying does read off to me, even if it's not necessarily suspicious. To me that would be common sense."

Michael knew that this was the truth, but it didn't change the fact that even if the other two had experienced it, it didn't make others having to experience it as well any better. "I know, Dean, but it's still bollocks to have to see it just to get an image. It's not as if Lavender and Ron quite enjoy the experiences."

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[info]artisgratia
2012-01-16 01:37 am UTC (link)
Dean frowned slightly. "Maybe he's trying to convince her. All I know is that unless people know her well, they probably shouldn't make assumptions about why she's done or hasn't done something. I gave that as a possible reason, but I don't know for sure. Maybe she did tell someone. Maybe she was ignored. Maybe she's tried and been given the run around at the ministry. Maybe somethings happened to her in the past that makes her hesitant to talk. Maybe someone should actually ask her why she hasn't said something. Maybe, maybe, maybe. You see where this gets us?"

Dean suddenly realised how frustrated he sounded. "Sorry, I think I'm letting this whole thing get to me a bit more than I thought. I do think someone ought to actually talk to her though." he refocused on the other matter instead. "I know. I think I said that more to convince myself than you," he replied ruefully.

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[info]mlcorner
2012-01-16 01:58 am UTC (link)
Michael sighed. "The whole point of telling the DA was that we were supposed to ask her about it. But Justin turned it into...whatever it was and everyone started rowing with Lavender over what she thought so we didn't get anywhere with it. And likely never will since she's not going to talk to us now that she thinks we're accusing her of things because Justin told her as such."

He knew he probably sounded just as frustrated, but the DA members shouldn't have reacted the way they had toward Lavender. Even if her fears weren't warranted, they were genuine fears and they shouldn't have attacked her or disregarded them the way they had. It was only dividing them and they didn't need that right now. "It doesn't really matter now. It is what it is. We don't need to be fighting over this in the DA. We have to worry about what we can deal with, not what is done and can't be changed. We need each other's help and in-fighting is the last thing we should be adding to our list of problems right now."

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[info]artisgratia
2012-01-16 02:29 am UTC (link)
Dean shook his head. "Sorry Michael, but I think someone should have talked to her before people started accusing her of being involved. I talked to Lavender and all she had was opinions based on fear that she swore up and down were facts. Running with that felt like giving in to paranoia. I'm not about to start looking at friends as enemies. We need to not overreact to these things, especially if it breaks us up into factions. Divided we fall and all that. maybe we can try to work through this at a second meeting. Maybe Lavender will prove us wrong. Maybe we'll prove her wrong. Who's wrong doesn't actually matter. What matters is working together to find out what's really happening."

He and Michael were starting to be on the same page now, and so Dean nodded furiously. "On that we agree. So long as we can disagree without arguing we'll be all right." He offered another smile. "I'll do my best to keep Seamus's mouth shut if he's about to be offensive, yeah?"

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[info]mlcorner
2012-01-16 05:51 am UTC (link)
"That was what we were supposed to do when we brought it to the DA to begin with. I never really believed she was involved at all - I said so from the beginning. But I also wasn't going to disregard Lavender's fears about it either. We've all had irrational fears before and I think what you lot didn't realise was that you were ostricising Lavender just like she was ostricising Bianca. I wasn't going to let her feel like she was completely alone just because her opinion was different from the rest. I disagree with Lav on quite a few things but I never get angry with her about it because she's my friend and I care about her and I want to be there for her when she needs me." He wasn't trying to say that Dean had done anything wrong in particular, but he knew that some people had and he hoped that they were smart enough to apologise for it to save their friendships.

Michael smiled at that. "I don't think Seamus was the only one who made mistakes this go round. We all had our fair share and I think we just need to learn from it. I'm sure we'll handle things better in the future."

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[info]artisgratia
2012-01-17 04:57 pm UTC (link)
Dean nodded. "I think people were reluctant to just accept something they didn't have the same conviction in. I tried to talk to her about it, but..." Dean shrugged. It wasn't his fault Lavender didn't want to hear opposing views. He hadn't abandoned her or called her thoughts crazy, but she reacted to him - and to Seamus - as though they had. But when she started putting words in his mouth, he'd had to put his foot down. "I check in on her again. Hopefully it'll go better next time." He was hopeful, despite what Seamus had told him about their conversation earlier. "Maybe seeing what she saw will help."

Dean chuckled at that. "I didn't mean to imply he was. Just that I know full well how often he speaks before he thinks. I'm damage control," he said simply. He tilted his head at Michael. "I'm glad you're looking out for her though, Michael."

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[info]mlcorner
2012-01-17 06:46 pm UTC (link)
Michael sighed and shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe I've just been too close to her to see where everyone else is coming from. Maybe it was the same with Justin and Bianca. Ernie was able to understand and he's friends with Bianca so I guess I took that for granted." He nodded. "I hope so. She needs to know that not everyone is against her right now, especially the DA because we all need one another if we are going to get somewhere with these memories. And I plan to get somewhere." He was not going to let Anthony or Lavender go that easily.

He shrugged. "I can't really fault him that." Michael was the same way; he never thought about things before he spoke which was why he often got himself into situations he didn't need to be in. But he didn't necessarily have a Dean walking around behind him to clean up his messes. Lavender was in no condition to take care of his problems in that way and Anthony may be his best mate but he wasn't really Michael's keeper. "I'm trying my best - it's the least I can do for her."

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[info]artisgratia
2012-01-17 08:23 pm UTC (link)
Dean gave Michael a curious look. "I think that way about Seamus." For a moment he wondered just how close Michael and Lavender were now, but then brushed the thought aside, when Michael continued, naming Justin and Ernie and Bianca. "That's the part I couldn't get through to her. We're not against her if we have a differing opinion. The important thing is to be safe, find out what's happened, and find a way to stop it. Disagreeing is bound to happen, but that doesn't mean the end of a friendship. At least I hope it doesn't."

Dean suddenly remembered his drink and took a healthy gulp of butterbeer. "We're all trying our best. I'm just...anyway, I definitely think having another meeting is the best way to go. One Lavender can attend this time." He winced slightly, remembering how poorly planned the timing of the last one was. He was going to try to make sure Lavender didn't feel excluded. He may have thought she was being unreasonable about some things, but not that. Having had the meeting on a full moon had not been the best idea, even if it was the closet and best time most people were available.

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[info]mlcorner
2012-01-17 09:33 pm UTC (link)
Michael took a drink of his pumpkin juice just as Dean mentioned that he thought that way about Seamus and began to cough on his drink, which seemed to go down his throat the wrong way. He was not really prepared for that sort of comment, or at least what it might imply about himself and Lavender, and it put him a bit on edge. He certainly didn't have a problem with Seamus and Dean's relationship, but other people thinking of him and Lavender in such a way - well he wasn't ready for that quite yet. Or ever, really. When he was able to speak again, Michael said, "Yeah well, she's hard to get through to sometimes so I can understand that. I don't think she is ready to sever her ties with everyone, I think she's just overwhelmed."

Michael nodded in agreement, a frown creasing his brow. "Yeah, it's about time to get together again. We've got plenty to discuss, what with Ron's situation and now Lavender's. I wish we could meet because of something good happening and not something awful." That was really all that seemed to happen these days though.

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[info]artisgratia
2012-01-18 03:22 pm UTC (link)
Dean's eyes widened as Michael suddenly choked. "You all right, mate?" His concern was tempered though when Michael continued speaking - if he could talk he wasn't choking. Wondering if something had just gone down the wrong pipe or what, Dean was silent for a moment. "Well good. I hope this will all blow over soon enough."

Dean finished the last of his drink and nodded. "Isn't that the truth? Well at least we did just mange to get some of us together for Justin's birthday. Seamus's is at the end of the month. Maybe we'll do something then."

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[info]mlcorner
2012-01-21 10:04 pm UTC (link)
Michael nodded slowly. "Yeah, yeah. Fine." He certainly was not fine, but Dean need not know any of that. He nodded in agreement. "I hope so too."

He knew that Justin's birthday had been a good thing, up until Zacharias had shown up and sort of ruined it. He shouldn't have let the bloke ruin the entire night when it had been nice up until then, but it was difficult to do so when he was such a bleeding prat. And Justin had not reacted very well either so when the bloke of honour wasn't enjoying himself, how was everyone else going to? "Yeah, that's true. And Seamus' birthday, yeah? That sounds good. Maybe we can celebrate the end of these bloody nightmares along with it." He was being overly hopeful, obviously, but he had to be or he'd never be able to believe that Lavender and Anthony would be okay.

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[info]artisgratia
2012-01-22 12:32 am UTC (link)
Dean's expression was more curious than concerned, but since Michael said he was fine, he let it drop. "Right so, I'll meet with Ron tomorrow morning and then you just let me know if Lavender's all right with me seeing her memory and drawing whoever was in her place. And maybe by the end of the month, we'll have something to celebrate yeah?"

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[info]mlcorner
2012-01-22 09:12 pm UTC (link)
"Yeah mate, that sounds good. I'll ask her about it as soon as I get a chance." Michael smiled a little. "And maybe we will. Well I better get back to work before Tom decides I'm better off not working here. He'll give all my shifts to Seamus and I can't have that. My regulars would be very disappointed because they are not into sandy hair."

Michael smirked and stood up, offering his hand to Dean for a shake. "It was good to see you, even under the circumstances. Thanks for coming round."

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[info]artisgratia
2012-01-23 04:00 pm UTC (link)
Dean stood as well, taking Michael's hand. "He'd better not give Seamus extra shifts. Sometimes it's hard enough to see him as it is." He grinned at the sandy hair comment. "Well I'll let you get back to your shift then. Would hate to disappoint your regulars and deprive them of your shining and glossy dark locks."

Dean nodded. "I was good to see you too. I'll come round again just to stop and have a drink, yeah?"

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