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Tweak says, "bubble bubble toil & trouble"

michael corner is reluctantly growing up (mlcorner) wrote in pandorarpg,
@ 2012-01-15 22:04:00

Entry tags:

!status: complete, ^date: november 12 2003, character: anthony goldstein, character: michael corner

Characters: Michael Corner & Anthony Goldstein
Setting: Anthony's flat, 12 November 2003, 7:00pm
Rating: PG-13 for language and possible arguing
Summary: Big kid sleepover! Memory speculation, zombie invasion, muggle warning system, BFF arguing, & moaning about The Lavender Situation.

Michael was exhausted and it wasn't even really fulfilling considering that there was still a tremendous amount of work to be done in the streets of Diagon Alley and elsewhere in the Wizarding World. He'd spent most of the day at the Leaky Cauldron trying his best to keep the mindless bodies from destroying the place and whatever other nearby building he could help defend. It was grueling work, especially considering it took them ages to realise that so many of their spells weren't affecting them in any way. Michael could barely believe that just the night before he had been worried about such menial things like Lavender being in his flat and now there were mindless bodies roaming all over the place. With all the shite they already had to deal with, why would they get more added on top of it all?

Now he only wished that the situation with Lavender staying at his flat was one of his only problems. Really that problem had escalated tenfold just last night when she decided to say those words he could not handle hearing. None of it probably would have happened if he had just kept his intentions to himself but he never knew when to keep his mouth shut and leave things be. Michael was smart, but he never seemed to learn with Lavender - he was constantly tripping up because she was always throwing him for a loop.

And then there was Anthony Goldstein, his best mate he could always rely on, regardless of whether or not he said extremely stupid shite he knew he was going to regret later. Because unlike Lavender, Anthony had been with him for twelve years and knew him backward and forward even if Michael liked to pretend that he could still fool him. And even now knowing that there was a pretty good chance that Anthony was going to call him out on some of the things he'd said in the journals, Michael still wanted that comfort of being with him even if a row could be involved. Because even arguing with Anthony felt like something familiar and home to him, unlike how he had felt with Lavender invading his space the past few days and that was exactly what he needed right now. So he may not need to stay at Anthony's, but it was something he wanted to do anyway, since he wanted to consult with him about the memory obliviation idea that had crossed his mind when he was talking about the potions with Lavender. There was no one better to talk to about it with than Anthony. And of course with all the mindless bodies wandering the streets, he wanted to check in with his friend anyhow.

These were all valid reasons for him to show up at Anthony's flat around seven that evening. Rather than knock he just opened the door because it was essentially an extension of his own place in most ways and Anthony had learned to set his wards to include Michael if he did not want to deal with an incessant amount of whinging. Unlike at Michael's flat where he might actually be shagging someone, there was no need to worry about Anthony entertaining since he was still so adverse to such things. It was really rather sad and Michael had to get him a shag at some point. "Honey, I'm home! I hope you aren't wanking in here!" Michael called as he closed the door behind him and tossed his bag on the floor near the sofa.

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logiclogiclogic
2012-01-16 05:46 am UTC (link)

If you ignored the fact that outside of his flat was a mess and a fucking half, Anthony had had a pretty good day. Despite the fact that last night, his sleep had indeed come along with another nightmare, it hadn't been absolutely and completely horrible. Having decided in the end to just take Michael's potion, appeasing himself with the reminder that if he had to he could just owl in to take a sick day, he'd found that it was the same, but not. He wasn't as personally affected. He didn't feel involved. Not that it made it easy, but it made it easier and that was good enough for right now. Or it had be.

After dealing with work and the consequences that having mindless bodies wandering around near Muggles caused at least once or twice, Anthony had returned straight home, intending to continue the research for his and Justin's idea. There wasn't exactly all that much time to waste, was there? He didn't exactly know how he'd feel if another person died before they figured this all out. As such, in the hour and fifteen minutes since arriving home, he had managed to make a bit of a mess in the way of having two of his books left open on his coffee table and on the sofa, scraps of parchment nearby them and littered with the scribblings of possible ideas.

Anthony himself came in from the kitchen the moment he heard his front door opening, a book being held open by his finger in one hand and tea in the other. The look he gave Michael right then said much for exactly what he thought about the very idea. He shook his head after a moment, though, as he should have expected as much. It wasn't a day in his life unless Michael made some sort of comment to him about sex, or his lack of it. Instead of giving that statement a response, Anthony only set his book and tea on the nearest flat surface.

"Aren't I just lucky you're here." The lack of a questioning tone said it all, though there was the slightest upward curve to his lips.

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mlcorner
2012-01-16 06:07 am UTC (link)

Michael looked around the disaster zone that was Anthony's main room with a bit of a pause before realisation seemed to cross his face and he groaned. "Aww, mate, is this another one of your research parties?" Michael made air quotes and there was clear displeasure written on his face. "Did you say that I could stay at yours just so you could make me look through books for you? I believe this is what they refer to as cruel and unusual punishment and I will not stand for it!" He may have stomped his foot for childlike emphasis.

Michael walked over to the sofa and grabbed some of the books and tossed them onto the coffee table, ignoring the fact that they may have been in some specific orderly fashion of Anthony's that he would complain about in about two seconds. He needed to sit down because he was tired and now he knew he'd be in for it if Anthony was researching something already when Michael hadn't even brought up his idea about the nightmares. "What is all this shite for then?"

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logiclogiclogic
2012-01-16 11:10 am UTC (link)

Anthony rolled his eyes at Michael. It was just like him to be a dramma queen over reading a book. Or a couple. Not that Anthony had actually planned for his research and Michael's presence to coincide -- it had just happened to work out that way. For the benefit of his unneeded whinging, however, Anthony managed in a perfectly serious tone, "You've completely caught me out, then. That was my evil plan all along."

As predicted, Anthony quickly moved forward to try to save his places in both books, giving Michael a glare as he knew how Anthony would feel about that. "Justin came by yesterday. So we're trying to come up with something to use to sort of... warn people. When they're in danger. Mostly for Muggle family members."

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mlcorner
2012-01-16 07:39 pm UTC (link)

Michael shook his head. "You are a terrible friend, Anthony Goldstein. This is why I don't come to yours, y'know. It's always work and no fun." This wasn't necessarily true as Michael was particularly skilled and side-tracking Anthony from things because he'd been working at it for twelve long years now.

Michael just shrugged at Anthony's response, obviously not arsed by Anthony's glare in the least bit. He even put his feet up on the coffee table to show just how inconvenienced he felt. "Wait, wait. Justin came by? And you got him to do work instead of sex?" He pulled a face, staring at Anthony for a moment. "There is seriously something very wrong with you, Goldstein, if you can rope Justin into your schemes. It's like you've some kind of disease." So he may have been trying to ignore the serious part of the situation, but that was mostly because he'd had so much serious in the past few days that he was ready to vomit from it all.

"Why exactly did Justin stop by yours? And what do you need a warning system for?" He felt like his head was too full of information already and was likely to explode if he put anymore in it. He laced his hands together and placed them on top of his head, looking over at Anthony expectantly.

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logiclogiclogic
2012-01-17 12:49 am UTC (link)

"That's funny. Because I feel almost as if you're always here, distracting me. Case in point -- " Anthony made a hand gesture to indicate this very moment as Michael's presence was severely distracting him from his very important research, never mind that he was also messing up Anthony's order for things.

He glared at Michael's feet for a moment before answering. "Yeah, Justin. And considering he didn't actually come by for sex," the unsaid part that nothing would have happened even if he had very much loaded into that one word, "it wasn't very hard. Plus, he has a personal interest in it." After another moment, Anthony decided that it was indeed still bothering him and he knocked Michael's feet off his coffee table, gathering his pages of parchment to reorganise all of it. Again. Fucking Michael.

"He actually wanted to talk, seriously. About there being Muggles who are having the nightmares. And the warning system is an idea to hopefully help in the event that someone comes after one of them." He replied, thinking himself on the owl he was still waiting to hear back on his mother from regarding his father. He was sure that he probably should have asked in person, but potential mortal danger aside, he really didn't want to see his parents very much.

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mlcorner
2012-01-17 01:15 am UTC (link)

"What? You're being over-dramatic. Besides, I haven't been over in ages." Which wasn't true, but Michael always had a flair for the dramatics himself. "And you invited me over tonight, remember? Don't go whinging about me distracting you."

Michael grinned stupidly when Anthony keep glancing at his feet and finally couldn't deal with it anymore and knocked them off the table. This felt normal for him. Nothing like last night with Lavender or this afternoon in Diagon Alley. This was how it was supposed to be and he wanted it to always be like this - easy and normal and just Anthony and himself.

He remembered now that Muggles were getting the nightmares and thought about Ron's entry in the journals. Muggles who were close to wizards could get them. Did that mena that Justin had a family member with nightmares? And more importantly still, "Ant, is your dad having them?" Michael asked, suddenly serious. "Is Justin's family having them?" he asked after. Michael leaned forward and looked at some of Anthony's papers that he had moved from the sofa. "So what have you come up with so far?"

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logiclogiclogic
2012-01-17 02:54 am UTC (link)

Anthony decided to not even dignify the lie with a response, and continued to fix his notes.

"I don't know," he answered after a moment. He seriously hoped not, though, as he sincerely doubted his father needed another reason to not be all that fond of the "magic thing" as he had so eloquently put it once. Anthony could just see it now.

"As for Justin? Yeah, there's at least someone in his." Which, if it hadn't been Michael, he wouldn't have admitted such a thing to. It also helped that Michael seemed to have adopted his serious mode. "I've been looking into the idea of a protection-like charm coupled with either detecting or tracking. So I have ideas. Lots and lots of ideas of what could work if tweaked the right way..." Anthony took a spot on the sofa beside Michael, then, running a hand through his hair. "Or maybe even combining two together into something completely new."

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mlcorner
2012-01-17 03:34 am UTC (link)

Michael nodded at Anthony's answer. It wasn't a 'yes' but it wasn't a 'no' either. So he wasn't really sure if he should feel relieved or not. "Let me know when you find out, yeah?"

Michael rubbed his hand through his hair. "Shite," he replied. This was just what they needed. Not only themselves, but their Muggle family members were in danger now and it was like a never-ending carousel they couldn't get off of. Michael listened to Anthony's theory, nodding enthusiastically. If there was any time for experimentation, well now was it. Michael knew so himself, obviously. "Okay, that sounds good. I'm sure you will be able to come up with something, mate. Do you need me on this or are you good?" It's not as if he wouldn't want to help, but he did have a lot of shite going already and he still had his own idea to consider with Anthony which would add more on the plate. "I'll help, but I had something else in mind I wanted to run by you too so, y'know, there's more work to be done as is."

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logiclogiclogic
2012-01-17 04:16 am UTC (link)

There wasn't really much he could do beside wait for his mother to find out and then notify him about it. He did hope that the answer would be no, however. Close or not, that was still his father, right? "First thing on my list." And he wasn't being sarcastic about that either.

Michael's confidence in him was good to have. Having yet to settle on an exact answer hadn't made him feel exactly hopeful. Not that he was going to give up. He highly suspected that Justin was counting on him to figure this all out. "Yeah, thanks. I think I'm good, actually. It'll be a good distraction. And I've got Justin doing stuff." Which, for the most part, seemed was going to be getting books and looking through a few as well. Not that Anthony minded. In the end, it still helped, right? And he was enthusiastic enough about it.

Marking the pages for where he last left off in both books, and then closing them both, he turned to face Michael. Frowning just slightly, he said, "Something else like what?"