Tuesday, Aug. 27th 1996 - evening/night - Party at Lammas Park
After a sumptious dinner with lots of lively conversation, the full crew at Lammas Park Boarding House sauntered upstairs to crack open a few (or a lot of) bottles of beer. They sat around the common room talking idly. Roger asked, "Anyone for a game of cards? We could play knut poker or something."
*
Penelope took one of the bottles and remarked, "For who still have very many knuts, of course -- I'm looking forward to when we start training and get paid on a regular basis!"
*
Gabriel laughed. "Oui, that will be very nice." He takes a bottle of beer. "Ah, I remember well the parties from Hogwarts!"
*
Adrian takes a bottle of beer, even though it's not really his preferred method of getting plastered. He's not sure he's really in the mood for this, but he's willing to make an effort. At least to get to know the others.
"Poker? I'm not sure what you mean." he knows Poker. Very well even, but he's not at all above pretending he doesn't know it. It will be his own private fun and it'll cheer him up, he's sure.
*
Viktor nods and takes a beer. Almost like being back on the team, ecpet no one's talking about quidditch or sex.
Yet.
"Poker, yes I could play that."
He'd rather go to his room and read, but he filed this under 'trying to get to know and be friendly with his fellow students.'
So it would be worth it.
*
"Knut poker sounds fine," Kenneth said. He took his own bottle of beer and sat back, awaiting the start of the game.
*
Roger rolled up his sleeves with a smile then reached back behind his neck for his wand that rode in a specially designed pocket in the back of his waistcoat. He transfigured the room's furniture into a large poker table covered in green felt, with armless straight-backed chairs.
"We'll start with 5 card stud, no wild cards, so the beginners can get the hang of it. That means you are dealt 5 cards and you must play the hand you are dealt." Drawers slammed open and shut in his room, as he concentrated. Then a deck of cards and a pile of knuts flew in and landed onthe table. "We might need more knuts, if anyone has pile."
Roger took a seat next to Penelope and expained the basic rules of poker while drinking a beer. When he emptied it, he transfigured it into a glass and poured his next beer. He supposed it was showing off a bit to shuffle the cards using magic, but that was okay. He winked at Penelope.
"I'll deal the first hand, then we all place a knut bet into the kitty. Uh - excuse me Fleur - that's a poker term for the pot of money."
*
Adrian jerked slightly when the chair beneath him was transfigured, and he found himself sitting on a straight backed chair. His eyebrows arched sharply at Roger's small... show and he wondered why the man suddenly felt the need to flaunt his skills like that.
No wonder... Fleur and Penelope in one room. His testosterone levels must be hitting the ceiling by now. Slightly silly, in a peacock'ish way and Adrian found himself rather amused, smirking faintly as he pretended to pay avid attention to Roger's explanation of Poker.
"I don't have any knuts I think..." he could suggest other items they could play about that would heighten the entertainment value greatly, but would stick with the knuts for now.
*
Fleur has been swpet along on the tide of enthusaism of the others. She has no idea what is this poker that they speak of and she has been trying to listen to Roger's explanation to Penelope but he seems more interested in sitting close to her than explaining clearly to everyone else.
She decides to sit close to Adrian hoping he knows a bit about this and hoping she can follow the game. So far it has involved the use of some very strange words for what appear to be very normal things.
She has a bottle of beer but needs a glass, she will not lower herself to drink like a man.
"AdriAnne, I 'ave some knuts' ere if you like to share?"
"and will you pass zat flower 'older to me, please?"
She indicates a vase close to Adrian, it will transfigure nicely into a goblet.
*
Adrian smiles at Fleur, slightly surprised she's picked him for her attentions "Of course," he pulls out his wand as he reaches for the vase. She can't really want that thing other than to change it into a glass, so Adrian saves her the bother and transfigures it easily into a very nice crystal glass. He hands it to her and puts his wand down on the table next to him.
"There you go. Thank you for offering your knuts," he leans a bit closer, most of the others' attention fixed on Roger's card handling, and whispers "I know the game, but it's always wise to keep a low profile until you've assessed the skills of the other players." He waggles an eyebrow, then leans back in his seat.
*
"oh, merci AdriAnne. Tu es vraiment gentil"
Fleur smiles brightly at Adrian as he passes her the beautiful glass and blushes a little as he leans in to whisper to her; a technique she has perfected, it seems to work well when she wants someone's attention
"You are gentleman."
"I do not believe I understand zis game but I will try and..." she lowers her voice, speaking directly into Adrian's ear "I will guard your secret"
*
Penelope had to grin inwardly -- Roger was very carefully explaining the rules to her, when she had fond childhood memories of the card parties that her muggle grandparents would have. Grandma was more into Canasta, Whist and Gin Rummy, but her Grandfather's two favorite games were Bridge and Poker.
Still, it's been a while...nothing wrong with a reminder of the rules.
Penelope reached into the inner pocket of her robes for her coin purse, to retrieve her required knuts and put them into the midst of the table.
*
Once they'd gone around the table once, Roger bid two knuts and watched curiously to see what the others would do. He was happy and warm, working on his third beer, Penelope delightful by his side.
Fleur's attentions were turned on Adrian, he noted with relief.
He strongly suspected both Adrian and Viktor, they were so stone-faced normally. He'd have to watch carefully to catch their bluffs. He also suspected Gabriel's open cheerfulness of hiding a shrewd operator. That left Kenneth. Somehow, Roger didn't think the girls would be able to hide it if they had a good hand.
He had a pair of twos and not much hope of winning the pot, but with knut poker the point was to have a good time with friends.
*
"Good, I was hoping for that. I will assist you, should you need it. Not obviously so, of course. I have to keep up my cover."Adrian returned the brilliant smile from Fleur, adding a hint of mischief even as he wasn't fully able to avoid her strong influence.
It was really an odd thing. He wasn't attracted to her type as such, normally at least, but flirtation was always nice and he decided to go along with it. It would keep his attention in this room and not on the mood he'd been in all day.
He picked up his cards. Two eights and nothing else... not really a good hand and he was careful to allow his features to express that fact a bit. Just briefly enough to make it seem involuntary. He nevertheless went along with the bet and tossed 3 knuts into the pool "I ... raise with one," he looked openly questioningly at Roger, as if asking if his action was okay.
*
Fleur finds to her surprise that the beer is very drinkable and drinking another large mouthful she looks from Adiran to Roger, watching how they put the knuts onto the pile
She is still a bit confused about the rules but wants to play all the same. In a quiet voice she addresses both Adrian and Roger while their attention is in her direction "I put my knuts 'ere like AdriAnne? In zis pussy you speak of?"
*
Penelope frowned at her hand of cards, keeping it close to her where the people on either side of her couldn't catch sight of the card-faces.
A pair of sixes, a pair of fours, and a Queen. Not a bad hand, but not a guaranteed winner either. Still...
She decided to risk it. Glancing between Roger and Adrian, she said carefully, "I'll see your one, Adrian, and raise again." She fished out a few more knuts and dropped them into the center of the table.
*
Roger nodded to Fleur, "That's right put it in the pussy - er - kitty! The kitty. Er -pot! Yes, put it in the pot. Let's just call it the pot, or even the cauldron, heh heh."
Roger summoned his school cauldron from his room and whisked the growing pile of knuts into it in the middle of the table. He met the raises and kept his eyes on his own cards, breathing deeply and trying to keep his mind on the game and not on how silver white hair would look wrapped around his fist as he bent her head back to ravish her mouth with his own ...
*
Gabriel remembered this game from the Ravenclaw common room, during the year he'd spent at Hogwarts, although no doubt his father (who visited Monte Carlo at least once a year) would have said poker was too "common" a game for his sons. His hand was a total waste, almost a straight but not quite, so he folded and happily watched the others play out the hand as he sipped his beer.
*
Adrian chuckled lightly at Roger's fumbling words. This might turn out to be a very entertaining evening, if the man kept slipping up like that.
Maybe he should even encourage Fleur to use her charms more actively, so they could win?
Penelope's raise of the bet had Adrian look intently at her for a moment, trying to call her bluff, if there was one. He wasn't sure.
He faked thinking it over for a long while, then folded, "My hand isn't good enough, I think..." it wouldn't hurt if they got the impression he was unsure about the game, for now.
*
Viktor drank his beer and shook his head. Jack high hand; nothing.
He put his cards in face down.
"Maybe next time."
He looked around casually. This was for fun, but he still liked to win. He'd watch the others for a while unless he had a really good hand.
*
Roger reclaimed his bubbly mood and raised again. Now it was down to him, Penelope, Fleur, and Ken. He drank some beer and looked expectantly at the others.
*
Fleur watches the others put their cards down and looking at hers again decides they aren't up to much in any case. Even she knows that there is too much of a mix of suites and numbers for there to be any point in her continuing. She shakes her head at ROger's enquiring glance and puts down her cards.
"Not zis time, no" and finishes her glass of beer.
*
Penelope grins winningly at Kenneth and Roger. "I'm still in, and I'll raise again. Are either of you two game to beat me?"
*
"I'll call," Kenneth said. He had two pair, ace high. He hoped that neither of the other two had a higher hand.
*
"Oh, so close!" Penelope turned over her cards with a resigned sigh. "Two pair, Queen high. So close, and yet so far!"
*
Roger's eyes went positively devilish as he turned over his pair of 2's. He giggled at the puzzled looks the others shot his way.
"And Ken wins this hand. Penelope, you deal. Call the hand before you start - stud, draw, which cards are wild ... And no dealing from the bottom of the deck." He winked at her.
"Oh yeah," Roger whisked up his wand and pointed it at the final hands they'd laid down. "Finite incantatum. That way, no one is tempted to transfigure their cards."
He levitated himself another beer. "Anyone like a refill?"
*
Penelope shoots Roger a playfully pouty look, as the various cards come in and she starts shuffling the deck. "I suppose it's fortunate that we're playing for knuts and not, say, strip poker."
*
Roger was conscious that every male in the room now eyed ... his ... Penelope with speculation.
"Dealer's call," he said lightly while unbuttoning his waistcoat.
*
Penelope took a swig from her bottle and then looked around oddly at the rest of the group. "Same game," she said hastily, and began dealing out the five cards apiece to the others.
*
"And here I thought you would like to see all of us in our masculine glory, Penelope," Kenneth said, taking a drink of his own beer as he looked at his hand. Not quite so good this time, but he'll see what the others do before making a decision.
*
Fleur helps herself to another beer as the cards are handed out again.
There is definitely something going on between Penelope and Roger and whatever it was that she has just suggested seemed to have caused a lot of blushes.
Fleur concentrates on her new set of cards.
*
Strip poker... my my, what an interesting suggestion.
Adrian figured he wasn't the only one with a slightly naughty streak. He just hadn't expected to find it in a Ravenclaw girl.
He looked amused at Penelope for a moment, then focused on his cards instead, his expression slipping into neutral again. Three of a kind, a nice hand and definitely worth betting on.
*
Garbage. That's what his hand was. Still, watching the other's reactions and hearing their comments and conversations was so very entertaining. He tossed two knuts into the kitty.
He wondered what in the world Penelope had been thinking with that comment about strip poker. She seemed capable of the most outrageous, free-spirited things. But then she backed off. She was only joking. Was she going to back off about having sex with him? At 19, he doubted it. He calculated that her virginity was becomeing rather burdensome to her.
He looked around at the group, speculatively wondering who would actually be up for a game of strip poker, and what it woud lead to once someone got naked. He wasn't at all shy about anyone seeing his body, but some things just weren't done.
Hell, Penelope had turned the lights out before he could even get her shirt off. Why the bloody hell had she brought up strip poker? Did she want all the guys in training panting after her?
There were too many guys and not enough girls for stripping, but perhaps a game of Never or Dare.
*
Penelope makes an effort not to react to Kenneth's suggestion, although she isn't sure how successful she is. The truth of the matter is, she wouldn't mind seeing the lads in a somewhat dressed-down fashion, but on the other hand...
Speaking of hands, this one I've dealt myself isn't good at all! The cards are all over the place and all different suits. Still, I definitely couldn't be accused of cheating, with this set of cards. I think I'm going to fold in the first round.
Penelope glanced over at Roger. She wasn't quite certain where everything stood with him, at the moment. Are we just friends? He's not been acting like that, this evening. Are we boyfriend and girlfriend? We've not said anything officially. Maybe when we go out on Friday, things will formalize a bit more. If he wants to do that, of course.
The truth was, what with last night's impulsive activities, and the atmosphere of beer, cards and cameraderie, Penelope was in a slightly wild, rambunctious mood, and she wasn't sure how to handle it.
*
The more Adrian thought over Penelope's suggestion, the more intriguing it sounded. But... maybe that was going too far with this crowd? He couldn't see all of them agree to the fun in such a game.
Maybe another type then? Something less daring and more for the fun of it?
daring...Ohhh...
"I'm not sure I have enough clothes on for strip poker..." Adrian smirked at Penelope "But who said we have play poker all evening? There are other games that have the ability to strip people ... bare, so to say." Adrian glanced at Roger, then the others in turn, mischief playing in his eyes. "Truth or Dare would be a good example of such a game." Personally, he would most likely go for dare every time, truth had a tendency to be too stripping. Letting his words sink in, Adrian emptied his bottle and summoned a new one.