Shop Staff
Three Broomsticks Bartender
Werewolf
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21 years old
Ilvermorny Alumnus
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Ash
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Post by Danielle 'Dani' Carson on Oct 16, 2016 7:29:06 GMT
Well, it was now official. The staff of the Three Broomsticks were up a creek with no canoe, as Dani’s mother loved to twist the popular saying. And in this instance, Dani found it rather fitting. A paddle they could’ve done without. But right now they were currently flying at breakneck speed towards a storm of rapids jammed packed with sharp rocks and riptides. Even if there had been a canoe, it was highly unlikely they were getting out of this in one piece. It didn’t take a genius to know the letters that had arrived at the pub (conveniently one after the other by rather official looking Ministry owls) had shaken more than just Dani. At this rate, all it would take was a look and they would all go to pieces. Something had to be done. So for once, Dani did a very un-Dani thing – she took charge. It took a little convincing, but she finally talked all three of her co-workers into agreeing to stick around once the pub closed. Which it now had at long last. The tables were finally empty and wiped down, the blinds were drawn, and the front door was locked with its sign flipped to ‘closed.’ Only the four employees were left now. Time for a war council. Or at least, that was how it felt to Dani. She took a few bottles from behind the bar (some of Butterbeer, some far stronger) and handed a few to Meg to help her carry them over to one of the tables near the bar. Rosa and Graham had already pulled up chairs, both of them looking thoroughly uncomfortable. “Pick your poison,” Dani said grimly as she set down a server’s tray of bottles and four glasses. They were certainly going to need it. Even on the off chance this conversation didn’t turn into a total disaster, it still wasn’t going to be easy to get through. Dani slid into a seat next to Rosa as a silent show of solidarity. She liked to think they had bonded over their shared condition, but that bond was still pretty new. A little extra encouragement couldn’t hurt. She proceeded to pour herself a small glass of firewhisky (she wasn’t really much for alcohol, but a little courage couldn’t hurt) and took a drink, making a face as it burned her throat. Then she sighed heavily. As the one who had called this little meeting, it made sense for her to be the one who spoke first. “You all know what this is about,” she began, her quiet voice filled with a weariness sleep wouldn’t fix. “There’s a pretty good chance that we’re all about to be in very deep trouble one way or another. And given the size of the Ministry’s arsenal, there’s no way any of us is making it out of this alone. The only way we stand any chance at all is together. And that means we have to trust each other. So.” She swallowed, looking down at the glass of firewhisky clutched tightly in her white-knuckled hands. She couldn’t say this looking up or her eyes would end up going to Rosa (who was still terrified of being a werewolf) and Graham (who she still wasn’t one hundred percent certain of but something in her gut said she could trust). Truth or not, their conditions weren’t her secret to spill. So down at her glass it was. “Some of you know this, but for those who don’t… I’m a werewolf.” Merlin, she hated saying those words. She let go of her glass to very carefully roll up her long sleeves (she always wore long sleeves) to reveal the ends of long scratches on her forearms, mostly for Graham’s benefit. There was no questioning the scars. With the evidence out there, Dani ran a trembling hand through her hair to push back her bangs, leaving her sleeves rolled up as she did so. No point in covering the scars now. “I don’t know if it’s me the Ministry suspects or one of you.” Meg was going to have an interesting time trying to wrap her head around that concept. She probably thought Dani was the only one here. “But if we can’t trust each other, then we’re sunk anyway. So there it is. Cards on the table.” She fell silent, opening up the floor for anyone else who wanted to add to that before they talked through their options. Namely what in the world they were going to do about registration. She wouldn’t blame Rosa or Graham for keeping their mouths shut here. Or for just plain walking out. Dani was pretty uncomfortable herself. But if they all thought it was them against the Ministry, they would crumble in an instant. The only chance they had was together. And yes, it was admittedly only a snowball’s chance in hell. (And a very small snowball at that.) But for now it was the best they had.
Meg Ashland , @julia2 , @winter Set a few hours after these arrive |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2016 20:17:35 GMT
Graham had a bad feeling in his gut upon the arrival of the ministry owls. It had been years since he’d seen those birds but he remembered them all too well. He didn’t even need to read the letter to know this meant the end of his little adventure. It wasn’t even about the whole werewolf business in his case. The fact that the ministry had their eyes on the pub was enough of a risk for him. If they found out he was still alive many terrible things would happen. Most he feared for the safety of his family. Death Eaters and others had finally started to leave them alone the moment he’d disappeared. But it’d all return if his enemies knew he still lived. And if they knew there were more people he cared for, a target would be at their backs too. The pub would be a target.
The man had sighed and returned to the kitchens where he kept to himself the rest of the day. Even if he knew all too well this day was to come eventually, he couldn’t help but feel sad. The thought was crazy, losing a simple mundane job like this was upsetting him. But it wasn’t really about the work alone, it were the people who worked here. They had made him feel welcome, a feeling he thought he’d never feel again. First Meg, whom he knew even before he worked here. Then Dani who seemed friendly enough. Even Rose whom he hadn’t really the chance to speak too. They were all three about twenty years younger than him, still they thought him so much.
It was fun while it lasted, now man up and take your responsibility, he thought to himself. Graham had packed his stuff already and would have left if Dani hadn’t approached him. At first he had dismissed her request of staying after closure. Mostly because he thought every second mattered and he spend this entire day mentally closing off this chapter. In his mind this had already been his last day of work and he didn’t want to stretch it out. But he thought it was fair enough to listen to what the girl had to say because it might be the last time they’d ever meet.
Once the time was there Dani had apparently planned for the four of them to sit around the table and talk. This didn’t really suit Graham’s taste as of the moment. “I prefer standing,” he mumbled as he leaned against the wall with crossed arms, still wearing his apron. His hair was tied in a tiny tail which barely held his locks in there. Most of his hair was too short to stay in there and dangled in front of his eyes. Too short to wear it in a tail, too long to see clearly. Then the alcohol was brought on table which was enough to bait the eldest of the group. “Urgh fine,” he grumbled and sat down to pour a full glass of the strongest liquor he could find. This he downed in a few big gulps. “I shouldn’t have done that,” he mumbled to himself as he put the empty glass back on the table. He didn’t remember eating anything today besides some tasting in the kitchen during work. And Graham knew he turned into quite the chatter when under influence.
His eyes narrowed and turned dark when Carson started talking. The atmosphere changed completely from the friendly welcoming pub into a shade of tension and brooding. Graham didn’t like this at all. He strongly disagreed with what was said. He was always the type to run with his tail between his legs and hope time would solve his problems. Besides, trust each other? He wouldn't trust him if he were them. He’d almost interfered her when he reminded his manners. He poured himself another glass to keep him occupied so the woman could speak her mind. Then she dropped a bomb on them by revealing her secret. While Graham had his suspects (he had spend enough time with werewolves against his will in the past and had his own experience to count for), he never had it confirmed. Or maybe he just told himself his suspicions were wrong because he didn’t want to deal with them.
Disgust was boiling in his stomach, it spread to his face when his eyes laid gaze upon her scarred arm. “Tsk,” he snarled before he could help it and decided to look away for the sake of everyone. Of course werewolves seemed to pop up everywhere he came, it felt as if he were cursed. On the other hand he felt a pang of guilt replacing the disgust. Dani had been nothing but kind to him. But she is a werewolf, the same kind of creature that almost killed your wife and daughter. The same creature that wrecked your life apart. Graham hadn’t noticed he was shaking but he was. Even if this second glass was half empty already, he still spilled some of the drink. His knuckles were white from the pressure he put on the glass, just a little more and it'd snap. The man closed his eyes and forced himself in a quick meditation to calm down the mix of feelings that rushed through his body. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled as he finally opened his eyes again. “That was rude.” For Merlin’s sake he was supposed to he the eldest one here.
He took another sip now he was a little calmer and put the glass back on the table. Graham was silent for a while. Then he shook his head. “I must apologize. I can’t join your little rebellion,” he refused to call it a pack. “I’m done, I’m tired of fighting wars and seeing the ones I care for get hurt,” he was full honest now, there was pain in his voice. An old pain that went deep. He couldn’t look anyone in the eye. Perhaps he should talk to Catherine. They could take the girls and move to another country and start somewhere new without enemies lurking around them. Australia, as far away as possible. They could even live together there. Or maybe he was just being selfish, he didn’t want Ashley to quit her jobs because of him. And he didn’t want Cat or Kallie to say goodbye to their friends because of him. In the end everyone was better off if he just disappeared from the picture.
“Besides… The whole thing will not work for monsters like Greyback who will just use it to cause more terror on innocent people. They’ll think you are just that if you do something; monsters. Or the media will twist it around to make it seem that way. This is a battle you can’t win, either way you’re the bad guy.” Graham was done being the villain but he wasn’t going to be a hero either. Heros got no happy ending in this world. What was he going to do anyways? Sure he was strong and could hold up a pretty good fight but he was just one man(one man who’d lead the downfall of the ministry before but that aside). It was best to just save your own ass and a small group of people by running away.
(OOC: I had to tell myself to stop writing as it was getting out of hand)
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Shop Staff
Bartender at the Three Broomsticks
Lab Assistant
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24 years old
Hufflepuff Alumnus
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Mego
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Post by Meg Ashland on Oct 17, 2016 1:32:36 GMT
Well, there was a kicker. Meg didn't understand politics or its many, many nuances like so-called 'legislation'. She just believed in being good to as many people as possible. So, finding out she could get arrested for being good was quite a kicker, indeed. It didn't scare Meg. Well, maybe a little...but mostly she was angry. Really angry. What gave them the right? Damn government. People should be free to be who they were in this world, this Meg believed strongly. Even if she didn't understand anything else, she believed that unconditionally. Threatening people into any sort of action sounded an awful lot like good old You-Know-Who, who Meg believed more and more everyday might just be Minister Bennett in a wig.
But Meg wasn't angry just for herself. She was angry for all her coworkers, each of them receiving the letter - and especially for Dani. The girl absolutely did not need this in her life, on top of having to deal with everything else as it was. As soon as the letters arrived, Meg sought Dani out - and was honestly a bit surprised to find the girl already jumping to action. She called for a meeting with the other staff members that got letters and Meg was her helpful companion the rest of the day, right down to carrying bottles and glasses to their meeting table once the pub was closed. The liquor coaxed Graham to the table, and Meg was happy to find he'd stayed. The new girl, too. Dani must have opened up to them, as well, and that made her even happier.
Of course, Meg had no idea how much the three people sitting around her really had in common. As far as she was aware, the letters were just about Dani. Dani was the werewolf in question and they were all complicit in not reporting her. Meg poured herself a drink, going hard as everyone else was, happy to listen to Dani take charge. She smiled slightly at Graham and his indulgence and resultant regret. She'd probably seen him hit the bottle harder than that time or two, right? Meg truly had no idea how serious this was for her three companions. She was just feeling vaguely angry, and maybe a might bit rebellious.
So maybe Dani hadn't opened up to the others. She revealed her werewolf secret again, Meg wasn't quite sure to who, but she laid a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder all the same. It didn't look like it ever got easier. What Dani said next, though, was kind of confusing. Why would they suspect anyone but Dani? As far as Meg knew, she was the only werewolf in the building. "Can't be me they suspect. I've worked all the full moons," she mused, thinking back to the contents of the Ministry letters, wondering what sort of 'rumors' they'd heard. They had said something about a 'high number' of werewolves at the Three Broomsticks...huh. Meg looked over to Graham and Rosa, honestly a bit too nervous to look very hard for any of the telltale signs. "It doesn't matter, though. Apparently they're out for all of us, werewolf or not."
What she saw on Graham was not what she suspected. He was shaking angry. "Graham, are you alright?" Worry seeped into her voice, and the comforting hand on Dani's shoulder went to Graham's hand. He relaxed a bit, and what he said was just as confusing as what Dani said earlier. He sounded like maybe he'd been hurt by werewolves, too. Not like he was one, but just been hurt by them. Was he angry at Dani, for being one? That threw Meg off a bit. She scrunched her eyebrows at the man. "I don't think you understand. You don't get a choice. They're coming after all of us."
He had more to say, and Meg listened the best she could. A lot of the things he said often went over her head, but that was part of the reason she liked him. Graham was smart, if a little pessimistic for her taste. Obviously he'd seen some things. "They can't make her out to be the bad guy if she doesn't do anything at all," Meg countered, looking back at Dani. "Are you going to do it, the registration? I don't think you should. It's complete rubbish. They didn't name you in the letter, anyway. I think it's just an empty threat. Maybe they're sending them to all the businesses, shaking up the bosses a bit."
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Shop Staff
Three Broomsticks Bartender
Werewolf
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21 years old
Ilvermorny Alumnus
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Ash
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Post by Danielle 'Dani' Carson on Oct 17, 2016 9:33:14 GMT
Graham seemed a little grumpy at first, but the alcohol lured him to the table. Letting him drink probably wasn’t one of Dani’s better ideas. But she needed something to steady her hands right now, and Rosa didn’t look so good either. Besides, Meg just might drink herself stupid when she realized she was the only non-werewolf in the room. Although it was actually rather cute watching her play at crusader when she had absolutely no idea what was going on here. Dani smiled just a little in spite of herself. “I think you’re probably in the clear,” she said with a hint of amusement. Meg was literally the only person here who wasn’t a werewolf. Not that she knew that.
And the likelihood of her finding out was looking slimmer with each passing second. This talk of trust clearly wasn’t sitting too well with Graham, and he couldn’t hide his disgust at Dani’s scars. She didn’t blame him. Werewolves were a complicated issue. On one hand, there were those like Mr. Lupin who did everything they could to control it and those like Rosa who were terrified of it. But there were also werewolves who were just plain monsters. And considering a person became a werewolf by being attacked… Well, if that was the only experience Graham had, it would make sense for him to pull back. It still hit Dani hard though. She had been hoping some part of him would understand. Her gut instinct was to tug her sleeves back down, and one hand even moved to take hold of the fabric. But the feeling of Meg’s comforting hand still on her shoulder stopped the motion. “It’s okay,” she said honestly after a hard swallow. “We don’t get to choose our scars. Or how we got them.” She looked up at Graham, trying to somehow pass a message with only her eyes. Trying to will him to remember the day they had first met, the way she had reacted when she recognized the scars on his face. Trying to make him understand that she knew he was like her. That she wasn’t a monster any more than he was.
Sweet Meg was still completely lost here although she didn’t seem to realize it. Dani rubbed wearily at her forehead. “It’s okay, Meg. He knows what the stakes are.” Probably a lot better than Meg did. But that wasn’t Dani’s secret to spill. Although this would be a hell of a lot easier to talk about if she wasn’t trying to speak on two levels here. She took a small drink of firewhisky before looking back across the table at Graham. “I’m not saying we start a rebellion. Look at us. We’d be the sorriest rebellion ever. I’m just saying we help each other. If the Ministry starts asking questions, we back each other up. If somebody gets hurt, we do what we can for the bruises.” Graham had a point though about fighting. He definitely talked and acted like someone who had been through a lot of hardship. And judging by the number of scars on his face, he had definitely done his time. Dani swirled the liquid in her glass before adding, “But you’re right. It’s going to be messy. And Meg – no offense,” she glanced apologetically at her friend, “– was wrong. You do get a choice. You don’t have to stay for this. You do whatever you have to do, and I’ll respect that. But just know that if you decide you need friends, you’ve got them here.” Her voice was crammed with as much sincerity as she could muster. She didn’t blame Graham for wanting to walk away. She had certainly toyed with the idea herself. But he didn’t have to go it alone if he didn’t want to. “Nobody has to be a lone wolf, so to speak.” Yet another not so subtle chance for him to tell the truth. To give Dani some sign that he wasn’t going to hang her out to dry here.
The mention of Greyback brought up another obstacle. Dani had only been in England for less than a year and she had still heard stories about the nefarious werewolf. And the more Graham talked, the less feasible keeping them all safe seemed. She sighed heavily as Meg jumped in again. Normally, she loved Meg for always jumping up to defend what she saw as right. Today though… Today it just made Dani tired. “Yeah they can,” she said, her voice heavy in defeat as she rested her forehead against her hand with her elbow propped up on the table. “Look at Mr. Lupin. The Ministry keeps implying he killed his wife. But he takes wolfsbane potion. He would never hurt her. People doesn’t care though. They just need a villain.” And unfortunately for those in this room, werewolves fit the bill quite nicely.
The question of registration sank Dani’s spirits even further. She added her other elbow to the table so she could hide her face in both her hands while she tried to gather her thoughts. For a split second, she thought she might cry. “I don’t know,” she admitted into her hands. She lifted her head, running one hand over her hair as she did so, and found herself looking over at Rosa. Meg was right. The Ministry hadn’t named Dani. In fact, it was far more likely they were on to the other two werewolves in the room. Rosa was still new at this. She didn’t have enough practice to hide it. And Graham? He practically wore it on his face. Which made Meg’s suggestion about the letter fall flat. “I don’t think so. I think they have a pretty good idea.” They certainly seemed to be closing in. And as Dani herself had said earlier, they wouldn’t stop until they had their scapegoat. So maybe it was time to give them what they wanted. “Maybe I should register,” she said quietly, still looking at Rosa. Her gaze slid over to Graham’s scarred face and then to Meg. “The Ministry wants a name. If we give them mine, maybe that would keep them off of everyone else for a while. It’s not likely, but it should at least be on the table.” Meg was going to hate that idea, Dani knew, but this wasn’t about her, regardless of how much the girl meant to Dani. It was about Rosa and Graham. And if Dani registering would keep them safe, maybe it would be worth it.
(OOC - I told myself I was going to wait until Liza had a chance to jump in, but then my muse struck me over the head with a board and this happened. Sorry, not sorry.)
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Post by Deleted on Oct 18, 2016 12:23:50 GMT
Meg stated she couldn’t be a suspect as she worked during the full moon. Her eyes met his and he resolved in looking away. The man decided to remain quiet and sip his drink as he was unable to say he had the same defense. Because he didn’t have the defense. It actually surprised him she didn’t seem to know about him. People already made assumptions simply based on the scars on his face. Yes, Greyback had made sure he hit Graham’s face too. So that he could no longer hide it and he’d have to deal with it for the rest of his life. Truth was that he was still recovering from his wounds from the 10th. Unlike some werewolves he didn’t have access to wolfsbane and had to resolve in locking himself up. Sure Ashley would patch him up but he didn’t want to put this on her every month.
Graham wished he had been able to control himself the moment Carson revealed her secret. He was embarrassed for his unprofessional reaction. But his hate towards werewolves went deep. He had a long history with them and none of it was positive. He hadn’t even noticed Meg’s hand or words until he had calmed down again. Once he did, Dani was speaking to him. The look in her eyes made him swallow, he knew what she meant as he remembered that day. He sighed. “You’re the first werewolf who hasn’t tried to kill my family or me, yet,” he whispered with his teeth against his glass as if he hoped only she could hear it. “I needed a moment to take that in.” Graham sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he slummed in his chair. This wasn’t easy and he partly wished he hadn’t come. He was far from comfortable when it came to this topic.
When Meg told them they had no choice, Graham opened his mouth to say they could always run away but Dani spoke before him. His blue eyes glanced up at her. He found it hard to believe a young woman this kind was the same monster he was. The man was slightly relieved when he heard she wasn’t going to start a rebellion. Because that sure would have ended in a mess. His second glass was finished but he didn’t refill it right away. “Yeah, look at us three young inexperienced witches and an old dude who cannot even face his own wife. What are we going to do?”
He shook his head. “I could train you, teach you defensive and offensive spells. But I wouldn’t call the last time I stood up against a greater power a success.” Now he filled his glass. Yeah his little betrayal hadn’t lasted very long before he was caught. Dani suggested they’d cover for each other but that only made him sigh. “Do you think that’ll change anything? They already threatened to close the place down if they catch someone. It’s a one way trip to Azkaban for all of us.” Graham sipped his 3rd drink and looked at each of the women. “Don’t get me wrong. I love this place, I love working with you all. I swore myself to protect it and to protect you. If I didn’t care I would have walked away already. But- There is a limit to what we can do.” His eyes turned insecure as he gazed at the table for now. Dani’s words sounded like an almost perfect invitation (aside from the fact that it felt weird to be named a group of friends were he was twice their age). “You speak of trusting each other, about but we don’t even know each other. I don’t know anything about Rose but her name,” he told them despite the seriousness of his words, his tone was calm. However the calmth was only a scheme, he was frustrated and angry. Angry with that damned Ministry which he cursed so many times in his life already. “None of you know me and maybe that’s a good thing.” It was almost heartwarming being told that these people trusted him and might consider him a friend. However he doubted they still would if they knew he had been a death eater, if they knew he was the one that lead the coup of the ministry and claimed it in the name of the Dark Lord. They wouldn’t want him as part of their little team if they found out how many people he’d killed (he might have been under the imperius curse but that didn’t take away the facts). Maybe people like him deserved to be a lone wolf.
His eyes went between Dani and Meg as the two seemed to disagree. He felt bad for stirring this tension between them. Then the thing was brought up which was his major point against standing up against the ministry. He’d heard what happened at the Lupin’s. Despite the fact that he’d never considered Lupin an ally or a friend, he felt sorry for the man. He couldn’t help but think of his own family. Graham was sure that if he would do something which would be noticed by the ministry, someone would find out who he was. Death Eaters and Snatchers would want to get him. The ministry would probably have a whole lot of questions for him if he returned as well. His little girls should be protected no matter what. He hadn’t been staying away all these years to take a risk right now. Besides he couldn’t pull these people down with him. His enemies would be at the doorstep of this pub too. Maybe Graham was only paranoid. Potter was still living and breathing even if there were still Death Eaters out there. And as a man of his intellect he should realize that a traitor was a lower target compared to the main enemy. In his mind however it was still war.
Graham fell into silence and let the alcohol comfort him for now. He’d already said too much because of the damn liquor but he couldn’t get back in time to change what has been said. He locked himself out for a moment to progress all that was going on. The only moment when he snapped out was when he heard Dani say something about registering herself. “What?! Are you crazy? It’s obviously a trap. I forbid it, young lady!” His voice held that stern parental tone. Graham hadn’t realized his pretty ridiculous choice of words until a moment after. The things alcohol could do…
Graham cleared his throat and decided to put the glass away for now. “Nobody is going to get registred. There must be a way to undo this madness or find a way around it.” The suppressed fire was starting to burn inside him. He was getting pumped up. His head was making plans to bring down the ministry but he quickly shook them out of his head. Terrible ideas. He no longer was that man. “I too have toyed with that idea today. Many ideas actually. I thought of turning myself in as I was pretty sure this was about me,” he swallowed, realizing what he just said but he continued with an embarrassed face. “Some time ago, there was this lady from the ministry who figured it out. There had been a fight… I eh thought you all sort of knew based on my face. That’s how most people figure it out, can’t really wear a mask or something,” he scratched his cheek feeling more uncomfortable than ever. “I figured she passed by some time later and discovered that I work here. I swear I have been trying to stay away from the public spaces most of the time but… The tables need to be cleaned too. Ehh… I thought turning myself in would solve the problem for everyone but I have a family to protect and promises to keep.” No he wouldn’t miss out on his weekly nights with Kallie. His family came first. He was losing the point he was trying to make. “I have even considered buying this place and cover for everyone but for that I need a name and well… I can’t use my own without unlocking an entirely new problem. But creating a waterproof fake identity takes time and resources which I don’t possess. Then I considered running away and I was ready to do so… But I realized they spoke of multiple people. They won’t stop if one gives in. They want to turn this whole place upside down till the last corner.” Graham knew people thought he was pessimistic, maybe he was. But he rather not take any risks. “I want to help but I can’t let my family pay the prize. If someone knows how to both protect them and be of use here, please let me know.” Graham knew he was rambling and decided to shut up to give the ladies the time to talk and reason.
(OOC: SORRY SORRY SORRY, I had too much muse for this thread. Please don’t kill me Liza TvT. I couldn't stay strong much longer. I tried but I failed. Also sorry for the size of this. Graham talks a lot when he is drunk)
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Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2016 14:27:02 GMT
Margaret Bennet, Minister For Magic. Rosa was sick of hearing it. Everywhere she went, there was some reminder that the British Ministry was there, and the Minister was alive and well. There were constant reminders of the creature legislations. But this time, the name didn't just annoy her, it angered her. And it terrified her too. What if she had given it away? She was new to this, and wasn't good at hiding it all. Surely one of the customers had noted her absence over the full moon, her tired appearances and stuttered excuses for it. And while she was worried that they had found out about her, Rosa was far more worried for Danielle. What if she had put Dani in danger? How would the girl ever forgive her for that? When her shift had started, Rosa had immediately found Dani, to apologise for putting her in such a position, but the girl was ahead of her. Rosa wasn't overly fond of the idea of staying late with co-workers - especially since it was almost certainly about the letters. She'd put them in jeopardy too - she didn't know Graham all that well, and Meg seemed such a sweet-natured woman who was exceptionally good with customers and always seemed to be smiling. She couldn't stand the idea that they were now being looked into as well. But she had agreed, because Dani was the closest thing she had to a friend in England, and she hated to let people down. So Rosa was currently sat at a table with Graham while Meg and Dani fetched the drinks. She sat on the chair, her legs drawn up to her chest and staying rather quiet. The letter was making her nervous, and sitting like that seemed to give her some sort of meagre comfort. She hated being emotional, and at the moment, drawing her knees up under her chin was the only way of keeping her feelings in check. Rosa found comfort in the fact that Dani chose the seat next to her - for whatever reason, her presence felt reassuring and almost safe. Everyone took drinks from the stronger ends of things, but Rosa didn't really drink, so she took a butterbeer, cast a quick warming charm over the glass, and nursed it between her belly and her knees. The gash across her stomach wasn't healing properly; Rosa's knowledge of healing magic was limited, and she was only just managing to keep it closed. She didn't want to go to the hospital in case word got out, but she knew that soon her magic would stop working and she'd need silver and dittany to keep herself alive. For now, the warmth that now surrounded the drink felt good against the painful wound. Cold butterbeer heated up wasn't quite the same as hot butterbeer with foam, but she sighed nonetheless as she brought it to her lips. It tasted like home, and that was comforting, too. Danielle began to talk, and Rosa swivelled her head to watch her. Rosa had been right - the topic at hand was the ministry and their stupid letter. Rosabella didn't want to fight the ministry, but she didn't want to register her name like an animal so that everyone around her knew about her and feared her. That was the worst part. The idea that someone might fear her. And when Dani revealed herself to the group, Rosa looked away. She hated that word. And it felt as though Dani wanted her to spill her own secret, too but she couldn't do it. She wouldn't. And she wouldn't look at Danielle either. Instead she looked to Meg, who, not surprisingly, looked rather confused by the whole mess. Rosa managed a small smile in spite of herself when Meg declared that she couldn't be a suspect. Poor Meg must have no idea that there was more than one werewolf in the pub. But she hadn't even told her family yet. How could she just tell some woman she worked with because someone else seemed to think it was a good idea? Rosa was trying desperately to follow the conversation, but Graham was angry and Meg was optimistic and Dani was tired and it was too much. Rosa rested her forehead on her knees and took a few sips of butterbeer. Finally, it seemed to be only one person talking - Graham was talking about defeat, and Rosa found herself agreeing with him. She couldn't stay here - she was putting them all in danger. She'd leave; maybe go to France, or even America. "Rosabella," she interjected suddenly, her voice soft. It was the first contribution she'd had to the conversation. "My name's Rosabella, not Rose." And that was it. She didn't want to give herself away, and saying that she thought she should just leave would definitely give it away. So she fell silent, finally looking back at Dani, and narrowly avoiding wincing at the scars across the girl's arms. She watched the other girl as the conversation turned to someone called Greyback and another called Lupin - werewolves, presumably. Actually, thinking about it, Rosa had read the article about the Lupin guy and his wife. She didn't know the man, and so the talk about him being not guilty made her nervous. Some werewolves were bad - how could Dani know that that one was good? Meg asked Danielle about the registration, but it was what followed that set her on edge yet again. The letter hadn't named Dani. Probably because they weren't after her. They were probably after Rosa. Because she was no good at it. Some random woman had guessed it. She'd blabbed most of it to some random woman, simply because everything had hurt. Of course this was because of her. She shouldn't have come to England with her parents. She shouldn't have walked out under the full moon. She should have had the sense to use her wand on the damn thing. It was Danielle's reply to Meg's question that brought Rosa out of her brief pity party. "No!" she said, her voice far louder than she had expected it to be. She set her butterbeer on the table and dropped her legs from the chair. "You're not going give yourself away. For winter's sake, I won't let you register yourself to save me. I-I'll do it. I'll r-register, if someone has to. I'm not good at this. I can't keep secrets this big, and someone's going to find out anyway. It– It may as well be me." Rosa's eyes had been on Dani the whole time, and now they widened, realising exactly what she had said. She had spent the whole debate not saying anything to avoid exactly this situation. Rosa leaned her elbows on her table, face in hands, trying desperately not to let the tears fall. Graham's rant gave Rosabella a bit of a shock. Three werewolves, in the same bar? Gods, now she wasn't just endangering Dani, but this man, too. And his family, she realised as he spoke. How could she have been so stupid? She stayed quiet while he spoke, feeling terrible for having put him in this position. Feeling terrible for having put everyone in this position.
It's all good, I totally understand. Rosa would have stayed rather quiet for most of this anyway, so it's not a huge deal 
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Shop Staff
Three Broomsticks Bartender
Werewolf
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21 years old
Ilvermorny Alumnus
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Ash
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Post by Danielle 'Dani' Carson on Oct 27, 2016 6:29:44 GMT
Graham’s reaction definitely hurt a bit, but that feeling eased as he explained she was the first not to try and hurt him. “I get that,” Dani said, giving him another pointed look. He was the first she had ever met too. But she couldn’t say that in front of Meg and Rosa. Not yet, anyway. Also, apparently Graham was married and had a family. That was news to Dani. He didn’t really talk about his home life. None of them did actually, except occasionally Meg.
It also sounded like Graham might have been in some kind of rebellion before. Dani found herself wondering if maybe he had fought in the wizarding war everyone was always talking about. Come to think of it, he did behave sometimes like an old soldier. He even offered to teach them some spells. “That might not be such a bad idea,” Dani muttered, more to herself than the room at large. The thought of having to use magic to defend themselves was truly worrying. But it was also looking like it might become terribly likely. As Graham pointed out, the Ministry had already threatened to send them all to Azkaban. “Which is exactly why if we’re going to do something, it has to be together. Everyone would have to be on the same page. All our stories would have to line up perfectly. If we don’t all agree to it, then there’s no point. We might as well just hand ourselves over right now.”
The way he talked about the pub tugged the corner of Dani’s mouth into a ghost of a smile. Maybe he did care after all. Although he still seemed to have an issue with trusting them. “You’re right,” Dani admitted. “We don’t know each other very well. But I know you’re a good person, regardless of what you think about yourself or what you’ve done in the past. You’re still here, and you just said you want to protect us if you can. That’s all I need to know. I trust you. All of you.” She glanced over at Rosa and then at Meg before returning her eyes to Graham. “Maybe you’re right and we really don’t stand a chance. But we sure as hell don’t stand a chance alone. We need each other. So I’m willing to take a leap of faith here.” Maybe that was childish, but it was the only path forward Dani could see. Alone the Ministry would take them down one by one. Maybe together they could at least make it count for something.
Dani had expected Meg to freak out about her suggestion that she register herself, but it was actually Rosa who got there first. The force with which she piped up was a little surprising. Dani’s eyes were wide as the server hurried on. She sounded almost panicked. And then her secret was out in the open. Dani would’ve glanced over at Meg to see how that was being handled if she hadn’t been so concerned about Rosa. Her voice was gentle but firm as she wrapped her hand around the girl’s forearm, tracing what were hopefully calming patterns with her thumb. “Hey. Listen to me. This is not your fault, okay? You’re going to get through this. I said I would help you, and I meant it. We’ll find a way to hide it. I promise.” Her voice had gotten infinitely softer, and she slid her hand up Rosa’s arm to gently tug the girl’s hand away and link their hands together, fingers intertwined. “You are not alone. And anyone who tries to hurt you, any of you,” she glanced at her other two colleagues before returning her attention to Rosa, “is going to have to go through me. But you have a family to think about.” She turned a bit so she could see all three of the others while still keeping her hand in Rosa’s. “You all do. I don’t. My family is a million miles away where the Ministry can never touch them. The only people in this country I care about are the ones in this room. So if someone is getting handed over, it should be me.”
That didn’t go over so well with Graham. For a second Dani just stared up at him in surprise as he pulled out what sounded suspiciously like a dad voice. But then she felt a smile pulling at her mouth. He did care. A lot, apparently. And he ended up spilling his own secret as he rambled. “Well now that we’ve finally got everything out on the table.” Dani looked over a Meg to try and gauge how the other bartender was handling the suddenly invasion of werewolves before saying, “Meg’s human, if anybody’s wondering.” It said a lot about how serious this conversation was that she didn’t even realize how utterly ridiculous that sentence sounded.
Unfortunately, Graham, had a point. It didn’t sound like the Ministry would be happy with just one of them. Dani sighed and took a drink of Firewhiskey. “So what are we supposed to do? Clearly we all agree registration won’t end well. But we can’t let your families get pulled into this either. So what do we do? Because I’m out of ideas.” She glanced at each of the faces in the room in turn as if searching for an answer. They seemed to be stuck in an impossible situation.
(OOC - Yes, I know, I jumped the line again! I can't help it!)
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Shop Staff
Bartender at the Three Broomsticks
Lab Assistant
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24 years old
Hufflepuff Alumnus
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Mego
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Post by Meg Ashland on Nov 23, 2016 18:50:52 GMT
This...this was a lot. With such a mixed bag of heavy emotions hanging over the room, of course Meg didn't notice the very thing that was looking her right in the face. She just saw her coworkers, people she cared about, that were scared and angry and hurt - and she saw her own need to make that better. That's it. There were very many things Meg did not understand, in this situation and in the world at large, but honestly - she didn't really feel the need to. She felt it was her place in life to provide comfort to people. They could do all the talking and arguing and she would just sit there holding their hands.
She did hear quite a few interesting things, though. Graham wanting to teach them how to defend themselves. Talk of trust and strangers. Running away. Merlin, what did they think was going to happen? It didn't feel like the end of the world to Meg, because she truly didn't understand. Those letters were nothing more than bullying to her, not a death sentence. Which - she discovered at a pace that was her own special brand of slow - was exactly what they read as to her coworkers. It took several angry outbursts, but then the truth was laying stark and naked on the table, completely impossible to ignore. Even for Meg.
"Wait...you two. Wait. All of you, you're all werewolves?" One could almost smell the smoke coming off the cogs in her brain. She looked over to Dani for...she wasn't sure what, guidance? But the girl said something that sounded so wholly ridiculous, Meg couldn't do anything else but laugh. Yeah, she was definitely the minority here. She had to take several moments to compose herself. "I'm sorry. It's not funny...but it kind of is? Or what's the word...ironic? Is that right?"
While Meg was still looking for some way to help these people, Dani and the rest were looking for actual answers. Or, rather, trying and coming up with nothing. While Meg stayed silent and tried adjusting herself to her new discovery, an idea suddenly went off in her overcrowded brain. Or a bit of an idea, really. She was sure the rest of it was in there somewhere, but she thought she might get it out, seeing as no one else was talking. "You could use my name, Graham. Like, we could put everything in my name. If one of us is in charge of this place we can do whatever we want with it, create alibis for you lot, the whole deal. That way no one has to register and we can make all their suspicions look unfounded. We can protect each other, because like Dani said no one's going to make it alone." She shrugged, hoping she was explaining herself well enough. "I'm not scared. I know the letter says otherwise but out of all us I really don't think they can touch me. Have you seen how pissed people are over this legislation? They would never get away with locking up an innocent human. No offense."
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Deleted
UNSORTED
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
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Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2016 10:24:58 GMT
This whole situation felt weird. It brought back so many memories of past underground plotting against the ministry. Only this time the people were different, better people he believed. Since he was both tired of war and running away, he saw no personal victory in this. So he’d better do what he believed was the right thing. Only he wasn’t sure if them believing him was the right thing. But as long as they wouldn’t find out about who he was in the past, he assumed things would be fine.
The man blinked up when Rosabella suddenly interrupted him. Graham was caught a little off guard because he wasn’t used to her saying much. “Woah that’s the most you’ve ever told me,” he said a little aloof as he scratched his hair. “I suppose it’s a start..”
Rosabella finally seemed to know how to open her mouth. However at this point Graham was still progressing everything that he didn’t have time to be surprised. Just how many werewolves worked in this bloody pub? Only eventually he could talk. “No, no. None of us is going to do it, you hear me? Not you,” he said pointing at Danielle. “Not you,” he pointed at Rosabelle. “And not me,” he now pointed at himself. Graham finished yet another drink and slammed the glass on the table. “That’s my final word on this matter. It’s only a few more years of that woman being Minister. If someone else gets elected next they might change everything around. But you’d still be registered unless they decide to destroy the documents which they won’t. Trust me I’ve worked at the Ministry.” Perhaps not at that department but he had been a hitwizard and later high ranked politician.
It was almost ironic that Danielle had to tell them that Meg was human. This whole situation was messed up. He rose his eyebrow when Meg started laughing. “Eh??” The man blinked in bewilderment. “I think we broke Meg, do you want me to take her to Mungo’s?” While they still could.
They seemed to have found something to agree upon. The decision was made, they wouldn’t register. Now they had to find a way to defend themselves. Meg seemed to have picked up control so there was no trip to Mungo’s needed. He shook his head at Meg’s suggestion. “It’s not that easy. My wife is in charge of the money because I… Well… I suppose it’s time to come out as alive to the world. Not shout it out but, you know.” Graham had lost the count of the amount of drinks he had downed. He was babbling and didn’t even notice it himself. He suddenly stood up. “Alright, time to talk to the wife,” he said randomly as he walked towards the exit, he felt light in his head and couldn’t really walk straight. He stopped when he came to realize it was night. Catherine would be livid if she found him at her doorstep, drunk, waking Kallie and Ashley. “Maybe later,” he mumbled before returning in his chair.
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Shop Staff
Three Broomsticks Bartender
Werewolf
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21 years old
Ilvermorny Alumnus
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Ash
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Post by Danielle 'Dani' Carson on Dec 15, 2016 0:53:26 GMT
Graham was pretty darn adamant about none of them registering, no matter how much sense it might make to sacrifice one of them for the other two. And seeing him get that protective… Well, quite frankly, it reminded Dani of her father in one of his rare moments when necessity turned him into something other than a kind and quiet writer. A flash of homesickness shot through Dani’s chest, coupled with a surge of fondness for the people in this room. Mention of Graham working at the Ministry was filed away for a later date. Instead she asked into the sudden silence after his words, “Was that a dad voice?” It probably should have seemed awkward to hear her coworker taking that tone. Dani, however, found it endearing, as evidenced by her smile. Graham could deny it all he wanted. But whether he would admit it or not, he had already decided he was in this with them.
Meg seemed to finally process what was really going on here, although at a far slower pace than Dani had expected. First came shock. That was to be expected. And then Meg was… laughing? Dani could only stare at her friend as Meg’s words slowly sunk in. She did have a point. Ministry threats aside, it was a little funny. A smile began to curve its way across Dani’s face. Then Graham dubbed Meg broken, and suddenly the hilarity of the whole situation was too much. Dani started laughing too. She couldn’t really tell if the moment was actually funny of if she had just finally cracked under the pressure of it all. But either way, it felt good to laugh. “No, I think she’s okay,” Dani said as she calmed back down. “We’re okay. Or at least we will be.” Her tone turned serious again, signaling she was talking about more than just the laughter. If they could find humor even in the intensity of the current moment, maybe they really could get through this.
If only they could figure out a plan. It was Meg, of all people, who offered one up. Dani’s slumping shoulders straightened as she mulled it over. “That might actually work. Nobody who spends any time at all with Meg could possibly suspect her of being any sort of criminal. People love her. Even if the Ministry did try to come after us, the public would pitch a fit.” That just left the matter of money. Graham had some thoughts on that subject, although the alcohol was starting to go to his head. He mumbled something about a wife as he got to his feet. Graham was married? Yet another piece of information to file away for later. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Dani asked, noting how much trouble he seemed to be having. The man only made it a few steps before returning to his chair.
It probably would’ve been better to dismiss his drunken mutterings, but something about his words had snagged Dani’s interest. She chewed her lip briefly before asking, “What do you mean by alive?” Did people think Graham was dead? Not that Dani was in any position to judge. She had run away from her family to a completely different continent to live under her mother’s maiden name. But if they really were trusting each other here, it might be better to get everything out in the open.
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