Boredom Strikes (open)

[ALDEN GIBBS]

Alden lay back on the couch shooting curses at the ceiling, causing burn marks to appear. He then shot a counter-curse to get rid of the burn mark, he didn’t want to get thrown out of another flat by the landlord for unexplained markings on the ceiling. Besides this flat’s rent was cheaper than the previous three he had lived in and it had the benefit of being owned by a witch, so he didn’t have to put up with constantly using the memory charm on her whenever he accidently used magic infront of her. “Bored, bored, bored” he muttered to himself as he continued shooting curses at the ceiling.

The ministry hadn’t contacted him for a consult in almost two weeks, damn them and their budget cuts, and he was bored stiff. He needed an unexplained case to solve again, surely someone had done something those buffoons at the ministry couldn’t explain? Probably but he was sure they were just too proud to contact him. He supposed he could go into the ministry and worm something out of them but that would involve having to put up with some or other idiot who wanted to give him paperwork to fill in. What was it with ministry officials and paperwork? Heck if he wanted to do paperwork for a living, he would have become an accountant like his mother had suggested when he had finished his schooling at Hogwarts.

Alden let out a sigh, he was going to drive himself mad soon if he didn’t do something soon. He sat up, ran his hand through his hair, thinking. Maybe he just needed to get out to somewhere with questionable reputations surrounding him. “Time for a drink” he muttered to himself. He stood up, walked across his livingroom grabbing his coat. He walked down the stairs to his front door and walked out onto the street of muggle London. He locked the door before walking to find a quiet area to apparate.

Alden appeared in the quiet town of Hogsmeade, thank goodness it was the middle of the week so there was no annoying students cramming the village. He walked in the direction of the Hogs Head, not quite sure yet what he was planning to do there but just sit and watch the patrons of the pub. He entered the pub shaking some of the snow out of his hair, and quickly located an empty table discreetly located. He sat and ordered himself a firewhisky, he had learnt quickly that the last thing you order at the Hog’s Head was a glass of water. As per usual the pub had scant few clientel but the few that were there were interesting enough. Alden sat and took a swig of his firewhisky. He pulled a face, no matter how much he drank it he still always found that first taste hit him slightly. Atleast it warmed him more than what the sad excuse of a fire that was burning in the fire place did.

[LEYSHELL CONNER]

Leyshell didn’t know why she was in Hogsmeade, perhaps it was one of those trip down memory lane type things, out maybe she was flat out bored. That was more likely the case with her anyways….boredom. It seemed that being in back in Britain had dulled her life somehow. She no longer got into fights with dark witches or wizards, there was no reason to pull a pocket knife out and show off your skills. It was probably why she dreaded her return to anywhere that reminded her of her childhood yet here she was walking along the path to the hogs head in clothes that were probably to tight. 

Walking in to the hogs head she snorted, this place was exactly how it was when she was still in school. Three years hadn’t changed anything, except her age and the amount of familiar faces. There weren’t a lot of face she recognized and she drew comfort from that. She didn’t have time for drunk reunions with people she never liked in the first place. Just like she didn’t care for meeting old flames and their new significant others….she would always be the first and the girl would always be taking her leftovers.

She sat the bar on stool, crossing her legs gracefully as she ordered two glasses of fire whiskey. She put the coins on the counter before downing both glasses and asked for two more. She would need to be properly drunk before this place seemed even less pathetic than she did for being here. Why she chose this place of the poison apple pub she had no clue probably because she wasn’t looking for trouble tonight….just to get drunk. Drink her third glass slower that the first two she looked around and sighed, she didn’t have many choices for conversations.

[ALDEN GIBBS]

Alden sat watching the other patrons with mild interest. It clearly was a slow night, no one had entered yet who was mildly interesting. There was the usual situation of a clearly married woman waiting nervously to meet her lover. He pulled a face, this was the worst place to meet in secret. People always knew that in general, you only ever met someone you weren’t meant to meet at the Hog’s Head. Well at least Alden thought it was fairly obvious, apparently he was the only person who thought that. Otherwise more affairs would happen in either the Leaky Cauldron or Three Broomsticks.

The door opened and a young blonde woman entered, she immediately caught Alden’s interest. Well at least she seemed more interesting than any of the current patrons. He silently sat watching her sit on a bar stool. Interesting, she clearly wasn’t keen on being in the Hog’s Head yet was clearly making herself at home. Alden took another sip of his fire whisky as he watched her downing both fire whiskeys she had ordered, one after the other. Alden had always found the drinking habits of people fascinating, most would drink in an attempt to drown their pain only to find it return with vengeance when they sobered. Of course the hangover that came with excessive drinking also acted as a double reminder of the pain that they could never get rid of with drink.

Alden watched her order another two drinks, clearly her only aim in coming to the Hog’s Head was to get as drunk as possible. Then again the Hog’s Head in itself was as good a reason as any to get drunk. His attention shifted when another of the patrons started stumbling around the pub, clearly looking for an excuse to fight. The man stopped at his table grinning stupidly at him, clearly thinking in his drunken state that Alden was a good target for a fight. “Don’t even bother trying to fight me Oaf” he hissed at the man. The man was already so drunk that it was a miracle that he wasn’t already passed out somewhere in an alley. 

The man stumbled forward reaching for his half empty fire whisky. He pulled out his wand and pointed it at the man, “You dare and I’ll stun you before you even have a chance to think about picking up the glass” he hissed venomously. His eyes flickered to the bar where he saw the barman watching them, clearly not impressed. “I suggest you leave before you get dumped unceremoniously out the door” he added, stiffening his back. The man mumbled something about the time and daisies, before stumbling towards the door. Alden sat watching the man leave with a stony glare at his retreating back. He really never understood why he had thought attempting to socialise had been a good idea. It always turned out to be a horrible idea, always.

[LEYSHELL CONNER]

Leyshell noticed someone watching her but didn’t turn her attention in that direction. She was she to it, perhaps someone was just as bored as she was. Or was looking for a way to come over in talk, either was it was not interesting to her. Until a man walked over to the man obviously intoxicated and most likely looking for a fight. She felt a little disappointed the man didn’t fight the drunken guy, there went her source of entertainment. She spun around in her bar stool and turned her narrowed eyes toward the man who had sent the guy on his way.

Tilting her head to the side she began to size him up so to speak, he wasn’t incredibly buff but that meant nothing. He always reached for his wand with confidence but that meant little also, magical prowess meant nothing against physical prowess. Unless you had both than well you were set until you found someone that was more skilled than you. Of course Leyshell never fought someone more skilled unless she had too, she won but never came out unscathed.

Gracefully walking over she sat in front of the man not paying attention to her glasses she had left on the counter. She didn’t trust them enough to drink them now that she had left them there. Call it paranoia but she called it caution, leaning forward she raised an eyebrow. “If you’re not looking for a fight or for company what are you looking for?” She was sure that one could get piss drunk at home, and finding someone interesting in this place was slim to none chance. She only came to this place because their was a lot of bar fights, sometimes one she had expediently started with a strategically banished chair.

She herself had never gotten in one, she just like the chaos of having one started. She was a bit put off that she had been deprived of her entertainment and had she known this man better she would have pouted. Still he was the most interesting man in the room for the moment and she hadn’t even touched the tip of being drunk, so she figured she would start a conversation. At least annoying the patron would occupy her until she decided to go somewhere else.

[ALDEN GIBBS]

Alden tilted his head slightly with a curious look when the woman he had been watching earlier sat across from him at his table. “I wouldn’t leave your drinks alone in this place” he stated with little expression. Hog’s Head not only was filthy but it wasn’t exactly known for attracting upstanding citizens. Most patrons were from the bottom dredges of wizard society. The new decrees by the ministry also meant few of these patrons understood basic British decency so drugging another’s unattended drink was highly likely. A few refugees from the eastern European nations were especially prone to drugging poor unsuspecting witches, raping them and robbing them of any valuable if they survived. 

Alden raised an eyebrow at her question and placed his fingertips together under his chin as he leaned back watching her with a cool, steady gaze. “And what gives you the impression that I am looking for a fight?” he asked coolly. “Some of us prefer to simply enjoy a quiet drink will taking in the… atmosphere” he said pausing slightly to find a word that wouldn’t make it appear as though he was weird or creepy. He had found over the years that for some reason most people found being observed creepy, regardless what explanations he gave.

Alden knew physically he would lose most fights, he was tall but his slight build meant he could never offer much in terms of physical strength. He also found little purpose in attempting to build up additional muscles. He’d much rather spend that time doing something useful with his time, unfortunately the ministry recently had an annoying habit of not using his skills. They seemed to believe it would be more effective and cheaper to use aurors. “I disappointed you? We could always bring him back although judging by how unsteady he was I doubt he even got past the doorway” he said with a small sarcastic smile. “So what are you doing here? I very much doubt you’re here to try pick up a hot date, Three Broomsticks would be a much better choice” he added.