Arius loved being out with Fillin but couldn't help but scan the crowd to see if there were any women who might be worth his while. It would be rare, but one never knew what might or might not happen on any given day. He drank from his firewhiskey and turned back to Fillin, wondering what the other man was thinking of. Whatever it was he was certainly lost in his own thoughts, until he realized what Arius had suggested.

Arius was amused by his disgust. “Nope, no wounded soldier with a hot nurse, sorry.” He had thought he'd found the perfect solution but clearly Fillin found it less than satisfactory. Arius shrugged and ignored it. It was the best idea he could come up with. “Maybe witches would like the wounded look, but you would have to admit you were a werewolf which would make them no longer think you a valiant hero of the last great war.”

Arius took another drink to the makers of such fine liquor and reached oer to pat Fillin on the shoulder. “What happened? Did someone tease you about your clothing?” Arius was being sincere, that would equal a tough morning. Then again, Fillin wasn't quite so vain as Arius was. So who knew what had actually happened.

He probably would have gotten an answer too, had some young person not bounded over and jumped on Fillin. Suddenly Arius understood everything! The poor girl must have had a crush on Fillin and Fillin had been trying to get rid of her all morning. The poor guy, of course that would be tough. Fillin wasn't used to beating them off with a stick, now where was Arius’ beating stick.

Then, however, the girl turned to him. “I would expect you have, everyone has seen me. I am the one, the only, Arius. And you are?”

“No it wasn’t my clothes…”  Fil began, ready to explain what had happened when he heard a familiar voice and felt a pair of thin arms wrap around him.  It was Ollie.  He couldn’t bear to say anything now, but he’d have to come up with something – Arius wasn’t going to relent just because there was a fifteen year old around.  Unfortunately for Fil, he wasn’t going to reveal anything in front of Ollie, just in case Fauna hadn’t said anything, and they were going to remain on good terms.  He didn’t need to upset another werewolf – at least this one.  There were others he couldn’t care half a wit for, but Ollie was like his sister.

Patting her arm, Fil smiled at her, “Hey Ollie,” he greeted. “No, haven’t left yet.  Had to meet with this guy,” he motioned over, hoping that she wouldn’t want to stay.  Though, he could hardly hope that a fifteen year old, boy crazy girl, wouldn’t want to stay near Arius.  Thankfully he was smart enough to not try and go for it.  He was eleven years older than her, and well… she wasn’t exactly his type, thankfully.  Sighing softly, he took a swill of ale and rolled his eyes.  This was almost painful already. 

“Now that you know who he is,” Fil broke in, sighing at Arius’ typical introduction.  He had heard it a thousand times, it seemed, and each time, it elicited basically the same response.  He hoped Ollie wouldn’t be as squealy as any of the other girls though.  Looking at her, he couldn’t be sure.  “Ollie, this is Arius; Arius, this is Ollie.”  He looked between them and then moved over so that Ollie could sit next to him – he didn’t want her sitting next to Arius.  She might irritate him. She had irritated Fil the first time they had met, so he could never be sure.

“I’ve basically adopted this one as my little sister,” he chuckled softly, kind of awkward, “met at the Ministry a while back.  Been giving her pointers ever since,” he snorted.  “I’m guessing she’s a fan… right Ollie?”

If Fil wanted Ollie to leave he would have to say something, because she was far to friendly to just up and leave and Fil should know better than that. Fil would know better than anyone she could be rather persistent when talking to someone. As Arius introduced himself she wrinkled her nose, “He is full of himself isn’t he,” she said looking at Fil pointing a thumb at Arius as she sat her butt down near Fil. “But I suppose with such a gorgeous mug you can get away with it.” She smiled sweetly at Arius as she drummed her fingers on the table. Ollie had to admit in the presences of Arius, poor Fil would be hard pushed to get rid of her. Normally she just liked Fil’s company but the boy crazed side of her wanted to drool over Arius for a bit.

“Arius nice to meet you, I am the great Ollie not just Ollie.” She laughed obviously joking. Due to her laugh her sunglasses fell down from her hair and hit her nose. She took a moment to observe Arius over the top of her glasses before pushing them back up top of her hair. She curled some of her wild hair behind her ears.

“Excuse me giving me pointers, I say I am giving you some too.” Ollie said giving him a playful shove. “Oh guess what Fil I think I put on a bit of weight!” She was quickly distracted from her good news and looked over at Arius and back to Fil. “Duh! Does a Hippogriff have feathers? Of course I am a fan.” Ollie rolled her eyes thinking that Fil was absolutely ridiculous for assuming otherwise. Of course Arius was good eye candy but he was definitely no Devlin Matthews.

He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the odd display in front of him. What exactly was Fillin playing at? Not only was this girl far too young for him, but Fillin could definitely do better than her. Sure, he had a condition but there were understanding and compassionate women who were also beautiful. He could find someone who would understand and love him for who he was who was also less... vexatious. Fillin seemed to like her though, he even had her sit next to him - not that this wasn't perfectly fine with Arius.

"Wait, you do know who I am, don't you? Have you been living in a cave the past couple of years?" Arius was snide, his displeasure at the previous remark was clear. He also did not appreciate her mockery, no one ever mocked him. "Not only am I one of the top supermodels in both the Wizarding World and the muggle world, but I have also recently started putting out my own magazine. When you have done all that by the age of 26, come talk to me about ego."

Arius wondered what Fillin possibly could have been on when he started associating with this girl, because last time he checked Fillin wasn't crazy. The age difference thing was a little affronting as well. Perhaps someone had slipped something into his drink or something, Fillin did drink an awful lot and that could definitely explain it. Regardless, Arius had no clue why Fillin would want to take on this girl in friendship or anything else for that matter.

"Why would you want to put on weight," Arius said with a scrunch of his nose, dying to make signs to Fillin that the girl was absolutely batty. Why on earth would Fillin have befriended her at the Ministry. He knew Fillin liked pity cases but this was a new extreme, even for him. Yet, he did not know any woman who had ever been glad when faced with the idea of gaining weight and he found it absolutely absurd to be so. He shook his head and drank more of his firewhiskey, as of right now this girl was just irritating.

"What an interesting choice for family." The verdict was in, Fillin had clearly taken some crazy pills. Fillin was clearly trying to get her to redeem herself when he asked her if she was a fan and she claimed that she was. Fans never acted like that! Arius threw a smile in her direction, however, and it's iciness would be apparent. "Can I get you something to drink?" He looked at her and called the waitress over in the meantime. Even if the girl apparently had none, Arius wasn't going to forget his manners and she was the only one at the table without a drink.

Obviously they were not going to be friends.  It was clear from the comment Ollie made, though she did not mean it in any way to upset anyone, Fil could tell, but Arius’ response was all Fil needed.  While Ollie was someone who managed to say whatever she thought without thinking about who she was saying it to and why, that was how she had made friends with Fil.  She would make an enemy of Arius by the same method.  Thankfully, Fil was here to keep the peace, at least marginally, and play mediator between the preteen and the teen and the sometimes less than mature adult. 

Fil was just going to sit in the middle though and try to make sure they didn’t kill one another.  He took another large gulp of ale – he would need it for this.  Arius was certainly being uppity, he shouldn’t have let a teenager get to him like that, but he was used to having them fall at his feet, not question him or make comments like Ollie did.  But it was a signature of the young lady, to just open her mouth and go.  If only Fil could anticipate what she was going to say before she said it then he could the optimum damage control.  But, good Lord, he could not get into the girl’s head for the life of him.  He supposed it was better that way – it would probably be terrifying in there.

And grinning at Ollie, he was proud to hear that she had gained some weight.  It was a struggle for werewolves to maintain healthy body weights.  Fil usually managed, but only because he ate whenever he wanted and managed to buy as much bacon as he could on any given day.  Ollie, though she ate well, ate at school and that meant they didn’t really want to pack on the food, so much as make them eat to be healthy.  A werewolf’s diet was inherently different though, just because of the circumstances.  “That’s awesome Ollie, congrats,” he grinned before looking to Arius who seemed to be in contempt of the whole thing.

He tried to bring the best he could, though felt the tension. It was practically visible.  “Well, you know, I’ve never been one for conventional choices, I guess,” he laughed lightly – though it was more forced and painful than he thought.  Gulping, he took another drink. 

He realized that he had absolutely no idea that Ollie was a werewolf, Fil nodded.  That would probably explain the looks he was giving him and the way things were unfolding in such a bizarre manner.  He didn’t know how to bridge that gap though, and drank some more.  He didn’t know what to do – and when Arius said for her to get a drink, Fil figured it out.  “Why don’t you go to the bar and get a butterbeer?” he suggested to Ollie, more of a demand than anything, leaning over to whisper, “I’ll give you a galleon if you do.”

Arius was definitely full of himself, Ollie decided as she sat there looking at him. She also figured he was not exactly fond of her. She glanced back to Fil with a bit of a sigh and turned to look at Arius once more. “I don’t want to do all that, so I suppose I will never be able to come back and ask you about the ego that apparently comes with it.” Ollie was not trying to be offensive she was just talking and she had a tendency to babble along not really thinking how someone might take what she was saying. Fil had eventually been worn down by it and he was far surlier than Arius was if Ollie recalled correctly.

“Of course I want to put on weight,” Ollie looked at Arius as if he was nuts. “I need a healthy body weight I am stick!” As a werewolf Ollie was having a lot of difficulty keeping her body weight healthy for the transformation she had monthly. At least Fil was proud of her and understood.

Ollie was about to say yes to a drink but then Fil gave her an offer she could not refuse. “Okay!” A galleon for just going up and getting a butterbeer was definitely worth the trip. “I will be back in a few.” Ollie said with some excitement as she got up and headed to the bar to place her order. Ollie wasn’t at all suspicious of the fact that perhaps Fil wanted to get rid of her at least for a few minutes, she was just eager to get back to spending what little time she had with Fil. Arius being there was a bit unfortunate but he was rather gorgeous to look at even if he was full of himself.

She could never make it as a model anyhow, Arius thought looking her up and down. She would never have what it took, especially not if she thought it was normal to want to gain weight. He was sure he could find several agencies that would tell her to shed a smidge more here or there. Thus it didn't matter if he didn't like her. A girl like that would never move in his world. Not only was she absolutely batty but it seemed like she thought she was entitled to say whatever she wanted. Last time Arius checked, only important people had that right.

Arius really wished Fillin could find better people to hang around with when he wasn't around. Unless this was a cry for help, perhaps that was it. Fillin had just missed Arius so much that he had hired this girl to show up and be annoying so Arius would stay in town more. How sweet. Fillin always was a good friend, but Arius didn't know he missed him that much. Next time he would just have to take him with him to ensure that he never had to go to such desperate measures again.

He had offered her something to drink when Fillin whispered in her ear and she went off to the bar. When Ollie finally left the table, Arius finally spoke again. "It's okay, I've figured it out, you can stop acting like she is your friend now! If you missed me you should have said so."

Looking at Arius in almost shock, Fil didn’t realize what Arius was saying at first.  Blinking like a doe in headlights, he was finally able to comprehend and he shook his head with a bit of a laugh.  “Oh Arius, I did miss you, but that’s not why I’m her friend.”  He chuckled, Arius was full of himself, though he would never venture to say so out loud, or at least not with a comment on how he should have been.  Behind all the pretty boy was a smart guy, it had always been obvious, he had a magazine, a career in two worlds, and still managed to find time for some of his friends.  Fil was one of those that were lucky enough to still get a glimpse at the not so public Arius, the one that wasn’t constantly gleaming and ready for a picture – though he could have been in front of Fil.

Whatever the case, Fil wasn’t Ollie’s friend just to fill the hole in his life that Arius occupied when he wasn’t around.  No, he was friends with her because she understood him, and once he was sure she was all the way gone, he was at more liberty to talk.  “She’s a werewolf too,” he explained in a hushed tone, leaning over the table to make sure he said it in a way that Arius could know but no one else was informed in the process. He didn’t want to have to face a mob today.  They would be easily excited and really, who better to take things out on than two people the world wouldn’t care about losing. 

Leaning back, he was freer to speak once the word was passed between them and he didn’t have to make direct references.  “I met her at a Ministry check.  Annoying as all hell, but she grew on me.”  He shrugged and took a sip of the ale, “I guess it’s just the whole understanding thing.  But, I was down here to check on her.  She’s a bit boy crazy…” he sighed and looked at Arius with a deadpan expression, “She’s going to gawk at you – though you’re used to it.”  He looked at the mug and he licked his lips before looking at him.

“She’s a little girl crazy too… I guess.” He gave a burly sort of awkward shrug.  Such an odd topic of conversation.  “But, yea. She’ll probably leave soon, so don’t worry about it. She’s going to stare, maybe ask a question or two and get bored.  I already caught up with her this morning, so it shouldn’t be that bad…” he hoped that was the case. 

The look on Fillin’s face was ridiculous, and Arius allowed a rare frown to settle on his face and a huff to escape him as Fillin told him that it wasn’t missing Arius that made Ollie his friend. How was that even possible? If he had chosen to befriend Ollie then he hadn’t properly pined for Arius in his absence. Maybe Fillin was just trying to come off as strong, but laughing at the idea of missing Arius was not a good idea, not a good idea at all when the man was sitting right across from him.

As Fillin leaned in, Arius did too, wondering if he was going to get a kiss or a secret. Maybe Ollie was Fillin’s like long-lost cousin or something and he felt pity for her and her annoying nature so he let her hang around with him so she could pretend to have friends. Then, however, he came out with other news that made Arius nod and he let a small ‘ah’ escape his lips. Yet, he didn’t see this as an excuse. She was acting as though she had no sense of judgment and no restraint. Essentially she was acting like an animal, and while she was a werewolf that did not mean that she should act like an animal.

“Well werewolf or no, she could use some manners,” Arius said quite matter-of-factly. “After all, she has to interact with the rest of us and she shouldn’t expect the world to make allowances for her just because of her condition,” He threw broad air quotes around the word condition as he spoke for emphasis. “It’s like she thinks she has a right to be like that. Being a werewolf is no excuse at all for rudeness.” Of course, he was allowed to be rude, not only had Olivia started it, but he was a supermodel, he was rude the majority of the time since it was one of the only ways to get things done.

He leaned back in his chair again, swishing his firewhiskey before taking a drink of it. As Fillin explained why he kept her around Arius just listened, wondering at how odd Ollie was for a werewolf. She seemed so outgoing and, well yes, rude, but Arius couldn’t tell if she was mad at the world for depriving her of a normal life or not. Regardless of what she felt about her condition the world would eventually beat her for it and Arius wondered how long it would be before she realized that the best way to get by would be to go unperceived.

“If you think she is annoying as all hell, why would you have even let her grow on you?” It was such an obvious question. When someone annoys you, you don’t generally let them stick around you for very long. Fillin wasn’t exactly one with loads of patience either. “Even if she understands you, I’m sure you can find someone less annoying to do so. She isn’t the only werewolf on the planet, let alone in London.” He had a point there; there were certainly other werewolves in the forest. As for being gawked at, it was really nothing new, Fillin was right about that.

Arius arched an eyebrow and smirked at that news. No wonder Fillin had experienced such a difficult morning. He simply was not equipped to handle such news. It was an area that certainly made Fillin uncomfortable and one which Arius knew entirely too much about. Though he tended to tone it down around people who he knew were not as like-minded seeing as it did have the tendency to make things very awkward very quickly. Now Arius actually understood everything, for real this time.

“Fillin,” Arius began, “I may have just met her, but that is not the type of girl who simply gawks, asks one or two questions and then leaves. She is more like a leech that stays and sucks all the patience out of you.” This was something Arius knew a lot about. He had several fan girls who were like this not to mention other models that really should learn that they were only looks and should never open their mouths to do more than giggle.

Fil felt his body tensing, though he felt like he should have known better than to let it get to him.  Arius was Arius and he felt like he was entitled to say whatever he would like and make those sorts of judgments without even knowing people that well.  If he did get to know Ollie, he would learn she didn’t mean anything terrible by it and really was just… too bubbly and not thoughtful enough for her own good.  He felt his cheeks burning up, but he really couldn’t say anything, because he had a point.  She could do to think a little a little bit more about what she said.

“I don’t think it’s on purpose…” he offered with a lame shrug, just trying not to offend either of us friends.  He didn’t want to make Arius mad because not only was he a good guy, but he helped Fil with work.  If there wasn’t anyone hiring or buying, he would need him for a shoot or something of the sort.  It would just be stupid to anger Arius, especially when they shared a bit of an industry, and he could break into the fashion photography portion if Arius opened enough doors.  Ollie was just like a little sister, sometimes annoying, and a little weird, but like a sister nonetheless.  He knew she would be more forgiving, however, and that was why he sent her away, rather than Arius.

He was also having trouble understanding her recently, but he supposed it was because she was a fifteen year old girl and he had never really gone through that.  Sure, he had grown up, but he didn’t have the particular problems a teenage girl had to deal with, except maybe the image issues, but those weren’t forefront in his life, at least not anymore.  He forgot what it was like sometimes, to be living at school and dealing with every issue a werewolf had go through.  Didn’t mean she had to act like that though – it was all very complicated.  And the question Arius raised was a good one.

Fil couldn’t help but laugh, not at Arius, but himself for having let her get that way.  “I don’t know, she just wouldn’t leave me alone, and that was that.  I can’t tell you why it happened that way, but it did.  She’s really a nice girl – and you have to remember, beggars can’t be choosers,” sometimes, he thought Arius forgot that.  Werewolves didn’t have many choices when it came to companionship, especially when it came to one another.  They were usually angry at something, the establishment, themselves, each other, whatever the case, their communities were not happy places, and though Fil had met others, he typically didn’t get along with them – they were just as angst-ridden as he was.  Ollie was different.  She wasn’t angry at anyone or anything, it was refreshing. 

Shaking his head, Fil couldn’t really respond to Arius in a way that he would be able to say much on anything without offense being taken.  He glanced toward the bar and Ollie, wondering how long it really took to get a butterbeer and he shrugged. “I doubt she’s going to stay Arius,” he reaffirmed, “why would she want to hang out with us when she could be with her friends?  It’s not like she could enjoy the companionship of a mug of ale or firewhiskey like we could,” he pointed out, taking a large swill.  He was feeling quite relaxed, ah the pleasantries of alcohol. 

“All you have to do is sit out one mug of butterbeer, which won’t take long – she’s like me after all,” he grinned at Arius, hoping he could lighten up about it even a little, “And then you’re home free.  You still didn’t tell me where you’ve just flown in from.  Kind of curious on that one…”

She would definitely take a galleon from Fil just to run up to the bar to order her butterbeer, she had legs and was quite capable of making it from the table to the bar and back. Olivia had gotten a bit distracted by a friend though, which was why it was taking her so long to get back to Fil. Olivia had got caught in conversation with one of her friends, they were curious as to who she was sitting with. “Oh just my brother and my friend.” Olivia said casually but they looked at her strange considering she had specifically told them she had no siblings. “Actually he is like my older brother,” Olivia hoped that was enough of an explanation which it apparently was and let Fil run off towards the bar to get her mug of butterbeer.

With a mug in hand she walked slowly, careful not spill, back towards the table she had just left. Olivia smiled again as she climbed into a seat next to Fil and took a sip of her butterbeer. It probably wouldn’t take long for her to down this if she kept up the gulps she had just taken. “Yeah were did you just come from?” Olivia asked with interest and a sweet tone as she held onto her mug. Olivia was actually a little curious as to what Fil and Arius had discussed in her absence but she didn’t really mind even if it was about her.

“What is like being a model?” She thought she might as well ask, but being a model was not of interest to her. Olivia had no real clue what she wanted to do after Hogwarts, but she accepted the fact that her choices were limited to the understanding of her employer. Olivia thought she might do something with her drawings, perhaps make a comic book of the girl she was always drawing and making stories up about. Olivia had accepted long ago that people would not be accepting of her differences. Though for Olivia it really had never been different, or at least she didn’t remember a different time.

“Well if it isn’t on purpose, then her parents did a horrid job of teaching her manners. Or is that what passes as normal among the underprivileged these days?” Perhaps Arius should stop while he was ahead, though he would probably never learn to do so. That would just be something that to him might be akin to humbling himself and he was not willing to do that. Besides, manners took people a long way and there were too few people in the world who Arius allowed to be rude to him. In fact, it was for Fillin’s sake only that he had stayed at the table after she had called him full of himself and mocked his manner of speaking. Really, Fillin should be thanking him.

When Fillin laughed at his question, Arius wasn’t sure what to think. He was simply trying to get to the bottom of this foolishness and help Fillin make better friends. Fillin’s answer of course was less than satisfactory. Perhaps it was simply that Fillin wasn’t used to women just not leaving him alone. “There are ways to get rid of women if they simply won’t leave you alone, you know? You could have asked, I would have been more than happy to help. And again, there are other werewolves in London, we should find you a more suitable one to spend time with.”

He watched the crowd as Fillin spoke, nodding his head every now and again and watching for the return of Ollie. While he didn't particularly care if she heard him say anything nasty, he didn't think Fillin would especially appreciate it. “Perhaps because we are better than her friends, Fillin. That is why she would want to stay with us,” Arius finally responded, having partially ignored the words from Fillin’s mouth and realizing - albeit a bit late - that he should respond.

Just as Fillin was finishing his question as to where Arius had been, into the booth slid Ollie once more, seconding the question and holding her butterbeer close. “Italy, if you mean the last place I’ve been. Brazil before that, had a lovely time with the Brazilian witches if you know what I mean,” he laughed airily at the women and their foolishness. Brazilian witches were certainly... interesting. “I had a photo shoot there and a show for the Latin witches and wizards. Of course I also had to do some muggle shows in New York City. Here and there I suppose really.” He shrugged, as though it was no big deal where he had been, and in reality to him it wasn't.

Ollie’s question was what caught him off guard. It wasn't that he hadn't been asked before, it was simply that he didn't expect it from her. In all honesty, it wasn't like she even had a chance what with being a werewolf and all. “It's glamorous and fun. You can be whoever you want to be, there is no need to be yourself when someone else is dressing you and doing all your makeup and the like for you. Everyone at your beck and call, gorgeous men and women throwing themselves at your feet, it's heaven.”