11pm


"Ey, bonny lass. Ain'cha out a bit late?"   "
Aye, tis late, lass. T'would be th' time unsavouries show up~"

Addie was attempting her final bites of crisps and gulps of butterbeer as the various slurs of the late night crowds piped up their mouth. Rolling her eyes, she continued until finished. Paying the barkeeper, she rose to her feet and journeyed outside shortly after. Alas, she wasn't alone as one of the hasslers went along, following her while she exited the establishment. Inhaling the reeking stench of alcohol, Addie gagged briefly before whipping around to face him.

"Listen, I'm not interested, keep your paws off of me or else."

The drunkard chuckled in amusement, his kindness becoming less and less kind as he continued approaching Addie, who was now turning to face him, fully prepared to grab her wand.
"Ah, see, lovey, I promise I won' bite hard ah'tal. Unless o'course ye like it and I'll bite harder," he slurred out, grinning at his poor humour.

"How 'bout this, ol' man? Ye keep your greasy fingers an' dog made breath away from me or I'll give ye a right good hurtin'. How tha's sounding f'ye?" she hissed, the Irish blood in her that normally laid low and didn't surface to make her sound as such was beginning to boil to the top. The man wasn't having any of it and approached closer to Addie.

Her wand sparked red in warning, making the drunkard chuckle and move closer.
"I said stay away, ye bastard, and I mean it!" she growled, her body beginning to tremble, worry and dread beginning to fill her.

"Oh, lass, sorry, but I'll be declining such a request. One, cos' a pretty face talkin' like a sailor ain't ladylike, and two, because ye never did say 'please,' I ain't willin' tae oblige. So, bonny lass. Where would we like that bite?"

"Ey, bonny lass. Ain'cha out a bit late?"   "
Aye, tis late, lass. T'would be th' time unsavouries show up~"

Jack was busy scrubbing a table across the room when he heard them. Pausing, he glanced up at them out of the corner of a narrowed eye. This was the third time this week these obviously pissed (which Jack could tell even without his superior sense of smell heightened by the encroaching full moon) knobs tried to chat up a female patron. Even Jack, who was about as thick as cement when it came to flirting, knew that their lines were not only dumb but aggressive bordering on harassing. The other girls had simply done their best to ignore them until they got bored, but this one was rising to the occasion. Jack could smell the anger bubbling off of her.

This put Jack in quite the pickle. On one hand, it was his job as unofficial bouncer, and as a general good person, to not let these thugs take advantage of her (or any bar patron). On the other hand, ever since he got registered and informed his boss of his cursed status, he had made clear that Jack had to pick his fights carefully. If he was caught harming normal humans, he would be punished a lot more severely than if he was a regular guy, especially with the full moon just over a week away. Also, they were paying customers and Jack was already nearly in the red with all the repairs and broken glassware taken out of his already reduced check. He had to find a way to peacefully separate them, something that was looking less and less likely by the second. If he didn't do something, anything, soon, wands would be out, magic would be flying and he would be at a severe disadvantage.

Without a lot of time to think of a plan, Jack grabbed his towel and strode over to the bar. "Ah, missed a spot. 'Scuz us mate..." He said, shoving himself between the bloke and the young woman in order to vigorously scrub a spot that wasn't actually there. As he did this, he pointedly ignored the man (who was fuming if the heat on Jack's back was any indication) in order to give the girl a reassuring look. "Y'allright love? If there' owt[1] at all y'need, just ask." He gave her a earnest smile and added, his eyes twitching in their direction "Whatever it is, ah'll take care ov'it."

1.	Northern England slang for 'Anything'

Just as soon as they had headed outside, Addie pushed the man to the ground rather roughly and headed back into the restaurant. She, and no doubt the establishment, could hear his slur of colourful metaphors as he slinked back as well. Her eyes were wide towards Jack, who seemingly was all too calm about the situation. Dammit, couldn't he tell she was in a damsel in distress scenario!?

The wide eyes went right away when Jack took up arms and went for the good old routine of absentmindedly wiping the non-existing greasy spot. She was no doubt in a pickled jam, but his words calmed, even if initially she couldn't understand his accent.

"Oi, mate, 'ows about ye move ya mangy arse away? We've got no quabble wiv yeh! Now, if'n ye don' move, I'll knock that thick in tha' brain of yehs, guv," said Addie's drunken idiot follower who was already sporting a rather good cobblestep scrape over his face.

"Beat it, ye drunken, dragon dung reekin' idjits! I said no!" she spat back, which only then next lead to the inevitable bar brawl.. "LEMME AT 'ER! MIKE, GET 'ER FER ME!" Addie immediately shot around and jumped over the counter, narrowingly being almost captured as she stood beside Jack. True, she was prepared magically to take down these drunken sods, but clearly, they were more interested in brawl than brain...

Godric help her.

"Oi, mate, 'ows about ye move ya mangy arse away? We've got no quabble wiv yeh! Now, if'n ye don' move, I'll knock that thick in tha' brain of yehs, guv,"

A cold shiver ran down Jack's spine. If there was one trigger that pissed him off faster than calling him stupid, it was a bunch of grown men attacking a girl, even if she clearly was strong enough to knock one of them down (If the scrape on one of the blokes face was any proof). Turning, Jack tilted his head and coldly surveyed the man with half lidded eyes, wiping his hands in an almost threatening way. "If ye lay a 'and on 'er, yer gonna 'ave a quabble, mate." He retorted, his calm voice barely masking his rising rage.

"Jack... Don't be a bloody idiot... You will get fired if you trash the place fighting again!" hissed Ethan, who was trying to make himself as small and unnoticeable as possible.  Jack just shrugged in response without taking his eyes off of the man. He needed his job but he wasn't going to let her get assaulted to keep it. Besides, it wasn't like he didn't know how to survive on the streets. However, he was smart enough to not start the fight. He'd only make a move if they attacked him or her first. Surely the boss couldn't get that mad at him if he was protecting a customer, right?

"Beat it, ye drunken, dragon dung reekin' idjits! I said no!"

Jack finally tore his gaze away from the attacker when she suddenly jumped behind the counter with surprising ease. He barely had a chance to give her a look of admiration before the chaos started.

"LEMME AT 'ER! MIKE, GET 'ER FER ME!"

As the man tried to bolt past him, he made the mistake of pushing Jack as he passed. Had he not been so intent on grabbing Adelia, he would have noticed that Jack was barely moved by the push. It seemed that Jack's 'Thick brain' had a 'thick body' to match. Not only that, but the push was enough to serve as a first attack.

Jack swept around and grabbed the hand that had barely left his shoulder in one smooth movement. This caught the guy off guard and gave Jack a chance to shove the palm of his hand hard into his elbow. The fear of it breaking caused the man to stumble forward. The edge of the bar caught him right below the ribs hard enough to knock the air out of him and the corresponding whiplash jerked his head forward into the counter with a delightful crunch.

As the man crumpled to the floor, Jack turned back to the other men and cracked his knuckles, growling "No means no, mate and Ah think ya should leave before ah really get serious."

Addie had began on a grin when Jack turned her way to give one too apparently but both of theirs disappeared as the head idjit advanced their way. Her eyes widened in not only the sense she feared her safety, but when Jack defended her in a lightning-like mode, the widening was in awe.

Then came Ethan's pleas beside her (had Jack caused enough trouble as it is here?) for Jack to back off followed by the sound of crunching bones slamming right into the wood of the bar. Ooh, that was no doubt going to leave more than a throbbing headache and bruise-y knots come in a hour's time.

She smiled finally at Jack's clear warning to vacate or be vacated. The smile widened with the men grabbing their out cold ringleader, no doubt vowing silent revenge in their drunken, feeble brains, to get the hell out. The witch's eyes gazed over Jack twice, nodding before jumping back over the bar.

"Well. Mark me impressed, Northerner," she quipped, grinning from ear to ear. "Y'fancy showing me how ta do that? Y'know....for safety purposes?"

Knuckles still in hand, Jack watched with cold, half-lidded eyes as the men dragged off their friend. Apparently they had witnessed enough of Jack's 'bouncing' abilities to know that he meant business. If not, their friends shattered face probably made it pretty clear. Once the door swung shut behind them, Jack turned to the girl to make sure she wasn't going to be sick like the last one to witness a bar brawl. To his surprise, before he could even ask if she was alright, she hopped back over the counter as easily as before and grinned at him. When she asked if he could teach her, Jack flushed and ducked his head, rubbing it shyly. He wasn't used to being the one asked to teach anyone anything.

But before he could reply, his boss came storming into the pub, portly face livid with fury. Even Jack could tell that he was in serious trouble. "D'you mind explaining to me, Mr. Howell, why three of me best customers are leaving me establishment with a fourth being carried between, lookin' like someone broke his nose?" He roared, spittal flying and eyes bulging. Jack looked away sheepishly, rubbing his head again, this time out of shame. His boss continued, his voice even louder now that the room had fallen into a hush as they watched this drama unfold. "Now I have been more than understanding of ye, boyo. Ye think anyone else would hire someone like ye, especially when you're such an idiot? What could have possessed ye to do such a thing?"

"Well, they were attackin' this girl an' ah thought..." Jack muttered, before being cut off by a cruel laugh. "Ha! Ye thought? Ye THOUGHT? Boyo, ye don't have enough of a brain t'think anything! If ye had, ye would've called the aurors like a sensible lad." He roared. Flinching, Jack's fists curled into tight balls, knuckles white, as he tried to control the wolf inside. It growled angrily in his belly, urging Jack to shut the mans mouth permanently. He hushed it quickly. He needed this job and took the abuse as stoically as possible, his eyes downcast and his cheeks flushed red with humiliation as his boss ranted on, "Now I got four less patrons and a bloody, fecking counter thanks to you. You'll be lucky if ye get a cheque this week, I promise ye that."

Jack breathed a silent sigh of relief when the tirade seemed to be over. As embarrassing as being reamed in front of everyone was, at least he still had a job. Most people would have fired him by now. Besides, Jack was used to being shouted and belittled, so this really wasn't anything out of the ordinary. However, just as he relaxed, his boss did something unforgivable. He turned to the girl and added "And ye, lass, had best be paying for this mess. I don't appreciate ye bringing trouble into my establishment and chasin' off me best customers."

Oh, how Addie wanted to stomp her foot down on this owner. Jack had protected her arse and for what? The boss to talk down to him like he were some brainless git. God, if only her father were here, he'd be barking now at the owner, telling him a thing or two about how Jack Howell was a rescuer and that the owner needed to unwind the soiled knickers that were up his arse cheeks. Well, he was, the more the witch thought about it -- she had the blood of a Blake and hell be damned she'd let Jack take the blame for being a hero and get docked for his pay because of it.

"And ye, lass, had best be paying for this mess. I don't appreciate ye bringing trouble into my establishment and chasin' off me best customers."

Those words were the last things Addie had hoped hear coming from those lips that needed a dull needle now to it.

"Oh, I'll pay for it, mistah, and I'll pay for this man's wages for the week. If'n YOU think I'm going t'let ye bloody get away for treatin' him piss poor as well as me, y'got another think coming! Here, you greedy, grubby git." Pulling out from her purse, Addie pulled out a rather nice sum, pushing a good handful of galleon and sickle towards the owner while handing Jack a bit more on the galleon side. "An' don' worry. I won' be coming about again until you realise what a git ye've been in addition to me tellin' me cousin to work harder in keepin' your business sufferin'.[1]Go hifreann leat," she hissed and now was closing her purse, storming out of the business with the wrath of a fury.

1.	Irish - 'To hell with you'

"An' don' worry. I won' be coming about again until you realise what a git ye've been in addition to me tellin' me cousin to work harder in keepin' your business sufferin'. Go hifreann leat,"

Jack goggled as the fiery Irish girl tossed a handful of coins into his bosses face, which in turn, tinged purple with rage. He had never seen his boss speechless before and couldn't help but look upon her with unabashed admiration as she stormed out with her head held high. "Wicked..." He whispered under his breath, in awe of her confidence. His boss remained silent for a moment, veins pounding visibly in his forehead, before he snatched up her coins and counted them, his greed overruling his anger. At least, until he finished counting.

Slamming a pudgy hand on the counter hard enough to shake a couple nearby glasses, and make the already tense Ethan jump like a frightened mouse, the man turned and shook the fist of coins at Jack. "Ye, boy, don't just let her leave like that! She owes me more money than this!" Shoving the coins in his pocket, he gave Jack an expectant once over, as though he expected the boy to already be running at his command, and snarled. "Well whatcha waitin' for? If'n ye want yer check, go and earn it."

Jack had had enough. He could take the verbal and emotional abuse, all day, every day, week in and week out. He could deal with having to get his face and knuckles bruised tossing out groups of unruly customers all by himself, with no back up. He could even deal with getting paid a third of his check each week because of the damaged caused by said unruly customers. But he would not... could not... abide by the idea of attacking and harming an innocent, man or woman, especially when he had already had to defend them from an earlier attack. Tilting his head back and eyeing the man coldly from half-lidded eyes, Jack crossed his arms and stated simply, "No."

It was his bosses turn to goggle, his face (which had just returned to its normal hue) coloring a light pink of shock. Shaking his head, as though to loosen anything that might be clogging his ears, he repeated "No? Pardon me hearing but did you just say no?"

It would be easy to just pretend he hadn't said anything and go do what the man wanted, but Jack couldn't help but remain defiant. Squaring his shoulders and pulling himself up to his full height, which was only impressive because his boss was so short, Jack said in a louder, clearer voice, "She ain't done nowt t'deserve it n'ah ain't doin' owt t'er"

"I'm sorry, it must be all the rocks in your mouth, or maybe your head, but I think ye just said ye don't want a job here anymore." He sneered, pushing out his ample bosom in hopes to appear taller next to the lanky lad. "Because if ye want t'keep yer job, you'll be a good doggie and git." His fronting wasn't particularly scary to the werewolf but Jack knew that it wasn't physical violence he was threatening. It didn't matter though, Jack pretty much signed his resignation papers with the first no.

Since there was no going back now, he didn't feel the need to hold back. Leaning down, he got close enough to the mans face to feel his angry breath on his cheeks as he said, in a clearly threatening tone, "Why don't ye make us, then?". Jack suddenly jerked forward, as though he was going to hit the man, and was pleased when his now ex-boss nearly jumped out of his shoes in fright. Shaking his head, Jack snorted and turned away, muttering "Pathe'ic"

"Y... Ye best count yer lucky stars, boyo! I'd curse ye ten ways to sunday if'n the ministry would let me!" The man shouted in an attempt to regain some of his lost confidence, before muttering loudly "Fecking psycho lycos." when Jack just continued on. Then, as though Jack would even consider returning, he shouted after him, "Ye best sod off before I change me mind and don't let me catch ye in here again!" Jack answered this with a very rude gesture over his shoulder before slamming the door shut behind him.

Once outside, he sniffed the air, searching for the girls perfume. It was faint but this close to the full moon meant that Jack's tracking skills were at their peak. Catching a whiff, he took off running towards the smell. He just hoped that she hadn't apparated away while he was bickering with that git.

Luckily, he didn't have to run far before he sighted her about a block away, probably about to apparate away any moment. "Uh... Miss! Miss! Wait, I jus' wanna talk t'ya!" He shouted as he sprinted towards her. Stumbling to a stop next to her, Jack gasped out between catching his breath, "Tha... Tha was dead wicked... Whatcha did back there." Running after her simply to tell her this was a weak reason at best, but he couldn't think of a better one.