Arrow quickly straightened his apartment, it was weird not living the way he was used to, but he wanted a change of scenery and here it was. He had decorated the place the way he wanted, none of the fancy junk he grew up with, but furniture and things that reflected him, yes... Arrow had his own comfortable bachelor pad now and was quite happy with it.

He was sitting on the couch with a bottle of butterbeer in one hand and his head leaning on the back.  He was bored, and with Arrow, that wasn't neccesarily a good thing.  He had invited Jack and a few other people over, but he wasn't too sure if they were going to come or not.  Until then he sat there, bored out of his mind, wishing that something... anything would happen.

With a POOF and a billowing cloud of green smoke, Jack stumbled out of Dorothea's universal floo, precariously balancing a wrapped package in one hand and a paper bag clinking with large glass bottles in the other. Cheap muggle beer and day old pastries from Puddifoots weren't the most elegant house party offerings, but Jack didn't have a lot to spare and, to him, beer and stale scones were a pretty good snack. Then again, Jack once woke up in the remains of a deer, so he wasn't exactly the epitome of taste.

To be fair, though, Jack didn't know what constituted appropriate party food. For Jack, parties, and friends in general, had always been a rare occurrence. Before he was cursed, his parents did their best to keep him isolated from the 'dirty muggle spawn' that surrounded them and once he was old enough to sneak out, his 'friends' were more or less a gang who treated him like an attack dog. After he had been cursed, thanks to his lack of education, Jack was convinced he would hurt everyone he cared about. Had it not been for Roger befriending him and bringing him to the wizarding world, Jack might still be living rough somewhere in the English countryside, scared and ashamed. Instead, he was bringing beer and pastries to a party. Needless to say, it was a huge step forward for the young werewolf.

After finding Arrows' name on the registry, Jack jogged up the steps with the enthusiasm of a preteen girl going to her first sleepover. However, once he got to the door, he found his excitement waning a bit when he realized that he had no way to knock. The pastries would be smashed if he put them under his arm and the beer was too large. He was about to use his head when he heard a door open and close down the hall. Glancing over, he saw a pretty young woman, box in hand, step from the doorway. "Oi... Ehm... Miss..." He called out to her "Could ah bother ya for a 'and 'ere?" He held up the packages sheepishly.
 

When Emeline heard that her neighbor was throwing a party, she absolutely had to attend. Partially out of politeness, and partially because she rather enjoyed doing things. Particularly, social things. She wasn’t sure who all was going to show up, but Em hoped that she’d make some new friends or get to know some of her other neighbors better.

And so, she walked out of her flat— only to see a man, about her age—but certainly shorter than her—with his arms full. Looks like people were showing up to the party already. Emeline felt like she was towering over him, especially as she was wearing a pair of heels. She was proud of her height, and flaunted it as much as she could. Behind her was a fluffy orange feline with a rather squished in face, Wilson. The cat was a particularly friendly one, who was quite the escape artist. He also enjoyed introducing himself to the neighbors and getting some scratches and the occasional cat treat before meandering back home. He was the most social cat that Emeline had ever met, and she was glad to have him.

The shortie was asking for help, with his arms full. The orange feline greeted Jack with a 'mrow' followed by rubbing against the werewolf's legs.

“Sure.” Emeline replied, smiling sweetly. She tuckedthe box of doughnuts under one arm and opened Arrow’s door with her free hand. She didn’t even bother to knock, it was a party after all. "You're one of Arrow's friends?" She inquired quietly.  Emeline wasn't close to her neighbor, but she sort-of-knew him.

Wilson meandered into Arrow’s flat and rubbed himself against Arrow's legs.

The words had barely left his mouth when something warm and fuzzy wrapped around his legs, causing Jack to nearly drop his bags in surprise. He had seen the bright orange tabby leave the flat along with the girl, but he hadn't paid it much mind. Thanks to the wolf, cats usually avoided him (or fled in terror). Because of this, Jack had yet to meet a cat he got along with and generally ignored them, just to keep the peace. So when the aforementioned tabby suddenly decided to rub up against him in such a friendly manner, he was caught completely off guard.

He glanced warily down at the tabby, fully expecting it to suddenly freak out and scratch him once it got a whiff of the wolf. When it didn't, he wondered what was wrong with it. Maybe it was too stupid to be scared? Jack had known many animals and people who were like that. In fact, he had been pegged that himself more times than he would care to admit.

His question was quickly answered as the cats' owner approached with a friendly smile. There was an unmistakable and unique smell wafting from her and Jack recognized it immediately. There was no escaping his sense of smell: She was most definitely a werewolf. He might have commented about this fact but she cut him off by opening the door to the flat and asking her own question instead,

"You're one of Arrow's friends?"

"Ehm... Yeah, we're mates. Me name's Jack..." He said, trailing behind the slender woman into the flat. He really wanted to ask her if she was Arrow's friend as well, but refrained. He was ashamed to admit that he was hoping she was just a neighbor and not more than that, as Arrow was quite popular with the ladies. Also, now that he was inside the flat, small talk was unnecessary and it was only appropriate to greet the host first.

So, tearing his attention away from her, Jack approached Arrow and greeted him with a smile "'Now then, m'old duck[1], 'ow've ya been?" Giving the living room a quick once over, Jack gave Arrow an appreciative nod before holding up his bags, "This is a dead posh yam[2] ya got 'ere, mate. Where'd ya want the nosh?"

1.	Translation: Hello, my friend
2.	Translation: A very nice home

Arrow stood up quickly as he heard his door open and recognized Jack there, as well as someone he thought was one of his neighbors.  "Got your hands full there Jack?" he asked as he was dimly aware of something brushing against his ankles.  Looking down he saw it was a cat.  While Arrow didn't prefer cats, he certainly didn't mind them at all.  "Come on in, make yourself at home." he said, but the comment was meant for Jack more than the woman that was standing with him. 

"Hello, are you one of my neighbors? I thought I might of seen you a couple times around." he said with a smile.  "You are more than welcome to come in as well as I am guessing your furry friend."[1]

1.	I am sorry that it sucks, it has been awhile.

She nodded at Arrow’s greeting. Emeline thought that he would at least know her name—but she wasn’t offended by it either. At least he recognized her as one of the neighbors! “I was told you were having a party.” Em explained, and had also been told that most people were welcome. “I’m Emeline.” She  said, introducing herself to both Arrow and Jack. “And this guy over here is Wilson.” She gave Arrow and apologetic look, “If he wants to come with me, I can’t make him stay.” Besides the pathetic look on his face when she did, Wilson was also quite the escape artist.

“I brought doughnuts.” She shook the box a bit, hoping that it was an acceptable contribution to the party. Taking a look at the cheap beer that Jack brought, Emmy wished she had thought to bring alcohol. She did have some gillyweed in her flat, but she wasn’t sure if either of them partook—and so she didn’t mention it.

“This place is so clean...” More than she expected from a bachelor pad. Her place was much more cluttered than this.

"Got your hands full there Jack?"

"Yeh... Snacks." Jack said, rather proudly. It was the first time he had contributed to a party, so it was exciting for him. Arrow, however, didn't appear feel the same since he was quickly distracted by the cat. Jack hadn't expected him to really care, so he shrugged and sought out the kitchen.

Putting his packages down gingerly, Jack begin to unload the bottles while keeping an ear perked for the conversation between Arrow and the werewolf girl. Judging by what he heard, this was the first time the two of them had even met. This put Jack's stomach a little more at ease and he couldn't help but flash a small smile as he popped the tops of three of the bottles and brought them into the living room. Offering them to Arrow and the girl, who introduced herself as Emeline, Jack smiled "Cheers t'new mates, yeah?" he grinned, tapping his bottle against hers.

Emeline accepted the beer with a silent thanks, tilting her head towards Jack slightly.  Emeline faced her host with determination, she was going to be the best toaster that they had ever seen. Yes, the men before her would be impressed with her toasting skills.

“Cheers.” She smacked her bottle against Arrow’s, and then against Jack’s with a bit too much zeal. The werewolf had forgotten her own strength—and when her bottle hit Arrow’s, it caused his to make a rather awful crack-crunch noise—and then when she got to giving ‘cheers’ to Jack, not only did his crack as well, but her’s shattered. Beer splattered everywhere, and she was left holding a jagged bottom of a beer bottle, with only a little bit of beer left.

What a shame. Even cheap beer was delicious to her.

Her first instinct was to try to drink from her broken glass anyway. When the rough edge reached her lip, it caused her to register what exactly had just happened.

And that her hand and arm were covered in beer.

“Oh sweet baby Merlin.” She gasped, eyes widening. “Towels! We need towels! Or—“ She reached into her pocket and pulled out her wand,  prepared to use scourgify—or would tergeo work better? She knew how to use the basic cleaning charms, but Emeline could never remember the scenarios in which each of them were most effective.

 Em grimaced at Arrow apologetically. “Sorry.” She wasn’t being a very good neighbor, now was she? The first thing she did was ruin his floors.

It still wasn't as bad as the great cheers catastrophe of 2008.

Arrow took the beer from Jack with a "Thanks mate." and took a big drink before looking back to the girl.  "I'm new here if you didn't know, don't know many people in the building yet." He thought he had guessed her look right, as if he should know her or something. 

As to the broken glass and the beer spilling on the floor he commented, "No reason to be sorry, happens all the time, don't worry about it."  He moved to the kitchen, grabbed a dishtowel, and came back to clean up the mess rather effectively.  "There, no harm done.  I'm not a neat freak by any means, but I do keep my place clean." He smiled to her and then turned to Jack.  "What have you been up to Jack, trouble I hope?" he grinned and took another drink of his beer.  The cat, he paid no attention to.

((Sorry about the wait guys! Been working on school and the yearbook!))

The thing about being a werewolf was the 'after effects'. Some werewolves had more visible ones, like excess hair or fangs. Others, like Jack, got somethig a little less visible, like a stronger sense of smell. Emeline, apparently, got the strength because an over enthusiastic cheers caused two of the glasses to crack and the third to completely shatter. Arrow didn't seem too worried about his rug, which was probably for the best considering how much cheap beer stunk when it had been there a while, and Jack waited for him to go to grab a towel in the kitchen before turning back to Emeline.

"Us werewolves dun'noe our own strength, yeah?" He said, giving her a kind smile. He understood how it felt when your curse made things awkward. Reaching out, he grasped her hand and turned it over to have a look at the palm. "Are ya 'urt at'all?" But before he could get a good look, Arrow came back into the room and Jack quickly dropped her hand. He didn't know why, but he was suddenly aware of how it looked.

"There, no harm done.  I'm not a neat freak by any means, but I do keep my place clean. What have you been up to Jack, trouble I hope?"

"Ah nah, been a good boy, me." Jack said with a chuckle "Got a new job down at Puddifoots. A proper gig too." Then he paused, as if he recalled something, before adding "Ah did meet a bird about'a month ago. 'ad to 'elp 'er out with a couple prats who thought they were 'ard. Ah invited 'er to come tonight. Not sure when she'll be 'ere though"

Said 'bird' had been hoofing it to get to the location Jack had specified, pushing as best as she could against the Londoniers in her way. Addie was muttering away until she arrived, reading the scrap of parchment she'd scribbled down from Jack's instructions. A party and it wasn't to dress nice and wear a mask. She could be herself, be the Addie that majority of Hogwarts graduates knew. It felt good, that - to be one's self again.

It mattered little at this little soiree tonight whereas Le Masque demanded more or less to be impeccably clean, even if your secrets weren't.

Finally. Arrival.
KNOCK KNOCK!

Standing there behind her glasses, Addie waited with anticipation and a small sense of dread. What if they didn't like her? What if this was going to turn out to be one big bloody mistake?

Emeline was definitely relieved that Arrow wasn’t upset. She didn’t even sense any irritation radiating off of him—which was unusual. Many people she’d met got at least a bit flustered when their rugs got covered in… A liquid whose smell was difficult to get out through any muggle means. Arrow only used a towel, but it probably had some sort of charm on it that caused it to clean up easily. There were a couple like that around her flat.

The man before her was… Apparently a werewolf. Emeline didn’t notice it until he mentioned it—but now she could sense it, smell it. Before the trial, before biting Zel, she hadn’t met very many werewolves… But there were definitely quite a few out there—Pandora Puddifoot… The siblings of her coworker, Cee Cee whose names escaped her. One of them taught her brother at Hogwarts, though. The one whose very demeanor practically screamed alpha. The other one was rather forgettable.

“It doesn’t happen often.” Emeline insisted—that was only partially true. She forgot her strength plenty of times, but it wasn’t as bad now as it had been when she was a child.  When Jack grabbed her hand, she turned to look at him and then down at her own palm. There were no cuts—no harm done. She was perfectly fine.

Jack and Arrow talked a bit—there was a mentioning of one of Jack’s lady friends coming over—then Emeline heard a knock. She was excited to meet this new person—partially so that she wouldn’t feel like such a third wheel or an intruder. Having an even number of people kept things… Balanced.

Although it wasn’t her place, Em opened the door and greeted Adelia with a quiet smile and a mild wave. She had half a mind to ask her where she got those lovely space leggings.

Addie waved back as best she could with butterbeer and a potato sack converted into a grocery bag swung over her shoulder, filled with junk food in addition to a few snack foods like summer sausage and crackers. "Hullo, this is Arrow Thatcher's place, ay? Jack invited me over; I'm Addie, by the way," she murmured, a gentle smile given right back to Emeline. Shifting her feet stance within the confines of the shoes, Addie's smile was clearly becoming somewhat shy as she didn't really recognise Emeline all too well.

"I brought butterbeer, snacks?"

Jack had heard the knock at the door but Emeline was closer and faster. So he stayed behind, choosing to let her answer instead so he could continue telling Arrow about his new job. However, he paused and his ears perked when he heard Addie's voice say

"I brought butterbeer, snacks?"

"Snacks? Brilliant." Jack said, suddenly appearing behind Emeline. "Ey up, Adds. Nice place 'e's got, innit?" He said with a bright grin as he ushered her into the small but well appointed apartment. He then motioned to Emeline "This is Emeline. She's Arrow's... ehm... neighbor" He felt bad introducing her like that, but he wasn't sure if he could classify Emeline as a friend yet, as they had just met, and it didn't seem like Arrow had known her before now either. He just hoped she didn't take offense.

Showing Addie into the living room and to Arrow, he grinned and motioned between them "Arrow... This is me mate, Addie... Addie... This is me mate, Arrow. Ye two get t'know each other and ah'll take care o'the snacks, yeah?" He said as he reached for the sack over Addies' shoulder.




(Alright guys... Let's let Arrow get in there!!)

Arrow was caught off guard for a moment when Jack ushered a young woman into his apartment and quickly introduced them, but quickly got over it as his flirtatious nature took over.  He looked at her and said, "Well, how'd that ruffian get a friend like you, seems you could do with some more 'civilized' company." He grinned with a glance towards Jack, "No offense mate."

Arrow took one of Addie's hands and kissed the back of it, "Welcome to my humble abode, do make yourself at home." He grinned rakishly and turned his attention to Emeline, "So, I have discovered that I have been lacking in my neighborly duties and have failed to introduce myself beforehand.  I consider it a fault that I do not know all the lovely ladies in my building." He repeated the hand-kissing move that he did with Addie and then let go of her hand and stood there.  "Here I thought it would be me'n Jack and some good ole fashioned male-bonding, but with you two here, you've right classed up my apartment."

((it's almost wrong to write Arrow the way he is... he's so... *shudders* jerk-y))