It was the last Friday of the summer and the club was pumping. It seemed everyone was looking to enjoy their last vestige of the season before having to prepare for the coming of Autumn. There were the older Hogwarts kids that would be leaving to head back to the Castle and some adults who were finishing up Holidays. Then there were the regulars who came regardless of occasion or need. For now, Xavier had yet to become one of those.

With a drink in hand, the young Scotsman had milled around the club, chatting up anyone that looked half decent in a skirt. Newly single and quite frankly, miserable, the former Slytherin had no real direction or plan. He was perfectly fine to end the night with a stranger in his bed or a bottle in his hand. Either one was equally likely.

It had been just over two months since he had graduated and moved into his 'Adult' life. He had been hoping for a happily ever after. He had gained his inheritance (though not in the manner he thought he would have) he had claimed his own home and was dating a smart beautiful dedicated woman. The only problem was, that dedication seemed to be for everything but him. Jordyn had thrown herself into her work at the hospital. She barely had time to see him and the few times they were able to spend together she was either exhausted or distracted. She claimed their break up was for the best, that he deserved someone that could actually be with him. All of that was fine and dandy but had nothing to do with what he wanted.

So now he was here, three drinks in and looking for trouble, so to speak.

"You're kidding me,  I can't believe you were on the cover of Witch Weekly." The brunette with the sickeningly pink drink was nothing more than a distraction but one that was certainly easy on the eyes.

"Thee Prophet too." Xavier embellished. The story of his family's operatic drama had broken early in May with the death of his grandfather. He had run into a few journalists over the summer wanting to know more about the Wizarding World's newest Galleonaire but most of the time they were after his father - back from the dead, or his half siblings - the secret love children of a forbidden affair. It was all trash but for some reason women clamored for such gossip.

The lady had put her hand on his thigh when a shadow broke over both of them, "What are you doing with my girl?"

Xavier gave a wicked grin to the meat head that came to mark his territory. Normally he would have been hands off, give some drivel about keeping the lady company while he was otherwise occupied but tonight, well, getting into a fight was just as entertaining as anything else he could be doing.

Things had certainly changed on Diagon Alley in the last ten years that Ace had been in France.  Sure he had loved the life on the reserve, secluded in the wilderness with only the people who worked on the reserve and their families to converse with. But he had missed being able to go out and get a drink when he wanted one.  They didn't really like anything alcoholic on the reserve because it sometimes affected those who were working around the dragons.

So he found himself at this place called Spellpunk, he'd never been there before, but here he was.  People-watching.  It was a weird hobby he knew that, but it helped him figure out who could and couldn't be talked to without an altercation happening.

Speaking of altercations, he sipped his drink and leaned back against the bar as he watched a young lady flirt with someone who looked to be just out of school. Ace shook his head.  He could spot several things wrong with what was going on there, but he was going over it in his head, seeing if he should intervene or not.

Another weird hobby of his, sticking his nose where it didn't belong in an effort to help.  And this kid could probably use his help. Especially since he didn't see the young lady's male friend approaching them at the table.  Ace shook his head as he heard the guy's 'What are you doing with my girl?  He stood up from leaning against the bar and slowly walked over to where the three of them were, fully intending to keep out of it unless something physical happened.

But he just couldn't help it.  He stepped up closer to them and said to the young man, "Hey, been looking for you all over the place."

Underneath an enchanted ceiling where the stars winked flirtatiously and the moon disappeared behind the clouds, Fauna could almost pretend she'd never left Hogwarts. She rested her elbows on the bar, and glanced back at the crowd, finding many youthful sorts and a few faces younger than her own. Raine, beside her, was one of those fresh new faces. Fauna offered her a genuine, happy-to-be-here smile. Even after a long week at work, she preferred Auror Training to Hogwarts. She loved living with her friends. She liked making new friends without worrying about crossing lines between Houses.

Now it was all about crossing lines at The Ministry.

She perched carefully, her feet curled over the rungs of the stool, and her simple dress barely covering her tush because of the magic of leggings. The actual magic of the leggings caused the flowers to bloom over her legs, winking much like the stars.

"Vigilance please, on the rocks," Fauna flashed the bartender the purple stamp on her hand. She had to repeat herself, as always, as if the stone walls absorbed her soft voice. The bartender leaned in to check the exact hue of her stamp, gaze flickering from her stamp to her face and back again. Fauna held out her hand like an awkward princess awaiting as kiss. After a few more seconds of scrutiny, the bartender nodded, and moved to make the drink.

"What would you like, Raine? My treat. Um, for surviving Pratt's duels with me."

For having her back, too.

Fauna watched with interest as the bartender selected the ice cubes. He tapped them with his wand, and they transformed into eyeballs that rolled along the bottom of the glass. Vigilance was her favorite, but there were other good "auror" drinks as well.

Whenever anyone used to joke about how a strong drink was necessary to getting through one's training, Raine had never taken them seriously. On the other hand, she had been an Auror trainee for almost three months now and she was beginning to realise that all the intimidation held some truth to it. This is how she found herself out on a busy Friday night, courtesy of Fauna Blake - one of the older trainees who was quickly becoming a favourite. They were very different witches but it was easy to get along with Fauna.

Raine scanned the dancing crowd as her new friend ordered a drink and stared down the bartender. It was chilly outside but her in Spellpunk, she could get away with dressing for warmer temperatures. The heat of mingling bodies alone was more than enough warmth for the energetic space beneath the starry ceiling.

            "What would you like, Raine?"

Having had her back to the counter, Raine turned around on the stool to face the bar and smile gratefully at Fauna. A drink! Merlin, the menus were so varied she actually had no idea for a moment. Her gaze flicked to the impatient bartender and she took her cue from Fauna's decision.

"I'll have a Shacklebolt Shocker," she offered the back of her hand for the wizard to scrutinise, and arched a fiery eyebrow at him. After some due process, he slid a tall glass across the counter; it crackled with miniature bolts of lightning in the golden liquid. Raine had never had a Shocker before but she always admired Shacklebolt's record as an Auror.

She held the drink in both hands and looked at Fauna. "Bottoms up." The redhead took a sip, giggling unintentionally as the lightning sent a frisson of electricity into her mouth and down her throat.

"I think I like that," she licked her lips. "Thanks for taking me out tonight. I really needed a break from thinking about hexes and curses. Do you come here a lot? That is, outside of babysitting trainees."

Xavier rose to his full height and squared his shoulders coming face to face with the meat head. There was a glint in his cold grey blue eyes, showing he was ready to make this physical. He ran through his mind wondering if he could throw a punch before the other man could draw his wand. He found it often threw Wizards off when you used your fists instead of spells. He was used to boxing himself but he also wasn't a slouch either when the occasion called for a duel. He hadn't decided which kind of occasion this was.

Before he could take this one way or the other a voice rang out. The corner of his mouth curled and he took a moment to eye the stranger. He was obviously older, a little rough around the edges but seemed to be in a helping mood. Xavier could easily shrug the guy off, tell him where he could stick it and go back to the fight that would most certainly follow. However he couldn't guarantee that the older bloke would stay out of it. He didn't want to risk becoming blacklisted from the club.

He threw his arms wide and put on a welcoming smile, "Took ye lon' enuff." He clasped Ace in a bear hug purposely pushing past the lunk head, "I've had ta keep meself othawise occupied." He turned, keeping an arm around Ace's shoulders and winked at the woman he had been drinking with. She blushed and looked away while her 'date' once again flared, "Thanks fer keepin' me busy darlin'."

Xavier guided Ace away to the other side of the bar while talking loudly and animatedly on purpose, spinning some story about the 'last time they went drinking' He pulled them in next to the Auror trainees. The former Slytherin too occupied to realize just who was sitting next to them. He glanced over his shoulder to see the man they had left behind getting into an argument with his lady friend. He chuckled softly and turned back to the Dragon Handler, "Thanks fer thee save mate. I believe tha deserves a drink. Wha' kin I git ye?"

Vigilance had a kick to it, but felt cool and refreshing as the ice cubes knocked against her teeth. Fauna giggled at Raine's giggle, because laughing at everything was her role when out drinking with friends. She took all her jobs seriously, you know.

Needless to say...

"Not very often," Fauna admitted. "We don't like to admit it, but the other trainees and I usually just go home and collapse, bemoan our lives, and throw pillows and more hexes at one another."

She smiled sheepishly. It wasn't very impressive, was it?

"Sometimes we debate about whose turn it is to take out the dog - Penny's dog, you know Penny Pickler? Only to discover that Theta did it already, because she's a sweetheart."

Fauna took another sip of her drink, feeling the burn in her throat. She heard someone talking loudly behind her, and decided, no thank you, too obnoxious.

Now, how to reassure Raine that it wasn't babysitting and that Fauna thought she was doing really well?

Fauna fidgeted with the straw in her drink, looking thoughtful, when the male voices behind her grew louder. Familiar.

Oh, ugh and ew, she knew that accent. Annoyance flickered across her face as she sat up straighter and tilted her head slightly to the side, catching a glimpse of Tawse.

Her only impression of Xavier Tawse was a bad, lasting one, and it involved him looming[1] over her friend Ayla for no good reason one night in the Hogwarts kitchens. Ayla had explained it all, but Fauna had always regretted not hexing him. He was just one of those types. One of those Slytherin types.

Her dark hair brushed the edge of the bar as she shifted her posture more towards Raine, keeping her back to Tawse and whoever was with him.

1.

Looming!

            "...the other trainees and I usually just go home and collapse, bemoan our lives, and throw pillows and more hexes at one another."

Raine laughed at this description, raising her glass a little in mock cheers. That sounded like a much more realistic version of trainee life than any of the rumours. There were definitely some high key moments but everything was spaced apart by more routine aspects of level two - paperwork, legwork, learning new spells.

She took another sip of the Shacklebolt to avoid giving a verbal response to Penny Pickler. Of course she knew Penny! Anyone who had to take the diversity workshop couldn't possibly forget. Fauna must be patient to live with Penny.

"I was thinking about getting a dog but I don't think I'd have the time for it." Raine diverted the topic instead, wondering what Pickler's dog looked like. "Maybe after training. Unless being an actual Auror means even less time..." she wrinkled her nose.

The other witch's attention seemed to have drifted slightly, annoyed by the commotion of wizards joining them at the bar behind her. Raine put down her drink and leaned over the bar to catch a look at the disruptors. Fauna didn't look like she wanted to give them the time of the day... but that was just Tawse! A rare post-Hogwarts sighting, too.

"Oh that's a coincidence," she glanced at Fauna, oblivious. Not wanting to yell over the din of the club, Raine plucked the maraschino cherry on the rim of her glass and gave it a kiss before very sensibly throwing it at the back of Xavier's head.

Although he had just joined the young man at the bar, his eyes were drawn to the ladies who were on the other side of him.  He watched as both of them seemed to find his new companion as less than desirable, but he put that in the back of his mind and winked at the one facing him.  He couldn't help it.

He caught the attention of the bartender and just said, "Give me something strong, with a little color." He had no idea what they served here, he was so used to drinking straight Firewhiskey, or something one of his buddies at the reserve made, he called it Dragon's Fire... it was like setting your tongue on fire, but it was delicious.

"I didn't do much to save ya lad, but a blind man could see you were headed for trouble." he told him.

While waiting for his drink, he watched one of the ladies seated at the bar behind his companion toss something at the young man's head.  Ace just shook his head, wondering what trouble was going to start now.  Excellent, he needed something to throw him out of the bored funk he was in.  This setting just might be what he needed.

Xavier chuckled, "Very true me friend." Getting into trouble however had always been a specialty of Xavier's even when he wasn't looking for it. Tonight certainly wasn't one of those times he was looking. He ordered himself a bourbon and threw a generous handful of galleons on the bartop to pay for both drinks. Even before he became filthy rich he had tipped well. Those that were willing to be loose with their money often got the best service.

He took note of the older man looking to their side but thought nothing of it. He hadn't noticed much beyond brunette and red head when he had first come up to the bar. He figured the Dragon Handler was simply being curious and or friendly. Had he not been hit in the head he likely would have left it alone.

Xavier leaned back to look past Ace to the Auror Trainees, "Well feck me, knew ye couldnea stay away from me Almasy." He gave Raine a charming smile and a wink. He liked Raine. She had been one of the few girls outside his own house that he had considered a friend and she didn't scoff whenever he flirted with her. He had been distant though ever since he found out she was dating a werewolf.

He took a moment to see who the brunette was, expecting the likes of Alexandra Carstairs or even Gracie Slant. He was legitimately shocked when he realized it wasn't either but he still recognized her, "Sweet Salazar's Salami! Yer still alive Blake?!"

Fauna heard the clink of far too many coins being tossed on the table and looked out of the corner of her eye, not surprised to see Xavier throwing his money around.

"It does sorta mean less time, from what I hear," Fauna replied apologetically, as if she had control over the busy lives of Aurors.

"It's easier when you live with housemates who can..."

Fauna watched the cherry sail over her shoulder and bop Xavier in the head. A stifled laugh escaped. Raine!

Unfortunately, Xavier and his friend took this as an invitation to loom on over. A sour expression settled on Fauna's face, especially when Xavier pretended shock that she was still alive. Oh yes she was! She was going to pass Auror training! She hoped!

"Alive and kicking," she announced without enthusiasm, raising her glass before taking a long sip.

Fauna studied the tall, scruffy bloke and wondered if he was as obnoxious as Xavier. Probably. On this girl's night out, Fauna was content to giggle too much, drink too much, and dance her terrible dance moves without any interference from boys, unless someone caught her eye, or unless she felt like it, or unless the stars aligned on the enchanted ceiling.

Not likely.

"First name is Fauna," she told the other guy in a more neutral tone. "Xavier likes to pretend he's still in school, or that he's a trainee with us."

Fauna gave Raine a sidelong, as if look.

So apparently Xav and Fauna weren't exactly best friends. How was she supposed to have known that before lobbing a cherry at her old classmate? Raine, on the other hand, was happy to laugh at Tawse's flirtatious wink and shake her head at him. He really hadn't changed month in the past few months - but from what she knew, perhaps he had no reason to want to change.

            "Xavier likes to pretend he's still in school, or that he's a trainee with us."

Raine raised her eyebrows in mock thoughtfulness at the look Fauna shot her. Xavier Tawse, an auror-in-training! Trying to picture that felt both unnatural and hilarious.

"Oh he wouldn't last a day!" she sipped at her cocktail, smirking over the rim and meeting him in the eye. "Would you, Xav? Can't risk someone hexing that pretty little face before it has a chance to grace the pages of Witch Weekly."

Tawse was exactly Witch Weekly material - or he would be if he did anything noteworthy besides inheriting the work of older generations. Raine didn't have the best opinion of pureblood aristocracy, having firsthand seen the devastating effects idleness had wrecked on the Almasys themselves. Merlin bless her muggleborn mother.

She turned her attention to the older man who was keeping Tawse company. Rugged looking, though not as pleasing to look at as Xavier was. "Raine Almasy," she introduced herself with a smile. "Taking care of our Slytherin prince, are you?"

Ace's attention suddenly shifted from the young man he'd sort of rescued to the lovely young ladies on the other side of him.  "Name is Deveraux." he said, not wanting to give out his first name yet.  He didn't know them, but they were a sight to look at.

After hearing the second one's question he replied, "Not taking care of him really, but extracting him from a potential harmful situation." he said with a grin. 

He leaned against the counter, maybe the young bloke could learn a few things from him, he knew he flirted.. like a lot... but he tried to be tasteful about it. 

"Auror trainee's the both of you?  Must be exciting." he said.

Xavier kept a smile on his lips. He could have easily sneered and snarled and thrown insults at Fauna but then again that's what she would have expected of him. He hadn't seen the former Hufflepuff in years, which meant while he had completely forgotten about her, she didn't get a chance to see him mature and stop being such a douchenozzle (well at least less of one) His own quarrels with the older Auror Trainee had dissipated. He no longer cared about Devlin or even to an extent Figaro. He had once been angry with her for choosing someone over his best friend. Now though, the resentment seemed pointless, much like many things he had held onto in his younger years.

"I'm sure Ay's happy ye 'aven't kicked thee bucket jus yet." He watched her features, gauging her reaction to him intentionally bringing up the younger Hufflepuff. The little pixie of a girl was the grander reason for the tension between the two. He was almost tempted to tell her the pair had kissed and made up but there was still a long road of recovery before they got to that point (if they ever got to that point)

Challenge flashed in his grey eyes when Raine teased him about not being able to make it as an Auror. It was a profession that had never interested him. One that, at one point, he had been raised to despise. Just another toxic mindset his mother's family had instilled in him. However had he actually pursued the career like his cousins had, he was sure he'd have no problem performing well, "I'd be blowin' both o' ye outta thee wat'r." He shrugged and took a sip of his bourbon, "Though I doubt thee prestigious Crimson Robes take in candidates wit criminal records." In the end the only thing Xavier could actually claim to his record was truancy but he had his fair share of run ins with the Aurors - from being suspected of murder to being questioned on the whereabouts of his Ex Azzie Uncle. He even had the Aurors to thank for blowing up his house and killing his family. He was also pretty sure he was on record for having killed someone himself. Though had it not been in self defense (or if the man hadn't been a werewolf at the time) he likely would have been in Azkaban already.

He clapped Ace on the shoulder and raised his glass in cheers, "Deveraux, 'ere was jus keepin' dis pretty face from getting hex'd off."

Fauna frowned a bit when Xavier brought up her younger friend Ayla. Was he still talking to the Hufflepuff? What was wrong with him? He'd better not be creeping on her. Fauna was sure there were plenty of witches in this very club who'd be happy to gaze at his pretty face and ignore the words coming out of his mouth.

She shook her head incredulously at Raine as Xavier claimed he'd blow them out of the water. Fauna took a long sip of her drink, trying not to think about the circumstances of his Level Two record. He had been through a great deal of family drama and loss, more than anyone should have to bear, and she pushed down a prickle of sympathy. Raine deserved her sympathy, not Xavier. Raine had handled loss and death in her family with poise, saving her ferocity for the miscreants of the world.

Xavier was still picking fights like the Slytherin she knew.

"Why would you do that?" Fauna widened her eyes at Deveraux. He seemed like a nice, if misguided, bloke.

"He can take care of himself. You should have let him sink into the water he thinks he walks on."

Fauna shot a glance at Xavier. She offered Deveraux a slight smile, trying to soften her words.

Ace just listened to the girls talked, he'd figured out a long time ago, they liked to be listened to.  "It looked like he could use some assistance is all." he responded to the question he was asked.  Honestly, he was looking for things to do and right now, it seemed like this kid was going to be interesting to hang around.  At least he attracted company... even if it wasn't exactly friendly.  He could work with that.

"Surely he can't be all bad." he said to her.  "I mean, even the devil can be good sometimes." he added a wink for good measure.