Note: From this point Johnny is an NPC, so feel free to use him as you'd like.

It never ceased to amaze Sophie how quickly life just got weird on her. As Maddie excused herself to go to the loo Fir walked up and flung his arms around her. She squealed in surprise - she thought that he might have been pub trolling with Quinn and her friends. But he wasn’t! He was there! In her house! Hugging her! She threw her arms around him and squealed happily, screw Matteo Amherst. Fir beat him any day of the week before he got out of bed. She was in the middle of smothering his cheeks with kisses and making happy kitty noises when Peyton appeared by her side and started talking. She only half heard what he was saying but gave him a smile over her shoulder before she returned to making kitty noises and giving Fir loud kisses - this was not an unusual greeting for the two of them. She always joked Fir got twice as much attention because Fergie wouldn’t let her do that to him. Then she heard what she thought was flirting and tilted her head back to look at Peyton, arms still around Fir’s neck. “Have you been living under a rock?” Her voice was rather amused as she glanced between the boys, “This is Fir. I’m his pretty kitty,” looking at Fir she nodded her head toward Peyton, “This is Peyton, he’s a Ravenclaw”.

She would have gotten more involved in the description and introductions - only how just then Neely drama popped off across the room. She was torn - really, really, really torn. She had three options. She could try to get everyone else outside, she could offer them the carriage house for a fight to the death, or third she could use the juicy boy bait known as her brother who was already in the backyard and give Sasha a break. She was feeling very charitable and kind of sorry for him. She didn’t think social gatherings were exactly his thing and fighting certainly wasn’t his thing. So really even though the other two offers were awfully tempting she just couldn’t leave the lanky blonde to fend for himself against Neely’s (justifiable) anger. Unwinding her arms from around Fir (gad that Johnny hadn’t been within ear shot or had a clear line of vision from outside) and sighed, “Duty calls boys. You be good - and lavish me with praise for my domestic skills when I see you again Fir”.

Weaving her way through people - the party did, indeed, have an excellent turn out, she decided to interject herself as if she had no idea the two were fighting. Keeping her smile bright she entered the group kiddy corner from Neely and threw her arms out to the other girl, “NEELY! I wasn’t sure you’d be able to make it!” well, that was true. She didn’t know if she would show up or not. Neely and Sophie were mostly friends through Jordyn and Fergie. Her hug was careful not to press or muss the other girl before she held her at arms length, “You just missed Johnny, he went out to start the bonfire,” it was then she caught sight of John’s plate of food and was struck by an even more brilliant idea than just telling her cherub faced blonde where he was in the hopes she’d flounce off and find him of her own volition. “Omigosh! He forgot his food. I hate to ask but I need to run upstairs and get his guitar - would you mind taking it to him? He gets so grumpy if he doesn’t eat regularly,” she gave her a pleading look grabbing the plate from a nearby table, and offered it to Neely, “You should tell Abby and Percy about the weekend we went to see him and 3 Owl Standard at that festival last summer”.  Man she hoped this worked.

There was nothing Fir liked better than endless adoration directed his way, especially by pretty people. That was probably one of the reasons he got on with Sophie so well. All he had to do was call her 'pretty kitty' and she was just gushing all over him. Cute, right?
 
Aww, and tonight, he even got cut little cheek kisses. Not quite the snog he usually demanded for people getting near enough to potentially muss up his hair, but close friend got discounted rates. Speaking of which, Fir looked around the kitchen more in detail as he was being adored to take a better measure of who' who in Sophie party time. He threw a suggestive wink Fergie and Sasha's way because, well, he was sort of obligated to. They were too cute and too easily blushable. He also blew a kiss across the way to Fauna and Matty. Why? Again, because he could.

Fir then turned hi attention back to those who were paying attention to him- mainly Sophie and some other boy- Penton? Peyton. Peyton. Fir took the hand and shook it. How very polite and proper of him. Fir himself was more keen on the European idea of kisses on the cheek...and other places.

"The pretty kitty speaks the truth," Fir said with a dramatic shrug complete with adorable wide eyes pointed skyward. "I am rather distinctive. And if she had not beat me to the introductions I would have said I'm James Bond and saw how far I could take that."

It was what his great plan had been as a first year- until the dumb arse sorting ceremony had stolen his thunder.

Sophie took off to work on some domestic work or whatever- hot dog was she a little housewife in training or what- "You better be wearing a ridiculously frilly apron when you get back, oh domestic goddess," Fir called after her before looking back to Peyton.

"So. You're a Quidditch player for Ravenclaw," Fir said more than asked. Just because this kid didn't know Fir didn't mean Fir didn't at least recognize him. Fir spent more time on gossip than homework and frequent trips to the girl's loo (better environment for makeup retouching and applying, not to mention- girl's loo) only helped that. "Must be spending a lot of time on that broom if you hadn't heard of me."

The last comment was delivered with his patented playful gin. How cute was he?

Peyton chuckled good naturedly. It wasn't that he had never heard of Fir, it was probably impossible to not have heard of the Slytherin it was simply that Peyton had never actually been introduced to the older man, face to face but it was probably best not to correct Sophie especially since it seemed to have impressed both of them.

Peyton shook his head with a coy smile completely unaware of the fact that for the first time in his sixteen years he was actually flirting with someone. It was just coming so naturally to him that he never took the chance to stop and think about what he was doing, "Nah James Bond could never pull off your hair."

He nodded to Fir's question/statement about him being a Quidditch player. Even if you didn't follow Quidditch (which was completely insanity in Peyton's opinion) it was hard to not have heard of Peyton especially with the win he had just gotten his team in the last match. He still felt bad that he had taken all of what would have been Sasha's glory but there wasn't much he could do about it.

"I do spend a lot of time up there but I wouldn't go as far as to say I've never noticed you." Once again that coy smile curled his lips. He quickly covered it up with a glass of punch. Although he was still unaware of his obvious flirtation he knew that he was smiling and felt that it made him look like a fool, "To be honest you're rather hard to miss." Did he just wink? Peyton glanced down at the punch in his hand wondering if it had been spiked at all. He had never winked at anyone in his life, why now?

"So you uh enjoying the party?"

A dinner party. Sasha had attended a dinner party. After he’d told her he’d been effectively barred from Wizarding society. Worse still, it was a party Cornelia Heloise Woolfolk had not been invited to join. She could feel the red in her cheeks becoming the vaguely purple color of bruised peaches.

She clung to Abby tighter. In this storm, one needed allies, and she’d quickly picked hers. Besides, it wasn’t the Reid girl’s fault she’d met Sasha at such an event. The Reids were well-respected, and Aileen was the sort of guest everyone wanted. Abby was simply an observer. Perhaps one who would prove helpful... and a good friend. Neely let her cheeks cool and she glanced sideways.

As she stared at Abby, she let Sasha’s words soak into her as if her heart were a sponge. Plans. Changed. He was returning... The tiniest flinch shot through her nervous system and Neely’s grasp on the equally vivacious blonde faltered, only to double in strength.

“Mmmhmm,” was all she managed, not daring to look at him.

Until, of course, she began flinging accusations. It was hard to ignore the fact that Fergie, who had tried so hard to mend their broken friendship with his lavish gifts and words of praise, had persuaded Sasha to attend a party with him... Sasha, Neely’s ex... the same Sasha who wouldn’t have gone to a party with Neely (even a first year’s slumber party!)... the same Sasha he’d sworn it was wrong to kiss. The one who had become between them as friends.

“No, no, of course he’s not. I’m just stupid to think Fergie wouldn’t come up with a better plan for getting you to a party than me. I’m completely dense to think he wants to be more than just your friend, or that he isn’t remembering the Friends Don’t Date Friends’ Exes rule. Good golly Godric! That Neely girl is just so brainless,” she hissed up at the (now reinstated) Ravenclaw. “Isn’t that what you always thought?”

Complicated. Everything with Sasha was complicated. Neely was sick of it. It spun around her head like a cot mobile of brooms and owls and abraxons that never stopped.

She shook her head, turning down his offer to talk. Instead she turned back to Abby, offered a painful smile, and turned her shaking blonde bobble into a nod of kittenish contentment. “Yes... much older boys...”

Queue Sophie and her brilliant timing.

The bubbly hostess threw her arms around Neely like she was hugging a rag-doll, and then pulled back promptly and clutched her with the delicateness of one handling porcelain. Neely appreciated the attention to detail. It was funny how many people thought she overlooked details. Just because she wasn’t the next Merliness... Ha. It was what she was best at, really. Sophie seemed to know that, somehow.

“Yes, my schedule was quite stuffed,” she admitted with a sniff of sorts, but her face melted into a warm smile for the Gryffindor. “But I’d never pass up a party at your place, Sophie.” She offered the girl air kisses, and inclined an overly interested brow when she mentioned lush older brother (and Hogwarts graduate, future rockstar extraordinaire). “I-- we,” She nodded in Abby’s direction. “Would love to. I was just telling Abby all about your family... and Johnny.”S he winked at Sophie, though not too coquettishly, and tugged at the Reid girl’s arm. “I’ll be sure to give him a second helping, then... and we can all talk about that brilliant show. I practically ruined my favorite wellies, but it was so worth it. Unlike some other times...” She shot one last look to Sasha, recalling all of their adventures: the Forest after dark, cat funerals, paintball wars, Amazonian camping trips, horseback riding, and polo matches.

Amidst the scrambling in and outs of his attention span warring with his own inner self doubt...Percy had heard something about Abby requesting whatever he was having.  So Percy, with a bit of a delayed reaction, poured two more glasses of butterbeer...and at first tried to bundle the three glasses carefully in his arms to return to Abby and Neely.  However...Percy then thought better of the idea...and left his own on a window sill as not to spill it and appear a total klutz.  So instead...Percy returned to the girls with a butterbeer in each hand.   That was when he heard the two conversing about only being interested in "older boys", "much older boys."  That really caught Percy offguard...and as much as he had been critiquing himself internally and reaffirming his doubts that seemed to be spreading from the eyes of everyone at the party...now his fears had been realized. 

Still...Percy wanted to be professional.  As crushed as his poor, vulnerable, little heart was...he didn't want it to show.  He simply extended a butterbeer to both Abby and Neely, waited for them to receive and grasp it, and then continued on past them...leaving his own drink far behind.  He paused only momentarily at Sophie, offering a polite nod and a muttered.

"Thank you for inviting me.  You have a lovely home, Sophie."

Even the prying eyes of close friends felt like knives and daggers coming at him from all sides.  Percy knew something had to give...and this was something he couldn't conquer, at least not here and now.  So with that...Percy made his exit quietly.  Most likely no one would even notice he was gone.  It wasn't like he contributed anything but dorky comic relief.

Apparently, the answer was 'no.' 

It was bound to be public knowledge by now.  Sasha could be completely incompetent when it came to unspoken social cues.  Even if he hadn't fixed his attention on Neely, Sasha would have likely missed the unspoken request for support the Slytherin tossed the squib and the confused-turned-co-conspirator glance Abby offered the Slytherin girl in reply.  He heard Abby's remark to Neely and blinked. 

Then, suddenly, Neely turned towards him and started in on a loud string of accusations.  Color rushed to Sasha's cheeks as he watched her.  It seemed to matter little he had no idea what to say; he probably couldn't have gotten any words in anyway.  All he could manage was an entirely insufficient shake of his head and a half-hearted "but, I don't-" As Sasha stood there confused, watching them both dumbly, Sophie joined the pair of girls and the Gryffindor shuffled the other two out with a flurry of girlish chatter and excitement.  Somewhere, in the midst of everything, Sasha was vaguely aware of Percy moving away and out of the house. 

He looked down at the cup of ... whatever it was ... in his hand, watching the specks of spices moving gently in whatever minute currents his walk across the room had generated.  He downed the rest of the drink and set the empty cup on a nearby counter before turning and making his way towards the closest door.  He needed to get away from people.  It seemed most of the partygoers had moved out to the bonfire in the backyard but it still felt too exposed - to in the center of everything in the kitchen.  He needed to catch his breath and gather his thoughts.  And, convince himself this wasn't a bad omen for generally returning to school. 

He passed through a door to the side of the house and followed the shadows of the wall along the side of the carriage house.  There he stopped and leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, taking long deep breaths. 

Fir smirked, always glad for the flattery and that someone else knew who James Bond was. Yay for Muggle pop culture. It got updated a little more often than every two centuries or so.

"It's true. Bless his little spy who loved me heart, but he's not really one to step outside of Harrod's chic, is he?" Fir said. Now that Fir was growing up and into his own he still retained an admiration for Bond but didn't really feel like emulating him, especially when Fir himself (in Fir's opinion) had a kickass style all to his own.

Peyton confirmed he was on the Quidditch team which of course was no surprise. Fir didn't play (his face + bludger= world ending catastrophe) but did Quidditch booking ever made him some pretty cash.

"I am glad to here you've seen me around," Fir said, grinning. "You would have broken my hear if you'd told me that all this effort was wasted and I've been fading into the wings of Hogwarts all these years."

Was that...was that a wink? Oh Peyton Wentworth, were you flirting? Spying for the other team were we? Fir was flattered. And amused. And for now, decided he'd play along. Because everyone liked to be adored.

"I am having a fantastic time! I do adore the Flickwick's don't you? What about you? How's life for Ravenclaw's Quidditch star?"

Was that... Did Fir just wink at him? Not that this was the first time something like that had happened. Fir seemed to be as flirtatious as he was eccentric. But it never failed to surprise Ferguson and throw him off balance. It was just strange. He wasn't used to being flirted with. It wasn't... bad. He just wasn't used to it.

Cheeks flushing, he quickly glanced away and refocused on what was happening between Sasha and Neely. Which did not appear to be anything good. Neely, no surprise to anyone, seemed to be doing most of the talking. From his position across the room, Fergie couldn't hear everything that was being said, but he did catch his name a couple times, and felt a sharp pang of guilt. This evening was clearly not going to go the way he'd hoped it would. He'd wanted Sasha to have a little fun and forget about his troubles for a while. Fergie hadn't meant to cause any trouble - but that's exactly what had ended up happening.

And then there were things with Neely. His friendship with the girl had cracked and frayed after Fergie had kissed Sasha, but things had finally been resolved and they were supposed to be back on good terms. And now he'd blown it again. He knew he wasn't supposed to be hanging out with Sasha, according to the unwritten, universal Best Friend Code. But what was he supposed to do? The Ravenclaw had needed a friend. Fergie wasn't going to not be there for the other boy. And yes, he liked Sasha. He couldn't help but like Sasha. But that hadn't been his motivation in bringing Sasha to the party. That had to count for something, right?

Before he had too long to dwell moodily on this topic, Percy had inexplicably left and Sophie (bless her heart) intervened and whisked Neely and Abby away. Ferguson took a step in Sasha's direction, but the other boy had already downed his drink and set out for the nearest door. Fergie looked down at Thor, who was still standing next to him, wagging his tail. "I'll be right..." He trailed off, shaking his head. Why was he talking to the dog? He really had to stop this whole hanging out with animals thing. It was clearly effecting his brain.

Now ignoring the dog, he set his half-empty glass of coquito next to Sasha's empty one on the counter and followed the Ravenclaw outside. When he caught up with the lanky blonde, Sasha was leaning against the wall of the carriage house, eyes closed. "Hey," Fergie said softly, and hesitantly reached out to rest his hands on the Ravenclaw's arms. It wasn't a hug, but he hoped the gesture made it clear that it could turn into one, if Sasha wanted. "I'm sorry. This is all my fault. I didn't... I knew she might be here, and I didn't think. And now she's mad at you and she probably hates me again and... I'm sorry. I just wanted to help. I didn't mean for anything like this to happen."

Peyton chuckled and found himself picturing Fir in a pressed suit wielding a 9mm. The thought wasn't unappealing at all and it caused his head to spin and his stomach to flop again. He quickly shock the image from his mind and focused on the regularly dressed (or regularly for Fir) Fir in front of him.

"Well like I said you're a little hard to miss." He winked again and then had to resist rolling his eyes. What was with him tonight? Maybe someone had spiked that eggnog stuff Sophie had offered the boys. It would certainly explain all this weird behaviour.

He blushed a bit when Fir called him a star. He was hardly a star even if he had been the one to catch the snitch in their last game. He still maintained that the glory was supposed to be Sasha's even if he hadn't been there. Peyton was a chaser he wasn't a star, wasn't the one everyone cheered for. Sure he scored well and was good at dodging bludgers but Seekers were the glory hogs.

"Umm good I guess, I think I've been getting the flu," Oh yeah great topic starter, "I mean it's just, queasy stomach lately I don't really know what it is and now I'm going to shut up." He took in a deep breath and blew it out slowly wondering if it was possible to shove his foot even further into his mouth, "So um new year resolution?"