(((OOC: http://absitomen.com/index.php?topic=6617.0 - Plot thread. )))

James and his friends had a tradition.  Every year, they would go to a particular bar and make fun of all the happy couples.  James already had a beer in his hand and noticed one guy and girl who seemed to be making gaga-eyes at each other.  Deciding that something needed to be done to rectify the situation, James decided that they should go home with someone else.

"HEY- You two - learn from your parents mistakes  - use some form of contraceptive tonight," James called out at the entirely too lovey-dovey couple.  Apparently he had hit somewhat close to the mark since the female started sputtering, and the male was glaring at him. 

"You can stop looking at me, I do not swing that way.  Shouldn't you be paying more attention to your date?  Tell you what - I'll help both of you out.  Just show me which way you came in," James added.  Smiling, James took a sip of his firewhiskey.  This was why god invented Valentine's day.  Not to celebrate love, but to mock it.  It was truly the best day of the year to be single.

The guy was really glaring at him now, and James wondered if he should continue or not.  Who was he kidding, of course he should.  "You know, if you keep looking at me - your girlfriend is going to become jealous.  You seem to be quite the lady killer.  One look at you and they die of shock," James continued.  His friends were laughing at this point, and the guy looked like he wanted James to shut-up for the next ten minutes.  That was not going to happen, at least - not today. 

Now, Margo was not the Valentine’s type.  Quite the contrary, actually.  She had a low propensity for overly romantic gestures and an even lower tolerance for them being thrown in her direction.  A present that consisted of boxing gloves would get the same reaction as a diamond ring.  She just didn’t really understand what people got in a tizzy about and wore frilly clothes and acted like idiots, it wasn’t her style.  So, in solidarity with other people that considered themselves either as commitment-phobic as Margo or were just hopelessly alone this year, she headed to The Leaky Cauldron – one of the least romantic places in the world, and thus, Margo’s first choice.

She had also agreed to meet Maggie there and the other grouch of the season, Kurby Bagnold.  They had been having quite a bit of fun together as friends.  Kurby wasn’t the sort to dwell or obsess and Margo wasn’t that sort either.  She derived more pleasure from making him miserable than anything and even when she wasn’t making him miserable, they usually had a good time.  So, she had decided to make it mandatory for him to come out and have some anti-festive fun.  Though, the shirt she had picked for the evening wasn’t entirely anti-Valentine’s.  But, Margo liked red, and thus, the wardrobe options had to be worked around.

Entering the cauldron, she was the first one there – of course, and grimaced a little.  As much as she tried to be late – impossible!  Frowning she shrugged off her jacket and draped it over her arm, looking around.  It was… festive?!  There were hearts and things?!  Margo immediately felt revolted.  The realization that the new owner, Hannah Abbott-Longbottom probably had something to do with it hit her like a ton of bricks.  Hufflepuffs!  Groaning, Margo flicked a tiny, chittering cherub away from her face, much to the chagrin of the little thing that hissed at her and chattered like a monkey, ready to pull its bow.  She figured it was absolutely harmless because as soon as she glared at it, it flew away. 

Rolling her eyes, Margo just needed a place to sit.  Almost all the tables were full with a patron or two at least, but Margo had never been afraid of talking to strangers (something that worried her family like one wouldn’t believe), and deciding that another curmudgeon was the best choice, she focused on a semi-familiar face (she knew she had seen him before, but be damned she could not place where), and strolled up to the table, pulling out a seat for herself.  “Mind?” she asked, dropping into the chair before he could respond. Clearly, she did not care whether he minded or not.

She put the jacket over the back and sighed, arching her eyebrows as the man seemed to be engaged with conversation with people from another table – a couple.  Oh! But this was not friendly talk.  Margo grinned.  Someone else, totally miserly!  Score. 

“Go easy on the greenhorn,” she smirked to the vaguely familiar person she was now sitting with, “It’s probably his first V-Day outside Mum’s basement.  I wonder how much he had to pay her?” She looked around for a bar server, “And what does a girl have to do to get a beer around here, anyway?”

((Warning: Mild language, though it is in German...))

Aleron had nothing against Valentine’s Day. In fact he’d totally forgotten it was Valentine’s Day until he showed up at work and noticed the cards, flowers and candy all over the place. It seemed there was a heart-shaped chocolate box on every desk in every cubicle on every level of the Ministry of Magic...except for his. Not that he needed more chocolate, of course. He’d just managed to finally lose those extra pounds he’d put on over the holidays...

Despite which, when the girls in the office noticed he had no little Valentine mementos, every one of them made a point of offering him a piece of chocolate. Aleron suspected this was less about feeling sorry for him than about making sure no one would think any of them was the sort of loser who didn’t get a Honeyduke’s Valentine box from her boyfriend. Even if she had to buy it herself. 

“Don’t be a grumpus, Wilhelm,” he scolded himself mentally, as he walked down Diagon Alley. “If you had someone to buy chocolate for, and someplace to go besides home by yourself, you’d feel differently.”

But at the moment, what he felt was OD’d on chocolate. What he needed was a beer! But where could he go to find one, that wouldn’t be full of starry-eyed young lovers?

“The Leaky Cauldron,” he told himself. ”That’s a ratty enough place, it ought to be mush-proof.”

When he walked in, as usual it took his eyes some time to adjust to the dim lighting. So when something buzzed by his ear, he swatted instinctively at the moth or whatever it was. And got his hand stung, in retaliation.

“Scheis!” he swore, adding several other, less recognizable Teutonic oaths. But he was still quick enough to catch whatever stung him by the wings. Taking it to the nearest lantern, he was bemused to see what looked like a Cornish Pixie, charmed to resemble a cherub...complete with miniature bow and arrows. “Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes strikes again,” he thought.

Glancing around the room, he felt...betrayed. There were as many hearts and flowers and pink sparkly streamers as there’d been at the Ministry. The closest woman he saw was even wearing a red shirt. She seemed to be sitting with a dark-haired fellow who looked vaguely familiar, though since Aleron didn’t follow Quidditch he wouldn’t consciously remember players who made the sports page of the Daily Prophet.

But neither of the apparent couple seemed to be paying much attention to each other. It appeared they were more interested in the young couple a table over. “Great Wotan’s eyepatch,” groaned Aleron, seeing the way the lovebirds looked at each other. “Is there no escape, even here?”

Then an idea occurred to him. He was still holding the struggling, irate pixie by the wings. Lifting him...her? it? to his eye-level, he murmured, “My apologies. But...perhaps I can make amends, by suggesting a more, shall we say, amusing target? See that young couple over there? The young fellow making goo-goo eyes at that girl in the...erm, almost non-existent skirt? I should think they are overdue to be struck by one of Cupid’s arrows, don’t you agree?” He released the miniature ‘cherub’, who buzzed away with a tiny cackle of maniacal laughter. Of course the pixie knew...as Aleron didn't yet...exactly what the effects of those arrows were, with the passage of a little time...

The couple...who were pointedly trying to ignore the razzing from their neighbors...failed to notice the new arrival at their table, even when he buzzed round both of their heads. Then he disappeared under the young lady’s miniskirt.

A few seconds later there was a bloodcurdling screech. Then the young lady stood up, and slapped her admirer resoundingly across the cheek. “How dare you?!”

She stormed out of the place, while her inamorato sat wild-eyed with shock. Then he turned to the bunch of louts at the next table, who were laughing uproariously.

“What do you lot see that’s so bloody funny?”

Somehow, Margo had convinced her to go out tonight, fully aware Maggie would sulk alone in her flat if left to her own devices. Somehow, they'd made plans to meet at the Leaky Cauldron, which she imagined would be overrun by lovey dovey couples who lacked the decency to stay at home, where she didn't have to see them. Shouldn't these people have reservations at nice restaurants, or something? Did they have to invade the best places to get beer, too?

Of course they did.

All these complaints and more ran through her head as she froze her bum off walking the short distance to the pub. The scowl etched on her face warded off most stares. She stepped into the Leaky Cauldron, and took her sweet time letting the door close behind her so that everyone could feel the blast of cold air and understand just how freaking cold out it was. She was considerate like that.

As expected, streamers and hearts decorated the place, couples groped each other, and - she'd just spotted Margo, thank Merlin. Already chatting it up with a group of laughing young men. No surprise there!

Maggie started to head over, relieved that she wasn't the only one wearing jeans, though in rebellion she'd picked out a green top. Then a screech sounded from nearby, and the drama began. Couple drama! For the first time that day, Maggie smiled.

"Don't tell me I missed out on all the fun?" She sat next to Margo and shook off her coat, amused by the chaos.

She nodded at James Forrester, who she recognized as someone on the Tutshill Tornadoes, and also someone she'd seen on pub outings before.

“And what does a girl have to do to get a beer around here, anyway?”

The pint was dumped in front of Margo without much ceremony, but with plenty of vigor.  White foam sloshed, spilling onto the table, as the werewolf hunter claimed one of the last remaining chairs, a matching drink in hand.  "I told 'em to put it on your tab, Daisy," he informed her with a smirk, following it up by tossing in her direction a handful of the flower petals that had polluted Level Four earlier that day.  They trembled weakly in response, drifting through the air as they settled around the woman.

Kurby pulled up his chair as he settled at the table, taking a moment to warily glance over the others present.  He knew the Quidditch player from some of the pureblood gatherings, but he hadn't encountered the nosy busybody from the Prophet except in passing.  Sighing inwardly, he raised his glass to take a long swallow.  If anything about this night got him into the Prophet or Witch's Weekly again, he was going to murder Amherst.

Keeping the beer in hand, Kurby leaned back in his chair, glancing over the room.  He didn't react to the streamers or decorations; he normally ignored the fact that it was Valentine's Day just on principle. 

"Fun?" he asked Maggie with a grunt, slanting the woman a look.  "How the hell is this fun?  The wait at the bleedin' bar's twice as long as it usually is, and it's not like they've even got anything worth drinkin'."

Valentine's Day had always been such a strange concept for Cillian. When he was younger he received candies from his parents and a few friends in school. During his Hogwarts days he had been too shy to really talk to any girl let alone have a girlfriend during Valentine's or even have a girl he wanted to send a Valentine to. As an adult things hadn't really changed. While his luck with women had become better and he never really had trouble filling his bed he wasn't one for relationships. Or so he thought.

Without realizing it Cillian had found himself in a relationship. One that was dragging him out on Valentine's so they could spend it as a 'real couple'. The Leaky Cauldron wasn't exactly the place he thought of first when it came to a romantic night out but he wasn't about to argue. At least it was far away from Hogwarts and Hogsmeade and anyone that might actually see Cillian and badger him about the red head on his arm. He had been seeing Penelope for about two weeks now which apparently made them a couple and warranted them celebrating Valentine's. At least he didn't have to chaperone the kids dance.

He escorted Penelope to the bar having not seen an open table. He had to admit the Leaky Cauldron was looking more in the spirit than he was expecting it to. He ordered a pint for himself and a nice fruity drink for Penelope before taking a look around at the other patrons. He felt his stomach fall out his butt when his soft hazel eyes fell onto Margo. He hadn't seen her since their awkward run in during the Christmas Holidays. He wondered if she was still angry with him for mentioning Fergie's sexuality. He hoped not and he hoped even more that she didn't see him. He felt bad for being there with Penelope after things had gone so horribly between them.

James was about to go rip in on the new guy who had brought some witch on his arm, but he decided he needed to introduce himself first.  There were too many things going on, and James had been somewhat waiting for a good opportunity to make a few introductions.

“Get a round for these merry gentlemen.  Sorry ladies – this night of the year you are buying your own drinks.” James called out to the bartender. 

“I believe I’ve only met Maggie, but anyone who insults other couples on this day is a friend in my book.  For those who don’t know me - James is my name, flying is my game,” James introduced himself to the crowd that was assembled.

Then, he saw someone walk into the bar with a date.  James could not actually believe an opportunity like this fell into his lap.  He wondered if the poor fellow knew what he got himself into.

“Hey you – yes you two – did you two fall out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down?  I don’t think I’ve seen something that ugly since I changed a dirty diaper” James heckled the newcomers.

Margo was forced to cover her mouth with her hands as she noticed what the newly entered man was doing.  He set the little Cherub bugger upon the couple at the other table (she wondered inwardly why she had not done the same thing) and snorted out loud when she guessed at the fact it probably shot a pinchy little arrow at the woman‘s bum.  Now, Margo took that sort of thing as a compliment, but apparently Miss Classy had to take it as some sort of egregious offense and slapped the young man across the face.  That was rich, and the woman giggled as they began to argue. 

It was short-lived however, and Margo howled.  The man looked like he had just seen something shocking - like naked Rita Skeeter or something.  It took a hell of a lot for Margo to stop laughing, and even then, she was still shaking with silent chuckles, running her hands through her hair - this was so amusing, what was she supposed to be doing?  Laughing was the only obvious reaction! 

She motioned the man to join them, clearly he had the same idea about the holiday, and grinned.  “Remind me to buy you a drink later,” Margo laughed, shaking her head.  “Well played.”  She wished she had thought of that ploy when she was busy shoving the little blighter away.  Apparently she was not so creative as their new friend, and she leaned back in her chair, waiting for the rest of the show to happen.  There wasn’t anyone else within heckling distance so Margo had to catch her breath and stop herself from suffocating from a lack of an ability to breathe. 

Margo did not speak out of bitterness, no.  She was speaking out of the genuine desire to have fun, and one of those ways was to make sure others were not having fun.  Her fun hadn’t really even started yet though - not until her beer was delivered.  And, like a very scruffy, dirty angel, an unceremonious slush and slap against the sides of the glass, Kurby Bagnold, the other member of the party arrived.  “Beer? And dead flowers?  Why Kurby, you shouldn’t have!” she laughed and picked up the glass, ignoring the petals that had settled around and on her. 

She kept her smile though and slinked down in her chair - no lady like sitting for her, and she crossed her arms on the table and shook her head.  She was about to open her mouth for another well deserved self-congratulations for torturing some poor saps, but Maggie broke in and she could always count on Groust to say the right thing.  “Nah, just starting!” she chirped, motioning to one of the many seats at the table, “Join us in making our lives a little better by making theirs,” she motioned out, “a little worse.” 

The other man introduced himself and Margo grinned at him.  “No problem, got my own money,” Margo informed him proudly, the drink purchased on her own tab in hand.  “My name is Margo Amherst, just Margo is fine though.  Recognize the name, quidditch, yeh?” she asked cheerfully, starting conversation.  She believed she remembered Colette talking about the character once, though her memory was fuzzy (had to be over some drinks), and whatever the case, there had to be a half dozen Prophet articles about the guy.  Good party assembled, indeed! 

Rolling her eyes at Kurby, she slapped him on the back, “Always cheerful,” she lifted her glass to him and nodded over the rim before taking another healthy swig. 

With her arm almost around his back, Margo caught sight of the newcomers.  Her heart stopped in her chest for a moment, her stomach dropping down practically to her feet.  It was the shrimp! And a real girl?! Well, he had mentioned something about a sea of women chasing him for his divination prowess, but she didn’t believe she would ever see the day that it would be true.  She even put down her beer to rub her eyes, just to make sure.  Well, well, that was interesting now wasn’t it? 

It wasn’t to say Margo was jealous, but she liked people following her around like puppies and she liked attention, so when she wasn’t getting it, well, she wasn’t having quite as much fun as she had before.  Whatever the case, Margo tried to play it cool and removed her arm from Kurby’s back, leaning back in her chair and putting her hand under the table.  It was on her own knee, but she suspected no one would be able to tell from any other vantage point and smiled easily, looking around the table. 

“Suppose he bought her juice? Looks a bit young to be out this late.  Bets on curfew?” she looked around the table, hoping to create a lovely little wager betwixt her associates. 

Normally Lexus wouldn't care about Valentine's, the past few years she had been too busy to be worried about it. This year however everything seemed to be changing and none of it for the better. First she had lost her job and subsequently her connection to Jonas, the one person who had become her rock during such a shaky time and then Alastar had left. She wasn't really expecting their fling to turn into anything serious but it had been so nice having him around that she just missed that closeness. Which was why she was here now. She wasn't looking for romance, or to be swept off her feet, she was looking for endless pints, somewhere to drown her sorrows. She had originally gone to a few of the local muggle pubs but everywhere she went seemed to have gone Valentine's crazy.

She stopped dead when she entered the Leaky Cauldron. She had been hoping to take comfort in the dreary little pub but it seemed to have gotten cupid fever as well. She snarled a little before sighing and accepting her fate. She pulled up a stool at the bar trying to ignore the midget and his red headed date. She rolled her eyes at their cutesy couple smiles and called for a pint.

“Hey you – yes you two – did you two fall out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down?  I don’t think I’ve seen something that ugly since I changed a dirty diaper”

Lexus took a long swig before swinging around on her stool at the familiar voice. She looked to the table of hecklers and felt like smacking herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. She groaned as her soft blue eyes ran over the familiar faces. She hadn't seen James since the morning after her birthday party. Thankfully the man didn't seem to be bothered by the amount of scars on her back or the fact that she had slipped out of his flat before they could experience that awkward morning after conversation.

Then there was Kurby yet another wizard she had met in a bar and ended up going home with. She had to admit he was a lot more fun than James had been and she had actually been hoping to spend more time with him, that was until she found his ID card. It was just her luck to fall for a guy that actually worked for the Werewolf Capture Unit. Yet another early morning of slinking out before he woke up.

Last but not least was there was Maggie, the intrepid reporter that had interviewed her while she was trying to clean out all her things from Jonas' office. The poor girl was only trying to do her job and Lexus had bitten her head off more than once. She had offered to try and help her find a job but Lexus had been hesitant about taking her up on her offer.

She groaned and took another long swig of her pint. She turned her eyes to the door certain that either Alastar or Jonas would come waltzing in or better yet the two of them arm in arm or some shite like that. That would be the perfect cherry on top to the crazy dream turned reality that was likely to become a nightmare before the night was through.

"9:00," Maggie chose the number randomly, giving Margo an amused look. "By 8:50, I'm sure they'll scurry back to Hogwarts." Little did Maggie know that Cillian was actually a professor, not a student. The pair did look young. Though Maggie herself was only in her early twenties, and still got carded sometimes.

She hadn't noticed her friend's reaction to the Divination professor, and was busy scanning the bar, trying not to feel too out of place amidst the lovey dovey couples, and even the heckling. Mags had no problem being rude on a small, personal scale, but shouting insults, well, that required alcohol. Maybe a lot of alcohol.

Rising from her seat, she let Margo know she was getting a beer, and told Kurby not to soak up all the "fun" while she was gone. Judging by his scowl, she had nothing to worry about!

As she elbowed the crowd around the bar and squeezed in at the front to order a pint for herself, she noticed Lexus Dale sitting alone, drinking. Which was exactly what Maggie would have been doing if Margo hadn't dragged her out - sitting at home with her pet pig and a bottle of scotch.

"Lexus!" Maggie called over the noise. "If you get bored watching the couples, come join our rowdy gathering," she tilted her head at the table. "Best to be on our side, not theirs, anyway," she smirked, raising her eyebrows as the insults started up again from Forrester's area. If this night worked out like it should, they'd all get booted from the pub by, oh, 9:00.

Leaving the choice up to her, she started weaving back to the table, her sharp elbows protecting her beer, and the drink only sloshing over a little onto her shoes, making her glad she hadn't worn anything fancy.

When the angry young woman in the micro-mini smacked her boyfriend and stormed out, Aleron was not slow on the uptake. He grabbed her chair, just a hair ahead of a scowling fellow who had been planning to offer it to a blowsy...and obviously tipsy...blonde who was leaning precariously against the bar and appeared close to sliding down.  Aleron told himself  he should be a gentleman, but...what the hell? There seemed to be no other empty chairs.

Shrugging at his rival as if to say, "Snooze, you lose," he snatched the chair out of reach and maneuvered his way to the table where the red-shirted woman was sitting. He grinned when she offered to buy him a drink, in appreciation of his redirection of the 'cherub.' But when the dark-haired fellow...Forester, as he introduced himself...said the ladies had to buy their own drinks, Aleron nodded and said, "Well then, I'll take you up on that some other time. It's hardly fair for you to buy me a drink, if the rules are that I can't reciprocate. I'm Aleron Wilhelm, by the way. But if Aleron sounds too complicated, you can just call me Al."

He laughed along with everyone else at Forester's comment about the dirty diapers. A potential consequence few people ever remembered, on Valentine's day...

This thought had just barely crossed his mind, when he had another which seemed unrelated but actually was not, considering that he too had been struck by one of those arrows.

Looking more closely at Margo Amherst, it suddenly occurred to him that she looked quite lovely in red...

Leda tottered into the Leaky Cauldron completely unaware of what day it was and oblivious to the... quaint... decor or the thinly-veiled (or perhaps unveiled) antagonism among the Lonely Hearts Club vs. the Dating Game.  This wasn't unusual.  Leda could be buried with an avalanche and notice only that she'd dropped her bookmark in the tremble.  Also not unusual was the fact that she was heavily-laden with books and bags, mostly emblazoned with a large, green "B&N" from her monthly visit to Muggle Britain.  So heavily-laden, in fact, that she dropped a book and as she grabbed for it, a bag ripped and the rest of its contents tumbled onto the floor, when she was only halfway through the bar.

With an "eep" of dismay, Leda bent to retrieve them, felt a sharp pain in her posterior, leaped about a foot in the air and straightened up, rubbing her tender backside and actually looking around.

She blinked.  The ceiling was festooned with colorful streamers.  Quiet music filtered out from a phonograph hidden somewhere behind the bar but was over-ridden by derisive voices of less-than-appreciative patrons.  "Oh, my," she said loudly enough to be heard, though she was mainly speaking to herself (as she did often).  "Is it Christmas already?"

She scratched her head, wondering if she should stop for a nog rather than going straight through to Diagon Alley and home.  A little Yule cheer would be nice.

After Margo introduced herself, and she commented on his profession, James gave an affirmation of her statement.

“Yep.  So besides insulting people that do not have the taste to eat in tonight, what do you do?” James asked, relaxing into a conversation with her.  Ordinarily, James would try to hit on Margo.  Tonight though was different.  It was probably one of the few nights of the year where he did not try to take home a pretty witch on his arm.  Tonight was also why he thanked Merlin for contraceptive charms.  Otherwise he probably would not have been as lucky to be where he was.  He heard Margo’s comment on starting a pool, and James figured he might as well start.

“Sure – a sickle says that he goes home as soon as his mom sends him an owl” James opened, wondering what other bets people would come up with.

 After Maggie called Lexus over, James was pleasantly surprised.  James figured a girl like her would probably date some guy for the first couple of weeks in February and then break up with him at the end of the month.  James guessed that Lexus’s character was a bit better than what he had expected, even if she did not even bother saying good morning – she had showed him a good night.  Then again – it was not as if any of them had fooled themselves into thinking a relationship was in the cards that night.  Reminding himself to seek her out later, his thoughts on the matter were interrupted when the German gentleman spoke up. 

“Honor bound and honor bred I see.  Well then – pleasure to make your acquaintance Aleron.  Like the prank you played on the couple over there.  Speaking of which…” James thought aloud. 

Suddenly coming up with an idea, he quickly had his wand out to cast a subtle accio spell to bring the gemtlemen’s beer glass just a little bit closer to his date.  Of course, the fact that it spilled beer all over her was just a bonus.  James quickly returned his wand to it holding place, since he did not want to buy that idiot a round.  Hopefully he was not noticed, since the entire process only took a fraction of a second, but he never knew if there were any other professional seekers around. 

Fortunately for James, a young woman – surprisingly overburdened attracted the attention of the entire bar.  Fortunately she thought it was Yule instead of this inept holiday, so James thought she might want to join their little gathering.  Asking the group for their opinions,

“Well –if you prefer Yule to today, you are more than welcome to join us.” James offered the newcomer, not really bothering to help her with her books or anything.  After all, that sort of defeated the purpose of this entire gathering if he started to act chivalrous.  Even if she was attractive.

Despite the loud noises of talking, heckling, music and laughter she still nearly jumped out of her skin when Maggie called her name. Part of her was hoping that no one would recognize her while another part of her was glad for the company. She smiled at the reporter and gave her a nod. Lexus picked up her pint and started to elbow her way through the crowd behind Maggie pulling her hat down a little bit to cast a shadow over her face. She wondered how many pints she could get into Kurby and James before they noticed her.

As she came to the table where Maggie and Co. were drinking she settled in next to Wilhelm trying to stay as far from Kurby as possible. He was the last of the group she wanted to strike up a conversation with. Mostly because he was the only one of the three that didn't know who she actually was and considering his occupation that was probably a good thing. She already knew her wanted poster was up in the Auror Office (Thanks to rookie Paul Martin) it wouldn't be much of a stretch to think it was up in the WCU office as well.

She smiled at the handsome gentleman beside her and wondered what had brought him to the table of disgruntled anti Valentine's pub goers. She quietly lifted her pint to her lips again eyeing those around the table under the brim of her hat. They all seemed pre occupied with whatever it was they were doing before she arrived and she hoped her arrival wouldn't distract them from it.