Alice Longbottom

[alice-long-bottom]

kings-hacklebolt‌:

WHERE: Puddlemere Celebration WHEN: after the attack begins…. WHO: o p e n

It had been just another night at the Office, evening shift passing in slow tides of the hour, when the Aurors first heard word of an attack. Kingsley was on his feet in moments, dashing down the line to rally his troops - the Magical Law Enforcement Patrol - before making his abrupt exit.

With a soft ‘pop!’, he Apparated into Puddleton, and not a second too soon. Sharp screams echoed across the valley, flashes of spells flaring in the darkness like morbid fireworks, each burst of green Kingsley saw making his heart sink deeper into the abyss of his chest. There was no time to waste.

While others ran away, Kingsley sprinted towards the source of the pandemonium, protocol dictating that he address the Dark witches & wizards at large enacting such a cruelty, and put a stop to them as swiftly as possible. Thankfully, he wasn’t ruled by protocol, his morals a much tighter discipline to keep to nowadays as Kingsley threw himself into the midst of flying dust and debris. He can’t concern himself with the dead just yet, much to his despair. Throwing his body behind a makeshift bar to avoid a passing spark of red light, flames exploding where he had just been, Kingsley found himself finding refuge beside another breathing body. 

“Wotcher! You alright? Can I get you out of here?” It was only polite to ask, despite his effort to save their life.

Alice couldn’t remember a time when she had more regretted batting her eyes at Frank and asking for ‘just one more drink?’  She would go down in the annals of history for being a complete idiot for the decision. She should have been home when chaos reigned down on this event or at least been wise enough to know that an evening off together would never end in anything more than a disaster. She’d been too wrapped up in the euphoria of it all of a night in her husband’s company, seeing friends, and just, in general, the pull to have a good time. It was entirely her own fault that she had let her guard down enough that it had all come as a shock. 

As the chaos had taken over the party she and Frank had gone separate ways. It was too much and there were people everywhere that needed assistance, not to mention death eaters who needed to be stopped. It hadn’t been a conscious decision to end up behind the bar, after she’d taken a hit to the arm. The pain had been momentarily blinding and it had been too much to plunge further in blindly. There were red beams coming at her from different directions. She had to step back and reassess. She thought she’d had a plan when someone threw themselves into her hiding spot. Her reflexes were quick and her wand was in his face in an instant, but fortunately, she hadn’t gone for the shoot first ask questions later method. She took a deep breath relaxing her wand hand and letting it drop when she realized it was Kingsley. 

“Bloody hell. You scared the crap out of me I thought you were--” She waved her hand because really the thought didn’t matter and she was certain they both knew how she’d thought he was. “Right. Yeah. Out of here. When I dodged back here there was more than one. I think someone has fallen back, but something tells me not entirely. But I came from this direction.” She indicated behind them “And I don’t think there are any more civilians back there, but I haven’t made it any further. I’ve just been stuck for a moment.” She could feel the frustration coursing through her veins it as a mess combined with the adrenaline and fear. She was trained for this. She was good at this and yet she’d allowed herself to get cornered because she’d gotten distracted so she was mad at herself she shouldn’t need rescuing. 

[alice-long-bottom]

gillockhart‌:

“It happens to the best of us,” he shook her hand deftly, politely, and fielded a well crafted smile. Alice; such a perfectly literary name. A fortuitous sign of good things to come if ever he’d heard one. Withdrawing his hand from the portal between their two shelves he slipped promptly to the end of the stack and popped his head around the end to observe the damage and decided, then and there, that he’d made a good decision. 

“I rather like you,” he replied, tipping his chin upward and offering a broader smile for full effect before clapping his hands together decisively and stepping forward to offer her a hand up off the ground. “Well, come along then Alice Longbottom, brunch waits for no wizard or witch and the first mimosa of the day should never be served after eleven. We’re frightfully late already but luckily,” he dipped his head in the general direction of the door and hoped his brand of alcoholism was coming across as charmingly literary and not sad and depressing and turned to make for the door, “I know a guy who owes me a favour and a standing table at Claridges.”  

“I suppose that is the sign of a good book.” Alice shrugged as she shelved the volume she’d been engrossed in. It was probably her own mind rather than the book that she’d been in a fog because of, but there were some things that you don’t tell a stranger or anyone for that matter. 

She moved to meet him at the end of the aisle, raising an eyebrow at the proclimation but her smile didn’t falter as she shook her head.”Thank you. I think perhaps if you’re done shoving books through shelves at me I could return the sentiment.” She joked as she headed to the door with him, shaking her head with a look of mock seriousness. “For shame, I had no idea we were cutting it so close, and to think without you I’d have just sat right through brunch.” She teased as they stepped outside into the street letting him lead the way. This was a peculiar shift in her day, but she would have simply made herself crazy going further into the book, so peculiar or not it was a welcome change. “So, is it safe to assume that you’re going to tell me why Mr. Scamander is such a dreadful dinner guest over mimosas?” 

[alice-long-bottom]

gryffinborn‌:

Her attention taken away from the paper at Alice’s approach, Lily had to nod with a disappointed air. “You’re right. Accurate reporting’s gone out the window. It’s a bit of an obsession, still reading it, I think.” Despite her words, she felt uplifted by Alice’s arrival. It might be strength in numbers or it might be the fact that she’d always looked up to Alice, the older Gryffindor girl who’d gone on to become an Auror. And an Auror was precisely what she presently needed. Just not an official one. The chances of finding something were so slim, the chances of something happening to Daisy or Malkin infinitely higher.  Lily didn’t want to reach the point where she valued revenge more than protecting others. 

With that in mind, she stood, eyeing up the shop. “You’re right on time. My dress for my sister’s wedding is ready. Thanks for coming to help me pick it up,” Lily said meaningfully, then in a quieter tone, “I don’t know if there will be anything. But I have to look, Alice. What she did to James - it’s just not right that she can get away with it and there’s nothing we can do.”  Lily hadn’t been able to get it out of her head, what Daisy had described - robes stained with blood. They should still be at the back of this store, hopefully without all the evidence having been cleaned away. Knowing Alice was following, Lily made her way in, heart starting to race with anticipation at the thought of finding something. 

“Completely, but the wedding and birth announcements and quidditch updates. Those I still read the rest can go straight in the bin.”  Alice laughed a little as she looked at her. She was glad that Lily had reached out to her. It was the kind of thing she wished she could investigate in an official capacity, but honestly, she was at a point where she would take off the record if it meant that it could put them closer to stopping something like this from happening to anyone else. 

“Of course, it’s the least I can do. I’m certain the dress has to have some kind of charm and we’ll find it.” She flashed her a bright smile that was out of place given their activity, but just the right touch for the nonsense discussion. Alice felt her heart squeeze a little at Lily’s words. Were it Frank in St. Mungo’s she wasn’t sure that she could even be as rational as Lily and not just do something she’d regret. She caught up with her as they got in the store. “She’s not going to get away with it. We’re going to stop her.” She said gently as she looked around the back when they arrived. “The key is simply to start on one side and go to the other. We won’t miss anything.  Between us if there is something to be found we will find it.” 

[alice-long-bottom]

benjyfvnwick‌:

“I guess I put up with you because I’m the worst as well,” he snorted. “Everyone needs time to think about nonsense these days. Oh! I almost sent you an owl about it, I entirely forgot. I got him recently, quite recently in fact. I’d had a bit to drink and found a dog in Diagon Alley…that’s not the one I have, but it made me realise I was desperate for a pet again. We had dogs when I was younger, and I’ve missed that sort of companionship,” he smiled. “Find me a day when both you and Frank are home and I’ll bring him over. He loves meeting new people.” Benjy sighed as he thought more on Lestrange. “It would be wrong, and yet….how I long to do that,” he shrugged. “Oh I can certainly relate to tedious, endless paperwork - who’d have thought that the muggle liaison office had so much bloody paperwork involved, eh?”

Alice laughed shaking her head,, Benjy was just the person she needed to run into to bring some light into her day. “You got drunk and found a dog? I both love it and am amazed that you didn’t end up bringing him home with you. But I’m so excited for you. I used to have a corgi growing up, Peanut Butter. He was so round and lazy and I loved him. I’ll definitely find a night and send you an owl. What is the little guy's name?” She asked him curiously “The problem is that it is equal parts amusing and wrong, but you shouldn’t...I swear at one point in history or perhaps even now some sadistic soul’s only job was to sit around and create more nonsensical, useless paperwork. Both to drive the Ministry workers and insane and two make it impossible to ever find something from the past in a reasonable amount of time.”

[alice-long-bottom]

themollyprewettweasley‌:

Percy moved his head away from his mother’s body, only to rest it back against her hip so he was looking up at Alice, his eyes swimming with tears. He looked at her, conflicted. Was it a good idea? Would his mother allow him to? Molly looked over at the woman and then back at her son, a small smile appearing on her face. She could see his thoughts racing through his head. She watched as a small smile tug at the corners of his mouth. Her smile widened when he looked up at his mother quizzically, almost as if he was asking her silently if he could.

“Go ahead, sweetheart.”

Percy hesitated before taking a small step towards the counter. He was working up the courage to go with the other woman. He wiped away the tears that had managed to escape from nehind his eyelids and quietly said, “I like chocolate.”

Alice offered Molly another smile before she turned all of her attention to Percy waiting patiently for him to come towards her. She offered him a warm smile when he said he liked chocolate. “Chocolate? That is an excellent choice. It’s a favorite of mine.” She told him with a smile as she led him behind the counter using her foot to pull out the wooden stool her uncle kept there that she’d used when she was little. “Hop up here and I will show you how to make my chocolate explosion sundae.” She told him with a smile as she grabbed four sundae glasses and put them on the counter in front of them. “What about your brothers? Do they like chocolate or should we do something different for them?” She asked with a smile as she used her wand to call whipped cream, chocolate curls, and a jar of cherries to them as she looked over at him. To be honest, Alice was looking forward to the day when she and Frank would have children, but she couldn’t imagine being in the other woman’s position with this many it both seemed like heaven and a handful. It was the least she could do to offer a hand in the mostly empty ice cream parlor so the woman could have a moment of peace to have a conversation. She picked up the scoop and offered it to Percy “You wanna try and do the scooping?” 

[alice-long-bottom]

gillockhart‌:

From a considerable height he stooped to peer back at the face that had appeared in the little tunnel he’d created between her shelf and his, slipping his flask back into his pocket and offering up a beaming smile at the sight that greeted him. A touch grumpy, perhaps, but an easily salvageable situation with just a smidge of effort. “You must forgive me, miss, I wasn’t expecting such low altitude targets to come popping up out of the woodwork.” He paused, tilting his head ever so slightly in consideration as if revising the previous sentence in his head before amending, aloud, “The bookwork.” 

A ring encrusted hand slid through the hole he’d made in a peace offering, “Gilderoy Lockhart,” he said his own name with the air of someone who’d grown unused to doing so, “My opinions on Mr. Scamander and his frightfully dull dinner parties not withstanding, I would never wish battery by the Children’s Anthology of Monsters upon any poor soul. It seems I owe you a drink for the trouble,” his eyes darted toward the watch coiled around his wrist to find it just dipping past ten and promptly weighed the pros and cons of appearing a lush to a perfect stranger. “What are your feelings on brunch?”

Alice felt her annoyance wain just a little at the smile coming back at her through the tunnel of the shelf. His words were considerably closer to an apology and he clearly hadn’t intended her harm. If she had been teetering on the razor edge between annoyance and amusement and bookwork did her in. And she returned his smile with one of her own and even a little laugh. “Understandable, truly. I’m not normally found in such a spot. I suppose I lost myself in the words without realizing it.” 

“Alice Longbottom. Lovely to meet you.” She took his offered hand with her own. “I appreciate that your intent wasn’t to abuse me with books of monsters. I can’t say that I have ever had the pleasure  of dining with Mr. Scamander so I’ll have to take your word on his dinner company.” She raised an eyebrow at his offer of a drink this time of day, but--brunch. That wasn’t so bad and really she was going to make herself crazy sitting in here like this going in circles. As if to punctuate her thoughts her stomach let out an unladylike growl. “Well, I rather like brunch. How do you feel about it, Mr. Lockhart?” 

[alice-long-bottom]

gryffinborn‌:

@alice-long-bottom

Lily sat at a bench table in Diagon Alley, her nose in a Daily Prophet. If she looked just over the top of the headline, she could see Madam Malkin’s Robes For All Occasions. She was watching the door as thoroughly as she could do, with as little visible interest on her face as she could. 

It had only been a day since Daisy had come to see in St. Mungo’s. James and Dorcas were both still in hospital, Lily’s anger had not yet abated. Which was why she’d asked Alice to help her investigate. As soon as Alice arrived, she could give into her urge to do something. If she didn’t act soon, Lily felt as if she would implode with the combination of stress, fear and hatred working constantly on her nerves. Once more trying to read the article she was staring at, Lily finally admitted she was too full of tension to concentrate on anything but the store in front of her, where evidence of what had been done to James could lie. 

Alice was beginning to feel like she needed to be braced to hear bad news nearly every day. Whether it was a casual acquaintance she’d known from school or the Ministry or an old school friend it felt like no one was safe these days. It infuriated something deep inside of her that she was an Auror and she knew how hard the entire department was working to keep people safe and yet it wasn’t enough. It lit an unquenchable fire inside of her. Receiving the owl from Lily she’d known in an instant that she’d do whatever she could to help, though she’d only given Frank vague details about where they would be. She didn’t want to worry him unnecessarily but she also didn’t want to go off without someone knowing where they should be able to find the two of them. It was a delicate balance and when the whole night went off fine as she expected she’d fill him in on all the details.

“It’s not worth the effort to read that these days.” Alice offered a smile as she slid into the bench table across from Lily. “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.” She reached across the table because she could feel the stress and tension rolling off of Lily and while she knew she couldn’t just fix it she wanted to help. “If there’s something to be found then we will find it without a doubt. And if there isn’t then there will be another way to get them for this.” 

[fallenangelangie]

[alice-long-bottom]

benjyfvnwick‌:

“You’re the worst,” Benjy teased, nudging her shoulder playfully. “We all need time to think about nonsense sometimes. Last night I sat and stared at my wall for a solid thirty minutes completely dazed out, the only reason I snapped out of it is because my dog was whining to go out,” he chuckled. “Keeping busy is one word for it. Lestrange came home to claim his place as head of department, and now my relatively peaceful days helping muggles and muggle-borns and hanging out with Ted are full of reports that nobody reads,” he gestured to the report in his hand. “Reports that get binned by dickheads who think they run the place,” he rolled his eyes. “What is normal in the life of an auror these days?”

“Absolutely without a doubt. I don’t know why you put up with me.” Alice nudged him back softly with a warm smile. “Thinking of nonsense happens to be one of my favorite past times, so I understand...but” She leaned her head to the side raising an eyebrow. “Your dog? When did you get a dog? You have to bring them over to visit. We aren’t home enough for a pet, but I miss having one.” She told him wistfully shaking her head as she listened to him her nose scrunching at his description. “I’m sorry that honestly sounds dreadful and like rubbish. I’m sorry he’s like that. It would be wrong to charm the bin to throw them back at him every time he tossed one.”  She shrugged with a sigh, “Well, it’s just trying to survive each new phase of hands-on training. And wade through the tedious, endless paperwork. But there are some perks that the company around here can be pretty great.” 

[alice-long-bottom]

gillockhart‌:

Open Flourish & Blotts, Diagon Alley.

The cobblestones of Diagon Alley had always been rife with fans, ready to lavish the kind of attention that Gilderoy consumed like air (or the fifth of vermouth that he’d stockpiled in a flask that morning), but with his publicists tentative suggestion of keeping a low profile in mind, Gilderoy found himself investigating other avenues. Specifically Flourish & Blotts. Specifically two shelves adjacent to the towering monument to his own published works.

It wasn’t that he was concerned with how sales were going, it was merely healthy interest. Perching his volume of choice a little higher to obscure his face, he draped himself against the shelf, feigning reading the text while he eyed the aisles up ahead before he realised precisely what he was holding and released an indignant, “Scamander, you old hack.”

The book was tossed back onto the shelf, knocking a pile of it’s shelf-mates loose on the other side of the stacks as he swiftly replaced it with his flask and a hearty gulp of Vermouth. Oh but he would kill for a Manhattan. A delicate wave of his fingers followed the face that had appeared through the newly formed gap in the shelves.

“Don’t look so offended on his behalf, the man is a frightful bore.”

Alice had excelled at Defense Against the Dark Arts and when it came to defense even in Auror training it was rare that she stumbled. She was deft and quick in a duel when the time called for such a thing, but she much preferred to act defensively and prevent. The flat that she and Frank shared was charmed and protected quite extensively, and yet still she had felt uneasy sitting in it alone. She’d ventured out to Diagon Alley feeling uneasy and needing to work off this burst of anxiousness. When nothing else had sparked her interest she’d wandered into Flourish and Botts. 

One minute she’d been standing in front of the shelves flipping through a couple of books looking for something they could have possibly missed. Before she knew it instead she’d found herself seated with a book open in her lap as she lost herself in the words. She probably would have wiled away the entire evening in that spot except there was a sudden avalanche of books that clunked down onto her. She heard the other person on the other side mumbling something, but it didn’t sound the least bit like an apology so she popped up to peek through the newly exposed hole, raising an eyebrow at his words. She wasn’t sure whether she was amused or annoyed but annoyance took so much extra effort so she was trying her best to search out the humor. “If one were to call it offense it would likely be the assault with books that did it rather than your taste in books. If one were to put a fine point on it.”

[alice-long-bottom]

themollyprewettweasley‌:

Molly hadn’t realized that Percy had walked over until he laced his lanky arms around her upper thigh and leaned his body weight against her leg. He rested his head against her hip. She stopped talking to the person standing in front of her to look down at the redheaded boy leaning against her. He hid his face against her stomach when she asked him what was wrong.

“Nothing,” he said, his words muffled from his face hiding in her clothes. Tears started to prick the back of his eyes, his breathing hitching in his throat. “Fred and George are making fun of me,” he said, his words stumbling to get out as he spoke faster and faster with each word. 

Given all of the responsibilities that life had filled her plate with it would seem that the last thing that she had time to do was add anything new. Yet, when her uncle had owl’d to see if she wouldn’t mind looking after the shop for an evening she had jumped at the chance. Her schedule was clear and Frank had Order business to handle it seemed as if the stars had aligned. It was a nice break from the harshness of reality to spend an evening running an ice cream shop. Where she could make the sundaes more extravagant than usual, the milkshakes a little more magical, and just soak up the joy. It was rather impossible to be unhappy in the light and bright ice cream shop. 

She’d spotted the mother and her boys when they first came in, but when she’d been waylaid by a familiar face Alice hadn’t yet asked what she could help them with, but an upset face clearly meant that it was ice cream time. At that age, there was still little that a sweet treat couldn’t fix. She abandoned the sponge she’d been using to tidy her work area. She flashed Molly a warm smile as she approached, “I don’t mean to overstep, but I would be happy to set your boys up at the counter with their ice cream.” She flashed Percy a similarly warm smile, “Perhaps you could help if your mum says it’s okay. I bet you know what everyone likes.” 

[alice-long-bottom]

benjyfvnwick:

Benjy was delivering a report to Magical Law Enforcement regarding the recent issue of a wizard showing his wand around in Trafalgar Square; a duplicate report considering Rodolphus had binned the one that he’d written so carefully for him. Idiot. On the way to that department, Benjy had spotted Alice just leaving and grinned at the thought of a friendly face amongst so many that thought he didn’t deserve a place in the ministry, or indeed, their world at all. “I feel like you haven’t even looked at me, Alice Longbottom,” he teased, poking her shoulder. “I won’t be offended, I know you’ve got a busy job. I was just talking about this report. It’s not important in the grand scheme of things really. How are you doing, Longbottom?” 

Alice’s shoulders relaxed as she realized that it was Benjy who was speaking to her and not anyone else. Not that she felt good about the fact that she was ignoring a friend, but she trusted he’d understand and forgive her. “I didn’t at all. I’m terrible, I’m sorry.” She offered him an apologetic smile as she turned herself fully to face him. “”Its much too kind of you to make excuses for me just spacing out like a ditz. I was thinking about, well, honestly I have no idea what nonsense to be certain. But I promise that you now are in possession of my full undivided attention.” She assured him as she lifted “Me? Not too bad. The norm, I think. And yourself? Keeping busy?” 

[alice-long-bottom]

Alice sometimes got in the zone when she was in the Ministry doing what she considered to be busywork. Most of the trainees time was consumed by training and paperwork for their fieldwork. But there was menial work that fell into their laps as well, not that she was complaining because she wasn’t in the dusty file room she had been her first year. She’d take delivering files too sensitive to be anything other than hand-delivered over the file room any day. But she’d gotten lost in her own thoughts while she was winding her way through the Ministry. She didn’t realize that she’d stopped in the way or that someone was talking to her. As she tried to catch up on the conversation it was clear that whatever the first part was it had been important because she felt clueless. “Okay, so I’m going to need to apologize because I didn’t catch any of that.” She admitted sheepishly as she took a deep breath. “Care to run it by me one more time? Did you need help?” 

[alice-long-bottom]

// Ice Cream Makes Everything Better \\  Alice used to take great pleasure in working at her Uncle Fortescue’s ice cream shoppe. While her days are already too full with personal commitments, auror commitments, and the Order, but she still likes to pop up from time to time. To visit with her favorite uncle, lend a hand, and of course, taste the new ice cream flavor offerings; if not tinker with her own. While she isn’t really in the market to take over the family business currently she can often be found there passing out an extraordinary dessert and offering a friendly smile.

//  BELOW THE SURFACE  \\ Alice would happily lend a hand to anyone who needed it and she’s always a shoulder to cry on and a reliable ear to listen, but she has trouble sharing her own problems with her friends. They all have so much on their plates and it’s just silly anyway. Alice needs a friend outside her normal circle who sees past the sunshine veneer and can get her to really talk.

//  EVERYONE HAS A PAST  \\

Alice may be beyond happily married these days. But before she and Frank were more than friends she was in a sort of relationship. It wasn’t true love, but it was puppy love. Probably the first person romantically she let in, but the relationship ended in the beginning of her sixth year.

//  YOU JUMP, I JUMP  \\

A friend who has always been there. Whether it is since childhood or someone from school. Although, it doesn’t have to be a Gryffindor. Someone who has always been there for her and while they may not see each other as often as they did as children or in school it is one of those friendships that just works.

//  NEVER FORGET  \\

This person is likely a fellow pureblood who views Alice as beneath them. This person and Alice have clashed on more than one occasion and they’ve always tried to beat Alice or take her down socially or educationally simply for the pleasure of it. Someone who Alice truly doesn’t view with rose-colored glasses and she’s holding a grudge and always on guard and edge when they’re around.

**If none of this fits feel free to shoot me a message and we can plot out something that works.**

[alice-long-bottom]

The Longbottom Wedding

(*note* Obviously, if we get a Frank I’m more than happy to make changes to this) Alice was the little girl who had dreamed of her wedding since the first moment she experienced a wedding. She’d been chosen as the flower girl, by her aunt and she loved everything about the experience. She had declared that when she was grown up she was going to have a wedding just like that one. So once upon a time, it was a full formal, royal affair with a dress fit for a princess and everything traditional. 

However, as she grew and fell in love her idea of the perfect wedding changed. It was no longer about all of the fuss and things surrounding the wedding, but rather a night that focused on who she was marrying and their love. She and Frank sat down to discuss what was important to them and the answer was simple. They wanted to celebrate their love with all of the people most important to them. Neither of them were traditionalists who wanted a formal black-tie event. They wanted it to reflect both their love story and who they were. So formalities were left behind in favor of fun. 

However, For the sake of the more traditional Augusta Longbottom who Alice had been trying to win over and impress for years, they held a more formal ceremony in a small tent the only hint of what awaited their guests next were the brightly colored bouquets Alice and her attendants carried. As for the reception for inspiration, Alice went back to something that had stuck with her from childhood. Her father had brought her back a muggle storybook of Alice in Wonderland on one of his travels. She’d cherished the book and she’d loved all the descriptions in the book about this crazy wonderland that Alice had fallen into. So they created their own colorful wonderland for the night full of delicious food, free-flowing drinks, dancing and every friend they could think to invite. 

[alice-long-bottom]

gryffinborn‌:

“And far less responsibility too. How are things at the Ministry?” It must be difficult to balance work as an Auror and as an Order operative, Lily thought, though they couldn’t really discuss the subject too freely. It was so frustrating to deal in secrecy all the time. The more light-hearted topic of conversation was welcome. “That was clever of you! Though I can’t imagine Moody being very impressed with any of those accidental smudges. I don’t have anyone like him looking over my shoulder, but the portraits at the hospital are very nosy, I’m not sure I could get away with it.”. 

“Much less. What a dream that was and we didn’t even realize we had in our hands.” Alice sighed wistfully shaking her head as she sipped her drink. “The usual, form after form to fill out and just trying to survive training. And St. Mungo’s?” She snorted at the idea shaking her head as she shifted to look at Lily better, “Not the least bit impressed. I was tempted not to even use it anymore. I’d offer to do a quill for you, but portraits can be the biggest rats I wouldn’t want to put you at risk. Do you enjoy the work though?” 

[alice-long-bottom]

marles-mckinnon‌:

Marlene grinned, not one to be humble as she chuckled at the other woman, “Alice, you are grown up, and besides, McNair obviously hasn’t learned his lesson yet since he keeps coming in. I’ve made it pretty bloody clear how welcome he is here. Don’t worry though, love - the bar’s packed with Ministry workers, hopefully no more of his lot hanging around.” Although, who would really know if they were?

“Pity, tell him to come round sometimes, feel like I hardly ever see him,” Marlene shook her head, snapping her fingers distractedly at a rag nearby so that it’d Accio into her palm. Shrugging, she began wiping down her area beneath the bar top of all its sticky liquor debris, not really thinking as she replied, “Honestly, I’m bloody bored. This bartending thing was never really a long term goal.” ( Not that she had many of those. )

“How’s the Auror office? The fresh meat holding their own?”

“Oh no. Grown-up seems so final as if I’m destined to be one of those gits who spend their entire life at the Ministry and hating it so much so the time they don’t spend at the Ministry is spent drinking away the memory of the day they were just forced to spend at the Ministry.” Alice made a face as the mere idea made her insides cringe at the picture she painted. “He’s disgusting and twisted given the evidence, but I’m not worried. It seems like a pretty good crowd tonight.”

“I’ll drag him in with me next time. He’s so hyper-focused on--” She waved her hand as if that were an explanation “On everything. Well, no one makes the rules that say you have to stay here. What do you want to do next?” 

“You know I’ve been surprised by this class. I thought there’d be at least two dropouts, but so far they’re stronger than I imagined. I’m glad though, because--” She picked her drink up as she made a face--there were things that couldn’t be said but a look. They knew what it was like out there these days. “I swear given everything Moody is twice as hard as he was my first year and honestly, I didn’t think that was possible.”