he found himself teetering on that precarious edge between drunkenness and sobriety—a blurred line, swaying dangerously in either direction but refusing to settle. debating whether to reach for another glass of liquor or let the moment slip away, he catches a familiar scent drifting past his back. instinct kicks in before thought, and he turns, champagne glass balanced effortlessly in his right hand.
“ cresswell. ” his brows lift slightly as he greets him, gaze flickering—just for a moment—over the other wizard’s attire. “ i was rather hoping i’d be lucky enough to avoid you tonight, ” he quips, though whether it’s truly a joke is debatable. his grand strategy of keeping a safe distance from dirk? thoroughly ruined. again.
“ are you here alone? ” and that, most likely, is the least appropriate question he could have asked.
“ i wasn’t expecting to see you here, ” he admitted, honesty lacing his words as his gaze settled on a familiar face, a playful grin tugging at the corner of his lips. “ actually, wasn’t expecting to see many familiar faces around here—more like faces... that used to be familiar. ”
he let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair to push it back. his gaze swept over the various faces he used to see every weekend, like the blacks. a wistful smile tugged at his features before his eyes landed on the other witch. “ having fun? ”
ft. 𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐀 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐒𝐒 ( @enchantmecnts )
📍MALFOY MANOR
he could’ve turned a blind eye to the dodgy wizards lurking about at the event. starting with the hosts, of course. he was used to these sorts of gatherings—came from a long line of pure-bloods, after all—so one more to the list hardly made a difference. in the end, he always found himself here for the sheer amount of food and drink at his disposal.
“ was starting to miss a familiar face, ” he says upon spotting the other wizard, flashing that ever-present sardonic grin. then, with all the subtlety of a bludger to the face—edgar doesn’t really know the meaning of the word—he lets his gaze roam over liang’s attire. he takes a slow, approving nod, raising his glass for a sip. “ you never pass up an opportunity to break a few hearts, do you, chang? ”
⸻ ✧⠀ ⠀ liang didn’t offer a response immediately, the tip of his tongue brushing over his lips as he faced edgar with narrowed eyes. he was honestly considering whether it was worth responding at all. ━━ next time i see your name on anything, i won’t open it. ━━ he finally said. truth be told, it was just lip service.
the final question almost made liang laugh. the corners of his mouth definitely curved into a slight smile, but he turned away to hide it. he was right, if he had he been more specific, liang wouldn’t have left the office for that. ━━ fine, you won. i’m yours. ━━ he surrendered, the words leaving his mouth with a light, amused tone. ━━ where do you want to go? i’ll pay.
the glint of mischief settled in his gaze, softening his features ever so slightly. " oh, come on, chang. you can't possibly say no to this handsome face, " he teased, his usual rakish grin firmly in place. edgar’s problem had always been that, when faced with a real issue, he'd never—absolutely never—turn to anyone else. wouldn’t dream of bothering them like that.
and then, just like that, a smirk of sheer confidence curled his lips. " of course you're mine, " he added, throwing in a wink, as effortlessly charming as ever. " how about the three broomsticks? " he tapped a thoughtful finger against his chin. " i did consider delirium bar, but—i reckon it's crawling with dodgy dark wizards. and frankly, i can’t be arsed to get into a fight on a friday afternoon. " he wouldn’t, unless absolutely necessary—but for edgar, necessity was a rather flexible concept.
he ran his tongue over his lips with practiced ease before taking the other wizard firmly by the forearm. " off we go! " with a sharp crack, they apparated a few steps from their destination. " by the way, what exactly does ‘you’ll pay’ mean? " he mused as they stepped inside, holding the door open for liang. " does it mean i have no spending limit on firewhisky? blimey, chang, you really know how to impress a date. bet you’re quite the popular one. " he didn’t even try to hold back. amusement flickered across his face as he took a seat at one of the empty tables.
⸻ ✧⠀ ⠀ as someone as mindful of his behavior as liang was, during such times, he was being extra careful. he wouldn’t show any sign of distress if he could avoid it. so, even after an owl had broken into his office to deliver a particularly short letter, he took his time to organize his desk and carefully lock everything before leaving the ministry. polite as always, he bid his farewells to everyone on his way out.
but once he was outside the ministry, it didn’t take long for him to apparate to a safe place before walking to the mentioned location, always paying attention to his surroundings and occasionally using a spell to check if he was really alone.
when he finally laid eyes on muse, liang felt somewhat relieved to see they were apparently alright, which then gave way for a little annoyance. ━━ by the tone of your message, i thought it was an emergency. ━━ he muttered under his breath as he approached muse. ━━ why did you want to meet me here? what happened?
at the end of his workday, he found himself with most of the afternoon free. things seemed calmer, but only on the surface. edgar sought refuge in those small moments to escape from the routine without straying too far from reality.
“ in my defence… you can’t exactly hear the tone of handwriting on paper. or did the owl actually shout at you? ” his tone was light, amused, and a crooked grin curled on his lips. “ anyway, it’s practically an emergency. i’ve got the afternoon off, and no company for a beer. ” a sigh escaped his lungs lazily as his eyes sought out the other wizard’s gaze. “ don’t give me that look, i know i should’ve been more specific, but… would you really have come then? ” he asked more rhetorically, his eyebrows raised slightly.
Her most recent check in with the enigmatic Bureau was chaotic to say the least. Verity’s superiors were practically chomping at the bits over the interrogation clips that were leaked to the British wixen press. Where she thought they would push her to stay out of it, they were already shoving another list of names at her. The interviewees must have been people of interest if the Auror Department of the British Ministry had pulled them in for conversation, that’s what Seven had said over the wireless during their most recent conversation. While Verity did want to find a way to hear more on some of the theories brought up in one of the leaked clips, she couldn’t well force herself into all the interviewee’s circles. Not when she was still trying to get to know as many people as she could on the street. Home Office was beyond stressed it would seem, but she knew she needed to do things right. All in good time.
When she got the owl from Edgar, it seemed like a better task to focus on. Dressed in a pretty little number with a clever little heating charm to keep her from freezing as the weather continued to shift — reasoning that Fancy would know a charm like that in order to stay fashionable over functional, despite her orders to not use a lot of clever magic — she crossed one leg daintily over the other as she sat at the bar of the cozy and quaint spot Edgar asked she meet him. When he had arrived, her brow arched at his words, lips pursing to meet his sly grin with one of her own. “Wouldn’t want to be predictable, Sugar. Got to keep you guessin’ somehow,” she teased lightly. “No, maybe not, but I’m generous with second chances.” It was clear to Verity that Edgar had some sort of gentlemanly hero complex. Enough that her doe eyed lost persona had caught his interest enough for him to nobly offer some guidance asa new person in town. That or her face enraptured him, which was likely. There was a reason she became a focal point of the schemes back home. Truthfully, she didn’t mind waiting on him. She had a feeling he’d be useful someday, but he was also easy on the eyes and friendly, and she liked his curly hair, so it wasn’t like it was a total chore to spend time with him. “London is great, but the weather isn’t,” she did a faux shiver, “Not that it doesn’t get a bit chilly back home, but the last thing you hope for on a vacation is the cold. But it’s been nice, otherwise. I’ve found my way around a bit, but you did promise to show me the ropes so I tried to limit my exploration as much as possible. Didn’t want to take away your moment, and what other excuse would I have to call on you?”
edgar didn’t work directly for the ministry, but they usually called him in when they needed his expertise on something specific. his parents were still prominent figures there, so in a way, he was practically just another employee—only with better pay. that’s why he was one of the first to arrive at the auror offices when the leaks came to light, searching for some rational explanation for such a careless mistake. he was genuinely furious, an overwhelming sense of distrust settling in his chest. he didn’t want to believe they had a spy within their own ranks.
with so much weighing on his mind, edgar found himself frequenting bars and similar places more often, looking for a temporary escape. he knew he couldn’t detach himself completely, but if he kept throwing himself into the war so relentlessly, he was bound to lose his sanity.
“ i’d make excuses for london, say it’s just the winter—but let’s be honest, summer’s not much better either, ” he admitted, arms crossed on the bar counter as his gaze flickered over the other witch’s features. “ still, i reckon there’s more to do—more places to see, you know. the cold’s not exactly an entrepreneur’s best mate. ” he shrugged, and then—just for a moment—a smile ghosted his lips. “ darling, there’s always an excuse to call. ” he said it easily, because, to him, that’s just how things worked.
he took a sip from his glass, nodding. “ i did promise, yeah— ” he started, narrowing his eyes slightly. “ right then, let’s make a route. tonight, we’ll hit the best spots in the wizarding world—though… we might end up a bit pissed. that a problem? ” the concern in his voice wasn’t entirely real, but the curiosity was perfectly genuine. “ next week, we can explore muggle london. though i reckon that’d be an adventure for me as well. ” he didn’t spend much time on that side of the city—only when absolutely necessary. the idea of keeping his magic restrained had never sat well with him. “ so—what do you say? ”
dirk hums, tapping a finger against his chin like he’s considering it, even as his smirk sharpens. ❝ you know, bones, if you wanted to kiss me, you could’ve just said so. ❞ he murmurs, voice slow, deliberate, like he’s testing how far he can push before edgar finally cracks. but then, just as quickly, he leans back, casually sliding his hands into his pockets. ❝ but i suppose i’ll let you wine and dine me first. since you’re so eager. ❞ he throws a wink at edgar before glancing down at the offered hand. ❝ don’t let go too soon, now. wouldn’t want you getting lost without me. ❞ and then, with the kind of ease that comes from far too much practice, he lets edgar pull them both into the spin of apparation. also letting himself be led, just this once.
“ i definitely don’t want to kiss you. ” his tone aimed for casual, but his gaze still flickered—just for a fraction of a second—down to the other’s lips. sometimes, he liked to think he could play the same game, stay on the sidelines, maybe even find a way to put an end to the back-and-forth they’d been caught in for a while now. but the moment he was face to face with the other wizard, it all seemed to snap right back to square one.
they finally arrived at the place edgar had mentioned, and the atmosphere was just as described. a soft melody of live jazz hummed through the space, the warmth of the room blending seamlessly with its inviting surroundings. perhaps it wasn’t like the bars they used to frequent before stumbling into one another’s flats, but still—alcohol was alcohol.
once inside, his gaze drifted back over his companion’s features before he spoke. “ you can drink and eat as much as you like. it’s on me. apparently, you’re my date tonight. ” his voice carried that effortless charm, teasing as he sought out a table for them to sit. “ so then, cresswell—what is it you really wanted from me? ”
war, work, worry, repeat, that seemed to be the routine that Alice Fortescue was following on a daily basis. Following the latest announcement on the Wizarding Wireless network, it seemed to send the Auror Department into even more of a frenzy. A frenzy that Alice normally would have dove straight into, allowing curiosity to get the better of her. But on this occasion, Alice recognised her desperation for a glimmer of a break, the past few weeks had been stressful, and diving in head first to work could wait until Monday.
Stirring her cocktail with her straw, Alice took a peek down the bar, her eyebrow quirking as she caught sight of somebody only a few empty seats over. "You do realise that it's happy hour, right?" She chimed up, "I think drowning your sorrows typically starts later in the evening."
the past few weeks had seen him become a rather frequent visitor at the leaky cauldron. not exactly something to be proud of, but he’d been struggling to process everything that was happening, and his only real moment of respite came with a glass of firewhisky. or beer. depending on the day. he was so utterly absorbed in the amber liquid swirling in his glass that he didn’t even notice he had company—at least, not until a familiar, honeyed voice brushed against his senses.
“ there’s no such thing as time, ” he replied automatically, the corner of his lips quirking up into a warm, lopsided grin. “ but i do think it’s downright disrespectful that you’ve spotted me and yet you’re not sat right here beside me. ” his voice carried that ever-present teasing lilt as he patted the empty seat next to him. “ i promise to behave if you promise to do the same. ”
was that a promise worth anything? probably. hard to say. there were too many things still drifting in and out of focus in his head. he let out a weary sigh, raising his glass to his lips and taking a slow sip. he was sick of the war, sick of everything happening around him. his parents' indifference infuriated him, but more than anything, there was a gnawing sense of guilt buried deep within him—because, despite everything, it was all so far out of his hands.
“ evie, evie, evie, ” he greets when he spots her. “ looking good, uh? ” a grin tugs at his lips as the smoke from his cigarette drifts lazily from the corner of his mouth. he steps forward, closing the distance between them with an easy confidence. “ saw one of your brothers the other day, at my parents' place—don’t want to know what he was doing there, but… i suppose it wasn’t anything dodgy. ” his own family may have lingered dangerously close to purist ideals, but he knew evangeline’s did not. his parents, at least, had always managed to behave around hers—perhaps because they had all been hufflepuffs, their families naturally intertwining across generations.
“ maybe he was visiting my sister— ” he pauses, lips pressing together briefly as a new thought forms. “ d’you reckon we’ll ever end up as one big happy family? ” the question lingers, edged with his usual irony. it was always difficult to tell when edgar was being sincere. “ you know, ever since you so heartlessly rejected the marriage proposal i never actually made, my parents probably still haven’t given up hope. ” the smirk that follows makes it clear he is joking. he takes another slow drag of his cigarette, this time exhaling the smoke through his nose with deliberate ease.
finally, he'd managed to carve out a moment of peace. the order and his work consumed far too much of his time. not to mention the family events he was, unfortunately, obliged to attend. he didn’t subscribe to the ridiculous pureblood charade his parents still felt the need to parade around. who were they trying to impress? it was a mystery. all their friends had gone over to the dark side, and the pureblood families they now socialised with had no interest in any of their beliefs.
but anyway.
after weeks of putting it off, he’d finally sent the owl he'd promised to frances that night when he'd been fortunate enough to meet her. and now, here they were, meeting up. or a date. or whatever it was. “ for a moment there, i thought you weren’t going to show, ” he exaggerates, and his sly grin makes it clear he’s enjoying himself. “ though, to be honest, you had every right to leave me hanging. it wasn’t very gallant of me to keep you waiting like that. ” he admits, shrugging casually. it was his way of apologising... a rather peculiar one, but pride always came first with edgar. “ so, how’s london treating you? did you manage to find any decent places, or were you just waiting for me? ”
ft. 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐄𝐑 (@petrificusx )
📍THREE BROOMSTICK INN
edgar comes from a purist family that has followed some questionable traditions and has always been associated with other purist families, like the nott, malfoy, and black families. because of this, during his childhood and adolescence, he became close friends with this person, as their personalities simply clicked. however, when the war loomed, edgar and this person both showed their loyalties, and that difference in allegiance broke the bond they had. but is it truly irreparable? can friendship end so quickly, or is there a possibility of rekindling their connection? is there no way back?
order of the phoenix-related connections
partner in mischief and pranks
edgar is the type of person who, despite being in the midst of war, never loses his playful spirit. he always has a mischievous smile and loves breaking the rules, even though he tries to be serious when the situation demands it. he enjoys playing pranks on his friends and challenging norms he doesn't agree with. he’s looking for someone who shares his love for mischief, a partner willing to enjoy those moments of rebellion amid the chaos.
the one who keeps him grounded
edgar is impulsive and not afraid to stand up to authority figures like dumbledore or moody when something doesn’t seem right. his passion sometimes leads him to raise his voice at key moments without considering the consequences. he’s looking for someone who can calm that inner flame, someone who helps him stay grounded when his impulses push him to extremes, and who can give him a clearer perspective before he makes hasty decisions. a true "grounding wire" in the midst of his spontaneity and defiance.
the rivalry within the order
edgar and this person struggle to get along, whether due to clashing personalities—his impulsive and rebellious nature often stirring tension—or because of his purist family background, which, while not extremist, still upholds traditional values and had ties with the blacks. whatever the reason, the friction between them is undeniable. edgar isn’t one to make an effort to smooth things over, and if the opportunity arises, he won’t hesitate to throw out a dry or sarcastic remark, making it clear he has no interest in pleasing everyone within the order.
miscellaneous connections
the betrothed that went wrong
edgar’s family, steeped in purist traditions, arranged a marriage with this person, likely from another prestigious purist family. however, edgar didn’t feel ready for such a commitment and resisted the idea of marriage. whether it ended badly or simply fizzled out, the engagement was never what it was supposed to be. there may still be unresolved feelings or lingering tension, and while they haven’t fully closed the chapter, it’s unclear whether anything could rekindle between them, or if their paths will remain separate.
the close friend who became something more
during their time at hogwarts, edgar shared a deep friendship with this person, one that was always platonic, despite occasional moments in parties where the tension hinted at something more. nothing ever came of it, and they continued as friends. however, once they were out of hogwarts, a party changed everything. they crossed a line, and something more than friendship happened, leaving both of them uncertain about what it means. now, they’re left with lingering questions—was it a one-time mistake, or is there something real between them? should they forget it and move on, or is there a chance this could lead to something more meaningful // 𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐔𝐄
from playful teasing to sleepless nights
edgar has always been effortlessly charming, quick to flirt without a second thought. with this person, it started as just another playful exchange—nothing serious, nothing out of the ordinary. but over time, something shifted. what was once casual fun became something that kept him up at night. he truly likes them, though he’s unsure how to handle it. he doesn’t want to keep playing, yet stopping isn’t an option either. no matter what happens, he’ll always be there when they need him, and the teasing, the chemistry, the lingering tension—it’s not going anywhere. // 𝐃𝐈𝐑𝐊 𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐋
❝ maybe i do because you'll always waiting for my owls, ❞ he implies, voice smooth, teasing. he lets the words hang, eyes flicking over edgar’s face like he’s cataloging every shift from the other wizard — but then edgar steps closer, and dirk… well, he’s never been good at pretending this doesn’t get to him. his smirk deepens, but there’s something warmer at the edges now.
❝ food and live music ? bones, you really know how to sweep a bloke off his feet, ❞ he teases, tilting his head, letting his curls flop over to the side. then, after a beat, he leans in slightly, just enough to test the space between them. ❝ but if you really wanted to impress me, you’d just admit you’ve been dying to see me. ❞ his smirk widens, his voice all smug charm. ❝ but sure, i’ll let you take me out first. seems only fair. ❞
at the implication, he averted his gaze cautiously, fixing it on some unremarkable spot in the room—as a silent admission. he couldn’t exactly complain. this was his own game being played against him. karma, they called it, didn’t they? always so cocky, so wrapped up in his own tricks, never stopping to realise that, on this particular chessboard, he was the one being moved. “ it’ll always be like this with you, won’t it? ” the question wasn’t looking for an answer. instead, his lips curved into a subtle smile—one of those rare ones he didn’t always allow himself. one day, i’ll stop waiting. but the words died in his throat.
he rolled his eyes the moment he caught that familiar mocking tone. “ oh, please, cresswell. if i’m going to start lying like that, i’ll need to be at least halfway to pissed first. ” and to some extent, that was true. except—it wasn’t a lie, was it? the smirk that followed wiped away the brief flicker of sincerity from moments before. it was never easy for edgar to pretend there wasn’t real interest in dirk, but sometimes, he liked to tug at the same thread. “ well, come on then. or are you actually waiting for some grand reunion kiss? ” he teased, extending a hand toward the other wizard, ready to disapparate.
it was kreacher that let him know that someone had come to grimmauld place. regulus didn't have very many visitors in the first place and was surprised, when he had walked downstairs to see edgar, his eyebrows shot up. he shouldn't be here, while it wasn't exactly unsafe, it was still unusual seeing that they both had drawn lines in the sand of where they both stood in the war. especially since the bones' family stopped engaging with the blacks a long time ago. "yes, well, black tradition and all. hard for us to change much of anything." regulus says looking at said tapestry. "it's rare to be on kreachers good side." regulus admits, so it must say something on edgar's end that kreacher even let him in. but of course, edgar was a good person, where regulus was most decidedly not. "oh perfectly fine," he replies, while not being perfectly fine. "why are you here?"
“ a shame, ” he sighed with mock resignation, his eyes drifting over the tapestry. not that he really cared—he was simply buying himself a moment to gather his thoughts. he’d had a speech prepared, of course, but nostalgia had a nasty habit of throwing him off course. “ oh, come on, i’m always on everyone’s good side, ” he said, a sharper smile settling onto his features, still leaning against the doorframe. regulus answered, and for a brief moment, silence stretched between them. edgar took the pause to carefully choose his next words.
“ i came to see you, ” he admitted, finally pushing off from the old wood and stepping towards the other wizard. “ been a right mess of a few years, hasn’t it? ” he paused, running a hand through his dark hair, sweeping it back. “ heard about your father— ” he remembered when it had first been nothing more than whispered rumours, but the news had eventually been confirmed. he’d just needed a few days to summon the nerve. “ you all right? ” edgar had never stopped worrying about regulus, no matter how things had turned out. he’d have wanted to be there for him. and with the same ease as always, as if not a single day had passed, he sank into one of the familiar, overstuffed armchairs—once filled with people during his visits.
Open starter!
Setting: Middle of the week at Hogsmeade
Since he assumed his new position at the school, Emílio had been swamped with work, taking it over on short notice as an emergency wasn't on his cards. He couldn't have ever expected the sheer volume his predecessor had left behind without his knowledge. And maybe he had been mad that he had to miss out on the hospital party, but now, he couldn't help but feel relief that he wasn't the one having to waste an afternoon of not answering any auror's questioning "I've never been happier to miss out on free drinks in my life. Talking to cops is not my thing, and it will never be."
he would have liked to say the same, but unfortunately, he had a bit of history with interrogations. his rebellious streak had dictated much of his youth, and he had always had to deal with the consequences of his actions. still, he had never quite reached the point of being questioned by an auror. not until now. “ lucky, are we? ” he smirked, bringing a cigarette to his lips. a sharp snap of his fingers, and the tip flared to life. “ wasn’t so bad, really—thought it’d be worse, ” he admitted, taking a slow drag of the tobacco resting between his teeth. “ though, if you ask me, they ought to be questioning the ones who weren’t there as well. wouldn’t that make more sense? everyone inside was off their heads. ”
─── ⋆⋅ 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬: open
─── ⋆⋅ 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: hogsmeade, outside the magic neep
"Hello! I don't mean to be a bother, but I saw this plant in that shop and, my new apartment - or wait it's a flat here, isn't it? Anyway, it's quite empty and I've been trying to liven it up and I saw this plant and figured why not, but also I have no idea what it is." Polly took a moment to take a breath before fixing a wide smile of their face. "Do you happen to know...well, anything about plants?"
his gaze trailed from the witch’s features down to the plant they were holding. he listened intently, nodding every so often to let them know he was paying attention. “ oh, blimey, ” he muttered, leaning forward slightly to brush his fingertips along the plant’s leaves, pursing his lips in a thoughtful grimace. “ never really cared much for herbology, i’ll admit that, ” the hint of a smile tugged at his lips, and his eyes locked with hers. “ looks like a daffodil, if you ask me, but i could be wrong. might be cowbane, and then we’d be in a bit of trouble. ” he recalled a few names that could fit the shape of the leaves and the colours of the plant but shrugged it off. “ either way, if i were you, i wouldn’t get too cosy with it until you know what it is. ”
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