Act One Scene Two

[Rollo Winner]

Rollo sat at the bar his face planted firmly into the wood. He had been here the whole day since that morning. That morning was the only time during that day he had not some form of liquor in him. It had been a beautiful day out the sun had warmed his body and it had been a great way to start the day. His picture had been taken to and the woman named Shay had promised him that it would be scar free. Although Shay had termed it a different way and Rollo had taken quite a liking to it. Blemish free. It made the whole ordeal sound so much more pleasant as if they weren't something that was permanent. Like they were zits and with some cream they'd be gone in the morning. These accursed things never went away in the morning though. He would wake up shower and feel them because they were scars and scars never went away. Except in this picture that's all they were was blemishes and he would be free to imagine if only for a moment that he was normal again.

Rollo motioned for another shot and downed it quickly lighting a cigarette in the process with his free hand. Picking up the cigarette from the ashtray he took a drag calmly waving his hand for another shot. Exhaling he looked around the bar. It was the typical late night crowd and Rollo liked it that way. For whatever reason the Cauldron was the only consistent thing in his life and the consistency and flow of costumers comforted him. It wasn't surprising like work or randomly bumping into people and more importantly no one talked to him here. It was peaceful and it allowed him to turn everything over in his head. Rollo could rarely think in such a manner elsewhere. His office and apartment were just far too distracting for him.

Turning his head he noticed Shay entered and tried to straighten up. Killing the cigarette he exhaled and gave up on the attempt. He was full of piss and his demeanor probably wasn't going to be the best but with Rollo at this moment it was in fact that best he could do. Sighing heavily Rollo decided to let her find him and with that thought in mind downed another shot. There was no way this could end well for him.

Open-Shay

[Shay M. Loire]

Since heading off to work that morning after meeting Rollo, Shay had managed to weave and bob in her personal work between the paperwork and even a quick field shoot after another photographer bailed out. As per usual, the field shoot was nothing special-- yet another photo-op at the Ministry. When she had been there, she wondered if the man she had photographed in the rising sun would be there, but she didn't want to be foolish about it-- she had already gotten the roll developed, and it was now all a matter of touch-ups, taking into consideration the requests made by Mr. Winner for his two copies.

All through the breaks in her work, she often had to sit down and examine which angle she liked best. Little or no shadow? Harsh or soft light? Legs moving or still? Facial twitch or calm face? She inspected each over and over until one quite literally smiled at her, assuring her that this was the one... in which Rollo, in the same sitting position, was as calm as can be, with a lone bird flying overhead, and in the corner the lake was visibly coming back and forth, begging Rollo for his undivided attention.

Seven-thirty came and went, and she had gotten down to doing the retouches, careful to make each movement as consistent to the next, as this was a magical moving photograph. Thankfully for her, the figure in the photograph had barely moved, only looking deeply at the lake, rather unaware that a photograph was being taken.

It had actually been nine o'clock when she was finished with both copies, and she took two large envelopes-- her own roll and one for Mr. Winner's copies to stuff them in before she could Apparate to the Cauldron.

She had rushed into the pub before she could remember why she never went there. Often, it would spell for a little trouble of her own, for the last time she had been around there as even a hint of a regular, she had been there with Alfonz. The past had written itself into a dusty book, and so she could only give it a tiny frown before she properly surveyed the place for her client. By then his features were easy to spot after examining them for a few hours on paper, and she could spot the blond head of hair just as easily.

Clutching the two envelopes, she marched up to the bar where he was, trying her best to blend professionality and friendliness. "Mr. Winner?" She questioned as she sat down on a stool, almost placing the envelopes on the counter, but moved them immediately because the area had been a little wet. She found a drier spot and placed them there, secure with the spot so that she could take off her robe and place it on her lap. With all of that over, she continued her professional/friendly look with a smile.

[Rollo Winner]

Rollo sat patiently as the girl made her way across the room. She seemed hesitant but that could have been because she was looking for him. None the less Shay just seemed out of place at the Cauldron at this hour. Rollo couldn't help but feel bad for a moment. He had made this the meeting place and she of course had agreed but Rollo didn't like making people feel uncomfortable. Then of course the way he carried himself and acted did exactly that make people uncomfortable. It was his awkwardness and what he was realizing was social anxiety that caused all this though. Doing another shot he wished that he could somehow be normal. Whipping any liquid residue from his lips he motioned for another and gave Shay a weak smile as she sat down. Rollo thanked god that he was full of piss because maybe now he could managed to actually hold a conversation. He watched as she set down the envelope and Rollo knew that he could not look at those pictures here.

"I haven't changed that much from this morning have I? You want a drink or something? It's the least I can do."

It was a very bad attempt at a joke on his part but whenever Rollo attempted to joke it usually came out as thus whether he was drunk or sober. Sighing at himself he wondered if she would attempt a drink with him or if this was just a drop off. A much nicer version of a hit and run in his opinion in that she at least sat down but that didn't exactly guarantee anything. Rollo couldn't help but chuckle at himself over his actions as of late. He had never wanted company or even attempted at it before so what had changed. Tastes of such a things weren't uncommon for Rollo but usually he just brushed it off and went about his business. Needing people was going too far but wanting to interact with them was a spot on description of what exactly was happening. Why this need now though of all times? Rollo defeated in his thought process let the idea go and turned his head giving the same weak smile to Shay that he had just moments before. This was Rollo attempting to be nice.

"So I take it you don't come here to often and if you do it's really not around this time huh?"

At that moment Rollo wasn't too sure what he saw or if it was the way the light moved when someone bumped it but it fell upon Shay's face. It was probably the way she had felt this morning when she had seen him but Rollo did not require her to pose any certain way. He had already formed the picture in his mind that he would later paint. Grabbing a bar napkin Rollo pounded a shot and motioned for another all in the same movement. He dug in his pants pocket and found the pencil that he had used to write down his information earlier. There was much more urgency in his actions now though and as he found the pencil, putting it to napkin, it was not the same steady hand movement that had guided him to write his information earlier. It was savage and shaky but this was Rollo's idea of drawing delicately. The lines were rough and uneven but that wouldn't matter now because he just needed to draw this out first. It wasn't the final copy and in fact Rollo did not need the napkin to paint the picture he would later. That didn't matter though to Rollo because all that mattered was now. Finishing he sat up straight the first time he had in five hours and did yet another shot. Moving the napkin towards Shay he motioned for her to take it.

"You can have that if you want it isn't the prettiest portrayal of you but it'll look much better on canvas. I just needed to draw it out so it was captured in my head. If you want the canvas then you can have it they're kind of piling up in my apartment. If you don't want me to though just let me know I can resist the urge I've done it before it won't be hard."

Well not mentally hard for Rollo but physically yes. He instead of painting would come down here and drink till the sun came up then go home take a shower and go to work should he have it that day. Rollo lit a cigarette and knew that he was in some sort of downward spiral that did not bode well for him in the least. It annoyed him knowing that he was a sinking ship but he couldn't jump to try and save himself. He was forced to drown. Rollo took a drag and then did another shot erasing all of that from his mind though. Rollo right now wanted to at least maintain some kind of presence in the possible conversation.

[Shay M. Loire]

The information was slow to come, but it was coming, alright. This was a man who took a "one more" and turned it into twenty more "one mores". And by the way he displayed his haggard looks, he looks like he had been taking this as seriously as a sport. As Shay examined him, she wondered if a bad day had been the cause of this. It must have been-- he looked fresh and healthy that morning, so there must have been something between the fourteen hours...

He gave his attempt at a joke, yet Shay could only give him a rather shy smirk, but was glad she didn't have to reply as he offered her a drink. Immediately she accepted. "Sure, I'll take one," she told him, never quite taking her eyes off of him. It was the friendliness in her, the European in her telling her to drink with him because it was the way to go. And although she was Mexican and not from Europe, there was still the same tradition in Mexico. Keep the drunk company was basically what it was, but she didn't want to refer to him as a drunk, at least not yet.

With the bartender already at hand with her request to have what he was having, she returned her attention to him. "Well this was definitely a place for me to go... when I still had a social life," she said with a little bit of a joke, yet it was true. She never did anything with her friends anymore since really involving herself in her job. It honestly was an excuse to get over a broken heart, but she hadn't expected it to diminish her social tendencies. Nowadays staying in at home was more attractive than going out. Tonight was only an exception because it had to do with more work than play, but now that she was there, she figured it was okay to loosen up a little.

She held steady when the shot came in, unsure of how to take the alcohol in. But as soon as she watched him take it in fearlessly, she looked up and tried her best not to make a face as the liquid washed down her throat, singeing it as it made its way down her stomach. Immediately she felt warm all over and a flush came over her. Oh, that's right. She didn't do this often.

Shay was a little shy to ask for another shot, so she stayed there and watched him scribble furiously on a napkin, hearing not a peep from him until he offered the napkin to her. The woman looked at him as she took it, careful to listen to him as she examined what he drawn up so quickly. It was basic, with a tell-tale sign that an inebriated person had done this. And yet it didn't look ridiculous. It was pretty good for what it was.

"Than... thank you," She said as she smiled at it at last. As he mentioned canvases and his apartment, she was interested in the imaginative pile of works he had. "I think that would make it quite fair... a picture for a painting. Although I'd feel a little vain if I had a painting of me hanging on my wall. How many pieces do you have that you don't want?"

[Rollo Winner]

Rollo watched as she took her first shot and all it did was confirm his thoughts. She wasn't used to doing this kind of thing. Sighing he downed another and rested his elbows on the bar running his hands through his hair. Slipping a cigarette out of the pack he lit it and inhaled making perfect smoke rings as he exhaled. He listened as she talked about her lack of a social life and Rollo for the first time began to laugh. He laughed and it was loud and booming a burst of exuberance that had not been seen in his bones in years. Rollo wasn't to sure why he laughed or how he found it so funny but he did. It was the fact the she commented about a social life. Rollo maintained the grin and exhaled the smoke that had been swirling in his mouth a moment before.

"You've got me beat there though. You see you had one. Me though I come here alone get full of piss by myself and try to stay away from the piano in the corner. Then morning comes and I wake up and then sit in my bathroom trying to steam the toxins out which I must say is quite effective."

He chuckled and inhaled another drag downing a shot before he let the smoke escape from between his lips. Rollo knew he had made the moment awkward but was to drunk to care. Rollo chuckled at her comment about the pieces he had. It was a bad night Rollo knew he was smiling and laughing at everything. Rollo knew though that to discuss the next subject he would need at least another shot. Downing the small glass he let the cigarette hang in his mouth as he attempted to calculate the buildup of paintings in the room.

"Well I've been painting since I was about 7 I've never thrown anything away mind you. Then I would say I've got about half of the stuff I painted from ages 13 to 16 and then everything from my last year at Hogwarts to now. To say the least I have quite a stock pile. To be honest feel free to come over sometime and take what you please but I insist you take whatever I paint of you. Never hurts to have a self portrait laying around."

Rollo stopped taking the cigarette from his mouth letting out the smoke that had gathered in his mouth. The cigarette was done and as he put it out in the ash tray he rested his head on the bar. Watching in front of him as the shot glass was refilled. It was odd how he was traveling on an emotional roller coaster at the moment. It was unusual and it irked him to say the least. Sighing he picked his head up and looked at Shay shrugging.

"I'm kind of a train wreck if you can't tell."

Taking the shot he looked at her glass and shook his head in a discouraging manner.

"I wouldn't suggest drinking what I'm drinking unless you have an iron liver or you dislike yourself as much as I do. You know what's sad I've been here since this morning. After you left I stayed for maybe an hour top just sitting there and then came here. I'm still here and I'll be here until 2. I know what you're thinking because there is a difference between this morning and now I know it. I'm pitiful but this tonight this is nothing. Come see me after work on a good day. I'd say a bad day but I'm usually in Mongos on a bad day."

It was unfortunately the truth which bothered him. He could still feel the pain in his ribs as he thought about it. Rollo downed another drink and hoped that he wasn't making too big a fool of himself. So what if he was though how could this come back to haunt him? Rollo erased that thought though because with his luck he knew it could.

[Shay M. Loire]

With that, she could have easily labeled him as a drunk, but she couldn't put herself to do it. By the way he spoke so openly about it, by his revealing niceness... he had to have been a pretty decent bloke, if that was possible to say. She all left it up to a judgement that she would reserve for later on, because she just didn't like to leave it to first impression (however this was technically the second impression...).

"There's nothing all that great about having a social life," Shay said, although she lied a little. She had her best friends who were hours of entertainment, but she guessed that she was trying to focus on the little pressures. All in all, Shay just wanted to comfort Rollo somehow. "But I guess there's nothing great about being alone, either..." The more she tried to talk about it, the more she didn't realized she didn't know how to. It was in her distinct nature to swoop in and be the ear or the shoulder or the comforting words, but she wasn't sure if he exactly wanted sympathy.

So for the while, she wasn't going to be a nagging Nancy, but rather someone interested to hear what her could say about his history as a painter. She could imagine his skill and his desire evolving on a canvas over the years, and it interested her to see what he had in store. As a horrible painter and drawer, she would have rather preferred to see others talent, just as others liked to see her photography. "I'd like to take you up on that offer, absolutely," she said as the bartender gave her another shot without really asking her. He seemed so used to giving into Rollo's requests that the automated actions spilled over into her own drinking count.

She picked up the shot glass, and watched him declare himself a wreck before she took on the shot, almost as if he had challenged her to do it. Talk about Gryffindor courage. She coughed a little to the side and looked at him with acrid eyes. "How can you even last until 2? This stuff is ridiculous!" It was hard to forget the taste so easily. Firewhiskey was beginning to look like milk to her.

[Rollo Winner]

Rollo sighed as he stared at the piling number of shot glass build up in front of him. This was his life and the path he had lead himself down. Why couldn't he just stand up to his father and break away from his family? Why couldn't he just go out on his own and live like he wanted to? That all came crashing down though as Rollo thought about why he wasn't going to do any of that though. Part of it was simply the fact that this was Rollo's way of life. He was so used to just bowing to his fathers wishes and doing anything different would make him feel even more awkward and out of place. Except painting Rollo wished dearly that he could just lock himself in his apartment and not worry about the world for more then just a few hours or a day. Then he could manage to live differently then he was now. That wasn't an option though because how could he or anyone else afford to live like that? His father wouldn't support it and would most likely cut him off. That meant not seeing his mother. Rollo couldn't deal with that. Doing a shot he chuckled and shook his head in disagreement.

"See you think that because you've had friends. Being alone doesn't seem bad for that reason. Go twenty-two years with only your parents to talk to and then come talk to me. Especially if your father is anything like mine. I can't manage conversations so it's really my own fault though. Social graces are something that is great lacking from my arsenal and the only time I can hold a conversation is when I'm drunk enough not to care what comes out of my mouth. Kind of like right now."

Rollo was past the point of no return and he knew this now. With each shot he felt less and less of his body and now he was so close to not feeling anything at all. Was it wrong that this comforted him? Slipping into such state was usually ill-advised and most people avoided it. Rollo checked himself at that thought though because he knew he wasn't most people. Resting his head on his left hand he motioned playing keys with his right on the bar. It was as close to playing the piano as he'd allow himself to be. Looking up he shrugged at her question answering it somewhat half heartedly.

"You'd be surprised it isn't that hard. Some of it is my built up endurance and the other half is I have no where to be or no one waiting at home for me rather. It's easier to deal with sleeping on piano if you're full of piss. Easier to not think about the fact that I'm going home to an empty apartment. Well not completely empty now since I had to keep that cat but I don't feel Duo counts. Can't really talk back can he?"

The cat provided some comfort though. It left him a reason to keep the television on so he felt that the voices coming from his room were real. It gave a false sense of company but the cat seemed to enjoy the sitcoms and their wisecracks so Rollo left the TV and it's volume on. He had actually bought the thing for his cat he knew it was foolish but what was the difference on who watched it. Rollo just had to put up with the canned laughter of dead people that his cat seemed to enjoy enough to sit on the table peacefully watching day and night. Rollo sighed and decided maybe he'd see what his cat found so interesting but not tonight. Tonight he'd go home rest his head on the ivory keys and enjoy a tortured nights sleep. What he did next was bad he knew but after all Rollo could show concern every now and then couldn't he.

"Are you going to be able to get home okay then? I mean no offense I'm sure you can handle yourself and all but I just want to make sure you'll be alright."

Sighing he did another and lit a cigarette inhaling the smoke in one long drag. It was just another test to see if he was feeling anything at the moment. Rollo passed because his lungs didn't seem to notice the smoke in the least. Sliding the pack to Shay he waved his hand carelessly.

"Feel free to have one if you want."

Rollo was trying to be nice or at least he supposed that was what he could call it. It was the closest Rollo could get to being nice though. His next exhale was more of a sigh then anything. Letting the cigarette hang limply from between his fingers he stared at the glasses and how they continued to pile up. Rollo wondered how he would make it home tonight.

[Shay M. Loire]

What Rollo revealed about himself made it easier for her to understand. She had only met him that day, but she was already seeing the truth behind the mystery. And before seeing him this way, she had figured that he was just an oddly shy guy who took in his mornings at the lake. Juxtapose that to his drunken stature, letting anything that came to mind roll out of his tongue, and you've got yourself a mystery. Yet one thing remained the same: he was alone, and he took to objects that wouldn't really talk back to him.

"I doubt it has to be this way..." Shay murmured, immediately hoping he hadn't heard it. It sounded a little too crass a little too early. "I mean... why not start now? If you're twenty-two, then great! It's not too late to make some friends." Maybe it was the alcohol, but she took her own advice to be very enlightening. With a smile, she took her renewed shot and thumbed the rim of the glass. "We can be friends," she added. "I mean, I know that must really kind of stupid and unprofessional, but I'm always happy to have a new friend..." The more things she said though, the more stupid she felt. It wasn't really meant to be a bold and edgy move. It was more of desire to reach out for friendly contact in a direct way.

To shut herself up for a moment, Shay took in another shot and cleared her throat, feeling the room move a little easier. She seemed to zone out for a second as she tried to stabilize her picture, but when he asked how she'd be, she seemed to nod and shake at the same time. "I'm sure I'll be fine! It's all looking a little weird, but I'm a-OK." She scrunched her face together to muster the most sincere of smiles, almost to the point that she didn't see him anymore because she had closed her eyes tightly.

When she opened them again a second later she was surprised to see a pack at her disposal. Like the napkin, she stared at it, but this time she didn't take it. "N-no thanks... I don't smoke."

[Rollo Winner]

Rollo inhaled more of the cigarette and shook his head. The smoke escaping from his mouth as he did. She was missing the point and now she had something that would bug him until he asked. Rollo wished he wasn't drunk at the moment because then he could just shrug things off let them go. Now though he couldn't manage that his mind no longer belonged to him. Flicking the ashes half heartedly into the ash tray Rollo shook his head in disagreement.

"You say that like it's easy. I'm still stuck in the awkward teenage phase though. Imagine your first year at school and not knowing anyone. Then delay that to your eleven after growing up with a father who spent that time you've delayed talking and making decisions for you. Then you graduate you think you're free but you aren't you never learned how to talk so it's all awkward and forced conversations at your job. Then one bad day turns into five and so on. That's when I ended up here.....I'm sorry I ranted but I've never actually said that before weird huh."

Rollo turned it all over his head. Everything he had just said and how it was all pretty much true. Rollo didn't often hit the nail on the head but for once he had there. Sighing he took another drag and played with the smoke as he let it escape his mouth turning giving her a small smile he decided to ask the one question that was on his mind.

"What do you mean by unprofessional? Do I seem that professional to you? Is the button down shirt that deceptive? I get the crap kicked out of me by magical creatures for a living please tell me how there is anything professional about that? We are sitting in a bar one of us, well me, is full of piss from his head to his toes and you are on your way we are goddamn professionals though."

Downing a shot with what seemed a new spark of energy he chuckled silently and looked at the girl again.

"I'm not poking fun at you I just need to find something to make light of. Otherwise I'll get to serious for my own good and then you'll hate me. People hate me a lot. I'd be honored though to have you as my first friend Miss. Loire."

Rollo hoped that this would smooth over well and calmly took another drag from his cigarette putting it out. Running his hand through his hair he stared at the bar. It was just bare wood no decoration, nothing, and this bothered Rollo. Silently Rollo took the pencil and went to work on the bar drawing the bench and lake he had seen earlier. Rudimentary he knew but it didn't bother him. She refused to the cigarettes and with his free hand he took them back using the pack now as a ruler of sorts. Seeing the glass fill he paused and downed the liquid.

"I just thought I'd offer in case you did. If you don't mind me asking why do you feel a need to be professional? I know I should probably drop it but I'm curious."

Rollo knew he should but couldn't help himself. The pencil in his hand he was filled with some form of new found confidence. It was odd he knew but if he could walk around painting it would be much easier to talk to people. Rollo was odd and knew it what more could he do about it?

[Shay M. Loire]

Rollo was a verbal roller coaster, that one. When he had something interesting that she wanted to elaborate on, he'd leave no room for the next interesting point. However, Shay wasn't mad about it. She just chalked it up to him being really inebriated. And in the few times she had gotten drunk, she knew she could've been talkative herself. Still, she wasn't yet out of it, nor was she planning to do so. Sunday was a day of rest, and she wasn't aiming to make it an impossible day where she didn't want to see sunlight.

"Hold off on the shots, please," she told the bartender, and was no longer surprised by the magically appearing glass. Instead, she continued fiddling with the glass as he spoke.

"It's pretty hard for me to hate just anyone," Shay admitted, thinking back to any sort of mortal enemies. Well there was a Slytherin peer who at times liked to antagonize her (if Shay hadn't beaten her to the punch, that is)... but that's all there was, honestly. She couldn't even hate her ex-boyfriends, who were almost always jerks. When it came down to it, if she saw someone who would have the potential to make her hate them, she would make sure to push them out of her life. But that was something she didn't see happening with Rollo, so she felt nicer to know that he didn't think the friendship proposal was too childish.

He had asked again about the subject of professionalism, and she could only laugh a little and shrug. "I don' even know. I always have this idea that anyone remotely interested in my photography could be clients, so I try to be really formal about it." And that she did. Within the envelope for Rollo, she had tucked in a few of her calling cards, in case he was inspired enough to pass them to anyone interested. "Problem is, I don't like to be formal..." Personally, she found calling cards to be cheesy. Yet she still tried distributing them.

Her words drifted as she watched him, at last aware that he had been scribbling intently again. She peaked over to see what he was doing. "What're you drawing now?"

[Rollo Winner]

Rollo watched her reaction to everything he had just let out. She seemed to just be taking it all in rather then commenting. Rollo despised people who attempted to relate when they had no possible way of doing so. It was like showing up to a gun fight with a knife. It never worked in favor of the person who had the knife. Downing a shot he watched as Shay stopped hers from flowing freely like his. The sad part was Rollo had no tab he just paid through the nose every night. That didn't matter though seeing as food wasn't a need for him. He at sparingly and when he did it was never in large amounts. Sighing he nodded at Shay's assertion and gave his own compliment, if you'd care to call it that, about it.

"That's good though because hate is a monstrous thing. It eats away at your soul and you just rot from the inside because of it."

As unappetizing as it sounded Rollo didn't know any possible way to make it sound otherwise. Hate was an ugly thing in any case he had encountered it on. It was so consuming that most people who ventured to do it were wrapped up in it to the point where they lost a discerning point of good and bad. Shaking his head he shrugged at her next comment.

"I know this sounds out of place coming from me of all people but if you don't want to be formal then don't. Unless you absolutely have to of course. What's the point in doing things you don't like unless you have no idea how to do otherwise."

That was his case though wasn't it? Rollo had no idea how to do anything other then what he had been doing for the past twenty two years how exactly was he supposed to change now. Rollo now went back to the drawing now though working out lines and shading. He knew it was most likely a waste to work this hard on something that would most likely be gone by the time he returned the next day but it didn't matter all that mattered was right now. And right now the picture would be there when he looked down. Self serving as it was Rollo didn't care. Shay asked and Rollo had no problem telling her after all she had been there with him when he saw it.

"It's the park from this morning. I do this a lot...not draw on random wood but I mean just draw and paint things I've seen. It just feels right to do so I guess I'm not to sure why."

Rollo sipped at the next shot that came like tea instead of downing the whole thing per usual. It was because he was drawing he knew but as he finished the last part of the far shore of the lake he downed the rest in one motion.

[Shay M. Loire]

Hate really was a monster that she hated to encounter, but when she ever felt that compelled to feel that way, she almost always thought of dark magic, and how much of her heated emotions could be roped in to work with the dark magic. The thought alone always shamed her, for the sheer fact that she was a good girl trying to learn about bad, but she couldn't help it. All it took to make her think this way were the few lessons she had taken with her friend Sora about five years ago...

"True," she said as she looked down her empty and dry glass. "I'm just trying to retain any sort of lesson I learn from working at the Prophet." Although the idea of putting "lesson" and "Prophet" together was still laughable. Sure, it was great experience, but she doubted their foundations weren't grounded firmly ethics. The idea of working there for a certain amount of time longer than she wanted to gave her great anxiety.

She quieted down from that point, watching him and occasionally the people behind him. He seemed to slow down with the alcohol, but when he was finished with drawing, he went back again to drinking like a fish. "Don't you want to slow down on that...? I mean, it looks like you've had a fatal amount." She sounded worried, but she felt that she didn't have to take any action.... yet.

[Rollo Winner]

Rollo almost laughed as she spoke as lessons from the Prophet. Not because the idea was absurd but if it was anything like lessons at the ministry it was usually not a lesson worth learning or they were all lessons learned far too late. That of course was just Rollo's experience though. Swallowing more of the drink he felt as if he was in some kind of hurry to get severely messed up. Shrugging Rollo lit a cigarette inhaling and attempted not to sound to forlorn or morbid.

"The ministry has taught me nothing with the exception of check your lunar calendar, no matter what they tell you the first six months are when you should be learning not made to do this hazing garbage every office thinks is hilarious, and that most importantly you should not work at the Ministry of Magic unless you really, and I mean really, hate yourself or are in love with what you do."

Rollo nearly rolled his eyes at her concern. It was sweet he supposed but Rollo despite his heavy drinking wasn't even halfway gone. Well maybe halfway he was most likely giving himself far too much credit in this situation. He wasn't even dealing with the heavy blow his mind stuff yet. That didn't start until twelve and he had plenty of time until then, didn't he? Deciding not to check his watch Rollo exhaled the smoke that had been dwelling in his mouth debating whether or not to answer Shay's question. Her concern was obvious and genuine so Rollo decided it wouldn't hurt all that much to give her an answer. It'd be rude to brush it off or at least that's what he thought.

"I'm fine. If you care to stick around with me until sometime between 12 and 2. That's when I have the battle with myself on whether I should play the bloody piano here or at home. Gratefully home always wins."

Rollo was saying too much and he was quite aware of it. Inhaling smoke he let it pour out of his mouth with a sole thought in mind. What did he possibly have to lose at this point?

[Shay M. Loire]

"That's some intimidating advice," Shay said when he described what it came down to working there. At least the Prophet wasn't entirely like that. Sure, she hated the pretentious and hypocritical corruption that ran amok the place, but that's because she wasn't dealing with the right people. And when she was with the right people, they weren't exactly the kinds of people who could take her places people. The wrong people seemed to make the most influence there.... much like life in general.

"I guess I hope that my roommates' brother will be alright," she said after that, thinking about the only person she directly knew in the Ministry. "He's an auror-in-training, and I can only imagine how he's working in there. Ever since they took out Defense against the Dark Arts class, I've been worried how Hogwarts will hold up..."

She frowned and wondered about Hogwarts. Every time she wished she was 16 and back in her Lions' Den, she wanted it to be the way it all used to be, when all the classes were in tact and she could be under the intimidating but reliable eye of Professor Raynor. Nowadays nothing was the same, and she wished it was easy as having it her way.

Shay surfaced back to reality before he refused to slow down. The woman sighed, and summoned the bartender over. "Hey, can I please have some water?" She turned her attention back to him. "Well I hope you'll be okay enough for my birthday," She said with a small smile. "It's next week. I have no idea what I'm doing, but I figure it'll be with a big group."

[Rollo Winner]

Rollo had no idea who her friend's brother was but Andrew surfaced to mind immediately when the description of Auror in Training was given. With a shot and a sigh Rollo told her the bit of wisdom he had imparted on Andrew and his sister for that matter but they had brushed off. If they didn't want to listen to him fine but hopefully he could help out Shay's friends in this matter. With another sigh and the lighting of a cigarette he turned to Shay and spoke.

"I'm going to tell you the same exact thing I told the one kid I know in the department so you can tell your friend. Mind you I hope your friend listens unlike the kid I told. This hazing bullocks they put them through is nonsense and he shouldn't put up with it. Especially if he didn't have Defense Against the Dark Arts classes. This is the time he should be learning what he didn't learn in school not made to run around and do nonsense all in the good name of hazing and building some sort of social atmosphere. I can't stand the fact that none of these kids won't just stand up and say no. You know what I spent my first six months doing? The same exact thing they're doing now and at the time I didn't mind thought that it wouldn't hurt at all but what they don't tell you is that they throw you right out into the field after that. You're kind of eager for it to after your cramped up in that office for so long. That's when it hits you that's when you realize that you should have been getting advice and been put in real time situations. I've got a werewolf breathing and slobbering all over my face because we're supposed to assume they're all nice don't want to hurt them because they're being relocated due to misunderstandings and that they couldn't control their form. No one tells you to check a lunar calendar your first six months but when you come back with scars up and down your arms they apologize and say "they thought you knew" as if that makes it all okay. That's how I got all these scars because the department heads don't know about it and think you're ready to go out in the field."

Rollo inhaled and knew he was probably ranting but this was it this was the thing that bothered him most about the wretched place that was the ministry. You did all this to be accepted so they'd be nice to you but when you're doing your job how nice they were to you doesn't matter. It isn't a factor when your trying not to get your head bitten off. Rollo exhaled and resumed what he had been saying moments before.

"I feel bad for these kids because that's what they are kids and they're being sent out like cows for the slaughter. They don't know any better though because they think it'll be alright. They won't have to go alone and they think because of that they'll be okay. The career itself is played up everyone acts like it's so cool I mean with the way they act who wouldn't want to go chasing bad guys around because realistically that's how they treat it. It isn't that simple though and for that matter I question if they've meet any auror's after a full career. No matter what you end up paranoid unless you get out young, you've got quite a good chance of looking worse then I do, and more importantly it's not a good idea to have any kind of social or romantic life. Because once a dark wizard knows your face they'll dig to find out more about you and then you've got to worry if they're coming for you but if they're going after your loved ones. In all essence it's a very selfless career so to anyone whose willing to take it on I hold in high regard but these kids don't' seem to understand any of the above and just think I'm being a pessimist."

Rollo took a shot and then inhaled more smoke. Running his hand through his hair he stared at the bar intensely and then at his own scars choosing his words carefully before he spoke anymore. He just hoped that he wasn't causing Shay to think he was to dismal to be around.

"The sad thing is I'm not I'm just being an optimist. This is what I look like at twenty two what will I look like at thirty. What will they look like at thirty they're dealing with thinking breathing wizards not dragons. Granted werewolves were of the same breed I guess....I better stop talking about this it isn't good for me."

Drawing more smoke into his mouth he sat and wondered if he had said too much and if he had should he chalk it up to his terrible social skills. Rollo knew he had probably dug himself into some kind of hole with his little speech but thought it better not to say anymore on the matter at the moment. Sighing he listened to her next words and was shocked so far as he actually began coughing on the smoke from his cigarette. This was something that never happened to Rollo and quickly he scrambled to retain his composure.

"Are you sure you want me to come I mean I don't know if I'll know anyone and I'm sure I'll just be a bother."

Rollo still was reeling from the invite downed another drink wondering if she enjoyed his company that much. With a sigh he decided to just run with it and gave her a small smile.

"I'll be fine by then just let me know where and I'll be there."

Rollo knew he was possibly walking into his own trap but whatever happened he decided to just roll with it.