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Post by Zachary Scotts on Oct 11, 2008 1:25:42 GMT -5
Zachary liked to say that he went where ever his luck took him. After more than two years away from his home, he had finally breezed into town, fleeing a few bad bets and a particularly unfortunate liaison with a beautiful but unbalanced American woman. Having gone to visit his family and happened upon an impromptu family reunion, he had agreed to stay the night at his brother's house. But he was restless, and decided to slip out for a nip at the Leaky Cauldron.
He entered the dirty little pub and looked around. He made quite a scene upon his entrance; a hat tipped at a rakish angle, and his cloak swung over one shoulder. He was the very picture of casual elegance. He very clearly stood out amongst the regular clientele.
Moving towards the bar, he smiled at the barmaid and ordered a glass of port, then took off his hat and leaned against the bar, taking a slow look around. What was there to do around here these days?
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Post by Joanne Massey on Oct 14, 2008 11:51:40 GMT -5
Joanne was still tired of the club because the same people were always there. She didn't feel like going to the Hog's Head because of the people that were in there. Her only other choices were to go to muggle clubs, or go to Diagon Alley. She didn't really want to mess around with muggles tonight, so she went to Diagon Alley. The Leaky Cauldron was always an interesting place. Different people all the time.
Her hair was in its usual curly state, with a wide head band to keep her hair out of her face. She looked fairy nice tonight in a simple black dress that fit her nicely. Tonight she was going to observe.
Walking in, Joanne took her usual seat at the bar and crossed her legs. The barmaid already knew what she liked so she didn't have to order anything special. Just as she took a sip from her glass, a nice looking gentleman entered. He didn't seem the kind that was a regular here. A smirk spread across her face, but then she wiped it away as he walked to the bar and turned her attention to her glass.
Once he ordered his drink, Joanne looked over to him and gave him a quick glance over. He looked even better up close. Before he could see her looking, Joanne looked away and pretended to be interested in her glass before taking another sip.
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Post by Zachary Scotts on Oct 14, 2008 12:05:30 GMT -5
Her covert looks did not go unnoticed. Zachary saw her head turn quickly, and he looked over at her with a smile. She was a lovely girl, with dark hair and eyes, and a perfect body. Just what he needed to forget.
His mind travelled unwillingly back to California, and a certain girl with green eyes and auburn hair. He hadn't been with another woman since he'd met her... and he'd been with her longer than he'd ever been with any other woman. And she was still, as ever, on his mind. But he had to forget her. She had her own life to live, and it was not destined to include him.
Forcing all thoughts of her from his mind, he focused on the pretty brunette. Maybe she was just what he needed. "See something you like?" he inquired in his smooth voice. "You don't have to be shy."
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Post by Joanne Massey on Oct 14, 2008 12:28:15 GMT -5
Damn she thought at first. His eyes were sharp, but she didn't bother to look back at him for a moment. Joanne took another sip of her drink, and then finally looked in the man's direction. She raised a brown eyebrow at him. Of course, he sounded like one of those 'smooth' type of men. They were fun.
"Something I like," she questioned innocently. "I was actually just trying to figure out why a gentleman, dressed like yourself, is in a place like this. Passing through?"
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Post by Zachary Scotts on Oct 14, 2008 14:51:16 GMT -5
Zachary laughed. "A gentleman?" he repeated. Despite his high birth and stylish dress, he hardly considered himself to be a gentleman. In his travels, he had been to many different places, some sophisticated and others dirty and sleazy. He always fit in, no matter where he went. He'd learned a long time ago how to blend with both the high society and the dregs of humanity.
"Well, my dear, I may be well dressed, but I assure you, I'm no gentleman," he stated, raising an eyebrow at her. He paused with his lips on the edge of his wine glass. "What about you? You seem a bit sophisticated for this crowd, too."
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Post by Joanne Massey on Oct 14, 2008 15:31:58 GMT -5
"Well, you could fool just about anyone then with the way you're dressed," she commented before she took another sip of her drink. His next comment made her smile. "I'm here because there are just certain places you can get the non-watered down stuff. The Leaky Cauldron happens to be one of those places. I happen to prefer the stronger stuff. Plus, I was getting tired of the company at the other places. Everybody was the same. At least here you get to see different people all the time."
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Post by Zachary Scotts on Oct 14, 2008 16:25:56 GMT -5
Zachary smiled at her. "Well, thank you, I think. You strike me as the kind of woman who knows how to have a good time."
He moved a little closer to her, even as an image of Suzette's face flashed through his mind. He had to stop thinking of her. She would always be a pleasant memory, but that was all she could ever be. "I don't believe I caught your name," he said, leaning slightly against the bar and flashing one of his dazzling smiles.
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Post by Joanne Massey on Oct 14, 2008 16:40:03 GMT -5
"Thank you. I do like to have fun," she said with a smile. Of course, she didn't have any protests about him moving closer towards her. She finished off her glass and the barmaid didn't waste anytime refilling it.
"I'm Joanne. Joanne Massey," she said with a little flirtation in her voice. "I'm not sure that I caught your name either." Joanne turned slightly so she could face him better.
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Post by Zachary Scotts on Oct 14, 2008 18:08:52 GMT -5
He took her hand and raised it to his lips. "A pleasure to meet you, Joanne," he said. "I'm Zachary Scotts." He didn't elaborate, figuring that she either knew of his family, or she didn't. He didn't care either way. Although he was proud of his family heritage, he was not one to use it for personal gain.
"Tell me, I've been out of town for a dreadfully long time. What is there to do for fun around here? I'm sure you know all the good places to go."
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Post by Joanne Massey on Oct 14, 2008 18:18:13 GMT -5
She smiled as he kissed her hand. It was something that she was used to. As he did so, she bowed her head just slightly. "It's nice to meet you Zachary," she said politely. Joanne did in fact know the name Scotts. After all, they were also a high class family.
"Fun? Well, there's the club in Hogsmeade. There's not really much of anything that really goes on there, unless there happens to be a few jealous people there. It has been entertaining to watch them. Other than that, there's not really anything 'fun', but then again I suppose that just depends on your definition of fun."
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Post by Zachary Scotts on Oct 14, 2008 21:39:52 GMT -5
Ms. Massey hardly looked like the gambling type, so she probably had no idea where the gaming parlors were. And, realistically speaking, he had no business going anywhere near those places. He was still in debt, and he had yet to figure out how to broach the subject with Thatcher or Tanya. All the usual places he used to go to make some easy money had blacklisted him, even the muggle establishments he used to go to. The truth was, he was pretty close to being flat broke, and he wasn't even entirely sure he could afford the drink in his hand.
"My definition of fun," he said slowly, inching towards her. "Well, it involves a place a lot more private than this." He cocked an eyebrow at her. "And just the two of us."
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Post by Joanne Massey on Oct 14, 2008 21:55:18 GMT -5
Joanne didn't move from where she was sitting. She just turned a little more towards him. Hm, so he was like a 'common man'. One night deals. That was her type. She wasn't ready for any real kind of commitment. Joanne hadn't even had a relationship longer than a day, well, except when she was in school.
Her brown eyebrows raised. "Oh really? That kind of fun? I happen to like it to, however I think the part that leads up to where the two people leave is just as fun." A smirk started to play on her lips.
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Post by Zachary Scotts on Oct 14, 2008 21:59:21 GMT -5
Zachary grinned. So she was interested, but wanted to drag things out a little. OK, he could appreciate that. Setting down his glass, he took both of her hands in his. "In that case, why don't we dance for a bit?" He looked down at her and flashed his dazzling smile, the one that made girls weak in the knees. "Can you tango?"
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Post by Joanne Massey on Oct 14, 2008 22:05:53 GMT -5
"I've done it once or twice. I can't promise that I'll be perfect however," she said with a smile. Dancing was one of her passions, but it was true that she hadn't really tangoed in awhile. There wasn't really anyone else that could really dance.
Joanne stood up from her stool, causing her to be a little closer to him. "Shall we?"
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Post by Zachary Scotts on Oct 14, 2008 22:13:24 GMT -5
Zachary smiled again, but his smile felt forced. Joanne was beautiful, but she wasn't Susie. Not for the first time, he found himself thinking about her and wondering how she was doing. She had always danced a magnificent tango. It was like they were meant to dance together.
Except that they weren't. She was engaged, and she was better off without him. He could barely take care of himself, let alone her.
Zach pointed to the wizarding wireless in the corner with his wand, cueing up a tango. As he swept her into the dance, he locked eyes with her, silently imagining a different set of eyes.
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Post by Suzette Rousseau on Oct 14, 2008 22:24:55 GMT -5
It was strange how the succession of things hit her senses. She was extremely nervous as Zachary's nephew opened the door, unsure of what she would even say to Zachary when she saw him. Would she hug him? Slap him? Yell at him, or beg him to come back to her?
The smell of the place hit her first, and she made a slight face at it. It was hardly refined, or any kind of place she would expect to find Zachary.
Then the sounds... she could hear the general mumble of bar sounds, but the distinct sound of a tango, and it brought a smile to her lips. The tango was her dance with Zachary.
And then the sights. Appearantly, the tango was now his dance with someone else.
She turned on her heels, tears very evident in her eyes, and tried to push past Justin to leave.
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Post by Justin Scotts on Oct 14, 2008 22:42:52 GMT -5
Justin saw what she saw the instant she saw it as he came up behind the woman blocking the doorway. The moment she turned to leave he reached for her not letting her past. Oh no, Zach deserved this one and he was going to enjoy it. Even more so now. "You can just run and hide, madam. He needs to know or I'll tell him myself right here and now along with the rest of the room and I doubt you'd want that now would you?"
Despite his words, he held the woman to not only keep her from fleeing but in case she decided to collapse. After all the woman was pregnant and who knew what could happen when you're that upset and emotional. It was a moment he wished his aunt was here. Instead he turned her back around to face Zachary with a smirk on his lips for his uncle. He spoke up then as Zachary turned in his dance enough to see them. They were close enough to hear, "I seemed to have found something you lost, Zachary."
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Post by Zachary Scotts on Oct 14, 2008 22:59:39 GMT -5
Zachary's steps weren't as flawless as they usually were tonight, and had nearly flubbed the dance several times. It seemed it was just another thing he seemed to be losing. He nearly dropped Joanne in a dip, then spun around to begin the moves in the other direction. As he did, he literally came face to face with his nephew. He barely heard Justin's words as he looked past him to the girl hiding her face beside his nephew.
"Susie?" he whispered, letting go of Joanne and causing her to fall to the floor. It couldn't be her; she couldn't be here... it wasn't possible.
Was it?
For a moment, his usual expression of arrogance and worldly sophistication completely vanished and in its place was raw, undisguised pain. The expression didn't last long, as he quickly attempted to cover it with his usual mask.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice quiet.
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Post by Suzette Rousseau on Oct 14, 2008 23:07:51 GMT -5
Susie hated Justin that minute. She wanted out of the pub so badly she could fight for it, and then, before she knew it, he was looking at her and asking her what she was doing here. She was fully aware of the tears running freely down her face.
She nodded to the pretty girl he had dumped on the floor. "I wouldn't want to interrupt you, Zachary," she said, steeling her voice as she spoke. "By all means, help the girl up and finish your dance."
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Post by Justin Scotts on Oct 14, 2008 23:27:22 GMT -5
"Well I hate to interrupt you two love birds, but I believe this reunion should be done at one of the tables." He was actually thinking of the woman's condition for once, but he also wasn't about to let the woman get away with not telling his uncle the news. He saw the girl who had ended up on the floor but he didn't bother to help her up. Normally he would have if for no other reason than to get her into his bed, but he wasn't about to miss this conversation which held much more interest at the moment.
His uncle wasn't that much older than him, but he was also not near as commanding or dark as Justin could be when he wanted to. And Justin took advantage of that fact now by leading the woman around the girl on the ground towards a more private seating area in the pub. His hands were like steel though, he wasn't about to let her run. Oh no.. this he was going to enjoy watching.
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