rosxabbott

[rosxabbott]

Alice Longbottom. The pregnant witch who should be nowhere near a war in Ros' opinion. Not because she wouldn't be able to defend herself. The woman knew that Alice was able to do so. But she was pregnant. Anyways, that was a different subject to go about.

Ros knew her sister and she knew that Bea was going to be hard to be convinced to do otherwise. She took a deep breath. "We know that you want to join. We understand that you have your reasons. But you can understand our reasoning on why we would appreciate it if you stay out of it."

A sigh escaped Ros when her sister mentioned on moving to why they got together to start with. "Alright, fine. But this subject is not finished yet." Ros was going to argue against it until it wasn't possible anymore. She turned towards Anthony. "Was there something you wanted to tell us?"

@allabbottme

Anthony was still stewing with the revelation that Rabastan Lestrange was sniffing around The Three Broomsticks when Beatrice burst through the door discussing Puddifoots and Cupcakes. Separating from his thoughts for a moment, he had turned towards the door, standing up to help Beatrice with the items she was currently balancing in her arms. "Thanks for the cake, Bea." Anthony remarked, although his tone was not quite matching his words.

Rosmerta and Beatrice were immensely important to Anthony, his family was his world, and the idea of something happening to either of them - Anthony couldn't bear to even comprehend it. A furrowed brow, Anthony glanced over his two sisters. Concern evident on his features.

As Rosmerta trailed off and glanced at him for support, Anthony cleared his throat. Typically, he would have been upfront about his objections, but this was a tricky situation to navigate. It would be hypocritical for Anthony to advise Beatrice against something that he was also willingly a part of. "Have you ever approached anybody about joining The Order? Or has anybody ever approached you?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "Is this...something that you're thinking of doing?"

[rosxabbott]

"Everyone is on edge right now. One little mistake can mean a big deal right now. So it is not that strange that they go hard on you. And firing you means less people where it is already hard to find the right people in the right places... So it isn't so surprising that they put you behind a desk." All those words were a reflection of her own thoughts. Ros had no idea if it was truly the case if his superiors in work thought like that as well. She took in the young man in front of her as he took a sip of the drink. He was too young for this war in her opinion. They all were. "You better pay because all your sweettalking is not going to be enough to talk you out of the tab," Ros warned him, a sliver of a smile painted on her lips as her tone was serious. "And I can't promise there won't be teeth involved. I just can't. You gave me too many ideas on this."

"I just...didn't think it would be that serious-I mean, of course, it's serious, that's not what I mean. I mean...I'm just glad that they gave me desk duty instead of sacking me. It would be awful after all that training and work just to start over again." James could've asked her to save the lecture as he had already heard it many times before, including from the likes of Frank Longbottom himself. And he probably needed the tough love conversation. It bruised a part of him he didn't know existed, somewhere deep in his chest next to his confidence and ego. James only nodded back at her, sipping on his drink and licking off the extra foam that kissed his lips. He stared down at the drink as if trying to find an answer on how to be better at being an adult. "Yeah, well, I don't think people realize that there is a man out there trying to live his life when they send horrible letters. The man is also starting to get really tired of it," he rolled his eyes. "Oh, Rosmerta, my dear Rosmerta, you are an angel, did you know that? Yes, of course I'll pay you back- please don't mention the word teeth and we have a deal."

[rosxabbott]

The man on the other side of the bar was a mystery to her. He was dangerous, she knew that. But at the same time... He seemed to be a fun time. Which made him even more dangerous. "You want to know my secret?" Ros repeated her words as she was preparing the drink that he had ordered with her. She placed the glass in front of him and then nodded at it. "That is the secret. Alcohol makes people often forget what is happening outside the doors of this pub." She put her hands on top of her side of the bar, leaning against it as she took in Evan. "And what is your secret, mister Rosier?" She didn't even know what secret she was asking about, she just wanted to know more about him. Information she could store in her mind, information that could be useful in the future."

where: the three broomsticks who: @rosxabbott

"Look at that, a full house." Evan chimed as he turned his head towards the crowded tables, leaning in towards the owner, elbows resting on the bar separating them. It wasn't his usual setting but he was in the mood to cause a little distress. "Tell me, Ros, what's the secret to your success?"

[rosxabbott]

Felicity didn't need to finish the sentence, because Ros understood. This was a strange sight. It was like walking around in a ghost town at times. But when she heard that it had been a year since the woman had last visited this location, Ros raised her eyebrows at her. "A year in the normal situation is short. A year in these circumstances... That's a lifetime. In a year from now, nearly all will be either closed or all will be open again." And the woman definitely hoped for the latter. "May I ask where you've been? Away from the war here I think?"

“Sure, but this seems…” Felicity looked around and tried not to feel too horrified. It didn’t work very well. Both sides were responsible she was sure, but if they destroyed their society in the process who even won? “A bit excessive? I’ve barely been gone a year.”

[rosxabbott]

"It is my way to say thank you," Ros confirmed to the man in front of her. She wasn't big on giving compliments, she knew that. She leaned against the doorpost when she was asked about the previous cook that she had. "Unfortunately not everyone is able to live out and free these days. That also means that sometimes, you have to give up your life or work." It had been an hard loss but the American in front of her was a good solution to the problem. "How about you... Why did you cross the ocean? I don't think I've asked that yet."

Max didn't mean to find work at a restaurant, but having his name in the Ministry was too big of a risk and he wanted to raise enough money to pay his own rent and get by on his own. He walked in one day and asked if they were hiring. It seemed easy enough. At least it was a good enough place to work until he found something else. It was also good that he was already winning favors with the owner. He held a letter in his hands, reading over the lines again and again, pocketing it once he heard someone coming. Max didn't usually use his ability for dinner orders, but he was finding it useful. "Is that your way of saying thank you or something? You're welcome, by the way. I'm not that great, so your last chef must've been bad. What happened to them?"

[rosxabbott]

"I would not mind being an aunt." It meant that she would be able to give back the kids to their parents again at the end of the day and have a bit of peace as well. Parenting seemed to be a neverending thing. "Not sure if Ant or Bea want kids, to be honest. It is not a subject that we talk about a lot. You already have a niece on Alice's side, right?"

"You've got me there." Frank did have to give her that. He knew there were plenty of things he could do that Molly couldn't, it was just harder to think of them in the face of all that Molly knew about parenting. She was a powerhouse in that sense. Frank couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, you'll make an excellent aunt then, if either of your siblings decide to have kids."

[rosxabbott]

Ros had given the message to the Order to not use the backroom as a safe room as much any more. The last thing what she wanted was for Rabastan Lestrange to have more reasoning of getting back into her establishment again. So it had been a while since the last time someone had been in the backroom.

It wasn't that strange that she was a little startled at the sudden sounds downstairs. With her wand in hand, she moved down the stairs and opened up the door to the kitchen. It was there that she saw Edgar Bones standing there, clearly injured. "You need more than to just catch your breath, get in there," she said to the man. She pushed open the backroom after giving in the password against the protections.

Once behind the door, it locked on them again and she turned towards Edgar. "I'm only good at helping out with smaller injuries. I do think you will need a healer, I could see if Andromeda could help out?"

Starter for @rosxabbott Location: Three Broomsticks back room.

THINK. THINK. THINK.

He needed to act, he needed to keep moving. Panic burned through him as his mind raced. He needed to get out of here, he needed to get somewhere safe. Adrenaline coursed through his limbs, forcing him to move, forcing him to act. Swallowing down, Edgar knew he couldn’t be found, not now, not like this, not when he couldn’t defend himself properly. He had to make it to safety, for Mila, for his brother.  Fuck, he wanted to see his mum.  One step followed by another && another. The sharp pain had him biting back a groan. He couldn’t give himself away now. He was almost sure he’d lost them, the mission had almost been a failure. It had all gone to shit so quickly && now he  forced himself to move despite the pain, his wand arm useless.  Stumbling as quickly as possible, Edgar kept to the shadows, the only place he could think of, the only place close by was The Three Broomsticks. At this time it would be closed but maybe he could sneak in the back, catch his breath && think of a better plan.  —  He hadn’t intended on making this much noise. ❝ Galloping gargoyles,  I’m sorry Ros I didn’t mean to bring trouble to your door. — But I had nowhere else to go.❞ It took all he could to keep himself upright now, to keep his breath steady as the words felt through gritted teeth.   ❝ I’ll just catch my breath && go. ❞

[rosxabbott]

"A lot can change in only a short period of time," Ros pointed out to the woman next to her. It was a very sad sight of the abandoned stores or the damaged ones. Up until his day, she was very, very happy about the fact that the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade was still standing. "How long have you been gone?"

where; diagon alley whomst; open

Flick hadn't been out much since her return -- first she'd been uncomfortably pregnant and then she'd had a newborn. Now, with her son down for a nap and 'grandparent time', Flick could finally explore. Nothing looked the same. So many stores had shuttered or been damaged. Had it really only been a year? How bad had things gotten in just one year?

"Is it really like this everywhere? Merlin I wasn't gone that long."

[rosxabbott]

It was a relief to hear that Aurora would not be going out there alone. She knew not to underestimate the woman, but she just looked so... fragile (for the lack of a better word) to her sometimes. And the last thing she wanted, was for her to get hurt. "I know, don't worry about me." She was nearly never alone in the Three Broomsticks. It were a lot of unknown people to her that were her cover most of the time and when the pub was closed, she felt somewhat safe with all of the protective spells that covered the location. Although she would never be 100 procent safe, she knew that. "Alright, enough talk about business. We need to get off this street. Do you want to have a drink at the Leaky Cauldron of should we return to the Three Broomsticks instead?"

Aurora liked the idea, something simple for Remus, something meaningful. That’s what would matter most to him. That day was about him, and she liked to think that after all these years, she knew him well enough to get it right. “I’ll definitely keep you in mind if I need help,” she said, offering Rosmerta a warm smile. She trusted her.

“No, I don’t go alone,” she added, shaking her head. “I know better, and Alastor wouldn’t allow it anyway. We’re always sent in pairs.” She gave Rosmerta a pointed look. “You know this applies to you too, right?”

[rosxabbott]

"You know that I like your jokes. Most of the time anyways. But you gotta learn some timing. Not just here but in the field. There's a moment for being funny and a moment for being serious. You have to find the fine line between them." Ros probably didn't have to tell him that, seeing as he was learning the consequences about it now clearly. But she was too forward to shield him from saying it once more. A frown appeared on the woman's face when he mentioned that the paper he had to work through which had teeth. "You keep having strange people who find it funny to send a cursed paper because they don't agree with something." She had to admit... Sometimes she had definitely been tempted to do the same when the Ministry had arranged a stupid rule again. "The tab system... Pay it once a week and if you don't... Well, I know where to find you and I don't think the letter will have teeth in that case."

James nodded, leaning back in his stool while waiting for his drink. He hoped it was stiff as he would need it. It wasn't that he had been fired or was even close, but he wasn't close to the job that he had signed up for. James was usually able to shoulder the blame and avoid reprimanding himself. "I messed up in the field. And not like, in a cool way. I made a joke and they didn't like it. I thought it was alright. But probably not the time. Or the place...the doghouse is desk duty. Do you know how many papers tried to bite me today? Seven. Which is more than I thought papers could bite-and I don't mean a papercut. It had teeth." James sighed and pushed a hand through his hair. "Anyways, I might become more of a regular here. What's the tab system?"

[rosxabbott]

[rosxabbott]

Starter for: @themaxgoldstein Where: The Three Broomsticks

Good personnel was hard to get by sometimes. So Ros was happy with Max. Maybe he was a bit grumpy but he was a good cook so that was the most important thing. She walked into the kitchen, the pub had closed a few minutes earlier. "I came here because someone again complimented on the food. So there's that... I should've found you sooner if people keep continuing like this."

[rosxabbott]

Ros shook her head, she couldn't remember that someone had been odd with her at all. She scrunched her nose at the mention of Rabastan once more. He definitely was like a dog with a bone. It was annoying and worrisome as well. "We will think about a decoy for Lestrange later. The first important thing we have to do is figure out this thing with our sister."

It was as if they had summoned the devil themselves, because it was their sister who walked into the Three Broomsticks. And for a moment Ros wondered if Bea had already heard them talk about the situation they did not agree upon.

"You are only a few minutes late yes... Ant and I were just discussing something a bit more serious... About you and your plans." Ros had no idea how she had to say this or to start this, so she then looked at Anthony to hope he could help her out for a bit.

@allabbottme

Anthony exhaled, leaning back in his chair to stretch slightly. Mind overcome with wonder of who Bea had approached. "Well, there's only two senior figures who people tend to approach." He pointed out, "There is always the possibility she went to another member, and they put it to higher-ups. Have you noticed anybody acting odd with you at meetings?" Anthony's mind could also be running away with him, but it was a possibility.

It was a contentious time to join the Order, with the recent disappearance of Regulus Black, meetings had felt even more intense than usual. An impeding sense of danger loomed, and it was only a matter of time before the Death Eaters retaliated. Anthony couldn't help the snort that escaped him at Rosmerta's mention of Rabastan Lestrange. "Rabastan always seems to be sniffing around something. He's like a dog with a bone that one." Although despite the majority of Rabastan and Anthony's relationship seemed to be petty digs, Anthony didn't relish the thought of the man being anywhere near his sister or her pub. "But if he's getting too close, perhaps we need something to throw off the scent. As much as I can't stand the bloke, he's clever which means it'll only be a matter of time before he brings trouble to this place - and more importantly you. "

Unsettled by the mention of Rosmerta being the topic of interest for Rabastan Lestrange, Anthony's objections to Beatrice joining the Order only worsened. "Whatever we can do to change her mind," He nodded in agreement.

[rosxabbott]

"Hey, everyone needs some help from time to time. You are better at other things than Molly," Ros pointed out to him. Everyone had different strengths. An expression close to horror flashed across her face for just a moment before quickly shaking her head. "Oh no, definitely not. I am not made to be a mother. I am very much in awe of people who are brave enough to take that responsibility on them but I'm not one of them. I just talk to a lot of different people and use bits of their advice for my own."

"Thank goodness she does because I was bullocks at it." He admitted, stuffing his hands in his pockets now that they were free. It was like the people who designed baby furniture made it complicated on purpose. "You know, that's exactly what Molly and Andy said too. Are you sure you don't secretly have some kids running around, Ros? You'd fit right in."

[rosxabbott]

The expression on Ros' face said enough; she did not believe it for moment that this young man didn't use his charm for his benefit. It quickly changed into a laugh, however, at the mental image of Professor McGonagall getting worked up over the use of Muggle methods after having spend so much time on their magical education. "I also do think that a lot will be needed to get her worked up that much, don't you think?" The woman always seemed so reserved regarding everything. Very strict but other emotions were never seen. "Aah, you're family had preferred you didn't know the Muggle methods, got it." She should've known with the Black family. Enough was known about that. "Well, in the end... If the Muggle methods work, why not use them, right?" Magic just made things easier for them. She often wondered how Muggles managed without it.

"My charm is unavoidable, for one thing," he started with a grin, running a hand through his hair. "Secondly, my charm isn't for any particular use." Of course, he did sometimes use it to get into someone's pants, but this wasn't that case. "I would pay good money to watch her get that worked up," he laughed, shaking his head. "Muggle methods annoyed my family a lot so I got rather used to them," he joked.

[rosxabbott]

source: theopeninvite

[rosxabbott]

Ros shrugged as a reply to her younger brother. She wasn't certain yet of who Bea had approached to become a member of the Order. "I believe it to be someone higher up the ranks but I don't have a name." And it frustrated her, because if she had known a name, maybe she could've gone and talk to them and talk them out of accepting Bea in the Order.

The disappearance from Regulus Black had people talking. Ros noticed it in the pub as well. Rumours were flying in every direction and it was tricky to see which had a bit of truth in them. "I hadn't planned on setting up that safehouse before owning this place either, but it was necessary. The only problem now is that Rabastan Lestrange is sniffing around," she mentioned regarding the safe house in the back of the pub. It was in her plans to tell the people higher up the ranks about the fact that the safehouse would have to be put on a temporary break.

"I think she's pretty determined on joining. So far I have been unable to talk her out of it, but maybe we can try and do it together. That is if you are also of opinion she shouldn't join."

@allabbottme

Anthony's interest was peaked when Rosmerta had contacted him to meet earlier than the pre-arranged plans, in fact his stomach had dropped slightly. Worried that Rosmerta had the faint suspicion that he was keeping something from her. In the past, Anthony tended to be more transparent about his romantic life. But in recent months, the youngest sibling hadn't given his sisters even the slightest indication that he was seeing somebody. So when Rosmerta beckoned him earlier, Anthony was sure that he was going to get a full-fledged interrogation.

Muttering a quick thanks for the drink which Rosmerta set in front of him. His eyes followed his older sister as she leant on the bar. His eyebrows raised in shock at Rosmerta's next words. "Who did she approach to join?" In recent weeks, Anthony had caught wind of Beatrice's interest in joining the cause. But he hadn't realised how quickly the motions been put in place. Anthony wanted to shield his two siblings as far away from the war as he could, but they were both adults. What could he do to stop them?

"With Regulus Black missing, we can't ensure anybody's safety? Tensions are only going to rise." Anthony furrowed his brow, slightly exhasperated. "It's dangerous enough that you operate a safehouse.." His tone hushed, "Is her mind set on joining?"

@notdelicatc