Just because we're criminals, doesn't mean we can't party.

Jack threw up her hands, rolling her eyes. "Who knows?" She continued on, deciding against the bar and deciding on a table nearby, where she sat herself. She looked about and, seeing that they had a position that provided an open view of the establishment, she peeled off her mustache. She called the waitress over and asked for a round of beers, before looking around. "If anyone talks business, we will fight."


Charlie heard his cousin call him out and he glanced back at the others, momentarily worried. Inside him, he knew there was no reason to fear. But the world was changing, and he simply had not made sense of the changes yet. He nodded and followed his cousin, struggling to find words. Finally, he managed to say, "What's up?"

"I don't suppose you have read the Daily Prophet recently?" James prodded Charlie, looking around to make sure no one was listening in, "....seen that article proclaiming myself and Jack as the culprits behind all those murders at Grimmauld Place?"

Charlie could not quite meet James' eyes, but this was not a new characteristic of the Dursley boy, having always been a shy and awkward person. "Yeah, I read it. I mean, everyone gets the Prophet..."

"You, of course, realize that we were not the ones behind the attack?" James questioned him, "Are you aware of the real perpetrator?"

Charlie felt his throat become drier and drier as he tried to open his mouth in response. He finally managed to say, "I know you wouldn't do that. I know that. I just... I don't understand who would..."

A pained expression crossed across James's face, choking a bit on his next words to his cousin.

"It was my dad," he whispered hoarsely, not able to quite meet Charles's eyes, "Dad killed everyone....with no warning."

Charlie stared at his cousin, shocked, unable to process what should have been so simple. It was a simple sentence after all. Why was it not making its way into his brain then? Why did it seem so impossible to understand?

His throat was dry. He dropped his voice. "N-no. C-couldn't have b-been. Why?"

"Who knows?" James replied, jerking his shoulders in a short shrug, "I don't think it's really him. My father would never do something like that. There's something more to it."

James peeked over his shoulder at Jack and the rest of the crew, crowded around the bar.

"Don't worry," he said, turning again to Charlie, "I'll get to the bottom of it, or die trying....but for now, we should try and have some fun....before Jack decides to come over here and attempt to force fun on us."

James mustered a stiff smile, and gave his cousin a hearty slap on one shoulder.

Chalie gaped in shock - James had never been a good liar, not to family anyway. He never really had anything he NEEDED to lie about. Even Charlie, in all of his gullible nature, knew when James was truly being sincere.

He swallowed, trying to sort out his emotions. He had to believe James... He just... couldn't handle thoughts this heavy right now.

"A-all right," he said, a bit weakly. He gave him a bracing look. "Sorry, mate."

James walked with Charlie back to his group of friends. He couldn't help but look around a bit suspiciously at everyone in the bar, braced for an attack.

"Well, Jack," he said, sliding up beside her, "What sort of muggle beverage you treating me to tonight?"

Jack's eyes had continually flicked between her current companions and the door, worried for her friend and the poor Dursley boy. As she saw the two re-enter, however, her eyes were able to find her current company and chime into the conversation.

James sat down and she slid him a handful of shots. "I've got a variety of shots for you. We're all sticking with the beer, but it's your birthday, so you have to go a little crazy. It's the rules. It's on my dime, so no worries."

James eyed Jack warily through the corner of his eye.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to get me drunk...."

Never-the-less, James reached out and grabbed a Jäger Bomb, throwing his head back as he gulped it down. James stared at the others for a few moments, as the alcohol hit his system. His entire body suddenly shuddered, and he jerked his head to one side.

"Gyeah!" he exclaimed, slamming the shot glass upside-down on the table, "What do they put in this stuff?!"

Jack rolled her eyes, smirking. "Right - 'cause, I've just been waiting on pins and needles for an opportunity to get you drunk. Been hoping to have my way with you for years. I've been planning it ever since that duel gone wrong when you started spitting up slugs." She rolled her eyes.

She drank her own beer as he went in for the first shot. She laughed, answering his question. "Alcohol."

Charlie made his way over, smiling awkwardly. "Hey all."

Jack grinned. "Have a beer!" She tossed it to him and he caught the bottle, sitting down.

"See? I knew there was always some sort of sexually repressed demon lying asleep within your subconscious, waiting for the opportunity to weaken my defenses with alcohol so that it could rise forth from the abyss and allow you to have your way with me while I am in a drunken stupor."

James fingered a second shot glass, fighting a war in his head against enjoyment and responsibility. He would be no use to anyone drunk should they be attacked. Well.....one more couldn't hurt.

"Oh, the fate of one to be cursed with such dashing good looks to have even the women like Jack pouring on the alcohol, hoping for that blessed one-nighter with a stud such as me....who would normally be out of their reach."

James finally picked up the glass and drained an Irish Car Bomb, then slammed it down on the table. No shudder followed this shot, as it tasted much more pleasant than the prior drink.

Jack sneered at her friend. "Careful, you. You're going down a very dangerous path. Just because it's your birthday, doesn't mean I hold any qualms over killing you."

It struck her that such comments were probably incredibly conspicuous now. She looked about and drew her wand under the table, flicking it. "Muffliato," she murmured. She looked around at the rest of the group, indicating the beers. "Oi. You lot. I bought you a round, so you'd better drink up."

"No one could kill someone as beautiful as me," James shot back, having just downed his third shot, the alcohol relaxing him immensely, "Well....at least not without feeling bad about it."

"You are being right narcissistic, mate," Teddy laughed, chinking his bottle neck against the twins', "Setting a bad example for the children here."

"You're all children as far as I'm concerned," Curtis laughed, sipping lightly at his beer.

"There's no gurdy root in here is there?" Lysander asked with concern as he peered into the bottle's opening with one eye.

"I'd do it and I'd be happy about it," Jack said, leaning forward to make sure he knew that she was thoroughly unconvinced by any beauty he might have.

Jack sneered playfully at Curtis. "You better watch it, gramps, or we can put you to bed."

Jack looked over at whichever twin it was that had spoken and smiled. "Look mate, really, I adore you - but shut up and drink it. It'll do you wonders. That goes for everyone," she added, looking about.

James leaned forward at the same time, the wild idea of kissing her half-formed in his head. He suddenly rocked back and snatched another shot. What in the world was he thinking?! This was Jack here! "I've already had waaay too much alcohol," James thought to himself.

Curtis lifted his drink quickly to his lips to hide the sudden flush which had crept so suddenly to his cheeks when James had inched a bit too close to Jack. For one wild moment, he had thought the boy was going to kiss her, and it had for some reason brought forth a sudden feeling of rage. Curtis shook his head, pondering what in the world had gotten into him as he drunk his beer.

"You know...." he said between sips, "I am only 29 years old...hardly a grandpa."

"Perhaps we should just drink water...." Lysander suggested with a delicate sniff at the beer bottle, "I hear that muggle beer attracts the Scandinavian BugBear, a vicious beast to meet should it approach us because we smell of barley and hops....

"Ah, yes," Lorcan agreed, though he took a sip of his own beer, "but perhaps we should take the risk for just this once. After all, you shouldn't drink water....fish have sex in it."

James had moved in at the same time, causing Jack to hesitate, but she never passed up a challenge. She squinted at him and then said, "See. Still no remorse." She took a swig of her and straightened up, giving James a sassy I'm-watching-you sort of look, before turning her attention to the rest of the group.

She grinned at Curtis. "Age doesn't matter here. We judge by actions... sir." She added the last word for good measure, her eyes gleaming mischievously.

She looked between the twins, rolling her eyes. She was dying to see them sloshed - it had to be the funniest thing ever. Or, perhaps, it made them act normally. She took to drinking her own beer, but nearly snorted it out over Lorcan's comment.

"Ugh! You sprayed me!" Charlie said.

Jack shook her head. "I'm sorry - Tweedledee over here just ruined water for me!"

"Personally," Lysander said, completely oblivious to the reaction Lorcan had caused, "The fact that fish fornicate within the water does not bother me. Fish do not actually have sexual intercourse, and the chance of ingesting the sperm of a male fish is highly unlikely. It would be much more likely to ingest fish eggs.....fertilized or no, but that will not kill you or make you utterly sick. No...it is the fact that fish defecate and urinate in the water which concerns me, though I think we're safe."

Lysander turned suddenly to Jack, "Muggles do filter their water, correct?"

James snorted whiskey out of his nose, then coughed violently as the liquid burned his nostrils.

"I don't think I'll ever drink water again...." he gasped weakly between coughs.

Jack stared with mingled disgust and interest as Lysander began on a long winded discussion about the sex lives of fish.

She faintly responded to the twin, saying, "Yes. They filter. By all that is holy, thank Merlin that they filter."

She raised a hand. "Bartender. We're going to need something stronger."

((Too lazy to fix this))

His coughing finally subsided, James shook his head, feeling pleasantly light-headed and relaxed.

"Yeah....you all need to catsch up," he said, raising his next shot in a toast.

((lol, Jack must be very generous. Those are a lot of shots. XD ))

((She has money from Satan's and I like to think she has a tab that she never intends on paying.))

Jack grinned, her eyes following the bartender as he prepared the round of shots. She looked about at the group, her curiosity piqued. "So, alcohol is considered the universal truth serum. Let's start getting to know each other."

"Alright...I'm game," Teddy said with a grin, "And I vote we start with the lass who started this big idea. So....Jack....truth or dare?"

"Truth or dare?!" Curtis echoed slightly scathingly, "I know you're young, but aren't you still a little old for that game?"

"Ah," Teddy replied, "but we're getting drunk! That gives us a special amnesty to be immature for one night."

"Though shum of ush are....immature much more often than on one night," James slowly laughed, winking at Teddy.

"Too right!" Teddy agreed whole-heartily, clapping James on the back, "and we remind you other stiffs that life is too short to walk around with a large stick up your bum! So...Jack! Truth or Dare?"

Jack sputtered, causing the waitress to look concerned as she brought about a round of harder shots. "What - bloody hell, I meant a nice conversation!"

Curtis added his two cents and she held a hand out, indicating him. "Right? Right! It's bad when I agree with the babysitter."

She sighed, rolling her eyes as she realized she was not getting out of this mess she had caused for herself. "Right. Fine. Dare - but listen, not one of those pansy 'kiss blah and blah' or 'tell us if you like' shit dares. Give me something that actually takes bollocks, alright?"