For the Next Drink {Lily}

[Jesse Benson]

Hogsmeade had become Jesse's favorite haunt of late. But the Hog's Head still stretched his boundaries. The Gryffindor skeptically pushed open the door with his foot, and he stepped aside when a waft of smoke blew past his face. Taking a deep breath of cool autumn air, Jesse slipped through the opening and into the dark room. He stood by the door for a good minute or more, taking in the scene. His first instinct tugged him back towards the door, but he resisted. He'd been everywhere else in Hogsmeade by now; he spent a lot of time here on the weekends and any other opportunities he could get. The Hog's Head, though, represented a line that Jesse hadn't been willing to cross. Not until now, anyways. He walked to an empty table, ignoring glances from random strangers hidden behind dark cloaks and large mugs (which inevitably contained knockout quantities of alcohol). The Gryffindor felt odd sitting at a table by himself, so after a moment he rose once again and took a seat at the bar. Looking around himself nervously once again, Jesse found himself wishing that he could look considerably more intimidating than he really did. Not really wanting to draw attention to himself, Jesse attempted to draw the bartender's attention with creative hand gestures. When this didn't work, he knocked his knuckles against the counter. Still no response. Looking quickly to both sides of him, the Gryffindor coughed softly. The man finally turned and narrowed his eyes in acknowledgment of Jesse. Insides crawling, Jesse attempted to maintain both a straight face and a confident voice. "I'll have..." Jesse's stomach jolted at the thought of what the man would say if he asked for a Butterbeer. A sissy drink? Why come to the Hog's Head if you want a stupid Butterbeer? Trying to make up his features into a convincing expression, Jesse's voice managed to muster more confidence than he actually had. "A Firewhisky, please."

Holding his breath, the Gryffindor passed a large gold coin across the counter. It could have been the statement's surprising force or maybe the quantity of money, but the bartender gave him little more than a once over before slamming down the drink before Jesse. The boy noticed with a dry smirk that the bartender didn’t bother to return the change, but he didn’t mind. Not like he used his money for anything, anyways. Sliding a couple seats from the dark pair of figures muttering - their tones immediately put frightened thoughts in Jesse’s head - he propped his feet up on the stool beside him and put the closed bottle to his lips. Despite the environment, holding this drink in his hand made him feel powerful. It seemed to rattle against his fingers, as if it wanted to be opened. Jesse didn’t do this just yet; that was another thing he’d have to work up to. Instead he cast his eyes out again across the room. Sketchy would be a good word for it. Anyone who would sell an alcoholic drink - especially Firewhiskey - to a fourteen-year-old deserved that description. But now that he had it, Jesse felt newly confident. Not the faux-confidence that had inspired him to buy it in the first place, but a more real feeling. Coughing a little louder to get the bartender’s attention again, he said in the same confident voice, ”This is for the next drink.” Jesse passed another of his last Galleons across. The bartender cocked an eyebrow at him, then murmured a “yes” and tucked it under the counter. Eyes once more roaming the room, Jesse raised an eyebrow as the door squealed open again. The other one joined the first as he saw the figure that entered. A confident smirk lit his features as he continued to watch her, although it hid behind his still-closed bottle. How could he not be confident? This happened in movies.

[Lily A. Flickme]

Bounce. Bounce. She threw the snitch-patterned ball and watched it as it hit off the wall with a thud. Days at Hogwarts were starting to become long, very long. It wasn't because she had nothing to do during the day or night - this was actually an odd moment of rest for her - but rather she couldn't find enough things to do to fill her time with. Her mission this year was to keep busy and she had so far been succeeding; that was until this moment. In the mornings she'd wake up, wash-up, do a bit of yoga, clean the dorm, refold all her clothes, iron out all the kinks in her blouse, and then head to breakfast. At breakfast she would have a book or a newspaper, something to keep her occupied of course. Then it was classes all day or studying during her free periods. Once the afternoon hit, she'd be back in her dorm retidying the place which didn't last very long. Her roomates were unfortunately the tidy type. Giving her clothes another re-fold she would then do her homework and in the instances when she didn't have any, she would read or write to Jackson. She was scared of the moments by herself because that was when was most vulnerable. The plastic ring with the yellow sandal was buried deep in her drawer. She wanted to forget him and she did in those wildly chaotic moments where she messed up the dorm and tidied it back up again. There was always that sinking feeling though whenever she woke up and she would remember that Noah wasn't around anymore. Peten also had decided to leave her quite conveniently so she was left alone with nothing but memories. With an exasperated sigh, Lily sat upright on her bed. She'd exhausted every option save for one - Hogsmeade. Quickly dressing, she tied her hair back. It was odd to have lost her trade-mark fringe. But she'd grown it out on purpose. A change was healthy, was it not?

Lily narrowed her eyes and peered through the grimy window. It was so dark that she felt like she was standing inside staring into the night. She didn't understand it herself but there was this unexplainable urge to do something Noah would disapprove of. Mouth dry, she nervously stepped inside. The Hogs Head was everything that she imagined and a whole lot worse because she was, unfortunately, the only young girl there. Awkwardly Lily held her elbow, wondering why she'd thought this was a good idea. What was she going to do here? They weren’t going to serve her warm white chocolate and some fairy bread. She tried to suppress the panic, her eyes still unaccustomed to the dim lighting. There was no going back now, oh no, she made it all the way here with a purpose to keep her mind distracted and this place most certainly was doing the trick. Sucking a small breath, she braved it – the smell, the smoke, and the soul-scraping chill that hung in the air. Stubbornly looking ahead, she made her way to the bar. She refused to look around her, fearing that her eyes would meet somebody else’s, eyes that would be too frightening to glance at. “Hi,” she said, nerves muffling the word in her throat. She didn’t belong here. Merlin, she really didn’t belong here. Uncertainly, Lily plopped herself down on a stool unaware of the boy sitting close by. Her mind was too busy trying to think of something to say to the bartender while her eyes stared at her gathered hands on the counter. “So, do you have er,” Lily began, clearing her throat halfway. Words were failing her. “I was wondering,” she started again, fingers now picking at the uneven surface of the bar. “Do you have a glass of cranberry juice?” Her eyes met the bartender reluctantly. He didn’t need to answer her; his dark hooded eyes said everything. It was then that she noticed movement to her left. A little jumpy, she reacted by turning around. He was a boy, around her age, with a confident smirk. Usually Lily would have been unaffected by his presence but here, surrounded by strangers, he seemed to make everything okay. Lily exhaled, a tiny smile brightening her face. She was going to be fine. “I’ll have what he’s having,” Lily spoke, this time with a little more perk. It didn't look too bad; couldn't hurt to try right? Turning around she extended a warm hand out to him, “Lily Flickme. And what can I call you by?”

[Jesse Benson]

Jesse shielded his eyes from the startling outside light. Only when the door had shut did he lower his bottle and appraise the Hog's Head's newest entrant. She didn't look like one of the twenty other sketchy people here. Obviously she didn't come here often. Jesse's eyes tracked her across the room, smile still hidden behind the closed Firewhisky bottle. His teeth clenched the ridged bottle cap, feeling the odd texture. It felt strange in his mouth; strange, but good. Jesse had never actually drank Firewhisky - the closest he'd gotten was Butterbeer - but the mere feeling of having the bottle in his hand empowered the Gryffindor. He felt older and stronger now. It seemed that the girl could use some of the same feelings; Jesse couldn't help smiling as she squeaked out a greeting to the bartender. She obviously hadn't seen him, but the Gryffindor removed his feet from the stool beside him all the same; one, to get a better look at this girl, and two, to let her sit next to him. After all, Jesse couldn't let this girl sit with some bizarre magical creature dealer or a hag or someone. And beside, Jesse thought (blushing slightly) she was kind of cute. So he tried to lean on his elbow in a way that made him seem not so intimidating. That felt like what the girl needed; Jesse couldn't conceal a slight smirk when he heard her request. Of course the Hog's Head didn't have cranberry juice. The thoughts that Jesse had had minutes ago flashed through his head again: why order that sissy kind of drink? The girl seemed to have the same idea, gesturing to him - the Gryffindor read this as a good signal - and asking for his drink. Jesse's brows jumped again; he maybe, maybe could see the bartender mistaking him for legal drinking age, but this girl? A soft laugh lit Jesse's face. Apparently, it didn't deter the girl, because she reached a hand out to him. "Lily Flickme."

Jesse nodded, taking her hand and shaking it lightly. "And what can I call you by?" He returned her smile. Even though she'd just started talking to him, it made him happy that she didn't seem too intimidated anymore. On the contrary, her voice had a little more power than the wimpy "Hi". "Jesse Benson, at your service." He inclined his head towards her, raising an eyebrow and grinning. He then nodded to the bartender, who luckily had his back to the pair. "Cranberry juice?" he murmured, playful laughter on his lips as he nudged her arm. The Gryffindor wasn't quite sure where he'd found this flash of bravado, of friendliness, of confidence, but wherever it came from, he'd take it until it left. He felt good, he felt right. Sitting here in this obscure, sketchy bar with a drink in his hand and a cute girl opposite him - come to think of it, this thought was very unusual for Jesse- he could try to forget all of the other problems outside the door. The boring, quiet, troubled Jesse waited at the door. When he left the Hog's Head, he'd have to pick up that role again. For now, though, the boy on the bar stool wasn't that Jesse. He was action hero Jesse, the one who always had confidence, cheek, and the right words for the situation. He smiled at the girl again, cocking an eyebrow at her. "I'd have thought you'd order something with a little more... punch," the Gryffindor said softly, tapping his bottle against the table softly to accentuate his words. His eyes flickered to the bartender, who, to Jesse's surprised, was en route with a bottle in his hand. Smile still tugging on his lips, Jesse set about opening the bottle; on the third try, his thumb flicked it off and he caught it on the way down. Clutching the bottle, Jesse could smell the alcohol wafting out of it. It almost made the Gryffindor's eyes water; apparently he might be more sensitive to this than he thought. Still, though, the smell gave him confidence. Why else could he have a drink in hand if things weren't meant to go right?

[Lily A. Flickme]

Despite the confident smirk, the boy seemed friendly and genuinely good. He was young too which brought relief to Lily. His light-coloured hair reminded him of Noah but then again any boy who was nice to her reminded her of him. However, the young Flickme wasn’t going to let the past pull her down. She introduced himself, a smile effortlessly appearing on her face. The place seemed lighter and less… toxic. The stench was no longer there but then again maybe her button nose just got used to it. She shook his hand; his grip was light and gentle, and she felt safe in them. Relaxing, she swung one leg over the other as she sat more comfortably on the barstool. "Jesse Benson, at your service," he grinned, raising an eyebrow and leaning his head at an angle that was far too affectionate it made Lily laugh. “Top service,” she managed to say before he continued. He had a nice name – Jesse. Different to Noah. Oh wait, she was thinking about him again. "Cranberry juice?" he nudged her arm, offering her the distraction she needed. Lily gave a tiny shrug. The nudge on her arm wasn’t minded one bit. Lily had two old brothers so she was used to a little rough play so personal contact was something she barely noticed and the nudge passed by without much thought. “It was worth a try,” she reasoned, trying to redeem a bit of bar integrity. A lot of mixed drinks had cranberry as their base didn’t they? Of course, there was a good dose of vodka in it as well but then again the Hogs Head wasn’t exactly a club. She was young, a teenager, but not once did she ever wonder or think about wanting to go to a club. It wasn’t her thing. She’d rather much go to a tea store and spend her time there admiring all the pretty teacups and pots while sipping a Chai Latte.

"I'd have thought you'd order something with a little more... punch." Tap. Lily’s attention fell on the bottle in his hand. A strange expression crossed her face as she appraised it. Someone, this boy to be exact, thought she could handle something with more punch. Jackson, Peten, Noah, they all treated her with fragility and she’d always thought it was because of her height and age. But now, this one simple comment made her feel tall, like she’d just gone through a growth spurt. “You really think that?” She asked, sounding serious. Lily hesitated. Well, wasn’t it worth a try? She couldn’t always be the boring old ‘little Flickme’. Maybe it was time for a change. She sucked in a breath, mind half-made up. The bartender seemed to have pushed her order to the side. He came with a bottle for Jesse instead and Lily felt ignored. She watched as he popped the top and caught it deftly in his hand. She tried very hard to keep her face straight but the smell of strong aged alcohol was too much for her nose. She swallowed the lump in her throat before seizing the bottle in his hand. She gave a nervous laugh, her sudden movement surprising even herself. “You don’t mind right?” She said, strangely exhilarated. Lily didn’t wait for an answer. She took it from his grip and brought the bottle to her lips. Fast, like ripping a Band-Aid, just drink it fast, she told herself as she tilted her head back. Her eyes involuntarily screwed shut as the drink left a scorching burn in her throat. “Urgh,” Lily spluttered, swallowing most of it but spraying some out. She wiped her mouth which was contorted in disgust. By now she had everyone’s attention, bartender included. “That’s…” she breathed a little before adding, “Horrible. How can you drink that stuff? It’s like poison. No, it is poison,” Lily was convinced as she coughed. Damn, there was a tickle in her throat she just couldn’t get rid of now.

[Jesse Benson]

Her smile and her laugh were contagious. Jesse felt good anyways, and her slight laugh drew one from him as well. “Top service,” she said, and he laughed again. "That's what they tell me," he said with a confident smirk and a nod. The drink weighed cold and heavy in his hand, and he put the bottle to his mouth. He could feel the liquid pressing against his lips, but despite the rush of confidence, he kept his teeth clenched. The Firewhisky smelled awful; even the optimist in Jesse couldn't hide that. It didn't need to taste good, though. It was all part of the feeling. “It was worth a try.” Jesse's mouth turned in a smile once more, and although he found it a little funny, malice couldn't find its way into his expression. Something about this girl made him feel friendly and confident. There wasn't any room for bad feelings. Because even though Jesse's eyes would drift around the room, and they would find some shady figure and Jesse would inhale shakily, then he would look back and Lily and grin. Her smile just lit one on his face as well. A friendly person in a dark room could do that. "If you say so," he'd said with a laugh. It seemed that every time she said something, Jesse had something to say back. The Gryffindor couldn't deny that he was awkward sometimes. There were times when the Gryffindor would freeze in silence, and the other person would look at him like he was crazy. Not tonight, though. Now all of his words had just the right balance of sarcasm and genuine friendliness, with even a wink thrown in now and then for good measure.

With all the attention he'd been paying to her smile, he noticed when it changed. An eyebrow jumped up his forehead as a strange expression crossed the girl's face. Jesse couldn't quite read her; maybe that was a good thing. His eyes remained on her as she spoke, and Jesse smiled - though a bit confused - at her words. “You really think that?” Jesse hesitated for a moment; the change in her voice startled him. After a moment, though, he found the right thing to say: "Sure. You seem like you know what you're doing." He shrugged, the grin returning to his face. The bartender, who Jesse had barely noticed walk up, slammed the drink on the counter. Jesse popped the cap, grin flashing as he caught it in his other hand. Before he could make up his mind about a drink, though, her hand shot out and grabbed it. Jesse's eyes flicked up to her face, a little surprised, but he made no move to stop her from taking it from him. “You don’t mind right?” Not skipping a beat this time, Jesse chuckled and said, "'Course not. That one was for you anyway." On second thought, he held back the wink for now. He merely watched as she downed half of the drink in one gulp, and he contained a chuckle at her expression. He'd never seen anyone make a face like that while drinking anything. She spluttered and sprayed some of the Firewhiskey out. Jesse laughed softly, muttering "Attractive" with a wink and wiping his hand across his face. Eyes blinking open to find Lily's disgusted face staring back at him, Jesse laughed again. “That’s… horrible. How can you drink that stuff? It’s like poison. No, it is poison,”

Jesse shook his head slowly, flicking open the second drink. He'd never done this before, but how hard could it be? Bottle to mouth, liquid in mouth, keep mouth shut. He smelled it, eyes flickering as the strong alcoholic smell almost made his eyes water. Nevertheless, his confidence didn't waver as he spoke softly, as if confiding in her. "Lemme tell you a secret... It's all in the way you take it. Watch." Jesse raised his own bottle to his mouth, then, winking at her again and trying not to think about it, slowly leaned back and let the cold Firewhisky run down his throat. Merlin, it burned! Jesse's eyes began to water for real, and he contained a cough. He removed the bottle, and, slightly red, looked back at Lily. "That's how you do it." Jesse didn't plan on drinking any more... but the moment called for it. So he clinked his bottle against hers, cocked it towards the roof, and challenged her with another nudge: "Wanna give it a shot?" Then he tilted his head back and took another quick gulp. It burned as it went down - a cough escaped this time and he almost wanted to spit it out - but the prickling at the bottom of his throat cured the pain and made Jesse chuckle and grin back across at Lily.

  bleh. sorryyy >.< I take my time.   

[Lily A. Flickme]

Lily could have gone anywhere yet here she was at the Hogs Head and, believe it or not, enjoying it. Good company really did wonders. "That's what they tell me," he gave her a nod which earned a small shake of her head. She smiled, enjoying their banter. He was being a good sport about everything, given that she wasn’t exactly a drinker. People tended to mix with their own kind in bars; that was just how the world turned. Fortunately he didn’t seem to mind her being here. Unlike the bartender who looked like he had just stumbled on his own nightmare. Oh, he was a grown man, he could handle it. Lily turned to Jesse – something about him really made her feel right at home. The other people in the bar were completely forgotten as he made her laugh again. In fact, she was in such a good mood – even chuffed that she was feeling comfortable sitting at the Hogs Head and talking to a stranger – that she wanted to be more adventurous. Plus, he was comforting like a cup of warm tea. He made her feel like a different person. No, she was a different person – this Jesse boy could see more to her than just the Hufflepuff girl she was. "Sure. You seem like you know what you're doing," he shrugged. “Good answer,” she said with a small nod.

When the drink came, her hand leapt to it as if it was possessed. She wanted it. “You don’t mind right?” "'Course not. That one was for you anyway," he said. Oh? Hers, his, Lily didn’t really mind. She was ready to try it. And Merlin did she try it – a whole gulp. It tasted like acid and her throat felt like it was on fire. “Attractive,” she heard him mutter. Lily turned, still coughing, her expression absolutely disgusted by the drink. She hadn’t imagined her first taste of alcohol to be like this. She’d always thought that she would like the taste of it – like honey. But boy she was wrong. Alcohol really was an acquired taste. For some reason unknown to mankind, she watched as he opened another bottle. "Lemme tell you a secret... It's all in the way you take it. Watch." He winked but she simply stared, eyes widening as he took a generous swig. “You’re crazy,” she murmured, her voice hoarse from the alcohol. His slightly watery eyes turned to her and she had to fight back a laugh. Somehow she didn’t think he was a drinker. "That's how you do it." He clinked his bottle with hers and she hesitated. “Right,” she said, unsure. Her body was telling her no but her mind said otherwise. "Wanna give it a shot?" “Okay… okay, let’s give it a shot.”

1…2…3…

Lily didn’t close her eyes this time. She had them wide open and staring at the dirty ceiling as she tipped the drink into her mouth. Oh no, oh no. She didn’t want to swallow it. Lily held it, eyes panicking. She grabbed Jesse’s arm, her mouth resembling a large balloon and her lips pressed tightly together to stop the drink from spraying out. Each second sent her mouth into tingles and she wanted to spit it out but one look at Jesse’s face told her that she really shouldn’t. She could do this. She could… Lily grimaced and swallowed, her entire body shuddered with the effort and she squirmed in her seat when the burn came. “There! There, I did it,” she said, blinking back the tears. Lily laughed and opened her mouth wide to prove to him that she had indeed swallowed an entire mouthful of alcohol. “Again, c’mon,” she said, strangely elated. She couldn’t keep still. “1.2.3.” She slammed her hand on the counter as she tipped her head back and took another swallow. This time, it was much easier. Another cry of effortless laughter escaped her. “Jesse, you’re a top teacher,” she smiled, poking two fingers at his chest. For some very odd reason, Lily’s head felt like a whole case of fluff. And for some equally odd reason, she couldn’t stop giggling.

[Jesse Benson]

you know it's sad how slow i am when the 28 days warning appears at the top of the screen... bleh, I'm really sorry. i love it though.

Thankfully, the pair's encounter had skipped the awkward phase where most of Jesse's conversations usually got stuck. Now they exchanged jokes and banter like second nature, as if they'd been friends forever. The drinks probably helped that along, but the Gryffindor didn't notice that. He had no experience with this kind of thing; for all he knew, the fuzzy feeling in his head could be the Hog's Head, or a symptom of such good company. Lily seemed to be feeling it as well. Their bottles clinked, and Jesse took a heavy swig of the drink. It seared his throat as it trickled down; a groan of pain turned into a giggle as the Gryffindor felt the same tingly feeling sweep through his body. His eyes slowly centered on her to see her looking back at him. “Okay… okay, let’s give it a shot.” Jesse's lips slowly spread into a smile, and he giggled again. "Yeah, go for it." Jesse watched excitedly as she took her drink, bursting into enthusiastic laughter as her lips swelled like balloons. She grabbed his arm, charging the Gryffindor with energy again and setting off another wave of giggles. His grinning face stared at her for a second, waiting for a reaction. “There! There, I did it,” she said. Jesse whooped loudly, taking her up on another drink before she even said so. He brought his bottle - more than half empty now - clattering down on the counter. He laughed with the smaller girl as they enjoyed this strange, exhilarating experience. It was like breaking seven school rules, eating a giant chocolate bar and getting hit in the face with a hammer all at the same time; it was the best feeling in the world.

The bartender seemed to disapprove of Jesse's liveliness. He began to approach the pair, and Jesse cocked his eyebrow at the older man. He put on a serious face for a second, but couldn't hold it. He slapped his knee as he relapsed into laughter once more. "We're paying customers, buddy," he said between giggles. The laughing didn't stop, and he grabbed Lily's arm for support as it continued. After a minute or more, he looked up at her, still chuckling a little. “Jesse, you’re a top teacher.” Her words made it through a dense cloud into his brain, and he laughed again. "Yep, that's me. Jesse Benson, professor of..." The Gryffindor's muddled mind struggled to come up with something. "... learning. That's what I do. Nice to meet you! Do you come here often?" Giggles once more exploded across the Gryffindor's face, earning another reproachful glare from the bartender. Jesse'd had way too much to drink for him to care what the bartender thought. Jesse had drank a little wine when he was at home, and maybe tasted a bit of whiskey once from his dad's weekly shot, but this... now this was more powerful, more special. The little boy had thought the liquor repulsive then. The flavor hadn't changed, but Jesse found this taste so much more pleasing. The taste of control, of power and independence and freedom and losing yourself in the moment - that was a good taste. Jesse propped his head on his arm, raising an eyebrow at Lily. It made him feel like a whole different person. A person with a giant, stupid grin spread on his face.

[Lily A. Flickme]

I totally understand, don't you worry about replying late! I snuggles <3

They were giggling, snickering; not laughing uproariously and heartily as the big-bellied men in the room. Of course they stood out more by being so giggly. But Lily was ever so grateful to have someone as sweet-natured and good-humored as this boy to be her company tonight. "Yeah, go for it," he encouraged. She did. And it was much easier this time round. He was absolutely uncontrollable with his laughter and so was she. Lily gave a whoop and a shriek of excitement after she knocked her drink back. She hadn’t had this much fun in a while. Jackson would be scandalized and so would Peten if he was around. Noah… well, she couldn’t see herself caring that much about what he had to say. Lily took Jesse’s half empty bottle and shook it in the air – Merlin knows why – and brought it to her lips. This was getting much easier although her eyes were still watery and the burn still made her throat all rough. Yes, Lily was feeling quite like the grown up. She scratched her nose with the neck of the bottle – there was this awful itch. Was she the only one feeling it? Jesse didn’t appear to be scratching at his nose. "We're paying customers, buddy," she suddenly heard him speak. Lily giggled. She forgot about the itch and looked up to see the bartender bearing down on them. “Uh-oh,” she murmured, bottle now tightly held to her chest like a prized possession. Lily wasn’t quite sure what was so hilarious about the situation but she collapsed into laughter with Jesse. “Buddy, b-buddy,” she repeated loudly. Now, that was funny.

“Jesse, you’re a top teacher.” "Yep, that's me. Jesse Benson, professor of..." Lily squinted, trying to mentally will out the rest of the sentence. She cocked her head and gave another laugh. "... learning. That's what I do. Nice to meet you! Do you come here often?" Lily clapped her hands together and gave a wide loose smile that made her eyes lit up. She really liked this boy. “Do I? Professir… of learning…” She added politely with a giggle, “I do often frequent this bar as you can tell from my wealth of –” Here Lily theatrically indicated to the bar but she only slopped her drink everywhere than gain any recognition for her acting, “Experience. Pray, gentle man, what is it that you seek from this place?” But before they could go on with their little role-play she heard two hands slam loudly on the counter. Lily’s smile faltered. She turned. “Get out,” The bartender said darkly. Those two words stung. How could she not take this as a personal attack to her acting? Lily decided there and then that she didn’t like his face very much. “Look here,” she said, putting a single finger down at the counter between the thick hands of the bartender. “We will not be kicked out. As my dear Professor-friend said, we are paying customers,” she emphasized with raised eyebrows as if she was asking a dog if he understood her words. That perhaps was not the best move and in retrospect she would cringe at how she’d rudely acted to the man. “Get out or be thrown out,” he reiterated. Oh. Lily looked at Jesse. “We’re… we’re being thrown out.” This Professor needed to turn super hero. Fast. Or perhaps they just needed to bolt before things got ugly.