Ministry Wide Fundraiser

Nemo cast a glance over his drink at the coins that were thrown his way. He spared a low whistle, "You're telling me all I have to do to get free drinks around here is tell people I've got fleas?" Nemo teasingly inquired.

He snatched up his pay and slid them into a pocket in his leather before continuing, "What kind of crazy-ass fetishes do these people have anyway?" He asked as he mockingly arched his back into Jack's hand, before beaming up at her, "Oh, I know I am. You owe me, McDonald. Big time, and you know it."

Jack smiled, but struggled with a look of warning. "They don't have fleas," she insisted. "I'll bet you there's more fleas in your department than in mine!" And to prove her point, she jerked her thumb at the dastardly duo of Nikolai and Martin. "But yes. Just encourage them to throw some coins in the fountain and I won't say a word."

At his next words, she felt a similar struggle. The comment was amusing, but a flash of Ari went through her head and she briefly remembered some intimate times with him. Ah, if Poe knew, he would have a field day. She would table that. Instead, she chuckled. He arched his back and she scratched it as though he were a puppy. "I owe you now? I got you the drink, didn't I?" She sighed, knowing that a drink did not make up for possibly entangling him with an Unspeakable. "Fine. What'll it be this time?"

With a bark of laughter that most suited the evening’s role, Nemo responded to The Savior’s slight towards his department. “I’ve got to hand it to you there; we aurors have quite a few mutts in our midst,” He agreed with an amused arch of his brows.

He payed James a firm nod of his head as the man slid Nemo's replenished drink towards him.

And for the sake of further humor, Nemo audibly tapped his right foot against the polished floor below in the nature of a dog, his drumming simultaneous to the raking of Jack’s fingernails across his back. “Well,” Nemo sighed, punctuating the word with the popping of a misplaced ‘P’. “I am running low on weed again…” he casually continued, opting for the more questionable of the drug’s titles so to accentuate his wild request.

Jack was fairly sure she and Poe could unsuccessfully have their own comedy show, or radio talk show, or something. She could see the bartender staring at them, a small amused smile beginning to finally play upon his lips. She slipped over a few coins and ordered herself the Firewhiskey that had originally turned her attention to this area.

Poe reacted properly to her joke and she smirked. "I'll have to get you a leash for these events to keep you from causing trouble and pissing on everything." She smirked and reached over to receive her drink. She raised the glass to her lips and his words surprised her. She barely kept herself from doing a spit take and she glanced at him. "Barking up the wrong tree on that one, poodle. Try again."

With the similar rapidity to that with which Nemo had danced between aliases during his performances, Nemo's hands flew to his throat to grip at a collar that wasn't there, his fingers frantic and his expression one of a dying man. Once more deciding it most enjoyable to push the limits of his act, Nemo gargled the saliva in his throat to a boil to the effect of sounding as though he were being strangled. "You mean -" He grunted through panted breaths as his heels dug into the floor and he was fixed with the concerned gazes of those who stood near. "- this leash?"

He gasped as he slumped into his previous, lax posture atop his bar stool of choice.

And at Jack's request that he give his negotiation another go, he paused. It was a brief moment of silence, but it was one that spoke volumes in regards to the tone of the request that was to follow. With a kick of his foot off of the bar, Nemo spun his chair atop its swiveling base and came to rest before Jack, mere inches away. "Let me crash at your place?" He began with a falsely nonchalant shrug of his right scapula, which was intended to divert Jack's attention from the desperate expression that had crossed his face, "I got booted from my apartment above the Leaky after our little fireworks show, and I've lived at The Source for as long as I can. I need a place to stay."

Jack smirked as he began to play up the leash comment. Jack had usually been the one to make all of the actions that attracted the attention and concern of those around her. For once, it was nice to be the one enjoying the joke, rather than than the one volunteering to be the butt of the joke. Still, Jack had to appreciate Poe's willingness to constantly joke. She laughed as one couple walked by, their eyes practically popping out of their head as they stared at him in concern.

He seemed to be thinking of something and Jack felt a change in the air, felt it rather than notice anything. Her eyebrows flicked together briefly and a grin spread across her face. "Yeah! Sure! Just help me buy dinners or something." She grinned. "Oh Merlin, you have no idea what you are in for." She felt herself suddenly incredibly happy, and the grin was not going away. On one hand, that was a terrifying concept, someone being around to see what her hair looked like in the morning; but on the other hand, Jack was realizing she might actually be developing some sort of social life. Had t been one of the annoying interns trying to create one for her, she would have been incredibly irritated. As she got along easily with Poe, she could not help but feel excited, as though it would be a continuous, fun sleepover.

With the ever-so casual manner that Jack had agreed, Nemo began to question why he had ever taken into consideration the stirring of any difficulty. His cautious smile broke into the widest of grins and he reversed the spinning of his chair to reunite with his drink. "Awesome," He sighed, content with his success, before adding in disagreement, "I have no idea what I'm in for?" A near-infections chuckling leapt free from his core; one which proposed the possibility that he may have in store for Jack a chaotic master plan.

"I'll be bringing Weasel with me. He's been dying to meet you, I'm sure." He finished his vodka and wrapped his knuckles against the bar, so to attract James' attention.

Jack grinned. "Sounds like a bet. The first person to be absolutely floored by the living habits of the other gets... bragging rights. And dinner of their choice." Jack was fairly sure she was going to win. Jack was a pretty intense person in public, reserved in her own ways. No one she knew now had ever seen her in her pajamas, listening to Quidditch match recaps on the radio, her hair untouched after a night of sleep. No one had ever been forced to endure her singing. Had it been anyone else... it might not have been that bad a shock. But Jack had forced the idea that she was not a normal human.

He had NO idea what was coming.

He mentioned Weasel and Jack recalled his Jarvey. "Oh! Of course! Fred will probably throw a fit, and then become his best friend. It's poor Elliot that will regret it." Oh, that would be something that Jack could surprise her friend with. Her spectral Gytrash that was continually changing shape. He would be convinced she had a hundred dogs named Elliot. She smirked to herself. "Come over anytime, and stay as long as you want. Unless I get sick of you. Then I will throw you out with a box."

It became increasingly evident to Nemo as a bet was placed that Jack had not yet considered the probable personal quirks that he may present when left be in his natural habitat. While Jack may have deemed her habits worthy of a free dinner, Nemo recalled past and daily circumstances during which curtains had been set alight by a forgotten joint; the thick, moggy air that commonly filled the rooms he inhabited as a result of his drug usage; the blood that stained clothes and were left to dry and rot against the carpet; the forgotten need to wear actual clothing around the house; his refusal to shower for days on end - and the depression.

Nemo was fairly certain that Jack would be incapable of withstanding his depressive months. And at the thought of being removed from her household in such a state, several nerves wound and constricted within him; a fearful sensation which he would not admit to.

"Alas, we'll throw that Jarvey party we agreed to." Nemo beamed, while simultaneously throwing a hand upward in offering for Jack to shake as a sign of the closing of their deal, "Alright. I'll have a double bacon cheeseburger with the works for my dinner in advance. I'm starving," He informed her, ever the modest man.

Jack grinned widely, momentarily forgetting that she had always been very careful about not displaying too much emotion, especially when it was caused by the actions of others. People always seemed to read too much into her reaction or, worse. Too little. Yet, she was too busy sorting things out in her mind. The guest bedroom was only ever used by the critters when she was at work. No, the transition would be exceedingly easy, as Jack had never had a guest in her house.

Or, maybe it wouldn't. Challenge accepted.

She shook his hand and said, "We must." He seemed confident he would win the bet, so she responded, "Well, I'll have a huge vat of baked macaroni. I haven't had some of that in years." She pointed out a passing waiter. "I think they may have those little appetizer mini-weenies." She smirked.