It's Time

Waiting there for things that might but also might not happen, made Louis Weasley to feel like a stalker. Although he could make all this quite simpler, with just sending an owl and asking for a meeting he found this method more complicated, and harder to keep track on. Like if someone wanted to keep track on him, but leaving no material traces somehow calmed his over-paranoid soul.

After a sighed he pulled the door open and stepped in the pub where he was immediately welcomed with the scent of sweet liquor in the air and the sound of fire. He greeted the people he knew with nodding, that much about secret conversation he planned to have if he had any luck today, and sat for the table int he corner of the room that he found acceptable and partially hidden from prying eyes.

The Three Broomsticks was one of his favourite places in Hogsmeade, but he didn't visit it since he finished his schooling. Louis was glad to see that not many things had changed since then, it was still comfortable, familiar.

"Butterbeer, please." He ordered when a waitress stopped in front of him. Along with place he hasn't visited since he left Hogwarts he chose drink he hasn't drunk since than. How suitable. If she was confused with his order she didn't show that, just turning around and walking to get him his drink, and he was grateful for that. Despite the nostalgia he felt, he was too nervous to fill his waiting with chit chat.

And the reason why is he here was much different. He needed a help, tangled in situation with no way out, he definitely needed that, and who would be better person to ask than the ex leader of the Order herself? Of course, only if she come here today, they told him she would, after he fed them with a sufficient amount of galleons, but as time had passed he become unsure if they lied just to earn some money so they can drink it later. Not that he found trustworthy people to ask, after all.

However, he hated to admit it. Hated to ask for help, to show powerlessness and to be left at the mercy of other person's free will. Thought he hoped Jack will help him, one part of his brain also cheered for her to turn him down, to leave him dealing with his problems alone. She had every right to do so, he never did anything for her, so she wasn't obligated to help him either. God, what a masochist he was, it wasn't a surprise that he fits well with all those sick sadist in Death Eaters. They must be thrilled he's part of them now, and he must be an idiot for wanting to leave them.

He sighed as the waitress put his drink in front of him, pulled some money from the pocket and handle it to her silently. After she left he took a sip, allowing the fluid to fill every part of his mouth before swallowing it, and focused his gaze on the front door.

Jack typically came by the Three Broomsticks on Fridays after she checked in on Satan's and Wheezes. Though she only technically owned one of the establishments, she felt very connected to both places, and she typically dropped by after work on Friday's, picking up Goose and Sunny so they could order Shirley Temples and sit at the bar like cool kids.

Instead of going to work to uncover the secrets of the wizarding race, she had been clocking in to help rebuild the actual building that had housed the magical government. She seemed to be one of the few who didn't mind the work, who enjoyed the switch from mentally exhausting work to menial physical labor. She was doing double duty, moving rubble in the mornings and doing Quidditch training by afternoon. But it was nice to save her heart and brain for her family.

Satan's was still running, and Wheezes was still booming - her job was done. Jack took Sunny and Goose's hands in her own and apparated them all off to The Three Broomsticks. The two kids ran ahead of her and took their seats at the bar, immediately greeted by their favorite bartender, Amelia.

"Alright kids, two Shirleys?" Amelia asked, her voice booming. Jack grinned as Goose said, sounding sophisticated, "Hold the cherry, please, Amelia."

"I'll take his cherry!" Sunny announced, standing on her stool and lifting a finger to the air. She slipped and Jack deftly caught her, reseating her. Jack sat next to the kids and smiled at their friendly bartender. "Hey, Mia. I'll take a rum and Coke."

After Jack entered the room together with two kids and sat at the bar Louis' hand went through his hair, like every time when he was nervous. This was it. His final decision, he could stood up, walk through the room and sit on the chair next to her, ask her for help. The other option was just to stay here, drink his beverage and thought about what would happen if he did that. The other option seemed more alluring at the moment, after reminding himself of how much things he can loose if everything stays this way, he pushed his chair and stood up.

He felt like every eye in the room turned in his direction, watching what he might do next. Inhale. He forced his legs to move, each of them weighed at least a ton so he found it very difficult to pass that long distance between them. He stopped at the middle of his path, feeling like hours had been passed while he was walking although rational part of his mind was telling him that can't be true.

He sat on the chair next to her and cleared his throat. "Morning." Louis greeted them although the morning had passed before some time, maybe good afternoon would be the better term. Albeit he knew her from before, even saw the kids that were with her a few times, but didn't know how're they related to her, he never speak a lot with her so he couldn't formulate the thought in words.

"I…" His voice trailed off and he shifted his position. "Jack, can we speak, please?" A barely visible hint of despair filled his last word. Louis guessed he reached the point when he can't go back anymore, he should be happy about it. Probably.

Jack was accustomed to being approached in public now. For years, she had worn the giant "F off" sign on her forehead, but recently it had been to no avail. She couldn't help it. At school, she had been pretty high profile, as one of the main troublemakers, Quidditch captain, Triwizard champion, and leader of Potter's Army. In the grown up, "real" world, she had immediately risen in the ranks of the Ministry, taken over the Order, and become a professional Quidditch player. She was recognized for all sorts of things, which was the last thing a very angry redhead with a preference for solitude needed.
 
But she had gotten over it - or, at least, tried. Sunny, especially, had encouraged her to learn some basic friendliness. Sunny had a penchant for meeting and greeting strangers, as she saw the opportunity for friendship in everyone. It was something she must have got from Jack's brother's baby mama, because it was definitely not a Dyllan trait. Jack could not think of where else her niece would have gotten it. Goose was more like Jack, in that he just wanted to live his life without interruption. Max and Charlie were the same, but they all knew that Sunny was their queen and if she wanted new friends... they were all involved.
 
Nevertheless, when someone sat next to her and spoke, Jack's instinctual conviction to growl at the newcomer was tempered by some newly learned manners. She turned and found herself surprised to see a familiar face, one that had become unfamiliar as it had grown older and more into that of a man. The last time she had seen Louis Weasley, he had still looked young, boyish, optimistic. Now, he seemed older, grown, and very, very tired. It seemed he had taken a leaf out of her book, after all, for she was sure he had noticed those changes in her face as well.
 
“Louis!” she called, her expression registering the surprise at so suddenly reconnecting. “Hello!” His mind was very obviously preoccupied, however, as he immediately asked for a word. “Of course,” she said, eyes scanning the location for somewhere to dump her kids off. She spotted her old co-workers, Kirsty and Andy, sitting at a booth, laughing loudly. She turned to Sunny and Goose and said, “Why don’t you guys go sit with Aunt Kirsty and Uncle Andy. Remember them? Go teach them to make sure they really are ready before having kids.”
 
“Aye, aye!” Sunny cheered, and the two slid off their stools, holding their drinks carefully as they crossed the floor, sliding into the booth uninvited, causing Jack’s old friends to shoot her confused looks. Jack turned to look back at Louis, her face holding the slightest traces of concern. “What’s going on, then?”

(OOC. Sorry for waiting, I knew I would write an awful post if I wrote it earlier ('cause I was sick so I was interested for writing any longer posts) so I waited instead of ruining a post. xd)

Mistake.

Watching kids as they made their way towards some couple Louis realized he made a mistake, a big one. Not just about joining Death Eaters but because he agreed to join them at the first place. Wanting this, a family, for himself, he acted impulsively. Agreeing without leaving some time to actually think about it, to try to find any other solution that may not lead both of them, Corrine and him, to their premature death. Although his intention was good, he could finally admit that it was first step towards destruction. One day, he'll make himself getting killed for not thinking before reacting, it might be good at dueling, but int he real life it leads to sloppiness, and it's quite shitty way to die. That day, he let his fear of loosing people he loved to overcome the rational part of his brain. Fearing he'll loose her if he said otherwise, he agreed to join Death Eaters along with Corrine. And he did it. With his hand in hers they apparated in front of the Death Manor, it turned out that she had some sort of friend in there so about thirty minutes after they came in, they came out, now as members. He remembered that he thought he was glad it ended very fast (And that was only the beginning!) then, now he wondered if the application process should be longer, taking into account what comes after, to ensure more time for potential members to change their mind. However, that might be the real reason why the process was pretty quick, less time leaves you less time for thinking, less thinking leaves you less time for changing your mind. Death Eaters would be one small organization otherwise.

For someone who usually speaks all day without stopping Louis find it really difficult to start speaking. He do know what he wanted to say, he just have some trouble with speaking it aloud. When these words leave his mouth it will become real, official. He will not be able to deny any of that further. He gazed back at Jack inhaling deeply. "You know about Death Eaters, right?" Even as rhetorical, it was still a silly question. Even if she wasn't ex-leader of the Order, Jack would still know who they are, as a part of general culture that was well known organisation, although their membership is still unknown; Death Eaters even made they way to Hogwarts becoming one of the topic at DADA classes. "I might be a member of them." His fist that was lying on his thigh clenched, that pain helped him to remain calm and not to start speaking too much. "It's a long story but I'll try to keep it as short as possible. - I never wanted to join but I still joined when..." His voice suddenly trailed off. How could he even describe Corrine? Louis avoided pronouncing of her name 'cause it bought a lot of happy memories, that now made him look into his past with regret. The thing he didn't know was if he's regretting because it happened or because it didn't lasted long. He couldn't find appropriate word to describe her. A friend? No, they were more than that. Lover, maybe? That wasn't the word he's looking for, either; he couldn't call them lovers, not anymore, she vanished without even caring enough to leave him a message, to tell him not to care about her anymore, like he could do that. "A person I cared about asked me to. It ended to be the worst mistake I made in my whole life, though, and I'm trying to get out but I can't." Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Focusing on mechanical actions it was easier to wait for her reply. When the silence extended he continued. "I never wanted to bother you, I just... I believe you would know what to do." 'Cause I don't know, not anymore, he finished for himself.

((I'm so sorry - I thought I had responded! I'm the worst))

Jack had a feeling this was a conversation that was going to be better kept secret, so she flicked her want to cast a quick muffliato to ensure that they would not be overheard. Her rum and Coke had been delivered, and she pocketed her wand to give her the needed hand to lift the drink to her lips, allowing the mixed drink to work its own little version of magic as it poured down her esophagus, spreading a tension-relieving aid to her weary, worried body. Rum truly was a girl's best friend.

Well, it was hers, anyway.

Friends truly were strange. Louis certainly had seemed to consider her a friend in Hogwarts, back when Jack seemed incapable of retaining friendships. She had never really managed to be able to truly call him a friend, but that was out of her own selfishness and distraction, not because of any fault of his own. She had been too preoccupied with Quidditch, exams, Triwizard tournaments, wars, meetings, werewolves, and poltergeists. The only friends she had ever managed to find had not been able to stick around - she had driven everyone off, so maybe it was better that Louis had found her now.

She glanced down and spotted a scuff on her shoe, so she leaned down to rub it out, and that was when Louis spoke. She froze in her position, thumb pressed against her shoe, mind confirming that she had heard correctly. Once it was reported that Louis had just admitted that he was indeed a Death Eater, Jack carefully rubbed the scuff mark, before slowly rolling her spine so she could straighten up and look at Louis - Louis who still seemed like an idealistic kid to her, even though she now know that that wasn't the case. Not at all.

Her own arm throbbed, for no other reason than her own secrets, but Jack did not feel exactly up to just revealing how good a choice Louis had made in approaching her of all people.

She blinked, staring at him. "Trying to get out," she echoed. "Do you really want to get out?" She paused. "And why?"

She just had to know.

(OOC. I'm so sorry for waiting, I've been off because of school stuff. Sorry, again)

The whole time his gaze never left Jack's face, he hasn't glanced away not even when she leaned down to rub a scuff on her shoe, once he read it's important to look someone int he eyes if you wanted for that person to believe you're speaking the true, so he decided to listen to that advice even if that make him look ridiculous. Yes, he told her the complete true, but even he could tell it sounded rather awkward and he needed her to believe him. Louis knew she could turn him in every second, he would even let her, but he doubted that would be her first intent. That's why he choose her, at first.

Jack simply didn't seem like a person who would ran away from him screaming on the top of her lungs, Louis could tell that even since he spend his years after graduation actively avoiding his former schoolmates. The silence that ensued after he finished seemed to be the longer one he ever experienced. Young Weasley relaxed when she responded. It was something, although he didn't like the question he understood why she asked that. However that didn't mean he wanted to respond. "Yes." He replied without a shred of doubt, he wanted that more than anything and he hoped she'll understand that from the sound of his voice. "I never wanted to become a member at the first place, it's just happened. I would lie if I told you I didn't do that on purpose, I was perfectly aware of it when I agreed to join, or at least I thought I was, but I never joined because I agreed with their ways of solving things or with their opinions."

Louis turned his head away, looking anywhere but at Jack's direction, feeling like an idiot. He couldn't see what she thinks about anything he said, he never could, even when they were at Hogwarts her face seemed to be unreadable, sometimes he wished he could do the same. Maybe this was mistake, yet he couldn't stop now, it was everything or nothing. "I hate them, I thought I'll be able to leave them eventually, but I was wrong." So wrong.

This might have been a first for her, now that she really considered it. She had saved people from poltergeists, evacuated them from rogue werewolf packs, prevented drops from the Astronomy tower, and had broken people out of Azkaban and d’Eath Manor. All things considered, helping a Death Eater escape the jaws of the deadly organization should have been right up her alley. And any other time in her life, it probably would have been.
 
But she couldn’t even be certain who was in charge of the Death Eaters right now. Sources said someone had been brought in, but that Lorcan retained most of the control, with Zada at his side. Jack did not have an in with Lorcan, and had no real relationship with the man. Now if Aaron Marcheti had still been heading the Death Eaters up, not only would she be having a much more fun time defending the country, but she was sure she could do some negotiations with him for sure. Even Katrina-Carlotta would have some promise of being reasoned with.
 
But Jack had lost her in. She did not have someone in the Death Eaters she could barter with – well, she did, but she had no idea. So this would all have to be improvised.

“The problem is…” she began, thinking carefully. “Not showing up is fine for a bit. But if they realize you are still around, they might get worried. Suspicious. But distance is the best thing at first. While you train.” She raised an eyebrow. “Because they will come after you. And you need to be ready. How good are you at dueling? And how safe is your place?”

Louis Weasley listened noise, the buzz being poured in glasses only a few feets behind him, loud rumble of human voices that created a cacophony perfect for discussion that must not being heard. Even if Jack haven't casted a spell he doubted anyone could hear their conversation, just as he predicted, the more crowdy place is, the harder is to eavesdrop, and he was lucky this was one of busier days.

He already started counting days till the next meeting in Death Manor. After the first one where he got more than a few suspicious glances only because he was a Weasley, he was even less thrilled to hear there's upcoming meeting again. However he knew he can't cancel it nor he can't refuse to go, he was already seeing a few people suspiciously too many times, and those people were members like him, so he predicted his presence raised even more attention than he thought. That's why this needs to be perfect or it won't work at all. Coming here unnoticed was quite a job, he was walking in circles for a couple of hours earlier, always changing his route as many times as he needed till the last suspicious person gave up. If they thought he hadn't seen them they might want to reconsider applying for tracking him. Really, amateurs.

Distance wouldn't be a problem, Louis thought, in this short period he has been working for the Ministry he earned surprisingly much free days, since he stayed at work for extra few hours after the end of his shift everyday, until he was that exhausted he couldn't think, it has therapeutic effect. At least he liked to think that way. As for a family, that might be a tricker one, given the number of family members, but it shouldn't be impossible. Yes, it might require letters to Molly and his sisters, but everybody else would soon leave him alone the same way they left him when he needed some time alone a couple of months ago. It wouldn't be suspicious much.
"My flat is in muggle neighbour, no one would search there looking for me, and it's hidden with a dozens of spells, but I can move on several other locations if that becomes necessarily, so that wouldn't be a problem. And for dueling, I passed classic auror's training with O's, except for herbology, but I haven't had much practice since than because the case I'm currently working at is taking too much time." And ironically, the case he was working on was about Death Eaters.
What a lucky man he was!

Jack took a long think about it. If he had come to her in actual fear for his life, then it wouldn't be enough to just pretend that he had lost interest in the organization. He would have to place himself somewhere where there was a near guarantee of safety, if he really wanted to be safe somewhere.

And that was when it actually struck her.

"Auror training. Working as an Auror is sort of bait to a Death Eater. They're not exactly friends, you know." She glanced over at Sunny and Goose, who were laughing wildly while Kirsty did an impression of Andy that made the latter turn red - all's well there.

"Have you considered asking for placement in Hogwarts? Perhaps they need a guard. Death Eaters rarely break Hogwarts, and your sisters work there. Your little friends might think the Hogwarts life has gotten you distracted, forget all about you."

She realized she was suggesting he step away from his career, and people rarely responded well from that. But at least this was more of a curve in the path, not a complete shift. And it made sense. At least it did to her.

((sorry for length, muse waning))