Pass the Butterbeer (Open)

There was a fall nip in the air and no one felt it more than Mordecai. The wind was turning colder every day and even though he had just gone through his early morning warm-ups around the Quidditch Pitch he felt as if he was frozen solid. He should he as lively and kipper as a highland fling after the workout that he put himself through but try as he might he just couldn't get rid of that chill that was soaked into his bones. Blasted British weather. It was out to get him. He could have sworn by it.

It was still early enough that his presence at the school wouldn't be missed for an hour or two if he decided to fly over to the village to a quick "pick me up." Practices weren't until after classes were finished and the group of first years that he had to teach wasn't until mid-afternoon. He had time.

Adjusting the brightly coloured hand-knitted scarf around his neck, a gift from a mum of one of his old Macaw team-mates back in New Zealand, Mordecai slid his broom into an empty slot next to the door of the Three Broomsticks before he entered. Was only polite to leave the broom outside and he knew that it wasn't going to go anywhere. A few nifty anti-theft charms prevented anyone from taking the broom that wasn't the rightful owner. Also, if they tried to Mordecai would know about it. And then he'd kill the blighter. Well, maybe not kill. Probably pummel to a bloody pulp.

The weather is getting cold day by day. There is no Quidditch practice this moring, so Elv thought she could go somewhere cozy... Not Hogshead because Abe would ask too much questions about why she is here early in the morning.

Elv walked around Hogsmead wearing her lovely pink coat. She enjoyed the cold weather lately. "I think I could live in the pollar. I love the weather..." she said happily while looked at the bright sky. She walked to the Three Broomstick. Elv sang her fav song I'll be there when she suddenly bumped into someone who standing in front of the door. She fell down. "Ouch... Sorry..." she apologized.

Neve walked through Hogsmead, shivering slightly in her thin jumper. I should have brought a jacket she thought. It was very early but Neve liked it when no one was around. It was calmer and more peaceful plus more animals came out when it was quiet. The weather was really cold though and Neve's fingers were starting to numb. Rubbing her hands together she looked around for somewhere to go and spotted the Three Broomsticks. 'Perfect,'she muttered and started walking towards it when she noticed two other people standing in the doorway. Seems it's not as empty as I thought.She was quite surprised. People weren't usually outside at this time in the morning and she wasn't expecting to find that other people were walking around too. I could really do with some strawberries right now she thought as she approached the entrance. I wonder if they sell any here.

Calista walked into the Three Broomsticks and looked around. She saw three other people but didn't care. She didn't really look to see if she knew any of them as she made her way to a table in the back. Sitting down she pulled out a thin black book and began writing things down on it. 'Hm if i sell the corn to this vendor I'll get more money than if i sell it else where. But what do i do about the rest of the produce?' she thought as she sighed looking out the window. She had come here to see if there was anyway to sell any of her things here but she soon found that it was a no. 'If i don't find places to sell things I'll soon lose the produce that needs to be sold soon and i don't want that. I've already sold things to the muggles more often than not, they are greedy for more of my produce.' she thought worrying more now.

"Steady on there." Mordecai paused with his hand on the door handle as someone walked right into him. Once glance over his shoulder told him everything that he needed to know.

"You alright there miss?" He asked as he turned around and held out his hand in order to help Elvaleryn to her feet. A quick once over revealed that she was perfectly fine, if not a bit on the smudged side. A quick flick of the wand and her pink coat would be as good as new. There was something familiar about her. She was a student no doubt but the bright red hair triggered a memory. He was usually good at putting a name to a face, especially if it was Quidditch related.

"Have I seen you at the Pitch? Chaser...for the Gryffindors." He mulled over the thought. He had been keeping a weathered eye on the Pitch when the house teams were practicing, getting ready for the big match in a few days time. He remembered her hair. Red hair with the red robes. Hard to miss with that colour combination.

"Well I'm not going to ask what you're going off school grounds at this time of the day just yet. I haven't had my morning tot and I don't consider myself awake until I do. After you." He grinned as he stepped aside and wrenched the door open in order to allow Elvaleryn to pass.

Maybe it was the morning weather or just his luck but he found himself playing the role of the doorman while two other strange faces sauntered by and entered the pub. Well, it had to be raining women somewhere. He gave a quick glance both left and right to make sure that there weren't any stragglers before he ducked under the doorframe and entered the Broomsticks. Instantly a wave of comforting warmth washed over him as the door swung shut behind him. Even though it was the beginning of October the owner of the place already had fires roaring in the stone fireplaces.

Finally a place where he could actually warm up a bit.

Mordecai quickly undid his scarf but let it hang around his neck as he made his way to an empty table that sat closest to the fire. He was accustomed to weather three times the heat that the fire could give but he didn't let that stop him from ordering a Butterbeer. He had heard that it was the thing to have on a day like this. Too early for whiskey and not late enough for a nice hot buttered rum. He had to be sober in order to teach the younglings how to sit on a broomstick so Butterbeer it would be.

Calista put the thin black book away not knowing what to do to keep her farming running. 'I could always dad but i don't want him to think that i can't take care of myself.' she thought to herself softly. 'I need a drink if i am to write a letter to him asking for advice in this matter. But i want to stay sober cause he'll know in the letter.' She got up and walked over to the bar, "Can i have a butterbeer please?" she asked the bartender as she looked down at her hands that were shaking slightly with nervousness. Calista hated asking her father for help let alone anything that dealt with the farm he had given her.

Ups... He is Professor Warton, her new quidditch coach in Hogwarts. Elv smiled to him. "Thank you, Professor Warton." she said while he helped her and promised not to ask anything about why she was there. "Oh!!! You remember me!!" she laughed. Usually people not remember her after first meeting. Well... She is unnoticed anyway... Elv walked into the Three Broomstick. "What would you like to drink anyway, professor? I could order it for you too..." she asked after put her pink coat.

Neve entered the pub, muttering a low 'Thanks' to the man holding the door open for her. He looked kind of familiar. Quidditch something or other. She wouldn't know, she didn't play Quidditch. She noticed there were three other people there. It was warm inside but not as warm as she had hoped. Maybe if she sat close to the fire it be warmer. She looked around and saw that the table closest to the fire had the Quidditch man sitting there. Should she go and ask to join him? But she didn't know him. What if he didn't want random students sitting with him? She stood there for a while, arguing with herself until her need for warmth overpowered her shyness. Still shivering slightly, she made her way to the table and smiled hesitantly. 'Mind if I join you?'

Mordecai's eyes studied the small collection of people in the pub as he calmly blew into his hands and rubbed them together in order to warm them. He was really going to have to think about getting himself a pair of Yeti skin gloves for the upcoming matches that he was going to have to referee. Yeti hide had a decent grip to it and was as warm as anything he could hope for. But the bloody things were expensive to get. He'd have to send in an international order request to Tibet and lord knows those monks were highly protective of their native creatures.

"Don't you worry your pretty head about drinks now I got it covered." He chuckled as he reached over and pulled out a chair of the third year student. His attention was caught by an unknown girl that had shyly worked her way to the table and asked if she could join them. He guessed he wasn't the only one feeling the bite of the weather today.

"Of course. The more the merrier. I hate drinking alone." He said with a bit of a laugh as he rose to his feet and pull out another one of the empty chairs that ringed the worn wooden table.

"Miss Weasley. Why don't you go on over to the bar and invite that nice lady to join us. She looks like she could use a bit of cheering up." He murmured to Elvaleryn as he sat back down with his back to the crackling fire behind him.

Elv smiled at the girl. "You are Gryffindor, right?? I remember saw you in common room..." she asked. Elv looked at the lady that Professor Warton pointed at. She laughed. "Well... no problem, sir..." she said. Elv took another seat besides her and walked to the lady. "Excuse me... Would you like to join us?? My professor there was inviting you to join..." she smiled politely to her.