A little bit of peace...maybe.

Why? Her mind probed, Why do you buy things you don’t need? Well, that was an easy question. It was just something to douse the money out with before the next lot came and there was only so much Rob’s friends would take. She’d have been better off giving to some damn charity but she truly couldn’t be bothered and the Muggles would ask questions. She could have bought one of their sports teams but that would have been a bit odd anyway. Jen scowled and stood up. She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. Too impulsive, too impulsive. The streak would get her killed one day. “Bloody hell.” She mumbled. She would have settled for her bag of chocolate chips but Matt was hungry. Right. Okay. Err. She moved towards the fridge but stopped herself. She didn’t cook for a reason. Mostly it was because she was pretty clueless. Improvisation did tend to work but she didn’t fancy poisoning anyone. “Why...” she pinched the bridge of her nose again and changed course, deciding instead to sit on the pillows in the bay window.

She opened the window up and snapped her fingers. Her cigarettes flew into her hand and she lit one up. She chucked the cigarettes onto the pillow opposite her and pinched the bridge of her nose once more. She didn’t know whether he was being awkward for the hell of it or just teasing but she lifted her head and replied anyway. “Bed. Don’t care which one but find one and sleep there. That couch is new.” She smirked and flicked the ash off of the cigarette out of the window. “Check the bookcase I suppose. I have a few upstairs but I’m mostly rereading stuff.” She looked up as he came in and raised an eyebrow. Her cooking probably only stretched as far as sitting on the counters in the kitchen of the take-away annoying the guys and giving them ways to improve their dishes. She didn’t exactly try it herself. She just bought the bloody stuff. “Yes but you’re a guest. It sort of makes me feel a little bad. I dunno. Doesn’t go against host code of conduct or something?” she didn’t know. That was her sodding mother’s job to do all of that. And to think, Charlotte was always chiding her about how she’d need to know all this. Too bad she was more interested in the ins and outs of the cannon sitting on the green outside. She didn’t actually think her mother was right. “Well I’ll be damned.” She mumbled, smiling a little.

Matt grinned at the way Jen was acting, she obviously never had guests. "Jen, just give me permission to raid your fridge and I can take care of myself." he told her holding back laughter. If she allowed him free reign of her house he'd be perfectly fine. He'd be spending a little bit of time here anyway, so might as well get comfy. He'd try not to be a bother though, and pretty much only be IN the house at night...if even for a bit. He enjoyed being out, weather he be walking, swimming, at work, anywhere outside the house was good! He looked at his watch quickly before standing up again. "Alright well, forget it. I'll make something for the both of us then, if you're hungry!" he said winking at her. "I am the guest yes, but I love to cook! And I think I owe you something for letting me stay here," he told her smiling. He walked over to her and picked up the cigarette box, he looked it over and shrugged. "Might as well," he said to himself. He took one out and lit it up, he took a seat on the other side of Jen and closed his eyes.

He was getting pretty tired as a matter of fact, he would fall asleep soon. Chances are it'd be right on the spot there, but he tossed the cigarette out the window and sat up. "I'm going to go for a walk, you enjoy those chocolate chips! Don't wait up for me okay!" he called as he stood up and walked to the door grabbing his jacket. With one quick motion he put on his jacket and exited the house.

Jen gestured to the fridge with her hand and flicked her cigarette out of the window. She felt bad but she wasn’t one to cater to other people in the traditional sense. Maybe it was having company doubled with the fact that her house had only been clear of weapons six hours ago. She could have probably armed a medium sized army with weapons and ammo to spare. That was what irked her the most. Perhaps it was either stealing or another bloody money binge. Both seemed plausible but the latter was getting ridiculous now. She leaned her head back against the wall when she heard the door close and frowned to herself. She was tired, hungry and slightly pissed off. However, it was probably only Rob she was angry with. Jen pinched the bridge of her nose and got up out of the window seat before leaving the kitchen.

She walked upstairs and flicked her wand at her bedroom door. She walked inside and threw it on the bed. She pulled her shirt off and shivered from the cold air hitting her skin. She rubbed her arms and walked over to her bathroom. She opened the door and slipped inside. She turned the shower on and continued to undress. While Matt explored the town she’d shower. Possibly the best idea she’d had tonight. She slid under the shower head and washed quickly but thoroughly, cursing the warm days and cold nights. All of the windows must have been open. She shut the water off and jumped out. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her, glad for a bit of extra warmth.

She wandered back into her bedroom and dropped the towel very unceremoniously. No shame. She opened the chest of drawers and pulled out a shirt a pair of shorts. She dressed and pulled her curls back up off of her face in a low ponytail before throwing the clothes and towel in a hamper. Upon returning downstairs she found it empty – of course. But perhaps the fact that there was an extra person and her mind was aware of it. The house felt far, far too big and she wasn’t sure if she liked it. She’d just have to buy a dog or have Elijah transfigure some more Death Eaters into cats or something. She rubbed her arms again and walked back into the living room. She sat down on the couch and took her book off of the coffee table. It was then that she began to read again from where she had left off as if there was no interruption. It was an unwelcomed one, just unexpected.

Blowing a bit of hair out of her face Jen waved her hand at the stereo, changing it to something else. It was an English guy but the name escaped her. “Sodding bloody vampire.” She mumbled, getting up off of the couch. She wrung her hands together and let them drop back to her sides. She could have had someone, anyone, else in her house but she had to have a vampire and not just any vampire but the Minister of the Wizarding World. Now which part of that was making her nervous? Biting her lip, Jen walked back into the kitchen. She definitely needed a cigarette and perhaps another glass of wine.

Matt had jumped off the sidewalk and into the middle of the road, he would go muggle tonight. No magic for the rest of the night, just a simple calm night. He could hear the music of a muggle band coming from a house a few to the left of Jen's place. He smiled to himself and continued down the middle of the road, it was nice to be in a quiet place instead of the big city. He'd have to move someplace quiet after Sophia finished school, he was happy here. All his troubles escaped him, the city was just stressful. He really only needed some quiet, he needed a place to think. That was all that seemed to be troubling him, he couldn't clear his mind. He would give anything for a pensieve right about now, anything to help him. Only a few people made him feel good, all of them unavailable.

He made his way over to the pier and the air became even more humid. He jumped onto the decks and looked around, it was getting even more late. Nobody would noticed him just walking around the docks. Besides, nobody would bother him...hopefully!

Standing on the ceramic tiles stuck to the ground in Jen’s back garden was the only way to cool herself down – well, her feet anyway. She couldn’t really see herself lying on the tiling just to cool her skin down. The air was humid and she felt like she was going to melt. She wasn’t going to lay on the tiles for two reasons – 1. It is undignified to sprawl out on the floor and 2. She didn’t want to give her neighbours a show. The woman and her son that lived in the house to the left of Jen’s definitely redefined the meaning of ‘nosy neighbours’. The woman wouldn’t stop fishing for new gossip and her son was probably the biggest prick Jen had ever encountered and she’d definitely met her fair share seeing as most of the males she knew were complete twats...Rob included.

She guessed that the woman’s son had been fathered by an ostrich or at least some poor guy with an incredibly long neck. She had never actually seen someone crane their neck so far before. It was quite unnerving actually. She’d only just manage to fight the desire to shoot him every time that mop of sandy-brown hair popped up from the other side of the fence. She had considered getting a bigger fence but she had a feeling they’d just buy a trampoline. But having crazy, and occasionally perverted, neighbours was what being part of some kind of town was about right; having people live near you from all different walks of life? She definitely hoped not otherwise she was going to move to the middle of nowhere or get a promotion and live in her office. It was downright creepy sometimes.

As if on cue, a head popped up from the other side of the fence and the gossipy woman smiled sweetly at Jen who returned it with a sickly-sweet smile of her own. “Hello dear! Would you like some company? I made a lovely tart and my son would just love to see you!” Jen raised an eyebrow and took a drag, ignoring the disapproving look from the woman.
“I’ve actually got company.” The woman looked pleased and Jen continued. “Yeah, we’re actually going to f*ck like bunnies all night so you might want to get some ear plugs.” And kill that prick of a human being you brought back from the hospital so he doesn’t listen. Jen thought, leaving that part left unsaid.
“Oh! How lovely! Well, you have a good evening!” she chirped.

Her head disappeared and Jen flicked the cigarette over the fence, hoping to either get it in her hair or one of the flower beds. Jen ducked back inside and hurried around. She needed out of the house before the woman stuck her head out of the upstairs window of her house and began to talk to her neighbour who obviously wanted to know about Jen’s sex like or current lack of. She pulled her trainers on and quickly laced them up before leaving her house. She locked both locks on the door as she left and was glad that she remembered to put a weapon in the inside pocket of the jacket she’d put on. She could feel it pressing against her side but she didn’t care at that moment in time what type of weapon it was.

She ran down towards the pier, eager to put as much distance between herself and the row of houses as possible. Her mind was reeling over what she’d come out with. She was still trying to get over how matter-of-factly she said it. It was horribly crass but it stupid woman didn’t seem to care. Jen walked across the decking, her eyes trained on the little gaps between each board. She reminded herself that she was in fact clumsy and couldn’t be trusted on any surface that wasn’t solid or safe. But she tripped. She’d watched where she was going and she tripped, landing with a loud bang on the boards. Her hands had come out to break her fall but it hadn’t done much good apart from save her face.

She hissed something out in a completely different language and pushed herself over so she was sat down on the boards. She crossed her legs and rubbed some of the fake finish on the wood that had been repainted a few days ago, off of her knees. Instead of wiping the varnish off, she left a crimson handprint. Jen looked at her hands scowled at the light coating of red that was spread across the palms. It wasn’t thick, not like the incident in the craft class when she nearly sawed her who hand off. Rob had fainted from the sight of the blood -- as did a few others. Jen was just stood there, indifferent to the blood on her hands; a bit like now. Except the only difference was that she’d been watching what she was doing yet she’d still managed to hurt herself.

Jen plucked a bit of the wood out of her palm and wondered whether she should file a complaint. She raised her palm to her mouth and lightly licked the blood away from the wound, hoping to stop the blood flow with no avail. Just a light trickle of crimson that seemed to taunt her as it gleamed against her pale-ish skin. She scowled and tried to get rid of the metallic taste which seemed palatable in a weird way. She frowned and plucked a smaller piece of wood out of her other palm and stood up. “Damn the teenage addiction to blood-replenishing potions.” She said, pressing her fingers to the opposite palms in an effort to stem the bleeding. “Why me?!?” she groaned audibly, glancing back at the row of houses. “She’ll be out with sodding plasters and bandages if I don’t get this to stop.”

Matt was humming to himself when the odd scent of something familiar hit the air. He smelled blood, his eyes flashed black but he wasn't too hungry. But he couldn't trust his own vampire mind, he shook his head and continued along the pier. Humming an old sea song, something he had picked up watching old movies. He'd have to find the source of the blood and get rid of it before he went savage. He followed his nose, the humid air was throwing him off, but he still found the source. He was wrong however when he thought nobody was watching him. He swore he saw someone or something creeping around behind him. He stopped when he reached Jen, she was sitting down and her hand was bleeding. His eyes flashed black but he froze, he pulled out his wand and didn't bother to ask. He healed her hand and the scent of blood was gone, "Sorry, I just couldn't take the smell anymore." he told her sitting down next to her. "You've got some damned nosy neighbours around here you know that right?" he told her.

He could hear something now, it was close and it was watching. "Like right now for instance," he began. His wand still in his hand, his eyes flashed to a shadow on a boat. "There is someone watching us, someone who can't keep to themselves." he said getting louder on the last bit. He was the minister for magic, he could risk casting some magic on a muggle. "Watch this," he whispered in his ear. He stood up and began to pace around the pier, not taking his eyes off of the shadow. He quickly flicked his wand, which was of course Sirius's, and the shadow jumped. He had secretly flicked his wand so the shadow would have no idea what the trouble was. He grinned, "Aha!" he said jumping onto the boat. He picked up a boy, around fourteen years old, by the scruff of his shirt.

He pulled him out to where Jen was sitting and looked down at the boy. He felt like having a little fun, he always liked picking on muggles who deserved it. "Well, well, well, well, what have we hear." he said. He winked at Jen and looked at the boy. "Looks like we have a little spy here, what exactly were you doing then?" he asked not releasing his grip. "I wasn't doing nothing, just out for a walk!" said the boy. Matt rolled his eyes and looked at Jen, "What do you suppose we do with this kid?" he asked her.

The thought of having some fussy woman wanting to ‘heal’ her terrified Jen. She’d probably just find an excuse to draw more blood and leave huge trails around the house. Then she’d probably run away. Although, the nagging feeling that someone was watching her was something she couldn’t quite shake away. Although that was probably years of paranoia and spending far too much time with weaponry. She looked up at the sound of footsteps and couldn’t help but want to hide her hands from the approaching person. No doubt Matt was uncomfortable. “Yeah...” she said awkwardly, biting her lip slightly. Embarrassing. “Sorry ‘bout that. I am, uh, clumsy at the worst times I fear.” She nodded thoughtfully and glanced back up to the house. She saw woman grinning in the upstairs window and Jen wondered why she even bothered coming up with random excuses that most people would be horrified about. “Of course I know that.” She smirked. “It’s kind of hard not to notice. I think I might move but the scary thing is that they might move with me or the woman will. Her son she can send off somewhere.”

Jen raised an eyebrow and turned, watching as Matt jumped into the boat. She was going to mention that they were in fact Muggles but she doubted Khaat, Narcissa and the rest of them would put the Minister in Azkaban. Well, Narcissa might but she just loved to be impassively annoying. The rest would definitely slightly irked by the thought of having to chuck the Minister in the slammer. Plus, it wouldn’t take long to break out. With the Dementors it is a little difficult but without them it’s a piece of cake. Although, there was a hole in the floor of Azkaban which could be used if one wanted a swim. She looked at the boy and scowled a little, thankful that only one of the pier lights was illuminating her so the woman had no way of seeing.

Well, there were many things they could do with that kid. Throw him off the pier was one. Her favourite was using the Cruciatus Curse on him for a while but that was a little bit excessive. Have David tattoo ‘I am the biggest twat that ever walked this earth’ on his forehead. Drown him. Perhaps they could castrate him and give the seagulls anything that came of it. It all seemed great in the long run but she definitely didn’t want to be arrested by Muggles. It wouldn’t really take long to figure out who did it. A. She enjoyed letting everyone know who killed whom and B. She didn’t exactly hide her contempt for the boy. “Throw him over the pier.” She said dismissively. Jen got to her feet and yawned. Fatigue and loss of blood was getting to her; she was shattered.