Happy Birthday to Me... (backdated OPEN THREAD)

[a_weasley_apart]

Date: BACKDATED August 22, 2001
Time: 9:00 PM
Location: The Three Broomsticks, Hogsmeade
Character(s) Involved: Percy Weasley and WIDE OPEN
Rating: Guess that depends on who shows up!

Comments

[eviemoonchild]

It had been a longer evening than Evie expected when she ran out to Hogsmeade on the request of a long-standing customer who needed her dress sooner than expected, to do some rushed fittings that actually hadn't been nearly as rushed as she would have liked them to be. Designing cross-generational eveningwear, she'd found, had its ups and downs; older customers were much more likely to order custom-made clothing, which meant more money for her--but also far more demanding on her time. She'd only managed to get out a little before nine, and was hot and starving and lugging a heavy dress that would go right back to her flat to finish, tonight--when she'd have any other time to do it, Evie couldn't guess.

She made her way back to the Three Broomsticks, intending to get home by Floo, but the smell of some kind of food--roasted potatoes, perhaps--caught her attention and her belly gave an embarrassing grumble. A tavern seemed like such a coarse place to have dinner, but it was very late and she was quite hungry, so perhaps the dress could

[a_weasley_apart]

He may not have drunk enough to take the edge off his thoughts, yet, but Percy had clearly had enough to take the edge of his alertness. When the weighty bag hit the bar next to him, he flinched in surprise, whiskey slopping over the edge of his glass onto his fingers. Making a face, he set the glass down and picked up a napkin to wipe up the spill fastidiously, glancing at the offender as he did so. She was vaguely familiar, as many people of around that age were vaguely familiar from his Hogwarts years, but he couldn't put a name to her.

"Please join me," he offered solemnly, without a trace of irony; the invitation itself was irony enough when she'd already taken the seat.

[eviemoonchild]

"Merci," Evie answered the invitation automatically, surprised that the redheaded man had spoken to her. She was not French, but she was learning it to better communicate with French clientele, and approached the language with a child's delight at discovering new things, sprinkling every day speech with French words and phrases with abandon. She wondered what had made the man invite her to join him--she'd thought he'd had the air of someone who wanted to drink alone in peace, though perhaps her impulsive choice in a seat so close to him, when dozens of others were available, had made him feel obligated to speak to her. Both curious and a bit guilty, Evie shifted Mrs. Bradley's dress to her other side and scooted down one seat to properly sit beside him.

"Evie Moon," she introduced herself promptly.

[a_weasley_apart]

Percy himself wasn't entirely sure what had prompted him to issue the invitation. Perhaps the chivalry his mother had drilled into him since childhood. Perhaps it was that he did wish for some company on what was, after all, supposed to be a special occasion.

"Enchanté, Mademoiselle Moon," he replied, taking his cue from her. His French wasn't anything spectacular, either, but one didn't rise in International Magical Cooperation without at least a basic grasp of the languages of England's most prominent neighbors. Mr Crouch had done a great deal to inspire Percy's interest in languages, as well. However, he didn't think this girl was a non-English speaker, as her name had been the clue he needed to remember her. "Evelyn, n'est pas? You attended Hogwarts." Pulling himself together, he straightened up and offered a hand. "Percy Weasley."

[eviemoonchild]

Evie grinned broadly when the man elected to answer her in French, humoring her (admittedly) somewhat silly fascination with the language. "Oui," she answered his question, nodding when he named her place of schooling. He looked somewhat familiar, now that she thought of it, and not very much older than herself--perhaps only three or four years, which meant that it was likely they'd attended Hogwarts together for a few years. His introduction answered that question. "A pleasure to meet you, Monsieur Weasley," she told him, taking his hand and giving it a firm shake. A Weasley--that explained the red hair and the fact that he was only barely recognizable, since the entire family had wound up in Gryffindor, if she recalled correctly. "What brings you to Hogsmeade?" she inquired politely just as Madam Rosmerta appeared, turning away briefly to order a butterbeer and a plate of roast chicken and boiled potatoes. "I hope you don't mind if I eat. I missed my dinner."

[a_weasley_apart]

"Not at all," he replied, making a slight gesture with his hand for her to proceed; "not at all. Please do."

As to what he was doing here... He was just wellied enough to answer her honestly. He drew himself up slightly. "This is," he informed her with great dignity, "in point of fact, a celebration. I have managed to survive my brothers' pranks for a full twenty-five years, much to their disappointment. It seemed reason enough for a drink." First tilting his glass towards her in a small salutation, he suited action to words.

[eviemoonchild]

Evie drew in her breath, pressing the tips of two fingers to her lips. "Your birthday? Indeed, that is something to celebrate about! I'd join you in your drink if I had any...ah, here we are, perfect timing," she added as Rosmerta returned with a foaming mug of butterbeer. Lifting it in a toast, she intoned, "To surviving twenty-five years. And may you survive many more." She smiled and drank, wondering why Mr. Weasley was celebrating alone without any family--there were supposed to be a great lot of them, weren't there? It seemed too personal to ask why none of them were here.