Chapter 1: A Barmaid's Tale

Sophie knocked on the door quietly. She'd been dreading this day for weeks and didn't know how she would face the Gryffindor Head of House after this meeting. There was a quiet, "Come in," and she entered.

Professor McGonagall smiled slightly from behind her desk as one of her favorite students walked into her office. "Miss Davis, I trust you've been thinking of your life outside Hogwarts."

"Yes, Professor. I have a plan."

"Great. However, this meeting is for Careers Advice so we will talk for a couple minutes of your plan before you can leave." She looked down at what appeared to be Sophie's transcripts.

"Of course, Professor."

"Miss Davis, if your grades continue like this, when you graduate from Hogwarts your seventh year, you could go into practically any field of work! Of course certain fields require special courses but-"

"Pardon me, Professor," Sophie interrupted politely. "But I already know what job I want."

"Of course. What job may that be? I can tell you what the requirements are." She looked at Sophie expectantly.

"I want to be a Barmaid, Professor." She waited in the silence for a moment before continuing, "Like Madam Rosmerta."

"Like-like… A Barmaid? Are you absolutely sure? With your grades you could run for Minister of Magic!"

Sophie sighed. This was what she expected. "But that's just it Professor, I'm not interested in any of those high-end jobs."

"And you truly think you'll enjoy being a Barmaid?" Professor McGonagall asked quietly, looking at her as if she had suddenly sprouted antlers.

"Yes Professor." Sophie smiled at the thought. She didn't truly know why working behind the counter sounded so appealing. Perhaps it was because it seemed so mundane. Sophie had never been one to cry out for attention. Not like the fourth year Gryffindor boys that called themselves the Marauders.

"Alright then Miss Davis." McGonagall seemed to have gotten over her shock and just seemed disappointed. Sophie understood. The Professor had been hinting that she may need an intern or a helper and Sophie could only guess she'd wanted her to apply. "Best be off now or you'll be late to the Quidditch match!"

Sophie laughed at Professor McGonagall's face. Her mouth was set in a firm line but her eyes blazed with something else. Possibly pride. "We wouldn't want that now would we?"

Three Years Later

"'Scuse me," a male voice said from the bar.

Sophie looked up and smiled. "Sirius Black? Come to get another girl drunk, eh?"

"Davis?" Sirius asked, whirling around to face her. When his eyes met her's he broke out into a grin. "It is you!"

"The one and only," she replied, a smirk on her face. "It's been what, a year since I've seen you?"

"Don't be so bloody dramatic, Sophie. It's only been a couple months," another voice called out. Sophie's eyes followed to where Sirius had turned and she caught sight of James, Remus, Peter, and Lily at a booth near the window.

Sophie shot a quick glance to Rosmerta who was following the exchange and gave her a quick nod. Practically running out from behind the bar, Sophie made her way past Sirius—who seemed rather bothered by the fact—and ran into the open arms of James, the one who'd spoken. "James!"

"Now what did I say about dramatics?" He asked, pulling away. He shot her a wink. "It's good to see you. The team could've really used you in our match against Ravenclaw. Mind you we still won. We actually came as a group, see. First Firewhiskeys and all that."

"Right… So five Firewhiskeys then?" James followed her to the bar where Sirius still stood, a small frown on his face. When he caught Sophie staring, his usual smirk came back into place.

"No, Remus and Lily both want a Butterbeer instead." James smiled as Sophie poured two Butterbeers.

"Light drinkers, eh?"

"You could say that." After the drinks were done she handed him the two mugs and he grinned. "So three then."

"Five," Sirius replied with a grin of his own. "And I'll have you know, that girl was the only girl I've been with that coincidentally got drunk."

"Sure Black."

As James went back to the booth to give Lily and Remus their drinks, Sirius slid onto one of the barstools. "Black? That hurts!" He feigned agony and clutched at his shirt. Out of the corner of her eye, Sophie saw a girl swoon.

"You started it by calling me Davis."

"I couldn't help it, love! I was so stunned by your beauty that all I could remember was your last name."

Sophie rolled her eyes. "That doesn't even make sense. Honestly, it'd be best if you just flirted with Rosmerta, I think she rather enjoys it." She pulled out two different bottles of Firewhiskey. "Which brand you want?"

"Never seen that one before." Sirius said, eyeing the bottle of Blishen's Fire Cinnamon Flavoured Whiskey.

"That's because we technically don't sell it; it's part of my personal stock. It's rather weak when it comes to Firewhiskey to be quite honest. Muggles could drink it if they wanted."

"Right, well how about three of each?"

"I thought you wanted five?" She quickly poured three glasses of Blishen's. She scooted them towards Sirius who flashed her a grin before draining one of the glasses, not even batting an eye. She put the bottle away and started pouring the Ogden's Firewhiskey in three separate glasses. "For your first time that was rather uninteresting."

"You're right… One moment." He paused to look back at his booth where James was sitting down, seeming to have no intention of returning to the bar. Sophie looked back at Sirius to see him wincing. Whatever it was that happened seemed to be rather painful.

"Sirius! Oh, what happened?"

"It hurts," he responded with a groan. He looked up at her, the pain evident in his eyes.

Sophie panicked slightly. "What hurts? What happened?"

"The Firewhiskey…" He smirked at her shocked expression. "It burns."

"Why you bloody prick! You had me worried! I thought you were being serious-"

"I am Sirius."

"Ugh! You're a prat, you know that? You just make me so furious! I thought you were hurt." Somehow, Sophie had managed to come to the other side of the counter, and stood right in front of him. She could feel the stares and she stopped yelling, looking at everyone sheepishly.

"Sorry everyone! Don't mind us!" Sirius looked at her with a wicked grin. "Just your everyday lovers' quarrel."

"What? No! I don't know what-" Before she could continue the thought Sirius cut her off with a quick peck on the lips. Seeming satisfied with that, the people of the Three Broomsticks went back to what they were doing.

"You-you," Sophie sputtered. She blinked twice. "You kissed me!"

"Yes," he said simply, still smiling."And I rather enjoyed it too."

"Shut up, you dunderhead! I have to get back to work!"

"Alright, love!" He practically sang. He just loved to tease, didn't he? "Have a good day!"

With that, he levitated the remaining five Firewhiskeys over to his table, giving Lily and Remus the last two tame ones.

Sophie rolled her eyes at his antics and squeezed by Rosmerta to put away the Ogden's Firewhiskey. Seeing a customer spill their Butterbeer across the tavern, she grabbed a rag and turned to go clean it up but was blocked by Madam Rosmerta herself. She didn't say a word, just looked at her with an eyebrow raised.

After a moment of complete silence, for Sophie didn't know what to say, Rosmerta cleared her throat. "If you're not going to go over there and kiss him, then I will!"

Of course, she knew the older witch was joking; it'd be highly inappropriate for a witch her age to kiss a seventeen year old boy. She nodded anyway and headed over to the Marauder's booth, her rag completely forgotten on the counter.

Sophie grinned when Sirius looked up from the booth, a smile sliding onto his already attractive features. She grabbed his wrist and pulled him up from the booth before kissing him right then and there, in the middle of The Three Broomsticks, in front of his friends. Pulling away, he rested his forehead against her's, his eyes still closed she noticed.

"What brought this on?" His breath fanned across her lips and she smiled slightly. He opened his eyes then and Sophie realized just how alluring grey could be.

"Rosmerta, believe it or not."

He grinned. "Best. Boss. Ever."