Chapter 44 I don't own Merlin or Harry Potter. Bold is mind talk or another language, most likely mind talk, though. Pretty much a party chapter, you don't have to read if you don't want to, nothing truly big happens. Also, needed the levity from the few months of not writing this fic, it was kinda fun to write about. Guys, new follower! Just putting it out there, I see more follows, I want to write!
Two weeks before the end of the term, the sky lightened suddenly to a dazzling, opaline white and the muddy grounds were revealed one morning covered in glittering frost. Inside the castle, there was a buzz of Christmas in the air. Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, had already decorated his classroom with shimmering lights that turned out to be real, fluttering fairies. The students were all happily discussing their plans for the holidays. Both Ron and Hermione had decided to remain at Hogwarts, and though Ron said it was because he couldn't stand two weeks with Percy, and Hermione insisted she needed to use the library, Harry wasn't fooled; they were doing it to keep him company, and he was very grateful.
To everyone's delight except Harry's, there was to be another Hogsmeade trip on the very last weekend of the term.
"Still up for the challenge, Spence?" Cassie asked the morning of the Hogsmeade visit in the Great Hall.
"What challenge?" he said confused, skewering his sausage.
"That I can out-drink you." Cassie replied, an excited gleam in her eyes.
"Oh, I thought that was a dream, to be honest. You don't seem like the type to drink like that."
"I'm not, not usually at least. I'll drink some wine at dinner, but I was taught a few cocktails for when my grandfather had his 'friends' over. Also, I can't help it, I'm a show off, and when someone issues a challenge, it becomes a question of defending my honor." Cassie said jokingly, making Merlin snort while Tommy and Ced coughed on their drinks.
"Well, need any help getting the supplies?" he offered, curious to see just how much the prim and proper girl could let loose.
"No, just need to know how much of everything I should get. There'll be butterbeer for whomever doesn't want to drink *coughs* Merlin."
"Hey! I resent that! I can surpass you all." he said, offended.
"Good! So that's at least us, I'm assuming the seventh and sixth years, how about you guys? The wager was with you." she said teasingly, winking at them as a couple teachers walked past.
"We're in."
"Not me, Prefect duties with Audrey." Cedric said sadly.
"Next time, then." Cassie promised, smiling wickedly.
"Is it just me or is that smile scary?" Spencer asked Tommy.
"No, that's a dangerous smile. Means she has something up her sleeves. Do tell us what you're actually planning, Cassie. I don't think we'd like to wake up with donkey ears."
"Drinking games. Thinking up the rules is all."
"Last time we did one of those, I ended up in a bog, Cassie. I'm out." Merlin said with a shake of his head.
"There's no bogs here. Very little chance of that happening, Merlin."
"Nope, no way am I playing another drinking game with you. You're still much smarter than I am." he said quickly.
"Be the judge, then." Tommy suggested.
"He won't be a fair judge. Try and get me back for that hunting trip with Arthur and Mithian." Cassie said with a nostalgic smile.
"Will not! That was a while ago, Cassie. And I don't hold on to petty grudges like you."
"Really, so, uh, Gwaine and that one girl in the tav- Okay, whatever, we'll figure it out tonight." Cassie said, cutting herself off at Merlin's kick from under the table. "Who's in charge of the music? A party's not a party without good music."
"You're really going all out for this, aren't you." Leon said.
"Oi, Cassie! Happy birthday!" Fred and George said, coming over and giving her her present. "It's from all of us Weasleys. Hope you like it!" they said, each giving her a kiss on one cheek before going back to their table.
"Thanks guys!." she called to them.
"Seriously! We missed your birthday again?!" Tommy asked, horrified.
"Don't worry. You'll make up for it tonight."
"You missed my birthday." Merlin mumbled.
"When's your birthday?" Leon asked sheepishly.
"December 3rd."
"They'll make up for it tonight, don't worry." Cassie said conspiratorially.
"I really don't like it when that smile appears, Cassie." Tommy said with a groan.
"I'm not pranking you. Actually have an idea on how to go out with a bang, so to speak."
"If it involves me, I'm staying with Harry then." Merlin said.
"Don't be such a girls' petticoat, Merlin. Involves the Slytherins. I never did get back at them for October. And I haven't done anything to them in over a year." Cassie said with an eye roll.
"Okay, I'm in then." Merlin said.
"What are you going to do?" Spencer and Winston asked curiously.
"Let's say, the hair prank from two years ago will be surpassed." Cassie answered vaguely.
"No! Really, that was the best prank ever, you even got Flitwick! Although we heard about you tricking Fred and George into turning Snape's robes bright green last year at Christmas. I'm sure that must have been awesome!" Winston said.
"I didn't trick them! I gave them two items, each with one prank. It was them two who decided to use it at the Staff table when everyone was there." Cassie told them nonchalantly.
"She's devious." Spencer declared, "I don't know how you dated her for so long."
"She's not devious against me." Tommy told them with a wink Cassie's way. "Except when I deserved it." he amended at her narrowed eyes.
"You are so whipped, and you're not even dating anymore." Winston snorted.
"Well, we've got to go. Stuff to buy, people to see. Deal's to 'll be back, don't worry." Cassie told them all, standing up from the table and climbing down the stairs to grab her winter furs and leave her present there.
"Later." Merlin said, finishing his orange juice and going with her to their common room. They then stood behind the line of people leaving for Hogsmeade.
"Okay, we might have to sneak this in past Filch. You know how he is."
"Leave it to me. I'll distract him, with Fred and Geroge's help. I'm sure they won't say no to it." he said with a smirk.
"Good. Come on, let's get past those damn dementors quickly." Cassie said, hooking her arm through Merlin's and pressing closer.
"You any closer to casting the Patronus?"
"Yeah, I've taken Professor Lupin's advice, and it's actually helped a lot. All the meditating and looking through my memories to find one that's strong enough. I've even started remembering more, and that's helping too. I just don't know why it's the stuff that embarrasses you that I'm remembering." she teased lightly.
"Which explains why you remember that night with Gwen. And Gwaine at the tavern as well."
"I've been making stronger and stronger wisps and holding them for longer, hopefully by the time our next Patronus lesson comes around I'll be able to cast a non-corporeal Patronus." Cassie said excitedly, walking down High Street and into an alley.
"What are we doing here?" Merlin asked confusedly.
"Getting the booze. Heard of the suffering bastard?" she asked with a smirk that somehow looked graceful.
"Isn't that a tiki drink?" Merlin asked, confused. "It's winter. In Scotland, and we're far from a tiki place."
"No, not that one, the Egyptian one."
"Oh, yeah, the one Joe made! That man was seriously cool, his parties were amazing! Did you know he spoke eight languages! For who he was, especially at that time, he definitely was extremely well liked."
"You kne- oh right, forgot for a second. Anyways, I remembered Dragoon…"
"No, Cassie. Really? I absolutely hate you, right now." Merlin said.
"Well, you could be the Dolma if that's what you really wanted. I mean, no one will suspect you if you're her."
"You are being, without a doubt, the supreme, absolute worst! I completely hate that you know that story now. You'd better not tell Arthur or Morgana." Merlin said, glaring at her.
"You are a buttface!"
"Oh, that's charming! Dragoon it is." Merlin mumbled.
"Great! Here's some robes for you to wear. I figured the Hog's Head might be better, more strange people go there."
"Make sure no one sees, I need to change into this." Merlin grumbled, turning around and changing into the russet colored floor-length robes she'd gotten for him. "Miht dagan, beþecce me. Adeadaþ þisne gast min freondum ond min feondum."
"Merlin, that is seriously cool. You have to teach me that someday." Cassie said, poking his wrinkly cheek with one finger.
"Stop it! I'm not Merlin. I am Dragoon! The Great!" Merlin said, slapping her hand out of his face.
"More like a liver-faced old loon." Cassie said, smirking. "Ron! Hermione! W-what are you doing here?" Cassie asked nervously when they spotted them walking down the street.
"Getting our Christmas presents for everyone. Who's this?" Ron asked, nodding to him.
"Th-this is Dragoon, he's Merlin's guardian." Cassie said, "Dragoon, this is Hermione and Ron, they're friends of Merlin's and myself."
"Yes, my nephew certainly always made friends with the pretty girls and the hare-brained boys." he said, receiving an elbow in the gut from Cassie. "What?"
"Sorry, Merlin did say I could do that if he became too snide." Cassie told the other two, "He just stopped by before continuing on to his home in Wales."
"I thought he was a muggle."
"No, I have magic, ginger. Although, Merlin does tell me you play an excellent game of chess. We should play some time." Dragoon said.
"Oh, he's great at chess, in our first year he beat the transfigured Chess set McGonagall had used as a protection for the Philosopher's stone. It was amazing, really." Hermione piped in, still blushing at being called the pretty girl.
"We'll see you later, Merlin's waiting for us in the Hog's Head." Cassie told them, then leaned in to stage whisper, "Apparently Dragoon doesn't like the Three Broomsticks, prefers the old tavern feel of the Hog's Head. Something to do with some fight he got in with a ruffian at one and they became like, best friends and all that." Cassie said, tapering off at the end from the look Dragoon was giving her.
"Let's go, Casiopée! This has become dilatory quickly, I was right, you gossip too much." he said, stalking off.
"See you in a bit." Cassie said, rolling her eyes.
"Happy birthday!" they called after her as she ran to catch up to Dragoon.
"You can be so annoying sometimes, Me-Dragoon."
"At least I can do so without losing my friends! Do you know how much fun I had insulting the knights sometimes! Especially Gwaine and Percival." he said with a hearty laugh.
"Who's Percival?" Cassie asked with an annoyed huff that she couldn't remember everything as she opened the door to the Hog's Head.
"Thought I heard your voice, Cassie! Why are you here?"
"No reason. Just getting a butterbeer with my friend here." Cassie lied lamely when she turned around to speak with Professor Lupin.
"Why not go to the Three Broomsticks?"
"He doesn't like to." Cassie said. "You?"
"It was rather crowded just now. Figured I could get more grading done here."
"Makes sense. Have you seen Merlin? He was supposed to wait for us here."
"No, I haven't. I'm Remus Lupin, the Defense Professor. Who are you?" he asked, holding his hand out to shake.
"What kind of a damn fool question is that? I am who I am and I am who I was and I am who I always will be!" Dragoon said, trying hard not to laugh at the look on the man's face.
"What? Say that again." Lupin said, his smile becoming slightly confused.
"Why, have you got ale in your ears?!" Dragoon said heatedly
"Have you seen Merlin, sir?" Cassie interrupted, failing to stifle the giggles.
"That boy is never where he's supposed to be. It's a wonder he doesn't lose his head. Do you know the amount of times he and his toad faced, thick headed friends got lost in the forest! No consideration for me whatsoever. That fool should know how much I ache all over! One day he will feel just like me…"
"Just ignore him, he likes rambling." Cassie stage whispered to Lupin with an amused smirk.
"I'm old, not deaf! And I don't like rambling. If anyone likes rambling it's you, you doe-eyed, lily-livered girl! Do you know how many times I've had to sit through you saying this and that and moving on to tit for tat, oh, no you're just a big lump of-"
"Okay! You're better off cooking some cocaine, or unicorn tears than continuing that sentence. Excuse us, Professor. I'll see him off since Merlin's nowhere to be found." Cassie said, clamping her hand over his mouth to stop him from saying what he would. "I'll make that beard a permanent installment if you don't watch your mouth, Dragoon." Cassie warned. "But I love you too." she added with a quick kiss on the cheek, ushering him into the corner to take the Floo to Merlin's house.
"I'll get everything and bring it back. Meet me at the Three Broomsticks." he told her with a quick smile. "Oh, I missed being able to insult people and not get in trouble for it."
"Sorry about him, Professor. He's a bit...eccentric. That was Merlin's guardian." Cassie told him apologetically after she went back to the table.
"There was something in the eyes that reminded me of him." he told her. "Would you like to take a seat while you wait for Merlin?"
"Thank you, Professor. You're looking better!" Cassie said happily.
"Feeling better, Cassie. Any Christmas plans?"
"Merlin and I are spending Christmas in France with my friends and maybe my brother and sister."
"Sounds like fun."
"Hopefully it is. And I'll definitely feel better once I'm away from these damn-sorry from these dementors. They are terrible."
"Yes, they are." Lupin agreed darkly. "How's the practice going? Find any good memories?"
"Yes, I have. Thank you for your suggestions! I've been trying and have managed a wisp already, much bigger than the one I managed before Halloween." Cassie said excitedly.
"That's very impressive, Cassie. You really are one of the brightest of your age. Probably smarter than anyone I know."
"Except Hermione." Cassie pointed out.
"Except Hermione." he agreed with a small smile. "So, how come Merlin's guardian is that man?"
"His family died years ago, and his uncle passed before our second year, so he came here to Hogwarts and Dragoon's his new guardian. He was homeschooled in Wales before. Gaius preferred to teach him personally." Cassie explained.
"Dragoon?"
"Yup, Dragoon the Great."
"That's his actual name?"
"His actual given name." Cassie said with a conspiratory smile, nodding her head at him. "Yeah, just like Merlin's parents named him Merlin, and his grandparents named his father Balinor and his uncle Gaius, his Guardian's parents named him something so archaic. They were strange people. From what I've gathered."
"You know, I haven't been able to figure either of you out. You're so strange." he told her with a smile.
"We're strange, are we?" Cassie asked, amused as Merlin walked in looking annoyed.
"Far more than my friends ever were." he said with a sad look. "I should go back now, more papers to grade. Have fun, Cassie. Merlin, interesting guardian." Lupin said, nodding at him in hello.
"Thanks, Professor." Cassie told him as he paid for both their drinks and left.
"Nice chat with Lupin?"
"Very. He finds Dragoon eccentric."
"Ah, yes. Dragoon the Great being described as eccentric. I wonder how they'd describe Emrys?"
"Emrys would be wise and dangerous." Cassie said with an air of wisdom.
"Let's just go. We've got to figure out how to sneak the booze in without Filch finding it." Merlin told her with a roll of his eyes.
"Fred and George should be able to help. They're likely in Zonko's or the Three Broomsticks."
"You just came from the Three Borrmsticks." Cassie said, going towards Zonko's.
"As Dragoon, and it was extremely crowded." Merlin said, stopping her and going towards Honeydukes.
"Fine, let's check in here first, then we'll get some butterbeer for later." Cassie acquiesced.
"All set?" Irene and Mary asked when the two walked into the Three Broomsticks and sat down at the bar.
"Definitely. We just need to get the butterbeer inside, but we're laden down with the other drinks." Merlin told them with a sly smile
"What'll it be?" Madame Rosmerta asked as she came over.
"Don't suppose you'll get us Firewhiskey?" Merlin joked.
"Ha, no." she said, "Butterbeer?"
"Yeah, thanks. Can you give me a few bottles, too? It's her birthday and we want to celebrate." Merlin said, obviously using his magic to help.
"Hmm, suppose I can, just the Butterbeer, though."
"You two can definitely talk your way into buying actual booze." Irene said skeptically when Rosmerta left to attend another customer.
"Well, we have our ways." Cassie said with twinkling eyes, nodding to Merlin to show them the bag.
"We really should stop underestimating you. What are you planning to make?" Mary told them.
"There's a few different kinds of cocktails I'm great at making, but my favorite are the bastards."
"The bastards?" Irene asked in confusion.
"They're three drinks that are actually quite good. Some Egyptian guy made the recipe or something, not really sure. But, they're so not the tiki version, winter in Scotland does not call for a tropical island drink, just saying. I personally like the dead bastard since it doesn't have too much ginger beer, not a big fan of it, but there's also the dying and the suffering bastard."
"Where do you know all this from?"
"A good spy doesn't reveal her secrets." Cassie told them with a slight wink, laughing at their shocked expressions.
"She's the worst spy in the history of spies. Always says who she is when she's spying. And never gets the intel in the right order, she seems to forget it very quickly." Merlin told them, rolling his eyes.
"Da, you should know. A better spy than you cannot exist, can he, Ivan?" Cassie asked him in a great russian accent.
"Nyet, I am not a spy. I just have my hands in many pots!" he said in the same russian accent, taking the butterbeer they'd just bought. "Or pints, I should say. Prepare to get fluthered tonight!" he amended, in an exaggerated irish accent.
"Yeah, mate! Wish there was a Bottle-O in this place. Had to convince your uncle to get us the bloody booze, thought I'd never hear the end of it. Jolly old copper too, that bloke." Cassie mumbled, butchering an Australian accent.
"He's not a policeman, I think you meant cobber. And don't ever try an Aussie accent again. Buckley's chance you'll ever get it right." Merlin told her cheekily, in a near perfect accent.
"Least I'm not a galah, mate." Cassie said, shaking her head.
"No, you're a larrikin." Merlin corrected her.
"You two get stranger and stranger every day." Irene told them
"Wait till tomorrow, we'll be completely different people in your eyes." Cassie told them in her normal french accent, finishing her butterbeer in one big swig and dragging Merlin back out.
"To Zonko's now, Sheila." Merlin said, smiling as Cassie laughed heartily.
"Right-o Bruce." Cassie said, ignoring the strange looks from everyone else. "If it isn't my favorite twins!"
"So where's the outback?" Fred asked when they got nearer.
"In Straya." Cassie said.
"Yeah, but she can't do the whole Australian accent. Great at Russian though."
"Spasibo." Cassie said, nodding at the boys.
"Pozhaluysta"
"So, what does Crocodile Dundee and his lovely Sue want today?"
"I'm genuinely surprised you know that." Merlin said with a strange look in his eyes. "And a little bit worried."
"Me too." Cassie said, looking at them as if they'd grown two heads each.
"You mentioned movies, we asked Charlie to ask his pen pal what exactly a movie was, and if he could recommend a good funny movie, we saw this one. And we loved it." George explained.
"Yes, well, I could have given you about a hundred better comedies to watch. I do hope you saw the Australian version, the international one isn't as good." Merlin told them as they walked out of the joke shop.
"Maybe, there's a lot of weird things the Australians say."
"But funny, lollies."
"You realize that's sweets, right?" Merlin asked her.
"Oh. I kind of thought it could be like a term of endearment, but I guess not." Cassie said awkwardly.
"Anyways, there's a party tonight, in Hufflepuff, and we need your expertise to sneak it in."
"Sneak what in?" Fred asked curiously.
"The booze." Merlin and Cassie said at the same time.
"Our dear Cassie is all grown up. Sneaking alcohol in. What would our mother say?
"What would your siblings say?" Merlin corrected them, looking at Cassie. "Just wait until I tell Morgana about this."
"There will be payment, although Percy won't be too happy about it. His little brothers sneaking booze in."
"End of term party. I like that." Fred and George said at the same time.
"One stipulation, no one under fourteen drinks." Cassie told them seriously as they neared a bench.
"I would have said fifteen." Merlin said.
"Then we couldn't drink, could we, Merlin?" Cassie responded, rolling her eyes.
"Guess not." Merin conceded.
"Know any good drinking games?" George asked as they hid one of the bottles of rum in their cloak.
"Plenty. What are you looking for? Quick way to get plastered or information?"
"Go with the pissed really fast, the other one is much slower, almost torture." Merlin advised with a nod.
"There's the classic never have I ever or truth or dare. The one all Americans play when they go to parties in the movies." Cassie said.
"But that one's kind of boring. Strip poker, but instead of stripping, a shot of vodka. Or you could strip if you really want to." Merlin told them.
"I have this one, if anyone in Gryffindor plays an instrument, they play part of a song, and the person being questioned has two guesses to guess it correctly, if not, they have to drink up. Lasts until someone passes out or the booze runs out."
"Oh, that one's good. We should play that tonight." Merlin said. "I'm great at the guitar and piano."
"Or, what I like to call, Study Session. If you can get the correct answer when drunk, you're set. Arthur's friend told me about it two years ago, how they'd study for the easier theory tests. A moderator, two participants, and a lot of booze. 10 question rounds, one round per person, kind of like a tournament, the winners all face each other in the final round. Every wrong answer is one shot. Don't know if anyone was really set to take the tests on the following day, what with the massive hangover they'd probably have, but still, it sounds really fun!"
"No, it sounds like something the Ravenclaws would play." Fred said, eyeing her worriedly and checking her temperature with the back of his hand on her forehead.
"We should play that one too. Ancient Runes, me and you. We'll see who's been paying more attention." Merlin told her with a smirk as she swatted Fred's hand away.
"The tunnel in Honeydukes should get you past Filch without anyone knowing. We can smuggle half of this in, leave yours in the entrance to the tunnel and take our commission fee up to Gryffindor Tower. Have ourselves a party in your name, it is your birthday, after all." Fred told them.
"Great! Oh, Ginny has all your Christmas gifts, can't trust Ron he'll open them all." Cassie told them as they walked into Honeydukes. "We'll distract, you get through."
"See ya! To open the passageway all you have to do is tap your wand on the hump and say Dissendium."
"Thanks George. Have fun tonight!"
"Will do, Cass! Happy birthday." he said before breaking off with his brother and sneaking down to the cellar while Cassie and Merlin made their shopping.
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"Hey, what's going on?" Justin asked when he found them setting up in the common room late in the afternoon.
"Party tonight. Fourteen year-olds and up." Merlin said as he mixed the jello shots and waved his wand over them. "After dinner, of course. Don't want the lightweights getting too drunk after the first cocktail. And there's butterbeer, too."
"Okay, count me in."
"You're not fourteen yet, Justin. Sorry." Cassie said as she set up the bar. "Okay, all that's left is the music. Spence said he'd take care of it, but I've got some pretty great CDs. Make sure no one moves this set-up. I'll go crazy mixing cocktails tonight if they do."
"I've got a few good discs, we'll play them for a bit. Dragoon did say there was a minimum of a half hour of dancing, burn off the calories we're drinking. And merengue really is very fun to dance. You're going to be mixing all night?"
"No, just give them all a taste of the bastards, and leave a few pitchers of each for them. After that…anything goes." Cassie said as she walked towards the girls' corridor.
"Is she serious?" Justin asked him after she'd disappeared through the door.
"Yup."
"Is it because of what happened last year with Ernie?"
"No. Fourteen and up only." Cassie repeated as she walked back out to the common room with a few more things in her hand.
"You can be a real bitch, you know?" he said, giving her a nasty look.
"Sticks and stones, darling." Cassie told him, going about finishing everything up.
"Just ignore her, she'll come around eventually. She's just really stubborn." Merlin told the boy in a whisper.
"Whatever." Justin replied and climbed back out the portrait hole to go down to dinner.
"Cut them some slack, change it to third years and up." Merlin told her placatingly.
"I could just say no this year boys allowed, I'm sure Wayne would be very grateful." Cassie replied glibly.
"You could still be a little nicer to them." Merlin told her, dodging the elbow that came flying towards his gut. "It also wouldn't hurt to be less aggressive."
"Shut up, Merlin."
"Fine, I'm going to get some food from the kitchens. Any suggestions?"
"No, I'll leave it up to you." Cassie said offhandedly. "Get us some food while you're at it, I don't really feel like going up to the Great Hall today."
"Any particular reason?"
"Three guesses why, Merlin." Cassie said with a smirk.
"Right. Be back in a bit."
"So, what'd you have planned for tonight?" Andrew asked.
"Plenty of drinks and plenty of fun. Dragoon even sent us a few discs to dance, his conditions for getting the booze." Merlin said.
"He's spent a lot of time in South America and the Caribbean. They love their dancing there."
"And their booze, don't forget that. Hey, we have rum, we might be able to make some other drinks." he pointed out.
"No, it's winter in Scotland, as I've repeatedly pointed out. We're not making tropical island drinks. Besides, I'll be making the bastards."
"What bastards are you making, and with whom are you making them?" Spencer asked as he walked into the common room from dinner.
"Don't be such a dirty minded fool, Spence. They're cocktails." Cassie replied teasingly.
"Oh, fun. We'll help round up the younger years, give them some butterbeer and tell them to piss off." Spencer said, winking at Winston and Mary beside him.
"Thanks! Remember, no one under fourteen."
"Yes, ma'am." Spencer said, saluting her and receiving an eye roll in return.
"All right everyone under fourteen. Grab some butterbeer, then go to your rooms! No kids here. Nothing to see, move it along!" Spencer yelled after he stood on a table in the middle of the common room.
"Subtle." Merlin said with a smirk.
"You should know by now, nothing he does is very subtle."
"Oi, you! You're not fourteen! Beat it!" Cassie yelled out in a horrible cockney accent, pointing at Ernie and nodding to the door.
"Bitch." he murmured when he passed her.
"Cassie, don't," Merlin pleaded when he saw the look cross her face.
"On second thought, third years and up! Let's see if these fools can handle the drinks." Cassie said, planning the first game in her head. "So, drinks, who wants the suffering, dying and dead bastards? I'm ready to mix." Cassie asked, holding the silver cocktail mixer up tantalizingly.
"Which one is Merlin having?" Spencer asked.
"Dead Bastard." he answered.
"I'll have that one too, then."
"Okay, your funeral." Cassie joked.
"Make his first." Sencer said, an apprehensive gleam in his eyes.
"Okay. So the Dead Bastard has a half part of gin, half part of rum, half part of whiskey-bourbon whiskey that is- and a half part of brandy with lime juice and a couple dashes of bitters…" Cassie told them as she added each ingredient and someone turned the music on, "Shaken, not stirred-" She said in a great Sean Connery impersonation. "-of course- and now add the ginger beer et voila! A Dead Bastard. Orange, mint or lime, Merlin?"
"Mint."
"That's not a Dead bastard, that's a ghost bastard, that much alcohol?!" Tommy said with a manic chuckle.
"I see you're a suffering bastard, Tommy. Rethink your choice yet, Spence?" Cassie asked him with an innocent look.
"Drop the look Cassie, you're a great actress, had us all fooled with the innocent act. Have you tasted this before?" he asked with a surprised smile on his face
"No, but my mother made sure we knew how to entertain, especially with all the parties they held. I have tried the suffering bastard though, not that bad." she said as she mixed one for Tommy, "Just a part brandy and a part gin instead of all of them. Dying has all but the rum."
"Are you going to be mixing drinks all night?" Leon asked.
"No, but I'll adjust the amount and make three pitcherfulls, which should be enough for the whole night, or until Professor Sprout comes to tell us to go to sleep." Cassie said, mixing the drinks for everyone.
"What are those?" One of the sixth year girls asked, pointing at small plastic cups arranged at the end of the table with colored liquid.
"Jello shots, they're not done yet, I was waiting for the party to start to solidify them."
"Like what Americans drink at frat parties?" another sixth year asked.
"Exactly like that. Saw it in a party scene in some movie, but I can't remember which one. Fast Times, maybe."
"You're muggle-born?"
"No, not exactly half-blood either though." Merlin said as he took a sip of his drink. "Props to Cassie though, great drink!"
"So what else can you make?"
"Most of the classics, some of the wizarding inventions, but those are rather strong, I wouldn't drink them until I'm in my twenties or something. I saw my brother completely wasted after a quarter of a cup."
"Yeah, Arthur's always been a bit of a lightweight." Merlin said, looking through a book that was laying out.
"You can read that?" Winston asked as everyone broke off with drinks in hand.
"Huh? Oh! Yeah.. My uncle made sure I learned to read runes before he passed. Started learning years ago."
"Hey, what was that game you were telling us about, the studying game? Who's up for a round?" Irene called out, holding the book Merlin had been reading up.
"Those are Runes, not all of us took that class."
"I'll give it a go. Got an O in my owls two years ago." one of the seventh year boys said.
"You're up against Merlin. Apparently he's been studying them for years."
"No wonder he's the best in our class." Ernie said.
"Second best, Hermione's top." Merlin corrected. "Actually, I think Cassie's second, I'm third."
"No, Draco's third, you're fourth. You really need to turn in that last homework." Cassie corrected as she put a quick cooling charm on the pitchers and took the arpon off.
"Why were you wearing an apron?" Leanne asked as she saw Merlin charm the small cups.
"Because I was mixing drinks." Cassie answered slowly, getting ready to watch the first game of many.
"So what are the rules?"
"Pick something that has an answer already, give them the passage without the answer shown; the first person to answer gets the question, if they answered correctly, the other one drinks, if it's incorrect they drink."
"Drink shots?"
"Basically, yeah, but it can also be a sip of whatever they're drinking." Cassie answered as her attention was drawn to the group in the corner, excusing herself as they started their game and she went over to see what they were playing. "I thought exploding snap was a two player game."
"It is, we're just using the deck. We're playing King's cup, wizard style. Sean's idea."
"What's King's cup?" Cassie asked while her fellow third and fourth years nodded along.
"I'll explain the rules in a bit, pick a card."
"Okay, now what, are you going to do a magic trick?" Cassie asked teasingly.
"No, what'd you get?" he asked, taking her card from her. "Okay, it's Give two, Take two."
"Right, what now?"
"You give out two drinks and take two yourself. Although, we'll save the shots until our drinks are finished"
"I can tell now we're going to be so dead tomorrow." Cassie said as she took two sips of her drink.
"Not at that rate! Stop being all prim and proper and drink!" the sixth year said.
"Okay!" Cassie said, taking two larger swigs of her drink. "Happy now?" she asked with a smile.
"Ecstatic, now drink you two." he told the others Cassie had picked.
"Your turn." he said, holding out the deck to a younger girl and smiling wickedly. "Waterfall."
"I'm assuming someone drinks and then the person next to them waits for him to finish before drinking theirs?" one of the others asked.
"Not quite, we drink at the same time, but you can't stop until the person to your left stops. You picked the card, you start."
"I can tell we're going to regret asking to be at the party tomorrow morning." Leanne said. "Okay, go!" she said, chugging her drink until she couldn't anymore.
"You're enjoying this far too much, you know." Cassie pointed out the wicked look in his eyes. "Are you having us on with this game?!"
"No! I'm not that creative, unless someone else was having me on with it, it's an actual game."
"Well, it's actually a way to get seriously trashed in a few minutes."
"Yup!" he said happily, holding the deck out to the next person. "Ah, rhyme time. Say a word and we go around to the right until someone takes too long or can't come up with a word that rhymes, that person must drink."
"Okay, uhm. Password." "Transferred." "Absurd." "Afeard." Uhm, antbird." "Bean curd." "Bluebird." "Reinterred." "Interred."
"Absurd. Oh! Dammit!" Leanne cried, drinking from her cup.
"Oh that one would have been much funnier a few waterfalls later." Cassie said with a giggle.
"Oi! Cassie! Call a friend, come here!" Merlin said from across the room
"Call a friend? That's not part of the game." she called back.
"It is now!" he replied just as loudly.
"Be back." she promised, leaving her drink where she was sitting and going to Merlin.
"You're good with useless trivia, which world-wide invention was patented on Valentine's day in 1876?"
"What makes you think I know the answer to this?"
"Because you have some serious useless trivia stuck in that big brain of yours now help me, I've no idea what it is."
"Seriously? You lived it!" she thought at him. "Okay, uhm it's not the camera, that's earlier. Not wireless nor recording, those were Edison and Marconi. It's gotta be the telephone, the only one that would roughly fit 1876 I think."
"She does have a lot of useless trivia in her head. It's the telephone by Bell." Irene said. "Okay your turn, What number comes next: 1, 11, 21, 1121, 111221…?"
"I don't like this, he got an answerable one! Okay uhm...11112221?
"No. Merlin?"
"312211. It's Conway's sequence." he said by way of explanation.
"How the hell did you know that?!"
"Oh! I get it! Oh, this Conway man was a genius, hilarious and practical." Cassie said as she nodded her head.
"Could you explain, please?"
You weren't wrong with your number, but okay, the first one is just one, one. The second number is 11 and it's two ones, then you have 21 which is one 2 then one 1. Pretty genius actually, what's it used for?" Cassie explained.
"Didn't think of it like that, I just read it in the book: The Cuckoo's egg. Probably used for giving students headaches." Merlin told her thoughtfully.
"Could be used in Arithmancy too, if you know how to apply it to the reference." she continued.
"You two should be Ravenclaws, we're playing a drinking game and you're discussing how to use this sequence in Arithmancy?" Merlin's opponent asked with a semi disgusted look.
"I'd like to see them two play a round against each other." someone piped up.
"But I'm in the middle of-"
"I'll take your place. And your drink. I need a stiff one. Keep mine." he said, going to the corner and taking her place.
"Okay, you're on, Merlin." Cassie said with a smirk, standing in the newly vacated place.
"All right, the practice of letting a drop of oil fall into a vessel of water and use it as a mirror is called what?" Irene asked.
"Hydromancy?" Merlin said quickly.
"More specifically…" Irene prompted.
"Modus Fessanus." Cassie answered before Merlin could. "Drink up, Buddy boy." she said in an american accent.
"You watch too much American TV, Cass." Merlin said as he took a swig and went to refill his cup. "Oh, get me some more too!"
"Oh! Here's an easy one: On what continent don't you find bees?" Irene asked when Merlin got back with their drinks.
"Huh?" they said at the same time.
"On what continent don't you find bees?" she repeated.
"Uhm, is it, no there are there. Maybe in As- no there as well." Merlin started saying.
"Australia!" Cassie said. "Oh, stupid, I got it wrong!" Cassie said, taking a drink from her glass.
"Antarctica?" Merlin asked.
"Yeah, Antarctica. 'Cause of the cold, I'm assuming." Irene said, "Funny you didn't know the answer to that one, it was kind of obvious."
"Oh, yeah, I'm stupid." Cassie said with a chuckle. "Moving on…"
"At what age did Moses die."
"120"
"175"
"Sorry, Merlin. 120. Drink up." Irene said, taking a sip from her drink.
"Who died at 175, then?"
"Abraham, not Moses." Cassie said, gloating as they continued their trivia game….
"I've run out of questions." Irene said after another half hour went by and a big crowd watched their quiz-off.
"That's okay, there's another game we can play, I just need my guitar." Merlin said crossing the room to the doors and going into the girls' corridor. "I swear, I'll paint one door blue and the other pink to know which is which; even sober I walk into that damn wall!" Merlin grumbled angrily as he went to the correct door with the gales of laughter echoing behind him.
"So what does he need the guitar for?" they asked Cassie as she quickly wrote down a list of songs and passed it around for others to add songs.
"If he knows it, he'll play a bit of it on the guitar and we'll have to guess what song it is, and if we get it wrong the guesser drinks a shot. I, personally, am great at this game. We could tweak it a little though, I'm sure Merlin won't know all the songs there and he'll probably want payback for a prank I pulled on him last month. Bet he'll say he plays, I guess, and you all pick the song out of the list."
"You two know each other scarily well." one of the sixth years slurred.
"Got it! List get done?" he asked, grabbing some more of the Dead Bastard cocktail. "Guess no one could stomach this one, Cassie."
"Yup, Ashley has it." Cassie said, nodding towards the girl who handed it to him. "Also, really? It's so much better than the other ones."
"Okay, oh, this one's good. So who's guessing first? It's not muggle, just in case you're wondering."
"That's against the rules, Merlin, No clues." Cassie said.
"Guess we know who's first. Ready?" Merlin said, waiting for her nod to start playing a riff.
"Way to make it easy, Merlin. Whole Lotta Love, Led Zeppelin. 1968 I think." Cassie answered, making Merlin take a shot of Vodka.
"Wait a minute. Led Zeppelin's not muggle?" Justin asked.
"No, he's a wizard, he's just that good!" One of the seventh years said.
"Well, he's good at guitar, but not my type of music." a sixth year boy said.
"And it's not a he, it's a group; Jimmy, John, John and Robert." Cassie pointed out.
"A brain full of useless trivia, everyone." Merlin said, in the voice of a presenter and waving his arms out in front of him.
"Ah, but it's not useless, is it? I'm getting you all drunk. So, who's next?" she asked, laughing at the collective shaking of heads from her housemates. "Guess it's my way, then. You all pick, I guess." she said with a laugh, enjoying the rest of the night until Professor Sprout came and told them off.
"Party's over! To bed, all of you." she told the common room.
"Yes, Professor." everyone responded.
"Would you like some cake? The elves baked it for me specially. It's rather yummy." Cassie said, holding out a plate and fork with a wide smile.
"Oh, all right. I'll give you half an hour more. You're lucky break's already started. Only a half an hour! It's three in the bloody morning." she relented, saying the last bit sternly.
"Thank you Professor!" Cassie said brightly as everyone looked on in awe. "See? It pays to not be completely trashed at this hour! We have a bit more time!"
"Are all French people this strange?" someone asked as everyone broke off into their groups again.
"No, just me. I'm one-of-a-kind!" she answered brightly, sitting back down and laughing at the looks on their faces.
"I'm-I don't think I can go on much longer." Leon slurred, getting nods of agreement from the rest of the group that stayed sitting. "The room's been spinning for the better part of an hour."
"Okay, whoever wants to give up, can. That just means you upper years were out-drunk by a couple of third-years." Cassie said with a smirk.
"And, it's her first time actually drinking something without dinner." Merlin pointed out.
"I had food!"
"You had half a sandwich, not dinner." Merlin pointed out. "And you seriously look like Morgana right now."
"Cool off, buddy. You're dating her, not me." Cassie replied with a snort.
"Whatever, you two are strange. I never thought you'd be like this. You always seemed so aloof and pedantic." Leon slurred.
"Ooh, big words, Leon. Are you sure you know what they mean? I'm far from aloof. I'll give you pedantic, but aloof?"
"Yes, very. And, um, corny, you're rather corny." he continued on slurring.
"Keep going, mate. You'll be pushing daisies real quickly at this rate." Tommy said with a chuckle as he stood on wobbly legs and crossed the room.
"Well, it's very entertaining." Cassie said, grinning as the boys all stood on sea legs. "I'm just as surprised that Merlin isn't as completely hammered as you lot."
"Yep, I'm going to bed." Leon said, walking to the boys' corridor and falling halfway there.
"Yeah, I think you need help getting there." Cassie said as she picked him up by the arm and helped him over.
"Thanks, Cassie. You…Are the best." he slurred, tripping over his feet as Cassie steadied him. "This was a great party."
"Think we may have gone overboard with the booze, Leon. You're not going to remember anything tomorrow." Cassie said with a giggle, steering him over to the bathroom.
"Uh huh, I totally will, I'll remember." he said as she opened the faucet and splashed water on his face.
"O, mon ami. You won't." she told him, wetting a cloth and dabbing his face with it.
"Well, I'll remember this." he said, grabbing her wrists and moving her hands away from his face, kissing her deeply and letting go of her wrist to snake his hands around her waist and into her hair.
"Leon-wait." Cassie mumbled against his lips as he kept kissing her, ignoring her feeble attempts to push him away. He deepened the kiss, his hands roving all over her body while their lips never parted. He slowly moved his hands down her back to her lift up her skirt and squeezed her round bottom. "Leon! Just stop, please." Cassie said breathlessly, pushing him away fruitlessly when his lips left hers, only to find the sweet spot just behind her ear. When his hand slid around to the front and into her panties she'd had enough and kneed him hard, slapping him on the face before rushing back to her room and closing the curtains on her four-poster; her face flushed and her body reacting to what happened, hormones flooding her system and blood rushing south, making her shudder in displeasure at the sudden stop of what he was doing with his strong hands and pant. She barely believed what had just happened, but the rest of the night, she kept imagining exactly what might have happened had she let him continue-imagining the feel of his hands and his lips everywhere- and hating herself for stopping him.