Ron walked in the hogshead."Fire whiskey."he said to the bar tender cheerily."please."he added as an after thought.
*Sirius, who had already been in the Hogs Head for a while now smiled to the person that had just walked in. he was seated at the bar to the right of the man. he held out his hand after taking a swig of his own fire whiskey.* hey, i'm Sirius. *he said boldly to the complete stranger.*
"hello"...he tipped his head in sirius direction, then took a drink as the bartender handed it to him."You look...oddly familiar."he said,taking another.
*Sirius thought for a moment.* yes, yes i think i've seen you around to. what's you last name? i'm not to good with faces but name's i'm slightly better at. *sirius smiled and motioned for the bartender.* yes, can i have a water please.
"Ron...Ron weasley."he looked at sirius."er...nice to meet you, assuming we haven't already."He dusted off the glass a bit.
*Sirius smiled then swallowed at the sound of "Weasley"* your Ginny's brother then? *he sighed and rubbed his eyes, drinking the water with haste that the bartender had placed harshly in front of him.*
"yeah. thats me..."He stared at hearing his name."Sirius?thats funny...its not a common first name.."he shook his head."well I suppose it could be a coincidence."
a...coincidence? a coincidence to what? *Sirius said staring intently at him, his eyes turning orange in bemusement..*
"nothing...just that my friends god fathers name is sirius."he said, gulping down a bit more whiskey.A third man, a hooded figure entered the bar.
*sirius coughed on his water at the mention of Ron's friend. he smiled.* yes, actually. that would be...*his gaze that had been glued to the water circle on the counter switched to Ron, then he saw the hooded figure and stared with discomfort at him.* me. *he mutteredm still staring at the hooded figure.*
Rons eyes widened."Sirius?"he looked shocked a moment.Then focused his gaze on the hooded figure.He narrowed his eyes, and muttered,"Donivan?"
Donivan? *questioned Sirius.* who's he? *he looked at Ron lost.*
"Er...no one important."he waved his hand airily."just...a connection of mine."the hooded man sat five seats away from the two and ordered a butter beer.Ron continued to watch him wearily.
*Sirius eyed Ron mysteriously.* oh come on. it seems to me like he's more then a connection. something happened between you and him. so come on, spill. *he took a drink of his water and placed it back down on the table, examining Ron's face with interest.*
"Something happened.But nothing I can go into detail with..."He glanced at his fire whiskey."Hes not an enemy, not a friend.not to me specifically.just.To a man in a desperate situation...he can be a friend.And man in general seems to fear...what he represents."He drank.
*Sirius sighed and rubbed his forehead, pushing his slick black hair out of his eyes and staring at Ron as he took another drink.* why do all of the Weasley's have so many secrets. *he smiled.* honestly i haven't met one of you who has a secret life that can be troublesome but that you cannot go into detail about. *he sighed and drank more water. he seemed to be thirsty today.*
"Ha ha...yeah, I suppose we do."He grinned."But,its not my secret,"he said.He nudged his head in 'donivans' direction."Its his...and,"Ron finished off his drink."It doesnt bode well for us that hes here.or anyone else."He hit his drink to the bar, and the barman poured more.
oh. *Sirius said calmly, looking aimlessly at the drink as it poured into the glass. filling it up. Sirius, being very kid like in many ways, could be entertained by the tinyiest of things such as these. he smiled at the glass but snapped out of his three year old trance when the glass was full. he smiled at Ron.* you sort of look like Ginny. well obviously, but i notice it most in you...
"uh, yeah.sure..."He nodded."Notice what?"He said, looking intently at the mysteriously hooded man.
im not sure. *he smiled.* you just have some of the same features. i bet all your family has it. *Sirius saw that Ron's eyes had drifted back over to the man.* ok is something happen that i'm just totally missing here? or what.
"I told you...him being here isn't good."He looked at sirius."He doesnt just pop into a bar for a few pints of butterbeer on a whim...He'd get off schedule."He shook his head."I'm sorry.I'm being vague again, right?"He took a drink.
*Sirius sighed.* it's all perfectly allright. i understand being surprised at seeing someone break habbit like that. so what did he do though? *Sirius had dropped the subject earlier but now that Ron seemed so intent on figuring out why he was here Sirius felt that he should at least have a vague idea of what was going on.*
"He didn't do anything, really."Ron looked at sirius seriuosly."Its what he does."He took another drink,then continued,"Hes...how do I put this?death."
so, he kills people. is that it? *Sirius asked staring back at Ron...*
"Not exactly.But your getting warmer."ron said."He doesn't kill people.Fate does.He just appears when he knows someone is to die...and helps the person to the next life."
*Sirius raised his eyebrow at Ron.* so you mean...*he thought for a moment.* he's sort of like the Grim Reeper or something?
"Exactly...which is why I'm worried."He looked at the man again, whom was still nursing the mug of butter beer.
that is a good reason to be scared. *Sirius said staring at the man. he now saw him in a different way...and he didn't like the feeling he got when he thought of him at all now.*
The man pulled down his hood, to reveal fairly long black hair, covering his eyes.He then pushed it out to reveal blue green eyes.Ron looked thoughtful."you know whats interesting? theres more then one 'grim reaper'."
*Sirius scowled at Ron.* your kidding?! so there are more of them? *Sirius breathed a laugh as he pictured a whole room filled with tons of that man all looking the same and just talking normal. he smiled at the thought.*
"I know what your thinking...but theyre not the same person."He drank deeply."they start off as normal people."He then contiued,"And become death."
*Sirius smiled.* i absolutly must say. that is the weirdest thing i think that is the weirdest thing that i've heard.
"Yeah..I'd explain more,but I wasn't suppose to tell you that!"He laughed."whiskey always giver me loose lips."
*Sirius laughed at himself realizing that what he had just said didn't make to much sense.* yes yes, me too. *he smiled and looked at the man again.* so what's he doing here you think?
"don't know exactly."he said."But obviosly someones going to die."
*Sirius swallowed hard.* way to be blunt about that there Ron. *he looked around nervously.*
"I was trying not to be..."he said."like I said.the drink is foul."he took another gulp.
*Sirius smiled.* then why don't you stop drinking! otherwise it'll be you that Dominic's here for. *he laughed.*
"donivan."He corrected."and I suppose your right."
*Sirius smiled.* oh sorry, Donivan's his name. *Sirius said rather loudly.*
"Donovin?" Ginny came into the pub, carrying a few shopping bags in her hands. She had seen Sirius and Ron through the window. She set her bags down, smiling, "Ron, when did you get back? Have you been to mums yet?"
*Sirius smiled.* hey Ginny. *he decided that he needed another drink. he waved down the bartendor and ordered a fire wiskey again.*
*after getting it he took a swig and breathed heavily.*
Ginny smiled, "Hey." She waved off the bartender explaing, "I havd to go home soon."
oh. *sirius said smiling and staring at his drink.*
(lol not much to say)
"Hey sis."he smiled. "Yeah. I actually stopped by their first....for once."he nodded. He then turned his gaze once again to donivan.
Ginny nodded, smiling, "That's good. Mum worries about us." She looked to where his gaze was going, but didn't question her elder brother. She knew he could take care of himself, and if he couldn't he'd call those who would help him. Ron was no weakling.
"Anyway, I have to get home. Cody's probably being a brat already."
"be careful...There's something going on today."he stated simply.He then drank deeply from his mug.
Ginny eyed him carefully, "No worries about me and my son. We are too far away from this city to be harmed." She didn't add that Xaver would be there, she didn't think to. She didn't know how much their parents had let him know of latest happenings.
"On your travel, I mean.assuming you aren't apparating."he said looking at her.
"Transporting. Hate apperation." Ginny muttered, "But I have to head over to the candy shop. Cody loves candy."
She watched her brother for a moment, contemplating his warning before kissing his cheek in a sisterly way.
"Thanks."
"I'll come with."he nodded."I've had enough to drink...and I know you can take care of yourself...but I have to keep a watch around here anyway..."He looked a donivan once again.
Ginny shrugged, "Alright." She picked up her bags, and nodded at the bartender before leading Ron and Sirius (assuming he would want to follow) out of the pub and towards the candy shop.
Donivan stood up and eyed the trio suspisciously.He recognized ron immidiatley.Ron looked back and was suprised to notice that donivan had dissapeared."Oh, s**t.I think he saw me."
"So?" Ginny said, raising an eyebrow at Ron.
"Thats a fair point to make."He said thoughtfully."I'm not sure what'll happen now that he's seen me."He continued,"But I don't think its a positive thing."
"If it concernes one of us, it never is." Ginny sighed, shaking her head, "What trouble have you gotton into, brother dear?"
"Death." he stated simply.
"Of all things to end up dragging me into, you pull me into a matter with Death?" Ginny gave him a glare, "I have a child, for Christ's sake."
"Didn't mean to. It just happened."he muttered."I was off exploring the world-as I...well, not often, but lately...anyway...point is. He's death."
"Not him specifically, I suppose.." Ginny mused, sighing and scowling almost at the same time. She rubbed her eyes, "Now there will be some kind of fight, I'm sure."
"Thank you Ron," She said sarcastically, "Now I'll go home and my three year old will want to know why he's never met his uncle Ron and I'll have to say it's cause he messed with Death."
"Thing is...he can't kill unless its...'scheduled'."He continued."But that means someone here is meant to die.and I'm not sure who..but he just dissapeared."
"Not me." Ginny said, shrugging, "I've known since I was 13 how I die."
She looked at her brother for a long moment, "Is it someone we know?"
He shrugged."I dunno, honestly."He took another sip of the whiskey."I haven't had a vision or anything 'bout it.But it could be.And..just because he came here is no guarentee of who is going to die...it could be anyone."
"I see." Ginny said, suddenly thankful Xaver and Cody were home, away from this. As if she didn't worry about them any other time.
"He who takes his life takes others..."He said, his eyes distant, then looking at ginny, "Thats what he told me anyway...he seemed..lonely. Like he just wanted a chat."
Ginny sighed, "Ron, you're gonna kill us all with your bleeding heart."
"Its not like he told me he was death, and I decided a chat with him.He told me after."He said defensively.
Ginny sighed, "So what's your big plan?"
"Honestly?"he said."Not much we can do.this is fate we're dealing with."He sighed."Avoid dangerous activity, maybe?"
Ginny raised her eyebrows, "Didn't you ever read the story called the 11 o'clock train? Or something like that..."
She looked around, "It's about this guy who's a train conductor. And when they would die, it was called boarding the 11 o'clock train. Wll, he heard the ticking that signaled the train coming and did everything he could to avoid it. But still, it came for him." She pushed her hair from her eyes, 'You can't avoid Death."
"Thats assuming we're the ones who are to die."He looked thoughtful.He looked around once more."I wonder why he showed himself to me."
"Because he wanted you to see him, maybe." Ginny shrugged, rubbing her hands together in the chill.
"Maybe...but why?doesn't death..I dunno...have someone more important to talk with?"
Ginny laughed, "Since when are we unimportant? You are even more important to the world then I!" She shook her head, "You are a psychic, a great wizard who fights for the greater good. maybe he's trying to tell you something without saying it aloud."
Ron smiled."maybe..."He sighed again."but what?...lets go get your shopping done."He said, leading.
Ginny nodded, "Kay." She fgollowed, quiet for a moment, "When was the last time you saw Cody?" She asked, wondering if he had seen him one of the times she had left her son at her parents.
"er...a couple weeks ago, I think.Mum said you dropped him off?"
Ginny nodded, that would have been before Xaver had come back. Before people outside of her family had known she even had a son.
"Yea."
(i have no idea where you guys are. sorry for not being on in so long!)
*Sirius, after finishing his drink, ran out and started looking for the two. he found them a few short minutes later and smiled to them.* hey, sorry i wanted to finish my drink and kind of let my brain take a little rest.
"Its fine."ron nodded.
Ginny nodded, "S'okay."
great...so how have you been Ginny? we didn't really get a chance to talk back there... *Sirius said looking at her.*
"I've been alright. A bit tired. I'm looking for a job now. I don't exactly want one at the school or with the Ministry." She smiled at Sirius, "Since Xaver is back, I can leave Cody with him when I go work."
*Sirius nodded and smiled.* yeah...i guess that is a good thing.