with my eyes closed (open)

Fred was just glad that this dance hadn't sprawled out onto the grounds, or he'd have to be clearing up afterwards. He never thought about it when he was at school, but students liked to chuck litter everywhere as if it would magically disappear the next day. Well, that was technically possible, but with Fred as the groundskeeper and it being his responsibility to keep them clean, he had no choice but to break his back for a few lazy bums who couldn't clear up after themselves!

He stood near the back of the gym, wearing his usual signature jacket and trapper hat. Riddle had already made some snide comment about it. Good to see you've made an effort, or something along those lines. Now he was in a bad mood. Riddle did that to him.

Mystique had convinced her sister to take Athena for the night so she could enjoy the little dance and the bar with her colleagues afterwards. She stood by the drink table and a questionable fashion taste caught her eye. She laughed when she saw it was Fred and made her way over to him, "That is the coolest hat I have ever seen."

@Fred Weasley II

Fred didn't normally have the opportunity to chat to the librarian with no one else around. Usually there were other Professors, or students interrupting, but now they were all preoccupied by the dance party thing. Yes! Just had to suck in his gut, be his cheeky dorky self, and hope that she gets completely smitten by it. It worked for James enough times, why couldn't it work for him just as well?

"Glad ya think that, 'cause it kinda comes attached to my head most of the time," he said, grinning. "So... misty Mystique, ya look ready for a few beers. Still comin' later, yeah?"

@Mystique Vega

Mystique giggled and reached on top of his head to take his hat off and out it on her own head, "What do you think? Can I pull it off?" She topped the hat down in a pose and looked at him, still laughing. "I'm always ready. So yes. Alana has Athena tonight so I'm free until tomorrow afternoon."

@Fred Weasley II

Shit... That was so cute. He smiled goofily at her with his hat hair messy and stood on end.

"Yeah, er... looks good," he said, grinning. "From the sounds of things ya the dark horse of drinkin' games, so ya gonna try drinkin' me and Reed under the table, yeah?"

@Mystique Vega

Mystique laughed a bit and reached up to fix his hair, "There we go. All better." She then took the hat off and placed it back on his head, "I think it looks better on you." When he asked if she was gonna drink with them she smirked, "Oh I'm not going to try. I'm just going to do it." She said with a cocky level of confidence.

@Fred Weasley II

Fred blushed a bit. She was being all flirty and stuff, be thought. Or was it just friendly? Would she do that to a female colleague? Maybe not. He liked to think she wouldn't...

"Oh, uh, yeah, that's cute to think ya could top me but..." There was one thing he definitely wouldnt allow someone else to win at. Even if they were a chick. "It ain't gonna happen."

@Mystique Vega

Mystique moved her hair from her face, "Oh I can definitely top you." She said with a saucy smile. Which way did she mean? Who knew? That was for him to find out, "Such a shame. I bet the view would be great." She picked up a cup of punch and sipped it before coughing, "Woah ok. This definitely doesn't need to be getting to the students."

@Fred Weasley II

Although she was enjoying the dance so far, she found herself concerned at one particular absence. Hermione walked throughout the gym greeting and checking in on various couples and friend groups before finding her way towards Fred and Mystique. Smiling at the two, she stated, "Apologies for interrupting, but have either of you seen James?" Hermione looked at Fred pointedly expecting him to have more of an idea.

@Fred Weasley II @Mystique Vega

Fred was stood - frozen - gaping at her with his mouth slightly open. She was definitely flirting with him! She was a flippin' naughty minx!

He gulped. Suddenly it wasn't as easy to be his usual, jack-the-lad self. "Wha...?" Maybe she said something about what she was drinking? Fred didn't know. He was paying more attention to how she was drinking it. Her lips...

When his Aunt came up to them, Fred suddenly straightened up and cleared his head from the gutter. "Er... Jimbo? Nah, think I saw him leave actually. I dunno. He was sayin' before that he weren't that bothered about bein' 'ere."

@Hermione Granger @Mystique Vega

Mystique looked at him, he looked like a fish out of water. Mouth open but no words. She baffled him, that was cute. She smiled when Hermione approached them, "Hello Hermione. I haven't seen James. But he did ask if he could visit the library for some alone time instead of attending the dance. He's a good kid so I said he could. He may be there." She said, wishing she could be of more help.

@Fred Weasley II

"Huh, I never thought he'd want to skip a dance like this! He loves his parties!" Hermione felt bad that she wasn't able to detect that her nephew wasn't in the greatest of moods lately. "I'll have to check in on him later. How are you two?"

She didn't want to bring down the joyfulness of the quidditch season starting soon.

@Fred Weasley II @Mystique Vega

Fred had more pressing matters than whatever James was up to. Although, yes, his cousin was acting slightly out of character, he just thought he'd got a dodgy stomach or something. Maybe it was those crisps they had. Come to think of it, weren't they already expired?

"Just chattin' 'bout drinkin'. Did ya know Missy Vega 'ere likes to chain shots in her spare time?"

He laughed.

"Ya know we never got 'Mione to come drinkin' with us before. I reckon she'd be the sleepy drunk, ya know. The one we can steal galleons from to pay for more." He winked playfully at his Aunt.

@Mystique Vega @Hermione Granger

Mystique smiled between the two, "Oh Hermione. You should come with us. It would be fun. A nice student free night." She said, "You can watch me make Fred cry like a baby when I drink him under the table and he has to declare that I am superior." She said, sticking her tongue out at Freddy.

@Fred Weasley II

Hermione chuckled as they talked about drinking. Hm, maybe it wouldn't hurt to go out tonight with some of her new co. workers. After all, her children were getting older, and they needed the space to become more independent within the safe confines of Hogwarts.

"I think I shall go! Do you know who else will be going?"

@Fred Weasley II @Mystique Vega

Mystique pondered for a moment, "So far it's us, Maddox, and Jackson. I think Jackson convinced Healer Ashton to join as well. That's all so far. Can you think of anyone else to invite?" She asked, wondering who else would want to join them, "Maybe we should invite Professor Morais as well."

@Fred Weasley II @Hermione Granger

Fred stretched up lazily, then fixed his hands at the back of his neck.

"Feel kinda bad for the staff that have to stay behind. Except Riddle," he assured them, feeling very happy about that idea. "Kinda a shame Voclain can't come. I dunno. Maybe she would."

Fred did an over exaggerated shrug, before letting his arms swing by his sides again.

Mystique looked at Fred, "you don't like Professor Riddle. He's always been very nice to me." She had conversated with Lochlan briefly a couple of times. "but do we really want to drink with our bosses?" She asked him with a smirk, "I mean if you want to invite Voclain, that's all up to you, buddy."

@Fred Weasley II

Hermione nodded at the list of names; it felt nice to not be the only muggleborn on the team. She could barely recall whether there were muggleborn faculty members when she attended Hogwarts

"I don't think drinking's her thing," she chuckled thinking of Voclain's speech. "Speaking of that, I've heard some concerns that the punch tastes off. We should investigate it!"

@Fred Weasley II @Mystique Vega

Fred was positively shaking in annoyance. That prick. Of course he acted nice to her, that was just his game. Mystique was just too trusting of him because she was too nice herself.

"Riddle's a smarmy snake, a right bastard," Fred muttered bitterly. "As if someone with that name is trustworthy. He thinks we're all born yesterday, the prick."

Realising he'd just mouthed off in front of his Aunt, he coughed pointedly.

"Sorry 'Mione. Just pretend ya heard one, long beep."

Mystique raised an eyebrow when Hermione mentioned the punch and sniffed the cup in her hand, "Oh gosh. Yeah I guess we should." She pretended to have just noticed the fact that it was spiked when Fred started ranting about Lochlan, "R-really? He seems like such a nice man."

@Fred Weasley II @Hermione Granger

"I've heard worse from students during counseling..."

Hermione shot Fred a reassuring smile before lightly patting his shoulder.

@Fred Weasley II