Old Faces >Jonnie< New Friends

[Regulus Black]

Regulus shoved his hands into his pockets and lowered his head against the brisk autumn wind, narrowly navigating through crowds of Hogwarts kids in the streets of Hogsmeade. He'd gone out specifically to get his hands on some of Madame Rosmerta's best Firewhisky, but gotten sidetracked along the way in a little magical jewelry boutique. Christmas wasn't far away, and he'd seen something that fit the love of his life perfectly.

The small velvet-enclosed parcel sat heavily in his pocket. Regulus hated shopping early...he'd have to wait nearly an entire month to see her reaction to what he'd gotten her.

Crowds of Hogwarts kids were gathered in front of the door to the Broomsticks. After a moment of trying to politely sidestep between them, Regulus got annoyed. It was cold outside--wouldn't these kids rather be someplace warm, anyway? Rather than loitering in the doorway? He raised his voice and said, "Kids! Move out of the way!"

Some of the older students shot him annoyed looks--they'd probably been first years when he was in his sixth or seventh. Regulus pushed through and into the warmth of the Three Broomsticks, shaking his windblown hair out of his eyes while they adjusted to the darker lighting.

Looking around, he walked to the bar and waited for Rosmerta to have a free moment. Regulus couldn't remember a time when the Broomsticks was so packed...typically on Hogsmeade weekends, adults avoided the main shops in Hogsmeade, knowing they'd be swamped with school kids. Regulus had seen an entire family sitting shoulder-to-shoulder at one of the tables in the far corner, near the windows. The sheer amount of people there was absurd. He was bound to run into someone he recognized, but so far, no luck.

[jonringo]

Jonnie hated crowds, which was amusing since he wanted to pursue a career in music. He did not have a lot of time to think about this as he jaunted over feet, nudged through shoulders, and practically swatted hands to make his way back to his table from the restroom. He shook his head to look down upon three large witches sitting at his table. They were full of giggles and wine as they patted the chair he had recently occupied. One with a large crooked nose and a wart to match batted her eyelids to Jonnie. He smiled softly, then went the other direction in a hurry. It was time to get his evening meal elsewhere.

After fighting his way through the crowd he tried to get in to the bar. He asked one person if they had a broom on fire outside, and when that person ran away in shock to look, Jonnie squeezed himself into their open spot. He knocked shoulders with the person beside him and looked over finally too annoyed to let it go.

"Watch what your doi-" Jonnie's face lit up, lips parting into a wide smile as his eyes recognized the person he had bumped into. "Regs? Really now, what brings you out tonight?" It had been weeks since he had spoken to his friend, and had not expected him on such a fall night as this, but was happy to have run into him, literally.

[Regulus Black]

Regulus looked up in surprise when Jonnie Ringo bumped into him. The younger boy's annoyed exclamation was cut short when Regulus actually looked at him. A smile spread over his friend's face, delighted that Regulus wasn't just another nameless bar wraith taking up too much space and going around bumping shoulders with whomever he pleased. Regulus grinned too--it had been too long since he'd run into his friends from school, Jonnie being one of the people he counted as a true friend rather than one of the people in the crowd he'd hung out with that had decided recently Dementors and prison would make better company. If it had to be a Hogsmeade weekend on the one day he had free to go out for liquor, Regulus was delighted that at least one decent person was out and about in the village.

"The same thing that brings you down from the castle, I'd think," Regulus replied, nodding towards the extremely busy barkeeper and the shelves of wares behind her. "It's been too long since I spoke with anyone other than Adriana...tell me what's new in the world," he prompted. Regulus knew that talking about Hogwarts was probably not high on the list of things that Jonnie wanted to talk about, but all the time he'd spent living like a muggle over the past two years had made him truly yearn for the old magic-filled halls and gossip-lined towers of the school. Before his life had taken the strange turns it had.

[jonringo]

Jonnie rolled his eyes and laughed lightly. He ordered a pumpkin juice with a wave, and turned to lean against the bar. It had been awhile since Jonnie had had anything harder than pumpkin juice or butterbeer to drink. Jonnie had quit drinking after the death of his muggle lover Mary Neil. He shook his head as Regulus spoke. Leave it to Regs to be able to pick up conversation after weeks and weeks like they had been away for only hours. Life was always this way with his old friend. Ever since the two had met in the middle of pulling the same prank on the old cantankerous caretaker in the castle. Jonnie would not believe someone else would have the idea to use a simple changing charm to turn stink bombs into candles, but they were both doing just that.

He smiled fondly thinking of that first detention when Regulus and he had been forced to scrub the toilets in the boys lavatory. Of course, that did not last long as Regulus had threatened to give this little house elf named Minx a sock if she did not do the task for them. The two had spent the rest of the detention plotting better ways to get back at the old man. Several of these plans had gone off a lot better than stinkbomb candles. Jonnie took the juice brought him and tipped a toast to the waitress before turning to his old friend.

"All things the same for the most part, not much ever changes there. We got several new Slytherin this year, but the potential for them to do much other than wipe the back side of a cracked knarkle will be about the same odds of me growing wings and flying to Paris this Summer." Jonnie thought about it for a moment, and figured he might actually be able to pull that off. He sipped his juice.

"What about you man? I have not heard from you in an age. Okay, well maybe a few weeks, but how has muggle life suited you?" He smiled softly at the thought of Regulus surrounded by a group of muggles trying to fit in.

[Regulus Black]

Listening to his friend's response, Regulus watched him sip pumpkin juice and frowned slightly. He'd forgotten that Jonnie didn't drink anything strong...but he'd also forgotten a number of useless charms he'd learned in school, without any way to use them but on the neighbors. Not wanting to bring the Ministry down on them, Regulus had simply accepted the loss of information. He smiled, glad that they'd continued so easily from where they'd left off before. That was the thing with their friendship--neither bothered with owls or floo. What happened, happened, and they caught up whenever they ran into each other. It had been harder since Regulus had left school, but obviously it hadn't affected their friendship at all.

"You probably could," Regulus snorted, in response to Jonnie's statement about wings and Paris. "Wouldn't mind nipping over there with Katie and Adriana sometime, but she hates Side-Along Apparation. When you go this summer, you should tell me where the best pubs are," he joked, good-naturedly poking at his friend's non-alcohol palette.

Regulus sighed. "I'll need a firewhisky for this," he grumbled. "Muggles are, like they always have been, the worst sort of creatures alive. They're so...nosy. It's like they know there's something not right about Adriana and I, and so they're just waiting for us to slip up...thought it'd hurt them more than it'd hurt us, of course. The Ministry'd wipe their memories without a second thought. Merlin--I could do it myself." He shrugged one shoulder. "Having a kid takes a lot out of you. This is my second trip out for Firewhisky in, oh...a month, I think. Don't get me wrong, Katie's the best thing that ever happened to me," he amended. "Sometimes, though...you miss the days when you could tell your girlfriend to meet you on the Quidditch Pitch at midnight for a one-on-one scrimmage. I don't think I've touched a broom since our last game--other than Katie's toy broom." He made a face, signaling to Rosmerta for a glass of Firewhisky. She set it down almost instantly. So he'd have a few drinks with Jonnie and then go home. No harm in that.

[jonringo]

Jonnie nodded and thought that his friends life sounded mightily interesting. Jonnie himself would not know what it was like to have a girlfriend, seeing how he has not brought himself to date someone for more than two years. He smiled though when his friend had spoke of his little daughter. He could still not even fathom the thought of Regulus being a father, but it seemed to suit him well. Everyone had to grow up sometime he guessed, but for Jonnie it was going to be a long way off. If ever.

He laughed at the talk of muggles. Jonnie figured it would not be long before he himself was going to be involved in that exciting world as he gave music a shot. Sometimes Jonnie would think of himself on stage playing his guitar to a packed house, much like this one, face upturned to watch him. He shook his head at the thought and watched his friend order a fire whiskey. It had been a long, long time since he had one of those for himself. He was almost tempted to order one, but sipped his juice and let the temptation fall away.

He turned his attention to the crowd watching them hustle and bustle around to either get a table, leave a table, or fight for a table. Jonnie sometimes thought wizards and witches were as bad as the muggles they made fun of. Worse sometimes in fact. He laughed and turned to his friend.

"I just remembered, I ran into an old friend of yours, someone you know well in fact. I spoke with Sirius Black about a month or so ago. He was talking to me about muggle music and things of that sort. I thought you might find this information somewhat.... amusing." Jonnie did not know what the current situation was between Regulus and Sirius, so he decided to pry for information some. After all, he was considering Sirius to be his business manager after this term in school.

[Regulus Black]

He watched Jonnie look over the crowded contents of the pub, seeing that far-away expression on his younger friend's face. That expression that indicated he was dreaming...about something. Probably music, if Regulus knew anything about him. Letting the silence stretch comfortably between them, Regulus eyed the thrumming crowd of witches and wizards apprehensively. He still wasn't quite used to standing in the middle of a magical establishment without having to worry about who'd see him there or whether or not he'd be recognized. Not long ago, he wouldn't have been able to set foot in any part of Hogsmeade, without the risk of being caught by the Ministry or his former allies. Sometimes even the Order members could have posed a threat. Regulus occasionally felt as though those times had never ended.

He heard what Jonnie said about old friends and snorted, picking up his glass of firewhisky and taking a drink to poorly conceal his grin. "A while ago I would have been annoyed that you'd even mentioned his name," Regulus said, amused. "My brother and I are on better terms than we ever have been before, actually. You'd be surprised...between Adriana's siblings and mine, he's the best babysitter we've ever had. Now that...everything's over, he's stopped trying to fight with me and we're actually getting along pretty well."

Laughing at the idea of Sirius talking about muggles being amusing, Regulus shook his head and said to his friend, "Sirius is less of a muggle-hugger than I am, now. At least he's got a flat with magical neighbors...no one finds it odd when he brings home a gallon of pumpkin juice or drags a caulderon up the stairs. In our building, even our old school trunks look suspicious." He frowned slightly at Jonnie, adding, "I've loved muggle music for years, you know. What's Sirius been talking to you about it for?" Indeed, his collection of muggle records had gotten him into a fair amount of trouble over the years--not just when his parents found out that he'd been sneaking into London to buy it, but also with his former housemates. Muggles being nothing better than dirt to most at the time, having a collection of their records was like begging for a good hex. Regulus recalled one particularly volatile day when he'd had to argue with several upperclassmen to keep his Electric Light Orchestra record Face the Music from being destroyed.

[jonringo]

Jonnie smiled as he finished off his own drink, the pumpkin juice was as strong as he liked it now a days, and then leaned back and looked at Regulus. He laughed at the thought of Sirius being a babysitter. That was indeed amusing as he pondered him playing horsey across the living room floor. Jonnie would have to mention this to him the next time he seen him. As Regs finished asking his question Jonnie pondered it lightly for a moment while he ordered another drink. He tipped the waitress with a small wink to Rosemarta. He did not see the other waitress here tonight, and he wondered briefly where she might be. He sighed and turned back to his older friend.

"Well it is my last year, and I need to turn my attention to the future. I really think I am going to try to break through in muggle music. I have been playing for sometime now, and I think I got a fairly good idea of what my sound would be like for them at least. Have you heard of the muggle named Gerry Rafferty? Well, when I write it sounds a lot like a muggle album he made called City To City, you must check this out if you have not yet. For some reason the muggles call it 'Folk Rock' I think, but I am just one folk, and I do not use rocks." Jonnie shrugged slightly as his drink was placed down on the bar.

He lifted it to his lips and smiled. He turned to watch a younger lady walk past, he hair was tall and red, her shirt was low and tight. Jonnie let his eyes follow her a moment until he looked back to Regulus. He shook his head and laughed. His friend would have known immediately what Jonnie had just thought. Jonnie took another sip and set his drink down.

"Well, anyway, Sirius might help out and manage my career. I am considering getting a band together, but have not decided that far ahead. I have been busy with classes and writing, so far it is decent." He finished answering the question and turned to lean back against the bar, his eyes following several people who roamed a little too close for Jonnie's taste. He so hated crowds.

[Regulus Black]

Making a mental note to stop by the record shop on his way home, Regulus listened to Jonnie describe what he wanted to do and nodded. "Good luck with that, mate. At least you know what you want to do...I never really gave it much thought, and now I'm living out of Gingott's," he smiled. "When you do release an album, you have to send me a signed copy. And tickets, of course. When you're an international muggle phenomanon, you can send me first class backstage passes to your show in Paris and I won't be upset. I'll need three, though," he smirked. When Jonnie described the dilemma of folk music, Regulus thought for a moment. "I think they mean that it's folk...like old folks," he frowned. "Or maybe country folk. I don't know...exactly. But I do know that rock has nothing to do with actual rocks. Old muggle in a record shop downtown explained it to me once. Something about electric guitars and a drum set."

He watched Jonnie watch a young woman walk by, Regulus eying her momentarily himself. He saw his friend's look and smiled. "Owning a piece of art doesn't stop you from admiring the gallery, my friend," he smirked, taking another drink of his firewhisky. "And that was a beautiful piece. How's that been going for you? Still hung up over..." he trailed off, not wanting to bring up the name of his friend's lost love.

Seeing Jonnie give The Look to several people that got too close to them, Regulus shook his head at his friend. Albiet, he himself wasn't used to the sheer number of people in the bar, but he was strangely enjoying it. After all, not too long ago he'd have had to be seriously concerned for his life, Adriana's, and Katie's if he was in a place like this undisguised. "Don't make it all about exams, though, mate," he smiled. "Seventh year is when the best things happened...I quit the Death Eaters, I knocked up Adriana..." he trailed off sarcastically, draining his glass and putting it down on the table with a harsh clunk.

[jonringo]

Jonnie nodded to his older friend at his words regarding music. Jonnie personally did not like labels. He thought they were pointless when it came to music, but muggles seemed to deal with them well, so he would have to learn all about them. He sighed, and looked over to his friend as he spoke about love, and was kind enough not to mention Mary Neil, and then switch the conversation to his own life. Jonnie had wanted to follow him into the life of a Death Eater, but was now glad he had not. It seemed that group was one that did not do well in public. Jonnie would stick to his music.

"Ah, love," he said softly pondering the thought himself. He had met someone interesting in this very bar a few nights ago, but decided to let that go for now. He was not really sure what that was yet, but he knew he had been very interested in the woman. He shook his head.

"Well let's put it this way, my friend. I will have plenty of time to spend studying. I have nothing else to do up there at the old castle. I mean, I am not placing my nose in a book all the time, but no one has stole my fancy." He finished his juice and looked at the empty cup. Sometimes when he thought of love and all the consequences it brought with it, he did feel like something stronger. But, he always fought off the urge. He did not know if it would always be like this, but he did not worry about it. He glanced away to wards the crowd coming in.

It appeared that even more people were trying to fight their way in. The holiday season was always crazier around this time of year. He wondered how Bella was doing, and if she had been getting lots of hours now. He thought he might make the time to stop by and check in on her before he went back to school later that day. He nudged Regulus and pointed out a large wizard trying to bend over and pet another wizard's tiny dog. The dog took a sharp bite out of the wizard's finger, and the finger went right into the mouth of the old man. Jonnie shook his head.

People are strange.

[Regulus Black]

Seeing his friend sigh, Regulus was glad that he'd trailed off when he did. He worried about Jonnie when it came to girls...he liked them all right, and they liked him, but his younger friend hadn't had a serious relationship since Mary Neil. Regulus knew that he had many potential girls, recalled that his friend had almost had more girls for friends than boys, in school. Jonnie was a very approchable person, someone you went to with your problems and always got good advice back from. It was partially due to the eerie way he read people, Regulus knew. But he wisely kept his mouth closed on the subject of Jonnie's search for--if not love, then companionship--and let the subject drop.

Something in Jonnie's face as he ponderously said 'Ah, love,' caught Regulus's attention. "What are you thinking about?" he asked, frowning. Studying his friend's face, it hi thim. "You're thinking about a girl!" he exclaimed certainly, straightening. "I haven't seen that expression on your face in years...who is it?"

Regulus accepted what Jonnie said, nodding when his friend reassured him that he'd spend most of his time studying. He remembered the tone in Jonnie's voice...all of them had spoken that way, towards the end. Just ready to get out into the world...in Regulus's case, to a place where he wouldn't spend every waking day in the presence of Death Eaters. He smiled wistfully at that thought. "Well, don't forget to enjoy it, mate. It's unlikely you'll ever set foot in the old castle again. And if you do, it's...it's just weird. It feels so strange, walking in and knowing that you have no idea what the password to the common room is. Walking around without knowing anyone, Professors addressing you by your first name...and you're expected to do the same." Regulus made a face, wrinkling his nose. "The first time I went back, McGonagall came up to me and said, 'I'm so glad you're doing this, Regulus! We've needed information for so long," he immitated her stern, lilting scottish accent. "And when I said that it was not a problem, Professor, she told me that I had to call her Minerva." He shook his head. "Horrible, going back once you've graduated. Makes me feel like I'm suddenly my dad come to check up on myself."

Looking over when Jonnie nudged him, he caught the sight of the old man sucking on his finger. Really, the moron that had brought their dog into a crowded place like this ought to have been more apologetic. Instead, he was barely concealing his giggles, a gloved hand over his mouth and his eyes bright with amusement. "Reckon the one with the dog was Slytherin...and the one that got bit was Hufflepuff," Regulus muttered critically, eying the ridiculous scene. "Still as mad as always, around here. Merlin, I've missed this village," he remarked, looking around again.

[jonringo]

Jonnie nodded at the assumption of the dog incident. It was highly amusing, and he felt Regulus was not far off the mark. He turned to look at his friend, his eyes serious. He did not really know if he wanted to tell him about his crush, but he had never really hide anything from Regulus before. He sighed, and let his smile fall across his lips, his eyes almost far away as if looking at someone else.

When Jonnie did this, he always felt like he was walking through a cold water fall, the waters splashing down on him, as true memory came to his mind. He could feel what the person was thinking about when he saw them in his mind. He never really enjoyed this gift, but it was useful in many, many situations. In his mind's eye he saw the girl he was thinking of clearly. The beautiful eyes, hair, features that were amazing, if she would just let them be. She hid herself away for years, and coming out of her shell was like a butterfly, bringing glorious light to the world to shine down on those looking, like the light of life. Jonnie shook his head as he had lost himself in his own strange thoughts. He blushed slightly and laughed softly as he registered where he was again. He glanced around then looked at Regulus.

"Bella Sterling," he whispered, not sure if he could add anything else. He looked around to wards the backroom, then to the floor where several witches were trying to dance. Almost as if Jonnie was searching for her to pop up out of nowhere then. She did work here, but tonight must be her night off, or she had not come in yet. He glanced back to his old friend and laughed again. He felt so weird when he thought of her, and talked of this subject. Almost giddy like a much younger school kid. Hell, I do not even know if she shares these same emotions, this same crush. Jonnie thought to himself as he waved to Rosemarta to order another drink, surprising her slightly.

"No, I will take a fire whiskey please. And one more for my friend here." Jonnie looked over at Regulus, a blush on his face, and the look of a lost puppy in his eyes. Jonnie might be approachable, and somewhat popular, but he was also awkward when it came to restarting this part of his life. He sighed, when the drinks were placed in front of them. He picked up his cool shot glass and looked at it. He sniffed the liquor and looked to Regulus. "To a future unknown." Jonnie took his drink and frowned slightly. It was as strong as he could remember, as he coughed lightly, a smile on his face as he looked to his former Slytherin friend.

[Regulus Black]

Jonnie's expression was what killed the words in Regulus's throat. He'd been mildly curious before, but now his curiosity rose up like something tangible within him, demanding to be let into the life of his friend. Forgetting the other people in the overcrowded bar, he narrowed his eyes and waited for Jonnie to say something. A smile fell across his friend's face, surprising Regulus entirely. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again. Jonnie's eyes unfocused, as if he were looking at Regulus but seeing someone else.

Finally, his friend spoke. The name that he uttered was, at the very bottom of a long string of adjectives, surprising. His eyebrows rose at Jonnie's expression. It was something he'd seen before. Sometimes it graced Adriana's face when her expression was unguarded. Sometimes he saw it when he looked in the mirror. He'd seen the Head Boy and Girl in his brother's year look at each other like that, too. "Sterling? No way, I just ran into her the other day. Literally," he said, smirking at the thought. "She was in my brother's year...how'd you meet her, mate?"

When Jonnie changed his order to Firewhisky, Regulus frowned immediately. "Wha..." he trailed off as Rosemarta deposited two glasses on the bar, sweeping off to tend to other patrons. When Jonnie raised his glass and sniffed it, Regulus had the sense to snap his mouth closed and pick up his own drink. Chinking glasses to his friend's toast, he took a small drink and watched as his friend choked on it, concerned. But that faded away when Jonnie grinned. It was the most relaxed he'd seen his friend in years.

"I don't know what you've done with Sterling, if anything, yet. But you've got to pursue this one, mate," Regulus muttered seriously. Jonnie had survived having his heart broken once...mostly. Regulus just hoped that the next time he saw his friend, the bright glassy light of love hadn't left his eyes to give way once again to the familiar jaded stare he'd had ever since that fateful summer.

[jonringo]

Jonnie smiled as he tasted his first strong alcohol in years as a representative of the fact he was firmly placing his past behind him. He glanced to his friend when he mentioned running into Bella and he laughed slightly. He shook his head as the drink went directly to his head, if Regulus was surprised at that news wait until he heard the next chapter. Jonnie leaned in almost as if he was going to whisper.

"Well Regs, dear old chum of mine, I am." He smiled, a genuine smile that Jonnie usually reserved for special occasions or those really funny situations the two had gotten into when they were younger. "We are dating." He let the words wash over his friend and watched his eyes closely, knowing that Regulus would know he had not dated someone in over two years. The news still something for Jonnie himself to even think about as often as he did.

Jonnie touched Regulus' shoulder and shook his head, as if Regulus had said that Jonnie was not telling the truth. "I met her right here, end of her shift, I was her last table. I insisted she join me, and the next thing you know we were making pizza in her flat... It was fate, I tell ya honest." Yeah, the drink had went directly to Jonnie's head, as fast as Bella had went to his heart.

[Regulus Black]

Listening closely as Jonnie leaned in to talk to him, Regulus grinned at the news. He looked up at his friend to find Jonnie inspecting him for a reaction, face serious but lined with a happiness that Regulus hadn't seen in years. Still grinning he said, "Congratulations, mate!" He couldn't remember Jonnie ever seriously talking about a girl. After all, he'd discovered Mary Neil during the summer, and lost her during the summer. Regulus could remember Jonnie talking about Hogwarts girls a long time ago, around the time they'd first met. He'd already been dating Adriana by then, so they had been rather one-way conversations, as far as anything serious went.

He smirked, amused as Jonnie touched his shoulder and explained where he'd met the girl. It was like he'd drank an entire case of firewhisky. Apparently drinking pumpkin juice for so long had destroyed his friend's tolerance. "Right here? You've been to her flat?" he asked, surprised. It certainly hadn't taken Jonnie long to get back into the swing of a relationship. Regulus clapped him on the back, smirking at his friend's already unfocused eyes and slightly slurred speech.

"You going to be okay going back to the castle, mate?" he asked, concerned. Regulus and Adriana had done their share of underaged drinking when they'd been in school...but to do it in the Room of Requirement was one thing. To come back from Hogsmeade completely wasted was another thing entirely.