Post by Trevor Williams on Mar 30, 2012 13:20:20 GMT -8
Casey = Me
Morgana = Layni
Su, Nov. 26, 2000
It was dark, too dark, and somehow for some unknown reason, he felt sad, desperate to get out of this place, but it seemed that although he desired to move, his legs would not follow his commands, as though they were cemented to the ground or someone had petrified him to the spot. Some foreboding sense of dread flooded his senses and he felt himself tense as he heard footsteps come towards him...plop-plop, second foot down, again plop-plop. Two sets, not just one, and one sounded light and determined like his wife's, yet somehow as though fearful, reluctant, the other set as though proud, heavy as a man's. Who was it with her? Kill him, he would, kill him for making Evie afraid!
Light approached with the footsteps, and he felt somewhat easier with its appearance though just as intense, fearful, still unable to move no matter how hard he tried.
Finally, faces were before him....Evie in one of the special dresses she'd only ever bought to please him when they went out and such.
The man, dark-haired, brown-eyed, was equally dressy, smug look on his face as his arm remained wrapped about Evie's waist. Evie looked up at the man after staring angrily and disbelievingly at Casey for a few moments, giving the man beside her a teary-eyed smile that was barely noticeable. What on earth was wrong?
It was as Evie came near him that he heard it, felt it, the soft beckoning of another woman's voice, the feel of her gentle hand softly gripping his bare shoulder, the fluttering of soft, silky sheets about his ankles when she neared him, and he turned, even though he didn't wish it, towards this woman who stood on her tip-toes and gave a kiss to his cheek. "Come, dear, back to bed," the blonde-haired woman said, smiling at him in what he could tell was supposed to be a seductive manner.
He felt like he knew this woman but couldn't place her, didn't want to place her. "I don't believe I'm who you think I am."
The blonde tapped his nose playfully, shaking her head, grinning. "Aren't you a funny one? You're my lover, Case, that's all that matters. Now, come on, tiger, back to bed."
"My wife--!"
"Your wife? Who gives a damn about her? You haven't tonight. Why start now?"
"Look, my wife is right here, and I need to talk to her," he explained, edge to his voice, glancing over at Evie cluelessly, Evie shaking her head, giving him a look between disgust, disappointment, and disbelief, the other man's arms finding their way around her in a comforting embrace, still giving Casey that smug look.
"Touché!" the blonde said teasingly, sliding her hand up his chest and bringing it around his neck, rising to her tip-toes to whisper in his ear, "Need a bit of convincing, I see..." She nibbled his ear some, bringing her kiss to the spot just below where the jaw meets the neck, kissing there for a while, slowly bringing her kisses up as the other hand of the woman found its way against his chest as she kissed him full on the mouth, and Casey felt his arms move against his wishes around her, kissing her back passionately, feeling his body respond.
The blonde pulled away, walking flirtatiously away, beckoning him to her. He felt his longing, desire, even though he didn't want such a response, but soon the feeling of hard slap across his face broke his concentration from the strange woman.
"How could you, Casey?!" Evie yelled at him, tears in her eyes though it was evident she was fighting them back.
"Evie, I didn't. I--" he protested, only to be interrupted.
"Save it, Casey! I don't want to hear it!"
"Evie, I swear I didn't. It's not--it's not what it looks like!" At the sign of her opening her mouth to speak, he quickly added, What about you? You're with him!
"Only because he told me, Casey, and, the truth. Tom would never lie to me or hurt me...unlike you!" She glared at him, shaking her head, turning to leave, storming off, grabbing the man's hand, but he whispered something and she left, 'Tom' remaining.
Tom took a few steps forward, looking more and more like Voldemort as he neared Casey. "It's your own fault, Winslow. You lost her yourself. I only helped comfort her. Now, go back to your lover. Evie wants me, not you."
"She loves me, not you."
"Are you so convinced of that, Winslow?" the man jeered.
"Yes," he answered, defiant look in his blue eyes.
"Oh, Evie dearest, give your husband the truth of how you feel."
Heels clicked as she made her way back, wand out, pointed at him, two simple words escaping her lips before a green jet hurtled at him, feeling for his wand as it did.
~*~*~
"Evie, no!" Casey yelled, sitting up and tossing back the covers, blue eyes open but not seeing for a few moments until finally everything came back into focus, hearing his heavy breathing, feeling his chest rise and fall, the cold air rush about his damp body and he shivered, trying to figure out where he was--the couch, good. At least he was still in their room at the school, though a partitioned off section from the bedroom. He walked to the bedroom, cracking open the door quietly, staring in. She was still there, sleeping, beautiful as ever, and alone, no other man; it had all been some twisted nightmare. He felt his breathing begin to slow, letting out a sigh, walking back to the couch and laid back down, his neck a bit sore because of the odd angle it had to be held in.
He knew what had spurred that on, or so he thought, but she had come back from the Death Eater meeting that night, and before she had promised him in that letter she wouldn't after the first one, but this was several later, and things had been getting more and more difficult. He had skirted the topic that first evening, though he hadn't had to, for he'd picked up Julian early from his mum's during that meeting, wanting his son with him. He'd spent the time before and after dinner playing ball with him, tossing it back and forth, back and forth...a miniature quaffle since his hands were so tiny. Julian had enjoyed it even though Casey had been distracted.
But now, he needed sleep, not thought spurred by some crazy nightmare. Maybe some water or some tea would calm him down. He closed his eyes for a few moments before pulling back the covers all the way sitting up on the couch and snapping his fingers, a house elf coming, and he ordered some hot tea, sitting down on the couch, propping his elbows on his knees, face resting in his hands as he let out a sigh.
The past few days, weeks had been extremely difficult for him. He and Evie had been arguing more than ever before, and he was getting sick and tired of it. Why, just the other day he had taken Julian out for ice cream and a new toy to distract him from his and Evie's argument. Evie had disappeared most of the night, and he'd waited up for her, hoping they could find some way to resolve things, but they'd gone to bed angry that night, something Casey hated to do.
They'd gone to bed angry earlier the evening prior, not daring to talk for fear of yelling at each other and waking Julian. This was all horrible, a nightmare on its own, a living, waking nightmare. He wanted to just be able to smile and laugh again with his wife, be able to spend an enjoyable day alone with her. It felt so painful, watching his marriage breaking up, his own heart breaking with it. He felt so helpless, watching Evie slip away, nothing he said seeming to matter, that he loved her and was worried and concerned for her seemed not to be going through her skull. Maybe it would have been better if he had let the subject drop after that first night, just let them be like the first time three years ago, drifting apart slowly from stress. It would have been less terrifying for Julian, he felt, but he couldn't just stop trying to convince her he cared and only wished to keep her safe, even though it meant arguing.
Arguing...
Funny thing, he hated it, yet he seemed to be doing it day in, day out now. Maybe he should just leave, move to some other room, spend his day separate from her, use Serena as a go-between and have her drop Julian to whoever's turn it was. Then, he wouldn't have to, but he'd lose himself. He was so scared of losing himself again like last time, go drink, and maybe he wouldn't be so fortunate this time, but at this point dying sounded good, killing himself a rescue, refuge.
But if he died...if he died, it would be horrible for his son. He couldn't do it, couldn't kill himself simply for that.
It was during such thoughts the house elf came back, giving him his hot tea. Casey thanked him and the house elf left, and Casey began to sip the tea. It wasn't helping any; he still felt tense and uptight. He needed something stronger, craved it deeply, but no...he shouldn't. Julian didn't need to see him like that and it would probably help make Evie feel somehow justified.
Another sip of the tea...not working, not helping. Images of that blonde woman flashing through his mind again and he shuddered, letting out some sort of noise of disgust. He had to drink something that would take those images away from him, rescue him from any thought of that sickening, frightening, horrid nightmare, but was he willing to risk it? Coming home drunk...it was a weekend, early on a Saturday morning. He could stay away until he felt there was no sign of it or a hangover.
But...what if that only gave credence to what Voldemort said? What if it made Evie think he was actually having an affair? Oh, screw this all! He had to get something stronger to drink for his own sanity. He'd scrawl a note so that Evie wouldn't worry. Who was he kidding? She wouldn't worry, not anymore, but so Julian wouldn't worry, he'd still do it.
Julian,
I've gone for the day. I need some time to think, so he's gone to town to get some things for class and such. I'll be back later and maybe we can play some ball, ok? Don't give mummy a hard time.
Daddy
There, that was done, just put it on the coffee table. Evie would see it and read it, tell Julian, and everything would be fine. He set it on the coffee table and then gathered his blankets and pillow, bringing them and folding them neatly in their room and putting them in their usual spot so Julian wouldn't figure out that mummy and daddy hadn't been sleeping together. He walked to the bathroom, putting a silencing spell around it so as not to wake Evie. If she saw him, there was no way he was getting out of here.
He took a quick shower, shaved, got dressed, fixed his messy hair, and then walked out of the bathroom, out of their room, closing the door, then out the main door of their room to the hall, closing and locking it behind him, walking to the fireplace in the main part of the common room, grabbing some floo powder and stepping into the fireplace, calling out clearly, "Diagon Alley!"
From there, he apparated out to Hogsmeade (he hadn't felt like the long walk) before The Hog's Head, walking up to the high street to The Three Broomsticks. It wasn't a Hogsmeade weekend, so he was almost positive he didn't have to worry about students. He wasn't wearing any identifying clothing anyway, just some black jeans and a navy blue t-shirt. Anyone could wear such garments. He walked in, walking up to the bar and sitting down, calling out, "Firewhiskey!"
The dream was to be sent tonight. She had now been at this silly job for over a week waiting for her moment to strike. Her lord had informed her it would be tonight. All day she had rested when she could to look refreshed and alive when she met him for the first time. She had purchased a bottle of the Weasly twin's veela elixer or something of the sort and used it in a cup of tea as instructed. Her hair shinned like spun gold, lighter, almost to the point of white. Her eyes sparkled a bright clear blue, entrancing, perfect, almost as stunning as her bright smile, framed by rosy red stained lips and her unmarked pale skin. Her mark was covered by a spell set by the Dark Lord himself, and she was dressed in a lowcut, form fitting shirt in a dark blue color, and a pair of tight fitting jeans with some old beaten up tennis shoes. She smiled at her reflection. No one, much less this Winslow when he was drunk, would be able to face her with out flirting or hitting on her directly.
She walked downstairs to start her shift, recieving hungry stares from the men and glances of compleate hate from their female companions if they were indeed with a companion. She smiled and shrugged off any suggestive comments made and proceeded to bring drink after drink, with men bying her a few in between but her never drinking them. Only pretending too. She heard the door open at the appointed time they had estimated together for Mr. Winslow's arrival and turned, quickly popping open the ingrediants to a firewhisky and mixing them up expertly in top haste.
She stayed, her back to the man until the last possible minute when she heard his voice and recognized it from the trial with her foster parents. She smiled, the brightness and beauty almost blinding, and turned seconds after he ordered with the drink in hand. She sauntered over, her hips swaying naturally, drawing almost every eye as she went towards him and placed the drink on bar. She leaned over near him flirtatiously and bent over placing her arms on the counter and leaning over a seat or so away from him, giving him the ideal view of her chest.
"You certaintly are the decisive one aren't you tiger? Had a bad day I take it? Bad night? Sorry i'm nosy i'm still new and things are real slow."
Casey took the firewhiskey with a 'thank you' and was about to take a sip when the barmaid started talking to him. Strange... He looked over at her, eyes almost instinctively falling where they shouldn't, him quickly moving them up to her face. The blonde looked so familiar. Oh great...his experiences the past few years were really starting to drive him off his rocker. Seeing things, he was, and hearing things, too. Hardly anyone dared come onto him, not with his ring on, though there were the few odd ones that still dared (unless Evie was with him. They knew to stay away then.).
If he was already seeing things and hearing things, what would be the effects of this firewhiskey? His eyes fell back to it, staring at the liquid in the mug almost with a contemplative look. Maybe he shouldn't...Julian didn't need to see him acting crazy, but if he was already going crazy, what was the harm? He took a sip of the stuff, making a bit of a face as he put the mug down, nearly choking on it. He'd almost forgotten how this stuff burned and felt going down. He kept his gaze on the table for a few moments before sideways glancing at the blonde that had spoke to him. She was still there. Maybe he hadn't been seeing things, but still...
Now, he supposed he should speak to her, but he'd forgotten what she'd asked by now, not having really paid attention the first time. "I'm sorry, were you talking to me?"
Morgana watched as he stared at her for a minute. Was it the veela potion that she had purchased or was it the dream. He looked from her to the drink and kept acting as if she were not there. She raised her eyebrow and looked at him questioningly. Did he not believe she was real?
She smiled flirtatiously and laughed under her breath as he choked. It seems that he had not drank any firewhisky in quite sometime. She could tell between his reaction to the first sip and the look on his face when he started to choke. She smiled and turned around filling up a glass with ice water and set it down next to his firewhisky. She smiled and looked at him in a mix between amusement and pity almost as he looked back up to her and spoke. She smiled and shook her head, looking down the long empty countertop.
"I don't see anyone else at the counter do you?"
Casey used his peripheral vision to see what was the case there, shaking his head. "Well, no, I suppose there isn't. I, um, I guess I'm afraid you'll need to repeat the question or whatever, for I didn't really pay attention before."
Wasn't this strange, talking to a barmaid who seemed to be flirting with him...crazy. He'd heard of people unloading their stories to people who worked at a bar, that bartenders were the most sympathetic in some ways, knew what advice to give, but he'd never in his life considered doing that. The way he saw it, it was better if he kept quiet and to himself when drunk or getting drunk. Of course, that never really ended up happening, but he had always to some extent tried. It was like he was a chick magnet when he was drinking. Sure, he had the occassional girl as said before that hit on him, but even in his Hogwarts days he hadn't had as many as had hit on him or spoke to him when he drank. Maybe it was that they thought there had to be some sob story behind it, or maybe it was his eyes. Evie had always said girls talked about his eyes in school.
Damn eyes.
He took a sip of his firewhiskey and a drink of the water she'd placed before him. Maybe this would help keep him from getting drunk as fast. Maybe he'd be able to stop when he just was starting to feel the buzz. Who was he kidding? He would probably keep going like a blubbering idiot, get himself so drunk he didn't know up from down or right from left or forward from backwards. 'Course, he'd try to exercise self-restraint, what, with this being his first time drinking since his son had been born. He didn't need to apparate in talking nonsensical words, yelling to Evie about something, scare the kid to death.
Morgana shrugged and set about to cleaning the counter top near his seat so she would look like she was doing something constructive and still be able to talk to him. She sat down on a stool they kept behind the bar and sighed with a quiet smile.
"I was just curious. Marriage problems I suppose. I see the ring and I see you drinking when you obviously haven't in sometime seeing your reaction. You ordered quickly and decisively. It leads to some questions popping up doesn't it? What i've kind of figured out is that there is a story behind every person this late at night. I just like hearing them."
"You 'like' hearing about other's problems?" Casey asked, raising a brow, then taking another sip of his firewhiskey, managing not to make a face this time, though it still did burn. He took another sip of his water, letting out a sigh. "And yes, it is marriage problems, but it all comes down to one damn guy who needs to die already. Any problems my wife and I have ever had, all of them, they boil down to this guy at the root of them, even if he utilized someone else. He seems a bit obssessed with making our life miserable, can't even have a bit of pity or lighten up when we have a kid."
He let out a heavy sigh, rolling his eyes a bit and taking another sip of his firewhiskey, this time, a long swig, still not feeling the buzz that he felt like he needed, the feeling that made him feel detatched from his body, his misery, his pain, all dissolved by one feeling, though not really completely and truly.
"Another, please," he said, looking up at her again, eyes studying her beautiful, fair face momentarily before realizing it and looking back down at the counter, at his hands that were rested on it.
Morgana smiled slightly as he opened up to her so easily after his first drink only. She looked down slightly, pretending to be modest as she caught his staring at her face before she turned to get another firewhisky for him. She sat back down on her side of the counter and pushed the drink towards him carefully.
"You know, its probably not the best idea in the world to have too many of those. I guess that it will just make things worse between you and your wife. Just a guess. And its not like the kid needs that kind of stuff in his life. As for the guy, maybe he's just using other problems in your marriage to help him. I mean, he could be exploiting problems you already had. Is he one of your wive's exes or something?"
"No, he's not," Casey answered, letting out a sigh. "And, I know, but I just need something to calm my nerves." He took another swig of his firewhiskey. "Everything was going perfectly until she met up with this guy again. We'd thought he was dead, but turns out, he's not. Been arguing so much about her needing to stay here, not keep going back to him, but she won't give in and listen. What gets me is she believed him over me, when she knows how much of a liar he is, how much he twists things, manipulates things, uses people. It's just so freakin' annoying. If I didn't know better, I'd say she was in love with him, but I know she isn't."
Another swig. Maybe this talking to another person thing was a good idea, maybe this woman could give him a fresh perspective to approach this from and get back in Evie's good graces. He didn't know why it was so difficult to speak to Evie without raising his voice and ending up yelling at her to 'back off' or to 'leave him the hell alone.' Well, he did. It was the whole issue of her getting him angry before he had a chance to say his piece. He hated how easily she was able to get him angry. Was getting him annoyed and frustrated in more ways than one.
Morgana frowned slightly and poured herself a small glass of butterbeer sitting down opposite him at the bar after making sure no one else needed any refills. As far as she was concerned they could all get the drinks themselves, but the Dark Lord had told her to work her so that she would be close to the school and to Winslow and she had to keep the job in order to be effective. She took a sip of the drink and nodded gravely before looking back up at him, forcing a small sad smile.
"First of all, never assume you know who someone loves. She could love any number of people, trust me, I learned that lesson the hard way. Second of all, it seems to me that this person, who ever he is, exposes existing problems in your marriage rather than makes them. From the way you've spoken and the things you've said it seems most of your disagreements come from decisions made by one of you for the other and that you have troubles communicating and now its more forced reconciliation because of the child. If you ask me, i'm no expert of course, but it sounds like maybe you both need a break from eachother and the kid. Maybe a vacation of sorts. Get out of the enviorment that's causing so much trouble. That sort of thing..."
"We've been together eight years, nearly eight years, since we were sixteen. And everything was going so perfectly these past three...our time together was always so dynamic and fun-filled, always spontaneous, she was. We had our rows before, but never anything like this, never so..." he took another swig of his firewhiskey "so...what's the word? so bad, I guess. My son was near tears, and she promised him in a letter to him she'd show up to read him a story for bed a couple nights ago, and she never showed, and Jules, he loves his mum. He was almost throwing a tantrum, and she yells at me for getting onto her for not coming back. I was worried because it was so late..nearly one in the morning. She got mad at me for worrying. I can't even say so much as..." another swig "'Hello' anymore without her getting mad.
"Doubted my fidelity, she did, when he came into the picture again, believed a lying, cheating, cowardly maniac o'er her own husband. I was more than a might disappointed. She promised after the first meeting she'd never go again, but she keeps going, keeps goin'....another?"
He set his empty bottle down.
"I love my wife, but sometimes she just drives me up the wall, you know? Sometimes I wonder if she's not off with someone else, as long as she's gone...know those meetings aren't that often. Used to work for this guy, see? That's why I know..."
Morgana sighed and fetched him another firewhisky, taking the time to water it down a bit before giving it to him. Somehow she doubted he would notice between his talking and the amount he had drank so far. She placed the bottle in front of him and shook her head. She wouldn't even have to work that hard to convince him to stay here once he got drunk. She could get him a free room...that works. She smiled slightly and shook her head again, acting as if it was a real prediciment.
"Sound's like she's in with a bad sort of crowd. Maybe they're changing her...You know, i've been in with a set of people like that for sometime. Of course I got out after I left my boyfriend because we were having our own set of problems, but it changed me compleatly. Thankfully I was able to get back on my feet again and turn things around a little. Much more like my old self at least. Shame about your son though. No little boy should have to go through that. He sounds sweet though...your boy. Now your wife sounds like she's hiding something bad...Have you tried getting someone else to talk to her. Maybe go to someone to work out your problems. I mean..."
Morgana smiled almost flirtatiously and leaned slightly on the counter, giving him a straight veiw of her body.
"You've been talking to me for almost three drinks now and you seem to be a bit more relaxed...weather its me or the alcohol I don't know, but I'd like to think of it as a combination of both..."
"Yeah...well, I dunno, I mean, it does help to finally be able to talk to someone without them yelling back, and we've not exactly gone to our friends yet. They're the sort that've got to stick their noses in everything. You don't, you just listen and give advice. They don't like listening to me, just give advice without hearin' my side, quite annoying," he answered, taking a sip of his drink, raising his brow at it. "Tastes diffr'nt. Think you can't get me a diffr'nt one? Tastes old 'r somethin'...dunno what."
He let out a sigh. He definitely was feeling a buzz, but he wasn't quite drunk enough to do anything without being aware enough to say 'yes' or 'no' yet. He let himself lean back in the barstool, slouching slightly, forearms resting on the bar as he leaned forward on them, trying to keep his eyes from wandering. Whether on purpose or not, it seemed this woman seemed to be quite easily giving him a clear view of things better left unseen by any except one's husband.
Morgana stayed put for a moment, making sure that he was looking at her peroidically while she 'examined' the drink. She shrugged and eventually moved, taking the firewhisky with her and fetching a new one before returning to an only slightly less provocative position before handing him the bottle. She smiled and propped her head on her hand looking at him with her head tilted giving him a slightly playful look. She wondered how long this veela stuff lasted...maybe it had worn off before he walked in...maybe she had to go get another bottle from her stash by the bar and put some in her drink...
"You know, I never caught your name, but at this rate it seems that you might have to stay the night. I mean, you can't go home like this or things will be even worse with your wife and all..."
Casey gave her a confused look at the playful one she gave him. She had said she'd seen his ring, hadn't she? Or was her suggestion of their going to others for help meant in another way than professional help? He hadn't been that dense, had he? No, she couldn't have meant it that way, and he shouldn't even have let himself think of that possibility, though in his defense, the views she was giving him and the looks and the way she was attempting to come onto him were quite overwhelming.
He took a swig of his new firewhiskey...third bottle, right? Maybe she was right. If he was only just starting to feel the buzz after the second, he'd need a few more, and that would mean more time for him to have to avoid so his son didn't see the effects of a hangover.
"It's Casey," he answered. "You? And, I guess you're right...need someo--" He shook his head. What was that? He must be going crazy, forgetting words. "...somewhere to sleep for a while at least, not like she'll miss me. Sleep on the couch half the bloody time anymore. Left a note for Jules, said I'd be gone most of Saturday, so...I say I'm covered...."
Morgana smiled and nodded as she watched him stare on in confusion. Perhaps this was going to be harder than the Dark Lord told her. He still was semi coherant. She smiled and waited patiently. His face cleared and Morgana was once again reassured of the fact that he did not understand her true intentions and the meaning behind her words. She grinned encouragingly as he tried to speak. Fighting back a bit of laughter when he almost slipped and said someone. It seemed Mr. Winslow might not be so faithful after all...
She smiled and waited for him to finish before speaking. "Morgan...a pleasure to meet you Casey and its probably for the best that you've decided to take a room. I mean, between the wrath of your wife and the kid...a lot of people wouldn't be that worried about coming home drunk. That's really sweet..."
"Yeah, well..." Casey started, kind of flustered. He had never liked when Evie called something he did sweet, always made him feel...well, it was indescribable, which was precisely why he hated it, and now, he wasn't quite sure how to react with someone he barely knew. Still didn't like it, that was for sure, but he couldn't react in the same way as he did with his wife. That would be strange, at least, he thought it would be.
"Evie's had her fair share of things to deal with over the years...doesn't need this again, but I just couldn't stand the stress anymore, pilin' up, even got sick for the first time in years. Getting to be too much, had to have something that would take away the edge and the stress. Figure this is better than what some men might do..." He let out a sigh, taking another drink.
Morgana shrugged and continued to watch him as she set about making another drink for a gentleman who had just sat down. She handed the newcommer the drink before returning to her own and her target. He was proving a little tougher than she was told at least...a little bit of a challange. She'd have to tell Trey of course. Exploit his secrets, get Trey to ask the right questions. Soon the couple would be running opposite ways. One into her arms and the other into his.
She smiled slightly and looked over at Casey in interest. "Well you never know Casey. A dear friend of mine wasn't too sure which one was worse, drinking or the other options most husbands take. Both of them were bad of course but they almost tied for her...It all depends on the woman I suppose."
"I suppose yer right," another swig. "It's just...at least I'm still being faithful to her, right? Questions on that were what started this mess, and I don't intend on messin' things up on that front ever in my life. It's the only way to keep that man from winning, I think, staying faithful..." He let out a sigh, setting down his empty bottle. "Another, please?"
He really shouldn't, but he didn't care right now. Well, maybe something a little less potent? Or would the change of flavor give his mouth too much of a shock? "Err...butterbeer?"
Maybe he should just go while he was ahead, but talking was nice without arguing, and he was finding it rather oddly more enjoyable today, even if he was still not quite sure of this woman, flirting with him when she had said herself he was married and then he'd confirmed it, but nevertheless, conversation was still nice for him.
Morgana saw him polish off the bottle and with a small sigh she went to grab another and was suprised when he requested a weaker drink. Perhaps he was tapering off for the evening. She smiled slightly and brought him the butterbeer listening carefully to what he said. So infidelity questions had brought all this about. It seemed paradise had more troubles than she thought. She frowned and raised her eyebrows slightly at his confession about the cheating for dramatic effect.
"Then technically all this is absolutely silly. If she doesn't believe you its her own fault. You seem like a very decent fellow and I think she is paranoid. If she doesn't trust you enough to believe you about something so serious then you need to sit her down and have a good talk with her about how lucky she is. So many men would have run off by now in a relationship like this. I mean...you adore her and she doesn't treat you like you have a shread of honesty or dignity."
"She says she believes me now, but that she believed the man in the first place really makes me feel upset. Kind of hard to move past that, you know...your wife thinking you could possibly even dream about being with someone else. I mean, I did when we first got together, some veela-girl, but that was before I was really ever dedicated to anyone.
"Thanks," he added as she handed him the butterbeer, taking a sip of it after raising the glass in a sort of 'salute' to her. Definitely different-tasting compared to the firewhiskey, but he'd be able to handle it. Right now, he was too concerned about other things to really care about the taste of the butterbeer. It was good, all that mattered.
Morgana pursed her lips thoughtfully, laughing slightly as he toasted to her, secretly hoping that something incriminating would happen soon so she could stop being so damn silly around boys. She hated doing this around men like him. He was a blood traitor and a failure and traitor to the dark lord and doing this alone was sickening but she had to fulfill her part of the plan to tear him from his wife so that she would not be labled failure as all those before her. She smiled again slightly and let out a large sigh.
"You know...This sounds rather fishy to me. She suspects and blames you for cheating and yet she is sneaking off at all hours to meet with this guy who wants to harm your family, obviously trying to cut a deal with them to keep you all safe if she really cares that much. However, how long do these really take? I mean, one or two and she should have been done right? I mean depending on when and how often she's gone its sounds almost as if she is more of a culprit for cheating than you are at this point! I mean, she could be paranoid and figure if she blames you then you'll get upset and won't notice her activities so much. Did you ever find out exactly what she does at these...meetings..."
Casey let out a sigh, listening to the girl speak, giving a bit of a nod/shake of his head/shrug here or there. He wished he could just say it was Voldemort, but, seeing as that had never got him far before, only got him labeled as more than a little daft, but maybe she'd think him tipsy enough at the moment to start going off on someone who was supposedly dead for three years now or maybe it'd just come out as he rambled on, who knew. He took one more sip of his butterbeer before speaking.
"Well, trust me, Evie's not off being someone's voluptuary. I know this man, served him for a few months myself. He's not of that sort. If he's capable of love, then that would come as a shock to me, as much as he seems to loathe it. So, yes, I know what happens at these meetings, tried to talk her out of it by telling her precisely what would happen, but she never listened. Other day she said she'd go into hiding, nope...no such luck yet, but we're workin' on it, unless something happens to her first."
Morgana nodded, a sad half smile stratigically placed on her lips as she sat intently listening to his every word. She shook her head and took a drink of her own butterbeer sighing quietly. If she hadn't been working for you know who and had been hearing this, she would have reported him to St. Mungo's on an insanity charge the minute he said all this. No one would say anything about the Dark Lord, not even him, but this sounded illegal none the less, never mind that it was...
"Sounds dreadful. What exactly does she do for this man? Why would anyone spend so much time away from their familys for something so dangerous and awful? I mean...if I had a husband and children, I would never imagine doing such a thing to them. The things you must have to go through...worrying about her, about the child...I can't imagine..."
"Evie thinks she's protecting us, keepin' the guy with a feeling like he's got us where he wants us while being able to tell our friends and myself what he's up to. I know how she's thinking, how she's feeling, but I also know it doesn't work, tha'it only brings on more suffering, and now...arguing this time 'round, but I can't sit idly by while she ruins her life, our son's life...mine's already ruined and I could care less. I jus' don't want to see her end up like me or our son. He deserves better as does she."
He let out a sigh, taking a sip of his drink again, eyes going to the table momentarily before up at Morgana.
"If only she weren't so stubborn..."
Morgana sighed and nodded in understanding. The Dark Lord had told her the perameters of the deal they had made because it was relevent to the mission. Very relevant. If the deal had not been made she would not be here listening to this blabber.
"It sounds to me that in her desire to keep the both of you safe she is just destroying everything you worked for, so, I suggest you force her to spend alone time with your son and force her to see how much this is hurting him. If seeing you hurt doesn't do anything, perhaps her compassion for her own child will be enough to knock some sense into her..."
Casey shook his head after contemplating her words for a good while. "It wouldn't work, not when I've spoke to her on the matter, told her what kind of things he's been doing. It's like she doesn't give a damn anymore about anything. I hate sayin' that about her, but it seems true, the way she conducts herself anymore. I'm really starting to think that quite possibly this is it, the beginning of the end, but I don't want to leave Julian without a mum, and I don't want to have him wondering why on earth one day he has a father and the next day he doesn't either. It's a mess. I'm sorry. I shouldn't be making you listen to this. I should go."
He went to stand, legs a bit wobbly, but he grabbed the chair's back to steady himself while he finished off his butterbeer, beginning to walk, keeping his eyes squinted to try to keep that dizzy, world's-spinning-much-more-quickly-than-usual feeling from affecting him, but he wasn't having much luck.
Morgana listened. She may be on the other side. She may be a cold and heartless witch. She may be the woman out to destroy the relationship, but she had to feel a little sympathy for this guy. After all, it was hard for him trying to figure out how to handle this with a horrible wife and a child he loved very much. She couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him, but in the end it wasn't her job. From the sound of the it, her job was practically done for her without any help from Trey or even from her. They were already ready to split. She just had to lure him away from her.
She sighed and watched quietly as he tried to get up and almost ended up falling over. Quickly, she rushed to the other side of the bar and grabbed on to his arm to keep him still as he headed for the door.
"You can't go home like this unless you want to make things worse. There's an extra room upstairs you can use and tomorrow morning you can head home."
"If I stay, it'll only lend credence to what the man said, the way her mind is now, jumpin' to conclusions over every li'l thing said or done," he answered, shaking his head slightly, stopping that rather quickly, but he didn't pull his arm away from the woman as he might have had he been slightly less inebriated. Somehow he didn't mind this woman's touch. It just felt like she was helping him, but even if she wasn't, would he mind? He pushed his thoughts aside. He wasn't making any sense to himself at the moment.
"I love my wife, loved her for nearly eight years, been through so much, and I don't wan' it to be over for something like me staying away and her jumping to conclusions. I'll jus' go home, go to the bedroom and pass out."
Morgana sighed quietly. This was clearly going to be a little harder than she thought. Perhaps she could get sneakier...a forged note or something. At least he seemed comfortable with her touch. She smiled faintly and kept him steady as he spoke, at least noticing that he wasn't moving towards the door.
"Well, if you go home it will be just as bad. Besides, you could get hurt and what would it do to your son to see his Dad drunk. Stay here for the night, write a letter saying you had to go to your mum's or something of the sort and go back when your sober."
"Parents?...can't go there or even say I did, and I don't have any friends outside the school. Nothing I can say. If I don't come back, she'll either worry I've gone and got m'self killed or..." he seemed to be trying to think of the word, worse.
But there was no denying that if she could find some sort of excuse he could use (his mind not working in his favor at the moment), he'd probably be more than willing to stay. He couldn't deny Julian not seeing him drunk did sound good. Though, would he know if his dad was passed out on the bed and his mum was telling him daddy didn't feel well? But he wasn't going to try to logic that all the way out, not now when what little thinking he was doing was making his brain hurt and feel like mush.
Morgana smiled kindly and continued to hold him steady, venturing to make her smile a little more suggestive even though he was so drunk he would probably just mistake it for a pitty grin and sighed quietly.
"Well, what if you told her the truth. That you got drunk and almost passed out at a bar. You didn't want your son seing you drunk and you were worried you wouldn't make it home safe so you simply found a room to stay in for the night."
"And what if she asks who I was with? Or what if she thinks I'm just making something up? I came home every other time..." He made his way to some sort of table, placing both hands firmly on it as he leaned slightly forward to support himself. He'd noticed her smile and was feeling sort of weak in the knees, not quite sure himself if it was, whether from being about ready to really pass out or from her. Whatever it was made him feel completely foolish, and that was aggravating him a bit.
Why couldn't she just apparate him home? Then, he'd possibly be safe from Evie's wrath --at least as far as keeping suspicion of being with another woman off him-- even if she questioned this girl, unless the girl lied.
Morgana sighed heavily and shrugged slightly. "I would apparate you home but as luck would have it I was never much good at tag along...just single. Besides, you said you were a professor and I know for a fact that you can't apparate onto the grounds from when I was a student."
Joy, joy, joy...bloody excellent. He was fit to be tied and hung when he got back home the next day. Of course, he should have realized he couldn't apparate onto the grounds, but of course, in his befuddled state, he had overlooked that fact. Logic and reasoning could only go so far when one was drunk, anywho, right? "Alright, I'll stay..." he said defeatedly. Staying the night away from his family was a strange notion. He hadn't done it since he'd quit Quidditch and he didn't want to make a habit of it. "But I don't know what to tell her."
Morgana smiled supportively and started to lead him towards the stairs carefully. This was going to be a feat and a half...She sighed slightly as he wobbled with her up the stairs and she pulled a set of large brass keys from her apron pocket proceeding to open up the door with a little diffuculty and helping him into the room and towards the bed.
"I'll have Rosemerta write you a note or something. Evie has known her long enough to trust her."
"Right, and she...whoa...she'd never lie..." Casey answered, gripping tightly onto the railing after feeling like he almost fell backwards, other hand gripping her shirt, trying to keep himself feeling stable, which was a feat and a half. He continued letting her lead him where ever, knowing he couldn't sleep in these clothes, too easily wrinkled, but he wasn't about to strip himself of them with this lady in the room, her being practically a stranger and not Evie.
Morgana smiled to herself as he grabbed her shirt and her brain started to turn. She could see where a camera would come in handy next time he got drunk. A picture is worth a thousand words and a few provocative pictures and a camera could create quite the novel for his dear Evie. She smiled to herself and as she led him towards the bed, she decided to use his lack of balance against him since he was so fond of her shirt...
"Alright Casey, i'm just going to sit you down here on the so you can't get yourself hurt walking anywhere when I leave."
Carefully she started to lean down in a way that would make it easy for him to sit, and in a way where his body would pull her down to. She didn't smile as she concentrated on the weights just right, as if it were the most difficult task in the world, and sure enough she fell on the bed, him next to her, in a very akaward position. His hand on her shirt, had 'caused' her to loose her balance and fall on him, practically pinning him to the bed.
She forced a blush and looked bewildered at her position for a moment before quickly scrambling up, brushing herself off and walking towards the door with a rushed air. "I'll have the letter delivered tomorrow morning then Mr. Winslow...terribly sorry...just...lost my balance..."
With that said and done, she mussed herself up a bit; just skewed her skirt and blouse and hair a bit and walked down the stairs with a shaken air, watched Rosemerta write the letter with a confused and questioning look before moving to the back, making sure it had no warning about a woman...this time, and sealing it up in a new envelope.
Perfect....things would get rocky very soon.
After Morgana left, Casey remained as he was for a while, completely flustered and bewildered, chiding himself slightly for resenting her leaving, but not too much, being drunk and his train of thought not completely what it would be, convincing himself in his stoned state that it was only natural, his wife and him not having been together for a few days now. If he had been in his right state of mind, he'd have beat himself up for that, if that were possible.
Mind still full of unseemly thoughts at the moment, he managed to sit up, taking off his shoes and socks and his pants and shirt, placing them (with much difficulty) across the nightstand, standing while holding onto the bed post to pull the covers back, laying down, trying to hang onto awareness, but finally he passed out before much else could cross through his slow mind.
Morgana had gone to bed that night practically glowing. She had called in a little help with their mission. A special notice to be released at the proper time, pictures to be added in the near future. Now, however, it was time to get back to work. She wore an outfit similar to the night before, lowcut corset style blouse and a long skirt, her hair free falling down her back and shoulders. She smiled and drank down another helping of the veela potion before heading to work and the kitchen.
She was greeted with the same looks as the night before, admiration from the men, questioning suspicious glances from the woman, but she just brushed them off and picked up the breakfast order she had put in for the guest in one of the upstairs rooms the night before and smiled as she put the foods on a trey, his favorites from what she had heard from various sources, and made her way up stairs. She listened at the door for a few minutes and hearing nothing, knocked quietly, balancing the trey on her other hand.
If anyone was in a sorry state that morning, it was Casey Winslow who had woke up with a throbbing headache, a confused state of mind and blur of memories from the night before that entertwined with what he deemed a rather inappropriate dream for himself to be having, but he wasn't sure where reality ended and dream began or if he had even dreamed any of it. So, he sat in the bed, hand to head, eyes squinted closed as he tried to keep from any light or dizziness. He already felt a little like floating and felt sick on top of that. He'd visited the bathroom a few times that morning, stumbling over his own feet a few of those times.
When he heard the knock on the door, he winced, head feeling like someone had just squeezed it at the temples. "Come in," he said more or less to keep them from knocking again or any louder, forgetting he was in nothing but his knickers for the moment, even if the sheet was rather lightly over him, able to be picked up and moved by any wind current.
Morgana walked in, prepared to see the typical drunken man, head pounding, confused about what happened the night before, probably easy to tease and play around with, compleatly sick to the stomach and vunerable...especially when it came to woman. She put on the act of still being embaressed the night before, knowing very well that her lord had been teasing him with shaded images of her in a rather risque light over the past week or so. She was sure, after what she had said to her lord, the dreams would have been particularly strong that night.
Morgana went about her work, avoiding having to look at him in his knickers, playing her part as the embaressmed meek little thing, compleatly ashamed of her actions the day before, even if they had been an accident. She set the trey down on the table and looked at it with a slight nervous blush on her cheeks that made her practically glow with beauty thanks to that silly potion.
"There should be something to settle your stomach on that trey Mr. Winslow, and there is a pitcher of water there as well to help you sober up a bit. I sent the letter this morning, Rosemerta was more than happy to comply."
"Thank you," Casey said as he opened his eyes to look at her and the tray, keeping his eyes from her as the dream flashed through his mind, and he shook his head. "What did she say?" he asked, deciding to save 'Did we do anything?' for later, not quite sure he wanted to know the answer to that. He leaned over, using one hand to brace him against the bed, and took the tray, setting it on his lap and taking a drink of the water, closing his eyes as the cool liquid went down his dry throat before taking a bite of his bacon.
Morgana looked away from the trey as he took it, noting the way he was trying to avoid looking at her and knowing that her lord had done exactly as she had suggested and left Mr. Winslow with some interesting versions of what had happened that night after she had accidentally fallen on the bed with him. Versions most men would have been happy to remember, even married ones.
She made her way around the room into to maintain the appearance of busying herself, cracking the curtains slightly, so a little light, not too much, would be shead on the room, cleaning up loose items around the room, moving things around a bit.,,
"She hasn't sent back a reply yet. It is the weekend so she could be sleeping in."
Casey swallowed and let out a sigh, glancing at her for a moment and shaking his head when the 'memories' came to his mind. "I..I was meaning Rosmerta..in her letter. What did she say? Do you know?" He took some butter and then spread it over it before taking the small container of syrup and poured it over his waffles, grabbing his knife in one hand and fork in the other, cutting the waffles to bite-sized pieces.
Morgana blushed slightly and shook her head. Trying to make it seem like she was once again embaressed and perhaps enforce the idea that the dream had not been so much a dream. She looked at him for a moment, blushed, apparently flustered, and then turned away, back to her busy work. "Oh, I don't know. Probably the same thing she writes in all those kinds of letters."
"Oh, ok," Casey answered, eating a while longer in silence. He had to ask, the way she was acting, he had to ask. Had he tried something stupid? Had they done anything? Had she tried something and he'd gone and got upset and made her feel embarrassed like this? Urg, stupid questions had to stop coming up as he ate. It was making his stomach lurch. Face paling slightly, he set the tray on the nightstand, contents hardly touched except for the piece of bacon and a couple bites of the waffle as well as half the water.
"Umm..." he began, not caring how uneloquent it sounded. "Last night...what happened?"
Morgana smiled slightly and looked back over to him, blushing a bright red and quickly moving around the room as he asked. She almost thought about throwing a fit and actually making him think the dream was real, but that would just ruin everything wouldn't it. She looked down at the floor instead and then back over in his direction.
"Last night? You had a few too many firewhiskys and ended up staying the night because we couldn't figure out a way to get you home. I got you into a room and that was pretty much everything."
"'Pretty much'...everything?" Casey asked, not sure that 'pretty much everything' was anything he wanted to hear in a sentence regarding the night before. He'd rather hear 'That was everything.' But now, he was worried. What if he did? He had to know. Not knowing would kill him, absolutely drive him insane.
Morgana blushed and looked away, quickly busying herself with the window shade once again as she spoke, refusing to look at him again. She smirked inwardly and laughed. It was time to do a little damage. Have him doubt his own liability, just a little bit. She sighed and very quietly, still turned away from him sighed. "You were holding on to my shirt last night going up the stairs. When I tried to help you sit down on the bed, you pulled me down on top of you, accidentally...I think...nothing else happened of course, we just sort of stayed there for a minute or so in shock and then I showed myself out..."
Ah yes, he remember that, pulling her down on him, remembered the feelings, the thoughts that had hastily run through his mind and the disappointment when she'd left. Damn, he felt like a fool, felt sick that the thoughts had actually been present. Trying to disown them and say they had been there only because of the liquor in his body wouldn't work. The liquor may have helped ease him to the point where he would let them flow without restriction, but it was what he had been feeling, and that was what disturbed him.
"Oh, ok," he answered, not sure what else to say. "So, umm...I guess I should probably get dressed then and go home. Evie'll be wondering, I'm sure, and Jules will be likely wanting to play since he knows his daddy doesn't have classes today."
Morgana blushed slightly as she watched his face out of the corner of her eye for effect and proceeded to walk towards the door with a slight nod. "Of course Mr. Winslow. I understand compleatly. Whenever your ready you can just talk to Rosemerta and she can settle things for you. If you need anything else just ring me downstairs."
"Alright," Casey answered, watching her leave before pulling back the covers and stepping out of bed, getting dressed back in his clothes and letting out a sigh as he glanced in the mirror, using 'Aguamenti' to put some water into a basin, splashing some water onto his face. He looked like a mess. He ran a wet hand through his hair, heading downstairs at last after a few attempts to make his hair look tame.
He made his way over to Rosmerta, settling the account and asking if she please wouldn't really mention everything to Evie. Once the bill was paid and everything settled, Casey left The Three Broomsticks, heading back up to the school. The walk would do him more good than floo-ing, he supposed, a little time for the minute headache (at least for the moment it was minute) he had to diminish completely.
So, after a bit of a walk, he finally made it back to the school, and he walked til he arrived at the Professor's Common Room, saying the password and stumbling through, making his way up to the room and unlocking it with 'Alohomora,' heading straight for their room to go ahead and shower, brush his teeth, and change, which took a good twenty minutes. Finally, he made it out to the main part of their room, sitting down on the couch, leaning his head back against the cushion, not real sure if anyone was home or not. Seemed awful quiet to him.