It's driving me mad, it's driving me mad

Estrella Drage

Estrella Drage

Obliviator for MACUSA | HNZ 1st Graduating Class
 
Messages
9,177
OOC First Name
Amanda
Blood Status
Half Blood
Relationship Status
Widow
Age
45
With her back to the wall and feet on the seat, Estrella was scrunched up in her own universe. A copy of Dreadful Denizens of the Deep was propped on her knees. She'd never taken much of an interest in dragons and had dropped Care of Magical Creatures in her school years, but this volume of ink and parchment had gobbled her up. It'd been a century since she'd claimed time for herself and a millennium since she'd enjoyed a book. One could almost hear the former Ravenclaw's fingertips singing in delight as they turned each page.

It was sick that Estrella hadn't dumped her kids off with their family and fled to Christchurch sooner. The occasional night away from reality wouldn't hurt the overworked mother, and neither would the glass of firewhiskey next to her.

The other side of the booth that Estrella occupied was empty. As she wasn't expecting anyone to fill it, that was just fine with her. Who the hell could read with someone prattling on in the background? The witch might've been able to in her younger years- when she was surrounded with books instead of children- but she wasn't a schoolgirl anymore.
 
He rolled his deep brown eyes. Those dark eyes that focussed only on his chosen path, as he entered the building, found themselves straying as he passed a near-empty booth. One woman sat there, a book propped upon her knees. He looked to her eyes, a small smile forming. How focussed she was, how consumed by the words of the book she seemed. Edmund Kreuz almost felt ashamed of himself for not first noticing the book she was reading. It was associated with the subject he taught. Now he couldn't help observing the woman as he ordered a firewhisky to settle his thoughts.

For a good few moments, Edmund stood and sipped at his drink, attempting to focus his mind elsewhere. But it was no use. That long-legged, book-wielding woman had caught his attention. She probably wanted to be left alone. She probably came here to get away from the rush of life, just as he had. The undone tie lay snaked around his stiff white collar. He knew the opportunity was there to sit down with this woman, to attempt to get to know her, but Edmund was passed all that adolescent behaviour by now, right? As a man who had never settled down for more than two months with anyone, Edmund had found himself incapable of avoiding the habit. He couldn't always help himself.

Making a snap decision, fed up with letting the thoughts rule his brain, Edmund approached the woman, loosening his collar and resting his pint on the table. He may have been nearly forty years in age, but that didn't make him any less keen to prove that he was no sloth, and Edmund sat down casually, taking a quick gulp of his drink before setting it down, again. It was a rather bold move, but Edmund had worked with dangerous creatures, before. "Don't mind if I sit here, do you?" It was a bit late in the day to be asking such a question, "Only, I couldn't help noticing your good taste in reading material." What the smile he hid away didn't say, his eyes did.
 
Estrella was still half-immersed in a story when she retorted, "Sure, why not?" Her voice was laced with sarcasm and sprinkled with just a bit of disbelief. She considered chucking the book at the middle-aged wizard, but if she'd learned anything at Hogwarts New Zealand, it was to be the master of her own behavior, not the other way around. Besides, she didn't want to wreck a good book before she'd finished it.

The witch reached for her firewhiskey. Less courageous (or less stupid) men would've flown away by now. It would be interesting to find out how many guts were twisted up in this wizard's stomach.

Sipping at her drink, Estrella didn't turn to face the man. A glimpse was perhaps enough for her. "Yeah, it's somewhat decent," she responded, "Not my usual, though."
 
Edmund eyed the woman with a slight smile. She was still young, though he was not sure as to her exact age, and she didn't seem the type to willingly disappear to Edmund's room with him at the drop of a hat. This did not deter Edmund. If anything, it encouraged him to try harder. If she had some small inkling of interest in magical creatures, then that was enough of a talking point for him. "I'm rather fond of the creatures of our world. Then again, I suppose that's a good thing, what with my being a professor in the subject." He flashed her a small smile before taking a gulp of his pint.

The less keen she seemed on him, the more keen he was on her. Edmund had met many different women, and most of those had simply fallen into his arms. Edmund preferred a challenge, and with his age, came the desire to find someone who would be able to say 'no', and that would be good enough for him. Unfortunately, he had yet to come across such a woman, and with the clock of life ticking away, he felt for driven to find her. Maybe this one was the one? Maybe she would say no and he would be okay with not pursuing her with chat-up lines. "So," he began, truly interested in what she had to say, "what is your usual?"
 
Estrella nodded and flipped the page. She wasn't startled to see a Chinese Fireball pacing the limits of a photo. The fierce creature stared her down, strutting about and blowing smoke in all its black-and-white-glory. It was a pity that this book wasn't in color; the reptile would definitely be more striking. Be that as it may, the beast on paper was a lot more interesting than the one across from her. That professor did not impress her.

Pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, the witch wasn't sure if she should respond. What did this man care about her, anyway? This was the first time they'd ever crossed paths, although crossing paths probably wasn't the best phrase, considering the man had practically jumped off his own path and clambered onto hers.

"Charms and history," Estrella offered, her eyes moving lazily to meet the wizard's. "You're not from here."
 
Charms and history. Just a small sentence like this could speak miles about someone. To Edmund, it sounded as though she was the intelligent type which, if he went along with stereotypes, was certainly backed up by the fact she was reading a book. She was also not going to be the easiest of people to talk to, but Edmund would enjoy the challenge. He nodded with a smile. "You're right," he replied, having noticed her accent, also, "and by the sound of it, neither are you."

They may have been strangers, but Edmund was certain he could find many things they had in common, many things that made them who they were. He did not dare to ask the woman's marital status. If she was a divorcee- which Edmund would be completely at a loss for words if she was, a pretty young thing like her, then she might end up snapping at him, or biting his arm off. Not that he wasn't used to the odd wild creature biting him. "How long have you been living this side of the world?" he asked, assuming she hadn't strayed overly far from somewhere familiar. For Edmund to simply sit and read, he had to feel completely at ease with his surroundings. As he spoke, he did not allow himself to doubt that this was too intrusive. It was, and he knew it. He had already sat down with this beautiful stranger, and now he had the audacity to start chatting her up in the least hostile way he could.
 
It wasn't long before the rest of Estrella's firewhiskey had vanished. Raising her glass, she summoned the server, a nicely-shaped blonde who looked bored to bits. Now she was the woman the European should be chasing after; the waitress at least would've appreciated lively conversation. Merlin knew she could use some excitement.

Estrella ordered another drink and hoped the witch would hurry- the former Ravenclaw had to keep her wits about her, after all. Despite her impatience, Estrella sure wasn't quick to answer her companion. It wasn't like she owed him anything.

"I've lived here since I was eleven," she explained, "And I guess I liked this place too much to get the hell out after graduation." Estrella trailed her finger from sentence to sentence. She wasn't exactly reading anymore, but she didn't want to give this guy the impression that he'd stolen her interest. "Shouldn't you be grading papers and taming unicorns?" she queried. She didn't have to ask him if he taught at Hogwarts New Zealand. Even a troll could figure out that this man taught at her alma mater.
 
Edmund hardly registered the waitress' presence, far too busy on the hunt. He watched the woman opposite him as she ordered another drink, and continued to read. From the things she said, it was easy to assume that she had once attended the school he now taught at. Some men may have found such a fact could create an awkward atmosphere, but Edmund simply felt it was another thing they had in common.

Her sudden question caused Edmund to raise his eyebrows. Oh, he liked this one. She was like a ball of icy fire, colliding with the other stars that dared to cross her path. "Perhaps I should be," he began, looking like he was about to stand up to leave, but instead just shifting in position with a smile, taking a quick mouthful of his drink, "although, these are my two days off. Besides, I have far more deadly creatures that I must first tame." He paused to wink at the woman, giving her one of those looks that clearly stated where his interests lay for the evening.

"Tell me," he decided to press the subject a little, but as delicately as possibly, save her ripping off his head, "what brings a pretty young thing like you, to such a lonely place as this?" Though there were, no doubt, often couples sitting around and chatting, the place did have a slight air of wanting to escape and to forget. He may have seemed like a typical male, thinking with everything but his heart and brain, but Edmund could be caring and kind, too. Within reason.
 
Estrella leaned into the wall, raising her eyebrow in challenge. There would be no taming this beast. She'd given her heart away too often, and now that she had it back, she vowed to lock it away forever. It was her own doing if her heart grew hairy and shrank two sizes too small. No one would dominate her ever again. This witch was in control, and if she had to let this stranger know, she sure as hell would.

"Life brings me here," she responded, "can't quit it, so might as well run away for a night." She nodded to the waitress and reached for her firewhiskey. The woman's lips smacked together as the liquid seared her throat. That was definitely not butterbeer.

"If you must know, fräulein, I came here to drink- not to take girly sips." Estrella smirked then, tossing back her whiskey and slamming it down.
 
Edmund beamed as the woman he sat with, called him 'fräulein'. The way she downed her whiskey, only caused Edmund to smile further. It sounded like this woman had had a life of woe, or, at least, a few things troubling her that it would probably be best to avoid talking about. But now she had opened another window of conversation for Edmund to slip in through; it was time to drink up.

He could have easily continued to chat-up the woman, but it had become obvious that what she didn't need, right at that moment, was even the mildest of intelligent conversation. She needed distraction, a laugh, and a lot more firewhiskey.

Tilting his head back a short way, Edmund finished the dregs of his drink. "That sounds like a challenge.. Same again?" He ordered in a couple more firewhiskies, taking one up in his hand upon its arrival. "Last one to finish buys the next round." he winked, gestured his drink, and put it to his lips. He'd had plenty of practice in the field of firewhiskey, and he knew how to handle it. Which was precisely why he intended to stop taking such 'girly' sips, and start swigging the stuff.
 
Never in a century would Estrella expect to beat someone who was twice her age and of the opposite sex in a drinking contest. She was a lightweight and she knew it. When Jaken was alive, the couple had never really done this sort of thing. Estrella had found out early on that her husband didn't care for alcohol. Now that he was dead and gone, she didn't have any role models to answer to. The witch could- and had- to take care of her own self.

Turning to face the man, Estrella left her book open and face-down on the table. She almost asked him why in the name of Merlin he'd punched a hole in his nose and under his lip- that was, until she remembered how pointless conversation was. Neither his name nor his life interested her. What mattered was the here and now.

Estrella raced to down her portion of Ogden's Old. As quick as she was, the wizard's glass was already down and dry before she'd drained hers. The former Ravenclaw swore loudly. "Guess I'll be buying," she laughed, rummaging through her bottomless bag. Instead of bringing up her pouch of galleons, she grabbed an old coin purse. She'd already opened it and set some pieces on the table before she realized that they were runes. "Damn- I can't very well pay with these, can I?"

Scooping up the runes, she put them away and reached for her money. Slapping galleons onto the table, she looked to the waitress and hollered, "You know what we want! Please and thank you!"
 
The game had begun, and Edmund wasted no time in downing his first drink. He intended to win this first one, but as a gentleman, it was really his duty to pay when possible. Although, he definitely got the vibe of independence and strong willpower, from this woman. Edmund watched as she started placing runes upon the table. He couldn't prevent the small laugh that passed from his lips.

And then the pace picked up. The next round arrived, and then another. Edmund had started to subtly slow down in the speed at which he consumed the intoxicating brew. After several races, a couple of which he did still win, unintentionally growing competitive and downing his drink, he could see that the woman he drank with- whose name he still had yet to learn- was not half as sober as she had been. He knew the right thing to do was call an end to the game. "Well done!" He bellowed, partly intoxicated, himself, "You've won.. You may choose from any of these wonderful prizes." He spread out his arms, gesturing to the table of empty glasses. His eyes twinkled through his smile. She needed to lay down somewhere, before she fell down. Although, not being sober himself, Edmund had difficulty judging just how lacking in sobriety she actually was.

"Right," he started, standing up and reaching out a hand for the woman to take hold of. "I think it's time you had a lie down.. Do you have a room?" She was probably too drunk for any 'funny business', and Edmund's first duty as a human being, was to assure that this woman got to her room without falling down the stairs and killing herself in the process. Oh, Edmund was capable of caring about other people in many ways other than the way his primitive instinct told him to. Right now, his priority was to make sure that this woman was alright.
 
OOCOut of Character:
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Estrella was smiling now. With her mouth stretched to her temples, she couldn't be happier. The witch reeked of firewhiskey and good cheer. "They're all my prizes," she stated with a slur, nodding enthusiastically to prove her point.

The former Ravenclaw hadn't forgotten who or where she was, but she was definitely too out of it to read a book. She'd already tried to tackle Dreadful Denizens of the Deep with no success. Every time she attempted to discuss with her companion the Hungarian Hornytail, giggles ruptured her organs. The middle-aged wizard was right- it was time for her to say goodbye to the shots and hello to a catnap.

Of course I have a room. "I don't need any help," she told him in all sincerity, pulling herself out of the booth. Estrella stumbled towards the stairs, forgetting her book and bag behind her.
 
Edmund shook his head. He definitely needed to keep an eye on her. Grabbing her book and bag and nodding to the waitress, he followed the woman as she stumbled to the stairs. Edmund caught up to her, slid the bag up one arm, and held the book in the other hand as he put his arm around the woman to support her as they moved up the stairs. "Maybe it would be best if I just walked with you to your room."

He still had no idea of this woman's name. But then, he had not told her his, and perhaps it was better that way. For now. The bag slid up and down his arm as he moved. Edmund had never understood how women could just carry the things around, when they were so often weighed down with bricks or something, in the crooks of their arms. They had reached the top of the stairs, stumbling about a bit. ".. Where is your room?" Edmund glanced around, knowing that his room was a matter of feet away. But of the doors in the corridor, which one was she staying in and would he have to walk her right inside of the room and to her bed?
 
Getting up the stairs in one piece was like punching out a dementor, but with the man's help, Estrella managed this near-impossible feat. The witch's grin was goofy as she looked down the corridor. Why she was standing around didn't register until the German asked her which room was hers. Her response was very delayed; nonetheless, it arrived. "Ummm, I don't have a room."

Leaning into the stranger's side, she admitted, "I'll have to stay in yours." She didn't expect the wizard to say no. If he did, she could curl up on the floor. There was no way she could make it down to the first level to pay for somewhere to sleep.
 
Edmund, his head full of bubbles, could think of no better idea than the one the woman had suggested. And then, another thought struck him; maybe that's what she wants.. Maybe this was her plan all along? She was already leaning into him. But wasn't that simply because she was completely wasted from their drinking game? In Edmund's eyes, momentarily, all her body language seemed to shift into a different category. He reached out his arms and, together, they managed to make it to his door, where Edmund promptly leant the witch against the door as he rummaged his pockets for a key.

A moment of muttering later, Edmund had unlocked the door. He supported the woman as he turned the handle, letting it swing open. Now they both stood- well, in the witch's case, leant in the doorway. His eyes met hers, and they hovered for a moment, attempting to judge the situation. They'd had a laugh together, got drunk together, but they didn't know each other's names. Perhaps she preferred things that way? Bravely, he stroked her hair behind one of her ears. "I still don't even know your name." With a slight sigh and a shake of his head, he scooped the woman up in his arms and carried her to the bed. He managed to lay her down, gently beneath the bed sheets, and he moved to the door to lock it. "Well, Edmund," he breathed to himself, adjusting his attire and staring into the only mirror in the room, "this is a first." And with that, he climbed into the other side of the bed, closing his eyes in the darkened room, and waiting until the thoughts swirling in his head, drained away, and sleep sunk in.
 
Several hours later, Estrella awoke with squinted eyes. She didn't know what time it was and didn't really give a damn. What she did know was that her head was throbbing in sync with her heart, her stomach was stirred to mush, and her muscles were begging for death. Groaning, she turned to the stranger next to her. He wasn't ugly and he smelled nice. It was a plus that he wasn't old enough to have both feet and a kneecap in the grave.

Agonies aside, Estrella didn't regret the previous night. As comatose as she'd been after her husband's death, the witch needed to unwind. Her responsibilities were best left for the afternoon. Rolling out of the bed and standing up less-than-tall, she observed that she was still fully-clothed. The firewhiskey had clearly gotten to her before human instinct could.

The entire room spun as Estrella hunted down her bag. It wasn't too difficult to find, as the wizard had left her things on the sofa. She was grateful that he'd taken such good care of her- another might've stolen her possessions and dumped her in an alley. Pawing through the bag slowly, she grabbed her bag of galleons. There was no way she was going to suffer like this when magic offered her an easy way out.

Estrella left the room, shutting the door softly. The trek downstairs was a long one. Nevertheless, she made it, approaching the bar and crying out for a cure. The vial the innkeeper passed her cost her a palace and the fountain of youth. She downed half of the potion before returning to the upper level. In the muggle world, she would've wallowed in misery. She thanked Merlin for her half-blood heritage.

By the time she pushed the door open, Estrella already felt great. The nameless wizard was still ensnared in slumber's nets. Clambering back into the bed, Estrella slapped her companion twice on the cheek. "Wake up, fräulein," she insisted, "I have a present for you." The witch then pressed the half-full vial of hangover remedy to his lips.
 
If there was one way Edmund did not enjoy being woken up, it was being slapped by a stranger. It was, of course, not the hardest slap he had felt in his life, but it still startled him. So much so that he almost choked on the remedy as it sailed into his throat. His hangover began to drain away, but the slight confusion as to what the situation was, lasted a moment or two longer. He looked the woman in her eyes, calling back all memories attached to her. Then he remembered what made her so different to the others.

Edmund raised his eyebrows, wondering something. "Why are you still here?" he did not speak coldly, but more, curiously. She probably just hadn't had the chance to leave, yet. It wasn't like there was anything to hang around for. Surely the moment had passed? She was obviously just being kind to him. She probably thought him an old man. Edmund mentally rolled his eyes. Finally he came out with the answer he had been meaning to give. "Danke." Only now could he fully appreciate that his hangover had left him, only now could he attempt to further delve into his thoughts of the previous night.

"How are you feeling?" The question of the day. His mind raced over the previous night, noting down every tiny regret he could have. Surprisingly enough, he had very few. He hadn't allowed himself to take advantage of the beautiful stranger. And how beautiful she was. Perhaps she had Veela blood. What a fascinating thought.
 
Estrella chose not to explain why she had stayed. Wasn't it obvious? Smiling lightly, she rolled onto her side. Her gaze said more than her voice could. She couldn't be here all day, but the morning hours were hers. Abby and her children weren't expecting her until the afternoon. Until the sun was high, Estrella didn't have responsibilities. She would embrace her freedom for the time being.

"Better than ever," she murmured, inching closer to her companion. She reached behind his neck and left her hand there. It wasn't long before she kissed him hard on the mouth. The witch wouldn't be leaving anytime soon; if that hadn't been clear to the wizard before, it would now.
 
Edmund would not have believed it true, not after the way the previous night had gone, that the witch could be kissing him. Though he wasn't exactly going to stop her. Quite the opposite. He returned her kiss with great enthusiasm. Well, why not? He was still a young wizard, even if it were only at heart.
 
This man was the first Estrella had been with since her husband. She wasn't completely over Jaken, but it'd be a big fat fib to say she hadn't enjoyed herself. The parting hour crept upon the two strangers, separating these humans who'd shared a brief moment of their lives. Estrella didn't have much to say to the wizard who'd shown her kindness.

The witch slipped back into her clothes and gathered her things with a soft farewell. She didn't look back. It would be better to remember the nameless man how he was- nameless.
 
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