Crys entered the pub, wiping snow off the shoulder of her black robe and ran a hand through her long purple hair as she scanned the place. Ah, she is not here yet. Que Sera Sera. She ordered a drink for herself and sat down in a small booth in the darker of corners. She had invited Dream along, to get to know the girl before judging too harshly. But there was little she could to get to know her, the house difference being a rather nasty gap, except invite her along, listen to her life story, and perhaps even flirt a bit to learn what she wanted to know. God knows she wasn't above it-it was a defining feature in her family!

Dream walked into Hogs Head and removed the hood from her cloak from her head. She shook out of her long red hair and took her cloak off. The Hogs Head was nice and cozy, with a huge fire roaring in the hearth. Dream spotted Crys and walked over to her, all the while wondering what this was about. She was more than happy to meet up, but she had gotten the impression tha Crys didn't like her all that much. "Oh well, maybe this little meeting would clear the air and they could become friends." she thought to herself. "Hey Crys!" she called. "I'll be right over. I'm gonna get us a couple drinks first. It's on me, what would you like?"

Crys watched Dream with careful golden eyes, then forced a smile. "I'd love anything with liquour in it, please." She requests, trying to nurse an old habit that was killing her as she started school. God knows the old saw didn't need to be hauled out in front of a possible enemy however it's beyond tempting to have something offered to you. She runs a hand through her hair again, a sign of her agitation and boredom already

Dream heard Crys' response and watched her for a moment, taking in a lo from her body language. Dream was an animal telepath and she had learned more than the average person on reading people by the way they moved and spoke. Dream decided this was going to be a long night, and she walked behind the bar. Since she owned and ran the place, no one questioned her. She went to the back and got out a bottle of 10 year old firewhiskey. Then she went back out to the front, and grabbed a couple of shot glasses. She sat down at the table with Crys, and poured them both a shot. "Cheers." she said, watching Crys over the rim of the glass.

Crys slams the drink back and chuckles a bit to herself. God, Firewhisky brought back memories. But ah ah ah, Crysie, we must focus on our mission! She smiles and looks at Dream. "So, tell me about yourself. I'm intrigued. You seemed like a genuine and honest person when I first met you and I really was interest-despite my reaction. To be fair I had just learnt some rather disturbing news and so I was off my game..."

Dream tossed back ehr shot and poured them another round. Her jade green eyes widened interceptibely at Crys' statement. "Genuine? Yes. Honest? Usually, however I can tell a lie like the best of them. What would you like to know about me? I'm a Gryffindor who could have easily been a Slytherin. I'm a 5th year. My sister MJ and I have lived on and off at Hogwarts all my life. Our dad's the Headmaster. I've been known to fight for a worthy cause, and start trouble for no reason at all. What about you?" she asked.

"God, if my life were that easily summed up...." she smiles a bit, emboldened by the tantalixing thought of the happy bottle in front of her. "Ah, lemme try it shall I? I'm a Slytherin through an through, raised by parents who never believed in sparing the rod to spoil the child-if you know what I mean-and I did pull a brief stint in a rehab center and a mental asylum. Thought my rents would die of embarassment at that point in my life. Then I come out and oh god..." She rubs her eyes and pours another shot for herself. "I just wanted to know more about you because it's expected of me. Ya know?....you're high profile and that means you can be a threat to me."

Dream listened to Crys' story sympathetically. That must have been really tough. Crys didn't seem crazy to Dream at all. Confused and maybe a little angry, but who could blame her when faced with cruelty her whole life. Dream decided right then, that she was going to be friends with this girl, even if it killed her. "What do you mean I'm high profile, and could be a threat to you? I'm only a threat to people who threaten me, my friends or family. So far you aren't doing that at all, so we're good. I might appear to be high profile, but I've got my low profiles too. Which you'll learn more about as we get to know each other better." she said while quickly changing the subject. "Anyways, my life hasn't been perfect. Not as bad as yours, but not golden by any means. My dad was kidnapped by Death Eaters as a kid, so when HE made HIS ride to power, my dad kinda flipped a little. He became really paranoid about me and my sister being used against him, since he was the Headmaster. Our baby brother was killed so Dad split MJ and I up. Since I was older, and would be attending Hogwarts the soonest, I stayed with him. I'm not sure where he sent MJ, but he tampered with our memories so we wouldn't remember each other, therefore wouldn't miss each other. I've only recently been reunited with her when she came to attend Hogwarts, and that was a process, let me tell you."

She begins to lighten up as Dream warms up to her, but at the mention of Death Eaters her face goes deathly pale. As the story goes on she buries her face in her hands, then her hands in her lap under the table. Oh god, another one. Why does this always happen to me?! WHY?! she slowly straightens herself out and takes hold of the bottle by the neck, her face determined as she pulls it up and slugs it all down without a sdecond thought. Hey, it worked in the past. Odds are it'll work now..."Mm, 'nother?" she asks, leaning back in her seat

Dream blinked slowly as Crys downed the bottle of firewhiskey. She pointed her wand and said "Accio two bottles of firewhiskey!" She deftly caught both bottles and handed one to Crys and kept the other for herself. She hadn't thought about her brother in a long time, and she certainly hadn't meant to share so much of her history with a virtual stranger. Dream opened her new bottle and chugged down a few gulps. She looked up at Crys with an odd light shining in her eyes. "Why don't you tell me how you're connected to Death Eaters..." she said slowly. "And before you feel the need to pretend cause of what happened to me, I have two daughters here at the school with a house mate of your Remy Salinas. One of my daughters, I'm pretty sure is a DE, but I don't love her any less for it. We don't pick our relatives, so can't be judged by them, and if that's not it, and you were involved with them, then everyone makes mistakes and I wont hold it against you." she said in a voice so soft that it was quieter than a whisper.

She takes a deep breath and then rubs her eyes, her voice dropping into a low but clear whisper. "My grandparents went to highschool with Lord Voldemort and joined his innercircle, even joining the first group of Death Eaters." She pauses a moment. "Both sides married and terrorized early in life and had children. Of course, as with most old stubborn and pure bred families they ended up married even though they were cousins. My parents, rare enough, actually enjoyed each others company, and bred readily-though I'm their only offspring. They too joined the ranks of Death Eaters and, I fear, have found me a husband there! Of course I'm tempted to just go along-I never really cared for people who weren't...me. The DEs are perfect."

Dream listened to Crys story without any interuptions. When she had finished Dream poured her another shot and then took another gulp off her bottle. She realized that there was a pretty good chance then that Rogue knew Crys parents, and they could have been a part of what had happened to him. A flash of her brothersface flashed before hereyes, and her facegot sad. "It's not your fault Crys. Like I said, what your family choosestodo isn't you and has no power over the person you are. Your own choices have the power. If you want to marry this man, then go ahead. That's a choice, and it is one that will affect who you are. Nothing your family does ever could. If you don't want to marry him, then dont. Don't give your family the right to rule you." she said slowly, hoping that Crys wouldn't take offence to her words.

Crys listens, then scoffs, finishing the shot. "You know, despite your rough experience with the Death Eaters, i suspect you had a relitively happy childhood. So can see where I'm coming from when I say you don't get it." she looks dream in the eyes. "See, why standing up against your parents and doing the right things by your heart MAY work for Gryffindors and GOOD families, it doesn't go over anywhere near as well within the older blacker ones. My father would smack the taste out of my mouth simply for informing you that he is what he is-" she stops and looks around weakly, paranoia beginning to set in. "And for all I know he may still come and do it!" she sighs and looks around. "I....I don't even LIKE guys."

Dream looked at Crys in mild surprise. "I might not have a father who was abusive, but he's powerful. I've workedhardmy whole life to get out of his influence and be who I want to be. I make him miserable sometimes withthe things I do. But you're right. I did have a good life. And my dad loved me and tried to do right by me. Doesn't change the fact that one day your parents arent going to be around to ell you what to do. If you spent your whole life doing what they've told you, then how are you gonna survive them being gone? And if you don't like guys, then why in the world would you ever tie yours3elf to one for the rest of your life? Do you like having a miserablelife? Cause if you do, then just say so and I'll leave you to it." she said.

"it's not that I enjoy it, it's that it's the only thing that gets my father to approve of me!" she murmurs. "ever since I was little, and he was still proud of me, my father would tell me that I was the perfect gift from God." She takes a deep breath and lets it out shakily. "Do you know how many YEARS it's been since he's told me that? So I sacrifice a few, or all, freedoms. So I marry a guy I care nothing for. None of that is new or unusual in my family and so refusing to do so would only makes me the black sheep all the more." She sighs. "So no, I'm not trying...and I really am a good person...but when it comes down to it?...I don't think I could do anything but stand behind Lord Voldemort and do his bidding. It's my lot in life anyway. I can live with it. However, I would like to appologize for any lasting damage my family may have done to yours." There it was again, the appologizing and the hiding. She was being reached out to! Why couldn't she just take that hand and walk into the light?!

Dream widened her eyes and stared at Crys. She then said very slowly and softly "Why do you want the approval of an abusive jerk who doesn't love you for yourself, but only for what he can make you? Did you ever think that it doesn't matter what you do, he's always going to be disappointed? Cause he has an ever-changing set of standards that are constantly being taken out of your reach just as you've reached them? It's the carrot in front of the nose trick. Wouldn't you rather be somewhat happy, and be proud of who you are, while having your father be disappointed in you, then being miserable and having a life you hate, and still not measuring up?"

She looks around, nervous now. "I....I want to be me. But I don't think I can. I'm easily swayed. Trust me, I work hard to be myself!" she pauses. "And then the man comes into the rom and it all falls away again. When he leaves I try to pick up the pieces but I lose a bit of myself everytime. Horrible as that is..." she chews her lower lip in thought. "Perhaps, thankfully, I will be safe here. My family is very powerful but it seems like you can cast a safe umbrella over my head...I want to trust you Dream. I really do!" A man gets up and leaves in a hurry and her face goes pale and falls. "But he could come by anytime....ad if he catches me even NEAR alone...heck, he'd kill me in front of EVERYONE."

Dream was listening to Crys when her face turned pale. Dream turned her face and watched a man leave the room. She recognized him. "It's ok. That was just one of the Hufflepuffs from school. I know him. Don'tworry about it. Listen to me. Volde.. HE cannot even enter the school, much less your parents or family be able too. Not only that, but You and I can go around, and personally add safety precautions around you and your things, to make you feel better. You're here now. Don't make any decisions right now, because they're big decisions to make. But at least start trying to enjoy the freedom that you now have,and try to find yourself and your own strenghts while you're here, ok?" she said. She poured another shot for Crys and took another gulp off her bottle.

Crys nods thoughtfully, thinking the words over then looking at the shot. Now was the time for big decisions, right? She gently pushes the shot glass awya and clears her throat. "Ah, I should avoid liqour. I fell off the bandwagon, but I need to be clean and sober for my new life. So thank you very much, my friend, but no thank you." She instead leans back in her chair and looks up at the ceiling. "ya know, I always wondered how people could do it....walk around without fear, I mean. Silly, isn't it?" she smiles to herself, a real smile for once.

Dream accioed the liquor and glasses back to the kitchen so they wouldn't be in Crys sight, offering any kind of temptation. Dream looked thoughtful for amoment. "You know I've always figured that walking around without fear is really just pretty stupid. There's a lot in the world to fear. The true mark a of a person and their couage,is if they're willing to fight for what they want and believe in, even while being scared. Even while being terrified. Personally, I'd rather lose, fighting for what's mine, then live, knowing I gave it all up." she said musingly.

"now there's something I can agree with you on! I'd never give up something I believe in just to be safe. I'd die for my family and my choice few friends. I'd die for my beliefs. It's all just so very very easy to sit in a chair and say oh I'd die for this, die for that, but when it comes down to it would I really die and i just....I dunno. Human preservation is very strong!"

Remy:Slytherin's Official Future

Remy walked into the hogs head and sat down on one of the stools by the counter, he wasn't in a real good mood and came here ot see if maybe some alcohol would change his attitude. He grinned happily as one of the bartenders set a glass of firewhiskey in front of him and he happily drank a little of it. alone with his thoughts in his head.

Crys looks up from her thoughtful chat and smiles at the sight of Remy, waving him over then stopping and looking to Dream. "You're cool with it right?" she asks softly, not wanting to offend or blow it if the atmosphere became too rough.

Leona walked in from the freezing cold in hopes of getting liqueured up when she saw her friends all congregating. She waved happily and ran towards them, "mind if I join y'all?" She asked. Hoping they'd say yes. While she was waiting her ordered her rum and hot chocolate.

Dream smiled at Crys. "Do I mind? Remy is one person that I'll never mind with." she said. She called out to him "Remy...come over here and joinus?" she invited. Just then Leo walked in also. and went over to them. Dream scoot over in the booth to make room for them. "Leo! Awesome! It's a party now." she said cheerfully. Her eyes went to Crys' face, silently asking if she was a little better now. Dream hoped she'd been able to help a little, even if it was just to help Crys get it off her chest.

Leona sat down once a seat was made for her. When her spiked hot chocolate arrived she down it quickly, "so hi there, hello, what's up?" she asked. "are we social drinking or working on getting smashed?" She asked eager to get her drink on. It was a difficult christmas for the recently orphaned Leo.

Crys takes a deep breath, slightly overwhelmed being with three and not just the one. Leo was fine, clueless but fine. Remy was a bit intimidating but she was comfy with him as well. And Dream, hey, she'd warmed up! But together...Crys pulls back a bit until her back hitst he wall, the one small bit of happiness she could find. She could feel the paranoia rising up in her but she did her best to fight it back. "Erm...well...I'm not drinking but you guys please feel free to! It's not as though I'm going to jump over the table to get tot he bottle" she says with a weak and narvous laugh.

Leona stared at Crys, she knew that look, it was the same look her prey gave when she was about to kill it. Man, that sounded vulgar she thought to herself. It was true though. When she hunted as a lioness her soon to be dead prey looked just like Crys did at the moment. She looked down trying to make things easier for her, "I'l just go," she said chugging the rest of her drink and preparing herself for the cold again.

Crys watches them for a moment then looks at Leo when she speaks. "ahm, no no, you're fine! Leo what would ever possess you to think you aren't welcome at this table?" then she pauses, and realizes she must've looked out of her mind terrified,. "oh...lord...forgive me you guys."

"Nah, it's cool," she laughed, "just next time choose a look that my prey hasn't used when confronted by me," she laughed harder, "I know it's barbaric to hunt things but when I'm a lioness i just feel that need, it's really the only thing I can't control, the need for carnage, and to feed my non existent family," she sat down and ordered a red bull and vodka mixed. "This will be a very interesting night," she said in regards to her choice of drink

Crys laughs a bit then looks her friend over. Leo? Predatory? Ha. it was only believable because the girl became a lion. Otherwise the girl was just too ute and clueless and airheaded to be anything but a mouth breather. Still, there was something that drew you to her....sympathy mayhaps? She shrugs out of her thoughts as Leo orders her drink. "You're going to kill yourself with that, you know. Flying hangovers'll knock you on your butt."

Leona laughed at the comment, "but only when I stop drinking them," she said amused. Her drink finally came, and she took a nice healthy swig. She made a face from the red bull, then again, red bulls aren't supposed to taste nice or it wouldn't be an energy drink.

Remy:Slytherin's Official Future

Remy came by to the table and sat next to dream, "Hi guys" he said as he held his glass in his hand. He spotted leona's drink and thought it seemed like a good idea. He whispered to the waitress and had her bring her a red bull he promptly mixed it up with his glass of firewhiskey and took a sip. It was so delish and he smiled this nite was getting beter already.

Crys smiles happily at the three of them, starting to wind down even as the glasses catch her eye. She ignores this and bows her head as she stands. "Ah, if you will excuse me...." she heads towards the lavatory, eager to get a grip on herself before she lost any control she still retained. God knows I've done that before. She stands in front of the mirror and ests her head on the cool glass with a sigh.

Leona looked at Remy and Dream apologetically, "I'll be right back," she said and went into the loo to check up on her friend, "hey, you okay?" She asked softly, "what's wrong?" Leona asked in concern for her friend.

She closes her eyes and waves her friend off for a moment then sighs. "Uncomfy around the two, or are you here unfortunately for me?" she looks at Leo, worried that she'd ruined the evenng with her odd and certifiable behaviour.

"A bit of both," she said a little too candid "never mind, never mind," she said quickly and waved her hands and blushed. She smacked the back of her head against the wall. I'm over it, i'm over it..she chanted a few times in her head. "What about you though, what's the matter?" she asked changing the subject.

She chuckles and looks at Leo, eyeing the girl before looking into the mirror at herself. "So let me take a stabe at this....you had this guy....and you loved him....and he just fell back into the arms of his ex hm?" she didn't say it to be mean, she said it to be clear. She pats Leo on the shoulder then shakes her head. "Hun, we gotta get our heads back on straight. We'll live through these troubles and then...life can brighten."

Leona looked at her, "Love she bleated like a lamb that was about to be slaughtered, "love's such a strong word when used outside of the brain, besides, he was never mind, no no no...And we're friends now every thing's cool...yeah," she said trying to convince herself. "But I gotta make triple sure that Dream sees me behaving, or yeah..." she shudders at the thought of Dream putting a nasty curse on her.

Remy:Slytherin's Official Future

Remy sighed as he saw first crys then leona go to the girls room. He leaned his head on dreams shoulder and waited for them to return. They were taking a long time and he wondered if maybe they had gotten stuck or something. He was getting a bit worried and glanced at the door hoping they would come back soon.