Ella ○ Harry Potter

Thirty Seven: Drunk in Dragons

"You'd think death becomes something you can deal with, eventually."

"Far from it," Sirius Black sighed. Ella and him were seated in a corner at the Hog's head, both huddled beneath layers of clothes (the day wasn't as cold as their bodies couldn't seem to keep themselves properly warm), and Aberforth Dumbledore for a moment confused them for family resemblence.

"Aren't you from Hogwarts?" Aberforth asked, and got a solemn nod. "It's a school-day, why you here?"

Ella sighed, taking another sip of the fire-whiskey. It still burned down her throat even with it being the second whole glass she's been drinking with Sirius.

"We're having a mental breakdown," Sirius said casually. "What with the world being shit, right?"

"You put it perfectly," Ella agreed with a smile.

"Well, I'm runnin' out of Blishen's Firewhiskey, so next glass is on me, and it's Ogden's Old Firewhiskey," the two agreed happily, and Ella looked around the dust covered bar.

"Why don't you join us? We're discussing ways to live after your loved ones are gone."

"Oh, I've got some things to say about that," he bitterly said. He walked behind the counter and brought a brand new bottle of firewhiskey, and another cup. A goat suddenly called, and he sighed. "Ignore Tati, she's an attention seeker."

"Like Ella here," Sirius laughed, and she threw a balled-up napkin. "We shouldn't let you drink much more, Mini-Prongs, you've got detention in a few hours," he pointed out.

"It's just Hagrid, he'll understand... 'sides, Sirius, we're day-drinking and bitching," Ella said. "I think it's safe to say we're already pretty drunk."

"So another glass?" Aberforth wondered, and both Ella and Sirius finished the drink in their glasses, before Aberforth poured the other brand of firewhiskey into their glasses. "So who are we mournin' for, now?"

"I watched a chimaera die on my birthday," Ella sighed. "And my boyfriend's name was pulled out from the goblet, so now he's probably dying too."

"Now, that's a tad too much," Sirius said. "I told you before, Dumbledore's trying to keep it safe as possible," he slurred a bit as he took another sip. "Now I remember why I like Blishen's more, Ogden's is too... honey-y."

Aberforth put the glass back on the table, now empty. "I don't want to make you stressed, girl, but I don't trust your headmaster too much."

"Me neither, actually," Ella sighed, taking a sip.

"Well, bring me down more," Sirius rolled his eyes. "It's my godson who is the other champion of the school."

Ella's head fell on the dusty table as she groaned. "I hate the way this world is."

"So how do you deal with it?" Aberforth wondered. "I raise my goats and run a shady bar, but what about you two?"

Sirius seemed deep in thoughts. "Well, ever since I escaped Azkaban, I've been too busy. First with running, then with getting Wormtail, and then I just tried to keep busy. I flew to America for a concert of a singer I haven't even liked before Azkaban," he shrugged. "I think it's the first time I actually sit down and consider everything that's happened, and I'm drunk."

"I miss Yamac." Ella whispered. "He was... He was really my father, in so many ways. I miss having a parent, and I... I just want a healthy way to cope with death."

"PADFOOT!" A voice suddenly called, and the three snapped away from miserably staring at random points in the bar. The trio turned to look at him, and Sirius wobbled up, throwing himself on the man.