No More [TAG: MADDOX]

[LEAH SILVIAS]

The last two weeks since the brutal attack in front of most of the wizarding world had been tough. There was the shame and embarrassment of course. Of having been knocked off of her broom, then while the world watched being taunted and slowly approached, a masked man with their wand raised and you powerless to stop it because you had never paid attention in class. Then there were the restrictions. The Magical Congress and Ministry working together, for once, and it was to keep you out of the game that you loved for 'your own safety' even though that isn't what you wanted. then there was the one that you kept to yourself: the fear.  That she didn't dare share with anyone but there were precious few close to her, the very few, who knew she had been shaken and she wasn't handling things well. Her once Muggle Studies Professor was one of those people. Damn him.

He wouldn't let up. Owl after owl had come. Concerned and growing more worried by the passing day and she hadn't read one of them, not wishing to come face to face with the reality of her situation but damnit he wouldn't let it slide. She should have known better. Now she had to take matters into her own hands.

Marching into the bar where she knew that he worked part-time (her friend and fellow professional Quidditch player Phillip Abbott owned the place after all) and right up to the counter where Maddox currently stood. 

"Knock it off." She told him with narrowed eyes and a finger pointing his way, not at all worried about the repercussions. "I don't know if anyone has ever told you this but print is dead. Even muggles have caught on, it's time that you did." Her frown deepened and for the briefest of moments there was concern and worry in her eyes which she was sure to push down quickly and mask with anger and annoyance. "No more, Mads." People were beginning to look. It wasn't every day that a Quidditch star, let alone one of the most famous ones, barged in and gave the bar staff an ole 'what's for'. She pointed at him again, a bit more shaky than before as she forced herself to breathe and lower her voice. "No. More." Maybe now he would stop.

TAG: MADDOX DENTON

[MADDOX DENTON]

The last two weeks had been the closest to hell that Maddox had been in decades. It was one thing to hear about the stirrings of blood supremacists and Death Eaters, they were always stirred up in one way or the other, but it was another thing for him to see a loved one in the line of fire. Receiving a frantic note directing him to have all students return to their dorms and to convene in the staff room. There'd been an attack on a professional Quidditch team, Death Eaters they said, and they needed to be prepared in case Hogwarts was their next target - if they were planning another attack. A cold unease had started to pool in his chest, a feeling that had turned frigid as soon as they had mentioned the New York Wolves. Attacking Leah's team and he was chained to his obligation, he had to keep these children safe, and the distance was too great for him to be of any use anyway.

She was an adult, capable enough, all the professional pitches had some sort of security, and she would be fine.

Adult. Security. Fine.

Maddox had only managed to hold off for a few hours waiting for the chaos to settle before he sent his first owl, urgent and concerned. It didn't feel like enough, and it certainly didn't ease the fear that gripped his heart.

He didn't get a response.

So Maddox sent another, and another, and another until the end of his daily routine was marked by sending out that nightly letter. Until he wondered if he would need to go in person, even if he would've heard if anything had happened - they wouldn't have been able to keep that out of the news. Until he wondered if maybe he should just back off and wait for her.

That hadn't stopped him from shaking down Phil for information, not that that had produced anything useful. He wasn't sure if he had ever expected it to, or if it just felt better than sitting around waiting on an owl.

But then here he was, two weeks out since the attack and, Leah was throwing open the door to the bar and barging right in. Maddox felt his entire body unclench, and had to consciously tighten his grip on the glass he was polishing. Relief. It didn't matter how completely pissed she seemed to be, because at least she was whole.

"I'm not going to knock it off until I know you're good and safe, Leah," his voice was gruff and didn't do much to betray the pure relief he felt to have her finger waving at him. "I'll remember to floo next time then, save the trees and get with the times." Her being this fiery was as good a sign as he could have that his might-as-well-have-been daughter might not be doing great after her ordeal, but at least her spark still seemed to be burning bright.

"You're going to have to start talking to me if you want to cut me off. 'M not going to stop until I know you're good." Mads knew that wasn't quite true, but if it got her to cool her head and open up a little bit it would be a sacrifice he'd be willing to make. Or rather, consider very briefly.

"So," Maddox paused and drew a deep breath, "How about I get you a butterbeer, eh?"

[LEAH SILVIAS]

"I'm here, aren't I?" She boldly challenged the man she had known since eleven years young. The man who had been so patient with her, who had looked out for her, who had done his best to guide her even though she wasn't his. The man who still did so even when she was glaring and bellowing at him defiantly as he continued polishing a stupid glass. "Clearly I am alright." Alive? Yes. Otherwise, she was anything but, but that wasn't something she was going to go around telling people. Heck, she wasn't even allowing herself to know just how she felt about the whole thing.

"No. No. No." Her frown deepened and her eyes widened to join it. "You don't have to floo, or apparate, or write, or any of that Denton. I am fine. See?" She gestured outwardly at herself even though that did little to prove her point other than the fact that she was standing up. Truth be told, inwardly she was anything but alright. "In case you haven't noticed I'm not a kid anymore and I don't need you checking in on me." That probably wouldn't go over too well. Leah was oblivious to most things that weren't Quidditch but even she knew that Maddox was a fierce protector to his students (much like Nathaniel though in a different way). Telling him not to check in on her was like asking him not to breathe or care about his actual daughter. It wouldn't happen... Or it was extremely painful if he attempted it.

"You know as well as I do that I'm not good at talking." She frowned at the man behind the bar, hands resting on her hips as they fell into their owl patterns without missing a beat. He offered her a drink. Good move by him she noted. It was like Maddox Denton had the Leah Silvias playbook and knew exactly what to do next. Though the drink read was off she knew it was because he didn't want to see her sloshed. However, being sloshed sounded mighty good if it was a way to turn her brain off and not dwell on what she had been through. Dangerous territory to be in maybe... but that's where she was nowadays.

"If you put a shot and a half of fire whiskey in it yes." She nodded, sliding into the bar stool opposite of her former teacher. "You do that, I'll drink it." She  playfully challenged, leaning forward and resting her chin in her hands sporting a wry little smile. She knew it would bug him. He probably didn't like to see former students, and folks who he spent most holidays with and looked after like she was his own, get drunk but that was the plan and it would be for the foreseeable future. Anything to not hurt or be paranoid anymore. Anything.

"C'mon Denton." Her smirk grew. "I'm beginning to think the service here pales in comparison with Three Broomsticks." A joke of course and one she was glad that Phil wasn't around to hear or he never would have shut up.

[MADDOX DENTON]

"Mm, but you're here to take me to task. That's not much of a social visit." Maddox was rather certain that if he hadn't been so insufferable and unrelenting with his owls that she wouldn't be visiting now. She didn't seem like she was alright, even with all of her bravado. Nineteen years or so of experience with her combined with the fact that no one bounced back that fast from an attack like that implied otherwise. As likely as he might be to take her word at face value any other time, now was different.

"At least you're in one piece, we can deal with the rest." Even if he had to show up on her doorstep every morning for a wake up call and homemade breakfast, or to stop in throughout the day. He'd rearrange everything if it would help.

Maddox huffed at Leah's insistence that she was fine, "Well you're certainly not bleeding out on the floor of the pub now." He had to stifle a flinch at the mental image that that provided, his hand twitching slightly for his wand even if there was no actual threat. He didn't even know if they had caught any of those fuckers, and wasn't that a thought if they hadn't. He rubbed a little more harshly at a spot on the glass and vaguely wondered if there was any way to set up a neighborhood watch to keep an eye out for Leah. Mads had an inkling that she might have enough acquaintances that'd be game to setting up a detail. "You'll always be one of my kids." The tops of his cheeks flushed slightly at the ease with which the comment came, but it was absolutely true. Maddox shook out his polishing rag roughly and glanced away.

"You don't have to do all the talking, I know better than that, you just can't go disappearing on me." Mads wasn't expecting all that much honestly, but he'd take what he could get. Any gaps his own imagination would fill in, whatever condition that left his sleep schedule in was his own concern. "This old man's ready to listen to whatever you have to say." It'd been long enough since he had seen her last, listening to any monotony that she might try to distract him with sounded better than radio silence.

"How about I add half a shot of fire whiskey and we'll see if you'll get more." Maddox's eyes narrowed at the challenge, turning to fill a mug of butterbeer and setting the mug, a shot glass, and a bottle of fire whiskey down on the bar in front of her.

Maddox's hand clasped around the neck of the bottle and he tapped his finger against the top of it considering before he poured into the shot glass, a full shot. He dumped it into the mug of butter beer. He rolled his eyes, "Alright Leah, how about you stop bad talking the pub you're in and get drinking." Maddox huffed roughly, he didn't have a great feeling about this.

[LEAH SILVIAS]

"Yeah. At least." She couldn't help but roll her eyes slightly as she murmured the remark not even realizing that she had done it. There were nights, very dark ones, when she laid alone in her bed and wondered, albeit briefly, if things would have been better if the terrorists on the pitch had 'finished the job'. This is of course not something she would tell anyone, not even Sally, and was left to silent inner wonderings during the darkest of times. People didn't need to worry though. Not because they shouldn't, but simply because she didn't want them to. It was a waste of time. She was a waste of time. There were plenty of other more worthy things to fret over.

Not bleeding out? "Not today unfortunately. Stay tuned though." She couldn't help but allow the corners of her lips to curve into a little smile about the darkness of Maddox's remark. Sometimes it was tough to picture him as a teacher, let alone a good one - but he was. "You better be careful, Denton. You clean that class anymore it'll be so see through that it disappears." She noted flatly, nodding toward it as she pulled up a stool at the bar.

His comment about always being one of his kids actually stopped her babble and her movement. It actually caught her off guard. There was no beating around the bush or their usual playful adult/kid fights. He had practically spelled it out in his own little way. He cared about her. The words both meant something to her and scared her shitless all at once so she did what she always did... deflected. And boy oh boy was she good at it. "I'm a grown ass adult, teach." Her eyes caught his and she covered her vulnerability with a mischievous little smirk. "Tie my own shoes and everything." Man, she didn't make it easy - caring about her. Then again, maybe Maddox liked the challenge. 

"Besides, you have one of those already." She shrugged, reaching across the counter she grabbed a handful of popcorn popping one by one into her mouth. "How's Imani anyways?" Imani being one of the few people Leah referred to by their first name. She had known her since she was a little girl at the Muggle Studies teacher had brought her around. "She's a whole person now, isn't she?" Grown up. The phrase was grown up. And she was.

"I'll take it." She all too eagerly (perhaps more eagerly than she should have) reached for the glass of butterbeer and whiskey. "Cheers." The keeper lifted up the glass, tilting it his way before bringing it to her lips and taking a long sip. Clasping it in her right hand she then looked back at Maddox. "So... How's Byrne holding up at the old stomping grounds?" She inquired about her school friend who now taught at the school SALLY BRYNE. "Is Zimmer still there?" She already knew the answer to that one. Of course he was. The favorite Charms Professor was pretty much an oil painting at that point.

[MADDOX DENTON]

Maddox knew that he wasn’t the most eloquent person alive, and nothing quite drove that home like the way Leah rolled her eyes when he mentioned her being in one piece. Which, yeah. If only he had a Delorean to go back in time and just apparate Leah away. Maybe it wouldn’t have been the most courageous decision but he never had been a Gryffindor. If he was, maybe he would have rushed to the pitch, no matter the distance, and thrown himself into the fray.

“Mm,” Mads grumbled under his breath, fully aware that he had fumbled that too but her comment only brought back his concern. “Did they even catch any of them?” As much as he wanted her to talk to him about it this wasn’t exactly how he had wanted to broach the topic. “I’ll set up outside your door if it means you’re safe. Safer.” Maddox turned away to hang the thoroughly polished mug back up on its hook and grabbed another, roughly ruffling his own hair in frustration before turning back around.

Gods, the more he thought about it the more it reminded him of how they’d lost Imani’s mum. Fucking blood purists. Fucking death eaters. There was no way in hell he’d let their ilk take anyone from him again.

Maddox shoved his rag into his new mug, beginning to vigorously polish this one too. He snorted softly at her proclamation that she was grown now, “I’d say the lack of pig-tails might have been the biggest hint.” He smiled a bit fondly at the memory, “You’re also the ‘grown ass adult’ who hasn’t gotten back to me about this year’s family vacation.” Mads had been tempted to cancel the trip altogether for a while, and there had been the fleeting thought to just not invite Leah (the thought had felt like a complete betrayal as soon as it crossed his mind, no matter how protective he was feeling).

So Maddox wouldn’t be letting those assholes mess with anything else, let alone tradition, even if said tradition had started over school breaks. Over school breaks and after Mads had stopped feeling like he was being a creep to ask if Leah’s parents would be alright with her joining him and Imani. Back then he’d been hoping in part that maybe Leah would be a good influence on Imani. He still wasn’t sure how that had turned out.

“Imani’s doing good, keeping herself busy at any rate.” Maddox felt a swell of pride for her, for what she did, and for just existing out there. His little girl. “Growing up and figuring things out for herself, asking questions about her mum and family.” As happy as Mads was that Imani wanted to learn about her history and her family, part of him had figured the invasive questions would have stopped once they made it through teenagerdom. Some of those questions were … a lot.

Maddox narrowed his eyes slightly at the eagerness that Leah took the mug but didn’t make to stop her, he just might keep a closer eye out for later. “Cheers,” he toasted her with his rapidly approaching-spotless new mug. “Byrne seems to be holding up well, though the students have been a bit rowdier this year.” It could be harder to tell with the newer teachers, even more when he didn’t excel in helping them navigate their first years of teaching - he still had his own difficulties after all these years. “Oh Zimmer certainly is, I suspect he’ll still be around once I’ve left even.” Not that Maddox had any plans to stop teaching any time soon but the point stood.

[LEAH SILVIAS]

At his question about the status of her attackers it was as if a grey storm cloud hung over her head and the weight of the world suddenly slammed onto her shoulders. Sarcastic mood wrecked and wry smirk tanked she forced herself to remember to breathe and a slow inhale came as she searched for the words to say.

"No. But we saw that one coming, didn't we?" It was difficult sometimes (a lot of the time) to pretend that everything was ok when it really wasn't. She found that she especially didn't like lying to her new coach and old classmate RAWIRI TIBBLE who insisted on asking if she was ok about seven times an hour. She hated being 'fawned over' but found that she didn't hate it coming from him. This newfound development would have no doubt amused Maddox who had taught both of them eons ago when they were at each other's throats as teens.

"I wouldn't worry about that. The Ministry and Congress is up my rear with detail. Besides..." She took another sip of her drink, elbows on the bar and both hands clasping the glass with playfully raised brows. "And if I can shake four aurors I'm fairly certain I could lose you too." She joked, though something told her Maddox wouldn't find a joke about her safety, or lack thereof, very funny. Oh well. Reaching out she picked up two dirty glasses beside her at the bar left by another patron and held them out for Maddox to take. "See? Helping." She offered in her own weird way of trying to cheer him and relax his nerves. Would it work? Probably not.

At the mention of a family vacation she sighed. She should have known he was going to bring that one up and here she thought she was dodging it with the same expertise that she dodged quaffles on the daily. "Yeah... About that..." Here it went. "I thought maybe this year it might make sense for you to go... just you and Imani?...Like an actual family vacation?" And not including someone who might actually (and accidentally) get you killed just by existing. Last thing Leah ever wanted was harm to come to Maddox who had been so kind to her and to Imani who had already lost so much at a young age. She didn't need to lose her father figure too... and for what? For just being around the keeper?

"'Ni is one of those... mind erasers right? Oblivi-whatevers?" Leah frowned. Honestly, the thought weirded her out. Like a real life Man in Black. "Eh..." She could have sworn a shiver went up her spine at the mere thought. "She could have been a professional Quidditch player you know. Seeker." She popped more popcorn into her mouth. "If she had any sense." The words were said seriously as if Leah believed it with every fiber of her being - mainly because she did.

"Nat..." She shook her head. Like with Maddox, Nat had been one of the few Professors she had been fond of. "He doesn't know what to do without that place." Taking another swig of her beverage she set it back down at the counter, sitting upright with big eyes suddenly. "We should find him a girlfriend." Now there was some fun. But who?... "Or maybe just a parakeet?..." That may have been easier.

[MADDOX DENTON]

Maddox's hands flexed around the glass he was holding at Leah's confirmation. Of course they hadn't been found, nothing had changed there. He wasn't sure what he had expected, actual competence? It certainly hadn't been there decades ago but then those same passing decades had made him maybe just a bit hopeful. A dark lord defeated, arrests (nowhere near enough), and some outright deaths (good) over those years combined with flowery words wouldn't get rid of the sympathizers. The ones who moved just a bit slower on purpose, or those who facilitated it outright. "I suppose we did." It was times like these that Maddox felt even more like an old man, worrying over Leah and for Imani working in the ministry and asking more questions every day.

At Leah's mention of shaking her protection detail one of Maddox's eyebrows began to climb. "And why do I feel like that's not just a joke?" He asked dryly, dragging his cloth in one last swipe over the glass that he was holding, "As long as you're being careful." As much as he'd like to keep her and Imani close and safe, something which had been marginally easier when they were younger, they had their own lives to live. Could he guilt them into keeping an old man company for a while? Probably. But they wouldn't stop living or being the strong young women he'd grown prouder and prouder of. "Ah yes, very helpful," Maddox turned and placed his glass back in its place before turning to begin washing the dirty glasses Leah had pulled over, but not before reaching across the counter and giving her hair a fond ruffle.

Maddox's eyes narrowed at Leah's hesitation over his invitation, and he had to hold himself back from interrupting, "No." The word was abrupt and short, Maddox blew out a slow breath in an attempt to shake off some of his tension. "I understand if you want to wait until things calm down, or they get better -" as much as they might get, "- or we can figure something else out." He certainly wasn't going to be the one to propose a slumber party but if that would be what made Leah the most comfortable then by all means. His mind bounced back to the last bit of her statement, as narrowing and face growing stern, "You know it wouldn't be a family vacation without you, right?" It'd certainly been long enough for him to accept that he'd landed himself with two daughters, "You're family, kiddo." Maddox managed to grumble out.

"Obliviator, yeah." Maddox might not have been the most approving at first but acceptance had come around eventually. He snorted at the mention of Imani being a seeker. That might have been better for his heart though, "Maybe you should've done a better job at convincing her then," Maddox chuckled.

"Mm, maybe." Talking about his coworker's love life was better than talking about Maddox's own, or lack thereof, but he didn't particularly like that bright look in her eyes talking about it. "Or maybe we should leave the poor man alone?" The question felt a bit useless in the face of Leah's eagerness, but also for all the time that Maddox had known the other man he wasn't particularly familiar with Nat's romantic tastes. "Ah- probably not the best idea, I don't think he'd do well if it accidentally got used for transfiguration though." Probably the easier of the options but given how often such small creatures were used in classes … there was a risk.

[LEAH SILVIAS]

"Because it's not." She didn't miss a beat informing the concerned Maddox that his suspicions were correct. "I don't joke. I simply don't know how to do it. The doctor says it's a condition." She gave a half-shrug and took a sip of her alcoholic beverage glancing around the bar. It was pretty much empty. Honestly a good thing. Maybe not for the business but for Leah as it prevented her from being recognized, harassed, or worse. "I'm also never careful." Unable to resist she stood on the top rung of the stool leaning over the bar counter and snagging the cloth that Maddox was using to clean. Catching her old teacher's eye she gave him a smirk and waggle of her brow. "It's also a condition." One she would be a willing victim to her entire life.

"Why do you work here anyways? Doesn't Hoggywartswarts pay you enough? Guess that's the public magical schooling system for ya." She balled up the cloth in between both her fingerless glove-clad hands before tossing it back to him. Perfect aim. Thanks a lifetime of Quidditch.

"Hasn't anyone told you, Mads?" He ruffled her hair, something he had done when she was a teenager first introduced to the magical world and thrown into magical schooling without the basics, and she turned red both from the drink and a blush of embarrassment. "I'm a lost cause." Fans could be tough on you when you lost a game. You couldn't win them all but for some reason when you lost it landed five times as hard as the wins. As a result, Leah was always very hard on herself. Too hard really. Beyond Quidditch she had no worth. When she lost a game... What was the point?

"You and 'mani shouldn't change your plans cause of me. I think I've wrecked enough folks' lives this past year maybe I should take a break." At that, she ran her hands over her red hair doing her best to 'fix' it which was something as a teenager that she never worried about. Now as an adult, beaten down by social commentary and a publicist, it was engrained into her. Maddox's uttering of family had her stilling, frowning some. "You say that but... I'm not really, you know?" She sighed pretending to adjust her outfit in her lap. "I have a mom, dad, sisters, brother... I just can't see them." She swallowed. "Haven't... for a long time." It would only put them at risk. They didn't understand the world anyways. This was for the best. At least they didn't have to be obliviated (yet) and at least Imani didn't have to do it for her.

"Yeah, well, I'm not as good of a communicator as I am at catching Quaffles and yelling as it turns out." She shrugged off his playful little burn picking up her glass and taking a long gulp. "You sure you don't want to meddle with me?" She was trying to change the subject, putting on an unbothered face, she leaned her arms on the bar counter looking at Maddox. "C'mon. You must have a few ideas. Who can we set up with darling Zim-Zim." Oh god, Nathaniel would have hated that. It would have flustered him which honestly made saying it so much fun. "You've worked with him for over a decade you're telling me you don't know anything? I know you teach Muggle Studies and the man is a pureblood but geeze..."

[MADDOX DENTON]

"Ah. a very serious condition, then." Maybe he huffed a bit of a laugh at his own poor joke, but you had to make them where you could get them. Anything was better than continuing on moving through a poor mood like tar. Mads only glanced up again as his cloth was tugged from his hands, giving a wry grin, "Seems like a lot of conditions you've got there." Though, he hadn't ever known Leah to be particularly careful, so he wasn't sure what he was expecting even eighteen gods he was old down the line.

Maddox hummed at her question, then shrugged, "I don't think I'd know what to do with myself if I didn't spend some time behind a bar." He could hardly imagine giving up the job now, no matter how insufferable Phil was some times, "I've been working in bars longer than you've been alive," Granted, he definitely hadn't been working in bars as nice as this one for all, or even most, of that time. "Hoggywarts pays plenty, or plenty enough anyway." More than some of the places that he'd worked anyway, and more than he had started at at this point.

Holding up a hand Mads easily caught the cloth, "Oh Leah," his face fell with his tone, "You're nowhere near a lost cause." It was hard to find the words, exactly, especially when he wasn't the best with them to begin with. But, some things just had to be said. "You've got such a bright future no matter what you do," Mads started, "If you wanted to crash on my couch or commit highway robbery for the rest of your life you'd still be family. Loved." He flushed slightly, "No matter how lost you are we'll find you." That was something that he could say with full confidence. He'd search to the end of the earth, do whatever he needed to if it meant helping them. To give them the support that he hadn't, and give them a safe place to land.

"A slight change of plans isn't going to ruin either of our lives." Maddox could say at least that with full confidence, no one ever died of a change in plans and he had plenty of time off saved up. Phil could manage the bar by himself. "I know I didn't birth you, but that doesn't make it any less true." He sobered some at the mention of her biological family, "I'm sure they'll be able to figure some way for you to see them again." He couldn't imagine not being able to see Imani for any reason, no matter how much of a lovable hurricane she could be.

"Oh? I suppose I could meddle with you." He commented, following along with her topic chance, "What was it Imani always asks me? See any cute boys lately?" He grinned a bit teasingly, leaning over the counter to mirror her. "Well-" He started, considering his words before giving up, "I may have seen him making eyes at the Divination Professor, Miss Sally Bryne." Might as well spill the tea with his might as well be daughter.

[LEAH SILVIAS]

"For sure. Very rare." She hid it, but the Keeper was quite pleased to have caught Maddox smiling - even if only a little bit. The man could often be grumpy often times as a guise, something Leah could relate to as she often used her stubbornness and boldness the same way. Perhaps that is why the two had gravitated toward each other and were protective of one another - in a way, they were defending themselves. "I am chock full of conditions and complications. Weren't you aware?" She teased with a slight lull in her teasing, flat, American voice.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're ancient. We all get it." Leaning across the wood of the bar she waggled her brow with a mischievous little smirk. "What were the dinosaurs like by the way? World War One? Jesus Christ? Tell me everything. I bet Judas was a cool dude to party with." Humor that was insulting to some many found its way out with ease with Maddox if only because she was so comfortable around the man which, when not talking about Quidditch, was a feat. Just went to show how many years they had known each other as well as how Maddox managed to make space for her, to shield her from the sometimes fickle word (without letting her know of course). With Maddox she could flourish in ways far beyond the blue skies of the game her whole existence had come to center around. Maybe there was more...

"You know, 'mani mentioned she might be interested in working at a bar on weekends." Leah decided to throw that little anecdote out there if only to see how Maddox might react. "Obliviating doesn't pay what it used to apparently..." Imani had only said it to tease of course, to press buttons, but Leah decided to further press those particular buttons in the feisty young woman's honor. "Maybe she could work here. Or, you know, she had her eyes on Eppy's Elixers." Known to be a dodgy sort of place she knew it would be on Maddox's radar for a good old fashioned "oh hell no."

Loved. The word made her uncomfortable if only because she didn't hear it a whole lot. She never saw her family anymore as they were all muggles. While they loved their magical daughter the world could be risky for them, especially lately, and add rabid fans to boot? No. She hadn't seen them in quite a long time. "I dunno. I'm pretty tricky to find when I put my mind to it." She noted, trying to keep her voice light and not allow it to crack with a hint of emotion because of how his words touched her. Giving a weak little smile she held out the empty cup for him to take. 

The mention of cute boys had her blushing. Rawiri. She hated herself for even thinking it and immediately pushed it down nearly choking on her words. "No. No. Are you fucking kidding me? No. No way." Her cheeks blushed a bright crimson as her eyes darted away avoiding his view because he would know. They *always* knew. The mention of a certain Professor and a certain best lady friend had her eyes bulging and gaze immediately snapping back up. "No fucking way." She leaned forward toward her old muggle studies teacher. "You lie." Surely because she would have noticed something. Then again, would she? She didn't even notice when someone had a crush on her. "How do you know?" A slight frown spread across her lips and she wrinkled her chin in thought. "She didn't say anything..." Gasp. "Does she know!" Though Leah wasn't the girliest of girls who could pass up some delicious gossip?

[MADDOX DENTON]

Maddox grumbled under his breath at Leah's jokes, his lips twitching up into a smile. "Well, I don't know about that Judas guy but the dinosaurs sure were fun." He was the one that had opened the door, and he knew better than to expect Leah not to step right through. Coming from her though it was familiar and pleasant ribbing, where it might have earned a biting comment had it been anyone else. But they might as well be family, it was as simple an explanation as that.

He hummed in response to the idea of Imani working bar on the weekends. It wasn't that horrible of an idea given that she had grown up spending just about as much time behind the bar here as he had. Probably a little less than legal but Phil never had said anything about it. Eppy's Elixers thought?

"Oh hell no." The words burst roughly from his mouth before he had a moment to moderate his response. For all of the horrid places he'd worked growing up he wouldn't let his darling daughter land somewhere so bottom of the barrel. "I think not. I'll have to have a talk to her about that. Get her into a nice place. Somewhere decent." Whether or not that list included Down the Hatch was his own business, though it certainly wasn't the worst place if she was set on starting somewhere she knew.

Mads smiled fondly and accepted the cup, refilling it with another butterbeer without a thought to anything stronger. Again. "I'm sure I'd find some way to lure you out." Even if it was hot cocoa and a warm blanket. He could do that.

"That's a whole lot of protesting over a person who doesn't exist. Want to talk about him?" He arched an eyebrow but left the question open ended, if she didn't want to talk about whoever her mystery boy was then he wouldn't push. Maddox huffed, "I do not lie." He was just a touch offended at the notion, "They spend a whole lot of time together you know." Mads kept his voice hushed, leaning over the counter slightly, "And the whole making eyes at each other bit. Whether either of them knows I couldn't say." As aware as he was of his coworkers Maddox didn't spend too much time studying them and their personal relationships.

"I don't think either of them knows. Could be wrong, though"

[LEAH SILVIAS]

The Keeper smirked a bit. There was just something about Maddox's prickly personality that she really liked - possibly because they were so similar. Tough on the outside, walls built up out of defense, but on the inside they were big softies (in their own special way). Fiercely loyal and protective of the select few that they deemed close to their heart that they would protect with every fiber of their being until they no longer drew breath. A bit dramatic perhaps but true nevertheless.

"Tell me how you really feel." She murmured with a small smile, rolling her eyes slightly as both hands clasped her beverage and she took a sip hardly unnerved. She didn't flinch at Maddox's harsh words. Both Leah and Maddox tended to speak in curse words with the occasional actual vocabulary word mixed in. Were they pirates, Quidditch players, or Professors? Jury was still out.

"Aw c'mon, Mads. You don't want your kid working at the sketchiest of the sketchy? What kind of guardian are you?" Another sarcastic little joke as she slipped off her stool and rested her arms on the bar countertop, leaning toward the bartender. This bit of hot goss wasn't quite sitting right which was a dang shame. Most gossip was delightfully fun, even if juvenile, but picturing Sally cuddling their old Charms Professor? BLEH. Her stomach did a not so little lurch. But, Leah was a glutton for punishment so she pressed onward.

"Byne and Zim?" It didn't even sound right. "Their names don't even go together. You can't make a ship name out of Byrne and Zimmer. Zyrne? Bimmer? Nally? Saniel? See? They're all fucking terrible." Not exactly sound logic but one Leah was ready to shill if it made this mental diarrhea go away. "They spend time together because they work together not any other reason." Except there was that time - NO! And the other time - NO! Then there was that - NO NO NO! "I can't even picture Nat kissing anybody." Her brow wrinkled and nose scrunched up in disgust as if she had sucked hard on a lime. "Please do not make me." The Keeper pointed warningly at Maddox. "Quick... Lets talk about something else. Like anything else for the love of God..."

TAG: MADDOX DENTON