Where we left o f f ? ((Alice))

[marcus]

Marus was feeling uptight and on edge. It had been five months since the devastating attack on Hogwarts and he still found himself haunted by the images of those poor students who'd lay dead, or dying as he'd torn through the castle. They weren't images one would be able to rid themselves of too easily, he knew this and he hated it. What he wouldn't give to erase the horror of that day from his mind. Though he wouldn't second think running into the thick of battle again, not if it meant finding Alice and making sure she was safe, protected.

Alice.

It had been months as well since he'd seen her last, months since they'd spoken face to face and he hadn't been able to rid himself of the horrible ache inside his chest. On the one hand, with how quickly he'd fallen for her it was pretty scary but on the other it had been inevitable. He'd been done for the moment he'd heart her first singing, since he'd heard that first note. The voice of an angel, that's what it had been like, what he'd been sure he was hearing and he'd been right in every sense of the word. Remembering back to the night they'd met always brought a smile to his face, an angel on stage she had been, his angel.

He'd fallen hard and fast for the brunette he now knew to still be a student at the school. The age gap between them wasn't extreme, well not really in his eyes, but he was sure other people would see it as wrong, disgusting but they didn't understand. How could they really? What he'd found in Alice, it was once in a lifetime. There was no doubt in his mind he loved her, and that the seperation was killing him, he wasn't even sure how it had happened, not really.

He'd headed back to New York not long after the battle, to work and it had taken him around to Italy, France, Russia, as was the way with his work. He loved it, but it's downside had been leaving Alice, they'd exchanged letters for a while but somewhere along the way they too, dwindled until there were none. Had she changed her mind on them? Since arriving back a few weeks ago he had tried desperately to get in touch with her, gone to Dark Temptations hoping to catch her but nothing. Maybe she had moved on...

The though was sickening, and one that made his head pound as he closed his eyes. The Leaky Cauldron, not usually somewhere he occupied but to hell with it, there was a first for everything and tonight he just wanted a drink. Finding an empty booth he sat back with his Firewhiskey and sighed, running his hand over his face, his thoughts drifting back to the beautiful brunette with the voice of an angel. In the distance he heard the door to the leaky cauldron open as the bell jingled, signalling someone arriving or leaving, but he didn't care much to look up and find out which...

[alice]

Alice had peered into the pub, noting its emptiness. For whatever reason, it calmed her to be in a quiet place. The owner, a female, had kindly offered her shelter whenever necessary. She was beginning to trust woman again, but men were a different story. Even after a month since she'd been raped, Alice still hadn't regained her voice. It was beginning to make her depressed. On the one hand, she was safe, not impregnated with the evil man's spawn. However, without her voice, she feared that she didn't have a future.

Then there was Marcus to think about. He had been so kind to her. She had loved him, and he had loved her. Had. Past tense. Alice bit her lip, eyes downcast as she slipped into the pub. She wished that she could say that she still loved him, she really did. However, with everything that had happened, she wasn't so sure about that. If she couldn't bare to see her fellow students, even her teachers, in the hallways, how was she supposed to face Marcus? It scared her almost as bad as the absence of her voice.

Alice entered the pub, eyes darting up to check for any sign of a male figure. She couldn't see any. Her friend at the bar motioned her over with a friendly wave, and Alice half-heartedly returned it. Biting her lip, she shuffled to the bar as her friend slid a drink over to her. Alice picked it up, taking a small sip. It burned going down, but otherwise it left a fruity after-taste. Alice looked at her friend inquisitively. "Cherry vodka. Strong stuff," she replied. Alice nodded her thanks, taking another sip before making her way to the very back of the pub.

Had Alice been paying attention, she would have noticed the familiar man in the booth nearest her as she settled down at a small table in the corner. She kept her back to the wall, wanting to have a view from all angles. After that terrible day, she didn't trust herself to keep her back to anyone approaching. There wasn't any telling who it was, and Alice didn't want anyone approaching her unless she could see their face. Absently sipping her drink, despite being underage, she watched the room nervously.

Alice's Outfit

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[marcus]

Again Marcus didn't bother to check out who had entered the bar, chances were he didn't know them and if he did, he wasn't really in the right frame of mind to be entertaining anyone. In fact his mind was way too preoccupied trying to figure out what in fact he wanted to do in regards to Alice. The stubborn part of him didn't want to believe that it was over between them, he loved her. Sure they'd been together only a few times before they'd declared their feelings towards each other but he knew what he felt was real. Marcus had always felt more deeply than most other people, it's part of what made him such an incredible stage actor.

Downing his whiskey, Marcus looked down into the empty glass a frown on his face as he did so as though he'd find answers there. Though like his Mother had always said, you'll never find the answers you need at the bottom of a bottle...didn't mean he couldn't try though could it. At least if he couldn't figure anything out he could take the edge of what he was feeling. Leaning back in his chair he ran his fingers through his hair, his eyes drifting to the bar where he froze. Was that Alice? Sighing he shook his head he looked away, no, she looked like his Alice but it couldn't be, maybe thinking of her so much was finally making every woman he looked at look like her.

Sighing deeply he pushed himself up from his stool and moved over to the bar. "Another..." he said to the woman behind the counter, pushing his glass across to her and deciding to stick to the bar, it was closer to the drink and he was feeling to lazy to get up and down again. As she passed him his drink again he took another small sip and let his eyes drift across to the only woman at the bar again, unable to shake the nagging feeling he knew her. "Alice?" his voice was low, unsure....it was her wasn't it but, she seemed different somehow? His stomach twisted in that same pleasant way it always did seeing her but something told him to hang back, and he didn't know why.

[alice]

Alice wasn't paying attention. She continued to sip her drink, eyes closing as her head lightly tipped back. She allowed herself to listen to the sounds in the bar. She could hear movement to her left. Someone was walking towards the bar. Behind the bar, someone was moving. The scuffing of feet, the sound of glasses being moved, the light thud of a mug being set upon the counter. They were all very simple, very pleasant, familiar sounds. It helped to keep Alice grounded and fairly normal... or, as normal as she could possibly be, of course.

Opening her eyes, she leveled her gaze on the man at the bar. Her heart dropped into her stomach. Even from the back, she knew him. Marcus. It had to be. Where had he been? Fear seized her. She didn't want to deal with him, not now. Quickly adjusting her hair, Alice attempted to hide her face. She didn't want to get involved, especially not with men. This couldn't be any worse for her. Her heart pounded frantically against her chest and she needed to leave. Alice knew that she would be safe, deep down, but the fact that Marcus was a man... Alice couldn't face him.

"Alice?"

Alice froze. She looked up, her eyes catching Marcus'. Big mistake. She felt her body tense up, preventing her from moving. She wanted to get up, to leave, but she couldn't bring herself to do so. This was going to end badly, she could just feel it.

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