We Order Different Drinks at the Same Bars (Calliope)

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It had been quite some time since Caroline had enjoyed a night out with a few drinks. Caroline was never really one to gather up a group of friends and have them all meet her out for drinks either. No, Caroline preferred heading out on a Friday night to Hogsmeade on her own and enjoying the company of the bartender and whoever else was at the Hog's Head. Caroline was a kind and outgoing person and could get along with almost anyone, so she rather looked forward to her evenings out alone and always wondered what the evenings had in store for her. Caroline was never opposed to going home with someone either (provided they were not male of course,) but Caroline never stuck around for breakfast. Caroline wasn't searching for a relationship and she enjoyed one night stands when both women were in understanding of the "one night" part.

Caroline entered the Hog's Head and headed for the bar. She greeted the bartender like an old friend and ordered a firewhisky. She was ready to just enjoy herself tonight. Though, mentally she found herself not interested in going home with anyone tonight and oddly enough, Zytka popped into her head. The nurse stared at her glass after the bartender handed her her drink, blinking for a moment at how odd the thought was. Then without another thought, she tipped her head back and downed the whisky.

calliope ivory fleming

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Thirty. Calliope was thirty years old. Everyone had told her thirty would be different, feel different, and yet Callie felt none of those things. She had had more life changes in her twenty ninth year with becoming Head of Hufflepuff and deciding to go with Phantom of the Opera over the Little Mermaid for her summer project. She supposed she was celebrating a new decade with a role she was familiar with in the city the story had originated in, but physically and mentally? Thirty and twenty-nine were indiscernible. She was still single; though she had been in a few relationships, they had all been painfully short. So on that particular Friday night, Callie was trying to concentrate on her fifth years’ essays on Muggle electronics; some of them were interesting since electronics did not work in Hogwarts, but some of them, she hated to say, were rather dry.

Rubbing her eyes, Calliope looked at the clock. It was only nine-thirty in the evening; typically Callie was in bed by midnight on weekends, but the prospect of two and a half more hours of this was tedious at best. So she put away her papers in her drawer and made the executive decision to make something of her night. Wearing purple robes, she slung her thick wool black cloak over her shoulders and set out from the castle to Hogsmeade village. She glanced over at the Three Broomsticks; the crowd there seemed a little older, likely townies gathered for a night of reminiscing old stories. Callie walked past and went into the Hogs Head instead, where she found a happily familiar face. “Caro!” she exclaimed, hurrying over to her best friend and hugging her from behind. “What brings you here tonight?” she asked, hopping up onto the barstool after unhooking her cloak.

@caroline

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Caro had no plans in particular for the night other than just drink this firewhisky and enjoy her alone time. She just felt so tired. The Tournament had her worrying left and right for the three champions who were facing tasks more dangerous than your every day walk through the grounds and all the extra students with other ailments meant extra work for the Head Nurse. Caro found herself even too tired to try to find someone to go home with for the night.

That was, she was tired before she heard a familiar voice from behind her. Instantly, Caroline felt herself perk up when she saw the red head beside her. "Calliope!" Caro greeted her best friend with just as much excitement. The two of them had both been so busy, they hadn't spoken in quite some time. "Oh, I just needed a good drink. You know me," the nurse shrugged a little sheepishly. "What about you? How are you?!"

calliope ivory fleming

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Calliope laughed, a sign of agreement that she knew Caroline and her tendency to flock to a bar under intense stress. “I can’t imagine what goes through your mind during those Tasks Caro,” she said sympathetically, taking another sip of her own drink. “I’m well, thank you. We had a few students try out for Frog Choir which was really exciting. I was grading essays for my students when I realized...I just simply didn’t want to anymore,” she exclaimed with another laugh. She finished her drink and the bartender placed another one in front of her. Callie requested a glass of water to go along with it; she didn’t need to fizzle out before ten at night!

“So, I have a confession to make,” Callie told her, leaning towards her best friend conspiratorially. “I signed up for that Blishwick dating service last week. I just got the owl this morning; I’m to meet them in a park in London on Sunday.” Finally, she let it out; she hadn’t wanted to tell anyone about signing up for the service, but if she was honest with herself she felt a bit like a failure for all of her short-lasting fizzled relationships. So she decided to let someone else nudge her in a new direction for once. Calliope was nervous but excited at the same time; the owl hadn’t mentioned if her date was a man or a woman so she really was walking into this blindly.

@caroline

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Caroline sighed a little exasperatedly at the mention of the tasks. "Oh, believe me - it isn't a pretty sight up there," she said with a little point to her head, which was usually plagued with worry for the three champions whenever they were in a task. Thank Merlin it was almost over. "Lovely! I will have to come sit in at a rehearsal!" Caro declared happily. Caro often enjoyed sitting it at Frog Choir practice to listen to the students and Calliope as she sat along the sidelongs knitting little projects. It was a lovely way to relax.

When Calliope suddenly said she had a confession to make, Caroline became all ears and even leaned in toward her best friend slightly to show she was intent on listening. At her confession, Caroline's mouth fell open into an excited sort of smile. "Oooh, Callie!" She said excitedly. "How fun!" Blind dating wasn't exactly Caro's thing, but she was over the moon excited for her friend. "So, you don't know who this person is at all?"

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