The Aftermath (Stephan)

Jericho sat heavily in his chair behind his desk with a sigh after his visit to the Unspeakable's office. He ran his fingers through his blonde hair, frustrated with himself for letting Joelle's assailant get away. "Damn it....." he said and opened his bottom desk drawer. There lay a bottle of Fire Whiskey and a low tumbler, Jericho's drink of choice when his nerves were frazzled. He contemplated the bottle and the glass for a moment and finally grabbed both glass and bottle with one hand, setting them on his desk. Jeicho uncorked the bottle, poured himself a shot, and threw it back. He closed his blue eyes and sighed as the burn lit up his throat down to his stomach. It was a pleasant feeling to him.

He refilled the glass half-full, got up, and walked to his dart board hanging on the wall to the right of the door. Darts was a muggle game he was very fond of, it helped him focus and think. He grabbed the darts from the board and walked back to the far corner of his desk, taking his glass as he passed it and sipped. He set the glass down and took aim with his first dart, letting it fly hitting the slot near the bull's eye.

"Having fun are we?" Stephan asked, watching the scene. He had just opened the door, slightly, not to disturb whatever Jericho was doing. Stephan enjoyed a drink every once in a while, and although he felt this was no time to drink, Jericho had a powerful reason to want to drown his troubles with some firewhiskey. Stephan stepped in, as a dart passed by his sight. "Mind if I try?" Stephan asked. He didn't specify if he wanted to play darts, or try the booze. Because in fact, he wanted both.

Jericho's eyes moved to his office door that opened slightly. There were only two people who ever entered without knocking: Moody and Stephan. As the dart whizzed by Stephan's face, Jericho said flatly, "If you can call it fun...." He turned, setting the darts on his desk, grabbed his tumbler, and took another draw of his drink. "Come on in. Close the door behind ya, please. Want one?" he asked, gesturing to the bottle of alcohol on his desk. "Take a shot if you wish. You ever play, Stephan?" he asked, dividing the remaining darts for the two of them to play if he wanted, and turned his eyes to his friend.

"Bad mood." He stated, closing the door, still trying not to make much noise. As he stepped in further, he looked around. These darts things would surely be a fun thing to try. "I'm used to firewhiskey," he said, picking up the bottle. Stephan was not a man of drinking by a glass. He wanted the whole bottle. "I have one in my little office too. If I finish this one, which I will, I'll get it." He said, chugging down. The feeling was usual. And he no longer had a big rush from it. He picked up one of the darts, setting the bottle down on the desk, and took aim. "You can say I have good aim." He threw the first dart and hit the bullseye. He let out a loud chuckle, turning to Jericho. "Beginners luck..." He said, waiting for his friend to do the same.

"You could say that...." he replied evenly to his friend's observation of his mood. Bad didn't really even touch what he was feeling. However, Jericho couldn't help but let a smile touch his lips slightly as Stephan grabbed the bottle and took a long draw on it. It wasn't unheard of for many of the workers at the Ministry having a bottle of some kind in the their desks. Most just turned a blind eye to the fact. Jericho finished what was left in his glass in one gulp and refilled it when Stephan set the bottle down. "Well, done," he said in a slightly brighter tone after Stephan hit the bull's eye on the first shot. "Guess you do have beginner's luck," he said picking up another dart and threw it, looking at his friend and not the board. His dart landed right next to his in the center, and he winked at him. "Thanks for your help down there..." he said looking into his glass of whiskey and taking a drink. It wasn't his normal fashion to drink more than a shot or two at a time, but this time was different.

Stephan clapped slowly as Jericho's dart hit right next to his. He nodded, as he picked up another dart. This time, feeling its little end, with one finger. "Imagine the impression you'd cause. Even my dear Willow appeared. The minister of magic would've seen you kill a man." Stephan explained, throwing the dart, not looking at the board. The dart hit a little bit under his first one, as Stephan continued, "You can't be reckless. Malfoy killed Joelle, yes, that happened. But the only thing you gotta do is capture him. Then the dementors will get him. Capture will be revenge enough Jericho. Dealing with dementors is painful enough." Stephan finished explaining, picking up the bottle yet again. As he chugged down, he heard the door knock. He picked up a dart, and set the bottle down. He then threw the dart at the door, with a smirk, "We're busy here!" No more knocks were heard as Stephan chuckled.

Jericho didn't meet Stephan's eyes as he listened to his thoughts on what would have happened had he not stepped in to stop the killing curse he was prepared to use on the man. "It's not like a death hasn't happened by my hand before. Comes with the job sometimes... The Minister knows this," he said before taking another drink. He saw Stephan's dart land just below the first one he threw as he kept his eyes on Jericho. Beginner's luck my ass.... As Stephan spoke about the actions Jericho almost took, he pinched the bridge of his nose and walked a few steps away, turning his back to his friend. He sighed heavily and dropped his hand, putting it on his hip. "Just capture isn't enough..." he said, putting the cool glass to his head just above his left eye, rolling it back and forth slowly. The coolness felt good on his forehead after what had happened. Jericho turned at the knock and smirked at Stephan's reaction. "Pretty sure no one will come calling now.... At least for a while," he said, draining his glass. He walked back to his desk and took the bottle fro Stephan's hand, preparing to pour another drink for himself.

Stephan sighed, as Jericho explained that death had already been caused by him. Certainly not by the killing curse though. "Not with Avada Kedabra it hasn't," he reminded Jericho. He sighed heavily and dropped his hand, putting it on his hip. "It must be enough. Hell you can torture him, but I'll be dammed if I have to see Alastor Moody bring you in." he responded. Stephan then snorted at Jericho's comment. "And if they do, there are still more darts," he commented. He unsheathed his wand, and threw a dart at the board. Easily controlling it with Wingardium Leviosa. It hit the farthest side of the board, to the left. Clearly on purpose. He didn't want to seem extremely good at a muggle game.

Jericho emptied the bottle of Fire Whiskey and tossed the bottle in his wastepaper basket. "True. Not by that..." he said raising the tumbler in a toast and drinking. A smirk grew on his face at the thought of Alastor having to bring him into Azkaban for doing something as rash as he almost did in the atrium. "Can't be sending his right hand man to prison, can we? I don't want to end up there. Just fill the cells, that's as close as I care to ever get to that place," he said with a slight chuckle. Then the smirk faded, "Not sure that me torturing him is a good idea. I don't know that I could simply stop with torture." Jericho looked again into his glass. He knew exactly what he'd like to do to that man... Many of them could very well land him in a cell all his own. "I want....." he began to say, clenching his glass tight, and then sighing heavily, unable to finish his thought. Jericho's train of thought was interrupted as he laughed when he thought of his door looking like a dartboard itself with the amount of darts it could end up with if it was a normal day in his office. Then he watched as Stephan let a dart fly and it hit the far end of the board. He could understand him wanting to not appear good at a game such as this. Stephan, unlike himself, was a pureblood, and, to some, it would seem out of the ordinary for him to be interested or good at a Muggle game. "You know, if anyone asked how you got to be so good, you could just tell them you learned from the best," he said pointing to himself with the hand holding his glass.

Stephan chuckled after thinking about what he had truly said. "Azkaban is no fun place. Believe me, I know," Stephan stated. His happy tone quickly vanished, "Well I'd be there. Just like at the atrium. I'd be there." He said walking around, scratching his neck. He couldn't always be there of course. Duty called. He had to be there for Willow. He couldn't promise he'd always remain by Jericho. He had to learn self control. Only god knew how many times he had restrained himself from killing idiots right there at the Ministry. He then chuckled, somehow. "Well, I guess I can. How did you learn to play?" He asked. Stephan hoped Jericho didn't get too involved with Muggles. Even if he was a halfblood, that would simply bring him trouble.

Jericho looked up at his friend and half-smiled. "It's comforting to know that you'd be there. Thank you, Stephan..." He took another drink from his glass, and set it down on the desk. Jericho picked up another dart and let it fly, not caring where it hit. "My father used to play this in several Muggle pubs. He liked it so much, he bought his own and set it up in the basement of our house. When I was about eight, he started to teach me," he said as he collected the darts from the board and the one from the door. "Been playing ever since," he said handing Stephan his darts. He returned to his desk and leaned against it, picking up his tumbler and draining it's contents. He looked into the empty glass, "Guess we will need your bottle." He turned his head, looking at Stephan. "I'll be sure to replace your store if we finish it," he said with a wink.

Father. Stephan knew Jericho was a halfblood, but who was the muggle? Or was there a muggle to begin with? Some wizards were halfbloods, but came from halfblood parents. Still not something completely worth of approval, but it was not as bad, compared to being related to Muggles directly. Stephan took the darts in his hand, nodding. "Well, I think I simply have a natural gift," he joked. Then Stephan laughed. Hard and loud. They had actually finished the bottle. And Stephan was definitely gonna get his. What was he saving it for anyway? He looked over at the young auror, "I'll get it right away, don't worry." He turned his head, looking at Stephan. "And when we finish it, I'll make sure I'll make you get the replacements," he said with a smirk, slowly putting the darts on the table, and stepping off the room. In a jiffy, he was at his little office, and got his bottle of 'Blishen's Firewhisky'. He Hopped back to Jericho's office, closing the door slowly. "Here's our new bottle," he said, holding the bottle in his hand.

Jericho laughed lightly, "Yes, it would appear you do have a natural talent. Well done, mate." At Stephan's comment that they were, in fact, going to finish his bottle of Firewhisky, he simply nodded. Jericho wasn't planning to get three-sheets drunk, but he wanted the pain and frustration he was feeling to stop. Inside, after hearing what the masked man said, Jericho felt responisble for Joelle's death. It's my fault.... Stephan slipped out to get his bottle and Jericho took a stance, throwing one of his darts. He smiled as he thought back to his father teaching him this game. Even though his grandfather was a Muggle, and his father a wizard, his father still enjoyed lots of things his grandfather enjoyed. The Muggle drink was one of them... Hence, why he often found himself in Muggle pubs playing darts. He was by no means a drunk, but where else could you get Muggle beer on tap?

Jericho threw another dart as his office door opened and Stephan reentered closing the door behind him. "You brought the good stuff," Jericho mused with a laugh. "Holding out for somethng big, are we?"

Stephan chuckled slightly, holding the bottle. He liked to play with it like he did with smaller bottles, throwing them from hand to hand. He was doing just that until he stopped, and took out the cork with his teeth. "This was if Willow got pregnant. Seems to be far way from that every time we do it," Stephan joked, as he spat the cork onto his free hand, "Well, let's have at it shall we?" Stephan picked a dart, and chugged down a bit of the whiskey. His vision still wasn't blurry. It seemed Jericho had drunk more than him, otherwise, Stephan'd be falling to the ground, singing happy birthday. Like last time. He was truly not proud of that. He threw the dart somewhere, as he presented the bottle to Jericho. "Have your turn buddy," he stated, licking his lips.

Jericho just looked, slightly dumbfounded at his friend, "Didn't know you two love birds were attempting." Jericho smiled, it wasn't a very large secret that Stephan and the Minister were an item, and the idea of them having a child together was a nice one. When Stephan offered him the bottle, he took a small draw on the bottle before filling his tumbler half-way. The burn was stronger with this drink, which was to be expected as the proof of alcohol was much higher in this particular brand of Firewhisky. Jericho closed his eyes, and took a deep breath as the burn faded. When he opened his eyes, he set his glass down and picked up another dart. "I believe, my good friend, you are planning to get me drunk in my office," he joked. He was just beginning to feel the effects of the nearly half bottle of his own Firewhisky he and Stephan had finished off. As he let the dart fly, he noticed that it didn't hit as it normally did. Yes, the alcohol was beginning to dull his perception.

Stephan chuckled, at the thought of having a son. It'd actually please him to have someone carry on his legacy. But was Willow the perfect partner? Well, for now, it appeared so. "We've been seeing where it goes," he commented. As Jericho drank again, Stephan took the bottle, and then set it down on Jericho's desk. He swung his wand, winking at Jericho "Gemino" The bottle suddenly had a red glow, as Stephan smiled. He touched the first bottle, which then produced a clone, and it continued to go this way. Stephan chuckled as some bottles fell on the floor. "Shit!" Stephan said, between laughs. Stephan cast Finite, as the bottles stopped appearing. Stephan grabbed two bottles, already with no cork, and drank. "Well, we'll clean this fucking mess tomorrow. Now, driiiiiink!!!" Stephan said, pointing at the other bottles. He chugged down more whiskey, finally letting himself go.

8 Hours later

Stephan woke up, a little bit dizzy, on the floor. Last night had been a fun evening with non stop drinking. But now, the head was not feeling so well. Stephan pulled an empty bottle to him, and moved his wand. "G-G-Glacius!" The bottle turned into ice, as Stephan put it by his head, rubbing his forehead. "Awww, that's the stuff." He said, sitting up.

Jericho cupped his shaking hands under the cool running water at his sink in the ½ bath in the back corner of his office and raised the water to his lips. He rinsed his mouth, spit out the water, and leaned heavily on his forearms on the edge of the sink, letting his head hang slightly. He took several deep breaths and ran the back of his damp hand across his clammy forehead before standing and taking out his handkerchief from his back pocket. He ran it under the water, turned off the faucet, and wrung the cloth out slightly before pressing the handle on the toilet.

Jericho was paying the price for the night of heavy drinking Stephan and he had partaken in only hours ago. He never liked to drink that much, but seems Stephan thought he needed it. He took one last deep breath in through his nose and let it out slowly through his mouth before opening the door from the Lou. Jericho winced away from the sunlight beginning to shine brightly into his office, intensified thanks to his hangover, and quickly grabbed his wand from his leg pocket casting a spell to shut all the curtains, significantly darkening the area. He tossed his wand onto the sofa and leaned against the door frame of the bathroom heavily, one hand in a fist on his hip. He noticed Stephan was sitting up on the floor where he had passed-out, Jericho assumed, and was running an iced bottle across his forehead. Good. He’s suffering, too, he thought as his head pounded.  Jericho took the damp cloth and wiped his face, lingering over his mouth. He swallowed hard and let his other hand fall to his side, still holding the handkerchief before saying, "You’re……. a real bastard…….. You know that?" He did manage a weak smile at his friend after insulting him.

Seeing Jericho's smile, Stephan managed a chuckle himself, getting up, using the wall as support. "Yeah? Well, fuck you too." He said with a laugh, but quickly putting his hand on his head. Only the bottle wasn't working. Maybe it reminded him of all the drinking. "Been called worst ya know..." He joked, in a way, telling the truth. He sat on the edge of Jericho's desk, still a bit dizzy. As the door knocked, loudly, Stephan threw the frozen bottle at the door. "Head hurts, get the heck out..." The young auror opened the door anyway, and received a glare from Stephan. "Which one of you gentlemen is Jericho Young?" The auror asked. Stephan pointed at Jericho, "That blonde guy," he said, with a smirk. The young auror put a file in the desk, backing away from Stephan and leaving. Stephan held his head, and looked back. "It's for you alright." He said, just trying to read the file, noticing a letter in it.

Jericho would have laughed at Stephan's retort, but feeling the way he was, it wasn't the best idea. He simply shook his hung his head and shook it slightly and smiling. He looked back up at his friend and said, "Oh, I know. I believe I might have called you worse things before." He crossed to his sofa and sat slowly, slouching deep into its overstuffed cushions and putting his arm over his eyes. "You know Moody is going to kill us both, right?" he began when there was a loud knock on his office door. Jericho let out a groan at the sound as it sounded more like a cannon to his overly sensitive ears and head. "Never a break when you need one...." he mumbled. He was going to tell whoever it was to come in, but Stephan took care of it for him. He winced at the sound of a bottle breaking against the door and Stephan's loud words. He looked up, lifting his arm from his eyes and said, "Stephan, for Merlin's sake.... Keep it down...." before leaning his head back and replacing his arm as it was before.

When his office door opened, Jericho heard the messenger ask for him. It was one of the newer Aurors-In-Training. He could tell right off as all the Aurors knew who he was except for the new recruits. That blonde guy... Jericho hears Stephan say and he raised his other arm, bending it at the elbow, and waved slightly before letting it fall back on the armrest. He heard his door shut and Stephan confirm that it was for him, for sure. Jericho removed his arm from his pounding head and picked up his wand. "Accio..." he said quietly and the file flew to his open hand. He flipped the file open and read the letter. "Fuck...." he said closing the file and sitting up, leaning forward on his knees, and rubbing his eyes with his hand. "I don't need this today...." he said getting up slowly, walked to his desk, and opened the top drawer. Inside he kept a pair of Muggle SHADES which he took out and put on. Jericho walked to the door, put his hand on the knob, and then turned to Stephan. "Can I trust you to clean all this up before I get back?" he asked with a grin as he straightened his shirt and re-buttoned the top couple of buttons, leaving the top one open as was typical Jericho.

Stephan chuckled loudly, still quite content that his friend had let go a little bit. Of course his life was being hard. Very hard. Stephan had yet to imagine suddenly losing Willow. But alas, he had to let the tension out every once in a while, "There was that time when you called me a son of a bitch, but you do that often anyway." Stephan was indeed happy. A war was coming, and yet he was happy his friend was drinking. "I believe I might get away. You however..." he said, making his hand shake, followed by a gigantic snort. As Jericho acted accordingly to the situation, as in doing what he was supposed to do, Stephan got up from the desk. Shades? He thought, lifting an eyebrow, but upon hearing Jericho's question, snickered again. "For fucks sake, this isn't all my fault." He said, rolling his eyes, and cracking his back, and neck. "But whatever, I'll get this shit cleaned by the time Moody is finished bending you over his desk, and spanking you for being drunk all night." He joked. Moody had a temper. And Stephan usually played with that temper. A lot more than most people. Usually, Jericho didn't do the same, probably out of respect for his superior, but Stephan simply could not not joke with Moody. It was his nature. Or was it?

Jericho looked at Stephan over his shades and laughed lightly. "Yeah, and when he finishes with me, I'll be sure to send him your way. If I didn't have to go and see Moody, I'd be helping you clean up, Stephan. Don't be so sensitive. Besides, I already owe you a bottle, or two..." he joked back. He turned and opened the door and slipped out, but before closing the door, he peered in, "Thanks, Stephan. Even if we are both paying for it today, thanks for being there. If this meeting doesn't take long, I'll be back to help you tidy up." He smiled and then closed the door and headed for his boss' office.

Stephan sighed, and flicked his wand. The pieces of broken glass on the floor were thrown all against the dart board, and only the still intact bottles remained behind. He picked up each one at a time, slowly putting them on Jericho's desk. There weren't a lot left. And they were all empty. A night well spent. Stephan than cast aquamenti, wetting the carpet. He cast another wind charm, and tried to dry it a bit, and it worked mostly. Stephan breathed heavily, and laid down on the sofa. If Jericho wanted it even better, he'd do it himself. Stephan was tired too.