It's raining, it's pouring...

[CAPTAIN 'AL !]

The rain hadn’t let up all day, all week, for that matter, so it wasn’t surprising that a large proportion of the third-year-and-above Hogwarts students who had bothered to venture into Hogsmeade were now sheltering in the Three Broomsticks. For that very reason, maybe, his dislike of large crowds and the fact that it was impossible to get a table, Albus Severus Potter was currently sitting on a bench outside the popular wizarding pub.

The weather didn’t bother him, really. Despite the fact that his cloak was heavy with rainwater and his hair was plastered to his head, Albus worse a smile as he watched the few people in the street, struggling to put up umbrellas against the wind as the reluctantly exited shops. Call him strange, but Al liked the rain.

Nonetheless, he held a bottle of butterbeer loosely in his hand, half empty after being passed to him by Rose as she left the Broomsticks earlier. He took a swig from it before covering the top with his thumb, not wanting the rainwater to dilute the now luke-warm liquid inside.

[Jarrod]

Skylar walked into the Three Broomsticks, drenched form the rain, and freezing. She looked around to see if there was anyone here that she had noticed, when she spotted Albus. "Hey Al!"She said happily, walking over to his table and sitting across from him.

"So, how has my Little Allie been?" She teased. Skylar knew that Al hated being called Allie. BUt he didn't seem to mind it when she did it.

[CAPTAIN 'AL !]

”So, how has my little Allie been?”

Albus rolled his eyes, but grinned at Skylar. She still hadn’t dropped the stupid nickname, but he knew there was no point in arguing against it.

“’M well, thanks,” he replied, “wet.” He added, stating the obvious for both of them.

He pushed his sopping fringe away from his eyes as if to illustrate his point, but mostly because it was cold, wet and annoying.

“How about you?”

[Jarrod]

Skylar giggled. "Well luckily I had a hood on my jacket, so my precious hair didn't get soaked." She said, teasing her hair in the back so it poofed up.

"I'm glad your well." She said smiling. She ordered a FIrewhiskey and waited until it came.

"I'm alright. Honestly I've been better, but I guess I can deal..." Skylar said, rather sadly. She took a small sip from her Firewhiskey and sighed contently.

[CAPTAIN 'AL !]

Albus laughed, and managed to resist the urge to reach over and flatten her hair again by wrapping his fingers closer around his bottle. He took a sip, listening to her speak.

“You could be better?” Al asked, “any specific reason?” He frowned slightly. "I mean, you don't have to tell me..."

[Jarrod]

Skylar shrugged. "Nothing really big.Just girl things." She lied, taking a long drink from her bottle. Her throat felt as if it was set on fire.

"And I got a T in potions today because I felt all lightheaded, and my mind was too focused on Lizzy to concentrate on stupid potion making." Skylar said, sniffling.

[CAPTAIN 'AL !]

Al raised his eyebrows as he took another drink, but shrugged.

“Sorry about your Potions grade,” he said, “If it makes you feel any better, I got a T in Transfiguration just because I’m crap at it.” He chuckled. He knew his family kept trying to make him care more about his grades in Transfiguration, a subject which seemed to be traditionally championed by Gryffindors, but somehow Albus couldn’t motivate himself in the subject.

“How is Lizzy?” He asked.

[Jarrod]

Skylar giggled. "Allie you and I both know that your a great transfigureation student. You got a T because you were'nt concentrating. Like I wasn't in potions." She said, downing almost half of the bottle of firewhiskey in one drink.

"Lizzy? She's alright, I guess. I got a really cute picture of her just a few days ago from mum. She's grown a lot since I left. I might go back for Christmas break, but I'm not really sure." She said, finishing her bottle of alcohol. "Maybe I could take you with me Al, back to my house for Christmas. I bet your dad and mum really wouldn't mind you being with an adorable girl such as myself." Skylar said winking at him.

[CAPTAIN 'AL !]

“If you say so, if you say so,” he laughed, finishing the last of his Butterbeer. He glanced around and waved slightly at a waitress, who came over, clearing away the empty bottles, and Al asked for her to bring more.

“Hey, any mention of any girl would make my parents happy, I think,” Al rolled his eyes. “But you know they’d be disappointed I wasn’t bringing you home for Christmas." He laughed again. "It’s good Lizzy’s doing well. I’d like to meet her some day.”

[Jarrod]

The waitress brought Skylar a butterbeer, and then left. She took a drink and smiled over at Albus. "Oh Albus, we were so meant to be." She said jokingly.

"That's true. Your mum is the one pushing you to date, right?" She said, taking a small sip of the searing hot butterbeer. "Oh really?" Skylar asked, raising an eyebrow at Albus. "They would love me, I'm sure of it." She said giggling. "Thanks. I bet she'd love to meet you sometime too. Y'know, she'd extremely smart. Already can turn her stuffed animals into real ones, and back again." Skylar bragged.

[CAPTAIN 'AL !]

“She says she’s not, but she is,” Al said. Oh, if his mother knew the truth… Albus wasn’t quite sure whether Ginny Potter would ever actually murder one of her children, but if any of them made her consider it, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that it would be Al. “I don’t think I’ll be humouring her just yet, though.”

His teeth found his bottom lip, but only for a moment before he laughed again. “No lion toys for little Lizzy, then?” he asked, jokingly.

[Jarrod]

Skylar shrugged." I bet Ginny wouldn't mind us together." She said, taking a sip of her now lukewarm butterbeer." Well, I think that you should humor her, Allie. You can't be alone forever, y'know." She said smiling at him.

Skylar laughed with Albus. "Well they're still plush, they just come to life. That's what I meant." She said blushing.

[CAPTAIN 'AL !]

“Who says I can’t?” Al said, defiantly, taking a sip of his Butterbeer and trying to push all thoughts of a certain blond boy out of his mind.

He grinned as she blushed. “Well, you never know how dangerous even a cuddly lion can be,” he said, hoping to push the conversation away from his love life, or lack thereof.

[Jarrod]

"Skylar Erin Barbary says you can't." She said, grinning at him. Hopefully he wasn't too dense and understood where she was going with this.

"I don't think Lizzy even has any lions. Maybe a dragon but no lions." Skylar said giggling.

[CAPTAIN 'AL !]

Albus grinned, but the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Well, then my mother, and,” he raised his eyebrows at Skylar and smirked slightly, “Miss Skylar Erin Barbary, will have to be patient, because for now I am quite happy on my own. And even if I wasn’t…” I'll end up disappointing all of you. Al cut himself off, feeling he had said too much.

“Not training her to be a Gryffindor, then?” Al chuckled. “Good decision. Although maybe I’m proof that it doesn’t always work. You should be careful with those dragons, before she starts turning them into real live ones.”