Although Hazel had bitched about the work, she was holed up in Jonathan's office, doing his filing for the weeks previous cases. He would have felt guilty, but Kingsley was the prat who'd given him a trainee in the first place, after never having one in past years. It was his own fault for doing something so stupid. At least she wasn't watching out while he slept with someone other than his wife, like Jonathan had had to do with his Auror when he was a trainee.

Hazel should be thanking her lucky stars that Jonathan was not married and had no plans to become so in the near future.

She should also be lucky that he wasn't like Burke and planning to sleep with her the very first chance he got.

Chuckling to himself, Jonathan lifted his collar against the cold wind that was blowing through Hogsmeade as he walked a leisurely pace towards The Three Broomsticks. He had a feeling the night would be quite enjoyable, if he had anything to say about it, and was thinking back to years before when the 'Sticks had always been good for a pub brawl. Word was that the family running the place discouraged that type of thing. Jonathan was slightly hoping the rumors were false. With Jones doing Gods knows what with the Zombie Black, he hadn't had a good sparring partner in weeks.

Dancing away a bit, his eyes full of humor, as someone emptied their stomachs into the alley beside the pub, Jonathan pushed open the door. He was remembering days long past and what havoc he'd used to get up to.

Mac dodged the fist coming her way. She grabbed the man's wrist as he overextended. She twisted his arm up behind his back and wrestled him to the floor. People were a little too drunk in here tonight. Probably because Hera wasn't in. She seemed to keep the calm pretty well. It also might have to do with the fact that the bloke who had started this recognized Mac from Knockturn and got so drunk he foolishly thought he could take her.

Duff and Donnan were hauling two blokes out to toss them into the street. The little blonde professor from Sara Prep was holding her own. One man had even taken a boot to the face from her. Brody had pulled Penelope behind the bar, and the professor Howard was helping Cullen separate two more brawlers.

Grinning a bit too widely as he spotted the fists being thrown about, Jonathan shrugged out of his coat, throwing it at someone who was watching the display. A muffled 'Hey!' was heard from under the coat as he grabbed a bottle of ale from a table and smashed it over the head of someone who'd been about to grab his would-be-date from behind.

Jonathan felt supreme satisfaction and a burst of energy surge through him as the man went down hard to his knees, clutching at his head. "You started all this for me? You shouldn't have," he said, voice thick with amusement, towards Lindsay when she turned around to see what the noise behind her was.

"You might want to- oh, nevermind," Jonathan said, his fist shooting past Lindsay's head to land squarely in the nose of the man who'd she'd been giving attention to earlier. He let out a chuckle as the man clapped a hand to his face, blood already beginning to seep from his nostrils.

"Vat'd bu dhu bat dor," the man asked, his voice pained and slurred.

"Oh, were you not about to hit her?" Jonathan made a show of wincing. "Gods, I'm sorry then. Here, let me help you." He used two fingers to push against the man's chest, using the person bending directly behind the drunk to his advantage. The man's hands windmilled as he crashed to the ground, taking a table with him. "I'm going to have to pay for that, aren't I?" You've never learned to avoid the furniture, Savage. Never.

Mac sent the last fighter down next to the one Savage had just knocked over.

"Dinna get up," she snarked. "Startin' static in m'brother's place. Get out, and take yer drunken mates wit ya."

"Here," a tall blonde with a soft and child-like voice said. "I'll help."

She used her wand to repel the men towards the door and then blew on the tip of it like it was a smoking gun.

Lindsay started laughing. "I love this place."

People started climbing out from under tables and from behind the bar.

Brody looked at Savage. "What'll ya have... Mister..."

"Auror Savage," the tall and lanky blonde said.

"Anything dark," Jonathan answered the barman before turning to who he was sure was a trainee, but for the life of him, could not remember her name. "Yes, thank you... you," he said with a point of his finger at the young looking blonde. I'm sure the fine owners of this establishment are thankful for your help."

Eleanor? Esther? "Enid!" Looking very pleased with himself for remembering, not exactly sure why he did, he turned to Lindsay. "You didn't have to start a bar fight to impress me, love, but it's not unwelcome."

Enid grinned. Savage knew who she was. That was just neat.

Ian held out a hand to Penelope. "All right then Miss Clearwater?"

"Like I've never seen a bar fight before. Hullo, I used to live upstairs," Penelope said with a roll of her eyes.

Mac followed them back to the table they were at before. She stopped first. "Brody dinna charge the Auror for th'table. He were helpin'. Joinin' us then, Fulkerson?"

"Gonna stay right here," Lindsay said, smiling at Savage.

Penelope gave her a disapproving look. Brody set some Guinness Dark before Savage.

Looking up at the Scotsman with a thankful nod of his head, Jonathan took a long drink, letting out a sound of contentment before he took in the noisy and person-filled pub. It was nice to be around proper adults. The bars in America were alright, but they just didn't beat a Scottish pub with a brawl included.

Realizing he hadn't given enough attention to the reason he was here, he turned to Lindsay with a wolfish-smile. "Were you starting a fight because you wanted me to see how strong you are? I'm sure we could have come up with other, even more enjoyable ways to discover just how strong you are. Especially your legs."

Lindsay snorted. "They started it with Mac. She used to fight in Knockturn. Every so often some yahoo thinks he can take her and gets his drunken friends involved when she hands said yahoo his butt. It's pathetic really. You'd think they'd stop since this place is usually crawling with MacDougals or Auror Trainees looking for some extra sparring or both."

Brody set a frosted mug of ale before her.

"Extra sparring? Is that what they call it these days? I must be out of the loop," Jonathan said, taking another large drink of his Guinness.

Lindsay grinned and put a boot on the rung of his stool. "The kids like to hang out here because rumor has it that Hera Warbeck moonlights on the weekend under a pseudonym."

"Well, Ms. Fulkerson, you sure do know an awful lot about other people. I actually didn't come here to talk about other people, though. I was more interested in the beautiful woman before me." Eyebrows waggling a bit, Jonathan leaned on the bar with one arm, turning his knees towards the blonde.

Penelope was glaring at her. Lindsay ignored that. If Ian was not upset about it, then Penny shouldn't be either.

"What do you want to know? I was born in the States. I've traveled all over. I teach Muggle Studies."

"I did a rather long employment in the States until recently. How are you liking it over here? Better than being among the Yanks?"

"Watch it, bub. I am one of the Yanks. I was a professor at the Salem Witch Academy last year. Though technically I am a southerner."

"Isn't there something called 'Belle' as a title to use for you lot?" Finishing what was in his bottle, he slid it towards the man behind the bar, rewarded a second later with another one. "I would hate to offend your Yankee sensibilities."

"Hold it, boyo. Yank, your slang, yes. Not a Yankee. That's a whole other animal, and I am a breed apart from any other southern girl. I'm no southern belle. I'm from Texas."

She pointed to her silver belt buckle in the shape of the state.

Jonathan bent a bit, taking a very good and long look at the belt buckle around her waist. He looked up from his vantage point, eyes lingering over her chest, before he grinned. "Very nice."

Lindsay grinned. Yep. Definitely after a piece of her, not that she minded. Penelope was coming over. Lindsay sighed. That woman was all mother hen and zero fun.

"The rest of us are going, Linds. Did you want me to see you home before I head on to Orchard's Gate?"

"Thanks, Pen. I'm good here."

"Are you certain," Penelope asked, eyeing Savage.

"I'll take good care of her, Ms. Clearwater. Auror's honor," he said, holding up two fingers.

Brody snorted. "John Burke is an Auror."

"I'll be fine, Pen. Really. I'm a big girl. I know what I'm doing."

"If you're sure."

"I am," Lindsay said, waving at the rest of the group she'd come with, frowning when she saw Ian whispering to Mac.

Penelope left them and went out with the rest of the Sara Prep group. Mac approached the bar, trying not to be upset by how longingly her brother was looking at Penny.

"A word, Savage," Mac said.

"Antidisestablishmentarianism," Jonathan offered without hesitation, "feel free to use it whenever you'd like." He was rather glad that Lindsay's friends had decided to leave. He could be so very selfish.

"Can I talk to ya over here for a bit, mon? For fock's sake."

Rolling his eyes, Jonathan held a single finger up to Lindsay, flashing her a large grin before he slid from the stool and followed the woman. "Yes? If you're wanting me to pay for that table, I can."

Mac glared at him. "Forget the damned table. Iffen ya treat tha' one any way other than she wants to be treated, I'll break yer legs. Then the big strappin' American lad that was wit' them will have a go at ya. Ya kin?"

Jonathan grinned at Mac, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Miss, I can assure you, everything I have planned for 'that one' will be welcomed and thoroughly enjoyed. However, if you'd like me to humor you, I have seen how hard you punch. Your right hook is a terribly frightening warning, and I am promptly and appreciatively shaking in my boots."

"Good," Mac said before brushing past him roughly and heading up the stairs to Neville.

Letting out a bark of laughter, Jonathan watched her as she left, thinking that he really needed to come down to the 'Sticks more often. Shaking his head, as he hadn't even made that large of a move on the blond yet, he slid back into his stool, knocking his knee against Lindsay's. "You have some rather rabid friends. Are you sure you haven't been here for longer than a few months?"

"I live in a boarding house in town. Hogsmeade is different. You live or work in this town, and they look after you with a fierceness. But yes, I visited before. I'm friends with the owner of the clinic, and really good friends with her boyfriend. Have known him for years."

"Yes. The Malfoy Junior. I work with a few people who know him. Never met the man myself, I don't think. I'm fairly certain I would have remembered it. He was rather lucky, though, if he was dating you at one point. He was stupid to let someone as beautiful as you are go."

"Don't get too charming," Lindsay said. "He and I were better as friends, and I do not want to speak of the ghosts of boyfriends past. What about you? Auror huh? That's cool."

"Yes, if you find life and danger situations sexy, than being an Auror is very cool." Jonathan grabbed his almost forgotten bottle and knocked it back, draining half the thing before setting it back on the bar. "And it's hard for me to be too charming, Ducks. I don't know if there is such a thing."

"I'm just saying you don't have to keep complimenting me. I'm self aware. I'm also not looking for anything permanent right now. Hope you don't mind the honesty," she said, taking a drink herself.

One of Jonathan's eyebrows rose at her statement. "Oh, no. I think everyone should be able to appreciate honesty. I know I do. I fail under normal circumstances where permanent is required, so having a little fun sounds more than fine for me." He was almost disappointed that he'd not had to work harder for this. He liked a good challenge.

"What do you say we get out of here," Lindsay said after she finished her drink.

"I'd say that sounds like a brilliant idea," Jonathan answered, finishing his beer before he held a hand out to her. "Shall we?"


SUMMARY: Jonathan meets Lindsay at the Sticks and is properly threatened by Mac in the process.