Toxic - A Muggle Club That Jaina Heard About From a Bloke at Hogsmeade

Jaina wrapped her leather jacket tighter around herself as a cold wind blew their direction. They were waiting in a rather long line to get in. Muffled yet consistent beat from the music inside was making Jaina impatient to get in. She tapped her foot impatiently.

She glanced at her brother. He was cold too, she noticed. He had his hands in his pockets, his shoulders were up and his coat zipped up to the top.

"How did you make these so quickly?" Cole asked Jaina, carefully inspecting her fake driver's license. Jaina had handed one to each of them right before they snuck out the Common Room. Cole had seen her mother's card on several occasions. These looked genuine. Considering Jaina was in fact a Pureblood and most witches knew little to none about anything in the Muggle World, it was quite impressive. Cole made a mental-note never to under-estimate the younger witch.

"I'm a Ravenclaw." Jaina smiled impishly. "I also made sure to make you lot a little bit older. Jacen and I are eighteen, your twenty and Lainey's celebrating her twenty-first birthday tonight!" She grinned. "You're actually of age now," she looked at Lainey. "But I figured for our whole ruse to work, I should bump all of our ages up."

"Finally, the line's moving!" Jacen announced. Sure enough, the line moved up bringing the group closer and closer to the door before the the bouncer blocked their way again with just several people in front of them. Another ten minute wait. "Bugger..." Jacen cursed moving around heat himself up.

The thin silk dress Lainey had chosen for the occasion was not at all practical for the windy night. Accustomed to getting in right away at Patronus, she hadn't bothered with a jacket like Jaina -- a miscalculation, clearly. Finally, getting desperate, she leaned over to talk to the bouncer.

"Sir? Could we just stand inside or something? I'm freezin' and it is my birthday, after all?" she told him, laying it on rather thick. After taking a good look at her and her friends, he raised an eyebrow in suspicion, and she kept her face perfectly neutral as he appraised them.

"I'll need to see identification," he told them, not unkindly, and Lainey hurriedly pressed her fake i.d. into his open palm, desperately hoping that Jaina had done a good job with her forgery. The man grunted and handed her card back. "And these lot with you as well," hr added, holding his hand out for their cards as well.

Cole couldn't help but grin at Lainey's attempt at getting them inside. It was masterfully done.

The other three obliged the bouncer each giving their card. Jaina went first giving the bouncer her most innocent smile, then Cole and then Jacen. At Jacen, the bouncer took more than a few moments. He glanced at the card and back at Jacen as if he wanted to say something. Jacen tried to look as unassuming as possible. Jaina sensed something was wrong and was about to open her mouth to improvise some sort of diversion, but the bouncer nodded and gave Jacen his ID back.

Jacen waited until they were out of earshot before sighing in relief.

"Well done Captain!" Jaina said saluting Lainey. "Another minute outside and I would have needed to use a heating charm."

The music was getting louder and louder, and Jaina couldn't wait to get in. She took lead of the group as she maneuvered her way into the doors, passed the counter, gave the lady her three pounds entrance fee, passed the coat rack, lost her leather jacket and waited for the others to do the same.

Lainey just shrugged, clearly pleased with herself.

"At least you had a jacket on! I'm just glad he cooperated or else I would have been forced to Confund him," she smirked, joining Jaina as they waited for Cole and Jacen. "I thought he was going to give us away, for sure," she added, nodding in Jacen's direction. The 14-year-old boy didn't have the same advantage as the rest of them, of being able to use makeup to look older.

"Good job, though, you! Wouldn't have been possible without those cards. I'll have to buy you a drink," Lainey joked, laughing. "Oy, d'ya wanna dance first or get drinks? I vote drinks," she said immediately, grinning mischievously. Of course, she'd been of age over a year now, but a Cole was known for her teetotaling ways and Lainey thought it was all a bit of a joke.

"Smart man." Jaina laughed (She was wearing this). "He knew not to mess with our Cap'ain." Jaina wrapped her arm around Lainey's shoulders. "Come on you two! Hurry up! I feel the music and I wanna dance!"

Jaina nodded laughing. "I didn't know what I was going to do to be honest. His fault really, I suggested an aging potion - but no, noble Jacen wouldn't even consider cheating his way into a club. Well... fake ID's aside anyway. He's got odd logic that one does."

"Cheers Lain, I'd love a drink and I do think we oughta get some first." She too had heard about the rather interesting effects of alochol on Cole Mars. While, that would promise entertainment for the evening, it really wasn't in Jaina's nature to refuse an alcohol offer. Nothing more fun than getting a drink while underage.

Jacen finally reached them (wearing this just minus the coat). "Blimey, feel my hands!" Jacen shook Jaina's hand who laughed, and Lainey's as well. It was ice cold. "Muggles are smarter than people make them out to be. I thought he was going to call me off."

Several moments later, Cole made her way towards them (wearing this ). She eyed Jaina and Lainey suspiciously getting a biting feeling that they had done some plotting. "What?" Cole demanded.

"Bar's this way," Jaina pulled both Cole's and Lainey's hand towards the left.

"Oh, no you don't!" Cole argued pulling back. "I said I wouldn't. You said I wouldn't." She looked at Lainey. "You said I wouldn't," she eyed Jaina.

"It's our Captain's birthday, don't tell me you won't have one to honour her!" Jaina responded. Cole gave Lainey a 'do-I-have-to' look.

Lainey pouted, training her best puppy dog eyes onto Cole's.

"Pleaaaaase? Just one, for my birthday toast? No one here knows us, we'll stick together and it'll be fine, I promise! It's not like MacDougal is gonna show up and try to take advantage, him and his kind would never step foot into a Muggle establishment like this one. Besides which, what's the point of sneaking out of school if we're scared to break a few rules?" To her own ears, her argument was perfect. She even turned to Jacen, knowing that Jaina's urging would do little to change Cole's mind. Perhaps getting the steadier, more reserved twin to agree might do the trick.

"Don't you think, Jacen? I mean it's practically team-building, when you think of it. Bonding is important for the group dynamic, but it won't work if one person is left out. You'll toast to my birthday, won't you?" she asked him, even fluttering her eyelashes just the tiniest amount in the hope of swaying him to their side. Since it was a poorly-kept secret that he had a thing for Kate Nighthook, she figured the gesture was safe enough.

Cole bit her lip considering Lainey's argument. It did sound reasonable. There wasn't anything to be afraid of. It was their night off, they should live a little. And it was just one drink, surely she wouldn't get that sloshed. But still, Cole's conscience wasn't letting her off that easily. She and drinking never got along. She would do things she would never in a million years do when alcohol was in her system. Sure, everyone does that, but she needed just a small amount. She was, as embarrassing it was to admit, a lightweight. She turned to look at Jacen, just as Lainey put him on the spot.

Jacen looked at the girls nervously. Jaina was giving him a 'you-better-say-yes-or-we-aren't-family-anymore' look. Lainey's eyes were to a similar effect, though a lot nicer. Cole's however were pleading. Jacen himself wasn't exactly against drinking. In fact, he was rather eager to try some. Though, he too heard the funny little relationship between Cole and alcohol. It was probably why she was so hesitant to drink in the first place. He gave Cole an apologetic look before glancing at Lainey. He smiled sheepishly, "Of course! Anything for our Captain."

"Curse you lot." Cole muttered defeated.

Lainey pumped her fist in the air victoriously.

"YES! Cole, I promise you won't regret it!" she said eagerly, joining Jaina in dragging Cole towards the bar. "I've been out loads of times before, my sister used to take me sometimes, to muggle places -- I know what to order for you. Something nice and mild and delicious, you'll love it, I swear! You'll have fun. It's not like we're trying to take advantage of you or something, honestly!" Turning back towards Jacen, she grinned aopreciatively, nodding and mouthing the words "good job" with a wink. She'd be sure to put in a good word for him with Kate if she could.

Alex arrived running on foot to the muggle pub, he had gotton the invite late and rushed to Hogsmead to get a gift for Lain and then to the bar, with the ID Jaina had sent to him, it was interesting he had never been to a muggle bar before.. Yes his family was pureblood... so no muggle bars... but it was a party for Lainey and he owed her for all she had done.. and the fact he unfortunately transformed on the night of her birthday... yes it was a wonder to him she bothered at all with him.

He walked up to the bar, he looked slightly out of place, though he was wearing muggle clothes, but he had never been to one before..

He walked up to the door and was check by the bouncer.
"ID please kid?" he asked holding his hand out.

Alex nodded "Right here" he said handing the man the card and hoped it worked he was already late after all.

The man looked at it for a moment and the looked at him, for a moment Alex thought he had been found out, but thankfully that was not the case.

"Have fun kid" the man said letting him.

Alex glanced around his way the bar looking for his familiar classmates, He couldn't help but chuckle when he finally found them and Lainey cheering over the fact Cole would have a shot.

"Yeah, yeah, it better." Cole said letting herself be dragged towards the bar that was surrounded by less than patient patrons waiting for their turn to be served. "I just want to clarify, I am only drinking one drink, okay? One."

Jaina grinned at Lainey which pretty much showed that she disregarded Cole's protest. Jaina looked at the queue. It wasnt really much of a queue, just a loads of people around the bar. She glanced at Cole and Jacen. "It would probably be better if you two just sort of let the Captain and me talk." And without waiting for an answer, she grabbed Lainey's hand and dove into the crowd. To be honest, Jaina thought that Cole and Lainey were better candidates for getting the drinks. They were definitely lookers, they would have been served in no time. She on the other hand - well she didn't think she was ugly - just that Cole had a more temptress look about her. It also didn't help that Jaina was four years underage while Cole was just two. However, Jaina knew how to play and she was confident in her ability to improvise. Jaina also wanted the alcohol a lot more than Cole did, so there was that. Jaina snaked her way in and managed to get a place at the counter. She leaned on towards a side to make room for Lainey. It was a tight fit, stuck in a sea of people, almost claustrophobic. But it would take a lot more than that to take Jaina's spirits down.

"So what do you reckon Captain, a tequila shot for everyone? In addition to some vodka-soda? Oh! You know what's really quite nice? Vodka-lemon-and-strawberry! I had some when Jacen and I went to France. Though, I don't know if they have some here..."

Letting Jaina lead the way, Lainey looked back to Cole, an apologetic expression on her face. As she did, she caught a glimpse of a familiar profile, smiling in their direction. It was too far away to be absolutely certain, but the resemblance to Alex was strong enough that she quickly turned back towards Jaina for confirmation, only to realise she'd lost the younger witch in the crowd.

"Jaina. JAINA!" Lainey shouted, shoving her way through to find her. To her surprise, Jaina appeared to have made it all the way through to the bar, even clearing a space for her.

"What? Oh, tequila? -- yeah, that'll be good for later, but first I want birthday cakes shots. They're delicious, taste sort of like lemoncello, Cole will love it. But anyway -- Jaina, did you invite Alex? I could swear there was this bloke who looked just like him, only I can't imagine what he'd be doing here unless you invited him." It wasn't said accusingly -- just with confusion. She turned back to look into the crowd, but she'd lost sight of the boy.

"Cake shots it is!" Jaina clapped her hands together. She had never tried them, but hey, she was open to new experiences. She bat her lashes towards the nearest bartender and gave him her most charming smile.

"Hi," he said, approaching them a moment later. Jaina grinned at Lainey before turning back to him. "Hi, could I have four birthday cake shots?"

"Is it your birthday?" He asked.

"No, it's hers," Jaina jerked her head towards Lainey's direction.

"Happy Birthday." He smiled at Lainey. Then he went off to get their order.

"Yeah, I did actually." Jaina admitted without any remorse. "Made him an ID card and everything. Cole's idea really. I just wanted us, the team here, but she insisted." Jaina paused before perusing her question. "Is there anything..." She wondered how to put this, well might as well go straight through it. "Going on with you and Nighthook?"

Cole was glaring at Jacen. Jacen looked at her innocently. "What?"

"'Anything for our Captain?'" Cole raised her brow at him.

"Well... it is her birthday." Jacen looked at his feet.

"Now your starting to sound like your sister." Cole rolled her eyes.

He could have sworn he made I contact with Lainey but was swallowed up in the sea of people by the bar. It was quite crowed in the place actually.

Muggles really liked to party from the look of it, no wonder this was the place they had chosen for Lainey's late party, no one from hogwarts could come without a invite so no party crashers. So win win all round.

Alex once again made his way through the croud of dancers to the group of Ravenclaws, he supposed he was the only one invited who wasn't from Ravenclaw, he wondered why for a moment by shruged it off as he Lain and Cole being firends.. well Cole might still be mad at him for the forest inccident.. but he hoped not.

Finally he made it to the group, "Hello All, it seems I am late, sorry had to pick something up first" he said.

"Happy belated birthday Lain" he said.

Lainey scarcely had time to blush at Jaina's question, it seemed, before Alex materialised at their side, rendering it impossible for her to answer. She was grateful in more ways than one for the interruption -- it was a question that she herself didn't know the answer to, and one that she was being asked more and more. Sooner rather than later, she'd have to talk to Alex about it, before rumours got out of hand, and figure out how they were going to deal with the questions. However, tonight was not that night.

"Thanks, Lex! I'm so glad you could make it," Lainey replied, catching him in a slightly awkward one-armed hug due to the crowd around them. "I didn't know you were coming! I'm hardly about to complain about getting an extra present," she joked, attempting to avoid further suspicion from Jaina.

"That reminds me -- we'll need an extra shot," she said, turning to Jaina. "And whatever it is you're having after that, but I don't think most of us are entirely decided yet anyway, other than Cole, who is determined to have only one drink," she continued, smirking in Cole's direction.

Jaina raised her eyes at the newcomer, but she wasn't distracted. Her eyes sparkled at the rather interesting one-armed hug. A little too touchy-feely for mere acquaintances wasn't it? Especially because Jaina knew Lainey and Alex's track record and they weren't exactly closest of friends - in fact, up until recently, one could say they were rivals with Alex being the Captain of the Gryffindor Team and Lainey the Captain of the Ravenclaw Team, they couldn't be anything else... or could they? She would ask her Captain about it later. And she made sure to give Lainey a look to that extent before switching her attention to Alex. "One more shot it is." She gave him a knowing smile before turning back to the bartender. If Lainey wouldn't give her a straight answer... well then, she might try her luck on the other individual who was involved.

A moment later, Jaina returned to the group with a small transparent neon pink tray that illuminated in the black light. Five drinks that was probably the cake shots were grouped on the center of the tray. Jaina placed her left hand at the bottom of the tray, which left her right hand free to pick up a drink.

"Drink up me hearties!" Jaina grinned, implying that they all should do the same - that they all should pick one up, toast and drink together in honour of Lainey's Birthday.

Cole was not pleased. She started to open her mouth to form an objection. She did not want to do shots. Shots meant a large amount of alcohol being speedy introduced into her system all at once. At least with an actual drink she could just sip it and make it last until the night was up. If anyone were to ask if she wanted a drink, she would be able to refuse as she already had one. That was her plan!

"I don't think - " But before Cole could utter another word of protest, Jaina beaten her to the punch.

"Don't think, drink!" Jaina kept on grinning. Jacen was already holding his own drink.

"Wait..." Cole glared at the shot glass as if it was all it's fault.

"Captain, can you order Mars to drink?" Jaina gave Lainey a sideways glance.

Alex grined, "Hey I owe you one anyway" he said sheepishly, her real birthday had unfortunatly landed on a full moon and he had no choice but to have shut her out the night it happened. Which infact lead to her finding out about his little secret. He did get a present for her.. it was rather silly really as he wasn't sure she would even like it. Really should have gotton her something to do with quidditch now that he thought about it. But what was done was done..

Then he turned to the others in the party, all from the ravenclaw Quidditch team from the look of it. Jaina was certainly a spit fire, life of the party it seemed as said by the soon to becoming shot glass.

Then there was Jacen, quite the opposite of his sister, he hadn't heard him say to words since he got there. It was also rumour had it that he had a thing for Kate, but this was neither the time nor the place to confront that... besides Jacen seemed harmless enough.. it was his sister that he worried about.

Then there was Cole, another firend of his dispite being the captian of another house team, he couldn't help but feel sympathy for her at the served shots. It was no secret Cole's talerance for drinks such as these was low indeed.

"Don't worry Cole, we will stop you when you have had too much" he promised. "Can't be that bad right?" he said drinking back his. It wasn't bad actually. This being his first time in a muggle bar, not bad at all.

Alex wasn't at all worried about drinking to much.. for the same reason for anything else, live life to the fullest right? Of course he knew when enought was enough... he may have been thick compared to his present company.. but loosing control of once mind and body wasn't something he was found of... so not too much..

The look that Jaina directed towards Lainey did not at all reassure her that she was in the clear -- quite the opposite, in fact -- so she addressed Cole instead, perhaps a little bit too enthusiastically.

"Well I can't and would not force Cole to do anything she wasn't comfortable with...but everyone did forget my birthday...and it's only one tiny little drink...and we are amongst friends..." Making the best puppy eyes she could manage, Lainey picked a shot up off of the tray Jaina held, and quickly tossed it back. Smacking her lips in satisfaction, she placed a hand on Cole's shoulder in a gesture of reassurance.

"They're really quite good, too. Taste just like lemon birthday cake. And friendship," she smirked, knowing full well that Cole would have a difficult time resisting if she pushed from that angle. Maybe not the fairest of tactics, but there really wasn't anything for Cole to be scared of; she was indeed amongst friends and of course they would take care of her.

"It's not poison," Lainey continued in a nonchalant manner, picking up another shot and offering it to Cole.

Jaina and Jacen exchanged grins before both tossing their heads in a similar fashion and tipping their drinks in their mouths. Both swallowed in one gulp. It was actually rather synchronized.

"That was quite nice." Jacen commented putting his now empty glass back at Jaina's tray.

"Very nice." Jaina added as she put hers down as well. All that was left was Cole.

Cole considered at the lot in front of her in turn trying to find some sort of ally. Finding none, she glared at the only full drink left in the tray just as Jaina shook it in an attempt to entice Cole. "You know, this feels a little like peer pressure." She was trying to make them guilty. Which ultimately failed just as Lainey finished her little speech on alcohol and friendship. Cole glanced at Lainey and back at her drink. She got her there.

With a sigh, and a look to the rather psychedelic ceiling, Cole picked the shot up.

Jaina had to stifle a cheer in fear of scaring Cole.

"This is the only one I'm taking, all right?" Cole looked at all of them as if they were all witnesses to a binding contract.

"Yeah, yeah, just drink the bloody thing already so we can dance!" Jaina insisted.

Cole ignored her and looked at Lainey. "Happy Birthday," she toasted before closing her eyes shut and chucking the contents of the drink into her mouth. She detected sweetness and an undertone of something other - alcohol no doubt, but the taste of it was under whelming and easily over powered by the flavour of the drink itself. She swallowed and opened one eye then the other.

"Not bad." She admitted.

This time Jaina didn't stop the cheer coming and Jacen joined in.

Cole couldn't help but grin at them two.

"So, dance?"

Alex tossed back a shot and it tasted rather good, a welcome change, from all the potions he had been taking as of late and with only Pumpkin juice to wash it down... this was great.

When it was suggested they dance he grinned even though dancing was never his thing, but as was his motto he would live life to the fullest. So dancing it was though he wanted to give Lainey her birthday gift first.. Likely wouldn't help the rumors going around about them.. but since he got it for her and it would look good on her why not?

"Oh hey Lainey Birthday gift first?" he said handing her a box. Inside was a simple pendant, of a witch on a broomstick, Though the pendant looked silver it was white gold and the witch held a snitch in her hand which orginally a gold stone.. but he had asked it be made with a moonstone instead... The hidden meaning in that would be plan to see for Lainey herself or so he hoped, as he spent about all the money his father had sent with him.. looks like he might need a job at Hogsmeade.. but merlin with his monthly health no place would keep him long... ah well he would think of something...

"Happy belated Birthday Lain" he wished before wonding who to dance with...

Jaina and Jacen weren't the only ones cheering Cole on as she finally downed her shot.

"Atta girl, Cole! Now let's dance!" she cried, thoroughly agreeing with Jaina's idea. Alex's quieter comment probably went unnoticed by everyone else, but she turned in surprise, smiling. Lainey eagerly took the box from Alex, whipping off the top and plunging her hand into the tissue paper. The pendant she held in her hand was delicate and beautiful -- the lights in the club made the unusual stone throw faint rainbows around them. She recognised it immediately -- moonstone.

She looked up at Alex, surprised and touched by the thought that had obviously gone into his gift. "Thank you," she said softly, fastening the necklace securely around her neck.

"Now about that dance?" she asked shyly, grateful that the lights in the club would probably hide the worst of her faint blush.

Cole and Jaina changed smiling glances at the necklace.

"You lot take forever to decide." Jaina exclaimed and the next moment, she marched towards the dance floor, determined to dance at the center of the sea of moving bodies. Of course, she managed to grab Jacen's hand who in turn panicked and grabbed Cole's hand who grabbed the closest hand to her which was Lainey's.

Alex smiled as he followed the human chain down to the dance floor, this Lainey birthday party so why not have fun? Since the first round of shots had been on someone else, who he had been to late to find out, but for now it was his turn.

He went of to the bartender and got five lemon type drinks with vodka in them, He smirked at the thouugh of Coles face at seeing another drink, but that was all apart of the fun right.

He balanced the drinks on to the dance floor, "More drink ladies and gentleman?" he asked with a smirk. "In honor of Lainey's birthday of course" he said offering drinks to each them.

Almost before Lainey realised what was happening, their group was separated as Jaina dragged them out onto the dance floor and Alex retreated towards the bar. Before long, though, he reappeared bearing drinks. Lainey had to laugh in anticipation of Cole's reaction to this development, and she turned to wink at her friend before accepting a drink off of the tray.

"Thanks, Lex! At this rate I'm not going to have to buy my own drinks," she told him, grinning.