[Hogs Head] Open all hours…sort of

[Warren Hubbles]

Warren stumbled down the last few steps on the stairwell that led from the rooms above to the main pub. The smell of smoke and alcohol still clung in the air and it only made Warren’s head swarm even more. Last night…well last night was a bit to much of a blur for his liking considering he was meant to be running the joint but everyone had been so kind to buy him drinks he did not have a heart to say no.

Slapping the sides of his face in a hope that it would wake him up some more Warren someone managed to stagger to the main entrance of the pub and flipped open the little sign in the window from closed to open. The midday sun was high in the sky and as he breathed in deeply his lungs filled with the intoxicating fumes and he could not help but to start to cough. Reaching out for the closest chair Warren pulled open the door to the pub and let the October air float in and try to fight against some of the more unpleasant smells in the pub.

Very gingerly Warren walked back to the bar and quickly poured himself a rather large glass of vodka, downing it faster then if it had merely been a glass of water. It soon became the pick-me-up that he needed and his head started to feel less thick and slow. The doors of the pub were meant to be open again at nine but seeing as it was now twelve he was only running slightly behind time, but he doubted many of the locals would be up so early considering half of them were still draining their glasses at four that very morning.

[Jennifer Queens]

Jennifer had somehow stumbled back to her house above her shop, just opposite the Hog's Head the night before. Drinking games with the lads at the bar seemed a good idea at the time, but the morning after proved it wasn't. Waking up from the pure heat cascading through her window, and the pounding in her head, she clutched at it in pain, and realised no charm or amount of tablets were going to cure this hangover. Sighing, she pulled on some clothes and walked over to the pub.
She was glad the doors were open, which meant Warren was up and suffering the same as her. Walking in, she spotted him downing what looked like a glass of water, although she knew it would be alcohol based.
"I'll have whatever your hangover cure seems to be" she said, sitting at the bar.

[Prof. Hannah Edgecombe]

A little pick me up, that's what she called it when she threw on her coat, hat, and scarf and started to sneak out of the castle. Well, she didn't literally sneak out, she was a professor not some little seventh year. She remembered back to the nights where she'd use the secret passageways out of the castle to head into the village for a drink. Those nights at the Hogshead were usually rather enjoyable in every sense of the word. She wondered to herself as she made her way outside if the place still looked the same.

Opening the doors she felt a very cool breeze one that made her glad she chosen to do the responsible thing and button up. On the outside at least. Under her coat she was wearing a very tight top that left little to the imagination, and a pair of jeans that hugged every curve of her hour glass figure. A pair of stiletto heeled black boots finished the ensemble. She looked less teacher and more fashionista. Some students who were students looked at her some smiled, others gave a curious look as she smiled at them. It disconcerted them and that seemed to please her.

Heels clacking on the ground she moved along head held high as she made her way to the village that had served as a refuge from school on countless occasions. Only one place she had ever fit in. As she wandered by she noticed the door already opened. Grinning it felt like someone knew she was coming. Entering the place she felt a sense of home odd seeing how she was in a pub. The smell of vodka met her nose and she felt her stomach soar with anticipation. The man behind the counter seemed to be getting his day started off right. Hannah entered eyes fixed on the man who wielded the power to make her a drink. "So can I have one of those" she asked breathlessly walking up to the bar. Hardly noticing the other woman already there.

[Warren Hubbles]

Slamming the glass down upon the counter Warren reached around for the bottle to pour more into his glass when he saw someone walk into the pub. She seemed familiar somehow and the way she seemed to be gingerly walking in he guessed it was from last nights mishaps. Placing the bottle of vodka back down on the counter without pouring any into his glass Warren grinned over at…Jennifer…that was her name, he was rather pleased with himself for remembering.

At her demand of she will have whatever his hangover cure would be he could not help but laugh. Asking that question was almost like asking him to pick his favourite child…it all depended on the mood he was in that day.

“Well it depends what type of hangover you are suffering from.”

Warren stated leaning on the bar looking over at Jennifer and was about to continue with the list of hangovers and his remedies for them when someone else walked into the pub, another beautiful woman. Switching gaze from one woman to the other Warren looked over at her when she asked to have ’one of those’ and with a quick grin and nod of his head he pushed himself off the bar and picked up another glass and the bottle of vodka and poured a very generous amount in it. Watching the clear liquid sway from one side to the other Warren slid the glass over towards the new arrival with a wide grin on his face.

“That would be a gallon but seeing as I am feeling generous you can have it for 17 sickles.”

Warren was a business man after all and seeing as this was his livelihood he was not going to give away his produce for free, even to gorgeous women. He just hoped she would see the money side of the matter.

[Jennifer Queens]

Jennifer managed to give a faint smile before pain seared through her head again. As Warren reeled off a list of different hangovers she flung her head into her crossed arms on the counter, her hair flailing over it.
"'A pounding, want to chop my head off hangover'...Anything will do" she mumbled as she closed her eyes. If only Russell or Daniel or even Ashton saw her now, they'd laugh at her and never let her live it down. She looked up when she heard another woman's voice and simply gave her a smile before putting her head back into her arms.
"Good night last night Warren, but someone was tripling my drinks" she said simply. That was the reason for it. She could normally handle her drink, especially for a petite woman. She had been able to drink quite a few men under the table before.

[Warren Hubbles]

The art for any bar tender is to be able to listen to everything and everyone all at once and over the years that was something that Warren had been able to master. So while making the drink for one of the ladies he was able to listen to Jennifer’s complaint of a hang over, and it sounded a nasty one.
Leaning with one arm against the bar he looked back at the shop owner and breathed in through his teeth and shook his head trying not to laugh too much. It was not like he liked to watch people suffer but he too had had those types of hangovers far to many times in his life that he knew just how she was feeling and because of that he had the best remedy for it all.

With a small grin he reached up above the bar to the high reaching shelves and got down a bucket sized jug and placed it on the bar in front of Jennifer. Turning on his heel Warren vanished into the backroom before reappearing with an arm full of bottles and bananas, just as Jennifer started to talk again about the night before.

“Yeah it was a good night.” Warren laughed as he started to pour milk and honey into the jug before starting to peel a couple of bananas. “But if you are accusing some of my customers to spiking your drink then you are most likely right. Some of them are quite shifty characters.”

Throwing the de-skinned bananas into the jug with a splash Warren gave Jennifer a quick smile before pulling his wand out of his robe pocket and pointed at the jug and in a flash the mass of ingredients in the bowl had turned into freshly made banana milkshake. Getting a much smaller glass he poured some of the mixture into it and slid it over towards Jennifer.

[Jennifer Queens]

Jennifer lifted her head slightly, her fringe slightly obscuring her vision, either that or she was still drunk...Probably both, Noticing Warren skinning some banana's. She frowned and began to feel sick. Looking away, she tilted her head to the side to try and obstruct the smell flowing into her nostrils, only to fail miserable, and she screwed up her face and covered her mouth.

"I think i'm gonna be sick" she said, running away from the scene of the skinned banana's and into the ladies toilets. Luckily, she managed to not throw up last nights contents, and stomached it. The banana's were a bit strong and she just needed a batch of fresh air to hit her. Waiting a moment, she attempted to fix her hair in the mirror, before returning to Warren, the woman, and the yellow concoction that she was not looking forward to tasting. It was more than likely going to come straight back up.

Sitting back down, she looked at Warren and took a deep breath.
"You have to be joking. Your torturing me arn't you? You might as well of just stuck a fried breakfast infront of me!" She attempted a laugh. She took out some money and handed it to Warren before taking in another breath and holding her nose with her thumb and forefinger so as not to inhale the fruits smell.
"Here we go" she said, gulping the milkshake down before slamming it on the counter and wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Pulling a disgusted face, she pushed the glass towards Warren.
"It'll be a miracle if I manage to keep THAT down" she grinned.

[Warren Hubbles]

Jennifer running off to be sick was not quite the response Warren had been expecting, but it was an amusing one at that. Although bananas always did seem to have an affect like that, Warren remembered when his girlfriend was pregnant she had a made craving for bananas and it was all she would eat, then a week later the mere sight of them made her throw up. Warren doubted that Jennifer was pregnant…just a little sensitive after the night of drinking she had had.

When she came back looking a little paler then before Warren looked on with wide eyes as she grudgingly picked up the glass and threw back the liquid and the look of disgust on her face was just priceless. When Jennifer comment on the fact she would not keep it down Warren just laughed even more and thought it best to explain the method behind his madness…or the banana milkshake.

“The banana helps calm the stomach, the honey boosts your sugar levels while the milk works along with the bananas to sooth the stomach and also rehydrates you. See it all makes sense!” He gave her a winning smile reached into his back pocket and pulled out a lushes green apple. “Apples are also very good on an empty stomach. High in sugar and Vitamin C and if it is lovely and juicy like this one it helps rehydrates as well.”

Placing the gleaming green apple down in front of Jennifer Warren gave a small chuckle before picking up the few coins she had passed over towards him and throwing them in the till being slightly surprised by the amount of money he found in their…it had been a very good night.
Shutting the cash draw Warren picked up a towel and did a very stereotypical bartender thing and started to clean glasses while talking to the locals. Walking over to the more silent of the woman Warren stood in front of her and gave him a small smile.

“Can I get you anything else love?”

[Prof. Hannah Edgecombe]

Hannah sauntered in slowly and lazily as was her way when she was trying to take it easy. She was going to make it an easy laid back day if it killed her. When she sat down, not too far from the other girl. A glass with the clear liquid she was craving made its way toward her, and like a child prepared to open her first Christmas present. Her hand wrapped around the glass as if she were about to cling to it for dear life. Taking it to her lips she took that first extraordinary sip ignoring the burning in her throat as it made its way down. She suddenly felt alive again. Greedily she refused to put the glass down instead taking yet another sip this one much longer almost finishing it.

Looking to both of the others she smiled giddy as a school girl. Apparently she had been listening and from what was being said she missed a very interesting soiree the night before. Damn she was sad she missed it. A good party was what she had needed to loosen up.

Both seemed to be nursing hangovers the good old times she thought amused. "Must have been some night must invite me next time" she joked taking out her sickles to pay. "Since I missed the fun I must catch up so why not let me get another one of those" her hunger for alcohol growing the longer she sat in the pub.

[Warren Hubbles]

The mysterious female customer seemed to be quite disappointed that she has missed out on the little gathering from last night. It had been quite a blast, in all his years coming to the Hogshead as a customer with his cousins Warren had never seen the pub so full of people and more importantly life. It was not the shady looking warlock sitting in the corner with a jar of something that was not quite human. He hoped that more nights like that would come as not only was it fun it filled his till with plenty of shinny coins and that was always a good thing.

When the woman asked for another Warren raised his eyebrows at her and gave her a look that anyone close to him would know it meant mischief. Picking up her empty glass and pocketing the silver sickles Warren wondered over to the collection of spirits and started to measure out exact proportions of different coloured liquid. The drink turned orange, pink, a deep blood red and then pulling out the tiniest of bottles warren added the smallest drop and it turned s clear as the vodkas she had been drinking before hand.

“I call this the Siren. At first it looks, smells and tastes like the thing you desire more then anything…but it has a deadly bite.” Gently Warren placed the glass down in front of the woman and gave her a rather cheeky smile. “That is my tag line anyway…it is a very weak verity of a love potion in there and it just makes you smell and taste your favourite things.”

Turning away he pulled the money out of his pocket and placed it into the till shutting it a little quicker and louder then he was meant to and the sound went straight trough him. With a slight shudder Warren picked up his pervious glass and poured some of the banana milkshake into the glass and started to sip on it slowly in hope that it would help cure his slight headache.

[Prof. Hannah Edgecombe]

Hannah was feeling like she should have been a bartender in a past life. The smell, vibe, camaraderie, even the roughness of the crowd thrilled her. She frequented bars all over simply because and she wasn't trying to change teacher or not. Heck if the teaching thing didn't work she'd try her hand at tending bar there was nothing wrong with it, plus there was all the alcohol you could drink (not that you were supposed to).

As the barkeep took her drink she assumed it would be another glass of vodka but instead he was pouring different sorts of things in her glass, instead of being annoyed she was actually fascinated. As he told her what it was she was about to be served Hannah felt amused. A smile crept up on her lips as she received her refreshed drink. Eying it suspiciously just as a joke she took it to her lips wondering if the effects would be as he described. It was good really good and she was pleased that he thought to make it for her.

She sat back waiting, and watched him as he placed the money he received in the till then as he made himself a milkshake. Next thing she knew the whole place began to smell like chocolate her favorite thing it was as if she was sitting in the bottom of a chocolate lake. The concoction worked like a charm, how she loved it. Drink and chocolate how could a girl go wrong.

"My my my you are talented even in your hung over state, I'm quite impressed." Her eyes sparkled as she smiled mischievously.

[Warren Hubbles]

Even if the milkshake did not take away his headache it tasted nice and was a little more satisfying then throwing back a glass of vodka. It seemed he was enjoying the drink a lot more then Jennifer was bit then Banana’s was not everybody’s cup of tea…’humm tea’ he thought and for the briefest of moments he was tempted to drop everything and make himself the perfect cuppa but the voice of the woman floated over towards him and the thought of tea soon passed.

Although for most bearing the Hubbles it was very hard for them to forget about a cup of tea a complement was a much better alternative and seeing as that is what Warren was being offered he had to comply. Placing his glass down on the counter the barman licked his lips and leaned against the counter grinning from ear to ear.

“Thank you very much, I do try my best. Heather always says I perform better with alcohol in my system.” He gave the woman a very cheeky smile accompanied with a wink. “But she would never say talented…that is a new one.”

If Heather knew he was talking to people about her she would freak, if she knew he was talking to two extremely beautiful women about her he would be in his grave before he had even gone cold. For some reason she did not trust him and the surprise visits she used to make in the last pub he worked at always seemed to happen just at the wrong moment when he was getting a little too close to someone.

[Prof. Hannah Edgecombe]

The chocolate smell still lingered in the air making one very happy Hannah she felt as if she had died and gone off to some chocolate heaven. Fun times could be had if he took this drink and bottled it she knew that she would surely be drinking it on a regular basis.

As she turned her head she noticed her barkeep (how could she not) and he was enjoying his shake but after her well placed compliment she got a smile she could only return. It was cheeky bt that's what made it so enjoyable. She heard him mention a girls name which probably should have told her to back down but Hannah didn't see the harm in looking she was enjoying the looking.

"Well Heather did you say? Ay she should be paying you such compliments because a man who can make a drink like this, and smile like that is full of talents." OK so she was flirting, it was harmless for now but she enjoyed the male of the species why not have some fun she wasn't some old hag. Winking she took another sip of her drink.

[Warren Hubbles]

“Well thank you very much for the very nice compliments but I assure there is a very limited range to my talents. Making drinks and smiling just happen to be the two things I am good at. Heather can tell you that too.”

The wink that he gave her was threw him off over so slightly, he really not been expecting it. Warren met many women in this job (surprising or not) and many of them actually flirted back simply in the hope of him giving them free drinks. Yet even though he had for some reason not expected it and Warren pushed himself up off the bar and wondered off to the shelves were all the spirits were just to busy himself and think about his girlfriends and kids back home…not the two incredible attractive women he was talking to.

Turning a bottle of ‘Old Hags best red’ around so the label faced outwards Warren took a deep breath and spun around with a smile upon his face. Jennifer seemingly had passed out on the counter and he guessed he was not going to get an intelligent conversation out of her, so the other mysterious woman would have to do.

“So I did not catch you name miss.” Warren said with a grin, there was not point starting a conversation with someone if you did not have the foggiest who they were. He liked to be on first name terms with all his customers…offer that slightly better service and they will keep coming back to refill their glasses and that filled his till.

[Prof. Hannah Edgecombe]

Pushy pushy girl that's how so many described her. Perhaps she was a bit too pushy and she didn't really worry about boundaries. Normally when she saw a man she found attractive that whole flirting thing she did just started automatically. The vibe in the room changed after her little wink. She didn't think anything of it since it was normal for her but she had no idea of his situation. Sometimes she had to learn to hold back a bit.

Putting her head down she nursed her drink while she busied himself doing whatever. The other girl there was pretty much passed out so she wasn't going to be holding any conversations with Hannah. At one point she was so bored she had considered leaving.

Moving slightly off the bar stool she was about to place her feet on the ground when suddenly Mr. Barkeep turned to her Hannah didn't completely ruin it he hadn't run away just yet. "No I supposed I didn't give a name where are my manners I'm Hannah Edgecombe. You are?"