One way or another (Josh)

[Deleted]

Her outward appearance matched those of the sleazy witches and wizards around her. She was walking like a hunchback, a rather uncomfortable position but necessary to keep away suspicion. Her robes were old and ragged, doing nothing to ease the flow of rain seeping consistently into thin fabric. Her skin was tough and weathered, true to the age displayed on Rosalyn’s sagging face. Her right eye was clouded over, showing the loss of sight the original old woman had sustained. She was an exact replica of the ancient woman that Rosalyn had passed leaving the very alley she was now on last week. She had been preoccupied with keeping the various shopping bags in her arms stable when she nearly knocked the poor thing over. She apologized profusely, but it was to no avail. The old woman merely snarled at her and began muttering under her breath as she limped away. Rosalyn had been convinced that she was putting on a curse on her, but after a week of bad luck that wasn’t anything out of the usual, she was able to go to sleep without looking out her window before she closed her eyes. Still, it didn’t prevent the clone from looking around to make sure the original wasn’t lurking about. That would result in a terrible mess she didn’t have time to explain. Plus, the discovery of a woman of Rosalyn’s stature in a place like Drear Alley would stir up questions that would leave her in a world of trouble. She had no doubt she could take on whatever number of enemies thrown her way, but she really didn’t like being late when work was involved. It was the only thing she was consistently on time for.

This meeting in particular was one that Rosalyn had no intention on missing. It was one of her first real work assignments since her arrival in Austria back in February. She had been itching for field work so bad that she would literally sit at her desk lightly scratching at her arms out of boredom. She was a very hands-on Auror. Sitting behind a desk doing nothing but paperwork was out of the question for her. For a woman who had never been able to sit still as it was, being in an office environment was like being stuck in prison. The company may have been enjoyable to look at, but that was all it had going for her. Needless to say, Rosalyn had jumped at the chance when she had overheard Ashton talking to Tristan about someone who had contacted the Ministry about employment. It was supposed to have been a task for either of two but she would have none of it. Making sure to mention how boring it was to meet with people who had interest in assisting the Ministry, and being forced to look at a man for hours instead of a pretty lady, she had practically begged Ashton to let her go. After some restraint, he finally agreed and she had almost kissed him in excitement. “You’ve got boobs so he’ll probably do whatever you want.” had also been his defense for agreeing, though it was true. If anyone was capable of understanding a man’s real intentions, it was Rosalyn. With the ability to transform herself into any vixen a man could dream of, she was probably the best Auror on the floor at being able to do what she wanted people to do for her. There was no prior information on the gentleman she’d be meeting tonight, so she had no idea how to appear for the occasion, but hopefully after talking to him for a bit she would be able to have some clue on the woman he liked and the rest would be history.

All Rosalyn knew was that he had interest in helping the Ministry. No other motive had been given nor a reason for the interest. It was her job to find out exactly what it was and what he could provide to their investigation into Darren Morgan. Merlin knew that they needed all the help that they could get. Even though they had his identity and had an inkling for what his plans against the wizarding community were, they just couldn’t get to him. It was made even more frustrating that he had been able to infiltrate their side when the Ministry was keeping incapable of doing the same to him. Rosalyn had often pondered being that chess piece because of how easily she could change her appearance, but she was always far too hesitant to do so. It was impossible for her to even pretend to betray the people she sought to protect and serve. Her heart was too big to do otherwise, which was why she was banking on this meeting going smoothly. Anything she could do to help the cause would be done and to the fullest extent. Failure was not an option. So with another strained breath, she continued forward to the Green Street Corner Pub. It was the place that he had suggested as privacy wouldn’t be an issue there. This had only been reassured when she had really taken notice of how the inhabitants of Drear Alley kept to themselves. Sure, a few of them looked a bit paranoid every once in awhile, but she had yet to be approached even in her old lady state. The longer it stayed that way, the better. Rosalyn didn’t want to have to blow her cover by kicking someone’s ass.

When the tattered building front came into view, Rosalyn did her best to refrain from jogging towards the entrance. She was so damn beat from having to walk this way for so long. Her back would need a good icing for the rest of the night after all of this. But finally she did and as she approached, she slipped into the door as two drunken fools came out fighting. She would really need to be careful in this place. As she entered, she nearly gagged as the scent of mold and other unmentionable odors wavered into her nostrils. A true woman of her craft though, she stayed in character. Narrowly missing a bottle of the head, she continued limping along to the area she had been told to wait in. Once she reached it, she noticed quickly how it looked to be made for these types of interactions. It was off to a corner and blocked from view by a wall with crudely written things all over it. Rosalyn scoffed and shook her head. Some people had no class. After pretending to have trouble getting into her seat for a good minute, she got herself situated and continued to hunch over the table. All she could do now was wait.

Tagged: Josh!
Words: 1,135
Outfit: Ignore the face, I'm not that spooky!
Notes: Sucks for a starter, but they'll get better!

[Joshua O'Neill]

Joshua O'Neill

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I'll have you know that
I've become indestructible
Determination that is incorruptible
On the other side a terror to behold
Annihilation will be unavoidable[/center]

He checked himself in the mirror once again, determined to look his best. While Joshua might not have been able to remember much of anything, he was learning quick enough. In the span of a few short weeks since he had turned up, he had learned all about the war that was apparently waging, and the people who were fighting it. He had also found out quite a few unpleasant things about himself, such as his last public actions. He had attacked Juliet, a girl who at one time had been a dear friend of his. He had allowed his primal instincts to overwhelm his reasoning, and had ended up dueling Damien Monroe because of it. Even with his enhanced strength and speed, Monroe had fought him to a standstill, a testament to the power the man possessed. Josh knew that his attack hadn't gone unnoticed, and more than once he had been forced to defend himself by angry passerby over the last few days. He felt terrible about it, and although he knew that he could never take his actions back, at least he could atone for them. It was this line of thought that had found him sending an owl to the ministry, detailing his skills and offering his assistance in any capacity that they might have for him. He had signed it J, unsure about if he was a person of interest for the ministry to take in or not. One auror coming to a meeting he could handle if need be, but he definitely didn't want to stare down an organized group.

He had told them to meet him at the Green Street Corner Pub, a little hole in the wall that didn't draw much attention from anyone. It was even more run down than most establishments of its kind, and he seriously doubted anyone of consequence would see him there. Even so, he still took precautions. He traded his signature Ravenclaw blue clock for a tattered old black one that he stole from a dilapidated structure that looked to have been a war casualty. He sincerely doubted that the owner would be returning, and thus felt no guilt in taking it. He pulled his cowl up over his head, wanting to be as indistinguishable as possible. With a slight pop he apparated to Drear Alley, and stepped inside the pub.

He had been specific on what table to meet him at, and he had deliberately been late. This part of town was dangerous, even for Aurors, and he knew they wouldn't risk causing a scene if they could help it. He eyed around the pub cautiously, looking for anything out of place, anyone that could be undercover. He still wasn't sure about trusting the ministry, but he didn't see many other options. None of the patrons looked the part of an undercover, and much relieved, Josh made his way slowly toward the back of the pub. The table he had instructed them to meet him at was out of the way, and more than once had he held secretive meetings here. It was one of the only places he had come to find that was almost completely safe. None of the patrons were sober enough to care about what you had to say, and that was if they happened to be paying attention, which they usually weren't. As he rounded the corner, his eyes fell upon the woman sitting at the table across from him. She was definitely not what he had expected the ministry to send, that much was certain. He had halfway expected Stavros himself to be sitting here, although the more he thought about it perhaps that had been a bit too ambitious. Something about the woman felt familiar, and he could have sworn that he'd seen her before in here, although he couldn't say exactly when. He sat down across from her without a word, waving casually to the barkeep, who in turn delivered two mugs of whatever the pub was selling today. He tossed a few coins to the man casually as he put the drinks on the table, and then turned his attention back to the older woman sitting across from him.

"Well then, certainly not what I expected to see when I contacted them..."

He sipped at his drink without a thought, eager with anticipation but in no hurry to rush things. "Tell me, do I not warrant a visit from an actual auror? I mean to say one that didn't go to school with my grandparents."

He still had a nagging feeling that he knew this woman, that he had dealt with her in the past. She didn't strike him as an auror, and this entire situation was already starting to feel off. Silently he gripped at his wand, ready just in case.

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tag ,, Roz !
status ,, Complete !
word count ,, 806 !
music ,, n/a !
misc ,, Sorry I took so long

[Deleted]

Merlin she could really use a drink. This place made Rosalyn antsy. Not in the nervous way antsy, but in the ready to kick some ass antsy. This place was just crawling with criminals. She could feel it. Even if they were in no way associated with Darren Morgan, they still ought to have been arrested for the illegal activity she knew was going on in here. As she had limped in, she had briefly seen sheets of paper sprawled across the bar with several Quidditch teams names scribbled across the top. She was willing to bet her next paycheck that those were betting sheets that listed as much information about the players of that particular team as possible. While betting on the sport was not illegal, the man wearing the referee’s whistle around his neck didn’t exactly look innocent. There were strict guidelines the Department of Magical Games and Sports had for its Quidditch referee’s and partaking in betting of the sport was one of them. Rosalyn contemplated busting him after the meeting had ended. She supposed she wait to see how things went. Sighing to herself, she stared miserably at the moldy wall in front of her. The thought of drinking was so tempting. Ministry officials weren’t banned from consuming alcohol when in a business meeting, anything to appear normal as they put it, but they were against intoxication in a situation that didn’t call for it. Rosalyn had a bad feeling that would be exactly what would happen if she allowed herself one sip of a manhattan. It felt like inebriation would be the only way she could sit in this place without wanting to arrest everyone in sight. Then again, on one occasion back after becoming a licensed Auror, she had celebrated by drinking one night and hexing someone’s hands together after they looked at her funny.

Rosalyn didn’t want to make a bad first impression, especially since today was her first day out on her own. She felt she had a lot to prove to Rutherford and Ashton. Though her record spoke for itself, she wanted her actions to speak more. This was her first real chance to prove that she was capable of doing her job in a new country. Failure was not an option. So it was in sober misery that she waited. And she waited. Closing her eyes, she groaned out of frustration after it felt like an hour had passed by. Truthfully, it had probably only been about fifteen minutes, but to Rosalyn it was an eternity. What kind of point was this guy trying to make by being late? She didn’t like people who strolled in at whatever time they wished when she had made it her goal to be on time. The door had opened once or twice since she had arrived, but none of the entrants looked as if they were there for her. However, it was the third time the small bell above the door sounded that the new arrival seemed also out of place for such a shitty establishment. The man was handsome enough with tousled brown hair he had clearly run his fingers through to perfection. His cloak was tatty, similar, but not quite as hole-filled, to hers. It appeared as if he was trying to fit in as best as he could as well. That was impossible though. With the good looks he had, he was on such a high pedestal above all these other ingrates that he could have been royalty and then some. Rosalyn kept her eyes focused on him as he maneuvered his way through tables to the one that he had requested her to be at. He was swift, seeming to move with such ease and speed that it looked like he was floating. When he had gotten closer, she noticed how pale his skin was and the faint red color to his eyes. It hadn’t been confirmed yet, but she was willing to bet that she was about to meet someone different like her.

If that was the case, then this was going to go even better than Rosalyn expected. She fought the urge to smile, wanting to keep in character as he approached the table. Her gaze remained on him as he took a seat and ordered drinks for the pair of them. Well, so much for getting away without drinking. It really wasn’t a travesty, but she would have to force herself to drink whatever she was being given slowly. It would be her only one for the night. "Well then, certainly not what I expected to see when I contacted them..." Of course not. It was her job to surprise people. “Respect your elders sonny,” she said, in a raspy and weathered voice. “You’re not exactly what I was expecting either. You look like you belong modeling hair products then meeting an old hag in a rundown pub.” Rosalyn couldn’t keep her humor from coming through though. Slowly, she extended her hand to the mug. Once her fingers had grasped around the handle, she groaned as she began to pull the glass in her direction. After it took ten seconds longer than it should have, she wrapped her other hand around it and lifted it up towards her mouth. "Tell me, do I not warrant a visit from an actual auror? I mean to say one that didn't go to school with my grandparents." Again, she had to refrain from laughing. If only he knew. Continuing to act her character, she took her time sipping from the ale in her mug. It was a bit bitter for her liking, but she could tolerate it. By the time she had placed her mug back down on the table, it had to have taken her five minutes total from the time she had reached for the glass to drinking it and then setting it down. He must have been irritated. Yet if he was, he showed no signs of frustration. He looked calm, which was admirable considering Rosalyn would have force fed the old hag after the first five seconds.

“You’ve got quite the mouth on you boy,” Rosalyn finally said. “I’ve seen things you probably can’t even imagine so don’t assume that the Ministry is incapable of seeing the experience old age brings.” She paused for a second, allowing her words to sink in. “I decide whether or not to allow you to progress to the next step. As I’m sure you know, the Ministry can’t just send anybody to places that may endanger them. We have no clue if you are working for the Dark Lord or not. Understand?” She felt like a parent lecturing a child. Now she knew how her grandmother felt when the old woman had tried to train Rosalyn with her Metamorphagus abilities. “So, if you are as interested in helping as you say you are, you need to respect the security measures we have in place. If not, at least I have a good view of your tush as you walk back out the door.” She sounded exactly like her grandmother now. She wondered if she was creeping the stranger out yet or not. She hoped she wasn’t only because the man interested her. Rosalyn was almost certain she knew what was sitting in front of her and felt that the two may bond over their differences. If he stayed, she would reveal herself when the time was right. Plus, if he was a vampire, as she had expected in her experiences with them, he could be a great asset to the Ministry. “So what’ll it be sonny? Are you going to stay and talk to me or make an old lady very happy?”

Tagged: Josh!
Words: 1,293
Outfit: Ignore the face, I'm not that spooky!
Notes: Sorry it took so long! Hopefully the creepy old lady made it worth it.