Cigarette Burns - Sirius Black

Ch 43: Cheeks That Burn Like Wildfires

Kingsley and Alastor had performed the necessary enchantments for Owen and Morrigan to cater to wizarding families. While they were grateful for the new spike in business, they now felt more tired than ever. Their eyes feeling heavy by the end of every evening, due to the lack of sleep and the shorter breaks. Nevertheless, they were excited about the new clientele. 

Muggle families finally had a place to go to ask questions about their children's magical talents, and it quickly became a talking point for many. For Owen it was easy to talk to the stressed out muggle parents who couldn't figure out how to tidy up their child's room without a cup nipping their fingers or a book floating through the air. He sympathized with them, talked about his experience with his sister, and more often than not directed them to Morrigan who always knew the right thing to say. 

Morrigan felt alive in the evenings. While she enjoyed working during the day and talking to the regulars who would come in for a mid day drink to escape the boredom of their domestic lifestyles, she relished in talking to former classmates and their parents. 

"Is that Morrigan Hale?" A voice asked approaching the bar. 

Morrigan's head lifted up and as she saw her friend she grinned, "Oliver Wood, what in Helga's name are you doing here? Thought you'd be off doing you quidditch thing." 

"My quidditch thing? Blimey Morrigan when are you ever going to learn the sport," Oliver enquired with a joking look. 

"Never," she replied, "What can I get for you?" 

"Just a rum and coke please," He said. He watched as she poured the drink, "So Fred and George told me that you've been working here for a while." 

"You saw the twins?" Morrigan asked surprised. 

"Yeah, this morning, they've been telling a few of us to head over here. Was hoping to see Charlie, but I heard he's still in Romania." 

She laughed at his disappointment, "Written many love letters to him?" 

Oliver groaned at the old joke, "Oh shut it Morrigan." 

"So what other gossip have you heard?" Morrigan asked handing him his drink. 

"Not much, they told me not to talk to you about your love life though," he said taking a sip of his drink, "any reason they'd say that?" 

Morrigan shrugged, "Probably because the last guy I dated left me for dead and was a bit of a dickhead, nothing too crazy though." 

Oliver snorted as he laughed at the comment, "Merlin Morrigan, you'll have to let me know who it is so I can knock him out for ya." 

"Oh there's a bit of a line for that," Morrigan said with a smirk, "speaking of," she caught Owens attention causing him to walk over to her side, "Owen, meet Oliver Wood. Biggest Quidditch fan in the world, and worships the ground Charlie walks on. Oliver, meet the first in line Owen." 

"Ah, the twins told me about you, said I was only allowed to call you the handsome barman," Oliver stated. 

"I think I'm stuck with that name forever," Owen said shaking his head. 

Morrigan nudged his side, "They got Kingsley to call you that too." 

He laughed happily not minding the nickname that the twins gave, instead embracing the fact that the two boys liked him enough to give him a good name. He turned to Oliver, "So you went to school with Morrigan as well?" 

"Yeah," Oliver confirmed, "I was a year above Morrigan, she was an absolute firecracker. All innocent looking and then she'd open her mouth." 

Owen chuckled, "Tell me about it, I've heard too much about what she did to Remus."