Fortunate Distraction [Jamie]

[Deleted]

There were some nights that the young vampire honestly and truly hated just what his job required him to do. There were times that he felt that the pay and the ability to travel were just not worth what it was that he was put through. As he sat at a table that he had managed to claim for himself in the very corner of the pub, his gloved fingers drumming boredly on the wooden table and his icy gaze locked on a untouched glass of whiskey that sat abandoned on the edge of his table as he tried to ignore the predatory gazes that the drunken mortals sent him, staring at him as if he were a piece of meat that they would like to devour if they were given the chance.

Merlin, he swore to himself that if Nikolai did not show up again, this time he would go to the castle and kill him then and there for wasting his time. The world would be a much better place without him living in it anyways.

An annoyed huff left his lips as his fingers stopped drumming against the table in favor of gently running around the rim of his untouched glass of alcohol. Merlin he wished that he could stomach alcohol better, he would like nothing better then to just drink this whole night away, forget that there were people staring at him, grow numb to the loud noises that were made by the drunken mortals. Perhaps if he had been able to get drunk enough, he would be able to get his nose to stop burning.

Alas, he could not not unless he wanted to spend the rest of the night feeling ill and wake up the next morning feeling terrible.

His eyes moved up from his glass of liquor to glare at the clock on the wall. He would give Nikolai an hour to arrive here before he would go after him. If Nikolai was lucky, someone would come along and distract him from keeping an accurate track of time.

If not he would be in for a world of hurt.

[Jamie Rosenthal]

It had been a few long days filled with broken bones, potions gone awry, and even broken hearts. So many students sought him to ease their heartache, and he always found it easy with a bit of chocolate and some words of encouragement. They were always kept smiling in his care and he truly loved his job.

Tonight, he was walking through the village, from tge sweet shop where he had to pick up more chocolate for the heartaches he needed to help mend, when he remembered the place where Aleksandr had mentioned would be a good place for a drink. He had run low in his decanter and his sister would soon be sending him the good stuff that he loved, so a quick drink would help him ease into a decent sleep.

As he pushed open the door, the wind would pick up the scent of sweet port wine, warm vanilla, traces of pipe tobacco (never smoke, just the slight zest from the leaf) and a tone of sandalwood would catch the air for a moment before the redhead stepped in.

On this night, his long hair was braided intricately and pinned at the base of his neck, with stray strands hanging past his shoulders. The barmaid looked up at him and he ordered a scotch on the rocks as he neared her. As he waited, he looked around the pub and he saw the gaze that he had remembered.

Aleksandr.

And he looked upset.

Quietly, he moved toward the table where he was sitting. "Aleksandr, my, vhat a pleasant surprise!"

[Deleted]

It seemed as though the world truly did love Nikolai. Every single time that Aleksandr became incresingly agitated toward the older male and was on the verge of hunting him down in order to either tell him off, maim or murder him, someone that had managed to catch his interest seemed to come and show up just at the right time in order to distract him from his rather violent and morbid plans. The last time it had been his friend, Josef Monroe and this time it was none other then the mortal that had managed to figure out what he was and uphold a rather pleasant conversation with the vampire.

Jamie Rosenthal.

He had managed to catch the scent before he had actually seen the male, the light scent somewhat soothing to his nose over all of the other heavily perfumed and cologned scents that filled the bar and mixed with the scent of the alcohol. Those icy blue eyes would watch as he entered the bar quickly running over his form in order to make sure that nothing was out of place before glancing at a nearby wall in boredom.

He supposed that he could stay here a bit longer to ensure that some of these drunken idiots did not take to harassing his new friend.

He was so caught up in his own thoughts that he did not notice the fact that the German had noticed him nor did he notice as he made his way over to him until he heard the male call out his name along with an exclamation of pleasant surprise at seeing him there. It was funny that even Jamie seemed to notice that he did not belong here, that he was out of place.

" Hello to you as vell Jamie. It is a bit of a surprise that ve vould both think to come here on the same night. How have you been, my friend?"

[Jamie Rosenthal]

"I had been vell, my friend. Fery vell. Zee job at zee school is far more revardink zen I could haf efer dreamed. How haf you been, I daresay you scarcely look amused."

The barmaid followed Jamie over with his drink, almost blushing with the presence of his smile.

"Here ya are, Mista' Rosenthal."

"Oh! Danke!"

With the glass in his hand, he swept the pads of his fingers over the collected condensation upon the outside. However he did not drink yet, choosing instead to gesture to the chair beside Aleksandr.

"May I? Or is zis seat taken?"

He waited for an answer before sitting down and looking about the bar. There were a lot of drunk patrons that eyed his friend maliciously, and he considered that to be because of his fair hair and beautiful features.

It was not wrong to think him beautiful, was it? Art was beautiful, music was beautiful, dance was beautiful...so of course people would be too. Gender was not a basis for beauty. He lived that rule. Then again, he could change that on a whim so he really didn't count.

Be that as it may, as beautiful as his friend was, he did not let it blind him to seeing Aleksandr as a person. That is one thing he had learned early on, normally it was those who were beautiful that held the most pain.

"For goodness sake, I nefer get ofer how beligerant people get vhen alcohol is introduced. It is as if all decency simply flies out of zee vindow. Not zat I blame zem for findink you attractive, mind you, but zee lack of mystery is vhat I find unappealink. It's as if zee introduction of alcohol is enough to make zee desire for conversation slip avay and only leafs room for zee carnal desires."

He chuckled softly.

"Speakink of vich, I haf a funny story for you. Vhen I vas younger ant lifink in Berlin, zere vas a time vhen I read as I valked. Eferyvhere. I decided, one day zat I needed somesink from zee bakery and vas readink on my vay zere. I missed zee bakery completely, by sree blocks and valked into a house of ill repute. I did not notice until I heard zee voices cat callink at me zat I vas in zee vrong buildink. Needless to say, I ran as if zee hounds of Hades vere after me all zee vay back home. I sink about zat efery time I smell mixed alcohol. It is only luck zat I vas still male because if I had not been...it could haf been a rough day!"

He chuckled again. His female form got him in no end of trouble and perhaps one day he would show his friend that form, just for giggles. The glass was risen to his lips and he drank the amber liquid with a smile. The alcohol almost didn't burn until it settled in the pit of his stomach, spreading warmth to his body.

[Deleted]

" Ah that is good to hear. I am glad that things are going vell for you and that the job seems to be making you happy. As for vhy I do not seem to be amused, it is simply because I am not overly fond of places like these. People and alcohol together never seem to go to vell as I vould like them too. " The young man was given a tight smile, his eyes moving to glance at the bar maid as she came in order to give Jamie his drink before wandering off back to tend the bar and serve the people that were sitting there. When Jamie asked if the chair at his table was taken, the vampire shook his head his hand moving to gesture at the empty seat. " Nyet. You may sit there if you vish to."

He watched as the mortal sat next to him and began to glance around the bar before his gaze moved over to glare at a woman that had been getting a little too close to him for his comfort. Icy blue eyes met a glazed over pair of dark brown that seemed to darken and heat up the second that the vampire gave her even speck of attention. His eyes rolled slightly in irritation and he immediately moved his gaze away from the girl in order to pay attention to the other male, who had begun speaking to him about the lack of decency people seemed to have when they had alcohol poured into their systems.

Oh that was something that the vampire knew all too well.

" I agree. It is like they are having next to no shame and stare at me as though I am a piece of meat that they would like to eat. I have noticed over the years that most people are not to be trusted in places such as these vhen they have alcohol in their bodies. They do not know how to control themselves around beings such as I, vhich makes it very hard for me to relax and get my job done." Another glare was given to the woman before his eyes moved down to glance at the table again listening again, as Jamie told him a humourous story about something that he had done back when he was both younger and living in Germany.

A small smile tugged at his lips and soon he found that he was quietly laughing at the tale that he had been told. " I cannot believe that you managed to do something like that vithout even knowing that you vere valking into a place like that. That really is too funny." He had especially found the running as if the hounds of Hades were after him bit to be amusing. " Da. You truly are lucky, I could see vhere showing up to a place like that as a female might have been a bad situation to be in."

[Jamie Rosenthal]

"My sister still laughs about zhat. She vas vaitink for me to do it again vhen I moved to London. Howefer, I haf learned from zee first time. Not happenink again. My chosen female form is enough to get me into trouble."

Li always enjoyed torturing him over little things like that. Especially when the Durmstrang boys had begun to notice him in his purity and beauty. He had been something they wished to darken and that they wished to taint with their darkness, however, he was always one or two steps ahead of their desires. He took a lot of pride in his ability to do that effectively.

The mellowed out liquid within his glass was savored in another slow drink. He seemed to consider the flavor before swallowing it.

"Hm, it's not bad. It's no Glenmorangie, though. Zere's a scotch zat I adore zat is from zee Highlands. 18 years old, aged in bourbon barrels. It is zee smoothest taste I haf ever had zee pleasure of enjoyink. I keep a small decanter in my room in zee castle, but I ahm runnink out. 'Tis a shame."

He would have to buy a couple of bottles and keep it in his wine cellar at the new house in London. If he could, he would buy the barrel, to let it age undisturbed and in safety, where he could monitor the flavor year after year. Now that he thought about it, that sort of care would be like raising a child. He always seemed to invision brewers treating their product that way.

"Vhat is it you are starink at? I vould call it drinkink, but you haf barely touched it."

A soft smile flickered over Jamie's lips and he canted his head to one side to try to ease the tug of stiffness in his sinew from looking downward over the last week. He was watching Aleksandr with a soft and amused expression as his eyes slowly took on a more feminine shape and his skin silkened to a flawless and supple complexion, his lips filled and parted in a light feminine sounding draw of breath. Only his face and voice changed, a skill that had taken an immense amount of control and practice to perfect. Jamie gazed at him with a slightly sly smile.

"I svear...I vill keep zat smile on your lips if I haf to play 300 faces tonight. Zat face you had vhen I came in vas enough to put zee sun in a foul mood. Vhat is on your mind?"

When Jamie spoke, the voice was now light, rich and feminine. A sinfully seductive purr. But those eyes were the things that seemed to not change between the forms. He thought that if he ever got a significant other, it would be far too much fun to confuse the people around them by constantly switching forms in passing.

Fun was always made in some way with him.

He smiled as his face made the change back to its masculine form and his voice reverted back to the deep tenor. It was interesting how alcohol made him just a bit more fun-loving. He normally would not switch forms, even with his back to people.

[Deleted]

" I can see vhy she vould still be laughing after being told a amusing story like that. I vould hope not, you vill find that these vesterners, both the men and the vomen, are a bit more...forceful then they are back home in the east. You must be careful least something bad happens to you in either form."

The warning was spoken in a good natured tone but he was perfectly serious in every aspect of the word. He truly did not want anything bad like that to happen to his new friend, especially when he knew just how relentless the brits could be when they truly wanted something. After all, it was the British empire that had held control over a good portion of the world in the past and for good reason. They were dar too persistant and aggresive for their own damn good.

He watched as his friend took another long sip of the drink that he had ordered, seeming to consider the flavor of the scotch before swallowing it and speaking again, this time talking of a scotch that he was fond of. Aleksandr was not much of an alcohol lover, [ with the exception being a good glass of red or white wine] but still he listened intently to what it was that was said, before answering the question that he had been asked. " It is some type of American vhiskey, though I do not know vhich brand it is. Honestly I am not too big a fan of liquor, I only order it so that I have the permission to snatch up a table for the night."

He had spoken to both the owner and the barmaid and both had allowed him to stay and do his job as long as he ordered at least one drink and paid for it on a busy night and at least three on a slow night [ not that there ever had been a slow night.] His eyes had fallen to his abandoned drink for a moment and as such he had completely missed the transaformation until he heard a soft feminine breath and his eyes immediately shot up to see a female staring at him with a sly smile.

Had he not known that his friend was a Metamorph and had he not looked into those pretty eyes and recognized Jamie within them, he probably would have freaked out at the sudden transformation. Instead, a small and amused smile crossed his face, especially when the now female Jamie spoke in a voice that might have been mistaken as seductive had he not known the person that lay within.

" I see now vhy you vould run into so much trouble as a female. You certainly are a pretty thing in that form. As for my foul mood and vhat vas on my mind, I am vaiting here for a person that is supposed to show up. He is another vampire and he is dangerous, so I am supposed to be keeping an eye on him. However, he has begun making a habit of not showing up and it is vasting my time. Yet I have orders so I must keep coming here even if he does not show up."





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[Jamie Rosenthal]

If there was one thing that Aleksandr was right about, it was the fact that westerners always had been far more aggressive in getting their way. He had noticed that Within the first week or two of the initial move from Berlin. He was amazed at the culture shock between the two countries. The people were vastly different!

"I am almost alvays on vatch. I do not attempt to get into harm's vay because I already know zhat I do not enjoy harmink people. Zhat is part of zee reason I ahm a healer. I do not like to fight. Not anyone. I vould razer safe your life zhen end it."

Not to be underestimated, however. Jamie could be a fierce wizard if the situation called for it, but he was so very sensitive to the needs and desires of other people that it was unlikely that he would lift his wand to anything other than to help someone. If he wereever in danger, he would likely be unable to attack another living being, but he would protect himself.

American liquor was ot his favorite by any stretch, being a little spoiled in his location. He grew up in th Rhone Valley and his father had access to limitless varieties of breweries of wine, beer, anything he really ever could want. He imagined if he could feel the sting he'd heard of that was coupled with alcohol, he might change his mind about what he drank.

"So, you are to be vatchink for him. If he is so dangerous, aren't you at least the smallest bit glad zhat you do not haf to see him? I vould imagine that borink vould be easier to handle than fightink for your life. Zhen again, you do zhat often. It must be second nature to you by now."

The stray strands of his hair wound about his arm as his chin settled in the palm of his hand and he looked up at Alek with a small smile on his lips. It seemed funny that someone that had such an exciting life would entertain the thought of talking with him, the least adventerous person in the world, thanks to his bloody condition. If he ever went anywhere, his mother always fretted, his sister fretted, his father fretted. Just one well placed cut and it would all be over in an instant.

Plastic bubble anyone?

[Deleted]

He had assumed that Jamie was not much of a fighter, as most healers and the sort rarely were. It did not mean that they were weak, it simply meant that they were too compassionate and their hearts were far too gentle to bring pain to another person, something that the vampire had always admired. His heart was far from gentle and even further away from being even close to compassionate and though he was kinder then most others of his kind were, sometimes he had to ask himself how much of it was truly genuine and how much of it was it just him trying to fool himself into thinking that he truly was different from the monsters back home that he had spent his life distancing himself from.

That he truly was different from Nikolai.

" That is a very compassionate view on this sort of thing. I do have to say that that seems like that vould be the more pleasant route to go through. I am not fond of causing pain that much either. It makes me feel as though I am no better then a playground bully because of vhat I am; but I have chosen this career path for myself and vill lay in the bed that I have made for myself." After all, he had chosen this job for no other reasons other than the facts that it made traveling easier for him and that he was both qualified and talented enough to become one.

" Da. I am supposed to be vatching him and it vould make sense for me to be happy vouldn't it? Yet I can't help but begin thinking just vhat it is that he might be doing vhile he is not here. I do not like the idea of him being unvatched for any amount of time."

He paused for a moment before looking at Jamie and smiling slightly before answering the rest of his question.

" He is more dangerous to humans than he vould ever be to me. If it came down to the two of us fighting each other then it vould not be much of a fight. I am younger then he is, but I am also faster and stronger. I vould vin and he vould be dead in a matter of moments, he knows this as vell as I do vhich is vhy he has done his best in the past to avoid me, or at least making me mad. Hogwarts has made him brave in that he feels that he is protected from me. Yes, it has sort of become second nature to me by now, though admittedly not many know how to kill my kind other then the hunters and they have little to no reason to go after me since ve are basically comrads in arms."

Though admittedly that alone did not stop some of the more determined and passionate hunters from trying to kill him. Merlin it was always funny watching the ministry go after them for that.

[Jamie Rosenthal]

There was something that Jamie always saw in people, and one of those things was the worry that they were doomed to a stereotype for the rest of their days. Being a vampire, Alek was expected to be a lot of things and not all of them were good things. Jamie smiled softly, the gesture curling at the corners of his lips as his hand lifted to hold the delicate slope of his chin in consideration before he found himself uttering softly.

"The world changes, we do not, there lies the irony that finally kills us."

Even in the case of vampires, Jamie believed that each person was different and the case of Aleksandr would suggest that even though his friend was dark, there was still some little bits of him that held basic human longing. Granted, it was his firm belief that everyone was made for someone else. Love was destined for everyone.

"You vould hear if he vas doink somesink bad, vouldn't you? I mean, no one is at risk for gettink hurt, are zhey?"

Boy, his job had to be difficult if he had so much to worry about. Did he ever get the chance to enjoy his life, or was he all work and no fun, he supposed it would be okay to ask.

"Curiousity is getting zee better of me. Vhen you are not vorkink, vhat do you like to do for fun?"

Green eyes focused on Alek as he asked his question, easing a hand back to the glass in front of him and smiling gently.

[Deleted]

Icy blue eyes seemed to lighten up with a sort of mischevious joy the second that his ears heard those words leave the mortal's lips. He recognized them far too well and that was something that brought his pale lips to form an amused smirk. " You certainly are a different type of mortal. I do not know of many who vould quote the vords of a vampire novel that vas vritten by a mortal to a living vampire. Let me see, that vas Interview Vith a Vampire, vritten by the brilliant Anne Rice. The one who spoked those vords vas none other then the vampire Armand, if I am not mistaken."

His eyes again locked on Jamie's and his smirk grew. " For some reason, it almost seems fitting that you vould quote him out of all others." His young friend seemed to fit the description of Armand almost perfectly, something that amused him greatly as he stared at the mortal observing his reaction to his knowledge.

" I vould hear if he was doing something bad only after he had already done something and by that time it vould already be too late for me to go and stop him. Not exactly my ideal situation as it is my job to make sure that he does not step out of line. I am not sure if he vould be stupid enough to go and hurt somebody intentionally because he has a motive for being here and Nikolai is not foolish enough to ruin vhatever his plans are, but I still vouldn't trust him."

His eyes lowered back to the table and his eyes narrowed slightly in contemplation before a sigh passed his lips and his gaze returned to Jamie. " I can almost always smell him thankfully, but even then I cannot do anything unless he is here in Hogsmeade." When Jamie asked him what it was that he liked doing in his spare time, he looked genuinely surprised, almost as though no one had ever asked him that question before and it almost appeared as though he did not know how to answer that question before he spoke quietly.

" I enjoy reading in my spare time, especially if the vriters are not from these most recent years and I enjoy playing both the violin and the piano. I also like to dance, both modern dances and the more traditional ballroom dances, though it has been quite a vhile since I've last danced vith another person, but enough about me. Vhat is it that you like to do, Jamie?"

[Jamie Rosenthal]

He knew the story?

If it were possible, Jamie's heart leapt and sent a surge of a tremor through him. He had always categorized himself as Armand, and hearing his friend say such. The look of sheer surprise on his features must have been one hell of a funny expression, though he found himself very happy to hear that someone else had at least read the story.

"If I am an angel, paint me with black wings."

This time, Jamie smiled and looked at Alek with a purely joyus expression, overjoyed that his friend knew where the quote came from.

" Ja, it is Armand. I alvays felt zhat I vas a good likeness to Armand, save for zee incredible pull for the flesh zhat he has. Perhaps, I ahm more of zee artist Armand before his turnink. If I had to choose you, I vould place you as Lestat."

Or Marius...

His heart seemed to scream, but the organ was ignored in favor of listening to the interests that the vampire had. He was a very pleasant person to talk to and he was happy to get the chance to continue to converse with him. There was no need for his silly little heart to send strange messages now. Really? Marius? You silly organ!

"I love to read, absolutely eferysink. As you can tell, I lofe Shakespeare, Dickens, Chaucer, Madame Rice, Austen, Dickenson. I haf dabbled in vritink poetry, perhaps one day I vill let you read zhose awful sings. I lofe music, zough, I can not play anysink. I can not dance, zough, I vould lofe to learn. I do enjoy svimmink, valks in the night, theatre, art, really I find enjoyment in eferysink. And, I ahm villink to try anysink once."

He would love more, if given the chance to try things that he had not before. Granted his condition made it difficult. But, one did only live once.

"If I did not know better, I vould say zat some greater force vanted me to meet you. You are much easier to talk to zhen most people I haf efer met in my short existence. It is...enlightenink to talk to you. I do hope zhat vee are able to converse like zhis for a vhile to come."

It was amazing how one person could make the day worth it. He truly was a great friend.

[Deleted]

The look of surprise that had taken over the mortals face was more than enough to cause the vampire to start laughing, his hand moving up instinctively to shield the sight of his fangs from anyone that may happen to be looking their way. Every single time that he had managed to stop himself and calm his laughter it only took one look at his startled expression in order to get him to start laughing again. The surprised look on his face was one that was almost too funny. " Is the fact that I sometimes read vampire literature really something that is that surprising my friend?"

He smiled again when he heard another Armand quote uttered by his friend and his eyes twinkled in amusement as he listened to Jamie speak about how he felt about being compared to Armand. " Da. Vhile you do suit Armand in many vays, I do not see you sharing that incredible appetite for intimacy that I recall Armand having. You do not seem to suit that bit of him. Not at all. Ahh~ So I am " The Brat Prince" then am I? I do agree that he does suit me in some aspects, so I thank you." Jamie was given a small and playful smile that was paired with a wink. " Now all I must do is find my Louis and avoid running into a Claudia and I shall be set for the rest of eternity.

He fell quiet and listened intently as the mortal spoke about just what it was that he liked to do. It seemed as though they shared a love for the written word, though that much he had already guessed from how they had met. However, it also seemed as though his friend's love seemed to go even further than his own did as he admitted to also writing poetry. It seemed as though he could not dance and he had a love for pretty much everything. " Vhat a very interesting perspective on life that you have. You do not find many that are as open as you are, even amongst my kind who are blessed vith near eternal life in order to experience all that the vorld has to offer. As for dancing, it is very easy to learn, all it takes is some practice and you vill find yourself dancing as though you have done it all of your life."

He smiled softly at his friend, again listening as he talked.

" Da. I also believe that you and I vere meant to become friends. I vould like for these conversations to continue as vell." Perhaps he would truly become close to the mortal and keep contact with him, even as he moved on to his next planned destination in order to find just what it was that he was looking for. He paused for a moment, frowning slightly when his heart began to ache slightly at the idea of leaving Hogsmeade.

Well that was certainly new. Never before had the idea of leaving a place caused him any sort of pain.

Perhaps it would be better if he left sooner, rather then later.

[Jamie Rosenthal]

The remainder of the amber liquid was drained from the glass and Jamie smiled, showing no signs of inebriation or even proof that the liquid had burned on the way down, save for the warm flush on his pale cheeks. He tucked his stray strands behind his ears and looked up at the portraits on the walls, silently wondering if he was artistic at all. That was something else he wished that he could do. Paint. He had zero art skills, save for writing.

It was, however, getting late and the castle was waiting for him to return.

"Perhaps, I should be returnink to zee casle before zee Madame sends a search party."

He laughed softly and carefully rose to his feet before picking up his glass and handing it to the barmaid that came nearly running from behind the counter of the bar to reach his side. He placed the glass on her small tray, and then two gold galleons followed, paying for not only his drink, but for Aleksandr's as well with tip to spare. As she bustled away, his hand moved from his pocket and settled onto Aleksandr's shoulder and he spoke again in a light and toying tone.

"Good night, good night! parting is such sweet sorrow, That I shall say good night till it be morrow."

One of those green eyes squinted in a playful wink as his hand fell away from his shoulder and landed at his side. He laughed softly and smiled a bit more naturally before he went off toward the castle again.