Yet Another Day Out on the Town ((Carey))

[Ethan Jacobs G5]

Ethan stared up at the ceiling of his bedroom with his wand in hand. Obviously, he couldn't use it, but it was still a smart idea to carry it around, in case of emergency. Please. Thought Ethan. Like Anything Interesting ever happens around here. Ethan had never once seen anything but the occasional Hogwarts student around these parts of town. His house was just outside King's Cross Station and walking distance from Diagon Alley, so a person would presume that something exciting happened once in a while. Meeting Ezzie was the only exciting thing that had happened since he returned home from his fourth year at Hogwarts. She was so beautiful, so kind, so loving. Such a great kisser! Ethan thought to himself with a smirk. He was not looking foward to that stupid wizarding country club he was being forced to go to that night. It was Friday, and every Friday, Ethan and his Family went down to the country club called "The Phoenix Wings" and 'mingled' with other pureblood families. He was surely not looking foward to it. He remembered how he had begged Ezzie to come with him as his date, but she refused.

"It's Friday, Ethan! You know I can't do anything on weekdays or Saturdays!" She looked extremely upset about not being to go, but yet she always turned down his invitation.

"At least tell me why you can't, that way I know you're not cheating on me for some better guy."

"I've told you a hundred times Ethan!" She said close to tears. "There's no better guy than you! Nowhere in the world! Besides," She said pulling him close. "Where would I meet such a guy?" Ethan laughed and accepted her no. Thinking back on that day, he remembered her wonderful smile, and beautiful face.

Back in the present, Ethan straightened his stupid tie when he heard his mother shout hs name.

"Ethan! Ethan, honey let's go!" Ethan sighed as he dragged his feet down the stairs.

"Coming mum," He yelled back. He walked into the kitchen where his mother was waiting in a sparkling red dress, and his father wearing a black suit and red tie that matched his wife's dress exactly.

"You'll be apparating with your father, as per usual, now let's go." Ethan grabbed on to his father's arm and the next thing he knew, he was at the country club. The dazzling blue baloons and wine glasses that floated through the air had long ceased to amaze Ethan, who grew quite tired of seeing them by now. He sat down, grabbed some food, and looked around. Nobody he knew or was interested in getting to know was there yet, so he continued to eat. When he finnished his food and looked around again, he noticed a rather attractive girl from Hogwarts that was in his year. She didn't have the flare Ezzie had, but she was good enough to have a dance or two with. He walked over to the girl and smiled politley.

"Hi, I'm Ethan. Would you like to dance with me?"

[Carey Brighton H5]

“They’re dragging you there again, aren’t they?” Mallory lounged on Carey’s bed as her younger sister looked through her closet at her clothes. Carey shook her head, not bothering to explain that she wasn’t being dragged to the club, but rather she had semi-volunteered to go. Semi-volunteered in the sense that she knew she would have to go even if she hadn’t offered. “They are so. When you are going to stop letting them push you around, Care? Be your own person!” Mallory was always preaching about ‘being her own person,’ and Carey was always saying the same thing in response. “I am my own person, I just know what pleases Mother and Father; unlike my darling sister.” Mal smirked at her and stood from the bed, reaching into the closet and pulling out a sundress and kicking a pair of sandals toward Carey. “These, Mother bought them for you two years ago and you never had a chance to wear them. They’re perfect.” Carey looked over the dress. It was a simple white baby doll dress with small embroidered designs along the hem. The sandals were a wicker design and they matched perfectly. She really hated when Mallory was right. “Alright, now get out so I can change.” Mallory stuck her tongue out at her younger sister before bounding out of the room, closing the door behind her as she left.

Carey sighed and ran her fingers through her hair (which was straight for the moment) before turning and picking up the dress. She eyed it a moment, wishing she could just go in jeans, and then started to change. Fifteen minutes later she descended the stairs to the main foyer where her mother and father stood eyeing each other coldly. Carey frowned slightly and pulled on her navy blue suede jacket, checking her pockets to make sure her deck of cards were in it, and approached her parents. “Please, no arguing. I don’t think I’ve ever had a memory of going to the club without you two arguing over something futile.” David looked at his daughter and opened his mouth to speak but Carey beat him to it; “Futile: fruitless, pointless, completely unnecessary.” He smiled a slight smile and nodded curtly before extending his arm for his wife to loop hers through, and Carey in turn grasped her mother’s hand. They were gone with a crack! and they reappeared milliseconds later in a courtyard. Carey dropped her mother’s hand as if it were a hot potato and immediately looked around at the decorations. She shook her head. They never change. “Carey, mingle this time, alright? I don’t want to see you at a table reading a book or doing something equally as dull.” Right. Solitaire wasn’t boring, was it? No, Carey thought it was rather eventful, if not mind challenging. She would mingle. Then she would play. Simple.

So, she mingled. She smiled and laughed at jokes that weren’t that funny. Carey was an expert at mingling and being overly polite, but it came from years of experience. She danced with a few sons of highly respected men in her father’s business, she played with the children, and spoke with the wives about doing whatever it was pureblood wives did. After awhile, Carey was granted time to herself and she slipped into an empty table and pulled out her deck of cards. She opened them and started to set them up in a game of solitaire. She loved playing solitaire, it calmed her (not that she was ever really angry or whatnot) and it stimulated her mind. After a bit, though, it could get rather boring. It never got boring when she was at the club, though. She’d rather play cards with herself than be mingling like the good daughter she should be. Carey had won four games of solitaire by the time someone approached her, startling her a bit. She looked up at the person and smiled, recognizing him as someone in her year at Hogwarts. He asked her to dance and for a moment Carey contemplated it as she looked at her cards. “You know what? If you can beat me at a card game, I’ll dance, but if I win… we’ll continue playing cards, sound fair? It’s just, I’ve danced an awful lot today and I honestly don’t like this song that’s playing.”

[Ethan Jacobs G5]

The girl looked up and smiled. “You know what? If you can beat me at a card game, I’ll dance, but if I win… we’ll continue playing cards, sound fair? It’s just, I’ve danced an awful lot today and I honestly don’t like this song that’s playing.” Ethan smiled too, he loved a challenge.

"Ah, forget the dance, let's just play. I hate dancing, but the parents love to see me dancing with some girl. Whatever, what do you want to play?" Ethan sat down in the chair opposite her and waited. He noticed as she shuffled the cards that her face was a lot like that of Ezzie's. Why on earth had everything tonight remind him of her? He had never cared so much about one of his girlfriends, never constantly thinking about them. He had always just loved the company of a nice thing to look at. But Ezzie was different. She was special.

"So what house are you in? I know you're not a Gryff, otherwise you would be one of my ex-girlfriends right now." Ethan laughed a little. "You're not a Slytherin either, otherwise, you would have told me off right now for breathing, or something equally stupid." Ethan looked around at the various Slytherin families. The word "Pureblood" was often the first thing people thought about when they heard the word Slytherin, so obviously, there were many Slytherin families there. "So it's either Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw.."

((sorry for the short post...Low inspiration and all that..))

[Carey Brighton H5]

Carey smiled brightly when he said they could forget the dance. She picked up the cards and stacked them, riffle shuffling them with an ease and expertise that wasn’t very surprising to her. She thought a moment of a card game they could play. There was only two of them so any of the regular card games she’d play (Egyptian Rat Screw, Bollocks, Spoons, or Kemps) were completely out of the question. She frowned a moment before setting the cards down and reaching to her right a bit for a napkin. She placed it beside her and reached into her jacket for a pen. “Know how to play rummy?” Carey rather disliked the game, but it was the only one she could think of at the moment and while she was rather terrible at it… she figured it’d make for a good game while they talked. She started to deal ten cards to both of them as Ethan spoke, asking her about her house. Carey couldn’t help but smile as he assessed she wasn’t a Slytherin.

“I’m a Huff, through and through. Of course,” Carey said, drawing out the last word, “my brother was a Slytherin and my sister as well. I’m the odd ball of the family. Both of my parents were Slyths, too. I don’t know how I became placed in Hufflepuff, but,” Carey shrugged and smiled at Ethan, “I don’t mind.” She finished dealing ten cards to them and then set the next card of the deck face up before placing the rest of the deck next to it face down. She fanned her cards out in front of her and looked them over before smiling at Ethan again, “I’m Carey Brighton, by the way. My parents are the ones over there,” she leaned a bit to the left and pointed past him to her parents who were dancing but avoiding eye contact. She rolled her eyes, “Lovely couple, aren’t they?”

Her parents finished there dance and parted ways; her mother returning to the gaggle of gossiping women she had been in previously and her father returning to the business conversation he had been having before being forced to dance with his wife. Carey sighed slightly a moment before turning her gaze back to Ethan, “Right, then. You’re first. And I believe it’s my turn to ask a question; you’re in…” she eyed him a moment, taking in his appearance and the way he held himself. “Gryffindor.” she said with a certainty and a matter of fact nod.

[Ethan Jacobs G5]

She frowned a moment before setting the cards down and reaching to her right a bit for a napkin. She placed it beside her and reached into her jacket for a pen. “Know how to play rummy?” Ethan sighed.

"Not really, but you can teach me, can't you? You seem to be very experienced in the field of cards." She started talking about the house she was in when Ethan stared into her eyes, which looked so much like Ezzie's. He had to stop thinking about her so much, it wasn't healthy. I bet she doesn't think about me this much. Ethan thought.

“my brother was a Slytherin and my sister as well. I’m the odd ball of the family. Both of my parents were Slyths, too. I don’t know how I became placed in Hufflepuff, but,” The girl shrugged and smiled at Ethan, “I don’t mind.” She finished dealing ten cards to them and then set the next card of the deck face up before placing the rest of the deck next to it face down. She fanned her cards out in front of her and looked them over before smiling at Ethan again, “I’m Carey Brighton, by the way. My parents are the ones over there,” she leaned a bit to the left and pointed past him to her parents who were dancing but avoiding eye contact. She rolled her eyes, “Lovely couple, aren’t they?”

Ethan smirked. If anything, they looked like they were more upset to be at the club than Ethan did. If that was even possible anyway.

"They don't exactly look too thrilled to be here." Ethan smiled.

"Mine are over there, in the matching red uniforms." he said, pointing to the happy couple dancing together close by. He felt bad, looking at her family, compared with his. Everything seemed so great with his parents, whereas hers looked like they hated eachother.

Her parents finished there dance and parted ways; her mother returning to the gaggle of gossiping women she had been in previously and her father returning to the business conversation he had been having before being forced to dance with his wife. Carey sighed slightly a moment before turning her gaze back to Ethan, “Right, then. You’re first. And I believe it’s my turn to ask a question; you’re in…” she eyed him a moment, taking in his appearance and the way he held himself. “Gryffindor.” she said with a certainty and a matter of fact nod.

"Are you sure you're not a Ravenclaw?" He teased. "That was very smart, yes I am in Gryffindor." Ethan sighed, thinking about Ezzie's quick thinking and vast knowledge. "So how about those OWLS next year, not looking foward to those!" He laughed as he thought of cramming for the stupid exams.

"I'll probably get left back a year after OWLS, I almost did last yar, with my grades being so terrible." Ethan remembered the countless conversations he had with his head of house about stepping up on his school work. He had even lost a very large amount of precious Gryffindor house points for goofing off in class.

[Carey Brighton H5]

Carey laughed lightly and pushed her hair over her shoulder as she surveyed her cards again, "They were arguing before we arrived, no doubt over something completely petty. My mother tends to have this belief that the world reovlves around her and my father likes to challenge her on that. He probably told her that she shouldn't be gossiping at this event..." Carey raised her eyebrows, "Lot of good that did, yeah? Alright, rummy. I honestly don't know how to play it as well as I used to but we'll wing it. I think it should be fairly evenly matched with you not knowing how to play and me only knowing how to play a little..." She smiled and pointed at the deck that was face down on the table, "That's the Stack, you pull cards from there.. like you would for Go Fish," she now pointed to the card that was face up, "Thats the discard pile.. now, you can't draw from the discard pile... once the card is put down on the pile.. it stays there." Carey looked at her cards and then at Ethan, "You know what?" She stacked her cards and shook her head, "Let's just play go fish... it's not as complicated and I know I can win at that game." She smiled cheekily at him before reshuffling the cards. As she shuffled, she looked to where he had pointed previously at his parents. They looked happy. Carey tried to think of a time her parents had looked that happy. Probably before Mallory... Carey mentally shrugged. Oh, well.

When he confirmed that he was a Gryffindor with a teasing comment in her direction, Carey smiled and shrugged; "I'm not a Fluff for Brains Huff, Ethan. I'm rather clever. I just am more loyal than I am anything else, I believe that is why I was placed in Hufflepuff." Carey redealt the cards, 7 to each of them this time, and smiled at his mention of OWLs. She wasn't worried. She was actually slightly looking forward to the exams, but then again... Carey wasn't normal that way. When he said he'd probably have to repeat a year after the exams, Carey looked at him; "Well, that's a silly thought. Don't think so negatively," she shrugged, "Ever hear of the law of attraction? Some people believe that you get what you think, your thoughts determine your destiny. If you think you're going to win the lottery, then you might, but if you think you're going to lose... then you will." Carey thought about that, did she believe it? She believed in positive thinking... believing in yourself to do what you want or to the best of your abilities. But she didn't think she believed in things happening to you by your pure thought. Regardless, it was an interesting concept to think of.

"So, Ethan, do you have any fours?" She tilted her head and smiled at him. Go fish was a much simpler game than rummy. Straightforward and an easy win on some occasions. As she waited for his answer, she asked another question with her cards bent away from his view; "You mentioned ex-girlfriends. I take it you date a lot?" Carey rarely dated. It wasn't something she did. The idea of having a boyfriend was so completely over her head that she just never really went for it. She hadn't really had any crushes and she didn't really think about guys in general. Her mind was so full with other things that she just... didn't bother with boys. It was just another thing that separated her from other teenage girls her age.

[Ethan Jacobs G5]

"They were arguing before we arrived, no doubt over something completely petty. My mother tends to have this belief that the world reovlves around her and my father likes to challenge her on that. He probably told her that she shouldn't be gossiping at this event..." Carey raised her eyebrows, "Lot of good that did, yeah? Alright, rummy. I honestly don't know how to play it as well as I used to but we'll wing it. I think it should be fairly evenly matched with you not knowing how to play and me only knowing how to play a little..." Ethan was lost again. He started staring into her eyes again, it was like a portal to another world. A world where all Ethan thought about was Ezzie. He had remembered the first time they kissed. Ethan had kissed many girls before, his first real kiss being shortly after his second year. Ezzie was different though. The feling of her lips on his was just so touching, so meaningful. Not like the lustful kisses he received from his past girlfriends. Suddenly he remembered that this girl wasn't Ezzie, she was Carey. Ethan snapped out of his trance just in time to hear her suggest a game of go fish instead.

"Go Fish sounds perfect." He said, smiling. She dealt out seven cards this time, this time starting a new conversation.

"Ever hear of the law of attraction? Some people believe that you get what you think, your thoughts determine your destiny. If you think you're going to win the lottery, then you might, but if you think you're going to lose... then you will."

Ethan thought for a moment. "So if i say my girlfriend is actually going to talk to me for once, then she will?" Ethan smiled at the thought. In the middle of a conversation with Ezzie, she'd just tell him everything he had ever wanted to know about her. Like how her family got into such deep money troubles. Or what she was doing six of the seven days of the week. Or why her parents could care less that their daughter was singing in the middle of an extremely dangerous place, where she could be grabbed away at any moment of the day? Ethan hoped Carey was right about ths law, he figured he'd give it atry next time he saw her.

"So, Ethan, do you have any fours?" She tilted her head and smiled at him. "You mentioned ex-girlfriends. I take it you date a lot?"

"A person could say that. Normally, I have a new girlfriend every two weeks. That is, until I met Ezzie. She's my current girlfriend. She's special. I'm keeping her around for as long as I can, if she wants me anyway." Ethan looked through his deck. "No fours. Got Kings?" Ethan awaited her reply, but then thought of a question of his own.

"Do you date often?"

[Carey Brighton H5]

She shook her head, "It's not a definite. Just a might. If you think about it, it might happen. It's worth a shot, though, right? I mean, if you really want something that bad to focus on it... there must be something you're willing to do to get it." Carey shrugged, thinking herself into circles as they spoke. It was an interesting concept, yes, but still a rather confusing one and Carey wasn't in the mood to think too terribly deep at the moment. She ran her fingers through her hair as he answered her question about dating and nodded once. She had expected that type of answer. She was pleasantly surprised to hear he had found a steady girlfriend, however. There were so many flirts these days and girls were used up like toys. Of course, Carey knew that girls did the same thing with guys but it was usually the other way around and Carey was a rather strong feminist when it came to relationships. She had actually looked at her brother the other day and asked him aloud when he had become such a chauvinistic pig toward his girlfriends. Jeremy had scowled at her and pushed her aside calling her a rather foul name before moving back into the living room. Right, then, I've always known my brother was a git.

Carey pouted slightly when Ethan said he didn't have any fours and reached for a new card before placing it down in front of him; "Imagine that. Were you thinking you'd get one?" Carey smirked, "Any jacks? And... no.. I don't date often. It's just a lot of mess, you know? I mean, a lot of work and time that I just don't have right now." Carey smiled slightly and shrugged again as she rested back in her seat, looking around the mixer area for her parents again. They were back together, this time they looked semi-happy. Her mother was resting her head on her father's shoulder who had his arm around her. He caught his daughter's gaze and held it before Carey couldn't take it and looked back at Ethan. Her father was always a bit intimidating, but she knew there was really nothing to be intimidated by. There was just something behind his dark eyes that made Carey feel like she was six years old again and being held back by scarves as part of her etiquette training.

"Dating is..." Carey thought a moment, "... a luxury I can't afford. I'm always so busy. Either with my 'training' or school or whatever else my parents seem to think I need to do. In actuality, you are the first socialization I've had with someone from school all summer long. I've been pinned up in my house learning about some history of some pureblooded family compared to ours. Me being here? Yeah, I'm supposed to impress..." Carey looked around a moment before pointing to a rather large guy in dark navy robes, "that guy. Of course, I can't get close enough to him. He has his little entourage up around him like some barrier and I'm supposed to get to him to schmooze him up about our business. Yeah, right. Even I'm not that good." It was a rather cocky statement, but Carey wasn't afraid to admit that she was rather good at swaying people's opinions or votes to the side her father wanted them to be. No one could resist a young woman like her with a fiery temper and quick wit. If anything, they're rather impressed by her.

[Ethan Jacobs G5]

She shook her head, "It's not a definite. Just a might. If you think about it, it might happen. It's worth a shot, though, right? I mean, if you really want something that bad to focus on it... there must be something you're willing to do to get it." Ethan frowned.

"And to think I got my hopes up.." He said, shaking his head.

Carey pouted slightly when Ethan said he didn't have any fours and reached for a new card before placing it down in front of him; "Imagine that. Were you thinking you'd get one?" Carey smirked, "Any jacks? And... no.. I don't date often. It's just a lot of mess, you know? I mean, a lot of work and time that I just don't have right now."

Ethan smiled triumphantly as he picked up the card. "It's no work at all really." Ethan sighed and ran his fingers through his long black hair. "It actually depends on who you're dating. If it's someone you're not all that into, it's going to feel like work. If you find the right guy, I'm sure being in a relationship will be the best thing that ever happened to you." He smiled as he asked her for threes. He saw her glance back at her parents who seemed to be feeling a little happier now.

"I see your parents seem to be feeling better...I tell ya, dancing makes people tense, it always has."

"Dating is..." Carey thought a moment, "... a luxury I can't afford. I'm always so busy. Either with my 'training' or school or whatever else my parents seem to think I need to do. In actuality, you are the first socialization I've had with someone from school all summer long. I've been pinned up in my house learning about some history of some pureblooded family compared to ours. Me being here? Yeah, I'm supposed to impress..." Carey looked around a moment before pointing to a rather large guy in dark navy robes, "that guy. Of course, I can't get close enough to him. He has his little entourage up around him like some barrier and I'm supposed to get to him to schmooze him up about our business. Yeah, right. Even I'm not that good."

"I know I must sound like the biggest bad influence in the world right now, but if your parents trust you, then it should be no problem getting out of sticky situations like pureblood history." Ethan laughed as he remembered his father trying to teach him math.

"Just say you're going to Diagon Alley, and that there's a pureblooded young man from a respectable family who fancies you. Parents like yours will swallow that up like fish bait. And about your little friend over there, just give me his name, I'll take care of the rest. I'm an expert when it comes to mingling...I just hate doing it on a daily basis."

"All you've got to do to deal with parents is to give them something they want to hear, in exchange for something you want. You just don't tell them you're getting something in return."

[Carey Brighton H5]

Carey shrugged and looked at Ethan a moment as he spoke about dating. She looked thoughtful and then shrugged again. Perhaps he was right. Maybe dating wasn’t too much work if it was something that was enjoyed between two people. Then again, Carey had never had a relationship. Not with a boy, anyway. She had lots of friendships, relationships between family members (like Mal) or between friends (like Iris) but with a boy? Carey had always seen the terrible side of relationships. The side that had her friends crying in her arms after a fight or whatnot. She really just didn’t think she had anything in her to put up with someone ripping out her heart and trampling on it. “No threes, you must not have been thinking about how much you wanted it.” She smiled slightly at him before sinking lower in her seat. When he commented on her parents, Carey merely nodded. She knew it would only be another moment or so before they started arguing again, it was how it always went. Her father had been too dominating when they were married (or so her mother told her) but it was something that had attracted Angela to him. Now, he was over dominating and Angela would always try to put him in his place… failing miserably most times. “Oh, um, my turn isn’t it? Any queens?”

He said something about getting out of situations and Carey couldn’t hold the smile from her face. He was starting to sound more and more like Mallory, which was rather annoying but slightly amusing at the same time. She could never escape her older sister and Carey hated that. Yet wondered if it was a sign from some higher being. When he was finished, Carey twirled her hair around her finger a bit and shook her head slightly again; “My parents aren’t like that. They’re pure, true, and they try to get me to be the ideal daughter, but they aren’t looking for me to get into any relationships anytime soon. I was raised and trained to take over the family business when my father dies because my older sister Mallory is completely incapable of doing it and my older brother thinks he runs the world as it is. My mother tries to set me up on dates and such but in the end she has no say in where I go or what I do; my father does. She just likes to remind me that I have no life of my own unless I’m at school, and that list bit was added by me. They think I’m doing something equally as pure at school as I am when I’m at home.” Carey shrugged here, wondering how she sounded talking her head off about her family.

“Anyway, the guy’s name is Julian Markens. He runs this really big company that deals in…” She trailed off in thought, what was it? Nothing to do with jokes, nor candies, something to do with books, wasn’t it? Or maybe it was Quick Notes Quills… Yes, that was it… “Quick Notes Quills. He’s currently trying to trade his company off to another high company but there are a lot of companies out there who want his. My father has been trying for months to get him to agree to hand it off to us, but he hasn’t been able to. Mr. Markens seems to think my father has a certain arrogant air around him that he doesn’t like… it probably reminds him too much of himself.” Carey tucked her hair behind her ear and looked at Ethan before continuing, “Here’s where I step in. After another unsuccessful attempt at getting Markens to sign over his company to the Brighton account, my father mentioned it to me and I talked about how Markens might be a more family oriented man. And… well, he had lunch with Markens, mentioned me to him, and the next thing I knew I’m getting drilled on the history of the Markens industries and being told to be on his good side.”

Carey looked over at the man again and shuddered involuntarily. Sometimes she really wished she could be like Mallory and break free from the life her parents had bestowed upon her from her birth. But then she always would think of the disappointment her parents would face and she just hated disappointed them. She looked back at Ethan and smiled, “I’m just worried he’ll ask me to dance, and unlike you… I can’t challenge him to a game of cards instead.”

[Ethan Jacobs G5]

“No threes, you must not have been thinking about how much you wanted it.” She smiled slightly at him before sinking lower in her seat. Ethan picked up a card from the deck. Nothing he needed.

“Oh, um, my turn isn’t it? Any queens?”

After Ethan's comment about getting out of sticky situations, Carey said something to make him wonder. “My parents aren’t like that. They’re pure, true, and they try to get me to be the ideal daughter, but they aren’t looking for me to get into any relationships anytime soon. I was raised and trained to take over the family business when my father dies because my older sister Mallory is completely incapable of doing it and my older brother thinks he runs the world as it is. My mother tries to set me up on dates and such but in the end she has no say in where I go or what I do; my father does. She just likes to remind me that I have no life of my own unless I’m at school, and that list bit was added by me. They think I’m doing something equally as pure at school as I am when I’m at home.”

"Well that's strange...my grandparents are on very close terms with your family, and they were trying to get my older sister married to some pureblood guy before she even got accepted to Hogwarts! But I guess that's the old fashioned way of doing things. Back then it was all about keeping the family tree pure, now I guess business is the highest priority."

“Anyway, the guy’s name is Julian Markens. He runs this really big company that deals in…” Carey paused to think. “Quick Notes Quills. He’s currently trying to trade his company off to another high company but there are a lot of companies out there who want his. My father has been trying for months to get him to agree to hand it off to us, but he hasn’t been able to. Mr. Markens seems to think my father has a certain arrogant air around him that he doesn’t like… it probably reminds him too much of himself.”

Ethan laughed. "Yup, that's the Markens for you. They hate agreeing with people." Ethan chuckled. "Yea, I'm the top of the food chain around these pureblood people. It's kind of annoying really. Mum runs this major business, she's the nicest person you could imagine, she's just not around much. The only reason the Jacobs family is so popular is because of mum's job. If they still set so much store by purity, I wouldn't be here." Ethan stopped to take a bite of his food, which had magically appeared out of nowhere. "Mum was a half blood, but everyone thinks she's pure. She doesn't have the guts to tell them no, otherwise her business would be in the toilets." Ethan realized he probably shouldn't have said this, but he trusted Carey to keep his mother's secret. "Dad's pure, but he hates all this pureblood nonsense." Ethan got up from his chair.

"I'll be right back. I'm about to win your daddy dearest those quills." Ethan smiled as he walked over to the crowd surrounding Julian. They separated at once, leaving Julian to look at him, grinning.

"Ethan, where have you been all this time?"

"Ah, I've been talking to that Brighton girl over there."

"Oh, is she your new girl?" He said, nudging him in the arm and laughing. This boy was seriously annoying, but if he was helping out a friend..it didn't matter.

"Nah, I've got one back home, but that's not the point. She's been wanting to talk to you all night, why don't you let me introduce her to you?"

"I've been trying to get near that chick all night, but that dad of hers scares me, and not a lot of things do. Do you think I should ask her to dance?"

"Nah, her feet are tired. Why don't you just have a chat with her? I'll be there too, in case you need some help."

"Alright, I'll be there." He said, following Ethan back to the table. Julian took the seat across from Carey, and Ethan sat next to him. He waited for Carey to work her persuasive magic. With her father around her house, she had to be good at that. Ethan remembered how he had persuaded his mother to donate some supplies to his business. He smiled as the two conversed.

[Carey Brighton H5]

Purity. Carey groaned and rolled her eyes, “Yeah, that’s terrible. My parents tried that with Mal, but Mallory’s always been… a bit odd? She’s very free spirited, kind of like my mother was before she met my father.” She looked at her cards and then sighed, stacking them on the table in front of her again as Ethan spoke. He was talking about his mother and Carey couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows, impressed. She smiled at him and twirled her hair around her finger again as her leg bopping up and down as she listened. His mother sounded like the woman Carey wanted to be. Kind, but very successful as well. And if her parents had their way, she would be. If she had her way, she’d be kind, too. Not just successful, and certainly not ruthless like her father. She looked up suddenly when Ethan stood, opening her mouth to protest to him getting Markens, but stopping herself when he was already walking away. Carey let out a small sigh and started to pack up the cards, readying herself for anything that might happen. Ethan came back with Julian beside him and they both took a seat across from her. She looked at Ethan, smiled weakly, and then turned to Julian, “Hi, I’m Ca-…”

“Carey Brighton, yes, your father’s spoken of you quite a bit.” Carey managed her sweetest smile and shrugged modestly before looking him directly in the eye and pouncing.

“Well, then, you must also know my father likes to use me for his bidding that he has failed.” She raised her eyebrows as Julian looked a bit taken aback before continuing with a smile, “Now, we’ve been trying for three months to get you to sign over at least a portion of your company onto our account and you’ve avoided us quite expertly, I must say. I wonder, how is it that you’ve avoided my mother’s rampaging phone calls and my father’s debonair in the boardroom?” Julian stammered a bit, looking at Ethan before turning back to Carey and leaning forward, his hands rested on the table.

“Carey…”

“Miss Brighton, please.”

“Erm, Miss Brighton, as I’ve stated to your father and to your mother numerous times over… our company has no reason to merge with your fathers. Your father’s company deals in potions, and I’ve heard some rather da-…”

“All rumours of dark magic and/or items, Mr. Markens are strictly that… rumours. The Ministry of Magic have done thorough searches of my father’s business and have found nothing incriminating. With that said, as I know my father has told you ‘numerous times over’ why have you denied my father’s company a merging agreement?” Carey knew she was like a bull when she was in business mode, but she couldn’t help it. It was the way she had been trained. She was aware of her father’s gaze on her from across the dance floor, but she didn’t dare look away from Julian. Direct eye contact was key to a good business meeting.

Julian looked to Ethan again and managed a nervous chuckle, “She’s quite headstrong, isn’t she? Alright, Miss Brighton, what is it exactly your father wants to own?”

Carey smiled brightly and leaned forward a bit in her chair, “Simply half of what you get for your quills. Not the quick notes quills, because that is simply absurd and I’m sure my father would agree with me on that – but the regular ones. Particularly the pink ones, for my mother’s delight. We will quadruple the amount you’re making now, if we sell it with our merchandise.” Julian looked like he was considering this a moment and then nodded slowly.

“Alright, have your father send over the paperwork on Monday and I’ll have my attorney look over it. I admire your attitude, Miss Brighton.” Carey smiled and nodded her head in acknowledgement as Julian stood from his seat and turned to shake hands with Ethan before shaking hands with Carey. He said a farewell and walked back to his entourage, allowing Carey to deflate in her seat and let out a deep breath. She sat like that for a moment, letting the feeling of winning settle over her like she always did. After a minute or so, she smiled a slow smile and looked at Ethan, “Thank you, my father will be very pleased that I landed that account for him, I’ll make sure to mention your assistance.”

[Ethan Jacobs G5]

Julian had barely enough time to sit down before Carey pounced. She was no longer the girl that had pursuaded him to play cards with her, she was a business tycoon in the making. She never let her guard down, leaving Julian quite speachless. He had to admire her persistance, for she stopped at nothing. She was surely the daughter of David Brighton, for Carey had the same exact business tactics her father did. He remembered the night when he had visited their house for dinner. Mum had made a nice, homecooked meal, expecting small talk, politics, family life, and possibly a little business in the middle. She was quite wrong. Ethan, who was eight at the time, knew the man was there for business only from the moent he walked through the door. (He eventually got what he wanted by the end of the night.)

Julian had surely not expected this. Carey had caught him completely off guard, which was the key point in her plan. She had to make sure he was not expecting the talk, so he had no time to think of an alternative to what Carey was suggesting. He kept glancing at Ethan, silently pleading for him to end it. Ethan pretended he hadn't noticed as Carey charged on. It seemed perhaps, that Julian had finally managed speach, and said with a nervous chuckle,

“She’s quite headstrong, isn’t she?" Ethan chuckled a little too,, careful not to interrupt Carey's speach. Finally, they both rose from their seats and shook hands. Carey had succeeded. She had won whatever it was her father wanted her to get.

Ethan stumbled, clutching his chest as if she had stabbed him with a knife.

"WHOA! I think you just blew me away with those amazing business skills! Your father is no joke, huh?" Ethan laughed.

"It looked like Markens was about to wet his pants, with the attitude you gave him. That guy was scared."

“Thank you, my father will be very pleased that I landed that account for him, I’ll make sure to mention your assistance.”

"Ah, no problem! Just come to my party next Saturday, and it will all be worth it. That is...if you can get your parents to let you go. But by the looks of it, you'll be able to persuade them in your sleep!" Ethan laughed and took a seat.