Why Ever Not? (open - pls join)

[Drake Bass]

It hadn't been difficult to know what to do when he woke this morning, it was a warm sunny summer day and Drake had headed straight down to check out Hogsmeade.

He had been very pleasantly surprised and had even picked up a few items here and there. Now he was contemplating a drink and was headed towards the Three broomsticks. His arms full of packages, Drake noticed his lace was untied and he stopped in the street to tie them up.

[Oryn Vance]

As he stooped down to tie his laces, a shadow fell over him, as somebody stopped directly behind him. Oryn waited until the other boy looked up to say anything out loud. "Well, hurry up. I can't buy you a drink if you keep kneeling in the road all day."

[Drake Bass]

'Ah, Vance, fancy meeting you when I am in the mood for a beverage!' Drake chuckled and rose to his feet, collecting his parcels he greeted his friend.

'What are you doing out and about? Didn't hear you get in until early this morning..' Drake smiled and winked. 'Not tired out then?'

[Oryn Vance]

Oryn chuckled. "No, I had a long day and a quiet night. Quite a useful way to manage things when you can," he said. "And how have you been? Not keeping yourself too busy, I hope." He opened the door to the Three Broomsticks, letting the other boy enter first.

[Drake Bass]

Drake chuckled again at his friends banter and made his way to a table in the corner. The sort that screamed 'VIP' in large neon letters. Casually he swung into his chair and threw his bags underneath.

'I have had an encounter with a housemate of ours, via his leggy and attractive wife.' Drake smiled lopsidedly at the memory. 'Though why anyone would want a wife at our age I have no idea.'

[Oryn Vance]

Oryn chuckled, then shrugged. "An arranged marriage, possibly?" he suggested. "Or perhaps there were financial or political reasons to not put it off? But ah, who knows, and I quite agree. There is more than enough time to be married without doing it in school. So... what sort of 'encounter' are we speaking of, here? The sort where he walks up to you and accuses you of trying to seduce his wife and then proceeds to embarrass himself in a display of 'impressive' stupidity?"

[Drake Bass]

'Why, the very same!' Drake motioned for the waiter to come and take their order with a sharp gesture. It was one that spoke volumes about the giver and their level of expectation in being obeyed. 'Though the fool waited until after I informed her that I didn't involve myself with married women. After all, one does have to save something until after graduation...' Drake chuckled again.

[Oryn Vance]

Oryn laughed. "After all, let's be honest, who really expects to encounter a married woman among the student body?" He picked up his drink and took a sip. "Of course, you realize that now he's put the challenge forth."

[Drake Bass]

'I do Indeed. The fool was better off leaving me alone I had lost interest already. Now I am just set a challenge.' Drake shook his head and took a sip of his drink. 'There are several things that I have noted that may be of use later on. She was practically gagging over a few compliments - the man is a fool if he thinks he can keep a woman like that placated without stroking her ego.'

Drake paused considering.

'Is taking his wife enough though? I have territory to mark here..'

[Oryn Vance]

"Hmmm... no, I don't suppose that it is enough," Oryn agreed. "However, it is a good place to start. When you don't have very much on an opponent, you use the tools that you have available to you, and do your best to unearth other ones over time." He sipped his drink again. "So should I assume that this means that you were getting on rather well with her until he decided to make his presence known?"

[Drake Bass]

'That is a question that I have been pondering. My belief is that as soon as she knew he was in the area she turned on the cold tap.' Drake mused. 'She was a lot more fiery than the usual princess but I believe that she was rather enjoying the attention.'

Drake lent back in his chair, today he was dressed in pinstripe gray slacks, a white button up shirt and a tartan scarf. Casually he flicked his scarf back over his shoulder, a study in nonchalance.

'Though I am loathe to do anything until I make some further inquiries... What do you know about Aiden Kinney, Vance?' Drake trusted his friend and knew that this was the go-to man for information. If he didn't know the answer he would find out...

[Oryn Vance]

"Nothing much, yet. He mostly keeps to his brother in Ravenclaw, and a rather tight crowd. That's not to say, of course, that we can't find anything out." He considered it for a moment, then spoke up again. "Granted, it might be just as useful to learn about his little wife as it is to learn about him. Did you catch her name, by any chance?"

[Drake Bass]

'That would be one Adia Kinney. Used to be a Tait. Sharp looking little brunette, nice legs.' Drake took another mouthful of his drink. 'I think it can never hurt to be to thorough with these things.'

He took out a small parcel that he had stowed away in one of his bags.

'Because we are worth it.' he threw the package of expensive liquor to Oryn. '..consider it our evening tipple.' Drake chuckled.

[Oryn Vance]

Oryn caught the package, looked in it, then smiled and held it up in a sort of salute to the other boy. "Tait... tait..." Oryn thought about this for a moment. "I think there's a Tait in our house," he said. "I can't say that I know him... Like I said, they have quite a tightly-knit little group. But it's another place to start. After all... if we start with their friends and family and work our way out, we have to run into someone who doesn't like them and is more than willing to run their mouth about them."

[Drake Bass]

'I like your style Vance, though that shirt leaves much to be desired.' Drake chuckled again, 'I guess if you are going for that whole So Cool He Doesn't Care thing - then it works..' he winked at his friend.

'I see this will be a work in progress, a real project...' Drake stared into his drink and then looked at his friend with a gleam in his eye. 'What can I do to distract myself in the interim do you suppose?'