31 December, 1891 — Hogsmeade NYE Festivities, Padmore Park

The only reason Ford was here and not at a fancy party tonight was because going to a party increased the chances that he'd have to interact with either Macnair or his wife. Of course Verity wanted to be somewhere fancy, because even with a marriage in two weeks she still wanted to see and be seen in society, but Noble had graciously agreed to chaperone tonight so that Ford didn't have to. An outdoor festival that was open to anyone who wanted to wander by seemed like the last place someone in the Lestrange/Macnair extended family would be found tonight, so that was where Ford had decided to be. His second decision of the night had been to get a little too drunk, and while he hadn't accomplished that one yet he was off to a good start. It wasn't often that he did this, but this was the last night of the year and after everything that had happened this year — even after everything that had happened this month — he felt he deserved it.

A sort-of-friend from another department in the Ministry had goaded him into going ice-skating, so Ford was off on a quest for skates when he ran into Tycho. This seemed like the ideal distraction from his current quest; he wasn't sure ice-skating was really the best idea after two and a half drinks, anyway. Hopefully the acquaintance who'd wanted him to join in wouldn't be too disappointed (probably he'd already forgotten; he'd had more to drink than Ford had and Ford wasn't the only person he was trying to cajole into joining).

"Happy new year," he said brightly. "I didn't expect you here. Thought you'd be invited to some of the fancier parties tonight."

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