March 15th, 1891 — Around 7PM — North Bartonburg, Near the Greengrass Home

It had taken Ben a while to recover from his conversation with November, but he expected it would take her a lot longer, so he'd sent an owl to Aldous to let him know that things had gotten a bit out of hand. He regretted it, now, but he didn't think November would be very interested in hearing anything he had to say on the subject at this point, so maybe Aldous could smooth things over. In the meantime, Ben had other fires to contend with — he still hadn't talked to Melody about the article. He'd waited until dinner, just in case she was feeling well enough to come down, especially since it was only a few minutes to wait by the time he'd finished writing Aldous. She hadn't come down, though, so Ben had gone up to her room in search of his wife.

She was asleep, and he was torn on how to proceed. He knew she hadn't been sleeping well, so he didn't want to wake her if this was the first moment of peace she'd been able to find in several days... but it was dinner time, and he didn't know how long she'd been asleep, and she had to eat something. He hesitated at the door to her room until he saw a copy of Witch Weekly discarded near her bed, with his face staring up from the cover. She'd seen, then. If she'd already read the article he didn't think he could just leave her sleeping and put off this conversation indefinitely; he needed to talk to her, to start assessing the damage so that he could decide how he needed to move forward. So he'd called her name, softly, and when that didn't wake her he'd gone to sit on the edge of her bed. He'd held her hand in his and repeated her name, and she still didn't stir. That was when he'd begun to realize that something was wrong.

She wouldn't wake up. No matter what he did, she wouldn't wake up. He'd turned on every light in her room and yelled her name and sat her up in bed and shaken her shoulders, and she didn't so much as react. For one heart-stopping moment he thought that she was dead, but of course she wasn't. Her body was warm in his arms, and she was still breathing. She was sleeping, she just wouldn't wake up. His mind was racing, and he was already weighing the merits of taking her to the Irvingly Infirmary (quicker) or the Hogsmeade Hospital (more experienced healers, more resources, maybe they could do something the Infirmary couldn't) when he saw the empty potion vial on her nightstand.

Fuck.

He didn't want to leave Melody like this, but he was aware that he clearly wasn't doing much for her at the moment. Nothing he was doing seemed to have any impact on her, and her condition didn't seem to be changing — for better or for worse. There had clearly been something the matter with that potion, because it wasn't supposed to be like this, and maybe if he knew exactly what was wrong with it, he could do something to help her. That was the logical reason that he headed for the floo to The Three Broomsticks, anyway; the emotional reason was that he wanted to find Noble Greengrass and beat the living shit out of him.

He hadn't actually met Noble Greengrass before, because their business deal had been conducted entirely through post, but he had his address. He headed to the appropriate street, stewing in so much anger he would not have been surprised to find that it had manifested as a literal storm cloud over his head as he stalked through the neighborhood.

"Hey!" he yelled to a likely-looking fellow. "Greengrass?"

OOC: Open to a MC male in the 20-35 age range, preferably someone who lives in North Bartonburg; this is a plot-important thread so I would appreciate priority posts! It will also eventually be a group thread; 2 days/2 posts rule!

The following 2 users Like Reuben Crouch's post:2 users Like Reuben Crouch's post
   Arthur Pettigrew, Melody Crouch

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MJ made this <3

Elmer had been visiting a friend at North Bartonburg that day. He had just been leaving their home, when someone called a familiar name - Greengrass. It was the man who had visited his shop, with the good taste in poetry.

Elmer turned and realized he had been calling him by that name. He also recognized the angry looking man as one of November's brothers.

"I'm afraid I'll disappoint you, my friend," Elmer replied calmly with a smile.

  

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Lynn cropped this avatar for me and even added a border and I'm very appreciative for that. Love you Lynn.

Accosting random passersby on the street who might or might not have been Noble Greengrass was not a particularly useful or even sane thing to do, and Ben hadn't really been planning on it, but something about this response made him irrationally angry. Maybe it was the tone, like they were supposed to be friends or something. Like nothing was wrong. Like the whole world wasn't fucking burning around him. Maybe it was the words themselves, the use of the term my friend or the implication that Ben would be disappointed like this was — some sort of fucking joke to him, when Melody wasn't waking up and she might very well be dying and it was all going to be too much for the baby and here was this guy just — just existing and smiling and suddenly Ben didn't really care what was useful or rational or sane, he just wanted to punch his stupid fucking face.

He closed the distance between them quickly and grabbed the other man's lapel in his fist, pulling him close. "Are you fucking with me?" he demanded, without really explaining what he meant by this question.

The following 1 user Likes Reuben Crouch's post:1 user Likes Reuben Crouch's post
   Melody Crouch

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MJ made this <3

Woah.

Elmer was started to be sure. He wasn't much of a fighter but he also didn't get alerted easily. Maybe it was because he'd had some wine at his friend's house, that Elmer replied before thinking:

"Different Crouch I'd rather fuck."

The following 2 users Like Elmer Macmillan's post:2 users Like Elmer Macmillan's post
   Melody Crouch, November Malfoy

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Lynn cropped this avatar for me and even added a border and I'm very appreciative for that. Love you Lynn.

These words struck Ben like a blow. His eyes widened, and he realized where he recognized this smug fucking face from: this was that weird guy who'd invited his sister to that theater thing, years ago. He'd had to sit through it with her because her husband was unable to attend for the evening and it had been fairly miserable and boring, but — yeah, this guy was fucking weird, and Ben had thought at the time that he was being a little too fawning over Nova, and now he'd just —

This was not the thing Ben was supposed to be dealing with right now. He was supposed to be finding Noble Greengrass, because Melody was at home and she wasn't waking up and she needed him, she needed answers. But he also couldn't just — just let this cad say that.

"The fuck," he hissed, recovering himself enough to shove the other man's lapel away from him as though he'd suddenly realized he was touching something very dirty.

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   Aldous Crouch, Melody Crouch, November Malfoy

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MJ made this <3

The push had been forceful enough that Elmer took a few steps back in his attempts to keep his balance. His heart had started beating faster but he still hadn't realized the gravity of the situation.

He smiled at Ben Crouch. "Why don't you relax, my friend? Grab a beer?"

  

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Lynn cropped this avatar for me and even added a border and I'm very appreciative for that. Love you Lynn.

Alright, what the actual fuck? Ben had been trying to shake him off, hoping that if he scrambled away he could go back to his search for Noble Greengrass and just shove all of that, what he'd just said and what it implied about Ben's sister, into a little box in the back of his mind to be opened and dissected at some later point. He hadn't expected this idiot to stay close enough for him to smack him, or for him to say anything else. And he just — had he just had the gall to suggest that Ben relax? Had he just — had he just fucking asked him to get a drink, after he had just — sort of implied that Ben had been after him sexually, which was weird but also not the point, and also implied that he wanted to fuck Ben's sister, which was — also not the point, the point was that Melody was dying, but Ben was finding it harder and harder to keep that in mind when this guy with his exceptionally punchable face was still here.

"Ahh!" Ben roared, because he was beyond words at this point. He launched himself at Macmillan with both hands scrambling for this idiot's neck, with full intent to just fucking strangle him in the street.

The following 1 user Likes Reuben Crouch's post:1 user Likes Reuben Crouch's post
   Elmer Macmillan

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MJ made this <3

This was the natural course of events. Perhaps a part of Elmer had wanted to provoke Ben Crouch. The idea of them having a street brawl was an entertaining one, until Crouch's hands were around Elmer's neck.

He wasn't much of a fighter, but his natural self preserving instincts kicked in and drove Elmer's knee towards Crouch's lower stomach.

  

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Lynn cropped this avatar for me and even added a border and I'm very appreciative for that. Love you Lynn.

Charles had just come from visiting his new house on Minister's Avenue (yes, the street name had been a strong selling point) and thought he'd take a walk to get an idea of the area. The worst thing about the house was its proximity to Bartonburg, but at least it was nicer part to the north.

At least he'd thought North Bartonburg was supposed to be the classier side but apparently it wasn't. He'd been walking for five minutes at most and stumbled across a street brawl! Thank god Miss Lestrange wasn't here to see this, he'd probably feel compelled to sell the house. If it hadn't been for the affluent housing he'd have assumed he'd accidentally stumbled into the slums!

He gave the fight a wide berth but the street was only so wide and despite his best efforts to avoid making eye contact with the men - more like animals - he couldn't help but snatch glances and was that Elmer?! He stopped to properly double take at the scene. Yes, that was Elmer and which lucky fellow had his little brother in a chokehold? Wasn't that Reuben Crouch? The irony was not lost on him. Oh this was priceless, he wouldn't have believed it if he wasn't seeing it with his own eyes.

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   Aldous Crouch, Elon Wildsmith, Melody Crouch, Reuben Crouch, Roberto Devine

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Ben took the knee to his stomach and doubled over, but still had a firm grasp on Macmillan's neck, so the other man was doubling over too. Ben shook him viciously, still filled with too much anger to process. It wasn't just the comment about Ben's sister, because while that would have made him angry, it wouldn't have been this sort of blind rage. Ben cared about Nova, but she wasn't in danger of anything — she was a respectable married woman, and this guy was just some weasely loser with the complexion of a vampire. He wouldn't have let him get away with saying shit like that under any circumstances, but it normally wouldn't have been cause for street brawling. With everything else going on, though, it was — like he was existing here on purpose, and that was highly offensive to Ben. There wasn't a way to explain it, except that how dare he be here with that stupid smug face and his lazy questions and his idiotic smiles when Melody was maybe dying? How dare he be making comments about Ben's sister when Ben didn't have the capacity for this right now, when his child might be dying and he didn't have the time to beat the shit out of some idiot with a crush on his sister?

"I'm not fucking looking for you," he spat, though he did not let go. "What the fuck are you even doing here, saying shit like that? I'm looking for fucking Greengrass."

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   Melody Crouch

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MJ made this <3

Thanks to his sexual experiences, Elmer had a heightened endurance for choking, but it was still not pleasant to be dragged by the neck like that. His head had begun to hurt from being deprived oxygen like that.

"You've got the wrong guy, mate," Elmer replied weakly. With his remaining strength he took another kick - this time to Ben Crouch's private area.

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   Angie Swan, Melody Crouch

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Lynn cropped this avatar for me and even added a border and I'm very appreciative for that. Love you Lynn.

Unsurprisingly Elmer didn't seem to be dominating the fight but then if he was anything good at defending himself then Charles probably wouldn't have tormented him when they were growing up. It sounded as though Crouch was seething and Elmer had picked a fight like the pathetic little idiot that he was and- Charles winced. It was just like Elmer to for a low blow as if Crouch was actually a threat to his life. It was almost embarrassing.

It occurred to him that if anyone saw him watching his brother get strangled to death it would probably reflect very poorly on him and waiting for Elmer to get bloodied was not worth it. "Elmer!" He shouted his brother's name but hopefully not so loudly as to attract too much attention to the scene. "Elmer, leave Crouch alone, you little flea! While you're on the ground you can have a look for your dignity." Technically it was Crouch grabbing Elmer but he figured his intervention would enough to see Crouch let go of him. If he had to ask the man to unhand his brother it would be a little too close to defending the little runt for his liking.

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The following 2 users Like Charles Macmillan's post:2 users Like Charles Macmillan's post
   Angelica Selwyn, Reuben Crouch

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There was a kerfuffle on the street near his house, Noble noticed as he turned the corner, immediately having decided that this wasn't any of his business. He was just going to walk past and go inside and hopefully learn nothing about it, and it was only the sound of his own surname that got him to pause.

Then the shorter man was splayed on the ground and the taller one was being hauled away from another man, and Noble wavered - there was, technically, nothing stopping him from going on. But if this guy was publicly looking for a Greengrass, well -

"I'm Greengrass. One of them, at least," he announced, wary.

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The following 2 users Like Noble Greengrass's post:2 users Like Noble Greengrass's post
   Elmer Macmillan, Reuben Crouch

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set by Bee

Angie didn't frequent North Bartonburg often, but she did have a contact whose company she enjoyed every once in a while and then fancied herself a walk back to the High Street to meet up with a different friend for dinner.

That was until she came across a Merlin-forsaken brawl in the middle of the street.

She could identify approximately one person in the middle of the kerfuffle, but he'd been in enough hot water lately.

"Gentlemen!" She shouted as she hurried up. It wasn't often that Angie wore dresses these days, but certain activities were easier in them than pants... Regardless the costume was going to help her case at this very moment. "This is hardly any way to act in the middle of of a residential street!" She looked pointedly between them, moving to get into the middle of the scuffle, but she was hoping some of their sexist senses of chivalry would get them to knock it the fuck off.

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The following 2 users Like Angie Swan's post:2 users Like Angie Swan's post
   Cassius Lestrange, Elmer Macmillan

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Macmillan's knee making contact with his crotch had sent Ben to the ground, and had finally gotten him to let go of the other man's neck, though not before he had pulled him about eighty percent of the way down as well. He hit the cobblestones and felt his breath knocked out of him, and it took a minute to reorient himself. Macmillan was saying something stupid — obviously he wasn't Greengrass, and Ben knew that, but it didn't mean he had any less of a desire to just fucking murder him in the street at the moment. But other people were here now, so he probably shouldn't. Someone was calling out to Macmillan (someone who apparently recognized both of them), a woman was calling out to them generally, and —

Ben pushed himself into a sitting position and tried to find the source of that other voice. His eyes settled on an unfamiliar young man — young being the operative word, because really in any other circumstance Ben might have thought he was just a kid. At the moment, though, it didn't matter.

"Noble Greengrass?" he asked, voice wavering with tension. His body was tense, too, ready to pounce on this kid once he got the confirmation he was looking for, spectators and women (was that Angie fucking Swan?) and consequences aside.

  

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MJ made this <3

Ben Crouch had sent Elmer to the ground as well, though at least he had released his grip around his neck.

The scene had gained a theatrical turn. Charles was there of all people, some lady and a Greengrass, though not the one Elmer had met at his shop.

"You shouldn't have said that, chap!" Elmer called out towards Noble (?) Greengrass. "I think he wants to kill you."

The following 2 users Like Elmer Macmillan's post:2 users Like Elmer Macmillan's post
   Melody Crouch, Reuben Crouch

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Lynn cropped this avatar for me and even added a border and I'm very appreciative for that. Love you Lynn.