I taste a liquor never brewed –
From Tankards scooped in Pearl –
Not all the Frankfort Berries
Yield such an Alcohol!
Inebriate of air – am I –
And Debauchee of Dew –
Reeling – thro’ endless summer days –
From inns of molten Blue –
When ‘Landlords’ turn the drunken Bee
Out of the Foxglove’s door –
When Butterflies – renounce their ‘drams’ –
I shall but drink the more!
Wednesday always presented a conundrum. Well into the work week, it was tempting to erase any memory of the grinding hours in the Ministry with alcohol. Probably not as efficient as being Obliviated, but generally more fun an experience as a whole. But it also meant at least two more days in their offices, so drinking after work was either a foolish or impressively foolhardy choice.
But in this late Wednesday afternoon, London Alchemy had a surprisingly robust crowd, mostly made up of Ministry folk tempted to take on the Wednesday challenge. It was strange how much people wanted nothing more than to get away from each other during the day, but once they punched out, they couldn’t help but invite each other out for dinners and well-deserved libations. Jonathan Sr couldn’t help but chuckle at his observations. Wizards you couldn’t stand in a meeting were wonderful company outside the office. Without having to worry about the pecking order and gilded walls of the Ministry, positions and ranks gave way to boozy camaraderie. That was a good thing. And with so much turbulence swirling about, not just here but in Ministries the world over, Jon Sr counted it a blessing they were not quite so divided.
Of course, it also helped that the canteen rumour spread quickly that London Alchemy was running an open bar that day, so even if people detested each other, they’d tolerate each other’s faces for free liquor. Nevermind that Jon Sr was the one to spread the rumour himself, having dropped a pretty pile of galleons for the pre-planned occasion. But that part hadn’t been disclosed. Why ruin the fun with the knowledge that this was a pseudo-Ministry sanctioned event? Certain lies by omission were sometimes better than the full truth.
In any case, at this point few cared to ask why the pub was running an open bar, not after several rounds were had and the phonograph turned to play the latest Banshee record. Things were going well, and when Jon Sr was satisfied at his present glance about the room, gauging that the vibe was still in good spirits, he turned his attention back to his original attention.
‘And this is an April Rickey,’ he pronounced, as he garnished a tall glass with a lime wedge. He was behind the bar, showing one of the bartenders a series of cocktails along with a few young Officials. He had been sorely disappointed to learn that the two barmen on duty were fairly new and weren’t comfortable with deviations from popular fare of mixes. And after a cursory look at their shelves, Jon Emerson had summoned several bottles from his home to compensate for the lack of top-shelf choices.
So with his sleeves rolled up, the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic wound up becoming the third barman for the evening. An hour into his present role, he was having a hearty laugh with some interns as they experimented with new drinks and shared their workplace woes. Jon Sr was very good about separating what went on after they clocked out. He had built his career from the bottom up, and knew exactly what these fresh recruits were going through. And as long as they showed up the next morning as professional as they could present themselves to be, there was no harm in the ribbings he got from them in the present setting.
He moved on to trading moonshine shots with one brash intern from the Department of Magical Games and Sports, mentally noting that he would drink this lad under the table for challenging him to a drinking match. They were served another and another until the young man burped half of the shot out of his mouth, drooling over his robes. A din of howls and laughter proceeded, and Jon Sr took that as a sign of victory. He patted another intern on the back, saying ‘The youth today! All bark and no bite. Take care of him will you? And make sure he comes to work on time tomorrow to see me in my office first thing.’
The Emerson patriarch liked seeing people with bravado. If he really could come to work without feeling like he’d been run by a lorry, he might be worth keeping an eye on. Another intern threw in her name for a match, and Jon Sr grinned. He’d oblige her later, but he wanted to check in with a few more individuals. In his periphery, he noted a young man whose name had been on his list for quite some time.
‘Mr Weasley!’ he greeted him. ‘Very glad to have you join us. Care to join me in punishing our livers, or will you be acting as our responsible parent for the evening?’
@Percival Ignatius Weasley 
