Blast, of course he had escaped the hospital only to walk, if not under the hooves of some vicious horses, then right into the clutches of law enforcement. Never mind that he hadn’t done anything wrong – she had an owl’s eyes on him now.

And she had ordered two Butterbeers. (Both for him? Aubrey didn’t think so, because she had sat.)

“Not going to,” he said, tilting his head at her. “Think I like being free, thanks.” The Butterbeer smelled sweet and overpowering, and they hadn’t served it at the hospital. He thought about lifting the glass, but wasn’t convinced of his own coordination yet, so instead he planted his hands on the bar, and leant his face forwards over the glass to lap the liquid up with his tongue, his nose skimming the foam.

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Formerly known as Davis, Elijah Urquart's pet hedgehog.

Ivy's eyebrows drew together; she watched the man lap pathetically at the butterbeer like he was some sort of cat. She took a sip of her own butterbeer. Usually the ales she drank were more bitter; she made a face when she pulled away from the sweetness.

"So," Ivy said, "What's wrong with you?"

She had bought him a drink, she was trying to believe that he was sane — but something was so clearly wrong with him that she had to ask.

  

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set by MJ

It was hard to keep his guard sufficiently up whilst he was inhaling the butterbeer. And he lacked spines for self-defence nowadays, so he didn’t know what he would do, other than bite or bolt or curl up, again, into a ball.

And he couldn’t be arrested for his past, could he? He hadn’t committed a crime. Hadn’t had any choice. And they couldn’t keep him in the hospital forever.

“You didn’t hear?” Aubrey mumbled, licking up a drop of butterbeer from his glass with his finger, and dragging his tongue around his mouth to reacquaint himself with his human teeth. He had been turned back at – an unfortunately public moment; and there was really no other good lie to explain his problems now, was there? “Got turned into a hedgehog. And back.”

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Formerly known as Davis, Elijah Urquart's pet hedgehog.

When Ivy had first heard of the hedgehog thing, she had not believed it. But the rumor persisted, and with a man in front of her claiming that for his past — she supposed it did have to be real. She sipped more of her butterbeer before she replied.

"That's a nasty bit of luck," Ivy said. If she were in his shoes, she would have been seeking revenge — not drinks from strangers.

  

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set by MJ

Aubrey snuffled – or snorted, as the case may be. He wasn’t used to the sounds that came out of human throats. Either way, it was heavily laden with sarcasm.

“That’s life,” he intoned, in case that was sympathy, as sage as anyone could seem with a Butterbeer moustache.

Luck didn’t exactly cover it, but what did it matter now? The past couldn’t be changed. People wouldn’t care about creatures – er, men – like him. “Nothing bad ever happen to you?”

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Formerly known as Davis, Elijah Urquart's pet hedgehog.

Life, as if Ivy had not walked directly into every curse and bit of dark magic she'd encountered. She shrugged at him. "Plenty," she said, in summary. Blood rain, the knife edge they lived on now, her old bad temper. "But I've never been a hedgehog."

She'd take the blood rain over that any day.

  

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set by MJ

“Well, if you can avoid it...” Aubrey offered, with a shrug, you’re doing alright. He sounded more blasé about it than he felt. It was odd to feel at liberty to feel blasé about it, something in the past. Something that had ended.

Now he was just – hovering. “So,” he added dryly, only half-paying attention to her now, taking in the drinks and the overwhelming buzz of people (adult people – not shrieking eleven year olds!) around him. “What else’s good about being human?”

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The following 1 user Likes Aubrey Davis's post:1 user Likes Aubrey Davis's post
   Ivy Sandow

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Formerly known as Davis, Elijah Urquart's pet hedgehog.

Ivy smiled, and hid the expression behind her hand. "Better food, I imagine," she said. "You can climb stairs. Height. Magic." Ivy had never had an impulse to become an animagus — she liked being a person, liked herself despite the storm that often raged within her.

She wondered if he missed being a hedgehog.

  

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set by MJ

Food was one thing to look forward to now, although he had always had particularly refined tastes for a hedgehog, and eaten human food when he could (and when the hedgehog condition of his stomach allowed). Miss Bixby had been his supply of biscuits; Foxwood had given him a taste of tea and scones.

As for the others – magic was going to take some re-learning. Less the spells nowadays (Aubrey had spent all the years in school he needed to for that – he had probably picked up half the theory just by napping on people’s Transfiguration essays –) and more the holding-a-wand-in-a-hand business.

But the rest? He snorted, amused. “Taking the stairs is the best humanity has to offer? Really up there, is it?” Aubrey wasn’t sure if he was joking or just incredulous. And yes, life might be easier with longer legs, but... it had not been the end of the world to be carried.

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Formerly known as Davis, Elijah Urquart's pet hedgehog.

''If you don't like it, you can always try being a hedgehog again,'' Ivy offered, her tone too sarcastic to make a real attempt at being helpful. She was a bad orienteer, for coming back to being a person — she disliked most people.

  

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set by MJ

Aubrey smiled inwardly. This, this was what life was like as human. There was never any sympathy for your plight. You just – put your head down and tried to get by. He didn’t know if he had missed it or not, but it was strangely easy to settle into it again. He had always been just as invisible as a human as he had been as a hedgehog.

“Thanks for the butterbeer,” Aubrey said to her, wrinkling his nose thoughtfully. “Not sure on the advice.”

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Formerly known as Davis, Elijah Urquart's pet hedgehog.

Ivy laughed at him; not meanly, but she was certainly amused with herself. "Fair enough," she said. She put some coins down on the counter for their drinks. "Next time you want harsh advice, you can find me." She doubted that he would, but if he did — she was sure that she could provide.

  

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set by MJ

“I’ll pay you back,” Aubrey said, without much urgency (first, he would need a job, or to find an ounce of goodwill in his brother for a loan). For the money, that was, and not the harsh advice. But he nodded at her, as if considering that he might, one day, want to take her up on that offer. He couldn’t think why he would, but... It was a little nice about not being pitied, or coddled, or arrested for that matter. (And maybe it was good to know someone who had that ability, in case the Urquarts came nosing about for him again?)

So maybe he would have to find her one day. Only – “What’s your name?” he called, before she left. Just in case he needed to.

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Formerly known as Davis, Elijah Urquart's pet hedgehog.

Ivy stood up from her barstool. "Ivy Sandow," she said, happy to part with her name — she doubted that hedgehog man ever would pay her back, but at least he was pretending. With that, she walked out of the bar to head back home.

  

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set by MJ