Ernie is a werewolf and owner of the Devil Tavern.
History[]
In 1900, Ernie was working behind the bar of the Devil Tavern when a young Shadowhunter boy came in visibly injured and asking to use his sink to clean the wound. After a few moments he recognized him as Will Herondale's son. He explained that he knew Will from when he used to come into the bar many years ago and then allowed James to go wash-up in the old rooms upstairs.
When James came back down he asked Ernie if he and his friends could rent the large room he had seen upstairs. Ernie agreed the boys could clean it up and use it whenever they wish provided they order beer while they were there.[1]
In December 1903, the Merry Thieves threw James a bachelor party in the Tavern, where Matthew Fairchild hired a cabaret dancer, the mermaid Claribella, to perform for them. Ernie was one of her more enthusiastic fans and, after the dance, he jumped on the stage and began trying to force Claribella to dance with him. She managed to escape him and ended up in Pickles the kelpie's vat of gin.[2]
Physical description[]
James once described Ernie as a "gigantic gray-haired man".[1]
Relationships[]
- Will Herondale — Ernie seems to have a general fondness of Will; describing him as a good man and a charmer. He even invited him (through his son) to come by and have a drink on the house sometime.
- James Herondale — Because of Ernie's relationship with Will, he appears to trust and like James as well.[1]
Appearances[]
- Chain of Gold (first appearance)
- Chain of Iron
- Chain of Thorns
- Secrets of Blackthorn Hall (mentioned only)
Trivia[]
- He once lost an arm-wrestling contest with Pickles and ended up giving him the northwest corner of the Devil Tavern.[3]
- Ernie was once friends with Sherlock Holmes. Holmes began frequenting his bar in the 1880s and Ernie supplied rational explanations for all the paranormal activity going on around him.[4]
- Because he and his father or son were both named Ernie and both ran the Tavern for a time, the Devil's long-lived clientele calls the bartenders there Ernie to this day. Though this is not still their descendants' names and they have tried to correct them, the frequenters are too stubborn and refuse to learn their proper names or think Ernie is joking with them.[5]