Post by Rister Graas S6 on Dec 6, 2008 6:43:42 GMT -5
((What I promised you. Feel free to ask me to remove some snippet or add some of your own though.))
Rister smirked lightly in response to the story a class-mate was sharing when the owls flew in to deliver the morning post. Scarcely any Slytherins glanced up unlike the rest of the houses. Slytherins got most of the post delivered to Hogwarts and they all got too much post to find it much of an event. Rister was sure he’d get a letter or two as well, but he trusted his eagle-owl to find him and deliver the letters regardless whether he craned his neck or not. There wasn’t any point in making a big fuss about mail. The fifth year telling the story faltered in the middle of the word and that was the first sign. The rest around Rister fell quiet as well, making Rister finally glance up. Sure enough his eagle-owl was soaring towards him with a black envelope in its claws. Black envelopes were used by Ministries of Magic in the case of death. At least it wouldn’t be mom and dad, Rister discerned with a quick glance around. Had mom and dad died, all his siblings would get a black envelope as well. But even so the Slytherin table fell quiet and the other houses turned to glance at what had caused the sudden silence as well.
An impassive mask slipping on his features, Rister accepted the letter from his owl and glanced at the seal. From Italy. Well, he could have guessed that. Breaking the seal, Rister let his eyes travel swiftly over the lines jotted down, before abruptly standing. A deep nod to the Slytherins around him to excuse his departure and Rister walked down a couple of seats until reaching Gabriel. “Organise a portkey to Italy for me,” Rister told his brother while handing him the black letter. Gabriel pushed his meal away even though he wasn’t finished and stood to leave as Rister glanced towards the professors table. All of them had surely seen he had received a black envelope that would need his attention and would count as reason enough to be excused from school. But Snape was already striding past the Slytherin table towards the Great Hall doors and with just a little bit of gratitude Rister fell into step next to his Head of House, while ignoring the curious whispers that had sprouted around the Great Hall.
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Gabriel had done a superb job at getting him the portkey with only two hours of warning. Having already signed the appropriate papers, Rister took hold of the satin flower serving as the portkey and turned his eyes towards the large cloak ticking away on a wall. In less than a minute he’d be whisked away again, so Rister mentally prepared himself. Long-distance portkeying was a relatively upsetting sensation. But before all the short seconds had ticked away, Rister was startled from his thoughts by a loud “Mordred!” His eyes snapped to the left where a small figure he could identify as Rosalind slipped past a couple just leaving the room and burst between his arms before Rister could do much to stop her. Rister’s startled eyes met Charisse Garwin’s for the briefest of moments before the portkey activated to whisk both Rister and Rosalind away from England.
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Rister kept a wary eye on Rosalind being checked by doctors as he listened to what Charisse Garwin was telling her. Cross-continental portkeying was unpleasant for a grown-up, but forbidden to children below the age of thirteen. Rosalind had been lucky to come out of the experience with just a nose-bleed and a terrible shock. She’d have to stay put in Italy for a week now so Charisse Garwin would be flying over the following day – the tickets bought and organised courtesy of the Ministry of Magic. After the last details had been sealed, Rister hung up and went to join Rosalind. “Guess what, Fair Rosalind,” Rister murmured, absently messing up the girl’s hair, “You’ll be staying with me for a week and your mother will be coming tomorrow.” And while Rosalind was still visibly shaken, she sent a small smile at Rister.
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Rosalind clutched as Rister’s hand in horror as she stared at the house-elf that greeted them at the door. A house-elf now bowing and profusely apologising for scaring the young miss, which only served to scare Rosalind even more. “Oh, stop that, Mirry, and come here so that she can touch you,” Rister huffed as he crouched next to Rosalind to observe the house-elf with her. “Mirry is a house-elf. Like in that fairy-tale about shoe-makers, only she does little things around the house all the time and can be seen,” Rister attempted to explain. Rosalind still seemed wary but after a bit more coaxing, she reached out her arm and touched Mirry’s large air. The feel of the leathery appendix rolling under her finger-tips made Rosalind giggle and any further fear of house-elves disappear.
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Perhaps Rosalind being whisked along with him to Italy had been a blessing, Rister decided as he observed the two children. Carlo was pale and drawn and in shock from the car-crash that had killed his parents and his little twin sisters. His wounds had been fixed by mediwizards, but even so the accident would be forever etched in the mind of the currently six year old boy. But he was young and the company of Rosalind did more for his mood than Rister could. So Rister stood back and let the two children find a common ground themselves, even though they didn’t speak each others mother-tongues.
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“Rosalind,” Rister summoned as Carlo had started yawning, not having slept since the accident the previous day as Rister had learned. Rosalind looked up and abandoned the game she had shared with Carlo and skipped over. Rister led the girl out of the room, while one of the maids slipped into the room past them, to undoubtedly try to coax Carlo to at least nap a bit. “Where would you like to sleep?” Rister questioned and smiled at the shocked look Rosalind sent her. “You mean I could choose?” the girl whispered in awe as she glanced around the hallway they were standing in, making Rister chuckle. “There are a couple of rooms off-limits still. My parents’ bedroom and my room and my brothers’ and sisters’ rooms and a couple more, but you can choose the one you like most from the remaining 38 bedrooms,” Rister assured and smiled as Rosalind grabbed his hand and attempted to drag him down a hallway.
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“I want this one!” Rosalind declared firmly, looking around in the tower-bedroom in light blue and white, “It looks like a princess’ chamber!” Rister smiled lightly and approved of Rosalind’s choice willingly enough. “But a princess can’t wear the same clothes for the whole week,” Rister pointed out quietly, making Rosalind frown a bit, “Will you mind borrowing some of the clothes my sisters wore?” Rosalind mutely shook her head and Rister snapped his fingers. Three house-elves appeared with clothes Leandra and Morgana had worn when hey were about the same size Rosalind was now. Rister felt yet another wave of amusement in watching Rosalind’s eyes widen as she stared at the piles of clothes ranging from casual trousers and skirts to full-fledged ball gowns.
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Rister glanced up from the papers he had been bowing over as thunder rolled in the distance. As if he summoned the old butler knocked on the door and stepped in at that moment as well. “It seems a storm is coming our way, young master Graas. The children might get scared,” the butler announced with a bow and Rister simply nodded. “Send someone to take both children to my room. They’ll fear less together,” Rister instructed, already draining his quill from ink and closing the books he had been poring over, before heading to his own room.
It didn’t take long before the door to his room opened again and both Rosalind and Carlo hurried in. Rister threw one brief glance at their pale faces, before he folded back the blanket on his bed and motioned for the children to climb in. “It was scary in the tower,” Rosalind told him and Rister smiled at the girl, absently tousling her hair, even as started telling a story.
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Fair Rosalind had decided to wear a Slytherin-green designer dress that had once belonged to Leandra and had must likely been worn only once. It wasn’t a ball-gown exactly, but still meant for a soiree in high society so that and the white jacket with pearls that went with it did catch some glances at the muggle airport they were at. It caught Charisse Garwin’s eyes at once as well, Rister noted absently, as he stayed back to let Charisse and Pip greet Rosalind. It was only after Charisse Garwin looked at him, did Rister step closer and nodded in greeting. “I must commend fair Rosalind’s taste,” Rister remarked, as the outfit did look very good on Rosa, “I figured she doesn’t want to wear the same outfit for more days, so I took the liberty of offering her to borrow some of my sister’s old clothes.” These words seemed to soothe Garwin a bit, though Rister had to note that she wasn’t half-bad at controlling her expression. “The car is waiting at the front and Mirry will make sure your luggage will safely get to the castle. Rosalind already took the liberty of choosing rooms for you all however,” Rister ventured on calmly, gesturing towards the nearest exit.
Leading the way himself politely, Rister led their small band to a car that looked like a sleek silvery sports-car. The driver immediately opened the door upon sighting Rister and Rosalind started climbing into the magical enchanted car, whereas Pip glared at Rister: “Why do you have a car?” For a moment Rister regarded the younger boy, before answering calmly: “Because my aunt likes driving far too fast on far too curvy mountain roads in a far too dangerous manner, so dad keeps a couple of safe toys in the garage for the times when she visits.” Pip continued to stare at Rister for a moment, before Charisse Garwin called for his attention and they finished piling into the car.
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Rosalind’s first run-in with portkeys was a negative one and the wards on their castle were too heavy to allow full floo-ing in. Floo-calls went through, floo-travels didn’t and apparition to here was blocked just as efficiently as well. So what choice had Rister had but to have one of the three modified muggle-cars driven out of the garage to go and meet Charisse Garwin and Pip. The cars were magically modified so all of them fit comfortably into the sleek silver sports-car, but port-keying would have been easier in the sense of privacy. But none the less, Rister kept his eyes turned out the window to give Charisse Garwin at least an image of privacy upon seeing her daughter.
“And he lives in a castle! He claims that he’s not a prince, but I know better!” Rosalind told her mother in a loud whisper that made Rister smile lightly. “You can see the castle now,” Rister interrupted smoothly, pointing the direction to the rest. He knew the effect his home generally had on people. Looking at it – slender, fantastically white towers stretching towards the sky amongst dark-green of forests and the jagged mountain cliffs – it was still enough to take away his breaths at times. No, Rister conceded with a bit of pride as he looked at his home, he wasn’t a prince but his home was his castle.
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Carlos met them at the entrance hall, his eyes warily taking in Charisse Garwin and Pip. “This is Carlos,” Rister informed the rest quietly, even as he offered the briefest of smiles to Carlos, before switching to Italian: “Carlos, these are fair Rosalind’s mother and brother, Pip.” Carlos peered at the newcomers thoughtfully, before suddenly shaking his head at Rister as he pointed at Pip: “He’s glaring at you. I won’t like him. Dad always said that we should help and be grateful to Master Wolf and Mistress and you and protect you in any way possible.”
Rister had to fight down an urge to roll his eyes heavenwards at that. Of course Pip was glaring at him. His little sister had ran at him and been whisked out of the country, even if none of that was hardly Rister’s fault. Though Pip would have to learn to tame his glare as this was Rister’s domain and most people here were fiercly loyal and protective of the Graas family. “He’s just a bit surprised at the castle,” Rister avoided the answer smoothly, even as he nodded at the three Garwin’s while switching back to English, “I promised to take Carlos riding today. Would any of you care to join us?” Rosalind was immediately up for going and the rest followed to spend a relatively peaceful couple of hours with horses. Charisse Garwin could handle a horse with pleasing skill; Pip didn’t seem to mind taking directions from his mother, Carlos was seated on horseback before Rister and Rosalind stayed by Rister’s side on the calm mare Rister had chosen for her.
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“Mom!” Rister called happily and taking two-three steps at the time hurried up half of the main staircase to greet his mother. Holding her mom’s elbows, Rister lifted her in the air for a moment and Cleo let him kiss both of her cheeks, before a light touch on Rister’s shoulder signalled Rister to gently put her feet back on the ground. Turning half-way, Rister smiled lightly at Charisse Garwin and her two children who had remained at the door to observe the greeting. There seemed to be slight surprise on Charisse Garwin’s face, but Rister wasn’t bothered by that. He adored his parents and the feeling was mutual. Everyone knew that the Graas’ family sticked together, so Rister being happy to see his mother was hardly a shocking fact. “These are Charisse Garwin, Rosalind and Phillip. This is my mother,” Rister offered the introductions smoothly as Cleo continued her descent down the stair-case and shook Charisse Garwin’s hand.
For a moment Rister observed how the two women measured each other. They had a lot in common. Both had been born purebloods and been brought up in high society, both had rebelled and married against their parents wishes – even though Cleo had married a rich man, Charisse Garwin a muggle -, both had born six children. “Your father is in the office with Carlos,” Cleo threw over her shoulder and Rister took his queue to leave after a brief nod to the Garwins before he ran up the rest of the stairs and headed towards his father’s study.”
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The curtain before the open door to the balcony shifted in the wind and Rister narrowed his eyes. “Pip, come here,” he cut into Pip’s sentence mid-word, his narrowed eyes trained at the curtain that had shifted. Some distance might put Pip a little bit more at ease about who was going to enter the room. Charisse Garwin threw a mildly surprised glance at Rister – this was the first time she saw him being impolite like this – and Pip seemed startled as well, but there must have been something in his face or tone that made him obey. “What now?” Pip demanded as he came to a stop before Rister. A whisper of black silk against the black silk of the night. He saw it only because he knew what to look for. “I would like to introduce you to my father, Pip,” Rister stated slowly as he crouched and laid his eyes comfortingly on Pip’s shoulders as he turned him just as Kris stepped into the room from the balcony.
Pip flinched back towards Rister, instinctively searching for protection. A reaction Rister could understand. In werewolf form, Kris was a living horror-movie and more. He was rich and well-cared for in life, and it showed in his werewolf form as well. Even while on four paws, his head rose to the height of a grown man’s chest. Jagged and visible sharp white fangs, beaming yellow eyes, a play of muscles right under skin, even as he was only stepping forward with the arrogant saunter of a lazy and bored predator, the luxuriously black silk fur covering every inch of his body. Rister tilted his head and propped his chin on Pip’s shoulder: “Did I forget to mention that he’s a werewolf?”
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The Garwin’s had been slightly distraught by Rister but seeing both Cleo and Rister carrying guns and the ease with which Cleo tousled Kris’ fur they had let Kris get a whiff of their scent and then had breathed with ease as Kris lost interest and wandered out of the room again. Rosalind got rid of all of her fear after Rister had regaled her with a couple of stories about how he had used Kris in his werewolf form as a pony and a toy and how his sisters had always attempted to dress him up as a toy. Even Charisse Garwin had seemed interested when Rister explained that evidently Kris smelled some of himself on his children and thereby let them act so freely, smelled Cleo as his ‘mate’, and that he could smell ‘cub-status’ on children after having drank Wolfsbane potion. As long as his senses didn’t tell him that his pack was in any danger, he wouldn’t attack anyone.
But now Rister had retreated to the office to go over some more papers as he never slept during full moon nights anyway. At one point Kris had joined him and Rister found himself able to relax again. So when the door opened Rister merely looked up lazily just in time to see Charisse Garwin with an unreadable expression raise a camera and take a photo. The snap of it made Kris snap his teeth with a low rumble in his chest so Rister absently raised an arm to scratch his cheek. A werewolf with his front paws on the back of the couch and his head nearly resting on Rister’s shoulder. A muggle gun rested on his knee with his hand holding it steady. The parchment scrolls he was perusing. The book, the sword, the wolf of the Graas family crest hanging on the wall behind him came to life and united in Rister. Charisse Garwin opened her mouth as if to explain the photo she took, but under Rister’s steady gaze seemed to find that she lacked the words, so she quietly closed the door and left again.
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The village seemed to take the Garwin’s by surprise as well. “The villagers are all aware we are wizards. They swear a wizarding oath to keep the secret and at the age of 17 they get a choice whether they want to renew the oath for life or whether they’ll drink a potion that makes them forget any knowledge they have about magic,” Rister explained to Charisse Garwin as they rode into the village near the castle, “Most people born here return to the village in the long run. The servants in the castle come from here, their education is supported by both financial and supportive means, we help them find jobs, the payment for living here is about 2% of their income and that varies ever year, depending on how jobs are, how the crops grow, etc. The house that Carlos’ family used to live in before the crash will be kept in the condition it is in now and when Carlos turns 21 he can decide what he wants to do with the house.” “Where did Carlos go?” Rosalind questioned from the side. “He’s living with a woman who was also born in this village. She had a car-accident 2 years ago and is unable to have children of her own. This solution just might help them both.” “Do she and Carlos live in the village?” Rosalind questioned and Rister shook his head. “No. She’s the author of the Cursed Unicorn series and lives in Venice.” “I like those books!” Rosalind called out excitedly and Rister swiftly reached out a hand to support her in the saddle as she seemed to forget stability in her excitement. Rister merely chuckled lightly in response: “The Lady in Red in that forest cave that sometimes helps, sometimes doesn’t is designed after mom and the dragon Kale after dad. But we’ll leave the horses here until we start heading back.”
Rister helped everyone dismount and the young smith and tattoo-master of the village smiled as he took the horses to a shelter near his house as Rister led the rest over the small square to the store. “Princessa,” Rister called cheerfully while nodding in greeting to the middle-aged woman behind the counter who smiled at him. But his attention first went to an old white-haired blind woman who had been helped to sit in a rocking chair in a spot of sunshine under the window. “Young wolf,” the woman murmured in response as Rister kissed her cheek lightly and then stayed still for her to let her hands glide over his face, “You’re becoming more like a man your father is every day.” “And I’d be even more so, the day you’ll finally run away with me,” Rister countered as he remained crouched next to the chair. The old woman only chuckled quietly: “Your brother wrote me a song the other day. How could I leave him behind? My great-granddaughter has a problem, young wolf. Help her.” Taking the dismissal for what it was Rister touched the woman’s shoulder for a moment as she turned her face back towards the sunshine and stood. Sure enough, the 14 year old great-grand-daughter was standing there already, waiting for her turn. “I find him in the forest two weeks ago with a broken leg. My parents say we can’t keep him here as he’ll grow too big and will be neither domesticated nor wild,” the girl blurted out, handing the small calf to Rister with pleading eyes. The young calf kicked weakly in Rister’s arms, so Rister crooed comfortingly to it. “We can’t bring him to the castle. Under dad’s care he’d grow up so protective that he could bash in skulls if he thinks something would threaten dad,” Rister stated with a frown as he looked at the animal and thought. “Bring him to the castle tomorrow. There might be a vet with a large yarded forest behind his home who might be able to put him up. See what you and mom and work out,” he finally decided as he handed the calf back to the woman who seemed about ready to cry as she murmured her thank you.
“The mill! If we add G16 wheels to transit, it would be 12% more efficient! See? Here and here and here,2 the blue prints were shoved in Rister’s face before he could so much as blink. “Olfo, Olfo, OLFO!” Rister held up a halting hand. “I can’t make any sense of these blue-prints. I’m not the one with engineer’s education,” Rister pointed out, making the other man with his glasses lightly skewered on his nose, stop and blink. “You’ll have to show me in the mill itself,” Rister continued before glancing at Charisse Garwin, who affirmed that they would be fine looking around on their own for a wihle, so Rister turned to leave with Adolfo who had started up his enthusiastic monologue about options to improve the watermill.
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“Oh? It was your birthday recently? Happy – belated – birthday then,” Cleo stated with a quick glance to Rister. “I sent flowers,” Rister affirmed the answer to the glance her mother had tossed her and Cleo nodded in light approval. “Flowers are always nice. But I believe a small gift is in order as well. A small trinket for you to pick? Nothing too flashy or elaborate as that wouldn’t suit your age?” Cleo arched an eye-brow at Charisse Garwin who nodded after some hesitation. “Well then, let’s go to the treasury,” Cleo stated and Rister decided to take mercy on Pip and offering to show him the weapons hall while the three adults and Rosalind went to choose jewellery. “It’s so shiny,” Rosalind whispered, just a little bit taken aback after Cleo had opened the vault. “This room mainly has family heirlooms and flashier stuff that always stay in the family, are special gifts from our husbands or have just became our favourites,” Cleo explained calmly. “These rings and the two tiepins will be given to the people our children choose to give their hearts too.” “Why is there a whole between two rings there?” Rosalind questioned curiously, making Cleo smirk with amusement. “There used to be a ring there. But Damon has chosen to give his heart and when a Graas loves, he loves for life. The ring from that hole has been given to Ashlyn Swallow. I’m looking to forward to seeing him making my son tie himself in a knot before she agrees to marry him,” Cleo stated with evident amusement in her voice and face.
Kris wordlessly tapped the glass casing of a set comprised of a tiara, earrings, ring, necklace and a bracelet that depicted curving necks and wings of graceful phoenixs, decorated with white diamonds and clear emeralds. “These used to belong to the woman who raised me – Meredith Coran – and have been in the Graas family for six and half centuries. The middle stone of the tiara is a crystallised phoenix tear. The woman Rister marries will receive them on the day of the wedding,” Kris drawled out lazily, even as he had the full attention of the entire room. With a cautious glance towards Kris, Rosalind stepped closer to the stand to peer at the set, before whirling around to look at her mother. “Does it mean Merry will get it one day?” Rosalind questioned with innocent conviction of the fact that Merry would be the one to marry Rister, being completely oblivious to the glances the three adults exchanged.
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It had been a tradition for a long time for Kris and Rister to walk a circle around the castle and the stables early every morning. They didn’t always even talk during the walk, they just walked. Pip had been observing them fro a couple of mornings from the windows. A feat of its own, considering how early they walked, but today and now he came to meet them and stopped before their path, demanding to know why they walked. He fidgeted uncomfortably under the gazes of both Rister and Kris but remained standing stubbornly. “You’ve heard me be called Master Wolf. My children are sometimes referred to as wolf-cubs and Rister as young wolf. Do you know what the most important thing for a wolf is?” Kris questioned softly, making Pip blink in confusion. After a few moments of consideration he shook his head and Kris smirked lightly. “His pack. The most important thing for a wolf is his pack. Our family is inside that castle, parents, wives, husbands, daughters, sons, sisters and brothers, cousins and nephews, aunts and uncles. We walk to weave a protection spell on our home. We walk to be the first to meet any danger, before our pack is harmed.” Pip stepped aside then and trailed the rest of the way behind them. He still seemed to be thinking over those words at breakfast as he kept looking between Kris and Rister.
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“Why do you have to hunt?” Rosalind demanded, nearly stomping her feet on the ground. She had seen Kris and Rister mounting with guns and had realised the intent of it before long and now she fully planned to call on them for it, despite her mother attempting to soothe her. Rister peered at the girl thoughtfully, before walking forward to crouch before her, so that their eyes would be level. “When you broke your arm as you told me you did. Did the doctor hurt you a bit to fix the bone before your arm started healing?” Rister questioned. Rosalind managed to nod through her tears, even though she looked puzzled. “That one animal is hurt and can’t control itself, because it is ill with rabies. We need to go hunt right now, so that the forest and all the rest of its inhabitants wouldn’t get hurt,” Rister explained and held Rosalind’s eyes with his as she thought. “So you hurt the forest a little bit to make it feel better?” Rosalidn questioned and nodded with a faint smile already reappearing, “You can go then and make the forest feel better!”
“Why like this?” Pip interjected a curious question as Rister stood and turned to mount his stallion. “We are not responsible not only before our family and the people living in the village. We are also responsible for every animal that lives on ground. This? This is a sort of promise that we know what it means, we understand and will ache as well. It’s a promise we won’t forget,” Rister responded with a calm glance at Pip, before taking all the Garwin’s in for a moment, before Kris spurred his horse to move and Rister followed.
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The returned to England with a plane as well, flying first class. A fact that delighted Rosalind, even though she was also happy to be going home again, as much as she had enjoyed her week’s stay in Italy. Rister stayed with the Garwin’s as they landed and got to the waiting area. He stayed politely in the background again as Mr. Garwin greeted his wife and children and ignored the glares the two older Garwin brothers were sending him. It was only when Mr. Garwin turned to look at him that Rister did step forward to shake the older man’s hand. “A pleasure,” Rister murmured as they slipped through a couple of polite phrases while the other man measured him. Declining the offer to be driven somewhere by the Garwins, Rister assured them that he would rather need to return to school as fast as possible. Absently messing Rosa’s hair and being swat for, Rister nodded lightly to Pip and offered a deeper nod to Charisse Garwin before turning to leave. People parted before him almost subconsciously as he sauntered with the loose-kneed lope of the wolf across the airport hall. He wasn’t a werewolf and he didn’t demand the attention, but there was enough of his father’s wolf in him to make people subconsciously pull back.
Rister smirked lightly in response to the story a class-mate was sharing when the owls flew in to deliver the morning post. Scarcely any Slytherins glanced up unlike the rest of the houses. Slytherins got most of the post delivered to Hogwarts and they all got too much post to find it much of an event. Rister was sure he’d get a letter or two as well, but he trusted his eagle-owl to find him and deliver the letters regardless whether he craned his neck or not. There wasn’t any point in making a big fuss about mail. The fifth year telling the story faltered in the middle of the word and that was the first sign. The rest around Rister fell quiet as well, making Rister finally glance up. Sure enough his eagle-owl was soaring towards him with a black envelope in its claws. Black envelopes were used by Ministries of Magic in the case of death. At least it wouldn’t be mom and dad, Rister discerned with a quick glance around. Had mom and dad died, all his siblings would get a black envelope as well. But even so the Slytherin table fell quiet and the other houses turned to glance at what had caused the sudden silence as well.
An impassive mask slipping on his features, Rister accepted the letter from his owl and glanced at the seal. From Italy. Well, he could have guessed that. Breaking the seal, Rister let his eyes travel swiftly over the lines jotted down, before abruptly standing. A deep nod to the Slytherins around him to excuse his departure and Rister walked down a couple of seats until reaching Gabriel. “Organise a portkey to Italy for me,” Rister told his brother while handing him the black letter. Gabriel pushed his meal away even though he wasn’t finished and stood to leave as Rister glanced towards the professors table. All of them had surely seen he had received a black envelope that would need his attention and would count as reason enough to be excused from school. But Snape was already striding past the Slytherin table towards the Great Hall doors and with just a little bit of gratitude Rister fell into step next to his Head of House, while ignoring the curious whispers that had sprouted around the Great Hall.
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Gabriel had done a superb job at getting him the portkey with only two hours of warning. Having already signed the appropriate papers, Rister took hold of the satin flower serving as the portkey and turned his eyes towards the large cloak ticking away on a wall. In less than a minute he’d be whisked away again, so Rister mentally prepared himself. Long-distance portkeying was a relatively upsetting sensation. But before all the short seconds had ticked away, Rister was startled from his thoughts by a loud “Mordred!” His eyes snapped to the left where a small figure he could identify as Rosalind slipped past a couple just leaving the room and burst between his arms before Rister could do much to stop her. Rister’s startled eyes met Charisse Garwin’s for the briefest of moments before the portkey activated to whisk both Rister and Rosalind away from England.
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Rister kept a wary eye on Rosalind being checked by doctors as he listened to what Charisse Garwin was telling her. Cross-continental portkeying was unpleasant for a grown-up, but forbidden to children below the age of thirteen. Rosalind had been lucky to come out of the experience with just a nose-bleed and a terrible shock. She’d have to stay put in Italy for a week now so Charisse Garwin would be flying over the following day – the tickets bought and organised courtesy of the Ministry of Magic. After the last details had been sealed, Rister hung up and went to join Rosalind. “Guess what, Fair Rosalind,” Rister murmured, absently messing up the girl’s hair, “You’ll be staying with me for a week and your mother will be coming tomorrow.” And while Rosalind was still visibly shaken, she sent a small smile at Rister.
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Rosalind clutched as Rister’s hand in horror as she stared at the house-elf that greeted them at the door. A house-elf now bowing and profusely apologising for scaring the young miss, which only served to scare Rosalind even more. “Oh, stop that, Mirry, and come here so that she can touch you,” Rister huffed as he crouched next to Rosalind to observe the house-elf with her. “Mirry is a house-elf. Like in that fairy-tale about shoe-makers, only she does little things around the house all the time and can be seen,” Rister attempted to explain. Rosalind still seemed wary but after a bit more coaxing, she reached out her arm and touched Mirry’s large air. The feel of the leathery appendix rolling under her finger-tips made Rosalind giggle and any further fear of house-elves disappear.
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Perhaps Rosalind being whisked along with him to Italy had been a blessing, Rister decided as he observed the two children. Carlo was pale and drawn and in shock from the car-crash that had killed his parents and his little twin sisters. His wounds had been fixed by mediwizards, but even so the accident would be forever etched in the mind of the currently six year old boy. But he was young and the company of Rosalind did more for his mood than Rister could. So Rister stood back and let the two children find a common ground themselves, even though they didn’t speak each others mother-tongues.
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“Rosalind,” Rister summoned as Carlo had started yawning, not having slept since the accident the previous day as Rister had learned. Rosalind looked up and abandoned the game she had shared with Carlo and skipped over. Rister led the girl out of the room, while one of the maids slipped into the room past them, to undoubtedly try to coax Carlo to at least nap a bit. “Where would you like to sleep?” Rister questioned and smiled at the shocked look Rosalind sent her. “You mean I could choose?” the girl whispered in awe as she glanced around the hallway they were standing in, making Rister chuckle. “There are a couple of rooms off-limits still. My parents’ bedroom and my room and my brothers’ and sisters’ rooms and a couple more, but you can choose the one you like most from the remaining 38 bedrooms,” Rister assured and smiled as Rosalind grabbed his hand and attempted to drag him down a hallway.
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“I want this one!” Rosalind declared firmly, looking around in the tower-bedroom in light blue and white, “It looks like a princess’ chamber!” Rister smiled lightly and approved of Rosalind’s choice willingly enough. “But a princess can’t wear the same clothes for the whole week,” Rister pointed out quietly, making Rosalind frown a bit, “Will you mind borrowing some of the clothes my sisters wore?” Rosalind mutely shook her head and Rister snapped his fingers. Three house-elves appeared with clothes Leandra and Morgana had worn when hey were about the same size Rosalind was now. Rister felt yet another wave of amusement in watching Rosalind’s eyes widen as she stared at the piles of clothes ranging from casual trousers and skirts to full-fledged ball gowns.
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Rister glanced up from the papers he had been bowing over as thunder rolled in the distance. As if he summoned the old butler knocked on the door and stepped in at that moment as well. “It seems a storm is coming our way, young master Graas. The children might get scared,” the butler announced with a bow and Rister simply nodded. “Send someone to take both children to my room. They’ll fear less together,” Rister instructed, already draining his quill from ink and closing the books he had been poring over, before heading to his own room.
It didn’t take long before the door to his room opened again and both Rosalind and Carlo hurried in. Rister threw one brief glance at their pale faces, before he folded back the blanket on his bed and motioned for the children to climb in. “It was scary in the tower,” Rosalind told him and Rister smiled at the girl, absently tousling her hair, even as started telling a story.
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Fair Rosalind had decided to wear a Slytherin-green designer dress that had once belonged to Leandra and had must likely been worn only once. It wasn’t a ball-gown exactly, but still meant for a soiree in high society so that and the white jacket with pearls that went with it did catch some glances at the muggle airport they were at. It caught Charisse Garwin’s eyes at once as well, Rister noted absently, as he stayed back to let Charisse and Pip greet Rosalind. It was only after Charisse Garwin looked at him, did Rister step closer and nodded in greeting. “I must commend fair Rosalind’s taste,” Rister remarked, as the outfit did look very good on Rosa, “I figured she doesn’t want to wear the same outfit for more days, so I took the liberty of offering her to borrow some of my sister’s old clothes.” These words seemed to soothe Garwin a bit, though Rister had to note that she wasn’t half-bad at controlling her expression. “The car is waiting at the front and Mirry will make sure your luggage will safely get to the castle. Rosalind already took the liberty of choosing rooms for you all however,” Rister ventured on calmly, gesturing towards the nearest exit.
Leading the way himself politely, Rister led their small band to a car that looked like a sleek silvery sports-car. The driver immediately opened the door upon sighting Rister and Rosalind started climbing into the magical enchanted car, whereas Pip glared at Rister: “Why do you have a car?” For a moment Rister regarded the younger boy, before answering calmly: “Because my aunt likes driving far too fast on far too curvy mountain roads in a far too dangerous manner, so dad keeps a couple of safe toys in the garage for the times when she visits.” Pip continued to stare at Rister for a moment, before Charisse Garwin called for his attention and they finished piling into the car.
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Rosalind’s first run-in with portkeys was a negative one and the wards on their castle were too heavy to allow full floo-ing in. Floo-calls went through, floo-travels didn’t and apparition to here was blocked just as efficiently as well. So what choice had Rister had but to have one of the three modified muggle-cars driven out of the garage to go and meet Charisse Garwin and Pip. The cars were magically modified so all of them fit comfortably into the sleek silver sports-car, but port-keying would have been easier in the sense of privacy. But none the less, Rister kept his eyes turned out the window to give Charisse Garwin at least an image of privacy upon seeing her daughter.
“And he lives in a castle! He claims that he’s not a prince, but I know better!” Rosalind told her mother in a loud whisper that made Rister smile lightly. “You can see the castle now,” Rister interrupted smoothly, pointing the direction to the rest. He knew the effect his home generally had on people. Looking at it – slender, fantastically white towers stretching towards the sky amongst dark-green of forests and the jagged mountain cliffs – it was still enough to take away his breaths at times. No, Rister conceded with a bit of pride as he looked at his home, he wasn’t a prince but his home was his castle.
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Carlos met them at the entrance hall, his eyes warily taking in Charisse Garwin and Pip. “This is Carlos,” Rister informed the rest quietly, even as he offered the briefest of smiles to Carlos, before switching to Italian: “Carlos, these are fair Rosalind’s mother and brother, Pip.” Carlos peered at the newcomers thoughtfully, before suddenly shaking his head at Rister as he pointed at Pip: “He’s glaring at you. I won’t like him. Dad always said that we should help and be grateful to Master Wolf and Mistress and you and protect you in any way possible.”
Rister had to fight down an urge to roll his eyes heavenwards at that. Of course Pip was glaring at him. His little sister had ran at him and been whisked out of the country, even if none of that was hardly Rister’s fault. Though Pip would have to learn to tame his glare as this was Rister’s domain and most people here were fiercly loyal and protective of the Graas family. “He’s just a bit surprised at the castle,” Rister avoided the answer smoothly, even as he nodded at the three Garwin’s while switching back to English, “I promised to take Carlos riding today. Would any of you care to join us?” Rosalind was immediately up for going and the rest followed to spend a relatively peaceful couple of hours with horses. Charisse Garwin could handle a horse with pleasing skill; Pip didn’t seem to mind taking directions from his mother, Carlos was seated on horseback before Rister and Rosalind stayed by Rister’s side on the calm mare Rister had chosen for her.
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“Mom!” Rister called happily and taking two-three steps at the time hurried up half of the main staircase to greet his mother. Holding her mom’s elbows, Rister lifted her in the air for a moment and Cleo let him kiss both of her cheeks, before a light touch on Rister’s shoulder signalled Rister to gently put her feet back on the ground. Turning half-way, Rister smiled lightly at Charisse Garwin and her two children who had remained at the door to observe the greeting. There seemed to be slight surprise on Charisse Garwin’s face, but Rister wasn’t bothered by that. He adored his parents and the feeling was mutual. Everyone knew that the Graas’ family sticked together, so Rister being happy to see his mother was hardly a shocking fact. “These are Charisse Garwin, Rosalind and Phillip. This is my mother,” Rister offered the introductions smoothly as Cleo continued her descent down the stair-case and shook Charisse Garwin’s hand.
For a moment Rister observed how the two women measured each other. They had a lot in common. Both had been born purebloods and been brought up in high society, both had rebelled and married against their parents wishes – even though Cleo had married a rich man, Charisse Garwin a muggle -, both had born six children. “Your father is in the office with Carlos,” Cleo threw over her shoulder and Rister took his queue to leave after a brief nod to the Garwins before he ran up the rest of the stairs and headed towards his father’s study.”
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The curtain before the open door to the balcony shifted in the wind and Rister narrowed his eyes. “Pip, come here,” he cut into Pip’s sentence mid-word, his narrowed eyes trained at the curtain that had shifted. Some distance might put Pip a little bit more at ease about who was going to enter the room. Charisse Garwin threw a mildly surprised glance at Rister – this was the first time she saw him being impolite like this – and Pip seemed startled as well, but there must have been something in his face or tone that made him obey. “What now?” Pip demanded as he came to a stop before Rister. A whisper of black silk against the black silk of the night. He saw it only because he knew what to look for. “I would like to introduce you to my father, Pip,” Rister stated slowly as he crouched and laid his eyes comfortingly on Pip’s shoulders as he turned him just as Kris stepped into the room from the balcony.
Pip flinched back towards Rister, instinctively searching for protection. A reaction Rister could understand. In werewolf form, Kris was a living horror-movie and more. He was rich and well-cared for in life, and it showed in his werewolf form as well. Even while on four paws, his head rose to the height of a grown man’s chest. Jagged and visible sharp white fangs, beaming yellow eyes, a play of muscles right under skin, even as he was only stepping forward with the arrogant saunter of a lazy and bored predator, the luxuriously black silk fur covering every inch of his body. Rister tilted his head and propped his chin on Pip’s shoulder: “Did I forget to mention that he’s a werewolf?”
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The Garwin’s had been slightly distraught by Rister but seeing both Cleo and Rister carrying guns and the ease with which Cleo tousled Kris’ fur they had let Kris get a whiff of their scent and then had breathed with ease as Kris lost interest and wandered out of the room again. Rosalind got rid of all of her fear after Rister had regaled her with a couple of stories about how he had used Kris in his werewolf form as a pony and a toy and how his sisters had always attempted to dress him up as a toy. Even Charisse Garwin had seemed interested when Rister explained that evidently Kris smelled some of himself on his children and thereby let them act so freely, smelled Cleo as his ‘mate’, and that he could smell ‘cub-status’ on children after having drank Wolfsbane potion. As long as his senses didn’t tell him that his pack was in any danger, he wouldn’t attack anyone.
But now Rister had retreated to the office to go over some more papers as he never slept during full moon nights anyway. At one point Kris had joined him and Rister found himself able to relax again. So when the door opened Rister merely looked up lazily just in time to see Charisse Garwin with an unreadable expression raise a camera and take a photo. The snap of it made Kris snap his teeth with a low rumble in his chest so Rister absently raised an arm to scratch his cheek. A werewolf with his front paws on the back of the couch and his head nearly resting on Rister’s shoulder. A muggle gun rested on his knee with his hand holding it steady. The parchment scrolls he was perusing. The book, the sword, the wolf of the Graas family crest hanging on the wall behind him came to life and united in Rister. Charisse Garwin opened her mouth as if to explain the photo she took, but under Rister’s steady gaze seemed to find that she lacked the words, so she quietly closed the door and left again.
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The village seemed to take the Garwin’s by surprise as well. “The villagers are all aware we are wizards. They swear a wizarding oath to keep the secret and at the age of 17 they get a choice whether they want to renew the oath for life or whether they’ll drink a potion that makes them forget any knowledge they have about magic,” Rister explained to Charisse Garwin as they rode into the village near the castle, “Most people born here return to the village in the long run. The servants in the castle come from here, their education is supported by both financial and supportive means, we help them find jobs, the payment for living here is about 2% of their income and that varies ever year, depending on how jobs are, how the crops grow, etc. The house that Carlos’ family used to live in before the crash will be kept in the condition it is in now and when Carlos turns 21 he can decide what he wants to do with the house.” “Where did Carlos go?” Rosalind questioned from the side. “He’s living with a woman who was also born in this village. She had a car-accident 2 years ago and is unable to have children of her own. This solution just might help them both.” “Do she and Carlos live in the village?” Rosalind questioned and Rister shook his head. “No. She’s the author of the Cursed Unicorn series and lives in Venice.” “I like those books!” Rosalind called out excitedly and Rister swiftly reached out a hand to support her in the saddle as she seemed to forget stability in her excitement. Rister merely chuckled lightly in response: “The Lady in Red in that forest cave that sometimes helps, sometimes doesn’t is designed after mom and the dragon Kale after dad. But we’ll leave the horses here until we start heading back.”
Rister helped everyone dismount and the young smith and tattoo-master of the village smiled as he took the horses to a shelter near his house as Rister led the rest over the small square to the store. “Princessa,” Rister called cheerfully while nodding in greeting to the middle-aged woman behind the counter who smiled at him. But his attention first went to an old white-haired blind woman who had been helped to sit in a rocking chair in a spot of sunshine under the window. “Young wolf,” the woman murmured in response as Rister kissed her cheek lightly and then stayed still for her to let her hands glide over his face, “You’re becoming more like a man your father is every day.” “And I’d be even more so, the day you’ll finally run away with me,” Rister countered as he remained crouched next to the chair. The old woman only chuckled quietly: “Your brother wrote me a song the other day. How could I leave him behind? My great-granddaughter has a problem, young wolf. Help her.” Taking the dismissal for what it was Rister touched the woman’s shoulder for a moment as she turned her face back towards the sunshine and stood. Sure enough, the 14 year old great-grand-daughter was standing there already, waiting for her turn. “I find him in the forest two weeks ago with a broken leg. My parents say we can’t keep him here as he’ll grow too big and will be neither domesticated nor wild,” the girl blurted out, handing the small calf to Rister with pleading eyes. The young calf kicked weakly in Rister’s arms, so Rister crooed comfortingly to it. “We can’t bring him to the castle. Under dad’s care he’d grow up so protective that he could bash in skulls if he thinks something would threaten dad,” Rister stated with a frown as he looked at the animal and thought. “Bring him to the castle tomorrow. There might be a vet with a large yarded forest behind his home who might be able to put him up. See what you and mom and work out,” he finally decided as he handed the calf back to the woman who seemed about ready to cry as she murmured her thank you.
“The mill! If we add G16 wheels to transit, it would be 12% more efficient! See? Here and here and here,2 the blue prints were shoved in Rister’s face before he could so much as blink. “Olfo, Olfo, OLFO!” Rister held up a halting hand. “I can’t make any sense of these blue-prints. I’m not the one with engineer’s education,” Rister pointed out, making the other man with his glasses lightly skewered on his nose, stop and blink. “You’ll have to show me in the mill itself,” Rister continued before glancing at Charisse Garwin, who affirmed that they would be fine looking around on their own for a wihle, so Rister turned to leave with Adolfo who had started up his enthusiastic monologue about options to improve the watermill.
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“Oh? It was your birthday recently? Happy – belated – birthday then,” Cleo stated with a quick glance to Rister. “I sent flowers,” Rister affirmed the answer to the glance her mother had tossed her and Cleo nodded in light approval. “Flowers are always nice. But I believe a small gift is in order as well. A small trinket for you to pick? Nothing too flashy or elaborate as that wouldn’t suit your age?” Cleo arched an eye-brow at Charisse Garwin who nodded after some hesitation. “Well then, let’s go to the treasury,” Cleo stated and Rister decided to take mercy on Pip and offering to show him the weapons hall while the three adults and Rosalind went to choose jewellery. “It’s so shiny,” Rosalind whispered, just a little bit taken aback after Cleo had opened the vault. “This room mainly has family heirlooms and flashier stuff that always stay in the family, are special gifts from our husbands or have just became our favourites,” Cleo explained calmly. “These rings and the two tiepins will be given to the people our children choose to give their hearts too.” “Why is there a whole between two rings there?” Rosalind questioned curiously, making Cleo smirk with amusement. “There used to be a ring there. But Damon has chosen to give his heart and when a Graas loves, he loves for life. The ring from that hole has been given to Ashlyn Swallow. I’m looking to forward to seeing him making my son tie himself in a knot before she agrees to marry him,” Cleo stated with evident amusement in her voice and face.
Kris wordlessly tapped the glass casing of a set comprised of a tiara, earrings, ring, necklace and a bracelet that depicted curving necks and wings of graceful phoenixs, decorated with white diamonds and clear emeralds. “These used to belong to the woman who raised me – Meredith Coran – and have been in the Graas family for six and half centuries. The middle stone of the tiara is a crystallised phoenix tear. The woman Rister marries will receive them on the day of the wedding,” Kris drawled out lazily, even as he had the full attention of the entire room. With a cautious glance towards Kris, Rosalind stepped closer to the stand to peer at the set, before whirling around to look at her mother. “Does it mean Merry will get it one day?” Rosalind questioned with innocent conviction of the fact that Merry would be the one to marry Rister, being completely oblivious to the glances the three adults exchanged.
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It had been a tradition for a long time for Kris and Rister to walk a circle around the castle and the stables early every morning. They didn’t always even talk during the walk, they just walked. Pip had been observing them fro a couple of mornings from the windows. A feat of its own, considering how early they walked, but today and now he came to meet them and stopped before their path, demanding to know why they walked. He fidgeted uncomfortably under the gazes of both Rister and Kris but remained standing stubbornly. “You’ve heard me be called Master Wolf. My children are sometimes referred to as wolf-cubs and Rister as young wolf. Do you know what the most important thing for a wolf is?” Kris questioned softly, making Pip blink in confusion. After a few moments of consideration he shook his head and Kris smirked lightly. “His pack. The most important thing for a wolf is his pack. Our family is inside that castle, parents, wives, husbands, daughters, sons, sisters and brothers, cousins and nephews, aunts and uncles. We walk to weave a protection spell on our home. We walk to be the first to meet any danger, before our pack is harmed.” Pip stepped aside then and trailed the rest of the way behind them. He still seemed to be thinking over those words at breakfast as he kept looking between Kris and Rister.
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“Why do you have to hunt?” Rosalind demanded, nearly stomping her feet on the ground. She had seen Kris and Rister mounting with guns and had realised the intent of it before long and now she fully planned to call on them for it, despite her mother attempting to soothe her. Rister peered at the girl thoughtfully, before walking forward to crouch before her, so that their eyes would be level. “When you broke your arm as you told me you did. Did the doctor hurt you a bit to fix the bone before your arm started healing?” Rister questioned. Rosalind managed to nod through her tears, even though she looked puzzled. “That one animal is hurt and can’t control itself, because it is ill with rabies. We need to go hunt right now, so that the forest and all the rest of its inhabitants wouldn’t get hurt,” Rister explained and held Rosalind’s eyes with his as she thought. “So you hurt the forest a little bit to make it feel better?” Rosalidn questioned and nodded with a faint smile already reappearing, “You can go then and make the forest feel better!”
“Why like this?” Pip interjected a curious question as Rister stood and turned to mount his stallion. “We are not responsible not only before our family and the people living in the village. We are also responsible for every animal that lives on ground. This? This is a sort of promise that we know what it means, we understand and will ache as well. It’s a promise we won’t forget,” Rister responded with a calm glance at Pip, before taking all the Garwin’s in for a moment, before Kris spurred his horse to move and Rister followed.
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The returned to England with a plane as well, flying first class. A fact that delighted Rosalind, even though she was also happy to be going home again, as much as she had enjoyed her week’s stay in Italy. Rister stayed with the Garwin’s as they landed and got to the waiting area. He stayed politely in the background again as Mr. Garwin greeted his wife and children and ignored the glares the two older Garwin brothers were sending him. It was only when Mr. Garwin turned to look at him that Rister did step forward to shake the older man’s hand. “A pleasure,” Rister murmured as they slipped through a couple of polite phrases while the other man measured him. Declining the offer to be driven somewhere by the Garwins, Rister assured them that he would rather need to return to school as fast as possible. Absently messing Rosa’s hair and being swat for, Rister nodded lightly to Pip and offered a deeper nod to Charisse Garwin before turning to leave. People parted before him almost subconsciously as he sauntered with the loose-kneed lope of the wolf across the airport hall. He wasn’t a werewolf and he didn’t demand the attention, but there was enough of his father’s wolf in him to make people subconsciously pull back.
