Housecall

[Rister Graas S6]

It had taken a while for Pip to work himself up to inviting the Graas’ to visit en masse. He was learning at an incredible pace and had an acceptable poker face, but even so it had been fairly obvious – at least to them as they knew the kid pretty well at this point and were used to reading people – that he had something on his mind. So Pip’s invitation, couched as it was in a joke because Pip was a cuddly little hedgehog, really didn’t come as a surprise. Nor was Rister particularly surprised to see a mix of surprise and pleasure on Pip’s face, when the responses were a cheerful variation of yes’s and in Gabriel’s case a “make sure I’m free – you can’t go at the same time I have a shot somewhere!” “Sure,” Rister agreed when Pip turned hopeful eyes in his direction, returning the beaming smile with a small one of his own. “Had a specific time in mind?” he queried calmly, because Pip would most likely had thought of it. Or his mother would have as Rister suspected she was partially behind the invitation. Or at least had been happy to accommodate it, if Pip had asked. After all, she was the only one out of the Garwin’s likely to understand what life would be like for Pip in Slytherin.

There was another beaming smile – two really as Rosa seemed thrilled to see them as well, for all that she had only met Rister previously – to greet them when they arrived for their visit at the agreed time. There was the usual chaos of greetings, for all that the four older Garwin siblings seemed to be out, but there were six Graas’ and Ashlyn and Layla and a tour of sorts, before the party broke into smaller groups to settle in. All the Graas’ siblings knew how to behave when the occasion called for it after all. Rister himself drifted towards the kitchen or was rather pushed towards it by Pip demanding mini-pastries, not that he’d mind giving the recipe to Charisse Garwin to keep Pip from driving her crazy by requesting it. Besides once the pies were made and baking, there was an excellent view to the rest from the kitchen doorway where Rister settled with a cup of tea while keeping up an idle conversation with Mrs Garwin. Damon had settled in for a game of chess with Mr Garwin, while Leandra perched on the arm of his chair and amused herself by criticising Damon’s moves. Mr Garwin would win the game, Rister knew. The only question really was how – through his own skill, by Damon throwing the game, or by Leandra subtly picking apart Damon’s game-plan for Mr Garwin’s benefit. Perhaps Mr Garwin would be joining his wife this summer to visit Pip in Italy this year, Rister idly mused glancing over at a burst of laughter to where Morgana and Jared had busied themselves with some boardgame with Pip. Gabriel had been recruited by the girls to provide hairdressing services next to them, his hands busy with Rosa’s hair while Layla already sporting her own do.

It was all very cosy and friendly. Which probably went a long way in explaining the expression on Merry’s face when she got home to see the Graas’ taking over the living room. Rister smirked faintly into his cup of tea even as polite greetings were offered, but wasn’t particularly surprised when the boardgame drew to an end soon enough and while Pip got dragged over by Gabriel and Jared reached for his guitar, Morgana picked her way over to slip behind him, wrapping her arms around his shoulder and leaning a forehead against it as well. A shield for herself or a barrier to put Merry more at ease Rister wondered, for all that none of the Garwin’s probably noticed. The only Garwin who would have enough information to be able to conclude anything from it would be Merry and admittedly Rister doubted she’d be perceptive enough to pick up on the move. “Want a bite?” he murmured to Morgana with just a hint of wickedness as he tilted his head just that tiny bit to pointedly bare his neck to the werewolf leaning against his back - even if it would amuse only himself-, while offering a test piece with his hand. A raised eye-brow subdued Pip who had perked up at the mention of food even as Rister accepted the sharp jab from Morgana as his due. “You’re horrible and yes I do,” Morgana murmured, but at least she did it with a smile, accepting the morsel of food with an appreciative hum. “It’s good. Could do with more carrots though,” she said, making Rister roll his eyes. “Everything could do with more carrots in your opinion. You’re obsessed.” “Carrots are awesome,” Morgana countered after swallowing, resting her cheek against Rister’s shoulder again while looking into the living room. Rister merely hummed and reached over with his free hand to gently pet her head. “Headache?” he asked quietly, offering the excuse should Morgana wish it. Besides it probably wasn’t much off the mark, both metaphorically, with Merry now home, and physically, with the full moon just a couple of days away. “I have time for an ice cream or to take you home before I’m meeting Marielle, if you want,” Rister offered when Morgana merely hummed acceptingly at the mention of an headache. “Oh yes, I forgot you’re meeting her today. Up to anything fun?” Morgana asked. “Mmmm. We’re going to get caught picking out an engagement ring,” Rister responded with a shrug, even as Morgana peeked up at that: “Oh, she’s finally proposing?” “Yes, tonight. All things go well, she’ll announce it to media Friday and I stop playing her beard. If not, it’ll keep all the newspapers busy speculating,” Rister said with a grin, turning his head to meet Mrs Garwin’s eye, “Which is something of a secret, until the announcement, if I might beg for your discretion about it.” One of her daughters was a journalist after all and journalist who did write pieces on society.

Morgana rested her cheek against his shoulder again, obviously indecisive between staying and going so Rister reached over to put his now empty cup aside and as he moved – a simple side-step followed by an extended draw of the left leg back together – Morgana moved with him without any hesitation. Rister had been her most regular dance-partner during her lessons – Leandra having swapped between all four of her brothers as dance-partners far more regularly – and they moved well together. Dancing Morgana through the kitchen a quick twist half-way through bringing Morgana around to face him as they navigated the space, Rister led them into the backyard, even as Jared noticed and shifted the random notes he had been picking at into an actual song. Which in turn made Leandra jump up to demand a dance from Pip (“You can’t say no to a lady!” was the input from Gabriel followed by Leandra’s assurance “At the very least I’m a lady every third Tuesday of the month”) while Gabriel was happy to offer a hand to Rosalind for the two additional couples to follow them even as Jared lifted his elbow to allow Layla to tuck herself in to get a first-hand view of his fingers on the guitar-strings). Gabriel and Leandra were both light enough on their feed to improvise, whereas Rister and Morgana went for a technically pure performance, well-used to dancing together as evidence for the care and trust both had their partner. Plus it served to make Morgana smile again and as a turn brought them close together she twisted her head enough to murmur “Take me out for ice cream” into Rister’s ear. Accepting the choice with a placid blink, Rister finished the dance before catching Pip’s shoulder.

“We’re going to head off – Morgana isn’t feeling well,” he told the kid. He knew about Morgana as well, so could probably make the connection to the full moon easily enough. “Don’t look so worried, I’ll be perfectly capable of looking after your cat for a week,” Rister added, reaching over to ruffle Pip’s hair playfully. Really, a cuddly little hedgehog, “And if need be, I’ll be at the flat all of tomorrow.” Because it wouldn’t be that surprising if the kid did decide o come and visit him tomorrow, if under the guise of checking on his kitten. Offering their pardons to Mrs and Mr Garwin as well, the pair headed out; Morgana stealing Rister’s leather jacket to throw it over her own shoulders. Which was really the only reason Rister had grabbed it along in the first place as one of his siblings was bound to steal at some point, so Rister merely wrapped his arm around Morgana’s shoulder as well as the pair headed towards the closest apparition point.

[Philip Garwin]

Charisse has seen a great many children pass through her doors in the last two decades; her six children are such vastly different young people and their choices in friends and hobbies have always reflected that. This, she has to admit, is the most surprising gathering of youngsters to ever have been brought home by any of her kids. Then again, her youngest son has always been the most like her side of the family so perhaps she should have expected this turn of events. He has her uncle's temper and her youngest sister's petulance, her own dark eyes and a thirst for recognition that is somehow both entirely his own as well as the mark of every Cartier she grew up with. Her Slytherin son, her sweet and stubborn boy, has come home with much the same sort of friends he would have grown up with had she followed the path set out by her family and married a different man; watching them is almost like stepping through the looking glass into a life not chosen, if not for the maternal fear that lurks behind her easy smile. Pip is a Garwin, not a Cartier. He didn’t grow up in that world and, like all of her children, she never taught him the tricks and mannerisms required to thrive there. That had clearly been an incorrect presumption and now her son will have to learn on his feet, lest he be eaten alive by his peers.

“He looks happy,” Charisse murmurs fondly, her dark-eyed gaze resting on her son for a moment longer before passing over the other occupants of her living room. “I rather owe you a debt of gratitude, I think, for all that you’ve done for him.”

Rosa seems to have taken immediately to the younger of the two blondes; Charisse recognises the barely restrained energy in her youngest, the open and honest sweetness in Rosa's smile as she coaxes a response from the quieter child, and she watches as Layla begins to gradually respond of her own volition. The older blonde's attention has drifted from the chess match and she doesn't look entirely amused by the blossoming friendship - a highbred snob, Charisse remarks to herself silently, much like she herself had once been. She knows precisely what the blonde's cold blue eyes see; as much as she loves her daughter, Charisse knows that Rosa will never match the controlled grace of Layla's gestures, that she will never speak as softly, that it would take her a lifetime to learn the things that Layla simply knows because of her upbringing. She knows all of these things, but she knows also that Rosa's bright smile will one day be enough to turn heads, that she has known a freedom and a childhood free from strict lessons and heavy expectations, that her daughter has never once felt like a disappointment to the people who love her most.

Charisse exhales for a moment, palms warm from cradling a cup of tea, before lifting her eyes to fix Rister with a coolly curious stare. “I remember you as my daughter's romantic interest, long before you became my son's mentor. As much as I appreciate the friendship you and your family have extended to Pip, please understand that it greatly concerns me that Merry refuses to even mention your name. I hardly expect my teenage daughter to discuss her love life with her mother,” she adds dryly, “nor am I asking you to divulge any details, but this is something entirely different than simple teenage heartbreak, I think. I would have your word that your presence in my son's life, and now in his home, is not in any way intended to cause her torment or pain. I do believe that you care for Pip to some extent and I am incredibly grateful for the help and protection you have offered him, but your motives are questionable and unclear - and I have two children who might suffer if you prove to be less than honourable.”

[Rister Graas S6]

“He’s a good kid,” Rister said with a roll of one shoulder, before simply shrugging at Charisse’s thank you. He had helped Pip, but he didn’t need a thank you for it. Wasn’t even expecting one. Hadn’t done it because he wanted a thank you. “What was it they say? We’re all responsible for our own happiness,” was all he said in response, before nodding towards Ashlyn, “Besides much of the thanks should go to Ashlyn. She’s taught Pip as much as I have really ever he spent last summer in Italy. Perhaps more about traditions and the peculiarities of pureblood politics perhaps as otherwise he'd likely just reflect my opinions; while my lessons often tend more towards the practical. The rest chip in as and when needed as well.”

Rister’s eyes lingered on Layla as well. It was good to see the girl opening up. She hadn’t really had much of a chance to just be a kid lately. Nor did she seem to have made particularly many friends in Hogwarts. At least not her own age and while Rister and his siblings were all always happy to include Layla and to make time for her, he guessed she missed having another girl her own age around. Interestingly enough both Leandra and Morgana both felt older than Layla and at the same time far freer with their emotions. It would be interesting to see in what house Rosa would end up. And whether a friendship would grow between the pair. It might be worth giving it a chance though he thought, even as his lip-corner twitched in amusement as Damon absently reached a hand up to tug on one of Ashlyn’s curls to bring her attention back to him. Had something passed through the bond? Ashlyn was warming up to them as well, even if such casual touches were really only permitted to Damon still.

Charisse exhale was loud enough to bring Rister’s attention back to her. “Oh? But you’re happy to ask me?” he returned the question with a raised eye-brow instead. “Romantic interest? Not quite I think. However explosively the Daily Prophet might have reported it, we only really ran into each other a couple of times.” But Rister couldn’t begrudge the reasoning behind the question. So he took a moment to consider it. There was the Oath Merry had taken to keep Morgana’s secret, but he could answer the question without mentioning it. “Merry decided that we aren’t really company she cares for,” Rister said after a thoughtful pause, calm as he met Charisse’s eyes. There was plenty of scrutiny and attention that befell on anyone associated with any of the Graas siblings. Even more so on anyone rightly or wrongly romantically attached to Rister in tabloids. And he could play with reference to that without ever saying anything out loud. "I believe she was quite horrified to realise who I was. It is her decision, if she prefer her distance. And whatever you might read about my brothers and I, none of our companions are ever unwilling.” And one of the Graas brothers - never Leandra or Morgana, who were sheltered and who were really too young to be partnered up with possible beaus by gossip's yet, especially as the Graas' were known to value love-matches - ensured they were in the newspapers monthly at full moon. It made a point about the full moon and their father too openly for anyone to really be able to sink their teeth into it. And had the benefit of diverting attention from their little sister.

"Is this a good time to remind you that you sent Pip to me to ask for a job," Rister pointed out. There was plenty he could have said, but Rister was who he was. So all he did in response is swirl his tea around in his cup - just once, the liquid swirling around the cup, before settling down again."No, I'm not going to give you my word," he said bluntly, before shrugging, "I'm not a seer, so I cannot guarantee the future. Especially as Merry is very concerned about Pip hanging out with us and him liking me as much as he does, not that he'd admit it out loud, so it's entirely possible she or Pip will get hurt at some point. Especially as the two keep pulling me into their fights." Except that wasn't quite true either. So Rister clicked his tongue and elaborated after a pause, his voice carefully moderated to not really carry from the kitchen but not so noticeably lowered that it would attract attention. "In a manner of speaking at least. You have raised very different children. Merry has no real understanding of the Slytherin house or how hard it can be and so isn't happy with some of Pip's choices. Nor my choices in what spells I've chosen to teach him or occasions when I play my hand openly in relation to Pip. Pip rails against an over-protective sister, who doesn't seem to understand him. And neither thinks of the other's perspective. So they fight. And after each argument Pip becomes more determined and more often than not ready to offer me some ridiculously thoughtless oath to prove himself no matter what, which usually prompts another lesson for him to think before speaking and so the circle continues. I believe Merry got a sound telling off from Ashlyn and Lita after one of their fights, of which I've heard accounts from Lita, Leandra and Ashyln so far. Ashlyn is far more protective of us - and Pip - as she would admit either."

But he could understand this question as well. What was his motive? That Pip needed the help? That it wasn't hard? That it amused him? That Pip was growing to be someone who might be a loyal friend and ally to Graas' as a family and Rister as a person? That he was too used to being the older brother? That Pip wasn't the first he taught and likely wouldn't be the last either? "Hard as it might be to believe, I don't have a motive though," Rister said with a shrug, "We like the kid and our friendship with him isn't dependent on his siblings. Nor is it particularly hard for us to include him whenever we're practising and teach him at the same time. So sure, maybe some day I might call in a favour from Pip if the occasion rises where I would require one, but I don't have any set plans in mind for him beyond helping him survive. And being willing to offer him a job again next summer, which he seems keen on."