Tide Me Over (closed, with Irridatedwarden)

[sumurset]

"That's what I have been thinking."


He was quite enjoying the conversation. Enough so that he set down his fork and simply took a sip of his tea.


Mark refrained from mentioning the ongoing power struggle the Ministry was having with the "Death Lord." Such a stupid name.


Either way, it obviously made Esette uncomfortable. He didn't want her to be.


He cleared his throat before asking a burning question.


"What office are you with in the department? Are you an auror?" His eyes brightened a bit at that. Ever since he'd learned of aurors and what they did, he'd been interested in them.


Although their job sounded a bit too dangerous for his own tastes, he couldn't help but dream of potentially becoming one.


At least being around them.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

"Once." He took a drink of his wine, mulling his thoughts over before continuing. "Well, I wasn't an auror here, but France has an equivalent, if more dangerous, job. I was young when I was doing that work, but once we moved I decided to turn the position down when it was offered to me. It's...not a job for a father. It is how I met Esette though." He gave a toothy smile as he tapped one of the scars that ran across his face. "Still fell for me even though I looked like I had been mauled by a pack of werewolves."


Esette gave a roll of her eyes as she shook her head, smiling to herself. Well, he wasn't wrong.


"Ah, but now I work for the Investigation Department. I track the Dark Wizards and leave the hunting to others. That way I can make it home every night."


That pleased him. While he did occasionally miss the days of adventure, it wasn't something he could do now, not with a family.


He wanted to protect people, but he wanted to protect them even more.

 

[sumurset]

That was a very reasonable job. Mark could appreciate it and the thought behind it.


"I think you made a wise choice."


He was maintaining eye contact with the man. Partly out of habit, and also because he wanted to get his point across.


"You have a family to be treasured."


And, sure, he had only known them for an hour or so. It wasn't important. Not to him. No, he felt like he'd known them all for far longer. They had welcomed him so quickly. Esette was beautiful and kind--warm, like a true mother. Celaden was firm and protective, but logical--like a father. A good father. Even Felicia was wonderful. Good grades, focused on school, but completely devoted to her friends. They were all so lovely. He could hardly understand it.


Mark blushed lightly, looking down at his food. He began picking at it quietly.


Okay, perhaps it had been a bit forward to say.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

A family to be treasured.


Esette giggled happily when she heard the words, obviously taking pride in them as well. She'd worked hard to keep it all together, to be the glue that kept things secure when things got hard. No family was perfect, yet alone hers, but it was nice to know that someone liked them so much.


"You are too kind, Mark, I'll have to insist that you keep coming over if you say things like that."


The idle chatter continued and Felicia was the first to finish eating. Standing, she went to go wash the dish off.


"Fi?" Esette looked back over to her. "Are you, by chance, going to do a bit of studying over the holiday for potions?"


"You know, I completely forgot to bring the book home. What a shame." She gave a cheeky smile and Esette shook her head a little. "It seems I will have to find other ways to amuse myself instead."


Which wouldn't be hard seeing that Mark was there.


"Oh I am sure that will be terribly difficult for you, mon chou." Accepting that there was nothing she could do about it now, she returned to a quiet conversation with Celaden, assuming the two teens could take care of themselves.

 

[sumurset]

Feeling rather awkward alone, Mark excused himself as well. His plate had been completely cleaned. He was a hungry boy, after all.


He followed after Fi, unsure of what they could do.


It was already evening and the filling dinner was making him weary.


"Is there a washroom to get cleaned up downstairs?"

 

[Interstellar Bun]

She took his plate and nodded. "The door across from yours is the guest washroom. I believe it should be fully stocked, just be a bit mindful as the hot water can be temperamental."


The dishes were washed easily and, once that was done, she headed upstairs to change into her own pajamas. Tugging a nightgown over her head, Felicia took her time getting ready for bed. She mulled the day over as she washed her face and found that the only thing she missed from Hogwarts, other than her two partners in crime, was the Prefect bathroom.


She indulged in the bath more than she likely should have, enjoying the different colors and scents, the way the stress of the day could just wash off her skin. The fact that she was given access to it after curfew made it even better.


But, she supposed she could trade that in to have the comfort of her home once more.


Drawing the drapes to her windows shut, she considered digging out a book before pausing.


Pushing her fluffy curls back over her shoulders she eased down the two flights of stairs, being careful to step over the one that creaked, and paused when she entered the small den area on the first floor.


On bare feet, she padded to Mark's room and gently tapped her knuckles on it.


"Are you decent?"

 

[sumurset]

The washroom was as nice as the bedroom. It was decorated in a clean, but homely manner. It made him feel terribly at ease.


It was nothing compared to the prefect bathroom, of course, but what was.


He had washed his face, shaving the awkward and patchy stubble that had decided to rear its ugly head.


Mark hated how his facial hair grew. Unfortunately it couldn't be helped.


Once his hair was washed (with only a minor scorching incident), Mark had decided to change into his flannel pajama bottoms and get settled on the bed.


A visit from Fi hadn't exactly been expected, so a shirt hadn't been fretted over.


It was definitely a surprise when she knocked on the door.


Hurriedly, he got up off the bed and glanced at himself in the mirror. His hair was fine, albeit damp. Everything seemed to be in order.


With a sigh, he padded over and opened the door with a smile.


"Yes. Come on in." With that, he turned back towards the bed and plopped down; curling up on one side. He tried to leave her enough room to plop down. Luckily enough the bed wasn't tiny.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

He opened the door just as she eased back a little. His hair was damp and she told herself to focus on that rather than the fact that he hadn't bothered to put a shirt on. She was thankful her curls hid her ears and the warmth that settled in them.


Blushing was awkward in general, but blushing because her friend, was shirtless was worse.


She moved forward and left the door partially open. Setting herself on the edge of the bed, she crossed one leg under her and felt herself relax.


Absently, she messed with the hem of her nightgown.


"You know," she mused, "I am truly glad you came here. It is nice to see you, to know you, outside of a school setting."


Because it was different, surely he even noticed it. They weren't speaking to one another in a library or in the halls, dressed in uniforms and looking perfectly clean cut like the prefects they were. She was sitting on his bed, dressed in pajamas, and there was something so personal about that.


It was weird.

 

[sumurset]

"Your home is very nice."


He crossed his legs, propping his elbows on his knees. He was facing her; chin on his fists.


"Esette, your mom, is so kind. I wish I had someone like her to take care of me." He chuckled. It had been said light-heartedly, although the underlying topic was fairly deep.


For a moment he wasn't sure if he should go on and change the subject, or see what Fi said. Perhaps it was best not to delve right in. Fragile information could accidentally slip out.


"Anyway, it's different than my house. More personal. Homely." He shrugged, leaning back a bit. It wasn't a lie. The tiny flat his dad called home was sad compared to this.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

There was something about what he said, about how he wanted someone like her mom to take care of him that broke her heart a little. It reminded her just how good she had it compared to some people. It reminded her that she shouldn't take it for granted.


She wanted to tell him that their doors were open to him, that he would be welcome to drop by at any time of he wanted to. Maybe they could be kind of a second family. Maybe that would be enough.


However, he changed the subject before she could tell him.


"I know it is probably a bit closed minded but I never thought my home would impress you too much. Slytherins have a...reputation for living luxuriously."


And that was how she thought of him. In a way, Mark was still just a Slyherin to her, one who occasionally went out of his way to talk to her.

 

[sumurset]

He didn't say anything for a few moments.


There were a few ways he could go about responding, but none of them seemed terribly in his favor.


In the end, he chose his words carefully.


"I try to be polite. More so than my friends," a short pause, "not saying my compliment was fabricated. Your home truly is a nice one.


"It's far more warm and inviting than what I am used to."

 

[Interstellar Bun]

There was something about the way he spoke that made her frown a little. He was being careful.


She didn't blame him for that, but it was a little disheartening. Perhaps he'd open up over time, be willing to speak without policing every word that left his mouth.


Felicia did the same to an extent, but never to that level. Still, maybe if she was earnest, he would be too.


"It is the people that make it warm, I think. In France we had a much smaller home and I still remember it being endlessly more inviting than the home of my aunt." She mused the words, shifting a little to get more comfortable on the bed.


"Have you ever had a chance to visit the French countryside? It is quite lovely."

 

[sumurset]

"I have never been outside of England, so no."


He relaxed, pulling a pillow into his lap. It was nice to hug.


"It's somewhere I'd love to visit, though. I heard it is very beautiful. Are your parents from France? You all seem to speak a little bit of the language."

 

[Interstellar Bun]

She nodded. "Mère is from Bordeaux, my father is from Arles, and I grew up a good bit outside of Paris." She mussed up her hair, leaning forward to let her arm rest on her leg. "We moved here, oh, six years ago now."


It was practical, she knew that, but when she was younger she didn't understand why they had to leave, why she couldn't go to the same school her parents had.


They had offered to let her stay with her aunt and uncle in Bordeaux if it meant that much to her and sometimes she still wondered what life would be like if she had accepted. But, she couldn't leave her parents like that, it had never been a true option.


Besides, England wasn't so bad.


"I think you would like France, though I may be a bit biased in saying that."

 

[sumurset]

Mark nodded, pursing his lips pensively. That would explain the slight accent they all had. With no prior experience, he had been unable to properly place it.


A family of purebloods from France. The thought was amusing to him, for some reason. Marie Antoinette came to mind. Like royalty.


Of course, these people broke down every stereotype about purebloods.


Home of comfort, feeling of total casualty, family dinners...


"Maybe I will go someday." He yawned quietly, glancing around the room. "As I said, I have never left England. I was born and raised here."

 

[Interstellar Bun]

"Perhaps you could take a trip there after you finish school in celebration before you go off to become a famous auror." The words came with a light, teasing smile.


Surely all this Dark Lord nonsense would be over by then, making travel safe again. His presence was why she couldn't vacation there during the summer, why her father had kept a close eye on the both of them when they were at the train station. Had she not known what her father had been through, she would have called him paranoid.


There was a gentle knock as Celaden tapped the handle of his cane on the door frame, the silver bird head glimmering in the low light.


"Fi, c'est l'heure d'aller au lit." He motioned with his head to the din as he stepped aside.


Felicia let out a quiet huff before standing and smoothing her nightgown down. "Of course papa." Standing on her toes, she kissed his cheek when she reached him before looking back at Mark. "Goodnight, Mark."


With that, she left.


Celaden turned his attention to the Slytherin boy.


"If you need anything we're at the other end of the room. If you want to wander about that's fine, just don't leave the home after dark. Good night." He gave a quick smile before shutting the door. The sound of his cane could be heard as he walked away.

 

[sumurset]

"Goodnight."


Mark watched the door close and let out a soft sigh. He wondered how the rest of the holiday would go. He'd only just arrived, so he wasn't sure if things would be even more lax, or if there would be things to do and places to be.


Hopefully they wouldn't be bored to death. That was the fate he always fell victim to at his father's.


He also wondered how his father was doing. The letter surely must have gotten there. Had his dad checked the mail? Did he know?


Such thoughts plagued his tired mind. He didn't sleep particularly well as he worried.


The next day Mark was woken up by the smell of breakfast. Far more pleasant than a noisy alarm.


He roused, padding to the bathroom to clean up and change into different clothes. He decided to just wear the about-the-house outfit he'd packed, as no one had said anything about leaving.


When he emerged, they family all gathered about and ate breakfast. For an hour afterwards he and Fi simply hung out in the same room, reading their respective books. It wasn't until about noon that Esette wandered in and asked for Mark's help with cookies. Which, of course, he was quite content with.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

When her mom asked Mark to bake cookies, that was right around the time Celaden invited her along to head out of the house. In no time at all the two were dressed and out of the house, leaving Esette and Mark behind.


A thick, old book of recipes sat on a stand in the kitchen, though she barely glanced at it as she started to get all the ingredients out. She'd made the cookies more than enough to know how to do it with her eyes shut. It was there more for Mark's peace of mind than anything else. She placed a bowl in front of him, handing him a whisk as she started to crack eggs.


"So Mark, tell me about yourself, what do you like to do? Are you part of any clubs at Hogwarts?"


Her tone was sweet, perfectly casual and easy. She wanted to get to know him, get a true feel for the boy they were hosting over the holidays.

 

[sumurset]

He watched Esette as she prepared the kitchen. It was interesting to see her working. She was obviously very used to the task of baking--such was obvious by the lack of reference she used with the book she'd set out. He figured it was more for him than her. Something told him that she could make them with her hands tied behind her back.


As the various ingredients were dropped in, he began whisking them together; taking care not to splatter her with batter.


"I quite like astronomy and charms. I'm in their respective clubs, along with the dueling club. Transfiguration is also a lot of fun."


He wasn't sure why it felt as though he needed to impress her, but something told him he did. Maybe for acceptance, maybe for praise--he didn't know.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

"Transfiguration? Oh how lovely. That is a terribly hard skill to master and I fear I was never very good at it myself." A chuckle escaped her as she shook her head, amused at her own lack of ability. She hummed in contemplation, with a flick of her wand, pans came floating over towards them. Grabbing them, she placed them down before searching for some parchment.


"What draws you to astronomy, though? I have found it takes a certain type of person to find joy in such magics concerning the relationship between themselves and the universe."


She had liked it in her youth, but time spent healing left little extra for studying the stars and the planets.

 

[sumurset]

"Exactly that. Myself, in relation to everything that was, is, and will be."


He shrugged, still whisking. Mark had never really made cookies. Not that he remembered, at least.


Instruction was very necessary.


"I think it's interesting to be able to see how the moon and the planets affect how we act or perceive the world. That, and I find the stars to be generally beautiful. I enjoy studying them."


The dough in the bowl seemed mixed well enough. Should he stop?


How did anyone bake without the recipe in front of them the entire time?


"Other than that, I'm not sure. I sometimes think maybe I got the interest from my mother." Or that maybe he felt closer to her while looking at the night sky.

 

[Interstellar Bun]

Esette listened closely as he spoke before handing him a spoon.


"We are going to use this to place the mounds of dough on the pans and then press them with our thumbs to flatten them a bit."


She started spooning out the cookies, tapping the dough onto the pans without a bit of trouble.


"Do you remember much of your mother, dear?"


And there it was, the shift in her voice that made it softer, more personal, as though Mark was the only one in the world, as though he were the most important person. There was no denying she cared for him. It was in her nature to love, to give all she could to others.

 

[sumurset]

He remained quiet for a long time while struggling to get the sticky dough off of the spoon.


He seemed more interested in that, then the question she had posed.


It was a minute or two before he finally responded.


His voice was softer than normal.


"I never knew her. She died while giving birth to me."


Pressing his thumb into the small ball, he sighed.


"But the way my father talks about her.. I sometimes forget."

 

[Interstellar Bun]

Reaching over, she gently rubbed his back for a moment.


"I know many people have likely told you this, but those who have died never truly leave us. I have sen it before, things unseen giving patients comfort, a reminder that no matter what they are not alone. I'm not sure it's of any comfort, but I'm sure your mother is watching over you and I'm sure she'd be proud of the young man you've become. You seem nothing but perfectly kind to me."


She paused before her soft smile warmed.


"And you make lovely cookies."


That said, she moved to get colorful sugar to sprinkle over them, having to stand on her toes to reach up into the cabinet.

 

[sumurset]

Mark smiled softly, a very light blush dusting his cheeks. No one had told him that before, because not many knew.


Not many could pick up on the verbal clues like Esette had.


"Thank you, ma'am." He still remembered Esette telling him to address her by name, but it didn't feel quite right. Not after that. It felt like calling a mother by her name. You simply didn't. They were either "mum," or "mam."


Once the cookies were sprinkled and popped in the oven, Mark leaned against the counter and watched them quietly.


For a while he simply thought things over.


"I wish she hadn't left us. Life would have been very different."