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last online May 11, 2024 2:04:49 GMT -7
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May 10, 2017 19:52:00 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on May 10, 2017 19:52:00 GMT -7
Five o'clock had just rolled around, which meant that Aras was closing up shop for the day. Sometime customers inquired as to why he closed so early, since it was a retail shop and those tended to stay open longer to cater to the folks who worked all day and still wanted to visit the store, but as far as Aras was concerned, there were precious few people who could do their jobs without their wands, and if they were really so desperate to have a new wand, they could take the day off work for it. It wasn't like he had ever made a secret of when the shop's hours were. With everything stored away and the lights dimmed to show that he wasn't serving customers anymore, Aras was finally able to let his dogs down from the upstairs apartment. That was something he felt guiltier about, though he intended to make up for their captivity by taking them both on a long walk. When it had just been him and Posh, Aras had gone on a run with his dog, but since there was a puppy in the picture, he would feel guilty making the poor thing keep up with his long legs. After fixing leashes on both of the animals, Aras shuffled around in a drawer, looking for the key to lock up, muttering a little to himself as he did so. Just as he found the key (which had somehow managed to hide itself underneath one of the bills Aras was desperately trying to forget about), the bell above the door rang, indicating that someone had entered. "We're closed." Aras said gruffly without looking up.
@magdalena
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last online May 11, 2024 2:04:49 GMT -7
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May 10, 2017 21:49:37 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on May 10, 2017 21:49:37 GMT -7
Was Magdalena really doing this? She hadn't set foot in her family's shop since the summer before her seventh year. Hadn't been home since the summer after she graduated. Hadn't spoken to any members of her family since around the same time. And yet as she walked the path down Diagon Alley she hardly had to think, each stone on the path as familiar as the back of her hand. Each shop more familiar to her then her's and Nikolai's house. She'd grown up here. Spending most of her days as a child in Diagon Alley. And when she stepped up to the shop... Her family's shop, she stopped breathing for a moment. It hadn't changed one bit, and the nostalgia of seeing the building brought a rush of memories. Turning the doorknob, the doorknob that felt as natural in her hand as breathing she listened to the bell ring overhead, almost like a lullaby. She'd always recognize the sound of that bell. And the slight squeak of the first floorboard as she stepped inside and shut the door behind her. The lights were dimmed, but still on. She knew her brother would still be here, he would have just closed shop. She stopped there just inside the doorway for a moment, her gaze slowly taking in the shop. Almost unchanged since she last saw it. A few boxes were missing, and that Ollivander memory of hers told her which wands must have been sold. She knew each and every wand in this shop (excluding any her brother might have made in the last year), and it was almost like seeing an old friend, seeing their boxes on the shelves. And then... her attention was brought back as she heard the most familiar thing of them all.
"We're closed."
Magdalena dared not breath for the first moment, tightening her grip on her cloak a little as she kept it wrapped around her tight. Part of her was worried he'd know immediately that she was pregnant. Despite being several months along Magi wasn't showing much, according to the healers it was pretty normal for someone her height. The baby had more room to spread out, and so it would take her longer to blatantly show. But still, with the way her cloak lay she knew he wouldn't see anything off. "I'm not here to buy a wand." She managed to answer, sounding much braver and confident than she felt as she stared at her brother. Despite their usually large age difference, she'd always been close to Aras. That was probably why this whole situation was so hard...
@aras
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last online May 11, 2024 2:04:49 GMT -7
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May 12, 2017 9:43:17 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on May 12, 2017 9:43:17 GMT -7
The key dropped to the floor, and to Aras, it sounded like an explosion. He took a deep breath, and then stooped to pick up the key so neither of the dogs would get it in their heads to try to eat the piece of metal. Then they wouldn’t be able to leave until Aras could find the spare. Considering how long it had taken him to find the original key, that would take forever. The brief amount of time he had taken to pick up the key had given him enough time to run a few different responses to what his sister had said, and then to conclude that no matter what he said, it was going to sound painfully awkward. Magdalena hadn’t been around to wonder about his constant absences, and hadn’t seen the way he had responded to their mother’s death. That was probably for the better, but it was occurring to Aras that the little girl he had raised and loved was a stranger now, and he didn’t know how she would react to what he was going to say. “Why are you here, then, Magda?” He asked, the gruff, no-nonsense shopkeeper replaced with the concerned, confused older brother. Aras had not a single clue about why Madgalena would choose to visit the shop now, of all times. Maybe it was just because she had taken the time she needed to heal, but even then…why not give him notice? Maybe she had healed, but Aras was still struggling. He had been trying so hard to keep his addiction under control that grieving hadn’t ever really happened, and he was afraid of what would happen if he let himself feel all of that pain. “If you want money, I can’t help you.” There were still bills to be paid. Aras had gotten rid of the bulk of his gambling debts, but there were still some left to be paid, and of course the cost of maintaining the family business – the price of materials and lights and paying their employees. There really wasn’t a Knut to spare, as much as he regretted to say it, and once there was extra money, Aras was planning on hiring a lawyer so their father’s name could be cleared. Aras had made plans, and Magdalena hadn’t been part of any of them…because she hadn’t wanted to be a part of them, Aras reminded himself before guilt could begin to eat at him. She had run away, and he had stayed. He couldn’t be mad at himself for either of those choices.
@magdalena
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last online May 11, 2024 2:04:49 GMT -7
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May 12, 2017 20:11:05 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on May 12, 2017 20:11:05 GMT -7
It was both good and hard to see her brother. After so many months. Good because she realized in that moment how much she missed him. She always had. But she'd buried the feelings behind so many other emotions and experiences. Trying to distract herself so she wouldn't even have time to think about her brother. That was what made it hard, because she felt like a child facing her brother like this. Not because everything was magically better between them and the Ollivander family. But because so much was going on... And the reason why she was here the very question he was asking... She knew what the answer was. "Because I need my big brother." She whispered, though in the shop her voice seemed to carry, as if the very wands wanted her words to reach her brother. There was a quiet pleading in her voice. Because for heaven's sake, she did need her brother. She should have known that months ago, but she'd been stupid and naive. She'd forgotten what was good for her, and what she truly needed.
His mention of money made her eyes widen just a touch. Why would he jump to that conclusion? "I don't want your money, Aras." If her saying she needed her brother (and only her brother) hadn't made that clear... But really. why would he say that? What made him think she'd ever ask him that? "Please, Aras. I just want to talk."
@aras
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last online May 11, 2024 2:04:49 GMT -7
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May 12, 2017 20:28:41 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on May 12, 2017 20:28:41 GMT -7
Aras had to stop himself from dropping the key again when Magdalena spoke. He wasn’t surprised this time, but he was…scared. It was much easier, when it was just him and his family’s shop. He didn’t know what sort of monster he was, where being alone was easier than having his family surrounding him and supporting him, but it was true. When he could focus on his work and his routine, the little voice in the back of his head that gave him directions to the nearest casino was quiet. It was there, but it was manageable. If the routine ever broke, that was when the voice got louder. And if anything qualified as a routine break…this definitely was it. Aras took a deep breath, closing his fist around the key so that it dug into his skin and kept him from getting too far into his own head. That was another surefire way to get himself in trouble. He didn’t say anything, just kept looking at Magda, feeling like a cornered animal, even though this was his turf, and he easily could have pushed his little sister out of the way if he wanted to leave. As much as this was confusing and terrifying, though, Aras didn’t want to go.
He was relieved that Magdalena didn’t want money, because it was awful to want something that you couldn’t have – or worse, that didn’t exist. “We’re talking now.” He said warily. “I’d take you upstairs but it’s a pig sty.” Aras was a bachelor living alone, after all, and he didn’t have the motivation to clean most days. And there was a flier for his GA meetings sitting on the table, and that would raise too many questions that he didn’t want to answer right now – or ever, if he could put it off that long. Aras looked down at his feet, where the dogs were sitting, just as confused by this situation as their master.
@magdalena
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last online May 11, 2024 2:04:49 GMT -7
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May 12, 2017 21:28:14 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on May 12, 2017 21:28:14 GMT -7
Magdalena knew that a huge part of her own attitude was learned from her older brother. He, when desired, could be so aggravating that you just wanted to slap him upside the head or shake him angrily. He didn't say anything to her whisper, just stared at her. And when he finally did speak it was only to tell her they were talking now. There was that attitude that made you want to hit him. Normally she would have given attitude right back, but she didn't this time. One because it'd been so long since she'd seen her brother. She inhaled a deep breath, held it for a moment, before releasing it. She'd been thinking about what to say to him for so long... And yet now that it was happening her mind was completely blank. All her thoughts and preparation, gone. "You got dogs." She stated, though that was obvious. They were sitting right there. Magdalena had always been a cat person, ever since she was a toddler. Even then she'd shown signs of having an unusual affinity with them. When she'd been so little she'd tell her brother and parents about the things the neighbor's cat would tell her, or the stray that she'd found. As she got older though, old enough that she should have outgrown such make believe, it hadn't stopped. She'd continued to speak as if she could truly understand cats. And when she'd finally gotten her own cats, Ditzy and Klutz, they'd realized that it wasn't simply her imagination.
Swallowing hard, she held her cloak around her a little tighter and took a step towards him. "How.. how are you?" Magdalena really wasn't good at this whole 'making amends with estranged relatives' business. Facing her problems... Solving them. Simply not in her skill set. But run away from them or burying them? Oh she had that down to an art. She was trying though.
@aras
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last online May 11, 2024 2:04:49 GMT -7
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May 13, 2017 8:57:52 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on May 13, 2017 8:57:52 GMT -7
This was perhaps the most stilted conversation Aras had ever had with his little sister – and considering that he had had conversations with her when she only knew one word, that was saying an awful lot. He didn’t know why they were doing this, why they were both grasping at straws to find something to talk about when they had been doing just fine apart. Well, he had been doing just fine – he didn’t really know what Magda had been doing, but she didn’t look bad. Who knew, though – maybe she was hiding the fact that she had been starving beneath the billows of the cloak she was wearing. When his sister said that he had gotten dogs, Aras nodded. “Security measure.” He explained. “They know that I’m talking to you, which is why they haven’t attacked you yet.” He said matter-of-factly. If he gave the command, the dogs would be more than happy to incapacitate Magdalena. Well, Posh would – Cisco would probably just sit around and watch, since he still wasn’t fully trained. Aras wasn’t going to sic his dogs on his sister, though. She hadn’t done anything to deserve that, and even if she did… He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to do it.
When he was asked how he was, Aras shook his head a little. That was a question he was sick of. Everyone who had heard that his mother had died asked him how he was nearly every day for a month, and even now people who came into the shop asked how he was coping with his father’s incarceration. The words just seemed empty. Aras was going to go out on a limb, though, and give Magda an honest answer. “I’m tired. All the time.” Taking breaks wasn’t an option because of his need to adhere to a routine, and even if he could take a break, Aras wasn’t sure that he wanted to. Letting go of the shop, even for a little while, was scary. It was all he had left, the legacy of a family that he had destroyed from the inside out. “How are you?” He asked in return, because they were trying to have a polite conversation, and that was the polite thing to do.
@magdalena
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last online May 11, 2024 2:04:49 GMT -7
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May 20, 2017 14:47:31 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on May 20, 2017 14:47:31 GMT -7
"Security measure?" Magdalena repeated with the usual hint of surprise. If there was anyone that knew that habit of hers it was Aras. He'd helped play a role in her forming the habit. It was left over from when she was a toddler, repeating what people said as she learned to speak herself. In this situation though she'd been thoroughly surprised. Why did her brother need security measure to begin with? "Was there a break in?" aside from the usual security charms she couldn't remember any other measures in place. It was a peaceful time growing up so her family had never worried much of any robberies. Or... was it because of their mother's murder..?
His answer to her asking how he was felt unusually like what she might say. Tired all the time. For vastly different reasons though. She smiled just a little. While it was still... awkward it was also nice to see her brother after so long. And since he'd been so honest in his answer she might as well too. "It... depends on the day." Today hadn't been to bad... but that didn't mean it'd been great either. She rarely had truly great days.
@aras
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last online May 11, 2024 2:04:49 GMT -7
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May 23, 2017 12:59:19 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on May 23, 2017 12:59:19 GMT -7
Aras narrowed his eyes at Magda when she repeated his words. He had thought that she would have outgrown that habit by now, after being in the working world. Apparently that wasn’t the case. When his sister asked if there had been a break-in, Aras twitched his head in a quick ‘no’ gesture. “Peace of mind is hard to come by these days.” He said by way of explanation. That was true of everyone, of course. With people running around killing students and exploding train stations, it was difficult to feel like anyone was ever safe. But it was even worse for Aras, knowing he still had debts standing and people who were willing to go so far as murder to get them paid. Aras tensed a little, looking behind Magda to scan the street. He couldn’t see anyone out there, which meant that it was likely that no one had seen his little sister enter, which was a good thing. She didn’t need to get dragged into the mess that he had made.
His sister smiled at his answer, and Aras’s brain set to figuring out that puzzle. Why was she happy that he was tired? The easiest answer was that she wasn’t smiling at the content of his message, but rather at the fact that they were talking at all. Aras’s face was still set in a carefully neutral line. He was worried about what this meant for the future. Was this a one-off, or was Magdalena…coming home? He didn’t dare hope that she would come back, after having left for so long. She answered that how she felt depended on the day, and his next question slipped out of Aras’s lips before he could think to stop it. “Today?” That was his natural curiosity coming out, though Aras was a little afraid of what the answer would be. What if today was a horrible day, and that was why she had come back? Even worse…what if today was a good day, and he was ruining it?
@magdalena
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last online May 11, 2024 2:04:49 GMT -7
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Jun 9, 2017 9:06:17 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jun 9, 2017 9:06:17 GMT -7
Magdalena bit her lip. His answer had been vague. Not really answering the question directly. Whether it was in agreement to her question or if it meant something else had happened... she didn't know. She didn't push for an answer though, just nodded slowly.
Her brother was being unnaturally stoic. While unnerving she couldn't exactly blame him. Considering how she'd left. Right after graduation she'd packed up her belongings from their childhood home and left without any explanation. Without even a goodbye. Sure why she left wasn't hard to guess. She'd been grieving. And grief made people do some crazy things. For her she couldn't be anywhere near what reminded her of their mother. She'd felt like she couldn't breath Everytime she thought of their mother. And yet... he hadn't turned her away. That was good right? "Probably as tired as you. But not bad." she was used to being tired right now.
@aras
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last online May 11, 2024 2:04:49 GMT -7
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Jun 9, 2017 9:36:41 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jun 9, 2017 9:36:41 GMT -7
Aras shook his head when his sister said that she was as tired as he was. There was still so much she had to learn about the world, and the people in it. There was still so much that he wanted to show her… But he had long since given up on having that chance. “I doubt you’ll ever be as tired as me, Magda. I’m the kind of tired that you get when you’re old.” Aras had always that the fatigue that came with age was just because of the body’s physical breakdown, but now that he was halfway through his thirties, he finally realized that wasn’t it. There was so much emotional stress that came with aging, too – wondering how his dad was doing (which was complicated by the fact that he was in prison) and wondering how his sister was doing (which was complicated by the fact that she had gone ghost on him) were just the tip of the emotional iceberg. For all the awful things that had happened to Magdalena, she was still young, and she still had time to be reckless. Aras had given up his chance to be wild and free when he was young, and he wondered if that was the reason why he had gotten into his sorry state now. “I need to take the dogs out.” Aras said abruptly. “Walk with me?” Stupid. He had been intending on using walking the dogs as his excuse to get out of the conversation, but instead he had found a way to prolong it. Walking around, in public, with Magdalena, was not going to end well for either of them.
@magdalena
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last online May 11, 2024 2:04:49 GMT -7
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Jun 9, 2017 10:01:44 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jun 9, 2017 10:01:44 GMT -7
Magdalena smiled just a little as he almost scolded her. Doubting she'd ever be as tired as him. It wasn't necessarily a 'haha' funny. But it was funny. Because he didn't know. It was almost... a sad smile. "You'd be surprised." she muttered softly. She knew she needed to tell him today about the pregnancy. She had to. But right then definitely wasn't the right moment.
His abrupt words, and request for her to walk with him took her by surprise, her eyes widening just a touch before finally nodding. "Okay." she agreed without hesitation. Stepping away from the door she pulled it open for both of them. Maybe she'd find the right moment to tell him as they walked.
@aras
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last online May 11, 2024 2:04:49 GMT -7
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Jun 9, 2017 10:09:39 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jun 9, 2017 10:09:39 GMT -7
Aras looked away from Magdalena when she said that he would be surprised by how tired she was. He had to bite back a comment about how everything she told him was surprising, because it had been such a long time since she had left. He was determined not to blame her for leaving, though. Aras just had to repeat over and over in his head that they had both made their choices, and they both deserved to have those choices respected. Even though his had been the one that was accepted by most people, it was still, he would argue, the harder choice to make. He had to take over a business, and Magda had just had to leave. Aras took a slow, deep breath. Comparing their choices wasn’t doing anything to help him respect hers any more, and he needed to stop before he did something he regretted.
“Do you want one of the leashes?” Aras asked, picking up the ends of both the dogs’ leashes. They were both good walkers as a byproduct of their training to be guard dogs, but he knew how his sister felt about dogs, and it wasn’t exactly favorable. Aras pushed the key into the pocket of his robe so that he wouldn’t forget it, and turned back to his sister with a quizzical look on his face.
@magdalena
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last online May 11, 2024 2:04:49 GMT -7
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Jul 9, 2017 17:20:51 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2017 17:20:51 GMT -7
It shouldn't be this hard to talk to her brother. She'd been the accident child, so her parents had been closer to grandparents age for her, while her brother old enough to be her parent. Which meant she'd spent more time with him then her own parents. And yet.. Now it was like trying to talk to a stranger. She hated her brother being a stranger to her. And it was all her fault.
As her brother asked if she wanted one of the leashes she wordlessly held out a hand to take one, silently accepting his offer as he turned back to her and get her that look. Immediately it felt like he was searching for something and the words almost blurted out of her. Somehow she manged to hold it back though, and swallowed. "So... uh... There's something I need to tell you." At least she didn't totally blurt it out..
@aras
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last online May 11, 2024 2:04:49 GMT -7
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Jul 9, 2017 17:35:17 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2017 17:35:17 GMT -7
Magda held out a hand for one of the leashes, and Aras handed her Posh’s leash. The bigger dog was better behaved, so it was probably better for the non-dog lover of the pair of them to be the one to hold on to him. He stepped outside of the shop and immediately withdrew the key from the pocket to lock the door behind him. Immediately after stepping outside, Aras started having a hard time deciding between looking at Magdalena and looking at literally anything else. He tried to look at the path he was supposed to walk on, at the dogs, or at any other storefront, but it seemed like his sister drew his gaze back like some kind of magnet. His sister said that he had something to tell him, and Aras just blinked at her. “And that would be?” He asked, unsure what he was supposed to make of the expression on her face or what was so important to tell him that she hadn’t already said it.
@magdalena
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