Blair Family Estate

Admete swore these boxes got smaller every year. Which was why her visit to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes had ended with her carrying out four boxes of various loud, distracting, and amusing things for Luthas' children rather than the usual two. And she swore something in them had just moved, which knocked that copy of the Daily Prophet back against her chest. With how Muggley her cousin could be some days, she might still be able to get the drop on him.

In more ways then one, since he seemed to be currently occupied with a puppy that had decided the edge of a tablecloth was the perfect toy. Thank Merlin Ninian wasn't there yet, Admete's mother seemed always able to create a lecture. Particularly that one regarding grandchildren.

Which that Prophet article might have given her a short respite from. No, mother, I can't look for a husband now, I just took over Magical Law Enforcement.

One could hope.

"Yo, Blair! Where do you want these?" Didn't hurt to at least try to make him jump.

Christmas time was normally a busy time for the Blairs, though this year had been busier than normal. Keiran, his son, had spent the past year learning how to work with the dogs of the estate and had finally been allowed to raise a pup or two himself (with guidance from his father and grandfather of course).

The promised puppies, Wrex and Garrus, were now old enough to begin their socialization with people outside of their immediate caretakers, and the Blair Christmas dinner seemed like the perfect opportunity to do so. The pups had been spending their new found freedom scampering around underfoot, annoying older dogs and people alike with their abundant energy and chewing on everything they could get their teeth into.

The larger of the two, Wrex, had unfortunately decided to use one of Luthas' grandmother's tablecloths as a tug toy. After decades of dealing with puppies, the family was long since used to having household objects chewed on; though that didn't mean his grandmother enjoyed it when it happened. Kneeling down, Luthas attempted to remove the cloth from Wrex's mouth without tearing a hole in the fabric.

"Yo, Blair! Where do you want these?"

Luthas' glanced over at Admete before gently  prying open Wrex's mouth to free the tablecloth. He scooped Wrex up before the puppy could reattach himself to the soggy fabric. Wrex yipped sharply in protest before turning his attention to Luthas' sleeves. Giving his cousin a questioning look, Luthas placed Wrex on the ground and gently shoved the puppy in the direction of his boy; a lead the puppy was happy to follow. "Being a bit formal for family time, aren't you Addi?" He straightened out his clothing as he eyed the boxes. "We've got a table set up next to the tree next year for gifts." Luthas' eyes flicked down to the tablecloth and back to Admete with a wry smile, "For obvious reasons."

"That one of Kieran's?" Admete had to admit, every time she saw one of those puppies she wanted one. Maybe now she could get somewhere with a yard. Promotion didn't leave her with much time for one of them, though. Problem. Either way, she still followed the little dog with her eyes as it made its way off.

Being a bit formal for family time, aren't you Addi?"

"Sorry, Luthas. Had to work yesterday; seems I still haven't shaken it out of my head." She gave it a quick shake, and moved her arms to send that copy of the Prophet forward a little rather than resting against her. "Speaking of work, there's an article in there you should peek at. Picked it up just for you."

And she really needed to drop off those packages. Kept slipping, and them falling would turn the house full of noise, smells, and whatever else the Weasley store stuffed into these packages. "Tree in its usual place?" Wouldn't do wandering around half the place trying to find it if it'd been moved. "Think my arms might fall off in a minute otherwise."

"That one of Kieran's?"

"Yeah, that's Wrex. He's the larger of the two. The other one's named Garrus." Luthas smirked slightly, he hadn't really thought that his son would actually break his serious persona to name his dog's after video game characters.

"Speaking of work, there's an article in there you should peek at. Picked it up just for you."

Luthas cast her a suspicious glare as he picked up the newspaper from off the top of the tower of gifts.

"Tree in its usual place?" Wouldn't do wandering around half the place trying to find it if it'd been moved. "Think my arms might fall off in a minute otherwise."

"Yeah. Don't think it's been put in a different place since Grandfather was born." He said distractedly, flipping through the Profit.' Wizengamot stuff. Blah blah blah. Tetrawizard Tournament Yull Ball went well. Hmm, need to ask Tappy how that went. Blah, blah, Admete Brown named head of Magical Law Enforcement. Stuff about the new year's gala at St. Mungo's..... Wait....' Luthas flipped back to the previous page. 'Admete Brown is now the Head of Magical Law Enforcement?! Fuuuucccckkkkk!' Luthas face couldn't hide his actual feelings though he made a valiant attempt to hide them as he  glanced up from the paper and at Admete. "Congratulations are in order, I guess?"

The names of the puppies went completely unrecognized, except in the vague 'probably Muggle' sense with which Admete categorized most of her cousin's statements that she didn't understand. She had other things to worry about than the habits and culture of people she never ran into.

And then Luthas hit the article. His reaction, well, Admete was glad he hadn't been eating or drinking before reading it, as he might have choked. Would have. Wouldn't have been any fun if he hadn't seized up. Family was like that. "Thanks. Look like you need a drink." Or they both did. She'd had to work Christmas Eve.

"At least I'm not taking over the Auror office." That would have had an awkward lack of distance. "What, worried you'll have to watch the trainees?"

Though then, he'd never run out of tea.

"Thanks. Look like you need a drink."

Luthas glared irritatedly at her while dumping the newspaper on the nearby table.

"At least I'm not taking over the Auror office. What, worried you'll have to watch the trainees?"

Luthas swallowed trying to get his mental train of doom and gloom under control. "Yeah, that would be worse." He would have transferred if that was the case. The working out the boundaries between their work and familial relationships had been annoying enough when Admete had been promoted to senior auror; he didn't want to think of the mess that he would be facing if she was his immediate superior rather than the boss of his boss situation of this promotion.

"Dealing with the trainees isn't that bad..." he said cautiously. Thankfully this year's crop of trainees weren't that bad to interact with, but he didn't want to come across as either to eager or uneager. Either reaction would most likely get him stuck with babysitting duty if he happened to piss her off .

His emotions finally under control, Luthas smiled slyly at her, "So I guess now that you're a bigwig you'll be using that to fend off Aunt Ninian's queries and about when she's going to have a son-in-law? Or has that changed and you're going to announce that you and Yamamoto are an item?"  He knew that wasn't true of course, after all why would Yamamoto rope him into helping put in a bid in Admete's name at the date auction at the Gala, but poking at her irritations was a good way of revenge that wasn't liable to get him hexed. "Glad I don't have to deal with that anymore, Ishane was about ready to kill Grandmother when we found out she was pregnant."

"So I guess now that you're a bigwig you'll be using that to fend off Aunt Ninian's queries and about when she's going to have a son-in-law? Or has that changed and you're going to announce that you and Yamamoto are an item?"

Oh, yes, of course Luthas had to know about that. That being something that was supposed to never having been talked about again after it happened. Not with Yamamoto, and certainly not with her cousin. Let alone the rest of her family. She managed a stunned glare, then lifted the boxes she still held menacingly. She wouldn't quite smash them over his head. Quite.

Once she managed to regain her breath she pushed her expression back to a scowl. "Figure it can shield me for a couple months, at least til the adjusting to shit phase is done. Then I'm doomed." This new job would have her out of the line of fire a bit more, and that just got new family pressures thrown at her. "Please tell me you didn't invite Yamamoto over."

Luthas delighting in her being crushed by the same pressures he and Ishane had been subjected to didn't surprise Admete one bit. Family was like that. "Rather not subject you to cleaning cell latrines for the next month."

Luthas smirked at Admete's reaction, the vague superiority of a successful revenge weighted down the niggling worry that he might have pushed it too far.

"Figure it can shield me for a couple months, at least til the adjusting to shit phase is done. Then I'm doomed."

Luthas nodded in agreement, "Aunt Ninian is persistent about that stuff isn't she. I'm suprised that she hasn't tried setting you up with someone lately." He had found that hilarious when he had found out about it, though it would no doubt be no where as funny if it was focused on him.

"Please tell me you didn't invite Yamamoto over. Rather not subject you to cleaning cell latrines for the next month."

"Ha ha, no. Despite what you might think, I'm not that stupid." He grinned at her, "It would be at the very least mean to Aunt Ninian to get her hopes up." And doing that to family would burn him far more than it would even be worth it to try something like that.

He just had to smirk, didn't he. Twist that knife in a little further. Admete sighed. "Seems she's running short of bachelors my age to throw me at. You'll get to hear her fussing about it later, I'm sure." With luck, it'd wait until she'd already managed some food and a stiff drink.

"And yes, it'd be cruel. I don't even tell her most times if I do get a date, no need getting her worked up if it won't go anywhere." It brought such a mess. Where does he work? What are you wearing? How long until I have grandchildren? Mostly the last one. Holidays tended to bring it out.

The boxes were getting, if not heavy, at least a bit tiring in her arms. "I really should set these down. And at this rate, find Ishane and see if she has any tricks." She gave Luthas one last glare. 

God modding approved by Socks.

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"Seems she's running short of bachelors my age to throw me at. You'll get to hear her fussing about it later, I'm sure. And yes, it'd be cruel. I don't even tell her most times if I do get a date, no need getting her worked up if it won't go anywhere." I

"Oh, I'm sure she'd find someone to throw at you. And you can just say that it didn't work out. You've had plenty of practice after all." He gave her a wry smile, "Could even throw in something about he didn't like your job; especially now that your a Department Head. I can't see Aunt Ninian being able to counter that."

"I really should set these down. And at this rate, find Ishane and see if she has any tricks."

Luthas reached up and grabbed the top two boxes. "Let me help with that. And I don't think the advice from Ishane will help much. We just kept saying 'we're working on it'. That would probably invite more questions for you though." Leading the way to the Christmas tree he expertly dodged the puppies as they ran up and attempted to hop up his legs. "These aren't for you," he said, gently knocking Garrus off his leg.

Placing the gifts on the pile he turned to his cousin as she did the same. "Well, I guess I'd rather have you as head of the department over some of the other choices we could've had." He gave her a small smile. "Good luck. And congratulations." He held out his hand to shake. "For real this time."

Admete shook his hand with a smile and then sighed, "Well I guess it's time to face the interrogation then."