The great outdoors: man’s best friend. Companionship that didn’t ask questions and didn’t fret over whether you had showered in the last day or so. Something that didn’t want you to ask how their day went. Just a companion that would sit with you next to a fire and accept a good rub down. On the start of his adventure, he wasn't sure if that was the most appropriate solution: it was hard work, having a dog in an apartment and dragging it around with him when he was gone for long stretches of time. Plus, what about when he had to stay at the ministry? Still... it was tempting.

After the rather explosive argument with Laney, in which Frank ended their relationship, he had spent the next two days packing and putting an itinerary together. He’d owled everyone important to him to say that he’d be home in a while, that he had work to do, and that he loved them all. His sister, his mum and younger sister, and Akiva. That just about covered it... Then he had stopped in at the Ministry to drop off his itinerary (including every planned stop and date of return to the country) for approval.

He had been waiting a while for his approved work permit visa, but Frank thought perhaps Brynn had come through for him. Or he knew she had, considering it was in his hands. It was the last quarter from the full moon; he still had a couple weeks of freedom before he had to come back and go back into the cage. Chilly as it was, he’d pulled his coat closer and bundled up a little thicker before he set out for the portkey that would take him to his first destination.

There had been a lot of hiking and camping and loneliness by himself. It was appreciated and needed, but the ache in his chest hurt. Why was it human nature to want to connect with someone so bad that you accepted all the pain?

By the tenth, Frank had finally reached the remote village he had been hiking towards through the southern part of Ukraine. It was a stopping point: where he had refilled his food supplies, drinking water, and had a little human contact at the local pub. He had also stayed a night in a small hotel to get a proper shower and shave. Not that it mattered... by the second day back in the wilderness, he had a healthy beard back. It kept his cheeks warm; the spell to cut his hair was at least easy and mostly foolproof. He stuffed his jagged hair under his ball cap whenever he left camp in the morning anyway, so if the spell didn’t evenly trim his locks, it wasn’t a big deal.

The beard would’ve been a different story.

By the thirteenth, Frank had reached his destination. He spent the greater part of two days working his way through the small library, searching for a very specific book on the dragons of the Ukraine. The place was kept up by a small but lucid old man who had stories that made Frank forget about his troubles. It was laughter that he hadn’t experienced for over a week. Frank started to feel normal again, even if his beard was starting to resemble a messy nest of hair under his chin. The old man also had a few dogs with him. After much conversation that it seemed both men needed, the old man offered one of the dogs for companionship, explaining that he found it difficult to keep all three active and well trained. Plus, they all seemed to gravitate towards Frank for some reason... that Frank knew alone.

The one that settled easiest with Frank was a young dalmatian, just over two years old by the old man's guesstimation, by the name of Marko. He added supplies for a dog to his pack, thankful for magical compartments.

By the sixteenth, he had what he was looking for, had once again resupplied, sent owls of postcards to his family, and had cleaned himself up once again. Frank took contact information of the old man, both saying they would keep in touch: he had a remarkable amount of books that Frank might need to peruse again one day, and Frank needed to keep him informed of how Marko did.

The next two days were spent hopping portkey to portkey with dog in tow to get to his last destination, spending the night under the mostly dark sky, as the sliver of a moon started anew. It wasn't as lonely as when he first started out, keeping entertained by the new companion. Frank found howling by the fire to be a rather bonding time, on top of marking their trail along the way. By the end of his planned days away from England, Frank was craving his sister’s cookies and pies and a warm meal that hadn’t simmered over a fire for a good hour or two. Stew was great, but after a few days of it... one needed a break.

In the early morning of the twenty-first, while the sun still had time to peak out from trees, Frank readied his supplies and decided a quick trip back was in order. He had a couple of orders filled for the office, and had picked up a rather delicate collection of the history of the area he had been parading through for himself. Having spent the last night in another small hotel, Frank showered and shaved and cut his hair. Marko had his first bath under Frank's tutelage. It was still midday when he made it back to England, a five o’clock shadow already spreading across his jowls. He picked up some sandwiches before he took the portkey to Godric’s Hollow.

His feet were tired of hiking; his boots were relatively cleaned off from the mud and everything else he had mucked through in the past nearly two weeks. There was a jovial hop to his step, however, with the happy dalmatian walking next to him. The weather was much warmer than when he had left it, and his coat was stuffed into his pack with his scarf, beanie, and gloves. Once his feet found the direction, Frank landed at Molly’s front door, knocking loudly so she could hear him. Hands found their way to his shoulder straps, shifting them over the usual spot they had been digging into, finally letting a hand fall down and scratch at the area behind Marko's ears that made him whine in appreciation. Frank totally understood.

---

outfit

The easel was fitted with a canvas whose burst of color was only, thus far, half-bloomed. Molly Pratt stood back a bit, holding patiently a brush with a swirl of two (less bursting) colors: the perfect blend to capture the cat’s shadowy silver. At this time of day, anyway. Remarkably like a Slytherin of legend, those stealth, grayscale figures, the creature had a way of looking like all sorts of things at different moments, and sometimes at the same moment. If, at the end of the day, she was a perfect feline (and the point could not be argued, not even by a much beloved husband), Molly wouldn’t deny that she was hard to capture in a painting. Which made her the perfect subject.

An extension of the greenhouse, a kind of stepping stone between the rest of the cottage and the work-in-progress dining room, the blue ‘office’ served many a purpose: it was for filing papers, painting, sewing, ignoring the clock, being distracted by the garden during more tedious tasks, taking tea. It was for book-reading, and adventuring on paper, for story-telling and listening. It was an escape and a place to invite her favorite people, and right now it was doing its very best to distract a patient and thoroughly impatient subject, the elusive cat.

“Oh, please, just sit there for another—“ Molly began, friendly enough, because she was never not friendly. Alright, maybe a little, sometimes, when she got lost in her thoughts. Frazzled was more like it, but frazzled in a way that wasn’t bothered so much as confusing to everyone else.

The cat disregarded his mistress, flicked his tail in the way cats did, as if it were about to pounce at a fish in a shallow stream, and sprang from its back legs straight off the table. He mewed at some unknown thing, darting around a corner and disappearing from sight.

The look on Molly’s face was supposed to be one of outrage, but there was a bit of mystifying admiration there around her mouth. Her eyes blinked, finally, and she sighed, setting down the paint and brush. A short streak of dried paint under her eye only served to accent the animation in her expressions.

A moment later, there was a knock on the door. Molly padded over to the open doorway that separated the blue room from the kitchen, pausing almost comically to fetch a cardigan from a hook on the wall. “You little Seer,” she said at the cat, who had found a place to sit most regally just outside of the office.

She continued to pad in a kind of Molly-ish power walk, heading for the front door. “One minute,” she called out, her hand making contact with the door knob a few steps later. She leaned up on tiptoes to peak through the spy hole, and her face became a huge smile even before she was back on the ground. She redoubled her hold on the knob and pulled the door open wide, quickly. “Frank!” She tossed herself at her brother, arms coming around his neck like a lasso. “Oooh, how was camping?” she asked, pulled back, hands still on his forearms. She took a good hard look at him, in the way that only a sister could. He looked well, and if he wasn’t shaving, that was alright, he at least seemed healthy. She was worried about him, though. He’d never been gone for this long.

“Are you hungry? And who is this?” Her eyes finally fell on his companion, whom Molly might have jumped on at first sight, had she not seen her brother in a while. She let go of his arms and sank down to give the dog’s face a good rub. “They’re going to love you inside.”

She ushered them in, Frank and his new friend, ignoring protests in the form of mews. “I have savory pies for lunch, they’re in the oven. There are some biscuits on the island. Do you want tea? Juice? I have jam to go with the biscuits, I made it fresh last night.” Whether or not her brother was hungry, he was going to eat. She smiled at him as they headed back toward the kitchen. “Tell me what you found in the great outdoors! Besides this handsome thing.” She looked again the dalmation, and beelined for a cabinet to find an empty bowl for water.

Frank’s eyebrows rose and he grinned as his sister came into view. Thank God it wasn’t his brother-in-law. Maybe he was lucky and Casper was out and about. Or maybe he had to work over the weekend... that would be just awful. He treated his sister right, and obviously helped provide for her. Frank just didn’t understand what else she saw in him. They had been together for what felt like forever, though, so there was something that Frank didn’t see.

Then again, he was not the person to consult about long term relationships. That was a sour point in his head, however, and he merely gave his sister a hug at her exclamation. “Hey Molls.” One arm held her to him while the other held the leash of the newest Pratt. Casper didn’t need to be there for the joke to be obvious.

Once she was settled back on her stoop, Frank gave a half shrug. “It was good.” He felt her looking him over, but he looked past her to make sure no one else was going to pop up around the corner. “Uh... yes, I’m - This is Marko.” Frank looked down as the dog perked up, stamping around on all four feet as Molly gave him some attention. They both followed her in; Frank shut the door behind before taking off his pack, setting it next to the front door. “All of that sounds fantastic. I did bring some sandwiches... but I’m sure your food is better. I’ve been dreaming about your desserts.”

“Tea would be perfect, if you have some made. Otherwise a glass of water is fine.” Frank unhooked the leash. It wasn’t long before Marko was off, paws and nails scraping against the floor as he chased after a cat. “Marko!” Shit. Frank grimaced and set his hand on top of his hat, shaking his head. “Sorry, he’s not very house broken yet.” He blushed a little, sighing as he took his hat off, running his fingers through his hair.

When the dog came by for another run around, Frank jumped forward and grabbed him. After a moment of wrestling, he had the leash back on and was dragging the overgrown pup with him to the kitchen. “I came back with my hands full.” He smiled as he sat down in a chair, patting the excited dogs backside, encouraging him to sit. “The Ukraine is beautiful; I was able to find a few books that I needed... so work is going to keep paying me.” He crossed his legs while one hand held the leash and the other rubbed and scratched at the dogs head.

“How’s it been here? How’s the dining room coming along?”

“Just good?” She poked, her smile turning both inquisitive and somehow more enthusiastic. She would get the details out of him yet. Molly had her ways! Even if she was married to an Obliviator. Or because she was married to an Obliviator. Her curious eyes had settled on the dog, momentarily, though, and Molly offered a proper greeting. “Hello, Marko, I’m Molly. Your new aunt!”

Because that’s what a dog automatically was: a baby.

“We can have sandwiches and pie,” she pointed out, peaceably, tilting her her head at them as they headed for the kitchen. Molly wasn’t one for judgment, but she did want her brother to eat right. Or, well, as in a a lot and homemade. Because sugar wasn’t exactly good for you. “Or just sandwiches and sweets.” Moderation… the thing the magazines were always going on about.

She felt a surge of pride, of familiarity, at Frank praising her desserts. It was a simple thing, but it made her happy. Molly wasn’t good at everything, but she loved to bake. It was nice to be able to share that with her brother, to give him something for being such a sweet person, and to feel like they could always count on each for a sense of home. It didn’t matter that they hadn’t grown up together. Frank was exactly the sort of brother a tiny Molly would have wished for. And now here he was, a little scruffy, armed with camp gear and no doubt some very rare books. And ready for dessert!

She turned off the tap at the farm sink and set the bowl of water on the floor, calling Marko over encouragingly-- even if he was busy with the cats. “I’m afraid I don’t have dessert for you, but we’ll find something,” she promised while the dog found a different source of attention.

Wandering unhurriedly to the kettle, which was charmed to stay warm, but sat atop the stove nevertheless, Molly poured two cups of tea. Her lips formed an o as she turned to watch the circus unfolding, a flash of hair and paws in the wide, doorless frame that separated the kitchen from the living room. The tea began to overflow, leaking onto the counter and over Molly’s fingers before she realized. She turned back with a little gasp, and waved her wand quickly.

It was a minor thing, no big deal at all. She laughed as the last of it was evaporated, and inspected the teacups for good measure. “Let him run. They have hiding places all over. I doubt he’ll catch them.”

Maybe he would catch something else, but that was ok. They could always fix Casper’s belongings before he found out. Or Molly could work up the nerve to Obliviate the Obliviator. But Frank solved everything with a leash, which was probably the wisest option.

Molly set the tea down and joined him. “It looks beautiful in the books. Maybe I can convince Cas to take us. Did you stick to the remote areas, or did you see the capital, too?” She was adept at kitchen charms, and the food behind them began to prepare itself for lunch.

“The dining room is looking brilliant! I think he’s going to ban me from it in a few days. He wants it to be a surprise,” she smiled. “You’re full of surprises, too.” Her eyes looked to Marko before returning to Frank. “I didn’t think you would be gone so long. I’m glad we didn’t lose you in an endless well of books.” As much as Molly loved books and getting lost. “Were they even harder than usual to find?” She asked, wondering if that was why he was gone for so long, and seeming to offer a vague, warm olive branch of talk-about-it-if-you-want. If he didn’t want to, Molly would dawdle and then find another way to bring it up. Her attention could wander, but when it came to the well-being of her family, she knew how to get answers. Eventually. “Do you want me to cut up your sandwiches? Can he have a bit?” She asked, taking a sip and gesturing to the dalmation.

One that that didn’t change with time was Molly’s heart. Frank smiled as she introduced herself to the new addition who seemed to sense her words. At least Marko deemed her worthy, because he licked her in greeting and wagged his tail excitedly. And he only looked back at Frank once! If he didn’t watch it, Marko was going to find a way to stay at Molly’s...

“It doesn’t matter. I just thought I should bring something with me besides a hungry pup and his new dog.” Frank could make fun of himself! “I’m up for trying it all.” His stomach rumbled in agreement; it had been hours since they had eaten a mediocre, quick breakfast. Marko had gotten most of the breakfast sausage, anyway, which meant that whatever was left for Frank had to suffice. “He’ll be fine. I’ve got some puppy chow for him in my pack.”

The dog was making himself right at home. Right up there with chase the cats. “I don’t think he’d do anything if he did catch them.” Frank hoped. That would be an insta-ban from his sister. And maybe a few brownie points from Casper. It wasn’t worth it; besides, Frank didn’t really mind the cats. Not like his brother-in-law seemed to.

With his free hand, he pulled the tea to him, picking it up for a sip. Frank smirked and shrugged. “Not this trip. I stuck to ... a certain route I had mapped out before heading there. Hiking trails and hidden trails and... little towns. You would’ve loved the remote villages.” There was still a bit of snow on the ground, but it had just meant he got to keep up on his warming charms. “They had some awesome shops. Makes you wish you could carry a packing mule with you.” Which was what Frank turned into on his long treks.

“How much of a surprise can a room full of windows be?” Still, Frank supposed Casper could figure out a way around it. Shrugging in response, he gave his sister a half smile. “I think it just worked out.” His gaze turned to look at Marko, rubbing behind his ears. “He took to me like anyone does to your sweets.” He ran his tongue over his lips before taking another sip of his tea, making a small noise of agreement.

Not that he would mind being lost to books. “Not terribly hard. A couple of them took some... haggling to get.” It wasn’t as if he had had to work around a bunch of curses this time. Just a matter of being able to read a map and get to desolate areas. “It was just very peaceful out there. Plus I was able to round up a few in one trip. It worked out perfectly.”

Talk of food made him breathe easier. Nodding in agreement, he grinned. “He’s only going to live so long.” Looking down at the pup (who in turn looked up to Frank), he patted him on the flank. “Might as well enjoy what he eats while he can. But I... would love some pie."

If Frank was ‘dog,’ it didn’t make Molly love him any less. It was in the literal sense. He was a direwolf. He was not, however, a dog, the sort shamelessly nonredeemable kind of man. Not that Molly spent too much time worrying over those types, or thought they should be entirely written off. She liked the ‘dogs’ and 'dog people' in her life.

“Let’s hope not,” she laughed, though lingering on it more might not have been funny. But because it was Frank, the laugh wasn’t nervous. She didn’t think he could possibly adopt a pet who would eat her cats. Marko was just curious! “I have steaks in the fridge, if we need an emergency distraction.” Then again, she wondered if her brother might have preferred the steaks himself; Molly hadn’t expected him, or the feast would have been thrice its size.

Savory pie dished itself onto plates behind them.

“Mostly wizarding villages?” She asked, thinking not at all of her mortgage, but instead of the tiny places she could discover. “I hope you were eating well,” she added. “They must have hearty food there, considering how cold it is.” But then Frank looked every bit the mountain man with his camping gear and the dog. She wondered if he’d been surviving on sandwiches and campfires. Probably. “You didn’t send very many letters after the first.” Her brows rose and they both knew she had a found a nice, Molly way to say any letters. But then her face broke into a smile. “I bet it’s lovely in the summer, too. Lots of places to swim. I’m not sure I could convince Casper to go camping for that long… Then again, he’s got a very green thumb since we moved away from the city.”

She continued to grin over her tea, a laugh coloring her tone. “He’s an Obliviator! But I just… won’t peak.” She shrugged. She could kind of cover her eyes whenever she was walking into the house… and as for the attached office, well, there were ways! Molly was creative, and Casper was… his own kind of creative.

She was glad it looked like Frank also had someone to keep him company, even if it was not exactly the sort of company Molly expected. After Akiva had owled her, her interest in her brother’s relationships had grown, and Molly had pestered him with owls in return. She had been planning a dinner, sort of, when he had written to say he was traveling. “So it’s just you two back in town?” She asked, fishing around. It sounded like the books had not been a hurtle, but if he had enjoyed himself, maybe such a long stretch of time away was what he had needed. “You know, I was thinking about a family dinner, maybe when the dining room is done.”

Molly didn’t want to think about dogs having short lives. She scrunched her nose and waved her wand, bringing the pie and cookies over at Frank’s announcement. Empty plates presented themselves to the siblings, including a third and a knife, in case Marko was getting his treat sooner rather than later. “Dig in, then.” She gestured. “I don’t know why I made so much. Casper is going to have to take a train full of food to work on Monday.”

If his ears could have perked up, they would have. His eyes did widen as his head came up; the word steaks definitely had Frank’s attention. He would willingly share it with the pup. Licking his lips, Frank shrugged and grinned. “Do you just keep steaks around for emergencies?” His freezer was stocked full, and his fridge had plenty that were ready to be seasoned and cooked. It was now at least fifty percent of his diet.

It felt so good to sink his teeth into a juicy piece of steak. It sated some part of him that he hadn’t realized was there. Perhaps it hadn’t been, before his change. He licked his lips subconsciously, glancing briefly to the fridge before back to his sister. Marko did not realize what he was missing out on.

Talk of his trip helped to distract him. “There were a couple wizarding villages along the way. And a couple muggle ones. It was a bit of a trek between, but you could probably get to them quick enough. A couple portkeys and maybe a floo.” Or one could just apparate there, if they knew the general area. Part of the allure for Frank was that he had to find his way there by map and wand compass. Or that he could choose to do that.

“I had a lot of stew dinners that filled me up and kept me warm. Plus I had a few of your cookies that I took for the first few nights.” She was like a second mom since she first realized who he was; it was interesting how easily one could slip into that oldest sibling routine so fully. The looks that accompanied her proclamation made it sound accusatory. His cheeks flushed and Frank couldn’t help the small smile that slipped over his lips. “You got the postcard though, right?” He shrugged and ran his fingers through his hair.

At the mention of his brother-in-law, Frank raised both eyebrows and laughed. “Well, there were a couple of quaint hotels, anyway. I’m sure it’s breathtaking in the summer. Where was the last place you two went again?” He couldn’t disagree that whatever was happening in the garden in the back looked amazing (as he peeked through the windows), and the front garden was very friendly already.

Frank watched Molly over the brim of his cup as he took a sip, eyes calculating as she nonchalantly offered bait in the form of words. Finally he nodded, a quiet response to her initial question about who was back in town. He hadn’t shared much with Akiva after the huge argument with Laney (and resulting breakup). Which meant... Molly didn’t know much either. “A family dinner would be fantastic. I’m sure Izzy would love to see it finished too.” She was already figuring herself out in the world at the tender age of twenty. Ugh, she was still such a baby. Laney too. He was so stupid.

Accepting the plate with hungry eyes, Frank grinned and did just as she said, giving himself a nice, heaping pile of the pie (and a cookie or two). "I can help take some of it off your hands." After he shoveled in a few bites (with a lot of moans and swears of deliciousness), he finally worked words past the bite in his mouth. “How’s work?”

“No, just for recipes,” she explained. "But with dogs, they can be for emergencies, can't they?" Molly cooked enough to keep spare steaks and go through them while they were still fresh (which was not to say that they didn't have a second freezer hiding in the house). “Or if you need to nurse an eye. But there are potions for that. If I’d known you were coming, I would have gone that route for lunch instead,” she laughed.

Molly preferred Flooing to portkeys, which almost always left her sitting on her bum, wonderstruck in the face. Even past thirty, she had never quite gotten the hang of rooting her feet to the spot after the weird feeling behind her navel. She was much better at Apparating than either of those two options, of course. Floo came with its own dizziness. “I’d love to see some more wizarding villages. And bakeries...” Maybe she could pick up a few books of her own— cookbooks. In English. Or with translating spells. Maybe it was time to start learning Ukrainian. Molly wore a dreamy dace as she thought about desserts from the world over. It was not unlike Frank’s steak face.

It was much less aware than her worried sister face. She was comforted, knowing he had some of her baked goods with him, but he couldn’t live on stew forever. Well, he could, she supposed, but there was so much to cook! “I did get the postcard. It was lovely!” She gestured to the fridge, where it hung with a (charmed, slightly annoying) magnet. “A little bed and breakfast would be perfect, really. Nothing big.” ‘Quaint’ was a good way to describe them… most of the time. Or some of the time. Or very occasionally. Colorful was another word, at least when Molly dragged Casper into various projects and threw in the cat factor. “Goodness, it’s been… almost two years.” The house had a been a huge investment— and consumed a lot of their time. They had been thinking about it and saving a while before that, and then there had been other things in the way: efforts to start a family. “We went to Australia two winters ago.”

A holiday sounded really lovely now (didn’t it always?), but Molly was content with exactly how her life was, too.

“Maybe when we get a chunk of this mortgage paid off,” she said, smiling, finally remembering there was that to contend with. “Anyway, I’m glad you’re eating at least. And that you’re back for the full moon—” Molly paused suddenly, her face becoming apologetic. She didn’t mind talking about Frank’s little quirk, but she felt guilty about making him feel bad, because he shouldn’t. She reached across the table to pat his arm. “You know you’re always welcome here, right? Say the word, and I’ll have Casper build you a perfect, cozy cellar for those nights.” He already had a long list of things to do in the garden! He would hardly notice. “Or another greenhouse with Shatter-Proof charms.” More sunlight, not that one needed it at night.

“Obviously Izzy will have to be there,” she agreed, trying to analyze his nod. “You can bring a guest if you like.” Another not-so-subtle hint. But it sounded as if he was solo, lately, and judging by the amount of time he'd been gone... and his new companion... Molly wondered about whether he'd called it off with his friend, the one Akiva had mentioned. “Akiva is welcome, too. I’m sure she knows that.” It had been a while Molly had seen her, though they wrote regularly. “I bet Gabriel’s nearly ready for Hogwarts, it’s been so long,” she joked.

They dug into lunch, and Molly was momentarily distracted from questions of Frank’s personal life— though no doubt they were still flying around in her head. “Work is work,” she laughed. “No, it’s good. Dolly is the same as always, never boring. I’ve had some time off recently, so I’ve been painting. Hopefully I’ll finish a few things for the spare rooms. I might have a commission from the little coffee shop in town.”

“Direwolves too, I’m sure.” Frank gave her a smirk before laughing and shrugging. If you couldn’t make fun of yourself, what was the point in living? And lately there was a lot of possibilities for laughing at himself. “It’s fine, Molly, whatever you’ve made is going to be ten times better than what I would have made myself.” At least ten times better, anyway. Casper was a lucky man. Laney could make grilled cheese and only sometimes burnt it.

Not that that mattered anymore. He quietly cleared his throat before sipping the tea. “You know I’m a sweets guy.” Or... he used to be all about his sweet tooth. Now he had a man’s gut. Or a werewolf gut... meat made him salivate more than any chocolate bar ever had. “A lot of small towns have a good bakery. Or good enough, anyway.” Perfect for bread for snacking on trails.

Frank’s gaze slid over to the fridge, acknowledging the postcard with a half nod. That meant his mum must have as well. He made a face as he considered the bed and breakfast. Honestly, he didn’t need to know. “One with a theme?” He smirked a little, running the tip of his finger against the brim of his tea cup. Frank let out a playful gasp. “Two years!” Shaking his head, he finally looked up and caught her gaze. “Oh yes, I remember some of the photos you guys had. It looked very warm.”

The whole other side of the equator being on the opposite end of seasons was a little odd, but it seemed perfect for snowy home. “While you guys were still at that amazing apartment?” Even if it had been small. “How long did it take for you to find a place and go through the whole buying process?”

Frank blinked and merely nodded; he had to be back for the full moon. He accepted the pat with a little shrug. “Well, the Ukraine didn’t look very friendly for direwolves on the run.” Shaking his head with a laugh, Frank warded her off with his hands up. “Thank you, but that’s quite ok Molls.” There was no need to push each other buttons by trying to live under the same house. He was cool with visiting and enjoying meals or other simple hobbies with his sister.

While his sister talked, Frank worked on eating, keeping quiet through the power of a full mouth. He nodded along to her words; he’d let Akiva know when it was, even though Molly would probably make sure she knew as well.

Dolly seemed like an interesting boss to say the least. He scratched the side of his head and smiled, shaking in disbelief. Time off, and she keeps busy with more work. “That’s wonderful. They should be knocking down the door for your painting skills.” Frank enjoyed a few more bites before wiping his mouth and finishing his cup of tea. Leaning back in the chair with a groan of indulged happiness, Frank rested his arm over the back of the chair.

“I will be coming to the family dinner alone. Or...” Motioning to Marko with his hand, he made a face. “Kind of alone. It’s not a big deal.” He picked up a cookie and took a bite. Molly had been hinting at it long enough that he decided it would just be easier to put it out there and dust his hands of it. Frank felt destined to be alone, which was probably why Marko was such a good idea - when he thought about it. "I'm thinking of getting my own place. Somewhere away from the city."

She was glad he could joke about the direwolf thing; Molly had met or heard of many wizards of similar circumstance who let it chip away at them, who couldn’t joke about it.

If she often preferred bakeries and beds and breakfast to trekking through the woods alone after sundown, she certainly wasn’t opposed, and there was plenty of common ground, shared interest among these Pratts. Molly liked a good adventure— whether it was in her garden or in the woods of a foreign land.

“What’s so wrong with cute things?” She demanded. “Or themes?” Molly liked themes, and especially variations on them. She was a bit too colorful to stick to one, at least in a streamlined, organized way, but she still found them adorable, delighted in people who put in a real effort to be thematic. Someone running a themed hotel had to love what they were doing. It made for a picturesque vacation! “The sunburn I got last time was not very cute,” she continued. She giggled as she thought about it. “But the reefs… it was so worth it.” The sudden desire to drop everything, stuff the cats into a suitcase (with holes!) and Apparate to Australia was strong. It was a long detour from the Ukraine… or England… but it sounded brilliant. “A lot warmer than here, this time of year.” And then Molly remembered how much she’d missed her brother and wanted to have a nice, calm lunch with him, finish her painting, and spruce up the few plants in the converted dining room before Casper came home and shooed her out (and turned the few plants into many). “I could always start a fire to make it warmer…”

One of the things she loved most about this cottage was its coziness. She could start a fire in the old fireplace without worrying about burning down an apartment building or angering her landlord. She laughed again as she remembered their old apartment; it had served them well, really. There were memories Molly wouldn’t trade for anything. “A good long while… I found this place when we weren’t actively looking. Technically I was working…” Then she’d gone home and dragged Casper out to see it. “Now we’ve got our dream house and no holiday on the calendar for five years.” She smiled brilliantly. “Probably a few months to really move everything in after negotiating and overhauling a few things,” she clarified, giving him a slightly more precise measure of time. “But if you get lucky, it doesn’t take that long.” She tilted her head, tea cupped in both hands.

She offered a more sympathetic, sisterly look. “The laws will only get better,” she encouraged. Since the war, they had improved— but some were better than others. Those laws that dealt with werewolves and non-human creatures like Goblins had a long way to go still. She couldn’t imagine the detour that the direwolf epidemic had introduced to the progress. She was thankful he could still keep his wand. “Well, if you’re thinking of getting your own place, you come up with a plan.” Something cozier than the Ministry cells!

If only the rest of the world seemed to agree with Frank, Molly and Casper might have been able to pay off their mortgage sooner. But she was glad with the commissions she’d made, and liked to work at her own pace. People seemed to enjoy her paintings, even if they weren’t shelling out bags of galleons for them. “I’m glad to get the work I do. It fits my schedule.” Sometimes she’d wake up before dawn to work on something, then go to work— it was relaxing.

A solo dinner guest? That was alright. “No, of course not. If you did want to bring someone…” She trailed off, the intention clear. “We’d be thrilled to see you and Marko. He’s a very charming date.” She looked down at the dog, obviously wanting to pet him despite the food in her hands— if she hadn’t been eating, she would have. Molly had half the mind to do it anyway.

A move out of the city?

She thought it might be good for him. She was always worried he wasn’t taking care of himself. A bigger home to put down roots might mean that Frank was ready to find someone to share it with. Not that he had to, but Molly thought it might be good for him. She didn’t know what she’d do without Casper to ground her. Probably float away to Australia.

“That’s amazing! Do you need help? Do you have any appointments set up to get started? Where were you thinking? There are some adorable places around here.” Maybe ‘adorable’ wasn’t the best sales pitch, but it was a highly valuable quality to Molly.

Frank couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of him, hands coming up somewhat defensively. “Nothing is; I’m sure themed places are very fun to go to.” It just wasn’t a backpacking trip into the woods. The couple of motel stops had been fantastic, of course, allowing him time to shower and wash his clothes before heading back out. It just wasn’t somewhere he wanted to be alone, per say.

He winced at the thought of a sunburn; Frank shook his head and let out a slow breath. “I’m sure it was amazing, sunburn aside. Did Casper not rub you down with soothing aloe vera?” An eyebrow rose before he laughed and shook his head. “No, don’t tell me, never mind, never mind.” Frank wasn’t the biggest fan of the ocean, even if his father loved it. He felt better on his own two feet, even if it was facing some scary triple x beast. At least then he knew how to use his surroundings.

Under water... you couldn’t grab on to things to propel yourself. “You don’t like the cold?” Frank loved it, more now than ever. He ran hotter than usual and to be able to cool off by just stepping out the front door... it was perfect.

He listened quietly to the ins and outs of her buying the house. His job was dependent on taking holidays. Frank considered prospects in his head. When laws were brought up, he merely let out a small huff and shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal. The laws hadn’t interested him before he was turned, and now that they applied to him... he preferred to pretend they weren’t there. He made sure to abide by the ones that were necessary for him to remain a relatively free citizen. “It’ll be a while before I can sort all of that out, but it would be nice to not be holed up at the Ministry every month.”

And what if they decided to keep him behind bars? Close the door and throw away the key? He had a record, now, and it didn’t involve simple misdemeanor things.

It seemed that, from his side of the Pratt tree, none of the siblings had very concrete careers. Molly did her assistant thing with side jobs here and there. Frank had the bookhunting job along with the occasional article writing when he won a bid on a commission. Izzy... well, she did her own thing right now. She had been encouraged to go to University, but her heart wasn’t into the academics quite like Frank’s was.

He clenched his jaw, tightening before his nostrils flared. Frank nodded stiffly before easing his pursed lips into a small smile. “He’s charming when he isn’t chasing something.”

Frank knew when he opened his mouth and told Molly he was looking for his own place that she’d jump on it with 110% enthusiasm behind her. He ran his thumb against his lips before lightly biting down on it, smirking around it before he shook his head. “I don’t think my budget clears Godric’s Hollow. And I’m going to get in touch with a realtor in the next couple of days. Set something up.”

He finished the cookie before patting Marko’s head, scratching behind the ears. “I just want something simple for myself. Quiet. It would be easier to focus on work, I think, without all the distractions of a bustling city.” And irritating Quidditch players who lived in the same town, no matter how large it seemed. “Is there more tea?” His face morphed into something akin to bashful, cheeks reddening before he grinned.

“There must be a book themed place with beds. A library that doubles as a hotel,” Molly insisted, somewhat dreamily. Perhaps such a place didn’t exist, but it should. “They can build ice hotels, so they must be able to build hardcover hotels.” Or Frank could keep sleeping in his tent. Molly thought it suited him, even if she worried about his diet and whether he was lonely. She knew that sometimes alone time could be good for people. But even if she could get lost in daydreams, she loved being surrounded by people— and cats— she loved. “And no need for sunblock,” she laughed.

Aloe vera was the best part of sunburn, though. “I won’t torture you, but it makes it almost worth the sunburn, doesn’t it? I want to grow some in the garden.” Of course, with the help of a few spells that made it easier to plant aloe vera in England. There was a hum on her lips and she raised tea again. “I like the cold, but not all of the time.” Even Molly could the winter blues. “A change of pace is always nice. You know, drop your work, pick up your bags, and apparate across the world to where the sun is sunbathing.”

A change of pace with lifestyle was nice, too. “How does it work now?” Again, she hoped things would get easier, especially for the direwolves, whose relative newness was causing them even more trouble. “Do they send someone out to inspect your shelter and then let you off the hook for checking in every full moon?” She tilted her head. As they spoke about the benefits of Frank having more space, one of Molly’s cats crept toward them, emboldened by Marco’s leash. Rather than tease the dog, though, it leaned into a pounce pose, defensive, and began to hiss at Frank. Molly’s mouth parted in shock, and then her brows knit. “You stop that!” She waved a hand at the cat, but it seemed not to notice its dear mother owner.

Molly shook her head, giving Frank what seemed like half dozenth sympathetic look in fifteen minutes. “No matter what, you’ll get to stretch your legs,” she encouraged. “I could give you the owl address of our realtor.” She would have to remember before her left. “It makes sense, Frank.”

She nodded, standing to go grab the kettle. But Molly had barely taken two steps when the angling cat saw its opportunity and leapt, paws outstretched toward her brother’s leg. She heard a screech, and a bark, and turned with a gasp, wand drawn. But to use a wand on a cat was unthinkable, to Molly, who would rather hex her own foot. She froze a bit. And then, coming to her senses, lunged Mollyishly toward the chaos, trying to grab the cat with outstretched hands and keep a hold of her wand at the same time. “I guess there is an upside to not taking me up on my offer,” she managed to say over the noise as animal hair slipped through her fingers.

A library doubling as a hotel. That sounded like a place Frank could invest in. He merely smiled, though, shrugging a little. “That would be pretty perfect. Would the place smell like old books?” That musty smell was enticing and like a second home. An ice hotel seemed like the opposite of comfort. When you climbed into bed, you wanted to be kept warm enough to sleep; surely ice walls and furniture would chill you to the bone.

Frank made a face and shook his head; nothing was ever worth a sunburn. Not even close. And he didn’t need the images in his head. He laughed and shook his head. If anyone seemed bubbly and sunny most of the time, it was Molly Pratt. She could make England seem like summer year round. “If Casper ever fixes your greenhouse, you could technically sunbathe out there year round, right?” It seemed possible, if the room was heated due to the sun shining through the glass panes. Still, it would have to be sunny... which was mostly hit or miss.

How did it work... Frank shrugged and scratched the back of his head. It seemed like it was mostly like house arrest. “I think they have to make sure certain charms are in place. A way to make sure you are where you’re supposed to be. Plus potential for unexpected inspections? I’m sure it’s still tightly regulated, but...” Blinking at the hissing, he turned his attention to the cat. Frank chuckled and shrugged, glancing briefly at Molly. “Thanks, I’ll take all the help I can get.”

Accepting her realtor’s owl address would at least get him in the right direction. He was about to ask her whether she had heard of any good offices closer to London when the cat attacked. A strangled shout escaped him as the claws sunk in. Marko tugged at the leash, which Frank couldn’t hold on to, and started to bark at the cat. Frank grabbed the cat, attempting to lift it up, which only made it bite his hand and swat at it with its deadly paw.

He merely nodded in agreement as Molly attempted to help him out. Marko barked and jumped around with his butt in the air, thinking it was time to play. Frank grit his teeth and held the cats head while taking one paw out of his tender thigh.

“Of course! They even make candles with that smell now.” That was one way to skip the Amortentia, which could be dangerous. Or letting stacks of books grow dusty in a crowded room— but Molly liked that idea. Loved it. A little clutter made a place homey. She couldn’t understand why someone would prefer a stark loft in London to a sweet cottage full of… cats and works-in-progress and a husband who put up with said things. But everyone was different! She accepted that as easily as she accepted that city life could be too quick and unforgiving for her.

Frank could have the dog and bachelor version of the cozy-cottage-in-a-sweet-village. Until his sister poked around about the non-work-and-mortgage aspects of his life, which was always.

“Don’t have such little faith in him, Frank. He’s secretly a handy man.” Her handy man. Who was very handsy handy. "It’s getting there… You know how that department gets, though.” Or maybe he didn’t, but he knew how Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures got… and the Ministry in general. Molly wondered if it was a bad analogy, given that she respected Casper’s work and fretted over what the Ministry did to afflicted wizards.

The Obliviators just had so much to do, and Casper worked very hard. His job was a bit more time-consuming than Molly’s… whose boss was a touch more colorful than the Ministry. (Or colorful in a different way). But each case Casper had varied wildly, and so they both had lots of wonderful stories to share by the end of each work day. “I think if we put some warming charms on it, definitely. I’ll look like a lobster next winter, and you’ll be very jealous.” She grinned. “Or you can bring a book and tan with me. People will ask who we take after.”

She listened earnestly, and it made sense, even if it was daunting. Poor Frank. She knew the Ministry was trying to help and protect while also protecting society and making sure the muggles didn’t find out, but it was like being in cage once a month forever. Or… it was that. All of those charms… it made her nervous. Molly thought it would be lovely if someone could come up with a new version of wolf’s bane that let them retire to a quiet nook with some chicken soup and novels, but she knew there was a long way to go before that happened. It reminded her of childhood… and that she needed to owl her mother, eventually.

It was added to the list in her brain.

The pet debacle was an easy distraction from said list.

She moved in a flurry and then gingerly as she loomed over Frank, who was removing a paw from his trousers. Molly’s face was jack-o-lantern-ish-ly scrambled in its emotions, wordless apologies, and secondhand pain. She grabbed the cat around its middle and then scooped it onto its back like a baby. “Outside for you,” she said, not sounding particularly threatening as she shook finger at its nose and carried it to the nearest door.

When things settled down, Molly tossed the dog another bit of food and took her seat again. “Maybe you should think about a place with an extra room if you’re going to be buying anyway.” She would have added a ‘We want to come stay, don’t we?’ with a look in a cat’s direction, if one of them hadn’t just tried to skin her perfectly endearing brother. “You never know… you might need it someday.” The rooms upstairs were still empty, at least of children, but Molly was still waiting for that day to come. It was hard even for Molly to think positive about it sometimes, but she knew she had to. “Marko might need his own room,” she added, coming out of her less encouraging thoughts with a smile.

“Candles... of course. It’s not quite the same as flipping through an old book, though.” Frank scratched his chin and raised an eyebrow. The sibling game was even more fun when they added in the youngest Pratt child. Molly was hard to annoy, and she was even harder to be annoyed with. It had happened before, sure; they had both been around each other through puberty and beyond.

He took a sip of tea and nearly choked on it, swallowing as he put his hand to his chest in mock accusatory fashion. “It’s not that I have such little faith. He just seems busy with work too, right?” It wasn’t as if Frank had to deal with Casper in the way Molly did. And she seemed to love him in a way that Frank couldn’t comprehend completely. Frank stretched and groaned softly before relaxing back into the chair.

The Ministry kept its departments very busy. Some of it seemed like a ridiculous amount of paper pushing, but what did Frank know?

The idea of sitting out in her greenhouse and tanning was laughable. Which was why he... laughed. “I would be very jealous. But maybe not jealous enough.” Then again, tanning while reading a book might make it worth it. Except for the whole burning-to-tan problem.

With the way that his darling sister dealt the cat’s punishment, he wondered how easily a half spawn of Casper would rule the household. Frank was not interested in seeing the holes the cat might have left in his thigh under his trousers. He looked at his thumb briefly, acknowledging the pain that was associated with being bitten before finally glancing to Molly. Marko tugged on the leash, attempting to follow the cat outside. Frank held on to him and focused on other things.

The food tantalized Marko enough to settle down, laying down next to Frank’s feet to properly eat it. Talking of extra rooms had Frank pursing his lips, glancing at his sister with suspicion. “I was thinking of at least having a guest room.” Not that he thought it would get much use, but then it was always better to be safe than sorry. “I can use it as a library or office, worst case.” Speaking of extra bedrooms... “How is everything-” Frank couldn’t put into words what he wanted to ask. Surely she would let him know if he had to buy a bunch of blue or pink minature items.

“-else?”