“… sometimes he pretends to hear wedding bells.” Prim explained. Cepheus wrinkled up his nose and laughed at her reaction. His parents had never been that blatant, even if his mother had often pointed out suitably aged witches if they were ever out together, or in the press if she had something to hand in his presence. His father would just ask if he’d met particular female colleagues, perhaps spurned on by the fact Mortimer and Lyra had met while both unspeakables. Cepheus had brushed them off as best he could, as he was sure his younger sister did too.

“… sometimes I wonder if she’s a secret legilimens…” Cepheus gave Primrose a slightly nervous look at the possibility. Imogen Woolfolk had one of those gazes that made you feel like you were being analysed.
“I think maybe it comes with having so many daughters,” Cepheus suggested, “In my experience, limited as it is, women do tend to be devastatingly observant.”

“Thanks,” Cepheus spoke genuinely at the reassurance over the third wheel, “Too much time?” He queried. “I … Prim, I’m not exactly qualified to tell you what ‘love’ looks like, but I can’t say I blame you or would do anything different in your shoes. It’s not like it is in books where you’re meant to do things in an order like a recipe, it just happens and boom, you’ve created a three tiered wedding cake. Well, maybe not that specifically, oh dear.” He couldn’t gesture with both hand as he usually did because the reins were through his fingers and he didn’t want to give Morris any more instruction than necessary.

“He makes you happy, doesn’t he?” Cepheus reasoned, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this happy, short of when you’ve got a plan and might be about to cause someone awful to fall flat on their face due to your intellectual prowess.” Cepheus squeezed Morris with his alternate heels to keep him striding out beside Valentine as they spoke, old skills coming back to him as he settled into the saddle, “If you were obsessing, you’d never keep it a secret, and you’d be near stalking G. All’s good. Right?” He gave Primrose a better look, curious suddenly. It had only been a fortnight, but an awful lot could happen in that time.

“If you were moving in, announcing a wedding date and buying baby clothes I’d be worried.” He added with a grin. “Frankly, none of those are things I associate with you, even after two weeks of feared obsession.”

She was glad he could laugh at the ridiculousness of her family.  Prim needed to remember that sometimes family was as much a source of humor (and nonsense) as they could be of love and support.  In regards to securing her future and making sure she didn’t end up alone with beasts for the rest of her life, they tended toward humor and ridiculousness. 

It was good to have a friend who could remind her of that so easily.  Shifting the reins in her hands, the ‘l-word’ made her supremely uncomfortable.  That was reserved for her family members.  The last time it had been used outside of her sisters and parents it had been a disaster of epic proportions.  “Ease up on the extended wedding metaphor,” she chuckled nervously and tried to will the blush away.   

Everything Ceph said was objectively true and the fact that he noticed a change in her demeanor… She bit her bottom lip and nudged Valentine along, following the bend in the path toward the thicket of trees before the lake.  She did not typically talk about feelings, but they were in the middle of nowhere essentially.  It’s not like anyone else would hear her.  “You read me like a book,” she looked over at him and smiled awkwardly, “and he does…. And I am happy, but…” she turned her eyes back to the trail and let a deep breath out, shoulders and back slumping, “have you ever felt like something is too good to be true?”

That was what she dreaded, that as soon as she accepted that she really liked him and brought him into her life he’d go away and she would be disappointed.  It seemed like most things that she really wanted disappointed her, so it was easier to just keep it casual and secret.  Then she could mourn the inevitable loss of whatever it was by herself, not have to share the burden with anyone else.  It made her chest clench a little bit and she shook her head, trying to focus on Cepheus instead.  “I’m obviously not going to do those things,” she rolled her eyes at him, “but I’m glad you say that.”  Cepheus probably knew her best at this point, so she accepted his evaluation. 

“Enough about me and my problems,” she finally deflected, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, a smirk on her face.  “Tell me anything: you, your sister: what trouble are the young Gamps up to?”

 “Have you ever felt like something is too good to be true?” Prim asked, and Cepheus replied to it with an appreciative smile and nod. Many times, his job, his flat, calm life with his cat, Claude… unexpected valentines day invites from tall dark wizards.

“Enough about me and my problems, tell me anything: you, your sister: what trouble are the young Gamps up to?” Prim changed the subject. Cepheus dropped her gaze, as if strangely interested in Morris’ mane and ears ahead of him.

“Oh you know us,” he replied gently, “quietly righting the world’s wrongs.” His features drooped, hoping to distract himself from the fact the family had been turned upside-down by the small matter of Gamps Senior wanted for unsanctioned and bloodthirsty experimentation on teenagers. “We’re keeping a low profile,” Cepheus admitted.

“Orion’s back, he’s gone to see Ariadne at Hogwarts, I’ll see him later, he’s stopping over at my place[1]. Level 2 should let us back in the house[2] at Godric’s tomorrow.” He sighed, “If you parents consider me less of a catch as a potential husband then I understand,” Cepheus added, giving a muted smile to Prim. Tricky to keep up a pretend relationship status when your family’s apparently headed up by an insane unspeakable. “I just hope Dad’s going to get the help he needs at St Mungo’s, and more to the point, the students.”

His posture had drooped, and Morris stopped picking up his feet in response, stumbling over a lump in the path. He straightened up and collected the horse again, realising what had happened in his distraction.
“We’ll be alright, Prim. Look, thanks for inviting me out, it’s a very welcome distraction. You maybe wouldn’t catch me saying this three, six months ago, but I’m glad we’re spending time together.” He smiled again, making eye contact. “Where did you fancy going for dinner? Is there anywhere new you’ve heard of - where do young courting couples go?”

1.	Ceph and Andie’s older brother, Ariadne’s father
2.	20th Feb Our House

Prim was not a tactful person.  Nor was she the sort to keep current events that did not directly impact her much in her mind.   But, when Cepheus turned his eyes away and she wondered why he became sullen all of a sudden… oh.  Well, she was a right idiot.  “Of course,” she shifted uncomfortably in Valentine’s saddle and the big thoroughbred tossed his head, exhaling hard. 

She put the reigns in one hand, tipping forward to rub his neck, clicking her tongue soothingly.  She hadn’t meant to agitate him – or Cepheus, at that.  “I’m sorry,” she added, completely sympathetic.  While she hadn’t exactly cultivated an admirable reputation, the Gamps had never been as controversial and now… well… Prim’s politics looked like tea time. It wasn’t the time to feel a little vindicated about her own conservative leanings, however.  This was about her friend and his family, so it seemed wrong to announce her personal victory and she elected to show support instead. “I hope the same,” she added, quite genuinely as a matter of fact. 

Despite his actions, the elder Gamp was clearly in need of help, and any of the victims… well, they’d surely need the same.  Perhaps the Woolfolks would have to look into a sizeable, and quiet, donation to the Janus Thickey ward… Prim would bring it up with her father later. 

Without thoughts of money on her mind, she shook her head at him.  “My parents? Take away my one and only prospect for marriage because of his family?” Prim looked at him with a sly sort of smile, hoping her joke would lighten the mood a little.  “Our engagement is secure, don’t you worry.  No escaping me.”  Her laugh bubbled up and Primrose urged Valentine to slow up a bit as they made way over a hilly patch. 

Meeting Ceph’s dark eyes, Prim smiled at his question.  “Well, if my sister and her blossoming romance are to be believed,” this hint of gossip was a tantiliizing little crumb to drop, “apparently Italian at Ascendio is supremely romantic and much preferred to having coffee with a dog.”  The whole story had been absolutely ridiculous, but Prim was happy for Amaryllis.  She deserved to be happy and Flynn Hughes, while not the person Prim would have assumed her sister would like, was not a bad option.  And, Prim was friends with his sister, so she could keep an eye on them… if she needed to.  “You do need to watch out for the jarveys though,” her lip curled in distaste, “apparently they’re ruthless.” 

Cepheus accepted Prim’s apologies. She was making conversation, and not everyone occupied themselves with gossip at work. Prim was ultimately above it, even if she was skirting the opportunity to become hot gossip with Grigory. Even if the Woolfolks had decided he was still a suitable heterosexual wizard to marry their daughter, he would take their support, even if it wasn’t quite aligned.

“.. No escaping me.” She laughed and Ceph laughed too. He felt the tension from the previous question ebb away. They were both happy to move onto other subjects, even if it was their cover story for Prim’s speedy romance! “… apparently Italian at Ascendio is supremely romantic and much preferred to having coffee with a dog.” Cepheus blinked in confusion at the context, feeling he had missed a story here that he might pursue in a moment.

“Jarveys, oh Gods, yes, great if you want to pick a fight with a beast, terrible if you’ve any self-conscious tendencies.” Cepheus agreed, “I think the Slandermouth residents have thicker skins than most of us. I have heard good things about Ascendio, but haven’t found an excuse to go. Always felt a bit too upmarket for a sibling, and I admit I’m one to cook and entertain at home with friends.” He inclined forward in the saddle as they climbed over the rise and leaned back a little as their horses descended again, the ground dropping away to the valley for the lake.

“I will have you over for dinner, of course, but Ascendio sounds the place for something visible and proper. You are a lady, after all. Given what your parents think is going on, dinner in my own flat might be a suggestion too far in the short term.” He chuckled and blushed. “Though I’d make up my spare room for your convenience.” Still laughing at the thought of what Woolfolks Senior might think to such mundane events as cooking dinner for his friend, Ceph leaned over to check his girth was still tight.

“What’s the context of coffee with a dog? Has one of your sisters been set up with a dog of a wizard on a blind date?”

Prim shuddered at the talk of jarveys.  They’d certainly done a number on Amaryllis.  “They need them,” Prim agreed, “and Amaryllis said it was just lovely!” she lilted her voice in the way that her sweetest, younger sister would.  It was, of course, out of love that she imitated her.  “I’ve never been,” she added, to explain, “but Maree seemed happy with it.”  Whether it was the food or the company, Prim could not separate. 

She imagined she could eat fish and chips out of a newspaper cone with someone she thought was dreamy and it would have been the best meal in the world.  “Maree was originally supposed to go grab coffee with Flynn Hughes and his dog,” she explained, “but he apparently owled and changed the venue to a romantic restaurant,” she wiggled her eyebrows at him with a giggle.  “I helped her pick out her outfit for the whole thing – it was very cute.  Apparnetly, it also went well.  Time will tell, of course,” she waved her hand with a wide smile that melted into a sort of shocked expression. 

Raising her eyebrows at him, Prim could not believe what she was hearing.  He cooked too?!  Primrose wasn’t allowed near the kitchen.  More than one occasion marked by being saved by Gingy had forbidden her from any source of flame or food production.  It was for everyone’s safety that her exile be upheld.  Now, she knew that Grigory could cook – but Cepheus too?! 

Shaking her head, she leaned forward in her seat, “I think I’d much rather eat a Cepheus cooked meal than Italian,” she admitted, “no matter what the suggestion might be.”  Prim could only laugh at the thought, her family wasn’t so backward that they would raise their eyebrows too high, but they would definitely get their hopes up.  “Then I wouldn’t have to worry about apparating under the influence,” she joked.  “Let’s do it – scandalize the lot of them.” 

Cepheus and Flynn had overlapping social circles, and he held the healer in good regard. It seemed as if the Woolfolk sisters were all pairing off, well at least the ones out of Hogwarts.

Prim seemed rather taken with the notion of being cooked for, which made Cepheus blush a little. Living alone, he only usually cooked for himself and maybe a little soupçon for Claude, his cat, so cooking for company was a pleasure.

“Alright,” he agreed, “you’d be most welcome, and the spare room is yours, well, once Orion’s not kipping in it,” his older brother was stopping over while they tried to sort things out. “Anything you don’t eat? Or that you’d particularly like? I’m not a chef, but I don’t mind a challenge.” He grinned, pleased at the prospect of them having dinner together at his place. “I’d say bring your slippers, but if you want to scandalise…” Ceph laughed, “you’d better leave the house in something Grigory would enjoy.” He blushed at suggesting it, “or not, gosh, that sounded worse out loud, sorry Prim!”

“It’s a date then,” Prim said with a smile that brimmed with irony, “once Orion has left, that is.”  She sat a little taller in her saddle and turned her eyes once again outward over the landscape – the lake was not far off in the distance. 

Truth be told though, she was a disaster in the kitchen.  So much so, that she had been officially barred from the premises by Gingy, their faithful house elf.  She’d almost burned it all down once.  “I’m not picky,” Primrose answered his question, “And you may not consider yourself a chef, but compared to me, you might as well have a thousand restaurants opening up all over the world.”  The exaggeration was small, and not ill characterized.  “Make me your signature dish, whatever it might be.” 

It’d taste delicious, no doubt.  Taking the last of the turns through the wooded patch before the lake, Prim urged Valentine forward a bit, giving the reigns a bit of slack for him to pick up a trot, holding her heels down as she laughed – glancing over her shoulder at Cepheus.  “Then I’d have to leave the house in nothing at all and frighten the daylights out of when I’ve arrived!” not necessarily the safest thing to call out on the estate, but they were well enough alone and far enough out that no ears except the intended targets would overhear. 

She tugged up on the reigns and slowed Valentine to a stop, swinging her leg over his broad back and dropped into the grass with a soft thud of her boots on the damp ground.  Valentine tossed his head about and then lowered his muzzle to the ground, the soft rips of grass signaling his distraction to graze.  Prim ran her hand over his withers and patted him before turning to see just how far back Cepheus was.  “I think I’ll be sticking to slippers this time around.” 

“Then I’d have to leave the house in nothing at all and frighten the daylights out of you when I arrived!” Prim replied back, and Ceph began to laugh. It was a good, contented, belly laugh which made him reach one hand to the pommel of Morris’ saddle to steady himself as he folded forward. The older horse lurched forwards into a trot after his stablemate, but a rather more lazy and lumbering one. It wasn’t the notion that Prim without clothes was funny, more that she reckoned that would be suitably shocking and provocative for the family to believe their fake relationship was real.

Cepheus gathered his reins a little and nudged Morris more firmly with his heels, rising to the trot after a few strides as he got back into the swing of things. Ooh dear, there were muscles in his legs that he didn’t use very often since he’d stopped riding as a child. Ones that didn’t even get this sort of work when he was dodging giant’s hands as they expressed their irritation at incidents, or hiked round London on business amongst Muggles.

“I think I’ll be sticking to slippers this time around.” Prim called back from ahead, the breeze carrying her words.
“Slippers sounds like a great idea,” Cepheus agreed, catching up again, “and my signature dish, alright, I’ll let you know soon.” He looked up and past Morris’ pricked ears to the lake. Not a sight he’d seen for a good number of years on the Woolfolk estate.

“Been a while since I’ve been here!” He confirmed aloud to Prim, “any grindylows these days?”

Standing on the edge of the lake, looking back at the trail as Valentine dipped his head toward the droopy grass.  Cepheus and Morris were not far behind.   Prim reached up and tugged her ponytail tighter, dragging her fingers through the silky hair and curling it about her finger at the end to form a single, thick ringlet. 

She let her hands fall to her sides and rested her thumbs in the loops meant for a belt that she clearly did not need with such fitted riding trousers.  “Sounds perfect to me,” she called out, rocking onto her toes and pitching forward into a step, which led to another and another until Prim was casually strolling around the edge of the lake, waiting for Cepheus to catch up.  “None that I’ve seen,” Prim looked over her shoulder at him, “though, I dare say you’re welcome to dive in and take a look,” she grinned at him and shifted her hands into her pockets. 

The prospect was an entertaining one, certainly, but probably ill advised.  If the cold wouldn’t do him in, the potential dark creatures could.  They’d have to reserve that for another day, and settle on a stroll and return ride for the time being.