Having heard the news, Alec hadn’t exactly jumped to go to St Mungo’s to comfort his sister while his disliked brother-in-law was lying in a hospital bed unconscious, probably dying. Hospitals weirded the wizard out. None of the family were willing to go, no one truly accepting Ignan Storm as Miranda’s real and believable husband. Jacob Carter had grumbled that it would perhaps be the best thing while Claire had sat silently, evidently struggling not to bite back at her husband. Claire wanted to visit but Alec knew it wasn’t worth his parent’s marriage if she did.

So on Tuesday afternoon, once he’d recovered from the immense hangover, Alec went against the pack of disapproving Carters, purchasing a rather pleasant bouquet of lilies from the florist on Diagon alley.

It was about 5PM when Alec was making his way onto the ward after asking where they were keeping Ignan Storm. The papers had said he was dying, wouldn’t make it through the night. Therefore, Alec fully expected to see Miranda sat at the bedside of the wrinkly old corpse.

The bulky wizard, was therefore, somewhat surprised to see Ignan Storm unconscious in the bed but with no sign of his younger sister. He frowned, looking down the ward for a sighting of her. Nothing.

The lilies were lowered, now hanging down upside by his leg. Alec’s dark eyes studied the wizard in the bed. The wrinkled old bastard had tripped him up at their home in Hogsmeade, unimpressed with Alec’s rudeness. Of course he’d been an arse to the old man, no one was worthy of Andy. Not after Elliot. It hadn’t meant he’d deserved to be hexed. But Alec certainly didn’t wish this on the bloke.

“Don’t tell me she’s working while you’re in here dying…” The wizard mumbled, disbelievingly. “She’ll never change.”

In the armchair Miranda had occupied for several days, out of sight due to her size and stature to Alec, Gerda’s ears pricked up. She had faithfully not left her master’s side since her mistress had summoned her to take over. She sat cross-legged on the chair, a specialist cook book in her lap full of recipes on restoring health and strength. Her mottled fingers gripped the sides as she leaned forward to regard the wizard with the flowers.

The cookbook hurtled through the air towards Alec, accompanied by a war-cry from the elf in a pillowcase.

The commotion brought round the wizard napping in the bed with a start.
“Stop!” He exclaimed, recognising Miranda’s brother, and Gerda’s defensive squeak. Unable to stop himself, his face screwed up in pain at the sudden awakening which had spurred a reflex reaction to tense. It passed a second later.
“But it could be danger!” The house elf protested during the moment. Somehow she had procured the rolling pin from their kitchen and now brandished it. Ignan lifted his hand nearest Gerda in acknowledgement and looked to Alec, expression tired and exasperated.
“What did you and your brothers bring to the house when we last saw each other?” He asked, and swallowed, “To prove who you are.” He clarified, glancing to the rolling-pin wielding elf stood on the armchair with a murderous expression.

The hefty cookbook hurtling at his head was decidedly unexpected. Nevertheless, decades of dodging dragons and various other beasts served the wizard well in throwing himself to the side to avoid the flying paper weapon. Too busy thinking about the sudden attack, Alec barely registered the movement from the seemingly dead wizard in the bed until a loud yell of “Stop!” halted the overzealous house elf and Alec found himself with a mild reprieve.

When dark eyes did settle on the wizard, eyes now open and somewhat alert, Alec frowned. His gaze continued to dance between his brother-in-law and the violent house elf as the former asked him a question.

“Before you kicked us out rudely?” Carter’s brows rose though he was still somewhat on edge with a bouquet of lilies in his hand and a house elf threatening him with a rolling pin.
“I didn’t bring you anything. Jaime, however, probably did. He’s a soft twat.” A shrug from the wizard as he held up the bouquet as a peace offering. “I’d appreciate it if you call off the utensil waving lunatic.”

“Gerda.” Ignan addressed the elf in a serious tone. The elf lowered her rolling pin, turning to look at her master with weary eyes. “This is one of Miranda’s brothers, Alexander,” the older wizard explained, and winced, shifting in the bed, left hand pressed to brace against the mattress, his right bound up in a sling while his shoulder healed. “Leave me,”
“But-"
“Elf…”
“Yes, Master.” Gerda hopped off the armchair, stooped beside Alec to retrieve the cook book. She gave him a filthy look (undoubtedly for the ‘lunatic’ comment) before bowing to Ignan and vanishing with a pop.

Ignan sighed and settled back properly against the pillows. His blue gaze ran up and down Alec with suspicion. Of all the visitors he might have, he had not ever expected Miranda’s brother who had got off to such a bad start with him. Unless he was here to gloat at Ignan’s predicted death.
“Your sister’s not here,” he told Alec, wearily, “if you were looking to give her the flowers. Home resting, or more likely downstairs working. You know what she’s like.” He blinked slowly. If Alec wanted to make conversation, he wasn’t going to fight it. Ignan wasn’t in a place to fight back at that point. Life was too short to fight with one’s brother in law willingly. Far more interesting to discover what he was here for.

The relief showed in Alec’s expression when Gerda, the mini utensil waving lunatic, vanished with her heavy cookbook in hand. Perhaps the house elf was better at fighting than the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Alec decided that comment was probably best saved for a time when neither Ignan Storm nor Miranda were around. Malin would have laughed at the thought; if she didn’t currently despise Alec.

Of course Miranda wasn’t there. If Alec guessed correctly, she’d spent the time Ignan had been unconscious at his bedside, worrying desperately. As soon as he’d shown a sign of recovery, she would have been off, resuming her place as queen of St Mungos. Her husband could sit and recover alone if it meant the pile of paperwork on her desk steadily depleted as opposed to increased.

“As do you.” A shrug and a small smile agreed with Ignan before Alec dropped the flowers on a small table beside the curtain. “Well I’m here now.” Next he dropped himself into the chair and spread out long legs. “Glad you’re not dead, at least.”

“Agreed.” Ignan replied with just enough volume to be heard clearly. He tried to keep his face straight as Alec decided to sit down in the armchair Gerda had just vacated. “Though I doubt you would have mourned your sister’s most unsuitable husband too long.”

He didn’t say it with malice, but simplistic acceptance that he doubted Alec would ever agree with Miranda’s choice of a second husband. He hadn’t exactly helped them agree with her choice given his territorial reaction to them all crowding the kitchen of their new Hogsmeade home. Last Saturday had been a crowd too. He tried not to think of the damage left behind. He hoped her brothers had rallied round to help her. Miranda had an extended family, a daughter, granddaughter, brothers, her parents, all in Britain.

Ignan’s strange assortment in Britain had gathered given the fact he had been expected to die Monday evening, but his sister hadn’t made the trip from the Ukraine. He was pretty sure Miranda had said Alec lived abroad. He’d made effort to be there for her? Did brotherly love for sister extend more than sister did for brother? Miranda barely mentioned her family, but he doubted she mentioned him to anyone either.

“Have you come all the way from Norway, or were you in the area?” He asked Alec, both from curiosity and an attempt to make conversation now the wizard had planted himself at the bedside.

“It doesn’t matter how unsuitable you are, she married you.” Alec gave a shrug as he sat back in the armchair his younger sister had spent many hours in. It was bloody uncomfortable; lumpy and old with worn leather and flattened cushioning. Still, it was an improvement on standing and staring at the wrinkled old crone from beside the curtain.

“Have you come all the way from Norway, or were you in the area?” Storm was a lot politer today than he had been when Alec and the other Carter brother’s had visited. Perhaps Andy had bitten his ear off about it. He hoped she had.

“She’s not told you?” the wizard frowned before rolling his eyes. “Figures.” He sat up straighter, arms folded. “I’ve moved back. As of Friday I am Head of Level 4 in the ministry. Do you and my sister even talk or does she just completely avoid the topic of family? She’s not exactly a sharer is she?”

“No, she’s not.” Ignan agreed, blinking slowly. The pair of them talked about other things. Family didn’t tend to be a primary topic of conversation when they caught time at home together. Both of them spent long hours working and hadn’t a chance to consider family outside of those in their near vicinity as colleagues. The mishmash of comings an goings to the hospital the past two days had elaborated on how their family saw them in return. The Storms had come across as far more caring, which had surprised Ignan. Then again, he knew how his stoic presence was a reassurance for them, and how losses in the past year had brought them together. He was glad not to add himself to the deceased.

“Neither of us tend to talk family,” he admitted to Alec, “and we’ve had other priorities of late.” He lifted his left hand up to adjust his sling for his right arm and shoulder at his neck, relieving a little pressure from how it had hung during sleep. Surely it was time to down some more revolting potions? Everything ached. Bugger this living lark, it was painful.

“Congratulations on the job,” Ignan added, remembering his manners through his internal grumbles of healing. “Level four, that’s creatures and such, yes?” He smoothed his fingers away from the bandages and settled, studying Alec passively. “And a new Minister? Thank Merlin it isn’t Miranda.” He closed his eyes for a long second, relieved.

One couldn’t deny how Ignan and Miranda had obviously had other priorities distracting them from either family. Until a few minutes ago, Alec hadn’t even known his new brother-in-law was even alive. No one had passed the message on to the Carter family, or at least onto Alec. Even Maya Elliot had been at his parent’s home this afternoon yelling about how her mother was mad at her for not visiting her dying husband. Maya being so worked up had told Alec Ignan was dead. Alec, however, hadn’t stayed around to listen to the conversation as Maya had whined about her mother throwing a teacup at her head.

The mention of Miranda was minister caused a grin to appear on Alec’s handsome face. It was a grin that held mischief and undisguised amusement.
“Woe betide Britain if Andy became Minister.” Alec would have moved back to Norway to face the wife if that had had been the case. “Not that I know much of the other two.” Unable to move past the thought of his sister as minister for magic, Alec started to shake his head. “Merlin, the wizengamot may as well have elected our father if they chose Andy.”

Dark eyes suddenly settled on Storm, his expression more serious.
“That’s why he doesn’t like you. He thinks you’re whispering in her ear.”

“I very much doubt that is the reason he dislikes me.” Ignan replied, a little sharper than he had been up until then. His grey eyebrows lowered over this sharp blue eyes as he studied his brother in law. “I’ve had nothing to do with Miranda’s aspirations, or limits of them. Hard enough to tell her to ward the house properly,” he gestured with his left hand at his bound right arm and situation in general, “without telling her what she should do with her career.”

Ignan sighed, “As you’ve found, I’m not one for glowing first impressions. Your sister was comatose in her own hospital when we first encountered each other. They weren’t even aware we were friends.” He raised his eyebrows to Alec, allowing him to fill in the gap in what happened next. “Not that it was any of their business.”

Alec vividly remembered his anger at meeting Ignan Storm when Miranda was in a poison induced coma. Rather than being worried about whether Andy would wake up and be able to work again, Jacob Carter had been instead occupied by the fact that she had a romantic partner that she hadn’t told him about. People wondered why Alec had moved to a foreign country as soon as he could and remained for more than 30 years until they met the controlling and bullying father; then all became clear.

Miranda had dealt with Jacob Carter for a long enough time to have built up a tolerance; Alec was actively looking for alternative accommodation to not have to get to that point. Storm had quite clearly made a similar impression on father as he had on son.

“That’s where you’re wrong, Ignan.” Alec’s arms were crossed over his chest, comfortable even in this awkward situation with his new brother-in-law. “In his eyes, anyway. You’re lucky you’re a better catch than Elliot was. Dad didn’t speak to Andy for a year after she married him. You’re the best son in law he’s had.” Alec had been Jon Elliot’s best friend but in Jacob Carter’s eyes, a dragon tamer from Norway as a son-in-law was not something to be proud of.

“If you say so.” Ignan replied, his voice reflecting how weary he was. “I’ve no interest to compete with a dead man, or compare. The only conversation your father and I have had is the one conversation at Mira’s bedside. I do not care to repeat or continue it.” He let his eyes close for a few seconds, letting lethargy pass. Visitors were tiring enough without them being former antagonisers. He had never imagined Alec Carter would ever speak to him again, let alone be as responsible as to bring his sister lilies and check on her. Unless it had all been in celebration. But Ignan knew just enough about flowers to know that lilies weren’t a typical celebration flower.

“You’re not your father’s son, then?” He asked, quietly, but clearly, eyes reopening just enough to check Alec’s expression.

In response to the strange question, Alec frowned. It took him a short moment to consider a response.
“I don’t enjoy putting people down.” Jacob Carter could be a very nasty man, he liked to remain on top, even if it meant belittling family. Alec would never pretend to be innocent and perfect; he’d done enough terrible things to his own wife through selfishness. These were things he still didn’t exactly feel guilty about.

“That is something Andy gets from him.” He gave a shrug. “And she likes to control people. I’m not perfect but I’m certainly not like Jacob Carter.”

Taking a pause, Alec thought back to this morning and one of the reasons he’d come to visit.
“Has she told you what happened with Maya today?”

“Hmm.” Ignan replied about putting people down. It was a key feature of Miranda’s ‘humour’ but mostly front. Sometimes he took amusement in how she did it.

“Has she told you what happened with Maya today?” Alec asked.

Ignan’s eyes shifted top left, thinking back through the conversation with his wife that morning. He didn’t recall Maya featuring, more around the topic of her catching up on work while Gerda watched him, and that he had to rest and do as he was told. At least he thought that was it. Miranda had been practically back to her normal self. Indulging in work to restore her confidence.

He blinked and looked to Alec with a frown.
“Why, what has happened with Maya today?” Did she pay some rent, find her boyfriend again, marry a respectable man, find a decent job, show concern at her step-father’s health and her mother’s terrible weekend plagued by a madman and his niece? “She gets it from her grandfather too.” He added in a quieter tone.

Alec ignored the second slight on his father and instead decided to explain what he’d heard Maya yelling and whinging from the living room of his parents’ house.

“Maya comes to my parents’ house this morning, great big crocodile tears, crying about how her mum hurled a cup of hot tea at her head and called her a selfish bitch. I know my sister’s got a temper on her but eesh.” The wizard pulled a face, thinking about times he’d been on the receiving end of Miranda’s bite.

“Maya’s not innocent. She not been to visit has she?” It would have surprised Alec is she had. Maya was a selfish girl. She’d been spoilt with objects and acquiescence by a mother that didn’t have the time for her. She’d turned into a brat. “She hates you, mate.”