Aoide twirled her teaspoon in her hot chocolate, watching the Christmas shoppers. The tiny spoon made a rhythmical clink, clink over the rumble of voices inside the popular coffee shop and the scritch, scratch of her mother’s pocket quill on the shopping list.

Aoide peered down at the neat purple-inked handwriting. Much of what was on the list was incomprehensible, presents for the wider family or items for entertaining guests over the festive period. She knew that the Christmas holidays were impeccably scheduled because her mother, an auror, would be working shifts at antisocial hours. As much as Aoide disliked her mother spending long hours working, she knew that she would be able to secure quality time with her father, who was not-so-secretly her favourite parent.

Her mother checked her pocket watch again, a deepening furrow forming just above where her eyebrows met. Aoide knew that look. She was only glad it wasn’t directed at her, though she would feel the wake of it like a little rowing boat on the rocky seas, her mother a sailing ship carving through the waves.

It would be out of character for Ariadne to be on time for a social event. Her mother and sister were not a party where it was best to be fashionably late to join. Did her eldest daughter not appreciate there was a fine timetable to follow for these precious weeks that Aoide was home for Christmas? She imagined living with two boys at the end of their teens was no example to Ariadne, but she always had taken after her lackadaisical father, content to do everything yet nothing, in Nadine’s opinion.

Aoide sat on her left, stirring a spoon in her hot chocolate, staring out of the window. Nadine had refrained chastising her daughter for the noise of metal against mug, happy to have her home from school, and saving her ire for Ariadne when she finally turned up. Clink, clink, clink. Ah, gift tags, how could she have forgotten. Auror Pinn carefully inked the item onto the list in the most logical position. Her left hand faintly twinged. It had started to do that again since the cold weather had begun, and ever since she had encountered Musgrave on Hampstead Heath[1] and duelled him with fellow auror and former sister-in-law, Andromeda Gamp.

2011 had been a funny year, Nadine reflected. Though, most years of late had their significant difficulties. She had not realised events would become so personal to family though, what with Mortimer and Lyra Gamp, her former parents-in-law, turning to dark magic[2] and the death of her young cousin, Moses as a result. She had half a mind to blame the Gamps for Ariadne’s lacklustre NEWT performance.

Though she were able to estimate time better than the average witch, Nadine checked her pocketwatch once more, and frowned deeply.

1.	22nd February 2011 Hell on the Heath
2.	Mischief Unmanaged

Ariadne[1] cursed her luck at spotting the time above the counter at Flourish and Blotts. There was a considerable queue of people in front of her, such was the norm in the Christmas holidays, and she had only popped in to buy one book, a history of the Welsh National Quidditch Team, ahead of interviewing Gwenog Jones who was set to take up the role of manager there. Gwenog was a legend in her own right, and Ariadne was incredibly excited to meet her, let alone interview her. Ginny was a former teammate, and Ariadne had almost fallen off her stool when the Prophet reporter had told her the news. As such, she was using every spare moment to research and write some decent questions for Gwenog.

It was another ten minutes before she was pelting along the busy cobbled Alley, the book grasped under one arm inside her favourite lion tote bag, a gift from Aoide last Christmas. It would yawn and prowl around the material and roar if it was not used often enough, or you tried to forget it. The latter feature had been incredibly helpful to Ariadne of late with her busy, all hours of the day job. Things tended to fall out of her memory, like bags under tables.

Through the window of Alohomocha, Ariadne spotted Aoide stirring a hot chocolate, and her mother checking her pocketwatch with an ominous frown. Best not to delay further! She wanted to live to see Christmas. Best channel a bit of Ginny and Gwenog. Ariadne waved through the window and then squeezed into the coffee shop.

1.	Outfit by Nuri

“There she is!” Aoide exclaimed, sitting bolt upright in her seat. The teaspoon fell from her fingers with a clatter, and she waved back to her big sister. Wriggling out from the table, Aoide wrapped her arms around her sibling as soon as she could, squeezing her tightly. They hadn’t lived together for years, but somehow seeing Ariadne today meant all the more than usual, owing to a term at Hogwarts. They finally had something to share about school, rather than Aoide marvelling at Ariadne’s stories and feeling out of the loop.

“We agreed quarter past,” Aoide heard their mother say, muffled because she was buried in Ariadne’s jacket. She smelled of new perfume and smoke that Aoide couldn’t quite identify. She was cold from the outside, but beneath her jacket she was warm and slight just as Aoide remembered her.
“I know, love you too, Mum.” That sounded like sarcasm, and that meant that everything was normal.

“I’ve missed you!” Aoide exclaimed, letting go a bit to look up at her taller sister. “Hogwarts is amazing,” she gushed, “just like you said. I’ve so much to tell you!”

Nadine looked her firstborn up and down with a critical eye of an observant auror. She missed nothing. As she leaned in for a kiss after mentioning Ariadne’s tardiness, she could smell the faint whiff of gillyweed on her clothes. Something to bring up later, with her dismay. At best it was one of the boys she lived with, though she expected better.

“We ordered ahead, yours has been kept warm.” Nadine gestured to the third drink on the table, the steam rising from the rim was frozen in time.
“Thanks Mum.” Ariadne replied with all the emotion of the table top her drink was perched. Nadine watched her daughter look back down to her other daughter, face lighting up. “I’ve missed you too, Dee. How’s your first term been, lil’ sis?”

Sensing she wouldn’t get a sensible word into this conversation for the next ten minutes until Aoide had let out all her news, Nadine reclaimed her seat in the busy coffee shop and folded one slender leg over another, before pretending to continue annotating her list rather than sidelong-examining Ariadne’s appearance.

The lively question from her sibling was all that Aoide needed to begin an excitable recount of her first term at Hogwarts. From the train to the sorting hat, from how wonderful her Hufflepuff dormitory was, and how quickly term had gone. Her hands painted pictures above the tabletop as her hot chocolate began to go cold. She loved that Ariadne was listening to her, just like her dad had when she’d got home and recounted this the first time. The noise of the other Alohomocha patrons faded from her attention.

“It’s been absolutely amazing!” Aoide exclaimed for what was perhaps, the thirteenth time, “I mean, I even enjoy being friends with Wesley, and he’s silly and can,” she lowered her voice away from their mother, “lose us house points.” Her Hufflepuff classmates were cozy, family-like. The thought of the warmth of the common room by the kitchens brought Aoide’s attention back to her hot chocolate and she seized it in both hands, taking a healthy gulp.

“I’ve got to know some of the bigger girls,” Aoide explained proudly, and wiped foam from her lips, “There’s Zeta, Osha, Ayla and this seer girl, Winnie.”

Ariadne curled her cold fingers around the warm mug and the steam began to rise again. She took her seat beside Aoide, and slid her bag between her knees to keep it safe. Her sister was really going to go through every last detail it seemed, which Ariadne couldn’t really blame her for. She was positive she had done the same to her mum and also her dad when she was the same age. Ariadne did her best to keep her attention entirely on Aoide, knowing how important it was to give her undivided attention, having seen how discouraged Aoide would get when their mother began to entertain distractions instead of listening. Speaking of, Nadine appeared to have heard the details of Aoide’s first term several times over judging by her expression. Ariadne didn’t trust it entirely though, their mum was lulling Aoide into a false sense of security...

“...friends with Wesley, and he’s silly and can lose us house points.” Ariadne did her best to look absolutely scandalised. House points were really important when you were in the first couple of years, and then again when you were in your final year and wanted to go out on a high. Between the times, your housemates would try to appear indifferent about them, when secretly they were all hoping they’d get some for their house.

“I’ve got to know some of the bigger girls.”
“Really? Who?”
“There’s Zeta, Osha, Ayla and this seer girl, Winnie.”

“Oh my days, Winifred Oliver?” Ariadne asked, shaking her head. “Don’t believe a word she says.” Ariadne had been a couple of years ahead of the Hufflepuff girl, and only remembered her over-dramatic tendencies. “Stick with Zeta, Osha and Ayla, they’re gold.” She winked at her sister. “What about the Slytherins? Hope they’re not giving you trouble?”

Withdrawing her gaze from a neighbouring table where a wizard was reading the Daily Prophet, Nadine fixed Ariadne with an unimpressed look. As Slytherin alumni, she discouraged the stereotype that Slytherins were all trouble. There was more than a fair share of them in the ledgers of Level Two, granted, but it didn’t mean that they were the only ones who stepped onto the wrong side of the law.

“There is nothing wrong with being a Slytherin, Ariadne. I am sure they are high-achieving classmates.” She would look into this Wesley character and discourage Aoide from associating herself with him. He sounded like exactly the negative association she didn’t want her daughter having. Her gaze returned momentarily to the headlines of the Prophet, and the mention of today’s court proceedings with another Gamp that she was glad she had little to do with.

“You’re enjoying your lessons, though?” She asked her youngest, turning her dark eyes back from the headlines, “transfiguration, charms?”

“Oh my days, Winifred Oliver?” Aoide looked dismayed at the sarcasm Ariadne applied, and visibly deflated. She had thought Winifred was most entertaining and funny. Then again, she’d only experienced a single term. “Don’t believe a word she says. Stick with Zeta, Osha and Ayla, they’re gold.” At this advice, Aoide sat straight again, reassured that she’d only made one misjudged assessment of an older student, though she would berate herself for it later.

“What about the Slytherins? Hope they’re not giving you trouble?” Their mother retorted in support of not all Slytherins and Aoide shrugged.
“Well, they’re ok I guess. There are some nice ones, like Feliks …Nicola and Sulwen aren’t that bad.” Aoide admitted, and folded her fingers together, unsure of speaking ill of anyone. “They seem to be quite posh, or rich. I am sure they don’t mean to, but they boast a bit.”

“You’re enjoying your lessons, though, transfiguration, charms?” Her mother was keen to move the conversation on, Aoide realised. Perhaps they were at risk of falling behind her mother’s meticulous schedule. She hurried to drink some more hot chocolate before it went entirely cold.

“Yes!” She replied brightly to her mother, and then to Ariadne, “they are really interesting, but a bit tricky sometimes. I love History of Magic at the moment, Professor Greyfriar makes it fun and informative.” She glanced back to their mother, wondering if she would approve of ‘fun’ at school. “I like Professor Prewett too, Herbology’s great. I like working with people to look after the plants and the smells.” Under the growing intensity of her mother’s observation, Aoide continued. “Charms is fun, Professor Kesali is… uhm... different.” 

She gave an uncomfortable wiggle, never liking to speak ill of others, and well, Professor Kesali had a bit of a wild reputation and unconventional methods. “Professor Singh is different too though,” Aoide latched onto a teacher she reckoned her mother would like. “An entirely different different. He wears a turban, and the most amazing robes. Transfiguration is meant to be difficult, but I feel like I can do it with him.” Aoide smiled.

At the mention of Nightingale Kesali, Ariadne and Nadine exchanged a knowing look. Professor Kesali of today was, admittedly, a world different than the one who had taught charms a year or two before, but he was still a wild one. Nadine had not entirely approved, while Ariadne had considered him the sort of teacher who would keep her on her toes but not kill her.

Their mother was clearly bored of chatter of Hogwarts, and Ariadne had felt her sidelong glances throughout Aoide’s explanations. Like the conversation professional she was, Auror Pinn switched the topic.
“Enough of this though, what have you been up to?”

Ariadne watched her mother set aside her quill for the first time since she had arrived, and pay full attention, like a dragon eyeing up its next meal. It was the sort of question Ariadne had learned to prepare for, even more with living away. She saw her younger sister’s expression falter a moment at being cut off, and then renew interest in her big sister’s life. The action made Ariadne a little sorry.

“Wow, well, I’ve been so busy with the Prophet.” Ariadne began, ticking off the mental list of being gainfully employed, fully occupied at work, and working somewhere her mother could boast about. “The other Sunday I was covering the Wasps and Wanderers.” Ariadne’s life had begun to be timetabled purely upon the national and international quidditch fixtures. “I’ve learned so much in the short time I’ve been shadowing Ginny.” She glanced to Aoide, “That’s the Ginny Weasley. I have to pinch myself for being able to refer to her by first name.”

For all Nadine’s distrust of the scent of gillyweed on her daughter’s clothes, she had been regularly scouring the Prophet’s sports pages for any mention of Ariadne in the bylines or in the background of photos. It was bound to be too early for such things, but Nadine maintained high expectations of her offspring at all times. Off course she would boast more about Ariadne working there and working with Ginny, but once she started to appear in the paper it would hold much more credence with colleagues and friends.

Aoide was easily distracted by the namedropping and the sheer excitement of an adult world explained by her big sister. Nadine was quite sure her youngest would have found any of Ariadne’s temporary jobs since leaving Hogwarts, interesting. Nadine found the number and the brevity far more interesting. Thankfully this one seemed to have outlasted all previously records, but she was doubtful it would be much longer.

“When you say, following, Ariadne, are you a glorified parchment holder for Weasley or have you had any actual practical application so far?” Nadine asked, fixing daughter with the same stare she might affix a suspect for interrogation. “When will you submit your own work for publication?”

A glorified parchment holder! Thanks Mum. Ariadne thought, though tried to school her expression as best she could to show no signs of irritation. Her mother enjoyed such reactions, and she wasn’t going to encourage her any more. She was a wise eighteen-year-old witch with her on independence now, her mother wouldn’t drag her down.

“When will you submit your own work for publication?”

“I have, I have been,” Ariadne replied a little hastily, realising that sounded rather weak in the face of her mother. “I’m not at the stage of bylines, Mum, I’ve only just started out. Diagon wasn’t built in a day.” She was just as impatient to see her name there in the sports pages, though. But Cuffe had standards, and she was but a trainee.

“Don’t worry,” she assured her mother, simultaneously reaching out to touch her half-sister’s shoulder with her fingertips, “you’ll be the first to know.”


End