High Noon.

"Muuuum! Where's me trunks! ...Never mind! Found 'em! .... MUUUM! Is Pax here yet!?!" came the very annoying, madly irritating voice that belonged to one Alfred Delacroix. An Alfred Delacroix that was about to be jinxed to kingdom come if he didn't shut up.

Addie was lying on her bed, staring at the poster that Matty had gotten her for Valentine's Day. Creevs was waving and winking, which Addie supposed was a good thing since she hadn't heard from her boyfriend in a week. No owl, no nothing.

"Muuuuuuum! How about noooooow?" "ALFRED! SHUT UP BEFORE I MAKE YOU GROW ANTLERS!" Addie finally screamed back, prepared to do just that if that brat asked one more time. ONE. MORE. TIME. Pax would get here when he did...clearly Alfie was the impatient girl now.

...now if only the boy would get here, maybe she'd crack a smile.

'Got your trunks?'

'Uh huh.'

'And your towel?

'Yep.'

'Good. Now hold still a sec while I put a sunblocking charm on you.'

'Merlin, Dad,' Pax gave his father a smile that bordered on cheeky. 'It's not that hot.'

'Heat has nothing to do with it,' Perceval warned him, waving his wand in an intricate pattern over his son. 'It's sunny out, that's enough to get you burned. Repello solis. There.' He put his wand away and clapped Pax on the shoulder. 'I'll be back later with a portkey to pick you up.' Pax nodded gratefully. Portkeys made his head spin, but he much preferred them to the nauseating experience of side-along apparation.

'You'll remember to thank Alfie and his family, won't you?'

' 'Course I will, Dad,' Pax assured him with an amused grin, then he turned and started hurrying up the front path. The loud crack behind him told him that his father had disapparated. Reaching the front door, he rang the bell, and called out, 'Hello! It's Pax.' Just in case they were worried it was someone they weren't expecting.

The doorbell rang and instantly, there were feet scampering, followed by barking. Two cats were strolling to the door, soon looking up at Pax inquistively until the barking intensified, which made them instantly scurry away. A jack russell took its place, still barking on the other side of the screened door. "DODGER! CAN IT!" boomed from round the corner, which revealed a dark jeans and black tee Malcolm.

Picking up Dodger, the dog was wagging his tail madly while trying to escape his master when Malcolm opened the door. "Heya, yer th' boy we've been waiting for! I saw Ichabod & Phibes rush pass me; Dodger here is who alerted yer presence for all creation t'hear. I'm Malcolm. It's Pax, aye? The kids have spoken nicely o'yeh. C'mon in...Alfie's about."

Dodger was placed back on the floor and instantly, the dog approached Pax, sniffing him left and right before letting out a short bark before scampering away again, only for Alfie to replace the dog.

"Cor, was wonderin' if you'd ever show! Come on, mate! Lemme show you about! Thanks, da!" Malcolm grinned. "Y'got it, mates! Lunch should be ready soon; Alf, 'member what mum an' I warned. No provoking."

'Nice to meet you Mr-- um-- Malcolm.' Pax caught himself from calling Alfie's dad Mr. Delacroix, remembering that he didn't share a surname with his children. It was probably best just to go with the name that was offered. The anxiety at meeting a friend's parent was diffused a little, though by the knowledge that Alfie and Addie had said nice things about him. He tried not to look too pleased.

Following Malcolm into the house, Pax was caught a little offguard by the jack russell; he had heard the barking but somehow not expected the dog to be so interested in him. Of course, Pax just wasn't used to dogs, it was cats his house was filled with. 'H-hello boy,' he said nervously, but Dodger lost interest quickly enough.

Pax grinned when Alfie appeared. 'Sorry, we came as quick as we could,' he chuckled. Alfie was one of the few Gryffindors Pax's age that he didn't find intimidating. He was a bit on the mischievous side, like Erik Collins, but like Erik he was also a good laugh, and pretty easy for Pax to get along with. So Pax had been quite excited when Alfie had asked him over.

Raising his eyebrows at Alfie following Malcolm's comment, he murmured, 'Provoking who?' Glancing around at the impressive foyer, he added, 'Your house is brilliant, Alfie.'

Alfie screwed up his nose, knowing if he provoked Addie, he'd have three bloody adults after him. Annoying her could come later; right now, he had his buddy Pax here. "Y'did tell your da you were spendin' the night, dinn't ya? As for who me da meant, he was talkin' about Add. She's gone mental - one week out of Hogwarts and poof! Angry at th' world. Matty's t'blame. C'mon, I'll give ya the tour..."

It was the cue for Sunny Afternoon to begin blaring from the bedroom upstairs. Alfie's ears blushed - clearly his sister didn't know his visitor had arrived and now Alfie looked at Pax sympathetically. 'Matty,' he lipworded, reconfirming his former statement.

"IRIS! Turn it down for God's sake! ...Or better yet, turn it off! Pax is here, love!" Malcolm barked, to which the music died instantly and feet were shuffling quickly. The young graduate, now witch was running down the stairs; Addie soon was smiling somewhat, relief filling her upon seeing a Hufflepuff.

"PAXAMILLIONNN!" Alfie groaned. "MY guest, Del! Bugger off!" Addie grinned. "Shut up, git. A guest to the Blake house is a guest to all."

Matty stood at the start of the walk up to the Blake house. He had been there plenty of times over the years, since him and Addie had been almost inseperable since their first year. However he was no longer the strange observant little boy that Malcolm paid no mind to. He was now Addie's boyfriend and one that hadn't been in contact with her ever since they had left school. As they parted at King's Cross he had promised Addie he would owl her every day until he was able to see her again and had done a good job at not delivering on his promise.

He had a really good reason for it though.

Tomas had scooped him up the moment he had gotten back to the Amherst family home - these days Matty was the only kid that still lived there (though not for much longer if he had anything to say about it) - and dragged him on a wild trip across Europe. Matty had told his elder brother about his plans for his girlfriend and Tomas wanted to give him a life experience he needed to have before going through with his plans. The whole week long trip had ended with a stop at a jewelry shop in Antwerp, Belgium to secure the prize he now had tucked in his pocket.

He took a deep breath, steeling himself. His long hair was tied back (a style he didn't usually wear) his goatie was neatly groomed, his skin was tanned and he looked better rested than he had in almost a month and a half. With NEWTS and Hogwarts behind him he was excited to get on with life and was hoping that the rest of those days would include Addie. He subconsciously placed his hand on the small box in his pocket before walking up the step and knocking on the door.

Pax raised his eyes at Alfie in concern. He hadn't realised anything had been troubling the older Delacroix sibling, least of all anything to do with her boyfriend. He almost wanted to ask what had happened, but realising he oughn't be nosy, he refrained.

Still, when Addie turned off her loud music and came into view, Pax was glad to note she was smiling. True Pax didn't know Addie well as her younger brother, but he had seen her a lot in the Hufflepuff common room, and thought a great deal of her. There hadn't been a seventh-year Hufflepuff girl Pax hadn't got along with, in fact. Being in a house with them was a lot like having a constant supply of caring big sisters. It was one of the reasons he was sad to see the seventh-years leave.

'Hey Addie,' he grinned, giving Alfie a glance that said he wasn't bothered by the extra person. 'It's , um, short for Paxton, though,' he added with a small giggle. Addie's enthusiasm was so infectious sometimes. 'How are you both, anyway? Addie, do you know what you're going to do now that you've--'

He was distracted by a knock at the door. 'Oh!' he said, surprised, then glanced between the brother and sister inquiringly. 'Are you expecting anyone else today?' He looked over at the door, half-expecting Dodger to go barrelling over to it again.

Dodger didn't come scrambling - it was Marmy, the chocolate lab crup pup breed who was heading to the door. Her eyes lit up when seeing who it was, letting a bark that soon alerted Malcolm and Addie. The eldest child was headed to the door when Malcolm got there first, picking up Marmy and shutting the front door as he headed out.

The siblings looked at one another before Alfie was soon looking then to Pax. "To answer yer question, someone's here but we didn't invite anybody else. Must be a friend of Da's?" he offered as a method of reasoning while Addie was still trying to pinpoint who it was. It was someone that Marmy knew well....all too well....

"Lunch is ready, you three...Adelia, if you'd come help me set the table up; Pax, just follow Alfie. I'm Anneliese, but if it'd make it easier, just call me Anne," their mother chirped up. Addie followed her & then Alfie followed suit, tugging for Pax to follow.

---

Malcolm eventually put Marmalade down, to which she started sniffing Matty, wagging her tail excitedly, clearly overjoyed to see him. "Thirty minutes early, boy-o. We said twelve thirty, not one minute after th' hour. Good t'see yeh, though. Del's going to be overjoyed to see you...tha' is, after she punches ye a few. Where th' devil ye've been, Amherst?" Malcolm inquired with a shark-like grin forming on his face.

'Lovely to meet you, Mrs-- um, Anneliese!' Pax replied, remembering his manners. He glanced back to the door, wondering who had dropped by to visit. He was also wondering if any other dogs, cats, or other animals were going to emerge from the woodwork while he was there. Feeling a tug at his elbow, he wrenched his attention away from whoever Malcolm had gone to greet, and hurried after Alfie.

'Hey Alfie, how many pets do you all have, anyway?' he asked with a lopsided grin. 'I thought our house seemed busy with all the cats we have.' Looking ahead to the table where Addie and her mum were heading, he called out, a little self-consciously, 'Oh, is-- is there anything I can do to help?'

Matty kneeled down to give the pup all the affection she was desperate for. He never really thought of himself as an animal person. He was never very good with Care of Magical Creatures but Marmy had always held a special place in his heart. Perhaps it was just the connection the dog had to the woman he loved. He looked up at Malcolm with a slightly guilty expression.

"I'm so sorry I left her hanging. Tomas grabbed me as soon as I got home. He didn't let me send any owls out, said I needed to experience the world before doing what I wanted to do."

That being said he straightened up and pulled the box from his pocket. He had always been a very formal and proper person. Well versed in etiquette and the like and truly believed in traditions, especially the particular one he was about to act on. Afterall it was only right.

He handed the box to Malcolm, a man he had known and respected for seven years now, a man he was hoping to one day be able to call 'Dad', "Malcolm, sir, I couldn't keep away any longer. The excitement was just too much and I've missed Addie something fierce this past week." He took a deep breath and looked up at the older man imploringly, looking every bit the scared and nervous young man he was, "With your permission sir, I'd like to ask for Adelia's hand."