Nora Cadwallader (safekeep) wrote in disorderic, @ 2018-02-11 20:17:00 |
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Entry tags: | barnaby snell, nora cadwallader |
WHO: Baz Snell and Nora Cadwallader
WHAT: Catching up
WHEN: February 11
WHERE: The Gentle Green
WARNINGS: Some sads :(
“How was the funeral?” Baz asked, puncturing the silence that had settled over the kitchen like snow. He leaned against the counter as he toweled a plate. He was drying dishes by hand — it felt rude to take Rhys and Nora’s food without doing something in return. He could’ve used magic, but the rote routine was calming when his thoughts were racing. “It’s a shame it couldn’t have been a massive public thing, I know a lot of Tinworth residents would’ve shown up to pay their respects.” But the Death Eaters would’ve found some way to ruin it. They always did. “I don’t really know,” Nora said as she wiped off the table, then the counters. In truth, Nora was in work mode for most of the service, making sure things were where they needed to be, that people knew when it was their turn to speak. The funeral director had insisted they could handle everything, and of course they could have, but Nora wanted to make sure Rhys and the other Aurors didn’t have anything to worry about so they could just grieve. Most of the funeral was a blur for her. “I never know how to answer that, you know? ‘Oh, it was a nice service…’ What does that even mean?” “It means there were no telenovela style dramatics, I guess?” Baz offered, brows furrowing slightly. His tone was light as he busied himself with the silverware. “There were no fights, no one was thrown into an empty grave, that kind of thing.” There was a beat, and he sobered slightly: “I really am sorry about Gawain.” Nora nodded, searching for words that didn't sound trite somehow. "I—" she faltered. "He'll really be missed. By a lot of people. He was here, the night before he died. He and Rhys sat right there making plans and—" She cleared her throat to cover the hitch in her voice, but didn't try to speak again until she could compose herself. “Hey,” Baz said softly, setting his towel and dishes aside in order to cross the room. He enveloped his sister in a tight hug, all the while murmuring, “I know it doesn’t seem that way now, but it’s going to be okay.” Nora's shoulders shook as she buried her face into her brother’s shirt, falling into tears too easily after days of trying to stay strong and put-together for Rhys and everyone else. After a few moments she started sputtering apologies she didn't really mean about making a mess and blubbering on him and how she was fine, really, she would be fine in a minute. "I'm sorry!" “You don’t need to apologize, it’s really fine,” Baz replied in a low voice. His sister’s obvious distress stirred up protective impulses, and tight bitterness toward the Death Eaters coiled in his chest. He reached up to brush strands of hair away from Nora’s face, then leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead. “It’s a lot. You’re doing a lot for everyone, you’re allowed to cry over it.” She sniffled and smiled a little, comforted by his presence. She squeezed him tightly, then released him so she could head over to the sink and throw some water on her face. A few deep breaths later, she glanced over at her brother and gave a hollow laugh. "Well. I guess I can't promise that's not going to happen again. Sorry. I mean, not sorry, just… I don't know! Let's change the subject! How are you?" “I’m okay,” he replied, watching his sister carefully. “I was thinking about finding Lucius Malfoy and punching him in the face.” Nora tried to form her instinctive cringe into something like a smile at Baz's funny joke. It did not quite work. "You could print out a photo of his face and put it on a punching bag at the gym." “Tempting!” Baz shifted into a fighting stance, punching his fists through the air with a wild grin. “I could probably take him. He doesn’t look like he’s ever thrown a punch in his life. One right hook from me is just as bad as the Cruciatus.” But that dredged up memories that made his smile dim, just a little. "Right, unlike all the punches you've ever thrown," Nora teased just as she caught his falling expression. "You may have to defeat him with your superior wit and charm instead." “Well,” Baz said, puffing out his chest a little, “The ladies and Jeremy tell me I’m very witty and charming.” "The ladies and Jeremy seem pretty trustworthy." Nora smiled. "How are the two of you? Have you got everything … figured out, and all?" “Ah, yeah,” was Baz’s sheepish response, one hand rising to tangle in his hair as his gaze dropped to the floor. “That’s all sorted. Love is all around and all that.” That one off-hand remark was too revealing, however, and he cleared his throat before he met Nora’s eyes again. “How’s Rhys taking everything?” Nora stored the information away for later, but she wasn't going to push and make Baz shut down about it even further. With the mention of Rhys, it was her turn to drop her eyes. "He's … it's not … good. Gawain meant a lot to him. Means a lot still, you know, still. He was even … Gawain offered him a job, you know. At the Wizengamot, assisting him. Right before." “Oh.” Baz swallowed against the growing tightness in his throat. I guess it’s a good thing the job didn’t start immediately was the joke on the tip of his tongue, because Baz tuned to jokes when he was upset or uncomfortable. But if he knew his sister — and he did — then that was an outcome she had imagined at several points over the past few days. “That’s… man. That’s rough.” "He was so excited about it for all of a day," Nora sighed. "God, this sucks. Everything about this, it's just … it's not fair." “No, it’s not,” Baz replied with a matching sigh. “They get to ruin lives and there’s no one to stop them.” A beat. “No one aside from the Order.” "Honestly, I'm not even sure they're doing that much," Nora said. “They’re trying,” Baz protested, a surge of defensiveness rising in him. He leaned back against the kitchen counter, idly tossing the towel from hand to hand. “Things are just really hard right now. The odds aren’t in their favor.” "The odds aren't in anybody's favor," Nora said, picking the spot next to him on the counter to lean and cross her arms. "Except, well. You know. It just seems like an awful lot to pin our hopes on a group that … I don't know. They just seem like a lightning rod for trouble." “I have a lot of faith in them,” Baz admitted. “I’d join up if I thought I’d be useful.” "Would you really?" Nora asked, not bothering to keep the concern from her voice this time. "But — has someone asked you? Are you...you're not, are you? A member? Or helping them out or whatever?" “No, no, no,” Baz said firmly, shaking his head. It wasn’t technically a lie — Hestia had never formally asked him to join. “I’m just, you know, doing my own thing with… a friend. I’m doing what I’m good at.” Nora studied her brother’s expression, deciding that she believed him, but that didn’t do anything to lessen her worry. “Carefully and anonymously, you’re doing your own thing?” “Well, did you listen to that Lumos Maxima podcast?” Nora nodded. She wasn’t surprised; she wasn’t even that alarmed by it. “You know, immediately telling me is neither careful nor anonymous,” she half-teased. “Eh, I figured the chances of you turning me into the Death Eater powers that be were slim,” Baz said with a shrug. “It’s me and Gwen. Chelsea knows, Jez knows, and now you know.” There was a brief pause as Baz’s expression twisted into a grimace. “And Rosier knows. But before you panic, he figured it out a while ago and I’m still alive, so. I guess he’s not telling his cousins about it.” "Until he—" Nora made herself stop and take a breath. Fretting and berating didn't get anyone anywhere. "Okay. Okay! Rosier knows. I guess that probably means he's not actually a Death Eater, right? I was never quite sure with him, I think." Baz’s mouth twisted into a frown. “No, he’s just a dick.” "That's still better, though," Nora offered. She leaned over and nudged her brother. "Hey. I'm glad you found something, you know, your own thing. It was a really interesting podcast." “Yeah?” Baz asked, looking all too pleased with himself. “I want to get a new episode out soon. I was thinking about including healing tips from Jez, defense tips from Chelsea… that kind of thing.” “Well…” Nora hemmed for a moment. “If you ever want any mediwitch field healing, emergency tips, that kind of thing, I can probably help you with that. I’m going to talk to St. M’s about going back soon, maybe part-time, so. And I bet Rhys would help with some Auror tips or Patronus practice or something. I mean...in a little while. After he’s had a little time.” Baz’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You’re going back to Mungo’s?” “Well. I don’t really have a job anymore.” “Right, well. Mungo’s is cool. I think you’ll like being back. Besides,” Baz added, voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, “you’ll be able to fill me in on all of Jez’s office romances.” “Don’t worry, Bazzy. If the man you looooove tries to have an office romance while I’m around, I will hex him into next Tuesday for you.” “Don’t make it weird,” Baz groaned, hiding his face behind his hands. “Let’s just not talk about it.” "Fiiine," Nora sighed playfully. "I guess that means I can't start singing Bazzy and Jeremy, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G then, huh?" Baz suggestively waggled his eyebrows. “That’s not all we’re doing in that tree.” "Climbing up to pick apples, right? That's all? Because there are topics that stay outside the sibling bubble." Nora smiled. "Besides, trees are tricky for that." “Don’t worry, Nora. Our tree activities are very wholesome.” "I definitely believe you," Nora said with the tone of someone who definitely didn't believe him, "But I also think it's time to go play with puffskeins and leave this topic far behind us." “Fair enough,” Baz said with a laugh, heading for the door. “I mean, I only came over to see Pea and Carrot anyway.” |