who ? Eddie and Caitlin Carmichael when ? Saturday morning where ? Caitlin's place, then Eddie's new house in Hogsmeade what ? Showing off their respective new homes status ? Complete (about time!)
Dave and Apricat - the two most ridiculously named kittens in history, not that he cared - had been on the needy side that morning and the clean shirt he'd pressed that morning was now covered in a slightly mottled mix of orange and black tufts. It wasn't as though he even had Halloween as an excuse anymore. “Tch” he tutted, brushing aimlessly at himself with the back of his hand. “Bloody cats.”
Somewhat ironically, it was Caitlin who had encouraged him to get a new cat in the first place. By the time his sister arrived, she would see him with his wand out, siphoning the last bit of hair from under his collar.
--
Eddie could have floo'd into Gladys's home, but Caitlin wasn't surprised that he'd chosen to go nearby instead to avoid just appearing in the woman's home. She'd been expecting him, so she was the one to open the door, catching him brushing himself free of fur. "Settling back into cat parenthood easily, brother dear?" she asked, smirking just a touch as she stepped aside to give him access to the home. "Come on in, I'll show you around."
She wasn't regretting her encouragement to get Eddie to adopt a cat. He'd needed it not as a replacement for the animal that he'd lost, but as a distraction from the sadness. Apparently it was working well.
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“Oh, do shut up, sister” Eddie replied dryly, clearing the last bit of fur and replacing his wand before stepping over the doorstep. Not statuesque by any means, he still towered over his baby sister and ruffled her long hair as he got close. The most minor of revenges, given that she couldn't reciprocate, but he chuckled a bit nonetheless.
He looked around in the hallway, a little surprised that Caitlin had chosen this place. Why move out of a shared flat to lodge here? That was an explanation he was quite keen to hear.
--
Caitlin smirked at her brother's reply. It slipped more towards a grin when he ruffled her hair the way he'd done since they were children. It was such a small gesture, but she appreciated the affection behind it. He did it to pester, of course, but it just made her laugh softly and reach up to straighten it a bit.
"So what do you think?" she asked as she led him towards her room. "Just wait til you see the view from my room." Her lease had been up and staying in the same place seemed silly when there was such a massive world out there. Besides, this didn't have to be permanent. It was just for now, but Gladys was sweet and Caitlin got on well with her.
--
For Eddie, the physical joking and affectionate touches were something Caitlin got that the rest of the family didn’t. The closest together in age and certainly the more passive members of the Carmichael family, even without the difficulties he had with his parents and siblings, the two of them were more alike than they would sometimes admit. He felt - not safer, exactly, but he was more willing to relax around his baby sister than he was around most other people.
“It seems more… lived in than your last place” Eddie admitted, looking around, though he hadn’t seen her previous place much. They’d had a relationship to repair, after all. “More like a normal family house, I mean” he added quickly, not wishing to seem insulting.
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Caitlin nodded. "More homey," she agreed. "It's kind of nice, though. I like it. I think that's what really made me want to be here. It just seems so… welcoming." Gladys was lovely company and felt very much like a grandmother to Caitlin already. She liked the woman and liked spending time with her. Her kitten had taken to the place fairly quickly as well and no sooner did she open her room did Pythagoras pounce on Eddie's feet. "Hey you," she said, scooping the kitten up. "Uncle Eddie does not want you scuffing his shoes."
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Eddie couldn’t help but smile as the pale little kitten made a break for him. “Hello, you” he greeted it, giving him a chuck under the chin with his finger and a well deserved scritch behind the ears. No matter how uncool it apparently was, Eddie was most definitely a cat dude. He smiled as Pythagoras purred softly, the warm sound definitely pleasing.
“Well, that seems a fair enough reason to like it” he replied, thinking that it would not be his decision, but glad that his sister was happy and safe. Someone he liked needed to be, after all.
--
Caitlin noticed the way that he wasn't saying all that much about the place. She wondered if he didn't like it. Setting her kitten on the edge of her bed, she looked at her brother. "Do you not like it?" she asked him, tilting her head a little as she tried to watch him for any signs of sugarcoating his real opinion. Caitlin, of course, wanted her brother to like the place she'd decided to call her home for the time being, but she couldn't really change his mind if he didn't.
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Eddie blinked. He hadn’t realised, absorbed in his own problems as he currently was, that Caitlin actually cared about his opinion. He’d been so used to feeling like other Carmichaels weren’t too fussed about the way he did things that he didn’t realise the feeling wasn’t reciprocated towards him. Pythagoras, swishing his tail as he stood on the edge of the bed, was headbutting his fingers by the time he replied.
“You really want me to like it, don’t you?” he replied softly, looking at his baby sister with surprised amazement on his face.
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Caitlin nodded. "Of course, I want you to like it," she said, looking at her brother very much like he'd grown an extra head. She didn't want him to think that she'd made a silly decision in moving into the place. She was quite fond of it, but Eddie was her brother and she cared about his opinion. If he thought it was terrible, she would feel poorly.
"Why do you look so surprised?" she asked.
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“I…” he began, the realisation suddenly hitting him that his sister seemed to be as surprised at the notion of not taking him seriously as he was surprised he was being taken seriously in the first place. He began again. “I think we’re at cross purposes here” he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “It’s just… I’m still not used at being taken seriously by the family. It’s all right” he added, watching the look on her face, “it just takes some getting used to, fitting back in and seeing what everyone wants” he finished, turning to look around the room.
“Do you spend most of your time in here, or..?”
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Caitlin shook her head. "Not most of it, no. I enjoy going out and socializing with Gladys or spending time out in the living room. I'm not really confined to one area more than any other. The view is lovely, though," she said, moving to the window to pull the curtain aside so that Eddie could see the view that she got to partake of from the window seat. "I like it much better than my apartment. Until I decide where I want to go next, it will do just fine."
--
Eddie obligingly went to look at the view, nodding approvingly. “Yes, that is nice” he mused, leaning against the window frame, arms crossed as he looked out. “Having a spot to relax in must be pleasant. That’s why I wasn’t really fond of my old place, either. Seemed impersonal, you know?” he added, turning to look at his sister.
--
She nodded. Impersonal was a good way of putting it. She felt more at home in Gladys's house than she had in her old flat. As much as she had liked having her own personal flat to call her own, this was a different sort of homey that she hadn't been able to achieve there. Maybe it was because Gladys had already become so much like a gran to her. She didn't want to spend too much time analyzing the situation, though. Instead, she focused on her brother. "You should have a housewarming party," she said. "Once you get situated. I think it'd be a good way of making it seem like home, don't you think?"
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Eddie tilted his head instinctively, the cocked head a sign of his being deep in thought rather than dismissing the notion of a party out of hand. “You think so?” he asked doubtfully. “I'm not overly sure it would count without many people being able to come. That's the problem of things happening so close to Christmas”.
His shoulders sagged ever so slightly. Since childhood, he'd been used to Christmas dominating the winter season, his birthday rarely being a priority for anyone.
--
"Well, the sooner you do it, the further from Christmas it is," she pointed out. "Or you could tie it in with Christmas and make it a Christmas/Birthday/Housewarming party," she shrugged. "There's tons of possibilities. And, even if I'm the only one that shows up, the party will be amazing," she assured him, flashing a wide grin at her brother. "All of this reminds me that I need some sort of idea for Christmas and birthday presents for you, darling brother," she said. "Gonna make me a list?"
--
“Hmm. If you say so” Eddie replied, clearly unconvinced and deciding that any party could just be his sister’s responsibility, given how keen she seemed to be on the idea. Her party, his house, that could work - couldn't it?
Eddie blinked owlishly for a moment, realising how long they had been standing there in Caitlin’s bedroom. “Well, why don't I show you the place first?” he asked. “Then we can see if inspiration strikes.”
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"Alright," she said, nodding. "I'm ready whenever you are. Are you enjoying the new place so far?" she asked, tilting her head curiously at her brother as she collected her jacket and slipped it on. "How are things in general? Feels like it's been ages since we really got a chance to chat. We need to work on that." She knew that her brother was busy and had tons of things that called for his attention, but sometimes she just missed having him around.
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“I haven’t moved in yet” Eddie replied, a shake of the head for correction. “There was a complication with the owner’s new place that was holding things up. I’ve got a set of keys to take a look around and measure up for stuff now, but I need to re-book the movers. It’s so complicated” he sighed, running a hand through his hair, exasperated. Holding out his arm to his sister so he could apparate them both to the outside of the property, he looked at her again, unaware of the train of thoughts coming through her brain. “Ready?”
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"Oh, okay," Caitlin said, nodding. That made sense. She'd hoped that he'd had a chance to officially be moved in, but sometimes delays happened. "Sounds complicated," she agreed. "Sounds like you could also use a drink or something. We can go for coffee after you show me around," she suggested. When he offered his arm out to her, she took it and smiled. "Ready," she nodded.
--
“Sounds good, sis” he agreed, nodding a lot as she took his arm. He had thrown himself so much into work that he really, really could do with being more social.
He disapparated with a loud crack that shattered the air, though when he landed at the garden gate of his new home, he just about managed to reappear without sending either of them tumbling over. Thank heavens for small mercies. While he let Caitlin untangle herself, he rummaged in his pocket for the key, specially enchanted for extra security. It was a feature he'd insisted on and, fortunately, been granted.
“Well, this is the place” he began simply, putting his hand on the garden gate to open it, the short path leading up to a bright, glass-filled front door. He moved slowly, giving his sister room to take it in.
--
Caitlin looked up at the house, letting her arm slip away from her brother as she took it in. It was really quite lovely but, more than that, it was massive. "Oh, wow," she said. "This place is huge." She wondered what Eddie would do with all of the space, but she was sure he'd figure out something. "You're going to be decorating this place for ages," she went on, looking back to her brother as they walked closer to the place. "It's gorgeous, though. I can see why you picked this one."
--
“Pansy helped” he admitted, putting the key into the lock and turning it with a jiggle, giving Caitlin the chance to examine the rest of the garden before letting them both into the equally sunny hallway, the door closing behind them. “I didn't want to buy a place as a temporary measure, so it had to be something that would meet my needs long term. There's a big garden at the back for the cats to explore, and I'm converting one of the spare bedrooms into a study for writing in, which will be something of a luxury” he admitted, his dark head turning left and right.
“Let's go this way” he suggested as his head turned to the right, a suite of rooms just visible as he pushed open the door.
--
She nodded. Long term was a better thing to shoot for when buying a house, surely. She didn't blame Eddie in the slightest for wanting to make sure that his house would suit his needs for the future. Hearing that Pansy had helped made her wonder if the woman would be around more often. "I think an office will be great for you," she said, grinning.
As he suggested a direction, Caitlin followed after him. "Oh, how nice, Eddie," she grinned. "I can see why you like it. It's lovely. You can do so much with this. Do you have plans already for what you want to do besides the office?"
--
Eddie smiled instinctively, pleased that his sister approved of the place he had chosen. He cared about her opinion more than anyone else’s in the family, anyway. “I felt a bit… well, closed in in the flat” he admitted, walking left through the sitting room into the brightly lit dining area, all glass walls and ceiling, looking out into the rolling countryside. “Out here, I feel more like I can breathe, you know? Plus, it's closer to work, and I feel like it's a nicer place to settle down.”
As he said that, a mottled tabby cat passed by his feet and he grinned, leaning down to tickle the animal behind the ears. “Sorry for stealing your house, Socks” he said, speaking matter of factly to the senior citizen. “But I promise you that my two won't waste the place.”
--
She nodded. She could relate to him and the feeling of being closed in. Though she may have had a bit less room presently, only because she didn't have an entire flat and only a room, she didn't feel nearly as closed in as she did at the flat she'd had previously. She enjoyed living with Gladys. She was friendly and compassionate and the picture of what everyone would want in a gran. The air was certainly different there at Gladys's as well. "I think it's wonderful," she told him. "And you're right about being able to breathe better here. You can do whatever you want with the place. So many possibilities."
The tabby that came along made her smile. "Did he belong to the previous owners?" she asked.
--
“I was thinking that this place would be a nice spot for meals, with the nice view out over the mountains” Eddie added, leaning up to pick up Socks. “And then this room here, I think I'll keep as a sitting room, because the kitchen, through here” he added, walking through and bringing the cat, “makes it nice and convenient, really.”
Setting Socks down near his feeding bowl, Eddie pottered about to feed the guest. “He still does, but him being an old guy now, they wanted to make sure their new place was ready before bringing him over. He's set in his ways, really.”
After seeing to Socks, he moved about to put the kettle on for himself and his sister. “So hopefully I'll be in before the end of the year, before Christmas and my birthday ideally. I just need to pick out which of the bedrooms upstairs will be mine and my office, because then I can sort out the others as guest rooms.”
--
Caitlin nodded at his ideas for the space they were in. "Oh, yeah," she agreed, nodding, following him along as he showed her the sitting room and the kitchen. "Convenient," she agreed. It seemed that Eddie really had a good idea of where the house was going to be going moving forward.
His explanation of Socks and why the owners hadn't taken him over to the new house made a lot of sense. "I can imagine," she smiled.
She watched as he moved about getting the kettle on, nodding as he spoke. "Well, which one has the best view?" she asked. "Of course that probably leads to another question; which room would you rather have a good view in, the office or the bedroom?"
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Eddie poured the hot water into mugs with the teabags, considering her words with a quizzical noise. “That's… a really good point” he mused, fixing the drinks before bringing them over to the kitchen table. “There's merit to both ideas. I'd be spending more time in the office, but then, do I want to distract myself with a nice view? Maybe it would be best to have that as the bedroom, then. What do you think?” he enquired, genuinely interested in her opinion.
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She nodded at his thought process. It seemed like a good option. "I think that would be best," she said. "Then you can enjoy the view more because you're not always stuck working when you get to see it. I think that's probably the better option, if you ask me." She smiled at Eddie, glancing around the kitchen. "Already looks like you're very at home here," she pointed out. "I'm happy for you, Eddie."
--
“I hadn't thought of that, either” he admitted, curling his hands around the warmth of the mug. He smiled, looking out across what would soon be his kitchen exclusively. “I'm just looking forward to making the space mine properly” he mused. “Having the security of your own house for life… well, that's one big weight off” he added, taking a brief sip.
“So, you said something about a party?” he grinned.