InsaneJournal

Who: Cambina Bulstrode and Dulcinea Doge
What: Mother-daughter catch-up time, aka Bina has all the news
When: Evening, 30 April 1998 BACKDATED
Where: The Doge homestead in Batheaston, Somerset
Warnings: Language, description of DE deeds



Dinner on Sunday evening had been interesting, with the pre-emptive mention of Cambina's spread in Playwizard, which Dulci had completely forgotten about until the issue was out. Not having seen the issue--and none of the rest of them having done so either--the subject was dropped at the table and let to rest in the interest of family harmony. (Aunt Rebecca had glared at Dulci a couple of times as if it were all her fault, but this was the usual situation and Dulci was used to it, as, she assumed, was Bina.)

But that was all safely under the bridge and now Bina was staying in Batheaston for a couple of days while she considered her options for a new flat. Dulci had no idea what was driving Bina's dissatisfaction with the old flat, but she wasn't sorry to have an opportunity to cosset Bina for a few days. This afternoon, one of Bina's few off from work, they were sitting in the family room, the wireless offering a musical programme at a low volume while Dulci did a little embroidery, more as a method of exercising her fingers than for any hope of actually getting anything useful out of it.

"So how is the flat-hunting going, Bina?" she asked as she started to work a knot out of the thread she was using.

Cambina Bulstrode draped denim clad legs and combat boots off the side of the wingback chair and looked up from her journal. "About as miserable as can be expected. Pettigrew's company has many of the choice spots. Will's sent me a list from the Prophet adverts before they go to press, but.." Bina shrugged. Nothing felt safe. She may not care for Prewett, but he was a solid wardsmith. And if someone had gotten through his ward to get to Jones who wasn't a big political player, what might they do to someone like her or Will or her mother.

Dulci pressed her lips together. Pettigrew's company was hardly an illegal venture, but it set ill with her that a man with his background had such easy access to information about the homes of so many people. "Perhaps we should consider having the family trust buy a building and you could pay rent to the trust. Then nobody would necessarily know where you lived. You could have bills sent to the DMLE. People did this when I was young because they spent so much time in the Ministry and never got home."

Bina chuckled. "I have thought about simply putting a cot in one of the training rooms," she explained with a smile. "Though it would made shagging folks rather inconvenient. Bringing them through the department and all. Especially if they tighten up security protocols…"
She scrunched a hand in her hair, raising an eyebrow at her mother. "Yes, but if the family trust buys a building, it's still not very incognito. Not much of a line to draw from the trust to me, even with a different last name."

"If we bought a commercial building, we could rent out the other units. Also, there are other family members who might need a place to go soon. Kiki is taking her NEWTs this year and she'll need a flat starting this summer, unless she wants to go home to her parents." Dulci looked up from the mostly un-knotted thread she'd been working on, expressing with her eyebrows the likelihood of that that. "Real estate's a solid investment these days. I think we could make it work, especially since we could put about that your grandfather is remodeling it before opening the remaining flats to renters."

Bina bit her lip and picked at the denim of her jeans. "It's a good idea for Kiki, as long as the wards are secure. I'm not sure it would work for me, though." With a flick of her wand, she summoned a scone from a nearby table and broke off a piece, popping it in her mouth. "I'll find something else, I think."

Dulci nodded and returned to her needlework. "If that's what you want. We can always run whatever you rent through some trust somehow so your name isn't on it. We pay the solicitors enough money for that kind of thing; it ought to be good for something." The remark about shagging went apparently unnoticed, or certainly unacknowledged. It wasn't as if Dulci weren't aware of the uses to which the Training Rooms had been put over the decades.

"That might be useful," Bina acknowledged. "Just not one of the family ones. Nothing easily associated with the Doge name." Bina supposed she could have a third party buy another flat in London as well, but who would she trust to do that? It was a surprisingly short list. "I plan on keeping my current flat. For appearances sake, once the wards are reinforced."

That was enough to get Dulci's attention; she set the frame aside to look at Bina. "What's brought this on, then? Have you been threatened, personally? Because people don't decide to take extreme measures like that for no reason?"

"No.. not personally. It's.. nothing really. Just paranoia, most likely." She knew the difference in her mother's tone. "I'm fine, Mum."

At times like this, Dulci struggled with how much pressure she ought to bring to bear on her daughter. Bina clearly didn't want any further advice on the matter or she'd be opening up about it to Dulci. But clearly something had happened to bother Bina, or she wouldn't be taking such drastic measures.

Dulci let out a long breath and did not let it sound like a sigh. "If you're sure, all right. But if you change your mind, let me know what I can do. Meanwhile, pass me a scone, please."

There was a part of Cambina that thought she was just being paranoid, that she was overreacting. And there was a part of her that was terrified. She'd resorted to sleeping draughts when she'd crucioed the chair instead of the mouse in training, but she was still jumpy and she'd known she'd looked worse for wear when she'd shown up on Sunday. So much so that Dulci had felt the need to intervene and make her slightly more presentable for family.

She levitated the plate of scones over to her mother. "I thought the photographer did a good job with the spread," she said, grabbing the elephant in the room by the tail.

Dulci took the plate and set it down carefully on the table, avoiding the embroidery she'd been working on. Her mother would have had a fit for eating in the same room at all. "I still haven't managed to get hold of a copy. As long as it's tasteful and won't get you in trouble with Rufus, I'm happy for you. I suppose you had the photographs taken before you started the linework for the new tattoo?"

"It's not against the rules," Bina said with a shrug. "Though I didn't exactly ask him about it before I did it."

She had a copy of the magazine in her room and accioed it. Passing it to her mother, she scrunched a hand in her hair again. "The article could be better. But I suppose people don't read it for the articles. You haven't seen the final backpiece, have you?"

"No. But I'd like to at some point." Dulci took the magazine as well, flipping it open to the centre, letting the long page dangle to full extension. "Not terrible as these things go. I'm sure Aunt Echo will need smelling salts after she faints. Not to mention Aunt Rebecca. It's a shame about the articles. They used to publish interesting fiction, and occasionally worthwhile commentary." She continued reviewing the photographs. "Is this where I make a joke about baby pictures in the tub?"

"I suppose the baby pictures are rather moot at this point," Bina said, dropping to the floor near her mother. "Though I did tease Will about inviting him over her and the fact that it wouldn't be as much tedious small talk as you probably telling him to have a good time overnight with me."

She should have known her mother would take it all in stride, unlike her father. It was, refreshing, that some things remained the same, despite everything. Stripping off her tank top and bra, she turned to show her mother her back, where a Chinese Fireball danced around her spine.

There was surprise and pleasure in Dulci's voice. "Oh, that's quite nice." She started to reach out and run a finger along Bina's spine, but stopped before she touched skin. "Is it safe yet? How long will it take to finish healing? What are you using in terms of cushioning spells with your clothes?" As always, Dulci was interested in the hows and whys, and if Bina let her, they could be talking about the tattoo for hours. (Which might be better than several other topics they could be talking about: the Playwizard spread was hardly the only elephant in the room.)

"She won't bite." Bina grinned as she looked over her shoulder at her mother. "Feel free to pet her." As if on cue, the snake let out a burst of fire that spiraled spiraled up towards her shoulder. "Well, that's not biting. Should be totally healed in another six weeks. Just light cushioning spells on the tanktop and the jacket."

One of Dulci's long fingers traced over the dragon's back, the long nail attached to it thick and blunt thanks to potions and good manicuring spells. "I imagine she doesn't like being covered up much. I'd say you'd need a warming charm for the winter, but it looks as though she comes with her own." Which Dulci said with appreciation for the craft and magic involved. "I'm still thinking about a little one. Nothing so fancy as yours, but something small for my wrist or more likely my ankle. Something for me, that most people won't know is there."

"Well, if you need help, I have plenty of ideas. And I'll be more than willing to go with you when you go in." Bina pulled her tank top back on and picked up a scone. Flipping to one of the pictures in the magazine, she smiled. "This is my favourite. I don't suppose grandad would allow it to hang in the drawing room though."

"We do not hang magazine pictures in the drawing room." Dulci's tone was severe in her best impression of one of her own elderly aunts. "But if you can get it painted on canvas, we might consider it." And she broke into helpless giggles for a few moments, unable to maintain the pose any longer after the second sentence. When she'd regained control of herself, she continued, "I don't think that's drawing room material in the house but, seriously, if you had a portrait like that made, there's no reason it wouldn't be perfectly appropriate in your own rooms, or your living room in your new flat."

The giggles were contagious and Bina's sides were heaving as she leaned back against the chair. "But there is no recent portrait of me here .. a nice nude would brighten up the place.." Bina teased with a grin as she munched on the scone. "Be quite the conversation piece."

Dulci resisted the impulse to toss a bit of scone at Bina in mock indignation. "I've already had enough of those conversations with the elderly aunties, thanks. Who do you think they're saying all the things they're not saying to you to?"

"Uncle Perseus? Grandad?" Bina prompted, an impish grin dancing on her delicate features. Grabbing another scone and retreating to her chair, she sprawled across it. "So, do you have any pull in any of the departments? I've a friend who's looking to transfer from The Prophet to the Ministry. Not DMLE, but something like IMC or magical travel…"

"My only real contact in IMC outside of the WICCA internship scheme, for which unfortunately most of your friends do not qualify, is Crouch--the elder--and he's not in good odour right now." Dulci made a face; she was sure Bina had a better idea than she did of exactly how bad the stench around the Crouch name had grown. "I wouldn't be surprised if Diggory kicks him sideways and he doesn't end up retiring out of ill feeling. What's your friend looking for? There might be something in DMAC, but it wouldn't be travel. Uncle Perseus would know about that."

"I'll ask him. I think he's mostly looking to get his foot in the door, you know how it goes." Crouch was definitely a no go. "There's bound to be some shake up with Diggory cleaning house, hopefully something will open up."

"If he doesn't get something at first, he'll have some time. Once the shuffling at the senior level stops, it will all filter down as the people who were promoted or left other positions are replaced, and ultimately that will open up some junior positions. I also expect to see some changes in the Wizengamot in the coming months. Your friend could also keep his ear to the ground there," Dulci pointed out, practical as ever. "And that would be another reason for him to make friends with Perseus, if he's so inclined. Reporting skills could be very useful in DMAC, and I can tell you they're in demand in Wizengamot Administration."

"I'll talk with him. Maybe even set up a lunch with him and Perseus." She knew Will might not consider the Doges to be of the same standing as the Bulstrodes in terms of blood, but the Doges did have influence in the Ministry. She shrugged. "You never know what might turn up. Oh, and before you hear it from someone else, I asked Narcissa to find me a husband."

"What?" Dulci said.

"Don't worry, I'm not intending to get married anytime soon, but I need to get closer to that crowd," Bina explained. "It's why I've been spending time with father as well."

"I was wondering whether I should send you to the Healers." Dulci's eyes narrowed. "If this is something Rufus put you up to, he and I are going to have words."

"It was my idea, entirely. Rufus doesn't even know all the details. He just knows that I'm going to try to get close to them. I just didn't want Narcissa to make a comment to you at WICCA and you to be caught off guard. It was one of father's comments about settling down that prompted it. It'll get him off my back for awhile." Bina shrugged, as if the possibility of courtship and engagement was nothing out of the ordinary. "And more reason why I don't want just anybody to know I'm moving. Keep up appearances."

All of which made sense, but Dulci didn't have to like it. "Your father is going to have a fit if he ever figures out what you're doing." Whom Cris would blame went unspoken of necessity. "All right. Thanks for letting me know, and I'll keep a straighter face when and if someone mentions that you're on the market. If anyone says anything about buying the cow when you've shown all the milk, feel free to hex them for me."

"Well, I didn't show all the milk. I left some to the imagination. Besides, it's the hands on experience that's a bit more exclusive," Bina said with a shrug. "And he won't find out. I'm sure I'll need lots of grooming before Narcissa and father consider me suitable for marriage."

Dulci sighed, thinking of the grooming routines she'd grown up with that had been mostly omitted by Bina for many years. "I can only imagine what they'll make of your dragon. You'll have to grow your hair out to hide the vines, most likely." Depilatory spells, plucking, curling, cosmetic charms, new robes. "I don't envy you what's ahead."

"Oh, come on. If I part it on the other side, I can sweep it over the tattoo easily enough. I cleaned up well enough for Casino Night, didn't I?" Bina quipped. "It can't be any worse than the stuff we see at work."

"You looked very lovely and elegant at Casino Night. And yes, that will hold for most events. Depends on how far you're taking this and how long you're willing to do it. If you're meant to be bred to one of their men--and that's how they do it, dear, like we're all abraxan stallions and mares, even if there's more personality and choice than putting us together in stalls--you'll put up with quite a bit of grooming. And getting looked over, in detail, by mothers, sisters, aunts." Dulci had sheltered Bina from so many of those expectations to the extent that she could. Now Bina was out from under her protection and Dulci worried that she had no real idea what she was getting into, her father's undoubted lectures on propriety notwithstanding.

"Well, they can't take the tattoos off," Bina said with a grin. "And the conversation with Narcissa occurred before the magazine spread, so there is the chance she'll think me irredeemable now."

Bina gave her mother a serious look. "We need to get a leg up. And I need to score invitations to their events to get us something we can use. Between Gwen and Dawlish, we need to catch a break. And that means doing whatever is necessary."

Dulci suppressed her reservations about the idea. Bina was unlikely to listen; it wasn't as if she would have when she was Bina's age. Practical concerns could be marshaled later. "Do you need me to attend events with you, or will this be a father-daughter bonding experience? I haven't forgotten how to do them even if I am a disgraced divorced woman."

"I think it probably depends on the event?" Bina said thoughtfully as she stared at one of the paintings on the wall. "I think Narcissa will be happy to take over for some, but there are probably some events where your presence would be required. I told Narcissa that you'd support me no matter what, but that this wasn't your sort of thing."

"Then I'll put in appearances as needed and try to avoid your father. He'll be gloating." Dulci indulged herself in another scone, this one with a bit of jam. "The sacrifices we make for our children." But she was smiling as she bit into the sweet treat.