Who: Luna and Rolf What: Luna asks Rolf to be her mentor When: December 16th, 2008 (backdated) Where: The Beastiery Warnings: None
Luna knew that the holidays were quickly approaching and she really needed to get in to see Rolf before then. She knew he’d probably be busy as it was, but she knew it’d just get worse the closer to the holiday that it seemed to get. She knew she’d have to take up a bit of his time and she was hoping that maybe, just maybe, he wouldn’t be swamped at work today.
With her fingers crossed, she stepped into his shop. She was dressed fairly simply for the cold day, a large blue cloak that was clasped around the neck by a bead that looked like the Deathly Hallows symbol, it had been her mother’s cloak. Under the cloak she wore a deep blue dress that had little pockets sewn into the skirt so that she would be able to carry Sunny and her wand and all sorts of things into it. Currently just Sunny was occupying one of her heated pockets in the dress and her wand was in the other pocket. Her blonde locks had been pulled back, just in case he was going to ask her to help with the animals. She actually looked fairly put together, for once.
“Rolf?” She called out, knowing it was completely rude but she hoped that Rolf wouldn’t mind. She knew that he wouldn’t mind if she searched the shop for him but she always felt bad just wandering around his shop. It wasn’t her space, it was his. She had to respect it, as much as she wanted to play with the animals.
The store did some brisk business before and during the holidays. Gifts for familiar, gifts of pets or familiars, though he always cautioned with that as well as urged gift certificates here -- in case they wanted to pick out their own -- and gave full refunds if you returned an animal you ended up not wanting.
It was the least he could do. He couldn't bear for people to just abandon animals. It broke his heart.
Right now Rolf was off in the pens, which filled a lot more space than you'd expect, and the one to answer Luna's call was actually Bast. The large cat wound between Luna's legs and mrowed loudly at her, large, intelligent eyes meeting hers as she stretched her long long body up as she sniffed at her. She knew who Luna was, of course. They'd met plenty of times. While Bast hadn't been at school with Rolf -- no, he'd found her the following year -- she had been with him ever since. She was uncannily intelligent and didn't fake not being so unless it suited her.
Luna was greeted by Bast when she had called out for him, and really she wasn’t at all disappointed to be greeted by her. She reached a hand out to scritch under her chin, grinning a bit at the beautiful cat. “Hey beautiful, have you met Sunny before?” She pulled the little sugar glider from the warm expanding pocket, holding it out to Bast. She wasn’t at all afraid that Bast might steal the little thing and think it a toy or something, Bast was around Rolf’s creatures all the time so she assumed Bast would know better, she didn’t under estimate the cat. She had Sunny cupped in her hand, bending at the knees to squat a bit down so that she was more level with Bast.
“Is he terribly busy today?” She asked the cat, as if the cat would answer back with words. She smiled at the beautiful cat, using her free hand to scratch behind one ear. She couldn’t help it, she wanted to pet all the creatures.
While Bast could and did hunt, she never did anything out of line to anything in the shop. Bast knew what was and was not prey. She gave Sunny a good sniff and licked the wee head as if she were being presented with a kitten and gave a meow of approval.
The large cat purred her approval of the scratches. Once she was asked a question, though, she trotted forward, looking pointedly back at Luna before going on, obviously expecting to be followed. Briefly she seemed to disappear into a back wall, but a second later the door swung open for her, pushed by the cat. Rolf had long since given up trying to keep her from having her way.
Then there were some stairs that opened at the top into the living surprisingly expansive living quarters above the shop. Rolf was in the kitchen nearby and he looked up as his familiar announced herself loudly, and then his eyes darted to Luna behind her and he smiled broadly. "Come on in. Hungry? I was just getting some lunch." Bast trotted to him and stretched herself up and up, surprisingly long, until he boosted her up so she could very heavily drape around his shoulders and also be conveniently food level.
A soft laugh left Luna when Bast licked the top of Sunny’s head, Sunny didn’t seem happy as she shook her head and Luna was quick to set the little sugar glider on her shoulder, letting the little have time to dry off before putting her back into her pocket. She carefully stood up then, having perfect the whole Sunny riding on her shoulder thing by now.
She had noticed the cat leaving and had even picked up on the cues. Luna didn’t know if she was just picking up on them because of the fact that she could see things that other’s couldn’t, and always seemed to just know things. She followed after the cat into the backroom when the door was opened and as she came up the stairs she was making sure to make a bit of noise. She didn’t want to just barge in on Rolf and Rose, it didn’t seem fair to them. She was relieved when Bast made a very loud noise to announce her presence.
Though as she got upstairs and heard Rolf, she smiled because thankfully she wasn’t interrupting anything. “I’d love some, if you had some extra that is.” Luna wouldn’t turn down food, she didn’t want to rush Rolf around. Her eyes lit up as she watched the large scarf of a cat, “I came by because I wanted to pose a question to you. It is most definitely a subject that can be discussed over food. What are you making?”
It always amazed Rolf that some witches and wizards discounted his familiar and her intelligence. But he didn't, and neither did Rose. Nor Luna it seemed. It made him happy.
"I see Herself brought you up. Thanks for listening to her," he said. "Luckily she's a discerning judge of character or I'd worry more about how she passes through wards."
He grinned. "I always have extra," he said. "This is just some pasta and such I'm reheating from the other night.if it's not to your taste I have a ton of other options. I put a lot away in fhe freezer when Rose is away." Rolf had learned to cook pretty well over the years and quite enjoyed it.
"Ask away, I'm always happy to answer if I can." He putter ed around the kitchen grabbing utensils and such and serving up some food.
Luna looked at Bast around Rolf’s shoulders, grinning a bit. “I hope it’s okay?” Luna had a feeling that not many would actually listen to Bast when she instructed them the way that she had Luna. “I can hop back downstairs and we can pretend I never came up?” She gave him a teasing smile, she wasn’t intending to head back downstairs. He had invited her to lunch afterall.
“I would love the pasta, it sounds delicious. Rose is a lucky lady, will she be home soon? Before the holidays perhaps?” She assumed that by his mentioning that he reheated things for later that she might not be in town at the present time. She hoped she would be back for the holidays at least, it was always nice to spend holidays with loved ones. She wondered what Rolf’s plans were. She got lost on the subject, so much so that she had zoned out of their conversation a moment. While she was lost in thought, she did take a seat at the table and made herself comfortable. It’d take Rolf a minute to make their lunches anyway.
After probably a few moments too long, Luna seemed to come to and looked up to Rolf. “I was wondering if you’d mind terribly if I finished my schooling with you? I had been thinking that possibly I’d finish what I needed under you and then maybe go out on an expedition just before I open the classes. Hermione thinks I might be able to get the Ministry to fund classes.” And then there was a small eye roll, she had a lot of friends that worked for the Ministry and yet she could never really bring herself to always believe that they had what was best for the young witches and wizards in mind. She hoped that with Hermione helping her, they would stay on the mind of the Ministry. “I think that means I might be able to start up by about June or so, just in time for when Hogwarts will be sending children home.”
"Bast is welcome to have guests here too, aren't you, as long as you're not too rowdy," Rolf teased, and granted the scarf-cat -- who really was quite heavy, but he was quite strong -- a tidbit of the stuff he was heating up in the pan. She took it from his fingers quite delicately, just like a goddess would a tribute from her favored priest.
"I'm hoping she'll manage to get home for hols; if not, I'm packing it all up and taking it to her," he said as he finished warming everything up. Sure, he could do it with a wand, but it never quite seemed to come out right. He finished puttering about, not at all put off by her wandering thoughts. Like most things in life, Rolf just rolled with the punches and went with it.
Rolf blinked in surprise. He'd never really thought of taking an apprentice. Certainly he'd helped a few people find a master before, but ever since his injury took him out of the field for long bouts of time, he'd not thought of taking one of his own. But he did still do expeditions, just not the long, hard ones. He set a plate in front of her along with some silverware and sat down as well, long legs tilting his chair back as he contemplated despite Bast's protesting mew.
"Are you sure you want me?" he asked as he speared a bit of pasta with his fork. "I mean, I just run the shop now, mostly. Only do a few field trips a year." Generally in the vicinity of Rose, doing something interesting of his own while spending time with her. "We'd have to figure out what all you need left. June is possibly doable, with your background, if we push it, but I'll need to know specifics if you want me to do it.
Luna laughed softly at Rolf and Bast, shaking her head. It was really far too cute. They were very clearly meant for each other. She had a feeling that Bast was definitely one of those cats that were worshiped in Egypt. Luna would guess maybe in a previous life, though she had a feeling Bast might be old enough that she’d been there herself. The cat was definitely not normal by any cat standards, at least in Luna’s opinion. She had heard of stranger things so she didn’t see why this theory should be so out there.
“That sounds so romantic.” Luna said in a dreamy little voice, a happy little sigh leaving her. “I think I’m spending the holidays with Michael Corner this year. He’s invited me to Christmas Day brunch and I invited him to Christmas Eve dinner with my father and I. He even invited Father to brunch.” She had been a bit shocked at Michael offering to let Xenophilius come to brunch but extremely grateful. She was used to people finding her father a bit too strange and Michael didn’t see him that way at all. At least, if he did he had not said a word to Luna. While Rolf was in his stunned silence while he sat on his chair, she continued on. “We recently decided that we’re dating. He helped me put up things around the house for Christmas. The house looks beautiful. I did forgo the mistletoe though, I don’t want any nargles causing problems during the holidays this year.”
Then he was asking if she was sure, and for a second she had thought he meant if she was sure about the mistletoe but then it all sort of caught up with her. She gave him a bright smile, nodding her head. “I am very positive that I want you as my master, yes. If you’re uneasy about it and would rather I study under someone else, I won’t be offended. I’d much rather study with you though, you don’t treat me as if I’m…” She didn’t know how to explain it, she just gave him a small dreamy smile, “You don’t treat me differently.” She motioned then to Bast, “You don’t think it’s strange that I listened to Bast and just came upstairs. I think that’s the best possible answer for that question as to why I want you to be my master. I can bring all of my things by though, I didn’t think to bring anything with me.” She was hopeful that since he was asking for all of her specifics.
Rolf would definitely be a worshipper were Bast to speak and declare herself a goddess. Hell, he treated her like one already. His familiar was one of the most important things in his life and had been ever since he found her as a kitten in a sack with her littermates. She'd chosen him before she'd even opened her eyes, always the most demanding of his attention as he'd played mommy cat. She was as important to him as his Rosie, and he loved his Rose absolutely.
His eyebrows raised and he smiled. "I'm so happy for you two then!" he told her. "MAke sure he treats you good. If he doesn't, I'll have a talk with him." Rolf was about as peacable as they came, unless someone he loved was threatened.
"No, it's just unexpected, that's all," he said, still processing his surprise a bit. He shrugged. "I don't see why I should treat you differently," he admitted. Sure, she required a little extra time occasionally, just with waiting for her attention to come back, but he recognized it as deep thought. "I'd have thought you weird if you didn't follow Bast." Esecially since Bast was really good at making her wishes known.
"I just need to know what I'd need to teach you. I know you know a lot already, but there are certain standards you'll have to reach to achieve the mastery. Hopefully it's doable by then, but if not, I bet within the year."
A soft laugh left Luna, she had heard that already. Dean had told her the same, that if Michael didn’t treat her right to let him know too. It made her feel loved in a very sisterly way that warmed her little heart. She had not had siblings growing up so to hear the two men worry about like that made her feel a little like she had one. “He treats me perfectly. He’s the perfect gentleman. He gets me, which isn’t something I can say for a lot of people. He’s been introducing me to the muggle world. For Halloween we watched a horror movie with monster creatures in it, they were fantastic! He made a hologram watch too, that was so neat.” She had only just learned what a hologram was, it had excited her to see the watch.
She relaxed when he said it was just unexpected. She smiled a bit wider as she looked at Bast, so content on her wizard’s shoulders. The cat was absolutely gorgeous. “I don’t think there’s anywhere I wouldn’t follow her, honestly. She’s beautiful and you can just see the intelligence behind her eyes. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she was an old God. One of the ones that you worship to with cakes and treats?” She gave an easy shrug, “She’s fantastic. She even said a hello to Sunny,” And it was then that Luna pulled the little sugar glider from her warm enchanted pocket. She held the little thing up, it’s little arms wrapped around her hand. “I think she may need a friend or so soon, I’m not entirely sure. She seems content enough with me and her perches but I know her species are social so I don’t want to seclude her.”
“Thank you so much, Rolf.” Luna said with a happy little sigh. “I’m looking forward to this. I can start in January if you’d like? Give you time to go over all of my stuff. I can send you what I have and if you wanted, I could always take an assessment test? That way you’ll know exactly where I’m at and such. I want to make this easy on you.” Since it’d be hard on her, she was sure. She was going to be spreading herself just a little thin but she was sure she had it managed. She only wrote an article a month for the Quibbler, she didn’t keep up with the weekly editions.
Her enthusiasm for her boyfriend made him smile. It reminded him of how he still felt about Rose even though they'd been together years now. He still could wax enthusiastic about her with no trouble. "That's wonderful, Luna," he said, obviously genuinely pleased on her behalf.
"Ha, yeah, there's a reason I named her Bast," he admitted. "Even as a kitten she acted old. I wouldn't be surprised if she is a goddess simply biding her time in cat form." He scratched the cat, rubbing his cheek on her fur in fondness. He balanced her easily on his broad shoulders. It was something he was used to. "Oh yes, she takes care of the other animals. Despite never having had kittens yet she is quite nurturing at times." She helped him raise bottle babies more than once.
"A friend wouldn't be bad for her. I usually sell them in pairs but I knew you'd give her plenty of attention." He knew Luna and trusted her to take proper care of any animal.
"Sure, just bring the stuff by and I'll look at it before the new year and we'll go from there. Rose will be excited." He'd never had an apprentice before, and he thought she liked Luna.
Visiting with Rolf was so easy and she didn’t have to be anyone but herself. She couldn’t wait to start learning, she was sure that it’d work out so well. He understood her odd nature which made Luna excited to see Rose again soon. She really hoped the woman got back soon. She’d have to be sure to bring their Christmas gift when she came for her first lessons in the new year. She didn’t know if he would be going to Rose so she thought it might be easier. “She’s really remarkable. You know what might be a fun read? You could write a book about your entire life with her. It’d be interesting. You could focus on just moments in the shop, that way you don’t have to give away your personal life.” After that book about Harry had come out, she’d been a bit odd about knowing people were reading about her life. Very intimidate details that she would rather no one knew unless she told them.
“She really does, she’s been going places with me. I absolutely love her. We’ve built perches so that she can navigate the living room and she has a nice little bed on top of the fireplace. I make sure though to only keep her out while I’m home.” She trusted her father but that wasn’t it. She was more worried about something happening to her while she wasn’t home. It didn’t seem fair.
A happy little sigh left Luna and she nodded, “Thank you. I”ll bring them right over. I really can’t repay you enough. Oh! Maybe sometime the four of us could do dinner? You and Rose, Michael and I. It’ll be great fun, I can make something.” It’d give them all an excuse to get together, she was always looking for excuses to get groups of her friend’s together.
"Heh, anything about Rose would be interesting," he said. "She's the one with the fascinating life, not me." He often visited her, though, and still did a little field work of his own. Not on the scale he'd done before he'd been mauled, but it wasn't unsubstantial, and he had managed to update his grandfather's book this year.
"Yes, it's safer to put her up, so she doesn't find her way out without you knowing about it quickly." Small animals were worrying like that. Especially rodents. Of course, his Bast could get out anytime she wanted. There was nothing that would keep her in or out. Not that he even tried anymore. Absently, he used his fingers to feed her another small piece of pasta.
"I'd have to ask Rose, of course, but before that I think I can say yes, we'd love to," he said.
A soft laugh left Luna, “You know, it could be about the two of you going on adventures together. I’d read it.” The book would definitely hold interest for many, she was sure of it. Not only did it have the animals but also the curse breaking that Rose did. It’d give it more of an adventure quality once you added in Rose’s profession. It’d be amazing.
She was fairly proud when Rolf told her she had done that correctly. She had wanted to be sure to keep Sunny up and away from the floor. There was a fae home on the floor in the kitchen as it was and she didn’t need Sunny happening to find them and ending up hurt. Her father could barely see them and Michael hadn’t seemed to be able to at all, it made her worry about Sunny.
“Oh good, we can set a date once she’s home.” She wasn’t in any rush. Things with Michael were so easy and she didn’t see it ending anytime soon. “I should be off soon though, I’ve got a few things to mail out for the holiday.” She said as she gave a glance at her watch. Maybe agreeing to lunch had been a bad idea, she didn't realize she was running out of time.
Rolf grinned. "It's something to think about. Though I'm more tempted to write something like a kids book about her adventures. Or maybe a kids animal book. You know, for the little little kids, not just the school book like I just did." He thought kids should be exposed from a young age with fun things like those.
"You can use the owls down in the shop. They need exercise anyway," Rolf offered as he nudged her plate towards her. "Most of them are reasonably reliable."
“That’s why I wanted to start the school.” Luna admitted as she took the plate when it was nudged towards her. She really did zone out at the worst times, she hadn’t even noticed. She took a bite, before she continued to speak. “I thought that it might be nice if these kids were able to find out about all of this stuff before they went to Hogwarts. Muggle children get to have classes and I think it’d honestly help a lot of the families. I worry sometimes that my hopes are too high for this school. Do me a favor though, if you have do actually write those children books? I’d love to have them for the school. They would be fantastic.” She would gladly read them to the kids, she knew whatever Rolf wrote would be good. The ideas were fantastic.
“Are you sure? I can somehow repay you. None of it is terribly heavy.” There really wasn’t much. She would be giving Michael his gifts in person, she’d be giving Ginny her’s that morning before she went to brunch with Michael, so she only really had Hannah’s gift to send out along with a few smaller gifts for Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Neville. She was planning to bring Rolf’s gift when she came to her first day on the job.
"Are you going to do just magical creatures or are you planning to eventually expand it to cover more topics? I know most families just hire tutors or do small home schools that they all chip in on." He nodded. "Well of course. But I can't draw well ebough for children's books so I'd have to find someone for that." Rose might be able to. He'd have to ask.
"No, no payment needed. They need the exercise and the practice. I lens them out all the time in hopes that they'll find themselves a home." He especially liked lending to Cho's business, she sent them interesting places and they liked it.
“I’m hoping to cover all sorts of topics. I want to be sure that creatures are part of it. I figured I’d make a sort of time table. I’m going to have to figure out a good system, if I should just do one subject per day or if they’d be able to handle more than that.” She really wished she knew any small children she could have practiced on first but she was going to be buying books soon to make sure that she did in fact set everything up the correct way that would benefit the children. “I have a lot of researching to do but I think I can handle it. I’d love to actually have different teachers for different ages but I think it may just be at first.” At least if she had to foot the bill herelf.
Luna did need an owl of her own, her father’s wouldn’t last for the two of them forever. She bit her lower lip, thinking it over as she took another bite of her lunch. “Well, I’ll give them all a very good look over and I’m sure one will find a good home with me. Father has an owl but I don’t have one of my own, it is something I feel every witch and wizard should have. I just have been putting it off for a bit.” She knew the owls would still be there weeks from now, or maybe new owls. She just liked to help when she could.
"I think you can get away with the one room school house idea initially," he said thoughtfully. "Probably for the first year depending on the turnout. You'll just have to make sure to have more work for the older and brighter children." He added that last remembering a little girl who had come to cuddle the kittens a few days ago. She'd been scary smart. He'd had a blast talking to her. "Once your enrollment gets over a certain point though you're not only going to have assistants but other teachers." He'd put a little thought into it for the next time he'd talked to her. It was a venture he could get behind.
"Well feel free to try them all out. Some are a bit quirky but none are on the roster that I feel need extensive rehab. Those I work with myself. I try to let people try before buying so to speak since they are secondhand."
Luna couldn’t help but smile, Rolf seemed excited about her school. She already knew that he’d come by and help with creature days, once she figured out how often they could feasible bring in new critters for the kids to be introduced to. She would say play but she knew that not all creatures would be playful for the kids. “It’s going to be an adventure. I can’t wait to get everything together. I really hope that it’s something that’ll last, you know? That years and years from now they’ll talk about how wonderful the school is and how all of these young witches and wizards have benefited so much from it.” She didn’t even want her name attached honestly, she just wanted the school to last the test of time.
A soft laugh left Luna, “I’d say that quirky is probably right up my alley. Which one is the oddest?” That would be a good place to start, she figured. She would be spending a lot of time with the critters here over the next few months so she figured she had time to find herself an owl of her own that she would be able to help.
She finished up her lunch then, "Thank you for lunch, and for everything." She said as she gathered up her plate, starting for the sink. "I can't wait for January to get here, there's so many things going on. It's going to be an exciting year.."
"I know you can do it, Luna," he said easily. It wasn't hard to have confidence in her. Sure, she was zany, but she had good ideas and the kind of patience that kids would listen to.
"Charlatan," he said promptly. "She's a barn owl and I'm pretty sure she thinks she's a messenger pigeon. I'd say Duck, who is an owl, actually, but don't tell him that, but he doesn't reliably carry any messages and he's quite small. He mostly lives in the bathroom and swims in the tub whenever we fill it for him." Never let it be said that Rolf had all normal animals, or that he didn't indulge the odd ones.
"I can't wait either. Don't forget to send the info, and I'll let Rose know you'd like to get together."
Both of the owls sounded perfect, even Duck who didn’t really understand that he was an owl. She would use them both, letting Duck have the deliveries that were closeby so that he wouldn’t be going far. She’d even be sure to keep a little bucket full of water for when he returned, she wondered if that would entice the little guy to take the parcels. “I’ll send the information back with Duck, I think I’ll borrow both of them if you don’t mind? I’ll see how we get along and be sure to send them back home.” She’d even leave a little bit of money for Rolf downstairs for the rental of the owls.
“You really are a fantastic cook, by the way. Lunch was delicious, thank you.” She gave him a smile before she moved to start heading back downstairs. “Oh, please give a kiss to Bast for me!” She called back up the stairs before she was gone, slipping downstairs to collect the two owls before heading home to start sending out the Christmas packages.
"Sounds good to me. Just be gentle with Duck, he really isn't all there up in the head. Important stuff shouldn't be given to him." Rolf had a huge soft spot for most of his animals here, but he also knew how to find them good homes. Duck he didn't consider rehabbed much but he would trust the quirky thing to Luna, who wouldn't push him too bad.
"You're welcome, any time. I love to feed people." IT was a skill he'd slowly acquired over the years but even more after he'd been injured. And then he and Rose had gotten together and he just loved to feed her. So he'd kept learning. "Will do. See you soon, Luna!" he said, and turned his head to give his cat a kiss just as she'd asked.