| Details for Holiday Planning |
| Summary: | Hogwarts' resident sinister sweethearts make plans for how they'll see each other over the Christmas Holiday break. |
| Date: | December 19, 1937 |
| Location: | Viaduct |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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Viaduct, Hogwarts
The wood work and structure of the bridge that is laid out here is one of function and form. It's covered with a high gable roof, complete with steeples, to keep the rain and weather off the head but it is still left open enough with cathedral windows that are open to the elements on either side. The bridge is fully covered about three feet up on the sides and keeps anyone from falling off. Being up in the air as it is, it's held up by a great number of cross braces and bolts to keep the structure high in the valley of rock and green that it covers and keeps one from falling a long way down to certain doom. It should stand for many, many years.
It would be such a waste to not take advantage of a clear early afternoon like this, that's what Ria thought when she dragged Lucian out after breakfast for a walk. She's been a bit of a hog for his time lately, given the approaching winter holiday. And since she won't be seeing him regularly, she figures she has priority. "So…tomorrow then. You'll be staying in Hogsmeade and I'll be shoveled off back to London," Ria is leaning against the bottom wall of a window opening looking over the vast expanse of landscape laid out before them. Its warm enough where she doesn't have to worry about a hat, but not warm enough to leave behind her green scarf which is wrapped snugly around her neck.
Lucian hardly needs to be dragged anywhere. Ria has had priority for five years, and that's only become more true this year. He snuggles up beside her, wrapping an arm around her to provide some extra warmth. "You could always stay. I'm sure Camilla wouldn't mind. Or you could even stay at the castle, and we'd see each other all the time."
Ria chuckles lightly leaning against Lucian and shakes her head slowly. "I can't stay. Father wants me home. Lots of family I haven't seen in a while. X is home, and apparently so my uncle who's been a diplomat for some time oversees. Haven't been following the news much but I think he's undergoing a hearing for something he did at Mungo's," she shrugs. "If it were those reasons alone, you know I'd stay. But you know I've been trying to land a meeting with Mr. Malfoy." Pulling on daddy's strings for this one. The wee girl can't do it on her own. But snuggles up a bit closer to look while leaning her head on his shoulder, "But I can come visit you of course. As often as I can get away. That shouldn't be a problem. But what will you be doing on the Fawley farm, other than becoming an amazing animagus?"
Lucian wraps both arms around her now, hugging her tight. "Camilla got the hippogriffs away from my father. Merlin, he's going to be raging. But at least they're somewhere they'll be properly cared for. So I'll be working with them, getting them to trust again." He tilts his head to look down at her face. "Do you think you'll even be able to get away? I can't imagine your father being very keen on letting you go to come see me. And how will you get here?"
"If the man can't take proper care of the things he owns, he doesn't deserve it. That's what father always says," Ria raises her nose up snobbishly at the bit about the hippogriffs. It seems like that was a lesson ingrained into her from an early age, considering how careful and delicate she is with all her possessions. "They're better in her care anyway. Isn't she some sort of Dr. Doolittle?" Pondering on his question she purses her lips but eventually nods, "I think it'll be fine. Is they Fawley farm connected to the Floo Network? If not then…I don't know I'll find other means. Even if I have to register some portkeys at the ministry or even if I need to ask Jocunda to apparate me over…though I'm not too fond of that. I hear the apparition feeling is really unpleasant." Green eyes looking back up at Lucian she says, "I mean…I don't have to tell him I'm seeing you, right?"
Lucian sighs, his breath steaming in the chilly air. "No…I suppose you don't. But won't your siblings know why? Xavier clearly thinks I'm scum, so I don't doubt he'd try to sabotage your effort to see me. And no, the farm isn't on the network except in the summer. Camilla runs some sort of camp during that time."
Ria rolls her eyes slightly and shakes her head, "Xavier has better things to do than baby sit me. And Jo, well, she seemed to like you when you two met. Even if she did have any objections, she wouldn't tell. There has been more than one occasion where I've kept my mouth shut for her." Kaiden's good. Twins don't do that betrayal shit, bro. Not intentionally, at least. And nodding at the info about the Floo Network, she continues to scheme in her head, "Fine, then like I said I'll find other ways to get to you. And you know…you can always come to London too…If you wanted to stay overnight I could arrange for a room in cauldron." With a slight shrug she offers the suggestion, though placing a finger under his chin, she looks into his eyes, "Hey Luc, I hope you don't think I'm not telling my father because I'm ashamed of your situation."
Lucian perks up an eyebrow at the though of coming to London. Obviously, it was never a consideration, because such things cost money, which the boy doesn't have. At her final remark, he shakes his head, frowning. "No. No, I don't. You're just being realistic. He would be ashamed of me. So…it's better like this, for now." He kisses her forehead, just along the hairline.
But Ria has money! She's loaded and has no qualms over being a good and loyal sugar mama. Enjoying the forehead kisses, she closes her eyes and says, "I can't speak for my father. I don't know whether or not he'd be ashamed. He's only expressed dislike for mudbloods, which you are not." Snaking an arm around his waist, she pulls Lucian in a bit closer. "But even if you were the most accomplished son of Merlin himself, he would still be skeptical of you. Because I'm his daughter. It's only natural." Giving him the tightest squeeze she can, she peer up at him, her face close to his. "Does that ease you mind at least a little bit?"
Lucian sighs, shrugging. "I've never met your father. So…I don't know. I suppose it does a little. So, is that all it is? That you're not sure if he'd approve or not?" He steals a quick kiss to the lips. "You know, we are adults. We can make our own decisions, even if our parents don't approve. Believe me, my father doesn't want me staying at the Fawley Farm. But to hell with him."
"Yes that's about right. He likes to have a hand in all aspects of my life, and I don't know if that includes dating, but I don't doubt it might," she scrunches her nose in a bit of apprehension. Because Ria Sykes is the most compliant of all her siblings, she also has the privilege of being the most controlled Sykes child. It's like their parents have somewhat given up a little on the others. "To hell with him indeed. He's done nothing to earn your loyalty to his words," she pouts but adds, "You know Luc. I hope all goes well with you at the farm during this holiday. I feel like this is necessary and I'm really hoping that you find some sense of home there. Everyone deserves to have that feeling of living somewhere safe and sound where you're treated like a human being."
Lucian squeezes her in an appreciative hug, stealing another kiss (duh). "Thank you. So…whatever we do, let's do it. You'll have to owl me. All I have is Odin," he mentions his raven pet, "And he's as likely to eat a letter as deliver it. But, let's set something up. I could stand a night or two at the Cauldron, and I'd love for you to come out and meet the hippogriffs. You'd be surprise what clean creatures they are. They take a lot of pride in grooming themselves." That's probably the best selling point he can hope for.
Ria snickers madly when he steal the second kiss. That one came as a surprise and he almost got her nose because she flinched just a little. "I will owl you the moment I have plans in motion," she assures with a nod, mussing up his hair only to neatly comb it back into place. Even playfully, it's hard for Ria to be messy. Scrunching her nose with some skepticism, she asks, "Clean? An animal being clean?" Looking Luc up and down she sighs and smirks, "Alright, fine. I'll come out and meet your winged lady friends." If that's not love what is?
Lucian grins. "You'd better owl me tomorrow, plans or no plans." That second kiss was nothing…at least not compared to this next one. He'll have more opportunities to say goodbye, but probably not this private, so he's making the most of it.