(1938-11-14) Airing Things Out
Details for Airing Things Out
Summary: Kaleb happens along East Crook Road and encounters Rena doing a bit of house cleaning
Date: 1938-11-14
Location: Lee Cottage, Hogsmeade
Related:
Characters
RenaKaleb

Autumn is hard upon the countryside, and Winter is creeping ever closer by the day; and yet, despite this, one of the houses on East Crook Road happens to have its shutters and doors wide open. Outside of the red brick cottage trimmed with dark green wooden beams, a young ginger-headed woman appears to be doing some drastic house-keeping chores. At the moment, a floor rug hangs in the air by the aid of magic - and the woman is swatting said rug quite fiercely with a rug beater. A puff of dust drifts from the cloth and causes her to suddenly stagger backward with an almighty sneeze.
Despite the red hair, this is not the Weasley cottage. That's No. 3 - just down the road. This happens to be No. 7, the cottage belonging to Rena Lee; and spring-cleaning seems to have come a season early.

At the exact moment of the sneeze, a man of Canadian origins comes walking by. This large mustached man can't help but look toward the resounding sound. "My, that was quite somethin'!" Kaleb chuckles. "Doing alright, up there?" He squints through the dust and smiles widely. "Ms. Lee, isn't it?" He seems to recall her name. "Let's hope that the dust doesn't reach a bowtruckle, else it might sneeze itself right out of a tree!" He laughs lightly at his poor joke.

Squinting slightly, Rena holds her index finger under her nose to prevent a further outbreak of sneezing as Kaleb approaches. Once the urge has passed, she lets out a relieved sigh and chuckles: "I'll try and bear the Bowtruckles in mind, Mister Gamp. But unless you know 'ow to set my brooms, mops and things about cleaning the house by themselves, I'm stuck doing this the Muggle way."
Eyeing the rug, Rena gives it another well-aimed thwack. "You don't 'appen to know any such spells, do you?" She suddenly asks, trying not to look desperately hopeful.

"Ah, yes. Cleaning. I'm afraid I've never been quite so good at performing domestic spells myself." Kaleb chuckles and shakes his head. "Ask me to tend to a wounded dragon, or to give you information about a basilisk, that I can do. Perform a spell that will cause items to clean? I'm as useless as a tree stump in winter!" He tilts his head. "But if you ever need help, and I'm not tending to magical creatures galore, I'm always happy to lend a helping hand!"

"Well, we're in the same boat then," Rena quips, making a swishing motion of her wand that sends the rug drifting back toward the house and in through the door.
Turning to face Kaleb once more, she brushes her frizzled hair off of her forehead with the back of her hand: "I'm so sorry, Mister Gamp. It's cold out 'ere - won't you come inside and have something 'ot to drink. I still ain't used to owning an 'ouse of my own and 'aving to play hostess to people." She admits wryly, motioning to the open door with a friendly smile.

Kaleb nods slightly. "It would certainly seem that we are!" He agrees with the young woman. "Ah, something to drink. Yes, I believe I could find some time for that. Thank you, Miss Lee." He chuckles softly. "I'd say that you're playing hostess quite well. Seeing as you've invited me in for something hot to drink." He takes off his flat cap as he makes to cross the threshold. "What a lovely home you've got here!"

Rena hurries into the cottage ahead of Kaleb and waves her wand to shut all of the windows tightly once more. It will take a few moments for the space to begin to warm up, but the fire is glowing hot and busy at work. Unfortunately, the place is also a little Topsy-turvy at the moment from the cleaning she's been doing - and Kaleb is too kind, saying how lovely it is.
Working busily to get some tea going, Rena calls out from the kitchen around the corner: "It's rather lucky you 'appened by. I was just thinking of you, actually." Stopping a moment to count the servings of tea leaves she's putting into the pot, the young woman continues: "I 'ope you weren't 'round during those riots in Diagon Alley, the other day."

"Oh? That so? Definitely lucky I was passing by, then." Kaleb chuckles softly. "Oh, no. Not at all. I was lucky. I heard about those. I had actually thought about going to Diagon Alley to get some supplies that day. Good thing I didn't." He clears his throat. "I actually live here in Hogsmeade now. There's a farm around these parts that I've taken to living at. As part of room and board, so to speak, I help out around the farm."

Leaning backward to peep out through the doorway, Rena smiles brightly: "'Ere, there's good news then. I was rather worried about you and Maple. I bet he's as pleased as a frog in mud to be living at a farm now!"
She vanishes from sight once more to place the kettle on the stove. Then, she reappears and joins Kaleb near the fire to warm her hands: "There's going to be a community forum thing, they say. Folks can go and speak out about this whole Eye of Truth business - either side." Rena hesitates briefly. But then, a glint of determination flickers in her eyes and she looks up at Kaleb pointedly: "I know I've played cagy with people about this so far, but I've 'ad enough. I'm going to be there for the forum and speak my mind."

"Oh yeah. Yeah. Maple's ecstatic! He can't stop honking in happiness. In fact, I think some of the other animals are rather annoyed at him. Don't know how that's possible!" But by the way that Kaleb laughs, it's obvious he knows that Maple can be fairly annoying at times. But he also knows that Maple can be quite loyal. "Oh yeah? The Eye of Truth, eh?" He chews on his inner cheek a little. It's certainly a hot topic, that Eye of Truth, along with its followers. He looks at Rena carefully, taking in the features of her face. "Do you mind if I ask…what are you going to say? Are you in favour of the Eye of Truth and what it stands for, or are you going to speak against it?"

Rena rubs her hands together and flexes her fingers. All the life seems to have returned to them fully, now that the warmth has set in. "I'm just worried," she replies grimly, staring at the flames in the fireplace for a moment. "I'm worried with these people causing riots and 'eating up the persecution of muggle-born and folks that won't bear the eye - that eventually they're going to strike back. That's exactly what the likes of Brad Moody want to 'appen." At the mention of Moody, annoyance briefly flashes in her gaze. "Prove 'im right. Prove that we're sub-'uman. Prove that we can't be trusted. Prove that we're nothing but mad dogs in the street who will lash out and attack. But it's an 'ard thing, asking people to be patient and try to 'andle things peacefully when they're being threatened."
"I'm probably crazy, aren't I?" Rena asks with a faint smirk. "My intent is to ask that we stand our ground, but do so peacefully."

Kaleb remains silent as he listens to Rena speak her peace. When at last it seems like she has said what she wants to say, for now, he smiles softly and shakes his head. "Is it crazy to want peace? Is it crazy to desire a peaceful resolution to gain said peace? Violence should, hopefully, never be a resort taken. A battle is never won without dire loss on both sides." He sighs. "A single death, on either side, is a death too many." He frowns. "Do you know of thestrals? They are a creature, a type of winged, flying horse, that a person can only see once they have witnessed a death, and come to terms with said death. Thestrals are, as such, quite often seen as omens of death." He frowns slightly.
"My point is, I'd never wish for anyone to be able to see one, despite the fact that I can see them." Kaleb smiles softly. "I don't wish for this to come to a war. I don't wish for fighting to take place. I'd rather stand my ground in peaceful protest than to harm another living being. Pure-blood, half-blood, muggle-born, muggle, or whoever a person is. We deserve to be treated as equals. We don't deserve to be treated as animals. We don't deserve to be treated so poorly that we retaliate in a fashion that our opposition would use to their advantage."

Rena listens to Kaleb quite intently, her head tilted to one side - ever so slightly - like a little sparrow watching a bigger bird with curiosity. When he has spoken his piece, there is a momentary lapse of silence between them. However, at length, Rena can't help but flash a half-smile and say: "I wish you'd come and say as much at the Forum. I may be acting brave about the whole thing, but inside, I feel like I swallowed butterflies, and my legs feel like they're turning to jelly every time I think about getting up there and talking to people."
Some genuine fear begins to reveal itself in Rena's expression now: "What if…" she asks worriedly, "I'm the only person there who en't for the Eye of Truth?"

"Speaking the truth…" Kaleb pauses for a moment, "Rather, speaking the truth as it pertains to you, is never an easy task. Especially when you are up against people who would most likely rather use the Killing Curse on you than listen to you." He smiles softly. "Being brave doesn't mean you're not nervous. Being brave is doing what is right despite being so nervous. If it were easy, you wouldn't need to be brave." Tentatively, and if she'll let him, Kaleb places a hand gently on her shoulder. "I'm proud of you, for wanting to take a stand. It is people like you that give me hope for the future. It is people like you that make me believe that beyond the horizon, the sun is ready to burst forth and shine down on a new day where all are equal, and none need shy away because of the circumstance of their birth."

The hand on her shoulder seems to comfort Rena a little, and bolster her strength. She smiles appreciatively at Kaleb and is about to say something when the kettle on the stove begins to wheeze and screech in protest of being too hot. "Lord love a duck!" She cries, bolting for the kitchen.
In a few minutes, Rena returns with a slightly sheepish grin, carrying a tray all set out with tea. "Sorry about that. I've got to get in better practice at all this. /If/I come out of the forum alive, I'll be 'aving another … friend of mine over. That's why I'm righting the whole 'ouse."

Kaleb blinks for a moment. "There's a lord who loves a duck? Is this some sort of muggle mythological tale?" Of course, he doesn't expect an answer, what with Rena off to fetch the tea and all. "Another 'friend'? Uh-huh. Well, it's always good to have a place ready for friends." He smiles kindly. "I'm sure you'll come out of it alive. And don't worry; I'll try to be there. I'll even bring Maple. That way, if there's any shouting, he can honk angrily at people and nip at the shins." He says with a little chuckle.

Serving Kaleb his tea, Rena asks what his preferences are and fixes it accordingly. Her cheeks flush very slightly over the friend she mentioned before, and she simply remarks: "'E's a bit fastidious and easily upset by things not being clean and just exactly /so/."
"Well," She says, far more relaxed now as she leans back in a seat with her own tea in hand. "I know there will be at least two friendly faces in the crowd. And I know I can count on Maple to back me up if I 'ave to go all Law-Enforcement on a mob." This last part is added with a wink over her cup.
It's good to know that she'll have an ally at the Forum. She's still scared to death inside, but determined to do the right thing.

After asking for two dollops of cream (or milk, depending on what she has), as well as two sugars, Kaleb settles back in the seat again. "Ah, I've met a young fellow similar to that. Everyone has their own little foibles. It's part of what makes us interesting." He smiles and sips on his tea. "Worry not, young lass of the Isles. You'll not have to stand up alone. With friends and a goose, who you may call a friend as well, you're sure to not be alone. Besides, if anyone dares hurt you, I'll speak to them in angry tones." He gives her a playful wink. "But let us hope that, no matter how disapproving some are, that the event won't get violent." And with that, he continues to talk…and tell stories…and ask about the purpose of a 'rubber duck'.

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