| Details for Safe Haven |
| Summary: | Having decided to open up their new home to children that had to be evacuated from London, Tim and Annie collect their first pair, siblings Daedalus and Clarissa Mulciber. |
| Date: | 26 June 1941 |
| Location: | Hogsmeade, The Moody Cottage |
| Related: | Room to Grow |
| Characters |
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It's a beautiful, quiet day in Hogsmeade, now that most of the students have gone back home for the summer holidays. Birdsong fills the air and you can even hear the chuckle of the lake quietly in the background. It's also something of a nervous day, as Tim and Annie are meeting their first evacuees who will be staying with them. Annie is at least familiar with Clarissa a bit from Hogwarts, no one manages to avoid the library entirely. Daedalus is a completely new face to her, and the siblings were met with a smile when she and Tim walked to the center of town to collect them. Formalities over, she suggests, "Shall we go back to the cottage, get settled in?" They aren't burdened with luggage, unless there are personal items they carry along, but most of it has already been delivered to the cottage.
Tim was the one that really brought up this whole plan of taking in the kids. But now that the day has come he is a ball of nerves and has been catching his stammer all morning. On the way to the meeting he could not stop fidgeting with his tie. What if they don't like him? What if they are little punks? What if they hate their room that he put together for them? It is a good thing he married a very patient and understanding woman or she would probably be on her way to Mungo's Mental Ward by the time they reach the center of town. But it's upon seeing the faces of the kids that were assigned to them, that that little switch he has that goes from extremely shy worrisome man, to the secret vigilante who sees two kids in need of help. His first offer to Dae however is a little on the awkward side, but it does come from a good place. "Happy to help if you'd like?" His hands gesturing to the back of Daedalus' chair are made. His offer is more to allow Dae' to just relax and enjoy the walk than it is from a place of coddling and condescension. It's why he's nervous again, afraid of offending the kid with the first thing that comes out of his mouth.
During the greetings, Clarissa is polite, but obviously unhappy. Daedalus, on the other hand, is more used to life as an evacuee and greets Tim and Annie mostly cheerfully. Or perhaps he's just happy to have his sister back. In any case, he nods to Annie's question and says, "Alright." He starts to reach for the wheels to push himself, but stops at Tim's offer, and smiles, "Thanks." Clarissa then adds, looking a little more grudgingly approving, "You asked first. People sometimes don't ask, they just start helping," she adds, as if that was a really bad thing.
Patience with Tim has always been a thing that just came naturally to Annie, from their first meeting. There's a smile as Tim seems to meet with approval from the young girl, and she holds out a hand, not so much to take Clarissa's, but to usher the girl as they start down the road. "We've been looking forward to having you with us. If we need to think about altering anything to make things easier, or you happier, let us know. There may be some things we didn't think about ahead of time."
Tim once given permission he circles around behind Dae and rests his hands on the back of Dae's chair and he starts to push. "Please, thank yee, and May I, are big things in the Moody Home." He smiles down with tiny bit of a wink to Clarissa. "Hope yee like your room. The smell might be a bit strong yet, this move is rather recent thing. All of us together learning the ins and outs of the cottage. Should be an adventure. "Should we stop by the market? Maybe see if we can learn everyone's favorite foods? And I said Market not Harkiss." He chuckles a little after his pretend bit of sternness.
Daedalus looks up to Annie, and says, "I just need lots of space. Wheelchairs are wider than people, and can't turn as easy. But this wheelchair can handle stairs, our dad made it so I could go to Hogwarts next fall," he says with pride. Clarissa gives a tentative smile, as she walks along with Annie, and nods along with Daedalus at Tim's suggestion.
Annie looks impressed, "Oh that's brilliant of him. We can still see if any other arrangements are needed. Like we'll be sure not t'clutter up the place," she adds, with a sideways grin at Tim. Not that he's clutter prone, but sometimes his photography supplies and projects can meander a bit out of his darkroom. "I think the market is a lovely idea. Is there anything in particular that either of yeh don't like?" It's usually easier to start there, and count things out.
Tim came up with a good plan! It makes that boyish grin appear and he veers their path down a different road so they can visit the market. "Course…" He remarks as they do pass by Harkiss Candy Store. "On the way back… what's a housewarming meal without some dessert?"
Daedalus seems to consider for a moment as he's pushed along, but Clarissa answers right away, "Eggs. They make me itchy." Daedalus is quick to point out, "I like eggs, though. But I don't like onions, ugh," he says, wrinkling his nose. Both kids brighten, however, at Tim's last suggestion, exchanging grins, and Daedalus answers with a giggle, "Not much of one."
"Alright then," Annie says easily, "One no eggs, one no onions. I believe there are some berry bushes around th'garden, so if yeh've a mind, help yerselves t'them." As she grows more at ease, her North London accent peeks out more and more in her voice. As they walk she lifts one hand, letting it rest lightly on Tim's back. They aren't a couple to shy away from affectionate gestures, although they are always very proper around others. "I c'n tell already who I'm gonna have t'be mindful of spoilin' yeh," she teases lightly.
Tim offers his wife a large sheepish smile. His reply to the accusation of spoiling anyone get a little helpless shrug. "No Eggs, so that means no cake, right?" He teases towards Clarissa, "Or bread, or custard or…" He lets the teasing drift off there. "What do you think about Scotch Eggs young man?" This seems to be one of those questions that will establish if they will be best friends or mortal enemies.
Clarissa nods glumly to list of things that she can't have, though she adds, "Voopy knows how to make bread without eggs." Then, Daedalus looks up to Tim curiously, bending his neck back to do so, and asks, "What are Scotch Eggs?"
Tim ohs softly, it took a bit to sink in that it wasn't just a dislike of eggs but an allergy or intolerance of some sort. "We will do our absolute best to make sure your stomach doesn't get itchy." Now he feels bad about even bringing up the Scotch Eggs, but truthfully, Tim can't live without them! "They are soft boiled eggs, wrapped in sausage and crumbs and then set to deep fry till they are nice and crispy." His irish accent becomes wistful and heavenly jut talking about the things. "Who's Voopy? Maybe we can owl her for the recipe…"
Well, Annie is a librarian, surely she can research how she can make cake without eggs for little Clarissa. There are always ways to work around allergies. From the name alone, she would assume Voopy to be a house elf, a concept she was unfamiliar with until she met Tim's Bowie. Her hand rubs lightly on Tim's back, she knows him far well enough to know how he feels at his slip with the teasing, but they're bound to all have some growing pains as they get to know each other. Her feet scuff lightly as they walk, content to fall silent for a few minutes and listen to the answers to Tim's questions.
Indeed, Daedalus answers, "He. Voopy's our house elf." Clarissa adds, "His, mostly. After Dae's accident, dad told Voopy his primary job is looking after Dae. He still does other work, but he'll come whenever Dae calls." Some siblings might be jealous of this, but it doesn't sound like she is. She's simply stating a fact. Then, Daedalus adds, back on the other subject, "Scotch Eggs sound really good."
Tim proved his wife quite correct and he's got quite the load of bags and parcels floating along behind them as they finally enter their new home. "Here we are…" The irishman states as he opens up the door. What he spies sitting on the living room floor has him barking out a laugh that he quickly has to cover up and smother with a hand. On a painter's tarp on the floor sits their infant daughter, smudged with paint and a paint brush in her little fist. Before her is a house elf that is covered head to toe in different colored paints. "Mistress Aurora wanted to paint, sir." As the house-elf explains paint drips from his lips and nose. "Oh Bowie, poor Bowie." His distraction in concentration has the bags and parcels worbling in the air behind him, but he remembers them in time and sends them into the kitchen. "Anns, if you show them their room. I'll handle our little artist and canvas?"
Annie laughs at the sight as well, shaking her head indulgently, "Bowie love, how you spoil her." A thought occurs to her and she looks to Dae, "If yeh'd like him with yeh, we've plenty of room for Voopy as well." She lets Tim go ahead and see to his house elf and their baby, and motions toward a short hall. "Did yeh want t'room together, or one for boys and one for girls?" she asks the siblings as she moves to lead them.
Daedalus giggles as well, at the sight of the baby and painted house elf. Then, he looks up to Annie and brightens immediately, "Yes, please." Daedalus takes over pushing his own wheelchair now, rolling down the hall, and Clarissa follows. To the question of whether they want to share a room, both say at the same time, "Together." Though, Daedalus adds, "Please."
Tim squats down still chuckling at his daughter and her nanny. When Rory starts to wave her brush towards her Daddy he is quick to carefully pluck it out of her hand. "Maybe later Roro." A kiss is placed on the top of her head and he looks to Bowie. "Alright Bowie, time to clean up and welcome our guests." With a wet snap of his fingers the mess covering him disappears into a quickly dissipating mist of sparkles. It makes the baby cooo and giggle and moving to try to wrestle the brush from her father so she can make the mess all over again just so she can watch the sparkly clean up. "Oh no yee don't." Tim scoops up his daughter and gives her zrrbts to the belly.
Annie nods to the request and escorts the pair past the first door to the second bedroom. It's a bit sparsely furnished, since they're only just moving in themselves, but that leaves more space for the kids to make it their own so they feel at home. There's a single bed on one wall, a set of bunk beds on another, and a small writing desk with supplies set out in little bins to keep them tidy. "I think this should work for yeh," she says, stepping back from the door to let them enter. "And Dae," she adds, slipping into a casual shortening of his name, "If yeh'd like t'owl yer folks, they can have Voopy come along any time. I'm sure he and Bowie will get on like a house on fire." And hopefully not set the house on fire.