Housekeeper and Hero

[Deirdre Yearling]

Out of Character:

Don't worry about the length, my posts aren't usually this long. I just like having a bit of scene-setting going on before I start. Now, onwards!

Pattering down the cracked cobblestones of Bleak Street, Deirdre-the-family's-keeper hurried as fast as her little legs could carry her away from the apothecary. Having still been in New Zealand with her family after Wallace had lost the elections, there was nothing left for her to do than to help her mother with her four younger siblings. Life was becoming monotonous since it was soon becoming apparent that the kids needn't have a house keeper anymore. It was time to focus on her studies: but for now it was into the twisted alleyways of Bleak, looking for the strongest Doxycide that the musty shops could provide. Bleak Street carried all a manner of poisons, but looking for a regular but extra strength pest control potion was proving to be more difficult than first thought. Didn't anyone sell anything normal here? Altogether not-soon-enough, Deirdre tucked the witch-green bottle of Doxycide into her handbag and headed towards the sunshine at the end of the road towards Obsidian. Typically, it was there that she encountered trouble (in the least troublesome spot of Bleak).

Deirdre was outwardly undisturbed by the ominous creak and rattle of an approaching vendor, although her long pointed ears twitched above her head. She was just meters from the alley's end when the vendor grabbed her spindly arm. Deirdre pulled it tight but did not force it, glancing between freedom and a desperate salesman. "Blood pops?" said the vendor throatily, waving hair-speckled and obviously centuries old lollypops at her. Out of the corner of her eye, Deirdre spied a shadow of a rather tall person passing Bleak Street's entrance and tugged a bit harder on the wizened hand gripping her tight. "No, thank 'ye though," she said in her gentle English accent, but she began to move forward with a more insistent tug from the vendor. Deirdre stumbled and felt a thrill of fear lance through her stomach as her face was mere inches form the dirty man's. "Come on, missus," said the vendour, taking a handful of Deirdre's brown skirt to pull her closer. Without thinking, she pressed her slippered foot neatly into the man's chest and sent him rolling down the alley with his cart, cursing her all the while. The force of it was enough to send him into the next turn but too much so that she sat heavily into a puddle at the feet of the tall stranger. Looking up at him from below and upside down, Deirdre smiled and swiped up the items rolling from her bag. "Good morning. Fancy giving me a tug up?".

 

[Harold Garrison]

Out of the blue Harold decided to past by the Bleak street for a while, since he was searching for a job. Obviously, this wasn't the right place for it. He was wearing his plain white shirt, covered by his dark brown jacket along with his jeans. The street was indeed dark and there was no sight of muggles around the place. It's been three years still he could feel Elaine was still beside her holding his hands while his son Connor would be lost around the place. He wanted to enroll him someday in Hogwarts when the right time come too bad it never came. As he was passing by he noticed a girl who seems to be in trouble, he looked rather young and a bit to small to be wandering alone the Bleak Street.

It was none of his business but still he insisted to see what was going on. From the looks of it, it was another vendor looking for some trouble with its clients. Harold wanted to help the girl but she seems to manage things herself. He stood there watching the chaos, it was indeed interesting to watch. It ended in minutes after the whole thing was somehow fixed. Harold saw the girl was rolled below him.He then got her hand and pulled her up, she wasn't heavy nor light."Are you alright Madame?" he said to her knowing she was English.

 

[Deirdre Yearling]

"Well enough," replied Deirdre, giving the vendor a firm look as they watched him pick himself up dustily and totter away, grumbling. "It isnae rare to get hassled on Bleak, so luckily I brought my greatest weapon," she told the stranger as she clasped his arm gratefully. By way of explanation, she swung one of her legs lightly and grinned impishly at Harold. "Though that's the first time one o' em ever dared touch." Deirdre glanced down at her soft brown skirt with distaste, having spotted the darker brown hand print of the vendor's. Lightly she pressed her own hand against it and was not surprised to see that the size almost tripled her own hand's. On impulse, she glanced at the tall man's hand and was surprised to see that it really did triple hers. Deirdre was used to being dwarfed (or rather, goblin'd) by other people, but this man was simply enormous. It was both frightening and exhilarating at the same time to be in his presence. The goblinesque woman removed her wand from a little sewn-in sleeve in the fold of her skirt and cast a quick drying charm over the back of the cotton. She blushed slightly in embarrassment. Deirdre was strong, but her balance was easily thrown by a greater weight: it was no wonder she had flown back into the puddle like a feather.

"I don't mean tae ..." she began, going a little pinker, "Tae bother 'ye sir, but I was hoping 'ye could do me a small favour and-" Dare she ask it? "-walk me tae the end of Bleak Street? I don't mind walloping another crook, but if I were to fall again, I couldnae walk to the Apparation point." she explained. Deirdre looked at her shoes for a second then raised her head, giving the man a hopeful smile. "If ye're not busy, o' course." She would not stoop so low as to mention that she'd been unnerved by the vendor, but sure enough her request spoke for itself.

 

[Harold Garrison]

Harold was a bit surprised with the girls accent, her words were indeed confusing with all the tae and the nae wasn't familiar to him. He then smiled at her hoping she wasn't frightened at all. Unsure of what to say he was left smiling at her for no reason. Somehow she was half of his size, he then wondered if she was a student from Hogwarts. Although her face was mature yet endearing to look at. Harold checked his watch wondering what time is it, wondering if he should go back. Besides he also needed to find a apartment near by, but surely away from Bleak Street.

Upon hearing the girl talk again, "Is she gibberish or something?" he mumbled to himself as he glanced back to her. She was asking him a favor if she could join him until the end of the street. Well, that was all he could understand from her. "Oh Sure, Here I'll help you with your things" he exclaimed to her as he offered his hand for assistance. Harold was smiling at her unsure how to escort her out. Slightly coughing which he intended to. "Ahhh. . .I'm Harold by the way" he introduced himself to the girl. It was proper for a gentleman to introduce himself of course to a lady.

 

[Deirdre Yearling]

Harold was indeed correct to think that she was a bit frightened, although not of him but of the circumstances. Bleak Street had a way of sinking into one's bones and setting them on edge if you were not the sort of person to lurk there, and she was glad of his company. Deirdre's sensitive ears did, however, catch his mumble and she was mortified enough to blush again. The more nervous she was, the thicker her accent got until 'it was all tae's and nae's' like her sister, Artemis. Unfortunately for Art she spoke like that constantly, but Deirdre forced herself to relax and so too did her fluttered speech become clearer.
"Oh, you're very kind," she said, "But you needn't worry about the bag. It has a Featherweight charm on it." It took her a moment to realise that the name Harold offered was his, even though he had said so himself. She'd expected something like Hercules. Deirdre shook her head at herself with an amused smile. "I'm Deirdre. Deirdre Yearling. I hope I'm not taking you too far out of your way, sir." she said kindly, despite knowing his name.

Hesitantly she took his proffered hand but seemed to think better of it and, remembering how a lady must respond to a gentleman's offered escort, she took his arm instead. He was so tall that she seemed to think she might be mistaken for a child, but on reflection he must be used to people shorter than him, just as she was used to taller folks. Still, her long ears were quite above her hairline and her heritage was obvious to behold. Still, woman or not, it was nice to have a companion as the sun began to set behind them. "Good Lord, is that the time?" said Deirdre softly to herself. "I hope home is not too far for you," she then said to Harold. "The village is a mile and a half from here, though there are some ... inns closer." The way she spoke the word 'inns' made it quite clear that they weren't the sort of places Harold ought to find himself in.

 

[Harold Garrison]

Harold laughed at himself, he didn't noticed that there was a spell cast on her bag. "Oh Sorry" he said to her softly. It was the first time for him to hear the name, well of course it is. It's been years since he once again visited New Zealand. Surely she was younger than him, since Harold aged its seems like his so older than he could ever imagine. As the two of them walked his mind was left blank. He wasn't staring at her, she didn't want to offend her by staring down at her. Harold wondered if she was part goblin or what, for he noticed her ears were indeed pointy and sensitive too. "So you live nearby?" he asked him as the two of them strolled outside Bleak Street. The streets then started to turn darker and sarker as the two walked straight going out of the street.

Hearing her voice once more, she sounded worried. "Oh I see, It's been a while since Ive been here, I was wondering if do you know any apartments around here?" he asked her once more. From her looks of it inns in the wizard world seems different from the muggle world and the way Deirdre reacted when she said the word inn was absolute horror. The sun was about to set and still Harold didn't know where to spend the night. After all his been here for like a week and hope to stay longer. After the accident he decided to leave their home in Colorado and stay in New Zealand preferably the Wizard world. He wanted to forget things, to finally move on with his life.

 

[Deirdre Yearling]

"I do live near," Deirdre replied merrily, and indeed she did. Prior to traveling to New Zealand, Deirdre had taken it upon herself to make sure she didn't taken up space in her mother's house. Most importantly, she didn't want to keep bumping into people who had 'heard all about but never met the dear!' Deirdre. It seems her mother was quite the village gossip. Nevertheless, Brightstone was not the place for her even with the family living there, so she had settled just outside of Obsidian in a little cul-de-sac named Chesney Wold. Harold's next question was straight forward enough, though it did give her a laugh.
"I hardly think you'll find apartments in Obsidian. I'd suggest the muggle town over for that. But there's a new lane open just over the hill, near to where I live, that has the most darling two-bedroom cottages you ever did see," she said conversationally and pointing with a dainty finger. "I live at the end of the lane in Cloverfield Cottage. It's the last one with the baby blue fence." It occurred to Deirdre that she may have said entirely too much about where she lived, until a thought occurred to her.

"I hope you don't mean you've nowhere to stay tonight?" she asked, biting her lip. She had been quite right to suggest avoiding the inns on this side of town. Dirtier establishments you never did see, and they only began to improve the further you ventured into Obsidian. Pondering over Harold's dilemma, a thought struck Deirdre and she decided to exploit it. "I don't think you could procure an apartment within the next few hours, but I thought you wouldn't mind at least a room and a hot meal for the night." Looking up at him with her green-flecked eyes, Deirdre smiled as they reached the top of the hill that ran down into the lane. "Since Cloverfield is a two bedroom and it's just me, perhaps you'd like to take the room for the night!". It sounded like a grand idea to her. She always seemed to make double the recipe for dinner, anyway. She didn't want to seem presumptuous, but it seemed like the best course of action.
"There's a bed and a chest of drawers for you, and I'll be happy to make dinner."

 

[Harold Garrison]

It was a good thing that the two of them were now leaving Bleak Street, no one knows what happens there during night. The cold wind came rushing to Harold's face, he could smell the mixed odor of the street. He was quite relieved knowing that Deirdre house was near here, he didn't wanted to return her all the way back to some country of course. Though he wondered if she was a minor, he wanted to ask her age badly but she might be offended as well. Harold gave himself a face palm all over his head once again embarrassed. "Yeah, that's what I figured" he said to her as he was smiling at her. When he heard that Deirdre knows a place where he can stay he once again felt relieved, ho hoped that wasn't at all taken.As she pointed out the baby blue fence, he then stared at the house. It was indeed charming, he could even see it from a far.

Harold was a bit surprised that Deirdre also lived there and most of all she was rather alone. He wasn't sure if it was fine with her, after all she doesn't know Harold that much. But then he figured, it was the only place he knows and perhaps he could stay for the night. "Is it ookay for you? Will not bother or be a problem to you? he said to her shyly in soft voice. Unsure of what to pay, along with him was money of course. It was the last thing in his mind to stay in a girl alone inside her house, so he decided to ask her a question once more. "Do you live there alone?"

 

[Deirdre Yearling]

Deirdre gave Harold a small grin that made her nose crinkle cutely. She was beginning to see that any awkward moments stemmed mostly from unfamiliarity and from mutual shyness. For a such a big man, he was quite gentle and it was nice to see him smile at her (although it gave her uncomfortable little butterflies that she hadn't felt since meeting Wallace).
"I don't think it would be a bother at all," Deirdre told him sincerely. "I cook too much for myself, anyway." It suddenly occurred to her that she still had her arm tucked into his and it wasn't seemly to be doing so when she was offering him a place to stay. Still, it pleased her to know that she was doing him a good turn when he had been kind enough to walk her home in the evening. The last thing on her mind now was Doxycide and the grimy vendor. Some part of her resisted the notion of removing her arm and so she did not, further distracted by Harold's next question.

"Oh, just me and the pitbull." said Deirdre nonchalantly, giving Harold a large wink to show that she was joking. Her brows furrowed a little as she sobered and said "Yes, I do live alone for the moment, but I was considering renting the room since it's not likely to be filled anytime soon." Sadly, this was true. It didn't seem like she'd be having any children or studying enough to warrant a work room, no matter how much she might want to. Deirdre cheered up as they reached the gate and she swung it open. The house wards crackled as she lead Harold through them but they seemed to accept his presence, and the thrum of magic in the air died down.
"I don't worry too much though," she said, stepping over the roses that were trying to overtake the garden path. "You saw how I can protect myself, and no one gets past my surveillance system." She tapped her ears with a grin. "No twenty-two year old witch could be prouder of her house."

 

[Harold Garrison]

It was good new for Harold that he could stay there for the night. Delighted as it seems, he couldn't help but to if it was free or not. Possibly not. At the same time he wondered why was she alone, still it was none of his business. Harold was indeed hungry, after roaming around the streets to find a job, which left him still jobless. It was just a shame that he didn't accepted the offer back in Colorado for a job as a Professor. He wanted to do something more greater than being a teacher, most especially he wanted his son to be proud of him where ever he was. Hearing Deirdre talking about what happened earlier, he couldn't help but to laugh. How could a small girl like her defend herself with those guys.

Then he once again laughed hearing about the surveillance system, he hoped there was no surveillance inside the rooms. He noticed once again her ears, it was rather weird yet cute at the same time. Upon hearing she was twenty-two years old Harold almost flipped, his eyes widened so did his mouth. It was surprising to know that she was a grown woman well still woman."You're twenty-two?" he exclaimed hoping he could calm down himself. He then tried to lower down his voice hoping he didn't offended her in anyway. "Sorry for that" he said shyly. Glancing back at the cottage, it was indeed loving. He didn't want o return to the awkward atmosphere surrounding them.

 

[Deirdre Yearling]

At Harold's exclamation, Deirdre threw back her head and laughed, her curls tossing in the wind. A great many people had been shocked by her true age before, but no one had had such a delightful reaction that made her laugh from the pits of her stomach.
"Yes, of course I am!" said Deirdre, pressing her mouth into her hands and swallowing the giggles. "And I'm certainly not growing any bigger, if that's what you might think. Goblin blood, you see." she said. There were many perks to having goblin lineage, but just as many drawbacks, too. For example, goblins were immensely strong for their size in order to mine and forge their enchanted jewelery and weaponry. They also had superb hearing and a knack for amassing wealth. Unfortunately they were also known to be short, bad tempered, ugly and possessed poor eyesight. Deirdre's great-grandmother had practically bred the worst of it out of the family, but there was no getting over the fact that she was little. Fortunately, some found it endearing.

"I take it you would not mind?" said Deirdre finally, and opened the door to her cottage in time for a great waft of roasting-pumpkin smell to float from the kitchen. The cottage was sparsely decorated but fitted with everything a person might want and flowers seemed to be bursting through the cracks in an attempt to fill it with further cheer. Despite her best efforts, she had not yet managed to coax the marigolds off the windowsill and the floor. "You can eat right away, if you want. You may stay as long as you like," said she. Deirdre bustled over to the wood-burning stove to turn the heat lower with her wand and looked behind her at Harold. "For as long as it takes to find you a home, of course. It'll cost enough to set yourself up, so don't worry about paying me." She smiled at him and her cheeks went rosy from the heat. Everything was merry and bright.

 

[Harold Garrison]

Harold was somehow amazed that she didn't go mad or something, she was childlike.Deirdre resemblance with a child keeps her looking young, the way she acted was also innocent yet playful. "Goblin Blood eh?" she mumbled to himself. He was very aware of the history of Goblins, he even had a professor back in Hogwarts Scotland who was a pure-goblin. The part that amazed him that he knew goblins where a bit moody and bad-tempered, how he oped she wasn't liked that. Harold could already feel his stomach grumbling as Deirdre lead the way. He followed her inside her cottage. It was warm and very homey, he could smell roasting pumpkin inside the place. Harold smiled at her.

The place was decorated with blooming flowers which made the place more wonderful than it is, it was simple yet adorable. He watched her use her wand to burn lower the fire on the stove. Harold begun to to think about random ideas, weird ones too but he tried to close his eyes and remove the things inside his mind. Deidre was indeed kind to offer her cottage to him. "Uh So, you sure no one wouldn't mind me staying here for the night?" he asked her wondering if he had a husband or maybe a boyfriend in sight.

 

[Deirdre Yearling]

"Please, sit down," said Deirdre. She pulled out one of the carved wooden chairs beneath the table that her brother Simon had made himself and took the opportunity to place a plate in front of him. She didn't want to spend the next few minutes bustling around like a fairy while she could be talking to Harold, so it was with another wave of her wand that the food materialised in front of him and onto a second plate. The charm was similar to the one that brought food to the table at Hogwarts. Deirdre flicked the off switch on the oven and took a seat opposite Harold with her own plate. The pretty china was piled with roast vegetables and steaming chicken, raised free range in the fields behind the cottages. It had been such a long time since she was able to cook for two and it filled her with a companionable cheer.
"Oh, no no," replied Deirdre and blushed inexplicably. "No one but me and the flowers here." She did not have a husband and she was much too proper to have a boyfriend live with her, even if she had one. Her cheeks became a little pinker as she added "Oh dear, I hope your lady will not mind." There was a pause. "That is, if you have one." Little did she know that she had touched upon a sore subject, but Deirdre had the good sense not to pry.

"You must understand that I wouldn't offer a room for just anyone," she added, peeling a piece of chicken from the leg as she spoke. "But nor would I let anyone go hungry and cold who had so kindly taken me home." Deirdre looked up under her lashes for a moment as if she dared not look at Harold, but gave him a sweet smile nonetheless. "You mustn't be from here, though. Where have you traveled from, if I may ask?" said Deirdre.

 

[Harold Garrison]

As Harold got in, he was a bit shy to sit or rather roam around the cottage. He stood there as if he was frozen into a block of Ice. Though it was indeed warm inside, he felt his stomach once again grumbling. Deirdre seems to love using magic around things, he watched her as she swoosh her wand to do some work for her. Unlike Harold he insisted doing it through hands. Living in the Muggleworld was indeed hard but living in the Wizard world seems to be a bit complicated. He wasn't used to magic since he graduated years ago, he preferred to keep spells to himself in times of emergency.

New Zeland was the last thing on his mind, it was just a last minute idea of his. For his life Elaine loved visiting the place, she even wanted to live there as they start their own family. Back then Harold wanted his son Connor to live in a safer world, muggle word that is for him. It took him minutes to notice that Deirdre offered her a chair. "Oh, Thank You!" she said thanking her. Harold was somehow used to living with his friends before meeting his wife. He then smiled upon hearing that she was alone, a bit of relieved actually when he heard that she was single. He didn't want to offend some guy at all.

When the same question was asked to him, Harold smiled and started to think of what he could answer to her. He didn't want to share his story to anyone without knowing him/her that well. So he decided to answer quite differently. "Nope, she wouldn't mind I guess" he said to her in reply as he looked up smiling. He wondered if Elaine was there near him. She was her guardian angel. Just last year Harold decided to remove his wedding ring from his finger and he kept it hanging through his neck, using it as a necklace.