Closed I'm slipping under.....

“Oh, shut up, Erik,” Tristan groaned quietly. From where he was in the dining room, he couldn’t see the crowd that had gathered in the living area. He had no intention of joining them.

Surprisingly, Tristan also felt a twinge of pity for Kalif. He must be horribly wary, like a rabbit trapped in a fox’s den. If their positions were reversed, and Slade had led him into a room filled with Kalif’s family, Tristan would be clawing out an escape route.

What would Julie think? For one, she would probably laugh her ass off at the situation, and welcome Tristan’s one-time associate and enemy into their home. She had been positively charming during that uncomfortable dinner long ago. Two, she would expect Tristan to take the high road.

Tristan’s temper was still hot, like many that shared his lineage, but he had simmered down over the years. Julie’s influence had been sweeping. Starting a fight would not honor her memory. Ultimately, he had enough to trouble his mind. He missed his wife like hell.

Brunhilde reached a hand to his shoulder, a gesture quite generous for her. Tristan accepted it, hoping the intrusion would end and he could go back to wallowing in misery.
 
Christian ignored Lydia’s loud outburst. Knowing her, she would be terribly embarrassed tomorrow. He didn’t grudge her the need to unwind. But a sober Lydia would hate the thought of being so intoxicated in a high-strung situation. Her guard was down, way down.

He thought about stopping Seth, asking him to wait, but decided against it. Christian could tell that both Seth and Lydia were annoyed with him. Olivia was hard to read. Despite their in-fighting, Estrella’s four kids stuck together. Sod it. Sibling unity or no, Slade was wrong to do this, and he needed to hear it.

Outside on the patio, it was still quiet. Christian suspected it wouldn’t be for long. He stood off to the side, mindful of his wand.
 
Olivia was calm, although curious. She didn’t share the same flare of anger that struck Seth and Lydia. In fact, only an intense amount of pressure built up over time could destroy her patience. She looked back at Lydia. Slouched in the deck chair, her sister was in no condition to even walk. With a sigh, Olivia followed behind Seth.

Filling up the doorway with her large frame, Olivia noticed the living area was especially overcrowded with people. The heat from all the bodies crammed into the small space radiated out to where she stood. It was clear Slade was upset, on the defensive as always. It took a moment for her to recognize the center of attention.

Locking eyes with a man she hadn’t seen in fifteen years, Olivia’s breath hitched. Kalif Styx, a man she’d once considered a grandfather, looked highly uncomfortable and out of place. He didn't belong here.

Olivia’s deep voice cut through the room. “Lily is right. Bring this outside. This has nothing to do with Grandma Julie.” Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and returned to her deck chair. Carrying a sense of authority was alien to Olivia, but for once, she expected to be followed. And heard.
 
Kalif still declined the enthusiastic Drage's offer. If anyone knew Kalif, it would be that he hated sweets. And anything with sugar in it. He heard enough jokes about his diet making him 'salty' but that was just not the case. Slade seemed to demand that he be here, but unfortunately, Kalif knew that his power would dwarf the young wizard tenfold. He wasn't Patriarch of his family for no reason after all. During the confusion and uneasiness, it occurred to him just who died. Julie. That name sounded familiar. Wasn't that... Right, since this was the Drage family, it would not have been Estrella's mother. She was long since dead from what he was told. It was Tristan's wife.​
​
Kalif looked toward the dining room where he knew the big lug was. If anyone understood what it was like to lose a beloved wife, it was Kalif. For now, his reply to all three Drage's were simple. "Mrs. Drage is right. Head outside, if you will." Kalif watched as Slade and Seth did as they were told. Kalif sighed as he turned and headed in a different direction from the patio. Instead, he found his way to the same room where his old enemy rested. Seeing the miserable face confirmed it. It was his wife. "Perhaps you don't want to hear this, especially from me, Tristan," Kalif started, his tone neutral which was alien since he had never used it in front of him. "I offer my condolences. Nicolette passed away almost a decade ago, so it goes without saying that I know what you are going through."​
​
The Slytherin Head of House did not stick around for that reaction. People in mourning was not something he could handle very well at all. Instead, he followed where he assumed the patio would be. It took him a moment to find the proper door. That is what he got for sending the others to the patio without knowing where the hell they went off to. Kalif opened the patio door and shut it behind him, folding his arms across his chest as he looked to Slade, the owner of this little fiasco. "As much as I am pleased to see that one of Jaken's children sought me out, couldn't this have been at a different time? This is robbing your family's time for grieving the dead. Not to mention that your mother's father isn't in the right state of mind and you bring me here to make it worse? What the hell were you thinking?" It seemed as though Kalif's scolding managed to keep Slade silent, which was rare enough.​
 
Lily was relieved as the professor headed outside. She collapsed back into her chair, before having a funny thought. "I so should tell him he owes me a shirt still from that damn detention," she said with a smile to get husband, hoping he remembered their time in the greenhouse the way she did -- a part of the start of their relationship.
 
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Josh stood tall, watching the exchange between Kalif and the various members of the Drage family. Of course it was Slade's fault he was here, but the realization of what he was brought intonhit Kalif's face, Josh had to hold back a laugh. Julie would have loved the shock of the situation if she had been there. The thought brought on another wave of sadness. Tristan was his best friend, and like a brother to him, and Julie had grown to be a sister.

He relaxed a bit as the situation settled down and Lily's suggestion if heading outside was taken. He followed Kalif at a distance to make sure he didn't start anything on his way. He remained by Tristan, hoping to spend some time with his friend. Josh nodded at the Drage siblings gathered there and pulled up a chair of his own. He took out the cigars he had gathered and laid them in the table, wondering who would be the first to partake
 
This was all rather overwhelming for the gentle giantess. Imogen wanted to support his boyfriend through what must be a difficult time for him, but it was truly a trial by fire to meet a partner's family... at a funeral. She hadn't known what to wear. Would black be too mournful for someone that didn't know the deceased? Was dark blue appropriate? Would white offend? Seth had been no help, reassuring her that 'anything' she wore would be 'great'. It was easier for him - all he needed to do to look presentable was run his fingers through his hair and put on a shirt that buttoned.​
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Glued to Seth, Imogen watched the family dynamic unfold before her, trying to learn names and faces to remember should there ever be another meeting. Everyone seemed rather nice, some a little more boisterous than others. Coming from a big family herself (no pun intended), Imogen knew what it felt like to be ribbed affectionately, and she giggled quietly at @Seth Drage's expense when @Olivia Drage teased him.​
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She wasn’t sure she should go with Seth to discover the ‘uninvited guest’ however, as it was hardly her business. The alternative was loitering around by herself, though, so she went along with him, thanking him as he held the door, and nearly being struck dumb at the sight of her old professor, Professor Styx. She looked at Seth as he greeted Kalif, not sure how to take the fact that his grandfather was apparently an uninvited guest at a funeral. What on earth had she walked into? The former Hufflepuff couldn’t have felt smaller than in that moment, and she hadn’t even done anything. When things seemed to be moving to the patio, Imogen decided that it would be best to not go with Seth on this one. This was definitely a private moment, and she was already feeling like an intruder. Smiling awkwardly at Seth, she let him go and went to find a patch of wall to stand at and wait until he came back in to collect her.​
 
Tristan cringed inwardly when Styx offered his condolences. Seeing as Kalif had been dragged into this unwillingly, Tristan didn’t find it necessary. He nodded at his former associate and offered a gruff “Thank you.” Tristan was relieved that Kalif was not the type of man to linger and offer comforting chit-chat. He was even more relieved, however, when Josh joined Daisy, the twins, and himself at the table with an offering. Years had passed since Tristan last enjoyed a cigar- they were no good for his health, but these were extraordinary circumstances.

His face strained, he grabbed one of the cigars and looked at Josh. “What the hell is going on, exactly? Am I hallucinating?” His tone was dripping with sarcasm. Tristan knew very well what was going on, he wasn’t hallucinating, and that he had buried his wife today. But given the parade of unfortunate events lately, he wished he was dreaming.

@Joshua Hanson
 
Broken-hearted, Erik held the plate with the lonely butter-tart to his chest. The man had escaped him without Erik even having a chance to offer the sugary gift. Sighing dramatically, he entered the living area again. He noticed a woman- who couldn’t, with the way she towered over even the Drages- off by herself in the corner. Erik thought Seth had brought her with, but they hadn’t been introduced.

Casting off his dejected expression, Erik beamed at the woman and approached her. He held the butter tart aloft, hoping she would take it. “Welcome, I’m Erik,” he said, “Seth’s favorite uncle.” He didn’t quite know if that was true, but he rolled with it. “Don’t worry, Drage gatherings are always overwhelming. We’ve learned how to suffer through it over the years.” Erik was clearly not suffering. He was having the time of his life.

He looked back over his shoulder at Lily and then at Sumner- the cheeky bloke. “A shirt? Detention? With that handsome wizard? Do tell!”

@Lily Drage @Imogen Von Klampenverb-Popple
 
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Lydia did not feel well. She wished she could crawl up in the chair and sleep it off. But there were droning voices, buzzing in Lydia’s ears like a swarm of billywigs. She was nearly off to dreamland when Olivia returned, whispering something unintelligible in her ear. Lydia swatted at her sister, who then grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her.

“Grandfather’s here,” Olivia said. This time, Lydia understood, except not quite.

“Good for him,” Lydia grumbled, “there are plenty of other people he can talk to.” She meant their Granddad- Tristan Drage- of course. With how comfortable and secure Lydia was in her relationship with him, she didn’t feel bad for saying so. He was known to enjoy a strong drink himself, especially during trying times. Curling up and turning away from her sister, Lydia smoothed down her dress and tried to find the peace she’d recently lost.

@Professor Kalif Styx
 
Josh took a cigar and lit it up, casting a quick spell to make the smoke vent out of the house. He may not have little ones of his own at this time but he still was careful around the numerous ones that belonged to his best friend. The shock of Styx simply expressing condolences and exiting quietly was still hitting him. "Tris, I have no idea but if you are, I'm on the same trip. Only thing crazier than that would be if your father showed up and was actually father-like for a change." The thought of Valcan Drage being caught in his son's home or at a muggle funeral celebration was comical. When tbe pair was in school, the older man was just mean. With age, he had become unbearable.

Puffing on the cigar, Josh reached across the table and grabbed a glass and poured a drink. The strong liquid burned with familiarity as it went down his throat. He wasn't sure how to keep his friend sane over the next few hours, but as long as Kalif Styx was in the house he needed to make sure Tristan was distracted.
 
Eliza felt the laughter drain from her as her nephew brought a man in the house that seemed to shock everyone with his appearance. She had no idea who he was until Slade opened his big mouth. grandfather? Must be Jaken's side because I know he is not on ours, she thought. The fact that she was pretty much the last muggle left in the house was not lost on her. This man looked dangerous. She sat back, protected by her Uncle Sumner next to her and her Aunt Lily, who shockingly was standing up to the man she called professor.

Once the situation settled down, Lily cheekily mentioned something about a ruined shirt and detention with that professor back in school and was surprised. Lily never seemed like she would have had detention at all. The look between her and her beloved was one of knowing so Eliza knew there was a good story there. "I'm with Erik, dare I say it. Details please! You had detention??" she said with a smile.
 
Teuila noted that the commotion down the hall had quieted down some. Plus, stories would not keep the children engaged for long- a two were practically crawling up the walls and another was jiggling the door handle, begging to be let out.

Sighing, she set the gremlins free. Out of the corner of her eye, Teuila noticed Sefina drawing pictures on one of her cousin’s foreheads with neon markers. She decided not to intervene for now. Teuila left the little ones to their chaos.

She passed through the dining room, choking on the acrid smell of cigars. Her eyes watered and nausea gripped at her insides. Disgusting. She nearly told off the older wizards, but decided not to. At least they had figured out some form of magical ventilation.

Teuila escaped into the more breathable living room. She had just caught the very end of the conversation. “Lily and Sumner? Detention? No way.” The two were both rascals, even in middle-age.

Christian must still be outside. Estrella's kids and the strange visitor were nowhere to be seen. Amazing how that had brightened the room right back up.
 
Out of all the places in the world his son could have settled, Valcan thought this remote community in Canada was tolerable. Like it or not, the north was in Tristan’s blood. Valcan appreciated the chill. He could do without the large body of water: he tried to ignore the deep-seated feeling of dread that passed over him at the repeated crash of waves.

The aging wizard had been invited in passing to his daughter-in-law’s funeral. Not by Tristan, of course, though that was hardly surprising. Their relationship was marred by distrust, deceit, and theft. Valcan had his purpose for attending.

Valcan concealed himself at the mundane Muggle service and then slipped away. The wizard then found time for a quiet hike. The man had come across bears, white as mountain snow and crusted with old seal blood. Powerful, impressive creatures that they were, he respected their space from a distance.

He wandered back to Tristan’s home. Small and disappointing. Nothing like where he’d been raised.

Valcan watched as well-wishers, magical and non-magical alike, filed in and out of the cramped residence. He waited for his moment. His interest piqued when his great-grandson lead an old acquaintance into the house. Kalif Styx had no business here. Did he know he was walking into a Muggle’s mourning party?

Slade was impulsive, hot-headed, and cunning, not unlike Tristan at his age. With guidance and time, the boy could be molded into something noteworthy. But Valcan wondered if he wasn’t about to make a great blunder.

Valcan entered the home quietly. Kalif was just passing through the back door. The living area was packed with wizards, witches, muggles, and even a woman who had to be part-giantess. These were modern times.

He slipped into the dining room. Gathered around the table were his eldest son (the great oaf,) Lief, Daisy, Brunhilde, and the insufferable Joshua Hanson- hellraiser and Tristan’s friend from younger days. The old Norwegian was just in time for the wizard’s charming remark.

Valcan approached them, unsmiling. “Delighted to know you hold me in such esteem.”
 
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Josh couldn't believe his luck. Valcan seemed to appear out of nowhere. "Damn, you really are like Beetlejuice. Say your name too many times and poof you show up!" he said, not really caring what the old man thought of him. He knew when he and Tristan were young and rebellious, they were the least of his favorite people. At the ripe age of 71, Josh was free to say whatever he wanted. He took another drag off his cigar before leaning back in his chair and staring Valcan dead in the eyes. "So are you going to shock us and be actually father like to your son or are you hear to simply be an arse? My bet is you have no idea what any of your children are up to these days, or even how many grandchildren you have."
 
Seth felt bad for leaving Imogen inside, but he felt that she would be safe with his family. At least, he thought so. He looked to Kalif Styx as he scolded the hell out of Slade, and it seemed to silence him. Even he could admit, Kalif was right. This was not the time to create a reunion of sorts, not when they were trying to honor Julie. But, it seemed like Lydia needed a cup of coffee. He thought that maybe she was talking about Tristan. After all, Kalif would never talk to others anyway. He walked over and took Lydia into his arms, "Uppsie daisy, Lyds." She was the only one of the two other siblings that he could actually cradle. "You have more than one grandfather, you know." Seth looked toward Kalif to see what in the world he would do or say next.​
 
Lily blushed, realizing she had said one thing to much and now would have to explain to her nieces and nephew. The story would need to be edited a bit or Erik would never let it go. There was no way she was going to tell the young ones, despite the comical nature of it now, that she was busted in Sumner's dorm room by the Headmistress at the time. Not only in his room, but in his bed and full out having a snogfest not even half an hour after confirming the end of her relationship with Blake, Josh's son.

"Fine. I'll spill. My 7th year we were hanging out where we shouldn't be in the school and ended up having to work in the greenhouse with some nasty tentacula plants. My shirt got slashed and was destroyed by those stupitd things." She also left out the snogging session on the way back to the tower. That was a secret for her and Sumner to keep as well.
 
Slade groaned as he left the house and out to the patio to let grandfather follow from behind. It took a few minutes, but Kalif was back out, but of course, he was the one being scolded. Maybe this was a bad time, but still. "Yeah, maybe so, but..." Slade faded off, realizing that it might have been a bad idea after all. Slade folded his arms across his chest as he sighed. He really did the memory wrong, didn't he? Slade reached around and scratched the back of his neck. ​
 
The color drained out of Tristan’s face when his father’s icy voice reached his ears. Speak of the devil, and he will appear. Tristan smashed his cigar into the ashtray, snuffing it out. He had locked eyes with Valcan when Josh fired off with a round of harsh statements.

Tristan struggled with the Beetlejuice comment. Even though he had spent considerable time with Muggles, the reference was lost on him. At his side, Brunhilde laughed out loud- not a common occurrence. She was positively smirking. Must have gotten the joke.

In this situation, Tristan felt that civility would be the best course of action. He was deflated and hurting; definitely not raring for a fight. All he managed was a quiet, “Far,” before his sister cut in.

“You have no good reason to be here,” Brunhilde snapped. “You’re not here to grieve with and comfort Tristan. Or anyone else suffering over Julie’s death.” She sat up even straighter in her chair, which Tristan didn’t think was possible. “Have you cared to check in with your youngest?” she sneered, “No, because Julie and Tristan stepped in as parents where you would not. As far as he is concerned, he lost a mother today. You have abandoned him as well.”

Brunhilde was the type to linger and watch, not directly intervene. On top of that, she had not been to visit in years, and hardly involved herself with her family. Clearly, though, she was observant and cruel when she needed to be. Being defended by others was a novel feeling. Tristan swallowed hard and waited for the aftermath.

@Joshua Hanson @Sumner Drage
 
Christian rose his wand and cast a Muffling Charm as Estrella’s sons and Kalif Styx filed outside. Next, he clouded the patio door with a Disillusionment Charm so curious attendees would not be able to spy on the interactions. He locked the door with Colloportus for good measure. Nothing a simple Alohomora could not reverse if things went south.

Sitting on the built-in bench in the shadows, he watched and waited. Christian was here to bear witness and step in if need be. True, he was nothing like his parents, no fearsome wizard. His casting skills were average at best. But he felt that he needed to stand in for his sister.

Christian then noticed the glint of a ring on Slade’s finger- a dragon swallowing its tail. Oh, Slade, what have you done? Estrella had raised her four children with love and fair discipline; it seemed that her youngest boy could also have done with a smack every now and then.

“Fool,” Christian muttered under his breath.

@Slade Drage
 
Lydia felt the urge to vomit as Seth whisked her out of her chair. Miraculously, she managed to hold it down. She was a runt compared to her siblings. Unless her wand was at hand, she was at the mercy of all three. She could- and did- best them at magic, no contest, but not when her blood was saturated with alcohol.

Bleary-eyed, she looked from Seth, to Olivia, to Slade, to Kalif Styx. Fear gripped her. She’d been warned about this. Except, her thoughts and memories were all swirling and blending together.

“He made Dad a cripple.” But that was speculation, not fact, and liquor had twisted the truth. Out of her right mind, she reached for the notebook in her pocket. She’d cast an Extension Charm on her midnight purple dress beforehand to carry what she needed; after all, dresses without pockets were useless. The notebook was something she’d been tasked to share with all three of her siblings, and hadn’t. As she pulled at it with inappropriate force, it fell from her hand and flopped onto the ground, lying page-up. Estrella’s handwriting was clear as day even in the firelight.

Then, clumsily, Lydia reached for her wand.

@Professor Kalif Styx
 
Olivia hardly had time to register her sister’s accusation before the notebook crashed to the ground. She would recognize her mother’s neat writing anywhere. Olivia had been scolded repeatedly for her messy scrawl, but she’d never corrected it. What is this?

But Olivia didn’t have time to reach for it, or ask, when she noticed Lydia fumbling with her wand. “Lydia, don’t!” Olivia shouted.

Her younger sister’s wand arm was scary; she had a mix of raw power and talent with spells that blew the rest of her siblings, maybe even their mother, out of the water. Altered as she was, it was downright terrifying.

@Professor Kalif Styx
 
It seemed as though Slade finally got the picture. It did not go unnoticed as the Dolohov boy decided to cast some spells to give them some privacy, as well as the notebook with Estella's handwriting. However. This whole situation had the Slytherin Head of House uncomfortable enough, so he always had a way to leave the situation before it got out of hand. He did narrow his eyes at Lydia's accusation, which brought back that memory. It was entirely false, since Kalif did not touch Jaken at all. It was Hades, and the direct order came from his father. However, even he knew, it would not have happened had he just stepped in. In a way, perhaps it was Kalif's wishes. Who knew at this point. Kalif let out a sigh as he took in the image of Jaken's children. It was clear who took after which side. Kalif gestured with his hand and conjured a small card with the address to the school. He held it out for Slade to take, which he did.​
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"This is not the time for me to go into details. You all need to go in there and honor your grandmother. Considering my profession, send an owl to the school if you wish. After that, we can set up a time so that you may return to know more about your father's history. I don't know what your mother wrote, but I am sure that if it has to do with my family, I can shed some light on it. Until then, I do have work to do at the school." Kalif pulled out a small trinket that he swiftly activated as a portkey. "Slade, if you drag me to another funeral in the muggle world, especially in the Drage family, I will not be as forgiving or as calm." In seconds, Kalif was gone.​
 
By default, Valcan’s demeanor was cold and uninviting. Only the rarest of company could bring out his softer side. This group of witches and wizards did not make the cut- even though three were related to him by blood. Still, the corners of his mouth turned down just so, the furrows in his brow deepening.

Although Tristan’s insufferable friend did not know it, Valcan did keep track of his family. By the year, they were multiplying and spreading across the globe. Unfortunately, not all were worth his time. He was embarrassed to claim several of his descendants, especially the dimwits, dead-ends, and disappointments.

“I could tell you, if I thought I should waste my breath,” Valcan said drily, his accent heavy, “but there are only so many worth counting.”

He narrowed his eyes at Brunhilde, his only daughter; who fell simultaneously into all three of the above-mentioned categories. They had spoken few words to each other over the decades. He set his jaw, responding with only silence. It was a language she knew well.
 
Josh snorted as Valcan downplayed the fact that his next generations were growing again. He figured it out quickly when he saw Lily munching on crackers. With all the food around and she chooses something dry and bland? Must be pregnant again. He was extremely happy for the couple. This would make 10 in their family and enough for Sumner to field his own quidditch team someday. He looked at Tristan and rolled his eyes. Valcan has not changed at all. "So what are you doing here then? It's not like you respected Julie and Tristan as a couple. If you came to gloat, you can follow Styx out the door."
 
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