Make this Place your Home

[Monty Pendleton]

It seemed to Montgomery only yesterday that the idea to foster Saveli Matveev had made its first passing through his mind, and, though it had, in fact, been nearly seven months since this moment, he was no less frightened by the idea now than he had been then. The house was, by Monty's standards, ready; Saveli's bedroom had been decorated in the neutral hues of green, pink, and blue, that could not be taken offence to on the grounds of being 'too feminine' or 'not feminine enough'; and whilst no welcoming banner or balloons had been hung at the door, he knew with a fair degree of certainty that such customaries would have been superfluous. His opening of both his home and his heart were all the Slytherin needed to know that she was welcomed there.

Before he apparated away, the Inventor took one last lingering look around his house. He stood in the living room doorway and soaked in its silence, and then went to the kitchen to breathe in the smell of solitude. Though he had in the years ahead plenty to look forward to, the disruption of his privacy and isolation was certainly going to take some getting used to. Had he not grown accustomed to the constant company of the children and professors at Hogwarts New Zealand, he doubted he'd ever have entertained the thought of sharing his home with another. With a pensive smile, Monty closed his eyes and vanished.

A sharp crack outside Miss Byrne's orphanage alerted its residents to Monty's arrival. There was the movement of faded yellow curtains at one of the windows, and then the door was pulled open. Monty noticed as he stepped into the hallway that Miss Byrne's sullen temper had been greatly improved by the thought of relinquishing one of her children. He stood where he was whilst Saveli was called, holding his slightly shaking hands behind his back and taking several deep breaths to slow the racing of his heart. When she appeared, his mouth was tugged into an involuntary smile. "Hello. Are you ready?"

 

[Saveli Pendleton]

There was a still excitement that raged in Saveli's body as she packed her things. It didn't matter what the other orphanage children said. They told her he wasn't really coming but she wasn't going to listed to that. Monty had promised to come on the twenty seventh of December. Since the day he'd taken her to town and gotten her a christmas gift, she'd been recieveing hell from many of the occupants. Saveli had even gotten a switching for hexing a particularly nasty, chubby girl. It wasn't as if it was Saveli's fault - the greasy haired witch had called Monty crazy for fostering someone like her. As it stood, Monty was now Saveli's family - and absolutely no one got away with making fun of her family but her.

The blonde had everything she owned packed into one small suitcase, and wore what she considered to be her best dress robes. It was hours before Monty was supposed to arrive she was sure, and while she was overly warm in the orphanage, she was sure once she got outside it would be a relief. Time ticked by and when 9am rolled around and she still hadn't been called for the petite Slytherin began worrying that he'd decided last minute not to go through with this. The children whom she shared a room with watched her, as well as the clock, and began to whisper as she sat on the edge of her bed. Waiting. Five minutes passed and still no Monty - then ten. There was a sudden gust of air as the operator of the run down orphanage entered and Saveli jumped to her feet. She didn't even wait to see if that was the reason the woman was in the room before making a dash down the stairs with her bags. Wand, check, diary, check, clothing, check, everything was as it needed to be. Once she made it into the foyer she saw her Professor standing there. He then asked the dumbest question she'd ever hear, and Saveli responded in the most cheerful voice she'd ever used in front of him.

"Hell yes!"

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty being a particularly punctual man, it was only by heedless lack of notice in the time that he was ever late for anything. He'd not intended to arrive ten minutes after the appointed time, nor even realised that he had, and thus the absence of his apology was not out of any discourtesy to Saveli. Her excitement deepened the indentations around his smile, and he felt for the first time since it had all begun that he might actaully have been making a positive difference to her life.

The breath Monty drew in to speak was interrupted by a young voice in the doorway to his left. "See you next week, Saveloy," said a scrawny, dark haired boy, his arms folded triumphantly over his chest. The Professor turned to the sound with great curiosity. "Why's that?" he asked cheerfully. "Are you popping round for tea?" Scowling, the boy skulked back into the living room and slammed the door shut behind him. Monty looked very pleased. "Have you ever apparated before?" he asked Saveli as he turned his face and attention back to her. When she shook her head, he gave an apprehensive nod. "Well, er, just hold on tight." With several polite words of parting to Miss Byrne, who responded by waving her hands at them like she was shooing away stray dogs, the Professor held out his arm for the girl to take, and together they disappeared from the orphanage for what they both hoped would be the very last time.

Godmods approved

 

[Saveli Pendleton]

The blonde nearly whipped out her wand at the insult. See her next week? The scowl on her face though was replaced with surprise as she heard Monty speak to the boy instead. Perhaps Monty was more dastardly than she thought? Especially to be able to make Jayson - the kid whom had insulted her - shut his trap with an indignant look. The blonde felt triumphant for herself and Monty. She would have high fived him had her thoughts not been interrupted by his question of apparating. The blonde made a face and shook her head. Apparating sounded very unpleasant, and she was sure she'd never done it or she's probably remember.

The man, nevertheless, offered Saveli an arm, and as if she knew that she was in for the biggest adventure in her life she smiled and away they went. Apparating was one of the most unpleasant feeling sin the world, though Saveli as they finally landed, and had she not been squeezing Monty's arm for dear life she might have hit the ground. Instead she squeezed her eyes shut until she could be told that she could open them.

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty hadn't realised just how seriously Saveli had heeded his advice until they landed at the path to his front door. He grinned, looking down at the top of her head. His house wasn't spectacular, but it was by no means small, either; and since Arvo, Damide, and their friends and families had helped repair it, it stood on the end of the peaceful street with a certain air of majesty that not even a dreary grey sky could dampen. Owing to the time of year there were few flowers arranged in the front garden, but a brilliant blanket of red ivy did crawl up the front and sides of pale stone walls, framing the windows and giving the building the sense that it had integrated into the nature and countryside surrounding it.

They had apparated to a small suburb within the county of Hampshire in which the houses were few and spread widely apart, which meant that each resident was supplied with a fair deal of privacy without ever feeling too isolated or lonely. Of course, Monty hadn't really acquainted himself with his neighbours, and since his own house was imbued in charms to keep muggles from noticing anything unusual going on inside it, nobody ever thought to introduce themselves to him, either. Overall, it was a very pleasant neighbourhood, and one that Monty hoped Saveli would be content to call her home for at least a few years to come. "You can open your eyes, now," he told her, his heart thudding with excitement as he studied her face for her reaction.

 

[Saveli Pendleton]

Saveli opened her eyes and loosened her grip on Montgomery's arm, but still didn't let go, as if afraid she'd be blown away by some unknown force. The blonde's blue eyes focused before her on the house and her jaw nearly dropped open. of course Saveli hadn't expected him to live in a hovel, however what she saw was more beautiful than she'd imagined his house to be. The ivy gave an antique touch to the seemingly three story house, and she could see an area that almost looked like a garden which had few plants in it, but still looked like it could be wonderful in the spring. Saveli had imagined his house to be shaped like something out of a children's book, but it's walls were not curved and circular, and instead normal. It was a beautiful house. After a moment of silent admiration of the house in front of her she let go of Monty's arm and wandered forward a bit to take a look around the neighborhood. Neighbors were spread out on one side of the house, giving the air of seclusion to where Monty lived. Everything was lovely compared to the small-ish house she and her parents had lived in in Ireland.

"This place is huge!" She nearly cheered in excitement, as it was much larger than anywhere she had lived - even than the orphanage. "How many bedrooms does it have? Can we go in? Does the garden grow ingredients for potions?" A thousand questions raced from Saveli's mouth as she turned to her new guardian, curious as always.

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty released a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding, grinning at his foster daughter's excitement. It still felt a little surreal to comprehend that this was what Saveli was - his foster daughter - but despite his initial anxiety, the thought now brought him nothing but joy. He watched her look over his house and the surrounding neighbourhood, laughing at her remark and the many subsequent questions had had for him. "Er, you know, I don't actually know," he said, the tone of his voice suggesting he'd never considered how many bedrooms his house might have had before. He hastened to elaborate. "There wasn't very much furniture when I moved in. I suppose there's room for five or six, but as it currently stands, only two actually have beds in them." Monty smiled, for only one room had contained a bed until a few weeks ago. He gestured down the path with his hand. "Of course," he said, walking to the front door and fishing his keys from his jacket pocket to unlock it. One of the downsides of living in a Muggle populated suburb was that performing magic outside the house was completely out of the question.

At the public mention of potions ingredients, the Professor glanced nervously over his shoulder, but fortunately there was nobody around who could have overheard them. "No - I'm afraid I'd poison the wildlife," he told her, pushing open the dark green door and letting Saveli step into the hall before him. "Besides, I'm not really here often enough to tend to- ah! That's the living room." Monty closed the door behind him and brushed his feet on the mat. The entire house had rather a nineteenth century feel about it, though the carpets were mostly cream to compensate for the dark antiquity of most of the furniture. Unlike many houses of its kind, its air did not seem polluted with dust, but rather possessed a fresh brightness that made quite a contrast to the grey day outside. Monty hung his jacket by the door, suddenly feeling as if he were the guest in someone else's home. This was going to take some getting used to. He showed her the kitchen, the second reception room that had been converted into a small makeshift library with a single armchair beneath the window, the downstairs bathroom, the conservatory, and then led her back into the hallway where they had begun. "And, uh, your bedroom is upstairs - second on the right," he told her, lingering nervously by the bottom of the stairs.

 

[Saveli Pendleton]

Saveli was in obvious awe at the fact that he wasn't even sure how many bedrooms the house could have. He could be sleeping in a different room every night if he wanted to. Saveli had only had her own bedroom in her other house because the twins shared a room - something they hated. She had always been spoiled though, until her father found out her mother's dirty little secret. The two that had beds in them were of course hers and his, she inferred, and another rumble of excitement (and perhaps hunger) ruptured through her as she thought of the fact she'd have her own room again. Sure she boarded with others at Hogwarts but that was different. The people she roomed with knew better than to encroach on her things - the orphans that she'd briefly lived with had no idea to stay out of her things or she'd hex them with a vengeance. Of course this all under semi-supervision of the broad that ran the joint. A switching would always result but it was generally worth it.

The blonde made her way up the front walkway to the door, more than ready to see what this house had inside. She listened to Monty vaguely, looking around the antique house. It was wonderful. The air seemed clear, not dusty as she'd imagined - or smelling of potion ingredients. She smiled looking around in awe, and for a moment thoughts she'd just duck into the library and stay there until every book was read. However, when she glanced back at Monty, whom spoke about her bedroom, she knew the books would have to wait. The petite Slytherin only made it halfway up the stairs before realizing that her new guardian was hovering down at the bottom of the stairs. "You're not scared to be in my room now that it's mine are you. Come on, you're the one who put the bed in it!" She spoke, nodding him to follow her. She really only expected that, a bed in the corner, not even a dresser if she was honest. It would be more than she'd ever asked for if it had blankets too. So with that thought she lugged her tiny luggage up the stairs with her, and waited for Monty before even entering her new bedroom.

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty laughed at the carpet, but still didn't move. "No, I just..." he began, trailing off when he looked up and saw that Saveli had already disappeared up the stairs and out of sight. Drawing in a deep breath, the Professor followed her to the landing, where he paused nervously again beside the wooden banister. The doors that led off in every direction were all but one closed, the open one being that that led to the bathroom. To the far left and beside a tall window a wooden spiral staircase ascended to the attic, where a vast workshop accommodated Monty's half started and half finished inventions. It was an unusual feature that, despite now looking somewhat out of place in the slightly modernized house, Monty was grateful Arvo had kept. The house had plenty of these little peculiarities, though some were not so obvious as to immediately meet the eye.

Realising he was keeping Saveli waiting, Monty cleared his throat and went to her bedroom door to open it. He withdrew back out onto the landing and gestured that she should go in, watching quietly as she laid her eyes upon the room for the very first time. He'd done his best to decorate it with what limited knowledge and resources he'd had, but he still wasn't entirely convinced she would be pleased with it. The walls had been charmed a pale shade of sky blue, and her brass framed bed lain with a variety of pastel quilts and cushions. Several empty photo frames hung on the walls and above a dresser that looked suspiciously as if it might have been made out of a refurbished trunk. There was a tall, standing mirror in the far corner, next to which was a writing desk and wooden chair. Being at the back of the house, the bedroom's large window was circular, and looked out over the garden and the willow sheltered creek that ran through the end of it. It probably wasn't exactly what she'd hoped for, and thus it was with a tone of uncertainty that Monty said: "I hope it's all right."

 

[Saveli Pendleton]

Saveli was nearly bouncing off the walls waiting. Why was Monty so hesitant to show her the room? Had he not actually put a bed within it yet? The more she waited the more anxious she became. Finally the older man made his way up the stairs and Saveli bit back a snarky remark about breaking his hip on the way up. While she thought Monty would know it was a joke she didn't want to ruin the moment. Finally the room was unveiled and Saveli looked within, stepping inside slowly.

The blonde's eyes flickered from the walls which were the loveliest shade of blue, to her bed which had actual blankets, and pillows on it. The pillows even had pillow cases. Her trunk left her hand as she moved about the room, speechless, and touched things. The photographs, the beautiful dresser that looked hand made, and lastly she made her way over to the window. She pushed it open tentatively and let a cool breeze blow in and breathed in the outside air. It smelled so beautiful. The woman shut the window so as to conserve heat and turned to Monty with small tears burrowed into her ducts. Then, without much thought rushed to her suitcase and began rummaging for something. Finally she pulled out the very old fashioned looking, Polaroid camera. The old muggle technology had belonged to her mother, and she had taken it as a bit of vengeance, and a bit to remember her old life by. She opened up a little thing on top and out popped a small mirror and she stood by Monty on her tip toes. "Say cheese!" She spoke eagerly, before flashing a photo that came out of the front of the camera.

Once the picture was out she waved it about to dry it and showed it eagerly to him, and then rushed across her room once more, opening up a frame and sticking the still image in. Once it was up on the wall she smiled and placed a hand over her mouth, before nearly reducing to tears. This was perfect. She was... home.

 

[Monty Pendleton]

When Monty saw the tears in Saveli's eyes, he briefly feared she might be about to ask him to take her back to the orphanage. But then she rushed to her suitcase, and he watched curiously as she rummaged around for something. "Wha-" Monty began to say, which made for a very awkward moving photo, but at least the two of them were grinning. He continued to smile as Saveli framed the photo and hung it back up on the wall. After lingering inside the door a moment longer, he said, "I'll, er, leave you to unpack," and then went, still smiling, back downstairs to make tea for the both of them.