Closed Reaching Out

[Professor Minnie Calida]

The events of the last quidditch game had lingered in Minnie’s mind. Prior to this year she wouldn’t have cared about Blake or what he was doing but the heta omega had unfortunately caused their lives to collide and she felt a little more sympathy for his obvious plight. She didn’t know what his home life was like, but given what he’d said to her to get punched, his apology, she could piece together perhaps just what was going on. She hoped that things would be easier for him moving forward but she had to imagine that he’d be doing it without his parents. Knowing to some extent, for completely different reasons, what that felt like Minnie wanted to reach out, but wasn’t sure how. She didn’t want to pass a message through Lars, not wanting to admit to lars anything about her home life beyond what he knew already, so whenever and where-ever she was studying she was on the look out for Blake. Eventually a few days after the game she spotted him just as she was heading away from the hall and back to the library. ”Blake!” she called out with a slightly frazzled tone, her revision and working towards her OWLs was making her more stressed and it was pretty visible on her but she pushed it down. ”You got a moment?” she approached him slightly, her tone more neutral and she flashed a short, quick smile to appear a little friendlier. ​

 

[Blake van Houten]

Blake felt as though he had existed on a knife's edge ever since the Quidditch match against Gryffindor. He was elated, nearly overwhelmed by the weight that had lifted from his shoulders. And yet at the same time... Blake hadn't even seen his little sister since the match, but he had no doubt a letter had already made its way home with news, and he also knew what that meant. The silence from his family wasn't what he had expected, but it was somehow even more chilling. Hopefully it wouldn't matter in the long run though; Blake had already arranged to spend the upcoming holidays with Lars' family, and though that brought a whole new kind of fear, Blake knew he wouldn't have to worry about his own family's opinions if he just avoided them. He had been desperately trying to learn as much Dutch as he could from Lars before the trip, hoping the culture shock visiting the other side of the world wouldn't be too bad. As he was running through a few different phrases under his breath on the way back in from practicing, Blake was surprised to hear his own name. He looked up in fear, relieved when he realised who was calling out to him. "Oh, hey." Blake said, greeting Minnie with a slightly nervous smile. While he thought they had left things on some kind of understanding, Blake didn't know how the Ravenclaw would feel about him dating her co-captain. "What's up?"

 

[Professor Minnie Calida]

Minnie gave a little nervous smile, somewhat matching the same smile Blake was giving back to her. ”Hey,” she repeated before giving a little cough to clear her throat trying to now find the right words. ”I ehhh, I wanted to reach out, just because from our last conversation and the stuff at the quidditch match…,” Minnie paused, ”Parents can be really harsh when you aren’t following the set values and paths they laid out..” she wanted to say that their situations were so impossibly different, but it felt a little redundant to say so..but she thought it might still be good. ”I know it’s different situations…” she stopped opting to not say any more. ”Just you know, if ever you need to chat or vent….or need me to punch someone….owls can find people even if you don’t know where they are…” Minnie finished, with a little smile. She didn’t want to offer advice or give anything else, but just know that there was someone else he could reach out to. She had even tried to make a little joke about it too. Mostly she just knew how lonely and isolating to be cast away from family could be and didn’t necessarily want Blake to have to. She knew he perhaps had Lars but she thought it still worthwhile to check from an outsider's perspective. ​

 

[Blake van Houten]

Blake's nerves relaxed slightly as Minnie met his smile with one of her own, though he didn't entirely relax. He was absolutely certain what Lars' friends thought of him, rightfully so, and he wasn't expecting any warm welcomes. Even given their last conversation, he was fairly sure Minnie wasn't his biggest fan right now. So he was surprised when she spoke, and it quickly became clear that she was here to offer support. "Oh..." He said hesitantly, and a small, embarrassing part of Blake felt almost like he was going to cry. He had been doing his best not to think about his family, hard as it was, and having someone not just support him but understand, it was overwhelming for a moment. Blake swallowed the feelings down quickly though and nodded, laughing softly at her comment about punching people. "Thank you." He said sincerely, heart warm. He realised abruptly that other than Lars, he didn't think anyone had actually cared about him before, and the feeling was both strange and welcome. "I, uh... I'm spending the holidays with Lars' family. Figured it's probably best to just... not go home." He said far more casually than he felt, hoping Minnie wouldn't linger on the subject. "But... hey, for real, same to you." He added, meeting her eyes. Knowing they were in similar boats, he realised the thought of Minnie going home for the holidays was a worrying one, and he knew he couldn't let the conversation end without extending the same offer. "I'm not gonna be able to apparate until August, but... you know, there's floo and stuff." He said haltingly. "If you need someone in your corner, I mean. I'm always around."

 

[Professor Minnie Calida]

Minnie gave him as encouraging a smile as she could currently, but she felt somewhat reassured that her words were getting where they needed to be. That he seemed thankful for them, rather than perhaps annoyed or anything. Minnie nodded, she hadn’t been sure why in their relationship Blake and Lars were but she was glad that Blake had somewhere to go, that he wouldn’t have to deal with his family at all and instead could be with another. She trusted Lars and trusted that if he liked Blake then Minnie could too. Ever if they’d gotten off to a rocky start. ”I’m glad you have somewhere to go, Lars’ family sound really nice,” Minnie knew a good number of them because she knew Lars. She gave a little frown as he returned it to her, offering someone in her corner and her stress and worry about being at home washed over her, she knew she had people she could turn to, even someone else now, but no one understood and she didn’t want to place the burden on anyone else. ”It’s fine,” she was quick to say though her tone and expression likely indicted the opposite. Minnie composed herself again, taking a deep breath in and flashing a mostly fake smile. ”I’m sure once I’ve hopefully gotten my OWLs, then things will be okay, they’ll love..,” she stopped herself from finishing the sentence, she already knew it was a lie, something that would never happen, and just shook her head lightly, ”I do appreciate it though Blake,” She stepped back, ”Good luck on your exams,” ​

 

[Blake van Houten]

Blake nodded at Minnie's statement, relieved she hadn't pried more into his own family. Truth be told, Blake didn't really know if Lars' family were going to be especially nice to him, particularly the ones who knew him from school, but Blake would keep that particular worry to himself. Worries he didn't want to keep to himself, though, were the ones that boiled in the back of his mind as Minnie spoke. It was painfully clear and achingly familiar how unhappy she was, and Blake nodded a little warily. "I'm... being serious." He said slowly as she stepped back, needing to make sure she understood. "I... get what it's like, Minnie. And I just..." He trailed off, shrugging slightly. "I've got your back if you need someone. I mean it."

 

[Professor Minnie Calida]

Minnie just nodded, ”I know,” she said in reply, but she couldn’t say that it didn’t matter how many people were on her side, in her corner, there to help her, she knew that she had to go home, she had to try. She had to just try, she felt pointlessly hopeful that this might help her, that if she managed to do well, then maybe she would fix things. There was still a chance, she was telling herself. Minnie gave a little smile and an awkward little wave. ”I’ll see you around Blake,” she walked away and headed back to where her work was so she could get back to study. ​