Closed Steady by My Side

[Odette Madison]

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Odette had been living in Maria's house for a few weeks and she was slowly starting to get used to the day-to-day life here. It was different, sharing a house with other kids her age. Even though she had discovered she had two half-siblings, Odette had never had to share her living space with them. At Hogwarts she had her dormitory, of course, but that was at school. Here it was just strange, and took some getting used to. But Odette did like Maria's kids, the youngest two were really sweet. Charlie she wasn't so sure of yet, but the girl had never tried to bother her or be mean to her so that was something. Her mother's death still hurt and confused her, but at least there was a lot of activity here that distracted her from that.

Today, Odette would have a visitor, and she was very excited. Seeing Margo again after a few weeks would be wonderful, and she could show her friend she was fine here. Margo had looked at her with a concerned frown on her face lately, and she wanted it to go away. She was glad her friend cared about her well-being, but she also didn't want her to be too worried about her. If there was anything Odette could do, it was take care of herself. The girl was sitting in the kitchen, impatiently glancing at the clock. She would wait in her room, but she was scared she would miss the doorbell if she did. When it sounded, she called out. "I'll get it!" And raced to the door before Emily could have the chance to intercept. She opened it and smiled at the sight of her best friend, immediately pulling her into a hug. "Hi." She muttered into Margo's hair.

 

[Margo Ellis]

After weeks of selfishly worrying that Odette was going to move away, Margo was beyond relieved when she found out her friend was going to live with Maria Madison, the school counsellor. The arrangement was only temporary, Odette had said, but the fact there might be solutions that didn't involve her moving across the world was enough to completely reignite Margo's spirits. And who knew? Maybe temporary would become permanent.

Dressed in a plain black shirt and jeans, carrying a shoe-box wrapped in pink tissue paper, Margo took a deep breath and knocked on Maria's door. She'd never been to a staff member's house before, and it felt a little strange, but at the same time exciting. The family was expecting her, but she still wondered anxiously what she would say if one of Maria's other children opened the door - or Maria herself. But then the door opened, and it was Odette, and before Margo could open her mouth to say hello she was wrapped up in her best friend's arms. The Ravenclaw grinned, releasing one hand from the box to half-hug her back. Stupid box. Finally, reluctantly, she let go. "Hi," she said, glancing into the hallway behind. She couldn't help her curiosity; it was just so interesting to see where Odette was living now. "Um-" offering the shoe-box- "This is for you. But don't open it yet. Like - in a bit."

 

[Emily Madison]

A knock on the door! Emily knew Odette was expecting a friend over today, and would probably be waiting, but she wanted to answer it! Emily understood how important it was to respect Odette's space while she was settling into their home, but it was still hard not to be curious. She wasn't going to do anything intrusive, Emily knew well enough to respect people's space, but this was the perfect opportunity to learn a little bit about the new person in their home. She would just answer the door, introduce herself to Odette's friend, see what kind of friends Odette had. That was all. Nothing intrusive.

So as soon as there was a knock on the door Emily dropped the nailpolish she had been applying, ignoring the spill on her bedside table as she bolted out of her room and ran down stairs, eager to get to the door first. Unfortunately, Odette had been too quick, and Emily was halfway down the stairs when they came into sight. Well, she had gotten a glimpse, at least, and Odette's friend seemed nice. Not wanting to gawk at them, Emily turned around, yelling out to Mum, or Charlie, or whoever was listening as she left. "ODETTE'S FRIEND IS HERE!" Emily thumped back upstairs quickly, running back to her room to deal with the aftermath of whatever had happened to her nailpolish.

 

[Odette Madison]

Living in a new place was very different, even if it was as pleasant as Maria’s house was. So having Margo here, was amazing. Steady, comforting, familiar, Margo. Someone Odette knew she could lean on whenever she needed. She pulled away from the hug and gave Margo a smile, genuinely happy that she was here. The box was a surprise, but it was a sweet one and Odette took it from her with a nod. “Let’s open it in my room.” She said after a moment. She rolled her eyes a little at Emily’s shouting, but was glad the girl didn’t come to bother them. All she wanted right now was a private moment alone with her best friend. “Follow me, I’ll take you to my room and we can hang out there for a bit.” She said, leading Margo into the house. She wondered what Margo was thinking as they moved up the stairs, and glanced backwards often to look at her face. There was something different about her appearance, but Odette couldn’t pinpoint what it was. Maybe it had just been too long since she had seen her friend, but she couldn’t help but think she looked older and more mature. Was she wearing makeup? Maybe differently than usual? Odette decided not to ask, in case it would sound like an insult. She stopped in front of the door to her room and opened it, letting Margo go in before her. It was still a little empty and didn’t really feel like hers, but she had unpacked most of the boxes now. Having her things from home around was a little comforting, so she hadn’t even thrown away the childish stuff she had kept from before she started Hogwarts. A few stuffed animals sat on a shelf, and with anyone but Margo, Odette would worry they would make fun of her for it. But she wasn't now. Odette gestured to the room. “Here it is…” She said with a small shrug. “Maria cleared out her home office for me. She’s… pretty awesome.” Odette took a seat on her bed and glanced at Margo. “Can I open this box now?”

 

[Margo Ellis]

Hearing somebody yelling inside, Margo blushed. There was something touching about being referred to as Odette's friend by one of her sort-of-siblings. She wondered how much Odette had told them about her, and hoped she hadn't mentioned anything embarrassing. Whether the arrangement ended up being temporary or not, Margo wanted to make a good impression on Odette's new family - or at least a better impression than the one she'd made on Odette's mother. She stepped inside and closed the door gently behind her, slipping off her shoes. Then she followed Odette upstairs. She had always felt a little uncomfortable in other people's homes. They smelled different, and felt different, and nothing felt comfortable or reassuring. Margo wondered whether Odette felt that way, or if she'd settled in already. The second time Odette glanced back at her, Margo grew self-conscious that she had something on her face or in her hair; and when her friend looked away, she ran a hand through her curls just in case. "Wow," she said, as they went into Odette's room. "It's really lovely. This is so nice. Did she really?" Margo made herself comfortable on the bed, tucking her feet up under her legs and doing a little bounce. "Yes! OK, so, I didn't really know what to get, but I wanted to make you, like, a moving-in package - like, of essentials and stuff." What she'd put in the box was a packet of tissues, a glittery notebook, a pack of rainbow gel pens, a little stuffed owl, two big bars of chocolate, and some Slytherin pyjamas. "Oh, and there's this coloured hairspray stuff - you just spray it on and wash it out - I thought we could, like, give ourselves matching streaks!"

 

[Odette Madison]

Having Margo in her new room caused a strange mixture of emotions to well up in Odette. The new room was still unfamiliar in many ways, new and strange. She had often found herself confused when waking up in the morning, taking a few minutes to remember where she was. But Margo was someone Odette had known since her first year at Hogwarts, nearly five years ago now. She knew now, looking back, that the girl had been her best friend from the start. It had just taken Odette longer to figure that out. But even in their first year, when Odette had been a lot meaner, Margo had had her back. She suddenly thought back to the time she had to apologize to the entire school, and how upset she had been after. Margo had comforted her then, even though Odette had deserved the punishment. She blinked and cleared her mind, forcing her brain to get used to the image of Margo in this room. She nodded in response to Margo’s question. “Yes, I feel a little bad because her two daughter share a room, but she assures me they prefer it that way.” Odette said with a small shrug. It made her glad to see Margo sit down on the bed and make herself comfortable. As soon as the girl said yes, Odette started tearing at the paper. She listened to Margo explain as she tore the paper away, touched by the gesture. Odette opened the box and a grin spread over her face at the sight of the presents Margo had picked out for her. She picked up the notebook and gel pens and put them aside before picking up the little owl. Not too long ago, Odette would have made fun of Margo for something like this. But now she held it close for a moment. “Thank you.” She said softly, noticing the chocolate and pajamas too. “This is so sweet, I’m sure it will help me feel at home much easier.” She put the owl on her pillow before looking in the box for the hairspray. “Let’s do matching streaks, yes!” She said with a grin. She grabbed the hairspray and held it up threateningly, meeting Margo’s gaze. “You first.” She said, wondering for a moment what Margo would look like with a different hair color. Probably still very cute, she decided. Her gaze lingered on her friend’s face for a moment too long, once again struck by how mature she suddenly seemed. Odette blinked and looked away, returning her focus to the box. “...Or I could go first.” She said quickly, mostly to have something to say. She recognized the feeling in the pit of her stomach as one she had felt around Harley before, but tried her best to squash it down. Margo was her best friend, there was no way she was going to ruin that. Ruining things with Harley had been bad enough.

 

[Margo Ellis]

There was a time Margo had often sneaked into Brogan's room to sleep on her floor, because she preferred it to being alone in her bed. Then one night, Brogan tripped over her on her way to the bathroom, and made such a fuss that their mother forbade Margo from sleeping in her sister's room again.

Margo watched Odette carefully as she sifted through her presents, relieved that she seemed to like them. Some of them were maybe a bit childish, but if Odette thought that, she didn't say so. Margo laughed, raising her hands to protect her face from the hairspray. When she lowered them again a few seconds later, Odette was looking at her. Looking at her in the way Margo looked at Odette when she wasn't looking. After a moment the Ravenclaw cleared her throat and tucked her hair behind her ear. "You first - it's your hairspray!" she said, taking the can from her and turning it over. "Do you think we should do this outside?" She gave the tin a shake, trying to stuff down her hope before it grew large enough to cause disappointment. "Oh, who cares. Where do you want a streak?"

 

[Odette Madison]

Odette was embarrassed by the earlier moment and made a point of not looking at Margo for a while, organizing the things she had received as a gift without really thinking about it. The presents were all very sweet, and Odette knew she would treasure each of them because of what they meant. Margo hadn't just given her glitter gel pens randomly and toughtlessly because they were cute, she had collected small things that would help Odette feel at home in a strange house. The gesture was much more important than the actual content of the box, and Odette was very grateful. She didn't want to make this moment weird, so tried to be extra enthusiastic and happy as Margo suggested she go first. The hairspray was teal, which was a nice color, and Odette really wouldn't mind having matching streaks for a while. "Inside is fine, unless your aim is really bad." She joked, giving Margo a quick flash of a smile before making a point of being distracted by something else again, no longer allowing her eyes to linger. "Maybe on my right side? Like here?" She lifted up a lock of her hair, looking at it. Not that long ago, she had dyed it a dark color to anger her mother. Now it was back to blonde, and the process of getting a streak of teal couldn't feel more different than the previous time she had changed her hair color. This was a fun, joyous moment.One she hadn't experienced in what felt like a long time. "Just don't spray it in my eyes, please."

 

[Margo Ellis]

Margo laughed. "I've never done this before," she said, using her free hand to help Odette separate a lock of hair. "Your hair is so soft. Do you have to use lots of products, or is it just soft naturally?" It was strange to have her hand so close to Odette's face - and then suddenly she was wondering what it would feel like to touch her cheek, cup her jaw, kiss her... She shook her head to snap herself out of it. "Well, close your eyes, then!" she said, grinning. She aimed the nozzle near the roots of Odette's hair and pressed down firmly, spraying the colour all the way down to her tips. It didn't look perfect, but it wasn't bad - especially seeing as it would disappear in a single wash anyway. Jumping up off the bed, Margo grabbed a small mirror from Odette's dresser and carried it back over. "What do you think?"

 

[Odette Madison]

Odette laughed too. "I have dyed my hair before, but that was different. Definitely not with a spray." Back when that had been going on, she hadn't been talking to Margo as much. She wondered if her friend though blond or dark hair looked better. Somehow, it mattered to her. "Do you like my hair better when it's blond?" She asked, glancing at her friend. The girl's comment about her hair being soft pleased her, and she smiled a little. "I use a few products... but not that many." She said shyly, not quite looking at Margo. There was a small moment of silence that felt strange, so Odette was relieved to close her eyes when Margo told her to. The sensation of the spray felt a little weird, but not unpleasant. When Margo was done, Odette opened her eyes and looked at herself in the mirror. She smiled, pleasantly surprised. "Not bad." She said, admiring herself for a moment before picking up the can. "Your turn. Close your eyes!"

 

[Margo Ellis]

Margo smiled, feeling strangely as if she were seeing a part of Odette that she had never revealed before - a soft, vulnerable, caring side. That wasn't to say Margo had never suspected it was there, or caught glimpses of it in the time they'd spent alone together, but it was the first time Odette didn't appear to be trying to hide it. Was that because she was away from the influence of her mother? Or did it mean she was comfortable with Margo? That she trusted her? Whatever it was, Margo prayed she wouldn't do anything to mess it up. "I think you look beautiful with blonde or brown hair," she said honestly. "But blonde is definitely the superior hair colour." Margo grinned, offering Odette the can. "OK, be really careful," she said, closing her eyes and covering them with her hands, just to be on the safe side.

 

[Odette Madison]

Maria's house had been welcoming from the start, but the longer she spent with Margo the more Odette started actually feeling at ease. It was nice, just hanging out together without any pressure or drama going on. She couldn't remember the last time this had happened, or the last time she had felt this comfortable. She pushed any bad thoughts to the back of her mind, determined to enjoy this moment. Margo's compliment made her blush a little, though she hoped her friend didn't notice. "You're right, blond is definitely better." She said with a nod, reaching up to touch Margo's hair briefly. After only a moment, she lowered her hand again, wondering if she had overstepped some sort of invisible line. She knew it was ridiculous, she would have to touch it too if she wanted to use the can. Odette rolled her eyes as Margo covered her eyes, taking the can. "You act like it's my goal to blind you." She said, though she couldn't help smiling a little. "You're such a wuss." She said fondly. Odette carefully took a lock of Margo's hair in her hand and started to spray from the roots to the tips. She lowered the can and admired her handiwork for a moment. "Okay, check it out."

 

[Margo Ellis]

Why did Margo get so nervous when Odette was close to her? It wasn't even exactly nervousness - more a fluttery, lightheaded feeling that spread through her entire body. She knew she was probably blushing, but covering her eyes with her hands helped conceal her rosy cheeks as well. "Just do it!" she said, laughing and trying to keep completely still at the same time. She flinched as she heard the spray, but then just like that it was done. Removing her hands, she picked up the mirror to see what it looked like. "It's perfect, I love it," she said sincerely. It was kind of a shame it would wash out so quickly. She wanted to match Odette for a bit longer. "Oh! Do you have a camera? Or does Maria? Let's take a photo!"

 

[Odette Madison]

Odette put the can down before she could accidentally spray the covers Maria had put on her bed, then looked at Margo with a grin. It felt nice to match with her best friend, and she thought Margo looked beautiful with the streak in her hair. She held the mirror up so they could both inspect themselves together for a moment, pulling a silly face. But as Margo asked her the question about the camera, her expression turned serious and she put the mirror down. "I have one, since recently." She said uncertainly. She glanced at a shelf on the wall, where a camera stood next to a pile of books. "Do you remember my brother? Half brother." She shrugged. "He... heard about what happened. He obviously couldn't take me in, but he did get in contact with Maria. And wrote me some letters too. Anyway, that's one of his old ones. He's really into photography and gave me that one, sort of as a gift." She hadn't used it yet, as she still felt a little weird about it. The fact that it was an old camera he didn't use anymore was the only reason she had even accepted it, as she didn't want Matthew buying gifts for her out of pity. She shook her head to clear away the serious mood she had created with her words, and got to her feet to grab it. She turned around with it pressed to her face, aiming it at Margo. "Say cheese!" She said, trying to go back to the more lighthearted mood from before.