Taking one for the team

[Chaser Reeves Rosendale]

With Aminia, it was as though time was stood still. Between the visits Chaser had with her, he would go on with his life at Hogwarts, with Linnux, with learning as much as he could even though he had no idea what on earth he was going to be doing with his future. All he knew was that he loved what he was doing right now, and when that meant spending time with those who made his days brighter there was nothing he had to complain about. It had been four months seen he'd last seen his girlfriend, and he couldn't wait to spend another day with her. They often had a lot going on as they approached the end of their education, but now that Chaser had just completed his OWLs and was about to head off into his sixth year, he was more excited than ever that he would one day be able to spend more than just a weekend with the blonde.

It may have only been six months since he had Aminia had made their status official, but whenever they spoke via owl he felt more certain that she was a missing link in his life. He'd never expected to fall in love, nor did he believe he knew what he was looking for when he found it, but there was something about the Ravenclaw that kept pulling him back to her. As a result, he'd agreed to make the step and meet her parents. It was important for Mini that he did so, and while the Gryffindor held more nerves than a cat in a bath, he was determined to push through the experience in the hope of strengthening their relationship. Not one to arrive empty handed, Chaser approached the door to Mini's house with a small bouquet of flowers behind his back as he stood on the porch. He'd knocked firmly and waited for someone to answer, only now considering how awkward it would be if anyone but the Ravenclaw answered.
​

 

[Aminia Rosendale]

Aminka was dreadfully nervous, and overly upset with her mother. She should have figured, assumes that her mother wasn't planning on being present, but it didn't hurt the Ravenclaw any less. The blonde primped and prepped herself, dressing semi-formally for the meeting. Her father sat in his office, preparing himself as well. Aminia only hoped that he and Chaser got along. As the time of Chaser's arrival grew near Aminia felt butterflies growing in the pit of her stomach, realizing just how long it had been since she'd seen Chaser, since she had kissed him and hugged him, and breathed in the scent of his cologne. She had missed him terribly.

The blonde heard the knock, having been stood right by the door in waiting. Impatiently she ripped it open and lunges to wrap her arms around Chaser, knowing that any kind of contact with her father in the room would be forbidden. "I missed you." She whispered. Pulling back she smiled. "My dad is upstairs but he's going to be coming down. I am certain he heard you knock. So let me do this while I still can!" She spoke, before kissing him on the lips, taking her own breath away as she did so.

 

[Chaser Reeves Rosendale]

Chaser didn't have to wait long for his arrival to be noted. Barely more than a few seconds even. As the door was flung open, his whole face lit up as Aminia greeted him, one arm wrapping around her waist as she pulled him close to her. "I've missed you too," he said, adding a small kiss on her neck, not even caring whether any member of her family had been stood behind her in the doorway. As she pulled away, Chaser's heart skipped a beat as he was able to take in her features again, feeling as though she got more beautiful every time he saw her. He knew that her father wouldn't want to see them too close together, and he'd not been expecting to be able to kiss her at all until they were next able to get away, and so he gladly sunk into her kiss, his other hand joining the first, the sound of the cellophane crinkling as he moved the flowers. He would never tire of being with Aminia and he only hoped he was about to live up to his expectations.

"I love you," he whispered quietly against her before he could stop himself. He had told himself to stay cool during this meeting, but that had quickly evaporated at her sight. Taking a moment to pull himself together, and lean a little way from her in order to give her flowers, he hoped she would like them. "To make up for Valentines day," he added with a smile, before glancing over her shoulder as he recalled where exactly he was, and that he better get a grip if he wanted to do anything close to impress her parents.
​

 

[Fyodor Macksimov]

A headache. That was what Fyodor felt the arguement between he and his wife had been. It shouldn't have been a fight in the first place, Fyo knew better than to try and convince her to stay and meet the boy Aminia claimed to be in love with. The man sat in his office, staring at paperwork, trying not to wrinkle his suit that Aminia of course made him wear. This boy must have had some social standing if she was so concerned about his dress, right? The overly large man stood at the sound of a knock, just down the stairs from where his open office door was. Then he heard his daughters voice. If he went down now he was sure to be enraged, and thus he counted to ten.

At the end of his count Fyodor made his way down the stairs, shifting sideways in order to fit his broad shoulders comfortably. Many accused him of having giants blood, to which the ex lifter only bellowed a laugh. It was hard work that got him to this size. Finally he came within view, towering behind his daughter, whom he put a hand on the shoulder of. Nearly a foot taller than the pair he glanced down, noting the roses the man was holding out for Mini. They were slightly crumpled. Pathetic.

 

[Aminia Rosendale]

Aminia felt an indescribable warmth spread through her at hearing the words "I love you". She knew that Chaser had said it before, but it didn't mean she felt any less emanated by the statement. He was something else, to make her feel so wanted and important. As more than just a dancer. The blonde smiled, rose pink lips splitting to reveal her pearly whites. It was obvious she had gone through great length to look her best, she only hoped he knew it was mostly for him. Partly for dancing of course - but Chaser took the number one priority. The blonde opened her mouth to speak when a large hand clamped gently on her shoulder.

"Daddy!" She said a mix of shock and embarrassment flooding her. "Chaser, this is my father." She spoke nervously, moving to the large man's side. "Daddy, this is achaser, the boy I told you about. Chaser my mom decided not to join us, but my father was excited to meet you, right?" She asked, earning a look from her father that asked her not to test his patience.

 

[Chaser Reeves Rosendale]

At the sound of footsteps, Chaser looked up and swallowed hard. The Gryffindor had never considered himself to be particularly small, but when Aminia's father stepped up beside his daughter he was sure that his bones would be crushed immediately if he so desired. Feeling as though no matter what he did in that instance, he was never going to be able to pull himself back from the waves of inadequacy running through his veins, the Gryffindor did his best to flatten down the large amount of hair he had, trying any last attempt to seem more presentable that perhaps he really was. "Hi," was all that managed to leave his voice upon their introduction. His voice has lost all strength and came out in little more than a whimper. Glancing back down at his girlfriend, and knowing that if his best friend were here he'd be simultaneously hitting him over the head with a newspaper while trying to get him to make the most of having such an opportunity, Chaser stood up a little straighter in front of them both. "It's very good to meet you.. Sir." he said, adding on the title with much surprise to himself. Mini had told him about her father although meeting him in the flesh was something else. He just had to hope he would be leaving that day in one piece. "Oh, sure." While he had wanted to meet both of her parents at this meeting, he was quite sure that one would be quiet enough for now as it was.
​

 

[Fyodor Macksimov]

Fyodor's face turned from smile to stiff expression when his daughter tried to imply he felt excitement at meeting the bushy haired welp before him. Excitement wasn't the word. The man looked over her so called boyfriend, whose voice was weak as he greeted him. He was scared, it was obvious looking at the teen. Good. Fyodor at least knew if he was scared he would not take advantage of his flower. Aminia was the most like Fyodor out of all the daughters, and which Fyodor would never consider himself one to pick favorites, he knew he would relate most to Aminia. "You are the Chaser she has boasted so?" He asked, thick Russian accent almost hard to understand. The man removed a protective hand from his daughter and extended his hand to shake that of the teen, holding back a grin, as he planned to squeeze harder than what the person expected he was sure.

 

[Chaser Reeves Rosendale]

He looked angry. Chaser could have sworn that her dad looked angry. Pushing the flowers further into Minis direction so that he wouldn't have to just stand there gawking, he was about to introduce himself properly when Fyodor asked him a question. Or was it rhetorical? "I er, suppose I must be, that is unless.." Chaser was caught off from his sentence as he found his hand was taken in greeting, and unable to finish speaking he watched as the large muscular man enveloped his, willing him to not sense the slight movements now present in his own body as the adrenaline flew through him. There were tears in his eyes, although Chaser made every effort possible not to allow anyone to notice it. It's just for one evening he reiterated to himself, glancing to Mini with a plea in his pained smile, hoping that she was going to appreciate this.
​

 

[Aminia Rosendale]

Aminia smiled when her father shook his hand. That was a good sign right? The blonde seemed more than happy to take the flowers. "Thank you achaser, they are beautiful." She spoke, ignoring the wrinkled cellophane that had been pressed against her back. She looked at her father with hope in her eyes as Fyodor released Chaser's hand. "Shall we go to the kitchen? I cooked the meal, it is traditional pirozhki and borscht." She spoke, ignoring her own rule and grabbing Chaser by the hand to lead him to the kitchen and dining area. "This is where we eat family meals when everyone is here. Typically the house elves prepare the meal but I thought it would be nice if... I tried." She said, face reddening. She had changed so much over the course of a year, and the six months with achaser had been most of the difference. Trying hard to impress was never in her vocabulary, until she met Chaser.

 

[Fyodor Macksimov]

Fyodor knee in the moment the boy looked at his daughter that he had at least accomplished some fear. Which again reassured Fyo that his daughter would not get hurt. The man released the boy with ease and gave a half smirk that only achaser could catch. Following behind the two he ignored his daughter's hand in the boy's - so long as the contact went no further. He was proud of her for trying so hard to make food like she did, and knew that he needed to be respectful of the wishes she had. "What is it you are doing for a living?" He asked, wondering if the boy had a job, or if perhaps he was a student. He did not appear much older than his own seventh year daughter. He took a seat at the table, leaving Chaser and Aminia two seats next to each other.

 

[Chaser Reeves Rosendale]

Chaser grinned when Mini said the flower were beautiful, glad that he had something he could give her. Following behind the Ravenclaw, grateful that she'd clung to his hand to pull him away from her father, Chaser followed Mini into the kitchen where she'd been preparing the food. "You've been cooking? That means we're doomed then right?" he asked her quietly under his breath, joking of course but not wanting her father to get the wrong impression of him. "Smells amazing," he added loudly and honestly, even if he wasn't quite sure what pir-zok-hi was. Turning his attention to the room, it seemed like a nice place to hold the family gatherings, nothing like the cramped roof top he'd shown her the first day they'd met. Thinking back to his own home he felt once again as though he needed to be and have so much more if he were to be successful in the eyes of some of the Macksimov's. Chaser took a seat the table opposite her father, nervously looking around the room, or anywhere really that wasn't in his direct gaze despite being able to feel the mans eyeballs on him. His freedom didn't last long as he was soon asked another question, and one he probably should have been more prepared for. Of course he'd want to know that the boy his daughter had chosen had a career in mind if not one already. "At the moment in at Hogwarts Scotland," he said quietly, hoping that something would change the subject and he wouldn't need to persist too heavily in what his aspirations were after graduation. "Mini tells me you are, were, a heavy weight lifter?" he asked, doing his best to keep up a conversation that didn't involved him being dismantled before dinner was served.
​

 

[Aminia Rosendale]

Aminia gave her boyfriend a playful shove at his smart remark about her cooking. She had not kept it secret from him that she knew very little about adult life, having been fairly catered to most of her life. She's never even broken a bone, watched so carefully by her helicopter mother and protective father. The blonde smiled as he said it smelled amazing, requesting of a small house elf whom was outside the kitchen to grab their dishes, and then allow the house elves to help themselves. After all when mother wasn't home the house elves were often allowed to participate in festivities and the food they often cooked. Amoretta had started that, sneaking around behind mother's back and often making close friendships with the creatures that helped around the house. Aminia, if she were honest, had only recently started following suit, trying hard to be the person she felt Chaser saw in her.

Sitting and moving the napkin to her lap as was proper ettiquette, the blonde grinned at the attempted conversation. He remembered what she said? A hand made its way to Chaswr's knee, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Yes, that is how he met mother. Tell the story." She urged, a knowing twinkle in her eyes, Dad loved talking about meeting the love of his life.

 

[Fyodor Macksimov]

Fyodor watched the boy interact with his daughter, stern gaze following as he did not pull out Mini's chair, so instead with long legs he pushed it out gently. At the question of his former career he shifted, not often the kind to brag about his heavy weight times. "That was Lon who." He spoke gruffly, though an his daughtwr's plea, Fyodor's face softened into a smile. Thinking about his wife - the beauty that had stunned him into stupid silence over and over again. "Yes. That is how I met Aminia's mother. All three of my girls belong to her." He spoke, moving to allow a house elf to serve him. "She and I attended the same gym for months before I could talk to her, the blood of the Veela makes fools of greater men." He spoke, tucking his napkin in his lap and grabbing the water that was served, taking a drink for the crystalline glass. "She taught a dance class in the gym before becoming a renowned dancer. I took the class every Tuesday." He spoke with a laugh. "I am not a dance." He spoke. "But she thought that my trying ways were endearing. She soon came to my lifting competitions - she was a dumbbell for me sometimes. I would lift her in the air and she would pose and point her toes, so proud..." he spoke, already eating his food in between statements. "What are your intentions with my daughter?" He asked trying to stay on the path he'd put in his own head on how the conversation should go.

 

[Chaser Reeves Rosendale]

As Chaser kept his eyes on the man in front of him, he tried to ignore the movement of the chair beside him that could only have been done so from underneath the table, and then tried to remain calm as he felt Mini's hand on his leg, almost shooting straight out the chair from the shock of impact. "Hmm yeah," he smiled between his girlfriend and her dad, urging him to tell him the story. He'd already heard it once but he wasn't about to get in between a man and his beloved. Chaser watched as both he and Aminia seemed to put the napkins on their laps, and followed suit. Not a process he would usually have adhered to, but he wouldn't be taking any chances that day. When he mentioned he wasn't a dancer, Chaser couldn't help but let out a small snort of laughter at the image, although he quickly peered down at the table to hide his amusement, not wanting it to be picked up on. He began to relax again, thinking about how he had been so nervous for no reason, that her dad really did just want to meet him, although just when he thought he was in the clear, Fyodor asked the question he'd been dreading the most. On his face was fixed a smile, although a pink flush was raising to his cheeks and his eyes were darting between the pair with his head stuck motionless as wondered if it were possible to just apparate out the room. "My, intentions.." he repeated, now realising he should have paid more attention to Linnux, even if he had been joking. He could feel his heartbeat in his throat as he considered the best response, willing the aspect of his personality that made jokes to stay silent for a few minutes. "Well, I think that erm.." he paused, trying to gather his words, "Well I think we have a few things in common and we can be ourselves around each other," he began, turning to look at Mini properly as though requesting if he should stop speaking yet. "I want her to be happy, and be herself. I want to follow your rules too of course, and I wouldn't want to get in the way of anything and um," he cursed himself for not pre-practising this but he pressed on through his tomato coloured cheeks, "I really like her and my hope is that we can see where this takes us." His eyes returned nervously to those of her father, almost unable to breath as he watched for an sign that he needed to abandon his chair.
​

 

[Fyodor Macksimov]

The boy was so stiff, he seemed eager to follow the lead of his daughter and was a polite enough listener. The large gentleman grabbed the spoon nearest his plate and begun eating after he'd asked his question, ignoring the daggers Mini shot him with her amber eyes. The boy stumbled, fumbled and he could see in his nervous ways he was mentally cursing the question he'd been asked. Fyodor has to make sure that Aminia was safe. "You contradict yourself." He spoke the deep voice permeating an awkward silence brought by the boys speech. "My daughters are each unique. Aminia is the most like me. It does not matter if I say I do not like you she will continue to see you of her own free will." He spoke, eyes boring into Chaser. "However, if there ever comes the day that she returns home because you have decided to harm her, emotionally or otherwise, do not that I am not afraid of dementors." He spoke, gently raising his spoon to his mouth and slurping on the soup. "Further more, if for any reason you insult my wife when she meets you, by not being a gentleman to her or my daughter that will be the end of your hand holding days, do you understand, boy?" The man meant the best, but if he did not lay down the law someone might end up hurt - and that someone was not going to be his daughter.

"Lastly." He said, waiting to see if the boy was going to look at him. "Your referencing of seeing where your relationship takes you will not be tolerated. It will take you no where so long as you and Aminia are only dating. Do I make myself clear?" He asked, boring dark orbs into Chaser's face.

 

[Aminia Rosendale]

The story was always so sweet, but it never lasted. "Daddy!" Aminia yelped in surprise at his question, now griping at Chaser's knee as if begging him not to say anything stupid to her father. The question was so delicate and easy to mess up. Taking in a shaking breath Aminia watched as Chaser searches for the right words. Was there even a correct answer to such a question? It was obvious that there were not as her father began to spoke. "Dad." She pleaded for him to go easy on her boyfriend, but there was no such luck. She looked at the table listening to him threaten Chaser, thoroughly embarrassed. At least it was not her mother - with the head of a bird throwing fire at the boy. She glanced at Chaser, feeling helpless, waiting to hear if Chaser did indeed understand.

 

[Chaser Reeves Rosendale]

When her dad eventually replied, it was not with the praise and acceptance he'd been hoping for. Chasers eyes continued to stare up into the mountain on the other side of the table as he spoke, although he couldn't help but interject a little when he suggested he may have decided to harm her. "I, I would never.." was all he could say before he was silenced once more by the threat of dementors. For a moment he flinched as the man picked up his spoon, thinking in that instance it was to be aimed at his head. He tried again, hoping that he could have better chance at stating his case. "I want her to be happy," again he was quickly silenced, and while Chaser felt as though he wasn't being listened to, he could hardly speak out against the man.

Even though Chaser was grappling perfectly well with the questions aimed in his direction, he couldn't help but resort to a speech more natural and more like himself, the longer he was in this situation. "Crystal," Chaser said with a slightly pained smile, before focusing more on the soup in front of him. Surely it was the best thing to say though. It wasn't as though he wanted to promise either of them something he couldn't give right now, and he was just laying himself out there for them honestly. Chaser spent the next few moments trying to calm down, and reassure himself that if Mini liked him the way he was and they'd unintentionally grown closer, there was no reason to stray from that path. "Not even say, Korea?" Chaser said eventually, knowing full well it wasn't the answer of the place their relationship would take them that her father was forbidding, but trying to break the ice nonetheless.
​

 

[Fyodor Macksimov]

Fyodor's deep orbs scanned the youthful face of the boy slowly stealing his little girl's heart. The words that Chaser spoke did not fall on deaf ears, but it was easy to claim to want someone's happiness while not truly wanting as such. Fyodor would protect each of his daughter's with his life, and his wife just the same. He only meant the best. The large Russian man had only begun eating again when the spindly boy spoke up. Hearing the words it stunned the man for a moment. Was he joking, at a time like this.

There was a terrible silence in the room. Only broken with the deep rumble, of a small chuckle. "I suppose as long as she is chaperoned." He remarked, looking up at the strange, strange boy, and then at his daughter.

 

[Aminia Rosendale]

The worst was over, Aminia believed, and she had started to will herself to breathe when Chaser remarked about Korea being a place the relationship could take them. Mini choked on her own spit, and for a moment thought to dig nails into Chaser's knee but then decided against such actions to not draw suspicion of their small contact. Instead her amber orbs flared into the side of her boyfriend's head. He was certainly dead now.

Then a miracle happened. Her father whom had been so serious, laughed. He chuckled lightly and Aminia felt all the anxiety and tension leave her body and her heart beat returned to normal. At least she knew that Chaser was going to live through this dinner, and they could eat in peace.