Waiting to be Picked Up

[Estrella Drage]

Estrella exited the Hogwart's Express swiftly and with a shoulder bag, having decided to pack lightly. Two weeks hardly constituted dragging along her whole wardrobe and remotely any of her school supplies. She had left Harper behind, and had asked someone else that was staying behind to watch Tula and Rose while she was gone. She hated leaving her animals, but she figured travelling would be smoother this way.

She was unable to stem the flow of mounting curiosity as she looked around the train station, unsure who or what to be looking for. She was quite sure that her father had been polyjuiced- He would be stupid to go out into the open without it. Even now, she felt as if she were betraying the trust of her closest friends and family members by staying with him, but she would have to push that aside for now.

Making a seat on an old bench in desperate need of a pain job, she wrinkled her nose at the fumes of the steam engine, pulling out a quickly scrawled note out of her pocket, squinting her eyes in the midday sun as she read it.

Estrella,

I will meet with you at the Obsidian Harbor Station just after you arrive.  Be ready to leave quickly.  Our commute is not far but we shall have limited time to arrive there.

I will approach you and reveal myself, do not ask around.

Love,
Dad

 

[Tristan Drage]

Tristan recognized Estrella immediately as she stepped off of the train, appearing even more above her age than when he had last seen her. The cold regalness with which she carried herself was almost frightening; even in her posture she seemed to be channelling Valcan. Having snagged a few hairs of a Norwegian wizard, he was now of medium height, the darkness of his blonde hair making him less inconspicuous to the crowds. His eyes followed the girl as she moved to the bench, and soon he strode to her, observing the letter in her hands that he had written just days ago. He thought to scold her for holding it in the obvious view of any onlooker, but he restrained himself, deciding to say something later.

Wanting to test her, he sat down next to her on the bench, smoothing out any wrinkles in his well tailored suit. "Waiting for someone to take you home?" he inquired in a friendly tone.

 

[Estrella Drage]

Estrella jumped, her dark eyes narrowing at the stranger, not trusting him at all. "So it would seem," she replied curtly, folding the letter and jamming it into her pocket, her eyes straying away from the newcomer.

 

[Tristan Drage]

Tristan smirked, inwardly amused by her standoffishness. A little brash for his taste, but she was doing well nonetheless. "What was your name, Miss? I could help you pinpoint whoever you're looking for. The name's Malcolm Dodge; I'm waiting for my kid."

 

[Estrella Drage]

Refusing to move from her seat but glaring back at the man with the consistency of ice , she replied coldly, "Sorry, Mister Dodge, but my name nor whom I am meeting is any of your business."

Her cheeks flushing a bit red in irritation she turned away, hoping that her father would arrive soon. She had no time for this man, nor his seemingly friendly words. She was no closer to trusting him than she had been before.

 

[Tristan Drage]

"I daresay that was quite rude, Miss," Tristan replied smoothly, surpressing a chuckle that attempted to surface within him, "Did your parents teach you to speak with that tongue or is it from that dratted school of yours?" He smirked at the girl, leaning closer to see if she would do anything.

 

[Estrella Drage]

"Go away before I cause a scene," Estrella snapped, rising from the bench as the streetlamp beside her began to shudder and clatter in its case, the glass clinking like windchimes, "I'm not very nice when I'm angry, and neither is my father, I must say." She hoped that mentioning a parent would drive the man away.

 

[Tristan Drage]

Tristan laughed coldly, and both smoothly and quietly, his eyes boring into hers, "I know you can get angry, 'strella, and that latter part was true, but do you know what the key problem was there?" His eyes moved up to the glass that clinked furiously, glittering in amusement as he awaited a response.

 

[Estrella Drage]

"Seriously, I- What?" Estrella exclaimed, the upcoming rant she had been about to deliver killed brutally in midsentence. "I don't have any problems- Who the hell are you?"

She was of course entirely sure who it was and a little miffed at the way she had been approached, but she would be dumb not to take precautions.

 

[Tristan Drage]

Standing up and nodding the blonde head that was not his own, Tristan smirked back at his daughter, replying curtly, "The one who sired you, of course." He said it in such a passing tone that anyone else who had heard it would nearly have found it to be part of a normal conversation, albeit an odd one.

Grinning, he placed his hands behind his back, regretting the fact that he could not to stand to his full height in this form. On top of that, he hated the tan suit that he had been forced to wear. "Your issue was, dear, you were entirely too obvious, and on top of that you spoke way too rudely. Now tell me-" he stepped forward, wondering if she could produce a substantial answer, "Why being obvious would become quite a problem in the future."

 

[Estrella Drage]

The lamp ceased its shaking and shuddering, safe from the destructive reaches of her anger for this time, at least. Looking up at him with a deadset expression, she replied bluntly, "Because my enemies would be aware what I am capable of doing? What I possess?"

 

[Tristan Drage]

"Not just your enemies, 'strella- Anyone. Everyone." Placing a hand on her shoulder and chuckling quietly, he could see that she would learn well, at least, the small amount that she could crunch into her mind over a two week period. Relieving her of her shoulder bag as he could apparate with it better anyway, he tossed it over his own.

"Are you ready?" he murmured, "My current state shall not be forever. Even now, it is dwindling."

At this moment, his blonde hair was beginning to darken; he was rather terrible at brewing potions, let alone the Polyjuice. He needed to get out of here before things began to look even more suspicious.

 

[Estrella Drage]

Estrella nodded, her heart pounding in her chest with anticipation. One part of her attempted to pull her away, to get herself out of a less than desirable situation. But the other screamed for some interaction, some control. It was no surprise that the latter side of her conquered.

Pulling a strand of dark hair out of her face, she replied, "Yes. May I inquire as to where we are going?"

 

[Tristan Drage]

Grabbing hold of his daughter's arm gently, Tristan replied with a half smile, "My brother has been kind enough to offer me lodgings for a few week's time; I daresay the company of his family shall be suitable. We'll be arriving just in time for Christmas dinner, actually."

 

[Estrella Drage]

Estrella nodded, pressing closely to her father as if to embrace him; she had gotten used enough to Apparition to know what to do. Banging up her elbows was not on her to-do list.

"Sounds good to me," she replied croakily, wondering exactly what these particular Holidays would have in store for her.

 

[Tristan Drage]

Tristan nodded, and deciding not to waste another minute of their time, he disapparated with his daughter held close, noting in amusement that this was the first in a long time that it hadn't occurred by force.