WHO: MICHAL CONWAY LYNCH & LIDDIE LYNCH!!
WHAT: oh you know
WHERE: Michal's house!
WHEN: Saturday night!
Feeling irate, and slightly guilty (which made him feel more irate and nurse his drink even further), Michal slammed his journal shut. And then, for the third time this hour, opened it up again to quickly reread the couple of articles he had clipped out and sashed within the book’s folds for safe keeping.
What, exactly, was he supposed to do with this new information about his sister?
Ewan would know what to do. Michal glowered at his own thoughts, annoyed that even within the confines of his own mind, he knew Ewan would not only know what to do and say, but also know the reason behind them in the first place. And, of course, have the connections and power to stop them from ever making it to the press. Because he would have fixed it already!
Well. One thing Michal did know was that he couldn’t much sit on this information much longer. Dropping off the face of the earth? No new clothing? Charlie Spinnet? Granted, Michal would admit he had never truly taken a watchful interest in his sister’s professional life, as from the start she, and the world, had made it abundantly clear she was and would always be perfectly fine and relevant for a very long time, but Charlie Spinnet? No, no, that was reason enough for an older brother to step in.
Holding on fully to that thought, Michal pushed out of his desk chair and stepped out from his room with a sense of purpose and righteousness. Just in case his sister attempted to confused him or change the subject, he clutched the article clippings in his hand tightly as he walked. She would have a difficult time avoiding the facts.
“Liddie!” Michal called from the hallway, noting that his sister’s “door” (his door) was open. Good, then he wouldn’t have to worry about that pesky knocking business, or stepping into an image that would sear his eyes. Taking a deep breath, Michal closed his eyes before beginning his speech unprompted and mid-step.
“What---” he faltered, eyes finally opening and taking in the chaotic scene before him. Little bottles and jewelry and things were whizzing through the air as at least six dresses slowly circled themselves in the middle of the room while his sister sat, perched even, atop her bed as her hair twisted and flew about---
“What is this? What are you doing?” Michal demanded, taking one-too-many steps forward and as a result, got knocked in the side of the head by a small turquoise bottle. Swearing, he eventually teetered into safe territory in front of Liddie.
“I am getting dressed,” she responded, rapping her own nose gently as she spoke. Flicking her wand, five outfits fell to the ground leaving one, a pink something, still hanging in the air. Michal rolled his eyes as four different necklaces began to conga line in front of the neck area.
“Well---” Michal started again, rubbing his head slightly. “Stop that from doing--- that. We have to talk.”
Lidde’s left eyebrow rose, and she diverted a bit more attention to her brother after his words than she originally thought she would. He wanted to talk about something?
Producing his evidence immediately, Michal brandished his pieces of parchment before shoving them into Liddie’s hands. “What is this about?” he asked, jabbing toward her hands in the air.
When his sister let out a sigh, and returned to her dancing jewelry, Michal pressed again.
“What are they talking about?” he asked, now crossing his arms over his chest. “Why are they writing about you? Why haven’t you portkeyed to Austria? Why does no one know you’re here?”
“It’s nothing Michal!” Liddie responded, and promptly crumpled what was in her hands into a ball. “Just silly gossip!”
Michal let out a disgruntled grunt when she tossed it over her shoulder and bounced up to grab the hovering dress.
“Now go away, I’m changing,” she waved him off as she disappeared behind a wall divider.
Michal felt his face begin to burn, and tightened his crossed arms over his chest. No, no, no, no. She did not get to live in his house, pester him night and day for the most trivial of things, and then flounce off! Oh no. Straightening his shoulders, Michal dug his feet into the ground. He waited a few moments for her to speak up, but when she did not, he began again.
“It said you hadn’t done anything in over a year!” he began, swatting an earing down to the floor as it floated by.
“Just two seasons,” her voice called from behind the changer. Her tone had changed, still bright, but a bit more aggravated now. Michal slitted his eyes.
“And that you aren’t responding to any owls. No owls come for you here. Where are all your owls going, Liddie?”
His sister’s face popped back into view, scrunched with annoyance. “You’re spying on my post?!” she squawked, and Michal noticed her tight grip on the divider. But, like a flash, she retreated and disappeared again. A few seconds later, as if she had thought better of it, Liddie responded with a flippant, “If you must know, I forward all my owls to Ewan’s.”
“That makes no sense Liddie.”
“Yes it does!”
Without warning, Liddie launched a shoe over the top of the divider with surprisingly accurate aim if she had been hoping to hit Michal’s face. He caught it, and dropped it to the ground.
“Why are they saying Charlie Spinnet has to do with you being all---” Michal stopped when a gong sound ran through the house, interrupting his words.
“Who’s that?” he wondered aloud, thinking it curious the security wards announced a supposed expected visitor. He hadn’t invited anyone over.
“It’s for me!” Liddie sang, clapping her hands together and appearing before her brother again. But, Michal would say, she looked much more put together than mere moments ago. Her hair was up and the pink dress had jewelry to match it, and as she flew past him, Michal smelled a distinct---
“Are you going on a date?” Michal boomed, taking leaps and bounds after his surprisingly nimble sister. “In the middle of our talk?”
Liddie tossed a laugh over her shoulder, and promptly threw a thick scarf at her brother’s face. “It’s Saturday night, Michal!”
He let an alarmed noise, pawing at the fabric that had very obviously been enchanted to wrap around his head. It took a few moments, but eventually he did manage to rip it off. Had she just---
“Liddie!” Michal shouted, puffing his way toward the stairs. He stopped at the landing, watching Liddie cascade and fix her hair in front of the mirror next to the front door. From where he stood he couldn’t see who was on the other side, but he had something of an idea who it might be, and even the idea utterly repulsed him. Practically wheezing, he thundered down the stairs.
“I swear to Merlin’s nuts Liddie if Charlie Spinnet is on my doorstep right now waiting for y--- DO NOT OPEN THAT DOOR LIDDIE! LIDDIE!” Michal shrieked, throwing his hands up in a fit of disbelief.
But he was not fast enough, and halfway to the door Charlie Spinnet’s hideous and smug face stopped Michal in his tracks. Hunched over like a troll he quickly straightened to glare mercilessly at the younger wizard the best he could. He would not descend to verbally acknowledging Spinnet’s presence, so he didn’t.
“Hello!” Liddie greeted their visitor cheerfully, and though Michal couldn’t see it, he was sure she had a wide smile on her face.
Charlie had arrived an appropriate five minutes late. Okay, okay, he wasn’t sure if ‘appropriate’ was the right word, but who showed up right on the dot? And what witch was perfectly prim and proper the minute the date was supposed to begin? Plus, Pascal had gotten hair all over his good pants so he’d needed a few to get himself sorted out. He had also not been absolutely sure if Liddie’s brother would be home when he came to pick her up, so five minutes over the agreed meeting time should be enough to give some sort of escape from the troll they called Michal Conway.
Apparently, it wasn’t; Charlie winced at the shouting heard through the doors, but he smiled. Annoying Lynch was one of his favorite pastimes and what better way to do that than to whisk his sister out for a night on the town? Of course, Lynch would be the last thing on his mind once they got off this porch, but it was fun to think about. Charlie rocked back on his heels as he waited for the door to open, knowing that he was in for an interesting night.
He grinned widely at the sight of Liddie, who looked fantastic in pink. When didn’t she, really? Charlie responded to her greeting by producing the small bouquet of flowers he held behind his back, proud of his decision to go with the pink ones that he couldn’t remember the name of.
“You look great,” Charlie said honestly, making an obvious show of ignoring the troll lurking in the shadows behind her.
“Thank you!” Liddie beamed, and without hesitation took the posy of carnations with both hands. “They’re lovely. Though I think I will take them with me as a very grumpy and temperamental troll has just recently taken up residence inside and I fear that if--- oops we’d better get going!”
Liddie flitted onto the other side of the slamming door just in time, quite smoothly slipping out of her brother’s claw-like grasp obviously intended for her elbow. She pressed her lips together in an amused manner at the sound of a slur of swears from behind the door, and let out a light laugh.
“You were right, that was fun,” she agreed, and bent her neck to smell her flowers with an entirely wicked smile on her lips.
