Who: Therese Bonaccord, Michal Conway Lynch & guest!
What: UNWANTED SURPRISES
When: Today!

Therese was feeling good, and that hadn’t been something she’d been able to say for quite some time. The past month had been full of ups and downs, but finally things seemed to have settled back into place. She’d found a private practice in Edinburgh that was just the right size for her, and she’d been pleased with how many of her clients had decided to stay long with her. With the exception of one particular grouch, it would be business as usual for Therese. Not having to do rounds at St. Mungo’s was one of the high points, but the fact that Ralph Frobisher had decided to join her at the smaller practice (with the blessing of Mungo’s!) was even better. She was in a content, happy place, and Therese decided to spread some of that joy.

She rang the doorbell of Michal’s house, feeling rather mischievous. Her hands were holding together the front of her robes tightly, even though it was clasped all the way to the top. Therese clicked her heels on the ground, the breeze from the beach front property making her outfit a rather chilly one. Or, well, lack of an outfit. She may have forgotten to put anything on under this cloak, or she may have done it intentionally to drive him mad when their ‘tutoring session’ began. The world may never know.

In either case, it wasn’t going to do her much good if he didn’t answer the door. She knew he was home, but as per usual he was taking his sweet time. She let out a breath and noticed that the porch swing had been fixed, and she wondered what had moved him to do such a thing.

He was being tortured. Michal couldn’t be pressing his face into the kitchen table more passive aggressively if he wanted to. What else must he do for his brother to understand he had no interest in discussing Liddie’s birthday party plays now, nearly a month in advance? She wasn’t even in the country! Most likely wouldn’t be, for that matter, since she didn’t live here with her other siblings. So it seemed all rather excessive, in his opinion.

But of course Ewan didn’t, which was why Michal had thrown his arms in front of him, half lounging, half leaning on the kitchen counter with his hood up as his brother discussed themes and locations, and other unimportant things that Michal really had no interest in. He was tired, and had been looking forward to a day nap until his perfect brother had ceremoniously showed up as his door bearing perfectly baked goods from his equally perfect wife---

“I have to get the door,” Michal interrupted, shooting up as he heard the doorbell. He sped out of the kitchen, not taking the time to look back at his brother or even think about what statement he had broke out of. It made no matter! A distraction was a distraction.

Michal had never so happily opened the front door, until he realized who was on the other side. “Therese,” he spoke, wishing his tone was more pleasantly surprised than dreadfully burdened. Not because of her, but because of his certain family member already present within. Dealing with his family had never been one of his strong suits, though Michal would never admit that because he felt it was always them that sought to play around in sore spots.

“What’s--- up?” Michal asked awkwardly, pulling the door tight to his side.

She frowned at his tone, “Hello to you too,” Therese drawled with a twist of her lips.

He did seem a bit weary, though, so Therese took a moment and dismissed his sour face, blaming it on quidditch practice. The Falcons had been playing remarkably well and Michal would no doubt want to remain in their top of the league position. That was why she was doing all she could to keep any sort of stress off of his shoulders. She seemed to have a way with keeping players on top of their game, though that was a thought she kept to herself so to not sound like some groupie, which she certainly was not. It just so happened that quidditch players were ridiculously attractive and an excellent shag---could you really blame her?

“Pop quiz,” she said with a smirk, loosening her grip on the front of her robes to reveal a flash of her bare skin underneath the cloak. Her cheeks colored as the cloak slipped off her shoulder, but she attempted to mask her excitement with a calm and cool expression. It was not everyday that she attempted to play the seductress, but Therese was now very aware that good days came in short spurts and that she should take advantage of them when she could.

Though she couldn’t very well ‘quiz’ him out here on the porch in this sort of cold.

“I do hope you’ve been studying,” she said, taking a step closer and enjoying the sound of her heels against the wood of his porch. Therese smiled slyly, kissing his chin before standing straight.

Whoa. Michal could feel his eyes popping out of his head. Since when did she-- that was nothing under her--- but with Ewan---- damn it all! He stood, feeling quite shocked and stiff for a couple of delayed moments. Was this actually happening? Or was he still in the kitchen, in a dream state of what could be? Nope, reality; the sound of a chair scraping across the floor behind him snapped Michal out of his daze.

His hands rushed to her cloak, quickly collecting it in her front to help cover herself back up. What a bloody travesty. With his other free hand, he nudged her back in a vain attempt to start her escape before it was too late.

“I have company,” Michal spoke quickly, too focused on figuring out what was going on behind him to realize how poorly this must look to her. It wasn’t that he thought she would embarrass him, or he didn’t think she was significant enough to meet his brother; Michal really had no tolerance or patience to deal with his brother meeting women he saw. The knowing look, the idle, polite chit-chat, the conversation topic that always was brought up later again and again--- it drove him insane! But that was too long to explain now, and he really never wanted to explain it so---

“Sorry it’s not you, but---” he started, but it was already too late. Michal felt the front door swing open behind him, and he let out an obviously aggravated sigh. He closed his eyes, preparing for something irritatingly polite.

“Therese Bonaccord!” Michal heard his brother say, which made his neck snap back. Looking quite alarmed, he watched as Ewan smiled pleasantly. He knew her? Of course he bloody did.

Her face drained of blood immediately, leaving her as white as a ghost. He had company? Her timing could not have been any worse! Therese took a few steps back, nodding that she would be gone, that she would owl him later! As quickly as the blood had left her face it soared back to her cheeks to how utterly exposed she felt even though she was completely covered up. There was someone else there, hopefully of the male persuasion---what if it was Seth? Surely he would have some x-ray like vision and would be able to see through her cloak!

Therese opened her mouth to say a quick goodbye, but before she could the door behind Michal opened and she was sure Seth’s face was going to pop up and he’d invite her in and----

She quite suddenly felt like a little first year under the gaze of Ewan Lynch. How---Therese looked ready to be sick as Ewan crossed the threshold to give her a hug; over his shoulder she glared at Michal because how could he not tell her that his brother was Ewan Lynch the boy she had thought she was going to marry during her first year at Hogwarts? It made sense now, they had the same last name, except Michal never talked about his siblings----but Ewan was a Slytherin who was so much older and in a different world than she, she hadn’t seen him in years, though now she supposed he’d been at the wedding where she’d met Michal and----dear God, Michal could never know that she had a crush on his big brother, it---

“I can’t believe it!” Ewan said, and for some reason he’d joyfully kept his arm around her shoulder as he turned back to Michal. She was so red in the face that she was starting to see spots, ready to pass out here on the deck. Her eyes locked onto Michal’s, finding the only way to remain upright and standing was to blame him for not preparing her about just who his brother was. Not that he could have possibly known, “Therese here was my French tutor at Hogwarts! She was a wee little thing, but look at you now! What a beautiful young lady you’ve turned into!”

She stood awkwardly under his arm, hands still gripping tightly to the front of her cloak. “Yep,” she squeaked, unable to move.

“I can,” Michal muttered through his teeth, staring daggers at his brother. Of course Ewan knew Therese, Ewan knew every bloody witch and wizard in all of Great Britain, down to the people he had no right knowing. How had they even--- he promptly decided he didn’t want to know. Slytherins were Slytherins, and while Michal couldn’t say saw himself as diehard a Gryffindor in a long time, he still had no desire to poke at the rival house’s students.

That included choosing to ignore the alarming age difference between them. With a loud huff, Michal roughly reached over and removed his brother’s grip from Therese. Then he glared at her, because why was she glaring at him? She was the one ‘tutoring’ this entire family, apparently. His face twisted a bit, finding his thoughts in addition to this situation distasteful.

“Therese was just leaving,” he announced gruffly, taking the energy to pull his brother back more. He may be older, but at the very least Michal had sports strength on his side. Ewan let out a little chuckle and compiled, which almost made Michal feel more aggravated.

“But didn’t she just get here?” Not for a split second did Michal believe his brother’s too-innocent tone.

“No,” he responded stubbornly, and went to shove his brother back inside more. But Ewan expertly avoided Michal this time, and instead waved Therese forward.

“Therese, my brother is being he usually crabby self, do feel free to come in if you wish.” Ewan smiled, which made Michal’s face contort hotly for reasons more than one. What a bloody prat.

He couldn’t glare at her! She was the one who had come over stark naked under a flimsy cloak to show him a good time! He was not allowed to glare at her! Therese sent an equally stubborn look at him, though logically she didn’t have a reason to be mad at Michal. No, no, she was just embarrassed beyond belief and had to take it out on someone. Of all the people in all of the world to come through that door, it had to be the first boy she’d ever fancied. A girl just didn’t forget that boy, or those feelings, and she could be a thousand years old and the stupid twittering flutter of her heart whenever Ewan had acknowledged her would rush back to her in an instant.

Stupid Lynches! There were a million of them in the world, how could this have happened?

“I really do---need to be going,” she said, voice strained. Michal’s particular glare did not sit well with her, however, and Therese turned to Ewan with a smile, using her sweetest tone, “But if you could just give us one second, s'il vous plaît?”

Part of her knew that simple, small bit of French would annoy Michal, and it wasn’t as if she really wanted him to be in a bad mood, it was just some tiny, vindictive voice in the back of her head telling her that she needed to stay in some sort of control of this rather strange situation. Maybe it was being in the presence of another former Slytherin that was bringing out her instinct to make Gryffindors squirm.

Ewan looked delighted at her slip into French and he answered in a short, nearly perfect sentence about going back to the kitchen. Therese sent him a short wave, and once he was out of sight and earshot (she hoped), she whipped her head back toward Michal, hissing, “What are you glaring at me for? How was I supposed to know you had company? You never have company!”

His nostrils flared at their quick french exchange. Really--- really? If it were even possible, Michal’s face screwed up even more, now contorting in a way that was obviously uncomfortable. And annoyed, so very annoying because was this actually happening right now? He crossed his arms over his chest.

“You’re the one that has a longer relationship with my brother than me!” he hissed back, not completely sure what he was trying to say. But Therese was speaking quickly and glaring at him, so he felt the need to address something. Or respond with something concerning the emotions he was currently experiencing. What was he currently experiencing? He wasn’t sure that he liked it.

Michal shook his head, already disliking how those words had fallen out of his mouth. It made him sound jealous.

Therese flushed a deep, dark red, unsure if it was from anger or embarrassment or something else entirely, she couldn’t tell. Everything in her head was jumbled and garbled and she made a few funny sounds before she managed to retort to Michal’s absolute ridiculous statement, “In case you’ve forgotten in these longest two bloody minutes of my life I am completely starkers under this cloak, for you!”

Relationship! A longer relationship! Did he really think---what could he be thinking? Ewan was six years older than her, not that Michal wasn’t four but----Therese stiffened, lips twisted in a thoroughly annoyed pout because this-----this! This was----it was----stupid.

It was stupid and they were both adults acting like children. Except she was literally feeling quite exposed, as just the sight of Ewan had reminded her how bloody out of place she’d felt at Hogwarts, and how hard it had been to get along there for quite some time. During that first year all she had were the tutoring lessons that when she looked back on were more like thirty minutes of silly chit-chat that first year Therese had taken quite seriously. Either Ewan really had been kind enough to give her the time or he thought it was hilarious enough to keep on letting her think she was doing something of importance. Whatever the case may have been, it had made her early days at Hogwarts more tolerable.

“I was in first year,” she said quickly, feeling her face heat up even more. Therese did not like talking about her past and how hard school had been for her, but she felt the need to explain before things got even more confusing and the wrong idea was had. “People made fun of me because of my accent, I was miserable and planning to run away from school, but then your brother was nice to me and had me ‘tutor’ him in french. That’s it. He was nice.”

Therese crossed her arms over her chest, promising herself that she’d never attempt to do anything spontaneous again.

Michal, too, fumbled because perhaps he had forgotten the premise of this entire situation. He bit down on the better part of his lower mouth, now feeling a bit ashamed of his hot-headedness. His siblings just had this effect on him, and when Therese was brought into the mix so unexpectedly--- he closed his eyes and shook his head.

“Now would be a good time to let me know you’re best friends with my sister, too,” he spoke in a low tone, and scratched his hairline awkwardly. It was intended as something of a diffusing statement, but with how surly he currently felt, Michal wasn’t sure how she heard it. He shook his head again; he really--- just did not want to talk or think about this anymore.

“I didn’t think---” For the third time his head shook, and Michal let out a quiet, but heavy sigh. Why did Ewan always have to be nice--- it was bloody exasperating. And to know that once Therese left she would be all upset, not to mention the wall of discussion waiting for him back inside... none of this was appealing. He really just wanted to leave. That would dissolve most of his current problems, wouldn’t it?

Oh, wait, he could leave.

“Let’s just go,” Michal stated suddenly, though not so according to his own thoughts. He closed the door quickly and stepped toward to her. “Go to your place--- or something.” Now he really wanted to leave, and really didn’t want to miss this brilliant situation she had attempted to create and--- yes. Ewan would be fine inside, get the idea and leave after a while.

Her tongue twisted in her mouth, eyes calculating and analyzing his every movement. Therese kept her stare on Michal for a few good, long seconds as if really considering his offer, even though she was already plotting their escape. She’d held back a loud sigh thanks when he’d suggested they just leave, but she decided that these few moments of ‘consideration’ were necessary. Again, in her professional opinion, they’d just let the startled shock of the situation get the better of them and really, a snip or two wasn’t exactly terrible...but that didn’t mean she had to act as if all was forgiven.

Because really, what better fun was there than when a boy thought he was in trouble with a girl? Oh, the things that could occur with that mindset in place! Therese allowed her lips to curl into an amused smirk and with a gentle roll of her eyes she shook her head and took hold of Michal’s wrist, ready to apparate them back to her flat.

“You’re still taking a quiz,” she said sternly, pushing forward to kiss him before they disappeared.