On Naming Conventions

Durmstrang, Year 4

Writing School - Kinship Names and Compound Words

Word Count: 930

AN Lysander and Lorcan are not twins in this story, rather Lysander is five years older.

Rolf and Luna Scamander often agreed. Whether the topic was what one should eat for dinner or the creature they'd next see on expedition, the two were often of one mind. Because of this, arguments were few in the Scamander house (magical trunk really, the two moved around too much to bother with a brick-and-mortar home). When they did occur, compromise was as much the name of the game as anything else. And so it was that when Rolf and Luna could not come to consensus on a name for their first-born son, they made a compromise. Rolf could name their eldest, and Luna would name their next child.

Luna cooed at her enlarged stomach. Human reproductive practices were quite the bother, and the size of her abdomen had forced her to let Rolf have all the fun with the Dementor colony while she took care of her eldest.

"Lys, be a dear and help Mummy feed the erumpent. Mind his horn, now!" She told her eldest. When Rolf was around, he insisted on calling Lysander by his full name, Lysander. During little moments like this, however, she could wage her war against such a stuffy name. He was her Lys, and she liked him like that.

"Yay! Can I feed the Rum-Dingled Flobberworm next? Can I, Mummy? Can I?"

Luna chuckled, before morphing her face to one better suited for scolding.

"Now Lys, you know that Rum-Dingled Flobberworms are much too dangerous for a little boy like you! Why a single bite could rob you of all your creativity! Then where would we be? Besides, your mum has a secret she wants to tell you while Papa is away. It's a big secret, possibly the biggest secret you'll have to keep in your life. Can you be Mummy's Secret Keeper?"

Lys' nose wrinkled cutely. "Why would we have to hide our trunk, Mummy? Is someone after us?" Luna had forgotten that Lys would know about the Fidelus charm after visiting with the Potters last month.

Bringing him close, she gave him a comforting hug, and his little brother gave a welcoming kick.

"Not that kind of secret keeper, my little one. No, your job is much more important. You see, I've decided on your little brother's name and need someone to help me protect it. Will you do that?"

"Sure, Mummy!"

The full moon shone through the living room's magical window. It was a good sign.

"Your brother's name shall be Lycan. Just as you are named after a relative of your papa, Lycan will be named after me since both names are connected to the moon. What do you think, my son?"

"It's, it's… the best name ever!"

Lys' enthusiasm was contagious, and Luna listened happily as her eldest talked to his little brother even though he was still inside her. Hmmm...Perhaps she would let Lys declare his brother's name at the Name-Reveal Party. There was an idea….

Rolf appreciated his wife. She was the light of his life and the spark of random chance that made everything beautiful. Unfortunately, she was horrible at choosing names. Why, she even called Lysander 'Lice' when he wasn't around! Despite the agreement they'd come to when Lysander was on his way, he had to find a way to moderate her choice…

And that's when he learned that she planned on letting Lysander tell the world his brother's name. He could work with that.

"Lysander, could I talk to you for a moment?"

"Sure, Papa! Whatcha wanna talk about?"

"I heard Mummy is letting you announce your brother's name. It's a big responsibility you know."

Lysander nodded seriously.

"Perhaps we should practice how you say your brother's name. Wouldn' that be fun?"

"Sorry, Papa. I'm Mummy's Secret Keeper and can't tell no one Brother's name 'afore Name Day."

Rolf scratched his chin. "That's wise son. Very, very wise. Perhaps we could practice each sound by itself?"

"By itself?"

"All by itself. What's the first sound in your brother's name?"

"/L/ just like Lysander!"

"Excellent, my boy. You said that beautifully."

"What's next?"

Within thirty minutes, Rolf discovered his second-born's name. Lycan, indeed.

"Are you sure that's correct, Lysander? I've heard it's bad luck, yes terribly bad luck for a younger brother to have the same second sound as his big brother. Perhaps, it was…" Rolf looked around for inspiration and saw the oar he used when visiting merfolk. "Oar! Yes, Are you certain it wasn't oar?"

"I suppose… does—" here, Lysander took great pains to pause between each sound. "/L/" pause, "/oar/" pause, "/k/" big pause, "/an/ mean anything to do with the moon though?"

Rolf scratched his chin. Surely, somewhere there was a people group who called the moon lorcan, he reasoned.

"Yes, I believe it does. It's really obscure and not very well known, but that must be why your mummy chose it."

"Okey dokes, Papa!"

"Go play now."

Hidden in the shadows, Luna smiled. Lorcan was the name of a fun-loving sprite native to Antarctica, and she'd wanted to name her second-born after it. Knowing her devious husband, however, a little bit of creativity was required to ensure he'd go for it. If she'd out and out chosen Lorcan, no doubt he would have fought against it. Making it his choice (with a certain misplaced oar in the living room for inspiration), meant that she got her way after all.

Lorcan's Name Reveal Day went without a hitch, and Rolf tried to make up for his 'devious' ways by giving her a soothing massage that night.

Mission accomplished!