59. "I'm trying to cut down."
Harry walked in what he perceived as an endless hallway. Wisps of energy seemed to gather around a nearing light source. He smiled at the sight of the door. Coming to a stop, he rapped his knuckles against the plain oak door.
The sound echoed around him. It took only moments for the door to open and for him to the see the smiling face of Teleute. "You're just in time. Come in."
Harry happily nodded and followed her in. It was a cozy apartment with tasteful and practical furniture. The air here was cool, but not frigid. Cool air entered his nose causing him to smell the scent of delightful food. "Thank you for inviting me. I brought a gift."
She smiled in gratitude as she took hold of the gift. It was an ice sculpture of a bouquet of flowers inside of a vase. Tracing a finger along the cresses, she admired the artwork. "It's lovely. You seem to keep running into cute little trinkets. Take a seat at the table, I'm nearly done cooking."
She pressed her lips against his cheek. Pulling away, she winked at him and returned to the kitchen. Getting comfortable, he took in the sweet scent of her cooking. His nose was tickled and his appetite stirred.
Mere minutes later, she had carried over two plates of food. He removed his gloves as he said his thanks. Before him was a plate of chicken cakes with a side of salad and shortbread as a dessert. Beside each of them was a cup of hot chai tea.
"So how is Sirius doing?"
Harry took a moment to savor the flavor of her cooking before answering, "He's doing well. The medicine from Ys has been doing wonders. I think he appreciates all the company he can get. He really enjoyed you coming over to help with the cleaning."
"That's nice. Sirius is a very charming individual. I'm sure he will make a speedy recovery," she responded.
His ears detected an air of omission. A story that she deemed unneeded to share, but he brushed past it. It was no longer time for him to grow troubled over her mysterious nature. Those secrets were hers to keep and share at her leisure. Instead, Harry picked up the teacup and enjoyed the aroma of the tea. He slowly took small sips and washed his food down. "Speaking of family, I haven't heard much about your own."
She gave a nod in return, "True. Well, I am the second oldest of seven siblings. I love them all, but we have very diverse viewpoints and lifestyles. From the very beginning, we've only had each other as family.
My eldest brother is of the solemn sort, but he's the best at what he does. He's blind but don't let that fool you, he knows how to get things done. Cleverer than most, he's usually one step ahead of everybody.
You've met my brother Morpheus. He can be moody the best of times and maybe a little pigheaded, but I can't help but fret over him. Between you and me, I always get a bit of a chuckle over his dramatics.
After him is Olethros. He's sort of the black sheep of the family. He's on a path of self-discovery. Though, it wouldn't kill him to contact the rest of the family on occasion." Her voice wavered but for a moment, "I hope he continues to do well.
My next sibling is Epithumia. Let's just say that one knows what they want and leave it at that.
Their twin sister is Aponoia. She's a shy one, but she means well.
Finally, Mania is the baby of the family. She's a cheerful one and lives life at her own pace. Little sister can be a bit of a scatterbrain.
Odd family, no?" She finally questioned.
"But you love them all the same." Harry stated with a wide and bright smile. A small portion of him was a touch wistful.
Her smile was smaller, but no less bright, "That goes without saying. Speaking of loved ones, have you heard from Ron or Hermione?"
Her question wasn't without merit. Since summer had begun, Harry had failed to receive the customary letters from the two. It was unlikely that his letters were missing since he received letters from his other friends Neville and Luna. "I haven't."
She rose an eyebrow in the mildest of surprise, "You're taking this well."
"They're my friends. I don't think I need to know what's going on all the time. They have their own problems. Ron and Hermione's life don't revolve around me and I can't treat everything as a betrayal. If they don't owl me, I'll just question them on the train. Besides, with all the free time, I'm able to enjoy your company."
"You know how to make a girl feel special", she said with a laugh.
"I'm not flattering you. It's the truth. Instead of moping around my relative's house, I can sit down and enjoy a meal by your side." Harry reached his hand out and placed it softly over hers.
She returned the gesture and interlocked her fingers with his.
"Thank you, Teleute."
She looked at him questioningly, "For what?"
"Everything."
She chuckled playfully, "Well, you're very welcome."
