Chapter Seven
House Warming
Lex had become an insomniac, staying up until the early hours of the morning and finally collapsing on the couch only to wake up four hours later and find it impossible to sleep. She rummaged around the house, trying to find something to occupy her mind. In the pantry she found and old potions book and sighed. She flipped through the pages, seeing if there was anything interesting. Only later she realize it was actually just a Muggle cookbook so she tossed it aside.
She wandered into the backyard, looking around. It was a completely shut in yard, but pretty non-the-less. Trees formed a sort of fence around the area and in the center was a large weeping willow and underneath was a bench. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Sky ran around the yard, and finally settled in the willow. Lex smiled.
After an hour or so she headed back inside. She knew there had to be an attic to this place and figured she could see if the previous owners had left anything behind. She walked upstairs and noticed a large wooden panel just above the entrance to her room. She reached up and pulled the panel down to reveal a large ladder that led up into the attic. She pulled out her wand and lit it as she entered the darkness.
It was a long room with a low ceiling and it smelled like mold and dust. It was completely empty and had a large window on one end, which was completely covered with cobwebs. She looked around and sighed.
"Nothing," she muttered, "Figures."
As she pushed the ladder back up she heard something that made her jump. She heard a doorbell ring, her doorbell no less. She walked downstairs, her heart filling with excitement and fear at the same time. The doorbell rang again and she pulled out her wand.
"Lex, Lex, it's Gavin," said a voice, "Lemme in."
Lex peered through the small glass panel on the side of the door and saw her brother standing there, along with Jillian and Griffen, who had seemed to decided on being bald today. Lex pulled the door open and stood there for a moment, looking at her brother. The black rings around his eyes had faded slightly but he was walking with the aid of crutches and his nose still seemed slightly swollen. He gave a small smile, but didn't look like himself.
"Hey," he said, adjusting his weight on the crushes.
Lex smiled slightly and ushered them inside. Griffen looked around and wrinkled him nose.
"It smells like old people." he said, looking at Jillian.
"Griffen, be nice," said Jillian, "It's a nice little house."
"If you like being trapped inside here all day," spat Lex, sounding extremely bitter.
Jillian gave a small smile.
"I know it's hard," she said, giving Lex a hug, "But it won't be for long."
Griffen hugged Lex around the waist and smiled up at her.
"Then you can come live with us!" he squealed.
She smiled and took them into the living room.
They stayed all day and before the sunset it began to rain outside. Griffen had fallen asleep on the couch and the conversation got more serious. Gavin told Lex that he was feeling fine, but they had put a concealing charm on their house just in case.
"We don't want to be attacked again," said Jillian.
"But I have got some good news for you today," said Gavin, pulling a large letter out of his coat pocket.
He handed it to Lex, who opened it up and read the scrawled writing.
The letter was from Dumbledore about Lex's job. He had managed to get her a job in the Department of Mysteries and she was supposed to start tomorrow bright and early.
"That should keep you busy," said Gavin, "Dad always was when he worked there."
Around 9 o'clock they left, and Gavin promised Lex he'd try and visit her at work. Somehow she doubted that he would, but it was the thought that counted. The good-bye was very long, but finally they left, leaving Lex alone yet again.
She went and cleaned up the living room when there was a loud knock on the door. Lex spun around and withdrew her wand. She watched the door and saw lightening flash outside and the knock came again. Lex was shaking as she moved towards the door.
"Who's there?" she called.
"Lex? Lex, is that you?" called a voice, "Damn it Lex, lemme in! It's Breena."
Lex froze, staring at the front door. Her heartbeat had increased and she suddenly found it hard to breathe.
"Breena." she muttered.
She slowly moved towards the door and pulled it open.
In the low light of the porch lantern stood Breena, her curly red hair matted slightly under the hood of her cloak and shivering with cold.
Lex stood there, transfixed for a moment, in shock that her friend was actually there.
"Um.hello?" asked Breena, snapping Lex back to reality.
She blinked several times and then grinned.
"C'mon in," said Lex, pulling the door open wider.
Breena stepped inside and pushed the hood off, shivering with cold.
"Nasty weather," she said, as Lex took her cloak, "But I had to come see how you were doing."
Lex smiled even wider.
"I appreciate it," she said, leading Breena into the shabby living room.
Lex sat down and she saw Breena give a slight cringe at the state of the house.
"It's not much," she said, "But it will do for the short time I'll be here."
"You're not staying here for long?" asked Breena.
Lex nodded.
"Dumbledore said this should be sorted out in a few months," she said, "Course he probably told you all of that."
Breena nodded quickly and then dismissed the subject.
"So, you have a job lined up at all?" she asked.
"I've just started looking for one," Lex answered, "Dumbledore said he'd probably be able to get me a desk job at the ministry, but it's not for sure."
Breena smiled.
"It'll all work out," she said.
Lex nodded slowly and watched the floor for a moment. She suddenly realized how cold she was. Looking up at Breena, she rose to her feet.
"Do you want hot chocolate or tea?" asked Lex.
Breena nodded and followed her in the cramped little kitchen. There was a tiny table in the corner and not much else. Lex made the cocoa and handed Breena a mug.
"So, how's your summer been?" asked Lex.
Breena shrugged, sipping the cocoa.
"Rather boring thus far," she said, "Silver is gone and Mom is always busy with something else so I mostly just do whatever around the house. It can get rather boring."
Lex nodded.
"I know what ya mean," she said, looking sadly into the cup.
Breena watched Lex with pity in her eyes. It wasn't fair for her to have to be stuck inside this house.
"I'll be right back," said Breena as she made her way towards the door.
Lex sat there for only a minute or two when Breena returned, carrying a large package. She set it down on the table with about thud. Lex looked up at Breena, who smiled.
"Open it," she instructed.
Lex did so and found a very ugly looking statue with carvings all over it. She gave Breena a questioning look.
"Erm.what exactly is it?" she asked.
Breena smiled.
"It's a statue that is supposed to keep unwanted visitors away," she said, "It'll keep you safe."
Lex followed Breena into the other room and she set it on the windowsill that faced the front porch. Lex looked at the ugly statue but couldn't help but smile.
"Think of it as a house warming present," said Breena, "Now, are ya gunna show me the place?"
Lex nodded quickly.
"Well, you've already seen the downstairs so I guess I'll take you upstairs." Said Lex.
When she climbed the stairs she felt a surge of worry. This house was like a shack compared to the mansion that Breena lived in. The upstairs didn't even really have anything but a bedroom and a full bathroom. Lex watching Breena as she examined the house and the tiny bedroom.
"It's not much," said Lex, "But it'll work for the time being."
Breena nodded.
"It's cozy," she said, smiling.
They talked for hours and finally around 2 in the morning Breena said good- bye. She told Lex she'd write her when she could and that maybe she could come visit her at the manor.
"Take care of yourself," Breena whispered as she hugged her.
"I will," muttered Lex as Breena headed out the door.
Lex closed it and locked it tightly. She walked over and sat on the couch, watching the flames dance in the fireplace. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
Lex had become an insomniac, staying up until the early hours of the morning and finally collapsing on the couch only to wake up four hours later and find it impossible to sleep. She rummaged around the house, trying to find something to occupy her mind. In the pantry she found and old potions book and sighed. She flipped through the pages, seeing if there was anything interesting. Only later she realize it was actually just a Muggle cookbook so she tossed it aside.
She wandered into the backyard, looking around. It was a completely shut in yard, but pretty non-the-less. Trees formed a sort of fence around the area and in the center was a large weeping willow and underneath was a bench. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Sky ran around the yard, and finally settled in the willow. Lex smiled.
After an hour or so she headed back inside. She knew there had to be an attic to this place and figured she could see if the previous owners had left anything behind. She walked upstairs and noticed a large wooden panel just above the entrance to her room. She reached up and pulled the panel down to reveal a large ladder that led up into the attic. She pulled out her wand and lit it as she entered the darkness.
It was a long room with a low ceiling and it smelled like mold and dust. It was completely empty and had a large window on one end, which was completely covered with cobwebs. She looked around and sighed.
"Nothing," she muttered, "Figures."
As she pushed the ladder back up she heard something that made her jump. She heard a doorbell ring, her doorbell no less. She walked downstairs, her heart filling with excitement and fear at the same time. The doorbell rang again and she pulled out her wand.
"Lex, Lex, it's Gavin," said a voice, "Lemme in."
Lex peered through the small glass panel on the side of the door and saw her brother standing there, along with Jillian and Griffen, who had seemed to decided on being bald today. Lex pulled the door open and stood there for a moment, looking at her brother. The black rings around his eyes had faded slightly but he was walking with the aid of crutches and his nose still seemed slightly swollen. He gave a small smile, but didn't look like himself.
"Hey," he said, adjusting his weight on the crushes.
Lex smiled slightly and ushered them inside. Griffen looked around and wrinkled him nose.
"It smells like old people." he said, looking at Jillian.
"Griffen, be nice," said Jillian, "It's a nice little house."
"If you like being trapped inside here all day," spat Lex, sounding extremely bitter.
Jillian gave a small smile.
"I know it's hard," she said, giving Lex a hug, "But it won't be for long."
Griffen hugged Lex around the waist and smiled up at her.
"Then you can come live with us!" he squealed.
She smiled and took them into the living room.
They stayed all day and before the sunset it began to rain outside. Griffen had fallen asleep on the couch and the conversation got more serious. Gavin told Lex that he was feeling fine, but they had put a concealing charm on their house just in case.
"We don't want to be attacked again," said Jillian.
"But I have got some good news for you today," said Gavin, pulling a large letter out of his coat pocket.
He handed it to Lex, who opened it up and read the scrawled writing.
The letter was from Dumbledore about Lex's job. He had managed to get her a job in the Department of Mysteries and she was supposed to start tomorrow bright and early.
"That should keep you busy," said Gavin, "Dad always was when he worked there."
Around 9 o'clock they left, and Gavin promised Lex he'd try and visit her at work. Somehow she doubted that he would, but it was the thought that counted. The good-bye was very long, but finally they left, leaving Lex alone yet again.
She went and cleaned up the living room when there was a loud knock on the door. Lex spun around and withdrew her wand. She watched the door and saw lightening flash outside and the knock came again. Lex was shaking as she moved towards the door.
"Who's there?" she called.
"Lex? Lex, is that you?" called a voice, "Damn it Lex, lemme in! It's Breena."
Lex froze, staring at the front door. Her heartbeat had increased and she suddenly found it hard to breathe.
"Breena." she muttered.
She slowly moved towards the door and pulled it open.
In the low light of the porch lantern stood Breena, her curly red hair matted slightly under the hood of her cloak and shivering with cold.
Lex stood there, transfixed for a moment, in shock that her friend was actually there.
"Um.hello?" asked Breena, snapping Lex back to reality.
She blinked several times and then grinned.
"C'mon in," said Lex, pulling the door open wider.
Breena stepped inside and pushed the hood off, shivering with cold.
"Nasty weather," she said, as Lex took her cloak, "But I had to come see how you were doing."
Lex smiled even wider.
"I appreciate it," she said, leading Breena into the shabby living room.
Lex sat down and she saw Breena give a slight cringe at the state of the house.
"It's not much," she said, "But it will do for the short time I'll be here."
"You're not staying here for long?" asked Breena.
Lex nodded.
"Dumbledore said this should be sorted out in a few months," she said, "Course he probably told you all of that."
Breena nodded quickly and then dismissed the subject.
"So, you have a job lined up at all?" she asked.
"I've just started looking for one," Lex answered, "Dumbledore said he'd probably be able to get me a desk job at the ministry, but it's not for sure."
Breena smiled.
"It'll all work out," she said.
Lex nodded slowly and watched the floor for a moment. She suddenly realized how cold she was. Looking up at Breena, she rose to her feet.
"Do you want hot chocolate or tea?" asked Lex.
Breena nodded and followed her in the cramped little kitchen. There was a tiny table in the corner and not much else. Lex made the cocoa and handed Breena a mug.
"So, how's your summer been?" asked Lex.
Breena shrugged, sipping the cocoa.
"Rather boring thus far," she said, "Silver is gone and Mom is always busy with something else so I mostly just do whatever around the house. It can get rather boring."
Lex nodded.
"I know what ya mean," she said, looking sadly into the cup.
Breena watched Lex with pity in her eyes. It wasn't fair for her to have to be stuck inside this house.
"I'll be right back," said Breena as she made her way towards the door.
Lex sat there for only a minute or two when Breena returned, carrying a large package. She set it down on the table with about thud. Lex looked up at Breena, who smiled.
"Open it," she instructed.
Lex did so and found a very ugly looking statue with carvings all over it. She gave Breena a questioning look.
"Erm.what exactly is it?" she asked.
Breena smiled.
"It's a statue that is supposed to keep unwanted visitors away," she said, "It'll keep you safe."
Lex followed Breena into the other room and she set it on the windowsill that faced the front porch. Lex looked at the ugly statue but couldn't help but smile.
"Think of it as a house warming present," said Breena, "Now, are ya gunna show me the place?"
Lex nodded quickly.
"Well, you've already seen the downstairs so I guess I'll take you upstairs." Said Lex.
When she climbed the stairs she felt a surge of worry. This house was like a shack compared to the mansion that Breena lived in. The upstairs didn't even really have anything but a bedroom and a full bathroom. Lex watching Breena as she examined the house and the tiny bedroom.
"It's not much," said Lex, "But it'll work for the time being."
Breena nodded.
"It's cozy," she said, smiling.
They talked for hours and finally around 2 in the morning Breena said good- bye. She told Lex she'd write her when she could and that maybe she could come visit her at the manor.
"Take care of yourself," Breena whispered as she hugged her.
"I will," muttered Lex as Breena headed out the door.
Lex closed it and locked it tightly. She walked over and sat on the couch, watching the flames dance in the fireplace. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.