North and South Multiverse
Hello! So as mentioned, I'm potentially putting Can We Be Whole Again on a hiatus and instead bringing you some little oneshots that I will write and upload as they pop into my head. They will potentially be from a variety of North and South variations, ie some will be series/book based or some may have a modern AU setting. The very first one is coming to you from the Potter-verse!
Feel free to imagine me sitting and writing these on my bed which is by my window and gives a nice view of my garden. Between work shifts which are VERY challenging right now it's the only thing keeping me sane!
More trouble than they are worth
It was a mild July afternoon in Milton when the three Thorntons walked to Crampton to call on their new neighbours. Mr and Mrs Hale seemed altogether an unremarkable couple, a parson and his wife relocated from the South, Mr Hale seized by a desire to preach the gospel to the citizens of Darkshire.
Presently they arrived, and Mr Thornton led the way in knocking the door. They were shown up to the parlour by a frazzled looking housekeeper, and finally set eyes upon their mysterious new neighbours.
Mrs Hale had all the appearance of a woman who would have been a much sought after beauty in her youth, her features still handsome despite the wrinkles now beginning to set in, and her hair mostly still a deep chestnut tone, with more than a few streaks of silver. Mr Hale had a kindly face which broke into a jovial smile as he rose to greet his guests.
"Mr Thornton! Such a pleasure to meet you, and so kind of your mother and sister to grace us with their company. Ladies, it is a pleasure to welcome you to our home. Please, do all be seated"
"Thankyou Sir, we trust your journey to Milton was not unpleasant or taxing Mrs Hale," Hannah Thornton's tone was pleasant yet reserved as she sought to gain the measure of these new people. Fanny Thornton seated herself with the usual fuss of rearranging her voluminous skirts.
"It was a mercifully light journey with just the two of us and Dixon to accompany us. Richard, you did write the children with the new address, didn't you?" Mrs Hale turned fretfully to her husband. Mr Hale chuckled and patted his wife's hands reassuringly.
"Calm yourself dearest. I did indeed, and Margaret wrote back to confirm they had received it"
"A daughter?" Fanny interjected, as the Hales looked up at her "You did not mention they had a daughter John! I shall be most pleased to finally have some company my age!"
"Children? I did not know you were so blessed. Are they to join you here Mrs Hale?" Mrs Thornton enquired politely.
"We were indeed so blessed Mrs Thornton. We have a son and a daughter. They are recently turned sixteen. Twins, away at school, due to join us later today, as a matter of fact. You may yet meet them," Mr Hale explained.
Fanny pouted. This Margaret would be sixteen to her eighteen, and she had hoped for someone slightly closer in age. Still, she may yet be better company than her dour mother and brother. Maybe John, who was three and twenty, would tolerate the company of the brother if he could be pried from his precious mill.
"Would you like to see a photograph, Mrs Thornton?" Mrs Hale asked. Mrs Thornton nodded, and Mrs Hale motioned to her husband to go to the bureau that sat in the corner and bring over the small picture frame that perched on top. Mrs Thornton took it carefully, and neither of her children could resist leaning over her shoulders for a look. Two teenagers gazed pleasantly at them. The sister was seated on a chair, her brother standing next to her, with an arm crooked to lean on the top of the chair. Margaret sat with her legs slanted and her hands folded over a book in her lap. She was wearing a blouse and floor length blouse, the skirt cinched in such a way as to show her perfect hourglass figure. Her overall demeanour boasted perfect womanly virtues. Yet there was something in her eyes and the way tendrils of hair broke from their tight updo that suggested an aura of mischief. Her brother was no better, as his hair seemed determined to stick in every which direction rather than submit. He was dressed smartly enough in a shirt, waistcoat and long trousers, yet the eagle-eyed Hannah Thornton swore she detected places where the shirt was less than perfectly tucked in. Apart from their sexes, they were almost identical, down to the last freckle.
"You have very fine children Mrs Hale. I am sure they will be good company for us all"
"I hope so indeed Mrs Thornton, although I fear I should apologise in advance"
"Apologise?"
"I love my children fiercely, Mrs Thornton, but the pair of them are just sometimes more trouble than they are worth. Mischief just, follows them everywhere! So many irate letters I have had from their school – they shall be my undoing. I was hoping your children might be able to set them a better example"
Fanny Thornton leaned forward eagerly in her seat, glowing at the opportunity to be the example of fashionable and proper behaviour. John, however, couldn't help but huff in his seat. His mill was just starting out and needed all his attention. He hadn't the time to be running around after misbehaving children like a schoolmaster. Perhaps employment and days of toiling in the spinning rooms would straighten them both out, if the parents were desperate.
"I'm afraid they won't be able to teach them anything about sibling harmony. I despair of them having more than 5 civil words for each other in a single conversation," Hannah replied with a hard look at her children, who had the grace to look abashed.
"They have no trouble getting along. Thick as thieves, always planning some mischief or sharing a joke or another"
"Then perhaps they can teach mine something about having more pleasant conversations"
"Perhaps so," said Mrs Hale thoughtfully, cheered by the thought of having a more pleasing role model for her children in the Thornton siblings. She was still worried about other things. How long before the true extent of her children's unusualness came out?
"You mentioned your daughter, Margaret. I do not believe I caught the name of the son?" John asked Mr Hale, who smiled apologetically.
"My son's name is Frederick, Mr Thornton". Then, almost as if he had been reading his mind earlier "Perhaps I could send the two of them over to your mill if they have not improved in decorum. They can be hard workers when they apply themselves"
"I am sure a few days of toiling on the spinning jennies could knock some of the mischief out of them. They won't have the time to plan tricks if they are focusing on not getting an arm ripped off" He regretted his choice of words as Mrs Hale gasped at the thought of her precious children suffering such a gruesome accident. Fanny and Hannah glared at him and Mr Hale did not quite know where to look.
Mr Thornton was spared the task of finding the words for an apology as all five occupants looked up at the sound of knocking on the door. Dixon could be heard bustling down the hallway to answer the door.
"Master Frederick! Miss Margaret! I am so glad you have arrived safely. Master and Mistress will be so glad to see you. Come in, come in!"
The siblings' replies were hard to make out, but presently they were heard trudging up the stairs.
"In here children! Make yourself presentable, we have visitors!" Mr Hale called out to his children. Suddenly, Fanny sat up straighter, looking at her brother.
"John, did you not put your pocket watch on this morning? I can't see the chain"
John frowned at his sister before reaching for his waistcoat.
"Don't be stupid Fan, it's right – "he faltered as he patted the material of his waistcoat where he should have felt the cool hardness of his watch chain.
Hannah was frowning as she glanced at her wrist.
"Strange, I am sure I put a bracelet on this morning. Perhaps I was careless and did not fasten the clasp properly. Most peculiar"
She was distracted from her musings as the Hale daughter swept into the room. She was carrying a large case and was wrapped up in a black cloak that flowed down to her ankles. The son was mysteriously nowhere to be seen. Mr Hale rose to greet his daughter, who obediently kissed his cheek and moved to greet her mother in a similar fashion, placing her case down on the floor. It made a surprisingly large thump for its size as Margaret set it down.
"Margaret, so glad to see you returned for the summer. Come, remove your cloak, greet our guests. Gracious, where on Earth is your brother?
"Searching his case, Mother. He can't find Arthur," Margaret explained as she unfastened her cloak pin. John could see that it was wrought in the shape of a crest, with four creatures stamped on that John could not make out. He did not ponder this further, still frazzled by the loss of his watch.
Fanny was most intrigued by the clothes Margaret had chosen. The long black skirt and laced up boots were nondescript enough, but her blouse was the most peculiar shade of yellow. Luckily, it did not clash horribly with her chestnut hair.
Mrs Hale was about to enquire as to the identity of Arthur, but almost leapt out of her chair as Fanny let out a most terrified screech, pointing at the table that was currently holding long abandoned teacups.
"What in good heavens is THAT?" All their heads snapped to the table. A most peculiar creature, small with jet black fur, had appeared quite out of nowhere, climbing up the leg of the table and beginning to poke inquisitively at the tea set. Then, to everyone's perfect astonishment, it picked up one of the silver teaspoons, and proceeded to begin shoving it into the pouch in its belly. The spoon was quite longer than the creature, yet away it disappeared! As everybody else stared with horrified fascination, Margaret merely turned to call calmly over her shoulder.
"FRED! I think we've found Arthur!"
The boy from the photograph now clattered noisily into the room, diving for the table and clamping his hands around the creature, lifting it up to stare it sternly in the eye.
"That was very naughty Arthur! We do not leave the suitcase, remember?"
He turned to his parents' guests, who were all staring completely slack jawed. Fanny still had a hand clamped to her breast and was breathing heavily.
"I'm so sorry, he gets a sniff of anything shiny and he's off. He's simply impossible"
"Has that thing had my pocket watch?!" John finally found the voice to demand.
"Only one way to find out. Tip him Fred," Margaret turned to her brother.
Fred gripped Arthur by his back legs to hold him upside down, and then began tickling the pouch on his belly. The creature immediately let out a squawking sound that sounded like… chuckling? Lo and behold, objects immediately began tipping out. Quite how a creature so small had concealed so many objects was really anyone's guess. John identified the spoon they had seen it shove down, followed by mother's bracelet and, his watch! Margaret scooped the missing objects off the floor and returned them to their rightful owners.
John, however, was most vexed to see that the blasted creature – seriously, what in heavens was it? – had cracked the glass casing on the face of the clock. He leapt to his feet and advanced towards Fred, waving the watch in his face.
"I do not know what sort of trickery is going on here, but I demand an explanation. And a solution to this!" he exclaimed, brandishing the broken watch again.
"The solution is easy enough. Promise you won't tell a soul?" Margaret placed herself between her brother and Mr Thornton and stared him calmly in the eye.
"Tell of what?"
However, Margaret simply laid the hand holding his watch flat so she could properly examine the damage. John only stared on in transfixed silence as Margaret brandished a… wand? She held it over the watch and brought it down in a sharp flicking motion.
"Reparo"
A flash of light came out the tip of her wand, and before he knew it, John was stood holding a perfectly repaired watch. Mrs Thornton glanced with dawning realisation from one Hale to the next, for the first time in years at a complete loss for words.
"Witches?" she finally blurted out. Mr and Mrs Hale looked surprisingly calm.
"I did warn you Mrs Thornton. They are extremely lovable children, but more trouble than they are worth sometimes"
A/N: Please PM me with any one-shot ideas you have! I will probably make more potter verse one shots based off of this one. Witch Margaret and Muggle John, I just think it would work, ya know?
Fred has also ended up as the love child of Newt Scamander and the Weasley twins. I think it suits him.
All HP related things property of JK Rowling. North and South characters property of Elizabeth Gaskell.