A/N: Readers, I am pleased to say I have returned to writing on fanfiction! For a while now, it seems I haven't been able to contrive new ideas for my stories; however, the deadline for The Irish Lass's challenge is very soon, and I've been wanting to finish. I am now using the prompt 'Basil Senior and Relda in any situation' It may need some work, it's been quite some time since I've written anything.
"Hen-Hen!" Fetus Jake called out, ruffling his hair out of a mere habit. "Come!"
A surly boy with curly blonde hair ambled down the Hall of Wonders towards his brother. "Don't call me that," he grouched.
Jake ignored his brother, who was acting rather churlish that evening. "Look," he pointed. "This door, it's bolted with heavy locks. What could be inside?"
Henry shrugged, not at all in the mood for his brother's usual antics. "What does it matter?" he asked. "There are a lot more places to explore that aren't forbidden."
"Yeah, but if they're allowed, they're probably not as tempting as this one," said Jake reasonably, pulling out Merlin's wand and pointing it tentatively at the door. "C'mon, don't be a laggard!"
"Whatever," Henry turned on his heels to leave.
"Where's that fun brother of mine?" teased Jake before chanting out a spell loudly. A current of light spiraled out of the old wand, colliding with the locks, causing them to shudder uncontrollably and drop to the cold ground.
Henry took two more steps away.
Jake rolled his eyes at him. "See? Nothing happened." He stepped over the heap of chains and peered into the gray room. "Hmm, not much-"
Large tentacles lashed across his head, making contact with Henry's back.
He yelped and turned on his heels. A thinner tentacle aimed for his leg while Henry was still looking back slightly. He attempted to whirl away and kick the long arms reached out, twisting his ankle in the process. The tentacle tugged at it. A slight crack could be heard in the shallow hall.
As black faded to gray before white stars popped into his line of view, he noticed Jake running towards him, tentacles entangling him. "Henry!"
Relda Grimm glanced at the two of them with some disdain. "What have I said about sneaking into the Hall of Wonders after seven? And to go even without your father?"
"Jake did, not me," Henry said automatically, wincing. Though Basil had cooked up an antidote that'd slowly minimize the pain throbbing through his ankle, he could still feel pinches every now and then. "I was the victim."
His brother rolled his eyes. "Well, you didn't stop me."
Basil leaned back in the wooden chair. "For disobeying me and unlocking a door that could've held more deadly creatures, I'm invalidating your privilege of going into the hall for a week."
Jake leapt up. "That isn't fair!" he cried. "You were going to teach me new tricks, how to flick anything without the use of a wand!"
"That'll have to wait," Basil said, making his point clear. "Now go to your room."
"Of course. Choose Henry's side. Like usual!" shouted Jake. "I guess I'm just a nonentity, right?" He moved away from everyone and charged up the stairs.
Basil sighed, facing the direction he'd run towards worriedly.
That same night, Relda and Basil quietly strolled into the Hall of Wonders to have a talk with somebody. Quiet echoes rumbled around them, breezes seemingly coming from nowhere in particular, blowing by them casually. Outside, the moon seemed to glint in a menacing way.
Relda shifted through the endless ring of keys in the otherwise dim hall. Somehow able to find the right one quick enough, she pushed it into the bronze lock and lightly pushed on the door. "Mirror?"
"Why, hello!" Mirror said enthusiastically. He sat cross-legged on a stool, skimming through the newspaper, frowning. "The building selling bread in town was shut down for burning a batch the day before a wedding? Scandalous. What has this Ferryport Landing become?"
"We need your help," Basil interrupted, choosing not the question his bald friend for reading a newspaper this late. He stood in front of the mirror. "There's been some kind of incident today with my two sons. Jake is upset and thinks we constantly choose Henry's perspective over his. I don't want my family to fall apart." He rubbed his eyes, taking a breath.
"Now, don't you think you're overdoing it a little, Basil?" Mirror chided. "Perhaps you should explain this better to Jake, articulate your words clearer. This was a simple misunderstanding. I wouldn't be too hard on it."
"No, it's not just that," responded Basil. "My mother and father always fought over minor things. And one day, just for a short insult, our father just left us. He never seemed to care."
"Oh, Basil," Relda said sadly, gripping her husband's arm, sorrow passing over the two mutually.
Mirror rubbed his chin, deep in thought. When he spoke again, his voice was close to inaudible. "Perhaps the boys had never had a chance to bond. It seems Henry is envious of Jake, and there should be an opportunity for them to reciprocate."
"But, how?" asked Relda.
"Play things out," smiled Mirror.
"Boys, I want to show you something," Basil said the very next day.
"What?" Henry questioned, immediately curious.
Jake stuck his fork into his pink pancakes, carelessly dribbling rainbow syrup with his other hand, not saying a word.
Basil waited until Jake finished eating his breakfast rather slowly before leading them out the back door. The trio strolled down the pathway aligned with pebbles and crumbling stones into the vast woods. Once Basil spotted the patch of light grass that seemed to stick out among the dark green spots, he stopped short. He gestured the boys into a shrine of trees until they finally came to a break on a cliff overlooking the small town, the river snaking around it, and the world beyond.
"Wow," Henry looked down, amazed that the little dots below their feet were, up close, actual houses and places.
"I know." Basil sat down on the wooden stump buckled into the dusty ground. Henry joined him and so did Jake, though he remained aloof and left a gap of space from the two.
"I just wanted to tell you both a story. When I was younger, my parents often got into these what appeared to be silly fights. Either my mom would be disappointed over something my dad wanted, or my dad would rage because he never got his way when he shouldn't have anyway." Basil fixed his gaze on Jake. "What I'm saying is, don't stop because of one misfortune. Learn from it. Then move along."
Jake sighed. "Sorry about your ankle, Henry. I hadn't meant for that to happen, really."
"I know you didn't," said Henry. "From now on, just try and stay clear from that kind of unwanted trouble, though."
"I'll try to," Jake grinned.
Basil felt overjoyed as the two made peace, and got up to walk back to the house.
"How did it go?" Relda asked, cooking a lunch that seemed to consist of chili burgers with a strange vibrant orange that would have to resemble ketchup.
"Great," Basil kissed his wife on the cheek. "It really is nice when everybody is bonding again."
"It is indeed," Relda agreed, wrapping her arms around Basil's neck. The two kissed as the sun joyfully peeked through the windows, a new day starting at last.