Chapter 11: Beowulf Clan
Eileen crawled out of her warm bath, having taken her sweet time soaking all signs of travel from her pores and hair. Cautiously, she peeked into her room to ensure she was alone before padding across the hardwood floor to her suitcase. Opening it, she found its contents missing and frowned.
"Where did they go?" Eileen puzzled, looking around and spotting a bureau across the room. She approached it and peered inside, finding most of her garments safely tucked away with care. Going to a wardrobe a few steps away, she found the remainder of her clothing hanging neatly with her shoes lined up below them. Wondering if they had normal Muggle servants or house elves, she drew out a ruffled blouse and jeans, swiftly drying and pulling everything on. Once dressed, she drew a comb through her long fine hair before pulling it back in a black silk ribbon, tying it neatly at the nap of her neck. Barefoot, she padded out of the room and downstairs, slowly exploring the home in search of her hosts.
The estate had the appearance of an old castle, stone walls and rich dark hardwood floors at every turn with elegant wooden doorways and banisters all carved with intricate Celtic designs. Running her hand over the railing as she descended the stairs, she gazed at paintings that watched her in return, some boisterously greeting her as they drank heavily from tankards in their hands. She giggled at a few of them as she absent-mindedly stepped down the stairs and nearly ran into a body at the bottom. Blinking and stepping back a few steps, she drew up to eye level with Roderick who appeared to have also bathed since she was gone and bore a tight fitted grey band shirt with the name "Proclaimers" written across his chest. His hair had also been freed, falling over his shoulders in a deliciously messy manner.
"Oh, Roderick, hello. I hope I didn't take too long." Eileen clung to the banister, ready should he try to carry her away again.
"Nay, lass, ye'll be here for a week so dinnae concern yourself wid time. Dinner's almost ready, if you'd like tae join the family in the dining room?" Charming as ever, he waved a hand toward a hallway that disappeared around the corner from the foyer.
Glancing in the direction he motioned, she slowly stepped down the rest of the way, careful to give him a wide birth, "Your family? How many?"
"Aye, yer fellow Ravenclaws Lucas an' Page, as well as the other sprongs," Roderick smiled, watching her with a twinkle of amusement in his amber eyes. "They're either too old or too young tae be in Hogwaurts. An' Mum an' Da, naturally."
"…sprongs?" Eileen frowned in confusion. This Scottish vernacular was becoming difficult to understand.
"Oh aye, me brathers an' sisters." He winked, leaning on the banister casually.
"Other siblings? Just how many are there?" Eileen looked surprised, since neither Lucas nor Page talked much about their family life.
Pushing off from the railing, he lead her down the hallway toward the dining hall. Roderick strolled casually with the gait of a powerful man, "There are three older, a boy and two girls, all married wid their own weans. Then there's me, Page, an' Lucas. The youngest are five an' three so they winnae start at Hogwaurts for a while yet."
"That's a lot of children…one more than the Weasleys have." Eileen gazed up at Roderick with awe, "How can they afford to put you all through school?"
"We're very well auf, ye see, our family has owned land in these highlands for centuries. The Beowulf clan runs this entire glen, from this side o' the valley tae the other. It's a heavily magic valley, even the famed Ms. McGonagall lives here in the valley."
"Really? She lives here? I didn't know that…" Eileen had known she was of Scottish descent but she had no idea where she, or any of the teachers aside from Snape, lived outside of school. She was quite convinced that some of them lived at the school, as Dumbledore always seemed to be there.
"Aye, if ye'd like tae arrange a time tae ride oot an' see her we can." He smiled, coming up to a pair of tall wooden doors.
"Oh I don't want to bother her on her break…" Eileen muttered, never quite having bonded with the headmaster of Gryffindor, not enough to impose a visit on her without prior arrangements.
Shrugging his broad shoulders, Roderick stopped and turned to her, "If ye change yer mind, just tell me. Until then…meet the clan!"
Eileen heard an uproar drift through the doors as Roderick pulled them open, revealing a room full of lively and boisterous folk. There were more in attendance than he had insinuated; several older men and women sat apart from the gaggle of younger family, all of which were laughing and joking just as boisterously as the paintings on the walls upstairs. They surrounded a table that seemed to go on forever through a room rivaling the Grand Hall of Hogwarts in length. Hanging from the walls were impressive animal racks and heads that no doubt had been hunted by the family over the centuries, bordered by the occasional banner of the clan tartan. Hanging from the ceiling was the most amazing collection of antlers arranged into a chandelier with magicked candles interspersed between the racks, all of which floated independently of each other at the center of the room. Eileen paused at the doorway, marveling at the ancient room full of love and life, a little overwhelmed by it yet feeling the same at-home feel she got from the Weasleys.
There was a slight hush as the people noticed her glowing white hair, turning to gaze upon the young girl with wonder. A gentle yet firm and warm hand rested between her shoulder blades as Roderick announced in a voice that resounded without aid of magic, "Oye! Our guest has arrived! Show her soame o' that Beowulf hospitality!"
A roar of delight rose from the near silence as children rushed over to greet her, all giving their names and telling her about all the stories they'd heard of her and the gifts she had. Eileen practically leaned into the hand on her back for safety as she nearly fell over from the greetings.
"Aye away, she's my guest! Get off!" Lucas fought through the crowd to Eileen's side, taking her hand to lead her to a chair beside his, "Sorry about that, they get excited by new people."
"It's alright. Are they all your family?" Eileen asked in a light voice, trying to recover from the loving assault as she settled into a chair.
"Aye, they're my brothers and sisters and cousins, and nieces and nephews." Lucas smiled, sighing a little. "They can get a bit overwhelming, it's so much quieter at Hogwarts."
"It's wonderful." Eileen said suddenly, smiling a bit as she looked around at all the people surrounding the table.
Blinking in surprise, Lucas leaned in, "You really think so? I was afraid you wouldn't like it, you usually like quiet places."
"When I'm studying, yes; you forget who my best friends are." She grinned at him. "I rather like lively families, it's nice. I like to hear their stories."
"Then ye came tae the right place, lass!" Roderick plopped himself into a chair on her other side, much to Lucas' disgust. "We're Scotsmen, we live tae tell tales! Every evening during dinner we share stories, it's a bit like theatre. Some times we get oop oan the table an' dance."
"That's because you drink too much whiskey." Lucas scowled at his brother.
"Aye, that I do, but I dinnae need it tae have a good time." He gave Eileen a wink, causing her to blush. Why, she didn't entirely know, but the idea embarrassed her.
Clearing his throat, Lucas called her attention back to him. "Did you have a safe journey, Eileen?"
"Oh yes, it was quite uneventful. I was relieved to get out on my feet, if I weren't tired I would have explored off the road." She admitted. "The woods look magical."
"They are, lass, I'll have tae take ye oot tae see them in the morrow." Roderick smiled down to her, reclining in the chair to stretch his long legs under the table.
"WE will take you out." Lucas glared at him. "And if there's anything you need, we can go into town for some shopping."
"I'm okay on stationary but I am in need of personal care items." Eileen explained in her calm and quiet voice.
"Then we'll make a trip in town -" Lucas began to explain before his brother interjected.
"We can take the horses! Have ye ever ridden a horse, Eileen?" Roderick leaned an elbow on the table and shifted to face her more.
She looked a little surprised. "A…horse? I can't say I have, not technically, I can barely ride a broomstick."
Roderick let out a hardy laugh as he replied, "Two different beasts, lass! Ye cannae fall auf a horse unless ye get bucked. I think ye'd enjoy it, I'll show you tae the stables in the morn!"
"They're rather large creatures…" Eileen recalled the time she had ridden the back of one of the centaurs in the forbidden forest, he had been very large compared to her, she could barely get her tiny legs around his thick equine body. Granted, she had grown a little since then but not by much.
"We have smaller fillies ye can handle, no worries, lass." He reassured her. "Ye can borrow one o' the girls' horses, I'm sure they wonnae mind."
"Ye can take mine, Eileen!" A smaller girl piped up, bouncing up in her chair to kneel with her hands on the table, trying to be noticed. She was about her size, perhaps a little younger than she was, with wild dirty blond curls that bounced with her every movement.
"That's Anna, she's only 10." Lucas relayed to Eileen when she looked a little lost, "She belongs to my oldest brother, Archie and his wife Beth." He nodded to a happy couple several seats away who had been watching their daughter with kind smiles.
"Me birthday is next week! Da says I can go tae Hogwarts this year!" Anna chirped, her voice peppy as a bird in the early morning.
"How delightful, my birthday falls just before the school year too." Eileen smiled.
"Really? When is it? How old will ye be?" Anna bounced with excitement.
"It's two weeks before school starts, I'll be 13 this year." Eileen replied, realizing who she'd be with that week. She smiled softly.
"Can ye stay fer me birthday? Pleeeeeaaaase?" the little girl had the most convincing pout Eileen had ever seen. No doubt she was used to getting her way.
"I'm not sure, I have a guest visiting my home sometime next week and I don't want to inconvenience him." Lupin had not been specific about the time he planned to visit and she didn't want him showing up to an empty apartment.
"Awwwww, it's oan Tuesday!" She pleaded, leaning over the table more.
Smiling at the girl's enthusiasm, she devised a compromise. "How about we celebrate it this week while I'm still here?"
"Brilliant! We can celebrate yer birthday too, Eileen!" Roderick chimed in, turning to the rest of the family. "What do ya say? Could we push the festivities up tae this week so the wee lass can take part?"
Blushing at the suggestion, Eileen muttered, "Oh, you don't have to throw a party for me too…"
"Aye, lass, we do! You'll be a teen this year! It's the beginning o' the greatest years of yer life, we cannae have ye celebrating it oan yer own!" Roderick clapped her gently on the shoulder.
"More like the roughest years of your life!" Archie chimed in. "Dinnae lie tae the lass, Rick! It's hell oan the hormones!"
"Really?" Eileen blinked, wondering if that was what she had been feeling different lately.
"Oh aye, ye go a bit mad till ye get used tae it. A lot changes, ye'll be turning intae a lady." Roderick gave her another wink. "Dinnae be too surprised if the lads start chasing after ye!"
"Why would they do that?" Eileen was a little confused but then she remembered the way Fred had been behaving around her and it began to make sense.
"Y'are a bonnie lass, if I were younger I'd be stealing ye away from me brather in a second!" Roderick's wolfish grin caused the most peculiar look of embarrassment and hate on Lucas' face.
"RICK!" Lucas stammered, furious with his brother's words, looking like he was moments away from jumping over Eileen to strangle him.
"Tuck in!" The head of the table announced loudly to interrupt the fight, snapping his fingers to summon dinner to the table. A feast magically appeared before the hoard, hearty and bountiful with Scottish delights.
Eileen watched the family cheerfully devour the meal, smiling at the warmth she felt from just being around them. Oh how she loved big loving families, and wished she belonged to one.
"Are you okay, Eileen?" Lucas leaned over to whisper loudly over the ruckus.
Returning her attention to her friend, she smiled, "I'm fine. Your family is wonderful."
He made a face in disbelief, "My family?" Lucas shook his head. "They're not that great."
"No?" Eileen was surprised and leaned in too. "You don't like your family?"
"They're too loud and obnoxious." Lucas sighed, watching his two little brothers launch peas at their older sister who was protesting and threatening to curse their noses off.
"Ever since I spent time at the Weasley house, I've wanted to be in a big family…I wish I had so many relatives." Eileen gazed dreamily at the feuding children.
"You're an only child, right?" Lucas looked jealous. "I wish I was an only child. I wouldn't have to put up with this crazy bunch all the time."
"You don't have as heavy an accent as the rest of your family, do you not spend much time at home?" She had noted a few slips of Scottish vernacular in his speech but for the most part, his accent was very light.
"He fancies himself a proper British gentleman, not soame roguish cad like me." Roderick grinned slyly at the pair leaning close over the dinner table.
They jumped apart and Lucas scowled at his brother indignantly. "You are a useless sod!"
"Lucas! Watch yer mouth!" His father bellowed from across the table, causing the boy to frown more and stare at his lap in defeat, clutching his napkin in his lap.
Eileen frowned too but her frown was aimed at Roderick. "What's wrong with the way he is? I like Lucas the way he is."
"Aye, lass. I reckon he likes ye too. The way he goes all rosy when he talks aboot ye." Roderick chuckled, amused by his brother's constant indignant reactions to his teasing.
Before Eileen could respond, Lucas shot out of his chair and stalked away from the dining table, making a beeline for the doors.
"Luc, where are ye goin'?" His mother inquired, concerned over the fighting.
"Tae bed!" Lucas hollered back over the boisterous conversations that gradually hushed as he banged out of the room.
Confused, Eileen started to get up to follow him when Roderick gently took her hand and held her still. Looking over at him with a frown she said, "I should talk to him, let go."
"Nae, lass, let him be. He's a ball o' fury an' hormones. He needs tae be alone for a bit." Roderick smiled, guiding her back into her seat.
She complied begrudgingly, looking over at the half open doors and hoping her friend was alright. She would check on him in the morning if he didn't wake for their ride, hopefully he felt better by then.