A/N: Wow! Thank you all for such thoughtful responses... really, it's so encouraging and fun to hear the things you appreciate and question. I love it!
Dia felt the familiar jolt in the villa's wards and was halfway up the steps to the lab in a knee-jerk response before she remembered how incredibly exhausted she felt. Slowing down, she muttered a few cleaning spells that addressed her slightly spattered robes, and stopped at the mirror at the top of the stairs.
Her tired, grumpy reflection gazed back, dark circles already emerging beneath her eyes. Pursing her lips, Dia lifted a heavy hand and smoothed it over her face, nodding in satisfaction when the glamour took effect. She would fool no one, but at least she felt better for it.
There was an insistent knock on the door as she glided toward the foyer. Mentally steeling herself for the woman on the other side, Dia took a deep breath, already grimacing internally as the knocking became constant. Of all times to drop by… she grumbled internally.
Forcing a smile in place Dia waved a hand and the door opened, revealing not only her illustrious aunt, but her niece, who bore a large basket of what could only be the potions ingredients she had requested. The two witches stood vamping in perfect symmetry - a hand on a popped hip, a lifted shoulder, and an elegant brow arched in not-so-subtle irritation. The elder lifted a delicate hand and her wand returned like a magnet from where it had been knocking on the door. Trust Theia to refuse to dirty her hands.
"Theia! What are you doing here?" Dia hissed through gritted teeth, abruptly irate by the intrusion. As if they don't know my rules.
The two witches in question brushed past her in a flourish of dark blue silk. Yiayia simply laughed, tossing a hand up and waving her away as Ana quickly followed, unsuccessfully attempting to hide a growing smirk.
"You? Is that how you refer to your elders, Dia? I thought I remember instilling more tact in you than that! Never you mind - well, of course I'm here to see you - it's been ages! I've brought you some of the best supplies from Alexandria… they're wrapped in here with the other business you requested from Ana. I am proud of you both for stepping in to lend a hand, why I sent the boy off at once when Eleni broke the news… he's requisitioning information from the Council."
Yiayia paused to take a dramatic breath, casting a bewildered look between the two of them. "Why ever are we speaking in English?"
"Her apprentice, Yiayia," Ana supplied, managing to make the word drip with disdain. Her eyes were already sweeping the darkened villa suspiciously as if Hermione would be lurking behind an end table. Doubtless this was her idea.
Dia suppressed a noise of frustration as her aunt lapsed into Greek, sweeping away into the formal living area. Several candles sprang to life before her.
"Oh! The delicious Apprentice! Ana said you've never spoken about a young witch like this with such pride before. Are we sure it's simply pride?" She slid Dia a sly glance. "Oh well! Where is she? I want to get a good look at her!"
Dia bit back a comment about her aunt speaking of Hermione like a piece of meat at the market, instead choosing to intercept both witches as they made to move in toward the main hallway. She threw out an arm.
"Stop. You both know it's far too early! I need you both to leave now before said apprentice arrives and questions the sanity of my closest family," she ground out, attempting to keep her voice low. Yiayia fairly pouted. A familiar tickle indicated that Hermione was aware and curious of the visitors.
"Dia darling, you keep far too many rules. The poor dear has been cooped up on this silly island with no one but you and the Elves for company. Likely, I can provide a little spice for the witchling," Yiayia said, tipping a devious smile. She gave a small shimmy of her shoulders while Dia's tired mind immediately flashed to Hermione's early morning appearance.
"She doesn't need any more spice," she said before she could stop herself. Ana bristled and mumbled something undoubtedly snarky under her breath. Dia ignored her and took her aunt by the shoulders as she switched to Greek.
"Please, Theia. My rules exist for a reason. Now, I promise to stop by later this week, but it truly has been a trying day. This is not the time," she pleaded quietly.
Yiayia rolled her eyes and huffed, one hand settling on her hip as she gestured to Ana to put the basket down.
Her niece glared and made no move to do so, so Dia whipped out her wand and vanished the basket away to the lab. The two witches exchanged a glance before Dia unceremoniously shuffled them backward toward the foyer, feeling a familiar presence drawing closer. Not now!
"Come now, theia… you haven't seen Yiayia in a month. Let the rules bend just this once?" Ana asked sweetly. Dia glared and continued to push them back as Yiayia made sputtering sounds of protest.
"No. Do not test me today, anipsiá mou… I see you have not learned your place," she growled quietly. Ana's lips thinned and Dia felt a margin of satisfaction at seeing the witch's cheeks redden slightly. Serves her right.
"Master Kallas?"
The quiet query from the hallway threshold caused everyone to freeze. With a sinking feeling, Dia started to turn - managing to catch a nearly maniacal expression of glee manifest on Yiayia's face as the elder witch extended both arms in delight.
Hermione stood at the threshold to the hallway, looking exhausted and worn, her work robes wrinkled and dotted in mystery substances. Dia suppressed the urge to wince.
Not the best first impression.
"Apprentice!" Yiayia fairly shouted, moving past Dia with more agility than a witch of her age should have had. Ana paused off her shoulder and Dia glared when she saw her niece sizing up the young witch with a critical eye.
"Young one, I am Eleftheria Kefalas, matriarch of this family! Welcome to Greece!" Yiayia gushed, wrapping her arms around Hermione and nearly enveloping her in the blue silk of her robes. Dia resisted the urge to palm her forehead. The witch has only been on Naxos for a year and a half, theia!
"Thank you," Hermione replied uncertainly, giving the unfamiliar witch a smile. Yiayia frowned and grasped Hermione's shoulders a bit tighter, "What? Dia don't you feed the girl? So thin! And here I'm sure you're already abusing her as a workhorse! Where are Eleni and Stelios! We will have words!"
Dia felt the thin veneer of her patience crack.
"Stop this at once!" she commanded loudly. Hermione was staring at Yiayia with a half-bewildered, half-amused expression as the elder witch pinched her cheeks.
Dia schooled her features into something more serene before she continued.
"I appreciate your visit, however I respectfully must ask you both to leave. As you can see, both my apprentice and I need rest. We will begin another long session in the morning with the ingredients Ana has so graciously brought us," she said, proud of herself for keeping her voice level. Hermione was looking at her curiously.
"Don't be a sour salamander," Yiayia began, but Dia cut her off with a look. Her aunt dropped her arms and stepped back from Hermione with a wounded expression. Huffing, Yiayia plucked up her robes with one hand and waved the other in front of her.
"Fine. I see where I am not wanted. Angeliki, come here. Help this ailing witch back to the door…" she said. Ana swept forward, tossing her red curls over one shoulder as she took Yiayia's hand, sparing Hermione an arching glance.
Yiayia leaned on her grandniece heavily as Ana patted her back theatrically. Dia suppressed the urge to roll her eyes.
"Theia, peace. I shall visit you soon," she said gently.
"Lovely to meet you," Hermione murmured politely. Dia sent her a soft look noting the heaviness surrounding the younger witch's typically straight posture. They both needed to sleep.
"I didn't even learn her name, Dee-yahhh!"
Her aunt's childish whining finally broke the last thread of Dia's patience.
"Theia, are you six?" she exclaimed angrily, curls nearly whipping her cheek as she sent Yiayia a glare. Her aunt merely brushed back her hair with a flourish.
"Oof, you're so easy to ruffle," she retorted in Greek. At Dia's exasperated expression she switched back to English for Hermione's benefit. "You used to appreciate my sense of humor so much as a child. I still maintain those Brits corrupted you. They're so stuffy. No offense, darling."
The last bit was tossed offhand toward Hermione.
"Hermione," her apprentice said helpfully, moving with the two witches as they made their way to the foyer.
"OH, but that's Greek!" Yiayia exclaimed, moving to throw her arm over Hermione again. "What a lovely name! What a good omen! Oh, Dia, this is simply too good!"
"Unhand my apprentice and be on your way please," Dia implored, trying not to sound too desperate. From the flash of Ana's eyes she wasn't entirely successful and her protests fell on deaf ears.
Yiayia fluttered about Hermione, prattling on about how much she had heard of her accomplishments while the young witch nodded dutifully, an amused smile playing about her lips. Dia's eyes widened in dismay and she had to stop herself from forcefully breaking the two apart.
"Theia, I can see your blood pressure rising. It's not attractive," Ana whispered, drawing close to Dia's ear. "Let Yiayia have her fun… after all, your apprentice seems to appreciate the attention." She gave a simpering smile. Dia felt her face flush in anger.
"Watch your tongue, Angeliki," she snapped in Greek. Ana simply smirked, content to have riled her aunt to reaction. Both Hermione and Yiayia looked over in surprise at her tone.
Enough of this.
Inhaling deeply, Dia stepped back and pried Hermione out of Yiayia's hold. Stepping in front of her apprentice protectively, she glared at the two witches who were exchanging a knowing look.
"I am going to count to three. You both have until then to leave before I hex you both!" she managed through gritted teeth. Yiayia scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"One," Dia said, narrowing her eyes. Sighing, her aunt gave a small curtsy toward her apprentice.
"Lovely to meet you, darling Hermione," she said sincerely, blowing a kiss.
"Pleasure," Ana tossed off with an insincere smile, somehow managing to convey the exact opposite. Dia made a mental note to reprimand her niece later for her childish behavior.
"Two!" she said firmly. Yiayia waved her hands overhead.
"All right! All right! We're going! Don't get your knickers in a twist… Achh! Such a frustrated little sorcerette you are!"
The two witches swept to the front door, Ana opening it with a flourish. Yiayia tossed her short black curls as she turned, stepping onto the threshold alongside Ana. The older witch extended both hands toward them in a strange sort of wave and her long blue nails flashed in the candlelight.
"Au revoir my darlings! Don't be strangers!" she crowed. She moved to draw her wand and before Dia could frown in confusion, Yiayia feinted and pointed a triumphant finger toward her. "We'll see you both tomorrow at Anastos! Eeee!"
"THEIA!"
The older witch cackled in delight, easily flicking away the stream of hexes Dia sent in frustration. The flashes were absorbed by the adobe walls as the two witches joined hands and disappeared in a flash of bright white smoke.
Silence descended upon the villa with their departure and Dia immediately smoothed her robes and squared her shoulders, embarrassed at how quickly her aunt and niece had gotten under her skin.
Sweet Socrates, Diamantina.
"They were nice," Hermione said softly, breaking through her self-recriminations.
She can't be serious.
Dia turned in disbelief and saw the mischievous twinkle in her apprentice's eyes. Torn between wanting to swear in frustration and laugh out of general principle, she chose the latter… feeling a combined sense of relief and exhaustion as she wiped her eyes.
"Oh, my darling," Dia sighed, moving closer and placing both hands on Hermione's shoulders. Whatever she had been about to say next died on her lips as caramel eyes met hers and full lips smiled tiredly down at her. Dia felt a rush of appreciation for the young woman before her.
In the candlelight, her apprentices' eyes seemed much larger than usual. Those same eyes had watched their brews attentively for hours, alert and alight with intelligence, never losing focus or straying from the task at hand. She was sensitive… perceptive.
Dia let her gaze drift quietly over her apprentice's face, one hand moving up slightly to play with the small tendrils that had escaped the heavy braid holding back the mane of curls. Her skin is so smooth…
Her eyes were drawn to long lashes casting light shadows over the delicate cheekbones which were covered in a dusting of freckles. Rosy lips beckoned and Dia's gaze flicked up to catch the witch's eyes again…
Her breath caught her throat as she absorbed Hermione's open, trusting expression. The young woman watched her observing - unperturbed by her mentor's sudden silence or searching gaze.
This is not the time, Diamantina.
Breaking the moment with a sigh, Dia let her fingers trail down the witch's arms until they arrived to her hands. She ignored the younger witch's slight shiver and her own twisting sensation of regret, and instead began leading her through the living area toward the direction of her personal rooms.
"Come, we must discuss many things, Hermione," Dia finally said, her voice low.
"Master?"
The breathy hint of uncertainty in Hermione's question did not go unnoticed and Dia patted her arm reassuringly, suddenly feeling entirely drained and empty. Her family's impromptu visit had been the icing on the cake. Nothing untoward, my darling.
"Let us retire to my chambers. I wish for us to be comfortable," Dia explained tiredly.
They would have this conversation. It would not do to wait.
As they moved toward her personal sanctuary, Dia told herself it was the nature of the strange day and evening that she was allowing Hermione to enter her private space… Like many of her unspoken rules, she had learned over time to build a professional relationship with her apprentices before permitting them to enter other areas of her life, including her personal chambers.
All of your plans are askew. Might as well finish on the same note.
She tried her best to believe her own words.
A/N: I realize I haven't been including translations! Sorry!
theia - aunt
anipsiá mou - my niece
yiayia - grandmother
kopelia mou - my doll, darling
*Yiayia is Dia's aunt and technically Ana's great-aunt, however it's my intention that they use the title of "grandmother" with affection... we'll learn more about the family dynamics and reasoning for that later. :)