There will likely be an uptick of bonus chapters as we roll into spring! Keep an eye out for them! Happy Spring!

Chapter Fifteen

Communication

Bres came upstairs the moment he heard she was home, bringing up a pair of coffee cups and a tray of sandwiches. Lunette was sitting in a chair by the window, going over the contents of a manila folder with a bundle of several scrolls tied together beside her.

"Welcome back! May I come in?" Bres asked.

"We're married. You don't have to ask," Lunette teased him.

"I simply wanted to be certain. You were rather cross with me when you left," Bres reminded her.

"I was and I'm sorry, Bres. I guess I was just overwhelmed, but I am feeling better now," Lunette replied.

"That is good to hear," Bres replied. "May I kiss you or are you too busy with work?"

"I am but kiss me anyway," Lunette said. Bres smiled with amusement, leaning over to kiss her.

"I usually get a snack after work, so I brought up enough for you as well," he said, sitting on the sofa.

"Thanks," Lunette said. "So how do you like working at the museum?"

"It is very interesting! I have been learning a great deal, and everyone there is amiable. Ambrose has been helping me build an exhibit that will teach visitors about Delves and our homeland," Bres explained. "It is all planned out now, but it will take us another week to finish it. Ambrose is hoping we'll have it down before next weekend."

"It sounds like you've been busy, then," Lunette said, setting her work aside and picking up the cup.

"I have been making good use of my time," Bres agreed. "I have even been learning how to write your alphabet, although the rules are quite confusing. What are you working on?"

"Oh, these are some of my old client files about my father, along with some of his old criminal records," Lunette said.

"Criminal records? Is he truly that troubled?" Bres asked with a frown.

"No, not really… Most of my father's run-ins with the law were misdemeanors or misunderstandings. He's just trying to survive in a world where the laws tend to favor humans; he's not a bad person… or at least he wasn't… it's been so long, I guess it would be wrong of me to assume nothing has changed."

"Perhaps he changed for the better," Bres suggested.

"He may have. I hope he has, but even in the best case scenario, a Dark Fae is bound to run into a problem with wizard law enforcement from time to time. And since they keep photos with arrests, I may be able to use them to figure out what name he's currently using, and maybe even where he is," Lunette explained.

"I see," Bres said thoughtfully.

"I'm going down to the Ministry of Magic to call in a few favors from the Law Enforcement Ministry," Lunette said.

"Perhaps you should save some in case I get arrested too," Bres suggested. Lunette laughed heartily at that.

"I don't think you're in danger of getting into much trouble while you're at the WHAT Museum," Lunette reassured him. "On top of that, you have made a great deal of friends, including Aurors."

"That is true. Sir Owain is an Auror," Bres said. "He and Zack are going to take me out somewhere again tomorrow night, since Jennifer made plans to have a witches' night out."

"They're not taking you back to the donut shop, are they?" Lunette asked suspiciously.

"They didn't say. Zack likes to surprise me. He says it's more fun that way," Bres explained.

"And I'll know who to blame if you three get into trouble," Lunette said dryly, then began getting caught up on other news.

Lunette took a moment to admire Rosmerta's hidden Coven Night room, bringing out the bottle of wine off her Grandfather's table.

"You're not going to overdo it, are you?" Jennifer asked her, bringing a canister of Kingler's and Co. coffee.

"How can I overdo it when you're bringing something like that?" Lunette asked critically.

"Well, I am sorry, but some of us do have an extremely formal garden party tomorrow, so I'm trying to be cautious," Jennifer explained.

"Well I have a standing invitation for Eric Dalance's formal events. I think I'll go too just to get even for ruining my night," Lunette threatened. Rosmerta laughed at that. "Minerva prefers the chair near the wall, other than that, make yourselves at home. I'm sure the others aren't much behind you!"

"Thanks Rosmerta," Jennifer replied, and she went upstairs.

"I wonder how many of the others are going to keep it conservative," Lunette said suspiciously.

"Oh, um… Minerva always brings tea as a matter of tradition,"Jennifer said. "As for Beth and TJ I really don't know, but they are expected to attend tomorrow too." Lunette groaned at that. I am sorry, but we aren't Half Dark Fae, after all."

"Maybe we should have canceled," Lunette brooded.

"What was that?" Minerva asked as she worked her way down the stairs with her own canister. "Are you making excuses not to attend one of my Coven Nights again when you're already here?"

"It's just that it sounds like it's going to be a really weak brew," Lunette complained.

"Oh, stars! It really is the end of the world," Minerva tittered. "I promise to go upstairs and have a few extra drinks after, Lunette, as long as you pay my respects if I don't make it tomorrow."

"Deal," Lunette said with a sigh, wondering if it would make up for the boring conversation.

Jennifer pretended not to see it, hoping that her friend would be pleasantly surprised. They heard some chatter above them and soon the two other witches came down the stairs.

"Oh, sorry, hope you weren't waiting long," Beth said when she saw everyone else was there.

"Please tell me you brought alcohol," Lunette pleaded.

"I bought Pinot Magico from the Enchanted Spoon," Beth admitted.

"I brought Muscato," TJ said. Lunette put her head in her hand.

"There we are, Lunette! Both wines," Jennifer said. "Lunette, this is one of my former Items majors, TJ Selwyn, who is the WHAT Museum's art appraiser and assistant curator. "

"It is an honor to meet you," TJ said courteously.

"You know, that pun was funnier when I was still a judge," Lunette smirked softly. "Nice to meet you. Jennifer said this was your first time?"

"It is, thank you," TJ agreed.

"Well, don't expect too many jaw dropping confessions, because that brew is going to be weak," Lunette said.

"Perhaps there will be more heartfelt confessions instead," Jennifer suggested as everyone got settled.

"That is definitely a good point," Minerva agreed, then poured out a cup of tea, presenting it. "Tea with just a dash of tanna… just like me," she announced, pouring it into the empty cauldron in the middle of the star of the round table.

"I brought coffee from Kingler's to remind me of my family, whether they are related by blood or not," Jennifer said with a smile, pouring hers in.

"Wine from my grandfather's table… for his resilience," Lunette said, pouring in some from her leather flask.

"Dinner wine from then Enchanted Spoon, in honor of all the friendships I've shared there," Beth said with a smile, adding hers.

"Moscato d'Asti, for its light, fruity flavor," TJ offered, adding hers in.

"You really are new at this, aren't you," Lunette teased. They laughed softly as the cauldron brightened and turned the mixture into a golden color, the ladle spinning around before settling to one side.

"I feel partially to blame, really. We should have done this a long time ago," Beth said to TJ.

"Here, let me ladle, or I'm never going to get anywhere," Lunette decided, then got up to fill cups.

"So have you had a chance to work with Bres, yet, TJ?" Jennifer asked.

"Yes, actually. I like him a lot. He's very polite all the time, and yet curious and eager to learn," TJ replied.

"And what about the guests? How do they act around him?" Lunette asked.

"Well, right now he's been mostly working on his display and hasn't really interacted with them yet," TJ said.

"But they avoid his museum level, feeling something is wrong," Lunette read off of her.

TJ glanced at Jennifer, then back at Lunette, recalling she was a Truth Seekers as well now.

"That is true, I'm afraid, but Ambrose hopes that will change when the exhibit is ready and Bres is prepared to interact with the public," TJ replied.

"If there are any problems, you should send Bres to the children's section," Jennifer advised.

"Are you quite serious?" TJ said with surprise.

"Bres is very good with children, TJ. He connected with Seren and Caitlyn right away, in fact. I think if you simply sat him down at the coloring table with some of the children, the adults would probably be able to shake off their initial shudder. With the exception of Aubrey Lynn, most children tend to warm up to Bres in short order," Jennifer said.

"Only because they don't see his aura like she does," Lunette said.

"True, but that's besides the point, isn't it? If it helps, I can bring Serendipity down his first day dealing with guests," Jennifer said, ignoring the fact that Minerva had started drumming her fingers.

"I can bring my three to the museum as well! They haven't met him yet, but if Bres likes to color, I don't think it'll be a problem," Beth offered.

"Well, since that problem is solved, how about we move on? We're breaking the rule about not talking about work," Minerva chided them.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know it was a rule. I really don't know what to talk about if it's not about work," TJ said.

"Men of course, what else?" Lunette said with amusement.

"Let's hear more about Bres, then," Jennifer suggested.

"There's not much to tell, really. I don't have any complaints at the moment," Lunette said.

"That is good to hear," Minerva offered sincerely, taking a sip. "To be honest, Lunette, when I heard that the alliance was going to be sealed with an arranged marriage, I was quite worried. Then when I saw the two of you together and saw the chemistry between you, I really didn't know what to think. Everyone was rather swept up in the moment; not only the two of you, but everyone else at the wedding, celebrating the coming of peace as much as the marriage itself. I must confess, Lunette, I am concerned how the two of you are going to do together once the honeymoon period has worn away."

Lunette glanced at Jennifer, wondering if she had said something. But Jennifer was thinking of her own concerns about it and showed no sign of discussing it with Minerva directly.

"I'm glad everyone cares enough to be worried, but there's no need for it, because we're doing fine," Lunette assured them, glancing down at her ring. "In fact, I left for a while not only to check on my old family and friends, but to think. And I think that if Bres wants to stay here and learn on his own, I'm okay with that. It gives me the freedom to look for my father without having to focus on his needs."

"So you're choosing to take Viviane's advice after all?" Jennifer asked.

"No," Lunette said firmly. "She has absolutely nothing to do with my decision. It's something I decided for myself. Nobody else had anything to do with it but me."

"Not even Bres?" Minerva inquired.

"He's been making his own choices, just like I've been making mine," Lunette said. Minerva glanced at Jennifer questioningly, but Jennifer wasn't surprised by the reply.

"It is good to see that you trust each other so well. I'm sure it'll make things easier when you're apart," Minerva suggested. Jennifer gazed at Minerva dubiously.

"Thank you," Lunette said, but was eager to get the attention off of herself. "So how are things with you, Beth? You have more kids now, right?"

"Oh, we have three now, Edgar, Emily, and Barrett. The best part is they get along with one another really well, both with one another and the other children in the house," Beth said. "Edgar can be a little bossy at times, but generally they're all very kind, and I'm pretty proud of that."

"I don't think Edgar means to be bossy, Beth. I think he's just trying to take care of the others," TJ offered.

"To him, he's being protective, but the other kids think he's bossy," Beth chuckled. "Thomas says that Maurice was the same way at Edgar's age, and not to worry. I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up following our paths and becoming a Slytherin one day."

"Now, Beth, there's many years away!" Jennifer reminded her, and shook her finger. "You don't want to let that notion get in the way of what house he ends up in when he does get to school, do you?"

"I don't mean it like that, Jennifer. I promise I'll be happy no matter what house he's in. I'm just speculating like all parents do, that's all. Surely you've done it yourself," Beth said.

"Actually, Quintin cured me of that," Jennifer said dryly. Beth laughed.

"So everything's good between you two," Lunette concluded, growing a bit bored. "What about you, TJ? What sort of men problems do you have?"

"Oh, um… I'm single, thank you," TJ said, shifting her gaze away. But it wasn't quick enough to keep Lunette from tilting her head and gaining an interest in her. In fact, Lunette's gaze was so searching that TJ decided that hiding behind her drinking glass was the best solution to escape it. "I was engaged once. It just didn't work out."

"Yes, which is why we refuse to talk about him any longer, because he doesn't deserve the attention," Beth declared in TJ's defense. "In fact, I heard he's going to marry a Villin, and it serves him right!"

"Beth, really," TJ protested in embarrassment. "Beth has been extremely supportive."

"Of course I am! You're my closest witch friend, after all," Beth said.

"Yes," TJ said quietly.

"And we're having a Coven Night, which means you can say anything, anything at all, and it's always kept completely confidential," Beth said.

"Well, I wouldn't call it 'completely,'" Minerva said, but then Beth gave her a dirty look. "But slip-ups are extremely rare," she added, less than reassuringly.

Lunette, who was already growing extremely curious about the girl after learning she hadn't been born one, immediately got the impression from Beth and Minerva that TJ might be lacking confidence, and the diluted brew certainly wasn't helping. That was when Lunette noticed how intently Jennifer was looking at TJ. Jennifer, it seemed, was very much hoping TJ would speak up about something. Lunette joined in, studying the TJ simply to figure out what the problem was. That's when Lunette realized that the reason TJ wasn't speaking was actually sitting right next to her.

TJ, already conscientious, was painfully aware of how intently Lunette and Jennifer were looking at her. In fact, TJ was rather regretting the fact that she even accepted the invitation.

Minerva cleared her throat in a loud and intentional way, just like she used to do before correcting erring students in her classroom.

"Lunette, if I may, you are behaving just like Jennifer right now," Minerva pointed out, knowing that comparison would be enough for Lunette to blink. Then she turned to Jennifer.

"Jennifer, really! Push up your spectacles and stop intimidating my guests, or I'll make a permanent no Truth-Seeking rule. No one has to share if they don't want to," Minerva scolded Jennifer outright.

"Maybe this would have worked better if those two witches had been split up," Lunette suggested to Jennifer.

"I could say the same about the two of you," Minerva retorted.

"I wouldn't have even thought to invite her if Beth hadn't invited her," Jennifer admitted to Lunette.

"Then I guess there's only one solution to this stalemate, isn't it? Beth needs to say something," Lunette reasoned. "Beth, your suspicions are correct. Just go with it."

"This really is the last time I invite both of you at once," Minerva told Lunette.

Lunette waved it off uncaringly, her eyes fixed on Beth.

"Very well," Beth said, taking a sip. "TJ, Maurice and I know that you're interested in Ambrose, and we're both perfectly okay with that."

"I… that is to say… is he? Does he?" TJ stumbled uncharacteristically.

"He's totally clueless," Beth admitted. TJ slumped slightly. "Ambrose has always had a bit of tunnel vision. He's very wise and caring when it comes to managing other people's affairs, but he's entirely horrible at managing his own."

"Like father, like son," Lunette observed.

"Precisely," Beth agreed, nodding to Lunette. "But just because he can't see the obvious right now, it doesn't mean he won't catch on eventually. Please don't feel like you have to rule it out because of Maurice and me."

TJ began to sob, and it wasn't long before the handkerchief came out.

"I'm terribly sorry," she said shakily. "It's just… the three of you are Cosmic Matches, so I couldn't possibly come between you. It wouldn't be right. I'm just your fourth at bridge and that's all."

"If that's what you've been telling yourself lately, I suggest you stop. Whatever happened to your personal mantra?" Beth chided her. "Go ahead, say it."

"'I'm the exception to the rule because I'm exceptional,'" TJ repeated. "That was easier to believe when I was a child. As an adult I know that I am no better than anyone else."

"TJ," Jennifer said with a soft smile. "Your father taught you that to give you the strength and confidence to be yourself through all of the trials you had growing up. Personally, I don't see anything wrong with you using it to bolster yourself when you're feeling vulnerable. You've used it in the past to do that, and look at how far you've come! You truly have become the person you wanted to be, and not the person everyone else thought you should be."

"Well, yes, but defining who I am is very different than finding my place in a relationship," TJ pointed out. "I've been struggling with it terribly ever since Toby said something to me that got me thinking about it."

"Why, what did Toby say?" Beth asked curiously.

"He might've accidentally called me Ambrose's fiancé once," TJ admitted sheepishly. Beth grinned at that, while the other three witches chuckled openly at that. "I thought it was a mistake! It may still be a mistake… it's just that I wouldn't have even considered it before. I don't want to get in between the three of you, Beth!"

"TJ, do you know what Maurice and Ambrose are doing while we're here at Coven Night?" Beth confronted her. TJ shrugged.

"I suppose they could be having a romantic evening together," TJ guessed quietly.

"There is no 'supposing' about it. They are," Beth told TJ firmly. "Does that bother you?"

"Well, no, not really," TJ replied sincerely.

"So we're good, then," Beth said calmly. "Look, what we want most is for Ambrose to be happy. To be honest, he has struggled to be happy ever since Maurice and I got married… even after the Dragonheart Diamond rings… even after Thomas and Fleur welcomed him as part of the family, he's still been struggling with feeling left out. The only time I ever see any blue in Ambrose's ring is when all four of us are spending time together."

"Truly?" TJ asked seriously.

"Yes, without a doubt," Beth said. "So please don't let these rings stand in your way. If the two of you end up wanting more than a friendship, we will support you."

"I'll admit that I do, but… not unless it's real… not unless it's become quite evident that he's attracted to me more than just my lousy bridge playing. I don't want to feel like he's settling on me because we're friends. I don't think I could take that blow to my confidence," TJ said firmly.

"Well, that sounds more like something that falls under Jennifer's expertise," Beth said mischievously, turning to Jennifer.

"To be perfectly honest, TJ, I really don't think you have anything to worry about," Jennifer said with an enigmatic smile. "Ambrose is very interested in having a family of his own, or he wouldn't have jumped so carelessly into that first disastrous marriage. I am quite certain that has a lot to do with his hesitancy, along with being afraid of how it'll affect you and Maurice, Beth, in the same way that TJ herself just expressed. But if you start feeling impatient with him, TJ, talk to me before the Craw Christmas Ball and I'll see what I can do."

"Don't do it!" Lunette intervened emphatically. "Who knows what havoc Jennifer will cause if you give her permission to meddle!"

"I promise to keep it in mind," TJ said, softly laughing at Lunette's reaction.

"It is TJ's choice, after all, Lunette," Jennifer said with amusement. "Feeling better, Beth?"

"Much better. I'm glad that we finally had a chance to talk about it," Beth admitted.

"Me too," TJ said with a smile.

When Jennifer arrived at the castle, Severus was reading in his sitting room, looking up when she came in with a fixed expression.

"Good evening. You look remarkably sober," he commented.

"Yes, thank you very much. It was a very weak brew, due to how many of us didn't want to brave a hangover during the garden party," Jennifer explained with amusement, taking a seat beside him on the sofa. "Lunette and Minerva went upstairs to get a real drink afterwards."

"Considering how much it takes to get Lunette even slightly relaxed, I'm certain that bill bill make Rosmerta happy," Severus said. "Did you have a nice evening?"

"Well, it didn't go as expected, but I wouldn't call it altogether wasted either. Unfortunately, it wasn't Lunette who had a productive night. She just had the benefit of listening into someone who ultimately chose to follow her fate on her own," Jennifer said carefully.

"I know better than to ask who, so I will not, but I am glad you seem pleased with the decision, just as I am pleased with your decision to stay this evening, considering how little you've been staying over lately," Severus said.

"It's not my fault, I've had a dreadfully busy summer," Jennifer protested, leaning into him. "In fact, it's been so busy that I can't wait to get back, even though I feel a pain of remorse that I'm sending Seren to school this year."

"Don't worry," Severus said calmly. "This is nothing more than another exciting chapter, and there is no lack of younger grandchildren that would love your attention in the daycare and beyond. Besides, we still have many more milestones to enjoy, she still needs plenty looking after."

"True," Jennifer said.

"The best part is that the older they get, the easier it will be to sneak away to Parra at a moment's notice," Severus added for good measure.

"Well, there will be no sneaking off tonight," Jennifer chuckled at him. "Tonight, we're staying here."

"I don't mind that as well," Severus decided, opening the window for her as Jennifer poured them some licorice tea with honey.