015 filtered to Strilondes

[givesyouaboner]

I'm sure you guys have seen Professor Vantas's family tree assignment. I have to admit I'm at a loss of how to proceed with it.
Have you guys started?

_{[filtered to Bro]}

Do you know anything about my mother?

Comments

[plushaeusrumpified]

[A few seconds later, he's got Dirk's mug filled and he plops a giant marshmallow in it. He pours himself one as well and then walks over, handing Dirk's to him before taking a seat.

He doesn't really have any intention of drinking his, considering he'll have so much talking to do and his stomach already feels a little sick just thinking about this.]

So... where d'you want me to start?

[givesyouaboner]

_{[Dirk pokes at his marshmallows for a moment. He could just pick them up and eat them, but he wants them to melt more into the cocoa so he's waiting. The warmth of the mug in his hand feels nice, though.]}

I don't know. Did you know her well?

[plushaeusrumpified]

Not really, no. I only really met her a few times. Her name was Violet, she and David met in film school.

[He's really not sure how much Dirk wants to know, so he stops there and waits for an indication of where to go after that.]

[givesyouaboner]

I don't remember her at all.

_{[Awkward silence.]}

Is she alive?

[plushaeusrumpified]

[Welp. What a straight forward kind of question.]

As...far as I know?

[givesyouaboner]

_[Chinhands.]

And she isn't here because?

[plushaeusrumpified]

[Why wasn't he more prepared for this? He really should have expected all of these questions, but he doesn't know how to answer them.

So. have an evasive answer.]

Well she's not here because she's a muggle.

[givesyouaboner]

Well, yes. But why didn't she come find me in April?

[plushaeusrumpified]

[Fuuuu-

How was he supposed to answer these things when he didn't know?

He's quiet for a while, trying to think of an answer. He can't think of why that's so important to Dirk, when he doesn't even know the woman.]

Is that what you would've preferred?

[givesyouaboner]

I would've preferred for her to at least care enough to show up, even if it was to say she didn't want custody of me.

_{[He pauses. There's more he wants to say but he can't articulate. In the end, he lets his voice fade out.]}

[plushaeusrumpified]

[Bro lets out a sigh, already feeling bad that he let his feelings get in the way and cause him to ask that question. Of course Dirk would want to know why, it didn't necessarily mean anything. He supposes that now would be a good time to tell him why she was gone, even if the memories were a little fuzzy. It'd been years since he'd heard the details, and even then it didn't make a whole lot of sense to him.]

She loved you.

[That much he knew was true. He could tell that just from the few times he'd seen her with Dirk.]

I'm sure she still does, because she left with your best interest at heart. There was something wrong with her. She was getting scared... She was seeing stuff and it was getting to her. So she left, 'cuz she was scared she might hurt you.

[The more he spoke, the more it all clicked. All this time, he'd thought that she really was crazy or something. But sitting there in the castle and telling the story, he realized what it must've been. It was Dirk's magic freaking her out. He realized that if she'd known... Well, how different things would be right now.

He realized he could never tell Dirk the truth about it. Not without hurting him, so this is a realization that he's going to keep to himself, while saying whatever he could to make Dirk realize she wasn't a monster. She didn't deserve that. Not really.]

[givesyouaboner]

_{[He was quiet for a moment, trying to process this. Maybe it would make more sense if he was older, or if he remembered anything. He just knew he was really young when she went away. At some point, he must've just accepted it because he doesn't remember the point in time where he missed her.]}

So she's in a hospital now?

_{[This was acceptable. It was sad, but that was better than her just going off and having a life and forgetting.]}

[plushaeusrumpified]

I don't know, but I'd assume that's the likely scenario here.

[She probably isn't, but he doesn't know for sure, so telling Dirk she is isn't exactly a lie. At least not enough of one that he feels bad about it.]

I can try and find a picture of her, if you want me to.

[givesyouaboner]

I would like that.

_{[He sips his cocoa. It's cooled just enough for it.]}

Before she got sick, was she happy?

[plushaeusrumpified]

[He nods. He isn't sure how he's going to find a picture of her, but. He will. Somehow. Even if it takes a lot of digging. Because he doesn't want to find just any old picture; he wants to find one of them together as a family. At Dirk's question, he doesn't even have to hesitate before replying.]

Very. I don't think you could've found a happier woman, to be honest.

[givesyouaboner]

_{[Dirk smiles at that and curls his legs up in the seat. He takes a few more sips of his cocoa before speaking again.]}

I'm glad. I guess it's good, that she probably doesn't know? It'd only make her sad, and that wouldn't be good if she's still sick.

[plushaeusrumpified]

[Bro nods again, unsure what to exactly say. To busy himself, he finally brings his own cup up to his lips and takes a swallow.]

Yeah. I think the last thing she needs is sadness, if she's still sick. It probably isn't good for the healing process.

[givesyouaboner]

_{[He nods.]}

Thank you for telling me about her.

[plushaeusrumpified]

No problem.

[He's quiet for a few more moments, taking another sip of his hot chocolate, though he's not really interested in it. Something a bit stronger would be good right about now, but he's not gonna go there with Dirk in the room.]

Anything else you need to know for the assignment?

[givesyouaboner]

Do you know if she had any family? And I don't know anything past Grandpa and Grandma. Professor Vantas said I'd be okay not going past them, but now I'm curious.

[plushaeusrumpified]

I honestly don't know anything about her family, sorry kiddo.

[But he does shift slightly at the mention of Dirk's grandparents. Of all the people he wants to talk about, they rank in the 9th level of hell fucking no.]

There ain't a lot to say about 'em. They're muggles. As muggle as you can get.

[givesyouaboner]

That's okay. I'll talk to Professor Vantas again and make sure I won't get a lower grade because of it.

What about their parents and the parents' parents? If they're all muggles how'd we get magic?

[plushaeusrumpified]

As if Lil Sal'd give you a low grade. I don't think he's capable of that. I'm sure he gives everybody top marks because he'd feel guilty otherwise.

I really don't know. I haven't examined the family tree closely. As far as I know, all the magic started with me.

[givesyouaboner]

I hope you're right. I've gotten decent marks before this. I wouldn't want my grade to drop because of it.

But is that how it works? Can someone just become magical? Isn't it hereditary?

[plushaeusrumpified]

It probably is, Dirk. But I'm not an expert on the matter, y'know? I'm sure somebody back down the line must've been magical, but as far as I personally know, I'm the only one in a longass while. Ma, pa, ain't none of them ever mentioned a wizard. Which is why they thought I was such a freak, I guess, since it was such a foreign concept.

[He lets out a small sigh, because he has a feeling this isn't going to be the end of it.]

Look, if you want me to do a little digging I can, but it might take a while.

[Despite the sigh, he doesn't actually sound reluctant. Admittedly a part of him's gotten curious about it too, and he probably would in his spare time anyway.]