Caleb and Stella - Reception
Date: Friday, March 14
Time: 5:30pm
Location: The Prancing Unicorn, London
Characters Involved: Stella and Caleb Moore, and all their invited guests. ((Please add a tag for your character as you join in!))
Rating: try to keep it PG?
( Read more... )
Time: 5:30pm
Location: The Prancing Unicorn, London
Characters Involved: Stella and Caleb Moore, and all their invited guests. ((Please add a tag for your character as you join in!))
Rating: try to keep it PG?
( Read more... )
He had come a long way from the stumbling dancing lessons in Malfoy Manor when he was at the height of his 'awkward teen' years. He did not so much as snag her dress or even risk scuffing her toes as they glided about the floor.
Severus did not entirely trust Caleb Moore, having started out on entirely the wrong foot with the man upon their first meeting. Moore's actions when he decided to grow a spine and rejoin British Wizarding society could have easily risked the safety of Severus' adopted family. It is no surprise to anyone that Severus Snape treated grudge-holding as an art form.
So it was that he could not find anything 'nice' to say about Professor Sinist Moore's pleasure at her new name. In a rare exercise of tact, he left the subject alone.
"A bit!" he said, suddenly darting his eyes wildly about the enormous, over-crowded room. "Sweet Circe, I should hope so! As to it being 'wonderful' . . ." He shrugged. "I have not yet determined the fascination with exposing one's deepest emotions before a crowd. Such things seem to me more properly cherished in private."
He caught a glimpse of Remus and June through the dancers and his pensive expression softened.
"Then again, it is tradition. If one is going to do a thing, one might as well do it properly." Or as properly as one can when one is Bonding with one's own gender, but that was another issue.
"Your ceremony was very tasteful." An enormous compliment from Severus. "You are clearly very happy. Congratulations if I failed to say it before."
Reply
Alright, so it was a fair crowd of people, Stella admitted to herself. She quickly returned her focus to Severus, however, as he continued speaking.
"I am very happy," Stella assured him as they glided over the floor. "As will you be when it is your turn to 'do it properly' as you say." Stella grinned, knowing she could get away with a bit of teasing on this day.
"But really, Severus, I cannot think of anyone who deserves more happiness than you and Remus." After all both men had been through, they both deserved more than a lifetime of happiness, at least in Stella's mind.
"But thank you for being here, Severus. I know you and Caleb do not always get along, but today wouldn't have been possible without all that you and Remus have done for us-" Stella knew that her colleague was not one for grand gestures of thanks, either giving or receiving. However, Stella wanted to make sure that all of her guests- but especially Remus and Severus- understood how important they were to her and Caleb.
Reply
Even with the opening she thus provided, Severus would not throw her generous gratitude back in her face by speaking ill of her spouse.
"Remus would have done nothing less for anyone in Moore's place, as well you know. And as the Head of Gryffindor has clearly wrapped me around his fingers, whither he goes, I will follow. You owe me no gratitude.
"We both know any unpleasantness between myself and your husband is exacerbated by my oh-so-charming temperament."
He offered her a self-deprecating smirk, one brow cocked as though daring her to argue.
"As I do not have to live with the man, my opinion is of no importance."
Reply
She did laugh, though, at Severus's assessments of himself.
"Well, Caleb will be the first to admit that he is extremely stubborn, so between that and your 'temperament', I'm just glad you've been able to work together as much as you have," Stella nodded, figuring they could leave the subject there.
"But really, Severus, I've never seen you happier than you have been this past year or so. I know that is due to Remus, but I am still grateful for all that you have done- regardless of his influence."
After nearly twenty years of working with the man, Stella knew he was not one to accept thanks or compliments well. However, it didn't mean that she was not going to try!
Reply
"Stella, please," he said almost desperately, not even aware that he'd dropped his usual formality to use her given name. "Moore's assistance has advanced my own research. The broader my sample database, the more sound will be my end results. The association has been mutually beneficial. Your gratitude is very . . . kind."
Wasn't that the correct word to use here?
"But it is most undeserved."
Hell, he'd gotten loads of tissue samples from Moore - almost each month, when they agreed there was visible improvement of the scars, he would collect new samples so as to be able to modify the next month's treatment to increase effectiveness. As with June and Derrick and so many others, he doubted he'd ever succeed in eliminating the scars completely, but there had been dramatic improvements. In some cases, one had to know precisely where to look and what to look for before one could tell a scar was there.
It was his research. His first passion and obsession before Remus had come into his life and now still second only to Remus - and much of it focused on that which would benefit Remus until the two were almost synonymous. He was exceedingly proud of his talent and his successes, but that did not make her gratitude any less embarrassing.
Best to change the subject away from himself entirely.
"Will Moore be moving to Hogwarts, then? Or will you be living somewhere else and Flooing to the school like some of the teachers with young families have done?"
Reply
"My parents actually made a gift of the house I grew up in," Stella explained, still a bit amazed herself at her parents' generosity. "Caleb and I are moving there- a small town in Devon, called Ashreigney." A wide grin passed over Stella's face- she hadn't seen the house in several weeks, and was excited to see what sort of work Caleb had done on it.
"Minerva approved a direct Floo connection, which will make things a lot easier- having to apparate home at 2:00am every night was not something I even wanted to contemplate."
Reply
Leave a comment