It takes a long time ...
Category: Pink Sheep RPG
September. Stephen had owled the bloody announcement in September, and here she was in the new year finally getting around to having tea with him and his fiance. Some friend she was.
It couldn’t be helped now, however, and Astoria pushed the self-recriminating thoughts aside as she gathered her handbag and Apparataed to the Blue Owl in Diagon. She’d become something of a bad friend and sister over the past few years as she let work consume her, but it was never too late to make an effort. She’d grown up with Stephen and now he was getting married - in four months! - and Astoria was intent that she should know his bride.
Well, that she should know more of her than their slight acquaintance from school, in any case. Cassandra Montgomery had been a Slytherin, after all, though several years younger than herself. Astoria had a few memories of the blonde woman, but it was important to make new memories now. She didn’t want her friendship with Stephen to fall to the wayside, and making an effort to genuinely know his future wife was part of ensuring that it never did.
After checking her coat and being pointed in the right direction by the maître d', Astoria clipped through the dining room, dark eyes scanning until she found her old friend. A smile lit her features as she came to the pair, and she nodded her greeting to Cassandra before bending down to press a kiss to either of Stephen’s cheeks and then sliding into the booth opposite the couple. “I’m so sorry I’m late. A few things held me up at work, but better late than never, yes?”
“Am I going to have to kidnap you again, Rors? Make you get out and get a bit of fresh air like last time?” Stephen asked, a twinkle in his eye as his lips twitched. Astoria was practically his sister, and she and Michael were more his siblings than his actual blood relations. As a good “big brother,” Stephen took it upon himself to make sure that his little sister occasionally remembered what a social life was.
“I do not know this fresh air you speak of,” Astoria said airily, a little sniff following the statement. “And I have it on good authority that a few men in my life might look unkindly on a kidnapping.”
Astoria couldn’t hold the facade though, and a hint of a smile curled her lips and lit her eyes. “Though I don’t think I should oppose such drastic measures. I hear such things as good clean air and time outside the office are good for a person.”
“They are indeed. In fact, when was the last you visited Hertfordshire?” Stephen asked, giving Cassie’s hand a squeeze as his bright gaze found his bride-to-be’s.
Astoria’s brow furrowed slightly, and she glanced from the still-quiet blonde and back to Stephen. “Hertfordshire?”
“Hertfordshire. You know, county north of London?” he replied with a teasing grin.
Astoria narrowed her eyes at him. He might not be her blood brother, but Stephen Cornfoot could be as infuriating as one. “Yes, I know that. Perhaps your lovely fiance can fill me in to why you’re not only being cryptic, but cheeky,” she told him before shifting her attention to Cassandra.
“Cheeky is Stephen’s general state of being in my experience,” Cassie quipped, glancing up at her handsome husband-to-be, “but the crypticness is because he’s excited to share a new bit of news, but he wants to drag it out to torment you in the most loving way.”
Turning to Stephen, the blonde asked, “Do you want to tell her?” Astoria was one of Stephen’s oldest and closest friends, she didn’t want to steal his thunder.
Stephen paused, milking the dramatics for all they were worth for one last minute.
“We bought a house,” he said to their companion. “Just outside of Tring, about fifty kilometers outside London.”
“You’ve narrowed it down to the kilometers,” Astoria said faintly. She supposed it was normal for a couple getting married to buy a house, but as she watched smiles blossom on the couple’s faces it really hit her in that moment that Stephen was getting married.
And he was happy.
A smile lit Astoria’s features and she leaned across the table to grasp a hand from each. “Congratulations to you both. That’s terribly exciting, and I insist that you must come to the gallery to see if there’s anything to your liking for the place. It’ll be my gift.”
Cassie’s eye grew round at the offer. She’d been thinking of how to decorate their future home since Stephen first showed it to her. It was rather thrilling, having a place that was just theirs. “Thank you, Astoria. That’s really too generous.”
“In my defense, the estate agent told me how far it was from London. Wasn’t like I flew over and measured it,” Stephen replied, squeezing Astoria’s hand gently. “You’ll have to come over and see it soon. It’s completely empty, so we’ve got a job ahead of us, decorating it.”
“Well, then a little piece of art should be welcome then,” Astoria said as she pulled back, a small smile sent to Cassandra as she still seemed somewhat overwhelmed by the offer. Her gaze shifted to take in both a few moments later and she added, “though if you’re in need of an interior decorator, I’ve several contacts.”
“We haven’t really gotten much further than buying the property, but I’ll keep that in mind,” Cassie said, the excitement and minor trepidation for the task ahead visible in her eyes. “Stephen and I haven’t talked much about it yet, but I think my mother would enjoy helping us. Fortunately we won’t be needing all the rooms just for ourselves, so there’s time.”
“Of course,” Astoria agreed. She resisted the urge to reach out and pat the blonde’s hand. She was a beautiful woman, but she was young and it showed just around her eyes and the telling curves of her mouth when she spoke. Astoria wondered if she had looked like that once upon a time; she knew she didn’t know. She felt old and jaded these days.
Forcing such thoughts from her mind, Astoria flicked dark eyes to Stephen. “So where’s the honeymoon then? Somewhere warm and fabulous?” Her gaze flicked back to Cassandra. “Or is it a surprise?”
“Santorini,” Stephen answered, lips twitching. “Is that up to par, Rory?”
Astoria’s lips curled slightly. “It’ll do.”
“Nice to see you think I’ve done so well,” he replied, his own lip mirroring her curl.
“I think you’ve done well,” Cassie said with a playful light in her eyes, “you picked me to honeymoon with, after all. I think you could do a lot worse for company in the most beautiful place on earth.”
“Mmm, I suppose you’re right. Though I might point out that you could do a lot worse, too, woman.”
“That’s true. I’m a lucky girl,” she agreed before shooting Astoria an apologetic grin. “I doubt you came out tonight in the hope of listening to us whisper sweet nothings to each other, though. How have you been, Astoria? Are there great and exciting goings on in the world of art?”
“Always. Fashion, art, it’s all the same. We’re always looking for the next big thing,” she said breezily, though her eyes were bright with humor. “I leave most of the talent searching up to my assistant these days though. I’ve been working on a rather large project for quite some time, actually. White Chapel’s to host a rather large international festival in the fall. Advertising should start next month, but I have a feeling I’ll not sleep until it’s all over.”
“Might have to drug you then, Rors,” Stephen said, a teasing glint to his blue eyes. “Can’t have you looking like an Inferi, if that’s even possible in those designer shoes you love.”
Astoria waved her hand at him dismissively. “I am super human. I don’t need sleep and I look fabulous at all hours of the day.”
“Mmm, and possibly a potion for delusions.”
“Shush. I’d rather we not go into the dirty laundry just yet, hmm?” Astoria told him, humor dancing in her eyes. “I’d like to make a good impression on your fiance. There’s time after the wedding to let her have a look at the skeletons in the closet.”
Cassie laughed and took a sip of the wine in front of her. Skeletons in the closet were something with which she was familiar. Her mother’s family had enough of them to fill several walk-in closets. “I don’t think you need to worry on that score. Stephen thinks highly of you, which says a lot on its own, but you’ve got a reputation that’s nothing but positive from what I’ve heard.” Her lips twitched. “Besides, I’m half Rosier. Skeletons in the closet stopped scaring me years ago.”
Stephen kept quiet on the subject. His own family had plenty of skeletons; in addition to the many transgressions of the Cornfoot family, he was half Dolohov through his mother. That family was nothing more than a breeding ground for Dark witches and wizards, and he supposed it was a miracle his parents hadn’t openly supported Voldemort.
And then there were his personal skeletons, the ones he kept buried. They would stay in the metaphorical closet.
“It’s when they start dancing about that I start to get concerned,” Astoria said, lips twitching as she met Cassie’s gaze. She was pleased to find that she and the younger woman got on well, and that they had an easy understanding.
It was then that a waiter came to their table to take their order. Talk was well and good, but they were here to take lunch and Astoria intended to do so. She had a series of meetings in the afternoon and she’d be lucky to get dinner before the day was out.
She lifted her gaze to the waiter. “I’ll have the blackened salmon Caesar...”
SUMMARY: Astoria takes lunch with Stephen and Cassie. There is snark, and Astoria is pleased to find that she and Stephen’s fiance get along very well, indeed.
September. Stephen had owled the bloody announcement in September, and here she was in the new year finally getting around to having tea with him and his fiance. Some friend she was.
It couldn’t be helped now, however, and Astoria pushed the self-recriminating thoughts aside as she gathered her handbag and Apparataed to the Blue Owl in Diagon. She’d become something of a bad friend and sister over the past few years as she let work consume her, but it was never too late to make an effort. She’d grown up with Stephen and now he was getting married - in four months! - and Astoria was intent that she should know his bride.
Well, that she should know more of her than their slight acquaintance from school, in any case. Cassandra Montgomery had been a Slytherin, after all, though several years younger than herself. Astoria had a few memories of the blonde woman, but it was important to make new memories now. She didn’t want her friendship with Stephen to fall to the wayside, and making an effort to genuinely know his future wife was part of ensuring that it never did.
After checking her coat and being pointed in the right direction by the maître d', Astoria clipped through the dining room, dark eyes scanning until she found her old friend. A smile lit her features as she came to the pair, and she nodded her greeting to Cassandra before bending down to press a kiss to either of Stephen’s cheeks and then sliding into the booth opposite the couple. “I’m so sorry I’m late. A few things held me up at work, but better late than never, yes?”
“Am I going to have to kidnap you again, Rors? Make you get out and get a bit of fresh air like last time?” Stephen asked, a twinkle in his eye as his lips twitched. Astoria was practically his sister, and she and Michael were more his siblings than his actual blood relations. As a good “big brother,” Stephen took it upon himself to make sure that his little sister occasionally remembered what a social life was.
“I do not know this fresh air you speak of,” Astoria said airily, a little sniff following the statement. “And I have it on good authority that a few men in my life might look unkindly on a kidnapping.”
Astoria couldn’t hold the facade though, and a hint of a smile curled her lips and lit her eyes. “Though I don’t think I should oppose such drastic measures. I hear such things as good clean air and time outside the office are good for a person.”
“They are indeed. In fact, when was the last you visited Hertfordshire?” Stephen asked, giving Cassie’s hand a squeeze as his bright gaze found his bride-to-be’s.
Astoria’s brow furrowed slightly, and she glanced from the still-quiet blonde and back to Stephen. “Hertfordshire?”
“Hertfordshire. You know, county north of London?” he replied with a teasing grin.
Astoria narrowed her eyes at him. He might not be her blood brother, but Stephen Cornfoot could be as infuriating as one. “Yes, I know that. Perhaps your lovely fiance can fill me in to why you’re not only being cryptic, but cheeky,” she told him before shifting her attention to Cassandra.
“Cheeky is Stephen’s general state of being in my experience,” Cassie quipped, glancing up at her handsome husband-to-be, “but the crypticness is because he’s excited to share a new bit of news, but he wants to drag it out to torment you in the most loving way.”
Turning to Stephen, the blonde asked, “Do you want to tell her?” Astoria was one of Stephen’s oldest and closest friends, she didn’t want to steal his thunder.
Stephen paused, milking the dramatics for all they were worth for one last minute.
“We bought a house,” he said to their companion. “Just outside of Tring, about fifty kilometers outside London.”
“You’ve narrowed it down to the kilometers,” Astoria said faintly. She supposed it was normal for a couple getting married to buy a house, but as she watched smiles blossom on the couple’s faces it really hit her in that moment that Stephen was getting married.
And he was happy.
A smile lit Astoria’s features and she leaned across the table to grasp a hand from each. “Congratulations to you both. That’s terribly exciting, and I insist that you must come to the gallery to see if there’s anything to your liking for the place. It’ll be my gift.”
Cassie’s eye grew round at the offer. She’d been thinking of how to decorate their future home since Stephen first showed it to her. It was rather thrilling, having a place that was just theirs. “Thank you, Astoria. That’s really too generous.”
“In my defense, the estate agent told me how far it was from London. Wasn’t like I flew over and measured it,” Stephen replied, squeezing Astoria’s hand gently. “You’ll have to come over and see it soon. It’s completely empty, so we’ve got a job ahead of us, decorating it.”
“Well, then a little piece of art should be welcome then,” Astoria said as she pulled back, a small smile sent to Cassandra as she still seemed somewhat overwhelmed by the offer. Her gaze shifted to take in both a few moments later and she added, “though if you’re in need of an interior decorator, I’ve several contacts.”
“We haven’t really gotten much further than buying the property, but I’ll keep that in mind,” Cassie said, the excitement and minor trepidation for the task ahead visible in her eyes. “Stephen and I haven’t talked much about it yet, but I think my mother would enjoy helping us. Fortunately we won’t be needing all the rooms just for ourselves, so there’s time.”
“Of course,” Astoria agreed. She resisted the urge to reach out and pat the blonde’s hand. She was a beautiful woman, but she was young and it showed just around her eyes and the telling curves of her mouth when she spoke. Astoria wondered if she had looked like that once upon a time; she knew she didn’t know. She felt old and jaded these days.
Forcing such thoughts from her mind, Astoria flicked dark eyes to Stephen. “So where’s the honeymoon then? Somewhere warm and fabulous?” Her gaze flicked back to Cassandra. “Or is it a surprise?”
“Santorini,” Stephen answered, lips twitching. “Is that up to par, Rory?”
Astoria’s lips curled slightly. “It’ll do.”
“Nice to see you think I’ve done so well,” he replied, his own lip mirroring her curl.
“I think you’ve done well,” Cassie said with a playful light in her eyes, “you picked me to honeymoon with, after all. I think you could do a lot worse for company in the most beautiful place on earth.”
“Mmm, I suppose you’re right. Though I might point out that you could do a lot worse, too, woman.”
“That’s true. I’m a lucky girl,” she agreed before shooting Astoria an apologetic grin. “I doubt you came out tonight in the hope of listening to us whisper sweet nothings to each other, though. How have you been, Astoria? Are there great and exciting goings on in the world of art?”
“Always. Fashion, art, it’s all the same. We’re always looking for the next big thing,” she said breezily, though her eyes were bright with humor. “I leave most of the talent searching up to my assistant these days though. I’ve been working on a rather large project for quite some time, actually. White Chapel’s to host a rather large international festival in the fall. Advertising should start next month, but I have a feeling I’ll not sleep until it’s all over.”
“Might have to drug you then, Rors,” Stephen said, a teasing glint to his blue eyes. “Can’t have you looking like an Inferi, if that’s even possible in those designer shoes you love.”
Astoria waved her hand at him dismissively. “I am super human. I don’t need sleep and I look fabulous at all hours of the day.”
“Mmm, and possibly a potion for delusions.”
“Shush. I’d rather we not go into the dirty laundry just yet, hmm?” Astoria told him, humor dancing in her eyes. “I’d like to make a good impression on your fiance. There’s time after the wedding to let her have a look at the skeletons in the closet.”
Cassie laughed and took a sip of the wine in front of her. Skeletons in the closet were something with which she was familiar. Her mother’s family had enough of them to fill several walk-in closets. “I don’t think you need to worry on that score. Stephen thinks highly of you, which says a lot on its own, but you’ve got a reputation that’s nothing but positive from what I’ve heard.” Her lips twitched. “Besides, I’m half Rosier. Skeletons in the closet stopped scaring me years ago.”
Stephen kept quiet on the subject. His own family had plenty of skeletons; in addition to the many transgressions of the Cornfoot family, he was half Dolohov through his mother. That family was nothing more than a breeding ground for Dark witches and wizards, and he supposed it was a miracle his parents hadn’t openly supported Voldemort.
And then there were his personal skeletons, the ones he kept buried. They would stay in the metaphorical closet.
“It’s when they start dancing about that I start to get concerned,” Astoria said, lips twitching as she met Cassie’s gaze. She was pleased to find that she and the younger woman got on well, and that they had an easy understanding.
It was then that a waiter came to their table to take their order. Talk was well and good, but they were here to take lunch and Astoria intended to do so. She had a series of meetings in the afternoon and she’d be lucky to get dinner before the day was out.
She lifted her gaze to the waiter. “I’ll have the blackened salmon Caesar...”
SUMMARY: Astoria takes lunch with Stephen and Cassie. There is snark, and Astoria is pleased to find that she and Stephen’s fiance get along very well, indeed.