My Sister and Boyfriend Meet
“Remember, be nice,” I tell Caley.
“I am nice,” she protests. “As long as he’s a good guy,” she counters as we turn the corner. We are going to meet Orion at a restaurant. Caley said she wanted to meet him and when I brought it up with Orion, he thought it was a good idea.
“He is.”
She pauses and I think she is going to mention Charlie. She did express a few reservations about me marrying him, but was happy for me. I can say, she wasn’t too surprised when we got divorced, though she did let me cry and talk for hours.
“Just give him a chance,” I tell her as we near the restaurant.
“I will. I just am going to be honest about how I feel about him.”
As we reach the restaurant I notice Orion is actually waiting outside. He smiles when he sees me, stealing a quick kiss before stepping back. He nods to Caley in greeting, opening the door for us.
Caley goes through first then I follow. “Thanks for doing this,” I tell him.
“Doing what?” he shrugs, kissing my cheek.
“Meeting Caley. I think it will be more difficult than meeting my parents.”
“It can’t be anymore difficult than meeting mine,” he points out with a grin as we find a table. Orion quickly pulls out a chair for Caley, then for me.
“Thanks,” I smile, taking my seat. I can tell that Caley is impressed so far.
“So Caley, I think Megan mentioned you were a Gryffindor? What year?”
“I started in 1994. So I haven’t been done long.”
Orion nods at this, “What are you doing now?”
“I am working part time at a muggle music store so far. Practicing a lot with guitar and singing. So you work at the Ministry, with animals, right?”
I have told her, but I suppose she likes being the one to ask questions.
“I do,” he confirms, “Regulation of Magical Creatures.”
“Why did you decide to do that?”
“Curiosity,” he answers simply. “It interests me to see the similarities and differences between different species, magical and muggle, human or non human. My job enables me to discover these things while the Ministry pays for my research.”
She looks at Orion for a moment. “You are a complete Ravenclaw,” she states.
“Of course,” he nods with a smile.
“And what do you do when you are not working?”
“Should we at least save the inquisition only after we get our drinks?” I suggest.
Orion gives a slight laugh and shrugs, “What would you like?”
“Butterbeer sounds good,” I say and Caley says the same. I am not surprised.
Orion excuses himself, heading to the bar to place our order.
“First impression?” I ask her.
Caley considers this, glancing at him. “So far so good.”
“You know, you could be an interrogator,” I tell her.
She shrugs. “Only when it really matters.”
Orion comes back moments later with our drinks and a couple of menus for lunch, “The witch will come take our orders in a minute.”
I glance at my menu, but look up when Caley asks, “Can you cook?”
Orion seems quite taken aback by this but shrugs, “A little...I’m no Master chef but I haven’t starved, or poisoned my sister since she came to live with me.”
“Oh yeah, you have...two, right?” she asks.
“Yes, both younger than me, one is a little younger than you I think, she’s staying with me at the moment,” he explains.
“All Ravenclaws?”
Orion nods, “My parents too...”
“So like our dad...” Caley nods.
“What about your mother?” Orion asks, getting in the first question of his own.
“Oh, she’s a muggle,” Caley answers for both of us.
“I probably wouldn’t know her school then,” Orion nods at this, “What does she do?”
“She teaches at a muggle school. Is being a half blood a problem?”
“Why would it be?” Orion frowns a little at this. “Not really my area of research but to my knowledge there’s been no cases of spontaneous combustion or other hazards with half-blood girlfriends.”
Caley looks at Orion then starts to laugh. I can’t help but laugh as well.
Orion grins, “Seriously...Megan already knows what my family can be like...my mother is pretty set in her ways, and my oldest sister has some image of the perfect lady, but that doesn’t really reflect blood status, and Megan isn’t dating them after all.”
I did tell Caley about what happened and I can tell she is hold back on saying something that might not be polite when he mentions his mother. Luckily, she lets it go. “No, but family is a part of it.”
She glances at me and I give her a look back. I know I kind of drifted from my own family when I was married to Charlie, but I won’t let it be like that again. Yes, I might be dating, but I will still visit my family.
“How so?” Orion asks curiously.
“Well, if you date someone and it becomes long term, it is good if people mostly get along.”
Orion smiles at this, “You must have quite a unique family. Even within my own, we often don’t get along. In fact, had one of my ancestors not rebelled against his family, chances are my line of descendants wouldn’t be here...but you needn’t worry. Amelia likes Megan, so does my Father...those are the important ones.”
Caley shrugs. “There are problems just like other families. I just think sometimes people we are close to see more than we can.”
“She just is thinking…past experiences,” I offer. It wasn’t that my family was opposed completely to the marriage, but they certainly all had reservations to it. If I had listened, I think it would have saved us a lot of heartache.
“And that’s why I’m here now,” Caley says.
“It’s true, sometimes it helps to be a step further back to see things clearly,” Orion agrees.
I nod and Caley pauses to sip her drink before asking. “What do you do when you’re not working?”
"Well, I have a clouded leopard hybrid to look after, I go to the gym whenever I can fit it in, and of course there's keeping my sister out of trouble," he lists off.
“You have a leopard?” Caley asks, surprised. She is interrupted by saying anything else as the waitress comes to take our order.
Orion waits for us to order first before placing his own choice with the waitress. Once she leaves he turns back to Caley, "It's a hybrid, confiscated from a wizard who was doing breeding experiments."
“Experiments?” she frowns.
"Yes...unfortunately there were several cubs already dead when the Ministry carried out their raid, he has quite a concoction of DNA, and some magical components," he answers, "But he's quite healthy, and at least, I know enough to keep him healthy, provide space for exercise, and prevent magic kicking in around Muggles."
“Do you have him in your flat?”
“For now...he’s not quite as big as a normal clouded leopard, if he gets much bigger I do have an enclosure prepared for him, but I’m not sure if he will grow that much more.”
“Are you going to keep him for good then?” Though she loves music, Caley did quite well in Care of Magical Creatures.
“Unless he proves to be dangerous once he’s fully grown. It may be the magical component in him is just like that of a kneazle perhaps, but if it does develop to become a threat, he may have to be destroyed.”
“I hope not,” she answers. “It’s not his fault that he is what he is and that people did that to him. I know it is necessary if he is dangerous, but still, I hope not.”
“You and me both,” Orion agrees, “To be honest if I hadn’t volunteered to take him, he’d probably have been destroyed anyway. If I hadn’t stepped in to run tests, then the wizard who confiscated him would have gassed him as a nundu cub.”
“He couldn’t tell the difference?”
“Apparently not,” Orion nods, “With the common leopard it’s not possible to tell the difference visually, but there are easy tests....but a clouded leopard has very different markings, even as a cub.”
“I have never seen a clouded leopard, but if you keep him, you will have the most interesting pet of all the people I know,” Caley remarks.
“Well maybe some time we can arrange for you to see him,” Orion offers.
“Oh, I would love that,” she grins. I can tell that he is definitely starting to win over Caley.
“I suppose I’d better let you meet him as well huh?” he grins at me.
I nod. “I’d like that.”
“So Caley, what’s your verdict?” he asks suddenly.
I can tell this catches her off guard, but it doesn’t stun her for long. “Well, so far, it’s looking good. Though if you hurt her...” she trails off, trying to be intimidating, but I have a feeling that isn’t working.
“No power on earth will protect me,” Orion finishes for her. “I have two sisters...I don’t see why you being a witch, or the younger sister, would make any difference in what you’re willing to do if your sister was hurt.”
This seems to please her even more. “Good. Then you’ve passed,” she says.
“So I don’t need to buy dessert huh?” he grins at her.
“No, though you can always earn brownie points,” she answers.
“Good answer,” he laughs, standing up briefly and crossing to the bar where he selects three dessert menus and bringing them back.
I take one and glance over at Orion and Caley. I was worried, but I am glad to see they are getting along.
“I am nice,” she protests. “As long as he’s a good guy,” she counters as we turn the corner. We are going to meet Orion at a restaurant. Caley said she wanted to meet him and when I brought it up with Orion, he thought it was a good idea.
“He is.”
She pauses and I think she is going to mention Charlie. She did express a few reservations about me marrying him, but was happy for me. I can say, she wasn’t too surprised when we got divorced, though she did let me cry and talk for hours.
“Just give him a chance,” I tell her as we near the restaurant.
“I will. I just am going to be honest about how I feel about him.”
As we reach the restaurant I notice Orion is actually waiting outside. He smiles when he sees me, stealing a quick kiss before stepping back. He nods to Caley in greeting, opening the door for us.
Caley goes through first then I follow. “Thanks for doing this,” I tell him.
“Doing what?” he shrugs, kissing my cheek.
“Meeting Caley. I think it will be more difficult than meeting my parents.”
“It can’t be anymore difficult than meeting mine,” he points out with a grin as we find a table. Orion quickly pulls out a chair for Caley, then for me.
“Thanks,” I smile, taking my seat. I can tell that Caley is impressed so far.
“So Caley, I think Megan mentioned you were a Gryffindor? What year?”
“I started in 1994. So I haven’t been done long.”
Orion nods at this, “What are you doing now?”
“I am working part time at a muggle music store so far. Practicing a lot with guitar and singing. So you work at the Ministry, with animals, right?”
I have told her, but I suppose she likes being the one to ask questions.
“I do,” he confirms, “Regulation of Magical Creatures.”
“Why did you decide to do that?”
“Curiosity,” he answers simply. “It interests me to see the similarities and differences between different species, magical and muggle, human or non human. My job enables me to discover these things while the Ministry pays for my research.”
She looks at Orion for a moment. “You are a complete Ravenclaw,” she states.
“Of course,” he nods with a smile.
“And what do you do when you are not working?”
“Should we at least save the inquisition only after we get our drinks?” I suggest.
Orion gives a slight laugh and shrugs, “What would you like?”
“Butterbeer sounds good,” I say and Caley says the same. I am not surprised.
Orion excuses himself, heading to the bar to place our order.
“First impression?” I ask her.
Caley considers this, glancing at him. “So far so good.”
“You know, you could be an interrogator,” I tell her.
She shrugs. “Only when it really matters.”
Orion comes back moments later with our drinks and a couple of menus for lunch, “The witch will come take our orders in a minute.”
I glance at my menu, but look up when Caley asks, “Can you cook?”
Orion seems quite taken aback by this but shrugs, “A little...I’m no Master chef but I haven’t starved, or poisoned my sister since she came to live with me.”
“Oh yeah, you have...two, right?” she asks.
“Yes, both younger than me, one is a little younger than you I think, she’s staying with me at the moment,” he explains.
“All Ravenclaws?”
Orion nods, “My parents too...”
“So like our dad...” Caley nods.
“What about your mother?” Orion asks, getting in the first question of his own.
“Oh, she’s a muggle,” Caley answers for both of us.
“I probably wouldn’t know her school then,” Orion nods at this, “What does she do?”
“She teaches at a muggle school. Is being a half blood a problem?”
“Why would it be?” Orion frowns a little at this. “Not really my area of research but to my knowledge there’s been no cases of spontaneous combustion or other hazards with half-blood girlfriends.”
Caley looks at Orion then starts to laugh. I can’t help but laugh as well.
Orion grins, “Seriously...Megan already knows what my family can be like...my mother is pretty set in her ways, and my oldest sister has some image of the perfect lady, but that doesn’t really reflect blood status, and Megan isn’t dating them after all.”
I did tell Caley about what happened and I can tell she is hold back on saying something that might not be polite when he mentions his mother. Luckily, she lets it go. “No, but family is a part of it.”
She glances at me and I give her a look back. I know I kind of drifted from my own family when I was married to Charlie, but I won’t let it be like that again. Yes, I might be dating, but I will still visit my family.
“How so?” Orion asks curiously.
“Well, if you date someone and it becomes long term, it is good if people mostly get along.”
Orion smiles at this, “You must have quite a unique family. Even within my own, we often don’t get along. In fact, had one of my ancestors not rebelled against his family, chances are my line of descendants wouldn’t be here...but you needn’t worry. Amelia likes Megan, so does my Father...those are the important ones.”
Caley shrugs. “There are problems just like other families. I just think sometimes people we are close to see more than we can.”
“She just is thinking…past experiences,” I offer. It wasn’t that my family was opposed completely to the marriage, but they certainly all had reservations to it. If I had listened, I think it would have saved us a lot of heartache.
“And that’s why I’m here now,” Caley says.
“It’s true, sometimes it helps to be a step further back to see things clearly,” Orion agrees.
I nod and Caley pauses to sip her drink before asking. “What do you do when you’re not working?”
"Well, I have a clouded leopard hybrid to look after, I go to the gym whenever I can fit it in, and of course there's keeping my sister out of trouble," he lists off.
“You have a leopard?” Caley asks, surprised. She is interrupted by saying anything else as the waitress comes to take our order.
Orion waits for us to order first before placing his own choice with the waitress. Once she leaves he turns back to Caley, "It's a hybrid, confiscated from a wizard who was doing breeding experiments."
“Experiments?” she frowns.
"Yes...unfortunately there were several cubs already dead when the Ministry carried out their raid, he has quite a concoction of DNA, and some magical components," he answers, "But he's quite healthy, and at least, I know enough to keep him healthy, provide space for exercise, and prevent magic kicking in around Muggles."
“Do you have him in your flat?”
“For now...he’s not quite as big as a normal clouded leopard, if he gets much bigger I do have an enclosure prepared for him, but I’m not sure if he will grow that much more.”
“Are you going to keep him for good then?” Though she loves music, Caley did quite well in Care of Magical Creatures.
“Unless he proves to be dangerous once he’s fully grown. It may be the magical component in him is just like that of a kneazle perhaps, but if it does develop to become a threat, he may have to be destroyed.”
“I hope not,” she answers. “It’s not his fault that he is what he is and that people did that to him. I know it is necessary if he is dangerous, but still, I hope not.”
“You and me both,” Orion agrees, “To be honest if I hadn’t volunteered to take him, he’d probably have been destroyed anyway. If I hadn’t stepped in to run tests, then the wizard who confiscated him would have gassed him as a nundu cub.”
“He couldn’t tell the difference?”
“Apparently not,” Orion nods, “With the common leopard it’s not possible to tell the difference visually, but there are easy tests....but a clouded leopard has very different markings, even as a cub.”
“I have never seen a clouded leopard, but if you keep him, you will have the most interesting pet of all the people I know,” Caley remarks.
“Well maybe some time we can arrange for you to see him,” Orion offers.
“Oh, I would love that,” she grins. I can tell that he is definitely starting to win over Caley.
“I suppose I’d better let you meet him as well huh?” he grins at me.
I nod. “I’d like that.”
“So Caley, what’s your verdict?” he asks suddenly.
I can tell this catches her off guard, but it doesn’t stun her for long. “Well, so far, it’s looking good. Though if you hurt her...” she trails off, trying to be intimidating, but I have a feeling that isn’t working.
“No power on earth will protect me,” Orion finishes for her. “I have two sisters...I don’t see why you being a witch, or the younger sister, would make any difference in what you’re willing to do if your sister was hurt.”
This seems to please her even more. “Good. Then you’ve passed,” she says.
“So I don’t need to buy dessert huh?” he grins at her.
“No, though you can always earn brownie points,” she answers.
“Good answer,” he laughs, standing up briefly and crossing to the bar where he selects three dessert menus and bringing them back.
I take one and glance over at Orion and Caley. I was worried, but I am glad to see they are getting along.