Sorry Gift? (Open)

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He wondered where he went wrong the moment that he pushed the door open of the pet shop. It all seemed so simple; convince his father to bring Tess back, she would be happy and they could be a family again. Wasn't all that so simple? Of course the considerable amount of family issues and strong personalities mucked it all up and he knew that he was at the center of it.

First of all came his father's decision. Mycroft had argued at the fact that he had seen his sister five times in the last twelve years due to his father's actions and he hoped that now that his sister was almost sixteen they could cement their family. All of his argument had been ignore in favor of the idea that his sister was sixteen and to his father, it meant that she was nearly of marrying age. He should have known that that was all his father would hear, but he was too ignorant to realize just how his words had been turned.

Next came his sister; when Tess found out it was his doing, the moment she excited the Floo Network, his greetings was responded with a slap. Her temper tantrum seemed to have gone on all in French mind you, as they smiled politely at the single bachelors their father had invited to their home so they could take a glimpse of her. No matter how many times he told her his reasoning, all she managed to hear was that he caused this for her. Even his grandmother was forced to step in and soothe the stubborn teen. It was only in private, where his grandmother slapped him too for ruining the plans that she herself had made for Tess.

So through all of this, this is where he now found himself; in a shop in hopes of buying his sister's love through an animal. His grandmother had grinned when he mentioned his plan to fix things. He knew that from a surface level his little sister was a hot-headed, but below that layer stood a young girl who loved small things. She had a big heart, and he knew that he could earn some level of forgiveness through a pet.

'Everyday I'm slowly becoming my father' Mycroft through morosely.

As he walked through the cages, nothing seemed to grand his attention.

Subject: Re: Sorry Gift? (Open) Mon Oct 23, 2017 8:52 pm

Victoria had a day out of the office, something that meant she could get away from the very busy office at the Ministry that day. December had brought with it a light dusting of snow -- even down as far as London, which was almost unheard of in recent years -- that made the paths slightly treacherous. Especially when one was wearing heels to make themselves much taller than they actually were.

Victoria had Floo'd across to the Leaky Cauldron before setting off in to the streets. She needed to get Mrs. Phipps some owl treats -- the elderly witch was not so good on her feet anymore, and as the caring fellow flat owner in the building that Victoria was, she'd offered without heistation to pick Mrs. Phipps some of the treats up. She also wanted to head in to Flourish & Blotts to check out the new stock of books that had been brought in according to her email from earlier that day.

Stepping in to the menagerie first, however, Victoria navigated her way around the shop, looking in to the cages with a fond smile, and stopping intermittently to talk to the animals on display. Victoria had always wanted a pet of her own, but her job was much too demanding. She was not home enough to truly care for an animal, and love it in a manner that all pets needed. One day, she promised herself softly as she moved along the aisle a little more.

As she grew nearer a tall figure perusing the cages, Victoria caught sight of the man's face, and her face lit up in recognition. "Mycroft Holmes!" She greeted the man with a warm smile. Victoria had transferred in her fifth year, and she'd soon learned almost all of the students in and around her year. Mycroft was a year older than her, a Slytherin who -- if her memory served her correctly -- had a fondness for Potions. A Pureblood, as well, something that was held in a much higher regard in Europe than it ever had in America.

"How wonderful to see you again, oh.. Victoria, Victoria Newbury. We went to Hogwarts together. Though, if you don't remember, please don't worry." The witch explained, her smile never faltering. Victoria had always been good with remembering people, it was simply part of who she was, but she never expected the same from anyone.

"Looking for something specific?" Victoria continued the conversation, clearly not worried about whether or not Mycroft would remember her.

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'So much noise, so much fur, dirt and smells. Merlin, this is a mistake'

Looking around, there were cats everywhere. Those mangy things tended to hiss at themselves, at their reflection and...one spilled their kitty litter everywhere. He briefly had pondered over a cat in this youth, only for his father to negate the choice. Now as a young adult he understood why. Tess had owned a feline in her early years and he remembered she used to take the cat everywhere with her. She would dress it up, take it for a walk, and even sing to it as if the feline was her audience. Briefly, just briefly his eyes landed on a kitten. He could imagine the joy in her face as soon as she held one close. He almost picked it up, that is until he remembered how Tess would use her feline in tantrums. How many times did the litter box end up in his bedroom as a child, even if she lived in France? He shuddered and moved along to the next one.

Toads were out of the question. The idea of her keeping one would not be ideal, not only because she might be repulsed but by her reaction. Shaking his head he moved on. Throughout the shop Mycroft found himself incredibly overwhelmed with thinking of the absolute worse scenarios. His only conclusion was that his sister was evil and she could use the smallest object as her weapon. It was here when someone called out his name and caught him by surprise.

For a brief second, Mycroft was confused. There was a petite young lady coming his way with a particularly bright smile. His eyes briefly glazed over as he shifted through his memory to remember her. When it clicked, he realized that she was the little Halfblood from school. He briefly remembered her and her brother. Before he could even greet her she began talking to him and trying to refresh his memory. He was amused at her enthusiasm and his lip twitched in mirth.

"Hello Victoria...yes, I do remember you" he said politely, "I believe I saw a few motions you'd sent to the Ministry during your time there. Very well written if I may say" He gave her a half smile, only for the to disappear when she asked what he was looking for.

"You see...I need to find a pet for my little sister. She recently transferred into Hogwarts and I want to make sure she's well taken care of."

Subject: Re: Sorry Gift? (Open) Thu Oct 26, 2017 7:30 pm

For a moment, Victoria could have sworn that Mycroft's eyes were out of focus -- but before she could decide if she'd seen right, the man before her seemed back in himself properly, and confirming that he did, indeed, remember her. The smile on her lips blossomed further when he said he had remembered her, whilst popularity was not important to Victoria by any stretch of the imagination, she was quite happy to be memorable to those she hadn't spoken to actively at school, for one reason or another.

But as Mycroft admitted to seeing a few of her motions, and then adding that they had been very well written, Victoria couldn't help but blush a soft shade of pink at the compliment. Her work was ever so important to her, and Victoria too the praise graciously. "Thank you, Mycroft. I'm glad you think so. Very few people take the time to remember such things." Victoria replied, her voice clearly showing how much that had meant.

"And you... working somewhere with the Minister... with the other politicians, right?" Victoria asked, trying to remember what the department was called specifically, but not quite managing to grasp the right area. It would allow the man to explain, though, and Victoria would listen intently as he explained, making sure to keep a note so she would never fall short on her knowledge of this area again.

"Oooh, a pet!" Victoria echoed excitedly. If Jake ever got her a pet, Victoria simply knew she would be over the moon with such a prospect, so, in Victoria's eyes, Mycroft had just made himself one of the best brother's in the world with his decision. "What kind of animals does she like? Cats are good if she likes comfort in the form of cuddles. Owls are great if she needs to send correspondence to yourself, or your family. Toads, whilst not so mainstream with females, are quite the companions, I've heard. Rats are full of character, too, but again, I'm not so sure your sister would take to that well.

"A puppy would be the best, but the last I checked, Hogwarts don't allow you to take a dog. Quite unfortunate, really..." Victoria explained, trailing off as she realised she'd asked a question, and then gone off on something of a tangent of an answer before Mycroft could answer her.

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Seeing Victoria as an adult was a big difference from what he remembered. He wasn't really sure why he remembered, but the moment she really opened her mouth he realized why. She was such a happy person and it showed. For him, people were organized by color, or auras. A normal person was grey, certain people had light hues such as blues and oranges, but Victoria in school was a bright pink and orange. Her effervescent attitude was well known in school, and it either infuriated people, or made them have a soft spot for her. In his case, he knew her from afar but had very little interaction.

Still as she blushed at his statement he found himself thinking that there were definite signs of the young lady. He had really read her documents as they came in to the Minister and he would take notes of the new regulations and motions people were attempting to push through.

"And you... working somewhere with the Minister... with the other politicians, right?"

"Indeed. I am working under the current Minister. Nothing too fancy, in reality I read the laws being pushed through, any regulations that people wish. I pay the closest attention towards the creature looks due to the fact that we never know how the law can be swayed. But it's fascinating to see people's angles and lobbyists."

When they transitioned into talking about his sister he felt a bit delicate over it. Their relationship was fragile and he loved her very deeply but he knew he had cut her deep. While buying her affection was not the healthiest thing, he knew she had love to give. Though, as Victoria began to ramble about pets, he found himself amused simply imagining how Tess would react at meeting the young witch.

"I want a pet to look after her. I know she loves animals, and while she's not too demonstrative with people due to her shyness, I think a pet would do her good. Something she can love and take care of while she's far away from home. I know a dog would be ideal but...maybe a kitten of sorts, might soften her a bit. Any suggestions?"

Subject: Re: Sorry Gift? (Open) Sun Oct 29, 2017 4:55 pm

Mycroft's explanation on what he did, to Victoria, was very exciting. She was sure many people would not find his job so, but in truth, anything to do with the law, and pushing through new ones to protect people was a noble cause. And, with Mycroft's information on his specific link with creatures, Victoria had to hand it to the man before him, he was not like other Pureblood men she'd met.

"That sounds great, Mycroft! I'm so glad you're doing well in the Ministry, working with the Minister is impressive!" Victoria insisted, truly meaning the praise, too. "I do hope you enjoy it enough to stay on, and make a difference." Victoria added, because there were very few people within the Ministry who wanted to push it to further greatness, but the Minister... the Minister was a good man from what Victoria knew.

"A kitten would be a good choice. They're much needier than owls, and much more loving than any of your other choices here. Loyalty... can be questionable, and well, many people think cats can be fickle. But, I've yet to see that, from my limited experience." Victoria provided, looking over to the kittens on show.

"Black cats are traditionally known to be unlucky, and much too cliche for a witch to own a black cat. Ginger cats are adorable, but known to be trouble makers. Tabby cats are both beautiful, and clever. I think, perhaps, your sister might prefer that... but, of course, I am speculating. All cats have their own personality." Victoria finished, looking to Mycroft to see if any of that had helped him at all.

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Mycroft had to admit that as Victoria praised what he did, well...it was nice to hear. For the most part, he was told early on that his job was a stupid one. His father had not been the most proud of his choices, but rather relented due to knowing that this would only be helpful in their political influence. Their historical influence in France was one due to persuasion and in Britain it seemed to be growing, His father was at the forefront and he knew that when it was his time to be the head of the family his influence would only grow. His grandmere told him that he was wasting his potential in something as stupid as an actual job, she said socializing was better. His sister had looked briefly impressed that is until she was caught and looked indifferent. But Victoria had nothing to gain in her compliment and while he thought for a second she was being polite, her tone was too earnest.

As she continued to talk about the different options of kittens he was much more overwhelmed with the options. She was deeply invested and he found himself smiling softly at her earnest opinions. The thought of Tess having to take care of another living animal was a bit worrying.

"Well...I don't think she would care about which I chose, I'd be more concerned about the personality of the kitten itself. A kitten that is independent will help Tess considerably, but I think so long as it can appreciate her and give her some comfort, she'll love it."

He walked meandered through the shop expecting her to follow, and his attention was caught by adorable looking kittens. He was not a fan of taking care of them, but with the short legs and their cut ears he felt compelled to stop and stare at them. He was a man with long hours, but the thought of having something waiting for him at home would be nice to have.

Subject: Re: Sorry Gift? (Open) Sun Nov 05, 2017 11:37 am

"Picking the personality from what you see in the shop isn't going to give you the best results, in truth." Victoria pointed out to Mycroft as he moved through the shop, Victoria followed after him, not too closely, but close enough to show she was still interested in the subject without being overly excited.

Even if she was.

"Honestly, though," Victoria continued as Mycroft stopped and stood staring at the kittens on offer. "I think that whilst you can make the best judgement here today, so long as Tess wants the animal -- which I'm sure she will if you believe getting her an animal in the first place is a good idea -- then no matter what the kitten might throw her way, she will love it."

It was, perhaps, a little too much of a positive outcome, in which there was no way in which Tess wouldn't adore the animal that she was provided with by her brother.

Victoria's eyes landed on the most beautiful ginger cat in that moment. Quite small, but with beautiful blue-green eyes. It gave a soft mew in an effort to get attention, and Victoria stepped forwards almost a moment later, hand reaching up to pet the small creature through the bars that kept it from escaping. The creature purred softly, and Victoria was beaming by this point, eyes fixated on the small creature as it rubbed itself against her fingers, craving the attention. For a few moments, Victoria was intent on simply petting the cat, but then she remembered her company.

"This one is cute, don't you think?" Victoria asked, still petting the cat, but eyes moved from the creature to Mycroft, almost as if asking him to come and see the cat for himself, to pet it himself. After all, the decision would be his at the en of the day.

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Mycroft knew deep down that there would be no reason for Tess to reject the kitten. While at a surface level he was going to use an animal to gain his sister's affection, he truly wanted to give his sister a companion for her to love unconditionally. He wanted her to feel at home at Hogwarts and find some peace within it. Perhaps he worried like crazy about her, but he knew that it was unfortunate that no one really thought about his baby sister.

It was this thought that typically went over his head as Victoria's attention was taken by the kittens. He had forgotten just how enthusiastic and kind Victoria could be and wondered just how people thought of her as being too nice. The way she smiled at petting the kittens made him think that she was reflecting her need for a kitten. Seeing the ginger kitten made him smile fondly.

It was particularly cute, and as he petted it, he ignored the way it began to try and gnaw on his hand his eyes landed on a particularly odd kitten. The black kitten was shy and sat against the wall staring intently at the pair. It's eyes were yellow and he found himself fond of it.

"Look at that one" he said curiously as he tried not to automatically reach out for the kitten.

The idea of it being a black cat was fitting for his baby sister. She loved odd things and dark things and a perfect black cat for a witch seemed to go hand in hand. It was particularly chubby something he knew would make his sister squeal.

Subject: Re: Sorry Gift? (Open) Thu Nov 09, 2017 9:21 pm

Victoria's attention was now smitten with the little kitten, she barely took her eyes off the small creature as Mycroft moved closer, and petted the kitten on her insistence. A small smile was sent Mycroft's way in the moment before he pointed out another kitten.

This one way black, quiet, and chubby. Victoria's heart melted on the sight of the small kitten and she let out a small indistinct noise of happiness in that moment. "Oh, he's so beautiful!" Victoria agreed, giving the ginger cat one last pet before she turned her attention to the cat that Mycroft's attention had moved to.

Where Mycroft might have control, Victoria had none around the small creatures, and instead offered her hand towards the next kitten. Not one to insist her presence on anyone, Victoria waited for the cat to move towards her still hand. He didn't. Victoria let out a small, soft laugh, before turning to Mycroft. "I think he might be a little bit shy, though." She stated, fondness already clear on her features as she looked up at the Holmes' heir.

"I think our decision is made." She added, seeing the look on Mycroft's features. He looked thoughtful in that moment. And, perhaps she might have been imagining it, but was that a hint of a knowing smile almost ready to play on his features. "But, don't forget you need to get all the necessary accessories for him, too. Like a little bed, a collar -- red would look good on a black cat... is Tess in Slytherin like you, though?" Victoria asked, because the red collar would likely not be a good idea if she was a Slytherin, not that colours were the end of the world.

"Then you'll need to think food, to get Tess started. Treats so that she can teach him. A litter box-" Victoria cut off, her cheeks flaming, she was getting way too involved in Mycroft's business, and she'd realised now that she was possibly... no, probably over stepping the mark more than a little bit.

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