June 17th, 1889 — Railway Station, near Sanditon Resort

Yesterday Arven Fisk had been hiking the Pontic Mountains along the edge of the Black Sea, pausing to watch a pack of wild wolves roam the sun-scorched crags. Today he was at a railway station in Sussex, watching a seagull attempt to fly off with an abandoned pork sausage. But Arven thrived on a clash of cultures, and flashed the seagull a lopsided smile before heading out of the station and beneath the grey British sky.

He’d sent his luggage ahead to his rooms in Hogsmeade, so he arrived unburdened — a long coat further elongating his towering height, his appearance weather-beaten and rugged, but relatively well turned out. He had even shaved. It was not Arven’s way to put effort into his appearance, but he was here for family. Bit of a black sheep, but not all baa-d.

Winifred Fudge

  

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Freddie had never understood her brother. Not since they were children. The exploring and never staying in one place was a stressful concept to her. The most adventure she had in her life was founding a resort. Or eloping with Bertie. Either way, it was far different than her brother.

While she loved her brother, she had always worried about what sort of influence that he might be on her children. So far she had not seen any sign of a will to leave and explore from any of them.

Thus she was here to greet her brother. Another yearly visit. Hopefully all will go well. "Hello Arven."

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Magic by MJ!

Arven offered a broad smile as his only sibling came into view along Station Road. Freddie was a stylish figure who, Arven had once reckoned, probably resembled their mother — though he saw some of their father in her features too. "Dearest sister", he growled with affection as they closed the distance between them, and he leaned down to kiss her cheek. "You look younger every year I see you."

The brother, in the meantime, maintained a youthful air and yet was probably a tad more weather-beaten than when last they'd met.

  

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She didn't know what their mother looked like. The woman had left when she was a baby. So it didn't really matter which parent she looked like, Freddie disliked both.

The comment on her youthful look was much appreciated. "Good. That means that my potions have been working." For the most part. Though one seemed to give her a bad case of the hiccups in the morning. The problem was that she couldn't figure out which one was to blame.

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Magic by MJ!

Arven's compliment was met with a flutter of gratitude as he knew it would. For he was well aware he was something of an oddity in his family, and thus made efforts to balance it out with niceness.

"No little ones this time?" he asked, glancing round Freddie's ankles as if expecting to see children scuttling around them. Sure enough, some of the Fudge children had met their uncle off the train in previous years. "Or big ones, for that matter", he corrected himself. "Somersby must be taller than his father by now."

  

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It wasn't like Freddie didn't have her own oddities. So she never tried to judge her brother. But her uncle's influence had stuck with her through her life.

She shook her head as he looked around her ankles. "No. All of them are home. Though most of them are not so little anymore." She said with a soft sigh. They're growing up too fast.

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Magic by MJ!

Freddie offered no explanation as to why none of the kids had come out to greet their uncle. It didn't sting him, but he did find it curious, and he shot her an inquisitive look, wondering if she might elaborate.

"I'm sure they make you proud", he added when she seemed quietly to mourn their growing up.

  

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The inquisitive look did not escape her notice. "They're still getting settled, and I'm assuming Sunday will not want to leave the resort at all during summer."

Any mentions of Hogwarts seems to make the poor dear nervous, or anxious. One of the two. Though Freddie was certain that Sunday would adjust quickly, once she actually got to the school.

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Magic by MJ!

There were bits and bobs he was missing here, but that was to be expected. Arven exchanged owls with his family from time to time, including his sister, but only seeing them once a year meant he often missed the implications of subtler conversation. So he simply took Freddie's words as they were uttered, and gave a nod of understanding.

"Well I'm sure I'll see them soon", he replied warmly. "Shall we head straight to the resort, or have you other plans for me?"

  

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Part of Freddie really wished that her brother would finally settle, meet a nice young lady, and perhaps give Freddie a chance to be an aunt. Though she wasn't one to put pressure on the matter.

"To the resort. It is the busy season, so I don't want to be gone too long in case I'm needed." And she was sure that at least some of her children would be excited to see him.

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Arven nodded — to the resort they would go. He swept out an arm graciously so Freddie might lead the way, and added; "busy season eh? Perhaps I can help. You never let me be of use last time", he added with a twinkle of playfulness. Either his sister had been too courteous and hospitable to let a guest help out, even if it was her brother, or... well, there was a reasonably realistic possibility that if Arven tried to help he would just mess it up.

But hey, only one way to find out!

  

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And thus Freddie did lead the way. She also raised an eyebrow to his statement. "You don't stay long enough to help out. Summer is always the busy season." Though it was true that she did worry he would mess something up.

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Magic by MJ!

She had a fair point, and it had been raised in the past. Arven didn't stay long, never stayed long. Roaming was his way, the globe itself ever underfoot.

"Well..." he began carefully as they headed away from the station, "how long would I need to stay to be of some proper use around the resort?"

  

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Was he actually considering staying? Perhaps this was just the thing to make him settle. "Summer, preferably." The rest of the year was more quiet, and she wasn't about to add more pressure on the matter.

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Magic by MJ!

A pause lingered after Freddie's words. No, Arven couldn't stay for the whole season... not when the horizon called, Africa beckoned, like a great echoing howl from far away...

Knowing his sister, and how much she knew him, Arven realised Freddie probably already accepted that he wasn't likely to commit himself so suddenly, after twenty years of being away from home. "Perhaps you could find me something a little more temporary", he said slowly. And then, with more enthusiasm and a wink; "I could teach your fancy ladies and gentlemen how to build rafts and conquer rapids."

  

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His hesitance was disheartening for Freddie. Oh well, sticking around longer was promising. But she did snicker at his suggestion. "While I would love to see you try to convince some rich people to get out of their comfort zone, I don't think such efforts would be welcome with the more sophisticated masses."

She thought for a moment. What could he help do. "Perhaps you can give Bertie's scribe some writing lessons. My poor husband can't stand his scribe's penmanship. " She was certain that Arven had better writing than that scribe.

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Magic by MJ!