November 2nd, 1893 - Greengrass Home

They'd been here a month. Greer still felt like it was all a dream, surreal and unusual. Not necessarily bad, but motherfucking cold. There was no way she would ever get used to this. Still, it wasn't terrible and for that she was at least thankful. She wasn't sure this was their best course of action, but it was the reality of life for the moment. If it didn't work out, the could always go home. Or at least Greer could. Maybe Lorelei felt different.

As she made her way in after work, greeting anyone who was home, she retreated to her shared room with Lorelei for a few minutes before dinner. Her sister was already in there and Greer moved to stand before their fireplace to warm her hands. "Why is it so cold here?" She whined indignantly at her sister. The native Scots seemed to not be any sort of bothered by the decreasing temperatures, but the Australian in her was dying a little inside.

"I'm going to need to figure out warming charms on my mittens and socks." Greer had been told there was a huge library in London, perhaps she would take a trip to see if she could get a book on such charms.

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Lorelei Owens c/o Henry Berkwood

  

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Lorelei had decided, before they'd even gotten to Britain, that she wouldn't complain if things went badly. Complaining didn't help anything, anyway, and she was the one who had insisted on coming, so she might as well deal with the consequences with some amount of grace, if nothing else.

And so far, it was all right. Strange and new, and uncomfortable for being those things, but still better than Lorelei's worst fears once it was too late to turn back, so that was something. Still, when Greer entered their room, it was to find Lorelei sitting by the fire, wrapped up in a blanket and feeling very foolish.

"I suppose the good news is that, come summer, it shouldn't be as hot as it is at home, right?" she said. There had to be some trade off. Otherwise she couldn't imagine how anyone chose to live here.

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Bee is actual magic

"For what, the two months that it lasts?" Greer was still a little bitter about this, but she supposed she wouldn't carry on forever about it. She might get used to it eventually, but it would take a long while. Greer was a hot weather creature, she had never minded, even during heat waves. "It is cozy at least." Being all bundled up near the fire with a cup of tea and a book was not a terrible way to spend a free hour or two. Greer wasn't comfortable enough to truly lounge around the house yet, but perhaps in time she would get there. As loud and boisterous as she was, she was not one to be in the way.

"Do you think this is forever?" She asked as she moved to find her slippers. Greer couldn't tell yet, nor did she have a solid opinion on the matter, but she thought only time would tell. Everything was just so different. Work was the same, at least. She could count on that. It kept her busy, kept her mind and hands occupied and though she was still adjusting to the fashions and weather-related styles, she was a quick study and her boss seemed to like her work thus far.

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"I don't know," Lorelei answered honestly. She did wish she had a better answer for her sister--either that there was a light at the end of the tunnel, or that they just needed to get used to this new normal. She thought it would make things easier that way, but as it was, it was still too new, with too many variables.

"It's still too soon to have a definitive opinion, I think," she said at last. "We've hardly had time to settle."

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Bee is actual magic

"Fair," Greer supposed she had the same thoughts. It was out of pure stubbornness that she wanted to know if she was going to suffer this or survive it, but Lorelei was right, it hadn't been very long yet. Greer still felt like a guest here, which was good, if she got comfortable she would get comfortable and she wasn't entirely sure Fortitude would enjoy that very much. It was hard to tell though. She enjoyed Clementine very much and Noble was alright, though he seemed to like Lorelei's company. Potioneers.

"Work alright?" Thank Merlin for work. Getting out of the house and keeping busy was probably the only thing, besides Lorelei of course, keeping her sane.

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"It's all right," Lorelei said. "For being a temporary thing, it's at least enjoyable." Lorelei liked helping customers and Mr. Manning was a reasonable employer, which made her at least a little less antsy to get established. Still, she hoped it wouldn't be for long. "How is Gladrags?"

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Bee is actual magic

"It's fine," being a seamstress didn't really change much with location. It was a good trade to be in, honestly. People always needed things made and mended, didn't matter which hemisphere you lived in. "Learned quite a bit already, working with heavier fabrics and making things like cloaks and cold weather items. I have one for each of us almost done." Before the true cold of the Scottish winter set in. She'd been able to use some of the scraps from the shop (with permission of course) and magically made it work to complete a worthwhile, warm cloak for the winter.

"I don't hate it." She laughed at the thought. It could be worse, Lorelei had to take a little step back in her career just to get her feet underneath her again with potions. Soon enough, hopefully things would even out. Having Noble as a potioneer as well would certainly help on that front. Hopefully he had enough contacts to share or could at least point her in the right directions. Either way, Greer could be content as long as they were both making their own money and not mooching too much. The last thing she wanted to be was a useless leech. Securing a job had been top priority so that she could feel somewhat comfortable. Not to mention if they did intend to stay, she wanted to be able to stand on her own two feet at some point and find her own space.

"Hogsmeade is lovely though, I will say that. It's nice to be in an all-magical town." That was a nice bonus. Plus it had everything she could possibly want.

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"It is nice," Lorelei agreed. "If we do leave at some point, I'll definitely miss being surrounded by other magical folk all the time." It was the main thing that Hogsmeade had going for it, in Lorelei's opinion. If she needed to cast a spell out on the street, she didn't have to think about who was around. Or remember how to do something the non-magical way if it was dire enough.

"What do you think of our cousins?" Lorelei asked. Aside from their jobs, it was probably the most relevant question when it came to the two of them staying in Hogsmeade. It was why they'd come, after all.

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Bee is actual magic

Nodding along, it was nice to know Lorelei was at least comfortable. They needed something to ground them after all. She had to wonder what it would have been like to stay at home, but this was at least a good distraction, a solid adventure, even if it wound up being temporary.

At the question of their cousins, Greer let out a bit of a derisive snort. "Fine," Noble was by far the easiest to get along with, though she enjoyed Clementine immensely, even if she was a bit chatty for Greer's liking. "I feel like Fortitude is always a little harried, doesn't know if he's coming or going, I haven't meet Verity long enough to form an opinion," the eldest of the Greengrass sisters didn't live here after all, but she seemed withdrawn from the rest for some reason, and Greer couldn't put a finger on why that was. Grace was her biggest challenge, the girl was so awkward and Greer had little patience for that. "I highly doubt we'll become best friends any time soon, but it was nice of Aunt Audra to take us in, so I will play nice." Greer was opinionated after all, but independence was a grief reaction she couldn't contain. Even so, she was determined not to be a nuisance.

"What do you think?" Lorelei would be far more diplomatic, but Greer was usually pretty good at reading between the lines with her sister.

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Lorelei bit her lip to stop herself from laughing because, well, she could hardly disagree about Fortitude. Instead, she said, "It's nice to have another potioneer around to talk shop with." Lorelei was willing to give their cousins a lot of slack, given the way they were technically inconveniencing them just by being here.

"Maybe once I'm established we could find a flat or something for just us," Lorelei said. They'd have made due if they'd stayed home, after all. It would just take time, she hoped.

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Greer snorted. Exactly as predicted. Lorelei would choose to focus on the good thing. Still, at least it wasn't terrible. It could be much worse, and she kept reminding herself of that. At least Hogsmeade had plenty to do. Even if the air hurt her face.

At the mention of a flat of their own, Greer brightened up. "I thought about that, too." She admitted with a grin. If they could tuck enough money away within a year or so, maybe, just maybe, they could find a little flat of their own and get out of their cousins' hair. Now she was determined to be as frugal as can be. "I do think we should chip in here for food. Do you think Aunt Audra would accept that?" Greer couldn't stand to be a mooch. She had to contribute somehow. It would eat away at her if they weren't able to contribute somehow.

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"I think we should offer," Lorelei agreed. She didn't want to be a burden. There were a lot of people living in this house, and Lorelei didn't want to make their presence any more difficult than it already was. "Aunt Audra can tell us then if she will accept that."

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Bee is actual magic

"Agreed," Greer felt good about that plan. It didn't sit well with her, to live here without helping and if they were modest with their expenses, they could easily save up for a place of their own and then it wouldn't even be a problem. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. Though Greer still missed home, she really supposed as long as she had Lorelei, she was home.

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