Meminisse

I.

                                                                            Dorset County, England

                                                                                        Early 2000s

"I am very excited to spend the holiday with your grandparents, Rolf." Luna's breathless, flighty voice expressed. She was settled in the passenger seat of their town car, her eyes flitting about as she focused on the scenery of rolling hills and greenery that they passed. The road was unpaved, jostling them a bit every now and then. Rolf nodded in agreement, strawberry colored hair catching the sunset that almost looked like it was chasing the car, Luna noticed. She smiled with satisfaction at the thought and gazed over at her partner. "Your dad was a very charming fellow at the wedding, but quite different from you and me; I imagine having such a famous father in magizoology might have something to do with it."

"Yes, well while he cares and holds a certain regard for creatures just the same as his father did, Dad doesn't occupy much of his own time with it. Said it would have taken him away from the family too often. I didn't see why we couldn't have followed along. But then again, to each their own. Dad wanted more stability, so that's what I had growing up. Didn't stop Granddad from passing the baton to me when he became...housebound." Rolf explained.

Luna settled the conversation there with a quiet smile as the two pulled up to a cozy looking brick and stone cottage residence. Dried up branches clung to crevices on the face of the home where wisteria had once grown earlier in the year. It looked as if the plant had been freshly pruned which was probably the work of Granddad himself, Rolf thought. The couple walked hand in hand up the cobblestone path leading up to the porch. Their feet clad in beat up pairs of boots for their travels crunched through a good two inches of snow which had been steadily building up for the past hour as flurries came and went.

Luna found every snowflake to be as comforting on her skin as a peck to the cheek. Her mind wandered to a thought she'd had at a younger age; that snowflakes landing on you were what caused freckles to settle in clusters on your face and nose. Being of such fair, flawless complexion Luna always had the thought that freckles might be a lovely change. So she tilted her head to the sky as she walked and let more of the little frozen clumps sting her face. Rolf was the mindful one for the moment, making certain his wife of a few months didn't stray from his side or end up twisting an ankle on the slick stones underfoot. Without his prompting Luna came back to lucidity as warmth and the scent of cinnamon pastries wafted from the now open door. A woman stood with aid of a cane as a shrunken over form. Her smile was sincere and lit up her face, making her skin reminiscent of something like an accordion around her mouth and eyes. Her hair was well past greying, with only a few darker hairs lingering at the nape of her neck defiantly. She and Rolf had the same eyes. The woman, whom had just introduced herself as "Porpentina, 'Tina' for short if you like." gingerly ushered the pair inside as if the cold might suck them of their life. Porpentina urged them to shed their coats and boots and follow her around as she showed them, more-so Luna, around.

Luna always thought it fascinating to watch the walls as she walked along the halls. The thought that this house held energy of so many persons through the years was comforting. Surely a house like this never felt lonely or empty. She could tell each floorboard as it creaked was engrained with so many fond memories and maybe some not so fond as well. She liked to think the good outweighed the bad though. Porpentina's crackling voice led her feet along the halls decorated with many enchanted photos and rooms which had their appropriate owners labeled on the door with lovely hand burnt hangings. As she passed a closed door marked 'study' her attention was captured by the faintest humming of a man's voice.

"Is this where Granddad spends his time?" Luna piped, her legs the only ones having stopped in the touring trio. Porpentina stopped so sharply Rolf narrowly avoided bumping into her. "I hear something like an animal call coming from within. Does he still work at his age? That'd be quite favorable if he did." Luna's fingertips gently touched the wood of the study door. It seemed warmer than all the others. It seemed more sincere in its invitation. Porpentina's face was that of discomfort and of trying to fight off a stern look one might give to meddling children who ought not to ask certain questions. Luna watched her evenly, waiting for either an answer or a chiding.

"It is." Porpentina conceded. "He...is the reason I asked of you pair to come this holiday. That man has...he hasn't had many good days since the bought of pneumonia earlier in the season. I thought company other than myself for the holidays might make him livelier. More alert even." Aged eyes casted downward past the silver rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of her nose. Rolf stepped in, resting a hand on her shoulder in a comforting gesture.

"Don't fret yourself over it Grandmum." He sympathized and looked to Luna with an apologetic gaze. Rolf had heard of his Granddad's slow decline but as any young man would in regards to a man he looks up to Rolf had tried to play it all down. Forgetting things here and there wasn't that big of a crisis. Especially at his age it was almost expected. But when he had heard that Granddad had neglected to make it down to the shed to care for his creatures Rolf knew this was something more. That man in his prime could go days without sleeping or eating but if he so much as suspected a sniffle in one of his beloved beasts he would be nose deep in books whipping up potions and serums. The Granddad that Rolf was familiar with wouldn't be able to live with himself if he even forgot an animal's snack time. They had always been a priority over himself.

"It's four o'clock, how about we discuss this more over a warm cup of tea or cider? I can manage to whip it up on my own, Grandmum." Luna cut through the apprehension effortlessly, taking both Porpentina and Rolf in hand. "I have a notion that company would be better introduced at dinner." And just that quickly the situation was defused. It was a gift to be as kindly and blunt as Luna. Rolf gave her hand a gentle squeeze of 'job well done.' Porpentina looked after the pale haired child with a sense of wonder. She had met this sort of soul before. She knew already in her highest of hopes, she would soon owe this girl a great deal.