anushka dolohova.

It had been a long day, full of uncomfortable interactions.  Greta had at first decided that a ‘kill them with kindness’ attitude had been best following the Ministry letters, but she wasn’t so sure anymore.  Her positivity had not gone over well with pretty much anyone who had come into the bookshop.  But she really didn’t think that being surly and anxious was any better than being sunny and positive.  It was brand new territory, and as much as Greta was trying to help, it always felt like she was doing or saying the wrong thing.  Her plans for the evening had been to try to write to make sense of everything - even though she had no hopes of publishing now, she was always better at expressing herself with the written word - but she knew that she realistically she was going to end up laying on the floor, overanalyzing and reliving every time that she’d embarrassed herself over the past few days.  Her Mum would have told her that she was being hard on herself, but she hadn’t been able to speak to her parents in months.

Greta had contemplated treating herself to a butterbeer to at least lift her mood, and so, she found herself at a pub close to Diagon Alley.  It was completely empty, and she worried that they were closed.  Just as she was about to turn around and leave, she heard someone speaking behind her, and bit her lip.  “Oh, no, I’m sorry, I don’t speak .. er … Russian?”  It came out sounding more like a question, and when she turned around and realized that the woman had been speaking to a cat, Greta’s felt her cheeks turn red.  She would be adding that to the list of things she’d be overanalyzing later.  “She didn’t frighten me at all actually, I think I was too tired to even realize that she followed me in here.”  She smiled down at the cat, “She’s very sweet.  Her name is Mishka?”

While she wasn’t at all fond of London, and had absolutely no qualms about expressing such sentiments, there was a certain ambiance held within bookstore Anushka had just entered. It wasn’t completely unfamiliar to her; she would visit on occasion, finding the quaint nature of the shop and its employees rather enduring. A considerable contrast from the company she usually had to keep, and the change was refreshing, though she normally maintained an appearance to the contrary. To be fair, she didn’t find the company within her current vicinity completely abhorrent, though mostly on account of the fact she was left to be by her lonesome, a fact of which could not be said for her colleagues at the Ministry. It was also one of the only places she had been able to obtain a copy of Bulgakov’s collective works. It was for the latter reason that it had quickly become one of her favorite haunts in the neighborhood.

A humored smile tugged at Anushka’s lips when she realized that the girl had initially thought she had been speaking to her in her native tongue. A fair presumption, given she spoke the words as she abruptly emerged through the store entrance, but humorous nonetheless. “You do look a bit…how do you say in English? All in but one’s bootstraps?” Once she had managed to get a full grasp on the mischievous feline, she approached the desk as she took a quick glance at the shelves around the two of them. “Yes, on both counts. A real sweetheart, though the little pridurok definitely has a mind of her own. Here, you hold her. ” The words muc more of a command than an offer, in a tone that was more abrasive than she intended it to be. Anushka had not even given a moment of warning before she all but pushed the cat into the woman’s arms, whose purring had not ceased after she was handed over to a relative stranger. “See? She likes you. And if you have any cheese or cantaloupe around here you can spare, she’ll absolutely adore you.”

@vntonindolohov

I. BROTHER - NEEDTOBREATHE

On those days, when the sky begins to fall You're the blood of my blood, we can get through it all

II. SAFE - US THE DUO

I feel the ghost that hides in the dark, but I'm safe with you I see this whole world falling apart, but I'm safe with you 

III. SISTER  - ANDREW BELLE 

So, tell me what happens when the waves break You’re surrounded, he tries to kill you, and you allow it 

IV. YOU’VE GOT THE LOVE - FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE 

Sometimes it seems that the going is just too rough Things go wrong no matter what I do Now and then it seems that life is just too much But you've got the love I need to see me through

V. THE ICE IS GETTING THINNER - DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE 

We're not the same, dear, as we used to be The seasons have changed and so have we

VI. LOVE SAVE THE EMPTY - ERIN MCCARLEY 

Little girls don't know how to be sweet girls, Mama didn't teach me Little boys don't know how to treat little girls, Daddy didn't show me 

VII. BETTER THAN THIS - KEANE 

I've been checking my sums, oh where did the time go? Holding my photograph up, to the window Through the paper, a refracted sun, I can see all the things I wish I'd done 

VIII. BEFORE THE WORST - THE SCRIPT 

I. RUN FOR YOUR LIFE - K.FLAY 

They tried to tell me I was lost in the forest Like a cub with no mother when I actually was where I wanted

II. BUBBLEGUM BITCH - MARINA 

Don't care if you think I'm dumb, I don't care at all Candy bear, sweetie pie, wanna be adored, I'm the girl you'd die for

III. KINGS AND QUEENS - AVA MAX 

No damsel in distress, don't need to save me Once I start breathing fire, you can't tame me

IV. COVER YOUR TRACKS - A BOY AND HIS KITE 

Mind, pick up your pace; capture the thoughts you always chase Soul, open your wings; lift this cage higher than any dream

V. HOLOGRAM - KATIE HERZIG 

Oh it's just like you said, I live in my head I'm saving up all that I have until I'm dead It's always the same, and never the same way

VI. MADWOMAN - TAYLOR SWIFT  

Does a scorpion sting when fighting back? They strike to kill, and you know I will

VII. IS IT ANY WONDER - KEANE 

Is it any wonder I'm tired? Is it any wonder that I feel uptight? Is it any wonder I don't know what's right?  

VIII. DANGEROUS WOMAN - ARIANA GRANDE 

Don't need permission, made my decision to test my limits Because it's my business, God as my witness, start what I finished Don't need no hold up, taking control of this kind of moment I'm locked and loaded, completely focused, my mind is open

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

The door to the lobby was open and Wendy had stopped a moment to collect her umbrella since the sky looked questionable at best. She had been visiting a friend who lived upstairs, the drinks had been badly needed after swallowing the hard pill of getting a new job with the Ministry that was only making her life difficult. As she was replacing the bag over her shoulder once more, an orange mass zoomed by her and then stopped by the elevator. Wendy had to do a double take, completely taken aback by the quick entrance and then another person came barreling into the lobby, clearly after the escaped kitty. 

“Her?” Wendy questioned and glanced at the now purring cat in the woman’s arms. “Oh, no she didn’t frighten me. But looks like you got an escape artist on your hands.” She gave a chuckle and stepped towards them and tentatively held out her hand, making small clicking and cooing noises at the now named Mishka. “Russian, right?” Wendy inquired with a grin and let her hand drop, recognizing the sound of it from her time with Mikhail. 

Anushka was surprised and relieved in equal measure to encounter someone who took a liking to Mishka. This hadn’t been the first time that her cat had wandered into the building where they both stood. The last incident had involved an encounter with a tenant where words were exchanged, and heated ones at that. Lucky for her, Mikha and Anton had been nearby and heard the commotion as it unfolded, dragging Anushka away before she got herself into any real trouble. The experience did little to change her less than favourable opinion of both London and its inhabitants, though the woman in front of her seemed pleasant enough to indulge in brief conversation. “She has yet to learn that the world does not revolve around her, and this neighborhood isn’t hers to explore as she pleases,” Anushka commented, stepping forward so that the other could more easily shower Mishka with attention. The purring of her cat told her everything she needed to know about present company, at least for the moment. “Da,” she quickly nodded, offering an equally bright grin in return, a certain delight highlighting her features as the mention of her native tongue came up in conversation. “Both me and the kotenok. She goes by Mishka, only because we don’t have a name that directly translates to high-maintenance, trouble-making furball. Not one that isn’t frowned upon, anyway. And I’m Anushka. This building is your home?”

Since arriving in London, Anushka had been adamant on hosting weekly friday night dinners. He’d forgotten how stubborn she could be, and persistent too. Still, Antonin loved the touch of home, the authentic Russian meal and the familiarity of Mikha and Anush sharing jokes and poking fun at the English. He had been surprised to find out that, unlike their mother, his sister was a rather good cook, just one of the things he’d come to find had changed over the years. It had also forced him to wonder just where she had learned her culinary skills. 

Antonin himself, was not nearly as skilled in the kitchen and instead always brought the most important accessory to a meal. This evening he’d made a stop for some bottles of premium vodka before he decided to walk the rest of the way to Anushka’s apartment. 

He was a building away before he heard Russian from a voice that was unmistakenly his sisters. But her voice had strangely come from a neighbouring building and not her own. He stopped in the doorway when his eyes fell upon Anushkha’s back as she stooped to pick up that spiteful cat of hers. Antonin himself had always been more of a dog person, he had three borzoi back home who he wished he could bring to London. Anushka’s cat however, was plain evil and didn’t hide the fact that it despised Antonin. It was several long moments of Antonin watching his sister rain Mishka with affection before she noticed that she wasn’t alone. Antonin who up until now had been hidden by shadow, stepped out into the light, not bothering to hide just how he felt about the cat from his face. “What, scared of that unplesant ball of fur? Smeshnoy Anush, you need to learn how to control it better.”

Even before relocating to London, Anushka had always been fond of family gatherings. She was a lot like her mother in that way, though she would refute with vehement antagonism that similarities of any kind existed between them. However, unlike the matriarch of the Dolohov family, Anushka maintained a certain ability for both preparing food and entertaining guests, a talent she had carefully cultivated in recent years. It was one that served her well, especially now that she found herself living in a culture that was, in her opinion, completely inferior to the one she had grown up in. While the yearnings for her homeland had not ceased, these gatherings provided a certain sense of comfort and solace in the midst of acclimating to her environment. It had become all the more important to her that she honoured these traditions, and she knew that both Mika and Anton shared the sentiment, though the latter wasn’t nearly as forthcoming in showing their appreciation as the former.

Anushka had not been expecting Antonin to arrive to the neighborhood for a few more hours, at least. It stood to reason that he would be the last one that emerged from the shadows of the building she had walked into a few minutes ago. Yet, turning around to see who had addressed her once the building tenant had departed from her presence, there he stood. He was nothing, if not consistently inconsistent. Anushka wasted no time in starting towards him, an expression of contented amusement highlighting her features as Mishka let out a series of hisses in her brother’s direction. She had no attempt to stop them, instead meeting them with continued affection in response. “And why would I do that, moy dorogoy bratishka, when your cowering over a five pound cat is far more amusing?” As contradictory as her welcome might have seemed, and as little as she expressed it in his presence, Anushka was genuinely happy to see Antonin. She wasn’t naive to the nature of his dealings with Voldemort, and the increasing dangers they posed, even to those in his circle that were held in high regard. If living in London provided any one benefit, it was that she was able to more closely monitor his comings and goings, albeit incredibly discreetly. "Speaking of smeshnoy, tell me you at least tell me brought the cinnamon for the kvasya this time?"

After a series of equally tedious days at the Ministry, the work week had finally come to its much anticipated end. For Anushka, that meant hosting Antonin and Mikhail for dinner at her flat, an event that had since become tradition following her arrival to London. She would have much preferred to do so back home, with all the familiarity and decadence that adorned the expansive family estate back in Moscow. She tried to make the most of the space, setting nesting dolls and crystal eggs upon the shelves and keeping a set of samovars and zhostovo trays in plain sight near the dining area. Try as she might, it just wasn’t the same. It was nice to visit, but it would be much better to be home, only finding some consolation in knowing the sentiment was shared by the two of them.

Emerging through the narrow doorway of her flat, Anushka promptly headed for the kitchen, tightly clutching  at the paper bags in both of her hands.  Hoping to immediately start with meal-making preparations, she walked to the kitchen and placed the items upon the countertop. She had managed to procure the necessary items to make piroshki and pelmeni, a task that had not proven to be nearly as simple of an undertaking as she had planned. She had hoped that the process of making the food might go without incident, but such would quickly prove to not be the case. As she started moving the contents from one of the bags into the freezer, a a quick flash of orange zoomed past her, and Anushka immediately followed suit in response. “Blyat!” she hissed, quickly casting a locking spell on the door behind her before rushing down the hallway and towards the stairway at its end. The chase extended into the street, which was thankfully otherwise vacated. She managed to catch up with the cat, who had just entered one of the nearby buildings. The Siberian cat was docile and unassuming under most circumstances, but given the right opportunity at the right moment, she would not hesitate to move swiftly into action. The pair of them were quite alike in that way.

“Mishka! Vot, pazhalusta!” she beckoned, her words harsh and biting as she exclaimed her command in her native tongue. Bending down to ensure she couldn’t escape again. Once the cat was in her arms, Anushka was quick to offer admonishment to the feline, followed quickly enough by a series of affectionate pats and scratches. After ending the latter response by placing a quick kiss on top of her head, it dawned on the witch she was not alone in the space she had entered moments before. Suspecting the other party was either amused or afraid at this sudden turn of events, she turned to face the other in her presence. “So sorry about that! She didn’t fright you too much, did she?”