You're as Beautiful As Endless

…

“No, it’s not very fair,” Arabella said softly, creases at the corners of her eyes. She appreciated a statement like that, small as it was and even thought she’d figured it out for herself long ago. Her childhood hadn’t been fair, but that was half a life behind her. She responded to Celeste’s admission with a gentle smile. “I wish someone in my family had been.” A quiet laugh passed her lips. “I had a lot to learn when I struck out my own, not the least because I moved across an ocean. I guess I figured it out eventually.”

Arabella hummed, looking over the display of chocolates, but her eyes kept returning to a simple, dark chocolate one. “Traditional, I think, in case I need to get any unfortunate combinations out of my mouth. I guess I like to play it safe, but I definitely have to try an odd one first.”

.

Celeste couldn’t understand the hype about blood purity; that was something she would never have to face directly with her own family. Of course, she dealt with the stigmatism in her everyday life by those who didn’t think she deserved magic, but to be cast out by your own blood? Magic or not, that was something she was fortunate enough to never know. It must have been hard, similarly, for the woman to go through life with her own battles. In Celeste’s case, people judged her for being born with magic. In Arabella’s, for being born without. What sense that made, she had no idea. 

“I like that logic, it makes perfect sense,” Celeste complimented, with a chuckle. She was used to having tasted strange combinations of wizarding sweets, but for a novice, that was the best advice she’d ever heard. “Is it weird I almost want to snap a picture of this moment? It’s not every day you try your first chocolate frog, you know,” she teased, nudging the woman playfully.

…

Maybe she would try it today.  If she was going to be bold enough to face the crowd than maybe she would be bold enough to try something new, especially if she maybe had a bit of company.  Celeste seemed quite nice.  And as much as that still surprised her, it shouldn’t.  She had come across far more nice people than unkind ones in this country so far.  “I think I’ll try it,” she nodded slowly.  “if you say it’s nice I believe you.”

The moment of silence had her shoulders tensing, but when Celeste spoke again she felt herself begin to relax again.  “That’s a nice saying,” she muttered, still smiling.  She didn’t know if it were a formal, English idiom she had never heard before or if it was something that Celeste just enjoyed saying from time to time.  “If you’re sure,” she nodded, following a few steps behind her.  “I live…” she gestured in the direction of her flat, “that way.  but it’s a bit too far to walk.  I typically apparate once I’m out of sight.  So no, I don’t know the area all that well.”

...

If anything came out of this interaction, the least Celeste was hoping for was that the younger girl would feel more comfortable talking to strangers. She knew that it wasn’t something that was easy for everyone, and though she was practically an open book, that was because Celeste grew up with so many siblings. There was just no way that she could have slipped under the radar growing up, lest she wanted to be forgotten. “Thank you,” she smiled at the compliment. “It’s something my family has always said.”

It took a long time for Celeste to believe it, considering there were plenty of days where she or her siblings would have given anything just to be like everyone else. With her being a witch, too, it made things even more complicated. Hard to blend in when you were the only witch in a family of muggles. “Well then, if you’ve got the time, let’s order to go, and I’ll show you some of my favorite shops around. I won’t keep you longer than you’re available, I promise.”

…

Her words caught him off-guard, and Adonis smiled ever so slightly, trying to assure that it was okay. Still, he worried about his fangs ( or rather, remembered them ), and closed his lips quickly. Godric, it was so hard to remember to keep everything in check. He just wanted to tell her; wanted someone else other than Damos to know that he was struggling. It was so much easier that way. But his pride got in the way, and he couldn’t find the words, and instead he was shaking his head at her. “Celeste, you are perhaps the kindest person I know,” he said, sighing. “And it’s why Penelope loved you so much.” The past tense made his face scrunch, just a bit, and Adonis cleared his throat before continuing. “But no, I couldn’t ask you that. We’re fine at the Cauldron, really.”

And that much was true; he didn’t miss his home. Didn’t miss the ghost of his wife wandering the hallways. Marcus was actually enjoying living at the Cauldron; getting the cobblestoned streets of Diagon as his playground had been fun for his son, even though it wouldn’t last forever. When Marcus started to ask about his room, he’d go back home. “I’m just not ready to go back home yet and… It’s been nice to have something different for a change,” he said, honestly, meeting her eyes. 

...

If Marcus weren’t with them, Celeste might have put up a bigger fight to get him to say yes. She knew that she couldn’t force Adonis to accept her hospitality, nor would she have wanted to. Still, though, she couldn’t help but feel a bit like there was more she could do, if he’d only let her. Whatever it was about men and their pride, she would never truly understand, but she didn’t want to cause an argument for the sake of arguing. At the mention of Penelope, Celeste touched a hand to her chest, taking in a deep breath of air. “Well, if you change your mind... Or if it gets too expensive...” 

Her words seemed to slip from her mind as she was speaking them, sighing softly. “Just... I better be the first person you call, if you need anything. Okay? Even if it’s just dropping off some meals, which, I plan to do at least now and then, so don’t try to stop me.” She would be firm on that bit, she had decided. The look in his eyes said everything that Celeste needed to know. It was understandable why he wouldn’t want to go back, and why a change of scenery could be so important. Even if she wanted to do more for the two of them, she had to trust that Adonis knew what he was doing, and put her faith in him that if he needed her, he would ask. “I believe it,” she nodded, smiling softly. “So, since I did miss the two of you at the carnival, how should we make up for it? What do you think, Marcus?”

…

Celeste’s kindness was like honey, Adonis knew, and even as he sat down at her side, he wanted more of it. Maybe that was selfish of him; to come to someone who he knew would show him the kindness he was craving right now. Was he using her, in a way? Using her warmth and her heart just to feel normal for a few moments? Adonis didn’t know, and a part of him felt guilty for it. Still, he hoped that he could give her something back. Marcus, at least, looked like he was having the best day he’d had in a long time, and if anything, that made Adonis feel better. At least he could say that, today, his son was happy. “I think about him being taller than me all the time,” Adonis said, truthfully, a bit of pride seeping into his voice.

A nod of his head followed her words, and he carefully brought the tea to his lips, happy, for a moment, for the quiet that she was talking about. When she asked ifs he could help, though, Adonis almost wanted to tell her what had happened. Damos knew now, after all. Pim would know soon enough ( there was only so long he could hide from his brothers; from his family ). Still, he kept his lips shut, unable to bring the words to the forefront. Not yet. He wasn’t ready. Especially not with Marcus nearby. “Oh, no, that’s very kind of you to offer but I fear it’s something I’m going to have to learn to deal with on my own,” he said, shaking his head. “And thank you, for the biscuits. Marcus can attest, they’re probably the best things he’s had in a while.” The little boy nodded enthusiastically and Adonis shrugged ever so slightly. “I wouldn’t call myself a master in the kitchen. Or… with anything culinary, really. We’ve been living in the Leaky since… Well.” 

...

It was in Celeste’s nature to help people. If she saw someone in need, there was this overwhelming sensation that told her she needed to step in. Though she didn’t want to push herself onto him, she knew that Adonis wasn’t telling her the whole truth, and maybe that was why he was denying her help. “It’s not a problem, I insist.” Celeste loved baking, and cooking, and considering she had no one to do it for, she took the opportunities as they came. What Adonis revealed next was a shock to hear. Had she known that the two of them were staying at the leaky cauldron this whole time, she would have at the very least started making meals for them a while ago. “You’re kidding... Adonis...”

While she knew that it very well wasn’t a joke, Celeste needed to watch her words with Marcus around. It couldn’t have been easy as a parent to admit that you were in a predicament, and Celeste wanted Marcus to think of his father as someone who would always provide for him. It wasn’t that the leaky cauldron was a terrible place, but it wasn’t somewhere that people should be staying for long periods of time, in her eyes. “Could the two of you stay here? I mean it, really, I don’t mind at all, and I have the space for it. You know it’s never a bother.”

…

This woman was quite nice.  She felt the tension in her shoulders easing at her calm voice.  This was a ridiculous thing to get anxious about, especially when there were so many others around managing to navigate the crowd without a worry.  “Oh,” she paused, thinking about how nice the combination sounded together.  “I haven’t tried pesto too much before.  Just on some pasta.  It does sound nice though.”  She flushed, hoping it didn’t sound like she was insulting the woman’s sandwich preferences.  “I’m sure your idea is very nice.”

“It’s not the crowds…” she trailed off, feeling more comfortable speaking to this woman than she had anticipated.  “I uh –” she had to explain now, or else she would sound bizarre.  “I sometimes get nervous trying to navigate new places.  I’ve never been here before, and with all of these people it’s a bit harder to blend than it would be otherwise.”  At her offer Lena hesitated.  She didn’t feel like it was much of a burden, but she also didn’t want this stranger to go out of her way for her.  “Oh, um.  Maybe?  If you’re sure it wouldn’t be a bother.”  She paused again.  “I’m Lena.”

...

Celeste had a habit of adopting people into her life. Even if the young woman was close to her own age, it didn’t matter. She could tell by the nerves and the look about her that she was younger, and though age didn’t particularly matter when Celeste felt the urge to claim someone, it did make it easier to justify. Growing up with plenty of siblings, it was a natural instinct to want to play the sisterly role and care for so many people. Who better to care for, she thought to herself, than a young witch who seemed in need of some life guidance? “Ah, yes, it’s delicious on pasta as well.” Noticing the coloration in the young woman’s cheeks, Celeste acted quickly, though decided not to bring attention to it. “It’s not for everyone, and that’s alright. But if you do ever want to give it a try, I think that it’s worth it.”

So crowded areas weren’t the issue. At least, not entirely. Celeste wondered if that was a small part of it, even if the other was unaware of that fact. Then again, she had to trust the woman understood their own emotions and reactions better than she would. “Well why on Earth would you want to blend in when you were born to stand out?” Blending in might have sounded like the safe option, but Celeste never thought that was any fun. “Of course it wouldn’t. I wouldn’t have offered otherwise,” she insisted with a warm smile. “Celeste. If you don’t mind me asking, do you live around here? I could show you around a bit, if not.”

…

This was a silly thing to get lost in her thoughts about.  She knew that it was true, as did all the eyes she just knew were honed in on her.  Everyone who walked by was probably looking at her, thinking that she was pathetic for second-guessing a stop in what was sure to be a delicious, little sandwich shop.  But it wasn’t quite that simple, despite knowing that it was silly to be hesitant about it at all.

When the words of the woman finally registered she jumped, turning to her.  She offered the ghost of a smile and shoved her hands in her pockets.  “Oh I –” she turned to look back through the window, at the carefully arranged sandwiches that had to have been placed there just that morning.  “I haven’t even tried some of the combinations,” she admitted.  “I um –” she scratched at her wrist, biting down on her lip as she paused.  “I guess I enjoy turkey, but they all look quite nice.”

At her question Lena hesitated for, what she was sure was, a bit too long, looking from the sandwiches to the woman and then back to the sandwiches.  “I am not sure.  It does look nice, but… it’s quite crowded.”  She glanced down at her watch, hoping to convey a lack of time and not ridiculous hesitation over something as silly as a room full of people.

...

Celeste could sense that there was an uneasiness registering in the other, and wondered briefly if it had been something she said. Truthfully she didn’t think that was the case, or at least she hoped not, and that the other was just nervous around strangers. Celeste could handle nerves. Well, she could handle people not liking her, too, as she had been pretty outspoken in school and didn’t tend to care what others thought of her. But of course it was always better to get along with people, and typically took a lot for her not to get on with someone. “Turkey is nice,” Celeste offered, a warm smile on her face. “Warmed up with some cheese and pesto? It’s a wonderful build.” 

A soft laugh emerged from her lips, giving the other a moment to answer her question. It appeared that the she was just shy, but Celeste didn’t want to pressure her into answering or make her more nervous than necessary. “Oh, if you don’t like crowds, you could always order it to go?” Celeste offered. “I was about to head in myself, and I’ll probably end up doing the same. Would you want to join me?”

“Oh, well, uh.” Arabella chuckled, though it didn’t sound amused. “Not in a long while. I had the mass produced ones when I was really little, but then I grew up and – squib.” She shrugged. Even if her parents hadn’t been hateful towards her for something she couldn’t control, a squib’s childhood would always be different than the wixen siblings. Not quite muggle, but certainly not magical. It was straddling line that most squibs chose to get off of when they were adults, crossing to the muggle side. She’d tried, but then she’d met Miriam. “I still think it’s a necessity though. It’s been far too long and this is a carnival. It’s about having fun.”

Arabella nodded. Apparently, Celeste had had a similar feeling while she looked over the seemingly endless varieties. Like those jellybeans, though significantly more pleasant. “That sounds perfect. I’m sure you want to try the honey caramel one – or could it not possibly live up to your own honey?”

...

While Celeste hadn’t known that the other was without magic, she tried not to react shocked or like it was a bad thing. Magic was not always a gift, and just because someone didn’t have it, didn’t mean that they were any less valuable. She had been born with magic, but no one else in her family to her recollection had been. Sometimes she wished that she wasn’t, herself. “Well, that’s not very fair then, is it? You don’t need magic to enjoy sweets.” Celeste gave the woman a soft smile, before continuing. “I know it’s not the same by any sorts, but I was muggle born.” Her voice was hushed, not because she was embarrassed by the statement, but because she didn’t know who would be listening, and this night was not about to be ruined by bigotry. 

“You’ve read my mind,” Celeste laughed, nodding at the mention of honey and caramel. “Even if it doesn’t, I’m still open to trying new things. I think I’ll save that one for last. Which do you think would be your final flavor? You could be bold and save something completely new, or play it safe and pick something you know you’ll like, so that we end on a high note.”

“Oh, no it was only that one month. Now I’m back to not working at all which is… Well, it’s good for Luna for me to be around a lot, I guess.” Although it meant she felt like she was becoming little more than a mother. It was great to be able to see so much of her daughter but she found herself tiring sometimes of doing nothing but activities suitable for a toddler. And that didn’t even scratch the  surface of her money worries, if she were to rely only on Xenophilius’ income for too long. She smiled at Celeste’s offer. Even if she didn’t need to sort out childcare for work, a night off might be good, to satisfy her thirst for travel for a weekend. “Thank you. I imagine she might even be quite excited at the prospect of a sleepover. It might even be good for her to get used to spending time away from home.”

She shrugged but concerns about where her money might be coming from in the near future or not, she would still try and insist on paying when she took the honey. “Ah,” she nodded when she heard Dolohov’s name. Their paths had crossed before but she didn’t know a lot about him. School, of course, but they were never going to be friends there, in all likelihood. The main thing Pandora knew about him now was that he was a spell inventor, doing what she supposed she would like to be doing if it didn’t terrify her whenever she found herself straying too close to the Dark Arts. “I don’t think I would have guessed him to be the type to be scared of bees but I suppose that’s a bit more common than it should be, isn’t it? Being scared of creatures who really mean no harm at all.” Pandora hummed as she thought about the description. “I don’t think I know her. Our age? Did she go to Hogwarts?”

...

The more that Pandora explained, Celeste widened her eyes slightly in recognition. Perhaps it was the opposite, she thought as she listened closer. Too much time away from work could be just as tiring though, she had heard from her own mother growing up. It was likely that the other woman would still benefit from some me time. “I see, well if you ever get a bit too stir crazy, just let me know.” Celeste prided herself on planning the perfect get togethers for anyone, so she had no doubt she would be able to plan one as well for a girl Luna’s age. 

Celeste knew that her choice of friends would not always mesh well when put together, but she valued people as they were, and never tried to force any of them to get along. Her relationships meant more to her than that, and if she needed to be friends with people separately, than so be it. Not everyone she knew needed to be well acquainted with each other as long as she felt connected to them on her own. “I didn’t either, but I think they intimidate him. I told him that they have a bad reputation that doesn’t necessarily portray them in the best light, but I think he believes in the false narrative a bit too strongly,” she giggled. “No, I don’t reckon she did. She didn’t really say much of where she was from, but her accent is American. We haven’t talked much about magic really. She seems sweet. But, you know me, I tend to think most everyone has a soft side. Perhaps if you meet her you’ll let me know what you think.”

…

It was nice to hear her voice, familiar and kind. Of course, Celeste was always this way, even when he hadn’t noticed it. She was kindness if that wasn’t already indicated by the fact that she made honey for a living. While it was silly to say someone’s profession described who they were, Celeste’s did. It was no wonder she and Penelope were friends, and why Marcus loved her so much. “He’s grown a few,” Adonis confirmed, smiling proudly, although it was still closed-lipped. He wasn’t able to let people know who he was just yet. As the aches and pains lessened, he was still scared that their fear wouldn’t. “One day he’ll be as tall as me and I simply won’t know where the time went.”

He sat as he was ushered into the lounge, thankful for the reprieve. Although he wasn’t necessarily tired, he was hungry today, and it was nice to have something to relax in. “Oh, I’m sorry we didn’t see you,” he said, shaking his head. “We were there for a bit. Marcus and I played a few games. Even won a hippogriff, isn’t that right bud?” His son grinned up at him, nodding ever so slightly and exploding into a story about how they won the plushie. Once he was finished, Adonis shrugged ever so slightly. “I’ve been feeling under the weather lately so it was nice to get out for a little, anyways.” He hated lying, especially to someone who was so kind to them, but it still felt like the right thing at the moment.

...

Celeste could tell that there was a lot on his mind just from the way he didn’t allow himself to fully loosen up, but she wasn’t going to push or prod. He would talk to her when he was ready. “Or maybe even taller,” she teased, giving him a playful smile as her eyes focused back on Marcus with a wink. She didn’t have any children of her own, but in a way it was almost like she adopted multiple people into her family. There were plenty of wix whom she decided to care for, young and old, which gave her a reason to want to protect something in this world. 

“That’s quite alright. Of course it would have been lovely to chat then, but sometimes a more quiet evening is what we all really need, even if we don’t think so.” She could only hope that there were plenty more days and nights for the lot of them to spend together, as she did quite enjoy their company. “We’ll just have to figure something for the three of us to do together next time. And when you come visit again, I would love to see your hippogriff,” Celeste smiled warmly at the young boy. The pure happiness it seemed to bring him from the story he’d rambled off into was enough to tell that it was worth it. “I’m sorry to hear that. Anything I could do to help?” Celeste wasn’t sure if he would give her a straight answer, but she could try. Waiting patiently, she prepared a plat for Marcus first, handing him the scone. “Hope it doesn’t spoil his appetite, but I couldn’t resist.”

..

Antonin wanted to like Celeste, but sometimes all he felt was pity for her. He felt like they were so destined to be on opposite sides and that a lot of the reasons they were even in each other’s lives was because Celeste simply refused to give up. He nodded. It was a sweet story, but he didn’t know if he felt any differently about bees than before. He did suppose he could relate to lashing out at any given moment in a way that someone might not recognise as self defense. “They still die though. They sting and then they die. Why sting at all then?”

He looked down at the bottom of his mug. He wasn’t sure how long they had been talking, but they had sure covered a wide range of topics. He put his mug down. “Not that I have anything particularly important to get to, but I figure I should stop taking up so much of your time at some point.” He stood up. “Thank you for having me. Even if I insulted your bees most of the time.”

...

Antonin was pointing out the obvious, it was true, but there was more to it than that. “You could ask the same about war. Why do people fight if they know they’re probably going to die? To protect the people they love. They’d likely die either way, whether by the hand of someone else or a sting in self defense.” Bees were smart creatures, and hard workers. She loved them for those reasons as well, and they made for decent company if you left them alone.

“You’re sure you’re not trying to avoid me to sneak off on some date?” she teased, crossing her legs as she straightened her posture. It wasn’t always about the elaborate things one did with the people they enjoyed, but the small, more intimate conversations. She always enjoyed talking with Antonin, even if their topics didn’t usually get as deep as they did today. However, she understood that he had other things to do, and didn’t want to keep him hostage. “You should be nicer to them you know, they get pretty defensive of me.”

..

Antonin shrugged. There wasn’t much of a good reason. “I really liked charms and I had a few people who thought it would be a good idea. I liked the idea of not working in the Ministry and being able to control who I work with and what I work on.” Even if he didn’t love the bees, he started to feel curious. “What made you want to work with bees?”

“It’s also a fire spell and it’s not really supposed to be one that spreads, but I haven’t worked with it much. I’d rather not be responsible for burning your house down.” Antonin enjoyed fire and wreckage, but he tended to like to know what was going to happen. “Your backyard might be big enough, but your bees could be in danger.” He grinned slightly. “Would be a shame.”

...

Celeste nodded as he gave his answer. It felt pretty standard, not that she was expecting him to have some deep personal connection to it or anything. Even if he had, it was obvious he opened up too much for his comfort today already. “Because they’re misunderstood,” she answered softly. “I grew up on a farm, where we grew our own crops and planted our own flowers. One of my siblings was out playing in the garden one day, and got stung by one because they were antagonizing the creatures. When they came running inside, it was obvious that they were hurt. But, what they didn’t know, was that the bee was probably more hurt out of the two.”

“See, bees only sting as a last act of self defense. Usually, after that, they die. So, they sting likely to warn you that you shouldn’t continue to mess with them. Really, it’s a selfless act. They’re protecting the other members of their hive.” Smiling softly, Celeste thought about how that related to her own life, and nodded. “That’s how I feel sometimes. Like people misjudge me before getting to know me, and thus, both sides can end up hurt.” 

When Antonin described the spell as potentially dangerous, she understood why he would rather not show her just yet. “Thank you for thinking of them, I’m sure they appreciate it,” she laughed. “And I do too, of course.” She could tell there was a cheekiness in his reply, but she let it slide. 

A smile tugged at the corners of Arabella’s lips as Celeste responded. “Yes,” she said, pointing in the direction of the stall she’d spotted. “Artisanal chocolate frogs. I know I haven’t had anything like that.” While chocolate frogs had found popularity statewide as well, they were an indulgence she’d had little chance to enjoy. Her parents had acted as if feeding, clothing, and housing her were a herculean task. Getting her treats? Now that would’ve been a miracle. Only after her Ilvermorny letter hadn’t come, of course.

Arabella approached the stall, brown eyes jumping from one information card to the next. The chocolate frogs didn’t come in the pointed boxes the official ones did, nor did they come with a card, but each were labeled with fascinating flavor combinations. Dark chocolate with sage. White chocolate with olive. Milk chocolate with lavender and apple or with mushroom and apricot. Honey caramel and rhubarb anise and basil cloves, oh my. There were plain ones too, though they were easy to lose sight of amidst the unique ones. She turned to look at Celeste again. “There’s so many to choose from,” she said with a small laugh. “What do you think?”

...

Celeste couldn’t help but feel rather nostalgic when thinking of chocolate frogs. She would always purchase them on rides to Hogwarts, and like many young wix, collected the cards that came with them. Though she had long since discarded the collection to one of her muggle siblings, she had kept one or two for the memorabilia. “You’ve never had one?” The shock on her face was pretty obvious, though she instantly felt regret for that. “Sorry, I suppose that was another assumption on my part. We have to try some, then, it’s a necessity.”

Of course, these were a different sort of chocolate frogs, and while Celeste wished that she could show Arabella the real thing, she figured this would be the next best thing. As she scanned the labels of the frogs, she smiled excitedly, feeling much like a kid in a candy shop. “Oh, I dunno. There are so many interesting choices. Maybe we should a few?”

Pandora liked to think she might have been in Hufflepuff if she hadn’t ended up in Gryffindor. Or maybe Ravenclaw. But probably Hufflepuff. Most of her non-Gryffindor friends had been Hufflepuffs, except for the few Ravenclaws she had spent time bugging in an attempt to get Percy to talk to her or the ones she tried to distract from schoolwork in the library. “Tell me about it. That’s the trouble with adult lives and being responsible for children. I feel like there’s a lot of people these days who I either never see enough of or who I’m seeing way too much of. I worked at the Christmas Tree Shop on Diagon Alley for December as well and I’d forgotten how intense seasonal work could be. I barely came up for air before Christmas Eve.

“No, no, you can’t do that. You have to make a living, let me pay for it.” She was glad that Celeste seemed happy to hear about Luna because while Pandora found her the most delightful person in the world, she didn’t really want to be one of those parents who was incapable of talking about anyone but their child but it would still always be a relief when someone took an interest in them. “I’ll let her know. And bring her along when the weather’s a bit better to see them herself. What do you mean false threats? Who on Earth is threatening your bees?” She hummed, trying to think if the name rang a bell but it didn’t immediately jump out to her. Then again, she hadn’t always been the best with names. She had met so many people. “I don’t remember an Arabella. What does she look like?”

...

Celeste didn’t know much about parenthood but she could assume that it was hard and busy work, given the fact that she grew up with so many siblings. Being muggleborn and all, it was likely even more difficult for her parents to raise a magical child. “It sounds like you are working yourself far too hard, and deserve a break. I would be more than happy to watch Luna any day. I could even spend the night at yours, if it’d make you more comfortable to keep her at home,” she offered. Celeste loved the little girl like her own, so it wouldn’t have been a problem. 

“And you have a daughter to raise,” Celeste insisted, smirking at the other woman. She wasn’t that concerned with making money, though Pandora did have a point. Giving things away all of the time would be a terrible business move, though she couldn’t help wanting to treat her friends at times. “Oh, it’s nothing, really. Antonin Dolohov, but really I doubt he will try anything. They scare him far more than he lets on,” the woman chuckled, shaking her head. Pausing for a moment as she thought of the best way to describe Arabella, Celeste paced back and forth. “Let’s see. Dark hair, fair skin, sort of quiet, but not in a bad way. Very friendly, too, and I think she enjoys baking. She’s not from England, I don’t think. Different accent.”