closed Spring break at the Fernandez Farm Pv Colin

Colin stared at Clair while she was talking. Not his usual 'she's so cute I can't take my eyes off her' stare. No, this time it was the 'is she even talking English or what' stare. Colin tried, not so much to get on the same page as Clair, but to sort out if they were even in the same library. She talked about light bulbs. "Aye, that makes sense --- I reckon ye don't want em to be to heavy, or else they'll fall off and bonk yer head!" And then there were the dyed oats. The only kind of oats Colin had ever heard of was the kind they made hearth cakes and flummery with. "So, the light fairies eat oats?" Colin asked, become even more confused than before. "And who is this Bill Bored and why would he want to have broken lights in his motor car?"

Colin just shook his head. He was certain that there must be something about Clair's brain that just allowed her to understand all this whacky muggle stuff! Because he felt entirely lost. He was proud, however, that he'd sorted the whole mystery of the refrigerator fairy.

Thankfully Clair changed topic as his seanmamó and Belle struck up their own conversation. It seemed unlikely that either of them would be terribly interested in either Clair or Colin at the moment. Colin may not have understood the finer details of how fairies use dyed oats to make light, but he fully clued in to her change of tone! What did she mean they had to watch out for Josh? What was up with Belle's husband? Just as he about to question her, she decided to take him up to his room. Josh got jostled right out of Colin's mind --- for the moment --- as he fetched his battered travel case and followed after Clair.

He'd have to ask about Josh at some point in time. Whatever it was, Clair seemed to be upset? Maybe ill at ease in some way? This in turn made Colin feel a bit more alert. He'd have to see what Josh was like for himself.

And then it struck him! "Wait. Clair! I've got it!" He stopped in the hallway, setting the case down on the wooden floor. "So --- the fairies, right, their oats have to be dyed so that they can make different coloured lights, right? You said about the Christmas lights! Like, the lexarixity cooks the dyed oats in the bulb, right, and the fairies in there use the dyed oats to emit different coloured light! I reckon undyed oats make uncoloured light! Hah! Brilliant Colin!"

He nodded and smiled, quite proud of his powers of deductive reasoning, then picked up his travel case and headed down the hallway. After a few steps, he realised he had no idea where his room was, so he stopped and turned. "Er. Clair? Where's my room?"

@Clair Fernandez

"Um, not really," Clair said as she led him down the hallway. Colin cocked his head in curiosity as he thought about it some more. "What did I miss?" he whispered to himself. "There was dyed oats and lexariskity and fairies." Clair said there were books on light bulbs so maybe he'd find one later! Surely muggle magic couldn't be quite so difficult that he couldn't figure it out! He'd have to ask his Da, maybe this summer, to help him with it! And of course, they'd have Muggle Studies starting in the fall! Surely everything would become clear then!

Colin almost bumped into Clair as she stopped before one of the doors. She opened it in French too! "Oo, mercy buckets!" Colin said with a bow and a smile. "This is really --- WHOA." The room they'd chosen for Colin was brilliant! A huge window faced out over the fields and there were bookshelves all over one whole wall! "At home, most of our books are in the library. I think Ciarán has some in the girls room, though. This is sweet!"

He went to check on everything in the room! He liked the blue colour on the walls and everything, but the window and the shelves full of books were the best! His feet touched something soft near the bed as he crossed the room. "Oo, a rug!" He looked down. "I like rainbows!" He sat down on the edge of the bed. For a moment Colin seemed to lose focus. Maybe he was overwhelmed with all the travelling, or maybe he was just vibing with Clair's presence. His eyelids began to close, but didn't shut all the way. He spoke, but not in his usual tones of excitement and energy. His words came through softly, tenderly, as from one heart to another.

The storm is gone and gale winds die
The Sun returns a pledge to make

Seven names and
Seven hues and
Seven boons and
Seven runes and

My eyes look up my heart awake
I see the rainbow in the sky

Just as suddenly as Colin had sat upon the bed, he shot up again, all energy and curiosity! He went over to check out the books on the shelf. Most of them he'd never even heard of! "Are these muggle books? Coo! I recognise these! Lord of the Rings --- I've read that! That's brilliant!" He pulled a curious looking book from one of the shelves. "Holistic Goat Care. Blimey! Look! The covers are like paper, all thin and everything!" Colin had never actually seen a paper back book up close. He was used to the durable coverings of heavy duty boards that wizarding books came bound in. "Gianaclis Caldwell --- is this a wizarding book Clair? Sounds like a wizard's name!"

After putting the book back, Colin shoved his travelling case under the bed. That was one problem solved. He looked over towards the window, then back to Clair: "What should we do now! Let's go outside!"

@Clair Fernandez

And no sooner did Colin suggest heading outside, but Clair led him back down along the hallways and stairs and back into the kitchen. There --- to no surprise on Colin's part --- his seanmamó was in the midst of a full on chat with Belle! Clair mentioned someone named Willie as Colin shouted over his shoulder that they were going outside.

"Who's Willie, Clair? I --- oh! Willies are boots!" Clair already had hers on and Colin considered going without. But he thought better of it. "I'm sure there'll be loads of muck and such --- I'll try the Willies!" And so without any further ado, Colin found himself knee deep in a pair dusty rubber boots. It was a beautiful day out and nice as the house was, Colin was happy to be out in the fresh air.

The pair headed out towards the barn. Colin could hear the animals within as they approached. The scent of sheep and goats filled Colin's nostrils and reminded him of home. Colin looked around the barn while Clair went in search of a particular animal. It was a little dimmer inside than outside as well as a bit cooler in the shade. Apparently Belle had done some rearranging. "I reckon the beasties like to have different neighbours from time to time!"

A smile spread across Colin's face as the animals came to the gates of their pens when Clair approached. Clearly they knew her well! Several of the sheep eyed Colin suspiciously, however, before turning towards Clair. One of the goats, however, wanted nothing to do with him! It just stared at Colin and bleated at him in protest of his very presence. "Oi! Don't complain to me ye auld beastie! Clair went looking for someone else!"

Clair soon enough found who she was looking for! A bonny red doe named Cinnamon. "Oh, she's bonny, Clair! So, she's Simon's friend, eh?" Colin laughed as Clair led the goat over towards him. "I bet --- whoa, crap!" No sooner had Clair discharged the goat to Colin's care but Cinnamon decided to take herself for a jog! Colin dashed out the barn door after the rascally goat! "Cinn---Cinnabon, come back here ye dafty thing!"

She didn't make it too far, for even wearing a strange pair of Wellies, Colin was quick on his feet and it seemed as if he were able to read the goat's mind! If Cinnamon dodged right, Colin was already there, and when she darted left, he was practically on top of her! "Cinnamon ye're a rascal! Oof!" Colin made a flying leap, much like he'd done last fall when chasing the hag doll, and managed to catch Cinnamon's blue collar in the left hand! "Ungh!" Colin moaned. The boy landed on his chest in a patch of herbs and wildflowers around the side of the barn, his Wellies sticking up above the jostled flowers.

There he found himself face to face with a midnight black cat staring at him from under a stack of wood, and his eyes were ice!

Colin tore out of the barn on Clair's family farm in Cumbria in hot pursuit of one particularly recalcitrant goat named Cinnamon. Colin had thought it would be a nice, easy to manage goat. Clair said it was Simon's favourite! How hard could it be to take a goat for walkies and a bit of a snack? Apparently far more difficult than Colin had planned on! It was a wily old rascal and as far as Colin was concerned, Simon could have Cinnamon all to himself! He chased her out of the barn, dodging this way and that until at last he closed in and took off with a relatively graceful leap!

He caught the wayward caprinid by her collar and landed himself face down in a large tuft of thistles and mint, and, Colin was sure, some betony and St. John's wort as well! Well, that's where the adventure really started!

For staring at Colin from deep under a stack of old weathered lumber was a scruffy looking tom cat! Black as a No 4 iron cauldron left on the burner in potions he was, and hardly discernible in the depths of the shadow of the wood pile. Colin smelled him before he could see or hear anything of the cat --- but the cat had certainly caught sight of Colin! A low growl and a hiss emanated from the depths, somewhere in the vicinity of the iciest blue eyes any creature of Earth ever had!

Colin sniffed delicately, while Cinnamon nibbled peacefully on the thistles and mint. He could hear Clair's soft footsteps and gentle laughter approaching from around the corner of the barn. "Ach, come on out kitty," he said softly as he turned onto his side. He wanted to get a better look at the cat, but couldn't see much of it just yet.

He knew not to stare at cats for too long, and his seanmamó had taught him how to wink at a cat. He wasn't quite sure what winking at a cat would cause to happen, but he did as she'd shown him, and added a soft meow for good measure. It wasn't long before a rather long cat emerged from the wood pile to investigate who had disturbed his nap.

Colin seemed to be little more than a part of the landscape, now that his long white blond braids were full of thistles and twigs and he'd managed to get several mint plants stuck down his shirt. The cat sniffed at his hair, and turned to look at him as if to say what gives? You smell like the goat! It continued to sniff at his arms and chest. He sat up slowly, so the black cat could have a go at his legs and his Wellies. "Sorry, lad, I don't usually smell like goat!" He patted Cinnamon absently. "Only I had to chase after her!"

HHHSSSSSSS!!!

The cat, dark as midnight, gave a surprised hiss as Clair came up and sat down next to Cinnamon.

"HHHSSSSSS yerself! Don't ye be hissing at my girlfriend Sir !" Colin was almost as surprised at his reactive hiss as the ease with which he'd just called Clair his girlfriend! He blushed as red as poppies further along the barn! "Um!" The black cat didn't seem to take any notice of Colin's change of skin tone, but it did sit back on its haunches and look at him through slightly narrowed eyes as if to say oh girlfriend! Is that so Sir Boy?

Something seemed to change in that moment between boy and cat. The cat seemed to have made up his mind about something, for it got up from its seated position and plopped down in Colin's lap where it began to purr as loudly as one could imagine! And even after he got up, it stayed close, rubbing itself on Colin's legs then Clair's.

"What are you going to name your new friend, Colin?" she asked.

Colin wasn't sure if the glint in Clair's sky blue eyes was on account of the situation she found him in or the words he'd said to the cat! He hadn't intended to adopt a cat today, but he did think it would be really cool. That, and the cat seems to have adopted him! It looked up at him with its deep icy blue eyes and meowed. Almost more like a song it was! mrrrRRRROOooOoOWwww!

Colin laughed happily! "Well! I reckon if you put that way, I shall have to think of a really cool name!" As he and Clair walked along the side of the barn, Colin said at last: "I think I'll call you Greebo! That's my favourite cat name in all the books I've read!"

@Clair Fernandez

Colin gave Clair a wry smile when she mentioned the hag doll. Greebo nudged Colin's chin. "Right!? That was wicked!" Memories of trying to kill the horrible thing that had attacked his cousin Lily flooded his mind. He wondered at that. Yes, Lily was troublesome, and yes she loved to tease Colin all day long! Still, he found in his heart that for all the difficulties she had caused him, he would never let anything or anyone hurt her. She had become almost more like a sister to him.

He shook his head slowly. "Clair, you are such a sweet lassie! And I know that Simon is yer best friend. But honestly, if this Cinnamon causes so much trouble for Simon, I can only feel sorry for the lad!" Colin had never been so happy to let go of any kind of beast than he was when Clair took her from him.

Cinnamon, for her part, seemed to give Colin the rudest look any goat could ever give a lad! Colin was surprised as her eyes glared at him. Then she bleated at him! Loudly!

MWA-A-A-A-AAAAA!

"Oi! That was rude, Cinnamon! I hope ye don't talk to Simon that way! I shall tell him ye said that." Colin pouted, but could hardly suppress his laughter at what Clair must think of his conversation with Cinnamon! Clair smiled and suggested they meet back at the house while she put Cinnamon back into her pen. Colin nodded, shaking his braids and feathers. "Right! See you there!"

As he ran back to the house, Colin noted that Greebo was bounding along beside him! "YIP! YIP! YIP! MmmMRrOOOooooWwWOOO!"

@Clair Fernandez || Mentions @Simon Kincaid | @Lily Brown

"Oi! I'm here Clair! I had some difficulty with the wellies!" Colin said cheerfully as he entered the kitchen behind Clair. "Not to worry, I just did reparo and --- oh!" Colin caught sight of someone else in the kitchen. Greebo rubbed up against his legs as Colin gave the man a quick bow. He sensed something was off with Clair, but had no idea what. Everything else seemed normal.

Colin decided that he'd best introduce himself. He pulled his eyes away from Clair. Colin wondered if anyone noticed. He blushed slightly, but managed to recover quickly. He gave the man a quick bow. "Um. Hello! How do ye do sir? I'm Colin, Clair's bo---!" Colin almost stalled! Boyfriend!? Lad, we have to ask first! "Er. Buds. We're besties!" Colin said with a big smile, putting his left arm around around Clair's shoulder, hoping she wouldn't flipendo him back out into the garden.

Mamó raised one eyebrow, which Colin caught. He was pretty sure she was on to him. Best buds indeed! He could already imagine what she'd have to say about that! Colin sank down into one of the seats. He wondered if this was Josh or not, and how he fit in. He also wondered what it could be that seemed different about Clair.

"So, Clair was just showing me the beasties! They're pretty cool! Well, all except Cinnamon. I don't think she likes me at all! I had to chase her all around the place!"

@Clair Fernandez