Solo A Summer to die for

July 4th - Sunday

It was weird, when Michael was woken up for church this day, having not been in nearly 2 years. "Do you believe in god?" The man had asked him the other day before he left, his name was still a mystery to Michael. Not knowing what he believed the boy answered vaguely, "My grandparents were catholic." He had said. The next morning he was woken by his house elf, telling him, he was requested dress and proper for church.

"Who's taking me?" He had asked as his house elf got out one of his suits, the elf humming as he did. "Mister Millers friend" Murphy said not turning. The boy frowned, that was vague. He signed and stood, getting undressed sluggishly. Murphy hurried to get him dressed, complaining about Michael's slight slouch. "I've raised you better than that" he quirked, making Michael smile slightly, and straighten his back. Alala gazed at them from her hanging basket, a small paw swiping in the air every now and then to keep it swinging.

Michael was rooming in a bedroom hidden in the library, usually given to the elfs in charge of taking care of the library charms and books, but it worked well for the young student. His dad had rushed him into the room, already set up, random posters on the walls, games in cabinets and some on the floor. The bed was made with a random quidditch team on the covers, one Michael didn't even know of. It looked like a young boys room, good enough to pass off as Michael's. Michael thought it was a gift, saying thank you to his dad, who just nodded before leaving. Michael had hurried to welcome Alala to his home (having not had a room to welcome her to before). His mom quickly ended her attempts to take the kitten as her own when the cat seemed content on following Michael around the Manor.

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But back to the present, the boy was sitting on a stood, his long hair being brushed by his elf, Murphy smiling softly as he undid the braids Michael had made, just a couple hidden where the boy had gotten distracted by a book and did them offhandedly. The elf had taken care of Michael since he was born, even being sent to his grandparents when he left.

When Michael was ready, the elf patted his shoulder. Michael stood and turned, smiling at Murphy. "It's so rude that you won't tell me" the boy said, joking when he felt the mood shift slightly. "Go, Michael, he'll be waiting for you" Murphy said in return, with a smile. The boy left with a smile on his face, missing the sadness in the house elfs eyes as he watched him go.

The Rest Of July

Michael spent many days with the man that seemed to be his dad's friend. He learned to fish with him, though he hated it greatly. He learned how to do tricks on the man's broom, ending with a couple bruises in the end. He spent a lot of time still, in the library, the man asking everything he asked easily.

"The only known monotremes in the animal kingdom are the echidna and which other creature?" asked Michael, his eyes finding the man sitting at the desk at the front of the library. The male hummed, and Michael smiled as he looked back in the book he was reading. "Platypus?" He said looking up. Michael nodded, still feeling a rush at the fact the man happily answered instead of getting ignored. The man smiled in return, before going back to his book. Michael did the same.
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"Living. . . with you?" The young boy asked as the older man talked to him, his father standing by the door. The boy frowned, "Why?" He asked softly, looking past the man he had grown to trust, and to his dad.

The older Miller shifted his weight as he stopped leaning on the doorframe and stood straight. "Your condition. . . I think that Joshua could take care of you more efficiently." He said. The other man, Joshua Long, smiled. "I can be like an uncle to you, it will be fun. I already got my cabin ready for you, and Alala already has a kitten swing to relax in." He said. Michael bit his lip before smiling slightly. It didn't sound so bad, and that means Joshua and him could play more, all day.

"Okay, when do I leave?"

Michael didn’t think it would end like this. His father coming over every day, taking the other man’s attention from him. Michael was taken to an event every now and then. He was uncomfortable with the flashing lights of reporters as his dad tried to gain the public’s favor but still smiled for them. The only thing different was the fact the other man was there, too.

Though as the days of the summer passed Michael could feel the change as he saw the photos and articles change from “Miller talks about being aware of the struggles of a Lycanthrope” to other man and their struggles. He saw his dad turn from a smiling man to one that seemed to always have messy hair, and bags under his eyes.

Michael could tell something was different as his father looked at him before he left the small cabin that was Michael’s new caretaker’s home. Michael would ignore it best he could, his eyes staying on his reading as he felt the hair on the neck stand up.

The boy was observant enough to realize he wasn’t needed for his father’s publicity for the rest of the summer, as days passed without the man coming back to receive him for an outing. The boy spent his time learning how to handle the change from the miller house to the long cabin. The rules were different for him now, the meals set at times instead of brought by an elf. The bedtime set with an early rise instead of freely set. The yard work tiring in the summer heat. He wasn’t used to the feeling of roughness on his small hands, or the sun burns that seemed to be permeant on his small shoulders.

During the days there, he decided to change the way he looked. Mr. Long was fine with letting him walk onward, to a small store a mile from his cabin, to get hair dye and a set of light brown contacts. It wasn’t till days later, that he realized his dad wouldn’t be as okay with it as his caretaker was.