Sail To The Moon PV Elena Clark

The Gwild residence

Reducio

Sunshine was not often something that graced England at this time of year, so when it did choose to make an appearance, it would be a shame if the opportunity to bask in its rays was passed up. Ari knew better than to let something like this go to waste, so he had sprawled himself across one of the benches in his family's garden, warmth settling in his clothes as he read one of his father's many divinely inspired volumes. While not a religious man himself, he worked in the realm of spirituality often as an aurologist and was fascinated by the history of the many beliefs of the world. Ari was essentially the same. Perhaps he would find a belief of his own, but for now, there were other more pressing things that occupied his thoughts any time there were seconds to spend pondering.

He slipped a bookmark between the pages and closed the book, deciding it was time to head back inside. Upon opening the doors to the sunroof, he was met with the sound of fingertips touching ebony and ivory, hammers striking strings as graceful melodies danced their way into the air. Seated at the piano was his mother, fully enraptured in the song she was crafting. Her long black hair fell all around her, a dark curtain that shielded her mind away from any distractions as she played. She was completely unaware that her son now stood in the doorway, watching her with admiration. He had always wished he could play an instrument that well despite having played guitar for over half his life now. As much as he loved it, it was not the strongest of his gifts, the greatest likely being his singing voice. His mom also had the advantage of being classically trained where he was not. Maybe he could take lessons after he graduated.

A few more minutes passed before her song drew to a close, the last droplets of a D major chord fading as she lifted her hands from the keys to brush her hair from her eyes. Ari had moved to lean on top of the closed lid of the piano, and certainly did not mean to startle his mom, yet that is what occurred. She let out a small cry of surprise which quickly morphed into a giggle.

"Ari, my dear. Next time, please announce yourself when you come back inside if I am playing. My heart is not as young as it once was," She spoke softly with a smile, covering the keys with the fallboard before standing up and tucking the bench underneath. "Walk with me, will you?"

"Of course, mum,"Ari replied as they began to make their way out of the sunroom, his own appearing smile a near identical copy of his mother's."I do fear, however, that you were far too invested in what you were playing to have noticed me even if I had said I was coming back inside. Maybe next time I should tap you on the shoulder."

"Hmm. I'm not sure that would result in a different reaction than the one I just had. Oh well. That is a solution to settle on another day. We have a guest to finish preparing for."

The two of them found their way into the kitchen, a sweet smell wafting from the oven as sunshine poured through an open window and the wireless playing on the island. Ari had forgotten that his mom had baked cookies for the special occasion today, which was a shame given he never forgot about his mom's baking if chocolate was involved. His close friend Elena was coming to visit over break and spend a few days here. He had not had a friend over since the summer before he began going to Hogwarts, and he believed the company would do him good.

"Your cookies should be done in another minute or two," A voice spoke from the other doorway. It was Ari's dad, complete with tired eyes and a fresh apple in hand. It appeared as though he had just returned from a day of work based on the clothes he wore and the satchel resting against his hip. "I do hope you plan to save one for me. Is your friend as much of a fan of chocolate chip cookies as you are, son?"

"I'm not sure if I'm being honest. I have faith that mum's cookies can win anyone over, though. They really are the best." Ari went over and hugged him from the side. He was a few inches taller than him, so he wasn't exactly sure where he got his towering height from. An ancestor perhaps. "She should be here soon. I hope she remembers the address. What if she ends up at the wrong place?"

"I'm sure she'll find her way just fine, dear. There is no reason to worry." Elvera retrieved her wand, and with an effortless motion, the cookies flew out of the oven and stacked perfectly on a large white plate, steam rolling off the surface. "Give those a few minutes to cool, and then you can eat to your heart's content, Sebastian. There are plenty to go around for everyone."

As his dad retreated to the library to set away his work supplies and get ready to relax, Ari quickly handed him the book he was reading earlier so he could put it away in an effort to save some steps. Then he took a seat by the window closest to the fireplace to wait for Elena. Nervousness began to settle in his gut, a mixture of the good and bad kind. The good was because he was going to see his best friend outside of school, the bad because he wanted everything to go well. One wrong thing could undo this visit, and he prayed that fate would look upon him with favor.

A noise came from the kitchen, and from what Ari could see, a snowy owl now sat in the open window as his mom finished tidying up the kitchen. Gelu had likely just returned from a hunt, though no deceased creature was held in her talons. She then flew gracefully to the window where Ari was sat, golden eyes watching him with curiosity as she turned her head to face him. She closed her eyes as he gently pet her soft white feathers with a hum and a smile for a moment. This owl had been with the family since his parents got married, so she was very comfortable flying around the house and being handled. They really couldn't have asked for a better household companion.

"Elena will be here soon, Gelu," Ari said quietly to her as he removed his hand from her back. "I think you'll like her. She's a very sweet person."

His gaze shifted to the clock, the minute hand ticking around at its usual expected pace. Waiting was all he could do now, and the waiting was the hardest part according to some muggle song his mum liked. Right now, that muggle's words were being proven very, very right.

@Elena Clark