Paying the Dues ( Walker / Alpin )

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Walking down to the gate, he had the addresses for five public Libraries in Scotland, knowing his father was busy. In his other pocket he had his small hoard of muggle change, all coins, ready to do what he knew he had to to get the hard copy he believed he needed. His father had agreed, by Owl, to let him do this, mostly because of a passionate letter he had sent him asking for the chance. He loved his sister and he wanted to show the effort that trying to make things up to her and explain himself would mean, putting in the time.

There was something about that felt right. Whether she appreciated it or not really.

Down at the gate to Hogwarts he stopped, leaning against the fence and sighing. This was his first ever argument with her, but she hadn't let him explain either and that was what bothered him the most. If she had he knew, just knew she would have understood him! So here he was, ready to meet his father and go do his time in the land of muggles. Which actually he felt used to, knew what he needed to do the job because half his life had been spent as one. When he heard a noise he turned, saw his father and smiled.

Stepping around the gate and out to greet him, he hugged him first while he said "Thanks for this, dad, I know you're busy. You can just drop me off and pick me up later if that's easier for you." he held out the paper with the addresses on it, hoping it would help. "Any of these will do. I don't want to drag you all over or anything."

@alpin

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Despite his kindness, there wasn't a lot of people who Alpin would be willing to apparate with from Hogwarts and travel with to his home country of Scotland, a place he was usually only able to visit every other year to see family. But his son was not a lot of people. Though such an odd reason too- to visit libraries? Alpin wondered why the Muggle Libraries in London weren't okay to use. At least then Walker could drop by and visit his mum. But Alpin was sure the boy had his reasons.

Approaching him at the gate, he looked over the addresses.

"I don't why this is so important to you, son," said Alpin. "But the main thing is I can tell it is important, so I'll help you. Perhaps while I'm here though, you can tell me why Viona is all out of sorts. Usually she writes back just raving about you and how much fun she has with you. Last owl, she barely said anything. Is something wrong?"

Alpin expected Walker and Viona to have a row now and then. He knew siblings did that as he had cousins as close as siblings and they argued all the time in their youth.

@shava444

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Since Hogwarts was in the Scottish mountains, he had thought it would be simpler for his father to drop him off somewhere here, but as he waited it occurred to him his father probably would maybe find it easier to go some place he knew. Did Appiration work best with places you knew? He wasn't sure about that. So when his father appeared, he did add "I mean, if there is somewhere you think is easier for you, I'm good. I just appreciate the chance, dad." it had been hard to get used to that word this summer and it wasn't till the end of it that it had become more common for him to say it out loud.

He hung his head, knowing it was his fault. "It's sort of my fault, dad," okay yeah maybe he used it now to try to get some sympathy as well, but he could hardly be blamed for that! "We were talking about the Black Lake and she was talking about al lthe creatures she wanted to work with and there was a hippocampus she was introducing me to," merlin that sounded odd didn't it? "and I sort of apologized to it for humans being the cause of so much environment being destroyed."

Walker shrugged, still sort of feeling bad about the misunderstanding and all that. "Well...sort of to it. Mostly I was remembering all we learned at the orphanage about how muggle companies are destroying so many habitats around the world and how all these groups were trying to fight them." He glanced up at his father, looking to see how he took it. "I, ah, sort of made the mistake of mumbling something about how humans were destroying the planet. You can probably guess what happened after that. Sir."

Gah, this was worse then going through it all over again.

@alpin

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Alpin smiled when Walker was willing to go to a library that the man knew of. It would make apparating a great deal easier. Alpin wasn't an expert on Muggle things, but he was a good bit familiar with the Muggle libraries in London.

"Why, my lad, look no further than the Westminster Reference Library in London," he said. "I know the place like the back of me hand, as well as the area around us. I'll have us pop up in a private place near the rear of the place."

Alpin nodded in understanding, knowing exactly why Viona was upset.

"Ah, well that's a wee bit of a touchy subject for her," he said. "You see she loves animals and people both a great deal, and tries to see the best in them both. I'm sure you meant well though, and she'll come around. The way she goes on about you, you're the best thing that's ever happened to her."

Alpin then patted his son on the shoulder.

"For now, let's worry about getting you there and getting you back here before your curfew," he said. "And just to warn ya, lad, you might get a wee bit ill the first time you do this..." He then offered his hand for Walker to grab so that they could apparate.

@shava444

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Nodding at his father's decision, he left it up to him. "Okay! Whatever is easier for you, I don't want to be a pain, really. How can I pay you back, dad? Is there something I can do for you?" His hands itched, he scratched one with the other awkwardly in his nervous state. A bit quieter he spoke about something he hadn't much before, something that had been hanging around in the back of his head for a long time.

"I know, it sort of slipped out before I realized what I was saying. I've, ah, kind of dreamed some about finding a way to stop some of the forest destruction before and it's sort of...something I might want to do someday. I hate the fact they are destroying so much so fast though!" His voice got louder on the last few words, as if protesting the fact he was too young to go harrying off after them. It wasn't a career, he understood that, but it did bother him he couldn't stop it either.

Much softer he added, almost under my breath. "You all are the best thing for me. Like, ever, dad. I'm trying to be a good brother I really am, this is my first big slip up. Do you think she will come around? I want to make it all right again." Heck, he'd even get up on a Saturday morning for her and he really didn't like that at all! "Why does this hurt so much."

Hearing his father's words he nodded and took his hand easily enough. It was a man's hand, used to hard work and effort and Walker didn't feel much like a man in that moment, more still like a confused young boy who wasn't sure yet what he was doing...

@alpin

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Alpin gave Walker a confused look when the boy offered to pay him back. He then chuckled a little.

"You talk to me like I'm one of the goblins at Gringott's," he said. "You're me son. I'm your father. We do things for one another because we love each other. We never owe. Always remember that."

Alpin listened to Walker's worries as a good dad should.

"Well, I'm glad to hear you want to make a difference," he said. "Plenty of humans make mistakes, and often there's got to be those of us who have to clean those mistakes up. It's how both the magical and Muggle worlds run. And please don't worry about Viona. She doesn't stay mad long. Not a bitter bone in her body. Just talk to her when you get back. Everything will be okay."

When the hands touched, the two apparated. They re-appeared in an empty alley behind the Westminster Reference Library.

"Feeling alright, me lad?" he asked, again knowing when one wasn't use to apparating, one felt it. "While you do what you have to do, I'll be about perusing some Muggle books on baking. I like to compare." Alpin chuckled at that too.

@shava444

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Living in the orphanage had taught him about balance. He knew that if the adults did something for them, then they were expected to do things in return. Like follow rules, do chores, more homework and other such. Being in a family had changed that to some degree; things like chores and helping out they didn't call an exchange nor were they expected. It was an odd thing to his mind that they expected you to know what needed to be done in respect for each other and in love, but he was still new to this as well.

Doing this for his sister was another way of showing it, that she deserved his time and energy to make things right.

"Oh I will, dad, I will. But it's not enough to me that she just stops being angry, but that she understands what I mean so if I do it again then she won't be angry about the same things. Especially if I find a way to start doing things about the forests." While not a big cause yet, he was very bothered about the forests, he couldn't say why.

The appiration hit him and he did feel sick to his stomach for a moment, reaching out to lean against the wall a moment with his eyes closed. "Yeah just....a moment." He swallowed and when his head cleared some so did the feeling in his stomach. Standing up he said "Okay, I'm good. Does that always happen to you?" And then his father speaking about cookbooks made him smile, shaking his head. "Surely the best bakers don't give away their ideas for free?"

@alpin

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Alpin nodded in understanding of Walker not wanting to upset Viona again.

"I assure you she's a bright girl," he said. "Explain it to her and all will be well."

When they arrived, Alpin patiently waited for Walker to regain his composure. He chuckled when Walker asked if it always happened.

"You get used to it after a while," he said. "Soon you'll be doing it yourself and it will be as easy as riding a broom."

Alpin then smiled about the baking recipes as they walked.

"Aye, many of them do," he said. "But at the same time, many do make their recipes public for a profit, and they make quite a bit of money and fame doing so. Some even show off their recipes on Muggle tele I hear."

Alpin stepped into the library and found him fascinated as usual with all the Muggle technology, especially the computer people used to look up books or get onto the internet.

"Well then," he said. "I'll meet you here at the entrance in about an hour?" He patted Walker on the shoulder and walked away.

@shava444

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Of course, Walker had had a lot of worries on his mind and had not really been able to concentrate on Viona which was a shame as she might have been able to help his nerves this week. It had been turbulent and crazy and he wasn't sure which way was up anymore either. So having stuff in hand to speak to her about and show her what he had been saying felt important to him. With that he could avoid confusion with her in the future and she would understand more of what he had been talking about in general for the future.

Then maybe he could broach the fact of what her classmate had done.

While having family was one thing, he didn't feel like he could tell his father yet about what was happening; he wanted to bounce it off Viona first and get her read on it. He spent (before this week) much more time with her and she had been asking him a few times if there was a girl he liked. "Oh I know she is smart sir. You raised her to be very bright and optimistic too. I just hope the world won't give her a hard time." After the jump, he heard his dad's chuckle and that helped as well; if it was funny there was nothing serious about it either.

"That sounds good cause that can't be comfortable to do a lot." The concept of making money off showing off their recipes had Walker's eyebrows up. Then why did bakeries and shops do so many-- Ah, he thought he had it. "So...you make money because people have access to the recipes that are similar, but it's easier to come straight to you and get it hot without having to do the work?" That made a bit too much sense actually; he knew people could be very lazy.

As his father spoke and then walked away, Walker nodded saying "Sure dad, that should be plenty of time, thanks!" First he went to one of those same viewers and looked up three magazines he knew would have what he needed and pressed the buttons for copies before using it to find three books which he went and got, taking to the large printer. By the time it was getting close to the end of an hour he had seven articles about companies involved in Environmental destruction for profit and three on groups fighting them in court and in physical person.

The animals being isolated still made his blood boil. On this subject he cared about the animals involved as much as his sister did. He also had a list of what muggle products to avoid which those companies profited from. Going to the front door, he went to the desk and paid out of his change (finishing most of it off) and was at the front door a few minutes later to wait for his father.

@alpin

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Alpin smiled and shook his head when Walker worried about the world giving Viona a hard time.

"Don't let the fact that we Zephyrs are kind-hearted fool ya, me boy," he said. "We're Gryffindors, and we have a wealth of courage. Viona... and you are no exception."

Alpin listened to Walker as he asked about the bakery business.

"Aye, yes, but then again the Bonfire Bakery is also a cafe so I'm not only a professional baker but in the restaurant business as well... to a point," he said. "Some bakers and chefs do it that way, others sell recipe books, others do both. And then you have those who want to keep everything a secret. Always been one who likes to share meself."

Alpin then met up with his son later. He had three Muggle baking books that he had checked out. He didn't bother to ask what Walker had as that was between the boy and his sister. Alpin was not one to pry in the business of his children unless it was brought to his attention... or he was made to worry a great deal.

"Well now, lad," he said. "We have a wee bit of time left. Let your old man buy you a cup of tea."


@shava444

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For the first time in the short trip, Walker grinned at his father. "I never doubted it, dad, it takes a lot of courage to put up with a new kid in the family, after all. Especially one of a bottomless stomach such as I know I have," he said with a laugh after. "Besides, I have never seen her hesitate in anything. She will always be a go-getter."

Walker didn't miss the fact his father agreed, but didn't follow up on the laziness of most people either. He hadn't really expected him to, though Walker didn't quite see everyone in as positive a light as his family did. Being where he had lived a good chunk of his life this was hardly surprising, though the Zephyr's were chipping away at those thoughts fairly well in the short time they had had him around.

When he finished and waited at the door, he saw his father coming with a few books to read, no doubt some sort of recipe books he was sure. It made sense; if others were going to put out new ideas in products, anyone in the food business would be dumb to not look at them for more ideas. "I'd be glad to, dad, tea would be a good idea I suspect." He had plenty of time; after all it was only coming up around mid day as it was.

@alpin