For The First Time

[Amalia Abramova]

With a sigh Amalia came down the stairs. The bedrooms, except the one of her parents, were all finished. Exactly the way her mother had wanted it to. Because she herself wasn’t allowed to use magic yet, her brother took care of it all with magic. So she was the one who had to keep an eye on the three little ones. She let them decorate her own room in lilac colours with gray and silver. Even though Ilari and Mitya made jokes about it, she had let them go. They were men after all, what did they know about decorating a house. No their room, that was something entirely different, they would share a room which could be divided with a room divider, inseparable as they were when they were at home, bacause they apparantly hated it to be in different houses at Hogwarts. The room of the two boys was half red and gold and half blue and bronze. It was a good thing they could split the room when they wanted to, because that combination was horrible. But it was what they had wanted. Dunya her room was separated by a door from the room of her twinbrother Dmitriy, and wouldn’t be misplaced in any palace. Dunya was the little princess of the family. Dmitriy had gotten a gray and white room. It surprised Amalia that her little brother was actually able to keep the white actually white. Finally they turned Vincenza’s room into fairytale atmospheres and Amalia had taken one of her brothers to the bathrooms. One would be shared by the boys and the other one by the girls. The girls bathroom had a beige floor and cream tiles with silver taps. The boys bathroom had a black floor with dark gray walls and gold taps.

The two small guestrooms were already finished as well. One in soft blues and decorated to Merlyn’s taste. The other one in baroque style. The hallways stayed neutral and the boy had seen themselves that there wasn’t more needed than the chandeliers and clean up the beautiful cherry wood.

Ilary was now working on the living quarters and Mitya was taking care of the kitchen. The same kitchen where she was making dinner in a Muggle manner even though it was called differently here in America. The living quarters, also know as the living room, a small salon, a very small library and studyroom and a very small extra sitting room, became a mix match of her mothers beloved Italian influences from the Castello and their fathers Russian influences. From what what she could see through a pass-through window it was gorgeous. The eldest twin had thought about a large wooden corner sofa at the large kitchentable. Another long bench on the other long side of the table and a chair on the head of the table for their father completed it all. Amalia already fell in love with the large dining table, there they would be able have a nice dinner as there was enough space for their family and guests.

While she was chopping the onions, she chuckled, when she thought of what this small house had, you’d think it was huge. But it wasn’t all that big at all. In the bedroom only the highly needed stuff fitted. Their new library/studyroom had only four bookshelves, a desk and two chairs. You couldn’t even fit a stall in the living room, neither in the little salon or the extra sitting room were large enough to fit said stall. But she already felt happy here. It was small, smaller than she was used to. But she lived close to the Campbells, a family that truly felt like family. And… And it was their own home, no uninvited students that walked in, nothing of the like. Their own place.

The dinner she was preparing went well. She made pasta with different sauces, garlicbread and a colourful salad. A desert she didn’t make, she knew that was too much to handle for her. She hoped zia(aunt) Nathalia and her children would like the dinner. But she wasn’t affraid of that. The one she was frightened about was mister Webster and his children. Knowing her mother and zia, they would be invited for dinner.

Amalia shortly shook her worries off of her while she asked her brother to set the table and to put some nice smelling flower arrangements on the table as well. After that she told him to go and help Ilari. She herself went on to the last preparations for dinner. While she put the finishing touches on dinner she felt tears welling up in her eyes. What if it wasn’t good enough, not tasty enough? Then what? It was the first time Amalia made a dinner completely by herself after all.

[Jordan Campbell]

With a wide grin on his face he looked around the bedroom he shared with his little brother Jacob. His mother offered him her help multiple times, as she was able to use magic to put the heavier objects in their rightful places, but he declined all offers of help, even the help his older adoptive sister Liv offered. He wanted to do this himself, his grandfather showed him a couple of tricks to do things quickly and effectively no-maj style, and the result was great. Everything he put together himself, like his bed and the toddler bed for Jacob weren’t falling apart, the same went for the closets. Even the painting of the walls went extremely well, of course his mother had shown him how to mask things propperly. He wanted a natural atmosphere in the bedroom, and so far his little brother seemed happy about it too. One wall was sandy yellow and the other wall was a pretty grassgreen colour, the curtains were a light brown colour. Jordan was happy he had a talent for drawing, because of that the wall next to his brothers bed had some fantastic beasts on it. He gave the room one more satisfied smile, after which he quickly went to the bathroom to freshen himself up a bit.

He and his family were invited for dinner at the Abramov’s, but Jordan decided to arrive early, maybe he could help Amalia’s brother. After he freshened up and dressed up nicely he went on his way to the coach house, where the Abramov family had moved in. He had to get used to it at first when Misses Abramova’s children started to call his mother aunt, as they aren’t actually related. But once he got used to it, he started to call Misses Abramova aunt more often, like he called Mister Abramov uncle. He saw their children as his nieces and nephews. The closer he got to the coach house the more he started to follow his nose, there was a delicious smell coming from the house and there was no doubt someone was trying his or her best to make a delicious dinner.

Quietly he stepped inside and walked towards the kitchen, to see who was tasked with cooking dinner. “Hey Amalia.” he said when he saw her standing in the kitchen, not realizing she was finishing up cooking. When he got closer to her, and gave her face a once over, he got the awful feeling that something was bothering her. “Amalia, is everything okay?” he asked, while he hesitated wheter or not to put an arm around her shoulder.

[Amalia Abramova]

Of course when she neared her breakdown, Jordan had to walk in. Amalia suspected him to do it on purpose. Because say it yourself, of every single moment he could’ve chosen, he chose this one.
‘Hello Jordan.’ she greeted back to him, and she was glad she was able to keep her face hidden behind her hair, if he would stay where he was. But of course he didn’t. What was it with men, and them never doing what you hoped for as a woman.

Amalia poured some olive oil and lemon juice on the pasta and shuffled it very well, when he asked if everything was okay.
‘Yes and no.’ she put the big bowl on the table and finished the dressings for the salad after that. ‘I have never done this on my own before. Mother was always there to help or the house elves took care of the food.’ She poured the dressing into bottles and looked at him. ‘What if the Websters don’t like this type of food? Then all my work has been for nothing. Or what if I used to much herbs and spices or too less. Then what?’ she put down the bottles and took two glasses in which she poured refreshing lemonade, after which she gave him a glass. She took a big sip and looked at him.

‘So no, there isn’t anything actually, as long as they like it. And I didn’t make a dessert, I don’t know how to make one. It’s stupid, huh?’ While she looked him straight in the eye, she only noticed just know he had hazel eyes. She smiled shortly. ‘If you want to help the twins, they are busy in room next to the kitchen, otherwise there is a risk you have to help me with some last things.’

[Jordan Campbell]

Amalia greeted him back with a simple ‘hello’ at which he smiled. He noticed she was trying to hide her face behind her hair, something that didn’t work anymore once he got closer to her and could’ve guessed things weren’t going so well.

His ‘niece’ admitted eventually things weren’t going well, while she put a big bowl on the table, after which she moved on with something else. Before he could ask what had been going wrong, Amalia told the rest of it. She told him she had never done this alone before, and that her mother usually was there or that the house elves took care of it. “From what I see so far on the table, you don’t have to worry about anything, it smelled delicious and I can’t imagine it won’t be tasty.’ he tried to comfort her, after which Amalia went on with her story. She seemed uncertain. She was wondering what would happen when the Stuart Websters didn’t like the food and that all her work would’ve been for nothing, she also was frightened she hadn’t used enough herbs and spices or just too many. He looked at her and got an idea. “Do you have a spoon for me?” he asked her, after which he looked around the kitchen wondering in which drawer they would be hidden.
The glass of lemonade that was handed to him, he took with a smile on his face. “Thanks, Amalia.” he said smiling.

Eventually she said there actually wasn’t anything wrong, as long as they like it. But she also hadn’t made a dessert, because she didn’t know how to, she said. “That isn’t stupid, Amalia. Not everybody is able to do everything if it comes to cooking.” he said soothingly, after which Amalia told him the twins were in the other room if he wanted to help them and that he otherwise was at risk to help her with the last things. Her latter option wasn’t a bad idea, he was actually a star in making desserts and he really wanted to help her out. ‘Ilari and Mitya can handle it themselves. I’ll help you with a dessert. How about a nice white chocolate mousse?” he suggested with a wide smile on his face.

[Amalia Abramova]

Amalia smiled friendly when Jordan tried to sooth her. Ah, he was right. And if they didn’t like it, there were choices enough. When he asked for a spoon, she gave him one. She already knew he wanted to taste, what else would he need a spoon for after all. ‘Watch out, it’s hot.’  Amalia burst out in laughter, ‘It must not get any stranger, I almost sounded like mother.’

When he thanked her for the drink, she nodded shortly. It was normal to give your guests something to drink. Yes, this guest she saw more like family than as a guest, but if  one of her brothers or sisters would’ve been there, she would’ve done the same. That was just propper manners.

He soothed her about the lack of a dessert and Amalia gave him a small smile. ‘I know that it is normal, but when there isn’t enough food, people might leave hungry. That can’t happen?’ Soon enough he soothed her by telling her, that her brothers were capable enough to handle things on their own and that he would love to make a dessert. White chocolate mousse he suggested. Amalia shivered and looked at him. ‘I myself rather have something fruity for a dessert. But I’m sure the others would love some chocolate mousse.’ she smiled, ‘tell me, what do we need?’

[Jordan Campbell]

The friendly smile on Amalia’s face didn’t escape Jordan, when he tried to sooth her, somehow he always managed to do that. A warm smile -that looked suspiciously like his mothers- showed on his face. He immediately was handed a spoon after he asked for one, and put it in the pasta to get a good mouthful on it. Before he was able to put the spoonful of pasta in his mouth, Amalia warned him that it was hot. He nodded, bu carefully blew on it and carefully took a bite and had a taste. After he had swallowed his bite, he too laughed at Amalia’s comment. “The pasta is delicious Amalia, if they don’t like this, they have no idea what tasty food is.” he said with a grin on his face. “You did sound like aunt Gianna, but also like my mother.” he said laughing. His mother could be overly worried all the time, but he understood where she was coming from, they were her children after all.

He could hit himself in the head when he thanked Amalia out of habit for the drink she gave him. For him it wasn’t more than normal to thank someone when they offered or gave you something, that is what his upbringing was like. He chuckled softly about his own upbringing, something you often would see with the Abramov children as well.

Jordan almost found it endearing how worried a young girl could be about making the perfect dinner. Her words almost made him roll his eyes, but he knew to control himself. “Amalia, don’t worry so much, they won’t leave hungry. You cooked and made salades for almost an entire orphanage.” he said soothing, after which he shortly thought of an old Hogwarts student, who after her studies at Halucina started her own orphanage, every now and then she visited them. Miss Baum-McDawn if he remembered correctly, from what he gathered from his mother she was married young and had now three children of her own. The eldest was older than himself and started on her fifth year at Hogwarts. He couldn’t remember their names unfortunately. Quickly he pulled himself out of his thoughts and focused on Amalia again. The shiver that went through Amalia’s body didn’t escape him, and he chuckled softly. “Hmm, not a bad idea, we could serve fruit with the chocolate mousse, so we have something for everyone?” he suggested, after which he quickly thought about how much he needed of everything.
“I think we need at least four bars of white chocolate, twohundredandfifty mililiters of eggwhites, which are ten eggs we have to split and fivehundred mililiters of whipped cream.” he said eventually after which he looked at her with a smile. “We also need a saucepan with a little bit of water in it and an iron bowl so we can melt the chocolate, a whisk and two more iron bowls so we can whip the whipped cream and the eggwhite, and half a lemon for desinfection of the iron bowl and the whisk after we whipped the whipped cream with it.” he added, while he looked around searching.

[Amalia Abramova]

Amalia looked at the boy friendly when he finished his lemonade. “This is coming from pepe’s vineyards, I will serve the limonchello with dinner.’ her voice was warm and soft, exactly like she was. After his comforting her thoughts dived. ‘Ah yes Jessica Mcdawn. What a sweet woman she was, and then I haven’t said anything about Laura yet.’ Even though Amalia had grown up in a warm family, thanks to her parents she had learned to love the less fortunate. Thanks to Laura, Amalia had a beautiful childhood. Even though Amalia was born in better wealth than Laura, and the latter was much older than she was, you could tell there was a bond between them that was almost called sisterly. She could remember the trips they made to buy clothes very well. How she missed Laura now, in this new chapter of her life. Where Laura went to Hogwarts, Amalia was stuck here.

Jordan drank his lemonade with joy, and she took him in unobtrusively. When he gave her pasta the a-okay, a nice feeling came over her. This was why she did it, to please others.

When they discussed the dessert, she felt a little uncomfortable for a moment. This was something she wasn’t able to do, but she loved to help him. With a warm smile she pulled out everything he needed. It was a search and find every now and then, but eventually she found everything. She gave him the chocolate, the eggwhites and the whipped cream. With a warm smile she watched how Jordan went to work.

While the boy was working his magic, Amalia stepped backwards, until she was in the corner of the kitchen. It was there and then she realised that everything she and her family did couldn’t be enough, ever. Halfheartedly she picked up a lemon for the desinfection, while she hoped Jordan hadn’t noticed anything.

[Jordan Campbell]

The friendly look in Amalia’s eyes didn’t escape him, while he send her one of his charming warm smiles. “It’s delicious, Amalia. I’m convinced everybody will appreciate the Limonchello.” he said smiling. Ah yes, Laura… he thought, when Amalia mentioned her name. “Jessica is indeed very friendly indeed, Laura too. What were the other two called again, I believe their names started with an L as well?” he asked her, to distract her from her worries.

He noticed it made Amalia feel better when he gave her pasta the a-okay and he smiled. “You really shouldn’t worry so much, Amalia. You did pretty well for a first time.” he said softly, after which he took over the things he needed for the dessert. In the corner of his eye he saw her backing up slowly, but decided not to mention it, he knew she needed a moment to herself, and gave her all the space she needed.

He saw she picked up a lemon and took that from her with a smile. “Amalia, why don’t go and find some fruits, then I’ll take care of the rest.” he said, hoping this would give her some extra space to get herself together. “I was thinking about apples, grapes, strawberries, oranges and maybe some blackberries and raspberries?” he suggested eventually.

Once he had everything desinfected, he got to work and made his famous White Chocolate Mousse in no time, after which he poured it over in a pretty bowl and stored it in the fridge so it could stiffen up a bit. Knowing they were going to make a fruitsalad, he decided to make a sauce for that too, also known as a Sabayon.

Because Amalia was getting the fruit they needed, and had no idea where to find everything he needed, he decided to walk into the living room to find one of the boys. He only saw Ilari, so Ilari became his helper, or at least he hoped Ilari wanted to help him out. “Ilari? I need your help for a moment with finding some stuff in the kitchen I need, could you help me please?” he asked, at which Ilari answered fairly quickly and followed him into the kitchen, where he pointed out to Jordan where to find everything. “Thanks!” Jordan said, and quickly started with the Sabayon, hoping he would be finished with it before everybody would arrive.


OOC: Godmoding of Amalia and Ilari with permission.